Chapter 00219: This Life Couldn't Be Better
# This Life Couldn't Be Better
Chapter 219
Novel: 1979 Golden Age
Chapter 219: This Life Couldn't Be Better
Early the next morning, the sun was blazing outside.
The curtains blocked the morning light, and a bird perched on the windowsill chirped incessantly.
On the spacious, comfortable bed, Gong Xue turned over and woke up.
For a few seconds, she was dazed—the person beside her was already gone.
She called out softly, "Xiao Chen? Xiao Chen?"
No answer.
She tried to get up but suddenly winced, feeling a lingering soreness.
Only then did she realize she was still naked.
Bracing herself, she got out of bed, grabbed her clothes, and dressed.
Then she noticed the stains on the sheets, and her ears burned red.
Last night, the two had engaged in repeated 0-20cm reciprocal motion.
Amid the thunder and pouring rain, she had felt like a burning-hot iron rod was thrust into a pile of cotton, setting her entire body aflame.
She had oscillated between pain and pleasure, rising and falling, until she didn’t know when she had finally fallen asleep.
"......"
Gong Xue bit her lip and stared at the sheets for a long moment before peeling them off to wash later.
Then she spotted a note on the table, a fresh towel hanging on the washstand, and a toothbrush and toothpaste in a cup.
Outside, water was boiling on the stove, bubbling with steam—already hot.
She huffed and limped out of the room to freshen up before stepping into the courtyard.
The sky was clear after the rain, the bricks already dry.
The water had drained away through hidden gutters, leaving only the damp soil patches meant for planting, where a few stubborn weeds had miraculously sprouted.
The scorching sunlight mingled with the lingering coolness, carrying a soothing scent in the air.
Gong Xue stretched her arms and exhaled deeply, feeling utterly relaxed and content.
Clink, clink!
The sound of keys jingling came from the side gate.
With a creak, Chen Qi pushed his bike inside, carrying an old-fashioned food box in one hand.
"You're up already? Should've slept a bit longer."
"It's past eight! What did you buy?"
"I was too late—they'd already sold out. They made this fresh for me. Let’s eat inside."
The backyard had three bedrooms, a living room, a study, a library, a kitchen, a dining room, a storage room, and an attic above...
The dining room was a bit too large—they’d eaten there yesterday, but now it was just the two of them, so there was no need.
The antiques and artifacts were mainly kept in the study and library.
Chen Qi wasn’t one to obsess over tradition.
He had always wanted to live in a modern mansion—this courtyard was just a temporary arrangement.
They entered the master bedroom, where he opened the food box to reveal a plate of steamed buns, two fried dough sticks, pickled vegetables, and porridge and soy milk stored in enamel mugs with lids to prevent spills.
He took the buns and porridge for himself, pushing the soy milk and fried dough sticks toward her with a grin.
"The soy milk is plain—I didn’t know if you Shanghai folks like it salty or sweet, so you can adjust it yourself."
"Of course, it’s salty soy milk! You need chopped fried dough sticks, light soy sauce, pickled mustard tuber from Ningbo’s Yuyao, dried shrimp from Zhoushan, seaweed from Jiangsu, and chopped scallions. Then you scoop a ladle of soy milk, raise it high, and—whoosh!—pour it straight into the bowl..."
Gong Xue narrated while trying to recreate it, but with ingredients missing, her attempt ended up a gloopy mess.
"Hah!"
"What’s so funny? This is how we eat it!"
"Nothing, nothing..."
Chen Qi couldn’t help but chuckle.
What a pair—one a Beijing native, the other a Shanghainese, each with their own refined tastes.
Now that’s what you call authenticity!
As they ate breakfast, he suddenly asked, "Still sore?"
"Very!"
Gong Xue blushed and huffed.
"It’s all your fault. You were like a madman."
"I was mad, but you enjoyed it too."
"I did not!"
"Oh? Then why did you tremble so much when I called you 'good sister'—"
"Stop talking!!!"
Gong Xue covered her face, wishing she could vanish into the ground.
Truthfully, she didn’t understand it herself—whenever he called her "good sister," it was like flipping a switch, sending her into an overwhelming frenzy.
Chen Qi kept teasing her until, red-faced, she tossed her chopsticks and tried to leave, only to be pulled back.
"Alright, alright, I’ll stop. I’ll get you the day off later—just rest here today. No need to do anything."
"But what will Ji Chunhua and the others think? We just had dinner together yesterday, and now you’re asking for leave for me?"
"I’ll just say we were studying Mom, Love Me Again. No big deal."
After breakfast, Chen Qi left first.
Gong Xue lay in bed for a while, feeling somewhat recovered, then got up, found a large basin, and washed the sheets.
Spotting a few of his undershirts and socks, she tossed those in too.
Afterward, she went up to the attic to read in the sunlight.
To the right, she had a full view of the courtyard and the sprawling low-rise houses beyond.
To the left, through the tall windows, she could see the shimmering waters of Shichahai in summer, dotted with boats carrying tourists...
Suddenly, it struck her—this life couldn’t possibly get any better!
She was satisfied in every way, yet she also knew this was just her life’s fulfillment.
As for Chen Qi’s ambitions... no one seemed to know where they lay.
......
Chen Qi went to the Beijing Film Studio to request leave on her behalf.
Then he sought out Li Jianqun, intending to speak with her before leaving.
Li Jianqun had integrated well into the crew.
As the saying goes, "A bellyful of poetry and literature radiates elegance"—a person’s refinement directly reflects in their demeanor.
Compared to the rough-and-tumble crew, she was in a league of her own.
"My company urgently needs talent—all kinds. I think you’ve got potential. Interested in joining? The pay matches what you’d get as an art director at the film studio."
"I haven’t decided yet."
"Still figuring out personal matters?"
"Don’t laugh at me!"
Usually progressive and bold, Li Jianqun turned uncharacteristically hesitant when it came to matters of the heart.
"Alright, I’ll let the company know. If you decide to join, just go see them directly."
"Thank you for your consideration!"
After their talk, Chen Qi made sure everything else was settled, then went to the Overseas Chinese Store to buy several sets of women’s clothing—inside and out—before returning to Lechun Lane.
Gong Xue had already prepared dinner, waiting for him.
She loved this kind of domestic life, gladly washing his clothes, cooking, and taking care of everything.
To her, being a movie star had nothing to do with such things.
......
Night fell.
After News Simulcast ended, the familiar Evening Melody from a Fishing Boat played—the Weather Forecast had gone through many iterations, but this music remained unchanged.
The forecast itself was rudimentary, with no animations—just a hand-drawn map of China marked with cities and weather symbols.
Then came a rerun of a TV series—Eighteen Years in the Enemy Camp, directed by Wang Fulin, spanning nine episodes.
Gong Xue had changed into fresh undergarments, her bare legs still shyly pressed against Chen Qi as she nestled in his arms.
The show itself was mediocre, but she watched with keen interest—until a wandering hand made it impossible to focus.
Chen Qi was 15 cm taller than her, making her seem petite, her waist slender enough to encircle with one hand.
Her skin was naturally flawless, though hardships had roughened it somewhat.
After becoming a star, she had taken better care of herself, restoring much of its smoothness—far softer than most people’s in this era.
"Stop fooling around!"
Gong Xue grabbed his hand, jerking forward as that burning-hot iron rod seared against her again, sending a mix of panic and fear through her.
Chen Qi’s past-life experience was vast.
After two years in this body—a time when even an ant could stir desire—and now having tasted flesh, he couldn’t help but explore her with relentless curiosity...
"No... really, no. I’m still sore."
"Then how about..."
"Huh?"
Gong Xue listened to his whispered "guidance," her face flaming, baffled.
"Where did you learn these things?"
"From old books. Ancient times had plenty of... instructional material. Wanna try?"
"No!"
"Come on~"
"Mmm! Mmm! Mmm!"
(End of Chapter)