relatively
From that day on, An Chi never saw Su Yao again.
Ge Jin and Tang Pai went to the hospital to find out what was going on. Su Anchi, preoccupied with his own thoughts, returned to his room in the city center and saw Aunt Hong cleaning. He asked somewhat anxiously, "Has Sister Su not come back these past few days?"
"She came back once, and Miss spoke to Xiaobai for a while before leaving."
An Chi barged into Xiao Bai's charging room, somewhat dazed.
It was an extremely cozy room.
Upon entering, one sees a small white robot cat charging its battery with a black screen beside the door. The pale green walls contrast with the overall style of the large apartment. A warm yellow sofa sits next to the cat, and sheer curtains perfectly complement the room's sunny layout. Through the curtains, dappled sunlight filters through, creating a starlight-like effect on the floor. A pile of snacks sits beside the sofa, and opposite it is a large projector screen. There's also a bookshelf by the window, filled with a diverse collection, including classic literature and comics, as far as he knows…
There were all sorts of dolls piled up around. Further inside, there was a recliner covered with a thin plush blanket, and in front of it was a curved table with a computer on it.
This was An Chi's first time entering this place. He only knew that Xiao Bai was charging here, but he didn't know that this place was a completely different landscape from the outside world.
"Someone has entered." Xiao Bai's screen displayed an expression. Upon seeing An Chi, she greeted him, "Young Master Su, are you looking for Xiao Bai?"
"Hmm." An Chi's lips parted slightly. "Did Su Yao talk to you about me when she came over?"
"Retrieving memories, please wait."
The two minutes of waiting felt like an eternity.
"No, Young Master Su." The specially designed childlike electronic voice, perhaps intended to make Xiaobai sound more approachable, now sounded like a thorn in Su Anchi's ear.
He replied good-naturedly, "Okay."
Before closing the door, Su Anchi took a deep look at the inner room. Something was wrong here, something was very wrong.
Without Su Yao, Su Anchi went to and from school as usual, and did temporary jobs during holidays. His life was relatively stable, but he always felt empty inside.
When we met again, it was already late autumn, and even the osmanthus tree in the school that had been blooming for miles had withered.
Su was going to school for his parent-teacher meeting.
At first, Su Anchi didn't expect Su Yao to attend the parent-teacher conference; at most, he would have Su Wenxie stand in for him.
The moment Su Yao entered the classroom, the dimness of countless people and the crowd gathered by the side window made her stand out.
Wherever she goes, she is adored by many. The center position shifts as she joins, and even the nude lip gloss cannot diminish the brightness in her eyes. Her high forehead is like a fox emerging from the snow to hunt its prey. It slowly raises its head, its eyes filled only with aloofness and tranquility.
Perhaps Su saw him, because she dispersed the crowd, glanced down at her phone, and then looked up at him again.
An Chi stepped forward, "Sister Su."
A soft "hmm" stirred a sense of excitement within him, filling his empty and restless heart.
“I’ve been very busy these past few weeks,” she explained to him.
"You...aren't you angry?"
"Angry? Not at all, An Chi. You and I are just driven by self-interest. You got what you wanted, and I got what I wanted. Why should I be angry?"
His tone was calm and gentle, like that of an observer of the event.
My heart is like a sunken stone in the sea, never to rise again.
At the parents' meeting, An Chi did not want to embarrass Su Yao, and his certificates and honors were piled up on the table in front of Su Yao.
Su remained unmoved, simply accepting the award with a smile, as if it were all perfectly natural.
At the end, Su said, "Keep the scholarship and certificate yourself. I'll visit you at your apartment when I have time."
He seems reserved, but he never misses an opportunity to do something bold. "When are you free?"
Su stopped in her tracks as she reached for the car door. Without turning around, she said, "An Chi, can you tell the difference? To you, am I someone being used, or what?"
He hesitated, his eyes darting away, then said, "You can't tell, but I can. You've crossed the line, An Chi."
The emphasis on the word "An" seems to be a reminder to him to recognize his own identity.
Su Anchi remained silent. He turned to the side and got into the car he usually used for transportation.
The two cars drove in opposite directions, leaving only wisps of exhaust fumes.
Su Yao rarely broke her promise, and she resumed the pattern of meeting once a week. She would arrive on time at noon on Saturday, and then the two of them would be silent for an afternoon. She would be busy with her own things, and he would be busy with his own things. Finally, in the world of night, Su Yao would drive away.
Occasionally, if Su Yao is elsewhere and cannot return in time, Su Wenxie, Shang Jiuqi, and other people who are close to her will take care of him.
But that time he said, "If you can't come, then don't send anyone. I don't want to accompany strangers."
Her eyes were unfathomable. Su slowly chewed the food in her mouth, and only after she swallowed did she whisper, "Mmm."
Since then, perhaps out of anger, Su Yao has reduced the frequency of seeing him.
Until that night when I was eighteen.
An Chi will be surnamed Su for the next two years no matter what, so Su wants to make his eighteenth birthday party even more extravagant than a family reunion banquet.
An Lan and her mother were also invited.
Wearing a long dress with a large bow at the back, a light blue gauze skirt, and satin bow shoulder straps, An Lan is also an extremely beautiful girl. She paired it with shiny white buckled flat shoes. This outfit was specially chosen for her by Su Yao.
Even An's mother was dressed in a black cheongsam. Although the signs of aging were visible on her face, she still retained her charm.
"You look beautiful today, Auntie and Anlan both look beautiful." Su Yao stepped forward to greet them and led them inside. They were the only people Su Yao personally led out to greet, and everyone's attention turned to them.
An's mother moved with restraint, but the gratitude in her eyes as she looked at Su Yao was undeniable. She took small steps, a smile on her face, her black figure moving towards the center of the arena.
Su Yao wasn't dressed particularly eye-catching today; compared to An Lan and her mother, her white strapless dress was rather unremarkable.
Only the bright white pearl around her neck truly made her the focus of the event.
Holding two cups in her hands, she clinked them together, drawing all eyes to Su Yao. The crisp "clink" sound was both clear and soft, just like her.
She handed the glass in her left hand to the waiter, thanked him softly, and her face instantly lit up with a radiant smile. "Thank you to everyone who came today, and thank you to those who couldn't make it, since no one came to see me today."
His lips parted even wider, and laughter erupted. He raised his hand, gesturing for a pause, and began to speak, "I believe everyone is familiar with the fact that two years ago, a child was fostered under my name. Today is this child's eighteenth birthday. Let's welcome the protagonist!"
The curve of his lips was barely perceptible, so small that it was almost imperceptible. He was wearing the same blue suit as An Lan. An Chi made his appearance. Today, he turned eighteen. Two years had passed too quickly.
He paid no attention to the thunderous applause in the arena. His eyes were fixed on Su Yao, whom he hadn't seen for a long time. She hadn't seen him for thirty-two days, four hours, fifty-three minutes, and twenty-one seconds until she entered the arena.
He didn't know where she had been all these days, nor why she hadn't seen him for so long again, nor whether she was still bothered by what happened two years ago.
Asking is a good idea, but it's something they absolutely avoid; he has no right, no status, and isn't even worthy of it.
Step by step, An Chi stepped onto the stairs and stood beside Su Yao. After today, there would be no more.
"Xiao Chi, say hello to everyone." The first time he saw her, she also had long, black hair flowing down her back and huge diamond earrings. The only difference was that the diamonds were crimson today, like a drop of blood, which reminded him of blood kinship tests. He never thought that blood kinship would be severed in this case.
"Hello everyone, welcome to my coming-of-age ceremony. I am Su Anchi." Anchi slowly turned his head from right to left, smiling and nodding continuously.
She didn't know what the person beside her was thinking, but her tense brows relaxed and her upper eyelids drooped. She was the most unfathomable person in the room.
Too much small talk would have been excessive, and Su Yao and An Chi left the stage after only a few words.
Su was about to stride forward when An Chi grabbed her wrist. "Don't you want to talk to me?"
"Is there anything you'd like to talk about, Young Master Su?" She spoke as if she were an uninvolved observer, casually mentioning a status he could never reach in his entire life.
The shackles around his neck were too strong, so An Chi turned his face away. "After today, I won't be anymore."
"No, you always have been. Isn't this what you wanted? Su Anchi." Easily shaking off the restraints on her wrists, Su Yao casually crossed her arms, the curve of her lips looking both sarcastic and soft.
The resounding sound of a cane approached, "Su Yao, is this the result you wanted?"
Su Yao, who was facing away, swayed slightly, while the boy standing opposite her couldn't hide his wariness in his eyes.
But soon, Su turned around calmly and asked, "Father, what brings you here today?"
"Two years, you really did it, Su Yao, hmph." The assistant, bowing low beside him, helped Su Wensheng, who was leaning on his cane. "Can you go home now, Xiao Yao?"
“It’s all thanks to Father’s good teaching,” Su paused, then stepped to the side, covering most of An Chi’s body, “I followed Father’s instructions completely.”
"Hmph, if you really listened to me, you wouldn't have had to support a whole family in poverty for two years." Su Wensheng slowly turned around, but continued talking.
The young man behind him clenched his fists, his face expressionless, as if he didn't care about the criticism directed at him and his family.
He simply understood that he shouldn't cause Su any trouble at this time.
After Su Wensheng left, Su Yao put away his playful attitude towards An Chi and his expression became serious. "An Lan will be in the second year of junior high soon, right? How about taking your aunt out to see the world? It's just junior high."
It was called a suggestion, but it was more of an order. An Chi could tell from her tone that she wasn't happy. "What happened?"
"Nothing happened." Then, her tone changed. "I just wanted the An family to go out and have some fun so you could take advantage of them. If you don't want to go, fine."
More and more people came to toast her, but they didn't dare to face her. Instead, they went to toast An's mother. However, Su Yao blocked them all. Normally, these people wouldn't be so bold, but Su Wensheng's arrival disrupted the balance. Her mistake was that she forgot to keep Su Wensheng with her. At least that way, they wouldn't notice anything.
When Su Wenxie arrived, Su Yao's face was already flushed. He rarely saw his sister get drunk, and she would always give Su Yao face at the dinner table. Today was unusually unusual.
"Sister, how is it?" Su Wenxie took the wine glass from Su Yao's hand.
After Su Yao saw who it was, he breathed a sigh of relief, put his hand on Su Wenxie's arm, and said in a huff, "Take me to sit for a while."
Before leaving, Su Wenxie gave An Chi a vicious look, blaming him for all the mistakes of the day, but he overlooked the wine stains left on An Chi's lips, indicating that An Chi himself was already in dire straits.
"Go and call for reinforcements."
"who?"
"grandmother."
The devil may be one foot tall, but the righteous are ten feet tall. Su wanted to instruct Su Wenxie, but he didn't know if Su's grandmother could arrive before the banquet. If she could, he could at least let her drink a few less cups.
The cunning and treacherous Su Wensheng had really set a huge trap for her.
The reason he rushed to the banquet was to give her a hard time. Wasn't he supposed to send her home? He was afraid that if she went back, she would cause chaos at home. Or perhaps he thought that today's events would make her realize that without the Su family's status, she was nothing, and that he was still there for her.
Su looked up at the irresistible figure in the crowd, waved to him, and silently mouthed, "Come here."
The boy stood before her, her eyes now veiled in a misty haze. His tongue licked her red lips from deep within, and her alluring beauty, though shrouded in a dreamy state, was still a fatal temptation. She waved to An Chi again, signaling him to bend down; she wanted to speak to him.
He was whispering in her ear, the heat radiating from her earlobe, and she could smell a faint fragrance mixed with the scent of wine, a sweet and sour aroma. She was panting heavily, savoring the sweet taste, while his voice hummed in her ear, "Go, go to the lounge and tell Ge Jin to send your sister and mother away. I won't lose tonight."
He didn't understand what "losing" meant, but he knew it was definitely related to him; the entire banquet tonight was related to him.
He turned around, his gloomy mood urging him to leave. After completing everything Su Yao had instructed, he returned to the banquet hall and saw Su Yao once again surrounded by the crowd. Her smiling face concealed an unfathomable sharpness, a kind of overwhelming aura of wanting to plunder. The barren wasteland seemed to no longer be able to bloom with brilliant flowers, only with wild grass. He had underestimated her.
Su Yao was not a flower bud waiting to bloom, but a harmless weed that took root deep in the wild land, only that the weed was so deeply rooted that it could not be pulled out.
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