Chapter 86 Uninvited
On Saturday morning, the two of them returned home with their luggage. When Shen Moyu opened the door, the familiar aroma of food didn't waft from the house. Usually, Xia Wei would prepare breakfast for him in advance if she knew he was coming home on Saturdays, but today the quiet atmosphere made it seem as if no one was home. He went inside, puzzled, and saw Xia Wei's shoes by the door.
He felt a little flustered and ran into the house without even putting on his slippers. Just as he was about to push open the bedroom door, he heard Xia Wei's voice.
"I know, but it's too early! He can't accept it!" Xia Wei's voice sounded a bit emotional. He hadn't heard his mother speak so harshly in a long time, and he was a little stunned.
"You have no right to tell him what he's like!" Xia Wei shouted again.
Shen Moyu couldn't hear the voice on the phone, but he knew that his mother seemed to have argued with someone. His mother didn't have many close friends, and someone as gentle as her rarely got angry unless it was something serious. He wanted to push the door open and go in, but he didn't dare. He could only put his schoolbag on the sofa and find something else to do.
Ten minutes later, Xia Wei pushed open the door and came out, bumping into Shen Moyu who was mopping the floor. She was clearly flustered for a moment.
"Mom, what happened?" Shen Moyu asked, looking at her haggard face.
Xia Wei paused for two seconds, then resumed her usual smiling expression: "No, no, no. By the way, have you eaten? Mom will make you something." With that, she went into the kitchen as if in a great hurry.
She deliberately avoided the topic, making Shen Moyu feel somewhat uncomfortable, but when he opened his mouth, he didn't know how to continue the conversation.
Back in his room, he did some homework and discussed his English studies with Su Jinning before Xia Wei opened the door and called him to dinner.
"I made your favorite fish today, sit down and have a taste." Xia Wei patted Shen Moyu's head and looked at him kindly.
Shen Moyu scooped up a piece of fish and put it in her mouth, her eyes instantly lighting up: "Delicious, it tastes just like before."
Xia Wei was delighted to hear her son's praise: "Right? It's been a long time since I made it for you."
Actually, the reason he loved eating fish when he was a child was because his father always took him fishing by the river.
Every weekend after kindergarten, his father would stand at the door with fishing gear on his back, waiting for him. He would excitedly jump off the school bus and run into his father's arms. His father would kiss his cheek and then take him to the river to fish.
After catching a full bucket of fish, the father released all the small fish, keeping the biggest one to take home to his mother. The family then prepared a sumptuous dinner in the kitchen.
He used to be used to it and didn't think it was anything special, but now that he thinks about it, those were truly the happiest times of his life.
Looking at the fish in his bowl, he couldn't help but think of the past again. Just then, Xia Wei suddenly spoke up: "Have you thought about meeting your father?"
Shen Moyu choked on the food in his mouth and looked at Xia Wei with confusion, vaguely seeing the sadness in her eyes.
He answered as always, "I haven't thought about why I'd see him."
Hearing his unfamiliar words, Xia Wei sighed, "He's still your father, you can't keep denying him forever."
Shen Moyu was a little confused. Xia Wei used to never mention Shen Donghai, and even if he occasionally mentioned him, Xia Wei would interrupt him anxiously. Why was she suddenly talking about him today?
"Mom? What's wrong?" Shen Moyu vaguely sensed that something was amiss.
Xia Wei held the bowl in her hand, lowered her head and took a bite of rice: "It's nothing, I just felt... you're so old now, you should meet him."
His father was always a knot in his heart; seeing him was painful, leaving him there was irritating, but he couldn't help but touch on it.
Xia Wei's sudden words infuriated him: "Mom, someone like him doesn't deserve to acknowledge us. I don't care about having a father; I have you, that's enough."
Xia Wei looked into Shen Moyu's eyes with emotion. Her son had grown so much without her realizing it, but...
She finally lowered her head, as if suppressing something: "Alright, let's eat."
Even though Shen Moyu also felt that his mother was acting strangely, he didn't dare to ask any more questions, and the matter was thus glossed over. Xia Wei never mentioned it again afterward.
——
Time flies, and after January arrived, the weather suddenly warmed up. With the final exams over, winter vacation began, and Su Jinning was overjoyed. She took him everywhere to play during the first few days of vacation, and they were basically never idle. This morning, she sent him a message early in the morning to take him out for hot pot.
There were quite a few people around lunchtime; after all, in the dead of winter, having hot pot is definitely a treat.
The two of them had been to this hot pot restaurant before; it was the same one they went to when they first met last year. Coincidentally, Su Jinning had also booked the same private room.
Shen Moyu is a nostalgic person, and she especially likes to go to places she's been before, staring blankly at a spot, lost in memories of the past. It's indeed a strange habit, because some memories are truly beautiful, while others are as cruel as can be.
Seeing him lost in thought, Su Jinning patted his shoulder again: "What would you like to drink?"
Shen Moyu snapped out of her reverie: "Iced tea."
Su Jinning looked up at him, then suddenly laughed: "Why isn't it mineral water anymore?"
Shen Moyu took a moment to react, then nudged his arm: "Why should I be polite when you're spending money?"
"It wasn't like this when we first met." Su Jinning clicked her tongue twice.
"That wasn't my boyfriend."
"Yes, yes, you're absolutely right." Su Jinning handed Shen Moyu a hawthorn berry on her left, speaking in a coaxing tone, "Here, have some hawthorn to whet your appetite. Anyway, your boyfriend paid for it."
"puff."
The hotpot meal was quite interesting. The two of them ate and recounted their experiences from their second year of high school. Su Jinning became more and more excited as he talked, while Shen Moyu listened with a smile. Snowflakes began to fall outside the window again, and all sorts of people wrapped in cotton-padded coats walked past the window, glancing inside every now and then, as if longing for the warmth within.
Another year has passed in the blink of an eye. Life may seem ordinary, but this year has been exceptionally happy.
Shen Moyu firmly believes that the people he meets at this age will be the most unforgettable people in his life, whether they are friends or lovers.
Therefore... he wanted to hold onto Su Jinning tightly, keeping her by his side for the rest of his life.
After the two finished eating, they walked out and pushed open the door. Someone bumped into them. Su Jinning quickly helped Shen Moyu steady. When she looked up, she met a pair of familiar eyes.
"Gu Junxiao?!"
The two spoke at the same time, and the person in front of them seemed quite surprised.
"Holy crap, when did you get back?!" Su Jinning was incredibly excited and immediately hugged Gu Junxiao. However, he seemed a little lost, unsure whether to hug her or put his hands down. In the end, he just patted Su Jinning's shoulder.
"I just got back not long ago. I was thinking of coming back here for the New Year and to see you all." Gu Junxiao smiled. His hair had grown a bit long, covering his eyebrows, making him look more mature. He also seemed to have grown quite a bit taller, almost catching up with Su Jinning.
Su Jinning was overjoyed to hear this: "Great! You even know to come back to see us for the New Year. It would be wonderful if you could do this every year."
Gu Junxiao continued joking with him without any restraint: "Okay, you can reimburse my round-trip fare. I can come back whenever you want."