Peaches and Plums Don’t Speak – Chapter 120
by Little PandaThe Beginning of Love
Anzhi stood under the portico for a very long time, completely dazed. She had no idea how she made it back to her dormitory.
When she finally came to her senses, she hurriedly sent a message back to Yan Xi.
Then, pressing her lips together, she threw herself onto her bed, covered her face, and nearly screamed out loud.
Even in her dreams, she had never dreamed that Yan Xi would kiss her, let alone that they would share a kiss.
They really kissed…
She knew Yan Xi well. Yan Xi was gentle, generous, and meticulously attentive to others, yet she was not someone who welcomed excessive physical intimacy. Needless to say for Da Pang and Xiao Pang, even with little Junjun, she only occasionally gave him a brief hug or a pat on the head, and that was it. As for Anzhi herself, apart from kissing her forehead once when she was very small, and that other time in junior high when Anzhi had acted spoiled and thrown a tantrum to get her way, Yan Xi had only ever kissed her forehead…
But just now, they had really kissed.
And it was a deep, passionate kiss.
Anzhi added in her own mind.
She grinned like an idiot.
When she had returned during the summer break, she had simply missed her too much and wanted to see her, to know if she was doing well. She truly had not expected things to develop this far.
Although Yan Xi had not said it in so many words, Anzhi felt she understood.
Yan Xi’s willingness to kiss her already revealed her thoughts.
She was the type of person who thoroughly deliberated over everything she did. Once she made a decision, it was final, and no one could sway her. Furthermore, she would do everything in her power to block any danger that could disrupt her decision.
Just like when she had resolutely insisted on taking Anzhi home and raising her by her side all those years ago.
And now, over the span of a single weekend, she had flown thousands of miles to come here, only to fly right back.
She had held her, and she had kissed her.
Anzhi felt as though her face were about to start smoking.
Like she had received a grand reward, she wanted nothing more than to perform well, yet she didn’t know what to do. She could only foolishly open WeChat and type: “I will study hard!”
Ah…
So stupid.
It had happened too quickly; she hadn’t even had time to build up much mental preparation. It had also ended too quickly, leaving her to savor it slowly.
Yan Xi’s lips, her embrace, the hand cradling the back of her head, her ragged breathing, and that whispered murmur: “Auntie is going to kiss you.”
Her natural voice was already extremely beautiful—mellow, clear, and soft. When she murmured, it wasn’t exactly hoarse, but a little lower than usual, carrying a deep, profound quality, as if she were deliberately suppressing her emotions but couldn’t help letting them slip out instinctively.
And there was the way she pressed her against the wall, bowing her head to kiss her. Anzhi had been so busy trying to keep up, drowning in the warmth of her lips and tongue, that she couldn’t even open her eyes to see her expression. Thinking back on it now, it was such a pity.
Anzhi had read romance novels before; this was called a wall dong1. It fit perfectly—Yan Xi’s body pressed against hers, pinning her.
Yes, and there was also that soft hum she had let out, along with the sound of her heavy breathing. At the time, Anzhi hadn’t been fully conscious of it, but remembering it now made her feel weak and tingly all over.
Lying prone on the bed, Anzhi thought about it, tossing, turning, and grinning foolishly.
She was in love. She would definitely make this a beautiful relationship and love Yan Xi with all her heart.
More often than not, humans were creatures prone to gaining one and looking for ten2, especially when it came to matters of the heart.
Anzhi’s clear eyes brimmed with affection. She stared at Yan Xi’s reply—“Good girl”—and her eyes curved into crescents, her dimples framing a radiant smile.
Though only a moment had passed, Anzhi was already starting to miss Yan Xi.
That night, having tasted her very first romantic kiss, she slowly fell asleep amid the lingering sweetness of her thoughts. In her dreams, the subtle fragrance of Yan Xi still hovered at the tip of her nose.
The next day, she went to the bookstore at noon. Under the quiet, clear autumn streets, she stood in front of the entrance to the Harvard Book Store, took a selfie, and sent it to Yan Xi.
Yan Xi had probably gone straight to the TV station right after getting off the plane. When it was morning in Boston, she sent her a photo. It was a close-up of half of her face. It was night over there, capturing the well-defined curve of her cheek, her sparkling eyes, her bright red lips, and the necklace around her neck.
The gift had been received.
A flower necklace from the Van Cleef & Arpels Frivole series—it was not a new release, but it was the most expensive gift Anzhi could currently afford to give her.
Under the glow of the light, the tiny petals shimmered with delicate light and shadow, looking as if they could sway gently in a light breeze.
Indeed, it suited her very well.
Anzhi smiled with satisfaction.
She was not yet six when she came to Yan Xi’s side, fell in love with her at fourteen, and at twenty-one, she could finally get close to her and date her.
Yan Xi told her that at an institution like Harvard, she should study diligently and make full use of the surrounding resources. While academics were undoubtedly important, she must not neglect campus life either. She warned her not to keep herself semi-sequestered the way she had during her studies in China, but rather to meet interesting people and broaden her horizons.
When Anzhi was young, Yan Xi had spoken to her mostly in a gentle, consultative tone, only rarely using her authority as an elder to offer solemn advice. Now, her words carried a touch of indulgence and encouragement, alongside a genuine sense of appreciation.
Other than that, there was no difference.
Nor did they mention their kiss again.
Anzhi knew they were interacting in a brand-new way. She had to grow and have her own career before she could stand confidently and openly by Yan Xi’s side. Influenced by Yan Xi, Anzhi was also someone who liked to plan. She firmly held onto her thoughts: she couldn’t be too impatient at this stage; she needed to enrich and build herself up.
Only then would they have their future, a future where they would never be apart for the rest of their lives.
Anzhi had never lived in any city other than Beicheng. Yet by her second year in Boston, she had fully adapted to and grown fond of the city.
The Charles River divided the city into two parts: one part was the Boston area, and the other was the Cambridge city area. Anzhi liked this river very much; it had the most beautiful sunsets and sunrises. In autumn, there was the largest rowing competition in the United States here—the Head of the Charles Regatta—and in winter, the river would freeze. The climate was not much different from Beicheng’s; the summers weren’t as hot, and the winters were snowier.
Every week, she had work involving undergraduate research groups. She had also become the older one whom others looked up to, which brought a little pride and joy to her heart.
Anzhi possessed a maturity uncommon for her age, alongside a purity and sensitivity born from both her nature and upbringing. Because this was her first love, and with the sweetheart she had admired for many years, she naturally wanted to share every little detail with her.
From something as small as a squirrel she encountered on campus, to as large as a play she watched at the Hasty Pudding Theatricals or a Hollywood star she saw.
Longing was sometimes temporary and controllable, but other times sudden and uncontrollable.
She spoke of missing her, of longing for her. Only after kissing her ten, a hundred, a thousand times in her heart would she type in her message, “I miss you. I want to kiss you.”
She tried her best to appear mature, but most of the time her expressions were still innocent and childish.
When the winter snow fell soft and thick and Christmas was approaching, Anzhi finally returned to Beicheng.
She hesitated a bit between going to their home or the Yan Family Old Residence, but Xiao Yutong, who had rushed over, drove her straight to the old residence.
Yu Shengnan had given birth to dragon-phoenix twins in November, sending the old residence into a frenzy of joy. A celebratory atmosphere had filled the house since last month, and they had even hosted a banquet of nearly a hundred tables at Beicheng’s largest hotel, inviting friends and family to join the celebration.
Anzhi went to see the newborn babies. As soon as Yu Shengnan finished her postpartum confinement, she went straight back to work. Xiao Yutong and Auntie Xin took care of the babies every day; they were incredibly busy but loving every moment of it. Even Junjun’s first action upon getting home from school every day was to run to the nursery to look at the babies’ faces and play with them.
Anzhi was naturally happy too, but under this dense atmosphere of familial love, she suddenly felt a nameless worry. If the Yan family discovered what was going on between her and Yan Xi, would they still be this happy?
Ever since returning from Boston, Yan Xi’s mood had been highly complex, to the point of exceeding her ability to cope.
Life would tell you who you were in its own way. Even if you thought you were mature enough to know what kind of person you were, there would always be a moment, or a person, who would appear and make you realize a completely new, unknown side of yourself.
In her twenties, she was never the type of person who would drop everything on a whim, traveling through the night just to see someone.
Yet for Anzhi’s sake, she had made that very choice twice now.
She had also never thought that, in her thirties, she would like a woman—let alone a little girl more than a decade younger than her, who had grown up by her side.
She also hadn’t expected that she would be subjected to such temptation.
That little girl clutching her hem, pitifully acting spoiled, “Why don’t you kiss me?”
She had experienced so many pursuits and flirtations from others, yet she never expected to be defeated by such a cute manner. She surrendered.
Then she had kissed her, kissing her without any barrier at all. Mn… she had hesitated a bit at first, but later she was completely intoxicated, which even she hadn’t anticipated. Heavens, it was truly a heart-stirring kiss, one to be savored.
In the month since returning, Yan Xi’s mood had been on a roller coaster of ups and downs, and she often stared blankly into space. If she hadn’t been distracted by preparing for the new show, she might have needed even longer to recover.
Returning to Beicheng, she calmed down, and the guilt in her heart swept back. To be honest, she was not yet ready to truly date Anzhi.
Yet she was afraid of making Anzhi sad. She was truly certain that she liked her and wanted to date her, but she still had worries in her heart.
It sounded like a real bastard move, as if she refused to take responsibility after kissing her, but she wasn’t like that—she just needed time.
She had never been this kind of person before; she was always extremely decisive and never wavered once a choice was made. She realized that only when it came to Anzhi would her emotions override her reason—just like when she had stubbornly insisted on bringing her to her side when she was small.
She needed to have a talk with Anzhi.
She left work early because she knew Anzhi was back. Lately, the old residence was noisy with the babies, filled with the smell of baby formula and other baby things everywhere.
But today, the moment she stepped inside, she felt something was different. A voice in her heart cried out, She is back, and then her heart broke free of her thoughts first, starting to beat rapidly and grow sweet.
She tried to control it a bit, but it was completely useless. Her entire body and mind were thoroughly delighted by the fact that she was back.
She then began searching for Anzhi. She wasn’t in the nursery, nor in Anzhi’s room. She even went to Grandfather Yan and Grandmother Yan’s room, but she still wasn’t there.
She went up and down, searching every flsoor. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck. She went back to the third floor and opened the door to her own room.
Once her eyes adjusted to the cool, dim light inside, she saw Anzhi lying face down on her bed, already fast asleep.
Her soft, rosy cheek was half-buried in the pillow, sleeping very sweetly.
At that moment, Yan Xi’s heart completely calmed down.
She was her lovely temptation, her gentle entanglement, and an existence she could never bring herself to part with.
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