Lady

When Ju Hui was a child, she saw an advertisement on TV that said: "If you sincerely shed a tear on the ground, the gods will grant your wish."

She tried several times, intentionally or unintentionally, to run out from the cement floor of her aunt's house and cry by the tree stump at the door.

At this moment, hope clung to her tears, and she cast aside her sorrow. She crouched down and observed the traces of her tears that had moistened the earth.

Even after the tree trunks were painted white and the plants in the corners were cared for, the wish was still not fulfilled.

Her wish was delayed, so she made an exchange with the gods:

Since you won't help me now, please let me be happy and joyful when I grow up.

Bian Jiaping didn't understand: "I've never seen an ad like that, and I don't think any TV station would air it."

Ju Hui was the only one who went to the airport to see Bian Jiaping off. He didn't have much luggage, just a briefcase with his passport inside, but she didn't know if he would use it. They were parting without knowing their destination. In this situation, it seemed she should say something sentimental, but she found it hard to speak and instead recounted this vague memory.

Ju Hui gave a muffled "oh".

Bian Jiaping stopped and turned to her, saying, "I'm sorry."

Ju Hui forced a smile. "It's okay. I'm not sure if the ad is even real."

“No, I’m apologizing for lying to you about staying,” Bian Jiaping said earnestly. “I’m sorry for making you and Sheng Qijing separate for so many years.”

Bian Jiaping started with some sentimental words, but he wasn't embarrassed. This was an airport, a noisy place, and it wouldn't be surprising if travelers from all over the world could hear him. Many important life events begin at the airport.

Ju Hui nodded, "Then I apologize for not returning to China to see you for eight years."

She only returned to Shanghai when she came back to China, and only saw Sheng Qijing in eight years. Now that she thinks about it, she was so heartless. It would be better for her and Bian Jiaping to keep some secrets.

"I'm serious, it's not me, you guys have a better chance."

Ju Hui remained silent as her phone rang in her palm, displaying a WeChat message from Sheng Qijing.

As the interface opened, Bian Jiaping saw that the white and green dialog boxes were evenly distributed, resembling a healthy honeycomb.

Sheng Qijing: [I've met Sheng Jiashu.]

Sheng Qijing: [She wants to see you. Come back to Ruobei with me tomorrow.]

Sheng Qijing landed in Shanghai on Friday. A few days earlier, he had "accidentally" sent me a screenshot of his plane ticket, along with a slightly tired voice message: "Cheng Yi, pick me up at the airport."

Ju Hui, an employee located in Ruobei, received the message and replied immediately:

【？】

Sheng Qijing replied after three minutes when he was unable to retract his message:

[Sent to the wrong person.]

Sheng Jiashu hadn't seen her younger brother for almost half a year and would definitely go to the airport to pick him up, but he didn't mention it until today. He wanted to make his appearance more appealing so that Ju Hui would suggest, "Then I'll come pick you up."

In a polite superior-subordinate conversation, Bian Jiaping averted his gaze, not bothering to hide his voyeuristic behavior. "Aren't you going to reply to him?"

Ju Hui stuffed her phone into her denim pocket and shrugged. "There's no better possibility."

Bian Jiaping raised her eyebrows slightly, and after a moment of reaction, she realized that she was answering the question from before.

“There was no other possibility. At that time, Sheng Qijing encouraged me to apply for Mo Cun again. I didn’t know how to be honest about going to study abroad. Actually, I should thank you. That matter made me leave very… with a clear conscience.”

Bian Jiaping said in a hoarse voice, "That's not how you solve the problem."

Like slicing a lotus root cleanly and quickly, the process appears swift and clean, but the indescribable strands of lotus root fibers remain entangled around them.

“Alright,” Ju Hui said, not wanting to recall the past, “I accept your apology.”

With the boarding gate right in front of him, Ju Hui observed that most of the passengers around him were Chinese, confirming that his flight was to a domestic destination.

It seemed Bian Jiaping hadn't gone far. Just as she was starting to feel a little relieved, he said again, "I'm sorry."

Ju Hui frowned. "What's the big deal? Back then, I was determined to settle in Norway. If we hadn't broken up, would I have made him come with me?"

That's true selfishness.

Norway is bitterly cold and incredibly boring. Making a simple tomato and egg stir-fry costs more than eating out. Sheng Qijing is wealthy, but he has to find a job quickly because of his visa. He can endure this for a while, but it will soon come to an end before winter arrives.

Today is the best ending for them.

Bian Jiaping hummed in agreement. "Maybe he wanted to hear you say that, at least I did back then."

Ju Hui's breath hitched, and she didn't look at him.

The announcement continued to remind Ju Hui, who had come to the boarding gate with Bian Jiaping due to a special application, that she had to leave early.

Without a hug or eye contact, Bian Jiaping watched her retreating figure, which seemed angry, as the escalator slowly descended, without her turning back even once.

Unbeknownst to Bian Jiaping, a wave of smugness was currently washing over her.

It turns out that she could get Bian Jiaping to go to Norway to accompany her studies with just a word, and the need for time travel filled the void in her loneliness at that moment.

Her phone vibrated again as she chuckled to herself.

Information: [Flight about to depart: Estimated arrival time 07-27 17:15 Pudong Airport]

Just as he was wondering if this was a bug that all airport drop-off staff would encounter, Bian Jiaping called from behind.

Ju Huixin fell down.

“We’re not at the parking lot yet,” he asked. “Come back, let me take you to Shanghai to explain things before you leave.”

-

After a long separation, Shanghai's old-fashioned prosperity became clear, and details that I hadn't noticed before were all vividly apparent. The sunset was especially vibrant because of the clear sky. There were no stone bricks along the Bund for people to sit and watch the water. High-end events were often held in high-rise buildings, and the language spoken was Mandarin without accents.

Calm and friendly, perhaps because he had other things on his mind, Sheng Qijing didn't feel tired on the second day after returning to China and accepted the reality of returning to work with ease.

He wandered around alone without his secretary by his side.

Mochen Shanghai is hosting a light and shadow exhibition about a cyber island. The exhibition hall is spacious and dimly lit, and the closing time has been extended to 9 pm. The team members are all there, but they are hidden in various places.

Only the blue-violet light diffused like water, reflecting the grooves in the floor.

Sheng Qijing stopped in front of a twilight simulated by an electronic screen. Further ahead was a floor-to-ceiling screen with a projector displaying a large expanse of deep blue light. The air conditioner blew gently, causing the light to flicker.

Ju Hui was looking at the cross star on the top of the white curtain, and Sheng Qijing was looking at Ju Hui.

She tilted her head slightly back, as if she were about to emerge from the calm sea, surrounded by shimmering waves.

Sheng Qijing watched for a while.

The water seemed to be warming up. Before Sheng Qijing walked towards her, Ju Hui noticed him; a deserted island was floating towards them.

His eyes were devoid of emotion, and Ju Hui was at a loss for words. He drew closer, and just as she was about to say, "Long time no see," he asked in a certain tone:

"Bian Jiaping is gone, isn't he?"

That night, Ju Hui went to Sheng Jiashu's house for dinner. The new house was in Jing'an District and was more than twice the size of Sheng Qijing's apartment.

The movie room, the coffee bar, and even the entrance hall were designed to be much larger because of the family's cats and dogs. Ju Hui could easily find a place to explain, but Sheng Qijing seemed very gentle and offered no interpretation of Bian Jiaping's departure.

Xiao Huan was still very likable. She went to bed earlier than the other children and was obediently sent back to her room to rest by Wei Xia. Liu Li and Sheng Jia Shu leaned against each other, sitting on the carpet on the sofa to watch a movie, while Ju Hui sat far away at the other end.

The living room was decorated warmly by Sheng Jiashu, and the long-haired rug made sitting on it feel cozy even in 30-degree weather.

Sheng Qijing bent his long legs and sat down, then tucked his freshly bathed ragdoll cat into Ju Hui's arms.

"Now you can hug me."

"I'm not that particular."

Sheng Qijing washed himself very carefully, which made the movie more than halfway through, but he didn't mind, saying, "People who are depressed are more susceptible to bacterial infections."

She was already better, and her repeated reminders only made Ju Hui feel awkward. She smiled sheepishly and glanced at Sheng Jiashu, who was being blocked by his body. They were very focused.

The movie continued playing; it was a zombie film starring Brad Pitt, with stunning special effects, but the plot was hard to predict. On screen, the scene was showing his wife Karen, who was overly worried, secretly calling Brad during an operation, accidentally waking up the zombies and causing casualties among their fellow zombies.

This scene caused Sheng Jiashu to burst into a tirade, cursing the director for designing this plot as brainless and useless. Liuli joined in the chanting, wondering how her wife, who had just been escaping with her, had been forced to become so mentally deficient, her excited voice even louder than the zombies'.

Xiao Huan was woken up by the noise.

Wearing pajamas and with her curly hair all over the place, she was led downstairs by Wei Xia.

Ju Hui helped turn the volume down, and Xiao Huan skillfully hugged Liu Li, nestled on the sofa, and fell asleep in the crook of her mother's legs.

A little while later, Sheng Jiashu checked the time and realized the two-hour movie was over. She cursed again, saying that from the phone call to the finale, Karen never had a moment to redeem herself. Why did they have to create a stupid supporting character?

Sheng Qijing's legs were sore and he moved slightly, but Sheng Jiashu stopped him from moving.

"It's so early, let's watch a movie to cleanse our eyes."

It was another two-hour "gentle prison" session. This time, they were showing the 2005 version of "Pride and Prejudice," recommended by Ju Hui. Only Sheng Qijing hadn't seen it. She hugged her knees, and seeing Darcy reminded her of him walking out of the morning mist.

She tilted her head back and forth, watching the plot intermittently.

When Ju Hui saw Miss Bingley spinning Elizabeth around, she inadvertently glanced at the six people in the living room. Apart from her and Sheng Qijing, everyone else had their eyes closed and were asleep.

She sat up straight, then relaxed back down.

The dimly lit space for two unfolded in the narrow gap between them, just big enough for a cat to lie down. The kitten had run away, leaving only a hand-sized space.

Ju Hui belatedly realized how close they were.

"Sheng Qijing".

"Um?"

His profile was bathed in soft light, his eyelashes were clear, and he looked down at me.

Ju Hui had some questions she had been wanting to ask for half a year, but due to Bian Jiaping's disappearance, new problems arose.

She started the conversation in a voice only they could hear, "Are you settling into life in Paris?"

She was unaware of how bright her eyes were. Sheng Qijing, slightly off-beat, hummed in agreement and smiled faintly, "Not bad."

"I will do my best to help you win against Tera."

“I’ll answer again,” Sheng Qijing changed his mind, “I’m not used to Paris at all, but if we’re together, it’s no problem.”

Sheng Qijing emphasized "we" very much, and Ju Hui saw Xiao Huan turn over.

She remained silent, seemingly unaffected by Bian Jiaping's departure. Explaining things like "it's not that I don't want to be with you" would be superfluous.

The horses' hooves moved silently as Elizabeth, riding in her carriage, saw Darcy's mansion and smiled. In the script, she had just refused to become the mistress of the castle; in reality, Sheng Qijing had just lost the opportunity for her to confess her feelings.

She looked down at her phone and started scrolling through it. She couldn't send the WeChat message to Bian Jiaping, who had taken out his SIM card and thrown it away on the plane. He had gone through the transfer channel and parted ways with Ju Hui in a hurry, like luggage in someone else's hands.

Sheng Qijing suddenly lowered his hand, and the only gap disappeared.

She looked up, and Sheng Qijing was still looking at her.

He leaned very slowly close to her ear, as if asking permission before a kiss, and said, "Is there anything else you want to ask?"

Ju Hui pursed her lips and leaned slightly towards him. "Aren't you worried that I don't want to go to Paris with you?"

Their cheeks almost touched, and Ju Hui could almost see Sheng Jiashu sleeping in Wei Xia's arms, facing her.

"Before I signed that agreement, I never thought you would come back to China, let alone that you would come with me. I only knew that it was in the same time zone as Norway, and that the flight was direct, taking only three hours."

Sheng Qijing smiled and lowered his head, "This way it will be more convenient for you to come find me again."

"...You're so thoughtful."

Ju Hui returned to her original position, but was pulled back by Sheng Qijing.

Only then did she see his eyes clearly; he remained focused.

“Many impossible things have become reality. You’re sitting right here, so I’m not worried at all,” Sheng Qijing said confidently. “I know you love me too, Ju Hui.”

He didn't lower his voice; more than shyness, Ju Hui was terrified. This was the most direct and loud expression of love, spoken in the calmest tone.

No one around moved, and Darcy's hair was disheveled from the shock.

"Isn't that right?" Ju Hui's hand was pressed under his palm, its temperature burning hot. "For so many years, you've been coming back to China to find me."

"So, I'm glad Bian Jiaping is gone. I can see you off with such a large family."

"Stop talking."

Ju Hui covered Sheng Qijing's mouth, her face flushed red.

The surroundings were so quiet that no one could even turn over. Perhaps Liuli was holding Xiaohuan captive, but Ju Hui dared not think about it further.

"Let's go."

She was exhausted and almost collapsed onto Sheng Qijing.

Sheng Qijing removed her hand and whispered, "Where are we going, to my house or our house?"

"Our home, let's go quickly..."

For a long time after that day, Ju Hui often felt awkward in front of Sheng Jiashu Liuli, especially when Sheng Qijing held her hand and whispered in her ear openly in front of them.

Later, she secretly asked Xiao Huan if she remembered what happened that day.

He thought for a long time before saying that he slept soundly and that it was a very ordinary night, except that you and your uncle came back.

These ordinary days happened almost every week this autumn. They moved into a loft together again, and Sheng Qijing took over Kan Yu's job as her assistant. During this time, Ruomei sent Zhang Xiaoqing's invitation letter. She met Jing Kuan, who was staying at the school to pursue a master's degree, again in the volunteer team, and they had a pleasant conversation.

He asked Ju Hui to confirm, "Is that installation in the park of that new shopping mall in Changping District your work?"

Ju Hui nodded in delight, "Yes, you said you wanted to see this!"

Jing Kuan chuckled, "I saw it."

If the impossible can become the ordinary, then many inevitable things will also deviate from their expected course. The modern exhibition concluded successfully, with two new works from an older series being acquired by the same buyer at auction. Ju Hui received a good response domestically, but the agreed-upon revenue target of one million yuan was not achieved.

Ju Hui wanted to appear heartbroken and defeated, but that wasn't her life after all. Sheng Qijing, after resigning as president of Lao Run and selling his existing shares in Mo Cun, became someone whose wallet was two or three times fuller than hers.

Sheng Qijing was bigger than a horse even when he was stuffed. Ju Hui had just returned from work when he brought out the freshly cooked meal with a very good expression, sat down next to her, propped his chin up, and watched her eat.

His only source of anxiety now is the societal perception that he has lost his job and can only rely on Ju Hui to support the family.

He had no comment on this, chuckling as he remarked, "I do have a lot of free time, and managing money is a difficult task."

Ju Hui tasted a hint of smugness in her voice, "Go open a restaurant and become a chef, it won't be difficult to lose a lot of money."

Sheng Qijing glanced down at the table, where she had repeatedly ordered the same dishes. He chuckled, "Or perhaps I could submit your work to Kan Yu and have him plan your new series, using it as a case study for his curatorial company. Have you decided whether to return to Norway or continue developing your career in China?"

“You keep asking me this question lately…” Ju Hui squinted and put down her chopsticks. “I just said I would lose a lot of money, and you bring up the person who supports you. Stick your mouth out here.”

"good."

Sheng Qijing kissed Ju Hui's lips lightly, but with a sound, leaving a few specks of oil on the tip of his lips.

Ju Hui was stunned. She held her hand halfway up, wanting to slap him, but the next second she took out a tissue to wipe his mouth and clean it for him.

He did it on purpose.

"Wherever you go, we will go."

Ju Hui snorted.

Hearing that really makes you feel like you've eaten a delicious, satisfying fruit candy.

She must have heard of it in some parallel universe, but that Ju Hui was only twenty years old, quick-witted and prone to making careless remarks. Sheng Qijing was muddle-headed and reckless, and went to Norway with her to accompany her to study. In those days as brittle as the glutinous rice paper on a candied hawthorn, she would silently imagine that this Ju Hui had already broken up with him back in China.

She'll probably hope, just like she did when she was a child, that since we have to break up now, we should at least be happy together in the future.

Cracks seem to be a recurring feature of her happiness; only by appearing and repairing them can everything feel real enough.

That's great. They've already suffered so much, this is a huge relief.

The future will be as smooth as flowing water.

Ju Hui turned her face away, "I've already decided where to hold the new series of exhibitions."

Sheng Qijing responded curiously, "Where?"

"You're here, Kan Yu is here, Jia Shu and the others are all here, what do you think?"

Sheng Qijing chuckled, tilting his head to draw Ju Hui's attention back. "Yes, I understand."

What do you want to eat tomorrow night?

—The End—