Gently tapping the steering wheel, Mu Nanqiu glanced at the time. There was still a while until the agreed hour. Since she was free anyway, she arrived half an hour early.
After playing on her phone for a bit in the car, not even a full hour had passed when she saw a familiar figure approaching from not far away.
Mu Nanqiu put away her phone, opened the car door, and stepped out. Looking at Su Yao, who had already come close, she felt a bit surprised.
Today, Su Yao was wearing a silver-grey short jacket on top, with a long black skirt below. Her hair was carefully done up into a bun. With her hair tied up like that, compared to her usual petite sweetness, there was now an added touch of refinement and elegance.
However, the little expressions on her face were still the same as before. Perhaps because she had never dressed like this before, she seemed a bit shy, especially in front of Mu Nanqiu—this feeling was even more pronounced.
The corners of Mu Nanqiu’s mouth curled up slightly. She leaned in closer to Su Yao, reached out to lift her chin, and studied her carefully for a long while before speaking in a low voice.
“Very pretty.”
………
Su Yao’s cheeks flushed red. She turned her head away, not daring to meet Mu Nanqiu’s gaze—she wasn’t sure if it was an act or real possessiveness. Her cherry-colored lips moved slightly as she whispered, “You’re pretty too.”
“Hehehe.”
Mu Nanqiu laughed, then wrapped her arm around Su Yao’s waist, brought her over to the car, opened the door, and very gentlemanly helped her into the passenger seat.
On the way, neither of them spoke. The silence lasted so long that Su Yao almost lost all sense of time. Eventually, they arrived at their destination for the day, but they didn’t get out of the car. Instead, they quietly waited inside.
From the car window, it was clear that this was a commercial street. There weren’t any major flagship stores, but all sorts of little shops lined the street. There were some parking spaces by the roadside, and not far off, Su Yao spotted a Bookstore.
The name of the Bookstore was hard to make out, blocked by the trees in the green belt.
Su Yao sat quietly for a long time. In the end, her curiosity got the better of her, and she turned to Mu Nanqiu to ask, “What kind of person is she?”
After hearing Su Yao’s voice, Mu Nanqiu also turned her head to look at her, but she paused for a moment before answering the question.
“I don’t know.”
“I see…………”
Su Yao found it strange. In this atmosphere, was she supposed to feel sad or excited? Yet she couldn’t feel either; her mood was unexpectedly calm. Maybe because she’d already accepted her Past, so she didn’t care anymore?
Now, there was just one last thing she didn’t know. Once she understood everything, she could truly say goodbye to her Past and start a new life with all her heart.
After waiting a little longer, a car stopped about five meters away from them. Su Yao happened to look over.
A beautiful and elegant woman got out of the car. She wore her long hair up with a clip, and her clothes were simple and understated. She didn’t look very old, carrying a bag as she walked toward the Bookstore—which meant she had to pass right in front of Mu Nanqiu’s car.
Su Yao’s eyes widened as she watched the woman walk by. She looked very familiar—almost the same age as Su Yao herself.
Which meant………………
At that moment, Su Yao felt her hand being held. She looked over at Mu Nanqiu beside her, gave a small smile, and said, “I’m fine.”
Even though she said that, Mu Nanqiu didn’t let go. Instead, she held her hand even tighter.
Watching the woman enter the Bookstore, Su Yao lowered her head.
She took a photo out of her coat pocket. Mu Nanqiu looked over—it was a photo of a woman holding a baby. No one else was in the picture; it was just a mother and her child.
Regarding that woman, Su Yao felt more amazed than anything. So this was who she was.
Looking at the woman named Chen Ye in the photo, Su Yao felt nostalgic. She didn’t have the beauty or elegance of the woman from before. Chen Ye was an unremarkable woman, her face pale and tired, but the way she looked at her child was full of joy.
Turning the photo over, Su Yao looked at the notes on the back, lost in thought.
It was as if she’d returned to that distant Past, when endless pain and suffering tormented the woman named Chen Ye. She’d been through a lot, thought about a lot. Her life was filled with regret and bitterness. One night, dragging her ailing body, she sat at her desk, picked up a pen, and wrote a message on the back of the photo, one stroke at a time.
Su Yao remembered that time when her mother was still there. It was the happiest period of her life.
She put the photo away and composed herself, then asked Mu Nanqiu, “Where are we going to have fun later?”
Mu Nanqiu was silent for a few seconds, then said with an apologetic look, “Yao Yao, I…………… have something to do. Can I keep you company in the afternoon?”
“Okay.”
Su Yao felt a little disappointed, but she didn’t think it was a big deal and didn’t dwell on it. She agreed right away.
The car started up, taking Su Yao back to the entrance of her residential complex. After saying goodbye, Mu Nanqiu turned the car around and drove back to the parking lot near the Bookstore. After parking, she got out and walked straight toward the Bookstore, went in and upstairs, and arrived at a spot by the wall. The huge glass window let in bright light. Jiang Yun was sitting there, reading a book.
Mu Nanqiu sat down across from Jiang Yun. Noticing someone had arrived, Jiang Yun put down the Drawing Book in her hands.
Jiang Yun found it odd. She usually didn’t have any dealings with anyone surnamed Mu, mostly stayed at home or went out shopping, and rarely talked with strangers. So what could someone want with her?
She asked directly, “Miss Mu said she wanted to talk to me about the Past. I don’t think we’ve had any connection before, right? So what is it you want to talk about?”
Mu Nanqiu carefully studied the woman before her, who resembled Su Yao by seventy or eighty percent. She wasn’t like her own mother had described—radiating charm like a walking fox spirit. In fact, she was very much like her mother, an idle lady with enough money to take good care of herself, looking especially young.
After pondering for a moment, she gave her answer.
“It’s about Su Yao.”
Jiang Yun’s previously relaxed expression suddenly turned serious. Mu Nanqiu also noticed that when she heard the name “Su Yao,” Jiang Yun’s pupils clearly dilated. It was obvious that she’d panicked for a moment inside.
At this point, Mu Nanqiu continued, “I’m just curious, that’s all. I have no other motives.”