CHAPTER 363: CHAPTER 360 [TROUBLE COMES]

Chapter 360 [Trouble Has Arrived]

The first snow of 2002 did not arrive any later than usual.

By the end of January, the school had begun its winter break.

However, senior year students still had additional classes. According to the notice from No. 8 Middle School, they would only start their holiday the day before Spring Festival, and it would last only a week.

This level of additional classes was common in that era. Parents applauded it, and even the seniors themselves thought it was only right and proper. Despite some complaints, they all silently accepted it.

In the first semester of senior year, Sun Keke’s grades remained at the top. After a semester’s growth, especially in her control and application of spiritual power and the Consciousness Space, Sun Keke’s learning ability had greatly increased.

Unsurprisingly, she scored among the top ten in the entire grade in the end-of-term mock exam.

Based on Sun Keke’s grades, Old Sun and the other teachers made a judgment: while Tsinghua and Peking University were still a bit out of reach, securing a spot at a prestigious national university was already well within grasp.

This was far beyond expectations.

A traditionally underperforming school like No. 8 Middle School had never produced a student who went on to Tsinghua or Peking University since its founding.

Moreover, there was still room for improvement in Sun Keke’s performance.

* * *

Chen Nuo’s disappearance didn’t disturb too many people. The school had actually sealed off the news from the students; only a handful of school leaders were aware of the student’s disappearance.

Ou Xiuhua had reported the case. The police, following routine, had come to the school to investigate Chen Nuo’s social connections and inquire about his situation at school.

Naturally, they found nothing.

More than three months was plenty of time for this once-influential school tyrant of No. 8 Middle School to be gradually forgotten by the students. Even among Chen Nuo’s classmates in the Ba International Division, many gradually stopped mentioning his name.

Zhou Kai was one of the few who still remembered Chen Nuo. This formerly spoiled rich kid had miraculously maintained the habit of memorizing an English-Chinese dictionary.

The rumor circulating among students was that Chen Nuo had dropped out to do business elsewhere. This explanation was easily accepted. Most students in the Ba International Division came from business families. Moreover, a school like No. 8 Middle School, especially its international division, visibly offered few prospects. Dropping out to inherit the family business and learn the ropes of commerce didn’t seem too far-fetched.

Another theory, also quite popular, was that Chen Nuo’s family had arranged for him to study abroad.

In any case, the discussions about Chen Nuo ended there.

February 11, 2002, was New Year’s Eve.

In the morning, Sun Keke got up very early and left the house after greeting Old Sun.

Old Sun watched his daughter’s hurried figure with a complicated gaze, unable to help but sigh deeply. After all, how could his heart not ache for her?

The rumors among students that Chen Nuo had "gone out to do business" or "gone abroad to study" were confined to the student body.

As the vice-principal, Old Sun naturally knew the truth: Chen Nuo was missing!

Missing!

He was gone—not seen alive, nor was a body found. His mother and younger sister had received no word from him. A living person had just vanished.

Old Sun was, of course, aware of the police investigation at the school; in fact, he had spoken with the officers handling the case twice.

So, Old Sun knew very well how much Sun Keke was suffering.

His daughter had deep feelings for that boy, Chen Nuo. In the days immediately following Chen Nuo’s disappearance, Sun Keke had cried her eyes out, grieving every day.

Later on, she improved slightly, but only by forcibly shifting her attention. The girl focused on Ou Xiuhua and Xiao Yezi, visiting the Chen Family almost any time she was free.

A few days ago, on the day Jinling received its first snow of the season, Sun Keke returned home, covered herself with her quilt, and cried for most of the night.

It was only when Yang Xiaoyi entered her room, holding and comforting her, that Sun Keke was finally coaxed to sleep late that night.

In the days that followed, Yang Xiaoyi slept holding her daughter each night.

Fortunately, Sun Keke did eventually start to get better day by day.

Although she still appeared depressed and melancholic, her spirits had somewhat recovered.

She just became more reticent. And the smile had vanished from her face.

Today was New Year’s Eve. When Sun Keke got up and left early in the morning, Old Sun and Yang Xiaoyi both knew where their daughter was headed.

The Chen Family.

Where else could it be but the Chen Family?

From a moral standpoint, Old Sun had nothing against his daughter’s actions—caring for Chen Nuo’s mother and younger sister after his disappearance, a devotion that stemmed from her love for him. He even approved of it in his heart.

Yang Xiaoyi, despite her worries, said nothing. But... for things to go on like this indefinitely was no solution. To put it bluntly, they were just two young people in a relationship, not a married couple. In a dating relationship, even if one person died or disappeared, showing some concern for the deceased’s family should suffice. There was no need for Keke to act like a bereaved widow, taking on a lifelong obligation to care for his family. This thought wasn’t selfish, just very pragmatic and realistic.

But now, in the Old Sun family, Old Sun was the head. Since Old Sun didn’t speak, even showing tacit approval, Yang Xiaoyi, though anxious, felt it wasn’t her place to say anything.

Previously, Yang Xiaoyi had been extremely satisfied with Chen Nuo as her prospective son-in-law. To say the least, in this era, a young man with a fortune of several million was definitely ’excellent.’ Since the two young people were in love, as a mother, she had no reason to object. But... if the person is gone, it’s different! Who wouldn’t want their daughter to be able to move on from her sorrow, resolve her feelings, and start a new life?

* * *

The Chen Family wasn’t as cold and desolate as Sun Keke had feared; after all, it was New Year’s.

In the morning, when Sun Keke arrived at the Chen Family’s home, Ou Xiuhua was already busy in the kitchen. She was frying hairtail fish, smoked fish, and making sweet and sour pork ribs.

Sun Keke brought some cured meat and a large gift pack of snacks that children enjoy. She also carried a heavy plastic bag of fruit that left white marks around her fingers.

Sun Keke had the keys to the Chen Family’s door—Ou Xiuhua hadn’t asked for them back, and Sun Keke, it seemed, had no intention of returning them.

After helping Ou Xiuhua clean and tidy up the house, more visitors arrived around noon.

Zhang Linsheng brought Xia Xia, carrying some New Year’s gifts. Brother Lei also came with Zhu Dazhi, bringing some toys for Xiao Yezi.

So, at lunchtime at the Chen Family’s, a table full of people gathered, making it quite lively for a while.

After lunch, the young people took Xiao Yezi to play in an open area in the residential complex. Zhang Linsheng had brought some firecrackers, including strings of firecrackers and larger ’two-kick’ rockets. They then set off firecrackers with Xiao Yezi.

Children are simple-minded. These days, the family had been telling Xiao Yezi that her brother, Chen Nuo, had gone abroad to study and wouldn’t return until next year. Xiao Yezi was skeptical at first, but after the adults repeatedly drilled it into her, she eventually accepted it.

She had asked if he could call if he was abroad. The adults replied, "Your brother’s school is too far away and has no signal, so he can’t call." Then came lines like, "Xiao Yezi, be a good girl, behave at kindergarten, eat well, sleep well, and you’ll see your brother sooner..."

Xiao Yezi had cried a few times... but for a child like her, who had been abused before and was very sensible, crying two or three times was her limit; any more than that was beyond her.

The young people pampered Xiao Yezi like a little princess, doing everything to make her happy, and spent the entire afternoon setting off firecrackers with her. Their doting was simply appalling.

At one point, Xiao Yezi saw a stray dog run past in the complex and casually mentioned wanting to pet it. As a result, Zhang Linsheng and Zhu Dazhi, the two martial brothers, scrambled all over the residential complex chasing the poor stray dog. They nearly used up all the internal energy and lightness skills taught by their master and finally managed to catch the cornered stray.

The two young men awkwardly held the dog in front of Xiao Yezi, one holding its mouth shut and the other its paws, to prevent it from hurting anyone. After Xiao Yezi had happily petted it thoroughly, they released the terrified and utterly bewildered dog.

After three o’clock, the group bid their farewells one by one.

Brother Lei needed to take Zhu Dazhi to meet up with his girlfriend, then drive from Jinling City to his hometown. Zhang Linsheng had already arranged with Xia Xia to take her home for the New Year—it was essentially a formal meeting with his parents.

Incidentally, the little demon Xia Xia was dressed very plainly today. She wore no makeup, her face fresh and natural, appearing every bit the demure, well-bred young lady.

"Aunt Ou, why don’t you and Ye Zi come to our house for the New Year?" Sun Keke asked, reluctant to leave and still worried, making the suggestion for the third time that day.

Ou Xiuhua sighed. "Really, we can’t, Keke. The Chen Family still exists; it wouldn’t be right to spend New Year’s at someone else’s home. Ye Zi and I will wait here. What if... what if he comes back? The house can’t be empty on New Year’s Eve."

As they were leaving, everyone took out red envelopes to give to Xiao Yezi. Each one was generous, stuffing the red envelopes until they bulged.

Sun Keke presented two. "One is from me, and the other is from Luo Qing. Luo Qing left with his family a few days ago and won’t be back until after the New Year. He said he’ll come visit Xiao Yezi as soon as he returns. He asked me to give this red envelope to Xiao Yezi."

Ou Xiuhua looked at Xiao Yezi clutching the thick red envelopes, then at the young people before her, and her eyes reddened. "Chen Nuo... he really made some good friends," Ou Xiuhua said, her voice thick with emotion. "On his behalf, I thank you all."

* * *

In the evening, as every household enjoyed their reunion dinner, the faint sound of firecrackers could be heard in the distance through the windows.

In the Chen Family’s living room, the dining table was laden with dishes. The television was on, its volume turned up high. Ou Xiuhua and Xiao Yezi sat at the table. Xiao Yezi’s bowl was piled high with food, and a cup of juice sat before her.

The Gray Cat lay in a corner of the living room. Its bowl also contained some food tonight, but the Gray Cat seemed listless, lazily squinting its eyes.

The television blared with festive songs celebrating peace and prosperity, creating a joyous atmosphere.

On a cabinet in the living room, incense burned beneath the old lady’s portrait.

At the dining table, an empty place was set with an extra bowl and chopsticks; the bowl contained a few pieces of braised pork ribs, Chen Nuo’s favorite.

Ou Xiuhua had wanted to cry several times, but fearing she would scare the child, she forced herself to hold back. When she couldn’t bear it any longer, she would go to the bathroom to wipe her face.

Throughout the evening, whenever footsteps or noises sounded from the stairwell outside, Ou Xiuhua would immediately perk up, listening intently with an expectant expression, her eyes glued to the front door, as if hoping that in the next moment, the door would be pushed open, and the youth with the lazy smile would walk in.

By a little past ten in the evening, the Spring Festival Gala was more than halfway through. The child was sleepy and already nodding off where she sat. Ou Xiuhua eventually picked her up and carried her to her room to sleep.

Ou Xiuhua cleared the dishes from the living room and finally turned off the television. She walked to the old lady’s portrait and gazed for a while at the kind, smiling face in the picture frame.

Letting out a soft sigh, Ou Xiuhua lit more incense. "Old lady, if your spirit is in heaven, please watch over your grandson. Bless him and bring him home safely soon..."

* * *

However, the miracle ultimately did not happen.

The next morning, the first day of the Lunar New Year, Ou Xiuhua woke up on the sofa. She had unknowingly fallen asleep there while keeping vigil the night before. When she woke, the back of her neck was a little sore.

Thankfully, the living room wasn’t cold; the air conditioner was still blowing warm air.

Looking at the quiet living room, she noticed the Gray Cat had disappeared into one of the rooms.

Her son still hadn’t returned.

Ou Xiuhua sighed. She first went into the bedroom to check on her younger daughter, then came out, washed her face, and went into the kitchen to cook some noodles.

Staring at the gurgling water in the pot, Ou Xiuhua felt somewhat dazed. So, the New Year... had passed just like that...

* * *

On the evening of the first day of the New Year, the Sun family was on their way home. In the car, Sun Keke was still sulking, her head turned towards the window, face set in a silent scowl.

The family had just returned from visiting Sun Keke’s maternal grandmother, Yang Xiaoyi’s mother. The grandmother lived in a neighboring county on the outskirts of Jinling City—the place famous for Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs. A few years later, this county would indeed be reclassified as a district and merged into Jinling City. But in 2002, it was still a county town.

Every year at this time, the three members of the Sun family would visit Sun Keke’s maternal grandmother to see their relatives and pay respects to the old lady. It was a New Year’s tradition.

But this year, a rather unpleasant incident occurred. Sun Keke’s second maternal aunt, Yang Xiaoyi’s younger sister, had orchestrated something.

During the day at her grandmother’s house, her second aunt had furtively dragged Sun Keke out for a walk. Although Sun Keke wasn’t in the mood, she didn’t want to rebuff her elder’s kindness and reluctantly went along. As they wandered around the county town, her second aunt and cousin then pulled Sun Keke into a "friend’s" house for a visit.

This "friend’s family" consisted of three people: a middle-aged couple and their son, who was in his early twenties. The middle-aged couple were friends of the second aunt and appeared to be quite well-off locally. The husband was a civil servant in the county, holding a mid-level position. The wife was a civilian police officer working at the county bureau. Their son, twenty-two years old, had graduated from university just over six months ago and was working at a state-owned enterprise in Jinling City, reportedly with a very promising future.

They had barely sat down and exchanged a few words when Sun Keke noticed the hosts’ excessive enthusiasm and the hostess’s blatant, undisguised questions about her situation... Then there was their son, sneaking glances at Sun Keke with an admiring look...

How could Sun Keke not understand what was happening?

"Keke is in high school in Jinling, isn’t she? Graduating this year?" the hostess asked.

"Yes, she’s taking her college entrance exams this year. Keke’s grades are excellent; we’re all hoping she’ll get into a good university," Sun Keke’s aunt chimed in.

"Oh, in that case, it’s best not to apply too far away," the hostess continued. "A girl going to university so far from home by herself isn’t safe, and her family would worry. It’s best to attend university right here in Jinling, so she has family support.

"Our Xiao Guang also works in Jinling. You young people can look out for each other in the future..."

Their son, Xiao Guang, seemed like a decent fellow. He clearly wanted to talk to Sun Keke but was a bit too shy.

Sun Keke was seething!

So, she stood up. "Second Aunt, Auntie, please continue sitting. I need to step out and make a phone call."

"Hey, child, just make your call from here. Why go out? It’s quite cold outside," the hostess said.

Sun Keke took a deep breath. Her voice was quiet but very clear as she enunciated each word slowly, "I’m calling my boyfriend."

The living room instantly fell silent.

* * *

After leaving her second aunt’s "friend’s house," Sun Keke didn’t utter another word the entire way. The aunt was also a bit disgruntled, subtly criticizing Sun Keke throughout the journey, while her cousin chimed in, remarking on how good that family’s circumstances were.

Sun Keke just clenched her teeth and kept silent.

Then, upon returning to her grandmother’s house and sitting for only a short while, Sun Keke told Old Sun she wanted to return to Jinling. They had originally planned to leave after dinner. But Sun Keke directly gave a reason: "I need to go back and review my lessons."

This led to the current atmosphere in the car on the way back.

Sun Keke, although gentle by nature, was certainly not foolish. Especially after her spiritual power was developed, she was even sharper.

Her aunt couldn’t really be blamed for this. What relative would unilaterally take a girl to someone else’s house for a blind date introduction? Old Sun definitely wouldn’t have been involved in this. That only left her own mother, Yang Xiaoyi. Without Yang Xiaoyi’s nod, how could her aunt possibly take it upon herself to drag her to someone else’s house for a matchmaking session?

Thinking of this, Sun Keke shot her mother an angry glance.

* * *

When they got home that night, Sun Keke secretly told Old Sun what had happened. Old Sun’s expression turned grim as well.

That night, Old Sun and Yang Xiaoyi argued briefly. It wasn’t a major fight, just a disagreement.

"I didn’t intend to harm our daughter!" Yang Xiaoyi defended herself. "That Xiao Guang is a good person, his family is well-off, and he’s ambitious himself. There aren’t many young men with such good prospects. Her second aunt noticed him and mentioned it to me, and I thought there’d be no harm in them meeting. Besides, look at our daughter! She’s been so depressed these past few months. Are we supposed to just watch her moping around with a long face every day? I just want her to move on from those thoughts sooner..."

Old Sun was too choked up to offer a rebuttal.

To be honest, Chen Nuo had been ’gone’ for four months. As parents, they naturally hoped their daughter would move on quickly. They weren’t married, just dating. Besides, these aren’t ancient times. Are we supposed to expect our daughter to observe some kind of widowhood for the Chen Family? But... this wasn’t the way to handle it.

"Don’t you go stirring up trouble with these things again!" Old Sun finally said. "Keke is in her third year of senior high, preparing for college! At a time like this, since Chen... just let her focus on her studies for now, no more talk of dating! Don’t you dare make such decisions on your own again!"

* * *

After school resumed, everything seemed to fall back into its previous rhythm.

Sun Keke studied hard, but she stared at her phone for a while every night. Being strong was easier said than done.

Fortunately, Lu Xixi’s previous visit had given Sun Keke a reason to be strong. Sun Keke forced herself to be strong, diligently practicing control over her spiritual power every day. She hoped that someday in the future, when Lu Xixi returned, she would be able to help with the matter Lu Xixi had mentioned—the matter related to Chen Nuo.

The atmosphere in the second semester of senior year grew even more tense.

Old Sun, like the Great Devil incarnate, practically wished he could crack a whip to drive the students of Senior Year Class 4 into a frantic sprint forward. There was no other way. No. 8 Middle School was a poor school; its student intake had always been subpar, and among the current students, there were truly few with exceptional talent. Diligence was the only way to compensate for their lack of aptitude.

In this era, for children of average talent to succeed academically, it boiled down to one thing: enduring hardship! "Only by enduring the bitterest hardships can one rise above others." Regardless of whether this saying was truly correct, at least in that era, both students and parents subscribed to this belief.

In the final mock exam, Sun Keke achieved first place in her grade.

And then, trouble arrived.