Chapter 224: Leave the Most Beautiful Memory ①
Nie Aiwen was scratching his head, feeling a bit stumped. Since Nie Qiu wasn’t here this time, Nie Aiwen asked the question he had wanted to ask for a long time. If Nie Qiu knew, he and Nie Aifang could get married early. If they wanted to develop in this city, he could buy another house, and the three of them could live together. If Nie Aifang wanted to go back later, the house they bought could be left to Nie Qiu. If Nie Qiu didn’t want it, he could buy it, and they could go home to retire.
He was Nie Aifang’s man now. He wanted her to have a good life with him, not to eat behind a vegetable stand every day. He wanted her and her family to live well, very, very well, without any grievances. But… he still had to consider Nie Aifang’s wishes. He didn’t think Nie Aifang was someone who was content with enjoyment, nor could she be a rich wife, so Nie Aifang had to work, and he let her continue working. But their relationship absolutely had to be known by Nie Qiu. Otherwise… otherwise, how long would he have to hold it in?
When Nie Aifang heard this, she bit her lip. “Aiwen… can we… not let Qiu Qiu know about us for now?”
Nie Aiwen was a little anxious when he heard this. “Then tell me, if we don’t let Qiu Qiu know now, when will we let Qiu Qiu know?”
“I want to say… after Qiu Qiu graduates from university, has her own job, and… her dating is stable, then we’ll tell her. By then, she’ll be more sensible.” Nie Aifang knew she was in the wrong, so her voice became softer and softer.
“Sis…” Nie Aiwen put down the food container in his hand and clasped Nie Aifang’s hand. “Sis, Qiu Qiu is a sensible child. You say, she’ll definitely understand us.” Nie Qiu wasn’t a fool; of course, she knew about their relationship, but she chose to respect Nie Aifang and let her speak for herself. But it had been so long, and Nie Aifang still hadn’t spoken.
Waiting for Nie Qiu to graduate from university? Work? Three years of high school, four years of university. If you add in dating a boyfriend after starting work, it would take at least eight years. Could he wait eight years? How many eight-year periods are there in a person’s life?
“Aiwen, I know… I know this is unfair to you, but Qiu Qiu is still young…” Nie Aifang lowered her head under Nie Aiwen’s expectant gaze.
“Sigh…” Nie Aiwen sighed. “Sis, if you don’t say it, let me tell Qiu Qiu!”
When Nie Aifang was hospitalized due to the demolition, he had already told Nie Qiu. But he didn’t mind saying it again. He hoped Nie Aifang would bravely face their relationship instead of avoiding it.
Nie Aifang looked at Nie Aiwen in surprise, her eyes wide open. She grabbed Nie Aiwen’s hand. “No, no, Aiwen, you can’t tell Qiu Qiu. Qiu Qiu is still young. What will Qiu Qiu think? Qiu Qiu has always thought you were her biological uncle since she was little. You’ve been so good to her. If she finds out about us, she’ll hate me. She’ll think I abandoned her father. Aiwen… don’t say it.”
Nie Aiwen was a little surprised. He suddenly thought of Chen Yan’s mother. Children grow up day by day, becoming more sensible day by day. But in their parents’ eyes, their children are still children. Chen Yan’s mother doted on Chen Yan endlessly, which led to Chen Yan’s ignorant and willful personality. Wasn’t Nie Aifang now treating Qiu Qiu like a child who understood nothing? Although Nie Aifang wasn’t spoiling Nie Qiu, in Nie Aifang’s eyes, Nie Qiu was just an insensible child! Nie Aiwen decided not to hide it anymore. He placed his hands on Nie Aifang’s shoulders. “Sis, Qiu Qiu actually already knows about us.”
Nie Aifang’s eyes widened, and she didn’t snap back to reality.
“Sis, you can’t always treat Qiu Qiu like a child. In our conservative era, people were already dating when I was in junior high school, let alone in this era?” Nie Aiwen said, “Putting aside whether Qiu Qiu is dating early or not, many people are dating in junior high schools now. On television, in movies, in novels, where isn’t love talked about? Even in war movies, they have to show love to attract viewers. Children nowadays mature early and understand everything. Don’t treat Qiu Qiu like a child who knows nothing.”
“Qiu Qiu is just a child.” Nie Aifang frowned. When Nie Aiwen mentioned early romance, Nie Aifang couldn’t help but think of Nie Qiu’s deskmate, Li Kai. She decided that when registering this year, she must ask the teacher to change their seats.
“Yes, I know. As long as you are here, Qiu Qiu will always be just a child.” Nie Aiwen said, “But children don’t know nothing. You and I are not biological. After so many years of gossip, Qiu Qiu already knows. She won’t say anything if we are together.”
“But…” She always felt that from the single-parent families she saw on TV, if the mother found a stepfather for the child, the child would definitely be hurt and pitiful.
“Sis… to tell you the truth! Qiu Qiu also asked me to take good care of you!” Nie Aiwen said, “I already told Qiu Qiu that I like you, I love you, I want to treat you well for the rest of my life, and I want to be Qiu Qiu’s stepfather. Qiu Qiu also told me that as long as I treat you well, it’s more important than anything else.”
Nie Aifang suddenly stood up, her voice rising in surprise. “What?! You told her? You told Qiu Qiu? When? Why didn’t you tell me?”
Nie Aiwen also stood up, his back aching a little from sitting on the small stool. “When you were hospitalized, I told Qiu Qiu. You agreed before I confessed. When we were together, you asked me not to tell Qiu Qiu, and I didn’t. I respected you. I hoped you would have the courage to tell Qiu Qiu yourself.”
Nie Aifang was stunned. So… Qiu Qiu already knew?
“Qiu Qiu is not a child anymore. Since she knows I like you and love you, and asked me to take good care of you, and I’ve been staying at our house often lately, Qiu Qiu must have known.” Nie Aiwen said, “Look, before the last exam, didn’t Qiu Qiu buy you a down jacket? Now Qiu Qiu understands filial piety. You can’t still see her as a child. She’s been growing up slowly all along!”
Nie Aifang looked at Nie Aiwen, thought for a long time, and then smiled with relief. “I understand, Aiwen. I’m sorry for making you wait… I’ll find a time to talk to Qiu Qiu properly and have a heart-to-heart talk.”
Nie Aiwen also smiled. He picked up the food container from the cardboard on the middle stool and handed it to Nie Aifang. “The winter holiday is coming soon. Qiu Qiu will definitely have a thorough cleaning, and her classmates will definitely have a gathering. Let’s eat first!”
When Nie Aifang heard about the gathering, she frowned. “I gave Qiu Qiu three yuan this morning…”
