1979: My fiancée is a goddess

The next day, six in the morning.

"Chi chi chi..."

The river water on Daowai Street was shrouded in mist, and the camphor trees along the street emitted a refreshing, minty fragrance.

Several sparrows were attracted to the treetops, pecking at the tender green camphor leaves and chirping merrily, which woke up Cheng Kaiyan, who was sleeping peacefully in the small building just a window away.

"Screw rustle..."

Cheng Kaiyan propped herself up on her arms and yawned contentedly.

Carefully, I got out of bed, put on the clean clothes that were neatly folded on the stool next to the bed, and went out.

It wasn't that he was unusually diligent today, getting up early to help his mother-in-law make breakfast, clean the house, or buy groceries.

Instead, she got up and went to her aunt's room next door to see how well she slept last night.

Last night, he and Xiaoli stayed in their aunt's room for a long time until their aunt fell asleep before returning home.

"Yesterday morning, with me by her side, she slept until lunchtime, so she should have been fine last night as well."

Cheng Kaiyan straightened her collar and shirt buttons as she walked out.

I just pushed open the door.

With a whoosh, a cool, moist morning breeze blew in from the open wooden-framed glass window at the end of the corridor.

The lingering sleepiness of Cheng Kaiyan vanished instantly, leaving her feeling refreshed and invigorated.

He listened to the weather report broadcast by Harbin Radio yesterday.

The past few days have been mostly cloudy turning sunny, accompanied by a light breeze.

The average temperature remains around 25 degrees Celsius, with the hottest midday temperature only reaching 27 or 28 degrees Celsius.

In the morning, it's only 18 or 19 degrees Celsius, and it's even a bit chilly.

"No wonder Aunt Wan told us to come back in the summer to escape the heat; the temperature here in Harbin is indeed very cool!"

Cheng Kaiyan took a deep breath of the fresh, cool air and sighed.

He turned and walked towards his aunt's room next door.

But standing at the door, he hesitated.

Yesterday, my aunt acted strangely, I don't know if she didn't sleep well, was in a bad mood or what.

For some reason, her attitude towards him suddenly became excessively cold, and she even took out a pointer to hit his palm, taking advantage of her status as a teacher.

Although she was cold-hearted and cold-skinned, she was like ice and jade in her bones.

But Cheng Kaiyan knew very well that in her aunt's heart, she was one of the exceptions.

Even to her aunt, she felt like the most unique person.

"Then why is that? Is it because you went back to your old home?"

Cheng Kaiyan looked down at the doorknob on the door, which was covered with mottled patina, lost in thought.

After thinking it over, this is the only possibility.

This is the home where my aunt lived for many years. My older sister, Aunt Wan, and her husband, Uncle Liu, lived here. There are even some of her former classmates and friends in this corner of the city.

Just as he was pondering with his head down, he faintly heard light footsteps coming from inside the room.

"Click~"

The door slowly opened a crack, and a beautiful woman, dressed lightly in a simple white midi nightgown, with a calm and composed face, stepped out.

"Why are you here?"

The beautiful woman looked up at Cheng Kaiyan, seemingly unsurprised by his presence, and asked in a very calm tone.

"Come see if you're awake."

Cheng Kaiyan observed the beautiful woman; her complexion had improved considerably, her skin glowing with a healthy reddish hue, and her fair, translucent skin appeared exceptionally radiant in the morning sunlight.

It turns out that I sleep very peacefully when my aunt is with me, and I can even overcome my childhood problem of being unable to sleep in a new bed.

He smiled with satisfaction and asked, "How did you sleep last night?"

"not bad."

The beautiful woman nodded slightly, closed the door behind her, and walked past Cheng Kaiyan downstairs, ordering without turning her head, "Go wash up, dinner will be ready soon."

"Ah."

Cheng Kaiyan followed behind, seemingly lost in thought.

The two plump and alluring buttocks behind the beautiful woman stretched her plain white nightgown to its fullest extent.

But her two jade-like legs were exceptionally long and slender, and she walked downstairs with elegant and dignified steps, wearing strappy sandals.

Her hips swayed gracefully with each step, exuding charm.

Despite the breathtaking scenery before her, Cheng Kaiyan had no heart to appreciate it; she was simply lost in thought.

Don't be fooled by the fact that your aunt treats him the same as before, as if nothing happened yesterday.

However, even someone as perceptive as Cheng Kaiyan could sense a subtle distance between them.

"She's keeping her distance from me! In this house."

As he followed his aunt downstairs, a conclusion suddenly popped into his mind.

Having figured this out, Cheng Kaiyan felt a subtle mix of emotions.

He knew it was right, but he could also say it was wrong.

But he chose to respect his aunt's decision.

The premise is... as long as the aunt doesn't deliberately use any methods to create distance or estrangement between them.

……

Aunt Wan and Uncle Liu didn't rush to work today; instead, they got up early and prepared a table full of dishes.

Therefore, breakfast is eaten together as a family.

"Dad, Mom, we're planning to go boating on the Songhua River and have a picnic on the island in the middle of the river when you have your holiday in a couple of days. What do you think?"

Liu Xiaoli leaned back in her chair, holding a boiled egg in her hand, her slender fingers patiently and meticulously peeling the shell.

He looked at his father and mother and told them about the travel plans that had been finalized the day before.

"Let's go for a trip on the Songhua River?"
It's great! The weather's been hot lately, and I've seen a lot of young people playing by the river—taking walks, swimming, boating, fishing, and catching shrimp.

But we won't go. We have to work during the day, and it'll be several days before our holiday starts. Xiaoli, why don't you take Kaiyan and go have some fun?

Liu Jianshe agreed, then looked at Cheng Kaiyan: "Kaiyan, can you swim? The Songhua River is quite deep. No matter what you do, you have to be careful when you're out there."

"Yes, you can rest assured."

Cheng Kaiyan smiled and nodded. With his current physical condition, he should be able to cross the Songhua River without any problem, let alone carry someone.

"After we finish eating, I'll help you unpack your things. The company organized a picnic this spring; did you buy drinks, beer, and bread?"

Aunt Wan spoke up at the right moment, looking at the table full of family members, she felt a long-lost sense of satisfaction.

"I've bought everything."

Liu Xiaoli responded with a smile, then suddenly remembered something and said, "Oh right, Mom, I went to the shopping mall on Central Avenue yesterday and looked at refrigerators. Shouldn't we get one for the house too?"

"Yes, yes! In the summer, with a refrigerator, we can chill watermelon and drinks, and even eat popsicles!"

Xiaoling was very happy and agreed wholeheartedly.

"Refrigerator? Why would you buy that? Don't buy it, the electricity bill is not a small amount."

Aunt Wan was disgusted, but she was actually quite interested in it.

"Don't worry about that, we bought refrigerators in three different places in Beijing."

At first, everyone said it wasn't good and that it was a waste of money to buy it, but after using it for a while, I found it much better.

Cheng Kaiyan smiled and offered her advice.

"You bought all three locations?!"

Aunt Wan's eyes widened as she turned to look at her silent sister, Jiang Ting, "Really? Ting, did Kaiyan and the others buy a refrigerator too?"

"Yes, it's great for storing vegetables and fruits, and it's even more useful in the summer."

Jiang Ting nodded, unusually speaking a few more words to her older sister. "Well... that's fine too."

Jiang Wan thought for a moment. Since the young couple had bought one for everyone, it wouldn't be unacceptable to buy one for her mother-in-law as well. So she smiled and joked, "After all, our Kaiyan donated a huge sum of 250,000 US dollars a few days ago."

"Haha, Aunt Wan, you see things so clearly. A son-in-law is like half a son. Isn't it only natural for a son to be filial to his wife?"

Cheng Kaiyan laughed loudly.

"That's true. In that case, Aunt Wan won't stand on ceremony with you, the great writer Kaiyan."

"That's only right. We're all family, so there's no need to be so polite."

Cheng Kaiyan smiled and waved her hand. This wasn't just polite talk; it was genuine.

He and Xiaoli were destined to be lifelong lovers, and wasn't Aunt Wan just another mother?

Everyone laughed, and the atmosphere became harmonious and joyful.

After breakfast, Cheng Kaiyan, Liu Xiaoli, and Liu Xiaoling went to pack their things for today's picnic.

Aunt Wan and her younger aunt worked together to tidy up the kitchen table.

in the kitchen.

Jiang Wan, wearing an apron, was washing pots, pans, bowls, and chopsticks in the sink, while Jiang Ting, wearing gloves, was wiping the stove with a rag.

The two sisters are very close, and they have a lot to talk about when they're together.

However, for some reason, the atmosphere in the kitchen was rather quiet.

Aunt Wan broke the silence first, looking at her younger sister, who was cold to the bone, with a complicated yet extremely pitying gaze.

She softened her voice and said gently, "If we count the days, in another two or three days it will be the Ghost Festival on the 14th of August."

It's perfect that you're back now. You've been away from home for so many years, you should go back and see your parents. They must miss you terribly..."

"..."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ting's heart trembled slightly.

She raised her slightly moist eyes to look at her sister, her lips trembling slightly, but she still didn't say anything.

“Go take a look. It’s been almost ten years since you last went. Go, A-Ting. In the blink of an eye, you’re almost thirty-four. It’s time to get out of there.”

Aunt Wan dried her hands, cupped her younger sister's cool and beautiful face, gazed into her dark eyes, and unconsciously stroked her face with her fingers.

The voice was soft, and the tone was almost pleading.

Jiang Ting remained silent with her head down.

“They certainly don’t want you to be stuck there forever. I originally thought that once you married Ning Ruzheng, you would find someone to rely on for life, and you would gradually get out of this situation, have children, and live a happy and peaceful life.”

Jiang Wan's eyes dimmed slightly, and her voice trembled as she spoke.

"But now it seems I was overthinking it. Ning Ruzheng not only couldn't give you peace of mind and support, but he also neglected and wronged you."

Hearing words about lifelong support and bearing children, Jiang Ting finally raised her head. Her cold, dark eyes, like an icy pool, were now blurred by hot tears.

Her voice trembled with sobs as she cried out, "Sister...please stop talking, okay?"

"Ah Ting, you are my only sister."

I promised them I would take good care of you.

But how can I feel at ease about your current living situation? How can I go to see you two with peace of mind?

Aunt Wan gently shook her head, wiped away the tear stains on her sister's face with her fingers, and raised her voice a few decibels.

The two sisters gazed at each other for a long time.

Liu Xiaoli's voice called from outside the door, signaling Jiang Ting to get ready to go out.

Jiang Ting and Jiang Wan then came to their senses, wiped away their tears, and turned to compose themselves.

"I'll leave first."

Jiang Ting scooped up some water from the tap, washed her face, hastily wiped the water droplets away, and turned to leave.

Just as she was about to push the door open, Jiang Ting stopped, took a deep breath, and said, "I haven't decided yet, but I'll think about it carefully."

"call……"

Jiang Wan let out a long sigh of relief, watching her sister's departing figure.

……

When Jiang Ting came out, she found two more checkered cloth bundles in the living room, bulging and filled with a lot of things.

"Inside there was a small kettle for boiling water, several lunch boxes, some seasonings and rice, as well as some food and drinks."

Liu Xiaoli walked over, introduced them, and then, seeing her aunt's slightly red eyes and water droplets on her face, quickly asked with concern, "Are you alright, Auntie?"

"Well, it's okay."

The beautiful woman chuckled in response.

"That's good. Let's go. It's not far, we can walk there."

Liu Xiaoli felt relieved. She had thought her aunt and mother were arguing in the kitchen. Then she looked at her fiancé and said, "Kaiyan, hurry up! Bring everything."

"what?!"

Cheng Kaiyan pointed at herself in surprise and asked, "Me, carrying it all by myself?"

"Otherwise what? We three women, don't we remember to show our spirit of dedication?"

Liu Xiaoli smiled gently and warmly. Xiao Xiong spread his hands and said, "You don't need to lift a finger when I cook lunch. Just sit and wait to eat. Is that fair?"

"That's it!"

Xiaoling, the younger sister, raised her hand in agreement.

"Where's your aunt?"

Cheng Kaiyan pinned his hopes on his aunt, wanting her to say a few words on his behalf, but the beautiful woman was somewhat distracted at the moment and didn't notice him.

Ultimately, he succumbed to the combined efforts of the women, picked up two packages, and followed the three women out the door.

Daowai Street is not far from the riverbank; the four of them walked for more than ten minutes and arrived.

On the Songhua River in the early morning, a mist more than two meters high hangs in the air. The moist vapor weaves a thin veil, making the sunlight appear exceptionally hazy and beautiful.

Sunlight falls on the water, making it shimmer and sparkle, like a river dragon inlaid with golden scales.

Several small boats with fishermen standing on them swayed on the river, and the sound of wooden oars splashing against the water could be heard.

The howling river wind made the hem of Cheng Kaiyan's shirt flutter loudly, and her hair stood on end.

"The scenery is really beautiful!"

He raised the camera hanging around his neck and took two pictures of the river view.

Then he turned to the three women behind him, raised his camera, and said with a smile, "Let's take some photos by the river and stand in a row under the tree."

Everyone was in a good mood while we were out having fun.

Standing under the willow trees by the river, Liu Xiaoli, Jiang Ting, and Liu Xiaoling stood in a row.

Jiang Ting, as the elder, was in the middle, with the two sisters holding her arms. Her usually indifferent face now carried a faint smile.

"Let's begin!"

Cheng Kaiyan raised her camera and looked at the scene in front of her through the viewfinder.

Liu Xiaoli has clear eyes and a gentle gaze as she looks at the camera, her face radiating a quiet, happy smile.

The soft, sky-blue skirt clung to her straight, slender legs as the wind blew.

Simple, serene, and ethereal.

As for my aunt, with her hands behind her back, wearing a white shirt, black trousers, and high-heeled strappy sandals, her tall and voluptuous figure was even more prominent.

Her long, dark hair, which wasn't tied up at the back of her head, fluttered freely in the wind.

The little girl, Liu Xiaoling, naturally held up two fingers to make a peace sign, her lively and bright eyes darting around.

"Three two one, eggplant!"

Cheng Kaiyan pressed the shutter, freezing the moment in time. (End of Chapter)