Finally Being Snatched Away at My Wedding by My Ex-Boyfriend - Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Love at Third Sight (P.)

Su Yuan had congenital heart disease.

Yet, he was lucky. Beyond a trust fund, his family bestowed upon him unparalleled love.

The risks of surgery were high; it required Su Yuan’s body to be strong enough to endure an open-chest procedure. His privileged upbringing had kept his condition stable for twenty years, though he could never overexert himself and required long-term medication.

Su Yuan was steeped in a honey pot named “Love.” Even his university major was his own choice.

It was during that same summer that Su Yuan saw that particular Crested Ibis on television again.

“…Recently, good news arrived from the Fu County Crested Ibis Nature Reserve. A Crested Ibis once judged to have ‘worrying survival prospects’ due to unique light-gray markings on its back has successfully overcome congenital defects in its spine and wing feathers. It has been observed participating normally in wild activities…”

In the living room, Su Yuan watched the TV intently, hugging his legs.

His grandfather tried to sneak a hand toward the remote to check the election results, only to have his hand swatted away.

“Xinxin, is this bird really that good-looking?” Su Zhen leaned in. “How about Grandpa, has someone brought it back for you?”

The report ended. Su Yuan turned to his grandfather, eyes wide. “Grandpa, how are you any different from Dad, who spends all day blasting mountains? You’re both bad people!”

Su Jingzhang, who was reading the newspaper on the sofa, felt like he’d been kicked just for passing by. He coughed softly. “Xinxin, your old man listens to you now, doesn’t he? You said some little bird lived near that mining area, so I didn’t touch it. Spare me a few scoldings.”

Su Yuan tossed the remote, rolled off the sofa, and lay flat on the carpet.

“Then I’m going to Fu County.”

“Go then! Don’t just stop at Fu County if your health is good and you dare to take a plane, you can go to heaven if you want.”

The Su father and son were puzzled. It was just birdwatching; there was no need for such dramatics.

But when Su Yuan hadn’t returned after a month, they finally realized what he was doing behind their backs.

“Su Xinxin!”

“Grandpa, just hearing you sound so fierce makes my heart hurt…”

“…”

The people of Fu County were simple, the air was good, and the summer temperatures were pleasant. Su Yuan couldn’t stay in air-conditioned rooms forever, so he treated it as a summer retreat. They stopped standing in his way.

Su Yuan wanted one more “stroke of luck” because, after three years, he still hadn’t seen that specific ibis.

…

On the country paths, the wind was strong.

Su Yuan wore a hat and sunglasses, crouching under a large tree eating seaweed. Not far away, children were flying kites. He wanted to play too, but running was exhausting.

Just then, a kite string snapped. The “Little Swallow” dove headfirst into the dense canopy of a banyan tree.

Su Yuan wanted to help, but he had trouble getting up. He steadied himself against the tree, rose slowly, waited a moment, and prepared to step forward.

At that moment, a boy passing by on a bicycle was called out to by the children. He looked up, set down his bike, took a few steps back for a running start, scaled the trunk, and quickly vanished into the lush green leaves.

“No way…”

Su Yuan clutched his seaweed, walking over skeptically. Just as he stood still, a gust of wind brushed past him a wind carrying the scent of banyan leaves.

The boy leaped down from the tree, landing steadily in front of Su Yuan. Standing up, he handed the kite to the child without a word, propped up his bike, and disappeared from Su Yuan’s sight, carrying an insulated box in his front basket.

Like a black panther.

Su Yuan took a bite of his crispy seaweed.

…

Not long after, he saw the boy again.

There was a very clear creek in Fu County. Su Yuan took off his socks and cautiously touched the water with his toes.

Too cold for him.

Su Yuan sat on the small stone bridge, unfolding a palm-sized watercolor pad to paint the sunset at the end of the creek.

“Meow-ack!”

Su Yuan’s shoulders shook. He followed the sound and looked back.

A kitten had fallen into the water, its claws clutching a smooth pebble, its head poking above the surface with drenched fur.

Su Yuan tossed aside his watercolor pad, but getting up suddenly always made him dizzy for a long time, especially now, having gone five hours without his medicine.

That bicycle appeared again.

The boy jumped down to the creek, his long arm scooping the kitten into his arms. He lifted the hem of his black T-shirt and rubbed the kitten dry over and over, finally whispering a few words of comfort while stroking its ears.

Holding the kitten, he propped himself up with one hand on the edge of the road, leaped up, and placed the kitten on top of a high courtyard wall where it could soak in the sun. Carrying water stains and cat fur, he rode away.

Like a large dog that was very good at carrying kittens.

What a coincidence.

…

Returning to the yard, Su Yuan was on the balcony painting a firm, muscular arm. He hadn’t seen the details clearly, and he wasn’t satisfied with the sketch.

The little white cat coiled on his easel suddenly let out a cry. Su Yuan looked toward the gate and saw Zhao Hui.

“Xiao Su, these are freshly picked plums. I’ll leave them here on the stone table for you.”

“Thank you.”

Su Yuan rose slowly, told her the rent had been transferred, and praised the food for being delicious once again.

Zhao Hui laughed. “My nephew made it. He’s known how to cook since he was a kid.”

“The landlord of this courtyard?” Su Yuan thought for a moment. “Do I need to transfer the rent directly to him?”

“Yes, the yard belongs to his family.” Zhao Hui rubbed her hands. “He’s still a student, busy with school usually.”

So, he still has time to cook and deliver food for me?

Su Yuan lowered his eyes, said nothing more, and sat back down.

Since coming to Fu County to watch the ibises, he woke up early every day. After taking his breakfast from the door, he would leave a tip in the box. The money in the box would often be almost overflowing before it was finally collected.

On this day, Su Yuan didn’t feel well, so he ate a bit later. Most of the poached seafood and porridge were given to the cats that came to visit him.

He placed the insulated box outside. Just as he closed the door, he heard Zhao Hui’s voice coming up the stairs while she was on the phone.

“Ah-Xing, the rent has been transferred. I was afraid you wouldn’t see it. Oh, and I’ll save the remaining 1,500 for you.” After hanging up, Zhao Hui packed the dishes and took away a box of tips.

Su Yuan leaned against the door, quietly listening until the sounds outside vanished.

Perhaps it was fate; he, who had been resting in bed all day, saw his landlord for the first time.

Zhao Hui and the boy in the black sleeveless top stood outside the courtyard wall. The wall came up to Su Yuan’s chest, but it barely reached the boy’s waist. Yet, the boy didn’t seem to intend to use his tall stature; he just lowered his head and listened quietly to Zhao Hui.

“Ah-Xing, didn’t Huaihai University waive your tuition? Well, your cousin is a bit short for his vocational college fees. I was thinking, could I borrow a bit from the money I’m saving for you to make up the difference? You know, I’m a widow; it wasn’t easy pulling the two of you up. You’ve been sensible and good at your studies since you were small. But Pei Wen…”

Su Yuan leaned against the balcony, arms crossed, watching Zhao Hui’s falling tears.

It was a pity he couldn’t see the boy’s expression.

But what a coincidence, Junior.

He filled in the details of that arm on his canvas and sent a message to Zhao Hui that night.

…

On the day Pei Xing moved into the yard, Su Yuan intended to greet him, but the sunset that day was the most beautiful he had seen all summer. The vast sheets of burning clouds looked as if the sky had beaten him to eating the persimmons growing in the yard.

Su Yuan fought against the clock to capture the moment. He rarely felt an impulsive urge to do anything; his life was defined by being “slow.”

Rising slowly, eating slowly, walking slowly… he had never climbed a tree, never stepped in a creek, and never leaped from a height. In a life this slow, he always wanted one thing he could do well.

Painting the burning clouds that might vanish in the next second; and getting close to that silent but gentle person.

Two things now, Su Yuan thought.

He stood in the living room, taking out four kinds of medicine and placing them in front of four cups. He used a “eeny-meeny-miny-moe” method to decide which one to take first.

The overhead light suddenly died.

That muscular arm from his canvas caught him steadily.

Vaguely, Su Yuan had a premonition that this would be a very lucky summer.

He also wanted Pei Xing to be a bit luckier, so he suggested transferring the rent directly to him. Pei Xing still exceeded his expectations—even knowing Zhao Hui had skimmed half the money, his face showed no emotion, and he didn’t utter a single word of complaint.

Just like taking down the child’s kite or saving the kitten from the creek, he left in silence.

Su Yuan suppressed the strange thought in his heart, pretending not to notice that Pei Xing was avoiding him.

It was easy to notice, because it was usually Su Yuan who avoided the men and women who came one after another to confess not replying to messages, not adding contacts, and avoiding possible meetings.

It was quite irritating.

“I wasn’t even thinking of confessing.”

But today the weather was perfect. Su Yuan spotted that water-blue shirt in his wardrobe at a glance and went to the bank Pei Xing had mentioned. He decided that if Pei Xing didn’t come to find him after the cat learned to use the teaser, he wouldn’t talk to him anymore.

“Are you teaching it how to play?”

For the first time, he heard a hint of a smile in Pei Xing’s voice. Su Yuan was very happy and returned an even more obvious smile.

As they walked along the town streets, Su Yuan noticed Pei Xing intentionally slowing his pace, as if becoming a “slow” person along with him so he wouldn’t seem so strange.

Auntie Xiu’s meat pies Su Yuan had watched them for three years, or perhaps twenty. He had never eaten street food; his driver and bodyguards always kept a tight watch. His digestion was poor, and sleeping at night was already a stressful affair; if he ate meat at night, he couldn’t digest it and wouldn’t be able to sleep.

When he suggested it, Pei Xing’s doubt was within his expectations. But he didn’t expect Pei Xing would not only accompany him to the stall but also take the initiative to buy the pie for him while he was hesitating.

When he couldn’t finish it and started regretting the purchase, Pei Xing found a perfect solution for him.

The feeling was wonderful, so wonderful it made him speak those words.

“Pei Xing, you haven’t replied to my messages, and you rejected my friend request on WeChat. That makes me a little sad.”

Su Yuan stood on the steps, looking into Pei Xing’s eyes which were even deeper in the night and quietly awaited his silence.

Pei Xing went quiet for a few seconds, then took out his phone. Soon, the phone in Su Yuan’s pocket vibrated.

I am Pei Xing.

“I’m sorry,” Pei Xing said.

Su Yuan looked down at the words on the screen, his shoulders shaking slightly as he laughed. “Then I forgive you.”

The two continued up the stairs. The steps were short. They parted at the fork, going left and right toward the doors of their respective buildings.

Su Yuan stood before his door, slowly entering the password. As he pushed it open, the lock on the building opposite clicked open as well.

“Pei Xing.”

“Hmm?”

Su Yuan turned around, his voice very light. “Tomorrow morning, do you want to go see the Crested Ibises with me?”