Don’t Covet the Beautiful System!! - Chap 137
When Ji Tong woke up, the sky was already bright. Bright daylight shone through the gap in the curtains.
His biological clock was regular and he always woke up at a fixed time.
He sleepily closed his eyes and reached to the side, coming across something furry. It was apparently a doll with a plush feel and plastic parts.
The drowsiness gradually subsided. Ji Tong thought for a while but couldn’t figure out what it was, so he opened his eyes and turned his head to take a look.
Next to him was a gray koala doll with cute plastic eyes and a big black nose, lying obediently under the blanket.
Ji Tong couldn’t help laughing.
The sheets under the koala still had a faint temperature and the person who had slept there seemed to have just left.
So Ji Tong stayed in bed for a moment before getting up from the bed. He quickly washed up and went downstairs, following the stronger and stronger aroma of food.
Sure enough, Pei Qingyuan was in the kitchen. The warm smell of omelet and hot milk filled the air.
He heard movement behind him and looked back.
His lover in pajamas hugged the koala, leaned against the door and waved to him. “Good morning.”
“Good morning.”
He answered. The milk in the small pot was just the right temperature and was bubbling. It was poured into a brightly colored ceramic cup and served to the table.
The small robot placed on the dining table also made a bright voice. “Good morning!”
The robot’s hat was smudged in the daylight and the round body was hand-painted with a river of stars in rich tones. Day and night met on the surface of his body.
Ji Tong sat at the dining table and looked at it while placing a hand on his cheek. “What does Xiao Mei eat in the morning?”
Xiao Mei replied clearly, “Eat the early bird.”
Pei Qingyuan put down the plate and asked smoothly, “Why?”
Xiao Mei, as the prototype of the jelly bean robot, was modified and upgraded by the two of them at any time. This meant she was much more high-end than the same model on the market.
Ji Tong and Xiao Mei answered him almost in unison, “Because the early bird gets the worm.”
So the early riser Xiao Mei got a bird to eat.
Pei Qingyuan, who couldn’t find the logic behind it, gave up digging deeper. “Okay.”
A brilliant morning always started with a strange cold joke.
If it was a working day, Pei Qingyuan didn’t have to wake up early to make breakfast. The company had self-service. He just had to get up to change clothes, leave, drive to the company and spend an ordinary and special day.
Today was the weekend and the time could be freely arranged.
Before going to bed last night, Ji Tong and Pei Qingyuan arranged to do cleaning together in the morning and play online games in the afternoon, so they couldn’t sleep in today.
They just hadn’t discussed what to eat yet.
“Xiao Mei, what should I eat for lunch?”
Xiao Mei enthusiastically gave a random answer. “Make dumplings to eat!”
Ji Tong thought about it. Indeed, he hadn’t eaten dumplings for a long time. He was a bit moved and asked, “What about at night?”
For people who had to think about what to eat for three meals a day every day, Xiao Mei was a perfect life assistant.
Xiao Mei was about to answer when Pei Qingyuan spoke first.
“She said she has something for me and we should stop by for dinner.” His tone was flat. “Do you want to go?”
There was no clear name in this sentence but Ji Tong understood it at once.
In their lives, there was only one person who always appeared with a third-person pronoun.
“Okay.” Ji Tong didn’t show much hesitation and seemed to simply be considering the contents of the dinner. “It isn’t bad to eat home-cooked food at night.”
“Okay.” Pei Qingyuan picked up his phone. “I’ll tell her.”
Xiao Mei, who was listening to them, made a curious voice. “What is home-cooked food?”
Ji Tong stretched out his hand and poked the brilliant body that was like the Milky Way. “There are many.”
The robot asked again, “How much is a lot?”
Ji Tong laughed. “It is a full table.”
Every time they went to eat at that long-lot home, the table would be filled with hot dishes. There were lots and lots of dishes.
They were all his favorite dishes.
At 4 o’clock in the afternoon, he and Pei Qingyuan walked into the old community. The low-rise unit building was still plastered with small advertisements and was dark and cluttered.
Standing in front of the familiar door, Pei Qingyuan’s expression remained calm. He raised his hand to knock on the door and there was immediately a ‘coming’ heard from inside.
Once the door opened, bright light followed and flowed into the dimly lit corridor.
An older, middle-aged woman stood at the door. She had just come out of the kitchen wearing an apron and she hurriedly wiped off the water stains on her hands. When she saw the bag Ji Tong was carrying in his hand, she wanted to pick it up but stopped her movements a bit nervously.
In the end, she just showed a happy smile. “You guys are here. Come in quickly, the slippers are here.”
Unlike the messy and crowded place a long time ago, the room behind her was small and tidy. There were no more ashtrays and empty wine bottles in the living room. The furnishings were simple and it looked like an ordinary home.
The top of the TV was covered with a floral cloth and the coffee table was filled with crystal clear glasses, plastic fruit plates with fresh fruit and small boxes full of sweets and snacks.
There were three pillows neatly placed on the sofa. The door of the next room was open, letting in the sunlight.
Ji Tong noticed her movement and took the initiative to hand over the bag in his hand, greeting her, “Auntie, these are the dumplings we wrapped at noon.”
Luo Xiuyun was stunned. Her eyes lit up and she wiped her hands on the apron harder before reaching out and taking it. “The dumplings are good. Are you hungry? Do you want to eat a bowl first?”
“No, I’m not hungry yet.” Ji Tong shook his head and keenly heard the movement from the kitchen. “Auntie, the water is boiling.”
“Okay, then eat some fruit first.” Luo Xiuyun replied before quickly turning around and walking toward the kitchen.
She stood in front of the stove and turned off the fire. She was ready to pour the meat into the water to blanch. Then she looked at Pei Qingyuan, who hadn’t spoken since entering through the door.
“I put it in your room.” Luo Xiuyun lowered her voice. “It is too heavy so it can only be placed on the ground.”
Pei Qingyuan finally spoke. “What is it?”
“They are books your father used to read. I found it when clearing the garage some time ago,” she said. “I remember him saying at the time that he would leave it to you to read. Maybe you don’t need it now but I think it should be given to you. It is a waste to leave it with me.”
A hint of surprise flashed in Pei Qingyuan’s eyes.
In the midst of the noise from the old-fashioned range hood, Luo Xiuyun’s voice was small. “You sit. I’ll cook first…”
Ji Tong followed Pei Qingyuan and walked into the room he hadn’t seen in a long time.
No one had lived here for a long time but it was cleaned and the table was spotless.
There was a brand new lamp on the desk and the bookcase next to it was empty. The bed was covered with a dust-proof cloth with a neatly folded quilt underneath and two pillows side by side. It was as if it was waiting for someone to come and stay at any time.
On the floor of the room were two old leather suitcases, common in the early years. They were dark brown and the metal buckles were rusted.
Seeing that the person around him was staring at the box in silence, Ji Tong reached out to lift it. “It is really heavy.”
This was what Pei Qingyuan’s real father left behind.
Father was a distant term.
What type of person was he? In addition, what types of books would be left behind?
After a while, Pei Qingyuan finally came to his senses. He put one of the suitcases on the desk. He slowly opened the buckle and opened the box.
Dust flew. Ji Tong looked in curiously and saw a row of small books with bright covers. “What is this?”
There was a brief pause before Pei Qingyuan replied to him, “Comic books.”
This was the childhood memory of the previous generation.
The suitcases were full of books. The pages might be yellowed and there was a slightly stale smell, but they were apparently well-preserved. Their former owner obviously cherished the books.
The books seemed to be arranged according to the age they could be read. Next to the comic books was a stack of Chinese and foreign masterpieces suitable for children.
Pei Qingyuan stared at them. After a moment, he bent down and opened the other suitcase.
This suitcase contained more of a variety of books intended for older adults, ranging from well-known literary classics to philosophical treatises with difficult titles and thick historiographical miscellaneous treatises.
Ji Tong looked at these two heavy suitcases and suddenly remembered a room full of birthday gifts he received when he was 19 years old.
He quietly looked at his lover who didn’t say a word.
As the smell of the old days suddenly spread, she saw Pei Qingyuan gently pick up the comic book placed in front.
So Ji Tong also left the room with extremely light steps, leaving the space for him alone.
He still didn’t know what Pei Qingyuan’s biological father looked like, but this vague image was gradually becoming clearer.
Like Pei Qingyuan, he liked reading.
Ji Tong sat on the soft for a while, staring blankly at the brightly colored fruits on the fruit plate. He was really hungry.
He went to the bathroom to wash his hands. Then he came back and ate a small orange, very sweet as if it was carefully selected.
Ji Tong still wanted to eat after eating one, so he picked up the second small orange.
After peeling it, he walked to the kitchen where the aroma of vegetables was already wafting. He asked the busy Luo Xiuyun, “Auntie, do you want to eat oranges?”
“Ah.” Luo Xiuyun’s expression was almost a bit flattered and she kept saying, “No need, you eat.”
“We will each have half.” Ji Tong broke open the peeled orange and handed her half. “The orange is appetizing. It shouldn’t affect the meal in a while.”
He was very good at making the right excuses for his greedy eating behavior.
Hearing him say this, Luo Xiuyun couldn’t help smiling and she took it. “Thank you.”
She looked up at the young man who was much taller than her and as the sweet smell of oranges quietly bloomed, she instinctively said, “You seem to have grown a bit taller.”
After speaking, Luo Xiuyun tried to reach out and gestured in the air while confirming it. “Really. You are taller compared to when I first saw you.”
Ji Tong was very happy every time he heard others say that he had grown taller.
It was even though he knew he was being coaxed by his friends.
But this time, it was different.
He looked at Luo Xiuyun’s eyes and knew she was serious when she said this.
She really noticed that he had grown taller, even if the difference was only a little bit.
His favorite spicy crayfish was simmering in the pot.
Ji Tong’s eyes became brighter and he responded happily, “Yes, Auntie has a good memory.”
Luo Xiuyun smiled and her expression was much more relaxed. “It isn’t good. I’m old and I forgot if I put salt in just now. Do you want to taste it and see if it is salty enough?”
She lifted the lid of the pot, scooped up a small amount with the spoon and kept fanning it with her hand to cool it. “You blow it. Be careful in case it is hot.”
When Ji Tong tasted the soup, she eagerly waited for his response.
“You didn’t forget to add salt.” He laughed and said, “It tastes just right.”
It just suited his taste.
Luo Xiuyun sighed with relief. “That’s good.”
On the day that Ji Tong and Luo Xiuyun met for the first time, she also said this.
She paid for her mistakes. When she came out of prison, she thought that no one would pick her up. Unexpectedly, she saw her biological son, whom she hadn’t seen for several years, and the young man close to him.
At that time, Pei Qingyuan’s youth had faded and he was completely an adult.
His eyes were cold and he was no longer the child who longed for affection. He stood beside the person next to him and introduced in an indifferent tone, “This is my boyfriend, Ji Tong.”
A lover of the same gender wasn’t the mainstream option.
Luo Xiuyun first looked at her son who came to pick her up with joy. Then she looked blankly at the intimate distance between the two of them and asked, “You are together… how long has it been?”
Pei Qingyuan calmly looked at her. “A long time.”
Then Luo Xiuyun no longer asked any more questions. She just looked at Ji Tong, who had an unfamiliar face, for a long time and suddenly shed tears.
She said, “That’s good.”
They had been walking side by side like this for a long time.
The son who moved his home away many years ago wasn’t alone.
This was a very good thing.
Later on, Luo Xiuyun also lived alone. She found a job as a cashier in the supermarket that wasn’t too hard. Most of her colleagues were peers of the same age who could speak well. The days were dull and peaceful and there were happy moments.
She had little direct contact with Pei Qingyuan and didn’t dare disturb him too much. She only dared to send some dried cured meat made by herself as she did before. Fortunately, she wasn’t rejected.
However, Luo Xiuyun had the contact information of the two of them and often saw Ji Tong’s Moments that were full of happiness. She would look over and over again at the smart sentences and good-looking photos.
This was until one day when Ji Tong sent a photo of fragrant crayfish and praised the deliciousness. She couldn’t help sending him a message: Auntie can also make crayfish. If there is a chance, come to my house to eat.
Ji Tong actually agreed.
The overjoyed Luo Xiuyun saved the photo and pondered over it for several days.
It was a pity that on the day that her son and his boyfriend came to the house, she accidentally made it too salty due to nervousness. She could only apologize repeatedly and apologize for many past events.
Unexpectedly, Ji Tong ate very happily. He smiled and told her it was okay. It was delicious. Pei Qingyuan’s expression was also rarely soft and he was concentrating on peeling crayfish for Ji Tong.
At that moment, Luo Xiuyun suddenly understood why Pei Qingyuan brought Ji Tong to pick her up.
She learned to be sensitive to her son’s mood.
The most suitable compensation method was also discovered.
Pei Qingyuan no longer needed late maternal love.
But the person he loved the most now was an orphan who never had parents.
Luo Xiuyun gradually learned to cook every dish that Ji Tong liked.
Even without this relationship, he was a likable child.
Pei Qingyuan never took the initiative to ask her, but when she plucked up the courage to ask him if Ji Tong liked to eat a certain dish, he would patiently reply.
With this only communication, Luo Xiuyun was already satisfied.
She finally made the right choice on her own.
The days passed like this, bit by bit.
Forgiveness was one of the most useless words.
What had already happened left permanent traces like a torn piece of paper. They couldn’t pretend that it was intact.
Old traces wouldn’t disappear but new ones would appear.
Luo Xiuyun re-covered the lid of the pot. As she waited for the juices of the crayfish to gather, the meat in the casserole on the side also stewed fragrantly.
She asked Ji Tong, “Do you want to taste this again?”
Ji Tong blinked. “No need. The seasoning must be fine.”
Luo Xiuyun looked at his insincere expression and the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes deepened with her smile. She used her chopsticks to pick up a small piece of stewed meat. “Taste it.”
Ji Tong had difficulty refusing the temptation of food.
“It is delicious,” he affirmed it.
It was a taste similar to that of a mother.
A mother who only existed in his imagination.
He leaned against the kitchen door. After a moment of trance, he asked the middle-aged woman who was still busy. “Shall we share another orange?”
The other person looked over with a smile. “Okay.”
This was the third small orange that Ji Tong peeled.
At the sweetness left by this orange, he helped choose the bean sprouts and asked curiously, “What type of person is Uncle Lin?”
Luo Xiuyun had always refused to let him help. As a result, she shook her head at this question and forgot to take back the bean sprouts.
Her expression was filled with nostalgia and pride. “Rongsheng was different from me… he was a very smart man and he was the first college student in our county.”
The intermittent voices drifted into the room. Pei Qingyuan sat at the desk and gently closed the comic book at hand.
On the title page of each comic book was a line of vigorous handwriting that said ‘Rongsheng’s Gift’ with the date underneath. It was nearly 50 years ago.
His father’s name was Lin Rongsheng and these comic books should be the books that Lin Rongsheng’s elders gave to him when he was a child.
Later, Lin Rongsheng left these books to his child.
He picked out every book that should be read from childhood to adulthood for this child he would have no chance to meet.
There were many books in them. Pei Qingyuan had indeed read them but they weren’t given by his father. It was from his own choice.
He took out the books he had read before from the suitcase and flipped through them one by one. There were often annotations on the inner pages, which were more elegant than the vigorous font on the title page. Still, the pen was sharp and unyielding and it was similar to Pei Qingyuan’s own handwriting.
It should be Lin Rongsheng’s handwriting.
He read the annotations left many years ago and felt as if he was talking to the father he had never met.
Pei Qingyuan sat and looked at it for a long time.
In these more difficult books, there was also a message on the title page. They were all dated 24 years ago and the handwriting was the same as the annotations.
The text above the data was no longer ‘Rongsheng’s Gift’ but ‘Qingyan’s Gift.’
Pei Qingyuan didn’t know who Qingyan was. Then after seeing countless sentences of ‘Qingyan’s Gift’, he already had faint expectations in his heart.
When he opened the last children’s classic book in the first suitcase, a yellowed letter fell out.
On the envelope were the words: To Qingyan.
Pei Qingyuan stared at the letter. A few minutes later, he walked out of the room and asked Luo Xiuyun. “Are the contents of the suitcase all for me?”
Luo Xiuyun was talking to Ji Tong. Once she heard this, she immediately said, “It is for you. They are all his books and I haven’t carefully read through them… What’s wrong?”
Pei Qingyuan told her, “There is a letter inside.”
Luo Xiuyun was stunned. “If it was placed in the books, it must be written to you. He knows that I can’t read.”
Before Pei Qingyuan turned around, she hurriedly said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know there was a letter inside or I would’ve given it to you earlier.”
After she made that wrong decision alone and held the unrelated baby in her arms, she was still wondering how to mention this matter to her seriously ill husband at home when she received the sad news of his sudden death.
Everything that followed was chaotic and her husband’s belongings were hurriedly put away. She didn’t dare to tidy them up carefully and didn’t dare to face her husband. She took care of the crying baby with swollen eyes all day long. There were many things to do and she was swept forward by the wheel of life. Gradually, she forgot the two inconspicuous suitcases.
Pei Qingyuan didn’t speak again.
He returned to his room and slowly opened the letter.
The handwriting on the letter was no longer sharp and clear. There were many weak strokes.
[Qingyan, it feels like meeting when you see these words.]
[If you can read these words then you must be in high school soon. Unfortunately, I can’t see you and can only leave you a name.]
This was a letter addressed to him.
He had another name: Lin Qingyan.
[I don’t know if you like your name. I hope you like it.]
[Qingyan (clear feast/repose) is a very beautiful word. It is quiet, peaceful, clean and bright, also known as ‘Qingyan (clear quiet).’ Both are fine but I think it is better to make it the first one to show how precious you are.]
[In addition, the idiom ‘the world is at peace (heqinghaiyan)’ is surging with expectations and Yan is rich and leisurely. Qingyan is a great name no matter whether you are a girl or boy.]
In the room, Pei Qingyuan looked at the letter quietly.
In the kitchen, Ji Tong saw Luo Xiuyun suddenly fall silent so he continued the previous topic. “Auntie, you haven’t finished speaking. What about after Uncle graduated from college?”
Luo Xiuyun’s mind returned. “After he graduated… I thought he wouldn’t come back. But he did come back and asked if I wanted to go with him.”
30 years ago, Lin Rongsheng came from a poor family but had excellent grades. He was the first college student in the county and everyone thought he had an unlimited future. His marriage and career would be bright.
Even Luo Xiuyun didn’t expect that he would come back and marry a lover who couldn’t ascend.
[Do you get along well with your mother?]
[You will probably secretly shake your head in your heart—if you see each other every day then there will always be some strife and friction, but I guess she is willing to listen to you. You might complain that she controls you severely or blame her for being submissive and not having her own temper.]
Luo Xiuyun followed Lin Rongsheng on the bumpy bus and went to the city in the soaring dust to find a new life. Her bag contained a marriage certificate and she still felt dizzy and unreal.
“Why did you come back to me?”
Lin Rongsheng was more stunned than her. “We didn’t break up. Why wouldn’t I come back for you?”
He took the bag in her arms and said with a smile, “Study and feelings are two different things. Don’t listen to what others say.”
“Besides, the road isn’t necessarily as easy as others say,” Lin Rongsheng said. “In the future, maybe you will have to tolerate me more.”
[If that is the case, I apologize to you on her behalf. I want to tell you a brief story.]
[Your mother has a younger brother who is useless and an older sister who died young. She dropped out of school before finishing her first year of middle school and had to work to support her family and provide for her younger brother’s education.]
Luo Xiuyun was 0one year older than Lin Rongsheng and her parents refused to pay the tuition for the next semester of middle school. She walked home with her school bag and met her childhood friend Lin Rongsheng.
Lin Rongsheng asked her why she was crying. She didn’t know how to answer. Then she suddenly asked, “Are your grades okay?”
Lin Rongsheng, a sixth year student, said, “It’s okay. I was first in the class this semester.”
Luo Xiuyun thought that Rongsheng had always been so smart.
The textbooks in her bag were reserved for her brother, saving him from paying for textbooks in the future.
She thought hatefully that he refused to read and his grades weren’t as good as hers.
So a sense of courage surged in her heart from out of nowhere and she slammed the school bag into Lin Rongsheng’s arms. “I won’t study in the future. My books and stationary will be given to you. You can read the middle school textbooks in advance.”
Then she ran home without looking back.
It was Luo Xiuyun’s first daring adventure in her life.
When she got home, she said she had lost her school bag. She was beaten hard and became obedient again. The next day, she entered the factory.
[I took her bag. It was heavy and I always thought it was the heaviest thing I have ever taken.]
[I naively asked my mother if I could also provide for her schooling. Of course, it wasn’t possible because she wasn’t related to me and life at home was also very tight. In the eyes of adults, how could there be such a thing? In addition, her family didn’t want her to study any longer and asked her to work as a laborer. My mother eventually sighed and patted my head, saying that everyone has their own life.]
[All I could do was spread out those middle school textbooks and read them more seriously.]
After spending a busy day in the workshop, the tired Luo Xiuyun carried a thermos to the water room to fetch water and saw a familiar figure outside the iron fence in a trance.
Luo Rongsheng, who was in middle school, grew up a bit. He had a refined appearance and waved to her, as if he had brought her something.
Luo Xiuyun walked over with both joy and trepidation. She wiped her hands that weren’t dirty on her clothes.
He handed over some candies and a novel.
In the humble dormitory, Luo Xiuyun first flipped through the book. The book that Rongsheng picked must be good-looking, but she stared at the machine for a day. She was too tired and her eyes were blurred.
She closed the book, hid under the covers and concentrated on eating the candy.
On the day Lin Rongsheng was admitted to a key university, she had already saved a thick stack of candy wrappers.
Gongs and drums were beaten in the county and banners were hung to celebrate the first college student. Luo Xiuyun gripped the iron box full of candy wrappers while thinking that Rongsheng was going to a bigger world.
The workers joked with her, saying that she wasn’t worthy of Lin Rongsheng and would be left behind sooner or later. She didn’t refute it.
She no longer questioned this abandoned fate.
So a few years later, she was extremely surprised when she got on the bus to the city.
[You will grow up in a new era that advocates equality and freedom, but her childhood taught her patience, obedience and devotion, nothing else. I wanted her to have more ideas but she was used to relying on me and didn’t have the energy to learn.]
[It isn’t her fault fundamentally. Some people are born knowing how to walk their own way. More people have to rely on acquired upbringing. For them, knowing how to make choices in life isn’t natural, but the more extravagant and difficult knowledge.]
After graduating from college, Lin Rongsheng didn’t soar as the villagers in the county expected.
In the words of his colleagues in the unit, he was very arrogant, had an inappropriate arrogance and would stubbornly argue with others about the right and wrongs of something. He would stay up at night for a small detail at work that he didn’t understand but didn’t know whether to visit the leader privately with gifts at the right time.
There were many such people in that era. For this reason, they would be a step behind those ‘smarter’ people at certain important junctures.
Lin Rongsheng had expected this. He would smile and sigh, but didn’t change himself.
Luo Xiuyun didn’t say anything. She supported all her husband’s decisions.
The pace was slow but the days would always get better.
They were all living hard. They were poor but happy while looking forward to the coming of a new life.
But the accident came so suddenly.
Lin Rongsheng, who was less than 30 years old, developed cancer.
[In the future, only your mother and you will be left. She will take good care of you as a child but when you get older, her knowledge will make her powerless. It will be your turn to teach her the principles of life. These principles are all in the book and you have read them.]
[Perhaps you still can’t fully understand these words but just remember two points: If you blame her for being weak, please be more considerate. If she does something wrong, you must solemnly point it out and ask her to correct it.]
[She is a mother for the first time and you are also a child for the first time. You should be equal to each other and hope to tolerate each other and grow up together.]
By the time the disease was detected, it was already at the advanced stage. The doctor estimated that the remaining time would be almost the same as Luo Xiuyun’s delivery date.
The gadgets that Lin Rongsheng bought for his unborn child were placed together with the large number of pills prescribed by the doctor for him. It was white and colorful. New life was coming while another life was about to die.
With little money left, he decided not to buy medicine any longer.
His wife often cried behind his back so Lin Rongsheng started to buy her candy again.
This was until he couldn’t get out of bed at all.
The thick candy wrapper in the tin box would never increase again.
[Terminal illness and unforeseen disasters are the cruelest fates. They couldn’t be countered by manpower, nor could they be deliberately avoided. I could only wait for them to come. In this increasingly difficult period, I always lamented the injustice of heaven and the luck of others. Then once time really ran out, I regretted that I couldn’t put together an extra box of books for you and write a few more pages for you if I didn’t waste time on self-pity.]
[Come to think of it, I don’t have time to regret it. I immediately picked up a pen and wrote a letter. When I wrote this, I wasn’t sad. I just deeply missed the bowl of steamed eggs that my mother often made for me and I am going to look for her.]
[So I named you Qingyan, hoping that you will also encounter a bit of abundance and leisure. I think your mother will like the name too. Unfortunately, I can’t get up and take care of her any longer, nor can I take care of you.]
In the line waiting for the birth certificate of her child, the young woman came alone. She was distraught and it was very different from the joy of others.
When it was her turn, the staff member took the form filled out in advance and asked her with a frown, “What isn’t the field for the child’s name filled in? What is the name?”
The woman opened her mouth and said incompletely, “His name is Lin…”
She clearly remembered that day. The new baby was crying beside her and she was crying as well as she listened to the relative who helped take care of her husband telling her what he said when he was dying. He apologized for the teacup he accidentally broke, for leaving her alone with their son and also told her to take good care of her body after giving birth.
In addition, the name he gave the child.
The Qing of qingjing (peaceful), the Yan of yanxi (banquet/feast).
She had never heard the word ‘yanxi’ but she could hear the beauty full of anticipation.
Seeing her hesitant expression, the staff member impatiently tapped on the table with the cap of the pen. “Have you thought about it? If you haven’t thought of it then let someone else register first.”
“I’m sorry, I’ve thought about it!” She took a deep breath and hurriedly said, “It is Lin Yan.”
“Which character?”
“The Yan of yanyu (words).”
The words came out and the dust was settled.
She received the thin certificate and walked into the crowd around the hospital, not knowing where her fate would go.
[I can’t hold the pen any longer, so I’ll write here first. I can’t see you in real life despite thousands of words but I hope to meet you in my dreams.]
[Life is a sharp blade hanging high. Don’t be afraid of the unfathomable cold light. Don’t stand still and obey orders. Just remember, when you can still walk then walk forward. Don’t lose your heart.]
[Qingyan, you must live without regrets.]
Pei Qingyuan saw that at the end of the letter, yellow spots appeared on the brittle paper. The last inscription was his father’s name, Lin Rongsheng.
At the same time that he finished reading, there was a gentle knock on the door.
He looked up and saw his young lover standing by the door.
“It is ready to eat.”
Ji Tong smiled as usual. His eyes were bright and he counted the gifts of life to him. “I just ate a delicious orange.”
Pei Qingyuan stood up. His thoughts were racing as he thought about the letter his father wrote 24 years ago. He thought about the sighs and hopes that emerged from the pages and the pale dreams about lovers he had a few years ago mixed together. They were like leaves drifting in a strong wind, sweeping and turbulent.
He couldn’t find a suitable sentence to respond with, so he could hold the white and warm palm of the person beside him.
Ji Tong was a bit surprised. “What’s wrong?”
Pei Qingyuan stared at him for a long time before saying in a low voice, “If he was still here, he would definitely like you.”
Ji Tong smiled again. “I also like him very much.”
He approached Pei Qingyuan’s ear, as if to convey a secret. “Auntie showed me a photo. It turns out that you look like your father.”
It was an extraordinarily sumptuous dinner with talking and laughter. The evening news played on the television and it was brilliantly lit.
The photo album that Ji Tong had flipped through was temporarily placed on the coffee table. On the page spread out was a photo of a young couple in front of a scenic spot.
Both of them were in their early 20s. Luo Xiuyun’s eyebrows were delicate and she was timidly holding her husband’s arm. Lin Rongsheng was quite tall and thin. He wore a pair of glasses and was smiling. He looked bookish but not thin and weak. There was a restrained stubbornness in his eyes.
At that time, Lin Rongsheng hadn’t been diagnosed with cancer yet and Luo Xiuyun hadn’t made her second bold and extremely wrong adventure in her life.
They stared expectantly at the road ahead.
The night outside the window was getting darker.
After the meal, Ji Tong and Pei Qingyuan cleaned up the table together.
Pei Qingyuan took the letter but didn’t take away the two suitcases of books. They were so heavy that they seemed to belong only to this room.
He took out the books inside, wiped them down one by one and put them in the empty bookcase.
Ji Tong was in the kitchen again. This time, Luo Xiuyun refused to let him help. He had to watch her wash the dishes and help her turn on the warm water.
Luo Xiuyun took advantage of the sound of the water to tentatively ask Ji Tong, “Can you thank him for me? The supermarket job is very good. I like it very much and I can’t bear to let go of the friends I met there.”
Ji Tong was stunned before reacting. “Okay.”
Luo Xiuyun knew what she had guessed correctly. She smiled and her wrinkled eyes were full of pride. “He is very good now… you are all excellent.”
She had found these two suitcases of books for a while but she hadn’t gathered up the courage to ask her son to come back and get them.
This was until she learned that the poorly run supermarket suddenly stopped laying off employees again. Everyone stopped planning to find another livelihood and sighed with relief.
If there really were layoffs, Luo Xiuyun felt that she must be the first unlucky one. After all, she had a criminal record. Such a person would always be at the top of the list of those who were fired. She was wondering where to go next but the crisis was somehow resolved.
The supermarket was no longer short of funds and no employees were laid off. The business was still the same as before, but there were higher wages and better treatment.
Among the ordinary employees, including Luo Xiuyun, no one knew the reason. They were just glad that everything was as usual and they were lucky.
However, Luo Xiuyun now watched the news every day and collected all the reports related to her son.
She dared to guess a reason.
She guessed right.
Pei Qingyuan’s temperament was the same as in high school. He was silent and restrained but didn’t like to express things.
That was when she misunderstood him.
Now she slowly learned how to get along with him.
Being a mother was also a lifelong lesson.
When parting, Pei Qingyuan’s expression was still indifferent and he wasn’t close to her. “Goodbye.”
Ji Tong was more enthusiastic. “Auntie, see you next time.”
“Okay, come back to the house next time.” Luo Xiuyun stood at the entrance of the stairs and waved his hand repeatedly. “Be careful of the road.”
When could she call him Qingyan?
When would she be called ‘Mom’?
Nobody asked.
Maybe wait for next time.
Luo Xiuyun sent them out. She stared at the window for a long time until the two figures disappeared completely.
She had an extra box of good-looking dumplings in her refrigerator and it wasn’t known what type of filling it was.
She decided to use it for tomorrow’s lunch.
Under the moonlight, Ji Tong and Pei Qingyuan walked out of the community. They walked through the lively streets and walked home together.
They always held hands like there was no one else there. This time, they walked together and Ji Tong quietly let go of his hand.
Pei Qingyuan looked sideways and saw his somewhat embarrassed expression. “It is a bit difficult to peel oranges with one hand.”
Ji Tong spread out his palm and revealed a small orange.
“Wait until I peel an orange,” he said. “This one is sweet. You haven’t eaten it yet.”
Ji Tong lowered his head and carefully peeled the orange. Pei Qingyuan wrapped one arm around his waist and led him forward.
The orange peel was like a hazy lamp.
He couldn’t help sighing. “So your father is like this.”
He was more vivid than the fictional single father, President Ji in a suit. He was also warmer than the artificial intelligence master brain representative with a white ponytail who patted him on the shoulder.
Ji Tong had learned a lot from the senior system, Fu Yinyin. In other such worlds, Pei Qingyuan’s life experience might have other secrets, such as his biological parents being from a more wealthy family and he would get more family affection in the past. This would make the protagonist’s background innocent and noble enough.
The story line calculated by the AI was perfect. It was perfect good and perfect evil. There was no need to think too much and too deeply.
But human feelings were also so complicated and disorderly. They were weak and tenacious, longing and evasive. Both right and wrong, love and hate.
This was a contradiction that AI could never handle.
Ji Tong preferred an ordinary father like Lin Rongsheng, whose appearance filled a certain gap in his distant and blank imagination.
He also loved this ordinary world.
He pinched the orange peel in the palm of his hand. He pulled out a few scattered strands of whiteness from the orange, broke off a piece and handed it over. He expectantly waited for Pei Qingyuan’s reaction.
Pei Qingyuan didn’t disappoint him. He ate this orange and his voice was gentle. “It is very sweet.”
Ji Tong’s eyes contained an extremely bright light. “Right? It is delicious.”
He would always remember the taste of this orange and the memories associated with it.
It was just like he remembered Xiao Mei, the mushroom, the cat and all the happy tastes.
He had never owned anything and no longer wanted to own them. He just tasted those flavors without distraction, remembering them seriously. Then he told the person around him how much he liked them.
That was enough to be happy.
Pei Qingyuan took the pieces of the orange that were handed over one after another.
Luo Xiuyun gradually understood his wishes and he gradually understood Ji Tong’s wishes.
After the little orange was eaten, the street lamps overhead cast a bright halo of a similar color, shining brightly in the misty night.
They walked side by side in the direction of home, passing the neon lights on the corner. Shadows overlapped on the pavement and their fingers interlocked.
Pei Qingyuan realized it later. “You only ate one piece.”
“I have already eaten two whole oranges before dinner.” Ji Tong remembered it very well. “I also ate a lot of crayfish at dinner. I can’t eat any more.”
“But we should’ve eaten half,” Pei Qingyuan said. “You and her also ate half of one.”
Ji Tong couldn’t help laughing. “But there are no more oranges. What should I do?”
Pei Qingyuan stopped. “You close your eyes.”
Ji Tong was a bit surprised and couldn’t help looking at the other person’s pocket. He thought that Pei Qingyuan, who looked serious, had also secretly taken an orange.
He pondered on it for a while but couldn’t find any clues from the expression of the person around him. Therefore, he followed the instructions carefully. “I closed my eyes.”
Ji Tong closed his eyes and tilted his head slightly. He instinctively held his breath and waited for the magic to appear.
This was until a kiss with an orange aroma fell on his cheek.
A smiling voice entered his ears. “This is also one half.”
Ji Tong smiled and his eyes curved. “You just wanted to find a reason to kiss me, liar.”
He opened his eyes and the vivid scenery flowed into them again. There was also his lover who was close at hand.
The world flickered with neon lights and he was embraced in familiar arms.
“If there are any other possibilities.”
He heard a mixture of a throbbing breath and a fast heartbeat.
“I want to meet you when you first see the world.”
