[05]

Meng Qiran also returned to Nancheng.

On the first day of the New Year, the three of them had a meal together.

At the restaurant they used to frequent, Meng Qiran had already arrived early.

He wore a black hoodie with a black padded jacket draped over the chair back. His skin had darkened a few shades, and the sharp, striking handsomeness of the past had become somewhat restrained as a result.

A bouquet of lilies sat beside him. When Chen Qingwu walked to the table, he immediately handed them to her.

Now, he could only give her lilies.

Chen Qingwu was delighted, hugged the flowers to thank him, and when she sat down, her long hair slipped from her shoulder. Someone reached out before her to tuck her hair back.

Meng Qiran glanced at the hand resting on Chen Qingwu’s shoulder, lowered his gaze, picked up the water pitcher, and poured lemon water for them.

Meng Qiran hadn’t been home for most of the past half year. He occasionally updated his social media with nine-grid photos, without captions or location tags. No one knew exactly where he was.

The first topic was naturally Meng Fuyuan asking where he’d been for the past half year.

“Northern Europe, Russia.”

“To see the Northern Lights?” Chen Qingwu asked.

“Didn’t go specifically for that. Before coming back, I happened to see them in Murmansk.”

“I didn’t see you post on social media?”

“I took photos, just too lazy to post them.”

“Did you send the postcards?” Chen Qingwu asked with a laugh. “I checked my mailbox, but never received any.”

“Forgot to send them.” Meng Qiran said with a smile.

“That’s good, I was afraid they got lost in the mail.”

Meng Qiran glanced at her, smiled, picked up his water glass to drink, and asked them how things had been lately.

Chen Qingwu said there wasn’t much change—every day was still making and firing ceramics. As for Meng Fuyuan, he worked overtime almost daily, negotiating financing, negotiating orders… constantly running to various social engagements.

“And with the family?”

Meng Fuyuan: “Same as before.”

Meng Qiran said: “Since I’ve been back, Mom and Dad have been asking me about you two. I think they may have come around, just can’t save face for now.”

Meng Fuyuan said flatly: “We’ll see.”

Meng Qiran stopped trying to persuade him.

Some things he only understood clearly during this past half year drifting outside. Previously, living within the situation, he always thought everything was natural and inevitable: his childhood friend would naturally become his lover when he was willing, his parents would naturally always be his support, friends would naturally be at his beck and call, his world would naturally always be lively and bustling.

However, everything he thought was natural and inevitable was actually what many people strived for but could not obtain.

Meng Fuyuan asked Meng Qiran about his plans for the new year.

“Stay in the country for a while first, record the songs, then we’ll see.”

“You wrote new songs?” Chen Qingwu asked.

“Yeah, wrote a few.”

“Last time I saw Wang Yu’s social media, he’s getting ready to marry.”

“Right. The wedding is in March.”

“Then the band members will all go, I suppose.”

Meng Qiran nodded. “Should be.”

He realized that from now on, he and Chen Qingwu would probably only be like today—not estranged, but never closer than this either.

After finishing the meal, the three left the restaurant.

Meng Fuyuan and Chen Qingwu planned to walk back, while Meng Qiran had another engagement with friends.

After saying goodbye at the entrance, Meng Qiran walked toward the convenience store on the side street of the building.

After taking two steps, he looked back.

Standing in the shadows of the neon lights, he saw them crossing the street, talking about something unknown. Chen Qingwu was laughing loudly, as if she didn’t need to care about her image at all.

Her hand was constantly held in Meng Fuyuan’s grasp.

[06]

Getting that knight’s outfit took quite a bit of effort.

Chen Qingwu initially searched online for similar clothing, but the ready-made products for sale had rough texture—the cheapness of the fabric could be intuitively felt even from the pictures. She absolutely couldn’t bear to have Meng Fuyuan wear such inferior clothing.

So she decided to go the custom-made route.

There had been a group photo at that year’s Christmas party, but the album was at the Meng family home and couldn’t be obtained for the time being.

She could only recreate it from memory. She drew a sketch herself and went to find a merchant to custom-make it.

She took Meng Fuyuan’s measurements herself, sent the data to the merchant, then discussed and selected the fabric. The merchant hand-sewed the approximate style, then made fine adjustments.

From start to finish, it took three months to receive it.

But as they say, good things come to those who wait. She was very satisfied with the finished garment. It wasn’t a one-to-one replica of that year’s outfit but had been adjusted based on aesthetics and practical wearability.

This day, after Meng Fuyuan came home, showered, and changed clothes to prepare dinner in the kitchen, Chen Qingwu returned.

He greeted her, but she walked straight into the kitchen and dragged him outside.

Meng Fuyuan was led by Chen Qingwu into the dressing room. She went straight to remove the shirt he was wearing. He was stunned for a moment. “Aren’t we eating dinner first?”

“What are you thinking! I want you to try on clothes!”

She opened the bag she’d been carrying since entering and took out the knight’s outfit.

Navy blue fabric, mandarin collar in suit style, double row of brass buttons, with epaulettes and sash, and a black leather belt. The originally somewhat ostentatious Attila jacket had been changed to a black cape, and the sword had been changed to a leather gun holster.

In terms of form, this outfit was more like a military uniform.

Meng Fuyuan had thought the outfit too ostentatious even in high school. At his current age, wearing such clothing again was like undergoing torture.

But he couldn’t resist Chen Qingwu’s fondness for it.

She cupped her face, looking at the mirror with starry eyes.

Meng Fuyuan was 187 centimeters tall. The effect when worn was even better than she’d anticipated—the outfit was crisp and structured, and the epaulettes and belt made his shoulders look broad and his waist narrow.

He glanced over with a reserved, cool temperament that perfectly matched this outfit.

“Meng Fuyuan.”

“Mm?”

“You won’t be eating dinner for a while.”

Meng Fuyuan took a moment to react, raising his eyebrows slightly.

Chen Qingwu grabbed his wrist and led him out of the bedroom to the study.

He was pushed to sit in the leather chair. Chen Qingwu’s knee pressed against the edge of the chair as she looked down at him from above.

Today she had gone out wearing a black slip dress paired with a denim jacket. The jacket had been removed, and the satin black dress made her look like white magnolia inserted in a black glazed vase.

When she lowered her head, her long hair like black seaweed fell down, brushing past his cheek with a water-mist fragrance.

Chen Qingwu’s palm pressed against his chest, her breath falling on the tip of his nose: “Are you willing to follow my orders?”

He involuntarily said: “…Willing.”

Chen Qingwu noticed his Adam’s apple rolling slightly and laughed softly. Her slender fingers moved slowly downward from his chest, touching the brass buckle of the leather belt. She had fastened it, so naturally she also knew how to unfasten it in one second.

Meng Fuyuan narrowed his eyes slightly, tacitly permitting all her movements.

Until that water-mist fragrance suddenly moved away from his cheek. He started, immediately reaching out to press Chen Qingwu’s shoulder. “Qingwu, you can’t…”

Chen Qingwu looked up at him. Though it was an upward gaze, it carried a kind of condescending pride: “I order you not to move.”

Meng Fuyuan struggled for a moment but ultimately let go. His hands rested on the chair’s armrests, his head tilted back slightly, eyes tightly closed. This wasn’t necessarily the right approach because with vision lost, touch became more obvious, but he didn’t dare open his eyes, afraid his gaze would be a kind of desecration.

However, Chen Qingwu gave another order: “Open your eyes and look at me.”

This sentence was the beginning of everything falling apart.

Meng Fuyuan opened his eyes, gripping the armrests even tighter. He remembered her order and didn’t dare move at all. A thin layer of sweat appeared on his forehead, and everything before his eyes seemed somewhat unfocused and hazy.

However, Chen Qingwu’s actions seemed to be forcing him to disobey the order. He knew that if this continued, he would definitely succumb to the basest instinct.

Taking a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment, he ultimately still reached out and grabbed her arm. Just as he was about to lift her up, she suddenly intensified the stimulation—at such a moment, this was nothing less than a form of extreme torture.

Meng Fuyuan yanked her up, trembling as he pulled her into his embrace, also soiling her dress in the process.

Meng Fuyuan’s fingers lifted her chin. A somewhat triumphant smile hung on her face. He furrowed his brow and without hesitation lightly bit her water-stained lips, warning: “Qingwu, don’t do this again next time.”

“Why? Don’t you like it…”

Meng Fuyuan chose to seal her words with a kiss.

This custom-made outfit, from materials to craftsmanship, was quite expensive, yet Chen Qingwu had no psychological burden about soiling it.

Her forehead pressed against that rigid fabric, the brass buttons pressing into her skin. Her palm fell limply, and between light and heavy breaths, she asked Meng Fuyuan: “Did you like any girls in high school?”

“No.”

“Really?”

“Qingwu, I’ve only liked one person in my life.”

Meng Fuyuan kissed the corner of her eyes that were physiologically misting with tears. “…You know who that is.”

[07]

The vast majority of people in the world probably cannot escape the torment of renovation.

Chen Qingwu and Meng Fuyuan were no exception.

Even though they found the most reliable designer and renovation team, and hired the most responsible supervisor.

This was their first home, so they inevitably invested more emotion and attention. Outside of work, they would often drive over to check on the progress.

Meng Fuyuan was very meticulous. Whenever there was a discrepancy, he would demand the renovation team make corrections. He had paid the money in full, so he must require results that matched the cost.

Just like that, from spring to autumn, a full seven months, the structural renovation was finally complete.

While leaving it to ventilate, they hired a landscape designer to design and work on the garden, and at the same time began selecting soft furnishings with the designer.

From large items like sofas to small items like throw pillows, they carefully chose each one without getting tired of it.

Chen Qingwu had previously found it hard to imagine that Meng Fuyuan, such a busy person, would have this much patience to repeatedly compare lampshades with her—whether silk or paper would have a better effect.

The garden also gradually began to take shape.

This day after work, Meng Fuyuan drove to the new home.

In the yard, Chen Qingwu and the landscape designer were planting a tree.

The soil had already been prepared. Chen Qingwu stood up and dusted the dirt off her hands.

Meng Fuyuan looked at the tree: “A lemon tree?”

The wind passed through the leaves with a rustling sound.

Chen Qingwu looked at him. “Yes. I thought, we have someone in our family who knows how to care for it.”

The lemon tree was previously mentioned in Chapter 36.