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After sending off Liu Shuhan, Cheng Qiuyi took Cheng Boming back home to pack for school. Throughout the ride, Cheng Boming remained sullen.
Once they got home, Cheng Boming focused on stuffing his backpack with the clothes he had brought back, while Cheng Qiuyi went to his room to sort out his luggage. With Liu Shuhan gone, the house felt as if it had lost its support beam and had collapsed.
Cheng Boming visited Cheng Qiuyi's house twice a month; he couldn't keep making him sleep on the sofa. Recently, Cheng Qiuyi had cleared out the study to make it Cheng Boming's bedroom and even set up a small ten-square-meter partition on the balcony to serve as a study.
Cheng Boming's backpack was stuffed full of clothes and homework, and he also wanted to squeeze in a storybook. The small bag was at its limit, and the book just wouldn't fit no matter how hard he tried. Finally, he gave up and plopped down on his small bed, opened the book to a random page, and pulled out a photo from inside.
The photo showed a high school girl in a uniform, her hair tied back in a ponytail that revealed her smooth forehead, smiling brightly. She occupied an unusually large portion of the frame; although it was supposed to be a candid shot, it looked more like a close-up ID photo, only showing her from the shoulders up. Her left arm seemed to extend outward onto another person's shoulder, suggesting it was taken during a group photo, yet she was the only one in the image.
"How do you have Shu Han's photo?"
Cheng Boming sat on the bed with his back to the door. Cheng Qiuyi walked quietly; even the sound of her slippers on the floor was inaudible. She had intended to urge Cheng Boming to hurry up and leave but stumbled upon him engrossed in looking at Liu Shuhan's photo.
This photo was taken by Cheng Qiuyi. After going abroad, she realized she had lost it and searched frantically for it without success. She had been quite upset about it for some time, not expecting to find it in Cheng Boming's hands.
"What are you doing in here? Why didn't you knock!" Cheng Boming jumped up as if someone had stepped on his tail, his short hair standing on end as he bared his teeth like a small animal whose territory had been invaded.
Cheng Qiuyi snatched the photo from Cheng Boming's hand and waved it in the air. "How do you have Shu Han's photo?"
"I found it!" Cheng Boming replied defiantly. "My mom said this is my future wife sent by Heavenly Father! Sister Shuhan will eventually be my wife!"
The photo that Cheng Qiuyi had desperately searched for years ago wasn't lost; she simply hadn't taken it with her. It had been forgotten between the pages of a book for many years. Later on, Cheng Qiuyi's bedroom became off-limits for the Cheng family. When Cheng Boming was little and curious, he sneaked into Cheng Qiuyi's room and discovered this long-hidden photo.
Cheng Boming held up a photo and asked Shen Wenqin who the girl in it was. Shen Wenqin, busy with her work, casually made up a story, saying she was his future wife.
"But I don't know this sister!"
"This is fate given by heaven. Boming is still young; he'll understand when he grows up. Now go play," Shen Wenqin dismissed him at that moment.
Cheng Boming didn't understand what fate meant, but since his mother said she was his wife, she must be. His mother never lied or deceived him.
He looked at the photo of his "wife" day and night, growing fonder and finding her more beautiful with each glance.
Liu Shuhan had been puzzled about why Cheng Boming was so attentive to her despite their limited encounters. The one who knew the truth first was Cheng Qiuyi.
After listening to Cheng Boming's awkward story, Cheng Qiuyi couldn't help but laugh, "It really is fate given by heaven, but unfortunately, heaven didn't let her be your wife; it made her my wife—your master’s wife."
"Hmph, who says a master’s wife can't marry her disciple?"
"You little rascal, that's outrageous! Get out of here and go back to school."
Cheng Qiuyi felt something tugging at the hem of his clothes and looked down to see Cheng Boming's short, chubby hand gripping him.
"Master, you must treat the mistress very well in the future."
Cheng Qiuyi slapped him on the head, "Nonsense! Do I need you to teach me that?"
Cheng Qiuyi recalled that the photo was still in her hand. She looked at it and handed it back to Cheng Boming. The memory of taking that picture came flooding back, both awkward and amusing.
At that time, the school organized an autumn outing, and Cheng Qiuyi wanted to take a picture of Liu Shuhan. Back then, cameras were a rare commodity, and other classmates were clamoring to be in the frame. As a result, by the end of the day, there wasn't a single solo shot of Liu Shuhan. Unable to do anything else, Cheng Qiuyi had to resort to some tricks while taking photos, resulting in this rather awkward picture.
When the photo was developed, Liu Shuhan laughed heartily at Cheng Qiuyi. "Qiu Yi, I thought you were more capable than this; your photography skills aren't that great."
At that time, Cheng Qiuyi's skin wasn't as thick as it was now. Liu Shuhan's words made her blush with embarrassment as she snatched the photo back in frustration. "If you don't like it, give it back to me."
"I like it! I really do! Don't misunderstand, Qiu Yi! I really like this photo..." Liu Shuhan's face was even more flushed than hers as she stared at Cheng Qiuyi's reddening earlobes.
Some passing classmates saw their interaction and teased them like onlookers at a spectacle. "What are you two doing? With those red faces, anyone would think you're confessing your feelings."
The passing classmate probably never imagined that their casual joke would turn out to be prophetic.
...
That night, Liu Shuhan lay awake in bed, lost in thought.
Earlier on the train, Xu Ruyun had jumped straight to the topic of "When are you and Cheng Qiuyi getting married?" skipping over any mention of forcing her to break up with Cheng Qiuyi. Liu Shuhan's heart couldn't handle it.
"Mom, what are you talking about? Please don't scare me..." Liu Shuhan's legs trembled uncontrollably.
"What? You two aren't planning to get married?" Xu Ruyun's expression darkened. "What did I say? You young people are so irresponsible; how can it be like this? Dating without the intention of marriage is..."
"Wait!" Liu Shuhan interrupted her mother's impending lengthy lecture by pressing her temples. "Mom, yesterday you were adamantly against it, so how come today... Are you still my mom?"
"You little brat, is that how you talk to your mother? Let me tell you, Cheng Qiuyi has already agreed to the wedding, and your opinion doesn't count!"
Thus, the topic came to an end.
Xu Ruyun had always been strong-willed and accustomed to making decisions on her own. Even though she was stubborn, her words to Liu Shuhan indicated that she had already made a concession.
Liu Shuhan couldn't contain her joy and tossed and turned on the bed, eager to share the good news with Cheng Qiuyi.
No, Cheng Qiuyi must have known about it long ago; they must have conspired together and kept it from her!
Liu Shuhan ground her back teeth in frustration. Cheng Qiuyi, you really are something else.
Her mind raced with thoughts throughout the night, and by three in the morning, her eyes were still wide open like bells. At that moment, Cheng Qiuyi sent a text message.
[I’m downstairs at your place.]
Liu Shuhan tossed her phone aside and dashed downstairs.
The community where Liu Shuhan lived was only a few years younger than her. The trees were dense, and the dim light from the street lamps was obscured by the rustling leaves, making it truly impossible to see anything.
Cheng Qiuyi's car was parked in the shadows by the roadside. She leaned against the car door with her arms crossed over her chest. When she saw Liu Shuhan come down, she flirtatiously tossed her hair. Unfortunately, in the darkness, Liu Shuhan could see nothing but her silhouette gesturing wildly by the roadside.
"Driving on the highway in the middle of the night, are you crazy?" Liu Shuhan scolded Cheng Qiuyi, leaving her a bit stunned.
"I... I just couldn't wait any longer..." Cheng Qiuyi was at a loss. Why was this so different from what she had imagined? Shouldn't they be embracing each other and sharing their feelings at a moment like this? "Shu Han, you're not following the script..."
Liu Shuhan didn't want to argue with her and quickly led her back home.
Liu Shuhan's bed was small; it was cramped for two people, pushed against the corner of the room, with her parents' bedroom on the other side of the wall.
After tossing and turning for half the night, Liu Shuhan and Cheng Qiuyi finally shared a pillow. With that, sleep came easier, and she sighed contentedly, "After all the struggles, Qiu Yi, we finally made it."
"Thanks to your parents' open-mindedness; otherwise, who knows when we would have reached this day."
Maybe they would never have reached it.
"Qiu Yi, how did you convince my parents? You're amazing!" Liu Shuhan turned to look at Cheng Qiuyi with sparkling eyes.
Cheng Qiuyi also turned to face Liu Shuhan, gazing deeply into her eyes.
They lay side by side on the shared pillow, less than a centimeter apart. At such a close distance, Cheng Qiuyi's farsightedness made it hard for her to see clearly; Liu Shuhan appeared somewhat blurry.
"Shu Han, I'm really envious of you for having such a good father."
Just that one sentence was enough.
Liu Shuhan's hand was intertwined with Cheng Qiuyi's under the covers. "From now on, he is also your father."
Cheng Qiuyi's hand moved slightly under the blanket, and Liu Shuhan felt something on her finger. She extended her hand, raised it into the air, and carefully examined it under the dim light of the lamp.
On her left middle finger was a delicate silver metal ring, adorned with elegant dark patterns and a transparent crystal that reflected the faint light from the lamp. It was Liu Shuhan's first time wearing a ring; she held her hand high in the air, momentarily lost in thought.
"Shu Han, marry me."
Before meeting Cheng Qiuyi again, Liu Shuhan thought her fate would be to live a life of solitude.
She didn't like men and couldn't fall in love with any woman other than Cheng Qiuyi. The best outcome for her life seemed to be dying alone or, succumbing to her parents' pressure, weakly marrying a man she despised.
It must be that she had done good deeds in her past life for all this good fortune to fall upon her in this one.
Liu Shuhan stared at the small stone, the light reflecting into her eyes, making them sting.
"Cheng Qiuyi, I want to cry again," Liu Shuhan said while looking at the ring.
Cheng Qiuyi raised his right hand and pulled Liu Shuhan's left hand back into his grasp.
"Then go ahead and cry."
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