Love Has Fireworks - Chapter 47

Chapter 47: Clearing Up One's Mind

Li Yifei stayed in the bathroom for quite a while. Qian Fei grew impatient waiting outside and called out to him, raising her voice, "Li Yifei, do you have an upset stomach?"

Li Yifei flushed the toilet, washed his hands, and walked out of the bathroom.

He returned to the table, picked up his wine glass, and said to Qian Fei, "Sanitary Pad, happy birthday!"

Qian Fei was initially beaming with smiles, but upon hearing him call her Sanitary Pad, she adjusted her expression to try and look angry. Yet, hearing him say happy birthday, she couldn't suppress the genuine delight bubbling up from the bottom of her heart. Consequently, in that single fleeting instant, the shifts in her facial expressions made her look somewhat unhinged.

Ultimately, she chose "delight," raising her wine glass to clink it against Li Yifei's. "Thank you for the wishes, but I sincerely beg you from the bottom of my heart, can you please stop calling me Sanitary Pad from now on?"

Li Yifei glanced at her. "Depends on my mood!" Then, he downed his glass in one gulp.

Qian Fei glared at him intensely before downing her wine as well.

Taking advantage of the moment while Qian Fei was distracted drinking her wine, Li Yifei grabbed her phone and added that text message number to the blacklist.

Going back and forth, they quickly finished off the bottle of red wine. Smacking her lips, Qian Fei said, "This wine tastes amazing! Where did you get it?"

Li Yifei replied, "Stole it."

Qian Fei wanted to find her phone to scan the QR code and see how much it cost, but she wobbled slightly when she stood up.

"I didn't think it was hitting me, so why am I dizzy already?" she murmured, shaking her head.

Li Yifei looked at her, curled the corner of his lip, and smiled as he said, "Look at how foolish you are!"

After scanning the QR code, Qian Fei was utterly shocked. The phone screen indicated that when this empty wine bottle was filled with wine produced by Romanee-Conti, it was valued at one hundred and twenty thousand yuan.

However, she figured it out in the very next instant: this must be a high-quality imitation!

Supporting her head, she sighed with immense emotion, "These high-quality imitations really are no good; drinking them just goes straight to your head!"

Li Yifei didn't know whether to laugh or cry. This wine was stolen from right under his old man’s bed just before he had his falling out with him. It would be a miracle if it were an imitation.

He bent down, pulled out a few cans of beer, set them on the table, popped one open, and handed it to Qian Fei. "Have some beer to clear it out, and you won't feel dizzy anymore!"

Qian Fei accepted the beer, looking rather thoughtful.

Suddenly, she slapped the table and exclaimed, "Li Yifei, could it be that you really are a wealthy second-generation heir?"

Li Yifei paused his hands mid-motion, wiped the expression from his face, and looked at her.

Time slipped by silently.

After mulling over it conflictedly for a brief moment, Qian Fei overturned her own hypothesis. "No, if you really were a wealthy second-generation heir, and if this wine were real and not an imitation, you could have just resold a few bottles to get the down payment for a house. Why would you need to rent a room from me?"

Hearing this, Li Yifei felt a strong urge to whack her over the head with a mop handle.

Wealthy second-generation heirs already had plenty of houses at home; why would they need to sell off family possessions to scrape together a down payment for a new house? His renting a room was merely a temporary measure of convenience. He wanted to prove his independence to that stubborn old man, so he didn't want to ask him for money to spend. But it wasn't as if he was cutting ties with that Elder Li forever, so why on earth would he be saving up to buy a house?

Li Yifei chatted with her idly as they drank their beer. After finishing two cans, he got up and walked into the kitchen. Qian Fei watched him with bewilderment, having no idea what he was up to.

Just as he was about to enter the kitchen, Li Yifei suddenly turned off all the lights in the apartment. Qian Fei let out a soft "Huh?" A moment later, accompanied by the Happy Birthday melody playing from a phone, a tiny, flickering amber glow gradually floated out from the kitchen toward the living room.

Li Yifei walked out of the kitchen holding a birthday cake bristling with lit candles. The phone playing the birthday song was tucked right inside his shirt pocket.

When Li Yifei placed the cake down on the table, he saw that Qian Fei was already covered in tears.

He was startled.

"You don't have to go that far, do you? Just because I didn't sing the birthday song to you personally, does it really warrant you feeling this aggrieved?"

Qian Fei was laughing and crying all at once. "No, it's just that I'm so incredibly moved. I haven't celebrated a birthday like this in so many years. In the past, because I had a boyfriend, Jingjing couldn't spend them with me. As for that boyfriend of mine, it was already considered good if he could just cook me a bowl of noodles. I haven't eaten my own birthday cake in years!" She lifted her sleeve to wipe her face, asking with a smile, "Do I seem really overly dramatic right now?"

Li Yifei nodded. "You certainly do. It’s just a piece of cake, yet you're crying like this. Is it really worth it?" Even though those were the words coming out of his mouth, he felt a bitter twinge in his heart.

That little bastard surnamed Wang had really treated her far too cheaply.

Li Yifei patted her shoulder. "Alright, stop being dramatic. Make a wish quickly before the candles burn out!"

Qian Fei closed her eyes, clasping her hands tightly against her lips.

Li Yifei looked at her by the candlelight. Her face was filled with absolute piety, as if she were performing an incredibly sacred act, deeply earnest and focused. Her eyelashes were long, curling up slightly at the tips, casting a row of little fan-like shadows across her cheeks. The bridge of her nose was elegant, her nostrils petite, set against an oval face with a pointed chin. Because she had started taking her skincare seriously under his supervision lately, her complexion was fair and smooth, without a visible pore in sight.

She truly looked more beautiful the more he stared. How had he misjudged her so badly back then, thinking she was a plain girl and a tomboy?

Staring at the peaceful and serene face before him, Li Yifei felt his heart stir more and more. Suddenly, she snapped her eyes open, the depths of her eyes shimmering with moisture. The corners of her mouth curved into a smile as she looked at him and said, "I'm finished wishing!"

Li Yifei gathered his wits, smiled, and said, "Then blow out the candles!"

Qian Fei said, "You put too many in. How could a single breath from me be enough? Help me blow them out together!"

Li Yifei said, "Alright!"

Qian Fei counted down three, two, one, and they leaned forward together to blow out the candles.

The surroundings plunged into pitch darkness instantly. Qian Fei went to turn on the lights, then sat back down and cut the cake, giving a slice to Li Yifei and one to herself. As the two of them ate cake, drank beer, and chatted, Qian Fei felt this birthday was absolutely wonderful.

"Thank you, Li Yifei," she said softly.

Li Yifei looked up at her. "Thank me for what!" He paused for a moment, then asked, "What wish did you just make? I saw you putting so much effort into it, it looked like you were using every ounce of strength you possessed!"

Qian Fei said, "Forget using every ounce of strength, I wished I could have used the strength of my entire life! The wish I made is for me to meet a good man this year, and then get myself married off!"

The expression in Li Yifei's eyes shifted slightly.

"Are you really in that much of a hurry to get married? Can't you just focus on dating properly first?"

Qian Fei frowned and shook her head. "What’s the point of focusing on standard dating! Haven't I been hurt enough by dating already? After this birthday, I am twenty-seven years old. I'm no longer a young little girl, and I can't afford to dream anymore. Things like romance are entirely insubstantial. Finding a suitable person to marry, settle down with, and spend the rest of our lives supporting each other through thick and thin—that is the only proper path!"

Li Yifei fell silent for a moment.

He felt his thoughts were becoming a bit disorganized.

Ever since that night where they almost crossed the line after drinking, he had confirmed one thing: he had truly and genuinely fallen for this foolish older sister before him. But after that night, he had also plunged into a state of conflict and bewilderment—he couldn't be certain whether the extent of this affection was enough to sustain a marriage of lifelong mutual devotion. Was he willing to walk into the shackles of marriage solely for the sake of this affection?

It was precisely due to this conflict and bewilderment that he hadn't taken the initiative to jog her memory about what had transpired that night.

Qian Fei's phone rang. She answered it; it was her father and stepmother calling to wish her a happy birthday. Listening to her chatting happily over the phone, discussing various mundane family matters and occasionally bickering and bantering with her father, he couldn't help but want to smile along with her.

That was a family completely different from his own. Within that household, everyone lived with diligence and hard work. They could be considered reasonably well-off for an ordinary, working-class family, yet they had still drained their entire life savings just to buy her an apartment in Beijing. This foolish older sister constantly worried about her father’s health and felt immensely grateful for her stepmother’s kindness. She lived her life every day with a degree of trepidation, deeply terrified that some unpredictable incident might occur up ahead when she had no spare money on hand to resolve it.

Beneath her cheerful, laughing facade, he could see the tiny, detailed worries hidden away. He could also see just how much effort she was silently putting in to change her current circumstances. She studied hard, worked diligently to master her professional skills, and wanted to pass the sponsor representative and certified public accountant exams. She wanted to use her own efforts and capabilities to alter and seize control over all those uncontrollable factors.

She lived with such effort and such earnestness. Meanwhile, he had always prioritized pleasure above all else. Even though he liked her, could he truly bear the weight of her earnestness? Could he bear the weight of the marriage she so deeply yearned for?

Li Yifei's mind was in an absolute chaotic mess.

Qian Fei hung up the phone, raised her beer can, and said to Li Yifei, "My dad told me to have a drink with you on his behalf!"

Li Yifei raised his beer can as well. Just as he tilted his head back to take a gulp, he suddenly heard Qian Fei let out a sharp "Ah!" of shock.

He lowered his beer can and looked toward Qian Fei.

Her face was completely flushed, turning as red as freshly fried chili oil. Her eyes were wide, her mouth agape, and her entire face was filled with sheer terror.

Li Yifei knit his brows and asked, "What's wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?"

With her face burning red, Qian Fei stared at Li Yifei, the depths of her eyes overflowing with panic. "I remembered what happened that night after we finished drinking beer together!"

It turned out that intimate dream hadn't been a dream at all; it was a real-life event, and the performers were none other than herself and the person standing right before her eyes.

She stammered as she spoke, her voice carrying a distinct tremor: "W-w-we, h-h-how could we..." She trembled uncontrollably, biting her tongue several times, yet she ultimately failed to finish the rest of her sentence.

Meanwhile, Li Yifei just sat there looking at her. No expression could be discerned on his face, and he didn't utter a single word, merely sitting there quietly, watching her.

Qian Fei was so embarrassed she wanted to cry.

Even if he just said something—even if he claimed it was an impulse from being drunk and that he deeply regretted it now—it would still feel more comforting than this absolute silence. But he just sat there quietly watching her, as if appreciating her panic and loss of composure, making her desperately wish she could dig a hole in the floor and crawl inside.

"M-m-my head is spinning! I'm going back to sleep first, good night!" Having thrown out those words, Qian Fei stood up and stumbled frantically back to her room.

Watching Qian Fei's bedroom door slam shut with a resounding bang, Li Yifei patted his stiffened face.

When she suddenly announced just now that she remembered the events of that night, he hadn't even known how to react.

Should he say it was an accident or a momentary impulse? Should he say, 'Actually, I like you, but I haven't thought about whether I want to marry you'?

He didn't dare say anything at all. He was terrified that if he said a single wrong word, given her earnest personality, she would fiercely sweep him out the door and cut ties with him forever.

Patting his face, he returned to his own room.

He thought he really ought to cool down for a period of time to properly clear up his thoughts, deciding with what kind of attitude and what kind of relationship he should walk the remaining path with that foolish older sister.

Having made this decision, he intended to sleep. He would leave everything to tomorrow; after all, tomorrow is another day.

Yet just as he lay down, he received a phone call from the company's vice president.

●︶3︶●

When she went to work the following day, Qian Fei discovered that Li Yifei had already left.

She felt a bit uncomfortable in her heart. She felt he was clearly avoiding her.

During office hours, Liu Yifeng wanted her to confirm a few matters regarding the previous due diligence work with the team from Li Yifei's company. She called Li Yifei's phone, only to find it was turned off. Left with no choice, she had to call Zhao De instead.

Zhao De's voice over the phone sounded somewhat listless. When Qian Fei asked him what was wrong, he mentioned his chest felt tight.

Qian Fei asked him what Li Yifei was up to, explaining that his phone was consistently turned off. Zhao De's voice carried a hint of surprise: "You don't know? Don't you two live together? Yifei left early this morning on a business trip with another project team. It'll probably take about a month. It's that corporate bond issuance project he was borrowed for previously; he's likely still on the plane right now. Come to think of it, it’s quite strange—no matter how much the manager of that project team begged him to go on this business trip with them before, he absolutely refused, saying he had an important matter to handle this month that seemed to be related to you. But this morning I heard that after the vice president called him last night, he agreed to go. Seriously, with his personality, he's more fickle than a woman!"

After wrapping up this phone call, Qian Fei was completely stupefied.

She felt utterly mortified. He was doing this entirely to avoid her!

She regretted her own big mouth; even if she had remembered the events of that night, why on earth did she have to speak them aloud?

She assumed that Li Yifei must have simply had too much to drink that night. He had merely acted on an impulse fueled by alcohol, which was why he treated her that way. In reality, deep down, he probably hadn't wanted her to ever remember the events of that night, right? Yet she just had to go and remember it, and even spoke it aloud, making it impossible for him to face her, so he could only use a business trip to escape.

She felt incredibly awkward and intensely embarrassed, feeling as though she had nowhere to hide her face. It felt as though she were forcing someone to take responsibility for her.

Yet past the embarrassment, she also felt a bit miserable. Her heart ached faintly, and the depths of her eyes felt slightly stinging.

She took a deep breath, suppressing that touch of misery, that dull ache, and that stinging sensation, forcing herself to stop overanalyzing things.

Whatever would be, would be. If he wanted to move out after he returned, she would just find a new tenant. If he still wanted to continue living there, she would maintain her distance from him, ensuring they wouldn't make their interactions so uncomfortable for each other.

●︶3︶●

Sitting on the airplane and staring out the window at the dense, white clouds, Li Yifei's thoughts gradually settled into calm serenity.

Yesterday, the vice president had pleaded with him in an unprecedented, practically on-his-knees manner to accompany the bond issuance project team to sort out the aftermath. The owner of that bond-issuing enterprise was truly an incredibly difficult character; nobody else could handle the guy, and only Li Yifei could still get a few words through to him. The vice president stated that if he didn't go, the project would be completely stranded.

With matters pushed to this point, he had no way to refuse further, so he could only agree to it.

After agreeing, he thought it over and realized this business trip was actually quite well-timed. He could precisely utilize this period of time to thoroughly clear up what exactly he felt toward Qian Fei, and to what extent he was willing to surrender his freedom for her sake. She was completely different from all the girls he had interacted with in the past. With those girls, it was perfectly fine to just date without ever thinking about marriage; after all, everyone was merely pursuing a carefree and comfortable time. But Qian Fei wouldn't work that way. Every single time she entered a relationship, she was earnestly and sincerely aiming for marriage, even though she had failed every single time.

And precisely because she had failed several times already, she could absolutely not afford to be harmed again. Therefore, he needed to be all the more prudent, and all the more certain about his feelings toward her—whether he was truly willing to offer marriage as a foundation or not. If not, she would get hurt, in which case he might as well just stop his steps right here and distance himself from her. If he was willing, he needed to consider whether he would regret it in the future.

He resolved to utilize this one month's time to sort through these matters thoroughly and clearly.