To Get Married - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Early the next morning, the sweet smell of steamed buns wafted from the kitchen.

Lu Yudong rubbed her sleepy eyes, crawled out of the quilt, and walked to the kitchen door, her bare feet slipping into her slippers, her hair a mess.

Manzhu was in the kitchen washing something. She had casually thrown a dark, narrow-sleeved long shirt over her thin inner garment. Her smooth long hair was simply draped down her back, and the steamer on the induction cooktop was letting off steam. Hearing movement outside, she turned to look.

Lu Yudong cocked her small head and blinked at Manzhu.

“They’ll be ready in two minutes. Go wash up,” Manzhu said, continuing to clean the soymilk maker in her hands.

Lu Yudong nodded and walked into the adjacent bathroom.

The mouthwash cup had been moved. The two toothbrushes, one blue and one purple, were still quietly standing side-by-side, along with the toothpaste, just like they used to be at home, sharing the space without distinction.

After brushing her teeth and washing her face, Lu Yudong tied her hair into a ponytail, wiped her undried hands on the sides of her pajama pants, and walked out of the bathroom.

The coffee table was set with creamy steamed buns, a dish of spicy sauce, one boiled egg, and two bowls of hot soymilk.

Manzhu was sitting on the sofa, waiting for her.

Lu Yudong tiptoed over, pulled up a small stool, sat down across from Manzhu, and picked up a bowl of soymilk.

Manzhu smiled and said, “Change your clothes after you eat. We’re going to the school for your registration.”

Lu Yudong tilted her head. “I can go to school now?”

“I just checked for you. You can register today,” Manzhu said, glancing at the pink backpack placed on the shoe cabinet by the door. “I put your stationery inside. You’re a junior high student now.”

“Mhm.” Lu Yudong buried her head, took a sip of soymilk, set the bowl down, picked up a bun and chopsticks, and ate it with the spicy sauce.

Manzhu peeled the egg for her on the side and gently placed it in the bun bowl.

Lu Yudong suddenly felt a sting in her nose, and her eyes reddened slightly. She picked up the peeled egg, took a large bite, and couldn’t stop sniffing.

Manzhu was momentarily stunned, and quickly asked, “Don’t you like it?”

Lu Yudong quickly shook her head, her mouth full of egg white and yolk, saying vaguely, “Every day before school, Dad used to peel an egg for me…”

The child, who usually never cried or complained, couldn’t distinguish whether she wanted to cry or smile at this moment, and her expression, as if she were choking, was a little distressed.

Manzhu felt a strange tug in her heart and was momentarily at a loss for how to help.

Lu Yudong wiped a tear with her sleeve, stopped crying, forcefully swallowed the food in her mouth, looked up at Manzhu, and said sincerely, “Manzhu Auntie, you are the best person to me in this world, besides Mom and Dad…”

Manzhu had always found children to be so noisy. In the past, any demon child who dared to cry in front of her would have been loudly cursed away.

But this child—losing both parents at a young age, not even getting to say goodbye, and having to hide all her grief and longing inside, never crying or complaining to avoid bothering anyone—was heartbreakingly sensible.

Because of this, she wanted to give Lu Yudong a completely new life from the start.

She hadn’t taken anything from the child’s old home, specifically to prevent painful memories, buying everything new instead.

She had incurred a considerable debt, but thankfully, she was shameless about it. Even if her “installment plan” lasted a few hundred years, she was certain that friend wouldn’t dare complain.

However, the affection a child has for her family isn’t so easily forgotten.

Manzhu opened her mouth, paused for a long while, but ultimately didn’t know how to offer comfort.

Finally, she stood up, knelt down next to Lu Yudong to meet her gaze, and playfully teased, “Do I look very old?”

Lu Yudong didn’t expect Manzhu to ask that. She was stunned for a moment, and it took a while for her to realize Manzhu was bothered by the “Auntie” title.

She nervously blinked, swallowed, and tentatively changed her address: “Manzhu… Elder Sister?”

“Good girl.” Manzhu smiled brightly. Just as she stood up, the child gently grabbed her sleeve.

The young child was innocent and naive; the person in front of her was her whole world.

“Then… Manzhu Elder Sister.” She lightly tugged on Manzhu’s sleeve, her eyes as sensitive as a wounded kitten. “Can I stay with you forever?”

Manzhu smiled, reached out, and gently ruffled the wispy hair on Lu Yudong’s forehead, laughing. “Of course.”

Lu Yudong released her hand, her eyes filled with delight.

A child without a sense of security is always afraid of being abandoned, unaware that the person in front of her had already locked her down. Even if she wanted to run away one day, it would be utterly impossible.

After breakfast, Lu Yudong changed into a set of brand-new clothes. They were still a little big, but that was better than too small.

As they walked downstairs, Manzhu said, “Oh, right. I’m not familiar with the registration process either. Someone will take you into the school later. When you see him…”

“I’ll be obedient,” Lu Yudong cut in.

Manzhu shook her head. “When you see him, you need to call him Uncle.”

Lu Yudong realized she had jumped to a conclusion, her face turned slightly red, and she bowed her small head, answering, “Okay!”

Wenhai Experimental Middle School was one of Yuanchuan’s top-ranking junior high schools in terms of college admission rates.

Lu Yudong followed Manzhu from the apartment complex. The walk took about twenty minutes, and during that time, she carefully noted all the distinctive landmarks along the way, seemingly afraid that she wouldn’t be able to find her way home after school.

Under the pedestrian bridge outside the school gate, a tall figure in a black hooded sweatshirt and blue-grey jeans, with long hair tied in a low ponytail, stood with his hands in his pockets, squinting his narrow eyes and yawning boredly.

Manzhu led Lu Yudong behind him, said “Hey,” and patted his shoulder.

“Crap!” The man was startled, turned and glared at Manzhu, then sighed in relief, still feeling uneasy. “You scared me!”

It was only when he turned around that Lu Yudong realized he was a man.

Although he had long hair, the man’s appearance and demeanor weren’t feminine at all. On the contrary, he was sunny and handsome, easily comparable to any popular celebrity on TV.

However, his way of speaking was a bit lackadaisical, and a shocking scar on his left neck, partially hidden by his collar, gave him a slightly rough, unreliable air.

“And you got scared by that,” Manzhu said with a look of disdain.

Mu Chensan spread his hands. “How am I supposed to know you’re walking around without any aura now?”

Heaven knew that with his level of cultivation, his sensitivity to yāo aura was extremely high. Being suddenly approached silently by someone carrying yāo power was, he thought with his toes, a terrifying experience.

Lu Yudong, unaware of the reason for the commotion, tilted her head in confusion.

Walking without any aura? Does he mean quiet footsteps? It was the first time she had heard someone describe walking quietly that way.

“Bring some next time,” Manzhu said, pulling Lu Yudong forward. “I’ll leave Lu Yudong to you for now.”

“Alright, alright, don’t worry, go ahead,” Mu Chensan said, looking down at the child in front of him. He squinted and smiled. “Lu Yudong, right? My last name is Mu, as in dawn. Come with me, I’ll take you to see your homeroom teacher.”

Manzhu gently nudged Lu Yudong. “Go with Uncle Mu.”

Lu Yudong regained her composure, looked up at Mu Chensan, and said in a sweet, childish voice, “Thank you, Uncle Mu.”

She then turned and waved to Manzhu: “Goodbye, Manzhu Elder Sister!”

Mu Chensan’s leading steps visibly paused. He glared back at Manzhu, who was sporting a smug, victorious smile, as if announcing a successful maneuver.

Seriously. She’s hundreds of years older than me, yet she’s playing the part of a young one with a human child?

Lu Yudong, of course, didn’t understand what the adults were thinking. She only knew that once separated from Manzhu, her insecure heart felt uneasy again.

She carried her small backpack and timidly followed behind Mu Chensan. They walked across the empty sports field, entered the teaching area where classes were in session, and after finding the homeroom teacher, she was taken to the academic office to complete the enrollment procedures.

At the end, she saw Mu Chensan pay her textbook fees, which startled her.

During the homeroom teacher’s brief absence, Lu Yudong tugged on Mu Chensan’s sleeve, looking up and whispering, “Uncle Mu, did Manzhu Elder Sister give you the textbook fee beforehand, or are you covering it for me?”

Mu Chensan didn’t seem concerned. “It’s not much. You don’t need to tell her.”

Regardless of whose pocket the money came from, he was the one footing the bill, and it was unlikely he’d get it back until Manzhu’s income was stable.

Lu Yudong didn’t know the full story, but she felt it was inappropriate for a man to be so indistinguishable from Manzhu regarding money. She insisted softly, “I’ll tell Manzhu Elder Sister when I get back.”

“Don’t you dare!” Mu Chensan quickly pulled Lu Yudong aside and sat her down. “Your Elder Sister Manzhu isn’t having it easy. She… she’s spent a lot of money on you recently and is a bit tight on cash. Just let her forget about the tuition. I’ll pay it. Don’t put too much pressure on her.”

Putting pressure on Manzhu just means putting pressure on myself, doesn’t it? If she thought he was trying to use the child to collect a debt, her temper would flare up, and he couldn’t afford that.

Junior high schools didn’t collect tuition anymore. The textbook fee for a semester was only a little over 500 yuan. He’d just treat it as a welcome gift for the child.

Lu Yudong hesitated for a while, then looked up seriously. “Then, Uncle Mu, can we count this money as a loan from you to me? When I have money, I promise to pay you back immediately!”

“Huh?” Mu Chensan briefly thought he had misheard.

Lu Yudong fiddled with her fingers. “Is that okay?”

He was an ancient demon. Would he really haggle over a few hundred yuan with a girl who just lost her parents and started junior high? That would sound awful.

Mu Chensan originally wanted to refuse, but seeing the genuine sincerity in Lu Yudong’s eyes, he changed his mind at the last moment. “That works… I’m not in a hurry, so you don’t need to rush.”

“Thank you, Uncle Mu!” Lu Yudong smiled sweetly.

Mu Chensan cleared his throat. “Little sister, can we make a deal?”

“Huh?” Lu Yudong looked confused.

“Could you use a slightly younger title for me?” Mu Chensan asked.

Lu Yudong thought about it, remembered Manzhu’s words, swung her little legs on the chair, and looked up seriously. “Little Uncle Mu.”

Mu Chensan: “…”

Well, it was slightly younger, at least.

After class, the homeroom teacher, Ms. Mo, took Lu Yudong to the classroom, and Mu Chensan left first.

Lu Yudong was a bit shy. She walked to the assigned seat, sat down, pulled a thick, new notebook from her backpack, flipped to the last page, and wrote a line: Owe Little Uncle Mu 545 yuan. Must repay soon.

Her female deskmate saw it and couldn’t help but ask, “Is that the textbook fee?”

Lu Yudong was startled, then nodded.

The deskmate was puzzled. “Don’t adults usually pay for that? Why do you have to pay it back?”

Lu Yudong lowered her head and whispered, “I have to.”

She absolutely had to.

The deskmate didn’t press further. She simply opened the first page of her Chinese textbook and pushed it toward Lu Yudong.

Lu Yudong looked up and saw the name written on the book: Zhang Ziyun.

That was her deskmate’s name.

Zhang Ziyun gave Lu Yudong a friendly smile. Her shoulder-length hair made her thin, delicate face look especially sweet. She glanced up at the name “Lu Yudong” still written on the blackboard and said, “Your name is lovely. Did you miss some lessons before? If you don’t understand anything, you can ask me directly.”

“Mhm, thank you,” Lu Yudong whispered.

“No need to thank me. Are you a day student or a boarder?” Zhang Ziyun asked.

“I’m a day student,” Lu Yudong said, taking out the day student card from her pencil case.

“That’s great! Now I don’t have to beg Zhang Hao to bring me snacks anymore!” Zhang Ziyun said, then quietly complained about the rule that boarders weren’t allowed to leave campus freely. She complained about the bad food in the school cafeteria one minute, then raved about how good the food outside was the next.

Lu Yudong thought that Zhang Ziyun was pretty, spoke confidently, and must be the kind of student that parents and teachers would all adore.

She was different from a child like herself, who was passed around by relatives after losing her parents.

It was her first day of school, and though she had missed a lot of lessons and couldn’t fully follow, Lu Yudong diligently took notes, marking everything she didn’t understand, planning to ask the teacher later.

At lunchtime, she followed Zhang Ziyun to the school cafeteria and realized she hadn’t gotten a meal card yet.

Zhang Ziyun noticed her deskmate’s embarrassment and swiped for an extra meal. “I’ll lend you today’s two meals. Bring the money tomorrow, and I’ll go with you to get a meal card, and then you can pay me back.”

“Okay,” Lu Yudong nodded.

That day, after evening self-study, Lu Yudong received ten yuan from Zhang Ziyun, promising to buy her breakfast from outside the school the next morning.

She put on her heavy backpack and walked out of the school gate, following the other chatting day students. As her small mind was trying to recall the route home, she suddenly caught sight of a familiar skirt hem.

Looking up, she met Manzhu’s gentle gaze.

She hadn’t thought anyone would come to pick her up this late.