Chapter 39: Zhi Xiao Hui

  On the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, after Baiwei finished unblocking her meridians, she spent the night in Rizhao Alley, squeezed onto a bed with Yan Qingcheng.

  This morning is the 29th of the twelfth lunar month, and since this year is a small year, there is no 30th, so today is New Year's Eve. The festive atmosphere in the city is inevitably much weaker than in the countryside. Fortunately, Cong Ye and Yan Qingcheng both grew up in an orphanage from a young age, so they don't have many deep memories of celebrating the new year. Bai Wei was different, growing up under the care of her parents and grandparents, although her family lacked nothing, she still had a strong desire to celebrate the new year.

  "Xiao Wei, is it necessary to be so excited just because of the New Year?"

  "How can you not be excited, Qing Cheng Jie, it's just one year after all."

  "Hehe, any day of the year is a unique day, what's the difference?"

  "Of course it's different, New Year's Eve, reunion dinner, new clothes, auspicious words."

  Bai Wei counted on her fingers and said a lot. Seeing Yan Qingcheng and Cong Ye's faces were all faint, she suddenly remembered that both of them were orphans, where was the expectation of reunion dinner, new clothes?

  "Sister, Congye brother, why don't you both come to my home for the New Year? Anyway, during the New Year, there aren't many people at my house, just my dad and mom, aunt and uncle, grandfather and grandmother, as well as me and little Qian sister."

  "Why don't your aunt and uncle go to their home for Chinese New Year?"

  "My uncle's family doesn't have many people left, so starting from two years ago, they've been coming to our house for Chinese New Year."

  "Thank you, Xiaowei. We'll just stay here and won't go disturb your family reunion."

  Cong Ye remained silent, watching the two of them talk from the side.

  Although a night had passed, Bai Wei still felt embarrassed to look at Cong Ye, especially his eyes, and she tried her best to avoid him.

  "City's sister, go ahead then, haha?"

  Looking at Bai Wei who was full of spoiled meaning, Yan Qing Cheng habitually touched her hair and said softly:

  "We really can't go, let Xiaowei finish breakfast and head back home, haven't they urged us several times already? It's just one night, Xiaowei can come over again tomorrow."

  Bai Wei also knew that Yan Qing Cheng's words were gentle, but once she made up her mind, it was hard to change. So she didn't say anything else and turned her head to see Cong Ye looking elsewhere, then quickly leaned in close to Yan Qing Cheng's ear and whispered:

  "Qing Cheng Jie, I should be completely fine now, but how should I thank Cong Ye Gege?"

  "Haven't you given him a card already? What else do you want to thank him for?"

  "Is it too common to just show gratitude with money?"

  "What else do you want, send flowers or give yourself?"

  Yan Qingcheng realized she had misspoken as soon as she finished speaking. How could such a sentence have slipped out of her mouth so suddenly?

  "City Toppling Sister?!"

  Bai Wei pushed Yan Qingcheng, who immediately turned bright red and turned her head away.

  "I won't tell you."

  While having breakfast, Yan Qingcheng asked Bai Wei:

  "What about your school suspension?"

  "I'll go back when school starts and continue studying."

  Bai Wei said excitedly, glancing at Cong Ye and saying in a low voice:

  "Thank you, Brother Congye."

  Suddenly, as if remembering something.

  "Qing Cheng Jie, why hasn't Xiao Hui Jie returned yet?"

  "He called yesterday and said he was delayed by something else, and will be home at noon today."

  "I really envy Xiao Hui, she's about to graduate soon, but I still have three and a half years left."

  "Is Xiaowei in such a hurry to grow up?"

  "I don't want to grow up, but I also don't want to always be in school. Jing Cheng Jie, think about it, from the age of three going to kindergarten, all the way until now, how many years has that been? If after graduation we go on to read for a master's and then a PhD, isn't that spending almost half our lives in school?"

  After breakfast, Pei Wei was sent off, and Cong Ye and Yan Qingcheng discussed that they should also prepare a New Year's Eve dinner, after all, Zhi Xiao Hui would be coming back. Leaving Cong Ye at home to tidy up, Yan Qingcheng went out alone to buy some vegetables, fruits, and meat dishes.

  Zhì Xiǎohuì returned just before 10 am and coincidentally walked into the courtyard with Yuán Qīngchéng, who had gone out to buy groceries. When Zhì Xiǎohuì saw Cong Ye in the yard, she was visibly taken aback. Since Yuán Qīngchéng didn't want to explain to Zhì Xiǎohuì why Cong Ye came to Guān Hǎi Chéng and why he was staying at their home, she had never mentioned Cong Ye to Zhì Xiǎohuì before.

  "Xiao Hui is back? Come in and take a rest."

  "Sister-in-law, he is..."

  "Cong Ye, your brother's comrade-in-arms, came to Guanhai City after being demobilized this year."

  "Hello, Congye."

  Cong Ye stepped forward and stood in front of Zhi Xiao Hui, introducing himself.

  "Hello."

  There was an obvious hint of displeasure in Zhi Xiaohui's tone.

  After a brief greeting, he picked up his backpack and walked past Cong Ye's body, directly into the east room. Seeing that the bedding on his bed was not the usual set he used, he felt even more displeased. When he saw Yan Qingcheng following him in, he asked with a gloomy face:

  "Sister-in-law, who is sleeping in my bed?"

  "It's me, Xi Jian, yielding to Cong Ye."

  "Why?"

  Why, Yan Qingcheng indeed didn't want to explain to Zhi Xiaohui why, and for a moment she was stunned there.

  Cong Ye heard the conversation between the two people inside the house and hurriedly walked in, explaining to Zhi Xiao Hui:

  "Sorry, I didn't have a place to stay when I first arrived, so I stayed here. Don't mind Xiao Hui, I'll move out immediately."

  "Cong Ye, cannot."

  Yan Qingcheng didn't expect that the usually obedient Zhi Xiaohui would give her such a big problem as soon as she returned. During this time, if it weren't for Cong Ye being there, she wouldn't know what kind of situation Yu Xiao Peng would force her into. Hearing that Cong Ye wanted to move out, she naturally tried to stop him.

  "I'll just go stay in a hotel then, anyway I'm going back to school on the sixth."

  Zhi Xiao Hui's backpack remained on her shoulders as she turned around and walked away.

  Cong Ye naturally wouldn't let Zhi Xiao Hui go stay in a hotel while he stayed behind. Hurriedly blocking Zhi Xiao Hui's path, he apologetically said:

  "Xiao Hui, you misunderstood, you stay here, I'll leave immediately."

  At this point, Yan Qingcheng really didn't know what to do. Seeing Cong Ye not bringing anything, he walked towards the gate, just two steps away, wanting to chase him back, but was blocked by Zhi Xiao Hui who took a step forward.

  "Xiao Hui, you..."

  Blocked by Zhi Xiao Hui, Cong Ye's figure had already disappeared outside the gate.

  Yan Qingcheng's heart suddenly ached, today is the 30th of December, since Cong Ye came to Guanhai City, he had helped him so much, only Yan Qingcheng himself knew clearly. But now, he was driven out by Zhi Xiaohui on New Year's Eve. Yan Qingcheng couldn't scold Zhi Xiaohui and could only stare blankly at the door where Cong Ye's figure disappeared, his heart suddenly feeling empty and hollow. How can one person spend the new year? Tears in his eyes involuntarily welled up in his eye sockets.

  Yan Qingcheng's expression did not escape the eyes of Zhi Xiaohui, who had been observing her all along.

  "Sister-in-law, why be so courteous to an outsider? Although he's my brother's comrade, you've already taken him in for half a year, that's enough, just let him go."

  Yan Qingcheng was worried that Cong Ye didn't bring the bank card given by Bai Wei on him, Cong Ye never liked to carry cash in his hands, Yan Qingcheng knew this. Also, the medical expenses given by the Qi family were still being kept by himself.

  "Xiao Hui, you don't understand the situation."

  After hesitating for a moment, Yan Qingcheng still didn't give Zhi Xiao Hui an explanation about what had happened recently.

  "Xiao Hui, you sit down and rest for a while first. I'll send some money over to Cong Ye, he might not have any on him."

  "Sister-in-law, a man who can't even earn money, why are you still sympathizing with him?"

  Zhi Xiao Hui held onto Yan Qing Cheng, refusing to let her leave.

  If it weren't for the eve of Chinese New Year, Yan Qingcheng might have ignored Zhi Xiaohui's obstruction and rushed out to find Cong Ye. Yan Qingcheng was very familiar with Zhi Xiaohui's temperament, although she and Zhi Xiaokang were siblings, but Zhi Xiaohui had developed a personality that was self-centered and always got her way since childhood, in this aspect, the two were not like close siblings at all.

  Zhī Xiǎohuì can ignore others' feelings, but Yán Qīngchéng cannot ignore Zhī Xiǎohuì's feelings. If she were to pursue Lóng Yè, with Zhī Xiǎohuì's personality, she would definitely not stay home for the New Year. This puts Yán Qīngchéng in a difficult position, and she ultimately has no choice but to prioritize taking care of Zhī Xiǎohuì. After all, Lóng Yè is also a young man in his twenties, and it's fine for him to be out on his own, but for Zhī Xiǎohuì, a young woman, to stay in a hotel on New Year's Eve, Yán Qīngchéng just can't bring herself to do it.

  Cong Ye left, and Sister-in-law no longer went to chase Cong Ye. Only then did Zhi Xiao Hui feel satisfied and put away her own bedding. Yan Qing Cheng had no choice but to return to the west wing to live. Taking advantage of this opportunity, she rummaged through Cong Ye's simple luggage that was left behind. She found over a thousand yuan in cash left by Cong Ye, but did not find any bank cards. Yan Qing Cheng knew that Cong Ye originally had one card, and there was also the one given by Bai Wei. Since they were not found, it meant that Cong Ye had taken them with her.

  After some thought, he still didn't feel at ease, so he gave Ba Wei a call. Because he didn't know if Cong Ye's card had any money on it. And the one Ba Wei had given him, neither of them had ever checked how much was on it, what if Cong Ye couldn't withdraw any?

  "Big sister of the city, is there something going on?"

  She had just left Rizhao Lane for a short while when she received a call from Yan Qingcheng, and Bai Wei asked naturally.

  "Xiao Wei, did you put money in the card you gave to Cong Ye last time?"

  "You're rich, Qing Cheng sister, what's wrong?"

  "As long as you have money, it's fine."

  "Qing Cheng Jie, on New Year's Eve, we can't play dumb riddles, or else I'll have a bad year."

  Bai Wei had a faint feeling that something had happened in Rizhao Alley. So, she was determined to ask for an outcome without giving up.

  "Nothing's wrong, it's just..."

  "What's wrong with that? Qīng Chéng Jiě isn't a procrastinator."

  "After Xiaohui came back, she saw Congye at home and was a bit unhappy. So Congye left empty-handed. I'm worried that he doesn't have any money on him, knowing that the card is still with him, so I asked you."

  "Big sister Qīng Chéng, how could this be? Today is New Year's Eve."

  When Pei Wei heard that there was no more movement from Yan Qing Cheng's side, she immediately reacted and understood what had happened. She thought to herself, "Yan Qing Cheng must have driven Cong Ye Gege away." With this in mind, Pei Wei quickly hung up the phone and told her parents that she was going out.