“Mm,” she answered unhesitatingly and looked up at him, gazing deep into his pupils. “Qi Chengzhi, no matter what happens, I won’t leave you. Always remember that.”
Qi Chengzhi’s eyes twitched a little. Her words caught him completely by surprise.
He looked at her sincere face and kissed her without a second thought.
Song Yu was pressed onto the car door, but it was slightly painful for her even though he used his hand as a cushion.
It was a fervent kiss, one that sucked up all the sweetness from her mouth and nearly extracted her soul too. His strong arms hugged her waist tightly so he could press her firmly onto him.
He continued pressing himself onto her, letting her thighs stick hard against his stomach. She could even feel his rod poking her.
The kiss was strong and had a numbing quality. Her lips trembled as a result and she felt weakened in his embrace.
Their lips were swollen after breaking free from the kiss. His urgent breaths were smothered all over her face, causing her lips to twitch and tremble.
Song Yu’s hands were originally holding the marriage certificate and identity card, but at some point during the kiss, she let go of them and left them squeezed between their bodies.
Qi Chengzhi lowered his head and began pecking her gently on her silky-smooth face. Every single area that he came in contact with set fire to her face.
As he rubbed and caressed, he made sure to also suck lightly on the corner of her lips, then back and forth on her upper and lower lip.
Song Yu’s eyes were still half-closed like a tender baby, and she allowed him to kiss her as he pleased.
Qi Chengzhi finally let go of her, knowing full well that he would hardly be able to control himself from kissing her dry.
He took in a deep breath, which enabled Song Yu to feel his chest expanding.
The outline of his robust chest was imprinted on his shirt, and Song Yu found herself unable to resist feeling it. Softly but surely, her fingers touched his resilient and robust chest.
Song Yu felt his chest muscles shudder and tighten. The next moment, he was giving her a passionate kiss.
When he released his kiss from her yet again, he grabbed her hand—the one that was placed on his chest and giving him goosebumps—in order to give her fingers a good nibbling. He showed them no mercy, tickling each and every one of them with his perfect teeth.
Qi Chengzhi nibbled her soft fingertips and replied, “Don’t be naughty. If I can’t control myself, you’ll be blaming me again.”
Song Yu blushed and leaned her forehead on his shoulder. She looked down at both the marriage certificate and the identity card that was lying on her thighs and looked up excitedly at him again.
Qi Chengzhi smiled because he could never get enough of kissing her. It was always her hazy blushing face that made him want to kiss her even more.
His lips brushed against the corner of her eyes for a couple of moments, and when he felt her face warm up, even more, he chuckled softly and reached for his phone.
“Grandmother. Yes, it’s me. Tell everyone to come home tonight. I’ll bring Song Yu over for dinner and I’ll have something to announce,” Qi Chengzhi stated.
Once Song Yu realized he was speaking to his grandma, she shifted her gaze away from the marriage certificate and looked at him.
“Don’t guess.” A smile crept over his lips. “You’ll know tonight.”
He hung up and looked down. Her upward-tilting head made it convenient for him to kiss her, which he did. After that, he carried her and placed her down on the front passenger seat.
…
…
Waiting in line for registration took quite some time. It was already one-thirty by the time they reached the Song family home.
Yu Qianying had already seen Qi Chengzhi earlier that day, but there was a stark difference in her mood now compared to the morning.
While she acknowledged Qi Chengzhi as her son-in-law, she had always looked at him as her daughter’s boyfriend because the couple had yet to register their marriage.
Qi Chengzhi entered the house with a new status: her legitimate son-in-law. It was like she suddenly had a deeper familial connection with him.
“All done?” Yu Qianying had a look of anticipation as she stared at Song Yu’s handbag.
Song Yu took out both marriage certificates and showed them to her mother. “Mm, it didn’t take long actually.”
Yu Qianying was happy, and her eyes were fixed onto the marriage certificate. She mumbled to herself, “That’s good, that’s good. It’ll also justify both of you staying together.”
“Dad, Mom, registering our certificates were done quite suddenly, but I promise the wedding will not be done on a whim,” Qi Chengzhi declared. His rich voice had a solid quality to it that made people really trust in him.
Yu Qianying nodded acceptingly. “I understand.”
Before their marriage, they were uncomfortable when he called them ‘Dad’ and ‘Mom’. His insistence on doing so made them fed-up with voicing out their discomfort, and they just allowed him to continue calling them that.
Yu Qianying no longer felt like that though, because the marriage had cemented his status as their legitimate son-in-law.
“Come and have lunch.” Yu Qianying thought about food and urged them on. “You went out a little late this morning, and I assumed that you won’t be home too early because you’d have to wait in line to register. I just managed to finish cooking before you came back.”
Qi Chengzhi got up and went to the dining room. He waited until everyone sat down before saying, “Dad, Mom, have you ever thought about moving someplace else to stay? Previously when I was still Song Yu’s boyfriend, you probably wouldn’t stay in a home that I bought just for the both of you. But now that I’m your son-in-law, it’s only right that I do these things for you.
“The both of you were also used to staying in a large house, and as things are, I have the ability to give you a much better life. If you’re willing, I can hire a helper so Mom doesn’t need to work too much at home. Whether it’s washing clothes, mopping the floor, or cooking meals, the helper will do it for you so you can rest and relax.”
Song Donglin and Yu Qianying both looked at each other. The former then said, “Chengzhi, I understand your intentions for doing this, but we’ve been living here for too long. We’re comfortable and we’ve gotten along with the neighbors. The environment might seem average, but life here is convenient. We only need to take a couple of steps to get the stuff that we need. We’re also really close with the neighbors, and we can all help each other if it’s needed.”
Song Donglin chuckled. “To be frank, we’re actually really used to this kind of life. If you were to hire a helper for us, we won’t find it too comfortable to speak or do other things, since there’s an extra person in the house.
“Besides, if we change into an upper-class environment, we won’t be that used to it since the neighbors don’t really mingle much with each other. The people who stay in those kinds of places all have their own careers, don’t they? We’re retirees, and we won’t be able to chat with them. Hanging around with our current elderly neighbors is much more comfortable.
“It’ll also be awkward if we meet those people we used to be acquainted with,” Song Donglin explained.
“Dad, have you ever thought of building your company back up again?” Qi Chengzhi asked after hearing what Song Donglin said.
The elder man shook his head and smiled contentedly. “It’s not that I don’t want to consider it, I just don’t want to go back to doing it. I’m old, and I’ve already spent a few years idling at home. I don’t have the energy nor the strength to deal with all that double-crossing and backstabbing. If you ask me to get back into the business world and sit at the drinking table, I don’t think I can play with those players anymore. Seven years is a long time, after all.
“I’m used to living a relaxed life with Song Yu’s mother. We tidy our home every day, cook our own meals, go hiking or for a walk in the park. If there’s any exhibition or temple fair, we’d go and have a look. There’s no pressure at all and we really enjoy this simple life.”
Song Donglin breathed out a drawn-out sigh. “I’m actually glad that I don’t have the company at this old age. It gives me time to enjoy my life. If the company was still alive and well, I don’t think I could have ever let it go. Maybe the only time I’ll finally relax is when I’m dead.
“In fact, the bankruptcy was a good thing, since Song Yu can find her own happiness. It’s all good like this. Us old people don’t like change, we’re afraid of it.” Song Donglin chuckled.
Qi Chengzhi did not say anything further.
After lunch, Song Yu wanted to take over the dishwashing duties, but Yu Qianying forbade her from doing so. Still, Song Yu joined them when they were doing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen.
The kitchen was cramped with the three of them having little room to maneuver. A step here and one would bump into another person, making it difficult to execute any large movements.
“Dad, do you really not care about the bankruptcy anymore? I mean, are you really happy about it?” Song Yu took a just-cleaned bowl from Yu Qianying and wiped it dry using a cloth.
“Really.” Song Donglin was looking up and stretching his arm to clean the kitchen hood, but he paused and looked at Song Yu when she asked him that question. “The bankruptcy was our breaking point, but we’re really happy with how it turned out. We might not have a big house and a servant, but we’re free from worry. Although we had everything in the past, it was exhausting for our hearts. It’s like there was nothing that could make us happy.”
“Well… If… And I’m saying if…” Song Yu hesitated. She made sure to observe her parents’ reaction down to the very last detail. “If you knew the reason behind the bankruptcy, and who did it, what would you do?”
Yu Qianying shot her a suspicious look. “Why are you asking this all of a sudden? We’ve been bankrupt for eight years now and this is the first time you’ve asked this question. Is there something that you know, Song Yu?”
“No, I’m just saying what if.” She became cautious immediately and tried putting on a nonchalant demeanor. “You said you were happy about the bankruptcy because you wouldn’t have experienced a different life otherwise. I was just curious.”
She then waved her hand and poked fun at herself. “I don’t even know why I thought about that. It just popped up in my brain all of a sudden.”
The warm smile on Song Donglin’s face seemed to suggest that he did not suspect anything. “We won’t know what will happen if these hypothetical situations did not happen for real. It’s been so long since the incident. Wouldn’t it be such a coincidence if the culprit was suddenly found? Even if we have found the person, this kind of thing is all part and parcel of business. I’m not as skilled as the others. I can’t possibly go up to them and scold them, right? It’ll make me look bad, plus, I don’t even know who the person is. What can I do?”
Deep down, Song Yu felt apprehensive, and Song Donglin’s reply only aggravated it further.
She tried relieving herself of the pressure by saying, “There’s no need to be shy with Qi Chengzhi, you know. Giving you a new home, hiring a servant, Qi Chengzhi won’t take it the wrong way and he won’t feel like you’re taking advantage of him. He genuinely wants to treat you both well.
“He may look unfriendly but in truth, he has a heart that’s much bigger than most others. If he treats you like family, he’ll want to do good to you without expecting anything in return. He won’t ever feel like you’ve taken advantage of him or anything like that. It’s just that he doesn’t show much in his expressions. He’s a silly man, you know. Sometimes, he does something really touching, but he chooses to keep it from you.” Song Yu spoke and spoke, yet she seemed to be distracted. Her mind was filled only with Qi Chengzhi, and the mere thought of that man-made her smile lovingly.
“We actually decided to try for a child, letting it come naturally. Then, all of a sudden, he quit smoking secretly. He quit just like that even though he’s been smoking for ten plus years already. If his grandmother hadn’t asked him for a lighter the other day, we wouldn’t have known about it at all.” Song Yu’s smile was most tender, and it could be seen from her face that her thoughts were already very distant. Then came her rebuke, a loving one nonetheless. “He didn’t even tell me.”
From Song Yu’s expression, Yu Qianying could see that she loved Qi Chengzhi to death.
It was never like that with Jian Yi, and clearly, no one would ever succeed in separating Song Yu from Qi Chengzhi.
Yu Qianying felt content knowing that Song Yu loved, and was loved by that man.
She placed the clean dishes to one side and smiled. “I know he treats you well and I know he wants to treat us well too. He’s being filial to us and won’t hold it against us when it comes to this kind of thing. And because of that, he genuinely wants our life to be more comfortable.
“But Song Yu, we’re not afraid that Qi Chengzhi will be unhappy or begrudge us. We’re worried that his family will say stuff behind our backs. Although they are not Qi Chengzhi and won’t be too involved with us, I’m still worried about them saying that our family is taking advantage of Qi Chengzhi. It won’t be good for you because you’ll be a part of the Qi family.
“I don’t know what attitude Xia Wenna will have in the future, but Qi Chengzhi’s uncle’s family, especially that Guan Liya, doesn’t seem very civil. Even if Qi Zhongliang and Xia Wenna aren’t too concerned, Guan Liya will keep gossiping to the family, and that won’t benefit you at all.
“Your elder uncle came to our house the other day and told us that he wanted to help you with your dowry. I said no because I know he’s only doing that to try and get closer to Qi Chengzhi.” Yu Qianying sighed. “But some of the things he said made sense. We can’t give you a worthy dowry to let you marry grandly into the Qi family. Even if we spend all our money and buy you a car, it might not be worth anything to the Qi family. We could even sell off our house and they still won’t find it worthy.
“If his relatives know that he gave us a house and hired a servant for us when we can’t even give a good-enough dowry, they’ll definitely say that we’re shameless. They’ll say the same about you, too. We’re perfectly fine as we are now and there’s no reason to give others a chance to gossip about us.”
Yu Qianying rubbed her hands dry and patted Song Yu on the shoulder. “We can’t give you a grand marriage, but we absolutely can’t let others badmouth you.”
“Mom…”
Yu Qianying smiled, pulled Song Yu’s arm, and patted the back of the latter’s hand. “Don’t keep thinking about it. Your father spoke for the both of us when he answered Qi Chengzhi. Everything he said was from the heart. Even though what I said about you was also a reason, your father and I have no intention of moving at all.”
“It’s also because I want the both of you not to tire yourselves too often,” Song Yu remarked.
“It’s not like the house is big. What’s there to be tired of when all we do is mop the floor, buy veggies, and cook our meals? Your father and I don’t need to take care of anyone older than us and we’re already relaxed enough. We’ll get angsty if we just sit around doing nothing. How about this, your father and I love to travel, so maybe the both of you can pay for our expenses? Would that be okay?”
Traveling was not going to incur too much expenses, and Song Yu knew that Yu Qianying was only saying that to make her feel better.
“Alright, stop cramming yourself in here with us. You’ve been blocking here for a long time already. You just left Qi Chengzhi there alone feeling uncomfortable. Go be with him.” Yu Qianying had already pushed Song Yu out of the kitchen.
Song Yu could not resist poking fun at her own mother. “Mom, you’ve been a very considerate mother-in-law to your son-in-law recently.”
“Go!” Yu Qianying was in no mood for jokes; she shooed Song Yu away immediately.
Song Yu went back to the living room but found no trace of Qi Chengzhi. Almost by intuition, she headed to her own bedroom.
The minute she entered, she spotted him sitting cross-legged on her bed with his shoes off. With his back against the bedhead, his hands were holding a photo album and his face was expressionless.
Song Yu walked to him, stepped over his legs, and sat beside him. “What are you looking at?”
Her gaze landed on the album as she spoke. She noticed that he was looking at her photo with Jian Yi.
That was when she fell into the water. They took pictures of themselves when they were playing beside the lake. Their smiles were carefree and very natural.
Jian Yi’s smile, in particular, was like a breath of fresh air. Immersed in the sunlight, his vitality was pure, and his smile did not betray the presence of any ill-will.
Song Yu did not know whether that ill-will really was present and whether he was using her at that time. In the present, Song Yu had no intention of letting herself fret over it.
It happened much too long ago, and it was pointless to look into it further.
However, Qi Chengzhi’s eyes remained fixed on the picture. He stared at it without flipping to the next one. Song Yu chuckled guiltily and asked, “Looking at pictures?”
It was then that Qi Chengzhi turned to look at her. Song Yu realized that it was the first time he actually looked at her ever since she entered the room. There wasn’t any reaction before that at all.
If she leaned against him like that at other times, he would have hugged and kissed her before doing anything else.
Qi Chengzhi then cocked a brow and snickered. “Feeling guilty?”
“What for?” Song Yu responded stubbornly, though she really did feel a bit guilt-ridden.
She seemed intimate with Jian Yi in the photo. They did look very much like two innocent playmates in love.
Qi Chengzhi knew full well that she used to like Jian Yi.
He stared at the picture as though he discovered the truth about her and her ex-boyfriend. The discovery of the photograph made her feel guilty even though nothing had ever happened between the two.
“How would I know why you’re guilty? Maybe you can enlighten me on why you’re feeling guilty?” Qi Chengzhi’s eyebrow remained cocked and he snickered at her, hesitant to smile.
“…” Song Yu remained quiet and wondered if he could carry on a normal conversation. “I’m not guilty.”
Qi Chengzhi shot her a look and scoffed. It was obvious that he did not believe her.
His slender fingers flipped to the next page. Lo and behold, it was another picture of her and Jian Yi.
This one was during a picnic. The two of them were sitting on a picnic blanket with lush greenery surrounding them. Jian Yi’s arm was wrapped around her shoulder and the two of them were leaning toward each other.
In the picture, Song Yu’s long flowing hair was blown by the wind. A few strands stuck on her lip, making her reddened lips look even more luscious. Her fair skin was so incredibly delicate, and the slight smile on her lips was a true personification of her pureness.
Jian Yi’s head was barely inches away from Song Yu’s, and although he was looking at the camera, his feelings toward Song Yu were all too clear.
Anyone who saw that photo would have had no doubt that they were lovers.
