Meng Po Gave Her a Bowl of Soup (GL) - Chapter 8

— Auntie, who made this porridge?

Song Wanyue’s tone was so serious that Huang Lan was taken aback. She looked at her and repeated, “It was Xiao Xu.”

Oh no.

Huang Lan worried that Song Wanyue might not be pleased with Xu Ruying and might be upset that she accepted the porridge made by someone she wasn’t fond of.

Song Wanyue didn’t say anything further. She lowered her head and took another spoonful of porridge.

Huang Lan couldn’t see her expression but noticed ripples forming in the bowl. “Child, you…”

Wanyue shook her head, wiping away tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand. She couldn’t help but feel like she was causing Huang Lan worry again, despite having promised to support her. “It’s nothing, Auntie. This porridge… it tastes really good.”

It was very much like Mingyu’s cooking.

When she was sick and had no appetite, Mingyu would make preserved egg porridge, pull her out of bed, hold her, and feed her bite by bite. Sometimes, when Wanyue was uncomfortable and irritable from the fever, Mingyu would smile and tease her, “You just want me to coax you.”

Song Wanyue would wave her hand in frustration. “I don’t want it.”

But Mingyu never got angry. She would smile, spoon-feed her porridge, making it impossible for her to refuse.

Song Wanyue couldn’t help but wonder if Mingyu had taught Xu Ruying how to make porridge since she was always around her.

Huang Lan looked at Song Wanyue with half-belief and gently said, “If you want to cry, just let it out. Don’t hold it in.”

Seeing Song Wanyue’s forced brave front, Huang Lan felt distressed.

Wanyue didn’t say more. She ate the porridge slowly, savoring the familiar taste, wishing it would linger a bit longer.

Eventually, the bowl of porridge was finished. Wanyue cleaned up the dishes and headed to the kitchen. Huang Lan tried to help, but she was shooed out. “Auntie, go rest on the sofa. I’ll take you out to buy some daily necessities later.”

From the time she was born until now, Song Wanyue had always been taken care of.

She had never cared for anyone else.

Now, she could only recall how Mingyu used to care for others and learn bit by bit.

But…

As Song Wanyue washed the dishes, she couldn’t help but remember a past memory. After a meal, she had clung to Xiao Mingyu from behind, pouting. “Let me do the dishes.”

The morning sunlight was beautiful, and Mingyu’s dark eyes were filled with tender affection. “You should rest on the sofa. Don’t you need to prepare for your classes?”

“But you made the meal, so I should do the dishes.” Song Wanyue’s gaze was somewhat absent, and Mingyu, amused, asked, “Did you hear some gossip from one of your students again?”

Song Wanyue’s face flushed slightly, and she avoided eye contact. “I didn’t.”

“Still claiming you didn’t? Look at you, you can’t even look me in the eye.” Mingyu set down the dishes, wiped her hands, and turned to embrace Wanyue. “What’s going on?”

Huddled in Mingyu’s arms, smelling her comforting scent, Song Wanyue confessed, “I heard a student in class say that her parents divorced because her mother was lazy and never did anything, even letting the father handle all the chores and meals.”

She pouted, her red lips forming a cute shape that made Mingyu’s heart flutter. She couldn’t help but lean down and kiss her, their long hair brushing their cheeks, tickling them.

Song Wanyue, surprised by the kiss, looked up and lightly hit Mingyu. “We just finished eating.”

“Feeling sentimental after a meal?” Mingyu smiled. “It’s better to join me in some exercise than have your mind wander.”

••••

Later on…

The capable Mingyu not only washed the dishes but also managed to give Wanyue a bit of a hard time.

“Don’t listen to others’ nonsense in the future,” Mingyu said, holding the exhausted Wanyue like a small cat, “This is something learned through generations of blood, sweat, and tears—a family needs fairness.”

Mingyu couldn’t help but playfully tap Wanyue’s nose. “It’s because he didn’t love her enough.”

She loved her enough.

Willing to do anything for her.

She wished she could spoil her like a child. Who would quibble with a beloved child over such things?

Unknowingly, the water in the sink, like Song Wanyue’s tears, overflowed. She took a deep breath, controlled her tears, and looked up at the blue sky outside the window.

Mingyu…

If you were here, you would surely laugh at my weakness and lack of strength.

But if you were here, would I need to be strong?

••••

The scenes in the home, each drop over the years, were the sediment of the love between her and Mingyu.

The corners of the house were filled with their laughter and joy.

Feeling distressed, Song Wanyue used taking Huang Lan out as a form of escape.

First, she took her to get glasses. When choosing the glasses, Wanyue secretly arranged with the salesperson to offer Huang Lan a very cheap, basic model. She would then transfer the payment privately so Huang Lan could feel a bit better.

The salesperson couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re truly filial.”

Wanyue didn’t say anything but thought that if Mingyu were here, she would praise her for being smart and probably poke her nose.

Controlling her sadness, Wanyue took Huang Lan to buy some daily necessities and also got her some health products, especially for heart and brain health. Huang Lan was pained by the prices but maintained a calm exterior. Wanyue saw this and pursed her lips, feeling a pang in her heart.

Back at Home

Song Wanyue washed and hung out all the clothes she had bought for Huang Lan. When it came to the underwear, Huang Lan blushed and took it herself, saying, “I’m not incapable, it’s fine, it’s fine. You’ve been working all day, child, go rest.”

Child…

She treated Wanyue the same way she treated Mingyu.

In this world, even her own parents no longer called her a child.

Wanyue couldn’t rest; she couldn’t sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, memories of her and Mingyu played out like a movie.

She went to the study.

She took Huang Lan’s medical insurance card from the safe. She planned to take Huang Lan for another check-up to ensure there were no lingering effects and to assess the extent of the previous ischemic stroke.

This was something Mingyu had always arranged for Huang Lan, just in case. There were various documents, and when she saw Mingyu’s awkward smile on her ID photo—it was taken when they were renewing documents, and Wanyue had accompanied her. Mingyu had been nervous and had a serious face in the photo, but Wanyue managed to make her smile, resulting in such an awkward expression.

In the past, Mingyu had shouldered the responsibilities of the family, never discussing expenses with her.

But Wanyue knew how hard she worked. Her salary card had always been with Mingyu because she received notifications whenever money was deposited.

Wanyue knew that Mingyu had never spent her money.

Now that Mingyu was gone, perhaps due to fear, Wanyue took a pen and carefully recorded the passwords for various cards and where the documents were stored.

She had never been so pessimistic before.

But now, she had to plan for contingencies. If something were to happen to her, Huang Lan, an elderly woman, shouldn’t be left alone and helpless.

••••

The next morning.

Wanyue made an exception and asked Huang Lan to go to the market to buy vegetables. Huang Lan was delighted; as an elderly woman who had worked hard all her life, she couldn’t stay idle. Being given something to do made her happy.

Not long after Huang Lan left, people from Mingyu’s company arrived, including Xu Ruying.

Wanyue had received a message from Xiao He beforehand, knowing they were coming. She worried that Huang Lan might not be able to handle it, so she sent her out to buy vegetables.

Everyone from the management level was dressed in somber black, their faces heavy with grief.

Mingyu had been exceptionally well-liked at the company. Over the years, her relationship with Wanyue had evolved from initial apprehension to a semi-public acknowledgment. Everyone understood and rarely criticized anything.

After Mingyu’s passing, many at the company cried. Many attended her funeral, but no matter how sad outsiders were, they weren’t her family.

As Mingyu’s top superior, Xu Ruying watched Song Wanyue for a long time.

Wanyue’s eyes were still swollen, her once porcelain-like skin now pale and ashen.

“We’re here on behalf of the company,” Xu Ruying said, holding back her emotions. The people around her lowered their heads. She briefly expressed her condolences, her gaze fixed on Wanyue.

Wanyue remained silent, sitting there with her forehead’s stray hair falling on her cheeks. She showed no reaction to the condolences, but each time “Mingyu” was mentioned, her body would shiver slightly.

The sadness was overwhelming.

Each mention of her beloved felt like a cruel lash on her heart.

It was an indescribable emotion.

Announcing the death of one’s dearest.

Even though she was in another’s body, the pain was piercing.

Until now, Mingyu had a different understanding of death.

She had seen various reactions from people in hospitals—some couldn’t accept it, some were in intense pain, others accepted it with an open heart and positive attitude…

Each reaction was different.

Yet the grief of their close family was surprisingly consistent.

Perhaps, when a person dies, it truly feels like the extinguishing of a light, with no more physical pain.

But the pain left for those around them is everlasting.

“The truck driver has regained consciousness. He is fully responsible. His company has provided full insurance for the car, and he himself is insured… and our company…”

Xu Ruying spoke gently to Wanyue, acknowledging the sorrow and the need to move on.

Finally, Xu Ruying handed Wanyue a brown envelope. Wanyue stared at it, unmoving.

Everyone understood her grief and stayed silent. After a long time,

Wanyue finally looked up, her eyes glistening with tears, and softly said, “I can’t accept it.”

Everyone was taken aback by her response.

Wanyue stared at Xu Ruying. “We weren’t married.”

Legally, she had no inheritance rights.

Her wedding dress, which she had tried on countless times, was ready.

Mingyu, however, never saw it, leaving only a wedding ring behind.

This was their ten-year-long unspoken understanding. Mingyu must have also thought about proposing when she returned from her business trip.

But… this was their final unspoken understanding.

From now on, it was no more.

The people present were stunned, not expecting her to refuse such a large sum of money.

Xiao He, who had been standing by the door, suddenly squatted on the ground, tears in her eyes, and began to cry.

She had heard many times from the boss about the wedding preparations, and her contribution had already been prepared.

Fate was blind.

It was too cruel.

Wanyue said softly, “All of this should belong to her mother.”

She didn’t want this, and each glance at it hurt her anew.

What use was compensation, no matter how much?

If she could, she would give up everything, spend all her money, just to have her Mingyu back.

Xu Ruying tightened her grip, lowered her head in a gesture of concealment, and pulled out a document from the brown envelope. “Here’s the thing: while we were sorting through her belongings at the company, we found that she had made a will.”

Song Wanyue stared at Xu Ruying, her eyes wide with shock.

Mingyu made a will?

How could someone so young make a will?

Xu Ruying handed the will to Wanyue, asking gently and softly, “Take a look and see if it’s her handwriting.”

The living room curtains were drawn, leaving only a narrow gap through which a faint light streamed in, casting a gentle glow on Xu Ruying’s face. However, the weariness in her eyes and the dark circles beneath couldn’t be hidden.

These past few days, she had been busy handling various procedures.

She knew Wanyue and understood why she had taken Huang Lan in.

Mingyu had left, and in this year, Xu Ruying had to make sure everything was arranged for the mother and daughter.

In this world, beyond love, material needs are always essential.

Her first step was to ensure that the mother and daughter would be financially secure and not worry about money.

Listening to Xu Ruying, Wanyue did not reach for the will. She remained seated, staring blankly at Xu Ruying, unmoving.