Chapter 68 The rest of my life is with you
Chapter 68
It suddenly started to rain in the middle of the night. Ruan Yan woke up from her chaotic dream and couldn't fall asleep again.
She got out of bed, put on a thin smock, and sat on the wooden floor with her legs hugged, staring out the window in a daze.
Lu Peishi was half asleep and half awake when he found that there was no one beside him. He opened his eyes and saw a person sitting on the ground.
Her long black hair fell on her slender shoulders, and her slightly hunched posture made her look very fragile.
The lonely silhouette deepened her melancholy.
Lu Peishi immediately came to her side, kissed the top of her head, and put his arms around her: "Are you worried about something?"
Ruan Yan leaned into his arms: "Yeah."
Lu Peishi guessed: "Is it related to what my dad said a few days ago?"
"Yeah," Ruan Yan said softly, "I asked Aunt Wang yesterday. Her mother is living in her hometown now. I decided to go find her."
Wen Ying had mentioned to Ruan Yan before that there was a period of time when there was always an aunt who came to visit their home, sometimes staying for a few days. That person said she was Jiang Shuyu's friend.
She should have a very good relationship with Jiang Shuyu, but the strange thing is that she has never appeared since the incident at home.
Wen Ying was too young at that time, and the adults avoided letting her know too much about many things. Compared with them, the information she received was very limited and not equal.
In addition, the atmosphere at home was depressed at the time, so she didn't dare to ask more questions even if she found something strange.
Ruan Yan had too many questions in her mind. She didn't know how many answers she could get on this trip, nor did she know whether the answers she got were what she wanted and what she could bear.
Lu Peishi sensed her uneasiness and hugged her tighter: "I'll go with you."
"No, I can go by myself," Ruan Yan twisted her body slightly, "You are usually so busy with work, there is no need for you to accompany me."
Lu Peishi stroked her face gently: "I'm not busy. The project I'm working on will soon come to an end. I have nothing to do for a while. It won't take much time to accompany you."
Ruan Yan turned sideways, buried her head in his shoulder, and said nothing more.
"No matter what happens, I will be with you to face it together." Lu Peishi pecked the corner of her lips lightly.
"Yeah." She nodded.
The rain was drizzling outside the window, and the sky was almost dawn, dark and gloomy. It was her least favorite time of the day.
In the past, she often woke up at dawn. Everything around her was quiet and the whole world was empty, as if she was the only one left.
This feeling is so lonely.
At this moment in the room, she felt the warmth of his body, and her heart, which had always felt insecure, was suddenly healed.
It turned out that she was also afraid of loneliness, but she didn't realize it until this moment.
*
Zedai Mountain is about 400 kilometers away from City C, and Ruan Yan chose to go there this weekend.
After the plane landed, they first checked into a hotel in town.
As soon as she put her luggage away, Ruan Yan called the other party.
Aunt Wang gave the contact information of her brother, who was the old nanny’s eldest son.
Ruan Yan and the other party agreed to meet at 2:30 in the afternoon.
It was already past eleven o'clock, and Lu Peishi ordered room service to have a simple meal first.
"There's still some time until afternoon. After you finish eating, lie down and rest for a while." He knew that Ruan Yan didn't sleep well last night.
"I can't sleep," Ruan Yan said. "I don't know why, but I always feel this panicky feeling."
Lu Peishi comforted him: "Don't overthink it, it's just a simple meeting, it's nothing."
Ruan Yan nodded, but there was still anxiety in her eyes.
The waiting time was unbearable. Ruan Yan set off for Zedai Mountain before she had even sat for a while after eating.
It is a small mountain village with green mountains, clear water and excellent air.
When they arrived at the address given by the other party, a dark and strong middle-aged man came out to greet them.
This is the old nanny’s second son.
Under his guidance, Ruan Yan met Wu Lanfen, the former nanny of the Ruan family.
She is short and thin, but looks energetic and has a loud voice.
"You are the second daughter of the Ruan family, little Ruan Yan," she looked at Ruan Yan with a smile.
Ruan Yan also laughed: "Grandma Wu, long time no see."
"Yes, yes," she gestured with her skinny hands, "When I left the Ruan family, you were just so little. After all these years, you've grown into a beautiful young lady."
Ruan Yan chatted briefly with her about family matters, mostly about Wen Ying. She glossed over some parts that she didn't know much about.
Perhaps because she was older, Hu Lanfen didn't notice anything wrong even though she was recalling the past.
As they chatted, their conversation finally got to the point.
Ruan Yan asked, "Do you still remember what happened back then?"
Hu Lanfen nodded: "I remember."
Before this, Wang Xia had already greeted her on the phone, so Hu Lanfen specially and seriously recalled what happened that year in the past two days.
Lu Peishi, who was standing next to him, asked Ruan Yan for her opinion: "Do you need me to step aside?"
"Need not."
"Okay." He shook Ruan Yan's hand.
"You came to our house earlier, so you should know more about what happened in those years than others, right?" Ruan Yan first mentioned the person Wen Ying mentioned when facing the Ruan family's former nanny. "Before I was born, my mother had a friend who often came to our house to play, right?"
Hu Lanfen hesitated for a moment and said, "There is such a person. She...she was your mother's college classmate. I don't remember her name very well, but I remember your mother called her 'Xiaoshan'. She and your mother were very close."
"But I heard that after the incident, she stopped associating with my mother." Ruan Yan raised her eyes. "Do you know why?"
"Well, we really don't keep in touch anymore, because she...she also disappeared..."
Hu Lanfen hesitated for a long time, but finally decided to speak out. She had many speculations about this matter back then, but because Ruan Xingkun saw that his wife was in a very bad state, he forbade the family to bring up the topic of this matter.
Ruan Xingkun has been dead for several years now, and she told her daughter that it was no big deal.
"Actually, your missing twin sister was most likely stolen by your mother's friend. I remember her family was very poor, and she had an equally poor boyfriend. At first, I thought they were planning to kidnap her for ransom, but for some reason, there was no news at all..."
In Wu Lanfen's narration, Jiang Shuyu was pretty and sweet at that time, but she didn't like to go out much. She just liked to arrange flowers, do some crocheting, etc. Xiaoshan often came to her house to chat with her.
Unlike Jiang Shuyu, Xiaoshan has an ordinary appearance, slanted eyes, thick lips, and a hearty laugh. The two people's personalities seem to complement each other.
Xiaoshan's home is in a relatively remote rural area. After graduation, she stayed in City C to work. The rental house is also close to the suburbs. She always likes to stay at Ruan's house whether she has something to do or not.
During that time, Ruan Xingkun was very busy at work and was often on business trips. He felt relieved to have a friend to accompany Jiang Shuyu through her leisurely days.
But Wu Lanfen didn't like Xiaoshan very much. She felt that she was not as straightforward and generous behind people as she was in front of them. Her attitude towards the servants was very ordinary, and sometimes even condescending, as if she was the master of the house, which was in sharp contrast to Jiang Shuyu's attitude.
On several occasions, Wu Lanfen overheard her talking on the phone with her boyfriend, where she complained about having no money and asked him to stop gambling.
She also borrowed money from Jiang Shuyu several times, but she didn't know whether she had paid it back.
Not long after, Jiang Shuyu became pregnant and gave birth, and Ruan Xingkun spent more time at home. Xiaoshan hadn't come home for a while except for one visit during that period.
Later, Ruan Xingkun went abroad for half a month to handle the company's overseas business.
One day, Jiang Shuyu received a phone call, and Wu Lanfen vaguely heard her call the person on the other end "Xiaoshan", but it might be that she heard it wrong.
Afterwards, Jiang Shuyu took her two children out for a walk, and as usual, they were accompanied by two nannies.
But at the end of the day, only two nannies and a child came back.
After questioning, they said anxiously that Jiang Shuyu and one of the children were missing. They thought she had gone home on her own, but it turned out she hadn't.
Wu Lanfen called her repeatedly, but her phone was always turned off.
Later, the police were called to check the surveillance footage. Jiang Shuyu was within the surveillance range at first, but she walked farther and farther away, gradually walked out of the Bijia Bay area, and went to a park outside. After that, she disappeared from the surveillance footage.
The two nannies said that Jiang Shuyu's walking route that day was indeed different from usual, but they were their employer, so although they felt it was strange, they did not ask too many questions.
They walked to another park and chatted with other children with their parents. Nothing seemed unusual there.
Jiang Shuyu, as usual, picked up one of the babies and coaxed her.
There were more and more people in the park. When they finished chatting and came to their senses, they found that Jiang Shuyu was nowhere to be found.
Another nanny admitted in her subsequent testimony that she was indeed so busy chatting at the time that she ignored Jiang Shuyu and the baby in her arms, which was her dereliction of duty.
Everyone knows what happened afterwards. Jiang Shuyu came back alone, and was completely unconscious. Apart from a few repeated sentences, nothing could be asked of him.
Doctors said she suffered physical injuries and a mental breakdown due to the shock to her brain.
Wu Lanfen felt that all this might be related to Xiaoshan. Ruan Xingkun also had a guess and soon received news from the police that Xiaoshan was indeed missing.
"At that time, the police also investigated Xiaoshan's hometown and her boyfriend's hometown, but they didn't find any clues. However, they later mentioned that Xiaoshan's boyfriend seemed to have died in an accident. It seemed like a landslide. He had an accident on the road not long after your mother disappeared."
"Is it such a coincidence..." Ruan Yan pondered.
"Yes, but Xiaoshan is still missing, and the third daughter of the Ruan family is still missing... She is the same age as you now, and must be very beautiful. You all look like your mother, with big eyes, a high nose bridge, and a melon-shaped face..." As she spoke, Wu Lanfen couldn't help but sigh again.
"Then she is not my mother..." Ruan Yan suddenly muttered to herself.
Wu Lanfen didn't hear clearly: "What?"
Ruan Yan took a deep breath and said, "My mother didn't deliberately abandon the child, did she?"
"Of course not! Your mother loves her children so much, how could she abandon them!" Wu Lanfen immediately retorted, "Although you had a nanny when you were young, your mother basically took care of you all herself. Besides, she even loves Yingying so much, let alone you!"
Ruan Yan lowered her eyes, and there was a circle of warm water vapor around her eyes, which made her feel sour and swollen.
At this time, Lu Peishi held her hand tightly, silently comforting her and giving her strength.
"Actually, the clues to this case are basically gone," Wu Lanfen continued. "I heard that the police later found out several times that someone had spotted Xiaoshan. Everyone said she was crazy and stupid. After staying somewhere for a while, she disappeared again. To this day, no one knows whether she is dead or alive. But even if they find her, what's the point? She's just like your mother. There's nothing you can get out of her..."
Wu Lanfen thought, this is really ironic.
Wu Lanfen's words made Ruan Yan look up suddenly: "Are you saying that Xiaoshan has gone crazy too?"
"This is what I heard. I can't guarantee its truth, but it's pretty close..."
Crazy, mad, stupid...
Ruan Yan was still thinking about this sentence until she returned to the hotel at night.
She felt excited and overwhelmed.
In this case, the person who abandoned her in Beishui County was most likely Xiaoshan.
It wasn't her mother who threw her away.
This greatest possible truth was important to her.
She can finally give an explanation to the poor child who secretly hid and cried in the middle of the night after being ridiculed when she was a child, and always looked forward to her mother coming to pick her up, but her hopes were always dashed. She can tell her loudly that I am not a child abandoned by my mother.
Lu Peishi was startled when he found Ruan Yan constantly wiping her tears with her hands, and he quickly hugged her to comfort her.
But she said in a vague voice: "I'm not sad... I'm just happy... really..."
Her voice was thick with tears, but she really felt that she was very happy at that moment.
There was a sense of security that the happiness that had been lost was regained and was firmly held in her hands.
The depression that had been pent up in my heart for a long time was relieved in an instant.
*
Originally, their trip to Zedai Mountain was only planned for one day, but the scenery of the village was so beautiful, and Ruan Yan was in a good mood, so they stayed for another day.
I checked out of the hotel in town and temporarily booked a local B&B recommended by Wu Lanfen’s second son.
The decoration of the homestay is very local. The rooms are clean, with small details in place, comfortable and warm.
They live on the second floor, and the B&B owner and his family live downstairs.
After putting their things down, they went downstairs to go shopping. The boss's family greeted them warmly and asked if they needed anything else.
Ruan Yan smiled and said, "Do you have an electric car?"
Lu Peishi, who was standing next to her: "..."
The distant mountains are dark green and lush, the warm light shines on the scattered black tile roofs, and the air is filled with the refreshing smell of soil and green plants.
Ruan Yan rode an electric bike, lazily traveling along the path filled with the fragrance of gardenias.
This time, Lu Peishi cooperated and sat behind her, hugging her waist honestly.
"Why are you holding so tight?"
"The road is a bit steep." The fresh wind blew his voice up from behind.
Ruan Yan recalled her first business trip: "Does it feel a bit like the last time we were in City A?"
Lu Peishi: "Not really. City A is close to the sea, and here is close to the mountains."
"Oh, I'm not talking about the environment, I'm talking about the feeling."
"Yeah, a little."
Ruan Yan bared her teeth: "Did you start to like me from that time?"
Lu Peishi thought for a moment and said, "No."
Ruan Yan snorted: "I don't believe it."
Lu Peishi thought that it was probably even earlier than this time.
But Ruan Yan did not continue to ask.
I heard from local villagers that there will be a meteor shower tonight, the kind that only occurs once in a century.
Ruan Yan was very excited: "Meteor showers, I've only seen them in idol dramas, it feels so romantic."
She looked at Lu Peishi who was walking over and said, "How about we watch it together tonight?"
Lu Peishi handed her the uncapped bottle of mineral water: "Okay."
"In the infinite darkness, those fragments of stardust that have wandered the vast universe for countless centuries finally collided head-on with our world at this moment..."
"This is not just an astronomical phenomenon, but also a fateful coincidence and romance. It is the ultimate confession of the Milky Way star shower and the most perfect interpretation of 'a moment is eternity'..."
Ruan Yan read out the information she found on her phone one by one.
Lu Peishi on the side drank water silently without saying a word.
There happened to be a large rooftop at the B&B, so Ruan Yan borrowed a lounge chair, lighting, barbecue grill and other equipment from the owner, intending to stay there until the early morning.
The temperature was a bit low at night, so the boss specially brought them a wood stove to keep them warm.
Away from the hustle and bustle of the city and light pollution, the nights in the mountain village are quiet and pure.
Ruan Yan hadn't seen such a night view for a long time.
The cool breeze blows, the night insects chirp, the pomegranate tree in the yard is emitting fine, mottled light and shadow, and a few windows with warm yellow light and bright moonlight outline the silent and layered contours of the village.
Here, all the worldly troubles seem to be diluted, making people feel like they are in a paradise.
A gentle night filled with a sense of security is the best time to confide in others.
They snuggled in the recliners, covered with thick blankets, and talked to each other about their past.
Ruan Yan talked about the dark emotions deep in her heart, her timidity and sensitivity, her sharp edges, and her feelings about her final relief.
Lu Peishi also told her about the past events at home. He admitted that he felt guilty towards Li Rongzhen, but because of his cowardice, he could never muster up the courage to say sorry to her.
"I've blamed her for more than ten years, but she has never defended herself. She just kept giving in and accommodating me." Lu Peishi lowered his eyes. Every time he thought of this, he felt very uncomfortable. "Everyone is a victim in this matter, and she is the most innocent..."
Ruan Yan said seriously, "You're not wrong for not knowing the whole story. You're innocent too. And even though you blamed Aunt Rong Zhen because of a misunderstanding, you were still so kind to Xiao Li."
"Am I good to Xiao Li?" Lu Peishi's mouth curled up with bitterness and he shook his head. "I'm not good to him. I always speak coldly to him and rarely smile at him. I haven't fulfilled my responsibilities as a brother at all."
"No, that's not the case. Xiao Li adores you very much. Every time he mentions you, his eyes light up. He also likes to stick with you. If there's anything good, he'll think of you first. Children have simple thoughts. He knows exactly how you treat him. If you were really awful to him, he would have stayed away from you long ago and would have been too busy hiding when he saw you."
The expression on Lu Peishi's face changed slightly.
Ruan Yan continued, "Aunt Rong Zhen must have known that you're a soft-hearted person, which is why she's been willing to tolerate and accommodate you all these years. People are kind-hearted, after all. Since you're both good people, there's no need to blame yourselves and feel guilty. Find a time to talk it out, and everything will be fine."
Lu Peishi's eyes felt dry and sore as if there was sand in them.
The secret worries and loneliness that had been lingering in my heart for the past few days were cleared away by her few words, and the scenery became bright and beautiful.
He moved his lips, wanting to say something, but in the end he just took her warm hand.
One fifteen in the morning.
As the expected arrival time of the meteor shower draws closer, the starry sky, which was already as bright as a painting, becomes deeper and deeper.
Ruan Yan first saw the first meteor with a long tail streaking across the sky, followed by the second, the third...
Countless bright silver lights intertwined to form a magnificent and grand meteor shower. They seemed to fall to the earth from the cracks in the Milky Way universe, exploding into tiny and fluttering bright spots of light.
She excitedly pulled Lu Peishi's arm and tried to suppress her exclamation so as not to disturb others' rest.
It was the first time she witnessed such a beautiful meteor shower. Besides being excited, she also felt an indescribable emotion.
Immersed in this incredibly romantic astronomical phenomenon, she didn't notice the actions of the people around her.
When she sensed something, she looked down and saw that the man was already kneeling on one knee, holding the ring box high in his hand.
The defenseless Ruan Yan stood there in a daze, not knowing what was going on.
Lu Peishi's eyes were gentle. "Although we have already obtained the marriage certificate, I have not formally proposed to you. I fell in love with this ring at first sight and thought it would suit your ring finger very well, so I bought it, but there has never been a suitable opportunity to give it to you."
Ruan Yan, who finally understood, covered her mouth with her hands in turmoil, tears welling up in her eyes.
"I always feel that it can't be done casually. It should at least be done on a special and meaningful occasion. You like meteor showers and think they are very romantic, so I want to propose to you at this moment, hoping to give you a beautiful memory." Lu Peishi raised his eyes and said affectionately, "Ruan Yan, you are the only person I want to spend the rest of my life with. Are you willing..."
"I do!"
Before he could finish his words, Ruan Yan took the lead and said, "I am willing to marry you!"
The silver-white ring slowly slipped onto her right ring finger, the brilliance of the diamond complementing the tears gathering in her eyes.
There was also a sparkle in his eyes.
From now on, I will enjoy the flowers in the morning, watch the stars at night, have three meals a day, spring, summer, autumn and winter, and you will be with me for the rest of my life.
The two people hugged each other tightly, looked up at the starry sky, and admired the ultimate romantic gift given to them by the universe.
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The author has something to say: Thank you to all the dear ones who have accompanied me through this journey. This article was a bit bumpy to write, but I still tried my best to finish it! Thank you again for your kindness!!!
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