After Escaping Marriage - Extra 27
Chapter 170: Extra 3 - Parallel World
After school, Cheng Zhanxi turned down a classmate’s invitation for dinner and ran towards the school gate, clutching her textbooks.
The classmate watched her rapidly retreating back, puzzled. She exchanged a glance with the student next to her, who looked equally bewildered. What was wrong with Cheng Zhanxi these past two days? Why was she in such a rush?
“I’m home!” Cheng Zhanxi pushed open the door, her eyes scanning the house for any sign of Yu Qingtang. The smile on her face froze for a moment, and she walked further inside, calling out, “Yu Qingtang?”
Her pace quickened, her face tinged with anxiety and unease. “Yu Qingtang!”
“I’m here.”
The voice seemed to come from the bedroom.
Cheng Zhanxi breathed a sigh of relief and, in a few steps, opened the bedroom door. Yu Qingtang was sitting at the desk by the window, reading a book.
Cheng Zhanxi walked over, bent down to kiss her hair, and then said gently, “What are you reading?”
“One of your books.” Yu Qingtang held up the book. “Just browsing. I’m almost finished. I’ll go make you dinner in a bit.”
“You came all the way from home, you don’t need to cook. I’ll take you out to eat tonight.”
“Okay.” Yu Qingtang’s eyes were fixed on the book in front of her as she intently turned a page.
She didn’t even look up at me…
Cheng Zhanxi grumbled silently to herself, sitting on the edge of the bed behind her. She pouted slightly, like a puppy with drooping ears.
A few minutes later, Yu Qingtang closed the book and turned around. “Did you say we’re eating out? Where are we going?”
Although she was hurt that Yu Qingtang wasn’t as warm and enthusiastic towards her as she was, the mention of dinner immediately brightened Cheng Zhanxi’s spirits. She excitedly told her the place she had been racking her brain for all day. A newly-in-love couple didn’t need particularly original ideas; a candlelight dinner at a Western restaurant was romantic enough.
Yu Qingtang had plenty of theoretical experience. No matter how many times she had imagined what she would do with Cheng Zhanxi after they got together, her practical experience was zero. So she readily agreed, a secret sense of anticipation growing within her.
This was their first official date.
Yu Qingtang opened her suitcase in the corner. “I’m going to change my clothes,” she said.
“I need to change too,” Cheng Zhanxi said.
The two of them stood in the room for a moment, realizing there was only one bedroom. Cheng Zhanxi managed to hold back from saying “let’s change together,” and turned to leave. “You change first. I’ll come back in later.”
“Isn’t there a bathroom?” Yu Qingtang stopped her. “You can change in the bedroom. I’ll use the one inside.”
Cheng Zhanxi thought that was a good idea and nodded.
Yu Qingtang took a long dress and went into the bathroom.
Meanwhile, Cheng Zhanxi opened the wardrobe and sifted through her clothes. After much deliberation, she finally picked out a suitable pantsuit and began changing right beside the wardrobe.
As Yu Qingtang changed, her mind wandered. The last time she and Cheng Zhanxi had bathed together was during their hot springs trip. She had a guilty conscience, so she had intentionally or unintentionally been reserved, keeping her bathrobe tied impeccably. Cheng Zhanxi was different; she was completely open, both in and out of the water. She had already developed quite nicely before her eighteenth birthday. Now, a year or two later, she wondered what spring scenery awaited.
Yu Qingtang unconsciously licked her lips.
Cheng Zhanxi looked down and fastened her belt. Just as she was about to grab her top from the bed, she heard a creak as the bathroom door opened.
Huh?
A fully dressed Yu Qingtang walked out. The moment she saw Cheng Zhanxi, her eyes widened abruptly. As if startled, she quickly retreated and slammed the door shut.
“Sorry!”
Cheng Zhanxi’s knuckles twitched. She quickly put on her shirt, thinking to herself, shouldn’t I be the startled one?
“It’s okay,” she said. “I’m done. You can come out now.”
Yu Qingtang chose style over warmth. Cheng Zhanxi bundled her up in layer after layer, and only peeled them off when they arrived at the restaurant she had booked. She was well taken care of, not feeling the slightest chill the entire time. In fact, her cheeks were flushed from the taxi’s heater, her nose was pink, and her lips were even more delicate, rosy and full.
Cheng Zhanxi’s fingertips paused as she removed the scarf. Gazing into Yu Qingtang’s serene eyes, she irresistibly lifted the woman’s chin and kissed her.
Mindful that they were in a restaurant, Cheng Zhanxi didn’t kiss her for long. It was a shallow yet deep exploration, a brief, tantalizing entanglement.
Yu Qingtang’s face grew even redder as she shyly glanced at her.
Cheng Zhanxi placed the unwrapped scarf on a corner of the sofa, and as she stood up, she kissed her temple once more before sitting down opposite her.
The two exchanged a smile and lowered their heads to look at the menus on the table.
Beyond the window, snow fell thick and fast, blanketing the street.
A figure, covered in snow from head to toe as if they had been standing in it for a long time, pulled their long boots out of the deep snow and walked away from the lovers by the window, step by step.
It was late at night when Cheng and Yu returned to the apartment. The heavy snow couldn’t hinder the passionate couple; instead, it added another layer of warmth to their affection. They built a snowman downstairs and even carved their initials on it: C&Y.
Cheng Zhanxi brushed the snow from Yu Qingtang’s shoulders and led her upstairs by the hand.
The next day when Cheng Zhanxi went to school, the snow hadn’t stopped, though it had turned from a heavy fall to a light flurry. As she went downstairs, she caught a glimpse of something unusual out of the corner of her eye. She turned to look at the spot where they had built the snowman, but it was empty. Cheng Zhanxi walked over and found the twigs they had used last night in the accumulated snow, but the snowman itself was gone.
Had it been cleared away by the cleaning staff?
[Cheng Zhanxi]: The snowman we built downstairs yesterday is gone. Let’s build another one later. The lighting was bad last night, so I want to take a picture this time.
[Darling]: Okay.
[Cheng Zhanxi]: A picture of us together.
[Darling]: Mmm.
[Cheng Zhanxi]: I really want to kiss you.
[Darling]: Come here, then.
Yu Qingtang was just saying it casually. Who would have thought that less than two minutes later, she would hear the front door open? Cheng Zhanxi, wrapped in a gust of cold air, rushed into the bedroom, pinned her against the pillows, and an icy aura invaded, gradually transforming into a familiar warmth that left her dizzy from the kiss.
“I’m going to school!” Yu Qingtang didn’t even get a clear look at her face before the figure that had been pressing down on her a second ago vanished.
Yu Qingtang watched her back as she came and went like the wind, and couldn’t help but chuckle.
Childish.
With a bang, the front door closed again.
Yu Qingtang raised a hand to touch her own lips, then pulled the covers over her face, tangling the sheets and quilt into a complete mess.
In the evening, Yu Qingtang came out of the study and received a message from Cheng Zhanxi.
[Girlfriend]: Someone wants to treat me to dinner tonight. They mainly want to meet you. Is that okay?
[Yu Qingtang]: Who is it? Do I know them?
[Girlfriend]: You should know of her, it’s Yu Jianxing.
[Yu Qingtang]: Okay. Do you want to send me the address and I’ll go over, or will you come pick me up?
[Girlfriend]: Of course I’ll pick you up, it’s so cold outside. I’ll be finishing a bit late today. If you get hungry, have some snacks first. They’re in the coffee table drawer. There’s milk in the fridge, heat it up before you drink it. Leave the milk pan, I’ll wash it when I get back.
[Yu Qingtang]: [Heart]
An hour and a half later, Cheng Zhanxi came home to pick up Yu Qingtang, and they headed to the hot pot restaurant Yu Jianxing had arranged.
Yu Qingtang only knew of Yu Jianxing by name; she had never met her in person. She had to squeeze out time just to see Cheng Zhanxi, so where would she find the free time to meet irrelevant people? But she knew that Yu Jianxing was Cheng Zhanxi’s best friend abroad. If Yu Jianxing wanted to meet her, she certainly wouldn’t refuse.
The spicy aroma hit them as soon as they walked in. A young woman in a white down jacket stood up from a table and waved her hand. “Here! Xixi! And… you there!”
The “you there” herself walked over and proactively extended a hand. “Hello, I’m Yu Qingtang.”
Yu Jianxing shook Yu Qingtang’s hand, her eyes shining with excitement. “Hello, hello! You’re even prettier than your photos.”
Seeing is truly believing. If she had known that Yu Qingtang was as beautiful as a fairy in person, she would have pushed Cheng Zhanxi to pursue her long ago!
Yu Qingtang smiled. “Thank you.”
Cheng Zhanxi made a “tsk” sound at Yu Jianxing.
Yu Jianxing let go of Yu Qingtang’s hand, which she had been gripping tightly, and sat down. Only then did she remember to introduce herself. “Right, my name is Yu Jianxing. ‘Yu’ as in metaphor, ‘Jian’ as in to meet, ‘Xing’ as in star. You can also understand it as ‘meeting a star.’ Doesn’t that sound a bit romantic? Hahaha. The day my dad and mom got together… Ah!”
She looked at Cheng Zhanxi with a wronged expression.
Cheng Zhanxi nonchalantly pulled her foot back from under the table and handed a menu to Yu Qingtang. “Take a look and see what you’d like to eat,” she said gently.
Yu Jianxing: “…”
She shouldn’t be here. She should be under a car.
No, wait, she came here specifically to be the third wheel. Why couldn’t she handle even this little bit?
Yu Jianxing reined in her star-struck expression and said to Yu Qingtang, “From the very first day I met Cheng Zhanxi at school, she’s been talking about you constantly.”
As expected, Yu Qingtang’s expression showed interest. “What did she say about me?” she asked.
“Just that you’re the most beautiful person in the world, the smartest, the gentlest, the best to her-basically, you’re number one in everything,” Yu Jianxing said.
Yu Qingtang looked at the blushing Cheng Zhanxi with a teasing gaze. “Is that so?”
Cheng Zhanxi glared at Yu Jianxing, embarrassed and angry.
Yu Jianxing quickly pulled her feet back so she couldn’t be stepped on, shot her a triumphant smile, and continued talking to Yu Qingtang, “Yeah, my ears were about to grow calluses from hearing it so much. She kept talking and talking. Before, it was always ‘I have a good friend,’ but now it’s fine, she can openly say ‘my girlfriend.’ I get to hear two fewer words.”
Yu Qingtang couldn’t help but smile.
Seeing Yu Qingtang’s faint smile, Cheng Zhanxi temporarily let Yu Jianxing off the hook.
Yu Qingtang took the initiative to ask, “Is there anything else?” She really knew too little about Cheng Zhanxi during that period. If only she had paid more attention and hadn’t been so absorbed in her own world, she would have confirmed Cheng Zhanxi’s feelings for her long ago.
Yu Jianxing thought for a moment. “Oh, yeah. I like to have fun, I mean, I’m pretty casual when it comes to relationships. Seeing that she was single, I wanted to take her out with me, but she never once agreed. I didn’t know why before, but now I know it’s because of you. So many people confessed to her, and she rejected them all, not even giving them a chance to flirt!”
Yu Qingtang smiled.
Cheng Zhanxi finally understood that Yu Jianxing was actually putting in a good word for her, and she shot her a slightly grateful look.
Yu Jianxing pulled Cheng Zhanxi over and said to Yu Qingtang, “What a great girlfriend! You won’t find another one like her. You must cherish her!”
The tips of Cheng Zhanxi’s ears turned red. She awkwardly pulled away from her and whispered, “You’re overdoing it.”
Yu Qingtang chuckled, then her expression turned serious. “I will cherish her.”
Yu Jianxing wasn’t a very serious person at heart, and hearing too much serious talk made Cheng Zhanxi uncomfortable too. The three of them stopped there, and the atmosphere became relaxed as they ordered their food.
They ate and drank until it was time to leave. Yu Jianxing had been drinking, so Cheng Zhanxi offered to take her home with Yu Qingtang. But Yu Jianxing, her eyes slightly hazy, waved her hand and said, “No need. Someone’s coming to pick me up later.”
So, Cheng and Yu waited for the person who was coming to get her.
About ten minutes later, a slender figure entered the hot pot restaurant, braving the snow. She was about twenty-three or twenty-four years old, with delicate features. The woman’s gaze swept the room for a moment before she walked towards their table.
“Is that her?” Cheng Zhanxi asked.
Yu Jianxing gave a lazy “Mm-hmm” and pushed herself up from the table.
As the delicate-looking woman approached, Yu Jianxing draped her arms around her neck and kissed her on the lips.
Cheng Zhanxi & Yu Qingtang: “…”
The woman wrapped one arm around Yu Jianxing’s waist and used the other to wrap a scarf she had brought around her neck. She nodded to the two of them but didn’t speak.
Cheng and Yu saw them out. It was hard to get a taxi in the snow, but the two of them didn’t wait for one. Instead, they walked, arms around each other, towards a brightly lit hotel across the street.
Cheng Zhanxi & Yu Qingtang again: “…”
Just as they were about to cross the road, Yu Jianxing looked back at Cheng Zhanxi and winked.
“…What does she mean by that?” Yu Qingtang asked.
“She-she-she-she…” Cheng Zhanxi stammered.
Yu Qingtang wiped the sweat from her forehead. “Are you hot?”
Cheng Zhanxi loosened the scarf at her collar. “It’s fine. I guess it’s just a bit hot after the hot pot.”
“What are they off to do?” Yu Qingtang asked again.
Cheng Zhanxi was still wavering on the scale of Yu Qingtang’s innocence and didn’t know how to answer for a moment.
But Yu Qingtang said, “Are they going to get a room?”
Cheng Zhanxi suddenly looked at her.
“They should be in a relationship, right?” Yu Qingtang said. “Getting a room… is also quite normal. It stems from feelings, don’t you think?”
Cheng Zhanxi stared intently into her eyes, as if trying to see into her heart. “I think you’re right,” she said.
Yu Qingtang cleared her throat. “Let’s go.”
They were both adults. Some things didn’t need to be said so explicitly; they could be understood implicitly.
Yu Qingtang hadn’t been in such a hurry initially, but she only had a few days of vacation left. After that, they would be in different countries again. Time was truly waiting for no one, leaving no room for a slow pace.
Apartment.
Cheng Zhanxi heard the sound of water from the bathroom stop. She put down the nail clippers in her hand, closed her eyes, and took a deep, long breath.
A captivating fragrance drew closer from behind her. A hand rested on Cheng Zhanxi’s shoulder, moving from back to front. Cheng Zhanxi opened her eyes and watched as Yu Qingtang walked in front of her and sat down on her lap.
Cheng Zhanxi tilted her head up.
They began to kiss.
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