"People will grow up and mature; it seems she has grown up too." Tang Yue thought it was a good thing that Zhang Min had matured.
Speaking of Zhang Min, Tang Yue thought of Zhang Minmin and wondered how she and Jin Yu were doing.
After hanging up the phone, Tang Yue absentmindedly stared at it, realizing that her parents would soon be arriving in Jing City. By then, no matter how much she wanted to hide Xiao Jun’s situation, it would probably be impossible to conceal it.
What would happen after her mom found out?
Just thinking about it gave Tang Yue a headache.
"What’s wrong?" Si Yu saw her rubbing her forehead and thought she had a headache. He placed his thumb on Tang Yue’s temple, gently massaging it. The appropriate pressure made Tang Yue feel extremely comfortable. She said, "It’s still Xiao Jun’s matter. I hope we can hear some good news when we go to Changshui Village tomorrow."
"How about I take a day off tomorrow?"
As soon as Si Yu spoke, Tang Yue interrupted him, saying, "No, Si Yu, you’ve already taken quite a bit of time off because of Xiao Jun. Although you are Mr. Meng now, you can’t take time off so frequently. Besides, we shouldn’t trouble Dad."
"But I worry about you."
Si Yu continued to gently massage her. Last time they went to Changshui Village, he developed blisters on his feet. If he hadn’t insisted on carrying Tang Yue, who knows how many blisters they would have ended up with? This time, there wouldn’t be a helicopter available, which meant Tang Yue would have to walk to the village.
The thought of not being by her side made him uneasy.
"Si Yu, I’m not a little kid. You don’t need to worry so much." Tang Yue smiled gently at him, turned to look at him with a worried expression, and said, "Xiao Yang mentioned that they’ve started road construction there, and there are some construction vehicles we can ride part of the way. Walk a bit, ride a bit, and it doesn’t feel as tiring."
"Don’t worry; the last time we were unprepared, and I had just returned from abroad. After some rest and recovery, I definitely won’t end up like last time, with blisters on my feet." Tang Yue asserted confidently, "When you keep worrying over me like this, it makes me feel useless."
She lowered her head, feeling somewhat lost and said, "I don’t contribute much; I just hold you back and often make you take leave. I’ve become a burden to you."
"Nonsense."
Si Yu squatted down to meet her gaze, gently lifted her face, and said, "How could you be a burden to me? Even if you were a burden, you’d be my sweetest burden. Without you, my life would be incomplete."
"Don’t let your mind wander. It’s just that I’m too concerned about you. I wish I could shrink you down, tuck you in my pocket, and carry you with me everywhere so I could see you anytime."
Si Yu stood up and embraced her, laying his chin on her dark hair, and said, "How can I make you smaller?"
"What do you think you are, a deity or Doraemon?" Tang Yue said playfully, her mind flashing to future novels with all kinds of spaces you could carry with you. If she had that, she could certainly carry it with her everywhere.
However, being able to reincarnate was already a blessing she had earned, and Tang Yue knew not to be too greedy.
"When did you start watching cartoons with Chenchen?"
Si Yu ruffled her long hair, saying, "Tomorrow, go with Ding Ling. If you get too tired, let Ding Ling carry you."
"Yes, I’m going soon. I wanted to see you before I left." Gu Hang grinned, revealing neat, white teeth, and said, "Sun Rou, I’m lucky to have caught you just as you came out."
"I wish you a safe journey." Sun Rou waved at him, her eyes narrowing with a smile. Last night, she spoke on the phone with her sister Sun Qing, who was very happy to hear she and Gu Hang had agreed to be together. However, upon hearing Gu Hang would spend a year teaching in Changshui Village, Sun Qing was somewhat hesitant.
Sun Rou had said, "Sis, you and brother-in-law waited several years before getting married. We’ve just gotten together; a year is the perfect time to see if we’re truly compatible."
Sun Rou’s words completely won Sun Qing over. She agreed that although Gu Hang seemed nice, a long-term relationship reveals true nature, and spending more time together before marrying would indeed be more prudent.
"Xiao Rou, you’ve always been physically weaker than others. Doesn’t he mind?" Sun Qing had asked yesterday.
Sun Rou had replied, "Gu Hang has long known about my health situation." If he really minded, he would likely not have asked to be with her, right?
"Xiao Rou, let’s grab a bite to eat." Gu Hang gestured toward a nearby breakfast shop and said, "After eating, I’ll head to Tang Yue’s studio."
They had initially planned to meet at seven in the morning, and it was just past six now, leaving a little more time.
"Okay."
Sun Rou led Gu Hang to have a bowl of steaming saozi noodle soup. The hot meal warmed them up and dispelled the chill from their hearts. She reminded him gently, "Be sure to stay safe over there. Even if we can’t contact each other, we should be able to write letters."
"You know my address, so you can write me whenever." Sun Rou’s soft voice deepened Gu Hang’s sense of reluctance to leave.

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