Chapter 119 : Sleepiness

On the day of the return trip from Biejing to Changbei Province, it was a rare sunny day. The cold wind seemed to have lessened, and the snow gradually melted under the sunlight, revealing patches of green hidden beneath the white.

The train chugged through various cities, large and small, and finally arrived at its destination.

With Liang Junqiang and Huang Yali’s wedding banquet just three days away, everything went smoothly. Even Ma Xiuzhi praised Liang Qingqing for her meticulous handling of the arrangements, noting that there were no mistakes or oversights.

The praise significantly boosted Liang Qingqing’s confidence. Moreover, since this was her second brother and good friend’s wedding banquet, she was more attentive than anyone else. She oversaw every detail, working from morning till night. Fortunately, there were no errors on the wedding day, and it ended perfectly.

While helping to clear the dining tables, Liang Qingqing thought she glimpsed a familiar figure among the crowd. However, when she looked again more carefully, the person had disappeared. She thought it might have been a trick of her eyes and didn’t pay it much attention, but it left a trace in her heart.

The name Huang Shumin had not appeared in her thoughts for a long time. If she hadn’t seen someone who resembled her today, Liang Qingqing might have forgotten her altogether.

After the uproarious incident, it was unclear what had happened, but the Huang and Deng families surprisingly reconciled and began to visit each other frequently. The villagers, who had long been amused by their scandal, found that gossip about them was a common topic during tea breaks and meals.

Just as everyone was baffled by the turn of events, Huang Shumin grandly married Deng Weiping! The betrothal gifts were tied up in several boxes with red satin, leaving everyone stunned.

Some criticized the Huang family for sacrificing their daughter’s happiness for material gain, while others envied the substantial dowry Huang Shumin received for being a second-hand bride.

Regardless, it had nothing to do with her or the Liang family. Liang Qingqing withdrew her gaze and continued with her own tasks.

Not far away, under a large tree, a woman cautiously peered out. First, she glanced at Liang Qingqing, who was standing in the courtyard. Seeing that Liang Qingqing didn’t look her way again, she sighed in relief. Then, she turned her gaze towards the door of the main hall, her eyes filled with anticipation, hoping to catch one more glimpse of the person she had been thinking about.

The fleeting image from earlier resurfaced in her mind. Today, he was wearing a military overcoat, with a bright red flower pinned to his chest. His short hair was styled in a fashionable way with hair gel, and his face was beaming with a joy that seemed even greater than when he had married her.

He was so handsome and charming that no young man present could compare to him.

But this version of him would never glance at her again.

Huang Shumin clenched her fists, her nails digging into her flesh. Since there was no such thing as a regret pill in this world and they could never go back to the way things were, why couldn’t she choose a path of financial security? Whether the person beside her liked men or women didn’t matter, as her heart already belonged to someone else, and she didn’t care at all.

With this thought, Huang Shumin kept her eyes fixed on the door of the main hall. However, until everyone in the courtyard had dispersed, she couldn’t achieve her wish. To avoid being recognized by acquaintances, she had to leave, glancing back frequently.

—-

In the blink of an eye, the bleakness of winter vanished, replaced by the vibrant spring.

The peach tree planted in the courtyard by Fan Yanxing finally bloomed. Liang Qingqing instructed him to bring over a table and chairs so she could leisurely read under the tree. She had already finished reading the junior and senior high school books once and was now on her second pass, marking every key point.

The sunlight was just right, warming her skin pleasantly. She squinted her eyes, pulling her jacket tighter around herself, and involuntarily covered her mouth as she yawned. She lazily draped her legs over Fan Yanxing, who was sitting beside her, feeling a bit drowsy. Her long eyelashes fluttered and eventually closed.

Not hearing the sound of pages turning for a while, Fan Yanxing sensed something was wrong and looked up suddenly. What met his eyes was an unforgettable, beautiful scene.

The woman in plain clothes was sound asleep, resting against the wooden chair, her breathing steady. Her jacket was nearly slipping off, but she remained oblivious, her cheeks flushed with a delicate pink, like she had applied rouge. She looked both adorable and serene. Her semi-dry long hair fell to her waist, with a few strands lifting gently in the breeze, brushing against his hand and causing a ticklish, alluring sensation.

Behind her, the peach blossoms were in full bloom, with an occasional pink petal falling, creating an enchanting sight.

Fan Yanxing was absorbed in the scene for a long time before coming to his senses. He shook his head with a smile, then closed the book in his hands. Carefully, he picked her up from the chair. Despite the movement, she merely furrowed her brows slightly before leaning against his chest and falling back asleep without even opening her eyes.

Spring made people drowsy, and being able to sleep was a blessing. Recently, she had been like this, and Fan Yanxing had grown accustomed to it.

She slept soundly, and he didn’t want to disturb her. However, the wind outside was strong and the temperature low, so he was concerned that she might catch a cold, which would be a significant loss.

He gently placed her on the bed and tucked her in before leaving the room. Her books were still on the table mostly high school textbooks. He casually flipped open a page, noticing it was filled with meticulous notes.

His fingertip brushed over the handwriting, and he couldn’t help but smile. She used to act as if reading a few classic novels was a life-or-death matter. Now, she didn’t find these textbooks dull at all. It wasn’t enough for her to read alone; she dragged him and their friends and family into it, and even conducted surprise quizzes, imposing “fines” for wrong answers!

She called it responding to the leader’s quotes and becoming a progressive youth.

The sentiment was sound, and everyone agreed wholeheartedly, willingly participating in her study sessions.

Fan Yanxing, however, sensed that there was more to it. She never engaged in “idle matters,” so her insistence on collective learning must have some hidden motive. Although he was curious about the real reason, after seeing it happen repeatedly, he chose not to ask.

Everyone has their own little secrets, and he wouldn’t press too hard to force out the truth.

After tidying up the books and moving the table and chairs back to the main hall, Fan Yanxing headed to the kitchen. Yesterday, Liang Qingqing had insisted on having stir-fried beans with chives, so he had specially gone to the mountain this morning to pick some chives. They were already washed and ready to be cooked.

He estimated when she would wake up and went to pick a few chilies from his garden. He planned to stir-fry them with eggs, which she also liked.

As the food was nearly ready, he heard some noise at the door. He looked up and saw Liang Qingqing standing a short distance away, rubbing her eyes. She was leaning against the doorframe, looking soft and boneless, her voice hoarse from just waking up, “I’m so sleepy.”

The lazy, upward inflection in her voice sounded almost coquettish, making him want to give her the whole world.

“Why not sleep a little longer?” Fan Yanxing hurriedly scooped the eggs onto a plate, and after wiping his hands, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and guided her to sit at the dining table.

Liang Qingqing naturally wrapped her arms around his waist, looking up at him with a smile and a bit of shyness, saying, “I’m hungry.”

Upon hearing this, Fan Yanxing was momentarily stunned. His smile widened, and he teasingly said, “Little pig.”

Who else could eat and sleep like that but a little pig?

“Hmph, if you’re going to insult me, I’m not going to talk to you.” Liang Qingqing abruptly withdrew her hand, turning her head away in feigned annoyance. At first, Fan Yanxing thought she was just pretending to be upset, as they often had small spats, and this wasn’t really an insult.

It wasn’t until he had called out to her several times without receiving a response that he realized something was wrong.

When he rushed over, he saw her red, teary eyes, with tears hanging on her long lashes, her face puffed up in distress as she bit her lower lip hard to stop herself from crying.

Immediately, Fan Yanxing panicked. He hurriedly cupped her face, preparing to wipe away the tears from her eyes. However, as soon as his hand touched her, she forcefully pushed him away.

“You’re scolding me, I was just hungry. Is it really necessary to scold me?” The tears she had been holding back finally burst forth, and one after another, they fell on the back of his hand, causing him to flinch. Without thinking about anything else, he pulled her into his arms, whispering softly, “Qingqing, it’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have scolded you. I’m sorry.”

She struggled to escape from his embrace, but his strong arms were like iron walls, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t move.

Her frustration grew, and she scratched his arm, leaving a red mark that bled slightly.

Seeing this, she swallowed nervously and stopped crying and shouting to leave. Instead, she gradually calmed down, blinking her teary eyes at him with a pitiful expression, as if to say “I didn’t mean it.”

Fan Yanxing couldn’t bear to be angry with her, especially as he felt guilty for mocking her without considering her feelings.

“I won’t say those things again. Can you forgive me, Qingqing? Please stop crying.” He took some tissues from the table to wipe her tears, and seeing her red and swollen eyes, his heart ached as if gripped by a large hand.

Understanding when to push and when to retreat, Liang Qingqing knew these two principles well. Hearing Fan Yanxing’s words, she pretended to hesitate for a couple of seconds before hugging his waist again. She pressed her lips together and asked, “Does it hurt?”

Feeling the touch of her fingertips, Fan Yanxing’s arm trembled, and he shook his head, “It doesn’t hurt.”

How much strength could she possibly have? Even if it did hurt, how much could it really hurt?

“Fan Yanxing, I feel like my temper has been quite unstable lately. Don’t you think so?” Liang Qingqing suddenly looked up, meeting his gaze with a serious expression, her eyes reflecting some confusion.

“I don’t think so.” Without hesitation, Fan Yanxing blurted out the response. After a brief pause, he added, “Girls have those days every month. It’s normal.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Liang Qingqing nodded in agreement, but then her expression suddenly froze. She looked incredulously at her flat stomach, and it took her a while to regain her voice, “I didn’t get it last month, and I haven’t had it this month either.”

Fan Yanxing, who had only then realized the meaning behind Liang Qingqing’s words, felt his pupils constrict sharply. He almost fell off his chair.

Both of them instinctively grabbed the dining table for support, and for a moment, the kitchen was so silent that one could hear their breathing.

“We’re going to the hospital right now.”