SYLM Chapter 120

Chapter 120: She Has a Home.

Li Sa’s matter was resolved. They discussed going to see Duo Duo at their parents’ house during the weekend holiday, taking the opportunity to formally meet Gu Wan Jun’s parents.

Although Gu Wan Jun had already come out to her family successfully, Chen Lu felt an unprecedented nervousness the night before meeting the parents, after all, she was benefiting from their daughter.

Friday night, gifts for the elders, carefully selected to cater to their preferences, filled the living room, but Chen Lu was restless.

Remembering that Gu’s father seemed to enjoy playing Chinese chess, Chen Lu dragged Gu Wan Jun to teach her chess skills after dinner.

Looking at the little girl sitting upright and carefully studying the chess pieces, Gu Wan Jun’s heart melted.

Li Sa’s matter had already been resolved.

Her mind wasn’t on chess right now.

Chen Lu looked down at the chessboard, thinking hard, her concentration no less than when she was writing. Just as she was about to ask whether Gu’s father preferred using the horse or the cannon, she looked up and was captivated by the tender gaze. The person sitting across the chessboard was leaning over, supporting her chin, watching her intently.

Chen Lu’s heart trembled at the sight, and her throat felt inexplicably dry: “What’s wrong?”

“Lu Lu, tomorrow is Saturday.”

“Yes, didn’t we agree to visit Uncle and Auntie and Duo Duo tomorrow? That’s why we have to today…”

Halfway through her sentence, Chen Lu watched Gu Wan Jun shake her head and chuckle, then stand up and sit next to her in one fluid motion.

Chen Lu swallowed, feeling a little uneasy.

“Didn’t we agree to study chess? Why are you…”

“I’ll teach you a guaranteed winning trick.”

The warm breath was close, scalding Chen Lu’s earlobes. A soft palm covered the back of her hand, guiding her to move a chess piece:

“…like this…check.”

“……”

Staring at the chessboard where she was suddenly checkmated, Chen Lu belatedly realized it was a trap. She blinked and turned to argue, but her nose almost bumped into the lips so close to her. Gu Wan Jun used this posture to trap her in the corner of the sofa. Those Peach Blossom Eyes, more beautiful than any masterpiece in the world, shimmered with fragmented light under the lamp.

Chen Lu blinked rapidly: “We’re meeting your parents tomorrow, you…”

“Shh–” A slender index finger pressed against her lips, Gu Wan Jun’s eyes blazing: “Have you ever heard a saying?”

Perhaps infected by a certain little tortoise, or perhaps because the gaze she met was too fiery and charming, Chen Lu stuttered: “W-what saying?”

“Full belly, warm clothes, breeds lewd thoughts.”

Gu Wan Jun mouthed the words, the faint whisper burning Chen Lu’s entire face red. She blankly averted her gaze:

“Stop it…”

“Baby, can you give your sister a kiss?”

“……”

The slightly opened collar revealed a small mole below her collarbone, the base color was Chen Lu’s bite mark.

All the blood rushed to Chen Lu’s face. She tried to maintain her composure, but her voice was terribly hoarse: “…L-let’s play chess first…”

“Then your sister will give you a kiss…”

As soon as the words fell, Gu Wan Jun suddenly straddled Chen Lu, followed by a gentle but assertive kiss that directly pressed down, sealing Chen Lu’s lips.

Who could possibly be in the mood to learn chess now!

“W-wait a minute…” As if thinking of something, Chen Lu suddenly opened her eyes, gasping for breath and turning her head away: “The gift list…isn’t finished checking…”

The face that had just turned away was forcefully turned back. Gu Wan Jun bit the reddened tip of the person in her arms, chuckling softly:

“The best Longjing that my dad likes, you asked someone to bring the pre-Qing Ming special grade from Hangzhou, my mom’s cashmere shawl is custom-made from Inner Mongolia, Duo Duo’s Lego is a limited edition Disney castle, you prepared so thoughtfully, baby, what’s there to worry about?”

“No, but that doesn’t mean—um!”

“What you need to do now is think about why there’s no gift for me.”

“……”

“I don’t want any gifts, just give me yourself as compensation.”

“……”

Bees don’t eat human grain, jade dew is wine, flowers are food.

The warm yellow light of the desk lamp flowed and spread like honey, and a gentle buzzing sound came from the flower bushes.

A diligent little bee lightly swept across the layers of petals, finally stopping on the flower that only bloomed for her. Her movements were especially gentle, as if afraid of disturbing the flower’s sweet dreams.

Making honey is not about busily gathering flowers, the honey is still fragrant with hundreds of flowers.

After an unknown amount of time, when the bee finally returned fully loaded, the light plated her with a honey-colored halo, and every breath was filled with the faint scent of pomelo fruit wine.

What flower could have such a fragrance?

Of course, it was the flower that belonged only to her.

“Be good, don’t move.”

“……”

“I used to let you win, now we each rely on our own abilities.”

“……”

“Baby, call me sister.”

“…Sister…”

“Baby, you only belong to sister alone, understand?”

“…Understood…”

“Baby, say you love me.”

“…I, I love you”

“Who do you love?”

“…Love, love you…”

“Who am I?”

“…Gu Wan Jun…”

“Say it together.”

“I…I love Gu Wan Jun…”

“Louder.”

“I…ah…I love Gu Wan Jun…”

“Good girl.”

“……”

The result of a night of unbridled indulgence was that Chen Lu was the one wearing a turtleneck sweater to meet the parents the next day.

The beige turtleneck gave the little girl an indescribable charm.

How to say it, young but like a wife.

The more Gu Wan Jun looked at her, the more she liked her.

When the two stood in front of the Gu family’s door with large and small bags, Chen Lu took a deep breath, her fingers unconsciously tightening the handles of the gift bags.

Noticing her tension, Gu Wan Jun gently bumped her with her shoulder, her tone gentle: “Don’t be afraid, my mom was still asking me yesterday what dishes you like to eat.”

“Mm.” Chen Lu nodded, but her calves still couldn’t help but feel weak.

The door opened quickly, and Duo Duo was the first to rush out.

“Mommy! Sister Lu Lu!”

“Duo Duo is good, did you miss us?”

“Yes!”

Gu’s mother came out of the kitchen wearing a floral apron, her gaze lingered for a moment on their clasped hands, then she put on a stern face: “Just come, what are you doing bringing so many things?”

The old woman said this, but her hands had already taken the gift box from Chen Lu’s hand.

“Auntie, I heard that your shoulders and neck are not good, this is a cashmere shawl I chose for you.”

Chen Lu picked up a shopping bag and handed it over, her voice as soft as possible. As soon as she finished speaking, Gu’s mother’s eyes lit up, and she immediately untied her apron and happily tried on the shawl.

In front of the mirror, Chen Lu stood behind Gu’s mother, carefully arranging the wrinkles, while Gu Wan Jun thoughtfully gathered her mother’s long hair. The scene of the three reflected in the mirror was surprisingly harmonious. Gu’s mother turned her body from side to side, the shawl reflecting a soft pearl luster under the light.

“So pretty, so pretty.”

Gu’s mother murmured to herself. Chen Lu exchanged a look with Gu Wan Jun and instantly understood, bending her eyes and naturally saying: “This color suits you very well.”

At the same time, cheers came from Duo Duo in the living room. The little one was sitting on the carpet unpacking the Lego box, her eyes shining, her chubby face flushed with excitement; Gu’s father, wearing reading glasses, was taking pictures of the neatly arranged tea gift boxes on the coffee table. Chen Lu caught sight of the old man awkwardly adjusting the angle of his phone, and the notification sound of the successful sending of the Moments was particularly loud.

“Dad.”

Gu Wan Jun smiled wryly. Just as she was about to say something, Chen Lu stopped her by squeezing her palm. Gu’s father, who had finished posting in Moments, pushed up his glasses, a trace of embarrassment flashed across his serious face, but he quickly straightened his back:

“Recording life, Chen Lu bought it for me, none of my friends have ever drunk such good tea.”

“……”

Meeting the parents was smoother than expected.

In addition to Duo Duo, who had already been subdued by Chen Lu, Gu’s father and mother also liked Chen Lu very much. The old couple insisted on keeping her and Gu Wan Jun at home for dinner.

The aroma of chicken stewed with mushrooms wafted from the kitchen. Chen Lu rolled up her sleeves to help, but Gu’s mother firmly pressed her back onto the sofa. The old woman’s strength was astonishing. Chen Lu staggered and sat down, a little flattered. Gu Wan Jun winked at her and followed her mother into the kitchen. Duo Duo’s cunning and innocent smile peeked out from the crack in the door.

Whether intentional or unintentional, the living room suddenly became quiet, leaving only Chen Lu and Gu’s father staring at each other.

Chen Lu sat as straight as a ruler. Glancing at Gu’s father’s upright profile, the old man’s silver hair was combed meticulously, like the head of the student affairs office that students feared most in high school.

Fortunately, she had prepared in advance.

Chen Lu swallowed. Just as she was about to suggest playing a game of Chinese chess, Gu’s father spoke first:

“I heard you like to play chess?”

As he spoke, the old man bent down and dragged a plastic storage box from under the coffee table. The moment the lid of the box was lifted, Chen Lu’s eyelashes couldn’t help but tremble.

Inside the box were neatly stacked colorful chess boxes, Go, Military Chess, Checkers… even the packaging of the top box of Airplane Chess had not been opened.

All of them were children’s games.

Gu’s father adjusted his reading glasses and coughed lightly:

“The kids in the community say these are popular now. I learned a little with some young people the other day, but I didn’t play very well. See which one you want to play.”

“……”

Chen Lu felt a little dazed at these words. The previous tension and unease disappeared at this moment, replaced by a long-lost, familial affection.

In her memory, the only elder who would accommodate her and play whatever she wanted was her maternal grandmother, who had watched her grow up.

But that was all a long, long time ago.

Chen Lu blinked, suppressing her emotions. She didn’t make things difficult for Gu’s father. In the end, the two still played Chinese chess.

When the chessboard was set up, Chen Lu deliberately made a wrong move with the horse. Gu’s father’s eyes immediately lit up, his white eyebrows raised high, his resonant voice could be heard even in the kitchen:

“Checkmate!”

After making this move, Gu’s father pushed up his slipping reading glasses and looked up at Chen Lu: “Wan Jun taught you this move, right?”

“Mm.” Chen Lu nodded, a little embarrassed.

“One trick to rule them all, she’s been using this trick since she was a child.” Rough fingers drew sharp trajectories on the chessboard: “Watch closely, child, this is called ‘cannon behind the horse’!”

Looking at Gu’s father’s smug expression, as if he were an imposing general in ancient times, Chen Lu was thinking about how to respond when she heard the old man continue softly:

“Come often in the future, I still have many tricks I can teach you.”

“……”

In the kitchen, Gu Wan Jun had just sprinkled chopped green onions into the simmering soup pot. Looking at the scene of the two men playing happily in the living room, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief. As a result, she lowered her head and saw a fluffy little head peeking through the crack in the door with her.

“Mommy, Grandpa is laughing so loudly! He likes Sister Lu Lu as much as Duo Duo does!”

The little one covered her mouth and said softly, her little fists waving excitedly.

The mother and daughter looked at each other and high-fived tacitly.

“You two mothers and daughters.” Gu’s mother shook her head helplessly: “Did you come to help? You’re putting all your attention on Chen Lu.”

“……”

The big one and the small one were a little embarrassed. Duo Duo shook Gu’s mother’s hand with great tact, her voice sweet and soft: “Grandma, I’ll help you wash the green vegetables!”

“Good, our Duo Duo baby is the best.”

While the little one was busy coaxing her grandmother, she didn’t forget to give her own mother a look.

Receiving her daughter’s look, Gu Wan Jun also stepped forward and took her mother’s arm, her tone gentle: “Mom, thank you.”

“Mm, look, the big one and the small one are both clever ghosts who know how to coax people. Duo Duo learned it from you.”

“Then didn’t I learn it all from you?”

“Alright, don’t sweeten me with nice words, hurry up and do your work.”

The kitchen was not big, and the three of them were busy with their own things. As if thinking of something, Gu’s mother suddenly mentioned: “Oh, by the way, did Chen Lu spend a lot of money buying those things?”

Hearing this, Gu Wan Jun’s hand cutting ginger paused.

“That cashmere shawl isn’t cheap, and your dad’s tea…” Gu’s mother’s voice lowered: “How much can she earn writing books? Later, you use the money…”

“Mom.” The tip of the knife knocked out a crisp sound on the cutting board. Gu Wan Jun interrupted her mother, a trace of unease flashing in her eyes.

“What’s the rush?” Gu’s mother glared at her: “I’m asking you to use this money to buy her more tonics. That child looks so thin, even wolves would shed tears when they saw her, wishing a gust of wind could blow her away…tsk, what kind of eyes are those, they are all my children, can I not feel sorry for her.”

The white mist of the steamer diffused, blurring Gu Wan Jun’s tearful eyes. Duo Duo looked up at them curiously, her little hands still kneading the dough. Gu’s mother turned around and stir-fried the green vegetables in the pot, seemingly like nothing had happened, but the sound of the oil flowers exploding covered the sound of her sniffing.

“Grandma, do you need to add salt to this dish?” Duo Duo held up the seasoning box and asked innocently.

Gu’s mother bent down and kissed her granddaughter’s flour-covered face, praising: “Baby is so good, can you get grandma a small spoon?”

After the little one hopped away, the old woman suddenly lowered her voice and sighed deeply: “If Wan Rong could see you like this now…she would be relieved.”

“……”

Gu Wan Jun’s shoulders trembled violently.

The death of a loved one is a lifelong wetness.

The glass of the cabinet reflected the image of her biting her lip to hold back tears, overlapping with the smiling expression of her sister before her death in her mind.

Sister, I am very happy now, can you see it.

From time to time, the sounds of the two men discussing the game of chess came from the living room, and Chen Lu’s hearty and gentle laughter was faintly heard, like a ray of sunlight piercing through the accumulated dark clouds.

At dinner, Gu’s father insisted that Chen Lu try his treasured Maotai.

After a few rounds, Chen Lu’s fair cheeks gradually turned peach-colored.

Under the table, Gu Wan Jun’s hand quietly pressed on her thigh, earning a cunning smile from the little girl with a hint of alcohol.

“Uncle, Auntie, I toast to you.” Chen Lu suddenly stood up, holding the wine glass steadily, but her crescent eyes were shaking with fragmented water light: “Thank you…for accepting me.”

The old couple were stunned for a moment. Gu’s mother used water instead of wine, and Gu’s father’s wine glass paused in the air for a moment, his eyes looking at his daughter: “When Wan Jun was little, she would cry every time she lost a game of chess…”

The old man raised his head and drank it all, his Adam’s apple rolling violently, “Now it’s good, finally someone can control her.”

These words undoubtedly meant entrusting his daughter’s lifelong happiness to her.

Chen Lu’s heart warmed, and she drank the wine in her glass in one gulp. When she wanted to raise her glass again, a strong hand pressed her back down.

It wasn’t Gu Wan Jun, but Gu’s mother.

The old woman smiled and put a chicken leg in her bowl, telling her to drink less and eat more.

Seeing grandma put vegetables in Sister Lu Lu’s bowl, Duo Duo also learned from grandma, using her child chopsticks with great effort to put a large piece of chicken in Chen Lu’s bowl, her chubby face full of seriousness.

Outside the window, thousands of lights were lit, and now finally there was one light left for her, and what her fingertips could touch was no longer endless darkness and coldness, but a place to return.

She has a home.

Chen Lu quietly hooked Gu Wan Jun’s fingers under the table. At the moment of eye contact, they both smiled in unison, but they also saw the misty water light in each other’s eyes.