After Escaping Marriage - Chapter 64
Chapter 64
"Okay!" The woman's voice was clear and bright, filled with joy.
If not for her distinctly mature female voice, Cheng Zhanxi might have thought she was talking to a kindergarten child, ecstatic over a little red flower from the teacher.
Yu Qingtang quickly realized her impropriety, lowered her voice by several decibels, and said reservedly, "I'll go home first, then come find you later."
Cheng Zhanxi felt somewhat dazed, instinctively curving her lips into a smile, "Okay."
Cheng Zhanxi opened the door to 2102, stood at the entrance as usual to watch Yu Qingtang return. Halfway there, Yu Qingtang suddenly turned back, her gaze landing straight on her, as if confirming her presence.
Cheng Zhanxi smiled at her.
Yu Qingtang also faintly curved her lips, then entered her apartment.
Seeing the opposite door close, Cheng Zhanxi turned back into her own home, her bright smile fading, her expression thoughtful.
She threw herself onto the living room sofa and began thinking quietly.
2101.
Yu Qingtang hung up her bag, went to the bedroom to change into pajamas, returned to the living room, checked the time—only two minutes had passed.
Yu Qingtang: "..."
Yu Qingtang pressed her face against the peephole, peered out. The corridor was empty as usual.
She walked back from the entryway, pacing circles in the living room to pass the time, her steps light and cheerful.
She thought of nothing, her mind unable to process anything. In fact, ever since returning from the old town last night and seeing Cheng Zhanxi with her own eyes, she had been immersed in the immense joy of reunion. She just wanted to be inseparable from Cheng Zhanxi, hugging when possible, staying together when possible, making up for the twenty years they were apart.
So she disregarded the public setting, disregarded her "drastic personality change." Compared to the joy in her heart, these things were truly insignificant.
Ten minutes later, she stood at Cheng Zhanxi's door, took a deep breath, and pressed the doorbell.
Cheng Zhanxi was lying on the sofa thinking. When attention is focused, time always passes quickly. She felt she had just closed her eyes when the doorbell rang.
Cheng Zhanxi got up to open the door.
Yu Qingtang wore light blue cotton pajamas, long sleeves and pants, holding a pillow. Her long black hair was loose, tucked behind her small ears. Her face was fair and exquisite, her expression docile.
She wasn't wearing makeup. The corners of her eyes drooped gently, complementing the tear mole, giving her a fragile, pitiful beauty that evoked a desire to protect.
Cheng Zhanxi's usually online rationality completely disintegrated in front of her. Love itself is unreasonable—blind, obsessed, fallen, beyond redemption.
Cheng Zhanxi didn't step aside, instead directly extending her arms, pulling Yu Qingtang, standing at the door, into her embrace.
Yu Qingtang was thin, with a small frame, feeling light and weightless when held. But the tangible feeling of holding her was different—soft jade, warm fragrance, curves in all the right places, evenly proportioned.
Cheng Zhanxi smelled the faint, clean scent of her body wash, buried her face in her neck, sniffing deeply, murmuring indistinctly, "Did you shower?"
Yu Qingtang felt a bit itchy from her warm breath but didn't avoid it, replying softly, "Mm."
Cheng Zhanxi chuckled, "Showered in just this short time?"
Yu Qingtang looked at the head moving around in her neck, her ears warming, saying somewhat embarrassedly, "Mm... just rinsed off quickly."
Cheng Zhanxi chuckled again.
Her chin lifted slightly, resting on her shoulder. Her hands still embraced her back and waist, comfortably narrowing her eyes.
This hug held no desire. Yu Qingtang also placed her hands on her back, stroking her smooth, cool long hair intermittently.
Cheng Zhanxi wasn't wearing a jacket at home, just a white shirt.
Her hand unintentionally touched Cheng Zhanxi's straight spine, the faint lines of her back muscles, and the tight waistline on both sides. Her fingertips curiously brushed against the fabric.
Cheng Zhanxi's breath hitched; she bit her lower lip.
Cheng Zhanxi wasn't without thoughts. A mature woman, seeing her beloved washed clean and fragrant before her, having no thoughts meant either insufficient love or frigidity. It was just that Cheng Zhanxi knew Yu Qingtang had no such thoughts, so she suppressed those notions.
They shared a pure hug.
Clearly, Yu Qingtang wasn't letting her remain pure.
Before Yu Qingtang could explore further, Cheng Zhanxi released her, awkwardly tucked her hair behind her ear, and said, "I'll go change into pajamas."
Yu Qingtang retracted her hand from five centimeters away from her abs and said, "Okay."
Cheng Zhanxi looked into Yu Qingtang's eyes.
Innocent and clear, like a child's, without a trace of desire.
"..." Cheng Zhanxi entered the bedroom with indescribable feelings.
She subconsciously locked the door first, then came back to change clothes. As the lock clicked shut, her thoughts turned, and she unlocked it again.
Then she walked to the full-length mirror, slowly removing her clothes piece by piece.
The woman in the mirror had a slender waist and long legs, exquisite curves, a flat, firm abdomen without a trace of fat, yet possessed ample assets where needed, full and plump, exuding the flavor of a mature woman.
Never mind others; even she herself felt tempted looking at it.
Yu Qingtang wasn't tempted by her body! Could she prefer the dry, bean sprout type? Hmm, not saying bean sprouts are bad. Cheng Zhanxi could only think this way temporarily to salvage her dignity.
Cheng Zhanxi changed into soft silk pajamas, gently exhaled at the mirror, deciding to test her again.
...
Yu Qingtang placed her pillow on the long sofa she had lain on before, the blanket beside it.
She sat with her knees together, hands resting on them, sitting properly.
Her eyes looked towards the bedroom door. Why wasn't Cheng Zhanxi out yet? Did she fall asleep directly?
Actually, Yu Qingtang wanted to sleep with Cheng Zhanxi, just like when they were children.
But they had just reunited. Yu Qingtang subconsciously felt this behavior needed some time, a gradual progression. Thinking this, her thumb lightly pinched her index finger joint, hoping Cheng Zhanxi wasn't scared by her.
Cheng Zhanxi.
Her thoughts paused slightly as she silently savored the name in her heart.
Did her parents give her this name? It sounds really nice.
Just as she was thinking, the bedroom door in her line of sight opened from the inside.
The ice silk nightgown fabric was thin and soft, a small slip dress style. Red dress, white skin, shimmering like milk under the light. Her straight collarbones were sexy and flat. Paired with her languid long curly hair, she resembled a sexy starlet from a 90s Hong Kong movie.
Yu Qingtang looked at her.
She also looked at Yu Qingtang, her gaze direct and unwavering. Under her watch, she walked step by step towards her.
Yu Qingtang tilted her face up to look at her. From head to toe, her dark pupils seemed to hold tiny whirlpools, appearing bottomlessly deep.
Then she pulled Cheng Zhanxi's hand, bringing her into her embrace. Her slender white knuckles pinched her chin as they kissed, from shallow tasting to deep exploration, inseparable.
...
The above were all Cheng Zhanxi's beautiful fantasies, her most desired development.
However, reality always differed greatly from imagination. Yu Qingtang tilted her face up to look at her, calmly surveying her from head to toe. Then she pulled Cheng Zhanxi's hand, bringing her to the seat beside her, unfolding the thin blanket and covering her legs.
"Be careful not to catch a cold." Yu Qingtang carefully tucked her in.
"You too."
If you have a plan, I have a counter-plan. Cheng Zhanxi's thoughts turned. Without explanation, she grabbed Yu Qingtang's hand and stuffed it under the thin blanket together.
The space under the blanket was limited. Under Cheng Zhanxi's deliberate manipulation, Yu Qingtang's hand landed directly on top, her palm's skin smooth and delicate.
Yu Qingtang's fair knuckles curled awkwardly. A slight movement meant contact. She didn't dare move at all.
Cheng Zhanxi keenly sensed the subtle tension in her body, finally regaining some ground, the corners of her lips hooking up.
"Teacher Yu." Cheng Zhanxi turned her body to face her, turning together.
Feeling the continuous sensation from her palm, Yu Qingtang stiffened all over, blood rushing, heat almost reaching her face.
"Teacher Yu?"
"Mm." Yu Qingtang swallowed imperceptibly and withdrew her hand.
Cheng Zhanxi didn't force it, smiling lightly, changing to place both hands on her shoulders, hooking them around her neck, pulling closer to gaze into her dark eyes.
They were very close, eye to eye, nose to nose. Yu Qingtang's gaze uncontrollably slid towards the woman's red lips. Ripples of emotion finally stirred in her calm, water-like eyes.
Cheng Zhanxi slowly leaned closer.
Yu Qingtang closed her eyes briefly, then opened them again, clear and bright.
"Cheng Zhanxi."
She almost never called Cheng Zhanxi by her full name. Cheng Zhanxi froze, almost instinctively replying "Present." She lightly bit her tongue, maintained her expression, and asked with a smile, "What's wrong?"
Yu Qingtang took her hands from behind her neck, her voice as calm as her eyes, "Time to sleep."
Saying this, she reached out and tapped her phone screen.
"What time is it?" Cheng Zhanxi deliberately leaned into her embrace, looked at her phone together, feigning surprise, "It's almost one, time to sleep indeed."
"Mm, you should go back to your room."
"Will you be uncomfortable sleeping on the sofa?"
"No." Yu Qingtang helped the clingy person sit up straight, her gaze softening slightly, "Go sleep."
Cheng Zhanxi wanted to cling to her embrace and not leave, but it was impossible. The sofa couldn't fit two people. To avoid affecting the afternoon's work, Cheng Zhanxi didn't say more, wished her "Good afternoon," lifted the blanket, got up, and returned to her room.
Yu Qingtang watched her retreating figure. The ultra-short slip dress revealed long, straight, fair legs, exceptionally eye-catching.
Yu Qingtang closed her eyes and lay down on the sofa. The living room heating was on. The thin blanket covered her shoulders. Just being in the same apartment as Cheng Zhanxi made her heart feel warm.
She closed her eyes, her brow slightly furrowed, thinking again: Something seems different.
Yu Qingtang's hands rested properly at her waist, her knuckles tightening, as if savoring something.
Cheng Zhanxi's skin was so smooth.
She yawned and drifted off to sleep.
The automatic curtains in the living room were closed, blocking out light. The woman on the sofa lay in the dim light, breathing shallowly, her lips slightly parted.
Cheng Zhanxi, having woken up early, tiptoed out of the bedroom door, barefoot, came over, squatted by the sofa edge, cupped her face in both hands, and watched her.
Yu Qingtang murmured unconsciously in her sleep, rustling sounds accompanying her turning over, facing the outside of the sofa.
Cheng Zhanxi poked her head out again. Borrowing the faint light, her gaze traced Yu Qingtang's exquisite, beautiful features, her eyes gradually softening.
Yu Qingtang frowned slightly in her sleep, then quickly relaxed, her breathing deepening slightly. Her lips were half-open, revealing a glimpse of the soft, moist red inside.
Cheng Zhanxi felt parched.
She abruptly looked away, calming her racing heart.
"Cheng Zhanxi..."
A soft call suddenly sounded from behind. Cheng Zhanxi thought she had woken up, caught red-handed. She quickly composed her expression, prepared her lines, and turned around naturally with a smile.
Yu Qingtang's eyes were closed, her sleeping posture unchanged.
Dreaming? Dreaming of me?
Cheng Zhanxi smiled silently.
"Cheng Zhanxi..." Yu Qingtang called again, almost murmuring.
One of her hands rested outside the thin blanket, her fair knuckles tightening, as if wanting to grasp something.
Cheng Zhanxi sat down on the floor by the sofa edge, offered her hand, carefully letting her hold it.
The phone alarm on the table rang.
Cheng Zhanxi reached out with her right hand to turn it off, woke Yu Qingtang, and simultaneously opened the automatic curtains.
Winter sunlight streamed in, brightening the living room.
Yu Qingtang narrowed her eyes, saw Cheng Zhanxi sitting backlit. Her hand was holding something, the fingertips stroking the soft, cool smoothness.
She didn't release Cheng Zhanxi's hand, asking, "What time did Teacher Cheng wake up?"
"Two minutes earlier than you."
"Mm." Yu Qingtang wanted to sit up. Having just slept, her body felt sore and weak, lacking strength. Cheng Zhanxi helped her, half-supporting, half-embracing her to sit up, leaning into her embrace. Her fingertips brushed across her forehead, tidying her hair.
Yu Qingtang adjusted to a comfortable position in her arms, nuzzled slightly, her eyelids drooping tiredly, involuntarily closing again.
...
Ding ling ling ling—
The bell for the first afternoon class rang throughout the middle school campus.
Yang Li entered the office. Ge Jing, near the door, signaled her with her eyes, indicating the two empty desks in the corner near the water dispenser.
Yang Li raised her eyebrows.
Ge Jing said, "Is being in love so amazing?"
Yang Li had just opened her mouth when Ge Jing answered herself, "Sorry, being in love really is amazing."
Yang Li, recently influenced by Ge Jing's shipping enthusiasm, curiously asked, "Is this some new shipping method?"
Ge Jing said, "I'll send you the emoji pack later."
Yang Li said, "Okay, the one you sent me last time..."
"Teacher Yang." Yang Li and Ge Jing were engrossed in conversation when a greeting sounded from behind. She nearly jumped up, turned to see Cheng Zhanxi, patted her chest, calming her fright, "You scared me to death."
Cheng Zhanxi smiled, "What's there to be scared of in the office?"
As she spoke, she walked inside, holding Yu Qingtang's hand.
Yang Li suddenly understood, saying amusedly, "Are you serious, Teacher Cheng?"
Cheng Zhanxi: "?"
Yang Li said, "Didn't I just scare Teacher Yu once? Do you have to get back at me for her?"
Cheng Zhanxi glanced at Yu Qingtang: There was such a thing?
Yu Qingtang looked blankly: I don't remember.
Cheng Zhanxi asked, "When did that happen?"
Yang Li said, "Last week, forget which day." She just mentioned it casually, not taking it to heart. Cheng Zhanxi didn't pursue the topic either.
Yu Qingtang, however, remembered.
That night she suffered insomnia, watched TV at Cheng Zhanxi's place and fell asleep, accidentally sleeping until nine in the morning. Worried about facing Cheng Zhanxi awkwardly at school, she peeked around at the office door, which was when Yang Li scared her.
Yu Qingtang: "Cheng Zhanxi."
Cheng Zhanxi endured the awkwardness and replied, "Mm."
Yu Qingtang, for some reason, had taken a liking to calling her full name recently.
Cheng Zhanxi had an English name abroad. Friends in China called her nickname, or teased her with "Teacher Cheng," "Painter Cheng." Almost no one called her full name.
Yu Qingtang seemed hesitant, swallowed the "tonight" she was about to say, changing it to, "Can I come watch TV at your place when I have time?"
Cheng Zhanxi readily agreed, "Of course, you're welcome anytime."
Yu Qingtang bit her lower lip slightly, "Tomorrow?" She didn't have evening study duty tomorrow.
Cheng Zhanxi looked slightly stunned. Faced with Yu Qingtang's sudden eagerness, she felt both surprised and puzzled. She smiled, "Okay, do you want to eat at my place tomorrow night?"
Yu Qingtang nodded, "Okay."
"Shall we go grocery shopping together after school tomorrow afternoon?"
"Okay." Demure.
"Buy some snacks too? The ones at home are almost finished."
"Okay." Docile.
"Help me prepare the ingredients, okay?"
"Okay." Soft and sweet.
Cheng Zhanxi couldn't control the upward curve of her lips, almost floating to the ceiling. She held her breath, lowered herself back to the ground, steadied herself against the desk edge, smiled, and asked her, "Want to skip evening study tonight?"
Yu Qingtang immediately furrowed her delicate brows, saying seriously, "No."
Cheng Zhanxi couldn't help laughing, reaching out to touch her face.
Good, good, not an emotionless answering machine.
Yu Qingtang pulled down the hand rubbing her ear and said, "I need to work now."
Just now at Cheng Zhanxi's place, after waking up the second time, Cheng Zhanxi had rubbed her ear, fingertips moving from below the ear to the top, back and forth. Her ear was sensitive; besides turning red easily, the most important thing was that it reminded her of certain images, making her body uncontrollably soften, especially in Cheng Zhanxi's embrace.
Cheng Zhanxi finally stroked her earlobe with her thumb, making the area warm and hot, saying gently, "Go ahead."
Yu Qingtang returned to her desk. Pretending to think while resting her face in her hand, she covered her hot ear.
Second period PE class for Class 7.
Cheng Zhanxi arrived on the field and was greeted with enthusiastic welcomes and blessings.
"Congratulations Teacher Cheng, congratulations Teacher Cheng." A group of students cupped their hands in unison, speaking in chorus.
Cheng Zhanxi smiled, accepting them all, raised both hands flatly downwards signaling them to quiet down, asking unhurriedly, "Where does the joy come from?"
Tong Feifei grinned, "Of course, congratulations on your happy union with Teacher Yu."
Lian Yabing boldly added, "May you be forever united, a hundred years of harmony."
The two echoed each other, cooperating tacitly.
Li Lan glanced at them.
Cheng Zhanxi was shocked, thinking: How come I don't know I'm getting married?
She asked, "Who told you?"
Tong Feifei said, "Of course, Teacher Yu!"
Cheng Zhanxi looked strange, "She said it herself? I mean the exact words, she wants to marry me, like that?"
Tong Feifei said, "Uh... sort of?"
Other Class 7 students: "???"
That's not what you said this morning!!!
PE class free activity time.
Cheng Zhanxi sat opposite Tong Feifei, front-line shipper representative Lian Yabing, class monitor Li Lan, and the girls Tong Feifei had called over who asked questions during the break.
Cheng Zhanxi crossed her arms, leisurely saying, "Speak, one by one. Tong Feifei, you first."
Tong Feifei: "Uh..."
Cheng Zhanxi: "Don't 'uh,' if you keep 'uh-ing,' everyone will be hungry."
Everyone: "Hahahahaha."
Tong Feifei also hahaha-ed. After laughing, she asked, "So Teacher Cheng, is this news true?"
Cheng Zhanxi clicked her tongue.
Tong Feifei retracted her probing little claws, rubbed her nose tip with her index finger, and honestly confessed, "This morning during morning reading, weren't you and Teacher Yu holding hands?"
Cheng Zhanxi raised an eyebrow, "So?"
Tong Feifei said matter-of-factly, "So we thought you two were getting married soon."
Cheng Zhanxi: "???"
This was like the distance between her and Yu Qingtang going to bed and kissing, separated by ten thousand li.
"Your rounding skills are too good, aren't they?" Cheng Zhanxi said in a tone that was definitely not praise.
Tong Feifei waved her hand humbly, "You flatter me, you flatter me."
Cheng Zhanxi flicked her forehead lightly with a bent finger.
Tong Feifei stopped her inherent chattiness, focusing on recounting the break time conversation, "I asked Teacher Yu if a happy event was coming soon, she said 'How did you know'?"
One of the girls beside her added, "I then asked if it was with Teacher Cheng?"
Cheng Zhanxi: "!!!"
Tong Feifei: "Hey, guess what happened next?"
Tong Feifei's arm received a light slap from Li Lan.
Cheng Zhanxi gave Li Lan an appreciative look: Well done!
This kid was really too chatty.
Tong Feifei: "Teacher Yu didn't speak, just widened her eyes looking at us." Saying this, she even imitated Yu Qingtang.
Cheng Zhanxi pondered, "And then?"
Tong Feifei: "Xing Bailu said congratulations Teacher Yu, she didn't refute it either." Xing Bailu was the girl who spoke earlier.
Tong Feifei: "I think my reasoning is well-founded, not baseless rumors."
Cheng Zhanxi hummed, absentmindedly thinking.
Tong Feifei: "Teacher Cheng, when are you two getting married? We're planning to prepare wedding gifts, definitely impressive ones."
Cheng Zhanxi snapped back, clicked her tongue, "What marriage, don't talk nonsense, we're not even a couple."
Tong Feifei's jaw dropped, "Then why are you two holding hands and showing affection every day?"
Cheng Zhanxi couldn't help curving her lips, saying, "Can't we be... cough, good girlfriends?"
Lian Yabing and the others widened their eyes in unison, asking in chorus, "Do you believe that yourself?!"
Cheng Zhanxi burst out laughing, asking back, "Am I that obvious?"
Tong Feifei corrected, "Not just you, both of you, exchanging glances, sending autumn waves."
Xing Bailu whispered, "You two look like you're dating." Her hands were tucked into her school uniform sleeves, only her pinky finger exposed, hooked by the girl behind her.
Lian Yabing fainted from shipping overload into Li Lan's arms.
Cheng Zhanxi cupped her hands, thanking the students for their auspicious words.
She thought: Now only Yu Qingtang doesn't know they're dating.
Hearing the fictional love story from the students, Cheng Zhanxi felt happy, not forgetting to remind them, "Don't spread rumors. If Teacher Yu hears about it, I'll settle accounts with you. Especially Tong Feifei, understand?"
Tong Feifei zipped her lips shut with a long gesture, because her mouth was particularly large. Anything she knew would spread throughout the grade within a day.
Letting the chatty ones chat freely, Cheng Zhanxi, acting as a mascot, pondered Yu Qingtang's matter aside.
Happy event approaching, related to herself—these two points were basically confirmed. Otherwise, her attitude towards her wouldn't have changed so drastically.
What major happy event could involve her? Definitely not her realizing she had feelings and deciding to date her; if things were that smooth, they'd have children by now. Could her grandparents or family head suddenly approve of her, letting her marry her? Her imagination was running wild, Cheng Zhanxi sighed, moving on to the next possibility.
Did her beauty value skyrocket? Impossible, 99 to 100 is just 1 point, tsk, heaven didn't give her much room for improvement.
Could she have some unknown hidden identity? Had they met before?
Cheng Zhanxi suddenly sat upright.
Startled, the students also jumped, watching her sometimes frown, sometimes smile, sometimes ponder with her chin resting on her hand.
Cheng Zhanxi thought about it, still ruling out this guess.
She grew up in the capital, while Yu Qingtang was a native of Sicheng. The only possible intersection was Yu Qingtang's seven years studying in the capital. During those seven years, Cheng Zhanxi was mostly abroad, occasionally returning. If she had met Yu Qingtang, she couldn't possibly not recognize her. If Yu Qingtang knew her, she wouldn't have taken so long to remember her face and name, especially since she was face-blind.
What could it be?
Cheng Zhanxi thought until her head hurt, pinched the bridge of her nose, planning to look at the surrounding green plants to adjust her mood.
Her gaze swept casually, briefly pausing before moving away, a smile in her eyes, lips slightly curved.
Even Grade 1 kids were falling in love. When would it be her turn for sweet love?
Ding ling ling ling—
Playground.
"Good—bye—teach—er—"
Cheng Zhanxi clapped her hands, "Goodbye, classmates."
Class 7 gathered and dismissed. Wu Peng led Xiang Tianyou and the others to carry the mats and sports equipment.
Cheng Zhanxi returned to the office. She was well-known at school. Many unfamiliar students passing by greeted her. Cheng Zhanxi smiled in return. Smiling all the way back to the office, her face felt a bit stiff. She sat behind her chair, massaging her facial muscles.
Just then, Ge Jing walked in, face full of excitement, happier than payday.
Cheng Zhanxi was behind the computer, obscured, so she didn't notice immediately. Yu Qingtang stood by the water dispenser in the corner, getting water. Tall and graceful, dark hair, dark eyes, very conspicuous.
Ge Jing knew her limits, didn't shout loud enough for the whole office to hear, instead walked closer to Yu Qingtang, beaming as she asked, "Teacher Yu, I heard you're getting married to Teacher Cheng?"
Yu Qingtang: "???"
Cheng Zhanxi: "!!!"
Author's note:
This couple really needs to get married on the spot to resolve this.
True Fragrance Skit:
Now:
Cheng Chengzi: I'm wearing a little slip dress.
Yu Qingtang: Be careful not to catch a cold.
Later:
Cheng Chengzi: I'm wearing a little slip dress.
Yu Qingtang: Why are you still wearing clothes? Take them off and lie down properly.
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