In a blink of an eye, it's Spring.
Yang Xiao and Meng Yufan were still in an awkward state. There is a word used to describe couples who are inseparable in appearance - "harmonious on the face", then they are "harmonious on the bed".
Meng Yufan also got into the horns, he saw Yang Xiao's absent-mindedness, so he worked harder after getting into bed, Yang Xiao was hurt by him, so he doubled the pain back to him, and Meng Yufan ended up after the whole Fingernail marks were scratched out on his back, and every time he took a bath, the pain made him gasp.
Fortunately, their team has not practiced recently, or else his teammates who are afraid of chaos in the world will see it and they will make fun again.
Yang Xiao still had some measure, and he didn't leave any traces on his neck, but Meng Yufan didn't have as much concern as her. The hot kiss spread from her chest to her collarbone, and then bit her toe inch by inch from the inner thigh. Excruciating pain, he kicked when he lifted his foot, but he was pushed back by him, bullied him up, and took revenge on her.
No matter what the young couple was making trouble after closing the door; in front of the elders, the two of them were still very good at acting.
Yang Xiao's parents didn't know how to learn about Meng Yufan's parents returning to China. The old couple were still traveling abroad, and now they can't even travel well. They called over the night and told their daughter carefully, Let her remember the way of hospitality, and treat Mom and Dad Meng from afar.
"I knew we wouldn't go out for a trip." Yang's mother said angrily, "My in-laws came to the door, and the two of us are not here!"
"Which family?" Yang Xiao interrupted her, "It's a matter of not saying anything, the two of them went back to China to see their son, not me. Don't think too much about this."
"Where are the eight characters missing?" Yang's mother was very anxious, "I think Meng Yufan is pretty good, and it's almost time for you to make up your mind. Originally, your dad and I didn't approve of you finding someone younger, but seeing After Fanzi, I feel that the reliability of a man has nothing to do with age, but only with character. You look at your previous two boyfriends, they all look like people, but the result is not still... "
"—Two boyfriends?" Yang smiled for a moment.
Mama Yang: "..."
Yang Xiao asked her, "Where did you know that?"
From beginning to end, she only told her family about her first boyfriend. The second boyfriend, Yu Huaibo, was just about to bring him home when she discovered that he had split into an octopus. In order to reassure her parents, she hired Meng Yufan to be her boyfriend.
Mama Yang: "..." She hesitated, and pushed the phone to her lover, asking him to explain.
The old couple pushed this hot potato back and forth for a long time. In the end, Dad Yang was defeated, and he could only bite the bullet and explain the whole story to his daughter.
"That... lol, in fact, we already knew that Fanzi was not your second boyfriend." Dad Yang coughed dryly, "Once a relative came to the house and said they wanted to have dinner together. Your mother and I planned to go directly to the TV station. Picking you up from get off work, I saw a man with glasses waiting for you with a bouquet of flowers. He looked very refined. The man was in his thirties, gentle, and he seemed to be a good match for you. Guess, that was your boyfriend at the time, so I urged you to take him home during the Mid-Autumn Festival."
As a result, something unexpected happened. On the Mid-Autumn Festival, the daughter did not bring back the gentle man, but brought back a little wolf dog.
Yang's father and Yang's mother were confused. The first reaction was whether her daughter was on two boats, but after so many years of trust, they firmly believed that her daughter was not that kind of person. Later, the couple tried to find a way to inquire, and after knowing the bad things Yu Huaibo did, they probably guessed the truth: it is estimated that Xiaoxiao didn't want them to worry, so they found a young boy through some channel and pretended to be her boyfriend. .
On that day, in order to reassure his parents, Yang Xiao took a fake boyfriend to play for a day.
In order to reassure her, her parents also pretended not to know, and also acted for a day.
Yang Xiao: "..." I didn't expect that when she tried her best to tear the fig leaf to cover up the truth, her parents had already seen through everything, and gently tolerated all her scheming. At that moment, shame, self-blame, embarrassment, touching, grievance... These complex feelings flooded in her chest, Yang Xiao held the phone, wondering what else she could say.
She sniffed, and in a slightly hoarse voice, changed the subject bluntly: "...you guys have fun, don't worry about me."
Then she hung up the phone like she was running away from something.
On another continent far away from the ocean, Mom and Dad Yang listened to the blind tone on the phone, looked at each other, and shook his head helplessly.
Forget it, children and grandchildren will have their own children and grandchildren. Xiaoxiao has always been a child with ideas, she can decide her own life.
…
The Meng family's parents originally planned to go back after the Spring Festival in China, but they had to rush back as soon as possible if something suddenly went wrong in the overseas factory.
And the most recent air ticket is in the early morning of the first day of the new year.
Mom and Dad Meng looked at their son, who was already tall and strong, and felt very guilty. Originally, he wanted to come back to spend the holiday with his son, but the plan couldn't keep up with the changes.
Meng Yufan was open to it, but comforted his parents: "It's alright, at least we can have the New Year's Eve dinner together, and I'll take you to the airport after we finish eating."
So like this, this New Year's Eve, Yang Xiao and Meng Yufan's family of three will celebrate together.
Mother Meng can't cook, so letting her cook is like frying a bunker, so they booked a New Year's reunion banquet in a private restaurant in advance.
Normally, this kind of reunion banquet needs to be booked at least one or two months in advance. Whether they are a temporary addition, or such a famous private restaurant, Yang Xiao deliberately forced himself not to think about how much the Meng family spent.
The New Year's Eve dinner was really rich. The box is small but exquisite. There are not only rare mountain and sea delicacies, but also home-cooked dishes. With the chef's skillful processing and the blessing of exquisite ingredients, every dish is enough to be photographed in Jiugongge and show off in the circle of friends.
Yang Xiao also took two pictures. Seeing that everyone in the circle of friends was having a New Year's Eve dinner, she also shared a group of photos with great interest.
Tang Shuge had sharp eyes and immediately chatted with her privately.
Sugar: Aren't your parents abroad? Who are the two middle-aged people in the photo, aren't they Meng Yufan's parents? You haven't gotten married yet, so you're spending the New Year with their family of three
Yang Xiao was taken aback. She only took pictures of the dishes and deliberately avoided the people at the table. How did Tang Shuge know
LOL: Do you have clairvoyance
LOL: Or did you hack into the surveillance cameras in the box
LOL: There are only vegetables in the photo, where did you see it
Soon, Tang Shuge sent a photo over—it was a West Lake beef soup photographed by Yang Xiao. When serving, the waiter hung a metal long-handled spoon on the edge of the soup basin. Tang Shuge enlarged the picture to the maximum, and drew a striking red circle on the metal long-handled spoon. In the red circle, two reflected figures could be vaguely seen.
LOL: Is that all right? ? Are you an agent? ?
Sugar: I'm not an agent, I'm a fangirl.
Sugar: Do you know how many men and women love beans, and the exposure of love is because of the reflection of the metal spoon
LOL:…
Okay, the fan circle detective is amazing. She is willing to bow down!
Yang Xiao thought, if Tang Shuge saw that the four of them were having a New Year's Eve dinner together, would anyone else see it? For example, her parents, her relatives, her colleagues and friends, and... Yang Xiao's mind floated a little when he thought of this.
After the meal was over, the waiter removed the leftovers and served a cup of dessert.
Meng's mother is from the south. In her hometown, she does not eat dumplings during Chinese New Year, but eats Yuanxiao instead. The reunion was round and sweet, and in front of each of them was a small cup of red bean wine-stuffed glutinous rice balls, which tasted very good, but Yang Xiao couldn't eat it.
Seeing that she was eating slowly, Meng Yufan asked her, "Don't you like it? Why don't I ask the back chef to serve you dumplings."
"No need." Yang Xiao shook his head, "It's not that I don't like it, it's that I'm too full to eat."
"If you can't eat it, give it to me." Meng Yufan directly took the dessert cup in front of her, and ate the rest of her bowl in three or two bites, not at all disgusting that it was his girlfriend's leftovers.
Before Yang Xiao could stop it, he saw that he swallowed it all.
"Eat slowly, this kind of sweet and sticky food is not easy to digest." Yang Xiao whispered, "Eat so fast, be careful that your stomach is uncomfortable."
Although the two have an awkward relationship now, it doesn't mean they don't love each other anymore. Or should I say, it is because they love each other that the relationship is so awkward. At least at the dinner table, the two pay attention to each other and raise their eyebrows a little to know what the other likes to eat and what they don't like to eat.
Seeing that the two loved each other so much, the Meng family's parents became more and more happy.
Their son had never been enlightened since he was a child, and the girl confessed to him, but he felt that falling in love was not as interesting as playing basketball. Who would have thought that as soon as he was enlightened, he seemed to have changed a person in an instant, matured a lot, and knew how to care for and love people. Such a big change in him is inseparable from Yang Xiao.
If it were a charming and willful girl who would do everything in her power and hold Meng Yufan in her hands, then the old couple would definitely disagree; but now it seems that Yang Xiao is sensible, emotionally intelligent, and professional. What kind of young people do they admire the most
Dad Meng looked at his wife beside him and nodded slightly to her.
Mother Meng received his gaze, coughed, and took out a small box from her golden brown birkin.
The box was a long and narrow rectangle, about three fingers wide and forty centimeters long, with a golden ribbon on it, and it looked beaming.
"Miss Yang... I mean, laugh." Mama Meng smiled and looked at the girl across the table, "You've worked hard these days to take care of our old couple. You're eating with us and shopping with us. This time when we returned to China, we just wanted to meet our son's girlfriend, and the result was even better and more perfect than we imagined. It is a blessing for our family to find a girlfriend like you. With you here, we will You can go back with confidence... Before leaving, we want to give you a little gift to represent the care of our old couple."
"You are too polite." Yang Xiao looked at the red-golden box and quickly declined, "You have given me a lot of things these days, and they are more expensive than ever. I am embarrassed to take them. Take care of you two. The position is right, the gift or something, really don't need it."
Yang Xiao guessed that according to Mama Meng's usual richness, the long box might contain a golden necklace or a heavy gemstone hairpin.
"This gift is different." Dad Meng said with a serious face, "This is our tradition and must be given."
Just when Yang Xiao declined, Meng Yufan suddenly stretched out his hand from the side and suppressed the small box.
"Dad, Mom, Sister Xiaoxiao is thin-skinned, so don't push it. I'll take this gift for her first."
"..." Yang Xiao was at a loss.
It's really strange. Every time Meng's mother gave her a gift before, Meng Yufan stood beside him like a telephone pole. Whether she accepted it or not, he didn't express any opinion and fully respected her choice. Why is it uncharacteristically today, calling the shots for her
But thanks to his interruption, Mom and Dad Meng finally let her go.
Because this gift was accepted by Meng Yufan, a trace of regret flashed on Meng's mother's face, but she quickly suppressed the regret.
…
When the clock crossed zero, Yang Xiao and Meng Yufan sent Mom and Dad to the airport together.
In the early morning of the first day of the new year, there were very few people in the airport, and even the staff on duty were fewer than usual.
There are not many people who will travel at this special time. There is only one opening at the security check, and every passenger bids farewell to the person who sees them off at the security check.
Yang Xiaojing stood aside and did not disturb Meng Yufan and his family to say goodbye.
Meng's mother repeated those words over and over again. Meng Yufan would have memorized it after listening to it for so many years.
Every opening remark is "study hard".
Sure enough, Meng's mother said, "Study hard! Don't think that you are a sports student, and cultural classes are not important. If you can't get your diploma, you won't be able to look up on the basketball team in the future!"
After telling him to finish his homework, his mother will enter the second stage again, "play well".
After being hit by him again, Meng's mother said, "Use snacks when you play, don't run rampant, and don't get hurt! Of course, you must get the points you deserve. When your mother gets the MVP, she will return to China to celebrate for you!"
These clichés were all answered by Meng Yufan.
In the last part of the conversation, Meng Yufan knew that his mother wanted him to "listen to the teacher's words and the coach's words".
Only this time, Mother Meng's advice was one more sentence.
"Also, listen to Xiaoxiao's words more."
"… what?"
Dad Meng, who had been silent from beginning to end, finally opened his mouth at this time: "Son, Dad tells you from experience - men who listen to their wives will succeed!"
Yang Xiao couldn't hold back, and quickly covered his mouth and turned to the side.
Dad Meng is a very serious middle-aged man who looks imposing and majestic. But it is such a serious and silent middle-aged man who often speaks amazingly and frequently.
I don't know how his heart can be so different from his appearance.
Seeing that there is not much time, it will be too late to check. Mother Meng hugged her son in a hurry, turned to Yang Xiao again, and opened her arms to meet her.
Meng's mother has worked abroad for many years and has a western style - she gave Yang Xiao an intimate and warm cheek kiss. A soft kiss fell on the girl's cheek, she pressed it against her ear, and whispered, "Next time I go back to China, I hope we can become a family."
Yang Xiao didn't answer.
She didn't know how to react.
…
After Mom and Dad disappeared in the security check area, Yang Xiao and Meng Yufan stood side by side in the drop-off hall, watching them drift away.
"Sister Xiaoxiao, do you know?" the boy beside him suddenly said, "When I was young, I would cry every time I gave them away. But later I found out that even if I cried, I couldn't keep them."
Yang Xiao imagined the scene - in the airport where people come and go, a boy with a young face is standing outside the red line, watching the figure of his parents leaving, crying loudly. Although he is tall, he is just a child at heart. He was left here alone at the age when he needed the company of his parents the most.
Who was by his side at that time? Is it the babysitter? Is it a relative? Or a coach
Meng Yufan said in a low voice: "When I grew up, the nanny at home also fired. I moved to the school dormitory to live for a long time. The so-called home is more like a warehouse for storing things. The memories are in it, but my family is not there... At that time, every time I sent them away, I didn’t want to go home. No matter how late I was, I had to go back to the school dormitory. If the dormitory was locked, I would go to the hotel.”
Yang Xiao took his hand: "It doesn't matter, I'm here now."
"… Um."
He is not the same as he used to be. Once again he sent his family away, but this time, he had new family by his side.
Meng Yufan held Yang Xiao's hand tightly, the two of them interlaced their fingers, and the heat in their palms merged into one. No one can be distracted from who to whom this enthusiasm is passed on.
Meng Yufan looked at Yang Xiao.
Yang Xiao was also looking at Meng Yufan.
Yang Xiao has never been so sure as now that she loves Meng Yufan.
I love his self-confidence and bravery, but also his loneliness and vulnerability.
He is the cutest paradox in the world, he has the strongest body and the most childish soul.
If possible, she would like to go back to the past and hug the lonely boy who used to be.
But on the other hand, she was afraid of herself who fell in love like this—
Yang Xiao once read a sentence in a book, to the effect that when you fall in love with a beautiful girl, you will find that when she is not beautiful, you love her the most.
Likewise, when she falls in love with a brave boy, she finds that when he reveals his vulnerability and pain, she is hopelessly trapped in his world.
Yang Xiao thought, this is impossible. This is not acceptable. She can't throw herself into a relationship without reservation. She has to be the master of the relationship.
She failed twice, and the third time, she did not allow herself to fail again.
Therefore, she desperately gave Meng Yufan money. Even in bed, she is always in charge.
But now... She looked at the handsome young boy in front of her, but didn't know what she was resisting.
"Sister Xiaoxiao." In the empty airport hall, he lowered his head and kissed the tip of her nose, "Do you want to know what's in the box my parents gave you?"
"What is it?"
This is what Yang Xiao was curious about all night.
What kind of gift would Meng Yufan break with his insistence and take it away without authorization
Meng Yufan reached out and took out the box from his backpack.
The red long and narrow box, the golden ribbon, the two colors fused together, leaving a deep reflection in the pupil.
Yang Xiaoxiao seemed to have a premonition and reached out to take it.
Unexpectedly, the box was extremely light, so light that Yang Xiao's hand fluttered, and he almost suspected that he had picked up a handful of air.
She shook the small box subconsciously and heard a rustling sound from inside.
Meng Yufan looked at her and said, "Sister Xiaoxiao, open it and take a look."
So, Yang Xiao pulled off the ribbon and gently lifted the lid of the box - something unexpected appeared in front of her eyes.
It's a branch. Fresh, emerald green, like a branch just broken from a branch.
The brownish-gray branches were breaking off and branching off at the ends, each with a small green needle-shaped leaf attached to each branch. The needles spread out, from one to many, turning into a small handful of dazzling green.
Yang Xiao never expected that what the Meng family gave her was actually a branch.
"...is this a pine tree?"
"No." Meng Yufan said, "This is a cypress."
Yang Xiao recalled the green cypress on both sides of the road, and still didn't understand why she gave her such a thing.
"There is a custom in our place. As long as a child is born in the family, a tree must be planted." Meng Yufan said in a slow voice, "If it is a girl, plant a camphor tree, and the day her daughter gets married , cut down the camphor to make a wooden box for the dowry; if it is a boy, plant a cypress tree, and on the day when the son proposes marriage, the parents will break off a branch and give it as a dowry gift."
"… "
For the first time, Yang Xiao knew that a small cypress branch could have such a profound meaning behind it.
She was holding the branch, and she felt that it was light and light just now, but now it feels that it weighs thousands of pounds.
This branch is far more valuable than any previous gift, and its value cannot be estimated with money at all.
Meng Yufan continued: "You have been contradicting recently. I don't know what you are contradicting, but I think it should be related to this relationship, right?"
The boy was very attentive: "I think, if my mother handed this gift directly to you at the dinner table, you would be very embarrassed, not knowing whether to accept it or not. So I took it on my own initiative, For now—now, it's just the two of us left."
Yeah, it's just the two of them left.
No parents' high expectations, no friends' concern and tension, just him and her.
The boy held her small hand with his big palm, and in her palm was the emerald green cypress.
"Smile, this cypress will always be here," he said. "Whether you accept it or not, it will always be there, and I will always be there."
at this moment.
Yang Xiao's tears fell.
She had always thought that in this relationship, she had always had the upper hand.
She had always thought that she was the one who held the steering wheel, and she was the one who held the switch.
But it wasn't until now that she found out—
It turned out that the person who really mastered the emotional switch was actually Meng Yufan. But he chose to put the switch in her hands.
She burst into tears. She shuddered and closed her palms.
The green cypress was tightly held in her palm.
Cypress thorns look sharp, but are actually flexible and elastic.
She held it and he held her at the same time.
Yang Xiao's tears kept flowing, but the corners of her mouth rose.
"Yu Fan," she called his name, solemnly and firmly, as if making the most important oath in her life, "I accept this cypress branch."