The Art of Teasing - Chapter 158

Chapter 158

Although Ye Ling often infuriated her, Wen Zhengyu still very much enjoyed being with her—drinking tea, chatting, listening to Ye Ling read aloud to her. When they talked, the conversation turned to Ye Ling's past, and inevitably touched upon Cen Xun.

Ye Ling said that when she first knew Cen Xun, Cen Xun was still in graduate school—at the prime age of youthful brilliance, full of spirited ambition and radiant vitality. Cen Xun was good-looking; she stood 1.7 meters tall with a tall and slender figure, dressed very fashionably, and combined with that unrestrained, flamboyant, free-spirited personality, she was dazzling. Cen Xun had helped her a great deal, taught her many things. Her university summer vacations were spent as an intern at the Cen family company, where Cen Xun brought her into the company's project teams. Though she was only running errands and doing odd jobs within the project teams, what she heard, saw, and what Cen Xun taught her hand-in-hand—she learned an immense amount. In those days, they were both full of dreams, wanting to build something of their own. Cen Xun often said: I'll support you. You just stay home obediently and wait for me to spoil you. She could see that, at that time, Cen Xun truly meant to support and cherish her, but her heart was filled with too much resentment and hatred. She was unwilling to be supported, unwilling to depend on others to survive. She wanted to stand on her own and fight against the people of the Second Branch. Her uncle had died in prison; the relatives on her mother's side had either died or fallen one by one. In the Ye family, she didn't even have the right to sit at the table for a meal. In those days, when she looked at the faces of the Ye family members, she felt their faces were all smeared with flesh and blood, all covered in the blood of her family. If she and Cen Xun had not both been so fiercely strong-willed, perhaps things between them would not have turned out the way they later did.

Wen Zhengyu recalled what Cen Xun had said, the descriptions each gave of the other, and what she herself had seen of them, and knew that they ultimately could only end up this way. They were both too strong-willed. Ye Ling could not become what Cen Xun wanted her to be. Ye Ling had her own life, her own things she wanted to do, things she wanted to have. Cen Xun had love for Ye Ling, but she had no respect for Ye Ling or Ye Ling's life. Ye Ling could not bear being disrespected; she rebelled, they fought fiercely until they bled, and ultimately broke up.

After the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Ye Ling and her Second Aunt both grew busy. Ye Ling went on business trips; her Second Aunt took the child to the capital.

Her Eldest Aunt and Cui Dong had booked return flight tickets and were set to leave at the end of the first lunar month.

As Wen Zhengyu's dizziness symptoms lessened, her vision and sense of balance gradually recovered. Aside from occasional headaches and the inability to concentrate for extended periods, her daily life had basically regained self-sufficiency. To help herself recover better, she took appropriate walks every morning and evening, and busied herself with preparing things for Wen Shili and Cui Dong to take with them. Some of it was left behind by her grandfather, and the rest were things she had prepared for them herself.

Her grandfather was gone; she was the only one left at home. She was deeply reluctant to see her Eldest Aunt and Cui Dong leave, but she also knew that asking them to stay was unrealistic. She could only prepare more farewell gifts for them to take.

Her Second Aunt, her paternal uncles and aunts, knowing that Eldest Aunt and Cui Dong were about to leave, came specially to see them off. The house bustled with activity for another two days. After her Eldest Aunt departed, everyone went back to their own affairs, and the house grew desolate once more.

In truth, the house could not really be called desolate. The security guards, household staff, her bodyguards, and Ye Ling's bodyguards together numbered thirty or forty people, but that was different from having family present.

In the vast residence, she was the only master left at home. That sense of emptiness—that the Old Master was no longer there—seemed to fill every corner of the entire mansion.

Wen Zhengyu did not want to grieve, but she could not help hiding in her room and secretly crying several times.

She asked her Second Aunt when she and the baby would come back. Her Second Aunt told her that Kang Bai disagreed with leaving the child in her care, and that she would return once she had finished dealing with her business affairs in the capital.

Old Master Lian's health was poor, and he was hospitalized again. A cold had led to pneumonia, and he was immediately admitted to the intensive care unit.

She went to visit the Old Master every day, but because her own health was not fully restored, the Old Madam would not let her keep vigil. Her older male cousins took turns instead.

Early one morning, while Wen Zhengyu was brushing her teeth, she suddenly heard Ye Ling's footsteps coming from outside. She hurriedly finished brushing, turned her head, and saw Ye Ling standing behind her, watching her. When she suddenly saw Ye Ling, she initially thought Ye Ling was trying to surprise her again—deliberately not telling her when she was returning. But Ye Ling's face held no smile; her eyes seemed to harbor something she needed to say, as if something had happened.

Ye Ling had been busy with business matters in Shanghai these past few days. Last night, when she called Ye Ling before bed, Ye Ling was still working overtime. Seeing Ye Ling like this, it looked as though she had rushed back overnight.

Ye Ling stepped forward slowly and embraced her.

The air conditioning in the room was on warmly, but Wen Zhengyu felt a chill run from her head down to her feet. She shivered involuntarily. She asked Ye Ling: "You didn't... come back because something happened, did you?"

Ye Ling held Wen Zhengyu even tighter. "No," she said. "I just missed you."

Her voice was very low, gently stroking her back.

Wen Zhengyu did not dare to believe it, did not dare to think about it, but she knew Ye Ling would not suddenly return for no reason, nor would she hold her and comfort her like this for no reason. She stood rigidly in Ye Ling's embrace, tears flowing uncontrollably.

After a long while, Ye Ling wiped her tears, changed her into a set of black clothes, and led her out the door.

Once in the car, Ye Ling said to Wen Zhengyu: "Last night, after eleven, I got a call from Lian Xin. I was worried you couldn't handle it, so I didn't dare tell you directly."

Wen Zhengyu truly could not handle it. When Old Master Wen's incident happened, she had been unconscious. She knew her grandfather was gone; to survive, she had not dared to cry, not dared to grieve, not dared to feel the pain. It had not been long since then; she had not yet managed to recover from Old Master Wen's passing, and now suddenly she had lost another family member.

Ye Ling first brought Wen Zhengyu to the Lian family home.

Lian Xin, Lian Xi, Wen Zhengyu's Eldest Uncle and Third Uncle were all there, staying with Old Madam Zhang.

Old Madam Zhang sat on the sofa, discussing arrangements with them.

Ye Ling supported Wen Zhengyu as she walked over. Wen Zhengyu sat down beside Old Madam Zhang and heard the Old Madam say: "Set up a mourning hall at home. Let him depart from home."

Wen Zhengyu tightly grasped her maternal grandmother's hand.

Old Madam Zhang looked at her and asked: "You've been crying?"

Wen Zhengyu nodded. "This morning, when Ye Ling came back, I only just found out."

Old Madam Zhang nodded, patted Wen Zhengyu's hand, then meticulously gave instructions on the matters that needed to be arranged. Once she had delegated the tasks, she took Wen Zhengyu's hand and stood up. "Come," she said. "Come with me to bring your grandfather home."

Wen Zhengyu accompanied her grandmother.

The old lady, who was usually rather impatient, meticulously organized the Old Master's funeral affairs. After sending off the Old Master, upon returning home, she said to them: "When my time comes, there's no need for such trouble. Keep everything simple. Just bury me beside the old man."

Wen Zhengyu held Old Madam Zhang's arm and leaned against her shoulder. "You must live to be a hundred," she said.

Old Madam Zhang patted her hand and sighed softly. "Your grandfather and your maternal grandfather are gone. You're grieving, aren't you?"

Wen Zhengyu murmured an affirmative.

Old Madam Zhang said: "Whether you grieve or not, he's not coming back. He was of an advanced age, passed away without much suffering. That's well enough." She glanced at Wen Zhengyu again. "As for you, so young, always dwelling on life and death—it's not good for you. Do your duty while the person is alive; after death, seeing them off is enough. Look at the dark circles under your eyes. You're almost a national treasure. Go home, get some good rest, and don't dwell on things you shouldn't. If you truly feel miserable, just cling to Ye Ling and cry a few times. Don't bottle it up inside."

Wen Zhengyu murmured another affirmative, then held Old Madam Zhang tightly. "Then you must stay well," she said.

Old Madam Zhang made a measuring gesture. "I'm eighty-eight this year."

Wen Zhengyu held on even tighter.

Old Madam Zhang lightly slapped Wen Zhengyu on the arm. "Let go of me," she said. "You're like a child who hasn't been weaned. Who clings to the family elders like this and refuses to let go? At your age, not busy with business, not earning money, not supporting your family?"

Wen Zhengyu did not let go. "I'm recuperating," she said. "Ye Ling handles the business matters."

Old Madam Zhang said: "One of these days, Ye Ling will sell you off."

Wen Zhengyu said: "Then I'll be sold."

Old Madam Zhang gave Wen Zhengyu another slap. "Nonsense. How can you throw everything onto Ye Ling? Even setting that aside, if some day she stumbles and falls, you'd at least have to support her, right? You can't just let her fall and then collapse yourself. Being listless all day—what kind of behavior is that?

"I supported your maternal grandfather, and your grandfather supported me. A lifetime of effort from two people, and only then did we have this home, full of children and grandchildren.

"I am content with this life. I didn't squander the family business your great-grandfather passed down to me. I left each of my children and grandchildren enough to establish themselves and make a living. Although none of them are exceptionally accomplished, they are all fairly stable. The only ones who worry me a little are you, Lian Xin, and Lian Xi. But the three of you have all found your own way to live, so there's nothing much left for me to worry about."

Wen Zhengyu asked Old Madam Zhang: "Are you giving a life summary report?"

Old Madam Zhang gave Wen Zhengyu another slap. "I'm setting an example for you. I have no other demands. Just live the way I have, that'll do." She glanced at Wen Zhengyu again, feeling this standard was really overestimating her granddaughter. "Forget it," she said. "It'll be enough if you manage even half of what I've done."

Wen Zhengyu peered guiltily at her grandmother. Her life goal was simply to live off rent collection, and once her health recovered, to continue painting.

How could Old Madam Zhang not understand Wen Zhengyu's little ideas? She asked: "You still want to be a starving painter?"

Wen Zhengyu said: "My grandfather was also a painter. He wasn't starving."

Old Madam Zhang rolled her eyes at her. "Was his family fortune earned through painting?"

Wen Zhengyu did not refute her grandmother's words. She clung to her grandmother, pestering her to come stay at her place.

Old Madam Zhang disliked staying at her place, but Wen Zhengyu stubbornly locked horns with her over it.

Old Madam Zhang was so annoyed she thumped Wen Zhengyu again and scolded her: "You think I don't know you? I've lost my husband, and I'm the one grieving here, yet I still have to turn around and comfort you."

Wen Zhengyu said: "I'm scared."

With disdain, Old Madam Zhang said: "Go find your Ye Ling. Look at you, so utterly useless."

Wen Zhengyu rolled up her sleeve to show her grandmother the arm that had just been slapped. On that fair, tender skin, there was a red patch. "You've made it red," she said.

Old Madam Zhang, infuriated, gave her another slap right on the red spot. "How about I hit you until it turns purple? Then it won't be red anymore."

The car arrived home. Wen Zhengyu abandoned her grandmother and went to find Ye Ling.

After lunch, Ye Ling accompanied her back to the room to rest.

Curled up in Ye Ling's arms, she told Ye Ling how worried she was about her grandmother. "The Old Madam is so calm, it's frightening."

Ye Ling said: "Then let's bring Grandmother to stay with us for a while."

Wen Zhengyu said: "I pestered her for ages. She refused to come, and even beat me up." As she spoke, she rolled up her sleeve to show Ye Ling the red mark on her arm from her grandmother's slaps.

Seeing the red handprint on Wen Zhengyu's arm, Ye Ling shot upright in an instant, almost wanting to hit back on Wen Zhengyu's behalf. But then she thought again—the one who had done the hitting was Old Madam Zhang. She silently chickened out and lay back down beside Wen Zhengyu. After holding it in for a long time, she managed to utter: "Next time, let her hit me instead." She added: "Don't be fooled by your grandmother's age—she has quite a strong hand."

Wen Zhengyu murmured a soft agreement, curling up miserably in Ye Ling's arms.

Ye Ling held Wen Zhengyu, coaxed her to sleep, and stayed with her for a while longer before getting up and leaving the room. She saw that the Old Madam's door was half-open and there was noise inside. She approached the doorway and called out: "Grandmother."

Old Madam Zhang's voice came from within: "Come in."

She entered and saw the Old Madam sorting through the belongings Old Master Lian had left behind.

Old Madam Zhang glanced back at Ye Ling and asked: "The little worrywart is asleep?"

Ye Ling said: "Asleep." Seeing that Old Madam Zhang was sorting through Old Master Lian's everyday items, things she could not really help with, she stood to the side and directly stated the purpose of her visit. She was busy with business and often away from home; she could not quite look after Wen Zhengyu and was a little worried about her. She wanted to leave Wen Zhengyu at the Lian household, so the Old Madam could keep an eye on her. At the same time, she was also worried about the Old Madam; having Wen Zhengyu there to accompany her would be better.

Old Madam Zhang waved her hand dismissively. "Go, go, go. I'm eighty-eight; she's twenty-eight. Asking me to look after her—you really have the nerve to say that. When she wakes up, tell her to go back to her own home." Her tone softened. "There, stop worrying about me. As long as you are well, that's better than anything. As for you, regarding business matters, you should let go of what needs to be let go. I often see you not coming home for ten days or even half a month." These two: one would love to hole up at home all day and not even step outside the door; the other is so busy earning money she has no time to come home. The methods she and Lian Xin used to earn money were both somewhat unconventional—fast money, but lacking in stability.

Ye Ling murmured a soft acknowledgment. The age of thirty was exactly the time to struggle and build a career. The current development prospects were excellent overall; taking advantage of this time to lay a solid foundation would make life easier in the future. She explained her thoughts and considerations to Old Madam Zhang.

Old Madam Zhang nodded, not saying that Ye Ling's thinking was bad. She said to Ye Ling: "The little worrywart is twenty-eight this year. What I could do for her, I've done. There's nothing more I can worry about on her behalf. Whether things turn out good or bad, from now on, it's up to her. If you're uneasy about her, then keep an eye on her yourself."

Ye Ling answered: "Alright." She understood that the Old Madam had weathered a lifetime of storms and, now at this age, had come to see everything through to its essence and let it go.

If a person refuses to fall, then as long as they have a breath left, they will get up and continue working and living.

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