Like a gentle breeze blowing slowly toward the married couple, the moment was gradual but certain. Ying slowly rose from her seat, her curiosity piqued as she approached the mysterious box.
She reached out and touched it, her fingers trembling with anticipation. Gradually, the box began to open, revealing its hidden contents. Ying's eyes widened in astonishment, and an involuntary smile spread across her face, lighting up her features.
"Wow... Xisang, what kind of gift is this? Where did you find it? Is this really a gift for me? Is it truly from my Xisang?" Ying exclaimed, her voice a mixture of excitement and disbelief as she turned to look at Xiang.
Xiang replied, "Yes, Yisang, it's a gift for you. Do you like it? If you do, kiss my cheek now." He remained blissfully unaware of the box's contents, his view obstructed by Ying's body. Ying, still in a state of awe, slowly transitioned from her squatting position to stand up.
She walked over to Xiang, each step measured and deliberate. Xiang, sensing her approach, smiled and closed his eyes. His expression was one of eager anticipation, as he waited for the warm kiss that he hoped would soon land on his cheek.The air was thick with suspense and unspoken emotions as Ying closed the distance between them, her heart racing with the thrill of the moment.
Instead of the sweet fragrance of flowers, what Xiang received felt like a sharp thorn piercing his body. Ying pinched Xiang hard, making it feel like the slash of a dagger.
"Ouch... Ouch... Ouch... Owwww... Yisang, what are you doing to your beloved husband? Did your Xisang do something wrong?" Xiang asked, his face a blend of pain and bewilderment.
"Alright, my dear Xisang, have you completely left your old job? Didn't you promise me that you would leave it and never go back? Explain this," Ying said, pointing to the box with her right hand.
"Yes, Yisang, I have left my old job and I won't go back. Didn't your Xisang promise you on our wedding day ten years ago that he wouldn't touch that job again no matter what? I did it all for you, my dear Yisang," Xiang replied firmly.
With a cold and sarcastic expression, Ying glared at Xiang. "Fine, then explain how my poor Xisang got what's in that box when he only works as a garbage collector? Explain it now, and if you can't, I'll kick you out of the house and make you sleep outside! Oh, or did you go back to your old job because I was sick? To buy my medicine? Answer!" Ying's eyes, which were initially harsh and sarcastic, now widened and bulged as she stared at Xiang. They were like the eyes of an owl, or an eagle ready to pounce on its prey.
The tension in the room was palpable as Xiang struggled to find the right words. He could feel the intensity of Ying's gaze boring into him, demanding answers, while the weight of his promises from a decade ago loomed large over him.
"Okay, my dear Yisang, something doesn't feel right here. Everything is descending into chaos, and whatever I brought earlier shouldn't have provoked such anger from you. Fine, I'll lay everything out. But first, let me see what's in that box," Xiang said, his unease palpable. He hastened to peer inside the box, his mind swirling with questions.
"Oh, serene night, what is this? What do you truly demand of me? What further trials do you have in store? You presented me with a baby earlier, but now you've transformed that infant into a mountain of money? What transgression have I committed to deserve this?" Xiang exclaimed, collapsing to the ground and kneeling in astonishment at the sight within the box.
The container that once cradled a baby now overflowed with a vast pile of currency, its abundance defying estimation by Xiang and Ying. The magnitude of wealth before them eclipsed any sum they had encountered in the past two decades.
A chilly breeze drifted gently into Xiang and Ying's abode, infusing the air with a frosty ambiance that starkly contrasted the earlier tumultuous emotions.
"What in the world, Xisang? What did you just say? Please, repeat it," Ying implored, her fury giving way to perplexity.
"It's the truth, Yisang, I'm not fabricating anything. Earlier, I stumbled upon an infant beneath a tree along the road leading to the village. Driven by compassion, I brought the child home, hoping to gift it to you, my beloved wife, as we've yearned for a child for so long without success," Xiang explained earnestly, striving to sway Ying with his sincerity.
"But why did the baby turn into this massive pile of money? Did my Xisang sell the baby on the way home? And how did my Xisang stumble upon the baby? Was there no one around to witness it? And what was the baby's gender?" Ying inquired, her face brimming with curiosity.
Once again, a gentle, cold breeze wafted through the room, creating a subtle shift in the atmosphere between the two individuals grappling with this bewildering turn of events. However, this time, the air carried a distinct essence, unlike before.
It was akin to crystal-clear water infused with the sweetness of syrup, elevating the mundane into something delightful. Just as syrup enhances water, the breeze bore the alluring aroma of delectable cuisine, transforming the once unremarkable air into an irresistible invitation.
Like a glass of refreshing syrup with ice cubes, poised to quench the thirst of someone parched on a scorching day, the breeze also carried the plaintive cry of a baby from outside the house. The cry pierced through the ambiance, prompting the two individuals to lock eyes once again.
Shortly after locking eyes, Xiang and Ying swiftly bolted out of the house, racing toward the source of the crying. However, to their surprise, the heartbreaking wails coincided with the alluring scent of delicious food.
Stepping into the open air, they pinpointed the origin of the sound to Xiang's cart, stationed in its usual spot. Once again, exchanging puzzled glances, they felt the tension mounting between them.
The unmistakable cries of a baby emanating from within the cart sent Ying's heart pounding, and suddenly, all the pain in her body melted away.
After a brief moment of locking eyes, their expressions began to shift. Xiang sported a triumphant grin, as if he had achieved a long-awaited victory, while tears brimmed in Ying's eyes, her lips curling into a radiant smile. It was as if the emotions she had yearned for over the past decade had finally come to fruition.
Approaching the cart, which seemed tantalizingly close yet oddly distant, Xiang and Ying were enveloped in a whirlwind of indescribable feelings, where every step felt like a journey through time, elongated and stretched beyond measure.