Chapter 184 Feeding the Little Glutton

On the way down the mountain, it was still just her and him.

The police had already driven away, and Jiang Zhou was slowly following behind them in his Maybach with the front end wrecked.

Meng Jiuyi was still being carried on his back, lying on his body with her arms around his shoulders, her soft body feeling as if it had finally found its place.

On the sun-drenched mountain path, the gentle breeze caressed them.

Her gaze fell on his chin, and she paused slightly.

"Tan Yuchen, you hurt your chin."

When Tan Yuchen stepped on the gas and hit Xu Yungan, it was clearly out of personal grudge. When the airbags deployed, his jaw was bruised from the impact.

Meng Jiuyi raised her hand and gently stroked his chin. Tan Yuchen held her hand and placed a light kiss on her palm.

"It's just a minor injury. Are you hungry after a long day?"

Meng Jiuyi inhaled the scent of his neck, feeling so at ease, she murmured.

"I don't want to eat."

Tan Yuchen asked, "Don't you want to eat cake?" She loves to show off her sweetness when she's in a bad mood.

"In no mood."

"chocolate?"

"...I don't really want to."

"I don't really want to, but I do want to a little," Tan Yuchen said, hooking his arms around her legs. "Check my left pocket, there's a surprise in there."

No one can resist a surprise. Meng Jiuyi reached into his bag and rummaged around; there were all sorts of candies and chocolates.

She was taken aback. "How did you come to know how to store these?"

Tan Yuchen said casually, "Always ready to feed the little glutton."

"...I'm not."

Even so, she unwrapped the candy and put the chocolate in her mouth. The faint bitterness was mixed with a hint of sweetness, but in the end, the bitterness prevailed.

The journey there was completely different on the way back. On the slow, long mountain path, brown grass roots were hidden under the hard soil, waiting to sprout and grow next spring.

Everything has a source, and after taking her revenge, she was like a floating duckweed, the emptiness pulling her straight down.

She slowly closed her eyes and leaned on his shoulder.

"Don't worry, you can't just do one thing in your life."

Tan Yuchen seemed to know what she was thinking, "If President Meng really has nothing to do for the time being, why don't you consider me?"

"...Is there anything you need to do?"

“First of all,” Tan Yuchen said in a drawn-out tone, “I’ll put a piece of candy in my mouth.”

Meng Jiuyi had completely forgotten that she was eating alone.

She did as instructed.

Tan Yuchen's mouth was full of the taste of mints, and he said seriously, "I'm a scaredy-cat. I tend to wake up in the middle of the night when I see scary things, and I end up screaming and going crazy. I probably won't be sleeping well these days. I'll have to trouble you, President Meng, to comfort me before I go to sleep. My sleep is in your hands now."

It took Meng Jiuyi a moment to realize that he was referring to the moment when Gao Xianyue died.

But how come he's never seen anything like this before? He even went so far as to stab someone.

She pouted slightly.

"And then what?"

"Finally, take Aunt Zhang out in the stroller to get some sunshine more often."

Meng Jiuyi was taken aback.

“You know, I’m completely different from her. Although she complains about you, she always steers the conversation toward you when we talk. Some older people are just all bark and no bite.”

Tan Yuchen knew that the two of them had a difficult grudge to resolve, so he never tried to persuade them.

Spring is coming soon, let's change her flowers to a brighter variety and push her a little further.

The man's tone was so nonchalant, yet she stared at the back of his neck, her heart burning with desire.

Meng Jiuyi never thought she would talk about these things with anyone. Many people pursued her in college. Some persistent male classmates followed her to the hospital, but after just one glance at Zhang Ma and understanding her condition, they automatically backed down.

Young bodies are full of fighting spirit and hope, unable to take responsibility for defeat.

She fully understands, and she's past the age of expecting to share the burden; after all, life isn't easy for anyone.

A crystal-clear drop silently fell onto the man's clothes, and Meng Jiuyi quietly hugged him tighter.

"Then I'll also make a swing, so that when my godmother gets tired in her wheelchair, I can gently push her."

"Do."

"I also want to knit her a red hat. It's even colder in Kyushu during the New Year, and I want my godmother to have a joyful New Year too."

Her tone was completely different from before; it sounded like a lively little chick.

Tan Yuchen chuckled silently, "I, Tan, would also like one."

"......"

Meng Jiuyi said, "When I went out this morning, I noticed that she had a better appetite than before. I need to research more recipes!"

The string that was cut during the revenge phase allowed the kite to fly even further, to smell the wind, and to see a wider world. She seemed less afraid of the future, until a phone call came from Zhou Ting.

Meng Jiuyi answered the call, and heard a sobbing voice on the other end.

"Jiuyi, come back quickly, Aunt Zhang... is dying..."

--

The courtyard door was pushed open with a loud bang, and Meng Jiuyi stumbled as she entered. Tan Yuchen helped her up, and she practically tumbled and crawled to the bedroom in the east wing. The doctor and Zhou Ting were guarding Zhang Ma's bedside. When they saw Meng Jiuyi, the doctor shook his head helplessly at her.

This morning was a brief respite before death; the doctor simply couldn't bear to tell her that cancer and various complications had already brought this elderly woman to her death.

The old man on the bed, who was so thin he was just skin and bones and had a withered face, tremblingly reached out his hand to her.

Meng Jiuyi immediately grabbed him.

"Jiu'er... Little Jiu..."

Having not heard this title for so many years, Meng Jiuyi burst into tears, the tears flowing freely into her mouth.

"I'm here, godmother... I'm here... Do you know how long it's been since you called me that..."

"...Silly child."

Unable to see, Aunt Zhang strained to look at Tan Yuchen, "From now on... I'm entrusting Xiao Jiu to your care... please treat her well..."

Tan Yuchen tightened his jaw and nodded slightly.

"You are not allowed to hand me over to anyone else!"

Meng Jiuyi interrupted him relentlessly, "You're not allowed to hear me... If you leave, I'll have no family left, no godmother... You promised me when we were little that you'd stand up for me if I ever suffered any injustice... Aren't you worried about anyone bullying me if you leave? You're not allowed to go back on your word, do you hear me?"

She was completely incoherent, tears falling one by one into Zhang Ma's palm, and Zhang Ma was trembling all over.

"Godmother has never forgotten... I've been so sorry for you all these years... Every time you were so careful around me, it broke my heart... I really want to call you that gently, I really want to ask you how you've been lately... Don't work so hard."

Aunt Zhang said, "But I can't say it... I know you didn't cause those things... but I just can't get over it... Sui Sui was only seventeen years old. She grew up with a mother like me and suffered all kinds of scorn... She never experienced the happiness of a complete family... She was so sensible from a young age because of the pressure of making a living. She didn't even dare to tell me when her clothes were torn... She didn't even get to experience the best years of her life... and now it's all over... I really can't get over these hurdles. I'm so sorry, godmother."

"I know, I know, you haven't wronged me, you haven't!"

Tears streamed down her face as Meng Jiuyi held her hand tightly.

With her last ounce of strength, Aunt Zhang touched her face, "Let go of the past... live a good life from now on..."

After she finished speaking, the hand that was tightly held in Meng Jiuyi's palm slipped limply. She instinctively grabbed it, but the other person was no longer making a sound.

"Godmother..."

Meng Jiuyi's eyes were vacant as he carefully lay on top of her, as if she were just asleep.

"Have I ever told you that I actually followed Sui Sui back to your house on purpose? You always felt ashamed of setting up a stall at the school gate, but you don't know how impressive it was when you stood up for Sui Sui and chased away those bad kids. Back then, my mom always advised me to be tolerant and forgiving, but you unconditionally believed that everything Sui Sui did was right. At that time, I was thinking that I must recognize you as my godmother, so it wasn't you who asked me to be your godmother, you know that..."

She murmured softly, not caring whether the other person heard her, but tears streamed down her face, soaking the blanket and Zhang Ma's clothes.

But no one inside heard a single cry.

Having lost your closest loved ones, you no longer even have the right to express your grievances.

The sunlight stirred up dust, like a layer of damp mist gathering in the dark depths of Tan Yuchen's eyes, lingering for a long time.

He draped his coat over her shoulders, lifted her waist, and pulled her into his arms. Meng Jiuyi let him do as he pleased, his eyes numb, like a lifeless doll.

He had just gone to great lengths to bring her back hope for life, but now it had all vanished.

Tan Yuchen hugged her tightly, so tightly that he could barely breathe. Even though she was in his arms, his heart ached terribly, and he felt a sharp pain in his breath.

----

good evening