Chapter 132
The air remained taut and deadlocked.
After a long silence with no reply from Gu Yanqiu, Mr. Liu asked, “President Gu, are you still there?”
“I’m here.” Gu Yanqiu’s leg had gone slightly numb from standing too long. She steadied herself with a hand on Lin Yuewei’s shoulder and slowly exhaled. “Go on.”
Mr. Liu let out an “oh” and said, “Your mother’s ex-girlfriend wasn’t Buddhist, which is also why we overlooked her before. I found her daughter, and according to her, her mother kept a string of prayer beads in her collection, but hardly ever wore them.”
Gu Yanqiu said, “Can I meet her daughter?”
Mr. Liu said, “I’ll ask her. I’ll let you know when she replies.”
Gu Yanqiu asked, “Anything else?”
Mr. Liu gave her a few more details he’d dug up. None of them hit as hard as the first two; Gu Yanqiu lowered her eyes and took careful notes.
The call ended.
Lin Yuewei and Gu Feiquan both saw the change in her expression and could probably guess that the news had to be important; they looked at her in unison.
Perhaps by now there was nothing left worth hiding, or perhaps Gu Yanqiu had already anticipated the truth, because she told them everything Mr. Liu had said. Sure enough, both of them looked shocked.
Gu Feiquan said, “If they got married in the same year, then the reason your Aunt Shen and Dad got married becomes very questionable.”
Lin Yuewei said, “Why not think about why Aunt Shen married Uncle Gu in the first place? She was a lesbian; why would she look for a man? She was even willing to cut ties with her family just to be with her girlfriend, so why would she suddenly cave at that point?”
Gu Feiquan followed her logic. “You mean... it had something to do with her ex-girlfriend?”
Lin Yuewei scratched at her chin, her thoughts already racing ahead. “Why did the two of them break up?”
Gu Feiquan tried to keep pace with her. “Three possibilities. One, Aunt Shen was the one who asked to break up. Two, the ex-girlfriend asked to break up. Three, they discussed it and parted ways peacefully.”
Lin Yuewei said, “Which do you think is most likely?”
Gu Feiquan said, “Probably the ex-girlfriend. Based on what Mr. Liu found, her family seemed pretty well-off, and it also seems like her family didn’t know about her sexual orientation. Compared with that, she’d be more likely to compromise under pressure from reality. Of course, Aunt Shen could also have chosen a peaceful breakup after her ex-girlfriend brought it up. She was badly shaken, then met Gu Huai, and accepted his pursuit.” If what Gu Huai had said was true.
Lin Yuewei said, “In any case, it probably wasn’t because they stopped loving each other. Otherwise Aunt Shen wouldn’t have thought about it for so many years, and in the end she still... ”
Gu Feiquan sighed. “You’re right.”
The two of them discussed it for a while before remembering that Gu Yanqiu hadn’t said a word the entire time. Lin Yuewei looked over at her; Gu Yanqiu was still looking down, quietly staring at the floor in front of her. A few loose strands of black hair had fallen along her cheek, as if she hadn’t heard a single word they said.
Lin Yuewei made a “shh” gesture toward Gu Feiquan, then wrapped one arm around Gu Yanqiu’s shoulders. Only after Gu Yanqiu met her eyes did she speak gently. “My mom just texted me and told us to go home for dinner. Let’s head back first.”
Gu Feiquan hurriedly said, “Right. It’s already dark, and it’s pretty cold up here too. We can talk about this in a couple of days; there’s no need to settle it right this second.”
“Dad...” Gu Yanqiu’s voice was a little hoarse as she raised her eyes to look at Gu Feiquan.
“Dad’s got me here. I’ll handle everything.” Gu Feiquan’s words carried two meanings.
Lin Yuewei pulled Gu Yanqiu a little closer against her chest. “Feel better now? Let’s go home.”
Gu Yanqiu gave a small nod.
Lin Yuewei also nodded at Gu Feiquan, and the two of them took their leave together.
Gu Feiquan saw them out to the hospital entrance before heading back upstairs. A few meters away, though, he ran into He Songjun. He Songjun had spent the whole day at the hospital; her features looked faint and almost cold, but when she saw her son walking toward her step by step, a smile slowly bloomed on her face.
Gu Feiquan called out, “Mom.” Then he asked, “Why did you come downstairs?”
“The nurse is checking on your dad. I was getting bored staying in the ward, so I came out for a walk.” He Songjun’s gaze drifted toward the entrance. “What were you doing? Just got back from outside? You were sending people off for that long?”
She had never liked Gu Yanqiu, so Gu Feiquan told a small lie. “No, I already saw them off earlier. I was out for a walk too. Oh, Mom.” He stepped up to her in a few quick strides and unwound the scarf from his own neck, wrapping it around hers. “It’s pretty windy outside. Don’t catch a chill.”
He Songjun lifted a hand to touch the scarf, still warm from her son’s body heat, and said softly, “Thank you.”
Gu Feiquan looked flattered beyond belief. “Mom, why are you suddenly being so formal with me?”
He Songjun smiled too, shaking her head helplessly. “I’ve lost my mind. Maybe seeing your dad like this made me sentimental. These past couple of days, I keep thinking about when you were little. I was a bad mother before; I always said a lot of unpleasant things to you.”
“What unpleasant things? I’m doing just fine now, aren’t I? Tall and handsome; how about that?” Gu Feiquan straightened his back. “I’m telling you, there are lots of young nurses at the hospital looking at me.”
He Songjun pinched his face. Gu Feiquan was too tall, so the little woman had to strain to do it; if she wanted to pat his head, she had to stand on tiptoe.
Gu Feiquan bent down so she could easily pat him on the head.
He Songjun let out something like a sigh. “You’ve grown this tall already.”
Gu Feiquan said, “I’ve been this tall for over ten years. Mom, you’re only noticing now?” He also realized his mother seemed strange too, as if there were a kind of deadness clinging to her whole body, with no vitality left in her.
Maybe the hospital atmosphere had gotten to her; after all, life and death were unpredictable here. Gu Feiquan suggested, “Mom, I’ve got a few days off for New Year. Why don’t I take you out for a couple of days?”
He Songjun shook her head and refused. “Your dad’s still in the hospital bed.”
“Dad has a caregiver. Family members might not do as well as a professional caregiver anyway, and the doctor said it wasn’t serious. It’s fine to go out for two days. We won’t go far, just around the area. I’ll drive you.”
He Songjun hesitated, but in the end still shook her head. “Forget it. I’ll stay here with your dad.”
Gu Feiquan let out an “ah,” his face clearly showing his displeasure.
He Songjun coaxed him gently. “When your dad’s discharged, we’ll go out and have some fun, okay?”
What else could Gu Feiquan say? He could only agree.
He Songjun tucked the scarf around her neck and said, “I’m going for a walk.”
After she had taken a few steps, Gu Feiquan suddenly called after her, “Mom.”
“Hm?” She turned back.
Gu Feiquan stared at her without blinking for several seconds and said, “Nothing. Be careful.”
He Songjun gave a helpless smile. “I’m inside the hospital; I’m not crossing any major roads. I’m going.” She waved at him with her back to him as she left.
Gu Feiquan watched her walk out of the hospital gates.
Actually, just now he had wanted to ask He Songjun why she had decided to keep him back then. After thinking about it, though, he decided against it. Her condition wasn’t good; this wasn’t the time to ask something like that.
But he didn’t have so many misgivings with Gu Huai. Gu Huai had been allowed to watch TV for a while. When Gu Feiquan entered the room, the television was on, playing an old drama; so old that Gu Feiquan found the actors on the screen completely unfamiliar.
He sat with Gu Huai and watched for a bit. Like an ordinary father and son making idle conversation, he asked, “Dad, why did you agree to let my mom have me back then? You didn’t love her at all, did you?”
Gu Huai acted as if he hadn’t heard him.
Gu Feiquan’s gaze landed on his face. “Or was it that you thought Aunt Shen wouldn’t have a child for you, so you lied to her and made her keep me?”
A trace of embarrassment appeared on Gu Huai’s face; it was the kind of shame that felt like being stripped naked in public.
Gu Feiquan stared into his eyes. “Is that it?”
Gu Huai looked up at the ceiling and said in pain, “Yes.”
Gu Feiquan asked, “Did Aunt Shen know about this?”
Gu Huai said, “No. She didn’t know your mother existed beforehand. I only started pursuing her after the breakup.”
Gu Feiquan pressed on, “So after Aunt Shen gave birth to a child for you, you naturally abandoned my mother and me?”
Gu Huai closed his eyes and nodded heavily, looking worn to the bone.
Gu Feiquan asked, “Did Aunt Shen love you?”
Gu Huai didn’t answer.
Gu Feiquan said, “If she didn’t love you, why would she agree to marry you?”
“Because I could give her a stable life.” Gu Huai lifted his eyes and looked straight at him. “A woman, especially a woman like her, has a very hard time in this society. I wanted to give her a home. She happened to need one. What’s the problem?”
“No problem.” A malicious smile curved at the corner of Gu Feiquan’s mouth. “Then did you know she married her ex-girlfriend in the same year?”
“So what?” Gu Huai didn’t erupt in anger as Gu Feiquan expected. Instead, he wore a very faint smile. That wasn’t the look of someone suppressing fury; he really was smiling.
“So she was very likely only saying yes to you in a moment of impulse.”
“So what?”
“So...” Gu Feiquan was at a loss for words. Shouldn’t a man with any shred of dignity be angry at a time like this?
But he had miscalculated. Gu Huai was a humble man, prostrating himself at the feet of his god. To receive even a little mercy was already his good fortune; how could he care why the divine had shown him mercy? The god had given him the second half of his life; whatever that second half looked like, it had still kept him company for more than twenty years, and even given him a lovely daughter.
Gu Feiquan threw out the final heavy bomb. “Then do you know why she suddenly fell ill and died? It was because her ex-girlfriend died in a car accident the year before last—”
“Shut up!” Gu Huai could no longer control his calm expression.
***
For the third time, Gu Yanqiu told Lin Yuewei that she was fine and was only digesting the information; Lin Yuewei still looked worried and even supported her as they walked.
“What’s going on?” Ran Qingqing asked when she saw the two of them coming in, one helping the other. “Did you get hit by a car on the way? Or trip and fall?”
“No.” Gu Yanqiu pulled her arm out of Lin Yuewei’s hand. “She’s making a fuss over nothing.”
Ran Qingqing let out an “oh my”; her eyes dropped to Gu Yanqiu’s stomach. “Could it be that there’s one already?”
Went to the hospital, came back, and found out there was one; that would make sense.
Gu Yanqiu: “……”
Lin Yuewei burst out laughing. “Mom, can you be a little more realistic? How would the two of us have one?”
Ran Qingqing said, “Didn’t they say in recent years that animal eggs have been combined to breed embryos? Maybe in a couple more years humans can do it too. People were saying same-sex marriage could never be legalized just a few years ago, and now look, there are same-sex couples everywhere.”
“Mom, you’re really getting farther and farther off track.” Lin Yuewei picked up a washed apple from the coffee table, took a fruit knife in one hand, and with a practiced motion sliced it into four pieces with four cuts. Supporting the slices in her palm, she gave two to Gu Yanqiu and ate two herself.
Ran Qingqing pinched the lone apple core left on the table and said, “Wow, your knife work’s improved.”
With half an apple still in her mouth, Lin Yuewei cupped her hands and smiled. “You flatter me.”
Ran Qingqing finished the apple core and tossed it into the trash before clapping her hands. “Clean up and get ready to eat. I’m going to serve the soup.”
“Okay,” Lin Yuewei said. “Be honored as you go, Mother Empress.”
At the dining table, Ran Qingqing brought out a plate of dumplings first. It was a New Year tradition; Gu Yanqiu took the first bite and got the dumpling with the coin inside. Ran Qingqing beamed. “May your wealth keep coming in.”
Lin Yuewei refused to accept defeat. Before that, she’d eaten two or three in a row without getting one. Now that Gu Yanqiu had gotten the coin, she reached out with her chopsticks and snatched the dumpling from Gu Yanqiu, looking smug. “Now the good luck’s mine.”
Ran Qingqing said, “Have some shame, will you?”
Lin Yuewei said, “I do.” And then she ate half the dumpling in one bite.
Gu Yanqiu laughed softly and picked up another one herself. As soon as she bit down, her expression changed slightly; there was another coin inside. This time Lin Yuewei didn’t snatch it away, but said first, “Don’t move.”
Gu Yanqiu held still while Lin Yuewei took a close-up photo of the dumpling and posted it on Weibo.
Lin Yuewei V:
【Our family still keeps the New Year tradition of hiding coins in dumplings. I just ate two in a row; is this year’s luck going to explode? [laughing] Wishing everyone a Happy New Year and a flood of wealth! [photo of Gu Yanqiu holding a dumpling.jpg]】
Ran Qingqing rolled her eyes so hard it was practically a death glare. “That’s because of you?”
Gu Yanqiu looked at Lin Yuewei with eyes full of tenderness, smiling as warmly as a spring breeze. “It doesn’t matter, Auntie. Mine is Weiwei’s.”
Ran Qingqing clutched her cheek.
The fans all left comments under Lin Yuewei’s Weibo:
【Drinking Candy Not Coffee: Wow, my family does this too, and I didn’t get a single coin this year [crying]】
【The Emotional Reed Online Dancing: Hahahahahaha I got three; my mom only made three dumplings with coins, and I ate all of them. Let’s get rich together】
【Wei at the Center of the Water: We put peanuts in ours here】
【Little Zhuo of Weiwei: Why does my family put garlic in them hahahahahaha is my mom poisonous or what hahahahahaha】
【Winter Sunshine-prince: A southern person who’s never had this tradition passing by in a very high-profile way】
【Sea Laughing Scholar: Am I the only one who noticed the angle of this photo is weird? That’s not Weiwei’s own hand, is it?】
There were plenty of replies under each comment, and most replies to “Sea Laughing Scholar” were saying it was probably a family member or something. After all, it was New Year’s dinner at home, so the post didn’t attract much attention.
On New Year’s Eve, there were also many trending topics on Weibo about the holiday atmosphere, including one on New Year traditions. Lin Yuewei accidentally got a piece of that traffic too; quite a few passersby poured in and discussed holiday customs in the comments. It was a rare atmosphere of harmony.
By the timeline, as an actress Lin Yuewei had practically gone Buddhist for half a year. Aside from the occasional event appearance, she had no other material, and her fans were gradually leaning into a more detached state. Female stars’ fandoms were never as aggressively hyped as male stars’; by now, quite a few fiery fans had slowly turned into quiet casual fans, only popping up now and then when there was something to follow, chasing their idol in a strangely literate way.
Lin Yuewei liked the atmosphere of her comments better now; it was full of friendly discussion, and she could happily scroll through the thread herself. She even replied to a few. For example, she answered the front-row comment from “Drinking Candy Not Coffee” with four hahas, and replied to “Little Zhuo of Weiwei” with six hahas; it was obvious she was in a very good mood.
After thinking it over, she finally replied to “Sea Laughing Scholar,” who had questioned whose hand was holding the dumpling: 【Yes, it’s not mine; it’s my most, most beloved family member’s】
There was a hint of private meaning in that line, and if one thought about it too deeply, it had a somewhat ambiguous flavor; but then again, if one thought about it a little more, it didn’t seem to be wrong either. Just then, someone came looking for trouble and @-mentioned Shao Yasi under that comment.
Whether they were a real fan or a black pretending to be one, the CP fans were way too wild; they deserved to be hit by lightning. That sparked a minor fan war. Lin Yuewei was still scrolling through Weibo and saw the arguing start up again. She found it thoroughly uninteresting, so she closed the app.
The New Year atmosphere had already thinned out a great deal, especially in a big city. A family of three sat on the sofa watching the Spring Festival Gala. Lin Yuewei glanced at the time; it was 8:30. She stood up and told Ran Qingqing, “Mom, I’m going upstairs to video call Dad.”
Ran Qingqing gave a mild hum, calm and unbothered.
Lin Yuewei wasn’t her daughter alone; of course she wouldn’t object to her contacting her father at a time like this.
Lin Yuewei went back to the upstairs bedroom and immediately sent her father a video call request. He had probably been waiting all along, because he picked up very quickly.
“Yuewei.” Lin Dad was holding the phone; the dining room could be seen behind him.
“Dad.” Lin Yuewei called out to him just as she always had.
A flash of tears passed through Lin Dad’s eyes. He held it back, then turned the phone slightly, and Lin Yuewei could see Grandpa and Grandma Lin’s faces. She called out, “Grandpa, Grandma.” Grandpa answered. Grandma was sitting on the sofa, looking bewildered by the person on the phone; a few years ago she had fallen and injured her brain.
Gu Yanqiu also called out, “Grandpa, Grandma, Dad.”
This was Grandpa Lin’s first time meeting Gu Yanqiu. Same-sex marriage had only been legal for two or three years, and in the older generation’s minds, a normal marriage was still between a man and a woman. Seeing Gu Yanqiu as his granddaughter-in-law for the first time left him looking a little awkward, but he still did his best to be warm.
Grandpa Lin said, “Hello there.”
Gu Yanqiu slipped away; Lin Yuewei watched her shrinking figure by the side of the bed and found it rather funny. In the video, Grandpa Lin had already spoken again. “When are you coming back to visit Grandpa and Grandma? Are you free during the holiday?”
Lin Yuewei said, “Yanqiu and I already arranged to go abroad for a trip. I’ll only have time after we get back.”
Old people were never very good at chatting with the young, and Grandpa Lin was no exception. After saying a couple of sentences, he steered the conversation toward “take care of your health.” Lin Yuewei answered seriously. Grandpa Lin went back to watching the Spring Festival Gala, and Lin Dad wasn’t much better than his father. He checked on Lin Yuewei’s health and work, then asked how things were going between her and Gu Yanqiu. Lin Yuewei thought, how am I supposed to answer that? In the end she gave a dry “pretty good.”
Lin Dad moved his lips a couple of times, then walked from the living room to the corner and asked, “How is your mom?”
“Pretty good too.”
“In what way, specifically?”
“She...” Since this was an elder’s matter, Lin Yuewei couldn’t make the decision for them. Right now they had parted on peaceful terms; as for the future, nothing was set in stone. She pressed her lips together and told the truth. “She built a Buddhist shrine at home. It looks like she’s planning to convert.”
Lin Dad sighed.
Lin Yuewei felt bad too.
A perfectly good family; now it had fallen apart like this.
Lin Dad was silent for a long while before saying, “Let’s leave it at that for now. If anything happens, call me anytime. My phone is on twenty-four hours a day.”
“Mm.” Lin Yuewei said, “Bye, Dad.”
“Bye.”
After hanging up, Lin Yuewei let out a long sigh and threw her head back. “Ah—”
It wasn’t loud; she was just letting off steam. Gu Yanqiu looked up at her. After Lin Yuewei had vented, she walked over and sat down on Gu Yanqiu’s lap. Gu Yanqiu hurriedly wrapped both arms around her waist so she wouldn’t fall.
Ever since Lin Yuewei had gotten used to being carried, she had unconsciously grown accustomed to being held too. Sitting sideways on Gu Yanqiu’s lap, she picked a strand of hair that had fallen by her ear and placed it in her palm, staring down at it.
Her brow was furrowed; she clearly wasn’t really looking at the hair, but thinking. And the things she was thinking about were not pleasant.
Gu Yanqiu sat quietly. Lin Yuewei tossed the hair away, then, still in that sideways position, pushed Gu Yanqiu down onto the bed. Next, she planted two loud kisses on her face and buried her own face in Gu Yanqiu’s neck, not moving.
Gu Yanqiu pulled her hands out from behind her back and patted her twice. “It’s fine. I’m with you.”
Lin Yuewei opened her mouth and bit her twice on the side of her neck in irritated frustration. Emotion made her a little too rough; Gu Yanqiu gritted her teeth, and when Lin Yuewei finally lifted her head, she gave her a relaxed smile before lying down beside her.
Gu Yanqiu turned her head to look at her, a pool of laughter rippling in her eyes. “Feel better?”
Lin Yuewei said, “Mm, I feel better.”
Gu Yanqiu said, “Then you’re pretty easy to soothe.”
Lin Yuewei said in surprise, “This counts as easy to soothe? I bite people.”
Gu Yanqiu laughed. “So what if you bite people?”
Lin Yuewei deliberately exaggerated. “It can easily turn into domestic violence, you know. Aren’t you scared?”
Gu Yanqiu rested one hand under her head and was completely unafraid. She said with curved eyes, “Domestic violence means one side beating the other, right? If the two of us fight, that would be mutual assault? Anyway, neither of us can beat the other.”
Lin Yuewei thought for a moment and said, “According to the public security regulations, mutual assault also gets you detained, for less than fifteen days.” She had played a police officer in a drama before and still remembered a little of it.
“Really?” Gu Yanqiu turned her head slightly, resting her ear against her arm as she looked at her, her expression gentle. “Then we’d probably be detained together, so I’m not afraid.”
Lin Yuewei paused. “Damn.” Then she laughed out loud.
Gu Yanqiu was indeed very cutely serious when she said, “Don’t swear.”
Lin Yuewei said, “I will.” She said it on purpose, just so Gu Yanqiu would remind her; that soft, wordless reprimand right by her ear was very... appetite-whetting.
Lin Yuewei’s face slowly drew closer. Gu Yanqiu looked into her eyes until the other woman’s soft lips pressed down onto hers, then closed her eyes.
Lin Yuewei felt a dizzying spin of the world, and then their positions were reversed.
Gu Yanqiu was light and efficient, completely practiced.
Lin Yuewei: “...”
She pressed a palm against Gu Yanqiu’s shoulder to stop her from kissing her and tried to resist. “What day of the week is it today?”
Gu Yanqiu paused. “I forgot.”
Lin Yuewei said, “Didn’t we agree before... mmph.”
She suddenly tipped her head back, grabbing Gu Yanqiu’s arm; her palm tightened.
Gu Yanqiu leaned close to her ear and murmured, “Just enjoy it.”
Lin Yuewei’s body immediately softened on its own, adapting instinctively. “... ”
Fine. It wasn’t like this was their first time, and it wasn’t as if one more round would make much difference.
When Ran Qingqing saw them again, it was already eleven o’clock. The Spring Festival Gala was nearing its final act, and Ran Qingqing’s eyelids kept fighting each other as she watched the increasingly dazzling song-and-dance numbers on TV.
Ran Qingqing yawned repeatedly. “I thought your eyes only had Dad in them and no mother at all.”
Lin Yuewei came downstairs holding the railing and said as she walked, “How could that be? I just lost track of time. What’s on now? Has Jay Chou performed?”
Ran Qingqing said, “I don’t think so. I didn’t see him. Is he on this year?”
Lin Yuewei said, “No idea. Let me check the schedule.” She pulled out her phone, looked up the lineup, and sat back down on the sofa.
Gu Yanqiu raised her left hand, bending her arm so that her hand covered her face.
Ran Qingqing frowned. “What’s wrong with you?”
Gu Yanqiu looked perfectly composed. “A little toothache.”
Ran Qingqing said, “Why would you suddenly get a toothache?”
Gu Yanqiu said, “I don’t know either. It just started hurting all of a sudden. It doesn’t hurt that much; it’ll be better in a bit.”
Lin Yuewei was shaking all over while holding her phone. Ran Qingqing lightly elbowed her. “Your wife’s got a toothache and you’re still laughing?”
Lin Yuewei said, “I’ve been wronged. I’m not laughing; I’m crying from sadness.” She showed Ran Qingqing her completely dry eyes, then immediately changed the subject and said with disappointment, “Looks like there’s no Jay Chou on the Spring Festival Gala today. Then there’s not much worth watching.”
Ran Qingqing asked, “What else is there later?”
“Let me see...” Lin Yuewei read from the schedule. “One dance, two sketch comedies, three songs, one crosstalk act.”
Ran Qingqing nodded. “Then it’s not very interesting.”
Though she said that, Ran Qingqing still watched it inch by inch. Beneath the stage, the guest seating was packed with some of the hottest actors and actresses around. The camera occasionally cut to them below; each of them looked like a seasoned pro, able to make even these bland performances seem emotionally rich.
The camera settled on one female star. She wore a blue off-the-shoulder gown, her hair pinned up, light makeup on her face, and a jewelry piece from a famous brand newly launched around her neck. She wore a proper smile and dazzled under the lights.
She was familiar. Lin Yuewei froze for a moment, then glanced toward Gu Yanqiu.
Gu Yanqiu met her eyes and said nothing, clearly intending to ignore the person.
Lin Yuewei had just started to breathe easier when she heard Ran Qingqing say, “Isn’t that the Qu Xuesong you told me about?”
Lin Yuewei braced herself and answered, “Yes.”
Ran Qingqing said, “Look at that aura, that level. She can even go to the Spring Festival Gala to watch in person. When are you going to catch up to her?”
“In three to five years, maybe.” Lin Yuewei was dying for this topic to move on and answered perfunctorily. “Mom, watch the show. Why are you staring at other people? They’ve already cut away.”
Ran Qingqing said, “The show isn’t interesting. It’s rare to run into someone I know. Didn’t you tell me on the phone before that you quite liked her? Said she was beautiful, a good actress, and had personality. Did you two fall out?”
Lin Yuewei said, “No.” She blinked hard at Ran Qingqing.
Normally very sharp at reading the room, Ran Qingqing somehow missed the signal this time. She said, “How come I haven’t heard you mention her much lately? Didn’t you say Teacher Qu was pretty good to you, and even helped pave the way for you and bring you around to social events?”
Gu Yanqiu’s face was already dark.
Right now Lin Yuewei really wanted to slap her past self. Why had her mouth been so big? Why had she told her mom everything? And now her mom had spilled it all out.
Gu Yanqiu didn’t know nothing about these things, but knowing them herself and having someone else keep yammering them in her ear were two different things; it was basically like repeatedly triggering and deepening the memory.
The things weighing on Gu Yanqiu’s mind had never really been resolved at the root. Instead, they kept piling up, making her feel like a string stretched tight to the breaking point; only with Lin Yuewei could she get temporary relief.
Lin Yuewei had been home on vacation these past few days and had time to stay with her. Unlike long-distance separation, they no longer had both the physical distance and the emotional distance between them; this had quietly eased her stress and hidden all the problems lying in wait within their relationship behind a peaceful surface. Those problems would have to be solved slowly; there was no way to fix them all at once. Handle them even slightly carelessly, and everything would blow up again; pouring oil straight into the pot would only make it worse.
Ran Qingqing didn’t think that far ahead. Last time, when Lin Yuewei went out with those rich second-generation kids, she could understand it; jealousy was only natural. But Qu Xuesong? She just saw Qu Xuesong as a senior in Lin Yuewei’s circle who had helped guide her along the way. Someone like that was hard to come by anywhere, so she couldn’t help caring a little more.
Lin Yuewei lowered her voice. “Mom, stop talking.”
Ran Qingqing: “???”
Lin Yuewei pointed at Gu Yanqiu. Ran Qingqing understood somewhat, and at least shut her mouth.
“I’m going upstairs first.” Gu Yanqiu stood up and said in a low voice. The hand that had been covering the left side of her face was no longer worth keeping there, which let Ran Qingqing see clearly that what Gu Yanqiu had actually been covering wasn’t her face at all, but the dark hickey on her neck hidden by the raised arm.
Ran Qingqing shot Lin Yuewei a glare.
Lin Yuewei had no time to worry about her mother anymore. She flew after Gu Yanqiu. “Listen to me explain!”
Gu Yanqiu walked faster and faster. After going into the room, she instinctively wanted to slam the door, but when she caught sight of the figure chasing after her from the corner of her eye, she still pulled her hand back and stood with her arms crossed by the window, looking coldly into the endless night outside.
Lin Yuewei pulled the door shut, walked over, and said helplessly, “Can you try being reasonable?”
Author's Note:
Welcome, Lin and Gu, to a demonstration of the wrong way to fight like a couple ﹁_﹁