"I know, be careful of sex scandals." He sighed again.
There was no one on the driveway. The car lights were bright, shining far into the distance. He drove slowly and turned to look at her again, feeling a little reluctant to part. Qian Duoduo tilted her head, wanting to speak, when suddenly a car came from the opposite direction. The two cars passed each other very close. When she glanced at them, her eyes widened in disbelief, and she couldn't help but look back again.
"What's wrong?" Xu Fei asked as he turned the steering wheel.
"Nothing." Qian Duoduo suddenly sat up straight and looked ahead, her hands clasped together on her knees, her answer consisting of only three words.
The two cars were exactly the same style as the ones she had seen at the subway entrance. The window tinting was very dark, and it was just a fleeting glimpse, so she couldn't see the passengers inside. But she still remembered them well, and all her previous annoyance was brought back to her by that one glance.
She told herself, "No way. This model of car isn't unique in the whole world. It must be a coincidence. If she could encounter something like this, she might as well buy a lottery ticket!"
But she still felt uncomfortable, and her mind was a mess. On the way back, Qian Duoduo frowned and looked ahead, looking preoccupied.
He glanced at her and said, "Duoduo, things will be resolved one by one. The project has only just begun, so you don't need to worry too much."
Knowing that he misunderstood that she was still thinking about company matters, and not wanting to explain further, Qian Duoduo forced a smile.
As they approached her house, Xu Fei's phone rang again. The time displayed on the dashboard was nearly 11 o'clock. These capitalists are so inconsiderate of the people's plight! Qian Duoduo raised an eyebrow.
Xu Fei glanced at the number, then answered and said, "Huizi, what's up so late?"
After talking for a long time, he replied simply, "Well, I'm not home yet. I'll check when I get back."
"Morning? I need to exercise in the morning. Let's talk about it at the company. You should get some rest too."
He hung up the phone after a few words. Qian Duoduo, who had been listening quietly, smiled and said with a slight curve to her lips, "So dedicated. I know you're busy, but you're still willing to have a breakfast date with me."
The car had already entered Qian Duoduo's residential area. As Xu Fei parked the car, he didn't forget to turn his head to look at her, his eyes full of smiles. "Duoduo, I know you're busy. How about a breakfast date?"
"Aren't you going to exercise?" It wasn't that I was jealous, I just didn't want to leave, and I enjoyed sitting and chatting for a while.
"Let's do it together." "I'm lazy, I can't get out of bed." "I'll help you." His smile widened, and he mischievously turned his head to kiss her.
If she continued, it would be too explicit, and fearing he might go crazy and drive straight back to the apartment, Qian Duoduo laughed as she got out of the car. But as soon as her toes touched the ground, she turned back to look at him, this time her smile gone. "Kenny, Yamada Keiko..."
He smiled and reached out to press her cheek. "Don't worry."
Before entering the building, she habitually looked back. Xu Fei's car was still there, with all the windows rolled down. He didn't get out of the car, nor did he try to hold on tightly. He just sat in the driver's seat and quietly watched her, his eyes never leaving her.
It wasn't the first time she'd been sent back, nor the first time she'd turned around and seen the man seeing her off, but this time Qian Duoduo didn't dare look any longer. Knowing that he wouldn't leave unless she disappeared, she turned and continued walking. As she went upstairs, her heart pounded strangely, as if it were being held by something, each beat feeling unsteady and tingling.
It wasn't her first relationship, and she knew why, but this time was different. Happiness was mixed with anxiety, and she was afraid she wouldn't be able to hold on to it.
Disdainful of her own thoughts, she took large steps on the last few flights of stairs, rushing up two steps at a time.
The room was pitch black when she opened the door. Knowing that her parents must have already gone to bed, Qian Duoduo closed the door very quietly.
Walking in by the light of the small lamp in the foyer, I suddenly noticed a stack of books on the coffee table as I passed the sofa. The books had pale yellow covers and titles in black ink with white borders, which stood out in the shadows.
She wouldn't normally care about these things, but when Qian Duoduo glanced at the two words on the cover, she felt something was off. She bent down to pick it up and wanted to take a closer look.
Suddenly, there was a "snap" sound in the darkness, and the living room was instantly brightened. Qian Duoduo was startled. When she looked up, she saw her mother standing at the bedroom door with a coat on, her finger still on the light switch, her eyes shining.
Startled by the stare, Qian Duoduo wondered what mistake she had made. Instinctively, she lowered her head to check where she had gone wrong.
Holding a book in his hand, the two characters in ink were clearly visible under the lamplight; looking down, they were right before his eyes—two large characters: "History of Ming Dynasty".
I understand. When Qian Duoduo looked up, his face was covered in dark lines.
After regaining her senses, Qian Duoduo grinned and tried to get away with it, "Mom, it's so late, why aren't you asleep yet?"
"How can a mother sleep when her own daughter comes home in the middle of the night every day?" Qian's mother was completely unappreciative and plopped down on the sofa. "Xiao Ye came by today."
"What's he doing here?" Qian Duoduo frowned. "He didn't mention you at all, just said he was visiting your dad and even brought books. That kid is so nice. I'm telling you, why are you so picky? You don't even want someone like that? What kind of person are you looking for?"
"I don't have those feelings for him, Mom. You can't force things." Qian Duoduo started to whine.
Completely unmoved by that, Qian's mother frowned as she answered, "I think he cares about you quite a bit. Where did you force it? You two were dating quite well before."
"What do you mean by 'caring'? He clearly came to see his dad, but they became close friends despite their age difference the moment they met. That's quite something."
"Stop dodging the question. Are you getting married or not? You're almost thirty!" Mrs. Qian was furious, her tone full of disappointment.
Hearing this number, Qian Duoduo was also unhappy and blurted out, "So what if you're over thirty? Does being over thirty and not married mean you're not human?"
Chapter Seventy-Six
She had spoken her mind, but she knew it would be bad as soon as she said it. Sure enough, Mrs. Qian was furious. Before she could finish speaking, she slammed her hand on the sofa armrest and said, "Duoduo, sit down."
Knowing that this was her mother's typical opening line before launching into a long lecture, Qian Duoduo immediately deflated.
As expected, Qian Duoduo was brainwashed for more than an hour that night. Her mother talked about how she got lost in the park when she was three years old because she was disobedient, and how miserable she would be in the marriage market after she turned thirty. Moreover, she seemed determined not to stop until she finished telling her whole life story.
Not daring to say another word, Qian Duoduo could only force himself to remain obedient and listen attentively. Eventually, he couldn't hold on any longer and could only nod his head while sitting.
Later, Mr. Qian couldn't stand it anymore. After midnight, he went to the living room to find his wife. Before speaking, he coughed and said, "Don't say anything, go to sleep. You still have to go to work tomorrow."
Just as Mrs. Qian was getting into a heated argument, she was suddenly interrupted. Turning around, she retorted irritably, "You say something too! All you do is stay in your room reading, reading! You leave your daughter to me to worry about all by yourself. Do you think she's my only child?!"
"Marriage is a big deal. Duoduo is already a few years old. As her mother, you can't force her to just find anyone, can you?" It was really late, and everything was quiet outside, but inside it was like a denunciation meeting. Feeling sorry for his daughter, Mr. Qian frowned and added.
Mrs. Qian, accustomed to her authority at home for decades, had never been contradicted by her husband like this before. She was already angry, and this retort made her stand up abruptly, pointing at Mr. Qian and saying, "Do you know how old Duoduo is? She'll be thirty soon! Do you know the current market? A girl over thirty who isn't married and still lives with her parents—what will people think? A few years ago, some of my old friends were asking me to introduce them to potential partners, but now they don't even open their mouths when they see me. Just wait until she's over thirty, and you'll see what they say behind her back!"
She had become numb to being scolded by her mother. Before, she would just treat her mother's words as a lullaby, but this shout really woke her up. When she looked up and saw her father's sighing expression, her heart ached.
She never thought there was anything wrong with her life. Although her mother's nagging increased year by year, she was still her mother after all, and she always listened and agreed with her mother in a spoiled and dependent way. But now the atmosphere at home has reached such a critical point because of her age. The words coming out of her mother's mouth are hurtful. She did not expect it and could not accept it at all.
Unable to hold back any longer, Qian Duoduo stood up and spoke up, "It's just that we're not married yet, and we haven't done anything shameful. What's there to be afraid of? Who cares what people say?"
"If you don't care, I will. All the relatives are asking when we can finally have your wedding. How am I supposed to explain this to them? What family doesn't have a daughter who's of marriageable age get married? Are you going to stay with us forever?!"
"Then I'll just move out, so people won't gossip about it, okay?" Unable to bear it any longer, Qian Duoduo, who had always been a well-behaved child, did something rebellious for the first time in her life. In front of her mother, she picked up her bag, turned around, and left. When she slammed the door shut, she slammed it shut with a loud "bang."
As she went downstairs, her steps were heavy, and she dialed the culprit directly from her phone. The call was answered quickly. Although it was midnight, Ye Mingshen's voice was clear, the background was quiet, and she could faintly hear music.
Well, this man inexplicably showed up at her house, igniting her mother's fury and keeping her whole family up all night, while she herself was leisurely enjoying music at home. Furious, Qian Duoduo took a deep breath. Actually, she wanted to blurt out, "What do you want?" But impulse is the devil, a saying that had been perfectly proven at home. In the end, she managed to suppress her emotions, calming herself for a second before speaking.
"You came to my house today?" "Yes, I promised Uncle Qian I would bring him a set of Ming Dynasty history books. I had some time today, and I wanted to call you before I came, but your assistant answered and said you were in a meeting, so I went straight there, Aonny." He answered naturally, as if such a midnight call was perfectly normal.
This person is like a bottomless pool of water; no matter how big the fire, it will be extinguished without a trace, leaving him speechless. Qian Duoduo sighed inwardly.
After their parting at the airport, they hadn't been in contact since. Strictly speaking, she had no right to be angry about this incident. What was there to say? That his visit had triggered her mother's temper? That his presence had caused her to run away from home in the middle of the night? Forget it, it was all a family problem after all. Why should she hold a grudge against him?
"I'm sorry, thank you."
"No need, Duoduo, how have you been lately?"
"I'm fine, thank you for your concern. How about you?"
"It's alright. By the way, do you have time tomorrow? A friend of mine just returned to Shanghai and would really like to meet you." He spoke with a slight smile.
"Your friend wants to get to know me?" Qian Duoduo, who had been looking dejected, frowned upon hearing this, filled with doubt.
He laughed, "Don't get me wrong, do you remember that time I ran into my friend Da Li? He mistook you for someone else?"
"I remember." A blurry image flashed through her mind, and she involuntarily added, "You mean Qingqing?"
"Yes, she just moved and is having a birthday party. She asked me to invite you to come."
"Invite me? Why?" Confused, Qian Duoduo's voice was dazed.
"Oh, she heard Da Li mention you and is a little curious, isn't she?"
"But we're not even friends anymore now..." Qian Duoduo stopped mid-sentence, regretting her words. Ye Mingshen laughed, "Aren't we even friends anymore?"
She wasn't that stingy, but she wasn't very interested in parties with strangers. She wanted to refuse, but the fleeting glimpse she'd seen at the subway entrance yesterday still lingered in her mind. She still felt a thorn in her side about the woman who resembled her somewhat, and she felt that Qingqing was shrouded in mystery. After considering it for a few minutes, Qian Duoduo finally nodded.
"Okay, I'll call you again tomorrow." He said goodbye to her decisively, and then they both hung up.
The phone call was brief, lasting only a few words. Qian Duoduo had just reached the door when she hesitated for a moment before turning back to look at the dark stairwell.
The phone rang again, and it was her father's voice when she answered, "Duoduo, why are you still arguing with your mother so late? Come back and go to sleep. Your mother has already gone into her room. She's just sharp-tongued; she's old and acts like a child."
Having been in a fit of anger just now, Qian Duoduo had sobered up after making the phone call and being hit by a cold wind. Upon hearing her father's voice, she immediately felt apologetic and grabbed the phone to say sorry.
"Alright, alright, you didn't do anything wrong." Mr. Qian sighed again.
"Dad, I'm fine. I just want to take a walk downstairs. I'll be home in a bit. You should go to sleep too, don't worry about me."
"Okay, then come back early. I'll leave the light on for you at the door." Knowing that his daughter was in a bad mood, Mr. Qian didn't say anything more and hung up the phone after he finished speaking.
After hanging up the phone, Qian Duoduo stood there for a while. The stone steps in front of the building were swept clean, and a layer of white light shone under the moonlight. Feeling tired after standing for a long time, she simply sat down alone in front of the building.
My mother's words still echoed in my ears—Do you know the current situation? What will people think if a girl is over thirty and still unmarried, and still lives with her parents?
What do you think? Is she disabled or mentally challenged? She's just an older single woman, how can it be so outrageous?
It was early summer, and although the night was a bit chilly, there was no biting cold in the wind. However, she felt a chill in her heart and suddenly longed to hear Xu Fei's voice. She still held the phone in her hand, her fingers repeatedly tracing the smooth numbers. She hesitated for a long time before pressing the dial button.
What should she say? Did she just blurt out to him, "I'm almost thirty, I don't have time for dating anymore, do you love me? If you love me, marry me"?
Marriage! Isn't marriage a natural progression? This is practically forced marriage! How could she possibly say something like that? Besides, she doesn't believe they've reached the tacit understanding and preparation to spend their lives together. Everything is just beginning. Asking a 27-year-old man, ready to make his mark on the future, to suddenly enter into family life is simply a pipe dream.
She couldn't say it, nor dared she say it. She cherished this relationship and didn't want to lose him because of those words, even if it meant taking the slightest risk.
Staring blankly at the steps stretching out before her, her fingers unconsciously retreated. The phone screen lit up and then went dark again. A very soft voice came from behind her, startling her awake, "Duoduo? Hello? Duoduo?"
Only then did she realize that she had accidentally dialed the number. Qian Duoduo put the phone to her ear and answered, "Yes, it's me. You're still awake?"
"I'm revising some things, and I still have some materials to review. Why aren't you asleep yet? Aren't you tired today?"
"I can't sleep." Not wanting him to know about her previous struggles, Qian Duoduo answered in a low voice.
He was silent for a second, then there was the sound of a chair being pushed back and the French windows being opened.
The last sound of the night wind coming from the phone overlapped with the sounds around her, and she could almost see him standing on the balcony. Suddenly, she wanted to go to his side, and Qian Duoduo sighed again.
"Can't sleep? Let me tell you a joke." A voice suddenly popped up on the other end. Before I could answer, I heard him continue, "Listen carefully, the joke goes like this. There's a joke-telling contest among the household appliances. The TV tells a joke, the oven says, 'It's so cold!' The washing machine tells a joke, the oven says, 'It's so cold!' The rice cooker is nervous when it comes on stage, but before it finishes, the oven says—'Refrigerator, why are you blowing air from behind me with the door open?'"
This wasn't the first time he'd told her a joke, and it was still quite long. He wasn't very fluent at first, but he got into the flow as he spoke. She laughed when she heard it last time, but this time, as she listened, that tingling, bittersweet feeling returned, and she involuntarily teared up.
"Hey, are you even listening?" After talking for a while without any response, Xu Fei protested on the other end.
"I'm listening." Qian Duoduo smiled as she sat on the cold stone steps and replied, "It's so cold."
"Oven, you're going to cause public outrage by doing this."
"Rice cooker. You haven't finished your joke yet!"
After saying that, they both laughed. He then lowered his voice and said, "It's so cold, do you still want to listen? Okay, go to sleep, be careful not to laugh at yourself and catch a cold."
"Okay," she replied, then lowered her voice and added, "Thank you."
He paused for a moment before answering, his voice gentle, "No need, I love you."
Qian Duoduo thought she would have insomnia, but she slept very well after lying down that night. In her dream, many household appliances chattered incessantly, but she did not feel annoyed at all, but only enjoyed it.