Chapter 59: Reunion

Gu Yu’s first, immediate thought was that Jiang Bomu had come too.

She stared blankly at the chat interface. Her first instinct was to run away. She was already hurt deeply enough. She’d only just steeled her resolve to start forgetting. She didn’t want anything more to do with Jiang Bomu.

If they met this time, and Jiang Bomu simply turned and walked away again as if nothing had happened, how long would it take her to heal this time?

But Tao Tao had come all this way. She couldn’t just shut her out.

Just treat it as a normal meet-up. Pretend Jiang Bomu isn’t even there. I’ll just talk mostly to Tao Tao. There’s nothing to be afraid of.

After giving herself a silent pep talk, Gu Yu apologized to Xia Li. “Sorry, Sister Xia Li, a friend just showed up unexpectedly. Can I take a rain check on that dinner?”

Xia Li had overheard the two voice messages. She didn’t mind at all. “No problem,” she said, focusing on her driving. “Want me to drop you off at the school gate?”

“Yeah.”

Her voice was muffled, completely lacking the excitement of meeting a friend. Xia Li glanced at her but didn’t pry.

Before getting out of the car, Xia Li said considerately, “It’s getting late. It’s not safe for you to go back to the apartment alone. I’ll come pick you up later.”

Warmth flowed through Gu Yu’s heart. She forced a smile. “No need. My friend and I will probably just head back to my place.”

If she’d come, Jiang Bomu would definitely want to see Wan An at least once.

Stepping out of the car, Gu Yu didn’t scan the area. She stood still, pulling out her phone to message Tao Tao.

The summer night breeze carried a hint of lingering heat, and the crowd’s chatter was loud. Then, a shadow fell over her. A figure walked towards her. Long hair brushed past her hand, carrying the scent of citrus.

She appeared so suddenly, right on this busy, crowded street.

“Xunxun. Long time no see.”

The wind stilled. The trees stopped rustling. Everything around her faded into a blurry backdrop.

Gu Yu’s thumb, hovering over the send button on her phone, never pressed down.

“You…”

She retrieved her phone, feigning nonchalance, but her voice cracked, betraying just how panicked her heart was in that moment.

“I came to see you. And Wan An.”

As if knowing what she was about to ask, Jiang Bomu spoke first. Her voice was very soft, yet it cut through the noise with perfect clarity, disturbing the quiet pool of her heart.

Gu Yu lowered her eyes and said nothing. She started walking forward, on her own. A shadow remained steadfastly by her side.

After two minutes, Gu Yu suddenly thought of Tao Tao and asked, “Where’s Tao Tao?”

Jiang Bomu answered casually, “She didn’t come.”

Gu Yu stopped dead in her tracks. She looked up at Jiang Bomu in disbelief. She was about to speak, but the words died in her throat.

Two weeks apart, and Jiang Bomu had grown even thinner. Besides her complexion, which was as flawless and pale as ever, every part of her showed the weight loss. Her eye sockets were sunken, dark circles prominent underneath. She was wearing loose clothing. A gust of wind blew past, making her look like a frail, sickly beauty coughing blood into the breeze.

How could she have gotten this thin?

“It was a trick. I was afraid you wouldn’t see me.”

Still caught in her own thoughts, Gu Yu was brought back by Jiang Bomu’s words. She sneered coldly, “Meeting a big star is what countless people beg for. I wouldn’t dare refuse.”

She deliberately ignored how thin Jiang Bomu was.

Jiang Bomu might be slimming down for a role. It could be to look better on camera. Maybe she just felt she was fat.

The one thing it absolutely, positively was not: lovesickness wasting her away.

Gu Yu didn’t flatter herself enough to think she had that kind of power.

“Mm. I was the one who wanted to see you,” Jiang Bomu said, her voice barely a whisper.

Gu Yu paused. She pretended she hadn’t heard and kept walking. Jiang Bomu didn’t repeat it. “Is your apartment far?” she asked instead.

“Almost there,” Gu Yu replied sullenly.

That was the last word spoken.

They walked in silence into the apartment complex, then rode the elevator in silence.

Gu Yu’s floor was relatively high, and the elevator was slow. Standing side-by-side, every second felt like torture.

Thankfully, a cleaning lady got on at the tenth floor. Gu Yu breathed a sigh of relief. However, the lady immediately started staring at Jiang Bomu.

Could she have recognized her?

Alarm bells ringing, Gu Yu instinctively stepped in front of Jiang Bomu. “Ma’am, what floor?” she asked, beaming.

The lady finally realized she’d been staring so intently she’d forgotten to press her floor. She quickly pressed a button, still looking skeptical. “She looks so familiar… like that celebrity. What was her name again…”

The cleaning lady had surprisingly sharp eyes. But luckily, a poor memory. And Jiang Bomu was still wearing a mask. Gu Yu calmly lied, “Everyone says my friend looks like a star. Do you think she could make it big if she debuted?”

“Oh my, of course!” The lady chuckled, even complimenting Gu Yu alongside her. “Both of you go into acting, you’d definitely be a hit!”

“Thanks for the good wishes! This is our floor!”

Not daring to linger, Gu Yu pulled Jiang Bomu out of the elevator and straight into her apartment, finally letting out the breath she’d been holding.

She bent down to get a pair of new slippers, suddenly remembering the first time she’d visited Jiang Bomu’s home. She’d described her as an aloof goddess, high up in the ninth heavens, untouchable and sacred.

She’d spent two months proving that description was accurate. Truly untouchable.

A bitter laugh escaped Gu Yu as Jiang Bomu’s voice broke the silence. “You seem taller.”

“Do I?” Gu Yu just took it as an attempt at small talk and brought Wan An over. “It’s been so long, she probably won’t recognize you.”

As soon as Wan An was set down, it caught a whiff of a stranger’s scent and bolted, hiding in a corner to warily observe the room.

“Wan An, have you really forgotten her?”

Gu Yu’s tone was regretful, but inside she was gloating. Serves her right!

Jiang Bomu didn’t try to force the cat. She looked at it closely for a moment. “Wan An’s eyes have changed color.”

The blue membrane had receded, transitioning to a light green, like a tranquil bamboo forest.

But it wasn’t just the eyes. Its whole body had gotten bigger, from a tiny little rice ball to a cotton candy puff, and it would only continue to fluff out.

Jiang Bomu felt a pang of regret. She had missed out on watching Wan An grow up.

Sitting on the sofa, Gu Yu was trying to lure Wan An with a cat teaser. Barely over a month old, the kitten lacked any serious wariness. It had completely forgotten the “stranger” was still there, pattering over to jump and paw at the jingling toy.

Jiang Bomu watched quietly, more often using her peripheral vision to observe Gu Yu, whom she hadn’t seen in days.

Her complexion was rosy, a smile on her lips, her hair in a high ponytail. Preppy-style clothes made her look even more youthful and energetic. She didn’t seem affected by the failed confession in the slightest.

A sudden panic seized Jiang Bomu. Half a month… and she didn’t like her anymore?

“Sister, look—”

The room plunged into silence. Even the cat teaser cooperatively stopped making noise.

A flicker of hope sparked in Jiang Bomu’s heart. She was still instinctively calling her ‘Sister.’ Did that mean there was still a chance?

Gu Yu bit her lip, mentally cursing her brain for working slower than her mouth. She continued, as casually as possible, “Wan An was so silly just now.”

Jiang Bomu couldn’t help but retort. “Our Wan An is very smart. Never been silly a day in her life.”

The word “our” made Gu Yu pause for a second, as if saying it made them truly, irreversibly close. Like old times, back during the summer. Our cat. Our home. Everything we shared.

It was a pity that “our” only belonged to the past.

Thinking that, Gu Yu glanced at the time and issued her dismissal. “It’s getting late. You should go.”

She paused. “How did you get here?” If Tao Tao hadn’t come, surely the driver had?

To her surprise, Jiang Bomu replied, “I drove myself.”

“You drive?”

“I got my license a long time ago. I just don’t do it very often.”

Not very often, AND she dared to drive on the highway?!

Gu Yu’s heart hammered. A wave of belated fear washed over her. “Why did you have to come?!” she muttered reproachfully.

Because I missed you.

But Jiang Bomu didn’t dare say it. “I’m about to join the crew,” she said quietly. “I wanted to see Wan An.”

Hah. So she really was closer to the cat, after all.

“And you,” Jiang Bomu added hastily. She immediately stood up. “I should go now.”

Gu Yu froze, deliberately ignoring the first half of her sentence. “Are you planning to drive straight back tonight?” she asked.

“Yeah.”

“No way!” Gu Yu opened an app. “I’ll book you a hotel.”

“That’s not necessary,” Jiang Bomu insisted, already moving toward the door.

“How am I supposed to feel okay with you getting on the highway this late?!” Gu Yu blocked her path. Seeing her stubbornness, she blurted out without thinking, “Then just stay here tonight.”

“Okay.”

Jiang Bomu turned back around without a shred of hesitation.

Gu Yu was stunned. She didn’t even have time to question why she’d agreed so readily before the doorbell rang.

Looking through the peephole, it was Sister Xia Li. She quickly opened the door.

“Xunxun, you’ve been running around all day and haven’t even eaten dinner yet. You must be starving! So I got takeout,” Xia Li said warmly. “Your friend hasn’t left yet, right? Let’s all eat together!”