Chapter 28 The fishpond exploded, but it's not like other people's fishponds exploded at eighteen or twenty; it's much better now…
In the dead of night, he refused Ye Chuyi's offer to take him back and walked back to the hospital.
The ward was still lit and quiet. There was someone guarding the door. When the caregiver saw that it was him, he discreetly withdrew.
Surprisingly, Wei's mother was awake and looked at him with a smile.
Wei Sibei quickly sat down on the edge of the bed: "Mom, why aren't you asleep yet?"
Wei's mother just smiled and wiped the water droplets from his ear. Wei Sibei wiped them back; they were cold sweat from the pain. His abdomen was still throbbing with a dull, persistent ache.
"Why did you come alone? Where's Xiaohan?"
Wei Sibei was taken aback: "Xiaohan is at the museum. Mom, do you want to see her? I'll call her over."
Mother Wei shook her head: "I haven't even opened the gifts Xiaohan brought yet, how come you took them all?" When Mother Wei spoke, there was a broken, hoarse voice in her throat, hissing and groaning.
Wei Sibei could barely understand. He paused for a moment, then leaned closer to her and patiently explained, "Mom, the gift was brought by Ye Chuyi. She is Ye Chuyi."
When Wei's mother contracted this illness, she couldn't remember things or recognize people. She started forgetting things that were close by, but the more distant the event, the clearer she remembered it. Even though three months had passed, Wei's mother was still talking about him taking all the things Ye Chuyi had bought back.
"Her birthday is coming up soon, isn't it? You used to bring her... to our house... for her birthday."
"Mom still remembers this?" Wei Sibei lowered his head and remained silent. That woman had that ability; she could even keep everyone around him under her thumb. Wei's mother liked her very much and still remembered her birthday after eight years.
Pshaw, you're using underhanded tactics!
Fortunately, he could still lie to his mother that he and his wife were still together. Otherwise, with his mother pressuring him to get married every day, he wouldn't know what to say.
And then it came again: "I'm just hoping you two get married soon. I'm waiting to hold my grandson. Ah Bei, I so wish I could see your child..."
Wei Sibei gave an awkward laugh, trying to be perfunctory, his right hand tucked into his leather jacket pocket, pressing his stomach into the thick fabric. The knife wound on his palm screamed in pain.
Wei's mother looked at the ceiling longingly: "I really want to eat a bite of braised pork rice..."
Wei Sibei gathered his strength and pulled the blanket up around her: "Then I'll go buy it for you?"
"No, I just want to eat what Chu Yi made. Did you offend her? She hasn't come over in ages." Mother Wei turned her gaze, immediately filled with worry: "Son, what's wrong with you? You're sweating so much?"
Wei Sibei raised his arm to block the heat: "No, it's too hot. I'm going out for some fresh air. Mom, you should go to sleep early."
In the hospital corridor, apart from his subordinates, there was no one else. He walked to the other end of the long corridor, his phone screen still showing his chat with Ye Chuyi.
I typed it, then deleted it, then edited it again...
So he simply made a voice call.
It rang for a while, but no one answered.
Wei Sibei estimated the distance; he should be home by now.
In the past, when he called Ye Chuyi, she would always reply and answer instantly. So Wei Sibei dialed again.
Still no one answered.
He was a little uneasy. Could it be that old K was causing trouble for her? Although it was unlikely, given her current status, if they dared to touch her, they would definitely be arrested.
But once his heart was in his throat, it was hard to calm down. He hurried to the elevator, intending to go find her.
Just as I stepped out of the hospital, my phone suddenly lit up. A line of text appeared in the pale blue light—
[Again? In the car or at the hotel?]
Wei Sibei: "..."
Why does she think he can't have anything else going on when he's with her? Doesn't that make him sound like a social idler who's controlled by desire and has nothing better to do all day?
He was overly worried about her.
Ye Chuyi's phone vibrated; she called back, again with a video call invitation.
Wei Sibei immediately turned off the phone, put it in his pocket, and strode back to the ward.
The accompanying bed was small and cramped, making it difficult for him to even turn over. He gave the other bed to the caregiver, Aunt Wang, even though his mother urged him to go home and sleep. He felt more at ease keeping watch over the patient himself.
I don't know if it was because the bed was too uncomfortable or what, but I couldn't sleep well all night. In my hazy state, I kept seeing a figure with a high ponytail, a black uniform, and red-soled high heels.
The more he tried to stop thinking about it, the more the image of that person crept into his mind.
Unaware of the time, and with the sky still dark, Wei Sibei simply sat up and quietly went out.
I smoked two cigarettes downstairs before turning my phone on.
Ye Chuyi did not send any new messages.
He usually sleeps until noon, so he has never seen the city at six in the morning.
What is Ye Chuyi doing right now? Her sleep schedule has probably gone back to normal after leaving him...
The breakfast stalls were already bustling with activity, and sanitation workers were tidying up fallen leaves. On a whim, he went to buy breakfast for Wei's mother and the people who were on duty last night.
Wei's mother was able to eat better than before, but looking at the soy milk and eggs in front of her, she brought up the matter of braised pork rice again.
Looking at his mother's profile, Wei Sibei thought for a moment, then sent Ye Chuyi a message:
Send me the recipe for braised pork rice.
About five minutes later, they replied: "[What's the recipe? I'll recommend the takeout restaurant to you.]"
The braised pork rice you used to make for my mom wasn't made by you.
Ye Chuyi sent a finger-wagging emoji, followed by a business card: AAA135XXXXXX99
Wei Sibei: [...Then why did you say it was you who did it before?]
Ye Chuyi sent another sighing emoji, followed by a voice message: [You obviously don't know how to take care of the elderly. Is ordering takeout the same as saying you cooked it yourself?]
She stared at the screen above, reading "The other party is typing...", and waited for two minutes, but no new message came. So she simply tossed her phone aside and ignored it.
Wei Sibei added AAA135XXXXXX99 (roses). The other party was very enthusiastic, calling himself Lao Wang, and asked him what time he wanted it and where the address was, saying that the boss would personally deliver it to him.
Wei Sibei didn't believe Ye Chuyi's nonsense; he figured she was just trying to distance herself and had picked any random shop. He decided to order from her place first to try it out, so he filled in his new home's address.
The food delivery arrived almost simultaneously with him. Old Wang sent a picture saying that the security guard wouldn't let him deliver it upstairs and asked him to come down and pick it up.
Hey handsome, if we think it's delicious, could you please help spread the word?
Wei Sibei: [What's the name of the shop?]
Old Wang: [Small business, only does takeout, no dine-in ]
Wei Sibei opened the packaging, took only one bite, and recognized it immediately.
It tasted exactly like the one Ye Chuyi made for him, even the presentation was the same, with two lemon slices in the middle and a smiley face drawn on them.
However, since his mother was still hospitalized, he felt that takeout was not very hygienic and hesitated for a moment about whether to buy it for his mother.
Today is Ye Chuyi's birthday. For some reason, he passed by a cake shop and inexplicably got out of the car and bought a cake.
Looking at the large cake on the passenger seat, he himself felt it was absurd.
Unsure whether she was in the office or out on fieldwork, Wei Sibei sent her a message first: "Are you at the bureau? Let's meet."
He stared at his phone screen for a long time, but she didn't reply.
Wei Sibei added, "[We're not here for compensation.]"
Still no reply.
Wei Sibei simply drove his car directly to her office building, and from afar he could see her in her crisp uniform, standing gracefully beside a luxury car.
Beside the spacious foyer, Ye Chuyi's photo prominently appears at the top of the wall of honor. The high ceiling is decorated with marble sculptures, and the shadows of the pillars fall upon Ye Chuyi.
Wei Sibei was about to go over when he saw her holding her phone, looking down at it.
Unconvinced, he sent another message: "Look to your left."
Ye Chuyi didn't even look up.
Surely we can't just set him to not disturb messages?
Old Wang sent him a message: "Do you still want it today?"
The door of the luxury car in front of them suddenly opened, and a man stepped out holding flowers and a cake.
Wearing a sharp suit and with his hair styled, his wristwatch gleamed even brighter in the reflection of the glass curtain wall.
Ye Chuyi kindly showed him her phone screen, and the two chatted and laughed.
The man said with a mixture of hope and humility, "Happy birthday, Chu Yi, your favorite mint cake."
Ye Chuyi smiled and was about to accept the cake with both hands when another cake box flew out of nowhere and landed in her arms.
"Ye Chuyi is allergic to mint, but she likes chocolate flavor."
Wei Sibei walked over with his hands in his pockets, exuding a roguish and unruly air.
Ye Chuyi held his cake, unsure whether to accept it or not.
The man looked at Wei Sibei, his expression momentarily surprised, but he quickly composed himself, bowed slightly, and called out, "Uncle."
"Hmm." This was his way of greeting you. "What are you doing here?"
Ye Chuyi knew that nothing good could come of the two meeting, so she said in the middle, "Oh, Bowen just got out of the hospital and just happened to be passing by."
Wei Sibei's gaze fell on Wei Bowen's chest. How could he forget that his dear nephew had been stabbed recently and ended up in the same hospital as his mother? Since Ye Chuyi was going to visit Wei's mother, she would definitely 'go along the way' to visit this ex-boyfriend.
They've actually stayed in touch...
Wei Bowen grabbed Ye Chuyi's wrist and placed both cakes on the roof of the car. "Chuyi, didn't you say you didn't like chocolate? Come with me. I made the appointment with you first."
Wei Sibei then took her other hand, interlocked their fingers, and waved it in front of Wei Bowen as if showing off.
Wei Bowen turned to look at him and asked in a seemingly humble manner, "Uncle, are you going to try and take it from me again?"
Wei Sibei's face remained calm, but he tightened his grip on Ye Chuyi's hand even more: "She has to be your woman before you can use the word 'steal.' She's not your woman, don't you think you're being childish like you're playing house?"
Wei Bowen smiled, still looking obedient: "Uncle is always eloquent, but have you forgotten that Chu Yi doesn't like impromptu dates? She prefers to arrange her time in advance."
After saying that, he grabbed Ye Chuyi and left without another word, opening the car door with one hand.
Wei Sibei felt dizzy looking at the huge bouquet of roses in the passenger seat. Ye Chuyi was almost stretched out into a starfish shape by the two of them, and she cried out in pain, "You two are hurting me!"
Wei Bowen gripped her hand tightly. Upon hearing this, Wei Sibei was the first to let go, stepped between the two, and slapped Wei Bowen's hand away: "Didn't you hear her say it hurts?"
Before Ye Chuyi could speak, a clear voice suddenly rang out from across the street: "Happy birthday, Sister Chuyi!"
The three of them turned around at the same time. Across the street, a young man wearing framed glasses, a white T-shirt, jeans, and sneakers, with a bright smile, was waving at Ye Chuyi.
He was also holding a cake in his hands, and ran over excitedly: "Sister Chuyi, I've finally found you!"
"I..." Ye Chuyi glanced guiltily at Wei Sibei.
The young man rushed to Ye Chuyi's side, ignoring the two other men who were making a mess around them, and pulled Ye Chuyi aside: "Sister Chuyi, I was wrong. Please don't break up with me, okay? Ever since you left, I can't sleep or eat, and I think about you every day."
Suddenly someone came out of the hall, and the sound of the door hinges turning echoed crisply like the striking of a gavel.
Ye Chuyi felt a jolt in her heart and pulled her hand away: "What are you talking about? I don't know you."
The college student-looking guy clearly couldn't hide his emotions, and his speech became much faster: "We're in the same club, I play guitar, you play drums, aren't we good friends?"
Ye Chuyi felt a sharp gaze shooting over from behind, tracing her figure. She chuckled twice and said, "Sister has been in the workforce for many years now. You've mistaken me for someone else, little brother."
Wei Sibei leaned against a pillar with his arms crossed, watching the show with great interest: "Are you even an adult yet? You're already trying to date like an adult? You can't give your sister what she wants."
"I'm a sophomore in college, how can I be a minor? Does my older sister not like young girls? Do you think she likes you because you're older?"
This touched a nerve with Wei Sibei: "Hey, didn't your parents tell you how to talk like that?"
He was about to roll up his sleeves when Ye Chuyi quickly hugged him, saying, "Alright, alright! Let me introduce you."
The young man, with a beaming smile, chimed in, "And who are these two?"
"Oh, this is Wei Sibei. This is Wei Bowen." Ye Chuyi was generous and poised, then turned and gestured with her palm facing upwards: "This is He Muchen."
“We met through a project collaboration,” she added, meeting Wei Sibei’s gaze.
He Muchen extended his hand to shake hands, but Wei Sibei ignored him completely, looking at Ye Chuyi with great interest: "They're not asking for our names, they're asking what our relationship is."
Ye Chuyi nudged him silently from behind, her voice low with annoyance: "Stop messing around."
But he grabbed her hand without hesitation: "Hmm? What...relationship?"
He pulled his hand out from behind his back and shook it lightly and casually.
He Muchen looked around and placed the cake on the roof of the car, leaving two fists free. He still said politely, "How can you touch a girl's hand like that?"
He was about to step forward when Wei Sibei pressed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks: "Do you have the right to interfere?"
"Sister Chu Yi is my girlfriend, how can I not have the right to interfere?"
Before he could finish speaking, He Muchen threw a punch at him.
Wei Sibei's muscles reacted even faster than his brain, and he dodged with Ye Chuyi, but the punch landed on Wei Bowen's handsome face.
Wei Bowen looks like a studious, high-achieving student; he's never suffered such a loss before.
He parried a few punches in return, and the three of them ended up in a chaotic brawl.
He Muchen might not know, but Wei Bowen certainly did. After Ye Chuyi infiltrated and gathered evidence, he was charged, but ultimately, due to incomplete evidence or the involvement of multiple parties, no verdict was reached. Following this, Wei Sibei went to develop his career at an overseas club, winning several world championships.
His strength and speed were both top-notch. But he only enjoyed his glory for three years before disappearing without a trace. Even the Wei family didn't know where he went or what he was doing.
"Hey, I'm telling you, how can three of you fight like this? It should be one against one." Ye Chuyi wanted to go to the convenience store next door to buy some sunflower seeds.
Even a master can be defeated by a flurry of punches. It's unclear who hit him, but Wei Sibei also took a solid punch to the corner of his mouth.
Seeing this, Ye Chuyi realized that things were likely to get out of hand. She grabbed Wei Sibei's waist, trying to pull him away, but Wei Sibei was strong and muscular, and even though she was quite skilled in combat, she, as a girl, couldn't easily move him.
Seeing that he was bleeding from broken skin, Ye Chuyi didn't care about anything else and rushed to the middle to push Wei Sibei away.
Wei Sibei stared at her incredulously: "You're helping him?"
"I'm not helping him, you're injured too." She raised her hand to wipe his lips, but Wei Sibei dodged it.
Wei Sibei wiped his face haphazardly with his sleeve, saw that there was indeed blood, and sneered: "The competition between male animals has to be a fight to the death."
"That's enough!" Ye Chuyi stared at the wound on his palm that had reopened. "Am I a bet? It's not like I'm going to go with whoever wins."
The three men asked in unison, "Who are you going to spend your birthday with?"
Ye Chuyi observed the expressions of the three people and couldn't help but smile slightly. She had specially learned from a psychologist, and the curve of her lips was just right. The so-called 'empathic micro-expression' was just right to cover up her smile at this moment.
She first helped Wei Bowen up; his clean white shirt had several marks on it, and he was coughing repeatedly from the blow.
He Muchen could still barely stand, while Wei Sibei remained silent, practicing his breathing exercises, showing no mercy to the one churning inside his stomach. His stomach was churning with acid, and the haphazardly bandaged gauze on his right hand had come loose.
Ye Chuyi's gaze swept over them one by one. Of the three, Wei Bowen was slightly shorter, which was also a disadvantage due to his refined manner.
"I'm afraid I'll have to spend my birthday in the office this year. I have to work overtime tonight~" She deliberately dragged out the last syllable, with a slightly tipsy allure.
"Hey, Director Zhang!" Ye Chuyi called out to the director who had just stepped out of the lobby, as if he were her lifeline. "Does that project have to be finished tonight? It's my birthday today."
Having weathered many storms in his career, Director Zhang was as shrewd as a man. Seeing the scene of three men and one woman, and then noticing the three differently colored cakes on the roof of the luxury car, he immediately changed his tune: "You have to get this done tonight. You'll get a day off next month. What time is it? Stop talking and get inside to work!"
"Yes, Sir!" Ye Chuyi trotted off, her high heels clicking as she disappeared into the distance at the end of the hall.
She entered the office, and while changing her shoes, she looked through the blinds. She watched as the three men dispersed in three different directions, and only then did she breathe a sigh of relief.
Director Zhang quickly sent a message: 【How are you going to thank me?】
Ye Chuyi typed quickly: [I'll treat you to dinner, you can choose any place]
Director Zhang: [Okay, let me see. I'll find someone who earns at least 3000 per person.]
Ye Chuyi: [Shocked cat emoji.jpg]
Director Zhang: [Seriously, if you're too busy, and you know so many handsome guys, why don't you introduce one to me?]
Ye Chuyi: [Fine, raise! I only got into this mess because I took your job, and you think it's a good thing?]
Director Zhang: [Seems so...]
Caught off guard by a familiar leather jacket at the street corner, Ye Chuyi sighed silently: "I'm off work now, I'm not talking to you anymore."
Wei Sibei squatted on the street corner, squeezing his stomach in discomfort, but no position felt comfortable.
"Holy crap, that hurts so much! Ouch—"
A pair of white sneakers stopped in front of him. "Hey, do you know who you just offended? He Muchen's dad could easily pay with a flick of his finger. How many lives do you have to pay for that?"
Wei Sibei knew who it was without even looking up. He spoke haltingly, his tone anything but soft: "Oh, Miss, you're always associating with the rich and powerful. So, are you interested in him or his father?"
A resounding slap landed across his face.
Wei Sibei looked over in bewilderment.
Are you more awake now?
Wei Sibei realized what he had said and gave a very low "hmm".
Ye Chuyi stood to the side with her arms crossed, watching him clench his clothes in discomfort, wrinkling them, and said with a cold expression, "What's wrong with you? If you have a stomach problem, take your medicine."
He didn't speak, surprised that his pregnancy was reacting so strongly. He was older than them, already in his thirties. Wei Bowen was alright, six years younger than him, like Ye Chuyi, but that other girl, that student, was only twenty?!
He made a point of shaving today and even used some air freshener. He doesn't like cologne, especially the effeminate kind. But the age difference of over ten years is still noticeable in appearance.
That day, when he went for a test, the doctor told him that he needed to be extra careful with his first pregnancy. Although he looked strong, he had accumulated a lot of health problems from fighting and killing in his early years, unlike other women who were eighteen or twenty and had a better chance of having children.
While he was waiting for the results, several female nurses walked by in the corridor, chattering and laughing, saying that it was now fashionable to talk about 'male superiority'.
Ye Chuyi hasn't changed at all compared to eight years ago; in fact, she's even better at dressing up and more beautiful. He was genuinely worried that if the two of them walked down the street, people would mistake him for her uncle.
Ye Chuyi pulled a tissue out of her bag and handed it to him, but he didn't take it.
I waved it in front of him, but he pretended not to see it.
Ye Chuyi pressed her hand directly onto his forehead.
"Don't touch me."
Wei Sibei was about to shake her off when he noticed a trash can behind her, so he stopped and simply shoved her hand away.
"Wipe the blood off. You're always causing trouble." Ye Chuyi wasn't impatient.
However, what was said without malice was taken seriously by the listener.
Wei Sibei said, "Isn't it normal for someone like me to get into trouble? Since I didn't die at your hands, you don't have to take responsibility."
Ye Chuyi shook her head: "How can you not tell good from bad? People who lick blood from the edge of a knife, they have that word on their lips all the time, aren't they afraid of taboos?"
The setting sun cast long shadows of the two men. Wei Sibei, writhing in pain, seemed unwilling to say anything. He got into the car, turned the key, but didn't start it.
"What flavor of cake did that He Chen send you?"
Ye Chuyi had been watching his clenched fist pressed against his abdomen, and she didn't expect him to ask this. She exclaimed "Ah!" and then said, "How should I know? You didn't give me a chance to see."
Wei Sibei was not satisfied with this answer. She even lied to him about her favorite food?
Are the nicknames on my phone used to distinguish different men based on their different tastes?
After a moment of silence, he still asked, "So, that male college student, is he your man?"
“Of course not!” Ye Chuyi blurted out, “You know I don’t like that type.”
Wei Sibei pouted before starting the car: "I was right. When did your taste become so bad? That brat, what does he know? Does he know how to care for people? He just comes running after you like a puppy. And that guy in the suit, he's so greasy. What kind of taste do you have?"
His skin was dark, making it difficult to discern any changes in his complexion. Ye Chuyi had forgotten that being thick-skinned had many advantages.
"Won't you give me a ride?"
She should have kept quiet, because once she did, Wei Sibei stepped on the gas and drove off.
-----------------------
Author's Note: Age: Wei Sibei 34; Ye Chuyi 28; Wei Bowen 28; He Muchen 20; First Love (who hasn't appeared yet): 29
Height: Wei Sibei 188cm; First Love (who hasn't appeared yet): 188cm; He Muchen 185cm; Wei Bowen 182cm; Ye Chuyi 172cm
[doge][doge]
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