My Crush Also Has a Crush on Me!
Chapter 183: Your Pain, My Pleasure

Chapter 183: Chapter 183: Your Pain, My Pleasure

The snow stopped the next day, and last night’s snowfall left no trace, having already melted into water and frozen into ice, with only areas untouched by light still holding some remnants of snow.

"Computer’s fixed."

Fu Yan stretched and threw the computer onto the couch.

"What about the paper?"

"Here it is."

Fu Ying: "For real? Big bro, you’re too awesome!"

Fu Yan’s mouth curled into a smile, pleased by the compliment: "Just this, there’s a lot more your big bro is good at."

Fu Ying immediately went to check the paper, and indeed, it was there.

"I love you to death, big bro."

Fu Yan, full of pride, said: "Don’t fall for me, I’m just a legend."

"Okay, I’ll reward you tonight, I’m headed to school now."

It was almost ten o’clock, and there was only one class in the morning, which would probably end around eleven.

The sun hovered overhead, its direct rays causing the remaining snow to glisten with colorful light.

Lin Lishan was in the library; when Fu Ying arrived, Lin Lishan was almost burying her head into her books.

"Have you eaten?"

Lin Lishan didn’t look up: "Not yet, what time is it?"

"Eleven fifteen."

"Then it’s still early."

Fu Ying looked at her, sensing almost a neglect for sleep and food, short of putting oneself through the ancient torture of hanging from the rafters and piercing one’s thighs: "Why the sudden interest in pursuing a master’s degree?"

"Because Sheng Chen is also preparing for it, and I don’t want to be too far from him."

"Are you applying to the same university as him?"

Lin Lishan nodded and gave an "Mhm," then sighed: "I had a fight with Sheng Chen last night."

Fu Ying wasn’t surprised; even if she said she wanted to break up with Sheng Chen, it would seem normal.

This girl, who’s been in a relationship with Sheng Chen since their sophomore year of high school, has had her share of conflicts, either giving each other the cold shoulder or talking about breaking up.

And yet, four years have passed, both now sophomores in college, and they’re still together.

"Don’t rush, take it easy."

In the afternoon, the sky darkened without notice; when Fu Ying stepped into the yard, she could hear traditional opera coming from the house.

She entered the house, took off her scarf and hat, and saw her grandmother resting on the couch covered with a blanket, watching the very famous opera movie "Princess Consort," engrossed and oblivious to Fu Ying’s return.

Fu Ying called out "Grandma" twice; only when she got closer and raised her voice did her grandmother hear her.

"Ah, Yingying’s out of school." Grandma’s face lit up with joy, "Is it cold outside? Are you frozen?"

"It’s alright, my big bro picked me up."

Grandma looked past her: "Where’s Yanyan?"

"He dropped me off and left again."

"Always goofing around." Grandma sighed gently, nodded, and gestured for her to sit down.

Grandma took her hand and warmed it in hers: "You, just like your mom, hands and feet cold in wintertime. That’s a lack of yang energy; it needs to be gradually improved."

Fu Ying nodded lightly: "I got it, Grandma."

Grandma’s opera was playing quite loudly; Fu Ying gradually realized her grandmother was hard of hearing, missing sounds when they were soft.

In Fu Ying’s mind echoed the line, "To save the young Li, I left my home garden, little did I expect to see his name written on the Imperial list of top scholars. Adorned in red robes, a hat with flowers of the court ah so, so fresh..."

It was ten o’clock, and Grandma was still watching; Fu Ying reminded her to go to sleep.

Grandma nodded, somewhat perfunctory, like a child reluctant to stop playing: "Let me just finish watching this."

"Watch it tomorrow."

"It’s about to end."

"Then I’m heading to my room."

"Mhm, go ahead, go ahead." Grandma waved her off.

Fu Ying returned to her room, while Grandma continued to watch the opera in the living room—an everlasting love story about a romance that runs deep, from beginning to end, culminating in union.

Not everyone encounters it; it requires luck.

Grandma’s behavior was off during the week she visited, a fact that Fu Mingchuan also noticed. Whenever the company had no pressing matters, he accompanied her to the hospital, where they discovered Alzheimer’s Disease.

Alzheimer’s Disease, senile dementia—she would gradually forget many things, forget people, slowly lose the ability to speak, her personality would change, and she would get so confused that she’d keep repeating the same sentence.

She’d remember certain incidents, but forget the important people involved, yet she would know that person was significant.

"Yingying," grandma called her.

"Mm."

"Let me tell you about your grandpa and me; oh, he was so good to me. Back when we were poor, whatever food he managed to get, he’d always let me have first..."

Fu Ying blinked, not realizing her eyes had begun to well with tears, but as she listened, she found herself smiling.

Sitting by the bed, she looked at grandma’s wrinkled face, her head full of silver hair, eyelids drooping, eyes cloudy, but her gaze was full of joy.

Whenever grandpa was mentioned, joy followed.

Fu Ying watched her, listened to her repeat the same sentence, and a mist seemed to rise before her eyes.

She could forget everything else, but somehow, she just couldn’t forget the things that happened while she was in love with grandpa.

That was her youth. Just as Shen Liguang had left a bold and striking mark on her youth, so had grandpa.

They were lucky because they were in love.

Because of their love, they were unforgettable.

That day, Fu Ying felt particularly sensitive, suddenly missing the Imperial Palace, longing for her mother. She sneaked into her room and quietly cried for a while.

Shen Liguang came looking for her. After washing her face and putting on a coat, she stepped out to meet him, already waiting for her.

She wiped her eyes and bent down to get into the car.

"Why are your eyes so red?"

Fu Ying didn’t speak; she just reached out to embrace him: "I feel miserable, suddenly missing..."

The one she missed, she would never see in this lifetime.

Her mother was also a gentle person. Amidst the unpredictable hearts of the royal harem, her mother did not vie or compete; she was secluded and protected her well.

She wondered how her mother was doing.

"I really miss my mom."

Shen Liguang sighed deeply, wiped her tears with his fingers, seeing her red eyes and nose, probably from crying in secret for a while.

"How old are you, still crying like a child?"

"People of any age might miss their mothers."

"It’s okay." As he wiped one side, tears fell on the other. Seeing her pitiful crying made Shen Liguang’s heart soften, yet he also wanted to laugh, "It’s okay, you don’t look good crying like this."

"My heart aches."

"If you keep crying..." He paused, his eyes dark and his mouth curved playfully, "Let’s go to the apartment, and you can cry all you want on the bed."

Fu Ying frowned, bit her lip, and raised her hand to hit him.

He caught her small fist in embroidery, holding it in his hand: "Your hands are still so cold."

"The grandma said it’s because I lack yang energy." The girl rubbed her eyes, her voice soft and raspy from crying.

Shen Liguang watched her, licked his dry lips, and pulled out two tissues to wipe away her tears.

"Don’t cry anymore."

Fu Ying sniffled, and the tears stopped.

He sighed silently, gently wiping her tears away: "But what can I do?"

"What do you mean ’what can I do’?"

The "huh" in the girl’s voice was like a feather softly tickling his heart, and Shen Liguang looked down: "Because whenever you cry, it softens my heart."

Fu Ying paused, then turned her face to look out the window, silently curving the corners of her mouth into a smile.

"What are you secretly laughing about?"

"Nothing, I just felt like laughing."

"Laughing at my soft heart?" Shen Liguang looked down at her, "Hmm?"

Fu Ying shook her head: "Because you care for me."

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