Troublesome – Chapter 73

Stay

Then you all should just stay.

The wind was too strong, blowing away Jin Shuilan’s voice, it drifted in the air. Lu Zhenqiu’s breathing paused for two seconds, she clearly heard Jin Shuilan’s words, if she wasn’t drunk.

She should——not have been so drunk she misheard, right?

Lu Zhenqiu bit her lip, meeting Jin Shuilan’s suddenly looking-over gaze, focused, concentrating, the reflection in the bottom of her eyes was truly and honestly her, just like so many times before, she looked at herself so gently.

“Teacher Jin.” Lu Zhenqiu called softly. Jin Shuilan’s two hands were gripping the handrail, the ice-cold stainless steel was even stained with her temperature, scalding hot. She and Lu Zhenqiu met eyes for two seconds, and heard Lu Zhenqiu say: “I…”

That person hesitated for two seconds, then looked away: “We should go down.”

After Lu Zhenqiu finished speaking her face was scalding hot, she patted her cheeks, a fiery burning sensation. Jin Shuilan didn’t have a dejected expression, instead, a smile rippled in her eyes, saying: “Okay, let’s go down, they should be finished.”

Ji Zibo and the others were indeed finished, and were even preparing to come out to find Lu Zhenqiu and Jin Shuilan. It was Hua Luo who reacted first, slapping her forehead: “Aiya, Teacher Jin and the others must have something important going on, let’s not get involved, let’s wait for them to come back.”

The others reacted: “Right, right, right.”

The alcohol had numbed their nerves, they had all forgotten about that bit of ambiguity between Jin Shuilan and Lu Zhenqiu. Ji Zibo said: “They wouldn’t have gone back, would they?”

The presents haven’t been given out yet.

Xiao Yu rarely frowned: “But Qiuqiu drank a lot, what if the two of them…”

“What are you saying!” Hua Luo defended her idol: “Teacher Jin is not the type of person to take advantage of someone’s situation!”

Just as she finished speaking, two people squeezed in through the doorway. Hua Luo bumped Xiao Yu’s arm, signaling that she was right. Xiao Yu pinched her wrist, Hua Luo gritted her teeth from the pinch, turned over and tickled her. Xiao Yu laughed until she was out of breath: “Jiejie, I was wrong, good jiejie.”

Bai Mao saw the two of them acting improperly and frowned, subconsciously calling out: “Hua Luo.”

Hua Luo said “ai,” and immediately sat up straight on the sofa, flicked her hair, and very fawningly¹ asked Bai Mao: “Teacher Bai, what is it?”

Bai Mao looked at her face, flushed red from the ruckus, held it in, and clutching the sober-up medicine in her pocket said: “Nothing.”

Hua Luo said “oh.”

Xiao Yu saw the clue, and secretly poked Hua Luo in the back again. Hua Luo moved her waist, ignoring her. Lu Zhenqiu and Jin Shuilan returned to their seats. Having been in the wind, the smell of alcohol on Lu Zhenqiu was not as heavy. Jin Shuilan gave them a small bag, having prepared sober-up medicine for everyone. Hua Luo said with a grin: “Thank you Teacher Jin! Teacher Jin is so thoughtful!”

Bai Mao pulled out the hand that was in her pocket, took the sober-up medicine handed over by Hua Luo, and asked Jin Shuilan: “Where did you go?”

Jin Shuilan said: “Upstairs.” After she spoke, she asked in a small voice: “I saw you go to the pharmacy, what did you go buy?”

Bai Mao’s face instantly flushed red: “I didn’t buy anything!”

Jin Shuilan chuckled lightly, not exposing her thoughts, just looking at her with a meaningful gaze. Bai Mao was made uncomfortable by her look, and switched seats with Ji Zibo.

They then gave out the birthday presents. The deeper into the night it got, the more boisterous and noisy it became here. The people on the dance floor were already pressed against each other. Different from the hot dancing at the beginning, now there was more of an ambiguous atmosphere flowing.

Late at night, is a good time to embrace for warmth.

Hua Luo asked if they were still going to dance. Xiao Yu waved her hand: “My legs are numb, not dancing anymore.”

The others also shook their hands one after another, they had no energy left. They sat idly on the sofa chatting, dealing with the occasional guests who came over to make conversation. They chatted until past eleven o’clock, then they decided to disperse. When leaving, because they had been drinking, it wasn’t very safe for them to go alone, so they simply shared rides. Four people to a car, sending each one home in turn. Bai Mao drank the least, so she was tasked with sending the other three home. Jin Shuilan would send Lu Zhenqiu home.

Lu Zhenqiu asked: “Isn’t your hand injured?”

Even when drunk, she still cared about her hand.

Jin Shuilan smiled: “En, I called a designated driver.”

Lu Zhenqiu had no more objections.

She said goodbye to the others and followed Jin Shuilan into the car. The designated driver hadn’t arrived yet. The air conditioning was on in the car, warm and toasty. Jin Shuilan and Lu Zhenqiu sat in the back seat, neither of them speaking. The front passenger seat was piled full of gifts, blocking the streetlight from outside.

A little light came through the rear seat window. Lu Zhenqiu tilted her head to look out the car window, at the vast white snow, reflecting a sheet of white light. In the white light, she recalled Jin Shuilan on the rooftop just now.

So close to her, her brows and eyes clear, a smile on the corners of her lips, her gaze gentle.

She lowered her eyes, lightly shaking her head. After a short while, the designated driver arrived. Jin Shuilan gave the name of the residential complex. Lu Zhenqiu sat beside her in silence, not a word was spoken the whole way. When they arrived downstairs, Jin Shuilan said: “I’ll see you up.”

Lu Zhenqiu said: “It’s okay…”

Jin Shuilan had already pushed open the car door and gotten out, saying: “Let’s go.”

Lu Zhenqiu had no choice but to carry her bag and follow behind her. The two entered the elevator. Only then did Lu Zhenqiu remember, and said: “Teacher Jin, happy birthday.”

Jin Shuilan smiled: “You’ve already said it.”

Said it? When? Lu Zhenqiu recalled being at the bar just now, they hadn’t talked about this at all. Seeing her confused expression, Jin Shuilan said: “The video.”

“Oh.” Lu Zhenqiu thought of the video, and her face turned subtly red.

They quickly got out of the elevator. Jin Shuilan watched Lu Zhenqiu take out her key and open the door, press the light switch, and make a questioning sound: “En?”

Jin Shuilan walked over, asking her: “What’s wrong?”

Lu Zhenqiu shook her head: “The light won’t turn on.”

When she said this, she had a bit of post-drinking daze, and a bit of simple-mindedness. Hearing her voice like this, Jin Shuilan’s heart was kneaded soft, soft beyond messily. The hand pressing the switch used force, pressing it several times. The light from the corridor behind them shone in, making the house blurry.

“Happy birthday.” Suddenly two voices sounded, and from the other side of the entryway, two people walked out. He Jinmei and Jin Wei were each holding a small cake, and said to Jin Shuilan and Lu Zhenqiu: “Lanlan, Qiuqiu, happy birthday.”

Lu Zhenqiu was stunned, and turned her head to look at Jin Shuilan.

Jin Shuilan was even more dazed than she was.

He Jinmei saw the two of them not moving and urged Jin Wei: “Go turn on the lights, turn on the lights.”

Jin Wei handed the cake to Jin Shuilan. He Jinmei smiled and explained: “We didn’t make it for Qiuqiu’s birthday, so we thought we’d take advantage of your birthday to buy a small cake. Qiuqiu, don’t mind, okay? Next year Auntie will definitely prepare in advance.”

“There’s no need, Auntie.” Lu Zhenqiu came back to her senses, looking at the two cakes, her eyes slightly red. He Jinmei said: “How can there be no need, there must be a need.”

Pa! The light turned on. He Jinmei said: “Were you just having a dinner party with Zibo and the others outside?”

Jin Shuilan nodded: “En, why did you guys come?”

“To bring you a birthday cake.” He Jinmei feigned anger: “What? You’re not happy about it?”

Jin Shuilan smiled: “No.”

She looked towards Lu Zhenqiu and said: “I am happy.”

He Jinmei said: “Come, come, come, make a wish first, blow out the candles.”

“Qiuqiu, you come too.”

The two small cakes were placed side by side on the coffee table, each with three candles lit. Jin Shuilan and Lu Zhenqiu were arranged to sit in front of the sofa. Under He Jinmei and Jin Wei’s gazes, the two had no choice but to piously make a wish and blow out the candles.

“Alright.” He Jinmei said, handing them a box: “Birthday present.”

Lu Zhenqiu didn’t take it, looking at Jin Shuilan. Jin Shuilan reached out and took it, opened it. Inside was a pair of couple’s necklaces, the pendants were a warm yellow color, one a star, one a moon. He Jinmei said: “I bought these last time we were traveling, I was always thinking of waiting until Lanlan had a partner to give them away, now is a pretty good opportunity.”

Jin Wei said: “That’s right Lanlan, your mom even specially went to a temple to pray, said something about them being consecrated.”²

Never thought her parents would believe in this. Jin Shuilan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She turned her head to look at Lu Zhenqiu, took out one necklace from inside and put it on, then handed the box to Lu Zhenqiu.

Lu Zhenqiu was stunned, raising her eyes to look at her. He Jinmei said: “You child, how can you be like this, of course you should put it on for Qiuqiu first.”

Jin Shuilan smiled at Lu Zhenqiu: “Put it on now?”

Lu Zhenqiu glanced at He Jinmei and Jin Wei. Before she could speak, Jin Shuilan had already picked up the necklace and moved closer. The ice-cold pendant pressed against the area above her chest. Jin Shuilan leaned to her side, fastening it for her. Lu Zhenqiu lowered her head, her hand touching the pendant. It was warm to the touch, and her heart warmed up too.

“Still eating cake?” He Jinmei asked: “If not, I’ll put it in the fridge, you can eat it tomorrow.”

Jin Shuilan and Lu Zhenqiu had already eaten one in the evening at the bar, and had also drunk so much alcohol, their stomachs were completely full. They couldn’t eat anything now. The two shook their heads. He Jinmei smiled: “Old Jin, you go put it in the fridge.”

Jin Wei carried the two cakes to the kitchen. Jin Shuilan said: “How did you guys get here?”

“Your dad drove. The snow outside is falling too heavily, we drove slowly. You two should also be careful when you go out these next two days, you know?”

Jin Shuilan nodded. Lu Zhenqiu stood up and said: “I’ll pour a glass of water for Auntie and Uncle.”

“Don’t trouble yourself.” He Jinmei grabbed Lu Zhenqiu’s hand, saying: “Sit down and chat with Auntie for a bit. Where did you guys go to celebrate your birthday today?”

Lu Zhenqiu was pulled, and sat down again, saying: “At a bar.”

After speaking, she looked up: “Teacher Jin didn’t drink.”

He Jinmei said: “You went to a bar and actually didn’t drink?”

That’s the key point she seized on.

Jin Shuilan raised her hand: “My hand hurts.”

Her wrist had been hidden in her sleeve, now a section of medicinal patch was revealed. He Jinmei frowned: “What happened to your hand?”

“Sprained it.” Jin Shuilan said: “It’s nothing serious.”

“Day after day, you don’t know how to take care of yourself.” He Jinmei asked worriedly: “Is it serious? Does it hurt a lot?”

Jin Shuilan glanced at Lu Zhenqiu, and nodded: “It hurts a little.”

Because of her words, the tip of Lu Zhenqiu’s heart was pricked by something, and a dense, fine pain spread. He Jinmei glared at her: “Tomorrow I’ll make you some pork rib soup to nourish you.”

“Thanks, Mom.” After Jin Shuilan finished speaking, she turned her head: “Aren’t you going to little uncle’s house tomorrow?”

“Not going anymore. You’re already injured, why would we still go.” He Jinmei said: “Tomorrow I’ll stay here and make some delicious food for you two, make some pork rib soup. It seems Qiuqiu has also lost weight.”

Lu Zhenqiu touched her own cheek.

Jin Shuilan watched her subconscious little movement, her eyes full of smiles.

They chatted for over half an hour. Jin Wei urged He Jinmei: “It’s getting late, if there’s anything to say, say it tomorrow.”

“That’s right.” He Jinmei stood up.

Jin Shuilan asked: “Are you going back?”

“Go back for what?” He Jinmei said: “We’re not going back tonight. We still have to make pork rib soup for you tomorrow. The road was already icing over when we came tonight. This road, your dad dares to drive it, but I don’t dare to ride in it. We saw several car accidents on the way here.”

Besides, it’s not a solution for the house next door to always be empty, it should be lived in occasionally.

Hearing her words, Jin Shuilan and Lu Zhenqiu looked at each other in blank dismay. Lu Zhenqiu’s hand curled up, clenching tightly. Hearing He Jinmei mention car accidents, she suddenly thought of Jin Shuilan’s accident.

He Jinmei saw the two of them not making a sound and looked at them doubtfully. Then she realized they had misunderstood, and just as she opened her mouth: “Your dad and I…”

“Then just stay here.” Lu Zhenqiu and she spoke at the same time, her speed a bit fast. After she spoke, the three of them all looked at her. Lu Zhenqiu was baffled by their stares, and looked at Jin Shuilan as if asking for help.

Jin Shuilan was in a joyous mood, unable to suppress her happiness. She placed her hand on the corner of her lips, coughed lightly, and calmed her restless emotions, saying: “Okay, Dad, Mom, you two can just stay in my room.”

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The author has something to say:

Thirty red envelopes memeda.

Jin Shuilan: There’s such a good thing?

Lu Zhenqiu: ……

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