Long Time No See (GL) - Chapter 14

Gu Weiran’s trip to A City began in haste and ended in tranquility. In just two or three short days, she experienced life and death, and sickness. What left the deepest impression on her were not these experiences, but the sourness and sense of loss Yun Shu left in her heart.

Sister Hong’s words still echoed in her ears, but Gu Weiran didn’t dare to delve into their meaning.

After returning, her life was filled with work. As long as she had free time, she couldn’t help but scroll through her phone, looking at the latest updates from Mingde News.

The miraculous thing was that the migrant worker brother who had died had stopped his accusations against Mingde, and he had been released on bail the same day for the attempted assault. She wondered if Yun Shu had done some work behind the scenes?

What method could be used to make a person let go of their resentment?

Gu Weiran didn’t know that she had created the best timing. That article had caused a huge reaction, showcasing the positive side of Mingde, which allowed Yun Shu to add fuel to the fire with public relations, and at the same time, have the supplier Lingrui Group privately approach the man for negotiations, thus successfully resolving the matter.

She only cared about Yun Shu’s safety and reputation, and was indifferent to everything else. Only when she saw the reduction in resentment and abuse towards Yun Shu in the comment section did Gu Weiran finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Next, all she had to do was successfully execute the Xuan’an project, which would be the greatest help to Yun Shu.

She blindly guessed that Yun Shu must have signed a “gambling agreement” with the Group to be sent to Xuan’an to manage those two most difficult projects.

Her days at Mingde might not be easy.

Unknowingly, everything she did went against her original intention. She said she was doing it for the company, for her ideals, and for herself, but in the end, it all turned into being for Yun Shu.

She was frightened by these terrible thoughts of hers. It hadn’t been long since she reunited with Yun Shu, and things were already like this. What would happen if they spent more time together?

Little figures were fighting in her mind every day, arguing incessantly. Gu Weiran could no longer concentrate wholeheartedly; she always found herself thinking about various aspects of Yun Shu.

She would recall Yun Shu’s smile when she was tired, Yun Shu’s comfort when she was troubled, and Yun Shu’s dominance and tenderness when she was spacing out.

Covetousness was accumulating bit by bit, just like this.

It had been three days since she returned. Aside from sending a message with her new moving address, they had no other communication.

Sometimes, she would anticipate a message from Yun Shu, regardless of what it said, but Yun Shu seemed never to do so.

Every year around this time, Gu Weiran’s resentment would deepen.

Because her mother’s death anniversary was approaching, and since Yun Shu left, she had never seen her at the cemetery. Every year on the Qingming Festival and the anniversary of her death, Gu Weiran went alone, sometimes accompanied by Su Qing.

But Lian Jie clearly said that she came back every year for Qingming and her mother’s death anniversary, so why did she never ask her to go tomb-sweeping together?

December was a sad season.

That year, Lin Yun applied to teach in a mountainous area. The mountains were hit by a torrential downpour, and she died in a mudslide while trying to save her students.

It took a full seven days to find her body and send it back to Xuan’an. That year, Yun Shu was 21, just six months out of college, and Gu Weiran was still in junior high.

Looking at the cold, lifeless body of Lin Yun, Gu Weiran felt like her world had collapsed and cried inconsolably. As for Yun Shu, whether from numbness or extreme pain, she didn’t shed a single tear from the moment she saw Lin Yun’s body until the funeral.

It wasn’t until the funeral ended, and Lin Yun turned to dust and was buried, that the slap of reality finally struck Yun Shu, tearing her heart apart.

That night, she hid in the bathroom and cried hysterically, while Gu Weiran stood outside the door, sobbing continuously. She thought Yun Shu would be as sad as she was for a long time and would take a long time to recover.

But the next day, Yun Shu acted as if nothing had happened, still smiling at life, and even trying various ways to amuse and comfort her.

Now that she thought about it, perhaps people express grief in different ways.

Only Yun Shu herself knew how sad she was.

It rained every year on Lin Yun’s death anniversary, and this year was no exception. Gu Weiran wore a light grey hoodie and deliberately put on the scarf Yun Shu had given her.

The area around the tomb was still lush and green, with a few plum blossoms ready to bloom. Gu Weiran found it strange that every time she visited, she felt the area had been professionally cleaned. When she asked the cemetery staff, they claimed it was a free post-purchase service included with the tomb plot.

She had believed this until today.

The fine rain was like silk threads. Gu Weiran placed a bouquet of chrysanthemums in front of the tomb, bowed her head three times to Lin Yun, and burned a book.

Lin Yun loved reading, at least 1-2 books a month. After she passed away, Gu Weiran would select a good book, read it herself first, and then burn it for her every year. She had kept this habit for almost ten years.

“Mom, is one book a month not enough for you? You must have taken on many students on that side too.” Gu Weiran mumbled to herself, as if her mother had never left. Every time she came, she would confide in her.

“Yun Shu is back. She’s still so fond of smiling, so beautiful, and so good at… caring for people.” Gu Weiran couldn’t help but smile when she mentioned Yun Shu. “She disappeared without a word for five years, came back and became my client, and is now the Vice President of Mingde Group, and the General Manager of the Mingde Real Estate regional division. She really stands at the pinnacle now.”

It had been five years, and this was the first time Gu Weiran mentioned Yun Shu at Lin Yun’s tomb. In the past, she avoided mentioning her; now, she felt the urge to mention the name “Yun Shu.”

“Do you think she is your proudest student? It’s a pity she didn’t stick with dancing and chose to go into sales instead, otherwise she would definitely be a dancer now.”

Yun Shu loved dancing since childhood, and becoming a dancer was her dream. After Lin Yun passed away, she gave up the path of dancing and chose to go into sales.

It was also from that time that Yun Shu officially entered Mingde Group, starting her career path from the grassroots level at a certain property development.

When mentioning Yun Shu, Gu Weiran deliberately chose only good things to say. She did not mention the rumors about Yun Shu, her own doubts, or the places where she had been angry with her.

The scarf got a little wet from the rain and felt somewhat cool.

“By the way, Mom.” Gu Weiran pointed to the scarf and smiled, saying, “Yun Shu gave this to me. She still remembers that I like red. Doesn’t it look good?”

She untied the scarf, wrapped it around her shoulders like a shawl, and then showed Lin Yun different ways of tying it.

After staying for a while, she cleared away her things and reluctantly left.

Yun Shu still hadn’t come. Gu Weiran’s expectation was once again disappointed. Her mother had been so kind to her, why didn’t she ever come back to see her?

She had thought that Yun Shu would come back this year no matter what, and even fantasized about Yun Shu coming to see her mother with her.

Ha, it was just her wishful thinking again.

When she had no expectations, Yun Shu would surprise her, but once she had an expectation, it always failed.

People truly should not be greedy.

Gu Weiran sighed deeply and drove away.

She had only driven for five minutes when she had the feeling that something had fallen out. She looked at the passenger seat—her phone was there, her bag was there. She reached into her pocket, and it was empty.

She had originally planned to move to the place Yun Shu mentioned today, so she had put the key directly in her pocket, but now it was gone.

“Oh no, did it fall out at the cemetery…”

Thinking this, she turned the car around and drove back to the cemetery.

This was the first time she had gone back after leaving. How wonderful it would have been if she had turned back a few years earlier.

The dense drizzle was like a thin mist, making the cemetery hazy. In a trance, Gu Weiran saw a familiar figure, so familiar that she couldn’t believe her eyes.

Yun Shu, dressed in black sportswear with a ponytail, was squatting by the tombstone, carefully tending the soil. She held a small shovel, cleared the surrounding weeds, and planted a few green plants in the soil.

Gu Weiran stood for a long time, staring blankly at her.

A chord in her heart was struck by Yun Shu and was beating wildly.

It turned out that her eyes had been blinding her heart all along.

Yun Shu’s fingers were covered in mud. After planting the seedlings, she washed her hands with the water she had brought, and then went to prune the plum tree. She was as natural and familiar as if she were in her own home.

She remained silent the entire time. Gu Weiran felt as if she was watching a silent movie, without any emotional expression or linguistic embellishment, yet just by watching her every movement, she was drawn into it.

What was Yun Shu feeling as she did these things all by herself? Gu Weiran wanted to look into her heart to see why she did these things silently, letting others misunderstand, and never explaining herself.

Yun Shu had only smiled it off, even after all the hurtful things Gu Weiran had said in the past.

Why?

Gu Weiran felt that she had been truly narrow-minded.

She only now understood the truth that seeing is not necessarily believing.

Yun Shu’s busy figure was reflected in Gu Weiran’s eyes and etched into her heart. She couldn’t help but want to get closer, to understand her more deeply.

Yun Shu sensed someone approaching and turned her gaze to meet Gu Weiran’s.

Surprise flashed in her eyes and was gone in an instant. Yun Shu’s gaze fell on the red scarf, and she smiled sweetly: “I knew red suited you. It looks very nice.”

After speaking, she took a brush from her toolbox and began to clean the mud from the tombstone.

“You come back every year, but you deliberately avoided me, not letting me see you, is that right?” Gu Weiran asked the doubt in her heart.

Yun Shu didn’t stop her work, but answered plainly: “Yes.”

“Why?”

She turned to look at Gu Weiran and answered with a smile: “Didn’t you dislike me? Since you didn’t want to see me, then I wouldn’t appear.”

“Is that all?” Gu Weiran didn’t believe it.

Yun Shu paused her hand when she reached Lin Yun’s name and photograph. Looking at the gentle-as-water Lin Yun, she smiled slightly, her eyes lowered: “I also didn’t want Teacher Lin to see that we weren’t getting along.”

“Who says we aren’t getting along? I just told her you gave me the scarf.”

“Oh?” Yun Shu looked at her with interest, “I saw how reluctant you were to accept it, so I thought you didn’t like it.”

“Don’t misunderstand, I just…” Gu Weiran felt she was being tricked into admitting something and was eager to explain, but Yun Shu raised her index finger in a “shush” gesture. She pointed at Lin Yun’s picture, meaning Lin Yun could hear, and told Gu Weiran not to talk nonsense.

Yun Shu’s fingers were frozen red from washing the mud off with cold water used for tending the soil, and Gu Weiran actually felt a pang of heartache.

“Stop shushing. Why don’t we go back together? It’s too cold.” Gu Weiran had completely forgotten why she had turned back.

Yun Shu was dressed lightly, wasn’t holding an umbrella, and was working with mud and cold water with her bare hands. Gu Weiran was genuinely worried she would catch a cold.

Yun Shu shook her head: “I still need to stay a bit longer. You go prepare to move. I’ll wait for you at home tonight, and I’ll take the key for now.” She picked up the key next to the tombstone and held it up.

I’ll wait for you, a warm and thoughtful sentence.

She had said she would wait for Yun Shu, but in the end, it was Yun Shu waiting for her.

She hadn’t followed the request to move first, and Yun Shu wasn’t angry. It seemed that no matter what she did, Yun Shu wouldn’t hold it against her and was always tolerant.

Sometimes Gu Weiran wondered, where was Yun Shu’s bottom line?