63. Look at the moon.
◎"Is it possible that I like you and want you to see this?"◎
His long, slender, pale fingers grasped the white belt and gently pulled it down.
Her robe slipped unintentionally, revealing her smooth, fair shoulders. Outside the window, the majestic snow-capped mountains reflected a faint glow under the starry sky, and her slender legs dangled down on either side of his narrow waist.
The soft skin below her collarbone was faintly visible through her loose strands of hair.
He gently brushed aside a strand of hair, letting it fall along the contours of his skin onto the edge of the sponge. The robe on his shoulders looked even more disheveled, slipping down to his waist and back, revealing his beautiful, sharp shoulder blades.
Song Chiyu crossed her arms somewhat embarrassedly.
He gazed at her calmly, and with one hand unbuttoned the neat row of buttons behind him.
The sponge she was holding slipped from between her arms.
She immediately tried to pull the sponge back to its original position, but he took the opportunity to lift her wrist and kissed her.
Bright lights shone overhead.
The clean, transparent floor-to-ceiling windows reflected the figures of two people embracing.
The slender, tall man leaned back in his chair, his pale fingers gripping the woman's kneeling thighs as he shamelessly kissed her in her arms.
Song Chiyu's slender white fingers gripped the edge of the chair back tightly, and strands of black hair swayed as he leaned forward, falling onto his deep, closed brows and eyes.
I felt both embarrassed and moved.
Forget about being reserved and dignified, she lifted his face and kissed him directly on the lips.
Urgent yet disorganized.
He lifted her legs from under her robe and pressed her back against the French windows behind her.
Are you cold?
Song Chiyu glanced at the courtyard with its lights on outside the window and thought he had gone mad.
If anyone walks by, she and he will be dead.
He only cared whether she was cold, and didn't ask for her opinion.
She clung to his shoulders like a cat, both nervous and excited.
It was even more seductive than usual.
Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He leaned against the glass behind him with one hand, a rare moment of calm easing in his voice: "Baby, you... you have to be so alluring, do you want to see your husband... in a flash?"
Song Chiyu didn't want to either.
She heard voices coming from downstairs and glanced out the window. She saw the owner who had greeted her earlier making a phone call in the courtyard of the guesthouse behind him.
If she were to look back even once, her innocence would be ruined.
But just as she had a thought, an even stronger surge of emotions overwhelmed her. She couldn't speak, leaning back against the glass, gazing at him with shimmering eyes.
His fingers tightened around her waist.
He put his arm around her and helped her sit back down in the chair behind him.
Her lips were tightly clenched, but sounds still escaped.
"Teacher Qi, that's too... "
"Hmm." Not only his forehead, but also his neck and collarbone were covered in fine beads of sweat.
She let out a soft moan, her heart fluttering, and pressed her hand against his waist, swaying with her hips.
He intertwined his fingers with hers, trying to control his rapid breathing while gazing at her with a direct and profound look.
It was both an examination and a submission.
That overwhelming emotion surged up again.
She straightened her back, bit her lip tightly, and looked down at him with her eyes lowered.
His voice was full of pleading.
She tried her best, but she was still short. A bead of sweat slid down his forehead, brushing against his thick, long eyelashes. He sat up and lowered his head to kiss the skin below her collarbone.
at once.
The clamor passed like a whirlwind, hearts met for a moment, then returned to silence. She leaned wearily on his shoulder. But for him, this was far from the end; he gently laid her down. She turned her back to him, savoring the moment of quiet.
He knelt down on one knee and gently kissed her earlobe: "Are you tired?"
She knelt down, holding onto the back of the chair, turned around, and nodded honestly.
He kissed her lips, saying, "Just bear with it a little longer."
...
The weariness arrived before the accusations against him.
When he came out after his second shower, she was already asleep. He turned off the room light and naturally pulled her into his arms. She was immediately awakened and, seizing the moment of clarity, asked, "Teacher Qi, did you have a fight with your family?"
He was surprised by her alertness, and gently stroked her face with his knuckles: "No, what's wrong?"
"Then why aren't you taking care of Anxi's affairs anymore?" She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer with both hands and feet. Her warm skin pressed tightly against his, warming his heart as well.
His voice grew even gentler: "If everything I built before begins to fail and collapse simply because of my disappearance, then it can only prove that everything I did was a failure."
He rarely discussed such things with her.
Song Chiyu, who had been dozing off, suddenly woke up: "What do you want?"
"Everything I've done is to ensure that even if I'm gone one day, the Qi family can continue down that predetermined path. If they can't see that this path is the right one, then even after I'm gone, they will still head down the path of destruction. What then is all I've done? It's nothing more than forcibly prolonging the life of a family destined for destruction. I will be punished."
Song Chiyu belatedly realized what was happening.
As a history student, he knew the laws of nature and the world better than anyone else. In his eyes, everything else was nothing more than a mirage or a drop in the ocean.
He foresaw the outcome before anyone else, yet he still fulfilled his responsibilities, attempting to turn the tide in a changing era.
But his decision and persistence alone are insignificant.
If he's gone, the Qi family will start acting recklessly, then all he's done will be meaningless.
It's nothing more than watching the colossus collapse with them.
Is the Qi family's situation really that difficult?
"It's true that the bigger the tree, the more the wind will blow. As I've said before, I have what the museum has, and I also have what the museum doesn't. Even a little bit of what I have can make many people live very well. Those people don't have the means to deal with me, but they can use my influence. The real forces that can strike me don't care what I have, as long as their goals are aligned with mine. Don't cause trouble, and lend a hand when needed. This is what I should do, but some people in the Qi family don't think that way."
He spoke cryptically, but Song Chiyu understood.
It's not difficult for any law-abiding citizen, but some members of the Qi family are used to shady dealings and insist on going against the times with outdated methods.
Even if you don't want to cause trouble for him, you'll still cause trouble.
"In the end, the Qi family is too big. It's easy to mind your own business, but it's difficult to get everyone to think like me. Because everyone's family background, circumstances, and perspectives on issues are different."
He understands others, but others may not understand him.
Song Chiyu was no longer sleepy. She got up and stroked his face: "If you didn't have the identity of the person in charge, what would you most like to do?"
"archaeologist."
He certainly didn't lie to her.
Song Chiyu ran her fingers back and forth, saying, "I understand."
“I’m telling you this not to be sentimental or complain, it’s just…” He held her wrist and gently kissed the back of her hand: “I have no secrets from you. I’ll answer whatever you want to know.”
Even so, he was not glamorous or respectable.
But he had already made up his mind to give her his truest self.
The more honest he was, the clearer Song Chiyu became that she couldn't ask him everything.
Some things are best left unsaid. Truly open and honest communication can create distance between two people.
Her face was pressed against his chest: "Yanzhou, no matter what you do, I will understand you."
Even if this doesn't align with her values and beliefs.
Qi Yanzhou was a smart man, so he didn't speak rashly, but quietly pondered the deeper meaning of those words.
But she didn't say anything more.
Her posture conveyed a sense of recklessness and disregard for consequences, and there was only one thing about him that could make her so worried.
She knew that he didn't not want to go to that ancient civilization; he just wasn't going now.
She would understand him no matter where he went or what he did.
This is her attitude.
Qi Yanzhou also made his stance clear: "I'm not avoiding you, it's just that I don't know the situation there either, and I don't want you to be in danger with me."
"Mm." She closed her eyes, her expression revealing a calm acceptance of whatever he said.
"I've already contacted an archaeology professor in Cheng'an. He's very interested and should be arriving in a few days. I'll submit all the necessary applications, so don't worry."
This is his attitude.
Song Chiyu was finally relieved and smiled unconsciously: "Mm."
She then rolled off her chest, turned to the side, and said with her back to him, "I'm going to sleep. Goodnight."
The target audience is too obvious.
Qi Yanzhou chuckled, naturally not taking it to heart, and kissed the top of her head: "Mmm."
**
It was almost noon when Song Chiyu woke up.
She even missed the breakfast prepared by the guesthouse. Fortunately, Qi Yanzhou got up early and specially brought her breakfast from the restaurant, unaware that she had woken up on an empty stomach.
She took a sip of warm milk and exclaimed sincerely, "Teacher Qi, you are so kind."
Of course, she has a better eye for people.
Looking into his eyes, she saw nothing but admiration for her.
Qi Yanzhou asked curiously, "What are you thinking about?"
Song Chiyu told the truth: "Tell me, how come I have such a sharp eye for people? I could tell at a glance that you are a very good person."
"Yes, because you are a very good person too."
Her lips curled up even more. "Of course."
“But,” he lowered his eyelids and pulled the chair she was sitting on closer to him, “is it possible that I like you, and that’s why I want you to only see the good in me?”
Song Chiyu recalled the first time they met, and his eyes that were always teasing her.
He shook his head firmly: "I'm not judging you from your behavior back then, but from your fundamental character."
What's the base color?
Even if they don't like me, they will still treat me kindly. I am kind and responsible.
Qi Yanzhou's smile never faded when he was with her. "Chi Yu, I just brought you breakfast. It's really not worth your praise."
Song Chiyu waved her hand: "To be honest, considering your behavior back then, if I hadn't been in such a hurry to get married, who would have wanted you..."
"What?" His expression changed slightly. Although the smile on his face had not faded, his eyes were clearly not the same as before.
"That's right, how can you leave finger marks on someone's thigh on the first meeting?" She went on and on, "They were clearly mocking you, and then they told me, 'You can do that too.' Were they just trying to annoy me?"
"No, everything I told you back then was the truth." He glanced down at her thigh beneath her clothes: "You really left fingerprints?"
"Why would I lie to you?" She looked down and traced lines on her thigh, only realizing something was wrong when his hand grasped hers again. "What are you doing?"
"Eat quickly, let's have one more time before lunch."
"What's coming?"
He didn't answer, but his upward-pointing finger said it all.
“We’ve already gone this far in our conversation, it would be a shame not to explore it further.” He stared meaningfully at the food in her hand.
Feeling uneasy under his gaze, Song Chiyu ate even more slowly: "I'm not coming."
"Really?" He raised an eyebrow slightly: "After you go back in a couple of days, you won't see me for another two weeks."
It has to be said that Song Chiyu wavered.
He swallowed the toast in his hand with some skepticism, then held up one finger and said, "Once."
"kindness."
"Let me have another sip of water."
He nodded seemingly patiently, but as soon as she swallowed her saliva, he took the remaining water from her lips and sucked on her lips.
...
Song Chiyu looked out the window at the increasingly bright sky.
It must be past midnight.
But the people behind him clearly showed no intention of stopping.
She grabbed his fingers that were holding her waist: "Teacher Qi, aren't you planning to leave today?"
"Leaving tomorrow."
Upon hearing those words, her anxiety finally subsided.
Forget it, tomorrow it is. She was too lazy to argue anymore and immersed herself in it wholeheartedly.
...
The next day, as soon as it was light, Song Chiyu got out of bed.
Qi Yanzhou was woken up and sat up abruptly: "So early?"
Fearing that he might slip up again, Song Chiyu gave a vague reply and immediately went to wash up.
Qi Yanzhou didn't delay any longer and got up as well.
The two of them had breakfast and set off before eight o'clock.
As the car drove out of the valley, the first rays of sunlight shone on the snow-capped peaks across the river. She took out her phone and exclaimed sincerely, "So beautiful."
"kindness."
When this person isn't emotionally charged, he's a really good person.
Song Chiyu's legs are still feeling slightly weak.
That's utterly absurd.
She no longer gave him any chance to cause trouble, and showed no intention of communicating with him.
Qi Yanzhou could vaguely sense her dissatisfaction, and gently touched her hair: "I'm sorry."
"What's the use of apologizing?" she said irritably. "You have no integrity here anymore."
"What is it?" he asked, feigning ignorance.
"It was my fault." He wasn't the type to make excuses, thus avoiding further escalation of the conflict.
"What should we eat for lunch today?" Her temper softened a bit.
What would you like to eat?
"I want to eat Tibetan food."
"Okay." He opened the navigation. "What else would you like to eat?"
"I haven't thought of anything yet."
"Then we'll eat it when we think of it."
Where are we going today?
"Is your flight tomorrow or the day after?"
"The day after tomorrow afternoon."
"I'll take you the day after tomorrow. Come back to the temple with me today."
Song Chiyu was startled: "How far is that?"
“Actually, it’s not far. The place where you catch your flight is just between the two cities, it’s just that we went around in a big circle.” He handed her the map.
She carefully compared the map and realized how far she had gone.
It dawned on me then: "So Qi Zhannan and I have gone in circles?"
"kindness."
"Well, at least it's a good outcome." She rested one hand on the car window: "How long will it take to drive there now?"
"Excluding meal times, it should be about four hours."
Song Chiyu fell silent.
Qi Yanzhou looked at the cities they would pass through along the way and said, "How about we go and see the capital? You rarely come all this way, so I think it would be better for you to have a bit of a travel experience."
It's rare to see someone so thoughtful.
Song Chiyu didn't argue with him.
After having Tibetan food in the capital of the autonomous region, the two ran into a group of people taking photos. Song Chiyu couldn't help but have an idea. Before she could ask him, Qi Yanzhou nodded and said, "Let's go take the photos."
Makeup and photography are both extremely time-consuming.
He didn't complain at all, and obediently stood by her side holding her coat. When it came time to choose the movies, he let her take her time, and once she made a decision, she would scan a code to pay.
Song Chiyu's resentment towards him completely dissipated.
If someone breaks their promise, so be it; it's not a big deal if it happens once or twice.
After the photos were taken, Song Chiyu belatedly realized, "Haven't we taken wedding photos yet?"
"Yes, the banquet hasn't been held yet."
Song Chiyu hesitated: "Should we take the picture?"
"Otherwise what?"
Sensing his helplessness, she wisely refrained from asking further about the banquet, saying, "I understand."
He didn't make a decision on this matter, putting himself in a completely passive position.
Feeling guilty, Song Chiyu glanced at him from time to time: "How about we take wedding photos when you come back this time? And have the wedding after the New Year?"
Seeing that she finally understood his helplessness, Qi Yanzhou breathed a sigh of relief: "Okay, send me the list of guests to invite. I'll take care of the rest."
Song Chiyu didn't like to get involved in these things, but she was too embarrassed to let him handle them alone. "I'll assist you. You arrange the process, and I'll take care of things like booking the hotel."
It has to be said that she has made many concessions compared to when she first married him.
He smiled and said, "No need, I can handle these things."
Song Chiyu no longer stood on ceremony with him.
It was already afternoon when they arrived at the temple. The monks who had been extremely cold to her were very polite to Qi Yanzhou, and their attitude became extremely respectful upon learning that she was Qi Yanzhou's wife.
He consulted scriptures and records here, and also translated the scriptures.
The prayer wheels in the temple jingled loudly, accompanied by the sound of scriptures being carved nearby, which unconsciously calmed people down.
When she first came here, she wondered if the monks would find the environment harsh.
Suddenly, I understood: if one can guard one's true nature, then external factors and circumstances will have no impact. This is what it means to seek within oneself.
Qi Yanzhou noticed that her expression suddenly turned solemn as she sat on the stone steps.
I handed her a cup of butter tea and sat down next to her.
"I thought your time here would be boring, but now it seems you're at peace, right?"
“No, my mind is not at peace.” He glanced at the monks behind him who were carving scriptures: “It used to be a little better.”
"Why?" Song Chiyu naturally didn't believe it.
"My heart is tied to something."
She suddenly looked enlightened: "About the Qi family?"
“No.” His gaze fell on her. “At this moment, my heart is at its most at peace.”
His attachment lies here.
Song Chiyu suddenly understood his subtext and nudged his elbow embarrassedly: "Oh dear, you're talking about this in the temple."
Qi Yanzhou was amused.
He shook his head, ending the conversation, and began to recount the history of the place.
Without history, these are just ruins, but with history, there are stories, and the whole land comes alive. You see mountains as not mountains, and walls as not walls.
The sky gradually darkened.
She went with him to the archaeological station's camp to retrieve some items. When Xia Menghe's students saw them arrive, they all came out to greet them, unconsciously asking behind him, "Isn't Su Jiacheng with you?"
Qi Yanzhou raised an eyebrow slightly, seemingly unaware of what he was talking about.
The other person realized the huge blunder they had made, their face flushing red and then pale: "I'm so sorry, Teacher Qi, I..."
Qi Yanzhou ignored him and left with the document scroll.
The others were used to his solitary ways and didn't ask any further questions, watching them leave.
Song Chiyu understood that his purpose in coming here was simply to dispel those rumors and prevent his wife from being humiliated.
Throughout the journey, none of them mentioned Su Jiacheng, but he kept her in his heart.
Song Chiyu didn't have much to say.
She took a deep breath and pointed to the sky, which was not yet completely dark, with his finger: "Look, the moon is out."
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