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墨書 Inktalez
"Besides her profession, what else does she talk about?" Su Hailu asked again.
"I talk about my Mother and Sister," An Shaojie said. Yes, she liked to talk about things in Liu Family Village; it was her most frequent topic, even more than professional matters. Most of the time, she would go on about something while he just needed to listen.
He clearly remembered her stories about his Mother and Sister, as well as Liu Family Village. At times, he found her annoying and secretly looked down on her for this. After all, she was a top student at a prestigious university—not particularly talented or beautiful, but not lacking in either. She was someone studying in Beijing, yet she remained fixated on trivial matters from her rural hometown. In front of him, she never presented herself as a capable and fashionable university student. Instead, she resembled an inconspicuous Baby's Breath in a mountain stream or a Forget-Me-Not by the roadside.
Even though many classmates described her as a quietly blooming White Magnolia, it was merely a flower growing by the roadside or under an eave, unnoticed and unappreciated.
So he distinctly remembered that at the beginning of each semester, she would pull out various homemade snacks from her bag—made by her Mother and Grandma, as well as his Mother's homemade treats. Most of them were wild or made from Sweet Potatoes grown in their own fields, turned into dried Sweet Potato slices.
She would sit next to him reading, happily munching on these snacks while chewing and softly murmuring to herself, "Delicious, really delicious."
Occasionally, she would wave a piece in front of him and ask, "Do you want some?"
He always shook his head; nothing tasted as good as she claimed. He had grown tired of these things since childhood. There were times when he couldn't fill his stomach and had to eat these to stave off hunger—he had eaten enough of them to be sick of them.
She also brought some potatoes from home to Beijing, cooking them in their rental apartment. Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes had once been their family's staple food; she still loved them so much. The way she cooked them made them smell wonderful, and she enjoyed eating them just as much.
As the semester drew to a close and school hadn't yet let out for vacation, she would start reminding him about what she wanted to eat from home—how she planned to indulge once they returned home—saying how much she loved what his Mother made and asking him to tell his Mother to prepare more when they got back.
He always remained silent but listened carefully, memorizing everything. After the new semester began, he kept track of all the foods she mentioned liking so that his Mother could pack them into his backpack for her.
He had always looked down on her for being so petty and lacking ambition, yet he quietly remembered her words and brought her those hometown treats that she longed for.
In addition to these, she also enjoyed talking about their childhood, rambling on and on with great enthusiasm. She recounted his embarrassing moments from when he was young, which he didn't even remember, but she recalled vividly. It was unclear whether those events were true or if she had made them up, but she told the stories in such an entertaining way that even if he didn't listen seriously, it didn't matter to her. As she spoke, she would laugh at herself, and sometimes he would catch a line or two and find them genuinely funny, leading him to chuckle quietly.
It turned out that he had been quite silly as a child, in a way that was both laughable and endearing. At least in her eyes, through her animated storytelling, he had been foolish and had a pure and joyful childhood filled with moments that were both cute and comical.
She would also talk about his Sister; whenever she mentioned Shaw Min, her eyes would light up with warmth.
She frequently asked about his Mother's health. At times, she felt she was being overly chatty—hadn't she just come from his house? Hadn't she just seen his Mother? It seemed she really enjoyed discussing his Mother and Sister, showing genuine concern for them. Whenever they came up in conversation, she smiled warmly, like the gentle sunlight of early spring, even more so than when talking about her own Mother and Father.
Su Hailu stood silently behind him, motionless. The hands that had rested on the back of his chair were now withdrawn, fidgeting nervously.
Was it intentional or unintentional?
Should she feel ashamed or should she try to defend herself?
Indeed, having known him for so long, he had met many of her family members and friends in the capacity of her boyfriend. Yet, it seemed she had forgotten that he also had a home with family and friends. What relatives did he have? She realized she didn’t know; she had never asked about his family or shown any interest in them.
It turned out he had a Mother and a Sister.
But he had never talked about them in front of her!
She found herself justifying her actions internally while protesting against him, yet her voice and resolve felt so weak.
As his girlfriend, not having cared about his family or ever asked about them—was this really love?
But does she love him? Does she truly love him?
If she doesn't love him, why bring him abroad? Is it merely for the benefit of the family? The family's interests are a concern for her relatives, not for her. She is a girl who would only be with a boy for love. How could family interests compare to her love in her eyes?
Then, she must truly be in love, having chosen him from the vast sea of people. After glancing at him among the talented individuals and handsome men at University A, she decided on him.
Because he possesses a melancholic aura, a maturity that is steady yet not reckless, a calmness that remains undistracted even when beautiful women are around, and a dedication that shows in his focused demeanor even while walking.
So she thinks she loves him.
But then she also thinks he is not suitable for her.
In life and work, she is independent. Yet she is also willful and self-centered; she struggles to cooperate with others or connect with them. Her life has always revolved around herself—what she wants and what she likes are her primary concerns. She has never considered what he wants or what he likes.
She believes that whatever he needs, he should go get it himself; whatever he likes, he should pursue it on his own. If he needs anything from her, he should just say so—love and care can be obtained from her as long as he tells her. Just like how she needs his love, she will directly take away his book to make him look at her, focus on her, and love her. Just as she brought him home to meet her friends and family, she would directly communicate and make requests of him.
However, he says nothing at all. So she assumes he enjoys peace and quiet, prefers not to be disturbed, and likes being alone. Therefore, she lets him handle his own affairs without interfering in any way.
As a result, she knows nothing about his matters.
Thus, the truth is that he has not opened his heart to her; she has not yet opened his heart either, let alone step into his inner world.
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