Chapter 318: Looking Forward to the Next Meeting
"You too, don’t eat too much sugar. It’s bad for your health."
"Mhm mhm, I already promised to go on a diet, so I definitely won’t eat anymore. Besides, my grandma has high blood pressure, so she can’t eat too many sweet things either."
Cheng Lie couldn’t help but curve his lips into a smile. "Alright, I’m hanging up. Looking forward to next time, when you’ve learned how to kiss me."
Yun Shifei froze for two seconds before realizing what Cheng Lie was referring to. It made her feel bashful, yet a bit annoyed, and she hastily ended the call.
Meanwhile, a faint smile appeared at the corner of Cheng Lie’s lips.
Indeed, no matter how bad his mood was, talking to her always lifted his spirits a bit.
He liked her carefree lifestyle now. He wanted to work hard too, and hopefully one day, he could give her this kind of carefree life.
Otherwise, if he let her live the kind of life he’d grown up with— in the gutters — it would be so unfair to her.
Just as Yun Shifei finished her call and turned around, she saw Xu Yuejiao silently standing behind her. She nearly screamed in fright.
Yun Shifei clutched her wildly beating heart and looked at Xu Yuejiao. "Sister Jiaojiao, you’re going to scare me to death!"
Xu Yuejiao immediately hugged Yun Shifei. "What’s wrong? Were you talking to Cheng Lie?"
Just as she finished speaking, Yun Shifei shushed her, nervously glancing around. "Keep your voice down. Don’t let anyone overhear."
"Alright, I know. It’s our secret, isn’t it!" Xu Yuejiao thought her cousin was simply too timid. What was so bad about talking about being in a relationship? Why did she have to keep it so hidden?
Besides, Yun Tiancheng had already told them that Yun Shifei was seeing someone. They just didn’t know who the person was.
Yun Tiancheng even approved of Yun Shifei dating, so why wouldn’t Yun Shifei simply admit that her boyfriend was Cheng Lie?
Xu Yuejiao voiced her question aloud.
Yun Shifei sighed. "My dad probably wouldn’t accept Cheng Lie."
Thinking about what Yun Tiancheng said that day—he felt that Cheng Lie was okay as a friend but not suitable as a partner.
And she didn’t know how to convince Yun Tiancheng otherwise. She thought Cheng Lie was wonderful, but Yun Tiancheng believed that no matter how wonderful he was, the flaws in his family background were a serious issue.
Thinking of this, Yun Shifei didn’t know what more to say.
Xu Yuejiao nodded. "That is indeed an issue. Honestly, Feifei, it’s not just your timid personality but also my brief interactions with Cheng Lie—listening to what you’ve said about him—I think you two might not be compatible."
Yun Shifei responded, "You’ve interacted with Cheng Lie. What do you think of him?"
What did she think?
Xu Yuejiao recalled the few times she’d met Cheng Lie. Her impression was that he seemed like a good person, particularly when it came to Yun Shifei.
The way he looked at her was different from how he looked at anyone else. To say Cheng Lie didn’t have feelings for Yun Shifei—she wouldn’t believe it, not even if she were beaten.
Xu Yuejiao spoke truthfully.
Yun Shifei sighed again. "But even if he likes me, Dad said that no matter how deep the love might be, it’ll eventually turn dull one day. By then, I wouldn’t know how we could get along."
Xu Yuejiao patted Yun Shifei on the shoulder. "If that’s the case, then there wouldn’t be any couples in this world. Your dad’s just too worried about you. Once you and Cheng Lie are ready, you can tell him then, right?"
Yun Shifei nodded.
"But honestly, it’s such a pity about Xu Yi. She didn’t take college seriously and went to hell and back for that thug she was set on marrying. Now what? Isn’t he just partying and gambling outside every day, making her support him?"
Yun Shifei knew about Xu Yi’s situation from her previous life. If, in this life, Xu Yi hadn’t been so awful, perhaps she could have given her a warning to be more cautious.
But considering all those things she’d done at the time, Yun Shifei didn’t feel like she could be a saint.
Ultimately, her life trajectory was something she’d brought upon herself.
"It’s so cold out. Why are you two standing outside chatting? Hurry and come inside." Old Mrs. Xu saw Yun Shifei and Xu Yuejiao standing at the door and called them in.
Yun Shifei and Xu Yuejiao responded and went inside together.
Yun Shifei was staying here for three days to keep Old Mrs. Xu company, and naturally, Xu Ya had returned as well.
The three of them seemed like one big happy family, but Yun Shifei knew their relationships could never be as close as they were in the past.
Xu Ya always wanted to find opportunities to chat with Yun Shifei, but she could sense Yun Shifei’s resistant attitude, so she had no choice but to let it go.
She thought it was best to take it slow—she didn’t expect Yun Shifei to be incredibly close with her, but if she could avoid being rejected, that would already be the best outcome.
...
At that moment, Yun Sisi had returned to what she supposedly called her hometown, gazing at the four bare walls of the house. It was so rundown that even the poorest people in South City wouldn’t live in such a place.
She felt intensely miserable. Maybe she should just get married early to avoid ever coming back to this awful place.
"Sister," a 13- or 14-year-old chubby boy in front of her gave her a slow smile and called her.
This dopey expression made Yun Sisi feel nothing but disdain.
Her biological mother, standing nearby, chimed in. "Sisi, look at him. Isn’t your brother adorable?"
Adorable, my foot! He looked silly and dumb.
Yun Sisi’s desire to break away from this family grew even stronger.
She refused to stay in a family like this—living in poverty was absolutely terrifying.
Even the restroom was a pit toilet, and bathing required boiled water. It was horrifying! She swore she’d never return to this place again.
That night, Yun Sisi dreamed that Yun Shifei had passed away, and she herself had married Mu Chengzhu. They even had two beautiful, lovely children.
Such a happy and sweet life made Yun Sisi wake up with tears streaming down her face.
This kind of happiness felt so real that it moved her to tears.
Could it be that what happened in the dream was the actual reality? And that what she was experiencing now was merely an illusion?
Otherwise, why would she keep having similar dreams?
Yun Sisi thought she should really find some expert to analyze her dreams someday.
The New Year quickly came to an end, and Yun Shifei began preparing to return to college.
She intentionally planned to leave two days early. Yun Tiancheng asked her why she was going so soon, and Yun Shifei made up an excuse, saying her teacher needed her for something.
Still, Yun Tiancheng could see through her little schemes. He just didn’t expose her.
Indeed, girls who fall in love become different—they start carrying secrets and keeping them from their elders.
Before leaving, Yun Shifei played with Bao Bei for a while. Bao Bei seemed to sense that she was about to go and let out pitiful cries.
"Good girl, someday I’ll find you a wife to keep you company."
Bao Bei whimpered a few more times.
"Mu Chengzhu’s husky won’t do. A golden retriever with a husky? That’s just too weird a match."
Simply unimaginable.
Bao Bei seemed to understand this time and barked once, sounding entirely displeased.
Yun Shifei thought Bao Bei was simply too adorable.
Still, Mu Chengzhu’s dog? Definitely not suitable!