For this, Shen Shuangshuang was so excited that she couldn't sleep all night: Ah, finally she could say goodbye to the days of being alone. On one floor, there were four rooms, but only her little girl lived there. It was still okay during the day, but once it got dark, lots of terrifying thoughts would pop up in Shen Shuangshuang's little head, scaring herself out of her wits. But now it was fine, a handsome guy moved in, and it could be considered having a neighbor with grass. After getting excited, Shen Shuangshuang began to impatiently imagine the N possibilities of meeting the handsome guy tomorrow.
One, The First Clash
Time: Weekend Specific Time: 9:54 am
Location: XX Neighborhood Specific Location: Shen Shuangshuang's doghouse
"Ding ling, ding ling, ding ling" A deadly bell woke Shen Shuangshuang from a good dream: Who on earth invented the damn doorbell!!!
With a messy hairdo, eye gunk hanging, and mouth saliva hastily wiped, Shen Shuangshuang sleepily opened the door, intending to curse the person outside until they were bloody.
"Miss, hello, I just moved in opposite you. My name is He Zhixiang."
The voice seemed to come from miles away, and it took a long while for Shen Shuangshuang to wake up from her deep sleep. After an end-of-the-century scream, she quickly completed three actions: covering her face, blocking her chest, and closing the door. Afterwards, He Zhixiang used four words to describe Shen Shuangshuang's speed at the time: fast as lightning.
When Shen Shuangshuang reopened her boudoir door half an hour later, during this period, He Zhixiang had warmed up milk, toasted bread, and thought of several ways to greet each other. However, he didn't know that his lines were completely useless to the little witch Shen Shuangshuang.
He held milk in one hand and bread in the other, standing before Shen Shuangshuang's door with a pleading face.
She placed her left hand on her waist, right hand on the door, glaring at him coldly, and began her opening remarks:
"You haven't seen anything, right? Even if you have, you must immediately forget it and not mention it again in the future. Otherwise, I will reserve the right to hold you legally responsible. Also, don't you think it's impolite to greet someone without considering the time? You came too early and disturbed my dreams. Don't you think that's very rude? And, is this breakfast for me?? Thanks!! At least you have some conscience."
After saying this, she reached out her hand to grab the food, but the other person pulled back his hand mysteriously,
"Miss, although I don't know what legal responsibility you want to hold me accountable for, I honestly tell you, I really didn't see anything just now because you were dressed conservatively and after your ear-piercing scream, I believe any normal man wouldn't have the spirit to notice anything else. Besides, you slammed the boudoor like a thunderstorm, preventing me from seeing anything. Additionally, I sincerely apologize for disturbing your sweet dreams, but it wasn't early morning when I rang your doorbell at 9:54 am. In fact, I wanted to confirm if the owner inside was safe because there was no sound in the house at that time, which made me worry a lot. Finally, this breakfast is a gift prepared for you, please accept it as my apology. The milk is canned, you can drink it with peace of mind, as for the bread, if you're not sure, you can throw it away. Moreover, given the situation earlier, let me introduce myself again, my name is He Zhixiang, starting today, I'll be your neighbor."
"Are you done?"
"Yes, I'm done."
"Then can I eat?"
"Please go ahead."
"My name is Shen Shuangshuang. Thank you for your breakfast, I'll treat you another time!"
"No rush, we'll have plenty of time. I'll wait!" Saying this, he smiled, turned around, and walked off gracefully, his action looking extremely handsome in Shen Shuangshuang's eyes.
That night, Shen Shuangshuang wrote in her diary: The first clash with the new neighbor ended in a draw, but clearly the opponent was not an ordinary person. Be careful in the future.
That night, Shen Shuangshuang lay in bed feeling frustrated: Aunt Xi Murong had already taught "How to make you meet me, in my most beautiful moment", but God, why did you let me meet such a cool-looking handsome guy at my ugliest time? It's really unfair!!!
Two, Re-entering the World
Time: Wednesday Specific Time: 8:32 pm
Location: XX Neighborhood Specific Location: He's residence
Some people say: Where there are people, there is the world; where there is the world, there are grievances.
This statement, in Shen Shuangshuang's view, is absolutely correct, especially about buying cakes for birthdays.
Previously, the whole floor was her domain, she could shout whenever she wanted, sing whenever she wanted, and hum whenever she wanted. But now it's different. Shen Shuangshuang's autocratic life has been thoroughly disrupted by one person and one cat. The person, who hides knives in smiles, is named He Zhixiang, and the cat, which is lecherous and pretentious, is called Flying Fox from Snow Mountain, abbreviated as Foxfox.
Isn't this name funny? The first time He Zhixiang introduced his pet to Shen Shuangshuang, it made the naturally lazy Shen Shuangshuang immediately retreat and give a big white eye.
"Miss Shen, Foxfox is very obedient and well-behaved. Really, I swear. In exchange for her being so good, could you help take care of her for a day? Just one day would be enough!"
Although Shen Shuangshuang knew that men's promises were as unreliable as women's menstrual cycles, when that little thing looked at her with a pair of sad eyes, her heart instantly softened like a ripe persimmon.
Who knew that the result of being soft-hearted was that Shen Shuangshuang had to compensate for a coffee cup, a newly bought novel, and a sofa cover.
In the evening, Shen Shuangshuang confidently brought evidence, caught the cat, and kicked open He Zhixiang's door. According to Shen Shuangshuang's later recollection, their debate that day went as follows:
"Your cat is not as obedient as you said. Look, she ruined my coffee cup, my book, my sofa cover, etc., etc. Mr. He, how do you explain your cat's behavior?" Shen Shuangshuang firmly believed that reason conquers all, speaking confidently.
"Miss Shen, I'm very sorry. I didn't know my cat would offend your boudoir like this. This only shows that Miss Shen has a great connection with our Foxfox."
"Why?"
"Based on my experience, Foxfox only gets this close to kind people. Her actions today were just to show her affection for you and seek your favor. She just chose the wrong way. Please forgive her unintentional mistake."
"Does that mean her fault was unintentional, and my fault is because I look too easy to bully?"
"Absolutely not. My point is..."
"Mr. He, please let me analyze this. Based on your meaning, Foxfox causing the current outcome was entirely involuntary, in other words, not within her control. The cause of her losing control comes from external factors, and the external factor is because I look too kind, and because of this kindness, it triggered the trouble-making factor within her, controlling her entire thinking process, thus resulting in the current scene. Mr. He, do you have any questions about my analysis?"
He Zhixiang knew this was an unreasonable argument, but he couldn't find a counterargument immediately, standing there dumbfounded for quite a while before regaining his voice:
"Uh, no, it's just that I have a question I've been wanting to ask, I wonder if Miss Shen could enlighten me?"
"Don't be overly surprised. I know what you're going to ask. My profession is a writer, a freelance writer, specializing in detective novels, of course, occasionally writing romantic trivialities."
This completely shocked He Zhixiang, he was completely captivated by Shen Shuangshuang's thinking, words, and those cunning eyes: What the ancients said about pure intelligence and sharp wit isn't it exactly like this?
"So Miss Shen's point is..."
"Woah, it smells like corn soup, are you cooking corn soup at home?"
Who says only June weather changes like a child's face? This woman's face changes like June weather: just now she was here looking righteous, now she looks greedy. However, this is not the time to consider these things, now the most important thing is how to improve friendly relations.
"That's right, that's right. Wow, Miss Shen, you're really beautiful and smart. I just cooked a pot of corn soup, would Miss Shen like to come over and try it?" He Zhixiang deeply understood that when women are angry, there are two methods that can effectively curb their anger: flattery and delicacies.
"Alright, then I won't hesitate." Shen Shuangshuang looked eager, turned around, and cheerfully grabbed a bowl to scoop the soup.
After drinking the soup, Shen Shuangshuang unconsciously touched her round little belly and summarized:
"Wow, your soup is amazing! Super delicious! Next time, I'll definitely come again to learn more. Today's soup will count as compensation for the consequences caused by your Flying Fox from Snow Mountain. I'm leaving, goodnight."
Saying this, she waved her small hand lightly, not taking a single cloud with her, and left gracefully, leaving He Zhixiang and Flying Fox from Snow Mountain looking astonished and aggrieved respectively.
The second confrontation ended with Shen Shuangshuang's complete victory. In this battle, Shen Shuangshuang not only avenged the verbal insult from the first time but also captured the "spoils of war": a pot of corn soup. Hehe, look, this girl isn't someone to be trifled with!
Three, Continuation - Foxfox's External Transmission: Foxfox's N Reasons for Entering and Exiting Shen's Boudoir
After the "Foxfox" incident, Shen Shuangshuang should have learned from the first lesson, but the result was that Foxfox thereafter freely entered and exited Shen's boudoir. Why was this? This was a question Shen Shuangshuang hadn't figured out yet, and finally, she summed up the following reasons:
First, He Zhixiang is too handsome. Any woman finds it hard to resist beautiful things.
Second, He Zhixiang is too good at using her sympathy.
Third, He Zhixiang's soups are too delicious.
Imagine this: a handsome and dashing man brings a pitiful cat, with a pitiful expression and tone, saying:
"Shuangshuang, could you watch Foxfox for me? She'll be lonely when I'm not home. Have mercy on her, alright? Would you like me to treat you to snow ear fungus and lotus seed soup tonight?" Then he looks at you with expectant eyes. Heaven! How many women in the world can resist the temptation of beauty, flattery, and delicacies combined?
Therefore, summarizing all the above, Shen Shuangshuang would not refuse any of He Zhixiang's not-too-excessive requests, such as watching the cat or cleaning the house. Hence, Flying Fox became a regular visitor to Shen's boudoir, and Shen Shuangshuang became a fan of He's delicious soups.
Four, Forgetting Each Other in the World
Stomach, are you okay?
Right now, Shen Shuangshuang really wants to grab her stomach and ask.
Watching the long tube slowly inserted into her throat, Shen Shuangshuang painfully clutched the sheet, tears streaming down her face. It was both pain and the sorrow of loneliness: even though there was a chorus of moans around her, at least there was a knight in shining armor to rely on, while she had to endure this inhumane torture alone on this damn operating table.
After the examination, Shen Shuangshuang stood in the hospital filled with cries of pain, watching the crowds supporting their loved ones, friends, or acquaintances going in and out, tears wetting her eyes again. Sadness spread throughout her body instantly: why am I always the one who gets hurt?
Her stomach kept cramping, and she felt like her soul was being sucked out, weak and blurred. Shen Shuangshuang could only squat against the wall.
A pair of clean, large, and symmetrical hands reached out, catching the "pearls" falling nonstop from Shen Shuangshuang.
"Are you very upset?"
Is this the voice of heaven? Shen Shuangshuang was shocked.
Looking up, she found the person standing in front of her was none other than He Zhixiang, the one she had clashed with multiple times, now wearing a white coat and looking compassionate. Instantly,委屈, sadness, pain, and frustration surged to her heart, making her tears uncontrollable. Rationality told her not to get too close to someone she didn't know well, but her lonely and painful heart desperately needed a support. Thus, she followed her heart's desire and leaned on He Zhixiang's shoulder.
As hearts drew closer, they didn't know where the feelings would lead.
There was a cat visit, no need to guess, it was Foxfox.
Shen Shuangshuang's mood wasn't too good right now, she didn't have the leisure to play with the cat. She squinted at the snowy lazy cat, thinking about He Zhixiang, who often pretended to be pitiful and often smirked. What kind of person was he? Mom often said that men with thin lips were usually unfeeling, was he one of them? Were his unintentional concern, unintentional care, and unintentional compassion real? Was the man who took meticulous care of her in the hospital reliable? Did he love her? Neighbors, neighbors, were they the grass of lush spring clouds or the neighbors of distant horizons?
"How are you, does it still hurt?"
The gentle voice was full of infinite compassion.
"Not much. But based on the current situation, the decline of the stomach has been controlled."
"Haha, don't worry, I've cooked you a pepper pig stomach soup. This soup is very nourishing for the stomach."
The steaming hot soup, eyes full of care and compassion, Shen Shuangshuang's heart was instantly surrounded by something called happiness: the days of being cherished were far, far away, so far that she couldn't remember ever being this happy. Suddenly, her heart was filled with something, and her defenses disappeared completely at this moment.
"Thank you!"
"You're welcome, I'm doing this completely for our mutual love in the future!"
"It seems that being your neighbor has great benefits! I'm sure your previous neighbors must have been reluctant to see you leave!"
"You're my first neighbor. My previous workplace was very close to home, so I always stayed at home."
"What good fortune!"
"No need to envy. Everyone's good fortune comes at a certain time. I see your good fortune is coming soon." He Zhixiang spoke mysteriously, with a serious look on his face.
"How do you know? These kinds of things aren't something you can predict."
"I don't know about others, but I know about you." He Zhixiang's tone was unusually firm and serious.
"Why?"
"Because I am the one who will bring you good fortune!"
"Why?"
"Because, you are the patient, I am the doctor; you are lazy, I am diligent; you are beautiful, I am handsome; you are smart, I am wise; you are genuine, I am sincere; you are cute, and I love you."
Time seemed to stop, the world seemed to be muted. All Shen Shuangshuang saw in her eyes was He Zhixiang's passionate eyes, and all she heard in her ears was his voice. After a long, long time, she said:
"You're wrong!"
"Why?" His voice was unprecedentedly nervous.
"Your sentences start with antonyms but end with synonyms, which doesn't conform to grammar rules, Mother's Day flower delivery."
"It doesn't matter, this has nothing to do with grammar, it's all about love."
An illness, a bowl of soup, started a not uncommon entanglement in the world.
From then on, their division of labor became clear: one was responsible for watching the cat and the house, the other for cooking soup and taking care of flowers; of course, all effortless tasks were assigned to Shen Shuangshuang, and everything labor-intensive was He Zhixiang's. In Shen Shuangshuang's opinion, cooking soup and taking care of flowers should make a man look effeminate, but in He Zhixiang's case, it seemed natural and smooth, warm and touching.
From then on, their world began to intertwine, their lives remained beautiful and vague.
So-called coexistence in adversity is not as good as forgetting each other in the world.
Five, 1+1=?
One day, Shen Shuangshuang sat in front of the computer passionately typing, He Zhixiang was playing with the messy novels, snacks, etc. on the table, and Foxfox was nearby listening to Mozart with half-closed eyes.
"Shuangshuang, 1+1=?"
"Equals three!"
Shen Shuangshuang answered without hesitation, as if truth and she were sisters.
"Wrong!" He Zhixiang answered decisively,
"From the perspective of marriage, 1+1=3, from the perspective of love, 1+1=1!"
"Why?" Shen Shuangshuang always trusted He Zhixiang's twisted logic.
"Marriage-wise, one man plus one woman equals one more child, so it's three. Love-wise, one man plus one woman equals one family, so it's still one! Just like what we're going to do next month."
"Next month? What are we going to do?"
"To make 1+1=1 a reality!"
"Why should I turn that mysterious equation into reality?"
"To save on rent, darling!"
Who says that only villains and women are hard to raise? The person who said this must not understand men. If raising men is difficult, women wouldn't dare to be the first.
But holding your hand, writing together. Holding your hand, sleeping together. Holding your hand, growing old together. Holding your hand, what more could one ask for?