Almost instantly, Yu Lele suddenly felt that she should be happy, and should be very, very happy!
Because this was something that should have been incredibly exciting! A smile gradually appeared on Yu Lele's face. She turned her head, silent, and simply nestled quietly beside Lian Haiping, watching the scene outside the car window: the afternoon sun was gradually becoming intense and warm, the sea shimmering, and fragments of sunlight dancing and creating irregular halos. Occasionally, seagulls would swoop down, leaving a silvery, shimmering line in the air. The sand on the beach gleamed with a golden luster, and fathers were flying kites with their children; the long lines floated slowly in the wind, and the colorful kites finally rose into the air... Her smile gradually widened, eventually transforming into pure, joyful happiness. However, she had to suppress it, lest she become too carried away. Yu Lele sighed happily, lowered the car window, and leaned against Lian Haiping, watching the tide rise and fall outside. Lian Haiping looked down at her, finally reaching out to pull her into his arms. Yu Lele looked up and saw Lian Haiping's worried and helpless expression. She stuck out her tongue sheepishly, "Haiping, are you angry?" Lian Haiping sighed, "Lele, I thought you'd be happy." There was an undisguised disappointment in his voice, which Yu Lele noticed, and she felt guilty. It was at this moment that Yu Lele suddenly thought: Could Lian Haiping misunderstand? Could he think she was thinking of someone else? This realization almost made her gasp. Lian Haiping knew all too well about her story with Xu Chen. He loved her, so he could remain silent and ask nothing. But all she gave him was waiting, anxiety, and unease; now, she had to add inexplicable suspicion. She had truly been too uncaring towards him.
Thinking of this, Yu Lele felt a little scared. She reached out and grabbed Lian Haiping's hand, looking directly into his eyes. His gaze was still so gentle. Seeing her looking at him, he sighed, tightened his arms, and pulled her close. Yu Lele felt she should say something. She thought for a moment, but didn't know what to say. She seemed to have just realized that no matter how much Lian Haiping misunderstood, her explanation would only make things worse. After a while, she tugged at Lian Haiping's sleeve, complaining in a slightly ingratiating tone, "Don't be angry. I'm a married woman now, you have to be considerate of me." "A married woman?" Lian Haiping chuckled. "Lele, look at you, where's your awareness of being a married woman? You're so ruthless in scaring your husband." Yu Lele blushed again, not daring to look at him, only muttering, "Really? I just suddenly realized I'm a married woman now, and maybe soon I'll become one of those very fat, middle-aged women, with no elegance at all. I'm so desperate."
She glared at him: "I'm desperate! Can't you have even a little bit of sympathy for me?!" Lian Haiping found it unbelievable: "Just for this, you want a divorce?" "I didn't say divorce," Yu Lele muttered, playing with the buttons on Lian Haiping's sleeve, "I'm just a little bored, it feels like it's all happening too fast... Yesterday I was still my mother's darling, and today I'm going to become someone else's wife, I'm not used to it... I don't think I'm ready..." Lian Haiping finally let out a long sigh, tightly grasping Yu Lele's hand: "You scared me to death, eight years, can't you just let me have a few days of peace?" His tone was light and teasing, and Yu Lele finally smiled too. She reached out and hugged Lian Haiping's neck, whispering in his ear: "But, I feel very happy now." Her eyes smiled, curving into crescent moons as she looked at him: "Lian Haiping, I'm so happy to marry you."
After saying that, she gently kissed him. Lian Haiping was stunned for a moment, a warm feeling instantly swelling in his heart, and he could almost feel a light mist clouding his eyes. The next second, he subconsciously lowered his head and kissed her fiercely, as if to make a declaration of his determination—to tell her and to himself that they would never be apart again!
The autumn wind blows, cool and refreshing, carrying a faint scent of the sea and a pleasant, damp aroma. The passersby, perhaps with a few curious glances, are no longer seen, no longer exist. At that moment, they see only each other.
Happiness surged like a tidal wave, mingling with the rhythmic roar of the waves outside the car, an endless and lingering sound. Finally, finally, love and being loved settled down.
Side Story: The Dust Settles Down (B-1)
The dinner was held in a cozy private room at the "Jinxiu Jiangnan" Hotel. Lele's family, Lian Haiping and his grandfather, and a waiter sat at one table. Yu Tian couldn't drink alcohol, so he toasted Lian Haiping with juice: "Brother-in-law, I'm entrusting my sister to you." He then downed his drink in one gulp. Looking at Yu Tian, Yu Lele suddenly felt her eyes sting. She lowered her head, not daring to look at the expressions of those around her. The surroundings were so quiet, and tears welled up in her eyes; she had to struggle to hold them back. "Sister"—this was a term of endearment used between blood relatives, and "brother-in-law"—this was the first time Yu Tian had ever addressed someone like that!
For the first time, someone had become someone she could trust and rely on with her life, someone recognized by law, acknowledged by morality, and bound by kinship. She turned her head, blocking her mother's and Uncle Yu's view, and looked up at Lian Haiping. Lian Haiping looked down and saw the tears in her eyes, and froze. After a moment, he reached out, took Lele's hand in his, and stood up.
With his other hand, he raised his wine glass, his tone so solemn, and looked at Lele's mother, Uncle Yu, and Yu Tian: "Mom, Uncle, Tian Tian, don't worry—" "Wrong, Haiping," Lian Haiping was interrupted by Yu Lele before he could finish speaking. Lian Haiping turned his head in surprise and saw that Yu Lele had also raised her wine glass and stood up. Her eyes were still filled with those tears she was trying to hold back, but her face had a bright smile: "You've got the address wrong."
Lian Haiping looked at her, puzzled, but felt a slight dampness in the palm of her hand that he was holding. She looked at Uncle Yu, then at Lian Haiping, and smiled, "Haiping, you should call me Dad." She smiled at her mother and Uncle Yu, "Dad, Mom, thank you." In that instant, it was as if something exploded and then burst into flames! Except for Grandpa, everyone stared wide-eyed at Yu Lele as if in disbelief, speechless for a moment!
After what seemed like an eternity, Uncle Yu finally reacted, his voice trembling slightly: "Lele, you—"
He couldn't continue, just staring blankly at the two children before him: they stood together, hand in hand, looking at him. The warm glow of red wine in their glasses shimmered slightly under the overhead light, as if proclaiming that a moment everyone had been waiting for had finally arrived. Love, or promises, and all the care, tolerance, and acceptance that had accompanied them through the years, finally had a place to rest in this moment!
Yu Lele looked at Uncle Yu, and tears finally streamed down her face. Her mother looked at her daughter and also broke down in tears—after ten long years, she had finally heard that word, "Dad."
After a long pause, Grandpa finally spoke: "Don't cry on such a joyous day! Drink up, everyone!" This authoritative yet joyful command immediately broke the heavy atmosphere in the room, and a burst of happiness erupted. Everyone raised their glasses, and smiles blossomed amidst the soft clinking, warming the cool autumn night. At that moment, Yu Lele thought to herself: "Dad, don't worry, look, I'm so happy." In her heart, she seemed to see her father's smiling face in the rising warmth. She could even hear him say: "Lele, you've grown up. From today onwards, you really have grown up." After a few rounds of drinks, the attendant escorted Grandpa home, and Lian Haiping drove Lele's family home. Lele, her mother, and Tiantian sat in the back row, and her mother held her daughter's hand tightly the entire way.
Holding her mother's hand tightly, she wouldn't let go. A bittersweet feeling welled up inside Lele—when she decided to register their marriage, she simply thought today was a good day, seemingly never imagining the profound turning point it would hold for her mother. Yes, from this day forward, her daughter would no longer be her own. Her daughter would spend the rest of her life with another person, enter another family, and begin a new life. Yu Lele gripped her mother's hand in return, unsure what to say. And in that instant, a crucial question suddenly occurred to Yu Lele: Where would she stay tonight?
Her own home? Or Lian Haiping's? Thinking this, her face suddenly flushed red. She quickly lowered her head; the darkness of the night was overwhelming, thankfully no one could see her. Scratching her brains, Yu Lele hurriedly recalled her limited knowledge of local customs, finally clarifying her thoughts as she neared her home: according to local custom, the bride must stay at her parents' home before the wedding—the customs of this coastal, open city seemed quite rigid in this regard, the wedding ceremony clearly holding far greater significance than marriage registration. Reaching this conclusion, Yu Lele finally breathed a sigh of relief, but within two seconds, her headache returned: how was she going to appease Lian Haiping? He must have been holding back for a long time, hadn't he? Thinking of this, Yu Lele couldn't help but chuckle to herself. She lowered her head again, continuing to rack her brains, pondering what to say to Lian Haiping. Just then, the car stopped, and Lian Haiping jumped out, opening the door behind him. Yu Lele watched her mother get out, and before Uncle Yu even arrived, Lian Haiping had already carried Yu Tian out of the car, locked the door, and then carried Yu Tian upstairs in one go. Yu Lele hurried a few steps to catch up with the man in front, only to hear Uncle Yu saying apologetically, "Haiping, let me do it." Yu Lele smiled slightly and answered for Lian Haiping, "Don't be so polite, Yu Tian can't just call me 'brother-in-law' for nothing!"
Uncle Yu heard this and chuckled softly. Lian Haiping and Yu Tian, who were walking ahead, obviously heard it too. Just as Uncle Yu took out his keys to open the door, Yu Tian suddenly asked with a smile, "Sister, are you going back with your brother-in-law in a little while?" This was like a bolt from the blue... Yu Lele sighed inwardly, quickly walked a few steps to her own door, and looked up to see her mother's slightly sad expression, while Lian Haiping had his head down, so she couldn't see his face. Yu Lele playfully smacked Yu Tian on the head: "Tian Tian, are you really hoping your sister gets kicked out?" "No," Yu Tian grinned mischievously, "I know 'a long-awaited rain after a drought, meeting an old friend in a foreign land, the wedding night, and passing the imperial examination' are the four great joys of life, sister, are you still shy?" Yu Lele's face instantly turned red, and she grabbed Yu Tian's collar through gritted teeth: "Yu Tian, you think you're so great? I told you there's no shortage of all that nonsense online, and you learn it so quickly!" As they spoke, they entered the house. Lian Haiping gently placed Yu Tian on the sofa, stood up to catch his breath, still with his back to Yu Lele. Yu Tian called out first: "Brother-in-law, why are you blushing?" Before he finished speaking, his mother and Uncle Yu finally couldn't help but laugh. This time, Yu Lele's face turned red all the way to her neck. That night, lying in her bedroom, Yu Lele couldn't help but wonder: What is Lian Haiping doing now? She recalled the look in his eyes when he left: Was he still a little disappointed? But recalling the pleased expression on her mother's face just now, Yu Lele felt that her choice was correct.
Over the years, her mother's greatest emotional support had been Lele, her daughter who would one day leave her. Her approval of Lian Haiping didn't mean she was willing to let her daughter leave so soon. Although Yu Lele felt her mother's thinking was somewhat self-deceptive, since it was more comforting, Yu Lele had no choice but to support her. She just felt that it seemed, perhaps, vaguely, a little unfair to Lian Haiping—after all, they were a married couple protected by 21st-century law, and even if he wanted to stay, it was understandable. Yu Lele finally dialed the phone, and it was answered after just one ring: "Wife—" Hearing Lian Haiping's muffled voice, Yu Lele couldn't help but smile: "Are you asleep?" "No, I can't sleep." Lian Haiping's voice was dejected, and Yu Lele wanted to laugh. "Let's count sheep," Yu Lele said, "One sheep, two sheep, three sheep…" "I miss you." Lian Haiping suddenly interrupted her, his voice sounding very mournful. Yu Lele was speechless, reaching out to touch her face, feeling it flush again. I mentally berated myself: How old am I? How many times have I blushed today? My mental fortitude is really terrible!
“Honey,” Lian Haiping complained, “you don’t sympathize with me at all.” Yu Lele finally laughed out loud, “I sympathize with you, that’s why I called you.” Lian Haiping sighed. Yu Lele comforted him gently, “Haiping, you have to understand my mom. We just registered our marriage today, even I find it very sudden. She definitely can’t accept it yet. Let her get used to it for a while.” Lian Haiping sighed again, “Okay, then what should I do?” “Come to my house every day, let my mom get used to your presence as soon as possible,” Yu Lele had a whole plan in mind, “When winter comes, she definitely won’t want you to come home in the wind and snow, and in her excitement, she’ll keep you.” “Winter?!” Lian Haiping wailed, “It’s only autumn now!” Yu Lele was almost laughing to death inside, it seemed like the first time she had seen Lian Haiping look so pitiful. She had to suppress her laughter, putting on a comforting tone: "It'll only be a few months. Didn't Grandpa say the wedding will be next spring? It'll be soon..." "Yu Lele..." Lian Haiping gritted his teeth: "You seem very happy!" "No, no," Yu Lele quickly clarified: "I feel sorry for you, hahaha..." She finally couldn't help but laugh, and once she started laughing, she couldn't stop. Lian Haiping sighed intermittently on the other end of the phone, and finally laughed too: "Lele, I must have owed you something in my past life." Hearing this, Yu Lele stopped laughing. A gentle feeling suddenly welled up in her heart—in their past life, who waited for whom for 500 years, leading to this unavoidable encounter in this life? Hearing her stop laughing, Lian Haiping was a little worried: "Lele?" "Haiping," Yu Lele's voice was so gentle: "Thank you." Lian Haiping held his breath, his heart began to pound gently. He listened quietly to the girl's soft breathing on the other end of the phone, a warm feeling spreading between the two ends of the line. After a long while, he faintly heard the words he had been waiting for so long coming from the other end of the phone line: "Haiping, I love you."
As night fell, Lian Haiping looked up and could see a sky full of stars outside the window.
Side Story: The Dust Settles Down (B-2)
Four days later, Lian Haiping received a business trip assignment: he had been seconded to the temporarily established "City and Village Committee Election Office," and he and several others were to go to a very remote village to supervise the village committee elections. Before leaving, the two of them had dinner with Xu Yin, and spent the whole evening listening to Xu Yin's incessant complaints. "You two have no conscience, you didn't even tell me about something so important," Xu Yin said unhappily, "Do you know how disappointed I am?"
Yu Lele quickly comforted her: "Darling, don't be too sad. We made this decision very suddenly."
"But you only told me four days later!" Xu Yin accused. Yu Lele thought about it and realized that it did seem to be her fault, and there was no way she could shirk responsibility. Just as she was thinking about how to explain, she heard Lian Haiping finally speak up: "Little brother, stop being so disrespectful and hurry up and call her sister-in-law."
He glanced at Xu Yin sideways, striking a pose like a mafia boss. Xu Yin was drinking soup and nearly spat it out when she heard this. She glared at Lian Haiping with hatred: "You still remember you're my boss? I've been following you since I was three years old. After all these years, I've done my best, and you actually kept it from me, you didn't even tell me you were married!"
She grew angrier as she spoke, pointing at Yu Lele: "And the one who was helping her on the sidelines was actually my best friend?!"
Yu Lele quickly changed the subject: "Honey, don't be angry. I've successfully completed the task for you. Really! My mentor agreed to the interview. I went to great lengths, even risking my reputation, to help you complete the task!"
Xu Yin stared dumbfounded at Yu Lele, then at Lian Haiping: "Why is she so talkative now? Lian Haiping, can't you teach her something healthy?" Before she finished speaking, she heard Yu Lele and Lian Haiping laughing so hard they were breathless. Xu Yin was both amused and annoyed: "Lele, you're finished, you're completely finished." Yu Lele happily stuck out her tongue, then looked up to call the waiter for the bill. But, in that instant, she suddenly saw someone staring at her from a table not far away. That face… Yu Lele's face instantly turned pale. Xu Yin noticed and followed Yu Lele's gaze, and her expression changed drastically at just one glance. Xu Chen?! Xu Yin turned back to Lian Haiping in a panic, only to see him remain expressionless, but the fingers holding the glass were clearly frozen.
She stared at Yu Lele with a hint of fear, suddenly noticing how vacant Yu Lele's eyes had become! Xu Yin was truly frightened. She looked at Yu Lele, seeing her expressionless face, yet a turbulent undercurrent flickered within her gaze. She softly called out to Lian Haiping, "Lian Haiping!" Lian Haiping finally reacted, nudging Yu Lele, "Wife, go say hello." The word "wife" quickly pulled Yu Lele back to reality from her daze. Almost instinctively, she stood up, mechanically moving her feet, following Lian Haiping to Xu Chen's table. Only then did she realize that opposite Xu Chen were Yang Qian and a strange boy. They all stared wide-eyed at her, then at Lian Haiping beside her, finally fixing their gaze on her left ring finger. A small, unassuming diamond ring, yet so dazzlingly proclaiming that something had already happened! Yu Lele watched as pain rapidly welled up in Xu Chen's eyes, and her heart throbbed with an intense, almost explosive pain. She couldn't speak; she just stared blankly at Xu Chen: he had lost weight, but seemed more mature. He carried an air of travel weariness, as if something had changed, yet nothing seemed to have changed at all.
After a long silence, Lian Haiping gently patted Yu Lele's shoulder: "Lele, aren't you going to introduce him?" Yu Lele then remembered what she should do—Lian Haiping had seen Xu Chen's photo, and even Yang Qian had seen Lian Haiping, but of all these people, only Xu Chen was the one excluded from the whole affair. Yu Lele tried to suppress the turbulent emotions in her heart, smiling as she greeted Xu Chen and Yang Qian: "What a coincidence, I didn't expect to meet you." She pointed to Lian Haiping and said to Xu Chen, "Lian Haiping—" She paused, finally adding, "My lover." She pointed to Xu Chen again, but avoided Lian Haiping's eyes: "Xu Chen." Then silence. Not a single word of explanation. To Xu Chen's utter shock and dismay, she hadn't even said "old classmate" or "my friend"?! Xu Chen felt as if his heart had been violently broken in two. "My lover"—it really was irreversible. I don't know how much time passed, maybe a few minutes, maybe a century, but Yang Qian broke the silence first. She forced a smile and said, "Lele, it's been a long time!" Her voice carried a deliberately amplified joy—it was deliberate, as if to remind everyone to hold back and not lose their composure.
Lian Haiping was the first to react. He extended his hand to shake hands with Yang Qian and the boy standing next to her, then smiled at Xu Chen, saying, "Hello." Xu Chen smiled wryly and shook Lian Haiping's hand, replying, "Hello." Yu Lele stared blankly at the two clasped hands, only to hear Lian Haiping say beside her, "You just arrived, right? I'm so sorry, we have some friends over there and were just about to leave." He smiled apologetically, "Then we'll go ahead and won't bother you any longer." His manners were impeccable, just right—Yu Lele knew that Lian Haiping was always impeccably polite in this regard.
But Xu Chen—she looked up at Xu Chen's eyes, only to be met with the sorrow he made no attempt to hide.
Finally, Xu Chen smiled and said, "Goodbye." Yang Qian also hurriedly pulled the boy beside her and said, "Goodbye, Lele, be careful on the road." Yu Lele gave a bitter smile, her voice almost hoarse as she said, "Goodbye." After saying that, she immediately turned around and walked away quickly, never looking back. On the other side, Xu Yin had already quickly paid the bill, grabbed her bag, and hurried after her. Lian Haiping walked behind Yu Lele, reminding himself in his heart: It's okay, it's okay... But was it really okay? Even he himself didn't know. On the way home that night, Xu Yin didn't speak, Lele didn't speak, and Lian Haiping didn't speak either. Along the way, Lian Haiping glanced at Yu Lele many times, but he didn't know what she was thinking. Her gaze was always so empty, always staring straight ahead, expressionless. After parking the car downstairs, Lian Haiping walked Yu Lele upstairs, until Yu Lele started to silently take out her keys to open the door, Lian Haiping finally couldn't help himself and suddenly pulled her into his arms from behind. Yu Lele was startled, her mind seemingly clearing instantly. She wanted to turn around and look at Lian Haiping, but his embrace was too tight, and she couldn't see him.
She could only hear his breathing, soft and gentle beside her ear, as if afraid of waking her. Yu Lele forced a smile and whispered, "Haiping?" "Hmm?" He didn't speak, only buried his face in her shoulder. "It's going to get colder tomorrow, so take some warm clothes," she said softly, "and take some cold medicine. Take good care of yourself and don't get sick. Call me if you miss me, and I'll call you too." Lian Haiping looked up, his voice filled with suppressed sadness: "But I'm already starting to miss you." Yu Lele smiled, finally turning around to give Lian Haiping a hug, and then whispered in his ear, "Haiping, do you believe me?"
Lian Haiping looked at Yu Lele and finally nodded. Yu Lele smiled and looked into Lian Haiping's eyes: "Then don't worry about me, I'll be fine, and you should be fine too."
She suddenly reached out and pinched Lian Haiping's ear: "If you're not good, if you're disobedient, I'll beat you when I get back!"
Her voice was deliberately fierce. Lian Haiping hugged her tightly, as if making a solemn promise: "Okay." Then, he released her, glanced at her, and turned to go downstairs. His steps were heavy, and he didn't look back. Yu Lele didn't close the door until she could no longer hear his footsteps. But the moment she closed the door, tears silently fell. It was late at night, everyone was asleep, only Yu Lele squatted by the door, sobbing softly and quietly.
Even she herself didn't know why she was crying—was it for the words she never said, or for the youth that could never be recovered? On the second day of Lian Haiping's business trip, Yu Lele finally received a call from Xu Chen. "Lele, are you alright?" His voice was still so pleasant. Yu Lele held the receiver, stunned for a moment.
"I'm doing alright, how about you?" Yu Lele tried her best to make her voice sound cheerful, desperately trying to find something to say: "Is it very tough over there? But I believe you'll be fine no matter where you are, gold shines wherever it is..." "Lele," Xu Chen finally interrupted her: "My aunt came to see you, right?" With a "boom," Yu Lele's spirits were shattered. "I heard my aunt and my sister arguing," he said in a low voice: "Zhuang Yuewei, she's my cousin."
“I know,” Yu Lele answered instinctively. “She always asked me why I didn’t fall in love with her teacher, Mr. Yu, who was the best teacher she had in China for a year. She always said…” Xu Chen’s voice was so heavy with sorrow. “Xu Chen,” Yu Lele interrupted him, “it has nothing to do with your aunt. I’ve said it before, I’m just tired.” Her voice was truly weary: “I never imagined that dating someone you like would be so tiring.”
He didn't speak, listening quietly to her say, "Xu Chen, I later realized that loving someone is easy, but finding the right person to spend your life with is very difficult." His heart began to ache, and her voice gradually became distant and ethereal: "Xu Chen, while you're abroad, find a suitable girl to take care of you. Your happiness is our happiness. When you see Xiao Wei again, please tell her that I miss her very much. If she has the chance to come back to China, remember to visit me..." Her voice grew calmer and calmer, and Xu Chen's hand holding the phone seemed to tremble slightly. His eyes welled up with tears, but he firmly held them back, determined not to let them spill. He couldn't remember when, but he hung up the phone and sat alone on the sofa, lost in thought. He didn't know how much time had passed when his mother walked past him, saw his blank stare, and, a little worried, finally asked, "What's wrong?" He forced a normal expression: "I saw Yu Lele yesterday." Xu Chen's mother was stunned. “She got married,” Xu Chen said with a bitter smile. “Last Friday, I went to Yang Qian’s house, and the moment I heard on the phone that she was going to register her marriage, Mom, believe me, my heart stopped beating?” His mother looked at her son with concern, without saying a word. “She probably didn’t know I was on the other end of the phone. I thought that as long as I didn’t see her, I could pretend I didn’t know anything, that nothing had happened,” Xu Chen lowered his head. “Mom, I never expected I would see her.” His voice was thick with emotion. “Mom, I regret letting her go so generously. I really regret it…”
"Fourteen years... I've known her for fourteen years. Time flies... If Dad were alive, he would be back by now... But they're never coming back..." Xu Chen finally couldn't hold back his tears and cried out. Xu Chen's mother's tears also streamed down her face—the man who promised to reform himself and try to get a reduced sentence, the man who promised to come back and enjoy his old age with her, the man who, no matter what mistakes he made, would still be her husband—no one could have imagined that a year before his release, he would suffer a sudden heart attack and never return. He finally paid the price for his mistakes with his entire life—until his death, he never saw the sky beyond those prison walls again! Soft sobs echoed in the room, and the desolate autumn wind blew in through the open window, chilling to the bone.
Xu Chen finally couldn't help but recall the line of Song Dynasty poetry she had shown him that year: "Last night the west wind withered the green trees, alone I climbed the high tower, gazing to the ends of the earth." Yes, Lele, even if I have gazed to the ends of the earth, yet—I long to send a letter, but the mountains are high and the waters wide, where can I send it?
The autumn wind was getting colder and colder. Yu Lele put down the phone and went to close the window, where she saw an endless expanse of fiery clouds in the sky.
A surging, magnificent red, in the distance beyond our reach—there are always things beyond our control, things we cannot change. At this moment, Yu Lele finally understood: everything about the past, those youthful laughs and fluttering skirts, would eventually fade away. Those loves, those memories she couldn't bear to lose, would one day also fade. Those loves she thought would be unforgettable, in fact, couldn't withstand the test of time. Yet, because they had once loved each other, she could almost see how deep Xu Chen's pain must be on the other end of the phone.
Because of those kinds of pain, and those wounds that felt like a lump in her throat and were dripping with blood—she had experienced all of these things herself.
On those dark nights, she dreamed of him countless times, dreaming that he stood in front of her, turned away, and walked away without saying a word.
Even such a simple scene could terrify her so much that she would wake up in fright. But upon waking, she would know that he had long since gone, and from then on, she would have to bear all her fears and speculations alone.
Back then, she probably never imagined that today, someone would stand beside her, holding her hand unconditionally, offering her warmth and love. That strength, like a bubbling fountain, never runs dry. So, Xu Chen, I can only wish you find your own happiness. Perhaps not the one you once longed for, but she will definitely be the one most suitable for you.
Because nothing can truly withstand the passage of time. Because the entanglements of our past lives, the missed opportunities in this life, and the endless longing that follows have all settled.
The dust has settled, so there's no going back.
Side Story: The Dust Settles Down (C-1)
Lian Haiping finally returned from the remote rural area, but before Yu Lele could even see him, a call from his colleague told her to come to the military hospital. His colleague, worried she might be anxious, added, "It's nothing serious, just a fever." A fever? Yu Lele was startled: He was perfectly fine when we called last night! How could he suddenly have a fever?
Fortunately, there were very few classes this semester, so Yu Lele hurriedly rushed from school to the military hospital. Walking on campus, she bumped into Tong Dingding, who happily ran over to greet her: "Senior sister!" Yu Lele didn't have time to say much, explaining as she ran, "I have urgent business, I'll find you to play next time!" Tong Dingding looked at Yu Lele's anxious back with surprise—she rarely saw her senior sister so flustered.
Half an hour later, Yu Lele jumped out of the taxi and rushed to the military hospital. She searched at least three wards before finally finding Lian Haiping receiving an IV drip in the fourth. In the quiet room, Lian Haiping lay there with his eyes closed, looking very haggard. Yu Lele walked over gently, feeling a pang of sadness: Was this a business trip? How could he have become so thin? Had he gone hungry—impossible, none of the towns he visited were poorer than Daiyang and Jinzhai. Just then, Lian Haiping woke up, saw her, and suddenly grinned: "Wife, you're here?" He blinked: "Is this a hallucination?" Yu Lele laughed: "I thought you were much sicker, but it seems you're alright." She took his hand, smiling and complaining: "Look how scared I got." Yu Lele sat down beside Lian Haiping's bed, finally catching her breath. Seeing how worried she was, Lian Haiping felt a warmth in his heart. He held her hand tightly, looking at her: "I'm fine, just very tired."
Just then, the colleague who brought Lian Haiping to the hospital walked in. He was also a young man in his twenties. When he saw Yu Lele, he smiled and said, "Oh, sister-in-law is here? It's good that you're here. It's all our fault. How could we let a newlywed comrade go on a business trip? He was so worried on the way, and finally he fell ill!" As he spoke, he looked at Lian Haiping and smiled. Lian Haiping glared at him and said, "Song Xiaofeng, just wait until I see your wife, you're in for a world of hurt!"
Song Xiaofeng smiled and said goodbye to Yu Lele: "I have to go back to my unit, so I won't get in your way here. Thank you for your help, sister-in-law."
He got up to say goodbye, and Yu Lele saw him to the door, feeling a little worried as she walked away because of his words.
Deeply worried—how could she not know why he was worried? Although she always heard him casually recounting his experiences on the trip during their nightly phone calls, she knew that Lian Haiping had found far too little sense of security with her over the years.
Especially what happened the night before he left—how could she explain that it was all just a side story?
She couldn't bring herself to speak. That person, that memory, had long been a taboo subject—she couldn't mention it, because every time she did, it felt like an attempt to cover something up.
She turned and went back to the ward, where she saw Lian Haiping with his eyes closed in exhaustion. Hearing her footsteps, he opened his eyes and looked at her.
She walked to his side, sat down, and gently nestled against his chest. Lian Haiping didn't speak, just looked at her. After a while, he reached out and gently stroked her hair. He didn't know how much time had passed when he suddenly felt a dampness on Yu Lele's face and began to worry: "Lele, what's wrong?" She didn't speak, nor did she respond to him, still quietly nestled against him. Lian Haiping struggled to sit up, but Yu Lele then raised her head and pressed him down, quickly wiping away her tears with one hand.
Lian Haiping stared at her, his eyes filled with barely suppressed worry. He took Yu Lele's hand: "What happened?"
“No,” Yu Lele shook her head, smiling at him, “Lian Haiping, I told you to take care of yourself, but you didn’t listen.”
Tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke: "You better watch your skin, once you recover, I'll skin it alive!"
Lian Haiping finally sat up, reached out and pulled her into his arms, one arm tightly encircling her, his voice slightly choked: "Lele, I missed you so much. You don't know, these past ten days, I've missed you more than ever before." He rested his head on her shoulder, his voice deep: "I still feel like I'm dreaming. I never thought that one day you would actually marry me. I was also worried, afraid that you would regret marrying me if you saw him. I used to be very confident, but meeting you seems to have made me lose all my confidence." He smiled bitterly: "Now I realize that I'm still just a petty, ordinary person. I not only get jealous, but I also get scared, and now I'm even more pathetic—I've fallen ill." Before he finished speaking, he saw Yu Lele quickly reach out and hug him tightly. Her sobs finally grew louder and more uncontrollable, so loud that even when Lian Haiping's grandfather entered the door, he was startled. All he could hear was her wailing, pounding on Lian Haiping's back as she said, "Lian Haiping, you're shameless! You said you'd believe me... Waaah, you're shameless! You broke your promise! You don't trust me..."
Lian Haiping turned pale with fright. The crying echoed throughout the entire floor. Grandpa shook his head, could only retreat, close the door, and then send the orderly aside to deal with the doctors and nurses who rushed over after hearing the commotion. Grandpa was puzzled: This little girl is usually so good-tempered, how come she can be so terrifying when she erupts?
Completely baffled, and hearing the crying gradually subside, he realized it was inconvenient to go back in, so he had no choice but to leave with his orderly.
Yu Lele became famous overnight for crying. When they went out, almost everyone looked at them and laughed, but Lian Haiping acted as if nothing had happened, while Yu Lele was extremely embarrassed.
On the way home, Lian Haiping looked down at Yu Lele's face, which had finally returned to normal, and smiled, "Wife, you have such a strong temper! I didn't know you had this side to you." Yu Lele looked up at him and glared, "It's all your fault!" "Yes, it's my fault, all my fault," Lian Haiping realized that he had been admitting his mistakes much more frequently since meeting Yu Lele, "But I've had it tough too, I'm a patient. What are you planning to make for me tonight?"
Yu Lele glanced at him: "What do you want to eat?" "I want to drink the soup you made," Lian Haiping said without hesitation: "I've been thinking about it for more than ten days." Yu Lele sighed and decided to make the soup according to the patient's wishes, and also skipped the graduate student meeting that evening.
When Grandpa got home, he didn't ask anything. He just followed Yu Lele's instructions and asked the janitor to buy chicken, while he studied a game of chess from the previous day in the living room. While studying, he secretly watched Yu Lele, finding it amusing to see her wearing an apron and wandering around the kitchen.
Yu Lele noticed her grandfather's curious gaze and couldn't help but ask, "Grandpa, is something wrong?" "No, no," Grandpa hurriedly looked down at the chessboard. Just as he was pondering something, he suddenly saw a piece being picked up: "Knight!" Yu Lele stretched out a hand, looking down at him, and said. Grandpa looked at the chessboard, frowned for a moment, and finally shook his head: "Girl, you learn so quickly." "Grandpa, you're too kind," Yu Lele smiled brightly, "You couldn't even see the pieces right under your nose, what were you thinking about?"
"Hehe," Grandpa chuckled twice, with a meaningful look in his eyes, "What you can't see is right under your nose, don't you know?"
Yu Lele paused, then chuckled twice, "I'm going to make soup." Watching her retreating figure, Grandpa shook his head and laughed. The little girl thought he didn't know about her and Haiping's affair—how naive! In this family, what didn't he know? If he didn't even have this much insight, how could he command a thousand troops in battle? From their first meeting, he felt this girl was very much to his liking—lively, yet sensible; intelligent, yet not arrogant; rational, yet emotional. He felt that after a series of ungrateful acts, his grandson had finally developed some normal aesthetic sense—probably the only decision Haiping had made in recent years that didn't invite a beating. However, judging from this, Haiping's worries were basically unfounded. Grandpa was finally relieved, happily putting away the chessboard and leaving. Before leaving, he didn't forget to tell Yu Lele, "I'm going to Political Commissar Shen's house for a farm-style meal tonight. Haiping is in your care."
“I know, Grandpa,” Yu Lele laughed. “The first time I came to your house, I saw Lian Haiping hopping around in the living room picking up a broken teacup lid. He was muttering to himself, accusing you of having no compassion.” “Tch,” Grandpa said dismissively, “I only go out to eat because I have compassion. Kids don’t understand, so don’t talk nonsense.”
After saying that, he walked out of the vine-covered yard with his hands behind his back, leaving Yu Lele standing alone in the kitchen, speechless and blushing.
Side Story: The Dust Settles Down (C-2)
Lian Haiping's room was on the second floor. Yu Lele carried the chicken soup upstairs and opened the door to see him coming out of the bathroom, drying his hair with a towel. Seeing her come in, he was pleased: "It smells so good!" Yu Lele frowned, placed the chicken soup on the coffee table in front of the sofa, and stared at Lian Haiping: "You have a fever and you still took a shower?"
Lian Haiping, however, was unmoved: "Wife, I've been traveling all day, covered in dust and exhausted. I need to make sure I'm clean before eating!" He put down the towel and helped Yu Lele set out the bowls and chopsticks, asking, "Where's Grandpa?" "He said he went to Political Commissar Shen's house for a farm-style meal." Yu Lele handed Lian Haiping a bowl of rice. He looked at it, then took an extra spoonful before starting to eat contentedly. Yu Lele ate a few bites, put down her chopsticks, and quietly watched Lian Haiping. Ten days had passed; his hair seemed a bit long, and he looked visibly tired. He wolfed down his food, as if he hadn't eaten in ages. Seeing him like this, Yu Lele felt a gentle touch stir within her.
After a while, Lian Haiping finally raised his head, looked at Yu Lele who was staring blankly, and asked in surprise, "Why aren't you eating?"
Yu Lele looked at him and suddenly sighed, "I think these moments are really good." Lian Haiping put down his bowl and looked at her. She smiled and explained, "Eating together at home is really nice and peaceful."
Lian Haiping paused for a moment, then joked, "Xianghe, you shouldn't leave." "Okay," Yu Lele replied. Lian Haiping's mind went blank for a second, then asked, "What did you say?" "I said I can stay tonight," Yu Lele looked at Lian Haiping strangely, "Are you deaf?"
"You..." Lian Haiping was a little taken aback. "What about your mother?" "I called her and told her you were sick and I had to stay and take care of you. She even told me to be careful," Yu Lele said, sounding annoyed. "Am I not careful enough?" Lian Haiping was overwhelmed with surprise and remained in shock. After finishing her meal, Yu Lele looked at his blank expression, shook her head, and took the dishes downstairs to wash them. Lian Haiping began to feel a pang of regret: being sick had so many benefits; why hadn't he gotten sick sooner?
It was past nine o'clock at night, and Grandpa still hadn't come home. Yu Lele waited downstairs for a while, then finally decided to give up. On her way upstairs, she ran into the orderly returning to get Grandpa's coat. Yu Lele asked, "Grandpa, do you always go to bed this late?" The orderly shook his head: "Usually earlier, but a few people are reminiscing at Political Commissar Shen's house today. They won't be done anytime soon. You guys go to sleep first; I'll keep an eye on things." After thinking for a moment, Yu Lele finally went upstairs, opened the door, and saw Lian Haiping sitting on the sofa reading a newspaper.
She stepped forward and touched Lian Haiping's forehead. Sure enough, he had a fever again, and she couldn't help but scold him, "You're sick and you shouldn't be resting! You really don't take your health seriously!" Lian Haiping smiled indifferently, "Only you're so worried. A good night's sleep will make me fine tomorrow." "Then go to sleep early," Yu Lele pushed him towards the bed, "I'll come back to check on you in a little while." "Where are you going?" Lian Haiping looked at Yu Lele, puzzled. "I'm going to wash up," Yu Lele looked at Lian Haiping and sighed, "I'll stay with you. With your temperature like that, how can I leave without worrying about you?"
Lian Haiping finally smiled and obediently went back to bed. To Yu Lele's surprise, there was a brand new set of toiletries on the bathroom sink in Lian Haiping's room. The pink Kitty cat design was adorable, with wide eyes as if it had been planning this for a long time. Yu Lele couldn't help but laugh when she saw it, thinking that the design was really childish, but also clearly very warm. After washing up, Yu Lele quietly walked back to the bedside. Seeing that Lian Haiping was still awake, she hesitated for a moment, then lifted the covers and lay down, reaching out to touch Lian Haiping's forehead, frowning slightly: "You're still hot, go to sleep." Lian Haiping closed his eyes, reached out and pulled Yu Lele into his arms. He was very warm, perhaps because of the unprecedented intimacy, Yu Lele felt her face getting hot too, and then her whole body began to feel hot. "I feel like I'm dreaming," Lian Haiping murmured. Yu Lele couldn't help but laugh: "Do you know that line sounds just like something out of a romance novel?" Lian Haiping didn't speak, but buried his face in her shoulder. Yu Lele tried to suppress her nervousness, turned around, and reached out to touch his forehead, feeling a little sorry for him: "Sleep, I'll stay here with you." "I can't sleep," Lian Haiping's voice was muffled. Yu Lele couldn't help but look at him, thinking that Lian Haiping was really childish at this moment. After a while, she said: "You have a fever, be a good girl and go to sleep, okay?" Lian Haiping didn't answer, but just hugged her tightly. After a while, she could feel the light sweat on his body after taking the fever reducer. She didn't dare to move, not knowing where to put her hands and feet. After a while, until she vaguely felt his breathing gradually become even, she finally breathed a sigh of relief and drifted off to sleep. In the early morning, when it was still dark outside the window, Yu Lele woke up. For a few seconds, she was even a little disoriented: the environment in front of her was too unfamiliar, where was she?
When she finally remembered, she hurriedly sat up and reached out to touch Lian Haiping's forehead—his fever had actually subsided.
Yu Lele was a little surprised: this person's recovery ability is really good! Also a little curious, she began to observe him in the dim light: his eyes were closed, and wow, she hadn't noticed his eyelashes were quite long; his forehead was smooth, clearly never had any pimples, which Yu Lele envied; his skin color wasn't too dark or too light, looking quite healthy; the curve of his face was quite nice, looking good from both the front and side; and, oh my, his lips were tightly pursed, she wondered what delicious food he was dreaming about… Yu Lele observed him while smiling to herself: she seemed to have never observed Lian Haiping from this angle before!
Just as she was feeling smug, she suddenly heard someone beside her ask, "Aren't you cold?" "Huh?" Yu Lele was startled, only then realizing that Lian Haiping was staring at her. Seeing her in a daze, he sighed, reached out and pulled her back into the covers: "It's been over a month since the beginning of autumn, and it's so chilly in the morning. Why are you sitting here in just a short-sleeved shirt?" Yu Lele touched her already icy arms, only then remembering that she hadn't brought her pajamas and had slept in Lian Haiping's large T-shirt last night. Her arm inadvertently brushed against Lian Haiping's warm body, seemingly as a testament to their closeness, and Yu Lele began to blush again.