Chapter 34
Around midnight, after a slightly tipsy Cheng Shi and Huang Ruoyu said their goodbyes, Palm Beach No. 8 finally fell completely quiet.
At this moment, Sun Pengfei cautiously allowed a trace of sadness to sneak into his heart. This little bit of sorrow was just enough to remind him that his first priority was to comfort Su Ningna. Because he knew that only after comforting his wife could he better understand the heart-wrenching pain of losing his goddess, Huang Ruoyu.
“Nana, do you know what I really think?” Sun Pengfei approached Su Ningna, who was washing wine glasses and ashtrays by the kitchen sink, and said in an elder’s tone, “I think their plan to settle in Dali is a very immature decision, it’s just a crazy whim.”
After saying this, Sun Pengfei noticed that Su Ningna's tense shoulders finally relaxed.
"Yes, I also think that the two of them are completely being ridiculous. Although I didn't dare say it to their faces just now, I actually think so too. They're just acting on a whim, just being silly. The word 'immature' is absolutely fitting to describe them. Don't you think these two have thought about the children even a little bit? How can they be such parents?"
“Yes, they don’t care about the children at all. The educational resources in Dali are simply not good. Although we don’t approve of ‘tiger parenting,’ what’s the difference between transferring a child from Beijing to Dali and making them drop out of school? People are desperately trying to find the best educational resources for their children, but they’re doing the opposite.” Sun Pengfei said earnestly, “And besides that, there’s another problem. How can women go out to earn money to support the family while men stay at home doing nothing? What kind of nonsense is that? I’m not trying to criticize Xiaocheng, but he’s actually quite capable, smart, and well-educated. Even if he’s reached the age of 35, it shouldn’t be difficult for him to find a job. But you know what… I mean, what kind of man has the nerve to accept this arrangement where women have to earn money to support the family? Isn’t that just being a kept man?”
As Sun Pengfei said this, he had clearly forgotten the long period when he had also shamelessly relied on Su Ningna working as a cashier in a supermarket to support the family. Fortunately, Su Ningna seemed to have completely forgotten that time as well, so she didn't refute his words but instead went along with her husband's line of thought:
"Who says otherwise? That's what I think too. It's not right to let Ruoyu go out to earn money while Xiaocheng stays home to take care of the kids. Besides, being a live streamer isn't as easy as they think. There are so many live streamers now, and there are plenty of beautiful women, and even more eloquent ones. Money isn't so easy to earn. Yes, Xiaohuang is good-looking and studied acting, but she's not young anymore. She looks okay at first glance, but not so good upon closer inspection. And she's always so stubborn... I have no problem with her, but what I mean is that she's starting out as a live streamer too late. Those who have reached the top have already made all the money. What room is there for her? What if she doesn't make any money? Will the four of them starve?"
"Maybe they have savings."
“Savings? I don’t believe it. I heard they borrowed money for the down payment on their house,” Su Ningna put down her ashtray and curled her lip at Sun Pengfei. “Besides, I’ve never heard of either of them being a rich kid, but look at what they eat, wear, and use—everything is a designer brand. Especially Ruoyu, every single item he’s wearing is a high-end luxury brand. I think they’re both the type to spend money like water. I don’t believe they could have any savings.”
"Yes," Sun Pengfei replied absentmindedly, his mind filled with images of Huang Ruoyu in her nude apricot dress—she was so beautiful! Beautiful even up close! Especially her spirit, it was simply breathtaking!
"Actually, there are some things I don't want to say because I've always considered them friends, so I respect their decisions. But I think what you said is absolutely right. They're just being ridiculous! Completely irresponsible! To be honest, they're both like immature kids. Shanshan and Xiaosi are really suffering living with these parents. Look at them, always leaving such young children at home late at night and running off to play. It's better that they're staying with us, since it's close by and we can easily get back if anything happens. But they even drive into the city late at night to go to bars. They're completely irresponsible towards themselves and their children! What will happen to the two kids if either of them gets drunk and causes an accident?"
Later, when Sun Pengfei and Su Ningna lay together in the dark bedroom upstairs, Sun Pengfei realized that he hadn't been able to soothe Su Ningna's emotions. He noticed that she was tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep, and her breathing was heavy, as if she were softly sobbing. Sun Pengfei knew that if he reached out to touch Su Ningna, she would definitely throw herself into his arms and cry, releasing all her emotions. At that point, he could only gently pat her back and softly ask, "What's wrong, baby? What's wrong? Tell me what's wrong, Nana?"
At this moment, Sun Pengfei didn't want to follow that routine. He didn't want her tears to wet his pajamas, nor did he want her warm back to tremble under his hands. He wasn't in the mood to comfort her, and besides, he was still annoyed by her smell—she hadn't showered until before going to bed, only washing her face briefly and not even removing her makeup properly…
Dali! At this moment, only one place name remained in Sun Pengfei's mind. The name Dali struck a chord deep within him, transporting him back to the most beautiful days of his youth. Sun Pengfei clearly remembered that when he was in university, one summer he and a few particularly adventurous classmates embarked on a spontaneous trip. They drove a beat-up secondhand Jeep, traveling from Beijing to Yunnan, then to Tibet, and finally to Qinghai, spending the entire summer wandering before returning to Beijing from Shaanxi. This trip not only covered over 10,000 kilometers, tanning them several shades darker to enhance their masculinity, but it was also a veritable "journey of romantic encounters"—they met several unforgettable girls along the way, especially the artistic young women they met in Dali. They were innocent, naive, and full of romantic fantasies, unlike the rough and pragmatic young women they encountered on the road…
At this moment, Sun Pengfei recalled those exciting moments from back then, those girls of all kinds, the azure sky, the white clouds, the golden sunshine, the noisy bars, and the roads twisted like pretzel ropes, as well as the "bold words" that he and his fellow "tough guys" said they would live such an exciting life for the rest of their lives.
"Aren't they all old now? Where are they now? We've all gone our separate ways..." For some reason, the melody of Pu Shu's "Those Flowers" suddenly came to Sun Pengfei's mind.
Okay, okay, maybe only young people would miss this kind of thing. Well, Sun Pengfei is now a mature and stable adult, a respected engineer, and sooner or later he will take over his father's company. After all, he is his father's only son, so he no longer cares about that kind of life of hardship and recklessness.
But God, what if I lived in Dali with Huang Ruoyu? What if I strolled hand-in-hand with her through the old streets of Dali? What if I rowed a boat on Erhai Lake with her? What if I frolicked with her by Butterfly Spring? What if I wandered into an ancient courtyard paved with hexagonal tiles with her? What if I heard her captivating laughter and her soft Wu dialect in Dali, like hearing her say, "Pengfei, I love you"? What if I could have her, with her natural rose scent, with that eternally proud and aloof her, what if they were... Oh!
If Sun Pengfei could be with Huang Ruoyu...
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
