Did My Ex-Wife Agree to Remarry Me Today? - Chapter 46

Chapter 46: Holding Hands

Wang Fang looked at Chi Yun with an expression that said, I’m certain the root of the problem is you, and suggested, “How about you eat two first, then carry a plate over to ask her?”

Chi Yun took another bite of the mantou in her hand, swallowed, and said, “Okay.”

The most confused person was A-Mei. Sister Zhou had been walking right behind her—why did she turn back the moment she reached the door? Did she suddenly get an upset stomach?

A-Mei wanted to go back and check, but Chi Yun stopped her. “I’m done eating, A-Mei. I’ll go over and check. You sit down and eat.”

A-Mei was focused on feeding Cookie, so she agreed. “Okay.”

Square mantou required a few extra steps, so Wang Fang had pinched them into round shapes today. She asked Chi Yun to bring a plate to Li Zhou. Chi Yun specifically picked out the ones from the steamer that were perfectly round and looked the best. She arranged the plate carefully, making them look like a flower, and even added a few side dishes on separate small plates before bringing them over to Li Zhou.

“I’m heading over then.” Chi Yun was a bit nervous. The blank space in her memory from last night gave her a bad premonition; she felt uneasy.

Wang Fang gave her a bit of reassurance: “The extent of Xiao Zhou’s anger is debatable. It might not even be anger, but rather some awkwardness stuck in her heart. When you go over, keep your attitude proper. Don’t talk too much; just test the waters first.”

If Li Zhou were truly angry, her face would be like a marble relief—cold-hearted, cold-faced, and radiating a biting chill. This current situation was different; the nature was completely different. Wang Fang told Chi Yun to go boldly.

Chi Yun went. She had to go regardless; even if it rained knives, she would present herself at the door for Li Zhou to vent her anger.

Li Zhou was sitting at the computer in her studio, hand on the mouse, but she wasn’t drawing. Chi Yun knocked on the door. The scent of mantou wafted in from a distance. Li Zhou said with a dark expression, “I’m not eating. Take it away.” She knew it was Chi Yun at the door.

“Grandma Wang made a lot. She and A-Mei can’t finish them, so she said to give everyone a bit.”

After Chi Yun had made that analogy, Li Zhou could no longer look at mantou objectively. She insisted, “I’m not eating. You can take them to other neighbors.”

Chi Yun shamelessly walked in and set the things aside, approaching her. “Then lend me a bag. I’ll pack them up for my dinner.”

Today was her first day officially learning to swim. After staying with Li Zhou for half a day, she had to report to her Auntie Long. Her aunt had specifically instructed her to fill her stomach before getting into the water. These few would be just enough.

The plate was placed prominently on the edge of the desk within Li Zhou’s line of sight. Seeing the shape of the mantou, Li Zhou’s irritation flared even more, and she quickly looked away.

Chi Yun noticed. She stopped beside Li Zhou and asked curiously, “So, you have an issue with the mantou, not me, right?”

Her words were a lead-in. If Li Zhou looked away from the mantou, it meant she had at least seen them. But from the moment she entered until now, Li Zhou hadn’t looked at her directly once. So, who she had an issue with—wasn’t that easy to guess?

A bright smile lingered near her elbow as Chi Yun sat on the stool next to Li Zhou. This time, it was hard for Li Zhou not to see her.

“I was wrong.” Seeing that Li Zhou didn’t have a single bit of a good expression, Chi Yun apologized immediately. She could guess even with her toes that she must have said or done something last night to displease A-Li.

“You know, I black out after getting drunk. I don’t remember what happened last night at all. If I did something bad or said something that made you unhappy, I apologize.”

As Grandma Wang said, if she had truly committed a heinous crime or made Li Zhou loathe her, she wouldn’t even have the chance to step through the door. The fact that she could still talk to her reasonably and have a chance to defend herself proved that the matter wasn’t that severe.

Chi Yun guessed the most likely possibility was that she had said something inappropriate, causing Li Zhou to become embarrassed and angry. A-Li was thin-skinned, unlike her, who soaked in “dirty thoughts” every day.

Chi Yun couldn’t solve, hide, or form a so-called explanation for this kind of problem. She was just that kind of person, and A-Li would find that out clearly one day. Chi Yun could only apologize generally, using the apology as a stepping stone to see if Li Zhou was willing to come down and let the matter pass.

Thus, Chi Yun watched Li Zhou’s expression with extra focus.

Li Zhou’s gaze finally landed on Chi Yun’s face. Chi Yun was wearing a bright yellow athletic jacket today, which made her skin look fair and delicate. Her features were very three-dimensional; because she was smiling, the corners of her eyes tilted upward slightly, and her clear eyes were filled with shifting depths of laughter, like morning light hitting lake water—shimmering with tiny, crystalline brilliance.

By simply changing her dressing style, the business-like aura and professional fake smile Chi Yun had acquired from the corporate world were stripped away. She truly looked like a student finding a trail for a run after school—youthful and full of infinite vitality.

Li Zhou unconsciously looked a few seconds longer.

Li Zhou’s expression gave Chi Yun a signal—a signal that she could speak up for herself to restore her image. She opened her mouth: “I was going to pick you up last night. My car was already parked in the lot, and I’d prepared for two days. But I was cornered by a partner and couldn’t get out of that last-minute birthday banquet.”

And it wasn’t just a simple birthday banquet; Chi Yun didn’t realize until she arrived that it was a “Hongmen Banquet” (a trap), and one specifically targeting her.

“Next time, I won’t indulge them. I’ll pick you up no matter what,” Chi Yun promised. If the partnership broke, so be it. If the other party didn’t cherish it, why should she maintain it so diligently? In these collaborations, the Mu Group provided the technology, while the other party provided the money and resources. She had the technology—what was there to fear? She didn’t have money and resources under this identity, but she would if she switched identities. She wasn’t intimidated by them.

“Auntie Mu gave me the green light. From now on, regarding these business activities and social obligations: if I’m interested, I’ll go; if not, forget it. Whoever wants to go can go. I’ll take the time spent on those boring banquets to learn to swim; I can attend several more classes a month that way.”

“You’re going to learn to swim?” Li Zhou spoke.

“Yeah,” Chi Yun smiled. “Once the sun goes down, I’m heading to the East Pavilion to start my lessons.”

Li Zhou still felt that a Phoenix learning to swim was somewhat unreliable. It was like forcing plants like them to love herbivorous pests. Why force oneself to do something one dislikes?

Chi Yun said, feeling good about herself, “I’ll learn for a few months. When you start your underwater trash cleanup activities, I can sign up to participate.”

Li Zhou didn’t say anything, but her heart felt suspended by a thread, uneasy.

Li Zhou wasn’t as busy this time as she had been before. The environmental exhibition was very successful. Chi Yun had visited privately many times, taking photos with Li Zhou’s works every time.

Without additional tasks to complete, Li Zhou had the leisure to tidy up her residence—flipping the vegetable patch, for instance, to replant the leeks that someone had plucked bald. There were also the fences and potted plants that Cookie had knocked crooked, all of which needed to be reinforced and straightened.

Chi Yun worked as manual labor for the entire afternoon. Any task involving moving, lifting, or running back and forth to fetch tools was taken over by her, and she worked very hard.

The work that was supposed to take an afternoon plus an evening was finished before sunset. Chi Yun successfully won herself the chance to stroll under the sunset with Li Zhou.

The beach in the evening was beautiful. The authorities had put a lot of effort into the scenic walkway built along the coastline. When Chi Yun walked here alone, she used to imagine how warm and beautiful a scene it would be to walk with Li Zhou. Today was the moment the dream came true.

The sea breeze was gentle. The sun looked like a pale red watermelon suspended above the horizon. In a little while, only half would remain. The walkway was painted a rose pink, but under the layers of the sunset, it looked like orange or deep pink.

Li Zhou walked on the right with her arms crossed; Chi Yun walked on the left. The gap between them was large enough to fit an A-Mei. Fortunately, A-Mei wasn’t on this “track,” as she was taking Cookie to dig in the sand. There was a chance for this distance to shrink.

A tandem bicycle rang its bell as it passed them, causing Chi Yun to lean closer to Li Zhou.

“While you were away, I came here often to run,” Chi Yun said casually. She didn’t expect a response; it was just a passing comment.

“Oh.” Li Zhou knew about the running. Ms. Wang was like a busybody mediator who couldn’t stand to see young people quarrel, working hard to bring them together. By Chi Yun’s second run, Wang Fang had already sent Li Zhou a message: “This child is training her physical fitness to learn to swim; she runs five kilometers on this track every day.”

The proof the elder attached wasn’t a photo, but a video. Whenever Chi Yun circled around her and Li Zhou’s house, Wang Fang would record it and send it to Li Zhou.

“This month, she’s either here with me or at home being filial to her elders. I can tell exactly where she’s been every day. I can see she’s not the type to go out and fool around; the things in the entertainment news must be made up by reporters.”

Li Zhou had received such messages—clearly helping to put in a good word—many times. She didn’t comment, but she opened and looked at every single one.

Another bicycle came charging from the side. Chi Yun moved to avoid it, and her hand happened to brush against Li Zhou’s hand hanging by her side. This single unintentional movement made Chi Yun reach a decision: she had to create an opportunity for their hands.

When the third bicycle approached, Chi Yun shifted her body and naturally took Li Zhou’s hand. No explanation, no prior plea—she just felt it, so she held it.

Li Zhou wasn’t particularly resistant. Chi Yun stole a glance at her; Li Zhou’s gaze was either on the sea ahead or the end of the road. She didn’t look at her, nor did she care how many small movements Chi Yun’s hand made. Without a rejection, Chi Yun kept holding on.

They finished the scenic walkway and circled the Stone House area. By the time they returned to the starting point, the lights were coming on, and it was time for Chi Yun to leave.

“I’ll come again tomorrow.”

Li Zhou looked at the person who had been sunny and smiling exceptionally brightly all day and gave no special reaction. Chi Yun’s eyes showed a look of having many things left undone and many words left unsaid, but it remained only in her eyes. When getting into the car, she was crisp and decisive. Sitting in the driver’s seat, she bid Li Zhou farewell: “I’ll be very early tomorrow.”

She added the sentence with a pleasant smile. Li Zhou watched Chi Yun drive away before walking into the yard.

“Xiao Zhou, take this stack of things back to eat.”

The mantou from lunch had been processed—sliced into thin pieces with the edges removed, made into sandwich shapes with greens, tomatoes, and pickled radish inside. The shapes were intentionally made small and uniform, bite-sized. No one could tell they were made from mantou.

Li Zhou hesitated over whether to accept.

Wang Fang said, “I didn’t make these; I can’t do something so delicate. If you don’t take them, I don’t know who else to give them to, so just take them.”

The implication was clear. Li Zhou reached out to take them. The food was made by Chi Yun, while the plate belonged to Wang Fang’s house.

Wang Fang had already planned it out: “It’s still early. I’m going to finish my TV show before washing the dishes. Later, A-Mei will head over to return Cookie; just have her bring the plate back.”

Li Zhou nodded slightly.

It turned out that traveling from Wuzhou to the East Pavilion took about the same time as coming from Jianghua. After a twenty-minute drive, Chi Yun reached the mountain gate of the East Pavilion.

Long Xuan had arrived before Chi Yun. She had come yesterday and stayed overnight at the East Pavilion with Mu Yiyan, receiving warm hospitality from Manager Hu. The reason she arrived early was to make some preparations—preparations that Chi Yun couldn’t know about.

Li Zhou was sitting at her computer desk eating when her communicator suddenly popped up with a message. She looked down and found it was from Chi Yun’s Auntie Long.

Opening it to look closer, it was a link, given a title by Long Xuan: The Complete Record of Bingbing Learning to Swim.

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