The scene of last year's gathering unconsciously floated into Ruolin's mind. She thought to herself, "He must be very happy now."
Looking at Mu Jingyan, whom she had once been deeply infatuated with, Ruolin smiled and said, "What a coincidence, are you also waiting for a car?"
"Mm," Mu Jingyan responded softly.
"Are you still working here?" Ruolin asked.
"I've just been transferred to City D," Mu Jingyan replied.
“City D?” Ruolin said in surprise, paused for a moment, and then said, “I’m there too.”
"What a coincidence. I'll treat you to a meal sometime," Mu Jingyan said politely.
“Okay,” Ruolin agreed.
She couldn't help but smile. The Mu Jingyan of the past was a rather quiet person, always cold and aloof, like an untouchable iceberg that no one could melt. But now, society had melted him. While not exceptionally talkative, he wasn't quiet either, and people no longer treated him with indifference when they spoke to him. However, Ruolin quite liked him now; she no longer worried about him remaining silent during conversations.
The bus arrived, and Mu Jingyan happened to be taking it too, so he rode with Ruolin for a few stops. Looking at Ruolin's deep dark circles, he couldn't help but say, "You don't look well."
"My mom was sick and spent the night at the hospital." Ruolin rubbed her eyes. She hadn't noticed her dark circles before, but Mu Jingyan's comment made her a little embarrassed. Who wouldn't want to appear at their best in front of the man they like? Even if this man was just a childhood crush.
"Then you should take good care of yourself," Mu Jingyan said with concern.
Ruolin just gave a wry smile and changed the subject, saying, "Why are you back?"
"I came back to take care of some things," Mu Jingyan replied. Then he turned to look at Ruolin, who looked tired, and said gently, "If you have any difficulties, you can tell me."
When Mu Jingyan was in high school, he learned from his classmates that Ruolin came from a single-parent family and had to apply for tuition reduction, indicating that her family was struggling financially. Now, looking at her slightly furrowed brows and weary face, Mu Jingyan could guess most of what had happened.
Ruolin lifted her heavy eyelids and looked at Mu Jingyan, noticing a hint of sincerity in his eyes. She hesitated, wondering whether to tell him about her mother's illness. After struggling for a while, she finally said, "My mother is sick and needs some money..." She suddenly stopped, her bright eyes dimming. She hadn't wanted to show this emotion, but how could she control it? She gently closed her eyes, leaning her head back in the chair. At that moment, she felt utterly powerless, like a lump of mud. She didn't know how to begin. She didn't intend to borrow money from Mu Jingyan, but as soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted it.
"Do you need my help?" Mu Jingyan asked gently.
"..." Ruolin slowly opened her eyes and said firmly, "No need."
“We’re all old classmates, what’s there to worry about?” Mu Jingyan knew she would put on a brave face; she was the same way back in school, refusing to donate money to help with her tuition when classmates offered to. But no matter what she said, he felt he should do something at this crucial moment. He looked at Ruolin’s delicate face and said, “It’s just a loan, you’re not going to not pay me back, just consider it money I’m keeping with you.” Then he added casually, “You know, bank interest rates are so low these days, it’s better to use the money for good deeds than to put it in the bank.”
Ruolin pondered for a moment, then nodded, her thin, slightly dry lips pressed tightly together.
When Ruolin mentioned the amount still needed for her mother's surgery, Mu Jingyan hesitated for a moment. Seeing his hesitation, Ruolin didn't want to make things difficult for him and was about to say "No need," but Mu Jingyan smiled and said, "Okay."
Ruolin hadn't expected Mu Jingyan to agree so readily, especially since they weren't close friends. But getting the money was always a good thing, and it would allow her mother to receive treatment. Only then did her tense nerves relax a little.
What she thought was unsolvable was resolved so easily; she thought no one would help her, but miraculously, someone did. She was very grateful to Mu Jingyan for his appearance. However, repaying the money became a major problem. But she didn't have the energy to think about these things right now; she just wanted to go back and get a good night's sleep. She hadn't slept well for two nights in a row.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Two
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After returning home, Ruolin lay down on the bed and quickly fell asleep.
Ruolin was awakened by a cell phone ringing when she was unaware of how long she had slept. She felt heavy-headed and light-headed, as if she were lying on a pile of cotton.
She reluctantly opened her eyes, mumbled something, and reached for her phone. Seeing the caller ID immediately dispelled her sleepiness.
However, he hadn't contacted her for several days. Why was he calling now? Could it be to urge her to write the interview article? Ruolin wondered to herself.
She let her phone ring for a while before pressing the answer button.
"You're home?" Han Haoxuan's voice became a little hoarse, as if he was unhappy.
"Mm," Ruolin replied. She didn't understand what kind of magic Han Haoxuan had learned to know she had returned home. Ruolin found it strange and asked, "When did you become so powerful?"
"So you're only now realizing how powerful I am!" Han Haoxuan chuckled softly. "If you were Sun Wukong, I would be the Buddha. You would never leave my sight."
"Stop being so mushy. I'm so sleepy right now, my eyelids are drooping. Please don't kill my precious life, okay?" Rather than talking to him endlessly, I'd rather go to sleep.
"Honestly, am I really that insignificant to you? Your mother is sick and hospitalized, such a big thing, you should at least have told me, right?" Han Haoxuan's tone suddenly became extremely serious.
In fact, Han Haoxuan had been surrounded by a strange sense of frustration lately. First, Ruolin told him that they should go back to being strangers. Then, he thought that the interview would ease the tension between them, but during the interview, she used honorifics with him the whole time, treating him like a complete stranger! Then, she went back to her hometown because her mother was sick, without even saying goodbye to him! It wasn't until he took the initiative to ask Xinyu that he finally managed to get some of the truth out of her.
To his dismay, Ruolin could truly treat him like a stranger.
What frustrated him even more was that he couldn't bring himself to treat Ruolin as a stranger!
He tried to learn from Ruolin, to forget about the blind date, and to act as if nothing had happened. He tried to focus all his energy on his work, but Ruolin's image would always unexpectedly pop into his mind.
He even forced himself to date Xinyu, hoping to forget Ruolin through other women, but he found that he couldn't do it at all. He would always mention Ruolin in his conversations with Xinyu, to the point that a few times, even he noticed that Xinyu's expression wasn't very good.
Han Haoxuan had considered why Ruolin didn't even want to be friends with him. He felt it wasn't that Ruolin didn't like him, but rather that she was worried about something. However, in his view, love wasn't about making a grand sacrifice, but about relentless pursuit. Now that he had found the ideal person, why give up so easily?
He called Ruolin not only to inquire about her mother's condition, but also to find out what Ruolin was worried about.
"What? How did you know?" Ruolin was even more puzzled. He not only knew she had gone home, but also that she had gone home because her mother was sick. He could only have learned this from two people: either the editor-in-chief or Xinyu. She felt the editor-in-chief had no reason to tell Han Haoxuan unless Han Haoxuan went to urge him to finish the manuscript, forcing the editor-in-chief to tell him. But if it was about urging him to finish the manuscript, it would be more effective to directly urge Ruolin, the executor. Han Haoxuan couldn't possibly not understand this simple truth.
So, there's only one possibility left: he got this information from Xinyu. But she clearly told Xinyu not to mention her in front of Han Haoxuan! However, Xinyu might not mention it, but Han Haoxuan might ask! Ruolin's mind raced before she realized how stupid she had been.
"Never mind how I know. Don't you care about my feelings at all? I never give media interviews, but I suddenly agreed to your interview. Do you know why? Because I don't want to miss out on you! I don't want us to really become strangers!"
"Relationships are a matter of mutual affection. I'm sorry, Mr. Han, I can only treat you as a stranger," Ruolin said, feigning composure. Heaven knows how much courage it took for her to say those words.
“Alright…” Han Haoxuan sighed helplessly, “Until we become strangers again, if you need anything from me, just let me know, for example, if you have any financial problems…”
Ruolin understood the implication. He probably wanted to help her mother.
"No need," Ruolin said succinctly, adding before hanging up, "Thank you for your kindness, but please don't contact me unless it's absolutely necessary."
Han Haoxuan was turned away again. He took the phone away from his ear, and as the phone screen went dark, his heart sank deeper and deeper.
Meanwhile, Ruolin, who had just hung up the phone, was also filled with worry. She didn't know what else Han Haoxuan had asked Xinyu. If he kept asking her for news about her, then... Ruolin didn't dare to think any further. She didn't want her friend to suffer any harm, so she immediately called Xinyu.
"Xinyu, has Han Haoxuan contacted you these past two days?" Ruolin asked directly.
"Hmm." Xinyu's voice sounded slightly downcast.
"What's wrong?" Ruolin knew Xinyu's personality; almost nothing could make her like this. It must be that Han Haoxuan had upset her.
"When he's on a date with me, he always keeps asking me about you. If I don't answer, he'll ask again later. I really have no choice but to tell him," Xinyu complained. Then, after hesitating for a long time on the other end of the phone, she asked in a low voice, "He doesn't like you, does he?"
This question had been swirling in Xinyu's mind for a long time. At first, she hadn't thought about it, but later Han Haoxuan's actions made her feel a little strange. Every time Han Haoxuan called her or asked her out, in addition to talking about their shared interests, he would subtly inquire about Ruolin's situation, which inevitably made her overthink.
"What nonsense!" Ruolin quickly denied.
Her worries were indeed justified; who wouldn't have these thoughts if this happened to them?
"That's strange then." Xinyu is the kind of person who is straightforward and likes to say what's on her mind.
"Stop overthinking it. Now that your soulmate has appeared, hold on tight to him," Ruolin said.
“Yeah, maybe I’ve been overthinking things these past few days.” Xinyu began to doubt her own judgment. Thinking back, when Han Haoxuan was with her, they talked about each other quite a bit, and he only asked Ruolin a few questions. Maybe she had become too sensitive and that’s why she was thinking that way.
Hearing Xinyu's words, Ruolin's worries lessened considerably. She was truly afraid that Xinyu would continue to overthink things. Otherwise, her decision would have been meaningless. She was so glad that Xinyu was the kind of person who could take things in stride; otherwise, things might have been even worse.
"By the way, is Auntie feeling any better?" Xinyu changed the subject, showing concern for Ruolin.
"My mother's condition is relatively stable, and she will have surgery in another week."
"Is that enough money? Or should I send you some more? I just got some from my parents."
"No need, someone has already helped us," Ruolin said with a smile.
"Who?" Xinyu asked curiously.
"I saw him when I went home! Can you guess who it was?" Ruolin's tone was filled with joy. She thought it was quite a happy thing to see her former crush on her way home. Even though she was no longer attracted to him, the pure and beautiful feelings from her first love still remained in her heart.
"It's not your Mu brother, is it?" Xinyu raised her voice and asked.
"Yes, it was in the past," Ruolin replied softly.
"Sigh, stop emphasizing the past. Whether it's the past or the present, meeting is fate. Speak out your love boldly, don't keep your feelings buried inside." When Xinyu heard Ruolin recount her past with Brother Mu, she almost burst into tears. She thought Ruolin was really too foolish, liking someone and having a crush on him for so long without ever saying it.
"I feel like I'm not the same person I used to be anymore," Ruolin said, then after a moment's thought, she continued, "I don't know why my heart doesn't skip a beat for him anymore."
"That's because you saw your brother Mu suddenly lose oxygen to his brain and can't count anymore," Xin Yu couldn't help but laugh on the other end of the phone.
"Xinyu..." Ruolin said with a slight reproach.
“It’s not your fault. When you meet someone who makes your heart flutter, your will is no longer your own. It’s normal,” Xin Yu said, stopping her laughter. Then she added seriously, “I completely understand your reaction.”
"Xinyu..." Ruolin called out to Xinyu again helplessly. She felt that Xinyu was making things worse and more nonsensical, so she didn't want to continue on this topic.
Chapter Twenty-Three
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Over the next few days, Ruolin and her sister took turns staying by their mother's side and taking good care of her.
During this time, Han Haoxuan called Ruolin several times, but she didn't answer. She needed to be decisive. She knew that not giving him any chance was the best way to give herself peace of mind and to give Xinyu peace of mind.
Mu Jingyan also contacted Ruolin, transferring 70,000 yuan to her account and visiting her mother at the hospital.
Ruolin was somewhat surprised when Mu Jingyan appeared at the ward door. When he asked about her mother's hospital on the phone, she thought it was just a polite question; she hadn't expected him to actually come.
He carried a bouquet of carnations in one hand and a fruit basket in the other as he walked toward Zhou Li's hospital bed.
"Auntie, hello." Mu Jingyan approached, greeting Zhou Li as he handed the gift to Ruolin.
"Thank you." Ruolin took the flowers and fruit basket from Mu Jingyan.
"Who is this?" Zhou Li asked, puzzled.
"Oh, he's my high school classmate, Mu Jingyan," Ruolin quickly explained, afraid her mother would misunderstand.
"Just call me Xiao Mu," Mu Jingyan said with a smile.
"Sit down, Xiao Mu," Zhou Li said to Mu Jingyan, pointing to a chair by the bed.
"Thank you, Auntie." Mu Jingyan sat down as instructed.
"Why is this child being so polite?" Zhou Li said with a smile.
Afterwards, Mu Jingyan and Zhou Li chatted for a while, mostly about everyday things like where they lived and where they worked, but they seemed to enjoy the conversation. Zhou Li looked quite well, as if she had a different kind of radiance about her.
After a while, Ruolin, worried that her mother was getting tired from talking too much, told her to lie down and rest. Mu Jingyan also took the opportunity to say goodbye.
After helping her mother lie down, Ruolin saw Mu Jingyan out.
"I really owe you a lot for your help this time, and thank you for coming to see my mother." A heartfelt expression of gratitude.