Chapter 74 Finding Myself Even on rainy days, I have my own…

In mid-February, Zhou Jinqin and Liang Minghe welcomed their first New Year after marriage, which was also one of the few long holidays that working people had in a year. Considering the inappropriate arrangements for the National Day holiday, Liang Minghe was determined to make up for it. After obtaining the consent of the whole family (including Tuantuan), the four of them, along with their cat and dog, flew to the Southern Hemisphere to continue enjoying the summer sun.

The dog was picked up by Liang Minghe on a whim when his grandmother insisted on having a great-grandchild. Liang Minghe became increasingly convinced that the dog had Beagle genes, because since then, his grandmother had never had any energy left to hold a new grandchild.

Several friends also went along.

Number one, Xiang Ziqing, was labeled a first-class villain by her elders for advocating the unfilial idea of ​​not getting married or having children. She was kicked out of her home at the beginning of the month and had nowhere to go. Helpless, she went to the Southern Hemisphere to celebrate the New Year with her best friend Meimei.

Number two, Liao Zhengqing, used the excuse of unresolved conflicts with his parents to forcibly follow Xiang Ziqing.

Number three, Kong Feifei, is the only unmarried Chaoshan boy of his generation in his family. In order to avoid being subjected to collective psychological oppression, he went into hiding.

On the fourth day, Connie was visiting relatives in New Zealand with her parents for the New Year. Since they were both in the Southern Hemisphere, the distance between them wasn't too far. Kong Feifei persuaded her to come and play with them for a few days.

The group first spent a week experiencing the local customs and culture in towns and cities, and then moved to a small island to continue their trip as the holiday was coming to an end.

Under the pretext of catching up with her sisters, Xiang Ziqing, like a bandit, forcibly took Zhou Jinqin, a commoner, from Liang Minghe's room and brought her back to her own room, leaving the two men to look at each other with mutual disgust in the noisy night wind.

Zhou Jinqin was completely taken away willingly. She nestled comfortably in bed and asked Xiang Ziqing with a smile, "What's the situation between you and Liao Zhengqing now?"

Xiang Ziqing coiled the kidnapped girl, Tuantuan, around her head and strolled around the room like an African woman carrying a weight on her head. She said lightly, "It's just a sleeping arrangement, what could possibly happen? Don't you know me?"

Zhou Jinqin turned over and lay face down on the bed, her legs dangling leisurely in the air. She squinted and stretched her neck, teasingly saying, "But this time it seems to be taking especially long..."

“Long-distance relationships don’t offer many opportunities to see each other, so it might still be a novelty.” Xiang Ziqing seemed to remember something, paused for a moment, and then added, “But he is indeed exceptionally cute.”

After saying that, her face flushed, and she quickly moved closer, lifted the blanket, and covered Zhou Jinqin, who had an ambiguous look on her face, with the blanket: "Ahem... I'm just like that, there's nothing to say, but you seem happier every day."

“Yes,” Zhou Jinqin readily admitted, “I was very happy when I was with Liang Minghe.”

Xiang Ziqing pretended to be a little jealous: "Oh, it didn't have the same effect when you were with me. Does that count as prioritizing your boyfriend over your friends?"

Zhou Jinqin was both amused and exasperated. She sat up and took the initiative to put her arm around her: "You know that's not what I meant. Your existence is also very important to me, otherwise I wouldn't have had the courage to leave."

Xiang Ziqing stroked her soft hair, her tone no longer playful but more serious: "Because you are a brave, strong, and lovable girl, we are willing to stay by your side. Although I am a little jealous because of Liang Minghe's replacement, I am mostly happy right now. I hope that more people in this world can love you."

"Besides, I now think that Liang Minghe might be the most suitable partner for you. He is very passionate and patient, generous with his love, and even has ample resources in terms of time and money. He seems to be the perfect husband for a wife with such high needs as you." She joked with a smile, then suddenly asked, "If you and Liang Minghe weren't married yet, and he proposed to you now, would you agree to his request?"

Zhou Jinqin nodded seriously: "Yes, I will say it out loud."

Night fell, and amidst the gentle lapping of the waves and the hopeful cries of the sun, it rose once again as promised.

Zhou Jinqin is still not someone who craves sleep, but now it's not because of the worries about dreaming, but because there are many wonderful things in the world waiting for her to explore.

She now wholeheartedly agrees with what Xiao Hong wrote in her essay collection "The Last Piece of Firewood"—"Why sleep long before death, when you will sleep long after death?"

She tucked the blanket around the soundly sleeping Xiang Ziqing, quickly washed up, and tiptoed out of the room. Bathed in the golden morning light tinged with purple, she walked on the soft sand toward the last hut on the beach.

Liang Minghe was still asleep, but his sleep was probably not very deep. His breathing was very light, so light that it was drowned out by the sound of the surging waves.

Zhou Jinqin tiptoed and, taking advantage of the sun's still-bright but unreserved sunshine before it rose, quietly slipped into Liang Minghe's warm bed in the dark.

She was imagining the surprise Liang Minghe would feel when he discovered her, when suddenly she was tightly embraced. Liang Minghe's hot breath pattered against her neck, and the man chuckled softly, "It's not even dawn yet, what are you doing sneaking around like that?"

Before Zhou Jinqin could wipe the smile from her lips, she looked at him in surprise: "When did you wake up? Did I wake you?"

She muttered regretfully, "I was planning to give you a surprise, but now it's probably turned into a shock."

Liang Minghe chuckled, his messy hair brushing against her neck, his voice becoming a little hoarse from the caress: "No, I woke up a long time ago, I've already gone for a morning run."

"Aren't you used to it?" Zhou Jinqin lifted her head off his arm to look at the surging waves outside the large French windows.

"Hmm, I'm not used to not having you with me." Liang Minghe's words were clearly a bait.

The man's fingertips roamed erratically over Zhou Jinqin's lower back through the thin fabric. This was the only spot on her body that felt ticklish; he seemed to have his muscles under his control, causing her to curl up uncontrollably like a cooked shrimp. Her hand accidentally bumped into Liang Minghe's leg, touching a different kind of sensation...

Zhou Jinqin froze abruptly, her face, which had been chilled by the sea breeze, now flushed red, finally making her look like a truly cooked shrimp.

"You..." she stammered, her eyes darting around, watery, like a startled fawn.

Liang Minghe laughed frankly: "Has Teacher Zhou forgotten the key points again?"

His lips moved, as if he were about to say something about Nocturnal Penile Tumescence...

Zhou Jinqin suddenly raised her head and sealed his lips with hers.

Liang Minghe pressed his lips to her soft lips, his lips curving into a wide smile, and said with a sly smile, "This is truly a pleasant surprise."

A kiss is a silent dialogue; each touch of lips and teeth speaks of the deepest longing between two people.

Liang Ming kissed her deeply and urgently, and somehow, Zhou Jinqin was tricked by him into going to the window.

Seagulls were calling outside. Zhou Jinqin was pressed against the window. Her first feeling was not shame, nor the physical coldness, but a sense of panic that felt like she was about to collapse.

The house they were staying in was built on the coast, with the sea roaring just outside the window. Occasionally, the surging waves would crash against the transparent windowpane, as if they were on a small, rickety boat, about to be swallowed by the churning waves.

Zhou Jinqin felt a little flustered. Liang Minghe hugged her from behind, turned to the side and gently kissed her eyebrows and eyes, softly comforting her, "It's okay, baby, I'm here."

The voice seemed to have a magical power, and Zhou Jinqin's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, was quickly calmed down, or rather, she was captivated by the man behind her.

She couldn't hear the roar of the sea, nor could she understand the clamor of the birds; she was completely immersed in the breathing and communication between people.

Liang Minghe understood her extremes best. He slowed his movements and gently kissed her fragrant hair. The less aggressive approach gave Zhou Jinqin a moment to relax her tense nerves. She raised her wet eyes to look at the golden sky again, and her relaxed emotions rose again.

A strong gust of wind swept by, bringing even stronger waves. The waves rose high like a tsunami, about to crash onto the house, perhaps shattering the fragile glass and drowning them all, Zhou Jinqin thought wildly.

She needed to get as far away as possible before the waves crashed over her; this was her immediate choice. She squeezed herself together and backed away, forgetting that Liang Minghe was still behind her...

The distance between the two, which had just widened, was suddenly shortened again. Amidst the clamor of the waves, Zhou Jinqin heard Liang Minghe groan with perfect clarity.

He put his arms around her shoulders, burying his head deep in the crook of her neck. After a long while, he laughed in a hoarse voice, clearly exhausted, "That's it, I'm really overwhelmed."

This was the first time Liang Minghe had been excited before her. Zhou Jinqin blushed with embarrassment and couldn't say a word. She didn't even have time to think about how turbulent the waves were outside.

Liang Minghe was quite happy. He pulled her to sit in the rocking chair by the window, wrapped her tightly in his arms, and whispered in her ear in a very low voice, "I have to tell you, it's super... awesome."

Liang Minghe has never felt ashamed in such matters, nor does he care about so-called male dignity. He is always more courageous in the face of setbacks, like a bamboo shoot growing with its head covered, tirelessly striving upwards.

Zhou Jinqin was coaxed into making a fuss again, and with the excitement from before, she demanded even more this time.

Looking at the scattered marks on her body, Zhou Jinqin felt a little worried. She glared at him reproachfully, "How am I supposed to go out and have fun later?"

Liang Minghe still smiled freely. He gently touched her flushed nose and said, "Don't worry, baby, I know what I'm doing in this kind of thing."

As he spoke, he stood up and took out a white strapless satin dress from the wardrobe. Under the light, you could see golden glittering spots on it, just like the shimmering sea at dusk.

Seeing Zhou Jinqin's mouth drop in surprise, Liang Minghe smiled smugly: "Give it a try?"

"Mmm!" Zhou Jinqin was visibly happy.

The clothes fit him perfectly, every inch of them was seamless, even the hickeys were neatly concealed beneath the fabric.

Zhou Jinqin opened her eyes wide to look at Liang Minghe, who was admiring her so openly, and asked, "How come it fits so well? And you even know where to kiss me..."

She was too embarrassed to continue, so Liang Minghe smiled and added for her, "Yes, I know everything."

He tapped the back of her neck: "This spot is fine too."

As he spoke, he took out a ribbon from the same collection and tied it around her neck.

He said, "I had a classmate who studied fashion design before. I made some requests and then asked him to design this dress."

"You don't seem to have asked me for such detailed dimensions before..." Zhou Jinqin muttered softly, blushing.

Although she has gained a lot of weight, she is still quite thin, and it is difficult for her to find clothes that fit her so well.

Liang Minghe raised an eyebrow, pulled her wrist and kissed it: "You probably told me that when you were clinging to me."

Zhou Jinqin glared at him angrily and turned to run out.

Liang Minghe pulled the person back, and asked with a smile, "You still haven't told me if you like it or not?"

Zhou Jinqin's bright eyes darted around. She tiptoed and whispered in his ear, "I love it so much!" Then she flew away like a golden hummingbird.

In the Southern Hemisphere during the height of summer, Zhou Jinqin's white dress was bathed in golden sunlight. At first, she felt shy about attracting attention, but she quickly began to enjoy it.

On this vibrant island, everyone she met praised Zhou Jinqin without reservation. They said she was a beautiful golden-winged butterfly, a golden tulip in full bloom, a star left behind by the night, and the golden rays of dawn scattered in the morning light...

Zhou Jinqin was invited by the enthusiastic restaurant owner to sing at the bar. At first, she was a little shy, but after Liang Minghe gave her a demonstration, she gained some confidence and finally stood on the stage with two backup dancers, Kong Feifei and Kang Na, to sing some lighthearted songs that were a little off-key.

"On the first day, I existed, and for the first time, I breathed freely."

The ankles standing on the ground feel real because of you.

On the first day, I existed, and for the first time, I was able to fly…

Xiang Ziqing felt a surge of tenderness. She used to think that gentle people like Zhou Jinqin should wear soft colors to stand out, but today that narrow-minded idea was completely overturned.

She picked up a pitcher of beer and downed most of it in one gulp, but Liao Zhengqing next to her snatched it away and drank the rest.

"Do you intend to spend most of the day rambling on nonsense?"

"Go to hell." Xiang Ziqing pinched his face, then snatched the cup and raised it to Liang Ming and Dao, "I admit defeat, I lose to you."

Liang Minghe clinked glasses with her and said bluntly, "It's good that you've realized it."

Just as the other person was about to retort, he quickly calmed her down, saying, "However, thank you for being there for her while I wasn't around."

Xiang Ziqing said with dissatisfaction, "I didn't send her to you."

“I know.” Liang Minghe looked intently at the girl bouncing around on the stage. “We’re all doing this so that she can reach her own path.”

Xiang Ziqing was satisfied: "Okay, I accept you as my best friend's husband. Good luck tonight!"

Liang Ming smiled and nodded: "Mm."

"Don't say 'uh-huh' yet," Xiang Ziqing suddenly interrupted him, "It looks like you're about to have your boyfriend stolen again..."

Zhou Jinqin was called away by a man as soon as she stepped off the stage. Of course, the man was not someone who would steal her away, but her former colleague and her real psychotherapist.

"Wan Jiang? What are you doing here?" Zhou Jinqin looked at the other person in surprise.

Wan Jiang shrugged: "Chinese people are the ones who should be on Earth."

He carefully examined her noticeably vibrant complexion and remarked, "You seem to have completely transformed."

Zhou Jinqin laughed: "I took your advice and moved to a city where it's always summer."

When Zhou Jinqin wanted to stop taking her medication, Wan Jiang did not refuse. He knew that Zhou Jinqin's illness could not be cured by medicine. What she needed to do most was to escape and run away. So, in the last diagnosis, the medicine he prescribed for her was sunshine.

Wan Jiang knew, of course, that she was referring to Shenzhen: "It seems like there's a lot of rain there."

Zhou Jinqin nodded in agreement: "That's quite a lot. It rains for a third of the year, but it washes away the hazy dust. Besides..." She paused suddenly, raised her hand and pointed to Liang Minghe and a group of friends around her, "On rainy days, I also have my own sunshine."

Wan Jiang waved generously to the person in the other direction and said with a smile, "It seems you've been cured."

"Dr. Wan's medical skills are superb," ​​Zhou Jinqin jokingly complimented.

Wan Jiang smiled, raised her wine glass, nodded to the man on the other end, then clinked glasses with Zhou Jinqin and said, "Happy wedding."

Zhou Jinqin thought that she and Liang Minghe were still in the honeymoon phase, so she didn't correct him and simply thanked him and accepted the offer.

When Zhou Jinqin returned, she was quite surprised to see Liang Minghe looking perfectly normal: "I thought you would be jealous..."

"Why do you look so excited?" The room was well-ventilated, so Liang Minghe draped a shawl over her shoulders.

“It’s not that…” Zhou Jinqin glanced at him discreetly, “Last time Jia Yang gave me a belated Christmas present, and you…”

"So I'll wreak havoc in the Heavenly Palace?" Liang Minghe replied.

"Is that some kind of disturbance in the Heavenly Palace...?" Zhou Jinqin glared at him and stammered, "Anyway, you're not like this now."

Liang Minghe popped a piece of vegetable into her mouth: "That's because I can tell the difference between good and bad."

"Are people who like me bad guys?"

"Only those who try to poach my men count."

"..."

After dinner, as dusk settled, artificial lights illuminated the silent beach once more.

Tonight, there will be a "Find Me" activity on the island. Everyone will receive an egg and draw their image of themselves on it with colored pens. The staff will then collect the eggs and hide them in another activity area. Once the activity starts, participants will enter the area to search for themselves, and the organizers will award prizes based on the speed of the search.

Zhou Jinqin's painting skills were really poor, but fortunately Liang Minghe helped her save the childish handwriting on her egg.

Liang Minghe handed over the egg he was holding as well: "To be fair, you have to help me too."

"Are you sure?" Zhou Jinqin looked at the handsome image he had sketched with just a few strokes, completely puzzled.

“Yes, I not only want to find myself, but also to find the me you see.” Liang Minghe handed her the pen. “Come on, baby.”

After thinking for a moment, Zhou Jinqin decided not to ruin the aesthetics. She simply took a bright red pen and drew a big heart next to it, claiming that "the bright color makes it easy to see."

After the egg is painted, 30 minutes will be reserved for staff to register the owner and then hide it away.

During this free time, the organizers prepared a dance party for everyone to dance happily together.

The event started with a lively samba dance. Even though Zhou Jinqin had no dance experience, she couldn't resist the enthusiastic atmosphere and joined in the dance by standing on tiptoe.

As the song ended and the music softened, Zhou Jinqin, who had no experience, was led by Liang Minghe to dance a waltz.

She looked up, a hint of jealousy in her voice, and asked, "Did you dance with other people in school before?"

Liang Minghe thought about it carefully and nodded: "Yes, I danced at the graduation ball."

"Is she very pretty?" Zhou Jinqin asked sourly.

“He has a pert nose, deep blue eyes, and full, glossy skin. He…” Liang Minghe added with a smile just as her lips were about to droop, “He’s a man.”

Zhou Jinqin froze for a moment, and when she came to her senses, the dancers around her disappeared with the music.

Zhou Jinqin was about to leave, but Liang Minghe insisted that she turn around one last time.

Although she didn't understand why, she still did as she was told and completed the last circle under the love arch formed by the two of them.

Turning around and standing still, Liang Minghe released her hand and suddenly knelt on one knee.

Wearing a gauze skirt, Tuantuan nimbly ran across the beach like a sand cat, carrying a box containing a diamond ring.

Liang Minghe opened the box, took out the diamond ring set with a sapphire, and solemnly told her, "I always think about what is missing in your life, or what I can make up for it. When this thought came to mind, the first thing that came to mind was a formal proposal ceremony, but now I think this is not what you are missing, but what I want. I want a ceremony to declare my love for you to the world."

Light fell into his beautiful eyes, like stars: "Please allow me to be selfish just this once, to confess to you, to tell you my belated love."

His clear voice drowned out the roar of the sea: "Zhou Jinqin, will you marry me?"

Zhou Jinqin was sensitive and had actually guessed that things would turn out this way. She tried her best to convince herself to stay calm and maintain her beauty, but she still shed hot tears.

She reached out her hand and declared to the world in a trembling voice, "I do!"

Brilliant fireworks burst in the sky as the two embraced and kissed, their ears filled with heartfelt blessings from family, friends, and strangers from every different country.

Grandma released the restless dog she was holding. Its name was Caibao, and it carried a flower basket in its mouth containing the most beautiful flowers in the world. Zhou Jinqin knew that they came from faraway Yunnan.

Zhou Jinqin hugged the flowers and took a deep sniff, wiped away her tears and smiled again. She ran in the direction the sea breeze was blowing, her white skirt, adorned with gold stars, billowing high in the air.

She stood in the wind, waved to Liang Minghe, and shouted, "Come on, Xiao He, go find yourself!"

—End of text—

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Author's Note: The main text is finished. Thank you all for your company. I wish you all can find yourselves!

Xiaoqin sang Stefanie Sun's "The First Day" at the restaurant.

Extra chapters will be updated sporadically; tentatively, an "if" scenario will be introduced: what if Zhou Jinqin hadn't gone to Shenzhen...

The book "Don't List Your Cat on Xianyu" is expected to be released in March. Please bookmark it if you're interested!

The text is as follows:

1.

Hang Sheng has a crazy black cat that usually climbs onto the roof every three days and removes tiles every two days. Hang Sheng, who is already unemployed, is often so angry that he vomits blood.

After a bottle of perfume worth a thousand yuan was broken, Hang Sheng, enraged by the failure of his mass recruitment efforts, put the cat up for sale on a second-hand platform for one cent, determined to expose the cat's heinous crime to the world.

Less than a minute after the link was posted, Hang Sheng encountered a strange person with an ugly cat avatar who bought it: "I've paid, waiting for you to ship."

Although the cat was mischievous, it was a real treasure. Hang Sheng was so frightened that he immediately said he would not sell it and quickly refunded the money and removed the link.

A few days later, the cat committed the same crime again. Enraged, Hang Sheng once again put the cat up for public display. To prevent a repeat of the previous incident, she specifically set the price at 9.99 million. However, the strange person appeared again: "[I have paid, awaiting your shipment.]"

Hang Sheng, who was unemployed at home, was extremely envious of the money: "Boss, don't buy a cat, buy me to go back to work. I'm a top-notch ox or horse, cheap, and incredibly hardworking."

The eccentric man: "I can consider it. Let's discuss it over the phone."

2.

Hang Sheng found a part-time job as a temporary caretaker for more than fifty cats, earning a daily wage of one thousand yuan.

Hang Sheng initially thought it was an unscrupulous cattery, but upon arrival, she realized she was completely wrong. The owner was clearly a kind-hearted and handsome man, after all, no one else would spoil an ugly cat like that.

As her half-month part-time job was coming to an end, Hang Sheng couldn't help but feel a little lost. She thought she would probably never find such a wonderful job again, with high pay, low workload, an attractive but not stupid boss, and ugly but not talkative colleagues.

She looked at her tall, handsome temporary boss, shook her head, and sighed, "I wish I could stay with you forever."

Fang Huaijun stared at her face, considered it carefully for a moment, and then nodded: "Okay."

"Can what?" Hang Sheng looked at him blankly.

"Didn't you want to be with me?" Fang Huaijun asked seriously. "Okay."