After Escaping Marriage - Extra 2
Chapter 145: Extra 1
After Xiang Tianyou finished talking with Yu Zhou, he gentlemanly walked her part of the way before turning back to rejoin Cheng Zhanxi and Yu Qingtang.
Xiang Tianyou: "Shall we go?"
Cheng Zhanxi glanced at him, her smile full of meaning.
Xiang Tianyou had a bad feeling.
Sure enough, during dinner that evening, Cheng Zhanxi wouldn't rest until she had pried every last detail out of him.
After getting into university, Xiang Tianyou had focused solely on his studies. Plenty of boys and girls at school had pursued him, but his heart had never been moved. Before their third year, his interactions with Yu Zhou were limited to their high school class group chat, where they had exchanged no more than five sentences in total. In their third year, they met at a competition, each representing their respective universities. After the competition, all the participants had a big dinner together. Yu Zhou found him and asked if he had a girlfriend.
Xiang Tianyou said no, so Yu Zhou asked if she could pursue him.
Xiang Tianyou was stunned.
Yu Qingtang popped a golden-fried pea into her mouth, a smile gracing her features.
Cheng Zhanxi sighed with feeling. "Yu Zhou used to be so introverted. I never expected her to be so forward now."
Xiang Tianyou said, "I know, right? She was the main speaker for her team at that competition. She was so poised on stage, you could tell she'd been in countless competitions, big and small, and was used to that kind of setting."
Yu Qingtang's thoughts drifted as she recalled the girl who had once hidden behind her, only knowing how to cry.
Cheng Zhanxi, remembering her mission, pressed on, "So, did you say yes?"
Xiang Tianyou shook his head.
"Why not? You don't like her?"
"I can't say if I like her or not," Xiang Tianyou said with a frown. "I don't want to think about relationships too early."
"..."
It was hard to imagine those words coming from a young man in his early twenties, brimming with hormones.
Xiang Tianyou continued, "Besides, I'm just starting my fourth year and getting ready for my internship. Where would I find the time and energy for a relationship? Isn't that a waste of time? What's more important, an internship or dating? The internship, of course."
Cheng Zhanxi & Yu Qingtang: "..."
Xiang Tianyou said, "I've heard people say graduation season is breakup season. I don't know why, but it must be because there are too many unstable factors around graduation. Rather than break up then, it's better to wait until after graduation to see if we're fated to be together. It's best to wait until my job is stable before talking about romance."
Cheng Zhanxi & Yu Qingtang: "..."
Xiang Tianyou said, "Why are you looking at me like that? Did I say something wrong?"
Yu Qingtang said, "No, not at all. Your considerations are very thorough."
Cheng Zhanxi asked, "So what did you say to Yu Zhou?"
Xiang Tianyou spooned some fish roe onto his rice and mixed it in. "I just told her the truth—that I'm not in the right mindset for a relationship right now. She said she'd wait for me to graduate."
Cheng Zhanxi: "Wow."
Xiang Tianyou's face instantly turned red.
As if discovering a new continent, Cheng Zhanxi pointed at him. "You like her, don't you?!"
A conflicted look appeared on Xiang Tianyou's face. "I don't know."
The innocent, straight young man had never been in a relationship; how could he distinguish the feeling of a fluttering heart?
"But," Xiang Tianyou said, "when she said today that she'd wait for me to graduate, I think I felt a little happy." He lowered his head and smiled.
Cheng Zhanxi thought to herself: What kind of demure little wife script are you following?
Having gotten their fill of Xiang Tianyou's fresh gossip, the two returned home, thoroughly satisfied.
Yu Qingtang initiated some rather lively manual activities, her progress in this area having been swift. Cheng Zhanxi melted into a boneless puddle.
They stayed in Jingcheng for two months this time and happened to be there for a few events, such as Wei Jinglan's proposal. As expected of cousins, her method was quite similar to the one Yu Qingtang had used years ago. And the person she was proposing to? Wen Zhihan, of course.
Three years ago, at Yu Qingtang's wedding, Wen Zhihan had returned to the country to be a bridesmaid. Wei Jinglan fell for her at first sight and began her transnational pursuit.
There was a small interlude in all this. Yu Jianxing had always wanted an older-sister type, and Wei Jinglan fit her fantasy perfectly. But before she could make a move, she realized Wei Jinglan's heart already belonged to someone else, so she had to make a regretful exit.
A year ago, Wei Jinglan and Wen Zhihan officially confirmed their relationship. This year, Wen Zhihan returned to China to work at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
And now, Wei Jinglan couldn't wait any longer and was preparing to propose.
Cheng Zhanxi and Yu Qingtang were both pulled into a WeChat group called "Operation XX." To maintain secrecy, Wei Jinglan had even censored the word "proposal."
[Wei Jinglan]: Ladies!
Sister 1: ?
Sister 2: I have a feeling something big is happening.
Sister 3: What's with this group name?
Sister 4: We're all sisters here, why the censorship? Are we not worthy?
Wei Jinglan got straight to the point: I'm planning to propose and need everyone's help.
Sisters 1234: Whoa!
Yu Qingtang: What kind of help?
Wei Jinglan explained the plan in detail.
Yu Qingtang turned to look at Cheng Zhanxi, her expression subtle.
The method was similar, but the details were quite different. The proposal was set to take place in a movie theater. Wei Jinglan had booked a friend's VIP screening room to show an indie art film by a director Wen Zhihan liked. A dozen or so friends were there. The couple sitting in the very center, acting all lovey-dovey, were part of the act, while Wen Zhihan and Wei Jinglan sat in the back, their fingers intertwined the entire time.
Wen Zhihan was engrossed in scientific research. Having studied abroad for so many years, she hadn't made many friends in a foreign land. Now, caught up in this proposal scene, she found her attention wandering even from her favorite movie, her gaze drifting toward the "protagonists" in front of them.
Wen Zhihan whispered, "Is a cart of roses going to be wheeled in later?"
Wei Jinglan said, "Yes."
Wen Zhihan smiled. "I want to get a piece of the cake."
Wei Jinglan said gently, "Are you hungry?"
Wen Zhihan said, "A little."
"Let me feel." Wei Jinglan's hand reached over, but Wen Zhihan quickly blocked it with her own. "Don't."
Wei Jinglan chuckled. "Why not?"
Wen Zhihan said, "My dad's been cooking all sorts of delicious food for me since I got back. I've got a little belly now. You can touch it after I've slimmed down."
Understanding dawned on Wei Jinglan. She leaned in and whispered in her ear, "No wonder you haven't let me touch you since you came back."
Wen Zhihan clamped a hand over her mouth and glanced around in a panic, as if afraid someone might have heard.
Wei Jinglan pulled her hand down, kissed her palm, and then held it in her own to warm it, refraining from any more verbal mischief.
When the movie ended, the lights didn't come all the way up. Instead, another film began to play. The star of this one, appearing on screen, was Wei Jinglan.
At this point, Wen Zhihan still didn't sense anything was amiss. She assumed this was all part of helping their friends with the proposal, and that other friends would appear soon, all for the purpose of ensuring the couple in front could live happily ever after. It wasn't until she herself appeared on screen that she realized. When Wen Zhihan was busy with her doctorate, Wei Jinglan would visit her abroad. Most of the time, she was in the lab. On her rare days off, she preferred to stay home rather than go out, so Wei Jinglan had used a DV camera to film many clips of her, documenting their daily life together.
Some were moments Wen Zhihan didn't even know had been filmed. For example, a weekend morning with the sun high in the sky, Wen Zhihan sleeping in, and Wei Jinglan quietly turning on the DV camera, pointing it at both of them, and closing her eyes to kiss her.
The theater instantly erupted with cheers, catcalls, and whistles.
Wen Zhihan squeezed Wei Jinglan's hand, her face flushed red.
Their first date had been at a movie theater, watching a film by this very same director, which was why Wei Jinglan had chosen this way to propose.
In the video, Wei Jinglan began to recite her proposal vows. Wen Zhihan held her hand tightly the entire time, her eyes glued to the screen.
"...Please marry me, Wen Zhihan."
The video ended on Wei Jinglan's confession, and the theater lights suddenly came on. A bouquet of vibrant red roses had appeared in Wei Jinglan's hands. Wen Zhihan took the roses, and Wei Jinglan knelt before her on one knee, holding up a diamond ring.
Just as Wei Jinglan was about to say the words, Wen Zhihan also knelt down on one knee and pulled a small, velvet box from her pocket.
Click—
The box opened, revealing a sparkling diamond ring nestled inside.
Wei Jinglan: "?"
All their friends: "?"
Someone was the first to burst out laughing, and then the whole situation spiraled out of control.
One friend, bent over with laughter while holding onto a chair back, said, "Do all you lesbians like to propose at the same time? This is the third couple I've seen do this this year. Oh my god, I'm dying of laughter."
Wei Jinglan covered her face with her hands, peeking at Wen Zhihan through her fingers.
Wen Zhihan took her hand and slipped the diamond ring onto her left ring finger.
Wei Jinglan finally came to her senses and put the ring on Wen Zhihan's finger as well.
The two embraced.
Their friends pulled out party poppers they had hidden under their seats.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
The entire room was filled with fluttering, multicolored streamers.
"A harmonious union for a hundred years, may you be of one heart forever—"
Cheng Zhanxi cupped her hands around her mouth like a megaphone, shouting the loudest of all.
Yu Qingtang shook her head and chuckled.
Who knew how long she would keep nursing this old vinegar?
A three-tiered cake, a special gift from the friend who owned the theater, was wheeled in. After everyone had a piece, Wei Jinglan deliberately brought Wen Zhihan over to Cheng Zhanxi and said with a gentle smile, "Call her sister-in-law."
Cheng Zhanxi: "..."
Wen Zhihan had had a crush on Yu Qingtang for seven years—not seven months, and certainly not seven weeks. How could that have escaped Wei Jinglan's notice? Wei Jinglan wouldn't hold it against her own cousin, but that didn't mean she wouldn't get revenge on Wen Zhihan's behalf for being blocked.
As long as Wen Zhihan was married, she could no longer have any designs on Yu Qingtang. So what was a mere "sister-in-law"?
Without a second's hesitation, Cheng Zhanxi readily complied. "Sister-in-law."
Wen Zhihan gave a polite "mhm" in response.
Her relationship with Cheng Zhanxi had always been lukewarm. Even now that they were sisters-in-law, she couldn't bring herself to be close with Cheng Zhanxi. As for the future... who could say? They would just let nature take its course.
In the past three years, Cheng Zhanxi and Yu Qingtang had crossed the threshold of thirty. Among their friends, some had gotten married, some had divorced; some had found fulfilling love, some were enjoying a carefree single life, and others were in relationships but had no plans to marry. The world was vast, and everyone had their own way of living, finding their own happiness.
They passed through the lives of others, just as others passed through theirs.
On their fifth wedding anniversary, they picked out new wedding rings for each other. They tied their old rings together with a red string and put them away in a box. That evening, after a candlelight dinner at home, they exchanged love letters. They had been writing them for the past year; after their fourth anniversary, they had made a pact to write a letter to each other every single day. There were no limits on content or length—they could write about things they did together or their feelings for one another.
The two collections of love letters were as thick as actual books. They sat on the sofa, reading the letters the other had written over the past year, smiling knowingly from time to time.
It took them a full hour to read through everything. The two books, along with the small box containing their old wedding rings, were placed in the room dedicated to storing anniversary gifts. Although the room was still quite empty, it would gradually be filled over their sixth, seventh... tenth, and fiftieth anniversaries.
They didn't fear that a lifetime was too long, only that this life was too short—not long enough for them to commit each other to memory, so they could be together again in the next.
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