Tengah hari, Yang Liu'er datang menjemput Xiao Man untuk makan siang di sebuah restoran dekat Perusahaan Pakaian Lu dan Yang.
Xiao Man tahu restoran itu; namanya cukup terkenal, dan sekali makan di sana biayanya tidak sedikit. Ia bergurau, "Baru setengah bulan kita tidak bertemu. Perlu sampai seheboh ini? Kalian baru pulang kemarin. Seharusnya aku yang mentraktir kalian sebagai jamuan penyambutan."
Yang Liu'er tertawa kecil. "Ini memang jamuan penyambutan, tapi bukan kamu yang bayar. Kamu cukup datang dengan perut kosong, lalu buka mata baik-baik!"
"Maksudmu?"
"Pacar Lu Jianling! Mereka baru bertemu lagi kemarin, dan pagi tadi dia sudah muncul. Dia mengikuti Jianling ke mana-mana, dari kantor sampai ruang produksi. Mereka mengobrol tanpa henti; orang yang tidak tahu pasti mengira mereka sudah berpacaran bertahun-tahun. Dia bersikeras mentraktir kami makan siang, jadi mari kita lihat kualitasnya."
"Lu Jianling punya pacar? Sejak kapan? Kok aku tidak tahu?"
"Belum resmi sih, tapi aku sangat berharap bisa terwujud."
"Baru kenal? Dijodohkan?"
"Hmm, agak rumit. Panjang ceritanya. Kamu tahu sendiri Jianling kita ini gila kerja—kamar asrama perusahaan hampir jadi kamar tidurnya. Dia tidak tertarik pada pria mana pun. Bukan karena tidak ada yang mencoba memperkenalkan, tapi dia seperti isolator; tidak pernah ada percikan. Lu Jianguo sampai cemas sekali! Aku juga ingin Jianling berumah tangga bahagia, jadi diam-diam aku cari akal supaya dia mau berkencan. Lalu, tiba-tiba! Teman masa kecilnya muncul. Mereka sangat gembira bertemu lagi setelah bertahun-tahun. Sepertinya cara dia memandang Jianling agak berbeda, dan Jianling tidak bersikap dingin serta berjarak seperti pada pria lain. Dia mau dekat-dekat. Aku sudah melihat orangnya, benar-benar bagus—tampan, berbakat, dan wataknya tampak kokoh. Ditambah dia begitu agresif, jelas apa maksudnya, jadi kupikir... Aduh! Sudahlah, bantu aku menilai saja. Tidak setiap hari Jianling tertarik pada pria. Kita harus bantu dia mengunci yang ini. Bukankah dia akan jadi suami yang luar biasa untuknya!"
"Wah, kamu terlalu bersemangat. Mau jodohkan paksa?"
"Hahaha! Justru dia yang datang sendiri! Dia bahkan bilang padaku bahwa dia dan Jianling itu, kau tahu—teman masa kecil!"
"Umur berapa mereka waktu masih main bersama? Hebat juga bisa saling mengenali setelah dua puluh tahun!"
"Nah, kan? Itu takdir!" Yang Liu'er tertawa lagi. "Jianling tahun ini dua puluh enam. Waktu dia berumur lima atau enam tahun, dia ikut Nenek Weiwei ke rumah kerabat di Kota Xin karena Bibi Weiwei sakit keras dan sudah sekarat. Nenek Weiwei kasihan pada adiknya dan ingin tinggal merawatnya, jadi dia dan Jianling tinggal di sana hampir setengah tahun. Awalnya Jianling kangen kakaknya, tiap hari lari ke pintu dan menangis. Seorang anak laki-laki dari rumah sebelah melihatnya, lalu baik hati menemani dan mengajaknya bermain... begitu ceritanya! Pasti mereka sangat cocok dan senang waktu itu, karena keduanya menyimpan kenangan manis itu. Tentu mustahil mereka saling mengenali setelah dua puluh tahun, tapi nama masing-masing mereka ingat. Anak laki-laki itu, sekarang sudah dewasa, bekerja di bandara. Waktu kami lewat pemeriksaan keamanan, aku memanggil 'Jianling, Lu Jianling' beberapa kali. Dia tidak berkata apa-apa saat itu, hanya melirik Jianling dua kali. Lalu, begitu kami kembali, dia langsung mencari Jianling. Mereka mencocokkan cerita, dan ternyata! Benar dia!"
Xiao Man geli mendengar kesimpulan sahabatnya, dan takjub pada keajaiban takdir.
"Karena ini jamuan penyambutan, Paman Lu dan yang lain ikut datang juga?"
"Tidak. Ayahku di rumah makan siang dengan Weiwei; kalau ikut berkeliling nanti mengganggu sekolah anak. Kemarin Zhao Xian yang mengantar kami pulang, jadi ayahku sudah bertemu dengannya. Dia bahkan menyuruh Zhao Xian sering-sering mampir ke rumah. Dan Kakak Lu-mu hari ini pergi ke kuliah, jadi tidak ikut."
"Kakak Lu rajin sekali, kuliah pun sekeras itu. Oh iya, tahun ini kamu lulus, jadi tidak perlu sering ke kampus. Enak sekali. Aku iri pada kebebasanmu."
"Kakak Lu-mu sekarang rendah hati sekali. Dia terlalu sibuk untuk menghadiri semua kelasnya, tapi dia bersikeras mengejar yang tertinggal. Aku tanya apakah dia sedang menaksir gadis cantik di kampus, tapi dia bilang aku ini bodoh. Katanya dia benar-benar menghargai kesempatan ini karena ilmu dari buku itu sangat lengkap, jadi dia harus rajin belajar... Manman, kamu juga sebentar lagi lulus. Dua tahun lewat sekejap mata."
"Iya."
Mereka mengobrol sampai tanpa terasa sudah tiba di restoran. Setelah memarkir mobil, Xiao Man mengikuti Yang Liu'er masuk. Pelayan mengantar mereka ke ruang makan khusus, tempat tiga orang sudah duduk di meja sambil minum teh. Xiao Man melihat Zhao Xian duduk di samping Lu Jianling, dan perempuan lainnya adalah Luo Chunxiang.
Lu Jianling memperkenalkan Zhao Xian dan Xiao Man. Seperti digambarkan Yang Liu'er, Zhao Xian memang pria yang rupawan—wajahnya bersih, perawakannya bagus. Wataknya tampak tenang dan mantap, dan usianya kira-kira sebaya Lu Jianling. Xiao Man tanpa sadar berharap mereka saling jatuh cinta dan menjadi pasangan, menulis kisah cinta indah mereka sendiri. Bukankah memang jarang terjadi, teman masa kecil bertemu lagi dan saling mengenali setelah dua puluh tahun berpisah.
Luo Chunxiang menyapa Xiao Man dengan senyum. Kulitnya berseri, tawanya lepas, dan ia membawa diri dengan semangat, tenang, serta penuh percaya diri—jauh berbeda dari sikapnya dulu yang pemalu dan menarik diri. Setelah pulih, ia bergabung dengan Perusahaan Pakaian Lu dan Yang, mulai sebagai buruh borongan di ruang produksi. Rajin, tekun, teliti, dan bertanggung jawab, ia memastikan setiap potong yang ia kerjakan memenuhi standar. Gajinya besar dan tiap bulan dapat bonus, dan menurut Yang Liu'er, kini ia sudah naik jadi ketua tim produksi.
Yang Liu'er menjelaskan, "Aku sedang bicara dengan Kakak Chunxiang waktu jam makan siang tiba, jadi kusuruh Jianling dan Zhao Xian mengantarnya ke sini. Lagi pula kami semua harus kembali ke perusahaan setelah makan."
Xiao Man tersenyum dan mengangguk, dalam hati berpikir, *Yang Liu'er baru pulang dari luar negeri saat Tahun Baru Imlek. Luo Chunxiang pasti tahu semua yang terjadi dengan Keluarga Bai. Sekarang mereka sudah bertemu, Yang Liu'er pasti sudah mendengar seluruh ceritanya. Dilihat dari suasana hatinya yang sama sekali tidak terganggu, berarti Bai Junfan benar-benar sudah bersih dari hatinya, tanpa sisa sedikit pun.*
Setelah makan siang, Yang Liu'er mengantar Xiao Man kembali ke rumah sakit. Lu Jianling dan Zhao Xian mengeluarkan dua koper kecil dari mobil, sambil tersenyum menjelaskan bahwa itu hanya beberapa hadiah kecil, semoga Xiao Man suka. Mereka juga mengundang Xiao Man makan malam pada hari Minggu.
Xiao Man berterima kasih, tetapi menolak dengan sopan, beralasan hari Minggu ia harus mengerjakan proyek dengan pembimbingnya dan mungkin tidak punya waktu.
Benar saja, di dalam mobil Yang Liu'er terkekeh dan menjelaskan bahwa Paman Lu dan Lu Jianguo akan menjamu Zhao Xian makan malam resmi pada hari Minggu. Meski harapan semua orang tinggi, mereka belum tahu bagaimana akhirnya nanti, jadi mungkin lebih baik Xiao Man tidak hadir.
Di luar dugaan, Lu Jianling dan Zhao Xian benar-benar tampak seperti pasangan yang dijodohkan langit. Begitu cocok, hubungan mereka maju secepat kilat. Fokus tunggal dan tujuan sama, mereka langsung menuju pencatatan pernikahan. Meski Paman Lu dan Lu Jianguo diam-diam mencemaskan masa depan Lu Jianling dan menilai Zhao Xian tinggi, mereka tetap terkejut ketika pasangan itu tiba-tiba mengumumkan akan segera mengurus surat nikah.
Namun kalau dipikir lagi, itu wajar. Orang tua Zhao Xian bercerai, menikah lagi, dan punya anak lain, jadi sudah lama mereka tidak lagi menjadi bagian hidupnya. Setelah kakek-nenek yang membesarkannya meninggal, praktis ia hidup sendiri. Karena akhirnya menemukan Lu Jianling yang memberinya rasa memiliki, ia sangat ingin segera membangun keluarganya sendiri.
Atas desakan Lu Jianguo, Zhao Xian dan Lu Jianling mengakui mereka agak terburu-buru. Mereka membiarkan ayah, kakak, dan kakak ipar Jianling mengurus semuanya. Pertama diadakan jamuan pertunangan, lalu mereka mulai memilih rumah dan berbelanja kebutuhan pernikahan. Zhao Xian mendapat rumah dinas dari kantornya, dan Lu Jianling—atas dorongan Yang Liu'er—juga sudah membeli beberapa properti. Akhirnya mereka memilih sebuah apartemen pemberian Keluarga Lu—unit luas lebih dari dua ratus meter persegi, letaknya praktis di antara rumah Keluarga Lu dan perusahaan pakaian.
Baru setelah rumah baru itu selesai direnovasi dan dilengkapi perabot, mereka pergi ke Biro Urusan Sipil untuk mencatatkan pernikahan. Tinggal menunggu bulan Oktober tiba—tanggal baik yang diminta Paman Lu pilihkan kepada ahlinya—untuk menggelar pesta pernikahan bagi pasangan muda itu.
At noon, Yang Liu’er came to pick up Xiao Man to have lunch at a restaurant near the Lu Yang Clothing Company.
Xiao Man knew the restaurant; it was quite famous, and a meal there would cost a pretty penny. She joked, "It’s only been half a month since we last saw each other. Is all this fanfare necessary? You two just got back yesterday. If anything, I should be the one treating you to a welcome-home meal."
Yang Liu’er giggled. "It is a welcome-home meal, but we wouldn’t make you pay. All you have to do is show up ready to eat, and keep your eyes peeled!"
"What do you mean?"
"Lu Jianling’s boyfriend! They just reconnected yesterday, and he showed up first thing this morning. He’s been following Jianling everywhere, from the office to the workshop. The two of them have been talking nonstop; anyone who didn’t know better would think they’d been lovers for years. He insisted on treating us to lunch, so we’re going to see what he’s made of."
"Lu Jianling has a boyfriend? Since when? How come I had no idea?"
"Well, it’s not official yet, but I’m really hoping to make it happen."
"Did they just meet? Was it a set-up?"
"Well, it’s a little complicated. It’s a long story. You know our Jianling is a total workaholic—she practically treats the company dorm as her bedroom. She isn’t interested in any men. It’s not for a lack of trying to introduce her to some, but she’s like an insulator; there are never any sparks. Lu Jian Country is worried sick! I also want Jianling to have a happy marriage, so I was secretly trying to figure out a way to coax her into dating someone. Then, poof! This childhood friend suddenly pops up. They were so excited to see each other after all these years. He seems to look at Jianling a little differently, and she isn’t being cold and distant with him like she is with other men. She’s actually willing to get close to him. I’ve seen him, and he’s a real catch—impeccable looks and talent, and his character seems solid. Plus, he’s being so proactive, it’s obvious what his intentions are, so I thought... Ugh! Anyway, just help me take a look. It’s not every day Jianling shows interest in a guy. We have to help her lock this one down. Wouldn’t he make a wonderful husband for her!"
"Wow, you’re being a little intense. Are you trying to force a match?"
"Hahaha! Well, he’s the one who came to us! He even told me that he and Jianling were, you know—childhood sweethearts!"
"How old were they when they used to play together? It’s amazing that they could still recognize each other after twenty years!"
"See? It’s fate!" Yang Liu’er laughed again. "Jianling is turning twenty-six this year. When she was five or six, she went with Grandma Weiwei to a relative’s house in Xin City because Aunt Weiwei was gravely ill and on her deathbed. Grandma Weiwei felt sorry for her sister and wanted to stay to take care of her, so she and Jianling lived there for nearly half a year. At first, Jianling missed her older brother and would run to the door and cry every day. An older boy from next door saw her and was kind enough to play with her and keep her company... and that’s the story! They must have really hit it off and had a great time back then, because they both held on to that lovely memory. Of course, they couldn’t possibly recognize each other after twenty years, but they remembered each other’s names. That little boy, all grown up now, works at the airport. When we were going through security, I called out ’Jianling, Lu Jianling’ a few times. He didn’t say anything then, just glanced at her twice. Then, as soon as we were back, he came looking for her. The two of them confirmed their stories, and what do you know! It was really him!"
Xiao Man was amused by her friend’s conclusion and marveled at the wonders of fate.
"Since it’s a welcome-home meal, are Uncle Lu and the others here too?"
"No, my dad’s at home having lunch with Weiwei; running around would interfere with the kid’s schooling. Zhao Xian drove us home yesterday, so my dad already met him. He even told him to visit us at home often. And your Brother Lu went to a lecture at the university today, so he isn’t coming either."
"Brother Lu is so diligent, working that hard even in university. Oh, right, you’re graduating this year, so you don’t have to go to campus much these days. That’s so nice. I’m jealous of your freedom."
"Your Brother Lu is very modest these days. He’s too busy to attend all his classes, but he’s adamant about making up for any he misses. I asked him if he had his eye on some pretty girl at the university, but he just called me silly. He said he really cherishes this opportunity because the knowledge you can get from books is so comprehensive, so he has to study hard... Manman, you’re about to graduate soon too. Two years fly by in the blink of an eye."
"Yeah."
They chatted until, before they knew it, they had arrived at the restaurant. After parking the car, Xiao Man followed Yang Liu’er inside. A server led them to a private dining room where three people were already seated around a table, drinking tea. Xiao Man saw Zhao Xian sitting next to Lu Jianling, and the other woman was Luo Chunxiang.
Lu Jianling introduced Zhao Xian and Xiao Man. Just as Yang Liu’er had described, Zhao Xian was quite a fine man, with impeccable looks and a good bearing. He seemed to have a calm and steady personality and was about the same age as Lu Jianling. Xiao Man found herself hoping they would fall for each other and become a couple, writing their own beautiful love story. After all, it was truly rare for childhood friends to reunite and recognize one another after twenty years apart.
Luo Chunxiang greeted Xiao Man with a smile. Her complexion was rosy, her laughter was hearty, and she carried herself with an air of energy, poise, and confidence—a far cry from her previously timid and withdrawn demeanor. After recovering her health, she had joined the Lu Yang Clothing Company, starting as a piece-rate worker in the workshop. Diligent, hardworking, meticulous, and responsible, she ensured every piece she produced was up to standard. She earned a high salary and bonuses every month, and Yang Liu’er mentioned that she had now been promoted to a workshop team leader.
Yang Liu’er explained, "I was talking with Sister Chunxiang when it was time for lunch, so I had Jianling and Zhao Xian give her a ride over. We all have to go back to the company after we eat anyway."
Xiao Man smiled and nodded, thinking to herself, ’Yang Liu’er was abroad during the New Year. Luo Chunxiang must know everything that happened with the Bai Family. Now that they’ve seen each other, Yang Liu’er must have heard all the details. Judging by the fact that her mood hasn’t been affected in the slightest, it means she’s truly and completely purged Bai Junfan from her heart, without a single trace remaining.’
After lunch, Yang Liu’er drove Xiao Man back to the hospital. Lu Jianling and Zhao Xian took two small cases out of the car, smiling as they explained they were just some small gifts they hoped she would like. They also invited Xiao Man over for dinner on Sunday.
Xiao Man thanked them but politely declined, making the excuse that she had to work on a project with her advisor on Sunday and probably wouldn’t have time.
Sure enough, in the car, Yang Liu’er chuckled and explained that Uncle Lu and Lu Jian Country were having Zhao Xian over for a formal dinner on Sunday. Although everyone’s hopes were high, they didn’t know how things would ultimately turn out, so it was probably for the best that Xiao Man wouldn’t be there.
Unexpectedly, Lu Jianling and Zhao Xian truly seemed to be a match made in heaven. Once they clicked, their relationship progressed at lightning speed. Singularly focused and with a common goal, they headed straight for marriage registration. Although Uncle Lu and Lu Jian Country had been secretly worrying about Lu Jianling’s future and thought highly of Zhao Xian, they were still shocked when the couple suddenly announced they were about to get their marriage license.
Upon reflection, however, it was understandable. Zhao Xian’s parents had divorced, remarried, and had other children, so they’d long since stopped being part of his life. After the grandparents who raised him passed away, he was essentially on his own. Having finally found Lu Jianling, who gave him a sense of belonging, he was desperate to start a family of his own.
At Lu Jian Country’s insistence, Zhao Xian and Lu Jianling agreed they had been a bit hasty. They let her father, brother, and sister-in-law handle the arrangements. First, they held an engagement banquet, then they began selecting a marital home and shopping for wedding necessities. Zhao Xian had housing assigned to him from his work unit, and Lu Jianling, at Yang Liu’er’s urging, had also purchased several properties. In the end, they settled on an apartment gifted by the Lu Family—a spacious unit of over two hundred square meters, conveniently located between the Lu family home and the clothing company.
Only after they had finished renovating and furnishing their new home did they go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to register their marriage. Finally, they just had to wait for October to arrive—for the auspicious date selected by an expert at Uncle Lu’s request—to hold the wedding for the young couple.
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