After saying hello to Gong Mingjie, Xu Qinghuan left the Xinhua Bookstore.
The chilly, damp feeling on her body vanished completely in the sunlight, and Xu Qinghuan felt much better.
Jiang Xingye walked over from the end of the street. Xu Qinghuan looked up at him, then stood under the tree shade.
Jiang Xingye paused slightly, feeling unsure of what to do. Should he go over, or should he stay away? He wasn’t sure if Xu Qinghuan wanted to see him at the mont.
Song Wanlin must have said a lot in front of her, but how would she feel after hearing it?
Xu Qinghuan placed two leftover soda bottles on the ground, and Jiang Xingye quickly ca over, picking them up, "I’ll return the bottles."
A bottle still had a deposit of five cents at the supply and marketing cooperative.
Xu Qinghuan followed slowly, and as they were crossing the street, a bicycle rushed towards them, almost hitting her.
Jiang Xingye was terrified, nearly losing his soul, and he grabbed her hand, only letting go when they reached the cooperative’s entrance.
Xu Qinghuan didn’t go inside but crouched down on the steps at the entrance, feeling a bit irritated, grabbing a dry twig to play with the ants that were moving house.
Jiang Xingye ca out and stood beside her for a while. When Xu Qinghuan stood up, neither of them spoke, instead walking along the road.
The sycamore trees were lush and vibrant, and despite the autumn tiger’s rampage, there was a hint of coolness in the air.
"What did she just say to you?" Xu Qinghuan asked, glancing sideways at Jiang Xingye.
After a sumr, his skin was tanned, but it shone with a glossy glow. His nose bridge was high, his jaw firm, and his side profile had sharp, handso lines, extending down to his alluring Adam’s apple.
Xu Qinghuan’s fingers curled slightly.
"Nothing much," Jiang Xingye cautiously replied, looking at her, "Huanhuan, are you still angry?"
In an unguarded mont, Jiang Xingye raised his hand and gently brushed her braid.
"Yes, a bit angry."
Next to them, the wall was covered with climbing roses, red, white, and pink, blooming vibrantly.
Xu Qinghuan’s fingers gently brushed over the petals.
Jiang Xingye watched, feeling parched. Her hand was pale and delicate, her fingers tinged with pink, more beautiful than the flowers.
"It’s my fault. I won’t say those things again in the future."
"Which things?" Xu Qinghuan looked up at him, "Do you know why I’m angry?"
Jiang Xingye felt uncertain.
Beside them was a park, no tickets needed, and it was noon with hardly anyone around. Xu Qinghuan turned in, and Jiang Xingye followed behind her, finding a bench by the lake to sit down.
Facing an artificial lake, reeds grew thickly, with several willows bending towards the water, the soft branches sweeping the lake surface, a cool breeze blowing by.
Finally, there was so wind.
Xu Qinghuan leaned back against the bench, not in a hurry to speak, while Jiang Xingye’s mind was racing, thinking hard, finally stamring, "Is it... because I... asked about getting married?"
Xu Qinghuan: "Yes!"
Jiang Xingye felt as if his heart had taken a heavy blow, the pain causing him to twitch, his hands gripping the edge of the bench tightly. Knowing the reason was one thing, hearing Xu Qinghuan say it was another.
He hadn’t refrained from testing her. When she was emotional, he’d deliberately teased her, saying after marriage she’d have her way.
In Yan City, when she bought a house, Huo Chi asked if it was a marital ho. Even though he knew it wasn’t, there was still a hidden joy in his heart.
"Xingye, have you ever thought about our future?" Xu Qinghuan asked, looking into the distance, "You must have thought about it, right? How did you imagine it?"
Jiang Xingye didn’t dare to tell the truth, an unprecedented bitterness rising in his heart, "I’ve thought about it, just wanting you to be well in the future, to have braised pork and white rice, and no one bullying you, for you to be happy every day."
This wish was very simple.
Xu Qinghuan said, "But have you ever thought about yourself? Have you thought about what would truly be good for ?"
Jiang Xingye had thought, of course, he had thought. He had more than once imagined them always being together, never parting. He would do his best to treat her well, her every word and action bringing him joy and satisfaction.
He wanted to strive to stand on the sa level as her, but he knew perhaps that day would never co.
His Huanhuan was too exceptional.
He was afraid the ti he took to catch up would be too long, and she wouldn’t wait.
"I’ve thought about it," Jiang Xingye said truthfully but also lied.
"Xingye, you haven’t thought about it." Xu Qinghuan had him turn around, facing each other, her hands resting on his knees, "Did Song Wanlin say sothing really unpleasant to you just now?"
Jiang Xingye looked at her in surprise. As the wind blew, it lifted a strand of her hair, covering her face.
Jiang Xingye brushed it aside, "It doesn’t matter what she says, I just won’t listen."
"But you did listen!" Xu Qinghuan looked into his eyes, so dark, so bright, that no matter the occasion, when she looked at him, those beautiful eyes always had only her in them.
He seed to see only her.
"You’ve never thought about our future because you just want to accompany for a stretch, ready to let go at any mont. When I went to Yan City, you caught up to find , not to go with but to hear say goodbye in person."
Jiang Xingye’s hands hung by his sides, tightly clenching the edge of his pants, veins bulging.
"Song Wanlin must have said so harsh words. You’re not unaffected; you think she makes a lot of sense. Everyone thinks you are reaching for , and in your heart, you think so too. But Xingye, I’ve never understood, in your heart, compared to , where do you fall short?"
Tears welled in Xu Qinghuan’s eyes as she looked at him.
"You took everyone else’s words to heart, but you never took mine to heart. I’ve said, in this world, I only have you. Yes, it’s true, I will indeed return to the city in the future;
I’ve also said, we will go to the city together. If you’re unwilling to leave the Shangjiang Team, I won’t force you, just like you’ve never forced ."
Tears stread down her cheeks, dropping onto Jiang Xingye’s legs.
He embraced Xu Qinghuan tightly, kissing the top of her head fiercely, "I don’t mind, in the future, when you return to the city, I will try to return to the city with you."
I am just afraid, afraid that when you have more choices in the future, you won’t want .
Xu Qinghuan’s head rested on his chest, her hands gripping his clothes tightly, "Xingye, does being with ... make you very miserable?"
Jiang Xingye felt as if he’d been struck by lightning, panic spreading, his whole body becoming as stiff as a statue, "Huanhuan, what are you saying?"
Xu Qinghuan lifted her head from his embrace, her fingertips lightly resting on the side of his face, "I pursued you from the start. Everyone said I was with you just to avoid work; here, I was all alone without support, looking for a local as a pillar, so no one would dare bully ;
Xingye, actually, they weren’t wrong. With you, no one in the Shangjiang Team dared to bully . But, Xingye, I’ve never asked you, being with , what do you hope for?"
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