Chapter 39: It's not a first meeting, but a long-awaited reunion...
"Say whatever it is to my face."
Gu Ci disliked the feeling of being kept in the dark.
"This has nothing to do with you, what's the point of listening to it?" Gu Mengyan tried to persuade him further, "You're about to go to school, don't you want to spend more time with your sister?"
Gu Mengyan's words only fueled Gu Ci's rebellious spirit.
He sat down on the living room sofa with a cold smile. "My father, who spends most of his time doing research in the deep mountains and forests, actually knows Jiang Sui, who has only been here for a short time. Tell me, does this have anything to do with me?"
“This…” Gu Mengyan looked at Ji Jingyu with a troubled expression.
“It’s alright, Uncle Gu.” He smiled. “Let Brother Gu Ci stay.”
Gu Ci stared at Ji Jingyu, not missing any change in his expression. "Answer my question first. Why does my dad know Jiang Sui? Don't try to fool me with the excuse that you just bumped into her downstairs and got to know her."
Gu Mengyan walked over and vigorously rubbed his son's head. "Don't treat Xiao Jing like you're interrogating a criminal. This isn't as complicated as you think."
"So what exactly happened?"
Do you remember the time you were sick and hospitalized?
Gu Ci was taken aback. Although he didn't know why Gu Mengyan wanted to bring up the past, he still nodded. "I remember."
He was hospitalized for a week with acute pneumonia, and Xia Fan cried for seven days in the hospital, making the patient in the next bed think that he had some incurable disease. This also made Gu Ci secretly vow in his heart never to get sick again in his life.
He couldn't bear to see Xia Fan with tears in her eyes.
“That time,” Gu Mengyan poured himself a glass of water, “I ran into Jiang Sui at the entrance of our neighborhood.”
“Wait, Jiang Sui wasn’t here this summer…” Gu Ci paused, then quickly realized, “So she was here nine years ago?”
Ji Jingyu responded softly, "Mm."
She came here.
It was never their first meeting; it was a reunion after a long separation.
—
After receiving a call from Gu Ci saying he was sick and hospitalized, Gu Mengyan immediately asked for leave from the institute's leadership and rushed back to Xunning overnight.
Not long after he got out of the taxi, he saw a little girl get out of a black car parked on the side of the road.
Gu Mengyan recognized the license plate of that black car; it wasn't cheap, costing several million.
Xunning is a remote small town, so it shouldn't have a car of this size.
After the girl got out of the car, the black car sped away.
Abandoned?
The thought flashed through Gu Mengyan's mind, but he quickly rejected it.
Who drives a luxury car to abandon a child?
But if it wasn't abandonment, then the parents were incredibly careless; how could they leave such a young child alone on the side of the road?
Gu Mengyan decided to wait and see how things unfolded.
She wore a white shirt with overalls, a matching bow headband, long, curly black hair, and her delicate white hands gripped the handle of a pink suitcase tightly.
She's a very stylish and pretty little girl; you can tell at a glance that she's been well taken care of.
Why is she here all alone?
The doubts weighing on Gu Mengyan's mind grew even heavier.
Faced with Gu Mengyan's curious gaze, the child gave him a straight look, pretended to be calm, and quietly distanced himself from him.
Gu Mengyan raised an eyebrow, noticing how vigilant he was.
He slowed his pace and followed her at a leisurely pace, thinking that if he noticed anything unusual, he would immediately call the police.
Soon, Gu Mengyan saw the child dragging a suitcase into the Nianhuali residential area.
Unexpectedly, their destination was the same place.
—
Jiang Sui was stopped by the security guard at the entrance of the residential area.
"I'm looking for someone." The child hugged his suitcase tightly and looked the security guard in the eye, pretending to be brave.
The security guard looked at the pretty little girl in front of him, his expression softened a bit, but he still remained professional: "Then call her and ask her to come pick you up."
“I… I don’t have her phone number.” Jiang Sui’s face flushed red, and her eyes were filled with tears, as if she might burst into tears at any moment. “But I know she lives here. Her name is Su Yinian.”
"Teacher Su?" The security guard looked at the child suspiciously. "What do you want with Teacher Su?"
Jiang Sui pouted unhappily, her brows furrowed tightly. "I'm not telling you. Just let me in to find her."
Seeing the uncooperative child, the security guard grabbed her suitcase and said, "Wait, let me call Teacher Su to confirm."
He took out a booklet containing the owners' contact information and called Su Yinian using the landline on the table, but no one answered for a long time.
Jiang Sui grew anxious, "Can't you just let me in to find her?"
"No, I can't let you into the community before I verify your identity. I can't afford to take responsibility if anything happens." The security guard pointed to the small stool next to him. "Just sit here and wait for a while."
Forced to leave her father and now unable to find her mother, Jiang Sui finally let her tears fall after holding them back for a long time.
—
"And then?" Gu Ci asked.
Gu Mengyan replied, "Xiao Jing took it back."
Jiang Sui's crying startled both the security guard and Gu Mengyan.
Neither of the two grown men were very good at comforting children; the more they tried to soothe Jiang Sui, the more she cried.
Looking at the two adults in front of her, Jiang Sui felt both wronged and scared.
She seemed to know that crying was a shameful thing, and while crying, she wiped her face with her hands, but the more she wiped, the more tears she shed.
Fortunately, there is Ji Jingyu.
He had just returned from visiting Gu Ci at the hospital.
"Xiao Jing".
Gu Mengyan, as if seeing a lifeline, hurriedly pulled the person into the security room.
“This little girl says she wants to find Teacher Su, why don’t you take her upstairs?”
"Mr. Gu, this won't do..."
Gu Mengyan interrupted the security guard, saying, "If anything happens, I'll take responsibility."
With Gu Mengyan's assurance, the security guard fell silent.
The two grown men watched silently as Ji Jingyu comforted the child.
—
That was the first time Ji Jingyu met Jiang Sui.
The child's fair face was first exposed to the sun, and then he cried a lot, making him look incredibly pitiful.
Ji Jingyu looked at Jiang Sui for a while, then reached into his pocket, took out a handkerchief, and handed it to her in a soft and gentle tone, "Don't cry."
The other person was wearing a simple white tracksuit, with delicate and handsome features, and looked clean and refreshing.
Jiang Sui stared at him with wide eyes, seemingly judging whether the person in front of her was trustworthy.
But it must be admitted that at times like these, good-looking peers are indeed more likely to gain her favor.
Jiang Sui tacitly approved of Ji Jingyu's approach.
She bit her lip, sniffed, and whispered to him in a coquettish tone, "You wipe it for me."
In the short time it took to say a few words, another large tear fell from her eye.
Pitiful yet adorable.
Ji Jingyu chuckled, gently brushing aside the sweat-dampened stray hairs on her face, and slowly wiping away her tears with a handkerchief, asking as she did so, "I know where Teacher Su lives. Shall I take you to find her?"
"Really?"
"Yes," Ji Jingyu explained, "She lives right across from my house."
Jiang Sui agreed after only three seconds of thought, "Okay."
Without Jiang Sui having to say anything, Ji Jingyu took her luggage.
"Uncle Gu, we'll be going now."
"Okay, sure."
Gu Mengyan went home and put down his luggage before rushing to the hospital to see Gu Ci. But since he had taken on this matter, he had to see it through to the end. So he said to Ji Jingyu, "After you've settled your sister in, remember to call your uncle."
"good."
—
Although it was their first meeting, Jiang Sui showed an unprecedented level of closeness to Ji Jingyu.
As I followed him upstairs, I held tightly to the hem of his clothes with my left hand, afraid of being left behind.
"My name is Jiang Sui, what's your name, brother?"
"Ji Jingyu".
"Little Fish Brother".
Jiang Sui, being very familiar with the other person, gave them a cute nickname.
"Um."
Ji Jingyu did not correct her, but accepted the title naturally.
"I'm here to find my mother." Fearing that Ji Jingyu might not understand, she added, "Su Yinian is my mother."
Even though Ji Jingyu didn't ask anything, Jiang Sui wanted to share everything with him.
Upon hearing this, Ji Jingyu paused in his tracks.
Teacher Su actually has a daughter.
Having been neighbors with Teacher Su for so long, he had never heard Teacher Su mention this matter.
"What's wrong, Brother Xiaoyu?" Seeing Ji Jingyu suddenly stop, Jiang Sui blinked her slightly red eyes at him, her tone timid.
"It's nothing." Ji Jingyu shook her head. "I just wanted to ask if you're tired, and if you want to rest for a while?"
"I'm not tired, I want to see my mom soon."
Jiang Sui kicked her legs slightly; she was actually a little tired.
She has never walked so many roads in her entire life.
Although the movement was small, it still did not escape Ji Jingyu's eyes.
He placed Jiang Sui's suitcase against the wall, bent down and sat on the stairs, looking up at Jiang Sui, "But I'm tired, I want to rest for a while."
"Okay, I'll take a break too."
The two children sat on the ground, shoulder to shoulder, very affectionately.
"Grandpa said that Dad is going to start a new family, and told me to come here to find Mom."
Jiang Sui snorted unhappily, her little fists clenched tightly on her knees. "I don't believe what he said. My dad is the person who loves me the most in the world. He would never abandon me! When I find my mom, I will go with her to find my dad. That way, our family will never be separated again."
Ji Jingyu didn't ask any extra questions, but just listened quietly to Jiang Sui speak.
Once she had regained her energy, they continued climbing the stairs together.
"Brother, I want to ring the doorbell myself later."
She wanted to give her mother a big surprise.
"good."
Unfortunately, no one came to open the door for Jiang Sui despite ringing the doorbell for a long time.
She turned to look at Ji Jingyu, and the tears she had been holding back suddenly fell. "What happened?"
“Teacher Su must have gone out.” Ji Jingyu took her hand and coaxed her in a low voice, “Would you like to come to my house for a while? My grandma can make really delicious beef noodles.”
—
Gu Ci: "So Grandma Ji also knows about this."
"Mm." Ji Jingyu nodded.
The first meal Jiang Sui ate in Xunning was cooked by Grandma Ji herself.
"So she only stayed for a few days before leaving?"
"yes."
Jiang Sui arrived in Xunning on the second day after Gu Ci was hospitalized, and left Xunning the day before Gu Ci was discharged.
During that time, Gu Ci and Xia Fan were at the hospital, and Jiang Deyu was at his grandparents' house in the countryside. Apart from Ji Jingyu, none of them knew about Jiang Sui.
"Then why are you all acting as if Jiang Sui has never been here before?"
"Because Teacher Su asked us to keep it a secret."
Gu Ci frowned. "Why?"
Ji Jingyu was silent for a few seconds, then said, "I don't know."
Gu Ci's high intelligence was not just for show; he quickly learned by analogy and figured out many things.
"Are tadpoles also related to Jiang Sui?"
Gu Ci remembered clearly that after he was discharged from the hospital, the Ji family got a little kitten.
The kitten was so small that its eyes weren't even fully open yet, so Ji Jingyu had to get up several times a night to feed it goat milk. She painstakingly raised the kitten, which weighed less than a pound, into the "giant tank" that makes her arms ache after holding it for a while.
"Um."
Jiang Sui picked up the tadpoles from the grass outside the residential area.
At that time, the little guy was soaking wet, his fur was all messed up, and his cries were so weak that they were almost inaudible. Jiang Sui once thought that he couldn't survive, and she hugged Ji Jingyu's arm and cried bitterly again.
She also chose the name.
She hoped that the tadpoles could live healthily and happily, just like her, and then successfully find their mother.
"Brother Xiaoyu, can you help me take care of it?" Jiang Sui asked, resting her chin on her hand as she watched Ji Jingyu feed the kitten goat milk. "My dad is allergic to cat fur, so I can't take care of it."
The tadpole was so small and soft that Jiang Sui didn't even dare to breastfeed it. At most, she could only gently touch its little head with her fingers, and Ji Jingyu had to hold her hand from behind.
She was afraid she wouldn't be able to control her strength, but she completely trusted Ji Jingyu.
"Can."
Ji Jingyu is a man of few words, but he always keeps his promises.
Gu Ci revealed a knowing look, "No wonder Tadpole liked Jiang Sui so much the first time they met."
“Something’s not right.” He still felt something was off. “You’re pretending not to know her, but I have a feeling that Jiang Sui really doesn’t remember her.”
"It's not just a feeling."
—
People come and go in the neighborhood, each with their own life.
Having one more child or one less child is insignificant, not worth the time and attention, and won't cause any ripples.
Only Ji Jingyu remembered it for so many years, and even hoped that he could see Jiang Sui again one day.
That day, as he rode his bicycle past that expensive Maybach, his heart inexplicably started racing.
For a moment, he thought Jiang Sui had returned.
On second thought, it seemed impossible.
Ji Jingyu knew very well that he and Jiang Sui would probably never see each other again.
Until he saw Jiang Sui asleep in the stairwell.
Outside, a fierce wind and torrential rain raged.
The strong wind whipped fallen leaves and branches across the ground, and the branches of the trees were battered and bent by the torrential rain.
The sound of pouring rain and the dampness characteristic of this weather flooded the entire neighborhood.
Jiang Sui slept soundly in such an environment, completely unsuspecting.
Ji Jingyu recognized Jiang Sui almost immediately.
He clutched his chest, his heart pounding wildly, his face still bearing an expression of disbelief, but a smile had already crept onto his lips.
It really was her who came back.
Jiang Sui has grown up, but you can still see the innocence and childishness of her childhood in her eyes.
Pretty and cute.
Why did she suddenly come to Xunning?
Are you back for summer vacation?
How long are you planning to stay this time?
...
By the time Ji Jingyu had fully come to his senses, he was already standing at the entrance of the convenience store.
He didn't know what Jiang Sui would like to eat when he grew up, so he bought all the snacks that he thought Jiang Sui at that age might like.
There's bound to be something she likes among all these things.
It's okay if you don't like it; the convenience store isn't going anywhere.
Ji Jingyu encountered Su Yinian, who was being harassed by Luo Qi, downstairs. He helped drive Luo Qi away, but in doing so, he lost the opportunity to inform Su Yinian in advance.
He thought it was okay.
After all, Su Yinian also learned about Jiang Sui's situation suddenly nine years ago.
At that moment, she held Jiang Sui as if she were holding her whole world, unwilling to let go for even a moment.
But what happened next was completely unexpected by Ji Jingyu.
Seventeen-year-old Jiang Sui looked at him with eyes full of unfamiliarity.
Clearly, Jiang Sui doesn't remember him.
Su Yinian's behavior was also strange; she became exceptionally ruthless and even tried to drive Jiang Sui away on the spot.
She didn't welcome Jiang Sui and strongly resisted Jiang Sui entering her life again.
Thus, Ji Jingyu's long-awaited reunion and reminiscing turned into a silent and bizarre "first meeting."
Later, Jiang Sui managed to stay there as she wished, but Su Yinian sought out Ji Jingyu alone and begged him to keep a secret.
Ji Jingyu was so smart that she easily guessed Su Yinian's intentions; she still wanted Jiang Sui to leave.
Therefore, Jiang Sui cannot develop feelings for this place, nor can she know that Su Yinian once welcomed her with such ecstatic joy.
It turns out the convenience store won't run away, but Jiang Sui will still leave.
Just like nine years ago, it appeared suddenly and disappeared just as suddenly.
Soon, Ji Jingyu learned why Jiang Sui had forgotten him.
She was in a car accident.
Under deliberate guidance, she forgot her memory of Xun Ning.
Jiang Sui's car accident may be related to them all.
—
“That big bag of snacks was indeed bought for Jiang Sui. I found it strange at the time.” Gu Ci laughed. “No wonder Jiang Sui and Jiang Deyu don’t get along. It turns out they have a deep history.”
Ji Jingyu ignored his teasing and said seriously, "This is a secret, not even Xia Fan can tell you."
Gu Ci suppressed his smile. "Don't worry, I'll pretend I don't know anything."
"It's getting late, so I'll head back now."
As Gu Ci was seeing Ji Jingyu off, he suddenly called out to him, "Xiao Jing."
"Um?"
"I think Jiang Sui likes you quite a bit, why don't you give it a try?"
Ji Jingyu didn't answer Gu Ci's question, but just waved to him, "I'm leaving, see you tomorrow."
Author's note: This chapter can be read in conjunction with the first chapter.
This includes the nickname Jiang Sui gave to Brother Ji, and the fact that Brother Ji genuinely knew his future father-in-law was allergic to cat fur.
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