Meng Po Gave Her a Bowl of Soup (GL) - Chapter 11

—”Does it smell good?”

Xu Ruying’s question made Song Wanyue react as if her tail had been stepped on, her fur bristling. She spun around suddenly, her face flushed bright red.

Xu Ruying looked at her with a smile, the corners of her lips turned up and her eyes twinkling.

Such an expression.

In her memories, it was most common during college days, when Wanyue was at her most frequent.

At that time, Mingyu, under Wanyue’s soft pleadings and reluctance, had chosen a nearby city for college.

Even though Wanyue was already a high school student, she had no sense of study discipline and would come looking for Mingyu every weekend.

At first, Mingyu was pleasantly surprised, as she missed Wanyue too, but later, as time went by, she couldn’t help but ask, “Aren’t you studying?”

Song Wanyue, happily clinging to her arm, walked with Mingyu on the playground, her smile blooming like a flower: “I’m very smart.”

Mingyu laughed helplessly, “Oh you.”

She didn’t know who had tutored her back then, always at the bottom of the class.

Wanyue’s hobbies were unknown.

Every time she visited, time was precious, and Mingyu wanted to take her to explore the delicious and fun places around the city. But Wanyue, being a foodie, refused. Each visit ended with them strolling around the campus, leaving their traces in every corner.

Mingyu was tall and graceful, while Wanyue was still growing and not as elegant as she was now. Standing next to Mingyu, she often clung to her arm like a little ball, but her beautiful face made her presence hard to ignore.

It didn’t take long for the campus to know that Mingyu had a very close and affectionate younger sister.

“Not going out at all? I know there’s a night market nearby with some great snacks.”

Facing Mingyu’s repeated temptations, Song Wanyue shook her head firmly and continued aimlessly wandering with her.

At the library entrance, a tall boy in a white shirt approached with a smile. “Mingyu, what a coincidence.”

Xiao Mingyu nodded. “What a coincidence.”

Coincidence?

Song Wanyue sneered internally. What coincidence? She and her sister had been wandering around, with her eyes fixed on this sneaky, ill-intentioned boy.

The boy was the class monitor in Mingyu’s class. His family was average, but he was an outstanding student, the “self-reliant” type often talked about.

Mingyu had a good impression of him, not romantically, but they shared a mutual sympathy.

Song Wanyue watched coldly as they exchanged pleasantries about class matters. Mingyu, being the student committee member, had some communication with him about class affairs.

As the conversation went on, the class monitor grew a bit nervous, his palms sweaty and his throat dry. “Mingyu, tomorrow is Sunday. Do you have time? We could continue our chat at the café nearby.”

Just as Mingyu was about to respond, Song Wanyue suddenly looked up. Though young, when she was cold, her dark eyes carried an undeniable pressure. “She’ll be with me tomorrow. No time.”

The class monitor looked awkward and gave Wanyue a look, scratching his head apologetically. “Sorry, Mingyu, I didn’t know you’d be with your sister. You both look so beautiful… Let’s arrange another time.”

He hurried away, but not before glancing back repeatedly, reluctant to leave.

As soon as he was gone, Mingyu found his mention of “sister” a bit amusing. She looked down and gently brushed Wanyue’s nose. “What’s wrong? Why are you suddenly so fierce? He didn’t do anything to you.”

Song Wanyue’s good mood vanished instantly. She stared at Mingyu. “Who says someone who looks like you must be your sister? I think I look much better.”

So what if they look alike?

Only sisters can look alike? Ha, ignorant, not knowing what a wife’s resemblance means.

Xiao Mingyu’s smile brightened even more. She reached out and hugged Wanyue. “Hmm, hmm, not a sister, you look even better.”

“Don’t try to appease me.”

Although Song Wanyue said this, the frustration she felt was smoothed by Mingyu’s tenderness. She buried her head in Mingyu’s embrace. “Now you understand why I wanted you to show me around the school?”

Xiao Mingyu was taken aback for a moment. Looking down at her, she saw Wanyue’s clear eyes gazing up at her. After a long pause, Wanyue stood on tiptoe, clung to Mingyu’s neck, and whispered in her ear, “You need to wait for me properly. Don’t invite other suitors. Stay loyal to me…”

Mingyu smiled, her lips close to Wanyue’s ear as she teased, “Are you declaring your territory?”

The intimate distance and fragrant breath made Wanyue’s face gradually turn red, as cute as she was now.

It was only at that moment that Mingyu realized her little girl had grown up.

No longer the child who used to argue and cry over studying or trivial matters.

Over the years, she had listened to Wanyue and waited for her to come by her side, then pampered her back to being a child.

Now…

Xu Ruying looked at Wanyue, her eyes full of uncontainable affection. Wanyue gazed at her for a while, then turned her head. “I want to eat noodles, tomato and egg noodles.”

It was her favorite dish from before.

Xu Ruying, naturally, indulged her. Although she adjusted the recipe a bit, making it a bit more sour than the sweet ones she used to make for Mingyu, Wanyue still loved it. She ate slowly, savoring each strand.

As Xu Ruying spoke a few words to her, they heard Huang Lan’s voice in the hallway. “Wanyue, where did Wanyue go?”

Xu Ruying quickly got up to open the door. “Auntie, she’s here. She forgot her keys.”

While they were talking.

Wanyue secretly wiped away her tears, finished the last sip of soup from her bowl, and stood up. “I’m here…”

After leaving Xu’s home.

Huang Lan, while picking vegetables, muttered, “How could you forget your keys at your age? And wearing so little. Fortunately, Xiao Xu helped you out. Oh, you’re such a child. You bought me a phone a few days ago, why didn’t you call me? And didn’t you say you’d keep a spare in the flowerpot? Did you forget again? What if you catch a cold in those clothes?”

Song Wanyue listened patiently as Huang Lan finished speaking. She nodded and softly said, “I understand, Auntie. I’ll be more careful in the future.”

Huang Lan paused, turning to look at the obedient Wanyue with a resigned expression.

She now understood why her daughter could never be angry with her.

Who could bear to reprimand someone so obedient?

That day.

Huang Lan could clearly feel Wanyue’s mood improving. Though she said nothing, her eyes were no longer as vacant as before. She even took out a notebook to write and draw.

Being an elderly woman, Huang Lan couldn’t help but speculate. Why was Xiao Xu so considerate to them? Was it just because she was once Mingyu’s boss? But… Huang Lan couldn’t quite describe it; it always felt like there was a familiar intimacy.

An old lady’s imagination.

In the time it took to wash some clothes, Huang Lan had already concocted a scenario in her mind where Xiao Xu, captivated by Wanyue’s stunning beauty, could not forget her. Yet, because of her feelings for Mingyu and Wanyue’s affection, she remained silent about her feelings, only to secretly move back and find ways to get close to Wanyue. Perhaps their frequent encounters at the market were practice.

She was unsure of her own feelings.

On one hand, Huang Lan felt pain for her daughter, knowing Wanyue’s place in Mingyu’s heart. On the other hand, she had a vague sense that she had glimpsed a ray of hope.

One day, Wanyue would leave.

And that light might be the redemption to pull Wanyue out of the abyss.

But before Huang Lan could think more, the next morning, “relatives” from home came knocking.

Huang Lan’s younger sister, Huang Ruo, who hadn’t been in touch for a long time, had tracked down their address. She was two years younger than Huang Lan and the only relative from their hometown living in the big city. Huang Ruo had two sons: one had married and divorced, and the other, with Mingyu’s help, had found a job. Though his salary was high, he was busy and balding young, and his long-term girlfriend always complained about his family’s financial situation, delaying marriage for years.

The sisters hadn’t been in contact for a long time. When Huang Ruo saw Huang Lan, she burst into tears, calling her “elder sister” repeatedly while holding her hand. When Wanyue returned home with the medication Huang Lan needed from the community hospital, she saw Huang Ruo sorrowfully beating her chest, lamenting, “Oh, my poor Mingyu, Mingyu, your second aunt misses you…”

Huang Lan let her hold her hand, silently shedding tears beside her.

Wanyue watched for a while, changed into slippers, and entered the house. She sat on the sofa opposite the elders. “You’re here.”

Years ago, at a family gathering, Mingyu had brought Wanyue to meet this second aunt.

Huang Ruo’s tears stopped abruptly when she saw Wanyue. Her eyes darted around. “Sister, I need to talk to you. How about we go outside? I know a good restaurant nearby…”

Wanyue handed Huang Lan a tissue. Huang Lan wiped her tears and looked at her younger sister. “You can say whatever you need to here. There are no outsiders. I’m not in the mood to go out for a meal.”

Huang Ruo, seeing the state of the mother and daughter, knew that resolving the issue today would be difficult.

But she wasn’t willing to give up.

After pondering for a while, Huang Ruo looked at Huang Lan with a pitiful expression. “Sister, you know our situation. I came today because the eldest son is divorced, and the second son’s girlfriend won’t marry him because of financial issues. Mingyu used to care for him the most, putting in a lot of effort to find him a job. She must have been reluctant to see him remain single. I came today to borrow some money from you.”

Song Wanyue gave a cold smile. She knew they were here for something.

Huang Lan, leaning on her cane, looked at Huang Ruo with her now dim eyes. “How could I have money?”

“Why not?” Huang Ruo, slightly anxious, stood up suddenly. She had heard that Xiao Mingyu had died in a car accident. She and her two sons had figured that Mingyu must have had compensation, and after all these years, how could she not have savings? Once she was gone, wouldn’t the money belong to Huang Lan?

Huang Ruo, though older, was quick-witted. After discussing many strategies with her sons, she knew Huang Lan wasn’t someone who would lie easily. If Huang Lan said there was no money, then it must be with Song Wanyue.

Thinking this, Huang Ruo glared at her. “Mingyu is our family’s child. This is our family matter. What does it have to do with you?” She was aware of Mingyu and Wanyue’s relationship and had mocked them with her sons back then, saying how ridiculous it was for Mingyu, no matter how successful she was, to fall for a woman. It was laughable.

“This is my house. You’re not welcome here. Please leave.”

Song Wanyue tried to control her temper. After all, Huang Ruo was Mingyu’s second aunt, and she didn’t need to argue with her.

Huang Ruo stood up, her face flushed with anger. “What, do you think there’s no one in our family? You want to bully an old woman???”

She immediately pulled out her phone and, in her hometown dialect, spoke rapidly and angrily, “Wait here. I’ll call my son up right now!”

Huang Lan’s face turned red with anger as she stared hard at Huang Ruo. “Second sister, why are you really here?”

Was she trying to drive her to death?

Huang Ruo slapped Huang Lan’s leg. “Sister, you’re old and confused. An outsider wants to deceive us out of Mingyu’s money, thinking there’s no one left in our family. Don’t worry, your nephew will be here soon. No one can bully us.”

Just as she finished speaking, the door was knocked on.

Huang Ruo looked triumphantly at Song Wanyue.

Both Song Wanyue and Huang Lan sat with unpleasant expressions. Huang Ruo ignored them and went to open the door. “Son, your aunt…”

Before she could finish, she was stunned. “Who are you?”

Xu Ruying, dressed in a formal gown with her hair elegantly pinned up, stood with a stern expression. Behind her were Huang Ruo’s terrified second son, Song Lian, and a well-dressed man with glasses.

Xu Ruying, already tall, appeared even more imposing in ten-centimeter heels. Her commanding presence intimidated Huang Ruo as she looked down at her. Xu Ruying furrowed her brows and walked past Huang Ruo directly into the house.

In the living room.

Song Wanyue and Huang Lan were seated. Huang Lan’s hair was in disarray from anger, her eyes bloodshot, while Wanyue bit her lip, trying to hold back her frustration.

Xu Ruying sat down next to Wanyue on the sofa, gently patting her clenched fist. “It’s alright.”

Huang Ruo was slightly dazed by this powerful presence. She tugged at her son’s sleeve and whispered, “Who are they?”

Song Lian, sweating and frightened, replied in a low voice, “Our general manager and lawyer.”

Huang Ruo was stunned. “What are they here for?”

Though her voice was low, it was heard by Xu Ruying. She looked up and calmly said, “I’m here today to give you a free legal education session.”

After that, Lawyer Zhao, who had been respectfully following Xu Ruying, opened his briefcase. Seeing Xu Ruying’s nod, he stepped forward, sat down on the sofa in the living room, and took out a stack of documents, placing them on the table.

Xu Ruying glanced at the stunned Huang Ruo and said, “Old lady, let’s not talk about anything else for now. This property belongs to Miss Song. You’re staying here without permission, which, according to the law, is considered trespassing and has legal consequences. Do you understand?”