The Silent World And Him - Chapter 34

Pu Chen also wanted to cling to Qin Yu, but the strange psychological barrier had not yet been overcome.

Inferiority was deeply engraved in her bones, preventing her from acting freely.

On the way to the cafeteria, her hand was always tucked into Qin Yu’s pocket. Several times she wanted to hold his hand and put it in the pocket together with him, but in the end, she only dared to think about it in her heart.

Describing the cafeteria as packed with a sea of people is by no means an exaggeration.

When others go to the cafeteria to get food, they usually queue at the window with the shortest line, but Qin Yu is different; he does the opposite—wherever the crowd is largest, that’s where he queues.

Moreover, he is unhurried and seems to really enjoy the act of waiting in line.

His tall stature makes him stand out, and combined with his impeccable looks, just standing there makes him the center of attention.

Pu Chen wanted to stand quietly behind him, just an ordinary person waiting in line for food, but Qin Yu wouldn’t allow it; he grabbed her wrist and made her stand side by side with him.

Being stared at by so many people, Pu Chen felt anxious and uneasy.

[Let’s switch to another window; this one is too crowded.]

Qin confidently replied, « The crowd proves that the food at this window is good. »

Pu Chen couldn’t help but smile.

[Qin Yu.]

Qin Yu stared at her own name, stunned for a moment.

She had never edited these two characters alone for him to see; in that instant, he automatically heard her voice.

Pu Chen continued typing: [So many people are watching us.]

Qin said with a smile, « I’m just afraid they won’t watch. »

Pu Chen: « …… »

Seeing him so nervous, she felt incredibly sweet inside.

She still told him the truth: [Not that many people are chasing me, it’s just you who treats me like a treasure.]

Qin Yu looked at her: « You always have been. »

His straightforward words made her more flustered than the curious gazes around them.

Qin Yu stopped talking and sent her a message on his phone: [Chen Bao, you need to slowly get used to the fact that I am your boyfriend now, no longer just your deskmate. Also, from now on, when you message me, you can say my name a few more times.]

He repeated once again the sentence he had said to her on the way home from school: « Can you stick to me a little more? »

—

Pu Chen’s clingy behavior was seen by her roommate. That night, after eight o’clock, under the deep night, she and Qin Yu were on the small path beside the dormitory building. The streetlights were dim, making it the preferred spot for couples to kiss and cuddle before parting every night.

During the day, Qin Yu was dissatisfied that she wasn’t clingy enough to him. Now, with few people passing by, Pu Chen took the initiative to wrap her arms around his waist and pressed herself against his chest. She tilted her head back, her chin brushing against his heart intermittently.

Stop rubbing. » The fabric of the sports jacket wasn’t soft. Qin Yu freed one hand and cupped her chin with his palm, « Does it hurt when you rub like that?

Pu Chen wasn’t that spoiled, and shook his head.

Qin Yu pulled down the zipper of his jacket with one hand, revealing a black hoodie underneath made of relatively soft material. He held her head and pressed her against his chest. « Alright, now you can snuggle. »

Pu Chen curved the corner of her mouth and rested her entire profile against him.

Qin Yu wrapped his arms tightly around her, and with his chin tapped the top of her head, saying, « I can’t see you like this, look up. »

Pu Chen had no choice but to tilt her face up again. Qin Yu lowered his head, their noses touching, and it was impossible to tell whose breath belonged to whom.

« I might not return to the country until a month later, » he said.

Pu Chen slightly nodded, indicating she understood.

Just as she nodded, their lips brushed against each other, carrying each other’s warmth.

That faint, almost imperceptible kiss brushed over the heart like a feather, tender and enchanting.

Qin teased her, « How do you know what I’m thinking? »

Pu Chen pretended not to understand his words.

Qin said, « We can only meet in a month. Can you kiss me thirty times? One kiss a day isn’t too much. »

Pu Chen blinked, their eyelashes brushing against each other. She tilted her head to the side, found the right angle, and gently kissed his lips.

That momentary tingling sensation surged to the tips of every finger.

The scent on him entered her lungs with each breath she took.

One, two, she silently counted in her heart.

Qin Yu was also counting, and when he reached thirty, he noticed Pu Chen pause. Just as he thought she had finished the thirty kisses and was about to stop, her lips came back over his, adding two more kisses.

Qin Yu was delighted by those last two kisses, so reverent and cautious.

He pretended not to notice, « Finished so quickly? Did you really count to thirty? No cutting corners allowed. »

Pu Chen nodded, a smile in her eyes, and if you looked closely, there was a hint of guilt. She secretly kissed him two more times.

She used to not understand why there were so many couples downstairs by the dormitory every night. Even though they were together all day, when it came time to say goodbye at night, they would stand there for a long time, reluctant to part.

Now she understood.

After being lovey-dovey until half past eight, Pu Chen let go of Qin Yu, took out his phone from his pocket, and said, « You should go back soon. It’s too late, your grandma will worry about you. »

It takes more than two hours by car from school to his grandmother’s house, and if there is traffic, it might take three hours.

[We chat on our phones when we get home.]

Qin wanted to spend more time with her, but Pu Chen wouldn’t allow it and pulled his hand, leading him toward the car.

Then I’ll take you back to the dorm first.

Pu Chen: [I want to give it to you.]

She looked at him with pleading eyes.

Qin compromised and pinched her fingers.

The car stopped not far away, it takes less than two minutes to walk.

Qin sat in the car, slid down the window, and said, « Baby, come here and let me hold you for a moment. »

Pu Chen leaned close to the driver’s seat, his long arm reaching out through the window to hold her tightly. « Wait until I drive away, no crying. If you cry, I won’t be able to see you and can’t comfort you. »

Pu Chen argued: « I’m not a little crybaby. »

Qin and Xiaoxiao didn’t embarrass her. During the summer vacation, he went abroad to study. She saw him off at the airport, and after he went inside, it was said that her eyes were swollen from crying.

He kissed her on the forehead, « Goodbye, baby. »

Pu Chen waved to him, his eyes full of reluctance.

The car slowly pulled away, Qin Yu watched her through the rearview mirror. She waved her hand while unconsciously taking a few steps forward.

He drove very slowly, and the pedestrians beside him one by one hurried past his car.

However slowly he drove, the car still reached the turning point.

The car’s taillights disappeared around the corner. Pu Chen felt lost and forlorn, her eyes involuntarily reddening. Just moments ago, she had confidently told Qin Yu that she wasn’t a little crybaby.

Back in the dormitory, all three roommates were there.

Except for Zhuo Xuan, the other two roommates teased her, saying they had just seen a delicate beauty downstairs by the dorm building.

Pu Chen held her forehead with her hand, feeling embarrassed even thinking about that scene.

Sitting quietly at her desk for a few minutes, she gathered her thoughts and opened her computer to video chat with her father.

Pu Wanli quickly connected the video call and adjusted the camera.

Noisy sounds came through the video, and from time to time, other people appeared in the background behind Dad. Pu Chen carefully identified where Dad was; it was a very busy hotpot restaurant in an alley.

I’m out drinking and chatting with your teacher Lu. » Saying this, Pu Wanli waved his beer glass in front of the phone, then put the glass down and told his daughter, « I’ll drink at most two bottles, not more.

Pu Chen smiled, with a hint of coquettishness: « You all secretly went out to eat hotpot while I wasn’t home. »

Pu Wanli also smiled, [When you come back from your holiday, Dad will treat you to a meal.] He said to his daughter: [Say hello to Teacher Lu for me.]

Then, the scene switched to Lu Baisheng. He was wearing a black shirt, sitting opposite Dad. This man, admired by everyone, descended from his pedestal in her family’s repair shop amidst the everyday hustle and bustle.

Has Qin left?

……

It seems nothing can be hidden from Teacher Lu. Pu Chen admitted honestly: « Hmm, today he accompanied me to classes at school all day. Teacher Lu, how did you know Qin Yu had gone back? Did Qin Yu tell you? »

Lu Baisheng said, « He shared a scenic photo on his Moments that I don’t know from which year, and he even turned on the location, showing it was at your school. He was afraid others wouldn’t know he was with you. »

Pu Chen turned away and smiled; she hadn’t had time to check Moments yet and didn’t know Qin Yu had posted an update.

The final topic inevitably turned to Pu Wenxin. Lu Baisheng no longer beat around the bush when talking about Pu Wenxin now, « Do you know exactly which day your aunt will come back? »

Pu Chen: [Auntie didn’t say, she’s been very busy recently, the project is nearing completion, working overtime and having meetings every day. Auntie and I haven’t video called for two days. Next time, I’ll ask her when her flight is.]

Lu Bocheng: « No need, if you ask her, she’ll just get suspicious. I’ll find someone to inquire myself. » He hasn’t surprised her for a long time.

Pu Chen didn’t delay any longer and joined his dad for hotpot, consciously ending the video call.

She still remembered what Lu Bocheng said at the beginning and clicked into the Moments to check Qin Yufa’s updates.

Qin Yu posted a photo of an early winter landscape, it was the path leading to the school store at their high school. There was only this one photo, with no caption.

The little trick in this Moments post was that the location was turned on, letting people know he had returned to the country to see her.

Qin Yu never posted her on Moments, but instead set her photo as the cover of his Moments.

After liking this post, Pu Chen logged out of WeChat, opened the photo album, and looked through the photos and videos taken with Qin Yu over the past few days. The photos in her album were all moments from the years they had spent together.

« Pu Chen, are you still going to the library tomorrow morning? » Zhuo Xuan asked her.

They had no classes tomorrow morning. Usually, the two of them would go to the library to read and practice problems, but since Qin Yu had returned, she wasn’t sure if Pu Chen had time.

Pu Chen nodded, [Yes, tomorrow morning we’ll go to the cafeteria to eat together.]

She put down her phone, took out a set of CET-6 past exam papers from her bag, and started timing herself to do the exercises.

The roommate in the next bed saw Pu Chen practicing questions and felt a little provoked. She sighed, quietly turned off the reality show she was watching, and took out a brand-new English CET-4 practice test booklet that she had bought not long ago from the bookshelf.

After not touching English test papers for nearly half a year, many words looked both familiar and strange, while Pu Chen and Zhuo Xuan had long since started practicing CET-6 test questions.

Pu Chen hadn’t finished the test paper yet when a voice came in.

Qin Yu asked her, « Baby, what are you doing? »

Pu Chen: [In the dormitory.]

Then video call me.

Pu Chen: [Aren’t you on the road? Drive carefully.]

Before she could send the message, Qin Yu’s video call invitation came in, and Pu Chen had no choice but to answer.

Qin Yu scanned the surroundings with his phone, « I stopped to buy water at a convenience store, I wasn’t driving. »

This time it was a video call on the phone; Pu Chen couldn’t type to chat, he could only listen to him speak.

Qin Yu looked carefully into her eyes; they weren’t red, with no signs of having cried, which put him at ease. Maybe she didn’t shed many tears, and by now they had dried up and were no longer visible.

It’s good that she isn’t crying now.

Going to the convenience store to buy water was just a pretext. He parked the car by the roadside to video call her because he was afraid she would secretly shed tears after he left, so he could comfort her in time.

Returning to grandma’s house, the family was still awake. Grandma, grandpa, and mother were all in the living room watching TV.

Qin Mingyi wore a stern expression and barely raised his eyelids when he saw him enter the villa.

After exchanging greetings, Qin Yu sat down beside grandma. « Didn’t I tell you not to wait for me and to go to bed early? »

Grandma took a box of milk to him and said, « It only looks like I’m waiting for you, but actually, your grandpa and I drank too much coffee today, so we can’t fall asleep that early at all. »

Qin smiled and said, « Please don’t tell the truth. »

He took out a few gifts from the backpack he carried with him, which he had specially chosen for his grandmother and grandfather.

Of course, there was also a share for the mother.

Qin Mingyi was still resentful about him coming back early and reluctantly accepted the gift.

It was a limited edition bottle of perfume, chosen to suit her taste.

Perhaps because Qin had thoughtfully prepared this small gift, her anger was half gone.

Grandma urged Qin Yu to go take a bath and go to bed, saying, « We can talk slowly tomorrow, there’s plenty of time. »

After Qin Yu went upstairs, she scolded her daughter: « You really are something, why the long face? Can’t you lighten up? You let him go see Pu Chen, young people in love are always like this. When you were dating He Junshuo back then… »

Oh, Mom— » Qin Mingyi interrupted helplessly, « Can you please not bring up those trivial old matters?

You think I’m annoying, right? Qin Yu must think his mom is annoying too.

……

Qin Mingyi was so insulted that she felt like having a heart attack, but she couldn’t retort against her own mother.

Grandma: « Don’t hang a long face; your father and I feel uncomfortable just looking at you. Tomorrow morning, you come shopping with me and buy a few winter clothes for Qin Yu to take back. He’s busy at school and definitely doesn’t have time to buy clothes for himself. »

Qin Mingyi looked at the perfume in her hand, « Even if I buy it, he won’t wear it; he finds carrying a suitcase troublesome. I might have to go on a business trip in December, and then I’ll buy it for him. »

—

It snowed in Beijing in mid-December.

Pu Chen had not yet fully adapted to Beijing’s winter; the wind was strong, cold, and dry.

Coming out of the study room at night, she saw snowflakes fluttering outside and a layer of pure white snow on the ground. Ignoring the biting cold wind, she took out her phone and recorded a short video to send to Qin Yu.

She rarely disturbed him.

[It’s snowing in Beijing.]

[Is it cold where you are?]

Qin Yu watched the short video and replied to her: [Yes, it’s cold, about the same as where you are.]

[Baby, I’ll chat with you later. My mom came to Boston on a business trip today. I just picked her up from the airport. Let me settle my mom first.]

Pu Chen: [I’m not in a hurry, you go ahead and take care of your business first.]

Qin Yu said: [I’m the one eager to video call you.]

« Put on your clothes, don’t catch a cold. » Qin Mingyi took a down jacket out of the car and gave it to Qin Yu.

Qin Yu had just put it on when another phone rang; it was a call from a university classmate.

It was really cold outside, so Qin Mingyi pushed the suitcase upstairs.

This apartment was purchased many years ago by He Junshuo’s elder brother. The He family’s company has a research and development center in Boston, and they occasionally stay here when on business trips. After Qin Yu started attending school here, he often lived here.

More than ten minutes passed, and Qin Yu still hadn’t come upstairs. Qin Mingyi walked to the window and looked down; her son was still downstairs making a phone call. She opened the suitcase and began organizing her belongings. More than half of the suitcase was filled with things brought for Qin Yu, along with a few reference books.

The study room door was wide open, and she sent a few books over there.

This was Qin Mingyi’s first time coming to the apartment. Qin Yu was brought here by He Junshuo at the start of the school term. At that time, she had a case on hand, and the trial was scheduled for those few days, so she couldn’t spare the time.

Standing at the study room door, she looked around.

The arrangement of the study was very different from what she had imagined. Various small gifts and trinkets occupied two shelves of one bookcase. No doubt, these were gifts Pu Chen had given Qin Yu over the years.

On the desk were three framed photos: one was a solo portrait of Pu Chen, another was a graduation photo of him and Pu Chen taken in their senior year classroom, and the last was a picture of him and Pu Chen taken at a scenic spot during their summer vacation trip.

Several pots of green plants are lined up by the floor-to-ceiling window. The indoor temperature is just right, and under the winter morning light, they look lush and vibrant.

There are also a few similar green plants and a small pot of succulents in the apartment in Sucheng, all gifts from Pu Chen. He cherishes them like treasures and once wished he could take those plants across the ocean with him.

After coming here to study, he was afraid that his unreliable mother would forget to water the plants, so he left those green plants and succulents in the care of the property management.

The property manager said that he calls every now and then to ask about the growth of the plants, showing how much he cares.

Qin Mingyi withdrew her gaze, walked to the desk, and placed the book in her hand on the corner of the desk. Only then did she notice a law book spread out on his desk. Her brows furrowed slightly as she took a closer look at his bookshelf, where nearly half of the books were related to law.

She casually picked up a book and flipped through it. There were serious notes written in the margins, in Qin Yu’s handwriting. The more she read, the heavier her chest felt, as if her windpipe was being squeezed.

Qin Ming put the book back exactly as it was, picked up the few books she had brought, and quickly left the study, as if she had never entered.

Twenty minutes later, after Qin Yu finished a phone call with a classmate and had a video chat with Pu Chen, he came upstairs.

Qin Mingyi was sitting at the dining table having breakfast at this moment. There was only one last bite of toast left uneaten, the glass of milk was almost empty, and there were only two or three strawberries left on the plate.

Qin took off his coat and came over. Seeing the breakfast on the table was too simple, he said, « Mom, do you want some lobster rolls? »

Qin Mingyi: « This is enough. »

She said casually, « Your cousin is also on a business trip in Boston. Call him and have lunch together at noon. »

« Alright. » Qin Yu pulled out a chair and sat down, sending a message to He Chuyao to come over after finishing his work.

« Mom, did you bring the few books I asked you to bring? » he asked his mother.

Qin Mingyi pointed to the suitcase next to the living room sofa: « It’s in the suitcase. One of the books isn’t the version you wanted. I’ll find it for you when I get back. »

« No need, this is good enough. » Qin Yu went over to get the book; the suitcase was standing there, looking untouched.

After finishing the last three strawberries on the plate, Qin Mingyi got up to clear the table. « You organize the suitcase, I didn’t sleep well on the plane, I’ll catch up on two hours of sleep. »

After washing the dishes and putting them away, Qin Mingyi returned to the guest room.

However, more than two hours passed, and she didn’t fall asleep for even a minute.

Qin Mingyi pushed her eye mask up and stared absentmindedly at the ceiling. Thinking about how Qin Yu had devoted so much time and energy to law, she felt chest tightness and shortness of breath.

Always afraid that he might get another sudden impulse to pursue a law degree.

She didn’t dare to think any further.

Ever since Qin and Zhuan moved to Sucheng, it seems everything has deviated from the original path.

She watched him drift further and further away.

Before coming to Boston, her mother repeatedly reminded her over the phone to keep a straight face when she saw Qin Yu. She tried to stay calm and composed, and she had moved on from the matter of Qin Yu secretly returning early without telling him, choosing to understand.

But now he is single-mindedly focused on studying law—what exactly does that mean?

—

At 12:30 noon, He Chuyao arrived late.

Qin Mingyi had applied a face mask and put on delicate makeup, making her complexion look less haggard.

Since they rarely got together, she didn’t want to spoil the mood, so she stayed fully alert and hid all her emotions.

« Second Aunt, long time no see. » Over the years, He Chuyao had gotten used to calling Qin Mingyi « Second Aunt, » even though she had been divorced from He Junshuo for many years.

Qin Mingyi smiled, « It has been a long time. »

She thought seriously for a moment: « Almost three years, right? »

He Chuyao: « About that. » He poured himself a glass of water, walked over to the sofa, and kicked Qin Yu, who was playing a game, « Time to eat. »

The dining place was set at a chain restaurant two kilometers away, which was also one of the He family’s businesses, operated by He Chuyao. Originally, the elders of the He family had no hope for it since he was famously playful and irresponsible, but unexpectedly, he managed to run it on a large scale.

With He Chuyao lightening the mood, the meal was filled with joy and harmony.

Qin Yu was not interested in their conversation and got up to go to the restroom.

He Chuyao was not foolish; he had long noticed that Second Aunt and Qin Yu only maintained a surface-level harmony. If the mother and son were overly polite to each other, it definitely meant there was a problem.

Taking advantage of Qin Yu’s absence, he asked Qin Mingyi, « Did Qin Yu make you angry again? I’ll deal with him. »

It was fine not to mention it, but once brought up, Qin Mingyi couldn’t hold back his anger. « Qin Yu is now half focused on law. Is he planning to pursue a J.D. degree at the law school next door?! »

Since Second Aunt already knows, there’s no need to keep it a secret anymore. The most important thing now is to persuade Second Aunt to agree.

He took the initiative to take responsibility: « I helped Qin Yu borrow those books, and I’m also looking for someone to write a recommendation letter for him. Harvard Law School is a place I’ve dreamed of attending, and I’ve always wanted to pursue a J.D. degree, but unfortunately, I don’t qualify. Qin Yu has this ability, isn’t that a good thing? »

Qin Mingyi looked at He Chuyao in disbelief: « Is he really going to pursue a law degree? »

He Chuyao: « …… »

So it turns out Second Aunt didn’t know.

Just now, Second Aunt accurately mentioned the degree Qin Yu wanted to pursue, and he thought she knew Qin Yu’s intentions. It turned out that sentence was ambiguous; Second Aunt was asking a question, speaking out of anger, but he took it as a statement of certainty.

Seeing Second Aunt’s expression change repeatedly, he realized he had misspoken.

Qin Yu had previously instructed him not to mention to the family that he wanted to study law.

Unexpectedly, Second Aunt caught him off guard, and he carelessly betrayed Qin Yu.

He Chuyao spared no effort to make amends: « I recommended Qin Yu. If he has time, he should pursue a law degree; it won’t harm his future career development. »

Qin Mingyi just smiled without saying a word.

He Chuyao had no choice but to grit his teeth and continue fabricating: « I told him, since he’s already in Boston, he might as well attend both universities. »

He changed the subject and used himself as an example to divert Qin Mingyi’s dissatisfaction: « Besides our family restaurant, there are two other famous restaurants on this street. Every time I come on a business trip, I make sure to try both of them, so the trip is worthwhile. I often instill this principle in Qin Yu, and I guess he has grasped the essence of my words, which is why he wants to attend both universities. »

Qin Mingyi: « …… »

The He family really is passionate about eating; they can connect anything to food.