Chapter 199 Extra Chapter Final
It is true that environment shapes people.
When he first met Tong Zhongyuan, Qin Tian felt that he must be the most self-disciplined person in the world, no doubt about it.
But now he has been here as a homeless person for three months, and gradually he has become like a homeless person. Apart from going to work at the Shanghai Museum twice a week, he seems to have nothing to do.
Before four in the afternoon, London was quiet. He had nothing else to do except replying to yesterday's emails.
Several times, she'd ask him what he was doing during work hours, and he'd either be working out or just hanging out. She felt guilty for turning a hardworking young man into a jobless vagrant. She'd ask him if he could skip work and keep him company. He'd say no, he'd be fine just walking around on his own.
Qin Tian thought to herself, during his first month here, he'd often come to harass her at work, encouraging her to skip work. They say three months is a watershed in relationships, the point when passion fades and one has to face the real world again. She and Tong Zhongyuan were human, too, and no exceptions.
But... during the night, she felt no sign of the passion between them fading.
She was not afraid of entering a calm period in her love with Tong Zhongyuan. She still yearned to spend every day and night with him in peace, because she understood that love is the accumulation of time and the construction of perseverance.
Like her, another person who is about to enter a dull period in love is Song Suiyang. Last week, Song Suiyang told her that she and her boyfriend are planning to get married.
It's not too surprising, as they have been dating for several years and their relationship has been stable.
What was overwhelming Song Suiyang was the sheer amount of preparation required for a wedding. Booking a hotel, trying on wedding dresses, finding a makeup artist, videographers, and photographers. Her boyfriend was a good-tempered man who listened to her in everything, but at this point, his good temper became a flaw. Song Suiyang complained, "If he says everything and only cares about what you think is good, then why would I need him?"
Faced with a volatile bride-to-be, Qin Tian could only agree repeatedly. Song Suiyang had already told her to be a bridesmaid. She wasn't entirely willing; the dress, high heels, and makeup were a real challenge. Being a bridesmaid would take up an entire day, involving entertaining people she didn't even know.
But Song Suiyang said lightly: "You are just one of the bridesmaids. Now they are all bridesmaids, and you are the third bridesmaid."
Qin Tian only knew there were first and second debaters, but she hadn't expected the bridesmaids to now also have an order of appearance. She humbly asked, "What do the third bridesmaids need to do?"
Song Suiyang waved his hand and said, "The third companion is not that important. I put you in the third companion because we see each other every day, so it's easier to discuss things before the wedding. When we get to the wedding, the first and second companions will go! The fourth companion will be the last one to leave. The third companion will enjoy the good life."
Qin Tian breathed a sigh of relief. It turned out that the three companions, like the three debaters, weren't that important. That was good. She was just worried that the task was too heavy and she couldn't handle it.
When Song Suiyang told her that Sanban needed to take time out to accompany her to try on wedding dresses and bridal makeup, she agreed without hesitation. She would rather run errands before the wedding than be a headless fly at the wedding.
The only problem was that Song Suiyang had chosen a Saturday afternoon. Although there was no explicit rule, for the past three months, Qin Tian had dedicated every weekend to Tong Zhongyuan. Sure enough, when she told him she'd be spending Saturday with Song Suiyang, his eyebrows knitted together.
"She's getting married, and I'm a escort. This is an escort's job." She hooked her arms around his neck to coax him.
Tong Zhongyuan didn't say anything, but reluctantly expressed his understanding and even made some brunch.
After dinner, Qin Tian went to the bridal shop they'd agreed to meet. Before they went, she'd assumed Song Suiyang would just follow the crowd and rent a dress. It wasn't until she arrived that she realized it wasn't a rental shop, but a real one. A luxurious fragrance hung in the air, melodious music played, and even the carpet was a light beige that didn't easily resist staining. Qin Tian glanced at her sneakers and felt a pang of anxiety about soiling the carpet.
Song Suiyang had arrived and waved to her.
"You can't be right! Wedding dresses here are so expensive! You want to buy a wedding dress? It will be useless after wearing it once!" Qin Tian whispered.
"It's free to make an appointment, so I'll just try the yarn and decide whether to buy it or not."
Qin Tian admired Song Suiyang very much. People like her who were too embarrassed to buy even a few dates after trying them would not dare to step into an expensive store that they could not afford.
To have a matching makeup look for her wedding gown, Song Suiyang had arranged for a makeup artist to come to the store. Qin Tian waited idly for her makeup to be applied, but to her surprise, it didn't take long to finish. She looked at Song Suiyang after her makeup; she looked much prettier, but it wasn't quite the bridal look she'd imagined.
"It's just a makeup trial, it doesn't have to be complicated," Song Suiyang explained, turning to the makeup artist and saying, "Give her a bridesmaid makeup too."
Qin Tian took two steps back and just as she said no, she was dragged back by Song Suiyang. She hadn't expected Song Suiyang to be so strong, and he pushed her down onto the chair. It seems that cultural relic restoration is really a test of strength.
"You are the bridesmaid of honor, and you represent the reputation of the four bridesmaids. If your makeup trial doesn't turn out well, what will happen to the other three? For everyone's sake, you have to make a sacrifice."
While Qin Tian was putting on makeup, Song Suiyang tried on two wedding gowns. One had a princess-style puffy skirt, the other a slim-fitting fishtail dress. Qin Tian narrowed her eyes and mumbled, "I think the princess-style one suits you best..."
Song Suiyang nodded with satisfaction: "I think so too."
Qin Tian's makeup was finally done. She felt that it took her longer to put on than Song Suiyang's. She glanced at herself in the mirror. She was beautiful and natural. It was a very good makeup. Song Suiyang nodded with satisfaction and said, "It looks good, but your clothes don't match. Put on the bridesmaid dress and show it to me. Buy a wedding dress and give bridesmaid dresses as gifts."
"Wait a minute," Qin Tian held her back and said in a low voice, "You're not buying a wedding dress, so why should I try on bridesmaid dresses?"
"I didn't say I wouldn't buy it. What's wrong with you trying it?"
"No, no, I won't try it. What if it gets dirty and I force you to buy it?"
Song Suiyang was in a dilemma. This was a problem. She knew Qin Tian's stubbornness. If she really didn't dare to wear this dress, she could still do something else. The saying that environment shapes people is absolutely true.
"Who said I wouldn't buy it? Didn't you say the first one looked good? So I bought it."
Qin Tian covered her mouth. She had just come in and looked around. Most of the wedding dresses here started at six figures, and even simple styles cost five figures. The one Song Suiyang tried on had intricate embroidery and was definitely not a basic style.
"You're so lucky! You only wear it once! It'll take up space at home. You can rent it just as well."
Song Suiyang waved his hands impatiently: "Who said I only wear it once? I can wear it again in the future. Besides, Xiao Chen is paying for it, why should I save him money?"
Qin Tian shut up. Song Suiyang had said so, and she had nothing else to say except respect, understanding, and blessing. However, she asked, "Are they going to give one bridesmaid dress or four? Aren't they going to give four? They'll lose money."
Song Suiyang felt like her brain cells were burning. She hadn't expected it to be so difficult to change her skirt. If she had known earlier, she should have used Plan B. Maybe she would have gotten it done by now.
"Bridesmaid dresses are very cheap, only 99 on Taobao with free shipping. They also wholesale from the same place, so you can't lose money."
Qin Tian finally put on the bridesmaid dress that Song Suiyang had chosen. She looked at herself in the mirror and wondered if it was really a bridesmaid dress?
"Isn't this the wrong color? Aren't bridesmaids' dresses all green, purple, and blue? This color clashes with your wedding dress."
Song Suiyang thought to himself that he hadn't expected her to be so meticulous: "No, it's not the same. Wedding dresses are pure white. Yours is pearl white, which is very coordinated."
Qin Tian looked at herself. Although she didn't understand, this dress looked simple, but it was stunning when she put it on. The workmanship was so fine that it couldn't possibly be bought on Taobao for 99 yuan with free shipping. Besides, the first priority of a bridesmaid was not to steal the bride's limelight. It wasn't that she was narcissistic, but the shape of this dress was so perfect and it suited her so well that she always felt it was a bit too much.
"I think you should pick out another bridesmaid dress. What's the main color of your wedding? The bridesmaid dress should follow the main color." She turned her head and said.
"No need! It's settled!"
Song Suiyang tried on another wedding dress, chatted with the dress fitter for a few words, and disappeared for a while. She came back and said she had paid the deposit and would come back in two weeks after the wedding dress was altered.
Qin Tian was about to take off his bridesmaid dress when she stopped him.
"Pay the deposit and I'll give you a bridesmaid dress. Wear it back. It's rare that you put on makeup, so let your teacher Tong admire it."
Qin Tian hesitated. Wearing such a beautiful dress and putting on makeup, she was indeed radiant. Thinking of Tong Zhongyuan, his eyes and his smile, she put her hand down.
"Can you really wear it?"
"Of course, I paid for it."
Song Suiyang said he had to go book a hotel with Xiao Chen later, so they said goodbye. Qin Tian picked up his bag and walked out the door.
"Qin Tian." Song Suiyang called her from behind and she turned around.
Song Suiyang looked at her happily.
"You are so beautiful. I envy Teacher Tong."
Qin Tian turned around and left speechlessly. What she said was true. She was not beautiful for him. After leaving the store, she sent a message to Tong Zhongyuan.
"Finally done, I'm back now."
He quickly replied: "I'm outside, do you want to come over?"
"Where are you?"
Tong Zhongyuan called back: "How about eating out tonight? I've booked a restaurant near the Old Shanghai Museum. I'd like to go shopping with you there this afternoon."
"The old Shanghai Museum? That's the business building now, right? Can I go shopping there?"
“You can hang out in the lobby.”
After leaving the old Shanghai University with Qin Yunjie, she never set foot in that red brick, pointed-roof, English-style building again. It was the place where she had a carefree childhood and the beginning of all her misfortunes.
From then on, she put away all the good and bad things and buried them deep in her memory.
But now, it is no longer like that. That building was the beginning of her and Tong Zhongyuan's exploration of life together, the place where happiness and dreams began.
Qin Tian took a taxi and stopped at Zhonghui Building.
"Where are you?" she texted.
"Come in," he replied curtly.
She walked into the lobby, expecting to see Tong Zhongyuan, but she looked around and saw no one. This was an old building, poorly rented, and even on weekends, it was deserted. The spacious, lofty lobby she remembered, with its understated, elegant marble parquet floor, was completely gone. Instead, it was a narrow, thick, ornate hall, its floor covered in a fresh, rich, new pattern.
She looked up for a moment. The half-floor atrium that had seemed so vast when she was a child, where she could glimpse the activities on the first floor through the cast iron railings, had actually become so small. And the dance floor that had once been spacious enough to accommodate the entire Shanghai Museum staff's New Year's ball, now seemed so cramped.
She finally grew up.
The laughter of children drifted in from the empty courtyard.
"It's my turn!" Qin Yizhang let go of Tong Zhongyuan's hand and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Tong Zhongyuan stood up: "Okay, let me pull you up."
With his back to her, he held her hand tightly and dragged her along the waxed ground, playing the game he invented, "Pulling a Rickshaw".
He pulled faster and faster, breaking into a trot. Qin Yizhang's hair fluttered in the wind, and his laughter echoed in the quiet museum.
"Okay, it's my turn." After one lap, Qin Yizhang followed the rules.
"Let me do it. I can pull it off again."
"Aren't you tired?"
“I’m a boy, I don’t get tired.”
"Don't talk nonsense. Girls are strong too! I am very strong! I even picked you up last time." She said unconvinced.
Tong Zhongyuan turned his head and touched his ear: "It will only be one or two years, and then you won't be able to hold me anymore."
She glared at him. Tong Zhongyuan was so annoying. He always had to give her the upper hand in everything.
"The same goes for you! Once I grow up, you won't be able to hold me anymore!"
He looked at her as if she were mentally retarded and spat out two words: "Fool."
The cell phone rang and Qin Tian looked away.
"Direct elevator in the lobby, to the top floor."
She held her phone in her hand and saw her reflection in the mirrored mirror: long, slightly curly hair, a graceful white dress, and a pair of worn but comfortable sneakers.
The elevator arrived with a ding. She stepped inside. The numbers on the screen slowly jumped. In the first year of their separation, she left the Shanghai Museum. In the second year, she received twelve letters, but never replied. In the third year, her memory of him had faded. In the fourth year, she happened to hear his name, as if it were a lifetime ago. In the fifth year, on a clear summer night, she heard the bells of the Customs Building and suddenly wondered if he, too, was a teenager now...
The jumping numbers stopped at 21. She watched and waited. The elevator reopened, and the moment the light from the slanted window shone in, the 21 years of separation had passed, and all the hardships had been overcome.
She walked to the left with familiarity. There was a small door there. When it was opened, there was a steep staircase leading to the spire on the top floor.
The small door was open, with an unlocked lock hanging on it. The sunlight from the attic penetrated the long darkness and shone onto her upturned face, shining on her smile that was more dazzling than the sunlight.
The invincible dragon had been defeated, and the first rays of morning light from the east shone into the castle that had been imprisoned for so long. She lifted her skirt and walked upward step by step, facing hope like a true princess.
She knew, she was incredibly determined, that after this long, lonely, dark road, the person she loved most was waiting for her, waiting for her to walk into the future together, and to blow the horn for the next journey.
On the top floor of the Shanghai Museum, in the gaps between the fragmented sunlight, he turned around, the wind from the Huangpu River blew his black hair, and the bells of the Customs Building crossed the river of time.
She stood in the sunset, her skirt and long hair fluttering in the wind, her brown eyes filled with the sky and him.
He walked towards her step by step. She covered her eyes shyly, her face red with laughter, and looked at his most handsome face in the world through her fingers.
He smiled and knelt on one knee in front of her, took the ring out of his pocket, and looked up at her.
"Qin Yizhang, will you marry me?"
She covered her hot cheeks and smiled like a beautiful rose, nodding vigorously in the river breeze.
"good!"
His face instantly glowed with a glow even hotter than the setting sun. He pulled her hand down and put a solemn promise of their future on her ring finger.
The bells of the Customs House continued to ring, and on the tower of this century-old building, they embraced and kissed at the intersection of their destiny.
"You tricked me into changing into a skirt, why didn't you let me change into a pair of shoes?" She wrapped her strong arms around his neck, her eyes reflecting the colorful clouds in the sky.
"Because you don't need high heels, you just need shoes that can take you far away." His gentle voice answered in the wind.
The Huangpu River flowed unobstructed, the breeze rustling the handkerchiefs they had hung on the railings. A golden hue enveloped both banks of the river. He turned and held out his hand to her, his smile bathed in the molten gold of the setting sun. They stood side by side, fingers clasped, gazing out to the ends of the world.
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