After Escaping Marriage - Chapter 1
Chapter 1
The sunrise at Xiao Qi Peak was a breathtaking spectacle.
Pale gold spread through the heavy clouds like wildfire, quickly burning them down to a thin layer resembling a golden mist. This ethereal haze enveloped the surrounding mountains, shimmering like fleeting light.
The gentle March breeze, warm and pleasant, stirred the deep chestnut curls around the woman's ears. Cheng Zhanxi raised her hand, using the end of the paintbrush held between her slender, white fingers to tuck a stray strand behind her ear. Her eyes, deep and clear, focused intently on the vibrant canvas before her, almost complete.
The mountaintop was utterly silent.
As the sun emerged from the clouds, the sky grew increasingly clear, like a vast, tranquil mirror of washed blue.
Cheng Zhanxi set down her palette and carefully cleaned her brush in turpentine.
After meticulously tidying up, she straightened up in front of the canvas and turned her head, beckoning in a particular direction.
A servant from the Cheng family home quickly approached from beneath a tree not far from the summit.
The servant glanced at the canvas, a composition of lines and color blocks. Large swathes of color overlapped, interwoven with strange and unpredictable lines. Chaotic and seemingly without method, at first glance, it resembled a splash of paint, a doodle created with casual brushstrokes. Yet, the bright, vibrant colors powerfully impacted the viewer's vision.
She cautiously averted her gaze, but without a trace of disdain in her heart.
She knew that this "Sunrise," a painting seemingly unrelated to an actual sunrise, could fetch a price at auction that she could likely never save in her lifetime.
The world of artists was often beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.
Cheng Zhanxi removed her paint-splattered light green apron, draped it over a chair, and said gently, "Please help me move everything back to the studio on the second floor later. Thank you."
"Of course, Miss. You're too kind."
Cheng Zhanxi smiled.
She walked towards her parked heavy motorcycle and swung a leg over it. With her stunning features and vibrant beauty, she resembled a flower in perpetual bloom, captivating in her own right. Her tall, slender figure and long, straight legs only added to her allure. Sitting on the motorcycle, her long legs comfortably reached the ground. The heavy motorcycle, which might appear too bulky for the average woman, suited her perfectly, adding a touch of wild beauty.
Cheng Zhanxi picked up the helmet hanging on the rearview mirror, but just as she was about to put it on, she heard the servant respectfully say, "The housekeeper has arrived and is waiting for you at the villa."
Cheng Zhanxi paused slightly, then casually put on the helmet and fastened the chin strap.
"Understood." She raised a hand to lower the visor, a faint smile playing on her lips.
Her mother was truly persistent, insisting that she meet Miss Wei—her fiancée who had appeared out of thin air. The successful young painter Cheng Zhanxi, at the age of twenty-six, suddenly learned that she had a fiancée chosen for her since childhood, the only daughter of the third son of the Wei family.
This Miss Wei was quite mysterious.
The capital city, while not vast, wasn't small either. The Cheng and Wei families were both prominent families, their paths constantly crossing. Yet Cheng Zhanxi had never met, nor even heard of, Miss Wei. Her mother likely knew, but Cheng Zhanxi, with her free-spirited nature, was extremely averse to this kind of traditional arranged marriage—even though her mother only suggested a meeting. So, she never asked. Every time her mother mentioned Miss Wei, she'd change the subject or excuse herself to attend to other matters.
Therefore, the impression of Miss Wei in her mind was just the three words "Miss Wei." Whether she was beautiful or ugly, round or flat, it was irrelevant to her.
This time, even the housekeeper had been dispatched, demonstrating her mother's determination. Perhaps Miss Wei would be waiting at her house this time, ready to ambush her and force her into marriage.
But...
Cheng Zhanxi had already formulated a plan.
If it weren't for finishing her painting, she wouldn't have put up with her mother's constant nagging at home.
Today, it was finally finished, and she could put her plan into action.
Cheng Zhanxi lived alone in a secluded villa in the mountains. She preferred quiet while painting, so rarely was she disturbed.
The villa's ornate iron gates were open. Cheng Zhanxi parked her motorcycle at the entrance, removed her helmet, and tossed her long curls back with a sudden smile.
A handsome, middle-aged man in a white shirt, black vest, and black trousers approached, resembling a Victorian-era English gentleman. This was Uncle Deng, the housekeeper of the Cheng family's main residence, who had watched Cheng Zhanxi grow up.
"Zhanxi."
"Good morning, Uncle Deng."
"Good morning." Uncle Deng got straight to the point, saying gently, "Your mother asked me to bring you home."
"Alright." Cheng Zhanxi smiled faintly, gave a slight bow, and said elegantly, "Let me change my clothes first. Please wait a moment."
Uncle Deng glanced at her gray jacket, work pants, and the paint accidentally smeared on her cuffs, then nodded gently. "I'll wait for you at the entrance."
Uncle Deng watched her enter the house, then gestured to the black Bentley parked nearby. The driver pulled up, the rear door facing the entrance. Uncle Deng stood by the rear door, his posture tall and composed, his white-gloved hands ready to open the door for Cheng Zhanxi.
Cheng Zhanxi changed her clothes, washed her face, and peeked outside from her second-floor bedroom window through a gap in the curtains. She dialed a number on her phone.
...
Cheng Zhanxi emerged from the house. She hadn't dressed elaborately and wasn't even wearing makeup, yet her skin remained delicate and radiant. She wore a classic embroidered white shirt, the top two buttons casually undone, revealing her smooth, delicate collarbones and the spherical, hollowed-out collarbone chain necklace resting just at the center. Well-fitting beige trousers accentuated her slender legs.
Uncle Deng bowed and opened the rear car door.
However, the sound that reached his ears wasn't Cheng Zhanxi's polite words of thanks, but the deep, powerful roar of a heavy motorcycle engine.
"Uncle Deng, please tell my mother that I've gone on a sketching trip and will be back in a year or so—"
The silver, streamlined motorcycle, like a silver bolt of lightning, suddenly tore through the tranquil scene, creating a powerful gust of wind and kicking up dust in its wake. The word "so" lingered in Uncle Deng's ears, accompanying the fading image of the motorcycle.
Uncle Deng's eyes widened in surprise.
"Goodbye, Uncle Deng. I'll treat you to dinner when I return from my trip—"
He couldn't help but chuckle as he saw Cheng Zhanxi wave goodbye with her back to him, her white shirt backlit, a blend of grace and coolness.
After a moment, Uncle Deng took out his phone and called Cheng Zhanxi's mother.
"Madam, the eldest Miss said she's gone on a sketching trip and will need a year or so."
"What sketching trip? That's just a nice way of saying she finds me nagging and wants some peace." Cheng Zhanxi's mother said, "Forget it, you come back."
"Yes, Madam."
"It's just a meeting! It's like I'm asking her to give up her life."
Uncle Deng smiled and offered comfort, "Madam, young people nowadays pursue individuality. The more you force something on them, the more they resist."
"I should have arranged for them to meet by chance. Now it's come to this..." Cheng Zhanxi's mother sighed.
...
While Cheng Zhanxi's mother worried about how to explain her daughter's "sketching trip" to the Wei family, Cheng Zhanxi was already on the train to Sicheng.
She had a friend in Sicheng, and the director of the art museum there had invited her to participate in an exhibition, making it a perfect opportunity.
There were no direct flights to Sicheng, and Cheng Zhanxi wanted to experience domestic train travel, so she bought a sleeper ticket. She left her motorcycle near the train station and asked her friend to pick it up and store it, along with the luggage she had prepared in advance for this "escape."
Across from her sat a mother and daughter. The mother was young, looking about Cheng Zhanxi's age. The daughter, around five or six years old, was dressed in a white dress, pretty and delicate, quiet and well-behaved throughout the journey.
Cheng Zhanxi took out her sketchbook and began drawing the scenery outside the window.
She heard the young mother speaking to her daughter: "Mommy, go, get water. You, here, wait for me, good girl."
The phrasing was odd, and the speech unusually slow. Cheng Zhanxi's pen paused, and she looked up at the pair across from her.
The little girl was also looking at her but quickly looked away when she met Cheng Zhanxi's gaze, shrinking back into her seat with pursed lips, still silent.
Cheng Zhanxi politely looked away.
But a suspicion formed in her mind.
A sudden "clang" from the next compartment, the sound of a food tray crashing to the floor, made Cheng Zhanxi jump. Her pen slipped, making a stray mark. She glanced at the little girl, who was staring out the window, showing no reaction to the noise.
An image of another small, thin girl flashed in Cheng Zhanxi's mind. For them, the world was eternally silent.
A wave of gentle nostalgia washed over Cheng Zhanxi. She tapped her knuckles on the table in front of them.
The girl looked at her hand, then at her face—or more accurately, her lips.
She was deaf-mute.
Cheng Zhanxi didn't speak but pointed at the girl with her index finger, then made a fist and raised her thumb, signing: Hello.
She maintained a friendly expression, a gentle smile on her face as she looked at the girl.
Surprise flickered in the girl's eyes.
Then, she leaned forward slightly and tentatively signed back: Hello.
Cheng Zhanxi signed, a little clumsily: Are you and Mommy going on a trip?
She had noticed certain details since boarding the train.
When the young mother returned with hot water, she was surprised to see her daughter "chatting" animatedly with the beautiful woman on the lower bunk across from them. Cheng Zhanxi looked up and instinctively greeted the mother in sign language. The young mother chuckled, and Cheng Zhanxi smiled back, saying, "Sorry, we got a little carried away."
She gestured towards the little girl sitting opposite.
Seeing her mother return, the little girl eagerly shared what had just happened, signing rapidly with her hands. Cheng Zhanxi's eyes struggled to keep up. Her mother replied in sign language, her face beaming with a smile.
Turning back, the young mother sincerely thanked Cheng Zhanxi.
To protect her daughter from curious stares, she avoided using sign language in public. Her daughter had been trained to read simple lip movements, so as long as she didn't speak, no one would realize she was deaf-mute. She asked Cheng Zhanxi if she was a teacher specializing in this area and how she had figured it out.
Cheng Zhanxi replied, "No, I had a friend when I was young who was also..." She shook her head, a wry smile on her face. "We lost touch later and haven't seen each other since."
"I see." The young mother nodded.
After a moment's thought, she said, "I know many people like my daughter. If you trust me, I can help you look for her. What's her last name? What's her name?"
Cheng Zhanxi hesitated for a few seconds, then pursed her lips. "I... don't know. I only know her nickname is Momo."
Momo.
A fitting name.
The young mother pondered the name, her heart sinking slightly. In the deaf-mute community, there were probably hundreds, if not thousands, of people named Momo.
Cheng Zhanxi added, "She's two years younger than me, or maybe about the same age. We're not that far apart in age anyway."
The young mother waited for her to continue, but she didn't.
They exchanged glances. The young mother said, "I understand. I'll keep an eye out." A young woman named Momo, aged between 24 and 27.
They exchanged contact information.
Cheng Zhanxi didn't hold out much hope. Twenty years had passed. Even if she found her, Momo might not remember her.
Before getting off the train, Cheng Zhanxi gave the little girl the drawing she had made on the train.
In the vibrant green paddy fields of early spring, a little girl in a white dress ran laughing, holding colorful balloons.
The weather changed from sunny to stormy within the span of a few bus stops.
Cheng Zhanxi stood at the bus stop, checking her phone's navigation, which showed the hotel was an 800-meter walk away. She looked around, pulled her suitcase across the road, and ducked into a 24-hour convenience store to escape the downpour.
Rumbling thunder echoed in the distance, and the wind howled, plunging the world into sudden darkness.
The leaves on the trees lining the streets trembled in the wind.
Feeling awkward about just sheltering from the rain, Cheng Zhanxi browsed the aisles and picked up a drink. As she went to pay, she noticed another woman in the store.
The woman's back was to her. She had a slender build and wore a black knee-length trench coat and matching trousers, her appearance amplified by the sound of the raging storm outside, giving her an air of aloofness.
Her long hair was also black, undyed and unpermed. Now damp from the rain, it seemed even richer and glossier, reminiscent of fine silk. She tilted her head slightly, lifting a hand to brush the wet hair away from her neck, revealing the skin from her wrist to her fingertips – pale, beautiful.
Her long, slender fingers were also wet, a translucent, icy white.
Cheng Zhanxi added a pack of tissues to her purchase.
As she approached the woman, she noticed a faint mole at the corner of her eye.
Cheng Zhanxi looked away and offered the newly purchased tissues, her manner polite and gentle.
"Hello, I have some tissues. Would you like..."
Yu Qingtang turned and looked at her.
Cheng Zhanxi forgot to breathe.
She felt that in that single glance, her heart stopped beating.
Cheng Zhanxi: Whether Miss Wei is beautiful or ugly, round or flat, what does it have to do with me?
Yu Qingtang: It's me.
Cheng Zhanxi: So fragrant!
I CANT WAIT FOR THEIR DEVELOPER 😭‼️‼️‼️‼️
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