The two returned to the new district, and Sun Jingcheng collapsed onto the sofa after changing his shoes. He neither exercised nor washed up.
Zhou Yu went to take a shower first. Coming out, she remembered the clothes she’d washed in the morning still weren’t hung up, so she hurried to take them out of the washing machine, shaking each piece vigorously before hanging them on the balcony.
Sun Jingcheng found her noise too loud and covered his ears.
After hanging the clothes, she went to the counter and opened the Musang King durian Second Sister-in-law had given her. First she pried open a crack, pressed her nose to it and took a deep sniff, then reverently opened it fully, picked out the most plump and adorable piece to put on a plate, and carried it back to sit on the sofa and watch a movie.
Sun Jingcheng smelled it and looked up, then pinched his nose shut.
Zhou Yu urged him to go shower. He said he was tired, wasn’t going to, and pillowed his head on her lap while pinching his nose.
Zhou Yu ignored him and focused on eating her durian. After finishing and wiping her hands, she took out her phone to cast a movie she wanted to watch, then lowered the volume, turned off the living room light, and patted his back saying, “Go to sleep.”
The two-and-a-half-hour movie was almost over when Sun Jingcheng woke up and watched the last part with her, asking as he watched—who was the murderer in the end? Zhou Yu was annoyed with him. “Can’t you just watch? You ask endless questions.”
“Then rewind it, I want to watch from the beginning.”
“In your dreams.”
“Then tell me who the murderer is?”
“How would I know before the ending? The plot keeps reversing.”
“So who do you think it is?”
“It’s you!” Zhou Yu said. “Why are you just like your mom—nag, nag, nag…”
“What did my mom do to you?”
Speaking of his mom, Zhou Yu said to him, “You shouldn’t have spoken against your mom today.”
“When did I speak against my mom?”
“Your sister and Second Sister-in-law were going on and on, and you came up without understanding the situation and just followed your sister in criticizing your mom.” Zhou Yu lectured him. “There were so many people in the room—son, daughters, daughters-in-law all criticizing her at once. Even if she really was wrong… If a student in my class is criticized by the Chinese teacher, the math teacher and I won’t pile on.”
“But Mom was fine in the end, wasn’t she? Still laughing and chatting at the dinner table.”
“Could she argue with all of you?” Zhou Yu said. “Didn’t you notice her eyelids were swollen? Dad even came up once to pour Mom a glass of brown sugar water. And when Dad went back down, he changed his shoes too.”
“Mom cried?”
“Yes, I’m guessing she cried.”
“Over such a small thing.”
“The matter isn’t big. Your sister wasn’t wrong, but your mom absolutely wasn’t wrong either. This is an insurmountable chasm between two generations.” Zhou Yu said. “Our parents all came through the 1950s—the trauma of the era they experienced is beyond our imagination… Every Spring Festival when firecrackers go off, Grandma shouts asking if the Japanese are attacking. That says enough—no need to elaborate.
Sun Jingcheng fell silent, pinching the flesh on her belly, quickly putting this matter aside and saying her current belly fat was just right, very suitable for pregnancy.
“I’m not a cow.” Zhou Yu slapped his hand away.
Sun Jingcheng hesitated. “We’re already this tired—won’t we be even more tired after having a child?”
“You don’t want one anymore?”
“Of course I do.”
“Raising children is very mentally exhausting.” Zhou Yu said carefully. “If we have one, your mom probably won’t be able to help much with childcare.”
“Mom said just a few days ago she’d help us.”
“Your mom cooking meals for Yuyan and Jiarui is no problem, but taking care of an infant is too tiring. If we’re going to have one, we need to be prepared to take care of it ourselves.”
“You don’t want to have one?” Sun Jingcheng looked at her.
“I’m about eighty-twenty. Eighty percent want to.”
“Then let’s have one. We can hire a nanny later.”
“With you earning that eighty thousand a year?” Zhou Yu said to him.
…
“What’s wrong with me earning eighty thousand?” Sun Jingcheng sat up and looked at her. “Just because I earn eighty thousand means I don’t deserve to raise a child?”
…
Without waiting for Zhou Yu to respond, he said, “How boring!” and got up to go to the bedroom to wash up.
Zhou Yu hadn’t expected such a strong reaction to one sentence. She also went back to the master bathroom to wash up and prepare for bed. She was brushing her teeth when Sun Jingcheng suddenly yanked open the shower curtain. “Why is it that when I’m showering you can freely come and go, but when you’re showering I can’t?”
“Because I’m not taking a shit.”
“Look how civilized you are!”
“I am more civilized than you.”
Sun Jingcheng ignored her.
After Zhou Yu finished washing up, she went back to bed. Sun Jingcheng also finished washing and came out. He first grabbed the mop and dried the bathroom floor, saying as always, “I mopped the bathroom for you.”
…
You can say you mopped it for whoever you want. Zhou Yu didn’t respond to him.
He sat down at the vanity, spraying toner on his face. He’d previously found it too troublesome to pour toner into his palm and pat it on his face, so he’d specifically bought a spray bottle for it. Then he looked at himself in the mirror, checking whether his chin had sprouted any stubble.
…
Zhou Yu watched him for a while, feeling so ashamed of herself that she had to get out of bed and also start applying eye cream, essence, and a whole series of skincare products. To make herself look particular about these things too. She was very lazy and often just washed and went to sleep.
Sun Jingcheng made room for her and sat on the edge of the bed watching her apply all these products. Zhou Yu felt uncomfortable being watched and said to him, “What are you looking at me for?”
“Just apply your stuff.” Sun Jingcheng replied.
…
Sun Jingcheng propped himself up on one elbow and watched her, watching very carefully. After making her face turn red, he asked her back, “Why are you embarrassed?”
“It’s hot.”
Sun Jingcheng glanced away—not buying it—and asked her, “How many days has it been?”
Zhou Yu’s face grew even more flushed. She ignored him.
“Five days?” Sun Jingcheng answered his own question, then took off his underwear and tossed it aside, brazenly showing himself to her. Showing her wasn’t enough—his mouth had to say things too, saying that last time when he saw her topless on the balcony, his animal nature came out and he really wanted to pin her down and fuck her hard.
He said all the crude words, but his expression wasn’t crude at all—so nonchalant and wildly unrestrained. As he spoke, his hand reached for her, finding exactly the muddy mess he’d imagined, and he did exactly as he’d said—pinning her against the vanity and fucking her hard.
Crash, clatter—those bottles and jars were so ashamed they fell to the floor, rolling and scrambling to escape in all directions!
He fucked her while whispering in her ear, “Do you like it when I fuck you like this?” He’d originally wanted to be more subtle and euphemistic, but there was no need.
“You talk so much.”
Sun Jingcheng didn’t care, saying to himself, “I love fucking you like this, and I love watching you get turned on. The more you get turned on, the more I itch everywhere, my whole body itches.”
“Tell me, am I just a lecher?” After saying those three words “lecher,” he thrust into her viciously.
Zhou Yu covered his mouth, but while her hand covered it, her body was utterly honest. Sun Jingcheng wanted her against the wall, his fingers finding her sensitive spot, slowly and gently fanning the flames. Zhou Yu bit down hard on her teeth. Sun Jingcheng held her up, thrusting into her again and again, calling her name as if bewitched, “Zhou Yu.”
“Mm.”
“Cry out.”
Zhou Yu kissed his lips in her delirium, bit his sweaty shoulder, and cried out by his ear.
Sun Jingcheng found it too quiet and instructed her, “Louder.”
Zhou Yu got louder.
Sun Jingcheng asked her, “Do you like it when I fuck you like this?”
“Mm.”
“What does ‘mm’ mean?” Sun Jingcheng stopped all movement, no longer giving her pleasure, tormenting her like scratching an itch through a boot.
Zhou Yu, driven to desperation, cursed, “Fuck you!”
Sun Jingcheng laughed heartily, carried her to the bed, kissing her, fucking her, their legs entwined tenderly around each other. Pleasing her, conquering her, doing his utmost to engage in all these human intimacies.
This was their most uninhibited lovemaking since that time on the balcony. The two had some understanding at certain times, especially in intimate matters—indulging occasionally was fine, but once it got out of control, some things were like Pandora’s box—once opened, they couldn’t be closed again.
Adults had their adult considerations and calculations. Mainly they weren’t young anymore—being overly addicted to the flesh would make it hard to pull back later.
A little indulgence was pleasant, too much harmed the foundation.
At six in the morning, Zhou Yu woke up and kicked him. “Go running.”
Sun Jingcheng pulled the blanket over himself.
Zhou Yu sat up and called to him—he hadn’t gone running for several days.
“If you run, I’ll run.” Sun Jingcheng covered his ears.
“I’ll run, get up.” Zhou Yu found her workout clothes. After changing and not seeing any movement for a long time, she called to him, “Get up!”
“You cursed at my mom last night, I’m not going!” Sun Jingcheng acted shamelessly.
…
“Hurry up.” Zhou Yu urged him. “From now on I’ll run with you every time.” She went back to the bathroom to brush her teeth.
Sun Jingcheng reluctantly got up, sat on the edge of the bed for a while, took a piss, came back to get dressed, then stretched on the balcony. Five minutes later he urged her, “Let’s go.”
“Aren’t you going to brush your teeth?”
“I’ll do it when we get back.”
The two went downstairs. Zhou Yu energetically limbered up her limbs. Sun Jingcheng looked at her, rolled his eyes—he was impressed.
Zhou Yu happened to see him roll his eyes and said to him, “Why are you rolling your eyes?”
“This is the difference between men and women.” Sun Jingcheng said while stretching his arms. “When a woman is thoroughly serviced, she’s radiant. Men—hmph—exhausted to death and still being called to…” Before finishing his words, he took off running.
Zhou Yu couldn’t be bothered with him.
She’d been planning this morning run since yesterday. Recently they’d both been too tired, wilted, especially Sun Jingcheng. Running in the morning could regulate their state for the whole day.
The two had run about two kilometers when Sun Jingcheng was already holding his waist and starting to walk. He couldn’t do it anymore—he needed to go to the street and drink a bowl of mutton soup to replenish himself.
Zhou Yu said to him, “Are you that tired?”
Sun Jingcheng stood with his hands on his hips watching the traffic light, saying sadly, “You don’t understand—ten years ago I could go five times in one night, now three times nearly kills me.”
Last night they’d lost control and done it three times.
…
Zhou Yu limbered up her muscles and bones. Come on, let’s stab each other. “That’s right—ten years ago I could take it seven times in one night.”
…
Sun Jingcheng stopped talking, turned to look at her, dragged her hand back ten meters, and started over. “No good—gotta go drink a bowl of mutton soup to replenish.”
Zhou Yu said to him, “Are you that tired?”
Sun Jingcheng stood with his hands on his hips watching the traffic light, saying sadly, “Tired is tired, but it was really fucking great. I’ve never been this happy in my whole life!”
Zhou Yu nodded in agreement. “Me neither!”
Then the married couple smiled in harmony, held hands, and happily went to drink mutton soup. Just then a vigorous young man came from the opposite direction, wearing tight athletic shorts, showing a pair of sturdy calves. Because she’d never seen a man wear such tight pants, she turned back for a few more looks.
Sun Jingcheng said nostalgically, “I was like that ten years ago too!”
“Men wearing tight pants is really strange.” Zhou Yu said.
Sun Jingcheng commented, “He should put regular shorts over them—wearing it like this looks really bad.”
“I also think it looks bad.” Zhou Yu agreed.
“Too tight—the bulge in the crotch area is completely outlined.” Sun Jingcheng said.
“Exactly. Offensive to public decency.” Zhou Yu asked, “Did you dress like that ten years ago?”
“I didn’t. I always wore shorts.” Sun Jingcheng gestured. “Quick-dry shorts that just covered the top of my thighs.”
“Showing a pair of pale white legs?” Zhou Yu looked at him.
…
“It’s fine for you women to wear super short skirts and low-cut tops, but men can’t wear shorts or tight pants.” Sun Jingcheng said to her.
Zhou Yu ignored him and jogged to the mutton soup restaurant. She bought one serving of mutton soup and one of offal soup. She drank the offal soup, Sun Jingcheng drank the mutton soup. Seeing Sun Jingcheng’s spoon about to reach over, she quickly blocked her bowl. “You haven’t brushed your teeth!”
…
“So fussy.” Sun Jingcheng moved her hand aside. “When you were kissing me, how come you didn’t mind that I hadn’t brushed my teeth?”
Seeing her offal soup had been contaminated, she simply gave up and also reached her spoon over to scoop his mutton soup. Sun Jingcheng ate while saying, “Last night your mouth had a strong durian smell—I didn’t mind.”
“In your family, except for Second Brother, you three siblings all inherited your mom’s love of nagging.” Zhou Yu wiped her mouth with a napkin. “When you get old, you won’t be like your mom, will you?”
“What’s wrong with being like my mom? I love my mom.” Sun Jingcheng finished the soup, wiped the sweat from his head, and pulled out tissues to blow his nose.
Zhou Yu looked away.
The two came out of the mutton soup restaurant. Sun Jingcheng wasn’t quite full yet, so he bought a fried pancake wrap, eating as they walked back. “You can go back and sleep more, but I still have to go to work.”
“I also have to go to the family residential area.” Zhou Yu took a fierce bite of the pancake wrap.
“When we bought it you wouldn’t eat, but after buying you ate more than me!” Sun Jingcheng looked at the crispy bits and sausage she’d bitten away.
“I only took two bites!”
“Your two bites ate all the best parts!”
…
On the way back, Sun Jingcheng still occasionally held his waist, saying how great it would be if he could go back and sleep more! Zhou Yu glanced at him but said nothing. Sun Jingcheng saw this and said to her, “Stop with the glances—just you wait for the good life! When we’re seventy or eighty and other old men can’t do it anymore, I’ll still service you well!”
…The two arrived home. Sun Jingcheng went to shower and wash up, then came out to put on formal wear, saying he had to meet a client. Zhou Yu helped him with his cufflinks, saying, “Why don’t we go camping on a nearby mountain to watch the sunrise these next couple days? We can talk about Mount Hua later?”
Sun Jingcheng thought for a long time and nodded. “Okay.”
Zhou Yu saw him to the door. “Off to work.”
Sun Jingcheng extended his arms. Zhou Yu hugged him. “Have a good day at work. I’ll cook something delicious tonight.”
“You’re working hard taking care of Grandma too!” Sun Jingcheng said.
Zhou Yu watched him enter the elevator. Feeling a bit tired, she simply took off her clothes and went to bed for a nice morning nap. She’d go to the family residential area at noon.
Just as she pulled the curtains and lay down, Sun Jingcheng, who needed to drive Zhou Yu’s little beetle because his car was restricted, came back. Seeing the person lying in bed for a morning nap, he asked her, “Aren’t you going to the family residential area?”
…
He took the keys and went down to start the car, receiving a WeChat from Zhou Yu: “Earning eighty thousand a year is just fine.”
He glanced at it but didn’t reply. Only after leaving the complex and almost reaching the company did he pull over to respond: “Oh, thanks wife.”
Originally he meant to send it privately to Zhou Yu, but somehow he mistakenly sent it to the family group chat. The group was chatting at the moment—first Sun Jingfei said she’d dreamed of Grandpa, then asked what Grandpa’s full name was.
No one paid attention to her.
Sun Jingfei @ Mother Sun: “Mom, what’s my grandpa’s name?”
Mother Sun @ Sun Youping: “She’s asking what your father’s name is.” Then another message: “Really rare! Called him Grandpa her whole life, doesn’t know her own grandpa’s name.”
Sun Jingfei replied: “I just called him Grandpa every day… how would I know what his name was? I only remember it was Li something Ji?”
Second Sister-in-law replied: “Li Longji?”
Sun Jingfei: “Li Longji was an emperor—he and Yang Guifei were family, right?”
Sun Jingcheng was speechless. @ her: [Sister, our grandpa’s surname was Sun.]