The most beautiful space

16. A Young Man's Heart is Always Poetic (Part 2)

He didn't even know if this liking started from the first time Su Tong visited their home, or from when he saw Su Tong at his sister's wedding, or if he was just a shallow guy who liked Su Tong from the moment he saw how beautiful she was at his sister's house not long ago.

However, Su Tong is quite far older than him, and according to his sister, Su Tong has always been successful in her career and has many suitors. He felt that the possibility of the two of them being together was probably slim, but he secretly hoped that he was good-looking, had a good personality, and was very tolerant of girls. Many girls in school had expressed their affection for him. Maybe, just maybe, Su Tong might like him too.

But when he saw that Su Tong, who was already beautiful, had become even more beautiful, he had a bad feeling. That feeling made him very uncomfortable. He was so uncomfortable that he hated Su Tong for becoming more beautiful. He was so uncomfortable that he secretly hoped that she could become a little uglier, or that she could become plain-looking.

Looking at the photos that had been developed, so beautiful they could grace a magazine cover, and at the girl in the pictures, so focused on dancing yet so beautiful, he felt a strong sense of panic. He was no longer the naive and ignorant boy he once was; he had long been exposed to the realities of society. He knew his place in society, and something called reason reminded him that such a beautiful woman was unlikely to belong to him.

But how can you expect a 20-year-old boy to accept this fact?

After saying goodbye to Su Tong, Li Qiang stayed alone in his room. His sister, Li Li, called him for dinner, but he didn't respond; he didn't feel hungry anyway. When Li Li asked him from outside what was wrong with him today, what had happened, he just said, "Nothing."

Li Li has maintained her fiery temper even after many years of marriage, and she was so angry that she almost broke down the door.

Zhang Shaokai persuaded her by saying, "Boys grow up and always have their own worries. Li Li, give Qiangzi some space."

Li Qiang has always been a rather introverted boy. Although he is very close to his sister, he can't possibly tell Li Li about these feelings. He also has a few friends who have been into photography since junior high school, but he's a little hesitant to tell them, always feeling that if they get to know Sister Su Tong, they might also fall for her.

Young boys are always like this; they think the girl they like is perfect in every way. It's as if all the boys in the world would like her.

Li Qiang remained in a daze until the sun set, and then dusk fell. Apart from the occasional sound of passing cars, the unlit room was completely silent. He changed two batteries, but the camera still hadn't had any power for a long time.

As midnight approached, Li Qiang's grief and despair reached an unbearable peak. He turned on his computer and stared at the screen in the darkness, as if grasping at the only straw. Perhaps his online friends could offer him some advice, or perhaps, if Su Tong could like him, they could still be together!

Li Qiang has loved photography since junior high school. Although his parents did not support him, the introverted but determined Li Qiang still found a teacher to teach him. He bought four top-of-the-line cameras. His teacher praised him for having some talent, saying that his photographs often contained subtle beauty that others could not capture.

Li Qiang has been dedicated to photography for five years now, consistently posting his work on Weibo and gradually gaining over 5 followers. In the world of Weibo, Li Qiang is not a quiet boy, but a highly professional photographer.

Li Qiang stared at his Weibo homepage on the computer for a long time, but still didn't post any photos of Su Tong dancing. He only managed to post a side profile photo of Su Tong, who was exhausted at the end, with fine beads of sweat on her fair skin, her delicate nose seemingly still slightly twitching, and her eyes closed as she sat on the ground resting.

Then, clinging to his last glimmer of hope, he concealed his name, identity, and whereabouts, and wrote down everything about his feelings for Su Tong, his circumstances and current situation with Su Tong, and his current sad and complicated state of mind. He asked all netizens to help him think about how to make the "goddess" like him and what he should do.

After finishing, Li Qiang couldn't hold on any longer. The mental pressure and physical exhaustion overwhelmed him, and he slid onto the floor and fell into a deep sleep.

Li Qiang had no idea what kind of impact the photo he had posted in a moment of excitement would have on Su Tong's life.

****

Su Tong was completely unaware of this. She had been dancing for a short while when she felt extremely tired and sat down on the ground, panting. After calming down, she realized that there were many girls learning to dance watching outside the classroom. She forced herself to stand up and walked out of the dance studio.

Passing by the girls enthusiastically praising her, "You danced so well! So beautiful!" and "Especially your face, so beautiful, exquisite from every angle!", Su Tong thought back to when she first joined Teacher Li's art troupe and saw those accomplished senior students dancing, she felt the same amazement and excitement. She just smiled and didn't pay much attention as she went to Chen Jiaxin's office next door. She was sitting on the sofa drinking water when Li Qiang came over with a strange expression, put his bag next to Su Tong, and said to her, "Sister Su Tong, here's your bag. I'll be going now."

Su Tong thought he was embarrassed to leave halfway through and that he was bored here, so he said he wanted to leave as soon as he finished jumping. So she said, "Okay, thank you for your help today. Have fun by yourself."

After changing her clothes and saying goodbye to Chen Jiaxin, Su Tong saw Deng Yue off at the station after her dance class. When she got home, Su's mother, who was usually busy with her own things, actually took the initiative to open the door for Su Tong. Su's mother, who had been in a good mood lately because she looked younger, looked unhappy. Her first words were: "Tongtong, your second uncle and aunt are here today."

Su Tong exclaimed in surprise, "My second uncle is here? Why would he suddenly come to our house?"

Su's mother has four younger sisters and one younger brother, and is the eldest on her maternal grandmother's side. Su's father has three older brothers and two younger sisters, and is the youngest of the boys on his paternal grandfather's side. Both sides are considered large families.

Su's mother lost her father when she was in high school, and the family struggled financially, but the siblings had a very close relationship. Su Tong's grandfather, who passed away relatively early and whom she barely remembered, was said to have run a business and owned several properties and a shop in his old age. As the saying goes, "Emperors love their eldest sons, and commoners love their youngest sons." When the old man passed away, he ignored Su Tong's second uncle's request and left the shop, which all three uncles wanted, to Su's father, who was a teacher. This resulted in a strained relationship between Su Tong's family and her father's side of the family, especially with her second uncle's family.

The last time Su Tong's second uncle visited their home was before Su Tong and her family renovated their current house. Su Tong really didn't expect her second uncle to come to their house.

Fortunately, there was a tacit understanding among Su's father and other elders that the grudges of the previous generation would not involve the next generation. So, her second uncle treated Su Tong well, and she would receive plenty of New Year's money and gifts during holidays. Whenever Su Tong met her second uncle, she would still call him very affectionately.

To be fair, Su Tong thought his second uncle was a very capable person, at least among Su's father's four brothers, he was the most successful. He passed the civil service exam when he was young, was quite qualified and talented, but never found a partner until he was nearly 30 and promoted to the provincial capital, W city. There, he pursued the only daughter of the then second-in-command of the provincial public security bureau—Su Tong's current aunt, Wang Jia. After marriage, they settled in W city, somewhat like an adopted son-in-law. Although he didn't achieve great success, his career was quite smooth; he's now an official in the provincial agricultural bureau and is nearing retirement.

When Su Tong asked, Su's mother remained silent, but her expression became even more unpleasant. If Su's father and Su Tong's second uncle were merely not close, then Su's mother and Su Tong's second aunt, these two sisters-in-law, could be described as mutually disgusted.

Then Su's father said, "Your second uncle and his family have come to invite us to a wedding banquet. Your sister Su Wen is getting married."

Su Wen is the only daughter of Su Erbo. Although Su Erbo is much older than Su Dad, he got married relatively late, so his daughter Su Wen is only a few months older than Su Tong.

Su's mother was not a gentle woman to begin with, and upon hearing Su's father's words, she immediately vented all her anger, saying resentfully, "What do you mean, 'inviting us to a wedding banquet'? She hasn't been to our house in so many years, but she comes to invite us for her daughter's wedding. Wang Jia is simply showing off to us!"

Su Tong's second aunt, Wang Jia, considered herself a lady from a prestigious family and always looked down on her sisters-in-law. She only put on a show for her nephews and nieces. Even Su Tong didn't like this aunt very much.

Su's mother was no pushover; she and Wang Jia were equally fierce rivals. They compared everything, from their appearances and demeanor to their family happiness. Their most intense rivalry was their daughters, who were about the same age. Su Wen was married, while Su Tong was still single; no wonder her second aunt came to boast, and no wonder Su's mother was so angry.

Seeing how angry her mother was, Su Tong knew she wouldn't get anything out of her. She changed into slippers and went inside, asking her father, "Dad, is Sister Su Wen getting married? When is it?"

While eating the oranges Su Tong had taken out of her spatial storage, Su's father glanced at Su's mother, who was still fuming, and explained, "Your second uncle and his family came from W City today to deliver wedding invitations to our relatives here. Your sister Su Wen is getting married soon. The wedding will be held next Friday in W City, and they'll be hosting guests at the Shangpin Grand Hotel. They've invited us too. The groom's name is Xie Mingde, and I think he's the youngest son of the deputy secretary of W City." He paused for a moment and added, "Your second aunt also said that the groom's family seems to be a branch of a very powerful family in Beijing."