Chapter 97 : Department Store

Fan Yanxing’s gaze was focused and sincere, as if he could see only her in the entire world. For a moment, Liang Qingqing wanted to hold his face and kiss him, using her actions to convey her genuine and passionate emotions.

But the surrounding noise eventually broke her train of thought.

Suppressing her racing heartbeat, Liang Qingqing took a deep breath, her eyes curving into a smile as she softly and playfully said, “Then I’ll choose the most beautiful dress later and give you the most stunning bride.”

Upon hearing this, Fan Yanxing also smiled, “Okay.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the two of them shared a silent glance, seeing the heartbeats of restraint in each other’s eyes, like a spring breeze, causing sweet, ticklish sensations.

Before long, it was their turn to take photos. A young assistant directed them on expressions and poses, while an experienced master made the final adjustments. The division of labor was clear, and every word they said hit the mark, indicating their rich experience.

“Bride, lean a bit towards the groom.”

“Smooth out the braid on the left side, yes, move it a little to the side.”

After the formal photos were taken, the young assistant suggested taking some informal ones, less rigid and more relaxed. Liang Qingqing had no objections, but then wasn’t sure how to pose.

“Just be natural. Even if the bride is pretty, don’t smile so stiffly. Watch how I smile.”

The assistant made an exaggerated expression, and Liang Qingqing couldn’t help but laugh. Fan Yanxing instinctively turned his head to look at her, just as a flash and a click sounded.

“This is the most lively one!” The master lifted his head from behind the black cloth, excitedly saying, “Let’s take two more.”

Hearing this, the two exchanged a glance, and another series of clicks followed before they could react. The master continued to praise and snap photos.

When they left the photo studio, Liang Qingqing was still a bit dazed. “So we’ve just paid the deposit like that?”

She felt a pang of regret as she handed over the money. The photos would only be seen after they were developed, and Fan Yanxing, being easily persuaded, had decided to get all the photos and have three copies of each printed.

What if the photos didn’t turn out well? Wouldn’t that be a waste of money?

“Hmm, I trust their judgment.” Fan Yanxing’s smile didn’t fade, his face clearly showing “refreshing and delighted.”

Was it just a few compliments about their perfect match and ideal couple? Why was he so happy?

Liang Qingqing bit her lip, said nothing, but a hint of a smile flashed in her eyes. Realizing her own inconsistency, she cleared her throat and changed the topic. “Let’s go to the state-run restaurant for a meal, and then buy wedding supplies.”

“Let’s go to the department store then. Oh, I just remembered that my sister has a friend who gave her a convenient camera. I’ll ask her to send it to me, so we can use it to take pictures at the wedding.”

“Isn’t your sister coming then?”

After the words slipped out, Liang Qingqing paused, realizing what she had just said, and felt a pang of regret. Actually, Fan Yanxing probably already knew that his sister likely wouldn’t come “The capital city is so far away, and with her having work, it’s hard to even get an introduction letter. Let’s not make her come.”

Both of them stopped in their tracks. Fan Yanxing tilted his head to look at her, his eyes reflecting a bit of guilt. “Qingqing, this matter is…”

Liang Qingqing couldn’t stand seeing him like this and said half-jokingly, “What’s the matter? Have you fallen for someone else?”

“No, that’s not it.”

Fan Yanxing knew very well what Liang Qingqing was aiming for with her words. The more she said this, the more uncomfortable he felt. He had promised himself to give her the best wedding, but if even his parents couldn’t be present, what kind of best wedding was it?

He clenched his fist and after a long while, he finally mustered the courage to say, “My parents and my sister might not be able to come to our wedding banquet.”

Liang Qingqing nodded, “It’s fine. When Sister Qin Zhen got married, her relatives didn’t come either. It’s so far away and inconvenient to travel, we understand.”

“It’s not the same.” Fan Yanxing lowered his gaze and said solemnly, “They want to come but can’t, but my parents…”

“I know already. Is it that your parents don’t agree with our marriage?” Liang Qingqing interrupted his self-pitying explanation. She patted his arm and said, “But are you going to not marry me just because they disagree? Are you going to divorce me in the future just because they don’t approve?”

“Of course not!” Fan Yanxing answered decisively without hesitation.

Liang Qingqing smiled, shrugged, and said, “Then that’s settled. Marriage is between the two of us. Having our parents’ blessings is just a bonus. If not… well, it won’t have much impact. After all, I’m living with you, not with your parents.”

“Of course, all this is based on the fact that you, Fan Yanxing, are a trustworthy man. I know you wouldn’t let others mistreat or neglect me. If it were someone else, I wouldn’t be willing to marry.”

Liang Qingqing had a clear view on this matter. From the day she got close to Fan Yanxing, she knew his family was difficult to deal with. She had long prepared herself for a tough fight. No, rather, she had prepared herself for never getting along with them.

Two years away, she didn’t believe their hands could reach so far.

Even if they moved back to the capital city in the future, Liang Qingqing would not allow anyone to disrupt their family. But if the worst-case scenario occurred, and Fan Yanxing wavered, making her compromise and lower herself to please his parents, then she would have no choice but to handle it with a divorce.

She had never humbled herself to please even her own parents, so why should she grovel to a pair of people who tried to tear her family apart? The relationship between in-laws and a daughter-in-law should be based on mutual respect. If they wouldn’t give her respect, why should she give them any?

Everyone has their dignity, after all!

“Do you understand what I’m saying?” Liang Qingqing, noticing Fan Yanxing standing there in a daze, looked at him with curiosity and covered her mouth, laughing, “What’s wrong? Are you stunned?”

“I understand. Qingqing, you’re right. It’s no longer about parents’ orders or matchmaking. Whether they agree or not isn’t so important.” Fan Yanxing’s tense emotions relaxed, and he looked at Liang Qingqing with intense gaze. “I was just afraid you might mind, which is why I didn’t tell you. Now that I know your thoughts, I’m relieved.”

“From now on, don’t keep things from me. It’s much better to talk things out.” Liang Qingqing had come to understand why Ma Xiuzhi always emphasized the importance of discussing issues openly. Bottling things up, even if they seemed trivial at first, could become a problem later.

It affects family harmony, causes misunderstandings, and strains relationships.

It’s simply not worth it.

“You should also tell me if you have something on your mind. We shouldn’t hide anything from each other.”

Hearing this, Liang Qingqing managed a reluctant smile and nodded. She was a bit surprised at how adept he was at drawing parallels, even connecting such matters back to her.

“My relationship with my sister is good. She hopes I marry someone I truly like. She knows about our situation and likes you very much. The food and snow flower cream from the capital were all bought by her. But our family’s situation is special. As soon as she arrives, my parents will know about us immediately, so she can’t come.”

Mentioning Fan Yajun, Fan Yanxing couldn’t help but sigh.

“It’s a pity. If I get the chance, I’ll definitely thank her in person.” Liang Qingqing sighed as well, curious about what Fan Yanxing’s sister was like.

“There will be a chance.” Fan Yanxing tilted his head. With their proximity, she could see his handsome profile clearly. Wearing a white shirt, he looked exceptionally dashing and clean, with a youthful charm he didn’t usually display.

“Will you wear a white shirt at our wedding too?”

“I can’t wear it for a winter wedding, but I can wear it underneath. I’ll take it off in the evening just for you.”

His words were ambiguous, causing Liang Qingqing’s ears to turn bright red. She gave Fan Yanxing an annoyed look, “I’m not talking to you anymore.”

She took the lead and ran ahead. Fan Yanxing smiled and quickly caught up with her, soothing her gently for a while until she let out a soft huff, signaling that she was no longer upset.

The department store was the most upscale place in the entire provincial capital. A five-story building covered entirely in tiles, it resembled the shopping malls of later years, but all the shops inside were state-owned, selling a wide variety of goods. The two of them first had a meal at a state-run restaurant before starting their shopping.

Since they were buying wedding supplies, their purchases were quite varied. Liang Qingqing bought whatever caught her eye, and in the end, Fan Yanxing’s hands were so full he could barely carry everything before she finally stopped.

“Let’s go buy a watch too. You’ll definitely need it for work now. I’ve got the money ready.” Fan Yanxing pointed to the fifth floor, where all the expensive items were watches costing hundreds to thousands.

A watch was one of the three essential items and had to be bought sooner or later. Moreover, Fan Yanxing was right she did need a watch to better keep track of time.

So the two of them headed straight to the fifth floor. The salesperson, seeing their large number of bags, immediately recognized that they were likely buying items for their wedding. They were very accommodating and enthusiastically introduced a range of watches that suited Liang Qingqing.

In the end, Liang Qingqing chose a delicate and compact women’s watch from a Shanghai brand. It wasn’t particularly expensive, but it wasn’t cheap either. The price wasn’t the most important thing; what mattered most was that it suited her.

The silver dial complemented her snow-white skin, like a peeled egg.

“Thank you for the watch from Comrade Fan. This young lady is very grateful.” Liang Qingqing playfully winked at Fan Yanxing, who was paying, and kept admiring the watch on her wrist.

Her words made both Fan Yanxing and the salesperson laugh.

“You two really are a loving couple, your affection is so strong.”

“We’re not married yet, that’ll be at the end of the year,” Liang Qingqing said, rarely engaging in conversation. When she smiled, her whole face seemed to come alive, looking exceptionally beautiful.

“Well, that’s coming up soon. I’ll wish you both a happy marriage in advance.” The salesperson was skilled with words, offering compliments that made Liang Qingqing smile with delight.

Throughout it all, Fan Yanxing’s gaze remained fixed on Liang Qingqing’s face, The tenderness in his eyes was like a pool of autumn water, making people want to drown in it.