*cold sweat* Last day, when I told you my posting schedule for the next week, I hadn’t clued in how long this epilogue was. So ignore what I said last time. I’m going to split this epilogue into two separate posts, which means Really, Really Miss You will officially conclude this Friday night/Saturday morning. Then, next Tuesday night/Wednesday morning will be Beautiful Bones‘ fun post. Sorry for the confusion. 😓
Answer to last day’s quiz: “Just now, when I saw you kneeling in the great hall, I suddenly felt that, in my previous life, I was a coward.” This line was in chapter 32 of Really, Really Miss You, during the voice-acting competition that Toupai was one of the judges for. Only 1437anis got it. Yay! *sad tears* for everyone else. No one remembers Toupai?
The published book of Really, Really Miss You was finally released at the end of May with one long epilogue added. Out of etiquette and respect to those who paid to buy the books, this epilogue still is not found online in Chinese yet. Since I did buy the book (two copies, in fact!), you guys actually get to read this ahead of many of the Chinese fans. 😉 (Such a different writing style from Beautiful Bones. Jumping right back into translating this story made me feel like I had a split personality.)
Toupai, I heart you. ❤ ❤ ❤ And Sheng Sheng still as lovably dazed and half a beat behind as before.
Epilogue (Part 1)
On the weekend, Gu Sheng went to the recording studio to wait for Mo Qingcheng to finish up his work.
When she stepped up to the reception desk, the girl raised her head, and seeing it was her, she instantly beamed, “Little Golden Master, you’re here?”
Gu Sheng immediately grew embarrassed.
This was Fei Shao’s territory, so this “Little Golden Master” thingy had obviously been a result of his teaching. She gave some sort of vague reply and then politely asked, “Is Qiang Qing Ci done yet?”
The girl shook her head and pointed at the door at the end of the corridor. “Still inside. Go on in.”
“Thanks.” After she said this, she stepped away and walked down the corridor.
She pushed open the door, but the people sitting on the couch did not know her and were not really paying attention to who had entered the room.
Only Fei Shao, who was wearing a headset, turned his head and waved at Gu Sheng, telling her quietly, “Recording’s all done. He’s just listening to it himself.”
Through the recording studio’s glass wall.
He sat behind the microphone, his head tilted downward, flipping through the script page by page.
That pair of deep but bright black eyes was lowered so that it was not possible to see any emotions within.
A large segment of what he had recorded was being played and could be heard in both the inner and outer rooms of the studio. His voice was low and gentle. “I have finished writing out ‘Rhapsody of the Imperial Park.’ Not a single word was missed… Shi Yi, say my name… I think, I must have used my beautiful bones as an exchange for you to have unrivalled beauty, as an exchange for you to remember me, as an exchange for you to be able to utter my name when your lips moved…”
He suddenly made a gesture.
Fei Shao paused the recording.
“ ‘Beautiful bones, those with bone do not have skin, those with skin do not have bone.’ I’m going to record three more options of this sentence for you guys. All of you, listen to the feel of each of them.” In the instant he said this, he raised his head and saw her.
Suddenly, he gave a smile.
“Okay!” Fei Shao grinned gratefully. “Professional, oh, so professional.”
Ten minutes later, he pulled off his headset, hung it on the stand beside the microphone, and then stepped out of the recording room.
Gu Sheng rose from her chair, watching as he greeted those several men who were present before motioning to her. She walked over to him, and very naturally, he took her hand in his and left with her .
…… This was the first time he had initiated holding her hand out in public?
Gu Sheng felt that today’s atmosphere was a little strange.
Seeing that there was no one around when they reached the elevator lobby, she asked him in a quiet voice, “Did you immerse yourself too deeply into the role and now you can’t get out of it?”
He let out a chuckle. “Did I?”
“Something’s a little weird,” she mumbled.
“I want to get married.” His voice was rather low.
However, Gu Sheng had heard him only rather unclearly. His words had been like lightning that appeared in a flash before vanishing, and she was not very certain if she had heard correctly. But though she was uncertain, her heartbeat still grew irregular. She breathed lightly, wanting to ask but not daring to. And he was behaving as if he had not said anything, only silently watching the elevator doors slide open before taking her hand and stepping inside with her…
On this weekend evening, it was rather busy out, and it was also raining.
Fortunately, he had driven today. As their car passed a bus stop, she wiped at the condensation on the window with her hand.
Just now, he had said…
He wanted to get married?
Was it true?
But I still haven’t graduated yet, ah.
Yes, you could get married after you finished your undergraduate studies, but what would she tell her parents? And yes, Mom and Dad really, really, really liked him and even trusted his integrity so much that occasionally, they would allow her to stay over at his place on a weekend, but … Marriage seemed a bit too significant of a step.
While she brooded over all these jumbled thoughts, the car suddenly swerved into a side street and pulled into a random parking spot on the side of the road.
“There’s a car accident up front. I’m going to go take a look.” He threw these words over his shoulder, unbuckled his seatbelt, and rushed out from the vehicle.
Only after he was completely drenched and crouching down beside several people who had sustained injuries to check them did she snap out of her daze, grab an umbrella, and also dash out. But the umbrella did not even get a chance to be put to use. He informed them of his status as a doctor and performed some basic first aid. He was kept busy for a long while, from beginning to end, and when the emergency response vehicles hurriedly arrived, he also communicated the situation to the people who jumped out.
The whole time, she had followed behind him but had not dared to get too close, for fear that she would get in the way and just cause more trouble.
After the ambulances had left, the police vehicles still remained where they were to take care of the situation. Covered head to toe in muddy water and with blood smeared on him, he turned around to see her standing there dazedly, umbrella in hand but unopened. He could not help shaking his head as he pointed at the car. “Hurry and get back to the car.”
She started out of her stupor and darted back to the car.
Mo Qingcheng removed his soiled jacket and tossed it into the backseat before sitting back into the vehicle. “Why did you run out with me? What if you caught a cold?”
Her mind was in a haze. She also did not know why she had followed after him. “I don’t know either. I saw you run out so anxiously and just felt that I had to go with you.”
“’Hubby sings and wifey echoes?’” There was a hint of teasing in his voice.
“……” Embarrassed. She once again thought of…
Unfortunately, Toupai DaRen was acting as if nothing had happened, reaching for the tissue in the backseat and wiping at his hair and face.
She had already wiped herself down, and seeing his entire body dripping with water, she also yanked out several sheets, intending to help him dry off.
She had just pulled the tissue out of the box when her body was suddenly pinned against the back of her seat.
Because his hands had been soiled by blood, he did not touch her and only braced his arms on each side of her, his lips silently pressing against hers.
A long, intense kiss.
He closed his eyes.
He seemed to have encountered many things today. This morning, two patients, one after another, could not be revived. Later, the drama he was providing the voice acting for had been so saddening. Then, there was the situation just a moment ago. And…
They had not seen each other for two weeks.
He was simply too busy, but he could not always have her come to his home either.
He missed her.
Really, particularly missed her.
He nibbled her lip, squeezing her body between his two elbows.
He missed her voice. He just missed her. He wanted to marry her, to keep her in his home so that at any time, when he returned to that place called “home,” he would be able to see her. Even if it was simply gazing upon her as she studied or wrote her thesis, watching as she sang on YY, or looking on as she faced her computer and sang over and over again to record her songs — these were all things he wanted.
So, the decision was settled then.
He let go of her.
The kiss had left Gu Sheng’s breathing somewhat ragged, and her eyes glimmered with moisture as she gazed dazedly at him.
There was a smile in his eyes?
Huh?
Just now, she had thought… he was a little unhappy?
How come suddenly, he…?
He left Gu Sheng feeling somewhat confused.
From within the car, he pulled out some alcohol swabs, and after he had wiped down his palms, the back of his hands, and each of his fingers, he gathered and put away all the trash. Then, he turned the steering wheel and pulled out of the parking spot. “What do you want to eat tonight?”
Huh?
She completely could not keep up with his rhythm, k? Toupai DaRen, could you…
Slow down your thinking just a little bit? *cold sweat*
“Eat, um… curry.” Just thinking about it made her crave it. The curry he made was super delicious. “Curry anything will be good. Mm-hmm.”
“Curry anything will be good?” He could not hold back his laughter. In a low, unhurried tone, he asked to confirm, “Are you sure about that?”
“……” She choked on that and held her silence.
He let out another chuckle. It really looked like he was in an extremely good mood?
She snuck a glance at him.
He, however, was completely back to normal and simply carried on driving.
That night, Jue Mei was not home, so Mo Qingcheng did not sleep on the couch and simply went into Jue Mei’s room to sleep.
Before the sky was completely bright, Gu Sheng could already sense that there were footsteps.
Still sleepy, her eyes did not even open as she mumbled, “Don’t tell me he needs to do overtime again…”
They finally managed to have a weekend but…
But, really, she was only just saying that one sentence. In actuality, the next second, she had already prepared herself that, if he suddenly needed to work overtime like he had before, she would just dig up something for herself to eat quickly, go home to mooch a meal off there, and then pack up some snacks and return to school…
As her thoughts reached this point, a figure had already walked over to her bed, bent down, and in the most gorgeous and most tenderly soft voice, coaxed, “Time to get up.”
No overtime?
“…… Gonna sleep just a little bit more.” So sleepy, ah.
“Time to get up. Be good.” He lowered his tone even more, and using the voice she most loved to hear, he stated lightly, “We’re going to go get married.”
She thought she was dreaming.
Until she opened her eyes and saw his face. Her head ached from sleepiness, and she could not help rubbing it with her hand. “Was I dreaming just now? Or were you talking to me?”
He smiled and moved in closer to her. Almost whispering directly into her ear, he repeated another time, “We’re going to go get married.”
It was real?!
Her eyes suddenly flew open, and she was instantly wide awake.
And then, with his hand supporting her back to help her, she sat up. He handed her some clothes. “Wear this.”
Clothes from her home? Not the ones she had worn yesterday?
Bewilderedly, she took them from him. “I wasn’t wearing these yesterday.”
“I brought it from your home. For photos with a red background, it looks nicer if you wear this sort of white color.”
“Your mom wants us to go home for dinner after we register our marriage and get the certificate.”
“I meant, go to your home,” he continued to inform her before walking back over to stand before his wardrobe and stare at that rack of clothes, contemplating which outfit would be most suitable for him to wear for getting married. “My parents are out of town for some meetings. When they’re back, I’ll bring you there and we’ll have another dinner with them.”
She sat there stupidly.
Get married? They were really getting married?
Now?
It was only a little past seven o’clock.
Mo Qingcheng was sucking on a throat lozenge, and occasionally, there would be the sound of the lozenge bumping against teeth.
While she continued her blank stares, he had already sat down on the other side of the bed. She felt a weight on her shoulder, and just like that, his chin was there resting on it as he said gently, “I missed a step.”
“…… Mm?” She finally managed to recover a bit of her awareness.
The warmness of his breath.
And his voice…
His voice was somewhat muffled and unclear but was very warm and gentle as it told her, “’Til the different directions of the world no longer exist, ‘til the seas dry, only then will I cease to love you.”
Gu Sheng’s face immediately flushed a deep red.
Just like when he had first said this sentence inside the recording studio and in front of all those people, she felt a nervous excitement.
That day, it had been the first time they had seen each other in person. This line that he had spontaneously improvised had stunned everyone.
And now…
“Sheng Sheng, marry me.”
“……” She was unable to utter a sound.
She was even more unprepared and at a loss for how to respond than when she had heard they were leaving immediately to register their marriage.
“Sheng Sheng, will you…” This voice she loved most was beside her ear, sincerely asking her, “… marry me?”
“…… Mm,” she agreed softly.
“Okay. Go change now. We need to leave right away.” He immediately stood. They needed to hurry so they could be the first ones there.
Their speed was even faster than when he needed to go to the hospital to work overtime. She followed his lead, and the entire time — from their arrival at the Civil Affairs Bureau, to the taking of their photographs, to, finally, the registration of their marriage and signing of the documents — she felt as if she was drifting in a haze. As the tip of her pen hovered above the paper, she stole a glance at him.
He had already neatly and efficiently written his signature on the paper and was now calmly looking at her.
They were really… getting married?
She was still drifting and drifting… until the back of her hand was enveloped by his palm and gently guided to sign the two words, “Gu Sheng” as well as today’s date.
Hand in forms.
Two red booklets slowly printed from the machine.
Booklets handed back to them.
It was like a slow motion picture being played out frame by frame, stretching out the duration between each step. Happiness. Silence. Beating hearts. Stirring in the heart … That one person, the love of her life, was by her side, watching with her as one step at a time their marriage certificate was produced. This was a scene she had never before even conceived of.
Mo Qingcheng carefully put away the official certificate that legally sanctioned them to cohabit and led her out of the Civil Affairs Bureau. They headed directly to the most expensive shopping centre where he picked out for her the ring he had already looked at far in advance. After trying it out on the spot, he also selected a plain men’s wedding band and placed it on his own hand.
Utterly as efficient as an assembly line operation.
Even on their way back home, Gu Sheng still could not figure out, when had he made all these preparations? …
How come she’d had absolutely no idea?
So… they were married now?
So, they were married… now?
With these words, her heartbeat slowly started to recover.
After the fact now, but her arms were feeling somewhat limp, and gently, she twisted the ring on her finger.
“Sheng Sheng?” His voice spoke her name. Very softly.
“Mm?”
Happy?”
“Mm-hmm…” She didn’t even know what it felt like to breathe. “Happy.”
“It’s good that you’re happy.” He spoke in a low voice. With his left hand still on the steering wheel, he reached over with his right one and took her hand.
The small hand being encircled in his large one belonged to her, including that ring, which also belonged to her.
Legal age of marriage in China is 22 for men, 20 for women. In even the early 2000s, undergraduate students of post secondary educations institutions were prohibited from marrying while they were studying. This blanket rule was abolished in Sept 2005 and students were allowed to marry, but there are still some schools that will ask those who do to leave the institution.
夫唱妇随 “fū chàng fù suí.” More accurately, this should be translated as, “The husband sings and the wife shall chime in in agreement.” In the ancient patriarchal society of China, this was meant to say, a harmonious household was one in which the wife agreed with and submitted to everything her husband said. Later, this saying simply came to be used as a saying to describe a harmonious relationship between husband and wife.
In China, all photos taken for a marriage certificate are against a red background.
Additional Comments:“It’s good that you’re happy.” Remember when Toupai said this? Haha… Yes, Hoju is in a quizzing mood lately.