Stars Sinking into Suzhou
Before dawn broke through the deep blue sky, a ray of grayish-white light seeped through the slits in the curtains of Lanyue Bay's master bedroom. Zhou Jianxing struggled to sit up, his eyes dark circles forming.
The seat beside him was empty, lingering only the distinct cool fragrance of Wen Lingyi and a faint warmth. Zhou Jianxing reached out and touched the empty sheet, his fingertips cold.
She almost floated down the stairs.
In the restaurant, Wen Lingyi had already changed into her business trip attire - a neatly tailored smoky gray suit that made her neck look slender and her temperament even more cold and aloof.
She was sipping black coffee, with almost untouched toast on the plate in front of her.
Seeing Zhou Jianxing's staggering figure and the noticeable dark circles under his eyes, Wen Lingyi frowned her delicate eyebrows.
"Didn't you sleep well?" His voice was still slightly hoarse from waking up in the morning.
Zhou Jianxing hummed vaguely, and sat down next to Wen Lingyi like an abandoned puppy. He picked up a piece of toast and gnawed it mechanically, but it tasted like chewing wax.
Because of a business trip, Wen Lingyi did not drive today, and declined Zhou Jianxing's idea of taking her to the airport on the grounds that she was "afraid of being seen by her assistant."
The morning mist had not yet completely dissipated, and the air was slightly cool. The trees along the road swayed gently in the morning breeze, occasionally dropping a few yellowish leaves.
The two were waiting for an online taxi at the gate of the Lanyue Bay community. Zhou Jianxing's eyebrows and eyes were drooping, and he bit his lower lip and looked at Wen Lingyi eagerly.
Although she had hugged Wen Lingyi for three minutes at the entrance before leaving the villa, she couldn't help but want to hug her again when she thought that she was about to get in the car and she would not see Wen Lingyi for three days.
"The food in S City is rather sweet, you definitely won't like it," Zhou Jianxing muttered. "I've checked, and there are a few reputable restaurants serving local modified and fusion cuisine. The flavors should be more to your liking. Be sure to eat well when you get there, and don't starve yourself."
"For example, 'Songhelou' near Guanqian Street, their stir-fried shrimp are said to be very refreshing. There's also 'Wumen Renjia' on Shiquan Street, where you can ask for less oil and sugar in their fried eel paste. 'Banyuan Dequ' on Pingjiang Road is also highly praised for its squirrel eels, which are very cleanly prepared... And then there's 'Xinmeihua', where you can choose your own toppings for their Suzhou-style noodle soup, and the broth is delicious..."
"Got it." Wen Lingyi's long list of dishes was a bit funny. Zhou Jianxing had the talent to be a good wife and mother.
From the moment she woke up in the morning, the child started mumbling: reservations for the S City Museum must be made a day in advance through the official WeChat account; she even sent her a screenshot of the reservation process; some stations on Subway Line 1 close around 9:30 p.m., so be careful when taking a taxi; Pingjiang Road and Shantang Street are crowded at night, so be careful when walking...
"Also, the weather forecast says that it will rain tomorrow in S City, moderate rain! Remember to bring an umbrella when you go out." He reminded her again, as if he was advising a child who couldn't take care of himself.
It is obvious that Zhou Jianxing himself is more like the childish and silly "kid".
In the distance, a white online taxi with its flashing lights slowly approached. Zhou Jianxing pursed his lips and made another request: "Sister Wen... Can't I hug you again?"
If Zhou Jianxing was someone like Zhu Yang who was good at disguising himself and knew how to control his emotions in public, Wen Lingyi might have softened her heart and allowed a brief, polite hug.
But Zhou Jianxing was not like that. Her emotions were transparent, her joy and sorrow written on her face, without any concealment.
When hugging, Wen Lingyi could even imagine how the invisible tail behind Zhou Jianxing would be raised high in excitement, showing the owner's unconcealable possessiveness and intimacy.
After all, Wen Lingyi was still married. Neighbors in the villa complex were far apart, so no one would know what she was doing behind closed doors. But this was the entrance to the complex, a public area. If someone she knew saw her... the consequences would be disastrous.
"No." Wen Lingyi showed her strength.
The invisible tail drooped completely.
The car had already been parked on the side of the road. Zhou Jianxing took the light suitcase from her hand and put it in the trunk without saying a word.
Before Wen Lingyi got into the car, the two looked at each other. She understood the shape of Zhou Jianxing's mouth: "I will miss you very, very much."
The car door slammed shut, the engine started, and the car slid smoothly into the sparse early morning traffic.
Wen Lingyi subconsciously glanced at the clean rearview mirror. In the mirror, Zhou Jianxing stood alone, her hair rustling in the morning breeze, making her look particularly thin.
The figure in the mirror became smaller and smaller, and more and more blurred. Finally, it turned a corner and disappeared completely.
Little fool. What will happen if you really leave her in the future?
·
With Wen Lingyi away on a business trip, Zhou Jianxing naturally lost her reason to stay in the large, empty house in Lanyue Bay. When the bell rang, she dawdled, packing her tool bag and, feeling a sense of homesickness, set off on her journey home.
The aroma of food hit me as I opened the door. Zhou Jianjun was sitting on the sofa, wearing reading glasses, reading a newspaper. Zhou Shufen, wearing an apron, came out of the kitchen with a plate of hot braised pork ribs. Seeing her return, both of them smiled.
"Xingxing is back? Hurry up and wash your hands and get ready for dinner!" Zhou Shufen greeted him in a natural tone.
Zhou Jianxing breathed a sigh of relief.
She had been living in Wen Lingyi's villa for a long time, and had returned home briefly a few times. Basically, she took the opportunity to go out for maintenance, sneaked back like a thief, and quickly got some clothes and daily necessities.
There were a few times when I ran into my parents in a hurry, but I just said hello awkwardly and slipped away.
Although she had informed her parents in advance, being away from home for such a long time still made her feel unspeakable guilty when facing her parents.
So much so that Zhou Jianxing had to brainwash herself again and again: You are already a mature woman of 24 years old, and it is normal to have a sex life. There is nothing to be ashamed of.
·
After dinner, Zhou Shufen, holding her pillow and thin quilt, went into Zhou Jianxing's room with a smile on her face. "Mom will sleep with you tonight, and we can have a good chat."
Lying on the familiar little bed, surrounded by the soothing scent of his mother's soap, Zhou Jianxing turned sideways affectionately, just like when he was a child, and gently rested his face on Zhou Shufen's warm and soft chest.
Her mother's rough yet gentle hands stroked her hair again and again: "Xingxing...you still have to pay attention to hygiene and take the necessary protective measures to avoid getting sick."
Zhou Jianxing's face instantly flushed, and it was so hot in the darkness that she almost blurted out: "Mom, don't worry! She is very clean." In her heart, there was no one cleaner than Wen Lingyi. She took two or three baths every day, and kept herself clean and refreshed from hair to toes.
"That's good." Her mother hugged her tightly. "Are you harmonious in that aspect?" she whispered to Zhou Jianxing.
Since their daughter can be so open and honest, they, as the elders, should also keep up with the enlightened pace of the times and there is no need to be so shy.
Harmony? It's kind of harmonious, except that Wen Lingyi doesn't let Zhou Jianxing touch her. Other than that, everything else is fine.
Because she also had desire for Wen Lingyi's body, and that desire even exceeded the desire to let Wen Lingyi enter her.
However, since Wen Lingyi was unwilling, Zhou Jianxing never mentioned it again.
"Hmm..." She trailed off, burying her face deeper into her mother's arms, "It's quite harmonious."
"Take safety measures." Zhou Shufen continued to nag, "When you are settled, bring him back soon so we can see him. If you like him, your parents will definitely be satisfied."
Although her daughter has never been in a relationship, Zhou Shufen is very confident that with their family style and education, the person Zhou Jianxing likes must be a kind and honest person.
Even family conditions are not that important. Their family conditions are just that, so it’s enough that they are a good match.
The most important thing is to be a good person and love their precious daughter.
Zhou Jianxing was unable to respond. The most she could do with Wen Lingyi was to wash her hands clean. There was no question of any safety measures, and there was no way she could bring Wen Lingyi home to meet her parents.
It’s not because Wen Lingyi is a woman, but because she is a married woman.
Unable to lie or tell the truth, Zhou Jianxing could only choose to gloss over it.
"Don't worry, Mom. She's a very, very good person." She yawned, pretending to be sleepy, and rolled over from her mother's arms, a little sleepy, "I'm so sleepy, let's go to bed."
Soon, the sound of my mother's soft snoring was heard in the room.
Zhou Jianxing opened her eyes wide, showing no sign of sleep. Finally, she secretly took out her cell phone, covered her head with the quilt, and looked through the trivial chat records between her and Wen Lingyi. The last message was Wen Lingyi's reply of "good night".
Xingxing: "Sister Wen, are you on the plane?"
Xingxing: "Sister Wen, have you arrived in S City? Did you have a smooth journey?"
Xingxing: "Sister Wen, have you had lunch? What did you eat?"
Xingxing: "Sister Wen, what did you have for dinner? Did you find the restaurants I told you about?"
Xingxing: "Sister Wen, have you arrived at the hotel? Are you tired?"
Star: "Sister Wen, good night. I wish you a peaceful sleep with a sky full of stars."
…
Although the replies were brief and consisted of only a few words, Wen Lingyi replied to every message.
Seeing this, Zhou Jianxing blushed. She was really clingy.
I opened Wen Lingyi's circle of friends again, and for the first time ever, Wen Lingyi actually put together a nine-square grid.
The airport has a magnificent and modern architectural exterior. Wen Lingyi stands in front of the airport with a cold silhouette, and the sunlight casts a layer of gold on her.
A blurry silhouette of the Gothic spire of Dushuhu Church, as if taken through a car window.
A close-up of an exquisite Suzhou-style dim sum, with a slender hand holding chopsticks visible next to it.
In a corner of Pingjiang Road with pink walls, black tiles, small bridges and flowing water, there are several rowboats moored in the river.
In the evening, the Ferris wheel on the shore of Jinji Lake lights up with bright lights, which are reflected in the lake water.
A close-up of a beautifully presented squirrel mandarin fish with a bright red sweet and sour sauce.
The view from the floor-to-ceiling windows in the hotel room shows the dazzling city night view.
Wen Lingyi's selfie in front of the hotel bathroom mirror only reveals her graceful jaw and collarbone.
In the center, occupying the center position, is a full-length photo of Wen Lingyi.
She stood before a vast art wall composed of countless star-shaped light strips of varying sizes and brightness. The soft light illuminated her face, and her gaze seemed to penetrate the camera, gazing into the distance.
Caption: I miss you very much in S City.
Zhou Jianxing's breathing stopped, and her heart suddenly felt full, so full that it hurt, so full that she felt suffocated, and so full that she wanted to cry.
Was it her delusion? Was it her fantasy?
Is this circle of friends post just for her?
When you come to Gusu, you will see that the whole world is on the river bank. In the misty Jiangnan, among the small bridges and painted boats, when Wen Lingyi looks up at the same starry sky, will he also think of her?
Isn't it true that she is not the only one who is responsible?
Zhou Jianxing missed Wen Lingyi very much.
She silently nodded a thumbs up.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
