Chapter 352 - 345: Summer - Qin He’s Story
The two of them were always together, arms linked, strolling leisurely along the old streets. When they occasionally met familiar faces, they would exchange pleasantries, asking questions like "How many months has it been?" "Over five months." "Where did you move to?" "Tonglin Road, not too far," and after a brief chat, they would nod and pass by, each going about their own business.
Sometimes they talked more, especially during the evening or when night fell, when the sun was not so strong, and the need for an umbrella was gone. A cool breeze would sweep through the streets, beckoning them out for a walk to enjoy the cooler air. Without much else to do, they’d gather and chat leisurely, but such occasions were mostly on the weekends; they were rarely seen on weekdays.
It had always been this way even after they moved into their new house. Usually, they only had time to visit during the weekends. Earlier still, when they both lived on South Fly Road, they often wandered around this neighborhood and occasionally ran. Back then, they were noticeably younger—one pretty and pure, the other tall and handsome—or deemed handsome, at least, because his face was quite attractive, similar to his father’s, with the only drawback being his lack of fashion sense, which made his appearance less stylish. After they got together, he looked handsome for a while, but soon reverted to his plain, unsophisticated self, probably out of convenience, deciding not to bother with his appearance anymore.
Qin Guanglin of the Qin family, back then, many thought him to be earnest and honest, praise born out of nothing else to compliment—he attended Luo City University to study art, not the most employable field, and though he could paint, that usually just attracted girls. Unfortunately, he’d mostly stay indoors, and on the rare occasions he went out, he’d be seen in his perennially checked shirts that looked hopelessly outdated. Thus, people could only praise his earnestness, except for Pan from the convenience store who often wanted to teach him some flirting techniques, which he never wanted to learn.
Finding a girlfriend seemed tough for him—that’s what everyone thought, and indeed, things seemed to confirm those thoughts. Even two years after graduating, he continued to hide away at home, occasionally making an appearance, with no girlfriend or job in sight. Even the pudgy little boy next door, still in elementary school, had brought home several female classmates, while Qin Guanglin hadn’t even come close to a girl.
However, everything changed after that girl came around a couple of times—that young girl looked like any ordinary college student, but there was something about her that was incredibly comforting to look at, which people later said was her elegance.
After the girl arrived, there were drastic changes in the Qin lad. The two were constantly seen stuck together, often spotted hand-in-hand in the evenings, going grocery shopping, cheerfully chatting and politely greeting acquaintances. After dinner, they would sometimes go for a run, with the girl occasionally biking alongside as he ran.
Over the next two or three years, Qin Guanglin bulked up and no longer looked so plain, and he even found a job. Each day, he’d carry his bag, pick up breakfast on the way to work, and return with it after work. Later, everyone heard they had gotten married—the neighborhood attended the wedding, almost failing to recognize the bride and groom, who looked like they had stepped right out of a movie, nothing like the poor artist Qin used to be. At the wedding, there was plenty to eat and drink, and though you couldn’t take any away, the celebration was still much better compared to other weddings, very stylish. Everyone joyfully wished them an early blessing of children since they had married so late. At almost thirty, it was high time they considered having kids—Eldest Sister Qin was particularly anxious about it, often asking for pregnancy tips while chatting with neighbors at the street corner in the evenings. Later, Sister Wang managed to find a local remedy for bearing sons that she swore by as she’d used it with her little chubby son. That finally brought a smile to her face, and she stopped asking around.
Even today, Qin Guanglin and his wife can be seen wandering this old street. Perhaps Sister Wang’s remedy was not only good for conceiving boys but also for conceiving in general. Every weekend, the girl would proudly display her pregnant belly, arm-in-arm with Qin Guanglin, either strolling down this old street or heading to the market to buy groceries. According to Eldest Sister Qin, the young man cooked dinner each night for their family of three—himself and his wife and mother-in-law. While some thought it odd for the man of the house to handle cooking, Eldest Sister Qin was proud, boasting about her daughter-in-law like she was her own flesh and blood, deserving of being cherished and spoiled.
Perhaps it was because she had known hardships when she was younger, knowing full well that life isn’t easy for women, so she couldn’t be kinder to her daughter-in-law. The neighbors understood, observing the coupled strolling arm-in-arm with wide grins, presumably sharing in their happiness.
Little Pan, the Wang family’s once chubby son, gradually slimmed down and was said to be learning painting from Qin Guanglin. Many shook their heads at this—Qin Guanglin got lucky, snagging a wife who could bring him prosperity, otherwise who would buy those "worthless" paintings that cost hundreds or even thousands? Stability, they argued, came from a regular job. Reportedly, Qin landed a job drawing comics; he now had a car and had bought a house—all thanks to his wife bringing him good fortune. If it weren’t for drawing comics, how could he possibly earn that much?
Little Pan wanted to achieve the same, but everyone knew it was unlikely. Occasionally, when neighbors sat cooling off at the street corner and chatting, they would try to advise Sister Wang, a rural woman who had married into Luo City and could barely read, incapable of guiding her son, but she was stubborn. Insisting that since Qin Guanglin attended Luo City University and prospered, and her son had someone to teach him painting, he should pursue it.