Chapter 99: Joys And Sorrows
“Phew, as long as you’re safe since you didn’t go out.”
“Yeah, I was still worried when I knocked on the door!”
“Su Ning, were you scared?”
“Stop!”
Knowing they were equally worried about her, the breath in Su Ning’s heart immediately dissipated, but with both speaking at the same time, she really didn’t know who to answer first.
She had no choice but to speak up and interrupt, and only after both shut up did she quickly pick one of their questions to answer, “I started busy in the kitchen as soon as I got up in the morning and didn’t go out.”
“As for you two, the bridge has collapsed, so why did you still come over?”
“Of course to confirm your safety, and to keep you company for the festival!”
“You went around more than half of Gu City, right?”
“Hey, this little distance is nothing, I’ve done twenty-kilometer weighted runs, no big deal!”
Yan Bei watched the two going back and forth one after another, pinched his brow heart, although he was a bit tired, but when his gaze turned to her, the bottom of his eyes unconsciously surged with indulgence.
“I say, you two comrades, do we really have to stand in the rain at the front gate to chat?”
“Hahahaha, yeah, it does seem a bit silly, huh?”
Su Ning, who had just reacted, also showed a smiling face, “I forgot, come in first, Cadre Fu, Engineer Yan.”
“Hey, you…”
“Ning Ning!”
“Yeah, sister-in-law?”
She had just turned sideways to let the two enter the door when hearing the familiar call, she immediately turned her head back.
She saw Zhang Ze’s wife Tian Xiang holding a large bowl in each hand, her neck tilted to clamp the umbrella handle, walking over with a full-faced smile.
“Sister-in-law, what’s this?”
The bowls were piled high with various freshly fried meatballs just out of the pot, and the other held half a bowl’s worth of mooncakes, stacked at least seven or eight.
“Your Brother Zhang said…”
Only when she got close did she see two tall men standing at the front gate behind her, and the words Tian Xiang had at the tip of her tongue were abruptly stopped.
She looked them over appraisingly: both tall and sturdy with straight hard bodies, upright features and clear eyes.
Hmm, they both look like fine young men!
“Let you try the taste of mooncakes from our side, and the fried meatballs you said were delicious last time, this time not only your favorite vegetarian meatballs but also meat ones, see if they suit your taste!”
“Thank you sister-in-law, just right, you also take some mooncakes and pastries I made to Brother Zhang and them, wait for me, sister-in-law!”
She nodded to Fu Jiaming and Yan Bei to indicate, then Su Ning quickly rushed into the yard, came out from the kitchen carrying a plate of Cantonese mooncakes and a plate of assorted pastries.
At the same time having sharp eyes, but Yan Bei beat her to it by opening an umbrella and striding forward to meet her, “Su Ning, give me a plate.”
She casually handed a plate to him, and the two sharing the same umbrella returned to the front gate.
Tian Xiang, who couldn’t refuse and took the things, seemed to see the hesitation in her eyes, and smilingly raised her voice, “Rest assured Ning Ning, this is just two steps away, no problem, no need to see me home, there are still guests!”
“I’m off then, go back in, don’t get rained on.”
“Then take care sister-in-law, watch the road carefully.”
“Sister-in-law is a grown woman, how could she fall? Hehe, alright, go back, go back!”
The two households weren’t far, and seeing Tian Xiang like that holding an umbrella seeming not inconvenient at all, Su Ning nodded to her and said okay, but she herself didn’t move.
“Su Ning, I’ll go.”
With one look from him, Fu Jiaming, who immediately got the meaning, said cheerfully, nimbly ran to her side and reached out to take the plate from her hand, “Eldest sister-in-law, I’ll see you off!”
“How can that be, guests at the door…”
“Hey, we’re all very good friends with Su Ning, eldest sister-in-law no need to be so polite, let’s go, otherwise she won’t feel rest assured if she doesn’t follow!”
“This… then young man, thank you!”
Meeting Fu Jiaming who was so familiar and easygoing, it was hard not to have an awkward atmosphere, and sure enough before they had gone far, the laughter of sister-in-law Tian being teased into nonstop hahas could be heard.
“Su Ning we’ll go in first, leave the door for Jiaming, let Little Round Circle watch it.”
“What Little Round Circle, it’s Little Round Circle.”
“Okay, Little Circle.”
“Puchi~”
Thinking this guy was deliberately joking around, Su Ning laughed helplessly at that moment, still not knowing.
Yan Bei, who was always smart especially good at memorizing and using various formulas, really forgot names of people and places that didn’t need attention in one second, and once forgotten, gone.
So whether in the courtyard or at the factory, they all said he didn’t know how to cherish the fair sex, ruthlessly destroying flowers, and it had its reasons.
Seen once or twice and not remembering faces was forgivable, but clearly knowing for a year or two or even many years and still couldn’t remember people’s names…
That was really too much, especially among them not lacking pretty girls’ admirers who gossiped, making his reputation even more solid.
“I received it.”
“What?”
“Guanyin Bamboo.”
Saying so he raised his hand toward her, Yan Bei looking at the improved hand string.
Frowning a bit as if not very satisfied with his own craftsmanship: go back and try if it can be changed into a necklace.
“How? Don’t you like it?”
“No, it’s just that such a pendant isn’t suitable for carrying around, afraid of losing it… I made it into a hand string but feel it’s not quite matching.”
“Got it, then I’ll help you change the pendant.”
“Can you?”
Seeing his eyes light up instantly, with an eager look, probably really liked it.
With her kindness cherished, her mood naturally great, Su Ning smiled and nodded.
There were tools ready in the yard, changing it into a pendant wasn’t troublesome, “Very simple, I’ll fix it for you in a bit.”
“Okay.”
Thoroughly satisfied Yan Bei followed behind her, sat down on the grass mat under the corridor, and smoothly handed over the bag he had been carrying in his other hand.
“Happy Mid-Autumn Festival, Su Ning.”
“Happy festival.”
Just like their friends receiving gifts generously, now she also learned not to politely and distantly refuse.
She took the bag and opened it at his eye signal, inside were two boxes, one large and one small.
The larger one held a finely crafted pocket watch with unique patterns, both the necklace and pocket watch fully gold made.
Gently press, the numbers inside were inlaid with small diamonds, probably sparkling inside and out under the sunlight.
The other small box held a entirely silver-white thin strap mechanical watch, at first glance whether the unique design in the dial or the color, she really liked it.
“Like it?”
“I really like it.”
Although knowing she was talking about that watch, it still made Yan Bei’s heart uncontrollably throb.
Not noticing the flash of delight and joy in his eyes.
Self-assuredly nodding affirmatively, Su Ning guessed this sparkling pocket watch must be from the discerning Fu Jiaming, as for this mechanical watch…
Thinking of hearing Fu Jiaming mention it once last time, she guessed, “You wouldn’t have made it yourself, right?”
“Mm.”
Since she put so much thought into it, his return gift naturally couldn’t be careless, just for this watch, Fu Jiaming who went to find him early waited a full three or four hours.
Thus delaying their arrival time, and unintentionally avoiding the bridge collapse period.
“I’m back!”
Fu Jiaming who shouted loudly and ran into the yard glimpsed the opened gift boxes on the table, and a sleazy smile suddenly appeared on his face.
“Su Ning since you’ve already seen them, which gift do you like the most?”
“Not hungry?”
“Hey don’t change the subject, tell me quick!”
“If I really have to choose, I’d definitely pick the watch.”
“Why?!”
“Don’t ask.”
Taking the lead toward the kitchen, Su Ning’s voice drawled, “Ask and I’ll give you another thirty years, when I’m old I’ll like this watch, come on, the meal will get cold, let’s eat first.”
“No, Yan Qi wait, what does Su Ning mean by that?”
Yan Bei paused his steps and laughed silently, his highly upturned corners showing his good mood, “No matter what it means, remember to fulfill the bet you made and the proposal you raised.”
“I’m really done for!”
Indignantly waving a fist in the air at his back of the head, then dejectedly annoyed followed the two: why did he have to make that bet for no reason, now he’s played himself into it!
Three months of stinky socks!!
Fortunately bad moods could be cured with good food, upon entering the kitchen and seeing the full table of delicious food, Fu Jiaming immediately threw the bet to the back of his mind.
But discovering they hadn’t come yet, clearly just her alone but four sets of bowl and chopsticks on the table, the teasing at the tip of his tongue abruptly stopped.
“Wait I’ll clear them, give you new ones.”
“I’ll help you…” “I’ll help you…”
“Alright, you two guests sit down, serving rice is quick, no need for you two to help.”
……
Meanwhile, the Lishui Gaoyun Bridge river channel from upstream to downstream was completely cordoned off.
After more than an hour of rescue, still no gains, families by the river with missing uncontacted people couldn’t help bursting into loud cries.
Until the successive booming roars made everyone stop their actions, eyes showing horror.
