Chapter 14 (Part 1)
They were the most familiar strangers. For years, Cheng Zhao had closely watched every change in Gan Ling. She had grown taller, her features rounded, then gradually thinned. Her face, too, shifted, the subtle ebb and flow of her lines, the brightness and darkness of her eyes, her expression shifting from intense to calm. None of this escaped Cheng Zhao's gaze, even during the years when they were separated from each other. He silently imagined her, missed her, longed for her, and etched her entire image into a profound place in his heart. But when he truly possessed her, held her in his arms, and became one with her, all those illusions were instantly shattered, dissipating like smoke. No complex, long-lasting imagination could compare to a moment of actual possession, no fraction of its beauty, even if it all took place in a shabby room, on an unattractive, old-fashioned bed. Cheng Zhao lay on his side, his head propped up with one hand, his free hand roaming over Gan Ling's back. Gan Ling lay prone, her head turned toward him, her face pressed against the sheets, unresponsive to Cheng Zhao's provocative finger dance. Cheng Zhao longed to hold her down again, to relive the passionate lovemaking they'd just experienced, but he wasn't sure Gan Ling wanted it. He was pleased with how the night had gone. The moment Gan Ling rushed forward and grabbed him, his heart pounded like a drum, afraid he was wrong, that his hopes would be dashed again, and he might truly lose the courage to continue pursuing her. But after leaving her, what hope would he have in life? Making lots of money? Having many girlfriends? Or just marrying someone? None of that was what he truly desired. His ideal life had been painted long ago, and Gan Ling couldn't be missing from that beautiful picture. He sighed with contentment, thinking back to the melancholy poem he'd read in the bar. But it had finally rewritten the ending for him, filling the long-lost void in his heart. Even if the world ended in the next second, he would have nothing to regret. Gan Ling raised her head and turned to Cheng Zhao. Her face flushed like two pink clouds, her eyes watery as she looked back at him with a tender smile. Cheng Zhao's heart was filled with tenderness, waiting for her to speak. "How long ago was this bed sheet washed?" Gan Ling asked. Cheng Zhao was stunned, tilted his head and calculated, "It must be three or four years old. My mother washed it and put it in the cabinet and never touched it again." Gan Ling cried out softly, and quickly rolled towards Cheng Zhao. After two or three times, she rolled on top of him. Cheng Zhao lay on his back, supporting Gan Ling like a bed. Both of them laughed so hard that they couldn't breathe. Cheng Zhao teased her, "Is it necessary to react so strongly? You seemed to be enjoying it just now!" "Then you too...
They were the most familiar strangers. Over the years, Cheng Zhao paid close attention to every change in Gan Ling. She grew taller, her features became rounder, and she became thinner. Her face was also changing, the subtle rise and fall of lines, the brightness and darkness of her eyes, and her expression changed from intense to dull. All of this could not escape Cheng Zhao's eyes, even during the years when they could not be together day and night.
He silently imagined her in his heart, missing her, longing for her, his entire image etched in a profound place in his heart. Yet, when he truly possessed her, held her in his arms, and became one with her, those illusions were instantly shattered, dissipating like smoke. Any complex and prolonged imaginings couldn't compare to a moment of actual possession, and couldn't even remotely compare to the true beauty of it, even if all this happened in a shabby room, on an aesthetically pleasing, old-fashioned bed.
Cheng Zhao lay on his side on the bed, supporting his head with one hand, his free hand wandering on Gan Ling's back. Gan Ling was lying on her stomach with the back of her head facing him, her face pressed against the sheets, and she showed no reaction to Cheng Zhao's teasing finger dance.
Cheng Zhao wanted to hold her down again, to relive the passionate love they had just shared, but he wasn't sure if Gan Ling still wanted to. He was very satisfied with the progress of the night. The moment Gan Ling rushed over and grabbed him, his heart was beating like a drum. He was afraid that he was wrong and that his hopes would be dashed again. He might not have the courage to continue following her.
But after leaving her, what hope did he have in life? Make a lot of money? Have lots of girlfriends? Or just marry someone? None of these were what he truly wanted. His ideal life had been painted long ago, and Gan Ling was indispensable to that beautiful picture.
At this moment, he sighed with satisfaction, thinking again of the sad poem in the bar. But this poem finally changed the ending for him, and the long-standing emptiness in his heart was filled. Even if the world ended in the next second, he would have nothing to regret.
Gan Ling raised her head and turned towards Cheng Zhao. Her face was flushed, like two pink clouds, and her eyes were watery as she looked at him with a tender smile. Cheng Zhao's heart was filled with tenderness, and he waited for her to speak.
"How long ago was this bed sheet washed?" Gan Ling asked.
Cheng Zhao was stunned, tilting his head and calculating, "It must have been three or four years, right? My mother washed it and put it in the cabinet and never touched it again."
Gan Ling let out a light cry and rolled quickly towards Cheng Zhao. After two or three rolls, she rolled on top of him. Cheng Zhao was lying on his back, supporting Gan Ling like a bed. Both of them were laughing so hard that they couldn't breathe.
Cheng Zhao teased her, "Is it necessary to have such a big reaction? You seemed to be enjoying it just now when you were lying on it!"
"You didn't tell me then!"
"What's the point of telling you? This is the only one we have at home. I can't ask you to go downstairs and steal one, can I? Hey, can you?"
Gan Ling chuckled, "Maybe!"
"Oh my God! There is actually a woman like you."
"There's actually a man like you."
"So we're a perfect match!"
Cheng Zhao grabbed Gan Ling's arms and paddled them on both sides of his body like oars.
"What are you doing?" Gan Ling asked with a smile.
"Rowing!"
Their naked skin pressed together, and gradually a new reaction occurred. Cheng Zhao slowed down his "rowing", released Gan Ling's arms, put his arms around her chest, and whispered in her ear, "I want to row the boat again."
Gan Ling was so frightened that she rolled down, and Cheng Zhao was dragged to the side.
"No, I have to go downstairs."
Cheng Zhao pestered her, "Stay a little longer. Didn't you call your dad?"
After going upstairs, Gan Ling called Gan Wenkang and said that she was going to a supermarket farther away and would be back later.
"What time is it?"
"A quarter to ten."
Gan Ling didn't want to separate from him right away, so she pinched Cheng Zhao's cheek with her fingers and said, "I'll be down at ten. Lie down and talk, and don't do anything stupid."
"Yes, sir."
Gan Ling twisted around on the bed, found her underwear, and slowly put it on. Cheng Zhao's eyes never left her, until Gan Ling kicked his clothes back to him.
"You put it on too. Be careful not to catch a cold."
Cheng Zhao hastily put on his underwear and asked, "We made such a loud noise just now, will your dad hear it?"
Gan Ling rolled her eyes at him.
Cheng Zhao suddenly stood up and said, "Why don't you go down now and talk to your dad?"
"Are you not afraid of him anymore?"
"Anyway, he can't beat me up even if he's angry."
"You talk as if my dad hit you."
"Teacher Gan is even more ruthless with his mouth than with his hands. He's really powerful."
"So you don't dare to come to me?"
"Um."
Both of them were silent, the past flowing through their hearts like running water, stirring up similar complex emotions.
Gan Ling said, "Even if you didn't listen to him and came to me, there wouldn't necessarily be a good outcome for us."
Cheng Zhao rested his head on his arm and expressed his agreement. "So I don't blame Teacher Gan. I just think that as long as I work hard, I will eventually make it. When I have made it, I will come back to you, and your father will not look down on me anymore."
Gan Ling didn't say anything. Cheng Zhao turned his head to look at her and saw a bitter smile on her face, which made him feel distressed.
He moved closer and hovered above her. They looked at each other. In Cheng Zhao's eyes, Gan Ling was not only the 32-year-old Gan Ling. He also saw the five-year-old Gan Ling, the ten-year-old Gan Ling, the sixteen-year-old Gan Ling, the twenty-two-year-old Gan Ling... Countless Gan Lings flashed before his eyes, and finally settled into the one in front of him. He felt that he loved her even more.
He leaned over, rubbed Gan Ling's lips gently, and smiled at her. Gan Ling's smile also became sweet. She put her hands around Cheng Zhao's neck, and the two kissed deeply.
It was five minutes past ten. Gan Ling didn't move, and Cheng Zhao didn't remind her. The two continued to lie there, Gan Ling curled up in Cheng Zhao's arms, her hair rubbing against Cheng Zhao's chin, which was warm and slightly itchy, and it felt particularly real.
"Before, your dad would get drunk and make a scene upstairs, and we could hear it."
"Are you afraid?"
"Yeah. You must be more scared, right?"
Cheng Zhao hugged her tightly and said, "I hate him so much."
Gan Ling put her arms around his waist, and the two of them were as close as two little animals keeping each other warm.
"One time, my mom said to my dad, 'Go upstairs and try to persuade him.' My dad went upstairs, but after a while he came down and said to my mom, 'It's no use, your dad is a lunatic, you'd better save up some money and move out soon.'"
"Your mother is such a nice person. I was so envious of you back then."
"I know."
"I really want to live in your house forever so I can see you and your mother every day."
"But you suddenly ignored me in third grade, and I still don't understand why."
"Because Wang Xiaotian made fun of me, my dad also made fun of me."
"What are you kidding about?"
"You say I'm a toad wanting to eat swan flesh."
Gan Ling burst out laughing. "Is that why you're ignoring me?"
Cheng Zhao was also embarrassed. "When I was a child, I had a strong sense of self-esteem, not as thick-skinned as I am now."
"Are you thick-skinned now? Let me try."
Before Cheng Zhao could react, Gan Ling had already put her hands into his armpits and started tickling him hard. Cheng Zhao tried to hold it in for a while but couldn't help it and started fighting back with a smile. Gan Ling was ticklish, and although Cheng Zhao didn't use much strength, she still screamed and laughed nervously.
"Cheng Zhao, stop making trouble. I should go downstairs."
Cheng Zhao stopped and looked at her affectionately, "Xiao Ling, I'm very happy."
Gan Ling looked at him and said, "Me too."
"You laughed a lot today. I haven't seen you laugh like that in years."
Gan Ling was stunned for a moment, tears suddenly welling up in her eyes, completely uncontrollable. Cheng Zhao wiped them away with his fingers and pulled her into his arms again.
"Smile more and be happy in the future."
Gan Ling leaned on his shoulder and after a long while she said "hmm" with a choked sob.
When Gan Ling went downstairs, she put the dishes washed by Cheng Zhao back into the basket and prepared to take them down together.
"If your dad asks you who you deliver food to, what will you say?"
"Just say it's for a friend who has no dinner."
"That's like saying nothing."
"My dad won't ask."
“But I’ll think about it in my heart.”
"Then I can't help you—you really don't want to go home?"
"Isn't this my home?"
Gan Ling picked up the basket and said, "Let's go."
Cheng Zhao chased after him and blocked the door, "How about we have dinner together tomorrow night?"
"Let's talk about it tomorrow."
"No, you have to give me a definite answer."
"You don't have to work?"
“So we have to make arrangements in advance!”
"OK."
Cheng Zhao happily hugged her and kissed her again before letting her go.
After washing and taking a shower, Cheng Zhao realized that there were no clean clothes. He was not a particular person anyway, so he quickly put on his dirty clothes and lay back on the bed. He thought about what had just happened, grinning foolishly from time to time, feeling like he had had an extremely wonderful dream.
Thinking of the dream, he felt a sense of trepidation, unsure if it was truly a dream, and that waking up would turn everything to dust. Gan Ling's body scent still lingered on the sheets, and a few long strands of hair had fallen by the pillow. Cheng Zhao, as if he had found a treasure, gathered them up and placed them on the cabinet. These were all proof that he wasn't dreaming. The thought of Gan Ling just downstairs warmed his heart even more. He wanted to call or text her several times, but he was afraid to disturb her sleep. But he couldn't help but wonder if she was just as alone and unable to sleep as he was.
Being so nervous, it was naturally difficult to fall asleep. I tossed and turned, and I didn't know when I finally fell into a real dream.
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