Meng Po Gave Her a Bowl of Soup (GL) - Chapter 16

Under Wanyue’s suggestion to “show a big jump,” not only did Xu Ruying not get her kicked out, but she was also pressed to rest in bed.

Song Wanyue was already quite familiar with Xu Ruying’s home. She guided her into the bedroom, saying, “Rest well. I promise I won’t burn the house down or cut my fingers, so don’t worry.”

Xu Ruying looked at her with lingering suspicion. Could she really relax?

Seeing this, Song Wanyue picked up an eye mask and placed it over Xu Ruying’s eyes. “As a General Manager, shouldn’t you care about the world? Even if something does go wrong, we can always fix it. Just rest easy.”

Xu Ruying: “…”

At this point, she was truly unable to relax at all.

“I’m really fine, just need a little rest. Aren’t you going back to check on Auntie?”

She tried to divert Wanyue’s attention. Song Wanyue didn’t even look at her, instead drawing the curtains. “Your aunt is healthier now, eating your nutritional supplements every day. She should be using her iPad to play cards and not want to be disturbed.”

This was something Wanyue had taught her. Huang Lan had gradually gotten acquainted with the neighbors. During the day, they could go shopping together, and in the evening, they danced at the square. Now, they even played cards online together.

Xu Ruying felt a bit dazed. Unconsciously, Wanyue had already arranged things well for Huang Lan. “Aren’t you going to rest?”

“I’ll make you a bowl of noodles and then leave.”

For some reason, Song Wanyue was very persistent today. She looked at Xu Ruying, as if she could guess her thoughts. “The reason Auntie and I can be so carefree now is because of what Mingyu left for us.”

The money Mingyu left was enough to provide for them for a lifetime.

Song Wanyue was not someone overly sensitive about money, but she would occasionally mention it in front of Huang Lan, showing her the interest from their savings last month.

She just wanted to make the old lady feel secure.

That money was for her daughter’s retirement.

Xu Ruying bit her lip, feeling as though her previously troubled mind had been lightly soothed. She said no more and covered herself with the blanket.

Song Wanyue went to the kitchen, and a sliver of light from outside filtered through the curtains. Xu Ruying lay in bed, covered with the blanket, feeling her body’s warmth slowly returning.

It was a strange feeling.

Despite having no expectations from Wanyue, despite being able to force her to leave, her heart was broken. She wanted her to stay and keep her company. It seemed that only with Wanyue by her side could her heart find peace, and her body start to recover.

Perhaps this was what Xu Ruying said in the dream—the body belongs to her, but the soul is her own.

No matter which aspect was unsettled, the body wouldn’t be well?

But… what did Xu Ruying’s final words about uncertainty mean?

Her body had been cremated. After a year, when the agreement with Meng Po was fulfilled, she was supposed to return, right?

Having just woken up and being troubled with no clear solutions, Xu Ruying tossed and turned in bed and couldn’t fall asleep. She decided to get up and shuffle to the kitchen.

At the kitchen door, Xu Ruying heard the sizzling sound of oil. She peeked in and saw Wanyue, who had confidently reassured her, now looking like a warrior preparing for battle. With a lid in one hand and a spatula in the other, Wanyue was seriously stir-frying celery.

After a moment of silence, Xu Ruying asked, “What are you doing?”

Weren’t you supposed to be cooking? Why does it look like a battlefield?

Song Wanyue turned her head to look at her and smiled slightly. “Do you know why Grandpa Ming lived to be ninety?”

Xu Ruying: “…”

Her Wanyue, she knew best. When she got sharp-tongued, there was no arguing with her.

“Are you making tomato and egg noodles?”

Xu Ruying asked, looking at the pot. Wanyue glanced at her and said, “Can you not stand here and be in the way?”

Xu Ruying: “…”

This mouth of hers was truly sharp and unarguable.

She remembered that when their feelings first began to develop during their youth, Mingyu was evasive. At that time, Wanyue, despite her young age, already showed her sharp side.

They were so different.

Not just in gender, but also in age. She considered Wanyue like a younger sister in her heart.

Moreover…

One must have self-awareness.

What was her background?

And what about Wanyue’s background?

She worked tirelessly every day for a living, and her mother would rely on her for support in the future. Behind her, she had a family that was a complete mess, a thought that made her head ache.

In contrast, Wanyue had been cherished like a little princess by her parents since birth. Her family also had an older brother, Song Wanming, who was sent abroad as soon as he started high school. It was said that if Wanyue’s grades hadn’t been mediocre and if she hadn’t been reluctant to part with her friends, she might have been sent abroad too.

During that time, Mingyu was conflicted and avoided Wanyue.

Previously, before their classes, Mingyu would go a little earlier to chat with Wanyue about school matters. Only after they were in good spirits would they study together.

But due to her avoidance, Mingyu would now just arrive right on time, give the lesson, and leave Wanyue to study and do exercises.

Song Wanyue often looked at her with patience and confusion.

It wasn’t until Wanyue’s 15th birthday that Mingyu first witnessed Wanyue’s temper.

Mingyu had just finished school and was heading to the Song family’s home when she received a message from Wanyue: “Sister, today is my birthday. Can you come over?”

Her birthday…

She was turning 15, on the brink of becoming a young adult.

Xiao Mingyu read the message over and over, her heart in turmoil. Unconsciously, she found herself at a flower shop next to the school.

The shop had an array of beautiful flowers—bright reds, dazzling pinks—but her gaze was drawn to a bouquet of lilies.

Xiao Mingyu had always been very frugal with her pocket money and rarely bought romantic flowers. But that day, for some inexplicable reason, she spent a hundred yuan on a fresh bouquet of lilies.

The scent of lilies was faint, but intoxicating up close. The white petals reminded her of Wanyue’s fair skin.

Wanyue liked flowers. Mingyu had discovered this while tutoring her. Her bedroom often had fresh lilies. A few times, Mingyu had seen Wanyue enjoying the scent of lilies.

At the time, Mingyu had smiled and asked, “Do you like lilies?”

Song Wanyue nodded, “Yes. Do you like them, Sister?”

Xiao Mingyu replied, “I’m indifferent to flowers.”

Her financial situation didn’t allow for such preferences.

If she had to name a passion, it would probably be work.

Song Wanyue held the flowers, looking up with a slight smile. “I think lilies are pure, like a girl’s feelings—pure and flawless.”

She hoped to have such feelings one day.

Mingyu found this child both cute and mature for her age, talking about emotions at such a young age.

But she unconsciously took it to heart.

After paying for the flowers, Mingyu planned to go over with them, continually comforting herself and wrestling with her thoughts along the way.

It was just a sister’s concern for her younger sister.

The Song family had taken good care of her for so long. If she didn’t go to Wanyue’s birthday, the little girl would be upset.

And if nothing else, the money had already been spent. Not giving the flowers would be a waste.

However, plans changed. Midway, Mingyu received a call from a neighbor saying Huang Lan had accidentally fallen.

When Mingyu hurried home, Huang Lan had already been brought back by the neighbor. She sat on the bed, holding the bed rail and wincing in pain, seemingly struggling to sit up. Seeing her daughter come back with flowers, she was momentarily stunned. “Why did you buy flowers?”

She was both amused and exasperated, “You child.”

“Where did you fall? Why not go to the hospital?”

Mingyu rushed over. Huang Lan avoided her gaze, saying, “It’s nothing. I just slipped on some ice while going out early. No need for a hospital. I’ve applied some ointment. It’ll heal soon.”

Mingyu was furious. She knew her mother was trying to save money, but under her tearful pleading, Huang Lan eventually went to the hospital.

Mingyu ran up and down the stairs, registering, paying, waiting for X-rays… After a series of procedures, it was already dark.

Thankfully, the doctor said it was only a soft tissue injury, not a fracture. Resting at home would be enough.

Mingyu sighed in relief. Huang Lan complained about how the child had grown up and was becoming more assertive, and when Mingyu went to pay the bill, the two women began arguing.

Huang Lan, for some reason, refused to use the prescribed medication from the professional doctor and insisted on using her own homemade ointment.

Mingyu argued in vain. Eventually, she couldn’t help but lean on a chair and look at Huang Lan intently, “Mom, are you afraid of spending money?”

Huang Lan, who had been defending herself just moments ago, suddenly fell silent.

At this hour, the hospital was quiet, with only emergency patients around.

The pale walls added to the sense of oppression. After a long silence, Huang Lan looked at Mingyu with difficulty and said, “I’m sorry, my dear. You should have been born into a better family.”

Her Mingyu was beautiful, well-built, and of excellent character.

If she weren’t her daughter, she would surely be a cherished treasure in someone else’s family.

But now… the pressure from the family had prematurely crushed Mingyu’s fragile frame, making it difficult for her to stand tall among her peers. Huang Lan, as a mother, could see the growing worry on her daughter’s face.

Yet she felt so powerless.

She could only start her day earlier. Huang Lan would go to the overpass across the street from their home, near a crowded subway entrance, every morning at 4 AM, to sell corn and tea eggs.

Although it was tough, Huang Lan wanted to ensure she was no longer a burden to her child.

She hoped her Mingyu could be more like a “child.”

That was the first time Mingyu had cried in front of Huang Lan since her father left.

Huang Lan panicked, and Mingyu said nothing. She didn’t need any comfort, drying her own tears and taking Huang Lan home with the medicine.

Back at home, Huang Lan lay on the bed while Mingyu carefully applied the ointment.

Since childhood, Mingyu had been very good at taking care of others. Over the years, the mother and daughter had depended on each other.

In the dim light, Mingyu’s face was thin, her eyes slightly red. Though still young, she already carried an air of maturity. Her red lips were pressed together as she carefully applied the ointment to her mother.

It was a bit painful but bearable. Huang Lan occasionally glanced at Mingyu, trying to ease the awkwardness, but Mingyu stubbornly kept her lips pressed together, her chin and lips forming a straight line. Despite her youth, she had the demeanor of a head of the family.

After finishing with the ointment, Mingyu murmured, “Mom, I will study hard and work to make you happy in the future.”

The girl’s words touched Huang Lan’s heart, causing her to lower her head in distress, tears falling onto the bed unnoticed.

••••

Mingyu tidied up and made a simple bowl of noodles for Huang Lan. After they finished eating, Huang Lan went to rest. Mingyu sat alone on the sofa, staring blankly at the lilies on the table.

Wanyue…

She hadn’t gone to her birthday party. She must be upset, right?

But… there must have been many friends at her party.

Maybe there was a telepathic connection.

As Mingyu thought about Wanyue, the doorbell rang. Mingyu got up to answer it, and upon opening the door, she was stunned to see Wanyue standing outside.

Song Wanyue was wearing a white down jacket, with snowflakes on her hair. Her dark eyes looked at Mingyu with sorrow, and her nose was red from the cold. “Sister, why didn’t you come to my birthday?!”

“I… I…” Xiao Mingyu, who was not good at articulating her thoughts, was left speechless by the sudden accusation. Song Wanyue’s nose twitched, and her fair skin made the white down jacket look slightly inferior. “What’s that smell? Is it the ointment? Are you injured?”

She immediately grabbed Xiao Mingyu’s wrist, looking at her urgently.

Feeling the delicate touch, Mingyu’s face warmed. She withdrew her hand. “It’s not me.”

Blocking the doorway, she had no intention of letting Wanyue in.

Song Wanyue, as if she hadn’t noticed, slipped past Mingyu with agile grace. “Is that Auntie? What happened?” She lowered her voice carefully, “Did you go to the hospital?”

Xiao Mingyu stood silently behind her. “Yes, it’s not serious. Just rest.”

Hearing this, Wanyue sighed in relief. She skillfully unzipped her down jacket and unwound her scarf, transforming from a bundled-up figure into a young lady. “Wow, Sister, you even bought me flowers.”

Her sharp eyes immediately noticed the lilies on the table.

Xiao Mingyu replied, “They’re not for you.”

She had always been awkward and unable to express herself well in her youth.

Song Wanyue had already embraced the flowers, her face flushed with excitement and happiness. “I knew it, Sister wouldn’t be so heartless. You must have been thinking about me and bought the flowers, but then Auntie got hurt and delayed your visit, right? When you got home, you were afraid I’d be angry and didn’t dare to contact me, feeling conflicted inside. I didn’t expect to see me so soon.”

Xiao Mingyu: “…”

Was she reading minds?

Seeing Mingyu’s surprised expression, Wanyue’s smile grew wider. Her wet eyes fixed on Mingyu. “Sister, I haven’t eaten yet. Can you make me a bowl of noodles?”

“Aren’t you having a birthday party?” Mingyu asked, astonished. How could she not eat at all? Given how much Wanyue’s parents dote on her, they likely had a multi-layered cake to celebrate.

Not expecting this, Wanyue’s eyelids drooped unhappily. “How could you ask that? Originally, my parents and Xiao Hui wanted to celebrate, but I just wanted you to celebrate my birthday with me. I’ve been waiting for you. Not only did you not come, but you didn’t even send a text or call. So I had to come here myself.”

It was fine with her parents; they were happy for their daughter to be friends with someone as exemplary as Mingyu.

But Zhang Hui was furious, saying, “Hey, is your sister that amazing? What about us?”

Xiao Wanyue smiled with her lips pressed together, her eyes curving into a crescent. “My sister is great. She’s good at studying, beautiful, and smells nice. She speaks softly and gently. None of you can compare.”

Zhang Hui: “…”

Mingyu anxiously looked at Wanyue, thinking she must be very upset.

Wanyue’s smile showed no sign of anger, only warmth as she said gently, “It’s a good thing I came. Otherwise, I might have misunderstood you. I want some noodles.”

From that moment on, Mingyu was at a loss with Wanyue.

Despite knowing her intentions, Mingyu could not refuse her under her sweet, coaxing manner.

That night, Mingyu made Wanyue a bowl of egg and tomato noodles that she liked. Wanyue ate happily, clearly very hungry, finishing even the soup without leaving a drop. “Sister, in the future, I want to not only follow your example in studying but also in cooking. I realized today how happy it is to have a bowl of noodles made by someone you like on your birthday. In the future, I’ll cook for you.”

These words touched Mingyu’s heart. Previously, she could view Wanyue’s affection as simple sisterly love.

But now…

Mingyu didn’t respond, feeling conflicted inside. After Wanyue finished eating, Mingyu went to clean up the dishes. Wanyue, standing at the kitchen door, quietly observed for a while and softly asked, “Sister, do you have something on your mind?”

She could sense that Mingyu was unhappy.

Although Xiao Mingyu had often appeared troubled when she saw her in the past, Wanyue knew it wasn’t because of her.

She understood that her sister Mingyu had a hard life, someone who silently bore everything on her shoulders without saying a word.

It pained her deeply.

She wasn’t sure when this pain began.

Perhaps it was when she saw the gentle warmth in Mingyu’s eyes while tutoring her? Or maybe it was the way Mingyu’s soft voice made her feel entranced? Or was it… the way Mingyu’s slender fingers looked so lovely when she wrote?

In any case, she had come to like her sister, and it was a very definite kind of liking.

It was completely different from the kind of affection she had for friends like Zhang Hui.

Before Mingyu, Wanyue had had many tutors, all of whom had been driven away in various ways, causing her parents much frustration and worry.

She just didn’t like studying or the rigid knowledge from textbooks. She couldn’t tolerate sitting still and listening to others for more than ten minutes, feeling as if there were nails in her seat.

But after Mingyu came, she started changing little by little. Every time it was almost time, Wanyue would eagerly run home.

Even Zhang Hui couldn’t stand it. “When did you become such a model student?”

At that time, Wanyue found even an hour too short; if she could sit with Mingyu for a lifetime, she would be happy.

The girl’s emotions were unrestrained.

Wanyue’s gaze increasingly fixated on Mingyu. She would blush suddenly and her heart would race at her mere proximity.

Mingyu was aware of all this. Though it pained her, she couldn’t bring herself to say anything.

Today, since Wanyue had asked, she could make a clean break. “Wanyue, you’re still young. Some things—”

Before she could finish, Wanyue suddenly hugged her from behind. Her strength was so forceful that Mingyu had to support herself on the table.

“Shh.” Wanyue pressed her cheek against Mingyu’s back. “Sister, today is my birthday. Do you want to see my tears?”

Mingyu bit her lip, feeling her heart aching to the point of breaking. This kind of emotion was so unfamiliar to her, who had always been indifferent to feelings, that she instinctively pushed Wanyue away. Wanyue wasn’t angry; she looked up at Mingyu with a smile. “Sister, your heartbeat is so loud.”

Her intense affection was etched deeply in Mingyu’s heart.

It was a moment Mingyu could never forget, marking a significant beginning in their love story.

In the end, as Wanyue once again leaned closer, wrapping her slender waist with her arms, she said softly, “Sister, you can refuse me because you don’t like me, but don’t use age as an excuse. I will grow up someday, and when that happens, you will realize how sad and regretful it is to lose such a gentle lover as me. I can’t bear to see you cry.”

••••

Unable to bear seeing her cry.

That was true before and remains true now.

In the past, everyone who knew about Xiao Mingyu and Song Wanyue’s relationship believed that Mingyu had always quietly taken care of Wanyue.

But that was just the surface. It was Wanyue who truly healed Mingyu’s life, allowing her to walk in the sunlight.

Wanyue was Mingyu’s lifelong salvation.

Nowadays.

Song Wanyue placed a bowl of egg and tomato noodles, resembling a thick egg soup, in front of her and said softly, “You can eat now.”

Xu Ruying looked at the bowl of noodles, picking up the chopsticks.

Though the noodles didn’t look appealing, they tasted… well, not bad, and familiar.

As for the familiarity…

Xu Ruying was momentarily distracted. Perhaps because she had eaten, her tired body slowly warmed up. At this time, Wanyue, who had somehow acquired a bouquet of white lilies, was carefully trimming the flower stems and arranging them in a vase. The faint scent of flowers filled the room. Xu Ruying asked curiously, “What day is it today?”

Why was she cooking noodles and buying flowers?

Song Wanyue continued to trim the flowers without looking up, her voice gentle. “Today is Mingyu’s birthday.”

Xu Ruying’s heart jolted.

“My Mingyu doesn’t like sweet foods like cakes. For every birthday, she has always had a bowl of noodles I made for her. So all these years, I’ve never learned to cook anything else, only how to make noodles.”

It was just to be able to cook for her on her birthday.

Xu Ruying looked at her, feeling a wave of bitterness rise in her chest, almost making her tears fall. She hurriedly lowered her head.

Song Wanyue still had her head down, but ripples were forming in the vase. Her voice was a bit hoarse. “I really want to say ‘Happy Birthday’ to her in person.”

—Happy Birthday.

My Mingyu.