Chapter 206: Fall

“Girl,” Cheng Jingmo replied.

“Reason?”

“Do I need a reason?” Cheng Jingmo said with a sigh, “No reason, it just feels comforting to imagine having a white, soft daughter.”

This was Cheng Jingmo’s honest feeling.

Yu Xiangnian, imagining Cheng Jingmo holding a white, soft daughter, felt a touch of emotion.

“Don’t you want a son?” she asked.

Cheng Jingmo said, “We already have Xiao Jie.”

He genuinely cares for Xiao Jie, and he will treat his biological children the same way in the future.

Yu Xiangnian was quite satisfied with this and said proudly, “That’s more like it!”

On the third day back home, Cheng Jingmo’s vacation ended, and he returned to the military.

Yu Xiangnian also began her review and preparation.

The family returned to their usual routine: Cheng Jingmo and Xiao Jie got up early for work and school, while Yu Xiangnian slept until she naturally woke up and then studied.

In the afternoons, the family would have dinner together, take a walk, and then each person would continue their own study.

That afternoon, Cheng Jingmo came home from work.

“Yu Xiangyang said that Xia Qingyun wants to go out this weekend. Do you want to go?” he asked.

Yu Xiangnian answered without hesitation, “Yes!”

She needed to get to know Xia Qingyun better.

“I’ll reply to Yu Xiangyang tomorrow.”

Yu Xiangnian asked, “Do you see Xia Qingyun every day?”

“Rarely. The troupe usually rehearses indoors, which is quite a distance from us.”

“So how do Yu Xiangyang and Xia Qingyun usually meet and go on dates?”

Cheng Jingmo replied, “··· I don’t know.”

Soon it was Sunday.

In May, the weather in Nancheng was already quite warm. Yu Xiangyang scheduled their meeting for 4 PM, probably because he wanted to have a private date with Xia Qingyun in the morning.

However, this was also good, as the temperature had dropped a bit in the afternoon, making it perfect for going out.

When Cheng Jingmo arrived at the entrance of the central park with Yu Xiangnian and Xiao Jie on his bike, Yu Xiangyang and Xia Qingyun were already waiting there.

Xia Qingyun was wearing a white floral dress with white socks and black cloth shoes—a common outfit.

But she looked beautiful, and such ordinary attire looked lovely on her.

Yu Xiangnian always thought having two braids in the front was outdated, but on Xia Qingyun, it looked good.

Her beauty was so striking that even Yu Xiangnian, a woman, felt captivated. It was no wonder Yu Xiangyang, who had never interacted with girls his age, was so infatuated.

Yu Xiangyang’s gaze at Xia Qingyun was almost overflowing with affection.

Yu Xiangnian observed Cheng Jingmo secretly. The big fool seemed oblivious to Xia Qingyun’s beauty and showed no reaction.

“Deputy Colonel Cheng, Nian Nian, you’re here,” Xia Qingyun greeted them actively.

She was very enthusiastic!

“Hmm,” Cheng Jingmo nodded expressionlessly and began to store his bike.

“Why are you so late?” Yu Xiangyang complained to Cheng Jingmo.

“It’s still two minutes to 4 PM,” Xia Qingyun said with a smile to Yu Xiangyang.

Her smile made her eyes curve up, and as she looked at Yu Xiangyang, her eyes were incredibly charming.

Yu Xiangyang looked at her for a couple of seconds, and his ears instantly turned red. His voice softened as he said, “Let’s go inside.”

Yu Xiangnian thought to herself: This is it! Yu Xiangyang is completely smitten!

“Nian Nian, let’s go,” Xia Qingyun said as she walked over and linked arms with Yu Xiangnian, then added to Yu Xiangyang, “Let’s go.”

Yu Xiangyang obediently walked beside her.

Yu Xiangnian actually wasn’t fond of this kind of familiarity.

Though she had made a few friends since coming here, none of them had walked hand in hand with her.

Moreover, she and Xia Qingyun were not even friends yet.

This was only their third meeting, and they had spoken fewer than ten sentences to each other.

Today, everyone had planned to go boating.

At that time, there weren’t many entertainment options; it seemed that people in relationships mostly went to parks or movies, with not much else to do.

The park had an artificial lake where boats could be rented.

They were five people, so they needed to rent two boats.

“I’ll share a boat with Nian Nian!” Xia Qingyun said, linking her arm with Yu Xiangnian’s wrist.

Yu Xiangnian: “···” She really didn’t want to row a boat!

Yu Xiangyang said with concern, “You can’t row by yourself; she’s too lazy!”

Xia Qingyun slightly lifted her chin, either coquettishly or stubbornly, “We girls have secrets to share!”

Yu Xiangnian: “···”

Watching coldly, Yu Xiangyang was completely under Xia Qingyun’s control.

Yu Xiangyang looked at Xia Qingyun, and after two seconds, he gave in.

Before getting on the boat, Cheng Jingmo told Yu Xiangnian, “If you can’t row anymore, call me, and I’ll come and get you.”

“Okay.”

Just as she turned around, she was grabbed by the wrist again. Yu Xiangnian looked back.

Yu Xiangyang was holding her wrist and said, “Don’t be lazy; you’ll need to eat more later.”

Yu Xiangnian shook off his hand. “You should say that to Xia Qingyun!”

They all boarded their boats.

Cheng Jingmo and Yu Xiangyang’s boats didn’t come close to each other, maintaining a distance of about twenty meters.

Xia Qingyun and Yu Xiangnian rowed for a while. When they reached the center of the lake, they both stopped in tacit agreement and let the boat drift.

Xia Qingyun said, “Nian Nian, I really appreciate your help.”

Yu Xiangnian corrected her, “I’m not helping you; I’m helping Yu Xiangyang.”

Xia Qingyun picked up on the implication and raised an eyebrow, smiling, “I know your parents don’t like me. I’ve already suggested breaking up with Yu Xiangyang.”

Yu Xiangnian thought: Who knows if your suggestion to break up is a genuine intention or a tactic to advance?

But she naturally said, “My parents don’t dislike you. They just think Yu Xiangyang isn’t mature enough yet to start a family.”

Yu Xiangnian thought that someone as smart as Xia Qingyun would surely understand that she was just saying this to avoid embarrassment.

Xia Qingyun didn’t point it out but said, “To me, Yu Xiangyang is very outstanding and ambitious. What I admire is him as a person.”

Xia Qingyun was expressing her stance that she valued Yu Xiangyang, not the family.

Yu Xiangnian smiled, “You see a different side of Yu Xiangyang than what my family sees, just like now.”

Yu Xiangnian pointed to Yu Xiangyang, who was having a water fight with Xiao Jie.

They were sitting at opposite ends of the boat, with their hands in the lake, splashing water at each other while laughing.

Meanwhile, Cheng Jingmo, sitting in the middle of the boat, was innocently drenched and looked utterly exasperated.

Xia Qingyun chuckled softly and said, “He seems very energetic and fond of children; he will make a good father in the future.”

Yu Xiangnian laughed, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

But she thought to herself: As expected, Xia Qingyun is skilled. No matter what she says, she always manages to handle it with ease.