here it is
At the end of December, Ning Shuyue still chose not to go to country S. Wen Nian had just got divorced, and then was robbed. No matter how Jiang Lin persuaded her, she would stay at home to guard her daughter.
Jiang Lin and Tong Junhao, from city G to country S, were accompanied by someone arranged by Lu Xingxue. If Tong Junhao had a final exam and had to go through the test, Jiang Lin would not be happy to come back.
However, on the first day she came back, she cut her hand while cooking. She called Jiang Ci and asked her to come over and take away the souvenirs when she was free.
After Jiang Ci finished work in the evening, she went to Songling Road.
Aunt Wu was taking care of Tong Junhao for dinner at the table, and Jiang Ci’s room was deserted. Jiang Ci greeted them and walked upstairs to Jiang Lin’s master bedroom.
Jiang Lin was half lying on the bed, not asleep, watching the TV.
“Why are you so careless?” Jiang Ci moved the mahogany stool and sat on the bed.
“Ah-Ci,” Jiang Lin supported her elbow and moved upward, “You will contact Wen Nian later, see what she can do, and send her a copy. Your Aunt Ning has not been feeling well recently. I have a cold. I’m afraid you might get sick, so I told you not to go to Yushui Nanyuan.”
Jiang Ci pulled Jiang Lin’s wounded hand wrapped in gauze and looked at, “I see. How is your hand?”
Jiang Lin cheered up, “It’s okay, I got two stitches and changed the medicine. I originally wanted to cook it myself and let you and Lu Xingxue come over for dinner. You tell her, in two days, wait for me.”
Jiang Ci: “Why are you polite to us, please feel free to raise your hands.”
Jiang Lin pointed to her, “Emotions have to come and go, and my dear relatives are no exception. Haohao and I are going out this time, not to mention the more uncomfortable questions, how many people are as blessed as Lu Xingxue? People have to be affectionate.”
Jiang Ci nodded, “Okay.”
Jiang Lin: “Hmph, I know you didn’t take what I said seriously. Did you have dinner?”
Jiang Ci: “Not yet.”
Jiang Lin lifted the quilt, “Let’s go, don’t wait for anyone, let’s eat together.”
Jiang Ci: “Dad won’t come back for dinner today?”
Jiang Lin lowered her head and put on slippers, “He won’t come, He said he was socializing, so he can’t get away.”
Jiang Ci ate dinner with Jiang Lin, and Jiang Lin drank a small bowl of porridge. At the end, Jiang Lin took Jiang Ci to see the gift she had bought. A pile of things in bits and pieces, two in general, the smaller one for Jiang Ci, and the other for Ning Shuyue.
Jiang Ci contacted Wen Nian on the way home, Wen Nian asked her, “Have you got a job tomorrow afternoon?”
Jiang Ci: “I can take time off.”
Wen Nian: “Then when you arrive, send me the location. Let’s have simple afternoon tea.”
Lu Xingxue’s company was also busy at the end of the year, and she did not get home early. Seeing the door to Jiang Ci’s room open, she knocked a few times and walked in with familiarity, “Mom’s hand is hurt?”
Jiang Ci raised her head from the desk, not surprised Jiang Lin would tell Lu Xingxue about this, “I went to see her, the wound was bandaged, and she had two stitches sewn.”
Lu Xingxue frowned, “That must be painful.”
“Well, I have no energy and no appetite,” Jiang Ci pointed out the souvenir she had brought from Jiang Lin to Lu Xingxue, “She brought it back from country S. You can see if there is anything interesting.”
Lu Xingxue opened the mouth of the bag, looked, and took out a box of chocolates, “This is delicious.”
Jiang Ci watched her unpacking, “Really?”
“Yes,” Lu Xingxue took out one from the inside and peeled off the icing with her slender fingers, “Taste it.”
She brought chocolate to Jiang Ci’s mouth.
Jiang Ci: “……”
Jiang Ci opened her mouth.
Lu Xingxue: “How is it?”
The sweetness of chocolate filled her mouth, and Jiang Ci calmly said, “Not bad.”
Lu Xingxue peeled off another one, stuffed it into her mouth, and her black eyes filled with a smile swept across Jiang Ci’s reddened eartips.
……
The next afternoon, Jiang Ci carried a bag and appeared at the coffee shop to meet Wen Nian.
“So exaggerated, why did Aunt Jiang bring us so much?” Wen Nian took the bag in surprise and put it in the empty place.
“Your mother has a cold?” Jiang Ci sat across from her.
Wen Nian: “She had a fever intermittently a few days ago and didn’t tell me. I took her to the hospital yesterday and there’s been no sign of the fever since last night.”
The waiter brought two desserts to this table. Jiang Ci said to Wen Nian, “She’s afraid she’d worry you if she told you, you’re busy enough already.”
“I’m worried about her like this,” Wen Nian thanked the waiter and motioned Jiang Ci to pick up the fork, “Assistant Zhou said that the desserts here are very famous. So much so that they aren’t always available.”
“So tight?” Jiang Ci felt that the brand logo on the tableware was a bit familiar. After having tasted it, she remembered that in the fall, she worked at the Star Conservatory of Music, and it was this brand of cake Lu Xingxue brought her.
“How good is yours?” Wen Nian asked Jiang Ci.
Jiang Ci: “It’s delicious.”
“Mine is delicious, too,” Wen Nian hooked a piece with her fork, stretched out her arm and brought it to Jiang Ci, “Well, open your mouth, try this with me.”
……
“…Judging from the original investigation, their relationship was very close at one time. There are various signs that Mrs. Lu once liked this President Wen… If it hadn’t been for the marriage agreement with you, I can’t say I know what the situation would be like now. By the way, did Wen Nian just get divorced?”
Wan Wen was about to get out of the car to pick up the cake she ordered in advance, when Jiang Ci opened the door of the cafe and went in. Only when it became clear that her date was Wen Nian, did she know this story about Lu Xingxue.
She was a lawyer, and she drafted the marriage agreement. She was familiar with Lu Xingxue, so she was more straightforward, and she had the mentality of watching the show.
Lu Xingxue did not say a word, Wan Wen touched her nose and went to fetch the cake. Lu Xingxue got out of the car behind her, her expression was neither happy nor sad.
——Until she saw Wen Nian taking the initiative to feed Jiang Ci.
“…So many, you are almost digging out the plate,” Jiang Ci didn’t move to eat it, and she said, “The black inside is chocolate?”
Wen Nian shook her hands, “Hurry up~ It’s made with black sesame seeds.”
Jiang Ci: “Oh, I—”
“Are you having afternoon tea?”
A familiar voice ran into her ears, Jiang Ci turned around and saw Lu Xingxue. Her eyes lit up and she was about to stand up, but Lu Xingxue pressed her shoulders, indicating for her to sit still.
Wen Nian retracted her fork, smiling unchanged, “So it’s President Lu? Do you want to join us?”
Lu Xingxue had already seen the bag next to Wen Nian. It was the same as the one Jiang Ci brought home from Songling Road yesterday. Jiang Ci was here to give her a gift. Her red lips were slightly curved, and she replied, “It’s just to accompany you along the way. I came to fetch a cake, but I didn’t expect to meet you. I have something to do next, so I won’t sit down.”
Wan Wen, carrying the cake box not far away, waved to Jiang Ci, and Jiang Ci also raised her hand and waved.
Lu Xingxue patted Jiang Ci on the shoulder, “You always sit slowly with President Wen, Wan Wen is still waiting for me, I’ll go first .”
Jiang Ci hadn’t recovered from the surprise of the first meeting, and blurted out, “Is it so urgent?”
After reacting, it seemed to be telling Lu Xingxue how much she wanted to stay with her for a while.
Lu Xingxue smiled and said, “Remember to go home for dinner, Aunt Zhuang will come today.”
Jiang Ci: “Hmm.”
After Lu Xingxue left, Jiang Ci raised her wrist and looked at the time. She didn’t have much free time to sit with Wen Nian, and she had to rush back to work.
Wen Nian chopped up the piece of cake on her fork and put it in her mouth bit by bit.
……
Jiang Ci sat on the sofa in the living room and played with puzzles. Tongtong was riding a bicycle outside, and the crisp laughter could be heard across the building.
Aunt Zhuang wiped her hands and approached, “Miss Jiang, how long until Miss Lu will be here? The food is getting cold.”
Jiang Ci looked up and saw that the needle of the pendulum clock had pointed to 7, and said in surprise, “It’s already this late? I’ll call her.”
In the long wait for the call to connect, Aunt Zhuang asked, “What did Miss Lu say?”
The dialing was automatically interrupted, and Lu Xingxue did not answer.
Jiang Ci: “……”
Jiang Ci: “Aunt Zhuang, you go back first, the food is cold, we’ll warm the food up ourselves.”
Aunt Zhuang untied her apron and prepared to go back. Jiang Ci turned on the TV by pressing the remote control, and continued to work on the puzzle.
At half past seven, Jiang Ci rubbed her stomach and felt hungry. She went to the table and saw Aunt Zhuang had made a lot of dishes. Just looking at the color and lustre made her index finger move, but there was no heat.
Jiang Ci checked her phone, and still had not received a reply from Lu Xingxue. She decided to call Jiang Lin to see if the injury on her hand was better.
“It’s always painful, and it’s not convenient to do anything,” Jiang Lin’s sick voice came from the earpiece.
Jiang Ci was a little worried, “Mom, do you have any other discomforts? Your voice is weak.”
Jiang Lin: “I slept a lot in the past two days, and the more I slept, the more sluggish I became. I’m prepared to go out for a night run later.”
Jiang Ci opened the door, and it was cold outside. There was no radiant playing sound. She stepped back and said, “It’s very cold outside. Don’t catch a cold. Just run on the treadmill.”
Ending the call, Jiang Ci sat back on the sofa again, holding the puzzle pieces, but not as quiet as before.
After 8 o’clock, Lu Xingxue finally came back. Seeing Jiang Ci on the sofa, she nodded as a greeting, “Good evening.”
“Lu Xingxue,” Jiang Ci dropped the puzzle and smiled slightly, “Wait a moment, I will warm up the food.”
“You haven’t eaten yet?” Lu Xingxue walked two steps towards Jiang Ci, then stopped.
Jiang Ci was taken aback, didn’t you say you would come back and eat it together?
Lu Xingxue only said that Aunt Zhuang would come over and cook food for dinner, but did not say that she would come back to eat too.
After Jiang Ci realised this, she couldn’t tell what expressions should be used to respond to Lu Xingxue.
Lu Xingxue: “You waited until now?”
Jiang Ci: “I called you , but you didn’t answer it.”
Lu Xingxue took out her phone and looked through it, “Ah, sorry, there is no sound.”
Jiang Ci: “…It doesn’t matter, I will eat it myself.”
Jiang Ci thought Lu Xingxue would say something, but Lu Xingxue nodded, and after staying in place for a few seconds, she went straight upstairs.
Jiang Ci was a little dazed. She heated two dishes by herself. The more she ate, the more she felt wronged.
She had been grieved to wait for so long, but Lu Xingxue did not eat with her, nor did she even smile at her, her attitude was still unprecedentedly cold.
Meeting in a cafe, everything was fine.
Cafe?
The words Lu Xingxue said in Yushui Nanyuan came to mind.
——I have been envious of Wen Nian since I saw the photos, that she knew you so early.
Recalling that Lu Xingxue appeared in the cafe, it was exactly when Wen Nian fed her dessert.
Jiang Ci’s heart beat, Lu Xingxue wouldn’t mind this, right?
……
There was the sound of footsteps behind her, Lu Xingxue somehow came down again .
Jiang Ci observed her from the corner of her eye.
“Why are you eating so little?” Lu Xingxue stopped at the table, frowning her eyebrows slightly.
Jiang Ci thoughtfully said, “I can’t eat too much alone.”
Lu Xingxue paused, picked up the dish and turned around to heat it up.
Jiang Ci looked at her back, poked the rice in the bowl secretly, and her grievances disappeared.
Both of them were sitting at the dining table, Lu Xingxue had some rice and ate with Jiang Ci.
Jiang Ci: “I want to go see my mother. I talked to her today, it looks like she’s sick.”
Lu Xingxue: “What time? I’ll go with you.”
Jiang Ci: “At night, we can go after you to get off work.”
Lu Xingxue: “Good.”
Jiang Ci: “Actually, I should also go to see Aunt Ning. Wen Nian said she was burning up for a few days. My mother has no siblings, and Aunt Ning treats me as a real aunt would.”
Jiang Ci said, while observing Lu Xingxue’s expression, he added, “Wen Nian has always treated me as a sister.”
Lu Xingxue chewed slowly, and after eating this bite, she looked at Jiang Ci. Jiang Ci stared at her calmly, Lu Xingxue finally smiled, “I see.”
TL: zen
PR/Edit: avel
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