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After Cai Wenchuan finished everything and went to the living room, he magically produced a black woolen hat and said to Ye Wenyu with a smile, "Xiaoyu, I noticed you weren't wearing a hat yesterday, and your ears were red from the cold. It's the dead of winter now, and the weather is very cold, so on my way to buy breakfast, I saw a roadside stall selling woolen hats and bought one for you. Try it on and see if it fits. If it doesn't, I'll go exchange it."
He was as considerate and thoughtful as an old mother.
Ye Wenyu was stunned. She looked at the black woolen hat in his hand. How could a cheap hat be of good quality? Therefore, it was impossible for her to wear it out. However, she thought again. At this moment, she had discovered Lin Tingfeng's true colors and vowed to leave him by all means. Did she still want to be attached to the material enjoyment he brought her?
So she walked over to Cai Wenchuan and smiled at him, saying, "No need to change, it looks great." She smiled as she put the hat on her head and said to him, "It's the most popular style this year. Doesn't it look cute on you?"
Cai Wenchuan took a step back, looked at her carefully, and smiled at her, "That's right, my Xiaoyu looks good in anything."
Ye Wenyu felt a warmth in her heart, and her nose tingled. She glanced at Cai Wenchuan, who had just referred to her as "my Xiaoyu" as if he were family.
A warm feeling washed over me; it was as if Cai Wenchuan's presence made life feel less like it had hit rock bottom.
At this moment, Cai Wenchuan glanced at his watch and said to her, "It's getting late, let's go."
Ye Wenyu nodded, and the two of them put on their winter coats, hats, and scarves, and then went out one after the other.
Their destination was their old home.
They rode to the long-distance bus station and sat side by side on the bus. At that moment, the sun was shining brightly outside, the ice and snow had completely melted, and the whole city looked clean and chilly.
The sycamore trees have lost all their leaves, revealing their white trunks. The sky is as blue as a lake in the deep mountains, and you can see one or two white clouds, as big as sheep.
The car swayed and rocked like a large ship as it drove through the crowds, leaving S City and heading towards Q City, their shared hometown.
Ye Wenyu sat quietly against the car window, the warm winter sun making her feel a little tired. She felt that she was not as uncomfortable as she was yesterday. After being in the sun for a long time, it felt like she was wrapped in a thick quilt, which was very comfortable.
Cai Wenchuan, who had been listening to music, suddenly took off his headphones. Seeing Ye Wenyu's pale face and tired expression, he forced a smile and asked her, "How many years has it been since you went back?"
Ye Wenyu paused, pulling her thoughts back from their wanderings, and after a moment's thought, said to him, "It's been three years."
But one's family of origin is like a thread, forever tied to the heart and body; no one can escape their family of origin. It is where everyone comes from.
She left home to attend university and is now a junior. For three whole years, she has not returned to her old home since her mother sold the house and remarried.
"And you?" she asked Cai Wenchuan, her mind preoccupied.
Cai Wenchuan's face flushed, feeling somewhat embarrassed. After thinking for a moment, he said with some guilt, "I haven't been back for almost eighteen years."
Eighteen years? Ye Wenyu was somewhat surprised, but then she thought that he was probably telling the truth. If he had returned to his hometown three years ago, he would have known about the predicament she was facing. So, perhaps, in his heart, she was not that important.
She fell silent, her heart sinking like a stone into the abyss. She thought to herself, Cai Wenchuan has always treated her like a younger sister, hasn't he? He doesn't have her in his heart, otherwise, he wouldn't have gone eighteen years without returning home after moving.
Cai Wenchuan's face was still flushed, and he dared not look Ye Wenyu in the eye. As if explaining, he said, "Since we left, many unpleasant things have happened in my family. I've always wanted to change my fate through studying hard, so I haven't had time to go back to my old home. Xiaoyu, I haven't cared for you enough. I'm sorry!"
Ye Wenyu was stunned for a moment, then quickly glanced at Cai Wenchuan and suddenly said to him, "You don't need to apologize. You're just my neighbor. You've been good enough to me."
If you only consider him a neighbor, then he has really done enough.
In her heart, all she wanted was for him to value her more and not just see her as a "neighbor".
Cai Wenchuan's mouth moved, as if he wanted to say something more, but the car was packed with people, all traveling from S City to Q City. It was not the right time or place to talk, so he wisely remained silent.
Ye Wenyu suddenly laughed upon hearing the familiar local accent. She glanced at Cai Wenchuan and said to him, "Listen, someone is speaking their hometown dialect." She then tilted her head, perked up her ears, and listened intently. Her appearance was so adorable that it brought tears to one's eyes.
Cai Wenchuan listened quietly for a moment, then smiled slightly and said to her, "You know what, the dialect from my hometown sounds quite nice."
Ye Wenyu smiled as well. The two of them looked up at the other guests around them. It was fate that they were all traveling on the same long-distance bus. In addition, most of them were from Q City, so it felt much more friendly.
Two hours later, the car finally arrived in Q City. At the bus station, the two hailed a taxi and headed straight for their old home.
As the car approached, Ye Wenyu became tense, her body taut like a string. Sitting in the taxi seat, she remained silent due to nervousness and fear. Cai Wenchuan told her that their hometown was being demolished, and the residents not only received new houses but also substantial compensation. Some, being "second-generation demolition beneficiaries," had become wealthy and no longer needed to work, spending their days playing mahjong at home.
She thought to herself, "My mother is really not destined for wealth! She hastily sold the old house before the demolition, thus missing the chance to change her fate."
I don't know if my mother knows about this. If she does, she'll probably be so angry that she'll fall seriously ill.
Sigh, sometimes life really is like a play. Fate is so unpredictable!
Cai Wenchuan seemed to know what she was thinking and said softly to her, "Don't have too much hope. Maybe it will all be demolished."
Ye Wenyu nodded, forcing a smile to indicate that she was alright and had prepared for the worst.
When the car stopped, the two got out. Ye Wenyu held her breath, looked up, and couldn't help but smile. Although the demolition was in progress, their old houses were in the last row and hadn't been demolished yet. The surrounding area was a scene of broken wells and ruins, with several excavators working busily, but their old houses were still standing there.
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