Chapter 189: Chapter 188: For Anitaqing - Immortal Bloom Destiny + Update 11
Shi Yang tidied himself up, glanced at the two fathers sitting across, already drunk and dizzy, and held Zhao Meimei’s hand under the table, softly comforting, "It’s okay, don’t be afraid."
Zhao Meimei just sat there blankly, without making a sound.
Shi Yang gently pressed Zhao Meimei’s hand back, "Meimei?"
Zhao Meimei: "Hmm?"
Shi Yang asked with some concern, "Meimei, are you okay?"
Zhao Meimei looked up at Shi Yang, their eyes met, and Zhao Meimei’s youthful face instantly reddened as if painted with a layer of rouge, and she blurted out a nonsensical remark, "Bro, you’ve really grown so big!"
Shi Yang was caught off guard by her silly comment, momentarily stunned, then suddenly spat out a mouthful of saliva, laughing wildly and muffled, "Puhahaha."
Only then did Zhao Meimei realize what she had just said, turning even redder, her head felt weighed down like a brick had been placed on it, refusing to lift.
"Really think it’s big, huh?" Shi Yang whispered teasingly in her ear, unable to resist teasing the child. For any man, being complimented in this regard is an extremely boast-worthy thing.
Annoyed and shy, Zhao Meimei reached out to pinch Shi Yang’s thigh.
Shi Yang intercepted her hand halfway, held it in his palm, mischievously saying, "What’s up, didn’t touch enough earlier? Want to measure properly?"
Zhao Meimei, embarrassed and angry, whispered insultingly, "You, you rogue!"
Looking at Zhao Meimei’s shy and endearing demeanor, Shi Yang couldn’t help but want to tease her. Seeing her glaring eyes and observing her ink-like brows and eyes, a rush of warmth flooded into his heart, making him feel warm and tender.
When heading home at night, Shi Yang worried that Zhao Meimei and her mom wouldn’t be able to handle Zhao Dazhuang, so he straightforwardly found two taxis, firstly sent his dad home nearby, settled him down, then hurried downstairs to accompany Zhao Meimei’s family, helping to carry Zhao Dazhuang upstairs.
Since graduating from college, Shi Yang had been consistently busy with work, leaving no time for exercise. Although his waist and abdomen remained slender without any extra flesh, the six-pack abs he had gained from playing basketball during school had started to flatten.
He exerted almost all his strength, sweating profusely to place Zhao Dazhuang on the master bedroom’s king-sized bed. As Zhao Dazhuang lay down, his body relaxed, nearly collapsing alongside in embarrassment.
Shi Yang forced himself to sit on the sofa in the living room, sipping warm honey water bit by bit, his legs feeling weak.
After pouring honey water for Shi Yang, Liu Xiue went to the bedroom to change Zhao Dazhuang’s clothes.
Zhao Meimei squeezed beside Shi Yang, her eyes fixed on the tightly shut bedroom door, secretly wrapping her arms around Shi Yang’s waist, clinging and acting spoiled.
Shi Yang embraced Zhao Meimei, purely driven by affection, unable to resist lowering his head to plant a kiss on her lips.
After the previous incidents, suddenly their relationship took a qualitative leap, seemingly becoming fully committed to each other. Previously slightly unstable, often prone to wild thoughts, suddenly rooted, with an indescribable sense of security.
Shi Yang and Zhao Meimei held each other tightly, their eyes locked, deeply gazing at themselves reflected in each other’s eyes. This person before them is someone they wished to have by their side for life, marry, live in the same house, gaze at every day, love, cherish, and forever rely on.
Never before felt the thrill, the desire to be together forever, only surged forth facing this person, impossible for anyone else.
Qian Jinqiu had asked Shi Yang during the day if he had someone he liked.
At that moment, Shi Yang pulled out a silver chain from his collar, glinting coldly in the sunlight. Hanging from the necklace was a ring.
Shi Yang pinched the ring with his right hand, extended his left hand, placing the ring on his ring finger, fitting perfectly.
That was his response at that time.
Shi Yang grew up lacking love, and those devoid of love often yearn to be loved. Past years could not be retrieved, and the empty spot in his heart could never be filled, continually seeking other means of compensation.
Shi Yang liked Zhao Meimei, doted on her, spoiled her, yet wasn’t it his own unfulfilled yearning placed upon Zhao Meimei? He hoped Zhao Meimei could live happily, as if indirectly filling the missing piece in his heart.
That’s why Shi Yang’s love for Zhao Meimei was singular, faithful, passionate, and intense because the only person, even until death, who would never betray him was himself.
Not long after that day, school began, and Zhao Meimei was promoted to second-year science class one, becoming a top student in a prestigious school’s foremost class.
Since the division of arts and sciences, school courses distinctly intensified, studying became stressful, and regular ideational mobilization from various faculties increased pressure on both teachers and students. Even finals were no longer school rankings but pulled together citywide, ranking sophomore schools collectively in the city’s master list.
On the day of receiving grades, Zhao Meimei watched helplessly as her class rank dropped from second, academic year rank third, to tenth on the citywide master list.
Since junior high, after being firmly guided by her class teacher, Zhao Meimei had always feared dropping out of the top five.
At that moment, holding her report card, she was utterly bewildered, her eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets.
That night, Zhao Meimei returned home, immediately bursting into tears upon entering, feeling devastated, and yet her parents were surprisingly pleased upon learning the situation.
Zhao Dazhuang chuckled heartily, "Ah, ranking tenth in the city, daughter, you’re astounding, making your dad proud."
Liu Xiue hugged her, soothingly, "This grade is pretty good already, you usually don’t score like this, it’s not like your scores dropped or you’re lagging behind, come on, stop crying now, otherwise your eyes will hurt later."
Zhao Meimei cried her eyes out, but upon reconsidering her parents’ words, realized they were quite reasonable. Indeed, her grades hadn’t deteriorated, scores were similar to before, thinking this way, she didn’t feel as impacted, and her heart wasn’t as heavy.
Zhao Meimei calmed herself, washed up, went back to her room to have a long call with Shi Yang.
Having just cried, Zhao Meimei’s voice was still hoarse, Shi Yang immediately noticed, asked what happened, and Zhao Meimei recounted everything.
Shi Yang casually remarked, "I’m not relying on you to be the top scorer in the future, you don’t need such pressure, besides..."