If the former Wen Shiqing was an unripe, sour green fruit, then she was now a glossy, pink peach—delicate and alluring.
Everything became tangible. Her fragrant, soft body pressed against him, the gentle curves of her form graceful and enchanting. The hazy illusions from his dreams suddenly gained concrete reality, making Xie Yucheng’s heart race fiercely and powerfully.
Several years ago, on a certain day, those unspeakable dreams had left Xie Yucheng flustered for the first time. He fled his home as if escaping and moved in with Wang Changlin.
Every time she drew near, he felt as though he were holding his breath in deep water—gasping, avoiding eye contact, terrified of revealing any flaw.
He spoke harshly to her, as if deliberately confronting his own erring psyche.
He feared falling for her, refusing to let himself look too long, forbidding himself from getting too close. He actively distanced himself, severing those unrealistic thoughts in his mind.
Yet the desires within him grew like rampant weeds, choking him until he could barely breathe.
The girl’s soft, warm breath brushed against his chest, her long lashes curled, red lips slightly parted, her sleeping face serene and captivating.
Unconsciously, Xie Yucheng’s lips curved. As if bewitched, he lowered his head and pressed a gentle kiss to her hair. Under the faint light, he gazed at her deeply for a long while before carefully extricating himself and leaving.
Anyone but her.
…
The next day.
By the time Wen Shiqing woke, daylight streamed brightly into the room. She was alone in bed, and her clothes were neatly placed beside her in the adjacent room, likely brought over by Xie Yucheng.
After dressing, she went downstairs and saw Xie Yucheng lounging casually in the lobby, chatting with a young woman at the front desk. A roguish smile played on his lips, and whatever he said made the girl reach out to swat him playfully.
“Oh, my little sister’s awake. Time to go.” His smiling eyes turned to Wen Shiqing, and he clicked his tongue at the front desk girl. “I’ll look for you when I’m back.”
Leaving the inn, they set off again in the truck.
Throughout the morning, Wen Shiqing sat quietly in the vehicle, unusually silent.
Xie Yucheng was promiscuous—she had always known.
During those days he didn’t come home, how many women had he kissed? How many had he slept with?
The mere thought made Shi Qing feel as though her heart were being sliced apart, torn by a thousand cuts.
Those chaotic thoughts tormented her repeatedly.
Finally, after a long, long time, she made up her mind.
If Xie Yucheng was willing to love her, she would forgive his past indiscretions, persuade her mother, and overcome all obstacles to be with him.
If Xie Yucheng was unwilling to love her, she would find an empty plot of land upon returning—to serve as their shared grave.
As the truck passed through a poplar forest, sparse houses dotted both sides of the road.
An elderly couple waved to flag them down. Xie Yucheng slowed the vehicle and asked through the window, “Where to?”
The old woman, her silver hair tucked under a headscarf, had a healthy, youthful complexion and a kindly smile. “To the county hospital up ahead.”
The old man wore a small patterned hat; the two were clearly from an ethnic minority, their speech carrying a slight accent.
“Get in,” Xie Yucheng said.
“How much?”
“No charge.”
The old couple thanked him profusely. “We’ve been waiting for ages; the bus never came. Thank you, young man.”
Xie Yucheng waved a hand. “It’s on the way.”
Wen Shiqing climbed into the back seat, leaving the front for the elderly pair.
When getting into the car, the old man carefully protected his wife the entire time, always afraid she might bump into something.
“Children, where are you headed?”
“Delivering goods to Jiangcheng.”
The old madam could tell at a glance they were from the mainland. “Oh, you two are dressed so lightly. It gets colder the further north you go. In previous years, Jiangcheng would see snow as early as September. Did you bring warm clothes?”
Xie Yucheng replied with a smile, “We brought a couple of pieces.”
The old madam glanced at Wen Shiqing in the back seat, her expression warm and gentle, and asked Xie Yucheng, “Are the two of you married?”
“No, this is my younger sister. She’s never been to the northwest, so she came along for the trip.”
“She’s quite lovely, so fair and delicate. Young lady, you must be quite young, right?”
“I’m 18, Grandma.”
The old madam then asked where they were from and what their parents did, her words flowing like a tap that had been turned on, impossible to stop.
“My grandson works as a doctor at the county hospital. He’s four years older than you, young lady, and still unmarried.”
The old man tugged at her sleeve. “Why do you talk so much? What’s the point of telling them this?”
The old madam pouted. “Just making conversation.”
Perhaps the elderly couple felt lonely at home with few people to talk to, and upon meeting fresh young faces, they couldn’t help but chat a little more.
Shi Qing noticed the old madam’s hand had been held in the old man’s palm the entire time and asked, “You and Grandpa must have a very good relationship, right?”
The old madam wore a blissful expression, counting on her fingers as she thought. “We’ve been together for over 50 years now. We met when we were just over ten years old.”
“Were you childhood sweethearts?”
“I was his older sister, two years his senior.”
“Sis… sister?”
“Yes, her mother was from Xiaozhou and married into this area to be with my father. That’s how we met.”
Xie Yucheng’s hands on the steering wheel slipped slightly for no apparent reason.
“Why bring up such old stories?” the old man said.
The old madam retorted, “Hmph, if you don’t want to listen, cover your ears.”
Wen Shiqing grinned, her sweet smile reaching the man’s eyes through the rearview mirror. His dark eyes flickered with a complicated expression.
“At first, we fought every day. When you’re just over ten, it’s all about competing for things. Later, as we grew up and became more aware, we naturally ended up together.”
“Did your parents agree?”
“At first, they didn’t, but it didn’t stop us from being together. I insisted on having him, and he insisted on having me. Our parents had no choice; they couldn’t control us anymore.”
Wen Shiqing grew more and more intrigued and asked, “So, who confessed their feelings first?”
Both elderly pointed at each other and laughed, neither willing to admit they were the one who confessed first.
“When he was young, he helped someone build a house and fell from the second floor, landing right on a steel bar. That steel bar pierced through his abdomen and came out his back. He lost a lot of blood, and by the time he was brought to the hospital, he was half-dead. The doctors told us to prepare ourselves.”
At this point, the old madam’s voice trembled slightly. “I asked, prepare for what? The doctor said to prepare for the possibility that he might not make it. My mind went blank; I couldn’t believe it. We had just gotten together not long before. I couldn’t accept it. I thought, if he didn’t make it, how could I go on living?”
“I knelt down, clutching the doctor’s leg, crying and begging him to do everything he could to save him. I knelt in the hallway, sobbing uncontrollably. My parents tried to pull me up, but I wouldn’t budge. I said, ‘Dad, if he doesn’t survive, I won’t either.'”
After his surgery, he was transferred to the critical care unit for observation and hadn’t woken up for a long time. I stayed by his bedside day and night, saying, ‘Ma Xiliang, are you abandoning me? If you don’t wake up, I’ll marry someone else. I’ll marry and have children with another man.’ I kept whispering this in his ear every day. Later, thankfully, by Allah’s grace, he woke up.”
The old man held his wife’s hand and chuckled, “Little did I know waking up meant enduring a lifetime of your temper.”
Old Madam snorted, “You should be content with marrying me. I bore you three children, each one outstanding. What more could you possibly complain about?”
When the car reached the vicinity of the county hospital, the elderly couple got off by the roadside. Wen Shiqing watched them walk away hand in hand, their steps unsteady.
The northwest wind was chilly. Wen Shiqing rolled up the car window, his thoughts still lingering in the atmosphere from moments ago. After a silent moment, he murmured, “Their love is truly moving.”