Chapter Sixty-Four
It was a cloudy day, and a light rain was pattering against the window.
Only one floor lamp was on in the living room, its dim, warm light like a layer of melting honey.
Xu Li straddled Tan Yuze's lap, her sweater collar askew, revealing a small, fresh hickey on her collarbone. Their noses were still touching, their breaths mingling—the cell phone rang abruptly, the old-fashioned landline ringing, the screen flashing the word "Mom."
"...Your mother."
Xu Li gave a vague reminder, her voice slightly breathless.
Tan Yuze didn't look up, his lips brushing against the back of her ear as he mumbled a soft "hmm," his hands still clasped around her waist. The phone rang for the fourth time, and Xu Li shoved him with a laugh, "Answer it, or your mom'll call the police." She poked his Adam's apple with her fingertip.
Helpless, Tan Yuze supported her back with one hand to prevent her from slipping down, and reached out with the other to grab the receiver: "Hello, Mom—"
To steady herself, Xu Li had no choice but to wrap her arms around his neck and naturally press her ear against his. As a result, Tan's mother's voice came through the phone without any obstruction to her eardrums.
"Yuze, have you eaten yet?"
"have eaten."
What did you eat?
"...Tomato and beef brisket noodles." Actually, Xu Li stewed it in a clay pot that afternoon. The beef brisket was so tender that it could be broken with chopsticks. The broth had been reduced for two hours, and the noodles were handmade—Tan Yuze automatically omitted "Xu Li brand".
"Okay, as long as it's not just something you've made do with." Tan's mother changed to a brighter background voice, as if she had turned the TV down. "Let's get down to business. Yuze, you're twenty-six this year, right?"
Tan Yuze raised an eyebrow, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the back of Xu Li's neck, as if soothing a well-fed and affectionate cat.
"Yes, twenty-six."
When are you planning to start dating?
The air seemed to freeze. Xu Li froze for a moment, then buried her face in Tan Yuze's shoulder, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably as she tried to suppress her laughter.
Tan Yuze mouthed "Stop fooling around" to her, but secretly wrote "Be good" on her back with his palm.
He cleared his throat: "Mom, why are you suddenly bringing this up?"
Mrs. Tan sighed, the kind of sigh that said, "I've already prepared this in my mind": "Aunt Li's niece next door, the girl who studies architecture, she passed her professional certification exam last year. She's 1.68 meters tall, good-looking, and has a steady personality. We've seen her picture, she's really nice. Your Aunt Li wants to arrange for you to have coffee next Saturday—"
Tan Yuze interrupted, "Mom, I have someone I like."
Five words, like water dripping into hot oil. There was a three-second silence on the other end of the phone, then Xu Li suddenly looked up, her eyelashes brushing against his chin.
"...Really?" Tan's mother's voice suddenly rose. "When did this happen? Why didn't you bring him home? How old are you? What do you do for a living? Is he a good person? Where is he from?" She fired off a barrage of questions, her logic impeccable, without giving a single pause.
Tan Yuze held his phone two centimeters away from his mother's, and only after her first wave of questions had passed did he slowly say, "We've been together for a long time, but I didn't dare to say it because I was afraid you would pressure me to get married."
Xu Li gestured with her eyes for him to continue, but her fingers restlessly slipped under the hem of his sweater, tracing the waistline. Tan Yuze grasped her wrist, cupping it in his palm, and lightly tapped her pulse point with his fingertips, as if signaling a secret code—
"Dong dong, dong dong dong." — The Morse rhythm of "I love you," a little trick they created in college.
Tan's mother slapped the sofa: "What do you mean you're afraid we'll pressure you? Do you think your father and I are the kind of unenlightened parents? -- Tell me quickly, who is the girl? Do you have a photo?"
"Yes." Tan Yuze looked up and met Xu Li's gaze. The light from the floor lamp illuminated two points of amber in her pupils, and he added softly, "They're especially beautiful."
Xu Li's ears turned red, and she silently bit his chin.
Tan's father's voice drifted in from afar: "Yuze, stop keeping me in suspense, your mother dreamt of holding her grandson last night."
Mrs. Tan scolded, "Go away, you were the one who said 'Old Li next door already has a granddaughter' first!"
In the background of the elderly couple bickering, Tan Yuze turned on his phone on speakerphone, placed it on the coffee table, and casually lifted Xu Li up a bit to make her sit more steadily.
Xu Li blinked and asked in a whisper, "Do you need me to speak?"
Tan Yuze shook his head, rubbed his thumb against her lower lip, indicating "I'll do it."
“Mom, Dad, don’t get agitated.” He paused, as if considering his words. “She used to be a public figure, but she only got together with me after retiring from the entertainment industry. We wanted to have some peace and quiet, so we haven’t told you yet.”
"Public figure?" Tan's mother caught the key phrase. "A celebrity? In what field? A singer or an actor? -- Son, don't be fooled!"
Tan Yuze chuckled: "Mom, she's my high school classmate. I've known her for seven years longer than you have."
Xu Li nodded slightly beside her and held up seven fingers, waving them.
Mr. Tan regained his composure: "College classmate? What's his name? Have we met before?"
Tan Yuze looked at Xu Li with a questioning look in his eyes.
Xu Li pursed her lips, finally leaned closer to the speakerphone, and said in a soft but clear voice, "Hello, Uncle and Aunt, I am Xu Li."
It was as if the phone had been muted.
It took a full five seconds for Tan's mother to gasp: "Xu...Xu Li? The Xu Li who acted in 'Falling Star'?"
"Yes, it's me."
Mr. Tan was also stunned: "Daughter, didn't you... retire from the entertainment industry?"
"Yes, I retired a few months ago and now I live with Yuze."
After Xu Li finished speaking, she couldn't help but laugh. She buried her face in Tan Yuze's neck again and said in a muffled voice, "I'm sorry, Uncle and Aunt, I haven't been able to visit you."
Tan's mother finally found her voice: "Oh dear, oh dear—this, this… Old Tan, pinch me! Am I dreaming? My daughter-in-law is Xu Li?!"
Mr. Tan laughed, "No wonder Yuze suddenly asked me for the household registration book last year, saying he might need it. Turns out—"
Tan's mother immediately interrupted: "Household registration book? You two are getting married?!"
Tan Yuze rubbed his temples, but a smile played on his lips: "I originally planned to tell you about it on her birthday this year, but you brought up the blind date first."
"What blind date! What a joke!" Tan's mother slapped her thigh excitedly. "I'll go and tell Aunt Li! I'll just say that my Yuze has a girlfriend, and she's—oh dear, I need to calm down."
Xu Li was amused by Tan's mother's reaction and gave Tan Yuze a thumbs up. Tan Yuze pinched the back of her neck, like petting a cat.
Mrs. Tan took two deep breaths, then suddenly softened her tone: "Xiao Li, let me apologize first. I was too harsh just now. Did I scare you?"
“No, no,” Xu Li quickly replied, “I know you are concerned about Yuze.”
"When are you coming home for dinner? I'll have Lao Tan go buy groceries and cook your favorite dishes! Yuze was a picky eater when he was little, but he loved my sweet and sour pork ribs. Xiao Li, what flavor do you like? Spicy or sweet?"
Xu Li thought for two seconds and answered honestly, "I like Yuze's tomato and beef brisket noodles."
Mrs. Tan was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter: "Alright, alright, let him make it for you! This boy's skills are just like mine."
Mr. Tan added from the side, "Yuze, now that we've talked it out, bring the person back. The household registration book is on the second shelf on the left in the bookcase; you can get it anytime you need it."
Tan Yuze hummed in agreement and turned his head to kiss Xu Li's forehead: "Let's go back next Sunday morning."
“Okay, okay!” Mrs. Tan readily agreed. “I’ll go buy new bed sheets tomorrow. The guest room faces south, where the sunlight is the best…”
Xu Li whispered, "Auntie, we can just stay in one room."
Mrs. Tan paused for a moment, then laughed even harder: "Alright, alright, whatever you want! Young people will be young!"
Before hanging up the phone, Tan's mother suddenly remembered something: "By the way, Xiao Li, are you getting used to life after retiring from the entertainment industry? If anyone bullies you, tell Auntie, and Auntie will stand up for you!"
Xu Li's eyes welled up with tears: "It's a habit. Yuze has taken good care of me."
Mr. Tan chuckled on the other end of the line, "That's good, that's good. See you next week, my daughter."
See you next week, Uncle and Aunt.
"Beep—" The phone call ended. The living room fell silent again, with only the ticking of the second hand on the wall clock.
Xu Li was still sitting in Tan Yuze's lap. The two looked at each other and suddenly burst out laughing.
Tan Yuze lowered his head and kissed her: "My mom's blood pressure didn't spike, did it?"
Xu Li poked his chest: "Your mom is so cute."
Tan Yuze held her hand, their fingers intertwined: "Then when we go back, you'll be in charge of being cute, and I'll be in charge of fattening you up."
Xu Li deliberately frowned: "You don't look good on camera if you're fat."
“You’re not filming anymore,” Tan Yuze said, biting her earlobe. “It’s more comfortable to hug you if you’re a little chubby.”
Xu Li thought for a moment and said seriously, "Don't your parents know about your relationship? You didn't tell them."
"Hmm," Tan Yuze smiled, "but tonight first..."
Before she could finish speaking, Xu Li's phone rang again.
Caller ID: Agent Nan You.
Xu Li sighed and answered, "Sister Nan, I've already retired from the entertainment industry..."
Nanyou screamed over there: "Even retiring from the entertainment industry can make it to the trending topics! Paparazzi caught you kissing in front of your apartment complex! Check Weibo!"
Xu Li: ...
Tan Yuze: ...
Five minutes later, the top trending topic on Weibo was: #XuLi'sRelationshipExposed#
The accompanying picture shows a blurry silhouette at the entrance of the residential area—Tan Yuze is pressing Xu Li against a ginkgo tree and kissing her, with ginkgo leaves falling and covering the ground in golden yellow.
Tan's mother's phone rang at lightning speed: "Yuze, I saw it! It's really beautiful! You two should be more careful next time. I don't mind, but I'm afraid your dad will get jealous and say that we've never been this romantic back in the day!"
Xu Li blushed and shoved the phone into Tan Yuze's hand: "You answer it!"
Tan Yuze smiled and took it, his tone indulgent: "Mom, don't get excited yet, we'll kiss you again when we go home next week—"
"You brat!" Tan's mother laughed and scolded, "Quickly remove the trending topic, don't make Xiao Li uncomfortable."
"Okay, whatever you say."
After hanging up the phone, Xu Li collapsed onto the sofa, buried her face in a cushion, and mumbled, "What am I going to do? I'm going to be famous again."
Tan Yuze lay down next to her and pulled her into his arms: "So what if you're famous? Anyway, from now on, I'll hold your hand whenever you go out, and it'll be perfectly legitimate."
Xu Li looked up, the lamplight casting dappled shadows beneath his eyelashes. She suddenly leaned in and kissed his Adam's apple: "Tan Yuze."
Tan Yuze: "Hmm?"
Xu Li: "I love you."
Tan Yuze: "I know."
Xu Li: "It's been eleven years, from high school to now."
Tan Yuze: "Yes, there are still fifty years to go."
"Then... remember to bring your household registration book when you go home next week."
Tan Yuze paused for half a second, then flipped over and pinned the woman to the sofa, his voice low and husky: "Yes, Mrs. Tan."
Outside the window, the moonlight was perfect, and the wind billowed the curtains like a gentle sail.
On the living room carpet, two phones lay quietly, their screens still lit, displaying trending search terms scrolling slowly.
#Xu Li's first public appearance since retiring from the entertainment industry#
#Who is Tan Yuze?#
#Ten Years of Unrequited Love Finally Comes to Fruition#
...
The story is far from over; I'll write it slowly for the rest of my life.
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