Chapter 58
Lu Lin made an appointment with Lu Jiyu to meet at a restaurant in Beitun. It was almost evening when he arrived.
The restaurant was on the review list, and when Lu Jiyu entered, it was already half full. Lu Lin sat by the window, waiting for him, alone.
"You're here earlier than I thought." She was dressed casually today, with a straw hat and a polo-neck dress, looking like a middle-aged person on a tour group.
Lu Jiyu had been driving for seven or eight hours that day and was now too tired to talk. He sat down across from Lu Lin, his face showing signs of fatigue, but the sharpness in his eyes remained undimmed.
Lu Lin initially thought Lu Jiyu was like his brother, seemingly difficult to get along with, but actually softer at heart than anyone else. Later, he felt that he was more like his mother, with a sharp gaze and an unyielding, eager attitude towards the world.
This was the first time Lu Lin met Chen Wenshan, and this was the feeling she gave her.
Lu Lin had never told anyone that she had always been quite jealous of Chen Wenshan. She was jealous of her ability to unapologetically pursue her dreams, and she was also jealous of the fact that no matter how much hardship she endured, her smile never faltered. Her pampered aura constantly reminded Lu Lin that they were different.
At this moment, the person who gave her this feeling was Lu Jiyu.
Lu Lin didn't waste time talking to her and just spread out a folder in front of him.
Lu Jiyu was not in a hurry to watch, but he felt that the scene in front of him seemed familiar, like a clip that often appeared in some third-rate TV shows.
He smiled, poured a cup of tea for Lu Lin and then had one for himself.
It is a local rose black tea with a rich aroma and a slight sweetness.
"Very funny?" Lu Lin took off his sunglasses and looked at him. "I think it's funny too. If it weren't for those previous experiences, would I have made such a big fuss about it?"
"Jiang Wan is not an ordinary girl."
"His grades were mediocre from elementary school to middle school. In his first and second years, he was obsessed with making different rumors about different boys. But in his third year, he finally started studying and got into a good high school."
"They are not a family that is easy to deal with."
"Her father cheated on her and divorced her, but her mother is a bit smart. After she became successful in her business, she has had boyfriends all the time."
"Lu Jiyu, tell me, what do you like about her? I admit that she is indeed very pretty, but there are many pretty girls in this world! You don't want to be with Jin Jing just because of her, right?"
"say!"
While Lu Lin was talking, Lu Jiyu kept turning his head to look at the scenery outside the window. In fact, it was just an ordinary county road, not a particularly beautiful scene to speak of.
A shiny black bird was perched on an unknown tall tree on the side of the road. It stared at Lu Jiyu with a frown and turned its head, as if it was sizing him up, or as if it wanted to say hello to him.
"What does her parents' divorce and their new love have to do with me?"
"What does it have to do with me if she was involved with different boys in junior high?"
Lu Jiyu lowered his head and shook the tea in his hand. He heard his own voice was cold. The Lu Lin in front of him was no longer the same person she was ten years ago. Fortunately, he was not the same either.
After the emotional bond between relatives is lost, it seems that only interests and condemnation can bind the relationship between the two again.
Over the years, Lu Jiyu has always felt that if he takes a step back, everyone will be fine, and he doesn't care.
But it doesn't work now.
"With or without her, I will not live according to your demands."
"What kind of person she is can't be judged by just a few pieces of paper or photos. I have my own eyes and I will see and judge for myself. As my mother always said, use your eyes to see and your heart to feel, not your ears to listen to rumors."
He spoke in a steady and even nonchalant manner, with no discernible rise and fall in each word.
But the meaning of leaving no room for doubt is very clear.
Lu Jiyu had almost never had such a direct confrontation with Lu Lin in his entire life.
Lu Lin had gone through so many ups and downs over the years that he had developed a bit of an air of superiority: "Rumors? Lu Jiyu, are you saying that I'm fabricating things about her now?"
"Your mother is always right, and I am always wrong?"
"Who raised you all these years? Do you have any conscience?"
Lu Jiyu was silent for a while before speaking: "Mom is always Mom, and Aunt is always Aunt. I will never forget this. I won't get it mixed up."
"Lu Jiyu you--." Lu Lin leaned back in his chair. After all, they all had the surname Lu and were all smart people. The family members understood each other very well and knew what words could instantly make people jump up and down and angry to death.
"Since I can't convince you, I'll go talk to Jiang Wan."
Lu Jiyu thought she had heard something interesting and kindly reminded her, "Then you'd better prepare a check when you go. She's addicted to acting."
"If you're in a good mood, you can bring a bowl of melon seeds. She might tell you everything about her parents, and you can listen while she eats them."
Lu Lin frowned. What kind of people are these?
As soon as Lu Jiyu finished speaking, his cell phone on the table vibrated several times. He picked it up and took a look. They were all photos sent by Zhou Zifang.
The protagonists of all the photos are Jiang Wan and Li Yiran.
The two rode horses together, took the cable car together, and Li Yiran picked up food for Jiang Wan during meals.
Lu Jiyu casually scrolled through a few pictures and felt funny and speechless. He was making a treasonous decision with Lu Lin outside, while she was traveling with her "ex-boyfriend", having a great time.
Zhou Bajie: You see, I don’t need to take care of her, there will naturally be someone else to take care of her.
Zhou Bajie: Have fun out there, and don't feel any pressure. I understand. (Hehehehe emoji included).
Understand? He just understood whatever he wanted.
Lu Jiyu paused for a moment with his finger on the screen, and finally replied simply: I will go back tomorrow.
Then he clicked into another chat box and sent a message: Are you playing outdoors?
The other party replied very quickly.
The dumplings are a little sweet: I miss you so much.
Depend on.
She is really good at sweet talk.
Lu Jiyu put down his phone, glanced at the time and didn't plan to stay any longer: "If everything is fine, I'll leave first."
Lu Lin had been left out in the cold for a long time, and his anger had mostly dissipated. He softened his tone, "Why, you're the leader of your country? You don't even have time to have a meal with me?"
She has figured it out now. Lu Jiyu is the kind of person who won't turn back until he hits a wall. If one day he really falls into trouble with a girl, he will know who is actually doing it for his own good.
Although Lu Jiyu didn't have much of an appetite, after hearing what she said, he could only stick to the mentality of being there anyway and eat a little.
＊
Last night, just before bedtime, Li Yiran sent a message to Jiang Wan asking about their plans for tomorrow, wanting to join them. Jiang Wan had initially planned to pretend he didn't see the message, but he didn't expect the man to be waiting in the courtyard of their guesthouse early in the morning, carrying a bag.
After so many years, he is still as ruthless as ever.
Li Yiran was a very talkative person, especially with Li Mu and the other two girls. They were all international students, and they could relate to each other when they talked about their bitterness and tears. They were almost crying together.
Chen Meiyu curled her lips in disdain behind him: Why are you being so pretentious?
Li Yiran's only fault was his penchant for hanging around Jiang Wan. She wasn't known for her temper, but as the saying goes, don't hit someone who smiles. She couldn't do anything about him.
By the afternoon, everyone was exhausted after riding horses down the mountain, so they headed straight back to the B&B to rest. On the way, Chen Meiyun curiously asked Jiang Wan, "You're quite tolerant of him. If it were any other boy in high school who pursued you, you would have given them a cold shoulder."
Jiang Wan was wearing a knitted scarf she had just bought from a small shop. The cool evening breeze from the valley caressed her face. She explained to her, "Actually, there's a reason for this."
"Do you know why all those online posts about me from junior high school disappeared?"
"Why?" Chen Meiyun paused to look at her, then quickly came to her senses: "Is it Li Yiran?"
Jiang Wan glanced at Li Yiran's back as he walked ahead: "He contacted the school leaders and the police."
"Did he tell you that himself?"
"No. Lin Manjia told me. He ran to warn her."
Chen Meiyun now looked at him with new eyes: "What's that? Doing good deeds without leaving a name?"
"So you're so polite to him?"
"That's not entirely the reason." Jiang Wan moved aside a child walking towards them. "After all, he's in Australia. If I want to buy milk powder in the future, I can ask him to do the shopping for me. So there's no need to ruin our relationship with him, right?"
Chen Meiyun: …
Speaking of these old stories, Chen Meiyun couldn't help but think of another thing: "Jiang Wan, do you still remember running away from home in sixth grade?"
Jiang Wan was a little surprised: "Remember, it was you who found me in the end."
"Wanzi, did something happen that day?"
After so many years, the past has become just a concrete event: "Do you really want to know?"
In her previous life, Jiang Wan, a hopeless person, and Li Wan, who aspired to raise a daughter, had been locked in a constant battle. Though small, she was resilient and, deep down, considered Li Wan a bad mother. At the same time, she consciously lumped Jiang Huainan, who held a middle-of-the-road position in the family, into her own camp.
She even secretly agreed with the comments made by the grandmas and grandpas downstairs about Li Wan.
Too strong, not feminine, too eager for quick success. These are the words that can be said openly, but who knows what they say behind the scenes.
Because Li Wan was not a good daughter-in-law, Jiang Wan assumed that most of the anger she suffered at her grandparents' house was because of her.
This kind of hatred without any impurities is really the best motivation. Jiang Wan can understand and confront Li Wan boldly.
But everything was ruined on her grandfather's birthday.
Grandpa had been paralyzed for many years, and his three daughters took turns caring for him. Li Wan was the eldest and had the worst temper of the three. She was never in a good mood around Grandpa.
When Li Wan took Jiang Wan to her grandfather's house, he never mentioned her studies. Instead, her grandfather would occasionally advise her not to push her so hard, saying that children were prone to mental problems. At these times, Jiang Wan would chime in, believing the old man truly loved her.
Only Li Wan was washing vegetables in the kitchen silently.
Their conversations often ended abruptly here. Like the iceberg in the Titanic, Jiang Wan never imagined that one day he would hit a reef.
"She's just a girl, what's the point of reading so many books?"
"Look at you. You worked so hard to get in, and now you're just a teacher in a school. If you hadn't been so stubborn and married that small boss, you wouldn't be working so hard now."
On her grandfather's birthday, Jiang Wan finished school early and came to her grandfather's house alone without telling anyone. She originally wanted to give others a surprise, but unexpectedly she overheard a conversation between Li Wan and her grandfather.
She stood at the entrance.
The sound came from the direction of the living room, mixed with the sound of the TV.
Li Wan's voice was particularly bright, with a sense of relief after being suppressed for too long: "I know you looked down on me back then, and now you look down on Jiang Wan. But I will raise my daughter well, and I won't let her follow my old path."
"You're such a stubborn person! You're so stubborn in everything you do, just like your mother! In the end, you didn't get anything good! You're not even as good as your two sisters. Look at your two brothers-in-law, one is a businessman, and the other is a leader in a government agency. Which one is better than yours?"
After all, as a father, it is easy to find the pain points of his daughter.
"Didn't you say he was perfect and forced me to marry him?" Li Wan shouted out of control.
The old man sneered twice: "Hey, when have you ever listened to me so much? You didn't listen when you should have, you shouldn't--"
"Dad, do you know?" Li Wan regained his composure the next second.
Jiang Wan heard a rustling sound, as if someone had sat down on the sofa. The sound of the TV also stopped at this moment.
Li Wan's voice continued to come slowly and steadily.
"dad."
A word without emotion.
"For so many years, I have been thinking about one thing: why was it Mom who died in the car accident? It would have been so much better if it was you."
"Why not you?"
The next second, there was the sound of glass shattering.
The old man's curses were endless, like an old well that had been dry for many years, overflowing with filthy sewage, carrying with it the filth of the years, trying to completely swallow people up.
Jiang Wan turned around and ran out the door.
She rushed all the way to the gate of the community, and when the security guard asked her friendly questions, she suddenly realized that she had been crying all over her face without knowing when.
He was not surprised at all and asked with a smile, "What's wrong? Did you quarrel with Teacher Li again?"
Jiang Wan could only shake her head. Her faith collapsed, and the world lost its color. It turned out that she had been so stupid all these years.
Then she ran away from home.
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