Chapter 17: But When I See You Again, I’m Still Overjoyed
Yuxiang enthusiastically added Feng Duo on WeChat, and Jiang Muhe as well.
Feng Duo teased her, “Don’t call him ‘Brother Jiang’; it sounds old-fashioned. Just call him ‘Brother Mu’.”
Yuxiang winked at Jiang Muhe. “Old-fashioned? Brother Mu is the youngest and most handsome among us!”
Knowing she was joking, Jiang Muhe smiled shyly and said, “Thank you.”
Yuxiang: “Brother Mu can’t be much older than Sister Youyun, right? You both look so young!”
That didn’t sound like a compliment.
Youyun took a deep breath, silently praying that Yuxiang wouldn’t drag her into this.
Xiao Sun, who had been quietly eating all along, suddenly remembered something and asked Youyun, “Sister, if your birthday falls around this time, you must be a Gemini, right?”
Youyun nodded and said, “Yes, I’m a contradictory Gemini.”
Zhang He teased, “How are you like a Gemini? You seem more like an Aries with such a fiery temper!”
Youyun retorted, “You’re the sheep!”
Zhang He replied, “I’m an ox! A Taurus!”
Youyun: “Ha, no wonder, so stubborn and stingy.”
Zhang He: “But when it comes to love, Taurus is the most reliable and devoted! You Geminis are all notorious flirters!”
Youyun: “Who have I flirted with? Have I flirted with you? Don’t just slap labels on people!”
Zhang He: “You say you haven’t? You’ve had a boyfriend nonstop since school!”
“…” Youyun covered her face in embarrassment.
Everyone burst into laughter.
Yu Xiang quickly stepped in to smooth things over: “Sister Youyun is such a beautiful girl; if I were a man, I’d chase after her too!”
Feng Duo nodded in agreement, while Yu Xiang added earnestly, “Sister Youyun, you must find yourself an Aquarius man—Gemini and Aquarius are the most compatible!”
Zhang He protested, “I’m compatible with Taurus too! What about our friendship of over ten years!”
Yuxiang replied, “I’m talking about romantic relationships; friendship doesn’t matter!”
Youyun disagreed, “Astrological compatibility isn’t accurate anyway. Many of my married friends aren’t compatible with their partners’ signs, yet they’re doing just fine. Why should I specifically look for an Aquarius?”
Yu Xiang then asked everyone else about their zodiac signs. When she got to Jiang Muhe, he said he didn’t know. She asked him for his solar calendar birthday, but he replied that he only celebrated according to the lunar calendar, which sometimes fell in January and other times in February.
Those who understand, understand—this person clearly wasn’t keen on revealing personal information.
But Yu Xiang didn’t care at all. Clapping her hands together, she exclaimed, “Then you’re either a Capricorn or an Aquarius! This really complicates things!”
Jiang Muhe seemed intrigued by the topic. He pulled his chair forward slightly and asked her, “How so?”
Yuxiang acted like an astrologer, her eyes gleaming with enigmatic wisdom: “Capricorn and Gemini are a clashing pair, but Aquarius and Gemini are a match made in heaven!”
Youyun stopped mid-sentence, covering her face with her hand, and whispered, “Why does it have to be with a Gemini…”
Yuxiang chuckled softly.
Jiang Muhe glanced at Youyun but didn’t press further. He reached for his phone to check the calendar, then thought better of it and put it down. What was the point, anyway?
Feng Duo, sensing Jiang Muhe’s awkwardness, quickly chimed in, “Whether they’re compatible or not, our Brother Mu certainly never lacks admirers; he has so many! He doesn’t even dare show up casually at the company nowadays, or else countless female colleagues would specially seek him out to ‘report on work’!”
Yu Xiang nodded vigorously, “Exactly, exactly! Both of these zodiac signs are notorious for attracting romance!”
Jiang Muhe crossed his arms and shot Feng Duo a glare.
Feng Duo chuckled awkwardly, “But then again, our Brother Mu is such an iron tree; he’s never even bloomed!”
Everyone burst into laughter, saying it was impossible.
Youyun couldn’t help herself either and silently smiled.
Jiang Muhe propped his forehead with one hand, unwilling to deal with this group any longer.
The night grew deeper, the rushing sound of the river blending with the stage music, the clinking of glasses, and the hum of conversation, making Jiang Muhe feel as though this were a farewell among old friends.
That was just as well; he had originally wanted to find an opportunity to meet Liang Youyun again, to demonstrate his composure and indifference, and to bid her farewell, yet he had felt such a chance was slim. Today’s coincidence had perfectly resolved that issue.
By the time they emerged from the bar, the surroundings were nearly deserted; it was approaching midnight, and the weary were gradually heading home.
They walked along the quiet road, where lush bamboo groves rustled softly in the night breeze.
Liang Youyun noticed Jiang Muhe walking at the rear, silent and seemingly forlorn. She slowed her pace to walk beside him and asked if he needed to call a designated driver.
Jiang Muhe replied, “I didn’t drive.”
“Then how did you get here?”
“I walked.”
“Walking? It’s three kilometers to Mannuan!” Youyun exclaimed in surprise; with the mountain road, it would probably take even longer.
“Mm, not too far,” he said with a gentle smile.
Feng Duo turned around and chimed in, “Don’t worry about him; walking or running is like resting for Brother Mu.”
Youyun cast an admiring glance his way. Back in her day, she had nearly passed out running just 800 meters—how could anyone consider that resting? Unbelievable!
“Why don’t you ride with us? We’re heading to Mannuan to drop off Zhang He anyway!” she suggested.
“No need.” Muhe shook his head, hands tucked in his pockets, strolling leisurely. “I’ll just walk back on my own.”
“Oh… then be careful on your way.” She didn’t know what else to say.
Jiang Muhe smiled. “Alright.”
Feng Duo chimed in again, joking, “With him around, it’s the bad guys who should be careful!”
Everyone laughed.
Feng Duo returned to the hotel, and the others got into the car, leaving only Jiang Muhe standing by the roadside.
Xiao Sun started the engine, rolled down the window, and everyone said goodbye to Jiang Muhe.
He simply waved back.
This bamboo-lined road was somewhat long; just as the car was about to turn, Youyun couldn’t resist glancing back. Through the rear window, she saw Jiang Muhe still standing alone by the roadside, hands in his pockets, silently watching them depart.
The sparse glow of streetlights fell upon him, casting a hazy, indistinct light across his face.
As the car rounded the bend, he completely disappeared from sight.
Xiao Sun pressed harder on the accelerator to speed up, but just as he did, Liang Youyun said, “Stop!”
“What?” Xiao Sun jumped in surprise. “What’s wrong, sister?”
“I… I want to get off. Stop the car, Xiao Sun!”
Zhang He asked from the passenger seat, “Why are we stopping? Where are you going?”
“I have something to do!”
“What could be so urgent? The concert is already over!”
“I have matters to attend to. You all go ahead; don’t wait for me!”
“Alright, alright, stop! Stop!” Yuxiang, fearing her anxiety, patted Xiao Sun on the shoulder.
Liang Youyun insisted on getting out of the car, so Zhang He could only urge, “I’ll call you in a moment to make sure you’re safe. You must answer; otherwise, we’ll turn back immediately!”
A wave of warmth swept through Youyun’s heart, and she nodded vigorously at him.
She stepped out of the car and headed in the original direction, but feeling pressed for time, she broke into a light jog. In her mind, she reasoned that if she turned the corner and couldn’t see him, she would turn back.
Thinking of this, she ran with all her might.
She was wearing low-heeled leather shoes today, their heels clicking “tap-tap-tap” against the concrete ground; in such a quiet late night, the sound was especially noticeable.
Her breathing grew heavier; she had only run a few steps before becoming breathless.
But she did not stop.
Ran forward like a madman.
Years of training have made Jiang Muhe acutely sensitive to the slightest details—sounds, movements, glances, even rhythms.
During missions, he must remain constantly vigilant of his surroundings; these subtle cues can mean the difference between life and death. A single lapse in attention could lead to disaster.
The moment he turned, his keen ears caught a tapping sound approaching from afar—a somewhat familiar rhythm. He had noticed it earlier while they were walking together.
He quickly spun around.
At first, he dared not be certain, but as the footsteps drew nearer, mingled with increasingly rapid breathing, he became almost absolutely sure: it was Liang Youyun.
Though he had no idea why she had returned, an inexplicable sense of anticipation rose within him, only to be swiftly dismissed by his own reasoning. No, he couldn’t allow himself that; he must not indulge in any further wishful thinking.
Sure enough, at the end of the path beneath a grove of bamboo, Liang Youyun’s figure burst forth, turning quickly from around the bend onto this very road.
She ran until utterly exhausted, her long hair streaming in the wind, her expression strained as if she could barely go on. Only when she looked up and saw him did she finally slow to a halt, stumbling a few steps before bending over, clutching her stomach and gasping for breath.
Time seemed to stand still.
“Youyun—”
Jiang Muhe could no longer contain himself; he sprinted forward, taking three steps at once. His blood boiled instantly, every cell in his body activated, pushing him to maximum speed in that moment.
He approached like a storm, bracing her body with both hands.
Liang Youyun must have run too fast; she was completely drained, her body limp and unable to lift her head. Bending over, she gasped, “…Let me… catch my breath first…”
She leaned on her knees, mouth dry, brain starved of oxygen, chest heaving violently. The massive buildup of lactic acid made her muscles burn and ache.
It felt like she was dying.
She still clutched her stomach, where a sharp stitch pierced through with agonizing pain.
Jiang Muhe supported her, his heart aching even more.
Without a word, he pulled her arm over his shoulder, turned his back to her, bent down, and in the blink of an eye, hoisted her onto his back.
Youyun felt herself dangling lightly against his back; that broad, solid spine was the only thing she could rely on at this moment.
Her heart still pounded violently. Her throat felt raw from gasping in great breaths of air; each inhalation seemed as though it might draw blood.
Jiang Muhe slowed his pace, in no hurry to move forward. Liang Youyun’s pounding heart seemed to grow on his back, allowing him to feel her emotions and share her pain.
Thus, the two of them walked on, pressed close together.
After a while, as Youyun recovered slightly, she said to him, “I’m feeling much better now; please put me down…”
Her voice lingered just behind his ear, each word warm and heated.
Jiang Muhe seemed not to have heard, his gaze fixed ahead as he continued walking.
“Put me down, I don’t want you to carry me anymore…” Youyun pleaded softly, tapping his shoulder with her knuckles.
Muhe still said nothing; instead, as he walked, he gradually broke into a light run. His strides lengthened, his spine straightened slightly, and every muscle in his body moved in perfect rhythm—yet he didn’t even seem to be breathing hard!
Afraid of falling, Liang Youyun could only hold on tighter, wrapping her arms firmly around his neck. She could feel his Adam’s apple brushing against the inner side of her arm, moving up and down; she was genuinely afraid of crushing that soft, delicate thing.
“Alright, alright, I surrender! Please stop running!” she pleaded.
She heard Jiang Muhe laugh heartily twice, like a child who had just won a game, his face beaming with triumph.
He resumed walking slowly, turning his head slightly to ask Youyun in a gentle tone, “Why did you rush back so hurriedly?”
Youyun felt too embarrassed to speak, yet she knew that since she had returned, she must face him with sincerity.
“I… I want to say sorry to you…”
For some reason, her heart suddenly ached; tears welled up uncontrollably, and her voice began to tremble: “…I didn’t mean to lie… Actually, I’m feeling terrible inside…”
“Youyun.”
He spoke softly, with the concern of a friend, interrupting her. His words were slow but sincere: “You haven’t done anything wrong by me. On the contrary, what you did was absolutely right.”
Youyun sniffled, listening to him speak.
“For a stranger who barges into your life, being cautious is instinctive; you have done nothing wrong.”
“But you are not a stranger.”
“I am.”
“You are not.”
Jiang Muhe was amused by her stubbornness and said gently, “How long have we known each other? Including today, we’ve only met five times, and our total time together adds up to less than a day. What else could we be but strangers?”
“…You’ve been very kind to me. I shouldn’t have rejected you like that.”
Jiang Muhe took a deep breath in and out, then said, “Being rejected by you… indeed doesn’t feel good, but seeing you again still makes me incredibly happy.”