When Bright Moon Encounter the Dark Clouds

“Who are you two looking for?” She did not recognize Wu Yu.

“Hi, I’m Professor Cheng’s student. I came to see his mother and him.”

Cheng Baozhu paused for a moment as if she was shocked.

Her reaction somewhat surprised me, but before I had time to think about it, a smile had appeared on her face as she welcomed us in. “Co-come in… I’ll let my brother know you guys are here.”

Wu Yu and I glanced at each other before following her in.

At the front door to the house, Cheng Ruying appeared. She still had her face mask on, but she had taken off her down jacket, revealing a wool sweater and a skirt. Even though she was considered a little too slim, her smile was very bright. Her eyes were like bright stars as she fixed her gaze on Wu Yu.

“Ah Yu! Sister Tan! You guys are here!” Her voice was filled with excitement.

Wu Yu gave her a nod, while I responded with a polite smile.

At that moment, I suddenly realized it felt rather unpleasant to hear her call him Ah Yu.

We walked in and were greeted by a spacious Chinese-styled living room with redwood furniture and Chinese art. The spacious and calm room was basically half the size of my apartment already. The ceiling was high up, making the room feel even more spacious.

Both Professor Cheng and Feng Yan were already waiting in the living room, probably because they had heard about us coming to visit from Cheng Ruying. Beside them were two ladies that I did not know.

Professor Cheng matched the image I had in mind of a professor. He was someone that looked virtuous and prestigious. He was not too skinny nor too fat, and he looked wise and smart. He was wearing a pair of thick glasses, and the kind smile on his face made him seem even more approachable. Then like any other middle-aged person, he wore simple clothing.

It was obvious that Feng Yan, his wife, looked younger than him by seven or eight years. However, if considering her youthful looks, it would seem as if the two were not husband and wife. However, Feng Yan did possess a dignified look that made them seem compatible.

Wu Yu had told me that Professor Cheng’s full name was Cheng Liangjie. After greeting each other, Professor Cheng asked with a smile, “This is?”

“She’s my friend, Tan Jiao. She’s a writer. I brought her along to see you. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Professor, Miss Cheng. Nice to meet you all. My name is Tan Jiao. It's the Tan with the radical Yan, while Jiao is the character for bright. I heard that Wu Yu was going to visit the professor he respects the most, so I thought I would tag along to admire someone so prestigious. I hope you don’t mind.”

Professor Cheng was somewhat shocked, let out a chuckle, and said, “Of course, I don’t mind. You’re welcomed here. You said you’re a writer. What kind of literature do you write?”

“Love stories, nothing prestigious.”

“It takes some skill to write novels. You’re being too humble,” Feng Yan said with a smile. Cheng Ruying was also smiling, but I felt that was a fake smile.

Also, I felt Wu Yu’s gaze on me. I did not look at him. I thought to myself, You see? I’m a woman that is presentable and is able to hold my own.

After we had some tea, Professor Cheng asked, “Wu Yu… you still haven’t returned to the university?” This question was actually to see if Wu Yu had moved on from the tragedy that happened to his family.

“Not yet,” Wu Yu replied calmly.

Letting out a sigh, Professor Cheng gave Wu Yu a pat on the shoulder and said, “You’ve really been through a lot. However, that matter is already half a year ago… You should think about yourself and not waste that talent of yours…”