CH 1
CHAPTER 1
In April, it suddenly started to rain.
In the afternoon class, the students were running around the campus with their schoolbags.
Zhen Yi stepped on the puddle, ran quickly under the big tree at the alley. She looked up to see the green tree buds, and the high sky in the north.
At the end of the alley is a small building similar to those during the Qing Dynasty. Quiet and elegant, like a peach blossom, it is intriguing, surrounded by the modern teaching buildings.
The spring breeze blew across the treetops, the raindrops between the leaves fell, and the water fell cold to the neck. She quickly entered the rain curtain, and ran into the small building at the end of the alley in a hurry.
The wooden door squeaks, and the interior is mostly old wooden furniture, warm and cozy.
On the old-fashioned radio, the announcer read the news lowly: “One week after Tang Chang, the victim of the rape of Lin Ziyi, commited suicide by cutting her wrist.The Beicheng District People’s Court found that the evidence was insufficient and rejected the rape lawsuit against 4 people, including Lin Ziyi. Yesterday , the victim stated that she complied with the verdict. This three-month-long official gang rape case..”
Zhen Yi took off her scarf and coat and shook the petals and raindrops on her clothes. Seeing that the window was not closed, the water from the rain came in. She hurriedly hoked the wooden window and locked the latch.
Grandpa lives in this old house. He is an old professor in the Department of Philosophy at HK City University. Not to mention such small things as closing windows, she even need to remind him to eat three meals a day. In short, he is an old person with a high intelligence and low energy.
Zhen Yi has been so busy these four months that she has no time to visit Grandpa. In the early years, her cousin who married into a rich family invited the nanny Zhang Ye to take care of grandpa. Today Zhang Ye asked for leave and Zhen Yi came over.
The clock was pointing at 2:30, and it was time for Grandpa to take a nap.
Zhen Yi prepared to go upstairs, and saw a delicate paper box that came from the United States on the mahogany chair. She remembered her sister, who was working on Wall Street, sending a gift to congratulate her first big case on her life.
It is indeed a big case, and many lawyers in the same industry will never encounter it in a lifetime.
Zhen Yi opened the carton, there was a backless dress with fluffy white gauze and diamonds as a design, which was quite amazing. The attentive sister also matched the dress with handbags, accessories and high heels. Everything are expensive.
The phone rang in the living room. She held the dress in her hand and took the phone with her head crooked in her ear. “Hello?”
There seemed to be a little surprise there, paused, and said slowly: “Zhen Fu?”
It was a man’s voice, low and warm. Zhen Yi felt her heart stir due to this voice.
Zhen Fu? This title is too respectful and old-fashioned. After thinking about her Grandpa, this title is not too scholarly.
For a moment she wondered, she was not in a hurry. She could wait patiently.
In the silence, she just listened to the rain outside the wooden window.
Zhen Yi looked back, quickly put down the dress, and held the phone: “It’s Zhen’s house.”
“I made an appointment with Professor Zhen at three o’clock. I wonder if the professor is at home?”
“He’s here.”
“Thank you.” He greeted her gently and hung up.
Grandpa came downstairs, wearing a wrinkled cotton shirt, with white hair, like Xiu Caicai in the late Qing Dynasty. Zhen Yi said that someone was going to visit and combed her grandfather’s hair. She convinced him for a long time but she could not persuade him to change his clothes. She had no choice but to iron his gown again.
It was still raining outside, and the FM radio broadcast low: “.. At the trial, the prosecutor Yin Duo and the victim’s lawyer deliberately used his unwilling court cross-examination to refute the defendants’ defenses in a conclusive manner. Legal experts analyzed Lin Ziyi and other three people will be sentenced to a minimum of 10 years in prison. However, in the second trial, the defendant presented strong evidence that the victim, Tang Chang, was a sex worker, and then Tang Chang was overwhelmed and committed suicide..”
“Slap!”
Zhen Yi turned expressionless and turned off the radio.
When the rain stopped, she reopened the wooden windows, holding them up. After cleaning the house, the windows were clear, and she made tea for the guests in the study. Then she went upstairs with her clothes.
Tailor-made clothes, wearing elegant clothes, Zhen Yi was in a good mood. She sent a message for her sister to thank her, took off her skirt, and suddenly heard her grandfather’s sudden shouts downstairs. thanked my sister for MSN thank you, took off the short skirt, and suddenly heard the grandfather downstairs surprised:
“Water! Water!”
Zhen Yi kicked off her skirt and flew downstairs, but she forgot to turn off the iron. Smoke spread on the tablecloth. Grandpa was slow in daily chores, and even poured tea in a small tea cup with a thumb.
She grabbed the glass water tank on the coffee table and poured it. She took off the coat on the coat hook, sweep the smoke and flames to try and stop the fire, and ran to the kitchen to bring a basin of water, and finally poured it on the table.
“Don’t be afraid old man, it’s okay!” She comforted Grandpa playfully, but she heard someone close the door behind her. It seemed very light and slow, trying not to be noticed, but the creak of the door was inevitable.
Running upstairs, although her clothes were chaotic, she did not reach the point of “being rude.”
This situation is really embarrassing.
Zhen Yi went upstairs happily. It didn’t take long before the grandfather shouted downstairs, “Yi’er, the guest is leaving.”
Zhen Yi refused to send him out, pouting, and reluctantly exclaimed: “Goodbye!”
The other party did not answer.
She came out, and the water stains on the floor had been cleared. She was surprised because Grandpa didn’t even know where the mop was. It seems that the guest did it, worried that the old man will accidentally step on it and fall.accidentally stepped on and fell.
The table was wiped clean too, and a coat in the trash.
Zhen Yi’s mind flickered. She took the guest’s trench coat to fight the fire?! She actually used the expensive windbreaker of the guest as a rag, blew the fire, and poured water?
Zhen Yi mourned, and examined it carefully. The windbreaker was half-wet, and the fire ash was burnt. There were few burnt holes. She was holding a men’s windbreaker and flew out of the door.
There was a black Porsche parked at the alley. Someone held him a black umbrella respectfully. He was in a suit and stooped to get in the car.
“Wait a minute, please!” She ran quickly, kicking in the puddle, and the mud splashed.
He straightened up, tilted his head slightly, but didn’t turn around to look at her.
I don’t know if it was because of a car or a person.
She ran behind him and noticed that he was tall, standing on his back, and there was no trace of folds in his tailored suit. The umbrella man next to him looked at Zhen Yi with cold eyes.
When the spring breeze blew, raindrops fell on the leaves and crackled in the umbrella. Zhen Yi stood outside the umbrella, her neck narrowed sharply, her voice was not humble or high: “I accidentally took your windbreaker to put out fire, I don’t know where I could take it to be fixed?”
“No need,” he said lightly, bowing to get in the car, but he paused. “Professor Zhen’s guidance is far more precious than a piece of clothing.”
With Grandpa’s mental condition, he could still teach?
Zhen Yi wondered, but she was always casual. Since it was not worth mentioning, she was not entangled and turned to leave, but she glanced at his handsome face.
It seemed that the cherry petals were not far away and flew in the wind.
“Yan Ge?” She was slightly uncertain, holding his long coat, and took a step forward; after seeing his face clearly, she smiled generously, “I haven’t seen you in a long time.”
“Sorry, I don’t remember you.” He said, and got on the car.
She knew he was quick to forget about people, and she didn’t mind, and was very happy to see him in another country: “You forgot, I’m Zhen ..”
The umbrella man closed the door and Zhen Yi only glanced at his sharp, fair chin.
Zhen Yi looked at the car and left, shrugging indifferently.
It has been 8 years since their separation, and with his indifferent character, it is time to forget him. If she is still so shy as she was in middle school, she will pretend to be quick, and said with a smile: Senior, I am a girl who has been in love with you for a long time. She looks ashamed and her face was red.
But she wasn’t as crazy as before, he was so indifferent to her that she didn’t need to say hello.
Back at the house, grandpa sat at the table and ate walnut brownie.
Zhen Yi ran to grab the dinner plate, pretending to be stunned: “You old man is not obedient. How old can you eat such sweet stuff?”
Grandpa grabbed the fork and was very wronged. “It’s xylitol.” (Xylitol looks and tastes like sugar but has fewer calories and doesn’t raise blood sugar levels.)
“Eh?”
Sure enough, xylitol is special, who cares so much?
There were also a few cans of nuts on the table: walnuts, cashews, hazelnut .. The glass jars were pasted with notes, with clear handwriting and saying “3x a day”.
Zhen Yi, as the granddaughter’s shame, returned the plate to Grandpa, and asked, “Who was that person just now?” Grandpa retired early, and could not be his teacher. And he went abroad in his early years.
Grandpa scratched his head: “Mr. Su recommended.”
Professor Su and his grandfather were colleagues and engaged in medicine. Grandpa’s philosophy has long been famous in the circle. Even if he retires, there are often junior asking for advice.
Zhen Yi remembered that year in the southern, tree-lined deep city, he said that he would study medicine abroad. Look now, does he have a philosophy? Think of it this way, it’s a strange match with his, very light personality.
At first sight, 12 years; respectively, 8 years; oh, time flies.
Zhen Yi took a spoon and scooped a small piece of brownie, which tasted very eccentric. The sweetness of this good brownie made her speechless.
She poked at the dark cake, and suddenly remembered the years that she chased him, watching Wuthering Heights. In 20 years, Catherine became a ghost, and she had to get back to Heathcliff on a stormy night.
At that time she thought she had the affection of Catherine. But gradually she realized that how many men were as crazy as Hisscliff?
She is not a fool of that time. When a girl grows up, she needs to know what is reality and what makes youth proud, especially the youth of young women.
The old days passed by, and Zhen Yi raised an eyebrow. The only regret is that such a beautiful face cannot be used by herself. As the president of the Appearance Association, she was distressed!
She laughed at her unruliness and took a moment to laugh: “Old man, the next time you see that handsome junior, introduce him to your granddaughter.”
Grandpa ignored her and obediently ate the cake.
Zhen Yi pouted at him.
In these years, she never chased a boy like that.
She still remember that she followed him behind his back and said very seriously, “Yan Ge, lend me something.”
He looked at her lightly, his eyes asking: What?
“Kiss! A kiss.” She grinned.
“..”
“Don’t go, don’t go! Rest assured, I will pay you back ... Hey, don’t run! Hey, do you think you can run away?”
Thinking of the past, Zhen Yi twisted her cheek and laughed: “My skin was really thick.”