After Escaping Marriage - Extra 16
Chapter 159: Extra 3 - Parallel World
Cheng Zhanxi had climbed trees, caught fish, been chased by dogs, and had her parents called to school for fighting with boys. Aside from her fear of ghosts, she was bold enough to do anything. But what happened today was something she had never even dared to imagine.
She had kissed her good friend, her sister since childhood—Yu Qingtang.
She had been drinking, her mind was fuzzy, and the atmosphere at that moment had been intoxicating, like melted hot chocolate or flowing silk. That unexpected kiss had happened so naturally.
Cheng Zhanxi carefully turned over without making a sound.
She stared at the shadows cast by the moonlight on the wall in the dim room, closing her eyes for a long time, but sleep still eluded her.
Listening to the even breathing behind her, Cheng Zhanxi didn’t dare to move, not even daring to turn around to see if Yu Qingtang was truly asleep.
If she turned over and Yu Qingtang was awake, face to face with her…
How awkward would that be.
Cheng Zhanxi mentally dug a hole for herself, huffed and puffed as she crawled in, and then proceeded to fill the dirt back in on top of herself.
Behind Cheng Zhanxi, Yu Qingtang’s eyes were open, cool and profound, yet her breathing was as steady as if she were asleep.
Her plan had succeeded, and it had failed.
Cheng Zhanxi had kissed her as she’d wished, but had immediately come to her senses, pulling away and apologizing.
“S-Sorry.” The girl had glanced at her, then quickly lowered her eyes in a fluster, pushing herself backward on the floor with her hands.
She was nothing like the Cheng Zhanxi she knew.
Yu Qingtang felt a sense of bewilderment she had never experienced before.
From the first stirrings of love at thirteen to now, at eighteen, she had spent five years waiting for Cheng Zhanxi to grow up. Then, they could be together as a matter of course, with no person or thing standing in their way. She had never doubted that Cheng Zhanxi would want to be with her.
She still didn’t doubt it, but she was beginning to vaguely understand something: Cheng Zhanxi’s idea of “being together” might not be the same as hers.
Perhaps it wasn’t that Cheng Zhanxi hadn’t had her romantic awakening, but that she simply didn’t like her in that way. How could there be an awakening to speak of?
She had been too arrogant, too self-righteous, too full of unrequited affection, and now she was reaping what she had sown.
Yu Qingtang lowered her gaze, hiding the self-mockery and bitterness in her eyes.
She let out a long breath and closed her eyes.
Cheng Zhanxi’s entire body went rigid, the blood in her veins nearly ceasing to flow.
She knew it!
She knew Yu Qingtang wasn’t asleep!
Thank goodness she hadn’t moved, otherwise—
Otherwise what? Cheng Zhanxi’s thoughts snagged, then uncontrollably drifted far away…
After a long while, Cheng Zhanxi closed her eyes again, burying all her thoughts deep in her heart.
Her mom said that growing up meant having secrets, more and more secrets you couldn’t tell anyone. I’ve grown up too, Cheng Zhanxi thought with an internal sigh.
Each lost in her own thoughts, they struggled to fall asleep and, by unspoken agreement, woke up early.
Yu Qingtang pressed a finger to her throbbing temple and turned her head to look at Cheng Zhanxi sleeping peacefully on the pillow beside her. Cheng Zhanxi’s eyelashes weren’t very long, but they were exceptionally dense, dark as a raven’s feather. Her nose was high and straight, its lines smooth, and her lips were a tender pink.
Yu Qingtang watched her quietly for a while, then irresistibly reached out a hand, slowly moving it toward her lips.
Cheng Zhanxi’s eyelashes trembled almost imperceptibly.
Yu Qingtang’s fingertips stopped just two centimeters from her lips.
Cheng Zhanxi didn’t hear Yu Qingtang’s silent sigh. The gaze on her vanished, followed by the sound of soft footsteps in the room. The muffled sound of running water came from behind the closed bathroom door.
Cheng Zhanxi opened her eyes a crack, looking at the closed bathroom door.
When Yu Qingtang came out, Cheng Zhanxi was already fully dressed.
Yu Qingtang nodded at her. Cheng Zhanxi nodded back. Their eyes met, then quickly looked away.
…They had become distant.
When had they ever been so polite with each other?
Cheng Zhanxi wished she could go back to last night and give that reckless scoundrel a good beating. Drinking really messes things up! See if you ever dare to drink again!
Cheng Zhanxi called out to Yu Qingtang, “Um…”
Yu Qingtang stopped three steps from the door and turned back, her eyes questioning.
Cheng Zhanxi felt an inexplicable panic. She cleared her throat and said, “Can you wait for me?”
Can you?
Yu Qingtang’s expression was placid. “Okay.”
“You can sit over here,” Cheng Zhanxi said, pointing to a spot that was visible from the bathroom.
Yu Qingtang sat down as she was told.
As Cheng Zhanxi brushed her teeth, she kept glancing out the door. Yu Qingtang was sitting quietly, a book in her hands.
The two went downstairs together. Wei Tingyu was in the kitchen making breakfast, and the aroma of beef patties filled the living room. Cheng Zhanxi thought for a moment, then went into the kitchen as she always did and swiped two patties, giving one to Yu Qingtang.
Cheng Zhanxi juggled the steaming hot patty between her hands and gestured for Yu Qingtang to take it.
“Careful, it’s hot.”
Even though they could have sat down and savored it properly later, she just had to sneak a bite beforehand. This was a classic Cheng Zhanxi-style pleasure.
Yu Qingtang took a small bite, and rich meat juices trickled down the corner of her mouth. She looked down for a napkin, but a hand was faster than hers, pressing a clean white napkin to her lips.
Both of them froze for a second.
Cheng Zhanxi’s mind uncontrollably recalled the sensation of her lips. They weren’t always cool like her hands, but warm and soft.
Yu Qingtang took the napkin from her hand and gave Cheng Zhanxi a deep look.
“Um…” Cheng Zhanxi began.
She stammered, hesitating, her eyes darting around like a thief with a guilty conscience. But it didn’t make her look shifty; instead, her eyes seemed even more bright and lively.
Yu Qingtang felt both helpless and amused. She couldn’t help but curve her eyes into a smile. “If you have something to say, just say it. Why be a stranger with me?”
Cheng Zhanxi composed herself.
If that was the case, then she would be direct.
She took a deep breath. “Are you mad at me?”
Yu Qingtang smiled. “No, why would I be mad at you?”
Cheng Zhanxi glanced toward the kitchen and lowered her voice. “Last night, I…”
Yu Qingtang looked at her.
Cheng Zhanxi had thought it was obvious enough that she wouldn’t have to spell it out, but Yu Qingtang was looking at her as if waiting for her to continue. Cheng Zhanxi gritted her teeth and, throwing caution to the wind, whispered, “Didn’t I kiss you?”
Yu Qingtang nodded and gave a faint “mm.”
Cheng Zhanxi blinked. “You’re not mad?”
Yu Qingtang shook her head.
“Then you…” Cheng Zhanxi almost blurted out, Why were you awake in the middle of the night scaring me? But that would reveal the fact that she hadn’t been asleep either. What if Yu Qingtang asked her why she couldn’t sleep? How would she answer?
“Then I what?” Yu Qingtang’s eyes brightened slightly, as if she had glimpsed a sliver of hope.
Cheng Zhanxi bit her tongue lightly. “Nothing.”
Yu Qingtang’s gaze fell slightly. “Let’s eat the patties. They’re getting cold.”
Yu Ci came out of her room, stretched, and saw the two young ladies on the sofa, each holding a patty and eating quietly.
Hiss—
This atmosphere didn’t seem right.
Yu Ci’s lips curled into an intrigued smile.
After breakfast, Cheng Zhanxi took the Wei family’s car home. Yu Qingtang watched until the car disappeared from view before turning to go upstairs.
She had just finished grinding the ink when Yu Ci knocked and came in, holding a plate of cut fruit.
Yu Qingtang managed a smile at her. “Mom.”
Yu Ci put the fruit down. “Why so glum?”
“I’m not.”
“Still saying you’re not? You’re pouting so much you could hang an oil bottle from your lips.”
Yu Qingtang never pouted, but the comment made her laugh. She let out a soft breath and said, “Thanks, Mom, but this is my own business. I’ll handle it.”
“Really?”
“Really.” Yu Qingtang speared a piece of fruit with a fork and fed it to her mother.
“Remember to ask Mom for help if you need anything,” Yu Ci said, looking back as she walked toward the study door. “And remember to eat the fruit. I’ll come get the plate later.”
Yu Qingtang calmed her mind and focused, rolling up her sleeves. The tip of her wolf-hair brush touched the sized xuan paper, sketching out a landscape of mountains, rivers, and farmhouses with just a few strokes.
“Not bad.” Teacher Tian unrolled the scroll, examining Yu Qingtang’s recent works with unconcealed satisfaction in his eyes.
A few of Teacher Tian’s friends were also there. The paintings were passed around, and everyone praised what a brilliant student the great Master Tian had produced, making Teacher Tian beam with pride. Yu Qingtang stood by without a word, her demeanor modest. The more Teacher Tian looked at this last disciple of his, the more he cherished her.
She was Yu Ci’s daughter, after all. Yu Ci had studied Western painting, and Teacher Tian had always deeply regretted not being able to take her on as a student back then.
Teacher Tian rolled up the scroll and said to Yu Qingtang, “In June, I’m going abroad for a two-month international calligraphy and painting exchange. Qingtang, you’ll come with me.”
Several of his knowledgeable old friends immediately congratulated Yu Qingtang.
Yu Qingtang’s expression faltered for a moment.
Her teacher’s trip had been planned for a long time. The scale of the exchange and the richness of the works to be exhibited made it an unmissable event in their circle. Everyone had been guessing which disciple Teacher Tian would take. Yu Qingtang had never thought this good fortune would fall to her; she had many senior brothers and sisters above her, some of whom were already quite well-known.
But June…
Yu Qingtang lowered her eyes, her voice steady. “Thank you, Teacher.”
She had never been one for big emotional displays, so Teacher Tian didn’t notice her fleeting hesitation. He patted her shoulder fondly.
“Your exams are coming up soon, aren’t they?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t be nervous, just perform as you normally would,” Teacher Tian said, asking a few more concerned questions about her studies.
Once she was in university, she would have even more freedom. Teacher Tian had already paved a bright future for her.
Cheng Zhanxi opened her eyes as she did every morning, turned her head to the calendar on her nightstand, and tore off a page.
August 20th.
We always think we have all the time in the world, but we forget that life is unpredictable. In June, after her exams, Yu Qingtang had followed her teacher abroad. In the blink of an eye, the time they had left together had dwindled to just ten days, and Yu Qingtang still hadn’t returned.
Cheng Zhanxi lay there in a daze for a while before slowly getting out of bed, slowly getting dressed, and slowly going downstairs to wash up.
The housekeeper was in the kitchen making breakfast. It was almost time to eat.
Cheng Zhanxi walked over and greeted her parents.
Cheng Yi put down his newspaper and frowned as he watched Cheng Zhanxi walk listlessly to the bathroom to wash her hands before sitting down at the dining table.
Cheng Yuanxi came back from a phone call, glanced at the table, and adopted the same expression as his father. His handsome face was clouded with worry. “She’s been this gloomy ever since Qingtang went abroad.”
Cheng Yi was deeply concerned. “She won’t even go out when her friends ask her. She just stays at home all day, either spacing out or painting.”
Cheng Yuanxi sighed. “Sigh.”
Cheng Yi also sighed. “Sigh.”
Song Qingrou shook her head and sighed as well. “She looks like she’s just had her heart broken.”
Cheng Yi & Cheng Yuanxi: “!!!”
What pig had been rooting around their tender little cabbage patch!
Father and son frantically brainstormed, trying to think of anyone besides Yu Qingtang that Cheng Zhanxi was close to. The two men huddled together, muttering, their faces periodically flashing with anger.
The housekeeper opened the kitchen door to call them for the meal.
The family sat at the table. Cheng Zhanxi’s eyes never left her bowl, and she only took food from the dishes directly in front of her, showing no appetite at all.
The other three had their brows furrowed so deeply they could have tied knots in them.
“I’m done,” Cheng Zhanxi said, putting down her bowl and chopsticks. She stood up, turned, and went upstairs.
Not long after the meal, the Cheng family received an unexpected guest.
The guest looked travel-worn and asked, “Is Cheng Zhanxi home?”
Song Qingrou quickly had Cheng Yuanxi go call his sister.
Cheng Zhanxi was in the third-floor art studio, a “Do Not Disturb” sign hanging on the door. Thinking of the guest downstairs, Cheng Yuanxi knocked anyway.
With drooping eyebrows and downcast eyes, Cheng Zhanxi came downstairs. She paused near the bottom of the stairs, preparing to muster a polite smile for their guest, but from the landing, she caught sight of the guest’s figure and profile.
Cheng Zhanxi’s eyes suddenly stung.
“Yu Qingtang!” a voice, both surprised and overjoyed, rang out from behind her.
Before the others could process what was happening, they saw the perpetually gloomy Cheng Zhanxi, like a withered tree meeting spring, rush toward Yu Qingtang in the middle of the living room.
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