Blueberry Pastries

Xia Jiao was very understanding of Wen Chongyue’s harmless hobby, one that she herself quite liked.

So, she took the initiative to lower her head and kissed Wen Chongyue’s lips.

If this could help him relieve stress, then it wasn’t bad.

At least it was better than smoking or drinking.

Xia Jiao thought seriously.

However, Xia Jiao had noticed that Wen Chongyue’s behavior had been a little strange lately.

He was more enthusiastic about affection and seemed to enjoy adding more little gestures, like kissing, hugging, touching, and holding her. He seemed like a seahorse father, wanting to hide her completely in his care.

Xia Jiao thought.

Could it be because autumn was approaching, the temperature was dropping, and Wen Chongyue needed a warm hug too?

To double the warmth, Xia Jiao happily went along with his embrace.

When they were in the kitchen, Wen Chongyue liked to involve her, even if it was just small tasks like making salad or pouring milk. He would talk to her for a long time.

Xia Jiao wondered.

Could it be that because of work pressure, he needed someone to talk to and distract himself?

To help ease his stress, Xia Jiao started sharing more fun stories with him.

Aside from work, their routine movie nights also became occasions where he would want her to sit on his lap, hold her, and occasionally pinch her arms or play with her hair.

Xia Jiao pondered…

But couldn’t figure out the answer.

She gave up trying to figure it out.

Maybe Wen Chongyue had developed a new hobby.

Xia Jiao understood his behavior, just as she, too, had developed a need for physical affection. She liked hugging his arm, leaning on him, wanting to bite him, or pinch his muscles.

It was a very strange and bad little thought. Xia Jiao deeply reprimanded herself for having such a thought and made a great effort to control herself from acting on it.

When the National Day holiday arrived, it coincided with the Hairy Crab Tourism Festival. Whether it was Lotus Island, Meiren Leg, or Shajiabang, all were themed around crabs. However, in Wen Chongyue’s opinion, it wasn’t until mid-October that crabs would be at their fattest and most delicious. After all, eating Yangcheng Lake crabs follows a specific rule: “Nine for females, ten for males.” In the ninth month of the lunar calendar, it’s the season for female crabs, while the males are the plumpest and richest in roe during the tenth month.

With crisp autumn weather, tourists flooded Suzhou during the National Day holiday, especially at the famous Humble Administrator’s Garden and the Lion Grove Garden. The small gardens were packed with visitors. At the Suzhou Museum, tourists without prior reservations had to stand in long lines. Wen Chongyue, busy with work, finally had some time off. On the first day of the holiday, Xia Jiao and he stayed at home, resting the entire day, only eating, drinking, and napping.

Xia Jiao enjoyed touching the occasional stubble left on his chin. Wen Chongyue still used a manual razor with foam and aftershave. Xia Jiao, curious about the sensation of shaving, offered to shave him. Wen Chongyue agreed, and she followed his instructions while he demonstrated the process.

Xia Jiao, carefully following his guidance, was still a beginner and not very skilled. She accidentally nicked him, drawing a small cut with a faint trace of blood. Xia Jiao felt deeply guilty, but Wen Chongyue smiled and said, “When I shaved for the first time, I also cut myself a little—on the right side, in the same place as yours. Seems like we really have a connection.”

Xia Jiao loved this interpretation. Her heart fluttered, like a squirrel hiding in her chest, singing and dancing under the sunlight.

Ah, fate! The word seemed to hold a kind of destined joy, as if they were meant to be together.

Just hearing it made the joy bubble up, like soda fizzing out from an opened bottle.

Despite her happiness, Xia Jiao felt truly sorry for the little wound. She leaned forward to lick the blood. Wen Chongyue, taking advantage of the moment, lifted her to the sink. The sink was cold, and Xia Jiao worried it wouldn’t hold her weight, anxious to jump down, but her husband stopped her. The edge of the sink was cold, and Xia Jiao only wore a skirt, which made her uncomfortable. Behind her was the bright mirror, and Wen Chongyue’s thumb gently pressed against the side of her face, his eyes lowering as he gazed at her.

“I’ll support you,” he said. “Don’t worry, open up.”

Xia Jiao grabbed onto him.

She had just shaved his chin, clean and smooth. Now, he smelled like her catnip, like freshly cleaned white sheets under the summer sun. The sink was indeed solid, able to bear her weight and withstand further pressure. Xia Jiao pinched Wen Chongyue’s ear, hearing him softly call her: “Jiao Jiao, Jiao Jiao, my little darling.”

The last term made her heart race, as if an electric current surged up her spine. It was like seeing fireworks explode in the night sky, scattering thousands of stars across the dark universe.

Wen Chongyue lifted her, changing positions, and Xia Jiao saw her face in the mirror, like a ripe peach in autumn or the red glow of evening clouds.

She barely recognized herself, her hands gripping the sink as she looked at his lowered face.

No longer gentle and refined, the noble demeanor was lost.

It didn’t matter.

She liked it.

Two days into the National Day holiday, Xia Jiao noticed Wen Chongyue had picked up a rather troublesome “bad habit.” He realized how strongly Xia Jiao reacted to the nickname “little darling,” and instead of stopping, he teased her even more. Xia Jiao couldn’t change her teacher’s odd habit, so she could only accept it, both amused and helpless.

What a strange man.

Neither Wen Chongyue nor Xia Jiao were keen to visit the crowded gardens, but he did take her to Tiger Hill early in the morning. After all, it was home to the iconic Yunyansi Pagoda. Southern hills were mostly gentle and graceful, unlike the towering mountains in the north. These small hills were perfect for walking, allowing them to take in the sights slowly. A light rain had fallen the night before, and the bamboo leaves were fresh, with the sound of birds chirping in the air.

Wen Chongyue had packed a backpack with water and crab roe pastries, ready to feed Xia Jiao whenever she was hungry.

There’s a tea poem that says, “Sit alone in the morning, facing the morning glow.” There weren’t many people on Tiger Hill early in the morning, and the lack of tourists made the place feel even more tranquil. Wen Chongyue had baked cheese and egg toast cups for breakfast. Xia Jiao, who wasn’t used to waking up early, had no appetite, so she hadn’t eaten. Now, it was packed in a small transparent box, and when she took a bite, the toasted edges were crisp, and the cheese and egg yolk blended perfectly, two bites per piece.

Tiger Hill was small, and they had finished walking around in no time. They followed the Seven Li Mountain Alley to Changmen, which felt more like old Suzhou compared to the commercialized Shantang Street. Xia Jiao was curious about the surrounding houses, which were typical of the water town style in Jiangnan, with narrow alleys. People in white shirts rode bicycles leisurely by. Wen Chongyue took the opportunity to pull Xia Jiao closer, and she ended up leaning against his chest, smelling the fresh scent of plants.

Xia Jiao wanted to get lost in the moment.

As they passed a bustling market, someone was selling lotus seeds. Wen Chongyue picked a few large ones, paid for them, peeled them, removed the bitter center, and fed them to Xia Jiao.

There was so much more to enjoy in Suzhou. On the fourth day, they almost visited every open museum in the city. Xia Jiao’s favorite was the Silk Museum and the Fan Museum, small and exquisite, hidden among residential areas.

In the Silk Museum, she found an ivory fan from the Qing Dynasty, intricately carved and beautiful.

Xia Jiao was drawn to the fan, staring at it in awe, murmuring, “So beautiful, it makes my heart flutter…”

While saying this, she noticed Wen Chongyue taking out his phone, looking down at it.

“Is it work-related?” Xia Jiao asked with concern.

Wen Chongyue shook his head. “No, I’m searching for how many years a museum robbery would be sentenced.”

Xia Jiao: “…”

She looked around, not seeing any security guards, and sighed in relief, then seriously covered Wen Chongyue’s lips. “Please don’t continue, Teacher Wen. Right now, I’m not ready to live a widowed life.”

Wen Chongyue calmly put away his phone, held Xia Jiao’s wrist, and gently moved it aside. “Do you not want to leave me?”

Xia Jiao shifted her gaze. She was a bit shy about expressing direct feelings, especially when faced with such a question.

She said, “Mm… mainly because I can’t bear to let go.”

Wen Chongyue sighed, “You’re heartless.”

Xia Jiao responded, “That’s not true.”

To prove the sincerity of her words, she decided to show her gratitude by baking a batch of delicious blueberry shortbread in the oven, as a way to thank Wen Chongyue for his care.

The last three days of the holiday were spent in Yangzhou. With their daughter back home, Father Xia and Mother Xia were naturally pleased. Although Yangzhou was smaller than Suzhou, the pace of life there was slower. With free time on her hands, Xia Jiao went to the Zhongshu Pavilion to read. It was a busy day, and the pavilion was packed. So, she and Wen Chongyue sat together on high stools facing the glass windows.

Xia Jiao stared for a while, then, unconsciously looking up, met Wen Chongyue’s gaze. It was obvious that he was looking at her, his eyes focused.

Xia Jiao touched her face nervously, “Is my makeup too heavy today?”

“No,” he replied.

Xia Jiao let out a sigh of relief, but was still puzzled, “Then what are you looking at?”

Wen Chongyue shifted his gaze, “I’m looking at the sunlight.”

Xia Jiao agreed, “The sunlight today is nice,” she said. It fell on the pages of the book, casting a light shadow, giving a feeling of comfort as if one had jumped onto soft grass in athletic wear.

She loved this kind of life.

It didn’t need to be flashy. There was no need to show off in front of others. Xia Jiao had previously worked in the luxury goods industry and had seen many “noble” people. Due to her job, she had also met many celebrities and people from high society. She admitted that the extravagant lifestyle and attention to every detail were alluring, but it always felt like a dream floating high above, with the risk of falling apart at any moment.

Xia Jiao preferred a stable life.

She didn’t find her current life boring. After all, there was plenty of time to enjoy the blooming flowers, eat, drink, and do whatever she pleased.

Xia Jiao realized that she had no grand ambitions. She didn’t seek wealth or fame, only peace and harmony.

Three meals a day, two people, four seasons, cats, and dogs—

Xia Jiao softly said to Wen Chongyue, “It seems like we don’t have both cats and dogs yet.”

Wen Chongyue raised an eyebrow, “You like dogs?”

Xia Jiao thought for a moment, “If I had to say, I probably like the dogs of my friends?”

Wen Chongyue thought for a moment, “Zhouren has a giant Samoyed, I can take you to see it next time.”

Xia Jiao nodded eagerly. But after a moment, she hesitated and asked, “Can I pet it?”

Wen Chongyue turned his attention back to his book, “You can pet me, but I’m not sure about the dog.”

Xia Jiao: “…”

“But don’t worry,” Wen Chongyue pointed to his cheek, “You can bribe me with a kiss. If Jiao Jiao is willing to give her husband a kiss, I’ll gladly help her get a dog.”

“No need,” Xia Jiao counted her fingers quietly, “Right now, we have Xia Mi and Wen Quan, two cats.”

At this point, she looked up and pointed at Wen Chongyue seriously, “And you.”

“I’ve realized, we already have both cats and dogs.”