Chapter 53 Resurrection04
"Moving out?"
Su Yu almost bit his tongue.
Lin Shuicheng smiled. "Yeah, I've already arranged it. Come over for dinner tomorrow after I've settled everything." He glanced at the coconut chicken on the plate. The dish from the Third Courtyard cafeteria was made with mass-produced coconut water and frozen chicken, resulting in a rather dry texture and an odd fishy smell.
However, Su Yu genuinely seemed to enjoy it, as he was almost done with his second helping and still looked eager for more.
Startled, Su Yu nearly dropped his plate. "Sister-in-law, you're leaving right away?"
"Mm-hmm. We've separated. I'm not sure if he's told you," Lin Shuicheng said softly. "It wouldn't be appropriate for me to stay there any longer. I found a new place beforehand, but I need another day to move and settle in. It might not be convenient for you to visit, but that'll change soon. You can let me know what you'd like to eat in advance, or would you prefer the coconut chicken?"
Su Yu was stunned.
All he could recall was Fu Luoyin telling him over the phone that Lin Shuicheng wanted to break up, but he had no idea that Lin Shuicheng would leave so decisively. In just a short while, Lin Shuicheng had apparently already planned out his future.
He nervously asked, "Sis... Sister-in-law, is it because of Xia Ran that you're breaking up with him?"
Lin Shuicheng froze for a moment. "Who?"
Su Yu: "… Don't you know who he is, Sister? He's the minus two ex-boyfriend I mentioned before… But Sister, do you think it would be better to wait until Minus Two comes back before deciding to break up? He told me he was serious."
Lin Shuicheng fell silent for a while. "It's not because of this or anything else. I just don't want to be with him anymore. I hope to return to my original life."
Su Yu was stunned. "Then, Sister, you're breaking up too abruptly. You should at least talk it out with Minus Two and come to an agreement. If you just leave without saying anything in a relationship, it can really hurt the other person…"
"Me and him aren't in a relationship. We both understand that," Lin Shuicheng said.
Su Yu was dumbfounded again. "Huh? Sister, you're not… You didn't fall in love with Minus Two at first sight… No, what I mean is, weren't things going well between you two?"
He had met Lin Shuicheng once a year ago when he hadn't resigned from the forensic system yet. He went to Fu Luoyin to submit Chu Shihan's special autopsy report and coincidentally caught Fu Luoyin visiting Lin Shuicheng at Star University. The three of them ended up having dinner together.
Back then, he truly believed that Fu Luoyin had moved on from his feelings for Xia Ran, and he was genuinely happy for him.
There was a glow in Lin Shuicheng's eyes when he looked at Fu Luoyin, and that kind of expression couldn't be faked.
And Fu Luoyin cared more about Lin Shuicheng than others. Su Yu still remembered the time Fu Luoyin called him in the middle of the night, asking him to pick someone up from Unit Seven. Fu Luoyin never begged anyone, but today he had threatened him by complaining to Yan Zi and even called him 'Little Fish' to entice him.
Lin Shuicheng pursed his lips. "It's not a romantic relationship. I wanted to say this earlier, but you might have misunderstood. He and I are just..." After some thought, Lin Shuicheng chose his words carefully. "Sexual partners."
Su Yu: "..................."
At that moment, Su Yu didn't even know how to help Fu Luoyin comfort Lin Shuicheng. He even wished Fu Luoyin wouldn't come back, hoping he would be so busy with meetings outside that he would forget about the breakup altogether. Su Yu couldn't bear to imagine the consequences of Fu Luoyin hearing those words!
The world was going to end! He couldn't handle it!
Lin Shuicheng had more than ten boxes. Eighty percent of them were filled with books and documents, each weighing several dozen kilograms, making them difficult to move.
Despite this, Su Yu still went over the next day, unsure why he was doing so. Was he planning to tell Fu Luoyin that he helped by assisting Lin Shuicheng to move out?
Just the thought of it made Su Yu's scalp tingle.
Lin Shuicheng was on the phone with a shipping company. He sat on the sofa with Chief curled up on his lap, snoring softly. The cat's fur was soft and smooth.
"Is that not allowed? My cat has vaccination and health certificates. It's only two years old and never scratches people." – except for occasionally swatting at the annoying Fu Luoyin.
Lin Shuicheng continued, "And my documents are just ordinary academic materials. I've organized them in order. It's impossible to take out tens of thousands of items and disrupt their sequence."
The person on the other end spoke politely, "I'm sorry, but that's the current regulation. There's a strict investigation across the entire alliance, and all registered goods, equipment, and documents need to be inspected before we can accept the order. Furthermore, no animals are allowed for transportation. You could send over all the other items first and then personally take a taxi to bring the cat."
Lin Shuicheng frowned. "Regarding document inspections, does your privacy policy include this? What if they're confidential business documents?"
"The authorization was just issued today, so theoretically, all commercial projects need to pass safety clearance. If there's a security clearance for confidential documents, we can transport them directly." The person apologized repeatedly, "I'm really very sorry about this..."
Lin Shuicheng replied, "I understand."
He hung up the call.
Su Yu asked, "Sister-in-law, why not just forget about moving? Or wait a few days until my dad comes back and returns the car to me, then I can help you drive the items over."
His mind was already calculating how he could stretch one day into several days, and perhaps even years. In essence, he would then be able to attend Fu Luoyin and Lin Shuicheng's wedding!
Lin Shuicheng glanced at him. Su Yu felt exposed but still maintained his position with a thick skin, gazing at him sincerely.
Seeing that Lin Shuicheng didn't move or respond, just engrossed in his phone, Su Yu asked, "Sister-in-law, what do you think of my suggestion?"
Lin Shuicheng didn't give a direct answer. Instead, he said, "Let's watch some TV."
He turned on a movie and went to the kitchen to fry some chips, fries, and phoenix tails. He brought them back for Su Yu to enjoy.
Su Yu didn't dare move, obediently eating while sitting upright to watch the film. The Chief, being friendly to this newcomer, took one of the phoenix tails from his hand and playfully placed its furry paw on his palm.
After a while, Lin Shuicheng received a call and stood up, saying, "Come on, I'll need your help driving."
Seeing him grab a folding trolley, load four boxes, and head for the elevator, pressing the button for the "long-term freight elevator" special access, then returning to carry more boxes, Su Yu asked, "Have you found a car, Sister-in-law?"
"No, given the current situation, it's inconvenient to hire a freight company. So I bought a car," Lin Shuicheng replied. "My grandfather mentioned how troublesome it was to buy a car in their time, but when I looked into it today, all the procedures can be outsourced to the seller, and it can be registered and delivered within hours. It's parked downstairs right now."
"???" Su Yu was stunned. "Buy a car? Do you know how to drive, Sister-in-law?"
"No, that's why it's fortunate you're here," Lin Shuicheng said, picking up the Chief and placing it in a cat carrier, stuffing a punctured calming snack stick inside. With a glance, he signaled for Su Yu to follow him down.
Su Yu's perception of Lin Shuicheng was overturned once again—wasn't Fu Luoyin supposed to have said that Lin Shuicheng's family was very poor?
He had always imagined Lin Shuicheng as someone who lived frugally, but clearly, that wasn't the case.
Lin Shuicheng purchased an affordable car, an old yet reputable brand with excellent value for money and an attractive appearance.
Su Yu examined the vehicle and commented, "Sister-in-law has great taste. This car is really nice."
"Is that so?" Lin Shuicheng smiled. "My father used to have a car just like this one."
With numerous boxes to carry, Lin Shuicheng and Su Yu made two trips to fill the trunk and backseat to the brim. Surprisingly, they managed to fit everything in despite the tight space.
At Star University, Su Yu held the cat carrier while assisting Lin Shuicheng. He made way for Lin Shuicheng as they entered the new place.
Upon arrival, Su Yu was impressed with Lin Shuicheng's organized manner. First, he arranged the boxes systematically, cleaned the living room, and invited Su Yu to sit down. Then, he released the Chief to acquaint itself with the surroundings.
The nervous dairy cat clung closely to Lin Shuicheng, following him around in its new environment. Fortunately, although the apartment was old, it was still very clean. Lin Shuicheng had already taken the time to tidy up previously, making the current cleaning process swift.
Seeing that there was still plenty of time, Lin Shuicheng even ventured to the nearby fresh market to buy green coconuts and a freshly slaughtered free-range chicken. He planned to cook coconut chicken for Su Yu.
Throughout the day, Su Yu had been too embarrassed to comment but had diligently helped with cleaning and organizing. However, upon seeing the mouthwatering coconut chicken served on the table, Su Yu mustered the courage to speak: "Sister-in-law, this time, you really...
After some contemplation, he closed his mouth and softly asked, "Can I still come over to play with you in the future? I mean... if you and Number Two really break up."
Su Yu was well aware that this question held little weight. Their circle and someone like Lin Shuicheng didn't have much overlap to begin with, and ordinary friends tended to drift apart when they no longer shared the same social circles.
Not to mention the awkwardness of a breakup.
Lin Shuicheng smiled. "Of course. You're Fu Luoyin's friend, but also Dr. Yan and Nian Nian's benefactor. If there's anything I can do for you, please let me know."
That day, Su Yu devoured a pot of coconut chicken, leaving not a single drop of broth behind. Lin Shuicheng packed the remaining coconut flesh and juice into sterile bottles for him. Before the meal, Su Yu had taken pictures—the clear and fragrant coconut chicken, accompanied by stir-fried oil lettuce, garlic pork, and fish-flavored shredded meat.
Yet this time, he didn't dare to send it to Fu Luoyin.
Lin Shuicheng ate swiftly. As Su Yu was eating, he turned back to search through the box for something.
The Chief remained glued to his side.
Lin Shuicheng pulled an envelope out of the file folder, inadvertently bringing out a crumpled pink memo pad. He wondered why it was there.
He picked it up and found a scribbled message on it: "Remember to eat your meal, little lazy cat."
Flipping the card over, there was a sketch of a cat's head on the back, specifically a tabby cat, drawn to resemble Chief Fu with black ears.
Lin Shuicheng studied it for a moment before carefully placing it back into the envelope. Then, he stood up and handed a letter to Su Yu. "In a few days, I'll be rather busy. If Fu Luoyin returns, please give this to him."
Without thinking, Su Yu asked, "What is it?"
"Ah... It's the money I owe him," Lin Shuicheng replied, then suddenly inquired, "By the way, how much is an appropriate amount for a breakup fee?"
Su Yu had thought he had accepted the reality that Lin Shuicheng was determined to break up with Fu Luoyin. However, the situation still felt surreal to him.
"Brother... Sister-in-law, you're giving Second Bro a breakup fee..." He stammered, confused.
"Mm, initially, I just wanted to settle our debts, but I still owe him some favors that can't be repaid," Lin Shuicheng explained, his gaze lowered, his tone somewhat distant. "It seems like... he has developed feelings for me."