Winter break arrived in the blink of an eye, and Leng Xiaoyu was saying a reluctant goodbye to Ye Qian. Leng Yue, like a third wheel, kept rolling her eyes, "Hey, Leng Xiaoyu, you better stop this!"
"Brother-in-law, I can't bear to part with you!" Leng Xiaoyu, dressed like a ball, clung to Ye Qian's arms, refusing to leave. From a distance, Ye Qian looked like he was holding a rag doll. Everyone else found the two of them amusing, but only Leng Yue felt a sense of déjà vu about the scene.
"I'll come see you after the New Year." Ye Qian looked at Leng Yue with amusement. "Is Yueyue jealous?"
"Hmph! I didn't!" Leng Yue turned her head away arrogantly.
Ye Qian smiled and reached out to pull Leng Yue into his arms. "I'll miss you. Be good when you go back. I'll be there soon."
"What are you doing here?" Leng Yue poked Ye Qian with one finger, asking insincerely.
"Of course, it's about pursuing a wife!" Ye Qian reached out and grabbed Leng Yue's mischievous little hand, then kissed it.
Leng Yue's face flushed instantly. Just then, she saw Leng Xiaoyu looking at them from the middle of the group, and quickly distanced herself from Ye Qian. "Really, you're wearing gloves! Besides, these are all people!"
Ye Qian smiled. "Little Fish, can you let go now?"
"No, brother-in-law, Xiaoyuer can't bear to part with him..." Leng Xiaoyu still clung to Ye Qian, acting spoiled.
"Don't you miss your Auntie Frailty?" Leng Yue looked at Leng Xiaoyu speechlessly. "Who was it that wouldn't let go of her when she came here before?"
Leng Xiaoyu immediately let go of Ye Qian, "I miss my aunt, I want to go back!"
After Leng Xiaoyu finished speaking, he obediently picked up his luggage and prepared to get on the car, but Leng Yue grabbed him and said, "Wait a minute while I talk to your brother-in-law!"
Leng Xiaoyu didn't make a fuss and obediently stood aside watching. Leng Yue, on the other hand, was gathering her emotions, but suddenly didn't know what to say.
Ye Qian grinned, "So you're saying I'm Yu'er's brother-in-law too? Looks like Yueyue is ready to marry me!"
Leng Yue felt a little shy. She wanted to say no, but she couldn't bear to, even if it was a lie. But saying yes would seem too unreserved. After struggling for a long time, she could only lower her head and play with her fingers.
"What a silly girl," Ye Qian reached out and pulled Leng Yue into his arms again. "I'd love to get married right away, but the marriage law doesn't allow it. Looks like I'll have to wait until you graduate."
Ye Qian sighed as he spoke, "It's just that Leng Yue is always younger than me! Fortunately, I have plenty of patience."
Leng Yue was taken aback. She had always thought she was quite old. Only now, with Ye Qian's mention, did she realize that the original owner of this body was indeed under the legal marriage age!
Knowing this, Leng Yue felt both relieved and disappointed. She didn't know what was wrong with her; she had suddenly become listless.
“You,” Ye Qian knew Leng Yue too well and knew she was starting to struggle again, “we can get engaged sooner, and get married as soon as you’re old enough.”
In this era, for many people, an engagement ceremony is practically a wedding ceremony. It's obvious to everyone that after engagement, only a marriage contract is needed for legal recognition. However, engagement is also a way of informing family and friends of the relationship, thereby gaining public support.
"Wouldn't this be too much trouble?" Leng Yue had never been married and didn't know much about these things.
"Don't worry, I've got everything covered." Ye Qian glanced at his watch. "The bus will be here in ten minutes. Shall I help you find a seat?"
"No need, I'm not a child anymore." Leng Yue refused without even thinking.
"Are you sure you can manage carrying all this stuff?" Ye Qian looked at Leng Yue's pile of luggage and felt a headache coming on. This trip home was like moving house.
“Sure, I brought this much with me.” Leng Yue didn’t want to bring so much either.
When we came, we had to bring clothes, shoes, bedding, and other necessities for two people. And when we leave, we have to bring gifts—we haven't seen each other for six months, we can't go back empty-handed! Aside from anything else, we can't forget the local specialties of Beijing. Before long, we'll be carrying loads of bags and packages.
Ye Qian didn't say anything more. He simply helped Leng Yue carry her luggage to her berth after the car arrived and then quickly got off the car.
Looking at Ye Qian through the car window, Leng Yue and Leng Xiaoyu waved repeatedly, feeling an indescribable sadness in their hearts. Leng Yue seemed to suddenly understand what it meant to miss someone the moment you said goodbye.
Only after the train pulled away from the station and Ye Qian could no longer be seen did Leng Yue reluctantly turn her gaze away.
"Hmph! So you two really do have something going on!" A voice suddenly came from above Leng Yue's head. When she looked up, she saw that it was Wang Xue.
Leng Yue frowned. "What are you doing here?" Leng Yue hadn't seen Wang Xue get into the car at all.
"Why can't I be here? It's none of your business where I am," Wang Xue said sharply, her tone anything but friendly.
Seeing her like this, Leng Yue simply sat back down and stopped talking.
"Why aren't you saying anything? Are you feeling guilty?" Wang Xue was annoyed and leaned forward to look at Leng Yue, constantly making sarcastic remarks.
Before Leng Yue could speak, Leng Xiaoyu shouted back, "Don't you dare bully my sister!"
Despite her young age and short stature, Leng Xiaoyu completely overwhelmed Wang Xue in terms of presence.
Wang Xue pouted, "She really does always have a man protecting her, she's so lucky!"
"Wang Xue, don't go looking for trouble!" Leng Yue was speechless. She really thought she was so superior. She was just being a sour grapes.
"Oh ho, threatening me?" Wang Xue sneered. "It's all different now that you've climbed up the social ladder!"
"It's better not to make some things public. I don't care, but it's hard to say what you'll do then." Leng Yue wasn't completely ignorant; at least Yu Fangfang had told her quite a bit about Wang Xue.
Wang Xue is actually just an illegitimate daughter of the Wang family, someone who can't be brought into the open. Over the years, she's enjoyed flaunting the Wang family's power and intimidating a bunch of unsuspecting people. People like Yu Fangfang, who have even the slightest connection to aristocratic families, know this, but they're too lazy to bother with it.
The scions of prominent families each have their own circles and their own affairs to attend to. Besides, the Wang family usually turns a blind eye, so why should they interfere?
The Lunar New Year is just around the corner, yet Wang Xue is about to leave Beijing by train, clearly indicating that she has not yet been accepted by the Wang family. At this juncture, Leng Yue knows she wouldn't dare cause trouble. If she were to make any disparaging remarks and provoke the Wang family into taking real action, she would end up losing more than she gained!
Sure enough, Wang Xue remained silent for a long time, her expression changing repeatedly, before finally letting out a cold snort and lying down to sleep.
Leng Yue remained silent and paid no further attention to Wang Xue. Leng Xiaoyu, however, looked up curiously, then at Leng Yue, seemingly wanting to ask something. Seeing Leng Yue quietly reading, Leng Xiaoyu also picked up a book to read.
But Leng Xiaoyu was just a child, and he couldn't watch for long. He started nodding off. Leng Yue, worried he might bump his head, put a pillow behind him. Soon, Leng Xiaoyu fell asleep.
Leng Yue covered Leng Xiaoyu with a blanket, then focused intently on her book. Having lived here for several years without a cell phone, Leng Yue had long since developed the habit of carrying a book with her. At least it would help her pass the time when she was bored!
……………………………………………………
Ye Qian: The first second we were apart—I missed you! Little girl, wait for me!
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