He hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.
Ah Heng seemed to remember something, lowered her head, and said something: "Uncle, have you contacted my mother and grandfather?"
I've contacted them; your mother and grandfather are both in good health, so you don't need to worry.
A light sheen of sweat appeared on Ah Heng's forehead. Her voice trailed off, but her tone remained earnest: "Uncle, I knitted a sweater for my grandpa and a shawl for my mom. Could you...?"
The man patted her shoulder, sighed helplessly.
Okay, add it to the gift list I prepared for your grandfather for New Year's Day and send it together. Ah Heng, don't blame the Wen family for being ruthless. Some things are beyond your comprehension as a child. You'll understand later.
Ah Heng looked up at the white, empty ceiling and smiled meaninglessly.
I escaped on my own. I was afraid I wouldn't sleep well all night, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to stand up for myself, I was afraid... I would pay with my life.
It is no one's fault.
It has nothing to do with the Wen family.
*************************Divider***************************
Yan hope stamped his feet, his brown boots leaving uneven footprints in the snow. He knocked on the van window, and through the puff of breath, someone opened the window, leaned out, and, seeing the boy, asked in surprise, "Yan Xi, why aren't you getting in the car? Aren't you the one who hates the cold the most?"
Yan hope raised her head slightly and smiled, "Chu Yun, can you do me a favor?"
Chu Yun was startled. "What are you busy with first?"
Yan hope said, "It's nothing. It's just that on New Year's Day, we'll have a meal together. If anyone asks what our relationship is, just tell me what you think and don't deny it."
Chu Yun suddenly realized, "Oh, you want me to pretend to be your girlfriend."
Yan hope's eyes crinkled into a smile. This girl is really smart.
Chu Yun's eyes welled up with tears. She rested her chin on her hand and said, "Why? I'm a young, unmarried woman. I've fallen for you, and now I've lost all my reputation."
Yan hope = =, Chanel winter suit, Fendi handbag, take it or leave it, if not, I'll find someone else.
He turned around and took a big step with his long legs.
Chu Yun, hey hey hey, Mr. Yan, how can you be so humorless? It's just a meal, a friend would definitely go to great lengths for you.
Yan hope sighed and chuckled, turning his head away. His large eyes, visible beneath the scarf, were clear and bright. "Chu Yun, you are truly the epitome of opportunism. Just the other day, someone told me to keep an eye on you, saying you are too shrewd."
Chu Yun brushed his black hair aside, blinked, and said, "Am I not shrewd?"
Yan hope looked down on him. Actually, I always thought you got ahead because of your looks and 34D.
Chu Yun gave a fake smile. "DJ YAN, you flatter me. I'm nowhere near as talented as DJ YAN. DJ YAN, you've never relied on your face to get ahead, and you're incomparable to those of us who rely on our chests."
Yan hope = =, are all women this venomous these days?
Chu Yun sighed and said, "Do you even understand women? Don't glare at me with those big eyes. Okay, let me put it another way. Have you ever been in contact with girls your own age since you were a child? Have you ever liked, kissed, watched over, or experienced heartbreak?"
Yan hope took out his phone from his thick pocket, checked the time, and casually changed the subject, "It's almost time to record the show, I have to go first. I'll pick you up in my car on New Year's Day, at ten o'clock. I look forward to seeing the beautiful host Chu."
January 1st.
As Yan hope's sports car drove into the park, Chu Yun began to scream, "Aaaaaaah! Yan hope, why are we eating in a place like this? Isn't this... isn't this the place where I interviewed those important military figures last time?!"
Yan hope asked, "Who did you interview last time?"
Chu Yun was biting his nails, Xin Yunliang, Sun Gong, Yan Qin on the overseas phone, and, uh, Wen Muxin.
Yanxi, we're just going to Wen Muxin's house for dinner.
Chu Yun TOT, please don't tell me you're related to Wen Muxin.
Yan hope shook his head slightly, "I'm not."
Chu Yun patted his chest to calm himself down.
Yan hope said, "I am Yan Qin's grandson."
Chu Yun continued screaming, "Aaaaaaahhhhhh! Where are those paparazzi? They're always glued to me like glue at the slightest thing, why couldn't they detect such a huge bomb?"
Yan hope stepped on the brakes, looked at the white building in front of him, squinted his eyes, and said, "We've arrived."
Chu Yun was quite taken aback. "You don't need to tell me, I came here for the last interview. Yan Xi, I'd better leave. I offended that girl last time, coming here again would just be asking for a beating."
Yan hope laughed, "What did you do to Wen Si'er?"
Chu Yunlei, I knew she looked so fierce, she doesn't look like her mother at all.
Yan hope closed the car door, took out the key, lowered his head, and said calmly, "What's there to be annoyed about? It would be strange if it looked like that."
He hadn't been here for almost two years. When he went home, he would rather take a long detour than pass by the Wen family's house.
On Christmas Day, Wen Siwan called, hung up, called again, hung up again, called again, and finally got annoyed, answered, and asked, "What the hell do you want?"
Wen Siwan said, "Yanxi, my grandfather wants you to come to my house for dinner on New Year's Day."
I told you I never want to see you again in my life.
Wen Siwan was silent for a few seconds, then spoke softly, "Not only you, but also Lu Liu, Da Yi, and Sun Peng."
So what? A big party? Sorry, you've got the wrong target.
The man paused, his tone turning cold, and said, "Then take back what you forgot at the Wen family's house. If possible, bring a woman with you. I don't want to see my mother looking like she's sitting on pins and needles."
Something forgotten at... the Wen family's place?
How could he not know?
Chu Yun tugged at his sleeve and muttered softly, "Hey, seriously, is it really okay? My god, you want me to lie to revolutionary martyrs? I can't do that TOT"
Yan hope twitched. Chu Yun, could you fucking act any more innocent? Chanel, Fendi, one, two, three, stand up straight, have some class!
So, someone dressed up as Guanyin, the Holy Maiden, and smiled as if bathed in a spring breeze.
I rang the doorbell, and it took a while before someone opened the door. It was Siwan.
He was handsome, with clear and bright eyes, and looked the same as before, without much change.
He saw Yan hope and Chu Yun, put his hands in his pockets, nodded, and stepped aside.
Please come in. Miss Chu, is that you? We met last time. Please come in.
Yan hope changed her shoes, took off her scarf, draped it over her arm, and followed Chu Yun inside.
The living room was as lively as ever, with the elderly playing chess and the young playing mahjong and counting points. In the kitchen, the indistinct voices of women talking could be heard, presumably Wen's mother and Zhang's wife.
It's as if nothing has changed.
Chu Yun poked him and said, "Hey, why are you gripping your scarf so tightly? It's about to tear."
Yan hope looked down. The sunflower was no longer clear; its bright color was even more unbearable than the memory.
"Yan hope, you're here." Lu Liu smiled, pushed away the cards, and walked over. When he saw Chu Yun, his expression softened slightly—Miss Chu, who is this?
Yan hope said, "Oh, I forgot to tell you, I talked to Chu Yun. Since everyone's here, I brought him over so you can see him."
Sun Peng turned the card, a half-smile on his face, and Xin Dayi jumped up from her chair, her eyes widening in shock.
Chu Yun remained silent, offering a polite and shy smile.
Old Wen and Old Xin stopped what they were doing, stood up, and examined the girl.
Wen Laowen gently asked Yan hope, "Does your grandfather know about this?"
Yan hope shook his head and replied politely, "I haven't had a chance to tell Grandpa yet, but I'll show it to Grandpa Wen and Grandpa Xin first."
Old Xin nodded. "She's a clever girl, very good."
After saying that, he fell silent.
The group of younger ones, each with their own ulterior motives, remained silent.
The atmosphere immediately became somewhat awkward.
When Wen's mother heard Yan hope's voice, she came out of the kitchen, looked at Yan hope, and her eyes reddened.
You child, you child, why has it been so long...?
Yan hope hugged Wen's mother and smiled. After starting university, he did some part-time jobs and often couldn't find the time to visit his aunt.
Wen's mother nodded and said that Auntie knew all about it. Xiao hope had grown up and was starting to understand things, which was a good thing.
In the blink of an eye, his gaze settled on Chu Yun. He saw that the girl had a bright and cheerful face and was lively and carefree, completely different from... He thought that Yan hope must have let go and that the burden on his shoulders had been lightened a lot. He kindly pulled Chu Yun aside and asked her all sorts of questions.
Si'er sat at the mahjong table and coldly called out, "Mom."
Mother Wen acted as if she hadn't heard, and was very pleased with Chu Yun, so she busied herself entertaining him.
Si'er stood up silently and went upstairs.
Siwan replaced Si'er and continued playing mahjong with the three of them. The lively atmosphere returned, as if nothing had happened.
Yan hope sat with Chu Yun watching TV. Chu Yun whispered, "You and Lu Liu have known each other for a long time."
Yan hope was engrossed in watching the commercials on TV.
The girl felt something sticking to her bottom, so she got up and found herself sitting on a blue shawl with delicate stitches, giving it a clean and gentle feel.
As Yan hope's girlfriend, she felt she had to flatter him to be worthy of Chanel and Fendi, so she put on a smile and said, "Auntie, your shawl is so beautiful. Where did you buy it? You have such good taste."
Wen's mother glanced at it and said casually, "It was a gift from a friend, it's not worth much."
Yan hope narrowed his eyes, his fingertips stiffened, and he wanted to touch the cloak, but Chu Yun handed it to Wen's mother instead, leaving him holding only air in his hands.
During the meal, a group of young men tried to amuse the old folks by pretending to be silly or well-behaved, saying whatever pleased them. Chu Yun, being clever, followed the old men's lead and recounted the Korean and Vietnam Wars, his recollections of the past stirring up a lot of excitement. The two old men were then given quite a bit of alcohol.
Old Master Wen blushed, his usual sternness softening with a touch of kindness. "Very good. This girl is better than my daughter. She is very thoughtful in her words and actions. Xiao hope has excellent taste."
Yan hope remained expressionless. "Yes, very good, very good."
Si'er interrupted Yan hope, saying, "Grandpa, how come I'm not as good as Chu the anchor?"
Wen's mother patted her and said, "Adults are talking, what are you interrupting for? Eat your food."
On the table was a plate of braised pork ribs. Yan hope took a bite, frowned slightly, and then put it down.
The group of them drank quite a bit, clinking glasses and exchanging toasts, their youthful spirits tinged with a competitive spirit, determined to see who was the better drinker.
Yan hope made an excuse to escape and get some fresh air.
Beside the withered branches, the window was tightly shut.
He used to look up and shout day after day, as if the window would open the next second, a head would pop out, and he would lean on the windowsill with a warm smile.