Resisting Arranged Marriages: Starting with Myself - Chapter 14

They walked all the way to the market with their fingers interlocked. Once they arrived, Le Xiao immediately understood what the production team meant. This was true life in the mortal world.

The street, seven or eight meters wide, was paved with neat bluestone slabs and lined with rows of shops. Shop signs were layered upon one another, and wine flags fluttered in the breeze. Pushcarts lined both sides of the street, most displaying fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables, while others offered sweet treats like nougat and sugar people to coax children. A vendor sold windmills by the roadside. As a breeze blew past, the colorful windmills spun lazily, accompanied by the tinkling of bells. This drew the attention of many children who clamored and tugged at their parents’ clothes, begging for one.

An elderly woman had set up a stall to sew clothes. The sewing machines, which city dwellers considered ancient relics, were still a common sight here. The old woman was clearly skilled. Her machine rattled incessantly as her hands guided the fabric stitch by stitch, her feet never resting. Before long, a long queue formed in front of her stall.

An old man selling vegetables was still using a traditional steelyard from the last century. With a casual grab, a lift, and a flick of the weight, his measurements were precise, never shortchanging anyone. The vegetables looked as if they had just been picked from the fields, glowing with a vivid, watery green. Morning dew still clung to the leaves, each drop round and crystal clear like pearls nurtured by nature.

Women out shopping carried their children. Infants sat in baskets on their mothers’ backs, having been carried all that way. The babies opened their large eyes to curiously observe everything, occasionally sucking on their fingers while watching their mothers employ masterful bargaining tactics. It did not take long for them to purchase all the rice, flour, oil, vegetables, and fruit the family needed.

The sound of a bell rang out, causing people talking, bargaining, and hawking to turn and make way. Soon, several young men and women sped past on bicycles, their faces glowing with youthful smiles. They pedaled fast, the wind catching their shirts and blowing them out like sails of freedom. Colorful flags hanging from the handlebars fluttered loudly, soon disappearing along with the sound of the bells. Only the envious exclamations of the children by the roadside echoed for a long time.

In the crowded market, every corner displayed a different facet of life. Le Xiao seemed to turn into a child himself, exceptionally curious about everything. He peered at this and looked at that, as if he could never see enough.

A kindly old farmer, seeing that he did not look like a local, handed him a persimmon to eat. The bright red persimmon was like a newborn flame, so plump it looked as if it would burst with juice at a single squeeze. The fragrance emanating from within could be smelled right through the skin.

Le Xiao did not hesitate. He generously said “Thank you,” wiped the persimmon twice with the hem of his shirt, and took a bite. “Mmm, so sweet!”

The sweet juice burst in his mouth, instantly filling his entire oral cavity. The rich flesh was soft and elastic, like melted honey or cream, almost melting the moment it entered his mouth. Swallowing a mouthful of persimmon and not bothering to wipe the juice from the corner of his mouth, Le Xiao quickly gave the old farmer a thumbs up. “So delicious!”

“Of course it is! I grew it myself!” Receiving his praise, the old farmer laughed heartily.

“You try it too.” With that, Le Xiao held the bitten persimmon to Ye Jiming’s lips, as natural as if they frequently shared the same piece of fruit or the same bowl of rice.

“Wipe your mouth.” Ye Jiming did not take it immediately. Instead, he pulled a tissue from his pocket and carefully wiped away the juice slowly trickling down from the corner of Le Xiao’s mouth. Then, directly using Le Xiao’s hand, he took a bite from the same spot Le Xiao had bitten. “Yes, it is indeed very sweet.”

Only then did Le Xiao realize that he and Ye Jiming were sharing the same persimmon. He suddenly felt a bit embarrassed and muttered, “Why did you eat from the spot I already bit?” However, his physical reaction was honest. His expression was full of delight as he took another bite of the persimmon.

Ye Jiming watched his radiant face without speaking, only smiling as he held Le Xiao’s hand even tighter. The single persimmon was finished between them, bite by bite.

The Girl and the Golden Dog

They had not walked far after leaving the old farmer when Le Xiao suddenly felt resistance against his lower body. It seemed someone had blocked his path, and he could faintly hear a huffing sound. It was not until a thin, soft voice called him “Brother” that he reacted and looked down.

It was a little girl, only reaching his thigh, appearing seven or eight years old at most. Her glossy black hair was braided into two long plaits. She wore a local traditional blue batik skirt, and her watery eyes stared at Ye Jiming without blinking.

Accompanying her was a dog. It was the most common type of rural dog found in the countryside, its golden fur brushed smooth, suggesting it was well cared for by its owners. The big yellow dog’s tongue hung out as it panted, its open mouth looking like a smile. However, the most eye catching detail was that the big yellow dog carried two bamboo baskets on its back, which were filled with blooming flowers.

“Little girl, is something the matter?” Seeing that the person blocking the way was a small girl, Le Xiao patiently knelt down and looked into her eyes to ask.

The little girl laughed, revealing two sharp little canine teeth. “Brother, you look so handsome!”

Before Le Xiao could express surprise, she added, “These flowers suit you so well. Do you want to buy some, Brother?” As she spoke, she pulled a flower from the basket on the dog’s back and handed it to Le Xiao.

Le Xiao took the flower somewhat slowly, momentarily unsure of what to do. He unconsciously played with it in his hand, his gaze falling upon the colorful flowers on the dog’s back. He looked down at the flower in his hand. It was pink, with layers of petals and a faint fragrance.

“Is it a rose?” he asked. “It looks very much like a rose.”

“No, it is not.” The little girl looked proud. “It is a Chinese rose! They were all grown in my family’s courtyard!”

“You grow so many?” Le Xiao smiled and gently touched her hair. “How much are they?”

“One yuan per stem.” The little girl was clearly practiced, her words carrying a cleverness rare for her age. “My father grows these flowers. My mother loves Chinese roses very much!”

Le Xiao smiled and paid one yuan. Holding the pink Chinese rose, he asked, “Then why do you cut them to sell?”

“There are too many! Mama said we can sell them so more people can see the beautiful flowers!”

Le Xiao was amused by her words. He broke the stem of the rose in his hand, leaving only the flower to pin behind the girl’s ear. “You look better wearing it than I do.”

After saying that, he stood up, leaned over to pet the big yellow dog working hard alongside its little master, and then said to Ye Jiming, “Let us go.”

“Wait,” Ye Jiming said. He knelt down and asked the girl, “Little one, can we buy all of these flowers?”

The little girl had clearly never encountered such a situation. She froze for a few seconds. Once she realized what was happening, a joyful smile immediately spread across her face. “Of course you can!”

She took the flowers out of the baskets on the dog’s back by the handful, thoughtfully tying them tight with ribbons before stuffing them into Le Xiao’s arms. Bunches of flowers piled up against Le Xiao’s chest like a colorful wave, nearly submerging him. He struggled to show his face from behind the flowers. His watery almond eyes complemented the multicolored roses. He smiled and said thank you to her.

Ye Jiming paid the money readily and stood up to watch the little girl depart with Le Xiao. She affectionately rubbed the big yellow dog’s head like a close partner, then skipped away, clearly excited to have finished her task early. The big yellow dog followed her like a loyal knight under a princess’s command, barking as they disappeared into the crowd together.

Only after their figures were swallowed by the crowd did Le Xiao turn around and shove the flowers toward Ye Jiming. “You bought them, you carry them.”

“You carry them,” Ye Jiming laughed. “I bought them to give to you in the first place.”

“For me?” Le Xiao was startled. “Why buy so many?”

Ye Jiming did not speak for a long time, only staring at Le Xiao and the flowers in his arms. Just as Le Xiao thought he would not answer, Ye Jiming suddenly spoke. “She was right. These flowers suit you.”

Hearing this, the surprise on Le Xiao’s face became more evident, along with a hidden, fluttering, secretly proud happiness. Ye Jiming acted as if nothing had happened, as if what he had just said was the most ordinary sentence and what he had done was the most ordinary act. He reached out his hand to Le Xiao. “Still holding hands?”

Le Xiao looked at him with amusement, then at the arms full of flowers. “I have no hands left for you to hold.”

With that, he took a portion of the flowers and stuffed them into Ye Jiming’s arms. “Fine, you take some. That way we can hold hands.” He held the remaining flowers with one arm, the large bouquet resting in the crook of his elbow. His free hand took the initiative to grasp Ye Jiming’s large palm, their fingers interlacing.

Ye Jiming took the flowers naturally but said, “Did I not give them to you?”

“Now I am giving them to you!” Le Xiao said radiantly.

“Alright,” Ye Jiming smiled. Holding the flowers in one hand and his lover in the other, the two continued walking down the long street.

A Worthy Keepsake

The Chinese roses in their arms were multicolored, their strange and magnificent colors breathtaking. Most of the flowers were in full bloom, with a few buds hidden beneath large petals, shyly peeking their heads out. Transparent dew still clung to the layered, dense petals. The branches and leaves were stretched out, emerald and dripping, making the flowers seem even more vivid and the people even more stunning.

Carrying the flowers, the two attracted many glances on the street. Many people cast envious looks at them. Young women tugged at their lovers’ sleeves, indicating they also liked them. Bold women stepped forward to ask if they could buy a stem, and Le Xiao generously gave them away for free.

They walked and browsed, passing stalls selling silver jewelry, clay figurines, and wood carvings, but they bought nothing else. After a full day of wandering, they had only purchased this large bouquet of Chinese roses. Naturally, upon returning to the courtyard, the brilliant bouquet immediately drew the attention of all the guests.

“Xiao Xiao, are those roses?” Wu Shuo was the first to rush over and ask. “Such a huge bouquet!”

“They are Chinese roses,” Le Xiao corrected her. “We bought them from a little girl selling flowers and her dog.”

“So beautiful,” Wu Shuo praised. “They look just like roses.” She suddenly leaned in and asked Le Xiao, “Did President Ye buy them?”

“Yes,” Le Xiao responded, not yet realizing what she was about to say.

“Not bad. He really knows romance,” Wu Shuo whispered, giving a thumbs up and patting Le Xiao’s shoulder like a friend.

Watching Wu Shuo skip away toward other places, Le Xiao smiled slightly. He actually knew that Ye Jiming understood romance. It was just that he had deliberately ignored it before. They carried the flowers back to their small room and found a massive vase just to fit them all.

As he set down the flowers, Ye Jiming suddenly called out to him, “Xiao Xiao, do not move.” He reached out and pinched a fiery red petal from Le Xiao’s hoodie collar. “It fell inside.”

“Oh… oh.” Le Xiao stared at him blankly, like a clumsy penguin. Gazing deeply at his lover’s face, Ye Jiming reached out gently after a moment and pinned the petal behind Le Xiao’s ear. “When we bought the flowers today, you said the little girl looked better wearing them than you did,” he said slowly. “It is not like that. In my heart, you look the best wearing them.”

That night, Le Xiao uncharacteristically posted on Weibo. His Weibo rarely shared daily life, consisting mostly of work related content. The last post related to his private life was a repost of the marriage certificate Ye Jiming had shared.

However, tonight, Le Xiao’s fans were surprised to find a new update from their idol. It was a photo of the large bouquet of vivid, multicolored Chinese roses in the vase. The flowers crowded together, nearly filling the entire screen. In one corner of the screen, a fair, slender hand lifted a red Chinese rose, as if the owner was about to sniff it. The hand was positioned skillfully, unintentionally revealing a sparkling silver ring on the ring finger.

Shortly after the post went up, the comment section exploded.

“Xiao Xiao posted about his life! My day has been made!”

“He gave Chinese roses! The flower language for Chinese roses is “waiting for hope with hope,” as well as “happiness and glory.” Different colors have different meanings! Oh my god, this is so thoughtful!”

“Such a huge bouquet of flowers. I wonder who gave them. It is so hard to guess.”

“What is that silver thing on the hand? It is so hard to guess.”

Of course, some people raised questions:

“No malice, just a bit curious. Is Xiao Xiao’s wedding ring just that plain silver ring?”

“Probably not. With their status, they would definitely buy a better ring!”

“It must be because this ring has a special meaning! Believe in President Ye and Xiao Xiao. They will definitely give each other the best!”

Some netizens even compared the photo with rings from various luxury brands. Material, style, and craftsmanship were all carefully scrutinized. However, after a thorough search, not a single one could be found that perfectly matched the ring. Luxury brands were also uneasy, as none dared to issue an announcement claiming it to gain publicity as they usually did.

At this moment, Le Xiao was half reclining in the bathtub, browsing Weibo with great interest. Watching his fans let their imaginations run wild, he felt quite happy behind the screen.

“Of course, you cannot find a match,” he thought proudly. “How could it be the same when I made it myself?”

He had indeed intentionally revealed the ring. Beyond a sweet little bit of showing off, it was more about telling himself that this was a moment worth remembering. From today, he truly liked Ye Jiming. Flowers and rings, the most clichéd expressions, were also the best witnesses.

The petal by his ear slipped off, falling into the foam filled bathtub and spinning slowly.

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