"I didn't..." Yan Shu said softly, "He and I... are from different worlds... I really don't know."
Xiao Wei sighed, looking at poor Mu Yang: "Are you just going to keep putting up with Mu Yang like this?"
"It's not going to work out between us—does Mu Yang really like me?"
"Idiot!" Xiao Wei suddenly yelled, furious. "The whole world knows he likes you, except you." She had already figured it out; Yan Shu was hopeless.
"I'm just stupid!" Yan Shu shouted back, startling Xiao Wei.
Yes, she's just not very bright, so why does everyone keep bringing this up? It's so annoying!
Suddenly realizing she had lost control, Yan Shu took a deep breath: "Xiao Wei, where are you going tonight dressed so beautifully?"
Xiao Wei also came to her senses and glanced at herself: "Am I pretty?" She looked pretty ordinary no matter how you looked at it. "I'm having a reunion dinner with my parents and some other so-called family members." It's really funny. They are clearly two different families, but they insist on being together, pretending to be a happy and harmonious family reunion. How boring.
"Oh, I see." Yan Shu didn't know what to say about this. "The reunion dinner was quite delicious." Realizing she had said something silly again, she could only laugh awkwardly.
Yan Shu looked at her and chuckled softly, "Silly girl. Actually, you're really lucky. Sometimes, I really want to be your child."
"Oh, really? Come to my house, my parents will let you lean on them." Yan Shu patted her chest, exuding an air of boundless generosity.
Xiao Wei smiled faintly and looked ahead: "Why isn't the bus here yet? If it doesn't come soon, we'll have to take a taxi."
"It was quite difficult to get a ride today," Yan Shu said, frowning. "Everyone is rushing home for the New Year."
"Yes." Xiao Wei sighed softly, only to see a car speeding past her.
Suddenly, it stopped, then quickly reversed and came to a stop beside me.
Does anyone drive like that?
Yan Shu was dumbfounded.
The car window rolled down, and it was Yang Sen!
"Where are you going?" Yang Sen asked, looking at them. "I'll give you a ride."
"I'm not going. Xiaowei is going to a restaurant." Yan Shu tugged at Xiaowei's hand, and Xiaowei turned her head: "Where are you going? You look so cool."
"Going on a date with Mom and Dad," Yang Sen said, pointing to the back seat, "and Grandma too."
Just then, the back window rolled down, revealing a kind and gentle face. Grandma smiled and said, "Xiao Wei, Happy New Year, Yan Shu!"
"Happy New Year, Grandma!" the two of them quickly greeted.
"Where should we eat?" Yang Sen then asked.
Xiao Wei gave the name of a restaurant.
"Same place. Get in the car."
Xiao Wei looked at him, then at the surroundings, and indeed felt a sense of "unprecedented and unparalleled" as she said, "Okay. Thanks." After a pause, she asked, "Do you have a driver's license?"
"Are you a traffic cop?" He tossed her his driver's license. "By the way, this car was my dad's coming-of-age gift, but counting this year, I've had five years of driving experience. Now you can relax."
"Oh." Xiao Wei opened the car door and got in. "You were driving without a license, how come no one caught you?"
"Mind your own business! I'm not happy if they don't go against me for a day."
"Yeah, it's frustrating," Xiao Wei said casually.
"You're good." Yang Sen carefully helped Xiao Wei fasten her seatbelt, then suddenly saw his grandmother's thoughtful smile in the rearview mirror and said impatiently, "We're leaving."
Yang Sen turned his head and saw Yan Shu standing there with a blank expression. He suddenly grinned wickedly, revealing a set of perfect white teeth: "Hey, Xiao Shu."
"Hmm?" Yan Shu looked puzzled, with an expression that seemed to invite her guidance. "What is it?"
Upon hearing the words "I heard--", Yan Shu had a bad feeling.
"You and Mu Yang kissed?"
"Yang Sen--" Yang Sen's car sped away, leaving only a string of unrestrained laughter behind.
really!
On TV, it was Feng Gong and Niu Qun's crosstalk performance again. Niu Qun was once again standing with his hands on his hips, looking like a shrew yelling in the street, while Feng Gong? He was still pretending to be silly, blinking his little eyes. Dad and Mom laughed and said, "These two are such a bunch of clowns."
Yan Shu had always believed that the Spring Festival should be lively, and the Spring Festival Gala was just one of the props for that liveliness. Therefore, she never had high expectations for the Gala, just watching it casually. Besides, it had become a habit over the years. However, today, she couldn't seem to concentrate at all. Biting her apple, she felt her mind was a complete mess.
"I like you."
"What are you planning to do with Mu Yang?"
"The whole world knows that Mu Yang likes you, but you pretend you don't."
"Are you really going to keep tormenting Mu Yang's feelings like this?"
She didn't know, she really didn't know. Yan Shu shook her head vigorously, trying to shake these annoying things out of her mind.
"What are you doing?" Mom asked her after eating a sunflower seed.
"Want to sleep?" Dad, leaning back on the sofa, took a sip of tea and continued watching TV.
"No." Yan Shu rested her head on the cushion: Ugh, so annoying.
"I heard that you and Mu Yang were kissing passionately in the street."
Ah, rumors. But that kiss...
"Yes. Mu Yang likes Yan Shu." Yan Shu gently touched her lips with her fingers...
"Ring ring..."
The sudden ringing of the phone startled Yan Shu: "I'll answer it, I'll answer it."
Yan Shu jumped off the sofa and answered the incessantly ringing phone: "Hello?"
"Happy New Year!"
"Ah Dai?!" Yan Shu exclaimed in surprise, "Happy New Year!"
"Happy New Year!" Adai said with a smile on the other end of the line. "I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get into your house later, so I'm wishing you a Happy New Year in advance."
"Thank you," Yan Shu said with a smile. "What are you doing?"
"Watching TV, what else can I do? It's a bit boring. What about you?"
"Sigh." Yan Shu sighed. "It's a bit annoying."
“What’s so troublesome about kids?” Adai said with a smile, then paused, “Oh, relationship problems.”
"you--"
"How would I know?" Adai said knowingly. "You broke up with Su Ming, and besides, you didn't really like him."
"Who said that? We..." Yan Shu couldn't continue after "we." She knew that what A Dai said might be true. The reason she cried so badly that day was not because of the breakup, but because she suddenly realized that she had been deceived, or rather, that she had realized that she was in a world she did not understand and could not escape.
"Mu Yang likes you—don't deny it, everyone can see it. What about you?"
she?
"I don't know." She really didn't know. Yan Shu sighed, glanced at her parents, who were both watching TV intently and making no other moves. She lowered her voice, "You said it before, people who are not on the same level will not be together."
"Yes, I did say that. But that's under normal circumstances; I don't rule out exceptions. Do you really believe that you and he aren't on the same level?"
"Yes," Yan Shu said affirmatively.
"Okay. To put it bluntly, even if we're not on the same level, what's wrong with liking each other?" She suddenly asked seriously, "Yan Shu, do you really not like Mu Yang?"
Do you really not like Mu Yang?
The sudden question annoyed Yan Shu: "I...I don't know. You know, he and I aren't the same..."
"That's not important," Adai interrupted her abruptly. "What's important is that Mu Yang likes you. And what about you? What do you think?"
"I……"
"Yan Shu, to be honest, I personally think you like him. You might be too caught up in your own little world. Putting everything else aside, do you actually like him or not?"
Like or dislike? Yan Shu sat silently on the sofa. Occasionally, her heart would flutter at Mu Yang's smile—was that liking him? Occasionally, she would be captivated by the warmth of Mu Yang's care—was that liking him? Occasionally, she would find herself staring intently at Mu Yang's serious expression for a long time—was that liking him? She tried to tell herself that she and Mu Yang were from different worlds—was that liking him?
...
She really didn't know.
"I don't know what it means to like someone." I said this blankly, and then there was silence on the other end of the phone.
After a long pause, Adai sighed, "Well, there's nothing we can do about it. Mu Yang is really pitiful." Someone like him can't even get a girlfriend. She laughed and said, "You'd better think this through quickly. There aren't many people who can accept someone like you with intellectual disabilities. Once you miss Mu Yang, you'll never have another chance."
"Thanks." Yan Shu smiled as she accepted A Dai's concern. "A Dai, congratulations on getting another year older."
"So you're younger than me, huh?" Adai feigned anger. "Then congratulations on your meaningless growth again—Yan Shu, I'm going to America."
"Ah--" Yan Shu was momentarily stunned, "Why?"
“You know I’m not very satisfied with my current situation, and I want to give myself a chance.” She paused for a moment. “It might be very tough and I might regret it. I want to transfer schools. You know that would mean giving up a lot of things, but a rare opportunity is in front of me—the new year. Let’s make a decision that belongs to me.”
"Well then—I wish you success."
Thank you, goodbye.
"Goodbye." After hanging up the phone, Yan Shu sighed. Adai, who was going to America, had made her choice. What about herself?
"Ugh, this is so annoying!" she yelled, unable to bear the pressure.
"What's bothering you?" Mom asked next.
"No, no." Just then, the phone rang again. "I'll answer it—hello, Happy New Year—Mom, it's for you." It turned out to be a friend of Mom's calling to wish her a Happy New Year.
Mom took the phone, while Yan Shu watched TV absentmindedly beside her.
Adai, who is going to America, has things she likes and dislikes, as well as the New Year and the old year.
"Okay, Happy New Year. Wishing you prosperity." Watching her father finish a few phone calls, Yan Shu glanced at her watch: it was almost midnight. The number of New Year's calls was gradually increasing, and she had also called her classmates. The TV was already showing the climax of the New Year's bell ringing. Among her friends, Mu Yang was still the one she hadn't called. Should she give him a call? Thinking of this, Yan Shu found her heart racing unconsciously. She always did in previous years, but this year…
"Xiao Shu, the phone's on." Mom answered the phone and waved to Yan Shu. "Hurry up."
"Oh--hello?"
"Xiao Shu".
It's Mu Yang! Yan Shu plopped down on the sofa, her heart pounding. "You... hello."
Seeing Mu Yang smile, Yan Shu's face suddenly turned red. "Happy...Happy New Year."