Chapter 60 Identification

"Girls, are you guys still short of people for your club? Would you take in a heartbroken beautiful college student?" After putting a sheet of facial mask on her face, You Ran sighed. "I thought I'd be able to see all the handsome guys in the drama club, but it turns out newcomers are only responsible for making props and setting the stage. I'm always hanging around backstage, covered in dust and dirt. I've never done any housework at home!"

The pillow glanced at her and said, "This is called being blinded by lust."

"Then I'll ask the president, or you can join the literature club. Our club activities are quite relaxing, just reading sessions." Jiang Yao suggested friendly.

You Ran refused without a second thought, "I'm too boisterous and can't sit still. When it comes to club activities, Wanmei's is the easiest, and the president is pretty!"

Suddenly being called, Chen Wan shifted his attention from the game rules manual and met everyone's curious gazes. "My club activity is playing games."

She spread out the blueprints. "Have you ever played Monopoly?"

You Ran blinked, "No, you and Senior Yi Wan are just playing games together, right? He's a very handsome guy with a top-notch finance department!"

Chen Wan turned around and continued studying the rules of the game, nonchalantly answering her, "Once you meet him in person, you won't be so blindly worshipful."

Upon hearing this, You Ran patted the mask off her face, hummed twice, and pulled a chair to sit next to Chen Wan. "Wanmei, tell me honestly, do you have someone in your heart?"

She was always good at switching topics about love. Chen Wan slowly raised his eyes to look at her, smiling helplessly.

But he couldn't refute it. After a moment's hesitation, he nodded and said, "Yes, but does this have anything to do with our president?"

It was rare to hear Chen Wan admit his feelings so directly. After exchanging a glance, You Ran, Bao Zhen, and Jiang Yao were all stunned. Then, they came to their senses and exclaimed, "You really have someone you like!"

"Yeah." She didn't shy away from the topic, speaking sincerely, "It's my first love."

You Ran suddenly slammed the table and stood up, saying passionately, "I've decided. Our topic of conversation tonight is love!"

The pillow snorted, "You keep saying that phrase every day. I'm tired of hearing it."

"Today we're going to talk about first love, which ranks number one among female college students' nighttime chat topics!" You Ran pulled three facial masks from her makeup box and tossed them to the girls. "Come on, girls, let's talk freely while we take care of our skin."

The other three people thought that they would be foolish not to take advantage of the opportunity, so they all put on the facial masks obediently and responded to You Ran's enthusiasm.

The lights are off, a good time for a night chat.

You Ran lowered her voice, trying to contain her excitement. "Let's start with the most low-key young lady in our dormitory. This is the first time I've heard her say that she has someone she likes!"

The four girls in the dormitory have been living together day and night for more than a month, so their relationship has become much closer.

Chen Wan's inner alienation had long been melted away by her friends' enthusiasm, and she was no longer averse to showing her emotions in front of everyone.

"Wanmei, please tell us what kind of person you like is like. I'm so curious. You may not know that your classmates nicknamed you Gaolingzhihua."

Chen Wan raised his eyebrows slightly, surprised by the term "flower from the high mountain".

"Is he handsome? Is he tall? How long have you known each other?" You Ran asked questions in rapid succession.

When the cool mask is applied on the face, it feels like a layer of thin snow in a warm room.

Chen Wan closed her eyes and began to recall the story of her and Lin Yu. Their first meeting also happened in winter.

The winter mornings were quiet, with only the patter of falling snow.

The weather was cold, and the hot air exhaled condensed into mist, blending with the white snow scene.

Lin Yu sat at the breakfast stall in the alley, his elbows resting on his knees, his legs crossed, drinking soy milk contentedly.

The clear sunlight outlines his sharp features, adding a touch of softness.

She didn't mean to pass by at that time, but Lin Yu called her very naturally.

When I turned around, I saw him smiling and raising his eyebrows, "Chen Wan, come and have breakfast."

Every morning after that, she would sit with him and have breakfast, like some kind of established habit.

Because of Lin Yu, the long and dark alley finally saw a ray of light.

"We have known each other for nine months and fourteen days. He is my neighbor. He is tall and handsome, and he has little canine teeth when he smiles."

"He's eight years older than me, but he can be very childish sometimes, like an eight-year-old."

"I have a good personality, I love eating, I hate wasting food, I'm very serious at work, but I always stay up late."

"I like to talk about life's meaningless truths, I nag intermittently, I brag from time to time, I'm not very good at lying, and I can't walk if I see a cat or dog on the street."

She smiled, recalling Lin Yu's drooping eyes and pupils as clear as an autumn lake.

After meeting him, Chen Wan would always think of the summer or early autumn in the twenty-four solar terms, which were both hot and mild.

"It seems like you really like him. Have you confessed?" After You Ran asked, Baozhen and Jiang Yao nodded frantically. "Wanwan, did you tell him?"

Confess, tell the person you like, and express your feelings.

She said that Lin Yu was a ray of light in her chaotic life.

Because of him, I felt kindness, understood gentleness, and tried to reconcile with the outside world.

But Lin Yu said that his appearance was just an accident, and she would meet more and better people in the days to come.

Life is like the ocean, and the short and hurried youth is just an insignificant wave.

"He said I wasn't mature enough and that I should grow up for myself instead of just looking at someone and following their lead. If I did that, I would always be a child."

Jiang Yao thought of the man Chen Wan mentioned who was eight years older than him and sighed softly, "I can understand you. The man I like is also a few years older than me. He is very gentle and he has many concerns because he doesn't want to hurt me. But his indecision has hurt me a long time ago."

Hearing this, You Ran comforted everyone, "Don't be sad, my dears. Although the person I like is not very mature and cannot empathize with me, I can talk about my brother's affairs."

"My brother and his girlfriend have been together since college and have been in love for eight years, but they haven't gotten married yet. He said that loving someone is a lifelong thing, so you have to make a lot of preparations."

"He said that in the adult world, there are too many things we have to do, too many considerations to weigh, and too many truths to comprehend. But no matter how many truths we learn, they all end up in a sigh."

"If you think too deeply, you'll overdraw certain emotions, and in the end you'll find that unreasonable people are the happiest."

"That's why adults are so exhausted. They don't even dare to believe in love because they are used to being alone. They think falling in love means bringing another person into their own lonely world and suffering."

Who doesn’t desire perfect love and is willing to spend their entire life searching for it?

Love is so good, the only one who doesn’t deserve it is me, an ordinary person.

"So, Wanmei, if you really like him, I believe that person must know it. After all, only sincerity can be exchanged for true love."

After You Ran finished speaking, she tore off the mask and sighed, "I'm about to cry. I need to put on another eye mask."

"By the way, where's your first love story, pillow?"

Hearing this, Baozhu hesitated for a long time, with a hint of excitement in his tone, "Do you really want to hear it?"

"Speak freely, everyone is welcome!"

"Well, let me tell you, my first love was a boy with superpowers. He wasn't good at talking, had a round mushroom head, and was very cute." Baozhuo stared at his Weibo profile picture with a happy smile. "I loved watching him exorcise ghosts the most. He had little red dimples on his face."

The other three were completely confused. "What superpowers? What dimples?"

"Oh, my first love was a 2D paper man. As the saying goes: men are better made of paper."

“…”

After a while, the voice of the dormitory manager came from outside, "Lights out! If anyone talks again, we'll deduct dormitory discipline points!"

The four of them looked at each other in silence for a while, then quietly went to the bathroom to wash their faces.

Everyone looked at themselves in the mirror, remembered what the pillow had just said, and covered their mouths and laughed.

......

After fastening his seat belt, Zhang Mo patted the passenger seat and said, "Brother, I'll drive you on your way in my new car today."

Lin Yu rolled his eyes at him and asked, "Can you change your words to something better?"

"Hehe." Zhang Mo smiled maliciously, his eyes were empty and bright, "I'll help you chase your wife."

Lin Yu's hand on the car window control button paused because of his words. The glass window was rolled down and the cool autumn breeze drifted into the car.

"The little octopus is getting more and more talkative!" Qiao Yue leaned forward from the back seat, and the little Fifteen in her arms leaned forward, and her soft little hands grabbed the loose hair on the back of Lin Yu's neck.

Qiao Yue smiled and said, "Junior brother, you see, my little Fifteen is reluctant to let you go."

Lin Yu leaned back and raised his hand to hold Xiao Shiwu's chubby paw, finally freeing his hair. "Isn't Brother-in-law Yuan coming?"

"He's a little busy this morning and can't come. Let's meet up in Central Park later. It's been a while since we had a picnic."

Zhang Mo turned the steering wheel, took a detour, and drove onto the airport highway. "Yes, Sister Yue's grilled chicken wings are amazing. When you retire, remember to come to my shop and become a grill master."

The two of them were chatting and laughing while discussing the picnic, while Lin Yu looked depressed.

"Is my leaving South City such a cause for celebration?"

"Brother, you're overthinking this. We're celebrating for you because you've finally gotten over your longing for me. I've been so worn out over the past month." Zhang Mo said as he reached out to open the drawer under the dashboard and handed Lin Yu a men's skincare set. "It's a gift from a sponsor. It's very useful. You're going to meet your girlfriend, so you need to be more energetic. Do you think you can compare to the young guys in college?"

Qiao Yue nodded, agreeing with him, "That's right, especially that guy named Yi Wan. As the saying goes, don't be afraid of the worst, just be afraid of Yi Wan!"

Zhang Mo turned around and gave her a thumbs-up with a smile, "Sister Yue is really an expert in languages!"

Lin Yu: “…”

It's just a common saying, it's complete nonsense.

But he still took the suit, turned his head slightly, glanced at the rearview mirror, vaguely saw the light blue under his eye sockets, and subconsciously raised his hand to rub it.

After arriving at the airport and passing through security, Lin Yu carried his suitcase to the waiting room to wait for boarding.

He turned around and saw Zhang Mo, Qiao Yue, and Xiao Shiwu all waving and saying goodbye to him with a smile.

The nine months since I returned to South City have gone by, from the snowy winter to the breezy autumn.

He embarked on a new path and felt love again.

As time passed, Lin Yu finally let go of his worries and decided to go find the little girl whose smile was as curved as the clear moon.

......

When we arrived in Linbei, it was noon and the airport was bustling with people.

As soon as he walked into the airport lobby, he received a call from his mother, "Yuzi, we're waiting for you at Gate 3."

He walked to Gate 3 with his suitcase and saw his parents with smiling faces.

Father Lin walked forward, put his arm around his shoulders and hugged him, "You're back, it's good to be back."

"If it weren't for the transfer, I think you would have only gone home during the Chinese New Year." Lin's mother pretended to be angry and patted Lin Yu's head.

Lin Yu hurriedly raised his hand to smooth his hair and glanced at her, "Mom, can't you be a little less strong?"

"Oh, you're quite a particular person."

The family was talking and laughing as they were planning to go home. Lin Yu's cousin Liu Ya contacted Lin's mother and told her that their family had prepared a welcoming banquet for Lin Yu.

As soon as he changed his shoes after entering the door, he looked up and saw his little niece Zhou Xixi smiling slyly.

"Little cousin, hey, welcome to the Hongmen Banquet." The little girl said and ran away.

Hearing the hidden meaning in her words, Lin Yu suddenly remembered the marriage amulet his mother had sent him before, and his heart skipped a beat.

"Lin Yu, come in quickly, why are you standing at the door?"

Lin Yu smiled awkwardly and agreed, "Okay."

After the meal was served and the elders toasted each other for a few rounds, the topic shifted from career to marriage for the younger generation.

Everyone looked at him, and their gazes fell on Lin Yu, the only bachelor at the table.

His eyes were sharp as torches, he just buried his head in eating rice, and caught a glimpse of Zhou Xixi who was laughing with gloating eyes.

Just when he was about to ask questions, his cousin's gentle words urging marriage came along with a piece of his favorite braised pork ribs.

"Lin Yu, during the Chinese New Year, I found you a great girl from our unit. She's so pretty, but unfortunately you were busy going back to South City at the time, so you didn't get to meet her."

Lin Yu poked the ribs, felt a lump in his throat, and said with a dry laugh, "Sister, I don't need a sister."

When the elders heard his words, they laughed out loud, "Yuzai, this idea is really simple!"

Lin Yu smiled and said, "Well, I have to report to the bureau this afternoon, so I'll leave now. Enjoy your meal, everyone."

He started to clean up the dishes, eager to get his feet wet, but was stopped by his quick-witted cousin. "Don't worry, take a look at the photos first, and I'll give you a brief introduction."

Lin's father and mother also nodded and said they could take a look.

Lin Yu sat down helplessly, finally understanding the meaning of Xixi's words about the Hongmen Banquet. He was now a fish on the chopping board.

The cousin was introducing his younger sister at work to him with great enthusiasm, and when she looked up, she saw that Lin Yu's eyes were fixed on the void, and his thoughts had already wandered somewhere else.

"Brother, if you are not satisfied with this, I know someone else, my colleague's sister..."

How come another one showed up? Lin Yu raised his eyebrows, took a long breath, and was about to speak out, "Sister, you really don't have to worry about finding a partner for me, because I have already chosen someone."

When these words were spoken, everyone was shocked.

Father Lin pushed up his thin-framed glasses, exchanged glances with Mother Lin, and quickly asked, "When did this happen?"

"It happened in South City." Lin Yu raised his hand and stroked his neck. He felt a little embarrassed to say this in front of a large table of relatives and elders.

Just as he was about to explain, he saw Zhou Xixi pick up his phone screen and exclaimed, "Wow, little cousin, is this my aunt?"

After he cropped the photo the day before yesterday, he thought Chen Wan looked particularly beautiful when she smiled, so he set it as his wallpaper.

A large group of relatives gathered around the table and passed the photos around.

Lin's mother tugged at his shirt hem under the table and said, "Why didn't you tell us earlier? This is so embarrassing for your cousin."

Lin Yu looked at his cousin who was smiling like a flower, but he didn't notice her embarrassment.

He leaned closer to his mother and whispered, "It's mainly still a work in progress."

"I just haven't gotten her yet!" Lin's mother raised her voice a few notches, and then remembered something, "Is this the neighbor girl who cooks delicious food you mentioned?"

Lin Yu was surprised by his mother's sharpness.

"You're my son, how could I not understand you?" Lin's mother snorted and asked him, "Did you eat and drink too much in front of the little girl and scare others?"

His mother actually thought in this way. Lin Yu didn't know what to feel for a moment.

It seems like I'm just a walking rice bowl.

The biggest gap between him and Chen Wan is the age difference. Although the Lin family's family style is not strict, it is also quite sophisticated.

If we discuss this now, I guess the elders at the table will drag him aside and scold him until New Year's Eve.

So he said vaguely, "Anyway, I have already decided on her, and the target must be her, so you can relax."

After finally calming down the turmoil at the dinner table, he was just about to breathe a sigh of relief when he received a call from Zhou Zongqi.

After hearing the content clearly, his thick eyebrows were tightly clustered, and the lines at the end of his eyes became much sharper. "Okay, I will report to the police station immediately."