Chapter 27 Continuing with what I hadn't finished in the music room before, during the rainy season...
Lin Fei turned around and sensed that the man's aura was somewhat low.
She stammered, "I... want to see inside."
Even though it was the truth, she sounded particularly guilty when she said it like that.
Liang Yanzhe walked over, put his arm around her shoulder, and led her to the master bedroom: "That place hasn't been cleaned in a long time, there's a lot of dust. We'll call the cleaning lady to come and clean it another day."
Lin Fei pressed his hand down and looked around the room: "The housekeeper cleans every part of the house except my room. Why?"
“There’s no other guest room either,” he said.
She didn't doubt it and accepted his explanation.
Lin Fei's stomach was still full, and she wasn't sleepy for the time being, so she lay on the small sofa at the foot of the bed surfing the internet on her phone.
I was thinking about what other ways the Zhuang brocade shop could generate revenue.
Liang Yanzhe casually picked up a book and sat down in the rocking chair in front of the French windows to read it.
The window was slightly ajar, but the rain outside continued to fall. The wind seeped into the room, causing the white gauze curtains to billow like waves. A small patch of the curtains was dampened by raindrops. The scented candles on the table flickered, and the floor lamp in the corner cast a warm glow.
From Lin Fei's perspective, the atmosphere at this moment was perfect.
She lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling, and hesitated for a moment before asking, "Do you and...Xiao Yi have a bad relationship?"
"Not bad," he replied absentmindedly, the sound of turning pages continuing.
"But you two had a fight tonight." Lin Fei wondered. If this wasn't bad, what would be? Or was it that Liang Yanzhe wouldn't be angry with anyone at all?
His temper is strangely good.
After all, everyone has emotions as long as they are alive, but Liang Yanzhe is always gentle and calm. Even if any unexpected event occurs, he remains calm and composed. With such a peaceful nature, it is difficult for anyone who interacts with him to leave a deep impression. All they can remember is his handsome face.
Okay, being handsome can leave a good impression, so how can that not be an advantage?
Liang Yanzhe: "I just told her the facts, and she will understand."
"The truth?" Lin Fei stretched his hand behind him, propping himself up. "And what truth? You were ostracized by your family?... Abandoned? Is the rumor true?"
Liang Yanzhe put down his book and asked with a gentle smile, "What rumor?"
Lin Fei covered her mouth and gave an embarrassed smile.
It's all her fault for being too quick to speak and giving herself away.
"I don't mind, go ahead." Liang Yanzhe closed the book, interlaced his fingers, and pretended to listen attentively.
Lin Fei looked at him for a while before saying, "They said... you were groomed to be the heir, but you were abandoned when you were sixteen. After that, you seemed to disappear, and you were never seen at any gatherings, big or small. I just heard it all by chance, so don't take it to heart. The rumors that followed were also outrageous. You're busy studying medicine, so where would you find the time to attend so many gatherings? Only idle young masters go back to their hometowns. The reason we don't see you is because you went abroad to study."
Her later statement contained elements of awkward explanation.
"This is not a rumor, it is the truth." His voice was completely flat, and his jade-like face showed no sign of ferocity or melancholy. He remained smiling, with a faint smile on his lips.
He seemed to be wearing a heavy mask, and she couldn't see his true emotions.
Lin Fei felt slightly embarrassed and didn't know how to continue the conversation.
It's impossible to tell from his words and actions whether he's averse to talking about his family, nor do we know what his relationship with his relatives is like.
However, after two months of marriage, he had not met his parents, and the younger sister he had met had conflicts with him, so it was easy to guess that their relationship was not good, but rather terrible.
"Don't look embarrassed. It's not your fault." Liang Yanzhe reopened the book and slowly turned to the next page.
Lin Fei stared at him blankly for a long time.
They were clearly the closest of people, yet they felt very distant from each other.
He, like her, might have sensed the problem between them, but couldn't find a good opportunity to have a deep conversation.
No wonder the ancients often said that the closest relatives and the most distant are husband and wife.
At 11 p.m., Lin Fei crawled into bed, leaving Liang Yanzhe with only his back to her, and went to sleep.
He sat still, finishing one book at a time and switching to another, until the screen of his phone on the bedside table lit up, at which point he put down the book and got up.
Unsurprisingly, the message was sent by Liang Yanyi.
Xiao Yi: [I spoke impulsively tonight, please don't take it to heart, brother. My wedding was originally just a show, and it was my request that put you in a difficult position. I won't make such unreasonable requests again.]
Liang Yanzhe replied: 【Enjoy your wedding, don't just treat it as a show. Wishing you and Zhou Hui happiness.】
Xiao Yi: [Thank you, brother. We have a two-week honeymoon after the wedding, and I'd like to stay in Jiangdu for a while. Is that okay?]
Liang Yanzhe didn't mind: "[Honeymoon only in Jiangdu? Zhou Hui doesn't have any objections?]"
Xiao Yi: [He supports my decision, so it's settled.]
Having already declined the wedding invitation, Liang Yanzhe couldn't very well refuse Liang Yanyi's request to stay in Jiangdu. After all, a branch of the Liang family was developing in Jiangdu, and it was normal for her, as the future head of the family, to stay for a while.
With the matter resolved, Liang Yanzhe put the book back on the shelf, lifted the blanket, and lay down.
Lin Fei turned over and opened his eyes: "Finally decided to sleep?"
"Did I disturb you?" Liang Yanzhe was indeed waiting for Liang Yanyi's message, and he was certain that she would come to talk to him before midnight.
"No." Lin Fei snuggled into his arms. "I was almost asleep, but suddenly I felt inexplicably upset. Thinking about going to the hospital to see my grandfather tomorrow, I couldn't fall asleep at all."
"Don't overthink it. The teacher has just woken up and can't say much right now."
Liang Yanzhe was good at comforting people. His words, "I can't talk too much," put Lin Fei at ease, as she was afraid that her grandfather would chatter with her too much.
"What did you just watch?" Lin Fei wrapped her arms around his waist. "Tell me a bedtime story."
“These are some classic surgical cases, not just stories,” Liang Yanzhe said softly. “Or shall I tell you about a surgical procedure I performed last week?”
"Dr. Liang, we're in bed, not in a classroom." Can't he be a little more romantic?
Liang Yanzhe laughed: "I'm just kidding you."
Lin Fei rolled over in his arms, and just as she closed her eyes, a thought struck her. She got up and pressed down on his shoulder: "Do you want to play classroom games with me?"
"..."
"sleep."
Lin Fei lay down dejectedly: "You made me have such high expectations."
Too much had happened today, so she stopped bothering him and quietly closed her eyes.
Perhaps because Liang Yanzhe was nearby, and because Lin Fei wasn't bothered by the bed, she quickly fell asleep.
I slept until eight o'clock the next morning.
After having breakfast, the two bought gifts and flowers before going to the hospital.
From afar, they could see Zhong Shuwen waiting for them downstairs, with a girl beside him.
Lin Fei was not unfamiliar to him; in fact, he was quite familiar with her. He had often provoked her when he lived in Hong Kong.
Zhong Shuyu was wearing a beautiful Chanel trench coat suit, carrying a five-figure handbag, with full makeup, and her slightly wavy, shoulder-length brown hair was clearly styled, making her look as exquisite as a doll in a shop window.
Her gaze swept over them, finally settling on Lin Fei. She slightly raised her chin, adopting an expression of reluctance to engage in further conversation, displaying the demeanor of a pampered young lady.
Before Zhong Shuwen could speak, Lin Fei said, "Grandpa is in the hospital, and you still have the mood to put on a full face of makeup, spray perfume, and wear high heels. He really spoiled you for nothing."
With just one simple sentence, Zhong Shuyu was successfully provoked.
Zhong Shuyu's eyes widened, and she retorted angrily, "Lin Shufei, you're targeting me from the start, aren't you doing this on purpose!"
Zhong Shuwen stepped between the two: "Alright, alright, don't make noise at the hospital entrance."
"She provoked me first! She...she mocked me!" Zhong Shuyu was almost crying with anger.
Throughout the entire port city, no one dared to give her a hard time; everyone treated her with utmost respect.
She thought that after six years, the memory of Lin Fei teasing her back then had faded, but after less than a minute of meeting, that feeling of intense hatred returned.
Lin Fei said matter-of-factly, "If you don't put on airs, I won't say anything to you."
"I didn't!" Zhong Shuyu stomped her foot angrily. "Brother, look at her, she just doesn't like me."
"Alright, that's enough, okay? Can we go upstairs first, my darlings? Grandpa has been waiting for a long time." Zhong Shuwen walked to Lin Fei's side and kindly advised, "You go up first."
"Alright then." Seeing Zhong Shuyu jumping up and down, Lin Fei felt much better and showed his first smile of the day.
Liang Yanzhe finally understood why Zhong Shuwen's emotions had become so volatile when she was caught between the two of them, sometimes crying and sometimes laughing, and wishing she could get drunk every day.
Lin Fei's fighting power is incredibly strong. Even though she knows Lin Fei is being unreasonable, there's nothing that can be done about her.
"Why do you always like to tease her?" Liang Yanzhe followed Lin Fei's steps, placing the hand with the watch behind her back, closing the distance between them.
Zhong Shuyu got angry again after hearing what Liang Yanzhe said.
"Brother, listen to what Liang Sheng is saying. Is Lin Shufei kidding me? Kidding me?" She laughed a few times, unable to express her speechlessness and frustration.
She was initially heartbroken to hear that Liang Yanzhe was marrying Lin Fei, and felt great pity for Liang Sheng. Now it seems that the two are a tyrannical couple! Neither of them are good people.
"Alright, whatever she says today, just bear with it." Zhong Shuwen felt that every time the two sisters met, he aged a year along with them.
Zhong Shuyu's eyes widened, and she shouted angrily, "Why?"
"Grandpa has been wanting to see her, and it's rare that she's agreed to come. Don't make her angry and run away." Zhong Shuwen patted her younger sister's shoulder and went to the ward first.
Zhong Shuyu felt aggrieved, but she couldn't say it out loud. She was the one who caused the discord between them.
If she hadn't been willful and unreasonable six years ago, Lin Fei wouldn't have stormed off with her luggage and refused to stay at the Zhong family's house. She felt guilty every time she saw her grandfather secretly sighing.
Thinking to myself, oh well, Lin Fei will only stay for three days at most, I can just bear with it.
-
Upon hearing that Lin Fei was coming, Zhong Deshou got ready early and even changed into casual clothes, which made him look healthier.
Lin Fei entered and greeted her politely. He smiled broadly and pointed to the stool next to him, gesturing for her to sit down.
Liang Yanzhe followed behind, carrying the gifts, and greeted the teacher upon entering.
When Zhong Deshou saw them stand up, his smile deepened: "You've made a special trip back to Hong Kong to see this old man. Thank you for your trouble."
"It's alright, your health is the most important thing." Lin Fei sat on the stool closest to his grandfather and picked up the fruit and knife next to him.
“You don’t need to peel it, let Auntie do it.” Zhong Deshou waved to the auntie standing in the corner, “You peel the apple for the young lady.”
The aunt is a domestic helper hired by the family. She goes to the hospital during the day to take care of Zhong Deshou.
"Are you tired?" Zhong Deshou asked cautiously.
Lin Fei smiled and said, "I'm not tired."
Chung Te-shou: "How have you been lately?"
"I'm doing well lately." Lin Fei didn't know what to do with his hands, and his eyes darted around, trying to find something to do so he wouldn't feel too awkward.
Zhong Deshou also realized that the atmosphere was a bit awkward.
"Let Ah Wen take you out for a nice meal tonight. You've come all this way to Hong Kong, so have some fun before you leave."
"No, I have work to do. You should probably head back after you've finished watching this," Lin Fei politely declined.
Zhong Deshou asked, "Why not stay a couple more days?"
The old man's eyes were full of expectation, and Lin Fei didn't know how to answer.
"It's my fault. I only got three days off, so I can't stay too long. Besides, I'm worried about Afei going back alone." These were Liang Yanzhe's words, taking the blame upon himself.
“I understand.” Zhong Deshou looked at Liang Yanzhe and asked about his work situation.
Liang Yanzhe had been doing scientific research with Zhong Deshou since he was teaching abroad. They spent ten years together and had a lot to talk about.
With him there, the atmosphere eased somewhat.
Lin Fei sat to the side listening to them talk about things abroad, speaking Cantonese mixed with English, while she ate fruit listlessly.
She would like to leave if she could, but she would only stay for a short while before leaving, as her conscience wouldn't allow it. Now, she doesn't need to talk; sitting here and eating fruit is quite nice.
"Your wedding will still take place." Zhong Deshou looked at Lin Fei. "What are your thoughts, Shufei?"
Before Lin Fei could answer, her grandfather continued, "I hope your wedding can be held in Hong Kong. Grandpa wants to hold your hand and see you off on your wedding day."
"I'm not doing it." Lin Fei's refusal was decisive.
Zhong Deshou's smile froze, and he gently coaxed her, "All arrangements will be made according to your wishes."
"I don't like weddings." Lin Fei said this somewhat defiantly, but she really hadn't been looking forward to one.
Zhong Shuwen kept giving Liang Yanzhe meaningful glances, urging him to quickly change the subject!
Liang Yanzhe said, "Teacher, it's my fault. Xiaoyi is having a big wedding this year, so it wouldn't be appropriate for us to have one too. So after discussing it, we decided to postpone it."
“A year…” Zhong Deshou wanted to say that was too long, but when he thought about how his granddaughter’s wedding couldn’t be a big affair, he became a little unhappy. “Alright, let’s talk about it after this year.”
Zhong Shuwen breathed a sigh of relief.
Although the issue of whether to hold a wedding has not been completely resolved, at least the atmosphere is harmonious now, and it is not as serious as it was just now.
Lin Fei was good at saying polite things, but she was reluctant to say them to Zhong Deshou. After discovering that the old man could listen to what Liang Yanzhe said, she hinted to him several times that she wanted to leave.
Liang Yanzhe placed his hand on Lin Fei's back, silently comforting her. After a while, he said, "Teacher, it's getting late. You need to rest more. Fei and I won't bother you any longer."
Zhong Deshou looked at Lin Fei with some reluctance: "Would you like to sit a little longer?"
"I need to take Afei to meet my family later, so it's not convenient for me to stay any longer."
Liang Yanzhe's every word was perfectly tailored to Zhong Deshou.
"Look, I forgot something important. Shufei hasn't met the Liang family elders since you got married. They should have had a meal together long ago. Go on, I won't keep you any longer." Zhong Deshou said to Zhong Shuwen, "You see them off."
Lin Fei bowed slightly to Liang Yanzhe and left the hospital without waiting.
As she went downstairs, Zhong Shuwen thought several times that Lin Fei's attitude towards her grandfather today was too harsh. But then she remembered what Lin Fei had said to Zhong Shuyu when she came in. Well, that was already quite mild.
When Zhong Shuwen returned to the ward, Zhong Deshou got out of bed, stood by the window, and walked unsteadily, holding onto a stool.
Zhong Shuyu stood by, not daring to stray too far, carefully watching over the situation.
"Grandpa, why are you getting up?" Zhong Shuwen quickly stepped forward to help him.
Zhong Deshou said sadly, "Is Shufei never going to see me again? I don't know when I'll see her again."
“If you want to see him, I’ll try to persuade him to do so,” Zhong Shuwen comforted her. “You won’t be unable to see him.”
Zhong Deshou shook his head: "She didn't want to. Didn't you notice? From the moment she entered until she left, she never called me 'Grandpa' once. When she spoke to me, she only answered my questions and didn't want to say a single extra word."
Zhong Shuwen was speechless for a moment. Unable to bear seeing her grandfather so sad, she said firmly, "Yes, I will try to persuade her. Don't think too much about it."
After Lin Fei and Liang Yanzhe left by car, Zhong Deshou finally returned to his hospital bed and said with a smile, "Forget it, talking too much will only upset her. Her temper is exactly the same as her mother's. You should treat her better. You are her cousin, and you are of the same generation, so you have a lot to talk about."
Zhong Shuwen stood in the center of the ward, unsure how to comfort her grandfather who had lost his daughter in his old age. The unexpected death of her aunt was a pain for the whole family, including her father, whose eyes would redden when he thought of her. That's why they tried their best to get closer to her only child.
"Okay, I will."
-
Lin Fei rarely spent an entire afternoon playing games. Since she became a copywriter for a game company, she rarely plays games online for more than an hour at a time, and she has almost kicked the addiction.
I felt inexplicably irritable after returning from the hospital today. I played a few rounds of King of Glory, but it only made me more irritable because I kept losing.
The Liang family did have a family dinner, but it was a private dinner between Liang Yanzhe and Liang Yanyi, so Lin Fei didn't go.
It's started raining again outside.
She thought it was strange; it was almost Chinese New Year, but Hong Kong seemed to still be in the rainy season, with rain pouring down non-stop.
Lin Fei wandered around the house barefoot in socks, feeling listless and unmotivated.
But he couldn't stay idle, so he simply took out his tablet and started drawing floor plans.
Today, Chi Xin went to the fire brigade, where the fire prevention clerk personally came to their home to guide them on how to renovate the layout of their weaving room.
She needs to reorganize the layout. For example, the fabric can't be piled up in the workshop. She plans to turn the small room next door into a room for storing fabric, and divide the weaving room into a weaving area and a handicraft area.
After finishing the last stroke, Lin Fei sent the drawing to Chi Xin, asking her to pass it on to Aunt Ruo, as the workers would be coming to the house to make modifications the day after tomorrow.
After doing all this, Lin Fei suddenly felt refreshed and his chest felt less tight.
Sure enough, being depressed for a while is not suitable for her. She should face the challenge head-on. Only when the problem is really solved will she be able to completely escape the sea of pessimism.
However, the consequence of such reckless action is that all energy is exhausted, as if entering a 'wise man's time'.
The rain had been falling for so long that the houses in the distance were no longer visible, and a thin layer of smoke shrouded the entire city, carrying an indescribable sense of desolation and sorrow.
Lin Fei pushed open the door to the music room, touched the smooth black body of the piano, sat on the soft stool, and opened the piano lid.
She tried hard to recall the sheet music that Liang Yanzhe had taught her, but she could only remember a few fragments and couldn't play the whole piece.
After trying for a while, Lin Fei gave up, and commented on himself, "That's really awful."
A man's soft chuckle came from the doorway.
Liang Yanzhe leaned against the door frame, his long legs crossed, his arms casually folded. No one knew when he had returned or how long he had been eavesdropping.
"What are you laughing at?" Lin Fei scoffed. "Were you amazed by my celestial music?"
Liang Yanzhe walked to her side, sat down next to her, placed his slender fingers on the black and white keys, and played with elegant posture. Each touch of the key was extremely gentle, and the notes full of vitality merged into a moving melody.
"Together," he invited her.
Lin Fei placed his hand on it, his little finger hooking hers around his. "It's this key."
His large hand covered the back of her hand, pressed down on her knuckles, and guided her through the second half of the piece.
When the song ended, he asked her, "What else would you like to hear?"
"Are you trying to make me happy?" Lin Fei asked.
Liang Yanzhe smiled and said, "If playing the piano can make you happy, I am willing to play for you forever."
Lin Fei smiled, stood up, walked to the piano, placed his hands on the piano body, easily jumped up and sat on it, swinging his toes.
"Although I'm a little upset, I'm not unhappy." Lin Fei sighed. "I just... don't like him like this. He doesn't really want to be good to me or treat me like family. He just feels indebted to my mother and wants to make it up to me."
Liang Yanzhe, worried that she might fall, walked over to her and said, "You seem to see things very clearly."
“Yes, I could have told Grandpa directly, but I didn’t. I could see he was sad, but I deliberately distanced myself from him so that he could experience what Grandma felt, and understand why he could be so heartless as to avoid seeing her when she was still alive.” Lin Fei put her hand on Liang Yanzhe’s shoulder. “Let’s not talk about him anymore, it’s a downer.”
"What do you want to talk about?" Liang Yanzhe steadied her waist.
His movements made things easier for her, as she could put all her weight on him.
She leaned close to his ear and asked with a playful laugh, "Want to continue what we didn't finish doing in the music room?"
-----------------------
Author's Note: [Let me see] Here it is! Happy September! Still 66! Thank you all for your support. Please continue to give me nutrient solution and comments!
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