Chapter 171: Huo Ningning’s Melancholy
It had been days since she last saw Yu Linna, who had apparently taken another leave of absence from school. As the top student, the undisputed champion of their class, she could skip classes with impunity, her position at the top of the grade secure.
She wasn’t just a top student; she was a prodigy.
Huo Ningning, having not seen Yu Linna for days, had no opportunity to talk to her, hearing from Fang Jiangning that Yu Linna was avoiding her. It was understandable; after what she had done, forgiveness wouldn’t be easy.
Huo Ningning returned home from school. Her family had moved to Guangnan City just before she started middle school, settling there permanently, her father’s studio also located in the city. Their financial situation had improved significantly over the years; they were no longer the struggling family they once were.
They were practically… nouveau riche.
“Ningning, you’re home! Wash your hands; dinner will be ready soon.”
Wu Siyu was busy in the kitchen, her husband working late. She had struggled to find a job for years, their finances precarious, until her husband’s business took off, finally allowing her to settle down, finding a position as an elementary school teacher, a relatively relaxed job that allowed her to spend more time with her daughter.
With Ningning in her senior year, she prepared nutritious meals and even late-night snacks, ensuring she had enough energy to endure the grueling demands of high school.
“Mom…”
“What’s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that? If you’re hungry, there’s fruit in the living room. Dinner will be ready soon.”
Wu Siyu smiled, booping her daughter’s nose.
Huo Ningning sat on the sofa in the living room, not eating the fruit, lost in thought, remembering their old, cramped apartment, the golden-haired girl who had once lived with them. Though they had been poor, they had been happy, a family of four, squeezed into a small space. Those days had been… special.
Now, they were well-off, no longer struggling, yet… something was missing.
She knew those days were gone, never to return.
She had regretted her words for over a decade, a weight on her conscience.
Others might forget, but she couldn’t.
“Ningning, what’s wrong? Problems with your studies? Why the long face?”
Wu Siyu, seeing her daughter’s melancholic expression, her distant gaze, was worried. She made sure Ningning had a balanced diet; it couldn’t be malnutrition. Perhaps she was overfeeding her.
Huo Ningning simply shook her head.
That year, she had seen the golden-haired girl at school, instantly recognizing her as Yu Linna, the girl who had lived with them years ago, though Yu Linna had clearly forgotten her.
In their senior year, fate had placed them in the same class, and she had tried to get close to Yu Linna, who, however, remained aloof and distant, much to Huo Ningning’s frustration. She had tried everything, from casual conversations to offering food, but nothing seemed to work.
“Ningning, is something bothering you?”
“…”
“You’re my daughter. I can always tell when something’s wrong.”
Wu Siyu smiled, stroking her daughter’s hair.
Her mother’s touch, as always, brought a sense of comfort and security.
She was truly selfish.
“Mom, do you remember little Linna?”
“…What’s this about? Are you hungry? Dinner’s almost ready.”
Wu Siyu tried to deflect, her smile strained.
“Mom, I haven’t told you because… I was afraid you couldn’t handle it. But… little Linna… she’s in Guangnan City.”
“…You’ve seen her?”
Having met Yu Linna recently, Wu Siyu wasn’t surprised she was in Guangnan City. She was surprised her daughter had seen her too.
“More than just seen her. We’re in the same class.”
“!!!”
Wu Siyu was shocked.
She hadn’t expected their paths to cross again, let alone for her daughter to be in the same class as Yu Linna.
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner…?”
“I’m sorry. I was afraid you would be upset. Because… you brought her from the orphanage, didn’t you?”
Huo Ningning’s childhood outburst had deeply hurt Yu Linna, who had packed her bags and left, never to return, a decision Huo Ningning deeply regretted.
“Why would I be upset? I would be delighted! You should have told me sooner! I could have visited her!”
Wu Siyu was both exasperated and amused.
Huo Ningning remained silent.
She had known about Yu Linna’s situation since the beginning of senior year. The golden-haired girl, after all these years, hadn’t been doing well, her struggles evident. However, in the past six months, her circumstances seemed to have improved; she was living with another girl and no longer working multiple part-time jobs.
But Huo Ningning still recognized the signs of her past hardships.
Working while attending high school meant she was struggling financially.
“Little Linna… she knows who I am, but… she won’t forgive me.”
“Ningning?”
“Sorry, I’m going to my room. I’m not hungry. I’ll… study.”
Huo Ningning waved goodbye, unwilling to elaborate, retreating to her room, her past actions a secret she couldn’t share. Her mother was fond of little Linna; if she knew what Huo Ningning had done, she would be furious.
She couldn’t tell her.
“What’s wrong with her…?”
Wu Siyu was puzzled. Huo Ningning and Yu Linna had been so close as children; why did they seem to have such a strained relationship now?
Alone in her room, Huo Ningning sighed, trying to distract herself with her studies, but her mind raced, her thoughts a jumbled mess.
She couldn’t forget, not after ten years; it was a burden she carried. If she could go back in time, she would undo her mistakes.
She longed to return to that time, twelve years ago, to talk to the innocent six-year-old girl, to share her feelings, to apologize. The little girl would have listened; she had trusted Huo Ningning completely.
But it was impossible.
The innocent little girl had grown up, and there was no going back.
“Little Linna…”
Her former friend, the one person she regretted hurting the most.
She wished she could take back her words, her actions. She was so filled with regret.
…
After their outing, Fang Jiangning, Ye Zhiyun, and Yu Linna parted ways, agreeing to meet again for Fang Jiangning’s birthday. Ye Zhiyun, living further away, offered to walk Yu Linna home.
“With your book published, you don’t have to work anymore, right?” she asked casually.
“Well, my second novel is coming out soon, and I don’t have an illustrator, so I’m planning to do the illustrations myself, the black and white drafts and the cover.”
“More work? But you have exams coming up.”
“Don’t worry, it won’t take long. Two weeks, at most.”
“I’m worried the principal will call you in for another lecture.”
“I’m not worried about my grades. I won’t fail the gaokao.”
The gaokao was fast approaching, the hundred-day pledge just around the corner.
Yu Linna would be giving a speech as a student representative, another grand occasion. She was confident in her academic abilities, not worried about getting into a good university, her only concern being… where to go.
She hadn’t considered university before, her focus on survival, but now, she had to make a decision, whether to stay in the province or go elsewhere.
“Zhiyun, your brother is studying in America, right?”
“Yes.”
“And you… will you go abroad for university?”
A flicker of anxiety crossed Yu Linna’s face as she asked the question. Ye Zhiyun, seeing that fleeting expression, felt a sudden urge to stay, to be near Yu Linna, no matter where that was.
Her family had also discussed her university plans, suggesting she study abroad like her brother, an easily attainable goal with her academic record.
But…
She didn’t want to go abroad.
She wanted to stay here, where Yu Linna was.
“I’m not leaving,” she said, a soft smile playing on her lips.
As long as Yu Linna was here, she would stay, no matter where that was.
Anywhere without her… was too boring.
“I probably won’t go too far either. I want to stay close to home.”
“Why? Why not go somewhere further away?”
“I want to be able to come home easily. My home… is here.”
Yu Linna considered Guangnan City her home, having lived there since she was eleven, almost ten years, developing a deep connection to the city. She didn’t want to leave.
“So unambitious. I thought you would aim for a bigger city.”
Ye Zhiyun’s teasing tone couldn’t mask her affection.
Yu Linna wasn’t leaving… that was good. Perhaps she, too, could stay.
“Who said I’m unambitious?”
“Okay, okay, you’re the most ambitious.”
“You’re still laughing at me!”
“I’m not! I’m not!”
Their figures, bathed in the starlight, gradually faded into the night.
