To Get Married - Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Ever since reading that short novel, Lu Yudong found herself thinking about it every day.

She thought about the two protagonists, the way they interacted, the scenes where their hearts skipped a beat, and the words they used during their confessions…

It turned out that feelings could be that simple, that ordinary, and yet so warm.

That kind of affection was beautiful. it wasn’t a roller coaster of drama like on TV, nor was it a tangled mess of complexity and moral ambiguity like in the novels she’d read before… and it certainly wasn’t like her parents, who held onto their resentment for one another until the day they died.

Whenever she thought of this, Lu Yudong felt both envious and curious.

Envious of that feeling of quiet companionship. Curious as to what that feeling actually felt like.

Did wanting to be with someone forever count as the “love” described in stories?

If that were true, then to her, had Manzhu already ceased to be just the relative she relied on so heavily? Had the nature of their relationship—or rather, her feelings for Manzhu—quietly changed over time?

Yet, she also wanted to be best friends with Zhang Ziyun for a lifetime. Even though Ziyun’s life would be far shorter than hers, she wanted to accompany her for as many days as they had.

Beyond Ziyun, she also wanted to stay forever with the spirits of Not An Old Friend—whether it was Uncle Mu, Little Master Yan, Uncle Gou, Sister Xiao Zhi, Sister Huanxi, or everyone else who looked after her…

Lu Yudong couldn’t for the life of her figure out how to define her feelings for Manzhu.

She knew that Manzhu had done so much for her over the years; she was more than a relative. She knew that, no matter what, she shouldn’t have those kinds of thoughts about Manzhu. But she couldn’t help it.

She couldn’t help wondering if, in the future, Manzhu found someone she liked, she would be neglected as a result. She couldn’t help thinking how wonderful it would be if Manzhu only ever had her by her side.

This possessiveness hadn’t appeared overnight.

Yudong knew it all too well. As early as three years ago, she had felt this possessiveness. She had even been wary of Uncle Mu’s presence, fearing his kindness toward Manzhu had ulterior motives—afraid that one day she might suddenly have to call him “Brother-in-law.”

Only, the Lu Yudong of back then had never considered that there was a possibility of her and Manzhu being “together.”

Not “together” as sisters or relatives, but “together” in the true sense—a life where they relied solely on each other, with no room for a third person.

She thought that since their lives and deaths were already intertwined, they were meant to be together like that.

Manzhu had said that in twenty or thirty years, they would begin a life of wandering. The Demon Management Bureau mandated that spirits could not live in one city for more than thirty years to avoid trouble caused by their agelessness.

Because of this, many years from now, she and Manzhu would move away with everyone from the bar to a new city, take over a new storefront, and start over in a strange place.

Hundreds of years later, she would have traveled to many places, and every place she stayed would count as a home. Perhaps she would love a certain city, but she would never grow roots there.

Manzhu said this wasn’t necessarily a good thing, but Lu Yudong felt such a life wasn’t bad at all. Only those with nothing to hold onto long for their “roots,” but if your heart has a place to rest, why fear wandering?

Lu Yudong firmly believed that as long as she was with Manzhu, she was willing to go anywhere. Whether it was a bustling city, a remote countryside, or a desolate deep forest—wherever Manzhu was, that was home.

And all those people she cared about along the way would eventually become mere travelers in the long stretch of time.

They were bound together until death. In this world, aside from them, what other “fated match” could bind two souls from birth to the grave?

These thoughts slowly invaded Lu Yudong’s heart.

But she had no certainty. She was terrified, so she tried her best not to think about it, trying to pretend she knew nothing.

From that day on—or rather, from the night before that day—Lu Yudong had a secret of her own. A secret she wouldn’t tell Manzhu, wouldn’t tell Zhang Ziyun, and wouldn’t let anyone around her know.

She decided to hide it away until the day she possessed enough courage to face it.

So, she carried that little secret and continued living each day, week, and month as if nothing had changed. Her life didn’t seem to alter at all; she studied when she needed to, played when she wanted to, and occasionally peeked at a GL novel or two, deleting them immediately after—not even telling Zhang Ziyun.

Every Saturday, she still followed Manzhu to Not An Old Friend. The only small difference now was that Zhang Ziyun would walk with her when school let out.

Originally, the two didn’t go the same way. Every weekend after school, they had things to bring home, especially laundry. Moreover, in the summer heat, the dorms didn’t provide hot water, and the small amount they could fetch wasn’t enough for a proper bath. Students usually found a place for a hot shower after school on Saturdays. Local students went home, while those from the countryside who only went home once a month went to public bathhouses near the school.

Initially, Zhang Ziyun would go home first. But her home was quite far from the bar. After school started, she only worked once a week. Although Mu Chenshan allowed her to be late, she felt bad being so late every time. After much thought, she decided to borrow the shower at Lu Yudong’s house every Saturday. As for the things she needed to take home, she’d bring them to the bar, tuck them under the counter, and take them home after her shift.

Since it was just borrowing a shower and they were such good friends, Lu Yudong naturally had no reason to refuse.

At first, Zhang Ziyun even suggested they shower together. She said they were both girls so there was nothing to be embarrassed about, and showering together would save time so no one had to wait.

Lu Yudong hesitated, not knowing how to say no, and instinctively looked at Manzhu.

Manzhu pulled a new bath towel from the cupboard, handed it to Ziyun, and gave her a shallow smile. “Our bathroom is so small and has a dry-wet separation; it would be too cramped for two people. You go first.”

Since the “Sister” of a certain sister-complex girl had spoken, Ziyun didn’t push it further. She obediently took the towel into the bathroom and closed the door.

From that week on, the person Manzhu picked up turned from one into two. She would pick up both girls, take them home to shower in turns, and once they were dried and changed, bring them both to the bar.

Watching her small world with Lu Yudong suddenly gain a third person, Manzhu felt a mix of complex emotions. But to play the role of the gentle sister in Yudong’s heart, she never showed her frustration in front of them. She even became increasingly kind to Zhang Ziyun, sharing whatever she had.

That’s right—she had rationalized it. Even if Lu Yudong liked a mortal, it would only last a few decades at most. For the hundreds or thousands of years following, Yudong would still be with her. Therefore, there was no need to argue with Yudong over Zhang Ziyun now, lest she become like a “wicked mother-in-law” from a TV drama and earn Yudong’s resentment.

However, this was just on the surface. Her “rationalizing” it didn’t mean she wasn’t annoyed. On the contrary, she was very annoyed; she just bottled it all up. When Yudong wasn’t home, she took out all her frustration on a certain Corgi plushie.

And truth be told, that little thing was quite elastic; no matter how much she pummeled it, it always bounced back to its original shape.

Time flew by to the summer vacation. On the first night of the break, as soon as Lu Yudong entered the house, she followed behind Manzhu, tiptoeing barefoot and bouncing lightly, her eyes bright with a radiant smile.

“It’s so late, why are you jumping around?” Manzhu turned and caught her. “Aren’t you tired?”

Lu Yudong said, “They say exercise helps you grow taller. I need to jump more, otherwise, when will I ever be as tall as Sister?”

Manzhu smiled gently. “I’m not even that tall. You’re only sixteen; you have a lot of growing left. You’ll definitely be taller than me.”

Lu Yudong said, “I actually want to be just about the same height as Sister.”

Manzhu was surprised and asked with a smile, “Why?”

Lu Yudong bit her lip, her eyes full of anticipation. “That way, I can wear Sister’s clothes in the future.”

Manzhu shook her head. “I’ve been teased by your Little Uncle so many times. He always says I’m an old fossil who won’t accept new things—that I look like a freak walking down the street.”

Lu Yudong said, “Not at all! Don’t listen to Uncle’s nonsense; half the things out of his mouth aren’t human. More and more people like wearing Hanfu these days—it’s all over the internet. Sometimes you see one or two on the street; it’s not weird at all. It’s beautiful!”

Hearing this, Manzhu felt quite happy. “If you like it, I’ll take you to pick out some fabric and tailor-make some for you.”

Lu Yudong grabbed Manzhu’s hand excitedly. “Really?”

Manzhu said, “Of course. When have I ever not given you something you wanted?”

Lu Yudong thought for a moment and said, “Then let’s not rush. I might still grow. If we make them now, they’ll be too small in two years.”

“If they get small, we’ll just make more,” Manzhu said.

“No, no, that’s too much trouble…” Yudong shook her head.

“It’s no trouble,” Manzhu insisted.

“Wait until I graduate!” Lu Yudong said. “After I graduate, will Sister take me on a trip? I want to wear these clothes with Sister then… we can visit several scenic spots and take lots of photos!”

Manzhu thought for a moment and asked with feigned magnanimity, “Do you want to invite Zhang Ziyun?”

Lu Yudong immediately shook her head. “She… she still has to pay back Zhang Hao’s money, so she’ll definitely be busy! No need to call her. Just the two of us. Just the two of us is fine!”

Manzhu had been reluctant when she mentioned Ziyun, so hearing Yudong say this made her let out a sigh of relief. Her eyes curved into a smile as she whispered, “Alright, then it’s a deal. Once you get into university, I’ll take you out to play. We can go anywhere you want.”

The moment the words left Manzhu’s mouth, Lu Yudong pounced on her with a silly grin. Manzhu lost her footing and they both tumbled onto the sofa.

In that moment, Manzhu suddenly realized that the thin, tiny girl from back then had grown up so much.