Chapter 18 Heartbeats of 18, the days are long
She is also from the Xu family.
With just one sentence, the dark clouds covering her heart were easily dispelled.
Wen Huai felt like he was going crazy because his mood fluctuated so much just because of one word from him.
Looking away, she had to admit, "...but this is different."
"What's the difference? You're no less than them." Under the dim light, his vision was clear, and his voice was low and pleasant. "Besides, there's no need to compare yourself to them. You're better than anyone else."
Better than anyone else.
Does Xu Youjing think she is better than anyone else?
After holding it in for a while, Wen Huai finally couldn't hold it in any longer. He raised his lips and met his gaze. "Thank you for comforting me. I just want to fit in with them as soon as possible. After all, a stable family needs new members, and lowering your posture is the most efficient way."
The tip of his eyebrow, hidden in the shadows, raised, and a hint of appreciation flashed across Xu Youjing's dark eyes. He nodded: "Hawthorne effect."
"But you don't have to bother doing this." He deliberately kept her in suspense, waiting for her to look before he opened his lips softly, "This is what they need to do."
"Wen Huai." He suddenly called her.
Wen Huai was still immersed in his words, her head buzzing. Suddenly, she looked back, her vision dazzled by the light, casting a filter that only focused on her.
"I didn't marry me to cause you trouble."
He said.
-
The moonlight was beautiful, and the sandalwood incense emitted from the white-glazed incense burner on the desk circled in the night. The curling green smoke climbed up the dark patterns of the sandalwood window lattices and attached to the ink painting of distant mountains hanging in the corridor, blending into one.
The shadows cast by the warm yellow lanterns on the carved beams were cast on the green bricks, colliding with the rippling pool water, creating a dazzling and mottled effect.
The screens in the restaurant had been removed, and the eight-immortal table in the center was completely occupied. The soft clatter of wooden chopsticks hitting porcelain bowls mingled with the occasional chatter.
"Eat this, dad. The fish is so tender."
Xu Nianyi used the serving chopsticks to pick up some food for Xu Zhenxun not very skillfully. Although he only picked up a small piece, it did not affect the gentleness on his father's face which was tinged with the smoke of fireworks.
"Thank you, Yiyi. You can eat too."
Xu Zhenxun couldn't help but put the small piece of fish into his mouth, and heard Xu Nianyi mutter: "Dad is fierce, just like the fierce big black cat at grandma's door. It turns out that cats love to eat fish."
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone at the table started laughing and making jokes.
"Don't mention it, Old Four. You and that cat are a bit similar."
"This description is very appropriate."
"Your own daughter has stabbed you the most deeply. Do you still have a stern face every day?"
“…”
The family was having a great time, and even the lights were a little softer.
Wen Huai rubbed the chopsticks with her fingertips, the corners of her lips curved slightly stiffly. She lowered her eyes, hiding the longing and bitterness in her heart, and picked up a piece of celery beef without thinking.
The man sitting next to her looked over, a puzzled look in his eyes, but he said nothing.
At this time, the breeze blew through the hall, and the rustling sound of bamboo leaves in the courtyard gently disturbed my thoughts.
She came back to her senses and put it to her lips only to smell the unpleasant odor.
The beef covered in celery tasted just like celery.
Equally difficult to accept.
Just as she was comforting herself that it wouldn't taste anything after one sip, a bowl suddenly appeared in her peripheral vision.
The bony fingers held it firmly, not far from her hand.
Xu Youjing's voice was deliberately lowered, and the sound of bamboo leaves colliding under his feet fell into her ears.
He said, "Give it to me."
Wen Huai was flattered: "But my chopsticks..."
"Yeah." He didn't move his hand holding the bowl.
Seeing this, she put her chopsticks into his bowl, put down the beef and took her hand back.
"Thank you." She imitated him and spoke in a low voice.
"It's a small matter."
The wind felt a little cold on his palms, so Wen Huai moved his fingers and finished the last bit of rice in the bowl.
She deliberately slowed down her eating speed today, but unexpectedly she was still the fastest to finish.
"Oh, how sweet."
Qin Zhilan's raised voice attracted everyone's attention. She looked at Wen Huai with a smile: "I saw it all."
After hearing nothing more, Xu Mingyi asked, "What did you see? Ah Jing and Wen Huai, what did you do? Tell me, Mom."
Li Changying interrupted: "Just eat your meal, what are you looking at?"
"No, Mom, I just feel emotional seeing how well Xiao Ai and A Jing get along, and I'm happy for them. At first, you were worried that A Jing was busy with work abroad, and that the newlyweds wouldn't be able to live together and affect their relationship. Now I think your worries were unnecessary."
Qin Zhilan's words left everyone except the parties involved baffled. Fearing Li Changying's reprimand, she hurriedly said, "Xiao Ai was just picking up some food for Ah Jing, and the couple were still whispering to each other. Their affectionate appearance made me, an outsider, blush."
Inseparable...?
“Ahem!”
Wen Huai was swallowed by a strong feeling of suffocation. Fortunately, a glass of water came to her very quickly, and she was finally able to swallow the rice that was the culprit.
She looked at Xu Youjing with great gratitude, with water stains still on the corners of her lips, "Thank you."
Xu Youjing took out a tissue and gave it to her, "Wipe it off."
She thanked him again, feeling a little embarrassed when she realized she had attracted attention.
"Are you okay?" Li Changying's eyes were full of worry.
Wen Huai shook his head and said he was fine.
Although the dishes today were not explicitly mentioned, she knew that most of them were flavors from her hometown. She knew without a doubt that it was Li Changying's idea. She was very grateful and touched.
Just as she was about to talk to her grandma, she was interrupted by Qin Zhilan:
"Let's talk about the wedding banquet. It turns out that all the couples in love are the same in the world. Even Ajing is no exception."
Hearing her exaggeration, Xu Youjing raised his eyebrows impatiently: "It's just picking up some food."
He leaned back in his chair and said lazily, "Second Aunt can also let Second Uncle pick it up."
The air froze for a moment, and Qin Zhilan's expression became unnatural.
Second Uncle saw this and asked, "Which one do you want me to pick?"
"Just eat yourself." Qin Zhilan glared at him and asked Wen Huai, "Don't blame me for making a fuss. I was just a little surprised when I suddenly heard that Ajing was married, or that my blind date got married so quickly. Now that we see that your relationship is so good, we, as elders, are relieved."
Upon hearing this, Xu Mingyi said, "So you two got married on a blind date?"
"Yes, Xiao Ai's father was A Jing's high school teacher." Qin Zhilan spoke for Wen Huai and changed the subject to her gift. "Your hand-embroidered shawl is very thoughtful. Your father taught you well. But, how come I haven't seen the two families meet after such a long marriage? Don't your family know that you two are separated after marriage? How come they are not worried at all about you two not living together?"
Xu Nianyi asked quietly, "What does separation mean?"
Xu Nianman gestured: "Shh."
The table fell silent now.
Meet......
I'm afraid the two families will never have a chance to meet again in the future.
The most direct explanation was right on the tip of his tongue, but Wen Huai pursed his lips and couldn't say anything.
She realized how difficult it was to tell others that her father had passed away.
"My dad..."
"I've seen it a long time ago. Grandma has seen it."
The accumulated emotions and longings reached their peak. Wen Huai's nose felt sore and he looked at him in surprise.
Xu Youjing leaned slightly towards this side, "Second Aunt wants to see you too?"
"I don't want to, I just asked. I'm concerned." Qin Zhilan explained with an awkward smile.
Li Changying, who was in the main seat, endured for a long time before finally speaking. There was no smile on her kind face: "Second son's wife, have you dealt with your own affairs? You still want to extend your hand to the fourth son's family. It's so difficult to guard your own little piece of land."
The voice was intimidating without being angry and carried a hint of warning. No matter how slow Qin Zhilan was, she understood and said she knew.
The meal ended in such an unhappy way.
After dinner, Xu Youjing was called away by Li Changying, and Wen Huai sat on the balcony looking at the moon.
Originally, Xu Mingyi had been accompanying her, but then her second uncle and his family left, leaving the bustling courtyard empty. She sat on a rattan chair, watching the luxury cars drive off in different directions. Only a few streetlights cast a faint glow on the rubber avenue.
The hem of her skirt brushed against her legs from time to time, causing her to look away. She lightly touched the chair with her toes, causing the rattan chair to sway slightly back and forth.
She remembered what her second aunt said at the dinner table.
It is normal for a couple to live together, but she and Xu Youjing are not a normal couple.
At first, because he was busy with work and they lived in two different countries, it was understandable that they didn't live together. But now that he was back, she could no longer find a suitable reason to comfort herself.
That night, Xu Youjing asked her. Actually, she wanted to tell him her own thoughts, but was afraid that he would misunderstand her, so she said she would listen to him.
In fact, if he didn't want to, she wouldn't force him.
"What are you thinking about?"
She turned her head and before she could see the face, the swing beside her sank and Xu Youjing sat down next to her.
"Just daydreaming." She asked, "Have you finished talking to grandma?"
"Well, take you home?"
"good."
Li Changying saw them off at the door. Before getting in the car, she held Wen Huai's hand and gave her some instructions. She was reluctant to let her go until Xu Youjing urged her.
The moment he got into the car, Wen Huai's hesitation suddenly had an answer.
The window was rolled up and the car drove onto the avenue.
The car was quiet. Wen Huai counted the seconds at the traffic light and tried to speak: "We——"
"you--"
The two voices overlapped, and Xu Youjing took the time to look over: "You speak first or me?"
Wen Huai: "You speak first."
As the car turned right at the intersection, he said, "If you force me to talk to my family about this, you don't have to feel any burden."
Wen Huai's heart sank to the bottom of the valley. She was worried that the thing she feared most was about to happen, and it took her a long while before she said hello.
Hearing the difference in her tone, Xu Youjing looked at her in the rearview mirror, but was interrupted by the car in front of him.
After slowing down the car, he said, "I should have taken you there after we got the marriage certificate, but I delayed it because of work abroad. The wedding house is a single-family house on Dongwei Road. The decoration design is very simple. If you are not satisfied, you can redecorate it. It will be ready in the next two days."
Wen Huai turned his head to the side, and his heart, which had been relieved, began to crumble again.
"Grandma wants us to move there, and I think I asked you what you think. What are your plans?"
He spoke frankly, so there was nothing Wen Huai didn't understand.
She pursed her lips and heard her own voice: "I want to move there, what about you?"
Xu Youjing paused and smiled, "What do you think?"
That means moving into the bridal chamber just like her.
"Okay." She asked, "Then when can we..."
"Let's do it this weekend," he said. "I'm on a business trip tomorrow. Or you can move first, and I'll ask Xi Guan to come and help you."
Just as he was thinking about why the name Xi Guan sounded so familiar, Xu Youjing added: "Xi Guan is my friend. I'll introduce him to you someday."
"good."
This sentence is dull.
She still remembered to make him a cup of pour-over coffee every day, but forgot that he was going on a business trip this week.
Xu Youjing retracted his gaze from the rearview mirror and took the initiative to mention: "I can start drinking one cup of hand brewed coffee every day from the time I move. I'm not in a hurry."
"After all, there's still a long way to go."
As soon as he finished speaking, Wen Huai felt his ears burning, as if he had been stung by something.
She didn't know whether she should respond or not, so she raised her hand to lower the car window.
The cool breeze finally dissipated the heat in Tengsheng's body. She saw the road ahead clearly and knew she would soon reach her home.
So fast.
Her thoughts split, and she thought of another question: "Do your friends know me?"
"Huh?" Xu Youjing was concentrating on the road and didn't hear clearly.
Wen Huai changed the question: "Do they know that you and I are married?"
Xu Youjing: "Of course."
“…” But her friends didn’t know him yet.
As if he knew what she was thinking, he suddenly felt sorry for the phone call and the note that night and changed the subject: "Are you in a bad mood today?"
Wen Huai was stunned: "No."
"Then why haven't you been calling me for a long time on the rattan chair?" he said casually. "Are you planning a quick escape route from the balcony to the front door?"
Wen Huai pursed his lips and said, "No."
Hearing that she was hesitant to speak, Xu Youjing was not in a hurry and gave her time.
The bustling traffic outside the window shimmered with lights, and the hazy light dazzled Wen Huai's eyes. She blinked, and the worry in Li Changying's eyes outside the courtyard was so real.
It was so real that she thought of her father.
Wen Huai felt a tightness in his chest, and after sniffing his nose, he said, "I saw Fourth Uncle and Yi Yi at the dinner table today, and it reminded me of Dad."
Fingertips tightened, and the fabric puckered around my legs.
For the first time, she showed her true emotions in front of him.
“I miss him a little bit,” she said.
Even the roar of the engine couldn't mask the gentleness of his voice. She heard his suggestion: "Sometime when you go to see Dad, I'll go with you."
The soft tip of his heart was poked, and Wen Huai was stunned for a moment, feeling that all this was unreal.
"Okay." The corners of her lips curled up, "Thank you."
"What are you thanking me for?" He glanced at me sideways. "We are husband and wife."
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