Chapter 7 Darkness Swallows Dawn 02
After I went back home at night, I did not tell Jiang Sijin about what happened to Li Anran, but what I didn't expect was that I heard the phone ringing in the middle of the night. I couldn't think of anyone else who would call me at this time except Jiang Sijin.
I answered the phone in a daze, and just when I was about to ask her why she always disturbed my sleep, I heard a cry in my ears.
It was a very low crying sound, not like Jiang Sijin’s.
I woke up in a start and looked at the name on the screen. When I saw the three words "Li Anran", I felt a little bit unbelievable. I never thought that he would call me at this time, and in such a manner.
Just when I was about to hang up, Li Anran spoke: "Don't hang up... please."
I said impatiently, "What do you want?"
"When did she leave? Where did she go?" Li Anran's voice was a little choked.
"Do you think it's meaningful to ask these questions, Li Anran?"
Li Anran was silent on the other end of the phone. Just when I thought he had nothing more to say, he started talking about his past with Jiang Sijin. I listened patiently, and I had a vague feeling that he was drunk.
He was crying as he spoke, and his emotions seemed totally out of control.
"Li Anran, she's gone. Why didn't you think about her before you hurt her? Now that she's gone, don't you feel disgusted by continuing to act like this?" I was so angry that I yelled at him.
"Tong Shuchen, I love her." Li Anran suddenly begged me humbly, "Can you help me tell her, okay... "
"Stop dreaming." I didn't want to listen to him anymore, so I hung up the phone decisively.
Talking about love only after being hurt, is this kind of love really love?
Later, I told this matter to Jiang Sijin on the phone. When she was most desperate and helpless, she asked Li Anran whether he loved her. She has the right to know the answer.
When Jiang Sijin heard me say that Li Anran loved her, she smiled, and then started crying like Li Anran did that night, and didn't say another word to me.
After that day, Jiang Sijin never called me again. I called her several times, but she just said a few words to me quickly and then hung up to do other things.
In a blink of an eye, the winter vacation is halfway over and New Year's Eve is coming soon. According to the customs of the older generation, the day before New Year's Eve, the living people need to accompany their relatives who have passed away this year. I haven't been back to accompany my father for a long time. He must be very lonely sleeping alone in the cold ground.
Ning Qiyuan bought the train tickets a few days in advance and planned to stay with me for a few days, and then take the evening train back after .
But I didn't expect that after Shuai Xiao heard about it, he also insisted on going, saying that he wanted to see the place where Ning Qiyuan and I used to live together. We had no choice but to take him along.
I haven't been back home once since my father passed away. No one has lived in my house for a long time, and a layer of dust has fallen on it. There is an air of a changed world everywhere.
The day before New Year’s Eve, I cooked a sumptuous meal at home, left the seat where my father usually sat empty, and had a reunion dinner with him.
After dinner, Ning Qiyuan and I went to my father’s grave, leaving Shuai Xiao alone at home.
Maybe it was because Chinese New Year was approaching, there were not many people in the cemetery. The winter wind was howling, and the whole cemetery was filled with a desolate feeling.
My father in the photo still has that serious expression on his face. He can no longer be mean to me, nor can he smile at me anymore.
My nose felt sore and tears welled up in my eyes. Before I could reach out to wipe them away, Ning Qiyuan, who had been waiting for me on the side, came over and held my hand, firmly and forcefully.
My tears stopped immediately.
“童叔，书尘现在和我在一起。”宁崎元望着我爸的照片，声音平静地说着，“您放心，书尘以后的人生都由我负责了，有我在，她会过得幸福，过得快乐，我会一直照顾她，也会一直爱她。如果我没做到，您半夜托梦来……”顿了顿，他说，“来揍我。”
I burst out laughing and said quickly, "My dad never beat you before." At that time, no matter what he and I quarreled about, no matter whether I was the one in the wrong or not, I was the first person my dad would scold or beat.
"You don't believe me?" Ning Qiyuan asked me with a sullen face. Without waiting for my answer, he half-knelt in front of me without warning, took out a small and exquisite box from his pocket, and opened it. "Now, do you believe it or not?"
I was stunned for a moment. I stood stiffly on the spot, staring blankly at the ring that was shining with silver light, unable to utter a word.
I never thought that he would hand me a ring at this time, in this place, in front of my father's grave.
Seeing that I didn't move for a long time, Ning Qiyuan frowned and said unhappily: "Not willing?"
"Ah..." I hastily denied, "No, I..."
Before I could finish my words, Ning Qiyuan took out the ring, roughly pulled my left hand over, and put the ring firmly around my middle finger. The size of the ring was just right, as if it was tailor-made for me.
"Not bad." Ning Qiyuan held my hand and looked left and right, as if he was very satisfied. When he looked up at me again, his words were somewhat threatening, "You are not allowed to take it off until you die. Do you hear me?"
"Hey!" I glared at him angrily, "I haven't promised you yet!"
"The ring is already on your finger, not to mention..." Ning Qiyuan slowly stood up, raised his eyebrows, and signaled me with his eyes, "Your father is still watching."
I was so angry that I didn't know what to say. I could only look down at the ring on my finger. There was no pattern on it, only a tiny diamond. Even without the sunlight, it was dazzling and made me want to cry.
There were no flowers, no confession, and even the ring was forced upon me.
This kind of proposal is not romantic at all.
But when I thought about how he secretly bought the ring at some point and knelt down in front of my dad, my heart softened.
"Ning Qiyuan, don't regret it." I looked up at him.
Ning Qiyuan smiled, held my face in his hands, and without hesitation, he placed a kiss on my lips: "I should be the one asking you this."
