The Silent World And Him - Chapter 40
During dinner, Pu Chen received a message from her father.
Pu Wanli had just finished work, closed the shop door, and wanted to video call his daughter. He asked if she was available at the moment.
« Dad, I’m available. » Pu Chen held her phone and quickly walked to the corridor outside the private room.
Qin Yu followed closely. She knew that Pu Chen and Pu Wanli used sign language for their video calls, and it was inconvenient for her to sign while holding the phone.
Chenbao. » Qin Yu caught up, « I’ll be your phone stand today.
Pu Chen smiled and mouthed, « Thank you. »
In the private room, shortly after Pu Chen and Qin Yu left, Peng Jingyang also received a call.
The call lasted nearly ten minutes, during which he patiently explained a key point from their class to the person on the other end.
Zhao Shu ate her vegetables silently, trying hard to listen to what Peng Jingyang was saying. She understood every word but couldn’t grasp the meaning.
This was the sorrow of being a poor student; listening to their conversation felt like hearing a foreign language.
He was so patient—it must be a call from his girlfriend.
Finally, after she finished a plate of shrimp balls, Peng Jingyang ended the call.
Xie Jiaying suddenly remembered and asked, « Your girlfriend is also from your Su City, right? »
She had heard people mention it before but didn’t pay much attention at the time.
Peng Jingyang hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
Zhao Shu accidentally bit her cheek and was in pain for quite a while before recovering.
The top science student in their Su City class was a girl. Peng Jingyang was admitted through a competition and did not take the college entrance exam. He and his girlfriend were a powerful couple.
She didn’t even have the qualification to be jealous; the gap between them was too great, far beyond her reach.
The door to the private room opened, and Pu Chen and Qin Yu came in, interrupting their previous conversation.
After the meal, Pu Chen noticed something unusual between Zhao Shu and Peng Jingyang. However, in high school, they often gave each other the cold shoulder over minor disagreements, so she was used to it and didn’t rush to ask Zhao Shu what was going on. She planned to ask once they returned to the hotel.
The gathering ended after two hours, and there was still work to be done on the project.
Pu Chen handed Qin Yu her bag and pointed towards the direction of the restroom. Zhao Shu wanted to accompany her, but she didn’t allow it.
Zhao Shu looked listless, leaning on the windowsill watching the night view.
Pu Chen came back from the restroom, and Zhao Shu was still in the same position, seemingly lazily enjoying the dazzling night view, her thoughts long gone elsewhere.
Qin Yu and Peng Jingyang were chatting with their backs turned to Pu Chen.
« Do you want to invest more? » Peng Jingyang asked him.
They had just been talking about a mini-game developed by Peng Jingyang’s senior brother, in which Qin Yu had previously invested quite a bit.
Qin Yu: « No more investment. » He joked, « I’m a bit broke right now, can’t even come up with five hundred thousand. » It wasn’t that he couldn’t get the money, but all the funds currently had to be prioritized for the development of the voice synthesis app.
« Good morning, Chenchen, » Zhao Shu spoke.
Qin Yu turned around and extended his hand to Pu Chen.
Pu Chen walked over and, without grabbing his hand, wiped it with her hands that were just washed but not dried, using his palm as a towel.
Qin Yuxiao pinched her fingers.
Pu Chen was about to take the backpack off her shoulder, but Qin Yu held her hand, « I’ll carry it. » He pushed her back and walked toward the elevator.
Zhao Shu and Peng Jingyang walked behind them. She deliberately kept her distance from him, looking straight ahead without glancing sideways.
Not sure if it was because she ate too much, but her stomach was faintly aching.
She probably would never want to eat hotpot again. Tonight, her favorite shrimp paste combined with the content of his phone call felt like a sharp sword piercing straight through her insides.
Peng Jingyang didn’t know what was wrong with Zhao Shu. Seeing her aloof and indifferent expression, he hesitated to speak.
They remained silent all the way down to the hotpot restaurant.
Qin Yu’s driver wasn’t there, so he sent Xie Jiaying and the others home first. Then he looked at Peng Jingyang: “Are you going back to school, or do you want to hang out at my place for a while?”
Peng Jingyang lifted his chin towards Zhao Shu: « I’ll take her back to the hotel. »
Pu Chen still wanted to tell Zhao Shu that he would accompany her to the hotel tonight, but as soon as he took two steps forward, Qin Yu pulled him back. The force was so strong that it directly dragged him into Qin Yu’s arms. « Let’s go home first. If you have any secrets to share, tell Zhao Shu tomorrow. It’s vacation time; there’s plenty of time to have fun. »
Without giving any explanation, Qin Yu put his arm around Pu Chen’s shoulder and led her forward.
After walking a certain distance, Pu Chen finally asked him: [What’s wrong? My suitcase is still in Zhao Shu’s room.]
Not really. » Qin Yu said, « They’re about to have a chemical reaction, and if you go over, you’ll just be a third wheel.
Pu Chen widened his eyes, even forgetting to take a step.
Zhao Shu likes Peng Jingyang?
Qin Yu kissed her on the cheek: « Whether or not, I’m not sure. »
Pu Chen composed her expression, [They…] she couldn’t find the right words, [When did this happen?]
Qin shook his head; he wasn’t sure either.
Zhao Shu was silent all night, and Peng Jingyang, unusually thoughtful, wanted to send Zhao Shu back to the hotel. After all, everything was different from high school.
At this moment, the two people a hundred meters behind them looked at each other in silence.
Cold night, noise, and bustling scenes seemed to have nothing to do with them.
Zhao Shu had her hands in her pockets. « In such a lively area, you don’t need to see me off. You can go back. »
Peng Jingyang was frustrated all night, his patience worn thin. « Zhao Shu, what exactly do you mean? You’ve been giving me the cold shoulder all night. Can’t you just say it properly? You didn’t tell me you were coming, and now you blame me? »
He was so angry his chest heaved.
Zhao Shu was even more frustrated; she had been trying her best to avoid contact with him and was always polite no matter what she said.
She was cautious with her words and actions, carefully hiding her emotions, afraid of ruining the atmosphere of the gathering.
And yet, he still accused her of throwing a tantrum.
His skill at turning things around like that was really something.
She wasn’t in the mood to argue with him.
Nor was it necessary.
Why would she quarrel with someone else’s boyfriend in public?
Zhao Shu didn’t understand: “When did I ever show you attitude?”
Peng Jing came to settle the score: “Count on your fingers yourself, how many sentences did you say to me tonight, and which one wasn’t fake politeness?”
He was furious: “Let’s call it fake politeness to be nice, but to put it bluntly, it’s sarcastic. It was one thing when you were sarcastic as a kid, but do you even know how old you are now?”
Zhao Shu still spoke kindly: “I didn’t mean to target you, and it wasn’t fake politeness, it’s called knowing your limits. You’re different now, I can’t talk to you carelessly like before.”
Peng Jingyang was baffled: « How is it different now? »
You have… a girlfriend. No matter how close we are, we still have to avoid misunderstandings, understand? » Zhao Shu held back her sadness, « Even though we’ve known each other since we were kids and have been neighbors for so many years, it’s really not appropriate for you to see me home. You’ve questioned me before, so just go back.
Peng Jing was silent for a moment, then explained, « I don’t have a girlfriend. »
Zhao Shu suddenly looked up, her face full of doubt.
He didn’t come back during the National Day holiday. She heard from people she knew that Peng Jingyang had a girlfriend.
She didn’t believe it at all, thinking that if he really had a girlfriend, he would definitely tell her.
Later, she saw on his Weibo comments a girl’s ID who liked and commented every time he posted something. The girl even posted group photos of them going out during the National Day holiday on her own feed.
That day she asked him if he had a girlfriend, and he replied with one word: « Mm. »
And just now at dinner, Xie Jiaying was so sure that he had a girlfriend, and he himself admitted that his girlfriend was from Sucheng.
And now he still wants to deny it outright.
You said you had one yourself, so how come now you don’t? That girl is kind of pitiful, not even acknowledged by you.
Peng Jingyang explained, « There are too many girls chasing me at school, even in our class. Having a girlfriend is the best excuse to reject others; it doesn’t hurt their pride and completely shuts down their thoughts. »
So, he told others that he had a girlfriend in high school, and that she was from Sucheng.
Zhao Shu reluctantly tried to understand his explanation, « But you even have to lie to me, how do you explain that? »
She lacked confidence: « I never chased after you. »
Or maybe he guessed that she liked him?
Her heart suddenly hung in the air.
Zhao Shu stared at him without blinking, trying to see something.
Peng Jingyang: « You were very annoying at the time, so I was basically shutting you up. »
During that period, she mocked him every day, saying he was so focused on studying that he had become dumb, wondering why he still hadn’t gotten a girlfriend, always rattling on and on, almost as nagging as his mother.
He wanted peace and quiet, so when she asked again, he went along with it and said he had a girlfriend.
Since that day, he truly found peace.
She never sent him a message again, and he was busy every day with work in the lab, plus developing the AI project, so exhausted that he didn’t have a single spare minute to think about anything else.
Until tonight, when he saw her at the hotpot restaurant.
Seeing her was not a surprise, but anger—angry that she came to Beijing without telling him. If they hadn’t run into each other at the hotpot restaurant tonight, he might not have even known she had been here.
As for why he was angry, even he wasn’t sure.
“I don’t have a girlfriend, no time to find one. My current girlfriend is the project, and in two years it will turn into applying to study abroad.” He didn’t have enough time, even if he broke it down.
Hearing that he didn’t have a girlfriend, Zhao Shu’s first reaction was surprisingly not anger, nor did she blame him for lying to her.
It was like something lost and found again; she instantly came back to life.
If it weren’t for keeping up appearances, she really wanted to shout out loud.
Half a minute ago, she was like a deflated balloon; in the blink of an eye, she was full of energy again, floating up into the air.
She turned her face away and laughed heartily for several seconds.
Peng Jingyang couldn’t see her face and didn’t know what expression she had now; he could only guess out of thin air: “What’s wrong with you again? Still sulking and not letting it go?”
He apologized, « I was wrong, lying is not right. Can we go back to the hotel? Are you standing here hoping to drink the northeast wind? »
Zhao Shu cupped her face, rubbing away her smile.
She learned her lesson and could no longer push him further away with sarcasm.
Zhao Shu turned her head, her expression returning to normal. She reflected on herself, « I was indeed a bit excessive before. You’re right, we’re not young anymore, we can’t just be sarcastic all the time. Now is the age to care about dignity. »
She showed sincerity: « I will speak properly from now on. »
Peng Jingyang looked at her suspiciously; old habits die hard, and he didn’t believe she could change.
He was currently single, and Zhao Shu hurriedly wanted him to know her plan: « I want to come to Beijing in the future. »
Peng Jingyang: « Then come. » After a pause, he awkwardly said, « Whether I come back from studying abroad or stay in Beijing. »
—
At 10:31 that night, Pu Chen noticed that the group chat name for the four of them had been changed from « Going Our Separate Ways » to « Keep Going Tomorrow Too, Duck. »
There really is something going on.
Pu Chen showed his phone to Qin Yu, who was lying on the bed reading the latest issue of the journal Nature. Seeing the group name, he said, « Zhao Shu is probably reading a professional book right now. »
Pu Chen rested his head on Qin Yu’s pillow and asked, « How do you know? »
Because I’m smart.
Pu Chen smiled, Qin Yu put down the magazine, pulled her into his arms, and couldn’t help but kiss her. His kiss traveled from her forehead down, warm breath brushing across her cheek.
Pu Chen raised his phone, glancing at the screen as he typed, asking him: [Aren’t you going to read the magazine anymore?]
Qin Yu kissed her chin: « No rush, you can read it whenever you want. »
Pu Chen threw his phone aside and hugged him.
His palm traced down along her abs.
She didn’t have abs for the time being, but she felt that if she did, they would definitely be in that spot.
Pu Chen nuzzled his neck, smelling the same shower gel scent on his neck as on her body.
His fingertips, like his kisses, became unconsciously gentle and tender when they touched her.
Later, her nose was damp with sweat.
Qin You kissed her a few more times before getting up. He went to the bathroom to wring out a warm towel and cleaned her up.
Pu Chen tied the belt of her bathrobe and lay back down on the bed.
Tonight, she had no interest in watching entertainment shows; her mind was weighed down by one thing. She had overheard Qin Yu telling Peng Jingyang at the hotpot restaurant that he couldn’t even come up with five hundred thousand now. She was thinking about how to help him.
“Baby, why are you spacing out again?” Qin Yu came back from the bathroom, picked her up, and held her close, letting her head rest against his chest.
Pu Chen touched her phone and read, [Next time you come back, don’t bring me so many gifts.] They were expensive and wasteful, and he was in urgent need of money right now.
Qin Yu heard the unspoken meaning in her words, and he said, « None of it is expensive; I picked them up myself. »
Pu Chenxin, as if.
Qin Yu took her phone out and placed it on the bedside table, then turned off the light. « Go to sleep. I’ll put you down once you’re asleep. »
He mentioned the time of returning home: « The day after tomorrow, we’re going back to Sucheng. I’m not busy lately, so I’ll accompany you back. »
Pu Chen wanted to speak, but his phone was not at hand.
Qin Yu knew what she wanted to say; she would definitely have Zhao Shu accompany her, no need for him to send her.
He held her hand tightly, not letting her take the phone. « It’s Zhao Shu’s business to pick you up, and it’s my business to see you off. No conflict. » He kissed her on the lips. « Good night, baby. »
—
On the day they returned to Su City, Peng Jingyang traveled with them.
Pu Chen and Qin Yu sat together, while Zhao Shu and Peng Jingyang were in another carriage.
She had seen the scenery along the way several times and no longer found it fresh.
She held Qin Yu’s hand, pressing her own fingernail against his smooth nails.
Qin Yu stared at her without blinking, as she rubbed her index fingernail over each of his nails several times, repeatedly.
Pu Chen looked up and their eyes met directly; she smiled with her lips pressed together.
You can play with one hand for half a day. » Qin Yu grabbed a few of her fingers, not letting her move, « Stop playing, talk to me.
Pu Chen typed with one hand: [I wasn’t playing just now, I was thinking.]
« What were you thinking about? » Qin Yu took a listening posture.
Pu Chen: [I was thinking, if you hadn’t transferred to Su City, what would you be doing now.]
Qin Yu didn’t like the word « if »: « No ‘if.’ If there were an ‘if,’ I wouldn’t have met you. » That would be a different life, going step by step, calm and uneventful, without attachments or worries, and maybe it would have been fine too.
Isn’t it great now? The moment I open my eyes, I have the drive to make money.
Pu Chen felt sorry for him: [But you’re very tired right now.]
Qin Yu smiled: « You clearly have no experience making money. Once you start earning, you won’t feel tired anymore. » Someday, he would change that nickname back.
Change it to, I am richer than all the male leads in novels.
Pu Chen: [I do make money (very quietly)]
Qin Yu didn’t understand, « What does ‘very quietly’ mean? »
[It means I can’t tell you, gotta keep it low-key.]
Qin Yu knew she usually didn’t have a part-time job; this money was probably from helping out at the repair shop, a small hardship fee given by Uncle Pu. He asked her, “Tell me, how much did you earn? Tens of yuan or hundreds?”
Pu Chen smiled slyly: [Quite a few tens.]
The copyright fee hadn’t arrived yet; it would come by the end of the month. She had already thought about what gift to buy for him.
The topic returned to the beginning, but this time Qin Yu asked her, “Do you often worry about what you’d do if I didn’t go to Sucheng?”
Pu Chen did not deny it: « I feel like I’m dreaming every day. I’m just afraid that when I open my eyes, the person called Qin Yu won’t be by my side at all. »
Especially afraid.
Qin Yu cupped her cheeks with both hands, gently squeezing them. Her mouth formed a big « O » shape, and he leaned in and quickly kissed her.
You’re not dreaming.
Even if you dream about me, isn’t that normal? When you wake up, I’m still here.
Meeting you was not easy, got stabbed twice, and took a spin around the gates of hell.
Speaking of him being stabbed, Pu Chen gently touched the spot: « Does it still hurt now? »
No, it doesn’t hurt anymore. » Qin Yu changed his words again: « But it did hurt just now. I was wondering why it suddenly hurt again. It turns out you were overthinking. From now on, you handle it yourself. If you want me to live well, you’re not allowed to overthink.
Pu Chen smiled, but his hands were still squeezing her cheeks, distorting her smile.
Qin Yu stopped squeezing her cheeks and rubbed them instead. He said, « Chen Zhilun even came to my school last month. »
Pu Chen knew who Chen Zhilun was; it was his ex-wife who stabbed Qin Yu.
She was a bit nervous: « What did he come to see you for? »
Qin Yu: « Nothing much, he said the company has a project in New York, so he went there on a business trip, and also took the chance to visit me in Boston. »
Since the incident in his first year of high school, Chen Zhilun and his mother had lost contact. Last month was the first time in three years that he saw Chen Zhilun.
Chen Zhilun asked him how his mother had been these past few years.
Chen Zhilun was indeed very tolerant, even indulgent, towards his mother, but he was so cruel to his ex-wife and children. The complexity of human hearts and human nature still confuses him now.
When they left their school, Chen Zhilun said he hoped he could forgive him.
Ever since Pu Chen came into his life, he no longer held any grievances or hatred towards anyone, so forgiveness was out of the question.
Let’s not talk about these anymore, it’s all in the past. Don’t overthink it in the future. » Qin Yu changed the subject: « Is Auntie’s project finished? When will she be back?
Pu Chen felt guilty: [Not sure yet, probably soon.]
Qin Yu: « Teacher Lu is still waiting for us to set them up. »
Pu Chen smiled: [Then I have something to do during winter break.]
Their conversation was interrupted by a message from Pu Wanli.
Pu Wanli asked his daughter what time she would arrive in Sucheng.
It was cold, and Pu Chen didn’t want her father to come out to pick her up. She told him, « Zhao Shu is here, and Peng Jingyang is coming back with us too. »
Qin Yu expressed dissatisfaction: « Why didn’t you mention me? »
Pu Chen had to add: « Qin Yuye is back from vacation. He came to see Teacher Lu. There are many of us, and we have little luggage, so Dad, you don’t need to pick me up. »
Only then was Qin Yu satisfied. « From now on, you have to mention me first. »
Pu Chen nodded, and when he wasn’t paying attention, she kissed him on the chin.
Pu Wanli asked his daughter: « Qin Yuye came to Su City? »
Pu Chen: [Hmm.]
Pu Wanli: [If he wants to eat any late-night snacks, have him tell me in advance, and I’ll make it for him. No more talking, Dad is busy.]
Pu Chen thought that after hearing her, Dad wouldn’t go to the station to pick her up.
As evening approached, the high-speed train arrived in Sucheng.
After getting off the station, Qin Yu pushed the suitcase with one hand and held Pu Chen’s hand with the other.
Zhao Shu and Peng Jingyang’s families were still neighbors. Peng Jingyang’s father came to pick him up and took Zhao Shu along on the way back. They agreed to hang out during the holidays and said their goodbyes.
Pu Chen asked Qin Yu, « Should we take a taxi back or the subway? »
Qin Yu: « It’s up to you. If you want to take the subway, I’ll go with you. »
As soon as he finished speaking, Pu Chen’s raised foot hesitated to come down; she saw her father among the crowd waiting to pick her up.
Pu Wanli hadn’t seen his daughter for several months. Even though she repeatedly told him not to come, he still closed his shop early and waited at the station exit.
He just didn’t expect to see this scene.
He was also extremely embarrassed.
« My dad. » Pu Chen instinctively broke free from Qin Yu’s hand.
Qin Yuye also saw Pu Wanli. His hand landed on her back, « It’s okay, I’ve already seen it. Let’s just admit it openly. I’ll speak. »
Facing Pu Wanli, he was also nervous.
By the time he reached up close, his rationality had only just begun to return.
Qin had already thought about how to talk to Pu Wanli, but while typing, he was so nervous that he mistyped the same word three times in a row.
Pu Chen stood obediently in front of Pu Wanli.
Pu Wanli still smiled gently as before. He felt sorry: « I should have told you before Dad came. »
Pu Chen shook his head desperately, it was her fault for hiding it from Dad for so long.
Qin edited the message carefully and showed it to Pu Wanli: [Uncle, sorry for telling you only now. I’ve liked Pu Chen for a long time, since the first year of high school, and we agreed to start dating in college. After meeting you and Pu Chen, I found motivation in everything I do, and my relationship with my parents has improved. My dad and my grandparents all like Pu Chen very much, and they support all my decisions. Pu Chen is happier and more hardworking than before. We are both getting better, and we will continue to improve. You don’t need to worry.]
Pu Wanli patted Qin Yu’s shoulder firmly.
It was cold, and he told his daughter to hurry and take a taxi home.
Called a taxi, Pu Wanli sat in the front passenger seat, leaving the back seats for the two children.
Qin Yu’s family still lived in the apartment opposite the school. Qin Mingyi was used to living there, and after graduating from high school, Qin Yu was too lazy to move elsewhere.
The taxi arrived at the destination and stopped at the entrance of the alley.
Qin Yu went back home, Pu Chen waved goodbye to him, and she linked arms with her father as they returned to the repair shop.
The sound of the suitcase wheels echoed crisply along the path, but unfortunately, Dad couldn’t hear it, nor could he imagine what this eager sound of returning home was like.
She didn’t know what to say to Dad, filled with guilt and sadness.
She was going to make Dad worry again.
Passing by the repair shop, Pu Wanli didn’t stop. He temporarily let go of the suitcase and told his daughter that he would leave work early today to go home and cook something delicious for her.
At home, the air conditioning was already turned on, and the house was warm and cozy.
The issue of love cannot be avoided or ignored.
Pu Chen changed into his home clothes and went to the kitchen to help his father. « Dad, I’m with Qin Yu. What do you think? I know I’m not a match for him, but I really like him. Sorry, Dad, you worried about Auntie, and now you have to worry about me again. »
Pu Wanli comforted his daughter: « Don’t think too much, just be happy when you’re together. If one day you really can’t be together, it’s okay. When you’re sad, just come home; Dad will always be here. »
