After Escaping Marriage - Chapter 75
Chapter 75
Tuesday noon.
Cheng Zhanxi and Yu Qingtang returned from school to Mingmen Estate. As they parted ways at the elevator entrance, Cheng Zhanxi suggested, "Bring your changed clothes over to my place too. You can leave directly later, saving you the trouble of going back to change."
Just as Yu Qingtang showed hesitation, Cheng Zhanxi played her trump card, saying, "This way, you can sleep a few more minutes."
Yu Qingtang's eyes brightened slightly; she was clearly moved.
"Okay."
Cheng Zhanxi smiled, "Then I'll wait for you across the hall. The door's open, come over soon."
Yu Qingtang nodded, "Okay."
Cheng Zhanxi was the only one who knew Yu Qingtang liked to sleep in. During winter noon breaks, she could stay burrowed in the covers until the very last second before opening her eyes. But what she didn't know was that this was a habit Yu Qingtang had only developed in the past two days. Once a person encounters indulgence, all sorts of strange little habits can be fostered.
Cheng Zhanxi doted on her, indulged her. She could feel it, so she couldn't help but rely on her, releasing a tiny bit of her unknown, suppressed nature.
Yu Qingtang deliberately lingered in 2101 for a few minutes before coming over, trying to appear less eager.
She wore light blue cotton pajamas, holding her coat and other clothes in her arms as she stepped through the door of 2102.
There was something else Cheng Zhanxi didn't know: the pajamas Yu Qingtang wore at her place were different from her usual ones. The ones at home were gray; this set was bought specifically for sleeping over.
She arrived quickly. Cheng Zhanxi was sitting on the living room sofa, holding the black couple's mug Xiang Tianyou had given her, drinking water. She said, half complaining, half acting cute, "I've been waiting for so long. If you hadn't come soon, I would have gone looking for you."
Cheng Zhanxi's eager anticipation gave Yu Qingtang a strange sense of satisfaction. Her heart felt full, overflowing with tenderness.
She lifted her fingers to tuck her hair behind her ear and said, "Something held me up for a few minutes."
At the same time, she decided to come over faster tomorrow, not wanting to keep Cheng Zhanxi waiting, nor wanting to endure the wait herself.
In the short time they had just been apart, her mind had been filled with Cheng Zhanxi, eager to see her.
Cheng Zhanxi opened her arms towards her.
Yu Qingtang closed the living room door, placed her clothes on the sofa armrest, and walked over.
Cheng Zhanxi was sitting, clearly in a posture asking for a hug. Yu Qingtang stood before her, looking down at her for a moment, then carefully sat down on her lap.
Cheng Zhanxi hooked her hand around her hip, pulling her a little closer into her embrace, holding her tightly.
Yu Qingtang smelled the fragrance on her, resting one hand on the sofa back behind her.
Cheng Zhanxi suddenly jiggled her leg, causing Yu Qingtang on her lap to become unsteady. Her hands instinctively wrapped around her neck.
Cheng Zhanxi chuckled, buried her face in her embrace, discreetly and greedily inhaling the woman's faint body scent.
After hugging in this position for a while, Cheng Zhanxi stood up, but didn't put her down. Instead, she carried her directly to the study and gently placed her on the single bed.
She loved holding Yu Qingtang, no matter how, each way intimate in its own right. If current conditions allowed, she could kiss and hug her all day long.
"Good afternoon." Cheng Zhanxi tucked Yu Qingtang in, speaking gently.
"Good afternoon."
Cheng Zhanxi leaned down and placed a light kiss on her forehead, then went out, closing the door behind her.
Yu Qingtang heard the soft click of the bedroom door closing outside and closed her eyes.
After a while, she opened her eyes again, raised her hand to touch her forehead, her brow furrowed slightly, her gaze towards the ceiling lost in confusion.
It was warm.
That spot.
Yu Qingtang's ears started to feel hot too. She pulled the blanket higher, covering the lower half of her face, and closed her eyes again to sleep.
That noon break, she had a dream.
Yu Qingtang had poor memory of dreams, almost forgetting everything upon waking. So she could only judge whether she had a nightmare or a sweet dream based on her state upon waking. Just twenty minutes after falling asleep, she woke up once from the dream, closed her eyes, and felt the upward curve of her lips.
Yu Qingtang turned over, the corners of her lips upturned, continuing to sink into the hazy, sweet dream.
This was the scene Cheng Zhanxi saw when she came in.
Yu Qingtang was sleeping on the single bed, nestled entirely in the covers, revealing a pair of smiling, curved eyes. Putting her ear close to her lips, she could even hear soft laughter.
What dream was making her laugh like this?
Cheng Zhanxi was infected by her mood and also lifted her lips into a smile. She reached her hand under the covers, found one of her warm hands, and held it.
Unexpectedly, Yu Qingtang quickly grasped her hand back and murmured in her sleep.
Cheng Zhanxi leaned down to listen.
The woman's voice held laughter: "Cheng Zhanxi..."
Cheng Zhanxi sat up straight, looking at her gentle brows and eyes immersed in the sweet dream. The back of her fingers gently touched her cheek, emotions churning endlessly in her heart.
One hand gripped the edge of the bed, her knuckles tightening, as if trying hard to restrain something. Finally unable to resist, she leaned down, her thin lips covering the woman's soft ones.
Cheng Zhanxi's long lashes trembled like cicada wings; she closed her eyes.
Cheng Zhanxi calmed her racing heart, turned her head to look at the study wall, her chest heaving violently.
Yu Qingtang's hand was held by her, her lips slightly parted, her lower lip moist, shimmering with crystalline light in the dim room, exceptionally alluring.
Cheng Zhanxi's thumb stroked it, lingering, emotions shifting several times in her eyes. She gently wiped away the moisture and raised her wrist to check her watch.
After a few more minutes, she woke Yu Qingtang.
"Afraid of waking you, I didn't knock," she explained at the same time.
Yu Qingtang was drowsy from sleep and asked without minding, "What time is it?"
Cheng Zhanxi knew what she really wanted to ask. Her heart softened, and she said helplessly, "If you don't get up now, you'll be late."
Yu Qingtang's lips turned down.
Cheng Zhanxi rubbed her head, coaxing gently like talking to a child, "Shall we sleep earlier tomorrow, okay?"
Yu Qingtang sighed, "I need to change clothes."
"I brought them over for you." Cheng Zhanxi gestured for her to look beside the pillow.
Not only brought over, but also folded neatly.
"Thank you, Teacher Cheng."
"You're welcome."
Unsure why, but as soon as these two lines of dialogue came out, Yu Qingtang started feeling awkward, strangely distant.
Cheng Zhanxi smiled, went out, and closed the door.
Yu Qingtang looked at the door, thought about locking it from the inside, but decided against it. She picked up the clothes beside the pillow, put the coat on top aside first, and then saw the equally neatly folded... underwear hidden inside.
Of course, one doesn't wear underwear while sleeping, so Yu Qingtang had placed it with her coat and trousers. It had been casually folded before; the current folding method was clearly different, indicating it had passed through Cheng Zhanxi's hands.
Yu Qingtang held the underwear in her hands, her face burning like fire.
Cheng Zhanxi waited in the living room. She finished the glass of water she had poured, but Yu Qingtang still hadn't come out.
She went over and knocked on the door.
"Teacher Yu, did you fall asleep again?"
"No." A cool, brief reply came from inside.
"Okay."
The footsteps outside the study door faded away. Yu Qingtang, dressed neatly, used the cool back of her hand to cool down her face, turned back to fold the blanket on the single bed, took a deep breath, and pulled open the door.
"Let's go."
"Okay."
The elevator descended, the atmosphere inside exceptionally quiet.
Yu Qingtang was trying hard to forget about the underwear incident, while Cheng Zhanxi was controlling herself not to reminisce when they were alone, lest she do something impulsive.
That kiss wasn't too out of line; she hadn't touched Yu Qingtang's tongue, just gently pressed against her, moistening her lips. For her, the taste was already intoxicating enough.
Just a shallow kiss, yet it ignited a boiling tremor in her bones and blood, making her blood run hot. It was the first time Cheng Zhanxi had felt something so strongly, further deepening her determination to possess Yu Qingtang.
The young lady at the first-floor front desk: "Good afternoon, you two."
Both were absentminded, nodding to her one after the other.
The young lady receptionist: "???"
Halfway there, the two remembered to hold hands. Yu Qingtang's self-hypnosis was more effective; she proactively hooked her hand.
Cheng Zhanxi looked at the sky one moment, the ground the next, then at the building opposite, then straight ahead.
Her strides were large, her pace fast. Usually, she accommodated Yu Qingtang, maintaining the same speed. Now, absentminded, she didn't notice, pulling Yu Qingtang along at a flying pace.
Yu Qingtang couldn't keep up and tugged at her hand.
Cheng Zhanxi stopped and asked, "What's wrong?"
Yu Qingtang panted lightly, her cheeks flushed, saying, "Too fast."
Cheng Zhanxi fell silent.
Yu Qingtang: "?"
Cheng Zhanxi's eyes darkened. She glanced at her, and Yu Qingtang's thoughts took a sharp turn.
She opened her mouth, then turned her face away.
Cheng Zhanxi closed her eyes briefly, repenting inwardly.
While repenting, she suddenly thought: Why does Yu Qingtang always connect with her on this wavelength? If she didn't have such thoughts herself, could she understand her meaning instantly? After all, she hadn't said a word. Tsk.
Cheng Zhanxi tilted her head to look at the artificial lake beyond the railing, the corners of her lips hooking up.
The two tacitly didn't mention this interlude again and went to school together.
Thursday, Class 7 PE class.
Cheng Zhanxi led everyone through warm-ups, found a sunny spot, sat on a mat basking in the sun, lazily squinting her eyes.
Not far away, the boys were playing basketball, having organized a temporary match with another class. They sweated profusely on the court, shouts echoing.
Xiang Tianyou wore a black and gold sportswear set, number 24 printed on the back. His torso was long and lean, his Achilles tendons strong and powerful. A black headband was tied across his forehead, making his skin look even fairer, devastatingly handsome. Every time he dribbled or shot, he elicited waves of screams from the girls on the sidelines.
The other boys on the basketball court gritted their teeth in envy.
Hearing another high-pitched scream, Cheng Zhanxi looked at the group of girls gathered around her and asked, "Aren't you going to watch the game?"
The girls shook their heads. Xing Bailu said, "The boys are all sweaty; you can smell the stink if you get close. What's the point?" As she spoke, she hooked her arm through He Shuangjiang's.
Cheng Zhanxi raised an eyebrow, thinking: You're being too obvious, little one.
Some others agreed, some felt it was too crowded and didn't want to join the bustle. Tong Feifei said, "Teacher Cheng is here, how could we bear to go anywhere else?"
Everyone: "Right, right."
Cheng Zhanxi pulled her whistle out from her collar and flashed it in front of everyone again.
Anyway, the students all knew she liked Yu Qingtang, so she simply stopped hiding it.
Tong Feifei: "Our feelings for you are purely admiration and affection."
Cheng Zhanxi answered lazily and tucked the whistle back in.
The group of girls chattered for a bit. Tong Feifei, entrusted by Lian Yabing, asked Cheng Zhanxi, "Teacher Cheng, our class has a debate during the class meeting tomorrow. Are you coming to watch?"
Cheng Zhanxi knew about this and said with a smile, "Your Teacher Yu didn't invite me."
Tong Feifei said, "Why don't you ask her? Maybe you can observe. Everyone really wants you to come."
Cheng Zhanxi thought for a moment and said, "Alright, I'll ask her later."
So, back in the office, she really did ask.
Yu Qingtang also seemed to have just realized the matter of observing. Without much hesitation, she said, "It should be okay."
Friday afternoon, third period class meeting.
The Class 7 students moved their desks and stools, dividing the classroom clearly down the middle with the podium as the center. The front row on each side had four desks and chairs for the four official debate team members, with the audience supporting their respective stances behind them.
They started moving desks and chairs during the break. The scraping sounds of desk corners and stool legs on the floor—squeaking, rattling—created a bustling scene, causing students from the neighboring class passing by in the corridor to turn and look.
Class officially began.
Yu Qingtang arrived with the strongest audience member, Cheng Zhanxi.
The entire class erupted, offering the most enthusiastic applause, thunderous and unceasing.
Cheng Zhanxi lifted the hem of her coat on the podium and performed an elegant, composed princess curtsey.
The Class 7 students went wild, screaming crazily, cheering for Teacher Cheng.
Yu Qingtang: "..."
She knew Cheng Zhanxi was popular, but hadn't expected her to be this popular. For a moment, she felt a bit sour inside, unsure if she was jealous that so many people liked Cheng Zhanxi, or jealous that the students liked her more than they liked herself.
It took several minutes to restore order.
Yu Qingtang wrote today's debate topic on the blackboard and sat side-by-side with Cheng Zhanxi at the podium.
Li Lan ultimately didn't participate, as there were enough people. She acted as the host: "The debate officially begins."
Looking at the two teachers above, she felt like a wedding officiant.
Because it wasn't a formal competition, the debate process was simplified. Both sides first briefly stated their arguments, then began the debate.
He Shuangjiang was the first speaker for the affirmative side, displaying a very aggressive style.
"Puppy love is one of the purest forms of affection. It stems from the heart, from the mutual attraction of two souls. Mutual admiration is the most beautiful emotion, unlike adults' relationships, which are filled with materialism and calculation..."
He Shuangjiang also mentioned improving social skills and preemptively refuted the view that puppy love affects academic performance. She and Xing Bailu weren't low-key; everyone in the class, except for a few individuals, knew they were dating. He Shuangjiang ranked in the top five of the class, and under her influence, Xing Bailu's grades had improved from lower-middle to upper-middle. Her personal testimony was very persuasive.
The students behind her nodded continuously.
The first speaker for the negative side stood up, first refuting her argument based on isolated examples, stating that based on thousands of cases, students indulging in puppy love experiencing "emotions soaring, grades plummeting" was the common phenomenon. Then, they presented their viewpoint: middle school students are inexperienced, weak-willed, emotionally impulsive... Excessive obsession with puppy love affects studies, and when faced with setbacks, they are more prone to extreme behaviors like revenge, depression, running away from home, suicide pacts, etc., citing the example of a female student from Sicheng X County Middle School who committed suicide by lying on the tracks after a breakup. Their points were clear, fluent, densely packed within the limited time, occasionally supported by sensational real cases.
Never mind the negative side; even many audience members on the affirmative side felt a sense of unease.
He Shuangjiang abruptly stood up.
Li Lan made her sit down before she could speak.
Yu Qingtang sat upright at the podium, her expression stern, like a statue. Cheng Zhanxi rested her chin on one hand, a faint smile playing on her lips, listening with great interest.
Some students below unconsciously looked at her, losing interest even in the debate.
Cheng Zhanxi's waist was suddenly poked by Yu Qingtang's index finger. Her body went soft, almost falling into Yu Qingtang's embrace. She steadied herself by gripping the edge of the podium and mouthed: What's wrong?
Yu Qingtang said expressionlessly, "Be more serious."
Cheng Zhanxi was completely bewildered, thinking: How am I not being serious?
Yu Qingtang pulled her hand behind the podium, not letting her put it back up. Cheng Zhanxi pondered for a moment, figured it out, placed Yu Qingtang's hand on her own lap, and then looked straight ahead at the debate scene with a serious expression.
After the negative side's first speaker sat down, more than half the people applauded.
The affirmative side's second speaker was a comedian, witty and humorous, possibly from watching too many variety shows.
"Don't look at us studying hard now—Chinese, math, English, politics, history, geography, physics, chemistry, biology—masters of all subjects, knowledgeable about five thousand years of history. But after the college entrance exam, our brains will automatically format themselves. But dating is different! You'll forget ninety percent of the knowledge, but you'll never forget who you dated!"
The entire class, including Cheng Zhanxi at the podium: "Hahahahaha." Someone below even cheered, "Good!"
"We sometimes hear adults say, 'I wanted to have puppy love, but it's too late.' Time can't be turned back. But it's not too late for us, classmates! Don't let life leave irreparable regrets, let's all have puppy love together! Even if we get together today and break up tomorrow, at least we've experienced puppy! Love!"
The students laughed so hard they collectively slapped their desks.
After telling jokes, she started getting sentimental: "We are all still naive, naively believing this world is colorful. Before discovering this world also has black, let us seriously fall in love. Thank you, everyone."
The negative side's second speaker was the complete opposite of the comedian—a boy wearing glasses, also one of the top students in the class, logical, possessing both sensibility and rationality. He first stood quietly for a moment, letting the heightened atmosphere cool down, before speaking in a calm voice: "Classmates, what is our purpose for coming to school? Why did we work so hard to get into No. 1 Middle School?"
"Is only a youth with puppy love considered youth? Isn't a youth spent striving for dreams also youth? People who treat relationships casually will likely also treat every important choice in life casually." The boy said, "I'm actually not against puppy love; I'm against treating puppy love like child's play. At our age, the vast majority of us are just playing around."
"What can our hard work now yield? Good grades, a good university, a good future. What about puppy love? What's the use of remembering who you dated? We often say we've grown up, label ourselves as adults, hate being treated like children. True growth isn't about age, but our hearts." He tapped his chest.
"We are immature, truly immature right now. Think about the computer games at home, the updated variety shows on TV, those novels and dramas. How much willpower do we have to resist various temptations? If we can't even resist these, how can we resist the addiction brought by puppy love? It's like opium, tempting you step by step, making it impossible to control yourself. The opposing debater is right, time indeed cannot be turned back, youth only comes once. But what is worthwhile, what is impulsive, I hope everyone can seriously think about it."
...
After the third speakers finished, both sides entered the free debate segment.
The negative side said middle school students aren't financially independent, dating using parents' money; they should wait until they earn their own. The affirmative side said the cost of puppy love is low—strolling, watching movies—even if not with a boyfriend/girlfriend, they'd go with regular friends. Besides, if two people have good feelings, sharing an apple or drinking from the same milk tea cup can be sweet.
The speaker for the affirmative side was He Shuangjiang. Needless to say, it was another personal testimony.
And the two teachers on the podium suddenly exchanged a tacit glance. Cheng Zhanxi's eyes held a smile, while Yu Qingtang looked somewhat dazed.
How... that pair, He Shuangjiang and Xing Bailu, were so similar to herself and Cheng Zhanxi.
The negative side said puppy love is often immature, hard to last, mostly ending without result. The affirmative side said aren't most relationships failures, with few successes? Why condemn puppy love outright? The adult world is more complex, relationships often involve financial disputes, so we should have puppy love even more—anyway, we don't have money.
The negative side said puppy love occurs during adolescent sexual restlessness, self-control is weak, easily leading to irreversible serious consequences like pregnancy and abortion. The affirmative side said, so you approve of same-sex puppy love? You've lost this debate. The negative side said both same-sex and opposite-sex relationships involve sexual impulses; homosexuality wasn't excluded. Such behavior is unacceptable at their age. The affirmative side said, so you still approve of puppy love, just not early sexual relations. The negative side retorted that the two are linked, both potential consequences of puppy love...
Besides the debaters, the audience in the back rows also raised their hands to speak, the discussion atmosphere very free and enthusiastic.
These students usually sat monotonously listening to lectures. On the debate stage, their different personalities became apparent. Some were aggressive, pressing hard; some were gentle, subtly influencing; some were full of drama, turning wherever they stood into a stage; some were serious, like natural-born speakers...
The faces Yu Qingtang couldn't match with names gradually found their correct places with Cheng Zhanxi's off-stage assistance.
Each was different, shining brightly in their youth.
The intense free debate ended, and both sides gave their concluding arguments.
The negative side concluded first: "...A flower blooming too early is a beautiful mistake. For middle school students, the soil for love isn't fully prepared. What we need to do is study hard, enrich ourselves, make this soil fertile and good, then look forward to love's arrival. Classmates, look to tomorrow, a better love awaits us!"
The affirmative side's He Shuangjiang immediately stood up to conclude: "No matter how early the flower blooms, it has bloomed. You can't simply and crudely remove this flower from the garden; instead, you must master the correct method, carefully nurturing it. Love is also a form of growth; it's not isolated from or even opposed to studying. Having a healthy love can make two people better. So what if it ends without result? The flower shop closes, but the flowers continue to bloom. I loved the best person in my most beautiful youth, I don't regret it!"
Thunderous applause filled the classroom, cheering for both sides' debaters.
Yu Qingtang also clapped a few times; the debate was more exciting than she had imagined.
Yu Qingtang added two points, not expressing an opinion on the debate topic itself. Letting the students reflect was much better than her lecturing them. No. 1 Middle School was Sicheng's best key middle school; only a very small number dated. The class meeting served as a precaution and a reminder to those dating or tempted to date to be responsible for their own lives.
The class meeting ended. The two returned to the office. Yu Qingtang asked Cheng Zhanxi beside her, "Teacher Cheng, what's your view on puppy love?"
Cheng Zhanxi said, "I support it, but I wouldn't have puppy love."
Yu Qingtang deduced logically and smiled faintly, "Because you're already past the age for puppy love?"
Cheng Zhanxi said, "No."
Yu Qingtang asked, "Then why?"
Cheng Zhanxi's steps paused slightly. She turned her head and looked deeply at her, "Because..."
I hadn't met you back then.
Her eyes lowered slightly, she smiled and glossed over it, "Because... I was busy painting, applying to schools, learning French, no time. What about Teacher Yu?"
Yu Qingtang didn't notice her expression and said casually, "Me too, busy studying."
"Did Teacher Yu have no other hobbies besides studying during her student days?"
"No."
"Friends?"
"None either."
"Then what virtue or ability do I possess to have caught Teacher Yu's discerning eye and become your good friend?" Cheng Zhanxi blinked and smiled.
Yu Qingtang stopped, her gaze calmly yet meticulously sweeping over Cheng Zhanxi's face inch by inch, somewhat ethereal, as if looking at her, yet also as if looking through her at another distant person. Mixed with a sigh, her voice slightly drifting, she said something that made Cheng Zhanxi ponder deeply.
"Perhaps it's fate."
Cheng Zhanxi's expression froze momentarily.
If she weren't certain Yu Qingtang had never dated, she would have thought she was someone's substitute.
Yu Qingtang retracted her gaze and walked forward as usual.
Cheng Zhanxi caught up.
On Friday, Yu Qingtang didn't return to the old town; she had previously promised Cheng Zhanxi to accompany her to a small village in the suburbs for sketching. It was originally planned for last week but was preempted by Xiang Tianyou's Happy Valley trip, so it was postponed to this week.
After school, the two went to the supermarket together to buy groceries and went home to cook.
Cheng Zhanxi was in charge of cooking, with Yu Qingtang assisting her.
After the ingredients were prepared, Yu Qingtang had nothing else to do. Cheng Zhanxi told her to go play in the hanging chair in the living room; Yu Qingtang had taken a liking to that hanging chair recently. She really was like a child. Cheng Zhanxi was willing to dote on her like a child; the feeling was naturally both happy and complex.
Yu Jianxing sent her a message: [Sister, what are you doing?]
Cheng Zhanxi held the spatula in one hand, typing back with the other: [Making a loving dinner for my wife]
Yu Jianxing: [Don't look at some people calling someone 'wife' on the surface, when in reality they haven't even kissed]
Cheng Zhanxi: [Who says? I have kissed her]
Yu Jianxing: [Whoa]
Cheng Zhanxi: [Stole a kiss while she was sleeping]
Yu Jianxing: [Hahahahahaha]
Yu Jianxing: [Usually, it's only others stealing kisses from you. Didn't expect you'd have this day too. Is this karma?]
Cheng Zhanxi turned down the heat, took a dish out of the pot, then lowered her head to look at her phone, clicking her tongue.
[Cheng Zhanxi]: Stop ruining my reputation. When did I ever give anyone the chance to steal a kiss?
[Yu Jianxing]: You're openly letting her kiss you now. See if your wife kisses you?
[Cheng Zhanxi]: You already called her my wife. She'll kiss me sooner or later.
[Yu Jianxing]: I admire your confidence. I got intimate with my girlfriend today, envious?
[Cheng Zhanxi]: I'm still a baby [Shocked][Bye bye]
Yu Jianxing showed off and left, getting revenge for Cheng Zhanxi stepping on her in front of Yu Qingtang last time. It made Cheng Zhanxi quite restless that night. After taking care of herself once, she fell asleep and had an incredibly vivid dream.
In the dream, Yu Qingtang took the initiative, doing this and that, acting in all sorts of ways, then held her shoulders, sat down, tilted back her fair, slender neck. Her soul was almost completely captivated by Yu Qingtang.
In the morning, Cheng Zhanxi went into the bathroom and stayed there for quite some time before coming out.
At the elevator entrance, Cheng Zhanxi wore a white short down jacket, carried an easel on her back, held a painting box in her hand, looking completely listless.
Yu Qingtang came out of 2101, wearing a long, knee-length black down jacket, a bamboo-green scarf, and gray gloves, looking very warm—Cheng Zhanxi had said it was cold in the mountains and told her to wear more clothes.
"Cheng Zhanxi." Yu Qingtang called out to the woman standing before the elevator with her head bowed.
Cheng Zhanxi lifted her face, looked towards her, and revealed a smile.
Yu Qingtang saw her pale face and asked, "Are you feeling unwell?"
Cheng Zhanxi shook her head, saying gently, "No, I had a dream last night, the impression was too deep, haven't recovered yet."
Yu Qingtang thought she had a nightmare and comforted her, "Dreams are the opposite of reality."
Cheng Zhanxi smiled noncommittally.
It was freezing cold. Cheng Zhanxi no longer rode her motorcycle, deciding to drive instead.
Lin Xi, the three-year-old from Class 1 of Spring Kindergarten whom she met during the last sketching trip, had even called her, asking when she would go. Cheng Zhanxi had changed plans last week and felt very guilty. She had originally planned to coax her properly, but Lin Xi hadn't complained at all, even saying "See you next time, sister" in her milky voice.
Left-behind children, while other children enjoyed the love of parents and relatives, learned early on to accept separation and broken promises, growing accustomed to disappointment after disappointment.
So Cheng Zhanxi was determined to go this time no matter what. She had also bought the little girl a set of paintbrushes and a new drawing book, placing them in the back seat of the car.
Yu Qingtang sat in the passenger seat, listening to her laughingly recount her experiences from the last sketching trip in the village, mainly talking about Lin Xi. The little girl was very cute, loved drawing, you'd definitely like her too, and so on.
Yu Qingtang turned her head to look out the window, the corners of her lips turning down bit by bit.
Other children are cute, doesn't that mean she herself isn't cute?
Red light.
Cheng Zhanxi stopped before the crosswalk, suddenly remembered something, and couldn't help but chuckle, "Do you remember, I said before that she's a lot like you? Slow reactions, her grandma..."
Yu Qingtang interrupted her stiffly, "Don't remember."
Cheng Zhanxi paused.
The car cabin became exceptionally quiet.
Cheng Zhanxi looked at Yu Qingtang's face reflected in the passenger side window glass.
She chuckled in spite of herself.
Cheng Zhanxi reached over, covered the back of her hand, rubbed it, and said softly, "I only think she's cute because she's like you. You are the cutest, uniquely cute."
Yu Qingtang, while thinking 'Why use such an adjective for an adult like me?', couldn't control the softening of her lips. She tried hard to put on a stern face and looked at the intersection ahead, "Green light."
Cheng Zhanxi stroked the back of her hand again, then returned her right hand to the steering wheel.
Since Yu Qingtang didn't like hearing it, she wouldn't say it.
Indie folk music played from the car stereo. Yu Qingtang stared at the small screen, reading the lyrics, enjoying herself.
The white Audi A4 stopped at the village entrance. Cheng Zhanxi carried the easel on her back, held the painting box. Yu Qingtang held the gift for little Lin Xi. On the way here, she had already realized how unreasonable she had been earlier, actually competing with a three-year-old child. Fortunately, Cheng Zhanxi hadn't dwelled on the topic, otherwise she would have turned red-faced and wanted to crawl into a hole.
Just as the two got out of the car, they saw an older child, about seven or eight years old, holding the hand of a little girl in a pink down jacket, standing by the stone monument at the village entrance.
As soon as the girl in the pink down jacket saw Cheng Zhanxi, she immediately shook off the older child's hand and ran towards Cheng Zhanxi.
Cheng Zhanxi, carrying the easel, couldn't easily squat down, so she bent over and caught her just in time.
Cheng Zhanxi picked her up, bounced her slightly, then held the little girl facing Yu Qingtang, "This is also a sister. Say hello to the pretty sister."
Little Lin Xi said in her milky voice, "Hello, pretty sister."
Yu Qingtang glanced at Cheng Zhanxi and gave her the gift she had brought.
"Thank you, pretty sister." Little Lin Xi only reached out to take the brushes; she couldn't hold the rest. Her large, watery eyes looked at her, saying, "Pretty sister, can you help me hold it?"
She called her "pretty sister" repeatedly. Yu Qingtang gave Cheng Zhanxi a look that was neither quite reproachful nor quite not. Cheng Zhanxi returned a brilliant smile.
The two walked towards the village. The seven or eight-year-old older child followed beside them uneasily the whole time, his expression wary.
The old and young in this village helped each other; the local customs were extremely simple and honest.
When they reached Lin Xi's grandmother's house, the grandmother said Lin Xi could play with Cheng Zhanxi. Only then did the older child leave, occasionally bringing a few other children to wander nearby. This was probably the main reason little Lin Xi had grown up safely without being abducted.
The mountain air was fresh; the cold also had its own unique flavor.
Cheng Zhanxi held little Lin Xi's hand with one hand, and Yu Qingtang's with the other, leading her with deep and shallow steps to the stream from last time. The temperature hadn't dropped below zero, the stream water still flowed murmuringly, but it was no longer possible to wade and soak their feet.
"Next spring, I'll bring you here again." Cheng Zhanxi always made promises about the future at such casual moments.
Yu Qingtang squatted by the stream, dipped her hand into the cold water, feeling the current flow between her fingers.
She tilted her head up to look at Cheng Zhanxi.
Cheng Zhanxi seemed to read a trace of nostalgia in her eyes.
She wanted to look closer, but Yu Qingtang had already pushed herself up by her knees and stood up, asking her, "Where are you sketching today?"
Cheng Zhanxi said, "Here." She said, "The scenery and light are different in different seasons. I'll come back next spring too."
Yu Qingtang helped her set up the easel, watched her tie on her apron, tie up her long hair, hold the palette, and mix the paints.
A scene both unfamiliar and familiar.
Yu Qingtang bit her lip and said softly, "Can you..."
Cheng Zhanxi didn't hear clearly and tilted her head, "Hmm?"
Yu Qingtang mustered her courage, lifted her eyelids to look at her, "Can you paint a picture for me?" She had promised her.
Cheng Zhanxi couldn't ask for anything better, "Okay."
She moved the easel back, letting Yu Qingtang sit on the bluestone slab not far in front of her.
Cheng Zhanxi held a smile on her lips, held her paintbrush, and looked up.
Yu Qingtang sat in front of the easel, her two hands pinching the hem of her down jacket, nervously clenched into fists. Her pale, bloodless cheeks flushed with a suspicious red.
Cheng Zhanxi suddenly froze. Scene after scene flashed through her mind like a revolving lantern, making her eyelashes unknowingly grow slightly moist.
A name naturally surged into her throat.
Momo...
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