radicalducati Chapter 1310 - 864: The Grand Finale: Saying Hello, As If They Were Calm Like Still Water (Guess Who’s Back!)
Chapter 1310 - 864: The Grand Finale: Saying Hello, As If They Were Calm Like Still Water (Guess Who’s Back!)
"Su Chengji!!"Bai Sixian saw the trunk full of stuff, knowing she and Yin Shixiu would have to move back and forth three or four times to get them inside. She immediately raised her voice and shouted toward the inner room!
Then Su Chengji came trotting out like a lackey, "Here I come..."
"Grab the stuff!"
"Son-in-law brought so much stuff again? We haven’t even finished the last batch!"
"Isn’t it because I’m afraid you might be working too hard managing a botanical garden? This is specially sent to you for some nourishment."
Bai Sixian said to Su Chengji, who scratched his head upon hearing this, "Actually, it’s alright, not that tiring..."
"It’s meant for my dad, okay? Now get it inside quickly!"
"..."
-----
Bai Fengmao, upon seeing Xiao Meng’s family, began to grin, the heated room making the grandpa look quite robust and energetic.
As soon as Shuangshuang arrived at her great-great-grandfather’s, she talked about her pet Little Bu at home.
Huang Huang also mentioned that he had a dog named Taotao.
The elderly and the children gathered happily, Su Chengji pulled Yin Shixiu to the backyard to look at his plants, Bai Sixian and the servants were preparing lunch in the kitchen, while Xiao Meng and Xiao Jin sat together chatting.
Xiao Meng is now an assistant instructor at college but compared to Su Jin, she’s still somewhat of an academic failure.
Their path was combined undergraduate and graduate studies with full scholarships every year, achieving five degrees in four years: IT’s computer programming, software design, business management and financial investment, and Spanish language...
Even majoring in one subject and minoring in another is challenging for Xiao Meng.
"So you graduated in August, what have you been doing lately?" Xiao Meng asked curiously.
"Just traveling around, basically traveled across Europe."
"Wow... you’re really free-spirited." Su Xiaomeng exclaimed enviously.
Su Jin just smiled.
"Well... when abroad, didn’t you... find a boyfriend?" Xiao Meng’s gossip interest piqued.
"Sister Xiaomeng, I’m a person, not a machine, all my energy’s been focused on my studies, where would I find the time to fall in love?"
"So well-behaved, I find it hard to believe!"
Su Xiaomeng looked at Su Jin, "You’re human too, not a saint, humans have desires..."
"It’s not time yet."
"If Uncle and Aunt hear this, they’d probably go crazy."
"Then don’t let them hear it."
Su Jin chuckled.
Su Xiaomeng looked at Su Jin, who didn’t seem to be hiding anything, still finding it hard to believe that Su Jin could be so unattached...
Then, the doorbell rang again. Xiao Meng got up to check the electronic screen and saw her little uncle’s family arrived, excitedly opened the door and turned to Bai Fengmao, "Grandpa, little uncle and aunt have arrived."
"Oh! Sidong mentioned coming over for lunch today."
Xiao Meng opened the door, Bai Sidong entered the room wearing a brown coat, arm around his wife, Hua Muyu. Xiao Meng was thrilled for a moment, ready to close the door, when someone hurriedly shouted, "Wait, there’s someone else!"
Su Xiaomeng thought, now it’s getting lively!
"Cousin?"
Bai Shunyuan walked in carrying an armful of stuff, glancing at Su Xiaomeng, "You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?"
"What do you mean? I honestly didn’t see you." Su Xiaomeng replied, then patted his arm to appease him, "I’m barely able to greet you properly."
Bai Shunyuan, already used to Su Xiaomeng’s playful nature with family, gave her a slight look, put the things he brought on the side table, exhaled while taking off his coat, and asked, "Where’s Yin Shixiu?"
"Oh, he’s in the backyard with my dad. Why? Do you need something from him?"
"No, just asking."
Bai Shunyuan tossed his coat to Su Xiaomeng, "Go hang it up."
Su Xiaomeng took the coat, muttering, "If it wasn’t for the fact we rarely meet face to face, I’d have thrown your coat out a long time ago!"
Bai Shunyuan turned back to look at Su Xiaomeng, who immediately kept quiet, but...
"By the way, my sister’s back."
Xiao Meng casually mentioned, Bai Shunyuan didn’t pay much attention, replying indifferently, "Your sister? What sister, what does her return have to do with me—"
Bai Shunyuan rounded the hallway, still muttering, and then saw Su Jin sitting calmly and confidently on the living room sofa.
She hadn’t changed much, just grown more refined, Bai Shunyuan couldn’t tell if she wore makeup, but he thought... she probably wouldn’t bother with it.
Her short hair reached her ears, without any deliberate styling traces, hair not terribly black, still faintly yellow like malnutrition... very slim, holding a teacup in hand, her slender fingers distinct and plain, wrists exposed from the monochrome sweater, slim enough to vividly portray the shape of bones.
Upon seeing him, she was already watching him, slightly raised her hand, with a polite and appropriate way of greeting, as if they were... calm as water.
"You’re... back."
"Yeah! I’m back."
He always asked with a slightly interrogative tone, Su Jin answered with calm, rational, and appropriate responses.
"Heh, how come you managed to come back... I thought you’d stay abroad for a decade or so!"
Bai Shunyuan clearly spoke with suppressed emotions, his bright eyes flickering with sparks, while Su Jin calmly met his gaze, extremely natural and indifferent,
"I can’t stay that long, I don’t like overseas that much, especially the food, I can never get used to it."
"Hm, strange... you surprisingly have something you can’t get used to... I thought you’d adapt anywhere."
"Hey!"
Suddenly, a stern voice interrupted Bai Shunyuan’s somewhat angry words toward Su Jin.
Bai Shunyuan turned to face Bai Fengmao’s angry gaze, "You haven’t come to see your grandpa for at least two years! Now I’m right here in front of you, and you don’t even call for me once?"
"..."
Bai Shunyuan instantly turned meek, the emotions stirred after seeing Su Jin were swept away by Bai Fengmao’s presence assertion.
"How dare I!"
"Yet you just did! Do I exist in your eyes, as your grandpa? I see you only... have eyes for Xiao Jin!"
"..."
"You keep staring at Xiao Jin, are you thinking about marrying her?"
Su Xiaomeng walked over just as grandpa was babbling on, his mouth with no filters... randomly pairing couples here! Xiao Meng thought to herself, yet took a look at Bai Shunyuan and Su Jin’s expressions... something’s off!