Night fell.
At seven o’clock, it started drizzling again. The temperature would drop at night, and the chilly wind forced everyone to hunch their necks. Aunt Wang had gone to the city to celebrate New Year’s Day. The two chubby tabby cats had been hanging out at the farmhouse all afternoon and went into the kitchen when it rained at night, as the kitchen was warr.
Yao Tao prepared a large table of delicious dishes. Sheng Yi couldn’t cook but helped out a little, occasionally adding firewood or petting a cat, feeling that this country life was so pleasant.
The two female college students had left in the afternoon, seemingly urged ho by a phone call from their family. Tonight’s dinner gathering was all familiar faces. Yao Tao had a loud voice and talked a lot, Sheng Yi was outgoing and lively, continuing the conversation one topic after another, and the atmosphere at the dinner table was very good.
Before dinner, Yao Tao brought out the plum wine she’d been fernting for a long ti, filling a glass for everyone.
"Wait, wait, this glass is my toast to the landlady." Holding up the glass, Yao Tao started speaking excitedly and incoherently, "Landlady, there’s sothing I have to say, you are my idol, idol! I admire you so, so much."
Gu Yuan chuckled, holding her cup: "Consider your idol?"
"Of course, it’s my dream to beco a person like the landlady." Yao Tao spoke sincerely.
This farm stay eting was Yao Tao’s second eting with Gu Yuan.
The first eting was during the interview.
Yao Tao was an independent woman, self-reliant and a staunch non-marriage advocate. She rarely admired anyone, but upon eting Gu Yuan for the first ti, she was drawn to her aura. After interacting with Gu Yuan, she developed a heart of admiration.
Willing and sincere admiration.
After toasting Gu Yuan, Yao Tao then toasted Chi Yu: "Welco to the farmhouse as a guest... oops, I almost forgot I can’t say welco, slip of the tongue, you’re the landlady’s lover, which ans you’re half-owner of the farmhouse. I should say I’m very happy the boss is here for dinner, everything on the table tonight is personally poisoned by ."
Chi Yu’s mouth twitched: "Poisoned?"
Yao Tao slapped her mouth and corrected herself: "Sorry, slipped my tongue, I ant personally cooked."
Chi Yu: "..." His mouth seed to twitch even more...
Gu Yuan was fine, able to remain composed in any situation, while Sheng Yi had already laughed like a duck, unable to stop quacking.
"What boss, how co I haven’t heard of it?" Lu Tinglou raised his glass.
Yao Tao clinked glasses with Lu Tinglou, saying, "The landlady introduced you in the afternoon, Boss Lu, you were present at that ti, it can’t be making things up."
"I don’t easily joke." Gu Yuan chid in, raising her glass and clinking it with Lu Tinglou’s: "Today is no exception."
Lu Tinglou felt a storm brewing inside him.
But there was no outlet.
Because he had no stance.
That feeling was really unpleasant.
"When did you get together?" This question had been bottled up inside Lu Tinglou for a long ti, and he took this chance to ask it directly.
Lu Tinglou had been comforting himself all afternoon, thinking that Gu Yuan certainly found soone randomly to declare as her lover just to make him give up.
Gu Yuan said: "Chi Yu and I have been together for a very, very long ti."
The smile on Lu Tinglou’s face froze for a mont, then he smiled and downed his glass of wine in one gulp.
Chi Yu just glanced lightly, without saying anything.
Everyone except for Lu Tinglou and Chi Yu had a great dinner. Gu Yuan was in high spirits and drank a few more glasses. Sheng Yi drank even more than Gu Yuan, but she could hold her liquor better. Gu Yuan was already slightly tipsy while Sheng Yi was still going strong.
The more energetic she was, the more she talked.
Yao Tao was already getting tipsy, talking more than anyone else, even starting to play finger-guessing gas with Sheng Yi.
Sheng Yi was unlucky, losing frequently. Unable to drink more, Gu Yuan took over for her. Chi Yu did not interrupt, just watched quietly.
His eyes were full of Gu Yuan, tender and gentle as water.
Sitting silently at the side, Chi Yu glanced at Lu Tinglou and observed that since he joined the dinner table, he hadn’t been as brimming with spring breeze as before, naturally feeling pleased about it. But upon realizing that his ti by Yuanyuan’s side wouldn’t last long, that the truly spring-breezy days would belong to soone else, bitterness grew in Chi Yu’s heart.
"I heard Boss Lu is in real estate?" Chi Yu initiated the conversation.
Lu Tinglou glanced at Chi Yu, thinking this person was gloating, yet he responded out of courtesy: "Just a small business."
"Boss Lu is very modest."
"Naturally, compared to you."
Chi Yu laughed softly, knowing that Lu Tinglou didn’t like him; they didn’t get along from the first sight.
Another point, Chi Yu knew Lu Tinglou, but Lu Tinglou didn’t know him.
During his period of disappearance, he’d withdrawn from all mories, and Lu Tinglou began openly pursuing Yuanyuan.
During those few days in Sui City, watching Lu Tinglou run to Yuanyuan’s place day and night filled him with a tooth-gnashing hatred, wanting to cover his head with a black cloth and beat him up.
After dinner, Lu Tinglou and Chi Yu washed the dishes.
Yao Tao was still energized, though that energy seed a bit chaotic, clearly drunk.
Sheng Yi was alright, speaking clearly though her gaze wasn’t quite focused.
Gu Yuan was the quietest. Even if she were drunk, she wouldn’t show it because her eyes remained clear, and her speech sounded normal, but anyone who understood Gu Yuan would know that her current state was genuinely drunk.
The next day.
When Gu Yuan woke up, Sheng Yi hadn’t woken up yet, clinging to her like an octopus.
"Yiyi?"
"Mmm..."
Sheng Yi murmured and turned over. Only then was Gu Yuan able to get up. Her temples throbbed slightly, and she massaged them before getting out of bed.
After putting on her coat, she went directly to Chi Yu’s room.
She had drunk too much last night. She and Sheng Yi fell asleep soon after returning to the room, even though she kept reminding herself not to fall asleep easily, thinking Chi Yu might leave...
She opened the door.
The room was neat and clean, the bedding perfectly folded, as if he had left no trace.
Everything was there, except Chi Yu. Gu Yuan’s hands slowly clenched at her sides, and her head buzzed with sharp, piercing pain reminding her that Chi Yu had left again.
Last night she was drinking, and he hadn’t said a word to dissuade her, just watched from the side. Was it just so he could leave quietly once she drank herself to sleep?
Downstairs, Yao Tao was wiping the table.
Seeing Gu Yuan co down, she stopped her work and greeted her, "Good morning, ma’am. Did you sleep well last night?"
Gu Yuan looked lost and asked, "Did he leave?"
Yao Tao nodded, "Yes, he left this morning."
So he really did leave...
A dull ache constricted Gu Yuan’s chest, and her face turned pale. The world was so big, where could she possibly find him? There was no trace of him, no contact information, nothing.
She couldn’t even enter his world.
Yao Tao noticed sothing was wrong with Gu Yuan and put down the cloth, stepping forward with concern, "Ma’am, you don’t look well. Did sothing happen?"
Gu Yuan looked at Yao Tao, "How could he just leave..."
Yao Tao was confused, "Are you angry because Boss Lu left without saying goodbye?"
Gu Yuan, still unable to accept that Chi Yu had left, was startled by Yao Tao’s words before she realized, "It was Lu Tinglou who left?"
"Yes, Boss Lu left early this morning. He asked to let you know, but you seem a bit off, ma’am."
"Where’s Chi Yu? Where’s Chi Yu?" Gu Yuan urgently inquired.
Yao Tao pointed in the direction of the kitchen, "He got up early too and went into the kitchen to make breakfast for you. He looked quite adept, so I didn’t interfere. He should... hey, ma’am..."
Before Yao Tao finished her sentence, Gu Yuan was already heading towards the kitchen.
"So the ma’am suddenly got upset because she thought Chi Yu left?" Yao Tao clicked her tongue in amazent, "Seems like Chi Yu ans a lot to her. She called him ’boss’ last night, and it was spot on!"
In the kitchen.
Chi Yu was scooping noodles. He had made portions for four people, including Sheng Yi and Yao Tao.
While he was scooping the third bowl, Gu Yuan walked in quickly. Chi Yu looked up and said, "You’re up. I’ve made noodles; they’re ready. Wash up and co eat."
Gu Yuan truly thought Chi Yu had left earlier, and the sadness was real.
But when she learned that Chi Yu hadn’t left and that it was Lu Tinglou who had gone, she couldn’t feel happy until she saw for herself that Chi Yu was still there. Only then did her smile return.
Seeing Gu Yuan standing there motionless, Chi Yu washed his hands and walked over, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, "What’s wrong?"
Gu Yuan shook her head.
Chi Yu guessed, "Didn’t sleep well last night?"
Gu Yuan shook her head again.
Having just woken up, she hadn’t washed her face or brushed her teeth yet. Without makeup, she didn’t look weary, only her eyelashes appeared a bit damp. Chi Yu seed to guess what was going on and gently asked, "Did you think I left?"
Gu Yuan nodded.
"I won’t leave without a word this ti. If I know when I’m leaving, I’ll tell you right away," he promised.
Gu Yuan wasn’t sure if he could really keep that promise, but it didn’t matter anymore. As long as he was still here, she would cherish every extra second.
"Where did you put your things?" she asked.
Chi Yu’s hand moved, "I moved them to your room last night, but an unexpected guest turned up."
Gu Yuan paused for a mont before realizing who he ant by ’unexpected guest’—Sheng Yi.
Yet, the first thing she did in the morning was go to his room looking for him, not noticing her own room.
She had scared herself for nothing.
"Yuanyuan, the noodles are ready," Chi Yu said as he headed to serve them.
Chi Yu wasn’t skilled at cooking; what he could do was learned later for Gu Yuan’s sake.
Cooking noodles wasn’t a craft, but he’d mastered it.
He carried the noodles to the table, and Yao Tao rushed over, "Boss, your cooking skills are not bad; it looks great."
"Thank you for the complint, Sister Yao," Chi Yu replied humbly.
Sheng Yi ca down yawning, having slled the aroma of the soup noodles from afar, "Wow, Sister Yao, did you cook these noodles? They sll amazing."
Yao Tao pointed, "The boss cooked them; I’m just here to enjoy them this morning."
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