Embedded Files
Psst! We're moving!
Cheng Wanyue wasn’t someone who hid things. If she confirmed a relationship, she would definitely introduce the person to Cheng Yan Qing formally. Winning over Cheng Yan Qing meant winning over eighty percent of her family.
So, the current situation could, at most, be considered a flirtation.
“Sending messages so early in the morning, quite clingy, huh? Is he younger than you?”
Qing Hang’s birthday was November 7th, the day of Lidong . Both Cheng Wanyue and Cheng Yan Qing were born on July 18th, but Qing Hang was a year older.
Cheng Wanyue put away her phone. “A little older.”
Cheng Yan Qing initially didn’t think much of it—men a little older were often more mature—but suddenly, he felt a chill run down his spine.
Over the past few years, Cheng Wanyue had been exceptionally obedient. After the college entrance exam, when filling out her university preferences, she neither chose Beijing nor Nanjing, instead staying close to her parents and attending a rather ordinary school.
Far from parental supervision, it was easy for her to enter a second rebellious phase.
“How much older?” Cheng Yan Qing looked at her with a complex expression. “Don’t tell me your ‘a little’ starts at ten years.”
Cheng Wanyue wiggled one finger. “You’re still too conservative. Be bolder and guess higher.”
Cheng Yan Qing immediately realized she was joking. “If you dare, I’ll break your legs!”
He still had half a year left in Beijing and would inevitably meet Qing Hang sooner or later. Though they hadn’t been in contact for a long time, there wasn’t much of a rift between them since they had almost spent every day together during high school.
Cheng Wanyue knew that besides repaying debts, Qing Hang regularly called Cheng Guo An during holidays and maintained proper greetings.
She remembered one Spring Festival when her entire family celebrated in Nanjing. Qing Hang had attended an academic conference in Nanjing with his mentor and visited Cheng YuZhou’s house to pay New Year’s respects to Cheng Guo An. However, she wasn’t home that day. She couldn’t recall what she had gone out to do, but she missed him.
It was nearly the end of spring when she heard Cheng Guo An mention it.
That day, Qing Hang stayed for lunch and talked extensively with the Cheng family. He remembered Cheng Guo An suffered from migraines, Yang HuiMin had a sensitive stomach, Grandma Cheng had rheumatism and struggled through wet, cold winters, and Cheng Yan Qing admired a certain soccer star. But he hadn’t asked about her.
Not once.
Just like when he bid farewell to everyone before leaving Bai Cheng but didn’t tell her.
Cheng Guo An had remarked how they used to be inseparable in their youth, but as they grew older, their bonds faded. Now scattered across different parts of the country, it was hard to reunite.
...
On Monday morning, Cheng Yan Qing went to the airport. His suitcase was filled with things his girlfriend liked to eat. He would be away for about a week.
This meant that Cheng Wanyue would be living alone for a week.
Aside from playing in the band, she also had other jobs, occasionally taking photos for magazines and studios. A photographer she had been working with long-term contacted her last night to schedule a shoot for the cover and some illustrations for a youth magazine in September. This kind of job usually took two to three days to complete.
Her Weibo account had around seventy to eighty thousand followers. She mostly posted photos or videos of herself playing the drums on the street, occasionally singing. Since arriving in Beijing, she had only posted one update after getting off the plane.
On the way to the hospital for her follow-up appointment, she changed her Weibo profile picture to the black crescent moon that Qing Hang used as his WeChat avatar.
It was the same doctor as last time. Cheng Wanyue casually asked which floor the neurosurgery department was on, and the doctor directly told her which office Qing Hang was in at the inpatient building.
The outpatient number had been booked by Qing Hang, and he had brought her here last time too.
Nothing unusual about it.
As soon as Cheng Wanyue stepped out of the elevator, she saw Qing Hang. He was signing something at the nurse’s station, wearing a white coat and glasses, his profile appearing somewhat cold. She didn’t approach him, instead sitting down on a chair in the corridor.
Qing Hang was giving instructions to the nurse about patient care. In the middle of their conversation, he felt a strong presence watching him.
He turned his head to look.
Despite the many people coming and going in the corridor, he immediately found her. She didn’t avoid or shy away but instead smiled at him.
Qing Hang remained composed, continuing to communicate details with the nurse. Cheng Wanyue just watched him—his eyes, nose, lips, chin, Adam’s apple, hands—all were framed well by the white coat. He looked good in it.
After waiting for about ten minutes, he finally walked over.
“Aren’t you busy?”
“I am busy,” Cheng Wanyue tilted her head and smiled. “But after careful consideration, I decided that my health is more important. Other things can wait.”
“What did the doctor say?”
“I didn’t understand. If you want to know, go ask him yourself.”
Qing Hang was very familiar with her little tricks. The faint marks on her lips reminded him of that night, even without looking at her.
“Why did you repeat a year?”
All her Weibo posts were about her family; there wasn’t a single photo from school.
“Because I missed the start of the semester due to some matters, so I decided to take a break. After resting for a few years, I started to miss school and decided to retake the exams.” Cheng Wanyue summarized those years in just a few sentences. She stood up. “I still owe you a meal, but not today. Next time.”
“I’ll walk you downstairs.”
“Is it okay?”
“It’s almost time to get off work.”
While waiting for the elevator, patients and their families greeted Qing Hang. Cheng Wanyue had always known that whatever he did, he excelled at it—even in a high school in a remote small county, students from the city couldn’t surpass him.
He had tutored her for three years. Logically speaking, unless she had an intellectual issue, her academic performance should have improved somewhat—but it hadn’t.
Every tutoring session, she would zone out while listening.
Later, during the year she transferred to the city to repeat a grade, without any familiar friends or him patiently explaining key points repeatedly, she actually studied seriously. Just like when she moved from middle school to high school, she barely passed the university entrance exam in the end.
...
That evening, Cheng Wanyue only sang one song, spending the rest of the time behind the drum set. At 9 PM, she finished work as usual.
Zhou Heng had to catch the 11 PM high-speed train. Even if he were home, he wouldn’t be able to sleep, so he came to eat and listen to her sing. After Cheng Wanyue packed up her drumsticks, he got up intending to see her home.
Meng Qi had met Cheng Yan Qing. On Cheng Wanyue’s first day at work, Cheng Yan Qing had prepared a surprise for her after work. They were fraternal twins and didn’t look alike. When Cheng Wanyue suddenly jumped on him, Meng Qi thought they were boyfriend and girlfriend. Only later did she learn he was her brother—an attentiveness that even boyfriends might not match.
Cheng Wanyue went to the restroom, and Meng Qi looked at Zhou Heng, suddenly feeling he had little hope—even though he hadn’t started yet.
Meng Qi said, “Wanyue is really lucky. Having one brother is already enviable, but she has two. Although I’ve only met Cheng Yan Qing, using him as a benchmark, the other one surely wouldn’t be bad either.”
Zhou Heng hadn’t known Cheng Wanyue for long and didn’t know much about her. “Isn’t she just a fraternal twin? Could it be triplets?”
“The other one is her uncle’s son, two months older than her and Cheng Yan Qing. Their sibling bond is particularly strong,” Meng Qi, who had a poor relationship with her parents, envied Cheng Wanyue’s family environment. “Girls like romance and ceremony, and her family has given her all of that. A girl like this won’t be easily swayed by just a bit of love.”
Zhou Heng heard the implication in her words. “What do you mean by ‘swayed’? What do you mean by ‘a bit’? I genuinely like her. Every time I’m with her, even if we just chat a little, I feel rejuvenated mentally and physically, as if I’ve returned to my student days.”
Meng Qi shot him a disdainful glance. “Stop indulging yourself. I advise you to give up while you’re not too deep in, cut your losses. Consider Xu Qian. You two have known each other for years.”
“Xu Qian and I are purely friends. There’s no possibility. Sister, help me arrange a meeting with Wanyue.”
“You arrange it yourself.”
“She doesn’t agree when I ask.”
“Isn’t it obvious enough? Do you need her to spell it out?”
Zhou Heng said, “I won’t give up without trying.”
Meng Qi sighed. As Cheng Wanyue approached, she naturally asked, “Wanyue, the temperature isn’t high next week. How about we find half a day to go barbecue?”
“Sure.”
“Zhou Heng is free; let him take you.”
“No need. My way home is quite safe. If he misses the high-speed train, it’ll be terrible.” Cheng Wanyue picked up her bag. “Sister Qi, I’ll head off first.”
“Bye.” Meng Qi looked at Zhou Heng and shrugged helplessly.
Cheng Wanyue wanted to buy some late-night snacks; many small shops tucked away in the alleys served the most authentic flavors.
It was only 9 PM, not too late. As she walked into a narrow alley, she suddenly became aware of the footsteps behind her. She didn’t turn around but saw the shadow of the person. He was carrying a bottle of alcohol, staggering as he walked.
While walking, Cheng Wanyue took out her phone from her bag and dialed a number.
The call connected quickly.
“Qing Hang...”
She just called his name, and he immediately picked up on her unusual tone. “What’s wrong?”
“There’s someone following me, seems like a drunkard.”
“Don’t hang up. Turn on your phone’s location and head toward the main road,” Qing Hang’s expression changed instantly, and he rushed out of his place. “I’ll be there soon.”
Cheng Wanyue heard the door close. “Cheng Yan Qing is abroad. I’m afraid that drunkard will follow me home and find out where I live.”
“Find a well-lit place with lots of people and wait for me.”
“...Okay.”
Qing Hang didn’t wait for the elevator to slowly descend; instead, he ran down the stairs. “Keep talking. I’m listening.”
Drunkards were capable of anything, and Cheng Wanyue was genuinely a little scared. She spoke incoherently, rambling without logic, not even knowing what she was saying.
Qing Hang was far away, nearly a forty-minute journey.
Cheng Wanyue sat in a milk tea shop waiting for him. When she turned her head, she saw him waiting at the traffic light across the street. She couldn’t see his expression clearly, but she noticed him constantly checking his phone. As soon as the red light ended, he hurriedly ran over.
Qing Hang pushed open the glass door in a rush, startling the shop staff.
Without apologizing, he strode directly to Cheng Wanyue, panting heavily as he asked if the drunkard had hurt her.
Cheng Wanyue shook her head, her gaze dropping to his feet.
He was still wearing slippers.
Google Sites
Report abuse