Chen Weier’s home was at the bungalow area near the market place, it was a typical quadrangle. The square courtyard had a sewer in the middle, and people liked on all four sides of it. There was no heater, nor an indoor bathroom, making it infinitely crude and simple.
In 1995, Songjiang city has not undergone mass city planning yet, and thus these quadrangle-styled buildings were very common in the bungalow area. Once winter arrives, and the sewer in the courtyard freezes, the layers of ice on top of each other would look like a small ice mountain from away.
“There’s no helping it, our family’s poor, and can’t afford apartments,” Chen Weier smiled apologetically.
“It’s okay, my grand also lives in this type of quadrangle. I actually feel it is more comfortable than apartments!” I said without minding it at all.
“Hehe!” Chen Weier giggled gratefully.
“Dad! Liu Lei’s here!” Chen Weier opened the door and shouted inside.
“Oh, Weier, get him to come in, it’s cold outside!” A man’s voice, which is Chen Weier’s father’s, came out from within.
I was just about to change shoes when Chen Weier shook her hands at me, only then did I remember that these bungalows all had cement floors, so I didn’t have to wear slippers.
Chen Weier’s family’s home wasn’t large, there were two rooms, which totaled to only forty something squared meters, there was a kang in the large room, Chen Weier’s father was lying on it resting. The small room was split with plywood, Chen Weier and Chen Yong probably had half each.
“Sit quickly! Weier, get our guest some fruit!” Saying that, Chen Weier’s father was about to sit up.
“Uncle Chen, rest, don’t mind me!” I quickly stopped Father Chen from sitting up, and said, “Weier, don’t busy yourself either I don’t need to eat fruit.”
I knew about Chen Weier’s family’s living conditions, it wasn’t easy to afford some fruits, it might be to improve Father Chen’s health, how I can take over his fruits.
Chen Weier saw that I didn’t want her to go, and thus didn’t insist, and sat with me beside Father Chen’s bed, and talked a bit about her father’s situation, from the looks of it, there wasn’t any signs of organ rejection, the recovery was going well, and he was probably going to get fully healed after Chinese New Year. Looking at Chen Weier’s happy expression, I felt like this two hundred something thousand was so worth it!
About the time of brewing one pot of tea later, Chen Yong and Chen Weier’s mother returned home together.
“Liu Lei, you came over!” Mother Chen said enthusiastically to me when she saw me.
“Yeah, Weier and I just arrived,” I stood up and received the groceries in Mother Chen’s hands.
“You know our family’s situation, we aren’t scared of you laughing at us, the money was all used for Weier’s dad to go to the doctor, so we can’t take you to a restaurant, we can’t only make a few dishes at home…” Mother Chen said apologizingly.
“It’s okay, I love eating food cooked at home!” Hearing Mother Chen’s words, I sweated in my home, I spent four thousand something kuai for one mean with Fatty Wu at Heaven on Earth yesterday, it was enough for a normal family like Chen Weier’s to eat for a year.
Chen Yong went and froze the sugarcoated haws that weren’t sold, and then started to help Mother Chen wash the vegetables and rice.
“Auntie, let me help you guys,” I stood up and said.
“No, it’s fine! Let Weier chat with you in the room, Da Yong and I will busy ourselves!” Mother Chen immediately refused.
“It’s okay, let Weier stay with Uncle! I’ll help you make dinner!” Saying that, I followed behind Mother Chen into the kitchen. Actually I haven’t ate the entire day and was dead hungry. By helping them I can speed up the process.
“Let me do this!” I snatched over the fish in Mother Chen’s hands, and familiarly scratched off the fish scales.
Chen Yong looked at me shockingly and was confused: This big boss that can throw out tones of money actually knew how to take care of the fish? This is all too weird.
I knew what he was thinking, and smiled faintly then explained, “Normally I always cook myself.” What I said was the truth, I often cooked for myself in Yanjing during my previous life.
Chen Yong nodded and didn’t ask anymore, and begun to pick and wash the vegetables. On the other hand Mother Chen plugged in the rice cooker, and begun to cook.
“Liu Lei, my meimei seems to like you quite a lot!” After a while, Chen Yong said quietly to me when Mother Chen started cutting the vegetables.
“Is that so?” I asked.
“En, she would often mention you to us when there’s nothing to talk about. I’m certain that she has you in her heart already,” Chen Yong said.
I felt silent joy in my heart after haring that, it seems like with the detective Chen Yong in the Chen family, it would be hard for me to not get Chen Weier even if I didn’t want to.
“Da Yong! What are you randomly saying there! Did you forget about that!” Although Chen Yong’s voice was really soft, Mother Chen still clearly heard everything, and immediately scolded him.
“Oh!” Chen Yong nodded, and stopped talking.
That thing? What thing? Listening to Mother Chen, it seems like she didn’t agree with Chen Weier liking me. Was there something else Chen Yong was hiding form me? But I already reserved Chen Weier! I really didn’t get it.
Furthermore, when I reserved Chen Weier, I clearly told Chen Yong that I won’t interfere with her freedom of love, if she really has someone she likes, then as long as they said something to me, I won’t stop her, but now? What was going on? Was there something else hidden?
Within the Chen family’s inner room, Father Chen was resting on the bed. Chen Weier curiously picked up the paper bag beside the soda. What was in it? I didn’t see him hold anything when we left school, why did a bag randomly appear in his hands after we walked around?
Chen Weier carefully opened it and looked, then momentarily blanked. Isn’t this that white set of clothes that she tried on in Fairyfair? Why did it appear here? Did he buy it? But why did he buy it? Oh yeah, he must have seen that it looked good on me and also bought a set for his girlfriend.
However could he have bought it for me? Another voice rang out within Chen Weier’s heart.
Definitely not! Why would he buy clothes for me, he’s not my boyfriend! Chen Weier thought logically.
How do you know he didn’t buy it for you? This set of clothes suit you the best! Another voice sounded out again.
No, no, how can I think that! Put it back for him quickly! Don’t let him discover it! Chen Weier’s logical mind once against dominated her.
Open it and look if you don’t believe me, and see if it’s the one you just tried on! The other voice said once more.
En, let’s see then, there’s nothing wrong with taking a look. Chen Weier’s inner self finally leaned towards that voice.
Chen Weier carefully took out the set of clothes, it was that size she just I just tried on! It can’t be, did he really buy it for me? Chen Weier caressed the clothing material happily, this set of clothes is so expensive! It cost 700 something kuai, I’m not his girlfriend, why did he buy it for me? Did he heard my mutterings back then? Thinking to that point, Chen Weier’s face was so red that she wanted to crawl into the ground.
“Weier, come over and help get the utensils!” Mother Chen shouted in the kitchen.
Only then did Chen Weier awaken from her shame, and hurriedly stuff the clothes back like it originally was like, then ran into the kitchen.