I'm not a literary giant

Chapter 244 Who is Kobayashi Midori?
"Nice to meet you. My surname is An, and I've come to wish you a Happy New Year."

Prince Xu's heart felt as if it had been suddenly gripped by an invisible hand. Fragments of memories surged forth in an instant.

An Younan, smiling faintly in the light and shadow while holding a glass of red wine; An Younan, waving goodbye on the riverbank, saying, "Little Prince, see you after heat death"; An Younan, silently weeping in a luxury car with its windows tightly closed...

Every frame is vivid and glaring, with a scorching heat.

But the woman in front of me was completely different from all those other images—her cheeks were slightly flushed by the fluffy white fur collar, and her expression was innocent and naive, just like a female college student who had wandered into the wrong room.

His throat tightened, and he couldn't squeeze out a single syllable. If his vocal cords were still functional, the question he would most likely ask is:

Miss, what's this new version again?
"Who is it?" Old Wang's voice came from behind.

He peeked out and saw An Younan at the door. He paused for a moment, then turned to Wang Zixu: "Your friend?"

Before Prince Xu could speak, An Younan interrupted, "Hello, Uncle. My name is An Younan. I've come to wish you a Happy New Year."

"Greetings for the New Year?" Old Wang's gaze swept over her, his eyes filled with confusion.

The young girl in front of him had delicate features, was well-dressed, and had an extraordinary air about her; she seemed to have no connection whatsoever with his family.

An Younan said, "My mother is An Huilan. She told me that I have a half-brother in Xihe, and I came here today to find him."

These words were like a thunderclap, splitting Wang Zixu's mind open with a "buzz".

Before Old Wang could grasp the meaning behind her words, Wang Zixu shoved An Younan out the door, then slipped out himself and closed the door behind him.

"What exactly do you want?!" Prince Xu asked in a low voice.

An Younan tilted her head, her eyes clear and innocent: "Hello, sir? Didn't I just explain why I'm here? I'm here to wish you a Happy New Year. Are you my brother whom I've never met before?"

"You my foot!" Prince Xu gritted his teeth and said.

He gritted his teeth, not out of anger. The way An Younan called him "brother" made his teeth ache, and he couldn't help but shiver. He could only squeeze out the word by gritting his teeth.

An Younan's eyes widened, and she put her hand in front of her lips, her eyes rolling: "Wow, is this how you treat someone you just met? How rude!"

"Can you please stop messing around?"

An Younan had no idea about Lao Wang's personality. By directly mentioning Ms. An's name and exposing this relationship, she was practically dancing in Lao Wang's minefield.

He was terrified that Old Wang's fragile nerves would snap completely, causing him to throw a tantrum in front of everyone and ruin the dignity that the Wang family had carefully cultivated and maintained.

Clearly, An Younan was unaware of the dangers involved. If she acted recklessly according to her own nature, who knows what kind of mess this New Year would turn out to be.

Just as he was about to say something more, the door behind him clicked open. Old Wang stood in the doorway, his face expressionless.

"Your name is An Younan?"

An Younan lightly touched her heels together, standing even straighter: "Yes!"

"Are you... the son of An Huilan and the one she found later?" Old Wang asked.

“Yes,” An Younan answered readily, “She only had me after that, so I am considered an only child.”

"Then how did you come up with the idea of ​​coming to my house? My house has nothing to do with you," Wang Jianguo asked. He used a consultative tone, not an accusatory one.

An Younan’s voice was clear and crisp: “Because I found out that I have an older brother. Since I know that there are relatives I don’t know about somewhere in this world, of course I want to come and see them.”

Wang Jianguo was silent for a few seconds, then stepped aside to clear the doorway: "Come in."

An Younan walked briskly into Wang Zixu's house, her boots clicking on the floor with a "thump-thump" sound.

Old Wang seemed to be in relatively stable mental condition, and Wang Zixu didn't want to stop him, but his heart was still in his throat.

After entering the house, Old Zhang knew perfectly well that the ensuing drama was an internal matter for the Wang family, and tactfully told his family to prepare to leave. Before leaving, they couldn't help but take a few more curious glances at An Younan.

The girl had a delicate face, and her fingers, which extended from the thick sleeves, were slender and fair, like tender magnolia buds in early spring; her legs, covered by black leggings, were straight and exposed under the oversized down jacket.

She stood in the simple living room, like a string of platinum jewelry tucked into a greasy toolbox in a hardware store. Old Zhang thought to himself: When did the Wang family get associated with someone like her?
Zhang Xixi's gaze, filled with undisguised amusement, lingered on Wang Zixu's face, trying to uncover any clues for gossip. Wang Zixu, on the other hand, kept his eyes down, maintaining an almost deliberate calm, not letting a trace of emotion slip through his fingers.

"Remember to come to my house for dinner tonight," Old Zhang said as he left.

“Okay, definitely,” Wang Jianguo replied.

The door closed, and the footsteps of Old Zhang's family faded into the distance.

"Sit down." Wang Jianguo gestured to the sofa, then turned to Wang Zixu, his tone carrying an unquestionable air of command, "Go pour a cup of tea, use good tea leaves."

In front of his ex-wife and children, he subconsciously wanted to maintain the dignity of the head of the family and prove that he had been doing well all these years.

Prince Xu obediently nodded and did as he was told. As long as it allowed Old Wang to maintain this facade of calm and self-respect, he was willing to cooperate in carrying the sedan chair.

"How old are you this year?" Old Wang turned to An Younan, his tone softening.

“22, almost 23 years old,” An Younan replied obediently.

"Still studying, right?"

"I'm already at work." An Younan blinked, her expression calm.

"Going to work so early? Where do you work? A state-owned enterprise or a government job?"

“I work for a private company,” An Younan replied casually.

The words "working for a private company" instantly made Lao Wang feel much better.

His decision to work for a private company right after graduating from university indicated that his family didn't have any strong connections, which meant that even if his ex-wife went elsewhere, she wouldn't have found a better life. This realization brought him genuine relief.

Of course, he never dreamed that the "private company" An Younan mentioned referred to was Xunyi Galaxy, a Fortune 500 giant. And her so-called "working" meant serving as a high-level executive with real power and an annual salary of millions.

There's no need for Lao Wang to know this.

Next, Lao Wang asked a few more questions about everyday life. An Younan remained frank and answered every question (although the sincerity of her answers was debatable), her words carrying just the right amount of brightness.

After several rounds of back and forth, Wang Zixu clearly felt that his father's favorability towards An Younan was steadily increasing.

"Uncle, what's the address here?" An Younan took out her phone. "I want to order takeout; I haven't eaten lunch yet."

Old Wang slapped his thigh: "Silly girl, it's Chinese New Year, where can we get takeout? Wait here, I'll cook you a few dishes."

An Younan put down her phone, a simple, honest smile spreading across her face: "Isn't this a bit much? You're troubling me too much."

"It's the Lunar New Year! Even if you were a complete stranger, let alone your sister, we wouldn't let you go hungry! Just you wait!"

Before the words were even finished, the person had already rushed into the kitchen.

As soon as the door closed, the fear on An Younan's face vanished instantly. She quickly turned around, facing Wang Zixu, and made a small, victorious "V" sign with her right hand in front of her chest.

"See? Your dad has already agreed."

Prince Xu's heart skipped a beat: "Agree to what?"

"You agree that I'm your sister."

Prince Xu said speechlessly, "...Aren't you being absurd?"

He lowered his voice and pressed further, "So, why did you come here? Do your parents know you're here?"

An Younan deliberately spoke in a loud, lecturing voice:

"Comrade Prince Xu, you should show surprise and a warm welcome to me, your distinguished guest, instead of constantly asking, 'Why did you come?' 'How did you get here?' You have no childlike wonder!"

"At my age, why would I need childlike fun?"

An Younan ignored him and instead wandered around the various rooms of the Wang family's house, checking for signs of habitation.

The kitchen door was flung open with a "whoosh," and Old Wang came out carrying a steaming plate of scrambled eggs with tomatoes. The golden eggs paired with the rosy tomatoes looked incredibly appetizing.

"Alright, come and eat, child."

"Thank you!" An Younan put on a sweet smile and followed after him with tiny, chick-like steps.

As if to defend some kind of dignity, Old Wang cooked the meal quickly and well. The spatula flew in the small kitchen, and in no time, one dish of home-style dishes after another was served.

An Younan picked up her chopsticks with elegant and graceful movements, as if performing a small ceremony. In the end, she ate all the food on her plate, which made Old Wang very happy.

The atmosphere became even more harmonious after the meal. The two chatted more and more enthusiastically, and the topic turned to Wang Zixu's childhood. Old Wang told the story vividly, and An Younan listened with a "giggle," her clear laughter echoing in the small living room.

As the conversation got more animated, Old Wang even pulled out a dusty old photo album. An Younan immediately leaned over, like a curious little animal, her eyes wide, her fingertips lightly tracing the old photos covered in plastic film, carefully identifying the young Ms. An and the bewildered child version of Prince Xu in the photos, whose temperament was completely different from now. She would occasionally make "tsk tsk" sounds of amazement, as if she were admiring some rare treasure.

An afternoon passed, and An Younan had become Old Wang's close confidante. Wang Zixu couldn't help but sigh, this woman was a born politician, able to handle relationships with anyone.

On the other hand, Old Wang's personality has also become much more cheerful. If it were a few years earlier, when he heard about Ms. An's matter, he would have been more than willing to open the door to welcome her; he would have been lucky if he hadn't raised his fist to speak.

An Younan added, "I originally brought a lot of gifts to visit my uncle for the New Year, but I'm not used to traveling by train alone, so I left all the gifts and luggage on the train! Otherwise, I would never have come empty-handed."

Old Wang panicked when he heard this: "You lost all your things? You need to find them right away!"

An Younan raised her face and waved her hand, as if brushing away a few specks of dust:
"It's nothing, it's only worth ten or twenty thousand, it's fine. I'll pay for it next time I come, including this time."

Upon hearing "ten or twenty thousand," Old Wang couldn't sit still any longer. He waved his hand and told Wang Zixu to hurry up and retrieve the items.

When it came to directing his son, Old Wang displayed astonishing leadership talent. An Younan was traveling by high-speed rail, and her luggage was probably thousands of miles away, but Old Wang told him to handle it without a word. Wang Zixu strongly suspected that if An Younan suddenly said that the Atlas V rover had left its Mars rover on Mars, Old Wang would also wave his hand and tell him to deal with it.

Old Wang then asked, "How many days will Xiao An stay in Xihe?"

An Younan replied, "If nothing unexpected happens, I'll be here for the entire holiday."

"You lost your luggage, so where are you going to stay next?"

“My wallet is still intact, and my ID card is still with me, so I can stay at the hotel.”

"Isn't it unsafe to stay in a hotel? Take my advice, you should stay here."

"Wouldn't that be inconvenient? It would be too much of a bother for you..."

“What’s wrong with that? You can stay in Wang Zixu’s room. He’s usually not home. I just washed the brand new sheets and duvet covers, and they’re all dried out. Nobody’s touched them. You can stay in his room.”

"Hehe, what a coincidence! Where does he sleep?"

"You don't care about that. He can sleep wherever he wants. Isn't that big enough for him?"

An Younan's eyes crinkled into crescents as she glanced at Wang Zixu with a fox-like glint, then covered her mouth and said:

"Hehe, then I'll gladly accept!"

Wang Zixu had just contacted the train conductor of the high-speed train to Anyounan via a railway mini-program.

The other party informed me that the luggage had been found and would be transferred to another train to take it back to Xihe Station. It would arrive on the same day, but I must pick it up in person with my ID card.

An Younan didn't know the way, so Lao Wang assigned Wang Zixu to take her there. Under Lao Wang's watchful eye, Wang Zixu and his new "sister" went out together.

The door closed gently behind me, instantly shutting out the warmth and noise inside. The crisp, cold air of a winter afternoon, carrying the distinctive dust of the city, swept over me, instantly invigorating me.

The two walked silently side by side on the slightly desolate path in the courtyard, the bare branches creaking in the wind. This was the first time they had truly been alone since her sudden appearance, and the air seemed to grow thin and subtle.

As soon as An Younan got into Wang Zixu's car and the door slammed shut, Wang Zixu almost immediately turned around, his gaze fixed intently on her.

"So, what exactly did you come here for this time?"

He did not believe that An Younan's enthusiasm for Lao Wang was genuine.

When he first met An Younan, wasn't he also captivated by her impeccable social skills and infectious enthusiasm? Only afterwards did he realize that it was just her innate basic social skills, a charm magic that could be easily cast on anyone.

Don't be fooled by Old Wang's current beaming smile and seemingly loving father-daughter relationship; perhaps once the Spring Festival is over, she'll completely forget this warmth. She'll probably never set foot in this small town of Xihe again in her life.

She certainly didn't come to offer New Year's greetings; her mother's awkward status as an ex-husband wasn't worth this self-interested woman wasting her energy on.

So he had to figure out what she was thinking.

An Younan seemed not to hear Wang Zixu's question, and instead lowered her head, her fingers curiously tracing the surface of the passenger seat.

"The interior of your car looks alright. Is it genuine leather?"

“Don’t interrupt,” Wang Zixu said. “I thought that our last parting was forever, and it’s only been a few days.”

An Younan rolled her eyes as if she had heard an inappropriate joke and said, "Who said I was saying goodbye to you forever?"

“You said it yourself. You said before that when I got off the train, it would be goodbye forever, and that you would never see me again in this lifetime,” Wang Zixu said.

An Younan clenched her small fist, her tiny fist carrying a hint of anger and embarrassment, and punched Wang Zixu in the chest with no real force:

"Farewell! Farewell! Farewell! Alright, you're dead now!"

She stopped, took a breath, her eyes bright, and waved her hands wildly in front of his face:
"Amitayurdhyana! Alright, I've resurrected you again! Okay, we've said goodbye forever, from now on we can be together forever."

Prince Xu stared at her calmly and intently, as if watching a child behaving unreasonably, which infuriated An Younan.

"What are you looking at?" An Younan snapped like a wildcat whose fur had been stepped on. "If you dare mention anything about what happened before again, I'll go up to your dad and tell him that you were my first kiss."

Prince Xu paled instantly, his voice rising several decibels: "Why did it come to this?"

An Younan smiled smugly: "So what? I've already got Uncle's phone number, and I have the right to complain anytime. Try bullying me again if you don't believe me."

In the past, present, and future, Prince Xu will always be the Prince Xu whom she can easily manipulate. Whether he is the "Little Prince" or the nominal "older brother," this has never changed.

Wang Zixu took a deep breath: "Okay, let's not talk about the past, let's talk about the present. We are siblings now, that's a fact, and you can't change it. Siblings can't be in a romantic relationship."

An Younan rolled her eyes: "Who said I wanted to date you?"

Prince Xu was momentarily speechless: "Then what are you doing here?"

“Does coming to my mother’s hometown mean I have to fall in love with you?” An Younan said. “I want to see the place she once lived, feel the path she walked, appreciate the scenery she saw, and savor the local customs that nurtured her… Is that not allowed?”

The prince had nothing to say: "Fine, if that's all there is to it, I'll be your guide."

A fleeting hint of triumph at the success of her scheme flashed across An Younan's eyes, like a small fish leaping out of the water and then quickly sinking back in.

She didn't exactly tell a huge lie. If you replace "mother" with "Prince Xu" in her words, then it would be the absolute truth.

She wanted to see the places he had once lived. To walk the paths he had walked, to see the landscapes he had seen, to breathe and live in his city.

Wang Zixu drove his car slowly out of the residential area. As soon as he left the gate, the traffic merging into the main road froze instantly, the brake lights forming a continuous red river as it slowly crawled forward.

An Younan experienced her first cultural shock from Xihe.

"Why is the traffic so bad?!"

Wang Zixu's fingers tapped the steering wheel unconsciously as he gazed at the endless line of cars ahead, his tone calm and indifferent: "What can I do? It's Chinese New Year."

An Younan said, "Shouldn't the streets be empty and free of traffic jams during the Spring Festival?"

“That’s Donghai,” Wang Zixu said. “Donghai is a city that receives a large influx of people, while Xihe is a city that sends a large outflow of people. During the Spring Festival, the migrant population goes back to their respective homes, so naturally Donghai is empty and Xihe is congested.”

"Oh, oh." An Younan exclaimed in realization, peering out the car window at the traffic. "Wow, Cayennes! Wow, Cullinans! Are there really this many rich people around here?"

“The rich people in Xihe are like cockroaches, they’re everywhere, but if you really want to find them, you can’t.” Wang Zixu paused, and for the sake of accuracy, added, “I only know one, Ning Chunyan.”

"Is Ning Chunyan considered wealthy?" An Younan turned her head to look at Wang Zixu. The latter was certain that Stalin had the same expression when he asked, "How many divisions does the Pope have?"

"It depends on who you're referring to. For me, it definitely counts."

The car struggled to move forward with the flow of traffic, and once it entered the main road, the traffic flow increased rather than decreased.

Wang Zixu found a parking space on the edge of the parking lot in front of a medium-sized supermarket. He maneuvered back and forth, using subtle maneuvers to squeeze the car into the narrow gap. He turned off the engine and engaged the handbrake.

"Let's stop here, it's even more congested up ahead." Wang Zixu unbuckled his seatbelt. "There's still some distance to the train station, let's walk."

The two got out of the car and walked side by side on the slightly noisy street. An Younan tilted her head, her gaze fixed on his face, scrutinizing him without any attempt to hide it, making Wang Zixu feel somewhat uncomfortable.

"What's wrong?" he finally couldn't help but turn around and ask.

An Younan's eyes sparkled, as if washed by rain: "I really like the way you talk."

"What kind?"

“It’s that kind of…” She tilted her head slightly, as if trying to capture the feeling of something floating in the air, “It’s not heavy, it’s light and airy, it seems like you just said it casually, but it can make a clear understanding of the cause and effect of a matter, the ins and outs, so that people feel…” She thought about it seriously and found a word, “Hmm, very reliable.”

After saying that, she turned her head and fixed her gaze on Wang Zixu again: "Has no one ever said that?"

Wang Zixu said, "No, but some people have said that I talk in a pretentious way."

"Who said that?"

"Ningchun Banquet".

An Younan pursed her lips. The repeated mention of the same name seemed to have put her on guard. Perhaps she had already used up her quota for mentioning Ning Chunyan's name today, and was therefore unwilling to continue the conversation.

After a brief silence, Wang Zixu spoke again: "However, there is another person who said something similar."

"Who?"

“Kobayashi Midori,” Prince Xu said, “but she was talking to Watanabe-kun.”

Who is Kobayashi Midori?

"From 'Norwegian Wood'."

"Please stop quoting scriptures, Brother Prince Xu, you're putting a lot of pressure on me."

"why?"

"It makes me feel like I'm uncultured."

As they spoke, the two had followed the flow of people to the huge entrance plaza of the train station, which was filled with holiday crowds. A wave of noise washed over them.

Wang Zixu's eyes searched the entrance, and he was mentally drafting how to explain his purpose to the flight attendant when a voice behind him interrupted his thoughts.

"Prince Xu?"

(End of this chapter)