Chapter Fifty-Eight

Throughout the drive, Sun Ying kept asking Luo Ye how much longer it would be until they arrived. Luo Ye replied that it would only be a little while longer. Sun Ying was nearly bursting with impatience to see Sun Yao.

As soon as Luo Ye parked the car, Sun Ying jumped out immediately. However, reality far surpassed her expectations. The sight of the villa before her instantly filled her with unease. She shot Luo Ye a fierce glare, but Luo Ye could only look back helplessly; after all, the terms offered by the other party had simply been too tempting to refuse.

Sun Ying wanted to leave at once, but Luo Ye drove off first, leaving her to meet with her mother. Shortly after Luo Ye left, the villa’s main doors opened and a woman stepped out, dressed flamboyantly, with a devilish figure and an angelic face. Her delicate makeup made her look nothing like a woman entering middle age.

The moment Sun Ying saw her, she cursed angrily, “You shameless woman, tricking Grandpa Luo into bringing me here to see you. When will you stop?”

Her mother replied, “How can you talk to your mother like that? Have you forgotten who gave you life?”

Sun Ying roared, “Listen carefully, Guan Ting! No matter whose fault it is, all I know is that you abandoned me the moment I was born to run off with other men. Why bother having a daughter if you were just going to throw me away? What, so I can burn offerings for you after you’re dead?”

“You—what did you say?!” Guan Ting could hardly believe these words came from Sun Ying’s mouth. “What on earth has that wretched man taught you to make you so uncouth?”

“So what if I’m uncouth? At least I’m not a shameless woman who runs around with men all the time like you,” Sun Ying retorted, her face flushed and breathless with anger.

“You! You!” Guan Ting was at a loss for words, completely overwhelmed by Sun Ying’s tirade. She could only stare at her daughter, unable to say anything.

Sun Ying’s voice turned icy. “Well, now you’ve seen me. I’m leaving.” Ignoring everyone’s gaze, she walked out of Guan Ting’s villa alone.

“Come back here!” Guan Ting shouted after her, but Sun Ying paid her no heed. She crossed to the bus stop on the other side of the street and took the bus home. Once there, she tore through the house in a frenzy, then locked herself in her room and cried. That was why, when Yu Xingyue returned earlier and saw the chaos, she thought the house had been ransacked by a thief.

After understanding what had happened, Yu Xingyue comforted Sun Ying, saying, “But you’re home now, aren’t you? If you don’t want to see her, then don’t. No one can force you. I’ll talk to your father about this.”

Sun Ying looked up at Yu Xingyue and shook her head, sobbing, “No… I don’t want… to trouble Dad any more…” And then she began to cry again.

“That’s not right,” Yu Xingyue said. “The truth always comes out in the end. If you keep bottling it up, you’re just letting others take even more advantage of you.”

Sun Ying nestled in Yu Xingyue’s arms for a long, long time before finally pulling away. She asked softly, “I don’t want to lose Grandpa Luo. Can you keep this secret for him?”

Yu Xingyue replied with a hint of anger, “He’s the one who took you to that place—don’t you resent him at all?” Since Luo Ye was the one who had sent Sun Ying to Guan Ting, why didn’t she blame him?

“Grandpa Luo is already old and unmarried. I can’t let my own stubbornness make him spend his life alone,” Sun Ying pleaded for Luo Ye. Yu Xingyue thought about it and realized she had a point—if she ended up like Luo Ye, never marrying, it would last a lifetime. But she herself was still too young to fully understand, though perhaps she would one day.

Then Yu Xingyue said, “Fine, I’ll keep your secret. But you need to think of a reason for your father. Even if you don’t tell him, I will.”

“I can’t think of anything. Why don’t you do it? I trust you, Hugo.”

“Wait, how do you know my old name?” Yu Xingyue asked in surprise.

Seeing Sun Ying’s smile, there was no trace left of the girl who had just been crying. Sun Ying explained, “Did you think Auntie wouldn’t talk? Last time my dad went to your house, afterwards Auntie came to our place and mentioned you. I figured your original name was Hugo, right?”

Yu Xingyue gave a bitter laugh, “I can’t believe my own mother sold me out. Those two characters—Hugo—are just a stain on my life. I can’t stand them.”

“Why is that? I think it’s a nice name,” Sun Ying said, puzzled, staring at Yu Xingyue.

Yu Xingyue replied, “You don’t know how much suffering my mother endured because of that bastard. He was the one who gave me that name. I wish I could change it to Yu Xingyue. And after my best friend left, I spent a long time thinking about it.”

“Let me guess—the characters ‘Xing’ and ‘Yue’ in your name, did you pick them from an old poem?” Sun Ying asked.

Yu Xingyue nodded. “That’s right. Can you guess which one?”

Sun Ying answered quickly, “It’s from Han Yu’s poem ‘At the Hengyue Temple, Spending the Night at Yue Temple and Writing on the Gate Tower.’ There’s a line, ‘At night I seek shelter in a Buddhist temple’s lofty hall, where stars and moon shimmer behind clouds.’”

“Exactly right. Here—your reward is a piece of candy,” Yu Xingyue said with a smile.

Sun Ying pouted, “Oh, come on! I’m not a kindergartener. You just love teasing me.” She puffed out her cherry-red lips, making Yu Xingyue even more tempted to tease her.

But Yu Xingyue decided not to push it further. Sun Ying’s mood had already improved, so there was no need. Yu Xingyue stood up to leave the room and tidy up the villa, but Sun Ying grabbed his arm. He turned back to see what she wanted. Her face was bright red, and she spoke in a whisper, “Big Brother… I lo—”

Yu Xingyue covered her mouth and said coolly, “That’s enough. I don’t want a girlfriend right now. I only see you as a little sister, nothing more. You’ll find someone better than me.” With that, he left her room.

Sun Ying stood there, stunned, watching Yu Xingyue’s retreating figure with a meaningful gaze. Her heart was filled with indescribable feelings. She wondered if perhaps she was too young for Yu Xingyue, but deep down she knew that wasn’t it. Would someone his age really like a much younger girl? People would think he was a pervert. Whenever Yu Xingyue saw a pretty girl, he felt nothing. Ever since Zhang Yan died, he had done a lot of thinking—maybe being alone wasn’t so painful after all.

Sun Ying left her room and saw Yu Xingyue tidying up downstairs. She thought, It makes sense Big Brother doesn’t like me. But this is good, at least I get to see him every day.

Yu Xingyue hummed a tune as he cleaned. He didn’t want Sun Yao to come home to a mess and blame Luo Ye for being untidy. He preferred not to trouble others and took it upon himself to clean up after Luo Ye. He suspected Sun Yao was the one who had caused the mess, watching from upstairs without coming down to help.

At that moment, Sun Yao was mooning over Yu Xingyue, thinking how irresistible he was when he got serious—she didn’t even know how to describe it.

…

Xiao Jian composed himself, attempting to enter a meditative state like a monk, focusing only on his habits. This was the method he’d heard monks used to break old habits—a trick he’d picked up from Huang Feifan, though he wasn’t sure if it would work.

He’d barely begun when someone knocked at the door. Annoyed, since no one else was home, Xiao Jian went to answer it. To his surprise, it was someone he recognized. “Brother Wang, what are you doing here?” he exclaimed.

The man surnamed Wang replied, “It’s been so long—I’m no longer with the Tianyuan Team. Just call me Wang Chaolin.”

Wang Chaolin, once a core member of the original Tianyuan Team alongside Yu Xingyue, Lin Ling, and Xiao Jian, was ranked fourth in seniority. As a mainstay of the team, he had achieved great results, and after retiring, became a successful bar owner overseas.

Though only nineteen, Wang Chaolin had achieved remarkable success abroad, making his peers envious of his thriving career.

“No matter how much time passes, you’ll always be Brother Wang to me. Come in and sit.” Xiao Jian forgot his earlier annoyance, invited Wang Chaolin to the sofa, and fetched him a bottle of cola. Seeing Xiao Jian’s familiar manner, Wang Chaolin thought to himself, “He’s still the same as ever.”

Handing over the cola, Xiao Jian sat beside him. “Isn’t it almost time for our monthly get-together? I saw Captain Xu’s email about a reunion.”

Wang Chaolin took a sip of cola and smiled, “Yes, this gathering is Captain Xu’s idea. He wants us all to meet up.”

“Too bad about Zhang Yan…” The mood turned somber.

Wang Chaolin patted Xiao Jian on the shoulder. “We all know what happened with Zhang Yan. Captain Xu was deeply saddened that he couldn’t come back to see him one last time.”

“After Zhang Yan passed, Yu and I were both numb, just wanting to escape reality. But as time went on, we got over it. Zhang Yan wouldn’t want to see us like that,” Xiao Jian said with a bitter smile.

Wang Chaolin then asked, “How is Hugo doing these days? Is he well?”

Xiao Jian shook his head. “I’m not sure. I just know his biological father keeps disturbing their peaceful life. Hugo said his mom has finally found a man who truly cares for her. I think Hugo’s mother will remarry soon.”

“That’s wonderful. If that day comes, I hope I’ll be able to attend,” Wang Chaolin said, finishing his cola in one big gulp.

Xiao Jian changed the subject. “Brother Wang, did you know? The current Tianyuan Team is full of promising talent—you won’t be disappointed.”

“I hear you’re the captain now—impressive,” Wang Chaolin replied with a smile.

“Captain in name only, because of seniority. I’m still nowhere near as skilled as Hugo,” Xiao Jian said, spreading his hands.

“Didn’t Hugo teach you that fast leg technique? Still can’t keep up with it?” Wang Chaolin asked.

“As the founder, even Hugo can’t keep up anymore. Now it’s just me practicing, but Hugo has found two new male members of the Tianyuan Team to train with him. They picked it up in just three days,” Xiao Jian explained.

Wang Chaolin sighed, “I wish I could meet them sooner—it’s been too long.”

His words struck a chord with Xiao Jian. “I wonder what the other two are up to these days?”