Chapter 1: I got married with my childhood sweetheart
The clouds in the west looked like marshmallows soaked in orange juice, and the sun was about to set.
Most people coming out of the Civil Affairs Bureau at this time had gloomy faces. Most of them were here to go through divorce procedures. They were dragging their feet and making a lot of noise. Some of them suddenly started quarreling halfway through the process.
Kong Nanzhu walked out of the Civil Affairs Bureau in a daze, holding a small red notebook.
While her peers are still studying for their master's degrees and looking for partners, she is already married.
Everything seemed like a dream.
On the large-format advertisement at the bus stop opposite the Civil Affairs Bureau, Qin Qi’s charming smile was clear and eye-catching. Two girls in junior high school uniforms jumped down from the bus and took pictures of the advertisement with their mobile phones. They must be fans.
Kong Nanzhu hailed a taxi and sat in the car staring at her marriage certificate, her fingertips groping for the couple photo with a red background. The handsome and heroic man in the photo was actually the male lead in the advertisement, the powerful actor who had won the hearts of countless girls on the screen, and now he had become her legal partner.
He was the person she had secretly liked for ten years.
The two took pictures side by side. Before she could tell him the menu for tonight, Qin Qi quickly put on sunglasses and a mask and informed her indifferently, "The fan club is holding a birthday celebration tonight. You go back to dinner with your parents. I won't go home."
Kong Nanzhu nodded, and his originally expectant heart gradually cooled down and gradually returned to a numb state.
Today is the day their marriage becomes legal, isn't it worth celebrating together?
Kong Nanzhu couldn't even see a trace of joy on Qin Qi's face. He just regarded marrying her as something that had to be accomplished, as if he was punching a clock to complete a task.
With the advantage of being the adopted daughter of the Qin family, she took the position of his wife under the arrangement of Qin's parents.
She became a tool used by Qin's parents to restrain Qin Qi. Sometimes Kong Nanzhu would think things to an extreme. Perhaps in Qin Qi's eyes, she was just a shackle given to him by his parents, just like many other family precepts.
"Do I have to go?"
Qin Qi frowned, as if puzzled by her question, "What do you think?"
During the promotion period of a new drama, maintaining fans is of course crucial.
If she asked him to give up the meeting at this time, it would seem that she was a little too willful.
Kong Nanzhu felt an irregular pain in his chest and swallowed the words he hadn't finished.
Yes, he is very busy.
During the two years they were dating, Qin Qi's career had been on the rise. The number of times they had gone on dates could be counted on two hands, not to mention such an important event as a birthday party, which Qin Qi would definitely not be absent.
He must still be angry in his heart, angry that the Qin couple was too impatient and didn't want to delay even a single day, insisting that they get the marriage certificate on the day Qin Qi turned 22.
Qin Qi was filming in Hengdian in the morning, but he hurried back to Beijing and went straight to Chaoyang to get the marriage certificate with her. Now he has to rush to the event site outside the Fifth Ring Road to thank his fans.
He is already very tired, and I cannot add to his burden. This is what a qualified wife should do.
"Happy birthday."
Qin Qi looked at her forcing a low smile, and a barely perceptible panic flashed across his deep black eyes.
He took out a mint from his pocket, placed it in his palm and spread it out in front of Kong Nanzhu.
Kong Nanzhu looked at the mint candy in green packaging, his thoughts a little distracted.
Because she had hypoglycemia, Qin Qi always carried a few candies with him. Every time Kong Nanzhu felt that she was not important to Qin Qi, this man would use some inexplicable details to tease her heart.
Kong Nanzhu lowered his head and for the first time did not take the candy from Qin Qi's hand, "Go and get busy."
She had to behave as usual, sensible and decent.
Qin Qi did not take his hand back, but tore open the candy wrapper and handed it to her mouth, his fingers gently touching her soft lips. Kong Nanzhu was stunned for a moment, but finally let out a breath, opened her mouth and ate the candy ring.
What a bad person he is. He did something wrong and wouldn't allow anyone to be unhappy. He wouldn't let her go until she showed genuine relief.
When Kong Nanzhu spoke again, his voice softened, not as angry and tough as before, "I'm fine, go quickly, I'll go back and explain to my parents."
"No need to explain to them." Qin Qi said coldly, "They know why I didn't go home."
Kong Nanzhu was stunned, remembering the big quarrel between Qin Qi and the two elders in the family a few days ago.
Qin Qi doesn't want to get married now. In his opinion, a secret marriage will only bring him huge public opinion risks.
But he couldn't stand the coercion from the two elders.
Shen Jun made it very clear, "If you don't get married, then quit the film industry! Don't stay in the smoky entertainment industry anymore, and save me from being worried all day long!"
"I have nothing against you."
Kong Nanzhu was brought back to his senses by Qin Qi's voice, "What?"
Qin Qi felt a little regretful after she finished speaking. It sounded like a disguised way of saying "I am willing to marry you". Fortunately, she was distracted and didn't hear it.
"It's getting late, let's go back." Qin Qi paused, "It's not convenient for me to take you there, I'll ask Brother Di to call you a car."
"No, I want to walk around by myself."
Qin Qi did not insist any longer because he was afraid of being photographed. With special care, Qin Qi took a car and left from the backyard of the Civil Affairs Bureau. Before leaving, he called out to Kong Nanzhu who was sitting on a bench in a daze, as if he had something to say.
Kong Nanzhu raised his head and blinked in confusion. There was neither expectation nor smart light in his eyes, only confusion.
He seemed to not understand what else Qin Qi had to say.
She had put on some photogenic makeup today. Her black and white eyes were playful and charming, and the disappointment in them was particularly endearing. Qin Qi looked at her and then quickly looked away, "I'll tell you via WeChat."
When he was about to get off the car, Kong Nanzhu finally received news from Qin Qi .
If you don't want to go to Lihua Garden with me, you can tell them yourself that you want to continue living at home.
Kong Nanzhu smiled bitterly and replied: Of course I will go with you.
She was looking forward to having her own little home with him, hoping that her waiting and persistence could warm Qin Qi's heart, and hoping that they could be like all ordinary lovers in the world, loving and harmonious with each other.
But the reality is, in the past two years of their relationship, they have never had a decent date. Qin Qi has never said words like "like" and "love". Except for her occasionally holding Qin Qi's hand when she musters up the courage, the two of them have no other intimate contact.
Oh no, they kissed.
It was after Qin Qi came home drunk one time that he hugged her and kissed her in a daze.
But afterwards, Qin Qi said he had forgotten about it, as he happened to be filming a romantic movie at that time. He explained that he was so immersed in the role that he couldn't tell the difference between the play and reality after getting drunk, and he kissed her by mistake, and asked her not to mind.
Kong Nanzhu felt like crying but had no tears, thinking, I would only mind if you explain it this way, okay?
The note position on the dialog box returned to "Xiao Qi", and the words being input no longer appeared.
Kong Nanzhu did not go home directly, but took a bus to the cemetery.
She wanted to share her marriage, a top priority, with her parents in heaven first.
Arriving in front of his parents' tombstone, Kong Nanzhu took out the red book he had just received and spread it out in front of the portraits of the two elders.
"Mom and Dad, Xiao Qi and I got our marriage certificate today. From now on, I will be the daughter-in-law of the Qin family. Don't worry, Dad Qin, Mom Qin, and Xiao Qi are all very good to me. He is too busy today, I will bring him to see you next time."
Kong Nanzhu tried her best to make her tone sound cheerful and happy. She was already past the age where she would cry when seeing her parents' portraits, but today she couldn't help but wet her eyes once again.
