Chapter 13 I didn't bring a lighter
Hua Cheng crossed the road and appeared in front of Yun Jin.
The two locked eyes, and the air seemed to slow down a little.
Yun Jin: "Lower your head."
Hua Cheng immediately lowered his head, and Yun Jin plucked a small leaf from his hair.
The weather hadn't completely turned cool yet, and few leaves were falling from the roadside. I wonder how long he had stood there before he caught such an early autumn leaf.
"Why didn't you wait in the car?" Yun Jin asked.
Hua Cheng took the leaf and threw it away, then wiped her hands: "I want you to see me as soon as you step out the door."
The tender words didn't earn him his wife's affections; instead, they earned him a ruthless revelation: "Even with the car window open, I can still see you."
Hua Cheng feigned sudden realization: "Oh, right!"
Yun Jin glanced at him, and Hua Cheng smiled, pushing her towards the car.
Hua Cheng drove here alone. Now that he has picked up Yun Jin, he voluntarily gave up the driver's seat and went around to the other side to get into the passenger seat.
After Yun Jin got into the car, Hua Cheng asked, "What are you planning to do later?"
In order to attend Feng He's birthday party, they cleared out the entire day, and had nothing to do from now until nine o'clock tomorrow morning.
I can't just go home and sleep during this rare free time.
Yun Jin: "Go home and sleep."
Hua Cheng: "..."
Yun Jin started the vehicle, casually resting one hand on the window while holding the steering wheel with the other.
The aggressive off-road vehicles roared towards the main road, but the people next to them remained silent.
Yun Jin, focused on driving, casually asked, "You don't want to?"
Hua Cheng tried to be as tactful as possible: "I finally got some rest..."
"So you need to get some rest," Yun Jin interrupted calmly.
Hua Cheng: "..."
Although he really wanted to go out on a date, as a man who is absolutely obedient to his wife, he obediently changed into his pajamas as soon as he got home and lay down on his half of the big bed.
When Yun Jin came out of the bathroom, she saw him lying straight, with the blanket neatly covering his body and his hands folded over his lower abdomen.
It was too peaceful, too glaring.
Yun Jin laughed in anger, rushed over and punched him until Hua Cheng curled up like a shrimp. Only then did she snort coldly, draw the curtains, and lie down on the bed.
The curtains are very effective at blocking out light; even though it's still bright outside, the room is pitch black.
Hua Cheng rolled around in the darkness, and after rolling to Yun Jin's side, he pulled her into his arms.
Yun Jin didn't struggle, and raised her hand to stroke his brow bone: "Sleep."
"Um."
The room fell silent, like a tiny, forgotten pupa, with darkness enveloping the two people breathing heavily like silk.
One minute later.
Hua Cheng: "What are we going to do after we wake up?"
Yun Jin: "..."
Hua Cheng: "Let's go out to eat."
Yun Jin: "..."
Hua Cheng: "Going to see a movie is fine too. Are there any good movies lately? Uncle Feng's film company isn't doing so well. It's been two years and they haven't produced any big IPs..."
Before he could finish speaking, Yun Jin's fingertips, which had been resting between his brows, gently slid down to his lips.
It was as if a video that was playing had been paused, and Huacheng was also gently paused.
After a while, he secretly kissed Yun Jin's fingertip.
The little pupa finally quieted down again. Yun Jin closed her eyes, adjusted her posture, and said, "Brother Pang and his wife bought ribs and invited us to their house for dinner tonight."
The man next to him stirred.
Yun Jin didn't need to look to imagine his eyes suddenly lighting up. She silently raised her lips, feeling a little annoyed with him again, and pushed him away, bracing herself against his chest.
Hua Cheng obediently let her go, but after she fell asleep, he secretly hugged her again.
His eyes had gradually adjusted to the darkness, and he could see Yun Jin's peaceful sleeping face clearly in the dark. He stared at her for a moment and couldn't help but yawn.
Sleepiness washed over him in waves, but he still didn't want to sleep.
Actually, he used to really enjoy sleeping at home with her, especially on quiet afternoons when there was nothing to do. The bedroom was warm, dark, and quiet, and the two of them would hug each other, feeling like they could sleep forever.
But ever since he fell ill, he has always felt that time is too precious to waste on sleeping.
Yun Jin was still asleep when she turned over and murmured in her sleep, "Hua Yu..."
"What?" Hua Cheng didn't hear clearly and leaned closer.
Yun Jin remained silent.
Hua Cheng lowered his head and secretly counted her eyelashes. When he counted to the twentieth eyelash, he yawned again.
Yun Jin woke up after only forty minutes. When she opened her eyes, Hua Cheng was lying next to her, seemingly fast asleep.
She waited three seconds, then nudged him with her elbow: "Hey."
"Huh?" Hua Cheng woke up with a start.
Yun Jin said expressionlessly, "Stop pretending. Are you still awake?"
Hua Cheng: "...I'm going to sleep."
“Impossible,” Yun Jin sneered. “I can hear your breathing.”
Hua Cheng: "..."
"Are you a child? Do you need someone to watch you while you sleep?" Yun Jin said expressionlessly. "Either you go to sleep right now, or I'll call Fatty right now and tell him we're not going."
"I'm going to sleep!" Hua Cheng made his choice immediately.
Yun Jin: "Sleep!"
Hua Cheng was both amused and exasperated, thinking, "How could I possibly fall asleep so easily?"
However, when his wife got angry, he didn't dare to argue back and could only silently close his eyes.
Three minutes later, listening to his breathing, Yun Jin took out her phone and sent a message to Liu Zhuang, telling him that she and Hua Cheng would be late.
Liu Zhuang replied immediately: Is he causing trouble again?
Yun Jin: He's sleeping.
Liu Zhuang replied a few seconds later: Are you sure you're sleeping?
Yun Jin: It's still breathing.
Liu Zhuang: That's not what I meant...
That's not what it means, so what else could it mean?
In the darkness, Yun Jin reached out a finger to check Hua Cheng's breath.
Yes, it's still breathing.
Hua Cheng slept for an hour before waking up. When he opened his eyes, Yun Jin had already crawled out of his arms and was now lying on the bed, staring at her phone looking at information. The light from the phone shone softly on her face, casting a green glow.
Hua Cheng stared at her for a few seconds, then silently pulled the blanket over his head.
"What?" Yun Jin asked.
Hua Cheng: "I thought I saw my great-grandmother."
Yun Jin: "..."
After a violent crackdown, the two were finally able to leave.
Liu Zhuang's family lived in the same neighborhood as them, only a 20-minute walk away. After leaving home, the two did not go to his house immediately, but instead turned a corner to the trendy toy store next door to choose a gift for Liu Zhuang's daughter.
"How about this?" Hua Cheng held up a sparkly star hair clip.
Yun Jin: "Bei Bei is almost ten years old."
“You can wear it even if you’re thirty,” Hua Cheng said, pinning the hair clip in her hair and smiling. “It looks great.”
Yun Jin took off her brocade and handed it to him. She then turned to the shop assistant and asked him to pack up the dozen or so popular blind boxes on the shelf.
Hua Cheng immediately went to pay the bill obediently.
After buying the gifts, the two headed to Liu Zhuang's house. It was already past seven o'clock in the evening, just dinnertime, and the neighborhood was becoming increasingly quiet.
At first, Hua Cheng carried the bag and followed Yun Jin slowly. By the time they arrived at Liu Zhuang's house, he was carrying the bag in one hand and holding her hand in the other.
With both his hands occupied, Yun Jin was in charge of ringing the doorbell.
The moment the doorbell was pressed, the sound of sawing wood rang out, and Yun Jin and Hua Cheng both fell silent.
After a while, Hua Cheng said, "Beibei has been learning the violin for two years now, I wonder how well she's playing now."
Yun Jin: "Don't talk about this topic after you come in."
She was afraid that her husband might suddenly get carried away and make his daughter perform another act on the spot.
Hua Cheng had obviously considered this possibility as well, and immediately nodded.
The couple exchanged a glance, and in that instant of unspoken understanding, the living room door opened, and little Liu Beibei rushed towards them like a cannonball.
"Uncle Hua!"
Unexpectedly, she greeted him first. Hua Cheng was flattered and immediately went to greet her: "Oh, Bei Bei Bao..."
Before she could finish speaking, the blind box in her hand was snatched away, and the child turned a corner and rushed into Yun Jin's arms.
Children these days are generally well-nourished, and Liu Beibei is even better. At less than ten years old, she is already 1.6 meters tall and weighs over 120 kilograms. Although Yun Jin was prepared when she turned the corner, she was still knocked back two steps by her.
"Auntie, I miss you so much, boohoo!" Liu Beibei whined. "Thank you for buying me the blind boxes!"
“I bought it,” Hua Cheng corrected.
Liu Beibei hugged Yun Jin tightly and glanced at him when she heard this: "That was picked by my aunt. If you were choosing a gift for me, you would only buy an ugly hair clip."
"...How is the hair clip I chose ugly? The hair clip I chose is the most beautiful in the world." Hua Cheng was so angry that he gritted his teeth and reached out to pinch her face.
Liu Beibei screamed and quickly hid behind Yun Jin.
"Tell me, isn't the hair clip I chose the most beautiful in the world!"
"No, you can kill me and I still won't!"
"Then I'll beat you to death!"
"Auntie, save me..."
The tranquil neighborhood instantly erupted into chaos. Yun Jin rubbed her temples, clearly used to such noise.
The connections between people are truly wondrous. Hua Cheng and Liu Zhuang are best friends, and he gets along with his sister-in-law Chen Yueqin like family. However, this little niece, on the first day they met, peed all over him, and the first long sentence she could say was "I don't want Uncle Hua." It's as if they were born to be incompatible.
Seeing that they were going to make a fuss for a while, Yun Jin didn't bother to get involved and went straight into the courtyard.
Just as she was about to change her shoes and go inside, the living room door opened again, and Chen Yueqin's gentle face appeared in the doorway.
Their eyes met, and Chen Yueqin smiled, her eyes crinkling: "I've been waiting for you for ages, why haven't you come in yet?"
Yun Jin stared at her for a few seconds and then smiled, "Those two are fighting, which will take up a little time."
Chen Yueqin glanced outside and sighed, "Never mind them, come in first."
Yun Jin agreed and followed her into the living room. Liu Zhuang was studying red wine and waved when he saw her, saying, "You're here."
“Fatty.” Yun Jin nodded.
Liu Zhuang: "Where are Hua Cheng and my daughter? Are they fighting again?"
Yun Jin shrugged, and Liu Zhuang muttered speechlessly, "I knew it."
He wanted to say something to Yun Jin, but Chen Yueqin pulled Yun Jin into the kitchen first.
"Come help me check today's dishes." Chen Yueqin was still smiling, but her expression revealed a hint of nervousness.
Yun Jin looked at the kitchen counter, which was piled high with food: steamed sea bass, beef with potatoes, pork ribs with yam, shrimp and egg custard... all of which contained ingredients that were clearly visible, and were as light as baby food.
Chen Yueqin is best at cooking Sichuan cuisine, and every time they come to eat, the table is covered with red chili peppers.
“I’ve been abroad recently, and my stomach has gotten used to lighter food, so I haven’t made anything too oily or spicy,” Chen Yueqin said in a low voice, pausing before continuing, “It’s also a good opportunity to give you a change of pace. Do you want anything else to add?”
Yun Jin paused for a few seconds, then smiled and said, "Thank you, sister-in-law, this is very good."
Chen Yueqin couldn't hold back any longer. She opened her arms and hugged her, and before she could react, she suddenly yelled fiercely at the door, "Liu Dazhuang, come in and serve the dishes!"
Liu Zhuang followed suit, rushing to the living room door and yelling at the guy who was still fighting with his daughter: "Get in here and bring out the dishes!"
Ten minutes later, a group of people sat down at the table. Hua Cheng was originally sitting next to Yun Jin on his left and Liu Beibei on his right, but as soon as Liu Beibei saw him, she immediately switched seats with her father.
Hua Cheng, who was being looked down upon, didn't care at all. Even after seeing the bland dishes on the table, he said rather rudely, "Sister-in-law, why isn't there any boiled pork slices today?"
"It's good enough that there's anything to eat, why would you want to order more?" Liu Zhuang rolled his eyes at him. "From now on, there will be no more boiled sliced meat. Your sister-in-law just learned about health and wellness abroad, so from now on, we can only eat this at our house."
Hua Cheng twitched his lips and said to Yun Jin, "I should have known better than to come to their house for dinner."
Despite saying that, he filled a large bowl with rice, which made Chen Yueqin laugh.
Liu Zhuang snorted softly, took out the selected red wine, and poured a glass for himself and Yun Jin each.
Hua Cheng pushed his cup forward.
Liu Zhuang: "Get lost."
Hua Cheng silently took it back.
Chen Yueqin chuckled and poured him a bottle of coconut water: "Let's drink this."
"Thank you, sister-in-law." Hua Cheng held the cup slightly, about to pick it up after she finished pouring.
Click.
The cup slipped from my hand and landed gently on the table, the clear coconut water sloshing around and splashing out a little.
The table fell silent until Liu Beibei handed over her cup: "Mom, I want coconut water too."
"Okay...okay." Chen Yueqin snapped back to reality and quickly poured her some water.
Liu Beibei patiently waited for her to finish pouring, then held the cup and educated Hua Cheng: "See? You have to hold the cup with both hands."
"Don't even mention it. If you hadn't pinched my hand just now, I wouldn't have been unable to even pick up a cup," Hua Cheng retorted calmly.
Liu Beibei glared at him, about to argue, but Liu Zhuang couldn't stand it anymore: "Why are you trying to extort money from me?"
"They're extorting money from minors! How morally reprehensible!" Liu Beibei immediately chimed in, her mature tone making everyone laugh.
"Wife, they've teamed up to bully me," Hua Cheng immediately complained to Yun Jin.
Liu Beibei scoffed, "Auntie won't help you."
Just as Hua Cheng was about to speak, a spoonful of steamed egg custard fell into his bowl. Yun Jin calmly asked, "Who said that?"
Liu Beibei: "Auntie!"
Another spoonful of steamed egg custard fell into her bowl.
"Be good and don't make a fuss," Yun Jin said.
So Liu Beibei behaved herself.
Liu Zhuang quietly moved back and whispered to Chen Yueqin, "If Yun Jin doesn't want to be a CEO anymore, she can become a dog trainer."
They'll definitely get it right the moment they're scolded.
Chen Yueqin rolled her eyes at him and put two large spoonfuls of bitter melon on his plate: "Even eating can't shut you up."
Liu Zhuang looked at the bitter melon, and his face also turned bitter.
With the center of gravity of the dining table finally shifting away from him, Hua Cheng quietly got up and left. Only after entering the bathroom and gently closing the door did he slowly slide down the doorway and sit on the floor.
It felt as if a thousand people were decorating his brain at the same time, and the sharp, booming sound almost tore him apart. He could still pretend to be calm at the dinner table, but now that he was alone, he just wanted to die immediately.
Fortunately, the peak of the pain quickly passed, and Hua Cheng, with trembling hands, took out a bottle of vitamins containing medicine from his pocket and barely managed to bite it open with his teeth.
His hands were still not very controllable; even a small action like pouring medicine took almost a minute to finish, during which he spilled two pills.
Anyway, at least it came out. Hua Cheng hurriedly swallowed it, leaned against the wall, and went to the sink. He then gulped down the pill directly under the tap water.
This drug was developed by a foreign laboratory specifically for his condition. Although it cannot control the spread and deterioration of the tumor, it can effectively block the pain.
Five minutes after taking the medicine, the pain finally disappeared completely. Looking at myself in the mirror, I was drenched in sweat and pale, looking like a gruesome male ghost.
Hua Cheng chuckled self-deprecatingly, washed his face, and then found a spare hairdryer to dry his hair until he felt refreshed before leaving the bathroom.
At the dinner table, the lively meal continued, as if no one had noticed his departure. However, the bowl that had been empty before he left was now piled high with various kinds of food.
Hua Cheng raised an eyebrow when he saw the food piled up in a mess: "Who did this? It's so annoying. They only give me the food I don't like."
Liu Beibei instantly snapped: "Eat it or don't, I'll throw it away!"
Hua Cheng immediately grabbed the bowl and ran away, with Liu Beibei chasing after him in anger. In the end, both of them were dealt with by Yun Jin.
After the meal, Liu Zhuang began to clear the table, with Chen Yueqin and Hua Cheng assisting him. Yun Jin and Liu Beibei went to the side hall to tutor homework.
When Liu Zhuang and Hua Cheng finished tidying up and came to the side hall, Yun Jin was helping Liu Beibei correct her math mistakes.
The carpet in the side room was soft. Yun Jin and Liu Beibei sat on the floor, leaning on the coffee table shoulder to shoulder.
Upon seeing Liu Zhuang and Hua Cheng arrive, Yun Jin asked, "Where's your sister-in-law?"
"Yueqin is making you ginger and jujube tea in the kitchen," Liu Zhuang said.
Yun Jin paused for a moment before remembering that her period was approaching.
"Five more days." Hua Cheng peeled an orange for her.
Liu Zhuang: "Don't eat anything cold these days."
Yun Jin: "I know."
The adults seemed to be speaking in riddles, which Liu Beibei couldn't understand, so she asked curiously, "What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about your aunt. Her period is coming soon, so she should eat less cold food and keep warm," Liu Zhuang explained patiently.
Liu Beibei suddenly looked at Yun Jin and said, "Auntie, you have to be good, or your stomach will hurt."
Yun Jin smiled and continued to analyze the question type for her: "This type of question is still a bit too advanced for your age. What you need to do most now is to develop divergent thinking, rather than rote memorization. Next time you encounter this type of question, just skip it and learn it when you are older."
Liu Beibei looked troubled: "But the competition teacher said..."
“Don’t care what the competition teacher says, just listen to your aunt,” Liu Zhuang couldn’t help but interrupt. “She’s someone who has survived by winning scholarships from various competitions since she was a child. She’s much more experienced than your tutoring class teacher.”
“That’s right, your aunt is a top student from Pingda University, just listen to her.” Hua Cheng sat down next to Yun Jin.
Liu Beibei looked at Yun Jin hesitantly.
Yun Jin patted her head: "I haven't been a student for many years, so I might not be saying things accurately. When I have some free time in a few days, I'll talk to your competition teacher and help you create a new academic plan."
Liu Beibei nodded immediately.
After finishing math, it was time to look at Chinese. As Liu Beibei was rummaging through her homework, her schoolbag made a jingling sound. Liu Zhuang curiously leaned over and asked, "What's in there?"
“Aromatherapy,” Liu Beibei handed her homework to Yun Jin, then took out several small bottles shaped like cocktails from her schoolbag. “My classmate gave them to me.”
“Hey, Singapore Sling, Mojito, Bloody Mary,” Liu Zhuang immediately called out the names of several cocktails.
Liu Beibei's eyes lit up: "Dad is so amazing, he knows them all!"
“This is nothing. Your father and your Uncle Hua used to work in bars.” Liu Zhuang said proudly. “I’m tired of these drinks, so of course I can recognize them at a glance.”
Liu Beibei: "No wonder you're so fat, you must have drunk too much alcohol back then."
Liu Zhuang glared at him: "Nonsense, I was so thin back then, almost like a bamboo pole. It was only after I met you that I got so happy and gained weight."
Liu Beibei immediately looked at Yun Jin: "Really, Auntie?"
“When they were working at the bar, I was only eighteen and still studying in the mountains,” Yun Jin chuckled, “so I can’t answer your question.”
Liu Beibei touched her nose: "Okay."
“Back then, I worked part-time at a bar every day, living a muddled life. Who would have thought I would be living like this today? By the way…” Liu Zhuang sighed for a moment, then suddenly looked at Hua Cheng, “Do you remember when someone caused trouble, hitting and smashing things in the bar, and you even got hit on the head by a flying bottle?”
Liu Beibei was shocked: "Is such a thing possible?"
“Of course I remember it clearly. I took two months off at the time, and I happened to be back at the bar the next day to cancel my leave. That’s when I heard about your injury,” Liu Zhuangyue said, his recollection becoming clearer and clearer. “What was the date again… right, right, September 6th. Oh dear, it’s the same day as today! Huacheng, today marks the twelfth anniversary of your unexpected misfortune!”
After Liu Zhuang finished speaking, he couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Hua Cheng thought he was being boring and asked Yun Jin if she wanted some dessert.
Yun Jin shook her head, about to speak, when Liu Zhuang tugged at her: "Do you know about this?"
"I know," Yun Jin nodded.
Liu Zhuang was shocked: "You know all this? How come Hua Cheng tells you everything!"
"It wasn't him who said it, it was you."
Liu Zhuang was even more shocked: "Me? How could that be! I just remembered."
Yun Jin chuckled: "You told me this during the summer vacation before our senior year of high school in 2014, when I first met you, and you told me more than just these things."
Liu Zhuang: "..."
To everyone's surprise, he was the one who was the chatterbox.
Liu Zhuang laughed awkwardly: "Your memory is too good. You still remember what I told you 11 years ago."
“Highly educated people naturally have good memories,” Hua Cheng replied, very proud of his wife.
Yun Jin ignored them and got up to leave after checking the homework.
As she stepped out of the side hall, she heard Liu Beibei ask Liu Zhuang how he and Hua Cheng became friends, followed by Liu Zhuang's long-winded explanation.
"Of course, he kept begging me, so I reluctantly became friends with him. At first, I didn't really want to talk to him, but he was crying his eyes out, and I felt sorry for him, so I reluctantly became friends with him. As a result, he kept clinging to me after that..."
Yun Jin couldn't hear what he said next because Liu Beibei started sawing the violin.
Yun Jin decisively walked into the kitchen and slammed the door shut.
Chen Yueqin was standing in front of the boiling health pot, lost in thought, when she heard the door open and she was startled. She quickly turned off the fire and said, "You're here. The jujube tea is just ready. Here, take a cup."
Yun Jin agreed, but seeing that she was still absent-minded, she simply pulled her aside and poured herself some tea.
The steaming tea was poured into the cup, and the wisps of white steam added a filter to the bright kitchen. Yun Jin carefully blew on it a few times and took a small sip.
"It's delicious," she said with a smile.
Under the lamplight, Chen Yueqin looked into her beautiful eyes and felt a pang of emotion: "I remember when I first met you, you were only nineteen, so thin and small. You were also experiencing menstrual cramps then, curled up in bed drinking the jujube tea I brewed. In the blink of an eye, so many years have passed..."
Yun Jin held the tea, looked at the tiny bits of ginger floating in it, and smiled, "It's been so long since I've had this."
"I spent the whole summer abroad, so it's been a long time since I cooked for you. Drink more."
"good."
Looking at her calm expression, Chen Yueqin hesitated for a long time before finally taking out two pills from her pocket.
Yun Jin paused upon seeing the medicine, then looked at Chen Yueqin, puzzled.
"I found it in the bathroom," Chen Yueqin said, trying to remain calm.
Yun Jin suddenly realized and explained, "It's Hua Cheng's targeted therapy drug. I guess he accidentally spilled it when he was taking the medication just now."
"Why did he hide in the bathroom to take it?" Chen Yueqin asked with concern. "Is there something wrong with the medicine?"
“There’s nothing wrong with the medicine. He’s just afraid that if he takes it too often, it will make us worry. So he not only secretly takes it, but also puts it in a vitamin bottle, thinking that he can get away with it,” Yun Jin said, unable to help but comment, “It’s like he’s sick.”
Chen Yueqin was amused by her words, but a hint of melancholy appeared between her brows: "I haven't seen him for two months, and he seems to be more cheerful and lively than before. I don't know if he's faking it."
Yun Jin: "Yeah, I was faking it."
In the side hall, Hua Cheng suddenly felt a chill on the back of his head. If it wasn't the tumor acting up, then Yun Jin must be cursing him.
"Hello."
Liu Zhuang's voice rang out, and Hua Cheng immediately looked at him.
Liu Beibei has class tomorrow, so she's already gone back to her room to sleep. Now there are only the two of them in the side hall.
Liu Zhuang, too lazy to pretend to be cheerful, tossed him a USB drive with a stern face.
Hua Cheng picked it up and looked at him curiously: "What's this?"
"You and Yun Jin have probably thought of every possible medical solution, so any further additions would just be repetitive," Liu Zhuang said, pointing with his chin to the object in his hand. "This contains contact information for spiritual mediums from all over the world. I spent a lot of money to find them. When you have time, have your assistant make an appointment for you. If scientific methods don't work, we'll try to find solutions from a metaphysical perspective."
Hua Cheng was both amused and exasperated. He wanted to say that there was no time for such a thing, but before he could say it, Liu Zhuang's serious gaze stopped him.
“Okay, I’ll contact them.” Hua Cheng said sincerely.
Liu Zhuang was finally satisfied. He glanced at him and said, "Your sister-in-law has already tidied up the room. Why don't you stay at home tonight?"
"OK."
Yun Jin and Chen Yueqin were still chatting, and Hua Cheng didn't want to disturb them, so he went back to his room to sleep. Liu Zhuang sat alone in the side hall for a long time, rubbed his eyes, and then slowly walked back to his room.
After Yun Jin and Chen Yueqin finished sharing a pot of tea, a hint of fatigue appeared on Chen Yueqin's face.
"Sister-in-law, you should go to sleep too," Yun Jin glanced at the time on her phone, 9:30 p.m. "I suddenly remembered something I need to do, so I might have to go back. Let Hua Cheng stay here tonight."
Chen Yueqin agreed and went back to her room first.
Yun Jin stood alone in the kitchen for a while, then left after finishing the last sip of her jujube tea.
"Auntie."
Suddenly, Liu Beibei's voice rang out behind her. Yun Jin stopped and turned around to see the little girl standing in front of the sofa in her pajamas.
"Why aren't you asleep yet?" Yun Jin asked.
Liu Beibei walked up to her and looked intently into her eyes: "Auntie, is Uncle Hua dying?"
Yun Jin paused, unsure how to respond.
"Is it because I always make him angry?" Children can't hide their emotions, and their eyes often turn red. "Mom often says that I make her so angry that she gets a headache. Is Uncle Hua's headache also caused by me?"
Yun Jin chuckled: "Of course not."
Liu Beibei's lips twitched, and tears streamed down her face: "Then why did he have to die?"
“He won’t die,” Yun Jin said softly. “He’s just temporarily sick, he’ll get better.”
"Really?"
"real."
Liu Beibei rubbed her eyes and solemnly took out two round things from her pocket.
“This is an elixir that Uncle Hua gave me before. He said it could bring the dead back to life and make people young again. I originally planned to give it to my parents when they got old... Could you please return it to him for me?”
Looking at the two hawthorn pills in her hand, Yun Jin felt that Hua Cheng had really done a lot of harm.
After calming the child down, Yun Jin finally got away and walked alone on the tree-lined path in the neighborhood.
It was only a little past nine o'clock at night, and the neighborhood where politicians and wealthy businessmen gathered was already completely quiet. Yun Jin walked forward unhurriedly, walked along the tree-lined path, entered her and Hua Cheng's detached marital home, picked out a ten-carat loose diamond from the safe, put it away, and left again. Finally, she arrived at the entrance of the large flat at the innermost part of the neighborhood, entered by scanning her face with ease, and took the private elevator to the top floor.
Now that Feng Wan wasn't there to cover for her, she simply bought another house as a base, so that she could come directly to this house whenever she needed to travel through time.
The house wasn't very big, but it was nicely furnished and had everything you needed. As soon as Yun Jin entered, she turned her black mechanical watch counter-clockwise.
Having not traveled through time for a month, Yun Jin felt a long-lost sense of suffocation during the moment of spatial distortion. Fortunately, it didn't last long. When she opened her eyes again, she was already in the house she had rented 12 years ago.
The first thing I did upon arriving here was to replace everything I was wearing from 2025, including my clothes, earrings, and necklace, with items from 2013.
After changing, she didn't go to the Royal Bar immediately, but went to a pawn shop first.
No matter the city or the era, there are always some less strict trading markets where, as long as the goods are of high quality, a transaction can be completed even without providing identification information.
Chengjia Pawnshop is an example of this.
This wasn't Yun Jin's first time here. This time, as soon as she entered, the staff invited the owner over.
"Mr. Yun, what good stuff have you brought today?" the boss greeted him warmly.
Without saying a word, Yun Jin handed him the diamond directly.
The shop owner's eyes lit up when he saw the diamond, but he still tried to haggle: "This... the quality is quite good, but there's no certificate..."
"Three million? If you don't want it, then forget it." Yun Jin took back the diamond and turned to leave.
The boss quickly stopped her: "Yes, yes, we'll definitely take it!"
Yun Jin then stopped.
"Or should I transfer it to your card?" the shopkeeper asked.
Yun Jin nodded.
"Okay! Please wait a moment while I issue an assessment."
The boss left as soon as he finished speaking, leaving Yun Jin alone sitting at the octagonal table drinking tea.
I remember the first time I traveled here, I was unprepared and penniless. Even the clothes with the logo on them were mistaken for fakes. It wasn't until I found a way back that I was able to avoid ending up on the streets.
The second time she came, she was more experienced and brought some cash with her, all of which was money from before 2013. However, when she was about to spend it, she suddenly remembered that the money she had brought back also existed in the current timeline.
In other words, once she spends the money, there will be two identical amounts of cash in the market.
She didn't know what kind of butterfly effect time travel would cause; all she could do was try her best not to change the world and not let the world discover her abnormality.
So after much deliberation, she didn't spend the money. Instead, she returned to 2025, took two rough gemstones from the jewelry box, exchanged them for money at a pawn shop in 2013, and then deposited them into a bank card she had just opened in this timeline.
Since all rough gemstones look pretty much the same, it's normal to find two that are exactly alike.
Anyway, when she applied for a bank card, she specifically brought her old, expired ID card. Although she looked a bit more mature than when she was eighteen, she was still recognizable, so she got the card smoothly.
Once everything is over, she will cancel the card so that no one needs to know.
Inside the pawnshop, the electric fan turned slowly.
Yun Jin only waited for half an hour before the boss came out and readily transferred the money to her.
She wasn't surprised at all, after all, the diamond originally cost nearly eight million, and Hua Cheng had specifically bought it at an auction.
With more liquid funds in her bank account, Yun Jin considered it and decided that she wouldn't need to come to the pawnshop anymore.
After saying goodbye to the pawnshop owner, she got into a taxi heading to the Royal Bar.
It was late at night, the busiest time for bars, but Royal Bar had hardly any customers today because... all the customers had been scared away.
Five minutes ago, a middle-aged woman suddenly arrived with a group of thugs, threatening to smash up the place if they didn't hand over the mistress who had seduced her husband.
Without a word, the boss ordered the security captain to kick her out. Unexpectedly, she was also a tough one and started smashing things. The bar staff, who were mostly young and restless, immediately became unhappy, and a fight broke out.
Hua Yu felt only irritable.
He has to go to the construction site to move bricks tomorrow morning and deliver goods to people in the afternoon, so he doesn't have time to participate in a random brawl.
Unfortunately, as long as others are here, they cannot remain unaffected.
He kicked away a man who tried to pull him away, and then helped up his colleague who had been beaten to the ground. Before he could even stand up, he suddenly heard the sound of wind breaking behind him.
Hua Yu subconsciously turned around and saw a wine bottle flying straight towards him.
He instinctively raised his hand to block it, but it was too late. The bottle was in front of him in an instant, and he instinctively closed his eyes.
Bang!
The bottle shattered, and shards grazed his cheek, causing a stinging sensation.
But all I felt was a stinging sensation.
He frowned, and when he opened his eyes again, he saw a riot control fork blocking his face, with alcohol dripping from it.
Hua Yu stared blankly to the side following the steel fork, and the next second she met the eyes of the security captain.
Hua Yu's Adam's apple bobbed, but before she could utter a sound, she heard him ask anxiously, "Are you alright?"
"without……"
"That's good," the security captain breathed a sigh of relief. "It's good that nothing happened, otherwise I really wouldn't know how to explain it to Sister Yun."
"What do you mean?" Hua Yu frowned upon hearing the familiar address.
That woman hasn't come for a month and five days, but she's still the talk of the bar, as if she's never left.
“Oh, that,” the security captain scratched his head, “She gave me a five thousand yuan deposit before, saying that bars are a mixed bag, and if anyone caused trouble, she wanted me to protect you. As long as you didn’t get hurt, she would give me another sum of money next time I came. Luckily you didn’t get hurt, otherwise I wouldn’t have gotten my tip…”
He kept rambling on and on, but Hua Yu only felt the sharp pain in her facial wound and couldn't hear a word he said.
The sound of sirens rang out in the distance, and the group of people who had been fighting scattered like birds. Hua Yu felt extremely bored and walked alone through the messy hall, appearing outside the back door of the bar.
The wound on his face was still hurting, and he was inexplicably annoyed. He hurriedly lit a cigarette, but couldn't find a lighter.
Just as this inexplicable irritation was about to reach its peak, a pair of beautiful high heels suddenly appeared in my sight.
He paused for a moment, then looked up.
Yun Jin stood there, looking at him with a leisurely air: "I didn't bring a lighter today."
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Author's Note: Sorry for the wait! I'm giving away 50 red envelopes~
I don't think anyone's concerned about the existence of two diamonds in the same timeline. Currently, there are two. Twelve years later, one was bought by Huacheng and given to Boss Yun. Boss Yun then sold it to the past, so by 2025, only one diamond remains. No one's interests have been harmed.
The bank card was also opened using Yun's old ID card. Back then, bank cards were easier to obtain, and the supervision of large sums of money wasn't as strict (revealing my age).
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