After the Breakup, the Possessive Heiress Regretted It - Chapter 29

Chapter 29: Home is Always Waiting For Her.

“It’s okay, not late, not late at all, haha.” Ji Wanmian hadn’t expected Wen Su to apologize so seriously. She chuckled awkwardly and changed the subject, “Long time no see, you’ve changed a lot, I almost didn’t recognize you.”

Wen Su smiled faintly, two clear dimples appearing at the corners of her mouth, and teased, “Really? I should have worn my high school uniform to pick you up then.”

Ji Wanmian shook her head and said, “That’s not necessary, I just haven’t seen you in so long that I didn’t recognize you.”

Wen Su answered almost without hesitation, “We’ll be seeing each other often from now on.”

Ji Wanmian froze, letting out a bewildered “Huh?”

Was Wen Su living with her family?

Or was Wen Su her long-lost sister?

While Ji Wanmian was in a daze, Wen Su quickly and deftly took her suitcase, smiling, “Let me help you with your bag.”

“No, that’s okay, I can do it myself,” Ji Wanmian still didn’t want to trouble others and reached out to take her suitcase back.

But as soon as she extended her hand, her stomach began to rumble.

So hungry.

Because she had accidentally packed all the snacks she bought into her suitcase, she hadn’t eaten anything during the long high-speed train ride.

Seeing Ji Wanmian instinctively pat her stomach, Wen Su knew in a second that she was hungry.

“I don’t have anything else on me, eat some candy first. We can find something good to eat when we go out later.” Wen Su frowned with some self-reproach and silently handed over the candy from her bag.

“Thank you,” Ji Wanmian was so hungry she was seeing stars. She didn’t stand on ceremony, and seeing that Wen Su didn’t look like someone who would harm her in public, she directly took the candy into her palm. As she unwrapped it and put it in her mouth, she suddenly felt a very familiar taste. She looked down at the packaging and said in surprise, “I haven’t tasted this flavor of candy in a long time.”

“Yes, I have more, I can give them all to you.” Wen Su took out all the candy from her bag and placed it in her palm for Ji Wanmian to choose from.

“That’s too embarrassing…” Ji Wanmian was shy for two seconds, but she was really tempted, and since she hadn’t had this flavor in so long, she missed it dearly. So she changed her tone, “Then I’ll take them all.”

“Okay.” Wen Su watched Ji Wanmian take the candy with a doting smile; she was truly adorable.

Ji Wanmian, while taking the candy, muttered, “I loved this candy so much in high school, I bought and ate it almost every day.”

Wen Su nodded and said, “Yes.”

Suddenly, Ji Wanmian remembered something and added, “I remember I even shared some with you back then. I didn’t realize you liked this candy too. By the way you’re acting, you still like it, right?”

Wen Su stopped nodding, instead staring intently at Ji Wanmian, and said seriously and firmly, “Yes, I still like it now.”

Ji Wanmian felt self-conscious under her gaze. She turned her head and continued walking forward, raising a hand to rub her cheek, “Is there something on my face?”

Wen Su chuckled, “No, but if you don’t go home and sleep soon, you’ll have dark circles under your eyes.”

“Aren’t my dark circles obvious enough? You don’t know that on a good day I stay up until two or three in the morning, and most of the time I just pull an all-nighter. There have been several times I’ve felt like I’m not far from becoming a god.” Ji Wanmian turned around, pointing at the corners of her eyes with both hands, so Wen Su could clearly see her dark circles, which were bigger than her eyes.

However, Wen Su, carrying the suitcase, looked at this scene with only one thought in her mind—

She’s really so cute.

But to avoid scaring such an innocent and kind Ji Wanmian, Wen Su quickly returned to normal and asked, “How have you been lately?”

“Oh, well, I have to tell you properly about that,” Ji Wanmian smiled, eloquently recounting her story of moving to a distant city alone and living in a rented apartment. “It’s just occasionally eating instant noodles, ordering takeout, not traveling for a long time, spending all the money saved by the beginning of next month, and working hard for several years only to find zero savings, that’s all. You don’t have to feel bad for me, most working people are like me, and I’m even better off.”

Don’t feel bad?

How could that be.

Just hearing Ji Wanmian describe her experiences, even though her tone was light and not very detailed, Wen Su’s heart was already breaking.

It’s okay.

She wouldn’t let her suffer any hardship from now on.

Seeing that Wen Su had no response, Ji Wanmian thought it was because she had talked only about herself, making it difficult for the other person to reply. So, she proactively asked, “How about you? Have you stayed in Nancheng all this time? I remember you went to a really good university that year, you were almost a legend in our graduating class.”

“It’s not that exaggerated,” Wen Su chuckled softly.

“Really, you’re amazing. Not to be an armchair quarterback, but even when you were my desk mate back then, I thought you were so hardworking and would definitely become an exceptionally excellent adult,” Ji Wanmian’s voice was full of admiration, and by the end, she even sounded a bit smug, as if her tail was wagging.

Although Wen Su was happy to hear Ji Wanmian praise her and felt acknowledged, she was afraid she would become too proud and forget who she was. So, she changed the subject and answered each of Ji Wanmian’s previous questions properly, saying, “I’ve been okay recently, better than when you first knew me. I came back to Nancheng a few years ago because I heard my mom was sick, so I rushed back.”

Ji Wanmian asked with concern, “Ah? Is Auntie feeling better now?”

Wen Su replied, “She got much better a year ago. Now there are no major problems, and she can even go square dancing with other aunties.”

“That’s great then,” Ji Wanmian nodded with a smile, then remembering what Wen Su had said, she asked a series of curious questions: “So, where were you working those previous years? Your job must have been pretty good, right? Now that Auntie’s better, are you still going to go outside the city? Or take Auntie with you?”

Wen Su hesitated for two seconds, debating whether to tell her about her continuous advanced studies and then landing a job with an annual salary of a million.

Forget it, although she wanted to tell Ji Wanmian everything, these words could wait for later.

As for whether to leave Nancheng, she indeed had better opportunities, and her mother had also agreed to live in another city.

So, it ultimately depended on…

Wen Su looked at Ji Wanmian.

“I’m still waiting,” Wen Su said subtly.

If Ji Wanmian said to stay in Nancheng, she would stay without hesitation.

If Ji Wanmian said she could go to a big city to try her luck, she would follow Ji Wanmian to any city.

Anywhere was fine.

As long as they were together.

Perhaps because they hadn’t seen each other for a long time, Ji Wanmian’s mouth didn’t stop talking as they walked out of the station. She said a lot of things in one breath: “I don’t know if you remember, there was a classmate in our class, Lu Yu, she and I were always front and back desk mates.”

Wen Su said, “I remember, you two had a good relationship back then.”

Ji Wanmian vividly described, “Yes, later after graduation, we didn’t really keep in touch, and I thought we’d never meet again. But then I went to buy a jianbing guozi (savory crepe) and I ran into Lu Yu!”

Wen Su pursed her lips and said, “She’s really lucky.”

“She’s indeed very lucky.” Ji Wanmian nodded in agreement. “Isn’t it lucky to become a boss at such a young age? But she’s changed a bit, plus I hadn’t seen her in several years, and with my terrible memory, I didn’t recognize her at first glance. It took me a long time to remember her name.”

Upon hearing this, Wen Su raised her eyebrows, coughed lightly, and tried to make her voice sound as normal as possible as she asked, “Then why did you recognize me at first sight?”

Ji Wanmian confessed, “Lu Yu mentioned you to me two days ago, and my mom also told me about you, that’s why I recognized you.”

Wen Su’s brows furrowed, and a sense of disappointment was unavoidable. However, she didn’t dwell on her emotions for long. Instead, she cherished every moment with Ji Wanmian and smiled again, asking, “What did they say about me?”

“Them…” Ji Wanmian was a child who couldn’t keep secrets. When asked, she honestly recounted everything Lu Yu and Ji Lan had told her.

Wen Su listened attentively, occasionally arching her brows and smiling for a long time.

Since the person herself was right there, Ji Wanmian had to make it clear: “They all said it was because you were grateful for my past kindness to you. It made me so embarrassed. I only did what I could back then, and I didn’t give you any better help. There’s absolutely no need to be that grateful.”

Wen Su lowered her eyes and asked softly, “But what if I still really want to thank you?”

“Hmm…” Ji Wanmian rested her chin on her hand, thinking for a moment. Suddenly, a light bulb went off. She pulled out two candies from her bag and said, “This is your reward! I ran to so many stores and couldn’t find them. You gave me so many all at once, they’re too precious.”

Wen Su smiled with relief, finding the person in front of her so adorable that she couldn’t get angry. Just as she was about to say something, her gaze fell on something by Ji Wanmian’s feet. It must have accidentally fallen out of Xiaomian’s bag when she took out the candy. So, she bent down to pick up the item from the ground, but after seeing it clearly up close, Wen Su suddenly froze.

How could it be a ring…

Her eyes widened, and she hesitated to pick it up.

It was Ji Wanmian herself who picked it up. As she picked up the ring, she muttered softly, “How did I accidentally drop this piece of junk?”

“This is…” Wen Su straightened up, looking at the object in Ji Wanmian’s hand, and asked.

Ji Wanmian organized her words and replied, “It used to be a ring. After that, it became something I used to sell for money.”

Since Ji Wanmian said so, Wen Su didn’t ask any more questions. Instead, she walked forward with something on her mind.

After exiting the station, Ji Wanmian shivered from the sudden cold wind and quickly pulled her down jacket tighter, hoping no wind would dare to sneak in.

Seeing this, Wen Su, without much thought, unzipped her own jacket and said, “I can give you my coat to wear.”

Ji Wanmian flinched in surprise, her head shrinking back slightly, and she said with a look of astonishment, “What is this familiar ‘give you my coat’ scene? Did you receive a lot of money from my mom? Why are you going to such lengths for me?”

Wen Su also felt that she had been a bit presumptuous just now, so she played along with Ji Wanmian’s words and joked, “Maybe they gave me a bit too much.”

“So did they book a car for me?” Ji Wanmian looked left and right. On the street late at night, there weren’t many people. “It’s hard to get a taxi at this hour.”

Wen Su feigned a look of great surprise, her voice even tinged with astonishment: “You really hit the nail on the head, Auntie really did book one! It’s right up ahead, I can drive over and pick you up.”

“Really?!” Ji Wanmian could hardly believe it, but then, thinking it over herself, she understood: “It must be because I haven’t been back in a long time, and my mom missed me so much, that she was willing to book a car to pick me up.”

“Really.” Wen Su grinned, placed the suitcase in front of Ji Wanmian, pointed to a spot not far away, and tilted her head to say to her, “It’s very close, I’ll be back soon.”

“Okay.” Ji Wanmian stood obediently in place, smiling and agreeing.

How can she be this cute!

Wen Su quickened her steps. She couldn’t even hear the whistling evening wind, only felt her heart beating too fast, like a hammer striking her chest, very loud.

While waiting, Ji Wanmian idly recalled their conversation.

Since it was a booked car, why did Wen Su have to drive it herself…

However, when the car stopped in front of her, she couldn’t care about anything else. She just opened her mouth wide and let out a long “Wow.”

She rubbed her eyes, confirming she wasn’t dreaming, then looked at the car in front of her again.

Did this mean such a luxurious car was here to pick her up?!

In just a few seconds, a possibility flashed through Ji Wanmian’s mind—perhaps her mom and dad were long-hidden rich people, and only decided to tell their daughter these past two years.

Wen Su rolled down the window, presumably waiting for her to get in.

Ji Wanmian, while opening the trunk to put in her suitcase, thought that Wen Su was probably just a part-time driver hired by their family.

After putting her suitcase away and sitting in the car, Ji Wanmian looked at Wen Su with a bit more pity.

How could such an excellent person be her driver!

Ji Wanmian sighed, truly feeling sorry for her.

Meanwhile, Wen Su, who was driving, had no idea about the dramatic psychological activity going on in Ji Wanmian’s mind. She just heard her sigh and asked, “What’s wrong? Is something bothering you?”

Ji Wanmian couldn’t really voice her true thoughts, as she didn’t want to hurt the other person’s pride. But since she was asked, she had to answer. So she thought for a moment, and just as she was at a loss for words, her gaze unintentionally fell upon the moon outside the car window, and she blurted out, “I thought of someone I dislike.”

Wen Su was silent for a while, then said, “If you encounter anything troubling, or meet someone who makes you unhappy, you can tell me. Even if I can’t share your sadness and worries, I can still be with you.”

Her speaking pace was slow, and each word was spoken very clearly.

But Ji Wanmian heard it very clearly, though her mind wasn’t entirely clear.

She was very touched, moved by Wen Su’s professionalism.

She hadn’t expected to actually find a driver who worked so hard to build a good relationship with the employer’s daughter.

Ji Wanmian replied, “Thank you, I’m very touched. I’ll tell my mom what you said when I get home.”

—This was an acknowledgment of the driver’s professionalism.

But to Wen Su, it sounded quite different.

—This sentence clearly meant to let Auntie Ji know about her fervent and sincere feelings.

While Wen Su focused on driving, Ji Wanmian leaned back, turning her head to look out the car window.

She hadn’t been back for a long time. As Nancheng’s tall buildings and commercial storefronts flashed by, she felt a little dazed, as if she was still living in that rented apartment, and every scene now was something that would only appear in a dream.

Although she used to go home for Chinese New Year in the first few years after leaving, she later felt that the train ticket was too expensive. Plus, she hadn’t made a name for herself outside, so she was a bit embarrassed to go home and face her relatives’ questions. She then claimed to be busy with work and said she wouldn’t be going home for the New Year.

However, no matter how insignificant or embarrassed she was, home would always be here waiting for her.

Her family would never look down on her.

When she lost money outside as a child and came home crying, her mother would only worry that she had no money and hadn’t eaten enough.

Now that she was home, her mother would only greet her happily.

She once thought that getting Pei Jinyue’s love was the happiest thing, but now, she realized that it was the most illusory thing. Only the bright, unreserved, overflowing love at home was truly the most beautiful.

The car was about to pull up to her apartment building. Ji Wanmian looked at her family’s unit and noticed that their lights were still on.

It was already two in the morning; perhaps her mom and the others had left the lights on for her after they went to sleep.

Just as she was thinking this, Ji Lan’s call came in.

“Dear daughter, have you arrived? Your dad and I are still waiting for you to come home and eat.”

In the silent, cold night, her family had left a light on for her, waiting for her to come home for a meal.

Ji Wanmian sniffled, her voice a little choked as she replied, “Okay.”

Ji Lan continued, “If Xiaowen is free, you can invite her up to eat with us too.”

Ji Wanmian turned her head to look at Wen Su. Because the car was very quiet, Ji Lan’s voice from the phone could be heard by Wen Su, saving Ji Wanmian from having to ask again.

Perhaps feeling Ji Wanmian’s gaze, Wen Su replied directly, “Convenient.”

“Okay,” Ji Wanmian agreed, then turned back to Ji Lan and said, “Then I’ll come up with Xiaowen. We should be home in less than fifteen minutes.”

“I’ve made all your favorite dishes, just waiting for you to come back and taste if my cooking has improved.”

As soon as Ji Lan finished speaking, Ji Wanmian’s nose stung. She pursed her lips, took a deep breath, and then felt a little better. Wiping away tears from the corners of her eyes, she smiled and said, “Then let this master have a good taste.”

Ji Lan also laughed, saying no more.

After hanging up the phone, Ji Wanmian placed her hand over her eyes. Her throat felt as if something was lodged in it, and she couldn’t utter a word.

Just then, Wen Su also stopped the car. Seeing Ji Wanmian’s distressed expression, she silently took a pack of tissues from her bag and handed them to Ji Wanmian.

“Thank you.” Ji Wanmian took them, wiped away her tears, unbuckled her seatbelt, and got out of the car.

Perhaps the biting cold wind after getting out of the car made her clearer-headed. The wild imaginings she had at the station entrance earlier now only seemed amusing. Since their family still lived in this old neighborhood, there was no talk of sudden wealth.

Besides, if her mom and dad were truly hidden wealthy people, would they still love her this much?

Wen Su also got out of the car and walked to the trunk to get Ji Wanmian’s luggage.

“You…” Ji Wanmian opened her mouth, wanting to ask for clarification.

But when Wen Su turned her head, looking at her in confusion, she couldn’t say another word.

All the way, Ji Wanmian was preoccupied, calling Wen Su’s name several times, but never saying anything more.

“Xiaomian, is there something you want to tell me?” downstairs at the building entrance, Wen Su finally took the initiative to ask what was on her mind.

Since the words were almost on the tip of her tongue, Ji Wanmian looked up, wanting to say what she had been thinking about throughout the journey.

Suddenly, a woman with wine-red hair flashed past her eyes.

Her eyes widened, and she sharply turned her head, looking at the person who had just walked by.

For a moment, she thought she had seen Pei Jinyue.

But it was just someone who had just come back from outside, walking towards another unit building.

Other than the hair color being similar to Pei Jinyue’s, her figure and clothes were completely different.

But even a fleeting glance still made Ji Wanmian’s heart race, and it took her a long time to recover.

“Xiaomian?”

After Wen Su called for the third time, Ji Wanmian slowly turned her head, her eyes still a little confused.

“What’s wrong with you?” Wen Su asked with concern.

Ji Wanmian lowered her head and apologized several times, explaining, “I’m sorry, I just thought I saw… someone I knew before, but I must have mistaken her.”

To be honest, she didn’t know how to address Pei Jinyue now. Their relationship was clearly closer than ordinary friends, yet not quite romantic, so “ex-girlfriend” certainly didn’t fit. It was better to just distance herself further, as “just someone I knew.”

“Okay, let’s go upstairs quickly, it’s quite cold outside,” Wen Su pulled the suitcase and continued walking forward.

Actually, she really wanted to continue asking what Ji Wanmian wanted to say to her earlier, but when she saw the slightly disappointed expression on Ji Wanmian’s face, she felt a little sorry and didn’t want to force Ji Wanmian to talk more just to answer her questions.

It was okay. As long as Ji Wanmian was back in Nancheng, they would have the opportunity to meet every day from then on, no need to rush.

Upon reaching her doorstep, Ji Wanmian saw the familiar entrance to her home. Thinking of the large table full of dishes, she instantly perked up, bounced to the door, tidied her clothes, and just as she was about to press the doorbell, the person inside opened the door.

“How did you know I arrived!” Ji Wanmian looked at Ji Lan, who had opened the door, her eyes widened in surprise, almost forgetting to blink.

“You’re my daughter, we have a telepathic connection,” Ji Lan patted Ji Wanmian’s shoulder and smoothly took the bag from her back.

“You make it sound so fancy. I think you just heard some noise at the door,” Ji Wanmian laughed like a child, following Ji Lan inside, not forgetting to invite Wen Su to come in with them.

“Here, wear these slippers.”

Ji Wanmian put on the slippers Ji Lan handed her, then asked in confusion, “Why didn’t you get a pair for Xiaowen?”

Ji Lan chuckled twice and said, “See for yourself.”

Ji Wanmian curiously turned her head and saw that Wen Su was very familiar with putting on the shoes, as if she were the daughter of this house, while Ji Wanmian herself seemed like a first-time guest.

“I told you on the phone before, Xiaowen often comes here, so she has a pair of slippers specifically for her,” Ji Lan placed Ji Wanmian’s bag on the sofa, then took the suitcase from Wen Su’s hand. “Go wash your hands quickly, dinner will be ready soon.”

“Okay!” Ji Wanmian grinned, ran towards the bathroom, then half-way, worried Wen Su wouldn’t find it, she intended to lead her there.

Wen Su was amused by her appearance and said, “I can find my way.”

Ji Lan, in the kitchen, also responded from afar, “My dear daughter, during the time you weren’t back, Xiaowen would often come to our house, and if it was mealtime, she’d stay to eat with us.”

Ji Wanmian let out a “Wow” and said to Wen Su with a smile, “You’re almost half a daughter to our family now.”

Wen Su heard a “bang” sound near her ear.

It wasn’t just the gentle clinking of plates being placed on the table, nor the sounds of revelry from the New Year’s Eve crowd in the distance.

It was the sound of flowers blooming in her heart.