CHAPTER 124: CHAPTER 124: OLD AFFAIRS OF PAST YEARS

The female host’s opening remarks are first, and Zhen Yu recites them flawlessly, followed by Han Mingyue starting to read the male host’s part.

...

Although Han Mingyue was reciting from the script, with his cooperation, after three or five tries, Zhen Yu managed to find the rhythm of the back and forth dialogue between the two.

"Not bad! I’m thirsty, let’s take a break." After another run-through, Zhen Yu picked up the water glass from the table and took two sips.

"Ah, it’s cold! Put it down, I’ll pour you a hot one."

The two glasses of water were poured by Han Mingyue early in the morning, and by now they were definitely cold.

"It’s fine." Zhen Yu casually placed the glass on the table without letting go, clearly indicating there was no need to pour water.

But Han Mingyue stood up anyway, and Zhen Yu quickly grabbed his wrist, "Really, there’s no need to pour."

Han Mingyue looked back at his wrist, "I’ll bring over some fruit."

"Oh." Zhen Yu let go upon hearing this.

-

Han Mingyue peeled a pear and asked Zhen Yu, "Half each?"

Zhen Yu shook her head, "No! I want an apple."

Han Mingyue set the peeled pear aside and picked up an apple to peel.

While peeling, he asked, "Do you like eating apples?"

"Not really."

"Then what do you like to eat?"

Zhen Yu thought for a moment, "Bananas. Yeah, and pears too."

After hearing this, Han Mingyue looked up at Zhen Yu, "You like pears, so why ask for an apple?"

"Just, just," Zhen Yu stuttered, unsure of what to say.

She couldn’t very well say, I don’t want to share the pear with you, as ’separation’ is bad luck, could she?

Her mind raced, and she actually came up with a good excuse, "Isn’t Christmas coming up soon! It’s time to eat apples!"

Han Mingyue: "..."

I really fell for your trick!

Although he doesn’t know why, he just felt that this wasn’t the girl’s true intention.

After cutting the apple, he passed it over, but the girl didn’t take it, "Cut it in half, I can’t eat one whole."

While cutting the apple, Han Mingyue said, "Usually, I see you have a good appetite! Can’t even finish one apple?"

Zhen Yu silently rolled her eyes. Is he saying she eats a lot? Or is he suggesting she’s faking?

"It’s not that my stomach can’t take it, it’s just that half an apple would sour my teeth."

"You have dental sensitivity." Han Mingyue, influenced by what he’d learned, unconsciously used medical terminology.

"Um, that’s why I don’t like sour things." Zhen Yu took the half apple and started nibbling slowly.

-

Worried that Mrs. Zhen might come home early, Zhen Yu and Han Mingyue practiced two more times before she had to leave for home.

When Zhen Yu left, the snow outside had become quite heavy, blanketing the sky like goose feathers.

Han Mingyue watched as Zhen Yu, fully dressed, stepped into the snowstorm.

Thinking to himself, it’s really tough to go out in this weather, fortunate that from tomorrow on, it’ll be his turn to go see her instead.

In the dead of winter, girls really can’t endure the cold! Better to stay cozy at home.

How he wished the winter break would come quickly...

Han Jiayang was still watching TV on the couch, and now, as the ending credits theme began to play, he finally had a chance to speak with his brother.

"Bro! With such heavy snow, we can make a snowman tomorrow!"

Every time Han Ming Yue thought of building a snowman, she’d be reminded of the incident when Bai Xue’s younger brother was abducted, and she’d be overwhelmed with unease.

"Build it yourself if you want, just leave me out of it!"

"Tch! You’re really turning into a bookworm! There’s no fun in you at all!"

"Do you have fun? Have you done your homework?"

Han Jiaoyang immediately cowered, "Brother! Brother! I was wrong! Can I do it tonight?"

"No way! Turn off the TV and come to my room, you have three minutes."

"Aww!" Han Jiaoyang collapsed on the sofa, grumbling, "With the way you are, I don’t know how Zhen Yu could still enjoy being with you..."

Han Ming Yue glared at his brother, "Don’t talk nonsense in front of Xiao Yu!"

"How am I talking nonsense?" Han Jiaoyang sprung up from the sofa, unconvinced, "You’ve been like an ant on a hot pan all morning, you think I can’t see it? It’s just because she hasn’t come to find you!"

Han Ming Yue’s ears reddened, and he turned to walk to his own room, leaving behind a curt "Three minutes!"

"Humph! When you can’t win the argument, you press me with homework!" Han Jiaoyang muttered as he reluctantly turned off the TV.

Mrs. Zhen really came home early.

Perhaps she was worried about home, or perhaps it was because the heavy snow meant there were few customers.

Just as Zhen Yu had gotten herself ready and sat at her desk, Mrs. Zhen walked into the room.

Pat, pat—

Mrs. Zhen brushed off the snowflakes from her coat and called out into the room, "Who’s home? Xiao Yu?"

"Here!" Zhen Yu, hearing the voice, came out from the small bedroom to help brush the snow off her mother.

"Is grandma gone? Did she get picked up?"

"Yes. When I came back, the house was empty and the door was unlocked," Zhen Yu replied factually.

"Your Uncle probably thought we’d be home soon, so," Mrs. Zhen unconsciously tried to explain on their behalf but stopped upon meeting her daughter’s half-smiling, half-mocking gaze, feeling embarrassed and unable to continue.

"Mom! You know exactly what kind of people grandma and Uncle are, it’s a light statement to call them ungrateful."

Mrs. Zhen hung up her clothes in silence, saying nothing.

"Do you think everything is fine now that grandma has been picked up?"

"Then what else do they want?" Mrs. Zhen asked listlessly.

"My grandma, disregarding Zhen Hailong’s repeated domestic violence, still insisted on pressing you for money. Now that you’re divorced..."

"I have no money to give her! I still have children to raise! She has money and gave it all to her son, even sold the house and kept it from me..." Mrs. Zhen was indignant, sitting on the edge of the kang bed and started to recount the old grievances done by grandma and grandpa throughout the years—each one cutting into her flesh to feed the six brothers of the Cheng family.

Zhen Yu listened quietly, occasionally wiping her mother’s tears.

At that moment, Mrs. Zhen resembled Xiang Lin—a woman who had once again laid out her troubles in front of her daughter.

Yet today was different from the past; her daughter didn’t react impatiently as in her memories, with a dismissive "You’re so annoying! You’ve said it eight hundred times, and yet you never change!" before slamming the door and hiding in the small bedroom.

Today, her daughter was exceptionally gentle; her soothing voice gradually calmed Mrs. Zhen’s heart, then she realized her daughter was actually listening to her for so long today.

Mrs. Zhen wiped her tears, "My girl, aren’t you bothered by mom’s nagging anymore? Every time I start on this subject before,"

"Not bothered." Zhen Yu revealed a light smile, "You’re not annoying at all, Mom."

"Oh! Oh!" Mrs. Zhen responded with a laugh, her eyes welling up with tears once more.

She became profoundly aware that, after the divorce, her daughter had become much too sensible.

It was all her fault for foolishly indulging her childhood family and emotionally separating from her husband, causing her two children to live in a single-parent family thereafter.

Truthfully, she understood that Zhen Hailong was upset with her for always putting her childhood family before their own, leading to endless arguments over the Cheng family for years.

If not for this, perhaps he would not have sought affection elsewhere.

The blisters on her feet were her own doing, after all!