Chapter 32 Senior Year
Old Man Nan went back to his room to rest for a while. After Nan Jiu went downstairs, he walked around the counter, looked under the tea table, and finally called out to Xiao Sanhua.
Song Ting stopped in front of the tea cabinet and glanced at her: "Don't look for it, it's gone."
"Leaving? Where to?" Nan Jiu turned around.
"I don't know." He lowered his eyes again.
"Isn't it yours?"
"It doesn't recognize me as its master. Should I lock it up in a cage?" Song Ting's hands were busy, his fingers twisting the tea leaves, precisely measuring the weight. His voice, neither loud nor soft, echoed the movement of his hands. "That cat can't stay home. Its mind is incredibly wild. It comes to me when it's hungry, then disappears when it's satisfied."
Nan Jiu immediately took over the conversation, "That's normal. That's a calico, the Liu Yifei of the cat world. There's no telling how many male cats out there are kneeling and licking it. Could it be that it's guarding a human like you all day long?"
Song Ting paused his hand movements and raised his dark eyes. His eyes were extremely indifferent, yet covered with a thin layer of frost.
Nan Jiu turned her head and stared at him for a few seconds. Her heart, frozen for a moment, suddenly cracked, its beating leaping out. She belatedly realized that Song Ting might not be talking about the cat.
She suddenly looked away and went out to buy duck heads.
......
Nan Zhendong and his family rested for the night. During the day, they went to a teahouse and recounted yesterday's trip with Grandpa Nan, who was full of complaints. They had originally planned to take Xiaokai back to visit Grandpa during his day off and explore some places. But the line for the sightseeing bus at the scenic spot was over an hour long, and after getting off, they had to climb stairs. When Xiaokai returned yesterday, he vomited what he had eaten and had a slight case of heatstroke.
Grandpa Nan felt sorry for his grandson and told them not to run around today and to rest at home. Nan Jiu listened and was glad that he had the foresight to not go with them.
Nan Zhendong said that he could no longer go to these scenic spots because they were too crowded and too hot to have fun. He had to find a cooler place.
Old Man Nan remembered the town of Xianshui where Nan Qiaoyu had been before, so he told the eldest brother that he could go rafting there.
When Xiaokai heard that he could play in the water, his appetite improved and he no longer felt uncomfortable. He asked Liao Hong to take him to buy a water gun so that he could go play in the water.
Liao Hong naturally followed his son's lead and asked Grandpa Nan where Xianshui Town was.
Xianshui Town is dozens of kilometers outside of Nancheng. While not far, it still requires driving. Song Ting has a car, and as for the driver, Nan Jiu volunteered: "I can drive. I have a driver's license."
Nan Zhendong asked, "How long have you had your driver's license? Can you drive on the highway?"
Nanjiu then remembered that the regulations seemed to state that during the internship period, one must be accompanied by a driver with more than three years of experience, otherwise one would not be allowed to drive on the highway.
Old Man Nan was worried about Nan Jiu driving with the whole family, so he turned to Song Ting and said, "Why don't you drive the eldest brother and his family to play around nearby and take a vacation at the same time."
Since Mr. Nan had spoken, Song Ting naturally would not refuse, so he agreed.
Besides rafting, Xianshui Town also offers a trip to Qining Mountain. Unlike the attraction Nan Zhendong and his friends visited yesterday, Qining Mountain doesn't require an entrance fee. It's a mountain range rising along the stream. The mountain isn't too high, so there are plenty of water activities along the way, making for excellent photo opportunities.
After discussing it, they decided to visit Qining Mountain the first day and go rafting the next. This meant they would have to stay overnight. Because it was a last-minute decision and it was summer vacation, it was difficult to book a B&B. Song Ting went out and made some calls, eventually securing three rooms.
After hearing this, Nan Zhendong said, "House prices aren't cheap these days. Actually, two rooms are enough for us. You and I will stay in one, and Xiaokai's mom can take Xiaokai and Xiaojiu into another."
After he finished speaking, no one in the room responded.
Nan Zhendong and his family went to the old street next door in the evening and said they wanted to buy two pairs of sandals for river trekking tomorrow.
Not long after they left, Liu's parents came to visit Old Man Nan. It was a sad story. When Liu Yin was still a young girl, the Liu family was very afraid that their daughter would get involved with Song Ting. They arranged blind dates for her everywhere, hoping that their daughter would find a good family with healthy parents to marry.
Now that their daughter was divorced, finding a partner as a second marriage naturally put her in a much more difficult position than before. While Liu Yin wasn't anxious, as a parent, she couldn't bear to see her young daughter's life wasted. The Liu family looked around but couldn't find anyone they liked. After a long search, they still found Song Ting to be their favorite.
Song Ting was a steady, down-to-earth man, unmarried, with no bad habits, and even a business. I heard he'd opened a number of shops in the past two years, making him more profitable than Liu Yin's ex-husband. Plus, he lived right next door. If this went through, my daughter wouldn't have to marry far away, and she'd be able to see the baby often.
Liu's parents had a great idea and came to visit Mr. Nan with some fruits and to test his opinion.
When Mr. Nan saw the attitude of Liu's parents, he guessed the purpose of their visit. His face immediately showed joy, and he hurriedly asked Song Ting to make tea.
After Song Ting brought the tea to the table, several people sat around it.
Nan Jiu, observing this, quietly walked around the tea room and upstairs. She entered the bathroom and turned on the shower, the sound of running water drowning out the chatter and laughter downstairs. She understood Old Man Nan's feelings. Song Ting was already old enough to marry, and Liu Yin had been raised under Old Man Nan's watch. Previously, he had worried about Liu's parents' concerns, but now, with the changing world, those concerns no longer existed. Naturally, Old Man Nan hoped to facilitate this auspicious event.
For Nan Jiu, Maoer Lane was a temporary harbor, not the ocean she was destined for. Her sails had only just been hoisted, so how could she be willing to hold back?
This outcome was actually good for everyone, but she just didn't want to hear it. Her naked back pressed against the cool tiles, she closed her eyes, letting the water wash over her consciousness until the fire in her body was completely extinguished.
Nan Jiu didn't go downstairs again. She paused by the second-floor window, quietly scrolling through her phone. The wind blew through her damp hair, drying it until it was halfway dry. Then the door to the teahouse downstairs opened again. Through the window, Nan Jiu watched as the Liu family's parents left, chatting briefly with Old Man Nan at the door before leaving.
The wooden steps clunked as Song Ting slowly ascended. Nan Jiu turned off her phone and tilted her head, their gazes meeting in the narrow hallway. Her gaze was like a thin, tough veil, seemingly easy to penetrate, yet in reality impenetrable.
"Are you done talking?" she asked softly.
"Yeah." His voice was squeezed by the narrow corridor, filtering out any emotions that might be revealed.
Nan Jiu nodded, turned around and walked down the stairs. Song Ting stood at the corner of the stairs. When Nan Jiu's shoulder brushed past him, he said, "Don't you want to know the result?"
Nan Jiu's back seemed to be hit by an invisible electric current, and he stiffened for a moment. In the end, he walked downstairs without asking any questions.
It wasn't that she didn't want to know, but once she asked, it was like admitting that she cared and that she cared. But, what did she care about? And what was her basis for caring?
......
The next morning, Song Ting parked a seven-seater commercial vehicle at the entrance of the alley. Nan Jiu arrived late, wearing a pair of narrow sunglasses perched atop a light-colored hat. He wore a sleeveless knitted vest and loose white shorts. His steps were light and energetic, exuding a refreshing and relaxed air.
Song Ting sat in the driver's seat, his elbows resting on the window, watching her small figure getting closer and closer.
Nan Jiu came closer, glanced at Song Ting in the car, stepped back, looked at the car, and asked him, "Is this car yours?"
"Um."
"So where's that car? Sold it?"
"Still there."
After asking, Nan Jiu remembered what happened in that car, looked away, got on the car and walked to the last row.
Song Ting started the car and drove to the hotel to pick up Nan Zhendong and his family. Nan Jiu sat at the back, wearing sunglasses, and had little presence along the way.
Nan Zhendong, on the other hand, sat in the passenger seat and chatted with Song Ting all the way.
The car stopped at the foot of Qining Mountain. Before they had even started walking, Liao Hong spotted a waterfall and insisted on stopping so Nan Zhendong could take her picture. The water was too deep and fast for a child to get down. Xiao Kai, in a hurry, insisted on going up, making a fuss.
Nan Zhendong glanced at his son impatiently and said to Nan Jiu, "You take him up first. We'll take a couple of photos and then go back up."
So, Song Ting and Nan Jiu took Xiao Kai up the mountain first. Although the path up the mountain was not steep, Xiao Kai had injured his leg the day before, and he complained of leg pain after climbing only a few steps and refused to move forward.
Nan Jiu couldn't persuade him no matter what. Song Ting simply asked Xiao Kai to climb onto his back. Nan Jiu couldn't bear to watch the fat boy, over 100 pounds, dangling his fat feet, throw himself on Song Ting's back.
She followed behind them, holding Xiaokai's fat butt with both hands to help Song Ting share some of the weight.
After walking a few steps, Song Ting asked Xiao Kai: "Do you want to cool down?"
Xiao Kai nodded his head. Song Ting said, "Let's go." He strode upwards and reached the top in the blink of an eye.
When Nanjiu reached the stream, Xiaokai had already jumped in and started a water fight with the other children. Song Ting sat on a rock by the stream and watched him.
Nanjiu went to the mobile vendor and bought two bottles of ice water, throwing one to Song Ting.
"Honestly, raising a child is really hard. Seeing Xiaokai like this, I dare not have children in the future."
Song Ting turned on the water and glanced at her: "You think long-term."
He tilted his head back and took a sip of ice water, and suddenly a figure in his peripheral vision rushed towards the stream.
Xiao Kai was playing with a few strangers, splashing them with water guns. He was so frantic, the shorter kids were sent running around, frantically calling their older brother. The older boy, while not as fat as Xiao Kai, was considerably taller. He was clearly there to protect the younger boy, but Xiao Kai, oblivious to the unfriendly look, picked up his water gun and sprayed the older boy with it. The older boy's dry clothes were soaked in an instant, and his expression immediately turned grim.
When Nanjiu realized the situation was not good, she didn't even bother to take off her shoes and ran towards Xiaokai. However, she was still a step too late. When she got close to him, the older boy snatched the water gun from Xiaokai's hand and pushed him down.
The stream was full of gravel, and falling in would definitely be a serious injury. Nan Jiu wanted to grab Xiao Kai, but he was heavier than her. Not only did she fail to hold him, but Xiao Kai dragged her into the stream as well.
The cold stream water poured into her clothes, and Nanjiu's wrist was instantly grabbed by a force, pulling her out of the stream. When Nanjiu stood still, she found that Song Ting had also followed her into the water.
The older boy aimed a water gun at Xiao Kai, who had just gotten up, and sprayed him with water. Song Ting leaned over, blocking Xiao Kai aside, and said to the older boy, "Give it to me."
His voice was not loud and he was not very fierce, but his intimidating aura made the older child wary. He did not dare to retaliate against Xiao Kai and obediently returned the water gun.
As Nanjiu took the water gun, Xiaokai tried to snatch it away. She put the water gun behind her back and grabbed Xiaokai by the collar: "Come with me."
Under the shade of a tree by the stream, Nan Jiu suppressed Xiao Kai's blood. Song Ting sat on the other side and looked at her. She really looked like she was angry with the child.
After Nanjiu had taught Xiaokai a lesson, he gave him the water gun. He immediately ran off to play again.
Nan Jiu turned around and saw Song Ting staring at her, a faint smile on his face. She walked across the stream toward him, who was sitting in the shade of a tree, and asked, "What are you laughing at?"
"Your brother looks a lot like you when you were a kid."
"Nonsense, how can I be a naughty kid?"
Song Ting raised his eyebrows slightly: "When did you lose your memory?"
Nan Jiu lowered his eyelids, bent down and scooped up the stream water beside him, turned his wrist, and the water flowed towards Song Ting.
Song Ting didn't dodge or give way, letting her splash all over him. He sat on the raised rock, his calm expression like a beast lurking on the hunt. Although Nan Jiu sensed something was wrong and turned away in time, Song Ting's arms were long, and he easily grabbed her and dragged her into the water.
Nanjiu was completely unable to resist his force. Expecting to fall back into the water, she instinctively tensed herself. However, the anticipated pain never came. The grip on her arm was cleverly applied at the last moment. As Nanjiu fell into the water, a strong arm suddenly wrapped around her waist, forcefully halting her fall. The impact transformed into a confining embrace.
The stream water instantly reached her waist, and Nan Jiu was half-carried and half-pressed by Song Ting as she fell into the water. Under the water, his arms wrapped around her waist, almost pulling her to his chest.
Nan Jiu gasped and looked up, her hair sticking to her cheeks and drops of water rolling down her eyelashes. She was so close, so close, that she could see the glint of madness in his calm eyes, like a ripple of still water.
Through the shadows of the trees, Nan Jiu caught a glimpse of Nan Zhendong and Liao Hong walking towards the stream.
Her face suddenly tensed and she twisted her body: "My dad and the others are here."
Feeling her stiff back and ragged breathing, Song Ting not only didn't loosen his grip, but instead tightened his grip. Her struggles were like the thrashing of a fish caught in a net; the suffocating feeling of being trapped, hunted, and unable to escape gnawed at her heart at an extremely fast speed.
-----------------------
The author has something to say: I'm halfway through the book, how many people are still with me serializing it? I saw a reader the other day saying that I always stop abruptly, and this one seems to have come to an abrupt end as well, hahaha~ I've reflected on it and, if the number of people following it is still good, I will consider writing a sequel to this one.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com