An Earlier Meeting - Chapter 28

Chapter 28

The two who had changed finally came downstairs. The three on the sofa had already put their phones away with a tacit understanding.

Seeing the pair descend, Wei Qingwen stood up to get the car keys from the cabinet by the door. The keys made a crisp clinking sound in her hand.

She rattled the keys and looked at Yu Wen and Huang Xiaozhi on the sofa. “We’re leaving first. Tell your uncle and them to hurry, you hear?” Her tone was a little impatient.

Still on the stairs, Wang Yuhuan also chimed in without breaking her stride. “That’s right, your uncle always takes his time.” Her voice echoed in the spacious living room.

Huang Xiaozhi nodded repeatedly, like a chick pecking at rice.

“Got it, got it. You guys go on. Remember to send us your location,” she said quickly.

Before she had even finished speaking, the three had already smartly closed the door and left the house.

Huang Xiaozhi turned her head to Yu Wen, pouting with a hint of complaint. “They left before I even finished my sentence.”

Yu Wen looked at her, and a small smile curved her lips. “They probably just told them we weren’t in a hurry,” she said, gently patting Huang Xiaozhi’s shoulder in a comforting gesture.

Huang Xiaozhi helplessly spread her hands. Right, why bother telling her anyway? She wasn’t driving, she just needed to sit and enjoy the ride.

All afternoon, Huang Xiaozhi had felt a certain goofiness coming from Yu Wen. Yes, a definite vibe of being dazed and silly. It didn’t seem like an act; it seemed like her true self. But then again, a good actress could pull that off too.

She felt it might be a bit rude to say it directly, so she temporarily swallowed her curiosity.

Now, the two of them were alone in the vast living room. It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, almost with a sense of empty stillness.

Yu Wen suddenly moved closer, breaking the silence.

“Do you have another name, ‘Xiaoxiao’?” She tilted her head, her gaze searching as she looked at Huang Xiaozhi.

Huang Xiaozhi was startled by her sudden closeness and instinctively turned her neck ninety degrees to the left. “Yeah, why?” she wondered inwardly what this person was up to.

Yu Wen’s gaze was serious. “Can I call you that?”

The overly earnest question left Huang Xiaozhi a little bewildered.

She carefully observed every nuance on Yu Wen’s face, trying to decipher her intention. Yu Wen, meanwhile, waited with an expectant look for her answer.

Seeing Yu Wen’s expression, Huang Xiaozhi found her inexplicably cute. She hesitated before nodding, her eyes still scrutinizing.

But Yu Wen’s poker face was, as always, excellent. She only had a few expressions, and now it was impossible to see what she was thinking. It was as if she was wearing a perfect mask.

Maybe she’s just curious?

Maybe she heard it somewhere and it’s normal to ask. Huang Xiaozhi thought to herself.

The two of them sat downstairs, bored and scrolling on their phones, waiting for the couple upstairs to finally come down.

Half an hour passed, and there was still no movement from upstairs. Huang Xiaozhi’s expression visibly darkened.

She pulled out her phone and, without a moment of hesitation, called Wei Shun directly.

“Hello! What are you two doing up there? You’re already late for dinner, and you’re not coming down! Are you waiting to get scolded?…#&*&(” Her furious rant was too fast to make out.

Upstairs, Wei Shun, who had just finished dressing, reflexively pulled the phone away from his ear the moment he heard the first word.

He could tell from her tone that Huang Xiaozhi was furious.

This relentless stream of words, with no pauses for breath, let Yu Wen experience Huang Xiaozhi’s astonishing lung capacity and rapid-fire speech for the first time.

This intense contrast, coming from the gentle and mild-mannered Huang Xiaozhi, truly surprised her—how could a girl who looked so demure speak those… words so fluently?

“Alright, alright, we’re on our way down,” Wei Shun’s voice drifted lazily from the receiver, trying to appease her.

This dismissive phrase was like pouring oil on a fire!

“Bullshit, Wei Shun! If you two don’t get your butts down here right now, I’m coming up with a machete… (her words became a blur from the speed)” Huang Xiaozhi’s fury was practically tangible.

Although Wei Shun was two years older than Huang Xiaozhi and not from the same generation, their dynamic was no different from that of bickering siblings.

Wei Shun sat on the edge of the bed, looking at his phone screen as if he could see Huang Xiaozhi stomping her feet downstairs in frustration.

He glanced at the composed Pei Dan sitting calmly in a chair and immediately hung up.

After hanging up, he glared at Pei Dan, directing his anger at him. “Why didn’t you call me? It’s all your fault!” His tone was like a child throwing a tantrum.

In the chair, Pei Dan was sitting with one leg crossed over the other, one elbow resting casually on the armrest. He gave a helpless smile, his eyes full of indulgence.

“My fault, it’s all my fault. We’re ready, let’s go downstairs.”

Seeing Pei Dan’s face and his willingness to admit fault, Wei Shun’s anger immediately dissipated, or rather, he wasn’t truly angry to begin with.

He grumbled under his breath, “Stupid man… didn’t even help me fold it,” but he still folded the blanket neatly with a trace of resentment. He put on his shoes, and the two finally left the bedroom.

…

Downstairs, Huang Xiaozhi was even more enraged after being hung up on! Yu Wen, who had been sitting quietly beside her, was startled by her sudden increase in volume and intensity.

Huang Xiaozhi looked at the blacked-out phone screen in disbelief. This guy actually hung up on her?! Okay, fine! He’s really getting ahead of himself! She’d remember this!

Seeing Huang Xiaozhi’s frustrated, furious look, with her cheeks slightly puffed out, Yu Wen carefully reached out and gently tugged on the hem of her skirt.

Huang Xiaozhi’s head snapped around, her eyes locking onto Yu Wen. She didn’t say anything, just stared at her with a look of inquiry, as if silently urging her, “Don’t be mad.”

That look… it’s so cute. Huang Xiaozhi thought. One of her hands, almost of its own accord, rose and gently caressed Yu Wen’s cheek. She was startled herself when her fingertips touched the delicate, warm skin.

Now that she’d touched her, it would be even more awkward to just leave her hand there. So she quickly put down the phone in her other hand and cupped Yu Wen’s face with both hands.

“Ah! Little Yu Wen, why are you so cute?” she said with a laugh, her eyes curving into crescents, reflecting Yu Wen’s face.

Yu Wen had not expected Huang Xiaozhi to suddenly cup her face. She was in a state of utter shock.

This sudden, intimate contact, which went beyond the boundaries of friendship, made her heart instantly fall out of rhythm.

She likes her. This wasn’t the first time they had touched, but each time was enough to disturb her inner calm.

Huang Xiaozhi continued to smile, cupping Yu Wen’s face. The more she looked, the more she found her cute with a hint of purity. She had a cold and aloof face, but right now, why did she look so goofy?

“You don’t often see this side of our great scholar, Yu Wen,” she said, pouting playfully.

Just then, footsteps sounded on the stairs. Huang Xiaozhi immediately let go, pretending nothing had happened. She casually picked up her phone from the table and stood there, her eyes sharp as she stared at the top of the stairs.

When Huang Xiaozhi’s hands left her, Yu Wen’s gaze subconsciously lingered on her smiling face.

She very subtly touched her cheek where it had just been caressed and looked up at Huang Xiaozhi’s straight back, her heart in turmoil.

The two from upstairs finally made their way down.

Wei Shun, like a tagalong, stayed right behind Pei Dan’s tall figure, trying to use him as a shield, foolishly thinking that Huang Xiaozhi wouldn’t see him that way.

Standing in the living room, Huang Xiaozhi’s expression completely failed. Her mouth twitched uncontrollably at the sight of this childish behavior.

What in the world is going on? This guy’s an adult, why is he still so childish?

It was too much to watch.

Pei Dan nodded toward the door, indicating they could go.

The “tagalong” behind him also moved from directly behind him to his right side, still trying to block himself.

Pei Dan could only shake his head helplessly at this.

Huang Xiaozhi grinned, showing a very stiff smile. She nodded, then quickly turned to Yu Wen. “Haha… haha… let’s go, let’s go.” If she didn’t leave soon, she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to control herself.

The last person left the old house, and with a click, the final light was turned off. The sky was not yet completely dark, a hazy twilight.

Everything in the house seemed to stop breathing for a moment. With its owners gone, it lost its vitality and fell into a deep silence.

It was like a key being taken away, locking away all the liveliness.

If the objects in the house could talk, they would probably be whispering in the darkness, reminiscing about watching Huang Xiaozhi and Wei Shun grow up. This old house was a silent elder, a silent witness to the years.

…

When the group was about to reach their destination, Wei Qingwen’s call came in, directed at Wei Shun.

He hesitated whether to answer, but his fingers seemed to have a mind of their own and hit the accept button.

“Hello? Still throwing a fit on the bed?”

That single, simple, and direct sentence instantly plunged the four people in the car into an awkward silence.

Wei Shun tried to maintain a smile, but it was so forced it was about to crack, right on the verge of exploding! The other three people in the car’s gazes were all focused on him.

The person on the other end of the line was completely unaware, just kept saying, “Hello?” “Hello!”…

Wei Shun hung up the phone directly. What on earth was going on?! The moment the car stopped, he impatiently unbuckled his seatbelt and motioned for Pei Dan to unlock the door.

The two in the back seat quietly observed the interaction between the two in the front.

It was clear that Pei Dan’s status in the family… well, it didn’t seem to be the highest, but it was by no means low. In short, his uncle’s status was clearly on a more “honored” level.

The two of them exchanged a knowing glance and a nod, with a silent understanding.

Now out of the car, Wei Shun rushed into the restaurant. He stood at the front desk, anxiously looking toward the door, hoping the three “slowpokes” in the car would hurry up and appear. A moment later, they did.

A server had offered to lead him to the table, but he decided to wait for everyone, lest the other three got lost.

Wei Shun immediately put on his most “sincere” smile and went to greet them. “You’re here? I suddenly feel like I’m not that slow anymore,” he said, trying to clear his name and shift the blame to the other three (of course, he was joking).

Huang Xiaozhi was Wei Shun’s nemesis. She held the heavy drink bags in both hands, a smile on her face, but the smile looked more and more unnerving.

A grown man walking in front, not carrying a single thing, making the three of them carry it all, practically around their necks.

Wei Shun saw the look in Huang Xiaozhi’s eyes and knew she was cursing him in her heart.

If it weren’t for the crowd, he would probably have been cursed to death. Knowing he was in the wrong, he braced himself and stepped forward, trying to help the two women.

“Come on, let me take that. You can leave the heavy lifting to your uncle!” he said, feigning an attempt to grab the bags from Huang Xiaozhi’s hands.

Huang Xiaozhi dodged his hand and didn’t give him anything.

“Get lost, Wei Shun. I have plenty of strength! Lead the way!” Her tone was full of authority, leaving no room for argument.

The more Huang Xiaozhi acted this way, the more Wei Shun’s heart pounded. He was genuinely afraid this woman would slice him up with a knife at night…

The lady at the front desk looked at the group’s dynamic and asked timidly, “You’re all a family, right? Please follow me.” With that, she began to lead the way.

Huang Xiaozhi, still holding the drinks, walked right past the blocking Wei Shun and gave him a big eye-roll.

Wei Shun instantly felt his bl00d rush to his head, his face turning red. He then looked to the other girl for help—Yu Wen.

Yu Wen just smiled and shook her head, not handing him the bag she was carrying either. She followed right behind Huang Xiaozhi.

Wei Shun felt his face get even redder. He could only look helplessly at Pei Dan. Pei Dan shook his head resignedly and handed him the lightest bag he was carrying, the meaning clear: Take this and at least pretend you’re helping so you don’t get scolded later.

Finally, the two of them walked side by side at the end of the line.

The restaurant looked quite old, its decor far from the flashy elegance of modern luxury restaurants, but it made up for it with its authentic flavor.

And the fact that it insisted on using fresh ingredients was a rare find today.

For this dinner, other friends were also coming to celebrate, so they decided to gather all together.

The first floor was bustling with noise, and the crowds waiting for tables almost blocked the entrance and the hall. The four of them had to squeeze through the crowd like sardines, finally reaching the private room door with great difficulty.

It was truly an “exhilarating” game of squeezing through people.

People squeezing people, squeezing people to death.

…

Reaching the private room door, Huang Xiaozhi’s accumulated anger at her slow uncle was about to explode. She almost kicked the door down!

Wei Qingwen came to open the door, and seeing that everyone had things in their hands, including her daughter and Yu Wen, she reached out without thinking to help them.

But both of them didn’t give her their bags, insisting on carrying them themselves.

Walking into the private room, Huang Xiaozhi saw two unfamiliar young men inside.

She stared at them for several seconds. Who are these people? She didn’t know them. She’d never seen them before!

Yu Wen, who was behind her, naturally didn’t know them either. She had thought they were relatives of Huang Xiaozhi’s family.

Wang Yuhuan, sitting at the head of the table, smiled and broke the brief silence. “You four finally made it. Let me introduce everyone. These two, one is Professor Fu from my college, and the other is his husband, Mr. Lu.”

Wei Shun, who was looking through the crack in the door, saw a full view of the two men and was shocked. Fu Wutai? Lu Zexu?

How are these two here?! His mind was spinning for a moment. Why did his mother invite them?

In contrast to Wei Shun’s shock, Pei Dan’s expression upon seeing his acquaintances was much calmer, almost without a ripple.

The four people entered the private room one after another, put down their bags, and found their seats.

Wang Yuhuan gestured to the bespectacled man with a cold aura. “This is Professor Fu Wutai, a professor at my college and also Pei Dan’s colleague. We’re getting together for the Mid-Autumn Festival today.” Hearing this, Fu Wutai stood up and gave a slight nod to everyone, saying nothing else.

Next, Wang Yuhuan introduced the other man, who looked sunny and handsome. “This is Professor Fu’s husband, Lu Zexu.”

Lu Zexu stood up with a bright smile. “Hello, everyone. I’m Lu Zexu.”

Huang Xiaozhi, sitting next to her mother, was stunned. Are guys this tall these days? Her uncle’s boyfriend was already tall enough, and these two, although slightly shorter, were also definitely tall guys.

Wei Shun kept his head down, grabbing sunflower seeds from the table, but his eyes couldn’t help but glance at the people opposite him. He muttered in his heart, How does Lu Zexu have the nerve to show up?

Under the table, Pei Dan subtly patted Wei Shun’s leg with his hand. Wei Shun was startled by the sudden touch.

Pei Dan used silent lip-reading that only the two of them could understand: “Stop looking at him. Look at me instead.”

Wei Shun glared back and replied with his own lip-reading: “I think the two opposite me are quite handsome; I want to look at them more.” Although their small actions under the table were discreet, they were noticed, but no one called them out.

At this moment, Huang Xiaozhi’s mind was completely filled with one thought: There are two couples in this private room, and they’re both gay! She was also one herself (in her orientation), but she didn’t have a girlfriend yet.

What a coincidence, an absurd coincidence!

Yu Wen watched the thoughtful expression on Huang Xiaozhi’s face from beside her.

She had initially guessed that the two strangers were relatives of Huang Xiaozhi’s family, and Wang Yuhuan had introduced them. But looking at Huang Xiaozhi’s reaction, it seemed like she genuinely didn’t know them.

She quietly leaned closer to Huang Xiaozhi. Huang Xiaozhi immediately noticed and leaned closer to Yu Wen as well. Before Yu Wen could even speak, Huang Xiaozhi asked first, “What’s wrong?”

Sure enough, a person’s attention, no matter how focused, will be subtly drawn away by the person they care about.

“You don’t know those two?” Yu Wen whispered into Huang Xiaozhi’s ear, a breathy question only the two of them could hear.

The warm breath fluttered against Huang Xiaozhi’s sensitive earlobe, and in a moment no one noticed, a faint blush crept across it. She didn’t even realize it herself.

“No, I don’t know them. I’ve never seen them before,” Huang Xiaozhi answered truthfully.

Yu Wen nodded at the answer, sat up straight, and maintained a normal distance from Huang Xiaozhi.

Only Huang Xiaozhi was left feeling confused. Why would this person ask that for no reason? Could it be… could it be? Could it be my ass… If she didn’t get a clear answer, a knot would form in her heart.

She simply took her phone from her bag and opened the chat with Yu Wen.

Xiaozhi: What’s going on? You only said half of what you were thinking. Her tone held a hint of annoyance from being left hanging.

Yu Wen was still a little lost in thought when her phone vibrated with a notification. She instinctively reached for it.

Yu Wen: Nothing, nothing. I thought they were your relatives and that you knew them. She quickly explained, ending with a cute embarrassed emoji.

Seeing her explanation, the little knot in Huang Xiaozhi’s heart untangled.

Xiaozhi: Why don’t you stay with us at the old house tonight? We can go back tomorrow.

Yu Wen: I don’t think that’s a good idea.

Xiaozhi: What’s not good about it? We’re friends! Besides, you’re alone at home with no one to look after you. What if you run into a bad guy? Right? So, say yes.

The two were happily chatting on their phones, and the dishes on the table were almost all served.

Yu Wen looked up at the table full of food. Some people had already started eating—it was Wei Shun.

Yu Wen: Let’s talk about it after dinner. Let’s eat first.

With a silent agreement, they both put their phones away, picked up their chopsticks, and prepared to enjoy the sumptuous meal.

The atmosphere at the table of nine was much livelier and warmer than usual.

With everyone gathered, there were naturally more topics to discuss.

Wang Yuhuan was thoughtful, taking care of everyone without being overbearing, creating a harmonious and pleasant atmosphere.

Everyone’s faces seemed to have more genuine smiles than usual. Envy might have been hidden in their eyes, but they all tacitly kept it to themselves. No one pointed it out.

Halfway through the meal, Fu Wutai, who had not said much, put down his chopsticks and spoke in a gentle voice. “If everyone has time, you’re welcome to come to our wedding. We welcome you all to come and have fun.” His voice was not loud, but it clearly carried throughout the private room.

The word “wedding” was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly making everyone at the table freeze!

Chopsticks hung in mid-air. Wei Shun’s reaction was the most exaggerated; his chopsticks clattered onto the floor.

He hurriedly bent down to pick them up, and Pei Dan instinctively reached out to protect the edge of the table, in case he hit his head.

The one who finally broke the strange silence was Wei Shuqun.

“Hey, don’t just sit there. Keep eating, keep eating!” he said in a loud voice. Then he turned to Fu Wutai and Lu Zexu, a gentle smile on his face. “Where is the wedding? What’s the date? We’ll definitely go, but the kids have school, so they may not all be able to make it. I hope you’ll understand.” He was, of course, referring to Huang Xiaozhi, who was still in school.

It wasn’t that they had an issue with the couple; they were just surprised to hear “wedding.” Although social acceptance of homosexuality had increased, same-s3x marriage was not yet legal.

The “marriage” they spoke of referred to a wedding celebration with a sense of ritual.

Wang Yuhuan also recovered and smiled as she chimed in. “My husband and I will be there. But we can’t be sure about the kids’ schedules.”

The atmosphere at the dinner table slowly relaxed. Lu Zexu replied, clearly stating the date and location of the wedding.

The two elders both promised to make time for it.

Huang Xiaozhi immediately expressed her support. “No big deal if we have to ask for a day off! I really want to join the fun! I wish you both a long and happy life together!” As she spoke, she was the first to raise her cup of soda, her eyes sincere.

Her action prompted everyone else to stand up.

They raised their cups, a chorus of blessings filling the air, finally converging into a loud “Happy Festival!” The atmosphere was instantly ignited.

Wei Shun looked at his good friend, who was about to get married, and his heart was filled with mixed emotions, but he was mostly happy for him—how interesting. He definitely had to go!

Everyone sat down with a laugh, one after another.

Wei Qingwen also raised her cup with a smile. “I wish you a long and happy life, filled with love. I will definitely be at the wedding that day.”

Everyone laughed happily.

Fu Wutai raised his cup again, a rare, soft smile on his face. “Thank you. Everyone is welcome to come.” It went without saying that Pei Dan, as a colleague and friend, would be there to witness this important moment.

This Mid-Autumn Festival was especially warm because of their gathering.

The festive atmosphere combined with familiar faces brought a true taste of reunion.

That night, the moon was exceptionally round and bright. Its gentle light fell, as if softly watching the two couples in the private room and the budding feelings in the corner.

Before leaving, the nine people gathered at the restaurant entrance and asked a receptionist to help them take a precious group photo.

Wei Qingwen and the two elders sat in the chairs in the front, Wei Qingwen affectionately holding her mother Wang Yuhuan’s arm.

The younger generation stood in a line behind them.

Huang Xiaozhi, with a mischievous smile, reached out and lightly pinched Yu Wen’s soft cheek, turning her head to look at her.

Yu Wen slightly tilted her eyes, returning Huang Xiaozhi’s gaze with a look of helpless indulgence.

Wei Shun stood next to Pei Dan, and a second before the shutter clicked, he suddenly grabbed Pei Dan’s hand, interlacing their fingers, and raised them high over his head. His face showed an undisguised boast, as if he was announcing this unique “non-saleable item” to the world.

In contrast, Fu Wutai and Lu Zexu’s pose was much warmer and more reserved.

Fu Wutai naturally wrapped his arm around Lu Zexu’s waist, and Lu Zexu looked a little shy as he made a small “peace sign.”

At first, everyone had planned to take a serious “family portrait,” but they found that a stoic face on a holiday made everyone look unhappy. It had eventually evolved into the lively, natural, and even slightly “chaotic” look they had now.

Although it didn’t look very “proper,” this kind of spontaneous moment, captured on the first try, was perhaps the most precious.

This moment of happiness and warmth was eternally preserved in the phone’s photo album.

It was taken with Wei Qingwen’s phone. She quickly sent the photo to a new nine-person group chat, so everyone could save it for themselves.

Every person in the photo had a real, happy smile on their face, capturing the warmest reunion of that Mid-Autumn night.

A wonderful dinner had ended, but this wasn’t the end of the story. It was merely a reunion dinner filled with laughter and blessings.

The moon still hung perfectly round in the night sky, but it was time for everyone to say goodbye and disperse.

One Mid-Autumn night, a group of interesting people gathered by chance.

Was Miss Moon celebrating her Mid-Autumn Festival too? She was in some distant place, quietly looking down at this human world filled with fireworks.

From her highest vantage point, she saw the lights of every city, the happy faces of every reunion, and the backs of those who were leaving.

She stood at her lonely height, watching the ordinary but precious happiness of human life.

Perhaps she, too, would slightly curve her lips into a smile and let out a silent sigh.

Because the word “envy” might truly apply to every soul who looks up at the starry sky.