Evening had fallen, and the sky was dyed a warm orange.
Su Wanqing checked the time—it was about right—and, carrying a bag of coconut cakes, hummed a little tune as she walked out.
As she reached the door, she saw Lu Yan standing tall under the old locust tree.
His military green uniform emphasized his broad shoulders and narrow waist, the brim of his cap slightly shading his eyes, leaving only a pair of dark, calm pools of gaze.
He was slightly turned, speaking to the person beside him.
Or rather, communicating in sign language.
The man wore a dark blue shirt, probably in his early forties, with a stern expression, speaking softly.
Lu Yan nodded in response, his gestures crisp and deliberate. Their silent conversation flowed naturally.
Su Wanqing took a deep breath and quickened her steps, a smile brightening her face: “Lu Yan, I’m here! Guess what I brought you?”
Lu Yan turned at the sound of her voice, his dark eyes landing on her. Under the cap, his gaze paused, like a pebble dropped into a deep pond, sending out faint ripples.
He first gestured to the person beside him.
Cheng Xinshu’s expression was stern, and he nodded toward Su Wanqing.
Her steps slowed, her gaze following Lu Yan’s fluid, precise hand movements.
The rise and fall of his fingers, the twists and flips—they looked like an indecipherable code to her.
So close, yet separated by an invisible wall.
Her thoughts stalled for a moment, and suddenly an idea popped up.
Sign language.
If she learned it, communication with Lu Yan would be so much smoother. She could understand him directly, making things far easier.
But just as the thought formed, Lu Yan’s next move poured cold water on it.
He gestured two words to her: wait a moment.
Then he turned to the middle-aged man and signed something.
Cheng Xinshu glanced at Su Wanqing, frowning slightly.
They seemed to be discussing something confidential.
Cheng Xinshu hesitated, then signed back.
Lu Yan’s expression remained calm as he occasionally responded.
The two of them didn’t once look at Su Wanqing again, as if she were nothing more than background scenery.
She frowned, a little displeased.
The spark of excitement she had just felt was mostly extinguished by this sudden turn of events.
They had agreed to leave work together, yet she was just an accessory?
Su Wanqing pressed her lips together, cheeks puffing slightly, and instinctively took a half-step back.
When Lu Yan finally finished the conversation, he glanced up and caught sight of her tense profile and her eyes, clearly drooping with disappointment.
A flicker of confusion passed his dark eyes as he unconsciously rubbed the edge of his notebook.
She had been smiling just moments ago—why the sudden shift?
Su Wanqing spoke first: “Are you done talking?”
Lu Yan didn’t nod.
Cheng Xinshu, however, waved toward a direction with a serious expression: “Come out.”
Following his gesture, Su Wanqing saw a young boy, half-grown, slouching reluctantly from behind a banyan tree.
It was none other than Lu Zhengming, whom they had seen that morning.
But…
“What’s with your face?”
As Lu Zhengming approached, Su Wanqing couldn’t help but ask, her brow slightly furrowed, her anger replaced with curious concern.
Lu Zhengming’s bruised and swollen face radiated hostility, and with a bandage at the corner of his mouth, he snapped viciously: “None of your business!”
Like a powder keg, ready to explode at any moment.
Su Wanqing: …
Little brother, why are you taking your anger out on me?
Lu Yan frowned and gave Lu Zhengming a warning kick.
“Lu Zhengming, how do you speak to your elders!” Cheng Xinshu scolded sharply.
Lu Zhengming stiffened his neck and fell silent.
“Regarding Lu Zhengming, the school has decided he must take a leave of absence and reflect at home. There’s no room for negotiation. Only after he truly acknowledges his mistakes and apologizes will we consider allowing him to return.”
Cheng Xinshu finished speaking and walked away without looking back.
The information hit hard. Su Wanqing froze for two seconds before realizing…
In just one day, Lu Zhengming had been suspended??
Judging by the bruises on his face, was it due to fighting?
In an instant, Su Wanqing pieced together the likely sequence of events.
The middle-aged man was probably the school principal.
Lu Yan had just been negotiating with him regarding Lu Zhengming’s suspension.
From the man’s tone, and the obvious wounds on Lu Zhengming’s face…
The suspension must have happened that morning.
And at noon, Lu Yan had suddenly asked her to wait for him to leave work together…
Su Wanqing’s heart sank as she guessed further.
Unaware, Lu Yan lowered his eyes and took a small notebook and pen from his pocket. He wrote for a moment, then handed the notebook over.
Neat handwriting read: Lu Zhengming needs to stay at home for about ten days. Can you accept this?
The wording was strictly formal.
Su Wanqing refused to give up: “Lu Yan, did you ask me to leave work together just to tell me this?”
Lu Yan’s dark eyes met hers calmly.
He nodded.
Su Wanqing closed her eyes briefly. When she opened them, all her expectations had vanished.
The sweet idea of leaving work together was a lie.
As expected, Lu Yan would never take the initiative!
His gaze fell into hers, meeting her anger-filled eyes.
Her eyes glimmered red—not from tears, but from irritation, like a tiny cat that had been ruffled.
Lu Yan froze. His usual calm seemed to pause, as if someone had pressed a stop button.
Angry?
Why angry?
His gaze searched hers subtly.
He pinched his pen, about to write a question.
But Su Wanqing spoke in a half-hearted tone: “Whatever, it’s your house. You decide.”
His pen paused and then he altered the note.
When handed back, it read: I’m on duty tonight and may come home late.
The little spark of anger she had just suppressed surged back instantly.
So it really was just for this one thing.
He still had duty and never intended to go home with her!
Su Wanqing shoved the parchment-wrapped package in her arms forcefully into his hand.
“For you.”
She muttered.
Before Lu Yan could react, she turned and strode toward the opposite direction of the residential compound.
Her steps were brisk and urgent, even her back radiated a huffing frustration.
Lu Yan looked down at the package in his hands. The faint scent of coconut lingered at his nose.
Opening it, he saw several neatly shaped coconut cakes, snow-white with golden coconut flakes, still warm.
Looking up, the little figure had already disappeared around the corner.
“Brother, look at her! I told you, she can’t handle it—getting upset over something so small!”
Lu Zhengming came up to Lu Yan, pouting in Su Wanqing’s direction, muttering:
“It’s just a few days at home. Does she really have to react this way?”
Lu Yan pinched a soft piece of coconut cake between his fingers, the faintest crease appearing between his brows.
Why did she suddenly get angry?
Was it because Lu Zhengming had to stay home?
He carefully stored the coconut cakes in his uniform pocket.
Then he turned to his stubborn cousin, his lips forming a straight line.
…
Meanwhile, Su Wanqing didn’t go home at all. She followed the path straight to the seaside.
The tide had just receded, the salty sea breeze brushing her face, slightly dissipating the suffocating feeling in her chest.
She kicked off her shoes, stepping barefoot onto the slightly cool sand, bent down to pick up a shell, and threw it forcefully into the sea.
“What a joke… I thought something was progressing, but it was all in my head.”
Su Wanqing muttered, absentmindedly picking at the seaweed clinging to the rocks.
Disappointment was real, but more than that, she felt defiant.
Time is on her side; she didn’t believe she couldn’t win him over.
As the minor frustration faded, her resolve strengthened.
She picked up a smooth shell, wiped off the sand, and her eyes glimmered once more.
Sign language—must learn it!