Peaches and Plums Don’t Speak – Chapter 67
by Little PandaBe My Girlfriend?
Winter. The winters in Beicheng often brought snow, mostly light flurries that drifted like dandelion fluff in the wind. They would float into the pockets of children’s coats, settle in the hair of young women, and catch on the corners of commuters’ scarves, creating a uniquely beautiful winter scene.
On a day like this, there was nothing more pleasant than sipping a hot drink.
Liu Yiyi had come to find Yan Xi, and the two of them were now on the second floor of a dessert shop not far from the TV station. They gazed out the floor-to-ceiling windows at the snow-filled sky, sighing with contentment. It felt wonderful to steal a moment of leisure from their busy lives.
The shop offered freshly baked bread, coffee, and milk tea, filling the entire room with a warm, sweet, and intoxicating aroma.
Liu Yiyi was in the throes of a new romance with Yan Yixi. The initial period of confusion and distress had been greatly soothed, and she had even grown her hair out, dyeing it a dusty pink-brown that, combined with her makeup, made the woman in love practically glow.
Yan Xi sipped her hot milk tea, a smile on her face as she listened to Liu Yiyi chatter on.
She was happy for them. It was wonderful that Liu Yiyi would become her sister-in-law. She had a feeling that her Second Brother and Liu Yiyi would grow old together1.
Love was always a beautiful thing, and to be in love, even more so.
As they were talking, two young women with lovely faces, who looked like university students, approached their table. They seemed to have spent a long time building up their courage. One of them shyly and politely asked Yan Xi, “Hello, Yan Xi-jiejie. Could we have your autograph?”
After a moment of surprise, Yan Xi readily agreed. She asked for their names, then signed their notebooks, adding a few lines of well wishes for each of them.
Her handwriting was elegant and neat, the blessings warm and charming.
The two young women were thrilled and spoke with her a little longer, telling her how much they liked her hosting and fashion sense, and how wonderful they thought she was.
Yan Xi maintained a gracious smile throughout. She even bought them both hot drinks, and when the two young women left, their faces were flushed red.
Liu Yiyi shot her a sidelong glance. “Tsk, tsk, tsk! I’m a big-shot editor, and no one asks me for an autograph. I’m a Big V2 with tens of millions of followers on Weibo, you know!”
“Hardly anyone ever asks for my autograph. And certainly no young girls,” Liu Yiyi said, her tone dejected.
Yan Xi looked at her and laughed, shaking her head gently. “Isn’t having my Second Brother enough for you?”
Liu Yiyi’s eyes were bewitching. “He’s enough, of course, but I want young girls to blush at me, too.”
“Yan Xiao Wu!” Liu Yiyi looked her up and down. “I’ve discovered you have a real wlw vibe3.”
Yan Xi’s hand, holding her cup, froze.
“I mean, so many girls online like you. They all say they want to marry you…”
“Have you considered dating a woman?”
The question Anzhi had asked her a few days ago flashed through her mind again.
“But I know you’re straight,” Liu Yiyi said with a wave of her hand. “You’re probably the type who’s universe straight4, yet somehow still has that wlw appeal!”
“That’s a type?”
“Hehehe!” Liu Yiyi grinned mischievously. “Tell your jiejie the truth. Do you have those tendencies? I definitely won’t discriminate.”
Yan Xi sighed and pressed her fingers to her temple. “Why are you asking this too?”
Liu Yiyi’s ears perked up, her interest piqued even more. “Who else asked? …Hmm? Xiao Anzhi?”
Yan Xi shut down that line of questioning. “No, just someone else.”
“A colleague? That makes sense. You’ve been single for so many years, it’s inevitable people would wonder about your orientation!” Liu Yiyi laughed and leaned in closer. “By the way, that gift I gave you for your birthday last year… that little gadget. Have you used it?”
Yan Xi choked for a few seconds.
“What? You haven’t used it?”
A blush suddenly bloomed on Yan Xi’s cheeks. “I refuse to answer that question.”
Liu Yiyi burst out laughing, nearly losing her breath.
Yan Xi looked out at the snowflakes, trying to cover her embarrassment.
“Oh, come on, we’re all adults here. Don’t be so shy. Don’t be an old stick-in-the-mud like your Second Brother, hahaha!”
“Can we please change the subject?” Yan Xi felt her verbal skills had declined sharply recently. She couldn’t win an argument against Liu Yiyi, and she couldn’t even win one against Taotao.
“Fine, fine!” Liu Yiyi was still snickering. “If it’s not comfortable to use, you can tell me! I’ll buy you a better one, or a few different ones for you to choose from!”
“Oh my god, will you please shut up!” Yan Xi covered her face with her hands.
“What do you want me to do? You’re about to be my little sister-in-law5, and you’re still not dating. I’m worried sick!” Liu Yiyi glanced sideways at another corner of the dessert shop. “Look, that handsome director has been staring at you ever since he came in.”
Yan Xi paused, then turned her head for a look.
Liao Chengyu was also there, chatting with a friend. Sensing Yan Xi’s gaze, he nodded at her and offered a smile.
Yan Xi turned back, a thoughtful expression on her face.
“Hey, you really don’t have any feelings for him? Not even a little bit?” Liu Yiyi asked curiously.
Yan Xi thought about it seriously. “That’s not it. He’s a good person.”
“I had someone look into him…”
Yan Xi frowned and lowered her voice. “When did you… You actually have people at the TV station?”
Liu Yiyi flicked her hair back. “Even if you work at an old-fashioned state-affiliated institution6, your jiejie’s network can still get in, please! Of course I had to check him out. His qualifications aren’t bad, he’s good-looking, and he’s in his early thirties. He’s paying off a mortgage on a place in the West District. While his situation can’t compare to your family’s, he’s self-reliant. A guy like that should be a hot commodity on the marriage market7, so why is he still single? Does he have some weird quirk? Of course I was curious!”
Yan Xi pondered for a moment, then said, “I haven’t asked, but I heard he had a very unforgettable relationship.”
“Yes, his first love, apparently. They were together from high school until two or three years after university graduation. They were about to get married when his girlfriend died in an accident. He’s been single ever since.”
“So he’s a devoted one. He seems like a decent guy, then. He probably feels he’s ready to move on, or maybe he’s taken a liking to you and wants to pursue you. My personal opinion is that his financial situation is a bit lacking, but you don’t need that, right?”
Yan Xi was quiet for a few seconds, then lifted her gaze, a half-smile playing on her lips. “Who sent you to be their advocate? My Second Brother wouldn’t do something like this.”
Liu Yiyi smiled, caught. “It was your First Brother. He sought me out specifically, called me ‘Second Sister-in-law8,’ and asked me to show more concern for your lifelong happiness…”
Yan Xi had an I-knew-it expression. “I knew it was my First Brother…”
“Ah, but that’s not all. I know you understand what your First Brother was getting at. Your grandparents are getting older, and their health is slowly declining. Even though they never pressure you, you’re the one they worry about the most.”
Liu Yiyi continued, “They used to worry about Yixi, too, but now he has me!”
Of course, she can turn any topic into a chance to show off their love, Yan Xi thought. She wanted to smile, but as she lowered her eyes in thought, she knew that if there was anyone in this world whose feelings she needed to be especially considerate of, it was her elderly grandparents. Especially in recent years, Grandfather Yan’s blood pressure had become increasingly unstable, and Grandmother Yan’s memory was getting worse.
A heavy feeling settled over Yan Xi.
When they went to pay the bill, they were told it had already been taken care of. Upon asking, they found out it was, of course, Liao Chengyu. Liu Yiyi chuckled and glanced at Yan Xi, her eyes saying, “See? He’s a good guy.”
Yan Xi was momentarily speechless.
When they pushed the door open to leave, a flurry of snowflakes drifted onto their cheeks. A group of students who had just gotten out of school walked by, dressed in white shirts, gray plaid jackets, and pleated skirts, with slender long socks and Oxford shoes underneath.
“Ah! Youth…” Liu Yiyi sighed.
“Is that a school uniform?” Yan Xi took a closer look.
“That’s definitely from a private school. Public school uniforms are just one word: ugly! You can’t pull them off unless you’re really good-looking,” Liu Yiyi lamented. “Ah, youth is so wonderful… Ah! How did it pass by in the blink of an eye?”
Yan Xi let the snowflakes land on her face, tilting her head up slightly, a hint of bewilderment in her eyes.
At the same time, Xu Jia’er and Anzhi were cleaning their assigned area on the sports field.
Xu Jia’er was looking around, picking up trash, when she suddenly looked up. “Hey, Little Class Monitor, look. It’s snowing.”
Anzhi stomped her feet, feeling a little cold. She looked at the snowflakes dancing in the sky, her dimples deepening slightly. “Mm!”
Xu Jia’er watched her smile. Anzhi stood not far from her, her hair mingling with the snowflakes. She reached up to tuck a few strands back, and as her hair was gathered, it revealed her sweet, ethereal face, her cheeks tinged a faint red from the cold.
Xu Jia’er had known her for a year and a half. She thought Anzhi was utterly adorable, yet with a touch of pride that set her apart from the other delicate girls who formed cliques.
Very good.
She was the kind of girl she liked.
She wanted to pursue her.
“Little Class Monitor,” Xu Jia’er’s lips pressed together for a moment before curling into a slight smile. She gazed at the girl before her. “Will you be my girlfriend?”
Footnotes
- Original: báitóuxiélǎo (白头偕老), a four-character idiom that literally means 'white heads grow old together.' It's a common and beautiful blessing for a couple, wishing them a long and happy life together.
- A 'Big V' is a term for a verified social media account with a large number of followers, essentially an influencer. The 'V' stands for 'verified.'
- The character 姬 (jī), meaning 'beauty' or 'concubine,' is used as internet slang for 'lesbian' or 'wlw' (women who love women). It's a pun on the character 基 (jī), which is slang for 'gay.' Having a 'jī' vibe means having an aura that is attractive to other women.
- Original: yǔ zhí (宇直), literally 'universe straight.' It's internet slang for someone who is so unshakably heterosexual that it's on a cosmic scale.
- Original: xiǎo gūzi (小姑子), the term for a husband's younger sister. Liu Yiyi is teasingly referring to Yan Xi with this title, as she is now dating Yan Xi's older brother.
- Original: biānzhì dānwèi (编制单位). This refers to a state-affiliated public institution with a fixed number of government-approved positions, offering high job security and benefits, often seen as traditional or bureaucratic.
- Original: xiāngqīn shìchǎng (相亲市场), the 'blind date market' or 'marriage market.' A colloquial term for the pool of single individuals actively seeking marriage partners.
- Original: èr dìmèi (二弟妹), a formal kinship term for one's second younger brother's wife.
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