Chapter 19
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
Many years ago, there was also a heavy rainstorm during the summer, which soaked Sun Yutan like a drowned hen.
If she had just stayed inside the bookstore or ran a little faster, she wouldn’t have been so unlucky. Who knew that the Heaven would be so unforgiving. Just as she stepped onto the bridge, raindrops the size of soybeans suddenly fell without warning. She was stunned for a second, then ran as fast as she could. But the bridge was too long and had no shelter, and she soon realized that there was no point in running – she was already soaking wet, her clothes dripping with water, and the rain showed no signs of easing up.
So she stopped running and walked dejectedly, thinking about what to do. She had planned to come back home after dark, but had lazily left without her key. Her father was in the store at this time, and her mother was probably delivering soup to the Chen family. Jianglin Road was very close to her, but if she went to find her mother for the key, she would certainly get scolded. Sun Yutan sighed and walked sadly towards Jianglin Road. Halfway there, she met Zeng Xinyun who was out driving, and she rolled down the car window and urged her to get in quickly.
Zeng Xinyun turned the car around and headed back. Sun Yutan was afraid of getting the seat wet, so she didn’t dare to sit too firmly. She asked, “Auntie Zeng, is my mother still at your house?”
“She went to the store to find your father.”
Sun Yutan hadn’t expected that. Thinking that Zeng Xinyun must have had something to do when she went out, she didn’t want to ask her for a ride. It would be better to take a taxi instead. She realized she should have taken a taxi when she got off the bridge. She was really not thinking straight today. But before she could say anything, the car stopped again, and Zeng Xinyun turned her head and said, “Xiao Tan, go take a shower and change your clothes first. I’ll take you to the store later.”
“No need…” She hadn’t finished her refusal yet, but Zeng Xinyun had already gotten out of the car and opened the door next to her. Her tone was gentle but unquestionable, “Listen to me. You’ll catch a cold if you wear wet clothes. Come upstairs with me first.”
The elevator slowly ascended, and Sun Yutan saw her wet and bedraggled reflection on the metal door. She blew a breath upwards, but her bangs wouldn’t budge, so she made a silly face to ease the tension.
Zeng Xinyun chuckled and said, “Xiao Tan, how did you make yourself look like this?”
Sun Yutan stuck out her tongue at her reflection and said, “I didn’t check the almanac before leaving today. Such bad luck.” She couldn’t help but ask, “Is anyone else at home, Auntie Zeng?”
“There’s another auntie at home. Why do you ask?”
“Nothing. I mean…if you need to go somewhere, you don’t have to wait for me. I can take a taxi later.”
Zeng Xinyun no longer insisted and said, “Alright. Let me help you find some clothes.”
Chen Rui had originally made plans to play basketball with friends, but unexpectedly there was a sudden downpour. So they changed their plans and went to his house to watch a movie.
Who knew that as soon as they walked in, someone he never expected to see appeared from the bathroom.
She was wearing a knee-length dress with spaghetti straps and was holding a towel to dry her hair. Obviously, she had also seen him, and they looked at each other for a second. Sun Yutan waved her hand and said, “Hello.”
Chen Rui immediately turned and closed the door behind him, leaving his confused friends outside. Yuan Zheqi banged on the door. “What’s going on, Chen Rui?”
Chen Rui acted as if he didn’t hear anything, his arms crossed as he stood in the doorway, his gaze sweeping over her.
Sun Yutan immediately realized that something was wrong and regretted not being more careful earlier. She explained, “My clothes are in the wash and should be dry soon. Once I change, I’ll leave.”
“Why are you in my house?”
“I came to get the keys from my mom, but she’s not here. Auntie Zeng saw me drenched in the rain and let me come up to take a shower.” She hesitated. “I’ll go wait in the laundry room.”
“Don’t come out.”
Sun Yutan walked away quickly.
Chen Rui waited until he couldn’t see her before opening the door again. Even though he was sitting in the home theater room with his friends, he couldn’t concentrate like them. He unknowingly divided his attention between upstairs, wondering if she had left.
He was annoyed if she didn’t leave, but he felt uncontrollably disappointed when he heard the sound of the door closing.
He wouldn’t admit to feeling disappointed, at most he would admit to occasionally, very occasionally, paying attention to her.
Since when did this start?
It was all her fault for messing with his sailboat.
During winter vacation, his aunt sent him a box of LEGO from Denmark. He rummaged through it and randomly picked out a ship model with intricate constructions and abundant accessories, placing it on the windowsill in the living room. He only played with it occasionally, and so it took him several days to assemble it.
Sun Yutan’s family came to visit during their third year of junior high. Several uncles brought their children over to play, making the house particularly lively.
Chen Rui woke up late and found the noise downstairs annoying. He stood at the railing and took a glance, only to see two little boys hovering around the boat, eagerly waiting to take a turn.
He was about to go downstairs when the two children got into a quaarel, and one of them pushed the other, causing the pushed child to fall back and sit on the boat. The sailboat, which was almost complete, collapsed in an instant, and the scattered LEGO pieces flew in all directions with the force. Chen Rui’s face turned black. He gritted his teeth before turning away, not wanting to see the mess.
However, when he went downstairs, he found the sailboat intact and standing on the windowsill. He doubted whether he had hallucinated or whether the previous scene was an illusion. Upon closer inspection, not only was it intact, but even the part that he had not completed was fixed by someone.
He grabbed a child and asked him, and the child was surprisingly obedient at this moment and pointed forward, saying, “That sister put it together.”
It was then that Chen Rui saw Sun Yutan.
In fact, at this time, Chen Rui had already changed his views on Sun Yutan’s family. Sun Yutan’s parents were very kind and always smiled when they came over, and they didn’t cause any trouble. When their grandmother was hospitalized, Chen Rui went to the hospital to visit, and occasionally met Su Nan, who brought soup over, and he would take the initiative to help carry things.
As for Sun Yutan, the daughter of the Sun family, Chen Rui’s impression of her was that she had a thick skin. She knew he wouldn’t pay attention to her, but she still persisted in greeting him.
Chen Rui was a bit surprised. “Really? She did it?”
The child nodded solemnly and complained, “Yes, the sister said that Beibei and I each had to be her servant for half an hour before she would help us finish it.”
Chen Rui then noticed that there was another mischievous child standing behind Sun Yutan, who was giving her a back massage while Sun Yutan ordered him around lile a big boss, “A little to the left, yes, press harder, hmm, so comfortable. Beibei is amazing.”
Chen Rui was speechless for a moment, but couldn’t help but smile. He had thought of catching the child and spanking him before, but now he teased him, “She’s bullying you like this, why don’t you fight back? Where’s your mother?”
The child pouted, “Mom said I have to take responsibility for my own mistakes.”
“Your mother is right.”
The child ran off, sobbing. Chen Rui felt pleased and even found Sun Yutan’s old-fashioned high ponytail to be pleasing to the eye. He relaxed and looked at her for the first time, noticing her fair skin, distinct features, and…barely passable looks.
She saw him too, but he immediately looked away.
The next second, Sun Yutan was scolded by Su Nan, who grabbed her cheeks and said with both anger and amusement, “Sun Yutan, are you not embarrassed to let a child give you a back massage?”
Sun Yutan was unrepentant. “I’m teaching a lesson in an entertaining way.”
“You’re entertained, but I think Beibei is about to cry.”
Sun Yutan turned around and Beibei asked, “Sister, is it okay now?”
“Not yet. But if you kiss me twice, I’ll let you go.”
Beibei immediately climbed up and kissed her without any hesitation. After being slobbered on by Beibei, Sun Yutan pushed her away in disgust and Beibei ran away like a kite off its string.
Su Nan said, “He must think this big sister is too scary and never wants to see you again.”
Sun Yutan laughed out loud.
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
