Pingfeng was discharged from the hospital and asked Ju Nian several times if she had any more "good stuff" like the bag from last time, so she could get a few more and sell them for a good price. Ju Nian just smiled and let it go. She also repeatedly told Pingfeng that even if it was for making money, she shouldn't be so reckless in the future. They were both the same, with no one to rely on, and if they caused any more trouble, no one could save them.
During the lunch break, Ju Nian and several other shop assistants ate simple boxed lunches in the break room partitioned off at the back of the shop. The fabric shop was mostly filled with young women, who chattered incessantly when they had free time. Ju Nian listened to their gossip with a smile while casually flipping through the day's morning paper. The local morning paper was notoriously filled with mundane, trivial news, with large sections dedicated to stories like roosters laying eggs or heartbroken women jumping into rivers—Ju Nian, however, found it all quite interesting. After finishing a social news article, a notice in the lower left corner made her stop turning the page.
It was actually just a small square of tofu, about an inch in size, easily overlooked if you weren't paying attention; upon closer inspection, it contained only a few words:
"Celebrating the One-Month Celebration of the Young Master of the Zhou Family -- Dear relatives and friends: As per your command, we have set the date for the one-month celebration of our son on [Date]. We cordially invite you to the occasion and will not be able to urge us to attend."
It was a very ordinary notice. Nowadays, ordinary people don't do this anymore. When a child is one month old, they might send a private letter to relatives and friends to invite them to a small gathering for a meal. Families with real power and influence are also mostly low-key. It's not surprising that some local business people still retain this habit. What really caught Ju Nian's attention was the signature of the owner under the notice, which clearly read: "Respectfully presented by Zhou Ziyi and Chen Jiejie, husband and wife."
Ju Nian had heard a little about Chen Jiejie's marriage a few years ago. Although they were still classmates, Chen Jiejie didn't invite Ju Nian to the wedding, and of course, Ju Nian wouldn't attend. Why bother? They both knew perfectly well that the other's appearance would only bring up old wounds and wouldn't do any good; it was pointless to cause trouble for themselves.
At the time, Ju Nian was already with Fei Ming. On the day she learned of the marriage, looking at the child, she felt a little sad, but she could understand Chen Jie Jie's decision to find someone else. Although Ju Nian had never truly loved Chen Jie Jie, she admitted she could never completely let go. But who had to wait for whom? Her lingering feelings were her own choice, and Chen Jie Jie certainly had the freedom to forget. Now, Chen Jie Jie has become a mother "once again." However, unlike the secrecy and shame of eleven years ago, this time, she gave birth to a baby boy openly, joyously, and in everyone's eyes, he was the only one.
Ju Nian couldn't help but wonder, when Chen Jiejie recklessly left with Wu Yu, did she ever imagine this day would come? The thought was laughable; who among young men and women doesn't believe their love will last a lifetime? Perhaps Wu Yu was just a detour in Chen Jiejie's life, a roundabout way that led her back to her starting point. Some people are destined to be born into wealth, daughters of rich families, wives of wealthy men, and ultimately, mothers of successful people. Are kings and generals not born with their titles?
However, Ju Nian wasn't jealous; on the contrary, she even felt a little relieved, a relief stemming from a small selfish motive. Chen Jiejie had found her world in another man, and now, with another child, she belonged entirely to a different life, making Ju Nian's world quieter. Perhaps no one but her remembered that years ago, a boy named Wu Yu had once existed in this world.
It's enough that she remembers.
Someone pushed open the door from the store and called out, "Sister Ju Nian, someone's looking for you."
Ju Nian responded, having almost finished her meal. She casually put down the newspaper and followed them out of the lounge.
"Who's looking for me?" she asked the girl who had called her earlier as she put on her uniform.
The girl tilted her chin slightly in a certain direction. "Look, over there."
Ju Nian followed that path and could only see a figure sitting on the sofa in the customer lounge with his back to her. The figure wore a crisp white shirt, and she couldn't help but panic.
The man seemed to realize that the person he was waiting for had come out, so he got up and turned around, which surprised Ju Nian even more. It turned out to be Tang Ye, whom she had not seen since the day she delivered the sofa cover.
Ju Nian breathed a sigh of relief. She was genuinely afraid of Han Shu's entanglement. Compared to his past unreasonable demands, Han Shu's current restraint and distant gaze made her even more unsure of what to do, giving off a sense of calm before a storm.
Of course, Tang Ye's reappearance was also unexpected by Ju Nian. She really couldn't think of anything that could connect her with Tang Ye now, so that he would come to the store.
Ju Nian stepped forward, avoiding the crowd, and Tang Ye also walked to her side.
"Hello."
His somewhat reserved politeness made Ju Nian slightly uncomfortable, so she could only reply with a bit of embarrassment, "Uh, hello... excuse me, are you looking for me..."
Tang Ye, however, gave an irrelevant answer. "Your sofa cover and cushions are really beautiful after looking at them for a while... I came here today to see if you were here. You know, your address is on the invoice. This is the work uniform you left at my house the other day."
Ju Nian silently accepted the orange vest. She didn't own only that uniform, nor did she believe Tang Ye would make a special trip for such an insignificant vest; he could easily have thrown it in the trash. She was somewhat prepared for this situation.
"By the way, I think I should apologize to you. I was in a bad mood that day, so please don't take what I said to heart."
"No, you've been very polite." Ju Nian was a slow-paced person. She didn't know Tang Ye's specific intentions, so she remained calm and waited for the right moment. She was more anxious about who would finish the Tai Chi first.
As expected, Tang Ye looked somewhat embarrassed, clearly finding it difficult to say what he was about to say. "Miss Xie, it's like this, the other day, you helped me out in front of my great-aunt, and I'm very grateful. However, after she went back, she praised you to my aunt, and now, my aunt insists… sigh…"
Ju Nian understood; the aftereffects of the play she and he had put on had arrived.
Seeing that Ju Nian remained silent and showed no intention of agreeing, Tang Ye was also a little troubled. He tried asking, "If you're willing to spare some time, for example, if it takes up half a day of your work, I can make appropriate compensation, as long as it's within my ability..."
Ju Nian smiled, realizing he was about to give her money again, but he was being so tactful about it.
“That’s not the issue, Mr. Tang,” Ju Nian said earnestly. “Even if I help you this time, there will be many more times. This deception will eventually be exposed, and you can’t keep it from your family forever. Besides…” She paused for a moment, “Besides, I’m not a good choice to play the role of your girlfriend.” Ju Nian was self-aware; her background wasn’t clean, while Tang Ye’s family was respectable. She was afraid that if she accidentally exposed herself, everyone would lose face, and she would end up doing more harm than good.
Tang Ye nodded, “I understand what you mean. Well, my parents are gone, and my great-aunt never remarried, living with my grandfather, my father, and now me. As for my aunt, she's my father's second wife, my stepmother. They're all very concerned about my personal life, which is well-intentioned, but I really don't want these elders to worry about me. My great-aunt really likes you, which is why my aunt didn't take my rejection of the girl she introduced me to to heart, and just asked to see you and have a meal together so she could feel at ease. My aunt is my stepmother after all; she has her own work. Although she cares about me, she won't interfere too much in my life. As for my great-aunt, even if we explain to her later that we've broken up, could we postpone that time, at least so the old lady doesn't feel we're being too hasty? That's why I decided to trouble you one more time, the last time, and I hope you can agree. It's just dinner, it won't take up too much of your time…”
Ju Nian twisted her hands, hesitant and indecisive. But she felt soft-hearted in front of Tang Ye, a man who stood on the edge but was kind and always considerate of others' feelings. This was so similar to the little monk.
Seeing that Tang Ye's pride was about to make him back down, Ju Nian nodded resolutely, "Okay, I promise you, but this is the last time. When and where should we have dinner?"
Tang Ye breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. This was the first time Ju Nian had ever seen him so happy.
"I'll come pick you up. Tomorrow night, second floor of Left Bank."
In the office, Han Shu pulled a crumpled A4 sheet of paper from the printer, cursed under his breath, crumpled it into a ball, and tossed it toward the wastebasket. Even from about a meter away, he missed, the paper grazing the edge of the basket before landing. Han Shu couldn't help but yell, "Damn it!"
This was Zhu Xiaobei's catchphrase. Han Shu, who considered himself a civilized man, had always strongly criticized and despised such words and actions. Now, however, he had actually learned it and was using it on the spot. Fortunately, he was in a private office, and no one else could hear him. He thought to himself that he was having the worst luck imaginable; even trash was bullying him.
Han Shu walked over, feeling frustrated, picked up the crumpled paper, put it back where it belonged, clapped his hands, and then, for no reason, suddenly became angry and kicked the wastebasket. "Let's see if you're still such a pervert."
The plastic wastebasket tipped over with a clatter, scattering its overflowing crumpled paper all over the floor. Only then did Han Shu sit back down in his seat, satisfied. The enemy had been defeated! How gratifying!
Just then, the phone rang, much to his chagrin. He reached for the receiver.
"Hello, this is Han Shu from the Chengxi People's Procuratorate, who is this?" Although it was annoying, he dared not slack off in front of outsiders when he was at work.
The girl on the other end of the phone laughed, "Han Shu, are you so busy you're dizzy? Didn't you see it's an internal line?"
It turned out to be the beautiful director of the dean's office.
Han Shu coughed. "What?"
“I heard from Xiao Zhang and the others that you’ve been refusing to go out with them lately. You just run off after work and no one knows where you go. Also, this morning when I greeted you, I wore the perfume you recommended, but you didn’t even smell it or react at all. That’s not like you.”
"You guys are at work right now, I think you're just bored out of your minds," Han Shu said irritably.
He was always very close to the young people in the compound and didn't usually hold back. The other person scoffed, "Han Shu, Han Shu, I heard your girlfriend left you alone to go to another city. But so what? Who do you think you are? You're Young Master Han! Back when I was dating you before I got married, although it didn't last long, when we broke up you were like you were celebrating the liberation, practically singing the Internationale. Come on, after work we're all going to karaoke, you have to come."
"I'm not going." Han Shu's voice sounded lazy. "Don't you guys have any ambition in life? All you do is go to karaoke, it's a waste of time. I'm not talking to you anymore, I'm busy."
As Chief Prosecutor Cai stepped out of her office, she saw her deputy director of the procuratorate's office smiling at her while holding the phone, "What's wrong with Han Shu? Do you know what he just said to me? 'Singing karaoke is a waste of time.'"
Director Zhao vividly imitated Han Shu's tone in front of Prosecutor Cai, saying, "Isn't he our Prosecutor's Office's God of War?"
Chief Prosecutor Cai smiled and shook his head, but walked towards Han Shu's office.
When Chief Prosecutor Cai entered Han Shu's office, he saw Han Shu crouching down, picking up scraps of paper from the floor and putting them into the wastebasket.
"Oh, look how hard-working our Section Chief Han is!" Chief Prosecutor Cai smiled and sat down on the sofa next to him, waiting for Han Shu to finish picking up the last pile before reluctantly sitting back down at his own desk.
Han Shu smiled wryly as he fiddled with the files on the table. "Don't make fun of me. If it weren't for you, would I be in this situation? I shouldn't have taken Wang Guohua's case in the first place. Now look what's happened. He went bungee jumping without a rope and left this mess behind. What are we going to do about it?"
Chief Prosecutor Cai also put away his smile and said seriously, "You should handle this matter as you see fit!"
"Wang Guohua repeatedly emphasized to me that he was innocent, but he refused to give me any evidence to prove his innocence." Han Shu ruffled his hair, looking quite distressed.
“You’re not new to this case, are you? Every suspect claims innocence. He couldn’t bear the burden, so he committed suicide. The case should be closed,” Prosecutor Cai said calmly.
Han Shu raised his head. "Are you saying that if he dies, the crime will be confirmed, and he will take the blame for everything?"
"Didn't he deserve what he got?"
"No, I still feel something's not right. I checked Wang Guohua's personal financial records and spending records. To be honest, he was a very frugal person. Apart from spending a lot of money to send his son abroad, he hardly had any major expenses. His son had good grades and wasn't extravagant in Canada; the paperwork for going abroad didn't require that much. But in the period before his death, the embezzlement discovered by the Construction Bureau had accumulated to more than the original 3.4 million yuan. If he really took that much money, where would he hide it? We still haven't found the whereabouts of the embezzled funds... Wang Guohua was a very cowardly person. I don't believe he was the kind of person with the guts and the ambition to do something big, otherwise he wouldn't have jumped off a building and died. But I still don't know where the crux of the problem lies. This matter is definitely not that simple..."
Prosecutor Cai laughed and said, "You silly child, you've lost weight recently because of this. Even your mother was so worried that she came to me to question you. I thought something had happened. Don't rush about the case. Even if you're in a hurry to rush to the Municipal Procuratorate, remember that your godmother has taken good care of you. Tell me honestly, is there anything else besides official business?"
Han Shu turned his face away, "What could possibly be wrong? You all just love to worry about things that aren't your business."
"Han Shu, come to dinner with me tomorrow night. You won't give face to Xiao Zhao and the others, but you should give face to your godmother, right?" Prosecutor Cai didn't press further.
Han Shu waved his hand listlessly, "Don't bother me with official business, and I'm not interested in personal matters either."
"You said you were fine, but the child is perfectly healthy. Why are you acting like a little old man!"
Han Shu said, half-jokingly, "Actually, you don't understand my heart. I suddenly feel like I'm just like this piece of waste paper, unloved by my parents, and worthless."
Prosecutor Cai spat, "Stop spouting such ominous nonsense. Seriously, come to dinner with me tomorrow night. It's neither official nor private business, half official and half private. You have nothing to say now, right?"
"What's up?"
"I've made plans to have dinner with Ah Ye."
"Who? Oh... your adopted son. Why are you dragging me into your family's meal?" Han Shu immediately refused.
"Tsk, I told you to let me finish. He recently started dating a girlfriend... Ah Ye is just like you, he's not young anymore but he refuses to settle down. He doesn't care about the girls I introduce to him. Now, I heard he found someone himself and they're getting along quite well. I have to meet her."
"Then I definitely can't go. What would I look like if I went?" Han Shu said jokingly, tapping on the folder. "What if your future daughter-in-law takes a liking to me?"
"Don't be so irresponsible. You know Ah Ye and me perfectly well. After all, we weren't born from the same womb. And that child is so polite, so polite that I feel like we're strangers. But his father told me this before he died... Go ahead, at least I'll have someone to talk to." Cai Jian's face darkened, and Han Shu didn't dare to talk nonsense anymore.
"Also... on another note, Wang Guohua's case involves him to some extent. I want you to meet him. I don't mean for you to show favoritism... meet him, have a meal together, get to know each other. You're both young, you'll find..."
Han Shu understood. At this time, he shouldn't have had any private contact with Tang Ye, but this was also his godmother's good intention. Parents all over the world have the same heart, even though Tang Ye was not Cai Jian's biological son.
Han Shu always strictly followed procedures when handling cases, not only because of moral integrity, but also because, frankly, he had never lacked anything growing up and had no reason to compromise his conscience for a little benefit. However, Tang Ye had no direct connection to the case so far, and his godmother's treatment of Han Shu was, needless to say, questionable. He wasn't heartless, so he sighed, "Then I'll be a third wheel. When and where?"
"I'll pick you up tomorrow night, second floor of Left Bank."
Chapter Five: When the Angels Passed By
Winter has arrived, and it gets dark early. Han Shu drove Cai Jian's car around the left bank twice before finally finding a parking space and quickly backing in.
"That's strange. Parking spaces are never this scarce before. What's the occasion? Is everyone driving here to congratulate your son?" Han Shu muttered to himself as he turned off the engine.
Before getting out of the car, Cai Jian, sitting in the passenger seat, carefully tidied his neatly styled hair and made sure his clothes and appearance were in order. Then he smiled and opened the car door, saying, "Han Shu, are you really confused or just pretending? What day is it today? Isn't it a Western holiday that you young people love to gather in?
The festively decorated Christmas tree, Christmas cottage, and colorful lights at the entrance to the Left Bank finally caught Han Shu's eye. He suddenly realized that tonight was Christmas Eve. No wonder Prosecutor Cai laughed at him; he was truly confused.
Han Shu loves lively gatherings, especially holidays. Whether it's a Chinese festival, a foreign festival, a Gregorian calendar festival, or a lunar calendar festival, he doesn't discriminate between meat and vegetables, celebrating them all without hesitation. Any holiday becomes a perfect opportunity for him to call up friends. He's a fun-loving person, has good interpersonal skills, and his friends enjoy hanging out with him, ensuring they're never alone and making life easy. In previous years, at this time, as a key member of the gatherings, he would have already planned out the evening's activities. But this year, for some reason, it was Prosecutor Cai who reminded him of the holiday's existence.
Perhaps he was too busy these days, perhaps his former partners had already paired up and started their own lives, perhaps he had finally gotten tired of it, perhaps the environment around him had changed, or perhaps, the one who had changed was himself.
In short, on Christmas Eve that year, Han Shu stood with his godmother under the brightly lit, twinkling lights of the Left Bank, yet he felt a strange sense of emptiness and loneliness. He thought, Christmas in the West is a day for family reunions, but with whom would he reunite? His parents were his closest relatives, and of course they would open their doors to him, but he feared their overly concerned nagging. He was no longer a child; he should have his own life. He had many friends, but they were all just passing through. He was a circle with a missing piece, which he had tried to fill with excitement and games in the past, but now that those things had dissipated, the cold wind had swept in.
"Let's go," Cai Jian urged him. "A-Ye and the others have been here for quite a while."
Han Shu said awkwardly, "No matter how eager you are, you can't hold your grandson right away."
As the two walked to the entrance of the Western restaurant on the second floor, the polite receptionist bowed and said, "Merry Christmas." Just as Cai was about to step into the lobby, Han Shu smiled and grabbed her arm.
"Godmother, take a deep breath."
Prosecutor Tsai asked in surprise, "Why? What are you up to now?"
Han Shu said mischievously, "Aren't you nervous? Aren't you afraid your stepson will find you an extremely ugly wife?"
Prosecutor Cai was both annoyed and amused. "Nonsense! Even the ugliest daughter-in-law has to meet her in-laws. Besides, our Ah Ye is no worse than you in any way. Why should he marry an ugly one?"
That being said, Prosecutor Cai stopped and actually took a deep breath. Han Shu was right; she was a little nervous. If it were her own son inside, she might not be so nervous.
“It doesn’t matter what they look like, as long as they are a good person, simple, and have a clean family background,” said Prosecutor Cai.
Han Shu laughed and said, "Your demands are just as low as my parents'."
The dimly lit Western restaurant was already quite full, and a violinist was playing with great enthusiasm at the bar. Cai Jian looked around for a moment, and someone in a corner stood up and waved to them.
The waiter led them to the table, and Prosecutor Cai introduced the two young men with a smile.
“Aye, this is Han Shu, the one I mentioned to you, my godson... Han Shu, this is me... this is Tang Ye.”