Chapter 158: Ye Chunan

How should I put it? Wang Kai felt a profound sense of awkwardness, especially when facing a girl like this.

This girl was unusual—truly unusual. Walking in a sea of people, she possessed that rare quality that made one instantly overlook everyone else.

In particular, her detached yet entirely unpretentious and unartificial aura: cold, but not arrogant, and remarkably polite.

No, polite was not the right word. Many people could be polite, but she elevated politeness into elegance.

Effortless elegance.

She kept her emotions concealed beneath a calm exterior, as still as a virgin maiden, and as agile as...

Well, it seemed she had never moved at all.

A remarkably composed person.

Using the colorful descriptions of the wild wolves in their class, she was...

Top-tier.

***

"Sui Yi! Sui Yi, over here!"

"Over here..."

Stepping out of the railway station, Sui Yi spotted Ye Xiuling waving and walking toward her.

Wearing a dark red down jacket, her complexion slightly sallow and her eyes a bit puffy—signs that her health was not in top shape—Ye Xiuling nevertheless broke into a warm, comforting smile the moment she saw Sui Yi. That smile left Sui Yi momentarily stunned, and she only snapped out of it when Ye Xiuling drew close.

"The weather isn't getting any warmer; why are you dressed so lightly?" Ye Xiuling asked, frowning the moment she approached, completely unaware of Sui Yi's brief abstraction. Frankly, Sui Yi was wearing very little.

"It's fine. The provincial capital is quite a bit warmer than Nanxun," Sui Yi replied with a faint smile, accompanying Ye Xiuling toward the car. Ye Xiuling's financial situation was not exceptionally wealthy, but she did own a home and a car, making her a tiny ripple in the vast ocean of the provincial capital—never having to worry about food or clothing. From her frequent phone calls with the old lady, Sui Yi could tell that living at her daughter's place had been rather comfortable...

And that was good enough.

Inside the car, knowing that Sui Yi would eventually come to the provincial capital herself—given her innate capability, which was far beyond anything she could compare to—Ye Xiuling drove around, taking Sui Yi through several key areas of the provincial capital so she could get her bearings. Along the way, she pointed things out... Ye Xiuling spoke, Sui Yi listened, occasionally asking a question. After chatting for a while, Ye Xiuling's initial reserve toward Sui Yi faded significantly, and her laughter and conversation grew natural.

"Sui Yi, the provincial capital has developed at an extraordinary pace over the years. While we older folks naturally prefer the old places and the idea of falling leaves returning to their roots, for young people like you, the provincial capital offers much better prospects... Take Nan Nan, for instance. In the future, I hope he studies hard for his exams and gets into Jiangdu University..."

Jiangdu University. Sui Yi heard that name once more, though her attention remained more focused on the "Nan Nan" Ye Xiuling had mentioned.

"Nan Nan...?"

"I almost forgot to tell you... Nan Nan is my son! Ye Chunan... A reckless rascal, nowhere near as obedient as you, and his grades aren't as good as yours either... By the way, how did you do on your exams this time?"

Ye Xiuling naturally adopted the tone of an elder as she asked the question, regretting it the instant the words left her mouth.

Yet, Sui Yi answered.

"As usual."

Uh, what kind of answer was that?

***

Knowing that Sui Yi had not yet eaten, Ye Xiuling decided against a prolonged tour, figuring they still had a couple of days to spare, and hurriedly drove her back.

Here by the coast, the entire province's economic strength ranked near the top nationwide, and the provincial capital was doubly so. Skyscrapers stood in dense rows, elevated highways crossed through the air, and commercial storefronts dazzled the eye. On the streets, fashionable young women in short skirts and leather jackets blended into the brilliant crowd, each one making it hard to tell who surpassed whom.

Sui Yi had been away from the provincial capital for many years. Returning now felt like arriving in an entirely foreign city, and she could not quite name the emotion churning in her heart...

It was only when the car pulled into a clean residential compound and she stepped out to breathe in the fresh air that she finally relaxed her slightly furrowed brow.

In the year 2007, the air quality was still reasonably good. Though the residential complex was not ultra-luxury, it was neat and standard. Right across the way were commercial streets and a bustling multi-purpose complex, with a school not far off—a quite favorable location.

To buy a place here would probably cost around eight or nine hundred thousand. (Though in later years, it would run into the millions.)

Before coming, Sui Yi had checked online property prices in the provincial capital, giving her a mental baseline.

In truth, property prices in the provincial capital were already high, being a economically developed coastal city. Spurred by the maneuvers of provincial speculative buyers, housing prices had shown clear signs of surging in recent years. While reviewing data and consulting older veterans like Elder Tang, Sui Yi had encountered several real estate analysis reports. Fully aware of the speculative psychology of capital tycoons and their market-stirring maneuvers, she quietly concluded that housing prices would inevitably rise further in the future.

If she intended to settle down in the provincial capital, she needed to act sooner rather than later, lest she be undercut by those property speculators...

"Sui Yi, come this way... We're in Building Seven."

Sui Yi's train of thought was interrupted by Ye Xiuling. Lifting her gaze, she saw Ye Xiuling waving at her, though the gesture was cut short as a few middle-aged women emerged from the entrance of the compound. Upon meeting Ye Xiuling, they exchanged greetings and idle chatter, casting curious glances at Sui Yi and seemingly whispering among themselves before breaking into smiles. Without lingering, Ye Xiuling led Sui Yi onward, the two of them taking a step forward...

And the voices drifted over from behind them.

"Hmph, her husband dies, and what does she do? Barely a few years pass before she brings her own mother to live with her, and now she's even dragging along some freeloader..."

"Exactly! You'd think her husband's family would have something to say about that!"

"Heh, don't mention it... She bought that apartment with her own money, what business is it of her in-laws?"

The group chattered on, completely unaware that Sui Yi had heard every single word clearly. She simply glanced sideways at Ye Xiuling, whose face still bore a bright smile...

Right at that moment, Ye Xiuling's phone rang. She answered it, and after listening for a second, her expression darkened.

"What's going on... Didn't we say that person bought it? She says it's broken? Impossible, it was working fine when I shipped it... Hey, don't let her make a fuss, I... I can't get away right now..."

Ye Xiuling's face looked troubled, her brow deeply knitted.

"Which floor and apartment number? Give me the keys," Sui Yi said abruptly.

Ye Xiuling paused.

Sui Yi's delivery was direct, completely devoid of awkward hesitation, her clear and composed demeanor making Ye Xiuling feel somewhat self-conscious by comparison.

"Aunt Ye's shop is having trouble. You should go take a look first, don't worry about me," Sui Yi said softly, her dark, clear eyes catching a flicker of light that seemed to reflect Ye Xiuling's flustered state.

Ye Xiuling suddenly felt a sense of defeat. In front of this young girl... was her own composure truly that lacking?

Why did trouble have to strike precisely today?

Yet, the sheer, quiet pressure in Sui Yi's gaze unconsciously compelled Ye Xiuling to fish out her keys.

"Building Seven, Room 704. Grandma went over to the residential committee office with Grandma Wang from next door to wrap dumplings today, so she isn't home... I'll go pick her up later. There are dumplings and other food in the fridge... Sui Yi, I'm sorry to trouble you..."

"Mmm." As Sui Yi took the keys, her palm brushed lightly against Ye Xiuling's. In that instant, Ye Xiuling's anxious, restless agitation settled down slightly. She stood in a daze for a moment, snapping back to reality only when she noticed Sui Yi had already walked into the compound.

"704..." Taking the elevator up to the floor, Sui Yi checked the door numbers. Next door was 703, which presumably belonged to that Grandma Wang.

Sui Yi glanced at it briefly before taking out the key to unlock her door.

Pushing the door open.

A typical layout of three bedrooms, one living room, one kitchen, and one bathroom.

Clean and spacious.

Sui Yi walked inside and pulled the door shut.

Stooping down to change her shoes...

*Click.* The bathroom door directly opposite the entryway suddenly swung open.

"Mom, why are you only just getting back? I'm starving to death... Also, we're out of toilet paper!"

Sui Yi raised her eyes to look at him.

The boy instantly choked off all sound in his throat, staring blankly at Sui Yi.

He was a somewhat handsome youth wearing long trousers and a beige sweater, standing just a little over one meter seventy. At the moment, his expression held a trace of impatience, and he was clutching an empty plastic packaging shell. His tone had been loud and unaccommodating, carrying a sharp edge of adolescent hostility.

Yet now...

They simply fell silent.

***

Sui Yi had no idea what the boy was thinking as he looked at her.

She only knew that he had been startled.

"What the hell! Who are you?"

The boy immediately blurted out a curse and took a quick stride forward...

Sui Yi lowered her gaze again to glance at the cotton slippers on the floor, all of which featured cartoon designs...

Selecting a pair of pale blue ones, Sui Yi slipped her feet into them. As the boy rushed up to her, she lifted her gaze to look at the youth who stood slightly taller than her. Her eyes were light, her voice clear like a soaring kite: "Ye Chunan, right? Your mother gave these to me."

She opened her palm to reveal the keys, placing them neatly on the shoe cabinet beside her.

Ye Chunan stared at Sui Yi, a thoughtful glint in his eyes. After a long moment, he snorted, "I remember now. She did mention she was bringing a guest home. So it's you!"

"Mmm," Sui Yi said, taking off her backpack. "Where can I put this?"

"Throw it wherever you want," Ye Chunan replied impatiently, glancing at her again. "I'm going to eat... Do you want some? It's just instant noodles, don't expect anything else!"

Sui Yi: "..."

Was this really Ye Xiuling's biological son...
Did they pick him up from a public restroom?

***

They say that eating a package of instant noodles requires at least a month to digest—she had no idea who had coined that phrase, but Sui Yi rarely ate such things. Back during her most destitute days, she could still manage to boil a bit of vegetables with porridge, making do for a meal...

She truly hadn't expected that her very first time visiting someone else's home would involve... eating instant noodles.

—In the end, after rummaging through every cabinet, Ye Chunan had only managed to find a single packet.

A single packet of instant noodles...

Ye Chunan fixed Sui Yi with another unblinking stare, clutching the packet of noodles with an intensity that suggested he was debating whether to silence her permanently.

After a long moment, as if driven by stubborn spite, he shoved the noodles toward her. "Here, take it, take it, take it..."

"You eat it," Sui Yi said, walking past him and into the kitchen.

Ye Chunan froze for a second, then twisted his mouth in a sneer. "Suit yourself... don't eat, then. Just wait until the aroma drives you crazy, see if you still refuse!"

Anyone returning at this hour probably hadn't eaten dinner yet... After all, when his old lady went to pick someone up, they wouldn't just go eat by themselves, right?
And what about her own son?

With that thought, Ye Chunan followed Sui Yi into the kitchen. He tore open the noodle packet, not even bothering to grab a bowl since the noodles came in a bucket-style container... Squeezing out the seasoning packet and grabbing the electric kettle, *gurgle gurgle*, he poured the boiling water inside, immediately releasing an aroma that relaxed Ye Chunan's frayed nerves.

He turned his head slightly, wanting to see Sui Yi's reaction...

The moment he turned, he caught sight of Sui Yi opening the refrigerator. With a sweeping glance, she unhurriedly took out a bundle of napa cabbage, two eggs, and a few other vegetables whose names he didn't even know...

A kitchen knife, a cutting board, a pot, and flame on!

*Thump-thump-thump*, the sound of vegetables being chopped echoed in his ears.

A moment later, the eggs hit the pan, followed by slices of tomato...

Ye Chunan suddenly felt a sharp pang of envy and defeat. *(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you are welcome to visit Qidian to vote or offer monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)*