Chapter 65

After returning home, neither Lu Yun nor He Cheng’an mentioned anything about Chen Zhiqiang, nor did they want to.

The couple went about their usual routine—washing up and soaking their feet—before getting ready for bed. As they lay in bed, they discussed the Zhou family. He Cheng’an remarked, “Although the people from the Zhou family might not be very honest or sincere, they’re smart enough not to hold us back. Besides, finding someone perfect in every way is next to impossible.”

Lu Yun was almost asleep when she realized that He Cheng’an might actually be angry. She sensed he was trying hard to calm himself, though he seemed just as displeased.

—o—o—o—

The next morning, when Lu Yun got up, He Cheng’an was nowhere to be seen. She had an idea of where he might be but kept it to herself and continued with her usual tasks. He Cheng’an returned around noon, bringing Lu Yun a braised pork hock as a treat.

After they had lunch together at the Lu family residence, they finally headed back to the provincial capital.

He Cheng’an then suggested, “Let’s go to the capital for a few days.”

—o—o—o—

Once back in the provincial capital, he started dealing with some business matters, while Lu Yun kept herself busy as well. After a day’s rest, the two boarded a green train bound for the capital.

He Cheng’an had purchased two lower-berth tickets, though the journey to the capital wasn’t too long; they departed in the morning and expected to arrive around nine or ten in the evening.

Lu Yun had been to the capital before, but this time felt different since she was with He Cheng’an. Previously, she had prepared her own itinerary, but this time, she didn’t have to worry about a thing—He Cheng’an took care of everything.

They stayed in the capital for four days, spending most of their time exploring the city’s alleys and seeking out local delicacies, led by He Cheng’an.

By the time they returned, Lu Yun felt she had gained a bit of weight. They also brought back a variety of local specialties, such as candied fruits and pea cakes. Since they hadn’t brought much luggage to the capital, these small souvenirs didn’t seem like too much to carry.

Upon their return, Zhang Hao drove his second-hand car to the station to pick them up, welcoming them back.

—o—o—o—

In late June, Zhou Nuan and Lu Xiang’an came to the provincial capital. They had come to buy wedding items and were also there to keep Lu Yun company for her college entrance exams.

Zhang Meili and Lu Dong were planning to come over as well in the following days. Zhou Nuan and Lu Xiang’an also shared some news with Lu Yun: the two of them had already registered their marriage at the Civil Affairs Bureau.

That evening, while He Cheng’an was busy in the kitchen preparing dinner, Zhou Nuan stood on the terrace, gazing at the view outside. Lu Xiang’an sat beside Lu Yun and quietly told her, “Chen Zhiqiang got beaten up—pretty badly, too. It was He Cheng’an’s doing. Zhang Hao even went back and arranged jobs for Chen Zhiqiang’s renovation crew in the county. Several of his workers are busy with new work now, and a few of Chen Zhiqiang’s nearly-contracted projects have been snatched up by others.”

Lu Yun glanced over at He Cheng’an, who was focused on cooking in the kitchen, trying to imagine what he must have looked like while dealing with Chen Zhiqiang. It seemed almost impossible to picture.

Later, as they were preparing for bed, Lu Yun sat on the edge of the bed, watching He Cheng’an. Once he settled beside her, she finally asked, “Did you hit Chen Zhiqiang?”

He Cheng’an pursed his lips, then nodded, looking a little aggrieved. Though he didn’t say anything, Lu Yun could guess what he was feeling. She cupped his face gently and rubbed his cheeks, reassuring him, “I’m not blaming you. Just… don’t hit people next time. It’s not right.”

“Are you really not angry?” he asked.

“You don’t need to be angry,” Lu Yun replied softly. “Just think of Chen Zhiqiang as an ordinary person.”

This wasn’t just for He Cheng’an to hear; it was something she was saying to herself, too. She needed to see Chen Zhiqiang as just an ordinary person—he wasn’t some hero from a novel. All she needed to do was live her own life peacefully. And as for He Cheng’an, she hoped he wouldn’t let Chen Zhiqiang affect him in any way.

Sensing He Cheng’an’s gaze, Lu Yun looked directly into his eyes and spoke slowly and earnestly, “You have to believe—I like you.”

He Cheng’an’s face broke into a joyful smile. “Alright, I’ll only treat him as an ordinary person from now on.”

—o—o—o—

On the day of Lu Yun’s college entrance exam, she hadn’t planned on anyone accompanying her. She felt there was no need to make such a big deal out of it. After all, this wasn’t her first time taking the exam, and she was an adult now.

She only wanted He Cheng’an to wait outside. Besides, Zhang Meili and Lu Dong had been too anxious to sleep properly since arriving in the provincial capital; they hadn’t had a decent night’s rest from worrying about Lu Yun’s exam. Yet, in the end, everyone came along to the exam site to support her.

Throughout the several days of testing, Lu Yun felt completely at ease, like a fish in water. Her focus was sharp, and her spirits were high, leaving her confident in her performance.

Professor Zhou and his wife also came to see Lu Yun and offered her words of encouragement.

After the college entrance exams ended, Lu Yun’s face was filled with joy, reminiscent of how she felt back when she finished her exams in high school. Confident in her performance this time, she felt she could now focus entirely on her business without needing to review anymore.

As Lu Yun was preparing for her new store, Li Xiaohong came to find her unexpectedly. Since arriving in the provincial capital, their interactions had been limited, mostly confined to encounters at the store due to Lu Yun’s busy schedule. Seeing Li Xiaohong come specifically to find her was a surprise.

Lu Yun also recalled that recently He Cheng’an had been preparing for a new store. He had chosen white fungus, known for its beautifying effects, as the store’s main feature, which had proven to be a profitable venture. With many pending accounts settled from their last renovations, He Cheng’an, likely influenced by Lu Yun, had become focused on purchasing properties and storefronts.

Everyone knew about He Cheng’an’s plans to open a new store, and many were eager to compete for the position of store manager. For this reason, Lu Yun assumed Li Xiaohong was here to discuss the position.

However, Li Xiaohong began with, “Sister Lu Yun, thank you and President He for giving me a job. But now, due to some personal matters, I want to resign.”

Lu Yun hadn’t expected Li Xiaohong to resign. She and He Cheng’an had both initially thought Li Xiaohong’s arrival was a bit too coincidental, suspecting she had deliberately sought out He Cheng’an’s store to secure a position there. But hearing this now, it seemed that hadn’t been her intention after all.

Feeling a bit embarrassed for doubting her, Lu Yun paused, aware that in business, while honesty and integrity were crucial, one could not be too naïve.

After a moment, she asked, “Can you tell me why you want to resign?”

Li Xiaohong hesitated, not wanting to explain. But as Lu Yun looked at her with genuine concern, her eyes reddened, and she said, “Sister Lu Yun, please don’t ask. Meeting you has been the luckiest thing in my life. Even though I’m resigning, I’ll still stay in the provincial capital, so you don’t have to worry.”

As Li Xiaohong was leaving, she happened to run into Lu Xiang’an and Han Jiangang. Lately, these two had been frequent visitors to the provincial capital—one for wedding preparations, the other to source goji berries, lotus seeds, and rock sugar.

He Cheng’an’s white fungus business was thriving, but customers who bought white fungus often wanted to pair it with goji berries and rock sugar. Due to differences in the quality of ingredients people sourced on their own, the consistency of the white fungus soup they made varied.

Upon learning about this, Lu Yun suggested to He Cheng’an that they create prepackaged white fungus soup kits. Each kit would contain white fungus, goji berries, lotus seeds, and rock sugar, so customers could simply open a packet, wash it, and have everything ready to make a perfect white fungus soup.

When Li Xiaohong saw Lu Xiang’an, she stopped in her tracks, looking up at him, her shoulders beginning to tremble. Lu Yun stood up, but before she could say anything, Li Xiaohong suddenly turned and ran out.

Lu Xiang’an looked puzzled and asked, “What’s wrong with her?”

In that moment, Lu Yun seemed to understand why Li Xiaohong had come here, and why she had resigned.

She and He Cheng’an hadn’t been wrong in sensing that Li Xiaohong’s arrival wasn’t just a coincidence—but it wasn’t for work. She had come for Lu Xiang’an.

“It’s nothing,” Lu Yun replied calmly. “You both sit down and help yourselves to some water. I’ll be back shortly.”

Downstairs, Lu Yun walked with Li Xiaohong in silence for a while before finally asking, “Why do you like him? When did it start?”

Li Xiaohong lowered her gaze, her voice soft. “That day… when you asked him to take me home.”

Lu Yun pressed her lips together, staying silent.

Li Xiaohong continued, “We saw each other a few more times after that. I couldn’t bring myself to tell him how I felt. Later, I found out he was seeing someone. But once, I overheard people saying that things between Lu Xiang’an and his girlfriend weren’t certain to work out. So, I came to the provincial capital to find you. I thought… if they broke up, maybe, since you know me, you’d think I was a decent match and introduce me to him. If they didn’t break up, I would just wish them happiness. This… this is the first time I’ve ever liked someone.”

She looked at Lu Yun with a mixture of shame and vulnerability. “Sister Lu Yun, I’m sorry.”

After a long pause, Lu Yun embraced her and said gently, “Next time you meet someone you like, just tell him. You’re a wonderful person.”

Li Xiaohong hesitated for a long moment, then finally whispered, “Thank you, Sister Lu Yun.”

—o—o—o—

That evening, He Cheng’an was once again simmering white fungus soup at home, experimenting with different ingredients for their new prepackaged kits.

Lu Yun watched him, and after a while, she shared the whole story about Li Xiaohong.

He Cheng’an hadn’t expected such a reason for Li Xiaohong’s resignation, and he realized just how little he knew about her situation.

As for Lu Yun, she felt sympathy for Li Xiaohong, pitying her for having to keep her crush a secret.

Yet she also knew that Lu Xiang’an had been with Zhou Nuan long before meeting Li Xiaohong, and she couldn’t quite decide how she felt about Li Xiaohong’s actions.

Before they went to bed, Lu Yun asked him, “Is there anything you’d like to say?”

He Cheng’an didn’t reply. Instead, he took her hand and placed it over his heart, letting her feel its strong, steady beat. Lu Yun felt her face grow warm, and before she knew it, He Cheng’an leaned in and kissed her, guiding them both toward the bedroom.

Lu Yun hadn’t expected He Cheng’an to express himself this way.

Later, as she drifted into sleep, she vaguely heard his voice close to her ear, whispering, “Ah Yun, I love you.”