Cheng Su and Ying Xiaoya wandered around the academy for half a day. The academy was quite old, so the facilities were a bit outdated, but it still couldn’t hide its strong cultural ambiance. There were green trees everywhere, and a small lakeside, with some bulletin boards displaying famous quotes.
They also saw some people carrying books walking by, probably students staying over the break, or those who had just returned from summer vacation, their young faces bearing cheerful yet shy smiles.
Cheng Su watched curiously and quickly stopped to ask Ying Xiaoya, "Tell me, do I look very old?"
Ying Xiaoya was startled and said, "How are you old? Girl, you’re only twenty-one, okay?"
"Really? But I just feel so much older than them." Cheng Su looked at those young faces, feeling that her own face could never bear such innocent and shy smiles.
Is it because she considers herself married, or because she’s lived two lifetimes?
"It’s an illusion. I think you still look young, and as for your dressing style, isn’t it more beautiful and youthful than others? Look, that guy’s looking your way again, right? Oh, I really worry for Big Brother Qi, having such a beautiful wife going to college, it’s bound to attract a swarm of admirers!" Ying Xiaoya pretended to sigh.
Cheng Su joked, "Please, I’m a married woman."
Ying Xiaoya said, "If you don’t say it, who would know?"
"Can’t you see, I’m wearing a ring." Cheng Su raised her left ring finger, where there was a gold wedding ring, declaring her married status.
Ying Xiaoya pouted.
"And you? Anything going on with Xiao Pinshan?" Cheng Su suddenly asked.
Ying Xiaoya was shocked, stopped and asked, "What are you talking about?"
Her eyes dodged, making her seem even more guilty.
Cheng Su squinted her eyes and said, "Don’t play dumb with me, I know you two have some feelings going on, I can see it."
These two sometimes exchanged glances but hadn’t yet confessed, just lingering in that ambiguous stage.
Ying Xiaoya realized she couldn’t avoid it. She indeed had been troubled recently, so she simply sat down on a long wooden bench by the lakeside, resting her cheeks in her hands.
"What’s wrong? Not going well?" Cheng Su sat down beside her.
"You know, he’s been married and has a daughter with him. My parents, they won’t agree." Ying Xiaoya sighed.
Which was understandable, being their precious daughter, how could they let her become someone else’s stepmother? It’s not like there aren’t good options available.
"What do you like about him?"
A look of confusion appeared in Ying Xiaoya’s eyes as she said, "I don’t know either, I just feel he’s really steady, takes care of people, understands them, and he’s considerate in every aspect, very mature. Anyway, I just feel a sense of security being with him."
"And what about him, has he confessed to you?" Cheng Su asked.
Ying Xiaoya shook her head, looking frustrated, "Actually, I don’t even know what he’s thinking, maybe it’s just my unrequited affection!"
"You need to think clearly about this, being a stepmother is tough, that child must be eight or nine, right? A girl that age would remember her mother. If you don’t get along well, even if you get married, life wouldn’t be easy," said Cheng Su.
"I know. It’s precisely for this reason that my parents won’t agree," Ying Xiaoya replied.
"Don’t blame your parents, they love you and don’t want you to suffer. As long as you communicate well, I think they’re reasonable people!" Cheng Su said.
"Ah, who knows, we’ll just take it one step at a time," Ying Xiaoya leaned back on the bench and watched the ripples on the lakeside.
Cheng Su didn’t say anything, sitting quietly with her, her mind already wandering to Qi Taiguo far away.