After Escaping Marriage - Chapter 53
Chapter 53
About ten minutes later, Cheng Zhanxi appropriately "slowly" woke up.
Her neck was sore from keeping her head bowed for a long time. Cheng Zhanxi placed one hand on the back of her neck, skillfully kneading it, and turned her head to look at the mischievous little Yu beside her.
Little Yu wore white Bluetooth earphones, listening to music, her eyes gazing out the window opposite Cheng Zhanxi. It was unclear whether she genuinely hadn't noticed her waking up or was pretending not to.
Cheng Zhanxi curved her lips, unexpectedly removing one of her earphones.
The earphone automatically paused playback upon leaving her ear. Cheng Zhanxi put it on, and after a brief silence, it resumed playing.
Yu Qingtang turned to look at her, surprise in her eyes.
Cheng Zhanxi smiled back at her.
Yu Qingtang's fingers, tucked inside her trench coat pocket, twitched, but she didn't take the earphone back.
An old love song from many years ago played in the earphones.
The two, each wearing one earphone, turned their heads to look out their respective windows at the receding scenery, both unconsciously lifting the corners of their lips slightly.
...
"Want some snacks, Teacher Yu?" Cheng Zhanxi took out a bag of beef jerky from her backpack.
"No need, thank you."
Cheng Zhanxi then tore open the bag herself, took out two strips, and said, "Teacher Yu, help me hold this."
She stuffed the bag back into her backpack, took the beef jerky from Yu Qingtang's hand, tore open the packaging, took a bite with her pearly teeth, and started eating on her own.
Yu Qingtang, being closest to her, could smell the aroma of the air-dried, roasted beef.
Yu Qingtang never quite understood the mindset of girls who loved snacks. Wasn't regular food enough? Did they not eat enough at meals, needing snacks to supplement? Now, watching Cheng Zhanxi eat, she felt she could understand. It seemed to be a dual satisfaction of psychology and appetite. Teacher Cheng ate with such relish.
Yu Qingtang subtly swallowed.
A individually wrapped strip of beef jerky appeared before her.
Yu Qingtang asked knowingly, "What's wrong?"
Cheng Zhanxi raised an eyebrow at her.
Yu Qingtang accepted the beef jerky, bit her lower lip, suppressing the sudden urge to smile.
The edge of the packaging was serrated. Yu Qingtang tried to tear it once, but surprisingly, it didn't open. As if in disbelief, she widened her eyes slightly.
Cheng Zhanxi, watching from the corner of her eye, saw her switch to the other serrated edge, then repeat the failed process.
Tearing serrated edges was a matter of luck.
Cheng Zhanxi believed in Yu Qingtang's finger dexterity; it must be the packaging's fault.
As Yu Qingtang struggled with the beef jerky, a soft cough sounded beside her.
Cheng Zhanxi suppressed the laughter in her throat and asked gently, "Shall I?"
Yu Qingtang paused, then handed it over, her gaze fixed on her slender fingers.
Cheng Zhanxi deliberately performed the action in slow motion, easily tearing open the packaging, and instructed her, "Pay attention to the angle and force."
Yu Qingtang nodded.
Cheng Zhanxi reached into her backpack, fished out another strip of beef jerky, and waved it. "Try?"
Yu Qingtang took it and tore it open.
Cheng Zhanxi applauded, "Amazing, amazing."
Yu Qingtang's lips curved upwards slightly. She lowered her head defensively, bit into the beef jerky, her lashes drooping, looking soft and gentle.
Cheng Zhanxi raised the back of her hand, landing it on her smooth cheek, gently stroking it.
Yu Qingtang, having somewhat adapted to this level of intimate contact, didn't react particularly, continuing to eat the beef jerky.
It was a bit tough, but the texture was quite good, with a long aftertaste, leaving a lingering fragrance.
Cheng Zhanxi let her eat two strips, then said softly, "Can't eat any more, chewing too much will make your cheeks sore."
Accompanying these words, a bottle of water with the cap unscrewed was handed over.
Yu Qingtang hummed in agreement, took the water, and took a sip.
Cheng Zhanxi then produced a box of chocolate sticks, her eyes curving into crescents, "Want some Pocky?"
Yu Qingtang: "...Yes."
Since the outcome was the same anyway, why bother with futile resistance?
Amidst sleeping and feeding, the bus reached its destination, Jiangning County Bus Station. The brake pads scraped with a harsh sound. The bus, which had picked up quite a few passengers along the way—mostly workers and students returning home early on Sunday, as well as some migrant worker types dragging heavy woven bags—lined up at the door to disembark.
Cheng Zhanxi and Yu Qingtang remained in their seats, getting off last.
Jiangning County was an agricultural county, economically weak. The bus station construction was not only far behind Sicheng City's, but it was also dusty everywhere. Buses constantly drove in, their wheels kicking up clouds of dust.
Yu Qingtang covered her nose and mouth uncomfortably.
Cheng Zhanxi scanned the area, found the ticket office, took Yu Qingtang's hand, and ran quickly across the dust-filled square into the building.
Cheng Zhanxi didn't let Yu Qingtang wait aside; she wasn't reassured. So, she led her to the window together.
"Two tickets to Baishui Township."
"12 yuan."
Jiangning County's bus station didn't require real-name registration. Cheng Zhanxi retracted the two fingers holding her cardholder ID, zipped up her pocket, paid with her phone, and took the two bus tickets from the window.
Yu Qingtang stood behind her, silently pursing her lips.
"Alright, let's go." Cheng Zhanxi took the tickets and smilingly called to Yu Qingtang.
Yu Qingtang looked at her, speaking softly, "Sorry for troubling Teacher Cheng."
Cheng Zhanxi hummed, "Hmm?" then said gently, "Aren't we friends? This isn't even close to going through fire and water; how is it trouble?"
Yu Qingtang didn't speak, her eyes clearly showing a hint of apology.
Cheng Zhanxi stroked her face, thought for a moment, and said, "Then treat me to a big meal when we get back?"
Yu Qingtang earnestly agreed, "Okay."
Cheng Zhanxi smiled.
It seemed the friend relationship wasn't enough. Once she became her girlfriend, she wouldn't fuss over such small matters anymore.
If Jiangning County was just underdeveloped, then Baishui Township was truly a remote backwater. Infrastructure construction was severely lacking. On the bus, the signal started becoming intermittent, 4G dropping to 2G. Yu Qingtang's phone couldn't even load new songs.
As far back as Yu Qingtang could remember, this was the first time she had reached a place with no signal. A phone without signal was like a pile of scrap metal.
Yu Qingtang got off the bus. All around was desolate land. Forget taxis, not even a motorcycle taxi could be seen. The bus driver, having dropped off the passengers, went outside to smoke, puffing away, waiting for the next departure.
Yu Qingtang looked at the intermittent 4G signal icon in the top right corner of her phone, tried opening the navigation app, entered the address: Zequan Village.
Clicked confirm.
No miracle occurred; the screen remained blank.
Yu Qingtang: "..."
Was she going to have to turn back?
In an unfamiliar place, no matter how indifferent Yu Qingtang was, she wouldn't risk wandering aimlessly.
No wonder when she called Xiao Qing's father about the home visit, he had sounded troubled and advised her not to come. Yu Qingtang hadn't paid it much mind at the time.
Homeroom teachers usually chose representative students for home visits—either mischievous ones disrupting discipline like Xiang Tianyou, or those from impoverished families. Especially since Xiao Qing was academically outstanding and from a single-parent family, even if it was far, Yu Qingtang was willing to go to the trouble. This was being responsible to the student.
But she never expected that before even starting, she would be stumped because the lack of phone navigation made it impossible to find Xiao Qing's home.
Beside her, Cheng Zhanxi took off her backpack, placed it on the tip of her propped-up hiking boot, and fished out a paper map from an inner pocket. It was originally meant as a precaution, but unexpectedly, it really came in handy.
"Teacher Yu." Cheng Zhanxi held a corner of the folded map in her mouth, readjusted her backpack, then pulled the map out with her hand and unfolded it. "Which village is Xiao Qing's home in? Zequan Village?"
Yu Qingtang paused, then said, "Yes."
Cheng Zhanxi checked the map. Yu Qingtang leaned over too.
With technological advancement, people have become increasingly reliant on technology. The last time Yu Qingtang had seriously looked at a paper map was in high school geography class—before the arts/science stream split. Counting back, it had been over ten years.
Dense small characters, intersecting roads, north, south, east, west—it was dizzying.
Yu Qingtang shifted her gaze slightly, her eyes landing on Cheng Zhanxi's focused profile.
She suddenly felt an impulse to reach out and touch her.
In front of Cheng Zhanxi, she felt like a newborn baby, or like a fawn stumbling into a forest, full of curiosity about everything.
Even knowing it was a dream, before waking up, she couldn't help but sink deeper.
Cheng Zhanxi, noticing an eager index finger approaching her cheek from the corner of her eye, suddenly looked up, catching Yu Qingtang's unguarded expression. Yu Qingtang panicked, about to retract her hand, but Cheng Zhanxi caught her finger, smilingly asking, "What are you doing?"
Yu Qingtang, caught red-handed, looked flustered. "N-nothing."
"'Nothing' is what?"
"..."
"Were you trying to hit me?"
Yu Qingtang widened her eyes, her deer-like eyes becoming even clearer.
She hurriedly defended herself, "I wasn't..."
Cheng Zhanxi smiled, interrupting her, "I know." With that, she pulled her hand forward, pressing it against her own cheek.
Not just one finger, but the entire hand. Cheng Zhanxi's face was small; now half of it was cupped in Yu Qingtang's palm.
The touch transmitted from her palm was warm and delicate. Cheng Zhanxi rubbed her cheek against her hand and asked, "How does it feel? Smooth?"
Yu Qingtang carefully held the woman's cheek, her fingertips caressing it, feeling it meticulously, then answered honestly, "Smooth."
Cheng Zhanxi thought inwardly, There are smoother places.
She released her restraining hand but let Yu Qingtang's hand remain on her cheek. Lowering her head to continue looking at the map, she smiled slowly and deliberately, "Take your time touching, I don't mind."
A very faint blush appeared at the base of Yu Qingtang's ears.
She touched it a couple more times, then embarrassedly withdrew her hand.
Cheng Zhanxi deliberately didn't let her off, playfully asking again, "Touched enough?"
Yu Qingtang: "..."
Cheng Zhanxi couldn't help but curve her eyes, stopped teasing her, and said, "I found Zequan Village." She held the map up, pointing to a small dot in the southeast corner. "Here."
She moved her hand upwards slightly. "We are here now."
The map had a scale bar, but the actual distance could be vastly different. Yu Qingtang, no matter how much of a homebody she was, wasn't lacking this basic knowledge. She asked, "Is it far?"
Cheng Zhanxi nodded. "It's quite a walk. Let me ask if there's a vehicle going nearby."
Southern dialects vary greatly; "different tunes every three li, different accents every ten li." The staff member at the Baishui Township bus station was an old man who only spoke dialect, not Mandarin. Cheng Zhanxi led Yu Qingtang over, using a combination of words and gestures, plus Yu Qingtang guessing based on her Sicheng dialect knowledge. They gathered that "there is a vehicle, but you have to wait" and "no fixed time, might be half an hour later."
It was already nearly ten in the morning. The sun hung high, gradually showing its power.
Cheng Zhanxi was sweating from asking the local. Now, under the direct sunlight, after baking for a while, she felt even hotter. She unzipped her windbreaker, revealing the sweat-absorbing cotton T-shirt underneath.
Cheng Zhanxi fanned herself with the map. "Should we wait for the vehicle or walk?"
Yu Qingtang said, "You decide." She looked at the sweat beads rolling down the woman's cheek, her eyes flickering slightly. After hesitating for a moment, she said, "Maybe we should go back?"
"Back where?"
"...Sicheng."
Cheng Zhanxi stopped fanning and looked at her.
Yu Qingtang lowered her head. "It was my oversight, making Teacher Cheng waste time here with me. Once we get somewhere with signal, I'll call Xiao Qing's father to apologize." She repeated, "Let's go back."
Just as she finished speaking, her cheek was pinched and gently lifted.
Yu Qingtang looked up in surprise into Cheng Zhanxi's deep eyes.
Cheng Zhanxi's gaze turned slightly cold. "If you say things like 'troubling me' again, I'll..."
Her threat trailed off, suddenly stuck.
So much so that Yu Qingtang forgot to be scared, only thinking: She'll what?
Cheng Zhanxi ground her back teeth. "I'll... I'll... cry for you to see."
Even pinching her cheek, she couldn't bear to hurt her. This was the only trick left.
Yu Qingtang: "..."
Cheng Zhanxi pretended to be fierce. "Do you know you were wrong?"
A hint of amusement flashed in Yu Qingtang's eyes. She obediently said, "I know."
She secretly glanced at Cheng Zhanxi again, finding her a bit cute.
Cheng Zhanxi snorted, returning to the main topic. "My suggestion is to walk along the road first, the part the bus takes. If we happen to encounter a vehicle on the way, we'll hitch a ride. If not, we'll keep walking."
Yu Qingtang replied with a "okay."
The two bid farewell to the local and left the bus station, walking along the main road.
Although Baishui Township was underdeveloped, the scenery was excellent. Distant green mountains stretched endlessly. The warm winter sun shone loosely, reflecting off the mountains and water, creating a beautiful picture of a paradise.
"Need an umbrella, Teacher Yu?" Cheng Zhanxi walked briskly, asking as she went.
Yu Qingtang looked up at the bright sun overhead, thinking: It's not raining, why need an umbrella?
"A sun umbrella." Cheng Zhanxi seemed to read her thoughts, smiling. "Teacher Yu is so fair, what if you get tanned?"
Yu Qingtang asked, "Aren't you afraid of getting tanned?" She was quite fair too, after all.
Cheng Zhanxi countered, "Are you afraid I'll get tanned?"
Yu Qingtang sensed the hidden meaning in her words but couldn't quite parse it. She thought seriously for a moment, then said, "It's okay." Teacher Cheng was so good-looking, she'd look good even tanned. Wheat-colored skin would be sexier.
Yu Qingtang reconsidered; a frail type like herself would really not look good tanned.
So, she pursed her lips and asked, "Did you bring a sun umbrella?"
Cheng Zhanxi patted the backpack behind her, boasting shamelessly, "This is Doraemon's pocket. Whatever you want, I can conjure it for you."
Yu Qingtang opened her mouth, her voice somewhat low, "I... haven't watched Doraemon."
Cheng Zhanxi paused almost imperceptibly, just like when she heard Yu Qingtang say she had no parents. Her expression showed no abnormality. She said very naturally, "It's okay, I still rewatch it now. Next time I watch, I'll bring you along, it's quite interesting. Plus, there have been movies in recent years. When they release later, we can go to the cinema together."
Later?
Yu Qingtang subconsciously tried to forget this word, softly reminding, "Sun umbrella."
Cheng Zhanxi made two "oh" sounds, shifted her backpack to her front to get the umbrella.
Yu Qingtang saw her needing to check the map while carrying the backpack and offered, "Teacher Cheng, let me carry the backpack for a while."
"It's too heavy, you probably can't carry it. We still have a long way to walk, save your energy." Cheng Zhanxi thought for a moment, then said, "How about you hold the umbrella for me? I'm afraid of getting tanned too."
The sun umbrella wasn't large. Sharing one meant their shoulders were almost touching.
A cool breeze blew.
Cheng Zhanxi frequently needed to lower her head to look at the map, lifting her arm. Yu Qingtang would move away. After this happened several times, Cheng Zhanxi bent her arm, leaving a gap, and gently suggested, "Why don't you hold my arm?"
Yu Qingtang looked hesitant.
There was no one else on this main road besides them. The late rice had just been harvested, yellow stalks piled layer upon layer in the fields on both sides. Heaven and earth were vast, seemingly leaving only the two of them.
Cheng Zhanxi's arm remained bent, waiting for her reply.
Yu Qingtang bit her lower lip slightly and hooked her arm through.
A strange, overflowing emotion, like water spilling from a river, instantly flowed through her heart, filling her. Yu Qingtang's heart beat slightly faster. Involuntarily, she held the woman's arm a little tighter, a subtle sweetness blooming at the tip of her heart.
Yu Qingtang turned her head slightly to glance at Cheng Zhanxi. Cheng Zhanxi happened to be looking at her too, her eyes holding a gentle smile.
Yu Qingtang's heart suddenly skipped a beat. She hastily looked away.
Her cheeks uncontrollably heated up.
Lao She once wrote in "Rickshaw Boy": "There isn't much truth in this world; a woman's blush is better than a long dialogue."
Cheng Zhanxi gazed at Yu Qingtang's blushing cheeks, momentarily lost in thought. Involuntarily, she reached out. Just as her fingertips touched her face, the sputtering sound of a tractor came from behind. Although not close, the sound was exceptionally present.
Sputter sputter sputter sputter sputter.
Cheng Zhanxi: "..."
The atmosphere vanished completely.
Cheng Zhanxi withdrew her hand, both annoyed and amused, turning back to see an old-fashioned, earth-yellow tractor appearing at the end of the road.
Yu Qingtang followed her gaze back.
Sputter sputter sputter sputter sputter.
Yu Qingtang also smiled.
With technological progress and updates in agricultural production models, tractors have basically withdrawn from the rural stage. Nowadays, tractors are mostly used by individual farmers for transporting grain and goods, and they are not common.
The tractor driver was a nearby farmer who had planted two mu of land. Having just harvested the grain, he was rushing home for lunch. He suddenly saw someone waving at him from the roadside and stopped the tractor.
The two people walked closer—both beautifully dressed girls who looked like city dwellers.
The taller one stepped forward and asked, "Friend, excuse me, which way to Zequan Village?"
The tractor driver was in his forties. His Mandarin wasn't good, but he could understand.
Two minutes later, Cheng Zhanxi and Yu Qingtang sat in the back of the tractor, bags of grain beneath them. As the tractor moved, their bodies uncontrollably bounced up and down.
Yu Qingtang's usually placid face showed an unprecedentedly rich expression for the first time.
With just a few words from Cheng Zhanxi, the local was willing to give them a ride, saving them a long walk.
Cheng Zhanxi rested her cheek on one hand, smilingly asking, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Yu Qingtang said sincerely, "Teacher Cheng is amazing."
The tractor noise was too loud. Cheng Zhanxi couldn't lip-read. She shouted, "What did you say? I—can't—hear—you—"
The oncoming wind rushed past. Long hair flew wildly. The vast, open wilderness instilled a sense of heroic spirit. Yu Qingtang took a deep breath and also raised her voice, "I—said—you—are—amazing—"
Cheng Zhanxi replied, "Heard—you—"
Yu Qingtang: "Okay—"
Cheng Zhanxi burst into laughter, clear and bright, carrying far.
Yu Qingtang also laughed softly.
Then she looked up at Cheng Zhanxi.
Cheng Zhanxi held onto the side of the tractor firmly with one hand, the other propped behind her, her expression relaxed, eyes half-closed comfortably. Blue sky, white clouds, distant rolling green mountains, golden rice fields below—like an oil painting, she was the vividly sketched stroke within it.
Yu Qingtang watched her deeply, her eyes gradually filled with sadness.
If this is a dream...
Yu Qingtang closed her eyes.
If this is a dream, please let it wake up a little later.
...
The local stopped the tractor at a village entrance marked by a stone monument, explaining in broken Mandarin, "Follow this road straight, turn right at the big locust tree, and you'll see the village sign." He pointed to the monument, "A sign like this one."
"Thank you, friend."
"You're welcome."
The sputtering sound of the tractor gradually faded into the distance.
Yu Qingtang lifted her foot to walk forward, but Cheng Zhanxi grabbed her hand.
Yu Qingtang: "?"
Cheng Zhanxi asked her, "Hungry?"
Yu Qingtang paused, then said, "Okay."
"Feel it carefully."
"Maybe a little?"
Cheng Zhanxi said exasperatedly, "Then you're hungry." It was almost noon; after rushing around all morning, it would be strange if she weren't hungry.
Seeing Cheng Zhanxi annoyed, Yu Qingtang suddenly, without thinking, tugged at the corner of her clothes.
Cheng Zhanxi: "..."
Her lips couldn't help but curve upwards. Forcing them down, she said flatly, "Eat first."
"Okay."
Perhaps because they were alone in the wilderness, today's Yu Qingtang was exceptionally obedient, her heart much more open towards her, unlike before when she would occasionally put up defenses.
There was a bluestone slab next to the monument. Cheng Zhanxi had Yu Qingtang sit on it, placed her backpack beside her, unzipped it, and took things out.
Curious baby Yu Qingtang craned her neck to peek inside.
Cheng Zhanxi said, "Want to know what's inside?"
Yu Qingtang hummed.
Cheng Zhanxi laughed. "Then look." She opened the bag completely, generously letting her see.
The travel backpack had many inner pockets, filled neatly with categorized food and supplies.
Cheng Zhanxi: "Take whatever you want to eat."
Yu Qingtang took two rice balls, handing one to Cheng Zhanxi.
Cheng Zhanxi looked at the remaining eight-treasure porridge and other dry rations inside, puzzled, "Why are you eating rice balls again?"
Yu Qingtang didn't speak, quietly eating her lunch.
In a flash of insight, Cheng Zhanxi understood. Instantly, it felt like a honey pot had overturned inside her, so sweet she almost lost her bearings.
Cheng Zhanxi smiled silently for a long while, left the last rice ball, opened a can of eight-treasure porridge herself, and ate two small loaves of bread.
After a brief rest, the two continued on their way.
Yu Qingtang's phone had signal, but still only 2G.
Yu Qingtang wanted to call Xiao Qing's father, but considering she didn't know how long this road was, she decided to wait until seeing the Zequan Village monument before calling.
Cheng Zhanxi's foresight in having her change shoes proved correct. The path the local pointed out was a shortcut, unpaved, uneven, occasionally requiring uphill climbs. Yu Qingtang struggled, so Cheng Zhanxi held her hand the entire way, not letting go even when their palms grew sweaty.
However, the scenery along the road, with green mountains and clear waters, was beautiful and refreshing.
Reaching a field ridge, the view opened up. A clear breeze blew from the mountains.
Cheng Zhanxi tucked her hair behind her ear with her delicate white fingertips and said, "Teacher Yu."
"Hmm?"
"Why did you come back to Sicheng to become a teacher?" Cheng Zhanxi felt the timing was right and asked.
"Because..." Yu Qingtang lightly stepped over a ditch ahead, answering casually, "Grandma asked me to come back and take the teacher certification exam."
Cheng Zhanxi hummed.
Yu Qingtang added indifferently, "They think being a teacher is stable, plus my grandfather had that fall, so it's convenient for me to take care of them at home."
Cheng Zhanxi smiled, but felt a pang of sadness inwardly. "I see."
Yu Qingtang seemed to casually ask back, "What about you?"
"What?"
Yu Qingtang lowered her eyes to the path, subtly took a deep breath, suppressed the slight tremor in her fingertips, and mustered the courage to ask, "Why... did you become a teacher?"
Author's note:
Lao She: Don't randomly quote me!
'Lao She once wrote in "Rickshaw Boy": "There isn't much truth in this world; a woman's blush is better than a long dialogue."'
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