Chapter 33
Tang Chengting and Chen Huanong had no wedding or proposal. Everything seemed to flow naturally. One morning, they suddenly smiled at each other and said in unison, "Why don't we get a marriage certificate?" Then they notified their families, applied for passports and visas, and went on a two-week trip to Europe—that was the wedding ceremony. Mo Yiyan felt very sorry for Chen Huanong. The latter always pretended to be nonchalant and said, "It's just a ceremony. Can't I live without this ceremony?"
After Tang Chengting met Zhang Xingyan and the others at the cafe, he asked directly how to propose. Zhang Xingyan choked on a mouthful of coffee and took a long time to calm down. "I'm not saying anything, but you've been married for five years, and you're proposing now? What? And we need a wedding?"
"How do you know?"
"I never realized you were a love-brained person before! You've really been refreshing my perspective this year!"
Tang Chengting didn't count on Zhang Xingyan. He looked at Jiang Yousi, pinning all his hopes on him. Jiang Yousi said a little embarrassedly, "At my graduation ceremony, he gave a speech as an outstanding graduate and then proposed to me in front of the entire school."
Chi Buyu immediately clasped his fists and said, "Brother, you are really good! No wonder you were able to marry Sister Momo, your tactics are too clever, you are so good at teasing."
Qin Huai pressed Chi Buyu's arm and rolled his eyes at him. "You don't need to learn anymore. From what I know, you've flirted with more girls than I can count on both hands in these four years of college. If Chen Huanong knew, you'd probably be half crippled."
"How do you know? Stop being a lawyer and start fortune-telling!"
"You forgot to block me on your Moments."
Chi Buyu's mind raced with alpacas, unable to understand why he'd made such a foolish mistake. Tang Chengting, looking at the four people before him, couldn't understand why he needed their help. One of them was married, eight years their junior, and spoke sweet nothings, something Tang Chengting simply couldn't imitate. Of the three unmarried men, Qin Huai was a dull boy, while Zhang Xingyan and Chi Buyu were playboys. Asking them for advice was probably better than risking ridicule and asking Mo Yiyan.
"I heard from Momo that your family's boyfriend is on the cover of their magazine this week, and it's released just in time for tonight's show. It's a real honor for our family, so I think you should treat us to a meal to celebrate."
"Your reasons for eating for free are never the same. Why didn't you use these little tricks in court with Chen Huanong?"
"Did Chen Huanong tell you again? She doesn't even give me any face!"
Chi Buyu interrupted at the right moment, "Is it your case where the right to request is unclear? She even brought this up during the last meeting to remind the interns! But she didn't mention your name, don't worry."
Zhang Xingyan's face quickly fell. "Your wife is going too far. You should treat me to a meal and comfort me. It's really hard for me. I also contributed to your reconciliation. How could she treat me like this? Please use your dignity as the head of the family and teach your wife a lesson. It's wrong to burn bridges after crossing them."
Tang Chengting stood up, put on a thin cardigan, and prepared to go to the beauty salon to pick up Chen Huanong. "She can come however she wants. I don't have any other requirements for her. I have a reservation at Chaohuang tonight. I will go there after picking up Chen Huanong. You can leave now."
"I'm done eating. You've been feeding me dog food all the time lately. You think having a wife is a big deal, right?"
"Yes." The person who said this was not Tang Chengting, but Zhang Xingyan's brother-in-law Jiang Yousi. "I don't have any other requirements for Momo. As long as she is happy, that's enough."
The three single men looked up at a 45-degree angle, drank the coffee in their cups in one gulp, and never wanted to talk to a married man again. It was really too much.
Chaohuang is a recently developed resort in the western suburbs. It integrates a series of leisure activities such as catering, entertainment, hot springs, and farm stays. It is the best place to relax on weekends. Jiang Yuyuan's child was sick recently, and the couple took turns going to the hospital every day and could not come. In the end, the six of them arrived one after another. After dinner, they happened to catch up with the music festival held by Chaohuang. There were resident singers, and anyone who wanted to sing on the scene could also go up and sing. Mo Yiyan was the first to pull Chen Huanong up on stage to sing. The tacit understanding that the two of them had cultivated since high school could be seen clearly at this moment. Mo Yiyan was good at grasping the pitch, so she always sang first. Chen Huanong had a long breath and was good at high notes. Coupled with her enchanting dance moves, the whole place became much more lively.
After the song ended, Chen Huanong was about to leave the stage, but was grabbed by Mo Yiyan, who also signaled Tang Chengting to come up. Chen Huanong put down the microphone and whispered in Mo Yiyan's ear, asking her if she was crazy. Tang Chengting hated showing himself in public the most. Even if Tang Chengting had been indulgent to her recently, it didn't mean that he would willingly do something he didn't like!
"Director Tang, your wife is in my hands now. Either you come up and take her down yourself, or she will just stand there with me holding her hand. What do you choose?"
Well, Mo Yiyan is really crazy. Chen Huanong personally confirmed it. I really want to cover my face and pretend that I don’t know this person! It’s too embarrassing. It’s an extraordinary experience to still feel embarrassed at this age.
Chen Huanong hadn't expected Tang Chengting to actually come up and take her hand from Mo Yiyan. Although she was a little touched, a scene like this popped up in her mind: a lost puppy was found, and then the owner came over, and the person who found the dog handed the leash to the owner. What's going on? Seriously, she had just become a role model for modern women on the cover of a magazine! While she was distracted, Mo Yiyan had already left, and before she could call out to him, the music prelude started.
"Hmm?" She looked at Tang Chengting, her eyes full of confusion.
"Let's sing a duet. I can't quite grasp the pitch of female vocals, and they're too high." Chen Huanong was about to say, "Then don't choose a female song." She looked up and caught Tang Chengting's eye. His eyes were so clear they practically sucked her in. Before she lost consciousness, Chen Huanong decisively turned her head away, vowing not to look at Tang Chengting again. How had she not known before that he was such a flirt?
Tang Chengting chose Deng Ziqi's "Countdown." There was a time when Chen Huanong was very fond of her songs. This song and several other famous songs were a must-order at every karaoke bar. It was a sign of practice making perfect. Tang Chengting, as he had said, struggled with the high notes. Chen Huanong didn't dwell on why Tang Chengting chose this song. He smoothly transitioned the high notes with Tang Chengting, then deliberately lowered his own voice, letting Tang Chengting take control.
The final verse, "With you, I have nothing else to ask for," repeated six times, was a line she'd sung many times before, but never in its entirety, usually switching to the third verse. That night, Tang Chengting repeated it exactly six times. The audience erupted in laughter, and Chen Huanong, blushing for once, hurried off the stage, clutching Tang Chengting's arm.
"If someone else did this, I would think it was tacky, but when Old Tang does this, I feel particularly happy. My son has grown up and is now creative, and I feel happy as a father."
No one else could say such a thing except Zhang Xingyan. Chen Huanong blushed, but his fighting spirit remained undiminished. "Zhang Xingyan, it's okay for you to take advantage of Tang Chengting, but you're taking advantage of me as well. Are you sure you won't choke?"
"Chen Huanong, I'm not saying anything bad about you, but girls should act soft and gentle in front of men. That's how you can arouse a man's protective desire. You should learn from Mo Yiyan. Before she was 28, I always thought my mother gave birth to a younger brother for me. Now look at her being so affectionate with Jiang Yousi. Don't you agree, Old Tang?"
"Chen Huanong has always been a child to me." No matter how strong she appears, through her eyes, I always see the little girl hidden deep in her soul. From the age of fifteen until now, she has always been that childish, innocent, simple, emotional, fragile, and kind child. That's why I'm afraid she won't be able to face the malice in reality when she's alone, so I hope she can be more harsh with others.
Tang Chengting had imagined countless proposals, but the one he finally executed was a spur-of-the-moment one. The two of them sat on the resort's balcony, the river breeze gentle, the moon obscured, leaving only a sky full of twinkling stars. Even without saying a word, they didn't feel lonely. Chen Huanong thought back to their first year together, thousands of miles apart, the Jiangnan nights still a bit chilly in March. One night, Chen Huanong was returning from work in Shuihui when she suddenly received a message from Tang Chengting. He asked, "The moon tonight looks like a smiling face, can you see it?"
Chen Huanong: I saw it, the wind is also very gentle.
Tang Chengting: Walking in the gentle breeze, I miss you even more.
What Chen Huanong didn’t say was, I have always missed you.
She didn't know why, but even though she felt cold and lonely at that moment, her heart suddenly felt full after he said those words. The emotions she'd been feeling for days were instantly soothed. She even had the illusion for a moment that Tang Chengting actually had a slight crush on her. Regardless of the underlying feelings, she felt happy for a long time after that night.
"Just a few words can make you happy, and you are easy to coax." Tang Chengting said the same thing as Mo Yiyan, except that Mo Yiyan's expression was full of disgust, while Tang Chengting's was a hint of heartache.
Chen Huanong knew what he was worried about. She hadn't planned to tell Tang Chengting about these words and things, including many things in the past, for fear that he would feel even more guilty. Now that the two of them were finally honest with each other, she began to selectively tell Tang Chengting about her past. Rather than feeling wronged, she wanted to tell Tang Chengting that because of you, I have become a pretty good person. In the six years we have been together, you have made me happy more often, so don't feel guilty about me.
"Do you remember the first time I broke up with you? I was really angry at that time, but anger is anger, sadness is also real sadness, and love is still true love."
How could he not remember the first time he broke up? They were both busy with work, and he himself was in a period of confusion. They hadn’t been in touch for a long time. Chen Huanong was having some troubles at work, and Tang Chengting said something that hurt Chen Huanong. Chen Huanong couldn’t help herself and said, “In that case, I’ll let you go free.” Tang Chengting didn’t try to keep him, and his tone was flat when he called him at night, as if nothing had happened. A month later, on National Day, they attended a class reunion together. Chen Huanong jumped in front of Tang Chengting and greeted him with a smile. The classmates didn’t know about their breakup, and they were still seated together. During the meal, Chen Huanong kept asking Tang Chengting to pick up some food for her. Tang Chengting said he would do it himself, but he resigned himself to picking up some food for her. Tang Chengting was forced to drink a lot of wine in the evening, and it was natural that Chen Huanong took care of him. In fact, with Tang Chengting’s alcohol tolerance, he didn’t need anyone to take care of him. It was just that their classmates liked to make a fuss. When going downstairs, Tang Chengting held her hand as usual. Chen Huanong's heart trembled uncontrollably, but she did not let him go easily.
Chen Huanong said, "Tang Chengting, have you lost your memory? We broke up a month ago, and you agreed so readily. Let go of my hand. When are you going to tell them about our breakup?"
Tang Chengting hummed, his tone puzzled. Are we breaking up?
Chen Huanong was so angry that he laughed. What else could he do?
Tang Chengting patted her head and said, I don’t think so. The fate between us is doomed. We will be together anyway. If we break up now and then talk about getting back together later, they will scold us.
Chen Huanong resisted the urge to hit him. "Director Tang, are you saying I absolutely must have you?" Where does your confidence come from? "I don't care. I asked for a breakup and you agreed. I want to find my spring again. Isn't this what you've always wanted?"
After Tang Chengting was silent for a while, his tone suddenly became a little pitiful. Chen Huanong, you said before that no matter what, you would never leave me alone. How can you go back on your word?
Even though Chen Huanong had prepared herself for a month before meeting Tang Chengting, swearing she would never look back, she still collapsed before his deep eyes. You can hide anything, but you can't hide your love. Tang Chengting knew from the beginning that Chen Huanong would never leave him alone to face this lonely world. The moment Chen Huanong said she wanted to break up, he didn't feel anything at all, but for some reason, he was convinced from the bottom of his heart that their relationship would not end like this.
"Chen Huanong, marrying me isn't a wise decision. You know my situation. I can't spend as much time with you as others. Maybe you'll even resent me for not letting you go. I can only give you so much. I'm not romantic, not good at sweet talk, and I don't have a strong sense of ceremony. The only thing I'm good at is that I'll go all out for what I've decided on. And right now, I've decided to spend the rest of my life loving you. With me like this, are you willing to marry me again?"
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