An Earlier Meeting - Chapter 16

Chapter 16

The afternoon slipped away quietly.

Huang Xiaozhi was curled up on the living room sofa, her legs crossed as usual.

Wei Qingwen walked into the kitchen with a large bag of ingredients—her kingdom.

She wasn’t forced; she genuinely loved to cook. Although she didn’t eat much herself, she greatly enjoyed the process of preparing delicious food for others.

Lying on Huang Xiaozhi’s bed, Yu Wen slowly woke up.

She had slept very soundly, without dreams or disturbances. It was so comfortable that she momentarily forgot where she was.

Looking at the unfamiliar room, she was stunned for a few seconds before realizing she was at Huang Xiaozhi’s house.

She put on her shoes, carefully folded the blanket, and tidied up a little. After all, she was a guest in someone else’s home.

As she got up, her gaze was once again drawn to the painting on the wall.

Despite the abstract, intense colors and seemingly chaotic lines, she could clearly recognize that the person in the painting was Huang Xiaozhi.

The painting focused on half of her face, occupying almost half of the canvas, injecting a vibrant artistic flair into the simple room.

Yu Wen walked out of the room, gently closing the door. In the living room, Huang Xiaozhi was leaning against the sofa with her eyes closed. Her phone had slipped to the side—was she asleep?

Yu Wen walked toward her to check. As she got closer, Huang Xiaozhi’s curled-up legs suddenly stretched out.

Yu Wen’s steps paused, and she understood—she wasn’t asleep; she was playing a trick again.

Huang Xiaozhi then “slowly woke up,” and she even went through the motions of rubbing her eyes to hide her embarrassment from being caught. “Oh, you’re up? Did you sleep well?”

Yu Wen sat on the sofa, looking at her fake behavior. She deliberately drew out her words. “Very well, thanks to you. It’s my fault. I took your bed, and you had to be on the sofa.” The first half was serious, but the second half had a teasing tone.

Huang Xiaozhi’s hand froze in mid-air. She stared at Yu Wen with a scrutinizing look. “Yu, the top student, why does the last two sentences sound so disingenuous? Did you secretly drink some tea?” She squinted her eyes and leaned closer as she spoke.

Yu Wen didn’t move. A smile was on her lips as she watched her get closer. “Yes, I’ve recently fallen for green tea. It feels good. Why don’t you try…” Before she could finish, Huang Xiaozhi lost her balance and fell directly onto her.

Yu Wen quickly caught her.

The person in her arms was stiff. Her head was buried in Yu Wen’s shoulder, and she was “playing dead.”

Yu Wen’s chest trembled slightly. She held back her laughter, leaned her head, and whispered in her ear, “What? Is my embrace very comfortable? Do you want to make a home here?”

Huang Xiaozhi’s face instantly turned bright red. She looked away from Yu Wen, struggled to get up, and turned her back to her. Her voice was muffled. “It’s comfortable, but it’s a shame I can’t take root.” The tips of her ears were a deep red.

“Hey—” Yu Wen deliberately drew out her voice. “What a shame? Why are you turning your back on me? Am I scary?”

“You’re scary. You’re a scheming woman,” Huang Xiaozhi blurted out, then regretted it a little.

From behind her, Yu Wen’s voice came, filled with laughter. “Yes, I’m a scheming woman. In this day and age, how can you survive without a little scheming?” She admitted it openly.

Huang Xiaozhi pretended to be angry and turned back. When she saw Yu Wen’s smug face, she couldn’t help but laugh first. “I have a great idea. Do you want to hear it?”

She moved her body to face Yu Wen directly, her face sparkling with mischief.

Yu Wen raised an eyebrow. “Go on. What kind of mischief are you up to now?”

“Little Mosquito!” Huang Xiaozhi laughed at her “genius” idea. “How is it? Isn’t this name amazing?”

Yu Wen on the sofa heard the nickname, and her expression instantly failed. She covered her mouth and laughed for a while before looking at Huang Xiaozhi, who was looking for praise. “Mm, worthy of a genius. Is this my new code name?”

Huang Xiaozhi nodded vigorously like a docile cat.

Yu Wen also nodded. “Okay, ‘Mosquito’ it is. Thank you… Princess Xiaoxiao.” She looked into Huang Xiaozhi’s eyes and said the last four words, one by one.

Princess Xiaoxiao!

Huang Xiaozhi’s mind buzzed.

She had never mentioned this embarrassing childhood nickname to Yu Wen! She nervously interrupted any possible explanation from Yu Wen. “So you know! Don’t call me that outside! Either call me by my full name or ‘Little One’!”

Seeing Huang Xiaozhi’s mind crash, the smile in Yu Wen’s eyes deepened.

She mischievously poked Huang Xiaozhi’s shoulder with her index finger. “I’m going to get something from upstairs. I hope your IQ is online when I get back, and you’re not so silly.” With that, she got up and walked toward the door.

Huang Xiaozhi glared at Yu Wen’s back. This girl is so annoying! I will get my revenge one day! She swore to herself.

In fact, she had painted a portrait of Yu Wen.

It was originally a two-person painting, but she was worried that Yu Wen would see it and it would be hard to explain, so she split it into two. Yu Wen’s half was carefully covered with a canvas.

She wanted to go back to her room to make sure Yu Wen hadn’t touched it.

When she pushed open the door, she was surprised by how tidy it was—was this her bed? Yu Wen had not only folded the blanket but also neatly tidied up the bed. She was almost perfect.

Her gaze swept over the painting on the wall. It was untouched. She let out a sigh of relief. She wasn’t worried that Yu Wen would mess with her things. She had an almost instinctive trust in this person.

Because there was a hidden affection in her heart.

…

Huang Xiaozhi had been in her room for a while, trying to find something but couldn’t.

She figured Yu Wen should be back in the living room by now, so she decided to give up. The thing would eventually show up on its own.

Just as she opened the door, she ran into Yu Wen leaning against the hallway wall, calmly looking at her.

Huang Xiaozhi was startled by this “door god.”

Yu Wen’s eyebrows slightly raised, with a playful smile, “waking up” the distracted Huang Xiaozhi.

Huang Xiaozhi immediately put on an arrogant stance and leaned against the door frame. “What? Are you planning to corner me at my bedroom door?”

Yu Wen held back a smile. “Yes, I am.” With that, she turned and walked toward the living room. “You didn’t make a sound for a long time, so I thought you had ‘fallen asleep.’ I almost called an ambulance for you.”

“A dog’s mouth can’t produce ivory!” Huang Xiaozhi complained, following behind her. “You’re wasting that serious face! Why can’t you just use that face to be a quiet beauty?”

“You want me to be a mute?” Yu Wen didn’t turn her head. “I can’t. I talk a lot. I can’t hold it in.”

Huang Xiaozhi’s heart sank. Does this girl have mind-reading abilities?

“Yes! Being a mute bride is great! If you talk a lot, just swallow it, digest it, and then poop it out, got it?” She gestured as she spoke, and in the end, she even raised her chin.

“No—I will talk. If you think it’s too noisy, you can cover your ears, okay?” Yu Wen looked back, her eyes full of mischief.

Huang Xiaozhi’s expression twisted. Finally, she waved her hand helplessly. “Forget it, forget it. You go play by yourself. I’m going to help my mom cook.” With that, she walked toward the kitchen.

Yu Wen’s gaze followed her until the kitchen door closed.

She unhurriedly took out her phone. Zhong Li had sent her a message.

WeChat:

Zhong Li: Ms. Yu, there’s a new development in the matter you asked me to investigate.

Wen: Speak.

Zhong Li: When you were one month old, the Yu family and the Wei family started a collaboration. Your mother and Wei Qingwen were very close friends. Her suspicion cannot be ruled out.

Wen: I know.

Zhong Li: Back then, Wei Qingwen had deeply investigated your parents’ car accident for a long time, but eventually gave up.

Wen: Reason?

Zhong Li: Not yet determined, I apologize.

Wen: Okay. I’ll have Uncle Lin assist you. He will contact you.

(Zhong Li and Lin Yuxu were adopted and raised by an old friend of the Yu family and now work for Yu Wen)

Zhong Li: .

Wen: Uncle Zhong, I’m afraid you’ll be too tired, so I’m having him give you a hand.

Zhong Li: Understood.

(Zhong Li and Lin Yuxu have never gotten along)

Wen: Please be sure to ‘happily’ cooperate. Send any findings directly to me, on my backup phone.

Zhong Li: Understood.

…

Just as the conversation ended, Lin Yuxu’s call came in. Zhong Li looked at the caller ID and felt a surge of annoyance.

He answered the call.

“Hello?”

“Can’t I call my old partner just to say hi?” Lin Yuxu’s voice was full of laughter.

“I’m busy.”

“Just a reminder, from now on, you’ll have to work with me.”

“…”

“Also, send me a copy of what you’ve found.”

“Investigate it yourself!”

“Why bother when there’s a ready-made one?”

“…”

“Zhong Li, you’re still so boring.”

“What would be interesting?”

“Cussing at me.”

“Did your brain get caught in a door?”

“I’d like to be caught by you.”

“…”

A vein on Zhong Li’s forehead twitched. He just wanted to hang up.

“Hey, don’t hang up! Let’s get to the point. The Zhang family is making a move.”

“Speak.”

“They’ve sent a lot of people to watch Ms. Yu. You need to be more careful and protect her. Neither of us can afford to be derelict in our duty.”

“Got it. Anything else?”

“Yeah.”

“Say it.”

“I’m trying to hook you.”

“You think you can hook me?”

“How would I know if I don’t try?”

“… You’re crazy.”

Zhong Li decisively hung up.

This person was as annoying as ever.

…

At the dinner table, Wei Qingwen kept putting food on Yu Wen’s plate, piling it up like a small mountain.

She looked at Yu Wen, her eyes filled with an unspoken question.

Yu Wen took a bite and nodded in praise. “It’s delicious.”

“If you like it, eat more, Little Yu.” Wei Qingwen heard this and put another chopstick full of food on her plate. As for her own daughter, she was much more relaxed—Huang Xiaozhi’s bowl was already piled high with food she had put there herself.

Huang Xiaozhi was engrossed in finishing the food in her bowl.

Yu Wen put down her chopsticks and sat up straight. She looked at Wei Qingwen. “Auntie Wei, you’re a lot like my mother… Can I add you as a friend? I won’t bother you much.” Her voice was sincere.

Huang Xiaozhi, who was eating, paused. She looked up at the two of them and then quickly lowered her head to continue eating.

Wei Qingwen lovingly put down her chopsticks, took out her phone, and opened her QR code. “Of course, you can scan me. I’ll reply when I’m free.” At this moment, she had a strange feeling, as if the little girl she had met years ago had returned to her side.

Yu Wen scanned the code and added her, with the note “Huang Xiaozhi’s mom (Wei Qingwen).”

The atmosphere at the dinner table was light and happy. Wei Qingwen was witty and humorous, sharing interesting stories from work, like a big friend.

Yu Wen hadn’t felt this kind of warm, everyday happiness in a long time.

She thought of the cold dinner table at the Zhang family’s and the only person who had ever shown her warmth, Grandma Wang—the old nanny who would secretly save food for her and told her to run away. She silently vowed that one day, she would take Grandma Wang with her.

Her thoughts drifted and were quickly pulled back. She focused on listening to Wei Qingwen tell embarrassing stories about Huang Xiaozhi when she was a child, and she laughed along. The happy smile on Huang Xiaozhi’s face was so bright.

After dinner, Huang Xiaozhi volunteered to do the dishes, but Wei Qingwen pushed her to go with Yu Wen. “You can wash all the dishes tomorrow.” Huang Xiaozhi readily agreed.

…

On the beanbag chair on the balcony, the two of them were comfortably nestled.

Yu Wen took a small keychain out of her bag—a handmade knitted rabbit. She put the string around her middle finger, and the little rabbit swayed gently at her fingertip, landing in front of Huang Xiaozhi’s eyes.

The rabbit wasn’t perfect. The stitches were a little clumsy, but it was cute and endearing.

Huang Xiaozhi took it, playing with it with fondness, and couldn’t stop herself from smiling. “Did you knit this?”

“Yeah. Do you like it?” Yu Wen looked at her.

Huang Xiaozhi didn’t say anything and just nodded vigorously.

For a moment, both of them were silent.

Their gazes met in the air by chance, and they both laughed.

After playing for a while, Yu Wen checked the time. “I should head back. I have some things to tidy up at home.”

Huang Xiaozhi walked her to the door.

Back in her room, Huang Xiaozhi caressed the little rabbit in her hand.

There seemed to be something hard hidden inside the rabbit’s body.

She hesitated for a moment but ultimately didn’t open it to investigate. Instead, she carefully placed it in a small box.

Just like she had carefully hidden the person who gave her the gift in the softest corner of her heart.