29. Time flies by.
As Zhang Yu's singing faded, the wedding ceremony began, with each step of the proceedings: exchanging vows, serving tea, and the bride addressing the groom in a traditional Chinese-Western fusion, creating a rich and fulfilling occasion. Fang Da, true to his personality, deliberately entertained the audience with his wedding vows, which he wrote like a stand-up comedy routine, filled with jokes and witty remarks. His confident and spirited manner, as if performing on an open mic, drew laughter from the crowd. The bride, however, remained deeply moved, tears streaming down her face.
"Whether in poverty or wealth, in fortune or misfortune, in sickness or in health, I will love you and cherish you until death."
Everyone at the wedding said it, and they truly meant it. Aside from a few marriages of convenience where both parties tacitly agree, there is probably no wedding where neither party makes a heartfelt vow: that we will love each other as much as we love each other until the end of our lives.
Don't use such strong language as "until death do us part." Nowadays, even weathering some hardships together is a luxury for many marriages.
Fang Kaixuan couldn't help but drift off into thought. She wondered if Chen Zhilun, just a few steps away, could recall even for a moment their simple yet joyful wedding.
There were no tears at that wedding, because it was filled with arrogant joy:
We lived happily ever after.
Even the longest love has its end, just like the present moment between Fang Kaixuan and Chen Zhilun.
This endless sorrow speaks to the inescapable loss in Fang Kaixuan's heart.
She couldn't help but gently rest her head on Gu Qiye's shoulder. At this moment, only this shoulder felt so warm and reliable, and the soft, fuzzy feel of his flannel shirt caressed her cheek.
Is this okay? she wondered to herself.
Not to him, but to some god somewhere, whose existence she didn't even know existed. At that moment, she realized the shortcomings of being a materialist: she didn't even know who to pray to.
At that moment, a voice seemed to answer in my head: No no no, it's not allowed.
unlucky.
Fang Kaixuan sat up straight. At that moment, someone gently touched her other shoulder. It was Chen Zhilun: "Can we have a word in private?"
She subconsciously glanced at Gu Qiye. It's said that when people encounter unexpected situations, the person they look to first indicates who they trust most at that moment. Fang Kaixuan didn't think much of it; she just did it instinctively, as if seeking his opinion.
There was a hint of inquiry in his eyes, as if asking: Can you do it?
Without needing to speak, she nodded, stood up, and walked with Chen Zhilun to the banquet hall entrance. The two moved quietly, but Fang Kaixuan still felt as if several pairs of curious eyes at the two tables were glued to their backs, trying to find out what was going on.
She felt an itch on her back.
As soon as they stepped out of the banquet hall, the loud music and laughter faded into the distance. Fang Kaixuan stopped in his tracks: "Old Chen, what's up?"
Fang Kaixuan and Chen Zhilun have been calling each other that since they were eighteen. It's a tacit, ambiguous relationship between a young man and woman pretending to be mature for their age.
"About the house."
Although they were divorced, their property was not divided clearly, because the house also involved down payment, repayment ratio, source of funds, etc., many complicated issues that Fang Kaixuan did not understand and did not want to face.
She always felt that calculating these things in detail was too ugly.
"I have a suggested solution, I'll send it to you for your consideration, please reply to me as soon as possible. We're planning to buy a new house soon and need the money, so we're thinking of selling this one." Chen Zhilun spoke in a businesslike tone.
Fang Kaixuan sighed. What was she daydreaming about when she walked those few dozen meters? She thought Chen Zhilun would at least say something like "I wish you happiness too."
Of all the love-struck fantasies she's had, none of them involved houses or property division.
Years have passed, and both have forgotten what they once said, but the electronic traces remain, each word a testament to love or hate. Among them are Fang Kaixuan's most emotional outburst, "I hate you," and Chen Zhilun's seemingly untrue apology, "The person I've wronged the most in this life is you." There are also greetings, longings, tests, arguments, and reconciliations from long ago.
Fang Kaixuan quickly closed his email. He decided to ignore the proposed split for now.
Qin Zhisheng asked, "Don't you think that his actions weren't entirely for money?"
"What else could it be? It can't be that we still have feelings for each other." Fang Kaixuan doesn't smoke, but right now he really wanted to smoke one so he could take a deep drag and exhale a smoke ring to vent his anger.
Non-smokers often lack the right tools to express their frustration when they are angry.
Fang Kaixuan originally thought that Chen Zhilun was not so low-level.
"He's just doing this on purpose because he sees you have a new man by your side. Either you ignore him, or if it were me, I would propose a division plan that he would never agree to and squeeze him for money. Anyway, you're not the one in a hurry right now, so it's good for him to be anxious."
"No, that's too much trouble."
"Then just ignore him and enjoy your new relationship. But let me tell you, don't be soft-hearted when it comes to money. If you are, he won't appreciate it and will just think you're a fool." Qin Zhisheng held back from swearing.
He's right. The division plan Chen Zhilun sent included extremely precise calculations of the amount Fang Kaixuan would contribute to repay the loan, but completely ignored the increase in property value.
Not only is he promiscuous and heartless, but he also schemes against his former bedmate. He's a real scoundrel. That's how Xiao Ju described him.
Fang Kaixuan was also annoyed and didn't want to think about these things, so she didn't reply to Chen Zhilun. She never expected to receive a call from an unknown number one day. Seeing the number flashing, she had a strange premonition, so she didn't answer.
But the phone kept ringing, so she had no choice but to answer it. It really was Su Jingya.
Fang Kaixuan originally thought that people wouldn't really be so undignified.
Chen Zhilun's once perfect image has long been shattered, but it can continue to shatter, breaking into pieces, mixing with mud and water to become filthy, turning into a stain on a white shirt that can never be washed off.
Of course, you can buy a new one. But that white dress from when I was eighteen is gone forever.
She wasn't angry anymore, but she was still frustrated. Fang Kaixuan could only tell herself that Qin Zhisheng was right; she should ignore him and just be happy with her new man. She and Gu Qiye never seemed to have to worry about this. The two went for a stroll in the park where she often went for walks. Many mallards were frolicking by the lake, and a pair of black swans, with their five fluffy black chicks, came ashore, attracting a crowd of onlookers taking pictures, who couldn't help but get closer. Suddenly, the black swan father flapped his wings and ran over, shooing the crowd away fiercely.
Fang Kaixuan suddenly chuckled.
“Male black swans are actually more manly than human men.” She was obviously implying something.
It's said that you should play dumb in front of men, and criticizing men is certainly unpleasant. Fang Kaixuan wouldn't act like this in front of others, especially not in front of the man she likes. But the strange thing is that she can like him and still speak without restraint.
Fully equipped runners frequently passed by them. This place is considered a running mecca in Beijing, where people often like to create a route shaped like a little monster and post it on social media.
The sun is already setting in the west, and people look exceptionally beautiful in this sunlight. Their skin is tinged with a light, sandy gold hue, and they are naturally gorgeous without needing any lighting or filters.
Just like between them, they can be very comfortable without having to put in a lot of effort.
"This is too smooth. I doubt God would let my lover have it this easy."
Another ordinary evening. Office workers haven't gone home yet, elderly people are taking their grandchildren to watch the fish and feed the ducks, anglers are full of expectations but have caught nothing, and the young couple skipping school haven't yet mustered the courage to hold hands for the first time in their lives.
A sunset that Fang Kaixuan had seen countless times, one that she might even find too ordinary and mundane, seemed different today, tinged with an extra touch of melancholy. It was as if someone was reciting that line of poetry in her ear: "The years have suddenly passed."
She suddenly felt an impulse and grabbed his hand: "Let's go to the ends of the earth."
Perhaps she could not have him forever, for expecting eternity was ridiculous in itself, but to possess him for a moment was to cherish it. She resolved from this moment on to cease pursuing eternity.
Where do you want to go?
"volcano."
It wasn't a well-thought-out decision; it was simply because the night before they were watching a documentary, "Volcanoes in Love," about a geologist couple obsessed with volcanoes who traveled the world for twenty years, following one volcanic eruption after another, and ultimately perished in a volcanic eruption in 1991.
These two months are a rare long vacation in her life, and she may soon become a pre-made 9-to-5 worker again.
"I am not free. But I can still be free."
Fang Kaixuan consulted Gu Qiye's opinion, after all, he still had work to do. Gu Qiye replied as follows.
That's probably why she admires him—because he's not the kind of person who would say, "I'd do anything for you." Those three omitted words represent his absolute gentleness.
///
My dears, I've been dealing with too many things in the real world lately, plus I'm planning to revise the story (I have a full draft but I'm not entirely satisfied with it), so I'm temporarily taking a break from updates. But I absolutely, positively won't abandon it; I'll resume updates later. Back to the real world for now, sending my greetings~ hug hug! Wishing you all the best in whatever universe you're in!
Ah, I clicked in and saw this message. I'll wait for you to come back!
I'm squatting here watching! I've already written a chapter of my new work, hahaha!
It's been affecting my real life a little lately, so I've made some adjustments~ See you later!
Send it soon, I'm waiting for it~
We're waiting for you to come back!
Waiting for more
Thank you, darling! I'll update again as soon as possible after some minor adjustments. Thank you!
Wait for you!
This is a resumed update today, and I will continue updating until the story is complete :)
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