Abstinence Pei, don't be too sweet when chasing your wife

In the temporary tent of the Yangxian Ruins mid-term press conference, Gu Fanxing stood backstage, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the celadon porcelain brooch on her chest - this was when Ling Jiuer helped her put it on in the morning and smiled and said it was "a small gift from the team to the core members." The coolness of the pearls pressed against her collar, and her fingertips could touch the delicate porcelain patterns, which slightly soothed her nervousness before going on stage.

"Xingxing, don't panic. You've prepared so well, there will definitely be no problem."

Ling Jiuer handed over a cup of warm water. There was a thin layer of sweat on the wall of the cup, and there was a hint of imperceptible expectation in her eyes.

"After you finish introducing the porcelain pieces, there's a surprise segment. The technical team has worked over two nights to prepare it. I guarantee you'll like it."

Gu Fanxing smiled and nodded, touching the rim of the glass with her fingertips. Without thinking too much about the meaning of this "surprise", she took a deep breath and walked onto the stage at the host's clear invitation.

The moment the spotlight fell on her, she subconsciously glanced at the audience. Sitting in the front row were senior experts from the Cultural Relics Bureau, and on both sides were team members who had fought side by side with her, most of whom were familiar faces.

Soon, she withdrew her gaze and pointed her finger at the big screen behind her.

"Dear teachers and colleagues, I would like to introduce the Song Dynasty celadon porcelain fragments unearthed in Area 3 of the exploration area..."

Her voice was clear and steady. She talked about the delicate body and lustrous glaze of the porcelain, and the Song Dynasty market life reflected behind the twined branches. Even the movement of her fingertips as they moved across the patterns on the porcelain on the screen showed her cherishment for cultural relics.

The audience was very quiet, with only the occasional sound of camera shutters.

The old experts nodded frequently until she finished her last sentence, "These silent porcelain pieces are the dialogue left to us by time." The audience burst into warm applause, and even the staff in the back row stood up.

Gu Fanxing bowed slightly and was about to walk off the stage when the big screen behind him suddenly went dark.

She was stunned for a moment, then turned to look in the direction of the technical team, only to see Ling Jiuer making a "wait a moment" gesture to her, with a mysterious smile on her lips, and secretly making a "come on" gesture with her fingers.

The next moment, the soft warm light came back on, and the screen was no longer a cold piece of porcelain, but a hand-painted illustration.

Under the old locust tree at the entrance of the alley, a little girl with pigtails was holding a yellow and white local dog and breaking a steamed bun in her hand to a little boy squatting on the ground. There were a few small pieces of porcelain in the corner of the picture, and the patterns were exactly the same as the Song Dynasty celadon she had just introduced.

Gu Fanxing's breathing suddenly stopped, her fingertips clenched the corner of her clothes, and the texture of the fabric hurt her palm.

This scene…why does it feel so familiar? It's like a fragment forgotten deep in my memory, suddenly gently picked up by someone, carrying the faint scent of locust flowers, lingering in my mind.

Before she could think about it, the picture on the screen changed again - a little boy and a little girl were digging porcelain pieces on the hillside, and a local dog was holding a patterned porcelain piece and running towards them, wagging its tail. The sunlight shone on the two people and the dog, and the warmth seemed to overflow the screen.

"This is..." Gu Fanxing's voice trembled a little, his eyes felt inexplicably hot, and his fingertips unconsciously touched the corners of his eyes. Before he touched the tears, a soft spot in his heart was gently touched.

Just then, light footsteps were heard behind me.

Gu Fanxing subconsciously turned around, but saw someone she never thought would appear here.

Pei Luonan was wearing a light gray suit, the ironed fabric made him look tall and straight, and he was carrying the dark brown leather suitcase in his hand, walking towards her step by step.

His hair was combed neatly, and the loose hair on his forehead was tidily groomed. He no longer had the sharpness he had in the business world. His eyes were filled with a gentleness she had never seen before, and even his steps were cautious and solemn.

The audience instantly fell silent, everyone's eyes were focused on them. Ling Jiuer even took the lead in applauding, whispering "Xingxing, look at him!", her voice full of joy.

Gu Fanxing was completely stunned. He stood there motionless, forgetting even to breathe.

Why was he here? Didn't they say the investors only sent ordinary representatives? And what about the picture on the screen... what was going on? Countless questions surged into his mind, but they were stuck in his throat, and he couldn't utter a single word.

Pei Luonan stood in front of her. He did not speak immediately. Instead, he opened his suitcase and took out a dark red velvet box, then a silver recorder. Finally, he carefully picked up a small wooden sign - three crooked words were engraved on the sign: Xiao Huang's Family. Although the handwriting was childish, one could tell the seriousness with which the words were engraved.

The moment he saw the wooden sign, Gu Fanxing's memories suddenly flooded back and his vision blurred.

Xiao Huang… Xiao Huang! She finally remembered! The dog that always followed her, wagging its tail, the skinny boy who helped her chase away the hooligans at the alley entrance, the boy who squatted under the locust tree and made a pinky promise to her and Xiao Huang that they would never be separated...

All these memories that she had long forgotten in the corner of her childhood now appeared clearly before her eyes, and even the fragrance of locust flowers in the wind became real.

"Stars," Pei Luonan's voice was soft, but it had the power to penetrate people's hearts.

He pressed the play button on the recorder, and Grandma Gu's gentle voice immediately rang out in the conference room, with a familiar local accent.

"Xingxing, Luo Nan is that little boy from back then. He's been asking people about you every year and has been waiting for you for twenty years. Don't keep him waiting any longer..."

The recording had not yet finished playing when Gu Fanxing suddenly stopped it.

Her voice was unusually firm: "Pei Luonan, let's put aside what happened twenty years ago. There are some things and some people that you haven't explained to me clearly."

Pei Luonan paused with his hand holding the recorder, the tenderness in his eyes remained unchanged, but there was a little more understanding.

Gu Fanxing sniffed and wiped the tear marks on her cheeks with her fingertips.

"You've never told me the truth about Long Weiwei and the news about the marriage.

What I want isn't twenty years of memories, or my grandmother's approval, but your unequivocal attitude—what do you really think of me? Is it the obsession of a childhood promise, or do you truly...care about me?

The applause from the audience stopped instantly, and even Ling Jiuer put away her smile and stared at the two of them nervously.

Pei Luonan did not panic. He slowly closed the velvet box and put the wooden sign and recorder back into the suitcase.

When he looked up, there was a hint of smile in his eyes: "I knew you wouldn't nod so easily."

He took half a step forward, his voice not loud but clear enough to ensure that everyone present could hear it.

"I deliberately didn't tell you about Long Weiwei's matter. I wanted to wait for the right time to clarify all the misunderstandings, rather than just giving you a few perfunctory explanations while you were still angry."

He took out his cell phone from his pocket and opened the folder he had prepared long ago.

"Here's the recording of Long Weiwei admitting she directed and acted in the film, the apology statement issued by the Long Group, and all the records of Kong Haoyu's subsequent handling. I can give you everything you want to know."

Gu Fanxing's fingertips moved, but she didn't pick up the phone.

Seeing this, Pei Luonan was not in a hurry, but curled the corners of his mouth: "It doesn't matter if I didn't agree this time, I still have a lot of time.

If you like ruins, I can stay with you in these places for a year or two.

If you want to study porcelain fragments, I can invite the best restorer in the country to be your assistant.

Even if you still want to wait a little longer, I can still send you sweet osmanthus cakes every day until you are willing to listen to everything I have to say."

He paused, his heart filled with determination: At worst, I can propose again.

I've already waited twenty years, so I don't mind waiting a little longer—after all, you're worth a lifetime of waiting. If all else fails, I still have a trump card.

Gu Fanxing looked at the calmness in his eyes and remained unmoved.

Pei Luonan looked at her, the tenderness in his eyes seemed to overflow: "It's okay, I'll wait."

This agreement that spanned twenty years may not yet have reached its fulfillment moment.