Chapter 43

Chapter 43

***

In the small park, Weng ShuYi quietly followed Xiang ChangKong home. She took one last glance at the little boy’s plane that was buzzing overhead.

Meanwhile, the jittery Xiang Nuan heard their front door open. She rushes towards the door and sees Xiang ChangKong with their mother. Sighing in relief, she asked: “Mom, where have you been? I was scared to death.”

Weng ShuLi didn’t answer and instead went straight into her room. Xiang ChangKong called out: “Mom, do you want to have lunch?”

Xiang Nuan added: “Yes, you should eat. I’ll go heat up the food.”

Xiang Nuan went into the kitchen to get the food, but Weng ShuLi didn’t intend to eat. Weng ShuLi went straight to her bed and laid down, her back facing Xiang ChangKong.

Xiang ChangKong called out again: “Mom.”

Weng ShuLi didn’t move.

Xiang ChangKong frowned. As he did so, he inadvertently noticed a phone on her nightstand.

Suddenly getting a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, a layer of sweat gathered in Xiang ChangKong’s palm.

Weng ShuLi hadn’t used her mobile phone for a long time. But today, she suddenly decided to turn it on and run away from home. It seems that her actions weren’t a simple accident.

Xiang ChangKong entered the room, took Weng ShuLi’s phone, and slowly turned on the screen.

Weng ShuLu’s phone had a password, but Xiang ChangKong knew the digit-password was just her birthday. Once he unlocked the phone, Xiang ChangKong looked at her web browser history.

Xiang ChangKong’s heart practically stopped.

She knew.

Xiang ChangKong looked back up towards his mother, but couldn’t say a word.

By this time, Xiang Nuan had heated up the food and had come to look for them. “Brother, do you want to eat together?” She turned towards Weng ShuLi and asked: “Mom, you’re not eating?”

Weng ShuLi didn’t make a sound.

Xiang Nuan looked at her brother with puzzled eyes, silently asking what was wrong. But unexpectedly, Xiang ChangKong didn’t speak.

The atmosphere had begun to feel a little stiff. But the silence was suddenly broken when Xiang ChangKong’s phone started ringing.

It was Xu Lian.

Xiang ChangKong gave Weng ShuLi one last glance before walking towards the balcony to answer his phone. As soon as the call was connected, Xu Lian asked said: “Xiang ChangKong, I’m outside your house right now. Where are you? Let’s meet up.”

Xiang ChangKong subconsciously looked down. He looked at the street below but didn’t see Xu Lian. Ah, she might be at the entrance of their neighborhood or at the basketball court where she usually parked.

“Xiang ChangKong?”

Xiang ChangKong came back to his senses and said: “We just found my mother. You can go back home.”

Xu Lian was a little dumbfounded. She took a deep breath and leaned back onto the driver’s seat of her car. “That’s great.”

“Are you at the neighborhood gates?”

“No, I’m at the basketball court.”

“Wait for me, I’ll come down.”

Xu Lian blinked, then answered: “Alright.”

After ending the call, Xiang ChangKong went to his sister and said: “Since mom’s back, I’m going to the police station to report. Pay attention, and don’t let her run off again.”

“Un, don’t worry, brother.” Today had been too frightening for Xiang Nuan. As the saying goes, ‘fall into the moat, and you’ll be wiser next time.’ Even if Xiang ChangKong hadn’t warned her, she would still keep a close eye on her mother.

(T/N: Fall into the moat, and you’ll be wiser next time (idiom); One only learns from one’s mistakes.)

As Xiang ChangKong walked towards the front door, Xiang Nuan asked: “Brother, you’re not eating?”

“No, I don’t usually eat until 1:00 or 2:00 p.m. at work anyway. I’m alright.” Xiang ChangKong said, then left.

Meanwhile, on the basketball court, Xu Lian’s car was currently parked under a tree. Xu Lian noticed Xiang ChangKong the same time he did and lowered her car window to wave at him.

Xiang ChangKong circled the car to the passenger side and sat inside.

He noticed that Xu Lian was still wearing her seatbelt. Xu Lian turned towards him and asked: “Is you mother alright?”

Xiang ChangKong was quiet for a while. He finally replied: “She knows about my application for graduate school.”

Xu Lian was surprised. Judging from her previous interactions with Weng ShuLi, the woman wasn’t one to use the internet or go outside. Xu Lian had always thought that as long as she didn’t spill the beans, Weng ShuLi would never find out about Xiang ChangKong’s studies.

“How did she find out?”

Xiang ChangKong answered: “She turned her old cell phone on and found the campus website of the university. There was a post about the confirmation event today, and I was in one of the photos.”

Xu Lian frowned. “Why would she suddenly decide to look at the university website?”

Xiang ChangKong shook his head. “I guess I was acting strange. I guess it’s impossible for me to completely hide my actions from her, not when we live under the same roof. Besides, she’s my mother. Although she’s ill right now, I’ve always felt that I couldn’t hide anything from her.”

Xu Lian would have to agree. Weng ShuLi looked closed off from the world, but Xu Lian had always thought that her heart was very clear. “So, her sudden disappearance today was because of this matter?”

“Most likely. She’s refusing to eat anything.”

Xu Lian looked at Xiang ChangKong, her fingers tapping on the steering wheel. “What are you going to do then?”

After the hustle and bustle at noon, the streets had now become quiet. All the elders by the gate had gone to their homes to take a nap. Xu Lian had opened her car windows, and the wind was blowing in. It was almost winter, so the temperature was supposed to plunge, but somehow, Xu Lian felt hot, as if she was in the middle of summer. It made her restless.

“I have to talk to her first.” Xiang ChangKong closed his eyes. “Don’t visit our house for a while.”

Xu Lian looked at Xiang ChangKong, her eyes softening a little. “Alright.”

“I’ll be going first. I have to go to the police station to call off the search.” Xiang ChangKong opened the car door and left. Xu Lian looked at his slowly retreating figure through the rearview mirror, then called out to him through her open window. “Xiang ChangKong.”

Xiang ChangKong looked back towards her.

“Are you still going to take the exam?”

Xiang ChangKong’s eyes became even deeper. One could immediately see the profound melancholy in their depths. “I need to discuss it with my mother first.”

Xu Lian sat in her car long after Xiang ChangKong left.

She had never smoked and even regarded cigarettes with some disgust, but right now, she wanted to try.

She thought back to her high school days. Wei YiChen had never smelled like smoke, but he used to secretly smoke a few cigarettes. He had once smoked in front of her to show off, but Xu Lian beat him up instead. After that incident, Wei YiChen had never smoked again. Well, maybe he did, just not in front of her. In short, he no longer dared to smoke in front of her.

She can’t smoke, but she likes to drink. She can still drink some alcohol.

When it comes to drinking in A City, QingNan street was the place to go. No other bar could compare to the shops there. The befuddled Xu Lian decided to drive straight to QingNan street, but when she got there, all the bars were closed. It was only when she saw their shut doors that Xu Lian realized that bars were only opened at night.

It was currently 2:00 p.m. The only bar that would open for her was Wei YiChen’s.

She had been to Wei YiChen’s bar on its opening night, so she knew where it was. Xu Lian drove over, parked outside the bar, grabbed her bag, and got out of the car.

The bar door was closed, but it wasn’t locked. Xu Lian pushed the door open and walked straight in.

The place was quite different in the afternoon. There were no people singing and dancing, no dazzling lights.

A man sitting by the bar and playing with his mobile phone looked up when he heard the door open. After seeing Xu Lian enter, he immediately stood up and said: “Excuse me, miss, we’re not open yet.”

Xu Lian looked at him.

The man’s hair was neatly trimmed into a crew cut. It was a bit eye-catching, but this clean style should be what Wei YiChen’s little gangsters are trying to emulate.

He even said, ‘Excuse me, miss.’

“Sister Xu Lian?” On the other side of the bar, Ah Mao, who instantly recognized Xu Lian, uttered with shock. With his voice going high, he said: “You…are you looking for Brother Chen?”

How rare! Brother Chen had been pursuing her for so many years…has she finally realized Brother Chen’s charm?

“This is a bar. I’ve obviously come to drink.” Xu Lian replied. “Do you have any spirits?”

Ah Mao gulped. “You…you want alcohol. Ah, yes, there’s definitely a few bottles around here. Just a moment.”

Ah Mao ran to the backroom and woke up Wei YiChen, who had been sleeping on the sofa. “Brother Chen, Brother Chen. Wake up! Sister Xu Lian is here!”

The dreaming Wei YiChen was interrupted, so his temper rose. He let out a stream of curses as he groaned: “Who?”

“Sister Xu Lian, ah!”

Wei YiChen jumped out of the sofa and ran out. Ah Mao hurriedly caught up to him and began to nag: “Brother Chen, you just woke up, ah. Wash your face first!”

“….”

“Yes, yes, here’s some gum. Make sure your breath smells nice!” Ah Mao pulled out a stick of gum from his pocket.

“……” Wei YiChen paused and swept his sharp eyes over Ah Mao’s body. The hair in Ah Mao’s arms rose, and he nervously took a step back. But before he could lower his hand, Wei YiChen took the offered gum.

He opened the wrapper, threw the gum in his mouth, then walked on.

Ah Mao: “….”

That….you’re not going to wash your face? In case of drool.

Wei YiChen came out to the main floor and saw Xu Lian sitting alone on the bar. She had her elbows on top of the bar and a hand supporting her head. She looked like she was in a trance.

Wei YiChen walked over and sat down beside her. “It’s rare for you to come to see me on your own initiative.”

Xu Lian blinked. She turned towards Wei YiChen and smiled. “You think too much. I’m here to drink. Everyone else’s bar was closed except yours.”

Wei YiChen laughed. “My bar is also closed…” As he said this, he noticed Xu Lian’s expression. Wei YiChen decided to quickly add another part to his sentence: “But my door is always open for you.”

“Well, let’s stop talking and start. Wheres the alcohol?”

Wei YiChen glanced at Ah Mao and said: “Give her a cup of orange juice.”

“……” Xu Lian sighed. “I can drink orange juice anywhere. Do you think I specifically went to QingNan street just to drink some juice?”

Wei YiChen replied: “Drinking hurts the body. It’s better for girls to drink less. Besides, you drove here. You can’t drive after drinking, ah. Otherwise, I’ll call the police and report you for drunk driving.”

Xu Lian was a little shocked. Where did this hooligan learn such things, ah.

“I can take a taxi.” Xu Lian replied.

Wei YiChen ignored her and gave Ah Mao a glare. “What are you still doing here? I asked you to pour her a glass of orange juice.”

“Ah, yes!” Ah Mao hurriedly got some juice and placed the glass in front of Xu Lian.

Xu Lian motionlessly stared at the glass for a long time. Ah Mao felt very stressed at her inaction. His initial desire to watch this exciting drama unfold withered and died. In the end, Ah Mao escaped back into the lounge. Wei YiChen looked at Xu Lian and asked: “Did you quarrel with Xiang ChangKong?”

In his heart, Wei YiChen actually thought that such a thing was impossible. Xiang ChangKong had never gotten angry with Wei YiChen in the few moments they met each other. If Xiang ChangKong didn’t quarrel with him, how could he fight with Xu Lian?

Xu Lian finally picked up the glass and drank a mouthful of juice. “Wei YiChen, when your dad broke your guitar, did you get angry?”

Xu Lian figured that Wei YiChen must’ve been furious. Otherwise, why would he deliberately try to annoy his father every chance he gets?

Wei YiChen didn’t reply, so Xu Lian asked another question: “How does it feel to have your dreams crushed?”

Xu Lian had always been individual-centered. She wasn’t the type of person who would thrive in a company environment. At school, she can choose not to make any friends, or choose not to attend parties. But if she started working in a company, Xu Lian would be unable to ignore her colleagues, nor could she skip the company’s gatherings.

So from the very beginning, Xu Lian had planned to open a small store on her own after she graduated. Her parents were also very supportive of this. Therefore, she had never experienced the feeling of having her dreams crushed. Of course, opening a store had never been a dream of hers. It was only to make some sort of living. Her father said that they would gladly raise her, but Xu Lian didn’t have the face to mooch off her parents forever. As for what kind of store she wanted to open, Xu Lian had no idea. It was only in her final year of university that she decided. During that time, one of her father’s colleagues gifted him a set of aromatherapy candles from abroad.

The candle looked pretty, smelled nice, and was calming. That was it.

After a brief discussion with her father, she was given enough financial support, and in the end, MONSTER was open for business.

She was the first person to open such a store in China. At the time, she couldn’t find a teacher who could make incense candles in the entire country, so she traveled abroad to study. Her teacher ended up being a Korean man who could speak English no better than she could. They communicated with each other with their poor English, and in the end, the two-month course was successfully finished with the help of pictured instructions.

Her father was the one who found her shop location. In Starlight Park, the rent here was no less than that of the Starlight Department store. There was a good flow of people in the area, and many of them were travelers that liked to buy souvenirs. But for the first few months, Xu Lian’s business wasn’t good. She couldn’t even earn enough for her month’s rent. Later, Sugar Honey Heart’s boss discovered her store and posted pictures of her products on their Weibo. Overnight, MONSTER became the new hot thing on the internet.

But Xu Lian had always felt that her success couldn’t be entirely attributed to her good luck. After all, if it wasn’t for all the beautiful things she made, people wouldn’t have forwarded her photos. She was satisfied with her own actions and efforts in making her business succeed.

Ever since then, she had gotten more and more orders. All of this she could do herself. Although she was working in an isolated space, and other people might sometimes comment that she didn’t fit in with others, Xu Lian had always felt that her life had been going pretty smoothly.

So how did having your dreams crushed feel like? Hatred? Desperation?

How was Xiang ChangKong feeling these past few years?

He didn’t know why, but Wei YiChen suddenly felt like having a drink.

Wei YiChen got up and walked behind the bar. He took out a bottle of alcohol and poured some onto a glass. He took a sip, then replied: “You don’t feel much, ah, because you won’t be able to feel anything at all.”