the evening you keep
1392 Words
Chapter Eight
That evening, the atmosphere inside the shop felt warmer than usual.
Outside, Wuma Street glowed beneath damp roads and soft city lights while passing scooters rolled through leftover rainwater with quiet splashing sounds.
The rain had finally stopped.
Cool wind drifted gently through the half-open shop doors carrying the smell of grilled meat, sweet buns, and late-night street food into the little family store.
Inside, soft yellow lights wrapped around shelves of folded fabric while an old romantic song hummed quietly from the speaker near the register.
Everything felt calm tonight.
Soft.
Lived-in.
---
Simu stood beside her mother packing newly folded clothes carefully into large transparent storage bags before closing time.
Usually around this hour, her mood would begin drifting quietly again.
She would overthink.
Disappear into herself.
Fall into that familiar silence her mother noticed too easily.
But tonight—
she felt lighter.
Still soft-hearted.
Still thoughtful.
Just… lighter.
---
She folded sweaters slowly while listening to Zhang Meilu complain dramatically from the counter nearby.
"I'm telling both of you right now," her aunt sighed emotionally while struggling with the calculator, "I made a terrible mistake by not marrying rich."
---
Simu laughed immediately.
"Auntie."
"I'm serious," He Meilu continued passionately. "Look at my life. Look at these receipts. I deserve luxury."
---
Even Zhang Lifen smiled while sealing another storage bag.
"You say this every week."
"because is dawn on me everyday "
---
Simu laughed again, but this time something soft tugged quietly inside her chest afterward.
Because beneath the jokes—
she suddenly thought about how tired both women looked sometimes.
The long hours.
The endless work.
The way they carried responsibility so naturally nobody noticed how heavy it was becoming.
---
And for one brief moment—
a tiny ache settled quietly inside her chest.
Because she wanted to help them more.
Wanted to give them easier days.
Wanted to become someone who could take weight off their shoulders.
But right now—
her hands still felt empty.
---
The feeling only lasted a few seconds before she pushed it down gently.
Then she smiled again instead.
Softly.
Quietly.
Like she didn't want the heaviness to stay too long.
---
And somehow—
that smile alone made He Lifen's chest loosen with relief.
Because lately, Simu's sadness used to linger too deeply inside her eyes.
But tonight—
her daughter looked present.
Alive inside the moment again.
---
"You're smiling more today," her mother said gently without looking up.
---
Simu blinked slightly before lowering her gaze.
"Am I?"
"Yes," Zhang Meilu answered immediately. "Which means emotional recovery has started."
---
Simu burst into laughter again.
"There was no emotional collapse."
"There absolutely was," her aunt replied confidently.
"You stared at noodles for three minutes yesterday."
---
Warm embarrassment rushed instantly into Simu's cheeks.
Her mother laughed softly beneath her breath while tying another bag closed.
---
"You both bully me too much."
"We love you," Zhang Meilu corrected with a soft small.
"Unfortunately."
---
That made Simu laugh harder.
The sound filled the little shop warmly enough that even He Lifen stopped briefly just to listen to it.
Because no matter how old Simu became—
her laughter still sounded exactly like sunshine returning after rain.
---
A little later, He Lifen wiped her hands gently against her apron.
"I'll go prepare dinner."
"I'll help," Simu said immediately.
"No," her mother replied softly. "Finish here first."
---
Before Simu could answer, her phone buzzed loudly against the counter.
Yuna.
---
Simu answered immediately while still folding clothes.
"Hello?"
---
Yuna's calm voice drifted softly through the speaker.
"Are you free tonight?"
---
Before Simu could answer—
another loud voice exploded suddenly nearby.
"WAIT."
---
Xiaoyu.
Of course.
---
"You called her before me?!" Xiaoyu sounded personally betrayed.
"This is emotional cheating."
---
Simu nearly laughed into her sleeve immediately.
Yuna sighed softly.
"We were literally together."
"That doesn't matter," Xiaoyu argued dramatically. "I'm always the one who calls Simu first."
---
"You sound competitive about friendship," Simu laughed.
"Because I AM."
---
Even Zhang Meilu couldn't stop herself from laughing but not too much while she organize the receipts nearby.
"Aiya," she said warmly toward the phone, "don't mind them, Xiaoyu."
---
Xiaoyu gasped immediately.
"Auntie understands me emotionally."
---
"You'll always be the life of the party," Zhang Meilu continued fondly though she sounds strict but she has always love simu's friends and how their interact. "Even when you're noisy."
---
"See?" Xiaoyu said proudly. "I'm appreciated in this household."
"You're tolerated," Yuna corrected calmly.
---
Simu bent forward laughing softly while pressing her sleeve against her mouth again.
Warmth spread fully through her chest now.
Not the aching kind.
The comforting kind.
The kind that made ordinary evenings feel unforgettable without warning.
---
Eventually, the call ended after twenty more minutes of unnecessary arguing.
Mostly from Xiaoyu.
---
Simu slipped her phone into her pocket before walking toward the back kitchen area where warm smells already drifted softly through the house.
Garlic.
Soy sauce.
Steamed rice.
Home.
---
Her mother stood near the stove quietly stirring soup while steam curled gently around her face beneath the warm kitchen lights.
---
"I'm going to have drinks with Xiaoyu and Yuna later," Simu said softly while helping place bowls onto the table.
---
He Lifen glanced toward her daughter briefly before smiling faintly.
"Oh?"
---
Simu suddenly felt shy for no reason.
"We're just walking around first."
---
Her mother hummed knowingly.
"Our Simu is becoming busy these days."
"Mama…"
---
"You even smile at your phone now," He Lifen teased gently.
---
Warm embarrassment flooded instantly across Simu's cheeks again.
"There's nothing like that."
"There's definitely something like that," He Meilu announced while entering dramatically. "I have eyes."
---
Dinner eventually settled warmly across the small table.
Simple dishes.
Warm rice.
Soup still steaming softly into the air.
Outside, the city continued glowing quietly beneath night rain reflections while laughter and distant scooter sounds drifted faintly through open windows.
---
The three women ate together slowly while zhang Meilu immediately restarted her argument about the supplier from earlier.
"I told him if the fabric tears after one wash, then what exactly am I paying for? Emotional betrayal?"
---
Simu nearly choked laughing.
Even He Lifen covered her mouth briefly trying not to laugh too hard.
---
"No honestly," Zhang Meilu continued passionately while pointing with chopsticks, "he kept saying 'high quality.' High quality WHERE?"
---
Simu laughed so hard her shoulders shook lightly now.
The warmth from dinner, laughter, and familiar voices wrapped around her chest gently enough to make her emotional again.
Because moments like this felt small—
but precious.
---
While her aunt continued complaining dramatically, Simu unlocked her phone beneath the table absentmindedly.
Their group chat was still active.
Mostly Xiaoyu sending nonsense.
---
Then suddenly—
a new picture appeared.
Li Xun.
---
Her fingers paused instantly.
---
It looked like another airport photo.
Dark hoodie.
Messy hair beneath a cap.
One hand holding coffee while staff members walked nearby.
And somehow—
he looked softer tonight.
Tired.
Real.
---
Without realizing it fully, Simu lifted her fingertips gently against the screen.
Lightly touching his face through the photo.
Not dramatically.
Just softly.
Like something precious she knew she could never really hold.
---
Then slowly—
a tiny smile appeared on her face.
Sweet.
Quiet.
Completely unconscious.
---
Across the table, both older women noticed immediately.
---
Zhang Meilu lowered her chopsticks suspiciously.
"…What is that smile?"
---
Simu blinked before laughing shyly.
"Nothing."
"That is NOT a nothing smile," her aunt accused immediately.
---
Warm embarrassment flooded into Simu's face again while she finally turned the phone around toward them.
Then quietly—
almost shyly—
she asked:
"…Isn't he cute?"
---
Both women leaned closer toward the screen.
For a second, neither spoke.
---
Then Zhang Meilu nodded seriously.
"Aiya."
---
Even He Lifen smiled softly now.
"He's very handsome."
---
"Our little orchid made the right choice," Zhang Meilu announced proudly.
---
Simu immediately covered her face while laughing helplessly.
"Auntie!"
---
But even through the embarrassment—
her smile remained.
Soft.
Warm.
Alive.
And for the first time in awhile—
the distance between screens no longer felt painfully lonely tonight.
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