Chapter 259

"Don't worry, I'm with Lin Yu, everything's fine."

"You're with Lin Yu?" Seeing Zhong Wanjun grew even more upset.

"Yes, so don't worry—we'll wait for the returning ship. That's all for now." Lei Ting hung up the phone.

"..." Seeing Zhong Wanjun listened to the dial tone on the other end, his mood sinking to the bottom.

As Lin Yu and Lei Ting stepped off the boat, an old woman came over to chatter.

"Why have you come back?" the old woman said, though her eyes brimmed with joy.

Lin Yu stared at the old woman's face and froze.

Isn't this... Wang Yi, the woman who always gathered trash with Grandma?

【Let's all step into 2024! Wishing everyone good health and boundless wealth!】

【147】 You've been together this long—what's wrong with that?

"A Lun, why have you come back? And why did you bring Xiao Mei with you?" Wang Yi scolded. "Have you forgotten everything I told you?"

"You're mistaken—they aren't your grandson and granddaughter-in-law," the village chief hurried over to say.

"How could I mistake them? I'd know my own grandson and granddaughter-in-law! Since you're back, get home and start working!" With that, Wang Yi turned and walked away.

"I'm sorry—I'm the village chief. The old lady's memory has been failing these past few years; she sees every young person and thinks they're her grandson and granddaughter-in-law."

"Then where are her grandson and granddaughter-in-law?" Lei Ting asked.

The village chief sighed and shook his head: "They've been missing for ten years—no body, no trace... Every day, the old lady stands here waiting for them to come home. Her mind's been broken for years."

"Since the boat won't come anytime soon, let's go see." Lin Yu took a step forward.

In this wrong timeline.

Meeting an old friend.

It made his heart 07 very happy.

Wang Yi was Xin Yi's grandmother, who always called Xin Yi by his childhood name, A Lun.

She was a woman of bitter fate; since Lin Yu could remember, she had gathered trash alongside his grandmother.

Until he was imprisoned and later released—his grandmother vanished, and Wang Yi vanished too.

Never expected.

Wang Yi had moved so far away—surely Xin Yi arranged it.

I wonder...

Where is Grandma waiting for me?

Thinking of Grandma.

Lin Yu quickened his pace.

Wang Yi returned to a small house.

Though small, the house was spotlessly clean; on the table lay a stack of cash.

"A Lun, I told you—no need to give me so much money."

"An old woman like me doesn't need much cash."

"What matters most now is..."

"That you marry Xiao Mei quickly."

"She's been with you all these years—you owe her a proper future."

"And also..."

"I don't know how to use the phone you bought me."

"I want to send you a text, but I can't read."

"You once told me about some voice thing..."

"I forgot how to press it."

"Teach me again..."

The old woman chattered on and on.

Lin Yu's heart suddenly grew heavy.

His old friend Xin Yi...

Had been missing for ten years.

And Xin Yi's grandmother...

Had waited for him ten years.

Every single day.

Waiting on the shore.

Though this timeline will eventually be erased...

But...

Some things cannot be erased just because they're meant to vanish.

"Wang Yi."

"It's me."

"A Yu."

"You used to be with my grandmother all the time."

"Do you remember?"

Lin Yu asked.

"A Yu's grandmother? I remember, I remember." Wang Yi nodded.

"Two years ago... no, twelve years ago, after I got out of prison, my grandmother disappeared. Wang Yi, do you know anything?" Lin Yu asked.

"A Lun, is Ah Yu thinking of his grandmother?" Wang Yi took Lin Yu's hand. "A Lun, tell Ah Yu—he doesn't need to worry. His grandmother went to save a little girl."

"Save what little girl?" Lin Yu asked.

Wang Yi shook her head: "She only told me she was going to save a little girl... How is Ah Yu? Is he well?"

"Grandmother, he's fine," Lin Yu said.

Xin Yi had said the same.

Grandmother went to save a little girl.

Who exactly is this little girl?

And where did Grandmother go?

Lei Ting sat quietly, watching Lin Yu and Wang Yi.

She didn't understand what they were talking about.

But it was easy to see from Lin Yu's expression.

He looked deeply sorrowful.

"A Lun, I saved some mochi for you—something the village chief gave me. You've loved mochi since you were a child, so I kept it specially for you."

Wang Yi got up and brought over a plate of mochi.

As she tried to stuff one into her mouth, Lei Ting snatched it away.

"Wait."

Lei Ting fetched a small pair of scissors and cut the mochi into tiny pieces.

"This way, the elderly won't choke."

After cutting it all,

she let Wang Yi eat.

Lin Yu watched her and suddenly thought she was just a little adorable.

After chatting for a while, the two washed all of Wang Yi's clothes and bedding.

Lei Ting carried a thick, heavy quilt alone, struggling under its weight.

"Let me take it."

Lin Yu took the quilt from her hands and effortlessly spread it out, hanging it on the line.

Lei Ting stole glances at Lin Yu.