0043 Sweet Talk
The next day, when Song Ning woke up, the bedside was empty, the pillow was cold, and there were folded clothes on the bedside table.
Song Ning took a shower and changed her clothes. Then, when no one was around, she quietly left Shen Yuxiu's room.
After breakfast, Song Ning planned to go back to her room to get her New Year's gift, thinking she would give it to Shen Yuxiu when she saw him later. However, she unexpectedly ran into Su Qingru on the way.
Su Qingru was sitting next to an old man, surrounded by seven or eight people. When she saw Song Ning, she waved to her, signaling her to come over.
Song Ning's lips twitched, somewhat displeased.
Su Qingru had a rough idea of what was going on, so she simply came over herself, walked to Song Ning's side, and patted Song Ning's waist: "You child, I'm never around all day. Mom is going home tonight, can't you sit down and chat with Mom for a while? Have you had breakfast yet?"
"Not yet, I'm going to have breakfast first." Song Ning tried to run away.
Su Qingru held onto Song Ning's hand, preventing her from letting go: "Perfect timing, I'll have someone make you a separate portion. What would you like to eat?"
Knowing she couldn't hide it from Su Qingru, Song Ning had no choice but to accept her fate: "Never mind, I'm not hungry."
"Have you eaten longevity noodles?" Su Qingru pulled Song Ning toward the crowd.
"Um."
Su Qingru glanced at Song Ning and smiled, "You."
As the two approached the spot where Su Qingru had been sitting, an elderly woman with white hair asked tremblingly, "Aru, is this your daughter? She's so beautiful. What's her name?"
“Yes, Third Aunt, her name is Song Ning, and she went to the same school as Jia Yu.” Su Qingru gently pushed Song Ning in front of the old woman. “This is Third Grandmother.”
"Hello, Third Grandmother." Song Ning greeted her.
"Sweetie, don't stand there talking, sit down, sit down." The old man waved his hand, perhaps because of his age and forgetfulness, and asked, "Are you married?"
The others moved aside, making room for Song Ning to sit next to Su Qingru.
"She's still young, only 19. She doesn't even know if she has a boyfriend yet." Su Qingru glanced at Song Ning.
"I've got it," Song Ning replied directly, cutting off any chance others might have to recommend a boyfriend to her.
Su Qingru was surprised: "When did you get pregnant? Why didn't you tell me?"
Song Ning: "I just won him over a while ago."
"Haha... Qingru, your daughter is nothing like you. You and Xiaoyue corresponded for five years before you got together, right?" someone said.
Song Ning knew about this, but she was still quite shocked every time she heard it. She really found it hard to imagine Shen Xiaoyue's expression when he sat at the table writing a letter. She could clearly see his expression when he was writing official documents, but every time she tried to imagine it, the sense of incongruity was too jarring.
“Yes, she looks just like her biological mother, both in appearance and personality. If her parents hadn’t passed away early, she might be Yuxiu’s girlfriend by now,” Su Qingru said.
Song Ning glanced at Su Qingru. In the past, Su Qingru rarely mentioned her parents in front of her, nor did she ever talk about her adoption in front of others. She would even get angry if others mentioned it. Why did she bring it up on her own today?
“I remember she was always attached to Yuxiu when she was little. Once, Yuxiu spent half a day playing with Asi’s child, and she threw a huge tantrum. At that time, we all said that when Yuxiu got married, she would tear your house down.”
"You're right. If Asi's child were a girl, it wouldn't be so bad, but it's just a little boy, and she's already so jealous. By the way, isn't Yuxiu almost 30? Why doesn't he have a girlfriend yet?"
Su Qingru said, "His mind isn't on that. He's busy with work, either teaching or doing research, and he also runs a company with friends. He doesn't have time to date."
Upon hearing Su Qingru's words, Song Ning's lips curled up slightly, thinking to himself, "Who said he didn't have it?"
“Our family has members in the military, politics, and business, but your child chose to be a teacher. He’s a child with a strong sense of self.” The old man took the tea offered by someone and slowly took a sip.
Su Qingru laughed: "He just doesn't want to be tied down. With great power comes great responsibility. Look at his father, starting in his thirties, his white hair started popping up one after another."
"Oh my, speak of the devil. These two were summoned by the old man early this morning, and I don't know what they talked about, but they were locked up and talked for ages before they were finally released," someone joked.
In the corridor, Shen Yuxiu and Shen Jiayi were discussing something, walking side by side. When they saw so many people in the hall, they both looked in their direction.
Song Ning looked up, recalling what Shen Yuxiu had said to her when she was in a daze last night, and then looked into his calm and composed eyes at this moment, feeling somewhat dazed.
She'd already agreed to his request, would it kill him to smile at her? Besides, who was it that made her fall into a deep sleep last night?
Shen Yuxiu and Shen Jiayi walked over, greeted the others one by one, and each found a chair to sit down and chat.
When the time was almost up, Shen Yuxiu found an excuse and left with Song Ning.
As soon as the three left, Shen Jiayi walked down the corridor, one hand on her hip, and ruffled her hair: "Could you please be a little quieter next time? It's so noisy in the middle of the night."
Shen Yuxiu hummed in agreement.
Song Ning retorted, "Who told you to stay up so late and wander around aimlessly?"
"I was just sleeping, and your bed was moving so much..." Seeing other people approaching, Shen Jiayi changed her words, "I live downstairs from him, do you understand now?"
Song Ning fell silent, not daring to speak again. She glanced at Shen Yuxiu and noticed that the tips of his ears were a little red.
When they reached Shen Jiayi's room, Shen Jiayi waved to the two of them and said, "I'm going to take a nap. You two can go and have some fun."
After saying that, Shen Jiayi went into the room.
Song Ning's room was at the other end, so the two of them took a detour, coming from the garden to avoid the people chatting in the main hall.
"I am polite..." People were coming and going in the garden corridor. Just as Song Ning was about to speak, a child with a toy gun ran out from around a corner and bumped into Shen Yuxiu.
Shen Yuxiu bent down to protect the child and asked if he was hurt. The child stood up straight, his face red, and shook his head. After apologizing for his recklessness, he pushed and shoved the other two children who had caught up and ran away.
Shen Yuxiu continued the previous topic: "What is it?"
Seeing Shen Yuxiu's tenderness towards the child, Song Ning suddenly remembered a past incident they had just discussed and blurted out, "Do you like children?"
Shen Yuxiu didn't look well today, as if he hadn't slept all night. He yawned and said lazily, "It's alright, it depends on how likable the child is."
"Which one is likable, and which one is not?" Song Ning's original intention was just to ask casually because she was worried that Shen Yuxiu liked children, and she had never been good with children. But after hearing him say that, she couldn't help but be curious.
"She's pretty, smart, has her own opinions, goals, and perseverance—that's likable." Shen Yuxiu glanced at Song Ning out of the corner of his eye.
Are you talking about a child?
"And what about the ones that aren't popular?"
"She's temperamental, loves to show off, likes to act like an adult, and is always the kind of person who hurts herself recklessly." Compared to when he said she was likable, Shen Yuxiu spoke much slower when he said she was unlikable.
"Shen Yuxiu, why don't you just name him?" If Song Ning still didn't understand, she would really be a fool. She coldly threw out a sentence, took two quick steps, and Shen Yuxiu silently followed.
The two walked to Song Ning's room door, and Song Ning opened the door: "Come in, I have a gift for you."
Shen Yuxiu nodded and followed him inside.
Song Ning's gift to Shen Yuxiu was placed on a table near the entrance.
It is a black square box.
Song Ning quickly grabbed the gift and hid it behind her back. Looking at Shen Yuxiu, who had closed the door, she deliberately teased him, "Guess what the gift is."
They've given each other countless gifts since they were little, both for special occasions and for no particular reason, but Song Ning always made Shen Yuxiu guess what they were getting.
I'll only give it to him if he guesses correctly.
"Have you sent them before?" Shen Yuxiu chuckled.
"No."
"Cufflinks or a tie clip, perhaps."
"Did you peek into my shopping cart?" Song Ning took out the gift and handed it to Shen Yuxiu, accepting her loss.
"It's a small item, and I've never delivered it before. You were looking through my tie and clothes a while ago, so it's not hard to guess." Shen Yuxiu took the box, opened it, looked at it, and then closed it again.
"You don't like it?" Song Ning asked.
"No, I like it, it's just that I'm not wearing a tie today."
Song Ning said "Oh". Shen Yuxiu doesn't usually wear suits except for work and important occasions. He prefers comfortable casual clothes, which is what he's wearing today.
"But why haven't you been wearing your glasses since you started dating me?"
Song Ning leaned close to Shen Yuxiu, tilting her head slightly to look into his eyes. She saw her reflection in them. Compared to his domineering and unreasonable behavior last night, he was much gentler and more detached from worldly desires today.
“I often forget, so I might as well not bring it.” Shen Yuxiu put the gift aside and then picked up Song Ning around the waist.
Song Ning was lifted off the ground and carried to the bed by Shen Yuxiu. She thought Shen Yuxiu wanted to do it, but he just lay down and said sleepily, "Let's take a nap too."
"Shen Yuxiu, do you want me to sing for you and lull you to sleep?" Song Ning stared at Shen Yuxiu's long, thick, black eyelashes when he closed his eyes, blew on them, and watched them flutter with his eyelids, feeling a delicate fragility.
Shen Yuxiu hummed in agreement.
Song Ning leaned close to Shen Yuxiu's ear and sang two lines aloud.
Shen Yuxiu, who had his arm around Song Ning's waist, suddenly pulled her away from his ear and pressed her head into his chest when she was halfway through her song, preventing her from singing any further.
Song Ning hid in Shen Yuxiu's arms, suppressing a laugh with ill intent.
Shen Yuxiu sighed, hooked his long leg around Song Ning's fidgeting feet, and repeated the lyrics in his pure British English with a lazy tone: "Call me babydoll?"
"You have it in your car, why don't you listen?" His light fragrance, mixed with drowsiness, enveloped Song Ning, who closed her eyes.
"I dare not listen." Of the ten songs, seven or eight have lyrics that are explicit and passionate, just like her—rebellious and eccentric, flamboyant and open. Every time I listen to them, I miss her a little more.
“That means I listened.” Song Ning smiled.
"I heard you." Shen Yuxiu rested his chin on the top of her head, his voice even lazier.
Do you like it?
What do you like?
"Do I like myself?"
After a moment of thought, Shen Yuxiu propped his head up with his hand. Song Ning opened her eyes as well, meeting his affectionate gaze.
Shen Yuxiu stroked the necklace around her neck and said, slowly and deliberately, "You know what? When people discuss quantum mechanics, they say something quite interesting: Does God play dice?"
Seeing Song Ning's confusion, Shen Yuxiu continued, "If God really rolls dice, then I think no matter how many times God rolls the dice, my answer will always be 'I love you'."
Song Ning understood the simple and easy-to-understand statement, and was just feeling incredibly happy when she heard Shen Yuxiu say, "This statement is neither scientific nor rational."
He paused deliberately, looked at Song Ning's downturned lips, and smiled, "But because it's you, all of this is reasonable and certain. So, no matter how many times you ask, I will tell you that I love you and will always love you."
Song Ning felt that there must be something wrong with her heart again, otherwise why would it be beating so fast?
Her face flushed, and she pretended to be sleepy, burying her face in Shen Yuxiu's arms: "Shen Yuxiu."
Shen Yuxiu hummed in agreement.
Song Ning was a little embarrassed: "You really know how to say sweet words."
Shen Yuxiu lowered his hands, hugged her, and a low laugh rolled in his chest. It was very subtle, with almost no tremor, but it inexplicably made people feel anxious and restless.
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