Yi Jinbai stood there, unsure of what to say. Sui Yu noticed the gaze behind him, straightened up, and resumed his dignified demeanor. He turned around and was somewhat surprised to see Yi Jinbai.
"Jinbai, you're here?" Seeing that Yi Jinbai had come alone, Suiyu was a little flustered. "Didn't Shuiyun come with you?"
"She didn't come, so I came to see you instead."
It wasn't as awkward or uncomfortable as I'd imagined. Yi Jinbai walked into the courtyard and said, "The weather's been a bit cold these past few days, and it looks like it's going to rain. Make sure you keep warm."
"Shuiyun has made all the arrangements. Please come in and have a seat."
The moment of helplessness was fleeting; Sui Yu quickly recovered and returned to the house with Yi Jinbai.
After pouring hot tea, Yi Jinbai placed the box in his hand aside, which caught Sui Yu's attention. "What's in this box?"
“These are the dean’s belongings,” Yi Jinbai said, opening the box. There was only a few things inside.
Sui Yu was somewhat moved and took out the simple ring from the box. Only then did Yi Jinbai notice that Sui Yu had an identical ring on his hand.
"This is Yunmu's ring."
Sui Yu took off the ring from his hand. Even hands that had been pampered and enjoyed the best care were not immune to joint stiffness, and the ring he had worn when he was young was now a bit too tight.
A pair of rings lay side by side, bearing the marks of time. "When I was young, I always liked luxurious and flamboyant things. The wedding rings I designed were also very elaborate. I wore them all day on our wedding day, and then Yunmu hid them away. After Yunmu became pregnant with you, we came into this world. These gold rings were made by the two of us. We hammered and pounded them with a small hammer. This time, I didn't have the skill to make anything fancy. So, to fulfill Yunmu's wishes, I made these plain bands, and I even engraved our names inside."
As Yi Jinbai listened, she looked at the inner circle of the ring and felt somewhat embarrassed. She had thought that bunch of lines were some kind of special symbol, crooked and engraved in a bunch.
Two or three decades have passed since they were separated. Now the two rings have been reunited, but things have changed and people are no longer the same.
Yi Jinbai hesitated, unable to bring herself to say the name, yet unsure of what to call her.
Sui Yu noticed Yi Jinbai's hesitation. "It's okay. You can call me teacher, just like Shui Yun."
"Teacher, Shuiyun has already tried to persuade me, and I know you have your reasons, but I still want to ask, back then when you couldn't come back, why didn't you bring... Mom back?"
When facing Sui Yu, Yi Jinbai couldn't bring herself to call him "Mother," but when it came to Yi Yunmu, whom she had never met and who had risked her life to give birth to her, she only paused for a moment.
Sui Yu paused for a moment, recalling decades ago, "It's not that I didn't want to, but the situation was too unstable. I faced countless schemes and murders every day. At the worst, I dealt with more than 500 attacks on me in three days. People were in turmoil, and I was beset by internal and external troubles. I didn't dare to take that risk. I originally wanted to resolve everything before bringing you and your daughter back, but man proposes, God disposes. After sending back the clone, my laboratory was devastated. All the time travel equipment and special fuel were destroyed. Rebuilding the equipment wasn't difficult, but that kind of fuel was too hard to find. This delay made everything too late."
Yi Jinbai looked at Sui Yu and said, "Fate plays tricks on people."
Sui Yu concealed the pain in his eyes, "In the end, it's still my fault. If it weren't for my cleverness and arrogance, Yun Mu wouldn't be in this situation. If it weren't for my cowardice and avoidance, you wouldn't have left my side for so many years. I once thought about bringing you back to my side, but I'm sorry."
Suiyu could face countless alien legions and treacherous enemies, but she dared not face the child her lover had given birth to at the cost of his life; she could only watch from afar.
Just looking at this child brought back the image of Yi Yunmu's dying eyes to Sui Yu. Endless guilt and regret bound her tightly, swallowing even the thought of breaking free. She had let down the mother and daughter; she had shamefully run away.
A note from the author:
Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2022-07-09 20:53:02 and 2022-07-11 17:57:56!
Thank you to the little angels who threw landmines: Liang Sheng, Hua Shao Ren Zai, and employee number 5076 (1 landmine);
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: 5 bottles on December 7, 2017;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Chapter 90
Yi Jinbai had lunch at Sui Yu's place, and the two talked for a long time. When Yi Jinbai was about to leave, Sui Yu saw her to the front door.
Standing in front of the courtyard gate, Sui Yu watched Yi Jinbai's figure grow smaller and smaller as it disappeared into the distance. She couldn't help but take a few steps after him and walked to the riverbank. Finally, when she could no longer see Yi Jinbai, her originally straight body hunched over, and she coughed violently, but her voice was kept very low. Her lifelong pride would never allow her to show a weak and disheveled appearance.
Blood flowed from between her fingers, unstoppable. Sui Yu let the blood flow, squatted down to wash her hands by the river, wiped the blood from her face, and looked in the direction where Yi Jinbai had disappeared. Perhaps her wish had been fulfilled. She no longer dared to hope to see her daughter get married. Someone like her deserved to end up not getting what she wanted.
After cleaning up the bloodstains, Sui Yu slowly walked back, each step sending intense pain through her internal organs, but she seemed oblivious to it.
After returning home, Yi Jinbai felt a sense of relief he hadn't felt in a long time. He saw Jiang Shuiyun standing by the window making a phone call, so he went over and hugged her from behind.
Jiang Shuiyun glanced back, grasped Yi Jinbai's hand, and hung up the phone. "You're back?"
"Hmm," Yi Jinbai reached out and stroked Jiang Shuiyun's face, "Who did you call?"
"Give it to Shen Yunyi. He sent me the guest list and asked me to review it. I just told him I'd discuss it with you when you got back, and then you came back."
Jiang Shuiyun hugged Yi Jinbai and, seeing the relaxed expression on Yi Jinbai's face, breathed a sigh of relief. "Did you have a pleasant chat with the teacher?"
“It’s alright,” Yi Jinbai said, wrapping his arms around Jiang Shuiyun’s neck and twirling his fingers through her long hair. “At least she let me know that I’m not a child without parents, that they both love me, and that I wasn’t abandoned.”
Jiang Shuiyun smiled at Yi Jinbai, "Of course not. My Jinbai is so beautiful, who could bear to abandon her?"
"You're such a smooth talker," Yi Jinbai chuckled, "Let's get down to business. What about that guest list you mentioned?"
"It's on the computer, come and take a look."
Jiang Shuiyun put her arm around Yi Jinbai, and the two sat on the sofa. They opened their laptops and found the guest list that Shen Yunyi had just sent them.
The names were long and densely packed, with suffixes indicating their identities. Yi Jinbai scanned them all, then scratched his head, "Why don't I recognize any of these people?"
And judging from their introductions, they all seem to be very capable.
"These are all important people who must be invited. It's normal if you don't pay much attention to them or don't know them. These people won't come in person either, as it would be too risky to gather so many people together. So, it will be a holographic wedding that day, and so will ours. We'll show you what the world's highest level of technology is like then."
Jiang Shuiyun ruffled Yi Jinbai's hair. After reading these, she added some more and sent them back to Shen Yunyi. Then she opened another guest list, saying, "This is the actual guest list for our wedding."
This time, Yi Jinbai recognized the names much better. There were only a few people, less than thirty in total, but Yi Jinbai knew them all.
"You actually invited Fei Yan and Shen Xian?" Yi Jinbai glanced at Jiang Shuiyun with a teasing look. This stingy guy actually had a day when he was so generous.
Jiang Shuiyun rested her chin on her hand, her eyes darting around, "If you don't want them to come, I'd be happy to remove them from the list."
Jiang Shuiyun was indeed stingy, but she also knew that Yi Jinbai knew very few people, and even fewer who could be considered friends. For Yi Jinbai's sake, she could be generous this time.
Yi Jinbai reached out and pinched Jiang Shuiyun's cheek. "Thank you."
"Is a simple thank you all it takes?"
Under Yi Jinbai's helpless gaze, Jiang Shuiyun was finally satisfied after getting a kiss.
"Oh, right, I've been thinking, how about we let the teacher and my parents meet before our wedding? Otherwise, wouldn't it be awkward if they met then?"
Jiang Shuiyun considered it for a moment and discussed it with Yi Jinbai. She was also very uneasy about this matter. You know, whether it is Jiang's parents or Sui Yu, they are not easy to deal with. It would be better if the three of them could get along, but if one of them is not suitable, it will probably be very difficult to handle.
"This..." Yi Jinbai hesitated, "Have you ever thought that it was your teacher who took you away back then? She's caused you to be separated from your family for so many years, your parents..."
"Then why don't we just not tell them about it?" Jiang Shuiyun never intended to reveal this from the beginning. In any case, such a time-traveling event was somewhat unbelievable, and given the twists and turns involved, it was better not to say anything.
“No,” Yi Jinbai disagreed with Jiang Shuiyun’s statement. “That’s not fair to your parents. If you’re wrong, you’re wrong. There’s no reason to hide it from them.”
“No,” Jiang Shuiyun said, putting her arm around Yi Jinbai. “If we bring this up, it will definitely be awkward for both of us. As long as we keep it a secret, we can live together peacefully. The past is the past, and the future is the most important thing. Don’t dwell on the past too much.”
Jiang Shuiyun only wants to keep the peace and maintain a facade of tranquility. Perhaps this is unfair to her parents, but she can make it up to them later. However, if things are brought up now, Yi Jinbai will likely be in the most difficult position.
“No,” Yi Jinbai said with unprecedented firmness. He released Jiang Shuiyun’s hand and looked at her seriously. “Covering up mistakes and running away from them will only create deeper hidden dangers in the future. Facing and solving them from the beginning is the wisest choice. Jiang Shuiyun, I don’t want you to lose your principles and judgment for my sake.”
For the first time, Yi Jinbai turned the tables and lectured Jiang Shuiyun, saying, "If only concealment and lies can build a false sense of happiness, then it is precarious. I don't like this insecurity, so let's not get married."
Jiang Shuiyun's gaze towards Yi Jinbai turned serious. "You'll regret this."
"I won't regret doing the right thing, no matter what the consequences are." Yi Jinbai clenched the hem of his clothes, his face still stubbornly looking at Jiang Shuiyun, refusing to back down.
After a long standoff, Jiang Shuiyun finally gave in, rubbing her forehead in exasperation. "I'll listen to you. I'll explain the whole story to my parents first, and then arrange for the three of them to meet. Is that alright?"
“Mmm,” Yi Jinbai nodded vigorously, his eyes misty, and hugged Jiang Shuiyun.
Jiang Shuiyun reached out and lifted Yi Jinbai's face, meeting his wet eyes. Her heart skipped a beat. "Aren't you afraid I'll really say I won't get married?"
“Yes, I am afraid,” Yi Jinbai looked up at Jiang Shuiyun, “but I hope you do the right thing.”
Jiang Shuiyun pinched Yi Jinbai's cheek helplessly, her eyes softening. "You're not allowed to say you don't want to get married again."
“Okay, I won’t say,” Yi Jinbai nodded obediently, winking innocently at Jiang Shuiyun. “Then you go find your uncle and aunt, and I’ll go find the teacher to tell her about this. Shall we split up?”
"Tomorrow, if all goes well, let's have dinner together the day after tomorrow."
Jiang Shuiyun didn't want to go out today. This matter was of great importance, and she needed to take the time to think about her words and make thorough preparations to deal with all sorts of situations.
"What if things don't go smoothly?"
Yi Jinbai looked uneasy and cautiously asked Jiang Shuiyun.
Jiang Shuiyun raised her hand and gently tapped Yi Jinbai's head. "Now you're scared? If things don't go smoothly, I'll elope with you. What else can we do?"
Yi Jinbai knew Jiang Shuiyun was making it up, so he didn't take it seriously and nodded in agreement, "Okay, whoever doesn't go is a little dog."
Jiang Shuiyun reached out and grabbed Yi Jinbai's waist, pushing him down onto the sofa. "You've got some nerve, daring to elope?"
Yi Jinbai placed his hand on Jiang Shuiyun's shoulder, their noses almost touching. As their breaths mingled, Yi Jinbai couldn't help but blush slightly and turned his face away slightly, saying, "It's daytime now..."
"I don't mind." Jiang Shuiyun leaned down and whispered intimately in Yi Jinbai's ear, gently biting Yi Jinbai's earlobe.
"This is the living room..."
Yi Jinbai's face turned bright red, and she slightly pushed Jiang Shuiyun away. Although they were at home, servants and bodyguards could pass by at any time.
"Then let's go to the study."
Jiang Shuiyun pulled Yi Jinbai up, opened the elevator door, pressed him against the elevator wall, and kissed him.
It wasn't until it was time for dinner that Yi Jinbai and Jiang Shuiyun left the study and went to the bedroom to wash up and change their clothes.
Jiang Shuiyun kept her word and got up the next morning to go find her parents.
Yi Jinbai helped Jiang Shuiyun put on her coat, feeling somewhat worried. In the eyes of the world, it was already a great transgression that the two of them did not plan to have children. Jiang's parents were very open-minded and were able to make an exception. But now that this had happened, she was really uneasy.
Jiang Shuiyun lifted Yi Jinbai's chin and gave him a comforting kiss, "Don't worry, you're mine now, I'll take responsibility for you."
Even at a time like this, Jiang Shuiyun was still in the mood to joke. However, this reassured Yi Jinbai, who looked up and returned the kiss, saying, "You keep your word."
Yes, it will.
Jiang Shuiyun ruffled Yi Jinbai's hair and walked out. Yi Jinbai watched her get into the car and leave, then composed himself and went to find Suiyu.
Jiang Shuiyun had already informed Jiang's parents in advance, so both of them were at home waiting for her when she arrived. However, it was unusual that Fu Xian was not there this time. But it was also possible that he was burdened with all the affairs of Jianghe Group and was quite busy lately, so he was simply unable to attend to them.
"Why did you decide to come over today? Why isn't Jinbai here?"
After spending so much time together, both sides have changed in their feelings. In particular, Jiang's parents have changed their opinion of Yi Jinbai a lot. The gentle and obedient Yi Jinbai is a real heartthrob for mothers, much better than the always cold and taciturn Jiang Shuiyun. Now, Jiang's parents are much closer to Yi Jinbai.
"Jinbai's mother, whom she had been separated from for many years, has returned. The mother and daughter had just reunited, so they didn't come together this time."
Jiang Shuiyun sat down and poured tea for her parents.
“This is great news,” Jiang’s parents exchanged a glance. “What a coincidence! We just reunited with Shuiyun, and now Jinbai has found his long-lost mother. It’s wonderful news! We should find some time to get to know her, since she’s our future in-laws.”
Jiang's mother agreed, "Yes, it's indeed a good thing. The mother and daughter have just been reunited, so they should spend more time together. Shuiyun, you came here today to discuss this with us, right?"