Chapter 193: The Cypress Tree
Neither Lu Jingyao nor Xu Youyou felt that good grades were something particularly worth praising. They couldn’t stand the overwhelming flattery from both sets of parents in the room. If this went on any longer, even sneezing might be seen as something worthy of admiration.
So, the two of them tacitly left the house.
“You came without saying a word. I could have sent someone to pick you up,” Xu Youyou said.
Lu Jingyao replied with slight apology, “I hope you don’t mind my sudden visit. I heard you mention returning to the orphanage, so I had the driver navigate here.”
“I originally planned to come alone, but my parents said that, as the parents of your friend, they should visit formally as well. They didn’t let me inform you in advance because they didn’t want you to feel overwhelmed. I hope we didn’t cause any inconvenience?”
Xu Youyou shook her head.
This was a rather special feeling for her. After all, this was the first time in her life that someone had traveled so far just to visit her—formally, bringing their parents along.
Before, she had always thought of Lu Jingyao as a major client, a wealthy business partner. Although they called each other friends, there was always a sense of distance. But now, that barrier seemed to have completely disappeared.
She could now say that Lu Jingyao was a true friend.
“Thank you,” Xu Youyou suddenly said.
Lu Jingyao paused. “There’s nothing to thank me for. If anything, I should be thanking you for being our guide.”
Xu Youyou didn’t say anything, just gave him a small smile. She thought to herself that her orphanage director had always worried that she didn’t have any friends or that she would be deceived by them. But now that she had found a true friend, perhaps the director could finally rest easy.
Lu Jingyao then asked, “You probably had things to do today. You don’t need to worry about me—just go ahead with your plans.”
Xu Youyou paused. Every year after making sticky rice balls, the next thing she had to do… She turned to look at the lush greenery on the eastern mountain. “I need to go up the mountain.”
Lu Jingyao, though aware that this was where Xu Youyou had grown up, was still concerned for her safety. “Can I come with you?”
She hesitated for a moment, then thought about how her director had always wanted her to make friends. Bringing Lu Jingyao along would be a way to introduce him to her past.
She turned back inside to fetch a woven bamboo basket containing yellow paper, a few incense sticks, and offerings of food and wine.
Lu Jingyao’s expression immediately turned serious.
Xu Youyou had gotten used to having people around her to carry things for her in the past six months. Holding something herself felt a bit strange now.
If it weren’t for the fact that the place she was going wasn’t convenient for bodyguards to follow, and that she still considered Lu Jingyao a guest, she wouldn’t have carried the basket herself. Right now, she was finding it a bit heavy.
Suddenly, Lu Jingyao reached out his hand.
Xu Youyou was stunned for a moment as he bent slightly and took the basket from her.
She looked at him, suddenly finding him even more agreeable.
Leading the way, she explained, “Our director never married or had children. Even on her deathbed, she was still thinking about the children at the orphanage.”
“She specifically requested to be buried in a place where she could watch over us.”
Walking one after another along the mountain path, they made their way up.
“The path is rough. Walk carefully,” Xu Youyou reminded him.
Lu Jingyao replied, “I’m wearing hiking shoes today. I’ll be fine.”
Xu Youyou glanced down and realized that, instead of his usual three-piece suits, he was dressed in casual wear with a pair of black hiking boots.
Still, considering it was close to freezing temperatures, it was impressive that he was dressed so lightly.
“Aren’t you cold?” she asked.
Lu Jingyao shook his head. “I’ve never been too sensitive to the cold.”
Hearing this, she didn’t press the issue.
After walking for another seven or eight minutes, Xu Youyou suddenly stopped in front of a cypress tree no thicker than a baby’s fist. “We’re here.”
Lu Jingyao glanced around but didn’t see anything resembling a grave.
“Director Xu is here. She didn’t want to waste money, so she asked us to scatter her ashes directly beneath this tree,” Xu Youyou explained.
Lu Jingyao was surprised that Director Xu had even given up having a burial site. From Xu Youyou’s words, it seemed like there hadn’t even been an urn kept.
Xu Youyou knelt down. Lu Jingyao took the offerings from the basket, skillfully folding the yellow paper into neat fan shapes.
She lit the paper and incense with a lighter.
“Director Xu was a firm materialist. She didn’t want a grave, nor did she want us to visit often. She said that the living should focus on the future, not dwell on the past,” Xu Youyou explained.
Lu Jingyao said softly, “She must have been an exceptionally open-minded person. She must have been very important to you.”
Xu Youyou nodded. “In our orphanage, the girls took her surname Xu, and the boys took Director He’s surname He. She named me Youyou, hoping I would live a carefree life, without worries.”
She thought to herself, Sorry, Director Xu. My past self was completely useless, completely failing to live up to your expectations.
Back then, blinded by the idea of family, she had given everything for a relationship that was never meant to be, ultimately leading to her downfall.
“You’re doing well now. She would be at peace,” Lu Jingyao said.
Xu Youyou nodded firmly. Life with money was truly carefree. Whether or not happiness could be bought, at least now, everyone around her was doing their best to keep her happy.
As for so-called family bonds, they were nothing but nonsense.
The yellow paper finished burning.
Xu Youyou felt as though she had let go of something. She stood up, bowed to the cypress tree, and Lu Jingyao followed suit.
“Director Xu, this is my friend, Lu Jingyao. See? I’ve made a friend,” Xu Youyou said, pouring a cup of wine onto the ground.
Lu Jingyao cooperated, gently saying to the tree, “Director Xu, Youyou is a wonderful friend. I’m really happy to know her. I hope you’ll watch over her and keep her happy.”
Xu Youyou turned to him, her gaze warmer than before, silently accepting his words.
“Director Xu, I’ll visit you again next year and chat with you some more,” Xu Youyou said with a smile.
A gentle breeze rustled the cypress leaves as if in response.
As she turned, Xu Youyou stumbled slightly. Lu Jingyao reacted quickly, catching her before immediately letting go, so swiftly it almost felt like an illusion.
When they returned to the orphanage, the parents were still deep in conversation.
Seeing the two of them return together, Lu’s mother’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
“They get along so well,” she whispered to her husband. “Walking in and out together like that—they look just like a young couple.”
