Why Are You Crying

"You and Youyou have a special relationship, don't you?"

"Uh, well... yeah, it is special."

"Youyou is a good girl—obedient, sensible, hardworking, and driven. It's just that she ended up with a lousy father, so she’s more sensitive, more insecure, and more guarded than most girls. She rarely trusts people. I’ve watched her grow up, and I can count on one hand the number of friends she’s had... I can tell you’re a good kid, and I trust Youyou’s judgment. You..."

Grandma Wang chatted with Liu Muye for a long time. At first, he was a little confused, but as the conversation went on, he realized that Grandma Wang had genuinely misunderstood his relationship with Han Juyou.

"No, Grandma, Han Juyou and I aren’t... Grandma, what are you doing?"

Before Liu Muye could finish explaining, Grandma Wang had already stuffed a few crumpled bills into his hand—about fifty yuan in loose change.

"Today’s your first time visiting me, and I didn’t prepare much. Take this and buy yourself something to eat."

"No, no, Grandma, I really can’t accept this!"

For a moment, Liu Muye felt as if he were seeing the shadow of the old man who ran the newspaper stand—the one who had been so kind to him years ago.

His eyes grew warm, and without thinking, he blurted out the words he’d always wanted to say to that old man: "You’ve already taken such good care of me. How could I take your money? Please take care of yourself—live a long, healthy life!"

Grandma Wang, perhaps a little hard of hearing, didn’t catch his words and kept insistently pushing the money into his hands.

After a long back-and-forth, Liu Muye finally gave in, and the small stack of bills ended up in his pocket.

"It’s just a little something from me. Next time, have Youyou bring you over to my place. I’ll cook something nice for both of you."

Grandma Wang held Liu Muye’s hand and said, "I’ve always treated Youyou like my own granddaughter. Seeing her with someone dependable now... it makes me so happy. That girl’s had a hard life. You better treat her well..."

"...Yeah."

Maybe just to make Grandma happy, Liu Muye didn’t correct her. He simply smiled and nodded.

After saying goodbye to Grandma Wang, Liu Muye followed Han Juyou out of Market Street.

On the way, Han Juyou asked curiously, "What did Grandma say to you?"

Liu Muye grinned. "Nothing much. Just told me a few stories about you when you were little."

"Ugh, Grandma always tells people about my embarrassing childhood moments." Han Juyou shook her head, half-amused, half-annoyed.

She gazed at the rows of dark, towering buildings lining Market Street and sighed. "Years ago, Grandma Wang had a son, but he died in an accident at a construction site. After that, she was left all alone."

"She makes a living selling vegetables here. When my grandma was still around, she and Grandma Wang were close. She used to bring me here to help Grandma Wang with her stall."

"After my grandma passed away, Grandma Wang treated me like her own. Whenever my parents fought and there was no food at home, I’d run to her crying, and she’d always cook something for me..."

The lighter Han Juyou made it sound, the heavier Liu Muye’s heart grew. Everything she’d been through mirrored his own past.

Without realizing it, tears had already wet his cheeks, but he was still lost in his memories.

"Why are you crying?"

Han Juyou’s voice snapped him back to reality.

Liu Muye quickly wiped his eyes and stubbornly retorted, "Don’t talk nonsense. I’m not crying."

"Sure, sure." Han Juyou pressed her lips together to suppress a laugh and pulled a tissue from her pocket, handing it to him.

Back when she first started school, Han Juyou had assumed rich people were all arrogant and indifferent, incapable of understanding the struggles of the poor.

When Liu Muye had used his connections to transfer into her class and flaunted his status as the school director’s son to pressure her during military training, she’d thought he was just like the rest.

But as she spent more time with him, she began to notice something different about Liu Muye. He wasn’t like the other wealthy kids... not at all.

Han Juyou asked, "How much money did you slip under Grandma’s waist pouch?"

"I didn’t count. Probably four or five bills." Liu Muye pulled out the handful of change Grandma Wang had given him earlier. "Here, take this back to her tomorrow."

"Grandma gave you money too? She’s really..." Han Juyou stared at the crumpled bills for a moment before shaking her head. "Never mind. Just keep it. You gave her money too, after all."

"..."

Liu Muye looked at the worn-out bills, folded them neatly, and tucked them into his wallet.

Han Juyou glanced at him. "Why are you still following me? Aren’t you going home?"

Liu Muye replied matter-of-factly, "Didn’t you tell Grandma Wang you were taking me home for dinner tonight?"

Han Juyou laughed. "I was just saying that. You actually believed me?"

Liu Muye flashed a bright grin. "Well, too bad. You said it, so I’m holding you to it."

"Such a pest." Han Juyou couldn’t help but chuckle. She rolled her eyes at him, then suddenly asked, "Do you eat meat?"

"Huh?" Liu Muye blinked, then grinned wider. "Yeah."

Han Juyou led him to a butcher’s stall, where a burly man greeted her. "Hey, Little Youyou, is this your boyfriend?"

Han Juyou waved a hand dismissively. "Uncle Zhang, don’t tease me. He’s just a classmate."

Liu Muye gave the man a polite smile.

"Rare to see you bring a friend around. Need some pork?"

"Half a pound—" Han Juyou paused, then corrected herself. "Actually, make it a pound of leg meat, the front leg. And one rib too."

"Coming right up."

Uncle Zhang swiftly weighed out the meat, chopped the rib into small pieces, and packed them separately.

He gestured to a large chunk of pork lung on the counter. "Want some lung? On the house. I’m about to close up anyway."

"Sure, thanks, Uncle Zhang."

"No problem. Got a guest over—might as well make a few extra dishes, right?"

The butcher laughed heartily as he handed over the bags. Liu Muye quickly reached out to take them for Han Juyou.

After buying the meat, Han Juyou picked up some spices for the stew. Once everything was ready, she headed home with Liu Muye in tow.

She stole a glance at him, watching as he carried the groceries like a dutiful assistant trailing behind her.

A soft smile curled at the corners of her lips.

...