What Should I Do If I Time-Traveled Forty Years Later and My Lover Has Become an Old Man? - MLFYL: 11

Yu Yao returned from her routine trip to the community supermarket, only to be greeted by the startling sight of her front door wide open.

With her recent purchase of fresh fruit in hand, she stepped inside and was met with an unexpected scene: a young girl, roughly her own age, seated gracefully on the sofa.

As their eyes met, the girl looked up with a hint of surprise. Noticing the fruit in Yu Yao’s possession, she likely misinterpreted the situation.

Rising with a warm smile, she greeted her kindly, “Are you here to see Professor Jiang? He’s a bit busy at the moment. Please, come and sit for a while.”

Yu Yao raised an eyebrow in mild curiosity, but the girl, eager to converse, continued enthusiastically, “Are you Professor Jiang’s neighbor or his student? You must be a student, right? Are you from Hainan University as well? I don’t think I’ve seen you around before. Here, let me help you put the fruit in the fridge, and you can sit and wait—I’ll pour you a glass of water.”

She couldn’t help but wonder: Why does this girl behave as if she’s the mistress of the house?

With a casual grace, she extended the fruit to her, offering it silently before settling comfortably onto the sofa. Without a word, she retrieved the Barren Planet game she had saved the previous day, and began diligently completing her daily tasks.

The girl poured a glass of water and approached her gently.

Observing Yu Yao opening the television and engaging in gaming without hesitation, she felt a twinge of disapproval.

“It is inappropriate for you to simply turn on Professor Jiang’s television and play games.” While Professor Jiang has always maintained a kind and patient demeanor, it is not fitting for her to spend her time gaming within her own home.

As she voiced her concern, her gaze drifted to the screen displaying the game, and she was taken aback—how could there be games installed on Professor Jiang’s TV?

Yu Yao glanced at her furrowed brow, “What is Professor Jiang doing?”

The girl looked at her in confusion, unsure of her identity, and simply replied, “I went to get a copy of the information for my teacher, and Professor Jiang got it for me. Are you… really a student of Professor Jiang?”

Yu Yao shook her head honestly, “No.”

The girl was surprised, “Then who are you?”

She saw that this person had entered the house as if it were her own, carrying fruit, a very natural appearance. She thought she was a student who had come to visit Professor Jiang.

Yu Yao was about to answer when she saw Jiang Zhonglin coming out of the study.

So she turned to him, “I bought fresh strawberries and put them in the fresh-keeping cabinet.”

Although their tastes diverged in many ways, both Yu Yao and Jiang Zhonglin shared a deep affection for strawberries above all other fruits. In their cherished moments together, they often purchased strawberries to enjoy side by side, creating memories intertwined with this sweet fruit.

Today, upon seeing strawberries at the market, she realized that many fruits once considered out of season were now readily available—an unexpected delight that symbolized a new chapter in her life, offering the promise that she would no longer be hindered by seasonal limitations when craving something special.

As she reflected, an amusing yet slightly embarrassing memory surfaced.

Shortly after her marriage to Jiang Zhonglin, their intimacy brought them closer than ever. One night, after an intimate moment, she lay sprawled on the bed, gazing at the faint red marks on her thighs, and suddenly felt an overwhelming desire for strawberries.

The craving was so intense that it surprised her—sometimes, people’s desires can be inexplicably sudden, and the more they think about them, the stronger the longing becomes.

She had one leg draped over Jiang Zhonglin, and suddenly, she raised her foot and playfully kicked him.

He immediately sat up, his youthful and handsome face still tinged with redness as he gazed at her, his hair damp with a breath of moisture.

“Is something the matter? Are you feeling unwell?” he asked anxiously.

Yu Yao was not someone to impose her will on others, yet as she looked at him, her subconscious thoughts found their way to her lips.

“I want to eat strawberries.”

“Strawberries?” He promptly rose from bed, determined, “I’ll go buy some for you.”

Having just shared a joyful moment with his wife, his heart was still aflutter, brimming with restless energy. His desire to fulfill every wish of his beloved overwhelmed him, even to the point of forgetting that strawberries are out of season—yet his foolish, bubbling enthusiasm persisted, unwavering in its innocence.

With a delicate gesture, Yu Yao lifted her foot and gently pinched the corner of his clothing with her toes, quietly guiding him to return, “Are you truly so naive? Strawberries are out of season now.”

Jiang Zhonglin hesitated briefly, “Would you like some peaches instead? I can go buy some for you, alright?”

Peaches ranked just after strawberries in her favorites.

She responded casually, “Alright.”

With a joyful spirit, Jiang Zhonglin hurried out. She waited patiently, eventually succumbing to sleep once more. When she awoke, she noticed he had yet to return. She surmised that this innocent fool had perhaps gone in search of strawberries.

Not long after, he returned, a touch weary, carrying two bags—one brimming with peaches, the other filled with dehydrated strawberry slices and strawberry-flavored tea.

Noticing that the clothes he wore were soaked through, Yu Yao understood that he must have hurriedly searched many places for her—and, of course, had come up empty-handed.

Jiang Zhonglin carefully placed the items he had purchased before her, a hint of embarrassment flickering across his face, “I brought dried strawberries and this strawberry tea. They say it’s quite delicious and has an authentic strawberry flavor. Would you like to try some?”

She regarded him thoughtfully, silently thinking what a charmingly naive man he was.

She took a sip of the strawberry tea; it was indeed tasty, though a touch too sweet for her liking.

…

Yu Yao held the game experience device gently in her hands, and as she looked up, she saw Jiang Zhonglin—no longer young—smile warmly at her.

The lines etched around his eyes did not diminish his charm; rather, they imparted a sense of stability and gentle kindness, “The strawberries at the community’s fresh food supermarket are truly delightful. Most of the strawberries available now are special varieties cultivated in previous years.”

After exchanging a few words with his wife, he noticed another person seated nearby.

Without hesitation, he approached and placed the weathered old book in front of her, offering kindly, “You might want to check with your teacher to see if he’s interested in this one.”

Then, turning toward the kitchen, he opened the fresh food cabinet and carefully washed some strawberries, embodying quiet thoughtfulness and grace.

The girl, whom Yu Yao didn’t know, was already astonished by the exchange between Professor Jiang and Yu Yao.

She had previously suspected that the woman who had entered without knowing why was somehow strange, but when she saw that Professor Jiang wasn’t surprised at all and spoke to her in a gentle tone, she realized that her own mind hadn’t fully grasped the answer.

Who was this person? Perhaps he was a relative of his? She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she forgot to scan the book and send it to her teacher.

Jiang Zhonglin washed some strawberries and brought them over, placing them in front of Yu Yao, “Why didn’t you buy more?”

She picked one up, put it in her mouth, and joked, “I’ll eat the whole house and everything.”

He smiled, “It’s okay. If you like it, buy more.”

Yu Yao didn’t reply, but instead moved the plate of strawberries to the strange girl and took the initiative to say, “Come on, eat some strawberries, don’t be shy.”

Jiang Zhonglin appeared to recall the presence of the young girl nearby, a hint of embarrassment flickering across his face.

Then, with a gentle smile, he explained, “This young lady is Yang Mei, a student of an old friend. She’s here today to deliver something for her teacher.”

Turning to the girl, he added kindly, “Have you sent it to your teacher for review?”

Only then did Yang Mei seem to snap out of her reverie, her gaze fixed intently on Yu Yao as if momentarily forgetting her purpose.

Flushing with modesty, she retrieved her personal terminal and carefully scanned the book, her cheeks tinged with embarrassment. Bowing her head in modesty, she dared not meet anyone’s eyes, her demeanor one of earnest effort—though inwardly, her heart ached with quiet distress.

Who is this enigmatic young woman playing her games? Why didn’t Professor Jiang introduce her? Clearly, they know each other—could she possibly be a relative of his? The situation is becoming increasingly awkward.

She simply invited her to sit and poured her some water, yet she herself is the owner of this house—so why is she being so hospitable? It’s almost too embarrassing to bear. As the initial discomfort lingered, Yang Mei’s curiosity about Yu Yao’s identity deepened.

While glancing through the books, she subtly eavesdropped on their conversation, her innate curiosity compelling her to listen more intently. No wonder she was so intrigued. The students who often interacted with Professor Jiang knew that he was the sole member of his family. He had lived here for many years, with no one else in residence.

Occasionally, a few students would come to care for him when he was unwell, but aside from that, who else could be living in his home? The fact that she was able to stay here, and that Professor Jiang was even washing strawberries for her, suggested a close and special relationship between them.

As Yang Mei listened, her mind raced with various conjectures until her attention was drawn by Professor Jiang’s gentle inquiry, “Why don’t you have a few more?”

The girl, seemingly absorbed in her game, responded casually, “You eat them.”

Glancing secretly upward, Yang Mei observed that Professor Jiang had carefully selected the largest, reddest piece of fruit from the platter and placed it gently into the girl’s hand. The girl then picked it up and ate it without hesitation.

A strange, lingering discomfort crept within Yang Mei’s heart—yet she couldn’t quite pinpoint its source.

“You should take breaks to rest your eyes and eat more fruit,” Professor Jiang advised softly. “Honestly, your lifestyle isn’t as balanced as mine. I haven’t seen you take a sip of water after sitting at your desk for so long.”

Yang Mei’s thoughts lingered, uncertain, pondering what quiet unease this scene awakened within her.

If they were meant to be an elder and a junior, was the girl’s demeanor toward him perhaps too informal? How could she have the audacity to interrupt him? Their exchange had been brief—only a few sentences—so Yang Mei couldn’t quite grasp the nature of their relationship.

Upon receiving the confirmation message from her teacher, she carefully picked up the book and bid farewell, “The teacher indicated this one. We’ll return it to you once we’ve completed entering the content on our end. Thank you, Professor Jiang.”

Jiang Zhonglin rose to see her off, his voice gentle, “Be careful on your way back.”

As Yang Mei moved toward the door, she cast a covert glance at the girl immersed in a game in the living room.

Unable to contain her curiosity, she quietly inquired, “Professor Jiang, who is this person around my age?”

He hesitated briefly before replying softly, “She’s my wife.”

Yang Mei was taken aback by his words.

After parting ways with the community, she gracefully retrieved her personal terminal and phoned her teacher, her expression tinged with a hint of surprise, “Teacher! Did you hear? Just now, Professor Jiang actually made a joke with me! He can be playful too!”

Perhaps inspired by the presence of a young relative nearby, Professor Jiang’s demeanor has taken on a more youthful air. Not only does he allow his own child to indulge in games, but he also shares lighthearted moments.

Yang Mei and her teacher reflect on the vital role that family companionship plays in enriching the lives of empty-nest seniors. As for Jiang Zhonglin’s so-called wife, Yang Mei remains unconvinced, regardless of what is said.

What kind of person is Professor Jiang? He is a renowned and esteemed scholar within their circle—distinguished, noble, and unwavering in integrity—hardly the kind to deceive young girls simply because of his age.

Furthermore, it had long been whispered that he was profoundly devoted to his late wife and had shown no interest in remarrying for many years. Yet now, a young woman suddenly appears as his new wife—who could they possibly be fooling?

With a sigh, Yang Mei reflected, “I really don’t know who this girl truly is.”

She resolved to inquire with some senior students from Hainan University—former students of Professor Jiang—hoping they might hold the answers she sought.