Chapter 104 Chapter 104 Yellow Talisman
Qingqing intended to escape during lunch break, but Yan Zheng anticipated her actions. He not only kept an eye on her for the rest of the class, but also snatched her canvas bag first.
This overtly attentive care made her uneasy.
"This restaurant specializes in ingredients air-shipped from Yunnan; the quality is excellent," Yan Zheng thoughtfully suggested. "We still have plenty of time, shall we go back and change our clothes?"
Qingqing tensed up, realizing he was talking to her. "Sorry, I didn't hear you."
Yan Zheng's expression changed almost imperceptibly, but he quickly regained his composure and patiently repeated, "What I mean is, since we're going out to eat together, it's appropriate to dress up a little."
Qingqing followed his gaze and touched her baseball cap, understanding what he meant.
“My clothes…are not quite right.” She had a sudden inspiration and even came up with a new reason, “Besides, I didn’t wash my hair yesterday.”
After speaking, he reached for his bag, but the other hand pushed it back. Yan Zheng's gaze was subtle: "You won't even have a meal with me?"
“...No, not exactly.” Qingqing hesitated.
Faced with his unyielding attitude, her own stubborn reluctance to embarrass him took over. She pursed her lips, "Give me your bag. I can leave it in my dorm when I change."
Yan Zheng smiled with satisfaction, "I'll wait for you downstairs."
"..."
Qingqing returned to her dormitory dejectedly. She took off her hat, pulled out her two-hundred-yuan cotton clothes and a pair of blue and white sneakers from a well-known national brand, quickly washed her bangs, and then went downstairs with her most prized possession—her cell phone.
Many girls had already returned, and when they saw Qingqing walking out with her head down, they couldn't help but pause.
Who is this?
It wasn't until they saw Yan Zheng, who was waiting at the door, light up and leave with the girl in the white T-shirt that anyone realized what was happening.
"That's actually Yang Liuqing, the guy the most popular guy in our class is chasing???"
As soon as Qingqing stepped out of the dormitory building, she regretted it.
She felt inexplicably more frequently stared at, making her very uncomfortable. Yan Zheng, standing beside her, seemed to be intentionally or unintentionally closing the distance, causing several girls passing by to gasp and cover their mouths.
But what upset her even more was that Yunnan restaurant.
Upon seeing the decor, Qingqing wanted nothing more than to turn back. But Yan Zheng turned around abruptly, "Qingqing?"
Qingqing got goosebumps, but after trying to remain calm and sitting down, she coughed and said, "Yan Zheng, could you please stop calling me that?"
Yan Zheng paused for a second before lowering his hand from the ordering tablet, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"I find it quite cute to hear Grandma call me that. I'm sorry, I took the liberty of doing it myself."
Qingqing gave an awkward laugh, "No."
"Is there anything else you'd like to eat? This place has great ham; it's from a separate supply chain and you can't buy it in the market."
Qingqing quickly shook her head; she wasn't really there to eat.
“Alright,” Yan Zheng didn’t press the matter, “Then let’s serve the food.”
The food at expensive restaurants is never aligned with the affordability that poor people crave. It's advertised as Yunnan cuisine, but the portions are served in a Western-style plating.
Qingqing had no appetite at all and didn't dare to eat.
While Yan Zheng was in the restroom, she secretly searched the restaurant and almost shouted out loud—2000 yuan per person!
That's enough for her to live for three months!
Looking around at the people, even those dressed simply were expensive. She felt completely out of place.
"Why aren't you eating? Is it not to your liking?" Yan Zheng returned from the bathroom, a thin layer of incense clinging to him.
Qingqing sat upright with her hands on her knees, her gaze towards Yan Zheng was solemn.
"Stern and solemn."
He had just picked up his chopsticks when he heard this, and tilted his head: "Hmm?"
Qingqing swallowed hard, her fair face suddenly turning serious.
"I can't finish this meal."
"I have no plans to be in a relationship right now. It's not because you're not good enough, it's my own problem. My heart... is in turmoil and I'm exhausted. I'm sorry for wasting so much of your time."
She finished speaking in one breath, as if she had completed a difficult task and finally unloaded a heavy burden.
Yan Zheng's faint smile froze.
He observed Yang Liuqing's behavior and knew she wasn't the kind of girl who would do anything casually. He had anticipated a shy and tactful rejection from her, but he hadn't expected her to be so unyielding. Clearly, besides her good looks and decent grades, she had nothing else.
An offended anger rose in my heart.
He solemnly put down his chopsticks.
"Your own problem?" he repeated, a hint of anger in his voice. "Yang Liuqing, ever since I've known you, you've been hiding, running away. You keep a thick barrier around everyone. I want to know, what kind of problem makes you afraid to even try to accept other people's kindness?"
His voice wasn't loud, but it was sharp.
Qingqing's face turned pale.
"I'm sorry, I spoke too harshly." Yan Zheng took off his glasses and wiped them, regaining his gentle demeanor and lightly easing the tense atmosphere.
“I do like you a bit, and I’ve learned a little about you from your roommate. I understand your situation, whether as an admirer or as a fellow villager and classmate, I don’t want you to be under too much pressure.”
Qingqing was rendered speechless by his combination of forceful and gentle attacks.
Yan Zheng noticed her face turning red and then pale, and couldn't help but remind her, "Yang Liuqing, are you listening to me?"
"Ah, yes!" She clenched her left fist and pressed it to her lips, asking a question she had wanted to know for a long time.
"Yan Zheng, why are you suddenly interested in me?"
"Oh, this?" Yan Zheng seemed relieved upon hearing this, looking directly into her eyes without any hesitation. "Yang Liuqing, do you know... you're very beautiful?"
Those beautiful eyes widened instantly.
"I...uh..."
"Didn't you notice? When you went out at noon, many male and female classmates were staring at you on the street."
Qingqing choked completely.
Yan Zheng's lips curled up in a more joyful smile.
“We can continue as friends and eventually get married. We know each other well, so there won't be any conflicts. I'll take care of you like your grandmother did.” He leaned closer, his voice gentle but firm. “What do you think?”
Once upon a time... that person didn't say it, but did it. They leaned on each other and walked together all the way.
And what happened? The water in the moat was really cold.
Qingqing's mind went blank for a moment, then she suddenly stood up.
"I'll go back and think about it some more!"
Before she finished speaking, she had already turned and fled, leaving Yan Zheng and that expensive lunch behind.
The overhead light flickered weakly a few times above his head.
"Check, please." He stood up listlessly. From the surrounding darkness, other diners murmured in confusion.
"Why did the power suddenly go out?"
As soon as I got back to the dorm, the girl who was drying her hair in the bathroom came out and started making a fuss.
Qingqing felt heavy-hearted. Ignoring the probing gazes, she hid behind the curtains to study for her CET-6 exam. Her phone screen kept lighting up, making her restless, yet she knew she had to cut something off.
That night, for the first time, she stared at her face in the mirror for a long time.
I don't know if it's just my imagination, but this face is becoming more and more like that "Yang Liuqing". Her skin is much whiter, and the corners of her eyes are subtly upturned.
...To this day, she still doesn't understand whether she was physically transported or had her soul transmigrated.
Is Yang Liuqing in that other world doing well?
...
In the early morning, a sliver of light filtered through the window. She opened the chat window, and at the bottom of a long list of unread messages, took a deep breath and typed three words:
[A willow tree] I'll give it a try.
Qingqing gazed out the window at the gradually brightening sky.
The sun rises in the east.
The 21st century belongs to Yangliuqing; it's time to move forward.
...
As autumn deepened and the air at Jiangcheng University was filled with the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms, Qingqing found a part-time job in the evenings. After a month of research, she quietly moved into an urban village near the university.
The monthly rent for a bungalow here is 400 yuan. More importantly, we are no longer bound by school curfews, and we have much more freedom in our time.
Yan waited in vain downstairs at the dormitory several times before finally learning the news from her roommate.
After understanding the situation, Yan Zheng naturally didn't say much. He brought some gifts and handed her a triangular amulet drawn in striking red paint.
Qingqing examined the talisman, asking, "Why did you think of giving me this?"
Yan Zheng pulled out another identical yellow talisman from his pocket, speaking casually:
“My family went to Yongning Temple in Luoyang the day before yesterday to pray for it. They said it’s a mantra that has been passed down for over 1,700 years and is very effective. We had an extra one, so it’s perfect for you.”
He didn't say that these were actually a pair of wish-transmitting charms.
Qingqing thought about it and did not refuse Yan Zheng's kind offer.
She casually stuffed the talisman into her pocket. "It's getting quite dark. If you don't mind, why don't you eat with me?"
"I bought some ingredients, I don't know if you can get used to the food."
Yan Zheng laughed: "You've made that promise, do you think I'd refuse?"
The house hadn't had gas installed yet. Qingqing put the secondhand induction cooker she'd found outside and started shoveling dirt into the ground.
Yan Zheng watched with great interest, occasionally helping to pass him the seasonings. Just as the last shredded potato was put into the pan, a cell phone rang abruptly amidst the lively stir-frying sounds.
Yan Zheng walked away while on the phone, and when he returned, his expression was solemn.
"Something happened at my home, and I might need to buy a ticket back urgently."
Qingqing had never seen Yan Zheng in such a hurry before, so she quickly said, "Shall I take you there on my electric scooter?"
Yan Zheng waved his hand dismissively, "I've bought my plane ticket, I'll come back to see you next week!"
"Then be careful!"
As Yan Zheng got into the car, the shredded potatoes simmering in the pot were cooked.
Qingqing carried all the dishes into the room, then remembered the talisman and wondered where to put it. But as soon as she moved, a warm flow suddenly surged into her nose without warning.
"...Autumn and winter are all about dryness."
She mumbled something and tilted her head back; the bleeding wasn't heavy and stopped quickly.
Just a quick glance down made Qingqing's heart skip a beat. By sheer coincidence, several drops of bright red blood had splattered onto the yellow talisman.
Qingqing hurriedly picked up the talisman to shake it off, but the blood had already quickly seeped in, forming several glaring flowers on the yellowed paper. She tried to wipe it with her hand, but only made the bloodstains wider.
She could only press the bloodstains with a tissue in vain; the bloodstains faded, but several indelible reddish-brown dark spots remained.
Qingqing stopped struggling. Huang Fu was placed on the small refrigerator beside her, and she turned to eat.
She only ate half of the five dishes and one soup before changing her clothes and going out to teach elementary school students their homework.
Not long after the door was locked, a faint golden-red glow suddenly illuminated the room.
On the talisman, the originally neat cinnabar incantation seemed to be erased by an invisible hand, twisting, winding, and swirling as if it had a life of its own, and finally reassembled into a phoenix with its wings outstretched and its head and tail connected.
There was a smear of brownish-red blood in the phoenix eye, which was shockingly red in the dim room.
Qingqing didn't get home until 10:30. She has no classes tomorrow morning, so she can sleep in.
She finished washing up at a leisurely pace, played on her phone for a while, and her thoughts drifted away.
In fact, Yan Dibai letting her fall into the water was another kind of fulfillment.
"It's not exactly a stroke of luck amidst misfortune."
Life is great now.
...Wait, why am I thinking about him again!
Yangliuqing, oh Yangliuqing, let those absurd memories be just a dream, let them go.
After a bout of chest-pounding and stomping, Qingqing's breathing gradually evened out, and she nestled peacefully in bed. Half-asleep, a sudden chill ran down her spine, sending shivers down her spine.
Before she could even open her eyes, the chill vanished abruptly.
Instead, a sudden, unpredictable heat rose from the very marrow of my bones.
-----------------------
Author's Note: The main wife is coming.
P.S.: It's almost finished, how many more chapters are left?
Thank you so much to everyone who's kept reading! [hands clasped in prayer] ... As for the extra chapters, I plan to put them all in the bonus chapters section; they'll be a few chapters long, so there's no need to spend any more money. [lucky lotus]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
