Chapter 126: Reunited After Seven Years, an Old Friend Returns

Meng Shutang looked at the porridge gently pushed toward her, took a big sip in great support, then gave a thumbs up. "It's very good."

"I know you're kindhearted by nature and love to encourage people."

"No, no, no, I'm telling the truth. It really is good."

Perhaps because she had been sick for a day and hadn't eaten much. Or perhaps because Gu Yunci's cooking was genuinely delicious—Meng Shutang ate a lot.

And this meal was the most satisfying one she'd had in all four years.

From the small white porcelain bowls, she drank two whole bowls of porridge.

She ate quite a lot of the vegetables too.

After dinner, to thank Gu Yunci, she said she'd do the washing up.

She had already put on her gloves and was ready to go into battle.

Gu Yunci snatched them away with a pained heart. "You haven't recovered yet. I'll do it."

When he gently ushered her out of the kitchen with his arm around her, in that moment, Meng Shutang felt a great sense of security.

After coming out, she stood on the balcony for a while, then returned to the dining room.

Gu Yunci happened to turn his eyes and saw her watching him.

The warm light traced the soft contour of her profile, and her clear, luminous eyes seemed to hold scattered starlight.

Hands cradling her cheeks, quietly gazing at him.

Everything around her seemed to have nothing to do with her; in her eyes there was only his busy figure.

The man's hand paused slightly, his heartbeat skipping half a beat. A trace of barely perceptible surprise tinged his originally calm gaze, but it was quickly replaced by a warm smile.

He was not indifferent; he sped up his work.

He wanted to hurry back to her side and hold her, lest everything he had just seen turn into an illusion.

When Gu Yunci finished and came out of the kitchen, Meng Shutang was no longer in the dining room.

He went upstairs. She seemed to have anticipated what he was going to do and locked the door.

The man jiggled the doorknob, then left with a faint smile.

He went to the guest bedroom next door—his pillow and quilt were all here.

He lay down and sent her a WeChat message on his phone.

【Got one step closer to you today. Very happy.】

Meng Shutang saw it and replied.

【Done with your work?】

【Mm.】

【See?】 The man took a selfie, deliberately capturing the pillow and quilt in the shot.

【Mm.】

Soon, Meng Shutang's attention was drawn away by a short drama called Love Bound in the Palm.

【Alright, I'm not chatting with you anymore. Going to watch a short drama for a bit.】

【Okay.】

After watching for a while, Meng Shutang felt tired and wanted to sleep.

As if possessed, she glanced at WeChat. One minute ago, Gu Yunci had sent her a message reminding her to take her medicine.

【Not asleep yet?】

The man replied almost instantly,

【Waiting for any message you might send.】

Meng Shutang had meant to exit immediately, but upon actually seeing his message, she stared at the screen, her slender fingertips growing slightly warm, and couldn't bring herself to close it.

Seeing her take a long time to respond, Gu Yunci sent another message.

【Alright, no need to space out. I'll always treat you this well.】

Meng Shutang silently turned off her phone and lay in bed, but sleep eluded her no matter what.

Looking at the bright, clear moon in the night sky, she knew very well that her resolve had wavered.

Meng Shutang didn't know when she fell asleep, but when she opened her eyes, she was nestled in his arms.

The two of them held each other deeply, a picture of tranquil years and peaceful days.

Meng Shutang opened her eyes and found the man watching her. Her clear eyes shifted slightly. "When did you come in?"

"Last night. I was afraid your fever would come back, so I unlocked the door with my fingerprint at midnight.

When I tried to leave, you grabbed my fingers and wouldn't let me go no matter what.

So I had no choice but to 'willingly' stay."

Meng Shutang burst out laughing.

She didn't scrutinize the truth of Gu Yunci's words, but from the way they were embracing now, she could tell that subconsciously she still relied on him.

With one more day like this, Meng Shutang had fully recovered.

She got up and went to the kitchen, planning to make a proper meal to reward Gu Yunci for taking care of her these past few days.

She steamed rice, put the braised pork into the pot to simmer, then began making sea cucumber and scallops, and finally the candied apples and candied sweet potatoes that Gu Yunci loved.

Gu Yunci had wanted to cook, since she had just recovered.

But he couldn't prevail against her. "Alright then, call me if you need help."

While she cooked, he made phone calls on the balcony. President Gu, busy with countless affairs, had endless calls no matter where he was.

But amid his busyness, he still didn't forget to look at Meng Shutang.

Watching Meng Shutang's busy figure, Gu Yunci suddenly thought: if they hadn't divorced back then, how wonderful these ordinary days would be—he busy with work, his wife cooking the meals he loved.

As he was musing, Meng Shutang called out to him, "Done with work? We can eat now."

Gu Yunci hurriedly hung up the phone, went to the kitchen to wash his hands, and helped Meng Shutang bring out the dishes.

During the meal, Meng Shutang picked up food for him, and he suddenly wanted very much to take her hand and bring up remarrying and things like that.

But thinking of how listless she had looked the last time he brought it up, he swallowed the words that had reached his lips.

He slowly lowered his head and carefully began peeling shrimp.

The bouncy, plump shrimp placed on a white plate, piled high in front of Meng Shutang — she ate with great satisfaction.

Gu Yunci turned his head to look at the open space outside the floor-to-ceiling window, "Do you still remember that year? We built snowmen outside the window—"

"Just like now — we came back inside to eat after finishing, and when we turned around, the two snowmen leaning against each other were covered in a layer of snow dust."

Meng Shutang slightly raised her eyes to look at Gu Yunci, the scene of that day surfacing in her mind.

Later, after they finished eating, she got sleepy.

Gu Yunci carried her upstairs.

She nestled in his arms and murmured softly, "Yunci, let's build snowmen together next year too!"

"Next year?"

He looked down and asked her.

Meng Shutang was so sleepy her consciousness was fading, "The year after that too."

"And the year after the year after that?"

Gu Yunci carried her to the master bedroom, set her down on the bed, lay on his side beside her, and reached out to brush the hair from her face behind her ear.

Meng Shutang suddenly grabbed his hand, pressed it to her heart, and murmured, "Every year in the future, we'll build snowmen."

"One big, one small, holding each other."

A smile rippled in his eyes, like a child looking at his most beloved toy, "Okay."

Gu Yunci saw that Meng Shutang hadn't spoken for a long time, "What, you forgot?"

Meng Shutang pressed her lips together, "... It's been so long, and you remember it so clearly!"

The two finished tidying up, grabbed their bags, and headed out.

But at the doorway, he suddenly pulled her into an embrace, his hand on the door hesitating for a moment before finally opening it.

Even after leaving the house, getting into the car, right before the car started, Gu Yunci kept hesitating.

Meng Shutang knew what he was going to do — he still couldn't bear to leave this place with her just like that.

This place once filled with their lingering love.

But when Xin Xin called, it completely dispelled all of Gu Yunci's thoughts.

Xin Xin called to ask, "Mommy, when are you coming back?"

Meng Shutang didn't look at Gu Yunci, "Very soon."

"Who's bringing you back?"

"Daddy!"

"Oh, that's great, I get to see Daddy soon."

The night wind was cold, so Meng Shutang didn't let Grandmother bring Xin Xin downstairs to meet her.

Gu Yunci watched her enter the apartment building entrance, then drove away.

Just as she entered the elevator, Grandmother suddenly called to say she was out of blood pressure medication and asked her to buy some at the pharmacy by the entrance.

She hung up the phone and had just stepped out of the residential complex when someone called out to her.

"Tangtang."

Hearing that long-absent voice, Meng Shutang's heart pounded wildly — she thought she had heard wrong.

Not until she turned around did she see Gu Jin Xing, bathed in a dim yellow halo of light.

Seven years apart, and he still had the same lean build, with a strong youthful air.