Together Forever - Chapter 45
Volume 2, Chapter 45: Warmth (3)
It was the first time he had spoken to her like that.
Tong Yan had the absurd feeling that he was truly suffering.
She calculated the time; she had initially planned to leave in ten days, but if she hurried, she could probably manage it in seven or eight. Back in the dorm, she immediately began packing. She had prepared the cardboard boxes earlier, filling them with books, clothes, and various knick-knacks accumulated over three years. Three boxes in total.
Shen Yao returned from her shower, carrying two buckets of hot water, just as Tong Yan, straddling a box, was trying to close the flaps and seal it with tape.
The clear tape reflected the warm glow of the desk lamp.
Packing to leave should have been a sad occasion, yet she seemed to be packing for a bright new adventure… It was infuriating.
“…Hand me the scissors,” Tong Yan called out.
“Weren’t you going to seal the boxes the day after tomorrow?” Shen Yao grumbled. “You’re abandoning me for a man! You’ll be back in Beijing, and I’ll be abroad… Mrs. Gu, your Mr. Gu isn't going anywhere, but your best friend is!”
Tong Yan ripped off a length of tape. “He can’t cook; I can’t leave him alone for too long. Be good, you can visit me in Beijing during the winter and summer breaks. I’ll cover all your expenses.”
“Gu Pingsheng is at least twenty-nine, right? Let me see…” Shen Yao handed her the scissors. “You two were secretly together for a semester, then officially together for another semester, although this semester, he’s been away most of the time. Tong Yan Wu Ji, how do you think he survived the first twenty-eight years of his life?”
Tong Yan didn't reply, carefully sealing the box, smoothing the tape with her hand.
After a moment, she stood up and said, “Those first twenty-eight years must have been pretty miserable.”
“Miserable?” Shen Yao was speechless. “University of Pennsylvania Medical School, King’s College London… clearly a highly intelligent individual. And from my six months as his student, I can tell you he has high emotional intelligence too. Plus, he’s handsome. If your man is miserable, then the rest of us should just drown ourselves in our tears…”
Tong Yan chuckled dryly. “The first twenty-eight years, without me, of course they were miserable.”
Shen Yao stared at her, dumbfounded. “Tong Yan Wu Ji, you’ve finally surpassed me in shamelessness.”
She successfully completed her Physics final.
She had shipped her boxes two days earlier. The courier service was efficient; Gu Pingsheng received them just as she was boarding her flight.
She messaged him, asking if he thought she had too much stuff.
He quickly replied: A woman’s belongings should be seven to ten times that of a man’s. I helped Pingfan pack last year; she had over twenty boxes, and that was just from her four years in the UK. Mrs. Gu only has three boxes for three years’ worth of… treasures. TK
Tong Yan smiled, putting away her phone, knowing he was probably about to leave for the airport, or already on his way. They would be together soon, and then came a year of internship, graduation, and starting their careers.
It seemed unlikely they would be separated again.
When she had packed her bags and headed south for university, she had never imagined she would willingly return to the city of her birth. She had even planned to move her grandmother to whichever city she settled in, far from Beijing and everything associated with it.
But in just a year, her perspective had changed completely.
Compared to what Gu Pingsheng had endured, her own experiences seemed… trivial. If she had witnessed her mother’s suicide, then suffered through SARS, the physical and emotional trauma… she didn’t know how she would have coped. And there were still so many unanswered questions about his past, about his father.
She drifted off to sleep, waking up as the flight attendant announced their descent into Beijing Capital International Airport. As the plane landed, she turned on her phone. The first message was from him.
He had sent her detailed instructions on where to meet him.
Terminal 3 was massive, but his directions were clear, and she quickly spotted him. He was wearing a black polo shirt and knee-length black athletic shorts, looking incredibly youthful.
She quietly approached, hoping to surprise him, but he spotted her almost immediately.
Giving up on stealth, she ran towards him and threw herself into his arms. “How does it feel to show off your affection in public?” Everyone had the urge to show off, and Gu Pingsheng was definitely worth showing off.
“Excellent.” He leaned in, his lips brushing against hers.
After a brief pause, he kissed her. Just as she wrapped her arms around his neck, he pulled away slightly, his voice low. “Let’s go home first.”
The abrupt interruption felt like deliberate teasing.
Before she could react, he put his arm around her shoulder and led her away.
“How about interning at a court?” he asked as they walked. “I’ve already arranged an internship for you at a court here. You might even be able to get a job there after graduation. It’s relatively… low-stress.”
“How did you know I wanted a low-stress job?” Tong Yan protested. “What if I want to pursue a high-powered career?”
“Familiarizing yourself with the legal system will be beneficial regardless.”
Hearing that, she didn’t argue.
They continued discussing her internship as they walked.
Unlike the hurried pace of those around them, they were unburdened by deadlines and obligations. She leaned against him, her arm linked through his, casually watching the planes take off outside the windows.
Perhaps a low-stress job wasn't such a bad idea.
Suddenly, someone called out his name from behind, a clear “TK.” She turned around and saw a man with a suitcase, well-groomed, perhaps in his fifties or sixties. His eyes were strikingly similar to Gu Pingsheng’s.
Her heart pounded, and she didn’t dare guess his identity. Gu Pingsheng, following her gaze, turned around.
“Hello,” he said.
A polite, but distant greeting.
“When did you get back? Planning to stay in Beijing?” the man asked.
Silence. After a brief pause, the man’s expression softened as he looked at Tong Yan. “Your girlfriend?”
“My wife,” Gu Pingsheng corrected him calmly.
“Hello,” the man extended his hand to Tong Yan. “I’m Gu Pingsheng’s father, Dong Chang Ting.”
Tong Yan hadn’t expected such an encounter, such an introduction. She shook his hand. “I’m Tong Yan.”
From the way his father had called out his name, he seemed unaware of Gu Pingsheng’s deafness. Seven years had passed since SARS, not a short time. Had they really not seen each other during all that time? She had so many questions, but this wasn’t the time or place. She simply smiled, introducing herself like a young woman meeting her boyfriend’s parents for the first time.
Dong Chang Ting seemed to appreciate her smile, making small talk about his recent trip to Hubei for a liver transplant surgery and how he had unexpectedly run into them at the airport. He occasionally asked Tong Yan simple questions about her age and hometown.
Tong Yan, never one to be rude to elders, glanced at Gu Pingsheng, worried he might be displeased.
He smiled faintly and touched her hair, a silent gesture of approval.
Slightly relieved, she carefully answered his father’s questions.
Thankfully, the questions were casual and the conversation brief. A pharmaceutical representative soon arrived to pick up Dong Chang Ting. “Director Dong, so sorry for the delay. Apparently, some VIP arrived at the airport, and the highway was closed for over an hour.” The representative took his suitcase, shook hands with Gu Pingsheng, and after a few polite exchanges, the father and son, their relationship more distant than that of strangers, parted ways.
Due to traffic control in the city center, they didn't arrive home until one in the afternoon. Tong Yan had eaten on the plane, but he hadn't, so the first thing she did was rush to the kitchen. She took out vegetables, eggs, and ham from the refrigerator, steamed some rice, and made him fried rice. As the exhaust fan rumbled, she handed him the spatula, wiped her hands, and was about to check on her grandmother.
“Grandma’s out,” Gu Pingsheng said, pulling her back. “She went to visit a former student and said she’ll be back after dinner.”
Tong Yan was surprised. “How did she know I was coming back today?”
Gu Pingsheng, expertly stirring the rice, said casually, “Perhaps she knows… absence makes the heart grow fonder.” Tong Yan rolled her eyes, muttering about his vanity, and took over the cooking.
Once he had his lunch, she began unpacking the three boxes in the corner of the living room, planning to wash and put away her clothes. One of the boxes contained miscellaneous items. Gu Pingsheng, holding his bowl, walked over and examined the contents. “I think I’ve seen this teddy bear at IKEA. Did you buy it in college?”
“No, those toys are too expensive. This bear belongs to Shen Yao. She traded it for my manga collection…” Tong Yan picked up the rather ugly brown bear, wondering if she should wash it by hand.
“Manga?”
“Crayon Shin-chan, the complete collection.”
Anyone who had moved knew that books were the heaviest items to pack, yet when she had moved to Shanghai for university, half her suitcase had been filled with Crayon Shin-chan manga. While other freshmen filled their bookshelves with textbooks and dictionaries, hers had displayed this… unconventional collection.
It was this very eccentricity that had captivated Shen Yao, leading to their instant friendship.
Later, when the boy Shen Yao had a crush on expressed his interest in the manga collection, she had tried to trade a teddy bear for it. Tong Yan had initially refused, then, ten minutes later, had given her the entire collection.
It had happened during their sophomore year, yet it felt like a lifetime ago.
Recalling the story, she sighed. “I was so easily pleased back then. Getting the complete Crayon Shin-chan collection felt like winning the lottery.” Her eyes, reflecting the sunlight, held a hint of wistful nostalgia.
Easily satisfied, easily happy, never questioning the potential pitfalls and challenges. That was Tong Yan.
For Gu Pingsheng, the most frightening aspect of illness was not the suffering itself, but the pain it inflicted on his loved ones. He had experienced despair, had pretended not to care, even deciding against marriage, denying himself the chance to find someone to share his burden.
But then… there was Tong Yan.
…
She continued unpacking, carefully considering where to place each item.
He watched her, a smile playing on his lips. He wasn’t sure if it was because he hadn’t had her cooking in a while, or if her culinary skills had truly improved, but the simple dish was surprisingly delicious. His stomach felt warm, and the chill in his hands began to recede.
“You’re still easily pleased,” he said, leaning against the glass door beside her, finishing his fried rice.
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