Free Web NovelChapter 236: Chapter 236: Qin Shanshan
As soon as the words were out, Wu Sheng let go of Su Li.
Under the light, the smile in Wu Sheng’s eyes was practically overflowing.
Su Li looked into his eyes and nodded blankly. "Yes, happy."
This was the happiest day she’d had since receiving her university acceptance letter.
Seeing Su Li’s dazed, honest expression, Wu Sheng couldn’t resist ruffling her hair.
"I hope you’ll always be as happy as you are today."
Her happiness was his greatest comfort. Wu Sheng gazed at Su Li, reluctant to look away.
"It’s so good to be able to look at you like this again."
He was also especially, especially, especially happy today.
Wu Sheng smiled and said his goodbyes. "I should get going now."
’If I don’t leave now, I’ll be even more reluctant to go.’
"Wait..." Hearing that he was leaving, Su Li called out to him without thinking, her words faster than her thoughts.
"Hm?" Wu Sheng looked down at Su Li. "Is there something else?"
Su Li blinked. "When is your birthday?" freёweɓnovel.com
Wu Sheng’s eyes lit up instantly. "Are you going to get me a birthday present?"
"It’s only polite to return a favor. Hurry up and tell me," Su Li urged, biting her lip.
"December 29th. It’s in two months," Wu Sheng replied immediately.
Su Li nodded. "I see."
She paused. "Goodbye."
Wu Sheng beamed and waved. "Goodbye."
He helped Su Li close the door, and upon hearing the lock click from inside, he broke into a foolish grin and immediately started talking to himself.
"What should I do? I suddenly wish these two months would pass in the blink of an eye..."
"After two months, I should be able to appear before Su Li whenever I want, right?"
He placed a hand over his chest, unable to stop muttering to himself, "I’m suddenly so nervous... What kind of gift will she get me?"
His eyes and the corners of his mouth were crinkled with a smile as he walked down the stairs, looking back with every step.
"Will she buy me a cake or a gift? Should I tell her what gift I want most..."
All the way until he got in the car, Wu Sheng was thinking about the gift he wanted most.
’He felt that as long as Su Li gave it to him, even a lump of... whatever... would smell sweet.’
’I can’t think like that!’ Wu Sheng promptly stopped his own terrible thought.
’Su Li will definitely get me something I like, or something I want most...’ Wu Sheng thought gleefully, then suddenly blushed.
The thing he wanted most was Su Li...
’If only Su Li could give herself to him as a gift...’
After seeing Wu Sheng off, Su Li stood by the door listening to his muttering outside, a smile slowly spreading across her face.
Listening to Wu Sheng’s joyful footsteps as he went downstairs, she leaned her back against the door, looked at the six boxes of books and the small wooden planks in the living room, and slowly began to laugh.
The room that served as Su Li’s studio and study already had a bookshelf. She took the books out one by one and sorted them by category.
Once the books were sorted, Su Li stroked the small wooden planks and finally stacked them neatly on the bookshelf as well.
She looked at the bookshelf and sighed with satisfaction.
After taking a shower and tidying up, it was nearly midnight by the time Su Li lay down in bed.
She raised her hand to look at the time and whispered to herself, "Happy birthday, Su Li."
Just as Wu Sheng had hoped, she found herself looking at her watch several times a day. Every time, she would think of him—the one who gave it to her—just like she was now.
’Two months from now... what gift should I get him?’
Su Li began to think about what to give Wu Sheng.
According to their previous discussion, her divorce from Tang Yuanxiao could be made public in half a month at most.
In two months, no one would be able to say anything about her seeing Wu Sheng and giving him a gift.
Wu Sheng was the first person to remember her birthday and give her a present, so she wanted to prepare a thoughtful gift for him in return.
Su Li drifted off to sleep, her mind filled with random thoughts.
What she didn’t know was that besides Wu Sheng, there was one other person who remembered her birthday.
This person was none other than Little Tang Mo.
Su Li had thrown Little Tang Mo the best birthday party she could afford, giving him an unforgettable memory.
He had watched everything Su Li did and etched it into his heart.
After he learned to read, he had seen Su Li’s ID card and firmly committed her birthday to memory.
After Tang Yuanxiao and Su Li had their talk, he refused to bring Little Tang Mo to see her on the weekends, no matter what the boy said.
Tang Yuanxiao’s excuse was that he didn’t have time, and that Su Li was busy and didn’t have time either.
Little Tang Mo knew very well how busy Su Li was in Xinghua Village, so even though he missed her terribly, he forced himself to hold back.
Until Su Li’s birthday.
He had been asking to see Su Li on this day for a while, but Tang Yuanxiao never agreed.
On her birthday, Little Tang Mo threw a tantrum for the first time, demanding to see Su Li, but no matter how much he cried, he wasn’t allowed.
Later, when the sky grew dark and he knew he had truly lost his chance, Little Tang Mo had no choice but to sneak over to Aunt Chang’s to borrow her phone and call Su Li.
He was very smart; he had learned how to use a phone long ago and had memorized Su Li’s home phone number.
Unfortunately, Su Li was out when he called.
Little Tang Mo called a dozen times over the course of more than an hour, but Su Li never picked up.
Little Tang Mo wanted to keep trying, but sadly, he never got another chance.
Because Mrs. Tang had returned.
The last time Mrs. Tang left, she at least remembered to send a telegram. This time, she didn’t even bother with that and just showed up.
She had come once, then secretly run back home once, so she had grown bolder.
After nightfall, a little after nine, she appeared before Tang Yuanxiao as if she had fallen from the sky.
And this time, Mrs. Tang hadn’t come alone; she brought Qin Shanshan with her.
When Mrs. Tang appeared before Tang Yuanxiao with Qin Shanshan in tow, he was too shocked to speak.
"Mom! You..."
Mrs. Tang had lost a significant amount of weight. The moment she saw Tang Yuanxiao, her eyes turned red and tears streamed down her face.
"Tangyuan... I almost never saw you again..."
"Mom, what are you talking about? What happened?" Tang Yuanxiao looked down with a bewildered expression at his mother, who was clinging to his arm and sobbing.
SOB... SOB... Through Mrs. Tang’s broken sobs and fragmented story, Tang Yuanxiao finally learned what had happened after she went back.
It turned out that after Mrs. Tang had returned home, heartbroken and in pain, she had fallen gravely ill and nearly didn’t make it.
She had cried the entire way back, nearly crying her eyes out. She refused to eat or drink on the journey, and coupled with her emotional instability and utter despair, she collapsed from illness upon reaching the county town.
She already had high blood pressure and had been on the verge of death. Luckily, she ran into Qin Shanshan.
Qin Shanshan was at her uncle’s house in the county town. She met Mrs. Tang by chance, and upon learning that she had returned without a word, she had rushed to send a telegram, worried that Tang Yuanxiao would be anxious.
When Mrs. Tang collapsed, it was also Qin Shanshan who took her to the hospital for emergency treatment and looked after her.
Mrs. Tang, having escaped death and taken a detour back from the Yellow Spring Road, couldn’t have been more grateful to Qin Shanshan, her savior.
Qin Shanshan was so attentive and caring that Mrs. Tang couldn’t help but be moved. From her hospital bed, she poured out her grievances to Qin Shanshan, telling her everything that had happened.
As Mrs. Tang spoke and cried, Qin Shanshan cried along with her. She also spoke of her own grievances, and between the lines, she kept mentioning how wonderful Tang Yuanxiao was, thus revealing her own feelings and intentions.
At that point, Mrs. Tang finally understood the reason for Qin Shanshan’s strange behavior before and began to get an idea in her head.
