salt by salt

I watched in silence the whole time as Song Cheng arranged gifts for me to meet the elders, introduced to me his parents' preferences, and taught me how to start a conversation and build a good relationship with them.

"But it's fine if you're like this." He kissed my forehead, "It's all family today, take it easy."

The driver was a security guard specially sent by his father to pick us up. As long as the car window was lowered to signal, there was no need to undergo multiple investigations. Even so, the entry and exit discipline was dozens of times stricter than that of the Xu family's main house.

Song Cheng touched my palm comfortingly: "Don't be nervous."

Waiting for us smilingly at the door was Song Cheng's cousin Song Yan. She had met me before, and the kindness she released dissipated a lot of the pressure that had accumulated invisible before.

"Sister, you don't have to go to the door." Song Cheng took my hand to get out of the car, "It's so grand."

"It's Junyan's first time here, so it should be." She scolded, "It's because you don't hurt people. My aunt has gone to the kitchen to watch in person. If you don't want to accompany her, leave Junyan to me."

Song Cheng squinted his eyes: "Don't scare him."

Their sibling relationship is very good, while talking and laughing, Song Yan took my arm and took me away from Song Cheng.He squeezed my fingertips before letting go, and I nodded back.

The overall interior of the Song family is extremely low-key, atmospheric and simple, without any place to show off luxury.There was also a young girl sitting in the living room. Song Cheng never said that other people would appear at the family banquet today, which made me a little surprised.

"This is Xiao Ding, Ding Xiaorui, my aunt's favorite student." Song Yan said, "He has won many gold medals in dance competitions, and he dances very well."

The girl's delicate face turned red: "It's all Teacher Duan's good teaching, Director Song, you praised me so much that I'm embarrassed."

When Song Yan introduced me to her, she was quite subtle: "This is Xu Junyan, a good friend of Songcheng. He took care of him everywhere and helped him a lot. Junyan, Xiaoding has been studying with his aunt since he was a child. He is both a student and a goddaughter. Originally, she didn't have time to come to the rehearsal of the troupe today, but my aunt said that we are all a family, and I will take this opportunity to let you get to know each other, you are welcome."

Ding Xiaorui stood up and shook hands with me, looking slim and graceful, like a lotus after the rain.

A trace of weirdness floated up in my heart, but Song Yan didn't give me time to think too much, and pulled me to chat about the topic of donating art to the university that I mentioned last time, her tone was friendly and warm.

I glanced at Ding Xiaorui from the corner of my eye, and saw her shoulder-length hair draped behind her back, her light green dress complementing her white complexion and beautiful eyebrows, she was listening intently to the discussion between Song Yan and me, her appearance was endearing.

I hope it's not what I thought... I said helplessly in my heart.

"What are you talking about?"

The speaker's voice is gentle and soothing, with a kind of watery tenderness like the misty rain in the south of the Yangtze River.I looked up, and there was an older lady standing beside Song Cheng, no need to guess it was his mother.

Song Cheng's mother didn't have deep eyebrows like him, and her appearance was softer and more graceful.She is well-maintained and has a gentle temperament, and the smiling eyes of the mother and son are exactly the same.

"Hello, Auntie." I stood up and bowed slightly, "I'm Xu Junyan."

"Hello." She pointed at Song Cheng with a smile, "I heard from him that Junyan is good at cooking. Seeing that you guys are chatting so happily, can you lend me someone to help?"

Song Yan said in a timely manner: "I haven't tasted Junyan's skills yet, so I wish I could. I wonder if Junyan would like to show his skills?"

Song Cheng nodded slightly to me, I lowered my eyes, and put on a suitable smile on my face: "Of course."

It’s about cooking, but in fact there are chefs and servants for everything. Songcheng’s mother took me in and looked carefully at the dishes being prepared, then took my hand and left the kitchen to show me Songcheng’s former room.

From Song Cheng, I learned that his mother is a very typical little woman. She moved behind the scenes at the peak of her dance career, and most of her focus was on the family, and she was considerate of her husband and children.

His father was 16 years older than his mother, and when he remarried, he had two adolescent children. His mother had put in a lot of energy to maintain such a stable and warm marriage, and the relationship was getting better and better.

I looked at the slender woman, and it happened that Song Cheng's mother was also looking up at me, and her eyes met. She smiled and said, "Junyan graduated from the University of Political Science and Law?"

Song Cheng had already investigated my background and experience to the bottom, and his mother would know that this was normal.I nodded, and she continued: "I heard from Song Cheng that you are now in the collection exhibition business? How are you doing?"

It's okay not to mention it, but mentioning it aroused my bitterness, so I forced a smile: "This kind of thing is just for fun, it's not very good."

"It doesn't matter. You are still young. Don't take it as an opportunity to accumulate social experience." She asked, "What industry do you want to work in in the future? Do you want to continue to start a business?"

I shook my head, planning the future is too far away for me now, because it is too illusory and even meaningless.

"I would like to give you some advice, but I don't know if you want to hear it or not."

"Please speak."

"Song Cheng has a strong temper since he was a child, and it's hard to get over it after a few years outside. In the past, he said that he would bring his boyfriend home, and I would never accept it. But now I really don't want him to suffer. I just want someone to take it seriously. Take care of him, don't let him work hard every day without anyone to accompany him."

Song Cheng's mother paused: "There is one more thing I don't want to hide from you. The Xiaorui you saw today is actually my daughter-in-law. It was almost settled, but I can't force the fate of my children. I will not force Song Cheng to marry her. Xiaorui has developed well, she can retire for the sake of her family, and she needs to have this spirit of sacrifice in marriage—not a real sacrifice, but a contribution to the long-term of the family."

She looked at me with anticipation: "Junyan, you have a good temper and personality, and Song Cheng likes it. Although you can't go through formal procedures, our family will not treat you badly. If you can live well, parents can rest assured .”

I was stunned for a few seconds before I could react: "What do you mean?"

"I think you live here. It's inconvenient for you to travel between Jincheng and Jincheng in City B. It's a lot of trouble. Our family doesn't need you to work hard. The key is to take care of our little family, right?"

She said with concern: "Song Yan's current university is very good, her job is stable, and she is close to home. The principal and Song Cheng's father are old friends, and you are an excellent person. It's not a big problem to say hello and arrange a job for you. What do you think?" Woolen cloth?"

Seeing that I was speechless for a while, Song Cheng's mother patted the back of my hand and comforted me: "The things you do at school are more leisurely, and you have Song Yan to help you, so you can spend more time with Song Cheng during the winter and summer vacations. We don't live together , you can come over when you have time, and I will teach you a few of my specialties."

I have thought about all kinds of possibilities, but there is no such thing, so I can't help but smile bitterly: "Auntie, I really like my current job, and... Song Cheng said that he will support my idea."

"I know my son, he wants you to be by his side more." She looked amiable, and she was not unhappy with my rejection, "I know, young people always want to break through. It's okay, you take your time to think about it, and he Discuss more, and tell me when you think about it."

I breathed a sigh of relief and quickly said, "Thank you, Auntie, for being so considerate for me."

Arranging my life so properly, I can see the end of "husband and son" at a glance.

"Let's go, they're all waiting outside." She smiled softly, and straightened the collar of my shirt for me, "Junyan, you are a good boy, I like it very much."

Restless, I returned to Song Cheng. He was re-arranging the bouquet in the vase. Layers of fresh flower branches were placed on the coffee table, exuding a faint fragrance.

"What did my mother tell you?" He asked me with a smile, "Did you tell me many things?"

"Auntie said she would arrange a job for me at school." I lowered my tone and helped him tidy up the messy desktop covered with branches and leaves, "She said it would be convenient for me to take care of my family."

"Isn't it nice?"

I couldn't believe it and turned my head to look at his calm expression: "You think so too?"

"You worked so hard in your previous work and often worked overtime. I feel distressed. The school will arrange a job for you to pass the time. You will not be bullied by Sister Song Yan. She can introduce you to new friends." Song Yan Cheng stretched out his hand and gently scratched my nose, "Of course, if you don't want to work, it's okay for me to support you."

"That's not the case." My voice trembled slightly, "My home is in City B, and I will go back one day."

He sighed helplessly, and said in a coaxing tone: "The Xu family has nothing to miss. If you want to hold an exhibition, I will prepare it for you as a side job after a while. I am here, your home right here."

I said coldly, "What if I have to go back?"

Song Cheng picked up a white rose, cut off the excess rhizome with the scissors in his hand, and inserted it into the vase, filling the last gap just right.

"Toshihiko, you won't."

He stared intently at his work, the lines of his side face were clean and smooth, and there was a confident smile on the corner of his lips.

"……also can not."