Chapter 10: You may not be the best, but you are the one I can’t let go of 2
The pedestrians coming and going in the airport stopped and gradually formed a circle. Some were surprised, some were taking pictures, and some were posting to their friends on social media.
It seems as if time has gone back to the past, back to that night when the lights were dim.
We have never gone far away, we have always been by each other's side. Because we have been apart, we know how to cherish each other more.
"Master, master, there's a phone call! Master, master, please answer it! Master, there's a phone call! Why don't you answer it!" A funny cell phone ringtone suddenly rang, and a continuous vibration sound came from Chen Yiying's backpack.
The sudden ringing of the ringtone quickly dissipated the originally sensational atmosphere. Qiu Zhuoping let her go, looked at her with strange eyes, and said, "When did you change your ringtone to this?"
Yiying smiled awkwardly. This ringtone was originally downloaded for Huimei, but Huimei wanted the Japanese version, so she used it herself. She didn't expect it to ring in this situation.
"There are a lot of people watching us. Should we leave here first?" Yiying came to her senses and found that people around her were watching them kissing passionately. She lowered her head and took her phone out of her bag. The phone showed the words "Zhong Jialiang". Qiu Zhuoping frowned, snatched her phone and immediately pressed the reject button.
"What are you doing?" Chen Yiying looked at Qiu Zhuoping in astonishment. The mobile phone that was originally in her hand was taken away by him.
"Jealous!" Qiu Zhuoping put his face in front of Yiying, he looked both domineering and childish. I didn't expect that someone as arrogant as him would say something like jealous so bluntly.
Yiying blinked and looked at his face which was full of oppression. Before he could say a second word, she stood on tiptoe and stretched out her hands to hook them around his neck.
The setting sun cast an orange glow on them from the large skylight. They embraced each other like angels left behind in the world.
I am willing to exchange everything I once had for you to be by my side. I am willing to start all over again in exchange for your loyalty. Chen Yiying, maybe you are not the best, but you are the one I can't let go of. In this life, I just want to walk with you forever. In my lifetime, I don't want to let go of your hand again.
Qiu Zhuoping hugged Chen Yiying's waist tighter, as if he wanted to melt her into his body and make her a part of him. He did not say these words affectionately, but buried them in his heart, becoming an eternal secret.
Yiying opened her eyes slightly and felt particularly happy when she saw the smile on Qiu Zhuoping's lips and the expression of enjoyment with his eyes closed.
Although she hated this arrogant and inconsiderate young master at the beginning, but because of this, she couldn't forget this man without realizing it.
Love is about fate. Their fate might have been determined long time ago, so after going through so many twists and turns, they are still together.
Qiu Zhuoping, if you have no money in the future, I will support you! Yiying thought domineeringly in her heart, but slowly closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment they embraced each other.
Three years later.
A pet shop named "Zhuoying" officially opened. The opening flower baskets were neatly placed at the door, and several people gathered at the door were discussing the decoration of the store and the design of the billboard.
"We can't place the opening flower baskets like this. It looks like a funeral procession." Huimei placed the two rows of opening flower baskets that were placed vertically at the door horizontally on both sides of the door and arranged the flowers in the baskets proudly. "It looks much better this way."
"Qiu, Yiying, do you want to take promotional posters? Bring any cute pet to the door and I'll take a full-angle promotional photo for you." Xu Shushu, who had a professional SLR camera hanging around his neck, was taking angles and directing their positions. "Why are you two standing so far apart? Isn't this a couple's pet shop? Why do you look like a divorced couple?"
Qiu Zhuoping, who was originally holding a husky, silently put the husky down. In Xu Yishu's camera, his figure gradually enlarged and finally completely stuck to the camera.
"You've learned to be a chatterbox after so many years abroad, right?" Qiu Zhuoping grabbed the back of Xu Shu's collar and tucked his head under his arm.
In the past three years, Qiu Zhuoping has not worked for a large company, nor has he served as general manager or CEO. Instead, he started from the simplest position.
During these three years, he worked as a cashier in a supermarket, a waiter in a coffee shop, and a pianist in a bar. He seemed to have experienced and tried everything he had not experienced in the past twenty years. Later, he passed by a pet shop, and the pets in the pet shop reminded him of the small animals he had raised many years ago. He turned around and walked in to apply for a clerk position, and continued to work there for more than two years.
Now that he and Yiying have accumulated their own capital, they decided not to work for others anymore, so they bought a store and opened their own pet shop.
In order to celebrate the opening of his good friend's new store, Xu Shu flew back from Canada overnight.
"This is all for the sake of taking better photos of your promotional posters." Xu Shushu was dragged around in circles by Qiu Zhuoping. He pointed in Hui Mei's direction and said, "You'd better go check your billboards. If they fall down later, don't blame me for not reminding you."
"Lin Huimei, what are you doing! Let go!" Qiu Zhuoping looked in Huimei's direction. She was standing on the top of the safety ladder, trying to adjust the position of the billboard.
“Your billboard seems a little crooked. Let me adjust it for you. Or I’ll just design a new one for you next time…” Hui Mei hadn’t finished her words when she lost her balance and fell off the safety ladder. If Albert Ou hadn’t appeared in time, a murder would have occurred on the first day of the pet shop’s opening.
“Ou Weiming, you should control your girlfriend. She’s jumping around like a monkey even though she’s in love.” Chen Yiying breathed a sigh of relief and scolded Ou Weiming, who had accompanied Huimei to watch their opening.
Ou Weiming is Huimei’s younger boyfriend. The reason why he is called younger boyfriend is because he is one year younger than Huimei.
They started dating two years ago. Their relationship was dull at first , with no show of affection and no frequent meetings. Yiying always thought Huimei was with Ou Weiming in order to forget Xu Xishu, but later the two became more and more affectionate.
Although Albert Ou is one year younger than Huimei, he is a very attentive person. He can cook and take care of the family, and he is very obedient to Huimei. The two of them occasionally have conflicts, mostly because of trivial matters. After Yiying moved out of the apartment and lived with Qiu Zhuoping, Albert Ou also moved into the apartment naturally.
Yiying and Huimei occasionally go out alone for afternoon tea, talk about each other's boyfriends, and discuss their plans for the future. It turns out that after people grow up, they each have their own lives, get together with their besties in their spare time, get together with their relatives during holidays, and occasionally quarrel with people around them, causing small conflicts to enhance their feelings.
"When I didn't have a boyfriend, I wanted to get rid of being single as soon as possible. When I had a boyfriend, I wished I were single." Huimei sighed.
"Being single is good, it's free. Having a boyfriend means you are controlled by others every day." Chen Yiying responded.
Yiying and Huimei always like to go to some unique shops for afternoon tea. Most of the people who go to these shops are single men and women. So every time they talk, they will be looked down upon by single people, as if their eyes are saying: Show off your affection and you will die soon.
“Can you be more careful when wearing a skirt next time? You’re afraid that people below won’t be able to see your panties when you’re climbing so high, right?” Albert Ou was a little angry. He pinched Hui Mei’s round face like a piece of meat. “If you don’t obey me, I’ll try again.”
“I’m wearing safety pants!” Hui Mei pouted, not wanting Albert Ou to pinch her face, “You’ve pinched me into Chibi Maruko-chan.”
"You are not as cute as her."
Albert Ou laughed smugly, but was then stepped on hard by Hui Mei, who said, “Divorce!”
"How can you get divorced if you're not married yet?"
“Don’t get married anymore, just get divorced!” Hui Mei shook her head and walked away with a pout, and Albert Ou hurriedly chased after her to coax her.
"I was wrong……"
"They are showing their affection again." Yiying looked at Huimei and Ou Weiming. They were like children who never grew up, but this kind of slow-heating love was also a bit enviable.
Zhuoying Pet Shop finally opened successfully . On the first day of opening, there were many customers coming to see the pets. They asked questions about pets, and Qiu Zhuoping answered them fluently.
Yiying was responsible for receiving customers who wanted to buy pets and recommending some suitable pets for them. Some particularly noisy children ran around in the store and pulled out many flowers from the opening flower baskets. The originally bright and beautiful opening flower baskets were reduced to leaves in the blink of an eye.
After visiting the new pet shop, the guests gradually left and Zhuoying Pet Shop returned to peace, with only the sound of Xu Shu's shutter clicks.
Over the years, Xu Shu studied abroad alone and became not only a famous painter, but also an excellent photographer. He also learned how to edit and retouch photos. Every day, people who wanted to take photos with him lined up from here to the suburbs of the city. In order to participate in Qiu Zhuoping's opening ceremony, he turned down all those who invited him to take photos. But he didn't expect that Qiu Zhuoping's opening ceremony would be so casual, with a simple string of firecrackers.
Because the weather was not very good today and there was a little rain, the soles of the shoes of the guests who came in were covered with black soil and yellow mud, and the originally clean floor seemed to be able to sweep out a bucket of mud, so Huimei pulled Albert Ou to help clean up.
"Qiu, didn't you check the imperial calendar? Why did you choose such a gloomy day to open the store?" Xu Shushu, who was shooting the street scene at the door, held a SLR camera and looked up at the dark clouds floating in the distance.
Dark clouds gathered in the sky above their heads. A flash of lightning split the clouds, and the sky seemed to split open. The loud noise after the lightning made many pedestrians on the road tremble. People raised their heads and raindrops fell. In less than a few seconds, a heavy rain fell, washing the city.
Because it is a coastal city, typhoons are frequent and storms come suddenly, which even the weather forecast cannot predict.
"It's raining so hard!" Xu Shu, who was still outside the door, hurriedly protected the camera in his arms and rushed into the pet shop. He shook the raindrops off his hair and looked at the world outside.
Water splashed on the cement floor of the street, making it darker. The rain gathered into a trickle and flowed toward the low-lying areas, draining away through the roadside drains. People on the street who didn't bring umbrellas were soaked and hid under the eaves not far from them. Only the street vendors had no time to dodge and had to push their flatbed carts to find a place to shelter from the rain.
Qiu Zhuoping saw off the last guest and walked to the window to look at the heavy rain outside. The rain quickly turned the streets into pools of water, and only half of the wheels of the cars driving on the road could be seen. But such rain is very common in their city. The sea breeze will bring thermal differences, which will cause heavy rain. Heavy rain usually lasts for half a day, after which the rain will gradually drain away and the road surface will return to its previous state.
"I don't think the rain will stop for a while. Not many customers will come to patronize the store when it rains. Let's sit down and drink some tea and chat." Qiu Zhuoping said to several people in the store, and moved out the small table in the office. They could sit by the glass wall to enjoy the rain or have some desserts.
"That's fine. We won't be able to leave for a while anyway." Several people in the store agreed with Qiu Zhuoping's suggestion. After cleaning up the pet shop, they brought chairs and sat together around the small table.
"Do you still have Liu Jiaran's WeChat?" Xu Shushu suddenly said after putting the camera back into the case.
The other people didn't have a good relationship with Liu Jiaran. They deleted her contact information when they parted ways three years ago, so when they heard Xu Shu's words, they all shook their heads.
Xu Shushu took out his phone and checked Liu Jiaran's circle of friends, which was full of pictures of her traveling abroad and showing off her affection. Everyone came closer to take a closer look and thought the man next to her looked familiar, so they zoomed in to take a closer look.
"Zhong Jialiang!" Yiying and Huimei said in surprise almost in unison.
Unexpectedly, Liu Jiaran and Zhong Jialiang ended up together. Although the two of them have always been a good match, I didn't expect them to really become a couple.
"Liu Jiaran and Zhong Jialiang are dating?" Qiu Zhuoping was also a little curious. Liu Jiaran, who had been clinging to him, actually said she didn't love him anymore. And Zhong Jialiang could actually tolerate Liu Jiaran's princess temper.
"It seems like they are planning to travel around the world. Look, this is their wedding photo." Xu Shushu casually flipped through a circle of friends, which showed the happy wedding photo of Zhong Jialiang and Liu Jiaran. "They have already obtained the marriage certificate."
“What an unexpected couple.” Hui Mei sighed, while Albert Ou, who couldn’t get a word in, rested his chin on his hand and looked at them in a daze.
"But they do look like a perfect couple." Yiying rubbed his chin and nodded. They were very suitable for each other.
“Do you want to play games?” Ou Weiming, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up, as if he couldn’t stand being an outsider all the time.
When everyone heard about playing games, they immediately shifted their attention.
"playing what?"
"Let's play a more vulgar game. How about truth or dare?"
"Okay, we haven't played this game for a long time." Yiying and Huimei raised their hands in agreement. Qiu Zhuoping stood up and silently went to get an empty glass bottle.
Qiu Zhuoping placed the empty bottle on the table and spun it around. The glass bottle spun due to inertia, and finally, it slowly stopped, with the mouth of the bottle facing Xu Shu.
“I choose truth.”
"Are you still single?" Yiying asked this question before anyone else could speak. She knew that this question might also be what Huimei was most concerned about.
Xu Shushu shook his head and shrugged, indicating that he had no girlfriend.
"How long do you plan to stay single? I thought you were hiding it from us." Qiu Zhuoping patted his shoulder meaningfully, with an expression that said, "If you don't fall in love, you'll get old."
"I haven't met anyone I like." Xu Shushu smiled blankly, saying that he was very busy every day, with endless work and hobbies, and had no time for a relationship.
The glass bottle started a new round of rotation, and this time it stopped in front of Qiu Zhuoping.
"It's the truth." Qiu Zhuoping said indifferently.
"When are you planning to get married?" Huimei asked this question. She needed to find out when the man in front of her would marry her best friend so that she could be a bridesmaid.
"Let's wait until after the New Year. My dad called a few days ago and said that things are looking good."
"You'd better prepare the ring first." Yiying stretched out her slender fingers to tease Qiu Zhuoping, "Look at my fingers, they are clean. I want a 10-carat loose diamond ring, otherwise don't try to trick me into going home."
"Are your requirements so low?" Qiu Zhuoping burst out laughing, causing Chen Yiying to roll his eyes at him.
"Let's continue." Xu Shushu turned the glass bottle again and stopped with the mouth of the bottle facing Huimei.
"Tell me the truth." Huimei said.
"Emi, when are you planning to get married?"
“Next year,” Albert Ou answered Yiying’s question before Huimei even opened her mouth.
He didn't seem to like Xu Xishu who was sitting opposite Huimei. He felt that his eyes would fall on Huimei from time to time, and that kind of look did not convey the feeling of friendship.
Albert Ou’s answer also startled Hui Mei, because they had not discussed the topic of marriage before that.
The atmosphere suddenly became a little awkward. In order to ease the awkwardness, Huimei hurriedly turned the bottle.
"It's you again. Do you want to take a big risk this time?" Yiying looked at Xu Shushu who was facing the bottle, expecting him to choose the big risk.
But Xu Shushu shook his head and chose to tell the truth.
This time, Yiying thought carefully about what more private questions she could ask.
"Have you ever liked Lin Huimei before?"
Yiying's question made Huimei tremble. She had never thought of asking Xu Shu whether he liked her. But many years later, Yiying asked it for her. At this time, she was already in a relationship.
The smile on Xu Shushu's face gradually faded, and Albert Ou's expression became more and more ugly. Huimei wanted to say something to ease the atmosphere, but Xu Shushu suddenly smiled lightly and looked up at Huimei: "I liked you before."
Huimei was shocked to hear this answer. She never thought that Xu Shu's answer would be like this. Has he remained single all this time, waiting for her to become excellent and catch up with him?
But she couldn't be the excellent girl in his mind, so she could only find a boy who was willing to accept her even though she was not excellent.
“Go ahead.” Albert Ou turned the glass bottle, and it still stopped in the direction of Xu Shushu. Albert Ou took a deep breath, and before Xu Shushu could make a choice, he asked, “Do you still like Hui Mei now?”
"I won't like other people's girlfriends." Xu Shushu smiled tactfully, unwrapped the cookies on the table and started eating. "Liking someone and whether or not we can be together are two different things. Liking someone is not as good as loving them. What I love is my future and the things I pursue. My thoughts are very simple. I am a person who thinks it doesn't matter if I am single for the rest of my life. After all, love is troublesome!"
“Then teach me photography when you have time next time, so that I can take lots of nice photos for my girlfriend.” Albert Ou finally felt relieved and smiled friendly.
"It's very expensive to learn photography from me." Xu Shushu said jokingly.
Everyone burst into laughter, and the originally tense and awkward atmosphere was instantly dissipated.
The rain outside the window gradually stopped. The pets in the room poked their heads out and watched them continue to turn the glass bottle, which slowly stopped in front of Chen Yiying.
"Let's choose dare. We're all telling truth or not, and the atmosphere is so weird." Yiying shrugged and chose dare.
"Striptease..."
Before Xu Shushu could finish his words, Qiu Zhuoping slapped him on the back of his head, causing his glasses and face to almost touch the table.
"I was just kidding." Xu Shu adjusted his glasses and changed the subject, "Let's dance the cha-cha."
Exciting music played in the room, and the pets jumped and chirped excitedly in their cages.
Yiying pretended to be wearing a long dress, raised her head proudly, and stomped on the floor to the sound of music. The applause echoed, and after the heavy rain, a rainbow appeared in the sky. Qiu Zhuoping glanced at the rainbow outside the window, and also stood up to dance with Yiying.
Finally, they had a hot dance party in the pet tweet store like crazy.
The sunlight shines through the clouds, and the glass reflects colorful colors.
Life should be filled with all kinds of emotions, family, friendship, and love. When these three are combined, our life will be happy and fulfilling...
