Chapter 4: Kiss?

  As for Shen Qiwei's wedding dress business, I actually can't intervene, otherwise it wouldn't be her alone struggling all the time.

  I thought for a moment and said: "I won't write a plan, I can only give you some ideas, whether they are useful or not, I don't know."

  "It's better than me racking my brains alone."

  "It's easy to say, but it's like being in different industries, even though they're both manual labor. Can those who play with clay compare to those who work with wedding dresses?"

  Shen Qiwei was stunned for a moment before suddenly remembering to say: "You at least have 3% of my shares, right? It's not too much to ask you to use your brain?"

  “……”

  She actually remembered this, when I first started the business, I helped her buy a batch of materials, and since the expenses weren't reimbursed, it was considered as investment, I had even forgotten about this matter.

  Since she said that, if I don't ask any more questions, it would be a bit irresponsible. After thinking for a while, I asked: "Will the position you mentioned install an LED screen on the door head?"

  "Sure thing, didn't I install several LEDs?"

  "I'm talking about a big screen, you can take several versions of wedding dresses and wedding impressions, the more beautiful the better, best to be breathtakingly beautiful, then play it 24 hours a day, and also broadcast on public transportation ads, increasing popularity shouldn't be a problem."

  "Aren't you having a wedding dress show? You can draw lucky audience on the spot and give away a customized wedding dress card. She'll definitely go back and promote it, right?"

  "The key is to give the brand a particularly attractive slogan, you see others 'A Diamond Is Forever', Mr. So said diamonds became popular because of this sentence..."

  Once started, it can't be stopped. I remembered Shen Qiwei's two years studying fashion design abroad, and somehow she got carried away with wedding dresses. Our home was filled with white satin everywhere, and she promised everyone that "your wife's wedding dress is on me, and it will definitely be beautiful!"

  She was sixteen or seventeen at that time?

  It was when dreams were richest and most beautiful.

  She returned to her country at the age of 19, registered "Annie Princess" wedding dress customization, and opened a store specializing in wedding dresses on Hong Kong Road, starting a difficult entrepreneurial journey.

  To be honest, custom-made wedding dresses are something that we all don't think highly of, after all, how many times can a person wear a wedding dress in their lifetime, and how many people will specially customize an expensive wedding dress just for one wedding?

  However, her persistence with the wedding dress was something that none of us had expected. Due to a lack of designers in the early stages, she made all the wedding dresses by hand, one by one. They really looked great and were enough to make every girl who dreams of getting married excited.

  It was a coincidence that once when she went to the seaside to take sample photos, she met several studios taking outdoor shoots, and the would-be brides were all attracted by the wedding dresses on the model's body. Her first income was actually the rental fee for those few wedding dresses.

  Later on, things went smoothly, exchanging business cards, renting wedding dresses, and under constant promotion and activities, gradually gained fame. She even rented a yacht at a loss to hold a wedding dress party, inviting many young elites from N city, which was the first time I saw her rely on "Commander Shen's" influence.

  Of course, her brothers' connections are also a major factor in her business being so prosperous and stable until now.

  Anyway, if I get married one day, my wedding dress must be an "Anne Princess" style.

  Chatting all the way, time passed particularly quickly, usually a journey of more than an hour felt like it was over in the blink of an eye.

  Shen Qiwei sent me to the pedestrian street intersection of the residential area, I was still struggling to walk in high heels, carrying two paper bags, and waved goodbye to her "Be careful on the road."

  "Got it!"

  I didn't turn back until the tail lights had disappeared from view.

  The residential area was very quiet at midnight, and even the slightest sound would be particularly clear. A woman's voice could be heard from afar shouting "Hero, if you don't come back now, your dad will beat you up!"

  I followed the sound and looked over, far away I saw a ball of white, round and rolling, very cute, a young Samoyed dog that had not grown up yet.

  It ignored the master's shouting and passed by me, its two front paws tapping out a rhythm like playing the piano, it glanced at me with one eye, then sauntered away on its own.

  I couldn't help but laugh as I watched its mistress running after it with a rope in her hand.

  Such a small interlude made the road home not seem so long and terrifying anymore.

  In front of the dormitory gate, I met Su Hao again.

  It was some time in the early hours of the morning when I let out a startled cry: "What are you doing here?"

  He glanced at his watch: "In two hours it will be daylight, and you've just arrived?"

  From this unpleasant voice, one can vaguely imagine him frowning.

  Is he unhappy?

  I was taken aback: "What's wrong with that?"

  "Have you been drinking? Tequila?" His tone was laced with suppressed anger, as if he was about to erupt at any moment.

  "What's wrong with that?" Even if he had said I wasn't allowed to drink before, but now I'm 20 years old, not a minor of 15 or 16, this tone makes me wonder why he reacted like this, isn't it strange?

  I lowered my head to find the keyhole, without even lifting my head.

  "Hmph." He suddenly smiled, his voice cold and sarcastic: "If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I really couldn't have imagined that you're living so lavishly, even going to nightclubs. Is the next step not coming home at night?"

  Although suppressed, the last sentence still ended with a slightly obvious upward tone of discontent.

  Sleeping out tonight?

  He won again.

  I couldn't help but snicker: "Compared to you, I'm far inferior. In college, you dared to gang up and smash a nightclub, I didn't have the guts to do that. What's wrong with going to nightclubs? What's wrong with not coming home at night? I'm an adult, not a child in your eyes forever!" I turned the key and opened the unit door: "Don't follow me!"

  Originally full of anger, the next second was laughable and tearful. He didn't follow me, but grabbed my arm and pulled me out from the door. His voice was cold, with a hint of anger, asking: "Who brought you here? Don't say it was yourself! I've watched you grow up, don't try to deceive me!"

  Look at us, we can't even have a good conversation. He always manages to ruin my good mood.

  What's wrong with watching me grow up?

  Watching me grow up can interfere with my personal freedom?

  Watching me grow up, even where I go and what I do need to be reported to him?

  Absurd!

  I slowly pried open his fingers, not wanting to say anything. I didn't want the four years of separation to end with a repeat of our past arguments. I still wanted to leave some good memories behind.

  Seeing me silent, she compromised and sighed: "Fu Yingxue, let's have a good talk."

  "It's almost dawn, let's call it a day." I withdrew my hand and tried to enter the unit door again.

  Was it because I didn't say "don't follow me" this time, so he thought it was tacit consent for him to follow me all the way upstairs?

  In the same elevator as him, I really feel that the impression of Su Han's elegance has dissipated. Is a thick-skinned course also taught abroad?

  There was no mirror on the elevator wall, but I knew he had been staring at me all along, the chill in his gaze impossible to ignore.

  Some self-deprecating hooked lips, even if I put on the most delicate makeup, even if everyone can't help but be amazed, in his eyes there is only one "bad" cognition of me.

  Why is it like this?

  Was it destined that after taking care of me meticulously for ten years, he would always use his identity as an elder brother or even a senior to suppress me for the rest of my life?

  Am I too rebellious, or has this person become muddle-headed?

  I rubbed my temples with my hand, and my head was about to explode.

  The elevator door opened and I stepped out, but didn't plan to open the door to go home. I turned around and looked at him, with a faint smile: "So late, Mr. Su followed me to my doorstep, is this okay?"

  The corridor lights were on, he took a deep breath, stared at me for a while before saying: "Do you want the neighbors to come and watch us quarrel?"

  "Why are you arguing?" I tilted my head, very puzzled, really puzzled.

  He fell silent, staring at me intently.

  This gaze that can't see the bottom at a glance is really annoying!

  I told myself 'can't hide, hiding means you lose', but I don't even know what we're fighting for! Is it really just because of too much wine and a competitive spirit?

  He moved his cheeks slightly, turned around and raised his hand to pat his forehead.

  "That's enough!"

  Gnashing one's teeth in anger.

  No need to stare at him again, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief. My entire head is fixed in place, unable to move. A large shadow presses down on me, my cheek feels icy cold, two soft lips are biting mine, and the air I breathe is filled with icy snowflakes.

  I stared at the person kissing me with wide, disbelieving eyes, even a little terrified. He closed his eyes, furrowed his brow tightly and kissed me fiercely...

  His teeth sank into my lips, and everything went white before my eyes.

  Ding

  The sound of elevator doors opening, a faint yellowish glow.

  That shadow left, he didn't even look at me again, stepped inside, and leaned against the inner wall with a self-deprecating smile that was unprecedented.

  My tears rolled down instantly, and I stared vaguely at the numbers from 6 to 1, then stopped.

  What happened after all?

  What's wrong?

  After all... why?

  I fell onto the ceramic tiles with a thud, my head throbbing in pain, feeling dizzy and short of breath, all the discomforts came at once, wave after wave of cold shivers...

  This night is simply terrible.

  The next day I had a fever of 38.7 degrees.

  At noon when the sun was warmest, I got up to find some medicine, took it in a daze, and then crawled back into bed, curled up, and fell asleep again. When I woke up, it was dark outside once more.

  It took a lot of effort to wake up, and after searching everywhere for the phone that had been misplaced, it was finally found in the pocket of the coat among the pile of paper bags, but the battery was dead and it had automatically shut down.

  I put my phone on the bedside to charge and continued sleeping with my head covered, the quilt was full of various cosmetics and perfume smells. It suddenly occurred to me that in the latter half of the night, I didn't even remove my makeup, let alone change clothes... My thinking ability at that time had gone who knows where...

  No wonder I slept so uncomfortably.

  The first time I've ever put on such heavy makeup.

  First time entering a nightclub.

  For the first time... at such a close distance with Su Hwang...

  Those fragmented scenes from last night kept flashing in my mind, and I couldn't help but think about why he kissed me.

  On a whim?

  Are you out of your mind?

  But... isn't a kiss a sign of affection?

  That possible answer is too shocking, I'm trembling with fear all over.

  The look in his eyes when he left, I remember it very clearly, disappointment, pain, self-mockery... Is he regretting kissing me?

  Just like that year, regret hurt me, regret was good to me, regret spoiled me... right?

  Just like that year, kneeling in front of my father, solemnly promising "it won't happen again", he really kept his promise and never spoiled me... not even gentle... didn't give it to me again...

  I raised my hand, and in the faint moonlight, I looked at the bright red on my fingernails. He must have hated me by now.

  Disappointed? Angry?

  Looking at me growing up, he never thought that one day I would go against his expectations and be far apart.

  The worst-case scenario is just going back to being estranged for those four years anyway.

  I laughed hysterically, covering myself with a quilt and laughing some more. As I continued to laugh, tears uncontrollably fell onto my pillow...

  Su Hao... Su Hao...

  You're indeed my nemesis.

  Can't be infatuated, can only resent?

  All these years, he left without saying goodbye, I've been crazy missing him, regretted it, resented it, but I'm still living well, happy and carefree, just like this 38.7 degree fever, nothing can hold me back, who's gone is gone, life goes on anyway

  I'm still full of energy.

  I woke up from a nap, only to find dozens of missed calls from him on my phone. The time... was right before I got home, after that inexplicable kiss, and until now, he hasn't called me once, not even a simple explanation...

  That kiss goodbye is some kind of foreign daily greeting ritual, or I'll go crazy!

  I reluctantly got up, changed clothes, took a shower, and finally managed to remove the expensive makeup with great effort. The back of my heel was originally worn out and bleeding, no wonder walking felt like dancing on needle tips...

  It turns out that every beautiful woman who is envied by others must have been a mermaid in her previous life.

  I'm feeling depressed again, sitting on the swing chair on the balcony, with a pile of colored clay on the table. As long as I concentrate on kneading it into shape, everything else is just floating clouds. It's been four years like this, can one kiss still hold me back?

  Anyway, it's not our first kiss.

  Unconsciously it's deep in the night again, and I heard that "heroine" on the pedestrian street shouting once more, still with those words "I'll beat you up if you run again!"

  Looking down from the floor-to-ceiling window, a clear white figure ran quickly past, leaving the mistress in an unknown location.

  I made up my mind to raise a dog.

  At that time, I didn't know that Moe dog would become a 2-year-old B dog.

  I made a bunch of clay dolls at home, mermaids and Doraemon, as well as a bunch of Hello Kitty. I remember someone ordered this from me on Taobao before, to be delivered before the New Year. Anyway, one is also mailed and two are also mailed, so let's just consider it a New Year gift, one per order.

  To be honest, I'm really patient with everything except studying...

  From kindergarten to primary school, from primary school to junior high school, from junior high school to senior high school, and with so many supplementary tutoring classes in between, I gradually became more and more disgusted with studying. My childhood was spent on this, and half of my youth is also being wasted like this. Often, I would think about it and couldn't figure out the meaning of going to university for myself.

  Maybe, probably, I'm just doing this for the sake of that piece of paper diploma and my parents' face. Don't look at me like I'm so obedient, actually, there are a few rebellious bones in my body too.

  Well, being obedient is just a facade, it's just going with the flow. I don't like to bother and I'm not willing to dwell on one thing until death. 'Su Hang' type of people only need to experience once in their lifetime.

  Three days have passed, and I finally felt something was wrong. Miss Shen Qi, who had no plans to go abroad, Miss Shen Qi, who must have news every day, actually lost contact for a whole week. I called her several times a day, but the secretary said she was working day and night, and hadn't slept well in several days.

  I'm all black lines, are you selling wedding dresses? Business is still booming in the cold winter?

  "Just let her sleep then, don't disturb her..."

  Hung up the phone and felt lonely again, flipped through it, looked at QQ, and found that friends were either studying abroad or working, and there was no one to waste time with me.

  "Alas, life has been mixed up to this point, it's really a pity..."

  I let out a listless grunt and decided to go take a stroll around the pet store to see the puppies.

  I heard that the vendors at Nanshan Market are all selling "weekend dogs". On my way, I specifically searched on Baidu and found an introduction saying that Aichongjia's dog sources are reliable and have a guaranteed survival rate. So I went directly to this store, but the owner said that all the small dogs for winter have been pre-ordered and need to wait until summer.

  I'm a bit surprised, I didn't know it was divided into winter and summer?

  The boss explained: "Our dogs are all specially matched in the dog farm, don't look at so many golden retrievers on the street, when you go back, you have to spend money to treat them, they won't give you vaccines, and they won't even give you meat to eat!"

  It wasn't a wasted trip after all. Although I didn't get the dog, I did get her business card. When spring comes, I'll give her a call and grab the chance to be the first one to pick.

  On the way back I had a long-distance call with Jiang Hui, and when we talked about raising dogs, he was surprised: "Are you a mother?"

  "How can it not be? Where did you see that it's not?" I rolled my eyes and said irritably.

  "Didn't you kill all the cacti?"

  "They were on the verge of death when they transplanted it! I just didn't interfere with its dying process!" I muttered indignantly, "How did it become that I killed it?"

  He just smiled to himself on the other side of the river, anyway he definitely didn't believe what I said.

  He asked me: "When will you come back?"

  "I don't know, Beijing is windy and dusty, or maybe the climate is better here."

  "Are you implying that our great capital is no longer suitable for human habitation?"

  "You're right, you should go back to Mars early." I wiped the fog off the bus window and saw a banner on the gate of the residential area that read "Happy New Year's Day", and couldn't help but exclaim: "It's almost New Year's already?"

  "Yes, brother I'm going to be one year older again." He finally could face the fact that he was about to get old calmly, paused for a moment, and said: "I asked you, there's a pet store at Liu Li Bridge that just had a litter of Samoyeds, want me to pick one up for you?"

  "Wow! That's great!" I couldn't help but get excited, that heroic one is indeed a Samoyed. Then I started worrying again: "This has to be air transported? A few months old puppy?"

  "Shall I send it over to you?"

  "I couldn't help but say: 'Forget it, I'll give my brother a call and arrange a time for him to come to your consulting room to pick it up?'"

  "Alright, I'll get him to write a note on dog care instructions for you."

  I bowed my head and covered my face: "What's with this strong distrust..."

  "Haha, you really think so!"

  I'm flipping the table!

  Psychiatrists have the ability to heal through conversation, and after chatting with him for a while, the gloom in my heart dissipated by half, and I no longer felt that the road was difficult during rush hour, anyway going back early would also be daydreaming.

  Time flies, and it easily jumped over 2010. That day I was wrapped in a blanket, curled up on the sofa, holding my computer all night to watch various TV stations' New Year's Eve parties. On the first day of the new year, I woke up on the sofa.

  There were over a hundred messages on my phone, familiar and unfamiliar people all sent New Year's greetings, even my brother sent an official group message, from top to bottom, but no Su Hang.

  I don't know if he's angry or just momentarily muddled, but it's possible that by now he's regretting it so much his intestines have turned green.

  People, they're really unpredictable...

  One moment I kissed you, the next moment you may be a stranger.

  Not even a mass text message is worthy of being sent to you.

  For a moment, I felt wronged.

  No matter how wronged I feel and want to cry, it can't stop the pace of 2010. Inevitably, I've also grown another year older. Life has no ups and downs, my mood hasn't changed either, still content with the status quo, calm and peaceful.

  I'm virtually 21 years old now, looking like I've just turned 20, but it's actually rushing towards 30 with all its might. Time is passing so quickly that I don't even dare to carefully think about what this age represents.

  Before, I always thought that Fang Wei was an immature big boy, but now it seems that I myself have never really grown up.

  We were together for more than three years, and it really was like a child's playhouse. We occasionally dated, ate, watched movies, and never discussed the future or life. Did we ever think of getting married?

  After several days of introspection, I couldn't help but mock myself, and my mood was a bit low. It felt like I had returned to the year when Su Hao abandoned me, with every day being a blur.

  Jiang finally sent me a text message: Samo baby delivered safely!

  Attached with a photo of a card full of nutrition products.

  Calcium powder, calcium tablets, seaweed powder, blueberry essence, trace element tablets... several brands with obvious effects are clearly marked, and there are also several kinds of medicine for regulating the stomach and intestines.

  Finally, don't forget to tease: Congratulations on your promotion to 'bitch', good luck in the future!

  From this message, I can almost imagine how hard it is to raise a good dog...

  It has more nutrients than I do!

  I called Chaoyang and he went "uh" and said, "I have a meeting first, I'll call you back when I'm busy!" and then hastily hung up the phone.

  It wasn't until the second day that I woke up to the morning light and had a moment of deep introspection: after living with the same ancestors and parents for over 20 years, being deceived countless times, how could I have believed his words at the meeting?!

  I called him again, but he didn't answer!

  Call again, still no answer!

  He continued to hit back with a message: This time it's really in the meeting, you give Chang Su a call.

  This time it's really a meeting, last time was indeed a lie!

  Chang Su is a general term for Su Hao in the Su family because he is the eldest grandson of the main house of the Su family, so the "Chang" is read as 'Zhang' with a third tone.

  This is even more frustrating than his meeting, why did I call him? Am I bored out of my mind?

  Isn't it hard for you to hold on to the puppy and send it to Mr. Su?

  This possibility makes me feel helpless and frustrated at once.