Chapter 82: Life Is a Rising, Colorful Balloon

In November, Shi Ying served as an unpaid translator and assistant to President Sun, accompanying the chamber of commerce team to attend the Import Expo in Shanghai. As one of the 100,000 domestic enterprises organized by the government for this exchange, Shi Ying showcased his exceptional promotional skills, securing an investment of 130 million yuan from a historic winery in Rioja, Spain, with over 350 years of winemaking tradition, for Chixia Winery.

Chixia Winery’s debts were fully resolved, and over the next two years, Zhao Fugui would develop thousands of acres of vineyards at the foot of Helan Mountain for the foreign investors’ brand. Through shared sales channels and mutually beneficial winemaking techniques, Zhao, with Shi Ying’s assistance, would pivot and reintroduce his lifelong masterpiece to international markets.

In December, Cheng Simin officially opened her squishy studio under the auspices of the Half Mountain Disabled Persons’ Center, benefiting from rent relief policies. The studio not only provided stable employment opportunities for disabled individuals but also allowed Cheng Simin to actively collaborate with the center during her free time, regularly hosting training sessions and offering online entrepreneurship courses based on her success story.

Aside from Cheng Simin’s “Creative Handmade” store, other businesses like blind massage parlors, Dream Bakery, Silent Hair Salon, and Heartwarming Tea Shop gradually occupied the commercial spaces below the Disabled Persons’ Center building, transforming it into a model employment hub for the disabled community in West City.

As winter gave way to spring, in early March, Zhou Yan’s public rental apartment lease expired. She chose not to renew but instead moved into a new marital home that Zhao Fugui had purchased outright in the city center. Despite her repeated refusals, Zhao insisted on adding her name to the property deed.

However, regarding Zhao’s hope that she’d join him in managing the winery, Zhou Yan declined. She continued driving her small truck around town, accepting jobs—but now, she gave herself two days off each week because weekends were reserved for dates with Zhao at the winery.

In mid-April, Huanghe Garden experienced another power outage for maintenance. That evening, Grandma Qi, eager to watch people square dancing at the west gate, insisted on descending the safety staircase from the 12th floor. Being elderly, she grew tired halfway down and tragically fell, breaking her left leg.

Considering the inconvenience of living on the 12th floor with a disabled grandson, Shi Ying helped Grandma Qi apply for a public housing transfer. With her leg in a cast, Grandma Qi moved from Building 6, 12th floor, to a ground-floor unit in the opposite building.

By then, among the neighbors on the 12th floor, only Shi Ying, who frequently traveled for work, and Cheng Simin, who often stayed overnight at Chen Xiaofen’s place with Beibei, remained.

On the evening before the summer solstice, Cheng Simin and Shi Ying returned home like weary birds coming back to their nest.

In the first half of the night, they drank wine, ate takeout, watched movies, and talked in Shi Ying’s apartment, basking in tender warmth. In the latter half, they engaged in passionate intimacy, drenched in sweat, exchanging raw words and actions, taking turns exploring each other’s bodies with fervent intensity.

At 5 AM, three hours before heading to the winery for the wedding reception, the horizon outside began to brighten. Shi Ying held Cheng Simin in bed, neither asleep, both too exhausted to move. Hunger gnawed at them, so they got dressed and shuffled to Cheng Simin’s apartment to rummage for food.

Fortunately, there were still a few packets of soon-to-expire instant noodles. They wouldn’t starve after indulging in their nocturnal escapades.

Shi Ying, hair still damp, stood in the kitchen wearing an apron, cooking noodles while sweating profusely from the heat. Without air conditioning, the steam made his nose glisten. Cheng Simin sat comfortably on the sofa, enjoying the cross breeze, hugging her knees and yawning repeatedly at her boyfriend’s back.

After slurping down their bowls of noodles, Cheng Simin wiped the grease from her lips and shared a new observation with Shi Ying in a sleepy haze.

“Hey, Apartment 1204 seems occupied. The day before yesterday, I came back to grab some clothes and saw someone moving furniture in. There were piles of old books and newspapers stacked in the hallway—probably an elderly book lover living alone?”

“Hmm, Grandma Qi and Jingang’s units have been leased too. I bumped into the new tenant in the elevator last week—a recent college graduate in their twenties looking for work.”

Shi Ying ate more slowly. Hearing the electric kettle boil behind him, he set down his chopsticks, walked over, and stirred a packet of menstrual pain relief powder into a colorful glass cup.

When he brought the bitter concoction over, Cheng Simin immediately scrunched her face like a dumpling and shook her head vigorously. “No way, I’m not drinking that—it’s disgusting! You drink it if you want.”

Shi Ying’s brows furrowed, but his lips curved into a smile. He nudged the glass toward her and sat back down to finish his noodles. “If me drinking it could relieve your pain, I’d gulp down ten packets daily.”

Last winter, the Disabled Persons’ Center building lacked central heating, and Cheng Simin relied on an oil-filled radiator for warmth. While sunny days were manageable, the nights were brutal. After employees left, she often stayed late to handle after-sales orders. The new building was damp and chilly. Though skeptical of traditional Chinese medicine theories about cold invading the uterus, reality proved undeniable—her menstrual cramps worsened this year, along with discomfort in her knees.

Thus, every month before her period, Shi Ying ensured she took medication, applied heat therapy, and avoided cold foods.

“Drink up—start two days early to ease the pain and avoid relying on painkillers later.”

“How about an acupuncture session at noon? Summer’s a good time to regulate your body.”

Between menstrual pain and bitter medicine, Cheng Simin reluctantly chose the lesser evil and sipped the potion.

While she drank, Shi Yin didn’t leave—he hovered nearby to ensure she didn’t slack off. Watching her expression reminded him of scenes from Water Margin , where Pan Jinlian fed Wu Dalang poisoned soup. Cheng Simin found it hilariously fitting and almost spat out her final sip in laughter.

Did Shi Ying not know what she was thinking? Her antics were always mischievous.

Quickly, while her mouth was open, he slipped a sweet tangerine candy onto her tongue.

Both claimed to love the other more, so naturally, washing dishes became a competition. But this time, Cheng Simin lost, settling for sitting outside the kitchen on a chair to watch Shi Ying clean up.

As water flowed noisily, Cheng Simin’s eyelids grew heavy. She brushed away stray hairs tickling her nose and resumed discussing the new neighbor. “Shi Ying, do you think it’s shameless for us to keep living here?”

With increasing numbers of young people returning to Half Mountain, public rental apartments were becoming scarce. Objectively, they still qualified due to owning no property in the city. However, one possessed shares worth tens of millions in a winery, and the other ran a million-yuan annual business selling squishies—it seemed inappropriate to remain in subsidized housing.

They had passed the toughest times when they most needed help and should relinquish these welfare units to those in greater need.

Shi Ying knew they’d eventually marry and buy a house, leaving this place. Still, like students nearing graduation, both harbored sentimental attachment to this space—it felt like their post-adult dormitory, holding special meaning.

“It is a bit shameless. Why don’t we look at houses this month? I won’t rush you about marriage, but don’t delay our engagement until next year. Always saying you’re busy—you could simply register our marriage if you dislike formalities. Otherwise, my heart feels restless, like Beibei without a leash.”

“My mom returns in August. How about sitting down together for dinner?”

Since New Year’s visits to each other’s families, they’d seen each other’s relatives almost weekly—grabbing meals at Chen Xiaofen’s or visiting grandparents. Yet, despite this familiarity, he sought a formal occasion to secure a proper title.

After speaking, Shi Ying felt anxious, waiting for Cheng Simin’s response. Turning around, he discovered his mute girlfriend had fallen asleep in the chair, her lips slightly parted as though kissing someone in her dreams.

Drying his hands, Shi Ying leaned over, kissed her lips firmly, and carried her to bed when she stirred groggily.

She slept on the lower bunk, and he climbed to the upper one.

Before closing his eyes, Shi Ying thought of setting an alarm to avoid missing Zhao Fugui’s wedding ceremony and replying to pending messages. However, Cheng Simin’s sleepiness was contagious, and when he reopened his eyes, it was already 11 AM.

Below, Cheng Simin frantically dressed, whining up at him, “It’s too late! The ceremony has started! Wake up and get dressed!”

Startled, Shi Ying bolted upright, forgetting his height—the top of his forehead collided with the ceiling with a loud thud.

Concerned for his handsome face, Cheng Simin tried to comfort him but ended up tripping herself into a heap on the floor.

By the time they reached the winery, Zhou Yan and Zhao Fugui had already completed their vows, finished their rounds of toasts, and were now seated at Chen Xiaofen’s table, happily chatting.

Beibei and Cheng Jiabao, today’s flower children, wore pink tutus over their sturdy frames. Spotting Cheng Simin and Shi Ying approaching, Beibei wagged her tail like a propeller, ready to take off.

At the banquet tables, Grandma Qi chatted with Cai Yuefeng, Chen Xiaofen served Zhou Yan dishes, and Zhao Fugui clinked glasses with Li Huaiqing. Jingang, bored, poked at holes in rocks with a stick, searching for snakes.

Cheng Jiabao hadn’t joined him. Recently obsessed with studying, she furiously scribbled away on her homework.

Approaching quietly, Cheng Simin glanced at her sister’s essay topic: What Is Life? Describe Your Happy Life in 200 Words.

Jiabao’s answer was simple yet profound: Life Is a Rising, Colorful Balloon.

(End of Story)

Thank you for reading!