1979: My fiancée is a goddess

"Kaiyan! Get up and eat!"

The next morning, at seven o'clock.

Cheng Kaiyan was awakened from his sleep by Xiaoli's gentle voice. As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw his wife's gentle and beautiful fair face.

"It's only seven o'clock? Why are you up so early?"

The moment Cheng Kaiyan opened her eyes, she was greeted by her wife's stunning beauty. She felt incredibly pleased and glanced at her watch, muttering to herself.

"Seven o'clock is considered early? It's already light at five o'clock. Hurry up and get up to brush your teeth and wash your face. I've already made breakfast."

Liu Xiaoli leaned down and playfully patted his face with her cool, soft hand.

Upon hearing this, Cheng Kaiyan raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over the girl's face. Her fair, jade-like skin was covered with a light layer of fragrant sweat, and a strand of dark hair clung to her rosy lips.

She clearly got up very early to cook, and even did yoga once or twice.

"Ouch~"

He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind the girl's ear, teasingly saying, "Why are you so proactive today? You even made breakfast! The sun must have risen in the west!"

"How dare you talk like that! What do you mean by 'the sun rose in the west'? How annoying!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Xiaoli pouted and put her hands on her hips in dissatisfaction.

She is clearly very diligent and virtuous.

"Haha, my sister Xiaoli is a gentle and virtuous woman who can perform on stage and cook in the kitchen. She remembers my contributions."

Cheng Kaiyan laughed and gave a thumbs-up in praise: "It's not for nothing that I take you to and from school every day, do housework, buy groceries and cook. I can finally enjoy myself a bit."

"You rascal~ Get up now! I'm going to take a shower, hurry up and get your toothbrush and toothpaste out."

Liu Xiaoli raised her chin, spat at him with an air of self-importance, turned around, and bent down to rummage through the wardrobe for a change of clothes.

"How about I take a shower too, and we can do it together?"

Cheng Kaiyan smiled as she looked at the firm, pert buttocks wrapped in a slightly sweaty nightgown and couldn't help but make a suggestion.

"No."

Liu Xiaoli refused without hesitation. Feeling the increasingly intense gaze behind her, she quickly gathered her clothes and glared at him with embarrassment and annoyance before leaving.

Then, accompanied by a fragrant breeze, she slipped and scurried out of the room in her slippers.

"Still so shy..."

Cheng Kaiyan shook her head and chuckled.

The intimate moments between these young couples should naturally take into account the feelings and intentions of both parties. If it is forced, the tug-of-war between the two parties will diminish the fun and interest.

"Get up and get dressed, then go see what big meal Xiaoli made today."

Cheng Kaiyan sat up, turned her head and saw the clothes neatly folded on the bedside table. It turned out that Sister Xiaoli had already prepared them. A slight smile appeared on her lips.

The feeling of having these little details of life taken care of is more satisfying and blissful than anything else.

The clothes were simple: a white striped shirt and a pair of loose light brown trousers, the cuffs of which had been shortened by Liu Xiaoli to about nine-tenths length.

Wearing it, with the hem tucked into the belt and the trouser legs showing at the ankles, he looked like a handsome and sunny campus male protagonist.

In short, it doesn't fit in with domestic fashion trends.

"It seems that those fashion magazines I bought for Sister Xiaoli weren't for nothing."

Standing in front of the mirror, Cheng Kaiyan glanced at herself with satisfaction, then turned and went out.

When I walked into the living room, Comrade Xiaoli was already taking a shower, and the sound of running water filled my ears.

Turning my head, I saw that the toothbrush with toothpaste already squeezed out and the cup were already placed on the dining table.

Beside it were two bowls of white porridge, three small dishes: a dish of pickled cabbage that my mother had brought over a couple of days ago, a dish of green beans with braised pork belly, a dish of vegetables, and two boiled eggs that had already been peeled.

Cheng Kaiyan took in the food, humming a little tune with satisfaction as she went to the kitchen to brush her teeth.

When he was halfway through his meal, Comrade Xiaoli came out after taking a shower, smelling fresh with soap, and sat down next to him to eat.

After finishing dinner at eight o'clock, I grabbed my briefcase and headed out right on time.

"Hey~ Kaiyan, wait a minute!"

Liu Xiaoli called out to him, put down her chopsticks, and got up to go to the kitchen.

Then, under Cheng Kaiyan's curious gaze, he came over with a water bottle and a lunchbox, smiling as he explained:
"I bought a lot of fruit at the market yesterday, like yellow peaches and grapes... I thought you get hungry quickly in the morning, so I cut some fruit for you when you got up. It's still chilled now."

He opened the lunchbox, inside which were neatly arranged small pieces of fruit slices, with a small fork next to them.

"Xiaoli, you're so good to me, so considerate. Aren't you afraid you'll spoil me?"

A warm feeling flowed through Cheng Kaiyan's heart as she looked tenderly at the girl in front of her who was just smiling quietly.

"Hehe... How did you know that was my plan?"

Liu Xiaoli blinked and asked back with a grin.

"Sigh... This is a blatant honey trap. Since ancient times, even heroes have found it hard to resist the charms of a beautiful woman. I'm doomed to fail because of you, Xiaoli."

Cheng Kaiyan chuckled inwardly, playing along with the girl's act, now looking genuinely regretful.

"Pah! You think you got tricked by me? I'm the one who got tricked by you, okay?"

Liu Xiaoli spat, clearly recalling something she had said before!

This guy is even turning the tables on us; he's clearly just trying to amuse us.

"Yes, yes, you are a beautiful flower, placed here with me..."

"Cheng Kaiyan! I won't allow you to talk about yourself like that!"

Before Cheng Kaiyan could finish speaking, Comrade Xiaoli had already put her hands on her hips, her eyebrows furrowed, and her face showing dissatisfaction.

Okay, okay, I'm not even allowed to talk badly about myself.

This girl is so domineering!

Cheng Kaiyan couldn't help but click her tongue in amazement, but she really liked it.

With a sudden glance, he unexpectedly reached out and pulled his virtuous and lovely young wife into his arms.

"Hate!"

Ignoring the girl's half-hearted resistance, he lightly kissed her smooth, white forehead, then admired her slightly pink and blushing expression.

After some playful banter, they happily headed out to work, carrying their things.

Nothing much happened at the Ark magazine office all morning.

The group of twenty-five people proceeded step by step according to the established plan.

Some people wrote reports, some went to printing plants, and others worked in distribution, such as distribution bureaus, post offices, and Xinhua bookstores...

It's estimated that this makeshift team will be up and running by next month.

Cheng Kaiyan sat behind her desk, looking at the swaying green shadows outside the window while thinking about something.

Once the journal is established, the most important thing is the papers to be published.

What Ark needs are higher-quality papers with more outstanding research results.

"Better to have fewer but better quality products" and "strive for excellence" are the publishing principles that Cheng Kaiyan adheres to.

Only in this way can the style and academic status of "Ark" be established.

Therefore, it is best to make a splash with your first publication.

It would be best to publish a high-profile paper.

"A heavyweight paper...the one I co-authored with Professor Ansel, isn't it perfect?!"

Cheng Kaiyan slapped her thigh, suddenly realizing the possibility, and the more she thought about it, the more feasible it seemed.

This gave a certain guarantee that Ark would become famous.

As for where to find more excellent papers, Cheng Kaiyan had no good ideas, so she could only write letters to invite those researchers one by one.

Having made up her mind, Cheng Kaiyan took a sip of ice water, then pulled out paper and pen to write to Professor Ansel, "Dear Professor, it has been more than half a year since we last met last year. Now that it's summer, how is our thesis coming along? I have a suggestion..."

Besides the thesis, Cheng Kaiyan also asked about the sales and royalties of her collection of fairy tales, "The Submarine and the Shepherd Boy".

After finishing writing, she casually called over Comrade Fang Yuan and asked her to take it to the post office to mail it as an airmail letter.

At 11:30 a.m., an elegant and charming young woman with a slender figure pushed open the office door with a lunchbox and arrived as promised.

Although Cheng Kaiyan is the president, he is the youngest in the journal and does not have the authoritative and dignified air of a leader.

Therefore, outside of work hours, he and his colleagues could get along like peers.

At this moment, seeing Cheng Kaiyan's boyfriend bring food, the younger comrades in the commune were filled with envy.

The older comrades, on the other hand, wore maternal smiles, as if they had seen a perfect couple.

Liu Xiaoli stayed in the office until 2 p.m., partly to learn about Cheng Kaiyan's work and partly to help Cheng Kaiyan build good relationships with her colleagues and subordinates.

At 5 p.m., Cheng Kaiyan let everyone leave work early. When he got home, Liu Xiaoli had already prepared dinner and was waiting for him to eat.

It has to be said that since summer vacation started and she no longer has to go to school, Liu Xiaoli no longer needs to focus her attention on dance.

Now, he is basically devoted to Cheng Kaiyan.

"Oh? Mom, you're here?"

Cheng Kaiyan turned her head and saw a middle-aged woman in a dress looking at her gently; it was none other than her mother, Xu Yuxiu.

"I came to see how you two are doing?"

Xu Yuxiu smiled gently, her tender gaze sweeping over the two of them and the food on the table. "They seem to be doing quite well, very harmonious. It's just that Xiaoli has to manage the household all by herself."

"Mom, it's not hard work..."

Liu Xiaoli blushed a little when her mother praised her, mainly because she was embarrassed.

To be honest, she only had free time to do housework, cook, and deliver meals during her summer vacation.

Aside from weekends, Cheng Kaiyan is usually the one who's busy at home.

Thinking of this, the girl became a little nervous. She quickly looked up at Cheng Kaiyan with weak eyes, blinking pitifully and pleading with her eyes not to expose her.

Otherwise, her image as a good daughter-in-law in Aunt Xiu's eyes, while not completely ruined, would at least be somewhat tarnished.

Cheng Kaiyan found it amusing and picked up the lunchbox and water cup from her bag, praising her mother: "Comrade Xiaoli has indeed worked hard. Hmm... Look, Xiaoli prepares all these fruits and herbal teas every day. I don't have to worry about anything at home; she takes care of everything perfectly."

"Kaiyan, you too! How could you let Xiaoli do all the work by herself!"

Husband and wife should support each other, and this applies to housework, grocery shopping, and cooking as well. One person shouldn't be doing all the work... Mom has been through this..."

Xu Yuxiu lightly tapped the table and then spoke meaningfully about a lot of marriage experiences from the older generation.

"Yes, yes, I admit my mistake."

Cheng Kaiyan gave Liu Xiaoli a look that said, "You have to make it up to me," and then changed the subject: "Let's eat first, I'm starving."

"Yes, Mom, you can discipline him later. Let's eat first."

Liu Xiaoli smiled quietly, picked up her chopsticks and put a piece of rib on Xu Yuxiu's plate, urging her to eat.

"..."

Cheng Kaiyan was speechless. "You're actually acting innocent after getting the benefit?"

"I'll let you off this time!"

Xu Yuxiu glared at her son, then beckoned him to sit down next to her. "Let's eat. I have something to tell you later."

"What is it?"

"Eat first, then talk after you finish eating."

……

After the meal, Cheng Kaiyan was indeed pushed by her mother to the kitchen to wash the dishes, while Xu Yuxiu and Liu Xiaoli leaned against the kitchen door, acting as supervisors.

It took me more than ten minutes to clean the kitchen.

"Hmm, it's quite clean. How come you never do anything at home and always say you can't do anything? You were lying to me!"

Cheng Kaiyan thought she would be praised for washing herself clean, but instead her mother launched into a barrage of questions.

"whee……"

Liu Xiaoli chuckled, but Cheng Kaiyan glared at her, so she covered her mouth and kept quiet.

"Actually, I don't know much. I learned it all later. When I first returned to the city, I only knew a few dishes, but now I can cook a whole table of dishes."

Cheng Kaiyan explained with both emotion and reason.

It took a lot of persuasion to convince the disgruntled mother.

The three of them sat on the sofa with their teapots, while Cheng Kaiyan turned on the TV.

"Why don't you stay here tonight? It's already seven o'clock."

Liu Xiaoli put her arm around her mother's and offered her suggestions.

"Alright, I'll stay for one night."

Xu Yuxiu agreed, and recently, apart from Saturdays and Sundays, they rarely saw each other.

"Then I'll sleep with you. I have so many things I want to talk to you about. Let Kaiyan sleep alone; it's too hot to sleep with him."

Liu Xiaoli made no attempt to hide the joy and happiness in her voice.

“Sure, this is perfect, my daughter and I have never chatted like this before.”

Xu Yuxiu smiled and agreed.

"..."

Cheng Kaiyan hadn't expected to be left alone by the two of them today, so she hurriedly asked, "Mom, what were you talking about just now?"

"This morning someone came to the courtyard and delivered a letter, saying it was for you. Apparently, it was an official from some foundation."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yuxiu took an envelope out of her pocket and handed it to her son.

"A foundation? Is it a children's foundation?"

Cheng Kaiyan quickly thought of the name; he had just visited Bing Xin yesterday.

"Correct."

Xu Yuxiu nodded. Just from the name, she knew it was a public institution, so it must be a big deal.

"Ah."

Cheng Kaiyan nodded and opened the envelope.

Pour out two things with your backhand.

A red invitation card with the words "Charity Gala Invitation" written in large gold letters reads: "We sincerely invite Comrade Cheng Kaiyan to attend our company's charity gala on July 28th..."

Children's Foundation, Charity Gala...

Do you want me to donate money?

A guess formed in Cheng Kaiyan's mind as she continued looking at the next sheet of paper.

It was written to him by Bing Xin, who said that she had agreed to let him serve as an editor of "Ark" magazine, but wanted him to attend the gala to set an example and to call on young intellectuals across the country to donate money in his name.

Holding two documents in his hand, he pondered for a moment and finally made a decision.

"What's going on?"

Liu Xiaoli asked curiously, and her mother looked over as well.

"An invitation to a charity gala, calling for donations or something like that."

Cheng Kaiyan explained casually.

"Children's Foundation, they should help the children in the orphanage, right? That's wonderful! I think we should participate and donate! Those children are so pitiful."

Comrade Xiaoli sat up straight, her pretty face becoming serious and solemn.

“I think so too. Kaiyan, you’re so famous now, it wouldn’t be right not to donate something.”

Xu Yuxiu thought about it and agreed.

However, Liu Xiaoli's actions were more driven by her kindness and morality, while Xu Yuxiu's actions were based on Cheng Kaiyan's perspective.

"Of course I'll participate."

Cheng Kaiyan smiled and nodded, already having an idea in mind.

……

In the days that followed, the weather became increasingly hot.

Cheng Kaiyan's days were very fulfilling, and she didn't feel the leisurely and carefree feeling of a holiday at all.

Every morning at 7:30 sharp, my fiancée wakes me up, and I get up, wash, and enjoy a hearty, nutritious, delicious, and healthy breakfast.

After finishing breakfast at eight o'clock, I took the personal belongings, drinks, fruit, and cake that Sister Xiaoli had prepared in advance to work at the magazine office.

At noon, he ate the lovingly prepared lunch by Sister Xiaoli, who cooked different dishes for him every day, fully demonstrating her superb culinary skills.

When we get home in the evening, we kiss, hug, cuddle, and lift each other up high.

The young couple had gradually fallen in love, and after experiencing the sweetness of the relationship, they became deeply attached to each other, their affection was boundless, and they were very content.

Unbeknownst to many, the Ark magazine has completed all the formalities and procedures, as well as all the preparations.

This happened on the morning of July 20th.

An international airmail letter arrived from the United States. (End of Chapter)