SYLM Chapter 76

Chapter 76 “I want to go to Ningcheng.”

Chapter 76 “I want to go to Ningcheng.”

Today is Tuesday, the day Duo Duo needs to go to kindergarten.

In the early morning, the warm sunlight sprinkled into the room through the cracks in the curtains. Duo Duo rubbed her sleepy eyes and sat up in bed. The first thing the little girl with messy hair did when she woke up was look around, searching for that familiar figure.

“Where’s Chen Lu elder sister?” Duo Duo pouted, her voice carrying a hint of grievance, “When did she leave? She didn’t even tell Duo Duo when she’d see her next.”

Gu Wan Jun was standing by the bed tidying up Duo Duo’s clothes. Hearing her daughter’s murmur, her hands paused slightly. She lowered her head, gently stroked Duo Duo’s hair, her gentle tone carrying a hint of subtle complexity:

“Chen Lu elder sister has work to do, so she left first. Next time she comes, Mommy will let her spend more time playing with Duo Duo, okay?”

Duo Duo blinked her big eyes. Although she was a little unwilling, she still nodded obediently, like a little adult, and instructed:

“Then Mommy must remember to tell Chen Lu elder sister that Duo Duo misses her very much.”

Gu Wan Jun felt a slight sting in her heart, but she still smiled and agreed to her daughter’s request: “Okay, Mommy will definitely tell her.”

At the breakfast table, Duo Duo drank her milk, her little feet swinging back and forth, never still.

After putting the fried egg into the pink little dinner plate, Gu Wan Jun said softly:

“Duo Duo, how about letting Grandma pick you up from kindergarten tonight?”

Duo Duo licked the milk ring around her mouth, raised her head and asked, “Why is Grandma picking up Duo Duo?”

Gu Wan Jun put down her chopsticks and sat on the chair next to Duo Duo, explaining in a gentle tone:

“Because Mommy has something to do today and needs to take a leave of absence to go to another city. I won’t be back until tomorrow.”

“Another city? Where is the other city?” Duo Duo tilted her head, looking curious.

“Um… the place is called Ningcheng.”

Gu Wan Jun smiled, her eyes drifting a little: “Ningcheng is where Mommy used to work. There are many memories of Mommy there.”

“Ningcheng… Ningcheng… Ah! Is that the place Mommy mentioned before, where you taught Chen Lu elder sister?”

“……”

Gu Wan Jun was obviously stunned. She didn’t even remember when she had mentioned these things in front of her daughter. When asked at this moment, she could only nod lightly:

“Yes, that’s the place. Mommy doesn’t even remember when I told you. You have a good memory, baby.”

“Duo Duo remembers everything Mommy says.”

The milky little face was stuffed full with the fried egg, looking like she was asking for praise. Duo Duo didn’t forget to ask another question: “Then, is Chen Lu elder sister going too?”

Gu Wan Jun’s eyes were a little complicated, but she still nodded honestly: “Yes, Chen Lu elder sister is going too.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the little milk ball’s eyes lit up, and she nodded excitedly:

“Chen Lu elder sister and Mommy are going to Ningcheng together, yay! Mommy, you have to get along well with Chen Lu elder sister. If you have the chance, you should invite Chen Lu elder sister to come and play at home again!”

Whenever Chen Lu was mentioned, Duo Duo looked excited and jubilant. Gu Wan Jun pursed her lips, touched her daughter’s fluffy little head, and couldn’t help asking:

“Duo Duo, do you like Chen Lu elder sister very much?”

“Yes, I like her!”

“Why do you like Chen Lu elder sister so much?”

“Because Chen Lu elder sister is pretty!”

The neat little white teeth arrived a little late, but this question was no problem for Duo Duo at all.

Halfway through eating the fried egg, she put it back on the plate. The little milk ball held her little head in both hands and thought for a long time. Finally, she racked her brains and came up with an answer that she was very satisfied with:

“Mommy, Tang Ying Auntie, and Chen Lu elder sister are all pretty. I like Chen Lu elder sister because Mommy likes Chen Lu elder sister.”

“……”

Although she knew that six-year-old Duo Duo didn’t understand the adult world, Gu Wan Jun’s eyebrows still twitched when she heard this. Her fingertips tightened on the edge of the table, and she tentatively asked:

“How did Duo Duo see that Mommy likes Chen Lu elder sister?”

“Mommy always looks at Chen Lu elder sister’s photos, always mentions Chen Lu elder sister, and… and Mommy has stars in her eyes when she looks at Chen Lu elder sister!”

“……”

Now the mother was speechless.

It was no wonder that Duo Duo was so fascinated by Chen Lu even before they had met.

Gu Wan Jun ah Gu Wan Jun, even your daughter can see through your thoughts, how can you hide them from Chen Lu.

After breakfast, Gu Wan Jun drove Duo Duo to kindergarten.

Before going in, Duo Duo, carrying her little schoolbag, turned her head and “instructed” Gu Wan Jun in a milky voice: “Mommy, don’t forget to miss Duo Duo when you go to Ningcheng.”

Looking at her daughter’s innocent little face, Gu Wan Jun’s heart softened. She squatted down and kissed her daughter’s little face, promising with gentle eyes: “Of course, Mommy will miss Duo Duo wherever I go.”

“Mommy, pinky swear.”

“Pinky swear.”

A few minutes later, after watching Duo Duo go in with the other children, Gu Wan Jun turned to go to the parking space, took out her phone, and dialed her mother’s number.

“Mom, don’t forget the time to pick up Duo Duo tonight. I’ll probably be back tomorrow afternoon. I’m counting on you this time.” Gu Wan Jun’s voice was as gentle and calm as ever.

On the other end of the phone, Gu’s mother responded. After a brief silence, the old woman opened her mouth and asked:

“Wan Jun, don’t you have class today?”

“I originally had class, but I asked the director for leave.”

“I see. Then, do you have something to do in Ningcheng that you took leave for?”

It was no wonder that Gu’s mother had such a question. Since the end of the epidemic, Duo Duo starting school, and Gu Wan Jun and her daughter moving out to live alone, no matter how busy she was, Gu Wan Jun had never asked the family for anything.

Even if Gu Wan Jun didn’t say it, Gu’s mother knew that her daughter felt sorry for the old couple, so she tried her best to handle everything herself.

This time, her daughter asked her to help take care of Duo Duo, and even took leave, so there must be something important to do.

Regarding her mother’s question, Gu Wan Jun was silent for a few seconds, and then chose to answer truthfully:

“I’m going back to participate in a speech and take care of some things.”

“So you’re just participating in a speech. I thought…”

On the other end of the phone, Gu’s mother hesitated, as if her wish had been dashed. The old woman sighed, her tone carrying a hint of worry:

“Wan Jun, you know, Mom doesn’t want to interfere with you, but you’re not young anymore. If you meet someone suitable, you have to seize the opportunity…”

Another marriage urging.

The same opening, Gu Wan Jun didn’t know how many times she had heard it in recent years. Normally, she would have rejected her mother’s words without hesitation, but today, her mind was full of Chen Lu’s figure. In the end, she could only vaguely respond with “uh-huh” and “ah-ha” a few times, using the excuse of driving to hang up the phone in a hurry.

If her mother knew that the only person she had wanted to marry for so many years was Chen Lu, would she still urge her to marry again and again?

Gu Wan Jun shook her head and smiled wryly while fastening her seat belt.

At that time, it wouldn’t just be urging marriage. It was hard to say whether she would have a heart attack.

But she couldn’t care so much now.

On the way home, Gu Wan Jun held the steering wheel, planning what to do in Ningcheng in the afternoon.

While waiting for the traffic light, her phone vibrated. A call from her friend Tang Ying came in.

“How was it last night? Did you talk to Chen Lu clearly?” Tang Ying’s voice floated from the earphone, as cold and direct as ever.

Gu Wan Jun smiled wryly, not knowing where to start.

After waiting for a few seconds without hearing a response, Tang Ying seemed to have foreseen how things would go, and her cold voice floated from the receiver:

“You’re usually eloquent, but why do you chicken out when it comes to Chen Lu? If you don’t love her, let go quickly. If you love her, go after her shamelessly. Where’s that fierce energy you had when you said harsh words back then? You’re five years older, why are you going backwards?”

“……”

Knives were stabbing her heart one after another, and Tang Ying didn’t let Gu Wan Jun off the hook.

Accompanied by a cold snort of resentment, just as Tang Ying wanted to continue to reprimand this “unworthy” friend, Gu Wan Jun suddenly spoke, her tone carrying a hint of determination:

“Tang Ying, I’m going to Ningcheng this afternoon.”

“……”

After a moment of silence, a chuckle came from the receiver. Tang Ying’s mood changed from cloudy to sunny, and her tone softened a lot: “Okay, you haven’t chickened out completely.”

“Do you know about the speech?”

“You already know, how could I not know.”

“Do you think I’m doing the right thing?”

“Nonsense.”

“……”

Through the phone, Gu Wan Jun could imagine Tang Ying rolling her eyes when she said this.

“This time you’re going to Ningcheng, have you thought about what to do?”

“……”

Another moment of silence.

“Don’t tell me you haven’t thought about it.”

“Tang Ying, to be honest, besides being able to see her more, I really don’t know what I can do.”

Gu Wan Jun’s voice was muffled. This was one of the few moments when she revealed her vulnerability.

Before, when Chen Lu was studying abroad, the two were separated by a great distance. It was okay if they didn’t see each other. At that time, Gu Wan Jun could deceive herself and relieve her longing by looking at photos, but now that Chen Lu had returned, Gu Wan Jun really couldn’t completely ignore Chen Lu and go their separate ways.

But if she were to ask Chen Lu to get back together…

As long as her thoughts stopped, her mind would be full of the little girl’s words—Gu Wan Jun, I don’t like you anymore.

Five years was too long. Many things had changed. If Chen Lu really didn’t like her anymore, what qualifications did she, who was ten years older than Chen Lu, have to hope for a reunion?

Hearing the loneliness and inferiority in Gu Wan Jun’s words, Tang Ying rarely didn’t get angry and retort.

From the time they met, in Tang Ying’s impression, Gu Wan Jun had always been humble but not arrogant, confident and composed, as if even if the sky fell, this person would have a way to solve it.

Except when it came to Chen Lu.

She had never seen a Gu Wan Jun who was so unlike Gu Wan Jun.

“Forget it, let nature take its course. When some things really happen, your heart and instincts will tell you what to do.”

Tang Ying rarely said such ambiguous words, which made Gu Wan Jun subconsciously ask:

“What do you mean?”

“It doesn’t mean anything. You’ll understand soon enough. By the way, have you gotten your leave approved?”

“I told Director Ma.”

“Does Little Duo Duo have someone to take care of her? If not, send her to my house. I’ll have Fu Yi Wen make her something delicious.”

“My mom is taking care of her. Don’t worry.”

“Okay, there’s nothing else to explain. I wish you good luck. Put in some effort.”

“……”

On the other side of the city.

In a hotel room.

The curtains were drawn tightly, and the room was dark. Chen Lu, who hadn’t slept all night, was lying in bed catching up on sleep.

The clock on the wall had just passed 9 o’clock when the sudden ring of the cell phone shattered the silence.

The person curled up in the blanket frowned. When she reached for her phone, the back of her hand touched something on the nightstand, which fell to the floor with a crisp sound. Chen Lu didn’t care. After picking up her phone, she squinted at the screen. It was Fu Yi Wen calling.

“Hello…” The vague voice carried a strong hint of sleepiness. The eyes that had narrowed into a slit closed again.

On the other end of the phone, hearing Chen Lu’s low, hoarse voice that sounded like she had been woken up from sleep, Fu Yi Wen didn’t dare to answer for a moment. After a few seconds of silence, a cautious voice floated over the receiver:

“Lu Lu, are you… are you sleeping?”

“Yeah, what’s up?”

“……”

As soon as she finished speaking, Chen Lu heard a sigh. She couldn’t see Fu Yi Wen’s expression on the screen. After waiting for a long time, no one spoke in the receiver. She thought Fu Yi Wen had hung up, and asked in a slightly hoarse voice:

“Hello? Fu Yi Wen? Did you hang up?”

“No, no, I’m here, I’m here!”

Fu Yi Wen quickly spoke to answer, her tone very apologetic: “I’m sorry, Lu Lu. I didn’t know you were sleeping.”

Chen Lu had trouble sleeping and found it hard to fall asleep. Fu Yi Wen was one of the few people who knew this, so when she realized that her phone call had woken Chen Lu up, the person on the other end of the phone wished she could slap herself in the face.

But Chen Lu herself didn’t think there was anything wrong, and replied gently that it was okay.

“Well, Lu Lu, are you in the hotel by yourself right now or…”

Or are you with Gu Wan Jun.

A distinct swallowing sound came from the receiver. Fu Yi Wen wanted to ask, but didn’t have the courage.

Either she didn’t understand her friend’s subtext, or she didn’t want to mention that name, Chen Lu frowned and directly ignored the question:

“Is there something you wanted to talk to me about?”

“Ah… it’s nothing really. I just wanted to ask if you’re okay?”

On the other end of the phone, Fu Yi Wen’s words were rambling and confusing. On the bed, Chen Lu turned over and switched hands to answer the phone: “I’m fine. What could possibly be wrong with me?”

“I see…”

Fu Yi Wen was silent for a few seconds on the other end of the phone, and then tentatively asked again: “Then you and Gu Wan Jun… how did you talk last night?”

Mentioning that name, Chen Lu frowned even more tightly. Her tone unconsciously carried a hint of impatience: “Do you have something to say or not? If not, I’m hanging up.”

“Hey, hey, don’t hang up. I won’t talk about her anymore, okay?”

Seeing that the situation was not good, Fu Yi Wen quickly changed the subject:

“By the way, the real estate agent sent me real-time pictures of the houses. I’ve chosen a few for you. I’ve sent them to you on WeChat. Take a look when you have time and see which one you like. I’ll go with you to take a look in person. If it’s okay, we’ll sign the contract. You’ll be staying in the country for a while this time, right? I asked you last time, but you didn’t say…”

Fu Yi Wen paused, her tone adding a bit of careful inquiry:

“But no matter how long you stay, it’s not convenient to always stay in a hotel. You need a place to settle down, right?”

“Yeah.”

Chen Lu responded. She didn’t deny Fu Yi Wen’s words, nor did she explicitly say how long she would stay in the country. However, when she spoke again, her tone unconsciously softened a bit:

“Fu Yi Wen, thank you for running around for me these past few days.”

“Hey, I don’t want you to say that. Why are you being so polite with me! Oh, right, you’re going back to Ningcheng No. 1 High School to give a speech tonight, so you’ll have to leave at noon, right? I heard that Li Wen Qi is also going to ride back in your car with you. I don’t know if you’re used to driving the car you just picked up the day you returned to the country. You have to be careful!”

“Yeah, don’t worry.”

After chatting for a few simple sentences, Chen Lu hung up the phone.

With the back of her hand against her forehead, her eyes, still a little red from sleeping, stared straight at the ceiling.

Perfect, now she didn’t have to wait for the alarm to ring.

Chen Lu sighed, looked at the time after sitting up, and then lifted the blanket and got out of bed. Before putting on her slippers and going to the washroom, she bent down and picked up the medicine bottle that she had knocked off when she answered the phone, and put it back on the nightstand.

On the other side, in the restaurant’s warehouse.

After ending the call, Fu Yi Wen sighed deeply. She was originally busy counting the goods, but when she thought of her friend’s situation and experience, she didn’t feel like working anymore.

Judging from her Lu Lu’s attitude, the problem between these two probably hadn’t been solved.

Ugh, that Gu Wan Jun is really something! Why doesn’t she make use of the opportunities she’s given? She was so good at coaxing Lu Lu when they were in school, why is she like this now—

“Yi Wen elder sister!”

A sudden shout from behind interrupted Fu Yi Wen’s thoughts. She was startled, and when she turned around, she saw Zhou Yuan, the college student who had been hired as a temporary worker a few days ago, standing behind her with a smile.

Zhou Yuan was a sweet-looking girl, with a young, likable, and gentle personality, plus that bright smile that was always visible, which made her get along well with the other employees in the restaurant in just a few days.

If she didn’t call her “Yi Wen elder sister” in such an intimate tone… Fu Yi Wen might be more satisfied with this new temporary worker.

Zhou Yuan was holding a few documents in her hand. She walked to Fu Yi Wen, who was patting her chest silently, and said in a light tone:

“Yi Wen elder sister, I saw that you were too busy to handle it all by yourself, so I came to help you count the goods too.”

“Have you finished all the work outside?”

“Yes, if Yi Wen elder sister doesn’t believe me, you can go check it later. I didn’t lie.”

“……”

Meeting that sweet smile, Fu Yi Wen stiffly twitched the corners of her mouth and responded politely. Goosebumps rose all over her body.

Each of them was responsible for the shelves in two areas. Originally, Fu Yi Wen wanted to finish counting the goods as soon as possible, but Zhou Yuan, who was on the next shelf, actually started chatting with her while working:

“Yi Wen elder sister, has anyone ever said that you look a bit like a female celebrity?”

The topic sounded a bit familiar. Without thinking, Fu Yi Wen blurted out the name she had heard at last night’s class reunion: “Li Bingbing?”

“Yes, it’s Li Bingbing, Yi Wen elder sister, you’re really pretty.”

“Haha, thank you.” Fu Yi Wen gave a stiff smile and responded politely.

“Yi Wen elder sister, you’re so pretty. Were you always the class beauty from childhood to adulthood? A lot of people must have been chasing you, right?”

“Oh, no way. I didn’t look like this before.”

Fu Yi Wen replied casually. Her intention was to say that she didn’t look like Li Bingbing when she weighed 160 pounds, but it seemed to have turned into another meaning in other people’s ears.

Seeing Zhou Yuan looking at her facial features with a slightly shocked expression, Fu Yi Wen belatedly realized that this person probably thought she had done some plastic surgery.

Well, it was said that losing weight was like getting a new head, so it probably wasn’t a problem to say that she had “gotten plastic surgery.”

Fu Yi Wen shook her head with a smile and continued to look down to check the documents in her hand.

This topic couldn’t continue. She thought she could have a quiet moment, but in less than three minutes, that sweet voice floated into Fu Yi Wen’s ears again:

“It’s said that people rely on clothes and horses rely on saddles, Yi Wen elder sister, you’re pretty, and your clothing taste is good. Do you have time to teach me?”

As soon as she finished speaking, as if she had heard something unbelievable, Fu Yi Wen suddenly raised her head, feeling a little dumbfounded:

“Good clothing taste? Me? Are you serious?”

“Of course, I’m serious!” Zhou Yuan nodded like she was pounding garlic: “Since I came to our restaurant, Yi Wen elder sister, you’ve been dressing very nicely every day, especially like a royal sister.”

“……”

Royal sister…

Knitwear, suit pants, high heels, plus this face that looked like Li Bingbing, how could she not be like a royal sister.

Fu Yi Wen looked down at her outfit today, and the face of Tang Ying with a bit of playful disdain involuntarily floated into her mind.

In the past few years, Tang Ying had always ruthlessly complained that her outfits looked like a primary school student, and had insisted on dragging her to the mall, picking out and trying on clothes one by one.

Especially after losing weight under Tang Ying’s supervision, this situation became even more serious.

There were a few times when she was trying on clothes and almost fell asleep, but Tang Ying was still matching clothes for her outside the fitting room.

“You have such a good figure, why are you still wearing those sacks? Did I let you lose weight for nothing?”

“What kind of taste do you have? High school students don’t even wear these clothes.”

“Except for this one and that one, I want the rest. Carry them. Let’s go to the next store.”

“……”

These were the words that Fu Yi Wen heard most often during that time.

Tang Ying had really put a lot of thought and effort into changing her. If it weren’t for Tang Ying…

“Yi Wen elder sister? Yi Wen elder sister?”

A “Yi Wen elder sister” that made her get goosebumps instantly pulled her wandering thoughts back. Fu Yi Wen shook her head. All that was left in front of her was Zhou Yuan, who was smiling at her. This person seemed to be a little closer to her.

Fu Yi Wen moved silently towards the shelf next to her.

“Yi Wen elder sister, the perfume you’re using smells really good.”

“Is that so?”

Fu Yi Wen lowered her head and sniffed her wrist. It really did smell good.

“What brand is it? I also want to use the same one as Yi Wen elder sister.”

Zhou Yuan’s sweet voice carried a few faint traces of testing the waters.

What brand was it?

Fu Yi Wen shook her head and answered truthfully: “I just sprayed it on randomly when I left the house this morning. I don’t know what brand it is. They were all gifts from other people.”

Those big-name perfumes on the table at home that could hardly fit were almost all given by Tang Ying.

Every time Tang Ying went to play in a city, she would always bring back three or four bottles of perfume for her, saying that she “bought them on the way”, but Fu Yi Wen knew that Tang Ying never did anything “on the way”.

Next, no matter which topic Zhou Yuan talked about, Fu Yi Wen seemed to be able to think of Tang Ying. This name was already inseparable from her life.

Seeing that Fu Yi Wen was distracted while chatting and her mind wasn’t on her at all, Zhou Yuan was a little disappointed, but she didn’t plan to give up.

Catching a glimpse of the broken hair near the ear of the person in front of her, Zhou Yuan reached out and wanted to help Fu Yi Wen tuck the broken hair behind her ear, but this action startled Fu Yi Wen. Someone with a shocked expression directly dodged it!

“I can do it myself.”

Fu Yi Wen gave a stiff smile and realized that she couldn’t stay here for long. After she finished speaking, she stuffed the inventory sheet in her hand to Zhou Yuan, said “Thanks for the hard work, do a good job” solemnly, and then left the warehouse without waiting for Zhou Yuan to respond.

The steps of fleeing for one’s life are always fast. When she walked out of the warehouse, Fu Yi Wen breathed a sigh of relief and couldn’t help but slander:

Are college students nowadays so enthusiastic and love to touch people?