Chapter 17
Song Yihuan dreamed of Chi Ran again.
The content of the dream was no different from the previous ones; they kissed, hugged, and intertwined, repeatedly pulling each other into their bodies.
When she woke up, she even felt a little ashamed.
I had just broken up with him a few days ago because of this, and in my dream I unceremoniously borrowed his body.
After that day, she ran into him a few more times, but each time he wouldn't turn his face toward her. Sometimes she was sure he knew she was there, but he just pretended not to.
After this incident, she became much more thick-skinned. When she saw him, she no longer tried to hide, but instead greeted Qian Yu generously.
Even if it's delayed, you have to pretend you didn't hear it.
Another week later, the ethereal and beautiful sound of a piano rang out again from next door—the classical piano had been repaired.
It was a pleasant, sunny spring afternoon, the perfect time to play Icarus.
He didn't play.
Before she finished playing the piano, Guoguo came and banged on her bedroom door: "Huanhuan!! Get out!!"
Before Song Yihuan could even feel upset about it, she opened the door for her speechlessly: "What? I'm busy listening to the piano performance."
"What are you listening to? Let's go, the substitute for Chiran has arrived at the courier station," Guoguo said.
"Shh!!!" She cried out in despair, covering her mouth.
Guoguo said nonchalantly, "The wall is so thick, and besides, they're playing the piano, how could they possibly hear us?"
Song Yihuan glared at her: "Why are you touching my old wounds?"
"Poke it more, it'll heal faster." Guoguo waved her hand, "Hurry up and change your clothes, let's go get the package!!"
On the way to pick up the package, Guoguo laughed so hard she could hardly breathe.
Song Yihuan frowned: "Don't laugh!"
"Masks and scarves are one thing, but why are you wearing two hats too? Is it really necessary to be all bundled up like this?" Guoguo laughed, "It's just picking up a package."
"That's no ordinary delivery," Song Yihuan gritted her teeth. "Besides, I'm the only one in our neighborhood with pink hair! How am I supposed to hide it without wearing two hats?!"
Guoguo leaned closer: "Do you think it's possible that the package wouldn't have a pink 'vibration' drawn on it..."
Song Yihuan raised her hand and smeared her mouth shut.
After playfully fighting their way to the post station, they realized that Guoguo was right; her armor was indeed somewhat unnecessary.
The package contained no information about the contents. The packaging was light blue and looked like a box for a plush toy purchased online.
"Are you silly?" Guoguo laughed at her. "I told you you didn't need to cover yourself up so tightly."
"It's because I lack experience."
Song Yihuan held the cutely packaged package in her hands, still feeling somewhat guilty. She covered the page with the delivery information with her palm as she took it.
—Even though nothing that shouldn't have been written was written above.
As soon as she entered the residential area, Song Yihuan saw a strangely familiar figure through the fence. The person was looking around and peering into the residential area.
She stared for a while before realizing what was happening, then pulled her hat brim down even lower and furtively hid next to Guoguo.
"Damn it! Dam ...
"What are you doing?" Guoguo was pulled so hard she stumbled, and turned around to ask her.
"That's Super 8!! What bad luck!!" Song Yihuan pulled her along as they hurried home.
"Which 'Fast & Furious 8' guy? What 'Fast & Furious 8' guy?" Guoguo only remembered after being dragged into the building. "That ugly junior high school heartthrob of yours? The one who insisted on taking the high-speed train here after you rejected him?"
“Wang Yashuai.” Song Yihuan nodded, still shaken. “How long has it been? Why hasn’t he left yet? He’s come looking for us again?”
Guoguo comforted him, "Our community has strict security; he can't get in."
Song Yihuan didn't say anything, but was extremely grateful to herself for being fully armed when she left home.
She wasn't afraid of Wang Yashuai coming to find her. He was just an average guy who could only rage impotently; he had a mediocre business back home, and his parents were still alive—there was nothing he could do.
This incident brought her more anger than anything else.
This anger reached its peak three days later when she saw the messages in her junior high school class group chat.
Wang Yashuai forwarded their chat history in the class group, along with many accusations.
Does anyone know how to contact my wife? She asked me to come find her, but she hasn't replied to my messages since I got off the high-speed train.
We didn't argue. She just messaged me saying she wanted to kiss me, but then she stopped responding. I wonder if it's because I booked a cheap hotel that upset her. Does anyone know how to contact her?
…
His words implied that he was an honest man who had been manipulated by a scumbag woman.
She only sent the chat log to the part where she said she wanted to kiss him, but she didn't send any of the subsequent insults.
A few male classmates, whether they were just enjoying the drama or were hired by the "Fast & Furious 8" guy, still replied in the group chat:
Are you kidding me? I saw she posted something on her WeChat Moments yesterday.
[Guess who is a snob who favors the rich and despises the poor.]
[It's not that she's materialistic or snobbish; she's a big internet celebrity now.]
When did you originally plan to meet?
Wang Yashuai: [My wife and I made an appointment for March 21st, but she didn't come. I've been staying here for almost half a month now.]
Your second uncle is a hybrid corn and his wife.
Song Yihuan typed these words into the input box, then deleted them.
Wang Yashuai is clearly trying to ruin her reputation, trying to prove she's a gold digger, a fickle and despicable person. If she posts the rest of the chat history in the group and continues arguing with him, it will only fulfill his wish.
Regardless of whether he wins or loses the argument, Wang Yashuai has already won.
She felt so angry that she couldn't breathe.
On one hand, she was angry at Wang Yashuai for his despicable methods, and on the other hand, she was angry at herself for not realizing that he was such a person.
It took her a while to calm down before she re-entered the class group chat and typed a message.
Wang Yashuai used his lower body to dominate his upper body, putting on this show, but he certainly didn't realize that reputation was no longer of much use to her.
It only takes a moment to understand something.
[@WangYashuai I didn't go on March 21st? Why don't you mention that you were limp for two whole hours before I left? Did you think I'd stay there and keep you company while you kneaded your clay?]
Wang Yashuai: [Damn it! You bitch, you're spreading rumors!!]
How shameless of you are, you bastard...
After Wang Yashuai's barrage of messages escalated into a series of voice messages, Song Yihuan left the group chat.
Was it great? Yes, it was great.
But it also had its share of unpleasantness.
Upon hearing of her feat, Guoguo gave her a thumbs up, saying, "The student surpasses the teacher."
After praising him, she asked worriedly, "What if you run into him when you go out later?"
Song Yihuan shrugged. "He definitely can't win an argument with me. If he dares to lay a hand on me, he'll be detained for at least three days. I can also save on three days' room fees. He should thank me properly."
Guoguo burst out laughing: "Evil Big Huanhuan!"
"Shall we order takeout for lunch?" Song Yihuan asked. "I'm too lazy to cook today."
"Let me see if there's any non-greasy takeout, I'll treat you!" Guoguo opened the takeout platform and looked around with her.
"How about this light meal place? I'm kind of craving mashed potatoes... wait a minute."
Song Yihuan's phone rang; it was her cousin, Xin Xin, calling.
Guoguo asked, "About your aunt?"
"Hmm." Song Yihuan pushed open the door and walked out.
"You're just going to fight here?" Guoguo asked, puzzled.
Song Yihuan waved her hand, "I'm going downstairs for some fresh air."
She didn't want to get some fresh air; rather, her aunt's condition wasn't good, and she could roughly guess what had happened, so she didn't want to make the call in front of Guoguo.
Ms. Wang always deliberately avoided the topic of her sister-in-law, who was dying of cancer, in front of Guoguo. Sometimes she knew it was unnecessary, but she would still do it subconsciously in front of Guoguo.
I can't quite explain why, but it's probably because of the inertia of being a good girl and imitating her mother for nineteen years.
"You should at least try to persuade your aunt," Xin Xin said, her voice more helpless than sorrowful. "My aunt has been in the ICU for half a month now, and she's barely woken up. She's... she doesn't even look like herself anymore. My aunt was such a beautiful person..."
Can she persuade Ms. Wang?
Song Yihuan's heart ached. She took a few deep breaths and asked, "What does Grandma think?"
“What can Grandma think? She just nags every day about how my child is suffering.” Xin Xin’s voice was blank. “Even the nurses secretly told me that my aunt is just stalling for time so we can prepare. Do you think my aunt doesn’t know?”
"Grandma didn't say she wouldn't get treatment?" Song Yihuan closed her eyes.
“Grandma can’t afford a single penny for medical expenses, how can she ask for it? She can only keep nagging about it every day.” Xin Xin pleaded gently, “Please persuade your aunt not to let your aunt suffer like this…”
"Does my mom listen to my advice?" Song Yihuan's tone unconsciously became sharp. "She won't even let me see my aunt."
“My aunt was just worried…” Xin Xin said, only halfway through her sentence.
Song Yihuan didn't shy away from the topic: "I was worried that it would frighten me, making me feel like that was my fate."
“Huanhuan, don’t say that…we’re all the same.” Xin Xin murmured, “Back then, when you snuck out of the clinical trial group, your aunt’s hair turned white from staying up all night.”
"Did my mom also tell you that I ran away from home?" Song Yihuan frowned.
She spent almost a year in the clinical trial group, trying all sorts of treatments including immunotherapy, targeted chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, but the cancer cells continued to grow vigorously. She was physically and mentally ruined, and the doctor finally suggested that she switch to palliative care.
Ms. Wang disagreed from beginning to end, shouting that she couldn't give up, and even now she insists that she ran away secretly.
“We all know what’s going on, whether it’s you or your aunt,” Xin Xin said. “I also tried to talk to my aunt, but she wouldn’t talk to me, so that’s why I came to you.”
Song Yihuan frowned and asked, "Sister Xin Xin, you've known my mom for two years longer than I have, so you must know her temperament better than I do, right?"
There was silence on the other end of the phone.
“Anyone can offer advice, but I can’t.” She raised her hand and rubbed her face. “It’s better if I don’t try to persuade her. If I do, she’ll just let her aunt treat her to the very end.”
Xin Xin finally broke down in tears, "I just feel terrible... My aunt has been resuscitated several times. At first, everyone breathed a sigh of relief when she was saved, but after she was saved again, they kept sighing... I didn't mean to tell you this, I just feel terrible..."
“Who isn’t upset? Who in our family isn’t upset?” Song Yihuan took a few deep breaths before speaking properly, “…I really can’t offer any advice.”
“I know… I am… sigh,” Xin Xin said. “My aunt can’t stand hearing the words ‘incurable’.”
“My mom is a contradictory person sometimes.” Song Yihuan’s legs were trembling as she walked, so she simply sat down on the steps at the entrance of the building, hugging her knees and curling up. “If you say she’s optimistic, she’s always been afraid that I will get sick since I was a child. She’s managed me like a military officer for eighteen years… If you say she’s pessimistic, she always thinks that my aunt can get better and needs treatment.”
Xin Xin, on the contrary, advised her: "Auntie is already... strong enough."
“Grandpa, my dad… and then me.” Song Yihuan counted with her eyes closed.
“Have you seen Hereditary Curse? It’s that cult curse passed down from generation to generation…” Xin Xin said with a wry smile, “I got chills watching that movie, I was really scared… My mom was too.”
Song Yihuan asked, "Didn't your aunt take you for genetic testing and say that genetically, your chances of getting the disease are not high?"
“I’m still scared. I’ve been scared ever since Grandpa passed away.” Xin Xin’s voice trembled. “My mom has to burn incense before and after visiting my aunt every day. She also goes before and after my medical check-up and hers. We’re practically living in the temple.”
“I’m not afraid anymore anyway.” Song Yi chuckled twice. “I’ve seen that movie about inherited bad luck. You’re only afraid if the curse doesn’t reach you. If it does, you’ll be a ghost climbing on the roof.”
"Don't..." Xin Xin was clearly not used to her way of speaking, her voice was trembling, "Don't be like this."
Song Yihuan changed the subject, "Has your aunt had a nerve block procedure?"
"No, it only has a pain relief pump installed," Xin Xin said.
"Don't blame me..." Song Yihuan started to say, but then stopped abruptly, unsure how to continue.
Xin Xin clearly guessed what she was going to say and readily agreed, "Okay."
Song Yihuan had no choice but to take a breath and finish her sentence: "...My mom...she just feels that no matter which option you choose, there is only wrong, not right."
Her voice trailed off, "From her perspective, she'll never understand. Like how my dad said he wanted to drink baijiu (Chinese liquor) before he went to the ICU, or how I insisted on dyeing my hair pink, or how I insisted on running away..."
"I understand," Xin Xin said softly. "It's impossible for me to blame my aunt."
Having said everything she needed to say, Song Yihuan held the phone in silence.
A gentle breeze rustled through the budding branches; it was a beautiful day.
When she looked at her phone again, Xin Xin hadn't noticed when the call had ended.
Song Yihuan clicked into the chat box with Ms. Wang, hesitating whether to say a few words casually.
Just as she was thinking about it, Ms. Wang suddenly received a voice call.
She gasped, her mind going completely blank.
Did Xin Xin talk to Ms. Wang?
That can't be that fast, can it?
She hesitated before answering the phone. Ms. Wang on the other end sounded agitated with anger, but she was trying hard to suppress it.
What's wrong with you?
The question was too broad, and Song Yihuan couldn't answer it right away.
Fortunately, Ms. Wang immediately suppressed her anger and continued, "What's going on between you and that male classmate? He's even come to me."
“Wang Yashuai?” She was taken aback.
"What kind of message did you send in a group chat with so many people?" Ms. Wang deliberately spoke slowly, but she still sounded quite angry. "What kind of behavior is this for a young lady?"
Song Yihuan's temper flared up immediately: "I'm being lenient by not contacting his mother, and he still dares to contact you?!"
Ms. Wang said, "You...you're dating your male classmates, fine, but how can you talk like that?"
"Mom, I'm twenty. That's not a male classmate." Song Yihuan was furious. "Then what am I supposed to say? I shouldn't have said I was kneading modeling clay; I should have said I'd visit him on the seventh day after his death..."
"Song Yihuan!!" Ms. Wang suddenly shouted at her.
Song Yihuan was stunned, realizing she was blinded by anger. She took several deep breaths before saying, "Mom, don't be angry, I didn't mean it that way..."
It was quiet on the other end of the phone, but she felt like she could hear tears falling.
"Mom..." she said gently, "I shouldn't have said that."
After a long silence, Ms. Wang finally had the strength to lecture: "You really should have your aunt teach you what 'avoiding prophecy' means! I'm keeping it from people talking about you, but you, on the other hand, don't hold back at all. You think you're so detached, so easygoing..."
If she continues, Ms. Wang will start to cry again.
"I know I was wrong." She lowered her eyes and admitted her mistake. "I never told anyone that I have cancer."
Ms. Wang said sternly but weakly, "You should be careful."
"How is my aunt?" Song Yihuan couldn't help but ask.
Ms. Wang's tone instantly turned cold: "Why do you keep asking? It's always the same."
"Did my aunt say she misses me? I miss her too. Can I go back...?"
"Go back? What do you mean, go back!" Ms. Wang interrupted her quickly. "You're the one who wanted to run away, and you're the one who wants to come back. Don't go back!!"
Before she could say another word, Ms. Wang quickly hung up the phone, as if she was afraid of hearing something.
Song Yihuan sat on the steps, clutching her phone and covering her eyes, lost in thought.
The weather wasn't warm, and she had been sitting on the cold steps for a long time, the chill creeping up her spine and seeping into her bones.
She waited until she started trembling before standing up, and the moment she turned around, she saw Chi Ran standing there.
I don't know how long I stood there.
He stood against the wall, his unfocused gaze fixed on her face, his eyes—
His gaze was incredibly gentle.
Song Yihuan sighed quietly, frowned, and asked him, "What did you hear?"
What a pity.
Before she met Chi Ran, she first knew his arrogance.
The scene on her birthday was absolutely awful.
Given how things unfolded that day, it was impossible for him to stand so quietly behind her with such a gentle expression.
Unless, he heard her on the phone just now.
What a pity.
Chi Ran, and every moment spent with him, is like a dream, like a fairy tale.
Fairy tales should be kept separate from reality and not mixed up with it. If the pages of a storybook are scattered all over the floor, it's not a fairy tale, it's garbage.
What a pity.
Song Yihuan waited a long time for his reply, then sighed and silently walked away from him. She didn't want to face the inevitable bitter and bitter conversation that was about to begin, especially since the other person was Chi Ran.
He suddenly reached out to stop her.
"What are you doing?" She stopped.
Chi Ran turned to her, bent down slightly, and reached out to hover above her head.
Song Yihuan tried to lighten the mood: "You're not going to hit me, are you?"
Chi Ran sighed, and her right hand descended inch by inch, gently finding the top of her head and stroking along the direction of her hair.
"I didn't quite understand. Did you and your mother have a fight?" he asked softly. "Or is it because of your aunt's illness?"
Song Yihuan's eyes suddenly lit up, and she said, "Yes, it's because of my aunt."
"Don't be sad." He gently touched her.
She turned her head to feel the warmth of his palm, her eyes slightly narrowed.
Look, cruelty and tenderness in this world are always intertwined.
In the harshness of reality, she touched the corner of a collection of fairy tales. Without hesitation, she turned the pages and plunged into the world of fairy tales.
One step, two steps.
She tiptoed closer and hugged him. Her ear was pressed against his chest; his heart was pounding rapidly, like drumbeats against her eardrums.
Like the opening theme of a fairy tale.
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