Re-encountering the fable, savoring the love, renewing the appointment, drinking wine, kissing for the first time
Seeing Xue Jiuyue crying, Aunt Ji took out a box of strawberries from her bag, took out a strawberry and handed it to Xue Jiuyue, "Girl, don't cry, eat the strawberry, strawberries are very sweet and delicious."
Although the strawberries were no longer fresh, the packaging was clearly freshly opened. They still tasted incredibly delicious in Xue Jiuyue's mouth, causing her tears to flow even more freely.
Seeing this, Aunt Ji pulled Xue Jiuyue into her arms like she was coaxing a child. She patted her back gently and coaxed her in dialect, "Little girl, don't cry. Mommy will tell you a story. Do you want to listen, Niuniu?"
"Hmm..." Xue Jiuyue cooperated.
“Then let me tell you a story about strawberries.
The Buddha told a parable:
…
So, he climbed the vine with one hand and picked the strawberry with the other, put it in his mouth, tasted it, and couldn't help but exclaimed: "It tastes so delicious!"
Wasn't this the fable that Ye Yi had first told her? Although she had seen it many times in books later, it was only now, when Aunt Ji told it in dialect, that it had an extra layer of charm, stirring up a storm in Xue Jiuyue's heart, and even her tears were forcibly stopped.
Aunt Ji was happy and handed over another strawberry. "I wasn't kidding you, girl. If you eat strawberries, you won't cry. They're so delicious."
"Yeah! Mom, you eat too..." Xue Jiuyue buried a myriad of thoughts deep in her heart.
"Okay, okay, I'll eat..." Aunt Ji was so happy that she even called out to Liu Che who was standing beside her, "Che'er, you eat too..."
Liu Che had been sitting quietly since he entered the room. He seemed to have been moved by the fable just now, but Aunt Ji's voice woke him up from his emotions. He smoothed his hair and hurriedly agreed, "Thank you, Mom. Let's eat together."
Last time at "Sahuaner", due to an unexpected situation, Qiu Nian and Lin Yiyi's relationship, although it had made great progress, still failed to complete the success in one fell swoop. Having tasted the sweetness, and with Xue Jiuyue's encouragement, Qiu Nian took the initiative to extend the invitation today.
"Yiyi."
"explain!"
"How about going out for a drink tonight?"
"good!"
Happiness came so suddenly that Qiu Nian almost tripped himself up with the many excuses he had prepared.
Xue Jiyue and Liu Che accompanied Aunt Ji to finish dinner before reluctantly leaving. However, they first went to look for Xiao Liu, the administrator Aunt Ji mentioned.
This is a girl in her twenties, probably a villager nearby, and she gives people a very simple feeling.
"Hello, Xiao Liu, thank you for taking care of Aunt Ji." Xue Jiuyue expressed her gratitude first, "Can you let me become Aunt Ji's family member in the future? You can notify me at any time if there is anything. She can also contact me anytime she wants."
"Okay, you and Dr. Liu are so nice!"
The little girl's words warmed Xue Jiuyue's heart, but suddenly she asked again, "Doesn't Aunt Ji have any family members? How come anyone has seen her?"
"A few days ago, an old man came to see her on his own and said he was a colleague of Aunt Ji's husband."
"What kind of old man?" Thinking of the big bag of expensive supplements, Xue Jiuyue couldn't help but ask another question.
"I didn't see clearly. The old man was wearing a baseball cap and a pair of glasses. But Aunt Ji was very emotional when she saw him, so the old man left after a short while. She seemed to have said that she would come to see her again later. Because Aunt Ji kept crying and chasing him away, I didn't hear it clearly."
"Okay, thank you!" Liu Che also expressed his gratitude.
After dinner, the two of them headed to the bar street. They didn't join the hustle and bustle of the street, but instead walked down a quiet alleyway to find a quiet bar.
Qiu Nian had chosen the location, having made some research. This bar was quiet and not crowded, perfect for drinking and chatting, much like Inch by Inch of Time. Qiu Nian was not disappointed upon entering. The room was dimly lit, the decor was nostalgic, and the spacious space was arranged in a staggered and winding manner, making the chat environment quiet and private. However, Qiu Nian noticed that the boss-like man at the bar nodded to Lin Yiyi. He looked at Lin Yiyi curiously, but did not get any answer. Instead, Lin Yiyi walked straight to the bar and sat down. Qiu Nian could only sit next to Lin Yiyi.
When ordering, Qiu Nian pushed the menu to Lin Yiyi. Lin Yiyi quickly ordered a few items and finally asked, "Do you have any beef horns?"
"Not today!" The handsome and stylish boss answered and went to do other things.
"Yiyi, do you want to eat croissants? I'll buy them for you?" Qiu Nian asked tentatively.
"Need not!"
"Oh, then let's eat something else. I saw in the guide that their octopus balls and meat dumplings are quite good."
“I’m not hungry!”
"oh!"
Soon the man served the wine they ordered. This time, he and Lin Yiyi didn't say a word, not even exchanging glances.
"Yiyi..." Qiu Nian raised the cup and wanted to express himself, but was blocked by Lin Yiyi's simple word "cheers".
"Fuck!" Qiu Nian hurriedly followed the rhythm.
After drinking two or three cups in a row, Qiu Nian was already drowsy. Only then did Lin Yiyi explain with a smile, "I'm thirsty..."
"Oh, me too. It's too hot outside. Let's walk a few more times..." Qiu Nian also followed suit.
After a few glasses of wine to warm up the atmosphere, Qiu Nian relaxed. It was time to put the skills Xue Jiuyue had taught him into practice. "Yiyi, let me tell you a secret!"
"What secret?" Lin Yiyi was full of anticipation for being asked out for a drink and having a secret, but her inevitable shyness still made her avoid Qiu Nian's gaze.
"The day before yesterday, I saw my dad drinking!"
Lin Yiyi felt disappointed. She consoled herself by saying, "I'm used to it, I'm used to it..." and asked, "Didn't you say that Mr. Qiu doesn't drink?"
The alcohol on his face masked the paleness of Lin Yiyi's face, so Qiu Nian didn't notice it. So he blinked his eyes and said with a face that said, "Yes! But this time I saw him drinking with my own eyes, and he drank too much!"
Fortunately, Qiu Nian wasn't the only one who had been changed by alcohol. Lin Yiyi had been very cooperative so far. "Who is so powerful that he could make Old Qiu break his vow?"
"He was alone. When I passed by, I saw him already drunk and slumped over the desk. I had to help him back to his room."
"Himself? Happy? Sad?"
"This is a bigger secret!"
"Speak!" Thinking of her self-conceit just now, Lin Yiyi's patience was almost exhausted.
Qiu Nian finally understood the situation and spoke faster, hoping to be lenient if he confessed. "There's a safe in my dad's study, and I don't even know the combination. When I was helping him up, I saw it wasn't locked. I was also curious about why he suddenly drank, so I went back and took a look. Inside was a photo, a family photo taken when my dad adopted my sister as his goddaughter, and then a will... The contents of the will were very simple. It said that after his and my mom's death, all their property would be divided equally between my sister and me."
When talking about the will, Qiu Nian's tone was very low.
"Are you unhappy?"
"Yes, my parents have made a will, which means they are old..." His tone became even sadder.
"It's okay. Mr. Qiu and his wife are just taking precautions. They are both in good health and will surely live to be a hundred years old."
Qiu Nian was still worried, "But why would you do this for no reason?"
"Fool, in the past, buying a coffin was considered a happy occasion for the elderly. The extra coffins would be left at home for decades. Emperors would start building their own mausoleums as soon as they ascended the throne, even if they were only in their twenties! Having a way out gives you peace of mind, and this is a good thing."
"My father also talked to me yesterday. What he said was similar to what you said. He also explained to me the reason for the division of property. He said that my sister is not only their goddaughter, but also brought them the happiest, quietest and most self-centered old age. They are very grateful and asked me to treat my sister like my own sister in the future." Qiu Nian's tone was still low.
"What? You don't want to?" Lin Yiyi became a little suspicious as soon as Qiu Nian told her the contents of the will.
"It's not that I don't want to, I just feel that I'm useless and can't give my parents the happiest time." Qiu Nian blamed himself and added, "Thank goodness I have my sister."
"You didn't try to persuade Elder Qiu. Even if Sister Yue brought them peace, that's just a feature of our cafe. Even if it's out of gratitude, giving more and helping more would be the most benevolent thing to do. Why did she have to give away half of her family wealth, the same amount as her own son?!"
"Yiyi?!" Lin Yiyi's words made Qiu Nian angry, the first time he was angry! He stared at Lin Yiyi with his eyes wide open, but he didn't hold on for more than 3 seconds before his gaze surrendered.
He lowered his head to look at the table, but his tone remained firm. "My dad was so happy about this that he broke his promise and drank. When he told me about it the next day, he was so happy, like a fire burning in his eyes. I've never seen him so happy before. This is my failure as a son, and this is what makes me sad! As for the property, it's all theirs. They can give it to whoever they want, whoever they like! What's more, it's giving it to my sister. I'm so happy, but I'm just worried that she won't want it! It's enough for a grown man to earn money. If you don't have the ability, what's the use of the money your family gives you? At most, it's unworthy..."
Before Qiu Nian could finish his words, a pair of slender hands cupped his cheeks, then twisted his face violently. Then, he lost consciousness in bliss...
It was a long kiss, kissing through the youthfulness and ignorance, kissing through the hesitation, kissing through the rotation of time, and he didn't let go until Lin Yiyi was satisfied.
After losing the most beautiful softness in the world, Qiu Nian slowly regained consciousness and heard Lin Yiyi's voice, "This is the man I want!"
But Lin Yiyi's joy was a little premature, because she had to scramble to find tissues to wipe Qiu Nian's nosebleed...
Just like last time, Xue Jiuyue asked Liu Che to walk with her.
The moon is nearly full, its light shimmering like frost, enough to transport one into a world as soft and misty as the mist itself. Clear but not dazzling, dim but not hazy, it allows one to find one's way home without feeling lost, and one's journey ahead without feeling hurried.
The moonlight, riding on the night wind, was like a pair of wings, lightening the heaviness in Xue Jiuyue's heart and making her feel much brighter. "Xiao Ming, I've heard the fable that Aunt Ji just told me before..."
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