Chapter 71 Even if you're proud and aloof, you won't say "forever" to the one you love...
Xie Qingci's courseware was scavenged from several close male friends by Ke Meng, who was very helpful to her good friend.
Actually, she didn't watch much of it; she mostly just watched the plot parts. Occasionally, a little bit of it was mixed in with the plot, and she would watch it with a blush and half-covering her face.
She didn't click on any of those explicit videos, so strictly speaking, what she watched could only be considered as ethical films that were more open than regular movies.
"When did you watch it?" She looked at the person in front of her with a suspicious expression, whose smile still lingered on his lips. "Were you lying to me when you said you wouldn't watch it?"
Liang Jingzhuo said innocently, "I didn't have any before, but I only watched American and European dramas."
Xie Qingci hadn't read any Western ethical dramas, but they were probably like the two of them now—not exactly "good stuff."
Since neither of them were good people anyway, she decided to set aside social morality for the time being and ask him for his thoughts, "What are your impressions?"
Looking at the girl nestled against his chest, her big, eager eyes blinking, Liang Jingzhuo felt as if he were leading a child astray.
He hesitated for a moment, then answered seriously: "It's very exaggerated, from the actors to the plot."
This was also his first time watching this kind of subject matter. He was shocked and felt it was somewhat anti-human, but there was no objectification of women in the film. The emotions expressed were all very normal, so he could accept it.
When I was in college, a male classmate of mine watched these kinds of things. At first, he didn't know what they were, but the other person just said in an ambiguous tone that he wanted to go to the movies with him.
But after the first shot came into view, he immediately understood what it was and declined the invitation.
A scene that is highly humiliating and degrading to women.
While sex is not something shameful, it should occur in a harmonious and respectful manner between both parties.
He found this kind of "male-oriented" perspective, which objectifies and suppresses women in relationships to express a perverse male supremacy, utterly despicable.
Sexual expression of desire should also express love; it shouldn't be like that.
Xie Qingci was amused by his serious expression when he answered, and shamelessly asked, "Is it that exaggerated? Let me see it."
Liang Jingzhuo looked down at her, "Are you sure?"
After saying that, his gaze lingered on the small rose peeking out from under her wrinkled collar, and he continued, "I was focused on learning and appreciating things before, so I had no ulterior motives. I can't guarantee that now."
Xie Qingci paused for three seconds, then understood what she meant and immediately lay down. "Okay, time to sleep."
Curiosity killed the cat, so she'd better not be that reckless cat anymore, or she won't be sleeping tonight.
Liang Jingzhuo chuckled, wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her forehead.
-
Before the Spring Festival, Liang Junshi returned to Beijing from Hong Kong Island with Zhuang Shuying.
The main purpose of this trip was to discuss wedding arrangements. Ms. Zhuang was very anxious and made arrangements to visit the wedding on the second day after landing.
The two mothers were like old friends who hadn't seen each other for years, and they hugged and chatted affectionately as soon as they met.
In contrast, the two fathers seemed much more distant, both with cold expressions, though reluctantly, they had to politely extend their hands to shake hands with each other.
Before they met, Ms. Zhuang and Ms. Zhou had been worried about the meeting.
What if we end up clashing again?
To address this, the two mothers devised two foolproof solutions, but unexpectedly, neither of them came in handy.
The two were only a little stiff and cold during their polite handshake when they met. After having a few drinks during the meal, they started chatting about all sorts of things, and the atmosphere was very relaxed and harmonious. They were practically brothers.
They even played a few games of chess together amicably after the meal, praising each other in return.
"Mr. Xie's chess skills are as superb as they were back then."
"Mr. Liang, you flatter me. You are indeed more skilled!"
Zhou Mingzhen and Zhuang Shuying, who had been on high alert the whole time, were stunned and stood there dumbfounded.
But Xie Qingci was a little doubtful and quietly asked Liang Jingzhuo, "Is your father good at chess?"
He glanced at her, considered his words carefully, and said quietly, "On par with your father."
Xie Qingci: "..."
So these two terrible chess players are just flattering each other.
While the two fathers happily played chess, the task of discussing the wedding details fell to the two mothers.
Surprisingly, Ms. Zhuang and Ms. Zhou were not angry about the two's indifferent attitude, as such a harmonious scene was truly rare.
The wedding date was calculated by Ms. Zhuang, but it was only for reference. If she was not satisfied, she could choose not to use it.
Zhou Mingzhen didn't have any requirements regarding the timing of the wedding; she only asked Xie Qingci for her opinion.
It happened during the second semester of her senior year, after she had finished dealing with graduation-related matters, and the weather was just right.
Xie Qingci had no objections, and Liang Jingzhuo naturally had even fewer.
Thus, the general details of the wedding were finalized, and Ms. Zhuang and Ms. Zhou will continue to coordinate the remaining matters related to the ceremony.
After finishing her work, Xie Qingci sent two souvenirs to Ke Meng and Duan Siyu. The cookies and chocolates inside couldn't be stored for too long, so it wouldn't be appropriate to give them to them after the winter break.
The two showered Liang with compliments, praising his thoughtfulness and saying they could give him a little leeway on their wedding day, but only a tiny bit.
Xie Qingci sent the message to Liang Jingzhuo.
He replied: "The bribery over such a long period has had some effect."
During those days, Liang Junshi and Zhuang Shuying were in Jingzhao together. They also went to visit the Zhuang family elders, and the three of them stayed there overnight.
During the Spring Festival, Xie Qingci spent a few days at the Xie family's old residence and also returned to the Xie family manor.
They each had relatives and friends to visit, so they didn't see each other very often. If Xie Qingci wasn't busy, or if Liang Jingzhuo wasn't temporarily unavailable, they would even rarely make phone calls.
In total, we only met three times.
On one hand, it was when she returned from Hong Kong Island and he took her home upon landing; on the other hand, it was the day they discussed the wedding; and then, before the holiday, Liang Jingzhuo came to the Xie family manor to deliver gifts. But there were elders present, so at most they could only hold hands briefly and give each other a light kiss in a secluded corner.
It feels like secretly dating someone when you're in school, behind your parents' backs.
After sending the message, Xie Qingci took the initiative to ask him if it was a convenient time and if he wanted to make a video call.
There was a two-second pause in the chat box, then he asked her: "Are you free now?"
That day, the Xie family held a banquet, which ended early. There was nothing for Xie Qingci to do. She chatted with the elders for a while, and then went upstairs by herself.
She replied: "Yes, I'm free tonight. You can call me."
The message had barely been sent when Liang Jingzhuo's reply popped up: "I happen to be free too, I'll come find you."
She paused for a moment, then glanced at the snow outside the window.
The snow in Jingzhao is quite heavy today. The Xie family manor and the residence aren't close together. She said, "The snow is so heavy."
He didn't reply immediately. A moment later, a new chat bubble popped up: "On my way."
When Liang Jingzhuo came downstairs with his coat, several of the villagers' aunts and uncles were chatting. When they saw him about to go out, they asked him where he was going in such heavy snow.
He smiled and replied truthfully, "I'm going to see Xie Qingci."
The others laughed upon hearing this, saying that they finally understood why he had refused to drink with them no matter how they tried to persuade him; it turned out he had been prepared all along.
Even if Xie Qingci was busy today, Liang Jingzhuo still planned to see her, even if it was just a brief glance at the door.
So, starting from lunch today, he politely declined all invitations from elders and peers to drink with him.
Although Uncle Zhong's family had also come to Beijing for the Spring Festival, and someone could help with the driving, he didn't plan to bring another person along to be a third wheel.
Hearing the teasing tone tinged with amusement, he felt no embarrassment and replied frankly, "Yes, you guys continue playing."
He then strode out of the lobby and got into the car. The snow was still falling and seemed to be getting heavier.
The snow in Jingzhao was dry, and with the snow tires, it wasn't too difficult to drive, but for safety's sake, we still had to keep our speed down. It took almost an hour to reach Xie Family Manor.
Xie Qingci would usually be asleep by this time, but he missed her so much that he convinced himself that just seeing her once would be enough.
Just as I parked the car and was about to text her to say I had arrived, a figure holding an umbrella emerged from the Xie family manor in the distance, amidst the wind and snow.
The snow was so heavy, and there was a strong wind, so she held her umbrella and ran towards the door.
Xie Qingci actually felt inexplicably restless when Liang Jingzhuo replied that he was already on his way.
I would lie on the bed and play on my phone for a while, then get up and go to the window to take a look. This went on for a long time until I finally saw a car headlight in the rustling snow. It turned the corner and drove towards me.
She turned around quickly, her slippered foot bumping into the cabinet beside her leg. The pain made her hop on one foot as she hurriedly grabbed her coat and went downstairs. Passing the living room, she saw her aunts still gathered, chatting and drinking tea. She quickened her pace, and after passing the crowd, she started jogging.
Liang Jingzhuo immediately put down his phone, opened the car door, got out, and quickly went to meet him.
The wind carried large snowflakes, causing the hem of his coat to swirl in the wind.
Xie Qingci also saw him and quickened her pace. The two met at the door. "You're so fast. I thought it would be at least another half hour."
The road conditions were poor, and she reminded him to drive carefully halfway through the journey.
Liang Jingzhuo took the umbrella from her hand, pulled her tightly into his arms, and led her to the car. "There aren't many cars on the road today, so it'll be easy to drive."
After she finished speaking, I noticed the thin clothes under her coat. "Why didn't you wait for me to pick you up? You're dressed so lightly, what if you catch a cold?"
Xie Qingci laughed, "It's not far, it's alright."
He sighed helplessly, walked to the car, opened the door and helped her in before putting down his umbrella and getting into the driver's seat.
The car was well-heated, and Xie Qingci, who had just left home, didn't feel particularly cold.
But the first thing Liang Jingzhuo did after getting into the car was to hold her hand tightly in his palm.
"You're not wearing gloves, aren't your feet cold?"
His tone was full of helplessness, but he couldn't bear to scold her.
Xie Qingci pouted, "I'm so heartbroken, President Liang. I was in a hurry to see you, and you still scolded me."
This hardly qualifies as a reprimand; it's more like the tone was somewhat dissatisfied.
Liang Jingzhuo glanced at her, adjusted the seat to its maximum rear position, and directly reached out to pick her up.
The center console was positioned slightly high. Xie Qingci gasped softly, and before her panic had subsided, she had already sat down on his lap.
Her mouth was agape, her eyes wide with shock. "What incredible arm strength, Mr. Liang!"
Liang Jingzhuo reached out and took off her snow boots, then held her feet through her socks. They weren't too cold, but he still squeezed them between his legs.
Only then did he answer her question, "You don't know?"
The way she raised her eyebrows slightly suggested that she knew the truth but was pretending not to.
Xie Qingci pursed her lips, blinked, and firmly shook her head, "I don't know."
He looked at her, "I'm still holding you..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Xie Qingci covered his mouth, saying, "Alright, don't say it."
She shouldn't have tested how thick-skinned he was; there's nothing he wouldn't say.
Liang Jingzhuo kissed her palm, took her hand away, kissed her cheek, and whispered, "I missed you so much."
Xie Qingci paused for a moment, then turned to look at him.
Previously, he would ask her if she missed him, and she would express it verbally, while he would prove it with his actions. This was the first time he had said it so directly.
She looked at him and said solemnly, "This is the first time you've said you miss me."
Liang Jingzhuo seemed to have no recollection of this, looking down at her, "Really? I didn't mention that before?"
Xie Qingci nodded, "No, I never said that verbally."
He kissed her lips. "Do you like it?"
She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Of course, no girl dislikes her partner expressing their love and longing for her without reservation."
After saying that, Liang Jingzhuo smiled and leaned in to kiss her ear, repeating right next to her ear, "I miss you so much, I miss you so much, I miss you so much..."
Xie Qingci's ears tickled, so she shrank her neck and laughed, "That's enough, that's enough, I can feel it."
The girl's laughter continued, and Liang Jingzhuo's smile widened as he kissed her again before stopping.
The person in his arms had warmed up, but the car's heater was a bit too hot, so he turned it down a little to keep her warm. He continued to hold her and asked her what she had been doing these past few days.
Xie Qingci counted on her fingers the schedule for the past few days. Chinese New Year is always like this: either at a family gathering or on the way to a family gathering.
Liang Jingzhuo looked at her intently as she spoke, his gaze fixed on her face, but it was unclear whether he had actually heard what she was saying.
So after she finished speaking, she looked at him and said, "Repeat what I just said last."
As soon as she finished speaking, the person in front of her laughed. Without answering, he cupped her face and kissed her, proving with his actions that he had only been looking at her and hadn't been listening to her at all.
But the kiss didn't last long. Considering that she had finally returned to normal sleep, Liang Jingzhuo reluctantly let go of the person whose face was flushed from his kiss.
He gently brushed the hair behind her ear and kissed the tip of her nose. "Let's go back. We finally managed to improve our sleep; we can't let it get disrupted again."
Xie Qingci placed her hands on his chest, looked at him for a while, and then made a real move to get up. "Then I'm leaving."
She had just gotten off his lap a little when he pulled her back up. "Are you really going?"
She said seriously, "They've already told us to leave, it would be shameless of us not to."
Liang Jingzhuo laughed and tapped her forehead. "How could I bear to?"
Xie Qingci snorted, scratched his leg with her toe, and complained in a feignedly aggrieved manner: "I just ran out and bumped my foot, and it still hurts."
Although there was an element of performance involved, the kick landed directly on the edge of the cabinet, causing her toes to become numb and painful. However, she didn't pay much attention to it at the time, and even now, after calming down, she still feels a dull ache.
As soon as the voice fell, the person holding her stopped smiling, took her foot out from between their legs, removed her socks, turned on the reading light, and began to check her injuries.
She just wanted to tease him, and exclaimed "Hey!" several times in a row, "Why are you taking off my socks?"
Liang Jingzhuo looked at her still slightly red toes and frowned with heartache. "Slow down, why are you in such a hurry?"
Xie Qingci laughed, "Isn't it because I'm worried that if I'm even slightly negligent, President Liang might not wait and just turn around and leave?"
After confirming that there was nothing seriously wrong, Liang Jingzhuo held the little foot in his hand and kissed it. "How could that be? Even if you don't come out until tomorrow morning, I'll wait for you."
Xie Qingci leaned against him, her voice soft and gentle, "But I miss you so much too."
Liang Jingzhuo put socks on her, and smiled when she heard this, "Okay."
She curled her toes in annoyance, refusing to let him put her socks on. "So you knew?"
He leaned in and kissed her forehead, saying, "I was so moved I almost cried."
Xie Qingci tilted her head and looked at his eyes as if examining them, "Where are the tears? I didn't see any."
He chuckled softly, "It's in my heart."
Xie Qingci wrinkled her nose and snorted, "Big liar."
After putting her socks on, Liang Jingzhuo held her feet in his hands to warm them up; they weren't so cold anymore. Only then did he let go, his expression sincere. "It's true, I'm very happy."
The girl who initially held the resolve to separate from him sincerely said she missed him, which sounded better than any sweet words.
Xie Qingci laughed, "Then let's believe it for now."
The two then sat together and chatted for a while, making small talk.
Ultimately, time simply didn't allow it; it was indeed Xie Qingci's bedtime. He patted her little bottom and said, "Go on, I'll pick you up the day after tomorrow."
They had planned to travel together after the Spring Festival. After an hour's journey, they only saw each other for a brief ten minutes, but he felt very satisfied.
Xie Qingci smiled and agreed. As she got off him, she cupped his face and kissed him. "Goodnight."
He smiled and kissed her, saying, "Goodnight."
After getting out of the car, the snow had lessened considerably. Liang Jingzhuo escorted Xie Qingci into the manor, watched her enter, and then turned and left.
-
A few days after the Lunar New Year holiday, the busy Lunar New Year festivities subsided, and Liang Jingzhuo and Xie Qingci set off.
It was snowing in both Jingzhao and the travel destination, and the flight was slightly delayed. While waiting in the lounge, Xie Qingci couldn't help but fall asleep.
She dreamed of her grandmother for the first time; this little old lady had stubbornly never appeared in her dreams all these years.
She still had that same bright smile as before, tilting her head to make her laugh, saying, "Our Yaoyao has grown into a big girl!"
For a moment, she couldn't distinguish between dream and reality; her eyes burned and tears streamed down her face, and she called out "Grandma" in a trembling voice.
Grandma smiled again, patted her head, and said in a kind voice, "May you be happy forever, my darling."
The moment the sound faded, my senses returned, and the airport terminal's boarding announcement came over the loudspeaker.
She slowly opened her eyes and met Liang Jingzhuo's concerned gaze. Seeing that she was finally awake, he anxiously asked, "What's wrong? I called you but couldn't wake you. You kept crying."
After he finished speaking, seeing that she still didn't speak and tears welled up in her eyes and continued to slide down her cheeks, he reached out and touched her forehead again, "Is something still bothering you?"
No sooner had he finished speaking than the girl in front of him, who was frequently shedding tears, suddenly reached out and hugged him.
Cool tears slid down his neck, and a slightly nasal voice came from the crook of his neck, "I dreamed of my grandmother. It's the first time I've dreamed of her since she passed away."
Her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, slowly settled down. Liang Jingzhuo put his arm around her and patted her back. "Then let's go to Shanghai to see Grandma when we get back?"
The person in his arms nodded gently, "Mmm."
-
The destination of this trip was Hokkaido. When the plane landed, the snow, which had paused briefly, started flying again.
On the way from the airport to the hotel, looking at the pure white snow falling under the Blues Time outside the car window, Xie Qingci muttered, "Actually, I've always had a wish."
Liang Jingzhuo asked her, "What is your wish?"
She pursed her lips. "I won't tell you."
She felt that if she said it, he would definitely think she was weird.
Liang Jingzhuo smiled but didn't press the matter.
Upon arriving at the hotel and checking in, Liang Jingzhuo asked Xie Qingci whether she planned to have dinner at the hotel or go out.
Since we're on a trip, eating at the hotel is a bit disrespectful to the word "trip," Xie Qingci decisively replied: "Let's eat out."
She added that she had already found an izakaya (Japanese pub) that supposedly has delicious yakitori (grilled chicken).
Before leaving, Xie Qingci wanted to change her clothes. She felt that she was dressed too bulkily and that she wouldn't look good in the photos later. Liang Jingzhuo disagreed and put her clothes back on, while making a concession: "Take them off when you want to take pictures."
Frustrated and disappointed, she had no choice but to compromise, and in the end, she wrapped herself up fully and went out with him.
The izakaya wasn't far from their hotel. After a few hours on the plane, Xie Qingci didn't want to stay in the enclosed train car any longer, so they walked there with umbrellas.
During peak tourist season, reservations for izakayas are required in advance. Liang Jingzhuo had already called before leaving home, but she still had to wait a while before being seated upon arrival.
Before the meal, they ordered drinks. Xie Qingci made a cross with her hands, saying she wouldn't drink. She had already made a fool of herself enough and didn't want to add to the embarrassment.
Liang Jingzhuo understood what she meant and smiled in agreement. But when he saw the plum wine he had brought back earlier, which Xie Qingci had said was delicious, he only ordered that one.
Although she said she wouldn't drink, Xie Qingci couldn't resist taking a small sip during the meal.
She wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but she felt that it tasted slightly better than the one Liang Jingzhuo had brought back before.
This time, the recommendations were all great, from sashimi to yakitori, and even the udon noodles were delicious.
Lin Lexin knew they were going to Hokkaido during the Spring Festival, so she messaged Xie Qingci early in the morning, asking her to check out the best food and scenery, and that she would pack up the travel guide for her. She planned to go next year as well.
Hsieh Ching-Tzu meticulously marked this izakaya with an asterisk in her memo.
After finishing our meal, we returned the way we came. The town, blanketed in snow, had a unique purity and clarity, with its pristine white landscape creating a wonderful atmosphere.
As they approached the hotel, Liang Jingzhuo stopped, and Xie Qingci, whom she was holding hands with, also stopped. Xie Qingci turned to look at him, puzzled, and asked, "What's wrong?"
He looked at her, raised the hand that was holding hers, and asked, "Won't you dance with me?"
Xie Qingci was taken aback for a moment, then laughed, feigning anger, "You said you didn't peek at my diary?"
Besides being drenched in a torrential downpour, her diary, filled with her teenage wishes, also recorded another wish—
Dance with your loved one in snowy Hokkaido.
Liang Jingzhuo laughed too, "Is that alright?"
She lifted her hand from his, her fingertips lightly touching his palm, and lifted the non-existent "hem of her skirt," replying, "Of course."
Liang Jingzhuo lowered the umbrella and took her hand.
As the snow fell heavily, scattering snowflakes across the ground, they danced under the streetlights, their movements graceful and fluid. Xie Qingci's smile was radiant, and passersby were drawn to the scene, stopping to watch.
Amidst the exclamations of praise, Xie Qingci slowly spun around one last time, then threw herself into the arms of the person in front of her, hiding her face, "Quick, let's go, it's so embarrassing."
She hadn't expected so many viewers.
A wave of applause erupted around me.
Liang Jingzhuo laughed, looked at the person nestled in his arms, kissed the top of her head, and asked her, "So, has your wish been fulfilled?"
She just wanted to leave quickly, so she nodded hastily, "It's done."
The crowd around him offered their sincere blessings in various languages, and Liang Jingzhuo nodded his thanks.
Only after the crowd dispersed did he kiss the little ostrich in his arms, saying, "There's no one left, they've all gone."
Xie Qingci finally turned her face away and looked at the street, which had returned to normal, before she breathed a sigh of relief.
Liang Jingzhuo looked at her, "But I also have a question I want to ask you."
She shifted her gaze from the snow-covered street and looked up at him. "What?"
His expression was focused. "Wouldn't you wish we had chosen a sunny day to meet back then?"
It wasn't a torrential downpour that caught us off guard, or even caused a bit of a mess; it wasn't exactly pleasant.
As soon as she finished speaking, Xie Qingci laughed again, "Just how many surprises have you prepared?"
Liang Jingzhuo didn't speak, but looked at her with a faint smile in his eyes.
She stood on tiptoe and kissed his lips. "No, not at all."
The movie "About Time" that they couldn't watch together in Fushun Hutong, Liang Jingzhuo later watched it again by himself.
In the film, after the chaotic and stormy wedding of the male and female protagonists, the male protagonist asks the female protagonist if she would have wished they had chosen a sunny day for their wedding.
The female lead replied with a smile, "No, not at all."
Everything is just right. Life doesn't have to be perfect; surprises are what make it wonderful.
Hsieh Ching-Tzu also believes that someone is willing to accompany her through a downpour, dance a dance for no reason, patiently guide her, and care for her.
That's enough. There's no need to worry about whether the beginning was good or not. A blank answer sheet that ends with the correct answer is the best outcome.
And then, let me thank you again.
as well as--
“I cherish you very much, Liang Jingzhuo.”
When it comes to the people we love, we don't talk about forever, we just say we cherish them.
[End of text]
-----------------------
The author's note: "Wouldn't you wish we had chosen a sunny day back then?"
No, not at all.
When it comes to the people we love, we don't talk about forever, we just say we cherish them.
The above are all from "About Time".
-
That concludes the main text! I'll take a break tomorrow and start writing the side stories! You can request any side stories you'd like to see! Besides the married life and raising children, anything else you'd like to see is welcome!
Finally, I wish everyone the courage to always start over, and that in a life that may not be perfect, you will always have a loved one who cherishes you and whom you are cherished.
Have a happy day!
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