Chapter 29 Script

"It seems I didn't misunderstand you. Zhihe, you can leave now, but you still have to solve the problem in the future."

"I will, Mr. Hang. It's really my fault that things have developed to this point. I can't avoid what's coming. I know."

“There are two kinds of people in this world. One always wants to wait until everything is ready before taking action, while the other is willing to act first and then figure out how to solve problems when they arise.”

"Don't worry, after today, I won't be like the first type of person who can never get started."

That's good, Hang Liumei thought. After today's incident, she felt like there was no hope for them. If their relationship of so many years were to end, wouldn't it be like peeling off a layer of skin? Men wouldn't mind; they'd get over it after a few days, but it was harder to say for women.

If Pu Zhihe really fell out of love in the future, it would be a bit tricky for Hang Liumei. The thought of having to deal with other people's love problems made Hang Liumei nervous. Over the years, the ones she had participated in had all ended badly.

"Where do you want to go next?" Pu Zhihe's tone was as casual as if it was just a walk.

"Go home first, your skirt——"

"Put it back on and return it tomorrow. Zhu Fu should be able to explain it to the clerk." Pu Zhihe was still immersed in a strange excitement. Today, if you round it up, it really was a runaway marriage. She thought she would be sad, but in fact, she was not at all.

The lights in the house were on. When they pushed the door open, Xiaomai was cooking. He was stunned when he saw Pu Zhihe's outfit and asked Hang Liumei, "Grandma, where have you been?"

"You talk to Zhihe first. I'm sweating from the heat. I'm going to wash my face." Hang Liumei didn't bother to look at him and walked into the house while talking.

Pu Zhihe stepped on the heels of her feet to take off her shoes. Seeing Xiaomai still standing there, she explained to him, "Grandma accompanied me to try on clothes. I'll help you cook after I change my skirt."

After she left, Xiaomai saw his face through the stainless steel spatula in her hand, and cursed herself for being stupid. She went back to the kitchen and started stir-frying the pot.

Zhu Fu called during dinner: "Have you been to the hospital? Which hospital? Do you want me to come and help? Well, I won't go. Is Teacher Hang asleep or awake now? You're not next to her, are you? I just want to say that today's great event was ruined by her. The old lady is really... Okay, okay, I won't complain. I didn't say anything bad about her. How can you propose to me again and again? And I've already surprised you once. If you want me to propose to you again, I don't know how to plan it..."

"Don't you think it's inappropriate for you to say these things now? Stop talking about proposing. Even if this didn't happen today, your proposal wouldn't be successful."

Zhu Fu didn't seem to understand what he said. He was still unwilling to put down the phone: "Alright, alright, let's stop talking about proposing. I'm not in the mood today. I'll go find you guys. Tell me the address of the hospital."

"No need, Mr. Hang's IV will be finished soon and we'll be going home."

"That's perfect, I'll go straight to her house to meet her!"

Pu Zhihe was about to say something when Zhu Fu hung up again. She immediately packed up her clothes and shoes. Hang Liumei wolfed down her meal, drew the bedroom curtains, put a hot towel on her forehead, and lay down on the bed, covered with a blanket, pretending to be sick.

She had just laid down when she sat up again and called Xiaomai in: "Hurry up and wash the dishes on the dining table. When Zhu Fu comes later, don't tell him that we came back a long time ago."

"Grandma, what's wrong with you? Are you sick? You just ate two bowls of rice when you were feeling unwell. You'll have indigestion. I'll go get you some medicine!"

Hang Liumei pulled the towel off and called out to him: "Hey, I'm fine, you see, nothing happened. Xiao Zhu proposed to your sister Zhihe today, and she didn't want to agree but didn't know how to say it. It was all thanks to me pretending to be faint that we were able to slip away. Don't let anything slip when Xiao Zhu gets here." After saying that, she put the towel back, lay down peacefully, and composed the lines she was going to say in her mind.

Zhu Fu arrived, carrying fruit in one hand and flowers in the other. It was the same bouquet he'd used when he proposed, but he'd replaced half the roses with lilies. "Teacher Hang, Teacher Hang, I'm here to see you!" He called softly, slipping on his slippers, as he walked into the bedroom.

Hang Liumei raised a hand: "Xiao Zhu, it's you who came - I'm fine now. I was watching your ceremony today, but my eyes went dark and I was dizzy and I didn't know anything. I heard someone calling me 'Grandma, Grandma' and I wanted to answer, but my throat couldn't speak. I just felt very hot around me and couldn't breathe. I don't know how I got to the car. I seemed to see your face later. You helped me get in the car, right? Thank you. I'm really sorry for delaying your wedding today..."

When Xiaomai and Pu Zhihe left the bedroom, Hang Liumei was still holding Zhu Fu's hand and chattering. Xiaomai leaned slightly closer to Pu Zhihe and whispered, "Grandma isn't very good at lying."

Pu Zhihe nodded in agreement: "There are too many details."

After visiting Hang Liumei, Zhu Fu left the room, glanced at Xiaomai, who was sitting in the living room playing Monster Hunter, and pulled Pu Zhihe to the balcony to talk. Pu Zhihe felt a tightness in her chest when she saw him, so she opened all the windows.

"I told you everything was fine, why did you insist on making a trip?" she asked.

"She collapsed at my proposal ceremony. How could I not say hello? What kind of person would I be? If others heard about it, they would think that the person who wanted to marry you had a problem with his character. I also wanted to help you leave a good impression, so that you wouldn't always think that we office workers are just fake. If you are polite, you will have a better chance of getting anything in the future. Besides, I have to return that skirt. The two shop assistants are terrified. It costs thousands of dollars to rent it a day. If you ran away wearing it like that, I might have to pay you back later..."

Fortunately, there was Xiaomai's game background music, otherwise Zhu Fu's words would have made her impatient. Pu Zhihe sneered contemptuously: "So, did you come to see her today for face, to pave the way for me, or are you really worried?"

"It must be all three reasons!"

"But the three reasons are ranked in order, right? Those are the ones you value most."

"I just feel like you're talking strangely today. What's the point of coming at me for no reason? Did I do something wrong today? Did I make a mistake proposing or visiting the sick? Just state what you want to say. I admit that I value face and relationships. Who doesn't value those things? If you didn't value them, wouldn't you still have a proposal, a wedding, and other rituals?"

"I want these rituals? You don't know me, Zhu Fu. I can tell you clearly that I don't want these. No matter what plans you have later, please stop them." Pu Zhihe stopped talking here. It was really boring. He didn't understand what she was saying.

She didn't mind the form of the ceremony. What she minded was that the whole marriage talk was a farce. Zhu Fu never shared the script with her, but asked her to continue acting.

He acted his way, she said hers, and the two of them were forced to stay together, which was really funny. She didn't want to break up with him in someone else's house, so she turned around decisively: "I'll get you the skirt, you just wait here."

When she entered the room, Zhu Fu lit a cigarette. Xiaomai smelled the smoke and turned to look at him. Zhu Fu dusted the ash into the flowerpot and asked, "Do you mind if I smoke one?"

Xiaomai said, "You can smoke, but just stay on the balcony. Grandma doesn't like the smoke to affect her paintings."

Zhu Fu nodded and asked, "Then you don't smoke, right?"

Xiaomai shook her head: "No."

"It's better not to smoke. Smoking smells bad, it's not good for your health, and you have to be controlled. She doesn't like me smoking." Zhu Fuyang pointed at Pu Zhihe with his chin. It's so difficult. I don't like anything I do. Hey? Are you in a relationship?"

Xiaomai had just lost this round and was about to put down the game console to talk to him again when Pu Zhihe came out holding her skirt.

She saw him smoking again. She used to dislike him because he didn't look cool when he did, but he still thought he looked celibate when he blew smoke rings, and this affectation made him look like a scoundrel. Zhu Fu never smoked when he was in school, but he was a man who didn't take to being persuaded. He would follow others' lead if they provoked him, and that's how he learned to drink and play finger-guessing games.

She won't talk to him anymore, and her words won't cause any changes in him, but will make her complain about everything and be noisy all the time, which is quite consistent with the configuration in many marriages.

Because one person's refusal to compromise changes the other person beyond recognition, such a "living together till old age" is not a blessing, but a curse.

When Zhu Fu saw her coming, he did not put out the cigarette immediately as he would have done in the past. Instead, he went to the window and took the last puff in one breath before throwing the cigarette butt into the flowerpot. The wind blew all the smoke he had exhaled back.

Pu Zhihe put the skirt in his hand and said, "I've ironed it. Go and return it."

Zhu Fu picked it up and looked at it: "Isn't this what I picked? I forgot to ask you today, why did they get you a dress like this? It's so short. Does anyone wear a wedding dress like this? Or do you like it yourself? Okay then."

Pu Zhihe pushed him to the door. When saying goodbye, Zhu Fu looked at her skirt and asked, "Zhihe, can we not be angry about this? I just want to ask, for the last time today..."

Pu Zhihe had already made up her mind to tell him that she didn't want to.

Xiaomai suddenly appeared from behind and interrupted Zhu Fu, as if she didn't know what was going on. She pointed at Hang Liumei's bedroom and said, "Sister Zhihe, grandma just called you and said that the exhibition organizer called and wanted to adjust the works. She's sick and can't explain clearly. Do you want to go over and take a look?"

Zhu Fu curled his lips and cleared his throat. "Forget it, you're right. I shouldn't have arranged this trip today. Go ahead and do your work. I'll go deliver the skirt."