Praise You
The butler led the way, and the two followed him to another room.
Pushing open the door, one finds a vast display area, even more luxurious than the women's clothing counters in a shopping mall. Rows of luxury goods hang in the wardrobe, each still adorned with price tags. Hot-selling designer bags are displayed on separate shelves, while a dazzling array of watches and jewelry gleams in glass cases.
Chen Yan looked at the woman beside him as if it was commonplace and said, "Go take a shower and change your clothes.
Ye Yuanyin had many questions in his mind, but he didn't know where to start.
"Do you come here often?"
"I don't come here very often. It just happened to be tonight."
"That boy just now—"
Sediment smiled. When he smiled, his eyelids would turn into deep wrinkles, and at the ends of his eyes, a layer of wrinkles would appear. Even though it was ruthless, it was still moving. He stared at her deeply and said slowly, "Do you think I like men?"
Her heart suddenly skipped a beat. She avoided his fiery gaze and said awkwardly, "Let's go quickly. If we go back late, my aunt will blame us."
——The men and women here have a clear price tag. As long as you have money, anyone can become an object of molestation.
His world was like a ten-thousand-ton cruise ship standing on the vast deep blue sea with no end in sight, like a giant gray-black volcano right in front of his face, like a thousand-year-old ice wall that was moving rapidly and then gradually collapsing before his eyes... Every image that came into his mind was huge, dangerous, and suffocating, and could swallow up the tiny and insignificant her in an instant.
Ye Yuanyin felt uneasy and just wanted to quickly escape from this dangerous place that was far beyond his understanding, so he urged, "Go change your clothes quickly."
Chen Yan held the door frame with one hand, looked down and saw her slightly angry face, his heart was moved and he didn't want to leave anymore.
On my grandparents' wedding anniversary, any food and drinks even slightly touched by the guests at the banquet were disposed of. Even after three garbage trucks had driven away, a steady stream of black plastic bags were still being thrown out. There was a vast variety of food, some of which had never even been seen. Even the tiny bit of food that was wasted would have been enough to sustain the mountain people for years.
Two worlds, so distinct. She and she clearly lived in the same time and space, yet they were so far away from each other.
Ye Yuanyin couldn't control the absurdity and disgust that welled up in his heart. He reached out and pushed him out like an intruder. "I need to change my clothes. Get out now."
She couldn't wait to close the door from the inside.
Chen Yan'an was turned away, and his tender feelings were extinguished. A burning embarrassment rose in his throat, and in silence he withdrew his hand that was about to continue knocking on the door.
Ye Yuanyin took a towel, wiped her hair with one hand, and gently slid the other hand over a bunch of luxury goods. In her eyes, these desires piled up with money were all a disaster.
Outside, there was a gentle knock on the door, followed by a muffled thud. She felt strange and went to the door, listening closely, only to hear another loud thud.
Like a fight.
Curious, she opened the door a crack and saw the two young men she had met earlier. The one with the rosy complexion and the one called Xiao He were both there, fighting, both with anger on their faces. The housekeeper persuaded them, and one of them finally left.
When Xiao He saw her, his clear eyes revealed the restraint and shyness of a young person: "Mrs. Shen, can I have a word with you?"
She thought for a moment before coming out. The housekeeper was well-trained and knew not to listen to anything inappropriate, so he stood a little further away from them.
Ye Yuanyin looked at him in confusion. Xiao He reached out, and in her slightly red palm lay two broken pieces of a jade hairpin. The broken ends were rounded, and it was unknown how many times she had rubbed them. It was the one that had been broken in the old house. Her face changed drastically, and her throat seemed to have been strangled into several pieces. She swallowed several times in vain before asking, "Is he... here too?"
"Mr. Shen asked if he could see her."
She shook her head quickly and said firmly: "No!"
Xiao He put away the jade hairpin in his hand, his expression calm, "Mr. Shen has already anticipated this outcome. He asked me to ask, when would it be convenient for you to meet?"
Her pride felt like shattered glass, piercing her heart and causing a bloody pain. She never wanted to see him again in this lifetime. Time was running out, and she was anxious to get out, so she said, "Wait until Chen Yan'an is gone."
Xiao He's eyes were filled with confusion. Out of gratitude for the little kindness that Chen Yan had bestowed upon him, he should have gone back to report, but he still asked, "Sister, can't you be sure of your own heart?"
Ye Yuanyin felt incredibly embarrassed because she was suspected of playing both uncle and nephew. Under pressure, she snapped back, "What about you? You're so young, why are you living like this?"
Xiao He's skinny body undulated like a mountain range. His face was tense, and his eyes were like burning red lanterns, burning his narrow, smooth, white face into a bright red. "I need people to support me. Only when I become famous can I make a lot of money."
Ambitious poor people are all equally pitiful.
*
As the car pulled out of the underground parking lot, everything that had just happened seemed like a dream. She had walked into a den of adultery with her eyes closed, and was then blindfolded and escorted out.
Just now, after finishing up, Yandi An pushed open the door and saw Xiao He's hurried departure. She had clearly used the excuse of changing clothes to push him out, but not only did she not change, she even met privately with a minor actor. He was suspicious, but he didn't want to ask directly. He was already humble enough in front of her.
"Is there no clothing you like?"
"I sat in the car and didn't get wet."
Her face, mellow and gentle, pleased him. But her attitude, distant and distant, made him taste the bitterness of sobriety. Was it a piece of clothing she rejected? It was him, the person, that she rejected.
Chen Dian felt extremely angry.
When You Manshan called, his mood was at its lowest. Not answering the call would seem unkind, so Ye Yuanyin had no choice but to press the green answer button. "Sister Shan."
"Xiao Ye, are you able to talk?"
She glanced at the man driving the car beside her with a serious face, and answered with a stiff upper lip, "Convenient."
"Have you and You Jing reunited?"
"……No."
"Do you have any desire to reconcile?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Xiao Ye, haven't you always done well? Can't you just reject him this time like you did before?"
Ye Yuanyin took a deep breath unconsciously, and his tone became tougher, "Why do you want me to refuse?"
You Manshan was stunned by the question, thinking, hasn't she always done this before? Because it was so natural, she didn't react for a while.
"He wanted to marry you and even came to our house to make a scene. My mom was almost pissed off." You Manshan tried to be friendly and natural. "You know my mom's temper. Considering she once supported you, You Jing wouldn't be so crazy if you refused."
"Sister Shan, why do I always have to be the bad guy?" Ye Yuanyin's expression was a bit sinister, but she had tried her best to calm herself down. "Does providing material support to someone mean that person will be mentally controlled for life?"
"Xiao Ye, don't be so extreme in your thinking. I'm doing this for your own good." You Manshan said, "It's not that I don't want you two to be together, it's just that the road ahead will be difficult. How long can You Jing love you? If one day he doesn't like you anymore, won't you be the one who gets hurt? You should understand this very well."
The words also alluded to the previous failed marriage.
Why, she wondered, were there always bad people around her? They wore a veneer of hypocrisy, claiming to be doing it for her own good, but in reality they were suppressing her, devaluing her, and even humiliating her.
He looked at Ye Yuanyin expressionlessly and said in a cold voice, "Turn on the hands-free."
Seeing that she didn't move, he said again in a calm voice, "Open it."
Ye Yuanyin had no choice but to do as he was told. Chen Yan lowered his eyes and glanced at the name on his phone. He disdainfully asked, "When you first followed my father, did you ever consider that the road ahead would be difficult? How did you get to where you are today when no one in the world was blessing you?"
When You Manshan heard his voice for the first time, her heart tightened for a moment, and these words were even more unpleasant to her.
"I was worrying about nothing." She hung up the phone angrily.
The "beep" sound echoed in the enclosed space, and because of the silence, it made people feel relieved for no reason.
Maybe it was really my fault. I met some great people. Among countless choices, they chose me who had nothing. Since then, life has become more and more difficult.
She shouldn't have met You Jing, nor should she have married Dian Yan.
If you really want to cross the social ladder, just one step is enough. If you take a big step and fall down accidentally, you will be crushed to pieces. Only you will know the pain.
*
It was almost dawn when Dian Dian'an's car drove into Jiutao Village.
No matter what their current relationship is like, this world is her home turf and she should play the role of host.
"Would you like to rest in the guesthouse?"
"I want to rest in my old home." Yan Dian didn't dare to act arbitrarily anymore, so he added, "If you agree."
Ye Yuanyin was puzzled. "That house can't be lived in anymore, right?"
"Sure." Chen Yan said succinctly, "It had already been renovated when I came last time, but it wasn't appropriate to explain it to you then."
Ye Yuanyin blushed slightly in embarrassment. She was a girl who knew how to correct her mistakes. "I'm sorry, I was too emotional at that time."
"Is it okay?" He formally asked for her opinion.
"As long as you don't mind."
"You—aren't you coming to stay?"
"I live at my uncle's house."
He already knew that there was no room for maneuver, so he didn't say much.
"When you're done, let's talk about it."
Ye Yuanyin nodded seriously, "Okay."
After taking two steps out, she turned back and said with a smile, "Thank you for taking me back."
It was like a last, emotional thank you and farewell.
Chen Yan felt it, and replied with a smile, "As I should."
There aren't so many shoulds in the world, but the two of them should be heading towards their predetermined fate.
In June, the mountains are already awash in lush green. The vibrant spring flowers have faded, leaving behind a vibrant, intense heat and a sweltering heat.
*
Ye Yuanyin was walking from the village entrance to his uncle's house when he suddenly remembered the day he first returned to Jiutao Village from Ancheng. His mother was lying in bed resting after fainting.
She looked pale and listless.
Ye Yuanyin asked: "Mom, what do you want to eat?"
Mom said, "I do have something I want to eat, but how can you cook it?"
At times like this, she would do whatever her mother asked her to do, let alone what she wanted to eat.
"You said, I will learn it if you don't know it."
"I want to drink carrot shoot soup."
Where can I find radishes in this season?
Ye Yuanyin walked all over the village and finally found it in a shed of a family. She smeared her face like a cat, and the moment she handed the soup to her mother, she ate it very happily.
Her mother was by her side, and there was food on the table. The mother and daughter were talking slowly, their eyes met, and they burst into laughter for no reason. Chunfen slowly walked in the yard, with her tail raised high in the air - that was the happiest moment in her life that could never be replicated.
Just one moment like this can support her through every difficulty in life.
She whispered in her heart, "Mom, I'm back to see you. From now on, I will never be saddened by other people's opinions again. Even if I'm alone, I will carry on living a good life with my share of Dad and you."
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