For The Rest Of Our Life – Chapter 68.1

Smiling, drink □□

Two days before the Lantern Festival, Lin Xian’s school started classes. This semester, because Lin Xian and her classmates no longer needed to attend morning self-study sessions, apart from the first period on Tuesday, they didn’t have any early classes. As a result, Wanqing Xiao adjusted her waking time according to Lin Xian’s class schedule.

The first official day of classes was on Wednesday without any early morning sessions. After Lin Xian and Wanqing Xiao had breakfast together, they stood contentedly at the door, watching as Auntie Xiao went to work. It was only when Auntie Xiao turned the corner and disappeared from sight that Lin Xian closed the door. She returned to the living room, opened the floor-to-ceiling window leading to the balcony, and welcomed the refreshing morning breeze and warm sunshine. She raised her hand, stretched lazily, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.

This kind of life is truly wonderful…

If only, when she sees Auntie Xiao off every day, she could ask for a reluctant goodbye kiss, that would be even better…

The curve of her lips deepened, and there was a radiant sparkle in her eyes—Lin Xian, it will happen sooner or later. She encouraged herself firmly in her heart.

It was close to nine o’clock when she changed clothes, grabbed her backpack, and headed out to school. Since she had the little sheep, she didn’t have to waste time waiting for the bus, and she had much more free time. Unfortunately, the little sheep’s battery didn’t last long. If she used the little sheep to drop off Auntie Xiao at work and then went to school, it might run out of power by the time school was over. Besides, the little sheep didn’t quite meet the standards. She couldn’t imagine Auntie Xiao, dressed in professional casual wear, a suit, or a dress, riding on her little sheep with her carefully styled hair blown by the wind. If her colleagues at the magazine company saw that, they might be taken aback.

She arrived at school and parked her bike at the entrance of the college. She took off her helmet and couldn’t help but think about learning to ride a bike.

When she entered the classroom, it was still early, but Chen Zi and Tang Momo were already there, saving seats for her and Shi Man. It had been a winter vacation since they last saw each other, and as soon as they met, they couldn’t help but chatter about their holiday experiences. They thought it would be about eating, drinking, and having fun, but they didn’t expect Tang Momo to shyly announce some big news—she was no longer single. The guy was her desk mate since high school, and he came to the north for college. During the winter vacation, he confessed his feelings to her, saying that he had been secretly in love with her since high school, and she accepted him, deeply moved.

Shi Man didn’t know when she arrived next to them. Just as she was about to sit down, she heard Chen Zi and Lin Xian both exclaim in surprise, “Tang Momo, what’s going on?”

“What’s going on with you guys?” Shi Man was taken aback, her eyes filled with confusion. She patted her chest, calmed her heartbeat, and then casually sat down in the vacant seat beside them.

Lin Xian excitedly clarified the matter for Shi Man, saying, “Tang Mo is no longer single! A few months ago, she was still claiming to be possibly asexual, but she got into a relationship over the winter break!”

Tang Mo immediately blushed and quietly hushed Lin Xian, saying, “Xianxian, lower your voice, everyone is looking at us.”

Before Lin Xian could respond, Chen Zi hooked her arm around Tang Mo ‘s neck from behind and pulled her into her embrace. She playfully teased, “Oh, Tang Mo , during the whole winter break when we were playing games together every day, you managed to keep it a secret. And now you’re telling us. Come clean and tell me everything—when, where, and how did you confess?”

Observing their joyful antics, Shi Man’s face also lit up with a satisfied smile. She leaned in, listening attentively to Tang Mo’s confession while teasingly addressing Lin Xian, “Now, you’re the only single one among us.”

Lin Xian paused for a moment, feeling a sharp pang from the teasing and turned to Shi Man, shooting her an unkind glare. She grumbled, “Can’t you be a little kinder?”

Shi Man burst into laughter without a trace of sympathy. She blinked and jokingly, yet seriously, whispered to Lin Xian, “Any progress during the winter break?” Chen Zi and Tang Mo were unaware of Lin Xian’s feelings for Xiao Wanqing, so Shi Man didn’t mention any names.

Lin Xian immediately understood what Shi Man was asking. She thought about her crush and how busy Xiao Wanqing had been after the new year. A bittersweet feeling enveloped her heart, and unconsciously, she pursed her lips and shook her head in disappointment, saying, “No, she’s been particularly busy this year. I… I don’t want to pressure her too much. I want to wait until she’s done with this busy period before I bring it up.”

Seeing Lin Xian’s hopeless romantic expression, Shi Man couldn’t help but feel frustrated and said, “You’re just dragging it out. I think if things don’t progress soon, you’ll have to resort to drastic measures.” She spoke from her own experience. She had also been indecisive and ambivalent with Xia Zhijin for years until she took a bold step. If she had waited for Xia Zhijin to take the initiative and approach her, it would probably have taken another ten years for any progress to be made.

The relationship between Auntie Xiao and Lin Xian was even more unique.

However, Lin Xian was not convinced. It was easier for Shi Man to give advice from an outsider’s perspective. As the person directly involved, she naturally had more considerations, which led to hesitation and fear. The more one cherishes something, the more cautious they become. Wasn’t that just human nature? Lin Xian retorted with a hint of complaint, poking at Shi Man’s sensitive spot, “And what about you? Don’t act like you’re not indecisive. Let me ask you.” She leaned closer to Shi Man’s ear, playfully inquiring, “Did you manage to seduce your senior during the winter break, you, who spent every day studying techniques from adult manga?”

Shi Man’s little secret was discovered, and after a moment of shyness, she became open and frank. Wanting to do happy things with a loved one, isn’t that normal? But, she didn’t succeed.

She drooped her beautiful eyebrows and eyes, resentfully saying, “It takes two to tango.”

“Hahaha!” Lin Xian burst into laughter. Shi Man’s response was hilarious, resembling an unsatisfied resentful woman. Xia Zhijin, the senior, had committed a grave sin, turning an innocent young girl into a resentful woman trapped in solitude.

Just as Shi Man was about to express her annoyance to Lin Xian, Chen Zi, who had finished gossiping about Tang Mo’s romantic history, moved on to the next topic. She turned to Lin Xian and Shi Man and asked, “There’s a food festival and lantern riddles guessing event at Lin Kou Jiang Beach the day after tomorrow for the Lantern Festival. Will you two go? At ten o’clock, we’ll release sky lanterns together, it should be quite spectacular.”

Shi Man shook her head, becoming even more unhappy. She said, “Zhijin is not going, she said she wants to work. It’s not fun for me to go alone.”

Chen Zi asked in surprise, “Don’t you take a break on Lantern Festival?”

Shi Man sighed and remained silent.

Since Xia Zhijin returned from her hometown after the Spring Festival, she inadvertently mentioned to Shi Man her intention to go on a trip together during the May Golden Week holiday. However, Xia Zhijin fell into a frenzy of working excessively.

On the second day after Xia Zhijin’s return, she went to work and was busy the whole day, like a spinning top with no one around. It made Shi Man both distressed and angry. After several days of being alone, she carefully recalled and gradually discovered the reason behind Xia Zhijin’s abnormal behavior. She subtly and repeatedly hinted at her, telling her that she no longer wanted to go on a trip. However, Xia Zhijin didn’t agree. When she suggested a domestic destination closer to home, Xia Zhijin still refused. She gently and firmly told herself, “It’s okay, if you want to go, I’ll accompany you.”

But seeing Xia Zhijin’s exhausted appearance, how could she bear it? A thousand times, ten thousand times, she wanted to tell Xia Zhijin that they could go on a trip together, and she wouldn’t ask her for a single penny. But she was also afraid of hurting Xia Zhijin’s self-esteem. A thousand times, ten thousand times, she wanted to ask Xia Zhijin why she always had to make such clear distinctions, that Xia Zhijin belonged to her, so why couldn’t the money be hers too? But in the end, she didn’t dare to ask.

Because Xia Zhijin has not shown any interest in her, no matter how she tries to seduce her.

It’s really a big failure. She even suspects that Xia Zhijin might be frigid!

Upon hearing about the Lantern Festival activities, Lin Xian felt a little excited and thought to herself that she should ask Aunt Xiao if she had the time and interest to go together. Then, she heard about Xia Zhijin’s part-time job and had a sudden idea. She quickly asked Shi Man, “Where does senior work? Does she have regular part-time job resources and channels?”

Instead of answering, Shi Man responded with a counter question, “What’s the matter? Are you planning to work too?”

Tang Mo couldn’t believe it and said, “Is it true, Xianxian? You want to work part-time?” After getting to know each other, they understood that Lin Xian, who grew up in a pampered environment, was different from most of their classmates who would try a summer job after the college entrance examination. Lin Xian had never done a part-time job before. One reason was that her parents were worried and unwilling to let her do it, and the other reason was that she herself was lazy and didn’t want to. After being friends for so long, they knew that Lin Xian had always been financially well-off. She had just received her New Year’s money, so she definitely didn’t lack money. Why did she suddenly become interested?

Lin Xian remembered the bag that Xiao Wanqing had refused to accept and the words she said, “You can’t earn money on your own yet.” Her eyes dimmed. Aunt Xiao’s birthday was coming soon.

She nodded and jokingly replied to them, “Yeah, I’m so poor that I have to work to support myself.”

Chen Zi immediately burst into laughter and said, “Come on, if you’re poor, how can the rest of us survive?”

Surprisingly, Shi Man didn’t mock her this time. She rested her chin on her hand and looked at Lin Xian for a moment before agreeing, “Let me ask Zhijin. She should have some tutoring resources that might be more suitable for you. If, if you’re in a hurry, I also know someone who needs part-time workers, but…” She paused, stopping herself from continuing and said, “Let me ask Zhijin first. I’ll organize everything and send you all the job openings together, then you can choose.”

Lin Xian immediately flattered her, “Thank you, Miss Shi! You’re really beautiful inside and out!”

Shi Man glanced at Lin Xian, tugged at the corner of her mouth, and chose not to pay her any attention.

During dinner, Lin Xian observed that Xiao Wanqing was eating at her usual fast pace, as if in a hurry to return to her study room. Lin Xian couldn’t help but have a faint premonition of being rejected, but she still held a glimmer of hope and tentatively asked Xiao Wanqing, “Aunt Xiao, I heard that there will be a food festival and activities like lantern riddles and releasing sky lanterns at the Lin Kou River Beach on Lantern Festival. Shall we go together to take a look?”

Xiao Wanqing paused with her chopsticks, looking at the girl who seemed to have hidden expectations, and felt a slight pang of sadness in her heart. Emotionally, she wanted to agree, but her rationality didn’t allow her. In her heart, it was as if two little people were constantly battling. One wanted her to agree, while the other warned her not to. After hesitating for a moment, in the end, her rationality won out.

She reluctantly refused Lin Xian, saying, “Xianxian, on that evening, I… I have a video conference, so I’m afraid I can’t go play with you.” She saw the undisguised disappointment and dejection on Lin Xian’s face, and her heart felt a sharp pain. But she gritted her teeth and said what she should say, “You can go play with your friends, right? You can eat first and then go. If you want to eat out directly with your friends, that’s also fine.”

However, Lin Xian quickly and firmly shook her head, rejecting Xiao Wanqing’s suggestion. She forced a smile and said to Xiao Wanqing, “Then I won’t go either.” She explained against her own feelings, “Actually, I’m not very interested. I just thought that if I could go and have fun with Aunt Xiao, it would be a rare and happy memory. Aunt Xiao, this is our first Lantern Festival that we’re spending together, so of course I want to celebrate it with you!”

Xiao Wanqing gazed at the girl’s face, which clearly showed disappointment yet still forced a smile, and listened to her sincere and heartwarming words. Her heart ached. This was the first Lantern Festival that Lin Xian deliberately didn’t go home for, choosing to stay and accompany her…

But she was destined to let her down, unable to leave her with more beautiful memories.

How many holidays like this could they spend together? She questioned herself with a heavy heart.

She opened her mouth, briefly considering agreeing to her.

But in the end, she chose silence.

Step by step compromise, successive defeats, this is her miserable posture in front of Lin Xian. She was acutely aware that she was steadily sinking deeper into the gentle swamp that Lin Xian had unwittingly set for her. She was afraid that any further compromise, any further concession, would become the final fatal blow, causing her to completely surrender and suffocate.

She couldn’t retreat, and she didn’t dare to anymore.

She lowered her snow-white neck, unable to bear the sight of Lin Xian’s heartbreaking appearance, and repeatedly apologized to the girl in her heart: “I’m sorry, Xianxian… I’m sorry…”

On Lantern Festival day, Xiao Wanqing thought about how this was the first significant traditional holiday she was spending with Lin Xian, and she couldn’t help but have some expectations.

She thought that no matter what, she shouldn’t make Lin Xian feel wronged. She made up her mind in her heart that tonight, regardless of anything else, she would properly and completely accompany Lin Xian for a meal. If she could manage it, she even wanted to watch the Lantern Festival gala with Lin Xian. It had been such a long time since she had watched TV with Xianxian.

Coincidentally, an hour and a half before the end of work, the company president sent a notice that if everyone finished their work, they could leave early. Suddenly, everyone jumped up excitedly, tidied their desks, and dispersed in a rush.

Xiao Wanqing smiled helplessly as she watched her colleagues outside the office who were unusually lively like children. She also tidied up her documents, shut down her computer, and left work.

On her way back, she deliberately took a detour to the supermarket and bought the dipping sauce and fresh vegetables and pork liver for the hotpot they would have for dinner. As she passed the seafood section, she saw live shrimp still jumping around, and suddenly remembered the first day she met Lin Xian when she mischievously scared her.

Time really flies…

Back then, how could she have anticipated that their relationship would be like this now?

Xiao Wanqing sighed.

Since then, she truly hadn’t bought any shrimp for over half a year. Now, thinking back, she realized she had been sacrificing for Lin Xian without knowing if she had been craving shrimp during these past six months but couldn’t bring herself to say it.

She still remembered Lin Xian’s words and the struggling of the live shrimp when she twisted off their heads. But Xiao Wanqing furrowed her brows slightly, gathered her courage, and bought two pounds of live shrimp, as well as two pounds of shrimp paste beside them, planning to prepare them properly at home.

Unexpectedly, when she arrived home carrying bags of groceries, as soon as she opened the door, she heard the sizzling sound of hot oil meeting water coming from the kitchen.

Someone had beaten her to it and occupied the kitchen.

Xiao Wanqing paused her steps, and in the next moment, she immediately quickened her pace towards the kitchen.

Had Lin Xian cut herself with a knife again? She thought of the scar on the girl’s index finger that hadn’t completely healed even after a week due to a deep wound, and panic washed over her.

Sure enough, in the kitchen, Lin Xian stood in front of the stove, wearing an apron. Upon hearing Xiao Wanqing’s footsteps, she turned to face her and sweetly smiled, saying, “Aunt Xiao, you’re back. I’ve learned a new dish from watching TV these past few days, and I was thinking of secretly making it for you as a surprise tonight,” she pouted, disappointed. “But the surprise didn’t happen, so I’m not happy.”

Xiao Wanqing carefully examined Lin Xian’s hands and then glanced at the cutting board, finding nothing unexpected, which relieved her slightly. She placed the ingredients in her hands on the kitchen counter, stood behind Lin Xian, naturally took the spatula from her hand, and affectionately scolded her, “It’s not a surprise, it’s a fright. They say scars fade with time, but your scar hasn’t healed yet, have you forgotten the pain?”

Lin Xian let go of the spatula, leaned back against Xiao Wanqing, half resting on her, and listened to Xiao Wanqing’s gentle voice soothing her heart bit by bit, bringing a comforting warmth. Tilting her head, she looked at Xiao Wanqing’s elegantly high nose, smiling with her eyes and brows, and playfully said without fear, “Where would it hurt? Because Aunt Xiao, you’ve been feeling the pain for me.” Her tone was soft and coquettish.

Xiao Wanqing’s body stiffened as the girl approached her embrace. The girl’s soft words brushed against her heart like a feather, disturbing her deeply, making her heart itch and tremble. She couldn’t help but lower her gaze and look at Lin Xian. She saw her elegant nose, full lips, and pointed chin forming a graceful line. Every frown and smile seemed to tempt and seduce.

Xiao Wanqing abruptly averted her gaze, afraid to look any longer. But the body in her embrace felt like it was burning, scorching her and making her restless. After a moment, she awkwardly changed the subject, “Xianxian, I bought shrimp. Can you help me remove the shrimp heads?”

Upon hearing this, Lin Xian left her embrace as she wished and hopped over to the live shrimp, both surprised and delighted. “Aunt Xiao, you actually bought shrimp?” She seemed to realize something and grinned widely. “Aunt Xiao, are you no longer afraid?”

Xiao Wanqing’s embrace was now empty as she wished, but deep inside, it wasn’t as relaxed as she had anticipated. Instead, there was an indescribable discomfort.

She didn’t dare to dwell on it, nor did she want to. Following Lin Xian’s lead, she smiled and replied, “I’m still afraid. But I’m afraid you’ve been craving for them.”

Lin Xian stared at Xiao Wanqing with bright and shiny eyes, then moved back to Xiao Wanqing’s side and embraced her, sighing softly. “Aunt Xiao, you’re so good to me.”

Xiao Wanqing’s body stiffened once again. However, strangely and surprisingly, the slight discomfort that arose from Lin Xian’s departure just vanished in an instant when she was embraced.

For a moment, she even had the urge to indulge herself and surrender her body completely to Lin Xian’s embrace.

But she couldn’t.