(504)
Uncle Wang nodded and said to Ye Wenyu in a hoarse voice, "You're a good child. Uncle Wang isn't fortunate enough to have you as my daughter for life." The old man looked up wearily at the cold, empty house. Without Zhang Susu, the house seemed to have lost its sunshine and warmth. He said sadly, "I know you won't be coming back to this house. Child, live well. The heavier life gets, the happier you must be! That way, your mother in heaven will be comforted. She loved me very much, but I know she loved you most, and you were her biggest worry!" Uncle Wang looked at Ye Wenyu, his eyes red like a rabbit's.
When Ye Wenyu heard what Uncle Wang said, her nose tingled, her eyes reddened, and tears welled up again. She covered her face with her hands, nodded, and said that she would definitely live well.
When Uncle Wang saw that she had agreed, he handed her the brocade box he had prepared earlier and said gently, "This is all the jewelry your mother owns. I'm not capable enough. Even after I got married, I only added one or two pieces for her. Most of it was given to her by you when she got married. Take these as a keepsake."
Ye Wenyu refused to accept it, saying to him, "Uncle Wang, I don't want it, you keep it." She now knew that her mother was also very important to Uncle Wang, so rather than keeping it as a memento for herself, she decided to leave it for Uncle Wang.
Uncle Wang insisted on putting it in her hand, and smiled at her, saying, "This home is my only thought. Wherever I go, I will think of your mother."
Ye Wenyu felt a pang of sadness upon hearing this, and looking at the brocade box, she had no choice but to accept it.
Uncle Wang thought for a moment, then said to her, "Xiaoyu, I don't have a daughter, but I've always treated you like one. So if you ever encounter a problem you can't overcome, remember to come to Uncle Wang. If you don't mind, come back to this house often. Your mother is gone, but this house will always be your home!"
Hearing this, Ye Wenyu felt a surge of warmth in her heart. She nodded with tears in her eyes. Uncle Wang continued, "Your mother and I bought this house together. You own half of the property rights. When you graduate from university and want to buy a house, I will work hard to earn money and pay you back your half of the property rights!" He looked very serious and made a solemn vow.
Ye Wenyu knew that Uncle Wang's abilities were limited and he might never be able to afford another house in his lifetime. Where his two sons would live when they got married would be a heavy topic. Therefore, she kept quiet. She thought to herself that if she had even a little bit of ability in the future, she would not ask Uncle Wang for half of the property rights.
Everyone has their struggles; if the poor keep pushing each other, they'll really have no way to survive.
However, she couldn't make any promises or say she didn't want the house anymore, since with housing prices skyrocketing these days, buying a house is no small matter. Therefore, she could only remain silent.
Seeing that it was almost time, Ye Wenyu stuffed her mother's jewelry box into her suitcase, said goodbye to Uncle Wang, and took her suitcase to the bus station to catch a bus back to school.
It was a cloudy day outside, the sky seemed like a heavy lead plate, dark clouds were gathering, and a storm seemed to be coming at any moment. Walking on the bustling street, Ye Wenyu felt as if she were walking alone in the desert.
This time, she was truly all alone; from then on, she had no relatives left in the world.
The pain of losing her mother felt like a large piece of her heart had been ripped out, leaving her feeling empty. She didn't know when she would be able to escape the shadow of this pain.
The weather is getting hotter and hotter; it's the dog days of summer now. Her junior year is over, and after summer vacation, she'll be a senior. But she's disheartened; she has no enthusiasm or hope for the future, let alone any plans or aspirations.
She'll just have to take it one step at a time, like a soulless puppet. It would be better if she died someday. For her now, death would be the only relief, because when a person dies, there will be no more pain or loneliness.
It took Ye Wenyu two hours to get back to school and settle into her dormitory. She was drenched in sweat because of the hot weather.
I took a shower in the bathroom, picked up my phone, and saw countless phone calls, all from Cai Wenchuan, and a WeChat message saying, "I'm waiting for you outside your dorm."
Ye Wenyu was stunned. She realized that two hours had passed since she arrived at the dormitory; she had tidied up, cleaned, and showered. She hadn't checked her phone because she was busy. Had he been waiting outside the dormitory for two hours? It was July, and the cicadas outside were chirping like a downpour; it was the hottest month of the year. She had returned to school at 2 PM. Had Cai Wenchuan stood in the scorching sun for two hours?
Shocked and curious, she hastily dried her wet hair with a towel, too lazy to put on makeup or dress up, and went out to meet Cai Wenchuan with her long hair hanging down and wearing slippers.
Since her mother passed away, she has been disheartened, listless, and living day to day.
Therefore, when she walked out of the girls' dormitory wearing a white T-shirt and short jeans, she saw Cai Wenchuan standing under a camphor tree. He seemed to have been standing there for a long time, covered in sweat. He was originally wearing a white shirt, but now the back of the shirt was tightly pressed against his back, and the once pristine white shirt collar had begun to show yellow stains.
When he saw her, he, who had been feeling anxious and restless from the heat, finally breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.
Ye Wenyu slowly walked up to him, without saying a word, just standing there quietly, because she didn't know what to say.
The cicadas seemed to have quieted down a bit, and the heavy rain had turned into a light drizzle.
The sycamore-lined avenue, with its interplay of light and shadow, resembled a time tunnel. She had a dazed feeling, as if passing through this tunnel would lead her to her deceased mother.
“Xiaoyu—” Cai Wenchuan looked at the little girl who seemed to have lost her soul, and his heart ached terribly. He gazed at her, his eyes filled with worry and concern.
Ye Wenyu tried to smile, but the trauma in her heart was too heavy, and she couldn't smile at all. She couldn't bear to think about her mother now; just thinking about her would bring tears to her eyes. The pain of losing her mother was slow and lingering, and it might accompany her for the rest of her life.
So the only thing she can do now is to numb herself, to face everything numbly, and to live numbly.
She raised her head, her large, lifeless eyes looking at Cai Wenchuan, her face as pale as paper.
Cai Wenchuan felt even more heartbroken, his mind filled with memories of the past. Xiaoyu was a girl with a hard life. Her family was poor when she was young, and her parents often quarreled and then divorced. Aunt Zhang raised her alone, but now, the only person who loved her, Aunt Zhang, has also passed away unexpectedly.
He said to her, "I called Uncle Wang today and found out you went back to school, Xiaoyu. You need to cheer up. Once this summer vacation is over, you'll be a senior in college. You can't just drift through life like this without any plans!" He was anxious, looking at the girl's empty eyes, his heart felt like it was being fried in oil.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
