Chapter 71 [Extra]: More Sweet Daily Moments
Ever since he got Jian Wu’s class schedule, Song Shuci developed a new hobby – waiting for Teacher Jian to finish class.
If Jian Wu had the last class of the day, as long as he wasn’t too busy, he would take his laptop to the small table outside Jian Wu’s classroom and work there, waiting for him to finish, then they would go home together, or go out for dinner.
But today, Jian Wu had a club activity in the lab building, and there was no small table for him to sit at.
Song Shuci could only wait in his office. He sat down at Jian Wu’s workstation, chatted with the people around him, but even after the 5 pm bell rang and the teachers left one after another, he still didn’t see Jian Wu, only receiving a message: “Can’t leave work on time today / crying emoji.”
“What’s wrong?” he replied.
“A little situation,” Jian Wu said, “Conservatively, it’ll take another hour.”
“It’s okay, no rush,” Song Shuci replied, then looked up and saw a familiar face, greeting Ling Meng politely, “Teacher Ling.”
“Professor Song?” Ling Meng was clearly surprised to see him, but after the initial surprise, her expression turned subtle, “Here for Jian Wu?”
Song Shuci nodded: “Mm.”
“He’s at the lab building, should I take you there?”
Song Shuci originally intended to say he could wait here, but then again, he had never seen Jian Wu during his club activities, so he stood up and said politely: “Okay, thank you for the trouble.”
The lab building wasn’t far. Song Shuci could feel Ling Meng’s curious gaze and her repeated attempts to speak.
He simply said frankly: “We dated before, broke up, and are back together now.”
“My god, I knew it!”
Ling Meng’s gossip-loving heart was finally satisfied. She had had this suspicion since their dinner with Jian Wu, but since Jian Wu often talked nonsense when it came to relationships, she didn’t ask further. Now that her guess was confirmed, she became excited, “Then you must make it work this time!”
Song Shuci was taken aback, a smile appearing on his lips, “We will.”
Ling Meng, thinking Song Shuci was startled by her enthusiasm, quickly explained: “Sorry, hahaha, I’m a little too excited, it’s just… I’m really happy for you two, knowing you’re back together.”
Perhaps because she had been pampered since childhood, Ling Meng was a straightforward and somewhat outspoken girl. She loved gossip and also loved sharing her own stories, even with people she wasn’t very close to, she could easily become chatty.
“I’m saying this because… I also have a long-term ex,” she said, “After we broke up, I really wanted to get back together with her, but it didn’t work out, so I’m really envious of you two.”
Her eyes were sincere.
Song Shuci didn’t know how to comfort her. Ling Meng saw him open his mouth, about to say something but stopping, and chuckled: “Do you want to comfort me but don’t know how? It’s okay, you don’t have to, your Jian Wu has already comforted me.”
“Do you know how we became close?”
Ling Meng didn’t wait for Song Shuci’s answer and continued reminiscing, “I was forced back by my dad. I was in a happy relationship with my girlfriend, but her parents found out and forced her to break up with me. They even told my dad, who was so angry he dragged me back home and locked me up. We argued every day. Later, my dad told me to apply for a job at the affiliated middle school, saying he wouldn’t interfere if I got the job, otherwise, he would completely cut off contact between me and my girlfriend.”
“He said that because he thought I wouldn’t get the job, because I really didn’t like exams, and I was very lazy.”
Ling Meng looked up at the sky: “But I got the job.”
“Although my dad is annoying, at least he keeps his promises, so I went to find my girlfriend again. When we first broke up, she was also fighting with her family, her parents wouldn’t let her contact me. I went to great lengths to get her new contact information, only to find out she had gone abroad. I spent some time before finally flying over to find her.”
She lowered her eyes, “But when I saw her, she said she didn’t love me anymore.”
“I was quite depressed during that time, always wanting to cry, except during classes when I had to force myself to focus. When the new teachers joined, we had our first gathering in the science department office, but I didn’t participate. After everyone left, I stayed in the office, silently crying… I couldn’t cry at home, my dad would scold me. But unexpectedly, midway through my crying, Jian Wu suddenly came back.”
“It was quite awkward,” Ling Meng said, “But he was very kind, he handed me a tissue, asked if I needed help or wanted to talk, and said if I didn’t want to, he would pretend he didn’t see anything.”
“Then I told him about my girlfriend.”
“Jian Wu is truly a good person,” Ling Meng’s eyes softened, “He was always very concerned about me afterwards, even helped mend my relationship with my dad. And during Teacher’s Day, since we were new teachers, some of the students would come to the office and give their teachers cards or flowers, but I didn’t receive anything, my desk was empty, it was quite awkward. To avoid making us feel bad, Jian Wu bought flowers for all the new teachers.”
“For a while, I even thought he liked me,” Ling Meng chuckled, “But precisely because he treated everyone the same, I was even more touched.”
“Anyway, I owe him a lot for helping me get through that,” she looked at Song Shuci, “So… I really hope he’ll be happy.”
Song Shuci had always known Jian Wu was a kind person, but hearing others talk about it, while he felt proud that his treasure was recognized by others, he also felt a pang of sadness.
Ling Meng’s memories and stories made him feel even more regretful about the time he and Jian Wu were apart.
He couldn’t help but think, he had actually been separated from Jian Wu for four years, four years… that he hadn’t been a part of, hadn’t witnessed.
How could he not feel regretful?
This feeling brought a dull ache to his bones, as if something was gnawing at him, not intensely, but persistently.
It wasn’t until he saw Jian Wu that the pain seemed to dissipate.
When they arrived at the lab classroom, Jian Wu was leaning over the podium, grading papers.
Glancing up and seeing them, Jian Wu was taken aback, put down his pen, walked over quickly, and whispered: “Why are you here?”
“Someone wanted to see you,” Ling Meng joked. She looked inside the classroom, most of the students had left, only one girl remained. She said to Jian Wu: “You’re so mean, even making students stay after club activities?”
“Do I seem like that kind of person?” Jian Wu sighed and explained, “We were making leaf vein bookmarks today. I prepared cardboard and laminating sheets, so they could make greeting cards if they wanted. But there were so many students just now, it was chaotic, and this girl lost her finished bookmark. I helped her look for it for a while, but we couldn’t find it. She was almost in tears, saying she wanted to give it to her mother, so I stayed to help her make another one.”
“Then how much longer will it take?” Ling Meng asked.
Jian Wu looked back at the girl diligently working at her desk and estimated: “About half an hour.”
“Seriously,” Ling Meng lost her patience, “Then you wait slowly, I’m leaving.”
“Go ahead, go ahead.”
Jian Wu said, then looked at Song Shuci, who looked at him and said: “I’ll wait with you.”
“Tsk,” Ling Meng shivered, exclaimed “So clingy,” and quickly left the couple’s lovey-dovey aura.
Jian Wu smiled, both embarrassed and helpless.
After Ling Meng left, Song Shuci took the initiative to tell him: “I told her about us.”
“It’s fine,” Jian Wu himself didn’t know how to bring it up, but he hadn’t intended to hide it from Ling Meng.
Song Shuci looked at him: “I just wanted to let you know, in case you’re mad at me for making the decision for you.”
The corners of Jian Wu’s lips curled up, but he said: “You already did it, why are you still pretending?”
“No way,” Song Shuci said, “I just couldn’t wait to tell everyone, I couldn’t control myself.”
Jian Wu smiled and waved his hand, indulging his possessiveness, “I’m going back inside, you can find an empty classroom to sit in if you’re bored.”
Although he said so, when he came out after cleaning up, Song Shuci was still standing outside the classroom.
“Do you love standing around so much?” Jian Wu walked over carrying a pile of experimental equipment, and Song Shuci naturally took them from him, “I always sit, standing for a while is relaxing.”
Jian Wu didn’t bother to expose him, just smiled slightly, a warmth spreading in his heart.
When they left the school with the equipment, it was already dark. Song Shuci asked: “Anything you want to eat?”
“Let’s eat later,” Jian Wu’s gaze fell on a little girl crossing the road. She was clutching her newly laminated leaf vein bookmark, skipping happily.
“It’s not very safe around the school recently, and it’s dark now, let’s see her home before we eat,” Jian Wu said.
“Then let’s call out to her, I can drive her home.”
Jian Wu stopped him, “Her parents work at our school, they live nearby,” he looked at Song Shuci, then at himself, “And it’s not appropriate for two men to do that.”
Having been a teacher, Jian Wu was more aware of social boundaries than Song Shuci.
Girls of this age already had some sense of gender, and overly obvious concern could have undesirable consequences, but Jian Wu was still worried about her walking home alone in the dark.
“Just consider it a walk,” Jian Wu said, “We haven’t taken a walk together in a while.”
Song Shuci quickly understood Jian Wu’s concerns, his eyes softening slightly.
He used to think Jian Wu needed his protection.
But this separation made him realize more and more that Jian Wu was an independent adult, capable and willing to make his own decisions and manage his own life.
Even in handling many matters, Jian Wu was more meticulous and considerate than him.
Although it was still the same face, the same person, Jian Wu was no longer the teenager who, after his father’s death, hid in his arms and cried helplessly.
He had entered Jian Wu’s heart as an older brother during his most vulnerable time.
But he had to let go of his role as an older brother to return his equal and respected life partner to him.
They ended up going to a small, elegant restaurant recommended by Song Shuci. The decor looked simple, until Jian Wu saw the menu.
“Am I reading the numbers wrong?” he exclaimed, “When did prices in City B become so high?”
“You’re not mistaken,” Song Shuci said, “This place is expensive.”
“Even if they put gold in their food, it shouldn’t be this expensive,” Jian Wu stood up, about to leave, “All style, no substance, a consumerist trap.”
“Hey,” Song Shuci grabbed his hand, “Just try it, maybe you’ll like it.”
“It would be tragic if I actually liked it,” Jian Wu said, “I can’t afford it.”
“It’s my treat.”
“Did Professor Song win the lottery?” Jian Wu joked.
Song Shuci looked at him for a moment, then took out a document. Jian Wu looked closely, it was a company registration document.
“I was wondering why you’re so extravagant today, so you’ve become Boss Song,” Jian Wu teased, “You should save some money in the early stages of your business.”
“It’s ‘Boss Jian’,” Song Shuci said, “I’m giving you all my shares.”
Jian Wu was dumbfounded: “Why are you giving them to me? Song Shuci, don’t force me to work for you.”
“You don’t have to work, just take the dividends. I’ll be the legal representative, I’ll bear the responsibility, if we lose money, it’s mine, if we make money, it’s yours, okay?”
“I don’t want it,” Jian Wu said.
Song Shuci said with a straight face: “Whether you want it or not is your business, whether I give it or not is mine.”
Jian Wu was amused by his words and laughed heartily: “How many CEO novels did you read to come up with that line? Song Shuci, stop it, you’re not suited for this persona.”
“Alright, alright, stop laughing.”
Song Shuci, looking at Jian Wu, who was almost in tears from laughter, couldn’t help but chuckle along with him. They leaned against each other, laughing so hard they almost attracted the attention of the waiter.
“Stop, stop, stop,” Jian Wu made a “pause” gesture, opened the menu, and changed the subject, “Order… let’s order.”
The moon rose outside, its light, along with the restaurant’s lights, shining on Jian Wu’s face through the window.
Song Shuci propped his head up with one hand. Jian Wu was looking at the menu, and he was looking at Jian Wu.
The young man studied the menu seriously, his handsome face and gentle eyes his favorite, every expression making his heart flutter.
A smile he hadn’t even noticed appeared on his face, a warmth spreading in his chest, like embers in a winter night.
So this was the embodiment of happiness.
