(23.4)
Meng Xuexinâs eyes turned red and tears came instantly. She looked tearfully at the man behind Lu Wanwan, mumbling: âYi Yi, itâs me.â
Shen Yi pursed his lips and stayed silent, because he didnât know what to call her.
âWhat brings you here?â He asked.
Meng Xuexin bypassed Lu Wanwan and barged into the apartment. She stood in front of Shen Yi and excitedly held his hands while choking on a sob: âI missed you, my son.â
âMom really missed you a lot.â
Shen Yiâs gaze was calm, his forehead was still a little hot and his stomach also felt uncomfortable, but he concealed it very well and it couldnât be seen on his face.
His gaze fell on Lu Wanwanâs feet which didnât have socks on. He gently patted the back of her head as he said, âGo put on socks.â
Meng Xuexin wiped her tears and already started blaming Lu Wanwan, who earlier had been refusing to let her into the apartment. She went forwards and began to say in front of Shen Yi: âMom thought she wouldnât be able to see you today, she kept preventing me from coming inside, mom was about to cry from distress.â
Lu Wanwan cast a complicated glance towards Meng Xuexin. She felt that her acting skills were even better than her own, she cried like rain on pear blossoms (= crying beautifully), anyone who looked at her would feel distressed for her.
Shen Yi silently withdrew his hand and took two steps back, âYou go back, there is nothing to say between us.â
Meng Xuexin froze on the spot, not expecting her own son to react in this way.
She wiped her tears, âI know youâre still blaming mom for what she did back then, and itâs only right for you to blame me, I just want you to know, mom loves you.â
Standing on the side, Lu Wanwan immediately started to laugh out loud and said: âYou bet heâs supposed to blame you ! How old was he when you abandoned him, you didnât want to raise him, okay thatâs fine, but you didnât even send him home so that his father and grandfather could raise him.â
âYou say you love him, okay, he doesnât have much money at the present, can you give him some money for him to spend? That would prevent us from having to live under such financial straits.â
Lu Wanwan originally wasnât intending to defend him against injustice, but she just felt angry.
What was Shen Yi like at the age of 16 or 17? He was no different from an orphan.
The T-shirt he wore was white from having been worn and washed too many times, his body was skinny, his face was gloomy, he didnât have many friends, he had no family and was isolated by the people in the school.
Every day, he wore an expressionless face, there were many emotions in his eyes and he never smiled all day long. Underneath his school uniform was a body covered with scars.
After Lu Wanwan managed to be his girlfriend, the bullying turned a little less severe.
Shen Yi, during the last year of high school, was very well behaved and obedient.
He used to save his money to buy her chocolates every day. With downcast eyes and fluttering eyelashes, he used to say in a gentle voice to her, âWanwan, you eat.â
For those candies that he used to buy for her, Lu Wanwan felt that today, she definitely had to help Shen Yi relieve some of his anger.
(24.1)
Lu Wanwan still remembered the seventeen-year-old Shen Yi, who used to be so pitiful it was heartbreaking, and who was very mature compared to other people his age.
Being fatherless and motherless became a reason for others to attack him.
The wounds were constantly accompanying him.
Lu Wanwan unreasonably insisted to live with him and that small apartment became their home. When Shen Yi finished classes early, he would wait for her in front of the school everyday.
Back then, Lu Wanwan was very playful and got very annoyed with him, for she couldnât go out to play when she was being pestered by him tailing her.
At that time, in a nice manner, she told Shen Yi, âAfter you finish classes and self-study, you can go back home first, you donât need to stay and wait for me.â
Back then, Shen Yi said âokayâ, but then the next evening, he still stayed and waited for her.
Lu Wanwan had known that Shen Yi was a very stubborn person from a long time ago.
During those youthful years, Shen Yi was indeed an unforgettable first love. During her university internship, he also used to wait for her every day at the place where she worked.
From waiting for her to finish classes to waiting for her to finish work, thatâs what he wanted.
These were the most moving words Shen Yi ever said to her.
Unfortunately, the story later didnât turn very well.
Lu Wanwan had never been able to figure out why Shen Yi later became that way. Somber and cold.
Meng Xuexin also did not expect Lu Wanwan to speak so bluntly, asking for money as soon as she opened her mouth.
âThis is a matter between me and my son.â She dropped those words with a fierce tone.
Lu Wanwan laughed at those words, and smiled brightly as she asked, âSo youâre not going to give money, right?â
Meng Xuexinâs face turned ugly. She didnât understand how things had turned into them asking her for money.
Lu Wanwan kept asking: âDidnât you say you had wronged him all these years? Apologies are a must, and there should also be a compensation, right? Is it possible that you are just saying it to sound good?â
Meng Xuexin was about to lose control of the expression on her face, âI want to talk to my son.â
Shen Yi lifted his eyelids and indifferently swept a glance at her. There was no emotional fluctuations on his face as he said, âYou go back.â