61

The wedding ended at noon the next day. Xu Yu rented a car and set off for Linxia with Ji Shengsheng.

Three years ago, they made a promise to come here together, but due to unforeseen circumstances, they parted ways, and their busy schedules after reuniting prevented them from doing so.

Although the trip only lasted a day and a night, Ji Shengsheng happily set off with Xu Yu at his insistence.

Xu Yu treated Ji Shengsheng like a host. Although she was the one who liked the city first, Xu Yu knew it better and visited more often.

The feeling of walking hand in hand with Xu Yu in Linxia is truly heartwarming.

People kept looking at Xu Yu along the way. Ji Shengsheng followed those gazes and focused his attention on Xu Yu's face.

...What a magnificent face.

"Isn't it enough to see you in bed?" Although being stared at like that by Ji Shengsheng could be considered a kind of enjoyment, it wasn't outdoors, in a crowd.

"I'm observing how others see you..."

"Are you jealous?" Xu Yu stopped in his tracks, demanding an explanation from her.

"...I'm not jealous."

Xu Yu's appearance is her pride!

Why get jealous?

She will only feel proud!

"Hmm?" Xu Yu was not satisfied with this answer.

Ji Shengsheng said helplessly, "I'm jealous! Whenever I see them looking at you, I wish I could hide you away and only let me see you!"

"When will we make our move?" Xu Yu asked with satisfaction. "I'll tie myself up first."

Ji Shengsheng: "..."

How should she express this to Xu Yu?

After clearing up the misunderstanding between Xu Yu and Shao Yun, and after confirming Xu Yu's love for her, even when they argued or got angry, she felt safe and trustworthy in this relationship.

Therefore, she doesn't feel jealous or possessive about Xu Yu's interactions with other people, or about others' one-sided admiration for her.

She mostly gave Xu Yu positive feedback. She thought that this kind of relationship was quite normal.

But she wouldn't correct or change Xu Yu anymore. All Xu Yu wanted was for her to say some nice things, or rather, for her to pay more attention to him.

She gives as much as she can, and she makes an effort to give as much as she can.

"...Xu Yu, where have you been looking for me?"

"The guesthouses, beaches, morning markets, night markets, convenience stores, etc. along this coastline..."

He had been to every place she might go while maintaining her life here.

"I didn't turn off my phone on purpose," Ji Shengsheng explained. "I just wanted to calm down. When I encounter something I can't figure out, I need to clear my mind first..."

"I know."

After what has happened during this period, Xu Yu has figured it out.

Ji Shengsheng will not change.

If they have disagreements and conflicts that cannot be resolved immediately, she will choose to ignore them.

She needs space and will leave, so he can only search for her and wait.

He had no choice but to accept it.

...

After checking the time with Xu Yu, Ji Shengsheng realized that they really had brushed past each other at the morning market...

But we just didn't meet.

...

Walking along the coastline with Xu Yu, they walked along the mountain and sea trails, crossed cliffs and reefs, stepped onto the sandy beach, and finally sat down by the rocks.

"Is there any way to stop you from leaving?" Ji Shengsheng leaned on Xu Yu's shoulder, listening to his helpless words in her ear.

She was also very sad.

It was clearly meant to be a meaningful and worthwhile endeavor.

How could you cause them so much pain?

"Actually, I'm also very reluctant to part with you..."

“Xu Yu…” Ji Shengsheng said, “From the moment I came back this time, from the moment we started being together, no matter what happened along the way, I never wanted to be separated from you.”

"It will be the same in the future. I may not be good at handling my emotions and I may argue with you, but I will never leave you."

Xu Yu did not respond to her.

Because she doesn't respond, she can keep showing her love.

This was the compensation he wanted—the compensation for her booking a ticket and leaving without a word.

"After I come back this time, I promise you, I will live with you."

"I won't develop any ambiguous friendships with other guys, and I won't let you suffer any more pain."

"...I'll try to come back as soon as possible, okay?"

"I promise to message you every day and contact you every day so you know what I'm doing."

...Still not working?

Ji Shengsheng looked at Xu Yu, unsure how to make this situation normal and acceptable to Xu Yu.

It's like she's just going on a business trip.

"Then I won't go... I won't do anything you don't like..."

"You've learned to use retreat as a strategy?" Xu Yu hugged her. "Sheng Sheng, I won't force you. You don't need to change for me."

When Ji Shengsheng went missing, he made the worst-case scenario plan—that Ji Shengsheng would choose Xing Xing and abandon him.

If this is the outcome, what should he do?

He wasn't sure if he would beg for coexistence; he couldn't accept losing Ji Shengsheng more than having him with Xing Xing.

Now...it's already so much better than the worst-case scenario, what more could he want?

At night, they returned to the guesthouse. By the window, Xu Yu leaned against her, and they, separated by the glass, rose and fell with the rhythm of the tide, just like the blue tears on the beach.

The night was long and quiet, the air by the sea sticky and humid. They embraced quietly, feeling each other's body heat.

"...Xu Yu, do you love me?"

"yes."

"...Then why did you never tell me?"

Afraid that her hands, which were supporting her against the window, would feel cold, Xu Yu held her palm in his right hand and gently covered her mouth with his left hand.

This is their tacit understanding.

She knew what Xu Yu was going to do next, and she was ready.

Much later, she heard Xu Yu whisper in her ear.

"I love you."

I love you far more than you can imagine.

...

Ji Shengsheng departed from the airport in Lucheng, and they rushed back to Ji Shengsheng's home in Lucheng.

Xu Yu helped her tidy up the packages at the door. Ji Shengsheng returned to her room and put the necklace and bracelet that Xu Yu had given her into a jewelry box.

When Xu Yu saw her empty wrist, Ji Shengsheng tensed up for a moment.

Before she could explain, Xu Yu had already led her to a chair and tied a blue bracelet on her wrist with a small golden tiger on it, her favorite color and her zodiac animal.

"Why would they give me this?" Ji Shengsheng asked, puzzled.

Xing Xing had given her a bracelet before, and she was afraid that Xu Yu was still bothered by that matter.

"Don't you like wearing this kind?" After checking the tightness for her, Xu Yu held out her hand, and she saw the same style on Xu Yu's hand.

“Yes!” Ji Shengsheng nodded. “This kind of low-key approach is also convenient.”

"Since you like it, don't take it off anymore, Sheng Sheng." Xu Yu asked her for a promise, "Promise me."

"No matter when."

"good."

Ji Shengsheng looked at it several times and noticed a minor flaw that had been corrected: "Xu Yu, did you make this up yourself?"

"Um."

Ji Shengsheng asked in surprise, "When?"

"When you turn off your phone."

Ji Shengsheng dared not bring up the matter again and immediately promised, "I will wear it forever!"

"That's good."

After packing her luggage, Ji Shengsheng prepared to travel alone.

She didn't want Xu Yu to take her.

She didn't want to feel uncomfortable every time she got out of the car, at the security checkpoint, or on the plane...

She would always find herself turning back to look at him.

In their last moments together, they embraced in silence. Then, Xu Yu agreed to her decision.

Nevertheless, she had been crying ever since she started queuing for security check.

Ji Shengsheng had no idea that she had so many tears to shed.

She was completely unable to control her emotions and even cried so much that she soaked two masks.

She didn't want to express her negative emotions to Xu Yu and affect his mood, especially since they had new projects to work on recently.

But I couldn't control my emotions, and the longing was hard to bear.

Her chest felt so congested that she could barely breathe, so she had to take off her mask to get some air.

"...Xu Yu, I've already started to miss you even before I've left this land."

Xu Yu was just about to leave the airport when he received this message.

He saw Ji Shengsheng going through security and noticed that her eyes were swollen like walnuts from staying up late and getting up early, but thankfully she wasn't crying.

Despite his terrible temper, he enjoyed watching Ji Shengsheng cry.

However, he didn't want to see it at this time.

Even if it's because he misses him, he doesn't want to.

After replying to the message, Xu Yu looked up and saw Ji Shengsheng take off her mask.

Her eyelashes were lowered, her cheeks were flushed, and her lips were pale.

She quickly wiped away tears from her eyes and cheeks with both hands, struggling to breathe but still unable to catch her breath; she was almost sobbing.

She seemed to have lost her soul, devoid of her usual liveliness and energy.

Then, she stopped wiping her tears and let them soak her collar.

...Is there any way to stop her from leaving?

There are still some.

He simply didn't want to stop Ji Shengsheng from doing what she wanted to do.

He still has plenty of time to wait.

It's better to wait for someone who will come back in three months than to wait for someone who hasn't returned in three years and you don't know if they'll ever come back. They are already much happier than they were three years ago.

This time, the wait is at least worth looking forward to.

"Sheng Sheng, have a safe journey."

After replying to the message, Xu Yu returned home.

It's a good thing that Ji Shengsheng is willing to live with him.

I just can't live here anymore.

When he saw the access control, he remembered the fingerprint lock that had been removed. He worried that it would bring back unpleasant memories for Ji Shengsheng, and the layout of the room was not ideal either.

Ji Shengsheng needs a workspace, preferably a space where he can stay with her but not disturb her.

The bedroom isn't big enough, so all the windows in the bedroom need to be floor-to-ceiling windows.

They also need a dedicated storage room for their toys and books.

...They should also have a fixed residence in Linxia, ​​so that they can stay there when they go on vacation.

It's best to be by the sea.

Ideally, you should be able to watch the sunrise from your room.

There should be a large enough mirror in the room so that he can see them completely.

Three months isn't enough to finish these things, but he can try to catch up with the time.

What if Ji Shengsheng could really come back sooner?

Realizing this possibility, Xu Yu quickly began making arrangements.

...

Cheng Yu was unaware that Ji Shengsheng and Xu Yu had reconciled.

He had just learned that Ji Shengsheng had gone abroad when he immediately learned that Xu Yu had sold the house.

Over the course of a few days, Cheng Yu startled herself several times.

At first, he thought Xu Yu was going to give up Lucheng, abandon the company, and then travel thousands of miles to chase after his wife.

After learning that Xu Yu had gone to see the new house, she assumed that his relationship with Ji Shengsheng had broken down and was afraid that the sight of the house would trigger his memories.

All his guesses were based on his CP BE.

After learning of his idea, Xu Yu only gave a few words of evaluation: "Very imaginative."

"Thanks." Xu Yu rarely praised him like this.

You see, the most important thing in their line of work is to have imagination.