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Mei Yan arrived just as they finished breakfast. Ji Shengsheng received the WeChat message and immediately went downstairs to help move things.
"Why did you bring so much stuff?" Ji Shengsheng looked at the six cases of alcohol and beverages on the ground and the several boxes of fruit next to them.
Du Meiyan said happily, "Boss Xu personally funded a shopping card for each of us worth three thousand yuan. Those who live in Taoyuan received an extra five thousand yuan."
"...What a conscientious boss of a company." She was still a little embarrassed to praise Xu Yu too much.
During a break in their conversation, Ji's father also came down to help.
Mr. Ji remarked that the young girl had brought so many things on her first visit, and Du Meiyan quickly took the opportunity to recount the story of the handsome and kind-hearted boss.
When they got upstairs, Ji's mother had already placed the fruit that Ji's father had cut up before coming downstairs on the coffee table.
Du Meiyan has a sweet and well-behaved appearance, which Ji's mother likes very much. During their conversation, she learned that Du Meiyan also works in graphic design, which made her like her even more.
"Where do you work? Is it close to Taoyuan?" Seeing that Du Meiyan liked to eat star fruit, Ji's mother moved the fruit plate in front of her. "You can come to our house often when you have free time. Sheng Sheng's father and I are both retired, and it's usually just the two of us eating together."
“I’m also in Lucheng,” Du Meiyan said, noticing that Ji’s mother’s hands were wet from the edge of the plate. She quickly pulled out a tissue and went over to her. “I work at a game company, so I’m practically Shengsheng’s colleague.”
Upon hearing the words "game company," Ji's mother's smile faded, and she glanced at Ji Shengsheng.
“But I come back to Taoyuan often,” Du Meiyan said with a sweet smile. “I feel an instant connection with you, Auntie and Uncle. I will come to see you every time I return to Taoyuan.”
"That's good, good girl." Ji's mother held Du Meiyan's hand.
She always liked little girls, and after Shengsheng was born, she thought about having another daughter. Later, worried that the second child would be a son, she simply decided not to have any more.
“Aunt Ji, during the recent blizzard, our boss arranged for supplies to be delivered to the homes of our colleagues in Taoyuan. I heard from the boss that you liked the strawberries and lychees we sent last time, so I specially ordered two boxes before coming.”
"I carried it all the way to the car. Please feel my forehead; it's all sweaty."
Du Meiyan always spoke with great emotion, making Mr. and Mrs. Ji very happy.
Ji's mother even wanted to personally cook one of Du Meiyan's signature dishes.
In Ji Shengsheng's memory, Du Meiyan was not such an outgoing person.
After Ji's parents went to the kitchen to busy themselves, Du Meiyan whispered, "Sheng Sheng, let me tell you secretly, I actually came here with a little mission today."
As soon as she finished speaking, Ji Shengsheng heard her parents calling for her to help take off her apron, so she immediately stood up.
Ji Shengsheng didn't understand what Du Meiyan meant by "task," and Du Meiyan didn't say much either.
They chatted and laughed throughout the meal.
Du Meiyan showed Ji's parents many of her works from the company and also gave them a brief introduction to the awards their company had recently won.
Du Meiyan's professional skills were quite good, and both Ji's mother and Ji Shengsheng couldn't help but praise her repeatedly.
After dinner, they went to the rooftop on the third floor to brew tea and chat.
There's a tendency for it to snow again, and when it comes to snow, it's hard not to mention the blizzard that happened a while ago.
Du Meiyan's grandfather's house is located in the mountains. The snow disaster caused the house to collapse, and he is currently waiting for the compensation and relief funds to be issued so that he can rebuild the house.
"At that time, the water, electricity and internet were cut off at home, and we couldn't contact our grandfather's relatives at all. My parents and I were terrified. I was in my rented house in the city, and I couldn't go back or help."
It was the news brought back by the rescue team that Xu Yu led. Fortunately, everyone was safe.
"However, the foundation established by our company at that time went to participate in the rescue, so I came back with them."
Although the foundation's funding comes from a certain percentage of its annual revenue and profits, Du Meiyan and her colleagues have mostly participated in voluntary donations.
After returning to Taoyuan with the supplies delivery team, Du Meiyan stayed at the project site to help take care of her colleagues.
"By the way, Auntie, have you seen the news about citizens helping to push an ambulance with their bare hands? One of our colleagues was in that story."
Ji's mother did see the news, but she was unaware of the details.
"Are they those four young men who are bundled up so tightly?"
"Yes! They even helped dig the car wheels out of the snow. That's really impressive and something we should all learn from."
"Indeed, they are quite good," Father Ji praised. "This new generation of young people has ideals, responsibilities, and beliefs."
“Sheng Sheng, do you know him?” Ji’s mother suddenly remembered that the young man who delivered supplies last time looked somewhat familiar.
“I know her.” Knowing what her mother was thinking, Ji Shengsheng said, “One of them is the one who helped deliver things last time, her name is Cheng Yu.”
"Then remember to invite them over for a visit sometime in the future," said Mrs. Ji with emotion. "Last time he left in such a hurry that your father and I didn't even have a chance to invite him to stay for a meal."
"There's plenty of time in the future." She had just learned that from Xu Yu.
"Is that the person who participated in the rescue, who said he went to the nursing home to help carry the elderly and dug up two children buried in the snow, also Cheng Yu?" Ji's father was quite interested in these news reports. "He said it was a rescue team from another province, and that's the one who got a certificate of bravery."
“That’s our boss!” Du Meiyan excitedly recounted the whole story when the topic came up.
“When our boss set up this foundation, he organized us to learn rescue skills, but at the time we didn’t think we would encounter something like this in the future…”
“Our boss is both brave and resourceful. They originally came to deliver supplies, but encountered this incident while stuck in traffic on their way back. He quickly assessed the situation and immediately joined the rescue efforts.”
At this point, Du Meiyan took out the photos of Xu Yu that Cheng Yu had secretly taken in the group chat.
Ji's mother recognized him almost immediately.
She had some negative thoughts when she saw the scars on Xu Yu's hands.
In retrospect, it was probably caused by frostbite.
Ji's father never worried about family matters and consistently supported Ji Shengsheng's choices. He only knew of a person named Xu Yu, but the figure in the photo didn't match up.
As Ji Shengsheng watched Du Meiyan explain to her parents how great the company was and how good the boss, Xu Yu, was to his employees, he wondered if this was the "mission" Du Meiyan was carrying.
But based on her understanding of Xu Yu, she knew he wouldn't do something so roundabout.
As the morning passed, Ji Shengsheng clearly sensed that her mother's expression was less impatient when Xu Yu was mentioned again.
After seeing Du Meiyan downstairs, Ji Shengsheng couldn't help but ask, "...The 'task' assigned by Xu Yu?"
"Huh? My boss?" Du Meiyan didn't understand.
Suddenly realizing that Du Meiyan might not know about her relationship with Xu Yu, Ji Shengsheng was at a loss for words.
"Right, right, I almost forgot."
After saying that, Du Meiyan took a huge box out of the back seat of the car: "The boss left it at the company before, and asked me to bring it over when I came back this time."
Ji Shengsheng had no idea what was inside; Xu Yu had never mentioned this gift to her.
After seeing Du Meiyan off, Ji Shengsheng went home with the gifts.
Ji's parents assumed it was a gift from Du Meiyan to Ji Shengsheng and didn't ask any further questions.
Upon opening the box, Ji Shengsheng saw a red dress.
...It's this dress.
At that time, her back injury wasn't so serious, and she could still dance.
She performed at the inter-school social event.
By then, she already liked Xu Yu. More than the significance of dancing as a performance, it meant that she wanted to dance for Xu Yu.
So, after several days of serious rehearsals, she invited Xu Yu to go shopping with her.
This was the first dress she tried on that day.
It suited her perfectly, but because of the high price and the low neckline, she never dared to stand up straight in it and gave up on it.
Ji Shengsheng held her skirt tightly.
This is a gift from three years ago.
Thinking about it, Ji Shengsheng sent a message to Xu Yu.
"I received the dress."
Xu Yu quickly replied: "Have you tried it?"
“No…” Ji Shengsheng remembered that she had sent a message to Xu Yu a few hours before she left, asking him if he wanted to meet one more time.
"I regret not seeing you before I left the country." I shouldn't have left without saying anything.
"If you decide to leave, I won't come to see you."
Xu Yu recalled that day, watching Ji Shengsheng emerge from the fitting room, her face flushed, cautiously covering her chest.
He had long since stopped relying on his parents' money, instead paying for university with scholarships and awards from competitions. Before seeing Ji Shengsheng try on that dress, he had no intention of taking a part-time job.
There was no reason at all; I simply wanted to give her everything she liked.
Having received some website development orders from her roommate, Xu Yu quickly bought the dress.
Along with the dress came the news that Ji Shengsheng was going abroad.
He won't go see her. Even though he really wants to.
"...Why?" Ji Shengsheng didn't understand.
"Because it makes no sense."
Even if he went, he couldn't keep her. And even if he could, it wouldn't be the outcome he wanted. He wouldn't interfere in Ji Shengsheng's arduous journey forward.
Or, to compromise. They met once, and Ji Shengsheng still chose to go abroad. He couldn't accept that either.
"How could it be meaningless?"
"So you'd be crying and thinking of me on the plane?"
Xu Yu knows Ji Shengsheng very well. When she is caught up in a relationship, she will give a lot, but once she gets out of it, she can quickly return to a normal life.
If you've decided to leave, then go and live a normal life.
At least that's what he thought at the moment he received Ji Shengsheng's message.
"...Did you regret it later?"
"Yes," Xu Yu said calmly. "I immediately regretted it."
He had already received news that Ji Shengsheng had boarded the plane on his way to the airport.
"Xu Yu, do you have time tonight?" Ji Shengsheng asked. "I'll wear it for you tonight."
"I'm available whenever you want to see me," Xu Yu said, rubbing his swimming goggles.
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