Chapter 6, Friends

Zuo Xinyan

Zhu Hui and she were classmates in middle school. Although they cannot be called best friends, their relationship was quite good since they were desk mates. At that time, everyone did not have mobile phones, and after graduating from middle school, they occasionally met and chatted for a sentence or two on QQ, maintaining their connection.

There will be no next time; this time is sufficient for me

Pajamas, my relative brought back a few sets for me from their business trip

"It is I ... ... " Xiao Yiyi hesitated for a moment, swallowing back the words "Sister Xinyan".

While Xiao Yiyi was mixing cold dishes in the kitchen and chatting with Liu Xin, the WeChat call notification on her phone rang. She picked up her phone from the nearby dining table, and the caller ID displayed: Zuo Xinyan is requesting to initiate a call with you

She is not being polite; she simply does not know what to talk about with her father. She hopes that there can be lively conversations between father and daughter. In reality, her father is a particularly talkative person, yet for some reason, he becomes somewhat dull when it comes to her. She even feels that chatting with Liu Xin is more comfortable than talking with her father.

When she first started working, she was always alone, just as she was during her school days. She never sought help from others, even when colleagues offered to assist her; she would politely smile and respond, "No, thank you, I can manage on my own." Unless someone directly placed something on her desk, she would never accept snacks offered by her colleagues. She would also decline invitations to occasional gatherings hosted by colleagues, citing her responsibilities at home with children.

The principle of reciprocity in gift-giving is an important social skill she learned after starting her career. In the past, she would not have thought of giving gifts to others, not out of stinginess, but simply due to a lack of awareness.

The waiter pushed the door open and brought in two plates of appetizers. Zhu Hui put the box into a paper bag and, after the waiter left, curiously asked, "So, how about that guy from last time? Did you two keep in touch?"

The final diagnosis for Yaya was pneumonia. That night, she was put on an IV drip, and by the time they returned home, it was already late at night.

On that New Year's Eve, she spent it in the hospital with Liang Yuchen and Yaya. Liang Yuchen was running up and down the stairs, while she sat in the corner holding Yaya, comforting her by saying that Mommy is here, Mommy is here

Xiao Yiyi smiled helplessly

While Yangyang was in the living room pestering his grandfather to play Plants vs. Zombies, Xiao Yiyi was helping out in the kitchen. Liu Xin told her not to worry, as she and the nanny were there, and that she could just go to the living room to chat with her father. Xiao Yiyi replied that her father was busy with Yangyang, and that she might as well lend a hand since she had nothing else to do.

She did not think there was anything wrong with being solitary, but after her former supervisor spoke with her twice, she decided to make a change, as one of the reasons she entered the workforce was also to hope for a transformation in herself

Zhu Huineng understands Xiao Yiyi's concerns, but she cannot empathize with them. When she decided to divorce her scoundrel ex-husband, she resolutely terminated the pregnancy of the child she had carried for more than two months. Although she sometimes feels guilty about that lost little life, more often she feels relieved, especially when she sees Xiao Yiyi's emotional and sexual life being constrained by two children

Hello, is this Yi? The other party quickly confirmed the connection

It is not necessarily required to find a man; in fact, I think being alone is quite good.

Zhu Hui then said: "However, I think you two have quite a connection, being able to meet like this. It would be a pity not to exchange contact information. If you don't want to develop it further, you can arrange to meet again next time; that way, you will be considered acquaintances, which is convenient."

One must consider the feelings of the child when having children. If, as you said, I were to find a boyfriend who does not talk about the future, it would inevitably let my child know, right? How would the child think about it? They would say he is a boyfriend, but in reality, he is just a sexual partner. Would the child treat him as just a regular friend of their mother? Or as a future stepfather? Children today are particularly sensitive. Even if I say he is just a regular friend, the child would not believe it. Moreover, I do not want to set a bad example for my child, making them think that relationships between men and women are so casual. I hope they understand that emotions should be taken seriously and cautiously. Children today are particularly sensitive. Even if I say he is just a regular friend, the child would not believe it. Moreover, I do not want to set a bad example for my child, making them think that relationships between men and women are so casual. I hope they understand that emotions should be taken seriously and cautiously. Especially for Yaya, who is entering puberty, it would have a negative impact on her to see her mother casually interacting with men.

Conversely, she also cannot think of taking the initiative to help others; apart from her own responsibilities, she does not see other busy colleagues who are eager to help. She does not snack herself and never buys anything to share with others. During lunch, she always sits alone in an inconspicuous corner of the cafeteria, eating while looking at her phone, or simply eating.

It is said that the eldest is raised according to the book, while the second is raised like a pig. Though the words may be coarse, the reasoning is sound. She still remembers the frantic and chaotic times when Yaya was ill during her childhood. Especially when Yaya was younger and somewhat frail, she would fall ill every winter. A cough would surely lead to pneumonia or bronchitis, and she often needed to be on an IV for several days to bring down the fever and recover

Liang Yuchen also has a younger brother who is more than ten years his junior, a biological brother with the same parents. Due to the generation gap, the two brothers often find themselves on different wavelengths, yet she can sense the unspoken bond of brotherhood between them. She truly envies this and sometimes secretly wishes that Xiao Zetao were her biological brother born to her mother.

Liang Yuchen also hardly took any rest. While she took care of Yaya, he was responsible for cooking, preparing medicine, and tidying up the diapers, milk bottles, or fever patches that she casually tossed aside. After she fell asleep holding the child, he would cover her with a blanket and adjust the soft pillow to make her sleep more comfortably

After finishing work, she first went home to pick up Yangyang. He had been ill a few days ago and had not attended kindergarten for several days, but he has been feeling better these past two days. Having experienced this with Yaya when she was younger, Xiao Yiyi generally does not worry too much about Yangyang's minor ailments. She usually lets him rest at home, and for more serious issues, she administers some medicine based on her experience. Unless there is a high fever, she typically does not seek medical attention. This time, the illness is not very serious; it is likely due to insufficient water intake at kindergarten, leading to some heatiness.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Ya Ya still had a fever all day long. After taking the antipyretic medication, her temperature dropped to around 38 degrees Celsius, but within four hours it rose again to above 39 degrees. Not even six hours had passed, and they did not dare to give her any more antipyretics. Instead, they used warm water to sponge her down, applied cooling patches and cooling roll-ons, and exhausted all the physical antipyretic products available at the pharmacy.

Xiao Yiyi shook her head: "If only I could be like you, but I have children"

Xiao Yiyi's father's house is a standalone villa. Xiao Yiyi came out of the kitchen, pushed open the back door, and walked into the yard. After hesitating for a moment, she returned the call to Zuo Xinyan, still using WeChat voice call, as they did not have each other's phone numbers and had only added each other on WeChat over the years.

"I’m sorry, I finish work at 11:30, so I can’t leave too early." Xiao Yiyi handed the paper bag to Zhu Hui, who had arrived more than ten minutes earlier, and sat down opposite her. "Have you ordered yet?"

They managed to endure those two or three days until Ya Ya's fever completely subsided

She scheduled a time with Liu Xin in advance to go to her father's house for dinner. In the past, she would directly call her dad for any matters, but later she intentionally changed to contacting Liu Xin. By now, she has become accustomed to discussing everything with Liu Xin first. It is impossible for her to truly regard Liu Xin as a mother; she is more like a half-friend, half-elder.

Ya Ya fell ill for the first time shortly after her first birthday, coinciding with the Spring Festival. The family's nanny had resigned, and it was difficult to hire someone during the New Year. They thought it would only be about ten days before they could find someone after the holiday. However, on the evening of New Year's Eve, Ya Ya suddenly developed a high fever. At that time, she and Liang Yuchan were preparing to take Ya Ya back to Liang Yuchan's parents' home for the New Year's Eve celebration. While dressing Ya Ya, she noticed that her body felt a bit warm, so she quickly took her temperature, which was nearly thirty-eight degrees.

Xiao Yiyi was somewhat taken aback, unsure whether she should answer the call. A few seconds later, the call notification ended, and the other party hung up.

In fact, she was certainly tired, with a sore back and aching arms, feeling as if her body might break into several pieces. Yaya was almost hanging on her all day long; she held Yaya with one arm while using the other to grip her clothing for support, pacing back and forth in the room. She persisted for one ten minutes, then another ten minutes, and only when Yaya fell into a deep sleep could she lean on the sofa with her, managing to doze off for one or two hours.

This is not about having never done anything wrong, is it a matter of being timid

Liang Yuchen said she had worked hard, but she did not feel it was difficult. Watching Yaya gradually recover in her arms, she felt that all her efforts were worthwhile. It was the first time she realized how important she was, being irreplaceably needed by someone.

Zhu Hui repeated her senior year of high school for one year and participated in an exchange student program between her university and a certain university in France. The two met by chance at the airport upon returning to their home country, exchanged phone numbers, and added each other on WeChat. Since then, their communication became increasingly frequent, occasionally meeting up. Initially, it was Zhu Hui who would invite her, but gradually she also began to take the initiative to invite Zhu Hui. Later, both experienced divorce, and their similar experiences allowed them to understand and support each other, ultimately becoming close friends.

Over time, she even gave up trying, comforting herself with the thought that perhaps many fathers and daughters are like this. Yet sometimes she felt a sense of nostalgia; when her mother was alive, she was very strict with her, while her father always protected her without any principles. At that time, she dared to share her secrets only with her father, believing that he was the link between her and her mother. It was only after her mother passed away that she realized her mother was actually the one who tightened the bond between them.

Due to Yangyang throwing a bit of a tantrum before leaving, Xiao Yiyi arrived at her father's house later than expected.

This won't do, that won't do either. Are you really planning to be single for a lifetime? How old is your child? It will still be more than ten years before Yangyang grows up.

"Who is it? Is there something you need?" Liu Xin casually asked

"It's done, still the same few items." Zhu Hui took the bag, "It's quite heavy, what is it, cosmetics?"

Xiao Yiyi ultimately decided to part with her possessions, giving away two sets as gifts

Zhu Hui sighed helplessly and chuckled, "Alright, I will give you a good one later. You can see whether the inanimate or the living is more useful."

On that morning, Zhu Hui went to take care of some matters near her workplace, and last night I had arranged to have lunch together. She said that was perfect, as she also had something to give me

Zhu Hui shook her head and smiled, then said: "Or as I mentioned to you before, find a steady boyfriend, someone familiar, so you don't have to worry about whether the other person is sick. It's not about being friends with benefits; it's just that both parties agree not to mention marriage and not to discuss feelings too much. Adult men and women can take what they need, and no one holds anyone back."

What is wrong with having children

She and Liang Yuchan hurriedly drove Ya Ya to the hospital. However, after a twenty-minute drive, her temperature had already exceeded 39.5 degrees Celsius. This was Ya Ya's first high fever, and neither she nor Liang Yuchan had any experience. They checked online and found that if the temperature was below 38.5 degrees, there was no need to take antipyretics. They never anticipated that her temperature would rise so quickly. In their haste to leave, neither of them thought to bring any antipyretics, and upon arriving at the hospital, they were scolded by the nurse for bundling the child up too much.

Ya Ya has been having trouble sleeping. In the two or three days before her fever completely subsided, she felt even worse. She could only sleep if someone held her, and she would cry if put down. The person holding her couldn't sit down either; the little one seemed to have a radar. Even with her eyes closed and squinting, as soon as the person holding her's bottom touched the sofa, she would start crying loudly. The little girl not only wanted to be held but also insisted on being held by her. When Liang Yuchen took her, she cried. Liang Yuchen said that she couldn't be allowed to suffer alone like this; if she wanted to cry, she should be allowed to cry for a while, and when she got tired from crying, she would sleep. The little girl not only wanted to be held but also insisted on being held by her. When Liang Yuchen took her, she cried. Liang Yuchen said that she couldn't be allowed to suffer alone like this; if she wanted to cry, she should be allowed to cry for a while, and when she got tired from crying, she would sleep. She said it was fine, she wasn't tired.

She is seventeen years younger than her brother, which already creates a significant generation gap. Moreover, they have different fathers. As soon as he was born, she left home to attend university, and later spent some time in the United Kingdom. Not long after returning to the country, she married Liang Yuchen, completely severing ties with her family. Therefore, although there is no conflict between them, there is also no strong sibling bond.

If Ding Jie can be considered family, then Zhu Hui can be regarded as Xiao Yiyi's only friend

"There really is no future; trying once is enough," Xiao Yiyi said seriously. "I have decided to take some time in a couple of days to check if I have contracted any illness."

Two sets of pajamas, one was given to Zhu Hui, and the other was given by Xiao Yiyi to Liu Xin, the stepmother whom she had loathed and hated for more than ten years, until she became a mother herself and began to empathize and understand her

This box is quite nice! Zhu Hui took out the intricately carved wooden box, opened it for a glance, and said with a smile, "Thank you, I was just recently tempted by some silk pajamas. How did you know my thoughts so well?"

As soon as Xiao Mu Yang entered the door, he went to cling to his grandfather, because his grandfather was the most indulgent towards him. Every time he visited, his grandfather would prepare new toys and openly give him candy in front of his mother

In fact, it is not that difficult

"It's not that, I just feel that I'm not really suited for this. At the time, I thought it was okay, but later I found it quite uninteresting. It would be better to buy a toy and be self-sufficient instead." Xiao Yiyi leaned forward slightly and said in a low voice, "I'm still quite scared now. What if he has some disease? He looks like the type who often goes out for casual encounters."

Xiao Yiyi still hesitated, pondering the likelihood that the other party had made a mistake when a message came through: Yiyi, I apologize for contacting you abruptly. Could you please give me a call back when it is convenient for you?

How is it? Is it due to poor technology or inadequate conditions?

The so-called conversations are not very formal; the soon-to-retire senior section chief often resembles a warm-hearted elder, reminding her, "Don't always eat alone at noon, sit with your colleagues and chat a bit"; "When you encounter colleagues in the building, regardless of whether you know them or not, just greet them; if you don't know their names, simply say 'Hello'"; "Don't spend all day hunched over the computer, it's not good for your cervical spine, get up and walk around a bit"; ... "Don't be too self-centered, communicate more with your colleagues"; ... "When you encounter colleagues in the building, regardless of whether you know them or not, just greet them; if you don't know their names, simply say 'Hello'"; "Don't spend all day hunched over the computer, it's not good for your cervical spine, get up and walk around a bit"; ... "Don't be too self-centered, communicate more with your colleagues"...

"What are you talking about, it's so embarrassing..." Xiao Yiyi recalled how she had left behind 800 yuan that night and fled in a panic. Later, by a stroke of luck, she ran into him at the university basketball gym. She tried to pretend she was mistaken for someone else, but was caught out on the spot, and almost ended up pulling out 200 yuan from her bag to give back to him.

In a Japanese restaurant that sells cheese fried chicken, stone pot rice, and soybean paste soup, Xiao Yiyi carried a bag and went up to the small private room on the second floor

Xiao Yiyi joked: "Don't you always say that toys are more useful than men? Just be self-sufficient."

On a weekday, at eleven o'clock, several people in the department mentioned that they had looked at the cafeteria menu and found the lunch to be quite unappetizing. They discussed going out together to improve their meals and asked Xiao Yiyi if she would join them. Xiao Yiyi replied that she would not go, as she had made plans with a classmate

It's nothing... just a friend, I'm going to return a call...

Xiao Yiyi stared blankly at the message for a long time, until Liu Xin called her name, bringing her back to her senses

Zhu Hui laughed lightly and said, "It's not your fault, it's not your fault; it's his taste that made it hard for you to notice."

Zhu Hui smiled and said, "It will be fine after the first time."

Zhu Hui lowered her voice: "What about sexual life? There will always be times of need, right"

Her father has always favored sons over daughters, and being a middle-aged parent, he inevitably dotes on his son. Fortunately, Liu Xin is relatively strict with her younger brother, so aside from being somewhat extravagant with money, he is essentially a kind-hearted person.

She usually makes a point to jot down some trivial matters, such as recent hot news and interesting anecdotes from Yangyang's life, to have conversation starters when she goes back to her father's house for dinner. However, the same topic that could be discussed for ten minutes with others is often wrapped up in just two or three sentences with her father, followed by a prolonged silence. If Yangyang is present, her lively interjections can alleviate some of the dullness, but if Yangyang is not there, the conversation typically ends with her getting up to find Liu Xin, look for Yangyang, or go to the restroom.

Xiao Yiyi's younger brother, Xiao Zetao, is in his third year of high school this year, yet he shows no signs of the stress typically associated with college entrance exam candidates. Tonight, he even made plans to go out for dinner with his classmates. Liu Xin often says that it is her father who has spoiled her brother. Although she also feels that her father indeed indulges her brother somewhat, they are not siblings from the same mother, so she refrains from saying too much. She often listens to Liu Xin's complaints and smiles helplessly in response. Liu Xin frequently mentions that her father has spoiled her brother, and while she agrees to some extent, she feels it is not her place to comment further, often just listening to Liu Xin's grievances and smiling resignedly.

Since then, she also began to try to integrate into her colleagues' casual conversations; occasionally dining together for food and drinks, she would take the initiative to settle the bill after every three or four gatherings; she bought a large assortment of snacks that she rarely touched herself and placed them in the communal cabinet in the office; when she saw someone walking towards her in the building, she no longer looked down pretending to check her phone, and even after learning how many people discussed her behind her back, she could still show them a smile, affectionately calling out "sister" or "good morning".

"Oh dear, don't scare yourself," Zhu Hui comforted, "Aren't you wearing a condom?"