Chapter 17

Feng Ling picked up a piece of his favorite sweet and sour pork ribs with chopsticks and put it in the bowl. Looking at his visibly thinner face, she said distressedly, "Eat more. Look at you, you've lost weight."

Qiqi ate it in big mouthfuls as she was told, her cheeks bulging with stuff. She nodded continuously and praised vaguely: "Hmm! It smells good! My baby's cooking skills are really good!" She also gave a thumbs up in cooperation.

"I bought this, haha!" Feng Ling confessed happily. Qiqi also smiled brightly upon hearing this, and stroked her head lovingly with one hand.

Seeing him eating in a childish manner, Feng Ling's heart softened. She leaned closer, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Oh, right! Tell me, is Cui Junxi really handsome in person? Is he as handsome as he looks on TV?"

Qiqi chewed her food, thought for a moment, and answered objectively, "Hmm... not much different. It looks pretty good in the camera."

After hearing this, Feng Ling held her chin with both hands, stared at him seriously for a few seconds, and then sighed heavily: "Alas..."

"What's wrong?" Qiqi turned to look at her in confusion.

Feng Ling looked at him, clicked his tongue and shook his head, his tone full of regret: "What a pity."

Qiqi laughed and pinched her nose. "What? Is your idol shattered?"

"No!" Feng Ling grabbed his rebellious hand, her eyes sparkling with undisguised pride. "I mean, our Qiqi is so handsome! He has such a great figure! And his dancing is impeccable! If you don't become a star, it will be a huge loss for thousands of girls!"

Qiqi was amused by her sudden, filtered praise, but she felt immensely happy. He leaned in close, his forehead almost touching hers, his eyes smiling as he whispered, "So... are you willing to let me become a star, surrounded by all those 'thousands of girls'?"

"I can't bear to..." Feng Ling answered honestly, but then her eyes rolled, revealing a sly smile. She gently hooked his chin with her finger, like teasing a big cat, "But... being a celebrity should be quite lucrative, right?"

She smiled like a kitten stealing some fish, her eyes curved into crescents.

This small gesture and the innocent words instantly ignited the flame hidden in Qiqi's eyes. His eyes suddenly became deep, churning with familiar desire and doting. He held her mischievous hand, his voice lowered, carrying a hint of danger:

"Have you finished eating?"

"Ah?" Feng Ling, still recovering from the joke, subconsciously replied, "I've finished eating."

The next second, the world spun around. Qiqi had already stood up and picked her up!

"Ah!" Feng Ling exclaimed and subconsciously hugged his neck.

Qiqi said no more. Holding her in his arms, he walked steadily and eagerly into the bedroom. The door closed gently, shutting out the light and sounds of the living room. Only the lingering aroma of food filled the room, witnessing this more private and passionate conversation after a long separation.

***

After several rounds of lovemaking, it was already late at night. Moonlight streamed in through the thin gauze curtains, outlining their embrace on the disheveled sheets. The air was filled with the warmth and tranquility left by passion, with only the sound of their gradually calming breathing remaining.

Qiqi lay on her side, tightly enveloping Feng Ling in her arms, his strong arms possessively wrapped around her slender waist. His chin gently caressed the top of her soft, sweaty hair, feeling her breath as soft as feathers. A tender silence lingered for a moment, and after a moment, he spoke, his voice hoarse afterward, yet carrying an unprecedented solemnity and request:

"Baby," he called her, his arms unconsciously tightening a little, as if afraid that she would slip away, "Take me to meet your parents, okay?"

The soft body in his arms stiffened noticeably.

"So early?" Feng Ling's voice came muffled from his chest, with a hint of laziness that had not yet dissipated and obvious surprise.

"You'll graduate next year." Qiqi's voice was low but clear, and every word struck Feng Ling's heart. "I don't want to be like this forever, with you apart more than together. I want... to be more formally involved in your future. I want them to know that I'm serious."

His words were devoid of flowery rhetoric, yet they carried a weight of promise and anticipation for the future. Feng Ling's heart felt like it had been bathed in warm water, warm yet tinged with a hint of panic and pressure from facing the unknown. She nodded gently in his embrace, her cheek nuzzling against his warm skin.

"Then... I'll go back and ask them first."

"Yeah." After getting her consent, Qiqi sighed with satisfaction and hugged her petite body deeper into his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head, as if he was embracing the stability and peace of mind of the whole world.

***

A few days later, Feng Ling chose a weekend to go home. The atmosphere at the dinner table was as warm as usual. She ate the rice in her bowl, hesitated for a while, took a deep breath, and said casually:

"Dad, Mom, I'm... in love."

The mother paused as she picked up the food and looked up, her face showing more concern than surprise. "Oh? A classmate? Why haven't I heard you mention him before?"

"Not a classmate." Feng Ling put down his chopsticks, sat up straighter, and tried to make his tone more natural. "It's... the teacher of the dance club where I learn to dance."

The air seemed to stagnate for a moment.

My father pushed his glasses up. His tone was calm, but with a scrutinizing tone: "Teacher? How old are you? What do you do? What do you teach specifically?"

"His name is Qi Qi, he is one year older than me, a professional dancer, mainly teaches hip-hop, and also choreographs. He has been on some shows..." Feng Ling introduced him as detailed as possible, speaking faster unconsciously, trying to portray an image that was good enough to reassure his parents.

"Only twenty-one?" Her mother frowned slightly and put down her chopsticks. "Professional dancer... Lingling, you know, this kind of art industry is very competitive. It's a bit like a job that relies on youth. What about future security? Is there enough stability?"

Feng Ling hurriedly explained: "He is very good! He is very famous in the circle, and many stars ask him to choreograph. He earns a good income too!" She was eager to prove his "strength".

"Fame is temporary, Feng Ling," his father took over, his tone still rational, yet tinged with undeniable concern. "You're still in school, and you might think all this glamour is important. But marriage and life are long-term. His job, with its irregular schedule and constant travel, how will he take care of the family? If you're together, where will you live in the future? Can you financially support a family? Have you calmly considered these practical issues?"

"We..." Feng Ling was speechless. It was not like she hadn't thought about these questions before, but they were always easily overshadowed by the sweetness of love and her trust in Qiqi. Now, being asked so bluntly by her parents, she felt powerless.

Her mother took Feng Ling's hand and spoke earnestly, her eyes filled with love and worry. "Lingling, I don't look down on his career. Dancing is his dream, and it's wonderful and courageous of him to pursue it. But as parents, we hope that your partner can provide you with a stable and secure life. We've never let you suffer since you were little. We hope that someone will continue to care for you in the future, rather than letting you wander around with him, worrying about your livelihood."

"He won't let me suffer!" Feng Ling was a little anxious, and her voice unconsciously rose a little. "He works very hard and has a plan! We can't deny him as a person just because of his profession! It's unfair to him!"

"We're not rejecting him as a person." The father's voice deepened, carrying the authority of an elder. "We're just not optimistic about the challenges this union might face in the future. You're being carried away by emotion right now, thinking you can overcome anything. But life isn't all about love and dancing." He paused, looking at his daughter sharply. "What's especially important, Lingling, is that he entered the workforce right after graduating from high school, while you're a serious university student. This isn't a question of superiority or inferiority, but rather different educational experiences often shape different knowledge structures, ways of thinking, and perspectives on the world. In the short term, passion might not be there, but in the long run, where will we find common ground? If we're not on the same page about the deeper understanding of many issues, the future will be very difficult."

Her mother nodded repeatedly and added, "Your father is right. Love can't be eaten; spiritual resonance and synchronization are the foundation of a long-term relationship. We're worried that because you grew up on different paths, you might find it fresh now, but you'll find that you have less and less to talk about later. Lingling, we're doing this for your own good! You're still young, and you have a long way to go. You'll meet more people who might be more suitable. Listen to your mother's advice, calm down, and cut your losses, okay?"

"Doing this for my own good means interfering with my choices?" Feng Ling's tears finally burst out, sliding down her cheeks. "In my eyes, he's the most suitable person! I don't want anyone else but him! You don't even know him, so why do you conclude that we have nothing in common?"

After she finished speaking, she could no longer endure this suffocating conversation, so she turned and ran back to her room, slamming the door shut to isolate herself from her parents' sighs and worries.

The slamming of the door, like a crack, clearly cut through the night. Inside, a young girl shed tears of stubborn determination to defend the pure love in her heart; outside, her parents, based on half a lifetime of experience, expressed their deepest, yet most realistic, worries and helplessness about their daughter's future.

There were no winners in this argument. For the first time, Feng Ling felt with such clarity that the untouched, passionate love between her and Qiqi was inevitably and forcefully colliding with the thick wall of reality. Differences in educational background and understanding, like the hardest foundation of the wall, made it all the more insurmountable. Could the wings of love carry them over this high wall of care, convention, and differing perspectives? This now became a weighty, unresolved question.