13. Iberian Suite - Seville

Why didn't you tell me?

Less than two weeks after Liang's father returned, Liang Chuling's irritability had already accumulated to the point that she didn't want to go home for dinner.

She was startled by her own thoughts, wondering if she was no different from her parents...

They've been blinded by the outside world and don't want to go home all day.

But not going home was just too much fun, Liang Chuling thought: I don't want to be a good girl anymore! I was never a good person to begin with!

Not wanting to be a good child, Liang Chuling started making excuses not to go home for dinner. The reasons were all easy to come up with: extra classes at school, discussing problems with classmates, needing to look up music information, extra practice with Teacher Li...

There are countless excuses for not going home for dinner.

The only real place he went instead of going home for dinner was to find Li Xun.

Initially, I didn't intend to trouble Li Xun, since Liang Chuling attributed this to family matters, and events caused by family influences naturally fall under the category of family matters as well.

Li Xun's friend abroad bought him something, but didn't know his home address, so he filled in his school address on the shopping app.

It was almost 10 p.m. when Li Xun went out to pick up a package from a parcel locker near the school. After getting the package, he called a car. Across the street, in a convenience store, Liang Chuling sat in the glass window facing the street—Liang Chuling was reflected in the glass window, and then in Li Xun's eyes.

Separated by three worlds, it seems vast and boundless.

The stars in the sky are indifferent, but the oden soup in front of me is heartwarming.

Liang Chuling was drinking the purine soup while flipping through the sheet music beside her when Li Xun knocked on the glass.

She looked up and saw Li Xun looking at her with smiling eyes.

As if possessed, Liang Chuling raised the glass of purine soup and toasted Li Xun through the glass.

In Li Xun's view, the cup of soup was raised to her eyes, covering one eye and the other was vaguely visible. "Cheers," he said.

The glass once again reflected the image of two teenagers sitting side by side.

"Why are you still wandering around outside so late?" Liang Chuling preemptively asked.

"Why are you still eating out so late?" Li Xun took her glass of soup and wouldn't let her drink any more. He paid the bill and bought her a bottle of yogurt, then opened it for her.

Liang Chuling took it: "I don't want to go home. My dad recently went home to stay, didn't you know that?"

Li Xun recalled the first time he met Liang's father, just like now, separated by a pane of glass for a second, witnessing his absurd affair.

Now, if someone who knows them were to pass by and see them through the glass, they would probably find it absurd that they would sit here so late at night instead of going home.

Liang Chuling, perhaps thinking of this as well, took out wet wipes from her bag—some of which Li Xun had put in there for her before—and handed one to him, saying, "Wipe yourself clean; you knocked on the glass just now." She knew he was a clean freak.

Li Xun took the fingers and wiped them one by one, asking, "You haven't been home these past few days?"

Liang Chuling was confused: "Yeah, I'll go home at 11 o'clock, my dad will be asleep by then."

Before Li Xun arrived, she hadn't looked at the table carefully. Only now did she notice a potted plant in the corner of the table. She pointed at it and said, "What kind of plant is that? I want to grow something too, but everything I try to grow dies."

"Green Ivy." Li Xun didn't want to continue the topic at all, but he had to answer every question. After answering quickly, he immediately pulled back to the main path, "Then why didn't you tell me that it wasn't safe for you to be out there alone?"

“What’s unsafe about it? I’ve been sitting in the convenience store the whole time, doing my homework and studying sheet music. There are security cameras here, so it’s safe.”

"Why didn't you tell me?" Li Xun didn't let go of the first half of Liang Chuling's unanswered question and asked it again.

At the end of April, a cold wind brought news of spring, but spring did not come.

He felt a little unhappy. Before, she would come to him for even the smallest things. How long had Liang Chuling been alone on such a cold night? Why didn't she tell him?

We were in class together the day before yesterday, but I didn't talk to him during class.

Li Xun recalled that after class, he had urged Liang Chuling to go home quickly because it was going to rain.

Liang Chuling reluctantly agreed and, carrying her bag, was seen off from the small building.

After leaving the small building, was this how she found a convenience store, and waited alone for the rain to come and for it to stop?

Once again, Li Xun felt heartbroken.

“You have your own things to do too. Time is precious, so don’t waste it. I haven’t wasted it either. Don’t just look at me sitting here. I’ve done my homework, memorized sheet music, and even practiced my fingering.”

As Liang Chuling spoke, she placed her ten fingers on the dining table in front of her, demonstrating to Li Xun that she could actually practice finger techniques here.

I originally wanted to say that these were family matters and it was not appropriate to talk to Li Xun about them, but then I realized that from the very beginning, I was the one who had actively dragged Li Xun into my family affairs.

When he was needed, he was always there without hesitation; when he was no longer needed, he made it clear that he didn't care. Liang Chuling couldn't bring herself to say it.

Besides, do I really not need him...?

"Yes, so I won't waste it. I can do my homework, memorize music, and learn vocabulary outside, and I can even do some creative work."

As Li Xun spoke, he pulled out a recording device from his pocket and waved it, as if to remind Liang Chuling that he really could keep his word. Liang Chuling had listened to all the audio diaries he had recorded.

Liang Chuling felt a little more at ease. So she recounted her journey, how she wanted to escape her family, and how she wandered around day and night. After she finished speaking, she even criticized herself, as if she was being disobedient.

“In the classical Chinese text of the Chinese textbook, ‘乖’ means to go against, differ from, be abnormal, or not go smoothly. ‘乖’ means to deviate from one’s nature. You are now following your nature, which is very good. You truly deserve to be called a little genius. You’re amazing.” Li Xun smiled at her, propping his head up with his hand.

Liang Chuling was now immune to his praise, and upon hearing it, she patted her chest, looking very proud.

From that day on, their nighttime activities became a regular occurrence.

Liang Chuling isn't going home for dinner, fine, then Li Xun won't be eating at home either.

The two sometimes met in Li Chi's music room, but Li Chi was often elusive and rarely seen.

Holding her takeout, Liang Chuling shoveled food into her mouth while complaining, "My dad actually wants to teach me how to play the piano, but he can't even read all the sheet music! He said my playing wasn't passionate enough. Does he even know what passion is?"

Li Xun sat down next to her and nodded: "He doesn't understand. Eat slowly, you're getting rice grains on your face. You should also eat some vegetables."

Sometimes when they don't want to go to the music room, the two of them will find a convenience store and occupy a corner.

When Liang Chuling encountered a math problem she couldn't solve, she would push her notebook toward Li Xun and ask, "Can you do it?"

Li Xun scribbled and drew on the draft paper. His explanation of the problem was clear and logical.

"Li Xun, if you can't become a pianist in the future, you can become a teacher," Liang Chuling sincerely suggested.

Li Xun pushed the draft paper filled with calculations back to her: "Thanks for the plan. I don't have that in mind for now."

The two would also visit Li Xun's house.

Liang Chuling glanced at the food delivery app: "I'm tired of all the food that can be delivered nearby."

Li Xun put away his phone: "Let me see what's in the refrigerator."

Liang Chuling perked up: "You can cook?"

"I won't starve." After saying that, he turned and went into the kitchen.

Liang Chuling was curious, so she sneaked to the kitchen doorway to peek inside, and became completely absorbed in watching.

She had never seen her father cook, and her mother never lifted a finger in the kitchen. This scene of "someone cooking for you" was so novel to her.

"What are you looking at?" Li Xun asked without turning his head.

Liang Chuling was startled: "Check if you've poisoned it!"

Li Xun chuckled and ignored her.

Half an hour later, two bowls of tomato and egg noodles were brought to the table.

He remembered Liang Chuling complaining that the tomato and egg dish at her school cafeteria was sweet, which was simply outrageous!

Liang Chuling was so indignant that Li Xun didn't dare to say that he actually preferred sweet things...

Anyway, I made something special for her that suits her taste today.

Liang Chuling took a bite and exclaimed, "Li Xun, with your skills, you could open a shop!"

Li Xun sat opposite him: "Exaggeration. Just make do with this."

From then on, going to Li Xun's house for a meal became a regular occurrence for Liang Chuling. She discovered that Li Xun could cook quite a few dishes, so she started ordering food.

I want to eat sweet and sour pork ribs tomorrow!

"Um."

"Could you make me a stir-fried beef dish? Not too spicy."

"good."

"I also want to eat pickled fish."

“Liang Chuling,” Li Xun finally interrupted her, “I’m not a turtle in a wishing well.”

Liang Chuling laughed heartily, completely oblivious to her own amusement, and instead found it amusing: "Then what are you?"

Li Xun said expressionlessly, "I am the sinner who killed you, you pig, in my past life, alright?"

The story originates from an incident where Li Xun was explaining a math problem to Liang Chuling, repeating it several times. Liang Chuling, feeling a little embarrassed, said, "Our teacher said that he was a pig butcher in his past life and is a teacher in this life."

Li Xun didn't know how to respond to that, so he could only probe: "You mean you were a pig in your past life?"

Liang Chuling: ...

These nights lasted for nearly two weeks.

She spent her days shuttling between school and the music room, and her nights hanging out with Li Xun.

Doing homework, chatting about music, eating his cooking, or simply doing our own things and sharing a quiet time.

Being with Li Xun, even if you do nothing, time flies by, like a minuet.

One day, as usual, she dawdled until almost eleven o'clock before returning home. The living room was brightly lit, and Ms. Ma was sitting alone on the sofa, hugging a cushion, with a glass of red wine in front of her. She looked relieved and was waiting for her daughter.

"You're back?" Mrs. Ma waved to her when she saw her.

Liang Chuling changed her shoes, answered, and asked, "Where's my dad?"

"He's gone. He got a phone call this afternoon and left in a hurry, saying there was an emergency at the Southern Branch and he had to go on a long trip." Ms. Ma stood up and walked towards Liang Chuling, her face flushed, whether from the alcohol or her mood, it was hard to tell. "A few days ago, he was already on his phone all the time and would sneak off to the rooftop for half an hour every night. You got home late and missed him."

I truly feel sorry for Liang Chuling for missing out on that fun scene.

She pulled her daughter toward the dressing room, saying, "I bet there's someone new here. We've finally gotten over this hardship. Let's celebrate. Mom bought you some new clothes."

Liang Chuling was pulled along, looking at her mother's beautiful and joyful face, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

The complicated part is that before this, her father had talked to her and said, "Daddy will spend more time with you in the future."

The complicated part is that she did feel a sense of relief and clear-headedness. But should she be happy?

The mother's genuine smile celebrating her husband's renewed infidelity felt utterly absurd, and her throat tightened.

So this is how ironic sincerity can be. Liang Chuling thought to herself in amazement.

So, is my sincerity also such an irony? Liang Chuling stirred things up in her heart.

"Chuling, do you still want your father to return to the family?" Madam Ma seemed to know what her daughter was grappling with, but wanted to break through the entanglement and return to simplicity.

In the past, Liang Chuling might have answered yes without hesitation. She longed for nominal completeness.

But now, I just can't bring myself to say the word "want".

As time goes by, the expectations we had before seem ridiculous.

She did not answer.

Ms. Ma sighed softly, stood up, reached out and patted her shoulder gently, as if coaxing a small child: "Baby, remember, whoever is in pain should change. Mommy isn't in pain, so Mommy doesn't need to change."

Liang Chuling looked up at Madam Ma, just as Madam Ma winked at her.

For no reason, she remembered Li Xun's words again: "Being obedient is against one's nature."

The next day, Ms. Ma packed her bags with great enthusiasm, ready to embark on her next journey.

The house has returned to "normal".

Liang Chuling no longer needs to waste time outside. She can go home on time to eat Aunt Zhang's cooking, and practice in her own music room until late at night without worrying about care and guidance.

She regained her freedom, but felt a void in her heart.

That evening, she sat at her desk in her room, but couldn't concentrate on reading a single word. She touched the jade pendant around her neck.

Those nights are over.

There was no need for Li Xun to continue accompanying him.

Liang Chu felt a sense of loss.

If Liang's father's departure meant losing Li Xun's companionship, she didn't know if she would still be willing to trade her current life for it.

She opened her chat window with Li Xun, but didn't know what to send.

Ask him what he's doing? It's too deliberate.

They're saying my dad's gone? There doesn't seem to be any need to notify him.

Asking if she wants to have dinner together again tomorrow makes it seem like she can't live without him.

Life is tough.