Chapter 187 Thinking of You

A surge of heat rose from her body, causing her to tremble involuntarily.

"Have I caused you any trouble during this time?"

Not only him, but also Zhou Ting, Wen Qi called her many times during that time, but she didn't answer any of them.

Later, when Wen Qi had no other choice, she went to the courtyard house, but was still met with a cold shoulder.

She used the most selfish method to isolate herself from the kindness of everyone around her.

Shame and guilt came so late, yet they surged forth like a tidal wave.

"I just... I just can't figure it out..."

They couldn't understand why God would bring so much suffering upon them. They couldn't understand why Zhang's mother was born blind, why her family gave her away to an alcoholic at a young age, why she was abandoned by her family, and why she had to raise Sui Sui alone, enduring cold stares all the way.

She lived for over sixty years without suffering a single day, and no one ever showed her any pity.

It turns out that people's fates are different.

Some people are born into wealth and walk the road to prosperity, enjoying four generations of healthy family life. Others are born into suffering every day, and even their disappearance from this world is silent and unnoticed.

She couldn't accept Zhang Ma's fate, so she confined herself to that courtyard day after day, hoping to find some enlightenment after hardship.

But the other person has already disappeared from this world.

No matter what she does, it's useless.

Meng Jiuyi's explanation was incoherent, and only tears dripped onto his hands, making his arms feel like they were being burned, and even his heart felt a burning pain.

Nobody will think you're a nuisance.

Tan Yuchen cupped her face and wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes. "President Meng, do you feel like you're having a hard time?"

He asked her if she felt she had a hard life because she was born unloved by her parents and had experienced so many hardships in her childhood.

Meng Jiuyi shook his head, "Of course not."

"Then why do you think that Aunt Zhang's life was all hardship? Her daughter supported her through the first few decades of her life. If she really couldn't hold on anymore, there were so many ways she could have left."

Tan Yuchen said, "Once when I pushed her out, she told me that she had long sensed that the person secretly taking care of her was you."

Meng Jiuyi froze, incredulous.

...

"She thought she was putting on a good show, getting government subsidies and demolition compensation, but I've tasted more salt than she's eaten rice. There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world. There aren't even any roads built in my area, so how could there be any demolition compensation?"

As Aunt Zhang talked about these things, a faint smile appeared on her face.

Tan Yuchen listened quietly and smiled in response; it was something she would do.

"Then why don't you expose her?"

"I was deceiving myself. On one hand, I couldn't face her and wanted to hate her, but on the other hand, I was afraid of really driving her away. Every time she came to me, her breathing was different from other people's, she was very careful."

“I know she comes once a week and usually sits next to me for an afternoon. Waiting for her has become a habit.”

Her biological daughter brought her happiness for the first half of her life, while Meng Jiuyi became the anchor for the second half.

As long as a person is alive, it cannot be all suffering.

...

She didn't know; she never knew.

Meng Jiuyi stared at him, her lips and heart trembling unconsciously, her tears burning hot.

"You should have let me know... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to drive you away back then... I'm sorry."

Besides her obsessive-compulsive disorder, she also wished she were the only one in the yard and wanted to use this method to drive them away.

Tan Yuchen's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and his voice sounded hoarse.

"Is there anything else you want to tell me?"

"I'm actually very happy that you've always been with me, but that's just the opposite of what I mean."

Tan Yuchen: "Anything else?"

"I..."

Her voice suddenly trembled, her lips quivered, and large tears fell.

"I really like you, Tan Yuchen, maybe more than a little—"

Before she could finish speaking, he pulled her into a tight embrace, his kiss on her forehead so precious, and then, without a word, he cupped her face and kissed her again.

"Do you know how long I've been waiting to hear those words?"

His eyes were like swirling dark clouds, and his hot breath splashed on her face. Meng Jiuyi couldn't answer; he was practically possessing her with his lips and tongue.

Those taking sunrise photos nearby smiled and looked away, while others couldn't resist taking pictures with their phones. In the photos, the man was protecting her so tightly in his arms, and the afterglow of the sunrise fell on them, creating a beautiful scene.

--

After descending the mountain, Meng Jiuyi went to find Wen Qi first and apologized for the cold treatment he had given her during this period. He also prepared a 5,000-word apology letter and read it aloud to her respectfully.

Wen Qi asked, "What if you do it again next time?"

Meng Jiuyi raised both hands to guarantee, "I guarantee there won't be a next time. If Miss Wen doesn't believe me, I can mortgage all my assets to you."

"Who wants your fortune?"

Wen Qi said, "Since you took the initiative to admit your mistake, I want you to take me home for lunch."

Meng Jiuyi's driving skills are not bad, so this is not difficult at all.

Wenqi's parents run a small business in the next city. Houses in Kyushu are too expensive for them to afford, but they always reassure their daughter that if she is unhappy, she can come back home and they can support her.

Upon hearing that her friend was coming, Wenqi's parents prepared a table full of dishes.

“Wenqi told us that you helped her when you were in college.”

Wen's mother helped Meng Jiuyi pick up some food, saying, "If she comes back in the future, Jiuyi, you can stay with her. We only have one daughter, raising one is the same as raising two."

"This is your home too."

With a loving expression on her face, Meng Jiuyi suddenly understood Wen Qi's intention in insisting that she come back with him. She took a bite of the pig's trotter, and her eyes gradually reddened.

--

The courtyard house had long been bought by Tan Yuchen as a token of gratitude for taking care of Zhang Ma, and Zhou Ting still lives there.

Meng Jiuyi would often come to weed and water the flowers in the yard, while Zhou Ting would brew tea and read books nearby, the two of them not disturbing each other.

Meng Jiuyi asked, "You said you were going to recognize people on the night of Cen Dong's wedding. Do you remember any other familiar faces?"

During this time, Zhou Ting never brought up these things on her own initiative, but Meng Jiuyi knew that these thorns were still stuck in her throat, brooding over them, and tormenting her from time to time as nightmares.

Zhou Ting asked, "What are you going to do?"

Meng Jiuyi looked at her intently.

"Didn't we agree that I'd help you and you'd help me?"

Of course she remembered; these were Zhou Ting's nightmares, how could she forget them? But when Meng Jiuyi saw the list in her hand, he was stunned.

“He Suiwen? Are you sure you’re not mistaken? Given his age, that shouldn’t be possible.”

He Suiwen is He Zhizhou's father and was originally supposed to be Meng Yintong's father-in-law.

However, the Meng family's business has been declining, and last time they even crossed the national red line and were fined hundreds of millions. The He family works in the government department, and taking advantage of this incident, they broke off their engagement with the Meng family and then formed a marriage alliance with the Zhou family.

Meng Jiuyi had secretly witnessed He Zhizhou and Miss Zhou embracing last time, so it's likely that the He family had planned this all along.

Zhou Ting sneered, "I told you before, there was also a father and son, the son was peeking outside the door, He Suiwen was that son."

His father died of a heart attack, and the hatred was entirely placed on He Suiwen.

Meng Jiuyi was speechless and had no right to advise her to let go.

What kind of ending do you want for him?

"Disgraced and ruined."

The engagement banquet between the He and Zhou families was just recently. On the day of the banquet, Meng Jiuyi and Zhou Ting disguised themselves as waiters to enter.

This was an old job for her; she was very skilled at it.

The engagement hotel was luxurious and grand, and the guests were feasting. The groom-to-be, He Zhizhou, was all smiles and radiant with happiness, completely forgetting that he had also messed things up once at the Meng residence.

Scumbag!

Even though he didn't get along with Meng Yintong, Meng Jiuyi couldn't help but feel nauseous at the sight of him now.

Her phone suddenly beeped twice. She glanced at it and saw it was a message from Tan Yuchen.

What is President Meng doing?

They're preparing to mess with someone.

Meng Jiuyi did not intend to tell him; she planned to do it secretly.

I'm thinking of you.

Where are you thinking of me?

Meng Jiuyi could picture his intrigued expression just from those words.

【at home. 】

Little did anyone know that just moments before, Cen Dong had casually taken a picture of the banquet and posted it on his WeChat Moments. Meng Jiuyi had actually disguised herself, otherwise, it was impossible that none of the many familiar faces in the room would have recognized her.

But just from the blurry silhouette and the high ponytail, Tan Yuchen recognized her at a glance.

A hint of amusement flashed in his dark eyes as he asked Jiang Zhou.

Why didn't they send me an invitation to the He family's engagement party?

Of course it was sent.

The man simply threw it away as a flyer and told people not to disturb the old lady's rest.

Jiang Zhou, while driving, offered him a way out, saying, "He did send an invitation before, but you might not have seen it, Third Young Master."

Tan Yuchen raised an eyebrow and uncrossed his legs.

"Since I have nothing to do, I'll go join in the fun."

---

good evening.