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墨書 Inktalez
The weather was not favorable.
Early in the morning, the sky was overcast, and now fine rain began to fall, enveloping the area in a mist that felt like both fog and rain, intertwining continuously.
Jiang Zhi Yan sat in the Maiba Heli, gazing at the residential complex shrouded in rain ahead, lighting another cigarette.
With the car windows fully down, the chilly drizzle blew in with the wind. Through the haze, he caught sight of a lonely figure stumbling out of a building and into the rain.
Furrowing his brow, Jiang Zhi Yan extinguished the cigarette he had just lit, grabbed a black umbrella from under the passenger seat, opened the car door, and strode over.
“Aunt,” Jiang Zhi Yan said as he sheltered her under the umbrella, his expression slightly tense. “What happened?”
Jiang Yun glanced at him with a fleeting look, then suddenly smirked mockingly and said, “Jiang Zhi Yan, in this lifetime, don’t do anything bad.”
Everything happening now was the consequence of her resolute departure back then.
---
Due to Jiang Yun's unexpected visit, they missed their scheduled departure time and disrupted the family's mood for going up the mountain to pray, ultimately leading to their cancellation.
After a simple lunch, Su Wan retreated alone back to her room.
Lying on her back on the bed, her mind was blank.
She didn’t feel sad, but she couldn’t quite grasp what emotions were stirring within her.
Su Wan suddenly sat up and opened the bottom drawer of her desk, pulling out a small iron box the size of a notebook.
With a "clack," the long-sealed iron box was pried open by Su Wan.
Inside lay an old, yellowed photograph and a brand new concert ticket.
It was a photo of Su Wan at two years old with Jiang Yun in front of a small western-style building, the only one they had.
As she glanced to the side, Su Wan noticed the ticket placed inside, with the most prominent words being "Heng Yan."
Her mood seemed to brighten significantly compared to just a moment ago. She held the ticket tightly, reached for her phone on the bedside table, and called Fu Weiheng.
When Su Wan called, Fu Weiheng was sitting in the living room with Ye Fan, helping her draw. He glanced at the caller ID on his screen, somewhat surprised.
Wasn't she supposed to be at the mountain praying?
He stood up, ruffled Ye Fan's hair to indicate she could continue drawing on her own, and answered the call as he headed to the study on the second floor.
"What's wrong?" His deep voice remained gentle.
Su Wan suddenly smiled and asked, "Neil, what are you doing?"
Fu Weiheng paused for a moment, sensing something off in her cheerful tone but replied nonchalantly, "I'm with Fan Fan drawing." He pushed open the study door and walked in. "What about you? Weren't you supposed to go to the temple today? Did you already come back?"
Su Wan stared at the line on the ticket that read "Heng Yan H&Y Symphony Orchestra Europe Tour Performance - London Station," her tone becoming a bit forlorn. "No, I had something come up, so I didn't go." She curled up against the headboard and after a moment added, "Neil, are you busy? Can you chat with me?"
Her subdued voice sounded calm but carried a hint of playful emotion.
Fu Weiheng knew she was unhappy.
He glanced at the clock on the wall, then returned to the bedroom and said softly, "What do you want to talk about?"
Su Wan thought for a moment and replied, "I want to hear about your childhood."
Fu Weiheng recalled for a long time, finally rubbing his forehead in distress and laughing helplessly, "It seems like I only practiced piano when I was a child..."
"Yeah, Neil..." Su Wan raised the ticket with a dreamy smile. "I bought a ticket for your performance four years ago in London."
"Really?" Fu Weiheng took a deep blue crew-neck sweater out of the closet and asked, "You went?"
Su Wan paused for a moment before slowly saying, "No... I missed the opening time..."
"Okay." He lowered his voice to comfort her. "Then from now on, I'll adjust to your schedule. We'll start when you arrive."
Su Wan was taken aback and then chuckled softly, "If you spoil me like this, I'll become too accustomed to it."
He replied, "If I spoil you, then you'll only belong to me."
...
By the time the call ended, two hours had passed. Su Wan felt extremely drowsy and decided to take a nap.
However, just as she closed her eyes, her phone on the table suddenly buzzed loudly. Startled, Su Wan quickly reached for her phone.
The caller ID showed an unfamiliar number. She hesitated for a moment but eventually answered, "Hello."
The environment over there was extremely quiet, as if it were a sealed space where not even the sound of air could be heard. Just as Su Wan thought this was a prank call and was about to hang up, a familiar, clear male voice suddenly came through, startling Su Wan.
"Su Wan, it's Jiang Zhi Yan. Do you have time to chat?"
She unconsciously furrowed her brows, vaguely understanding what he wanted to talk about, and finally responded, "Okay."
---
Fu Residence
Fu Weiheng glanced at the screen showing a full two hours of call time and felt uneasy as he opened Qin Mu's WeChat.
Neil: Is something happening at home?
A minute later, he received a reply from Qin Mu.
Mumu Baby: There is something... Brother-in-law, you know about the situation between my sister and her mom, right?
Fu Weiheng frowned and replied: I know.
Mumu Baby: Her mom suddenly came to our house this morning, saying she was here to see my sister, but then my sister kicked her out. We had originally planned to go to the mountain together today, but with all this commotion, no one felt like going anymore. After lunch, my sister locked herself in her room without saying a word. She hasn't come out since. I've been with my sister for so many years and have never seen her speak so harshly to anyone; she must be feeling really bad right now, and I don't dare to bother her. Brother-in-law, if she contacts you, please just talk to her.
Fu Weiheng couldn't bother replying anymore. He got up, grabbed the car keys from the table, and casually took a coat from the closet before rushing downstairs. As he passed through the living room, he casually mentioned, "Mom, I won't be back tonight."
Mu Qing saw him in such a hurried state and thought something serious had happened. She quickly got up from the sofa and followed him to the entrance with a worried tone: "It's raining outside; where are you rushing off to?"
Fu Weiheng swiftly changed his shoes but maintained a steady voice: "I'm going to Yishi."
Without giving Mu Qing a chance to ask more questions, she opened the door and ran out into the rain.
Mu Qing said, "Hey... drive slowly."
Fu Quan happened to come down from the second floor. Seeing Fu Weiheng in such a hurried state, he shook his head as if it were nothing unusual and sighed lightly to himself, "Impatient and restless, still too young."
---
The meeting place with Jiang Zhi Yan was set by Su Wan, at a café near New Lake Community, away from the street, nestled in an alley, with a quiet and comfortable environment.
When Su Wan arrived, Jiang Zhi Yan was already there. Two young waitresses in the café were gazing dreamily at him. Waitress A sighed, "He is really handsome... I've worked here for a year, and today is the first time I've seen such a handsome man."
Waitress B chimed in, "He's the only man I've seen who can wear bright red without looking effeminate; he's so stylish and charming."
Su Wan turned her head to look. He had taken off his outer shirt and was wearing a bright red crew-neck sweater with a matching printed shirt underneath, revealing the sharp collar of the shirt. The vibrant outfit unexpectedly made him look even more dashing, standing out in the simple yet cozy café.
Jiang Zhi Yan leaned against the soft sofa, facing the window as if he were looking at something outside. His chiseled profile appeared calm and serene.
Su Wan walked over slowly. He noticed her footsteps and glanced sideways at her, his beautiful peach blossom eyes narrow and inscrutable.
Jiang Zhi Yan stood up gracefully; his tall figure cast a shadow over her. He nodded slightly and said, "Please have a seat."
Su Wan readily sat down in the position opposite him.
He raised his hand to call the waiter and then asked her, "What would you like to drink?"
Su Wan thought for a moment and replied, "Mocha."
After the waiter left, the atmosphere between the two fell into an inexplicable silence.
After a while, Jiang Zhi Yan smiled lightly and said, "Jiang Yun is my aunt."
Su Wan was not surprised; she merely lifted her eyelids to glance at him without speaking.
His clear voice carried a hint of helpless regret. "Six years ago, when you called London, I answered. I... I'm sorry, I forgot to pass on your message."
Su Wan was taken aback.
She heard him continue, "It was only after I ran into you recently that I suddenly remembered... By the time I thought to make amends, it was already too late..."
...
Later, no matter what Jiang Zhi Yan said, she did not respond, quietly listening in silence.
Before leaving, Jiang Zhi Yan handed her an old photo album. "I found this in your mother's room." He smirked mockingly and added, "I never expected that as a lawyer, one day I would engage in such an invasion of privacy."
...
After returning home, Su Wan held the seemingly aged photo album in her hands, hesitating for a long time before finally opening it—
Page after page was filled with her.
From winning her first string competition at the age of six to becoming the champion of the Cello category at the International Youth String Competition at thirteen, and from graduating elementary school to finishing high school at nineteen, it seemed there was nothing missing.
Inside her heart, everything felt tangled.
The words of Jiang Zhi Yan suddenly echoed in his ears one after another—
He said, "She regrets it. If it weren't for my grandfather... your maternal grandfather, putting so much pressure on her back then, she wouldn't have left so resolutely."
He said, "She has visited you all, including your father, every year..."
He said, "Although she remarried, she is not happy at all. The one she loves the most is still your father."
He said, "Maybe it's been many years too late, but in her heart, she has never forgotten about you, her daughter."
He said, "I grew up by her side. A person as kind and beautiful as she is would never truly have the heart to abandon..."
He said, "Life is short; don't let misunderstandings entangle you for a lifetime. In the end, people part ways and hearts get hurt."
...
On the highway, Fu Weiheng was focused on the road ahead when his phone suddenly buzzed twice. He instinctively glanced at it and saw Qin Mu's name prominently displayed on the WeChat notification, so he slowed down and opened his phone to take a look—
16:38
Qin Mu: Brother-in-law, my sister just went out!
Qin Mu: It's been over an hour! What should I do?
16:55
Qin Mu: Brother-in-law! My sister is back! She looks... utterly disheartened?
Qin Mu: My sister has gone back to her room again!
Qin Mu: Brother-in-law! She seems to be crying!
...
One message after another made Fu Weiheng feel increasingly frustrated. He threw his phone onto the passenger seat and pressed down harder on the accelerator.
The night had fallen, and in the room with the curtains tightly closed, it was so dark that one couldn't see their hand in front of their face.
The phone on the bedside table had been buzzing for a long time, ringing repeatedly.
In a hazy sleep, Su Wan seemed to sense something. She furrowed her brows and slowly opened her eyes, realizing that she had cried herself to sleep without noticing.
The phone continued to ring insistently. Su Wan suddenly came to her senses, got up, grabbed her phone, and without even checking the caller ID, pressed the answer button: "Hello..."
The thick nasal tone startled her.
Fu Weiheng, who had dialed countless times and was about to give up and go upstairs to look for her, was surprised when she finally picked up.
For some reason, he suddenly felt a bit lost.
But the next second, he was startled by the muffled voice on the other end of the line, his tone slightly tense: "Are you crying?"
Su Wan turned on the room light but found it hard to adjust to the brightness. She covered her eyes and said, "Neil..."
"Why did it take you so long to answer the phone?" he said calmly, though there was no hint of reproach in his tone.
"Um." She rubbed her swollen eyes from crying. "I fell asleep..."
"Mm." Fu Weiheng opened the car door, got out, and walked towards the community, his voice gentle. "Do you want to come down and see me?"
Su Wan doubted her ears. "Huh?"
Fu Weiheng smiled lightly. "I'm downstairs at your place."
Su Wan was stunned for a second before hurriedly getting out of bed. "I'll come down now."
He said, "Take your time, no rush."
After putting on her coat, Su Wan left her room to wash her face in the bathroom. In the living room, Qin Mu and Old Qin were sitting on the sofa watching TV, while Su Yue was in the kitchen preparing dinner. The only one missing was Qin Yan.
When Qin Mu heard the door open, he immediately turned his attention away from the TV. Su Wan looked a bit haggard, her eyes noticeably red and swollen, and she hurriedly came out wearing a down jacket, clearly planning to go out.
Qin Mu quickly got up from the sofa and walked over with a worried expression. "Sister, are you going out?"
Su Wan forced a smile. "Yeah."
Su Yue heard the commotion and came out from the kitchen. Seeing her pale face made her feel a pang of concern. She adjusted Su Wan's coat without asking too many questions and simply said, "It's cold outside; make sure to dress warmly and come back early."
Old Qin also chimed in with a smile, "Be careful on the road."
Su Wan felt momentarily speechless. Looking at her aunt's hair that had strands of white mixed in with black, she suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of guilt. "Auntie, I'm sorry for worrying you."
Su Yue smiled and patted her shoulder, "Don't say silly things, be careful when you go out."
Qin Mu nodded as well, "If it gets too late and you’re afraid to come back, just call me and Qin Yan to pick you up."
"Okay."
After a day of rain, it had finally stopped, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of wet soil, making it feel a bit cooler.
Su Wan stepped out of the elevator and eagerly walked towards the exit of the building.
In the distance, she spotted a familiar tall figure standing under a streetlight in the community. He was wearing a loose coat, tall and elegant, with a cigarette burning at his fingertips.
Su Wan took a couple of light breaths and stepped forward, suddenly feeling inspired to call out—
"Neil."
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