Since Yang Chen had promised Old Li a visit, he naturally wouldn't forget it. Keeping one's word is a man's quality—well, Yang Chen had elevated another trivial matter to the height of human brilliance.
Because he was broke and didn't want to spend any more time with that cold, crazy, beautiful girl like Lin Ruoxi, Yang Chen chose to walk home. Fortunately, the distance was short, and Yang Chen's stamina was beyond imagination for ordinary people, so getting home didn't take much effort.
It was already evening. After returning to the room and taking a cold shower, Yang Chen opened his wooden box again. Glancing around, he pulled out a light blue shirt with white stripes from the bottom of the box, paired with classic pure white shorts. After buttoning the small buttons a little misplaced, Yang Chen looked in the cracked mirror on the wall. He finally looked a little handsome.
The room was still filled with the faint scent of jasmine, left by Lin Ruoxi. Yang Chen took a deep breath, thinking that he would be registering for marriage tomorrow with a woman he had only known for less than a day. It seemed a little ridiculous. However, whenever Yang Chen thought of Lin Ruoxi's resolute gaze, which had chilled his heart to a fiery simmer, he felt a strange affinity for this beautiful, yet somewhat unbelievable woman.
Was it an attempt to make amends? Or was she truly that unique? Yang Chen didn't know, so he decided to marry her and let time reveal his true feelings for her.
Old Li's home wasn't far away, but without any transportation, Yang Chen, who could only take bus 11, still needed half an hour to get there. It was an old residential area in Xicheng District, surrounded by residents who couldn't afford new houses and had lived in this community for generations, preserving the quaint Jiangnan atmosphere.
After passing several small houses where smoke rose from their chimneys, Yang Chen knocked on a maroon wooden door.
After knocking a few times, the door flew open, revealing a pure and vivid face. "Brother Yang, you're here!"
"Jingjing, long time no see." Yang Chen smiled knowingly. The girl before him had changed so much in the past six months that it surprised him. Li Jingjing's face was as pure and elegant as ever, with curved eyelashes, a delicate nose, and a charming little mouth, a quintessential Jiangnan feminine charm. She wore a white short-sleeved T-shirt and light blue jeans that hugged her hips tightly, revealing a pair of slender, white legs.
Seeing Yang Chen's eyes flickering over her with a mischievous smile, Li Jingjing felt shy but also secretly delighted. She said coquettishly, "Brother Yang, come in quickly, stop looking."
Yang Chen laughed heartily, "Jingjing, you're shy now. It won't hurt to let me see you. Are you afraid your boyfriend will get jealous?"
"What? I don't have a boyfriend!" Li Jingjing immediately retorted, her brows furrowed in annoyance.
"Okay, okay... I was just kidding..." Yang Chen felt helpless. He knew the girl's feelings, but how could he, with a body permeated with dark blood, taint such a pure soul? Therefore, he had always made sure Li Jingjing understood that he was his brother, not the person she thought he was.
Entering Old Li's living room, Old Li greeted him with a smile, "Xiao Yang, they say girls are extroverts. Jingjing was just helping her mother cook, and when she heard you knock on the door, she jumped out like a rabbit!"
"Dad! Don't talk nonsense!" Li Jingjing blushed again, tugging at Old Li to stop him from saying anything more.
Yang Chen chuckled and sat down with Old Li. The furniture in the room had been in the old house for decades. The red lacquer was a little faded, but it still gave off a rustic feel.
Under the dim light, summer insects fluttered back and forth in the room, and a gentle breeze blew into the hallway, creating a sense of peace and tranquility.
Sipping the tea that Li Jingjing had brewed, Yang Chen suddenly felt an unprecedented sense of contentment. He gazed at the night sky outside the door, where the moon and stars gradually rose and turned, lost in thought. "Young man, don't act so disillusioned. A bright future awaits you," Old Li teased, sipping his tea.
Yang Chen came back to his senses and smiled, "These days, women like thoughtful men. I'm just practicing pretending to be thoughtful."
"Hehe," Old Li laughed, "Little Yang, others may not know, but I, Old Li, have been with you for over six months and know your character well. You're not pretending. If you hadn't been through something before, why would you be so drawn to selling mutton skewers on the street?"
Yang Chen didn't want to say much. Someone like Old Li, who had experienced the vicissitudes of life, could naturally discern some of what was deep in his heart, but so what? The gap between what they thought and their true selves was still too great.
Some people are destined to be lonely because no one can be with them.
Dinner was a sumptuous affair. Old Li's family had specially slaughtered a hen from their own family and made a delicious chicken soup. Fish, meat, and crabs were also brought in. Given Old Li's financial situation, this was even more extravagant than New Year's Eve dinner. "Xiao Yang, eat more. Even though it's a little simple, it's a token of our family's love." Aunt Li's face was covered in wrinkles, yet she wore a warm expression, as if she were looking at her own son.
Yang Chen said nothing, and didn't act pretentiously. He devoured the meat with big mouthfuls, knowing that this was the only way to truly make the couple happy.
Li Jingjing would occasionally pick up food for Yang Chen, and would secretly peek at him while his parents weren't paying attention. When she heard Yang Chen say the food was delicious, she felt incredibly happy, as she had cooked most of the dishes.
Originally, Yang Chen hadn't planned to drink, but since he hadn't quit smoking, he'd already been drinking, and with the marriage coming up, he didn't bother to be particular. He and Old Li drank a few glasses of local liquor, feeling a burning sensation in his gut that was quite refreshing. "Xiao Yang, if you hadn't lent us money these past six months, we probably wouldn't be able to make it this far. Now Jingjing has found a job. Come visit us often and I'll make you delicious food!" Aunt Li said with a smile.
Yang Chen's face had flushed, but his mind remained clear. He asked happily, "Oh, Jingjing found a job? What job?"
"I was accepted into Zhonghai No. 1 Middle School as an English teacher. Since one of our homeroom teachers had a baby, I'm filling in as the homeroom teacher." Li Jingjing smiled serenely.
"Being a teacher... and an English teacher, and homeroom teacher at that. Jingjing is truly quite something." Yang Chen nodded in satisfaction. "The salary isn't low, either. Don't forget your brother Yang when you become rich!"
Mr. and Mrs. Li also smiled proudly. They were blessed with a daughter in their old age, and now that their daughter had a bright future, they were naturally overjoyed. Li Jingjing pouted shyly, "Then, Brother Yang, please come visit me at school when you have time. Otherwise, how can I remember you?"
"Okay, I'll definitely go. No. 1 Middle School is a key high school, right? I've never been there..." Yang Chen agreed with a smile.
After dinner, Old Li enthusiastically pulled Yang Chen down to play chess while they drank tea. To be honest, Old Li, a terrible chess player, was only interested in playing with Yang Chen, who couldn't even play. As for Li Jingjing, she obediently accompanied her mother to help clear the dishes.
After losing a game of chess, Yang Chen felt his stomach rumbling with soup, wine, and tea. He asked Old Li to wait while he ran to the bathroom to pee.
Old Li's bathroom was at the back of the house, a separate small room. After walking through a small corridor, a dazed Yang Chen stumbled and pushed open the wooden door...
"Ah!"
A crisp, panicked voice reached Yang Chen's ears. He looked up suddenly and froze. Before him was Li Jingjing, freshly bathed. The beauty was completely naked. The 40-watt bulb wasn't bright enough, but it was enough for Yang Chen to clearly see her snow-white, youthful, and vibrant body. Her sleek, black hair fell to her waist. Li Jingjing hurriedly covered her pepper-shaped breasts with her hands, but their fullness was too much to bear, and they were rounded and pancake-shaped. Following her breasts down to her smooth, unfleshed belly, Li Jingjing's other hand covered the lush, rain-soaked area, her round thighs tightly clamping around her erogenous zone.
Li Jingjing didn't know that this action only heightened her allure.
Yang Chen was already a little dizzy from drinking, and his hormones were racing. Seeing Li Jingjing's youthful, yet alluring body, he couldn't help but swallow, a surge of violent, possessive desire rising.