The Silent World And Him - Chapter 29

Late November, the weather turned cold.

The leaves on the branches had long since withered and yellowed, and the cold wind twisted as it blew them down.

After the last class on Tuesday afternoon ended, Pu Chen packed up her textbooks and waited for Zhuo Xuan to go to the cafeteria together.

Pu Chen always sat in the front row for every class, making it easier for her to respond promptly when the teacher asked questions or took attendance. Her two other roommates in the dorm preferred sitting in the back rows, and only Zhuo Xuan accompanied her in the front.

“Pu Chen, wait a moment.” The voice of the class monitor, Chen Yuanyang, came from the back of the classroom.

Pu Chen turned her head as Chen Yuanyang quickly walked across the tiered classroom towards her.

She and Chen Yuanyang are from the same hometown; his hometown is a county-level city under Sucheng, and their dialects are very similar. During the holiday on the eleventh of last month, she took the same high-speed train back with Chen Yuanyang. They chatted all the way, and he was especially considerate of her, not showing any impatience even though she was typing on her phone.

Apart from her roommate, she had the most contact with Chen Yuanyang.

When Chen Yuanyang walked up, Pu Chen asked, “Class monitor, what’s the matter?”

Chen Yuanyang was carrying a textbook. There were some things he couldn’t say in front of Zhuo Xuan, so he signaled to Pu Chen, “Let’s talk while we walk.” He added, “It’s about something in the department.”

Zhuo Xuan glanced at Chen Yuanyang, her eyes filled with complex emotions. She tightly pinched the zipper pull of her backpack with her fingertips and finally closed it gently. She looked at Pu Chen and said, “I’ll go to the cafeteria to get food first. Same as usual?”

Pu Chen nodded and gave her a thumbs-up.

Zhuo Xuan left first, facing the afterglow of the setting sun, leaving behind a stubborn and proud silhouette.

The people in the class didn’t really like Zhuo Xuan; they said she was arrogant, always wearing a cold expression, and took herself too seriously.

However, Pu Chen did not think so. On the surface, Zhuo Xuan looked like a rose kept in a mineral water bottle in the dormitory—delicate and thorny—but in reality, she was like the few drops of water on the rose petals, soft and sensitive.

After leaving the teaching building, Pu Chen asked Chen Yuanyang, “Do we need to fill out some form?” Her situation was special; since the start of the semester, she had filled out several explanations of her circumstances. She thought this time would be more or less the same.

No,” Chen Yuanyang seemed a bit embarrassed. He rolled up the textbook in his hand and tapped his palm a few times, then honestly said, “Actually, it’s not something from the department—I just said that randomly. I… want to pursue Zhuo Xuan. I’ve asked her out twice, but she said she was busy both times. I have no other way. I only know you well in your dorm. You and she are close, right? When she’s free, let me know, and I’ll treat you both to a meal.

Pu Chen did not immediately agree. She was still unclear about what Zhuo Xuan thought. Although the class monitor’s abilities and looks were impeccable, what if Zhuo Xuan simply didn’t like him?

Emotions are the most unreasonable thing.

[If I can help, I definitely will.]

Chen Yuanyang understood that Pu Chen stood on Zhuo Xuan’s side, which was reasonable. “Thank you.”

He had arranged to play basketball with someone and parted ways with Pu Chen halfway.

Pu Chen seemed thoughtful, then headed straight to the cafeteria.

Zhuo Xuan had prepared two meals and was waiting for her.

Pu Chen sat down opposite her, placing her bag on the empty seat beside her. She knew how much the meal cost and sent a small red envelope to Zhuo Xuan.

Zhuo Xuan didn’t refuse and accepted it directly, then asked her, “What form does the department want you to fill out this time?”

Pu Chen shook his head: “It’s not about filling out a form, the class monitor came to me for his personal matters.”

Zhuo Xuan saw the words “personal matters” and kept pressing the side button of her phone repeatedly. There were never any detours between her and Pu Chen; if she wanted to ask something, she would ask directly: “Is the class monitor asking you for help?”

Pu Chen was slightly stunned.

Just from this one action, Zhuo Xuan knew she had guessed correctly.

She sighed, said nothing, put down her phone, and started eating.

Pu Chen tentatively asked, “Do you know the class monitor likes you?”

Zhuo Xuan gave a “hmm” and said there was nothing to hide, “He asked me out, but I refused. I really was going to work part-time and had no time for dinner. It’s also true that I don’t want to have anything to do with him.”

She picked up a few grains of rice and put them in her mouth.

Pu Chen wanted to find out: “You don’t like him, do you?”

Zhuo Xuan felt like a fishbone stuck in her throat, struggling to swallow those few grains of rice, and finally shook her head in despair.

Pu Chen was not mistaken; just now, Zhuo Xuan shook her head, which meant she liked the class monitor.

She was confused: “Isn’t that very contradictory?”

After asking, she realized too late: “Are you trying to test him again?”

No, I never thought about dating him.” Zhuo Xuan unconsciously bit her lip, the area torn by her teeth turning pale, her voice involuntarily lowering: “Someone like me, poor and overly concerned with face, doesn’t deserve to be in a relationship.

Pu Chen felt sorry for her: “Don’t say that about yourself. There’s no such thing as deserving or not. I’m poor too, and besides, who doesn’t have a bit of vanity? Look, I’m still in love.”

Zhuo Xuan shook her head; her situation was exactly the same as Pu Chen’s.

Besides you, no one knows I have two younger sisters, nor do they know how poor my family is.

I paid my tuition with a student loan.

“I have to rely on part-time jobs to earn living expenses and also support my family. Given my family’s situation,” she was silent for a long time, “I won’t dump all this negativity on you.” Saying it was suffocating, yet it wouldn’t change anything.

When Pu Chen heard this, she thought of the first time she went to the arcade with Qin Yu and Peng Jingyang. She was reluctant to exchange coins to play the claw machine and had to maintain her pride, so she could only play the mini-games.

The mixed emotions of that day remain vivid in her memory to this day.

[I know that feeling.]

“You can’t imagine how poor my family was,” Zhuo Xuan said about Chen Yuanyang. “I could never talk to him.” Because she was afraid to face him as her true self, she felt both inferior and vain, not wanting anyone to know she was poor. She had to earn living expenses, desperately study to win scholarships, had no money or time, and was already in debt before even having a job. For her, love was too much of a luxury.

That pitifully small amount of self-respect had long since fallen into the mud, yet she still refused to give up.

After eating, Pu Chen and Zhuo Xuan came out of the cafeteria.

The sun had set, dusk covered the campus, and the path was strewn with fallen leaves on both sides, adding a touch of desolation.

Zhuo Xuan’s phone rang; it was a call from a student’s parent. She tutors two students, and this call was from the mother of the middle school girl, saying the girl has an exam on Saturday and asking if she is available tonight to help her catch up on lessons.

Okay, I’ll come over right away.

Zhuo Xuan had originally agreed with Pu Chen to go to the library to study, but now she could only stand him up: “I don’t have class on Saturday, I’ll accompany you to study then.”

Pu Chen suggested: “The weather is nice this Saturday, how about we go hiking?”

Zhuo Xuan knew Pu Chen wanted to take her out to relax, so she did not refuse his kind offer.

Zhuo Xuan hurried to the bike shed to get her bike, while Pu Chen took her textbooks back to the dormitory. Since no one was there, she didn’t plan to go to the library again and instead opened her computer to review materials in the dorm.

Zhao Shu’s voice message arrived as promised.

Chenchen, have you eaten yet? What did you eat?

Did you feed Qin and撒狗糧 today? Did the people in your dorm get overwhelmed by the dog food?

Pu Chen listened to two voice messages in a row, then told Zhao Shu what he had for dinner.

As for Zhao Shu’s second message, he automatically ignored it.

Zhao Shu: “It’s getting cold. Winter in Beijing is dry. I recommend a few good moisturizing lotions for you.”

During the following time, she and Zhao Shu were both discussing skincare products.

Influenced by Peng Jingyang, Zhao Shu seemed to have a timer set in her mind, ending their chats promptly every ten minutes so that Pu Chen could focus on studying.

At that time, the four of them would go to the library together during holidays. She loved to talk, and Peng Jingyang would tirelessly remind her over and over not to disturb Pu Chen’s studying.

Over time, this became a conditioned reflex.

[Chenchen, you read your book, I’m also getting ready to go to the self-study room, striving to upgrade to a bachelor’s degree. You wait for me in Beijing (kiss)]

Pu Chen was very happy; Zhao Shu had finally emerged from the shadow of her college entrance exam failure.

She replied: [It’s a deal.]

—

At this moment in Boston, the early morning sunlight filled the entire courtyard.

Qin Yu had just gotten up, and before having breakfast, he first said good morning to Pu Chen and sent her a hugging emoji.

Then, Pu Chen replied with a kissing animated sticker.

Qin Yu was pleasantly surprised. Since they started dating, she had never sent him such an intimate animated sticker. This particular one was actually sent to her by him before, and she had saved it.

Perhaps because she was reserved in her heart, when she was with him, she never acted coquettishly nor threw tantrums.

In her eyes, he seemed perfect in every way.

Qin told Huipu Chen, he demanded: “When we meet, you have to take the initiative to kiss me.”

Just as he was about to start a video chat with her, his phone rang; it was a call from his mother.

Qin Mingyi knew his son’s class schedule and had calculated the time difference; he didn’t have any classes at this time.

She always speaks simply and clearly, without any embellishment: “I’ll finish the case I’m working on in the next couple of days and then fly over for vacation, just in time to spend Thanksgiving with you.”

Qin Yu: “You don’t need to come over, I’ll be back in Beijing this Thursday.”

Qin Mingyi naturally knew why her son was returning to Beijing. She hadn’t expected that after several years, the passion between her son and Pu Chen would not only remain but actually intensify.

It was just over two weeks until his winter break, and after enduring three months of a long-distance relationship, now he couldn’t even wait two weeks. With only a few days off for Thanksgiving, he still wanted to come back.

He had already decided to come back; she couldn’t very well stop him from returning.

Qin Mingyi said little, “Then Mom will go to Beijing, and it’s a good chance to visit your maternal grandparents.”

She flipped through the calendar and asked, “When do you land in Beijing? I’ll come to pick you up.”

Qin You had his own plans; if his mother went to pick him up, the whole schedule would be disrupted.

He declined his mother’s kindness: “Mom, you focus on your own things, no need to trouble yourself, Pu Chen will come to pick me up.”

What else could Qin Mingyi say? She maintained a surface-level friendliness: “Have fun. By the way, how many days will you be back?”

Qin Yu didn’t tell the truth: “Two and a half days.”

Qin Mingyi: “Hmm.”

The topic was dropped there, and they didn’t discuss it further. She then asked him about his academic situation.

After finishing the call with his mother, Qin Yu sent a message to his father: [I told my mom that I would be back in Beijing for two and a half days. Don’t let it slip.]

Actually, he was going back for four and a half days; he wanted to spend two more days with Pu Chen.

He Junshuo had a social engagement tonight. He put down his wine glass, picked up his phone, opened the message, and frowned: [You usually never believe your mom, so why are you starting to lie now?]

Qin Yu: “I’m not afraid of my mom. If she finds out I’ve been back for four and a half days, she’ll definitely arrange all kinds of dinners for me, and I won’t be able to refuse. I’m not a kid anymore. If I skip the arranged dinners, people will think I have no manners. Who would want to associate with me in the future?”

He rubbed his temple unhurriedly, thinking it over. It made sense—Qin Yu had decided to return to Beijing to develop his career after graduating from university. He could no longer be as reckless and willful as he was in childhood, doing whatever he pleased based on his mood. The family relationships couldn’t be strained; he couldn’t let people think he was unreliable.

He replied: [I understand clearly.]

—

Qin Yu returned early Saturday morning Beijing time. He wanted to surprise Pu Chen and didn’t tell her he was back in the country. He also didn’t have his father pick him up at the airport.

While waiting for his luggage, he received a message from his father, who had already arrived at the airport.

He Junshuo arrived to pick him up at dawn.

Qin Yu felt bad for making his father get up so early to pick him up, “Didn’t I say I would take a taxi back?”

He Junshuo put the suitcase in the trunk and said, “Taking a taxi is so expensive.”

Qin Yu: “……”

Sitting in the car, He Junshuo asked him, “Should I take you back to the apartment first to drop off your things, or go straight to Pu Chen’s school?”

It was Saturday today, and Qin Yu wanted to let Pu Chen sleep in, so he wasn’t in a hurry to go find her.

He decided to go back to the apartment first, put down his suitcase, change clothes, and then go find Pu Chen.

No need to take me to school, just lend me the car for two days.

The two black luxury cars that He Junshuo is currently driving are extravagant and do not suit Qin Yu’s youthful temperament. He called his secretary and asked him to drive the SUV to the apartment building where Qin Yu lives.

On the way back, Qin Yu sought his father’s opinion: “Can I take Pu Chen to the law firm tomorrow afternoon? Let her experience the office atmosphere there.”

He Junshuo nodded; he happened to be at the law firm tomorrow.

When they arrived at the apartment building, the secretary was already waiting there and handed the SUV keys to Qin Yu.

Qin Yu didn’t have many things; the box basically contained gifts for Pu Chen.

He Junshuo didn’t go upstairs and left together with the secretary.

This apartment was a gift from his mother on his eighteenth birthday, and his father also gave him one. That one was bought in Sucheng, in the same residential complex as Lu Baisheng’s apartment.

Upon reaching the sixteenth floor, Qin Yu entered using his fingerprint.

The property management regularly comes to clean; yesterday he even specially informed them that he would be moving back in today. Now the house is spotless and bright, with the windows open for ventilation.

On the dining table and the coffee table, there was a vase of fresh flowers each—peonies, Chinese roses, and roses—all flowers that Pu Chen liked.

Before leaving, Qin Yu took a shower, changed into clean clothes, and drove to Pu Chen’s school.

Approaching the school gate, he asked Pu Chen, “Chen Bao, are you at the dormitory or the library?” Her weekend life was always simple and dull, revolving around the dormitory, library, and cafeteria.

Ten minutes passed, but Pu Chen still hadn’t replied to him.

Qin Yu parked the car beside the dormitory. He looked at his watch; it was a quarter past eleven, just in time to have lunch with her.

[Baby, where are you?]

Another five minutes passed before Pu Chen replied. She sent him a video, sharing, [Today I went hiking with my roommate.]

I originally planned to tell you last night that I was going hiking today, but since you were busy last night, I thought I’d wait and tell you tonight.

He wasn’t busy; he was on the plane at that time and could only leave her a message saying he had to do an experiment and couldn’t video chat with her.

Pu Chen thought he was still abroad; it was early morning in Boston at that time. “It’s so late, why aren’t you asleep yet?”

Qin replied off-topic: “The scenery on the mountain is pretty good. Did you bring enough water? Are you tired?”

[Fortunately, we took breaks along the way, so it wasn’t too tiring.] Pu Chen sent another short video, showing the food in her backpack, including snacks, water, and a box of cut fruit.

Qin Yu was very pleased that she was willing to go out and have fun, wanting her to enjoy herself to the fullest, without mentioning that he was currently downstairs from her dormitory.

He told a lie: “I’m going to sleep right away. Take good care of yourself, have fun with your classmates, and I’ll video call you when I wake up.”

The two of them sent each other hugging emojis before ending the chat.

Qin got off the car and took a walk around the campus of the University of Political Science and Law. It was his first time here. Pu Chen had shown him every corner of the campus through video calls, and now being there in person, everything felt both familiar and strange.

The campus was not large. After the walk, he went to the cafeteria.

From the moment he entered the cafeteria until he finished serving his food, the gazes cast upon him never ceased. Qin Yu was used to it early on; he had been the center of attention since kindergarten.

He asked a boy to help swipe the card, and he transferred the money to him.

Qin Yu held his tray and found a quiet spot by the side to sit down. He tried a few dishes that Pu Chen said were delicious; the taste was okay, but since she was particularly picky, the flavor might not suit her palate.

Before he finished eating, a girl came over to ask for his WeChat.

Qin Yu took out his phone to unlock it. “Sorry, I have a girlfriend.” Then he showed the lock screen to the girl, which was a photo of Pu Chen looking back. It was a candid shot he took of her during the summer vacation, and he had always used it as his lock screen.

The girl felt a bit embarrassed and gave a polite smile. “Sorry to bother you.” She quickly left with her companion.

Qin Yu had lost count of how many times he had been asked for his contact information.

—

It was already 6:30 in the evening, and Pu Chen still hadn’t returned.

Qin Yu sat in the car all afternoon, watched two movies, closed the videos, then got out of the car to stretch his waist and took a bottle of water from the trunk to open and drink.

He leaned against the car door and typed: [Chen Bao, have you returned to the dormitory?]

Pu Chen: [Just got off the bus, almost there.]

She walked slowly while chatting with Qin Yu.

After walking all day today, Zhuo Xuan was exhausted; this pace was just right, slow and leisurely.

“Are you chatting with your boyfriend?” she asked Pu Chen casually from the side.

Pu Chen nodded.

Zhuo Xuan grabbed the strap of Pu Chen’s backpack and said, “You look at your phone, I’ll watch the road for you. If there’s an obstacle ahead, I’ll tell you.”

Upon entering the campus, Pu Chen and Zhuo Xuan ran into Chen Yuanyang. Chen Yuanyang and a few boys from the class had just finished playing basketball. After greeting them, they all walked together towards the dormitory area.

“Pu Chen, are you going to the cafeteria?” Zhuo Xuan asked her.

Pu Chen shook her head and typed back: [I’ve eaten too many snacks, not hungry. If you want to go, I’ll accompany you.] She knew Zhuo Xuan didn’t want to walk with Chen Yuanyang, and right now Zhuo Xuan must be feeling very conflicted.

“You don’t need to accompany me. You go back to the dorm; I’ll go to the cafeteria to have some porridge,” Zhuo Xuan waved her hand at her. “Be careful when you walk, don’t just keep looking at your phone.” Then she turned and headed towards the cafeteria.

Pu Chen walked slowly. A few boys were chatting about topics they were interested in, quickly putting distance between themselves and her. Chen Yuanyang also didn’t deliberately wait for her; he noticed that Zhuo Xuan was avoiding him.

Approaching the dormitory area, Pu Chen’s conversation with Qin Yu was abruptly interrupted; Qin Yu said he had to get busy.

Pu Chen: [Okay, you go ahead.]

When she put away her phone and looked up, she directly met Qin Yu’s gaze. She suddenly widened her eyes, her face full of shock and disbelief.

She was at least ten seconds slow.

By the time she reacted, she was dragging her tired legs running towards Qin Yu.

Qin Yu pulled her close and pinched her upturned nose.

Pu Chen asked him, “Why did you come back?”

Qin Yu said, “Come back and ask you face to face, why didn’t you help me ask Uncle Pu at that time which place has the best breakfast?” Saying this, he chuckled to himself.

Pu Chen pretended to push him lightly and laughed along with him.

Qin Yu took the phone from her hand and threw it into the car, then held her hand tightly with their fingers intertwined.

Pu Chen had so much she wanted to say to him, but without her phone now, she couldn’t express anything.

Qin Yu lowered his head to match her height, “You still owe me one thing, and now you have to make it up to me.”

The clear and pure aura on him made her feel at ease, but it also distracted her.

Pu Chen didn’t remember owing him anything, and she had no way to ask him.

Think about it carefully again,” Qin Yu reminded her, “You sent me an animated gif.

Pu Chen recalled what it was—the kissing emoji—but with people coming and going on the street nearby, she felt too shy to kiss him.

She pulled her hands out of Qin Yu’s grasp, struggling for a moment, then raised her arms and gently wrapped them around him.

After officially starting their relationship following their senior year graduation, today was the first time Pu Chen took the initiative to hug Qin Yu. Nervous yet sweet, she instinctively held her breath tighter, her delicate eyelashes fluttering occasionally, as if feeling not close enough, she tiptoed forward another two centimeters.

She looked up at him quietly, utterly content.

This embrace stirred Qin more than a kiss ever could.

“From now on, every time we meet, you have to hug me like this.” He then held her tightly in his arms.