Chapter 2-9

9

The next morning, before eight o'clock, He Yajun was woken up.

"Ya Jun?" Bai Qing called to him through the bedroom door. Although the door was slightly ajar, she did not barge in like she did when she was in school.

He covered his eyes and groaned, "Why are you looking for me so early in the morning? We just met last night, you can't be missing me already, can you?"

Bai Qing was speechless: "I missed you, my foot. Get up and come eat breakfast."

He Yajun said "Oh," and then sat up from the bed: "What delicious food did Auntie make?"

"Scallion oil noodles".

He whistled happily: "Although you haven't paid much attention to me since you got married, you still care about me. You know that Auntie made my favorite scallion oil noodles, and you even remembered to come and call me over."

Bai Qing rolled her eyes at him: "If Aunt Qin hadn't told my mom last night that you didn't have breakfast today, we wouldn't have bothered with you."

"Okay, there's no one better than Mom. But where is she?"

Bai Qing suppressed another eye roll: "She went to Hangzhou to buy goods, and you, her own son, didn't even know?"

It seems his mother did mention it in his room that morning, but he was half asleep and didn't really hear it.

"I'm going to brush my teeth and wash my face. You go ahead and tell the auntie to save some extra for me."

He put on a cardigan over his pajamas, went into the bathroom, and began brushing his teeth diligently. Bai Qing followed him, crossing her arms and leaning against the doorframe.

With toothpaste foam in his mouth, he mumbled, "Is there anything else?"

Bai Qing's expression was unusually serious. His heart skipped a beat, and he stopped brushing his teeth, spitting out all the foam. He said half-jokingly, "What's with that expression? Anyone who didn't know better would think you're my wife, that you've found out I'm cheating on you, and that you're going to argue with me."

Bai Qing didn't respond to his joke. She stared at his face for a long time before asking, "Ya Jun, you really don't have a girlfriend right now, right? You're not lying to me, are you?"

"Why are you asking this? You don't mean to set me up on a blind date, do you?"

Bai Qing didn't answer that question, but asked again, "Do you plan to stay in the United States for the rest of your life? I always thought you would come back after a few years."

He Yajun laughed: "Bai Qing, don't beat around the bush with me, just say what you want to say."

Bai Qing hesitated for a moment, then tentatively asked, "You should still remember Qiao Ruo, whom we ran into at the restaurant entrance last night, right?"

"have."

"So what was your first impression of her last night?"

His true feeling was... he remembered how beautiful she looked in his arms that morning, so full of passion.

He vaguely guessed what Bai Qing wanted to say, but he didn't intend to reveal his current situation with Qiao Ruo.

"I don't feel anything."

Bai Qing nodded: "So, you no longer find her annoying. Ya Jun, if we put aside her sister's situation and only evaluate her as a person, what do you think of her?"

He Yajun started brushing his teeth again. Although his mouth was full of foam, his voice was very clear this time: "Prettier than you."

Bai Qing wasn't angry; instead, she smiled and asked, "Is it possible that you'd consider developing a relationship with her?"

He Yajun was rinsing his mouth when he heard this and suddenly spat out a mouthful of water. He had thought Bai Qing was here to advise him to treat Qiao Ruo with a normal attitude, but he didn't expect her thoughts to jump around so much.

Bai Qing thoughtfully took a towel from the towel rack for him and said with a smile, "I just said it casually, why are you reacting so strongly?"

He Yajun took the towel, wiped her face, and said, "Your question is very strange."

Bai Qing still smiled and said, "It's alright. You're both single, you're handsome, and she's beautiful. You're a good match. I specifically asked Jiang Ming, and he agreed with me and said you two look like a good couple."

He Yajun rolled her eyes: "Yes, I know. You say one, and the Jiang family won't dare to say two. Don't try to show off your love in front of me."

"He Yajun, don't try to change the subject. I'm asking you seriously."

He Yajun looked at Bai Qing through the mirror and said with a half-smile, "When you're discussing this issue, have you forgotten about my dad and her sister?"

Bai Qing stroked her chin: "It is indeed a bit awkward between you two, but I heard from my mom that your dad and her sister are getting a divorce. Once they're divorced, your relationship won't be so awkward anymore."

He Yajun's mind suddenly stirred, and she put on a serious face: "Do you think my mother... can accept this?"

"You've always told Aunt Qin that you'll never get married in your life. Aunt Qin also told my mom that she doesn't have any requirements for you in that regard. Her only wish is that you can live a happy and joyful life."

"You seem to know everything."

Bai Qing was quite smug: "Who told you to be my childhood sweetheart? If I don't care about you, who will?"

"Your Jiang Ming lives right across the street, right? Be careful he doesn't get jealous and sulk if he hears this."

"He's not as petty as you make him out to be. Ugh, I just don't understand why you're always picking on him." Bai Qing covered her mouth, feigning horror. "Oh my god, you haven't been secretly in love with me all along, and now that I'm in Jiang Ming's arms, you're turning your love into hate, that's why you dislike him, that you can't let me go, and that's why you don't want to marry anyone else? Oh my god..."

He Yajun rudely threw a wet towel at her face: "I like you my ass."

He came out of the bathroom, intending to go to the living room to get a drink of water. Bai Qing followed behind him: "Hey, I wasn't finished yet. Although Aunt Qin said she didn't want you to get married, she's really envious of my mom being able to hold her granddaughter. Last night at my house, she held Wanwan so affectionately, she looked like she wanted to be Wanwan's real grandma. I guess she doesn't really not want you to get married, she just values ​​your feelings more and doesn't want to force you. You see, under these circumstances, if you can find a girl to marry, that would be a pleasant surprise. So what if it's Qiao Ruo? It's not like Qiao Ruo is a mistress."

He Yajun suddenly stopped, turned around, and pretended not to understand: "Your logic seems to make sense, but... why does it have to be Qiao Ruo?"

Bai Qing was stunned.

He Yajun bent down slightly, looking Bai Qing straight in the eye: "Because she likes me, you want to help her, right?"

Bai Qing remained silent, her expression somewhat conflicted.

He Yajun smiled and straightened up: "Alright, if you don't go back soon, your husband will probably come and arrest you." He stopped looking at her and focused on drinking his water.

Bai Qing remained unmoved: "Ya Jun, you're not angry, are you? Actually, I'm not trying to interfere in your life. I just... how should I put it? I just feel sorry for you and hope that you won't lose faith in love because of what Uncle He did. I also feel a little sad for Qiao Ruo because liking someone but not getting any response is a very painful thing. I've been through it, so I understand that feeling all too well."

He Yajun paused for a moment, then continued drinking water at a leisurely pace.

Bai Qing observed his expression and continued, "Alright, I'll be honest with you. I knew she liked you in high school. During winter break of my freshman year, she asked me to meet her and told me some things about you, like how she hid her real identity and added you on QQ... After hearing that, I felt a bit of sympathy. Last night, after you and Jiang Ming went into the restaurant, she stared at your back for a long time. Her gaze was so affectionate; it was obvious she still liked you, and really liked you. I thought, if two people are to be together, they must like each other for it to last. But how many couples in this world are attracted to each other from the start? She likes you so much; if you spend more time with her, maybe you'll like her too. Wouldn't that be great? Besides, even if you meet and talk but nothing comes of it, you'll at least discover her good qualities and let go of your resentment towards her. Less resentment will make you happier."

He Yajun remained silent. In his memory, Bai Qing rarely expressed her concern for him directly. Most of the time, the two of them were either arguing or mocking each other. Hearing her say that she felt sorry for him now, he felt awkward but also a little touched.

He was suddenly more grateful than ever that he and his childhood sweethearts hadn't become lovers.

He put down his water glass and said, "Bai Qing, I don't want marriage, mainly because I think it's too troublesome and involves too many things. If we have feelings for each other, dating is enough. Another reason is that I haven't met the woman who makes me want to get married yet. But if one day a woman appears who makes me want to get married, maybe... I'll get married, who knows?"

“Then I’m not going to worry about you and Qiao Ruo,” Bai Qing shook her head and smiled, then sighed. “I just don’t know how I should refuse her if she really comes to me and says she wants to meet you. Sigh, I guess I’m just worrying for nothing. I hope she can get over it soon.”

"Don't worry, I'm not as charming as you think. She won't come looking for you." He Yajun almost laughed at his own words. He restrained himself, put his hands on Bai Qing's shoulders, and pushed her towards the door. "Let's go. If we don't go over there soon, my scallion oil noodles will get soggy."

He ate breakfast at Bai Qing's house, played with Wanwan for a while, and only left and returned to his own room when the family was about to leave for Bai Qing's grandparents' house in the countryside.

He turned on his computer, put on his headphones, and started playing games. But as he played, he gradually lost interest.

For some reason, he suddenly missed Qiao Ruo a little.

He opened WeChat and saw the message she had replied to last night: How do you want me to coax you? How about I repay you with my body?

This was certainly an answer he hadn't expected. Judging from her blushing reaction each time, she didn't seem like the type to say such things. But then he thought, besides knowing she loved him, how much did he really know about her?

He held his phone and quickly typed: What are you doing?

After pressing send, he tossed his phone aside and continued playing the game, but still felt very bored.

He persisted absentmindedly for a few minutes, then simply quit the game, picked up his phone, and saw that Qiao Ruo had already replied to him: I'm thinking of you.

He couldn't help but laugh out loud.

He was no longer bored, but his heart was itching, and his fingers were rapidly tapping on the phone screen: How much do I want to?

He thought she would reply to him soon, but he waited for a long time, until it was lunchtime, before he received her reply: If you miss me too, then magnify your longing for me a thousand times, and you'll have an answer.

He couldn't help but laugh again, thinking that she seemed to be bringing him more and more surprises.

He's never liked spending time chatting on his phone, finding it both time-consuming and boring; he'd rather make a phone call than deal with something. But now, however, he's actually starting to enjoy chatting with her on WeChat to kill time.

Just as he was thinking about how to reply to her, her call suddenly came through.

He stood up from his seat and walked to the window to answer the call.

"Ya Jun".

"Um."

"You don't... really miss me, do you?"

He chuckled, puzzled as to why the woman who had been flirting with him on WeChat just a moment ago was now so cautious and hesitant to speak.

"Yes, really."

"Ah, thank goodness, it means I wasn't just imagining things." Her voice was filled with undisguised joy.

“Qiao Ruo,” he knew what he wanted, “come out early tonight, I want to see you.”

“Okay,” she replied readily, “See you tonight.”

See you tonight.

He put away his phone and opened the window completely. The rain had stopped, the sky was overcast, and the air was still chilly, but his heart was warm.