Chapter 413: Wen Leyu: It

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Li Ye saw off Pei Wencong, then grabbed a basin and went to the shower room to wash up.

He hadn't slept since last night, had been busy all day, and had gone through round after round of toasts at the banquet table; no matter how strong his body was, it was time to turn off the lights and rest.

But when he stepped out of the shower, he faintly heard two aunts in the neighboring room gossiping.

Aunt Li Mingyue whispered mysteriously to her sister: "Hey, you think Xiao Ye's relationship with that girl is really over? Today's Li Yue's wedding, and not a single Wen family member showed up."

Aunt Li Mingxiang replied: "What are you talking about? Today's National Day celebration—someone like Teacher Ke wouldn't have time to come. Would you want Dad to ruin their work?"

"Besides, it's lucky they didn't come," Li Mingyue worried. "If they'd seen the scene, who knows what kind of impression it might've left on Xiao Ye?"

"Come on now! If the adults were too busy, couldn't the younger ones have come? Hehe."

Aunt Li Mingyue sneered: "No wonder every time I asked Mom these past two years, she always said Xiao Ye and that Wen girl were just classmates. This time I didn't believe her—I brought 'money eyes' along, and turns out I didn't need them at all."

"Don't you dare say that to Xiao Ye's face! Or Mom'll hit you with the rolling pin. Xiao Ye's the family treasure now—he's not the kid you could freely scold anymore."

"I don't even care to talk about him! I've only mentioned him a few times, and now Dad and Mom won't even like Ai Guo because of me. I'm his aunt, and I have to take flak from a junior."

Li Ye listened for a while, then carried the basin quietly back to his room.

The Wen family's absence at Li Yue's wedding today was a decision Li Ye, his grandfather, and Wen Leyu had already agreed upon.

Given the scale of today's National Day celebration, Teacher Ke and Wen Qingsheng definitely had no time to come—they were in their positions and had to be extra cautious at such a critical moment.

If you showed up today, maybe no one would care; but if you didn't, someone might take the chance to sabotage you later. Is personal business more important than state affairs?

Besides, Li Ye and Wen Leyu hadn't even publicly confirmed their relationship yet.

As for Wen Leyu, she'd originally planned to come to see Li Yue off, but then she was selected as a representative for Peking University,

and since Aunt Li Mingyue's family had come too, Li Ye, after consulting with Wen Leyu, Teacher Ke, Li Yue, and his grandfather, told her to prioritize official duties.

If Wen Leyu had shown up today, what would Aunt Li Mingyue have done—given her 'money eyes' or not?

Money from Aunt's family isn't easy to accept.

But Li Ye hadn't expected that Wen Leyu's absence today would make Aunt Li Mingyue secretly pleased.

Li Ye lazily returned to his room, hadn't even enjoyed the comfort of his quilt yet, when the living room phone rang shrilly.

Li Ye stayed in the western room of the main house; the phone was in the living room, so he shuffled over in his slippers to answer it.

It was Wen Leyu on the line.

"Li Ye, you got home?"

"Yeah. Been busy all day, just finished showering and about to sleep. You? You went to the celebration—didn't that take a toll too?"

Li Ye's concern made Wen Leyu immediately complain: "My feet ache from standing all day! I should've skipped it—stood there the whole time just to exchange two glances with people I already know."

Li Ye laughed: "Two glances? That's an opportunity others would kill for. If anyone heard you say that, they'd call you a spoiled brat who's getting away with something."

Wen Leyu instantly bristled: "What do you mean spoiled brat? Is my academic record not top-tier? Haven't I published enough papers? I just don't compete with them—but if I did, they wouldn't stand a chance."

Wen Leyu usually kept a low profile at school, but this time she'd snagged an enviable opportunity—someone was bound to gossip.

Yet in reality, whether in grades or number of English journal articles, she outshone all her classmates in the same major; the only thing she lacked compared to the popular stars was her usual 'active presence.'

But 'presence' isn't a quantifiable metric, so whether it becomes a decisive factor is almost mystical.

"Mmm, my little Lady Yu is invincible, no rivals."

"Don't flatter yourself! I still can't beat you—you lie without even blushing."

Li Ye now loved bantering with Wen Leyu—it was his exclusive pleasure. Wen Leyu never wasted words with anyone else.

After chatting for a long while, Wen Leyu finally said: "Is Grandpa home? Dad wants to speak with him."

Li Ye instantly grew serious and called toward the eastern room: "Grandma, has Grandpa come back?"

Grandma Wu Juying replied: "No, he just went out for a stroll. Probably chatting with the old men at the alley entrance right now."

Li Ye had no choice but to tell Wen Leyu: "Grandpa's out for a walk. Is it urgent? I can go look for him."

Wen Leyu immediately said: "No rush. Wait a sec."

Li Ye heard Wen Leyu whispering softly on the other end—Wen Qingsheng was probably already on the line.

Soon, Wen Leyu told Li Ye: "It's fine Grandpa's not home—Grandma's fine too. Mom wants to speak with Grandma. Ask if she's available to take the call."

Of course she was available!

Li Ye was about to call out to Wu Juying, then suddenly remembered the gossip he'd overheard from the two aunts.

So he stood up, hurried into Grandma's room, and whispered: "Grandma, come here—Teacher Ke wants to speak with you."

Wu Juying paused, then didn't hesitate—she walked over, picked up the phone, and began chatting with Teacher Ke.

"Oh, Teacher Ke, long time no see!"

"Indeed it's been a while. I missed you all. Are you free tomorrow? We'd like to invite you to dinner."

Wu Juying's face lit up like a blooming flower.

"Free, free! Which restaurant? No need to pick us up—we'll go ourselves. Good, good. What? Oh, oh, no trouble at all?"

Wu Juying chatted with Teacher Ke for five minutes, her smile never fading.

After hanging up, Wu Juying immediately ordered Li Ye: "Go tell your sister right now—tell her and Yumin to get ready. Teacher Ke's family is inviting us to dinner tomorrow."

Li Ye pursed his lips, helplessly saying: "It's already late. Are you seriously asking me to disturb them now? Isn't it fine to tell them tomorrow morning? Grandma, don't overreact."

Wu Juying glared: "Why wouldn't it be proper? I've lived with your Grandpa for decades—I know these things better than you. They've extended the ladder—do you really think it's too much trouble to climb?"

Li Ye shrank his neck and shook his head hard: "I'm not going. You go if you want."

Wu Juying grew angry, but then thought better of it and changed her tone: "Fine. Then tomorrow morning, go tell your sister. Don't treat this as a small matter.

Don't assume their kindness is owed to you. For Yumin, this might be his only chance."

"Alright, alright. I'll go tomorrow around eight or nine—no problem."

"Eight or nine? Be at Zhongguancun by seven."

"Seven? Who wakes up at seven? I'm not going to be an annoyance."

"What new bride doesn't get up at seven in the morning? Do you think your sister's a lazybones? Try being late even one minute tomorrow—I'll drag you out of bed."

Li Ye grumbled back to his room to sleep, but someone outside had been eavesdropping—and now crept in.

Aunt Li Mingyue found Grandma Wu Juying and smiled: "Mom, who were you talking to just now? You were smiling so much—something good happen?"

Wu Juying's smile vanished instantly. She coldly told Li Mingyue: "Good news or not, it's none of your business. Go back to your room and sleep. Buy your train ticket home tomorrow."

Li Mingyue pouted, hurt: "Mom, Li Yue's coming back for the traditional visit the day after tomorrow—how can we leave tomorrow?"

"Let her parents handle the return visit. What business is it of yours, an aunt?"

Scolded, Li Mingyue stormed back to her room, seething.

Her husband Cui Zhi, reading the mood, whispered: "What's wrong? Did Mom get mad again?"

Li Mingyue snapped: "Mom was on the phone forever. I just asked who it was, and she flew off the handle—told us to go back to Qingshui County tomorrow."

Cui Zhi frowned, thought a moment, then declared firmly: "That call was from the Wen family. And it wasn't their daughter—it was her parents."

Li Mingyue sat bolt upright: "What? The Wens? How do you know? They didn't show up today for Li Yue's wedding!"

Cui Zhi shook his head: "What day is today? What's their status? With so many people around, they couldn't come. But why call this late? Only families with phones do that.

You know Mom's temper—only someone important would talk to her this long. Most likely the Wens. That Wen girl and Xiao Ye probably never broke up."

Cui Zhi, ever the shrewd schemer, deduced a whole chain of conclusions from a single phone call.

Of course, in 1984, few people made long-distance calls, let alone long ones—so the possibilities were naturally narrowed down.

"Xiao Ye and that Wen girl never broke up? Oh no—I just told Mingxiang they were done!"

"Look at your mouth! You're—"

Cui Zhi grew agitated: "You still don't get it? That's why you keep getting hurt! If I hadn't distanced myself from them, could I be deputy section chief now?

Yang Yumin's just a clerk in the Central Selection Office, but the Wen family's a giant."

Li Mingyue snapped back: "You always push me to grovel to them! When have I ever taken this kind of humiliation? Even if they're giants, we won't die without them!"

"You blame me? When Dad lost his job, if you hadn't rushed to cut ties, would I be struggling like this now?"

Cui Zhi fell silent for minutes, letting Li Mingyue sob out her grievances, then spoke softly:

"Mingyue, if I hadn't cut ties back then, I'd never have reached deputy section chief.

But if I lose their support now, I'll be stuck at deputy section chief forever.

But if I get one word from Beijing, surpassing Dad will be a blink away."

"To climb step by step, you can't afford a single misstep. Once you slip—"

"Enough. I get it."

Li Mingyue wiped her tears, cutting him off.

"I'll beg Dad tomorrow. Blood's thicker than water—it's just one sentence. Why won't they do it?"

(End of Chapter)