Meng Po Gave Her a Bowl of Soup (GL) - Chapter 27

— You know who she is, don’t you?

— Being around you for a long time will affect my sister.

Xu Ruying and Song Wanyue both looked at each other with eyes full of confusion and disarray.

They were people who held each other dear, each with the same thought—no matter what happens to them, they should not harm each other.

What Song Wanyue feared most was that Xu Ruying would leave her in the remaining six months.

She saw Xu Ruying’s wavering through her eyes.

Xu Ruying, on the other hand, numbly washed the bowl in her hands, her heart filled with sorrow.

So, why did she come back?

Is she helping Wanyue or harming her?

If she hadn’t come back, things might have been a bit better… but now…

Song Wanyue saw the heartbroken look in Xu Ruying’s eyes. She bit her lip, turned to Fan Wujiao, and said, word by word, “So what if I know? So what if I don’t?”

Fan Wujiao, who had expected her to be flustered or to lie, was momentarily stunned by her forceful response. “If you insist on this, it will ultimately affect yourself.”

In the old society, there might have been a notion of ghost marriages among the people. Initially, it was a way for the families of deceased individuals to mourn their loss. Later, it evolved into an underground industry where wealthy and powerful people, unable to find suitable partners, either stole corpses from graves or forcibly matched living people. This was a punishment and torture for the living, as they would be haunted day and night by yin energy, often leading to a tragic end. Such actions were mostly hidden from the light, and those involved in such deeds were punished in the underworld.

However, someone like Song Wanyue, who knowingly walks into danger, is very rare.

Song Wanyue gazed at him, neither humble nor haughty. “I am an adult and know exactly what I am doing with every step I take.”

Fan Wujiao fell silent for a moment. “People are always creating karma for a moment’s pleasure, never knowing how terrible the consequences can be.”

Song Wanyue took a sip of tea, her eyes filled with understanding. “A moment’s pleasure? Hah, for me, a fleeting moment with her is eternal. Without her, the world is but an empty illusion.”

••••

As the chief of the Black and White Wuchang, and the head of the ghost officers in the underworld, he had not roamed the mortal world for a long time and had not had anyone dare to argue with him for a long time.

Song Wanyue’s inner strength was far from the gentle and weak appearance she displayed; she was powerful, and even while saying these words, she radiated a strong aura.

Her emotions were genuine.

With her loved one gone, she had long seen through many things.

Today, even if Black and White Wuchang stood before her or even if the King of Hell came, she would still say these same things.

She was not afraid of anyone hurting or shaking her.

What she feared was only that her Mingyu would leave her.

••••

As Song Wanyue had guessed, Xu Ruying did not come to accompany her that night. Outside the window, the light rain continued to fall.

With a slightly open window, Xu Ruying sat on a bench, holding a cigarette between her slender fingers, quietly gazing out.

Qin Xiao’s words were very straightforward, and she finally believed that the child was not a soul catcher but a genuinely caring girl.

It made sense; her Wanyue had such a charm that could make everyone around her fall for her.

Qin Xiao also spoke the truth: she naturally had heavy yin energy on her, since this body belonged to someone else; she was merely an empty shell, and being not truly alive herself, what more could be expected?

Xu Ruying was a doer. The next morning, she went to the company early.

Wanyue knocked on the door for a long time but received no response from inside. She bit her lip and slowly lowered her head.

That day, Song Wanyue was distracted, as if the passion she once had for life had been completely extinguished by the heavy rain on the night Mingyu left. Later, when she was most heartbroken, her Mingyu returned in another form, always with regrets and things left unsaid, touched cautiously but carefully preserved, yet a tiny spark still burned in her heart.

And now, was that faint spark going to leave her too?

This world indeed makes one’s heart cold.

Qin Xiao did not dare approach Song Wanyue today. In fact, after speaking to Xu Ruying yesterday and seeing her pale face, she regretted it.

Seeing Wanyue’s condition today made her feel even more sad and guilty.

Even though it was for her own good, it ultimately hurt both of them.

Looking at her sister… even though she was working and busy, she seemed like a walking corpse, lacking a soul.

During afternoon tea time, the teachers in the office had a rare break and chatted in small groups.

Only Song Wanyue sat alone, quietly drawing something with a pencil. Qin Xiao observed her in silence; she had not moved for at least an hour.

Wanyue had a class in the afternoon and went to the classroom at the sound of the bell. Qin Xiao sneaked over to her office and took a furtive glance at the drawing Wanyue had been working on all afternoon, pursing her lips.

The drawing depicted two girls in school uniforms, one larger and one smaller.

The larger one was clearly Xiao Mingyu, and the smaller one was Wanyue.

Although it was a pencil sketch without any color, Xiao Mingyu’s gentle light in Wanyue’s eyes was heart-wrenching, and Wanyue’s eyes carried a hint of playfulness, smiling carefree.

At the bottom of the drawing was a small line of text:

— The past that cannot be returned to, the future that cannot be seen, but I still love you.

The area with the text was somewhat crumpled and had a scent of tears. Qin Xiao looked at it for a while and slowly lowered her head.

The remaining six months were already precious, but if Xu Ruying wanted to avoid Song Wanyue, it would be too easy.

She remained concerned for her but kept a deliberate distance.

Every day, she would leave groceries at Wanyue’s door, regularly order the nutritional supplements Huang Lan needed, and occasionally nod at Wanyue when they met, no matter how much Wanyue wanted to speak, she would just pass by.

Although she did not visit, Xiao He went to the house more and more often. She was a carefree child, and every time she excitedly told Song Wanyue, “Sister-in-law, I don’t know why our boss suddenly became so nice and caring. She often gives me time off, and once when I ran into her downstairs, she even praised me for being loyal and affectionate.”

Song Wanyue merely pursed her lips and gave a faint, bitter smile.

In the meantime, Song’s parents came to visit their daughter. Xiao Yueyue, who had only been adopted not long ago, was being well cared for. Song Wanyue took her for walks every morning, fed her meticulously, and she was bathed to a lovely scent, looking like a small black ball of fluff. Xiao Yueyue was also very close to her, always sticking to her and listening to her, but today, for some reason, she became fierce when the parents arrived. Although she was not big, her snarling and growling gave off a sense of authority.

Song’s father said nothing, just gave a simple kick, while Song’s mother frowned, “Why are you still keeping a dog?”

She could hardly take care of herself, let alone a dog?

Song Wanyue bent down, hugged Xiao Yueyue, and patted her forehead. “Be good.”

Xiao Yueyue snuggled into her arms, but her black grape-like eyes still stared fiercely at the parents.

Song’s parents carefully observed Song Wanyue’s expression. Seeing that she was no longer as grief-stricken as before, they felt somewhat relieved. After chatting about trivial matters, they inevitably brought up the future.

Song Wanyue, as if anticipating this, sat silently on the sofa, her long eyelashes fluttering as she listened to them talk about tomorrow.

Song’s father: “Though we’re saddened by Mingyu’s departure, we must look forward. You are still so young.”

Song’s mother: “By the way, do you remember Xiao Wang next door? The IT guy, the refined one who used to play in the mud with you? He always said he’d come to see you.”

••••

Song Wanyue raised her head and glanced at her parents. “I don’t remember Xiao Wang next door, nor will I meet him. If you came today to discuss my future partner, then, Mom and Dad, I won’t keep you here for dinner.”

Song’s father’s expression changed suddenly. “How can you speak to your parents like this?”

Song’s mother quickly pulled him back and looked at Song Wanyue nervously. “Wanyue, what is this attitude? Are you still so stubborn? Look at what you’ve become. If you had listened to us back then, would you be this unhappy now?”

What attitude?

Song Wanyue looked at them calmly. “Mom, Dad, since we’re talking about the past, you should remember what you said to me back then.”

At that time, after her relationship with Mingyu was discovered and they were controlled, they secretly eloped.

Song’s parents found her and were about to take action when Mingyu intervened, even pushing her, injuring her hand against the door, causing a fracture.

Both sides were tearful, and Song’s father had said, “If you insist on being with this woman, the Song family will no longer have a daughter like you.”

••••

Recalling the past, tears welled up in Song Wanyue’s eyes. Song’s mother bit her lip. “You really don’t care about us and your dad? You disregard even family ties? What was so good about her that you can’t forget her even after she’s gone?”

She murmured to her parents, “Family ties… Mom, Dad, do you know what I’ve been through in the past 10 years?”

“When Mingyu and I first came to Beijing, we lived in a less than 20-square-meter basement. It was cold and damp on rainy days. I was in pain from my period, and Mingyu would hold me and stay up all night, rubbing my belly. Where was your family love then?”

“In the second year after I came to Beijing, I had issues with my breast and thought it might be cancer. But those top hospitals were hard to get into. Mingyu waited in line all night, battling scalpers to get me an appointment. Where was your family love then?”

“During the New Year in the fourth year, I missed you so much that I wanted to call you, but when you and Dad and my brother’s family were happily celebrating, even hearing my name was embarrassing. Where was your family love then?”

“Later… Mingyu worked tirelessly to improve our conditions. We moved out of the basement, and she made something of herself. Finally, you grudgingly acknowledged her. But then, what did you treat her as? Whenever there was something for the relatives, she had to rush to Beijing to help. In the dead of winter, she’d go street by street to buy supplements for Mom, her face frostbitten. She wouldn’t even buy a car for herself but spent tens of thousands on a watch for my brother’s wedding to please you. For Dad’s heart condition, she stayed in Anzhen Hospital day after day, losing ten pounds in a week. Now that she’s gone, you want me to find my own happiness and look forward. I want to ask, is this your idea of family love?”

••••

In that moment of collapse.

Song Wanyue truly screamed, biting her lip tightly. “No one can defame her, not even if you are my parents.”

••••

After the argument with her parents, Song Wanyue remained very depressed. She didn’t tell anyone but became much more withdrawn.

Day after day, she looked through her photos with Mingyu, with tears soaking the album repeatedly, and she had lost considerable weight.

Xu Ruying encountered her in the hallway. Originally, she had intended to just nod and go inside, but Xiao Yueyue wagged her tail and ran over, biting her pant leg and whining like a spoiled child.

Song Wanyue looked at her, tears shimmering in her eyes. Xu Ruying pursed her lips. “Are you ill?”

Song Wanyue tilted her head slightly, and calmly said, “What does it matter if I’m dead?”

Xu Ruying’s heart ached deeply. She couldn’t help but keep her distance. With only half a year left, she would soon leave. If Wanyue was truly hurt, she would be troubled even in the afterlife.

Knowing Wanyue had a temper, Xu Ruying gently said, “A few days ago, I saw your parents come.”

She knew Song Wanyue’s parents and could guess that their visit was related to her current state of despair.

They must want her to find a good partner for the rest of her life.

Song Wanyue’s tone turned icy. “So, you also think I should let go, look to the future, and hold hands with someone else?”

Is that what you think too?

Xu Ruying wanted to tell her otherwise, that even if she imagined her girl smiling in someone else’s arms, holding hands, kissing someone else, she would be so envious it would drive her mad.

But she couldn’t say it. She had no right.

She struggled to hold back her tears.

Song Wanyue stared at her for a long time and calmly said, “I won’t listen to them.”

She would not let anyone hurt Mingyu, including herself.

Xu Ruying looked up at her. Song Wanyue met her gaze. “If my Mingyu knew, she would be secretly crying. I can’t bear it.”

••••

The wind blew, and Xu Ruying felt as if the tears in her heart were blown away. She stared blankly at Wanyue, who no longer looked at her and instead called out to Xiao Yueyue, taking the dog inside.

She ignored her.

She was equally angry with her.

The two of them remained in this standoff until Huang Lan returned. The old lady had tanned quite a bit and appeared thinner, but her spirits were good. She entered the house wearing large sunglasses she had spent half an hour haggling over at a tourist spot, and upon entering, she called out, “Where is Xiao Xu?”

The moment Song Wanyue saw her, her eyes lit up.

Her savior had returned.

Huang Lan took off her sunglasses. “Where is she? Oh, why is there an extra dog?”

Song Wanyue immediately looked down, hugging herself. “She hasn’t been here for a long time… That dog was also picked up and left here by her.”

“Picked up and left here?” Huang Lan repeated in disbelief. She had never known that Xiao Xu was like this. She picked up a dog and left it to them, but where was she herself? What happened between them? Had they argued?

Looking at Wanyue again, she was already thin, and now she was huddled on the sofa, hugging herself, looking utterly pitiful.