CH 42

From the airport, He Yiyang took Ruan Mengmeng straight back to his original home, a single-family villa on the outskirts of H City.

“Are you tired?” He Yiyang pushed open the iron door, holding Ruan Mengmeng with one hand and pulling up the trolley case with the other.

With a creak, he saw a luxuriant sycamore tree in the courtyard, with romantic purple hydrangeas along the wall.

There was a simple wooden swing dangling from a branch in the sycamore tree, and below it was a sand pit, with a lovely wooden horse lying in it.

Ruan Mengmeng stroked the handle of the wooden horse chair, which was covered in a layer of dust, and didn’t mind.

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“When I was little, I fought with you for the swing, and cried when I couldn’t win,” Ruan Mengmeng’s eyes curled slightly, her smile nostalgic, “so Uncle He bought it especially to coax me.”

He Yiyang smoothed her hair and saw beads of sweat on the corners of her forehead. “Let’s go in first. Housekeeping has cleaned up.”

Ruan Mengmeng nodded obediently and followed behind her.

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The past was like smoke; memories were like yesterday. Ruan Mengmeng didn’t remember much about her childhood, but Aunt Yunfen’s animal crackers were still vivid in her mind.

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“What are you doing? I called you upstairs for a while,” He Yiyang came downstairs. He swept her a glance, took a bottle of water from the fridge, and walked over, “You were yelling about being thirsty on the way. Why did you not move and fret once you got home?”

Ruan Mengmeng was a little nervous about holding the family portrait. She didn’t know whether to put it back in its place or not, and whether He Yiyang’s mood would be affected if he saw it.

“It’s hot and I’m still hungry ……”

Halfway through, He Yiyang took the family portrait and handed her mineral water in his other hand, “Drink water.”

Ruan Mengmeng took it without drinking, looking closely at his expression.

He Yiyang’s eyes fell on the family portrait. The corners of his mouth curved up in a faint curve before he gently placed it back on the side table.

“Drink the water, change your clothes, and let’s go out for dinner,” He Yiyang knocked Ruan Mengmeng’s head, “We’ll go see them together again in the morning, eh?”

“Brother.” Ruan Mengmeng pulled on his hand as he turned around and hugged his neck on tiptoe.

He Yiyang said helplessly, “You’re all covered in ash and the smell of the plane; it’s useless to act spoiled. I don’t want to hug you.”

Oh …… then whose hand was on my waist? Ruan Mengmeng was speechless and hugged him a little tighter.

The day was very hot at the end of June, so He Yiyang didn’t take Ruan Mengmeng very far. He thought that she could rest early after eating, so he chose a private restaurant that the He family used to come to.

He thought that there would not be many customers on weekdays, but unfortunately, the restaurant was fully booked for 20 people. The chef of the private restaurant was quite arrogant, as he only cooked for so many people every day.

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“I’m sorry, little He,” the owner apologised, “you haven’t been here for a long time, but today is not a good day. How about this: next time you come, Auntie will give you a plate of crab and tofu?”

He Yiyang said, “I understand Chef Wang’s rules; it’s fine. You’re busy.”

Before he could walk out of the courtyard, the boss’s wife came out after her, “Little He, wait.”

“Auntie Wang,” He Yiyang wondered, “What else is there?”

“I’ve made some wontons. I’ll bring some back for you to try.” The boss lady said enthusiastically, and when she saw Ruan Mengmeng she asked, “Look at this facial feature mould. Is it the same doughboy that Yunfen used to carry around? She’s called …… Mengmeng, right?”

Ruan Mengmeng last came back four or five years ago. She did not expect the boss lady to remember so well.

She smiled sweetly, “En, I’m Mengmeng.”

“Yo Yo,” the proprietress clapped her hands happily, pulling Ruan Mengmeng up and down to look at her, “It’s amazing. She’s eighteen years old and looks like a star after losing weight.”

“No, no.” Ruan Mengmeng smiled shyly and looked at He Yiyang for help. She was too enthusiastic to know what to say.

He Yiyang didn’t say anything. He just placed his hand on her hair to smooth it out.

“Hahahaha, childhood sweethearts!” The owner joked, smiling brightly. She held Ruan Mengmeng’s hand and dragged her towards the backyard, “Come, come, take the wontons.”

He Yiyang took two boxes of wontons and saw Ruan Mengmeng carrying a bag of vegetables out.

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“Aunt Wang grew them herself in the backyard and had to get some for me.” Ruan Mengmeng explained.

“You’re very attractive,” He Yiyang laughed and said, “Let’s go home, make some wontons and two stir-fry vegetable dishes.”

The sun was setting in the west, and in the quiet orange suburbs, He Yiyang took Ruan Mengmeng home on a shortcut. Their shadows stretched out.

Ruan Mengmeng took two steps closer, and when her waist was level with He Yiyang’s in the shadow, she realised that her head was still a fraction shorter. It was really annoying!

Dissatisfied, she took a big step, and the shadow finally crossed He Yiyang’s waist before she lifted her chin in satisfaction.

Finally, she was taller than he was, right?

He Yiyang, who had fallen behind, snorted, “Well, aren’t you childish!”

That being said, he took a step forward with his long legs and pulled Ruan Mengmeng’s head with his hand. Their shadows changed again, and He Yiyang once again crushed her into a tiny one.

“Don’t hold my head down,” the pinned down Ruan Mengmeng struggled in anger, “It’s not a big deal to make my shadow a little higher than yours. Why are you so stingy?”

“I’m not being stingy,” He Yiyang grabbed Ruan Mengmeng and easily led her forward, “but I’m just making you realise the reality.”

There was a 25 cm [1] height difference. She wouldn’t be able to make that difference even if she was given ten years!

Ruan Mengmeng didn’t mind. She was only 162 cm, and she didn’t need to be a model. She was only 17, so she might even be able to leap up a bit in the future.

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After pulling her head out from under his arm, Ruan Mengmeng shook her hair out and poked herself at the side of her waist. Then, she took a sharp breath. The shadow’s waist was definitely slimmer.

He Yiyang’s eyes fell on her the whole time, and he laughed when he saw her playing tricks.

Ruan Mengmeng was dissatisfied, “What’s up?”

“Hahaha, don’t be so stupid, okay?” He Yiyang pinched her face, “Let’s hurry up and go home. I’m starving to death.”

Ruan Mengmeng looked at the two of them holding hands, and she smiled softly. Wasn’t she trying to make him laugh? Really.

After dinner, He Yiyang brought the photo album, and Ruan Mengmeng nestled on the sofa to look through it one by one. During this time, they occasionally talked, either reminiscing together or He Yiyang telling her funny stories from the photos.

As the night wore on, they said goodnight to each other at the door. Ruan Mengmeng stood on tiptoe to give He Yiyang another hug, her soft voice gentle and firm.

“Brother, I will always be with you.”

He Yiyang’s long eyelashes lowered, his eyes flashed, and a kiss landed on the side of Ruan Mengmeng’s cheek.

For people who moved forward bravely, some hoped to have a partner alongside them; others hoped to have their family behind them.

He Yiyang switched on the bedside lamp and took a single photo of Ruan Mengmeng out of his photo album before slipping it into his wallet.

The next day, before the dew of the large hydrangeas in the courtyard had dried, He Yiyang and Ruan Mengmeng were already up early and dressed properly.

A black Mercedes Benz from the company was parked outside the courtyard, and Uncle He’s former secretary was standing by the car, talking to He Yiyang.

Ruan Mengmeng carefully cut three hydrangea flowers and embellished them with white gypsophilia [2]. They were placed together in the middle of the flower paper and then a ribbon was picked up and wrapped securely.

Ruan Mengmeng looked at it and it was barely okay.

“Brother, I’m done.” She held up the bouquet and gestured.

He Yiyang waved at her.

Hydrangeas were Wen Yunfen’s favourite flower. He Yiyang asked Ruan Mengmeng to cut a few and bring them over before he left.

“If you’re tired, lean on my shoulder for a while,” He Yiyang said to Ruan Mengmeng, “and I’ll call you when we arrive.”

Ruan Mengmeng smoothed the black suit in front of her and gently leaned on it.

He Yiyang patted her head and his voice was low, “Lazy pig.”

Ruan Mengmeng looked at the green colour under his eyes and didn’t say much. Her cheek rubbed against his neck in complete dependence.

The cemetery was quiet, and there was not a single breeze.

She followed behind He Yiyang, her eyes sweeping over the tombstones, which were clean, yet a little too clean.

“Dad, Mum,” He Yiyang stopped in front of a joint grave, “I’ve brought Mengmeng to see you.”

Ruan Mengmeng put down her bouquet, took the box in He Yiyang’s hand, and brought out the offerings from it.

“Aunt Yunfen, these are the flowers you like. Uncle He, brother brought the dragon’s beard pastry you like from back home, and the rice wine Grandpa He dragged us to bring. I hope you like it.”

He Yiyang knelt down three times in front of the tomb and stood up, staring at the picture in front of the tomb, not blinking.

Ruan Mengmeng helped him wipe the tombstone, then walked a little further away, two steps from He Yiyang. She saw his shoulders slump after she left, and he crumpled, sitting on the ground.

Her eyes widened. What about your obsessive cleanliness? Well, it was true that there was something to be said quietly to your aunt and uncle.

“What are you doing?” He Yiyang came down and found Ruan Mengmeng gone. A short while later, he saw her standing in front of an unfamiliar gravestone.

Ruan Mengmeng held a large bouquet of chrysanthemums in her arms and said, “Oh, I saw there were a lot of flowers in the trunk. The secretary said it was for paying tribute, so since I’m here, I’ll say hello.”

He Yiyang frowned, “You don’t recognise them.”

“What does it matter?” Ruan Mengmeng laughed, “Isn’t it said that the gift of a rose has a fragrance in it?”

As she said that, she walked to the next curtain, bending down to put one down, and muttering about the beautiful weather.

Silly. He Yiyang shook his head. He had no choice but to stand by and wait for her.

Ruan Mengmeng was dressed in a white cotton dress with a long, light sunscreen jacket over it today.

Her shoulder-length hair was straight on her shoulders, revealing her small ears, and her fair face seemed no bigger than the palm of his hand.

He Yiyang watched her bend her head and move her feet lightly until the last chrysanthemum was delivered, before she ran towards him with her skirt.

“Oh!” Ruan Mengmeng exclaimed.

He Yiyang went over with a stride and tugged her into his arms. He looked behind her – at the high heels that had been left behind.

“You ……” He Yiyang was full of helplessness, “a fat person wearing a long skirt and high heels. You’re preaching to whom?”

You ah, aunt and uncle, wow! Ruan Mengmeng added in her heart.

“Why are you so fierce?” Ruan Mengmeng pouted. “It’s not that the skirt is too long.”

Forget it. Seeing how impatient he looked, Ruan Mengmeng meekly shut up and folded back to slip on her shoes.

This was the first time she wore high heels since she slimmed down. She didn’t expect to look beautiful but made a big fool of herself.

On the way back, Ruan Mengmeng looked at He Yiyang and patted her shoulder.

He Yiyang raised his eyebrows.

“Oh!” Ruan Mengmeng glared at him. She reached over to take his head and leant it on her shoulder, saying dominantly, “Sleep. I’ll call you when we get home.”

He Yiyang: “…… hehe, then you sit up a bit, short winter melon.”

Ruan Mengmeng was too lazy to care. Her back was straight, and seeing the pillow beside her, she simply tucked it under her butt, “Is it high enough?”

He Yiyang smiled, and laid directly on her lap.

Ruan Mengmeng grabbed his ears and muttered in a low voice, “You’re enjoying yourself.”

He Yiyang took hold of the disruptive little hand. The palm of her hand was soft, and he didn’t let go of it all the way home.

[1] Yiyang is 6 ft 1, just for clarifications sake. 25 cm, calculated in imperial measurement, is roughly 9 inches. Mengmeng’s height is 162.2 cm, which makes her around 5 ft 3 inches.

[2] It’s baby’s breath.

The author has something to say: our exquisite piggy girl Mengmeng is starting to lose weight~~