BSS - Chapter 140

Chapter 140

Out of a certain indescribable sense of attachment and apprehension, Deng Chuan holed up at Xu Wei's place for a day. Xu Wei kept her head down, looking at messages on her tablet. Her master's advisor had spoken with her, written her a letter of recommendation, and even introduced her to a professor at P University in advance.

Deng Chuan stroked Xu Wei's long hair, occasionally squeezing the nape of her neck and leaning over to kiss her. Xu Wei didn't find her annoying. She was only afraid Deng Chuan might be bored and suggested she play online games with her friends.

Deng Chuan refused, sticking close and clinging to her. In between, she went to the kitchen to pour Xu Wei a glass of water and cut up a fruit platter, placing it by her hand.

Zhou Liu and Juzi were sleeping in the sunlight by the window. Deng Chuan leaned against Xu Wei's shoulder, watching the numerical formulas and graphs slide across her screen, and gradually felt a little sleepy herself.

But the moment was too perfect, and Deng Chuan didn't want to fall asleep. So she picked a random spot in the paper Xu Wei was reading and struck up a conversation just for the sake of it. "Why does it jump from this step to that one?"

Unexpectedly, Xu Wei said, "Go read my master's thesis."

Deng Chuan said, "Oh," and pulled back the arm she had around Xu Wei. A moment later, she had actually found Xu Wei's published papers online, downloaded them all at once, and began flipping through them one by one.

After a while, Xu Wei, no longer sensing Deng Chuan's presence, turned her head in curiosity, only to find her also holding a tablet and reading. Xu Wei leaned over for a look and saw the very familiar content on the screen, which made her smile and reach out to pinch the little friend's ear. "Reading so intently. Do you understand any of it?"

In truth, Deng Chuan had been completely lost since her undergraduate thesis. Hearing Xu Wei's words, it seemed like she was being teased, but Xu Wei's tone was light, somewhere between joking and serious—the same effortless tone Deng Chuan was familiar with from her classes.

With that thought, Deng Chuan simply put down her tablet, cupped Xu Wei's face, and stared straight at her with her beautiful eyes, which were brimming with a smile. "I don't. Teacher, explain it to me."

Deng Chuan's tone was both intimate and frank. Xu Wei, on the other hand, became a little embarrassed. She reached out to cover Deng Chuan's eyes and said, "Little Friend doesn't need to understand too much. It's enough that I do."

"What will it take for Teacher to explain it to me?"

Deng Chuan seemed to blink, and Xu Wei could feel her eyelashes distinctly brush against her palm. With her eyes covered, Deng Chuan lost some of her devastating charm, which made Xu Wei bolder. She leaned in to kiss the little friend's cheek, then her lips, and then moved down from her lips, murmuring, "If you make Teacher happy, I'll teach you."

The little friend let out a soft hmph.

The two of them fooled around for a while. With Xu Wei's warm palm covering her face, even Deng Chuan, who had been determined not to sleep, started to feel drowsy. She let go of Xu Wei's face, relaxed back against the sofa, and opened her arms toward her. "Come sit over here."

It was the height of summer, and Deng Chuan was prone to sweating. Cuddling together would make them both hot, so she was just saying it casually. But Xu Wei really did nestle into her embrace, and soon, she heard the little friend's even breathing.

Deng Chuan slept for the entire afternoon without a single dream. Xu Wei slipped away at some point, but she didn't notice at all. The clean, pure sleep was like a form of comfort, and when Deng Chuan opened her eyes, she felt an unparalleled sense of inner peace.

The time for her appointment was drawing near. Lao Deng called to ask if she needed a ride. Deng Chuan said no and told him to send the location to the group chat.

Xu Wei saw her to the door. "I'll wait for you to come back," she said.

Deng Chuan lowered her head and kissed her brow, then her lips.

On the way, looking out the taxi window, she saw a purplish-red sunset hanging in the sky. Crowds of people came and went at the crosswalks, and everywhere she looked there were white-collar workers and students hurrying to catch the subway. Right on time, the streetlights flickered on. The shop signs glowed with neon lights, and a vibrant, noisy breath of life washed over her.

In the two days she had spent at Xu Wei's, Deng Chuan had felt so much tranquility. It was only at this moment that she felt as if she had been pulled out of her solitary state of studying abroad in England, forced to face this city that was both familiar and unfamiliar, and to face the life that lay ahead of her.

Tonight, Lao Deng was hosting. When Deng Chuan pushed open the restaurant door, he and her mother were already there. The restaurant had a quiet ambiance, with green plants whose large leaves drooped down, shielding the tables from prying eyes. Deng Chuan pulled out a chair and sat down. Just as she took the menu from Tang Lijuan, she heard Lao Deng ask in an unfriendly tone:

"What's that on your neck?"

He asked so suddenly that Deng Chuan had no time to react. She subconsciously touched her neck before realizing that Lao Deng was likely referring to the kiss mark Xu Wei had left.

Deng Chuan had worn a button-up shirt, but she hadn't fastened the buttons properly, so her collar didn't cover it. It was like some kind of conspicuous brand seared onto her skin.

After realizing what he meant, Deng Chuan said nothing. She still wanted to finish the meal before saying anything. That way, if things blew up, at least she wouldn't be on an empty stomach.

The atmosphere froze. It was obvious what was on Deng Chuan's neck, but Lao Deng didn't say anything more, fuming. Deng Chuan's silence also seemed like a form of defiance. In the end, it was her mother who stepped in to smooth things over. "Alright, let's not get angry. Let's order first."

Ultimately, the only sound at the table was the clinking of cutlery. Lao Deng seemed furious, and the conversation was lukewarm, making the food lose some of its flavor. To be honest, the restaurant was actually quite good. Midway through the meal, Deng Chuan decided she had to bring Xu Wei here before she left for Beijing.

As for whether this place would become the scene of the Deng family's first unpleasant incident in a dozen or so minutes, Deng Chuan didn't consider it.

But even if something unpleasant did happen, Deng Chuan would still bring Xu Wei here. Isn't there a saying that you have to face what you fear?

With this frank, almost devil-may-care attitude, Deng Chuan calmly finished her main course, tried a few bites of the dessert her mother had ordered, and picked up her glass to drink some water.

Lao Deng sat across from her, staring. He made a move as if to reach for a cigarette, then abruptly stopped himself.

Under Lao Deng's gaze, Deng Chuan repeated what she had told her Little Aunt that morning.

After she finished, she looked at them quietly, waiting for their response.

Tang Lijuan discreetly exchanged a look with her husband. He was clearly angry, but the sight of her daughter looking at them so calmly softened her heart. From the moment Deng Chuan had walked in to this silent moment now, Tang Lijuan could almost picture her as a student abroad—a posture that had seen the world, one that knew how to be defensive. Her daughter had truly grown up; she was beginning to leave them. Tang Lijuan was keenly aware of this. Her daughter's growing distance made her feel a bit dazed and sad. Finally, she pulled herself together and organized her words.

"Mom has no objection. Mom supports you."

Deng Chuan's eyes curved into a smile. "Thank you, Mom!"

Tang Lijuan's heart swelled with joy at being called "Mom." She suddenly felt that her precious daughter hadn't changed at all, which made her feel that agreeing to Deng Chuan's coming out was absolutely the right decision.

"Mom loves you!"

Deng Chuan said affectionately, "I love you too, Mom!"

Tang Lijuan rested her chin on her hand, her gaze full of adoration. "Alright, alright, that settles it. I saw you barely ate anything just now. You can relax now, right? Do you want to order something more to eat?"

Deng Chuan puffed out her cheeks and nodded vigorously. "Then can you pass me the menu, Mom?"

As if he couldn't stand the current scene, Lao Deng coughed heavily. Both of them turned to look at him, making him seem like the villain disrupting the family harmony.

Lao Deng was furious, but he forced himself to remain calm. His first words were: "Society has its norms and decency. What will other people think of you two?"

Deng Chuan pouted slightly. "I'm not living my life for other people to see."

Lao Deng's stubborn streak flared up, and the father and daughter's expressions were identical as they spoke with cold faces. "Easy for you to say. You think people won't look at you? Don't delude yourself."

Deng Chuan pressed her lips together, adopting a debating posture. "Don't twist the concept. I'm saying I don't need to care about other people's opinions."

Lao Deng snorted. "No need to care? Do you care that I don't agree? You're still dependent on your family. Wait until you've graduated to talk about this."

Deng Chuan immediately threw out the second topic of her conversation today: she was going to Beijing to find an internship.

Lao Deng was choked by the words he had just said.

Deng Chuan pretended not to see Lao Deng glaring at her and whined to Tang Lijuan, "Mom, I'm about to leave. After I graduate from university, I'll definitely be home a lot less, and Dad is still here ruining the family harmony."

"Oh, that's right. Hurry up and order. Let's not talk about this anymore."

Under the table, Tang Lijuan soothingly patted her husband's knee.

Lao Deng didn't look satisfied, but he couldn't say much more. He held it in. The table fell quiet for a moment. Deng Chuan looked down at the menu, and his gaze once again drifted to her neck. Hmph, you young people. The moment you're back, you go looking for her. You didn't even stay home for a full night. Lao Deng was quite jealous. Then he thought, A high school math teacher? Is it that woman who went to Harbin with Deng Chuan?

The voice on the phone sounded calm and polite, not like some disreputable person.

She's about to go to Beijing to test for a PhD… she's that highly educated?

And she quit her job to do it. She's that willing to risk everything?

Lao Deng felt he couldn't think about it anymore. If he did, he would just want to grab Deng Chuan by the collar and ask her: What kind of magic potion did you feed her! With such great prospects, how could she possibly be interested in you?

Lao Deng glared furiously as he watched the little cub in front of him twirl spaghetti onto her fork.

After what felt like an eternity, she finally finished eating, and the family packed up and left the restaurant. Just before getting in the car, Lao Deng couldn't help but ask one more question: "Where are you going back to tonight?"

Deng Chuan said she wasn't going back home, then gave him the address of Xu Wei's apartment complex.

Still not coming home! Lao Deng's hand was on the car door, and he fought the urge to raise his voice. "Take a taxi yourself!"

He received a glare from Tang Lijuan.

Deng Chuan wasn't the least bit afraid of the furious Lao Deng. She pulled open the car door, got in, and even took the front passenger seat.

Lao Deng stood outside, his hand on the door handle, hesitating. He still got in and sat down, telling himself not to be angry. At his age, his blood pressure could easily skyrocket.

The car finally started and pulled onto the road. It was excessively quiet inside, without even any small talk. Deng Chuan leaned her head against the headrest and gazed out the window. It was an ordinary summer night, yet she had just accomplished a major event in her life. Although it hadn't gone perfectly smoothly, she had made her stance clear, and that was enough.

Soon, they would be going to Beijing. This journey would be unlike any before. They would no longer be alone, nor would they be naive. They would have each other, and in Beijing, they would have to be both students and survivors.

The posture of gazing out the car window was not unfamiliar to Deng Chuan. The stream of cars passing by was like the river of time that had flowed by over the years. It quickly reminded her of the neon lights she had watched from a car during her year in Beijing—so brilliant, yet so distant.

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