Chapter 20: Final Chapter (Part 2)
Cheng Zhao finally pulled out the important item: another jewelry box, much smaller than the one that held the bracelets. He opened it himself, held it in his palm, and then passed it to Gan Ling. Inside was a pair of gold rings, simple in design but striking in form. "After much deliberation, I decided to buy the gold ones," Cheng Zhao said, scratching his head and smiling sheepishly. "To match the gold bracelets. Of course, I'm essentially like my mother, a commoner. I only care about gold... You, do you like it?" Gan Ling looked at him. "What does that mean?" "Gan Ling, I want to marry you." Gan Ling suddenly lowered her head and didn't look up for a long time, making Cheng Zhao even more nervous. "Don't you want to?" Gan Ling's gaze shifted, finally settling on Cheng Zhao's still-raised hand. She took the box and, likewise, held it in her palm, admiring it carefully. Finally, she closed the lid and placed the ring box between them. Cheng Zhao was a little confused. So she didn't want to? But hadn't she accepted the gold bracelets? "Don't you think it's too soon?" He eagerly grasped Gan Ling's hand. "I'm thinking, we've known each other for so many years, I've waited until my hair turned gray, so... if you think it's too fast, or if you have other concerns, it's okay, just tell us. We can discuss it." "Cheng Zhao, what do you think the meaning of marriage is?" Cheng Zhao was once again stunned by the question. "Well, if two people like each other and are happy together, they definitely want to live like this forever. Isn't it normal to want to get married?" Gan Ling looked off into the distance. A babbling child, supported by its mother, was learning to walk on the lawn. The child was brave, the mother was patient, and the green grass created a warm and peaceful scene. "I think differently from you." Cheng Zhao looked at Gan Ling. "In my opinion, the purpose of marriage is to build a family, to have children, to provide them with a safe haven and legal protection. If you don't plan to have children, then there's no point in getting married." Cheng Zhao was stunned for a moment, feeling a little uneasy. "That's not the way it should be! You can get married without children, and both of you are responsible for each other." Gan Ling shook her head. "That would become a burden. For both you and me. You might not feel it now, but over time, you'll start to care about it." "I won't..." "I will." Cheng Zhao was speechless. Gan Ling continued, "If it's just the two of you, then being in love is the best state, like we are now, where we each maintain our own space. It's simple and pure, and there's less calculation." "What about you and Loquat Man? When you went on that blind date, didn't you think about getting married?"
Cheng Zhao finally pulled out the important item. It was another jewelry box, much smaller than the one that held the bracelet. He opened it himself, held it in his palm, and then handed it to Gan Ling. Inside was a pair of gold rings, simple in design but attractive in shape.
"After much deliberation, I decided to buy the gold one." Cheng Zhao scratched his head and smiled sheepishly, "To match it with the gold bracelet. Of course, I'm essentially like my mother, a common person. I only care about gold... You, do you like it?"
Gan Ling looked at him, "What does this mean?"
"Gan Ling, I hope to marry you."
Gan Ling suddenly lowered her head and didn't look up for a long time, which made Cheng Zhao even more nervous.
"You don't want to?"
Gan Ling's gaze darted around, finally settling on Cheng Zhao's still-raised hand. She took the box, cradling it in her palm as usual, admiring it carefully. Finally, she closed the lid and placed the ring box between them. Cheng Zhao was a little confused. Didn't she accept the gold bracelet?
"Do you think it's too fast?" He grabbed Gan Ling's hand eagerly. "I'm thinking, we've known each other for so many years, and I've waited until my hair turned gray, so... if you think it's too fast, or if you have other concerns, it's okay, just tell me. We can discuss it."
"Cheng Zhao, what do you think the meaning of marriage is?"
Cheng Zhao was once again stunned by the question. "Well, if two people like each other and are happy together, they definitely want to live like this for the rest of their lives. Isn't it normal to want to get married?"
Gan Ling gazed into the distance at a babbling child, supported by his mother, learning to walk on the lawn. The child was brave, the mother was patient, and the green grass created a warm and peaceful scene.
"My thoughts are different from yours."
Cheng Zhao looked at Gan Ling.
"In my opinion, the purpose of marriage is to build a family, have children, and provide them with a safe haven and legal protection. If you don't plan to have children, then there's no point in getting married."
Cheng Zhao was stunned for a moment, feeling a little uneasy. "You can't say that! You can get married even without children. Both of you should be responsible for each other."
Gan Ling shook her head. "Then it will become a burden. For both you and me. You may not feel it now, but over time, you will start to care about it."
"I won't……"
"I can."
Cheng Zhao was speechless.
Gan Ling added, "If it's just a matter between two people, then being in love is the best state, just like we are now, where we each have our own independent space. It's simple and pure, and there's less calculation."
"What about you and Loquat Man? When you went on a blind date, didn't you ever think about getting married?"
"No. I said I don't want to get married again, but I can find a life partner."
It took a while before Cheng Zhao could speak.
"Xiao Ling, I didn't expect your ideas to be so avant-garde."
Gan Ling smiled and said, "I've been divorced once, so I've figured it out. Marriage is not the end of love. Marriage doesn't guarantee that we'll be in love forever. On the other hand, we can still grow old together without getting married."
Cheng Zhao sighed softly, "Okay! Whether we get married or not, you are the same in my heart. As long as you don't push me away again, I will be satisfied. But I have a request."
"you say."
Cheng Zhao opened the box and took out the women's ring. "I want to put it on you. Consider it our, uh, token of love. Isn't that a bit corny? Just consider it to satisfy a little wishful thinking of a layman like me, okay?"
Gan Ling looked at him, then at the ring, and stretched out her right middle finger.
Cheng Zhao pursed his lips, not daring to push any further, and carefully put the ring on. Gan Ling's fingers were slender and white, and the gold ring made her look noble and steady. Cheng Zhao held her hand, admiring it for a long time, and then handed the men's ring to Gan Ling.
"Please help me put it on!"
After Gan Ling put the ring on him, they put their hands together, the two identical golden streaks between their fingers connecting them. Cheng Zhao breathed a sigh of satisfaction. Although the proposal had been unsuccessful, the fact that they both wore the same ring held different meanings.
On the way back, Cheng Zhao said, "It seems like you won't move out and live with me, right?"
Gan Ling said: "Not at the moment. I have to take care of my dad."
"I know. Then I'll just have to renovate 402."
Gan Ling turned to look at him, and Cheng Zhao explained, "If you don't move out, then I'll move back."
"Whatever you want."
After walking for a while, Gan Ling took the initiative to shake Cheng Zhao's hand. The two smiled at each other, understanding each other. They both understood each other's intentions, but there was no argument. Argument was useless; only time would tell.
Deep down in her heart, Gan Ling naturally longs for a happy marriage, but out of practical considerations, she is unwilling to bind Cheng Zhao with marriage. Perhaps one day, Cheng Zhao will find something more important than loving her, such as wanting a child, but finds himself trapped in a marriage with her. This is the last thing Gan Ling wants to happen.
Cheng Zhao wasn't discouraged by his failed proposal. He didn't want to upset Gan Ling. Since she wasn't currently confident in marriage, he'd do as she pleased. But now, he had a new hope: he longed for the day when their rings would be on their ring fingers together. No matter how long it took, he had enough patience. He believed that as long as he remained true to his original intention, he would eventually reach that day.
**
Tian Meiling's human resources company finally opened. To the surprise of Xiaoxi Lane merchants, all the employees visible to the public were new. They uniformly shook their heads at the neighbors' inquiries, suggesting they were either ignorant of the gossip or simply had nothing to say. Meiling herself, however, disappeared, with all company responsibilities now being handled by a manager named Tao.
After losing the important clue of Lao Hu, Ju Ming could no longer obtain any useful information. He would come to the bookstore from time to time to get Tian Miao's opinion, but Tian Miao was very wary of him and spoke very sparingly to him, which made Ju Ming angry and helpless.
Gan Ling was also curious, but she would not ask Tian Miao unless Tian Miao took the initiative to talk about it, and Tian Miao never took the initiative in this regard.
On Christmas Eve, after receiving a clear response from the rehabilitation hospital, Master Cai approached Gan Ling to resign. He would no longer be able to work there in January of the following year. This added another task to Gan Ling's daily routine: continuing to search for caregivers.
This time, she didn't turn to her friends again. Instead, she registered with two reputable agencies. From then on, she received calls from applicants for interviews almost every day. Most candidates were rejected during the phone introduction phase, often failing to meet her standards. For the few who were worth meeting, Gan Ling would invite them to the bookstore for a chat, reserve a table, offer a free cup of tea, and chat for ten or twenty minutes.
Before I knew it, more than a week had passed and I still hadn't found anyone.
Han Xi had observed Gan Ling's several interviews and couldn't help but wonder, "Sister Ling, what kind of talent would satisfy you?"
"In addition to being conscientious and careful in their work, they also have to be easy to get along with, otherwise we can't stay together every day."
"What does it mean to get along well?"
"I can't really explain it. It all depends on fate!"
"Oh my God! Sister Ling, you are asking too much."
"Haha. My dad's requirements are twice as high as mine!"
That afternoon, Gan Ling had just sent off an applicant when she received a call from Tian Meiling. Seeing the name "Tian Meiling" pop up on her phone screen, Gan Ling was stunned for a moment. She answered the phone with a mixture of excitement and trepidation.
Meiling greeted her in a normal tone, as if she was sitting in the human resources company office next door. There was no small talk and she got straight to the point.
"Xiao Ling, I heard from Sanshui that you are looking for a caregiver, right?"
"Yes, Sister Meiling, you..."
"Look, I have someone who looks a lot like Wu Juan, about the same age. She's been working as a live-in nanny for five years and has a very good reputation. Now that family is looking to immigrate, she's planning to come back and register. You know how popular people like that are! So when I heard about it, I immediately thought of you. She's available to live in their home, but the fee is a bit higher. Do you want one?"
"Okay! Thank you so much!"
"Then I'll arrange for you two to meet and talk. This matter isn't something I can decide on my own."
"Sister Meiling, can I..."
"Why, you say?"
"Can I meet with you?"
At the Fenglin Coffee Shop in the Internet of Things Town in the south of the city, Gan Ling met Tian Meiling whom she had not seen for a long time. She arrived earlier than Gan Ling and ordered two cups of coffee.
"Vanilla latte, it's the signature dish here." Meiling leaned closer to Gan Ling, "The others are awful!"
Gan Ling smiled. Tian Meiling had lost a lot of weight, but the brilliance in her eyes remained, still carrying the same energy as before.
She asked Gan Ling, "How did you get here?"
"Subway to bus."
"You should learn how to drive."
Gan Ling smiled and thanked her again for the enthusiastic recommendation. Mei Ling waved her hand, indicating that it was a trivial matter.
"Is there something else you want to meet me for?"
Gan Ling said: "No, I just miss you."
Meiling was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "That's not something you would say...are you in love?"
Gan Ling blushed, "You haven't been to Xiaoxi Lane for a long time, everyone misses you."
"You're thinking about me, I believe, but others." Meiling waved her hand, "They just want to see me having fun!"
Gan Ling looked at her carefully, "Sister Meiling, are you okay?"
Meiling certainly understood what she meant.
"It's okay to just get through it. My daughter...a good family is gone." She sighed sadly.
Gan Ling also felt it was a pity, "Is it possible for you and Mr. Zhou to get back together?"
Meiling shook her head. "It's broken. No matter how hard you try, you can't get it back."
"I'm a little confused. Haven't you always been in love?"
Meiling curled her lips and smiled, "That was all for show. When it comes to marriage, what others see is different from the actual situation. I'm a strong-willed person, so I never complain in public, but that doesn't mean I don't hate it in my heart! I remember every single thing."
"So...are you doing this to take revenge on him?"
Meiling's face was filled with a complicated expression. "Well, it's not entirely true. It just happened to be a coincidence. I happened to be feeling unhappy, and this person happened to appear."
She didn't say anything more, and Gan Ling was too embarrassed to ask more. She did agree that marriage could be two different things in the eyes of others and in her own eyes. Just like her and Wei Chi, everyone thought they were a good match and would grow old together.
Mei Ling pursed her lips. "I won't say anymore. It's pointless to talk about this kind of shit. Anyway, people should not be hard on themselves! Especially don't swallow your anger for the sake of face."
Gan Ling nodded.
"By the way, let me tell you something. I'm planning to move the company here."
"ah?"
"Look over there, that row of buildings with red roofs, that's where the new company is." Meiling enthusiastically pointed out Gan Ling through the window, "Old Hu, I, and a few old employees have been busy renovating here lately. We plan to move in six months."
Gan Ling was surprised. "So Old Hu didn't leave! We all thought you fired him!"
Meiling laughed, "He was the one who told you about my affairs, wasn't he? I scolded him severely, and now he's quiet!"
Gan Ling breathed a sigh of relief and felt a little closer to Mei Ling.
"Xiao Ling, thank you for helping me take care of Tian Miao. When he first came out, his parents and I were so worried, afraid that he would go out and get into trouble again. I know that I forced you to accept him. I originally wanted him to follow me, but he didn't want to. What's even more unexpected is that he actually started doing serious work in your place. His father said he wanted to thank you in person, but I didn't want to scare you, so I tried to persuade him not to. However, our family's gratitude is sincere. If you need me in the future, just ask."
Gan Ling said, "You're welcome. He gets along well with Han Xi and me. It's fate for us all. Although I can't offer him a high salary."
"Oh! He's not qualified to talk about money yet! The most important thing is to calm down first. You have to make money in a way that looks like making money. Anyway, we are all content to have a stable life like this."
Gan Ling's cell phone rang. She looked down and saw that it was a message from Han Xi.
"Those old ladies are here to play again! Do you want to come back and meet them?"
Gan Ling replied, "Okay, I'll go back as soon as possible."
**
In order to meet these elderly people who brought him new ideas, Gan Ling did not save money by taking the bus, but took a taxi directly and returned to the bookstore half an hour later.
Four elderly ladies were chatting happily over tea in the shop. The shop's layout had recently been redesigned, with the bookshelves no longer central but relegated to the edges. Two sets of tables and chairs now stood in the center, with another set on each wall, and comfortable leather-covered chairs added.
The elderly ladies sat in soft chairs against the wall, a wall of books behind them and some green plants above the shelves. Marco the kitten nestled on the windowsill, lazily observing everything in the shop. In Gan Ling's eyes, this simple and vivid scene was a painting of the happiest life.
Han Xi introduced Gan Ling to these old ladies and immediately won a lot of praise. They praised Gan Ling for taking the advice and creating such a pleasant leisure place for them, which was simple and unpretentious without any commercial atmosphere.
One of the elderly women, surnamed Gu, asked Gan Ling, "Can the bookstore survive? If you have trouble running it, we'll invest in you."
Gan Ling smiled, "It's okay for now. I'll ask you for help when I have difficulties in the future."
"Then we have to pray to God to let us live a few more years, hahaha!"
Another old lady, who had remained silent but had been observing Gan Ling for a long time, stood up and said, "Miss Gan..."
"Auntie, just call me Gan Ling."
"Can I talk to you alone for a few words?"
"Okay."
Gan Ling led her to the table against the opposite wall, and they sat down. The old lady's eyes never left Gan Ling, which made her confused and embarrassed.
"My last name is Zhao."
"Hello, Aunt Zhao."
"I was the first one to come to your store. They are all my best friends who have been here for decades. They followed me here and fell in love with your store."
"Thank you so much, Aunt Zhao!"
"Do you know why I came to your store?"
Gan Ling shook his head.
"Because of my daughter. She told me you opened a bookstore and she's always wanted to come and see it, but she can't make it, so I came to see it on her behalf to help her fulfill her wish."
Gan Ling was nervous, "Aunt Zhao, do I know your daughter?"
Aunt Zhao nodded. "Her name is Shu Bing. You used to be colleagues."
"It's Shu Bing! I met her at Nanchan Temple last year! She's..." Looking at the look on Aunt Zhao's face, Gan Ling's excitement abruptly stopped and she spoke cautiously, "Is she okay?"
"She's gone."
Gan Ling was shocked, and after a while she remembered to ask, "When...how could it happen?"
"Pancreatic cancer. He passed away at the end of last year."
Gan Ling did some mental calculations and realized it was shortly after they had reunited. So, Shu Bing already knew about her condition then? Gan Ling's heart ached, regretting not discovering it sooner. If that had been the case, she would have definitely visited Shu Bing more often and talked with her more.
But there are no ifs in life.
"I'm sorry, Auntie, I didn't know anything... I'm sorry." Gan Ling's eyes were red.
Aunt Zhao's eyes were red. "Shu Bing has been complaining about being too tired for a while now and wants to change her lifestyle, but she keeps putting it off until... So, do whatever you want to do quickly. No one knows what's waiting for you."
Gan Ling lowered her head and wiped her tears, and Shu Bing's voice and smile vaguely appeared in front of her eyes——
"Gan Ling, it's not that I don't want to come, I'm sick."
"I know."
"I envy you for being able to put aside so many worries and do what you want to do."
"But I'm also afraid that I won't be able to do it."
"Don't be afraid. You are still young and healthy. You will definitely be able to go on bravely."
When she came back to her senses, Aunt Zhao had returned to her companions. Looking at their aged but cheerful faces, Gan Ling recalled a line she had read in "Fool Gimpel": "Life is a life of joy."
The remaining haze in her heart quietly dissipated. Yes, she was still young, and there was still time for everything. As long as she was willing, she could try to do anything.
At this moment, she felt a clear and transparent freedom, as well as an unprecedented passion for the future.
——End of the article
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It's over! Thanks for reading! See you in the next story~~ A Perfect Marriage - Lan Sisi | Douban Reading
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