The tail that was about to be taken away

Just before the New Year's bells rang, someone who was both expected and unexpected came to visit.

"Ding-dong... Ding-dong..."

The doorbell interrupted the family of three who were watching TV in the living room.

Wen's mother glanced around, wondering who would come at this hour. She got up and walked towards the door, asking as she went, "Who is it?"

"I'm here to apologize on behalf of my son."

As the door opened, Mr. Chen stood there with gifts in hand, a kind smile on his face: "I thought I made this decision only when I had the chance, but I never imagined he had deceived me so deeply..."

"You don't need to say anything more. We don't need the gifts. You can leave now." Wen's mother's expression changed as soon as she saw him. Before this, Aunt Lin had told her the news after things were over.

She and Wen's father already knew about this, but since Wen Zhuyao acted as if nothing had happened, they assumed she didn't know.

I was afraid of upsetting her, so I kept quiet about it.

Hearing the commotion, Wen's father got up and went to the door, saying to the surprised Wen Zhuyao, "Go back to your room. Your parents are here outside, it'll be fine."

"Okay, then I'll go in." Wen Zhuyao didn't say anything, her eyes swept over everyone before she quickly looked away and walked into the room.

When Mr. Chen saw her, he wanted to say, "I've really come to apologize..."

“We don’t need it. Take your things and leave. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other. No one owes anyone anything.” Mr. Wen stepped forward and blocked his view.

Mr. Chen felt that this was too much and wanted to soften the blow: "I know it was my son's mistake, but I'm willing to make amends. We missed out on such a good child."

"Besides him, there are Chen Yan's older and younger brothers of the same age..."

At this moment, Wen's mother's pent-up anger exploded: "Is my daughter so desperate to get married? If one doesn't work out, she'll move on to the next one."

"Do you think my daughter is a commodity with a price tag? If this person doesn't buy her, the next person will. You can always buy her back, right?" Her voice made the stairwell lights, which had been turned off, turn back on.

Mr. Chen hurriedly explained, "That's not what I meant..."

"I don't care what you mean, get out of here right now." Mrs. Wen threw his gifts out, pushed him out, and closed the door.

Mr. Chen stumbled as the door closed right in front of him. Ignoring the gifts, he rushed forward and pounded on the door.

“We know each other so well, we know each other inside and out. I really like this child, and I really want our two families to be able to get together.” He said while knocking on the door.

At his command, the door opened.

This time, only Wen's father met with him. He wanted to consider their years of working relationship, but his words made it hard for anyone to keep that sentiment in mind.

What do you mean by that?

Mr. Chen honestly said, "I just really like this child, I want him..."

"You like this child? Do you even believe that yourself? When my parents-in-law were alive, didn't you and your father love to gossip about my wife's sister?"

"Do you think that just because this little bit of information can't get out, nothing will happen?" Father Wen's anger, which he had suppressed for twenty years, finally erupted.

"You're all the same age, and after you finished talking about Lin Jing, you turned around and started talking about my daughter. Do you think I don't know?"

"Chen Cheng, why does your family have to go against our family? You're always picking on us. You're so happy that an elder agrees with you, you're completely absorbed in it, aren't you?"

Speechless at these words, Chen's father's anger flared: "Wen Feng, you..."

"What do you mean, 'you'? Get out and don't let me see you again." Before he could finish speaking, Wen's father closed the door.

Mr. Chen wanted to question them loudly, but someone from next door came out and waited for the elevator in the hallway.

He awkwardly shut his mouth. Fortunately, there was a separate entrance space so that people outside wouldn't be able to see him. He waited silently for the others to come down.

He lost the will to argue and, trembling, picked up the scattered gifts.

Back home, looking at the empty house, Chen Cheng sat on the sofa and started smoking one cigarette after another.

"bite……"

His phone screen lit up, and when he picked it up, he saw a message from his son.

Chen Yan: "We'll spend a little money and lose a little face, and settle our score for the past 26 years."

"Do you hate me that much?" Chen Cheng dialed his number again and again in disbelief, but he always received the same message.

"Your call is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later..."

Chen Cheng angrily picked up the ashtray and smashed it on the ground, then started rambling on and on.

He recounted his bitterness, his resentment, and his suffering.

Chen Yan: "You have no gratitude for my birth, but how much gratitude do you have for raising me? I have already paid you back the money. You talk about feelings, do you have any?"

One sentence made Chen Cheng pause.

"Your parents are loving and affectionate. I would laugh if I heard about your situation. My mother supports this family all by herself, and all your money goes to your brothers, uncles, and aunts."

“What money have I ever spent on you? My mother has put up with you for so many years, and with my grandfather for so many years, through verbal abuse, all kinds of belittling and emotional abuse.” Chen Yan took a deep breath in the ward, and his eyes quickly reddened.

"I owe my success to you guys. Don't you find that ridiculous? I'm glad my mom ran away early, to a place you can't find."

Chen Yan: "You still have to pretend to be a loving couple in public, making up all sorts of excuses."

Chen Yan: "Hypocritical and shameless."

After sending the last message, he put down his phone and leaned back in his chair, exhausted.

"What's wrong? Is there trouble again?" A weak voice came from the side.

Chen Yan quickly composed himself and said, "It's okay, Ayu, everything's over. Did I move too much and wake you up?"

"Are you cold? How are you feeling?"

Hearing his concern, Su Yu smiled, slowly sat up, and said, "It's okay, don't be so nervous, as if I don't have long to live."

"Don't say that. We'll be together forever, always. Everything will be alright from now on." Chen Yan moved closer and helped her lean against him.

Su Yu nodded: "Everything will be alright from now on."

...

"What do you think of this kind of plot? Rebelling against family and running towards happiness." Chi Nuo held up her tablet and showed Wen Zhuyao the movie she had just discovered.

Wen Zhuyao pondered the package placed in the center of the table and shook her head: "It's a very normal plot, but who gave this to me?"

"There's not a single message, but the phone number, name, and address are all correct."

The package next to her, neither too big nor too small, was a package sent by Mo Wen. She had signed for it at the door while she was out renewing her ID card.

When she returned, Wen's mother pointed to a package and said to her, "I left your phone number with the courier, and the uncle who runs your post station brought me two packages, one of which is yours."

"I remember taking mine, it's still in my room." Wen Zhuyao remembered that she didn't buy anything else.

Wen's mother was also puzzled and said, "Then I don't know. Why don't you take it inside and take a look?"

"All right."

It wasn't until Chi Nuo came to her with a movie and played a captivating clip that she found out.

Chi Nuo pondered for a moment, then stroked his chin and said, "Then why don't you open it and take a look? Maybe you just forgot."

"Here are the scissors, let's take a look together," she said quickly, familiarly taking out a small knife from the drawer used for opening packages and handing it to him. "If you're scared, how about I do it?"

Seeing how enthusiastic she was, Wen Zhuyao made way for her, saying, "You come on, I'll watch from the side."

"Okay." She agreed quickly, and her hands moved just as fast.

The intact delivery box was opened, and the contents were clearly exposed on the surface. Apart from the shock-absorbing foam, there was no extra packaging.

The moment Wen Zhuyao saw the contents of the package, she guessed who had sent it.

"Wow, wedding invitations, wedding favors, and wedding candy!" Chi Nuo looked at the items and read them aloud one by one. She reached out and picked up the invitation on top.

Before it was even opened, another letter was revealed underneath.

Wen Zhuyao took the letter first and said, "Take a look at it first, and we'll open the others later."

"Hello."

"I am Su Yu."

"Thank you. Due to health reasons, I was unable to thank you in person, so I can only take this opportunity to express my belated gratitude."

Su Yu chewed on her pen under the lamp, with Chen Yan beside her, watching her hesitate as she continued writing.

“I grew up in another city, and when I asked Chen Yan, he didn’t know either, so I don’t know if sending you these things before the New Year will cause any problems.”

Su Yu paused for a moment, then continued writing: "I just want to thank you, and then..."

"wrong."

She accidentally drew a vertical line on the paper, ruining it. She then picked up a new one and wrote something new on it.

"I just want to thank you, and I think your help needs to show results. I've been feeling much better lately, and I have the time and energy to do my daily things."

I also wanted to send you my blessings.

May you have a smooth and healthy life, and may we grow old together and never be apart.

After reading the letter, Wen Zhuyao felt as if she had met Su Yu again, and it was still the same feeling as when they were in school, with nothing changed.

"Is this your previous plan? It's kind of touching. Tell me about it." Chi Nuo, who had also read the whole thing, poked her shoulder.

After poking around, Chi Nuo realized what she had done and paused the conversation: "Let's look at these first, and then you can tell me more."

"Really? I'd like to tell you first. It's a very happy story." Wen Zhuyao teased her deliberately, reaching out to close the box.

Chi Nuo pressed her hand down and said anxiously, "Please, let's take a look, let's take a look first."

"Alright then." She pulled her hand back, gesturing for Chi Nuo to come and see what interested her. Inside was a large box, two small boxes, and a candy box.

Chi Nuo opened the invitation first, but the layout she had imagined didn't appear. "Are they that humorous?"

A small piece of paper, with the following written on it.

"I'm sending it in advance. We're not planning to get married anytime soon; it's mainly for mailing letters."

"Su Yu felt that just sending a letter wasn't sincere enough, and buying something on purpose would be hard for you to accept. After thinking it over, she chose this method."

"We don't know when we'll choose a date; it could be this year, next year, three years from now, or five years from now. So even if we want to invite you then, you might not have time."

"It's perfect timing, so I'm sending it to you now as a way of... repaying you in a difficult way."

"Thank you."

Chi Nuo handed the invitation to Wen Zhuyao and continued looking at the other items, including a box of wedding candies filled with things that young people like to eat.

There were two smaller boxes, one containing a skincare set and the other a perfume.

The larger box contained a set of cosmetics.

At the very end of the box was a handwritten card, which Chi Nuo picked up and handed to Wen Zhuyao as before.

May your wishes come true and may peace prevail year after year.