Chapter 57: Chapter 79 (Part 1)

With a week remaining before her departure, apart from final exams, Lin Yilan had a multitude of matters to attend to before she left.

First, she returned a call to Professor Liang Junior, who was Professor Liang’s son.

Hearing the connection tone, Lin Yilan straightened her posture.

"Brother Liang, I am Lin Yilan. Professor Liang asked me to give you a call."

Professor Liang Junior cleared his throat. "Miss Lin, are you heading to Denmark for a project in a few days?"

Lin Yilan replied, "Yes."

"I'll give you the phone number of a friend of mine in Denmark. If you need any help when you get there, you can reach out to him." With that, Professor Liang Junior began reciting the phone number.

Lin Yilan hurriedly pulled her notebook out of her bag and jotted down the digits. Once he finished reading, she repeated the number back to him to ensure there were no errors.

Professor Liang Junior asked, "There's nothing else. Is there anything else you need?"

Lin Yilan tucked the notebook back into her bag. "No, that's all. You can hang up now."

With a brief acknowledgment, Professor Liang Junior ended the call.

The call lasted precisely under a minute. After paying the telephone fee, Lin Yilan turned and left the school's telephone booth.

On her way back, she took the notebook out of her bag and silently recited the phone number written inside.

Before leaving for Denmark, she intended to memorize both this number and the emergency number for the Danish police, just in case of any unforeseen needs.

After taking care of the phone call, she hopped on her bicycle and prepared to visit her grandfather's residence.

The school was not far from the compound where her grandfather lived in retirement, and she arrived shortly.

After registering her information at the gate, she wheeled her bicycle into the compound.

True to its reputation as a residence for many retired high-ranking officials, the compound where her grandfather lived was remarkably clear of snow. Any icy patches had been shoveled away, leaving only faint traces on the ground.

"Lin Yilan!"

Hearing someone call her name, Lin Yilan looked up and spotted a group of people. Among them, wearing a black down jacket, was Si Ping.

Having lived in Beijing for so many years, this was the first time she had seen anyone wearing a down jacket up close.

For a split second, a sudden sensation washed over her—she felt herself drawing ever closer to the era she had originally come from.

Recovering her composure, she smiled, pushed her bicycle forward, and greeted Si Ping. "Si Ping, long time no see. I didn't expect to run into you here."

Si Ping flashed a row of white teeth. "Me neither. Are you here to visit your grandparents?"

Lin Yilan nodded. "Yes. What about you?"

If she remembered correctly, Si Ping's grandfather didn't live here even after retiring; given his high rank, he should have been living in a somewhat better place.

Si Ping tugged at the woolen cap on his head. "My family and I came to visit my grand-uncle."

Realizing he hadn't introduced his parents yet, he pointed somewhat flusteredly at the two people behind him. "Oh right, this is my mother, and the one next to her is my dad."

He then pointed to two people standing a bit further away. "That's my older brother and his wife."

Turning back to his parents, he introduced Lin Yilan, "Mom, Dad, this is Lin Yilan. She used to live in our compound too, and now she's a student under my teacher's good friend."

Lin Yilan looked at the couple and nodded in greeting. "Hello, Uncle and Auntie. I'm Lin Yilan."

The two of them acknowledged her greeting in return.

While exchanging pleasantries, she observed Si Ping's parents and felt they didn't look much like him.

Si Ping's father looked somewhat stern, with prominent forehead wrinkles, while his mother appeared to be a rather severe woman who gave off the strong impression of a strict headmistress.

When the two of them greeted her, she could sense that while they seemed to be smiling at her, their demeanor was actually rather perfunctory.

Withdrawing her gaze, she pointed in the direction opposite to the one she had come from. "My grandfather wants to see me about something today, so I won't chat any longer. We can catch up another time if we get the chance."

Si Ping waved reluctantly. "All right then, I'll find time to visit you at your school."

Lin Yilan politely nodded in farewell, gave a brief gesture of acknowledgment to Si Ping's parents, mounted her bicycle, and rode away.

Watching her retreating figure, Si Ping clenched both hands together.