Easily Set Aflame

In the afternoon, Wenrun brought the little nephew along to the supermarket while Yi Wenze took Jia He to the university he used to attend.

When Jia He was still in school, she had always felt that there was a wonderful atmosphere to Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s old campus in the Xuhui district. However, as she stepped foot into the University of Auckland, she felt that it did not even seem like a school. All the buildings were hidden amongst greenery and flowers, and because there was no main gate or a surrounding wall, many of the people strolling around near and far were not students. This place seemed more like a botanical garden.

Shanghai Jiao Tong University Xuhui Campus

By Yi Wenze’s side, she ambled and listened to him tell her some of the things from his university days, exhaling contentedly, “Now that I’m counting, my university’s worldwide ranking is lower than yours by a triple-digit figure. That’s too demoralizing.”

With mirth, he asked her, “How do you know this?”

She lifted her brows. “Back then, I read through all the info on you. After I saw where you graduated from, I deliberately did some research on this school.” Very pleased with herself, she flicked him a glance and continued, “I also know that near your school is the largest national park in Auckland. Be honest and ’fess up. Back then, did you ever go on a date there with someone?”

She had originally been asking this merely as a joke, but he simply smiled and did not say anything.

Humph. I knew you would have…

Putting on a magnanimous front, she said, “A person’s days of youth are always when thoughts of love start to bud. Rest assured, I’m not going to blame you for things that are in the past.”

Still Yi Wenze maintained his silence, only smiling and gazing at her.

Finally, Jia He could contain herself no longer, and fixing her eyes on him, she demanded, “Don’t tell me the sight of all these familiar places is stirring up past memories and you’re starting to reminisce on them.”

“I am very sorry to say,” he at last laughed, “that at the time, other than the library and all the lecture theatres, I basically didn’t go anywhere else.”

Uttering an “oh,” Jia He remarked, “Truly such a shame.” But in her heart, she was already so thrilled she could burst with jubilation.

The two would stroll and stop every so often, all the while conversing casually.

Even in such an open, non-traditional school, she was still able to rediscover that feeling of one’s student days. Her steps in pace with his, she lightly took ahold of his fingers and intertwined them with her own. “I’m hungry.”

“All right. We’ll go home.” After saying these simple words, he extended a hand and ruffled her head. “You’re making me start to regret that I never dated back when I was in university.”

Jia He ran this sentence of his through her brain a couple of times, then nodded, very pleased. “Fellow student, it’s too late now. You’re a man with a wife already.”

The trees were very low. Through the breaks in the foliage, they could glimpse the faraway white clock tower. So very beautiful.

With her arm linked through his, she meandered along with him. All of a sudden, stirred by the moment, she told him, “Sometimes I’ll think, if I had just focused on my studies while I was in uni and not dated anyone, I would have been able to give my whole, complete love to you, and only ever loved you. How good that would be. But then sometimes I’ll think, if it hadn’t been for everything in the past, I wouldn’t have switched careers and become a screenwriter, and then I would never have met you…”

The ClockTower at the University of Auckland (Image credit: Cropped from “University_of_Auckland_Clock_Tower” by Larry Koester, original posted in https://www.flickr.com/photos/larrywkoester/, image used under CC BY-SA 2.0)

Truly, everywhere in life are things that can be logically analyzed. For reasons unknown, she was very stirred with melancholy.

His smile was very light, and only after listening to her finish saying all that she had to say did he speak up. “Fellow student, would I be able to get to know you?”

She was briefly taken aback, but then immediately comprehending his intention, she released her hand from around his arm and took two backward steps. Pretending to hold some textbooks, she gave him a shy look. “Why?”

The look in Yi Wenze’s eyes gradually softened. “I think, your future should be tied to me somehow.”

The midsummer swelter and also his gaze scorched her heart.

She was not certain whether it was because his acting was too good or because their surroundings were able to evoke fancies in people, but she actually felt as if Yi Wenze truly was a heartthrob of this university’s School of Architecture, while she was merely an ordinary girl who every day only worried about how she could prevent herself from failing her courses. Her eyes randomly flitted about as she tried with all her might to think up some lines of dialogue that were so awesome they could even move immortals to tears. However, despite racking her brain for a long time, no good script came to her.

And Yi Wenze was simply looking at her, one hand in his pocket, his posture very casual as he stood there.

“Screenwriter, how are we supposed to act out the next part?” A slight smile touching his lips, he at last spoke up. “Do we need to cut?”

“No.” She tried hard to save face. “Don’t you know that right now, silence is more stirring than any speech.”

She suddenly remembered the only two scenes in which she had acted with him, and, moreover, her role had been one of a tearful, cast-aside concubine. Originally, she had been hoping to get into the mood of the scene here, but now, that idea was trounced by those memories. Looking at him, she finally heaved a sigh. “I’m sorry, but while I’m still in university, I don’t…”

All right, then, let me for once act out a person who rejects someone.

“Is that so?” A smile on his face, his gaze riveted on her, he took two steps forward and then, right then and there, brought his head down and brushed his lips over hers.

A very light, and also very chaste kiss. All around there were still people strolling by. Jia He’s heart was thundering furiously. She had not predicted at all that he would make such a move, and it was only out of reflex that she, lightheaded, moved back a step and gaped at him. “Did you skip some episodes? How come you only just hit on me and then it became a kiss scene? And plus, I rejected you, too.”

Yi Wenze looked at her with extreme seriousness. “I still haven’t acted the role of playboy yet, and I wanted to try out what it felt like.”

Giving an “oh,” she fiddled with the little gold pig that hung on her neck. She plainly had just been taken advantage of, but she was still grinning widely like she had hit the jackpot.

<>The translator would greatly appreciate it if you would only read this translation from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com, the actual site of posting. Thank you.

In the evening, Yi Wenze received a phone call.

Seeing him standing by the window speaking in a warm, gentle tone, Jia He’s heart instantly began beating a little unsteadily. At such an hour, such a phone call—it meant the madam wanted to meet the daughter-in-law… She had seen photographs of Yi Wenze’s family, and she had to say, he and his sister very much resembled their mother, especially the eyes, so warm and pleasant, with a gaze so intent it gave you a very safe, secure feeling.

Nevertheless, this was, after all, her future mother-in-law she was meeting.

Rather anxiously, she recalled all the advice and exhortations her own mom had given her: When she spoke, it needed to be in a soft, gentle voice. She should not dress too casually. She needed to help out with things to demonstrate that she was not a lazy person… While she was running these pieces of advice through her mind, Yi Wenze had already hung up. He saw her rummage through the clothing in her suitcase, pull out a jacket with three-quarter sleeves, and also select a very long skirt.

Watching her as she stood in front of the mirror holding the outfit up against herself, he chuckled and asked, “You won’t feel hot dressed like that?”

She gave him a very solemn look. “Erring on the conservative side is always better than wearing stuff that’s too revealing.”

Yi Wenze also returned her gaze with great solemnity. “Honey, to be honest, you’re normally already very conservative.”

Her mouth opened slightly. Mute.

Was that considered a compliment? Or a complaint?

<>Copyright of Fanatical, hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. Translated with the express permission of the author for hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com only

Owing to this upcoming first meeting that would be taking place the next day, she ended up tossing and turning and unable to sleep. Yi Wenze could tell that she really was stressed, so he kept her company and talked to her. In her arms was the little child, and the two did not dare talk too loudly, cuddling closely together and speaking in low tones into one another’s ear. Only when the faint light of early morning was beginning to show did they finally doze for a while. The direct consequence of this was that her complexion was a little pale.

When their car drove into Wellington, she began throwing looks at him, one glance, and then another glance, until at last he was forced into chuckles. “Honey, you’re starting to make me uptight, too. Do you know what’s the feeling you’re giving people right now?”

“What?” Jia He’s eyes were nervously on him. “That my face is a really unsightly, unhealthy colour?”

“That you’re like Snow White going to see her evil stepmother.” He drew the analogy to a fairy tale, trying to help her to relax as much as possible. “You can try to think of it this way: the one you’re going to see isn’t your stepmother; it’s the mother of the prince who kissed you awake.”

It was seldom that Yi Wenze’s words were so corny, and they drew giggles from Jia He and caused her to loosen up a little. “I should record these words of yours. If I sell it to the Chinese media, it will definitely have an explosive effect.”

He only smiled. “I don’t mind.”

Jia He shot him a look. You don’t mind, but I do…

<>Please support this translation by reading it only at hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com, the translator’s actual site of posting. Thank you.

It turned out, though, that they had only just stepped in the door and then Yi Wenze’s mother’s three sentences thoroughly took away Jia He’s ability of speech.

The first sentence: “Are the two of you planning to hold your wedding in New Zealand?”

The second sentence: “Have you set a date yet?”

The third sentence: “Do you need me to start preparing?”

She stared at this perfect mother-in-law, who was beaming in front of her, then turned around and looked at Yi Wenze. Why was the feeling like she had bought a bunch of expensive items in a video game and, shuddering in her boots, was wholly prepared to fight the big boss, only to be informed when she arrived at the level, “You have successfully passed this level”?

“What?” Yi Wenze’s mother also turned her gaze on him. “You didn’t come back this time to get married?”

With a smile, Yi Wenze handed a cup of hot tea to Jia He and motioned to her that she should stay calm, before addressing his mother. “If you keep on talking, you’re going to end up saying everything that I want to say.”

Astounded, Yi Wenze’s mother gawked at him, then turned her eyes to Jia He, then back to him again.

Eventually, she let out a lengthy sigh. “That’s just so wrong!” She turned back again to continue staring at Jia He. “You two have been together for so long and he still hasn’t proposed to you yet? Jia He, you really should think hard about this. You can’t indulge men like this.”

Jia He nodded, embarrassed.

This wasn’t a mother-in-law. No. She was like a loving, actual, biological mother…

<>Copyright of Fanatical, hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. Translated with the express permission of the author for hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com only

The two women hit it off in their conversations. His mother surprisingly seemed like simply the mother of an ordinary son, like she had no understanding whatsoever of how show business worked. Her smiles never ceasing, she asked Jia He about all the various fun and interesting things of being a screenwriter. When she grew enthused from listening, she would even call over Yi Wenze, who was sitting a ways off and chatting with his father, and have him tell her some more amusing things.

In such an atmosphere, Jia He soon began to unwind from her earlier tension.

Midway through the night, Yi Wenze’s mother finally stood up and, acting enigmatic, pulled Jia He with her. “The instant I got back last night, I went and specially decorated the bedroom for you two. Come have a look and see if you like it.” Jia He tossed an amused glance at Yi Wenze. And then she heard his mother murmur by her ear, “Tonight, try and get him to propose.”

Jia He was speechless. Unable to deny his mother’s effusive kindness, though, she could only nod her head, not knowing at all what she should say.

The bedroom for the two of them was on the second floor, at the very end of the hallway.

When Yi Wenze’s mother pushed open the door, Jia He was utterly blown away.

Xiao Yu and Qiao Qiao had always laughed at her for having a young girl’s heart filled with romantic notions and fancies. Now, though, she discovered that the person who truly had a girly heart was the pretty O great mother-in-law beside her. Once she and Yi Wenze stepped into the room, his mother immediately took the initiative to close the door for them.

Inside the room, there were several hundred candles, but no illumination from lights.

In the dancing glow of candlelight that spangled the room, layers upon layers of rose petals blanketed both the bed and floor, so many it was jaw-dropping.

This type of cheesy scene was one that all women love.

However, as she presently stood beside him, she wanted only to laugh, until at last, unable to hold herself in any longer, she hugged his arm, nuzzled herself this way and that against him, and burst into chortles. She was purposely trying to keep her voice down and repressed herself so much her stomach hurt. When she finally lifted her head again, she saw that he, too, had a very shocked expression and his lips were twitching with suppressed mirth. “If I didn’t know you’re Yi Wenze, I would definitely believe that you’re an unwanted bachelor who hasn’t been able to find himself a wife… Your mom is just too adorable.”

Walking over, he opened a bottle of red wine with an opener, poured himself a glass, and took a small sip. “There should be some credit to Wenrun for this, too.”

Even more laughter spilled unabatedly from Jia He. She stepped up to him and, from his glass, also had a drink. “Fine, I admit defeat. I surrender.”

He smiled and pinched her cheek. “You didn’t get any sleep last night. Go sleep now.”

Still grinning, she pointed at the bed. “Hubby, you really want to sleep on a pile of flower petals?”

As a result, the two expended all of their energy before they were able to clean off all the petals both on and inside the comforter. Staring down at the petals that now covered the entire floor, Jia He exhaled. “It’s going to be even more troublesome to tidy these up tomorrow. Sure enough, being romantic has its price.”

After almost a dozen hours of torture on an airplane, plus these last two days of waiting on the little boy, exhaustion had long since overtaken these two people.

Now that they actually had a comfortable, quiet sleep environment, they could not even bother to care how romantic it was, and in just a short time, they were fast asleep.