Together Forever - Chapter 55
Volume 3, Chapter 55: Those Days (1)
Sometimes, words of comfort only made things worse. Gu Pingsheng’s teasing remark only deepened her sadness.
He couldn’t hear her cry, but seeing her shoulders shake, he felt helpless. “Yan Yan?” He pulled her into his arms. “What happened?”
She cried for a while, then, her eyes red-rimmed, slowly explained the situation.
Over the years, her grandmother had gradually repaid some of her father’s debts, but the largest debt, a substantial amount, had remained outstanding. Thankfully, the creditor had been her father’s former colleague at the factory.
They had been lenient for the first couple of years, but after seven or eight years, even the best of friendships could fray. They had come to collect the debt many times, initially visiting her father's rented apartment, then, later, her grandmother’s home. Lu Bei had once encountered the debt collectors and, seeing their aggressive behavior, had gotten into a fight with the husband.
Over the years, the court had mediated, neighbors had gossiped; it was a period filled with unpleasant memories.
She understood the concept of filial piety, of repaying a parent’s debts. She had planned to repay the debt herself after graduation, but her grandmother's illness had complicated matters. Her grandmother didn't know how much money was left from selling the apartment; Tong Yan had deliberately kept it a secret, wanting to deposit the money in Gu Pingsheng's account, as a safety net for her grandmother's future, especially considering the possibility of a relapse.
Gu Pingsheng went to the bathroom, wet a towel with warm water, and gently wiped her face. He had watched her silently as she spoke, and after she finished, he lay down on the bed and patted his arm.
Understanding his silent invitation, she lay down beside him, resting her head on his arm.
“These are problems that need to be addressed, sooner or later,” he said softly, closing his eyes. “Since it’s your father’s debt, we won't use your grandmother's money. I’ll give your father the 300,000 yuan this weekend.”
Tong Yan tried to sit up.
He pulled her back down, holding her close. “Don’t argue with me. Everything I have is yours.” His chin rested on her head, his words a soft caress against her hair. “I learned a new idiom today: ‘gold and jade on the outside, rotten wood on the inside.’ That’s me. I might seem fine on the surface, but living with me, you’ll see my flaws. When I came in and saw you crying, my heart ached.”
He paused, then repeated, “It really ached.”
He had not only misused the idiom but also made her feel even worse.
She knew he wasn't just referring to emotional pain, but also to the physical limitations of his illness. She wrapped her arms around him, tracing the word “sorry” on his back with her finger.
She thought about it for two days. As he had said, the problem existed; it was just a matter of when they addressed it. Physical illnesses could be treated, but emotional burdens were harder to overcome. If her grandmother worried about the debt, it would affect her health.
In the end, she agreed to Gu Pingsheng’s suggestion and decided to repay the debt on her father’s behalf.
“If I give the money directly to my dad, I’m afraid he’ll invest it in the stock market…” Tong Yan said, avoiding his gaze, ashamed to admit such a thing. “Maybe I should repay the debt myself and get the IOU back.”
“Okay, I have an important meeting on Saturday morning, but I’ll come home and take you there afterwards.”
“I can go myself.”
She didn't want him to face the creditors' judgment and accusations.
He, of course, refused.
The situation turned out to be less awkward than she had anticipated. Regardless of past disputes, they had arrived with 300,000 yuan in hand, ready to settle the long-standing debt. Her father’s former colleague even expressed regret, saying, “Your father used to be a good man, it’s just… the stock market changed him.”
Tong Yan simply smiled, not wanting to discuss it.
They sat in the bank’s waiting area, an awkward silence hanging between them. The automated voice called out numbers, people standing up, others giving up and crumpling their waiting tickets, leaving the bank.
She counted the numbers, silently praying for their turn, for the transfer to be completed, for this whole ordeal to be over.
He gently patted her hand.
She smiled weakly, about to ask if he wanted to step outside for some air, when someone called out from behind, “Teacher Gu?” The voice was hesitant, almost disbelieving. Tong Yan turned around, and Gu Pingsheng, following her gaze, recognized the young man standing behind them. “Dong Xiaofeng?”
The young man, Dong Xiaofeng, nodded, his gaze fixed on them.
Her father’s former colleague stood up, smiling. “You know Xiaofeng?”
The young man nodded. “…He’s my university professor.”
“A university professor?” the creditor said, surprised, then, after a moment, turned to Gu Pingsheng and Tong Yan, who had stood up. “So sorry, this is my nephew… Please don’t mind him. The last time I visited Tong Yan’s home… I encountered a… hooligan who attacked me. I was worried it might happen again, so I asked my nephew to come with me. I wouldn’t have brought him if I knew it was you, Professor.”
The creditor’s wife also stood up, trying to smooth things over, giving her husband pointed looks.
They were clearly trying to appease Gu Pingsheng, worried he might give their nephew a hard time at school.
Tong Yan, listening to her father’s former colleague’s rambling explanations, couldn’t bear to look at Gu Pingsheng. She heard his calm, polite responses, his words perfectly appropriate. If he hadn't gently squeezed her hand, she would have fled the scene.
Such a cruel coincidence, putting him in such an awkward position.
Even after the transaction was completed, she didn't feel relieved, only more depressed.
The bank was close to his university. On their way back, he said he needed to pick up some materials from the department office. They entered the campus and walked towards the administration building.
It was a weekend, and the campus was quiet, patches of hardened snow still lingering in the corners of the flowerbeds.
She walked beside him, head down, hands in her pockets, until the sound of a bouncing basketball made her look up. They had reached the basketball courts.
On the six courts, students were practicing. On the court to their right, a group of young men, dressed in athletic gear, were playing a three-on-three game. A small crowd had gathered, some cheering enthusiastically, others meticulously recording the score on a portable blackboard.
“Is this a departmental game?” she recognized a few familiar faces.
“It’s a university-wide tournament. The law school here is much larger than yours, seven or eight classes per year, so they have internal tryouts.”
“My school? That’s your old school too,” Tong Yan said, a hint of playful jealousy in her voice. “Some people forget their roots after joining a prestigious university.”
Gu Pingsheng looked at her thoughtfully. “Are you jealous, as my student?”
She nodded, grinning.
A few students had spotted them and were waving excitedly, calling out “Teacher Gu!” They seemed surprised to see him at the basketball game. He walked over, smiling. “What’s the score?”
“Class 2 is winning,” the student keeping score said, flipping through his notebook. “But the seniors haven’t played yet; they’ll probably represent the law school in the final tournament.”
“Can you play basketball, Teacher Gu?” one of the students asked, taking a swig of water.
“Yes,” Gu Pingsheng casually mimed a jump shot. “I used to play in college.” It was a fluid, elegant gesture, and even Tong Yan, who knew nothing about basketball, could tell he wasn't bluffing.
The students cheered, urging the players taking a break to play with him.
“Teacher Gu, we promise to be gentle. No referees needed, just count the baskets, okay?”
Knowing he couldn't hear them, they had come up with a practical solution.
Gu Pingsheng readily agreed, saying he could only play for ten minutes, and handed Tong Yan his down jacket. As he removed his glasses, she tugged his shirt slightly, her expression concerned, and mouthed, Are you sure?
“Ten minutes of exercise won’t hurt,” he said, placing his glasses in her hand. “Zihao told me university girls here like guys who can play basketball.”
He tried to appear indifferent, but his smile betrayed his good mood.
“It’s true,” Tong Yan said, recalling her own experiences, caught up in his amusement. “I’ve watched many basketball games, usually featuring athletic recruits. Too bad, if I had fallen for one of them, I wouldn’t have met you.”
“Is that so?” he said, his smile widening.
Just then, someone tossed him a basketball, and he stepped onto the court, effortlessly catching it with one hand.
Tong Yan stood among the other girls, shielding her eyes from the sun as she watched him play. Since they met, he had always been the composed and impeccably dressed doctor or professor. This was a rare glimpse of him… in motion. He was playing three-on-three, his light shirt a stark contrast to the sleeveless jerseys of the other players.
Perhaps because of the cold, he seemed a little stiff at first. But after a minute or two, he became the dominant player, sinking mid-range shots and three-pointers.
Every turn, every jump, every move he made was captivating.
With the sun behind him, he seemed to be surrounded by a warm, golden glow.
“Little Ma’am,” a girl standing next to her whispered, “Did you fall for Teacher Gu after seeing him play basketball?” Tong Yan sighed dramatically. “Unfortunately, this is my first time seeing him play…”
Gu Pingsheng, always in control, stopped playing as soon as Tong Yan signaled that his ten minutes were up.
After the game, still replaying his impressive moves in her mind, she handed him a wet wipe, then turned to look at him admiringly.
“What?” he asked, taking the wipe.
“I have to say, you’re not only good at basketball, but you’re also very… entertaining to watch.”
He chuckled, wiping his hands. “Are you feeling very fortunate that you waited for me instead of falling for someone else?”
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