Chapter 38 The moment the fire blazed brightly.
Xia Qingwan's action of untying her scarf froze in mid-air.
On New Year's Eve, did he leave all his family and friends at the old house, bringing cakes, flowers, and gifts to celebrate her birthday?
The tall, handsome man with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes still had a few specks of snow clinging to the shoulders of his coat.
In that instant, her heart felt full, so light, as if she could fly away at any moment.
She ripped off her scarf, ran over, stood on tiptoe, and hugged his neck. She wanted to say something, but couldn't find the words. She just tightened her arms around him and buried her face deeper into his neck.
Ye Peixiu placed the cake he was holding on the nearest cabinet in the entryway and then put his arm around her.
He bent down and kissed her hair. "Happy 20th birthday, Qingwan."
She was dizzy and her brain short-circuited for a moment, so she blurted out, "...I missed your 20th birthday."
Her voice was muffled, as if missing his 20th birthday made her feel wronged.
Ye Peixiu chuckled, "Silly boy, you were only 12 when I turned 20. Why would you want to celebrate my birthday?"
That's true.
She tilted her head back, looking up at him with adoring eyes, "And what about your 30th birthday?"
Ye Peixiu gazed at her intently, "I wish you were by my side back then."
Despite his expectant words, Xia Qingwan's mind went blank. She shook her head, trying to banish those thoughts. Ye Peixiu smiled, "Unwilling?"
He picked her up with one arm, took off his shoes, walked to the kitchen, placed her on the island, and put down the gifts and bouquet as well, saying, "Wait for me." Then he went back to the entrance to get the cake.
The cake was tall and big. When you opened it, you found that it was a three-layer cake with yellow roses winding down step by step, pure and gorgeous.
She went to look at the bouquet again.
The main color of the bouquet is purple, with platycodon and iris, and the background color is asparagus. The large expanse of pine needle green is dotted with gorgeous and unrestrained purple, which is fresh, warm and dreamy.
The candles that came with the cake weren't special enough, so Ye Peixiu took off his coat, casually loosened his collar, walked to the cupboard, opened the drawer, and found a beautifully shaped, thin candle. He walked back, found the right spot, and inserted it, saying, "Are you ready to make a wish?"
She nodded.
Her legs dangled over the edge of the island, swinging expectantly.
Her expression was so innocent that Ye Peixiu couldn't help but laugh and gently flick her nose.
He took out his lighter, and with a clang, he opened the lid of the lighter.
He leaned close to the candle and lit it.
A flickering flame shot from the top of the candle, illuminating his handsome face like a dream glimpsed by the little match girl.
A small, fleeting miracle.
Xia Qingwan clasped her hands together and closed her eyes.
After five seconds, she said, "It's done."
She bent down slightly to blow out the candle, then straightened up to meet his gaze. She immediately said, "Don't ask. If you tell me, it won't work."
Ye Peixiu slightly raised his chin, kissed her lips, and whispered, "I won't ask."
She picked up the knife and fork to cut it, then whispered, "It's so big, how can we finish it?"
"No one says you have to finish it."
Since there was no way she could finish it all, she decided to eat only the best parts. She cut two pieces of yellow rose, fed him a bite first, and then put a bite in her own mouth.
“It’s delicious.”
Sweet but not greasy.
Ye Peixiu pressed over and kissed her.
The delicate sweetness of the cake lingered on my lips and tongue. The kiss was gentle and slow, like savoring each word and phrase.
Xia Qingwan asked in a low voice, "...Do you want to know what I wished for?"
Ye Peixiu couldn't help but smile, his voice just as low as before, "Didn't you say you wouldn't tell me?"
She shook her head. "I just want to tell you that it's a flashy wish."
Ye Peixiu gazed at her intently, unable to hide his smile, "...What a coincidence, I also wanted to give you a flashy but impractical gift."
"Um?"
Ye Peixiu took out a brocade box wrapped with a ribbon from the gift bag. It was square, large and thick, with a diameter of about forty to fifty centimeters and a height of at least twenty centimeters.
Such a large brocade box probably doesn't contain jewelry.
She tilted her head to look at him in confusion, hoping he would give her a hint.
Ye Peixiu slightly raised his chin. "Open it and take a look."
Xia Qingwan moved quietly, pulled the ribbon, pushed open the mechanism of the brocade box with her thumb, and flipped the lid up, revealing a dazzling burst of firelight inside.
She held her breath, her heart pounding, incredulous, "...This..."
Inside the brocade box, on its soft lining, lay a princess's crown, shaped like a snowflake, with each branch studded with diamonds.
"I asked Wang Jingzi to take the photos in Hong Kong a few days ago."
He said.
Xia Qingwan was a little startled and asked in a soft voice, "...How much?"
Ye Peixiu held up one finger; she dared not ask further about the unit following the number 1. "...Why send—"
Why send such a flashy but impractical gift?
He continued to complete the sentence.
She nodded, looked at the laurel wreath, then at the man's handsome face, her expression was one of cautious hesitation: it seemed that she had not yet fully believed that such a valuable thing was specially bought for her as a birthday present.
A child who is used to being treated coldly by fate, when he wakes up from a dream one day and finds that he has all the love from healthy parents and a happy family, he hesitates for a moment and cannot believe it - this is the expression he has.
Ye Peixiu said, "Practical things are not difficult to obtain. There is no need to deliberately save it for your birthday. On your birthday, I hope you can have something more dreamy."
He looked down at her with a probing look and asked, "Do you like it?"
It seemed as if he couldn't confirm whether such a gift would satisfy her.
Xia Qingwan couldn't say whether she liked it or not.
After she turned five, she hadn't even had a birthday. No cake, no gifts, no one remembered. Now, there are cakes, flowers, and jewels.
A wave of warmth washed over me, and my whole body felt hot and flushed, the heat even reaching my eyes.
He took out the crown and put it on her.
She slowly raised her head, her eyes red-rimmed, and gazed at him tenderly.
He gave her antiques as vases, and laurel wreaths as birthday gifts—this priceless love from Mr. Ye…
Such a gorgeous diamond crown, set against her cool and delicate face, makes her look like a bride at a classical and solemn wedding.
His bride.
Ye Peixiu was shocked by this thought in his mind. His heart beat rapidly and the blood in his limbs rushed violently, making his breathing difficult.
He supported himself with one hand on the edge of the island beside her legs, leaned forward slightly, and kissed her on the lips.
So gentle and devout, it was just like a groom kissing his bride at their wedding.
This thought flashed through his and her minds at the same time.
When the kiss ended and they looked at each other, Xia Qingwan smiled from the bottom of her heart.
That smile was like the one when we first had dinner together by the pond, such a pure and innocent smile.
-
The two of them each ate a piece of cake and listened to records in the study.
Ye Peixiu's cell phone kept ringing. He picked it up and checked it twice, then simply turned it off, threw it to the other end of the sofa, and pulled her onto his lap.
She lay on his chest, holding up his wrist to look at the watch, "It's ten o'clock."
In two hours, the year will be over.
"How do you normally celebrate the Chinese New Year?"
She asked curiously, tilting her head back and blinking as she looked at him upside down.
"Spend time with family."
"Then...how are you going to explain to your family if you leave so suddenly?"
Ye Peixiu laughed, "Mind your own business."
She laughed too.
He lowered his head to find her lips.
A fragrant and beautiful kiss. She lay in his arms, her whole body soft and hot from the kiss, but he was hard everywhere, making her feel uncomfortable, so she twisted and turned in various ways, trying to find a suitable and comfortable place.
Ye Peixiu grabbed her waist, pressed her down, and rubbed his nose against hers, saying in a low, husky voice, "...Go take a shower?"
Three meaningful words.
They both knew perfectly well what followed those three words.
Like the faint fragrance of crabapple blossoms drifting in the dim light of night, its subtle allure makes one's heart flutter.
Xia Qingwan suppressed her shame and tried to appear calm and composed, speaking in a businesslike tone, "Then I'll go wash first."
This made Ye Peixiu laugh.
"...That's amazing?" he laughed. "When you're waiting for me later, don't hide under the covers again, too embarrassed to come out—"
Xia Qingwan pouted, feigning fierceness, "Say that again?"
"Okay, let's stop talking," he said, still smiling and raising his hands in surrender. "I underestimated you."
She got off his lap and went to the bedroom first.
Although I acted like a hero, I felt insecure inside. After all, I had never done it before and I had no idea how to deal with it. So I felt a little confused during the whole shower process.
After washing, I dried my body, blew my hair dry, put on my pajamas, and after thinking about it, I decided to put my hair up.
She had expected to see Ye Peixiu in the master bedroom after leaving the bathroom, but the master bedroom was empty. Was he still in the study? Perhaps he had a phone call to answer.
After all, it's Chinese New Year, and countless people must have come to wish him a happy new year.
After leaving the master bedroom, she went directly down the hallway to the study.
The study door was open, but the room was empty.
Maybe he went to the west kitchen to drink water.
Xia Qingwan had no suspicions and walked through the corridor toward the living room. After turning the corner, she vaguely heard voices in the living room and subconsciously assumed that Ye Peixiu was on the phone, so she continued walking.
After turning past the display shelf, she abruptly stopped in her tracks.
In the reception room, Ye Peixiu, dressed in white shirt and black trousers, sat on the sofa with his back to her. Opposite him sat a graceful and elegant woman. The woman was also looking up at her.
That was Ye Peixiu's mother. The look she gave her was exactly the same as the one she had given her last time from afar in Manxianglou.
Ye Peixiu followed his mother's gaze and turned back, only to see Xia Qingwan standing there motionless as if frozen.
He got up and walked towards her. As he got closer, he touched her face and whispered, "What's wrong? Were you scared?"
“I’m sorry, my mother came over unexpectedly,” he said, taking her hand and leading her to the bedroom. “Let’s change our clothes and then come out to say hello to her.”
He led her back to the master bedroom, and Xia Qingwan went to the bathroom to change her clothes.
Take off your pajamas.
My hands were shaking when I changed them.
It wasn't because of fear, but because there wasn't a trace of kindness in Ye Peixiu's mother's eyes. There was only condescending scrutiny.
But she was the younger generation after all, and when she bumped into him unexpectedly, of course she had to say hello politely.
She came out of the bathroom. Ye Peixiu lowered his head to examine her expression and said softly, "Don't be afraid. It's okay."
"I'm not afraid."
She said in a low voice.
Ye Peixiu led her back to the living room. Pei Yaxian had already composed herself, stood up, and looked at her with a smile.
“This is my mom,” he introduced, “and this is Qingwan, my girlfriend.”
"Hello, Auntie, Happy New Year."
Xia Qingwan smiled and nodded politely.
"Hello."
Pei Yaxian smiled.
Ye Peixiu lowered his head and kissed Xia Qingwan on the lips, saying, "Go play for a while. I want to talk to my mother."
Xia Qingwan nodded, then gave Pei Yaxian a slight nod before turning and leaving.
She went straight to the master bedroom, closed the door behind her, threw herself onto the bed, lay sprawled out, and stared blankly at the ceiling.
-
In the reception room, Ye Peixiu lit a cigarette and smoked it leisurely.
Pei Yaxian laughed and said, "The old man originally wanted to play matchmaker and have Miss Chen go and chat with you, but he couldn't find you anywhere. He almost lost face. He finally made up an excuse to send the Chen family away. He only found out from the guard at the gate that you had already left. The old man was furious."
Ye Peixiu remained silent, simply smoking and waiting for her to finish.
"I couldn't get through to you on the phone either. The old man was going to come over in person to see what urgent matter you had that made you leave your family and guests behind on New Year's Eve," Pei Yaxian said calmly. "I stopped him."
"Even though I knew this trip would upset you, I still had to come to give the old man an explanation."
Ye Peixiu nodded.
"The girl is so pretty, even prettier than the actress your distant cousin is dating. She's really rare to see." Pei Yaxian looked across the living room, as if Xia Qingwan was still standing there. She smiled at Ye Peixiu and said in a gossipy and relaxed tone, "She doesn't look very old, does she?"
"Twenty."
Ye Peixiu said lightly.
Pei Yaxian spoke in circles, but he showed no hostility and responded calmly and casually.
"Oh my, only one year older than Mijoo."
Pei Yaxian acted surprised.
Ye Peixiu didn't reply, and raised his wrist to check his watch.
It means to drive away customers.
Pei Yaxian stood up and lowered her voice, "What do you want me to say to the old man?"
"Just say what you want to say," Ye Peixiu put out his cigarette, stood up and said indifferently, "I'll go back and apologize to him tomorrow."
Is he going to go back and apologize, judging by his posture?
It's more likely we'll settle the score when we get back.
Pei Yaxian thought to herself, but still smiled and said, "Okay, we were talking too fast just now and I didn't have time. Please tell the young lady I wish her a Happy New Year."
Anyway, she was polite enough. Even if he and this girl don't end up together, Ye Peixiu won't hold a grudge against her.
Ye Peixiu sent his mother to the parking lot and watched the big red door open and the car slowly drive away.
-
After his mother left, Ye Peixiu smoked two cigarettes in the living room.
He got up and returned to the master bedroom, only to see Xia Qingwan curled up on the sofa by the window, reading quietly.
The air around her seemed to lighten, giving off the tranquility of a snowy winter night.
Like a girl embedded in an ancient painting.
Hearing the sound, she looked up and smiled at him.
His appearance showed no flaws whatsoever, only a calm, lingering, and cool aura.
Ye Peixiu wanted to go over and kiss her, but then remembered that he smelled of smoke, so he said from a distance, "I'll take a shower first."
Xia Qingwan nodded.
The bedroom was large, and the bathroom was spacious; she could not hear the shower at all while reading.
She felt an emptiness in her heart, as if she could even hear the howling wind from the desolate place. But it wasn't entirely cold; instead, there was a sense of warmth, like the brief moment before a great fire dies down, when the flames blaze brightly.
It was the last burst of light before it was lost.
After reading two more pages, she closed the book, got off the sofa, and went to the bathroom.
Ye Peixiu had just finished showering and was wearing only loose trousers with his upper body bare when he bumped into her at the corner.
The man's clean, vibrant heat washed over her, and even though she was mentally prepared, she was still caught off guard and blushed. She wanted to explain, "...I was just thinking—"
Before she could finish her words, Ye Peixiu had already picked her up.
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Author's note: I'm updating early today, and I'll update again tomorrow!
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