Chapter 102: Reunion After Long Separation
Ruan Yu turned and walked out of the "Nameless" bar.
The chaotic wind stung her eyes, reddening them the moment she stepped outside, but she refused to let the tears fall.
Teng Hao had said she’d become prone to crying, but that wasn’t true. She was still the same as before—capable of enduring when she needed to, just like now, unwilling to shed another tear for him.
Yet, while tears could be held back, the sorrow couldn’t be contained at all.
Ruan Yu returned to her car, resting her forehead against the steering wheel as she stared blankly ahead. For the past six years, she had lived in sweet memories and hopeful anticipation. But now, she could no longer face those memories with ease, nor did she have any expectations left to sustain her.
Her mind was a mess, her heart hollow. She didn’t know what to think or what to do, like a puppet suddenly cut loose from its strings.
"Stumbling through the crowd, wounds upon wounds, lost on the road—none compare to the light beyond light you once spoke of..."
Her phone rang.
The ringtone echoed loudly in the quiet car, snapping her back to reality.
It was a call from Teacher Tian Cheng.
Ruan Yu cleared her throat and answered.
"Teacher Tian."
"Ruan Ruan, I have great news for you!" Tian Cheng exclaimed excitedly on the other end. "Teng Yi is back! He’s really back! I’ve confirmed it—the person who sent me that gift the other night was him! Only that kid would pull something like this, giving such a grand gift without a word!"
"Oh."
"Oh? Just 'oh'?" Tian Cheng was puzzled by her indifferent reaction. "Haven’t you been waiting for him to return all this time? Now that he’s finally back, aren’t you happy?"
"Teacher Tian, I haven’t been waiting for him. Not for a single day." Ruan Yu forced down her emotions. "I’m sorry, I’m at work right now. I’ll contact you when I’m free. Goodbye."
With that, she hung up.
The car was suffocatingly silent.
Finally, the tears could no longer be held back. But she wasn’t crying for Teng Yi—she was crying for her own pointless stubbornness and childish pride, which now seemed so pitiful.
Cry. Let all the tears fall today, so you can welcome a brand-new tomorrow.
The next day was Saturday.
Ruan Yu slept until noon before getting up.
Outside, the sunlight was abundant, bathing the world in spring’s lush greenery, melting the frost in her heart. If not for the sight of her swollen eyes in the mirror while washing up, she might have convinced herself that nothing had happened the night before.
After changing, she put on a pair of oversized sunglasses before leaving.
Today, she was going to visit Ying Wen at the hospital.
Ying Wen was both her senior and mentor. When Ruan Yu first joined TG Broadcasting, she had no connections and could only help distribute water bottles and run errands in the studio. It was Ying Wen who recognized her hosting talent and strongly recommended her to the station director, giving Ruan Yu her first show. Though that program ultimately underperformed due to its time slot, it was that very beginning that led to Ruan Yu’s later success. For this, Ruan Yu had always been grateful to Ying Wen, considering her the guiding light of her hosting career.
Before heading to the hospital, Ruan Yu stopped by a florist to pick a bouquet of pink-and-white baby’s breath—she remembered Ying Wen once mentioning she loved these flowers.
When she arrived at the hospital, she realized Shan Anxin was also there.Shan Anxin was usually dressed to the nines at the station, but today she wore an unusually low-key outfit—a light-colored velour tracksuit paired with a baseball cap, completely bare-faced, looking like a college student.
In contrast, Ruan Yu, who wore sunglasses, seemed particularly focused on her appearance.
"Ruan-jie, you look stunning today. This outfit doesn’t look like you’re here to visit a patient—more like you’re walking the red carpet," Shan Anxin said with a smile.
Her words, while ostensibly praising Ruan Yu, carried an undercurrent of provocation.
After Ying Wen was hospitalized due to a miscarriage, reporters had been camped outside the hospital daily. Shan Anxin’s implication was that Ruan Yu was scheming to grab headlines even during a visit.
But in reality, Ruan Yu had anticipated the reporters and driven straight into the underground garage, slipping in unnoticed. There was no scheming as Shan Anxin had insinuated.
"In your eyes, this level of dressing is red carpet-worthy?" Ruan Yu removed her sunglasses and smirked at Shan Anxin. "Anxin, no wonder the media calls you a fashion disaster. Seems like you really need to reflect on that."
Shan Anxin’s face twisted in anger, her fake smile vanishing instantly.
Ruan Yu ignored her and turned to Ying Wen.
"Ying Wen-jie, how are you holding up?"
Ying Wen lay on the hospital bed, her face pale and bloodless. But worse than the physical pain was the emotional torment—the guilt of losing her child, her husband’s resentment, and her worries about work. The combined mental strain made her look especially haggard.
"I’m fine. I could’ve gone straight back to work at the station, but my parents wouldn’t let me move around, so I’m stuck here," Ying Wen replied weakly.
"Your parents just want what’s best for you," Ruan Yu said.
Ying Wen smiled faintly, her expression still frail.
"Ying Wen-jie, just rest easy in the hospital. Ruan-jie has everything under control at the station. She’s so capable now—handling two of her own shows while still having energy to take on others’ work. A real workhorse," Shan Anxin interjected, seizing the chance to mock Ruan Yu and voice her displeasure.
"I wouldn’t call myself a workhorse. I’m just doing what the leadership assigned and trying not to drop the ball," Ruan Yu replied.
Her words stung Shan Anxin, who was notorious for dropping the ball.
"Ruan-jie really lives up to her reputation as a sharp-tongued host. Every word cuts deep."
Ruan Yu rubbed her temple. "Anxin, come on. Who here isn’t a sharp-tongued host?"
Seeing the tension between them about to boil over, Ying Wen quickly stepped in to mediate.
"Alright, alright, I’m happy you both came to see me. Let’s not talk about work—let’s chat about something else. Anxin, where did you get your nails done? They’re so pretty!"
Ying Wen successfully steered the conversation away, easing the atmosphere. Shan Anxin pretended everything was fine, but she was still simmering inside. Before long, she excused herself and left.
Only after Shan Anxin was gone did Ruan Yu and Ying Wen finally have a proper talk.
Ying Wen had been worrying about her.
"Anxin mentioned the deputy director asked you to take over for me?"
"Yes. The guest for the new episode, Neil, is a friend of mine, so the deputy director made the arrangement." Ruan Yu clasped Ying Wen’s hand. "Ying Wen-jie, don’t worry. I won’t let you down. I’ll put even more effort into this than my own shows. Just focus on recovering."Ying Wen nodded. "Of course I trust you. Out of everyone at the station, your competence is the last thing I'd doubt."
--?--
The recording was scheduled for Wednesday.
Early Wednesday morning, Ruan Yu first drove to Teng Hao's residence.
Teng Hao now lived in Jinting Heyuan, a villa community very close to Huafu. According to Teng Hao, after returning to China, he had originally planned to buy back the house he'd sold years ago. However, after multiple unsuccessful negotiations with the current owner, he ultimately gave up.
But then again, what would it matter even if he bought back the old house?
They could never return to the past.
Ruan Yu drove into the courtyard and got out to ring the doorbell.
The doorbell rang for a long time, but no one answered.
The scene felt all too familiar.
Ruan Yu directly took out her phone and called Teng Hao.
The phone rang for a while before Teng Hao picked up.
"Hey!" Ruan Yu scolded lightly. "You brat, are you ignoring me on purpose again?"
Before Teng Hao could respond, footsteps sounded behind her.
Ruan Yu sensed someone approaching. Holding her phone, she turned around and, in that instant, locked eyes with Teng Yi.
Teng Yi had just returned from his morning run, dressed in all-black sportswear. The color accentuated his lean frame, making him appear especially cold. His eyes resembled the withered tree in the courtyard, still dormant from winter’s chill, devoid of their former warmth.
He had changed.
In that moment, this was the only thought that flashed through Ruan Yu's mind.
"I'll open the door for you," Teng Yi said, removing one earbud as he regarded her indifferently.
No greetings, no surprise, no joy—as if they had just seen each other yesterday, not after a six-year separation.
Ruan Yu couldn't help but feel sad again—sad at his indifference, sad at her own inability to control that sadness.
"Thanks," she said, hanging up the call and mirroring his detached gaze.
Teng Yi stepped forward, brushing past her with a faint trace of tobacco lingering in the air.
Ruan Yu's eyes flickered downward—the outline of a square box was visible in his pocket.
He had just smoked.
Smoking first thing in the morning—what kind of bad habit was that?
Teng Yi opened the door and, seeing her still standing there, held it for her.
"Come in."
"Did you know I was coming today?" Ruan Yu asked.
"Yeah, Teng Hao mentioned it yesterday."
"Do you still live with Teng Hao?"
He nodded.
"Teng Hao only told me you came back together. He never mentioned you still lived together. I didn’t expect it." Her implication was clear—she had known he was back but never intended to see him, nor had she expected to run into him today.
It was a flimsy excuse. After all, she had already gone to the bar to see him—though Teng Yi didn’t know that.
He remained silent.
Ruan Yu curved her lips. "Why do you still live together? A brother constantly hovering around might interfere with his dating life."
Teng Yi lowered his gaze.
"His legs aren’t well."
Those six quiet words struck Ruan Yu’s heart.
Right—how could she have forgotten? Teng Hao wasn’t the same as before. With his mobility impaired, living alone could be dangerous if anything happened.
"Sorry, I—"
"It's fine."
They entered the house.
Teng Hao happened to emerge from his room just then—he now slept on the first floor, in a room facing the back garden.
"Sorry, Valedictorian," he said sheepishly. "My wheelchair ran out of battery earlier. I wasn’t ignoring you on purpose.""It's okay, I was just joking earlier." Ruan Yu walked up to Teng Hao and playfully raised her fist. "I know even if I lent you the courage, you wouldn't dare not open the door for me now, right?"
"Yes, yes, with so many fans now, we definitely can't afford to offend the top scholar," Teng Hao clasped his hands in mock surrender, his handsome face breaking into a grin.
Ruan Yu laughed too.
Teng Yi had been standing silently behind them, listening to their playful banter, but when Ruan Yu turned around again, she realized he had already walked away at some point.
--?--
The sound of boiling water came from the kitchen.
Ruan Yu glanced over and, through the crack in the door, saw Teng Yi standing by the kettle. His tall figure was softened by the sunlight streaming through the window, finally carrying a hint of warmth.
Teng Hao noticed Ruan Yu's gaze.
"Top scholar, have you been to the bar to look for my brother?" he leaned in and asked quietly.
"No," Ruan Yu denied immediately.
"Have you been busy lately?"
"A little."
Teng Hao let out an "oh" and was about to ask more when Teng Yi emerged from the kitchen.
He carried a cup of tea and placed it in front of Ruan Yu.
"Thank you," Ruan Yu said politely.
Teng Yi nodded.
Teng Hao frowned slightly as he watched their distant interaction.
"What?" Teng Yi noticed the change in his brother's expression.
"Nothing, I was just wondering why you only made tea for the top scholar. Don't I get any?"
Teng Hao was joking, but Teng Yi actually turned back to the kitchen and poured him a cup.
"Top scholar, my brother's become boring, hasn't he?" Teng Hao said.
"Six years is a long time. Everyone changes."
"True, you've changed too."
"How so?"
"You've become even prettier."
Ruan Yu laughed. "You've changed the most, especially that mouth of yours—sweeter than ever."
"Seriously," Teng Hao turned to Teng Yi. "Bro, don't you think the top scholar has gotten prettier?"
Ruan Yu looked at Teng Yi.
He had been about to go upstairs but paused when called, instinctively meeting her gaze.
Their eyes locked again, but only for a moment before Teng Yi looked away.
"Yeah," he replied briefly, offering nothing more.
"Bro! Could you be any more perfunctory?" Teng Hao exclaimed.
Teng Yi didn't respond. He headed upstairs, leaving only the sound of his footsteps echoing in the hallway.
Teng Hao sighed as he watched his brother's retreating figure. "Top scholar, my brother really has become boring, hasn't he?"
Ruan Yu stayed silent.
Yes, boring wasn't the half of it. He was distant, cold. If not for his unchanged face, she might have doubted whether this was even the same Teng Yi. Where had the brightness and warmth once etched into his bones gone? There wasn't a trace left.
Before long, the film crew arrived at the Teng residence. Though they had previously followed and filmed many prestigious figures, this was their first time shooting inside a guest's home. The crew couldn't help but marvel at the elegant and grand decor.
"This house is gorgeous."
"Absolutely. The homes of the wealthy are just different."
A few new female crew members looked around in awe, as if on a sightseeing tour, full of novelty and envy.
Ruan Yu, however, quickly got into work mode. She did her makeup, changed clothes, and went over the recording process one last time with the director.
"Xiao Ruan, I just heard from Mr. Neil that he lives with his brother?" the director asked.
"Yeah.""Go discuss with his brother and see if he'd be willing to give an interview too. Just a simple chat about how he sees his younger brother. We'll edit it into the main footage so the audience can get a more complete picture of Mr. Neil through his family."
"Me go?"
"Yes, aren't you friends with Mr. Neil? Then you should know his brother too, right? It's easier talking to acquaintances. You go."
"..."
Ruan Yu was fundamentally opposed to this suggestion, but it was work after all - not something she could easily refuse.
"What's wrong? Any difficulties?" The director looked puzzled.
"No, I'll go."
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