The Early Spring - Extra Chapter 6

Side Story 6 - Liang Chengmin

Liang Chengmin's sudden fainting spell frightened Luan Mingrui half to death; scooping her into his arms, he sprinted straight for the hospital. After a brief bout of dizziness, Liang Chengmin opened her eyes in Luan Mingrui's embrace, but feeling uncomfortable, she closed them again. Once at the hospital, the emergency doctor took one look at Liang Chengmin and said: "What on earth happened to Doctor Liang?" Hearing that Doctor Liang had fainted, the doctors and nurses—coincidentally having few patients at the moment—all gathered around to look at her. The emergency physician was experienced and knew at a single glance that Liang Chengmin was suffering from extreme fatigue combined with low blood sugar. Thus, he criticized Luan Mingrui: "How are you taking care of your wife? Letting her go without proper food or sleep to the point of fainting. What good are you as a husband? It would be so much better if she switched to someone who knows how to dote on her!"

Luan Mingrui stood there listening without uttering a word. Divorce or no divorce, pride or no pride—his heart was aching to death for her.

By the time Liang Chengmin's dizziness passed and she opened her eyes, seeing Luan Mingrui sitting beside her caused a fresh surge of grievance to well up in her heart. Pouting her lips, her tears came cascading down.

Grasping her hand, Luan Mingrui said in a low voice: "Stop crying. I apologize to you."

"Why are you apologizing? What mistake could you possibly have made! Weren't you insisted on getting a divorce? Just wait until my dad brings the paperwork back, and I'll go handle the procedures with you!"

"You were the one who brought up the divorce," Luan Mingrui reminded her.

"If I said divorce, you just get a divorce? Back when I said I wouldn't marry you, why didn't you listen then?" Liang Chengmin felt aggrieved to death: "I just want to divorce you!" She was nearly infuriated to death by Luan Mingrui; this fainting spell had truly made up her mind to divorce him. Apologizing now? Too late!

After finishing her glucose IV drip, Liang Chengmin walked home while Luan Mingrui followed closely behind her.

"Don't follow me! I'm not close with you!"

Luan Mingrui didn't speak either, simply keeping close behind. Arriving back at Liang Chengmin's house, she blocked him at the front door: "You're not allowed through this door!"

Luan Mingrui cast a glance at her, craned his neck, and shouted: "Mom!" Mother Liang came out from the house, and seeing the two throwing a fit at the doorway, she said: "If you want to throw a fit, come inside and do it! Close the door." They were adults now—if these two stubborn souls truly wanted a divorce, they would have gotten one long ago; would there be any need to put on one scene after another?

Just like children playing house!

Mother Liang was someone who had seen it all, having weathered the storms of this small town and taught for so many years, seeing through everything clearly. Casting a glance at them, she said: "I'm going out to buy cooking oil." With that, she left.

Only the two of them remained in the house. Luan Mingrui reached out to grab her hand, but she dodged him, hiding her hands behind her back: "Don't touch me!"

"Is it not okay for me to touch my own wife?"

"Who's your wife? We're getting a divorce!"

"I'm not divorcing!"

"Too late! I insist on a divorce!" Liang Chengmin's eyes turned red: "In the future, you go eat your meals and I'll drink my alcohol—we won't interfere with each other!" She returned the exact bastardly words he had spoken straight back to him.

Luan Mingrui was amused to the point of laughter by her.

It had always been him infuriating others, until he met a tough nut like Liang Chengmin. Just how tough was Liang Chengmin? Luan Mingrui felt she was the only one he would ever meet in his entire life whose neck was held so straight and unyielding that she wouldn't bend even if killed. She was tougher than him, and even more heartless than him.

As for what to do next, he was clueless.

Simply staring at Liang Chengmin, he said to her after a long pause: "I'll come back when you've cooled off. If you still want a divorce then, I'll yield to your wishes." Lifting his leg, he walked away.

Who didn't have an unyielding spine? Luan Mingrui thought. The next day, he packed his bags and left for another city.

Marrying near the age of thirty, Luan Mingrui didn't know that sometimes a woman simply needed to be coaxed—to drop one's pride and coax her properly. In his heart, he felt Liang Chengmin shouldn't have gone out drinking with a male medical classmate, partly because Liang Chengmin had previously mentioned her family wanted her to marry a doctor, a teacher, or a worker, and partly because Luan Mingcheng had mentioned Liang Chengmin once being intimately involved with a doctor. Previously, he felt it was impossible for Liang Chengmin to have been involved with anyone else—she didn't understand a thing herself. But seeing that doctor holding her while she was drunk, he felt that perhaps they really had been together. He didn't know why he cared so much; perhaps it was because between him and Liang Chengmin, he had always been the active one. Meanwhile, she seemed reluctant and unwilling. She didn't seem to harbor much enthusiasm for their marriage, likely marrying him only because she had reached marriageable age, her family was pushing hard, and she happened to run into an endlessly persistent guy like him.

His business was actually very tough; how could dealing in seafood be easy? It was common for him to personally carry goods when necessary, leaving him bruised black and blue with scars all over. But in the past, whenever he traveled elsewhere, he would write letters or send telegrams to Liang Chengmin, thinking of her every single day. This time, there was truly nothing—no letters, no telegrams; the two simply fell into cold silence.

Luan Mingrui felt miserable inside, yet didn't know how to express it, fearing Liang Chengmin would mock him if he did. These two weeks felt like living in hell; he constantly felt as though he couldn't go on living.

He didn't know how Liang Chengmin was faring during the half-month he was gone, assuming she was probably quite carefree.

By the time he returned, the trees in the small town were sprouting fresh green buds.

How beautiful spring was this year. Wanting to find Liang Chengmin first, he went to her hospital, only to discover it was her day off. Going to her house, he paced at the doorway for a long time, unable to bring himself to step inside.

Thus, he returned to his parents' house for a meal.

His parents asked him: "Should we call Minmin to come back and eat together tonight? While you were away, Minmin came over constantly to take care of us."

"Take care of you in what way?"

"Oh, so many ways! Ask her yourself."

After eating, Luan Mingrui went back home. Leaving his luggage at the doorway, he pushed open the front gate and saw someone airing a quilt in the courtyard—standing on tiptoe with outstretched hands to straighten the quilt, wearing two thick braids—who else could it be but Liang Chengmin?

Hearing the courtyard gate rattle, Liang Chengmin turned back to look at him. Why had he lost so much weight? Had he not been eating properly?

He walked inside and shut the gate.

Asking her: "Not working today?"

"No."

"Then hear me out."

"Speak." Liang Chengmin had been missing him to death. She hadn't known before that loving someone felt like this, leaving her utterly heartbroken after their fight. She had insisted on a divorce, yet when he quietly left, she missed him again. Sometimes, wanting to know if he was doing well, she would visit her mother-in-law's house. Her mother-in-law would bring out his letters for her to read.

They had simply gotten married too soon after meeting.

Neither understood the other that deeply, nor did they know how much weight they truly carried in the other's heart, always assuming the other had married them out of compromise. How could either of them know that neither was the type to compromise? If they were truly willing to make do, would they have waited until this age to marry?

"I missed you quite a lot while I was away these past two weeks."

"If you missed me, why didn't you write to me? Why didn't you send a telegram?" Liang Chengmin asked him: "Is this how you miss someone?" Even a single word would have let her know he was safe and sound and where he was, so she'd know where to look when missing him!

"Wasn't it you who said you wanted a divorce?"

"Right, and I still want a divorce right now!" Liang Chengmin had been stubborn and sharp-tongued since childhood—her heart was scalding hot, yet her mouth would never admit defeat. When working at the hospital, even while genuinely anxious for a patient, her words sounded like a lecture.

"Then let's go right now."

"Go where! What time is it! They're closed!" Liang Chengmin glared at him—why didn't he understand where he had gone wrong! Turning around, she went inside, brought out a letter, and handed it to him: "Read this now."

Luan Mingrui opened the letter and recognized Liang Chengmin's handwriting. She had written a self-criticism letter on his behalf, the general idea being: I should not have slandered Liang Chengmin. Liang Chengmin has the freedom to dine with members of the opposite sex (not alone). I ought to trust Liang Chengmin.

The note in parentheses was quite amusing.

Handing the letter back to her, he said: "I won't read it out loud."

"You haven't looked at the second page yet."

"I won't read it, I don't want to look." Luan Mingrui was truly unyielding to the death: "If I have to read this letter out loud for you not to divorce me, then let's go handle the procedures directly. I won't read it."

Liang Chengmin finally understood what kind of person Luan Mingrui was—the past rumors about him were all true. He was just this rigid and cold. Even though what she had written on the second page was her own self-criticism—that she shouldn't have gotten drunk with members of the opposite sex and allowed a male classmate to walk her back to her dormitory alone, nor should she have mentioned divorce so lightly. And that she missed him very much.

"Then I'll read it." Liang Chengmin flipped to the second page: "After I finish reading, we'll go handle the procedures first thing tomorrow morning."

She read her page, but just as she read the opening lines, Luan Mingrui stepped forward and pulled her tightly into his arms. Liang Chengmin kicked and bit him; she felt aggrieved to death. Others called her a tough iron lady, yet she had been driven to tears by Luan Mingrui multiple times!

"I must divorce you, you have no chance left. I'm unwilling to live with someone who has such a foul temper, and I won't wrong myself for a lifetime just to live with you!" Liang Chengmin struggled in his arms, but Luan Mingrui held her tight without letting go, constantly murmuring, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"Stop reading, Liang Chengmin," Luan Mingrui held her tightly, "my heart aches."

Both were unyielding people, yet there were many things in marriage that didn't need to be explained so clearly, nor did anyone strictly have to bow their head. His reddened eyes and her falling tears were both that unspoken apology; no one understood everything right from the start.

Luan Mingrui regretted it to death, wiping away her tears: "Liang Chengmin, you can do anything you like in the future, and I won't control you. I will only restrain myself."

"I don't want you to leave me alone, I want you to trust me."

"I trust you."

"Liar! If you trusted me, things wouldn't have turned out like this!" Liang Chengmin wept with sobs. Holding her face, Luan Mingrui lowered his head to kiss her.

"You're not allowed to kiss me." Despite speaking like this, Liang Chengmin's hands clutched his lapels as she slightly closed her eyes.

"Liang Chengmin," Luan Mingrui murmured against her lips, "during all the days I was gone, I missed you every single day. I hope that like me, you didn't marry because of a compromise."

Hearing this line, Liang Chengmin opened her eyes: "If I could make do, I would have married long ago."

"Speak properly."

"Anyway, I didn't make do."

"Then why did you marry me?" Luan Mingrui held her face: "Why? I married you because I have you in my heart, and no one else will do. If it weren't for you, I would have stayed a bachelor for the rest of my life. What about you?"

Liang Chengmin pressed her lips against his: "Because I love you. Now you can kiss me."

When they were apart, she had missed him terribly, her heart aching beyond measure. When she went home, her mother would ask: Has Mingrui sent a letter? She hadn't even known how to answer. It was fine during work, as there were things to do, but returning home after off-shifting left her all alone.

Back then, Luan Mingrui had firmly refused to live with his parents after marriage, moving into an old house right before the wedding. Returning to the old house, Liang Chengmin felt it was empty and deserted; returning to her parents' house, she felt there were no traces of Luan Mingrui in the room, so she returned to their own little home once more.

Since he didn't write to her, she couldn't bring herself to ask her in-laws where he was, leaving her to simply long for him, longing so much that her heart ached.

That day, both were exceptionally urgent—a newlywed couple who had engaged in such a massive row and been separated for so many days felt every cell in their bodies yearning. Luan Mingrui carried her into the room, kicked the door shut with his foot, and began pulling at her clothes.

Liang Chengmin was like a pool of water, letting him scoop her up and set her down at will, yielding to him in every way.

At the most intense moment, Liang Chengmin even had an illusion—feeling as though a seed was sprouting within her body.

After that day, the affection between this young couple became truly sweet and harmonious. Liang Chengmin was like Luan Mingrui's little shadow, following right behind him after off-shifting—wherever she went, he went. Luan Mingrui was especially willing to lead her through the streets and alleys, saying to any acquaintance they met: "My wife, Liang Chengmin."

A dozen or so days later, Liang Chengmin gagged as she got out of bed.

Putting on his shoes, Luan Mingrui cast a glance back at her: "What's wrong?"

"If I'm pregnant, what should we name our child?" Liang Chengmin was a doctor herself; she had felt she was pregnant a few days ago, but hadn't bothered to get tested.

"?" Luan Mingrui felt a sudden surge of excitement in his heart, though he felt it wouldn't happen that fast. Still, he gave it serious thought: "Luan Nian, then."

"Why?"

"Sounds nice."

Liang Chengmin was truly pregnant. Calculating the dates on her fingers, it coincided with the exact day they had reconciled—on that day, she had felt a sensation, feeling that everything was exceptionally abundant.

Her entire pregnancy was accompanied by nausea and vomiting, which was uncommon, as most people's symptoms would disappear or ease after three months. But not her—even after three months, she was still throwing up. Anything she ate was vomited back up.

Tormented by this child, Liang Chengmin was drained of her healthy appearance.

When other women got pregnant, they gradually gained weight; as for her, aside from her belly growing larger, her arms and legs remained slender and frail.

Luan Mingrui was heartbroken to death. He was immensely dissatisfied with this child. Sometimes, he couldn't help poking Liang Chengmin's belly, saying: "Just wait until you come out—see how I deal with you!"

"How come you don't know how to feel bad for your mother? How hard was it for your mother to carry you—can you stop tormenting her?"

As luck would have it, the child moved inside her belly as if in protest.

Liang Chengmin said to him: "I have a premonition that this child might not have a very good temper."

"Why?"

"Sometimes when you're fierce to him, he gets unhappy."

"What does he know?"

Doting on her with heartache, Luan Mingrui asked her what she wanted to eat, and she said: "Shrimp."

Luan Mingrui rolled up his sleeves to cook shrimp for her. Fearing she would get tired of it, he prepared shrimp in various ways. Everyone in the Luan family, from top to bottom, was particular, and Luan Mingrui was no exception. When he cooked, any flaw in color, aroma, or taste was unacceptable—it was like carving a piece of art.

When making shrimp, he would first devein them, steam them until half cooked, and then stir-fry them in hot oil. The color of the oil-braised king prawns was truly beautiful; he would also make a dish of stir-fried greens, accompanied by a glass of milk.

In the south, there were sweet osmanthus flowers, which Luan Mingrui's mother had found ways to preserve. If milk could be obtained at home, the children could enjoy delicious osmanthus milk.

Luan Mingrui made osmanthus milk for Liang Chengmin, and Liang Chengmin loved drinking it very much.

During the year Liang Chengmin was pregnant, Luan Mingrui stopped traveling out of town; he had to take care of her. Getting up early to make breakfast, he would see her off to work after she ate, then turn around and head to the freight yard, hurrying back home by ten o'clock to cook lunch. Combining meat and vegetables for balanced nutrition, he would bring it to the hospital in a ceramic food box, accompany her through the meal, chat with her for a few moments, and then head back. He would visit various departments to handle paperwork, check shipments at the freight yard, and instruct Luan Mingcheng on what to do. Then he would go to the hospital to pick Liang Chengmin up after off-shifting.

He didn't miss a single day.

Seeing the two together every day as if glued at the hip, the hospital staff would tease: "Tsk tsk, how sweet!"