After Escaping Marriage - Extra 3
Chapter 146: Extra 2 - Married Life
In the process of giving so much to his family, Cheng Yuanxi also met the one for him. The man was a photographer who had won many international awards. Cheng Yuanxi met him at a photography exhibition, and they fell in love. Two years after getting married, they adopted a baby girl.
Cheng Zhanxi had once entertained the idea of having a child with Yu Qingtang when she turned thirty-five. But as time went by, she found she could never accept the idea of a child coming between her and Yu Qingtang, even if it was a child of their own blood. Yu Qingtang, because of Yu Ci’s death during a difficult childbirth, was once bitten, twice shy about the matter. Besides, her thoughts happened to align perfectly with Cheng Zhanxi’s; she didn’t need a child to sustain their relationship. She had given her most intense and only love to Cheng Zhanxi and didn’t want to share it with anyone else.
Conveniently, Cheng Yuanxi now had a child, so if they wanted to play with a kid, they had a niece to dote on.
Cheng Yuanxi’s daughter was named Cheng Yun, meaning “sunlight,” in the hope that she would shine brightly in the future.
Xiao Cheng Yun was very attached to her aunt, often pulling her aunt and aunt-in-law aside to whisper secrets.
Once, when Cheng Zhanxi returned from a long trip, she brought back a gift for her. Instead of rushing to take the gift to her room, Xiao Cheng Yun climbed into Cheng Zhanxi’s lap and whispered in her ear, “Dad was crying again last night. Daddy had to comfort him for a long time.”
Cheng Zhanxi burst out laughing. “Hahahaha.”
Xiao Cheng Yun glanced at Yu Qingtang beside her and asked again in a small voice, “Do you cry, Auntie? Dad says everyone with the surname Cheng is like that.”
Cheng Zhanxi waved her hands in a three-part denial. “I’m not, I don’t, don’t listen to your dad’s nonsense.”
Xiao Cheng Yun looked at her aunt-in-law, Yu Qingtang, with a disbelieving expression.
Yu Qingtang, her face impassive, played along with Cheng Zhanxi’s act. “Your aunt never cries.”
Xiao Cheng Yun said, “Then Auntie is more amazing than Dad.”
Speak of the devil. Cheng Yuanxi walked in through the main door, taking off his suit jacket as he said, “What are you all talking about? You look so happy.”
Xiao Cheng Yun turned her head, her face beaming, and called out crisply, “Dad!”
Cheng Yuanxi set his jacket aside and sat down, feigning a complaint. “When your aunt isn’t home, you always run over to greet me. The moment she’s back, you cling to her and won’t let go. You don’t even want your dad anymore.”
Xiao Cheng Yun said sweetly, “Auntie only comes back once in a while. Of course I have to spend lots of time with her.”
Cheng Zhanxi kissed the little girl’s soft, smooth cheek.
Cheng Yuanxi peeled an orange, divided it into three, and gave the pieces to his sister, sister-in-law, and daughter. “You finally made it back home, but Mom and Dad are out again.”
Ever since Cheng Yi retired, Song Qingrou had discovered the joy of traveling the world as a couple. Sometimes, when they got tired of walking, they would stop and stay in a place for a month or two. Not only that, but she had also started writing again. The creative cells in her bones needed only soil and rain to sprout roots in an instant.
Madam Song was now so happy traveling that she had forgotten all about home, pushing her two children and one granddaughter to the back of her mind.
Cheng Zhanxi said, “It’s fine. We’ll be staying for a while this time. They should be back by then.”
Cheng Yuanxi asked, “Do you have things to take care of?”
Cheng Zhanxi said, “Yu Qingtang’s deadline is approaching. She needs to hole up and write. We’ll head out again after she submits her manuscript.” She then asked, “Where’s Brother Qi Chen?”
Qi Chen was Cheng Yuanxi’s husband.
Cheng Yuanxi sighed and said, “He went out to find inspiration.”
A look of understanding crossed Cheng Zhanxi’s face. So that was why her brother was crying last night?
Cheng Yuanxi: “?”
Cheng Zhanxi averted her gaze and went back to teasing the niece in her arms.
Cheng Yuanxi said, “Are you staying for dinner? I’ll show you what I can do.”
Cheng Zhanxi raised an eyebrow.
“With your cooking skills?”
“I guarantee I’ll blow you away,” Cheng Yuanxi said confidently.
If the handsome, wealthy, and perfect Cheng Yuanxi had any flaws, it was that he was a black hole when it came to cooking. Both Cheng Yi and Cheng Zhanxi were decent cooks, but the gene had mutated in him, making him naturally at odds with the kitchen. It hadn’t mattered much when he was single, but now that he was married, he was a master of the boardroom and wanted to be a master of the kitchen as well, so he had put in a great deal of effort.
Cheng Yuanxi rolled up the sleeves of his expensive shirt, tied on an apron, and strode into the kitchen full of confidence.
Xiao Cheng Yun’s face fell. “Dad’s cooking again.”
Cheng Zhanxi, with her sharp hearing, leaned in and asked quietly, “Is Dad’s cooking not good?”
Xiao Cheng Yun looked like she wanted to say something but held back.
After a long moment, she said diplomatically, “Daddy spoils him too much.”
Cheng Zhanxi and Yu Qingtang exchanged a look and burst out laughing at the same time.
Yu Qingtang held out her hands to Xiao Cheng Yun. The little girl kissed Cheng Zhanxi’s cheek before climbing off her lap and into Yu Qingtang’s arms, giving her an equally affectionate kiss.
Her dad had told her that her aunt and aunt-in-law wouldn’t have children of their own, so she was their daughter too. Although she never said it out loud, Xiao Cheng Yun had known since she was little that she had two fathers and two mothers. She was the happiest child in the world.
At dinnertime, Cheng Yuanxi brought his four dishes and one soup to the table. Untying his apron, he announced, “Time to eat—”
A pained expression appeared on Xiao Cheng Yun’s face.
She had endured too much for this family.
Cheng Zhanxi and Yu Qingtang took their seats. It was the first time they had seen Cheng Yuanxi’s cooking. The presentation looked acceptable—the sweet and sour pork ribs had a glossy, caramelized sheen, and the stir-fried greens were a vibrant, juicy green. Cheng Zhanxi and Yu Qingtang exchanged a glance and voluntarily served as guinea pigs. She picked up a piece of the greens with her chopsticks, chewed twice, and her expression froze.
Cheng Yuanxi watched her and asked expectantly, “How is it, sis?”
With just a look from Cheng Zhanxi, Yu Qingtang intuitively brought over the trash can. Cheng Zhanxi turned her head and spit it out, saying honestly, “It’s not cooked.”
Cheng Yuanxi picked up the plate of greens. “I’ll put it back in the wok then.”
Cheng Zhanxi raised a hand to stop him. “Let me try the others first.” She took a bite of the sweet and sour pork ribs. “Too much vinegar. It’s very sour.”
Cheng Yuanxi nodded. “I’ll add some water and more sugar to neutralize it.”
Five minutes later, Cheng Yuanxi carried all the dishes back to the kitchen in frustration, tied his apron back on, and the sound of the range hood started up again.
A while later, the range hood fell silent. Cheng Yuanxi came out and said, “Let’s eat out. I’m going to change. I smell like cooking fumes.”
In the living room, Xiao Cheng Yun threw her arms around Cheng Zhanxi’s neck, gave her a big kiss, and chirped, “Thank you, Auntie!”
After a grand meal out, Xiao Cheng Yun went back to her aunts’ house and stayed for a few days before Cheng Zhanxi brought her home. With that period of relaxation over, Yu Qingtang officially went into seclusion to write.
At twelve midnight, Cheng Zhanxi came out of her studio, yawning, and pushed open the door to the study.
Yu Qingtang was sitting behind the desk, full of vigor, her eyes brighter than the lights in the room. She was like a completely different person from the sleepy woman she was during the day.
Cheng Zhanxi tiptoed forward, careful not to disturb the fully focused Yu Qingtang. She peeked at the empty coffee cup by her hand, then reached over to take it, replacing it with a glass of hot milk.
Yu Qingtang’s ten fingers flew across the keyboard like a butterfly flapping its wings. After smoothly typing the final period of a paragraph, she habitually reached for the coffee on her right, only realizing the glass felt different to the touch. She turned her head and saw Cheng Zhanxi, who had been standing beside her for who knows how long.
Yu Qingtang picked up the hot milk and took a sip, asking gently, “Why aren’t you in bed yet?”
Cheng Zhanxi said, “I want to keep you company.”
The words had barely left her mouth when she let out a huge yawn, the corners of her eyes glistening with moisture.
Yu Qingtang said, “Go to sleep.”
Cheng Zhanxi hesitated. Yu Qingtang stood up, half-hugging, half-pushing her back to the bedroom. She tucked her hands and feet under the covers and patted the blanket gently, murmuring, “Sleep now.”
Cheng Zhanxi’s biological clock was fixed; when the time came, her eyelids would start to fight. She only had time to say, “Get some rest soon,” before she drifted off to dreamland.
Yu Qingtang leaned down and kissed her forehead, then tiptoed out and closed the door.
At six the next morning, Cheng Zhanxi woke up. The pillow beside her was cold, with no trace of another person having slept there. She threw on a jacket and went into the study again. Yu Qingtang was in the same position as the night before, not having moved at all. If there was any difference, it was that the aroma of coffee in the room was even stronger.
When Yu Qingtang saw her, she glanced at the time in the bottom right corner of her computer and said, “Hm? Is it six already?”
She closed her laptop and stretched languidly. “I’m sleepy.”
Cheng Zhanxi: “…”
Life had its moments of helplessness, like right now.
Yu Qingtang always wrote late at night, especially when a deadline was looming. She became nocturnal, downing cup after cup of coffee. Cheng Zhanxi would wake up just as Yu Qingtang was shutting down her computer, ready to sleep. As a fellow artist, she knew that creation relied on inspiration, and for most writers, inspiration was most potent in the dead of night.
Cheng Zhanxi intercepted the teary-eyed, sleepy Yu Qingtang on her way to the bedroom, sat her down at the dining table, and said, “Eat breakfast first.”
With foresight, she had cooked porridge before bed last night, so now all she had to do was make a couple of small side dishes to go with it. In less than ten minutes, Cheng Zhanxi came out of the kitchen to find Yu Qingtang already asleep at the dining table, her face buried in her arms, breathing evenly. Sleeping at a table wasn’t comfortable, so her breaths were a little heavy.
Resigned, Cheng Zhanxi carried her back to the bedroom. Yu Qingtang was completely oblivious during the journey. As she was laid down, her eyes fluttered open blearily, and she grabbed Cheng Zhanxi’s hand, murmuring in her sleep, “Sleep with me…”
Cheng Zhanxi lay down and went back to sleep with her.
At two in the afternoon, a well-rested Yu Qingtang woke up naturally. She sat at the dining table, holding a bowl of porridge and taking small sips, replenishing her empty stomach.
Cheng Zhanxi never raised any objections to her schedule. In fact, they had both tried their best to adjust Yu Qingtang’s sleep cycle. Once, Yu Qingtang had specifically asked Cheng Zhanxi to wear her out so she would sleep early. She woke up on time the next day, only to sit staring at a blank computer screen for the entire day.
Some things were only suited for the night, and if you did one, you couldn’t do the other thing you loved to do. Fortunately, the crunch time for writing didn’t last long. Once this period was over, Yu Qingtang could return to a normal schedule.
A month later, Yu Qingtang sent the manuscript for her new book to her editor. Cheng Zhanxi immediately lifted her up and placed her on the desk. The solid black walnut desk wobbled, and the freshly printed pages, still fragrant with ink, scattered to the floor. Yu Qingtang wrapped her arms around Cheng Zhanxi’s neck, with no time to worry about them…
Of course, Yu Qingtang wasn’t the only one who would forget to eat and sleep when inspiration struck. Cheng Zhanxi once stayed in her studio for several days straight, apart from meals, just to maintain her creative mood. She barely spoke a few words all day. As her other half, all Yu Qingtang could do at times like these was be understanding, not disturb her, and take care of her daily needs.
That year, they witnessed many new life events. Yu Zhou and Xiang Tianyou had met each other’s parents and were preparing to get engaged, and they wanted to invite the two of them to the engagement party. Li Lan had returned to the country with a stellar resume and was now a senior manager at a foreign company. After returning, she treated Yu Qingtang to a meal. The young woman had changed a lot; she wore a professional suit and was decisive and efficient in her work. The beautiful mole on the tip of her nose added a touch of a mature woman’s charm and allure.
Yu Qingtang didn’t ask her how things were with Lian Yabing. Too many youthful romances ended without a resolution; perhaps Li Lan had already forgotten that relationship that never even began.
Later, during a casual chat with Lian Yabing, Yu Qingtang learned that Lian Yabing worked at the very same foreign company where Li Lan was a senior manager.
Cheng Zhanxi was moving flowerpots on the balcony when she heard Yu Qingtang call her name from the bedroom. She put down the pot and hurried into the room. “What’s wrong?”
Yu Qingtang showed her the chat history.
Cheng Zhanxi raised an eyebrow. “Are they going to rekindle an old flame?”
Yu Qingtang smiled. “I don’t know. If they do, I should be invited to a wedding banquet.”
Cheng Zhanxi said, “Then let’s go to the temple tomorrow and burn some incense to ask the Bodhisattva to grant your wish.”
Yu Qingtang laughed and playfully hit her arm.
So improper.
A few months later, however, they ran into Li Lan and Lian Yabing while shopping at a mall. Li Lan was still dressed in a sharp, professional suit and high heels, while Lian Yabing followed behind her, carrying paper shopping bags. They didn’t look like lovers, but it also didn’t seem like nothing had happened.
The two of them didn’t see Cheng Zhanxi and Yu Qingtang. Yu Qingtang watched their backs until they disappeared from view before retracting her gaze.
Yu Qingtang sighed. “Lian Yabing is as dense as she was back then.”
Cheng Zhanxi laughed. “Maybe that’s just what Li Lan likes about her. People who are clueless about love can be quite something once they finally get it.”
Yu Qingtang looked at her, recalling the past, and her gaze gradually softened.
She used to be very clueless, too. Luckily, she met Cheng Zhanxi. And luckily, it was her she met.
Time flew by. Those vivid memories of the past were already from ten years ago.
Yu Qingtang’s phone rang, interrupting her reminiscence. She answered the call. “Mom.”
Song Qingrou asked from the other end, “Are you coming home for lunch?”
Yu Qingtang: “Yes, we’ll be there in half an hour.”
“Auntie!”
The moment they stepped into the house, Xiao Cheng Yun scrambled down from the sofa and ran toward them. Cheng Zhanxi bent down to catch her, then nodded at another refined-looking young man sitting on the sofa. “Brother Qi Chen.”
Qi Chen said gently, “The food is almost ready.”
He was rather introverted by nature. He adjusted the camera in his hands and said, “Let me take a picture of you all.”
“Okay,” Cheng Zhanxi agreed, placing Xiao Cheng Yun between herself and Yu Qingtang. Qi Chen raised his camera just as Song Qingrou was coming down the stairs. “Taking a picture? I want to be in it too.”
Cheng Yi followed closely behind her. “Count me in.”
After finishing his work, Cheng Yuanxi came out of the first-floor study to see his parents and his sister’s family sitting on the sofa. “?”
Cheng Yuanxi: “Why am I not in the family photo?”
It was one thing to be left out of vacations, but he had to be in the family portrait!
Qi Chen: “…”
Cheng Yuanxi found a spot for himself behind the sofa and waved at him. “A-Chen, come join us.”
Qi Chen: “…”
Oh, whatever.
He lowered his head and smiled, then found a tripod to set up the camera and stood beside Cheng Yuanxi.
Cheng Yuanxi: “Three, two, one—”
Cheng Zhanxi tightened her grip on Yu Qingtang’s hand, and everyone faced the camera with brilliant smiles.
Click—
The scene was forever frozen in the camera.
Outside, the sun was shining just right.
Comments
Post a Comment