Lin Xi jumped up, throwing herself into Duan Yiheng's arms. "Why are you here?" her voice was filled with incredulous surprise. Her wide hat brim was squeezed and deformed; Duan Yiheng straightened it, chuckling softly,
"Surprised?" Lin Xi's eyes and brows were full of laughter. She nodded vigorously, "Surprised, but also a little frightened." For a moment, her heart skipped a beat. Duan Yiheng, still holding the sweet soup in his left hand, pulled Lin Xi down to sit, saying,
"You're all sweaty, have some to cool down." Lin Xi took the sweet soup, saying, "Duan Mingxuan went to buy some too, but I don't know why he hasn't come back yet." Duan Yiheng's smile faded slightly: "He left, otherwise how would I have found you?" Lin Xi was taken aback: "Left?
Did you beat him up?" "No," Duan Yiheng replied, "I was in a hurry to see you, I didn't have time for that." Lin Xi scooped a spoonful of sweet soup for Duan Yiheng, pleading for Duan Mingxuan: "He's just abstract, not that bad."
Duan Yiheng pulled a letter from his pocket and gave it to Lin Xi: "This is from Duan Mingxuan." Lin Xi was stunned. What was Duan Mingxuan up to? When did he become so poetic? Duan Yiheng held out the sweet soup for her, asking, "Do you want to read it now or finish it before reading?"
Lin Xi snuggled into Duan Yiheng's arms playfully, saying, "I'll finish this first." Duan Yiheng found it amusing and adorable, looking down at the person in his arms, knowing how much she missed him.
He missed Lin Xi too, but his reserved nature prevented him from saying anything mushy, so he could only make the most outrageous gesture of feeding her in public. With her hat brim covering her face, Lin Xi pretended not to notice the stares around her, finishing the sweet soup sip by sip.
Duan Yiheng opened her bag, took out wet wipes, and cleaned her mouth and hands, then said, "You read it, I'm going to throw out the trash." Lin Xi grabbed him, "Aren't you coming with me to see what's so literary about it?" Duan Yiheng ruffled her hair:
"Read it yourself, it's not like it was written for me." He respected Duan Mingxuan's choice, and he also respected the time Lin Xi had spent with Duan Mingxuan. That's between the two of them; how they choose and resolve it is beyond his control.
Lin Xi opened the letter, her heart growing heavier with each reading. Duan Mingxuan wrote: "Xiao Xi, I've known you for eighteen years, stolen eighteen days from you. I'm not satisfied, but I really can't change anything now.
Whether you get engaged or married to Duan Yiheng, you don't need to inform me. I'm afraid if I try to crash the wedding, Duan Yiheng will beat me half to death. Xiao Xi, I've decided to stay in the South. If we meet again, it will be fate.
You don't know how much effort I put into writing this letter, but I don't dare to go to you. In my heart, you'll always be Xiao Xi. Duan Yiheng said love is about restraint and letting go, which really doesn't suit my personality. But what can I do?
If I could do it all over again, I hope I fell in love with you at first sight, instead of making you wait so long for this fool to realize it. Xiao Xi, I hope you're happy every day from now on." "Of course, if Duan Yiheng wrongs you, come find me here."
The letter ended abruptly. Lin Xi stared at the three English words "I love you" printed on the letter, her heart filled with mixed emotions. She folded the letter and sat by the lake for a long time. Duan Yiheng finished throwing away his trash and walked back. Lin Xi spotted him in the crowd, raised her hand, and waved.
"Duan Yiheng, want to take a boat ride?" "Sure," Duan Yiheng replied. Lin Xi had chartered a boat all to herself; it would take about half an hour to explore the entire ancient town.
Duan Yiheng helped Lin Xi onto the boat. The boat swayed gently. Lin Xi cupped her face in her hands, gazing at the shimmering water. To Duan Yiheng, Lin Xi seemed to be lost in thought. Passing by the white walls and black tiles, Lin Xi turned to Duan Yiheng and asked, "Why don't you ask me what Duan Mingxuan wrote to me?"
Duan Yiheng gave a faint smile: "There's nothing to ask." Lin Xi felt uneasy and confessed to Duan Yiheng, "I know I shouldn't think like this, but I also feel that his behavior is my fault. He said he'll stay in the South and not go back."
"Whether he goes back or not is his own choice," Duan Yiheng said. "He's only 25. His horizons and thoughts will broaden with every place he travels." Lin Xi seemed to be pondering Duan Yiheng's words. Duan Yiheng took her hand and said, "Let him move forward."
Lin Xi took out her phone and sent Duan Mingxuan a message: "I'm really not used to you being like this, Duan Mingxuan. I respect your choice. If you encounter any trouble, remember to come home." Duan Mingxuan looked at the message and walked alone on the stone path.
After walking about a hundred meters, he smiled, a smile full of spirit. There is no next life, so there was no Lin Xi who belonged to him. After the boat ride, the temperature rose higher and higher, and Duan Yiheng suggested going back to the hotel.
Lin Xi naturally couldn't go back to the hotel where she and Duan Mingxuan were staying, so the two found a hotel nearby. That evening, Lin Xi was stunned to see Duan Yiheng take her clothes and toiletries out of his suitcase. "Why did you bring so much stuff?" Duan Yiheng said.
"When Duan Mingxuan took you away, he didn't bring anything. Although you can buy anything with money, I was afraid you'd need it, so I brought everything." Lin Xi kicked Duan Yiheng's knee with her toe: "You're quite virtuous."
Duan Yiheng grabbed her ankle, deliberately saying, "Nowhere to put your foot?" Lin Xi glanced at him: "I see you're holding it quite happily." Duan Yiheng stood up, bent down, pinched her chin, and kissed her. It wasn't a deep kiss; it was more like a comforting one.
Lin Xi withdrew her foot and said, "I'm going to take a shower first." Duan Yiheng reminded her to get her clothes, but before he could finish speaking, Sister Mei called. Duan Yiheng answered and asked, "What is it?"
"You didn't say how many days you'd be gone when you left. I asked when you'd be back. Young Master Meng came over today and wants you to take Miss Lin to the Meng family for a meal." Duan Yiheng was slightly taken aback: "Why didn't he call me?" Sister Mei said:
"He was passing by and wanted to come in to see you, but you weren't here." Duan Yiheng glanced at the bathroom and said, "Okay, I got it. I'll call him later." Lin Xi only realized she hadn't brought any clothes after showering. She clung to the bathroom door and called out:
"Duan Yiheng, are you there?" Duan Yiheng picked up her clothes and went over, saying, "Do you want me to help you get dressed?" "Are you crazy?" Lin Xi cursed him. "Give it to me now."
Duan Yiheng was just teasing her. After giving Lin Xi her clothes, he very conscientiously went into the bathroom and started drying her hair. By the time he finished showering and got into bed, Lin Xi was almost asleep. Duan Yiheng turned to his side and kissed Lin Xi, saying,
"Is there anywhere you want to go? I'll stay with you for a few days before we go back, okay?" Lin Xi turned around and asked him, "Aren't you busy?" Duan Yiheng said, "A few more days won't make a difference. We're already here. The Meng family called and asked me to take you out for a meal."
Lin Xi knew this meal was different; it represented the acceptance of her status by Duan Yiheng's only remaining family member. "Then let's stay a few more days. Tomorrow we'll go pick out gifts for my uncle, aunt, grandmother, and cousin." "Okay."