Chapter 12 What’s So Impossible About That

“It just feels… different from the Ning Songyi I used to know.”

Zhao Yu’s words stirred Ning Songyun’s curiosity.
“What was my brother like before? He almost never talks about the past.”

“He used to…” Zhao Yu recalled the days she played with Ning Songyi.

“He used to smile a lot more than now. His personality was friendlier too. Sometimes he even liked to tease people…”

Ning Songyun listened with great interest to all the funny childhood stories about her brother.

By the time they were supposed to rest that night, she refused to go back to her own bed, insisting on squeezing under the same blanket with Zhao Yu.

“Ha~~”

The next morning, both girls stumbled toward the cafeteria, dark circles under their eyes, yawning non-stop.

“Today I’m definitely not staying up with you again.”

Zhao Yu felt like her body had made it to the cafeteria, but her soul was still lying in bed.

“I’m not staying up either.” Ning Songyun echoed weakly. “Even if you told me a hundred more of my brother’s embarrassing stories, I wouldn’t listen.”

“Ayu!”

They turned and saw Lu Jing rushing toward them.

“What is it?” Zhao Yu asked with no expression.

“Ayu.” Lu Jing came right up to her. “There’s something I want to ask you.”

He cast a subtle glance at Ning Songyun, signaling her to leave.

But Ning Songyun instantly clung to Zhao Yu’s arm, her expression saying clearly: Want me to leave? Dream on!

When she wouldn’t go, Lu Jing just stood there blocking their way.

“Songyun, go inside first. Order me some breakfast.” Zhao Yu sighed and handed her ration coupons. “I’ll be right there.”

“Fine…” Reluctantly, Songyun accepted the coupons and walked into the cafeteria, looking back with every other step.

Zhao Yu and Lu Jing went to a big tree at the corner. Zhao Yu cut straight to the point, impatient.
“What do you want to ask?”

“Lin Shu said you’re the one who taught her… and me. I know that’s not true, right?”

“I taught her,” Zhao Yu replied, unnervingly calm.

“Impossible!” Lu Jing was agitated, grabbing her arm tightly. “You’re lying, aren’t you?”

“Why would I lie?” Zhao Yu struggled free. “Don’t you want to take care of Lin Shu? This just makes it easier.”

“I already promised you—I only feel gratitude toward her. The one I like is you. Why are you doing this?” His face looked deeply wounded.

“Only gratitude?”

Zhao Yu gave a bitter laugh, shoving him as she questioned him one by one.

“Tell me this—if we get married one day, and Lin Shu wants to stay in the troupe, demanding I step down for her, what will you do?

If she says she can’t survive without money, will you give her some?

If the troupe sends her to perform everywhere, will you raise her child for her?”

Lu Jing staggered back under her barrage of questions. He couldn’t bring himself to say a firm “no.”

“See? You know it yourself—you can’t say no.”

Zhao Yu was all too familiar with this silence, this cold evasion of problems.

“Then why would you think I’d still be with you?”

“Ayu, you never used to be this materialistic, this calculating.”

Lu Jing looked like a pitiful, wronged man. “Why have you changed?”

“Of course—because she suddenly regained her sight.”

A third voice came from behind the tree.

Both of them turned to see Ning Songyi walking out from the shadows.

Lu Jing’s eyes sharpened, full of wariness. “Why is it you again?”

“Why not me? What’s wrong—don’t want others to know you’re about to get married while still pestering another woman?”

Ning Songyi stepped forward, casually but deliberately placing himself in front of Zhao Yu.

Lu Jing’s gaze darted between them, disbelieving.
“Ayu, you… you two—”

“What about us?” Zhao Yu cut him off sharply. “Don’t drag your dirty thoughts onto other people!”

But Lu Jing went on as if he hadn’t heard her.
“No wonder you changed so suddenly. Just like Lin Shu said—you found someone with better family background and more money!”

“Heh.”

Ning Songyi actually laughed. “The way you put it, it sounds like I broke you two up. But when I first met her, you were probably still playing in some mud pit.

Never thought our military district would have someone like you—disgusting inside, yet so good at wrapping it up.”

As soon as he finished, he turned and pulled Zhao Yu away, leaving only one cold warning for Lu Jing.

“Harass her again, and it won’t just be suspension you’re facing.”

Zhao Yu let him drag her off. Her other hand brushed against her pocket.

“Oh, right.” She stopped. “This is for you.”

Ning Songyi looked down to see a brand-new fountain pen in her hand.

“You helped me get back the hairpin my mother gave me. This is my thank-you gift.”

When he didn’t take it, she grabbed his hand and forced the pen into it, reminding him seriously:

“And don’t ever pull something like today again. It’s bad for your reputation.”

“A man doesn’t need a spotless reputation.”

His eyes lingered on the hand she was holding. “I promised your mother long ago—I’d protect you.”

“And you think you can protect me my whole life?” Zhao Yu teased lightly.

“What’s so impossible about that?”

Zhao Yu blinked, thinking she misheard. “What?”

“I said…” Ning Songyi crouched slightly, looking her straight in the eye. “Even if it means protecting you for a lifetime—what’s so impossible about that?”

“What nonsense. If someone overhears you, how will you ever find a wife?”

That same heart-racing tension from yesterday welled up in her again. Zhao Yu ducked her head and pushed him away.
“I’m leaving.”

She hurried toward the cafeteria, not even noticing as she brushed past Ye Heng, who was carrying several buns and a cup of soy milk in his mouth.

Ye Heng walked up to Ning Songyi, puzzled.
“What did you say to Comrade Xiao Zhao? You scared her off.”

“Nothing. Just made my feelings clear.”

Ning Songyi snatched a bun from him. “Why are you so slow?”

“Big bro, come on! You don’t know the buns you wanted are the hardest to buy in the whole cafeteria!”

Ye Heng cried injustice. “I still have a fifty-hour standing train ride to catch today, and you’re working me like a mule!”

“Oh? Then I guess you don’t need this soft-sleeper ticket I got for you. I’ll just go refund it.”

Ning Songyi waved the ticket in front of him, pretending to toss it into the trash.

“No! Godfather! From today on, you’re my godfather!”

Ye Heng chased after him. “Forget making me buy buns—if you want me to make them by hand, I’ll do it!”