A Promise in a Thought 12

Chapter 12

Pedestrians hurried past outside the restaurant, their conversations occasionally muffled by the glass.

Bo Muyu gazed calmly outside, one hand resting on the table, the other holding a thin straw, slowly stirring the water in her glass.

How should I tell Mom and Dad that I want to move out?

Yesterday evening, on the way home, she had asked Jiang Chenyin if she could move out and live with her.

Jiang Chenyin had quickly agreed with a smile, and then asked her, “Then how are you going to tell your parents that you’re moving out to live with me? You’ve never lived with me for a long time before.”

She actually hadn’t considered what kind of answer she would get. She just wanted to cling to Jiang Chenyin like she did when she was a child. Perhaps, in her heart, she wanted to make up for the four empty years when Jiang Chenyin was away, but when she thought of this, she quickly dismissed it.

Because she felt it wasn’t just about making up for that time. Even if Jiang Chenyin had never left, she didn’t want to grow distant just because she was growing up.

She just wanted to be with Jiang Chenyin. If, in the future, there was someone who was better to her than Jiang Chenyin…

No, that possibility shouldn’t exist.

She didn’t like being with other people. The kind of person Jiang Chenyin had talked about when she was a child shouldn’t exist…

But what if Jiang Chenyin also found such a person?

Every elder she knew had a partner, accompanying each other just like her parents. From youth to middle age, and then to old age, they spent every day together.

Bo Muyu’s hand, stirring with the straw, stopped. She felt that she was being a little malicious.

Because she didn’t want such a person to be by Jiang Chenyin’s side. But when she thought of Jiang Chenyin’s panic upon waking from a nightmare, she also hoped for such a person to exist.

She sighed softly, and as she looked up, a smiling girl of about her age sat down in front of her.

“Xiaoyu, why were you spacing out for so long? I’ve been staring at you for several minutes. I’ve even finished ordering.”

The newcomer was beaming, her shoulder-length hair tied back in a short ponytail, her bright eyes sparkling.

“I was just thinking about something. How did you get here so fast?” Bo Muyu snapped out of her thoughts and managed a small smile.

“Since I asked you out for lunch, of course I’d be somewhere not far from your company,” the newcomer said, still smiling brightly.

Bo Muyu touched the glass in front of her and fell silent.

“Hey… can you say something?”

“Xiao Han,” Bo Muyu suddenly frowned. “How should I tell my parents I want to move out?”

“Huh?” Yang Shuhan looked at her, puzzled. Then, after a moment’s thought, she winked and said, “Just tell them you want to have a private world with your boyfriend. It’s that simple.”

“Xiao Han!” Bo Muyu’s gaze turned cold, but her tone softened a moment later. “I’m serious. What’s a good reason? I’ve never moved out before.”

She had lived at home during middle and high school. Although she had stayed in a dormitory during university, the situation was different now. She couldn’t suddenly say she needed to live in a dorm for work.

Just then, the waiter brought Yang Shuhan’s meal. She picked up her chopsticks, tapped the plate, and said thoughtfully, “But that really is the best excuse, isn’t it? It’s perfectly normal for people our age to be in a relationship.”

Bo Muyu immediately retorted, “Who moves in with their boyfriend right after they start dating?”

“Uh…” Yang Shuhan picked up a few strands of shredded carrot, chewed on them, then bit her chopsticks and asked indistinctly, “Then be honest with me. Why do you suddenly want to move out? Tell me, and I’ll help you figure something out.”

Bo Muyu bit her lip, not knowing what to say. If she told Yang Shuhan that she was going to live with an “auntie,” would she be laughed at for not having grown up yet?

Although Jiang Chenyin was in her thirties, she looked like she was only in her twenties. It was just that her aura was more mature, something a woman in her twenties wouldn’t have.

“Hey, hey, I’m asking you a question,” Yang Shuhan waved her chopsticks in front of her eyes.

“Oh…” Bo Muyu came back to her senses. “Mmm, I just want to live with a friend, a very good friend.”

Yang Shuhan looked at her suspiciously. What kind of friend would make her want to move out and live with them? Back in high school, she had begged and pleaded with her to stay in the school dormitory to keep her company, but she had refused to the death.

“Sorry, I don’t believe you,” Yang Shuhan said, putting down her chopsticks and taking a sip of soup to wet her throat.

Bo Muyu was really treating her like a fool. After knowing her for so many years, it was impossible for her not to have some understanding of what kind of person she was.

What friend could she be close enough with to want to live together? It was definitely not a new friend. Bo Muyu was a bit slow to warm up; without a long period of getting to know someone, they would never reach the level of “very good friend.” And she knew all of Bo Muyu’s good friends. She could guarantee that none of them could make Bo Muyu move out to live with them.

Hearing that Yang Shuhan didn’t believe her, Bo Muyu lowered her eyes and started to think of a second excuse.

“Pfft…” Yang Shuhan was amused. She shoveled a couple of mouthfuls of food and laughed at her. “Just be honest with me. I won’t tell anyone. Tell me, have you finally decided to join the mortal world?”

“It’s really not that,” Bo Muyu shook her head gently. “It’s a friend. This friend isn’t one of ours, but you’ve met her before.”

“Is that so…” Yang Shuhan frowned, trying to remember, but couldn’t think of anyone.

And Bo Muyu was just that kind of person. If she didn’t want to say something, no amount of pushing would make her talk. In the end, it would only lead to unpleasantness.

Forget it, Yang Shuhan thought. I’ll find out sooner or later anyway.

“Alright, I have a plan,” Yang Shuhan said magnanimously, kicking her foot under the table. “I remember you said that your parents are especially worried about you not eating well, right? They haven’t been on a happy vacation for years because of you.”

Bo Muyu nodded. “Mmm, that’s right. My mom said that she and my dad are always worried that I don’t eat properly and don’t rest on time. When my grandparents were still around, they could help watch me for a while. After they passed away, my parents almost never go out.”

At the mention of her grandparents, Bo Muyu’s tone became a little somber.

“Tsk, that’s it,” Yang Shuhan lowered her voice mysteriously. “You can let your parents go on vacation for a while, and then you can logically move in with that friend of yours. Just say you’ll look after each other. When your parents come back, you can drag it out for a while longer, saying it’s too much trouble to move back and forth.”

Bo Muyu’s eyes lit up. “Anything else?”

“Are you silly? Then you can let your parents know that your friend is a good person and won’t be a bad influence on you. And you have to show them the results of your independence during this time. No parent would object to their child being independent, as long as you’re still filial.”

The more Bo Muyu listened, the better it sounded. She started to consider it, subconsciously picking up her food and eating.

“Hey, hey, I’ve given you the idea. You don’t even have a single word in reply?” Seeing her lack of response, Yang Shuhan was about to explode.

Bo Muyu’s thoughts returned to the present. She put down her chopsticks and said seriously, “Oh, thank you. This meal is on me.”

Yang Shuhan rolled her eyes. She must have accidentally eaten cat food this morning to think that this blockhead Bo Muyu had a love interest.

With an idea in mind, during a break from work in the afternoon, Bo Muyu sent Jiang Chenyin a message on WeChat: “Auntie Yin, I’ve thought of a way.”

Jiang Chenyin replied after a while: “Hmm?”

Bo Muyu: “About moving out. I know what to do now.”

Jiang Chenyin replied with a voice message. First, a low chuckle, then a sentence: “Okay, I’ll be waiting for you then.”

Listening to it, she felt a warmth, and a slight tickle, probably in her ear.

On the other end, Jiang Chenyin’s gaze was gentle. She hadn’t brought it up with Ye Xialan herself because even though neither she nor Bo Muyu wanted to grow distant, Bo Muyu was, after all, an adult. She should be able to think through and plan a decision on her own.

After dinner, Bo Muyu sat in the living room with her laptop, looking up scenic spots in various countries.

In the hallway, the sound of Bo Mingliang and Ye Xialan’s footsteps and conversation grew closer.

“Daddy, I think our daughter will definitely grow up to be a cool, aloof queen.”

“Mmm, we’ll see when she grows up.”

“Two or three years at most! She’s not even twenty-two yet. She’ll definitely be one by twenty-four or twenty-five. Wanna bet?”

After a pause, Bo Mingliang said coolly, “No.”

Ye Xialan’s voice suddenly grew louder. “No! You have to bet!”

Bo Muyu looked up. Her parents had already reached the living room.

Bo Mingliang grabbed his wife’s wrists, tilting his head up to prevent her from pinching his face, and then asked loudly, “Xiaoyu, what are you doing?”

“Looking at tourist spots abroad,” Bo Muyu replied, leaning back into the sofa.

“Hmm? Any fun places? Let me see too.” Ye Xialan’s interest was piqued. She broke free from her husband and sat down next to her daughter.

Bo Muyu was browsing a set of pictures of Phuket, Thailand. As Ye Xialan leaned in, she muttered to herself, “Thailand…”

Bo Mingliang had just sat down nearby when he heard his wife ask, “Daddy, have you ever seen a ladyboy?”

“No.”

“I hear they’re very beautiful. I haven’t seen one either. We haven’t been to Thailand yet, have we?”

Bo Mingliang took out his phone, and as he lit up the screen, he glanced at her. “We’re not going to see ladyboys even if we go.”

Ye Xialan pouted. Her husband wasn’t interested, so she lost much of her enthusiasm.

Bo Muyu remained silent, as if she were really just browsing pictures, and opened another set of photos.

This time, it was famous mountains and rivers in China. There were high mountains shrouded in clouds and mist, and lakes as calm as mirrors. The professional-level photography showcased the beauty of each scenic spot to the fullest.

As Ye Xialan looked on, she grabbed her daughter’s wrist and asked, “Xiaoyu, why are you looking at these for no reason? Want to go out?”

Bo Muyu lowered her eyes slightly, her words soft. “I kind of want to. I’ve been busy for a while and feel tired.”

Hearing this, Ye Xialan laughed and sat closer, putting an arm around her daughter’s shoulder. “It’s like that when you just start working. Where would you find the time to go out and play now?”

She paused, as if she had suddenly figured something out, and waved at her husband. “Daddy, we haven’t been out for a long time, have we? Now that Xiaoyu is working, we can take a trip.”

She winked at Bo Mingliang, looking eager. For Bo Muyu’s sake, she and her husband had sacrificed many years without a proper vacation.

When Bo Muyu was little, she and Bo Mingliang had once run off to a small town and lived happily for a month or two. Those days were incredibly carefree.

“That’s true, but…” Bo Mingliang tossed his phone to the corner of the sofa, looking troubled. “Although Xiaoyu is grown up and we don’t need to worry about her too much, we can’t just let her eat takeout while we’re away, can we?”

Bo Muyu interjected, “Dad, Mom, I know how to cook…”

“Oh, please,” Ye Xialan shot her a look. “With the few dishes you know how to make, you’ll be ordering takeout in a few days.”

Bo Mingliang threw up his hands, then suddenly thought of something. “Honey, why don’t we hire an auntie to cook for Xiaoyu?”

“No way. You can’t get a peep out of this child with ten sticks. The auntie would be bored to death,” Ye Xialan frowned.

Hiring an auntie and worrying about whether she’ll be bored? Bo Mingliang wanted to argue but didn’t dare. It was better to let his wife decide.

Bo Muyu observed Ye Xialan’s expression out of the corner of her eye, cleared her throat, and was just about to voice her own proposal.

“I’ve got it!” Ye Xialan’s whole demeanor brightened. She patted Bo Muyu’s shoulder, then circled around to sit next to Bo Mingliang, shaking his arm. “Daddy, we can just leave her with Teacher Jiang, can’t we? Teacher Jiang knows how to cook!”

“That seems possible,” Bo Mingliang thought for a moment and nodded.

“Mom…”

“Don’t talk. It’s settled,” Ye Xialan said, her eyes smiling, yet she forced a serious expression as she looked at Bo Muyu. “Your dad and I have always been comfortable leaving you with Teacher Jiang since you were little. Although you two haven’t seen each other in a few years, didn’t you get familiar again recently? See, Teacher Jiang isn’t a stranger when she comes to our house.”

“I know,” Bo Muyu said, nodding as if she had been taught a lesson.

“Good girl,” Ye Xialan smiled with satisfaction, then pulled her husband up to go back to their room.

“Hey, Daddy, let’s hurry up and decide where we’re going.”

“You should contact Xiao Jiang first…”

Bo Muyu closed her laptop and looked at her parents’ retreating backs, a faint curve gradually appearing on her lips.

Success.