If I Have You, What More Could I Ask For In This Life? - Chapter 1.2
Translated by: Cherry
Song Anchen brought her to a small restaurant, it did not match with his outfit at all. She recognized this street; it was a snack street that they had to pass by on the way home in high school. In the past, they had often eaten breakfast here, sometimes, she was gluttonous and would take a while to eat. That would cause them to be late, forcing Song Anchen to accompany her to stand at the entrance of the school as punishment.
But that period of happiness, the time where the two of them had been innocent friends had stopped abruptly in high school. She stopped herself from reminiscing, refusing to let herself continue to imagine things. When she left this place six years ago, she had continuously reminded herself to forget the past and forget everything concerning Song Anchen.
The two of them entered a small eatery and before they managed to sit down, a middle-aged woman walked over, smiled as she talked to Song Anchen, “Xiao Song, you came.” The lady’s gaze turned towards Yisheng and she was a little stunned, “Is this your girlfriend?”
(T/N: Xiao here means little, it’s an affectionate nickname people often use to address others, adding Xiao in front of another person’s surname)
Yisheng raised her eyes to look at the woman, she recognized her, she was a widow and managed this eatery on her own. Her surname was Zhang. Yisheng politely smiled at her and said, “Auntie Zhang, I’m Yisheng, do you remember me?”
Auntie Zhang opened her mouth in shock, “Ah, Yisheng.” Auntie Zhang instantly pulled out a chair to sit down, “I haven’t seen you for so many years, Xiao Song said that you went to university, why didn’t you come back during the winter holidays?”
Yisheng said, “I was busy with studies and too far away from home, so I felt too lazy to return. Anyway, I’m back now.”
Auntie Zhang smiled cheerily, “You grew your hair out and I couldn’t even recognize you, you’re becoming prettier and prettier.”
Yisheng smiled as well. She could not help but touch the long hair that she had grown for a few years. Actually, she had long hair since she was young, but when she went to high school, she had cut her hair short. She had always preferred long hair, but she did not know how to tie her hair. Her mother had been sick and could not help her tie it, so she could only cut off her long hair.
Auntie Zhang then said, “Does Yisheng want to eat something?”
At that moment, Yisheng had originally wanted to say that she wanted to eat the fried glutinous rice cakes that Auntie Zhang cooked herself. However, Song Anchen helped her reply, “She’s already eaten, I’ll have a portion of the fried glutinous rice cakes, and have another portion as takeaway.”
“Ah, alright, give me a moment.”
Yisheng felt like crying but had no tears. When the glutinous rice cakes were served, Yisheng could only watch as Song Anchen slowly ate the glutinous rice cakes that she had loved eating. After he finished eating, Song Anchen carried the other portion and walked out. Yisheng could only follow behind him, her gaze staring wistfully at that bag.
“Yisheng!” Auntie Zhang suddenly ran out from behind passing her a small book. “You left this behind last time. I had wanted to ask Xiao Song to return it to you, but he insisted that I pass it to you myself. He said that you would definitely come.”
Yisheng looked at that small book in a daze, feeling unable to breathe for a moment. This was the journal she had left behind in the past. She hesitantly reached out her hand and took it. Then, she told Auntie Zhang, “Thank you, Auntie Zhang.”
Auntie Zhang waved her hand and Yisheng nodded before she entered the car.
Yisheng felt slightly restless as she stroked the journal in her hand. She remembered clearly what was written in that journal, and she was not sure whether Song Anchen, who had come in contact with this journal, had seen the contents. If he had seen it, then the secret she had kept for six years would…
She took a deep breath and turned her head to ask Song Anchen, who was driving, “Have you looked at this journal?”
Song Anchen casually glanced at the book in her hand, “No.”
She instantly felt relieved.
***
Song Anchen’s father, Song Zheng, and Yisheng’s father, Ye Tianming, had been comrades in the army. They had been assigned to this city together and had settled down here. Song Anchen’s father had been the head of the Land Bureau while Yisheng’s father had been head of the State Tax Administration. The two of them had started up together and risen together. The relationship between the two families had also always been like they were part of the same family. It was only when the corruption case had happened and Yisheng’s father had been caught that the two families had lost contact.
The rich family background Song Anchen had was not given to him by his father, but by his mother. After his mother had divorced his father, she had gotten together with a foreigner, a French man who was quite rich and generous. When his parents had divorced, Song Anchen had just started year one at high school. He was originally supposed to follow his mother, but after he had finished with all the preparations to go overseas, he had changed his mind. No one knew what this child was thinking.
However, Yisheng knew. It was her who had kept holding onto Song Anchen’s hand and asking him not to leave, begging him to stay. Song Anchen could not stand seeing girls cry and had stayed reluctantly.
Thinking back now, Yisheng sighed at how some things were still there but things had changed. In the past, they had truly been childhood sweethearts.