After Escaping Marriage - Chapter 124
Chapter 124
Yu Qingtang's smile froze on her face.
Cheng Zhanxi squeezed her knuckles reassuringly and said gently, "If you don't want to see them, you don't have to."
Yu Qingtang was silent for a moment, then said, "Let me think about it."
The red light turned green. Cheng Zhanxi withdrew her hand and took hold of the steering wheel again.
In Cheng Zhanxi's peripheral vision, Yu Qingtang stared straight ahead, her face devoid of expression, as if lost in a long daze.
When they arrived home, Yu Qingtang still seemed a step behind. Cheng Zhanxi pressed the buckle of her seatbelt. With a "click," Yu Qingtang slowly turned her head, her eyes focusing. "Hmm? Are we home?"
Cheng Zhanxi: "..."
Was she pushing her too hard? Yu Qingtang disliked crowded places. Although not to the point of social anxiety, she would feel uncomfortable all over. Not to mention, all those friends were coming specifically for Yu Qingtang. Wouldn't they just stare at her like a monkey in a zoo?
Cheng Zhanxi walked around to the passenger side, opened the car door, and helped Yu Qingtang out.
As soon as they entered, Yu Qingtang hugged her, burying her face in the crook of her neck and nuzzling, accompanied by very soft whimpers.
Cheng Zhanxi wrapped both arms around her slender waist and said gently, "If you don't want to go, we won't go. It's okay."
Yu Qingtang's whimpering stopped. In a muffled voice, she said, "I want to go."
"Then let's go."
She continued to whimper softly.
Cheng Zhanxi couldn't help but laugh, her heart melting like cotton candy from Yu Qingtang's coquettishness.
She tilted her head slightly, took Yu Qingtang's fair, tender earlobe into her mouth, and licked it with the tip of her tongue.
Yu Qingtang's whimpers immediately changed tone. Her fingers suddenly clenched the fabric on Cheng Zhanxi's shoulder, and she pulled her ear away from Cheng Zhanxi's lips.
"We're talking about serious matters," she said, her voice carrying a hint of soft, playful reproach she herself didn't notice.
"What serious matters? Like this?" Cheng Zhanxi imitated her, whimpering softly.
Yu Qingtang was amused but also felt annoyed, pinching Cheng Zhanxi's waist.
It didn't hurt Cheng Zhanxi; instead, it tickled, making her flinch slightly. She laughed and kissed Yu Qingtang's cheek. "You're so cute, baby."
Yu Qingtang raised her hands and wrapped them around Cheng Zhanxi's neck. Cheng Zhanxi supported her waist and hips, letting her cling to her like a koala, and carried her to the sofa in this position before sitting down.
"How many is 'all'?" Yu Qingtang chose to face the question directly.
"Fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen?"
Yu Qingtang's expression faltered for a moment. "All at once?"
"If you want to meet them one by one, that's fine too. But then we wouldn't be able to eat alone for over ten days; we'd have to bring a third wheel."
"...Then let's meet them all at once," Yu Qingtang decisively ruled out the option of meeting them separately.
"Don't be nervous. They're all very nice people."
"...Mm."
Of course, Yu Qingtang believed Cheng Zhanxi's words. It was just that meeting friends wasn't a matter of whether the people were nice or not. Wasn't Song Qingrou a nice person? That day, Yu Qingtang had almost been scared out of her wits!
Cheng Zhanxi opened the WeChat group.
[Cheng Zhanxi]: She agreed. Can you guys discuss a time?
[Think Tank No. 1]: Ahhhhhh!
[Think Tank No. 2]: Say no more! Mama approves of this marriage!
[Think Tank No. 3]: Is the fairy sister descending to the mortal realm? So exciting!
...
[Cheng Zhanxi]: You are not allowed to tease her, or you'll face the consequences.
[Think Tank No. 1]: Xixi! How did you suddenly become a 1! We were just discussing in the group that you were a 0.
Cheng Zhanxi thought to herself, I wish I were, but your fairy sister doesn't give me the chance.
[Think Tank No. 2]: Hahahaha, Mama knew she wasn't mistaken about you, Cheng Zhanxi, forever the fierce 1!
[Think Tank No. 10]: Fierce 1, you're the best!
The fierce 1, Cheng Zhanxi, typed again: 【You guys discuss first. I'm going to accompany my wife. Talk later.】
Everyone: "???"
Seriously?
Cheng Zhanxi, who prioritized her lover over her friends, was lovey-dovey with her girlfriend. After an extremely gentle lovemaking session, Yu Qingtang fell asleep. Cheng Zhanxi quietly picked up her phone and went to the living room.
She read through the messages. Everyone wanted it to be as soon as possible, but they weren't children anymore. They each had their own jobs, and some were married, so they were seriously coordinating their schedules. Those who didn't have time said they would pull all-nighters at work to make time.
Cheng Zhanxi, a little touched, typed: 【Thank you, brothers and sisters.】
But she still had to insist on matters of principle.
[Cheng Zhanxi]: Let me repeat, do not tease my girlfriend.
Think Tank No. 1-16: Is it too late to break off our friendship now?
The next day, Cheng Zhanxi took Yu Qingtang to first meet Yu Jianxing, who had specially returned to the Capital City to join the excitement, as a warm-up.
Yu Jianxing was somewhat of an acquaintance, so Yu Qingtang wasn't too nervous. However, Yu Jianxing was surprised when she saw her. While Yu Qingtang was in the restroom, she whispered to Cheng Zhanxi, "What did you do? In just a few months, she's like a completely different person."
Let's put it this way: the previous Yu Qingtang made Yu Jianxing instinctively keep her distance, knowing she was a flower blooming at the foot of a cliff, but lacking the courage to pick it from the precipice. After all, no one had witnessed the flower's beauty firsthand. Now, Cheng Zhanxi had allowed a ray of sunlight to dispel the heavy gloom at the bottom of the valley, exposing this flower to everyone's view—its branches stretching in the wind, blooming with ultimate radiance.
If the former Yu Qingtang had been like the current Yu Qingtang, Yu Jianxing would definitely have decided to pursue her at first sight.
Cheng Zhanxi poured herself a cup of tea, smiled at her, looked into her eyes, and said in French, "Puisque c'est ma rose." (Because that is my rose.)
She was the rose she had painstakingly nurtured, drop by drop, connected to her roots. She protected her, listened to her, made her feel at ease—because that was her love, because that was her rose.
They had both studied in France, so communicating in French was natural for them. It was just that they didn't speak French often after returning to the country, so it was rarely heard.
Cheng Zhanxi's voice was clear and bright. When she spoke French, her voice was slightly lower, carrying an inherent deep, enveloping, tender affection.
Yu Jianxing was stunned for a moment, then held out her arm to show Cheng Zhanxi the goosebumps. "Oh my god, you've become so smooth since you started dating! Do you just drop love-talk bombs all the time? And you speaking French is like a cheat code; I almost fell for you just now! So? So? Is Yu Qingtang completely smitten by you, head over heels?"
Cheng Zhanxi waved her hand. "You're exaggerating. She doesn't understand French, but she is indeed head over heels."
Yu Jianxing said, "You should repeat the first and third sentences together yourself."
Cheng Zhanxi laughed heartily.
Yu Jianxing sighed with emotion. "Seeing you like this, I feel relieved."
Yu Jianxing raised her teacup and clinked it with hers. She remembered a piece of news she had heard recently, lowered her eyes for a moment, then smiled again.
It was best not to mention irrelevant people.
Cheng Zhanxi saw Yu Qingtang approaching, scooped the shrimp out of the hot pot, and put on disposable gloves to peel them for her. Yu Qingtang sat down just as Cheng Zhanxi placed the peeled shrimp into the bowl in front of her. Whether you like someone or not is actually very easy to tell. When you like someone, your eyes and body language are drawn to them; mountains and seas can be leveled. If you don't like someone, even if you are close, there is a huge gap between you, like being worlds apart.
The onlooker sees most of the game. Yu Jianxing deeply understood this from Cheng Zhanxi's experience.
Fortunately, everything was fine now.
Yu Jianxing lowered her head, took a sip of tea, and then, shaking her head contentedly, fished out a piece of tripe from the spicy red pot.
A peeled shrimp, its meat firm and plump, appeared in the dish in front of her.
Yu Jianxing looked up at the person opposite her.
Cheng Zhanxi took off the disposable gloves and threw them into the trash can by her feet.
Yu Qingtang had a good impression of Yu Jianxing, evident from her willingness to let Cheng Zhanxi peel a shrimp for Yu Jianxing. After the meal, the two added each other on WeChat. Cheng Zhanxi felt a polite twinge of jealousy but said nothing.
She wanted all her friends to become Yu Qingtang's friends. The more people Yu Qingtang knew, the better; the richer her life, the better.
Yu Jianxing's Moments mostly featured herself, with humorous captions; she was an interesting person. Occasionally, there were posts related to her profession, and Yu Qingtang would click on the enlarged images, looking at them with great interest.
One "tourist" dealt with, but there were still a dozen or so more "tourists" queuing up, waiting to rush in all at once—truly terrifying.
The friends were highly enthusiastic and set the "sightseeing"—no, the meeting time for this weekend.
Cheng Zhanxi repeatedly warned and urged them, even threatening their twenty-plus years of friendship, and finally managed to suppress the explosive opening they had prepared.
The night before, Yu Qingtang tossed and turned. Halfway through her sleep, Cheng Zhanxi heard a heavy sigh beside her ear. Thinking something "unclean" had entered the house, she was so scared she almost rolled off the bed. She turned on the light and saw Yu Qingtang's profile facing her, her expression full of worry.
Cheng Zhanxi: "..." She asked, "What's wrong?"
Yu Qingtang said, "Nothing."
When a woman says "nothing" at a time like this, it means there is something. Cheng Zhanxi fought off her sleepiness and coaxed gently, "Tell me, okay?"
Yu Qingtang said, "I can't sleep. What if tomorrow your friends... Never mind." She then said, "Make love to me again. I want to sleep, otherwise I won't have any energy tomorrow."
Cheng Zhanxi: "..."
After they finished, Yu Qingtang fell asleep instantly.
Cheng Zhanxi, yawning repeatedly, got up to wash her hands. She returned, continued to hold Yu Qingtang, and drifted off to sleep.
They were meeting on the weekend evening. In the morning, Yu Qingtang and Cheng Zhanxi went to the horse ranch to relax and ease her tension. Yu Qingtang had less stamina, but her ability to maintain balance was quite good. After two or three visits, she could already urge the little pony to trot in small circles. On the lush green grass, its four hooves lifted lightly, the sound of hooves clattering, a comfortable breeze caressing their faces.
Yu Qingtang hadn't named this pony yet. Only today did she decide on a name: Da Bai.
The little pony hadn't seen itself in a mirror, so it accepted the name quite well for the time being. Yu Qingtang wanted to learn the skill of calling a horse by whistling, but firstly, she couldn't whistle, and secondly, the instructor said it wasn't guaranteed to succeed; it depended on her affinity with the horse. Yu Qingtang was a bit discouraged but didn't give up. There was still plenty of time.
At noon, Cheng Zhanxi visited an uncle who ran a private kitchen and enjoyed a table full of delicious dishes.
Time flew by, and soon it was evening.
Cheng Zhanxi arrived at the private room door and had Yu Qingtang wait outside. She reached out and gently pushed the door open. Looking up, there were no strange pranks. Looking ahead, no one was holding party poppers. Looking inside, everyone was sitting obediently—some playing cards, some on the phone, some shaking dice cups.
When Cheng Zhanxi's figure appeared at the doorway, everyone looked over.
Cheng Zhanxi, who seemed overly suspicious at this moment, felt particularly awkward.
Cheng Zhanxi chuckled, gave a grateful fist-and-palm salute to her friends for letting her off the hook, and went out to bring Yu Qingtang in.
Everyone in the private room looked excited, craning their necks in anticipation.
Cheng Zhanxi stepped aside, allowing everyone to get a full view of the woman behind her.
This time, everyone stood up.
Yu Qingtang, dressed in a red suit, exuded a cold and glamorous aura. She said coolly, "Hello, everyone."
The group chorused, "Hello, Jiejie."
Suddenly, they were exceptionally well-behaved.
Think Tank No. 1 said, "Jiejie, would you like to sit here? I have empty seats, two of them."
Think Tank No. 2 bumped Think Tank No. 3 aside with their hip and said, "Jiejie, come here!"
Think Tank No. 10 raised a hand. "Jiejie, pick me! Xixi and I were born on the same day!"
For a moment, the private room was filled with various voices calling out "Jiejie."
"Jiejie" herself stood rooted to the spot. Cheng Zhanxi, whose hand was behind her back, squeezed Yu Qingtang's trembling fingers.
Cheng Zhanxi said, "Alright, that's enough."
The group instantly fell silent.
Cheng Zhanxi led Yu Qingtang to a corner seat on the sofa, having Yu Qingtang sit in the innermost spot, then turned to look at her friends.
The friends had actually prepared some pranks, but the newcomer "Jiejie" clearly looked like a serious person, the "unattainable beauty" type. This... would be hard to control if they started playing around.
What to do?
The friends looked towards Jin Siyue, the only one with experience.
But they hadn't expected Jin Siyue to have colluded with Cheng Zhanxi. For the first meeting, it was best for everyone to be a bit more demure; there would be plenty of opportunities to go wild later. So, Jin Siyue gave them a disapproving look, and the pranks were thus abandoned.
That being said, the "fairy sister" was truly beautiful, a feast for the eyes.
Cheng Zhanxi still didn't let everyone get too bored. After getting Yu Qingtang's permission, she proactively dropped a bombshell.
Cheng Zhanxi said, "You all know I ran away from an arranged marriage last year, right?"
The group collectively held their breath, repeatedly shooting her warning glances. Are you stupid? Talking about almost having a fiancée in front of your girlfriend.
A close friend beside her jabbed her in the waist. Cheng Zhanxi quickly pressed down on their hand. This part of her waist was exclusively Yu Qingtang's; it couldn't be pinched carelessly.
"Since everyone is so anxious, I'll make a long story short," Cheng Zhanxi said with a smile. "The Miss Wei who was supposed to marry me back then is my current girlfriend."
Friends: "???"
Friends who processed it: "!!!"
The atmosphere instantly heated up.
Hahahaha.
What on earth was going on?
Cheng Zhanxi was practically being throttled by her friends, demanding she elaborate. She struggled to break free from their encirclement, smiled at Yu Qingtang beside her, and continued, "It happened like this..."
She recounted how Yu Qingtang came to the Capital City to break off the engagement with the Cheng family, only to directly meet her girlfriend's mother and brother—a bolt from the blue.
One friend collapsed onto the sofa, saying, "Help me—I'm putting myself in her shoes, and I'm already socially dead."
Another friend, eager to hear the story, pressed, "So what did Jiejie say then?"
Cheng Zhanxi glanced at Yu Qingtang, cleared her throat, and said, "She said, 'I am Cheng Zhanxi's girlfriend. The engagement doesn't need to be canceled. I want the younger sister.'"
The friends let out a collective "Wow!" and instantly turned to look at Yu Qingtang in unison, their expressions shocked.
Jiejie truly lived up to her name, to be so calm at a time like that!
Yu Qingtang acted as if Cheng Zhanxi wasn't talking about something that had happened to her, calmly sipping her tea with a composed expression.
The friends' admiration for her deepened.
Under Cheng Zhanxi's careful crafting, Yu Qingtang projected the image of a beautiful, cool-headed older sister figure, unfazed by honor or disgrace, with a strong heart. She just needed to be a mascot on the side, occasionally smiling and nodding, looking at Cheng Zhanxi with an indulgent and doting gaze.
While listening to the story, the friends all inwardly sighed with the same thought: It seems Xixi really is the 0.
When the story of twists and turns concluded, the friends all applauded enthusiastically and sincerely.
Jin Siyue sat in a single armchair. After the applause died down, she lowered her hands and tutted, "You two are fated. It'll be really hard to end this if you don't get married, I'm telling you."
Friend 1 said, "Cheng Xixi and Jiejie Yu are locked in."
Friend 2 said, "I swallowed the key."
Friend 3 said, "A joyous union, a harmonious match for a hundred years."
Friend 4 said, "Forever bound by one heart, may you soon have a precious child."
Friend 5 opened their mouth.
Cheng Zhanxi laughingly interrupted, "Alright, alright, if you say it all now, what will you say when we actually get married?"
The friends hahaha-ed.
"Aren't we just practicing in advance?"
"Yes, yes, yes!"
Yu Qingtang glanced at Cheng Zhanxi, then lowered her eyes, her thoughts unreadable.
The friends all had good personalities. When they said they wouldn't cause trouble, they didn't. They sat together chatting, eating, drinking, and gossiping, everyone laughing. Cheng Zhanxi had been busy with work and spending time with her girlfriend, so she hadn't gathered with friends much for over half a year. She was in a good mood and had a few extra drinks. Drinking didn't usually show on her face, nor did she get rowdy when drunk; she just got sleepy. In the private room, she felt herself getting tipsy and stopped in time, resting her head on Yu Qingtang's shoulder, her eyelids half-closed.
Friend 1 quietly came over to Yu Qingtang to probe for information: "Jiejie Yu, let me ask you a question."
Yu Qingtang said gently, "Go ahead."
Friend 1 whispered, "Between you and Xixi, who's on top?"
Cheng Zhanxi wasn't asleep. She suddenly opened her eyes, coughed, and said, "What are you doing?"
Friend 1 might have also had too much to drink. Deciding to go all out, they asked loudly, "I'm just asking who's the top between you two. Is there a problem with that?"
The rest jeered in unison, "No problem!"
Cheng Zhanxi lazily closed her eyelids again, buried her face completely in the crook of Yu Qingtang's neck, and said, slightly drunk, "I'm drunk. I want to go home."
Friend 1 shouted, "If you leave, you're not Cheng Xixi, you're Cheng Zero!"
Would Cheng Zhanxi be afraid of that?
Of course not. She even had to thank them for their auspicious words.
Cheng Zhanxi smiled with her eyes closed.
It was getting late, and they couldn't pry an answer to the last question out of them, so everyone dispersed. Yu Qingtang hadn't driven on the road yet and had also had a couple of drinks, so she called for a designated driver to take them home.
It was after midnight when they got home. Cheng Zhanxi was so sleepy she was barely conscious, her feet unsteady as she walked. Yu Qingtang, also swaying, managed to help her back to the room. She herself was staggering, and with great difficulty, moved Cheng Zhanxi onto the bed, breaking out in a sweat from the effort.
Cheng Zhanxi groggily opened her eyes a little and asked, "Are we home?"
Yu Qingtang supported herself on her knees, panting, and said, "We're home."
Cheng Zhanxi nuzzled her face against the pillow, closed her eyes, her voice growing softer, "I'm so sleepy. I'm going to sleep first. Good night."
Only after saying good night to her did Yu Qingtang realize Cheng Zhanxi hadn't showered or changed her clothes.
Yu Qingtang, ignoring her own aching calves, hurried to the bedside, wanting to wake her up to shower and change into pajamas before she fell deeply asleep. With her own strength, she really couldn't manage to move Cheng Zhanxi around much.
However, it was too late. Cheng Zhanxi's chest rose and fell evenly. Due to the alcohol, her breathing was slightly heavier than usual, her cheeks flushed a faint pink. One hand rested properly on her waist; she was sleeping soundly.
"Cheng Zhanxi."
"Cheng Zhanxi?"
Yu Qingtang leaned close to her ear and used her trump card: "Darling."
In her sleep, Cheng Zhanxi immediately crinkled her eyes into a smile, wrapped an arm around Yu Qingtang's neck, and kissed her, but she didn't wake up.
Yu Qingtang: "..."
Resigned, Yu Qingtang went to the washbasin, filled a basin with water, wet a towel, wrung it out, and came out to wipe Cheng Zhanxi's body. First her face and hands, then her neck and...
Cheng Zhanxi was wearing a light V-neck sleeveless blouse today, and the rise and fall of her chest was very noticeable.
Yu Qingtang put the towel aside. Her fingertips reached for the buttons of the blouse. The buttons were small; when fastened tightly, they could conceal a woman's charms.
Yu Qingtang's knuckles twitched, and she withdrew her hand.
She wiped Cheng Zhanxi's face and neck again, then sat on the edge of the bed in a daze.
The aftereffects of the alcohol kicked in, and Cheng Zhanxi's face grew redder. Perhaps feeling hot, she started tugging at the buttons of her blouse herself. She didn't have Yu Qingtang's inhibitions and soon, not a single button was left fastened. Underneath was a black lace bra, her waist and abdomen firm and flat, rising and falling with her breath.
Sleeping like this was very uncomfortable. Cheng Zhanxi frowned, skillfully reached her hand behind her back, unfastened the restraint, and turned over to lie on her side, facing Yu Qingtang who was sitting on the edge of the bed.
Yu Qingtang held the towel, frozen, not knowing what to do.
They had been together for so long, yet this was the first time she had seen her so clearly under the light.
Her skin was like pinkish-white petals, delicate and beautiful, as if a gust of wind could make them fall from the branch.
Clean, pure, making it impossible for anyone to harbor a single profane thought.
A long time later, after wiping Cheng Zhanxi's entire body, Yu Qingtang closed her eyes heavily. The previous sentence was what she had believed about herself before today. But after witnessing Cheng Zhanxi's various unconscious, adorable reactions, she felt she could no longer say that sentence with a clear conscience.
Mortals dared not dream of embracing the bright moon from the highest heavens, but the moon had already fallen into her arms—a moon that belonged only to her.
Yu Qingtang looked down at the tip of her index finger; under the light, there was a trace of transparent shimmer.
She suddenly thought: Why not?
Cheng Zhanxi was covered with a blanket. As if possessed, Yu Qingtang reached out her hand, slipped it under the blanket, and then stared at Cheng Zhanxi's face without blinking, as if mesmerized.
Cheng Zhanxi's brows furrowed slightly, as if in pleasure yet also in pain. Her teeth bit her lower lip, and she let out a low, fragmented sound.
Yu Qingtang's eyes darkened. She withdrew her hand and tucked the corner of the blanket for her.
Yu Qingtang lay down on the other side of the bed and called out, "Xixi." She said softly, "Sleep over here, next to me."
Cheng Zhanxi spontaneously turned over, facing her, and shifted her body closer, moving until Yu Qingtang could clearly see her eyelashes. She stopped, her breathing long and even.
Yu Qingtang propped her elbow on the pillow, resting her cheek on her hand as she watched her, a faint smile playing on her lips.
After watching for about twenty minutes, Yu Qingtang got out of bed, went to a drawer in the living room, and found a piece of red string. Just going out and coming back in made her heart race with nervousness.
Cheng Zhanxi was still fast asleep. Yu Qingtang took her left hand, which had been warmed under the covers, carefully lifted her ring finger, wrapped the thin red string around it once from end to end, marked it with a pen, then tiptoed back to the living room, cut the string at the mark, and put it into the bag she would carry tomorrow.
After doing all this, Yu Qingtang felt more exhausted than when she had helped Cheng Zhanxi to bed and wiped her down. Her tense nerves relaxed, and she sat down on the living room floor to rest, pressing her hand to her chest, feeling her heart pounding wildly.
Yu Qingtang chuckled to herself.
She composed herself in the living room, fetched a silk nightgown for Cheng Zhanxi, but changed her mind as she was about to put it on her. A slight smile touched her lips. She tossed the nightgown onto the sofa in the bedroom; Cheng Zhanxi could get it herself tomorrow if needed.
The night was very, very long.
Yu Qingtang went to bed late and woke up late the next day. It was already ten in the morning when she opened her eyes.
Cheng Zhanxi had gone out. She had left a note for her on the bedside table, and there was also a message from her on her phone, sent at half-past nine.
【Are you awake?】
Yu Qingtang replied: 【Awake.】
Song Qingrou hadn't called her, probably because Cheng Zhanxi had given her a heads-up.
Yu Qingtang called the driver. After she finished breakfast, Lao Li arrived just in time. Lao Li, wearing white gloves, opened the rear car door and greeted her, "Good morning, Young Mistress."
Yu Qingtang nodded, her expression composed. "Good morning."
She bent down and got into the car.
Forty minutes later, Yu Qingtang clutched her bag tightly, looked up at the storefront before her, its glass display window glittering. She took a gentle breath and stepped inside.
"Hello, I'd like to buy a diamond ring."
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