Chapter 43 [VIP]
Han Shu and Wen Zhiyu sat side by side on the stone steps in front of Jielang Gate.
The sea and night merged into one, a thick, inky blackness covering heaven and earth. The air was compressed to its limit, heavily enveloping every inch of exposed skin, and filling the lungs through the nasal cavity. The chest swelled like a balloon, and no matter how much one adjusted their breathing, it was difficult to regain calm.
When people are restless, they tend to talk about everyday topics, as if adding a link between the virtual world and reality, reminding Han Shu of the truth and real pain at this moment.
Therefore, she asked in a hoarse voice, "Did you go on a business trip?"
"Hmm." Wen Zhiyu fastened his shirt cuffs to keep the sleeves from getting windy. "Nancheng, I'm having a meeting with my agent and people from the publishing house."
"A new book?" Han Shu tilted his head to look at him.
"Yes, it was just finished a few days ago."
"I will definitely read it once it's published."
“No need to wait for publication.” Wen Zhiyu smiled faintly. “I have a sample copy, I’ll give it to you in advance.”
"Okay." Han Shu chuckled softly.
Wen Zhiyu was still reeling from that sudden and fleeting embrace. But he didn't dare ask, at least not directly, "What about you? Why did you come back without saying goodbye?"
"Yeah, I meant to scare you," Han Shu said half-jokingly, "but I ended up giving you a big scare instead."
Wen Zhiyu's Adam's apple bobbed. "How long do you plan to stay?"
Han Shu moved his feet up a step, his knees higher than his thighs, his elbows supporting his knees, and his palms supporting his chin. "I don't know either, let me think about it some more."
I don't know. It could be a long time, or it could be leaving tomorrow, just like that phone call earlier. Wen Zhiyu felt a pang of regret, a sense of powerlessness at wanting to fight for what he couldn't. "What about your family? Don't they object?"
"Of course I object, but not as strongly as before." Han Shu waved his hand. "Let's not talk about them. There's something I want to discuss with you. I've been looking for adopters for my three cats, but I haven't met any suitable people. Plus, I don't really want the three of them to be separated, so it's even harder to find them... Could you give me a little more time? If I still can't find them, I'll look into pet shipping back to Beicheng."
Wen Zhiyu replied without hesitation, "It's okay, any time is fine."
Han Shu chuckled, "How can that be? You didn't like them in the first place, and besides, Dami scratched you all over before. Let alone three cats, I'd feel embarrassed."
Wen Zhiyu straightened up, seemingly unconcerned, and said, "For the past two months, I've been feeding the cats and scooping their litter twice a day, and occasionally brushing their fur."
"You???" Han Shu's eyes widened, his astonishment and disbelief so intense they seemed to pierce through the darkness.
"Let me show you."
"It's a deal, I'll demonstrate it when I get back tomorrow!"
A faint voice came from behind, "Gentlemen, let's not do it tomorrow."
Han Shu jumped in fright, "Chun Jing! When did you come out?"
“It probably started when—” Chun Jing pulled Ming Ge out of the stone wall and stuck her head out, looking thoughtful, “…it began with the two of them embracing.”
Han Shu: !!!
Wen Zhiyu: !!!
The two awkwardly got up, one rubbing the hem of his pants and the other fidgeting with the inside of his pocket. They involuntarily looked at each other, seeking each other's help, but hastily separated the moment their eyes met.
Chun Jing stopped joking and got back to the point, "Seriously, Ming-ge is here, and Xiao Yu is nearby, so you two can go back without worry."
Han Shu stepped forward and said, "There's nothing to do back home, so I'd like to wait for news."
"Go home and wait, it's the same." Chunjing squeezed her arm through the courtyard wall. "I'll ask you and let you know as soon as I have any news."
"But--"
Ming-ge, with his arm around Chun-jing, spoke up at the opportune moment, "Didn't you check your phone? There was just a typhoon warning. Go home early and remember to stock up on some food."
Han Shu took out his phone and saw that, sure enough, the local trending topics on major apps were dominated by typhoon warnings.
"Don't worry, the boss of Jielang is no ordinary boss, he'll definitely handle it well." Chun Jing raised her chin at Wen Zhiyu, "Handsome, hurry up and accompany our volunteer home, don't let her be unable to get in the door again."
"No." Wen Zhiyu nodded in agreement to the next matter, but remained reserved about whether or not to go home. He looked at Han Shu, naturally leaving the choice to her.
Han Shu hesitated for a long time before finally giving in, "Then let's go back first. If anything happens, be sure to tell me immediately."
Chun Jing chuckled, "Okay, I'll call you right away."
The high beams pierced through the fog, and Han Shu pressed his forehead against the glass, his gaze fixed on the two figures embracing tightly in the rearview mirror, until they were swallowed by darkness and disappeared.
Everyone seems no different than usual, but the calm surface of the lake masks the turbulent undercurrents. Tomorrow, the rising sun will dispel the darkness of the night, but it cannot dispel the gloom brought by death.
She closed her eyes and unconsciously exhaled a breath of stale air.
On the plane this morning, Han Shu thought about many things, such as when would be the right time to confess, how Wen Zhiyu would react, and whether she was just imagining things. But at this moment, she couldn't say a word.
I'm afraid we won't even be able to be friends anymore, afraid of losing him.
Han Shu felt no sense of unfamiliarity with his birthplace, as if he had just left here this morning to quit his job and returned here after get off work.
Wen Zhiyu opened the door, but instead of going in immediately, he turned around and stood still.
Han Shu rubbed his eyes.
Wen Zhiyu beckoned, "Come here."
Han Shu didn't understand what was going on, but he did as instructed.
In the dim light of the porch, she approached slowly. Her high, prominent brow bone cast a shadow, obscuring Wen Zhiyu's eyes.
"hand."
"Um?"
Wen Zhiyu pointed to the smart lock, "It records your fingerprint."
If she weren't so exhausted, Han Shu would have jumped three feet high and been utterly shocked. Even so, she couldn't control her eye muscles, her almond-shaped eyes wide open. "This...this isn't appropriate, is it? How about you just send me the password once a week?"
“I’ve been staying up late a lot lately and am severely sleep-deprived. My memory is deteriorating and I’m a bit demented,” Wen Zhiyu emphasized. “This way, I can catch up on sleep during the day without worrying about a repeat of today’s situation.”
Han Shu felt that it seemed to make sense, but it also seemed a bit unreasonable. In the end, during his long speech, he confusedly extended his right thumb to record his fingerprint.
Lying down in the soft, fluffy bed that smelled of sunshine, she looked at the bedroom door, Wen Zhiyu's words still echoing in her ears.
He said that the cleaning lady comes every three days to clean the guest rooms, so there's no need to worry about hygiene.
He said he would demonstrate his new cat-feeding technique after getting a good night's sleep.
He also said—
"good evening."
Goodnight at 5 a.m., and Han Shu slept soundly.
A new day begins with Wenzhiyu's forced performance.
The only audience member, Han Shu, yawned and clung to the door frame, saying, "How about I do it?"
"No need." Wen Zhiyu stuffed his arms into two equally long cardboard boxes, hung the rope connecting the boxes around his neck, and said, "I'm going in."
It's like going to war. Han Shu was about to laugh, reaching his peak when he scooped up the cat litter with his inflexible arm, so he pushed open the door and said, "Okay, the two-month-old kittens already know you, they won't scratch you."
A familiar scent wafted over, and the three cats immediately surrounded them from three sides. Han Shu squatted down on the spot, unusually excited, "Meow, I missed you so much, come here and hug me—"
The sound stopped abruptly.
Wen Zhiyu grabbed the cat food, snapped out of his daze, glanced at her for a moment, and then looked out the window. "Ahem, let's go eat breakfast."
Han Shu rubbed the three cats a couple of times and obediently got up.
After finishing her meal, she accidentally stepped on Wen Zhiyu's foot while carrying the bowls and plates to the kitchen. He pulled her wrist to steady her, saying, "I mean, hug."
Wen Zhiyu let go, cleared his throat, and said, "It's nothing."
After saying that, he took the lead and walked towards the kitchen.
Han Shu looked utterly miserable. She knew Wen Zhiyu had thought of that too, and immediately felt extremely embarrassed.
Wen Zhiyu remained expressionless, feeling ashamed of his unfounded associations and extremely embarrassed.
That embrace became the reality that both Ostrich No. 1 and No. 2 avoided. They buried their faces in the sand, avoiding any suggestive topics and maintaining an extremely delicate balance.
Until the typhoon hit again.
"I got to the airport only to find out my flight was canceled," Qin Jianling said angrily on the phone. "How come I always run into this problem every time I go to Hainan Island?"
Wen Zhiyu took off his glasses and placed them on the coffee table along with his computer. "No rush, let's talk about it after the typhoon is over."
"Then you should talk to the typhoon and tell it to be sensible and end before your birthday."
Wen Zhiyu chuckled, "Birthdays are just a casual affair, no need to make a special trip."
"How can that be?" Qin Jianling snorted. "I'll come as soon as flights resume, and I'll bring the publishing contract with me."
Han Shu, who had caught the key words, blinked and asked after the call ended, "When is your birthday?"
"Number 23."
She immediately opened her calendar. "One week left."
"Hmm." Wen Zhiyu rubbed his temples. "After the typhoon ends, my manager might come and stay for a few days. If you find it inconvenient, I'll have him stay in a hotel."
"Convenient, convenient." Han Shu thought to himself, how could the roles of host and guest be reversed? "It must be convenient."
Wen Zhiyu knew she wouldn't refuse, but he didn't completely believe her. He planned to decide based on the situation when they got there. At worst, he would pay for Qin Jianling to stay at the mountain villa he had been wanting to visit for a long time.
Her phone vibrated in her palm, and Han Shu's brows furrowed tightly upon seeing it. She didn't look away from Wen Zhiyu, and answered coldly, "What is it?"
Across from him stood Han Zhuo, Han Shu's cousin. He coldly replied, "If you need something, where are you?"
"It has nothing to do with you."
"How can it be unrelated?" Han Zhuo scoffed. "We're family, why can't I ask?"
"So you still consider us family?" Han Shu gritted his teeth. "My mother was sick and hospitalized, and what was your attitude?"
Wen Zhiyu straightened up, changing from a relaxed sitting posture leaning against the back of the sofa to a proper sitting position.
Han Shu noticed the commotion, smiled apologetically, and then lowered his voice, "Don't give me that nonsense. Actions speak louder than words."
Han Zhuo was a little angry. "I apologized to your aunt and she didn't say anything. What's wrong with you?"
"What my mother says is her business, but I absolutely will not accept it."
The story begins with Xu Ying's hospitalization.
Han Shu's uncle and aunt are both engineers, and they happened to be on a long business trip abroad, so they sent their son, Han Zhuo, to visit them. Unexpectedly, he had just finished partying all night and came to the hospital empty-handed, reeking of smoke and alcohol. Not to mention, he didn't express any understanding of their worries and fears about the unknown outcome, and his words were particularly harsh.
Han Shu became increasingly speechless and felt an urge to run to the other end of the phone and beat him up. Finally, she said fiercely, "Don't call me again."
After hanging up the phone, she still couldn't control her burning anger. She gulped down the remaining half-cup of water and, still feeling it wasn't enough, prepared to go to the water dispenser to get more.
Unexpectedly, as he stood up, he knocked over the handbag on the sofa, and a book flew out from the open zipper.
"Excuse me!" Han Shu quickly picked it up and was about to put it back in his bag when he was stunned when he saw the cover. "This is your new book!"
Wen Zhiyu's expression was somewhat gloomy. "Yes, but it's the roughest sample book."
Han Shu asked cautiously, "May I watch it?"
Wen Zhiyu was caught off guard, but she still agreed. Bringing it back was just to show it to her; it wouldn't make much difference sooner or later.
Having received permission, Han Shu put her earlier unhappiness behind her and nestled on the sofa, happily watching the video.
"A Fleeting Life, A Dream Within a Dream" is a collection of short stories.
A world where trees grow beneath your feet, using trees as a facade and humanity as a metaphor for human self-division, using talking teeth as a metaphor for the current state of the workplace, and depicting an absurd life of swallowing eggs whole in a suicidal act...
Every story originates from Wen Zhiyu's amazing thought process, and behind every story lies a question, with Han Shu providing the answer to each question.
She was engrossed in watching, unaware that Wen Zhiyu beside her was clenching his fists, his gloomy aura far surpassing the raging storm outside the window.
“I’m here during the day, and my dad comes over after he gets off work.”
—His wife and mother were diagnosed with CA, but he never showed up.
"So you still consider us family? My mom was hospitalized, and what was your attitude?"
—He still treated his wife, who had become thin from worry because of her mother's illness, with such a terrible attitude.
"What my mother says is her business, but I will never accept it."
— He made a mistake and tried to save his wife and mother from a serious illness by taking a roundabout approach, showing no respect for his wife whatsoever.
The pent-up discontent that had been building since the Han Shu long-term rental incident instantly turned into kindling, fueling a raging fire of anger.
He cannot destroy Han Shu's family, but what if the family itself is already on the verge of collapse?
He couldn't interfere with Han Shu's choice, but what if her husband was simply not good enough for her?
He couldn't do something like being a mistress, but if she—
Wen Zhiyu suddenly stood up, turned his back to the wind and rain, and resolutely walked towards Han Shu.
Han Shu turned a page, looked up at him, and asked, "What's wrong?"
Wen Zhiyu's eyes darkened, and his jawline tightened to the extreme. "Divorce. Come with me."
Han Shu: !!! ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
"Snap!"
The open book lost its footing, slipped past the hands that were weak from shock, and the knees that were curled up, and fell to the floor along the edge of the sofa.
Han Shu stared in disbelief, speechless, his pupils dilated, and his breath caught in his throat. After a long while, he stammered as he stood up, "No, no, no, it wasn't me—"
Having finally let his long-suppressed desires out, Wen Zhiyu was no longer nervous or ashamed. With a resolute "what's the use of trying" attitude, he added in a deep voice, "I'll raise the child."
Even from a meter away, his determination and seriousness were clearly visible.
Han Shu blinked, his mind completely blank. He thought that her saying she would raise the child after getting a divorce must have been something she had thought through carefully.
But why was he so direct? Why did he choose this time to be honest? And why did he have such a death-defying expression?
Han Shu blinked again, his heartbeat not slowing down but pounding as if it were about to burst out of his chest.
He likes her! He really likes her! Although the plans were disrupted, unexpected events are always beautiful!
Impulsive, unexpected.
Will he regret it once he comes to his senses?
That won't do!
So, disregarding their questions and misunderstandings, Han Shu stepped forward, smiled brightly, and said, "Alright!"
Wen Zhiyu's eyes lit up, his handsome face a fierce clash of surprise and delight. His thin lips curled up as if in a twitch, then he quickly pressed his raised hand down along with his lips. Unfortunately, the joy in his voice was impossible to hide.
"It's a deal then. The day you get a divorce will be our first day together."
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