Steady flow
During the six months in the Shanghai Stock Exchange, time passed faster than Wen Lingyi had initially expected.
The days pass like turning pages of a book, one by one, step by step.
The training course schedule was very full, from morning to night, theory, practice, observation and assessment took up most of her energy.
The unfamiliar city and the fast pace did not leave her with much free time to immerse herself in certain emotions.
A fixed part of the day is to make a video call with Zhou Jianxing.
On the other side of the screen is her stable and concrete life in City C.
Zhou Jianxing would enthusiastically show her the new green plants on the balcony, which were growing well and had shiny green leaves.
She would demonstrate new dishes she had learned to cook, like the deliciously presented squirrel mandarin fish and the crispy, overcooked pork slices with slightly charred edges.
Zhou Jianxing always smiled smugly, waiting for Wen Lingyi's praise.
She would also babble about trivial matters at work, such as which client was difficult, which colleague was interesting, and what whimsical new ideas her boss had.
More often than not, the background of the video is their new home which is being renovated.
Zhou Jianxing was very skilled and could handle many of the basic tasks himself, saving a lot of labor costs. The dusty construction site gradually took shape as a home.
Zhou Shufen even sent a photo to Wen Lingyi one day.
The photo is a bit blurry, but the protagonist is clear.
The light was so bright that it was dazzling. Zhou Jianxing was wearing a pair of washed-out, paint-stained denim hot pants and a loose white vest.
She was smiling at the camera without any image, showing her white teeth and her eyes were narrowed into slits.
Her face and arms were covered with a layer of white ash, and even her eyebrows and eyelashes were not spared and became hairy.
He held a heavy electric sander in one hand, put the other hand on his waist, leaned back slightly, and smiled heartily. The background was a rough room piled with building materials.
The Years Are Quiet and Good: "My daughter, have you never seen Zhou Jianxing so white?"
Wen Lingyi looked at the photo and couldn't help laughing. It seemed that she had never seen Zhou Jianxing look so "pink and white".
She tapped the screen to reply.
"Mom, what's Zhou Jianxing doing now? Is he working as a painter?"
The reply came quickly.
Years are quiet and good: "When scraping putty, he insisted that he could do it himself and refused to let the master do it. He made it look like a white-faced person. It made me laugh to death."
Wen Lingyi smiled and shook her head. Zhou Jianxing was just like that, with seemingly endless energy, and he wanted to personally participate in every brick and tile of their shared future.
Zhou Jianxing was so annoyed. He kept asking for her opinions on the decoration of the new house. Hundreds of messages popped up every day, as if he was afraid that she would forget her in Shanghai.
"Is this a good color for wooden floors? A slightly yellowish natural wood color gives off a warmer vibe."
Followed by a few sample photos in different lighting.
"For wall paint, the salesperson recommended these two shades: Pearl White and Cream White. They don't look any different to me... Which one do you think is better?"
"Do sliding windows save space, or do windows that open inwards and outwards provide better sealing? I looked it up and they say they soundproof better."
"Are the curtains designed with concealed tracks hidden in the ceiling, or with exposed curtain boxes?"
…
The questions were trivial and specific, as if without her opinions, the family could not be built successfully.
Even though she was thousands of miles away, she never missed the process of this family taking shape.
·
On the day we returned to City C, the plane landed in the evening. The cabin door opened, and a familiar gust of damp, cold air, typical of City C's early spring, rushed in.
Wen Lingyi wrapped her coat tightly around her and followed the crowd toward the exit. From a distance, she saw that familiar figure.
Zhou Jianxing was wrapped in a thick burgundy fleece sweatshirt, jumping among the crowd of people waiting to greet him at the airport like a warm flame.
She was holding a large bouquet of flowers in her arms, with half of her face hidden in a red woolen scarf, which Wen Lingyi had knitted stitch by stitch and sent to her during her studies in Shanghai.
Zhou Jianxing stood on tiptoe, his eyes searching the crowd eagerly. The moment he saw her, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he jumped up excitedly and waved, his voice piercing the noisy crowd: "Lingyi! Here! I'm here!"
Zhou Jianjun, Zhou Shufen, and Chu Wei were also there, standing behind Zhou Jianxing, looking at her with a smile.
Wen Lingyi unconsciously quickened her pace, a smile spread across her face, and her eyebrows curved.
Seeing this, Zhou Jianxing immediately stuffed the bouquet of flowers in his arms into Chu Wei's hands beside him, opened his arms and ran towards her.
The next second, Wen Lingyi was completely wrapped in a powerful and warm embrace. Her feet even left the ground briefly. Zhou Jianxing held her and turned her half a circle on the spot before gently putting her back on the ground.
"Just to show off your strength, huh?" Wen Lingyi couldn't help but giggle. She raised her hand and gently pinched Zhou Jianxing's cheek, which was slightly chilled by the cold wind. Then she moved closer and lowered her voice, "Long time no see, baby."
Zhou Jianxing had obviously dressed up specially today and put on some light makeup, with her eyeliner slightly raised at the corners of her eyes. When she smiled, there was a hint of joy in her expression.
"I missed you so much, I really missed you so much," Zhou Jianxing buried his furry head in the crook of her neck, rubbing it hard again and again, his voice muffled between the scarf and her skin, "I didn't sleep much last night because I thought you were coming back today."
At this time, Zhou Jianjun and others came over with a smile.
"Dad, Mom." Wen Lingyi stood up a little straighter and nodded to Zhou Jianjun and Zhou Shufen.
It felt a bit awkward and uncomfortable when I first called it that, but now it has become very natural and smooth.
"Chu Wei, long time no see." She turned to Chu Wei and greeted him again.
Zhou Jianxing was like a piece of taffy, still clinging to her tightly, one hand tightly around her waist, rubbing it from time to time.
Wen Lingyi had a pleasant perfume on her body, and her embrace was soft and warm, making Zhou Jianxing feel extremely safe and satisfied.
Chu Wei rolled her eyes unbearably and handed the bouquet to Wen Lingyi: "Take it, your Zhou Jianxing picked it especially for you."
"Can you two restrain yourself a little and go back to be so affectionate?"
Wen Lingyi took the bouquet of flowers, lowered her head and sniffed it, and the rich fragrance filled her nose.
She only recognized the white double lilies and the scattered red Australian wintersweets.
Zhou Jianjun naturally took over Wen Lingyi's suitcase and walked in front. Zhou Shufen and Chu Wei walked side by side in the middle, chatting.
Zhou Jianxing hugged Wen Lingyi's waist tightly. The two of them fell at the back and whispered words that only each other could hear.
As I walked out of the airport lobby, a cold wind immediately hit me in the face.
Zhou Jianxing stopped, took off the red scarf from his neck, and carefully wrapped it around Wen Lingyi's neck, covering most of her face and revealing only a pair of bright, smiling eyes.
Then, he naturally grabbed one of Wen Lingyi's hands and put it into his warm sweatshirt pocket.
It seemed that whenever Wen Lingyi held Zhou Jianxing's hand, it was always warm, just like her, her body and heart were warm.
"I know lilies; they represent pure love." Wen Lingyi tilted her head slightly, her lips close to Zhou Jianxing's ear, her voice tinged with laughter. "What about Australian wintersweets?"
"I don't know either. I just put them together randomly." Zhou Jianxing rubbed the small red flower in his arms with the tip of his nose. The texture was like a warm candle.
·
Back in their new home, the small dining room was filled with warmth.
While Zhou Jianxing was heating up the dishes, Wen Lingyi took out her cell phone and searched the flower language of Australian wintersweet.
The search engine quickly returned the result: wintersweet, a symbol of loyal and unwavering love.
She looked at the words, the curve of her lips deepened a little, and she put away her phone silently.
"Xiao Min is almost due, and she's very heavy, so Ajie has to stay with her, so I didn't come to pick you up today."
As Zhou Jianxing spoke, he used chopsticks to pick up the tenderest piece of meat from the belly of the steamed fish, carefully removed all the tiny bones, and then placed it on the plate in front of Wen Lingyi.
"After we settle down in a couple of days, we'll go see them."
"Okay." Wen Lingyi nodded, picked up the piece of fish and ate it in small bites.
"Child, try this shrimp," Zhou Shufen pushed a bowl of cleanly peeled and boiled shrimp in front of Wen Lingyi. "I just bought them at the market this afternoon. They were still alive and kicking before they were put into the pot. They are very fresh and sweet."
"Thank you, Mom." Wen Lingyi's eyes were slightly warm. She picked up the serving chopsticks and put a piece of white-cut chicken dipped in sauce into Zhou Shufen's bowl. "You eat too. Don't just focus on me."
"Ah, when I first saw you, I liked you." Zhou Shufen glanced at Wen Lingyi first, then glanced at her own daughter, "I didn't expect that this silly child of ours is actually quite capable."
Although Zhou Shufen didn't want Zhou Jianxing to find a woman, he found such a beautiful one.
Then her attitude would take a 180-degree turn.
Zhou Jianjun also smiled and raised the small wine glass in his hand, which contained clear white wine: "Come, let me raise one. I wish you two a long and happy life in the future!"
Outside the window, thousands of lights are bright, and the house is warm.
·
Three months passed in a flash.
Summer came early this year. When I felt the change of seasons again, summer was coming to an end and autumn was getting deeper.
The air is filled with the sweet fragrance of early osmanthus, which is so strong that it is almost choking, and it is faintly lingering with the rich fragrance of yellow cymbidium at the end of summer that has not yet completely dissipated.
Today was the full moon banquet for Ajie and Xiaomin's child, held in the banquet hall of a nice hotel in the city.
"Xiao Min, congratulations!" Zhou Jianxing happily held Xiao Min's hand when he saw her, then took out a thick red envelope from his pocket and stuffed it into her hand, "This is for our little baby, a little gift from our heart."
Xiao Min had recovered well after giving birth; her face had become rounder and her complexion rosy. She smiled and accepted the gift without hesitation: "Thank you, Aunt Xingxing!"
"And this auntie," Zhou Jianxing turned around, pulled Wen Lingyi, who was standing behind her, to her side, and said to Xiao Min with a smile, "Lingyi has also been promoted to an auntie!"
Wen Lingyi smiled and came up to congratulate Xiao Min.
"Xingxing," Xiao Min looked at Zhou Jianxing, then at Wen Lingyi, her eyes gentle, but her tone suddenly filled with emotion, "You two...you must always stay this good together."
As she said this, her eyes were slightly red, perhaps because of the changes in hormone levels after childbirth, making her more sentimental than usual.
When Wen Lingyi heard this, she naturally reached out and completely wrapped Zhou Jianxing's hand in her palm: "Don't worry, we will."
"That's good, that's good." Xiao Min nodded and wiped her eyes with a tissue. "If even you two break up, then I'm really going to doubt whether there is such a thing as love in this world."
If Zhou Jianxing and Wen Lingyi broke up, she, as a fan of the CP, would be very upset.
"Why are you suddenly saying this?" Zhou Jianxing frowned slightly, his tone tinged with worry. "Did Ajie do anything to offend you? Tell me."
As she spoke, she pulled over a chair and sat down next to Xiao Min.
"No, no," Xiao Min quickly waved her hands, breaking into laughter. "I just said it on a whim. You two standing together look like a perfect match. You're so well-matched."
So, in the eyes of others, Lingyi and I are a good match?
Zhou Jianxing subconsciously looked up at Wen Lingyi beside him, and met her gaze as she looked down at him.
The sense of satisfaction in her heart had nowhere to go, and the breath she vomited out became a breath stuck in her throat. Her eyes were red from her own happiness.
The skin on the palm of her hand was so delicate that she knew the direction of every line on Wen Lingyi's palm.
At this moment, Wen Lingyi was holding her hand, just like she had done countless times when she took the initiative to hold someone's hand.
"By the way, where is Ajie?" Zhou Jianxing turned back embarrassedly and sniffed.
She was afraid that if she continued to watch like this, she would not be able to help but hug Wen Lingyi and kiss her non-stop.
"She's watching the baby in the lounge inside," Xiao Min exuded the gentle glow of a new mother, and even her voice sounded softer than before. "Come on, I'll take you inside to see. The little one should be awake."
In the lounge, Ajie was clumsily and carefully holding a baby wrapped in soft swaddling clothes. Seeing them come in, he handed the child to them with a sense of relief.
"Wow..." Zhou Jianxing carefully took the soft little package, her movements as stiff as if she was holding a rare and fragile treasure, "It's so small... Why is it so soft..." She even breathed softer unconsciously.
"Xiao Min," Zhou Jianxing raised his head, a look of disbelief on his face, "You actually gave birth to this child? It's amazing!"
Wen Lingyi couldn't help but chuckle at the side. What Zhou Jianxing said was really...
Unique.
"So cute." Zhou Jianxing held the baby in her arms, her eyes so soft that tears could drip from them. She subconsciously made the "slurp" sound commonly used when teasing puppies, trying to attract the baby's attention.
"Can I kiss you?" Zhou Jianxing acted coquettishly towards Xiao Min.
"Okay," Xiao Min smiled, "Just don't get your saliva all over his face."
After getting permission, Zhou Jianxing immediately lowered his head and kissed the cheek, which was as tender as tofu, very gently and tentatively.
Perhaps the baby felt a little itchy from the gentle touch, and he waved his two arms, which were as white and round as lotus roots, and giggled from his little mouth.
"Wow, how can it be so cute!" Zhou Jianxing's heart was instantly struck by this smile. He couldn't help but kiss her several times in a row, smiling with his eyes and eyebrows flying.
She was so happy that she even hugged the baby and gently turned around twice in place.
"Look at her," Xiao Min complained to Wen Lingyi with a smile, "Nowadays, many people don't like children, but she loves them very much."
"Lingyi, Lingyi!" Zhou Jianxing carefully held the child in front of Wen Lingyi like a treasure, like a chirping sparrow, "Come and hold him, he's so soft, so well-behaved, so, so adorable!"
Wen Lingyi froze for a moment, then stretched out her hand and took the small, warm body with some awkwardness but extremely gentleness.
The baby moved in her arms, unable to speak yet, but waving his little hands and feet, looking at her with eyes like black grapes, and suddenly he started giggling again.
An instinct of maternal love flowed through her, and Wen Lingyi also bent down and kissed the little guy's forehead.
Life is such a magical thing. It comes to the world with the purest good and evil, and continuously passes on the baton in the long river of life, bringing people peace and happiness.
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