A thirteen-square-foot room, In the middle of the room was a medium-sized bed and a wooden table with an incandescent bulb with dimly light.
In front of the bed, was a 24-inch TV. It was an old-fashioned TV, but it still looked good like an antique.
Next to the TV was a bookshelf. A few planks above, many books were neatly lined up, and on the table under the bookshelf, were two bottles of branded wine and a box of cookies; all of them were empty.
The sound of a clock coming from a different spot, ticking each time the hands of the clock shifted. It was an old clock hanging above the TV, showing 7:55 am.
It was spring. The air was humid and a little chilly. The sky wasn't that bright, covered with clouds.
Jiang Yanxu sat on the bed listlessly. Once he was in the bedroom, he just kept contemplating in solitude.
Thinking of what happened this morning, made his head get dizzy from many things. He massaged the bridge of his nose, but it didn't help him.
Taking a deep breath, Jiang Yanxu lifted his eyes slowly, showing tiredness under his eyes. Until he accidentally saw the calendar on the bedside table, then reached out to take it.
There was a date on the calendar circled in red ink. As Jiang Yanxu recalled, April 11th, was the day where the cruise would be docked in the port—it had been marked by Ye Xinxin last night as a reminder.
Jiang Yanxu stared lifelessly at the date; seemed not very excited other than wanting to go home sooner. If only he could cross the ocean, he would dive into the sea and swim across the ocean no matter how far it was.
Unfortunately, he would only die in the seas before he reached the beach.
In the silence, he suddenly heard the sound of the door opening.
Jiang Yanxu instinctively turned his head sideways and found that it was Ye Xinxin who was coming. However, he didn't react—no emotion could be found in the depths of his soul.
Jiang Yanxu had lost his love, so his eyes seemed like a void showing cold darkness, even Ye Xinxin could feel the nothingness when their eyes met.
After all, for Jiang Yanxu, his love was already dead, and what was left was only a wound that was hard to heal.
In the past, how he loved Ye Xinxin as if he would give the whole world to him. But in this harsh reality, he ended up losing everything, including Ye Xinxin and his feelings.
On the other side, Ye Xinxin looked a little awkward. He came over to talk to Jiang Yanxu once again, intending to hear what the matter he had. Even though his mother-in-law and brother-in-law tried hard to prevent him from doing so, he thought that he couldn't just ignore Jiang Yanxu.
Ye Xinxin stood in front of the door for quite a while before he reluctantly stepped towards Jiang Yanxu. As he stood beside Jiang Yanxu, he touched his shoulder gently as he said in a soft tone, "I can't ignore something wrong with you. So, now, please be honest, what's the matter?"
Jiang Yanxu glimpsed at Ye Xinxin impassively. After Ye Xinxin finished his words, Jiang Yanxu had no intention of responding other than averting his gaze immediately.
Ye Xinxin had never found Jiang Yanxu sulking, so he didn't know how to persuade him other than saying what was on his mind confidingly, "Shen Ke said you might be in a bad situation because of the issues in Jiang-shi Company. But, I'm sure that's not the only thing you have right now. You've faced a lot of trouble at that company and you've never even put on such a face. I'm sure there's something else, right? So say it and let's find—"
"You're the problem actually!" Jiang Yanxu cut in with a firm tone. He couldn't hold himself back any longer, so he snapped, "If you're coming over here to ask that sht, then get out!"
Ye Xinxin was taken aback, but he still managed to keep his composure.
Seeing Jiang Yanxu's depressing face, Ye Xinxin no longer wanted to question anything about that matter. He sat next to Jiang Yanxu, leaned his head on Jiang Yanxu's shoulder comfortably, and said softly, "I see. You're mad at me. Is it because I complained to mom?"
In the pause, Ye Xinxin pondered to himself. He said regretfully, "Hmm, okay. My mistake. I shouldn't have told mom about it."
Hearing the words, Jiang Yanxu was stunned into silence.
Unusual for Ye Xinxin to relent so easily without whining stubbornly.
Until a few seconds later, Jiang Yanxu stated firmly, "You know that I ain't that close to them, so don't involve them in our affairs. Don't do that again."
Ye Xinxin fell silent before he replied, "I got you." He sounded very obedient.
After Ye Xinxin spoke, Jiang Yanxu glanced at Ye Xinxin secretly. Jiang Yanxu wondered why Ye Xinxin didn't reason like he used to do. But because Jiang Yanxu had nothing in his heart, he didn't want to think about it any longer. He immediately put the calendar back on the table.
Ye Xinxin watched him. As his eyes focused on the date he had marked on the calendar, he said all of a sudden, "After we arrive in Italy, take me to the art gallery."
Without getting Jiang Yanxu's response first, Ye Xinxin continued, "People said that the Uffizi Gallery is the best place to visit. I eagerly want to visit that gallery, so you have to take me there."
Jiang Yanxu fell silent in an instant. The word 'art' had surely become a sensitive word for him by now.
Hearing Ye Xinxin's words, Jiang Yanxu remembered when Yan An visited him in prison and told him about the art gallery he had visited in Milan, making Jiang Yanxu suddenly reminisce with an unbearable bitter feeling.
Jiang Yanxu lowered his gaze when Yan An's figure flashed through his mind.
For him, Yan An was a perfect art.
Yan An loved to paint many things he saw. His painting was wonderful and also looked very realistic. So Jiang Yanxu thought that Yan An was a picture of that wonderful art itself, which he had broken down heartlessly.
Recalling all of that, Jiang Yanxu felt his heart was extremely fragile.
Ye Xinxin waited for Jiang Yanxu's response, but he didn't get anything in the end. However, he thought the silence Jiang Yanxu had meant an agreement, so after a long time, he finally chose to get out, leaving Jiang Yanxu alone.
***
Around 10 am. Eventually, the cruise arrived at an Italian port. The huge iron hull postured, the height almost covering the sky. Judging by the size, it accommodated between 6,000 - 7,000 people including the cruise's crews. All of them would get destinations in 53 countries for 5 months.
At the port, several cruises arrived earlier and one of them was even about to return to the ocean. Workers at the port wave their hats to the passengers exuberantly when the cruise left before they unloaded passengers on a cruise that had just arrived.
After the instructions from a captain over the speaker, all the passengers carried their belongings off the cruise orderly.
Italy was the first destination, the crowd seemed greatly avid. Some people took the beautiful views using vintage cameras and some were talking eagerly about the tourist attractions they would visit.
Jiang Yanxu's family also joined the crowd.
Jiang Yanxu dragged the suitcase and Ye Xinxin held his arm tightly while taking pictures. Besides them, there was also Song Yutong recording the cityscape. While Tang Shiliu and Shen Ke walked behind them with their suitcase and Wen Huiyi walked ahead first. The others were uncles and his wives in the Jiang and Wen Families.
When they arrived at the hotel, everyone was directly escorted to their respective rooms. Jiang Yanxu checked the entire room—it was spacious. There was a tv, a king-size bed in the middle of the room and a closet on the left, above the bed, was a few incandescent lamps. On the other side of the bed was a window and a relaxing chair.
Jiang Yanxu put the suitcase nearby the closet and Ye Xinxin immediately put their clothes in it. After resting for about an hour, a knock on the door abruptly sounded. Jiang Yanxu sat on the chair by a window, smoking a cigarette lazily, and didn't move, so Ye Xinxin went to open it.
In front of the door, Tang Shiliu and Shen Ke were already standing with beaming faces. Then Tang Shiliu said with a smile, "We'll take the tour bus to go to Correr Museum. Tell Yanxu to get ready."
Ye Xinxin nodded excitedly. "Okay, mom!"
Tang Shiliu responded, "Okay. we'll be waiting for you downstairs."
As they were about to leave, Ye Xinxin asked, "Where's brother Wen?"
"Ah, he went to the Uffizi Gallery a few minutes ago," Tang Shiliu replied.
Hearing that, Ye Xinxin shook his head weakly. "He went out there by himself? Unbelievable. He wouldn't even wait for us."
Tang Shiliu, "He said he wanted to meet his colleagues."
Ye Xinxin, "Oh, I see."
Tang Shiliu then said again, "Get hurry. Don't let us miss the bus."
Ye Xinxin nodded soon.
After closing the door, Ye Xinxin jogged toward Jiang Yanxu.
On the other side, Jiang Yanxu read an English book that he found. But before he could take his time, the telephone rang.
The telephone wasn't distant from Jiang Yanxu, so he quickly grabbed it.
As soon as the phone was to his ear, he was instantly greeted by a familiar voice, "Hey, it's me, Huiyi. Come to the Uffizi Gallery now. I want to show you something."
"What is it?" Jiang Yanxu asked.
"Aiy, just come over," Wen Huiyi said firmly.
Wen Huiyi didn't talk any longer and the telephone was disconnected already.
Jiang Yanxu put the telephone back down, then was stunned into silence.
Wen Huiyi did ask him to go to the gallery in the past, but Jiang Yanxu firmly refused and chose to accompany Ye Xinxin. Now when he thought about it a little longer, he got more interested and began to consider it.
But before he could decide, Ye Xinxin came over and grabbed his hand, saying with great enthusiasm, "Get hurry. We're going to the Museum. Mom and Shen Ke are waiting for us downstairs."
Jiang Yanxu frowned. He wasn't excited about joining the sightseeing tourists, so he reasoned, "I can't. I want to take a rest."
Hearing that, Ye Xinxin instantly showed a sullen face. He pursed his lips, then let go of Jiang Yanxu's hand as he said, "You didn't even do anything ...."
Jiang Yanxu, "...."
Ye Xinxin glanced at Jiang Yanxu, it's just that he didn't want to oppose him. He sighed heavily, then said in a sulky tone, "All right then. I'll go with mom. You stay here."
A moment later, Ye Xinxin returned before Jiang Yanxu. He donned a new dark blue shirt and black shorts. He also wore a sling bag to store the camera. After he put on his shoes, he asked, "Hubby, do I look good in this t-shirt?"
Jiang Yanxu was still sitting by the window and had already finished two cigarettes. When he heard Ye Xinxin's voice, he turned his head towards him. He gazed at Ye Xinxin for a second, then nodded slowly. "Hn."
Ye Xinxin was delighted to hear that, making his cheeks bright red. He couldn't stand it and immediately jumped into Jiang Yanxu's arms.
While Jiang Yanxu patted Ye Xunxin's back reluctantly until Ye Xinxin loosened his grip.
Ye Xinxin still wrapped his arms around Jiang Yanxu's neck, then gave a peck on the lips, and said, "I knew it. You would like it because you never disliked me."
Jiang Yanxu cracked a smile. He honestly didn't want to hear such words again!
While Ye Xinxin's eyes lit up when he said that. There was a sincere emotion that hadn't changed in it.
Jiang Yanxu couldn't see the sincerity, causing him to feel a lot of heartaches again.
After a few seconds of silence, Ye Xinxin let go of his hands and got up. He said before leaving, "Then I'll leave now."
Jiang Yanxu nodded slightly.
While downstairs, seeing Ye Xinxin alone, Tang Shiliu couldn't help but ask, "Where's Yanxu?"
Ye Xinxin shook his head with disappointment. "He's sleepy."
Tang Shiliu looked displeased with the look on her face. She said, "How come? You guys just got married, you should have spent a lot of time together."
Shen Ke added, "Right. If I were you I would be angry." There was a sly chuckle at the end of the sentence.
Tang Shiliu and Shen Ke seemed to be inciting Ye Xinxin. However, Ye Xinxin was unfazed, other than saying, "It's fine. He does look really tired."
After hearing that, Tang Shiliu and Shen Ke fell silent all of a sudden.
After Ye Xinxin got out. Jiang Yanxu peeked out of the window a few minutes later. Their bedroom was on the 5th floor, so he could catch sight of the tour bus parked on the side of the road.
Several tour groups including Ye Xinxin were entering the bus, and then the bus drove away.
Jiang Yanxu mulled over for a while before he shifted his gaze towards the canal at the end of his sight while thinking about Wen Huiyi's words.
After a long time, he decided to go to the gallery.