CH 9.1

“Why were you here?” Qiao Mu turned to ask Xu Youyou who had followed them out of the training center. 

“I came with Grandmother.” Knowing the old lady was Qiao Mu’s grandmother, Xu Youyou naturally let the word slip out. 

Qiao Mu looked inquisitive towards his grandmother. 

Grandmother Qiao laughed and said: “This young lady got lost in the alley and I helped her out.”

Qiao Mu looked at Xu Youyou in surprise as if he was saying, “you are already this old and you can still get lost?”

“Well, it’s because I just came back from abroad. I’m not familiar with the area yet. If I had a bit more time, I would have found my way out.” Xu Youyou didn’t have the confidence to continue arguing.

“Okay.” Qiao Mu knew that girls cared about their appearance and didn’t say anything, but his lowered eyes could not hide the mirth within them. 

“What are you laughing at? I’m telling the truth.”

Qiao Mu restrained his smile and sighed. 

“Could you act any more perfunctory?” Xu Youyou was upset and vowed that in the next two days she would understand the layout of Hongluo Town’s alleys. 

“You two……know each other?” Grandmother Qiao looked at the two people. 

“She is our class’s new transfer student, named Xu Youyou.” Qiao Mu introduced.

“Grandmother, we are also deskmates.” Xu Youyou added. 

“Ah, deskmates. Then do you want to come over to our house to eat? Grandmother can cook delicious food for you guys.” Grandmother Qiao enthusiastically invited. 

Qiao Mu was introverted and it was rare that friends or classmates would come to their house to visit, so Grandmother Qiao was very excited. 

“Next time maybe” Qiao Mu said as he looked at Xu Youyou, his eyes hinting a very clear message.

Xu Youyou stared blankly, then her eyes fell on Grandmother Qiao who looked at her in earnest. Right now she was kind and elegant and it almost made Xu Youyou forget the state she was in earlier at the training center after being triggered. But Grandmother Qiao’s mental state clearly wasn’t good otherwise she would not have forgotten that Qiao Mu had stopped going to the training center six years ago. Although Xu Youyou was curious, she didn’t ask any further. 

“Thank you, Grandmother, but my mom is waiting for me. Next time I’ll come to your house, just have Qiao Mu call me.” Xu Youyou said. 

“Then that’s settled, next time I’ll have Mumu call you over.” Grandmother Qiao said. 

“Yes, goodbye, Grandmother” After speaking, Xu Youyou waved her hand and took the initiative to leave through an alleyway. 

“This young lady is very pretty” said with a smile as Grandmother Qiao watched Xu Youyou’s retreating figure. 

Qiao Mu grunted in acknowledgement and helped his grandmother leave. 

=

The Hongluo training center wasn’t far from the pottery studio, Xu Youyou successfully made it to the main road. But she didn’t go directly to Madam Li’s pottery studio but instead went to a stall next door to buy a juan bing* and scarfed half of it down, before going into the store. 

From the moment she woke up till now, she hadn’t drank a single sip of water. She felt her eyesight blurring and an incoming headache due to the lack of food. 

“Mom, where is my package?” Xu Youyou asked as she went in. 

“Inside on the table. Why did you just arrive? I almost submitted a missing person’s report……” Li Leyao was about to scold her daughter but was stunned when she saw her daughter wearing only a white jacket. Her heart trembled and she excitedly rush out from behind the counter, “Are you cured now? Do you not feel cold anymore?”

“I’m almost better.” Xu Youyou lowered her head and played with the package. 

“It’s only been a few days and you are already better? If I had known I would have sent you to school earlier.” If she had known that school could cure her daughter’s illness, she would not have sent her to see a psychologist in the first palace and waste half a month’s time. 

“Mom, do you have a box cutter? I want to open the package.” Xu Youyou asked. 

“I’ll go grab it” Li Leyao gave the blade to her daughter and Xu Youyou cut open the package in a few strokes.

In the past life, cameras were Xu Youyou’s indulgence. The one she had chosen was a classic model, meaning she didn’t have to look at the manual and could assemble it in a few actions, and could adeptly use it. 

Upon watching, Li Leyao grew curious and asked: “When did you learn to do this?”

She had no memory of Xu Youyou playing around with this sort of thing. 

“Just recently.” Xu Youyou froze and randomly made up an excuse. 

Recently? Was that referring to the beginning of the year after the divorce and moving here? Because of the sensitivity of time and afraid of triggering her daughter, Li Leyao did not ask any further.

Xu Youyou let out a sign and fixed the camera, she hands began to itch: “Mom, I’m going out to take some photos. I’ll come back for dinner.”

Afterwards she ran off. 

Xu Youyou was gifted in photography. In the past life, she had gotten bored and entered some big photography competitions and had won some awards. However, she was very spontaneous with photo taking. She took photos of whatever she liked and never made photography her profession. 

In the past life, she climbed mountains and took photos of the scenery around the world. However, she did not come to China very often. In this life she just so happened to be living in an ancient town filled with Chinese culture. Xu Youyou couldn’t pass it up and lifted her camera to begin taking photos of Hongluo Town through her eyes.  

She took photos of pedestrians, limestone plaques, Hongluo training center, and even the black and white tiles and stones of the buildings. The photos had different compositions, lighting and angles……and the afternoon passed without her realizing it. The sun was beginning to set and Xu Youyou found an ideal pavilion out on a hillside. She planned to stay and take photos of the lingering glow of the setting sun and the daily mundane life of the people below *.    

After waiting for a while, the daily mundane life arrived, but the lingering glow of the setting sun was chased away by the rain. 

How could the weather change so fast?

————————-Translator’s Note ————————

* referring to the smoke as people cook food, a symbol of people’s daily life