Chapter 129 Her clothes buttons popped off one by one...

Chapter 129

His voice sounded somewhat jealous and stubborn.

"Yingying, what about mine?"

He looked at her intently.

Clearly, they took this matter to heart.

Meng Yingying couldn't help but chuckle. She turned to get the gift, asking as she did so, "Qi Donghan, do you think I would buy everyone else's gift but forget yours?"

She bent down and rummaged through her suitcase. After searching for a while, she finally found a box at the very bottom of the suitcase.

I opened it and took a look.

They are a pair of identical watches.

It simply comes in men's and women's versions.

Meng Yingying handed him the men's version and put it on him herself, saying, "This is your gift."

Qi Donghan stared at the watch, his fingertips stiffening slightly, as if burned by something.

He was unloved and never received any gifts or even a piece of candy from a young age.

At that moment, the watch was held in Meng Yingying's palm, its dial shimmering under the light, like a star that Meng Yingying had plucked from the sky for him.

Moreover, this star was a gift for him.

The man's throat tightened, and his voice was so low it was almost inaudible, "Is this for me?"

Meng Yingying smiled and put the watch on his wrist. "Of course it's for you. I won an award this time. I bought two watches for three hundred yuan. One for you and one for me. I spent a long time picking out the men's model."

"It's a Shanghai brand. I told you that you're tall and have big joints, so after I bought it, I specifically asked the salesperson to lengthen the watch strap for me."

"What do you think, is this suitable?"

The metal watch strap felt cool against his skin, yet it burned Qi Donghan's heart.

He suddenly bent down and pulled her into his arms, his strength so great it felt like he wanted to embed her into his bones.

Meng Yingying was so tightly held that she could hardly breathe, but she could hear his heartbeat—thump thump thump, louder and more chaotic than ever before.

"Qi Donghan..." she whispered, her fingers gently touching his back.

His voice was hoarse and raspy. "Yingying, this is the first time in my life that someone has given me a gift."

Qi Donghan's life over the past twenty-five years has been like that of weeds.

Today, however, some people regard him as a treasure.

He didn't know how to express his current feelings. He thought that this was the moment he was asked to die for Meng Yingying.

He's willing to do it all.

Hearing this, Meng Yingying felt a pang of sadness. She hugged him back, gently stroking his back with her hands, and said softly, "Qi Donghan, I'll always be here for you. I'll give you gifts every year."

Qi Donghan didn't speak, but buried his face in her shoulder, his breath hot.

"Yingying".

His gaze was restrained, but deep within his eyes surging with uncontrollable emotion. "Yingying."

They called out the name over and over again, as if trying to etch it into their very bones.

Qi Donghan used to feel that he had a bad life, that he was too tough and that he suffered too much.

Now he feels that he is very lucky.

Like honey soaking in a jar of honey water, it's sweet whether it's moving or still.

*

Ye Yingtao, Lin Qiu, and Gu Xiaotang arrived at 6:30. Before them were Commander Fang, Director He, and Coach Zhao.

All three of them are elders and have been through a lot.

So none of them came empty-handed.

Commander Fang held the highest rank and received the most allowances and subsidies. She specially bought half a pound of pork belly. Don't underestimate this half pound of pork belly; she had gone to great lengths to get it.

Director He was a worldly man; he brought two jars of canned yellow peaches. Whenever he came to someone's door, bringing canned yellow peaches was always the right thing to do.

Coach Zhao is a very genuine person. She brought over a bag of high-gluten flour that she had asked someone to buy a few days ago. It was a small bag weighing five pounds.

The gifts these people brought were all rare items.

When they arrived, Meng Yingying and Qi Donghan were still busy in the kitchen. The two of them were inseparable for a while, and they saw that the guests were about to arrive.

That's when things really got busy.

When it's cold, nothing beats hot pot, because stir-fried dishes cool down quickly after being placed on the table.

She went to Zhao Yueru's house and borrowed a copper hot pot. She placed the pot on the table, polished it until it shone, and spread charcoal on it. The flames leaped up and the red light reflected on the white snow-reflected windowpanes, making it look beautiful.

The charcoal fire rises below, and the sauerkraut base is slowly simmered on top, gradually bringing out the sourness of the sauerkraut.

They ate pickled fish. Qi Donghan knew that Meng Yingying had returned today, so he made a special trip to the homes of the villagers around the area and exchanged a pack of cigarettes for her.

It was a grass carp weighing over five pounds. He cleaned it quickly, sliced ​​it into fillets, and threw it in to cook after the pot boiled.

Radishes and cabbage are the most common vegetables in Harbin during winter. There is plenty of cabbage; two baskets were prepared, plus three large radishes, sliced ​​and set aside for later use.

While they were packing, Commander Fang, Director He, and Coach Zhao came in, all three carrying things.

Hearing the commotion, Meng Yingying came out to greet them, while Qi Donghan was still busy in the kitchen. He had spent many years working in state-run restaurants when he was young and had a chef uncle, so his cooking skills were excellent.

Hearing the noise, he poked his head out to greet them, but his hands didn't stop; he continued working.

This left Commander Fang and the others looking at each other in bewilderment. After a while, they whispered to Meng Yingying, "Does Commander Qi cook at your house?"

They ate at so many family compound restaurants, but every time they went, the women were busy in the kitchen while the men talked loudly outside.

Everyone was used to this routine. Suddenly, they arrived at Meng Yingying's house and saw Qi Donghan cooking inside. She came out to greet everyone.

This made Commander Fang quite uncomfortable.

Meng Yingying raised her eyebrows, took the gift, pulled up a chair, and gestured for Commander Fang and the others to sit down before saying, "My cooking skills are so-so, but Qi Donghan's are excellent. That's why I'm going to treat everyone to a good meal today."

She spoke frankly and didn't think there was anything wrong with men cooking.

Not to mention Commander Fang, even Director He couldn't help but say, "Yingying is indeed a lucky child."

"Commander Qi is a good person. He has achievements outside and can also cook at home."

To be honest, everyone present was a woman, and moreover, experienced women; very few of them weren't envious.

Meng Yingying smiled and poured each of them a cup of hot water with sugar in it, which was the highest standard of hospitality.

Without any modesty, she said with a smile, "My Qi Donghan is indeed good."

She peeked outside and heard a commotion. Ye Yingtao and Lin Qiu had brought Gu Xiaotang over.

Gu Xiaotang was obviously more familiar with Ye Yingtao and the others by now. Of course, given Ye Yingtao's social nature, even though she was introverted, she would be influenced by them.

"Yingying".

Ye Yingtao carried a bag of peach shortbread, and Lin Qiu carried a bag of brown sugar. Gu Xiaotang didn't know much about these things, but she had some money. Seeing that they were all buying gifts, she generously used her special coupon to buy a can of malted milk powder.

It's clear this person is wealthy and has access to tickets.

"Yingying".

Before Ye Yingtao even arrived, her voice came through, and Meng Yingying immediately came out to greet her, "Yingtao, Lin Qiu."

Finally, he looked at Gu Xiaotang and asked, "Xiaotang, are you adjusting well?"

Gu Xiaotang nodded. Although her eyes were still unfocused, she seemed to be in good spirits, probably because she was cold.

Gu Xiaotang exhaled a breath of cold air and nodded, "It's so cold here that you don't have time to overthink things."

Upon hearing this, Meng Yingying couldn't help but burst into laughter. "Indeed, indeed, come in quickly."

We burned charcoal in a brazier at home, so the temperature difference between indoors and outdoors is quite significant.

After Gu Xiaotang came in, he looked around and said, "This house is really big."

Although her family lived in a decent place in the capital, two generations of her family were crammed into a tenement building, where their three-bedroom apartment felt like it had been partitioned into five or six rooms.

Take the living room for example, it's much smaller than the house where Meng Yingying and the others live, probably not even half the size.

Meng Yingying thought for a moment, "Land is scarce in the capital, but Harbin is much better off with its vast land and sparse population, so houses are built in larger areas. But if you're talking about the value of houses, houses in Harbin are definitely not as valuable as those in the capital."

After saying that, he led them into the house, saying, "Sit down for a while, I'll start making the fish slices now."

If the fish slices in the sauerkraut fish hot pot are cooked for too long, they will become tough and not taste very good. Therefore, Meng Yingying and Qi Donghan waited until everyone arrived before pouring the glistening white fish slices into the copper hot pot.

The chili oil bubbled and churned in the stove, cabbage, radish, and pickled cabbage were arranged in a circle, and when the fish slices were poured in, they instantly began to tumble and roll in the chili oil, filling the entire room with their aroma.

"It smells so good."

Ye Yingtao sniffed, "The whole room smells wonderful as soon as you enter."

Lin Qiu is a foodie; if Commander Fang and the others hadn't been there, she would have loved to run over and watch.

Although Gu Xiaotang didn't say anything, he also swallowed hard.

She hadn't been able to eat for a long time, and this was the first time in a long time that she felt like eating again.

"Sit down, everyone."

Meng Yingying called them in and took in the piece of pork belly that Commander Fang had brought, handing it over to Qi Donghan to handle.

Qi Donghan was very skilled with a knife; he sliced ​​the meat into paper-thin pieces in no time, and Meng Yingying took a plate of it out.

"Let's put the hot pot in first."

Everyone else started eating first. Commander Fang hadn't started yet, so she asked, "Where's Qi Donghan?"

Meng Yingying glanced back and saw Qi Donghan standing in the kitchen, still finishing up. "There's one more spicy rabbit dish, it'll be ready soon."

"Let's eat first."

Seeing that no one was moving, Meng Yingying put the sliced ​​meat directly into the copper hot pot, picked it up, swished it around, and rolled it in the red oil.

Meng Yingying then used chopsticks to distribute the food to everyone.

"Eat it while it's hot."

The sliced ​​meat soaks up all the chili oil, making it fragrant, numbing, and spicy when you bite into it.

Suddenly, everyone fell silent, engrossed in their meal. The fish slices, soaked in sauerkraut, were tender and flavorful with a satisfying spiciness.

The sliced ​​meat had a better texture and was coated in spicy flavor, making it really satisfying.

Steam rose from the windows, snow fell heavily outside, and the windows were covered with a layer of fog, as if a thin veil had been draped over the room.

Gu Xiaotang sat by the stove. It was his first time in Harbin from the capital. His cheeks were red from the heat of the charcoal fire, and his usually unfocused eyes were now fixed on the boiling copper hot pot.

She murmured, "Senior sister, hot pot is so delicious."

No—it's just that the people here are really nice.

Meng Yingying patted her head and picked up a piece of fish with her chopsticks, saying, "Then eat more."

Eating well, having fun, and resting well—that's the real purpose of Gu Xiaotang's trip.

Seeing this, Ye Yingtao sighed softly and put the tender cabbage into the pot to cook, splashing red oil droplets. "Yingying, you are so good to her."

It's a lie to say you're not envious.

Lin Qiu cooked the meat slices until the edges curled up, ate them in one bite, and rolled her eyes. "Yingying isn't good to you? Then what are you eating now?"

Ye Yingtao immediately fell silent, thinking to herself that it made sense. If Meng Yingying hadn't treated her well, she wouldn't have been eating such lavish meals on a day that wasn't a holiday.

Sure enough, Yingying was the best to her.

Qi Donghan also came up. The last spicy rabbit meat was ready, and he served it to us in a gentle tone, "Eat it while it's hot."

Qi Donghan at home and Qi Donghan outside seem to be two different people.

"Commander Qi, you've worked hard."

When He Chang saw that others had also arrived, he raised his cup and said, "Come, come, let us offer Yingying a cup of tea instead of wine."

"I wish her all the best in winning the Red Star Cup in the capital."

"I wish her all the best in the future!"

Upon hearing this, everyone stood up and raised their glasses to Meng Yingying. Meng Yingying was still a little embarrassed; she pursed her lips and said, "Thank you, everyone."

She downed the entire cup of tea in one gulp.

Commander Fang also stood up, "Come on, let's toast Comrade Gu Xiaotang with the second glass of wine."

"Welcome, Comrade Gu Xiaotang, to our Harbin-based cultural troupe. We hope you can make this place your home. If you encounter any problems, you can come to us."

He Chuchang, ever the smooth talker, also put slices of meat into Gu Xiaotang's bowl. "Xiaotang, try this. Harbin may not have much else, but it has plenty of food. I guarantee you won't eat the same thing twice."

That's a bit of an exaggeration.

But in order to keep Xiao Tang, even if Director He was just bragging, he had to find a way to keep her here.

Gu Xiaotang had never experienced this kind of atmosphere before, and she felt a little uncomfortable, but she could feel the kindness of the people around her.

She nodded, biting into the tender fish slice. This was one of the few times in a long time that she hadn't vomited after eating.

Seeing that she was no longer vomiting, Meng Yingying breathed a sigh of relief and sat down to eat as well.

The spicy rabbit meat is incredibly delicious. I even ate a whole bowl of rice, even if it was just brown rice, by mixing it with the broth from the pickled fish.

The cabbage, touched by frost and snow, becomes incredibly sweet and tender after a quick dip in the hot pot, making it a perfect accompaniment to rice.

Meng Yingying really enjoyed the meal. She loves spicy food, and when she was sweating profusely from the spiciness, she looked at the snowy scenery outside.

For a moment, Meng Yingying felt somewhat disoriented, unsure of what year it was.

After the meal, Ye Yingtao and the others didn't rush to leave but stayed to help clear the table. With so many people eating, there were quite a few dishes and utensils.

Meng Yingying didn't stand on ceremony; they were all family. While they were tidying up, she took the time to bring out a bowl of spicy rabbit meat and a bowl of pickled fish that she had prepared in advance by covering the pot.

"Qi Donghan, I'll take this to Yue Ru. You keep an eye on things at home."

Qi Donghan turned around and looked at the room full of women in the kitchen. He frowned slightly. "I'll deliver it. You stay at home."

Meng Yingying understood instantly. She slapped her forehead and said, "Okay, then go ahead."

"I guess Yue Ru is asleep by now, so it's just Zhou Jingsong here." It would feel strange if she knocked on the door and Zhou Jingsong answered.

It's quite nice for her to stay at home with Ye Yingtao and the others.

With Qi Donghan gone out, the pressure in the kitchen immediately eased a bit. Ye Yingtao sighed, "It's really hard to believe that Commander Qi, who seems so fierce, can be both elegant in public and skilled in the kitchen at home."

Meng Yingying put the bowls and chopsticks into the cupboard, then turned around and teased with a smile, "What? You want to get married too? I think Xu Wenjun is quite nice."

"If you marry him, Xu Wenjun will most likely be willing to cook."

Ye Yingtao didn't say anything.

Seeing that things were looking promising, Meng Yingying went to see Lin Qiu.

Ye Yingtao told him not to say it, but Lin Qiu said as he ran, "Yingying, you have no idea how fiercely Coach Xu chased you while you were away for the competition."

Meng Yingying suddenly looked over like a searchlight.

Ye Yingtao coughed lightly, "Don't listen to her nonsense, I haven't agreed to anything yet."

Meng Yingying: "So there's hope?"

Ye Yingtao turned and left, saying, "I'm ignoring you."

Gu Xiaotang didn't understand. She looked at this and that. Meng Yingying smiled and said, "Xiaotang, you're still a child. You don't understand these things yet."

Gu Xiaotang protested, "I'm twenty-two years old."

Actually, she's not young anymore, but Gu Xiaotang's life has always been within the Central Ballet Troupe. She has never been exposed to the outside world, so she doesn't really understand these kinds of interpersonal relationships.

Meng Yingying then realized, "Okay, okay," she teased, "You're a big kid now."

"Will the older child stay at my place tonight, or go back to the dormitory?"

Gu Xiaotang replied reflexively, "I'll go with Cherry."

She doesn't want to stay at her senior's house. Don't think she didn't notice; her senior's husband has been secretly watching her several times.

His eyes can be so fierce.

Meng Yingying raised an eyebrow, but respected Gu Xiaotang's opinion. She went out to see him off. Outside, the snow was white, and Gu Xiaotang, Ye Yingtao, and Lin Qiu squeezed under a large black umbrella.

The snow crunched underfoot.

For a moment, Meng Yingying felt a sense of peace and tranquility. She thought that perhaps bringing Gu Xiaotang to the Harbin Cultural Troupe was the best thing she had ever done in her life.

She had just seen them off when they left.

Qi Donghan returned shortly after. He hadn't brought an umbrella when he went out, and his head was covered in a layer of snow. Meng Yingying went to meet him.

Before I knew it, my hair had turned white.

"How are you? Is Yue Ru asleep?"

"Zhao Yueru is asleep, and Lao Zhou is making soup in the kitchen."

"I sent him the pickled fish and spicy rabbit meat."

That's how it is when you live in a family compound. If someone cooks something delicious, people who are close to each other will share a bowl of it.

This is simply a matter of social interaction.

"Don't come out, the snow is heavy outside."

Qi Donghan led Meng Yingying to the eaves. It was past nine o'clock at night, and with the light from inside the house, they could even see the heavy snow falling outside.

Meng Yingying reached out to catch it, and a snowflake landed in her palm. "Qi Donghan, it's snowing."

Qi Donghan didn't really understand what was so interesting about rain, but seeing that she liked it, he patiently stayed with her.

“After you went to the capital, it snowed five times in total.”

He always knew that Meng Yingying loved watching snow, but when it snowed later, Meng Yingying wasn't there, so Qi Donghan watched the snow alone.

Silently, I kept track of the number of times it snowed.

This is the sixth time.

Qi Donghan turned his head and stared at her. "Yingying, you're finally back."

His profile is sharply defined, with prominent eyebrows and eyes, making him very handsome.

Meng Yingying was stunned. She subconsciously said, "Qi Donghan, stand in the snow for a moment."

It was a silly question, but Qi Donghan did just that.

He stood in the snow, his straight nose red from the cold, and looked up at Meng Yingying quietly, his voice gentle, "Is it pretty?"

Meng Yingying nodded, "It looks good."

"Qi Donghan." She ran over and, like a child, clung to Qi Donghan's arm, her voice filled with joy, "I've discovered that you and Xia Xue are a perfect match."

One with a clear and bright spirit, absolutely stunning.

It was snow-white, clean, pure, and translucent.

This was the first time Qi Donghan had heard such a statement. He raised his eyebrows, strode over to Meng Yingying, and picked her up in his arms.

"Yingying, you are very pretty too."

As he said this, he lowered his head and gently touched the tip of Meng Yingying's nose.

Their eyes met.

The atmosphere seems different now.

Meng Yingying could hear her own heart pounding, and she instinctively hugged Qi Donghan's neck tightly.

This seems like a silent invitation.

Qi Donghan lowered his head and kissed her, and Meng Yingying responded passionately.

Snowflakes landed on their shoulders and melted instantly, like white mist evaporated by their body heat.

Qi Donghan hugged her tightly, but his lips were very light. First, they landed on Meng Yingying's nose, then slid to her lips, and finally pursed those soft, pink flesh.

It's as if they want to chew up and swallow all the days they spent apart after their marriage.

Meng Ying was slightly breathless from his kisses, and she was lifted into the air, losing her support. Her fingers unconsciously dug into his hair, her nails scraping his scalp, each stroke heavier than the last.

Snowflakes fell on their lips, melting instantly and dripping down their chins into their collars, the icy coolness sliding down to their hearts, only to be warmed by their body heat.

The man called out in a low, hoarse voice, "Yingying."

"My Yingying."

The sound was muffled by the snow, yet it burned her ears.

Meng Yingying responded passionately, their lips met, and her tongue gently explored his body, as if to confirm his presence—that he was real, warm, and alive.

It's hers too.

The snow fell heavier and heavier, as if countless tiny hands were chasing and pushing the two of them into the house.

Qi Donghan was reluctant to let go, kissing her as he walked, his boot heels crunching through the snow.

As he stepped through the eaves and across the threshold, Qi Donghan closed the door behind him. His lips finally parted from hers, but not completely; they simply moved to another spot.

The snowflakes fell behind her ears, on the side of her neck, and on her collarbone, each one carrying the coolness of snow water, yet burning her skin until it trembled.

The charcoal fire inside was still burning, and its red glow shone on the two of them, making them feel warmer for no apparent reason.

Qi Donghan placed her on the bedside, then knelt down on one knee and began to unbutton her clothes with his fingers, his movements slow and deliberate, showing a mixture of restraint and panic.

Meng Yingying's buttons popped open one by one, and snow water slid down her collarbone and into her collar.

He lowered his head and kissed that cool spot, the temperature of his lips and tongue instantly burning hot.

Meng Yingying trembled violently, her fingers unconsciously gripping his hair, her nails scraping against the back of his neck, as if urging him on or pleading.

He chuckled softly, his voice hoarse and deep, "Yingying, don't be afraid."

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Author's note: Time to consummate the marriage! The story is coming to an end~