What Should I Do If I Time-Traveled Forty Years Later and My Lover Has Become an Old Man? - MLFYL: 16

The fat old man who was speaking was called Nie Lei. He was probably a reincarnated fool. He had no tact at all.

He didn’t pay attention to Jiang Zhonglin’s gentle rebuke. He even moved closer after sitting next to him, and continued babbling on with a red face.

“Old Jiang, don’t be ashamed. You haven’t liked anyone all these years, and you’ve lived alone. You’ve only been close to Cao Qingling. Everyone knows that. I don’t think you two don’t have that intention. I’m telling you not to be so old-fashioned. What era is this? Why can’t old people remarry? You and Cao Qingling have both lost your partners, and you’re in the same situation. You’ve also gone through hardships and tribulations together. If you two want to find a partner, she’s the most suitable…” Old Nie, who was talking indifferently, was shocked by another old man who was walking with his wife.

He was interrupted, staring at him in puzzlement, “Old Dong, why did you shock me!”

Old Dong, who was preventing Old Nie from speaking, was one of the people who had a good relationship with Jiang Zhonglin and knew Yu Yao’s identity.

He listened to Old Nie’s words and looked at Jiang Zhonglin, whose brows were becoming increasingly furrowed, and at his wife beside him. He was almost sweating.

That famous fool, Old Nie, that mouth is really just as unpopular as it was ten years ago! If he continued talking, Old Dong feared that his old friend Jiang Zhonglin would be beaten by his wife after his return. He was so old that he couldn’t bear to be beaten.

He quickly hammered Old Nie and scolded him with a cold face, “You have so much to do, shut up and don’t talk. Haven’t you seen that Old Jiang will get angry?”

Old Nie cast a careful glance and noticed that Jiang Zhonglin appeared to be genuinely angered. It was a rare occurrence for him to lose his temper, and when someone normally so composed displayed such fury, it was undeniably formidable.

Even someone as simple-minded as Old Nie understood that further words would be unwise; yet, remaining silent felt somewhat awkward, leaving him hesitant.

He mumbled nervously, “I was just speaking casually, why are you getting upset with me?”

Observing Jiang Zhonglin’s expression remained impassive, he sought to divert the conversation.

His gaze shifted and landed on Yu Yao, seated beside him, prompting him with mild curiosity, “Who is this girl? It’s the first time I’ve seen you bring someone along. Is she your new student? How did you come to take in such a young and beautiful girl? This doesn’t seem like your usual style.”

At that moment, Yu Yao finally offered a gentle smile.

She looked kindly at Old Nie and, with clarity and grace, introduced herself, “Hello, I am Yu Yao, Jiang Zhonglin’s wife.”

An ensuing silence fell over the gathering.

Because Old Nie’s voice was so loud, all the people who had come to the hall to wait for dinner looked sideways. Just now, seeing that the situation was not good, several people were about to come over to persuade them to stop fighting. In this way, almost everyone heard Yu Yao’s words clearly, so everyone was stunned, including the two couples who already knew her identity.

For a while, no one spoke, and the hall was extremely quiet. Everyone’s eyes fell on Jiang Zhonglin and Yu Yao.

Several people who came to the hall later and did not hear her speak saw the silence in the hall and looked around in confusion, “What’s wrong with everyone? Why is it so quiet?”

Old Nie came back to his senses at this time, groaned, and widened his eyes, “What! Old Jiang, when did you marry such a young wife! You didn’t even invite us to the wedding!”

Suddenly, the pot began to boil.

“What? Are you really kidding me?”

“Mr. Jiang… your wife?”

“She’s a bit… too young… that’s inappropriate…”

Everyone was shocked, as if struck by lightning, almost to the point of losing their souls.

Even if they weren’t close friends, they were acquaintances and had known each other for many years. They never expected Jiang Zhonglin to do something like that.

For a moment, everyone’s gazes were a little strange.

Jiang Zhonglin hadn’t yet responded to the whispers and stares, but two friends who knew the situation defended him, “He isn’t that kind of person. Don’t say nonsense.”

At almost the same moment, Yu Yao said, “Jiang Zhonglin and I have been married for over 40 years. You may have seen the news about the fifth time traveler who traveled 40 years ago. That person is me. I came to the year 2058 of 2018 for about two months.”

The crowd was shocked by the news one by one.

They looked at Jiang Zhonglin and then at her, especially Old Nie, who patted his head and exclaimed, “Oh my! I saw one live!”

Yu Yao was amused by the old man and looked around at the stunned and shocked crowd, “Jiang Zhonglin and I were in a normal relationship and got married. Despite the sudden change, we still acknowledge our previous marriage relationship. He is willing to take responsibility for his wife in this marriage, and this is entirely due to his sense of responsibility and kindness. I don’t want him to be misunderstood because of me.”

Jiang Zhonglin gazed at her quietly, as if momentarily lost in a trance. Yet, he swiftly regained his composure and addressed the members of the association, who exchanged subtle glances among themselves.

“Indeed,” he affirmed softly. “Yu Yao is my legal wife. To protect her privacy and maintain her normal life, I have previously requested that her personal information remain confidential and that her likeness not be widely disseminated.”

Turning his attention to a young student seated at the end of the table, he added kindly, “Therefore, I kindly ask you to retain the photos and videos you have taken, refraining from sharing them on any public platform or distributing them broadly.”

The young student blushed, feeling a touch embarrassed despite his gentle tone that lacked any reproach.

She hurriedly deleted the images and videos, murmuring an apology, “I’m sorry, I’ve deleted them.”

Jiang Zhonglin nodded appreciatively and expressed his gratitude.

Recognizing the situation, several others who had captured images also silently erased their photos, demonstrating their respect and understanding.

After this pause, Yu Yao repeatedly felt many eyes directed at her, although no one was angry, but it still gave her a strange feeling.

Since Jiang Zhonglin was sitting next to her, not many people dared to come over and chat with her—at least not the young people. However, a few older professors came over to talk to Jiang Zhonglin and even exchanged a few words with her, and their attitude was mostly understanding.

“Don’t worry about what others think. The main thing is that you two can accept it. After all, this is your family matter,” A kind old lady patted her on the shoulder with a smile and gave her an encouraging smile.

The old man with glasses sighed at Jiang Zhonglin, “It’s good to have someone to accompany you in old age so you don’t feel lonely.”

Within the hall, only the association members and their families gathered.

After a brief disturbance, the atmosphere swiftly settled back into serenity.

Seated on the side, Old Nie wore an expression of mild discomfort—his face betraying a desire to speak yet holding back.

Known for his curiosity and loquacious nature, he would ordinarily have eagerly approached Yu Yao to ask her numerous questions. However, recalling his previous words, he hesitated. Had Jiang Zhonglin been the same as the old Jiang Zhonglin who had lost his wife many years ago, his remarks would have been of little consequence.

But now, upon discovering Yu Yao’s true identity, the situation had taken a serious turn. To speak of this in front of someone’s wife was akin to inviting a blow. If they were back in his hometown, and he had spoken so carelessly, his wife might have already dealt him a severe blow—perhaps even fractured his skull.

Old Nie sat uneasily for a time, sensing that the aroma of the food lacked its usual appeal, and he found himself unable to bring himself to swallow.

Eventually, he could no longer contain his unease and approached Yu Yao, stammering, “Look, I truly had no idea you were Old Jiang’s wife. I was speaking nonsense just now—please don’t take it to heart, little sister. And do not quarrel with him on my account; I would be deeply ashamed.”

She smiled gently and replied, “It’s nothing. In fact, I should thank you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known that my family’s Old Man Jiang had a female confidante.”

Jiang Zhonglin’s chopsticks halted mid-air, and Old Nie broke out in a cold sweat. Oh dear, was she joking or speaking seriously?

His gaze shifted to Jiang Zhonglin, who had set down his chopsticks, adjusted his glasses with a deliberate gesture, and looked at him with utmost seriousness as he said, “Nie Lei, please take a seat over there and enjoy your meal.”

The realization hit him—he was being addressed by his full name! Overcome with embarrassment, he swiftly retreated, too apprehensive to approach again.

Jiang Zhonglin hesitated as he regarded Yu Yao, then cautiously remarked, “Nie Lei can be quite unreliable and tends to speak carelessly. Please don’t pay too much attention to his words.”

She responded with an air of indifference, as if unconcerned, “Oh, I understand. Hurry and eat. Once you’re finished, we’ll head over to the lotus field to take a look.”

Observing her apparent disinterest in discussing the matter, he could only pick up his chopsticks and continue his meal.

A thought crossed his mind—was Yu Yao subtly trying to steer him toward the lotus field? What was she truly thinking?

Naturally, Yu Yao was on the verge of frustration.

So, Jiang Zhonglin, you may not have an elder grandmother at home, but you seem to have one outside. It’s one thing for her to trust his character; it’s another for her to feel jealousy or insecurity. Even fully aware that he is unlikely to harbor any romantic entanglements elsewhere, she still experiences a sense of unease.

If he were still the youthful Jiang, she might have playfully kicked him into the lotus pond. The shallow waters barely reached her knees and would have been merely a jest born of mutual jealousy and affection.

However, now, such an act could easily spiral into an unintended mishap, forcing her to restrain herself. Her anger weighed heavily on her, sapping her appetite and leaving her feeling so queasy that she nearly retched.

She took a deep breath, setting aside her half-eaten meal in quiet resignation.

Jiang Zhonglin glanced at her plate with concern, aware of her displeasure. Yet, he found himself at a loss for words, unable to justify the unfounded rumors that had taken hold—an impossible task, since it was always difficult to prove a negative.

Deep down, he knew the real issue wasn’t others’ gossip, but the tension that lingered within the two rooms they had shared these past two months.

With a heavy heart, he silently finished his dinner and, seeking solace, accompanied Yu Yao for a stroll around the lotus field.

The square lotus fields are arranged like a chessboard. The thin beds are crisscrossed. Walking along the beds, one can reach the lotus leaves on both sides. In this large lotus field, there are still a few lotus flowers, and the green pods the size of a fist stand in the swaying green waves of lotus. Walking through it, people smell the fresh and strong fragrance of the lotus.

Yu Yao walked silently for a while, gradually calming down in the fragrance of the lotus.

Suddenly, she opened her mouth, “I know you don’t have it.”

Jiang Zhonglin, who was following her, was stunned, and then heard her say, “But I’m not happy.”