coobybook Chapter 884 Lantern Chapter
Chapter 884 Lantern Chapter
Teng Zijing leaned on the edge of the bathtub, shaking the red wine in his hand in circles, thinking for a moment, and savoring An Yu's suggestion.
"We'll go back in three days." He pondered for a moment, and the sadness in his voice faded away.
"Don't rush them for the next three days. Let Deng Zhouyi and Yu Qianqian talk it out on their own. If there's really something they can't resolve,
It's better to take a step back and let them adjust slowly. A forced melon is not sweet. "
"Well, that's all we can do." An Yu's voice softened, with a hint of heartache and warmth.
"I've been looking after the company's business all day. It's not my strong point, so I'm a little tired. You should rest early.
I've found a good restaurant that looks good in the advertisements. When you come back, we can go try it together."
"Okay." Teng Zijing smiled, the fatigue in his eyes fading a lot. "But I have to hug you tightly before we go back. I'm burning with desire right now, it's really tormenting, and you're everywhere."
"I missed you, too!" An Yu's voice was instantly filled with coquettishness, and she felt a little shy because of Teng Zijing's teasing. "Go to sleep quickly, muah, sweet dreams!"
"Kiss, sweet dreams." Teng Zijing replied to the phone, and heard the crisp hang-up sound from the other end.
He rubbed his fingertips across the screen twice before smiling and placing the phone on the shelf beside the bathtub.
The air was still filled with water vapor, and the neon lights outside the window shone through the frosted glass, casting a gentle spot of light on the water.
He closed his eyes, listening to the sound of the water gently swaying, and the irritation in his heart caused by hitting the wall was relieved.
An Yu's words had already smoothed things over for me - it turns out that no matter how difficult the problem is, it won't be that difficult if there is someone who understands and accompanies you.
The sun on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month hung low in the sky, casting a layer of warm light on the walls of the farmhouse.
When Teng Zijing and Deng Zhouyi walked into the alley carrying gifts, they heard chattering coming from the main hall of the Yu family, as lively as a handful of beans being scattered.
The moment he lifted the door curtain, Deng Zhouyi paused for a moment—the kang and stools in the room were full of people.
Crumbs of sunflower seeds were scattered all over the floor, and the copper end of the pipe was shining in the dim light.
The most eye-catching person was a woman in a flowery cotton-padded jacket, who was holding Yu Qianqian's hand and smiling. It was the second aunt she met at the village entrance that day.
"Qianqian, I haven't seen you in years since you went to the city for college. You've become even more beautiful!" Second Aunt's loud voice cut through the noise.
"I heard Yu'e say the other day that two handsome young men came to our house. Are they Qianqian's boyfriends?"
Yu Qianqian's eyes quickly swept over her father's tense face, her lips pressed into a straight line, and she didn't dare to respond.
A man with a goatee on the edge of the kang knocked off his cigarette ash and advised in a hoarse voice:
"Brother, how old is Qianqian? What's wrong with dating? When Yu'e told me about this, I thought it was a good thing. Why are you still looking so gloomy today?"
Yu's father took a puff of his cigarette, smoke rings drifting slowly from his nostrils, and said in a deep voice: "It's not suitable. They are not a good match."
Before the last word "yes" was uttered, Teng Zijing walked in through the door curtain that Deng Zhouyi had opened, and his woolen coat swept across the door frame, bringing up a gust of wind.
Deng Zhouyi followed closely behind. The driver deftly put the gift box in his hand into the corner of the wall, and the paper shell made a light "dong" sound when it hit the ground.
The noise in the room suddenly quieted for half a second, and all eyes were focused on him.
Yu Qianqian's face flushed instantly, and she stood up as if she was burned. She quickly stepped forward and took the gift box from Teng Zijing's hand.
Her fingertips trembled slightly as she said timidly, "Master Jing, you are here. Please take a seat."
Teng Zijing glanced around the room, a polite smile playing on his lips: "Oh, you have guests at home? We are being rude."
As he spoke, he walked towards the sofa. When his eyes fell on the colorful patchwork of fabrics on the cushions, his steps paused almost imperceptibly.
Finally, he wrapped himself in his coat and sat down on the edge, crossed his legs, and placed his hands casually on his legs, looking casual yet elegant.
As Deng Zhouyi was piling the gift boxes in his hand into the corner, Yu Qianqian came over and said in a voice as low as a mosquito's hum: "Are you...leaving today?"
"Ask my uncle and aunt what they think first." Deng Zhouyi lowered his voice and looked at Yu's father across the crowd.
Yu Qianqian lowered her head even lower, and her waist-length hair brushed across the back of her hand, bringing a little coolness.
"Hey, isn't this the real one?" Second Aunt suddenly clapped her thigh and laughed, slipping down from the edge of the kang and moving a few steps to the middle. "Qianqian, come and introduce him to Second Aunt! This child is so handsome."
Yu Qianqian took a deep breath, turned around and pointed at Teng Zijing and said, "This is Mr. Teng Zijing, the president of Kuncheng Fengteng International Group."
Teng Zijing nodded slightly to the crowd, and said in a more casual tone: "Just call me Zijing."
"This is my second aunt and my second uncle." Yu Qianqian pointed at the man with a goatee on the kang and said, "Second aunt, second uncle, happy new year."
Teng Zijing followed with a "Happy New Year" and his eyes fell on the plate of colorful candies on the kang table without saying anything else.
When Yu Qianqian turned and pointed at Deng Zhouyi, her voice became steadier: "This is my boyfriend, Deng Zhouyi, and he is also Jing Ye's assistant."
Deng Zhouyi immediately took out two red envelopes from his suit pocket and handed them to his second aunt and second uncle with both hands: "Second aunt, second uncle, happy new year. It's just a small token of my appreciation."
The thickness of the red envelope could be seen through the red paper. When Second Aunt took it, her hands were heavy and she smiled so much that wrinkles appeared at the corners of her eyes.
"Oh, kid, how can the younger generation give red envelopes to the elders during the Chinese New Year? This is so embarrassing!" He said this while stuffing the red envelope tightly into the pocket of his cotton-padded jacket.
Second Uncle also laughed on the kang, raising his chin towards Yu's father. "Look, brother, how sensible this child is! He's handsome and sweet-mouthed. What else can you complain about?"
"You know shit!" Yu's father knocked his pipe against the edge of the kang, sparks flying, "It's not your daughter's turn to marry!"
"Brother, what are you talking about?" Second Aunt immediately chimed in, "Little Deng looks reliable. He's got the looks and the skills. Why does Qianqian feel wronged by being with him?"
As they were arguing, Yu's mother came in from outside carrying a basket of vegetables, with some mud on her trouser legs.
She sent the basket to the kitchen, turned around, lifted the curtain and came into the main room. Seeing Deng Zhouyi, she was stunned for a moment and then smiled:
"Is Xiao Deng here? Boss Teng is here too. You guys take a seat first. Yu'e, come help me. We're making dumplings for lunch tonight."
The woman called Yu'e responded promptly and followed Yu's mother to the kitchen. When she passed by Deng Zhouyi, she smiled and praised him, "This young man looks energetic!"
Second Aunt suddenly remembered something and clapped her hands: "That's right! Today is the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month.
There's a lantern show at the temple east of the village tonight, and they've invited a troupe from the city to perform! Boss Teng, Xiao Deng, don't rush to leave, stay and join in the fun!
Just as Teng Zijing was about to speak, Yu's father spoke first, "How could a boss from the city look down on our village's shabby lantern show? He's seen everything in the big cities."
Deng Zhouyi suddenly took over, looking at Yu Qianqian with a serious tone:
"There's a troupe of actors? That sounds interesting. If it's not too much trouble, brother, let's stay and watch tonight."
Teng Zijing echoed, "Big cities only see modern trends, not the down-to-earth opera troupes of local areas. If Uncle Yu doesn't mind, we can stay and liven things up."
Yu Qianqian suddenly looked up, and a glint of unexpected light flashed in her eyes, like falling stars.
The heat from dinner had not yet dissipated, but Yu Qianqian had already put on the pink down jacket that Deng Zhouyi had bought for her when he came back. The zipper was zipped up to the top, revealing only half of her face.
She stood at the door clutching the corner of her clothes, waiting for her second uncle and aunt, Deng Zhouyi, and Teng Zijing to come out after greeting each other.
The wind from the alley blew the cold air into her collar. She shrank her neck, and her voice was a little ethereal in the wind:
"The lantern show is in the old temple at the east end of the village. It's a great spot to see the lights on the main street. There are also all kinds of lanterns and lantern riddles on the main street. If you guess correctly, you can go to the temple gate to receive a gift."
There was a solar street lamp on the main road from a distance, and the light was dim like a candle that was about to burn out, stretching the shadows of several people very long, and then breaking into pieces under their feet.
Yu's father walked in front, holding a flashlight. The beam of light swept across the stone road. When he avoided a pothole, he turned back and shouted, "There's a puddle here, watch your step!"
The second uncle followed beside him, always shining the flashlight in his hand towards Teng Zijing's feet, for fear that the big boss would not be used to it and something might happen.
Second Aunt was the last one to come along, holding Yu's mother's arm. Their shadows huddled together, looking very close.
"Sister-in-law, you didn't look carefully," Second Aunt's voice was very low, with a hint of urgency,
"That little Deng has a handsome face and speaks well. When I pinched the red envelope he gave me just now, I knew it was quite heavy!
Qianqian is so lucky to meet someone like this, it's a blessing she's earned in several lifetimes. Don't be as stubborn as your elder brother.
A son-in-law like this is so hard to find, and once you miss this opportunity, you’ll never find one again.”
Mother Yu sighed, the white air she exhaled dissipating quickly under the streetlight: "It's not that I don't hope for her well.
Think about it, he is a big businessman in the city, so his family must be very luxurious.
If Qianqian went there, her mother-in-law would dislike us because we were from the countryside and that she was not presentable enough, and she would suffer in the middle and would have no place to complain.
"You don't understand this!" Second Aunt nudged her with her elbow, her eyes shining brightly in the dark.
"I'll find a chance to ask Xiao Deng later whether he wants to live with his parents after marriage or live alone as a couple.
As long as the elders don't interfere, how can there be so much trouble when two young people live their own lives?
Besides, Boss Teng is here. He treats Xiao Deng as a brother. How can he watch Qianqian suffer injustice? "
A voice drifted over from the front. It was Deng Zhouyi asking Yu Qianqian, "Are the street lights in your village solar-powered?"
"Yeah, I just installed it last year," Yu Qianqian said in a lighter voice. "I used to rely on a flashlight when walking at night, and I fell down several times."
Teng Zijing followed beside him, with the doors of his coat open, revealing the neat shirt underneath, giving off a particularly powerful aura.
He looked at the red lanterns floating in the distance at the temple fair, like lantern fruits floating in the dark night, and suddenly smiled:
"It's more interesting than the neon lights in the city. There are even craftsmen who can make Kongming lanterns!"
My second uncle laughed and said, "It was done by a primary school teacher in the village."
Yu Qianqian secretly looked up at him and saw that his brows were relaxed, not as tense as during the day, and the timidity in her heart quietly relaxed.
The wind blew in from the street corner, making the lanterns rustle. Suddenly, my uncle's flashlight swept across the stage at the temple entrance and he shouted, "We're here!"
The area under the stage was already crowded with people. The shouts of the candied haws sellers, the laughter of the children, and the "ah-ah" sounds of the troupe tuning their instruments mixed together, like a pot of boiling sweet soup.
Second Aunt's eyes lit up, and she dragged Yu's mother into the crowd, "Let's find a good seat to watch the show first!"
Yu's father snorted, but still shone the flashlight in the direction of the stage to guide the others.
Deng Zhouyi moved closer to Yu Qianqian and asked in a low voice, "Are you cold?" She shook her head, but shrank her neck even tighter.
He raised his hand to help her tie the scarf tightly, but stopped halfway and pointed at the rabbit lantern hanging over there: "That one looks pretty." After that, the two of them left the crowd.
Teng Zijing stood a little further away, looking at Deng Zhouyi's clumsy appearance, with a smile on his lips.
The aroma of sugar-roasted chestnuts wafted in the wind, mixed with the fishy smell of soil, which made people feel more down-to-earth than the fragrance in the hotel.
He looked at the actors coming and going on the stage, and suddenly understood what An Yu meant by "the smell of fireworks" - it turned out that in this bustling and noisy scene, the most real life is hidden.