Appearing on a Marriage Show Before Getting Divorced - Chapter 49

Today, Chu Nian wore a pear blossom perfume.

The top notes were sweet pear blossoms, while the base notes carried a faint, ethereal coolness—a truly antique, classical scent.

Years ago, her “Sister Chang’e” look had obsessed Ruan Youran to the point of madness. In fact, the first time they met after that shoot, Youran had held her and called out repeatedly, “Sister, my Sister Chang’e~”

That voice was enough to make anyone want to hide their face in embarrassment.

Back then, Youran had used every trick—throwing tantrums and acting spoiled—to get Chu Nian to seduce her in that Chang’e persona. Every time, Chu Nian would blush, pinch her cheek, and say, “Be good.”

It was a bashful, shameful thing. For someone as reserved as Chu Nian, it was almost impossible to speak of.

Now, she stood in fluttering white gauze, her hair held by a simple hairpin. As she raised her hand, her waterfall of long hair slid down her shoulders. Ruan Youran sat blankly on the chair, subconsciously swallowing.

Chu Nian had a smile on her lips. In the past, she always felt she couldn’t let go, even with her most intimate partner. Now, having experienced life and death and crossed the bridge of separation, all the emotions of joy, sorrow, and detachment surged up. She knew that in this life, besides Ruan Youran, no one else would ever love her like this.

Thus, what was left that she couldn’t give?

Chu Nian was tall. Wearing these clothes, combined with her cold, glamorous, and exquisite gaze, she looked like a vision of autumn ripples. Ruan Youran muttered to herself in her heart:

I am dead. I am dead!

Think of how she was usually so full of “flirty” energy and quick-witted speech, yet at this moment, she was like a paralyzed little animal, unable to move a muscle.

Chu Nian laughed, and that smile carried ten thousand rays of brilliant light. She walked toward Ruan Youran step by step. Youran’s body instinctively wanted to lean back; she couldn’t tell if she was expectant or afraid.

Her heart beat like a drum. Accompanied by that rhythm, Chu Nian reached her side and sat directly on Youran’s lap. Leaning her body, she draped one arm around Youran’s neck. “Are you very scared?”

The orchid-like fragrance hit her nose, making Youran’s face flush. Her hands began to tremble, her legs began to tremble, and even her heart began to tremble. Chu Nian’s hands were as smooth as congealed fat, carrying a hint of coolness as she slowly caressed Youran’s face.

The slight chill of that touch made Youran feel incredibly restless.

“These brows…” “This nose…” “These lips…”

Chu Nian gave a seductive smile, her eyes sparkling. “They are all mine.”

Heavens!!!

Youran was being teased to death. She couldn’t wait and reached out to pull Chu Nian in for a kiss, but Chu Nian was one step ahead, leaning back with a laugh to dodge her.

Do you know what kind of person makes you love them to the bone yet hate them to the bone—to the point where you want to chew them up and swallow them just to feel at ease? That was Chu Nian.

Chu Nian raised a delicate hand and covered Youran’s lips. “What’s the rush?”

How can I not be in a rush??

Youran’s eyes were burning red. Chu Nian reached back, picked up the glass from the table, took a sip of wine, and holding Youran’s chin, fed it to her. The cool, sharp wine slid down her throat…

This time, Youran was completely ignited. Chu Nian, however, remained unhurried. She laughed as she fed Youran the wine, sip by sip, punctuated by shallow kisses. But whenever Youran was enticed enough to chase after her for a real kiss, Chu Nian would step back again.

Teasing. Never letting her succeed.

Youran felt like she was going to explode. She gripped Chu Nian’s waist. “Do you want me to die?”

Chu Nian smiled. With a lift of her hand, the gauze dress fell to the floor.

A celestial maiden falling into the mortal realm… it was agonizingly tempting. Yet she still held Youran’s hands, not letting her move. The wine was finished, the glass tossed aside. Chu Nian’s red lips pouted slightly, glistening with the tempting sheen of wine. “I’m hungry.”

“Eat… eat what?” Youran stammered, trembling.

Chu Nian laughed and pointed to the cake nearby. In this moment, Youran’s IQ was zero. She handed the cake to Chu Nian, but was unexpectedly pushed back into the chair. This time, Chu Nian was no longer reserved. She smeared the cake on Youran’s body and ate it clean, bit by bit.

Youran lost her last line of defense. Like a lamb to the slaughter, she could only let Chu Nian harvest her.

Some people… usually look so noble and reserved. But in front of their lover… honestly…

It lasted until the next day. Youran’s back and waist were still aching, while Chu Nian had already gotten up to cook. She didn’t know what had come over her yesterday—perhaps she had drunk too much to perform such absurd acts. Even while cooking, the memory of last night made her blush and shake her head.

Youran’s favorite breakfast was noodles—specifically soup noodles, and she loved the sweet and sour flavor profile. Today, Chu Nian specifically made her beef brisket noodles with large chunks of meat. The beef had been marinated beforehand. Taking a piece out, she thought about how much energy Youran must have lost during yesterday’s “exertion,” so she added another piece, cutting them into large chunks and simmering them in a tomato broth with rock sugar and other ingredients for half an hour.

The moment the pot was opened, the room filled with fragrance.

“E… where is my E?” (Referring to Chang’e)

Ruan Youran emerged rubbing her eyes, wearing nothing at all. Her body was dotted with little red marks left behind from the “cake-eating” yesterday. Chu Nian’s face instantly turned beet red. “Hungry? I’m cooking.”

She swore to the heavens. She hadn’t expected things to get so intense yesterday. At first, she just wanted to eat the cake… but as she ate, she felt the person was sweeter than the cake, and the scene spiraled out of control.

Youran wasn’t ashamed at all. She walked over and hugged Chu Nian from behind. “Hungry? No, I was asking for my Big Goose Sister!” (A pun on Chang’e). Her voice was a bit hoarse. She had truly put up a fight like she was on a battlefield yesterday; her shouting was quite magnificent. It had been a long time since they’d been together, and she hadn’t expected Chu Nian to have so many tricks.

Chu Nian swatted her wandering hand. “Go over there and put some clothes on. Don’t catch a cold.”

Youran gave an “Oh” but didn’t dress properly, instead draping herself in the white gauze Chu Nian had shed yesterday. She even waved the sleeves around and started to dance. “Great King~”

Youran flipped her hair, thinking of preparing for her own next seduction of Chu Nian. She licked her lips. “Great King~”

Chu Nian walked over carrying the noodles, looking perfectly serious. “Yes, beauty. I am here.”

Youran stumbled and fell onto the bed, covering herself with the quilt. “What are you doing???”

Her Nian Nian had changed. Youran was thick-skinned, but she still had some dignity! Why did she have to expose her like that? Chu Nian, expressionless, pinched Youran’s exposed little bottom. “Come here, time to eat.”

As for the bowl of noodles, Youran was supposed to eat it herself, but they ended up playing and laughing, feeding each other bite by bite. Their eyes looked as if they were dripping with honey. The sweet and sour flavor passed from one to the other, so sweet and cloying. They truly wished they could keep eating like this forever…

Their long hair tangled together. Youran held Chu Nian, forehead to forehead. “Okay?”

Chu Nian looked into her eyes. “Mhm?”

Youran smiled softly. “Let’s be like this for a lifetime, okay?”

Okay.

Youran’s eyes grew moist. She held Chu Nian tightly. “Just like this. For a lifetime.”

Now, it wasn’t just the two mothers making lifetime vows. Little Zhengzhi was also very tense at kindergarten. She sat on a toy horse, motionless. The surrounding children were playing noisily, but usually, she wouldn’t participate in such activities. She was here today because she knew Su Xiaoyu would be there.

Su Xiaoyu hopped over as usual. Familiar with Zhengzhi now, she didn’t need to ask permission; she sat directly behind Zhengzhi and imitated riding a horse while singing: “Giddy-up, giddy-up, giddy-up! You are the wind, I am the sand, lingering and winding to the ends of the earth~”

She was a late talker and still had a bit of a lisp, but it didn’t detract from her cuteness. The Su family had only recently become wealthy through a small business. In her father’s words, they were a “nouveau riche” family who bought a house nearby specifically for their child’s education. Even though her family was “poor” compared to others in this kindergarten, she had enjoyed her parents’ love since birth and was incredibly cheerful and bright. Several little boys liked her.

Su Xiaoyu was very talented at singing; all the kids and teachers knew it. Normally, Zhengzhi would have frowned and told her to get off, but today, she was clearly distracted.

Stepping off the horse, Su Xiaoyu was about to run to the swings when, unexpectedly, her dress was caught by Zhengzhi. Xiaoyu looked up in surprise, her pigtails shaking. “What is it, Zhengzhi?”

Actually, many kids in kindergarten wanted to play with Zhengzhi. She was smart and pretty; teachers loved her, and classmates liked her. But she spoke too little and was… mysteriously intimidating. Only Su Xiaoyu had enough patience; sometimes, it was as if she could see through Zhengzhi’s heart.

Xiaoyu looked at Zhengzhi. Since Zhengzhi didn’t speak, she waited patiently. After a long silence, Zhengzhi pulled a ring from her pocket, damp from the sweat of her palm.

Grandma Ruan Qiu was reliable after all—unlike the two mothers who forgot about their daughter the moment they saw a cake. She had taken Zhengzhi to make the ring overnight. Zhengzhi had designed it herself: very simple, engraved with “RLS” (Ruan Loves Su) on the face, with small diamonds set around the band.

Su Xiaoyu’s eyes widened. Zhengzhi had put it on a necklace and reached out to fasten it around Xiaoyu’s neck.

Xiaoyu was happy. “Shouldn’t it be on my hand?” “I made it to adult size,” Zhengzhi said, looking at her. “So you can still wear it when you’re older.”

Xiaoyu didn’t understand the implication; she just looked down at the ring, thinking it was beautiful. Seeing her carefree look, Zhengzhi said seriously, “Xiaoyu, I am a person with a very good memory.”

Xiaoyu looked up, her smile like a flower. “I know!” Zhengzhi stared at her steadily. “I will remember you for a lifetime.” Xiaoyu laughed again. “I will too!”

Outside the kindergarten, Ruan Qiu was already chatting with Su Xiaoyu’s father. Both families knew about the two children and were laughing and joking about it.

Ruan Qiu: “Our little one is very serious. If she sets her heart on something, she won’t forget.” Su’s Dad: “Haha, mine has the nickname ‘Three-Day Limit.’ Once three days pass, her memory is cleared. She’s completely carefree.”

…

The sky was so blue, the clouds so dazzling, and the sunlight was just right. Everything was good. Now, the only difficult thing left was the surgery.