Chapter 13: The Two Aunts in My Memories...
The breakfast Chu Song had prepared was still warm. Xie Tang quickly finished eating and rushed to the court.
As soon as the person involved, Qin Fang, saw her, she anxiously asked about the chances of winning.
"Leave it to me," Xie Tang told her, urging her to stay calm no matter what happened.
During the evidence presentation phase of the trial, Xie Tang caught a glimpse of Fu Xiu quietly taking his seat in the audience.
The judge struck the gavel and asked, "Do both parties admit that this is a sham divorce?"
"It's a fake divorce!" Qin Fang suddenly stood up, losing control. "Please annul the divorce!"
This completely contradicts the strategy agreed upon before the trial.
Xie Tang immediately requested a two-minute recess.
In the corridor, Qin Fang stared intently at the pregnant woman in the audience, her voice trembling: "She stole my husband, and now she wants to take my house..."
The pregnant woman's defiant eye roll instantly ignited Qin Fang's anger.
"Did you see that?" Xie Tang lowered her voice. "She'd love for you to lose your temper and lose the case."
Qin Fang's tears fell onto the indictment: "But that was our relationship of more than ten years..."
"Remember the purpose of this lawsuit? It was to win! It was to keep the house! Only by winning could we keep the house. Feelings! Men! To hell with them all!"
Qin Fang suddenly realized what was happening, and with red eyes, she said, "I'm sorry, Attorney Xie, I was so angered by her that I said the wrong thing in court..."
Xie Tang handed over a tissue to comfort her, "It's okay, I'll take care of the rest!"
Back in court, Xie Tang told the judge, "My client was emotional and misspoke. There is evidence that the plaintiff and defendant committed a fraudulent divorce, and the divorce registration is legal and valid. However, the division of property and the termination of the marital relationship are independent legal acts and should be evaluated separately..."
Three hours later, the judge ruled in court that the property belonged to Qin Fang.
Qin Fang burst into tears, "That's wonderful!"
Xie Tang walked over to Fu Xiu and asked him why he had time to come.
Fu Xiu said his boss was attending a summit, and he was bored, so he came.
Xie Tang then asked when the summit would end, explaining that she had promised Fu Xiu that she and Chu Song would return to Shenzhen together after the summit.
She glanced back at Qin Fang, her sobs drowned out by the sound of her footsteps.
The couple who faked a divorce to buy a house ultimately shattered due to real betrayal.
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The time after lunch break was long, so Xie Tang went to the movie theater alone.
In the theater during the Qixi Festival, couples were whispering sweet nothings to each other. The sweet smell of popcorn mixed with the scent of perfume made her get up and leave after only sitting for half the movie.
Back in the hotel lobby, she curled up on the sofa and played games, occasionally glancing towards the elevator—the person she was waiting for hadn't come out yet.
At 7:30, Chu Song stepped out of the elevator surrounded by a group of people.
After exchanging pleasantries, shaking hands, and saying goodbye, the crowd receded like a tide, leaving only Fu Xiu whispering two words in his ear.
Chu Song raised his eyes, his gaze passing through the hall and landing directly on her.
He walked up to her and asked in a calm tone, "What would you like to eat?"
Xie Tang closed her phone, a slight smile playing on her lips: "Cantonese cuisine? I know a few good ones."
Chu Song replied indifferently, "Fine."
Dinner was eaten quietly. In the darkness of 8:30 p.m., Xie Tang noticed his lack of interest and simply suggested, "Shall we go for a drink?"
The bar was dimly lit, and jazz music played lazily.
Chu Song remained silent, only drinking cup after cup of wine, his knuckles pressed against the rim of the cup, his eyes vacant as if shrouded in a layer of mist.
Xie Tang didn't stop him, but just propped her chin up and watched him until his collar was slightly wrinkled, his Adam's apple bobbed, and even his breath carried a heavy smell of alcohol.
He rarely loses his composure like this.
She gently touched his wine glass; the glasses clashed with a crisp sound.
“Don’t drink alone,” she said. “I’ll keep you company.”
Just as the wine glass touched his lips, Chu Song's slender fingers pressed down on the rim of the glass, his voice low and gentle, "You can't hold your liquor, don't try to be a hero."
Xie Tang was taken aback. She had intended to comfort him, but instead, he took care of her instead.
She had to admit that she was not a good comforter.
She paused for a moment, then quietly sent a message to Fu Xiu asking for help.
The other party quickly replied: 【Try telling a joke; Ah Yun used to do that.】
She cleared her throat: "You know what? A programmer went to the supermarket..."
Chu Song suddenly looked up, the lamplight shattering into a galaxy in his eyes, yet failing to illuminate the deep shadows within.
“Ah Tang,” he interrupted softly, “let me have some peace and quiet.”
Xie Tang felt a chill in her fingertips as she held the wine glass, realizing how impolite she had been.
Some wounds cannot be healed by jokes, and some places cannot be filled by her.
The void left by Chu Yun is like a corner where moonlight cannot reach, and no matter how bright the stars are, they cannot replace it.
As night deepens, the city's neon lights shine even brighter.
The "Moonlit Night" bar is bathed in warm lighting, with languid jazz music flowing through the air.
Chu Song finished his whiskey and glanced at his watch—it was 9:30.
Xie Tang had been in the restroom for fifteen minutes, a time that made one uneasy.
He swiped his phone and sent a message: [Where are you? Time to go back.]
The screen lit up and then went out, but there was no response.
Chu Song frowned and got up, about to go look for someone, when he suddenly heard the clear sound of a guitar coming from the other side of the bar.
"Memories are like a suitcase, filled with mountains and oceans. What the future holds may be, but it certainly won't end like this..." [Note: Lyrics from Yang Zongwei's "I Want"]
Chu Song followed the sound and looked towards it—
Xie Tang leaned against a high stool, her blue oversized shirt casually tied in a knot at the waist, her calves slender beneath her gray skirt.
Her slightly wavy long hair fell over her shoulders, the ends swaying gently to the beat.
"The girl in my memory, with long hair falling to her waist, the story was neither too short nor too long, just right for reminiscing..."
She suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with tiny sparkles of light.
Chu Song's breath hitched slightly, and a smile spread across his lips without him even noticing.
She still sings beautifully.
In a daze, I saw Xie Tang as a young girl again, sitting cross-legged in front of the easel, humming a song, oblivious to the paint smeared on her cheeks.
Back then, she would always tilt her head and ask him, "Will my singing disturb you?"
He said in a flat tone, "Just because I said I would, does that mean you won't sing?"
The girl's eyes curved into crescents as her paintbrush tapped out a light rhythm on the palette. "No way!"
As the strings vibrated, Chu Song thought of Chu Yun. If it weren't for her, he would probably have forgotten Xie Tang long ago.
Nor would he piece together all the memories of that girl during that rainy season in London.
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In September 2018, London was shrouded in a prolonged rainy season.
The library lights cast a pale yellow glow on the white paper. As Chu Song was organizing documents, his phone suddenly vibrated.
The two characters "Chu Yun" on the screen jumped around merrily, much like her own restless nature.
He rubbed his temples and pressed the answer button.
"Xiao Song! Guess who I ran into at the airport today?" Her older sister's voice pierced through the airwaves, filled with barely concealed excitement. "I know you don't want to guess, but I've sent you the photos, look!"
"Who?" he asked directly, casually clicking on the somewhat blurry airport snapshot.
In the picture, a short-haired girl wearing a white shirt and jeans is looking around, seemingly searching for someone.
A very pretty girl.
"My God! You can't even recognize it?" Chu Yun's voice rose eight octaves. "Take a closer look!"
The noise of airport announcements came through the receiver. He glanced at the mountain of documents and said, "If you don't tell me, I'm hanging up."
"Wait!" Chu Yun hurriedly offered a hint, "When he was little, he always came to our house and was especially attached to your..."
The dust deep in my memory was suddenly brushed away.
He stared at the photo again. Those peach blossom eyes were indeed exactly the same as when he was a child, only the baby fat had disappeared and the outline was clearer.
Eleven years have passed in the blink of an eye, and those blurry fragments are like faded old movies, flickering in and out of focus.
"Remember her? Qin Tang—oh, she changed her surname to Xie now." Chu Yun's voice suddenly lowered. "She's studying law at Beijing University of Political Science and Law; she's my junior."
"Um."
"When are you going back to China? I'm organizing a dinner party..."
"We'll see."
"Don't be so cold," Chu Yun suddenly lowered her voice, "When I was six years old, I said I would give you the best things in the world..."
Chu Song gazed at the neon lights blurred by the rain outside the window, a helpless smile curving his lips: "You actually took a joke from a six-year-old seriously."
October 2018, late at night in London.
Chu Song had just closed his laptop when his phone started lighting up repeatedly.
Chu Yun: Breaking news! The final round of the Law School's Top Ten Singers competition will be broadcast live! [Share Link]
The moment my finger swiped across the screen, another message popped up:
Chu Yun: I recorded a clip of Tang Mei's performance for you! [Video]
In the video, Xie Tang, dressed in a white dress, stands under the spotlight and softly sings "Heartbeat".
It sounds great.
Chu Song, as if possessed, looped the message three times until the fourth message interrupted him:
Chu Yun: This is a rip-off! She sang so well, and she only got second place?! [Angry table-slamming emoji]
The message notification sound was especially clear late at night:
Chu Yun: At the celebration banquet, Tang Mei was treating, but I noticed she was secretly counting her wallet... This kid is working part-time.
Chu Song replied: Then you pay the bill.
Chu Yun: I bought it, but Tangmei is angry! The way she glares at people is exactly the same as when she was little~ [Sneak peek at Xie Tang glaring.jpg]
The girl's profile in the photo is slightly red from the steam of the hot pot, and the upward curve of her eyes is exactly the same as when she was six years old.
Chu Song saved the picture, then immediately deleted it.
Outside the window, Big Ben struck twelve.
On the eve of the Spring Festival holiday in March 2019
Spring sunlight streamed through the library's dome as Chu Song received a series of incredibly exciting messages.
The photo shows Xie Tang with shoulder-length hair, frozen in time as she turns her head under the tree.
Chu Yun: Latest street style photos from the law school! Tang Mei with long hair is absolutely stunning and has gone viral! [Nine-grid photos]
Chu Yun: Team building at the strawberry farm today! [Xie Tang picking strawberries.jpg]
Chu Yun: Tangmei's honey-glazed chicken wings are amazing! [Food Close-up]
Chu Song stared at Xie Tang's wispy hair in the photo and replied: You guys just sit here and wait to be fed?
Chu Yun: I was in charge of purchasing the ingredients! [Full of self-righteousness.jpg]
The conversation suddenly changed:
Chu Yun: Look at this! Don't Tang Mei and Xiao Chang look like a perfect match? [Photo of the two together]
In the photo, the boy is bending down to help Xie Tang tie her apron.
Chu Song's finger hovered on the screen for three seconds before replying: ?
Chu Yun: Speak!
He doesn't deserve it—the message was retracted the moment it was sent and replaced with: Boring.
That night, Chu Song dreamed that six-year-old Xie Tang was peeking at him. After he caught her, she smiled and handed him a handful of candy, "Brother, do you want some candy?"
June 2019 Graduation Season
In the shady grove of the sycamore-lined road, in the group photo sent by Chu Yun, the tassel of her graduation cap was being blown by the wind, while Xie Tang smiled so hard her eyes were like crescent moons at the edge of the photo.
Chu Yun: The last group photo on campus. I'm reluctant to part with Tang Mei. Tang Mei said she wanted to wish me a bright future, so I wish her all the best.
Chu Yun: Sometimes I feel that she is more like a shining star than I am.
The last message appeared on the screen late at night:
Chu Yun: Now that you're back, go see her. You two were originally very good friends.
Chu Song turned off the screen and finally replied: Busy, another day.
—When is "another day"? He himself doesn't know.
Ten years is like a thin veil, easily broken with the slightest touch.
He remembered her soft, sweet voice calling him "brother" when she was six years old, remembered her little tricks of secretly slipping candy into his schoolbag, remembered her fierce way of arguing with someone while protecting the wind chimes...
But now? Who is she? And who is he?
What can we say to each other when we meet?
Long time no see? Or how are you doing?
That's too polite, and too unfamiliar.
Five years ago, when we met again at the airport, she cried her eyes out, I don't know what happened to her.
Passersby glanced at her and hurried away.
He handed him a tissue.
She didn't recognize him.
A note from the author:
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Chu Yun is the matchmaker. The male and female leads were separated for eighteen years. He was able to recognize the female lead at the airport at a glance, thanks to Chu Yun.
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