Chapter 31
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At noon the next day, Sun Nianxi received a call from her mother, Yang Qi.
“Why haven’t you come back yet? Your aunt and uncle already know,” Yang Qi said.
Sun Nianxi’s face turned pale in an instant, and Sun Yutan, who was sitting opposite her, put down her utensils.
After hanging up the phone, Sun Yutan asked, “What happened?”
Sun Nianxi forced a smile and said, “Lin Xuan told his parents about everything.”
It was not even eight pm in China. Lin Xuan was kneeling in the study, confessing everything. Except for Yang Qi, who was mentally prepared, the other three had different expressions and were too shocked to speak.
Lin Xuan said, “Dad, Mom, Uncle, Auntie, I know you may not be able to accept it for a while, but…”
Sun Ming interrupted, “Shut up!”
After a pause, Lin Xuan continued, “But we are definitely going to be together.”
Lin Cheng was so angry that he picked up the pen holder and threw it at Lin Xuan. The pen holder hit Lin Xuan’s mouth directly, and Sun Pei finally regained her senses and asked anxiously, “Why did you hit the child?”
“Is he a child? Look at what he said and did. Do you think he’s still a kid? He doesn’t even think so!”
Lin Xuan gritted his teeth and looked stubborn, as if he was ready to accept his punishment. However, there was a bruise on the corner of his mouth. Sun Pei couldn’t help but feel sorry for him and said, “But he is a child! He is! Otherwise, why would he be so immature!”
Sun Ming asked in a deep voice, “Where is Xixi?”
Yang Qi replied, “That worthless child ran away a long time ago.”
Sun Ming asked, “Did you know about this earlier?”
Yang Qi replied, “Just two days earlier than you.”
Sun Pei said, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
Yang Qi looked at Lin Xuan and said, “I just wanted to see how they would handle this kind of situation. Xiao Xuan is still a little bit brave, unlike my daughter who is a coward.”
Lin Xuan said, “Auntie, I can’t contact her. Can you…can you ask her to come back first?”
Yang Qi said, “Come back? Xiao Xuan, even if your sister comes back, I won’t allow you to meet her. You can’t continue like this anymore.”
“This is our business.”
Lin Cheng was so angry with his son’s stubborn attitude that his chest hurt. He said sternly, “What kind of attitude is this? Do you think you’re not wrong?”
“I’m not wrong. Even if I am wrong, I will stick to it.”
Yang Qi said coldly, “Not wrong? Then why are you kneeling?”
Lin Xuan said, “I’ve let you down.”
Sun Pei was really disappointed. She walked to his side and said earnestly, “Xiao Xuan, you are confused. Xixi is your sister, your sibling since childhood, your relative. How can you, how can you two be together? This is not normal, it’s pathological.”
“Why not? Don’t you all know that we are not related by blood?”
“What’s the difference? Do you dare to hold hands with her in public? Do you dare to introduce her to your classmates? Who will approve of you? If you must be together, then what? Let Xixi be with you for the rest of her life without getting married? Or do you need me and your uncle, or your parents, or which divorced couple to make way for you?”
“No need. People don’t live to please others. Others don’t have so much time to meddle in other people’s affairs.”
Sun Ming remained silent for a while before finally speaking up, “Lin Xuan, you’re still young. You’re still in school. It’s normal to be stubborn and not listen to us elders due to momentary impulse. But your sister is different. If she were as resolute as you, she wouldn’t have left so easily. Have you thought about the pressure she’s carrying? Perhaps she just wants a normal, ordinary life. Do you really want your sister to follow you in your craziness?”
Lin Xuan smiled, “Uncle, Auntie, I can only say sorry.”
Sun Pei exclaimed, “You really make me angry!”
Lin Cheng said, “Get back to Tangcheng!”
The next day, Lin Xuan was taken back to Tangcheng and didn’t see Sun Nianxi who had returned.
But he sent an email to her about what happened that night, and even threatened her that if she switched sides and went to live an ordinary life with another man, he would drop out of school and make sure she had no peace.
“And then?” Sun Yutan asked.
“Then, I was forced to move back home by my mother. Lost my freedom.”
“What a big drama.”
After the storm, Sun Nianxi recovered her spirits and whispered to her, “Actually, if we really break out, I feel like it’s not a big deal, compared to the long time I’ve been worried and scared, it’s much gentler.”
“Otherwise, do you think you would have been beaten and thrown into a pigsty?”
“Almost.”
“Then you should thank your parents. Both Auntie and Uncle are educated people.”
“Yes, surprisingly, my mother is the most social one.”
“Hey, Sun Nianxi, now that you see your aunt and uncle, do you still feel natural around each other? This family relationship has suddenly turned into a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship. It’s a bit tricky.”
“I don’t have the face to meet them for the time being. I’m tiptoeing around the house every day.”
“That’s what you should do.”
“Are you even human? Sun Yutan, ask yourself if you’re human.”
Sun Yutan laughed loudly. Her friend’s life was much better than she had imagined. She felt relieved, hung up the video call, and rolled to the other side of the bed where Chen Rui was reading. She took his glasses off and said, “Chen Rui, let me tell you something.”
“Okay.”
“Wu Junzhe is leaving for Australia tomorrow, and I’m going to see him off.”
“Oh,” said Chen Rui, “does he need to be sent off even though he’s such a big person?”
“It’s not that kind of send-off, we don’t know when we’ll see each other again.”
“It’s better not to see each other again.” He snorted. “I won’t stop you.”
“Why don’t you come with me then?”
“Why should I?”
“I’m afraid you’ll be bored to death alone at home.”
“…” Chen Rui said, “You’re overthinking it.”
“Okay,” Sun Yutan said, rolling away, “Anyway, I’ve informed you, so don’t come back to blame me later.”
The next day, Sun Yutan packed up and went out, with Chen Rui following.
Sun Yutan asked, “Where are you going?”
Chen Rui replied, “To see you off.”
Sun Yutan pursed her lips and couldn’t help but laugh. She hugged him with one hand and they went downstairs together.
Wu Junzhe had no objection to her bringing along her boyfriend. He was just surprised that it was Chen Rui.
At first, he didn’t recognize Chen Rui. It was only when he heard his name that he reacted and looked at Sun Yutan with a puzzled expression, “You two?”
Sun Yutan nodded, “The world is too small.”
“When did this happen? Wait, didn’t you guys have a thing in high school? No, no, no. You were under my nose every day. How could you have the chance to do that? But why do I have the impression… it was him and…”
“And Tang Guo. Tang Guo had a crush on him and kept talking about him to us every day.”
“Oh, I remember now. Yes. Does Tang Guo know?”
Sun Yutan honestly shook her head, “Hush.”
Wu Junzhe picked up his phone. “I’ll tell her right away.”
“Go ahead.” Sun Yutan wasn’t afraid. “She has a child crawling on the ground, how could she remember a boy she secretly admired during her teenage years?”
“Tang Guo did have a lot of people she admired secretly, from what I remember…”
As the two reminisced about the past, Chen Rui had nothing to say. His face remained expressionless, and he didn’t feel like speaking.
After chatting for a while, Sun Yutan asked, “Is that all with your parents?”
“Yes. I didn’t say anything. It was Teacher Wu’s choice, and I only came back to take a look. Since it’s not possible, I’ll just forget about it.”
“Auntie will be happy. Wu Junzhe, don’t put too much pressure on yourself.”
“Why are you suddenly acting like a cheesy teenager?” laughed Wu Junzhe.
“Just encouraging you. Don’t you realize that you’ve been burdened with something since you came back this time? I’m not used to it. Young people should have energy, my friend!”
Wu Junzhe looked at her and laughed. “You know me so well. Sun Yutan, if I had pursued you back then, you would have fallen for me.”
Sun Yutan stopped and laughed, “Opportunity knocks only once. But you missed it.”
“Not necessarily. Someone once said, if you haven’t gotten married by 30, then you should grow old with me.”
Chen Rui’s coffee cup fell onto the table with a clang, but Sun Yutan remained unfazed. “Don’t put words in my mouth. I never said that.”
Chen Rui said, “Unfortunately, you can’t wait for that anymore.”
Wu Junzhe said, “Yeah, it’s a shame. Goodbye, both of you.” He said this with a relaxed and carefree expression, and then bid them farewell.
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