The Silent World And Him - Chapter 18

On the morning of New Year’s Eve, Pu Chen slept in until half past nine and hadn’t gotten up yet. She rolled over and stared at the stuffed animals on the bookshelf. The repair shop had closed for the holiday yesterday afternoon, and she wouldn’t see Qin Yu today, which took away her motivation to get up early.

These past few days, she had been doing homework with Qin Yu at the repair shop and eating lunch together. Qin Yu seemed a bit different before the holiday, occasionally showing a lazy attitude, but he was unusually focused when copying her answers. During that time, he even corrected a small mistake for her, a missing punctuation mark on the Chinese test paper, which he casually added.

“Look, you’re so careless.” She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but he seemed gentler when talking to her than before. All the things that had happened during their time together felt like a dream. A dream even more beautiful than reality, one she didn’t want to wake up from.

The bedroom door was pushed open from the outside. Pu Chen turned her head, and her aunt came in holding her niece’s new clothes.

“Morning, Chubby, get up and try on the clothes to see if they fit.”

Pu Chen reached for her phone on the bedside table and quickly typed:
[Auntie, didn’t you say you only bought me one set this time? How come there’s another new outfit?]

Aunt Pu chuckled, “You know I have decision-making issues. Both sets were nice, and I couldn’t decide for half an hour, so I had to buy them both. You can’t have too many clothes. Wear one today, and switch to another one on New Year’s Day.”

Pu Chen sat up and said:
[This is the fifth new outfit for this winter. It’s too much. After school starts, I can only wear my uniform. Buying so many is wasteful.]

“Looking good isn’t wasteful.” Aunt Pu handed her the dress. “Hurry up and put it on, don’t catch a cold.” She gathered Pu Chen’s long hair in her hand and quickly tied it up into a bun.

Since her sister-in-law was no longer around, she treated Pu Chen like her own daughter. When she was young, her brother and sister-in-law treated her just as well. After their parents passed away, she lived with her brother and sister-in-law. Her sister-in-law was gentle and capable, buying this house back then to make it convenient for her to attend middle and high school. At that time, the family conditions were average, but her sister-in-law provided her with the best in terms of food and clothing, and from elementary school to university, she never felt inferior in material things. Now that she was capable, she naturally wanted to give her niece the best.

Pu Chen changed into the dress and stood in front of the mirror in the corner. She rarely had the chance to wear dresses to school. Unfortunately, the repair shop wasn’t open today.

Aunt Pu handed her a cashmere cardigan, “It’s warm at home, just wear a cardigan.” She chatted with her niece, “My brother said you’ve been coming to the shop every day these days. How’s his grades?”

Pu Chen didn’t mention that Qin Yu had ranked near the bottom of the class and tried to make him sound better:
[Not as good as mine, but he studies quite seriously. He’s related to our teacher, Mr. Lu.]

Aunt Pu often heard her brother talk about her niece’s form teacher, Mr. Lu, and she had many indescribable feelings about this surname Lu. She stopped her thoughts in time and said, “After the New Year, I’ll invite Mr. Lu and his family to dinner. I’ve been too busy these past six months and haven’t had the time.”

Pu Chen naturally thought Mr. Lu’s family included Qin Yu and said to her aunt,
“[I’ll go with you when the time comes.]”

Aunt Pu walked to the side of the bed to fold the quilt for Pu Chen and said, “You must come. My brother will be there, and I don’t know Mr. Lu well. I’m afraid we’ll have nothing to talk about and it will be awkward.”

Pu Chen planned to arrange a time to meet with Lu Baisong later. Aunt Pu turned to look at her niece, “My brother didn’t make breakfast today, he’s busy with the New Year’s Eve dinner. I’ll heat up a cup of milk and fry an egg for you. Okay?”

Pu Chen:
[No need, I’ll snack a bit first, and wait for the New Year’s Eve dinner later.]

“Alright.” Aunt Pu urged her niece, “Go and freshen up quickly.”

After tidying up the room, Aunt Pu opened the curtains and windows for ventilation. She stood by the window for a few seconds, reminiscing about a New Year’s Eve from several years ago. Her thoughts drifted far away, interrupted by car horns downstairs, bringing her back to reality. Her brother was busy in the kitchen by himself and wouldn’t let her in, saying the kitchen was too smoky. Aunt Pu found a classic from her niece’s bookshelf and went outside to the living room to read.

Pu Chen finished washing up and sat down next to Aunt Pu with a cup of warm water,
“[Auntie, I’ll send Mr. Lu a New Year’s greeting later and ask him when he’s free after the New Year.]”

Aunt Pu nodded, “Sure.” She leaned over and took out a bag of cookies from the snack plate on the coffee table for her niece, “Have some breakfast first, don’t starve.”

It was only when she was searching through the snacks that she noticed the two bags of grilled octopus legs underneath. She froze immediately. Since her divorce from Lu Baisong, she hadn’t eaten this again. Memories rushed back like a flood, completely engulfing her. It had been a long time since she had thought about Lu Baisong, and she didn’t dare to. He should have remarried by now. Before she divorced him, Lu’s family pressured him in various ways to hurry up and divorce and marry the person he should marry. Maybe he’s already a father.

“[Auntie, Mr. Lu hasn’t replied. He probably hasn’t seen it.]”

Pu Chen showed her the phone. Aunt Pu glanced at Mr. Lu’s profile picture, a photo of Suzhou’s scenery, nothing special. She replied to her niece, “It’s New Year’s Eve today, Mr. Lu must be busy.”

Lu Baisong wasn’t busy; he had seen Pu Chen’s message. He had been staring at his phone screen in a daze until Qin Yu brought him a cup of hot coffee.

“Still haven’t figured out how to reply?” Qin Yu sat down opposite him and asked, “You came to Suzhou to teach, are you here to reconcile, or to make up for your debt to Pu Chen’s aunt?”

Lu Baisheng pointed his chin towards the stack of magazines on the coffee table and said, “Look at your magazines.”

Qin Yu was not in the mood to read magazines. He was anxious for Lu Baisheng and asked, “Does Auntie know that Pu Chen’s homeroom teacher is you?”

Lu Baisheng looked straight at him, “Who did you say Pu Chen’s aunt is?”

Qin Yu replied, “I didn’t say anything. I said Pu Chen’s aunt. You must have misunderstood.”

Lu Baisheng suddenly wasn’t sure if he had heard “Pu Chen’s aunt” or just “aunt.”

Qin Yu asked Lu Baisheng again if Pu Wenxin already knew that he was Teacher Lu.

Lu Baisheng replied, “She probably doesn’t know.” If Pu Wenxin knew he was Pu Chen’s homeroom teacher, with her personality, she wouldn’t invite him for dinner.

Qin Yu fell silent for a moment and gently suggested, “Why don’t we spend Chinese New Year’s Eve at Pu Chen’s house? It’ll be lively with more people. Besides, the situation between you and Pu Chen’s aunt won’t be resolved by dragging it out.”

Lu Baisheng remained silent.

He rubbed his forehead, signaling Qin Yu to stop talking.

After calming down, Lu Baisheng messaged Pu Chen: [After the New Year, I’ll take Qin Yu abroad for a trip. We’ll be back before school starts. Please thank your aunt for me. It’s a teacher’s duty to care for students. You don’t need to worry.]

Lu Baisheng put down his phone and instructed Qin Yu, “You can’t go to Pu Chen’s house to repair cars before school starts.”

Qin Yu was puzzled, “What do you mean?”

Lu Baisheng stirred his coffee and paused for a few seconds before saying, “I told Pu Chen that after the New Year, I’ll take you abroad and won’t be in Sucheng.”

Qin Yu remained silent.

This was the warmest Spring Festival Qin Yu had experienced. On New Year’s Eve, he was told he couldn’t go to the car repair shop at Pu Chen’s house to freeload.

As night fell, Qin Yu left Lu Baisheng’s house. Lu Baisheng had been drinking some red wine today and didn’t insist on driving him, so Qin Yu took a taxi back alone.

There weren’t many people on the road, and it was eerily quiet.

The taxi stopped in front of the apartment building, and Qin Yu paid and got out. He had only taken a few steps when another taxi pulled up.

“Qin Yu!”

Qin Yu thought he was hearing things and turned around to locate the voice.

The car stopped, and out came He Junshuo, who retrieved his suitcase from the trunk.

Qin Yu wondered if there would be another woman he didn’t know getting out of the taxi.

But soon, the taxi drove away.

His gaze settled on He Junshuo.

He Junshuo held onto his suitcase with one hand and draped a coat over his other arm.

“Why are you here?” Qin Yu still couldn’t believe his father would show up in Sucheng at this time.

The last time He Junshuo came to pick up Qin Yu, they had a falling out, and he hadn’t planned to come again. But back in Beijing, after calming down, he still couldn’t rest assured leaving his son alone in Sucheng for the New Year.

He Junshuo didn’t elaborate much, “I’m not busy these days.”

Qin Yu nodded thoughtfully and asked, “Did your girlfriend break up with you?”

He Junshuo held onto his suitcase and hesitated before saying, “Qin Yu, can we talk about something else?”

Qin Yu didn’t respond.

From the elevator to the entrance of the apartment, father and son remained silent.

Qin Yu found a new pair of slippers in the shoe cabinet, pulled out the dust bag, and placed the slippers by He Junshuo’s feet.

He Junshuo, who had been irritable moments ago, felt a sense of relief with the slippers. He asked, “Did you have dinner at Lu Baisheng’s house?”

“Yeah,” Qin Yu slipped into the slippers and poured a glass of warm water onto the coffee table without specifying who it was for. He pointed to the room to the north, “That bedroom has been empty all along.”

After saying this, he leaned back on the sofa and played with his phone.

He Junshuo draped the coat over the back of the sofa, picked up the glass of water Qin Yu poured, and headed to his room with the suitcase.

Half an hour later, He Junshuo emerged from his room. He had just taken a quick shower and shaved. He had pulled an all-nighter last night and rushed to the airport after finishing work today, not even bothering to eat.

He asked Qin Yu, “Is there anything to eat at home?”

Qin Yu asked back, “You haven’t eaten?”

“No.”

Qin Yu put down his phone and went to the kitchen.

He Junshuo followed him. He didn’t have high expectations for this year’s New Year’s Eve dinner; having a bowl of frozen dumplings would be satisfying enough.

He knew Qin Yu didn’t like having strangers at home, so naturally, there wouldn’t be a cook, and Qin Mingyi, who couldn’t cook at all, wouldn’t have prepared much food at home.

Qin Yu opened the fridge, took out braised beef and chicken feet, and grabbed two boxes of dumplings. These were snacks prepared by Pu Wanli for him.

He often went out at night to find food in the alley. Pu Wanli said eating too much from street vendors wasn’t healthy, so she prepared some braised beef and chicken feet for him the next day.

The dumplings were also handmade by Pu Wanli, with thin skins and lots of filling, much better than those sold outside.

He Junshuo looked at the spread of food, “Did Lu Baisheng prepare this for you?”

“No, someone else did,” Qin Yu replied succinctly.

He Junshuo couldn’t cook, but boiling dumplings was no trouble for him.

He searched for an apron but gave up and started boiling water for the dumplings.

Father and son remained silent.

Qin Yu stood in the kitchen for a few minutes, unsure of what to talk to his father about, so he went back to the living room.

As the water boiled and the dumplings bubbled, steam filled the kitchen.

This was the only warmth in the house in the past two months.

He Junshuo turned to Qin Yu in the living room, “Do you want more dumplings?”

“I’m not hungry.” Qin Yu thought about how his father, to come to Sucheng, hadn’t even had a chance to eat a New Year’s Eve dinner, and then changed his mind, saying, “I’ll just have some dishes.”

He Junshuo cooked himself a plate of fresh dumplings. The steaming dumplings and two braised dishes were his New Year’s Eve dinner for this year.

Qin Yu sat down at the dining table and picked up a chicken claw to gnaw on. Actually, he wasn’t hungry at all, having had a big meal at Lu Baisheng’s house. Just now, when he was playing with his phone, he tried to remember the last time he had eaten with his father but couldn’t recall. It must have been a long time ago.

He Junshuo tasted the dumplings and two braised dishes, then looked at Qin Yu curiously. “Which hotel’s dishes are these?”

Qin Yu replied truthfully, “They were made by my classmate’s dad.”

Assuming it was a chef’s work, He Junshuo naturally thought, “Your classmate’s dad is a chef?”

“No. He runs an electric bike repair shop.”

He Junshuo nodded slightly, remarking, “He’s a good cook.”

Qin Yu followed up, “Yes, indeed. My classmate has never had breakfast outside. Her dad gets up at five every morning to make breakfast for her.”

He Junshuo, aware that he had never cooked for his son, tried to save face, “You shouldn’t become a lawyer in the future; it’s too busy.”

He wanted to find an excuse for himself, as he was too busy to make Qin Yu breakfast.

Qin Yu couldn’t help but retort, “It’s not only lawyers who are busy; people who repair bikes are also busy. There are so many electric bikes waiting to be repaired every day, and sometimes they have to work until ten o’clock.”

He Junshuo: “…”

“Qin Yu,” he took a sip of water to calm down, “today is New Year’s Eve; can we talk nicely?”

After finishing a chicken claw, Qin Yu wiped his hands with a wet tissue and didn’t say anything more.

He Junshuo stood up, went to the bar, and opened a bottle of red wine, pouring two glasses. He handed one to Qin Yu, “It’s New Year’s Eve; drink less.”

He Junshuo rolled up his shirt sleeves, raised his glass, and clinked it with his son’s. “Your mom told me you scored eighty in math, science, and English.”

Qin Yu returned his father’s earlier phrase word for word, “Today is New Year’s Eve; can we talk nicely?”

“Sure, let’s talk about something else.” He Junshuo asked, “Do you have a girlfriend?”

Qin Yu sipped his red wine, frowned, and swallowed, saying, “No. Your outstanding genes didn’t get passed down to me.”

He Junshuo didn’t argue with his son and continued calmly, “If you don’t want to study, then have a good relationship. You can’t waste time.”

This time, Qin Yu had nothing to say.

“You’re already sixteen; it’s normal to like someone.” He Junshuo finished his red wine in one gulp.

Intuitively, he guessed, “Do you like your classmate?”

Qin Yu wasn’t surprised that his father could figure it out.

His silence was an admission.

Feeling good now, He Junshuo poured himself another half glass of red wine.

He couldn’t understand why his son liked a girl but didn’t have a girlfriend yet. “If you like her, why not pursue her? Do you plan to wait until graduation to chase her? By then, she might not be available anymore.”

Qin Yu spoke like an official, “School rules don’t allow early dating.”

He Junshuo chuckled, “School also wants you to study hard every day, but I don’t see you following that either.”

His original intention wasn’t to tease his son, so he gave him a way out, “It’s right for the school not to allow early dating.”

Regarding the matter with Pu Chen, Qin Yu didn’t want to discuss it with his father.

Sipping his red wine, He Junshuo took the initiative to chat with his son, “When will the repair shop open after the New Year?”

“I don’t know.” Qin Yu looked at his father. “Why are you asking?”

He Junshuo replied, “Just curious. Since you don’t know when it’ll open, why not go to the repair shop more often? Maybe you’ll bump into your classmate. Otherwise, you won’t have any other way to see her, right?”

Qin Yu was speechless.

At that moment, his phone vibrated, and he unlocked the screen.

In a four-person group that had been quiet all day, Pu Chen sent a New Year’s greeting message. She probably intended to send it to Peng Jingyang but ended up sending it to the group because she felt guilty.

Qin Yu replied in the group: [Happy New Year.]

Then he privately messaged her: [In the new year, let’s continue to be classmates, and please guide me more. Happy New Year.]

Pu Chen replied in private: [Sure, you too, Happy New Year.]

Qin Yu put his phone on the table, picked up the glass of red wine his father had poured for him, and absentmindedly took a few sips.

He asked his father, “Was it easy for you to pursue my mom back then?”

He Junshuo happened to pick up a dumpling, then put it back in the plate, saying, “It took quite a bit of effort.” His whole life trajectory had changed for Qin Mingyi.

Yet they were still like strangers.

He didn’t want to dwell on the past with Qin Mingyi, so He Junshuo adopted a conciliatory tone with his son, “After all, it’s rare for us to sit down and eat together; can we make the most of it?”