What Should I Do If I Time-Traveled Forty Years Later and My Lover Has Become an Old Man? - MLFYL: 38

Years ago, when Yang Yun was just a kid, her best friend Yu Yao moved in with her for a bit after her mom passed away.

She came from a pretty well-off family and was an only child, so she had a bit of a spoiled upbringing. She hadn’t faced much hardship in her life, which made her seem a little naive and silly at times.

Yu Yao, on the other hand, was completely different. They had been friends since they were little, but over time, Yang Yun lost track of why they clicked so well. It just felt natural, and as the years went by, they grew closer.

That year was particularly tough; Yu Yao’s mom had passed, and it felt like it took a part of her with it. Things got rocky between Yu Yao and her dad, and she didn’t even want to go home. After a few days at her grandma’s, her aunt made it uncomfortable, leaving her with nowhere to turn. So, she ended up at Yang Yun’s place.

It was a rainy night when Yu Yao stood outside her window, drenched and calling for her. Yang Yun woke up startled, threw open the window, and was taken aback by her messy state. Without a second thought, she dashed downstairs in her pajamas to let her in and offered her a bath. That night, they ended up sleeping together in Yang Yun’s room.

They were used to spending nights at each other’s places, sharing secrets and endless chats, but that particular night, Yu Yao was unusually quiet, and Yang Yun felt lost on how to lift her spirits.

In the middle of the night, she woke up to the sound of her friend softly crying beside her. It was a muffled sound, mixed with gentle breaths.

Typically, it was Yu Yao who looked out for her, but now, hearing her friend in pain made her heart ache. Unable to hold back her own tears, she ended up crying alongside Yu Yao, her sobs growing louder and gradually drowning out the soft cries next to her.

Yu Yao was at a loss for words as she watched her friend cry.

She had no choice but to stop what she was doing and turn around to comfort her, handing over a tissue to help wipe away the tears and snot.

“What’s got you so upset?” Yu Yao, a teenage girl herself, sat beside her, feeling helpless.

Yang Yun sniffled, “I’m just sad. I really need to cry.”

Eventually, they both calmed down, sitting on the bed, wrapped up in the quilt while chatting.

Yu Yao asked, “Why do women have to have kids? If they don’t have kids, they won’t die.”

“People will die regardless of having kids or not. It could be from old age, illness, getting hit by a car, or even choking on water.”

Under the dim light, Yu Yao’s youthful face was clouded with melancholy and resentment.

She clenched her teeth and declared, “I’m never having kids! What a hassle!”

Yang Yun leaned against her, “Oh, then don’t. I think giving birth sounds way too painful. I’m not doing it either.”

After a brief silence, she couldn’t help but add, “But if my favorite star wanted to marry me, I might consider having kids for him.”

Yu Yao, filled with indignation, shot her a look that was hard to describe, “You just don’t get it—there are no good men out there!”

Yang Yun thought Yu Yao sounded a lot like Abbess Miejue from The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber, talking to Zhou Zhiruo. But she kept that thought to herself, worried that her angry friend might end up taking it out on her.

“So, you’re not planning to get married in the future?” She asked, genuinely curious.

The teenage girl was miles away from even thinking about marriage, so Yu Yao confidently replied, “I’m never getting married!”

As time went by, this rebellious girl matured, letting go of her youthful defiance. She realized that some things in life were just out of her control. Now cheerful and full of righteousness, she surrounded herself with friends to hang out with.

Whenever Yang Yun gathered with her, she’d ask, “So, have you found a boyfriend yet?”

In her twenties, Yu Yao would just smile lazily and say, “If the right one doesn’t come along, I’m totally fine with just being friends. I don’t want to spend my whole life with someone just for the sake of it.”

Yang Yun propped her chin up, looking a bit distressed, “My mom’s been on a mission to set me up on blind dates lately. Seriously, I’m only in my twenties! Why do I need to go on blind dates already?”

Yu Yao, free from that kind of stress, couldn’t help but tease her, “Looks like you might get married before I do. I’ll just have to be your bridesmaid!”

Funny enough, this girl who once claimed she’d be a bridesmaid soon found herself a boyfriend and decided to tie the knot.

When Yang Yun invited her out, she excitedly shook her friend, “You’ve only been dating for a year! How can you be getting married? Didn’t you say being friends was cool, but marriage was a no-go? What kind of love spell did Jiang Zhonglin put on you?!”

Yu Yao touched her nose and coughed, “Well, I didn’t really want to, but he proposed, and I kinda went along with it without really thinking.”

“What do you mean you went along with it without thinking?” Yang Yun almost messed up her perfectly styled hair.

She couldn’t tell if she was more thrilled or bummed out; all she knew was that she was so excited she couldn’t contain herself.

Eventually, Yu Yao had her wedding just as planned, and Yang Yun got to be the bridesmaid, just like she wanted.

While they were hanging out in the room, Yu Yao, decked out in her wedding dress, Yang Yun said, “Next time I get married, you’ve got to be my bridesmaid.”

She looked absolutely stunning with her bridal makeup, and she smiled softly, “But I’m married now—how can I be your bridesmaid?”

Seeing her like that, Yang Yun suddenly felt like she was losing something. Tears started welling up in her eyes, and she was so taken aback she could hardly believe it.

She choked out, “I don’t care! You have to be my bridesmaid!”

Yu Yao was taken aback too and quickly wiped away her tears, promising, “Alright, alright, I’ll be your bridesmaid. I’ll make sure I do a great job!”

She couldn’t stop crying, and her makeup was a complete mess. It hit her hard that her best friend, who had been by her side forever, was moving on to a more intimate relationship. Soon, Yu Yao would have her own family, and those spontaneous late-night snack runs and all-night chats would be a thing of the past. It felt like Yu Yao had been taken away from her.

When Yang Yun spotted the groom, Jiang Zhonglin, walking in, she burst into tears even more. And then Yu Yao, with a swift kick, sent the bewildered young groom packing.

“It’s all good, it’s all good! We’re best friends for life. I’ve known you since you were just a kid. When we’re old ladies, we can still hit the town together. How about bungee jumping and skydiving?”

Yang Yun chuckled through her tears, “How can we even think about bungee jumping and skydiving when we’re old? We’d be scared stiff, and who knows, we might even end up with heart issues!”

She didn’t have heart issues, but diabetes was her companion.

As she, now an old lady herself, watched Yu Yao pacing the room with her hands on her stomach, she was suddenly hit with a memory from years back when Yu Yao had run to her place in the rain. Back then, Yu Yao was scared and upset. Those moments left a lasting mark on her.

Everyone else thought Yu Yao had moved on, but she knew better; Yu Yao had always carried that fear. Even in her twenties, she would instinctively steer clear of pregnant women on the street.

Even though Yang Yun knew how much Yu Yao cared for Jiang Zhonglin, Yu Yao wasn’t ready to have a child with him back then.

“Jiang Zhonglin says he wants kids, but I’m not having any. It’s just too much hassle,” Yu Yao had told her after they tied the knot.

She got it—Yu Yao wasn’t just worried about the hassle; she was scared. But Yu Yao would never admit that.

So, she simply replied, “Then don’t have one. Anyway, Jiang Zhonglin always goes along with what you want. If you’re not up for it, he won’t push you.”

Now, Yu Yao’s baby is about to arrive, and Yang Yun isn’t sure if she’s finally conquered her long-held fears.

What she does know is that she needs to be there for her friend during this important moment, to witness the birth and ensure everything goes smoothly.

In just a few days, Guagua will make an appearance. Yu Yao has already packed her bags and settled into the hospital. Yang Yun and Jiang Zhonglin are right there with her, ready to help out.

Yang Yun brought her eldest son along for this trip back to China, leaving her husband at home to look after their grandson.

When she first met Yang Yun’s son, he called her “Auntie.” Yang Yun insisted on that title, and although her son looked a bit resigned, he went along with it.

The nurse who came by to sort things out had a funny look on her face when she heard such a grown man calling Yu Yao “Auntie.” No one could quite figure out what she was thinking.

Since the hospital has rules about how many visitors can stay in the room, Yang Yun and her son decided to find a hotel nearby to crash at night, but they made sure to be with her during the day.

Yu Yao was surprisingly chill. After wandering around the ward for a bit, she plopped down on the bed and started playing games. Yang Yun joined her, but after a while, she noticed Jiang Zhonglin hadn’t returned. Curious, she got up to check on him.

When she got downstairs, Yang Yun spotted him sitting on a bench, holding a bag of fruit and looking a bit lost in thought.

“Why didn’t you head back upstairs after getting the fruit?” She asked, taking a seat next to him.

Jiang Zhonglin snapped back to reality, “I just went to talk to Yu Yao’s doctor. I sat down here for a moment, but I’ll head up soon.”

Yang Yun let out a sigh and smiled at him, “So, Yaoyao’s about to have the baby. Do you want a boy or a girl?”

“I just want her to be safe.”

She noticed the red marks on his palm from the fruit bag and felt like sighing again.

Instead, she tried to reassure him, “It’s all good. You take Yaoyao for check-ups twice a month, right? The doctor said the baby is super healthy, and Yaoyao is doing well too. Plus, C-sections are so advanced now; it’ll be over before you know it. What are you still worried about?”

Jiang Zhonglin nodded, “I know.”

Even though he knew, he was still anxious.

Yang Yun got that and decided not to push it.

She stood up, “Alright, let’s head upstairs first.”

Let Yaoyao bring some clarity to old Mr. Jiang.

That night, Yu Yao’s belly started to move. As she was wheeled into the operating room, Yang Yun, just like Jiang Zhonglin, held Yu Yao’s hand tightly.

She looked at Yu Yao’s pale face and murmured, “Don’t be scared, it’ll be over soon, Yaoyao, just hang in there.”

Yu Yao squeezed her hand back, as if she understood what Yang Yun was feeling, and smiled, “You shouldn’t be scared. I’m not the same person I used to be.”

She was no longer that timid teenager.

Yang Yun thought to herself, you’re still you, but I’m not the same anymore.

Yu Yao glanced at Jiang Zhonglin, who was unusually quiet, and playfully said, “Are you sure you don’t want to see a doctor first? I’m worried you might faint on us.”

He managed a weak smile, “Just make sure you come back soon.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll make it quick.” After saying that, Yu Yao got a chuckle out of the nurse nearby.

The young nurse flashed a professional smile, though it was a bit shaky as she tried to hold back her laughter, “Family members, please don’t worry; it’s just a routine procedure, and it won’t take longer than half an hour.”