After Escaping Marriage - Chapter 114
Chapter 114
The Cowherd and Weaver Girl, having finished their Magpie Bridge rendezvous, left Class Seven. The students didn't get to witness the specific exchange of heartfelt sentiments.
After Yu Qingtang and Cheng Zhanxi left, a fierce discussion erupted in the classroom.
“Ahhhhhhh!!!”
“They were about to kiss just now, weren't they? Weren't they!”
“I swear on ten math test papers, they're definitely going to kiss when they get back, and Teacher Cheng initiated it!”
“As expected of Teacher Cheng! Too bad there's no PE class today, otherwise we could have asked her.”
“Snap out of it, she wouldn't tell you even if you asked. You'd have better luck dreaming about it.”
“There are so many desks in the classroom, I'm willing to arrange them into a bed, so they can do it right here—”
Class Monitor Li Lan coughed heavily.
Tong Feifei, who was speaking, had the words on the tip of her tongue, then made a sharp turn and said: “Kiss until the sky falls and the earth shatters!”
The classmates chimed in one after another: “Me too! Me too!”
Li Lan turned to look at Lian Yabing, who had remained remarkably calm from the beginning until now. Compared to the other students' bold remarks, she seemed exceptionally quiet, but her eyes sparkled, brimming with tears, indicating that her inner state was not as placid as her outward appearance suggested.
As a die-hard shipper, the highest realm of shipping wasn't on the surface, but within one's own imagination.
The imagined scenes couldn't be shown; they'd all have to be censored.
A tear slid from the corner of Lian Yabing's eye, which she promptly wiped away with the back of her hand. She buried her face in her arms, closed her eyes serenely, her face filled with unconcealable happiness.
Li Lan: “…”
The last time she chatted with Lian Yabing, Lian Yabing acted as if she had amnesia, pretending nothing had happened.
Perhaps feigning amnesia was her way of expressing her stance, but Li Lan wouldn't let her feign amnesia forever.
Cheng Zhanxi led Yu Qingtang to the Wind and Rain Corridor. As a sacred spot for dates, this was their first time visiting since they officially got together. The weather was gradually warming, but a cool breeze wafted through the wisteria-entwined corridor, feeling very comfortable on their faces.
Hiding in a deserted spot, they shared a kiss. Cheng Zhanxi pressed Yu Qingtang's face against her chest, listening to her racing heartbeat.
Their summer clothes were thin. At first, Yu Qingtang's thoughts were still pure, counting the heartbeats one by one. Then, she turned her face properly and buried it deeply.
Cheng Zhanxi's fingers delved into her soft, smooth hair, gently combing through the woman's long locks.
“Someone's coming,” Cheng Zhanxi whispered above her head.
Yu Qingtang hurriedly sat up straight, tucked a stray strand of long hair behind her ear, and straightened her lips, transforming in a second from being hopelessly infatuated with her girlfriend to the proper seriousness of a teacher.
Cheng Zhanxi raised an eyebrow.
Not bad, Teacher Yu.
Yu Qingtang looked around. Apart from the 'Thinker' statue in the center of the lawn, there wasn't another human-like figure.
Cheng Zhanxi's waist expertly received a pinch.
Cheng Zhanxi feigned pitifulness: “I just got back.”
Yu Qingtang then turned to rub her waist. Regardless of gender, the waist is a very sensitive area, not to mention they had been separated for a month during their honeymoon phase. After a few touches from her soft, boneless hands, Cheng Zhanxi felt a little overwhelmed and uncomfortably avoided her hand, saying with a smile, “That's enough.”
Yu Qingtang could be quite playful at times. When Cheng Zhanxi said it was enough, she deliberately decided it wasn't.
She touched and touched, again and again.
Cheng Zhanxi, unable to bear it any longer, seized her hands, holding each of her wrists and pulling her closer, gazing into her dark eyes.
Cheng Zhanxi's eyes were a gentle tea color, her irises lighter than Yu Qingtang's. But now, the gentleness within them had vanished; her pupils were deep and dark, her gaze towards Yu Qingtang filled with danger.
Yu Qingtang had seen that look many times—on the bed, the sofa, in the bathroom, at the sink, and even on the marble countertop in the kitchen.
Yu Qingtang didn't dodge or avoid it. Instead, she slowly parted her lips, revealing a hint of her soft, red tongue.
Cheng Zhanxi's mind buzzed.
She was doing it on purpose.
Yu. Qing. Tang.
Cheng Zhanxi gritted her teeth and called her name in her mind, unsure if it was love or annoyance; most likely, it was both.
Cheng Zhanxi reached out, cupped the back of her head, and kissed her hard.
This kiss was much more intense than the previous one. Cheng Zhanxi remembered they were outside, so despite the intensity, her hands remained proper, and both their clothes stayed neat and tidy, not even a collar out of place.
Cheng Zhanxi nipped lightly at the tip of her tongue and pulled back.
Yu Qingtang lay in her arms, panting heavily, her scalp tingling from the kiss, her fingertips trembling slightly.
Cheng Zhanxi poked her waist: “Still want to play? Hmm?”
Yu Qingtang almost let out a low moan, her eyes glazed with a hazy, watery light. She whispered, “Not anymore.”
“Will you dare next time?”
Yu Qingtang paused for a moment, then said, “I will.”
“Good girl, baby,” Cheng Zhanxi smiled.
After resting for a while, Yu Qingtang's feeling of weakness improved. Cheng Zhanxi took her hand, stood up, and said, “Back to the office?”
“Okay.”
Yu Qingtang took a step, her expression slightly unnatural, the tips of her ears faintly red.
“What's wrong?” Cheng Zhanxi turned back.
Yu Qingtang said, “Nothing.”
But her face flushed red at a visible speed.
In broad daylight, she had only been kissed by Cheng Zhanxi, why would she...
“Hmm?”
“Really, it's nothing.” Yu Qingtang ignored her body's reaction and caught up with her.
The teachers in the office warmly welcomed Cheng Zhanxi's return. Soon, Cheng Zhanxi's desk was piled high with snacks from the teachers. Cheng Zhanxi's leave extended until next week, so she didn't have classes today; she just sat in the office keeping Yu Qingtang company.
Fortunately, there was only one class left before the morning ended. Yu Qingtang's work efficiency was remarkably low; on a blank document, she had only written two lines by the time school was dismissed.
The dismissal bell rang, and Yu Qingtang finished tidying her desk, not a second too early or too late.
The two exchanged a smile and left the office hand in hand.
Ge Jing rested her chin on her hand, watching the two disappear from view at the doorway, then unhurriedly tidied her desk, preparing to leave.
The two got takeout from the Shaxian Snacks near the school gate. As soon as the door closed, Cheng Zhanxi kissed Yu Qingtang, holding her in her arms. The plastic bag with the takeout containers was placed on the entryway cabinet.
They stumbled and bumped their way into the bedroom, pushing the door open.
Clothes lay scattered on the floor.
The automatic curtains were tightly closed, plunging the room into dimness.
The longing that words couldn't express was fully conveyed in their entangled sweat.
Cheng Zhanxi kissed her endlessly, the frequency of her dirty talk skyrocketing, as if to make up for the entire month.
Yu Qingtang's eyes were open but unfocused. Her ears could still pick up Cheng Zhanxi's suggestive words, and she felt like she was going crazy.
Cheng Zhanxi intensified her efforts. By the end, Yu Qingtang didn't know if she was more affected by what Cheng Zhanxi did or what she said.
Lying in her arms, Yu Qingtang removed something from Cheng Zhanxi's fingers and tossed it into the trash can beside the bed. In the dim light, she held up Cheng Zhanxi's hand, looking at her long, well-defined fingers.
“Are they pretty?”
“Pretty.”
Cheng Zhanxi chuckled, suggestively asking, “Do you like them?”
Yu Qingtang took her hand and opened her mouth.
Cheng Zhanxi was magnanimous: “Bite, bite as you please.”
Yu Qingtang's gaze lingered for a moment, then she gave a light, painless bite to her pinky finger.
Cheng Zhanxi stretched out her arm, pulled her into an embrace, and kissed her cheeks and temples.
“Are you hungry?”
Yu Qingtang, perhaps her mind still lingering on what just happened, shook her head and said, “I have to work this afternoon.”
Cheng Zhanxi chuckled in amusement.
Yu Qingtang, realizing her mistake: “…”
The takeout in the entryway had gone cold. Cheng Zhanxi tossed it into the microwave to heat it up. The already ordinary-tasting food became even more mediocre, but lovers sustained by affection wouldn't care about such things. Sitting at opposite ends of the dining table, they quickly finished their meal. The reason for their speed was to save time.
Cheng Zhanxi took Yu Qingtang to the bathroom for a shower. Afterwards, they had a less intense round, and then they held each other and fell asleep.
Cheng Zhanxi was tired from the long flight and rested at home in the afternoon.
When the alarm clock rang, Cheng Zhanxi reached out to turn it off and kissed the sleeping beauty beside her awake. The sleepy person, still drowsy, wrapped her arms around Cheng Zhanxi's neck, enticing her to deepen the kiss.
Dazed and muddled.
Yu Qingtang, with her eyes closed, took Cheng Zhanxi's wrist and actively guided it to where she wanted it to go.
Cheng Zhanxi didn't move.
Yu Qingtang let out a muffled, dissatisfied “Hmm” and opened her eyes.
“You'll be late for work,” Cheng Zhanxi said gently, turning on the bedroom light.
Quite heartless.
Yu Qingtang snuggled and lingered in her arms for a while before reluctantly sitting up.
Cheng Zhanxi brought her the clothes that had been tossed on the sofa and helped her put them on.
On the way from the bedroom to the entryway, Yu Qingtang's lips were downturned, her face clearly showing her displeasure.
Cheng Zhanxi, amused, ruffled her hair: “Good girl.”
Yu Qingtang pouted even more.
Cheng Zhanxi tapped her lips with her fingertip, pressing them down and letting them pout up, pressing down and letting them pout up.
Yu Qingtang couldn't help but smile: “I'm going to work.”
Cheng Zhanxi tugged at her collar gently and said softly, “I'll pick you up after school.”
Yu Qingtang hummed in agreement, her eyes slightly bright as she looked at Cheng Zhanxi.
Cheng Zhanxi understood and bent down to kiss her.
Uncapping the lipstick kept in the entryway, Cheng Zhanxi touched up her lip makeup and saw her out: “See you later.”
“See you later.” Yu Qingtang walked backward towards the elevator.
Cheng Zhanxi watched her from the doorway.
Ding—
The elevator doors opened, and Yu Qingtang walked in.
A blue blouse, a white skirt, hair as black as ink.
The last strand of hair lifted and fell, her figure disappearing into the elevator.
Cheng Zhanxi stood at the doorway for a while longer before closing the door.
She went back and lay down on the bed again. Her phone vibrated.
[Yu Qingtang]: Don't want to go to work
[Cheng Zhanxi]: Then quit
[Yu Qingtang]: …
[Yu Qingtang]: Going to work
In the afternoon, besides her usual homeroom teacher duties and thinking about Cheng Zhanxi, another matter occupied Yu Qingtang's mind.
She opened her phone several times to check for new logistics information.
To her relief, Song Qingrou hadn't sent her any more packages. Calculating by time, it was precisely from the day before Cheng Zhanxi returned that Song Qingrou stopped mentioning sending things.
Yu Qingtang was merely slow to react, not foolish. Any normal person would notice the coincidence.
Her ever-present time bomb—her Moments feed—had probably already exploded in Song Qingrou's view.
Yu Qingtang clicked into Song Qingrou's chat window. Just yesterday, Song Qingrou had been concerned about her health, reminding her to pay attention to sun protection and be careful of heatstroke.
Yu Qingtang pinched the bridge of her nose, returned to the main screen, and locked her phone.
During the fourth period in the afternoon, Cheng Zhanxi, well-rested, appeared in the office to pick up Yu Qingtang. She carried a bag with chocolates brought back from abroad, one for each teacher.
Yu Qingtang also received a box, and only hers was heart-shaped.
Grocery shopping, cooking at home, lounging on the living room sofa watching TV.
Everything was as it used to be, as if Cheng Zhanxi had never left. Only the repeated intimacy late at night revealed the truth that their brief separation was sweeter than a new marriage.
Cheng Zhanxi, at least, could take care of herself; she even bought a small toy while abroad—because going through airport security would be a bit awkward—to relieve her longing for Yu Qingtang when needed, better than nothing. Yu Qingtang, on the other hand, knew nothing of such things. With Cheng Zhanxi away, she was completely lost, only able to toss and turn at night, unable to sleep.
She occasionally had erotic dreams, but she had a special knack for not remembering what she dreamt. Waking up to a cold, sticky feeling, she couldn't even savor the aftertaste, feeling increasingly empty.
On Saturday daytime, apart from getting up for lunch, Yu Qingtang didn't leave the bed, nor did she let Cheng Zhanxi leave.
In the evening, Cheng Zhanxi made a video call to her family from the dining table, while Yu Qingtang worked in the study.
Cheng Zhanxi called her family every week, and Yu Qingtang usually avoided it. This time, she quietly opened the study door a crack, and the sounds from the dining room clearly reached her ears.
Song Qingrou asked after her well-being, and Cheng Zhanxi on her end obediently replied, “Okay,” and “I know.”
Yu Qingtang listened for a while, then suddenly stiffened.
Song Qingrou mentioned her.
“Is your girlfriend home?”
“Yes,” Cheng Zhanxi replied. “She's in the study preparing lessons.”
As she spoke, she turned her head to glance at the study door. Something flickered in her vision, but when she looked closely, there was only a closed door.
Yu Qingtang leaned against the door, her heart pounding like a drum.
That was close.
Song Qingrou's expression was thoughtful.
Cheng Zhanxi paused for a moment, then asked, “Do you want to see her?”
Song Qingrou said, “No.” She gave a good reason, “Let's meet when she visits. It's too informal over video.”
Cheng Zhanxi said, “I think so too.” That's why she also deliberately avoided having Yu Qingtang on video calls, and Yu Qingtang hadn't shown any desire to meet her family either.
Hmm?
Thinking of this, Cheng Zhanxi turned her head again to look at the study, just in time to meet the gaze of Yu Qingtang, who was peeking.
Yu Qingtang: “!!!”
The door closed again.
Cheng Zhanxi curved her lips into a smile and turned back to Song Qingrou, saying, “I think you'll be able to meet your daughter-in-law soon.”
Song Qingrou smiled.
Cheng Zhanxi asked, “Are you happy?”
Song Qingrou said, “Happy.”
Cheng Yuanxi's arm was almost bruised from Song Qingrou's pinching before Song Qingrou managed to restrain her overly radiant smile.
After a while.
Cheng Zhanxi asked, “Mom, are you in a very good mood today? You've been smiling the whole time.”
Song Qingrou said, “Mom is happy every day.”
Cheng Zhanxi was also very happy: “As long as you're happy.”
The Cheng family's acting skills were passed down through generations; until the video call ended, Cheng Zhanxi didn't notice anything amiss.
She knocked on the study door and pushed it open. Yu Qingtang was sitting behind the desk, engrossed in her work. Cheng Zhanxi placed a glass of milk beside her hand. Yu Qingtang looked up, following her beautiful hand, and Cheng Zhanxi glanced down at the books and notebook spread on the desk, asking, “Still very busy?”
Yu Qingtang put down her pen and said, “No.”
She stood up, and Cheng Zhanxi sat in her seat, pulling Yu Qingtang onto her lap.
“When I was abroad, my mom asked me for your photo,” Cheng Zhanxi said gently, one arm around her waist, the fingertips of her other hand twirling a strand of her dark hair that lay on her chest.
The other shoe dropped.
Yu Qingtang only felt a sense of inevitability, as if things had finally settled.
“When?”
Cheng Zhanxi scrolled through her chat history with her mother and mentioned a date. Yu Qingtang matched it up and realized it was precisely the day she had met Song Qingrou.
Yu Qingtang: “…”
She had guessed she was exposed, but she hadn't expected it to be so soon.
Seeing her inscrutable expression, Cheng Zhanxi couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive. “Do you mind? I didn't get your permission before…”
In Cheng Zhanxi's view of relationships, even if they were a couple, even if they got married in the future, it didn't mean Yu Qingtang was her possession. Marriage was only one proof of her desire to spend her life with her.
Yu Qingtang shook her head and asked, “What did your mother say?”
Cheng Zhanxi let out a breath and smiled faintly. “My mom said you're very beautiful. You don't know, my mom is a serious 'face-con.' Do you know what 'face-con' means?”
Yu Qingtang shook her head.
Cheng Zhanxi said, “It means someone who is crazy about good-looking people, who considers beauty the highest standard. If my mom saw you, she would definitely go wild with excitement.”
Yu Qingtang thought: No wonder Aunt Song was so enthusiastic that day… so enthusiastic it was frightening.
Cheng Zhanxi said, “Anyway, she definitely likes you. I just don't know if you'll like her. How about I show you a photo of my mom?”
Yu Qingtang: “?”
Cheng Zhanxi said, “You and my family have a relationship of mutual choice. It's not that you have to please them. Just because they are my parents and brother, does that make them superior to you? No, it doesn't.”
Yu Qingtang's eyes widened; it was the first time she had heard such a thing.
“But last time when you went to see my grandparents…”
“They are elderly, their views are different. My family doesn't go by those rigid rules, like a daughter-in-law must be filial and please the elders, none of that.” Cheng Zhanxi said, “Believe it or not, they are more nervous than you, worried that you won't like them and it will affect your impression of me.”
Yu Qingtang smiled. She couldn't imagine such a scene, but she relaxed considerably without realizing it.
Cheng Zhanxi tightened her hold around her waist and whispered softly in her ear, “Come home with me?”
Yu Qingtang lowered her gaze, her hand covering Cheng Zhanxi's warm hand.
After a long moment, the tips of her ears turned slightly red, and she gave an almost imperceptible nod.
Cheng Zhanxi was overjoyed and planted a loud kiss on the woman's cheek.
Then she turned her to face herself, cupped the back of her head, and kissed her.
Yu Qingtang was kissed breathless by her passion, her face flushed, and she had to push against her shoulder.
Cheng Zhanxi picked up her phone and said, “I'm going to tell my mom this good news.”
She was clearly eager. Yu Qingtang, though shy, didn't have the heart to stop her.
Before bed, Song Qingrou received a voice message from her daughter and played it.
Cheng Zhanxi's voice was full of laughter: “Mom!”
This voice message was only one second long.
Cheng Zhanxi laughed to herself for a while, then rubbed her stiff face on the living room sofa before sending another message: “I… hahaha… plan to bring my girlfriend home during the summer vacation… hahahaha.”
Song Qingrou heard half of it and quickly saved the message.
[System Notification: Cheng Zhanxi has retracted a message]
Cheng Zhanxi resent a clear and fluent one.
Song Qingrou played the saved message out loud in the bedroom, laughing so hard she couldn't stand up straight.
“Hahahahaha.”
Cheng Yi watched her from the side with a look of helpless indulgence.
Song Qingrou laughed until she was out of breath, saying intermittently, “My daughter… she's done for… how did she become so silly… hahahaha…”
Cheng Yi thought to himself, How are you any different from her right now?
Song Qingrou handed the phone to Cheng Yi. Cheng Yi replied in a mature and steady voice, “Received. We will prepare well.”
Song Qingrou clutched her stomach, roaring with laughter: “Hahahahaha.”
Cheng Yi pulled her to sit on the edge of the bed and applied hand cream for her.
Song Qingrou stopped laughing in an instant and asked anxiously, “Where's my phone?”
Cheng Yi brought the phone over from the dressing table.
Song Qingrou opened WeChat, found Yu Qingtang's chat, and said, “I need to quickly tell Xiao Tang, so she doesn't spill the beans. Otherwise, our act for so long would be for nothing.”
Yu Qingtang could hear Cheng Zhanxi's laughter even through the study door. She blushed and couldn't help but curve her lips into a smile.
But one question kept lingering in her mind.
Was it really appropriate to hide from Cheng Zhanxi the fact that she had met Song Qingrou?
Lovers should be honest with each other, that's true, but should she reveal everything about the Wei family right now?
Song Qingrou made the choice for her.
The phone on the desk vibrated.
[Song Qingrou]: Xiao Tang, are you coming to our house for the summer vacation?
Song Qingrou was no longer beating around the bush, clearly telling her: I know, you are my daughter's girlfriend.
Yu Qingtang looked up at the study door and typed nervously: 【Auntie…】
[Song Qingrou]: Auntie wants to discuss something with you
[Yu Qingtang]: Please tell me
[Song Qingrou]: About you and me meeting in the Capital City before, don't tell Xixi
Yu Qingtang: “???”
[Yu Qingtang]: Why?
[Song Qingrou]: This is our family's team-building activity
Yu Qingtang: “…”
[Song Qingrou]: Want to join us? It's very interesting [wink]
Cheng Zhanxi controlled her smile, pushed the door open, and saw Yu Qingtang sitting behind the desk with a strange expression.
“What's wrong?”
“Nothing.” Yu Qingtang opened the notebook in front of her and picked up her pen. “I just thought of a math problem.”
Cheng Zhanxi didn't probe further.
It wasn't that she hadn't noticed Yu Qingtang acting a bit strangely today, but rather that everyone has their own secrets. She would naturally say it when she wanted to. Most importantly, this unknown matter hadn't affected Yu Qingtang's mood, so it probably wasn't a bad thing.
Yu Qingtang's pen tip hovered above the paper, hesitating to fall. Suddenly, she looked up and said, “Your family…”
Cheng Zhanxi: “Hmm?”
Yu Qingtang swallowed her words: “Nothing.”
So she was still nervous about meeting the parents.
Cheng Zhanxi bent down and hugged her shoulders, comforting her, “It's okay, they're all very easy to talk to. If you feel awkward, you can just hide behind me the whole time.”
Yu Qingtang twitched her lips into a slight smile.
A monthly exam, a final exam—time flew by like the wind. Class Seven of the first year completed their academic year's tasks, and the teachers were also about to welcome their summer vacation.
After the final exams ended, the students of Class Seven felt a brief sense of relief, followed by a wave of sadness. Next semester, when school started, they would be reassigned to different classes. Class Seven would still exist, but it would no longer be their group.
They returned from their various exam rooms to the Class Seven classroom and rearranged the desks and chairs.
Yu Qingtang stood at the podium, waiting for everyone to sit properly before announcing the summer vacation notices.
After Yu Qingtang announced they could go home, Li Lan shouted, “Stand up!” and led the way in standing.
The sound of desks and chairs scraping filled the classroom as all the students stood up, bowed, and said in unison, “Goodbye, Teacher—”
Yu Qingtang turned to face the blackboard, not letting them see the tears in her eyes.
“We haven't been reassigned yet, we'll see each other again next semester.” Her throat choked up a bit as she said, “Alright, goodbye students, stay safe.”
The students remained silent for a long time. They all knew that the start of the new school year meant separation. Class Seven would never again be as united and complete as it was now. So they tried hard to clearly see the figure on the podium, to remember their classmates beside them—the cheerful, the introverted, the shining, the inconspicuous.
Yu Qingtang turned around, her eyes a little red, but with no trace of tears. She smiled and said, “Alright, everyone go home now.”
The students left the classroom in an orderly fashion, one by one. At the door, they encountered Cheng Zhanxi, who had been waiting for who knows how long, and politely said, “Teacher Cheng.”
Tong Feifei walked up to Cheng Zhanxi and, without much thought, looked up and asked, “Teacher Cheng, will you still be teaching our class next semester?”
She suddenly realized something, and her eyes instantly reddened.
There would be no 'their class' anymore, and of course, no Teacher Cheng for them.
Tong Feifei burst into tears, sobbing. Cheng Zhanxi patted her head, and the girl's tears wet her clothes.
After seeing off all the students, Cheng Zhanxi walked into the classroom. Yu Qingtang was sitting at the teacher's desk, motionless, gazing at the empty classroom.
Cheng Zhanxi walked to her side, cupped her face with both hands, and gently wiped away the tears with her thumbs, saying softly, “Let's go home.”
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