Chapter 41: Later
The old tree with a crooked neck was climbing over the white-painted and cracked wall. The light was shining through the lush and dense forest and into the rusty and old and dilapidated old building. A slightly rushed sound of footsteps had broken the silence, and the thin layer of accumulated dust on the stairs was shaken off.
“Brother, I’ve already said that I’m still busy with work now. How can I have time to think about these things?”
“Zhizhi, you should listen to your old brother this time. I’m not asking you to develop now. It’s just to get to know each other first. I know you’re not interested in the company’s affairs. This one, he’s good-looking, and his family is also well-off. The key is that he has a good personality and a good character. He’ll definitely not be bad to you…”
An Zhi was holding a large bag of snacks in her hand, and her smooth forehead was covered in sweat. Her breathing was a little panting, and her tone was a little heavy. “Brother! I’m still young. Stop worrying about these things.”
The male voice on the other end of the phone was stagnant, and he had coughed twice. “Cough cough, An Zhi… if it were before, I would definitely not have forced you to participate in these things so early. But… I’m really worried that you haven’t moved on yet. You should honestly tell your brother, have you really given up?”
Her action of climbing the stairs had been interrupted by this question. She had stopped at a corner where the light could not reach. Half of her face was in the shadows, and her pink and tender lips were bitten white for no reason. For no reason, she had remembered the back she had inadvertently seen that day. He was wearing a white shirt and black pants, and he was handsome and dejected. His every move was really like him.
She knew that that was simply impossible. But for some reason, there was a feeling that was breaking through the common sense and was encouraging her. The originally silent emotions were like the wild grass after spring, and they were growing in clusters. It was a pity that it was only that one glance. In the end, she could only choose reality.
“I have something urgent to do. Let’s talk next time.”
“Hey, An Zhi! You listen to me…”
The busy tone of the hang-up had sounded for a while. An Zhi had shaken her head and had put away her phone.
This building was at most only seven stories high, and it was made of concrete. She had come here many times, and she was familiar with the road. She had stopped at the entrance of the sixth floor. It was still an old-fashioned hollow iron door. The “fu” character and the spring couplets that had been pasted after the New Year were still brand new, and the bright red color had added some festivity to the gloomy and dark corridor.
An Zhi had gently knocked on the door and had waited quietly at the entrance. A busy tone had sounded from inside the not-so-soundproof wooden door. With a click, the door had opened.
“You’re here, Xiaozhi?”
Through a layer of a gray and dusty door curtain, An Zhi had seen a pair of round and dark black eyes. They were blinking at her, and her tone was surprised. “I thought it would be a while.”
“I bought some snacks for Nian Nian. Is she not out of school yet?”
“No. You can come in first.”
The girl had shaken her head, and the door had been pushed open from the inside, revealing the hazy and full view behind the curtain. The light was dim, and the girl’s skin was fair and clean, and it was almost transparent. There was a kind of a paleness that had not been exposed to the light for a long time. Her face was small and was only the size of a palm. Her features were exquisite, and her eyes were as round as an almond, and they were as clear as a sky that had been swept clean of wind and sand.
“Xixi, you can take the things first.”
An Zhi had bent down and had entered the house. She had smiled and had handed the things over.
“You always buy so much. I haven’t even finished the ones you brought last time.” Su Xi had hesitated for a moment and had taken them with some embarrassment. “Have something to eat. I’ve cooked some dumplings.”
“Yeah, okay.”
An Zhi had casually agreed and had walked into the house. She had scanned the room. The furnishings were simple, and it was clean everywhere. A few children’s enlightenment posters were on the wall of the living room, and the corners were yellow, and they were a little old.
The house was not big, and she could see the balcony at a glance. A retractable clothes rack was on it, and two small gauze princess dresses were on it. They seemed to have just been washed, and water droplets were constantly dripping from the corners of the skirts. A basin was under them to catch the water.
She had casually asked, “Have you been busy these past few days?”
“It’s okay. I found a cashier job at the supermarket downstairs. It’s quite leisurely.”
Su Xi had answered from behind. She had carefully hidden the snacks in the cabinet and had then rushed into the kitchen to turn the gas stove to a low fire. She had put the dumplings in, and she had been busy for a long time before she had taken a breath with a slightly red face.
“You found a job? Didn’t your aunt and uncle send you money?”, An Zhi had frowned and had asked.
“It’s not tiring. I’m just idle at home anyway.” Su Xi had pursed her lips and had smiled. “They gave me a lot. I’ve saved it all. The expenses in the future will not be small. I have to study. Children nowadays have to be cultivated from a young age. Nian Nian is quite fond of painting. I’m planning to sign her up for a class…”
An Zhi was speechless. The meeting between the two of them had at first just been out of a mutual pity for each other’s wounds. She had seen the Su Xi of that time, and it was not an exaggeration to say that she was a walking corpse. It was as if a living person had been cruelly deprived of her soul, and she had lost her desire to live, until she had had that child.
“It seems that you’re quite attentive to her.”
“This is what she should experience. She can’t be like me.”
Su Xi had turned on the TV and had changed two channels before she had stopped. It was clear that her mind was not on it. She had lowered her eyes and had curled up on the sofa. She was a small and thin one. Her hair was a very light color, and it was very obvious under the white incandescent light. It was a faint gold.
She had sighed, and her small features had shown a childishness. The light in her eyes was slightly dim, and a maturity was in the bottom of her eyes. “I’m already very sorry for her. That child asked me yesterday. She was looking up, and her two eyes were shining. Later, I couldn’t help but cry for a while. She was particularly good. She said she would never ask again, and she even comforted me. Now that I think about it, it’s really embarrassing.”
An Zhi had pinched her fingertips, and her expression was hesitant as she had spoken. “About Nian Nian’s father, are you really not going to tell your uncle and aunt?”
“No. It was just an accident. It’s all my fault… he was trying to come back and find me at that time…”, she had lowered her head, and her voice was relatively stable when she had said these words.
Su Xi had shaken her head and had put on a smile. “Forget it, forget it. Let’s not talk about it. I’ll go and get you some dumplings. I just made them this morning.”
“I think I’ve met Su Yu…”
An Zhi’s chest was heaving. Her fingertips were white from being clenched. She still couldn’t help but speak, and she had said the illusion that had been bothering her for a long time. “Just at Qingchuan University. He really looks like him. His height, his back, and the way he walks seem to be the same…”
Su Xi was stunned. She had slowly turned her head and had said the name that she had deliberately avoided for who knows how long.
“Su Yu.”
She had said this name, and her expression was not sad, nor was it happy. Her face was as pale as a thin and transparent piece of paper. It was as if a scar had been left after she had healed. It had not hurt for a long time, and at first, it would be itchy. After a longer time, there was nothing left.
She had originally thought that it should be like this. But the wave of emotion that had surged from her heart had mercilessly broken through her self-righteousness.
“You…”, Su Xi had covered her trembling and pale lips, and her eyebrows were furrowed into a ball. Her voice was choked. After a while, her eyes had dimmed again, and her smile was forced. “Don’t tease me. Didn’t you also persuade me at that time? You have to look forward. Why are you still saying these things?”
“Do you still miss him?”
Su Xi had stared at An Zhi’s eyes and had seen some of the same emotions. After a long while, she had gently said “hmm.”
“Haha.” An Zhi had lowered her head, and her expression was self-deprecating. “It seems we’re all the same.”
