43 When did I become your girlfriend?
Having successfully received Liu Yuwei's "it's your turn" signal, Ren Yiming slowly rose from his stool. He walked over to Liu Yuwei, resting his forearm on her shoulders to hold her in place. With his other hand, he brushed her hair away from her ear. His cool, water-drenched thumb rubbed against her bare shoulder before he spoke meaningfully. "Dude, you can't see me sitting right next to you, a grown man?" His voice was low, as if deeply displeased. "What do you mean?" The blond man, like a bulldog poised for action, had been leaning lopsidedly against the bar. Now, not to be outdone, he straightened up, his chest puffed out, though he was still a head shorter than Ren Yiming. "You want to buy my girlfriend a drink?" Ren Yiming narrowed his eyes, enunciating each word slowly. "Shouldn't you ask my opinion first?" Liu Yuwei, watching the fun from the sidelines, raised her eyebrows and raised the corners of her lips. "When did I become your girlfriend?" Ren Yiming noticed the smugness and cunning in her eyes. He lifted her chin teasingly, raising his voice deliberately so others could hear. "Didn't I just tell you? Drink my wine, and you're mine tonight!" Seeing the two of them flirting, the blond man snorted and turned away. "Good acting, as good as a professional!" Liu Yuwei smiled and gave him a thumbs-up. The words "professional actor" automatically sounded like "Jin Lang" to Ren Yiming. He raised his hand and took a sip of the amber liquid, which was spicy and burning. Trying to suppress the emotion deep inside, he remembered something else. "Did you get Andrea's wedding invitation?" "Yes, it's such a beautiful invitation. I even posted a special Weibo post to commemorate it!" "I think it's a few days after the Chinese New Year. How about we go to Berlin together, visit our school, and revisit our twenties?" Ren Yiming leaned forward and extended his invitation. Liu Yuwei rubbed her index finger slowly along the rim of the cup, as if in deep thought. A good vacation before embarking on a new chapter in her career seemed like a good idea. "Great, my Schengen visa hasn't expired yet. I'll take some time off next week and tell you!" As she turned her head, a small dimple formed on her right cheek, overflowing with joy. This smile was so contagious that Ren Yiming's brows relaxed, and the wall that had been blocking his heart suddenly collapsed. "Let's go!" A sudden force tugged at his sleeve. "Let's dance!" He swung, swept onto the dance floor by the crowd. Retro disco music blazed across the dance floor, and the two of them followed the beat...
After successfully receiving the signal from Liu Yuwei that "it's your turn", Ren Yiming slowly stood up from the high stool.
Walking to Liu Yuwei's side, he put his forearm on her shoulders to hold her in his arms, and with his other hand he brushed the hair away from her ears. His cold thumb with a little water droplet rubbed her exposed shoulders, and then he spoke meaningfully.
"Dude, I'm such a big guy sitting right next to you, can't you see me?"
His voice was low, as if he was very unhappy.
"What do you mean?"
The blond man was like a bulldog ready to pounce. He had been leaning against the bar at an angle, but now he stood up straight and puffed out his chest, but he was still half a head shorter than Ren Yiming.
"You want to treat my girlfriend to a drink." Ren Yiming narrowed his eyes and slowly prolonged each word, "Shouldn't you ask my opinion first?"
Liu Yuwei watched the fun from the side, not minding the big deal, with raised eyebrows and upturned corners of his lips.
"When did I become your girlfriend?"
Ren Yiming saw three parts of pride and seven parts of cunning in her eyes, so he lifted her chin teasingly and deliberately raised the decibel of his voice so that others could hear clearly.
"Didn't I just tell you, if you drink my wine, you're mine tonight!"
Seeing the two of them being so affectionate, the blond man snorted, "Tsk," and turned away.
"The play is good, not inferior to professional actors!"
Liu Yuwei smiled and gave him a thumbs up.
The words "professional actor" automatically translated into "Jin Lang" when Ren Yiming heard them.
He raised his hand and took a sip of the amber liquid, which was spicy and burning. He tried hard to suppress the emotions in his heart and remembered another thing.
"Did you get Andrea's wedding invitation?"
"I received it! Such a beautiful wedding invitation! I even posted a special Weibo post as a souvenir!"
"I think it's just a few days after the Lunar New Year. How about we go to Berlin together, go back to school and visit, and be twenty years old again?"
Ren Yiming leaned forward and made another invitation.
Liu Yuwei's index finger slowly rubbed the rim of the cup in circles, as if she was thinking. It's a good idea to take a break before starting a new chapter in work.
"Okay, my previous Schengen visa hasn't expired yet. I'll take some time off next week and talk to you!"
When she turned her head, a small dimple appeared on her right cheek, filled with overflowing joy.
This smile was so contagious that Ren Yiming's eyebrows relaxed unconsciously, and the wall that had just blocked his heart collapsed.
"Let's go!" A sudden force pulled his sleeve.
"Let's dance!" He flashed and was swept into the dance floor by the crowd.
Retro disco exploded on the dance floor, and the two twisted left and right to the beat. The woman's hair brushed across his carotid artery, and the steam mixed with the scent of her perfume was like a hallucinogenic drug.
The crowd surged, pushing and shoving, his palm pressed against the undulating curve of her lower back. The straps swayed gently with the dance, brushing against the back of his hand like a feather, itching all the way to the bottom of his heart.
Liu Yuwei suddenly raised her eyes, her eyes sparkling in the hazy light, and Ren Yiming saw himself in her clear pupils.
Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight
Amid the deafening music, he whispered, "Liu Yuwei, I like you."
Take me through the darkness to the break of the day
…
As the old year draws to a close, time is of the essence. It seems as though only yesterday I was savoring the soft, sticky rice porridge, and in the blink of an eye, it’s already the end of the year.
"Attention, passengers! The train is about to arrive at Acropolis East Station. Passengers who are getting off the train, please pack your belongings and prepare to get off in advance."
Among the crowds of people traveling during the Spring Festival travel rush, Liu Yuwei stood behind a young couple, dragging a suitcase.
The little guy lying on his mother's shoulder suddenly turned around, his black eyes met her gaze, and he smiled with his toothless mouth, and her heart melted instantly.
Liu Yuwei suddenly remembered that her cousin had a new family member at the beginning of last year. In the past, there was someone who could help her share the burden during the holidays, but this year she would definitely be the focus of the whole family's attention.
There was nothing I could do but deal with it as it came. Fortunately, I could return to Beijing after eating dumplings on the fifth day of the New Year.
My grandma’s house is always the most lively on New Year’s Eve, with the whole family gathering together to enjoy a sumptuous New Year’s Eve dinner.
Liu Yuwei carefully held his nephew, shaking the rattle in his hand, which made a crisp sound. The little guy giggled and scratched at the air with his chubby hands.
"Weiwei!"
My aunt came closer, her wrinkles at the corners of her eyes hiding a smile and urging, "You're already in your early thirties, when are you going to bring your boyfriend home? Your mother is looking forward to holding her grandson."
Yuyao came out of the kitchen with the mixed meat filling. Upon hearing this, he immediately retorted.
"Bie Ang, just raise one child. I don't have your energy to stay up all night to take care of the child and still be full of energy."
"You talk as if you were the one who took care of Weiwei when she was little!" Auntie kept insisting, "It was Liu Wenjun who was the one who got up to change diapers and burp the baby!"
When Liu Yuwei's parents divorced, her aunt was the most opposed member of the family. In her eyes, Liu Wenjun, aside from his rural origins, was excellent in every way: in work, appearance, and character. Compared to her own "uncle," who was all talk and no action, it wasn't an exaggeration to describe him as exceptional.
But Yuyao, my sister, has had her own ideas since she was a child. Once she makes up her mind, no one can change it.
It was she who insisted on marrying Liu Wenjun, and it was she who later said she would divorce him no matter what. To this day, she still cannot understand how "he doesn't understand me" can be a reason to break up a family.
"Aunt, you're not right to say that. I'm not just my mother's child. Mom feeds and Dad burps. Men and women are equal, so we should work together!"
Liu Yuwei couldn't help but defend Yu Yao.
After saying that, the aunt poked her forehead and said, "You are really your mother's good daughter!"
"Self-drawn, all the same color, a dragon! Come on, give me money!" came the cousin's loud voice, and the aunt took her grandson from Liu Yuwei's arms and went into the inner room.
Liu Yuwei was making dumplings with several ladies in the living room, and the singing and dancing from the Spring Festival Gala became the best background music.
"Hey, Jin Lang, Jin Lang!"
The cousin who was still in college patted Liu Yuwei's arm excitedly. Her hand shook and the meatball wrapped in celery fell to the ground.
Liu Yuwei's eyes fell on the newly bought 65-inch LCD TV at her grandma's house.
On the screen, he wore a moon-white satin gown, fanning himself as he sang. His sleeves fluttered, and he looked like a banished immortal from a watercolor painting. The stage lights cast a soft glow around him, bringing even the cloud patterns on his lapels to life.
"Damn, that's so cool. I guess a lot of people are going to revisit his "Cinnabar Edict"!" The young girl's voice sounded in my ears.
"Sister, aren't you guys from the same class? Are you still in touch? If you have the chance, please ask for my autograph!"
Liu Yuwei took a tissue and bent down to pick up the dumpling filling on the ground.
"When did you become his fan?"
Liu Yuwei and her cousin from her uncle's family can only meet during the holidays. The two sisters are not strangers, but they have never talked about their personal hobby of chasing stars.
“I’m not even a fan!”
My cousin chuckled, "But I still like him quite a bit. After all, we're from the same hometown and schoolmates, so I put a bit of a filter on him when I watch the show!"
There are only one or two good high schools in Weicheng. My cousin is also a student of No. 1 High School, but she is much younger. Jin Lang’s stories in school have more or less become "legends" by their class.
"Hey, I heard he had a girlfriend at school back then, she was so pretty! I think she went abroad later..."
"Sister, do you know him?"
The cousin asked Liu Yuwei in a gossipy tone.
"I don't know him!" She responded indifferently, her voice colder than the air outside the window.
My aunt sat on the stool, her hands still moving, and rolled her eyes at my cousin.
"When your sister was in school, she was completely focused on studying, nothing like you. If you had put in half the effort she did, you would have definitely gotten into a top university!"
"What era is this? Why are we still discriminating based on academic qualifications? Our school is a 211 after all! The finance major beats all the 985 schools in a heartbeat!"
Amidst the hustle and bustle, accompanied by the song "Unforgettable Tonight", fireworks and firecrackers exploded outside the window, the trees and flowers were dazzling, and the new year officially arrived.
Yuyao stayed at his grandmother's house to keep watch on New Year's Eve, while Liu Yuwei drove home by herself. As soon as she fastened her seat belt, her phone buzzed in her pocket.
The phone was connected and a familiar voice penetrated my ears.
“Happy New Year!!”
Liu Yuwei said in a relaxed tone, "Happy New Year! Which beach are you surfing on right now?"
In the past, during the Chinese New Year, Ren Yiming's family would find a secluded island. He was forced to stay in the same room with Old Man Ren for several days. He often complained to her about this, saying that it was the longest "imprisonment" time he had in the year.
"I'm not going anywhere. The old lady said she'll be at home for the New Year this year! It's just right that we can leave on the fifth day of the New Year, saving me the hassle of traveling back and forth!"
After a few jokes, Liu Yuwei couldn't help yawning, and Ren Yiming hung up the phone.
Early on the first day of the Lunar New Year, the sound of firecrackers rang out in the neighborhood, abruptly waking Liu Yuwei from her dream. She rubbed her sleepy eyes and looked up at the alarm clock on the bedside table. The hands had not yet reached seven o'clock, so it was still early.
I grabbed my phone and saw that a bunch of night owls had already sent me New Year greetings on WeChat in the early morning. Among a row of colorful avatars, the black feathers on a white background were particularly eye-catching.
She curled up lazily in the quilt with her body temperature, and used one finger to click on the small red dot with the number 2.
1:32, [Xiaoyu, Happy New Year - Fireworks and Blessings]
1:35, [Have you returned to the Acropolis for the New Year?]
She found an animated picture of Q-version dumplings holding hands and spinning in a circle from her collection of emoticons, with the words "Happy New Year" written in the middle.
Less than half a minute after sending the message, the screen showed that I had received a WeChat voice call request from JL.
Liu Yuwei seemed to be burned by the mobile phone. He suddenly jumped out of the quilt and accidentally hit his head on the bed with a muffled sound.
She hurriedly grabbed a pillow and placed it behind her waist, then cleared her throat before clicking the green answer button.
"Hello?"
She stared at her swaying reflection on the screen and rubbed the top of her head lightly.
"Xiaoyu, Happy New Year!" A slightly low voice came slowly through the receiver.
"Happy New Year!" The ending tone still has the soft and sticky smell of the morning.
"I was busy too late yesterday, and I didn't want to disturb your rest, so I just sent a message."
Liu Yuwei hummed, wondering what to say so as not to appear awkward.
"Have you returned to the Acropolis for the New Year?" Fortunately, the other party continued to ask questions proactively, saving her the trouble of thinking.
"Yes, but I went back to Beijing on the fifth day of the new year."
Jin Lang was not very familiar with the work rhythm of lawyers. In the past, when he spent the New Year on the crew, he subconsciously asked this question.
"Do you still need to work overtime during the New Year?"
"No, I need to take a few days off to attend a classmate's wedding."
"It's quite rare to have a wedding during the Chinese New Year!"
Liu Yuwei didn't think much of it, "Foreigners don't celebrate Chinese New Year either!"
Jin Lang then realized that she was talking about her classmates from her study abroad period.
"So, you're going... to Germany?" he asked tentatively.
"right."
"Then I wish you a happy vacation!"
"Thank you. By the way, please say hello to Aunt Li Xin for me!"
Although the room was heated, my two white arms were exposed to the air and I still got goose bumps from the cold.
After hanging up the phone, Liu Yuwei retreated into her soft silk quilt like a lazy cat. She felt a complicated feeling in her heart. The two of them had greeted each other and chatted so calmly, everything seemed so natural yet so unbelievable, as if time hadn't passed at all. Yet, she knew clearly that some things had already changed.
Author's Note
Lazy Cat on the Cloud
author
04-07
I'm working overtime in the office, and I won't be able to get home early anyway, so I might as well update first.
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