Chapter 9: The Ninth Year
Knowing Aunt Hai Xiang contracted gastric cancer, it was already the fall of the new year.
"I've said before, a lot of times during life lots of things are developed from nothing," On the hospital bed, aunt continued to say, "You see, like cancer cells."
"This makes no sense at all." Hai Ruo grumbly looked at her, on the side DongDong meowed, expressing support. Fortunately aunt holds some shares in this private hospital, otherwise there would have been no way for DongDong to come in.
"Ok, I'm already sick and you're still criticizing me, it really is the case that once you become a teacher for a long time it feels off if you don't lecture." At this time aunt was surprisingly more lively than usual, "Think more openly, I'm already fifty-something. Have seen beautiful scenery, have eaten delicious food, and have loved good men, and now I still have such a great niece." Saying this she pinched Hai Ruo's cheek, "Really, there's nothing regretful. You also don't need to be too sad, lots of things are fate driven, humans can only follow."
"Yes." Hai Ruo closed her eyes, the tears that she had been holding back leaked out from the corners.
At that moment aunt's hospital room door opened, the person who came in was a recent new boyfriend, he should be a foreigner, the face is dark and looks quite young, crying very hard, you can see the entire eye corners are all red.
Giving them some alone time, closing the door, Hai Ruo tightly hugged DongDong in her arms, squatting aganist the cold marble wall. DongDong exerted strength on his hindlegs to prop them on top of Hai Ruo's knees, stretching out his front paws to embrace Hai Ruo.
Like a truly reliable man, he wiped away her tears, and made comforting sounds by her ears.
Don't cry anymore, don't cry anymore, you still have me.
Last year during the time Hai Ruo invited aunt to stay over, Hai Xiang aunt had just done gastric resection surgery, because of the prescribed medicine, a lot of hair fell out, she simply cut it to a short length......still giving off a beautiful and arrogant look, so much so that Hai Ruo didn't notice anything wrong.
Until the sickness got so extreme that she couldn't get off the bed, she finally decided to call over her biggest concern in this world, hoping that they could spend the last passage of time together holding no regrets.
"I know, DongDong, I still have you." Hai Ruo held onto him who was in her arms a little tighter, even tighter.
"I just want to cry for a bit, it's nothing, nothing."
The condition took a turn for the worse, a month later, Ms. Hai Xiang's funeral was held at a small church, it is said that the reason was her last boyfriend being a priest. Being a family member, Hai Ruo wore a complete black-veiled outfit, with a sorrowful yet beautiful smile she nodded and thanked every guest.
DongDong was squatted by her feet as usual, feeling worried looking at Hai Ruo's pale face.
"Xiao Ruo, don't grieve too much." A man dapper in appearance placed a bunch of pink lilies on Ms. Hai Xiang's coffin, this is the type of flower that they both loved. But it was the familiar voice coming from the man that stunned DongDong.
"Lawyer Guo," Hai Ruo saw the familiar person, couldn't help but choke out sobs from the throat, "Aunt has always said that you were the most elegant youngster she has ever met."
"Of course," The middle-aged man surnamed Guo let out a radiant smile, "If I was born twenty years earlier, it can be said that I would pursue Aunt Hai."
"In addition, aunt Hai's will is looked through once a year with me, she wrote that fifty percent of her properties would be donated as charity funds, as for the remaining fifty percent, a real estate property along with the items and ten percent of her properties has been left for that gentleman."
Hai Ruo looked over at the unstoppable sorrowful man at the altar constantly without rest praying, and nodding.
"The remaining, aunt Hai left it all for you, before she would always tell me, that you refused to date, afraid that there would be no one to take care of you, these things left for you could be considered a safeguard." Lawyer Guo adjusted his glasses.
"......So, in the end aunt, aunt still fell in love with someone?" At this moment Hai Ruo looked at Hai Xiang's coffin, and smiled contently and gently, "That's really nice, aunt."
"What, finally willing to date, being enlightened at thirty-eight, really not easy." Lawyer Guo hoped that Hai Ruo would feel happy, making a little joke.
"Lawyer Guo back then didn't you say you would introduce me to a boyfriend." Hai Ruo had on a slight smile, "There's not even the sight of their shadow."
Talking to this point, Lawyer Guo heavily let out a sigh.
"He......□□ year because of a traffic accident passed away......"
And DongDong who was squatting by the side sank into shock and deep regret.
For the reason being no other than, that the person Lawyer Luo mentions......is him Chu Chengyu.
If we are talking that Chu Chengyu actually still has friends (he deeply questions this statement), then it can only be this one lawyer name Guo Yun. Back when Chu Chengyu first entered investment banking, his first client was Guo Yun. At that time Guo Yun was only an inexperienced paralegal, and when he came to consult about an economic lawsuit it was Chu Chengyu who he talked to.
Afterward Guo Yun gradually entrusted some of his additional savings to have Chu Chengyu take care of it, in comparison to other clients, due to Guo Yun's familiar skills he became one of the people in Chu Chengyu's mind categorized as "can be in contact with".
Can't remember as it was something from ten years and so ago, after Guo Yun finished his routined consultation on a sudden whim he said that he wanted to introduce a girlfriend for Chu Chengyu.
"You are already thirty right, and have never even fallen in love or dated before it's pretty unimaginable, are you training to become a great mage*?" Guo Yun said these words with good intentions.
He couldn't understand so he didn't reply, Chu Chengyu only continued to bury his head in the documents.
"Listen to me, that junior is quite amazing, it's one of my employer's niece. Do you remember, that time when you came over to fetch documents you saw a woman, it's that woman's niece, seeing her aunt's appearance you can already tell that she would be beautiful, her temperament totally matches yours, the most miraculous thing is that just like you she has also never dated before, her personality is also super gentle. An unreachable flower and a cool elite being together it would be really interesting............"
DongDong forgot how he later rejected this proposal, and had also forgotten this part of his boring past as this part of his life never evoked any waves*.
But now, his head was full of awakened memories, and unstoppable, painful regret.
"DongDong, what is it?" Don't know when, but Hai Ruo who had long finished conversing was holding him in her arms, using a position that was even more dependent than before.
He once had countless thoughts, about if he had met Hai Ruo when he was still a human being, what kind of scene it would be, thought about both good and bad things.
For example, on his way to work he would accidentally bump into Hai Ruo who was still a graduate student, the two would hit it off right away; or Hai Ruo was entrusted by others, came to investment bank where he worked, and found him for financial consultation, the hit it off, and went for dinner together; there were also sad situations, due to a misunderstanding they split, but they still reunite in the end; he had even imagined before how it would be like when he and Hai Ruo became old, holding each other's hands spending a lifetime together.
In fact his unsmiling, cold, and lonely temperament would make it hard for him to express his sincerity, but, she is Hai Ruo.
This reason itself is enough for him to start anew from his inside out, stirring up her heartstrings, in the end they would lie together happily.
But, these, are all just Chu Chengyu's imagination comforting himself.
He had never thought that they would have any type of entanglement in their previous lives.
His circle is too narrow and limited, Hai Ruo also isn't the type of person to make friends with everyone in the world.
He never thought, how could he have thought, before they had this incredibly unimaginable way of meeting, God had already given him a big opportunity......and he didn't even spare a glance dismissing it.
"DongDong, are you feeling unwell?" Hai Ruo's tone became urgent.
"Meow." It's nothing.
It's nothing, nothing.
Chu Chengyu endured the pain he felt in his heart that was similar to it being bound up, and licked Hai Ruo's cheek.
"Don't have problems," Hai Ruo's low voice entered his ears, "I only have you now, don't have problems."
DongDong raised his head, and tried to emit as lively as he could a few meows.
Only feeling a little regretful. He resisted the urge to cry, seeing Hai Ruo's frowning eyebrows but still soothing smile, and meowed out a few more times.
*When Guo Yun is talking about training to be a great mage it's a little joke-ish saying, basically saying they going to transcend while being forever alone. Since the time it would take to become a great mage is hundreds of years so they wouldn't really have the time to focus on love.
*Not evoking waves- He is saying his life was pretty much the same routine/ having no disturbances.
Reading this again, and it's just as depressing as I remember
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