Chapter Nine, Reunion

Two weeks later, she gave up her studies in the United Kingdom and returned home

She is not interested in marriage, and she doesn't even want to date. However, her father is unlikely to agree to her being single for life. If she could marry Liang Yuchen, it would not only help her avoid being forced into blind dates in the future and ending up marrying some random person, but it would also allow her to acquire a sum of wealth and immediately achieve financial freedom, living the life she has always longed for: relying on rental income to get by.

Watching her become increasingly listless day by day, her family no longer dared to pressure her. She had overheard Liu Xin discussing with her father the possibility of taking her to the hospital for a check-up, suggesting that she might be suffering from depression. Her father rejected the idea, saying not to speak nonsense, that the child was simply feeling down, and that it was best for her to rest at home. He believed she would recover in due time and that it was inappropriate to send her to a mental hospital when she was otherwise fine.

With this idea, she made her first effort in life to strive for something, and she went to find Liang Yuchen

Does he have a girlfriend? I even met her when I was in the UK. This was the first sentence she said after regaining her composure

She was rejected, not feeling sad or upset, but rather feeling a bit embarrassed and somewhat disappointed

Later, she was always reluctant to recall that embarrassing proposal experience, like a clown with a painted red nose bouncing around in front of Liang Yuchan. However, Liang Yuchan indeed behaved very gentlemanly, not mocking or despising her, but rather politely indicating that he had just ended a relationship and was currently not inclined to consider personal matters, let alone any plans for marriage

She told her father that she had been kicked out of the house by her classmates, wandering the streets in the rain; she mentioned that she could not understand what the teacher was saying in class, and at home, listening to recordings left her in despair; she said she had no friends at all, except for the cashier at the supermarket, and she hardly spoke to anyone in a month; she expressed that she was simply not cut out for studying, that she missed home, missed him, and also missed her mother

Her father holds some old-fashioned views; in fact, she herself is quite eager to go. It is not merely to break free from this state of isolation, but she feels that if the doctor were to officially diagnose her with depression or another mental illness, she could then comfortably continue to be a certified failure.

The couple at the same table conversed: "Indeed, we should let the children pursue their own paths. At our age, we ought to enjoy the blessings of our children, to play and to indulge ourselves. In a couple of years, when we have grandchildren, you won't be able to play as you wish; you'll be tied down completely.

Sometimes she feels that living like this, without concern for tomorrow, is quite good; at other times, she feels as if she is merely a shell, being directed by others to go east or west. When she crosses the street, she often thinks that if a truck were to suddenly come out and hit her, it wouldn't be so bad either

Upon returning to the country, she did not engage in open and free communication with others as if she were in her element; instead, she completely withdrew into her shell, spending all day at home without going out. Liu Xin asked her what her plans were: was she going to look for a job outside? Work at your father's company? Or perhaps at my beauty salon? Or would she consider opening her own shop, with some financial support from her father? She never responded directly, only saying that any option was fine.

What surprised her was that Liang Yuchen's parents unexpectedly thought she was quite good

When her father said the last sentence, his voice was very low and slow, filled with emotion, which instantly brought out all her grievances, and Xiao Yiyi couldn't help but cry on the phone

At that time, she only thought that Liang's mother was kindly helping her out of a difficult situation. Now, upon reflection, she realizes that Liu Xin was actually trying to sell something to Liang's mother. With no romantic experience, or to put it more bluntly, her "innocent status" was the only selling point she had. Liu Xin grasped the needs of her target audience, and it is evident that Liang's mother was indeed very satisfied.

"If you lose it, just buy another one. It's not a big deal. Out with the old, in with the new. Buy a better one. If you don't have enough money, just tell Dad, and he will transfer the money to you." It seems that noticing her low spirits and the slight change in her tone, her father comforted her, "It's okay, what is a broken phone worth? Just focus on your studies over there. Our family can afford not just you, but even ten more. If something is lost, just buy it. Nothing is important; studying is secondary, and your health is the most important. Since Dad is not there to take care of you, you must not let yourself feel wronged." "It's okay, what is a broken phone worth? Just focus on your studies over there. Our family can afford not just you, but even ten more. If something is lost, just buy it. Nothing is important; studying is secondary, and your health is the most important. Since Dad is not there to take care of you, you must not let yourself feel wronged."

She has never had a boyfriend, nor even a girlfriend; they see her as a pristine, unblemished white sheet of paper, indifferent to whether she is a high-quality, heavyweight white cardstock or an overlooked roll of toilet paper

That occasion marked her first attempt to "propose" to Liang Yuchan. She arranged to meet him, forcefully reminiscing about the past, expressing her gratitude for his care while she was in the UK. She mentioned that her mental state had not been very good at that time, which was why she returned home early, but now she had completely recovered. She was not particularly adept at normal interpersonal interactions, let alone seducing men. Under the impression that she was being subtle, she clumsily and naively expressed her desire to develop a relationship with him, showing particular satisfaction with the blind date arranged by her family, and even stated that she was ready to get married at any time.

Even though she is not very adept at reading people's minds, she can somewhat grasp her parents' intentions from Liu Xin's account: she is simple-minded, obedient, easy to manipulate, and will not engage in a battle of wits with them. As for her educational background and capabilities, they are completely indifferent; after all, her family background is considered a good match.

The marriage with Liang Yuchen was pursued by Xiao Yiyi herself; she proposed to Liang Yuchen twice.

During that meal, Xiao Yiyi hardly spoke, responding only when asked by others. In contrast, Liang Yuchen not only answered the elders' questions and respectfully engaged in conversation, but also took on the responsibility of pouring tea, serving water, and refilling drinks for the elders. He was truly far superior to her; she had never possessed such perceptiveness. He knew whose drink was empty, who wanted to pick which dish, when to proactively offer a toast to the elders, what to say during the toast, which remarks from the elders required her to listen obediently and respond with "yes, yes" or "right, right," and which comments allowed for a light-hearted joke to elicit laughter from everyone. Liang Yuchen executed all of this flawlessly. In comparison, she felt like a complete fool.

A vague "anything is fine" sounds to family members like "nothing is fine"

Not long after that moving incident, she was on a bus when her phone possibly slipped out of her pocket and fell onto the vehicle. It was only after she got home that she realized it was missing. She called the bus company to inquire if any passengers had found it and handed it over to them. She felt that she had explained herself clearly, but the other party seemed unable to understand her. In the end, the matter was left unresolved

The next time Xiao Yiyi saw Liang Yuchen was at that moment

She choked on her tears over the phone, saying: "I miss my mom, I miss my mom..."

Of course, her self-esteem did not allow her to say it so bluntly, so she only said: "I don't think his parents would like me, right"

Her father said to Liang's father: "You are a blessed person, so you need not worry. I hope to rely on my son, but I still have to endure for more than ten more years."

"There was also a time before, we broke up." Liu Xin asked, "How is it? Do you think he is still okay?"

Her father and Liu Xin have even begun to discuss how much dowry should be prepared for her. Her father's view is that, given the Liang family's financial situation, the dowry cannot be too little, but it should not be excessive either, as if they are trying to show off or compare with others. Gold, silver, and cars are trivial matters; it is more appropriate to provide several apartments and commercial properties as the real dowry. They are preparing to give her several apartments and storefronts as her dowry.

That night, she called her father and said that her phone was lost

She agreed with this statement, believing that in her lifetime, she would certainly never encounter a better marriage partner than Liang Yuchen

Later, Liu Xin informed her that Liang Yuchen's parents thought she was quiet and composed, which was quite good. Although she was somewhat reserved, it was better for a girl to be modest than to be like those loud and boisterous girls

After returning to her home country, Xiao Yiyi did not manage to rise from her low point; instead, she sank deeper into darkness. Although no one at home blamed her, she still felt surrounded by various strange gazes: how come the children from other families could complete their studies well, even those who were somewhat useless could still manage to obtain a subpar diploma, yet she returned home in less than a year?

Xiao Yiyi stayed in the UK for only a few months and returned to her home country before completing her foundation course

Xiao Yiyi felt extremely embarrassed; she did not understand why Liu Xin said that. She was merely a freeloader living off her parents, and it made it seem as though she was on the same level as Liang Yuchen.

She was eventually pulled by Liu Xin to her beauty salon, saying that staying at home all the time was not good, and that going out to chat with people would greatly improve her mood. It was likely that Liu Xin had privately advised the staff, as the girls in the shop were very warm towards her, often engaging her in casual gossip or taking her to stroll around the nearby commercial center, and she found it hard to refuse them. While she was in the shop, she had little to do, just sitting at the front desk, sometimes helping to collect payments, essentially just idling.

She felt that if this dinner gathering did not have Liang Yuchan, who was only two years older than her, as a comparison, her dullness and clumsiness would not have been exposed so obviously. It was only after returning home that Liu Xin revealed to her that this was actually a matchmaking banquet arranged by their families for her and Liang Yuchan, leaving her in a daze for quite some time.

These words were not overheard by her; her father said this to Liu Xin in her presence and told her that she would never find anyone better than Liang Yuchen.

It was during that dinner gathering that she met Liang Yuchan and learned that he had also recently graduated and returned to the country. During the dinner, she also vaguely heard that Liang's father seemed to have some health issues and was preparing to gradually hand over the business to Liang Yuchan to manage, while he himself focused on recuperating and enjoying a comfortable life

At a dinner gathering, there were her family of four, Liang Yuchen's family, and another couple she did not know.

Her father was crying with her on the other end of the phone

If the marriage partner were someone else, her father probably would not give her so much, and the Liang family would not be involved with her several properties. It is sufficient that she does not covet their family's wealth. The important thing is that Liang Yuchen is a good person; marrying him without any emotional foundation and without deep understanding would definitely not be like jumping into a fire pit.

Xiao Yiyi felt that this question should not be directed at her. Did she think it was acceptable? Whether she thought it was or not was not important; the key point was that Liang Yuchen absolutely looked down on her.

She recalled that at the dinner party, Liu Xin mentioned that she was in her twenties and had never had a boyfriend, which made both her and her father a bit anxious. At that moment, Liang's mother looked over at her and kindly smiled, saying: "There is no need to rush; isn't twenty-something still young? During school, just focus on studying diligently and avoid all those distractions. It is truly rare to find a girl as beautiful and pure as Yi Yi; whoever marries her in the future will be fortunate."

After her father finished speaking, Liu Xin immediately smiled and replied, "I won't bother with you anymore. Anyway, I have Yi Yi now, and from now on, I will let her manage the affairs of my several stores. I'm going out to hang out with my friends first"