Under the Dusk - Chapter 32

During this time, He Yunfei and the others knew that Ruan Shu would be starting school in just a few days, so they all began frantically inviting her out to hang out.

This made Ruan Shu feel a little embarrassed.

Back when she was in school, aside from Sang Wanning, very few people had ever invited her out so enthusiastically. He Yunfei even said he wanted to give her a haircut.

So, a week before school started, Ruan Shu wrapped up her part-time job at the milk tea shop and cleared her schedule.

While heading up the stairs back home, she happened to run into Ji Yan, who was coming down. One hand in his pocket, he was on the phone, only responding in monosyllables like “Mm” or “Oh.”

Cold as ever.

Ruan Shu assumed he probably didn’t have time to acknowledge her, and the stairwell wasn’t very spacious to begin with. So just as they were about to pass each other, she carefully sidestepped, pressing herself against the wall to let Ji Yan go first.

“Mm, got it.” Yet that tall, solid figure paused, taking hold of her hand. “I’ll head over soon.”

The faint scent of mint lingered in the air, and Ruan Shu’s palm grew slightly sweaty.

The warmth of the setting sun gradually faded.

Their shadows on the steps began to blur. Ruan Shu wanted to take a small step back, but her back was already against the wall. She could only lower her head and silently wait for him to finish his call.

Finally, Ji Yan asked what her plans were for the evening.

Ruan Shu hesitated for a moment before answering, “He Yunfei said they’re going fishing at Mianjiang. He even prepared a barbecue grill.”

Mianjiang was quite far from the city—about an hour’s drive. If they left in the evening, they wouldn’t arrive until nine or ten.

But for He Yunfei and the others, that was the perfect time for night fishing and late-night snacks. If they stayed even later, they could even stargaze.

Ruan Shu didn’t ask Ji Yan if he wanted to come.

From the sound of his call earlier, he probably had other plans.

Just as she expected, Ji Yan didn’t offer much explanation. He only reminded her, “Bring mosquito repellent. There are a lot of bugs outside.”

Insects in the wild were far more vicious than those in the city. Ordinary repellent might not even be enough. Ji Yan made a mental note to tell He Yunfei to bring some medicated spray later.

Ruan Shu nodded, thinking that was all he had to say. But then his gaze drifted to her forehead, and his calm eyes warmed with amusement. “You got a haircut?”

…

A haircut?

Just those quiet words, and she found herself preoccupied with them the entire way out. Her fingers kept drifting up to touch her hair. She had only trimmed her bangs—barely noticeably—so how had Ji Yan spotted it?

Cen Baishuang even asked her what was wrong. Ruan Shu snapped out of her thoughts, shaking her head and saying it was nothing.

They rode in an eight-seater van.

Qin Fu was driving, while Cen Baishuang tended to the kids in the back. He Yunfei sat in the passenger seat, chattering away. His girlfriend, Pei Qian, sat next to Ruan Shu and finally couldn’t take it anymore. “Can you shut up? You’re so loud.”

Only Ruan Shu sat quietly.

Outside the window, the night was split by city lights, but as they reached the outskirts, everything faded into simplicity, shadows melting like water.

Old Zhang, who had driven ahead with his hospital colleagues, had already arrived at the riverside and set up camp. He was prepping his fishing rod with bait.

“Brother Qin,” Old Zhang called out as they got out of the car. Then he asked, “Why didn’t Brother Yan come?”

“Busy.”

Qin Fu brushed off the question with a few words before turning his attention to the two kids.

Cen Baishuang took charge of the barbecue, enlisting Ruan Shu and Pei Qian to help.
Pei Qian was around He Yunfei’s age. Ruan Shu only learned then that the two had been high school classmates and later opened a shop together in the urban village.

They had just met each other’s parents this year to discuss marriage, and they’d likely be holding their wedding around National Day.

Pei Qian even asked Ruan Shu if she’d be her bridesmaid.

Ruan Shu was flattered but hesitant. “Wouldn’t that be a bit inappropriate?”

Being a bridesmaid was an important role—most people asked their closest friends or confidantes. Like Sang Wanning, who had already claimed Ruan Shu as her bridesmaid when they were ten.

And she only wanted one—no more.

If possible, Sang Wanning even wanted to get married on the same day.

Too bad Ruan Shu had no such plans.

Pei Qian waved it off. “What’s the big deal? After you start working, you rarely get to see friends often. And when holidays come around, everyone’s schedules clash. Having bridesmaids is just a formality.”

Besides, bridesmaids didn’t have to give wedding gifts—they even got red envelopes.

Ruan Shu immediately asked, “How much is in the red envelope?”

“800. Coming?” Pei Qian tempted her.

Ruan Shu said, “Then I’ll think about it.”

Eight hundred… probably not enough to betray her friendship with Sang Wanning. Her first time being a bridesmaid should be for Sang Wanning, not for the money.

—

They were all an easygoing bunch.

Fishing was a skill, and since the lake surface remained still for a while, they stuck their rods in the ground and gathered around the barbecue grill to drink and chat.

Qin Fu and Old Zhang, who had driven, stuck to just eating meat. The others only drank lightly, mostly sticking to soft drinks. Just as Ruan Shu poured Tongtong a cup of orange juice, Old Zhang brought up, “Did Ji Yan go pick up Sister An?”

Someone asked, “Sister An?”

“Yeah, Cheng Zi’an. You met her before—that time at Fanhua when you got wasted, puked, and then went rapping in the streets.”

“I—” He nearly cursed but, remembering the kids, swallowed it and muttered, “Can we not bring that up again?”

Who was Cheng Zi’an?

Just her name was enough to jog memories—why bring up his shameful past?

But among them, aside from Ruan Shu, there were others who didn’t know Cheng Zi’an. Someone asked who she was.
“Brother Yan’s girlfriend? How come I’ve never heard him mention her?” The question came from one of Old Zhang’s colleagues, who worked at the hospital and had never seen Ji Yan and Ruan Shu together.

In truth, not many people knew about their relationship.

Qin Fu and Cen Baishuang only noticed that Ji Yan treated Ruan Shu with unusual care—but that alone was enough to mark her as different.

Everyone tacitly avoided the topic.

But Old Zhang didn’t know. Chewing on a skewer, he mumbled, “What girlfriend? That’s his sister. Brother Yan’s a lifelong bachelor—you know that. If he wanted to, he could’ve had plenty of girlfriends by now. His kid might even be older than Qin’s.”

No need to stay single and solitary all the way to 26.