After Duan Ye returned home, not long after, he heard a knocking sound. He didn’t even need to look through the peephole to guess who it was. Sure enough, when Duan Ye opened the door, Zhou Ji stood there with an excited look on his face, carrying a black backpack in his hand.
“Lao Duan, are you surprised? Unexpected, right?” Zhou Ji exclaimed.
Duan Ye twitched the corner of his lips, ignored Zhou Ji, and turned around to walk inside.
Zhou Ji treated this place as if it was his own home in Ningcheng, without any awareness of being a guest. He came right in, threw his backpack on the sofa, and casually opened Duan Ye’s fridge, finding a bottle of cold cola.
“I was literally rushing against life and death today. I booked a flight for 6:45, do you know how tight it was?” Zhou Ji sighed, “As soon as I finished the exam, I had the driver take me to the airport, and luckily I made it in time for the flight.”
He was exhausted.
Today felt like he was a horse in a period drama, never stopping for a moment.
The plane took off at 6:45 sharp. By the time he arrived at the provincial capital’s airport, it was already past 8 o’clock, and then he had to take another car all the way to Ningcheng… It was an incredible experience for Zhou Ji.
It wasn’t that he wanted to surprise anyone; he just didn’t want to spend a single second more in Yanjing where there were no Ning Zhiyu and his friends.
He couldn’t wait to return to Ningcheng, to reunite with them.
Duan Ye looked at him and asked, “Did you go to find Ning Zhiyu?”
“That’s for sure.” Zhou Ji said complacently, “But let’s not talk about that. Lao Duan, I’m going to sleep at your place tonight.”
Duan Ye : “…”
Before he could reply, Zhou Ji had already taken a set of pajamas and a towel from his backpack and headed straight to the bathroom to shower.
At Duan Ye’s place, Zhou Ji could only sleep on the floor.
Although there were three rooms in Duan Ye’s house, the master bedroom belonged to Wu Meiyun, who occasionally came back to stay for a couple of days, and one of the other rooms had become a storage room.
Zhou Ji couldn’t possibly sleep in Duan Ye’s Mom’s room.
However, Duan Ye’s room only had one bed.
Zhou Ji didn’t mind whether he slept on the floor or not, but lying there, he couldn’t fall asleep no matter how much he tossed and turned.
Coincidentally, Duan Ye couldn’t sleep either. Rarely, he was lost in thought, thinking about that embrace.
“Lao Duan,” Zhou Ji suddenly called out, “do you think I should confess my feelings to her again?”
Duan Ye couldn’t be bothered to answer that question.
Zhou Ji doesn’t need Duan Ye’s reply either. At this moment, Duan Ye is like a tree hole to him, whether the tree hole responds or not, it won’t affect his venting.
“I still can’t do it.”
Zhou Ji hesitated, pondered, and sighed. He placed his hands behind his head and looked at the yellowed ceiling. “Isn’t it strange? In the past, I could tell her that I liked her, and today, the atmosphere was so good, but those words got stuck in my throat, and I dared not say them. What’s going on?”
Duan Ye was still savoring the hug and couldn’t really focus on what Zhou Ji was saying.
His ears automatically blocked out the words.
“Lao Duan, I can’t sleep. Let’s forget it, and let’s go watch the ball game, alright?”
Zhou Ji suggested.
Duan Ye finally snapped out of it and coldly refused, “No, I have to get up early tomorrow to buy soup dumplings.”
Soup dumplings?
Zhou Ji could easily guess who it was for.
“Fine.” Zhou Ji remembered that he had important matters to attend to as well. “Tomorrow, I also have to get up early to buy seeds. Damn, I even have to sow and fertilize for her neighbor. It’s clearly just grass, but why does it have to be vegetables?”
He couldn’t figure it out.
But he still remembered that when he promised to buy seeds for her neighbor, she smiled as if she was looking forward to seeing him plant and farm.
Early the next day, before Zhou Ji had even woken up, Duan Ye went out.
There was a shop in the old city that specialized in soup dumplings and had been operating in Ningcheng for over a decade, earning a famous reputation for its unparalleled taste. If you went there even slightly late, the soup dumplings would be sold out. Jiang Yumo was particularly fond of their soup dumplings, especially the beef ones. When Duan Ye went there, he joined the queue and bought a portion of beef soup dumplings, also getting mung bean soup for her, before heading to her residential area.
Jiang Yumo had just finished washing up when she received his call.
Looking like she hadn’t fully woken up yet, she went downstairs, but the soup dumplings brought by Duan Ye immediately tempted her appetite.
The residential area also had stone tables and benches. By this time, those who had to go to work were already at work, and the students who hadn’t graduated yet were at school. The retired grandpas and grandmas went out to buy groceries or took a stroll in the park. The yard was peaceful, and the early June weather was not too hot. There was a large banyan tree near the stone table, and everyone liked to sit under the tree to enjoy the coolness.
The portion of beef soup dumplings was quite large, more than Jiang Yumo could finish, so she shared it with Duan Ye.
“I’ll come to pick you up this afternoon,” Duan Ye recalled something and added, “Zhou Ji wants to treat us to a meal, this afternoon.”
“Zhou Ji?” Jiang Yumo almost got scalded by the soup in the dumplings. Her tongue went numb, and Duan Ye quickly handed her the mung bean soup. After taking two sips, she continued, “He’s back?”
Duan Ye nodded with a helpless expression. “He arrived last night.”
“He is really…” Jiang Yumo pondered for a moment and accurately described Zhou Ji with one word, “persistent.”
Duan Ye looked at her.
She decisively changed her words, “But he’s not as persistent as you.”
Duan Ye laughed and handed her a tissue. “It’s not about being persistent.”
“Then what is it?”
Duan Ye found it hard to answer this question. In truth, it wasn’t something worthy of praise. Some people persevere because they haven’t found someone they ‘like more’; some persevere out of a desire for competition and self-challenge; while to others, ‘perseverance’ had turned into a habit.
All in all, it’s all for oneself.
Duan Ye never thought of himself as extraordinary or great.
“Maybe it’s like three meals a day,” Duan Ye replied, “or sleeping, or drinking water.”
Jiang Yumo was satisfied with this answer.
She needed more rest since last night. She didn’t fall asleep right away but kept tossing and turning until the early morning hours before finally sleeping. Now she was feeling drowsy. After Duan Ye cleaned up the trash on the stone table and watched her go back, he turned and left.
Lately, Ningcheng was renovating its infrastructures, and the roadsides were all dug up to install new water pipes, causing a lot of inconvenience to traffic. Duan Ye couldn’t catch a taxi here, so he had to walk a distance back. On the way, he passed by the pharmacy where Mother Jiang worked. In the past, Duan Ye would definitely lower his head and quickly walk by, not pausing for even a second. It wasn’t out of rudeness but rather a little fear of bumping into her parents, especially her mother. Today’s situation was somewhat special. Standing several steps away, Duan Ye saw Mother Jiang tiptoeing to paste advertisements on the glass door. After hesitating for a few seconds, he tightened his fist and decided to walk over. Standing behind Mother Jiang, he called out, “Aunt.”
Mother Jiang turned around and saw that it was Duan Ye. With a gentle smile, she said, “Student Duan, it’s you.”
Duan Ye was a bit nervous. “Aunt, let me help you?”
Mother Jiang didn’t bother being polite and handed him the glue and the advertising poster. “I’d appreciate your help.”
Duan Ye was tall, so in places where Mother Jiang couldn’t easily reach, he could effortlessly paste the poster. Occasionally, he would ask, “Is it okay like this?”
Mother Jiang stepped back two steps and carefully measured, “Move it a bit to the left.”
Duan Ye followed her instructions and finally put up the pharmacy’s advertising poster. He then asked, “Is there anything else I can do?”
“There is, actually…” Mother Jiang smiled at him, “Aren’t you in a hurry?”
Duan Ye quickly shook his head, “No, I’m not.”
Since he said so, Mother Jiang didn’t intend to be polite with him.
So, for the next hour, Duan Ye fixed the faucet in the pharmacy’s restroom, replaced a light bulb, folded and tied up all the packed paper boxes in the pharmacy, and even called the old man who collected scrap materials. He watched as Mother Jiang bargained with the old man, and in the end, the old man paid her an extra fifty cents. Mother Jiang had a satisfied look on her face.
Mother Jiang discovered that Duan Ye was indeed a skilled worker.
He knew a little bit of everything—able to fix faucets, change light bulbs, and clean up cardboard trash with ease.
“My computer is very slow,” Mother Jiang asked him, “Can you help?”
Duan Ye hesitated for a moment, “Let me try?”
In the end, Duan Ye cleaned up all the junk on the computer, downloaded some software for her, and also helped her apply a screen protector on her touchscreen phone.
Duan Ye also reoiled the bicycle chain for Mother Jiang.
Mother Jiang smiled warmly and looked at him with satisfaction. “Xiao Duan, you are really efficient at work. Do you also handle everything at home?”
“I’m just so-so,” Duan Ye didn’t want to boast too much or be too modest. “I can manage some small tasks.”
“That’s great. You’re different from my daughter, Momo.” When mentioning her daughter, Mother Jiang had a proud tone, but the words she said is different. “It’s because her Dad and I have spoiled her too much, never letting her do anything, unlike you who can get things done.”
Duan Ye felt a slight unease inside.
This was the first time he had truly interacted with Mother Jiang. Before, they would merely encounter each other. She would smile at him, he would bow in return, and that would be the extent of their interaction, apart from what he had heard from Jiang Yumo.
He was really nervous, afraid that he might accidentally say something wrong.
Wait, how should he respond to this?
Without exaggeration, Duan Ye had never been so focused before; he felt as though he was dealing with an exam, and in front of him, Mother Jiang, who was smiling kindly, was the biggest examiner. He couldn’t afford to say a wrong word.
“She’s very capable.” Duan Ye could only follow his inner feelings and answer truthfully, “More capable than me.”
He didn’t say she didn’t need to do these things.
He also didn’t say that she wouldn’t have to do these things in the future.
Mother Jiang looked at him with an even more probing expression, and finally nodded with a smile. “Xiao Duan, you’ve worked hard today. Here,” she turned and walked towards the shelf, taking a bottle of honeysuckle dew for him, “this is for you, it cools down the body during summer, it’s good to drink.”
Duan Ye accepted it, and before leaving, he didn’t forget to bow to Mother Jiang. “Aunt, I’m leaving. If you need me to do anything next time, you can give me a call.”
Mother Jiang was naturally happy to agree.
After leaving, Duan Ye finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Looking at the honeysuckle dew in his hand, he hesitated. Is his performance today good or bad?
Noon.
Usually, Father Jiang doesn’t come back for lunch, so only Mother Jiang and Jiang Yumo are at the dining table.
Jiang Yumo had already eaten soup dumplings and mung bean soup in the morning. After waking up from a nap just now, she had watermelon too. She wasn’t very hungry, so she ate slowly.
“Yumo, did Xiao Duan come to see you today?” Mother Jiang took a sip of porridge and asked casually.
Jiang Yumo was startled, “Yes, who went to tattle on me again?”
Some of the Aunts in this neighborhood are really…
Well, they are just too well-informed.
“What are you thinking?” Mother Jiang picked a piece of ribs for her, “Eat more, look how thin you are. Continue talking, where did we leave off?”
Jiang Yumo cautiously reminded her, “You asked me if Duan Ye came to see me today.”
“Xiao Duan helped with some chores today,” Mother Jiang mentioned him with fondness, “Look how diligent he is. As for you, you’re incredibly lazy, especially your room. It’s so messy that even a dog’s kennel is cleaner. Socks are scattered everywhere, clothes too. I can’t stand being in your room, and your books are not properly placed, just thrown on the floor…”
Jiang Yumo felt her scalp going numb from the heavy rain. She quickly pleaded, “Mom, Mom, why is this being blamed on me again?”
“Others don’t know what you’re like in private,” Jiang’s mother sneered, “This afternoon, don’t just sleep. Clean up your messy nest. If you don’t do it, I’ll do it for you tomorrow. I’ll throw away all those posters, messy books, and clothes of yours!”
Jiang Yumo said, “Mom…”
“In a few days, when I have time off, you call Xiao Duan,” Mother Jiang glared fiercely at Jiang Yumo, “Also, invite your friends over for a meal at our house. Last time, you said you wanted to invite that Student Zhou, but it never happened. Let’s do it these few days, but only after you’ve tidied up your messy nest!”
Jiang Yumo couldn’t figure out how the conversation had turned into her mother’s one-sided criticism session again.
rokumi’s note : calling someone with the prefix ‘Xiao’ is a form of endearment. So, Mother Jiang should’ve started to acknowledge Duan Ye, even if just a little, right?? (,,> ᴗ <,,)
If I were in Jiang Mom’s shoes, I would love for Duan Ye to be my future son-in-law. He treats her so well, she just has to see it first hand once or twice and she’ll completely approve of them ☺️