Don’t Want a Divorce (26)
“My favorite flower is the freesia.”
Feng Qingyu listened to Xu Jiao’s question, and while carefully looking through the transparent section at the petals, cake, and cream inside, she found it increasingly beautiful and romantic. Unconsciously, she nodded in agreement with Xu Jiao’s words:
“Of course.”
She turned to look at Xu Jiao again, her face full of tenderness, and her eyes glimmering with sweetness, as if she could never get enough of the person in front of her. After pushing the cake back into the refrigerator and closing the door, she noticed that her parents were not around, and there was no one else watching. She quickly leaned in and kissed the corner of Xu Jiao’s lips, then said:
“I really, really like it.”
Not only did she really like this cake, but she also really liked the person who brought the cake.
“You can give me anything, and I would like it very much. This is the best birthday cake I’ve received from the past to the present.” Feng Qingyu pecked at her lip, her breath spraying down closely and landing on Xu Jiao’s lips, stirring up a bit of a ticklish feeling.
Xu Jiao’s eyes were dark and bright, now intently focused on Feng Qingyu. When their gazes met, it felt as if the air between them was entangled, sparking with ambiguous fireworks.
As she savored the last part of Feng Qingyu’s words, “This is the best birthday cake I’ve received from the past to the present,” Xu Jiao wished she could record this sentence and repeatedly ponder the emotions behind it, but unfortunately, that was clearly not very appropriate.
In any case…
Feng Qingyu’s expression didn’t let her discover any clues.
She, as the other party wished, revealed a slightly sweet smile. When one plan failed, she hatched another, pulling Feng Qingyu and marching up the stairs, finally finding a long, flat gift box from the room to give to her.
Facing the delicately wrapped gift box adorned with a bow, Feng Qingyu showed a look of pleasant surprise and couldn’t help but ask, “How many surprises have you prepared for me today?”
Xu Jiao didn’t answer this question but looked at her earnestly: “Open it and see.”
Feng Qingyu had never seen this side of Xu Jiao before; previously, it had always been her who was attentive to their relationship. Originally, she had prepared for this birthday expecting Xu Jiao to casually buy her a gift to get by, but she never anticipated… the other person was so invested, even displaying a childlike eagerness, filled with a desire to express herself.
First, she showed her the cake in advance, then insisted she open the gift immediately, her eyes filled with persistence as she looked at her, as if her response was incredibly important to Xu Jiao.
Thinking of this, her heart suddenly warmed, and she almost felt reluctant to unwrap the gift in her hands.
However, the other person’s gaze was so expectant and intense.
Feng Qingyu couldn’t help but gently untie the bow on the gift box with Xu Jiao’s movements, opening the box and seeing the fabric inside. She immediately knew it was a dress.
Gently placing the box aside, she took out the dress and walked to the bathroom, checking in the mirror. She realized the size was just right. When she turned around, she saw Xu Jiao had followed her over.
“This dress is beautiful, but why is there no brand label?”
Xu Jiao smiled and replied, “Because I drew the design, chose the fabric, and had someone make it especially for you. I feel… you will look great in this dress.”
Feng Qingyu didn’t expect to receive such a gift. Her eyes sparkled as if filled with stars, and she immediately told Xu Jiao, “I’m going to hang it in the most prominent spot in my wardrobe. Honestly, I think this dress is even better looking than those high-end designer pieces I’ve worn before.”
Because this was a dress made specifically for her by Xu Jiao, a unique piece in the world.
Hearing her words, Xu Jiao’s throat involuntarily moved as she stared at her for a long time, her heart swelling with a mix of unexpected yet reasonable emotions.
As it stands.
Either Feng Qingyu’s acting was too good, with those thoughts hidden too deeply, or… her reactions were all genuine.
Suddenly, both of them heard Shi Weiya’s voice coming from downstairs: “Qingyu, your gift has arrived.”
Xu Jiao didn’t comment on Feng Qingyu’s intention to hang up the dress. She exchanged a glance with her, saw her go to the cloakroom to hang the dress, and then followed her downstairs.
When they reached the door, Feng Qingyu initially thought the gift was something her friends had sent to her home, but unexpectedly, it turned out to be a bouquet of bright red roses. Brilliant droplets of water rested on the petals, each bloom bursting with a stunningly vibrant color.
As a celebrity, Feng Qingyu received quite a few flowers, but receiving this bouquet in front of Xu Jiao, her first reaction was to confirm who the sender was—
If it were just an admirer, she would have returned the flowers or passed them on to her mother. But if it was from Xu Jiao…
“I didn’t ask you before, what flowers do you like? I originally wanted to surprise you today, but then I thought I didn’t know your preferences, so I just bought roses.”
Just as Feng Qingyu was preparing to look for a card or something similar in the bouquet, Xu Jiao’s voice came from the side, faintly.
She wasn’t an emotionally expressive person, so when she said this, her smile wasn’t very obvious. Feng Qingyu took it as her being shy, accepting the third surprise of the day.
Her eyes nearly brimmed with tears of joy, feeling as if she had been transported to paradise. All the beauty seemed to suddenly descend upon her, making Feng Qingyu wish that time could stay forever on this day.
After quickly signing for the delivery, Feng Qingyu bent down to smell the roses, her expression relaxed and enjoying the moment. Xu Jiao watched her from the side, while Shi Weiya in the living room linked her arm through her husband’s and looked over this way. Seeing the two of them standing together, traces of happiness unconsciously appeared in her eyes.
These artificially cultivated roses had no fragrance of their own; Feng Qingyu could only detect the floral-stem and petal plant scent of the roses themselves. Even so, she felt as if her heart at that moment was like a freshly baked cake, perfectly done, soft and fluffy, emanating a sweet aroma.
Holding the large bouquet of roses, she turned to Xu Jiao and said, “I like roses too, but my favorite… is of course the freesia.”
Xu Jiao lowered her eyes to avoid Feng Qingyu’s burning gaze.
The emotions contained within were too full, as if they could burn a person.
Feng Qingyu’s words contained half truth and half warmth, resembling a confession more than a simple answer. After all, Xu Jiao’s pheromone scent was that of freesia, and her words held double the affection.
Noticing Xu Jiao’s shyness, Feng Qingyu turned to look toward the living room, thinking she was avoiding being too clingy or intimate because there were many people around. She understood and smiled softly, holding the flowers as she prepared to go upstairs, wanting to place the bouquet in her bedroom so she could see its fiery colors like the morning sun every day upon waking.
After taking a couple of steps, she turned back to ask Xu Jiao, “So, what flowers do you like?”
Actually, Xu Jiao didn’t have any particular favorite flowers.
To be precise, she had never shown any special preference. The eye mask Feng Qingyu had given her in the car happened to have a rose scent that she had randomly pulled out twice. As for bottled water… it was simply because the production team only provided that sponsored brand, so Xu Jiao had become accustomed to taking that brand.
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It wasn’t because she liked them.
But at that moment, faced with the question posed, Xu Jiao suddenly told a lie. She said, “The flowers I like are rather special and aren’t suitable for giving as gifts.”
Feng Qingyu’s curiosity was piqued by her words, and she instinctively asked, “What are they?”
Xu Jiao thought of the first book, where it described the deep cliffs and sea cliffs of the Demonic Realm, fell silent for a moment, and then said directly, “Higanbana, also known as Manjusaka or stone lily.”1
Feng Qingyu was somewhat surprised.
This flower… she certainly knew.
Who hasn’t heard the story of the Higanbana? It blooms while its leaves do not; the leaves may grow, but the flowers do not. Flowers and leaves are destined never to meet throughout countless generations. It is also known as the flower of the yellow springs, legend says it blooms only in places where people have died, nourished by the bodies of the deceased.
Giving such a flower to someone… is indeed very inauspicious.
Thinking of this, Feng Qingyu curled her lips at Xu Jiao, speaking with particular affection, “If you really like it, we can plant some ourselves in the future, but I can’t give you this one.”
Upon hearing this, Xu Jiao subconsciously thought of the first world’s Xia Jingzhe—
What did the blackened Junior Sister Xia say back then? Such beautiful flowers should be matched with someone as beautiful as herself.
Pulling her thoughts back, Xu Jiao smiled at Feng Qingyu and simply said, “No need.”
……
The feast that Shi Weiya prepared for Feng Qingyu was exceptionally lavish.
Before the meal, Feng Qingyu received a video call from her brother. The man on the phone was wearing a dark green military uniform, and his appearance exuded the typical superiority of an Alpha, instantly making it clear that he was also the type who was quite popular.
As Xu Jiao passed by, she politely greeted him before going to help Shi Weiya prepare the table. There were various seafood dishes, both familiar and unfamiliar to her, laid out on the table. However, the Feng family was not extravagant enough to eat fish that cost 4,999 yuan per pound at hotels; the steamed fish was merely a kind of Eastern grouper, but the crabs were quite impressive.
There were several steamed red king crabs.
One crab leg was as long as a person’s arm.
There was also a small bowl of congee mixed with fish roe, abalone meat, and Australian lobster meat, accompanied by small pieces of cooked foie gras, serving as the staple dish. Additionally, there were various shellfish and shrimp, with the shellfish presented in a large mixed platter; Xu Jiao could easily distinguish among oysters, clams, scallops, and more at a glance.
This meal was both coarse and refined, with dishes that were hearty and rustic, as well as those that were exceptionally delicate. The presentation and flavor were impeccable, and the ingredients were freshly caught, considering that the vast sea was right outside. If this meal were served at a high-end restaurant, it would surely cost a fortune.
Shi Weiya brought out a plate of fish, smiled at her, and said, “Usually, we use a bit of seafood when we cook, but not too much, because eating too much of it is too cold and not good for the body. So, every year, we only prepare some for our birthdays.”
Xu Jiao looked at the large table, roughly counting more than ten or twenty dishes, and couldn’t help but exclaim, “Auntie, can we finish so much food?”
Shi Weiya nodded, “Of course! Qingyu also invited a few good friends over, all Alphas, and you’ll see them shortly.”
When she said this, Xu Jiao suddenly remembered that she hadn’t really met Feng Qingyu’s friends before.
She had been too preoccupied with her career upon arriving and then spent all her time in the crew of 《The Palace Wall Willows》, focused solely on acting and the main storyline of her relationship with Feng Qingyu, naturally overlooking these small details.
At this time, Feng Qingyu ended the video call, walked up behind Xu Jiao, and said to her, “The people coming are friends you’ve met at the wedding, but there were so many people that day that you might not remember them. I’ll introduce them to you later. They’re all friends I usually hang out with, and one of them is a shareholder of our Jinghua Entertainment who hasn’t been around much.”
“He usually stays abroad, and he just happened to return to the country, so we’re gathering for this birthday… Do you like having a lot of people around? Would you feel it’s too much?”
Xu Jiao shook her head, responding calmly, “It’s your birthday; you’re the guest of honor. You can invite whoever you want. Just do it according to your preferences.”
Feng Qingyu smiled, seemingly recalling something, and said, “I celebrate my birthday at home every year. If you like a lively atmosphere, I can invite more people next time. If you prefer quietness, we can move out another day, and then we can just celebrate my birthday together, just you and me.”
Shi Weiya, listening to this, couldn’t help but laugh and scold, “Isn’t this forgetting your mother too quickly now that you have a wife?”
In the end, she worried Xu Jiao might misunderstand, so she added, “But it’s fine if you two want to live together. Your dad and I have worked hard to raise you and your brother, and we haven’t had a two-person world2 in who knows how many years. When you’re at home, I have to worry about this and that every day, and I can’t feel at ease. If you live out, I won’t have to worry so much, and it’ll be quieter.”
Xu Jiao couldn’t help but understand Shi Weiya’s meaning. She was worried that living at home might restrict her and Feng Qingyu, especially since they were a young couple in the fiery stage of life. Sometimes, when feelings ran deep, they might end up being too close together, and it would be somewhat awkward in front of their parents.
But Xu Jiao didn’t want to move out with Feng Qingyu—
She quite liked Shi Weiya as a mother-in-law.
So, Xu Jiao glanced at Feng Qingyu and slowly said, “Uncle Shi and Aunt Shi must feel that this big house is empty. We are already very busy with work. If we move out, we might not be able to come back for many days throughout the year, so it’s better to avoid the hassle.”
Feng Qingyu liked seeing her getting along harmoniously with her family and unprincipledly changed her tune: “That’s fine. If you prefer living at home, I’ll stay at home with you.”
Shi Weiya exclaimed, “Oh!” and stretched out her hand with the jade bracelet to pat Xu Jiao’s hand gently, admiringly saying, “Jiaojiao understands the most. If you were my daughter, how wonderful it would be! I’d definitely be happy every day, unlike Qingyu and her brother, who just want to fly away after being raised. Sigh.”
Feng Qingyu pursed her lips beside her and reminded, “Jiaojiao is also considered your daughter now, Mom. You can start being happy now.”
Xu Jiao watched as Feng Qingyu, who was rarely childish, bickered playfully with Shi Weiya, and a hint of unintentional laughter crossed her eyes.
Just then, the doorbell rang; Feng Qingyu’s friends had arrived.
……
The Alphas all had big appetites, and the lavish meal prepared by the Feng family was quickly devoured.
After the meal, Feng Qingyu and Xu Jiao continued to play with their friends in the upstairs game room. Everyone present was sharp, noticing that the relationship between Feng Qingyu and Xu Jiao had changed significantly, and their conversation naturally included praises for Xu Jiao. They also talked about the plot of 《The Palace Wall Willows》.
“This TV drama has become really popular lately! I heard the rights are about to be sold overseas. Anyway, all the overseas Chinese people I know are aware of it. Hey, did the Empress die or not? Honestly, I’ve already cried a round over this. Can you two give me a spoiler? Just tell me if my tears were wasted!”
“Yeah, yeah! The Concubine P3 is so popular now. I even have a friend who wants to ask for your autographs. What better time than now? How about you sign for me right now?”
“I remember Qingyu didn’t take on such a tragic role before. How come now that she’s in a marriage, she’s preparing to suffer in the drama but be sweet outside of it? Is she just going to throw us dog food and make us die from envy?”
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At the mahjong table.
Xu Jiao sat beside Feng Qingyu, holding a cup of soda in her hand, watching the cards in Feng Qingyu’s hand. She heard people nearby joking with her, and not far away, someone was singing, happily taking the mic.
They had originally planned for Xu Jiao to join the card table, but she wasn’t very interested in playing, so she just sat next to Feng Qingyu and watched her play.
Feng Qingyu wore a faint smile, casually picking a card and gently responding, “No spoilers allowed, so you can just guess. Anyway, whether it’s the character P in the drama or the real P, feel free to ship whoever you like.”
“Ew!”
“Today, as a single dog, I’m going to rid the world of evil. Look at my three-man hand!”4
Feng Qingyu glanced at the opponent’s three-man hand and casually pushed her own pile of cards forward, saying, “I win.”
The single dog was punished by the couple.
……
Knowing that Feng Qingyu was going to have a happy night, her friends celebrated her birthday, ate cake, and then gradually said their goodbyes around 10 o’clock. Xu Jiao accompanied Feng Qingyu to see them off at the door, wearing a polite, faint smile, her expression filled with understanding.
Feng Qingyu’s friends, as expected, were all emotionally intelligent and good at conversation, just like she had written.
She didn’t know if they had made arrangements or what, but all the Alphas who came tonight were either friends or acquaintances. Even if Xu Jiao didn’t want to join them, she didn’t have to worry about any love rivals appearing.
Moreover, these Alphas were very polite, not lingering their gazes on Xu Jiao too long, but when they spoke, they conveyed a sense of respect, indicating that they were well-mannered individuals.
After sending off the last friend, Feng Qingyu turned to look at the jacket draped over Xu Jiao’s shoulders. Being by the sea, there was a pressure difference both day and night, so it was windy. She wanted to raise her hand to help Xu Jiao button it up, but Xu Jiao shook her head.
“I’m going back soon; there’s no need to go through all this trouble.”
Feng Qingyu followed her upstairs.
When they reached the second floor, they heard the housekeeper tidying up, who took the plate of cake that Xu Jiao had eaten from and asked her, “Miss Xu, are you going to continue eating this?”
Xu Jiao didn’t want to eat any more sweets, so she shook her head. However, Feng Qingyu, noticing the milky white cream on top, suddenly reached out to take it, saying, “Don’t waste it; let me have this. Just take the rest away.”
Xu Jiao didn’t expect her to be so adamant about this piece of cake. Thinking about how she wanted to eat something that Xu Jiao had already had, she instinctively tugged at her sleeve, saying, “Forget it.”
Feng Qingyu had already taken the small plate with the cake and walked into her room.
Seeing that she really had no intention of giving up on eating the cake, Xu Jiao felt a bit dazed and instinctively followed her, saying, “Feng Qingyu, this… has a lot of cream on top; eating too much can easily make you gain weight.”
She took a couple of steps to catch up, wanting to persuade Feng Qingyu with the reason of gaining weight, her face heating up. But when she entered the room, she saw Feng Qingyu tilt her head and give her a teasing smile:
“Don’t want me to eat?”
“What if it goes to waste?”
Xu Jiao blinked her eyes, inexplicably understanding Feng Qingyu’s hint. Although there weren’t too many feelings between them, perhaps due to her body already being so familiar with this person’s presence, as soon as Feng Qingyu gave her a look, she felt that…
Somewhere within her, there was a sense of overflowing.
She took a step back, leaning against the door, but accidentally pushed the already half-closed door shut. Feng Qingyu placed the cake on the table, walked over, and her breathing was oddly heavy. She asked:
“Today, can I use that?”
The question was vague.
However, this did not affect Xu Jiao’s understanding at all.
She knew what Feng Qingyu was talking about…
That thing was not short; its tip could carry Alpha pheromones and release them within the Omega’s body. As long as the front part was inserted and pheromone exchange occurred, it could enable the Omega to conceive, because in this world, pregnancy could only happen through the collision of pheromones.
Of course, even if it didn’t contain Alpha pheromones, it could still be a fun and helpful assistant for daily life.
Xu Jiao had seen it before in a hotel and felt that this thing should be considered an essential accessory for home and travel in this world.
But she was indeed a little afraid of that thing.
The Omega’s body was too sensitive and special; one of the modes of that thing was actually similar to the tentacle-like, bifurcated massage type, which was truly a bit unbearable.
Xu Jiao hesitated for two seconds, not knowing what she thought of, suddenly nodded, raised her hand to wrap around Feng Qingyu’s neck, and smiled slightly: “Sure, the birthday star can say whatever she want.”
……
The bed made a slight creaking sound.
The two people in the midst of a fierce battle were both drenched in sweat, tossed about by the waves, unable to see the tree branches swaying in the wind outside the window. Unintentionally, a flower petal broke the tender bud that had just emerged, causing the branches of the Albizia tree5 to shake gently and continuously tremble.
A small cabbage butterfly landed on the branch, touching the overripe flower bud with its leaves. It flew back and forth, feasting on the flower’s nectar, seizing all the sweetness that the bees had not visited during the day.
Inside the house.
The sweet cream smeared on the three peaks slowly melted with the warmth of the wind and the jade lips, making Xu Jiao’s softness feel as if it was turning into a puddle of water, almost melting into the quilt.
She softly tried to raise her hand to push Feng Qingyu away, but couldn’t help but murmur, “Don’t…”
Feng Qingyu looked up at her and asked with a smile, “This cream tastes really good. Do you want to try it?”
Xu Jiao’s face immediately flushed red.
Seeing her bite on the quilt without answering, Feng Qingyu lifted her hand to pull the fabric out of her mouth and asked again, “It tastes even better with cherries. Can you guess where my favorite cherries come from? If you guess right, I’ll stop. How about that?”
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Xu Jiao: “…” She didn’t want to guess.
Feng Qingyu then raised an eyebrow, “If you don’t tell me, I’ll just have to taste each one, okay?”
After a long while.
She smiled and came to a conclusion: “The ones from the mountains are good, and the ones from the meadows are good too, each has its own flavor.”
……
Two hours later.
Xu Jiao, with tears streaming down her face, pushed Feng Qingyu’s shoulder, a look of endurance in her eyes, “…No more.”
Feng Qingyu held her shoulders, pressing her into her embrace, kissed her reddened eye corners, and softly replied, “Alright, alright, you sleep.”
Hearing that slight tremor in her voice, how could Xu Jiao sleep? Her fingers spasmed, clutching Feng Qingyu’s shoulder and refusing to let go. Her fingertips couldn’t help but clench and unclench. Seeing the corners of Feng Qingyu’s lips curl up, did she really mean for her to sleep?
She couldn’t bear it any longer, cupped Feng Qingyu’s chin, and took the initiative to kiss her. In the midst of their entanglement, she softly pleaded, “I really can’t… it hurts…”
Feng Qingyu touched her flushed face, and in the end, couldn’t bear to let her suffer, sighing, “Alright then.”
After a bout of playful antics.
Feng Qingyu carried Xu Jiao into the bathtub to wash, and after coming out, she pulled open the large bath towel she had prepared on the bed in advance, discarded those damp traces, and placed Xu Jiao on it. Holding Xu Jiao, she quickly fell into sleep.
Just as she was about to fall asleep, she suddenly heard the person beside her push her shoulder gently and whisper, “Shen Yelan, can you move over a bit?”
Feng Qingyu groggily shifted in accordance with the other person’s movements. After a while, she suddenly woke up, her eyes opening to look at the person beside her who had also closed her eyes. A calm voice abruptly broke the silence in the room.
“Jiaojiao.”
She asked, “Who is Shen Yelan?”
Footnotes
- Higanbana (彼岸花) – In Chinese and Japanese cultures, Higanbana (or red spider lily) is often associated with themes of death and the afterlife, reflecting the idea that they bloom in places where the dead are buried.
Manjusaka (曼珠沙华) – This term is derived from Buddhist texts, where it signifies a flower that blooms in the realm of the dead. - “Two-person world” (二人世界): Refers to a time or space where a couple can focus solely on each other without external distractions.
- P (p): Referring to a character in the drama or a real person, commonly used in fandoms to denote pairing or shipping characters/people together. Kept forgetting to footnote this, sorry!
- Three-man hand (三万): A specific term in mahjong or card games, indicating a winning hand, typically meaning a strong or valuable combination of cards.
- “Albizia tree” (夜合欢树): refers to a type of tree commonly known as the silk tree or mimosa, which is known for its delicate flowers.