After Escaping Marriage - Chapter 90
Chapter 90
Yu Qingtang's expression didn't change in the slightest as she turned and walked back into the kitchen.
Fang Wenjiao's smile froze on her face.
Grandfather shouted, "Stop!"
Yu Qingtang closed the kitchen door.
The sound of her grandfather's angry scolding, interspersed with Fang Wenjiao's attempts to soothe him, reached her ears. Yu Qingtang automatically blocked out all external sounds, gradually hearing nothing.
Fang Wenjiao released the hand holding down the landline receiver and explained to the person on the other end, "Tingyu, she's not here right now."
Wei Tingyu heard the faint sounds of arguing on the other end but didn't call it out.
Fang Wenjiao said, "Why don't you call back later?" During this time, she could try to persuade Yu Qingtang. What father and daughter hold grudges overnight? The father had already softened his stance; the daughter should also find a way to compromise, and everyone would be happy.
Wei Tingyu said, "No need."
Fang Wenjiao grew anxious. "How can it be no need? It's needed, it's needed."
Grandfather snatched the phone into his hand, his cane tapping a few times on the floor. He looked very angry. "You're already so old, how can you still be so stubborn, sulking like a child?"
Wei Tingyu had no choice but to apologize to his father-in-law, saying he wasn't sulking.
Yu Qingtang came out of the kitchen and went upstairs without looking at anyone.
Fang Wenjiao called out to her retreating figure, "Momo."
Yu Qingtang's footsteps were steady; she didn't turn back.
Grandfather's face was ashen.
Wei Tingyu lowered his eyes, stroking a string of high-quality prayer beads on his lap. They felt warm and smooth to the touch. His second brother's son, Wei Jingfeng, had given them to him, telling him to calm his mind and spirit and take care of his health. Compared to the cold and imposing Eldest Wei, Second Wei was a venomous snake that killed without drawing blood. Wei Tingyu later recalled that as early as last year, Wei Jingfeng had set his sights on Yu Qingtang, even specifically asking him where she lived, wanting to visit her.
He hadn't asked earlier, nor later, but specifically chose this time. What else could it be but Second Wei's instruction?
This Wei family was full of wolves and tigers, without a trace of familial affection.
Wei Tingyu's eyes showed weariness. He put the prayer beads back in the box and closed the lacquered wooden lid, his voice faint and ethereal.
"Since she's not here, then forget it."
Yu Qingtang came downstairs holding a book. Grandfather was sitting on the sofa, both hands resting on the cane in front of him, his expression heavy. Fang Wenjiao had her hand on the old gentleman's chest, continuously whispering something.
Yu Qingtang paused slightly as she passed through the living room, but her eyes weren't on them; instead, she lowered her gaze to the floor.
"I'm going out."
Grandfather banged his cane. "Go! Once you walk out of this house, don't come back!"
Fang Wenjiao hurriedly explained, "Your grandfather doesn't mean that!"
Grandfather scolded, "She doesn't even respect her own father, and you're still speaking up for her? We're both about to enter our graves; if we don't discipline her now, no one will be able to control her! Look at this behavior?!" Grandfather tapped his cane on the floor. "Sit down! You're not allowed to go anywhere today!"
Yu Qingtang walked over and sat on the single sofa beside him, her eyes calm and undisturbed.
Then followed a lecture on filial piety, drawing examples from past and present. Yu Qingtang listened without saying a word.
Grandfather took the tea mug Fang Wenjiao handed him, drank some hot tea, and his expression softened a bit. He said, "Later, call your dad and apologize."
Yu Qingtang lowered her head and said nothing.
Fang Wenjiao tried to smooth things over, saying, "Alright, we're all family. Why make things so tense?"
Grandfather hmphed.
Fang Wenjiao said, "Momo, aren't you going out? Are you in a hurry? Will you still make it?"
"I'll make it." Yu Qingtang took the book beside her, stood up, and went to the entryway.
Grandfather was still dissatisfied and said, "Call first, then go."
Fang Wenjiao persuaded, "Calling tonight is the same."
Yu Qingtang took a breath imperceptibly, walked out of the house, and then pushed open the two courtyard gates. The sounds from inside could no longer be heard at all.
At the entrance, Xiang Tianyou, wearing a bright orange windbreaker and a single-strap backpack, took the book from her hand. He sauntered along with Yu Qingtang to the bus stop, where they took a bus to the library, beginning his day of happily tagging along.
As he was enjoying himself, he noticed Yu Qingtang didn't seem happy.
Ever since Cheng Zhanxi returned to the capital, Yu Qingtang's expression had been mostly the same every day: no sorrow, no joy, no anger. Only once, when Xiang Tianyou accidentally got all the multiple-choice math questions right on a test paper, did she show a very faint smile. But "mostly the same" also had its differences. Today, for instance, she was enveloped in a low-pressure atmosphere, her face constantly turned towards the car window, and she barely even looked at him.
"Teacher Yu." Xiang Tianyou turned back, one arm resting on the back of the seat, and hesitantly began to speak.
Yu Qingtang drew her gaze back from the window, and it landed on his face. Seeming tired, she didn't even speak, only using her eyes to express a question.
"Are you unhappy?"
"No." Yu Qingtang's voice was very calm.
Xiang Tianyou had no experience coaxing people, and her single word left him speechless.
He silently turned back and remotely sought help from Cheng Zhanxi: [Teacher Cheng, your sweetheart seems to be in a bad mood. Come comfort her quickly.]
"Sweetheart" was what Cheng Zhanxi herself had called Yu Qingtang when chatting with him, and Xiang Tianyou had adopted this term of address.
Cheng Zhanxi was still very busy today, starting earlier and finishing later than yesterday. When she saw this message, she was just about to go out for dinner with Tan Lingfei, and her heart sank.
Midway through dinner, Cheng Zhanxi used the excuse of going to the restroom and called Yu Qingtang.
Upon receiving the call, Yu Qingtang showed a trace of undisguised surprise. "Didn't you say you'd be working very late today?"
Cheng Zhanxi was in a stall and said in a low voice, "It's not over yet, but I missed you."
The corners of Yu Qingtang's lips uncontrollably curved up slightly, but soon they seemed to be pulled down by an invisible force. She said in a calm tone, "Work first. Work is important."
Cheng Zhanxi: "It's not really work, just having a meal with someone."
A series of questions immediately surfaced in Yu Qingtang's mind: Man or woman? How old? Why accompany them for a meal?
She closed her eyes for a moment, pushed all these questions back down, and said, "Then you go eat first."
Cheng Zhanxi wanted to say more, but the sound of high heels approached from outside the stall. Cheng Zhanxi hurriedly said, "Then I'll call you when I get home."
She pushed open the stall door and came out, brushing past a strange woman who was entering. She went to the sink to wash her hands and returned to her seat in the restaurant.
"Sorry to keep you waiting." Cheng Zhanxi walked over and saw Tan Lingfei, who was sitting opposite her, putting her phone away.
"Not long, just a moment."
"Want to try their eel rice?"
"Sure." Tan Lingfei readily agreed.
Yu Qingtang had no intention of calling Wei Tingyu at all. Her grandfather's voice, scolding her for being unfilial, reached the second floor. The old gentleman's health was much worse than before, but he still scolded with a strong voice. Yu Qingtang put on her headphones.
She couldn't focus on her book. Holding her phone in her hand, she opened WeChat several times and stared blankly at the quiet chat window.
It was at least two more hours before Cheng Zhanxi would be home. Yu Qingtang opened an app with a big eye icon. It had been recommended to her by the "5G-surfing" Xiang Tianyou, who said it could kill time when she was bored. He had even registered a Weibo account for her in her presence and searched for Yiqing Gallery, which yielded many photos, far more than a direct internet search.
Yu Qingtang didn't need to kill time, but this software could help her learn a little more about the capital city and Cheng Zhanxi's movements.
She followed Yiqing Gallery's official Weibo account. In the search bar, she typed "Cheng Zhanxi." There really was such a user, but it was probably someone with the same name, as the homepage was full of reposts for lucky draws. Also, according to Xiang Tianyou, he had asked Cheng Zhanxi, and she had said she didn't use Weibo.
She then searched for "Cheng Mo," and her eyes lit up slightly. In the popular posts, someone had arranged her paintings into a nine-square grid and written a long article praising her. The wording was very professional. Yu Qingtang understood some of it but not all, but it didn't stop the corners of her lips from curving up slightly. Using her Weibo account, nicknamed "User15XXXXXXXXX," she left her first comment:
[Very well written, I also like Cheng Mo 👍]
And she gave it a like.
There were many people online named Cheng Mo or with "Cheng Mo" in their names. Yu Qingtang scrolled for a while but didn't find much useful information. Then she saw "Real-time" at the top of the interface, which, as the name suggested, showed current posts mentioning "Cheng Mo."
Yu Qingtang clicked on it, and her fingertip paused.
The topmost post in the current timeline was located in the Capital City.
[Yesterday and today, pleasant evenings. Cheng Mo is more beautiful than I imagined, and very humorous. Could the 'Mo' in Cheng Mo be for 'humor'? Hahahaha]
The Weibo post was accompanied by a picture of the brilliant night view from outside the glass of a high-rise revolving restaurant, and an array of seafood in front of the person.
Yu Qingtang clicked on the comments and saw someone had left a message below. It seemed to be a friend of the poster, and the tone was very familiar.
The friend asked: [Is it that beautiful painter Cheng Mo? Not bad, you! You finally managed to hook up with her. You've been longing for this for a long time, haven't you?]
The poster replied: [Hahahaha]
Yu Qingtang's gaze lingered on the words "hook up with," and her face turned slightly pale.
As if possessed, she clicked into the homepage of this poster named "Tan LF," silently praying in her heart, though she didn't even know what she was praying for. Could the Cheng Mo they were talking about not be the same person she knew? Was it possible?
Tan LF was very enthusiastic about sharing her life on social media: some exquisite trinkets, cats and dogs encountered on the roadside, criticisms of unfair social phenomena. She also had two cats at home. Overall, she seemed to be a very caring and righteous person, gathering with friends, her life rich and colorful.
There were two Weibo posts that Yu Qingtang paid particular attention to.
One of them was posted yesterday, located at Yiqing Gallery, with the caption: [Looking forward, Excited, Nervous [xkl spinning emoji]]
The other was a selfie of her, wearing a red dress. Her features were striking but not arrogant; she was very beautiful.
Yu Qingtang looked at Tan Lingfei's selfie for a long time.
She closed Weibo, placed two fingers on her brow bone, and closed her eyes.
When Cheng Zhanxi returned to her third-floor bedroom today, she took a quick "combat" shower and only then came out to call Yu Qingtang, another ten-plus minutes later than yesterday.
It rang until it was about to disconnect before Yu Qingtang picked up. She didn't speak, just breathed quietly.
Cheng Zhanxi: "Hmm? Are you asleep?"
Yu Qingtang moved her dry lips and said, "No."
Cheng Zhanxi heard the listlessness in her voice and asked, "Are you sleepy?"
Yu Qingtang was lying in bed, her phone on speaker beside her pillow. She turned her face to the other side, sighed softly and imperceptibly, then turned back and said, "Mm, yes, a little."
Cheng Zhanxi said, "Then fight off your sleepiness for a bit and talk to me a little longer?"
Yu Qingtang couldn't help but smile, but the root of her tongue felt slightly bitter.
"Okay." She gently agreed.
Cheng Zhanxi said, "I went to a revolving restaurant tonight. The view was quite good, and the food was okay too. Next time you come to the capital, I'll take you there to eat?"
Yu Qingtang's heart sank uncontrollably, and her eyes dimmed.
So she really did have dinner with a beautiful young woman.
Cheng Zhanxi, hearing no response for a while, asked, "Are you asleep?"
Yu Qingtang came back to her senses. "No. Okay."
The atmosphere was too quiet, which easily induced sleepiness. Cheng Zhanxi's eyelids were fighting to stay open. She rubbed her face hard with both hands, trying to wake herself up.
In her drowsy state, she heard Yu Qingtang seem to say something on the other end of the line.
"What did you say? I didn't hear clearly just now." Cheng Zhanxi suppressed an impending yawn.
Yu Qingtang paused for a moment. "Nothing."
Cheng Zhanxi felt an uneasy intuition and persistently asked, "What is 'nothing'? What did you say? Tell me."
"I said..." Yu Qingtang closed her eyes, her nails digging deep into her flesh, and asked, "Who did you have dinner with tonight?"
Cheng Zhanxi replied without thinking, "A model." She added, faster than Yu Qingtang could process, "Aren't I going to paint a portrait? So I had my assistant arrange for a model."
Yu Qingtang mumbled, "Then..."
Cheng Zhanxi said with a smile, "Clothed."
Yu Qingtang felt her ears grow slightly hot with embarrassment because Cheng Zhanxi had guessed her thoughts.
The next words came out less difficultly. Yu Qingtang released the fingertips digging into her palm and asked in a low voice, "Is she beautiful?"
"Not as beautiful as you."
"I'm asking about her, not... not..." Yu Qingtang's voice grew softer and softer, her fingers switching to clutching the hem of her pajamas.
Yu Qingtang's jealousy couldn't have been more obvious. Cheng Zhanxi was overjoyed, just short of rolling around on the bed a few times.
She fell back onto the bed, the corners of her lips curved high, and said, "But I only want to answer about you, can't I?"
Yu Qingtang, seemingly helpless, said, "Fine."
Cheng Zhanxi couldn't hold back a yawn, and the sound reached Yu Qingtang's ears.
"If you're sleepy, then go to sleep," Yu Qingtang said.
"But I still want to talk to you." Cheng Zhanxi refused to hang up, burying her face in the pillow and acting cute.
"We can talk tomorrow."
"Tomorrow morning, okay?"
"..."
"Okay? Okay? Okay?" Cheng Zhanxi rolled all over the bed.
"...Okay."
Having received Yu Qingtang's affirmative answer, Cheng Zhanxi yawned one after another, wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand, and said, "It's settled then. Tomorrow morning when you wake up, send me a message, and I'll call you. At the latest 7:30, if you're not awake, I'll call and wake you up."
"Got it." Yu Qingtang's helplessness contained an imperceptible joy.
"Goodnight, Yu Tangtang."
"Goodnight, Xixi."
Cheng Zhanxi propped up one cheek, picked up her phone, silently mouthed three words into the microphone, and smiled softly.
The call interface returned to the home screen. Cheng Zhanxi connected the charging cable and placed the phone on the bedside table, pulled the blanket up to her shoulders, closed her eyes, and quickly fell asleep.
Yu Qingtang lay in bed and reopened Tan Lingfei's Weibo homepage.
She had updated again, an hour ago.
[Home. Thanks. [Image]]
The accompanying picture was the rear view of a white Porsche Panamera blending into the night, the rear of the car chasing a patch of moonlight.
It was the same friend from before who commented: [Cheng Mo drove you back?]
Tan Lingfei replied: [Yeah]
Yu Qingtang clicked on the photo and zoomed in with two fingers. Knowing it was futile, she still wanted to see that familiar figure in the driver's seat through the rear window. She didn't know if it was her imagination, but she felt she really saw it: Cheng Zhanxi's coat draped over the back seat, wearing only a shirt or sweater underneath. When she drove, she habitually rolled up her sleeves, revealing a section of her fair forearm. The lines extending from her forearm to her fingertips were long and strong, her nails neatly trimmed, glowing with a pearly, moist, light pink color.
She would also have a faint smile, occasionally looking towards the passenger seat, her gaze so gentle it made one's heart flutter.
Before, she used to look at her like that. Would she now look at Tan Lingfei beside her in the same way?
Was she dating Tan Lingfei? Did they have mutual feelings for each other?
Would Cheng Zhanxi fall in love with her? They looked very compatible.
Yu Qingtang's mind was in turmoil. She had a gut feeling Cheng Zhanxi wouldn't do this, but she couldn't give a sufficient reason. It wasn't just jealousy either; compared to the immense panic and unease that followed, what did a little jealousy count for? A Sword of Damocles had always been hanging over her heart, and now it seemed about to fall.
Cheng Zhanxi, having left her, was like a fish returning to the sea, wantonly displaying her brilliance in her own world.
Yu Qingtang tossed and turned, not knowing when she finally closed her eyes. She woke up less than two hours after falling asleep. Through the moderately light-blocking curtains, she could see the night outside was still deep.
She looked at the digital clock on the bedside table.
5:30 AM
Yu Qingtang opened the curtains; the night was as dark as spilled ink. She turned on the desk lamp, took an art history book from the bookstand, and flipped through its pages under the light.
At six o'clock sharp, she sent a message to Cheng Zhanxi.
[I'm awake]
A few minutes later, Cheng Zhanxi called back.
Listening to her familiar, still gentle voice, Yu Qingtang's heart settled down for a short while.
On the third day after leaving the Cheng family home, Wei Tingyu gave his reply.
This marriage would still proceed as initially decided, with the elder brother marrying Miss Wei. Wei Tingyu had achieved his main goal; as for whether it was a real marriage, that matter was no longer important. However, Song Qingrou's hope for the two families to meet still fell through. Miss Wei never appeared from beginning to end, and Wei Tingyu was in poor health, his private doctor forbidding him from going out again.
The end of the year was approaching. In any case, it was too late to get married this year, so they decided to postpone all discussions until after the New Year.
Wei Tingyu wanted to find a backer for his daughter, so that after he was gone, she wouldn't be at the mercy of the Wei family. Therefore, this marriage, even if it was a sham, had to be held on an auspicious day, celebrated lavishly, and made known to everyone in the capital, to show the Wei family that the Seventh Miss had the Cheng family's support.
This wasn't something that could be discussed and settled in a day or two.
Wei Tingyu's condition was stable; he could still hold on for a year or half a year. Lasting until his daughter's wedding wouldn't be a problem.
As for the marriage itself, it had gone through several twists and turns in their social circle: the brother was replaced by the sister, then the sister was replaced by the brother again. Many people were dizzy and confused, completely unsure who was marrying whom. They didn't care anymore; anyway, Miss Wei was marrying into the Cheng family, that much was clear. There were even rumors that both the Cheng siblings were interested in Miss Wei, that the two had gone through fierce competition, and in the end, the brother had won the beauty's hand.
The Cheng family had an excellent reputation in their circle. After the incident of the brother and sister "fighting" for love, the Seventh Miss Wei, who had been an invisible person all along, suddenly became famous. Many gossipy second-generation rich kids in the circle started asking around who the Seventh Miss Wei was. "Who is she?" "Never heard of her."
"Is she good-looking?" "Don't know. But someone who could capture the hearts of both Young Master Cheng and Miss Cheng must be a devastating beauty, enough to make fish sink and geese fall, and outshine the moon and flowers."
Wei Residence.
Wei Jiu spat and said, "What 'siblings turning against each other for love'? If they're so good at making things up, why don't they go be storytellers under a bridge? It's clearly a hot potato that no one wants to touch. If Third Uncle hadn't gone to beg them, that mute would never have gotten married in her life!"
Her expression was detestable. The white cat in her arms tilted its head and jumped off her lap. Before it could run far, a pair of hands scooped it up again, stroking the fur on its head.
The white cat looked as if it had lost all will to live, its ears drooping and eyes downcast.
Wei Ba said, "She still married Cheng Yuanxi. From now on, the mute will be the Young Mistress of the Cheng family. If she returns to the Wei family, we'll all be a step below her. Can you marry someone better than Cheng Yuanxi? Looks, character, family background—you can't even count five such people in the entire capital, and one of them is his sister."
Wei Jiu threw the cushion in her hand and said, "This is infuriating!"
The usually quiet Tenth Miss Wei said softly, "What about Sister Cheng Zhanxi?"
Wei Jiu said irritably, "How would I know? If you like her, go pursue her yourself."
Tenth Wei shook her head. "How could I be worthy? I was just asking." Her voice grew softer and softer, and Wei Jiu couldn't be bothered with this timid cousin.
Wei Jiu: "The key is they say the mute is good-looking! Today, that brat Hu Sixiao actually asked me for the mute's photo. I almost fell out with him on the spot!" She retrieved the cushion, kneaded it out of shape, and said hatefully, "The mute's face is as pale as a ghost's. It's good enough if she doesn't scare people to death in broad daylight. How can that be called good-looking?"
Just then, a soft, childish voice interjected, "Seventh Sister is very good-looking."
It was the Wei family's youngest daughter, Wei Twelve.
Wei Jiu flew into a rage. "I told you not to call her sister!"
Wei Twelve said in her childish voice, "Oh." She sat on the carpet and continued playing with her building blocks.
Wei Jiu threw the cushion out directly and said angrily, "Even a child is going against me!"
A servant in the living room went to pick it up. Wei Jiu shouted, "Stop! Did I tell you to pick it up?"
The servant stood frozen on the spot, not daring to put it down, nor to leave it. Seeing Wei Jiu's gaze grow increasingly gloomy, the servant's heart skipped a beat.
The young misses of the Wei family were spoiled, and the one with the worst temper was Ninth Miss. Offending her meant trouble.
Wei Jiu narrowed her eyes. Just as she was thinking about how to vent her anger on the servant, a pleasant female voice came from above.
"What are you all talking about? So lively?"
The young misses in the living room turned their heads at the same time. Wei Jiu pursed her lips when she saw who it was.
The servant felt as if granted amnesty, gratitude almost written all over her face.
Wei Twelve, who was playing with building blocks on the floor, dropped the block in her hand and said happily, "Sister!" Only cousins were addressed by their rank; biological sisters didn't need to be. Wei Twelve, like Wei Jingfeng and Wei Jinglan, were all children of the Second Branch.
Fifth Miss Wei Jinglan, who was the same age as Yu Qingtang, walked over, picked up her younger sister from the floor, and kissed Twelve's cheek. Her gaze swept over her younger sisters in the living room, and she said with a gentle smile, "I was sleeping in my room and heard a commotion downstairs. Who made you angry?"
Wei Ba said, "No one."
Wei Jiu also said, "We were just chatting casually."
Wei Jinglan was older than them and worked in the Wei family's company. She didn't like her younger sisters gossiping all day, especially speaking ill of Yu Qingtang. Her reason was that they were all of Wei family blood; if they didn't look out for each other, that was one thing, but how could they kick someone when they were down? Wei Jiu wasn't afraid of her, but Wei Jinglan was particularly naggy. She would grab them and lecture them with reasoning, so after a few times, Wei Jiu would shut up whenever she saw her.
"Keep your voices down a bit. I just got back from a business trip and need to catch up on sleep," Wei Jinglan said, carrying Twelve as she returned to her room upstairs.
Closing the door, Wei Jinglan put a candy into Twelve's hand and asked softly, "What were the sisters talking about downstairs just now?"
Wei Twelve, who was a year older than last year, retold in her childish voice. She was young and could only remember a few sentences, but it didn't hinder Wei Jinglan's understanding.
Wei Jinglan unwrapped the candy for Twelve. Just as she was about to put it in her mouth, she asked, "What did you call Seventh Miss today?"
"Seventh Sister."
The candy dropped into Wei Twelve's mouth. Wei Jinglan ruffled her hair and said, "Good girl, remember this. Call her that when you see her in the future too. Don't learn from Eighth Sister and Ninth Sister. Seventh Sister is also your sister."
Wei Twelve, eating the candy, mumbled her agreement repeatedly.
Cheng Zhanxi had been spun like a top by Xiao Xue, working non-stop for two weeks, and finally finished all her work. On the 29th of the twelfth lunar month, the studio officially went on holiday. Cheng Zhanxi brought over a basket of red envelopes, one for everyone. Xiao Xue received the largest one, celebrating her escape from the fate of "hanging herself at the door" and successfully surviving another year—congratulations were in order.
In the evening, there was an employee dinner. Cheng Zhanxi took the last drunk girl home, handed her over to her female roommate, then went downstairs and returned to the car.
The driver in the front said, "Miss, can we go home now?"
Cheng Zhanxi had also been drinking. Pinching the aching bridge of her nose with two fingers, she said, "Let's go back."
Moonlight flowed over the long car body. Trees on both sides of the road veiled the moonlight, and the light filtering into the car flickered between bright and dim.
Cheng Zhanxi lowered her head and took out her phone, sending a message to Yu Qingtang: [I'm done. Going home now. So sleepy.]
It was already past one in the morning, and Yu Qingtang was long asleep. After sending this message, Cheng Zhanxi locked her phone screen and closed her eyes.
If she had turned off the screen one second later, she would have seen "The other person is typing..." pop up at the top.
Yu Qingtang had been reading all along. She had finished all the borrowed books and had ordered a few more. They were all thick books; opening them to the small print inside, reading for a long time made one dizzy and muddle-headed.
Yu Qingtang had fallen asleep slumped over the desk, and the vibration of her phone woke her up again.
She opened her eyes, dimly saw the lit screen, and sat up with a start.
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