Chapter 28 Surprise
"Back then, I was too impulsive and conceited. I mistook my good fortune for a skill, always believing I could save Sister Xiuchun from disaster. Even though I had good intentions, I used the wrong methods, and in the end, I suffered the consequences. Life passes so quickly. I haven't even lived long enough, and I'm already in my seventies or eighties. Telling you all these things today feels like they just happened. Come on, the movie's over, let's go upstairs and get some sleep."
After the ending, it felt like a lifetime ago. Hang Liumei flicked her fan to shoo away the invisible mosquitoes around the three of them, then stood up, holding onto Xiaomai's shoulders. The lights in the neighborhood were off, and she held a scented candle to illuminate them. Pu Zhihe saw her staggering a little, so she followed her, took her arm, and Xiaomai, one on each side, escorted her home.
They walked around at night with candles, the light flickered, no one spoke, and the bedtime stories they had heard all night made the three people's minds wander, each of them thinking about something.
The next morning, when Hang Liumei got up and left the bedroom, Xiaomai and Pu Zhihe were already sitting at the dining table. She glanced at her watch in disbelief: it was almost nine o'clock. She'd let it all out last night, and while her body was exhausted, her mind felt relaxed. She hadn't slept this late in years.
Hang Liumei pulled out a stool and sat down. The old Ma family's palace crispy beef patties were delicious, but a lot of crumbs fell off when you took a bite. She reached out to pull the napkin and saw the unfinished collaboration "Water Moon Guanyin" that she and Qi Xiuchun had placed at the other end of the table.
Hang Liumei put down her breakfast and asked Xiaomai, "Isn't this the painting I asked you to take to the store last time? Did I forget to put it away again? You really don't remember. I've lost it again. Remind me to take it back quickly."
Pu Zhihe stood up and picked up the painting. "That's the painting, but Xiaomai and I have to take it to Baochun Gold Shop again."
"Still going?"
"Yes, I didn't buy any jewelry at the wedding expo last time. I'm going to go to Grandma Qi and order a special one."
"No, no!" Hang Liumei waved her hands repeatedly, "Wasn't it just a show last time? If Xiao Zhu doesn't like buying this, forget it. Please don't spend money on my affairs, and don't quarrel. There is always a way to solve the problem."
"But I don't like the one he chose for me," Pu Zhihe unfolded the painting and pointed at the bracelet on Guanyin's wrist and said to Hang Liumei, "I like this one. I want to buy it for myself."
Hang Liumei began to understand what she meant. She felt that she should go in person, but she was not sure whether Sister Xiuchun was sad, disappointed or angry with her. If she rushed into the store again, she would feel embarrassed.
Xiaomai explained, "Grandma, this is just a show. We all think it's a shame for you two to be stuck like this. Grandma Qi must remember this painting, so we came up with this idea this morning. We'll ask Grandma Qi to customize the jewelry in the painting to give you a chance."
"In that case—what if she agrees to have it custom-made?"
Pu Zhihe put down the painting and sat next to Hang Liumei: "This is good news, it proves that she also wants to get in touch with you."
“What if it’s really made?”
"We'll talk about it later. If the enemy comes, we'll fight him. If the water comes, we'll block it. Let's take the first step."
Hang Liumei reluctantly agreed. Xiaomai and Pu Zhihe took the second painting to the Treasure Chun Gold Shop that same day. Upon entering, Qi Xiuchun was seated in a chair in the center of the shop, as if in a courtroom, his fingers tapping the armrest. One moment he was chatting with the clerk, and the next, he noticed the two people who had walked in. He didn't look surprised; it seemed he was waiting for someone.
Xiaomai and Pu Zhihe unfolded the painting "Water Moon Guanyin." Qi Xiuchun maintained a professional smile. Pu Zhihe asked if she could make a painting for her based on Guanyin's bracelet. She looked at them confidently and replied, "Yes, but I'll have to study this painting for a while."
Hang Liumei found a corner in the coffee shop to wait for news. When she heard that Qi Xiuchun had left the painting, she was both happy and worried: "What's Qi Xiuchun's expression? Did she say when you'll come again? What if she doesn't contact us again?"
Xiaomai and Pu Zhihe looked at each other and replied that they had no expression and asked her not to be anxious.
Xiaomai had classes in the afternoon so she went back to school. Pu Zhihe had wanted to take Hang Liumei to Nanhu to relax, but then Zhu Fu called. Pu Zhihe then remembered that they were still in a cold war, and while one was busy, the other had forgotten about the anger.
She picked up the phone, and Zhu Fu's energetic "Hello" came over.
"Zhihe, are you still mad at me? My friends used to quarrel so much when they were talking about getting married, but I didn't believe it then. It was only when it was my turn that I realized every family has its own problems. I went back and thought again and again, and I think there was really no need for us to quarrel. I pushed you in front of others and made you unhappy, but you didn't indulge me, did you? This isn't a matter of principle. Can't we be more mature and move on from this?"
Pu Zhihe hummed, subconsciously glancing at Hang Liumei. She had heard everything clearly from her seat nearby, and continuing to listen would have been inappropriate. Simply standing up and leaving wasn't an option either, so she pretended to know nothing and looked away.
Zhu Fu got more excited after hearing Pu Zhihe's response. "If you're not angry anymore, there's a bridal shop near the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. I'll send you the address. Can you come over? I've got a surprise for you. I wanted to give it a try, but now I can't help it. You'll definitely like it."
Since it’s already known as a bridal shop, what other surprises could there be?
It seemed he was still too busy collecting wedding supplies, and it seemed yesterday's argument was all for nothing. Pu Zhihe made an excuse, saying, "But I'm with Teacher Hang right now, and we have other things to do."
"It's good to be with Teacher Hang! Ask Teacher Hang to come along. Don't you trust her judgment the most? She can also help take a look! Are you embarrassed to say it? Give her the phone number and I'll tell you!"
Zhu Fu didn't care whether Hang Liumei was listening to his call or not, and shouted over there: "Teacher Hang! Teacher Hang! It's me, Xiao Zhu!"
Hang Liumei couldn't pretend to be deaf any longer. She took the phone and said, "Hello, Xiao Zhu. Oh? No need for that. I don't care about your business..."
Not knowing what Zhu Fu was saying on the other end, Hang Liumei held the phone and listened for a long time, with almost no time to interrupt. She kept saying, "No, no, no, then otherwise, okay, fine, I get it," like a clerk listening to work instructions from her leader.
Finally, after hanging up the phone, Hang Liumei said to Pu Zhihe with a guilty look on her face, "Zhihe, I didn't get to say anything. I was so dizzy after being told off so many times that I agreed to go shopping. How about you talk to Xiao Zhu about it?"
Pu Zhihe called again, but Zhu Fu didn't answer. She put down the phone and said, "Forget it, Grandma Hang, you've been under a lot of pressure lately. Let's just treat it as a trip. If we have anything to say, we can talk it out in person. Do you like looking at these dresses?"
"I can do it. The last time was several years ago when Xiaomai's mom took Lao Jiang and me there. We went to take anniversary photos. They said it was our ruby wedding, and if we could hold on for another ten years, it would be our golden wedding, but we didn't get to see that." Hang Liumei slung her small bag over her arm and walked out of the store, saying thoughtfully, "Zhihe, there's a limit to how long someone can stay with someone. You can't force anything, good or bad."
There were only two employees in the bridal shop, and Zhu Fu was not there. They said that Mr. Zhu had made an appointment and took them to a spacious, independent fitting room on the second floor to pick up the wedding dress he had chosen in advance. Hang Liumei and Pu Zhihe sat on a small sofa and waited.
"Zhihe, what kind of wedding dress do you like? Since you are here, why don't you pick a few and try them on yourself later?"
Pu Zhihe shook her head: "After realizing that we couldn't get married, I never thought about it again."
Hang Liumei saw that she was not in high spirits, so she patted the back of her hand to comfort her: "Then just think of it as trying on a pretty dress. Let's just treat it as a joke, like they do in the TV series. Have some fun, and you will definitely look beautiful in anything."
Just as she finished speaking, two shop assistants came in pushing mobile hangers and set them down. Pu Zhihe pulled the hangers to look at the skirts Zhu Fu had picked out. They were indeed the style he liked, with heavy beading and diamonds, long trains, and puffy tulle skirts... They were exaggerated and bulky, and she had no intention of wearing any of them.
Hang Liumei was dazzled by all these decorations. Since Zhu Fu wasn't here, she thought her trip wouldn't be in vain. So she asked the young woman next to her, "Does the store have any other styles you recommend? I think she'd suit something simpler, without all the beads. Could you please show her some more?"
The new dresses were all much lighter. Hang Liumei and Pu Zhihe both fell in love with a satin gown, a rare short-skirted wedding dress with no unnecessary decoration, only pleats at the shoulders and waist. The satin had a flowing sheen, and the lines and shadows were classical, like medieval reliefs.
Pu Zhihe took it off the hanger and gestured in front of her, then raised an eyebrow at Hang Liumei: "Isn't it suitable for running away from marriage?"
The clerk drew the curtain and escorted Pu Zhihe backstage to change. Hang Liumei sat back on the small sofa, waiting for her transformation like the best friend of a TV drama heroine. The curtain parted, revealing Pu Zhihe in her rebellious, romantic short skirt, her hair loose as she stood on a round platform in front of a floor-length mirror. The lamplight illuminated the hem of her skirt, and Hang Liumei felt happy to witness such beauty.
The two shop assistants had disappeared, so Pu Zhihe asked, "Hello? Is anyone there?" and then all the lights in the room went out.
It was pitch black, impossible to see anything. Hang Liumei could only listen to a group of people pouring in from the doorway, their footsteps a mess, and someone whispering, their voices filled with suppressed joy. She had no idea what was happening, and just as she was about to stand, a dark figure darted in front of her, tripped over her foot, and sat down on her lap, nearly breaking her old bones.
"I'm sorry, Grandma. I'm sorry! I can't see clearly!"
Judging from the voice, isn't this the shop assistant who just found skirts for them?
"Sh ...
Someone gave the signal, and the lights in the room came back on. The room was suddenly packed, and Hang Liumei was forced to join the crowd. Everyone except her wore a light-up headband, their hair gleaming pink in unison. To her side, someone held a cake, someone else held a salute, and a pink banner hung on the wall, emblazoned with the words "Marry Me! Marry Me!" Zhu Fu, dressed in a suit and tie, stood in the front row, holding a large bouquet of roses.
As background music began to play, Zhu Fu slowly raised his right hand, which was holding the microphone, and stared at Pu Zhihe as he confessed his feelings: "Pu Pu, you said you didn't like deliberate ceremonies, so from the first day we were together, I've been thinking about how to propose to you. In the past nine years, I've had the urge to propose many times. I think the first time we wore a suit is like the first time we met, the first sight is the most sacred. Last time I said, hello, classmate, I want to get to know you; this time I want to say, Zhihe, I want to marry you, will you marry me?"
After Zhu Fu finished speaking, he knelt on one knee, put down the microphone, took out a diamond ring and held it in front of Pu Zhihe.
The people around her cheered at the right time, and two "bang bang" salutes blasted out colorful confetti all over the sky. The photographer took pictures of the whole scene, and the silver flash made Pu Zhihe blink frequently. At this moment, she looked more like a living person than before.
Pu Zhihe felt her blood run cold. The sudden pomp and circumstance had clouded her thinking; she should have fled before he opened his mouth. Her eyes darted across the faces of the extras, recognizing Zhu Fu's bandmates and colleagues, a few mutual university friends, and the staff member from earlier.
They were more excited than herself. The only ones who felt out of place were her and the awkward Hang Liumei.
A familiar feeling washed over Hang Liumei, the same one she'd felt when Xiuchun returned from Lanzhou in the first month of that year, announcing her engagement with Huang Hanwen in northern Shaanxi. Pu Zhihe's hands hung motionless at her sides, and Hang Liumei felt a pang of pain. This time, it was all her own fault for being weak-willed. How could she have agreed to something without thinking, and ended up like this? She was so anxious that sweat broke out on her forehead.
Pu Zhihe looked back at Zhu Fu, who had a look of blissful anticipation on his face, but she couldn't tell if it was genuine or just for the sake of snapping a photo. This was the surprise he'd been talking about.
In her fantasy, she took the hateful bouquet of roses and smashed it to the ground, then threw the ring with a circle of tacky diamonds back into his arms. She pulled him up from the ground and shouted, "I don't want to. I told you to wait for a while. I will have a serious talk with you after I accompany Teacher Hang to finish the exhibition. Since you can't wait, I'm telling you now, we're over! Everything is over!"
Then she pulled the veil off and held it in her hand.
Zhu Fu was frightened by her sharp eyes. She was about to pull him up from the ground to speak when the crowd behind him became agitated.
"Grandma! Are you okay?"
"Call a doctor!"
…
Hang Liumei was having a seizure. She held her forehead and slowly fell to the ground, clutching her chest and saying, "Ouch!" Pu Zhihe, skirt lifted, jumped onto the coffee table, motioning for the others to disperse for air. She forcefully pushed the others aside, gently helped Hang Liumei to her feet, and asked her what was wrong. Hang Liumei said, incoherently, that she'd been too excited, her blood pressure had spiked, and she was suddenly short of breath, and now she was suffering from a heart attack.
Zhu Fu threw down the flowers and came over and asked, "Is it serious? Should we send him to the hospital first?"
"I can do it by myself," Pu Zhihe said, not even turning back as she helped the other person walk out quickly. "There's no need to follow me. Too many people won't be able to help."
Pu Zhihe placed Hang Liumei in the passenger seat and grabbed the steering wheel, preparing to leave. Zhu Fu leaned over the car door and knocked on the window: "Zhihe, do you really not need me to accompany you?"
"No need. There are still a group of people waiting for you to arrange. I know who to find. I have to hurry up. You should go back now."
"What about today's proposal? You haven't—"
Hang Liumei took a deep breath, closed her eyes tightly, and turned her head restlessly on the backrest.
Pu Zhihe urged Zhu Fu to leave with a firm look in her eyes, and stepped on the accelerator to leave everyone and everything behind.
Not long after the car drove out, Hang Liumei sat up straight. She no longer had a heart attack and was no longer dizzy. She turned carefully to see if the people at the store door had dispersed. She asked Pu Zhihe, "Are we through with this?"
Pu Zhihe glanced at the rearview mirror and smiled: "Of course, thank you, Teacher Hang."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
