Chapter 12: The Way She Looked Now Was Strikingly Like That Person from the Past
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After cursing Ye Siran furiously in her heart, Chen Li still put on a shameless smile and asked, “Siran, do you want to go to the Civil Affairs Bureau?”
She was determined to stop He Hongwen and Ye Ruyue from registering their marriage, and completely failed to notice the cold glint that flashed through Ye Siran’s eyes when she lowered her gaze.
“There’s no point going to the Civil Affairs Bureau. I’d rather go find Uncle He.” Ye Siran’s voice remained as soft as ever.
“That’s right, that’s right. Siran, let’s hurry and find Director He.” Burning with anxiety, Chen Li seized Ye Siran’s hand and pulled her away.
Ye Siran let herself be dragged along. Ever since childhood, she had never been loved by her own mother, and that had left her without any friends.
After all, very few people were willing to befriend someone even her own mother despised. Chen Li was the sole exception, always standing up for her.
Ye Siran treasured the bond between them. Even though Chen Li had constantly taken from her, in her previous life Ye Siran had still given her everything.
Having lived through one lifetime already, Ye Siran no longer felt the need to force friendships. After all, lofty music attracts few listeners, and a narrow mountaintop has room for only so many people.
They had barely reached the entrance of the compound when several middle-aged women surrounded them, each one enthusiastically tugging at Ye Siran.
“Siran, I heard you broke off your engagement with the He family’s second son. Would you consider my boy?”
“Siran, I wanted to speak to your mother this morning, but I never managed to find her. My cousin’s son says he knows you.”
“Siran, my nephew is six feet tall and excellent in every respect—”
Ye Siran had never imagined that, after breaking off her engagement, she would become so popular. Even with the experience of a previous lifetime, she was somewhat at a loss.
“Move back and talk to her properly. Stop pulling at the girl—can’t you see you’ve frightened her?” one of the women roared. She had no nephew, and her own son was already married.
“Hehe, I’m sorry, Siran. Auntie was simply too excited. Did I hurt you?” The woman who wanted to arrange a match with her son apologized sincerely.
“Siran, I’m sorry too. I only wanted to tell you how outstanding my nephew is.”
“Oh, our Siran really is something. Even after breaking off her engagement, people are already rushing to arrange marriages with her.”
Some of the women apologized while others continued flattering her, all of them grinning like jolly Buddhas.
Ye Siran could hardly blame them. She merely nodded lightly and said it was all right, then gave them a sweet smile.
Seeing that, the women showered her with even more praise, as though compliments cost nothing.
Chen Li was so angry that she ground her teeth. “All of you, get out of the way! Siran has to go see Director He.”
“Siran, what are you going to see Director He about?” one of the women asked casually. She knew Director He treated the girl well, which was precisely why she wanted to curry favor with Ye Siran.
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“Of course—”
Ye Siran knew exactly what Chen Li was about to say and immediately cut her off. “Goodbye, Aunties. Uncle He invited me to have lunch with him.”
“There are only ten minutes left before the lunch break. Siran, hurry along!” one of the women said with a beaming smile.
The others voluntarily stepped aside to clear a path for Ye Siran.
“See you later, Aunties.”
“These people are unbelievable. They blocked us for so long. He Hongwen and Ye Ruyue must already have registered their marriage!”
“Lili, why don’t you go take a look? I’ll hurry over to find Uncle He.”
“All right. I’ll go stop them first. You’d better hurry!” Chen Li said, then ran off.
Watching her anxious retreat, Ye Siran could only shake her head. She was not going to find Uncle He to stop He Hongwen from registering his marriage.
He Yongchang had spent the entire morning busy arranging Ye Siran’s transfer to the countryside. He wanted to repay his debt, and naturally, he was not doing it only for her sake.
The Ye family had been sent to Quma County in Qing Province, the poorest county in the region. Information and transportation there were both terribly inconvenient.
Although he had spent the past few years using his connections to look after them, the county was more than two thousand kilometers away. Mailing supplies took a very long time.
There was also no guarantee that anything he sent would reach the Ye family. Besides, he did not dare send things too openly.
So he had poured all his guilt toward the Ye family into Ye Siran, treating her even better than his own children.
He Yongchang had never dreamed of sending the girl to the countryside to endure such hardships. But since she had requested it herself, he naturally supported her with both hands raised.
While he was busy, the Civil Affairs Bureau called to say that his son had gone to the restroom eighteen times that morning, disappearing every time it was his turn.
It was enough to make him laugh in exasperation.
“Director He, there’s a young lady waiting outside to see you.”
“Quickly—ah, never mind. I’ll go out and meet her myself.” He Yongchang rose and strode outside.
“Uncle He.” Ye Siran greeted him with a smile. She looked obedient and gentle, her eyes clear and limpid.
Perhaps because she had walked there, her cheeks were flushed the soft pink of peach flesh. She looked sweet and alluring without being ostentatious, the sort of girl who inspired tenderness at a glance.
He Yongchang smiled kindly. “You must be hungry, Siran. Uncle He will take you to the state-run restaurant for lunch.”
“All right! I’ve never eaten at a restaurant before.” Her eyes and brows brimmed with delight, and her voice was sweet.
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“Order whatever you like, Siran. Uncle He will make sure you eat your fill.” After saying this, He Yongchang let out three hearty laughs.
Ye Siran ordered three dishes. One was her favorite, while the other two were He Yongchang’s favorites.
He Yongchang had not expected the timid Ye Siran to be so thoughtful, or to remember his preferences. “Siran, order two more dishes that you like.”
“That’s enough. Ordering too much would only waste food.”
“You really are a good girl. That fool Hongwen regrets it now and has been refusing to register his marriage with your sister. You—”
“Uncle He, I’ve made up my mind to leave. You were the one who taught me that I shouldn’t simply wait to be loved, but must learn to love myself. I want to devote my love to those who are worthy of it.”
He Yongchang studied Ye Siran seriously. Only then did he realize that his son was unworthy of the young woman before him, whether in appearance or in courage.
He abandoned the thought of trying to persuade her again. “Siran, I can tell that you truly loved Hongwen once.”
“I truly loved him before, and I still care for him now. But I also understand that a melon forcibly plucked will never be sweet. Besides, life is not made up of romantic love alone. There is family love as well.”
“You’re a remarkable girl. Your grandparents and the rest of your family are in the far northwest, roughly two thousand kilometers from here.”
“No matter how far it is, I’m not afraid. A few days ago, I dreamed that my grandmother had fallen ill. Uncle He, could you let me leave as soon as possible?”
“Since you’ve made up your mind, Uncle He will arrange for you to leave at eight tomorrow morning. Living conditions there are harsh, and it is inevitable that your health will suffer. I have here two thousand jin of grain coupons valid throughout the country, as well as more than six hundred yuan.”
As he spoke, He Yongchang handed Ye Siran a small cloth bundle. “Siran, do you dare take this much with you? Are you confident you can keep it safe?”
“Don’t worry, Uncle He. I won’t let you down. My stepfather also secretly gave me two thousand yuan last night—for buying out my engagement and securing the university placement you arranged for me.”
He Yongchang had sensed the previous night that Ye Siran seemed like an entirely different person. Her former timidity and narrow-minded pettiness had vanished without a trace, leaving behind only a calmness that felt unfamiliar.
Yet this was the way she had once been. The more he looked at her, the more he liked her, and inwardly he cursed Song Chunhua hundreds of times over.
If Song Chunhua had not schemed against them back then, that man would have married Lu Ran. The daughter they had together would have looked just like the young woman standing before him.
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