Chapter 56
After looking at the house, the two of them went to visit Aunt Longyu’s place on the way.
Long Yu’s elder was named Wei Shuyun. When Fang Jing Yao and the others were young, they would call her Aunt Wei. She used to be a technician in Liulichang, doing delicate work. Later, Liulichang went bankrupt, and she went to work as an accountant in a winery. She was meticulous in her work all her life, and she never got tired of dealing with the smallest objects or those tedious numbers. Relatively speaking, she was also a bit strict, and the children were a little afraid of her.
Fang Jing Yao’s impression of her was still the same as when they were children. Back then, they were most afraid of going to Long Yu’s house. Aunt Wei’s glances were more frightening than the teachers at school. They sat there properly, and later everyone felt that it was too restrained. In addition, Long Yu was not a very hospitable person, so they soon stopped playing with him.
Fang Jing Yao followed Long Yu all the way there, and was a little nervous as they approached. “I used to be most afraid of going to your house. I was so afraid to move around while sitting there.”
Long Yu said, “You’ve only come twice.”
Fang Jing Yao said sullenly, “That’s enough already. Didn’t you see the others? I stood at the door and didn’t dare to go in.”
Long Yu asked curiously, “Actually, I’ve never understood what you’re all afraid of?”
Fang Jing Yao scratched his head and said, “Your house is so clean, and everything is so neatly arranged. I feel out of place going in.” He then glanced at Long Yu and said with a touch of emotion, “I thought your future home would be like this, very orderly, but I didn’t expect you to help me tidy up…”
Long Yu said, “I heard a story before.”
Fang Jing Yao said, “What?”
Long Yu: “Once upon a time, there was a couple who waited for each other to do the housework after they got married. One of them couldn’t stand it and started cleaning up on their own.” He smiled and said, “I thought about it and decided to do it in advance. Anyway, you always seem to be doing well in any environment. You’re too easy to please, there’s nothing I can do about it.”
Fang Jing Yao thought for a moment before realizing that he was being sarcastic, so he simply slumped in the passenger seat and said in despair, “What can I do? Let me tell you, my table is considered clean in our industry. I really should take you to meet the other comic book artists later. Long Yu, you know that’s called being a germaphobe? You… never mind, you can’t change it anyway. I’ll just have to accept it. I’ll just have to accept it!”
Long Yu chuckled softly.
Aunt Wei lives in an old residential area. There is no elevator on the third floor, so the two of them walked up and knocked on the door.
A moment later, someone opened the door. It was Long Yu’s cousin, who looked to be in her thirties, slightly plump, and very kind. She invited Long Yu in, poured him tea, and said, “My mother went to the old house. It’s going to be demolished soon. There are still a few pieces of old furniture that have been sitting there untouched, as well as a small vegetable garden she cultivated. The old lady is reluctant to part with them, but there’s nothing she can do. She’s been going over there to check on things more often these past few days…” She looked at Fang Jing Yao with a hint of curiosity, and Fang Jing Yao quickly smiled at her.
Long Yu touched his finger, and Fang Jing Yao dodged slightly. Long Yu then grasped his hand and looked up at his cousin, saying, “This is Jing Yao. I brought him to meet your aunt.”
My cousin blinked, then smiled quickly, and looked at Fang Jing Yao with a teasing tone: “I know, I know, Auntie mentioned you two, and my mom knows too. Jing Yao, you’re welcome to come visit.”
Fang Jing Yao sat there somewhat shyly, while Long Yu remained calm and composed. After sitting for a short while, he led Fang Jing Yao away.
Long Yu’s cousin escorted him all the way to their building. When Long Yu turned to leave, his cousin called him back. She hesitated for a moment and said, “She’s not feeling well and doesn’t listen to us. If you see her, please try to persuade her not to overwork herself and to go home and rest early.”
Long Yu asked, “Has it gotten worse recently?”
My cousin sighed and nodded. “It’s the same as always. We’ll just have to keep taking care of her. There’s nothing else we can do.”
Long Yu said, “I understand.”
Fang Jing Yao followed him into the car and asked cautiously, “What’s wrong with Auntie? Is she unwell?”
Long Yu frowned slightly, nodded briefly, and said, “Yes, her health has never been very good.”
Fang Jing Yao said “Oh” and sat there without asking any more questions. Long Yu didn’t say anything the whole way, his brows were always furrowed, and he was even more silent than usual.
Fang Jing Yao’s childhood memories are somewhat hazy. He only remembers that when he lived in the compound, Aunt Longyu’s house was always the cleanest. The people there were always neatly dressed, and the house was spotless. He and his friends probably felt a little envious. After finishing their day jobs, Aunt Wei would treat them to food twice. Although it was a cold and indifferent gesture, it was still a treat for them.
In his memory, Aunt Wei was still the woman in her thirties, with her hair neatly styled in a bun, who was particularly strict with children. But when he saw her again, he was somewhat stunned.
The compound is slated for demolition in the last two years, and the surrounding area is quite dilapidated. Half of the wall that Fang Jing Yao used to climb as a child has been demolished, while the other half stubbornly remains standing. The houses are not as tall as he remembered. There are several rows of two-story buildings in front, and single-story houses with small courtyards in the back. It looks somewhat desolate, and not many people live there anymore.
Long Yu led him along the way, and Fang Jing Yao pointed things out to him as they looked around, “Do you remember those rows in front? The small building where the leaders live. Sun Yizhe used to live in Building 2. He wanted to play with us, but we wouldn’t let him. We had to give him a lot of Yi Kou Lian (a type of candy) before we reluctantly let him play… Hey Long Yu, didn’t you give me candy before?”
Long Yu glanced at him, sighed, and said, “I gave it to you, but you ate it and ran away without playing with me.”
Fang Jing Yao turned his head and continued to immerse himself in the sweetness of his childhood, sighing, “That was the first time I had ever eaten imported chocolate, it was so delicious.”
Long Yu raised an eyebrow: “What about the person who delivered the chocolates?”
Fang Jing Yao said with a grin, “He’s really good, otherwise I wouldn’t be willing to spend my whole life with him.”
Long Yu tried to keep a straight face, but after a few seconds, he smiled and said, “Naughty.”
Aunt Long Yu’s old house used to be next to Fang Jing Yao’s. Fang Jing Yao glanced at his own old house; the iron gate was rusty, and weeds grew in the cracks of the stone slabs in the yard, indicating that no one lived there anymore. Aunt Wei’s house across the street was relatively tidy, with clean bluestone slabs. The house was old, and some of the paint on the vermilion pillars had peeled off. The large glass jar that used to be by the door was long gone, and only a small vegetable patch in the backyard remained green.
The plants always grow very well, lush and vigorous, full of vitality, twisting their bodies to grow upwards, and even in autumn they still have a touch of new green.
Fang Jing Yao glanced at it; he recognized it. Half of it was autumn spinach with large leaves, and he couldn’t name the other half, but it was still a vegetable.
A light rain was falling, a gentle drizzle that barely dampened clothes. Aunt Wei, wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat, was planting vegetables in the small plot she had cultivated behind the house. She wielded the hoe skillfully, as if she were used to it, and looked quite relaxed.
