Zhou Yao was scared to death by Su Li. For several days in a row he didn't dare leave Su Li's side, following Su Li everywhere, almost calling Zhou Wenyu back from the United States.
Su Li really didn't have the energy to protest, so he let Zhou Yao be. He sat back in the rocking chair, gazing up at the sky, lost in thought.
He wasn't actually that desperate anymore.
After so many years, looking back on his past life, whether bitter or sweet, he didn't have too strong of an impression anymore.
The wounds he had suffered, the taunts he had heard, he had actually forgotten most of them.
Always appearing very concerned about it all was just because he had been too stubborn, stubbornly remembering the feelings at the time, the indignation and unwillingness, the grievances and distress.
Su Li took a sip of tea, resting his hand under his head, and softly humming that little tune.
Zhou Yao was in the room processing documents. His window looked right out onto the small courtyard. Every now and then he would lift his head anxiously to check on Su Li.
After lying there for a while, Su Li stood up. "I'm going to the cemetery."
"I'll go with you!" Zhou Yao practically jumped up right away.
"Aren't you busy?" Su Li looked at the documents piled high on his desk.
"Not busy!" Zhou Yao turned off his computer and walked over to stand in front of him, looking a bit nervous.
"Then let's go." Su Li didn't reject him.
The cemetery was very peaceful, with hardly anyone there. Su Li bought two bouquets of fresh flowers and placed them in front of the tombstone.
As he used his hand to clear away the fallen leaves, he said to Zhou Yao:
"I'm going to talk to them for a bit, it might take a while, you can wander around yourself first. I'll call you when I'm ready to leave."
Zhou Yao nodded, walked some distance away, but didn't dare go too far. He found a bench and sat down, watching Su Li from afar.
Su Li was silent for a long time.
"I...really wish I could change history."
"Does that sound too fantastical?"
"I don't know why I dreamed about you all, and I don't know what I should do after dreaming about you either. I feel like no matter what I do, nothing is right, and not doing anything also feels wrong, so I chose to accept this seemingly absurd research."
"I feel like if you knew, you would definitely scold me, right?"
Su Li said with a laugh.
"I think, just let him continue the research, no matter how long it takes. Let this be something I have to look forward to for the rest of my life. Thinking that I have a chance to help the three of us in another world, I feel really great about it."
"I'm still not bad enough. If I could make up my mind to let the professor continue the research unscrupulously, insisting on changing things, that would be good."
"But I saw many people, Aunt Ruoruo, Zhou Yao, Wenyu, Shanshan, and many others, they are all living very well. I'm afraid I would disrupt their lives."
"The professor said people are the most unpredictable. In the blink of an eye they may make different choices, and different choices lead to different futures. This means that if we start over again, it's possible they would not be the way they are now."
"I really don't want to bring misfortune to those who should be happy because of me."
"Would you forgive me for not being able to save you?"
"I will try my best to reconcile with myself. I'm about to turn 33, not a child anymore. Although I didn't get to grow up by your side, truly, thank you for giving me a chance to meet you all."
"Dad, Mom, I love you."
Su Li slowly began to tell them about things from when he was little to when he grew up, being rewarded with delicious food for his outstanding grades, crying over delicious food being snatched away, being mocked for crying...
From time to time he would laugh too, marveling that he really had such silly moments.
Zhou Yao sat on the bench, eyes glued to him, watching his frowning and laughing, feeling extremely anxious.
Su Li stayed in the cemetery until late afternoon when it was almost dark. On the way home, Su Li said he wanted to go to Wang's Restaurant for dinner.
The restaurant didn't have many customers today. After they entered, Su Li ordered dishes that he had seen on the wall in the small shop.
The dishes came very quickly. Su Li slowly savored them—the taste was pretty good, but it also seemed to be missing something.
When they left the restaurant, Su Li suddenly asked, "Is there a bookstore nearby?"
"Bookstore?" Although puzzled, Zhou Yao still drove to a bookstore.
Su Li went inside and found the cookbook section, carefully selecting several books.
Zhou Yao blankly watched him do all this.
Back home, Su Li called Zhou Yao over. "I'm planning to hire you as the company's professional business manager."
"Huh?" Zhou Yao reflexively started feeling nervous again.
"I'm thinking of learning how to cook, learning wood carving, I also want to learn skateboarding. I probably won't have too much energy to manage the company's affairs anymore." Su Li slowly said.
"In the future I might also...travel, so, I'll have to trouble you, Zhou Yao."
Zhou Yao blinked, reacting slowly to the meaning behind Su Li's words.
"Okay... Okay!" Zhou Yao solemnly said, "I will definitely manage the company well, becoming the boss's cash machine for learning all kinds of skills!"
Su Li was speechless for a moment. "Go get some rest, you've had it hard these past few days."
Zhou Yao happily left.
But Su Li didn't sleep. He opened a video tutorial on making picture frames, turned on the desk lamp, and only put down what was in his hands to go to bed when he started feeling drowsy.
Time slowly passed, autumn gone and winter come.
Su Li's 33rd birthday was ordinary and unremarkable. Zhou Yao really wanted to celebrate it grandly, but unfortunately Su Li didn't want that.
The cold of winter made Su Li place another order with Carpenter Li for a large wardrobe.
He bought many thick and warm clothes and cooked hot pot at home with the heater on.
Sukiyaki hot pot, spicy hot pot, sour soup hot pot, Chaozhou beef hot pot...
After a whole winter, Su Li himself was fine, but Zhou Yao had become round as a ball.
The laboratory was still researching without much development, and Su Li would regularly transfer some money into their account.
During the new year holiday, Zhou Wenyu charged into the courtyard, wind swirling about him.
"I sold my company in the US, I'm back to work for you. Zhou Yao cries every day that he can't handle everything," Zhou Wenyu took off his coat.
"I heard you're living a nice little life here. I'm back to improve my situation too."
To welcome Zhou Wenyu, Su Li cooked hot pot again.
Zhou Yao ate with oil dripping down his chin as he poured Zhou Wenyu beer.
The two drunks eventually lay snoring loudly on the carpet.
Fortunately the indoor temperature was high. Su Li threw a blanket over each and didn't bother them.
Zhou Wenyu moved into the small courtyard. Every day he would cry out about how delicious Su Li's cooking was. Then he immediately ordered the Complete Cookbook Collection online as a gift for Su Li.
When the spring breeze had warmed the treetops and it was time to change into spring clothes, Su Li opened the door to see a smiling girl.
Ran Shanshan stood at the courtyard gate with her suitcase in hand.
"Hey, want to travel together?"
Su Li suddenly laughed.
"Yes."
Ran Shanshan was startled.
"I meant, together to travel."
Su Li nodded. "I said okay."
Ran Shanshan laughed again.
And so the spring breeze slowly turned the branches green.
