— “What was your first impression of Mr. Luo Jingyu?”
Xu Qingyan looked kind in front of the camera and spoke slowly: "The first time I met Xiaoyu was during the summer vacation of his high school graduation. He had just become an adult and came to my place for classes. The class was full of girls, and he was the only boy. He had a red face and was very well behaved. I was particularly impressed. Oh, Xiaoyu also wrote me a letter to introduce himself. He said that he knew how to do hot stamping at the age of fifteen and could make some simple flower patterns. He liked this art very much and wanted to learn it systematically, but he was deaf and hoped that I didn't mind. I still have that letter. Xiaoyu's handwriting is very neat, but the content is not coherent, which is funny to read."
Luo Yue'er laughed "Hahahaha" at the screen, and no one knew what she was laughing at. Luo Jingyu rubbed her little head and sighed softly.
The screen had changed to Zhan Jie, who was wearing a black suit. He thought for a long time before saying, "The first time I met my brother-in-law? It should have been at... the exhibition center, right? But I didn't talk to him that time, I just took a glance at him, he was quite handsome. The next day I went to his house for dinner, he was a really good cook, had a good temper, and was a very down-to-earth person. Oh! They're both married, why are you asking this?"
Zhan Kaiwei, who is not yet ten years old, raised his hand and spoke enthusiastically beside his father: "I first met my uncle earlier than my father! At that time, I was only in the first grade. My aunt and uncle accompanied me to play in the Children's Palace. My uncle even played on the bungee jumping machine with me! My father never played with me!"
Zhan Jie: “…”
Chen Liang expressed it in sign language: Xiaoyu and I were classmates from elementary school to high school. The first time I met him? It must have been when elementary school started. I don’t remember the details, but in elementary school, Xiaoyu was like a girl, very gentle, always crying, and the boys in the class loved to tease him.
Maomao has become his wife. She added in sign language: When I first met Xiaoyu, he was about 20 years old. He and Chen Liang were still sharing a house. My first impression of him was that he was very thin, dull, and a stay-at-home. I wanted to introduce him to a girlfriend, but he was not interested at all. I thought there was something wrong with him!
Chen Liang laughed uncontrollably, and Maomao also laughed. I'm sorry, I was wrong. Can you please not let him know what I just said
Zhan Qiang and Chi Guilan stood side by side facing the camera. Both of them were dressed up carefully. Zhan Qiang was wearing a suit and tie. Perhaps because he never wore a suit normally, he didn't know where to put his hands and feet at this moment.
Chi Guilan had her hair permed, and was wearing a burgundy top with a flower pinned to her left chest. She frowned and asked, "What did you just ask us?"
Luo Xinran was behind the camera, and only her voice came out, still with subtitles: "Uncle and aunt, I want you to tell me how you felt when you first met your son-in-law."
Chi Guilan: “…”
She really couldn't say it. When she first met Luo Jingyu, her son-in-law was beaten black and blue. She couldn't help but beat him up and sent her daughter to the hospital. Chi Guilan poked her husband with her elbow: "Lao Zhan, you tell me."
Zhan Qiang tugged at the hem of his suit and said with a smile, "The first time I met Xiao Luo was in our hometown. He was a very nice guy, really very nice. He was tall, handsome, and polite. Actually, it doesn't matter what we feel, as long as Huan Huan likes him. Xiao Luo is a good kid, and we feel relieved to leave Huan Huan to him."
After that, he pulled his wife's arm and said, "Gui Lan, don't you think so?"
Chi Guilan: “…”
Zhan Qiang said, "Tsk, the master is taking pictures."
Chi Guilan then forced a smile: "Well, it's okay."
The employees of Xiyu Tea House stood in a row, and Cheng Ge spoke as a representative: "The atmosphere in our store is very good. No one calls them 'boss' or 'boss lady'. For example, I call them Xiao Luo and Xiao Zhan, and Miao Miao and the younger ones call them Brother Luo and Sister Zhan. The first time I met them was a job interview. I didn't expect that the boss's hearing was not very good. I was nervous at that time, not knowing whether it would be easy to get along with him. Later, I felt that Xiao Luo was a really good person. Although we are a store, Xiao Luo would organize team building for us, and spend money to let us go traveling after closing the store. The private restaurant where I worked before did not have such benefits!"
Du Hengzhi put his hands in his pockets very casually, wearing a fisherman's hat on his head, as if he was on an autumn outing. He smiled and said, "I first met Teacher Luo two years ago in my studio. My first impression... I like to look at people's eyes. My first impression of Teacher Luo was particularly good. His eyes were very lively, like a little animal. I felt that he was a kind person."
…
The last to appear was the bride.
Zhan Xi wore a snow-white wedding dress and had a sweet makeup. She did not tie her hair into a bun, but let it fall on her shoulders with curled ends. The hair on her temples was braided into several thin pigtails and gathered at the back of her head. She wore a circle of champagne-colored floral decorations, which were made by Luo Jingyu herself, and a long white veil.
The bouquet in her hand was also made of hot flowers, and she looked at the camera curiously: "Xinran, what are you doing?"
Luo Xinran: "We are shooting wedding material, just answer it."
Zhan Xi wrinkled his nose, cleared his throat and said, "My first impression of Mr. Luo... Oh, it's really hard to answer. He and I are kind of online lovers. We chatted online for more than half a month before we met. Oh, by the way, weren't you there when I first met him? It was the day you accompanied me to look at houses."
Luo Xinran smiled: "That doesn't count, he was wearing a mask."
“The time when you wanted to see his whole face?” Zhan Xi thought for a moment, “I set up the trap on purpose that time, and I caught him like catching a fish, hahahahaha… The scene was a bit awkward, and that was when I found out he was deaf, but there was nothing else to it, we just got to know each other, and then we slowly became familiar with each other.”
Luo Xinran's voice sounded like she was trying to hold back a laugh: "Tell me the truth, were you stunned by Teacher Luo's beauty at that time?"
"You're so annoying!" Zhan Xi covered his mouth with laughter, "Then go ask him if he was amazed by my beauty at that time?"
Luo Xinran was unmoved: "Don't worry, answer the question first, I will ask him."
"Hateful." Zhan Xi stamped his feet shyly and twisted his waist. "Yes, yes! Is that ok?"
— “What was your first impression of Miss Zhanxi?”
Gao Yuan and Luo Xiaomei sat side by side. Gao Wenxing was held in his mother's arms, looking at the camera with wide eyes.
"The first time I met Xiao Zhan was at my father-in-law's house." Gao Yuan said with a smile, "I felt that she was an excellent girl in all aspects, and she had a good relationship with Xiao Yu. At that time, I thought my brother-in-law was amazing, how did he get her? My wife said that my brother-in-law never knew how to deal with girls since he was a child, and this move was a real steal!"
Luo Xiaomei said in sign language: I first met Xiao Zhan when I went to my brother's house. We met in the elevator. They pretended not to know each other in front of me, as if they were having a quarrel. My brother didn't tell us when they got together, but he had a lot of mood swings during that time. He would either secretly smile at his phone or stare blankly with a bitter face. Xiao Zhan was his first love. I was really happy that they could get married.
Sister Shao and Sister Xiao Zhu held each other's arms. Sister Shao said, "Xiao Ding has family matters and can't come to the wedding, so Xiao Zhu and I will be the representatives. The first time I met Xiao Zhan? It was in Shanghai. Xiao Yu was in class with us. After class, Xiao Zhan came to pick him up. She was a very fresh and beautiful girl, generous and likable at first sight."
Sister Xiao Zhu added: "It was very hot that day, Xiao Zhan was still eating an egg cone, and Xiao Yu probably didn't know she would be waiting downstairs, and when he saw her, he couldn't take his eyes off her."
Luo Mingsong and Yan Yajuan were so happy that they couldn't close their mouths. Their silly son finally got married to his most beloved girl. When asked about their first impression of Zhan Xi, the couple said straightforwardly:
Satisfied! Like it! No problem! Good girl!
Xiaoyu will definitely not let her down. Where can he find such a good wife? Xiaoyu is also a fool with luck. We were originally afraid that he would be single for the rest of his life!
Yuan Sichen said: "The first time I met Zhanxi was during an interview. She seemed to be a very quiet girl, who had just graduated from college and spoke softly. I have worked with her for a year and we are now friends. In fact, I feel that she is not as soft as she looks, and is a very thoughtful person. When she resigned, I was not worried about her at all. Sure enough, she and Xiaoluo started a business together and it was very successful!"
Zhou Lian also came, and was with Mo Yang. Zhou Lian said: "Xiao Zhan and I met because of the sign language class. She learned sign language for Xiao Yu, so I guess I made some contribution to their relationship. They are both good kids, and I am honored to be able to attend their wedding."
Mo Yang smiled and signed: "The first time I met Xiao Zhan was at Senior Brother Luo's house. They weren't in love at that time!" But even a fool could see that there was something fishy going on between them. They liked each other but didn't say it. Zhong Peng and I were so anxious.
How could Gu Xinchi be missing at a time like this? The thirteen-year-old boy didn't let his parents talk at all: "The first time I saw Sister Xiaozhan was the day she moved to Qingque Jiayuan! I remember! I saw her in the elevator when I went to Xueersi, wow! I thought this sister was so beautiful! Later I went to her house for dinner, and it was Brother Xiaoyu who took me there. At that time, I found out that Brother Xiaoyu liked her, really, really, but Brother Xiaoyu still refused to admit it! Even if he is stubborn, he can't escape my sharp eyes!"
Father Gu held his forehead with his hand: "Just shut up!"
…
Luo Xinran kept his word and when he asked the groom, he also asked him the bride's questions.
Luo Jingyu was wearing a white suit and was tall and handsome like a prince. However, he was a little confused when facing the camera. Looking at the questions printed on the paper by Luo Xinran, he fell into memories.
After a few seconds of silence, he signed: The first time I met Huanhuan was on the evening of December 17th three years ago.
Zhou Lian helped Luo Xinran with sign language translation, and Luo Xinran exclaimed: "You remember all this?"
Luo Jingyu smiled and said: That day was my mother’s birthday, I went to my parents’ house for dinner, and when I came back I saw Huanhuan.
Luo Xinran asked, "What was it like meeting her for the first time? The bride asked, were you stunned by her beauty?"
Luo Jingyu's eyes became helpless: I didn't even have time to be amazed, I was frightened.
He signed slowly: I never thought she looked like this. I felt it was all over. She might never talk to me again. I thought she would be disappointed and block me. But later, I don't know what happened. I didn't lose contact with her. We often met and went out to eat. It was like a dream.
Luo Xinran asked: "You two are getting married today, how do you feel about it?"
Luo Jingyu smiled lightly and signed seriously: I am very happy, I have no other thoughts, I am just happy. Huanhuan and I swore that we will stand together through thick and thin, share weal and woe, and become lifelong partners.
…
—“Please send your blessings to Mr. Luo and Miss Zhan’s wedding.”
Xu Qingyan: "Xiaoyu, Xiaozhan, today is your big day, Teacher Xu is here to wish you a happy wedding. Xiaoyu, you are still young, I know how much you love hot stamping, I am very pleased that you can develop your career with the help of Xiaozhan. I hope that in the future you can keep your original aspirations in mind, continue to improve your skills, and create more and better hot stamping works. Teacher Xu is not afraid that you will surpass me. In any industry, only when there are more and more rising stars can there be healthy development. Teacher Xu will cheer for you."
Zhan Jie: "I wish my sister and Xiao Luo a happy wedding and a long and happy marriage. Without saying anything else, just tell Xiao Luo that if you dare to bully my sister, I will not forgive you!"
Cheng Ge, Xiao Miao, Meng Meng and others said in unison: "Happy wedding to the boss and his wife! May you be together forever, have a baby soon, and make a lot of money! Remember to give us a raise!"
Zhan Qiang: "Young couples should not quarrel in their life, talk things out and discuss everything. Young couples will be companions for old age. For the next few decades, I hope you two can walk well, have a child, and live a happy family of three. Then we as parents will feel relieved."
Gao Yuan: "Let me speak for my father-in-law's family. It's not easy for Xiaoyu and Xiaozhan to get married. My sister and brother-in-law wish you a sweet and happy life together. To Xiaoyu, I always say one thing: be more confident. You are really an excellent boy. To Xiaozhan, I want to say thank you for your understanding and tolerance of Xiaoyu. Over the past few years, Xiaomei and I have seen that you have supported each other, achieved each other, and become better versions of yourself. Xiaoyu seems to have been reborn, and we are all very pleased. My brother-in-law wishes you a bright future, a successful career, a happy marriage, and that you can realize your dreams."
…
Many people appeared on the camera, and everyone expressed their blessings to Luo Jingyu and Zhan Xi.
Yue'er nestled obediently in her father's arms. Luo Jingyu didn't know if she could understand. The little girl didn't say a word and just watched very attentively.
After the "interview", the wedding officially began.
The wedding scene was dominated by white and champagne colors, with flowers and balloons everywhere.
The ceremony was simple. After the emcee opened the ceremony, Luo Jingyu was invited to stand on the stage. The wedding march sounded, and Zhan Xi, holding his father's arm, slowly walked onto the flower carpet covered with flower petals under the gaze of the guests.
Only Yue Er could hear the music and she started humming along: “Dang-dang-dang, dang-dang-dang…”
This was her favorite part. She had seen it twice before, but she was younger then and had forgotten some of the details. Now watching it with her father, she sat up straight with excitement, staring at the young father and mother on the screen without blinking.
Luo Jingyu closed his eyes on the sofa, thinking back to that day, that moment, when he stood on the stage, with rows of close friends and relatives sitting below him. A breeze blew the white gauze curtains on the Roman columns, and he could smell the fresh scent of grass and the sweet fragrance of roses...
His world is always as quiet as the sea. Even at the most important moments in his life, he can't hear anything.
But it doesn’t matter, he can see it, see his bride in her wedding dress, walking towards him step by step.
She had a smile on her face, not at all demure, and her eight teeth were showing.
He couldn't help laughing. She was still a few steps away from him, but he couldn't wait to reach out his hand to her. Finally, her hand was held by her father and handed to him.
After that, their hands never loosened.
On the screen, the bride and groom were already standing side by side, and all their conversations had subtitles. After the emcee said some auspicious words, he handed a microphone to Zhan Xi.
The MC said emotionally: "… Now, I solemnly ask the bride Zhan Xi, are you willing to marry Mr. Luo Jingyu and become his wife?"
Luo Jingyu hugged Yue'er and smiled with her eyes curved. He saw the confusion in Huanhuan's eyes on the screen, because it was different from the rehearsal. During the rehearsal, the MC asked the groom first and then the bride, and Luo Jingyu answered "I do" in sign language.
Zhan Xi's confusion was not too obvious. She glanced at the man next to her and answered clearly with the microphone: "I do."
Then, the master of ceremonies asked, "Groom Luo Jingyu, are you willing to marry Miss Zhan Xi and become her husband?"
Zhan Xi looked at Luo Jingyu, waiting for him to let go of her hand and answer in sign language. She never expected that Luo Jingyu did not let go, but took the microphone in her other hand.
He put the microphone to his lips, his eyes fixed on her face, and answered with his lips slightly opened:
"Nest, Yuanyi."
Zhan Xi was stunned, and the MC said excitedly: "Please say it again loudly, are you willing?"
Luo Jingyu really raised her voice and answered loudly: "Wo Yuanyi! Wo, Yuanyi!"
This was the third sentence he learned.
Amidst the applause, Luo Yueer repeated in her childish voice: "I do."
On the screen, the young bride and groom hugged each other tightly and kissed passionately. On the sofa, the little girl turned around and stretched out her arms to hug her father.
The wedding was about to come to an end. Luo Jingyu bent down and kissed her daughter's forehead, let her go, and said in sign language: It's time for you to go to bed.
Yue Er raised her little face and said, "Dad, do you want to review the sentence I taught you?"
Luo Jingyu narrowed her eyes, and Yue'er had already spoken: "Tell me, happy birthday."
Luo Jingyu hesitated for a moment, but still opened her mouth: "She...re, praise."
"Sheng, not She, Sheng..." Yue'er knew that it was difficult for her father to learn to speak, so she would not laugh at him. "Dad, look at my tongue, Sheng, Sheng, Sheng..."
Luo Jingyu practiced for a long time and finally made a "body" sound. The front and back nasal sounds were difficult for him to understand. Yue'er was satisfied and gave him a thumbs up and praised him: "Yes, yes, Dad, you said it very well!"
She continued to teach him to say "Fuck, happy", but Luo Jingyu couldn't say it well. Seeing that time was getting later, she said in sign language: Let's practice tomorrow, it's very late, children can't stay up so late, or they won't grow tall.
Yue'er was indeed sleepy and nodded obediently. Luo Jingyu directly carried her daughter to the children's room and put her on the crib.
He sat on the bed and covered his daughter with the quilt. Yue'er looked at him and tried to stretch her hands out from under the quilt to sign, but Luo Jingyu caught them and stuffed them back. The little girl could only open her mouth to speak: "Daddy, your voice is so nice."
Luo Jingyu looked at her tenderly, raised her hand and asked: "Really? But Dad doesn't speak standardly."
Yue Er shook her head: "It's okay, it's really nice to listen to you talk. Mom said that you don't need to learn too many words because they are too difficult. As long as you remember the words you can say now, Mom and I will be very happy."
Luo Jingyu gestured and asked: "Mom, has you seen the greeting card you made?"
"No, I didn't let her find out." Yue Er giggled, "I will give it to her on her birthday. Dad, you should practice well too. Mom will be very happy if she hears you say 'Happy Birthday' to her!"
Luo Jingyu leaned over and kissed her daughter's forehead. After sitting up straight, she finally made a sign language statement: Okay, you really should go to bed. It's very late and you are still so excited.
"Well, good night, Dad. I'm going to sleep." Yue'er said nothing more and closed her eyes.
Luo Jingyu patted her quilt again to help her sleep. After a few minutes, Yue'er's expression relaxed and Luo Jingyu knew that her daughter had fallen asleep.
He did not leave the children's room immediately. He took out the greeting card his daughter had made in the afternoon from her schoolbag and opened it.
The greeting card was made for Zhanxi. Yueer drew three little people holding hands, cut them out and pasted them on. They were father, mother, and herself.
She wrote:
Qin ài's mother,
Happy your birthday, I'll take you and daddy!
—Luo Yueer
After reading it, Luo Jingyu put the card back into his schoolbag and looked at Yue'er's desk again. This was a children's desk that he had put together himself. There were three bookshelves on the desk, filled with story books and picture books that Yue'er liked to read. There was a big and thick book that was stuck in there, out of place, with a large part of it sticking out.
Zhan Xi once wanted to take the book away and put it on the bookshelf in the workshop, but Yue'er wouldn't let him.
She held the book like a treasure and said, "This is a book my dad wrote! I'm going to put it here and show it to the kids when they come to play at home!"
That was a book published by Luo Jingyu two years ago. It was an introductory tutorial on hot stamping. In addition to the production process of simple flowers and accessories, it also displayed some of his exquisite works.
The cover says: Luo Jingyu/author, Zhan Xi/photographer
The title of the book is - "Telling the Heart Through Flowers".
Luo Jingyu left the children's room. The TV screen was in paused mode. He picked up the remote control to turn off the TV, but his hand stopped.
The gift was lying motionless in the space capsule of the cat climbing frame, as if it was asleep.
Luo Jingyu was not sleepy at all. Not only was she not sleepy, she was also very excited! He sat back on the sofa and used the remote control to bring up another video. This time he did not forget to mute it, as he did not want to disturb his wife and daughter again.
Another opening credits appeared on the screen, and a few large characters popped up. In Chinese it was - "My Partner", with a string of English underneath. Luo Jingyu only recognized the "my", but Yue'er could pronounce it, "my partner".
He read it carefully.
The filming of this documentary began a year before the wedding and lasted for half a year. The crew came to Qiantang five times, staying for more than a week each time, from autumn to winter and from winter to spring.
It was as if the scene of their love was recorded with images. At that time, he and Huanhuan were so young, she was 25 and he was 28.
In the cold winter, the north wind was howling. A black car stopped at the parking lot of Wenchuang Street. A long-haired girl in a down jacket got out of the driver's seat, rubbed her hands and said hello to the camera: "Hi, long time no see. There will be cold air these days. You should keep warm."
In the documentary, both the main character's speech and the narration are subtitled, so Luo Jingyu did not find it difficult to read.
Director Ren Hong, who moonlights as a reporter, occasionally appears on camera and asks, "Xiao Zhan, when did you buy the car?"
Zhan Xi smiled sweetly: "I bought it last month. It was a birthday present from Teacher Luo."
Ren Hong asked again: "Why isn't Teacher Luo with you?"
"Today, the Chinese chef in our teahouse is on vacation. Mr. Luo has to work part-time as a chef, so he went out to buy groceries very early." Zhan Xi explained as he walked, "I wanted to drive him here, but he asked me to sleep a little longer and said he would stay until very late at night."
Ren Hong asked with a smile: "Teacher Luo also wants to be a chef? He has so many talents?"
"Haha, you know what, his cooking is really delicious. I think he will never have to worry about losing his job. One day he stops cooking, and he can even open a small restaurant." Zhan Xi said with a smile, "Some customers actually count the days he has been a chef and come here specially to eat his cooking! The Chinese chefs in our restaurant are jealous. We will have lunch together later, and you can taste Mr. Luo's cooking skills."
Pushing open the glass door of Xiyu Tea House, there weren't many customers in the shop. A waiter greeted Zhan Xi: "Good morning, Sister Zhan!"
"Good morning, where is Teacher Luo?" Zhan Xi asked.
The waiter pointed to the kitchen: "In the kitchen."
Zhan Xi brought Ren Hong into the kitchen. Luo Jingyu was cutting vegetables with her back to them. She was wearing a white chef's uniform, a chef's hat and a mask, and did not notice anyone coming in.
Zhan Xi waited until he put down the kitchen knife before going over and patting his arm. Luo Jingyu turned around and waved to Ren Hong with bright eyes as a greeting.
The main dish for lunch was his specialty, Huadiao chicken. Ren Hong joked, "We shot this like a food film. Is that off topic?"
She took a bite of the chicken and praised it from the bottom of her heart: "Oh, it's really delicious! It's a pity not to open a restaurant here."
Zhan Xi leaned on Luo Jingyu with a smile and said, "I didn't lie to you, did I? My brother loves the Huadiao chicken he makes. He eats it every time he comes. He says it can definitely be ranked as one of Qiantang's famous dishes!"
While she was talking, Luo Jingyu kept looking at her face, smiled embarrassedly, and put a chicken leg into her bowl.
…
Luo Jingyu was making flowers, and the camera captured a close-up of his hands and his profile.
The workshop is next to the window, but unfortunately there was no sunlight those days, so I could only see the big tree outside the window, whose branches and leaves were lush even in winter.
Luo Jingyu was not affected by the film crew. She kept her head down and worked very hard, while Zhan Xi and Ren Hong chatted on the side.
"He is currently making a custom piece of ornaments, which requires roses, spray snow branches, golden-edged ophiopogon and mountain goat teeth." Zhan Xi introduced, "It is a custom order from an old customer."
"Have you been busy lately?" Ren Hong asked. "The last time I came, you were still busy with the Hanfu Festival. What about now? Are there any festival items that need to be made?"
"Not yet, we'll have to wait until the Flower Festival next year, and the warehouse will probably open in January." Zhan Xi said, "Teacher Luo will be very busy after the warehouse opens, so let him rest for the next two months."
…
After the Spring Festival, Luo Jingyu began to prepare for the Flower Festival that year. Except for a few flower-burning experience classes on Valentine's Day, all other classes were suspended. The teahouse business was completely handed over to Zhan Xi to manage. The two of them divided the work and cooperated, and everything went well.
…
After the Flower Festival, it was already mid-spring. When Zhan Xi and Luo Jingyu appeared in the camera again, they took off their heavy down jackets and put on light spring clothes.
The filming that day was at 1504. Luo Jingyu remembered that she was cooking in the kitchen. The cameraman followed her for a while and was called away by Ren Hong. Luo Jingyu walked out of the kitchen and saw Ren Hong and Zhan Xi sitting face to face on the balcony. The cameraman was holding a camera facing them, and other crew members were also beside them.
Luo Jingyu didn't care what they talked about. During the few times they followed her, it was mostly Zhan Xi and Ren Hong who were communicating. He couldn't speak, and he was shy when he occasionally used sign language. Ren Hong didn't force him, saying it didn't matter, she had already filmed enough material.
It's just that... there are several pickled ducks hanging on the balcony, and Luo Jingyu wondered anxiously, will they be photographed? It would ruin the picture.
It was not until the documentary was released that Luo Jingyu found out what Ren Hong and Zhan Xi talked about that day.
He leaned back on the sofa, quietly looking at the young girl's face on the screen.
It was a bright spring day, and the balcony of 1504 was filled with sunshine. His Huanhuan was wearing a loose and soft beige sweater, with long hair draped over her shoulders. She was lying on a rattan chair as relaxed as a cat, with lush flowers and green plants in the background, a vibrant warm spring scene.
Ren Hong sat opposite Zhan Xi. There were two cups of hot tea on the rattan table. The two women were chatting happily.
"How long have you been working with Teacher Luo on your business?" Ren Hong asked.
Zhan Xi seemed to calculate the time: "Hmm... Almost two years."
"Did you encounter any difficulties?"
"Of course we have encountered it." Zhan Xi's expression was gentle but firm, "But we are not afraid of difficulties. When we encounter them, we will find ways to overcome them. Generally speaking, it has been going smoothly."
"How did you come up with the idea of starting a business with Mr. Luo?"
Even when Luo Jingyu is not around, Zhan Xi will use simple sign language when he speaks. This is a habit he has developed over the years: "In the beginning, I didn't actually plan to do this. Mr. Luo was working alone at the time and hadn't found a new partner yet. I was helping him temporarily. Later, something happened and I decided to help him. The main reason was that Mr. Luo's situation was special. His skills were fine, but he really struggled with external relations. He needed a partner who was trustworthy and understood him. I should be the most suitable one."
Ren Hong asked: "I want to know, does this conflict with your own career plan? Do you mind if others say you are the woman behind Teacher Luo? Have you regretted it in the past two years?"
"No conflict, no mind, no regrets." Zhan Xi laughed heartily, "It's a pure misunderstanding to say that I'm the woman behind him. I majored in Chinese and new media in college, and I think my current job is a good match for my major. In recent years, Mr. Luo has needed me to help him with most of his work, including contact and publicity. He and I are inseparable. After starting my own business, I have actually learned a lot and accumulated a lot of experience. I basically have the final say in work matters. I am super satisfied and proud."
"Then have you ever thought about what to do if your relationship has problems one day and you break up? Your careers are mixed up and the money won't be clear." Ren Hong said bluntly, "After all, you are not married, you are just a couple."
Zhan Xi didn't hesitate at all, shook his head and said, "I haven't thought about it, never thought about breaking up. From the day I got together with him, I never thought about breaking up."
Ren Hong seemed unconvinced: "Isn't it a bit early to raise this flag?"
Zhan Xi pondered for a moment and said, "It's like this. This story starts with my original family. My family is complete. My parents, brother, and grandmother have always lived together. To outsiders, there is nothing wrong with my family. My family members love me very much and have encouraged me to study hard since I was a child. Therefore, my grades have always been good. In the eyes of my relatives, I am the pride of my parents. However, this is all superficial."
She paused for a moment before continuing, "Don't think that I am very sober and happy now. In fact, for quite a long time, I was in a very confused state. My family has very high expectations of me. Let's put it this way. They have arranged everything in my life, big and small, from what clothes to wear, what hairstyle to have, how to be gentle and decent in dealing with people, to where to go to college, what major to choose, and what job to do after graduation. All things are decided by my family. I believe they are really doing this for my own good, but none of them asked me if I wanted such an arrangement. I had just graduated from college at that time, and I had already gone on several blind dates. The blind dates arranged by my family were all very good, so good that I had no reason to refuse. I gave up resistance at one point and just wanted to live my life as they arranged. Work, marriage, social life... I could do everything according to their expectations, and it didn't seem to be a problem."
"Xiaoyu and I... ah, that's Mr. Luo, I'll just call him Xiaoyu." Zhan Xi chuckled, "Xiaoyu and I met at that time. After I met him, my attitude towards life began to change. This change didn't happen overnight. At the beginning, I gave up, gave up my relationship with him, because I thought it would lead to nothing."
Ren Hong asked: "Is it because of his hearing impairment?"
"That was one of the reasons," Zhan Xi said. "Also, his education, work, and family background made me feel like I had no chance with him. I was so depressed and conflicted that I cried. I didn't expect at the time... that I actually liked him so much."
Ren Hong: "Why did you change your mind later?"
"I can't forget him. I think about him every day. You can see that he is such a lovely person." Zhan Xi blinked and smiled. "Xiao Yu... is the first and only person of the opposite sex in my life who makes me feel no pressure when I am with him. I don't know how to describe this feeling. Even before we confirmed our relationship, I felt very comfortable when I was with him. It's not that he doesn't have principles, he has them, but this person... just makes me want to get close to him. I feel like I can do anything unreasonable when I am with him."
Ren Hong smiled and said, "He just pampers you."
"It's a little different from pampering. Sigh... I can't explain it." Zhan Xi thought for a while, "Isn't there a saying? To describe two people who are in sync, they will say that they don't feel awkward when they are together even if they don't talk. Xiaoyu and I have been in this state since the day we met. Next to him, I can feel free, and I can feel his respect, trust, understanding and tolerance for me. I can be completely myself. He will think from my perspective and never ask me to do this or that, and I treat him the same way. For example, when we go out on a date, we have to communicate through sign language. Sometimes people will look at us. At this time, Xiaoyu will be very sad and will even avoid signing, just to prevent others from pointing fingers at me."
Ren Hong asked: "Does he still mind that he can't speak?"
"He sometimes minds, which is inevitable, but I don't mind." Zhan Xi said, "It's not that he can't speak, he just speaks differently from everyone else. Sign language is also speaking, I know sign language, and I can communicate with him completely. I told him not to care too much about other people's eyes, because they don't understand you, so why should you affect your life because of other people's eyes? In fact, this is also the truth I learned from him. He is very independent and has been supporting himself for a long time. He makes decisions on many major things. I have always admired him for this. So, when I made it clear that I wanted to be with him, I made up my mind. Unless I don't like him anymore, I will not break up with him because of other obstacles. If there is something, we will shoulder it together, and no one should be a deserter."
Ren Hong's questions always hit the nail on the head: "So, your family objected?"
"I was opposed, which is understandable," Zhan Xi said with a smile, "I want to thank my brother and my dad. They accepted Xiaoyu and have always supported us. That year was the most strained period in my life with my family. It was a tug-of-war. Either I persisted and won my freedom, or I gave up and returned to the original state of being at the mercy of everything. Fortunately, Xiaoyu and I persisted. Looking back, it was really no big deal. He was a person worthy of my persistence, and I got the result I wanted most."
Ren Hong asked: "Has anyone ever told you that you are brave?"
"Yes, but I don't think I'm that brave. I'm not as brave as Xiaoyu. I just figured out some things. I don't want to go against my own heart anymore. I don't want to have any regrets."
Zhan Xi looked out of the balcony with clear eyes, "I am enjoying my current life, my work, my vacation, and every minute with Xiaoyu."
She turned her gaze back to Ren Hong, "Starting a business is always hard, but fortunately Xiaoyu is a person who is not afraid of hardship. The two of us are like a rope, one plus one is greater than two, and we work hard together to move forward. Now, if you ask me if I still care about his hearing impairment, I really don't care at all. I love him, and I feel very lucky to have found Luo Jingyu as my boyfriend. My life has changed because of him, and it has changed for the better. I hope his life will become better and better because of my appearance, and I hope that he and I can go on for a long time."
Zhan Xi added a conclusion to the chat, "Xiaoyu and I are not only partners, but also lovers. I hope that we will be husband and wife in the future, parents of a child, children of four elderly people, each other's best friends, and closest family members. I hope that in the future, if we get sick or have an accident, the doctors and police will contact us first without hesitation."
…
At the end of this episode, Ren Hong added a sentence:
When our story was broadcast, Mr. Luo and Miss Zhan had already held their wedding.
On behalf of the film crew, I wish them happiness and hope they will always be together on their long journey through life.
The subtitles gradually faded away, and when Luo Jingyu came to her senses, the next episode trailer and end credits were already playing on the screen.
He wiped his face and as expected, tears flowed down his face again.
He didn't know what kind of mood Huanhuan was in when she said those words. She was still so young, her face was full of collagen, and her eyes were bright as stars.
He wondered how he could be as good as she said.
He was once timid, cowardly, and collapsed. He was afraid of dragging her down and wanted to give up.
It was obvious that she was the one who had been carrying the burden the whole time, and she said she would not desert.
Luo Jingyu took out a tissue and wiped her eyes. She calmed down on the sofa for a long time before turning off the TV.
He went to brush his teeth and wash his face, and before entering the room, he turned off the whale light for the last time.
The entire living room became pitch black. He walked lightly into the master bedroom. Zhan Xi had left a night light on for him and was sleeping soundly with his quilt rolled up.
Luo Jingyu undressed and got on the bed, then he lifted the quilt and lay down beside her. He was reluctant to turn off the light, so he looked at her sleeping face in the dim light.
She is still the cutest girl in my memory and will never change.
He leaned over and kissed her cheek. Zhan Xi was not awake yet, and she unconsciously moved closer to him. Her bare legs in the quilt rubbed against his legs, making him feel itchy.
Luo Jingyu stretched out his arm to turn off the night light, then gently held his wife in his arms.
The gift fell asleep, Yue'er fell asleep, and Huanhuan also fell asleep.
It was so late at night, and the room temperature was very low, but Luo Jingyu's heart was burning like fire, and it would not go out for a long time. He closed his eyes, feeling the soft body of the person in his arms, and finally felt sleepy and fell into a deep sleep.
Episode 4: Day after day
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