“Youjian, as in ‘seeing again,’ like reuniting once more.” Lou Yixuan repeated the shop’s name, and she and the other two turned to He Huan at the same time. “Has Teacher He been here before?”
“No, I haven’t.” He Huan shook her head in denial. “I’ve just heard of it.”
But her shifty gaze and faintly panicked expression didn’t escape the notice of her three companions.
No one pressed her on it, though. Du Heming tugged at Lou Yixuan and smoothly shifted the topic. “Is your sister’s shop pretty popular online? Like one of those hidden gem spots for check-ins?”
“Something like that. It has solid reviews on the app, and most of the diners who come here are girls.”
Lin Huayan and He Huan trailed two steps behind.
After spotting the words on the restaurant’s sign, He Huan confirmed it: the photo Ming You had posted on Weibo for her 26th birthday was from the Youjian Little Tavern.
So the ‘sister’ Ming You mentioned in that post—was it Xu Yaning?
But the IP location back then showed Hengyuan, didn’t it?
Why did Xu Yaning come to Huai’an? Why open a branch here? Is it connected to Ming You?
How well does Ming You know Xu Yaning?
Did they have some romantic entanglement? Do they still keep in touch?
No, wait…
There’s also Lou Yixuan. She and Xu Yaning act so close—their relationship runs deep.
“Teacher He?” Lin Huayan called softly.
He Huan quickly shoved aside the jumble of thoughts in her head and flashed her usual smile. She stepped into the shop. “The name has real poetry and depth to it. The decor’s classy too—I bet the food’s just as good.”
“Mm.”
They didn’t spot Xu Yaning when they entered, but a young waitress led them straight to the “Waiting for Flowers to Bloom” private room.
“The boss is on a call. Have a seat first, Xuan-jie. Food’s coming right up.”
“Got it.”
Lou Yixuan and Du Heming sat on one side, with Lou nearest the door.
They’d ordered the dishes before heading out, and the room had been reserved ahead of time.
They’d barely settled when Xu Yaning arrived, holding a pot of Plum Wine. “Welcome, everyone. Make yourselves at home.”
Make yourselves at home.
It showed just how close she was with Lou Yixuan.
“Ya Ning-jie.” Lou Yixuan stood to take the wine pot from her hands and set it on the table. She smiled at Lin Huayan. “The drinks today are on Teacher Du and Teacher Lin.”
“Why do I hear a hint of resentment in your tone?”
Xu Yaning shot her a glare. “Want to sneak drinks behind our backs again? Not this time. With all these teachers keeping an eye on you, you’d better behave. No one’s watching you tonight.”
“Won’t happen again, Ya Ning-jie. Go handle your stuff—don’t let us hold you up.”
“Fine, I won’t hold up your fun either.”
Xu Yaning rested her right hand on Lou Yixuan’s shoulder and pressed her back into her seat. “Entertain your friends properly. Help yourselves to whatever. Video call tonight.”
“Mm.”
“Then, Teacher Lin, eat and drink up. Put it all on Xuan’s tab—don’t stand on ceremony.”
Xu Yaning met the eyes of Lin Huayan and the other two one by one. “I’ve got things to do, so I’ll head out. Next time you come, give me a heads-up. I’ll save you a spot.”
“Thanks.” Lin Huayan smiled and nodded, her gaze sliding over Xu Yaning’s right hand.
This time, she saw it clearly.
A diamond ring.
On her ring finger—what else could it be but a wedding band?
He Huan’s thoughts raced too. She wanted to ask if Xu Yaning knew Ming You, but it felt too abrupt. She hesitated several times before holding back.
What would asking even change?
—Teacher He, sorry and thank you—please accept both. I won’t come here again. We probably won’t see each other anymore. Take care of yourself. Live easy, live happy.
Ming You had cut ties with her clean a long time ago. There was no room for her in Ming You’s life anymore.
Hadn’t she quit No. 3 Middle School to sever the past completely too?
Xu Yaning was rushing to the high-speed rail station to pick up a friend and her daughter—the video call tonight was because the daughter wanted to see Lou Yixuan.
But none of that had anything to do with Lin Huayan and the others at the table.
The food arrived quickly. Lou Yixuan poured Plum Wine for Du Heming and Lin Huayan, while she and Teacher He stuck to passionfruit juice.
Unlike He Huan, weighed down by her worries, or Lin Huayan, whose heart wasn’t on the wine, Du Heming was the only one truly there to eat and drink.
She tasted and praised every dish. If not for Lin Huayan and He Huan, she would’ve been scarfing it down, wolfing her food.
“How’re you all planning your eight-day National Day break?”
This year’s Mid-Autumn Festival overlapped with National Day, making a full eight-day holiday.
Great news for travel lovers, but a drag for folks like Du Heming, who couldn’t be bothered to travel, or Lin Huayan, who never did.
So her real question went to He Huan and Lou Yixuan, the two she wasn’t as close with.
He Huan gave a crisp two words: “Going home.”
Lin Huayan followed right up. “Home for two days over Mid-Autumn. It’s the traditional family reunion holiday—time to go back and do my filial duty, right, Teacher Du?”
“…” Why’s she still hung up on that offhand ‘major filial impiety’ comment I made in the elevator last time?!
Du Heming laughed it off hastily. “Yeah, I’m going home too. I meant plans besides that. What about you, Lou-Lou?”
“Me?”
Lou Yixuan caught Du Heming’s SOS and answered honestly. “I don’t get as much time off as you all. Haifan has classes during holidays too. I’m teaching weekend classes there now, staggered with Class 9.”
“So when we’re busy, you’re free. When you’re busy… sigh, we’re never free anyway. Weekends are barely enough for two episodes of a drama.”
Du Heming sighed, drained her glass, and refilled it.
She shook the bottle—about half left—and held it toward Lin Huayan. “Teacher Lin, more?”
Lin Huayan lifted her ceramic cup and downed it in one go.
Before she could offer it out, Lou Yixuan snatched the bottle from Du Heming. “I got it.”
She topped off Lin Huayan’s glass.
Du Heming sat diagonally across from Lin Huayan, with Lou Yixuan directly opposite her.
“This Plum Wine’s delicious—light and sweet, with a lingering aftertaste. Not bitter at all, right, Teacher Lin? Shame Teacher He can’t drink since she’s driving.”
“Next time.” The words slipped from He Huan’s mouth, and she quickly added, “I’ll treat. We’ll try more dishes and drinks.”
“Teacher He, you’ve started something you can’t stop now.”
Du Heming raised her glass like it was a toast to the idea. “Next round after that, it’ll be me or Teacher Lin’s turn to host. More, Teacher Lin?”
Lin Huayan said nothing, but she drained the freshly poured glass to the last drop.
“What a happy day.”
Du Heming sipped her wine, sighing contentedly.
Lou Yixuan swiftly refilled her and Lin Huayan’s glasses without pause. “One bottle at a time—light drinking keeps the mood right.”
“That’s it? You haven’t seen Teacher Lin’s capacity…”
“Teacher Du.” Lin Huayan cut her off. “Teacher Lou’s right.”
“…” Du Heming was helpless against Director Lin, so she turned to fleece Lou Yixuan instead. “Teacher Lou, who’s so right—living alone tonight? Not with family?”
“My parents are settled in Australia now. I came back on my own. I’ll visit both sets of elders for them over Mid-Autumn.”
“Immigrated?”
“Skilled migration—permanent residency. But they’ve got no plans to change citizenship. They’ll return to their roots eventually.”
“Oh, oh. So you’re staying in the country to work?”
“Not necessarily.”
Lou Yixuan lowered her eyes. “Life’s unpredictable. Who knows what tomorrow brings.”
A water-cultured hyacinth on the table bloomed vibrantly, its pink-purple petals lush and dewy.
No matter how harsh the growing conditions or faint the sunlight, it burst with thriving life, blooming stubbornly, resiliently.
Only by living fully, living with all you’ve got, is there a future.
…
They ate, drank, and chatted until eight. Then Du Heming’s mom called—grandma was critically ill at the hospital. She needed to go now.
At the hospital’s name, He Huan grabbed her bag without a word. “I’ll drive you. It’s on the way.”
Her own mother had passed there years ago.
It wasn’t really on the way. She just knew that hospital’s address too well—knew the optimal route from anywhere in the city, no GPS needed.
Waiting for the elevator, Du Heming was a mess of panic. He Huan squeezed her hand.
In that instant, tears flooded out.
Du Heming hugged He Huan, choking up. “Grandma’s been better to me than my own parents. She’s the only one who never resented me for my orientation.”
“But I… I… she’s hanging on, and I haven’t even brought a girlfriend to meet her.”
He Huan stiffened for a second, then rubbed Du Heming’s back. “You living happy and carefree—that’s her greatest wish.”
Birth, age, sickness, death. Words of comfort felt so hollow.
Lin Huayan and Lou Yixuan’s faces darkened too, their breaths heavy yet shallow.
In the garage, they watched He Huan drive off with Du Heming around the corner. Only then did Lou Yixuan relax, letting out a long breath.
“Teacher Lin, I’ll take you back to school.”
After a moment, she turned to the silent Lin Huayan beside her and suggested they leave.
Lin Huayan had grown even stingier with her words lately.
Maybe it’s just with me, Lou Yixuan thought.
At the car, Lou Yixuan opened the passenger door for Lin Huayan first. Only after she got in did Lou circle to the driver’s side.
A privilege Lin Huayan alone enjoyed.
But she wouldn’t say it.
Wouldn’t say Lin Huayan was the first to sit shotgun, or that she hadn’t opened the door for Du Heming.
Safety belts clicked. AC hummed on. Lou Yixuan checked the vent—perfect temp.
Before she hit the gas, Lin Huayan said, “Don’t drive yet.”
The air in the car froze solid.
They were in the same country again, close enough to touch—yet still worlds apart, uncrossable.
Their gazes deliberately avoided each other, as if eye contact would betray their secrets.
“Xu Yaning’s married.”
At Lin Huayan’s words, Lou Yixuan’s hands trembled on the wheel.
Her heart leaped up, dangling in an empty void— one slip, and it’d plummet into the abyss.
She’d barely pieced her shattered heart back together. Shatter again, and she wouldn’t be turning back—she’d be on the road to the underworld.
A thousand words swirled in her mind, but what she could say, dared say, was precious little. “Yeah. She’s married.”
Xu Yaning almost never took off her wedding ring since tying the knot.
That day outside the restaurant, Lou Yixuan hadn’t schemed to make Lin Huayan and the others misunderstand her bond with Xu Yaning.
So she wouldn’t twist the ring’s meaning into something that dishonored Xu Yaning and Lu Lingxuan’s love.
That would be disloyal to a friend.
No one in this world was a fool. Even best friends had their own agendas.
Good friends just covered for each other’s plays when interests didn’t clash—long-term harmony.
She couldn’t deny Lin Huayan had always been on her agenda.
Even if Lu Lingxuan and Xu Yaning offered unconditional help, she couldn’t drag them onto her board for selfish gain.
Flick the beads, and it’d jolt—hurt someone if she wasn’t careful.
Lin Huayan had been hurt. Outcome was clear.
Not good.
Now she second-guessed everything.
“You…”
“Gotta call me ‘you’ every time to show off your manners?”
“I…”
“Gonna apologize again? Say sorry?”
Their wandering gazes finally met—like a silent showdown.
Lou Yixuan tightened her resolve, staring at Lin Huayan unblinking.
Lin Huayan’s mad?
Mad about what?
Her mind blanked. She couldn’t make sense of it.
The car’s pressure plummeted. Their emotions churned into a battlefield haze.
After a long silence, Lou Yixuan’s low chuckle shattered it.
She dropped her gaze, then lifted it, a carefree smile blooming on her lips.
Do I have some special, almost perverted obsession with mature women of the ‘older’ type? Is this what Teacher Lin is thinking but too ashamed to voice?
