Rebirth in 1986: Unforgettable Regrets

Chapter 1274: Chapter 1274: Eat It Yourself

"Thank you, Sister Xie." Tang Jun held the signed album and these autographed photos, feeling overjoyed and overwhelmed. Yuan Yu loved listening to these songs and really liked the singer Xie Ni. Seeing this would definitely make Yuan Yu very happy.

"You’re welcome."

Xie Ni chuckled softly, looking at Tang Jun as if he were her own little brother. She teased, "As long as I can help you win over the girl you like, it’s not just a few autographs—I’d even treat her to a meal. It would save your sister a lot of worry."

"Really?" Tang Jun’s eyes lit up as he looked at Xie Ni.

Xie Ni nodded affirmatively and said, "Of course it’s true, do you think I would lie to you?"

"Sister Xie, you’re really great, thank you." Tang Jun said happily, showering countless thanks, and after chatting with Xie Ni, he left excitedly, practically skipping.

Watching his departing figure, Xie Ni couldn’t help but sigh, "Youth is so wonderful."

"Little Ni, you’re still very young yourself," Sister Tian said as she brushed her hair aside. "It’s people like me who are truly old."

"Sister Tian."

Just as Xie Ni was about to tease Sister Tian back, her phone rang. Seeing "Brother Qiu" displayed on the screen, the smile on Xie Ni’s face faded.

"Little Ni, I have something to deal with, I’ll head out first," Sister Tian quietly whispered in Xie Ni’s ear.

Xie Ni nodded, took a deep breath, and after calming her breathing, answered the call.

"..."

"Brother Qiu, we’re both adults. Let’s just pretend nothing happened that day."

"..."

"Sorry, I have to continue rehearsing for the upcoming concert, let’s leave it at that for now."

Xie Ni only said two sentences before hanging up the phone.

*

Tang Jun excitedly delivered the items to the hospital. Yuan Yu just glanced at him and kept busy, as if she hadn’t even seen him.

Tang Jun wasn’t in a hurry and just stayed on the side, waiting patiently.

Finally, when Yuan Yu got off work, Tang Jun was the first to take out the portable music player, putting the earphones into Yuan Yu’s ears.

The most popular song from Xie Ni’s new album played, her melodious voice came through the earphones, and even the opening notes of the song instantly struck a chord in the heart.

Yuan Yu glanced at him silently, seeing his silly smile, then without much thought, took the other earphone and put it into her ear. After a long day, listening to this soothing music was truly an enjoyment.

After the song ended, Yuan Yu said, "Tang Jun, don’t think a portable music player and a cassette can make me change my mind."

"You should take it back; I already have that cassette."

Yuan Yu pushed the items back.

"No, you don’t." Tang Jun grinned, "Go ahead, take out your cassette and have a look."

Yuan Yu, half-doubting, opened the music player and took out the cassette. Seeing the signature on it, her face lit up, "Is this Xie Ni’s autograph?"

"That’s right." Tang Jun handed over the cassette case, and then the postcard and signed photos.

Yuan Yu’s eyes were shining brightly, she was really fond, extremely fond of Xie Ni’s music; to get this postcard, autographed photos, and signed cassette were exactly what she liked.

After the initial joy, Yuan Yu suddenly asked, "This isn’t fake, is it?"

Yuan Yu looked closely at the signature, listening again—it sounded real.

"Yuan Yu, you underestimate me too much."

Tang Jun looked at Yuan Yu’s serious expression with a mix of laughter and tears, feeling greatly affected, "My sister and Sister Xie are good friends and have worked together for a long time, why would I use a fake to fool you?"

"Sister Xie even said she could treat you to dinner." Tang Jun, trying to make his words more convincing, added another line.

"Really?"

Yuan Yu, half-doubting but knowing Tang Yue and Xie Ni seemed to indeed be friends, her eyes sparkled, she wanted to say ’let’s have dinner, please invite for dinner’, she really wished to have a meal with Xie Ni.

But, remembering she said she’d ignore Tang Jun before, Yuan Yu felt she couldn’t say those words.

"What if we dine together another day, I can invite Sister Xie too?" Tang Jun cleared his throat and suggested, "Sister Xie happens to be in Jing City recently, but with her concert soon, it’s uncertain if she’ll have time."

"No need, she must be very busy, I better not disturb her."

Yuan Yu didn’t know Xie Ni’s daily schedule, but this time, Xie Ni was surely busy, so she decided not to disturb her.

"Let’s swap this," Yuan Yu cherished the signed cassette, placing it into her go-to bag.

"All for you."

Tang Jun proposed, "Where are you heading next?"

"I’m getting off work."

Yuan Yu removed the white coat, rubbing her sore neck, planning to clock out for dinner. But just as she left the hospital, Tang Jun followed closely behind her.

"Hey, Tang Jun, won’t you ever stop?" Yuan Yu threw him an annoyed glare, "I’m heading home now, are you planning to follow me there?"

"It’s dinner time, let’s have dinner together." Tang Jun was still thinking about giving those concert tickets to Yuan Yu.

"Go have it yourself."

Yuan Yu decisively turned him down. In the past, she used to trail after Tang Jun, encountering countless rejections. She finally persuaded herself to let go, and now that Tang Jun was being proactive, Yuan Yu felt she should think it over once more.

She couldn’t afford to dive headfirst into the whirlwind of love as before, getting herself utterly bruised.

She still recalled, after returning from Changshui Village, how nightly she drowned her pillow in tears, the taste of unrequited longing, she thought, she had enough.

"Yuan Yu, I’ll treat you to your favorite spicy boiled fish fillets and crayfish," Tang Jun hurriedly chased after Yuan Yu.

Yet Yuan Yu gave him no leeway and went straight to her apartment.

She shut the door on Tang Jun outside.

"Yuan Yu, how about just one dinner, aren’t you going to eat, too?"

"Just go back."

Yuan Yu yelled over the door, then ran inside, pouncing onto her bed, pulled the quilt over herself tightly, afraid of softening her heart if she heard Tang Jun’s voice again.

"Yuan Yu."

Tang Jun called for a long time, only to be scolded by the neighbor next door until he left, dejected.

He touched the tickets in his pocket, muttering internally: I thought dinner would be the perfect chance to give her the tickets, but I didn’t even get the opportunity.

When Tang Jun called Tang Yue for help, he could barely contain his laughter, seeing his brother’s predicament as poetic justice—a haughty moment leading to relentless pursuit in the love battlefield.

In the past, countless times Yuan Yu wished to be with Tang Jun, but he was unwilling, and now that Yuan Yu was unwilling...

"Sis, stop laughing, help me out here." Tang Jun’s voice hinted at pent-up frustration hearing Tang Yue’s laughter over the phone.