We Are Together

Chapter 253

With a crisp "ding," the four glasses clinked together in the center of the dining table.

This National Day lunch, full of undercurrents and warmth, was finally over.

Comrade Lao Gu had clearly drunk enough.

Less than half of that treasured bottle of Moutai was left, and he was now slumped against the back of his chair, turning on the TV.

With two patches of plateau red on his face, he stared blearily at the Chinese opera channel, humming and hawing, not even clear on what play was being sung.

"Alright, stop howling like a ghost and go lie down on the sofa."

Ye Shulian patted her husband's shoulder in annoyance, but when she turned to look at the two children, her gaze instantly switched. The previous disgust was swept away, replaced by extreme gentleness.

Gu Ran, having a good eye for the situation, quickly stood up and stacked the leftovers on the table together.

"Aunt Ye, you rest. I'll clean up."

Ye Zhenzhen sat blankly in her chair, the phrase "perfectly justifiable" from the dinner table still looping in her mind.

The heat on her cheeks hadn't faded, and the roots of her ears were burning.

Hearing the commotion, she instinctively wanted to get up but was gently pressed down by Ye Shulian's hand on her shoulder.

"Go help Xiao Ran clear the dishes."

Saying that, she gave her daughter's back a little push and lifted her chin toward the kitchen.

Her eyes revealed a kind of helplessness and tacit approval of "a grown daughter cannot be kept at home."

The girl pursed her lips, a bit afraid to meet her mother's gaze directly.

She lowered her head, picked up the plates, and hurried after Gu Ran like a little wife.

With a "clatter," the kitchen sliding door closed, blocking the view from the living room.

The faucet was turned on, and warm water washed over the porcelain plates.

Gu Ran turned his head, looking at the girl beside him who was fighting with the dish soap with her head down, and couldn't help but laugh.

"Sister, was that piece of rib sweet just now?"

Hearing this, Ye Zhenzhen paused in wiping the plate.

Dog!

Now he knows to call her sister!

She turned sideways, elbowing a certain dog hard in the waist, lowering her voice, with a hint of embarrassment and annoyance:

"Gu 'Dog' Ran, you're getting bolder! You dare to spout nonsense in front of the elders, what do you mean by 'perfectly justifiable'? Who agreed to you?"

Gu Ran grimaced from the bump, but his hands didn't stop working.

Taking advantage of her unpreparedness, he quickly and lightly scraped her perky nose with his foam-covered finger.

A smear of white foam instantly stuck to the tip of her nose.

"It's just a matter of time."

He smiled brilliantly, leaning a bit closer, also lowering his voice:

"Besides, look at Aunt Ye's attitude just now. She obviously treats us as a 'bundle sale,' the kind with no returns."

"You!"

Ye Zhenzhen, embarrassed and annoyed, raised her hand to wipe the foam on his face. Seeing this, Gu Ran quickly smiled and dodged sideways.

Just as the two were about to stage a "full martial arts" scene in the cramped kitchen, Gu Ran's phone vibrated twice in his pocket.

He shook the water droplets off his hands and took out his phone.

The screen lit up, and a WeChat pop-up showed a message from Ye Jinliang, followed by three exclamation marks.

[Bastard, gather at the Starbucks on the first floor of the mall!!!]

Gu Ran raised an eyebrow.

This fatty, isn't it time to call me dad?

...

The two quickly cleaned up the battlefield and put the dishes away neatly.

When they walked out of the kitchen, Gu Xiangcheng was already snoring on the sofa.

Ye Shulian was holding a thin blanket, gently covering him with it.

The two went to the entryway to change shoes.

Ye Zhenzhen followed behind the boy, bending down to tie her shoelaces.

"Zhenzhen."

Hearing this, the girl's fingers tying her shoelaces suddenly stiffened, and her back instantly tightened.

The morning's "three-chamber trial" was still fresh in her memory, and she carefully turned her head.

However, Ye Shulian was just holding a beige light windbreaker, walking quickly to the entryway.

"It's getting colder these days, the wind outside is strong, especially at night, it's chilly."

Draping the windbreaker over the girl's shoulders, she carefully folded the collar for her daughter.

Then she turned to look at Gu Ran, who had already changed his shoes.

"Xiao Ran."

Gu Ran immediately stood up straight, "Yes, what's up, Aunt Ye."

Ye Shulian looked at the tall and straight boy in front of her with complex eyes.

There was gratification, worry, and a sense of resignation.

"There are many people and cars outside, drive safely."

Immediately after, she changed the subject, adding a mother's final instruction:

"It's rare for you classmates to get together, so have a good time. No need to rush back for dinner, but don't go crazy too late, just be home by eleven."

Eleven o'clock!

In the morning it was ten, and now it was extended to eleven!

This extra hour represented not only time, but solid trust.

Gu Ran put away his playful expression, looking serious, and nodded earnestly:

"Rest assured, if Sister Zhenzhen loses a single hair, I'll bring my head to see you, I'll sign a military pledge!"

"Silly boy, what nonsense are you talking about."

Noticing her mother's change, the girl's tense shoulders relaxed.

She looked up, seeing the fine lines at the corners of her mother's eyes, and her nose inexplicably felt a bit sour.

"Mom, we're leaving then."

"Go on, go on."

Ye Shulian waved her hand, turning back to the living room, not looking at the two again.

...

Half an hour later, the downtown mall.

Just as he walked to the open-air rest area outside the Starbucks on the first floor, Gu Ran's footsteps stopped.

Under a parasol not far away sat a man and a woman.

The boy was wearing a Japanese-style work jacket, his hair meticulously styled. It was none other than Ye Jinliang.

He was holding two cups of steaming hot coffee, carefully handing them to Pei Susu opposite him.

He even took out a tissue from his pocket, placing it at the bottom of the cup to prevent the girl from burning her hands.

That damn gentlemanly demeanor, who knows how many times it had been rehearsed.

And Pei Susu was wearing delicate light makeup today, dressed in an off-the-shoulder knit sweater.

When taking the coffee, the smile on her lips couldn't be hidden, and her eyes were sparkling.

Gu Ran and Ye Zhenzhen looked at each other.

Both of their eyes flickered with the same light.

"This fatty... went for further studies?"

Gu Ran clicked his tongue in wonder at Ye Jinliang's transformation.

Ye Zhenzhen covered her mouth and snickered, her eyes curving:

"It seems Susu, this tyrant flower, was really knocked out by this brick."

The two quickly walked over.

"Ahem!"

Gu Ran coughed heavily, startling the two whose eyes were locked together.

Ye Jinliang's hand shook, and he jumped in shock when he turned to see them.

"Holy crap! Lao Gu! Sister Zhenzhen! Why didn't you make a sound when walking! Are you cats?"

Ye Jinliang blushed, clumsily standing up to pull chairs.

Seeing his awkward appearance finally brought Gu Ran some sense of familiarity.

The few of them sat down.

Gu Ran's gaze swept over their closely pressed shoulders, finally landing on their hands under the table, which were hovering close together.

"Yo, you haven't even drank the coffee yet, why is there a sour smell?"

"I don't know, it feels like it's in the air."

The aloof girl added with sparkling eyes.

Pei Susu was generous, directly backhanding Ye Jinliang's hand.

Fingers intertwined, she raised them to the table and shook them.

She lifted her chin slightly, looking proud:

"What? Only the magistrate is allowed to set fires, but the common people aren't allowed to light lamps? Officially notifying you guys—"

"It's official, we're together!"