SYLM Chapter 59

Chapter 59 “Why didn’t you say ‘Happy New Year, Sister’ to me?”

Chapter 59 “Why didn’t you say ‘Happy New Year, Sister’ to me?”

Summer passed and autumn arrived. Time slipped quietly through people’s fingers. The biggest change in the seasons felt by high school students who went to school early and returned late was the drop in temperature.

The mornings on the way to school and the evenings on the way home were getting colder. Breathing in the cold air, a fresh, biting sensation swept through the nasal cavity and throat. After absorbing body temperature, exhaling turned into a thin mist.

In class, Chen Lu, occasionally glancing out the window to relax her brain, realized that a layer of frost had condensed on the windowpanes at some point. The hazy sky seemed high and far away. The once lush green leaves on the trees along the school’s pathways had turned completely yellow, scattering and withering in the cold wind. Some branches had very few dry leaves left, only bare branches swaying in the wind.

Winter was coming.

—

The first semester of senior year.

The sky was gray and gloomy, and heavy snow weighed down the branches.

In the classroom, students’ desks were piled high with all kinds of reference books and notes, like small mountains pressing down on every senior. The entire class was shrouded in a high-pressure, somber atmosphere.

Facing the countdown to the college entrance exam that updated every day, all classes were like a compact and orderly assembly line. Teachers taught one class after another from morning till night, non-stop, while students progressed according to the prescribed rhythm, busy and tense, not daring to be even slightly slack.

With the college entrance exam approaching and time running short, Chen Lu decided on the first day of senior year that she would put all her energy into studying. She temporarily stopped submitting novels, and even the long suspense novel “Caged Bird” that she hadn’t finished writing was put on hold.

Throughout the entire first semester of senior year, teachers and students spent their days in fatigue. During this time, everyone had been sick in varying degrees.

Due to lack of sleep and excessive brain use, Chen Lu’s migraines became more frequent and severe each time. Coupled with waves of viruses, Chen Lu couldn’t escape catching a cold every time. However, she never took leave and always stubbornly insisted on attending classes;

Expectation itself was a kind of silent violence. Jiang Zhen Zhen was an extremely sensitive person. Fluctuations in her ranking, the principal frequently calling her in for talks, her parents’ excessive demands and expectations… all these things put immense pressure on Jiang Zhen Zhen. Halfway through the first semester of senior year, her once slightly fleshy face had become so thin that her cheekbones protruded, and it seemed like her face was only the size of her palm;

Among the three, Fu Yi Wen had the best physical foundation, but overwork and severe sleep deprivation made her look like a wilted eggplant every day. The heavy dark circles and bags under her eyes seemed to droop to her feet. That pair of round puppy eyes could only barely show a glimmer of light when she saw Tang Ying…

Students were exhausted, and teachers weren’t having it easy either.

Gu Wan Jun taught Chinese to three classes, teaching at least six periods a day, and up to nine periods on some days. From the beginning of the semester in senior year, Gu Wan Jun’s voice had never recovered. As a Homeroom Teacher, she had to watch over morning and evening self-study sessions, just like the students, going to school early and returning late. In addition to that, there were a lot of teaching notes and teaching meetings waiting for her. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that she was so busy that she was running around in circles all day;

Compared to the Homeroom Teacher, Tang Ying, as a subject teacher, was somewhat more relaxed in terms of teaching, but her intolerance for any imperfection still caused her a lot of trouble.

Despite repeatedly emphasizing that students should not copy homework, Tang Ying still discovered multiple incidents of plagiarism. Even after she caught them red-handed and talked to them multiple times, some students repeatedly refused to change. In a fit of anger, Tang Ying severely punished the students by making them copy exam papers in the liberal arts office during several lunch breaks. As a result, this matter was jointly reported to the Education Bureau by the parents of those students in a few days. They condemned Tang Ying for corporal punishment and abusing students.

When the parents filed the report, they didn’t seem to realize that their children were at fault in the first place and refused to change despite repeated teaching, nor did they realize that when their children were being punished, Tang Ying, as their teacher, was also enduring it with them. The students didn’t eat, and Tang Ying didn’t eat either. Stomachaches and stomach cramps were commonplace. The most serious incident was that Tang Ying nearly developed myocarditis while watching the students copy in a state of overwork and illness…

Fatigue and pressure made everyone breathless, but no one chose to give up.

To get from this small county to a wider world, the college entrance exam was one of the few, or even the only, relatively fair paths.

—

The senior year students were only released for the New Year holiday on the afternoon of the 29th of the Lunar New Year.

This New Year holiday only lasted for three and a half days, from the afternoon of the 29th to the second day of the Lunar New Year. On the evening of the second day of the Lunar New Year, they had to return to school for evening self-study.

The New Year holiday was hard-won. Since it was so troublesome to go back to Yunjiang City from Ningcheng, Gu Wan Jun decided to stay in Ningcheng for the New Year this year.

Remembering that Chen Lu had said that she was going to Fu Yi Wen’s house for the New Year last year, Gu Wan Jun asked Chen Lu if she wanted to spend the New Year with her as soon as she decided to stay in Ningcheng for the New Year.

“Aren’t you going home, Teacher?”

Chen Lu’s tone contained a hint of uncertainty. In response, Gu Wan Jun shook her head decisively:

“No, I’m not. It’s only a three-and-a-half-day holiday, and it’s too much trouble to go back. I’ll spend it here this year.”

Gu Wan Jun paused, then reiterated her attitude and extended an active invitation:

“If it’s convenient for you, I was thinking we could spend it together. If it’s not convenient for you…”

Gu Wan Jun fell silent. She was wondering what reason she should use to “snatch” Chen Lu away from Fu Yi Wen and convince her to spend the New Year with her. The next second, she heard Chen Lu reply in a calm tone:

“If it’s also convenient for Teacher, let’s spend the New Year together.”

“…”

The anxiety that had been churning inside was replaced by a sense of peace and stability because of Chen Lu’s words. The corners of Gu Wan Jun’s eyes curved into a smile, and she softly responded with a “okay”.

—

On the afternoon of the 29th of the Lunar New Year, Chen Lu and Gu Wan Jun went to the supermarket to buy New Year goods together.

As it got closer to New Year’s Eve, there weren’t as many people in the supermarket as there had been in the past few days. However, Chen Lu and Gu Wan Jun still linked arms and wandered around the supermarket, afraid of getting separated.

New Year’s Eve.

The cold wind was biting, snowflakes were flying, firecrackers were crackling, and fireworks were brilliant. The cold wind blew, and the air was filled with the faint smell of firecrackers. The people in the small county were immersed in the joy of welcoming the New Year, and the occasional bursts of laughter echoed in the empty streets.

In the empty space in front of Unit 6.

Gu Wan Jun tilted her head and looked at Chen Lu standing next to her. She pinched her frostbitten earlobes and handed the small bundle of sparklers that she was holding behind her back to Chen Lu:

“Here.”

“This is…” Seemingly recalling something, a complicated look flashed in Chen Lu’s eyes: “When did you buy these, Teacher?”

“Guess.”

Gu Wan Jun raised the corners of her lips. She took out a sparkler from the bundle and put it in Chen Lu’s hand, then handed Chen Lu a windproof lighter:

“Want to play?”

“…”

A few seconds later, sparkling sparks flickered with colorful light, dancing in Chen Lu’s bright eyes, like elves dancing.

Memories deep in Chen Lu’s mind stirred quietly. Every New Year’s Eve when she was a child, her grandmother would buy a few sparklers to make her happy. The fireworks at this moment were as beautiful as the sparklers that her grandmother had lit with her every year in the past.

The scenery evoked emotions, inevitably making her a little sentimental. Chen Lu closed her eyes and turned her eyeballs for a long time before opening them again. At the moment when the world became clear, she first saw herself reflected in Gu Wan Jun’s beautiful, watery peach blossom eyes.

Gu Wan Jun hadn’t played with sparklers in many years either. She vaguely remembered that her older sister, Gu Wan Rong, would secretly buy these little things to make her happy during the New Year when she was a child, so she thought of buying them for Chen Lu.

Thinking that Chen Lu had just closed her eyes to make a wish, Gu Wan Jun looked at her and asked:

“Did you make your wish?”

Make a wish…?

Seeing the expectation flashing in Gu Wan Jun’s eyes, Chen Lu blinked, her eyelashes fluttering, and obediently followed Gu Wan Jun’s words:

“I didn’t make my wish well just now. Can I do it again?”

“Yes, of course, you can.”

Gu Wan Jun wanted to give Chen Lu all the sparklers in her hand.

The fireworks were lit and danced again. Chen Lu closed her eyes and made a sincere wish—

I hope that Gu Wan Jun will be healthy and happy in the future.

If possible, I hope that Chen Lu can be a part of that future.

The twinkling fireworks witnessed Chen Lu’s sincerity. What Chen Lu didn’t know was that when she was closing her eyes to make a wish, Gu Wan Jun, who was standing next to her, also quietly closed her eyes and put her hands together—

I am a staunch materialist, but if making a wish can really come true, even if it’s only a little bit of wish power, then, God above, I hope that all of Chen Lu’s wishes can come true.

—

8:00 PM Beijing time, the Spring Festival Gala officially began.

Chen Lu and Gu Wan Jun sat around the table in the living room, watching the Spring Festival Gala while making dumplings.

While she was kneading the dough, Gu Wan Rong’s video call came.

“Sis, what’s up?”

“What are you doing?”

“Getting ready to make dumplings.”

“Are you alone?”

“No, with Chen Lu.”

Gu Wan Jun smiled and turned the camera to Chen Lu, who was standing next to her kneading the dough.

At the moment when the eyes inside and outside the screen met, the kneading stopped. Chen Lu patted the flour off her hands and said to Gu Wan Rong in the screen in a well-behaved tone:

“Happy New Year, Sister.”

“Happy New Year, Chen Lu… You—”

In the screen, before Gu Wan Rong could finish speaking, the camera suddenly shook violently. Two seconds later, it refocused on Gu Wan Jun’s face, which was not smiling at all:

“Is there anything you need by calling, we’re in a hurry to make dumplings here.”

“…”

Gu Wan Jun, why are you so jealous? It feels like you don’t even need to add vinegar when you eat dumplings later.

Chen Lu lowered her head, the corners of her lips curved, and continued to knead the dough.

On the other end of the phone, Gu Wan Rong also looked helpless.

After so long, why was her younger sister still jealous of the title “Sister”?

Helpless as she was, Gu Wan Rong’s call had no other purpose than to ask if her younger sister, Gu Wan Jun, was doing well on her own since she wasn’t going home for the New Year.

“If I weren’t pregnant, I would have driven to Ningcheng to be with you.”

“Uh-huh, but you’re pregnant. Take good care of yourself. When Mom called me this afternoon, we also said that we can’t let you make dumplings tonight. You have to pay attention to your health now, rest more, and don’t overexert yourself.”

“It’s not that exaggerated.”

“This isn’t an exaggeration at all. You’re almost seven months along, you have to be careful. You’re going to be a mother, so you can’t act recklessly anymore.”

“Okay, okay, I know. I’ll be careful.”

On the other end of the phone, Gu Wan Rong smiled and agreed. After a while, another figure suddenly appeared in the screen. On closer inspection, it was her brother-in-law Zhou Hai Yang, holding a small bowl and appearing in the frame. He told Gu Wan Rong in a soft voice that the boiled pear water had cooled down and she could drink it.

Zhou Hai Yang was an orphan. From childhood to adulthood, he was intelligent and diligent, and had excellent grades. He was admitted to the Chinese People’s Public Security University with the first place in the city that year. From meeting to pursuing to getting married, Zhou Hai Yang had been visibly good to Gu Wan Rong for decades. Until a few months ago, when Gu Wan Rong became pregnant, Zhou Hai Yang stopped all his work and focused on staying at home to accompany her during her pregnancy. The couple had a very good relationship and always treated each other with respect. Gu Wan Jun was sincerely happy that her older sister had found a good man.

In the screen, Zhou Hai Yang, after sending the pear water, gently instructed Gu Wan Rong, then greeted Gu Wan Jun on the other end of the phone before leaving the bedroom to help Gu’s parents make dumplings.

Looking back at the camera, the happiness on Gu Wan Rong’s face in the screen was almost overflowing. She said that she hadn’t had any particularly uncomfortable situations since she became pregnant, and that the baby was very quiet and obedient, and never kicked around in her belly.

“It seems like this child is like me, the little aunt.”

“Like you? If it’s like you, wouldn’t it cause chaos in my belly?”

“…”

Gu Wan Jun coughed lightly, smiling helplessly.

This was really her sister. In front of her student, couldn’t she say something good about her?

This call was about over, and she and Chen Lu were in a hurry to make dumplings.

A few minutes later, the video call ended.

Just as Gu Wan Jun was about to lock her phone, two messages from her sister popped up on the chat box:

[By the way, I forgot to say it on the phone just now, the express delivery won’t be working these days during the New Year, so the New Year’s gift may not arrive in your area for a few days.]

[I also prepared a gift for Chen Lu. I don’t know what she likes, so I just picked something roughly. Don’t forget to pass it on to her when the time comes.]

[…]

Looking at the text messages on the screen, Gu Wan Jun felt a little strange.

She wasn’t jealous that her own sister was giving Chen Lu a gift, but she was extremely jealous that Chen Lu called her own sister “Sister”. What was going on?

Gu Wan Jun couldn’t figure it out, so she didn’t bother thinking about it.

At the moment when she put down her phone, the person who had been feeling strange about being jealous of a title just a second ago turned around and stared at Chen Lu, who was kneading the dough, with a look of great grievance, complaining:

“Little Chen Lu, why didn’t you say ‘Happy New Year, Sister’ to me?”

“…”