Chapter 28 I wish I could just delete the account and start over. ...
Wen Shili ultimately didn't tell Cao Jun about Sheng Yi. It was already late, and it wouldn't be good to let her leave that night, so he could only wait until tomorrow.
The next day, just as dawn broke, Sheng Yi got up and went to the market. Estimating it was about time, she took her tray and knocked on her neighbor's door.
Wen Shili had just woken up when the doorbell started ringing incessantly. The long, drawn-out rings sounded like a hammer pounding in his head.
Upon seeing who was outside the door, he felt an urge to pack her up and throw her away yesterday.
Sheng Yi rang the doorbell for a long time before the person inside slowly opened the door. Their brows were slightly furrowed, and their eyelids drooped; they seemed to be in poor health. Sheng Yi's heart tightened. "Has their cold gotten worse?"
She reached out and touched his forehead, asking, "You don't have a fever, do you?"
This is a habit she's always made. Since she was little, whenever she had a headache or fever, she would first reach out and check the temperature herself.
Wen Shili was caught off guard by her sudden outstretched hand. Perhaps he had just woken up and was still a little slow to react. In an instant, Sheng Yi's hand was right in front of him.
Very fair-skinned and very thin.
He subconsciously leaned back, coughed again, and deliberately spoke in a hoarse voice, "It's okay, I'm much better."
It didn't sound as serious as yesterday. Sheng Yi withdrew her hand, relieved, and handed him the breakfast beside her. "We're having fish porridge this morning. Why don't you try it and see how it tastes?"
Wen Shili took it and raised his hand to close the door.
"Hey." Sheng Yi reacted quickly, reaching out a hand to stop him from closing the door, and said with a grin, "I haven't eaten yet either."
Wen Shili lifted his eyelids and quietly looked at the person in front of him.
She stood there gracefully, her eyes pure and clear, as if it were not she who was forcing others to do something against their will.
Wen Shili held onto the door frame, a gesture of refusal.
Under his gaze, Sheng Yi felt uneasy. She had thought he was less resistant to her, but it seemed there was still a long way to go. When she looked up, he lowered his eyes again, his deep gaze hidden by his long eyelashes, making it impossible to guess what he was thinking.
"Fine, I won't go in then," she said, withdrawing her hand. "I don't even know your name." After all, they were going to be neighbors for a while, so exchanging names shouldn't be too much to ask, right?
To everyone's surprise, that ungrateful fellow casually remarked, "It's not important."
That's the downside of kids growing up; they always have a cold face, and nobody knows what they're thinking. Sheng Yi looked at his mature-looking appearance and couldn't help but tease him, "Your sister and I are friends. If you don't mind, you can call me sister too."
"Snap." The door slammed shut.
The other party's rejection was swift and loud.
What does it mean to invite trouble? This is it!
How could Old Qian, that gossipy old man, have such an unyielding nephew? I really don't know how he can stand him. He's an elder, after all; he should at least have some tolerance. Sheng Yi called out to the closed door, "Remember to drink it all! If you like it, I'll make you more tomorrow!"
As expected, there was no response.
Lifting the lid, the fresh aroma of fish mixed with the humid heat wafts out. A large pot full of fish, simmered until thick and tender, with finely sliced fish that has absolutely no fishy smell.
This fish was obviously bought on short notice; the nearest market is more than a 20-minute walk away.
As the porridge cooled, Wen Shili could see her smiling face again.
The fish meat is delicate and melts in your mouth.
"Have they changed their strategy again?" Wen Shili wondered calmly.
Sheng Yi didn't have time to argue with a child. She tried a few more times, but Old Qian's nephew didn't seem to care much, so she simply gave up on being the confidante.
I heard that my third aunt has already had her surgery and will be discharged after a period of recovery. Old Qian is always running between home and the hospital, but she didn't bother him with this trivial matter.
I prepare the meal every day, ring the doorbell, and leave. Sometimes, if communication is needed, I simply write a note and deliver it along with the meal.
The problem she now faces is how to bring it up with Wen Shili.
Although I've decided to talk to him clearly, I can't just start by saying, "Sorry, I piggybacked on your popularity." Or should I say, "Thank you for not sending me a lawyer's letter?"
No wonder people think she's crazy.
The more she thought about it, the more awkward it felt. Sheng Yi opened the business card Cao Jun pushed towards her, then closed it again, wishing she could just give up entirely.
But now that the public outcry is gradually subsiding, she can't stay at home forever; she has to go out and socialize eventually. Carrying this stain on her record means it could be brought up and reignited at any time. If she could gain the understanding of the person involved, things would be different.
Sheng Yi thought about it over and over again, and revised her greeting three times. In the end, she made a tough decision and added Wen Shili on WeChat.
I waited for five minutes, and the phone remained silent.
She picked up her phone and checked; the sound was on. Or had she simply failed to send the message?
She slightly revised her wording and resent the friend request.
Ten minutes passed, and there was still no response from Wen Shili.
Are they still busy at this hour?
Sheng Yi went on Weibo to check his recent schedule. Last week he was filming an advertisement abroad, the day before yesterday a passerby said they saw him in City B, and next week he has two concerts in City A. His schedule for a month is fuller than hers for a year. No wonder he doesn't have time for her.
Waiting around like this only brings more anxiety, so Sheng Yi simply packed up the clothes and busied herself with washing her hair, taking a shower, and doing laundry.
"Ding-dong!" The crisp notification sound of her phone instantly lifted her spirits, like a celestial melody.
Sheng Yi picked up her phone, opened it, and saw a spam text message from an unknown number.
What kind of person is this, deceiving the feelings of innocent people?
Interrupted like that, she seemed to lose her breath all at once, scrolled through her phone for a while, and then drifted off to sleep.
At 1 a.m., Wen Shili accepted her friend request.
Sheng Yi looked at the chat box, which contained all the greetings she had sent earlier. The other party hadn't replied with even a single word. The urge to explain that she had felt earlier inexplicably vanished.
The air in the suburbs smells of freedom, and seasonal vegetables can be picked directly from the garden to cook. Sheng Yi enjoys this simple happiness.
Of course, she would occasionally stroll through the market, following recipes to supplement her child's nutrition. In the cooler mornings and evenings, she could also meet up with the neighborhood grandmothers for a walk, which was incredibly pleasant.
Wen Shili has had a very peaceful few days.
Perhaps it was his aloofness that worked, because the woman next door stopped trying to get his attention.
On the third day, she even struck up a conversation with an elderly woman in the neighborhood.
Wen Shili sat on the balcony, listening to the two chatting and laughing, wondering where they found so many things to talk about.
She can't keep up the act anymore? I thought she had a lot of patience.
Wen Shili scoffed lightly, picked up his guitar, and strummed it idly.
"Whose little baby is that?" The old woman's attention followed the sound, but her eyesight wasn't very good, so she squinted and stared for a long time.
Sheng Yi looked over and saw the boy sitting sideways, with lively musical notes pouring from his fingertips. The bamboo forest behind the house swayed gently, and the sunset glow was his backdrop.
Elegant yet gentle, like a mountain sprite that has finally found a place to settle.
She looked away and told the old woman, "My nephew is just playing around when he has nothing better to do."
That's what they say, but I have to admit, he really nailed it. Sheng Yi used music recognition software to search for him, but couldn't figure out what key he was playing, and the pieces he played every day were never the same.
Unable to find the source on any of the apps, she simply wrote a note and asked him directly. Unexpectedly, he didn't even bother with a perfunctory answer, simply saying three words: "I don't know."
"He who eats another's food is bound to him, so why doesn't that apply here?" Sheng Yi, clutching the note, stormed straight to their door.
The moment she rang the doorbell, the phone rang. Yan Shen had been away on a business trip recently, and they hadn't been able to coordinate a meal appointment several times. Sheng Yi bluntly told him to let her know as soon as he returned to S City.
"I called you as soon as I got off the plane, isn't that nice of me?"
Sheng Yi laughed and said, "That's enough, but I'm in the countryside these days. I'll definitely treat you to a big meal when I get back."
"Come find me? Forget it, I'm not going anywhere."
Yan Shen was easygoing, and Sheng Yi didn't hold back when speaking to him.
The background noise was very loud, and the two talked for a few more minutes before hanging up.
She looked up and found the person inside leaning against the doorframe, lazily staring at her. Those eyes... how to describe them? They were as black as ink, or like a deep, unfathomable lake.
And... I feel like I've seen this somewhere before.
Before she could investigate further, the other person looked away and asked, "What are you doing here?"
Provoked by this, Sheng Yi forgot what she was thinking just now and subconsciously retorted, "What, can't I come?"
She shook out the note and slapped it on his chest. "Look at what you're saying. You're too lazy to even make up an excuse to fool me, are you?"
Her voice, which had been soft and sweet just moments before, now sounded fierce, bombarding him with questions like, "If you don't tell me the answer, nobody's going to eat tomorrow."
Without thinking, she blurted out her own name. Sheng Yi secretly glanced at his face, but it was completely obscured. She couldn't help but lower her guard and ask, "Are you still not fully recovered from your cold?"
Didn't you say everything was fine? Are you just trying to fool me again? Her voice rose again as she finished speaking.
Wen Shili paused, not quite deciding how to reply, when she asked again, "Don't you want to see me?"
“Then I should cover my eyes.” Wen Shili followed her train of thought. “My rhinitis has flared up, and my throat is a little uncomfortable.”
Sheng Yi lay down on the bed, his pitiful voice still ringing in her ears. He was definitely faking it; he'd made her forget what she'd gone there for, and she'd been anxiously bringing him soup and medicine.
Old Qian said that his third aunt would be discharged from the hospital in a few days. When asked how she was doing there, Sheng Yi was too embarrassed to tell him, as she was so happy that she didn't want to leave.
Although transportation isn't as convenient as in the city center, the air is fresh, the food is healthy, and the people are exceptionally warm and kind. I get up early every day, and the days seem longer than usual. Taking leisurely naps or strolls in my free time is simply the perfect picture of retirement life.
Unfortunately, she still has decades of work ahead of her.
Sheng Yi rallied his spirits and began casting a wide net again, sending out resumes everywhere during breaks.
After the last wave of criticism, she thought most of her fans had left, but when she logged onto Weibo, there were still familiar fans waiting for her, and her private messages were full of encouraging words.
It would be a lie to say I wasn't moved.
Sheng Yi actively contacted its previous partners to express its intention to cooperate further, but unfortunately, most of the replies were polite and courteous.
She knew this was a sign of the winds blowing.
If it's just a matter of character flaws, there are plenty of morally bankrupt people in the industry who, under the guise of marketing, chant slogans of "old cadres." If she has enough popularity, no one will even care about her minor shortcomings.
But importantly, in addition to her low moral character, she also seems to be at odds with Wen Shili.
No one would be foolish enough to offend him and then cooperate with her.
Sheng Yi stared at Wen Shili's chat box, hesitating for a long time, still unsure how to start the conversation.
She enjoyed the benefits of online popularity, but seems unprepared to bear the cost of being both famous and infamous.
Despite his stubborn pride and the resulting suffering, Sheng Yi hesitated for a long time before finally sending a message to Wen Shili.
She adopted a very humble posture, pitifully distancing herself from the ranks of those in the know, and apologized for causing everyone to misunderstand. She then went on to praise his professional abilities and expressed her hope that he would accept her small apology if possible.
Upon inspection, the aroma of tea filled the air.
Sheng Yi covered her face, wishing she could delete the account and reopen it.
Regardless of what Wen Shili was really thinking, she just needed to get by on the surface. If he cooperated, great; if not…
She couldn't do anything about him.
At the very least, an explanation and an apology should be given.
Unexpectedly, Wen Shili replied quickly this time, simply saying, "Received."
What does this mean? Sheng Yi waited for a long time without any response from the other end, so she typed another message, earnestly saying that she would never do anything that would cause misunderstandings again. Looking at the blank message, she added a pitiful emoji to make it more convincing.
After sending the message, I went through the chat history again. It was a bit awkward, but at least the meaning was clear.
Wen Shili did not reply.
The mountains are very quiet; every morning, you can hear the chirping of birds. Even the slightest discordant noise can cause a great disturbance.
When Wen Shili opened his eyes, it had been noisy outside for a while.
Sheng Yi stood between the two elderly women. The shorter one had been appearing frequently lately; she saw them walking and chatting every day. The taller woman stood opposite, pointing at the shorter one and excitedly saying something.
As they talked, they started to physically assault each other. Sheng Yi tried to stop them but was pushed away instead.
The tall old woman looked old, but she was surprisingly quick and agile. She spoke in a dialect that Sheng Yi couldn't understand.
Her mother-in-law, who knew her well, could only bow her head and wipe away her tears. She was in the middle and couldn't let her be beaten and scolded by the other party.
When she was struggling to cope, someone gently held her arm from the side.
"Hiss." Sheng Yi couldn't help but gasp. She had just bumped her hand against the wall, scraping it.
She turned around and saw Wen Shili standing there at some point, carefully taking her hand. "Go inside and wait for me."
He was tall, and with his brows furrowed, he didn't look like a student; rather, he seemed more like someone accustomed to giving orders. Even the tall old woman couldn't help but feel intimidated in his presence; though she was still muttering curses, she ultimately dared not lay a hand on him.
Sheng Yi pulled her silent mother-in-law into the house. The mother-in-law looked at Sheng Yi's bleeding arm, rubbed her hands awkwardly, and seemed to want to touch it but dared not. "I'm sorry."
Sheng Yi smiled and said, "It's none of your business." Then she pulled her aside and looked her over carefully. "Are you hurt anywhere?"
The mother-in-law felt even more embarrassed and shook her head, "Do you have any medicine at home? I'll wrap it up for you."
Her skin was fair, and there were several cuts on her arms, with the exposed flesh mixed with blood streaks, which looked quite shocking.
Sheng Yi searched the room and had just opened the medicine box when the man walked in from outside.
"Resolved?"
"Hmm." He sat down and took out iodine and cotton swabs from the medicine box. When his mother saw him coming, she silently stepped aside.
What did you say to her?
Why are you going to join in the fun?
The two spoke at the same time.
"So what if you're tall?" Sheng Yi glanced over defiantly, only to be caught red-handed by the man. "What?"
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