Chapter 47 I Don't Want to Get Married
A thought stirred within him, and he suddenly realized...
What he thought were insignificant jokes might have been etched into her memory long ago.
“And another time,” Song Zhiwei continued, “at my uncle’s family dinner, I was a little scared of the crowd, so I quietly hid behind my uncle, keeping my head down and not daring to speak. But you pointed at me and said, ‘Why is this little girl like a mouse?’ You even insisted on digging a hole for me and burying me in it.”
Sheng Tingzhou: "..."
He was speechless for a moment, his brow furrowing slightly.
It was clearly just a joke; he found her timid and hesitant demeanor amusing.
He didn't even take it to heart.
How did she manage to say it?
On the contrary, it's as if he deliberately bullied the child, and bullied him excessively?
“I used to really annoy you,” Song Zhiwei’s voice gradually lowered. “Every time I saw you, my heart would race, not because I liked you, but because… I hated you, I was afraid, and I felt powerless.”
She paused, her eyelashes trembling slightly.
"But now... it doesn't seem so bad anymore."
As soon as she finished speaking, her body suddenly went limp.
Her whole body slid down his arm.
Sheng Tingzhou reacted quickly, immediately reaching out to firmly grasp her arm and pulling her into his embrace.
He let her lean her whole body against his strong chest.
He looked down at her slightly flushed cheeks, his tone carrying a smile, yet tinged with a hint of helplessness.
"Just because I made a couple of jokes back then, you've held a grudge for so many years?"
Song Zhiwei pouted, the alcohol making her emotions more apparent, and a sudden surge of inexplicable grievance welled up inside her.
She murmured, "I used to... actually fear you."
"Afraid of me?"
He frowned, and his voice deepened.
"Just because I said two words? I didn't even touch you."
“You all love to laugh at me. My family, relatives, classmates, even my closest uncle, all think I'm timid, clumsy, and not dignified enough. But you're the first person to say it so casually in front of so many people, as if I were a joke.”
As she spoke, her eyes slowly reddened.
Her fingers unconsciously clenched in the air, as if trying to find something to hold onto, but she grasped nothing.
Finally, those slightly cool fingers slowly rose and gently tugged at the black bow tie around his neck.
Her eyes were veiled with a thin layer of mist.
"But since you saved me that time, I... won't blame you."
That day, she truly thought she wouldn't survive.
Despair surged in like a tidal wave, almost completely engulfing her.
Just when she was about to give up, he suddenly appeared.
He pulled her back from the edge of the abyss.
Sheng Tingzhou looked at her flushed cheeks and a slight smile appeared on his lips.
"I'm quite lucky then."
"Um?"
Song Zhiwei blinked, shook her head, and felt a buzzing in her ears.
She couldn't hear him clearly and could only give a muffled reply.
"It was lucky that you were saved."
He finished speaking in a low voice, so low it sounded like he was talking to himself.
Looking down, I saw that she had closed her eyes and fallen asleep like a tired kitten.
Thick eyelashes cast a small, thin shadow under the light.
Her breath trembled slightly, and her small face was so quiet it was heartbreaking.
He lowered his head and asked softly, "Tired? Want to sleep?"
"I don't want to get married... I don't want to marry..."
Her voice was very soft, trembling as if she were talking in a dream.
Sheng Tingzhou's arm stiffened, and his heart felt as if it had been violently struck.
He paused, then reached out and gently brushed the stray strands of hair from her face.
"Is someone pressuring you?"
After asking the question, he waited quietly for a while.
Only her soft breathing could be heard in the restaurant, but there was still no response.
Finally, he sighed, a hint of helplessness appearing in his eyes.
The girl's eyes remained tightly closed, her brows slightly furrowed.
Black stockings were wrapped around her fair and delicate fingers.
He tried to pull out the bow tie and gave it a gentle tug, but instead of letting go, she gripped it tighter and tighter.
He was pulled so hard that he lost his balance and his face accidentally brushed against her lips.
In that instant, a soft and warm touch suddenly came over me.
He froze, his breathing slightly labored.
The scent of wood mixed with a faint aroma of alcohol lingered slowly around his nose.
Her hair brushed against his nose, and her warm breath caressed his cheek.
Sheng Tingzhou took a deep breath, a struggle flashing in his eyes, but in the end he said nothing.
He gently steadied his breathing, then simply lowered his head and untied his tie himself.
Pull the remaining part away from her fingertips.
He gazed at her quietly for a while, his eyes lingering on her sleeping face for a long time.
"Get some sleep."
——
The next morning.
Song Zhiwei rubbed her eyes, slowly opened them, and woke up, still somewhat groggy.
She blinked, her vision blurring for a moment.
Suddenly, I realized I was holding a black tie in my hand.
She paused for two seconds, blinked, and tried hard to recall what had happened last night.
My head was throbbing, but I couldn't remember how this thing ended up in my hands.
All I remember is that the alcohol smelled very strong, I was very tired, and then...
Then it seemed like she said something.
She frowned and rubbed her throbbing temples.
She propped herself up on the edge of the bed, and the thin blanket covering her slipped off.
She put on her coat and walked towards the bathroom.
After washing her face, she dried the water droplets in front of the mirror.
Despite the rising steam, his face still showed signs of fatigue.
As she walked out of the restroom, she glanced instinctively toward the restaurant and found that the table had been neatly arranged.
Is it Sheng Tingzhou's?
Suddenly, an image flashed into her mind of the man with his shirt sleeves rolled up, head down, diligently wiping the table.
She couldn't help but smile.
She grabbed her bag and opened the door to go downstairs.
The door had just been opened when the door opposite it opened as well.
Sheng Tingzhou stood there, wearing a dark gray turtleneck sweater.
He lowered his eyes slightly, his gaze fixed on her.
Good morning.
Song Zhiwei greeted her with a smile.
Sheng Tingzhou nodded slightly, said nothing more, and turned to walk towards the elevator.
She quickly caught up, then suddenly remembered something and reached into her bag to pull out the dark blue tie with subtle patterns.
"Mr. Sheng, how did your tie end up in my house?"
He paused slightly and glanced at her.
"do not you remember?"
"I really don't remember."
Song Zhiwei shook her head, her brows furrowed slightly, as she tried hard to recall.
She only vaguely remembered that the lights were dim that night.
She snatched the wine glass and uttered a few incoherent words.
What happened after that was like a fragmented memory, with only scattered images.
Sheng Tingzhou stared at her for a few seconds, his gaze lingering on her face for a moment.
After a long pause, he finally spoke softly.
"Don't drink alcohol anymore."
"Um."
She gave a perfunctory reply, a smile playing on her lips, not taking it too seriously.
When she got downstairs, a cold wind hit her face, and she instinctively wrapped her coat tighter around herself.
Sheng Tingzhou had already opened the car door and nimbly sat in the driver's seat.
Song Zhiwei froze on the spot, her steps faltering.
She thought he would give her a ride since he was going that way, or at least say something to ask if she needed a ride.
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