Together Forever - Chapter 6
Volume 1, Chapter 6: Those Little Stories (3)
When Gu Pingsheng returned, the paper was still blank. She genuinely didn't know how to solve the problem.
Because it was getting late, Gu Pingfan invited her to stay for dinner.
Frankly, the cooking of this former New York and California lawyer was less than impressive. Tong Yan sampled a few dishes, then discreetly reached for the easiest dish to prepare, stir-fried mushrooms and greens. Unexpectedly, Gu Pingsheng also picked up a piece of bok choy. They exchanged glances, ate the vegetable, and then simultaneously reached for their water glasses…
Gu Pingfan, however, ate with gusto. "I heard from TK that you two knew each other before, back when he was a medical intern?" Tong Yan nodded, continuing to drink water. "We only met once."
She didn't know how much Gu Pingsheng had told his cousin and was happy to keep things vague.
That incident felt deeply personal. She didn't know if, for Gu Pingsheng, that day was his only moment of losing control, but for her, it was the only time she had exposed her carefully hidden secret to anyone.
In this age of crumbling morals, many people had become indifferent to the existence of "the other woman."
But what if the person who should have been the most gentle and forgiving, your own mother, became the one who broke up another's family? The person she had relied on most since she was a child, overnight, became the kind of person she most despised. The pain was devastating…
"What do your parents do?" Gu Pingfan suddenly asked.
Her smile was gentle, and a dimple faintly appeared on her cheek, just like Gu Pingsheng.
Tong Yan stared at the reflection of the wall lamp in Gu Pingfan's eyes, suddenly unable to speak.
Gu Pingsheng answered for her. "How much sugar and MSG did you use in your cooking today?"
Gu Pingfan looked at him in surprise. "Not much. I mostly used salt." She paused, then suddenly realized. "You think it's too salty? TK, you're getting more and more outrageous…"
Before Tong Yan could think of an excuse, Gu Pingsheng offered to end the tutoring session for the day, saying they would continue next week. He drove her back to campus. He said this as she was getting out of the car, across the street from the school gate. She nodded through the car window, then suddenly remembered something. "I'm going home for National Day next week, so I definitely won't have time for tutoring."
Gu Pingsheng looked at her. "I'm also going to Beijing next week. If you need anything, feel free to contact me."
Tong Yan forced a smile. "I won't, don't worry. I won't disturb your holiday."
Train tickets were notoriously hard to get during National Day. She had asked many senior students from Beijing for help and finally managed to secure… a standing ticket. Fortunately, it was only a fourteen-hour journey. But when she boarded the train, she was stunned. There were people everywhere, even lying under the seats. She finally squeezed her way to the door near the restroom, shamelessly occupying a small space.
She saw two children sitting on the sink in the restroom and decided not to drink any water for the entire night, just endure until she arrived.
But by midnight, her throat was parched and painful. She had to open her water bottle and take a small sip, just to alleviate the dryness. Just as her legs were going numb, she received a text message from Shen Yao: How's it going? Enjoying your standing journey?
Tong Yan chuckled wryly and replied: I've been standing outside the restroom, smelling a sour stench all night, too scared to even drink water.
Shen Yao quickly replied: Serves you right! All the money you earned from your part-time job and writing has been donated to the Ministry of Railways. You said you just missed home, but you don't have to go back every National Day and Labor Day, do you?
The rhythmic clatter of the train on the tracks filled the air.
She stared at her phone for a moment, then replied in a teasing tone: I can't help it, I'm a homebody.
After getting off the train in the early morning, she endured another two hours on the subway and bus before finally reaching her grandmother's house. As soon as she opened the door with her key, she saw the figure she missed the most in the kitchen, busy preparing breakfast. "Yan Yan's back? I just made some multigrain porridge." She was exhausted and famished after a sleepless night, stumbling towards the bed and collapsing onto it.
"Why are you so tired?" her grandmother asked.
Pickled vegetables, porridge, and youtiao.
She felt incredibly happy. "I was lucky this time and got a discounted plane ticket, only a little over 300 yuan. But it was an early flight, and I'm so tired…"
So tired, really tired.
But she obediently got up and ate all the breakfast under her grandmother's watchful eye, even drinking a large glass of water. "Next time I'll take you on a plane, after I graduate. I'm just worried you'll get airsick. And your ears will hurt too." She described it vividly. "This morning, when the plane was landing, my ears really ached."
Her grandmother listened with a smile, every wrinkle on her face filled with joy.
Just as she was happily chatting, her grandmother suddenly took her hand mysteriously. "My pension went up again this year. I've saved a whole 10,000 yuan for you these past few years. Can you pay off your student loan?" Tong Yan was startled. "Didn't I tell you, I just have to pay it off within five years after graduation? Please don't save money for me. I have a part-time job, and I write news articles for some journalists. I don't need money at all."
"I've already withdrawn it," her grandmother continued softly, then suddenly remembered the meat stewing in the kitchen. She stood up and said, "It's under the sofa. Take it and put it away safely."
Looking at her grandmother's back, Tong Yan felt an inexplicable ache in her eyes. "How about this, I'll take it and deposit it into our joint account. I'll use it when I need it."
Before leaving Beijing, she had opened a joint account, keeping the card for herself and giving her grandmother the passbook.
In case of emergencies, they could withdraw the money immediately.
A response came from the kitchen. She walked to the sofa and felt for the hidden compartment underneath where the money was usually kept.
As a child, she had often rummaged around, so she knew this hiding spot well.
But when she retrieved the envelope, she immediately sensed something was wrong. The envelope was too thin. Even her annual tuition fee of 6,000 yuan was several times thicker than this… A thought flashed through her mind, and she felt a pang in her heart.
She couldn't breathe, couldn't move.
She didn't dare to voice her suspicions, only asking casually, "Did my dad come by recently?"
"Yes, he even changed the gas tank for me," her grandmother's voice was filled with unconcealed joy.
It was him, after all.
Tong Yan stared blankly at the envelope. It wasn't the first time, but this time it was so much. How was she supposed to make up the difference?
A whirlwind of thoughts raced through her mind, and she suddenly felt powerless. The exhaustion from the sleepless night washed over her again, and she wanted to cry, an uncontrollable ache in her nose.
Just as her vision blurred, her grandmother emerged from the kitchen.
Tong Yan quickly stuffed the envelope into her bag, pulled out a tissue, pretended to blow her nose, and quickly wiped away her tears. "I think I'm catching a cold…" She stood up and quickly said, "It's not safe to keep so much money at home. I'll go deposit it now."
"There's no rush."
The voice faded as the kitchen door closed.
She didn't stop until she reached the bus stop far away, standing under the shelter. She opened the envelope and carefully counted the money inside. Only 2,000 yuan.
Her tuition was covered by a student loan, and her living expenses came from her part-time job and writing. After daily expenses, she had only saved 2,000 yuan. That meant she was still 6,000 yuan short.
6,000 yuan.
She had to deposit this money. Even though her grandmother knew how irresponsible her son was, she always held onto the hope that he would change one day…
The bus stop was crowded, mostly parents with their children, enjoying the National Day holiday. As the bus pulled in, many fathers lifted their children onto their shoulders, afraid their precious little ones would be crushed by the crowd… Tong Yan stood there, watching, she didn't know how many buses had come and gone.
Finally, she took out her phone, hesitating as she looked at the twenty-something names in her contact list.
She had always wanted an ordinary life. Even her close friend Shen Yao didn't know about her family situation. If she were in Shanghai, she could say she didn't have time to ask her family for money… But she was in Beijing now, and she had no excuse to borrow money from her classmates.
After a long while, only two names remained.
Lu Bei and Gu Pingsheng.
One had once promised to fulfill all her requests, without asking for reasons. The other had inadvertently witnessed a glimpse of her reality.
But after Lu Bei got married, she swore never to see him again. No matter the reason for their missed opportunity, she had a strong moral compass and couldn't bring herself to do anything that might disrupt someone else's family.
So, in reality, only Gu Pingsheng remained.
Hesitantly, she sent him a text message: Teacher Gu, are you busy? I have a favor to ask.
He quickly replied: Tell me. TK
Just two words and a signature, revealing nothing of his mood.
They weren't really close. If she rashly asked to borrow money…
Although, judging by his car and home, this amount was probably trivial to him.
She replied: I need to borrow some money, just 6,000, it's urgent.
A long time passed, and he didn't reply.
Tong Yan suddenly regretted asking her teacher for money. But the words were already out, too late to take them back. She nervously stared at her phone, praying silently, Please don't mind, Teacher Gu, I really have no other choice.
Suddenly, her phone rang. An incoming call from Gu Pingsheng?
Tong Yan was stunned. She answered and was about to say "hello" when she remembered he couldn't hear.
Then she heard Gu Pingsheng speaking English on the other end, seemingly to someone next to him.
He quickly switched to Chinese. "Tong Yan, sorry, I was just talking to a family elder. Send me your address, I'll drive over now."
His voice was slightly urgent but still gentle, so gentle it made her want to cry.
Comments
Post a Comment