Chapter 23: Where Is There Any Affection Left?

In the bedroom, that photo album was considered Xianyu's personal property. Liang Youjia was only responsible for taking the pictures; he had no idea that Xianyu had developed them and kept them in an album. He hadn't even seen that album more than a few times. It was precisely because of this that Xianyu felt safe taking it with her.

Mr. Liang hurried upstairs, then hurried back down. His expression was a little better when he came down than when he went up, but he didn't stop moving and soon left again. A few seconds after his departure, he returned, addressing the housekeeper who happened to look up: "If Yuyu comes back, remember to call me."

"Yes, Mr. Liang."

Liang Youjia drove away, making at least ten calls along the way, but Xianyu’s phone remained off. He had considered driving to the airport, but halfway there, he received a call from Yu Qingzhou.

"Wasn't it agreed that you would take wedding photos today? Are you leaving Ruanruan all alone again?"

"A-You, I don't need to remind you how hard it was for Ruanruan when she lived abroad alone, do I?"

"If you treat Ruanruan poorly, see if I let you off."

Liang Youjia frowned, telling himself not to let his imagination run wild. It was just a birthday banquet; Xianyu was so understanding that she wouldn't be angry even if he stood her up. Perhaps she was just throwing a temper tantrum because he broke his word and had gone out shopping to clear her head. Once he finished the wedding photos in the evening, he would call her again, and she would surely have cooled off by then.

From boarding the train to reaching the exit of the high-speed rail station, Xianyu had paid for all her tickets in cash. It wasn't until she transferred to the long-distance bus that she finally took out her phone. Even though she was completely disillusioned with Liang Youjia and felt as if her heart had turned to ash, she still broke down in silent tears. The past flickered by like a lantern, and this time, it felt like a final farewell.

Xianyu turned on her phone and saw the missed calls from Liang Youjia, as well as one from the housekeeper. Since she hadn't returned the call, the housekeeper had sent a message asking if she would be home for dinner. Not being there at noon didn't necessarily mean she wouldn't be there for dinner; the servants were always polite, attentive, and dutiful. Xianyu guessed that since Liang Youjia had called her, it was possible he had returned home. Furthermore, the housekeeper's inquiry might have been prompted by him. Originally intending to reply normally, Xianyu immediately withdrew the thought. She decided to pretend she hadn't seen them at all.

After arriving in Qingji, she had checked in with her grandmother, so when she reached Puning, her cousin sent by her grandmother was there to pick her up on time. Her cousin, Song Tang, stood by the side of the road—a man of average height and gentle, elegant demeanor—waving as soon as he saw her and then walking forward.

"The journey must have been tiring, right?" Xianyu was still as beautiful as ever, a beauty like a rare pearl lost in the sea.

Walking through the crowd, she was a stunning beauty who stood out from the rest; one could spot her at a glance. Xianyu approached, carrying her bag and a suitcase. Inside the suitcase were the gifts Liang Youjia had brought for her grandmother. She was dressed simply this time, wearing no brand-name goods, which surprised Song Tang. It seemed that ever since she started dating, Xianyu had been exceptionally attentive to her attire; what could have happened to cause such a drastic change? Song Tang noticed but didn't say anything.

"It was alright." Xianyu’s relationship with her cousins was quite ordinary, not the kind where she could pour out her troubles or act spoiled.

"Let’s go home; Grandma has been waiting for you for a long time." Song Tang caught a glimpse of Xianyu rubbing her waist and realized she might be feeling some soreness, but since it wasn't convenient for her to confide in him, he didn't bring it up. He picked up her suitcase and put it into the trunk.

Xianyu rode in Song Tang’s car. Song Tang ran a mahjong parlor in the county town and drove a mid-range Audi worth a few hundred thousand. The car was filled with the faint scent of peaches. Xianyu watched the roadside trees blur past, trying her best to calm her mood. Life in a small town moved at a relatively slower pace. After living in the metropolis for so long, accustomed to high-rises and neon lights, every return felt like a high-speed train transforming into an electric scooter; she could truly feel the gentleness of the breeze and the warmth of the sun. Xianyu thought with a sense of resignation: should she just stay in Puning from now on?

"How is work in Beijing?" Song Tang suddenly asked.

Xianyu suddenly remembered that she had always told her relatives that after graduating from the dance academy, she had stayed on as a dance teacher at a university in Beijing.

"It's fine," she replied vaguely, clearly not wanting to talk about it.

"Your cousin-in-law wants to take the postgraduate entrance exam in Beijing. Since you graduated there, do you know which universities are better?" Song Tang felt a bit awkward and shifted the topic to something else.

Xianyu pondered for a moment and said, "They are all very good. Which one does she prefer—a 985 or a 211 school?"

"I don't really understand, haha," Song Tang scratched his head, his gentle face showing a touch of honesty. "I'll let her ask you herself."

Xianyu nodded. "Sure, as long as I know, I will tell her everything I know without reservation."

"I heard from Grandma that you have a boyfriend. He didn't come back with you this time?" The question finally arrived; Xianyu had known she couldn't escape it.

"Yeah, no. He's busy with work." Her long eyelashes lowered like the fluttering wings of a butterfly. After being asked so many times, after the knife had been driven in and pulled out so often, leaving blood flowing, everything felt completely numb.

"Right, big bosses are busy; it must be different from us common folk."

Xianyu was stunned. When had she ever said Liang Youjia was a big boss?

"He's not; he just runs a small business," Xianyu countered weakly.

"Stop joking. What kind of 'small business' can you have in Beijing? Besides, if he didn't have some ability, he wouldn't be able to afford that seaside villa. I heard it was even paid in full."

Xianyu heard the envy in Song Tang's voice, along with a hidden trace of jealousy. She knew that, as men, when faced with such a wealth gap, it was inevitable to feel unsettled. She just gave an awkward smile and remained silent.

Song Tang rubbed his nose and ended the topic. For the old lady's birthday banquet, they didn't go to a restaurant; they hired a chef to come to the house. The scenery here was beautiful and the space was wide. Except for Xianyu’s parents, all the other relatives had come, filling three or four tables. While accompanying her grandmother, Xianyu heard whispers from nearby.

"Life is going so well for them in Shanghai; how could they possibly be willing to return to a small county?"

"Their only son—in all these years, you could count the number of times he's come back on one hand. Only the granddaughter who was raised by her side is here. How unfilial!"

Grandmother was already eighty, and her hearing was far from what it used to be. She probably hadn't heard clearly, but Xianyu heard every word. A mocking curve appeared at the corner of her mouth. She didn't blame others for gossiping; even she felt her parents were unfilial. Not only unfilial, but they had never fulfilled their duty as parents for a single day.

"Yuyu, why are you daydreaming? Are you in a bad mood?" Grandma gripped Xianyu’s hand, her eyes full of concern. Seeing her grandmother's expression, Xianyu shook her head and reassured her, "No, don't overthink it."

"Yuyu, you've lost weight again. Did Youjia not take good care of you?" Grandma stroked Xianyu’s face, full of love and pity.

"No, I just haven't been eating much."

"You need to eat more, otherwise, being this thin, it won't be easy for you to carry a child in the future."

Xianyu knew the older generation cared about such things. She thought to herself: with no man left, how could she have a child?

"I know, Grandma." Xianyu buried her face in her grandmother's arms, her eyes reddening.

"How long do you plan to stay with Grandma this time?"

Xianyu paused for a moment before saying, "Grandma, I'm staying to keep you company, aren't you happy about that?"

Grandmother laughed, "Haha, of course not. If you stay with me, I couldn't be happier."

"But you have a boyfriend. If you stay away for too long, it will inevitably affect your relationship."

The smile on Xianyu's face froze. What relationship was left? Liang Youjia had already cast her aside long ago.