1979: My fiancée is a goddess

On January 10, 1987, winter had not yet passed, and spring and the New Year were just around the corner.

I remember that the snow that year was particularly heavy and lasted a particularly long time.

The newly paved asphalt roads, cobblestone streets, and muddy alleyways in Beijing are all covered with thick snow, some as deep as half a meter.

Traffic was briefly paralyzed, making it difficult for pedestrians to travel.

Schools gave students early holidays, factories also stopped work and took a break, and people stayed at home to hibernate.

However, even at home, there was no peace. Countless courtyards collapsed overnight under the weight of the snow, and it is said that even the golden roof of the Forbidden City's main hall was damaged as a result.

People could only say the good things, that it was a good omen: "A timely snow promises a bumper harvest," and that next year would surely be a year of spring sunshine and a bountiful harvest.

I hope so...

Xiaowei Hutong.

Loose, fresh snow lay piled up at the entrance of Wutong Courtyard, untouched.

Two winter swallows huddled in a corner, preening each other's feathers with their beaks, occasionally letting out a few clear bird calls.

The old, mottled mahogany door was decorated with red and black door gods, which rustled in the wind.

"crunch-"

A sickening sound came from deep inside the door, and a hand wrapped in a black leather glove pressed against the door and slowly pushed it open.

The bright white light shone into the courtyard from outside, and a woman wearing a light-colored wool coat slowly walked out.

"Waaah—"

The alley was cold and desolate, with a dry and biting wind howling through it.

The wind blew across her face, loosening the tightly wrapped bright red scarf and the long, black hair that fell across her forehead, revealing a beautiful oval face.

The woman looked quite young, around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, the prime of her life.

At this age, one possesses both the vibrant energy of a young girl and the mature gentleness and charm of a woman.

Upon closer inspection, the skin, even in such dim light, seemed to glow faintly, rosy and lustrous, like fine porcelain or beautiful jade.

Her appearance was absolutely stunning; even a celestial being couldn't compare.

However, what is even more captivating is not her appearance.

Rather, it was the gentle and graceful classical temperament that flowed from the woman's very bones... no, it was the temperament that emanated from her very being.

Every move she makes, every smile she gives, is like a performance of the most beautiful classical Chinese dance.

Clearly, five years have passed, and time and experience have enhanced her beauty even further.

Through long-term practice and research, dance has long been integrated into her soul and become instinct.

"It's so cold, and it's snowing. Where did Xiaozhi and Qianqian go to play? We haven't seen them all morning!"

Liu Xiaoli stood on the threshold and leaned lightly against the side of the door.

Meanwhile, her beautiful eyes kept searching for her daughters' figures in the courtyard not far away and on the main roads on both sides.

The two little ones are not even five years old this year, and Liu Xiaoli is very worried that they dare to run out to play in such heavy snow.

However, Zhi Zi and Qian Qian have lived and played in Xiaowei Hutong since they were little, and they are already very familiar with this area.

As long as you don't go onto the main road, there shouldn't be any problems.

"It's probably Xiaozhi who insisted on dragging Qianqian along again. Sigh... She's never been one to stay still. I wonder who she took after?"

Liu Xiaoli frowned slightly and murmured helplessly.

However, she could understand why her daughters had been running around like wild horses these past few days.

In August of the second half of the year, after the two little ones celebrated their birthdays, they turned four years old and were old enough to start kindergarten.

Because Xiaozhi and Xixi are twins and look almost identical, it is quite rare.

So, fearing that their daughters would be bullied or mistreated at kindergarten, Liu Xiaoli discussed with Cheng Kaiyan the possibility of waiting until they were a little older before sending them there.

However, Liu Xiaoli was scheduled to go to the Soviet Union for further studies with the theater for a period of time.

Cheng Kaiyan has also been appointed as an associate professor at the school and holds an important position in the National Writers Association.

The couple is quite busy and can't find time during the day.

So we decided to let them try kindergarten, and it turned out that the couple had worried too much.

As soon as the two sisters went to kindergarten, they became the darlings of the children and teachers, treated like princesses.

Little Gardenia is lively and adorable. Although she's a bit mischievous, she's very lovable. Plus, she's very strong and healthy; none of the boys in kindergarten can beat her.

Sisi is exceptionally intelligent, quiet, and sensible. In addition, she is exquisitely beautiful, making her irresistible.

After a few months in kindergarten, the two sisters found it boring.

The two little ones were overjoyed when kindergarten was closed for the holidays a while ago. They were finally free from getting up early for school and being confined to the kindergarten.

But the two of them had only enjoyed a few days of peace at home before they started causing trouble and fighting each other.

Every morning, Liu Xiaoli had to guess who was who, who was the older sister, and who was the younger sister.

If you guess right, that's fine, but if you guess wrong, you have to get compensation.

For example, ask Liu Xiaoli to bake a small cake to make up for it, or ask Dad to buy a toy doll...

But don't be fooled by the fact that the two sisters are working together at this time.

Even when they're watching TV, they can argue over the remote control. When buying clothes, the two sisters have to have the exact same outfit, and neither of them can be missing one.

Liu Xiaoli sometimes felt so tired, wondering if the two little ones were just born to clash, always fighting when they were together.

"I really don't know how Kaiyan manages to take care of everyone by herself?"

Liu Xiaoli sighed. In fact, for the first few years after the two sisters were born...

Except for the first year after he was born, she spent most of her time with him.

In the following years, Cheng Kaiyan spent much more time with her than she did.

Because Liu Xiaoli still needs to complete her studies at the Beijing Dance Academy, which takes a lot of time, and because the school is too busy, Liu Xiaoli sometimes stays at her aunt's house instead of going home, since Beijing Normal University is close to the Beijing Dance Academy.

It is worth mentioning that when Liu Xiaoli graduated that year, Cheng Kaiyan specially prepared for her for a long time and held a graduation ball just for her.

Liu Xiaoli was exceptionally stunning that night, her dance captivating the entire capital.

An official newspaper subsequently featured the following headline: "The wind blows, her fairy sleeves flutter," and "Her slender waist seems to bend, her sleeves flutter as if she wants to fly away."

Some even call her "Celestial Fairy," or simply "Heavenly Immortal."

After that, Liu Xiaoli successfully entered the National Centre for the Performing Arts as a dancer and devoted herself to her work.

Last year, Liu Xiaoli and her longtime partner Lin Xingjie won numerous awards and honors for their self-choreographed and self-performed Chinese classical dances, including the Five-One Project Award and the title of National First-Class Dancer.

"These years have truly been hard-won but now we're all smiling..."

Thinking of this, Liu Xiaoli couldn't help but feel very guilty towards her husband and children.

So, taking advantage of the fact that there was nothing going on at the theater during this period, the daughters had another holiday.

Liu Xiaoli then spent her free time with her two children. The three of them explored most of Beijing and took many photos.

It snowed a while ago, so she brought her daughters to her grandmother's house.

……

"Xiao Zhi!"

"Sissi!"

After watching for a while, I didn't see the two sisters go home for dinner.

Liu Xiaoli put on her hat and walked onto the snow-covered road to search, using her hands as megaphones to call out her daughters' names.

With each breath, her rosy lips exhaled puffs of white steam, which quickly dissipated into the cold wind.

They searched the alley inside and out until they finally found the two children at the home of the older sister, Lin Qingshui.

"Sister Qingshui! Xiaozhi and the others..."

"Xiaoli, you're here. The children are fine. They were playing in the snow in the alley outside. I was worried they would get cold, so I brought them inside."

Lin Qingshui was knitting a sweater when she saw Liu Xiaoli and greeted her with a smile, "Come in and sit down, I'll pour you a cup of tea."

"call……"

Seeing the two little ones' petite figures in the living room, Liu Xiaoli breathed a sigh of relief: "Thank you, Sister Qingshui..."

"fine……"

Lin Qingshui shook his head and poured her some tea.

"You two brats! Running around in this freezing weather! You didn't even tell your mother you were going out!"

After sitting down and drinking a cup of tea, Liu Xiaoli got angry and scolded him sternly.

"Mommy~"

Liu Yifei quickly put down her book, took short steps, and ran to her mother. She looked up at her fair face and called out in a cute and obedient manner.

Because she was so short, less than half a meter tall, her cute little hands could only barely hold onto her mother's legs.

"Uh……"

Looking at her mother's serious expression, her pretty face flushed with anger, she shrank back, feeling the psychological shadows from both lifetimes creeping up on her.

Whether in her past life or this one, her mother loved her dearly, but she was also very strict with her upbringing and often disciplined her physically.

Are they going to attack us today?

She was a little scared...

"Xixi, did Xiaozhi pull you out?" Liu Xiaoli stroked her daughter's soft hair, her anger subsiding a little, and then asked.

"Uh……"

Liu Yifei glanced at her sister out of the corner of her eye, who was still completely absorbed in her painting, and shook her head, not giving her away.

"Hmph... Such deep sisterly affection."

Liu Xiaoli snorted softly and followed her daughter's gaze, seeing Xiao Zhizi who was completely unaware of her arrival.

The little guy was still holding a paintbrush and scribbling on the paper, humming a childish nursery rhyme while shaking his head and swaying his two little braids behind his head.

So cute!

Normally, Liu Xiaoli might have calmed down by now.

But right now...

Liu Xiaoli took a closer look and realized that the little guy's originally fair and clean face with baby fat now looked like a little kitten.

It's patchy with black and white, red and yellow.

It's obviously pencils and paint...

"Xiao Zhi! Come here!"

Liu Xiaoli was furious. How could a girl not know how to be more refined?

"Mom! You're here! Look at my drawing..."

As if waking from a dream, Xiao Zhizi turned her head and saw a familiar figure. She first widened her eyes with joy, then held up the painting in her hand and shouted happily.

"come over!"

Liu Xiaoli beckoned and patiently guided her.

"Mother?"

Little Gardenia realized something was wrong and weakly called out, trying to awaken the maternal love deep within her mother's heart.

"Clap clap clap!"

In a flash, Liu Xiaoli grabbed her daughter, ripped off her pants, and started fighting!
"Waaaaah~"

"The child is still young, Xiaoli, why did you hit her?"

"Let her learn a lesson!"

"Waaah... I... I want to... tell Daddy..."

"Slap! Slap! Slap! Go tell him! When he gets home, I'll beat him up too!"

Actually, Liu Xiaoli only lightly hit her a few times, but Xiaozhi was indeed a naughty child, and she had to be disciplined.

After scolding her, Liu Xiaoli looked at her daughter, who was crying her eyes out, and lovingly hugged Xiao Zhizi to comfort her while chatting with Lin Qingshui.

Speaking of all these years, Sister Shimizu has done a pretty good job at the Children's Foundation.

The two plans that Cheng Kaiyan mentioned at the charity gala that year were implemented very well.

As a result, Shimizu's career has also risen, and she is now a leading cadre in the foundation, in charge of financial matters.

"Sigh... It's been all these years, and I still haven't thought about finding someone to marry."

Liu Xiaoli sighed, thinking to herself.

The two chatted for a while, and when it was time to eat, they each took one child and went home to eat.

……

Wutong Courtyard.

It was lunchtime, and wisps of bluish-green smoke billowed from the snow-covered chimneys of every household.

"Crack!"

Xu Yuxiu sat behind the stove, constantly breaking off branches and stuffing them into the firebox to burn, the golden flames reflecting on her gentle and beautiful face.

Five years have passed.

Although she has developed faint wrinkles around her eyes and neck, she looks very young and in excellent condition overall, not at all like someone who is nearly fifty years old.

Xu Yuxiu could also notice these changes, but she didn't know why.

But she thought it might be because her life had gotten better and better over the years, and she felt at ease with no worries or burdens.

The son and daughter-in-law have a happy and fulfilling marriage, and their careers are becoming increasingly successful.

The granddaughters are also beautiful, lovely, smart, and obedient.

Just thinking about it makes Xu Yuxiu feel like her experiences over the years are a dream.

"Let's continue cooking."

Xu Yuxiu dusted off her hands, got up, picked up the spatula from the stove, and continued cooking.

Pour oil into a pan, and once the oil is hot, add minced ginger and garlic and sauté until fragrant.

Then add a piece of cured pork with alternating layers of fat and lean meat. The cured pork is sliced ​​as thin as a cicada's wing, and the fatty part is crystal clear like a thin piece of jade.

Sizzle~
The cured pork was fried until it turned golden brown and started to bubble.

The dark green garlic leaves are cut into long strips and used as a garnish, releasing an aroma that can be smelled from a great distance.

"Xiaoli! Mom!"

A familiar voice entered the kitchen, and Xu Yuxiu turned her head to look.

Cheng Kaiyan returned carrying her briefcase, and was holding the child while talking to Xiaoli.

Lunch.

"Come on, eat your vegetables. Xiaoli, eat more meat."

Cheng Kaiyan carried the rice and put a piece of food into his wife's bowl.

"Daddy! I want one too!"

Because Xiaozhi was too short, she held her small porcelain bowl high with her fair little hands, and looked at her younger sister Qianqian with her big, dark eyes.

"Good~"

Cheng Kaiyan couldn't stop laughing, "Come on, Qianqian, have a share too."

"Thank you, Dad!"

Sisi tilted her little face up and called out in a childish voice.

After dinner, Cheng Kaiyan took her sister home.

When Liu Xiaoli got home, she was wearing an apron and washing dishes.

"I'll do it! Xiaoli, you go and rest."

Cheng Kaiyan suddenly remembered something, so she hurriedly went in and took the bowl and chopsticks.

"Yo~"

Liu Xiaoli glanced at him and asked with a smile, "Kaiyan, why are you so diligent today?"

"When am I not diligent?"

Cheng Kaiyan complained, recounting the hardships of raising her child over the past few years.

"Yes Yes Yes!"

Liu Xiaoli leaned close to her lover, stood on tiptoe, and gave him a sweet kiss. Her soft lips gently kissed his earlobe, and she said in a trembling voice, "I'll give you a reward!"

His voice was soft and gentle, and his warm, moist breath enveloped Cheng Kaiyan's ear, carrying a faint, fresh body fragrance, which made Cheng Kaiyan's heart flutter.

He didn't even bother washing the dishes anymore. He turned around, wrapped his arms around his wife's slender waist, and kissed her passionately.

The couple took a moment to be intimate during their free time.

Cheng Kaiyan then spoke up: "By the way, Xiaoli, I might have something to do next week; I need to go abroad."

"Going abroad?"

Liu Xiaoli asked in surprise.

"By the way, didn't they establish a major international award for children's literature theory last year? It's called the International Grimm Prize, and it's quite prestigious. It should be the first major international award for research on children's literature theory."

"So... Kaiyan, you won an award?"

"Correct."

"Amazing!"

"As expected of Comrade Cheng! Here's another reward!"

"mua!"

The couple spent some more time being affectionate, and then it was the perfect opportunity to get the little girls to take their afternoon nap.
However, Liu Xiaoli felt that the bowl was being washed too slowly, and it wouldn't be good if her mother became suspicious and came in to see it.

Liu Xiaoli adjusted her shoulder straps, straightened her collar and loose hair to cover the rosy hickeys on her fair neck, and lowered her blushing face as she prepared to leave.

Just before leaving, she suddenly asked, "Kaiyan, which country are you going to again?"

"……Japan."

Cheng Kaiyan paused for a moment before replying.

"It's Japan?"

Liu Xiaoli's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly. What a coincidence? (End of Chapter)