After Escaping Marriage - Chapter 76
Chapter 76
Sunlight shone into the clear stream beside them, the pebbles at the bottom refracting the light. Occasionally, the chirping of birds echoed from the woods. Winter leaves had fallen, the cold air sharp and biting.
The sound of cicadas from memory faded away.
Cheng Zhanxi's knuckles moved slightly, pulling herself back from the momentary daze.
Cheng Zhanxi lowered her eyelids, calming herself in the shortest possible time, picked up her brush again, and looked at Yu Qingtang before her.
She smiled, "No need to be so tense, relax a little."
Yu Qingtang released the hand pinching her hem. Following Cheng Zhanxi's instructions, she either propped her hand on the bluestone slab or rested it on her lap, finally settling on placing it in front of her.
Frankly speaking, painting a portrait outdoors in winter, especially on a whim, didn't align with Cheng Zhanxi's habits. Painters usually seek out models they like, agree on various requirements with the model, and draw creative inspiration from them. But since it was Yu Qingtang, all rules could be broken.
Because Yu Qingtang had to maintain one posture for a long time, Cheng Zhanxi gently reminded her, "Tell me if you get tired."
Yu Qingtang silently shook her head.
Cheng Zhanxi felt another wave of daze. She gripped the oil paintbrush tightly, forcing herself to pull away from the distant memories.
Thinking of others while looking at Yu Qingtang was disrespectful to her and their relationship.
But why...
She hadn't thought of Momo's figure for a long time, yet facing her...
Cheng Zhanxi closed her eyes briefly, temporarily clearing the distracting thoughts from her mind, and focused on the blank canvas before her.
At noon, the two went to Lin Xi's grandmother's house for lunch. On the way, Cheng Zhanxi was absentminded, almost stepping into a mud puddle. Yu Qingtang promptly pulled her back.
"What's wrong?" Yu Qingtang asked with concern.
"Nothing." Cheng Zhanxi forced a smile identical to her usual ones.
She exhaled softly and focused on the path.
After a while, Cheng Zhanxi couldn't help but glance sideways at Yu Qingtang, looking at her profile, seemingly trying to find traces of familiarity on her face.
Still, the same thought: too much time had passed. The memories from back then were already blurred, leaving only a shadow, which had become an obsession for Cheng Zhanxi. At this moment, she deeply regretted not having a camera back then to take a photo of the two of them, preventing her from relying solely on vague feelings to guess years later.
Directly asking Yu Qingtang "Are you Momo?" was obviously impossible. If she really was, fine. If she wasn't... unless she felt the path to pursuing Yu Qingtang wasn't long enough.
Cheng Zhanxi immediately imagined a scenario in her mind. Cheng Zhanxi: Are you Momo?
Yu Qingtang: Who is Momo?
Cheng Zhanxi: A friend from my childhood, I've been looking for her for many years.
Yu Qingtang: Just a friend?
Cheng Zhanxi: Yes.
Yu Qingtang: Do you think I look like her?
Unless Cheng Zhanxi lacked any survival instinct, she wouldn't proactively jump into this massive pit.
Based on the current information, the possibility of Yu Qingtang not being Momo was greater. But this time, Cheng Zhanxi didn't easily dismiss the suspicion. Yu Qingtang's sudden 180-degree change in attitude after returning home last time remained inexplicable. Combined with her seemingly drifting, sighing "Perhaps it's fate" after the class meeting yesterday, and the "Blizzard" painting hidden in her bedroom, everything was filled with doubt.
The two returned to the village. Yu Qingtang's long hair was tousled by the wind. Cheng Zhanxi's fingertips brushed across her forehead, gently tucking the long strands behind the woman's ear. Her fingers paused for a moment, stroking the area behind her ear.
Their recent interactions had been intimate; Yu Qingtang was accustomed to such actions from her.
Cheng Zhanxi took a black hair tie from her wrist, walked behind Yu Qingtang, and tied up her long hair for her.
Yu Qingtang cooperatively lowered her head.
Cheng Zhanxi looked at her fair earlobes on both sides, clean and smooth, with delicate skin, showing no trace of a cochlear implant. She frowned almost imperceptibly.
"Alright." Cheng Zhanxi walked back and smiled at her.
Yu Qingtang hooked her arm.
Strangers were rare in the village. Lin Xi's grandmother prepared a table full of dishes to entertain the guests. The table was an old-fashioned Eight Immortals table. The four sat on each side. Little Lin Xi was short, only her head visible above the table. She held her bowl with both hands, scooping rice into her mouth with a spoon.
Cheng Zhanxi was picking food for her.
Lin Xi's grandmother spoke to Cheng Zhanxi in dialect.
Cheng Zhanxi: "?"
She looked towards Yu Qingtang with a smile.
Yu Qingtang, the local, translated, "Grandma says eat your own food, don't worry about her."
Cheng Zhanxi said, "It's okay, I like her."
She continued picking delicious food for the little girl. Little Lin Xi's cheeks flushed red. She looked at her and smiled, a little shyly.
After lunch, the two rested at Lin Xi's house.
Last time, Cheng Zhanxi hadn't taken a nap here alone. Now, with Yu Qingtang, Yu Qingtang slept in the empty room, while Cheng Zhanxi sat on the edge of the bed watching her sleep, guarding her.
Yu Qingtang's hand rested in Cheng Zhanxi's palm, her fingertips lightly scratching her palm intermittently, like a feather.
Cheng Zhanxi smiled, "If you keep scratching, I'll fall asleep."
Yu Qingtang muttered to herself, "Better if you fall asleep." Cheng Zhanxi roughly heard her and said softly, "It's not safe for both of us to sleep."
Yu Qingtang said, "I know."
Cheng Zhanxi asked tentatively, half genuinely, "Do you want to sleep with me?"
The winter sun shone through the wooden window lattice, warming half the bed. Yu Qingtang bathed in the warm sunlight. The person before her overlapped with her childhood companion. Her hand slowly slid from Cheng Zhanxi's palm to her wrist and nodded.
Cheng Zhanxi lay down sideways, one arm around her waist, the other resting on her arm, patting gently.
Yu Qingtang proactively turned sideways, burying her face in Cheng Zhanxi's embrace. Cheng Zhanxi's hand naturally landed on her back.
If this were at home on a soft big bed, at night, Cheng Zhanxi might have had some improper thoughts. But here in the simple countryside, on a hard wooden bed, with matters weighing on her mind, her hand merely paused before gently patting the woman's back like coaxing a child to sleep.
Yu Qingtang quickly fell asleep, yet snuggled closer to her, fingers hooked onto the fabric of her clothes, refusing to let go.
Cheng Zhanxi lowered her head to gaze at her sleeping face, her eyes unblinking for a long time.
Is it you?
...
Yu Qingtang slept soundly. When she woke up, Cheng Zhanxi was still beside her.
Cheng Zhanxi lay flat, while she lay sideways, hugging her slender waist, her forehead resting on her shoulder. Yu Qingtang slowly lifted her head, saw the woman's exquisitely curved jawline, then upwards to her rosy thin lips, straight nose bridge, and long, curled lashes.
Cheng Zhanxi seemed to sense something and suddenly lowered her head to look at her.
Yu Qingtang reacted faster than conscious thought, burying her face back into her arm.
A laugh sounded from above her head, "What's wrong?"
Yu Qingtang replied muffledly, "Nothing," her voice carrying a hint of shyness.
Cheng Zhanxi cupped her face. Yu Qingtang looked at her with dark, clear eyes, bottomless.
Cheng Zhanxi felt helpless, pinched her nose tip, and said, "Get up?"
"Get up." Although she said this, Yu Qingtang remained nestled in her embrace, asking, "You didn't sleep?"
"No."
"Want to sleep for a bit?"
"No need, I'm not tired." Cheng Zhanxi helped her sit up.
Yu Qingtang had slept for two hours. It was already past three. In another two hours, it would be dark. The painting wasn't finished yet.
Hearing they had to continue painting, Yu Qingtang immediately stopped lazing in bed, instead urging Cheng Zhanxi to hurry up, making her unsure whether to laugh or cry. Cheng Zhanxi deliberately walked quickly, making Yu Qingtang pant as she followed, pulling at her hand to slow down. Only then did Cheng Zhanxi slow her pace, teasing her, "Who was rushing me just now?"
Yu Qingtang was too breathless to retort.
Cheng Zhanxi unscrewed a bottle of mineral water, handed it to her, let her drink some water to soothe her throat, then led her into the mountains at a normal pace.
"If we don't finish painting, we can come back tomorrow. Anyway, we have two days off, no rush."
"Mm."
As expected, they didn't finish that day. The two stayed at the farmhouse inn at the foot of Xiufeng Mountain, the same one Cheng Zhanxi had stayed at last time. They booked a standard room. On Sunday morning, they went back to the village, and in the morning, the painting for Yu Qingtang was completed.
Hearing it was finished, Yu Qingtang moved her sore back and waist from maintaining the same posture for a long time and walked over to look at the painting.
Yu Qingtang looked for a long time and gave an evaluation that made Cheng Zhanxi extremely unsettled.
She said, "It looks very much like me."
Cheng Zhanxi looked up at her, her gaze firmly locking onto her eyes.
Twenty-one years ago, the day before she and Momo parted, she had promised to give her a painting, a painting that truly looked like her.
Yu Qingtang seemed completely unaware, pointed to the canvas beside her, and asked with a normal expression, "Can you give me this painting?"
Cheng Zhanxi retracted the emotion in her eyes and smiled, "Of course, I'll give it to you once the paint dries back home."
Sunday night at eight, the two returned to Mingmen Estate after dinner outside.
Parting ways at the elevator entrance, they went back to their respective homes.
Yu Qingtang stood dazedly at the entrance for a while, squatted down to change her shoes, slowly walked into the bedroom, slowly opened the wardrobe, revealing the safe inside.
Drip drip drip—
The safe opened with the correct password input. Yu Qingtang took out a neatly folded piece of paper from inside. The drawing paper unfolded layer by layer, laid out before her eyes.
Twenty-one years had passed; the paper had long turned yellow.
The painting showed a little girl drawn with crayons, long hair, big eyes, round nose, red mouth. Above her head was an orange sun, white clouds printed on the blue sky. The entire style was very childish, clearly drawn by a child.
Yu Qingtang quietly looked at this painting, motionless for a long time.
2102.
Cheng Zhanxi changed her shoes while calling a doctor friend, her voice rapid, "Xiao Qing, do you know any ENT doctors? Experts in related fields are fine too. Help me ask if deafness can be cured, without needing hearing aids?"
The friend on the other end was confused. Cheng Zhanxi rephrased, "Forget it, forget it, you're too slow. Give me a contact number, I'll ask myself. The sooner the better, preferably right now."
The slow friend: "...Okay, I'll ask."
Cheng Zhanxi hung up, paced anxiously back and forth in the living room several times, her feverish mind slowly calming down.
She rubbed her face, calmed herself again, and analyzed.
Everything started yesterday morning when she saw Yu Qingtang and thought of Momo. Subsequent speculations were based on her inclination that she was Momo. The truth might not be what she imagined. The world is vast; how slim is the chance that two people are the same person?
Cheng Zhanxi took a deep breath, inhaled, exhaled.
She had searched for over twenty years; this moment wasn't critical. Calm down, calm down.
Her friend was efficient, quickly sending over the contact information of a professional doctor.
Cheng Zhanxi poured herself a glass of water, felt her heartbeat return to normal, then called the doctor.
The doctor asked, "Is it congenital deafness or acquired?"
Cheng Zhanxi originally wanted to say congenital, but suddenly became uncertain. She had only interacted with Momo for two summer months. Momo couldn't speak. Cheng Zhanxi knew very little about her.
Cheng Zhanxi: "Sorry, I'm not sure."
The doctor choked.
Cheng Zhanxi: "But when I knew her, she was about six years old. She probably couldn't speak or hear from the beginning, and was very proficient in sign language. I just want to ask, is it possible for her to recover her hearing later through surgery or other methods, and live like a normal person?"
The doctor said it depended on the cause of deafness. He gave examples of two types that could be treated surgically to restore partial or full hearing.
The doctor added that the earlier deafness is treated, the better. If she couldn't hear from childhood and reached six or seven, the treatment effect would be much worse. Based on her description, the possibility of this child being completely cured was low; she likely needed hearing aids or a cochlear implant to live. Of course, it wasn't absolute.
The doctor hoped she could provide a more accurate description, otherwise, he couldn't diagnose remotely.
After talking with the doctor, Cheng Zhanxi sat on the sofa, constantly rubbing her temples, which throbbed with pain.
Her phone screen lit up.
Cheng Zhanxi picked it up; it was her assistant: [Teacher Cheng, are you free?]
Cheng Zhanxi composed herself and typed: [Free]
The assistant called, chatted about work, then asked when she planned to return to the capital, as several art dealers had contacted her many times, from the beginning of the year to the end, but she was never in the capital. Someone even asked the assistant which city Cheng Zhanxi was in, wanting to find her directly, but the assistant declined, saying Teacher Cheng was sketching and inconvenient to meet.
Cheng Zhanxi said, "Winter vacation."
Assistant: "?"
Cheng Zhanxi mentally calculated the time, "Around mid-January."
Assistant: "Okay, I'll tell the art dealers. Please don't stand them up." Although Cheng Zhanxi wasn't short of money, they, the employees, were.
Cheng Zhanxi: "I won't."
The assistant breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "Thank you, Teacher Cheng Mo."
Cheng Zhanxi hummed absentmindedly. A thought flashed through her mind. She sat up straight and suddenly asked, "What did you call me?"
Assistant, puzzled: "Teacher Cheng Mo."
Cheng Zhanxi fell silent for a long time, then asked, "If I want to change my stage name, is it troublesome?"
Assistant: "..."
Assistant: "May I ask why?"
Cheng Zhanxi said, "...We'll talk later."
Assistant: "Okay, I won't disturb you then, rest early."
Cheng Zhanxi hung up and sighed.
Yes, she suddenly realized she had planted a time bomb with Yu Qingtang. If Yu Qingtang wasn't Momo, if one day she asked why she chose the name "Cheng Mo," Cheng Zhanxi wouldn't hide it, only tell her truthfully that she had a good friend named Momo, and the other character in her stage name was her name.
What would Yu Qingtang think? She got jealous even when she praised a three-year-old child. Knowing her stage name of over ten years carried the shadow of someone else, even a good friend, wouldn't she instantly turn into a vinegar jar?
New stage name Cheng Qing? Sounds like clarification, as if she committed some crime, bad, bad.
Cheng Tang? Sounds like presenting evidence in court.
Cheng Yu?
What if she is Momo?
Cheng Zhanxi's mind was a tangled mess. She simply gave up thinking, washed up, threw herself onto the big bed, and closed her eyes.
Not long after, she abruptly opened her eyes again, picked up her phone, and sent Yu Qingtang a message.
[Teacher Yu, asleep yet?]
Having thought about things all night, Cheng Zhanxi almost forgot the most important person.
Yu Qingtang replied instantly: [Not yet]
Cheng Zhanxi's heart instantly calmed down. Her lips curved unconsciously as she asked: [What are you doing?]
Yu Qingtang leaned against the headboard in her bedroom, lying: [Preparing lessons]
Cheng Zhanxi typed without thinking: [I want to see you]
Cheng Zhanxi deleted the line before sending, retyping: [Preparing lessons so late? If it's not urgent, sleep early, you still have work tomorrow]
[Yu Qingtang]: What about you?
[Cheng Zhanxi]: I'm chatting with you. Can I request a video call?
[Yu Qingtang]: Let's not, okay?
Yu Qingtang purely wasn't used to it. If Cheng Zhanxi wanted to meet, just opening the door would suffice.
[Cheng Zhanxi]: Then hurry up and sleep, goodnight
[Yu Qingtang]: Goodnight
Yu Qingtang locked her phone screen, placed it on the bedside table, and closed her eyes to sleep.
Today, they had rested at the village house. She slept, Cheng Zhanxi watched over her. Waking up, she was in the woman's embrace.
Yu Qingtang's mind replayed Cheng Zhanxi's gentle, focused gaze as she looked down at her. Her heart felt like a wildfire was burning, making it impossible to sleep.
Yu Qingtang turned over, pulled the other pillow on the bed into her arms.
She exhaled a long breath several times, relaxed her brows, and forced herself to sleep.
Cheng Zhanxi tossed and turned for two hours, helplessly resorting to the old method to fall asleep. Taking advantage of the post-exhaustion clarity, her mind emptied, and she quickly entered dreamland.
Her previous Moments post "I have a friend who has insomnia" had truly become her own reality.
Monday morning, the two met at the elevator entrance, both looking listless.
Yu Qingtang yawned. Cheng Zhanxi quickly turned her head away, lest she be infected.
In the elevator, Yu Qingtang naturally rested her head on Cheng Zhanxi's shoulder to catch up on sleep. Cheng Zhanxi wrapped her arm around her waist, unable to resist closing her eyes halfway.
Later, tenants entering the elevator saw their expressions were identical, first shocked, then pretending not to see, looking elsewhere.
Ding—
First floor arrived. The two came out last.
The slacker young lady at the front desk yawned, her expression listless. Suddenly, her eyes lit up.
"Good morning, you two!"
Every morning during the agonizing two hours waiting for her colleague to take over, her greatest anticipation was seeing Miss Cheng and Miss Yu from the 21st floor. Who doesn't like looking at beautiful sisters? Especially two top-tier beauties with different styles. A double visual assault. Seeing them once made her feel good all day.
However, today she only saw Cheng Zhanxi's beautiful face, because Yu Qingtang's face was buried in Cheng Zhanxi's neck the entire time, not even lifting her head when leaving.
The slacker young lady watched the two departing figures, envious.
By the way, when would they give out wedding candy?
The cold wind in the complex woke Yu Qingtang slightly. Cheng Zhanxi helped her wrap her scarf tighter around her neck and asked gently, "Didn't sleep well last night?"
Yu Qingtang hummed softly with a slight nasal tone.
"Then let's go back early at noon to catch up on sleep."
"Mm." Yu Qingtang's head tilted towards her shoulder again. Cheng Zhanxi straightened her chin and said, "Good girl, walk properly."
Yu Qingtang looked up at her from this position, her gaze pitiful.
This unconscious coquetry was the most lethal.
She didn't even realize how lethal her pitiful gaze was in front of someone who admired her.
Cheng Zhanxi's heart softened completely, immediately hugging her tightly, gently patting her back.
Yu Qingtang's eyes rested on her shoulder, humming softly, "So sleepy..."
Cheng Zhanxi said, "Let's not go to school."
"Have to go..."
"Then let's go later."
"Will be late..."
Cheng Zhanxi coaxed her, "Shall I carry you?"
Yu Qingtang suddenly stopped humming.
Cheng Zhanxi said softly, "Shall I carry you?"
"Let's not, okay?" Yu Qingtang stood straight and said softly. She seemed to have been woken up by Cheng Zhanxi's words. She proactively put her hand into Cheng Zhanxi's palm and said, "Let's go."
Cheng Zhanxi could hear the hesitation in her voice. She thought the day she carried Yu Qingtang might not be far off.
Let's not, okay?
She had said this last night when sending messages. Cheng Zhanxi hadn't thought it would be such a soft tone. It seemed the day of the video call wasn't far off either.
Everything was developing in a good direction. Cheng Zhanxi was in a happy mood.
Grade 1, Class 7 doorway.
The little brats appeared one by one at the end of the corridor and entered the classroom.
Cheng Zhanxi accompanied Yu Qingtang, looked towards a somewhat blurry figure at the end, and asked, "Is that someone from our class? Who is it?"
Yu Qingtang said, "Shi Keyu."
Cheng Zhanxi said, "Teacher Yu's eyesight is really good." She asked seemingly unintentionally, "Is it congenital or acquired through training?"
Blind people's hearing is sharper than normal people's. For deaf-mutes who are congenitally deaf or lose hearing from a young age, their eyes also see farther than ordinary people.
Yu Qingtang said, "Congenital, I guess."
Cheng Zhanxi regretted, "I wanted to know the training method too. Since it's congenital, there's no way."
Yu Qingtang calmly watched Shi Keyu approach and said lightly, "Your eyesight is normal, enough is enough. Being like me isn't necessarily a good thing."
Cheng Zhanxi smiled, didn't pursue the topic, but pondered her words inwardly. Did she mean deafness, or another unknown past?
Was this also a coincidence?
Shi Keyu approached, greeted politely, "Hello, teachers."
Yu Qingtang said, "Go in." Then she stopped her and jokingly asked in a serious tone, "Didn't bring manga books, did you?"
—Shi Keyu had previously had a very explicit yuri manga confiscated by her.
Shi Keyu immediately shook her head like a rattle drum, "No, no, monthly exams are coming soon, how could I have the time."
Yu Qingtang: "Review well."
Shi Keyu: "Got it, thank you teacher."
She entered the classroom, patted her chest with lingering fear, and stuck out her tongue.
Xiang Tianyou wasn't late again.
Yu Qingtang looked at him with satisfaction. Xiang Tianyou slipped into the classroom before she could speak.
Cheng Zhanxi looked at Xiang Tianyou's back and said, "If you smiled at him someday, what do you think would happen?"
Yu Qingtang seriously considered it for a moment, her tone flat, "Try it next time."
Cheng Zhanxi looked at her in surprise for a moment, then smiled, "Didn't expect you to be this kind of Teacher Yu."
Yu Qingtang looked at her and asked, "Who taught this kind of Teacher Yu?"
Cheng Zhanxi readily admitted, "Me."
The two smiled at each other.
Cheng Zhanxi took her hand into her coat pocket and smiled, "Let's go, back to the office."
Class ended, school ended, monthly exams, grading papers, posting results—a week passed in a flash.
Yu Qingtang was going back to the old town this weekend. Cheng Zhanxi escorted her to the bus stop, watched her get on. Yu Qingtang sat by the window, looked at her through the glass, and waved.
Cheng Zhanxi smiled and watched the bus drive away.
She didn't go straight home, instead heading to the bicycle repair stall at the street corner.
The old man at the repair stall was happy to see her. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Cheng Zhanxi squatted before him and slowly made a long sign language sentence: Grandpa, that woman who often comes with me, have you seen her before? Does she know sign language?
The old man put down the file he was using to grind the tire, thought for a long time, and signed: Seems like I've seen her, seems like I haven't.
Cheng Zhanxi stared at him and continued signing: She used to be a student here, do you... remember?
The old man's cloudy eyes lit up, his expression growing excited, his throat making hoarse sounds.
His sign language speed suddenly increased. Cheng Zhanxi had to watch intently to understand.
The old man said: Seen her, seen her, she knows, she used to chat with me often!
The old man said: She's back!
The old man added: Her sign language is much more fluent than yours.
Cheng Zhanxi smiled, her eyes slightly moist, signing: You didn't have to say that last part.
The old man also smiled, wrinkles crinkling around his eyes with joy.
Cheng Zhanxi bought two bowls of noodles from a nearby stall, ate dinner with the old man, then went home.
That night, she called Teacher Qiu from the special education school's administrative department, saying she would volunteer tomorrow and asking if Yu Qingtang would go. Teacher Qiu, having learned from Yu Qingtang that Cheng Zhanxi was indeed her friend, casually replied, "Teacher Yu doesn't need to inform me beforehand when she comes."
Cheng Zhanxi asked, "Isn't she a volunteer?"
Teacher Qiu said, "Yes, and no. She was here before I came to this school. I don't know the specifics, you can ask her yourself."
Cheng Zhanxi said, "Thank you, Teacher Qiu."
Teacher Qiu said, "You're welcome."
Cheng Zhanxi locked her phone screen, lay back with both hands behind her head, staring at the bedroom ceiling in a daze.
Saturday morning.
Cheng Zhanxi looked up at the sign of the special education school, took a deep breath, and walked inside.
She played with the children for the morning. At noon, she invited the on-duty Teacher Zhao to eat at the cafeteria, subtly inquiring about Yu Qingtang.
"I heard from Teacher Qiu that Qingtang has been volunteering here for a long time?"
Teacher Zhao held her bowl and drank soup, saying, "She's not really a volunteer, more like... an external staff member?" She chuckled twice and said, "She started volunteering here in high school, over ten years now. She comes whenever she's free. Isn't that like an external staff member?"
Cheng Zhanxi echoed, "She really has perseverance and love."
Teacher Zhao hummed, wanted to say something, but swallowed it back.
Cheng Zhanxi confirmed with her, "Does Qingtang know sign language?"
Teacher Zhao said, "Of course, otherwise how would she communicate with the children? She used to—"
Teacher Zhao abruptly stopped and lowered her head to drink soup.
This school had special characteristics. Yu Qingtang having studied here was considered private information, not suitable to be casually discussed. Teacher Zhao had learned this from Teacher Wang, who had taught Yu Qingtang, and Teacher Wang had specifically told her not to tell others. Many new teachers at the school didn't even know about it.
Used to?
Cheng Zhanxi's expression remained thoughtful as she asked, "Does she only play with the deaf-mute children?"
Teacher Zhao, afraid of misspeaking, answered cautiously, "Yes."
"Only with them?"
"Pretty much."
"Which teacher used to guide her?"
"Teacher Wang."
Teacher Zhao suddenly looked up from her soup bowl, her eyes wide.
Cheng Zhanxi's expression remained unchanged, as if she had known Yu Qingtang studied here all along. She asked politely, "Is Teacher Wang at school? Could you take me to see her?"
Coincidentally, Teacher Wang wasn't at school today. Cheng Zhanxi decided to come back when she was.
...
Leaving the special education school gate, Cheng Zhanxi didn't go to the opposite side of the road to ride her motorcycle, instead walking aimlessly forward along the street.
Winter evenings, dusk fell quickly. Streetlights turned on early, casting long shadows behind her.
Cheng Zhanxi seemed to be thinking about many things, yet also seemed to be thinking of nothing, just walking slowly with her head down.
Unconsciously lifting her eyes, she saw an old lady carrying a bag emerge from the street corner ahead. The bag seemed heavy, causing the old lady's shoulder to sag.
Cheng Zhanxi quickened her steps, went forward, and said, "Let me help you?"
Fang Wenjiao looked dazedly at the proper and beautiful woman before her, feeling a sense of familiarity.
She was the young person carrying an easel in the park.
Fang Wenjiao looked at her for a long time, lowered her eyelids slightly, hiding the nostalgia and sorrow, and let her take the bag from her hand.
The two walked slowly forward.
Cheng Zhanxi was preoccupied, her spirits low, so she didn't proactively chat with the old lady. But she noticed the old lady seemed to recognize her, observing her secretly from time to time. Cheng Zhanxi looked at the old lady's face, also feeling a vague impression, but she was too lazy to think today, simply letting her thoughts drift.
The two walked through the long alley and stopped before an ancient house with green tiles and white walls.
Fang Wenjiao opened the door. Cheng Zhanxi helped her carry the things into the courtyard and placed them down, preparing to turn and leave.
Fang Wenjiao: "Come in for a cup of tea?"
Cheng Zhanxi smiled, "No need, thank you, Grandma."
Just as her voice fell, hurried footsteps suddenly sounded from inside.
Cheng Zhanxi had already turned around.
A voice came from behind: "Momo?"
Cheng Zhanxi's figure froze.
Her eyes instantly moistened without warning. Her feet felt nailed to the ground. She slowly turned around.
The curtain at the doorway was lifted by a slender, fair hand. Yu Qingtang, dressed in a black knee-length trench coat, walked out from inside.
Yu Qingtang looked at her.
Cheng Zhanxi also looked at her.
Neither spoke.
The wind from twenty years ago seemed to blow again, passing through the small bamboo grove in the old courtyard, rustling through their hearts.
Cheng Zhanxi's vision gradually blurred.
We meet anew, yet find it is an old friend returned.
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