Winter Returns

Chapter 179 Mysterious Letter (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

Silver carp...

Lu Qinglian?!

Yes, this is five years later. Logically speaking, Lu Qinglian should not have any accidents. Not only is she not in trouble, she has even learned to use WeChat.

Zhang Shutong opened her message list again, looked at their chat history, trying to find something, but there was very little, only the occasional phone call.

Zhang Shutong suddenly realized what this meant.

Five years later, Lu Qinglian is now 21 years old, not the girl who stood beside him just a moment ago.

He hesitated for a second, then clicked on the voice call to dial back, subconsciously holding his breath.

But two seconds later, the call was disconnected.

Hang up?
Zhang Shutong was stunned for a moment.

"Please don't block the entrance..." At this moment, a staff member maintaining order came over.

“…Excuse me.” Zhang Shutong snapped out of her daze and strode toward the elevator.

There were so many people today. He tried to get out of the crowd, still thinking about the question he had just asked.

Who sent me this WeChat message?
They were obviously there to pick someone up from the station.

If someone invites you to their home for dinner, it's probably a friend from the city.

Do I have any friends in the city?

This didn't happen before, so it's possible it's a new one that occurred on this timeline.

Could it be...

Senior sister?

Zhang Shutong's heart skipped a beat.

But no matter who it is, they can't stay at the station forever, and he needs to find out the reason for this time travel.

Thinking of this, he quickened his pace. Just then, his phone vibrated, and the cheerful ringtone of a WeChat call sounded.

Blue carp!

She actually came back.

It was even a video call.

Zhang Shutong quickly found a quiet corner and dialed the phone.

The next moment, amidst the noise, Zhang Shutong saw Lu Qinglian's face.

Lu Qinglian, 21, was somewhat lost in thought, as if the woman in the black and white portrait had reappeared before his eyes.

She still had long hair, and Zhang Shutong looked into her peach blossom-like eyes, which were filled with a coldness.

Fine beads of sweat clung to Lu Qinglian's flawless face.

"What?" She frowned, brought the microphone close to her face, and pretended to listen carefully.

"you……"

"Didn't I tell you before that I was very busy today?" she sighed softly.

Then Zhang Shutong could no longer see her.

The phone's camera turned, revealing a large group of people dressed in various clothes, young and old. The intense sunlight in the air blinded him, so Zhang Shutong squinted and looked at the crowd again. Most people were holding bundles of incense, while others held folding fans. He also noticed a huge incense burner, from which wisps of smoke rose.

A paper snake, blue in color, is propped up on a wooden frame, its claws outstretched in mid-air.

Is this inside a temple?
The festival site?

Zhang Shutong belatedly realized that Lu Qinglian's black hair was flowing freely today, and although she was wearing a green robe, it was a light and breathable short style, not the heavy cotton robe worn in winter.

Yes, it's summer. Every year at this time, the Green Snake Temple holds a festival, and Lu Qinglian goes back to the temple to help out for several days, working from morning till night.

"I'll talk about it when I have some free time."

The call was hung up.

Zhang Shutong looked at the screen and thought for a moment. Was this being mistaken for a spam call?

Also, what does it mean when she says she told me she was very busy today?
Zhang Shutong first went back to the train ticket purchase app on her phone and found her student verification.

They're college students, actually.

If you do the math, this is the summer break during my sophomore year.

He stared blankly at the sky above the station, a clear, deep blue. The weather was already hot, and with a heavy heart, he felt inexplicably agitated.

Zhang Shutong continued scrolling through the chat list and saw another familiar word.

"cotton".

Zhang Shutong thought this should be Gu Qiumian.

But why is there only one character, 绵?
He dialed the number, waited quietly for two seconds, and then a pair of long, beautiful legs appeared on the screen.

Her toes were painted with royal blue nail polish, and her feet, calves, and thighs were all bare. Her skin was snow-white, and her figure was well-proportioned.

Zhang Shutong was startled. Just as he thought he had dialed the wrong number, a familiar voice sounded from the other end:

"what?"

You can't hear any emotion in his voice.

Zhang Shutong couldn't help but glance at the scene again: a beach, a coastline, palm trees, a parasol, and a bottle of... sunscreen.

He thought to himself, "Why are you on vacation in this autumn rain? But this is summer, it's normal for a young lady to be on vacation."

"Where are you now?"

"Just arrived at the station?" Zhang Shutong asked uncertainly.

"Then why did you call me?" she said with a cold laugh.

"I just wanted to give you a call..." Zhang Shutong had no choice but to say.

"It's no use regretting it now."

She hung up the phone as soon as she finished speaking, even more decisively than Lu Qinglian, and we didn't even see her face from beginning to end.

It felt like the two of them had just had a minor argument.

Zhang Shutong was a little confused; he had already walked out of the station exit.

Outside the exit, there was a row of shops: a convenience store, KFC, Starbucks… The sun overhead was scorching. Zhang Shutong stood by the glass wall at the shop entrance, one of the few shady spots, and let out a deep breath. He was wearing a shirt and jeans, with only his phone, ID card, and keys in his pockets—truly traveling light.

Zhang Shutong knew he had to reply to that message, otherwise he wouldn't even know where he was going.

Just then, the glass door behind me made a sound.

Someone is gently tapping on the glass.

He turned around and saw a young woman in a floral dress sitting in a booth by the glass wall of the cafe. She crossed her legs and waved to him with delight.

She parted her lips slightly and said something, but Zhang Shutong couldn't hear her clearly through the glass. He only noticed that Su Yunzhi had a white fisherman's hat next to her, a classic yet fashionable style.

really.

Zhang Shutong's heart skipped a beat again.

So that's where she was waiting.

Come to think of it, it's impossible to stand outdoors on such a hot day, like Zhang Shutong himself.

He pushed open the Starbucks door in a few steps, the cold air penetrating to his heart, and his senior smiled from afar.

"What would you like to drink? My treat."

Zhang Shutong ordered an iced Americano. The bitter and mellow liquid made him shiver as it touched his taste buds.

"Sorry to bother you." Zhang Shutong prepared to improvise.

"Don't be so polite." The senior took out a pack of tissues from her bag, pulled one out and handed it to him, "Wipe your sweat first, you looked like you were about to burst from the heat."

"It's a little hot."

"Hmm, you seem to have grown taller again?" Su Yunzhi stretched out her hand and waved it on her forehead. "I feel like I only reach your collarbone now."

"Is that so?" Zhang Shutong forced a smile.

Okay, despite the awkwardness of the following conversation, Zhang Shutong still wanted to find out the relationship between the two. Although he couldn't be sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing, having inexplicably arrived five years in the future and then met his senior, he couldn't just continue like this in a daze.

Zhang Shutong thought for a moment and tentatively asked:

"when are we leaving?"

Su Yunzhi glanced at her watch:
"Let's wait another ten minutes."

"I thought it was in a hurry."

"Actually, it's not too bad. There's always time to have a cup of coffee."

So what is this, going to meet the parents?

Zhang Shutong felt a bit ashamed. He had said he wouldn't bother the old house at the door, but he was proven wrong by the future.

"Should we buy some gifts, as souvenirs?" Zhang Shutong probed further.

"A gift? No need?" Su Yunzhi asked doubtfully. "I already told you not to be so polite. Besides, what's there to buy here? A mug?"

This is true.

He only realized now that he had come all this way, without bringing any valuable gifts like cigarettes or alcohol, why did he only bring his cell phone and ID card?
Their emotional intelligence is incredibly low.

"It's so hot, Uncle, thank you for your trouble," Zhang Shutong said, forcing a smile.

"It's alright." Su Yunzhi squinted her eyes. "Look, that car outside is his, it hasn't left yet."

Zhang Shutong turned around and, sure enough, in an SUV, the driver's side window was rolled down a crack. As the two looked at each other, the window rolled up.

What's going on? Not only do they want to come to your house for dinner, but they also want to ride back in your dad's car?

"I thought I'd have to take a taxi..." Zhang Shutong said weakly.

"He's going that way today."

"Is it really appropriate to make Uncle wait outside?"

"Hmm... yes, but he said he's off today."

Zhang Shutong remembers that her senior's father worked in the public security system.

Let alone taking a vacation, even retirement shouldn't leave people stranded outside.

"How about... we talk in the car?"

"There's no need for that," the senior student hesitated. "He'll be going back soon, and going there would only cause more trouble."

"Should we send Uncle back again?" Zhang Shutong asked in surprise. "Then should we go home for dinner?"

"I can't exactly ask him to come with me," the senior student exclaimed, also surprised. "And what kind of meal are you talking about?"

At that moment, a message suddenly popped up on my phone.

"I've been waiting for so long, why haven't I seen you?"

Cold sweat dripped down Zhang Shutong's forehead.

He seemed to realize what a huge blunder he had made.

"Are you going there for tourism?"

"Otherwise what?" The senior was even more puzzled. "Didn't I tell you on WeChat yesterday that our schedules are about the same, so we can meet up when we're free?"

Zhang Shutong stood up.

"Have fun." He calmly waved his phone. "Sorry, my pick-up person has arrived."

"Okay, let's meet again when I get back." The senior student waved with a smile.

Zhang Shutong had only taken a few steps when he remembered something. He turned back to the counter to pay the bill, then walked out of the coffee shop under Su Yunzhi's gaze. Once he was sure she couldn't see him anymore, Zhang Shutong changed from walking to running.

What's going on? Turns out it was just a chance encounter with my senior!

The WeChat message was sent to someone else!

He took out his phone, about to reply to the other person:
"Why aren't you replying to messages here!"

Zhang Shutong turned her head and saw a young woman with short hair.

She wore sunglasses and a bright red dress, looking radiant.

"Ruoping?"

Zhang Shutong opened his mouth.

(End of this chapter)