Mei Lang Jun grabbed something upstairs, then hurried downstairs. "Mom, another day, another day. Send my regards to Aunt Li, I wonât be home for dinner tonight."
As he spoke, he ran towards the door. Liang Qian had just convinced Old Li to let her daughter meet him, and no matter what, she couldnât let her son leave today.
Seeing that Mei Lang Jun had already dashed out the door, Liang Qian quickly chased after him. "Stop right there!"
But unexpectedly, there was another person at the gate.
"Aunt..." Tao Jia was now feeling slightly awkward in front of the Mei Family, unsure how to address the aunt accurately.
Liang Qian was slightly taken aback seeing Tao Jia. Back when Tao Jia was unmarried, she used to play well with her Junzi. After marriage, they avoided suspicion and didnât talk much, and seeing them suddenly together today caught her off guard.
"Jia... Jiajia, youâve come over. Why not come inside for a while? Itâs so cold standing outside."
"Auntie, no need, I need Junziâs help with something, we just came to get something and then weâll go." "Oh, I see," Liang Qian couldnât really refuse, pausing for a moment before smiling, "Then go on ahead. Be careful out there."
Tao Jia nodded shyly with a smile.
Perhaps feeling guilty, Mei Lang Jun seemed uneasy, watching his mom rush back inside. "We might come back very late, so you and Dad donât need to wait for me."
After speaking, he got on his bicycle and took Tao Jia away quickly.
Standing at the door, Liang Qian watched them disappear into the distance, looking at their backsâthe handsome young man and the gentle womanâand, seeing them riding a single bicycle, they looked so much like a young couple just starting out.
Suddenly, Liang Qian thought of something, Surprised, she hurried back into the house. "Old Mei, Old Mei."
"Why make a fuss? If our son wants to leave, let him go. Even waiting a couple of years is fine." Without even thinking, Mei Shuqing knew his wife hadnât convinced their son.
"No, I just saw Jiajia with him. Together with our Junzi."
"Jiajia? What are they up to?"
"Said they had something to do, and left together. They even said they would be back very late. Riding a single bicycle. Old Mei, I feel thereâs something strange between them."
"Theyâre just out on an errand, whatâs so strange about that." Mei Shuqing was carefree, nowhere near as sensitive as his wife.
"Theyâre riding the same bicycle, and saying theyâll be out very late. Are you blind?" Liang Qian was annoyed seeing Mei Shuqingâs indifferent expression.
"I hear you, two kids going out for a chore, sharing a bike, easy. Whatever keeps them late must have held them up. If youâre not convinced, why not ask Junzi when theyâre back?"
Liang Qian sighed angrily and said directly, "I mean, could they be in a relationship? If they are, itâs going to be troublesome."
Liang Qianâs words took Mei Shuqing by surprise, causing him to choke on his tea, coughing several times.
"What did you say?"
"I said, they look like theyâre dating."
After confirming, Mei Shuqing furrowed his brows, and Liang Qian did the same.
Tao Jia was the child they watched grow up. She was a lovely young girl, but with Mei Langâs relationship with her, it couldnât possibly work out with Junzi.
Not to mention whether the Mei Family would agree, itâs likely the Tao Family would oppose it too.
After all, due to Langchiâs issues, her family already harbored resentment towards the Mei Family. This needed careful consideration. The couple decided to question their son upon his return to understand the situation.
Just because of Liang Qianâs suspicion, the couple was uneasy all afternoon.
Meanwhile, Mei Lang Jun took Tao Jia to squat at a corner of the hospital, feeling this was the most humiliating thing heâd ever done.
Because he was accompanying the woman he liked to spy on her ex-husband, who ironically was his cousin.
"That woman is pregnant. My grandma mentioned that theyâd return today for a prenatal checkup," Mei Lang Jun said, lighting a cigarette for himself and frowning, "Itâs just a woman, whatâs there to see?"
Tao Jia said nothing, turned to glance at him, still observing his impatience, and smiled. "I just want to see the kind of woman heâs married."
"After all he did to you, youâre still hung up on him? Even after divorcing, you still wish to be behind the scenes for him?"
"Iâm not?" Bringing up the divorce left a lump in Tao Jiaâs heart, an unspeakable grievance lingering unsaid. She lowered her head and with teary eyes said, "Aside from focusing on work, I did my best. I cared for his parents wholeheartedly and was obedient to him too. I just donât get it, where did I go wrong for him to divorce me?"
Seeing her teary-eyed, wanting to cry but not daring, his heart felt anxious and hurt. He wanted to hug her but feared it wouldnât be appropriate given his status. He sighed softly and his tone softened significantly, "You did nothing wrong, youâre wonderful. The fault lies with him. Donât be sad; youâll find someone better than him in the future."
Tao Jia blinked away her tears, forced a smile at Mei Lang Jun, "Having you accompany me today, Iâm sorry to put you through this. Considering our relationship, itâs not really suitable. But you know, I donât have many friends generally. Besides you, I canât think of anyone else whoâd accompany me in such a ridiculous endeavor."
"What nonsense, remember how as kids I promised you, no matter what you encounter in the future, you could find me anytime, whether youâre right or wrong, Iâll always stand by your side." As Mei Lang Jun spoke, his eyes wandered aimlessly, appearing absent-minded.
But Tao Jia knew his little secret; whenever he felt shy, heâd act this way. She discovered this early on, though he thought heâd hidden it well, convinced she didnât know.
Tao Jia understood his meaning, didnât respond, and gazed into the distance, eventually exhaling with a self-mocking smile.
After he spoke, Mei Lang Junâs ears turned red, wanting to touch them but afraid Tao Jia would notice. Seeing her focus on the hospital entrance, he felt agitated and inexplicably upset.
They stood there in the wind for an unknown amount of time, with no one appearing.
After fuming internally, Mei Lang Jun saw Tao Jia remained silent and compromised with a sigh. A gust of cold wind passed by, making them shiver. Seeing Tao Jiaâs reddened cheeks from the cold, his heart couldnât bear it, instinctively moving forward to adjust her scarf.
Tao Jiaâs thoughts seemed distant, and the sudden appearance of a warm hand brought her back to reality.
Seeing their intimate gestures, Tao Jia awkwardly moved back, "I-I can do it myself." She smiled.
Her words left Mei Lang Junâs hand suspended mid-air. He raised his eyes to meet her somewhat shy face, gazing for a long time.
"Jiajia, do you remember that summer when I accompanied you to raid birdsâ nests?"
Tao Jia paused, unsure why Mei Lang Jun brought up the past, yet nodded.
"That night you got injured, and I carried you for quite a distance... Do you remember what you said then?"
How couldnât she remember? She was fifteen then, playing with the boys from the courtyard daily. Mei Lang Jun lived in S City and didnât often return, but he would every summer and winter, and thatâs when she met him.
That day, a group of them went to collect bird eggs. She, the tomboy, tagged along. But later, the boys excitedly ran off to cook their eggs, leaving just the two of them. Mei Lang Jun back then wasnât familiar, rarely living in the courtyard and hardly talking. Tao Jia would tease him endlessly, especially loving to bully him. That time, she was standing on his shoulders, trying to get a nest of eggs.
In the end, she didnât get the eggs and fell from the tree, scraping a chunk of skin off her leg, yet still insisted on getting some eggs.
Eventually, Mei Lang Jun grumbled about her being troublesome but still helped her get the eggs.
They sat there roasting the eggs and eating them. By the time they decided to return, it was already late, and there was no transport.
Mei Lang Jun had to carry her for two kilometers home.
She even joked back then that Mei Lang Jun was very attentive, and dominantly ordered him to marry her when they grow up.
Unexpectedly, he readily agreed back then.
Time flies, and now things have changed. Some things can only be cherished in the heart.
"Junzi, I understand your intentions, but... weâre not suitable. Our relationship is there, and no matter what we feel, both families wouldnât agree."
"Why wouldnât it be suitable? If we both remain committed, how would we know it wonât work without trying? Iâve already lost one chance; I donât want future regrets with you. Canât you see my feelings?"
Tao Jia smiled sadly with tears she could no longer hold back.