Chapter 7. The dry, soft texture burned away, covering the corners of my lips. ...
"Honey, I miss you."
The boy's voice was low and husky, each word spoken slowly and deliberately, with a drawn-out ending that sounded almost intimately sweet.
Yin Xiao looked up abruptly and saw Zhao Xiaoxun's eyes widen in shock. Her heart skipped a beat. Without time to explain, she hurriedly grabbed her phone, turned off the speakerphone, and turned to leave.
As she passed the desk, she grabbed a tissue to wipe the foam from between her fingers and the phone screen, then quickly slipped onto the balcony and held the phone close to her ear.
"Wife, why aren't you saying anything?"
The magnetic voice, coupled with the aggrieved tone, made Yin Xiao shrink her neck uncomfortably, unsure whether it was from the wind or from being frightened.
The balcony was unprotected, and the cold wind blew into her collar, making her wince in pain.
"I was busy just now..." Without thinking, she blurted out something, clutching her collar with one hand and sneezing involuntarily.
"Are you outside?" His tone suddenly returned to its usual calm. "Get some rest and keep warm."
"..." The other person's speaking style changed so quickly that Yin Xiao almost didn't react. "Okay."
She clenched the half-damp tissue in her hand, coughed twice, and awkwardly whispered, "I miss you too, goodnight."
This sentence was highly theatrical, spoken so softly it was almost a breath, subtle yet not cloying, sounding more like an ordinary greeting.
After a few seconds of silence, Yin Xiao heard his gentle voice.
"good evening."
After hanging up the phone, Yin Xiao looked up at the thick night, took two deep breaths, and waited for the thin mist to dissipate before opening the door and going back inside.
Just as she locked the balcony door, Yi Zhiyan sent her another WeChat message.
This was the first time she had ever seen someone who was usually taciturn send her a long message, explaining everything word for word. Actually, she understood without him saying it; he had only spoken that way because his aunt, Yi Lu, was present.
[I guessed it.]
Yin Xiao held her phone, standing at the door to reply to him, her mind tense, completely absorbed in her own thoughts.
[I was startled when you called me that.]
[Carter: I was afraid you'd give yourself away, so I had to remind you this way.]
[Okay, then this will be the code.]
[Don't you think it's kind of interesting that we're on some kind of secret mission right now?]
Yin Xiao unconsciously curled the corners of her lips and stood there blankly at the door.
My elbow was suddenly pushed.
"Who is it? Don't be fooled!!" Zhao Xiaoxun held up a pair of scissors and looked at her fiercely, as if he wanted to kill her.
Yin Xiao's smile faded, and she held her phone to her chest to hide it. "I wasn't scammed, we know each other..."
Zhao Xiaoxun looked incredulous, her eyes filled with worry and wariness.
Seeing her worry, Yin Xiao was also tormented. After struggling for a long time, she still didn't want to lie to her. She changed the subject and sighed, saying frankly, "How should I put it... he should be considered my fiancé."
Zhao Xiaoxun put down the scissors, raised one eyebrow, and asked, "What did you say?"
"I'm getting married."
Clang.
The bathroom door was pushed open forcefully, and Dai Lan, wearing a purple shower cap, came out shouting.
Who got married?
Yin Xiao raised her hand to her mouth, startled, and waved it away, "Keep your voice down..."
"So who got married?" Dai Lan walked over carrying a basin of dirty clothes and asked in a low voice.
Zhao Xiaoxun pointed to the phone hidden behind her back, "Xiaoxiao said that the person who just called was her fiancé."
"You believed her?" Dai Lan laughed. "You believed her just because she said she was getting married?"
Zhao Xiaoxun stammered, "Can't I believe it?"
Dai Lan put down the basin and unceremoniously wrapped her arms around Yin Xiao's neck. "Tell me, who is it that forced you to make up a lie like getting married?"
"..." Yin Xiao frowned, and casually pushed her arm away, "I'm really getting married."
"Do you think I believe you?" Dai Lan crossed her arms and looked at her, deliberately adopting a scrutinizing posture, clearly not believing her.
"Don't believe me then." Yin Xiao was exasperated by her and didn't bother to say anything more. She grabbed her phone, climbed onto the bed, pulled the curtains shut, and added quietly, "Just don't blame me for keeping it from you guys later."
Dai Lan wasn't fooled. She scoffed, "Getting married as soon as you're no longer single? You're kidding me."
She patted Zhao Xiaoxun, who was stunned beside her, and assured him clearly, "Don't believe her, it's absolutely fake."
Zhao Xiaoxun muttered to herself, "But that man called her wife."
Dai Lan's expression changed drastically. She jumped up and rushed to Yin Xiao's bedside, yelling, "How could he call you 'wife'? How could he! Which scoundrel is he?!"
Yin Xiao pressed down on her restless hand through the curtain, "Truth or dare! Classmates play truth or dare, you believe me now?"
Hearing the satisfactory answer, Dai Lan obediently stopped, saying, "I believe you."
Helpless, Yin Xiao turned her back and unlocked her screen to check for new messages.
[Carter: Okay, honey.]
—
"Do you have any other requests?"
Yi Zhiyan stood against the wall, holding his phone, his tone casual, and he seemed to be in a good mood.
"What's with the note?" Yi Lu stared intently at his phone screen, glaring at him with displeasure. "Change it quickly."
Yi Zhiyan compromised, clicked into the chat box, deleted the note "Yin Xiao", and paused.
The eyes beside him were like torches, as if they wanted to bore a hole through him.
He tightened his lips and slowly typed out two words.
[Wife]
"Satisfied?"
Yi Zhiyan proactively spread out his hands, allowing Yi Lu to lower her head and press her face against the screen.
"Keep it up...keep it up." Yi Lu punched his shoulder with her fist, smiled and flicked her bangs away, then turned and got into the car.
Soon, the grey-purple Bentley blended into the night.
Yi Zhiyan looked down at his phone. The message "[typing]" flashed and then disappeared, and Yin Xiao's chat window went completely silent.
He pushed down his glasses, switched the phone to vibrate mode, held the screen in his hand, and turned to enter the school.
When Fang Yiwen returned to the dormitory, he had just finished playing a game of King of Glory and was yawning with his mouth half open.
Yi Zhiyan looked at him, "Are you planning to stay up all night?"
Fang Yiwen smoothed the stray hairs on his head and nodded, "The exam is at eight o'clock tomorrow morning, I have to cram at the last minute."
"Using this method? Playing ranked matches?" Yi Zhiyan sat next to him, opened his computer to read a paper, and exclaimed, "You're really something."
"Just getting a feel for it..." Fang Yiwen stretched and casually asked, "What time is your flight tomorrow?"
Yi Zhiyan tapped on the keyboard, his eyes fixed straight ahead, "I'm not leaving tomorrow."
"Aren't you leaving after the exam tomorrow?" Fang Yiwen swung his leg up and tilted his head at him. "Didn't you say you didn't want to stay at school for even a second longer?"
"I'll wait for everyone to go back together."
Who is it?
"Family." Yi Zhiyan stared at the screen expressionlessly, the word slipping out without thinking.
Fang Yiwen wisely refrained from asking any further questions, put on his headphones, and continued to work on getting a feel for the game.
He picked up his phone from the table and opened WeChat.
When are you going back to Qianzhou?
[Wife: I'm coming back after the exam. I bought a ticket for around 6 PM the day after tomorrow.]
[Refund the tickets, I'll drive, we'll go back together.]
[Wife: ?]
The dormitory was well-heated, and Yi Zhiyan reached up to unbutton her collar.
[Help me act in a play.]
—
On the day the exam ended, Yin Xiao dragged two suitcases out of the school gate. The moment she saw Yi Lu, she immediately understood what kind of drama this was.
Along the way, Yi Lu held her wrist, scrolling through hundreds of wedding dresses on the iPad, occasionally turning to ask her what she thought. Yin Xiao was dizzy from looking at them, her eyelids drooping.
Midway through, Ms. Qian Yue sent her a message saying that the two families had a brief discussion and would get everything settled before the end of the year, hence the tight schedule.
She sighed softly and turned her head to look at Yi Zhiyan on the other side. He listened with a straight face as Yi Lu complained about the bouquet and invitations. She tried to change the subject several times, but Yi Lu always managed to bring it back. A look of helplessness gradually appeared on his face, and his eyes narrowed slightly.
Yin Xiao felt a strange sense of balance; at least someone was with her.
Back in Qianzhou, everything went smoothly. Meeting the parents, taking wedding photos, medical check-up, obtaining the marriage certificate, and the wedding banquet all happened in the blink of an eye.
The wedding banquet was simple, with only relatives from both sides attending. Yi Zhiyan's adoptive parents did not come; only the man who had given her the redwood box last time came to present a gift, a perfunctory gesture that was merely a formality.
Yin Xiao didn't care; if the fake thing was too elaborate, she would feel guilty.
The day after the wedding banquet, Yi Zhiyan flew to Beijing to meet with the research team he was collaborating with. Yin Xiao stood alone at her doorstep, feeling dazed and as if the wedding had never happened.
After waiting for three or four minutes, Qian Yue finally opened the door. She was wearing glasses and looking at reports on her computer. When she saw Qian Yue at the door, she craned her neck to look behind her.
"Are you alone?"
"He went to Beijing, and we don't know if he'll be back in time for New Year's Eve in a couple of days." Yin Xiao squeezed through the door and collapsed onto the sofa as if she knew her way around.
"real?"
"What do you mean, real or fake? Why would I lie to you?" Yin Xiao took off her down jacket and threw it aside, muttering a few words of dissatisfaction.
Qian Yue sat down next to her. "Tell me the truth, is this marriage something you really want? You two don't have any conflicts, do you?"
"Um... the two of us?" Yin Xiao pointed to herself, "Have you ever seen a newlywed couple have conflicts?"
"I've never seen a newlywed couple living apart the next day," Qian Yue retorted bluntly, crossing her arms and looking at her with sharp eyes through her glasses, as if trying to see through her little schemes.
"..." Yin Xiao sat up straight guiltily, rubbed her nose, and racked her brains to explain, "Well, he went to Beijing to do scientific research and build his career, so I can't just stop him from going, can I?"
This was half true and half false, and Yin Xiao's voice fluctuated in volume.
“You always have a point…” Qian Yue couldn’t argue with her, so she just frowned and stared at her until she felt uneasy.
Just when she was about to collapse and retreat to her room, Yi Zhiyan suddenly sent her a message.
[Carter: Which flavor do you want?]
Yin Xiao opened the picture he sent and zoomed in. A row of colorful chocolate gift boxes were neatly arranged, which was very satisfying to look at.
[Sea salt milk and coconut rum!]
[Carter: Okay.]
"Xiao Yi?" Qian Yue suddenly asked her.
"Yes." Yin Xiao was much more confident now, and casually held her phone out in her palm, letting her mother look at it.
She reached out her hand, then realized something was wrong. Her reaction was a beat slow; the smile on her lips froze halfway before she turned and asked, "How did you know?"
"You look exactly like I did when I was dating." Qian Yue tapped the corner of her eye. "You're practically grinning from ear to ear..."
"Oh, really..." Yin Xiao chuckled dryly, grabbed a bag of beef jerky from the coffee table, got up and ran back to her room.
She closed the door, leaned against it, raised her hand to pinch her burning ears, and muttered to herself.
Is it possible... that I'm happy because of the chocolate?
—
On Lunar New Year's Eve, after finishing their New Year's Eve dinner with her parents, Yin Xiao couldn't wait to lay out a row of snacks and tune in to watch the Spring Festival Gala on time.
Yin Xiao's ears were listening to the skit, and her hands were busy too. Sending blessings, grabbing red envelopes, taking photos and posting them on WeChat Moments—it was the same activity every year, but she didn't find it troublesome; she liked the sense of ritual.
After posting the nine-grid photo, she casually scrolled down her WeChat Moments, which was mostly filled with pictures of New Year's Eve dinners from various regions: braised beef, braised pig's trotters, pearl meatballs, osmanthus-flavored glutinous rice balls...
She pursed her lips and gave each comment a thumbs up.
Amidst the feast of various delicacies, the photo posted by Qi Chen stood out particularly. A peeled roasted sweet potato occupied nine-tenths of the photo, and at first glance, it looked as if it was about to be shoved directly into her mouth.
The impact is more direct...
Yin Xiao's first comment: [I really want to eat this!]
"Xiaoxiao, have you asked Xiaoyi yet?" Qian Yue, holding a handful of sunflower seeds and staring at the TV without turning her head, nudged her with her elbow, "When are you coming back?"
"I asked, but they can't come back."
Yin Xiao scrolled through her message list and saw that he hadn't replied to the birthday wishes she'd sent half an hour ago.
Based on her observations and interactions over the past month, she knew that someone as principled and tactful as him would at least reciprocate with a "thank you," and if he didn't reply, it could only mean he was busy.
A flash of white light streaked across the unfathomable darkness outside the window, followed immediately by a burst of fireworks. A dazzling display of light and color, neon lights flashing.
Yin Xiao couldn't sit still any longer. She gestured a couple of times with her parents, who were engrossed in crosstalk, then picked up a bowl of washed green dates and went back to her room.
The world suddenly became quiet as the door closed.
Yin Xiao stood by the window, biting into a green jujube. The second-floor view was expansive; she could see the swaying shadows of trees under the streetlights, a child circling through the grass, and a black Maybach slowly coming to a stop…
etc.
Her gaze paused, her scattered attention focusing intently on the figure stepping out of the Maybach.
He stood tall and straight, wearing a formal suit and a tie that was tied meticulously, giving him the air of a business elite.
Yin Xiao was stunned for a moment when her phone vibrated in her pocket.
The caller ID reads "Carter".
Yin Xiao answered the phone, her gaze sweeping downstairs. Her lips parted slightly as she stared in shock at the figure who was also holding up a phone.
"Are you home?" The man's voice was low and husky, and it was easy to detect a slight weariness in his tone.
"Yes." Yin Xiao asked straightforwardly, "Is that you downstairs?"
The figure swayed, took a few steps closer, and raised its head.
"You saw it? It was me."
Yin Xiao recognized Yi Zhiyan's face. He was wearing frameless glasses, looking aloof and exuding a stronger office-like aura.
"You just got back?"
"Yeah, I'm just dropping you off on my way."
"Chocolate?" Yin Xiao frowned. "There's no need to be in such a hurry. Give it to me another day. You just flew back, you should go home and rest..."
"No, it's a roasted sweet potato." He raised his wrist in her direction, and the plastic bag hanging on his wrist looked like it contained a round clod of dirt.
"You said you wanted to eat it, so I brought it to you."
A cloud of mist rose from the glass window. Through the haze, the child who had been spinning around downstairs squatted down behind Yi Zhiyan, a flame leaping from his palm. The golden flames suddenly exploded, illuminating his tired face clearly.
Yin Xiao's heart pounded violently in her chest.
Her palms were burning hot, as if she were standing in fireworks, and her breathing became rapid.
"Did Senior Qi Chen teach you this too?"
“No.” His voice trembled slightly at the end. “I want to see you.”
The fireworks quickly burned out, and he was surrounded by smoke, making everything in front of him blurry and indistinct.
Yin Xiao's breath hitched, and her hand trembled so much that she almost dropped her phone. She took a half step back and quietly slapped her forehead.
What are you thinking? Wake up... It's acting, it's acting...
She cleared her throat and got back to the point, "Are you coming up now? My parents are here, they've been talking about you a lot these past few days, and they're worried that our relationship has cooled down. You can prove them wrong..."
"No, thank you." He declined calmly. "I've been on a plane all day and my mind isn't quite clear. I'd be risky if I met your parents in this state. I'm just here to deliver something to you."
"Ah... Shall I come down? Wait for me a moment."
Yin Xiao hung up the phone, casually threw on a cashmere coat and a woolen hat, and tiptoed out the door.
Her parents were still watching TV in the living room, laughing and clapping, seemingly unaware of her movements.
She held her breath, pressed her arm against the wall, quietly walked to the door, grabbed the key, and swiftly opened the door and went downstairs in one smooth motion.
The temperature downstairs plummeted, and the wind was biting cold. She exhaled a breath, which blurred into a white mass and then dispersed.
She ran down the steps and rushed towards the boy opposite her. Her fingers, numb from the wind, curled up, but she didn't feel the cold.
"It's so hot..." Yin Xiao took the bag, looked up and thanked him, "Thank you, senior!"
Yi Zhiyan stood at the bottom of the stone steps, the light above him tilting downwards, outlining an orange edge that made his facial features appear even more defined and softened his cold demeanor.
"It's nothing." He reached out and tugged at her hat. "It's cold, go back inside."
"Okay." Yin Xiao smiled, turned around, and said, "Drive carefully on your way back, and send me a message when you get back..."
Her gaze fell on the stairwell, and she abruptly stopped herself from saying what she hadn't finished.
The porch was dimly lit, and two swaying black shadows appeared from behind the wall, one tall and one short, with familiar hairstyles and coat styles.
Yin Xiao stared intently for a few seconds, then her eyelids twitched, and she turned around as if she had been electrocuted, reaching out to hug Yi Zhiyan's arm.
"We're doomed." She grabbed his sleeve, stood on tiptoe, and whispered a reminder, "Why did my parents follow us down here?"
"Hmm?" Yi Zhiyan held her shoulder, lazily lifting his eyelids. "Are you looking at us?"
"Of course!" Yin Xiao muttered anxiously, "Sigh, I don't know how long I've been watching... If I go back now, my mom will ask me why I didn't let you go up and sit for a while, suspecting we've had a fight, and she'll be watching me like a madwoman..."
She subconsciously rubbed the plastic bag, making a squeaking sound.
"How about trying this?" She lowered her head, slowly untied the thin string, held the sweet potato in the bag, broke it in half, and stuffed it into Yi Zhiyan's hand.
"You don't want it anymore?" He frowned at her.
“No, I wanted you to…” She forced a smile and squeezed out two words through gritted teeth, “feed me.”
Yi Zhiyan didn't move, staring at the sweet potato in his hand, lost in thought.
Yin Xiao urged him anxiously, "Acting, acting... My mom already thinks we're not like a newlywed couple anymore. If we don't take the initiative to show how good our relationship is, she'll find out sooner or later!"
"So deliberate?" Yi Zhiyan held up his hand to her mouth and gestured, "So cloying."
"My parents just love watching the same old stuff!"
Yi Zhiyan slowly took out the small spoon that came with the package from the bag, scooped out a big mouthful, and brought it to her lips.
Yin Xiao lowered her head obediently, her lips instantly enveloped in sweet and sticky sweet potato puree. Her cheeks puffed out as she swallowed it in large gulps. She pulled out a tissue from her coat pocket, wiped her mouth, and then buried it in her bag, taking another bite.
Yi Zhiyan suddenly tightened his wrist, pulled the bag back, and took the crumpled tissue from her palm.
"What's wrong?" Yin Xiao looked up and glanced nervously at the stairwell.
The hallway was dark and deserted, except for an amber-colored wall lamp hanging under the porch, casting a dim and tranquil glow.
“Okay, I…” She shrugged and subconsciously raised her hand.
Suddenly, her wrist was grabbed, and the dry, soft texture covered her lips. The floral scent of the tissue filled the air again.
She met Yi Zhiyan's calm gaze, her back stiffened, and she turned her head to look away.
He leaned down slightly, cupped her chin, and gently touched her lips, his movements effortless. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the veins bulging on his forearm, and silver-gray cufflinks adorning the inside of his wrists, adding an air of inexplicable tenderness.
"I...I can do it myself." Yin Xiao said, steeling herself, and raised her hand to refuse.
Yi Zhiyan dodged away, silently staring at her lips, and gently pressed them against her face one after another.
Yin Xiao blinked, looked left and right, and held her breath.
Two seconds later, she kindly reminded him, "My parents have gone home, you don't need to act anymore..."
"Okay." He stopped, the tissue dangling beside her cheek.
Yin Xiao breathed a sigh of relief, rubbed her eyes, and stepped back.
Suddenly, he grabbed the back of her neck, leaned down, and rubbed her chin twice with a tissue.
"It's still on my face," he explained in a low voice.
"Oh..." She clutched the hem of her dress, her mind filled with swirling, chaotic halos of light. "Thank you."
The moonlight was gentle, and the slow rhythm of the winter night was unconsciously sped up. Yin Xiao felt her pulse quickening and pursed her lips.
"Yin Xiao! What are you doing!"
In the silence, a furious roar suddenly reached my ears.
Startled, Yin Xiao lunged forward, instinctively grabbing onto Yi Zhiyan's shoulders. She looked toward the wide stone path in the direction of the sound.
The roadside was empty, and under the bright streetlights stood a woman in a deep red dress, with curly hair cascading down her shoulders and exquisite makeup, glaring fiercely at her.
She immediately let go of his hand and smiled.
"sister!"
But her sister didn't smile at all. She ran over in her high heels, grabbed her behind her aggressively, and looked up at Yi Zhiyan with a wary gaze.
Who are you?
A note from the author:
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