Meeting an old friend again
The snow, which had stopped falling unnoticed, began to fall again, and the snowflakes imprinted on the car window gradually melted.
Inside the warm car, her fingertips touched the cool windowpane, her fingertips peeking out slightly to let snowflakes into her eyes. Wen Dai's fingers moved subtly, scratching the windowpane. Unable to touch the snowflakes, she watched them melt.
"I don't want to divine Zhang Yi's future because I dare not look, and I feel it's unnecessary to look. Everyone has their own path. Even if I could see his future path in advance, what difference would it make? I can't make his path easier, nor can I help him walk it. I don't even have the chance to watch him walk it. Knowing is useless, it's pointless, and there's no point in looking."
The snow melted into water droplets, and the fingers that had been resting on the car window were pulled back.
Out of the corner of his eye, Chen Sizhe glanced at the person in the passenger seat and noticed the bewildered look on her face. He lifted his eyelids slightly, looked out the car window, and gazed at the shops along the street. "Oh. Want some chocolate?"
Wen Dai adapted well to the highly disjointed conversation, as if the previous topic had vanished with the melting snowflakes. Her thumb was caught on the inside of the seatbelt, and she nodded, "Okay."
Wen Dai, who rarely eats desserts, surprisingly bought a small cake, and of course, more than just a small cake.
They practically emptied the chocolate shop. As Wen Dai walked out of the Chen family villa's elevator carrying a handbag, Qi Ya, who was sitting in the living room eagerly awaiting their return, turned around abruptly.
Then her gaze slid down, past the fan-shaped tote bag in Wen Dai's hand, and back to Wen Dai's face. Qi Ya's brows furrowed slightly, her chin tilted back, and her raised hand tapped the tote bag in Wen Dai's hand. "What... why did you buy a bunch of pastries? How is the child?"
Wen Dai put the dessert she was holding on the coffee table, a happy expression spreading across her face. Her almond-shaped eyes curved into crescents, and her parted lips revealed the outline of her canine teeth: "I just suddenly wanted to buy some chocolate-flavored things to eat. Zhang Yi is still asleep. The doctor said his vital signs are stable, but he has a fracture. I don't know the specifics, but he's currently in a regular ward."
Since Wen Dai and Chen Sizhe came in, Chen Wenkang, who had a laptop on his lap, didn't look at the screen for a second. He raised his hand to close the laptop, nodded and said, "It's good that he's alright. He's a lucky man who survived such a disaster."
"Those who survive a great calamity are bound to have good fortune in the future." Wen Dai let out a soft laugh as she lowered her eyelids.
There's no such thing as good fortune after this.
The topic was steered in, and Wen Dai pushed the bag on the table, "Uncle and Aunt, would you like to try some? I picked out the ones with less sugar."
Qi Ya agreed to Wen Dai's suggestion and brought out the chocolates, saying, "Hmm—I'll try some. Just tell me what you want to eat, or tell anyone in the kitchen. It'll save you the trouble of making a trip. You can make whatever you want to eat at home. I don't want you to have to pay for coming to our house."
“Actually, I didn’t pay for these; he paid the bill.” Wen Dai turned her head slightly toward the person next to her.
With his coat draped over his arm, Chen Sizhe stood in front of the coffee table. His European-style white shirt and black trousers were connected by a silver belt, which shattered his air of refined elegance as he spoke: "Because the teller looked at me like I was a gigolo."
After tasting the chocolate, Qi Ya slightly raised her hand holding the fork and tossed it into the trash can.
Her displeased gaze fell on Chen Sizhe's face. "How can you talk like that, Chen Sizhe? Xiao Dai is a guest in our house. How can you ask her to pay the bill? Your reason for paying the bill should be based on hospitality. You have no gentlemanly manners at all. I really don't know how I gave birth to you. If you can marry a wife and prevent the Chen family line from dying out, I will be burning incense and thanking Buddha."
The lecturing ended after the person involved turned and went upstairs in the elevator, a one-sided end for Chen Sizhe.
"Chen Sizhe! You're not going to eat dinner, are you?!"
Glancing at Qi Ya, who was shouting at the top of her lungs, Wen Dai saw the woman in her eyes had already stood up from the sofa, chin held high, glaring angrily at the elevator. Wen Dai blinked and slowly looked away. Sure enough, even the most elegant lady would crumble when faced with an unruly child.
...
Before she could enjoy a couple of days of leisure, on the day before New Year's Eve, Wen Dai met with an old friend she hadn't seen in a long time.
Neighbors and friends of the Chen family came to visit before the New Year. Qi Ya introduced Wen Dai to Qi Ya several times, praising her outstanding abilities with beaming smiles, and regretting that she had not been able to take Wen Dai as her goddaughter.
From morning until now at 2 pm, Wen Dai's bank account has grown as she has helped five people with their cases. People who are willing to spend money make friends who are also willing to spend money. Earning a small five-figure sum has made her cheeks beam with joy, just like Qi Ya's. Most importantly, she has successfully turned the Chen family's connections into her own, even though there are only five people at the moment.
Sitting next to her, Chen Sizhe crossed his legs. He glanced at the person on his right who was staring at her phone screen with a persistent smile, and scoffed, "Is it really that serious?"
"Someone like you who doesn't lack money would never understand me. This is a pleasant surprise." With a deep dimple on her left cheek and her small tiger teeth complementing her wide red lips, Wen Dai tilted her head up, her eyes exceptionally bright, and her beauty mark added a unique charm.
As if burned by the gleam in her eyes, Chen Sizhe paused and looked away, his Adam's apple bobbing as he lowered his chin. He snorted coldly, "She's really easy to satisfy."
Wen Dai nudged Chen Sizhe with her elbow and leaned closer to him, saying, "Hey. You paid for the chocolates for me before, and you accepted the money when I transferred it to you. You wouldn't even take the money I offered you, and there's no one else watching, so no one will misunderstand you."
However, Chen remained unmoved: "I don't have the habit of taking back what I've given away." His gaze remained fixed on his phone screen, as if he were processing something.
The door opened again, and Qi Ya's welcoming voice came from the entrance: "Come in and sit for a while. Why are you so late? If you had come earlier, you would have seen a grand scene..."
A voice approached from afar, accompanied by a person. The woman, pulled along by Qi Ya's arm, wore a helpless smile. Her long hair was styled in a low bun, and her side-swept bangs accentuated her gentle appearance. She walked into the living room in slippers, her footsteps echoing on the tiled floor. "I just came to deliver some things, oh dear..."
The face that he instinctively raised met the face that was looking at him, and his words came to an abrupt halt.
The first thing that rose in their eyes when they looked at each other was surprise, followed by confusion.
"Aunt Cui Lin, it's been a long time."
The silence was broken by Wen Dai, and the smile that had been on her face vanished completely, replaced by a faint smile that barely touched her lips, her hand holding the phone hanging down.
Suddenly snapping back to reality, Cui Lin blinked, her eyelashes drooping and then lifting again, her pupils avoiding Wen Dai's gaze. Her chin and face were slightly tilted to the side. "You are... Xiao Dai? It's been a long time." Her forced smile was even more awkward than Wen Dai's.
Qi Ya loosened her grip on Cui Lin's arm. Being a shrewd person, she could easily sense the awkward atmosphere. She glanced at Cui Lin and Wen Dai, asking, "You two know each other?"
It's more than just knowing each other.
The memories of the past haven't faded yet. Before she was ten years old, when her parents were occasionally not home, Wen Dai would be invited to her home for dinner by this kind neighbor aunt.
Her gaze lingered on the cookie box in Qi Ya's hand for a moment before she looked away. The cookies must have been made by Cui Lin. In the past, Cui Lin often brought over some of her homemade snacks, including dumplings and buns that she had made too much of.
It feels like I've fallen into a trap of memories.
Cui Lin, who had only been married for a few years, would come and knock on Wen Dai's door with her youngest daughter. Wen Dai, who was home alone with a doll, would open the door after seeing Cui Lin through the monitor.
"Aunt Cui Lin!" came a cheerful voice. Xiao Wendai liked this aunt next door; with her around, she wouldn't feel lonely.
Holding her daughter in one arm, Cui Lin used the other hand to stroke the top of Xiao Wen Dai's head. She bent her knees slightly and smiled gently. "Xiao Dai, are Mommy and Daddy not home again today?"
Nodding, Xiao Wendai hugged the doll in her arms tighter. "Mom went to another class, and Dad is busy. I've finished my homework and done some pre-reading. I'm going to my extracurricular class this afternoon."
Remember, even if you try to hide your disappointment, Cui Lin will always notice something amiss.
Cui Lin feigned surprise with an "Oh!" her eyes widening slightly before turning to a warm smile and tilting her head to look at her. "Little Dai is so amazing! She can stay home all by herself and even finish her schoolwork. Auntie admires Little Dai so much! Auntie is even a little scared taking care of my little sister at home. Little Dai, would you like to come and play with Auntie and my sister? How about Auntie bakes some cookies for Little Dai?"
"In the afternoon, Auntie is going to take my little sister out for a stroll. Xiao Dai, why don't you get your things ready for your extracurricular class? You can accompany Auntie and my sister while we're out shopping, and then you can go to your class. Auntie is too scared to take my sister out by herself. Xiao Dai is so brave, why don't you come with me? Okay?"
Xiao Wendai had always thought that Aunt Cui Lin's voice was like honey, soft honey.
She pretended to think, putting on an adult act. She hesitated for a while before finally nodding, adding a "okay" after saying "okay."
"Okay, I'll go get my little backpack! Auntie and little sister, wait for me!"
She was the one who was afraid when she was alone, and she also worried about encountering danger on her way to her extracurricular classes. The courage and strength she put on in front of her parents were tolerated by Aunt Cui Lin. So, when her world collapsed, she instinctively sought help from Aunt Cui Lin.
The fire extinguished all of Wen Dai's hopes, leaving her only ruins; but she never imagined that even her emotions would become ruins.
Ten-year-old Wen Dai's blank mind prevented her from shedding tears; everything seemed like a dream.
But the ten-year-old forced herself to stay awake. She went next door, wanting to find Aunt Cui Lin, wanting to ask how the fire happened, wanting to ask herself where she should go. She had no intention of depending on them, but she didn't know why the door that was always open to her remained unmoved.
Why can't I make a sound when I knock on the door?
Is it that you can't make a sound when you knock, or that you can't hear it?
In the years after she turned ten, Wen Dai would occasionally hold onto a sliver of hope and walk to that villa again and again.
At ten years old, she could still squeeze through the door, even though they hadn't actually opened it. Now that she's grown up, she won't foolishly try to squeeze through the crack anymore, but she'll still foolishly ring the doorbell—knowing full well it won't ring.
Actually, the phone rang, but they didn't answer it.
The person who answered the phone was a new resident who said the previous residents had moved out.
It wasn't that the door wouldn't ring, or that the doorbell was malfunctioning; it was that they didn't want to listen. Everyone covered their ears and eyes.
Some opened the door for her, some answered the doorbell, all saying they didn't know or weren't sure. She thought Aunt Cui Lin would at least open the door and tell her she didn't know, even if it was just to lie to her; she never expected that this usually gentle and kind aunt would choose to lock her out.
Handmade baked cookies can also spoil.
With her upper and lower eyelids touching, Wen Dai raised her eyes to look at Qi Ya and Cui Lin. Cui Lin had already been pulled by Qi Ya to sit on the sofa, right to her side.
"I never expected you two to know each other. What a coincidence! I was just about to introduce you. When did you two meet?" Qi Ya took the teacup from the maid and handed it to Cui Lin. The cookie box containing the baked cookies was taken away by the maid. Qi Ya looked curious and her gaze lingered on Cui Lin and Wen Dai.
Her fingertips, stroking the cup, seemed unable to stop. Cui Lin glanced at Wen Dai a few times, her lips stiff and her eyes lowered as she said, "It happened many years ago. I hadn't moved here yet. I was living in Changhai District then, and I was neighbors with Xiao Dai."
Qi Ya, seemingly oblivious to Cui Lin's unease, exclaimed in a mocking tone, "You two used to be neighbors? What a coincidence! Lizhou is such a small place, you didn't expect to meet again, did you?"
"I really didn't expect it, and I certainly didn't expect Aunt Cui Lin to recognize me." With a softer voice, Wen Dai raised her face to face Cui Lin, a faint smile resting naturally on her cheeks, her peach blossom eyes seemingly filled only with laughter.
Cui Lin avoided her eyes, her hands holding the teacup, one stroking the rim and the other tapping it. "Xiao Dai hasn't changed much, she's still as beautiful as before."
Wen Dai didn't miss Cui Lin's hesitation. Feeling amused, she leaned forward, her eyes and expression sincere, and asked in a gentle tone, "Aunt Cui Lin, how have you been all these years?"
Moving from Changhai District to Chaopu District should be a good thing. Cui Lin seemed to have done some kind of psychological adjustment for herself, lifting her slightly lowered face and opening her shoulders, her eyes finally no longer avoiding hers, but the forced smile still showed her reluctance. "I'm doing pretty well, how about Xiao Dai?"
"Me..." Wen Dai drawled softly, leaning back against the sofa, her smile still faint, her gaze fixed on Cui Lin. "What do you think, Aunt Cui Lin?"
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