Warm and cold at the same time, chilling to the bone, like a dream, like a lingering sound
The relaxation of the body brings with it the relaxation of the mind, leaving only the uncontrolled thoughts running free like scattered rays of light. But a single speck of dust can deflect them.
"Home is what's most important." In my memory, the word "home" in Gu Quyu's words was a speck of dust. It pulled Qian Jianjun's thoughts back, then refracted them from a different angle.
"Hey! What wind brings Mr. Qian back home? What a rare guest!" As soon as she entered the house, Mei Rugu's deliberately sarcastic tone gave Qian Jianjun a sense of intimidation.
Qian Jianjun frowned, but soon relaxed again, putting on an aggrieved look: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm busy too. I've been so busy lately that I don't finish until one or two o'clock every night. I want to go home but I'm afraid of disturbing your rest, so I can only endure this injustice and sleep in the office! Look, as soon as I have free time, I rush home in a hurry. Besides, I work so hard for this family!"
"You're just saying nice things. Do you still remember that you have a home? I think you almost forgot where it is." Perhaps because she was moved, or perhaps because Li Jingzi's words worked, or perhaps because she didn't want to quarrel as soon as they met, Mei Rugu's tone softened a lot.
Qian Jianjun quickly followed the pole and said, "Although I haven't come back, I swear my heart is always at home, always with you."
The long-lost sweet talk finally made Mei Rugu's mouth curl up. "What use do I have for your heart? Do I want to fry it and eat it?!" Then she added, "What a coincidence that you came back today. Sister Feng is away because of something, so we can only order takeout."
"Why are you eating takeout? Lao Zhou is not here today. I'll drive and we can go out to eat and spend some time alone together."
Qian Jianjun took the opportunity to take it to the next level, and it really worked. Mei Rugu's smile widened, and her gaze towards him was filled with a touch of silky tenderness. "So where are we going?"
Qian Jianjun met their gazes, smiled knowingly, and instantly gave the two of them a tacit answer in unison: "Shacha noodles!"
Sweet memories immediately surfaced before Mei Rugu's eyes, overflowing on her face, melting her anger and softening her arms. She took the initiative to link her arms with Qian Jianjun's, "Let's go!"
The dim streetlights in front of the dormitory building cast the swaying shadows of the trees even darker, creating a romantic atmosphere for the couples, who felt reluctant to part even after a night apart, allowing them to fully enjoy the splendor before them under the cover of night. From time to time, they exchanged sweet nothings, or clung to each other, whispers and smiles echoing.
Xue Jiuyue and the other person also hid in a romantic corner. Although there was still a distance of a fist between them and there was no physical contact, the tenderness in their words still made the night sweet.
"Have a cup of hot milk before going to sleep!"
"I understand." Xue Jiuyue answered obediently, but when she thought of the dark night she would have to face alone, she asked worriedly, "Will it work?"
"Don't worry, just stick with it for another week. If the effect isn't obvious, I still have another trick up my sleeve." The bright voice could cut through the darkness even in the dark night.
Xue Jiuyue asked with admiration: "What's the secret weapon?"
"A single drink can soothe all worries!"
"Tsk, you're kidnapping a young girl." Xue Jiuyue teased softly, then reluctantly said, "Go back, it's too late and you'll climb through the window again."
"It's okay, it's just 10:50, and I'm familiar with the place. I'll wait for you to go in before I leave!" A confident voice is always contagious.
"Well, then don't study too late at night. At most, I won't bother you to play cards tomorrow!" Xue Jiuyue continued to instruct.
"Okay, now it's time to sleep. Lazy Xiaoshi, don't think about anything, just sleep in soundly. I'll still call you at 6 o'clock tomorrow morning to wake you up." Well, Xue Jiuyue knew that the first sentence she would hear tomorrow would definitely be - "Lazy Xiaoshi, wake up!" - this bright voice would be her beacon to cross the dark night...
Qian Jianjun drove, Mei Rugu sat in the passenger seat, the two chatting and laughing as if the days of their early entrepreneurial journey had returned. They both chatted about the past, avoiding the chaos around them, carefully cherishing this precious warmth.
"Is there any water in the car?" Mei Rugu felt a little thirsty.
Qian Jianjun thought for a moment and said, "There seems to be one in the back seat. Take a look."
Mei Rugu looked back and found that there was indeed a bottle of water in the back seat, so she leaned over to get it. Just as she was about to reach out, a strange color caught her eye.
A black plastic bag lay on the backseat floor, the vibrant color of a luxury brand leaking from the bag's opening. Mei Rugu's heart clenched as she took the bag and nervously asked, "What is this?"
"What?" Qian Jianjun replied nonchalantly, but when he turned around to see the situation, he immediately stammered, "This, this, this is a surprise for you."
Qian Jianjun's reaction gave Mei Rugu a chill. She opened the package, took a look at the "surprise," and quickly assessed its value. Various factors made it impossible for her to believe that this gift was hers.
The happiness she had just felt became an illusion in the surrounding mirrors, shattered and falling. Behind the illusion lay a wasteland of ice and snow, and standing there was Mei Rugu, lonely, cold, helpless, and even angry.
A variety of emotions made her ask without thinking: "Give it to me? What if I didn't see it? Tell me, which vixen is it for?"
The overwhelming coldness tempered Qian Jianjun like steel, and the lingering evil words like a nightmare made his anger burst out: "Mei Rugu!"
Originally, he had plenty of ammunition for revenge, but when Qian Jianjun saw his wife's slightly trembling, frail shoulders, he suppressed his anger and tried to explain patiently, "Things at the company have finally come to an end. I want to go on vacation to the Maldives with you tomorrow, and then pick a romantic time to surprise you with a gift!"
Mei Rugu didn't believe it at all. "It's 7 o'clock in the evening and we haven't had dinner yet. You told me you were going on a trip abroad tomorrow? Are you kidding me?"
"Isn't it possible? Maldives visa on arrival, it's not a holiday now, and there are plenty of flights and hotels!"
Qian Jianjun's explanation seemed to make some sense, but Mei Rugu changed her perspective and asked, "Did you ask for my opinion? Do I have the time? Can I leave?"
"You're the boss of your firm, so why can't you leave?"
Unexpectedly, Qian Jianjun's nonchalant tone made Mei Rugu even more angry. "Your business is a business, but mine isn't? I'm the boss, aren't you? So where were you when I needed you?"
The argument shifted to a new focus, and Mei Rugu began to ramble on. "Take my birthday, for example. I was just thinking about eating cake and blowing out candles with you. I called you at 7 o'clock, and you said it would be over soon. At 8 o'clock, you said it would only take a moment. At 9 o'clock, you said it would be over soon. At 10 o'clock, your phone was turned off. It was past midnight when you came back. That day, I finally understood what it means to burn out like a candle, but the tears still flow!"
"Why are you never going to stop? I've explained to you so many times that we have to rush a batch of samples that day and meet clients the next day. The whole company is working overtime, and I have to make decisions at any time." Qian Jianjun was a little embarrassed and angry, and his voice became a few degrees higher.
Mei Rugu persisted, "I hit a sore spot, and you're yelling. If it's like this on my birthday, I can't even look forward to any other holidays! On Valentine's Day, the streets are filled with roses, the whole city is filled with couples, the whole world is filled with love, but I'm the only one left alone, all by myself, while my husband is giving poems and flowers to others at the banquet!"
Qian Jianjun was about to cry: "How many times do you have to hear this? I'm just trying to lighten the mood. Flowers are for a woman in her forties!"
Mei Rugu quickly took over the conversation: "Last time, the flowers were given to the eldest sister, this time it's obviously for the little girl, right?!"
"You too..." Qian Jianjun was about to coax her again, but suddenly realized that the other party was using the negotiation tactics of making a feint to the east and attacking in the west, so he abruptly cut off his soft words and turned them into: "Believe it or not!"
"Stop the car!" Mei Rugu was furious. She finally threw the "surprise" into Qian Jianjun's arms, slammed the door and left alone...
A ray of sunlight, blown by the wind through the layers of leaves, summoned Xue Jiuyue from the illusion of the photo. "Memory? Imagination? Who are you?" she asked herself quietly, but there was no answer. Only the words, "Lazy Xiaoshi, wake up..." lingered in her ears like a valley echo. "Lazy Xiaoshi, wake up. Lazy Xiaoshi, wake up... Lazy Xiaoshi, wake up, the sun is shining on your butt..." The bright voice, then mixed with the father's playful tone, made all kinds of emotions burst out from her eyes uncontrollably, and then quietly slipped away.
Thinking of home, Qian Jianjun shifted several positions as he lay half-reclining. But even as the wind blows, the tree's desire for stillness swells. His previous state of tranquility was gone forever. It was time to leave. With a reservation card in his pocket, Qian Jianjun left this paradise.
As soon as we got in the car, the driver, Lao Zhou, asked, "Mr. Qian, where are we going next?"
"Go..." Qian Jianjun stared at his phone, unsure. But after a quick glance, he made up his mind: "Old Zhou, didn't you go pick up your parents yesterday? So, find a good restaurant near your house and I'll treat them to dinner. It's the weekend, so why not invite my sister-in-law and the kids over for a get-together?"
"How can this be possible? How can I let you spend money? No, no!" Old Zhou refused repeatedly.
Qian Jianjun's words were even more heartfelt and meaningful. "Old Zhou, Brother Zhou, we've been brothers for so many years. Your parents are my parents. What's wrong with me treating my elders to a meal?"
Old Zhou felt warm inside, and he kept saying, "This is inappropriate, Mr. Qian."
"Old Zhou, you're a retired special forces soldier, why are you still so fussy?" Qian Jianjun said firmly, refusing to take no for an answer. Then, earnestly, he added, "Find a good place, book a large private room. The grander the place, the higher the quality, the more reassured your parents will be!"
"Thank you so much, Mr. Qian." Old Zhou didn't refuse, but Qian Jianjun was still eager to show his filial piety. "It's best to show filial piety as early as possible. I'll stop by the mall later and buy some gifts for the old man. There's a bar in the car, so bring a few bottles. I'll get drunk with the old man tonight!"
"Okay, Mr. Qian!"
......
Xue Jiuyue, who claimed that only delicious food was not to be missed, only moved her chopsticks slightly, took a few bites and left. Ke Yike lay behind the bar, staring blankly at Xue Jiuyue's back as she walked away into the sunset. Her graceful figure made him intoxicated. At this moment, Zhou Ying's urging voice interrupted his gaze, "Stop daydreaming, go pack some food for Sister Yue."
"Oh? Oh!" Ke Yike acted quickly.
Zhou Ying hurriedly chased after her, "Sister Yue!"
"What's wrong?" Xue Jiuyue stopped and looked back.
Hearing Ke Yike's footsteps behind him, Zhou Ying only smiled and added, "Please wait a moment!"
"Ahem..." Ke Yike's coughing sound came at the right time, and then he handed over a takeaway bag, "Sister Yue, you didn't eat much for dinner, so you must be hungry. Bring a sandwich."
"Oh, thank you for your concern!"
Xue Jiuyue took the package and offered them a grateful smile. Just as she turned to leave, a glimpse caught her eye, stirring her heart. She turned back to look at the perfect couple. The girl, slender and graceful in a white dress, her long, wavy hair bangs revealing a pair of wide, cartoonish eyes, beaming with joy. Her delicate smile, like a flower, radiated her sweetness. The boy, dressed in a shirt and trousers, was thin and fair, his features soft and delicate, and his narrow, narrow eyes gave him a look of both good and evil.
The fading light in the western sky was gradually fading, casting a vast expanse of orange like a weary bird returning to its nest. Only the last glimmer of light shone on the horizon and on the faces of the young man and woman before them. The lights in the café behind them were beginning to come on, and in the distance, long, slanting shadows cast a vibrant array of colors. This heartwarming scene suddenly made Xue Jiuyue feel like a departing guest. She took one more deep look, then turned away, taking with her a ray of setting sun and a hint of loneliness.
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