CITM - 66

Ye Yun was awakened by a little bird. When she opened her eyes, she was nestled in the soft large bed, a tingling sensation making her feel like she had undergone a long journey, falling from the peak of a mountain to the abyss of the deep sea. Her body was filled with happiness.

Outside the bedroom was a large balcony, and a creamy yellow-bellied tit, with its round head and chubby body, perched adorably on the white balustrade.

Ye Yun stretched and got out of bed. She couldn’t find her wet clothes from last night in the bathroom. After taking a shower, she could only find one of Bai Wenfu’s shirts to put on and opened the door to look for him.

Ye Yun walked into the arched inner room on the west side, barefoot on the teak floor. She passed through a movable door and entered the large living room on the second floor. Going left again led to another room, but after only a few steps, she was back in the bedroom. She felt completely disoriented and it took her a while to find the stairs.

As she stepped down the stairs, her footsteps were light and silent. Halfway down, she heard men’s voices talking downstairs. Her steps stopped abruptly. She looked down at her clothes; the shirt only covered above her knees. She clearly couldn’t be seen like this and had to turn back to the second floor.

Bai Wenfu was sitting on the dark black sofa. He glanced towards the stairs, then turned his gaze back, gave a few instructions, called Luzi over to arrange something, and then stood up and went upstairs.

Ye Yun returned to the bedroom and walked onto the balcony, looking at the courtyard in front of the door. The patch of land east of the fountain had indeed been dug up and was now planted with peanuts, the plants lush and green everywhere.

Bai Wenfu had once said he would plant peanuts in front of the small house, but unfortunately, until she left, she never saw the season when the peanuts ripened. At that time, she just thought Bai Wenfu was acting on a whim.

When she returned home last time, looking at the peanut field in front of her old house, she finally understood his intention along the trajectory of time. He was creating a small home for her, so that when she missed her family, she could open the door and see the same scenery.

Those things she had overlooked in the past, after years had passed, trees turning from yellow to green, finally shone into her life with a strong afterglow.

Farewells sounded in the courtyard. Bai Wenfu’s guests left, and Luzi saw them out.

The bedroom door behind her opened, and the sunlight slanted onto the balcony. Ye Yun leaned against the railing, the light and shadow blurring her outline. Her hair fell to one side, and a gentle warm breeze blew towards her. The thin shirt fabric clung to her graceful figure, making her look wonderfully ethereal.

He walked towards her, put down his things. Her hair wasn’t completely dry yet, emitting a fresh scent. He embraced her from behind. “You’re awake?”

“Mhm.”

She turned in his arms. As her soft and delicate face looked at him, the phrase “die a glorious death for a beautiful woman” surfaced in Bai Wenfu’s mind.

He chuckled and lifted her onto a chair on the balcony, then placed breakfast in front of her.

Ye Yun leaned back in the chair, enjoying the thin-skinned, translucent soup dumplings and drinking warm soy milk. Bai Wenfu sat on the chair opposite her, flipping through documents. A gentle breeze rustled the treetops, the azure sky stretched above, clouds drifted, and the fragrance of flowers wafted in the air.

Bai Wenfu had met with people earlier that morning and was now immaculately dressed, looking serious and proper as he reviewed documents. There was no trace of the passionate man who had embraced her like clouds and rain last night.

Ye Yun’s gaze lingered on him. He looked up, and Ye Yun’s eyes curved with a smile as she looked away, enjoying this subtle interaction.

Until Bai Wenfu put down the documents and asked her, “Why do you keep looking at me?”

Ye Yun sat up straight, glancing at the stack of documents. “Nothing. Are these the confirmed exhibitors?”

Bai Wenfu picked up his teacup and nodded. Ye Yun really wanted to know which companies had secured exhibition booths. Recently, many companies had been scrambling for booths, and the firsthand information was right in front of her. It was hard to suppress her curiosity, especially since many of the companies that applied this time were ones she had dealt with before.

Seeing her eager look, Bai Wenfu lifted his chin. “If you want to see them, go ahead and look.”

“Are you sure I can see these things? Won’t it be inappropriate?”

A hint of a smile touched Bai Wenfu’s eyebrows. “I’ve shown you everything about myself; what else is there that you can’t see?”

He added, “The final list of exhibitors will be publicly announced anyway, so it’s fine.”

Hearing him say that, Ye Yun picked up the documents and began to flip through them.

Bai Wenfu observed her focused expression. She was sitting in the warm sun, her eyelashes seemed lighter, and her brows were relaxed. “Why didn’t your factory apply? This is a great entry point. Companies that pass the review can be included in the whitelist.”

“What’s a whitelist?”

“Units whose qualifications are recognized will have priority for more exchanges and cooperation later on. Why do you think these manufacturers are scrambling for exhibition booths? Many are aiming for the whitelist.”

This was the first time Ye Yun had heard of a whitelist. She hadn’t paid much attention to this kind of news before, and after Bai Wenfu told her, she immediately felt she had missed a good opportunity.

“Our factory is small and can’t compete with those big factories, so we just didn’t prepare.”

The more Ye Yun thought about it, the more she regretted it. So she asked, “Will there be opportunities like this again later?”

Bai Wenfu put down his teacup and looked at her flushed, charming face. “I still have one spot.”

Ye Yun put down the documents and perked up. “Then can we try to get it?”

A hint of doting amusement spread in his eyes. “I’ve been waiting for you to speak. You’re quite patient. If I didn’t ask you, you wouldn’t say a word.”

At the application site that day, Bai Wenfu had even led her into the application room and introduced her to the organizing committee. A huge temptation was laid out before her, yet she deliberately didn’t even glance at it and left early.

Ye Yun now realized Bai Wenfu’s intention in taking her into the application room that day. Her expression changed several times. She stood up from the chair and asked him in a flustered hurry, “Where are my clothes?”

“Washed them this morning.”

“Can you ask Luzi to get some women’s clothes for me?”

“No,” he refused without hesitation.

Ye Yun widened her eyes. “I can’t just walk out in your clothes, can I? What kind of sight would that be?”

Bai Wenfu slowly looked up, his eyes filled with lingering desire. “Do you really have to leave?”

“Of course I have to go. I need to take this good news back quickly and then discuss the preparations.”

Bai Wenfu chuckled softly, then called down, “Luzi.”

Luzi, who was still cleaning the car, heard Bai Wenfu call him and came downstairs. “Boss Bai, did you call me?”

“Go to Ocean Lane and deliver a message. Xiao Yun is with me and won’t be back for a few days. If there’s anything urgent, tell them to find you.”

After Bai Wenfu finished his instructions, Luzi immediately went to carry them out.

Ye Yun stood aside, thinking she had misheard.

“What do you mean I’m not going back?”

Bai Wenfu stood up, hooked her waist, and with one hand lifted her into the room, dropping her onto the bed. Though impeccably dressed, he leaned down and unbuttoned his shirt, his eyes immediately filled with a captivating charm.

“Stay with me for a few days.”

His gaze slid down her face, his dark eyelashes lowered, his Adam’s apple bobbed, and his eyes grew deeper and deeper, as if looking at something in his grasp, unable to pull away.

They didn’t go out again. For much of the time, Ye Yun’s consciousness was submerged. When she opened her eyes, it was Bai Wenfu’s captivating gaze, and endless days and nights of intimacy.

In the past, Ye Yun was young and innocent when she first met Bai Wenfu. She was always passively receiving, and most of the time, she felt a bit shy about such matters. He had to consider her feelings and her fragile body.

Now, she finally knew how to respond to him. Half a life of hardship and half of wounds, only then did she gain this worldly tenderness, like ripples in the spring light, never-ending until death.

On the day of Ye Yun’s graduation, Bai Wenfu dressed formally and personally took her to school. The setting sun fell on her white dress, and the towering teaching building was hidden in the morning mist. Students, stepping onto the path of reform, came and went, embracing the morning light and entering a new historical stage.

And his little girl had also become an explorer on this path of revitalization. A hint of pride flickered in Bai Wenfu’s eyes as he watched her step towards a new milestone, his gaze deep and fervent.

Chen Yi walked over from a distance, glanced at Bai Wenfu, hurried past, then stopped and turned back to look at him. “Haven’t we met somewhere before?”

Bai Wenfu looked at him. “I brought Ye Yun here.”

Chen Yi suddenly realized, thinking back. “I saw you at a trade fair a few years ago. Did you teach Ye Yun English?”

Bai Wenfu replied, “I taught her a little.”

“That makes sense then. Her graduating class generally had poor English scores, but she was outstanding. I asked her if she had studied it before, and she said she had learned a bit from her husband. I always thought I misheard, but it turns out there really was such a person.”

Bai Wenfu’s lips curved slightly upward. Winter had passed, the earth had returned to spring, and the world was alive with new vitality.

The classmates discussed going out for a meal, but Ye Yun said she had to leave early because of something important. Everyone pulled at her, asking what it was.

She held back for a long time, but couldn’t withstand their questioning, so she told them she was going to get married.

This answer surprised everyone. After the initial shock, they started to tease her, asking where the groom was. Ye Yun smiled and pointed outside the building.

So, Ye Yun walked out of the building surrounded by a crowd of beaming, enthusiastic students, who waved at Bai Wenfu, shouting, “Groom, do you have candy?”

Bai Wenfu smiled and had Luzi get candy from the car to share with everyone. Ye Yun walked towards Bai Wenfu amidst the cheering. He wrapped his arm around her waist, lowered his head, and gave her a kiss. “Congratulations on your graduation, Mrs. Bai.”

“Legally speaking, not yet.”

“Legally speaking, it will be in a little while.”

Bai Wenfu nodded goodbye to the classmates behind her, and led Ye Yun into the hall of marriage.

Their wedding, though it didn’t include their parents, had Ye Yun’s second sister by her side, and many familiar friends and colleagues attended to offer their blessings.

She was no longer hesitant or naive about marriage, but walked towards their future with the composure that years had brought.

Regarding their grand wedding, there was much discussion in the outside world. The story of a young, beautiful female boss and a legendary wealthy businessman, from meeting to marriage, took only two months. Some even said it was one month, and others claimed it was love at first sight that sealed their relationship. All sorts of versions circulated in the area, becoming fodder for business people’s after-dinner conversations.

In this rapidly changing city, they were an enviable newlywed couple. That hidden relationship had long been swallowed by the river of time, no longer mentioned by anyone.

From then on, hope with the sunrise, and longing with the sunset.

The reform and opening up injected new vitality into the clothing industry. In the second month after their marriage, Ye Yun was invited by Editor Tao to attend a fashion show at the Peng City Cultural Palace. Such fashion design and exhibition performances gradually entered the public eye in China and became highly sought after after the economic and trade fair.

Even foreign newspapers like La France Soir and Le Parisien successively published articles about these Chinese models. As a clothing industry professional, Ye Yun naturally wanted to experience such an opportunity.

Bai Wenfu initially wanted to accompany her, but this trip was exclusively for ladies, which was somewhat inconvenient, so Ye Yun took Ying An along instead.

They stayed in Peng City for three days. This event broadened Ye Yun’s horizons and also opened up new brand ideas for her.

After parting ways with Editor Tao in Peng City, Ye Yun and Ying An bought train tickets to Ancheng. They traveled extensively and finally found the address of Tailor Zhang’s daughter.

Ye Yun had hoped to see her long-lost mentor, to properly catch up with her, to talk about Ye Mao’s current development and her life in Shanghai, and at least to let Tailor Zhang know that she hadn’t neglected the skills she taught her all these years.

However, upon meeting Tailor Zhang’s daughter, she learned that Tailor Zhang had passed away in the spring of the year before last. Although she had suffered from illness for a period, she passed peacefully.

In her last few years, Tailor Zhang often spoke of Ye Yun to her daughter. It was strangely wonderful that Tailor Zhang’s daughter had never met Ye Yun, yet upon seeing Ye Yun for the first time, she immediately guessed Ye Yun’s identity, feeling an inexplicable closeness as if she were a long-lost friend.

Ye Yun was saddened by the news. She expressed her wish to visit Tailor Zhang’s grave, and Tailor Zhang’s daughter led her there.

Ye Yun burned some paper money for Tailor Zhang and spoke to her for a while. As she left, she took out a hand-embroidered painting from her luggage and gave it to Tailor Zhang’s daughter as a keepsake. Then, she and Ying An returned to the train station and bought tickets for an afternoon train back.

Tailor Zhang’s granddaughter returned home from outside at noon and saw a bag on their table. She opened it and found a beautiful embroidery. Delicate stitches traced a landscape painting through the fabric, symbolizing the profoundness of a teacher’s grace.

She picked it up and examined it closely, asking, “Mom, did someone visit today?”

“An old apprentice of your grandmother’s. Oh, by the way, how were the prices when you went looking for a shop this morning?”

Tailor Zhang’s granddaughter’s face fell. “That landlord’s price is still a bit high. Should we ask Uncle’s family to chip in?”

Tailor Zhang’s daughter looked troubled. “You know what kind of person your aunt is...”

Before she could finish, Tailor Zhang’s granddaughter exclaimed, “Mom, why is there so much money?”

Tailor Zhang’s daughter quickly walked over. Behind the painting frame was a thick envelope, with a row of words written on it: “Thank you for your teacher’s assistance all those years ago. Wishing you and your family peace and prosperity.”

Ye Yun and Ying An found a noodle shop near the train station and quickly filled their stomachs.

After the noodles were served, Ye Yun picked up her chopsticks and transferred all the meat from her bowl to Ying An’s.

Ying An looked at the plain noodles in Ye Yun’s bowl and couldn’t help but say, “Why have you been eating so little these past two days?”

“No appetite, it just looks greasy.”

Ying An worriedly said, “Are you feeling unwell? If Boss Bai finds out when we get back, I’ll be in trouble. I didn’t take good care of you, and I ate all the meat from your bowl. Please don’t tell Boss Bai. He’s terrifying when he’s displeased.”

Ye Yun chuckled, “Terrifying how? He doesn’t eat people.”

Ying An wiped her neck. “He kills people.”

Ye Yun’s apricot eyes curved, her smile bright and gentle.

Leaving the noodle shop, they followed the crowd into the train station. The train hadn’t arrived yet, and passengers gradually gathered on the platform, waiting.

The train heading in the opposite direction behind them was about to depart. A whistle sounded, and Ye Yun turned her head towards the sound.

The moment the train doors closed, her gaze unexpectedly met that of a man sitting by the window. The man was wearing a white shirt, his hair neatly combed to one side. His well-defined features looked handsome and aloof, as if they were meeting for the first time.

The instant the train started moving, the man suddenly stood up from his seat, frantically searching for something in his bag, then quickly bent down and scribbled a few words as fast as lightning.

The train wheels slowly moved forward along the tracks, and the train window gradually receded. The man dashed across the seats towards the rear of the carriage.

His almost disappearing figure reappeared in Ye Yun’s sight. Breathing heavily, he pressed a piece of paper against the glass window.

On the white paper, three words were boldly written: “I’m sorry.”

Through the train window, he gazed at her from afar, until she was no longer visible.

Ying An patted Ye Yun. “The train’s here. What are you looking at?”

Ye Yun retracted her gaze, a fleeting gleam passing through her eyes.

“An old acquaintance.”

The train coming from the opposite direction pulled into the station. Ye Yun picked up her luggage and began her journey home.

________________________________________

The End