Chapter 104: From Jiangcheng to Yincheng's Distance

  She rushed back home, it was already very late in the afternoon. Su Yixin stood in the courtyard with a dark face waiting for her, as soon as she came in, he immediately frowned and said: "Where did you go that made you come back so late?"

  Su Yisu couldn't help but feel a little guilty, and she secretly glanced at him before saying: "It's not like I didn't tell you, we were just in Jiang City. I went back to school with some classmates and had so much fun that I lost track of time and came back a bit late."

  Su Yixin glanced at her lightly, with a look of disdain on his face for her poor excuse.

  Just as another war of words was about to erupt, Shen Xiulan walked out at this time, "Su Su, you're back? Are you hungry? Go wash your hands and we can have dinner."

  "Great!" Su Yisou secretly let out a sigh of relief and quickly ran into the house. Ah Ma is really my savior!

  Su Yi Xin looked at Su Yi Su's figure in silence for a moment before turning to Shen Xiulan and saying, "Mom, you're spoiling her by doing this."

  Shen Xiulan smiled, "If I don't spoil her now, will I do it when I'm old and can't move around? Besides, with a brother like you taking care of her, what's there for me to worry about?" She turned around and walked back into the living room.

  The remaining Su Yixin was suddenly confused, what is all this? I'm not Su Yixu's old dad!

  After dinner, someone knocked on the door outside the yard.

  "Who could it be at this time?" Su Yixin muttered to herself as she walked out to open the door. Standing outside was a middle-aged man about the same age as Su Wei, who looked somewhat familiar at first glance, but he couldn't think of who it was for a moment, and furrowed his brow in puzzlement: "Who are you?"

  That middle-aged man, as soon as he saw Su Yi Xin, immediately smiled and said, "You're Ah Xin, right? It's been a few years since we last met. You've grown so big now. Oh, time makes people old, look at your uncle me, I'm all gray-haired now."

  "Ah...... Uncle Mu? Is that you!" As soon as he heard the name, Su Yixin excitedly called out. "Uncle, it's been so many years since we last met!"

  "Really? I heard you're studying in Yincheng now too. I arrived here a while ago, but we never met until now when I finally see you at home. Ah, is your mom at home?"

  "Here," Su Yixin took a few steps back, making room, "Uncle, come in and sit down, it's not good to chat at the door!"

  "Alright, alright..." Shen Mu responded loudly as he walked into the yard, saying in a loud voice: "Xiulan, I received Old Su's order and came directly to help you guys. Ah, being an uncle is tough these days."

  Shen Xiulan emerged at the sound, and when she saw her brother whom she had not seen for many years in front of her, she burst into tears instantly, hoarsely saying: "Brother..."

  Shen Mu gently patted Shen Xiulan's shoulder and sighed, "I didn't expect to return to Jiang City again. Time flies, doesn't it? The changes in Gu Rong Town are really too great... Ah? Is this Su Su?" He asked with some confusion, looking at the somewhat awkward Su Yisu standing behind Shen Xiulan.

  "Yes," Shen Xiulan smiled lightly and turned to Su Yisou behind her, "Yisou, why don't you greet your uncle properly? You used to be so close to him when you were little."

  Su Yisuo timidly walked out from behind Shen Xiulan and called out in a low voice, "Uncle."

  Shen Mu couldn't help but burst into another fit of hearty laughter. "The little girl from back then has grown up and learned to be afraid of strangers. Ah, I'm getting old."

  Shen Xiulan gently pulled him inside. "The children are all grown up, who doesn't get old? Brother, what brings you back this time? I just heard you mention Old Su?"

  "Aren't you guys moving? Old Su had something on and couldn't leave, but he wasn't at peace with leaving you guys. He kept pestering me to come back and help out. It just so happened that I had just returned to Yin City when he sent me back."

  Su Yisuo, who had been standing silently beside Su Yi, couldn't help but feel a "thud" in her heart when she heard about the move, and spoke up: "Are we really moving away?"

  Shen Mu turned his head to look at her, puzzled: "Su Su, don't you want to move out yet? I heard that your family's belongings have all been packed up, and I thought it was just a matter of tidying up before leaving."

  Su Yi Xing glanced at Su Yi Su, who was slightly stunned, and continued: "Uncle, don't mind her, she's always been like this. Even if we have to leave tomorrow, it's okay, we've already packed up most of our things, and we can just tidy up a bit more tonight."

  Su Yisu finally quietly lowered his head and stopped speaking.

  Shen Mu noticed that Su Yisuo seemed to have something on her mind, but she remained silent and didn't spread the word. She just nodded slightly towards Su Yixin, then shook her head and said: "There's no need to rush, you can leave when you feel it's okay, I can stay for a few more days."

  Shen Xiulan also sensed Su Yisuo's abnormality and asked directly: "Yisuo, what's wrong with you? Don't you want to move away? Ah, it's also true that after living here for so many years, there are still feelings. If..."

  Su Yisu hastily lifted her head and interrupted Shen Xiulan's words, saying: "I'm fine, it's just that I thought we would move after the new semester starts, so for a while, I couldn't adapt."

  Su Yi Xin rolled her eyes, "Wait until school starts before you move, then you can go straight to Lian City. Why would you still come to Yin City? It's better to stay in Yin City for a while before going to school, at least you can get used to the environment here. Otherwise, if you always stay in Lian City, how will you ever fit in with Yin City?"

  Su nodded gently and said, "I know. I didn't say it's not allowed."

  "Alright," Shen Xiulan interrupted the two people's conversation, "then we'll start packing up the remaining luggage tomorrow and try to move over as soon as possible. Brother, have you eaten yet? I'll heat some food for you."

  "Never mind, Xiulan, I have some engagements in Jiang City and just had dinner there. I'm still full now."

  "Alright, I'll go tidy up the room for you." Shen Xiulan said as she stood up and called out to Su Yixin's siblings and uncle to chat for a bit, before heading towards the empty bedroom behind her.

  Su Yi was still a bit shy, she glanced at Su Yi Xian, hesitated for a moment, and said to Shen Muo: "Uncle, I suddenly remembered that I didn't call my classmate Bao Ping'an when I came back this afternoon, I'll go up first."

  "Alright, go ahead. I'll discuss the details of the move with Ah Xin."

  Su Yisu nodded politely and turned around to go upstairs quietly.

  Will she still have to go to Yin City after all? Home? Lying weakly on the couch, Su Yisu suddenly felt a little melancholy. Would that prosperous city welcome her as warmly as the Jiang City with its thousands of households and smoke from cooking fires? But why did she always feel vaguely uneasy in her heart?

  She took out her phone. Su Yisu wanted to call Jiang Fengchen and tell him that she would be moving to Yin City soon. But as soon as her fingers pressed a few keys, they stopped again. She hesitated for a moment before deleting the numbers one by one.

  The moonlight outside the window is as gentle as water, Su Yi Su quietly gazes at the starry night sky outside the window, as if in a trance. Chen, forgive me for not thinking of how to meet you in Yin City yet. I don't know when, where, or in what way to appear before you.

  Life is not a movie, no one will tell me when to make an entrance. Maybe I accidentally arrived a few minutes early, maybe this premature arrival was the beginning of the end. Compared to stories heard from others, what I saw with my own eyes was more heart-wrenching. Perhaps that day, when I stood on the streets of Yin City, quietly watching you and An Yiran smiling and walking further and further away from me, I should have understood. Everything has already been decided, but can I choose to forget?

  It's fine, the scars have healed and the pain has been forgotten. This is the most common and voluntary mistake people make, and I'm no exception, more ordinary than anyone else. So, please forgive me for having this common problem that many others have too.

  After hastily meeting with Jiang Zuo and Lin Wei, Su Yi Su was about to set off for Yin City. Lin Wei was also moving back to An Cheng with her mother soon. In the end, the only one left to guard their most beautiful and precious time and memories was Jiang Zuo.

  What about the promise of being together till the earth is no more? In the end, who can resist a fate that was meant to be? The three of them struggled to hold back their tears and forced themselves to smile.

  "It's okay, after we graduate, let's invest together and open a small store, and be together every day."

  "I must remember this." Su Yisuo secretly wiped away her tears.

  Jiang Zuo was a bit worried about her, "You get so tired from taking the short-distance bus normally. You must rest well before departure, got it?"

  "Got it, you're so nagging."

  "You're tired of me again, aren't you? I knew it, you've been thinking of ways to get rid of us all day long!"

  Thick melancholy is intentionally scattered in such a light joke. People say that maturity is not about the heart getting old, but about tears swirling in one's eyes while still maintaining a smile. It's as if everyone has become strong after experiencing a college entrance exam. Isn't this a good thing?

  No matter where you go, friends are in your heart.

  When they arrived at Yin City, it was just when the evening lights were first lit. Su Yu was waiting for them at the exit station.

  Su Yisuo gazed at the apricot-colored crowd rushing to and fro in the station, suddenly recalling that during the Qingming Festival, she too had been like them, with a bewildered expression and hurried footsteps, leaving the station only to return hastily and board another train for a new round of hustle and bustle.

  Stepping onto this land again, Su Yisu had an inexplicable feeling in her heart. From now on, she would be settling down here, and her household registration would no longer belong to Jiang City. But, Jiang Fengchen, why did she feel more uneasy the closer she got?

  "Xiu Lan, Ah Xin, Su Su," Su Yu's still handsome face broke into a delighted smile. "We're finally reunited as a family. Come on, get in the car, I'll take you to see our new home."

  Su Yixin turned around and pulled Su Yisu's sleeve, Su Yisu finally came back to her senses and quickly followed up.

  "What about Big Uncle? Didn't he come together with you?"

  "Oh, he said he had some temporary engagements in Jiang City and sent us off on the bus before returning."

  "What a pity, how can we have a good drink with him now."

  "There will be opportunities later." Shen Xiulan said with a faint smile.

  "Susu, why aren't you talking?"

  When Dad asked her, Su Yisuo suddenly replied: "I'm a bit carsick, I'll be fine after a while."

  "Alright, let's hurry back home and get some rest."

  Home? Su Yisu suddenly felt a bit unaccustomed to this word. Two cities, more than eight hours of driving, not long or short. The distance between them, can it be measured by length alone? And then there's the human heart. Yin City, Jiang City, when moving from one city to another, where does one start to accept? Is it the people here, or the scenery, or perhaps the language and customs of this place?

  At first, Su Yu had been urging them to take a stroll around Yin City, but Su Yi Su was listless and made excuses about not feeling well due to the change in environment. In the end, it was Si Yi Xin who took Shen Xiulan on a tour of the city.

  For a whole month, Su Yisu had been hiding at home and hadn't gone out. She didn't want to, but sometimes the world of two people can be very small, right? Jiang Fengchen, if I were to meet you on the streets of Yin City, what would that scene be like?