Chapter 43
Time flies and it is deep winter.
Over the past two months, the relationship between Chen Yan and Lin Qi has entered a very stable and comfortable track.
Lin Qi took some daily necessities and a change of clothes and officially occupied a small, dedicated space in Chen Yan's closet. With the arrival of her bottles, jars, and soft clothing, Chen Yan's home completely shed its former cool, model-room-like sense of alienation and became filled with the warmth of a home that belonged to "us."
They checked in together at the other three stops of the eight major cuisines, and also visited supermarkets and vegetable markets countless times together.
Chen Yan was used to seeing Lin Qi's sleeping face as soon as he opened his eyes every morning.
Lin Qi was used to it, and when he was working overtime late at night, she would work tirelessly to leave a light on for him to go home and a bowl of warm soup.
Like all ordinary couples, they share each other's daily lives and slowly penetrate into each other's lives.
It was a Wednesday night.
A fine, cold winter rain fell outside the window. They had just finished dinner at home. Chen Yan was in charge of washing the dishes, while Lin Qi stood by, slowly wiping each dish dry with a dry cotton cloth before putting it in the cupboard.
The kitchen was very quiet, with only the sound of running water and the occasional clatter of dishes.
"Lin Qi," Chen Yan turned off the faucet and wiped his hands with a towel, breaking the silence.
She said "Hmm?" and turned to look at him.
"Chinese New Year is coming soon." He looked at her and calmly said something he had been thinking about for a long time. "Do you have any special plans for Chinese New Year this year?"
Lin Qi shook his head and said, "Just like every year, I'll go home to be with my parents."
"Hmm." Chen Yan nodded and was silent for two seconds, as if he was making an important decision. Then, he walked up to her and naturally took the wet cotton cloth from her hand and put it aside.
He held her hand, and her fingertips were a little cold because they were wet.
"A few days ago, I was talking to my parents on the phone," he looked into her eyes and said very seriously, "I... mentioned you."
He could see that her eyes lit up slightly because of his words.
"They...want to see you."
He paused, giving her time to digest the information, and then, in a very gentle tone, with a hint of uncertainty and inquiry, he stated his final proposal.
"I was wondering, if... you don't think it's too abrupt, would you like to go back to Suzhou with me during the Chinese New Year?"
Lin Qi looked at the cautious seriousness in his eyes, smiled, and replied with a witty remark: "Then don't forget what you promised me, and take me to listen to Wu Liangying's "Sheng Sheng Man"."
Her words were like a stone thrown into a calm lake, leaving a playful echo. Chen Yan was stunned at first, and then he burst out laughing.
He looked at her with a smile of complete, helpless, indulgence on his face.
"Of course I remember."
He reached out his hand and tapped the tip of her nose, his tone teasing, "It seems that our classmate Lin has written down every promise I made in his little notebook."
He held her in his arms again, resting his chin on the top of her head, as if painting a picture of the future for her and himself.
"Don't worry," he said, his voice gentle and firm in the quiet kitchen. "This time back in Suzhou, besides taking you to meet my parents, the most important thing I've got to do is fulfill our promise in that 'spin-off' chapter."
"When the time comes, we'll find a winter afternoon, preferably with a little snow falling outside."
"Let's find a seat by the window, drink your favorite, mellow tea, eat the Suzhou-style snacks you brought, and listen to the entire performance of 'Sheng Sheng Man' in peace and quiet."
He lowered his head, looked at her, and added very seriously:
"This arrangement has the highest priority."
Lin Qi chuckled, but then returned to his seriousness: "Of course meeting your parents is the most important thing. I'm afraid they won't like me, that they think I'm not steady enough, and that I can't take care of you."
Seeing her serious expression, Chen Yan put away his joking thoughts. He let go of her and held her shoulders with both hands so that she could look him straight in the eye.
"Of course, meeting my parents is the most important." He first confirmed her priority, and then responded to her subsequent small and lovely concerns one by one.
His eyes were serious, and his tone was gentle but firm: "They will like you."
"My parents, they know me better than anyone. They know how many years I've waited, and they know how picky I am. So, when I told them that I finally found someone I wanted to bring home, they already knew how much you meant to me."
"As for stability?" He looked at her and smiled gently. "Lin Qi, my life is already stable enough, even a little too dull. What you bring is the vitality and brightness that I've been missing for over thirty years. They can't thank you enough, so how could they despise you?"
Hearing her last words "I won't take care of you", Chen Yan finally couldn't help but laughed softly from the bottom of his heart.
"You can't take care of me?" He looked at her and asked, "Who was it that taught me how to make braised beef in soy sauce when I could only eat a bowl of clear noodle soup, and also reminded me to pay attention to nutritional balance?"
"Who was it that, just when I thought I was at peace enough, made my life feel completely complete with just a hug?"
He gently stroked her cheek with his fingertips, his voice softer than ever before.
"Lin Qi, for me, the best care isn't about food, clothing, housing, or cooking."
"But you, like now, peacefully by my side."
"As long as you are here, that's enough. I'm here for everything else."
Lin Qi smiled and hid in his arms: "It's nice to have an older brother as a boyfriend. I don't have to worry about anything."
Her compliment, which was full of complete dependence and a hint of cunning, made him unable to help but laugh from the bottom of his heart.
He tightened his arms, holding her in his embrace, allowing her to hide in him like a cat, safe and sound. He gently rubbed the top of her head with his chin.
"Big brother?" He repeated in a low voice this somewhat new yet extremely appropriate name for him, his voice full of laughter and indulgence.
"You only discovered it now?" he whispered. "It's too late."
He patted her on the back and announced in a matter-of-fact tone, as if he were in a completely new position:
"From now on, this big brother of yours will be responsible for taking care of you, from the inside out, to ensure your safety and well-being."
He paused, feeling as if she was in his arms, and her smile became even more happy because of his slightly overbearing words.
He then added:
"However, we have three rules."
"As your big brother, I also need your care."
"For example, you have to be responsible, supervise me, and take breaks on time. You can't just focus on work."
"I also have to take responsibility and change my past overly quiet, overly regular life." He looked at her, the tenderness and seriousness in his eyes were clearer than ever before. "... continue, make it a little messy, a little more lively."
"This most important task can only be accomplished by you."
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