Chapter 23(A, Gu Lin’s Perspective)
1756 Words
Gu Lin had already bought his return ticket, but his plans were suddenly disrupted.
Fang Qing’s mother had passed away.
Though it wasn't entirely unexpected, given the nature of bone cancer, living another day was a blessing, and no one could guarantee seeing the next sunrise.
Since it was his friend’s mother and a senior he knew well, Gu Lin felt obliged to pay his respects.
He informed Wang Miao about the situation, and she sensibly told him to take care of himself and not to be too upset.
With only a few days left of his holiday, Gu Lin felt guilty about delaying his return to spend time with Wang Miao.
After hanging up with Wang Miao, he called Fan Sizhe to inform him about Fang Qing’s mother’s passing and asked if he would attend the funeral. Fan Sizhe was surprised but agreed to go.
The next day, Gu Lin saw Fan Sizhe looking worn out and tried to comfort him, “It’s a release for her. Living with the pain was worse.”
Such partings had become routine for him.
After the ceremony, Gu Lin and Fan Sizhe stayed back a bit. They watched Fang Qing sitting on a blue chair in the funeral home, head down, hands covering her face. It was unclear if she was crying.
Their friendship, forged in their youth, remained strong despite all the complications over the years.
Fan Sizhe nudged Gu Lin to comfort Fang Qing. Gu Lin, considering that his role might be more appropriate than Fan Sizhe’s as her ex-boyfriend, sat beside her, patting her back while she sobbed.
Not long after, Fang Qing’s ex-husband arrived. Fan Sizhe and Gu Lin exchanged glances and quietly left together.
As they walked out, they heard Fang Qing’s restrained sobs turn into full-blown crying, likely because she was now with someone who allowed her to release her grief.
Gu Lin had driven his dad’s car, and on the way back, he gave Fan Sizhe a lift.
“Fang Qing still has feelings for her ex-husband, doesn’t she?” Gu Lin asked.
“Probably,” Fan Sizhe responded. “After being married for so many years, even if the passion is gone, there’s still affection.”
Gu Lin sighed, “That’s why those who rush into marriage and divorce are irresponsible. I know a guy who got married early, dumped his kid on his parents and sister, and hasn’t taken care of the child at all. Compared to such reckless people, I’m quite responsible.”
“Get real,” Fan Sizhe mockingly spat.
Just then, Gu Lin’s phone rang. Seeing it was Wang Miao, he put on his Bluetooth headset.
“We just finished and are on the way home,” Gu Lin’s voice softened as he talked to Wang Miao. Realizing that Fan Sizhe might mock him, he quickly switched to a more serious tone, “Are you out of class?”
Wang Miao asked, “Tomorrow is the last day of the holiday. Will you be back?”
“Yes, I’ll be home before dinner. Do you have any classes tomorrow? What do you want for dinner?”
“No classes. I plan to sleep in all day!” Wang Miao’s voice was sweet and full of affection, “I’ll like anything you bring.”
Gu Lin’s heart felt like it was being gently squeezed. He cleared his throat, “Okay, I got it. Make sure you eat well, even if it’s hot and you’re not hungry. I’m driving, so I’ll talk to you later.”
After Wang Miao hung up, Gu Lin took off his headset and immediately heard Fan Sizhe laughing, “Your ‘fiancée,’ huh?”
“Why do I find your laughter so annoying?” Gu Lin felt that those who doubted him were up to no good.
“Didn’t you say you’re very responsible about marriage? Are you sure you’re ready? Can you really be committed?”
“Believe it or not.” Gu Lin, irritated by his questioning, changed the topic. “Last time you said Gu Er messed with someone’s female dog. What kind of dog was it?”
Fan Sizhe tried to remember, “A yellow one, a big dog.”
“It’s over.” Hearing this, Gu Lin realized that Gu San San wasn’t Gu Er’s offspring. “Gu San San is a white dog, looks a bit like a Labrador.”
Fan Sizhe burst out laughing, “Buddy, to get through life, you need a bit of green on your head.”
“Get lost. Tell Gu Er that!” If he weren’t driving, Gu Lin would’ve punched Fan Sizhe.
After dropping off Fan Sizhe and returning home, Gu Lin’s parents were already having lunch. He washed his hands and joined them, pretending to wipe non-existent tears, “Tell me the truth, was I picked up from the trash?”
Gu Lin’s dad explained, “Your mom cooked early. If we don’t eat now, the food will get soggy. We’re just flipping the dishes; it’ll be fresh when you eat.”
Really...
Gu Lin reluctantly accepted this explanation. After lunch, just as he was about to nap, his mom pushed him up.
His mom, full of disdain, scolded him, “All you do is eat and sleep. Get up and go to the mall with me.”
Yawning, Gu Lin asked what she wanted to do. She said she wanted to buy clothes.
Gu Lin objected, “Why not let dad take you? He wants you to have a second child but won’t even go shopping with you.”
His mom angrily punched him several times, “Your dad’s no good, and you don’t talk right!”
His mom’s punches were real. She practiced Baguazhang and Taijiquan, so her hits were no joke.
Afraid of being hit, Gu Lin reluctantly got up, changed clothes, and drove his mom to the mall. They went to the most upscale mall in the city and headed straight for the jewelry counter.
Watching his mom pick out jewelry, Gu Lin sighed, “Mom, you’ve got great taste.”
His mom ignored him, trying on a few pieces before buying an expensive jade bracelet.
She used Gu Lin’s dad’s card, so he wasn’t concerned.
After buying the bracelet, his mom went to a cheongsam store. Gu Lin sat on a*****e sofa, watching her try on outfit after outfit, complimenting each one. Every time he praised her, she rolled her eyes.
Finally, after choosing a rose-colored, high-collared cheongsam, Gu Lin was nearly asleep from waiting.
He eagerly offered to carry her bags and asked if she was attending an event. His mom coldly replied, “Attending my son’s engagement ceremony.”
Gu Lin almost choked on his own spit, “When?”
“How should I know? Didn’t you say you were getting engaged?” His mom glanced at him. “I think you should do it soon. Pick a weekend this month for both families to meet and have a meal. Her parents are old and might not travel well, so we should go to them. It’s the proper thing to do.”
Gu Lin had planned to get engaged but hadn’t thought his mom would be so proactive.
Seeing her son’s silence, his mom continued, “Do you want an engagement ceremony too? Wedding companies are hard to book. For a ceremony, you need to book at least six months in advance, and popular restaurants can be reserved a year ahead. I suggest both families meet for a meal to finalize things, then plan the wedding. The wedding can be grander later, and they’ll have no complaints.”
“That sounds good,” Gu Lin nodded quickly. “I’ll discuss it with her and set a date for the meal.”
“Before the end of the month, or it’ll be too cold for my dress.”
“Yes.” Gu Lin agreed, then reconsidered, not wanting to rush Wang Miao. He added, “If it gets cold, you can buy a fur coat.”
“What kind of taste is that? And it’s not eco-friendly.”
“You’re right.”
“Take the bracelet to her. It’ll be less awkward than giving it when we meet. Consider it a gift from me, showing we care.”
Gu Lin was touched, “You really are my mom.”
“Yeah, right. We picked you up during a flood.”
They joked around, and by the time they got home, Gu Lin was itching with excitement. He asked his parents, “Anything else you want to tell me? Like sponsoring my house purchase?”
His dad threw him a card.
Gu Lin happily accepted it, packed his bags, “I’m leaving! See you at the end of the month!”
His parents, used to his antics, scratched the dogs and acknowledged him, not giving a tearful farewell.
He rescheduled his flight, found no convenient times, and faced a delay. By the time his plane landed, it was past 11 PM. Not wanting to wake Wang Miao, he decided not to tell her and planned to surprise her in the morning.
Arriving home, Gu Er excitedly greeted him while Gu San San sleepily barked a couple of times before dozing off. Seeing them healthy and energetic, he knew Wang Miao had taken good care of them.
Thinking about it made him want to see Wang Miao even more.
Feeling energized despite the travel, he woke up before his alarm, took the dogs for a walk, showered, and changed into a new shirt. He had recently bought several plain shirts, emulating Fan Sizhe’s style—not the brand, but his brother’s name, as it seemed more mature.
Given Wang Miao’s tendency to sleep in, Gu Lin didn’t head over too early, arriving at her place around 9 AM.
Just as he called her, he saw a familiar figure emerging from the building.
She answered the phone, habitually asking where he was.
Gu Lin smiled,
“Look to your right.”
He watched her look to her right, “What?”
“Look the other way,” Gu Lin corrected, honking his horn.
Wang Miao followed the sound, eyes wide in surprise.
Before she could respond, Wang Xiwen emerged behind her, “Auntie, why aren’t we leaving?”
Wang Miao ignored her niece and spoke to Gu Lin, “I was about to take Xiwen out.”
“Let’s go together,” Gu Lin suggested.
- Writer
