Chapter 73: A Visit
Ye Cheng finally calmed down.
“Okay, I’ll go.”
He reluctantly went downstairs.
“I told you, I don’t want to go! The equestrian cla.s.s is boring!”
Ye Cheng had signed up for an equestrian cla.s.s this summer. There were two cla.s.ses per month, but the boy was not interested at all.
He had to change into an equestrian uniform every time, and the coach would lecture him about the correct poses. It was all very frustrating.
On top of that, the boy was heavier than the others, and it made him look clumsy every time he tried to climb up the horse. His clumsy movements made him a joke to his peers.
However, Su Yuan insisted on sending him to the cla.s.s. No matter how much he disliked it or much he pleaded, he would always get the same answer: “you must go”.
Aunt Zhao waited for him at a side with the bag of uniform and helmet for the equestrian cla.s.s.
Su Yuan frowned when he heard the boy’s complaint.
“Your sister’s equestrian skills are improving. You shouldn’t be left behind!”
All the children of wealthy families in Yunzhou had to undergo training and tuition for almost everything, equestrian being one of the popular choices.
Ye Cheng quietened down a bit when Su Yuan mentioned Ye Ci.
“Sis is always great.”
Su Yuan’s furrowed brows softened.
“When I sent your sister to equestrian cla.s.s, she was only 8 years old, just a little younger than you, but she never skipped any of the cla.s.ses and attended them no matter what. Why can’t you be more like your sister?”
Ye Cheng when silent.
“She had a rough start as well, but she persevered with sheer will and hard work. You can’t be lazy. If your sister finds out about it, she will laugh at you.”
Aunt Zhao smiled and said, “That’s right, little master. Madam canceled all her meetings today just to fetch you to cla.s.s and accompany you. Besides, if everyone knows how to ride a horse but not you, you will become a joke to others.”
Ye Cheng scoffed and raised his voice, “Even so, I won’t be a joke!”
The boy subtly glanced at Ning Li behind him.
Su Yuan’s smile faded a little as she unconsciously looked at the girl as well.
Ning Li was still leaning on the door frame with a nonchalant expression, seeming to show no interest in all of this.
Then, Su Yuan looked away. “Your sister Ning Li didn’t have the chance when she was younger, but you do, so you must cherish it!”
Ye Cheng pouted sourly and went out.
Su Yuan followed him but turned around for one last glance before she walked out of the door.
At that point, Ning Li had gone back into her room with the door tightly shut.
Aunt Zhao was a little nervous. “Madam, I didn’t mean to…”
“It’s fine. You are telling the truth anyway. I did think of bringing her along, but she’s already in her third year, so it’s not suitable to distract her.” Su Yuan shook her head.
Besides, she believed that given Ning Li’s temper, the girl would never have agreed. She did not even show interest in attending etiquette cla.s.s, let alone equestrian.
They soon arrived at the car.
Su Yuan took the bag from Aunt Zhao and did a quick check. “Got everything?”
“Everything is here. Don’t worry, madam. I packed everything according to your request list.”
“Good.’
Su Yuan then went into the car with Ye Cheng.
“Let’s go.”
…
Ning Li returned to her room.
Without the boy around, she regained her peace and quiet. She tried to sleep again but found that she was not sleepy anymore.
The thoughts about the dream she had earlier made her pull out her phone.
Before she even realized it, she was already calling the person. The call got through soon enough.
“Lili?”
The voice was familiar, sounding exactly like the voice in her dream.
Ning Li softly put her hand on her chest. “Second Brother?”
Lu Huaiyu sensed a slight difference in her tone. He asked curiously, “I’m here. What’s wrong?”
‘Not Mr. Lu, but Second Brother…’ Ning Li said it silently in her mind. The suffocation in her heart felt a little less burdensome.
“Nothing in particular. I accidentally tapped on your number,” she said then looked outside the window. “I’ll hang up now, Second Brother.”
Lu Huaiyu paused for a moment and said, “Sure.”
The call ended.
Ning Li calmed her mind and adjusted her composure before she changed and went out.
…
After she got into a taxi, Ning Li called someone.
Yu Pingchuan picked up the phone swiftly, and his tone was obviously unhappy. “Finally, someone has decided to call me!”
Ning Li’s eyes curved and she said, “Mr. Yu, are you home today?”
Yu Pingchuan paused for a moment before he slightly raised his voice. “Are you coming?”
Ning Li grunted softly. “The monthly test is over, and I don’t have any cla.s.s today. I thought of paying you a visit. I wonder if it’s convenient for you.”
Of course, it was convenient for Yu Pingchuan. The man barely stayed in Yunzhou in a single year and had come back this time because of the Huatsing Cup. A lot of notable people would spare some time for a visit to the master’s house.
That was also the reason why Ning Li had picked a later date to visit.
Yu Pingchuan grunted. “Hmph! I’m glad you still remember that. I gave you the address before, so you should know how to come here. Or do you want me to send Lil Lin to pick you up?”
Lil Lin was Yu Pingchuan’s a.s.sistant who was responsible for arranging meetings and schedules for the master.
“Thank you, but no thanks. I’m already in a taxi and will be arriving soon.”
“Okay, be careful on the way here.”
At the end of the call, Ning Li even heard Yu Pingchuan telling Lil Lin to buy more stuff for dinner.
Before she could reject him, the call ended abruptly and Ning Li was left speechless.
…
Forty minutes later, the taxi arrived in a neighborhood near the south of the city. It was an old neighborhood, and at first glance, most of the residents were senior citizens and children.
Ning Li had come to this place a few times in her past life, so she knew her way around.
She reached a unit and went up to the third floor. The unit was so old that there was not even an elevator.
A lot of people told Yu Pingchuan to move, but he insisted on living here. The man used to share the house with his wife a long time ago. After his wife pa.s.sed away eight years ago, he had been living alone.
Even though he was not in Yunzhou most of the time, he would come back to his old house every time he returned. After all, he was no longer a young man, so moving would be a ha.s.sle.
Ning Li knocked on the door.
Thump-thump.
The door was opened, and a man in his 30s welcomed her with a bright smile.
“Lili, you’re here! Come in! Come in!”
“Uncle Lin, it’s been a while!”
Ning Li gave the man the basket of fruits and walked onto the porch.
Lin Yaohui courteously said, “Oh, it’s too kind of you to bring us fruits. You coming here is more than enough!”
She smiled. “It’s nothing precious anyway. It’s just fruits that Mr. Yu loves.”
She then peered inside but did not see Yu Pingchuan. “Where’s Mr. Yu?”
Lin Yaohui cleared his throat and said, “He’s in the kitchen. He said he wanted to cook a meal for you after knowing that you were coming. He’s preparing fish soup.”
Ning Li went silent for a moment. She had miscalculated. She should have come earlier.
It was then that Yu Pingchuan noticed the arrival of his guest. He came out with the spatula in his hand.
“Lili! There you are!”
Ning Li walked over to the man.
“Mr. Yu, I’m just here to visit. You don’t need to go through all the ha.s.sle for me! Why don’t I help you instead?”
She tried to take the spatula from him.