Deceased Mother's Inheritance - Chapter 22
Chapter 22: Meng Zhengyue kissed her.
The little girl’s bite was a little hard. Meng Zhengyue’s breathing was heavy, and her heart was pounding. She was also afraid that Yun Jing would hear. Yun Jing on the other end seemed suspicious. Her tone deepened a little, and she asked, “What are you doing?”
“You’re not looking at the time. Go to sleep.”
“Your voice sounds like you’re not asleep.”
“I just lay down.” Meng Zhengyue frowned. The little girl didn’t look at her. She lowered her head and gnawed on her finger little by little.
Yun Jing asked again, “Where are you?”
“On your bed.”
“Huh?”
Meng Zhengyue said, “Do you want me to send you a picture?”
Then, she hung up the phone, pulled out her finger, and stared at Yun Zhixue with a warning look.
Yun Zhixue was kneeling on her knees, like a puppy who had lost a delicious bone. She looked at her with a pitiful expression.
Meng Zhengyue held up her phone and took a picture of the wall. The flash went off, illuminating Yun Zhixue next to her.
Meng Zhengyue was about to send it, but she found Yun Zhixue’s shadow in it. Their posture was not very good. Yun Zhixue was kneeling next to her, looking at her finger. It was not very decent. It looked like she was doing something else. She found another angle and took a new picture, then sent it to Yun Jing.
Yun Jing replied: “So slow.”
Meng Zhengyue: “You take a picture for me. I want to see where you are.”
Yun Jing didn’t reply. Meng Zhengyue slid her finger on the chat interface. She really suspected that she could switch to a video call. It was a simple operation. Meng Zhengyue should have video-called Yun Jing and cornered her. Yun Jing should have called her back to check on her thoroughly.
They were both stuck here, with no movement.
Meng Zhengyue looked at Yun Zhixue again.
Meng Zhengyue’s wet finger pinched her cheek. “What are you doing? Why are you biting so hard? Do you not want to keep our agreement and let your mom hear?”
Yun Zhixue looked up, and tears welled up in the corners of her eyes. Her legs were tense. Yes, yes, she wanted her mom to know, to have some sense of presence.
Why was it like this?
She should be a good girl and do it secretly with Meng Zhengyue. But when she thought about Meng Zhengyue talking to Yun Jing, she felt ignored even though she was doing this. She wanted Meng Zhengyue to feel some pain, to make a sound, to give herself status.
She also hated herself for not being a good girl.
“I’m sorry…”
“Don’t keep saying you’re sorry.” Meng Zhengyue pinched her chin and lifted it, forcing her to look up. “You have to tell me why you’re doing this.”
Yun Zhixue’s heart was pounding. She couldn’t tell Meng Zhengyue. This was what she had learned. To cry, to tremble, to look at her while crying, to tremble in her arms. This way, she would get a hug. This way, she would also get a kiss.
Of course, Meng Zhengyue wouldn’t give her a kiss yet, but she was looking forward to it. Maybe, just maybe, she wouldn’t be able to push her away, and she would say, “Honey, I’ll give you a kiss.”
Yun Zhixue looked up and met her gaze. She was even surprised by the grievance in her own eyes. “Because…” Her voice was as light as a feather. “You’ve been ignoring me…”
Meng Zhengyue was slightly taken aback.
“Mommy, you can’t suddenly ignore me like this again.”
Yun Zhixue raised her voice.
“I haven’t been ignoring you. Didn’t I send you messages every time?”
“It’s sadder when I can’t see you.”
Meng Zhengyue felt a little bad too. It was true. If she thought about it from an emotional perspective, her sudden lack of communication with Yun Zhixue was like a cliff.
Yun Zhixue sounded so wronged. Her eyes were wet. When she cried like this, Meng Zhengyue’s heart ached. She couldn’t bear to see the little girl cry. She put her finger under her eyelid and wiped away her tears. “I’m sorry… honey.”
But it didn’t get better. More tears came out. Yun Zhixue covered her face with both hands. Her shoulders also trembled slightly. Tears kept falling from between her fingers. She was so thin and small, so easy to evoke people’s pity.
Meng Zhengyue gently patted her back, then held her by the waist and placed her on her lap.
How to describe it? In her and her girlfriend’s bed, they had done this, and her daughter was still crying. She felt that it was wrong, but she also found it very interesting. Her heart was itching. She took Yun Zhixue’s wrist and pulled it down. She said something that was a little out of line. “Don’t tempt me.”
Helping someone get through their oral stage is considered an act of stepping over the line in the eyes of an adult. To do something that crosses the line with someone and then let them cry is truly like a scumbag, which is what she felt like. She stroked her trembling back.
“I really don’t know what to do with you,” Meng Zhengyue sighed lightly.
“Then, then can you not be like this in the future?”
“I’ll try.”
“Why ‘try’?”
“Because sometimes I have to work.”
“Okay.”
Yun Zhixue looked up at her cautiously, her eyes red.
“Fine. Are you hungry? Let’s go eat.”
They hadn’t had dinner yet. They were so eager to do this in Meng Zhengyue’s room.
“I’ll go make something. Eat more later.”
“Okay.”
At this moment, she didn’t want to disturb the chef. Meng Zhengyue simply made two bowls of tomato and egg noodles with lean meat. The smell was delicious.
While eating, Meng Zhengyue was surprised. The first time is awkward, but the second time is familiar. Her acceptance was really too fast. Now she could even eat noodles with her calmly.
Yun Zhixue was really hungry. After she finished the noodles, she also drank some of the soup. She slowly wiped her lips with a tissue. After Meng Zhengyue finished eating, she took both their bowls into the kitchen. Meng Zhengyue cooked, and she cleaned up the dishes. Their cooperation was tacit.
After they were full, they watched TV for a while.
Meng Zhengyue said, “Go to sleep. Remember to brush your teeth.”
Yun Zhixue, who was walking up the stairs, turned her head to look at her because of this sentence. Meng Zhengyue stood on the stairs for a moment, lifted the finger that was resting on the railing to look at it, and then put it back.
Afterward, Yun Zhixue returned to her room. When Meng Zhengyue opened her door, she exhaled heavily and put her loose hair behind her ears.
Yun Jing sent a message, the first time she had cared about her daughter: “Are you home?”
Yun Zhixue suddenly remembered what Chi Ruishou had told her before: “Oh, why is it ‘typing’ all the time? It’s because she accidentally typed a word in the dialogue box and never sent it. When she finds out and deletes it, it’s gone…”
Yun Zhixue typed “mm” in the dialogue box, but she didn’t send it. She went to take a shower. She took a long time, starting from her hair, then her neck and legs. She then stood in front of the mirror for a while to look at her stomach.
She brushed her teeth as Meng Zhengyue had told her to. After she was done, she blow-dried her hair. Forty minutes later, there were more messages on her screen.
Yun Jing: “What are you doing? I’m asking you a question.”
“Is Meng Zhengyue at home?”
“!”
Yun Zhixue sent the “mm.” Her mom, who had never loved replying to messages before, replied instantly: [What ‘mm’? Can’t you type?”
Yun Zhixue copied Meng Zhengyue’s words: “Just woke up. So sleepy. Meng Zhengyue has been home. We even had noodles together tonight.”
She sent a picture and continued to send: [“She made them for me.”
The “typing” flashed and disappeared. Yun Zhixue felt that Yun Jing was not smart enough. She sent a message: “Mom, do you need me to go check for you?”
She hoped Yun Jing would say she needed her.
That way, she could go to Meng Zhengyue’s room again and just sleep there. Unfortunately, Yun Jing didn’t reply “need.” The “typing” status completely disappeared.
Yun Zhixue fell asleep happily.
…
In the morning, the chef came to ask Meng Zhengyue what she wanted for breakfast. She also mentioned what had happened last night, asking why she hadn’t called her to cook. She was a very responsible chef and considered it her dereliction of duty.
Meng Zhengyue mentioned a few dishes that Yun Zhixue liked. She also reminded her, “From now on, the family will have a nourishing soup every day.”
Meng Zhengyue had originally planned to let Yun Jing arrange things after the college entrance exam and had given her a plan, but Yun Jing still didn’t care about her daughter at all. Now it became her responsibility. She always felt that Yun Zhixue’s completion of the college entrance exam was too hasty and not perfect enough.
She hated the feeling of having regrets.
Yun Zhixue temporarily let go of her burden. She had also been “guided” by Meng Zhengyue, so she slept soundly. When she woke up, she was a little groggy, her eyelashes still lowered.
Today was only Thursday, a weekday. She went to Meng Zhengyue’s room, but no one was there. She went downstairs and saw a message Meng Zhengyue had left for her: “If you’re bored, go play with your friends. I’ll come pick you up in the afternoon or evening. Go look on the table. I left something for you.”
Yun Zhixue walked around the living room and saw a wallet on the table. Meng Zhengyue had left five thousand yuan for her.
She went and got a lollipop, unwrapped it, and put it in her mouth. She was thinking about what message to send to Meng Zhengyue. She couldn’t think of anything, so she took out the wallet and counted the bills one by one. She took a picture and sent it to Chi Ruishou: “My Mommy gave me this~”
Chi Ruishou: “I’m jealous. We came back yesterday… but we didn’t talk much again.”
Yun Zhixue felt that she was very happy yesterday. She sent: “Then why didn’t you keep crying? I saw you crying, and she kissed you.”
Chi Ruishou: “I did cry. She wiped my tears away and said very solemnly that I couldn’t be like this anymore. She said that it was immoral and that that day was an accident, and that I should get myself together.”
Another voice message came quickly: “You saw us kissing? Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
Yun Zhixue didn’t know what to reply.
She typed: “Crying is really useful.”
When Meng Zhengyue came back, she didn’t see anyone in the living room. She was about to go upstairs when the housekeeper said, “The young lady is in the yard.”
Meng Zhengyue looked outside. Yun Zhixue had set up a ladder and was climbing up. The thick green canopy of the tree swayed gently in the summer breeze. The girl’s red skirt was draped over the wooden steps. She was sitting at the top of the ladder, looking up. At that moment, the wind stopped, her skirt fell, and the whole world became quiet.
This scene was very beautiful.
“She’s probably looking at the bird’s nest in the tree,” the housekeeper said.
“Huh?” Meng Zhengyue was confused.
The housekeeper said that every year in late spring, starting in April, little birds would come to build nests and raise their chicks in the tree. Yun Zhixue had discovered this in middle school and would often go to see if there were any new birds.
Meng Zhengyue looked at her curiously. The housekeeper continued, “The little birds fly away in May. This year, the young lady was sick, so she didn’t get to see them.”
Meng Zhengyue found it interesting. She looked at the tripod and felt that it wasn’t very stable. She walked over and gently held the chair.
Meng Zhengyue followed the direction of her finger. A few golden rays of sunlight leaked through the layers of green. At the intersection of the branches, there was a perfect spot for a nest.
Yun Zhixue looked down and saw her. She was startled. Meng Zhengyue said softly, “Be careful.” She then asked, “Are the little birds still in there?”
“They flew away.” Yun Zhixue wanted to touch the bird’s nest, but she trembled and pulled her hand back. “Mommy, there’s still an egg in there.”
“Mm.”
“Little birds usually lay four eggs. This year, one didn’t hatch. It’s still in there.”
“Can it still hatch?”
“The mommy bird will raise the little birds until they can fly. After they fly away, they won’t come back.”
Meng Zhengyue said, “Take it down and let me see.”
Yun Zhixue: “But if the egg gets a human’s scent on it, the mommy bird won’t hatch it.”
“Didn’t you say they flew away and wouldn’t come back?” Meng Zhengyue said.
Yun Zhixue carefully brought the bird’s nest down.
“Be careful.”
“Mm.”
When Yun Zhixue was halfway down, Meng Zhengyue reached out and took the bird’s nest. It was also the first time she had touched a bird’s nest. A small, greenish-white egg was lying in it.
Meng Zhengyue remembered the day she picked her up from the hospital. She had heard the chirping of birds. At that time, she felt that the environment here was very pleasant.
Meng Zhengyue held the bird’s nest and said, “Do you want to put the bird’s nest back?”
“No. If you put it back, no new birds will come to build a nest.”
Meng Zhengyue nodded. “You know so much.”
“You’re very knowledgeable, little one.”
Yun Zhixue wanted to explain to her that she would stare at the tree and take notes every year, so she knew a lot about it. She also really wanted to be praised by Meng Zhengyue, so she just nodded.
When they got into the living room, Yun Zhixue placed the bird’s nest on the table. Meng Zhengyue pointed to the scale in the corner, which she had brought with her. She said, “Stand on it.”
Yun Zhixue stood on the scale. The moment the numbers came out, Meng Zhengyue’s phone screen lit up at the same time—her weight data was transmitted without any reservation.
A strange thrill crept up her spine. She inexplicably felt a sense of secret excitement.
She was only 97 pounds.
This little girl was already 170 cm tall.