Chapter 6 Yes, you can believe in love.
The next day, amidst the commotion of geese flying and dogs barking in the yard, Xu Xingyan finished washing up and went downstairs.
"Big Yellow, why did you provoke Little White again? What are you trying to do? You can't beat it anyway."
Little White flapped its wings and raised its sharp beak to press its advantage. True to its reputation as the bully of the countryside, Big Yellow, despite being a large dog, was chased away with its tail between its legs and fled in disarray, turning to its two owners for protection.
The aunt, still angry with it, laughed and said, "Haha, serves you right!"
Xu Xingyan shrugged. "I saw it all. You were the one who provoked Xiaobai first. I'm not helping you. Figure out how to put out the fire yourself."
As they were talking, Xiaobai grabbed Dahuang's hind leg and pulled hard. A tuft of dog hair fell to the ground, and Dahuang yelped in pain, scurrying into its kennel and refusing to come out.
"Yan Yan, come and eat something. We still have to climb the mountain later, so you need to eat first. It won't be peaceful to eat in a mess when your aunt and uncle arrive."
"Yes, it's here."
The old lady always ate a simple and healthy breakfast, basically a bowl of porridge and a boiled egg, and she received the same treatment when outsiders came.
Only Xu Xingyan, the most beloved grandniece, had a little privilege: she could eat the old lady's handmade wontons, plus a small bowl of corn kernels mixed with honey.
Not long after breakfast was finished, two cars drove into the yard one after the other.
"Eldest Aunt, Eldest Aunt's husband, Second Aunt, Second Aunt's husband, Cousin Mu Han, Xiao Yi."
Grandpa Xu had two daughters and one son, among whom Xu Xingyan's father, Xu Yuming, was the youngest child.
After getting married, Aunt Xu had two daughters. Her eldest daughter, Qian Sitong, was transferred to another province last year for work. Her second daughter, Qian Muhan, was born blind, but she has always lived with her parents.
Aunt Xu also has a son and a daughter, but her eldest daughter was born to her ex-husband, and the relationship between mother and daughter has always been bad. Later, through an introduction, she married her current husband, and after many years, she gave birth to a son named Han Yi, who is only eighteen years old this year and is preparing for the college entrance examination.
"Fourth Sister," Han Yi ran over as soon as he closed the car door.
This kid learned how to please his older sisters without any instruction from a young age. When addressing them, he never used "this cousin" or "that cousin," but instead listed them by age. His aunt's cousin Sitong was the eldest, his cousin Muhan was the second, his half-sister Xuying was the third, and his uncle's cousin Xingyan was the fourth.
When he was little, when we took him for a walk in the park, people would hear him calling her "Fourth Sister" repeatedly, and they would really think that her parents had five children.
As Xu Xingyan carefully helped her second cousin, Qian Muhan, who had difficulty walking, out of the car, she smiled at him and said, "When did you get your driver's license? You drive quite well."
Qian Muhan stood firm, holding the blind man's cane. Hearing this, she covered her mouth and whispered, "I just got it, and I haven't even warmed it up yet. I've been showing it off all the way. But my second aunt doesn't seem too happy. She said it's interfered with my college entrance exam preparation. Don't mention it to her, or she'll get angry again."
Han Yi scratched the back of his head, lifted Qian Muhan's elbow from the other side, and said in a low voice, "I know what I'm doing. It hasn't affected my grades at all. But my mom just doesn't believe me. Several of my buddies have already gotten their driver's licenses, but I haven't. It's so embarrassing!"
Seventeen or eighteen-year-old boys are at the age when they are most loyal and concerned about their image. Xu Xingyan glanced at the elders who were talking not far away, then turned back and whispered, "After you finish your college entrance exam, your fourth sister will buy you a car."
"Do your best on the exam," Qian Muhan patted her little cousin's shoulder encouragingly. "Your gaming laptop is almost two years old. I'll get you a brand new one later. And those headphones you wanted last time, your mom wouldn't buy them for you, but I'll buy them for you."
Han Yi immediately assumed a standing at ease or attention posture, his eyes gleaming, and said, "I guarantee to complete the mission! We will resolutely win the battle for the college entrance examination!"
"Making trouble".
“You perk up as soon as I talk about these things.”
...
The Xu family's ancestral graves are located on a mountain not far from Jiugan Village. The scenery there is very beautiful. A few years ago, Mr. Xu funded the renovation of the mountain roads in this area. A cement road has been built, which is very wide and can be driven up by trucks without any problem. However, the older generation still maintains the tradition of hiking up the mountain on foot, believing that driving up is not sincere enough.
It was an hour-long mountain path, and everyone was happy to go along with the elderly woman. Aunt Xu felt sorry for her daughter and wanted her to take a car up, but Qian Muhan herself was not willing to be treated specially. Even though it was a bit inconvenient, she insisted on walking with the others.
Normally, Han Yi and Xu Xingyan took turns supporting Qian Muhan for the first half of the journey, while Xu's aunt and uncle took their daughter for the second half. Han Yi was responsible for accompanying Xu Xingyan, who was so tired that she was panting, as she slowly moved along. He would also occasionally hand her water or carry her for a while.
As for my aunt...
Ah, the old lady was already waiting for them at the terminal station, walking briskly all the way.
...
Mr. Xu was a traditional man who valued appearances and pomp. He took his funeral arrangements very seriously. He personally selected and decided on everything, from the location of the burial plot to the style and material of the tombstone. He also took full account of his beloved wife's aesthetic sense, making it understated, luxurious, and meaningful.
The inscription on the stone tablet next to him was written by the old man himself.
The deceased was born into poverty, left home at a young age, and endured hardships beyond description. Fortunately, his beloved wife supported him through poverty and hardship, enabling him to achieve success and fame. In the latter half of his life, he was guided by his wife to be charitable and generous, building bridges, distributing medicine, and benefiting his community. Now, having returned to paradise, he will surely enjoy long-lasting peace, free from illness, pain, injury, and disease.
In comparison, Grandma Xu's version was much simpler, consisting of only fourteen characters: "Dust to dust, let bygones be bygones in this world; ashes to ashes, may you find peace in the next life."
Kneeling to one side, watching the flames slowly lick at the paper money and ingots, out of the corner of her eye, she saw her aunt sitting cross-legged in front of her deceased lover by the tombstone diagonally opposite, chatting about her recent life. Xu Xingyan thought, what should she do? She really couldn't help but believe in love.
Her grandparents, maternal grandparents, aunt and uncle, parents, cousins and their spouses... so many people showed her through their actions that yes, you can believe in love.
The stack of yellow paper in his hand was finally burned. Han Yi stepped forward to help her up, "Fourth Sister, get up."
Seeing this, Aunt Xu smiled and said, "Yan Yan, burn a few more. When Grandpa was alive, he always said that you were the eldest granddaughter of our Xu family and that you were the one he loved the most. The paper money you burn is more precious than what we burn. Grandpa will be even happier when he receives it down below."
Han Yi frowned, "Mom!"
Patting her cousin's hand, Xu Xingyan tore open another stack of paper money, then turned her head and said with a playful smile, "Second Aunt is right, I still have some secrets to tell Grandpa and Grandma."
After saying that, she ignored the other person and continued to kneel upright, looking at the names standing side by side on the tombstone. She made a wish in her heart: "Oh, Grandma, you have always believed in Buddhism. If you are truly spiritual, please... bless your granddaughter's marriage."
After a while, Aunt Xu glanced at Aunt Xu and said, "That's enough. It's the middle of winter, the ground is cold, and your knees will get stiff if you kneel for too long. Xiao Yi, quickly help your fourth sister up."
This time, Han Yi acted very quickly. The tall man, standing at 1.8 meters, lifted the person up with a little effort, and cleverly used his advantage to block the view from his own mother.
...
On the way down the mountain, Xu Xingyan helped her aunt walk at the very back.
“My dad and the others probably won’t be able to come back for Chinese New Year this year. Why don’t you stay at my place for a few days? I’ve been saving a room for you.”
“No,” the old lady turned her head away. “I don’t know anyone on your side, and I don’t even have anyone to talk to. Staying there for too long will easily lead to dementia. It’s much better to stay in the village. I’m of a high generation, and I don’t have to go out and cause trouble. I’ll only have people come to wish me a Happy New Year!”
"How about... I come and stay for a few days?"
The old lady rolled her eyes and leaned back in disgust. "No, no, no, you absolutely must not come here. Last year you came and stayed for five days, and you caught a cold and fever on the first day. You spent the next four days getting IV drips at the medical station. I didn't get to enjoy any of your good fortune. I had to go over and bring you food every day. Everyone else had big meals of meat and fish for the New Year, but my family only had bland, watery meals for patients!"
"Oh dear..." Auntie squeezed Xu Xingyan's hand tightly, saying with a troubled expression, "Why do you worry so much every day? Worrying too much will make you age easily. A young woman in her twenties should be dressing up beautifully, traveling, watching movies, and dating..."
"Don't worry about this old lady. The community has arranged a theatrical performance this year, and they've invited us seniors to watch. I heard there's even a beggar's play, which I haven't seen in years. A few days ago, a young grid worker personally delivered the tickets to my door, and I even got front-row seats..."
"That old lady surnamed Wang in the back room of the old house, her grandson bought her a small radio that can play more than 800 songs. She brags about it all day long from one end of the village to the other. How can she get a front-row seat? That's a privilege that only I, the former head of the community women's department, have!"
Xu Xingyan laughed heartily, understanding the implied meaning, and immediately said, "I'll buy you one that's even better than hers, the kind that can play 1,200 songs, and make them all pale in comparison."
The old lady gave a proud "hmm" and squinted her eyes in satisfaction.
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Author's Note:
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Chapter 7 Let's have a cup of coffee
Working in an industry with a high rate of business travel, Lin Shengmiao had become quite accustomed to her work life involving frequent travel over the years. However, standing in the waiting area at this moment, she felt unusually anxious and restless, an emotion she had rarely experienced since leaving her father and stepmother's home in high school.
The reason was a message she saw in her high school classmates' group chat ten minutes earlier—
Luo Jing: @Lin Shengmiao, I forgot to tell you, Yan Yan is coming to pick you up too! [smiley face]
Lin Shengmiao stared at those words for a full twenty seconds, feeling that the smiley face at the end looked incredibly contrived. She would swear on her career that Luo Jing had deliberately delayed telling her until the very last moment!
Because she had no idea they would meet so soon, Lin Shengmiao hadn't made any preparations beforehand. She went out without makeup, and even washed her hair the day before yesterday. For convenience, she put her makeup bag and other items in her large suitcase, and only had a lipstick in her small handbag.
Lin Shengmiao, whose cascading hair was often the envy of her peers, took a look at her face with the front camera on her phone and, for the first time in her life, fell into appearance anxiety.
But the most important thing right now is not to find an opportunity to touch up your makeup.
Lin Shengmiao clicked on the pinned chat box. The most recent message was a birthday greeting sent at midnight on her birthday in August: "Happy birthday! Wishing you peace, health, and all the best."
Her reply was "Thank you [smile]".
Lin Shengmiao still remembers that when she was lying in bed, after typing "thank you", she paused for a long time, struggling with whether using "la" and "ya" would be too intimate, using "le" would seem a bit hasty, but if she didn't add anything, it would be too cold.
After much deliberation, all that could be left was a smiling emoji.
Just like now, my fingers have been hovering over the chat box for a long time. I have countless things to say, but I don't know how to start. Just like all these years, every time I've been unable to resist wanting to contact her, I've always given up halfway.
To reach the top tier in one's professional field, Lin Shengmiao's intelligence, talent, and perseverance far surpass those of ordinary people. Perhaps the fairness of fate lies in the fact that it transferred her clumsiness, inferiority, and anxiety to her love life.
Lin Shengmiao tapped her forehead with her phone, feeling a pang of regret. When she decided to return to Nancheng, she had thought about contacting Xu Xingyan, but a little voice inside her kept holding her back, causing her to procrastinate helplessly. Now, things were really urgent, and she had no time to prepare.
—If I don't contact her immediately before I go back to Nancheng, will she... be angry? No, will she care?
After hesitating for a while, the belated message was finally edited and sent out—[Luo Jing said in the group chat, are you coming to pick them up at the airport with them?]
One minute, two minutes, three minutes... I didn't receive a reply until I boarded the plane.
...
South City Airport Terminal.
Zhao You exclaimed excitedly, "She's out! She's out! Which one is she? It's been so many years! I wonder if she's changed. Her WeChat Moments are completely empty; she doesn't post any selfies."
Wearing sunglasses, Chen Shengxuan said with a grin, "A beautiful woman will definitely still be a beautiful woman even after ten years, but let's make a call first. I forgot to ask her what she was wearing, otherwise it will be easier to find her."
“Then let’s just hold up a sign,” Luo Jing yawned and said lazily. “It will say, ‘On behalf of all the students of Class 1, Grade 12 and our homeroom teacher, Ms. Li Dandan, I warmly welcome Lin Shengmiao back to the Nancheng family.’ That will definitely be eye-catching enough.”
"That would be too embarrassing, and if Sister Dan finds out, she'll beat us to death!" Zhao You shuddered, her face full of resistance. "By the way, did you go thieving last night? Your dark circles are so heavy."
"Big sister, have you forgotten what I do?" Luo Jing moved her neck. "Last night, a patient's condition suddenly worsened and required emergency surgery. I just came off the operating table four hours ago. No wonder I have dark circles under my eyes."
Zhao You exclaimed in surprise, "Then why did you insist on coming? Well, you and Sheng Miao were deskmates in high school, and you were very close, always hanging out together..."
Luo Jing twitched her lips, thinking: No, you're mistaken, we're not that close.
A female voice came from behind, "Zhao You?"
The conversation stopped abruptly, and Chen Shengxuan, Luo Jing, and Zhao You all looked over at the same time—
A woman pushing a suitcase, wearing a camel coat and jeans, with her long hair tied up, a beautiful face, and a mature and capable demeanor, stood not far away, smiling at them.
"Shengmiao!" Zhao You was the first to react, exclaiming, "I almost didn't recognize you! How did you know it was me?"
Lin Shengmiao looked at her and said sincerely, "You haven't changed much. You're still the same as you were in high school."
"Me! Me!" Chen Shengxuan squeezed through the crowd and asked, "Do you still recognize me? Have I changed a lot?"
After observing for a while, Lin Shengmiao smiled and said, "Chen Shengxuan, you must have had a very pleasant year."
"Hahahaha," Zhao You laughed, putting his arm around Chen Shengxuan's shoulder and saying, "Isn't that right? This guy owns a chain of hot pot restaurants, he's carefree and chubby, all that fat is the result of what he eats!"
Luo Jing stood to the side with her arms crossed, met Lin Shengmiao's gaze, waved her hand, and said politely, "Old classmate, long time no see."
“…Long time no see,” Lin Shengmiao glanced at the open space behind her and couldn’t help but ask, “Xingyan…where are you?”