Chapter 80: Wedding Photos
This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
The sun had come out, but the temperature remained low.
More than ten minutes after hanging up the phone, Wen Ruoxian, wrapped in a down jacket, hurriedly ran out of the neighborhood, stood at the entrance, and looked around. Her breath turned into a faint white mist.
A familiar glacier blue appeared in her sight.
Before the car could get closer, she dashed toward it. The car suddenly slowed down and stopped by the roadside, facing her approaching figure. She hastily opened the door, and warm air carrying a fragrant scent rushed in from all directions.
Song Qingluo froze as she was about to get out of the car.
Wen Ruoxian gasped, her eyes full of surprise, “Why are you here?”
“I missed you.” Song Qingluo jumped into her arms.
Wen Ruoxian closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and her lips brushed against Song Qingluo's hair. “I’m going back to Jiangcheng tomorrow.”
“I can’t wait until tomorrow,” Song Qingluo said sullenly, “I wanted to see you today.”
Wen Ruoxian did not speak. Her fingertips traveled along Song Qingluo's hair to her face. Desire surged in her heart. Unable to control herself, she kissed her, and Song Qingluo eagerly responded.
Their breathing became chaotic.
Both of their lips were swollen and red.
“You dared to drive here by yourself.” Wen Ruoxian caressed her face and sighed.
Song Qingluo felt both amused and helpless. “Don’t treat me like a child, okay?”
Wen Ruoxian smiled too. Her slightly pursed lips slowly opened into a grin, revealing a bit of pearly white teeth, and fine lines of laughter appeared at the corners of her eyes. “I almost thought I was still dreaming.”
Song Qingluo rarely saw her so carefree.
It was said that when you miss someone if they appear in your dreams, it means they miss you too.
So she came.
“I'll go tell my parents that I'm going back to Jiangcheng today,” Wen Ruoxian said as she tried to get out of the car.
“Hey,” Song Qingluo stopped her. “I didn't come here for you to leave with me. You finally made it home; you don’t need to rush this one day and night.”
“Going home is easy for me; it just depends on whether I want to.”
“Oh…”
She seemed to sense something. Remembering what Wen Ruoxian had said about her parents' attitudes last year in England, she had a rough idea of the situation.
So she changed the subject. “It's my first time in your hometown. Aren't you going to show me around?”
Wen Ruoxian thought for a moment and nodded. “Okay, I will pack my things and take you to my place tonight.”
“Mm-mm.”
Just as she was about to get out of the car, Song Qingluo hesitated for a moment and asked, “Do I need to meet Auntie and Uncle? Did they… ask about anything? What did they say to you?”
Wen Ruoxian's body stiffened slightly as she turned back. “They didn't ask, so I didn't bring it up. The family has been very harmonious these days, celebrating the New Year like before. I think it is nice this way—mutual respect, not trying to change each other's thoughts, living peacefully and steadily.”
She did not want them to meet.
She worried about her parents' attitude toward Qingluo—even if they showed the slightest regret or reluctance, it would not come from genuine recognition and acceptance.
Song Qingluo did not immediately agree. After a moment of silence, she said, “You were staying home just fine. Now that I’m here, you’re leaving. You should at least say goodbye; it's a matter of courtesy.”
Then she added, “I don't care about their attitude. I just don’t want you to face this alone. You've already thought of so much for me.”
She smiled as she held Wen Ruoxian's hand.
Wen Ruoxian lowered her gaze in thought. After a moment, she placed her other hand gently on top and sighed, “Alright.”
The two of them got out of the car.
Song Qingluo opened the hood and pulled out two or three gift boxes. “Here, I prepared some gifts for the meeting. Even if it's just a quick hello, I shouldn't go empty-handed, right? You want to protect me, and I want to look decent too.”
Wen Ruoxian felt somewhat touched and tried to reach out to take them.
“Let’s go.” Song Qingluo did not give them to her and ran ahead a few steps while holding the gift boxes. “Hurry up and lead the way.”
….
The two elders were playing chess in the living room.
As Wen Ruoxian walked in, she saw them look up. Song Qingluo followed behind her, and in that instant, Wen Ruoxian suddenly felt nervous—she realized she did care about their attitudes; it was just that Qingluo was not by her side.
She could be indifferent.
But Qingluo, no matter what, worried her.
Before either of them could speak, Wen Ruoxian put her arm around Song Qingluo's shoulders and casually said, “This is my girlfriend, Song Qingluo.”
As she spoke, she handed her some slippers.
“Hello, Auntie. Hello, Uncle,” Song Qingluo said with a sweet smile. “I was originally going to spend the New Year at home, but I missed Ruoxian too much, so I couldn’t resist coming to see her. Sorry for disturbing you; this is a little something from me…”
She spoke the polite phrases fluently and placed the gifts on the entryway cabinet.
The couple stared in shock.
After a moment, they slowly stood up and came forward. “Oh, hello, hello.”
Wen Ruoxian knew that Song Qingluo did not like this kind of situation, so she positioned her to the side. “Mom, we will go pack some things now. I will take her to my place tonight.”
“Can’t you stay at home?”
“We can’t set off fireworks here.”
“…”
In recent years, the city has banned fireworks, making every New Year’s Eve feel dull and flavorless.
Without waiting for them to respond, Wen Ruoxian took Song Qingluo's hand and quickly went upstairs, entering her room and shutting the door—
“Whew!”
Song Qingluo plopped down on Wen Ruoxian’s bed, excitedly rolling around. “So, this is your room? You were such an old-fashioned even at home, from a little old-fashioned to a big one, hahaha…”
She acted like a kid, curious about everything, touching things here and there.
“July 2001?”
“Wow, little five-year-old Ruoxian with two pigtails, so cute!” She marveled at a childhood photo of Wen Ruoxian on the desk.
Seeing how happy she was, Wen Ruoxian’s earlier gloom lifted. She opened a drawer and took out an album, showing photos from various ages, handing it over.
Song Qingluo looked through them with great interest.
“Huh, before you turned ten, you smiled so happily in all your pictures. Then, starting around eleven, you became an ‘old-fashioned,' all cool and aloof.”
“You looked so different in high school compared to middle school. You grew into your features, but there’s still a bit of youthfulness in your eyes.”
Wen Ruoxian listened to her muttering while packing her suitcase.
There wasn’t much to pack, so the suitcase filled quickly. When she looked up, she saw Song Qingluo hugging the photo album, grinning foolishly. After smiling for a bit, Song Qingluo turned over, buried her face in the pillow, and took a deep breath.
“Mm, it smells like my wife." She sighed contentedly.
Wen Ruoxian sat on the edge of the bed, bent down, and placed her hands on either side of Song Qingluo, looming over her in an absolutely dominant posture. “I suspect someone did this on purpose, just to sneak into my room for a closer look, hmm?”
Song Qingluo turned to face her, pretending to be frightened. “No, what are you doing…”
As she spoke, she took advantage of Wen Ruoxian’s moment of distraction, hooked her arms around her neck, pulled her down, and swiftly flipped them over, pinning her down and pouncing on her.
“Mm-mm.”
“Stop messing around, mm… Qingluo…”
Wen Ruoxian was kissed until she felt dizzy, repeatedly begging for mercy.
“If Auntie and Uncle weren’t downstairs, I wouldn’t let you off so easily today,” Song Qingluo clapped her hands and got up.
….
Even though her parents tried their best to persuade Song Qingluo to stay for dinner, Wen Ruoxian still insisted on taking her away.
They are not a traditional heterosexual couple and do not need to follow the so-called "standard procedures". They just want each other to be happy and free.
When the luggage was on the bus, Wen Ruoxian received a WeChat message from her mother:
[Live well. ]
[I mean you and Xiao Song. ]
Transfer ten thousand yuan. A red envelope for Song Qingluo.
She confiscated it and typed a reply: [Mm, okay, just forget about the red envelope, we won't talk about that. ]
Her hometown wasn’t a tourist city. There weren’t any must-see attractions, just local customs and unique flavors. Wen Ruoxian drove the glacier blue car, taking Song Qingluo around the city and sampling local dishes.
They headed south, driving out of the city.
The outskirts were surrounded by mountains and rivers, offering a beautiful environment. A couple of years ago, Wen Ruoxian had bought a small villa here, as a peaceful retreat for herself. Since it had been renovated, she’d only stayed there twice.
Occasionally, her parents would arrange for someone to come clean the house, so it was relatively tidy. The furniture was all brand new, neat yet spacious.
Wen Ruoxian bought some groceries and fireworks.
As soon as they entered the house, she headed straight to the kitchen while Song Qingluo cheered and wandered around the place.
The house wasn’t very large, about 200 square meters in total, and it took just a few minutes for her to explore everything. Acting on her own, she ran to the master bedroom's wardrobe and pulled out a set of Wen Ruoxian’s pajamas to wear for the night.
What belonged to her wife was hers, and what was hers belonged to her wife. The little fox thought this boldly and with complete confidence.
As she was walking down the stairs, her phone buzzed with a WeChat message from Shi Chuning—
[Image.jpg]
[The framing has arrived, how does it look?]
The photo displayed Jiang Yu’s autograph.
The heavy black card featured elegant strokes in gold emboss.
This was the signature she had specifically requested from Jiang Yu for Chuchu.
Ever since her best friend found out that she had a "personal connection" with Jiang Yu, she had been so excited that she couldn’t sleep well for three nights—especially after learning that Jiang Yu actually remembered her name. Years of admiration culminated in this moment, and it was truly a dream come true.
When she received the signature, Shi Chuning said she would frame it and place it on her desk. Due to the spring festival, the frame had only arrived today.
[Classic, noble, and grand!]
As Song Qingluo typed her reply, she walked towards the kitchen, her nose filled with the aroma of food. She saw Wen Ruoxian come out holding a plate.
“What’s making you so happy?”
“Chuchu framed Jiang Yu’s autograph, hahaha, total fangirl.” Song Qingluo held up her phone to her.
Wen Ruoxian took a closer look and gave her opinion, “The black-and-gold color scheme really suits the autograph’s owner.”
“Yeah, fans' aesthetics follow their idol.” Song Qingluo lowered her head and continued typing.
“I also scheduled a meal with Jiang Yu after the new year. She was very quick to agree, but unfortunately, it coincided with Fashion Week, so we’ll have to push it to mid-March...”
Wen Ruoxian stopped and turned around. “You scheduled a meal with Jiang Yu?”
“Ah,” Song Qingluo suddenly remembered something and quickly explained, “It’s for Chu Chu. How happy would it be for a fan to have a meal with their idol? I’m just tagging along.”
Wen Ruoxian raised an eyebrow, indicating she understood, and turned to walk into the kitchen.
“Hey, you’re not getting jealous again, are you?” Song Qingluo chased after her, wrapping her arms around her waist.
“If you were having a meal alone with Jiang Yu, I’d be jealous. If it’s three of you, I wouldn’t be jealous,” Wen Ruoxian said without hesitation.
Song Qingluo kissed her ear. “I won’t give you the chance to be jealous.”
She was quite self-aware.
Then she continued, “Chuchu’s success in chasing her idol isn’t just my doing. As a devoted fan, she has done a lot, supporting her idol in every way. Jiang Yu even remembers her name… She said, thank goodness she’s straight; otherwise, she would definitely see CEO Cheng as a rival!”
Wen Ruoxian sighed, “Isn’t Ms. Cheng quite pitiful? Today she’s a rival to this person, and tomorrow to that one. Everyone should feel sorry for her.”
“What? You feel sorry for her? Say that again?”
“Just a slip of the tongue, a slip of the tongue.”
“Hmph.”
….
After dinner, Wen Ruoxian drove Song Qingluo to a park near the community. On a vast, open lawn, a few people were already setting off fireworks, and laughter echoed in the air.
Winter was always cloudy, and the night sky showed no stars. Far from the city’s lights and noise, the darkness felt purer. Countless sparks flickered like beacons in the dark.
“Ever since fireworks were banned in the country, New Year’s has become less fun. If you want to enjoy it, you have to do it sneakily. But with you by my side, it’s already great. I’m so satisfied!”
Tonight, Song Qingluo was very excited, sometimes mumbling and sometimes giggling, spinning in circles with a sparkling fairy stick.
At times, Wen Ruoxian felt she would never grow up, always retaining a childlike heart. Other times, she saw Qingluo’s shrewdness, how nothing could escape her keen eyes. Watching her, Wen Ruoxian felt she had rediscovered a missing part of herself.
It was a natural vigor, a primal energy, a connection to the world. She loved Qingluo and loved this side of herself. She cherished the satisfaction that came from filling each other’s shortcomings, the unspoken resonance between them.
A burst of fireworks soared into the night sky, exploding into brilliant shapes that lit up the surroundings like daylight before scattering like shooting stars.
Song Qingluo tilted her head back and cheered.
“In the past few days, I set off fireworks at home with my mom, Chu Chu, and my godmother. It was beautiful, but without you, my happiness felt a little incomplete.”
The cold wind tousled her hair, smudging her face and mouth. Wen Ruoxian patiently fixed it, adjusting her scarf and holding her cold, reddened hands.
“Me too.”
“Wen Ruoxian, having you is really great!” Song Qingluo shouted at the sky, not caring about the people nearby or how far her voice carried in the open air.
The two embraced in the cold wind, kissing each other under the fireworks.
….
After returning to Jiangcheng, Wen Ruoxian stayed at Song Qingluo's mother's house for two days. She did not accept the big red envelope prepared by Ms. Song. Although this mother was older, she had the same free-spirited mindset as her daughter and understood them better.
They avoided everything that heterosexual couples typically experienced.
As spring arrived and work resumed, the company became busy. Wen Ruoxian often went on business trips every few days. Sometimes she had to wake up early to catch a flight, and when she left, Song Qingluo was still asleep. She was careful to kiss her forehead and leave quietly. Other times, she returned home in the middle of the night, finding Song Qingluo asleep on the sofa, waiting for her. When she woke her, she would grumble and demand to be held.
Song Qingluo had mentioned wanting to accompany her on business trips before.
Each time, she refused.
This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
The reason why the old-fashioned person is old-fashioned is that they always have to nag, for example: "Love is not everything in life; you need personal space. As the saying goes, A little separation brings new..."
—Boom!
Before she could finish speaking, a pillow flew straight at her.
Wen Ruoxian was left dazed.
"Do you think I am too clingy?" Song Qingluo glared at her, clearly irritated from being rejected once again. "Well, I have a performance at the end of this month and will be flying to England. You will not see me for at least a week, so you can have all the 'space' you want!"
Wen Ruoxian snapped out of her daze, opened her eyes, and muttered, "So soon?"
"What?"
“We'll be a long-distance couple."
Song Qingluo laughed at this, her heart softening as she hugged her. "We are not a long-distance couple! If I have two performances a month, plus travel and rehearsal time, I will be away for no more than ten days. We can see each other every day for the remaining twenty days. This is not a long-distance relationship; it is a relationship with a successful career."
"And you just said that you need personal space."
"…"
Wen Ruoxian wanted to slap herself.
Although, that was not incorrect. Being apart for no more than ten days each month, and seeing each other the rest of the time meant they both had busy lives. Adults could not always be together at every moment.
She stroked Song Qingluo's hair. "I understand, everything has an adjustment period."
Song Qingluo pecked her on the lips.
Starting anything is difficult. Even though Wen Ruoxian felt mentally prepared, on the day of Song Qingluo's departure, she could not control her sadness. She had started losing sleep the night before.
She canceled the morning meeting, made a hearty breakfast, and waited for Song Qingluo to wake up so they could eat together before driving to the airport.
The car moved much slower than usual.
At every red light, Wen Ruoxian turned her face toward Song Qingluo, wanting to seize every moment and wishing to glue her gaze to her face. Song Qingluo, however, sensed this but deliberately avoided eye contact, focusing instead on the scenery outside.
By the end of March, the temperature rose, and the rain became abundant, with small flowers blooming in the bushes.
They finally arrived at the airport, but the car could not stay parked for long.
"Qingluo..."
Finally, Song Qingluo lifted her head and glanced quickly at Wen Ruoxian. "What is it? It is not like we will never see each other again."
After saying this, she reached for the car door.
"I will wait for you to come back to take wedding photos."
Author's Note:
Oops, I made a mistake, I couldn’t finish this chapter TUT
