After Escaping Marriage - Chapter 135
Chapter 135
Cheng Zhanxi had lunch at the Wei family home and, despite Wei Tingzhi's attempts to persuade her to stay, she declined and left.
Besides, the Wei family didn't have a room for Yu Qingtang anyway.
The two went home for an afternoon nap. In the afternoon, Cheng Zhanxi took Yu Qingtang to her art studio and let her try painting with oil brushes.
Yu Qingtang's painting skills had remained at the level of kindergarten watercolors. Suddenly faced with a canvas and brushes, she felt daunted. The smell of turpentine lingered in her nostrils, and she held the brush, unsure what to do.
Cheng Zhanxi held the palette: "Paint whatever you want. It doesn't matter if you want to cover the entire canvas in blue."
Yu Qingtang tilted her head and glanced at them; these paints looked very expensive...
She put down the brush and shook her head, "No, I'd rather not."
Cheng Zhanxi said, "Then I'll paint you."
Yu Qingtang stood up and moved aside, sighing with an air of relief.
Cheng Zhanxi slowly added, "The kind without clothes. Will you let me paint that?"
Yu Qingtang: "..."
Cheng Zhanxi just wanted to tease her, but unexpectedly, after a moment of silence, Yu Qingtang placed her hand on the buttons of her blouse and began to undo them, one by one.
While Cheng Zhanxi was stunned, her white blouse was already hanging loosely on her arms, revealing one shoulder strap.
Her shoulders were delicately sculpted, her collarbones exquisite.
Her fair skin, in this atmosphere of tantalizing reveal, seemed to glow softly, exceptionally alluring.
She had been proactive before, but always after getting into the mood, requiring Cheng Zhanxi to stoke the fire under the furnace, to raise her temperature first. Not like now, where every move, every gesture, was an unconscious charm that tugged at Cheng Zhanxi's nerves.
Cheng Zhanxi felt her heart thump hard, and she unconsciously started to salivate.
She swallowed.
Yu Qingtang undid the last button, her gaze following her own hand.
She saw another hand cover hers, warm and soft, carrying a scorching heat.
Yu Qingtang slowly raised her eyes and met Cheng Zhanxi's deep, intense gaze.
Cheng Zhanxi's hand replaced hers.
The blouse fell lightly to the floor, like a butterfly flapping its wings, without a sound.
Yu Qingtang tilted back her slender neck, a barely perceptible glint of triumph flashing in her seductive, silk-like eyes.
Cheng Zhanxi waited for the still trembling Yu Qingtang to calm down, did a simple cleanup with wet wipes, and then began to tidy up the mess strewn all over the art studio.
Yu Qingtang, draped in the crumpled white blouse, the tear tracks at the corners of her eyes recently dried and tinged with a faint red, leaned lazily in the chair like a cat that had basked to its heart's content in the sun.
Cheng Zhanxi bent down to pick up a sheet of drawing paper that had fluttered to the floor, then suddenly looked up at Yu Qingtang.
Yu Qingtang gave a slight smile.
Cheng Zhanxi came back, pinched her chin, and said, "You were deliberately seducing me, weren't you?"
Yu Qingtang raised an eyebrow but didn't answer.
Cheng Zhanxi turned her head towards Yu Qingtang's ear and suckled a kiss there.
Yu Qingtang let out a low moan but didn't shy away; instead, she wrapped her arms around Cheng Zhanxi's neck.
Another round and her art studio would probably be ruined. Cheng Zhanxi carried Yu Qingtang out.
When Cheng Zhanxi opened the automatic curtains in the bedroom, she saw the fiery clouds in the sky. The sun was on the edge of the horizon, about to sink, taking the last sliver of light with it.
Yu Qingtang snuggled in her arms, idly drawing circles.
"Are we being too indulgent like this?" Yu Qingtang asked.
"Baby, don't you think it's a bit late to say that?" Cheng Zhanxi was almost deceived by her innocent look. If it weren't for the fact that just a minute ago she was still clinging tightly to her, Cheng Zhanxi would have suspected Yu Qingtang's waist might have been twisted to the breaking point.
Cheng Zhanxi asked the budding vixen in her arms, "Who was it just now, constantly biting my fingers?"
"How to bite? Like this?" Yu Qingtang feigned confusion, took Cheng Zhanxi's hand, and took her middle finger into her mouth.
Cheng Zhanxi was so tormented by her that she immediately pushed her back onto the pillow.
Soon, Yu Qingtang was left only to whimper and moan.
The phone on the bedside table rang. Cheng Zhanxi lifted her head and turned to look. Yu Qingtang pulled her neck down, panting, "Don't answer it."
Cheng Zhanxi had already seen clearly with her sharp eyesight and said, "It's my mom."
Yu Qingtang pushed her away, flicked her long hair, and said, "Answer it."
Cheng Zhanxi: "..."
Cheng Zhanxi picked up the phone and pressed the answer button: "Hello."
When her voice came out, she realized it sounded very wrong. She quickly cleared her throat and said, "Mom, is something wrong?"
Ms. Song, a veteran in such matters, tutted on the other end but didn't expose them, saying, "Nothing much, just asking if you two want to come home for dinner tonight."
Cheng Zhanxi covered the microphone and relayed Song Qingrou's words to Yu Qingtang.
Yu Qingtang said, "Let's go."
Cheng Zhanxi removed her hand and said, "We'll go."
Song Qingrou said, "It's okay if you come a bit later, you know."
Cheng Zhanxi: "...Got it."
After sending the suspended-in-mid-air Yu Qingtang to the clouds and back down to earth, Cheng Zhanxi went to the dressing room, brought back two sets of clothes, and helped the boneless and limp Yu Qingtang dress. Yu Qingtang had overexerted herself in the afternoon and was drowsy in the car. Cheng Zhanxi reclined the passenger seat, letting her sleep all the way to the Cheng family home.
Cheng Zhanxi parked the car at the entrance. After waking her, Yu Qingtang was still yawning incessantly, rubbing against Cheng Zhanxi's palm for a good while before barely regaining her spirits.
"My waist is so sore..." the woman whined coquettishly with her eyes closed.
Cheng Zhanxi reached out to massage her, seriously lecturing, "A little moderation."
Yu Qingtang opened her eyes and smiled, her gaze cunning.
Cheng Zhanxi's cheeks felt slightly warm.
Forget it, this wasn't something Yu Qingtang could accomplish alone. It was her own fault for having such poor self-control.
Cheng Zhanxi led Yu Qingtang into the house.
"Mom, we're back."
Song Qingrou was sitting on the sofa and beckoned them over to eat lychees.
"Have you bought the plane tickets back to Sicheng?"
"Not yet," Cheng Zhanxi replied. There were plenty of tickets to Sicheng, and they still had nearly a week, so Cheng Zhanxi wasn't in a hurry.
"Don't buy them. Your dad and I are going too. You can fly with us on the family plane."
"Huh?"
Song Qingrou tossed a lychee from her hand at her and said, "Aren't Xiao Tang's grandparents in Sicheng? Aren't you getting engaged?"
"I know." Cheng Zhanxi looked down at the chilled lychee she had caught in time. Just talk, why involve the lychee? The lychee is innocent.
Cheng Zhanxi peeled the lychee and fed the white flesh to Yu Qingtang's lips.
Yu Qingtang opened her lips and bit down, their gazes meeting, full of affection.
Song Qingrou said, "Xixi, come with me for a moment."
Cheng Zhanxi took a tissue, wiped her hands, and followed Song Qingrou to the study on the first floor.
Soon, after only about a few minutes, she returned.
Song Qingrou had gone to the second floor.
Yu Qingtang whispered to Cheng Zhanxi, "What did Aunt Song say to you?"
Cheng Zhanxi picked up another lychee, skillfully peeled it, and said, "When she called this afternoon, she guessed what we were doing and told me to help you replenish your strength."
Yu Qingtang's ear tips turned red. "What did you say?"
Did you say that I was actually the one seducing her, and couldn't get enough?
"I said..." Cheng Zhanxi looked at her meaningfully, deliberately keeping Yu Qingtang in suspense for a moment before breaking into a smile, "Okay, Mom."
Yu Qingtang hit her arm.
It wasn't until bedtime that day that Cheng Zhanxi learned Yu Qingtang had been so proactive today because she was jealous.
In the morning, at the Wei family home, they had met the children from various branches. Wei Shi admired Cheng Zhanxi, even taking over from a servant to pour tea for her, blushing and lowering her head, clearly showing the flustered heart of someone facing their crush.
Cheng Zhanxi, always courteous, had exchanged a few polite words with Wei Shi. At that moment, Yu Qingtang's "vinegar jar" had overturned.
It was just that the vinegar hadn't fermented on the spot but had brewed and aged, only erupting after they returned home.
Cheng Zhanxi was amazed.
The student registration date for Sicheng No. 1 Middle School was August 31st. Teachers had to arrive at least a day earlier, and Cheng Yi and Song Qingrou, wanting to meet Yu Qingtang's maternal grandparents, arrived two days even before that. On the 27th, the four members of the Cheng family took a private jet to Sicheng, leaving Cheng Yuanxi alone to look after the house in the Capital.
Cheng Yi and Song Qingrou's attentiveness deeply moved Yu Qingtang. Fang Wenjiao and her grandfather, upon learning that Cheng Zhanxi's parents were coming, hastily took Yu Qingtang out to buy two new outfits to meet the in-laws.
As for Wei Tingyu's side, Fang Wenjiao's discussion with him yielded no results, so she had to give up.
Worried that the two elderly grandparents wouldn't be able to hold their own and might appear weak, Fang Wenjiao called Yu Qingtang's maternal uncle back from Haishi to act as a semi-paternal figure.
Song Qingrou visited Cheng Zhanxi's residence, also took a tour of the school, and stayed with Cheng Yi at the Hilton Hotel in the city center.
On the 29th, both sets of parents met in a private room. The atmosphere was pleasant.
Cheng Zhanxi and Yu Qingtang sat on either side, smiling demurely and obediently, like two figures carved from standard molds.
After the meeting ended, Cheng Zhanxi accompanied her parents for some shopping. Upon returning home, she walked over to Yu Qingtang on the sofa, lay down, and rested her head on Yu Qingtang's lap, whining, "I'm so tired."
Yu Qingtang stroked her smooth cheek.
Cheng Zhanxi lay there for a while, recovering some energy, then said, "My parents are going back tomorrow. Will you come with me to see them off?"
"So soon?"
"My dad is busy with work; he's heading back now that the main business is done. My mom said she'll come visit us again when she has time."
"Okay."
The next day, they saw Cheng Yi and Song Qingrou off on the plane. Watching the white trails left by the wings across the blue sky, Cheng Zhanxi was suddenly touched, an indescribable feeling welling up inside her.
It seemed that from this moment on, she had her own little family, truly grown into an adult.
She had emerged from under her parents' protection, spread her own wings to protect her lover, and perhaps, in the future, she would have her children too.
Yu Qingtang withdrew her gaze from the distant sky and saw Cheng Zhanxi beside her, silently wiping away tears.
Yu Qingtang: "?"
The sentimental Cheng Zhanxi lowered her head, burying her face in Yu Qingtang's neck, and said, "I just saw my dad's... black hair."
Yu Qingtang: "Pfft."
Cheng Zhanxi also let out a muffled laugh.
She had originally intended to express some deep emotion, but after racking her brains for a while, she realized her dad didn't have any white hair at all. In fact, he had a hereditarily thick head of hair, looking as young as someone in their thirties or forties, and was known as the Takeshi Kaneshiro of Beijing.
Alright, that sentiment fell flat.
Cheng Zhanxi drove Yu Qingtang home. On the way, Yu Qingtang mentioned wanting to learn to drive.
Cheng Zhanxi thought of that kind of "driving" and said, "Tonight then, as soon as we get back."
Yu Qingtang chuckled, made a gesture of turning a steering wheel, and said, "I meant a car."
Not without disappointment, Cheng Zhanxi perked up and said, "Later, we'll find a road with few people, and I'll take you to practice. It's very simple."
Yu Qingtang had had her driver's license for several years but had never actually driven on the road. Originally, she didn't think much of it; she lived a reclusive life and usually had no need to drive. Now, with Cheng Zhanxi, her world had expanded. Although Sicheng wasn't large, its geographical location was excellent, with many interesting cities nearby. They could go to many places on weekend road trips, and it would be too tiring for Cheng Zhanxi to do all the driving alone. Occasionally, when Cheng Zhanxi went out for social engagements, she could also drive to pick her up.
Yu Qingtang had secretly planned many things for their future together, but she hadn't told Cheng Zhanxi yet.
As for the kind of "driving" Cheng Zhanxi was thinking of, they would be able to do that soon enough too.
The most important thing at present was—Sicheng No. 1 Middle School was starting.
The new first-year high school students had started their military training a few days ago. The school grounds of No. 1 Middle School were filled with freshmen in green camouflage uniforms, their tormented, youthful faces showing eyes tinged with curiosity and innocent light. The second-year students, tempered by a year of study, faced class reassignment. The school's system was that, apart from the experimental classes which were divided by grades, all other students were randomly shuffled and reorganized into new classes.
Yu Qingtang was the homeroom teacher for the second-year science stream Class (5). At No. 1 Middle School, they changed class signs but not classrooms. The second-year students remained in the same teaching building they had used in their first year. Yu Qingtang had walked to the doorway of Class (7), and just as she was about to step inside, she saw unfamiliar faces, snapped back to reality, and turned to walk back to Class (5).
Yu Qingtang twirled the diamond ring on her ring finger, suddenly feeling an urge to hide it—if those little rascals from Class Seven saw it, they would definitely tease her relentlessly.
Yu Qingtang had just raised a smile when, the next second, a thought struck her.
Those inside were no longer the students of Class Seven.
Yu Qingtang stood at the doorway for two seconds, then walked in.
No. 1 Middle School was a top-tier key high school. From the moment Yu Qingtang's figure appeared at the doorway, the noisy chatter inside stopped, and everyone sat up straight and proper.
Yu Qingtang stood on the podium and first scanned the students below.
Many students from Class Seven had chosen the science stream, and Yu Qingtang was a science class homeroom teacher. At first glance, there were a few familiar faces, all grinning at her, showing their teeth.
Xiang Tianyou was there. The boy, over 1.8 meters tall, was now sitting in the fourth row by the wall, with rosy lips and white teeth, handsome and quite conspicuous.
The homeroom teacher hadn't arrived yet, so seats were first-come, first-served.
Tong Feifei was also there.
Yu Qingtang counted in her mind: one, two, three, four, five...
She counted to eight.
There were eight students from Class Seven. Not bad.
A faint smile appeared in Yu Qingtang's eyes, then quickly vanished.
But Li Lan wasn't there.
Her math representative, Lian Yabing, wasn't there either.
The former class committee members were mostly scattered.
Xiao Qing and Yu Zhou should have gone to the experimental class.
Yu Qingtang withdrew her gaze and, in a cool, clear voice, introduced herself, "Students, I am your homeroom teacher, Yu Qingtang."
She took a piece of chalk from the box, broke it, and turned to write her name on the blackboard in elegant, neat handwriting.
A slight commotion arose from below.
Yu Qingtang was very famous among the former first-year, now second-year students. No wonder the new homeroom teacher was so beautiful; it turned out she was Yu Qingtang.
Yu Qingtang turned back, rested the heel of her palm on the lectern, held the chalk between two fingers, and said calmly, "I know everyone has gathered here from different classes, but since we are sitting together in this classroom, we are a collective. For the next two years, we will spend them together. I hope we get along well."
Tong Feifei led the applause.
Except for the students from Class Seven, the others were a bit bewildered, but it was never wrong to follow the applause. Enthusiastic applause rang out.
Yu Qingtang raised her hand in a downward gesture, "I'll take attendance so everyone can get to know each other."
"Cui Zhilan."
"Here!"
"Deng Xianzhang."
"Here!"
...
"Tong Feifei."
"Here!"
"Xiang Tianyou."
"Here!"
...
The first class was equivalent to a homeroom meeting.
After taking attendance, Yu Qingtang first selected the class officers. The atmosphere in Class Five was quite different from Class Seven; there were more students focused on studying who didn't want to get involved in class committee affairs. After Yu Qingtang suggested that anyone who wanted to be class monitor could volunteer, no one spoke up. They all lowered their heads and flipped through their newly acquired textbooks.
Yu Qingtang looked at the grade report in her hand.
Usually, there was another way to select class officers: by academic performance. Yu Qingtang called the name of the top-ranked student and said gently, "Student He Song, are you willing to be the class monitor?"
This student named He Song stood up and said respectfully, "Teacher, I am not willing."
Yu Qingtang said, "Please sit down."
Yu Qingtang sighed inwardly.
She wasn't exactly disappointed with the new class. A newly taken-over class certainly wouldn't be as united and harmonious as Class Seven. Even if they eventually bonded, her Class Seven would never return.
She had taught the students so many lessons, and now she had learned an important life lesson from them: parting.
The atmosphere during the selection of class officers was a bit stiff. Fortunately, Yu Qingtang could ignore the awkwardness and was preparing to go by academic rank one by one.
From the direction of the wall came a clear, youthful male voice: "Teacher."
Yu Qingtang looked up.
Xiang Tianyou stood up and said, "I want to be the class monitor."
Yu Qingtang looked at him, "Are you sure?"
Xiang Tianyou had a smile on his lips and said affirmatively, "I want to be the class monitor, may I?"
Yu Qingtang was silent for two seconds, then said, "You may. Please introduce yourself again."
Xiang Tianyou turned around to face the whole class, his expression unusually serious, with a hint of imperceptible nervousness. He said, "My name is Xiang Tianyou. Xiang as in direction, Tian as in sky, You as in swimming. If I become class monitor, I will definitely take it as my responsibility to uphold the honor of our class collective and serve all my classmates. Please give me your support."
Yu Qingtang found his words familiar. Wasn't this Li Lan's speech when she ran for class monitor last year?
Yu Qingtang: "From now on, Xiang Tianyou will be your class monitor. Student Xiang, please sit down."
With a scrape of his chair, Xiang Tianyou sat down, his posture upright.
With the most troublesome position of class monitor settled, the rest was much easier. Yu Qingtang chose her subject representatives, selected the class committee members, and let them study on their own.
Yu Qingtang immediately glanced at Xiang Tianyou. Understanding, Xiang Tianyou got up from his seat and followed her out.
Is this the treatment Li Lan used to get? This is awesome.
Xiang Tianyou thought to himself.
In the hallway, Yu Qingtang turned to face him, her delicate brows slightly furrowed. "You want to be class monitor?"
Xiang Tianyou nodded.
"If it's to help me out of a bind, there's no need. It's not too late to regret it now." Yu Qingtang was very familiar with him, so she spoke more casually in private.
"It's not to help you out," Xiang Tianyou said seriously. "Teacher Yu, I really want to be the class monitor."
"Reason."
"To serve the people!" Xiang Tianyou clicked his heels together and struck a smart military pose.
Yu Qingtang was amused and said, "Alright, if you want to, then try." After a pause, she added gently, "At No. 1 Middle School, achievements define heroes. If you want to be class monitor and gain everyone's respect, it's best if your grades improve a bit more."
Xiang Tianyou nodded repeatedly. "I'm working on it. I had a tutor for two months during the summer vacation."
Yu Qingtang knew about this. Xiang Tianyou didn't post on his Moments, wanting to make a stunning debut, but he sent Cheng Zhanxi his daily check-in records, showing he was working quite hard.
Yu Qingtang patted his shoulder and said, "Keep it up."
After discussing serious matters, Xiang Tianyou's gaze shifted, landed on her hand, and he let out a "hehehe" laugh.
Yu Qingtang smiled. "What is it?"
Xiang Tianyou still had that mischievous grin and asked slyly, "Did Teacher Cheng propose to you?"
Yu Qingtang didn't admit it directly, but her smile deepened.
Xiang Tianyou cupped his fists. "Congratulations, congratulations! Also, tell Teacher Cheng to treat us to a meal soon. I'll start saving my appetite from now on."
"No respect for your elders," Yu Qingtang said with a laugh, ruffling his short hair. "Go back to the classroom and preview the lesson content."
"Alrighty then." Xiang Tianyou trotted back to the classroom. Just before stepping in, he straightened up, puffed out his chest, sucked in his stomach, and walked in with steady steps.
Yu Qingtang stood in the hallway for a while, enjoying the breeze, then also returned to the classroom.
The bell for the end of class rang.
Yu Qingtang was held back by Tong Feifei, who teased her about the diamond ring. Even if the other students didn't know, gossiping is human nature. Soon, word spread about the Cowherd and Weaver Girl—no, Cheng Zhanxi and Yu Qingtang's love story.
Tong Feifei teased, "Teacher Yu, when are you treating us to wedding wine?"
Yu Qingtang tossed a broken piece of chalk at her. "You're just a kid." With that, she ignored her teasing and walked out of the classroom.
She had been delayed in the classroom for a few minutes and, unexpectedly, was blocked in the hallway as she exited.
Lian Yabing's nose was slightly red, looking like she was about to cry.
Li Lan was silent, her lips pressed together, clearly not feeling well either.
Yu Zhou and Xiao Qing stood in the middle, holding hands.
Behind them stood two tall boys who often came to her office to do homework.
And the class committee members of Class Seven, all looking at her quietly without speaking.
Looking at the dozen or so students from the original first-year Class Seven in front of her, Yu Qingtang felt something akin to a mother hen's sentiment and asked, "Are you all doing okay?"
Lian Yabing instantly broke down, whimpering and lunging forward.
With a helpless expression, Yu Qingtang reached out and pulled her into an embrace. Lian Yabing cried her eyes out in her arms; anyone who didn't know better would think something terrible had happened.
Li Lan was more rational. "Teacher Yu, I was assigned to Class Four, right..." She paused, as if it was very difficult to say, "...next door to your class."
She added, "I'm not the class monitor anymore."
This way, her lasting memory would be as the monitor of Class Seven, Yu Qingtang's right-hand person.
Yu Qingtang patted her head and looked at the other students.
Yu Zhou said, "Xiao Qing and I are both in Experimental Class 1." There was only one science experimental class.
Yu Qingtang nodded.
The academic affairs officer said, "I'm in Class Nine."
The arts and recreation officer said, "I was assigned to Class Thirteen."
Wu Peng said, "I was assigned to Class Eight. Guo Fang is in the same class as me."
The publicity officer finally said, "I'm still in Class Seven."
The students, including Yu Qingtang, all sighed inwardly. The atmosphere was somber.
At this moment, Lian Yabing, her face tear-streaked like a pear blossom in the rain, lifted her head from Yu Qingtang's embrace and said, "And me."
Yu Qingtang smiled. "Which class are you in?"
"I..." Lian Yabing was crying and laughing at the same time. "I... I forgot."
Li Lan, her expression unchanged, said flatly, "She's in Class Six."
Lian Yabing didn't look at her, only at Yu Qingtang.
Yu Qingtang's gaze swept between the two. Her experience wasn't enough to help her see what was going on; Cheng Zhanxi would need to be present for that.
Speak of the devil. Yu Qingtang, surrounded in the center, heard a teasing voice from behind the crowd.
"A bunch of little ingrates, only seeing Teacher Yu. If only one of you had turned around..."
The students all turned around in unison. The previously somber atmosphere instantly became lively. Overjoyed, they exclaimed, "Teacher Cheng!"
Cheng Zhanxi nodded. "Hello, students."
In the blink of an eye, the space around Yu Qingtang cleared as everyone flocked to Cheng Zhanxi, chattering excitedly.
"..."
Yu Qingtang walked up to Cheng Zhanxi, took Cheng Zhanxi's left hand with her right, then placed her own left hand on top of Cheng Zhanxi's left hand, and asked, "Why did you come over?"
Cheng Zhanxi glanced down at the diamond rings on both their left ring fingers, pretended not to notice Yu Qingtang's deliberate gesture, and said gently and seriously, "I waited for you for a long time and didn't see you, so I came over to check."
The students were blinded by the two diamond rings and, belatedly realizing, shrieked—
"Ahhhh!"
"Ahhhh, a proposal!!!"
"No! It's marriage, ahhh!!!"
At the same time, a figure slumped softly to the ground, and a shriek erupted from the crowd!
"Oh no! Lian Yabing fainted—"
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