Chapter 028

Due to the banquet, He Ye went back to her hometown with her father after tutoring on Saturday afternoon.

Her grandparents took turns looking at her admission letter to a prestigious university, beaming with pride. They even took their phones with them to show off the letter while out for a walk after dinner. He Ye could imagine them bragging about it to others.

While the adults were busy enjoying themselves, He Ye stayed in her bedroom on the third floor, reading.

She was going through an introductory programming book that Lu Jin had given her.

Lu Jin messaged her: [What are you doing?]

He Ye sent a picture of the book.

Lu Jin asked: [Aren’t you with your grandparents?]

Ye Ziyuanyuan replied: [They went for a walk.]

Lu Jin then sent a video invitation, which was their first video chat.

He Ye felt awkward. Although she was used to his kisses in the dark, she had never looked directly at his face.

She figured he was at home too.

“Where are your parents?” he asked.

“In the living room,” she replied, lowering her voice.

Lu Jin glanced behind her and asked, “Where exactly is your grandpa’s house?”

“What do you mean?” He Ye responded.

Lu Jin reassured her: “Don’t worry, I won’t come tomorrow. I just wanted to know more about it.”

He Ye didn’t want him to know and felt uneasy about him possibly visiting.

“Okay, I’ll keep reading,” she said.

Lu Jin noticed that she was looking down, clearly embarrassed to talk like this.

He found her shyness charming, enjoying how nervous she was while still leaning in for kisses.

He felt a strong urge to help her relax and enjoy the intimacy that comes with being in a relationship.

The He family booked a banquet at a local restaurant, which hosted most community events.

Dozens of round tables were covered with disposable plastic tablecloths. The air conditioning wasn’t sufficient, so ceiling fans started spinning, making the tablecloths flutter.

He Ye sat awkwardly in the middle of the hall, wearing her own clothes but with a large red hairband as her grandmother had requested.

Relatives of all ages praised her, and she smiled politely until the food was served.

He Yong, her father, sat at a nearby table with several older men.

They began discussing marriage.

“Ah Yong^[1]refers to He Yong, He Ye’s dad., isn’t it time to find a new wife? You didn’t before because you were worried about Xiao Ye’s studies. Now that she’s in college, you don’t have to worry about her. Don’t you think it’s the right time?” one suggested.

“Yes, yes, yes. You’ll be lonely. Besides, Xiao Ye will be married in a few years. You should find a companion,” another chimed in.

He Yong, a bit embarrassed, raised his glass, saying, “Let’s eat first and not talk about this.”

How could he discuss this in front of his daughter?

The men laughed and moved on to other topics.

Grandma He watched her granddaughter with concern, having heard the conversation.

Still, a female relative at the same table teased He Ye, “They have a point. Xiao Ye is grown up now. You don’t need to worry about your father finding someone.”

He Ye kept smiling, though she had heard similar comments before, especially during elementary school.

Back then, her father would respond, “Don’t worry. It’s just fine for us to live together.”

Since he didn’t want to find someone else, she didn’t pay much attention to it.

Now that she was older, she learned from Lu Jin that having a partner was more than just companionship.

On the way home, He Ye glanced at her father.

At just 41, he was tall and handsome, and their family was well-off in their hometown, though he had a limp.

She thought about how lonely he might be when she would be busy in college for four years.

He Yong, who had been drinking, slept all afternoon. After taking a bath in the evening, he finally felt refreshed.

He Ye helped her grandmother in the kitchen.

Her grandpa was sitting on the sofa. When her father arrived, he started talking about the money given for He Ye’s achievements: “I received a total of 90,000 yuan.”

He Yong replied, “So many?”

Grandpa explained, “The town gave 50,000 yuan, our factory awarded her 10,000 yuan for doing well on the exam, and the rest is from relatives. This is Xiao Ye’s achievement, so we’ll put the money in her account.”

He Ye’s grandpa had some repair skills and couldn’t sit still, so he got a job again at his old factory. Although the pay wasn’t high, the factory was generous with rewards for college entrance exam success.

He Yong said, “Give her 60,000 as a reward; you keep the gifts, and the banquet is all your expense.”

Grandpa insisted, “We don’t need this little money. Just give me her card number, and I’ll take care of it tomorrow.”

The two elders loved their granddaughter, so He Yong didn’t hesitate and sent a photo of her card to his dad.

Grandpa asked, “Xiao Ye can also earn 18,000 yuan as a tutor?”

He Yong proudly replied, “Someone told me I can pay for three years of tuition in one summer vacation!”

Grandpa smiled and said, “She’s more promising than you and will definitely do well in the future. This child is sensible, so we don’t need to worry too much. But what about you? Are you really not going to find another partner?”

He Yong hesitated.

He Ye didn’t know about the elders’ conversation. As they walked home around nine in the evening, she suddenly smiled and asked, “Dad, you haven’t considered remarriage for so many years. Are you still thinking about my mom?”

He Yong replied, “…Why are you asking about me? This isn’t a TV show. We’re living our own lives, and we haven’t been in touch for a long time.”

Remarried men and women usually have a new family and cut off contact with their original family to avoid affecting their new relationships, except for child support or living close together.

He Yong was capable of raising his daughter alone and didn’t need to ask his ex-wife for money. He just wanted to ensure she lived a good life without causing trouble for her.

At first, he felt reluctant to let go of his past feelings, but after so many years, they faded.

He Ye said, “Then you should find someone while you’re still young, someone who treats you well, so you can take care of each other when you’re sick. I won’t have to worry about you all the time.”

He Yong looked at her and asked, “Do you really think so? Or are you just imagining things based on what others say?”

He Ye answered seriously, “I really think so. You care about me, and I care about you. You should think about yourself too.”

He Yong hesitated.

He Ye smiled and added, “Don’t worry, even if you find a terrible stepmother, it won’t affect my college studies. It’s okay as long as she treats you well.”

He Yong said, “Nonsense! If I find someone, I want to find someone who will treat you well.”

He Ye held her father’s arm.

He Yong patted her on the shoulder and said, “I’ll save money for two more years and buy you a house. I heard the price will go up, so the sooner you buy, the better.”

He Ye replied, “I’m still in college.”

He Yong responded, “Do you think you can move in right after I buy the house? It will take at least two to three years to build and renovate it, and you’ll just have graduated.”

On August 2nd, Saturday evening, He Ye went to the stairwell to meet Lu Jin. He was holding a pink heart-shaped gift box.

“What’s that?” she asked, blushing.

Lu Jin smiled, “A gift for Chinese Valentine’s Day.” 

He Ye didn’t pay much attention to the lunar calendar, but she felt better knowing it wasn’t a random gift.

Lu Jin opened the box, revealing nine roses, some pink and some white, with small green lisianthus^[2]is a type of flower known for its beautiful petals and soft colors. flowers mixed in. 

The flowers looked soft and pretty. A beautiful rolled-up piece of stationery was taped to the box.

Lu Jin asked, “Want to take a look?”

He Ye was afraid it might say something too romantic, so she whispered, “Let’s read it later.”

Lu Jin said, “Common bouquets are hard to hide, so I picked this one on purpose.”

He Ye appreciated his thoughtfulness. If he had brought a big bouquet, she would have been embarrassed to take it home. But this box could be kept until the flowers withered.

She held the gift box in her arms and said, “Thank you.”

Lu Jin suggested, “Tomorrow is Sunday. Do you want to go out and play?”

He Ye looked at him and said, “Didn’t you say I could learn more about programming tomorrow?”

Lu Jin thought for a moment and replied, “Then let’s stay in. Come to my house, learn programming in the morning, cook for lunch, and watch the first three Transformers movies in the afternoon?”

He Ye asked, “What about your parents?”

“They’re on a business trip to Beijing and won’t be back until Wednesday,” Lu Jin explained.

She thought about it and agreed.

Lu Jin said, “Get to bed early. See you tomorrow.”

He Ye was surprised he didn’t try to kiss her today. It was the first time he walked away so quickly.

But she found this comforting; at least she wouldn’t have to worry about being seen.

She went home with the gift.

She placed the gift box on her bedside table and unrolled the letter inside.

On the beautiful letter paper, Lu Jin wrote two sentences:

【He Ye, I love you.】 

【It is Amarantine^[3]is a type of flower symbolizing immortality and eternal love..】 

He Ye read it and rolled up the letter again, feeling a shiver. 

Love it or not, it was too cheesy!

The next day, He Ye used the excuse of going out with friends, and He Yong didn’t suspect anything.

Since she planned to learn programming in the morning, He Ye arrived at the bottom of Building 10 at 7:30 with her schoolbag.

Lu Jin came down to meet her.

He Ye kept her distance from him and pretended they didn’t know each other. She got off the elevator on the seventh floor and climbed the stairs to the eighth, where Lu Jin had already opened the door to his apartment. 

He Ye slipped inside quickly and sighed with relief as soon as the door closed.

Lu Jin pointed at the balcony curtains across the room: “I know you’re worried about being seen, so I closed the curtains.”

Feeling a bit embarrassed, He Ye glanced at the bright lights in the living room. “Isn’t it a waste of electricity?” 

Lu Jin smiled: “Let’s do a physics problem first to see how much electricity we’ll use today!”

He Ye was speechless.

As she changed into her slippers, Lu Jin casually locked the door. “Just in case. I video-called them this morning, and I’m sure they won’t come back.”

He Ye felt guilty. “What if they do?”

“Then you can hide in my room. Come out after they leave,” he replied. 

His plan reassured He Ye, so she didn’t worry too much.

Lu Jin led He Ye to the study.

The Lu family’s study was large, filled with books, including many complex professional texts.

He Ye looked at it with longing.

The desk was neat, and Lu Jin asked, “Do you want to start now or take a break?”

He Ye was eager to begin!

They talked for an hour before taking a break. Lu Jin sliced some fruit, and after the second class, He Ye needed to use the bathroom.

Lu Jin sat on a chair, saying, “There are some in my room and outside.”

He Ye chose the one outside.

It was awkward; even with two doors between them, she worried he might hear her.

When she returned to the study, her face felt hot, but Lu Jin didn’t notice and continued explaining things.

At 11:30, Lu Jin decided to cook.

He Ye wanted to help, but Lu Jin insisted she rest.

Relaxed, He Ye browsed through her boyfriend’s collection of books.

After lunch, they planned to watch a movie in the afternoon.

“In the living room or my room?” Lu Jin asked.

The living room faced the entrance, which made He Ye nervous about someone knocking on the door. She glanced at the study.

“The movie is long, and the chairs aren’t comfortable. I can lean on the sofa bed,” Lu Jin suggested.

He Ye preferred the living room. “Let’s go there.”

“Then I’ll call my parents again,” he said.

He Ye sat quietly on the sofa and listened as Lu Jin called his parents. They were still having dinner at a restaurant in Beijing, easing her worries.

Lu Jin returned with fruit, setting it on the coffee table. He sat beside He Ye, turned on the TV, and found the movie channel.

He Ye loved the Autobots because their rapid transformations matched her interests. The female lead in the first film was beautiful and had an impressive figure.

As she watched the lead lift the hood, revealing her slim waist, He Ye glanced at Lu Jin.

He noticed her, casually eating a slice of watermelon.

In the next scene, the hero sat in the passenger seat with the heroine on his lap.

He Ye… 

She quickly took a piece of watermelon, hoping the scene would change soon.

Luckily, there were no more awkward moments, just fighting scenes. They finished watching the first part around three o’clock.

“Take a break?” Lu Jin asked.

He Ye nodded.

When Lu Jin turned off the TV, the bright living room went dark.

He Ye’s eyes hadn’t adjusted when Lu Jin suddenly hugged her and pressed her against the sofa.

He Ye thought: Just kiss me; he usually does.

After a while, she held onto Lu Jin’s wandering hand.

This time, Lu Jin didn’t pull away or push too hard. He kissed her ear softly.

He Ye tried to shy away, but he kept chasing her.

“Just for a moment,” he whispered, coaxing her, and her heart softened.

For someone as sensitive as her, it was easy to lose her resolve.

Finally, she gave in.

The sun was bright outside, and the leaves were drooping.

Cicadas chirped in the hot afternoon.