Chapter 18 The green tea puppy tugged at his tie and kissed him.

"It was really a coincidence."

Cheng Guo put her bag into the safe, locked it, and slipped the key ring onto her wrist. Ruan Ning stood next to her and whispered, "I didn't know that the other person this afternoon was Xu Qingnian, and I didn't expect him to suddenly change it to the morning."

"You two, take your eyes off this spectacle." Cheng Guo lowered her head and expressionlessly sealed her phone into a waterproof bag.

Two chuckles came from the side, and Shu Shu laughed so hard her shoulders shook. "This is a bit difficult."

Ruan Ning stole a glance at Shen Zhui, who was standing in the sunlight outside the door with his back to them, answering a phone call. She nudged Cheng Guo, diverting the blame, "Guo'er, don't you think it's entirely that guy's being too manipulative?"

“Exactly,” Shu Shu chimed in from the side, commenting in a low voice, “This is the first time I’ve seen what it means to be the empress, with the mannerisms of a courtesan.”

“He doesn’t know he’s the empress,” Ruan Ning said, bursting into laughter with Shu Shu. “Meeting Xu Qingnian is like meeting a worthy opponent, hahaha!”

Cheng Guo felt a headache coming on when she recalled what had just happened. The whole room fell silent after Shen Zhui said that someone was staying at her house. Xu Qingnian looked at her, then at Shen Zhui, and then replied quite honestly, "So it was you." It was clear from his words that he already knew someone was staying at her house and didn't seem to care. Shen Zhui's face immediately darkened, and his gaze towards her was complicated and hard to read.

Fortunately, his phone rang just in time.

After locking up their valuables, the three went to the dock, where Xu Qingnian was waiting. He had already put on a life jacket, and five inflatable rubber boats were moored at the starting point.

The rafting here is different from what Cheng Guo imagined. There are no rushing currents or undulating terrain, but rather a leisurely rafting with a gentle current. Each person has a rubber raft, where they can lie flat and drift along with the current through the forest, watching the blue sky and white clouds, and listening to the chirping of birds and insects. It is very pleasant and natural.

But Cheng Guo is destined to be unable to have such a pleasant experience today.

Xu Qingnian, being a gentleman, first helped Shu Shu and Ruan Ning, who were already wearing life jackets, to sit down, and then came to help Cheng Guo. Cheng Guo waved her hand to indicate that she didn't need it. Yu Guangzhong and Shen Zhui were walking over here while making a phone call.

His face was still dark.

Xu Qingnian also noticed Shen Zhui. When he asked Cheng Guo to help him deal with the blind date, Cheng Guo mentioned that she had someone she liked, so he could only pretend to help him delay for a while. At that time, he did not mention the other person's name. He was really surprised when he found out today that it was Shen Zhui.

Popular stars in hit movies.

Judging from their demeanor, they don't seem to be dating.

Since Cheng Guo was helping him, Xu Qingnian returned the favor by asking, "Dr. Cheng, is there anything I can do to help?"

"No," Cheng Guo said in a low voice, afraid that he might do more harm than good, and quickly added, "Just treat us as ordinary friends, like you treat Ruan Ning."

“Okay,” Xu Qingnian paused, then said, “I’ll have to trouble Dr. Cheng to help me with the meeting in a few days.”

"good."

Cheng Guo was actually doing more than just helping him.

Grandma injured her back in that fall, and Yu Muying has been taking care of her at her hometown. She calls frequently to ask about her relationship with Xu Qingnian, but Grandma always brushes it off by saying that he's doing well and that they just don't have anything in common.

Xu Qingnian was the best match among the blind dates arranged by Yu Muying. Naturally, Yu Muying didn't want her to miss out. She kept calling to ask questions but didn't get the ideal answer. In addition, the pressure from her grandmother's illness made her very tired. She took the opportunity to test Yu Muying's feelings and said that she wanted to find a boyfriend on her own. Yu Muying pondered for a long time and told her to find time to meet Xu Qingnian first.

Shen Zhui had already hung up the phone and walked closer and closer. After standing next to Cheng Guo, he didn't look at her or say anything.

They're probably still angry.

He had just taken off his mask and was now only wearing a baseball cap. His staff, who recognized him, glanced at him frequently but did not disturb him further.

Xu Qingnian boarded the third rubber boat and called out. Samoyed Mik led a group of little furballs over and jumped on one by one. The rubber boat sank a few centimeters and steadily supported a fluffy ball.

Cheng Guo was itching to join in and was about to get into the fourth rubber boat when Chen Zhui brushed past her shoulder and beat her to the punch, leaving the last one for her.

The five of them set off together.

The rubber boat was just big enough for one person to lie down, but they hadn't reached the forest waterway yet, and the sunlight was blinding. Cheng Guo put her arm over her forehead to shield her eyes, but just as she did, a black baseball cap landed precisely on her arm with a "snap," its light minty scent refreshing and pleasant.

Cheng Guo opened her eyes.

Less than two meters away from her, Chen Zhui lay half-reclined on the edge of the rubber boat, his head resting on his arm. His black hair was blown about by the wind, making it fluffy and flying. He closed his eyes and didn't look at her, as if he wasn't the one paying attention to her, and the baseball cap that was thrown at him wasn't his either.

Before they were out of the staff's sight, their every move was also under the scenic area's surveillance. Cheng Guo only held the brim of his hat, not actually covering his eyes.

The current was not rapid, and the group was not far apart. Ruan Ning was asking Xu Qingnian for a Samoyed to take over. There was an oar next to the rubber boat. The two approached, and Xu Qingnian gave Ruan Ning a small Samoyed. Shu Shu saw this and also wanted one, so she also got one.

"Dr. Cheng, Mr. Shen?" Xu Qingnian asked the two politely.

Thinking of having a fluffy companion to cuddle and cuddle throughout the journey, Cheng Guo sat up with a tempting heart. The rubber boats lined up to enter the narrow forest waterway. Large patches of sunlight were blocked out by the lush and tall tree canopy. Cheng Guo placed the baseball cap beside her legs and was about to speak when she heard Shen Zhui refuse.

"No, thank you."

After he finished speaking, he sat up. His tall figure blocked the view of the boat in front and behind him, and Cheng Guo could only see his firm back.

"Wait a moment," she said.

The waterway meandered and twisted, with the kayaks bumping and stumbling along. The three people ahead were dividing the dogs as needed, chatting and laughing idly. But Cheng Guo felt as if she were isolated from another world by that straight figure.

She curved her lips into a smile, then simply lay down, closed her eyes, and listened to the babbling brook and the chirping of insects among the grass.

Yesterday, I had a full day of surgeries and didn't get home until 11 p.m. I got up early again today, and the fatigue returned to my body. I relaxed and lay in the rubber boat, drifting for an unknown amount of time. In my drowsy state, I heard Shu Shu and Ruan Ning's excited laughter coming from afar. Someone called out to me, and I opened my eyes and sat up. When my vision cleared, I looked into a pair of dark eyes that were suppressing anger.

Shen Zhui had changed his sitting posture at some point, gave her a deep look, and then turned his head to the side.

Cheng Guo's heart tightened for a moment. She blinked, and the boat suddenly sped up. She reached for her baseball cap and pinched the brim, afraid it would fall off.

Shu Shu and Ruan Ning, who were at the front, had already drifted to a wide expanse of water where the terrain had dropped considerably. They were laughing as they wiped the water off their faces and basked in the golden sunlight while holding their little Samoyed. Xu Qingnian was exiting from the narrow waterway.

The waterway exit was steeper and the current was faster than the places they had passed through. The rubber boat was propelled forward by the strong current, suddenly pulling away from them.

Soon a furry creature came over, and Cheng Guo eagerly awaited it, her gaze almost glued to the little Samoyed on Xu Qingnian's boat.

They are all adorable.

With a dull "bang," the rubber boat came to a sudden stop. She grabbed the oar ropes on both sides of the boat and sat up again, only to find that the sluggish rubber boat had somehow turned sideways and was stuck at the waterway exit. Her boat had been swept by the current and crashed straight into his, before slowly turning sideways until the sides of the boats were touching.

She and Shen Zhui suddenly moved closer.

He grabbed her wrist.

The rubber dinghy made a dull scraping sound as it rubbed against the rocks. The dinghy tilted and was about to be pushed off by her. The pain of the muscles and skin being pulled in her arms sent a jolt through her brain.

"Chenzhui?"

Cheng Guo frowned and called out to him.

Shen Zhui showed no intention of letting go of her. As the rubber boat rushed down the steep slope, he pulled hard, and Cheng Guo was pulled away by the force. Her shoe tip was tripped by the oar rope, and then she fell towards Shen Zhui. Before she could cry out, she was steadily pulled into his arms. Her nose hit his hard shoulder, her nose tingled, and tears welled up in her eyes instantly.

The rubber boat, carrying the weight of two adults, tilted and crashed into the water. The side that first touched the water was swallowed up by the sudden splash, and water sprayed onto her face and arms. Just as Cheng Guo was worried that it might capsize, her vision suddenly turned and she was pinned down by Chen Zhui. The tilted rubber boat was also pushed back by the force of the flip, and it swayed twice in place.

Before Cheng Guo could even feel the cool sensation of her back being soaked by water, her chin was caught in the tiger's mouth of a large hand. Chen Zhui lowered his head and bit her cheek.

"Shenzhui! You truly belong to—"

"Bang!"

The fifth, unoccupied rubber boat was swept downstream and crashed onto their boat.

Several exclamations came from afar; Shu Shu and Ruan Ning were calling her name.

For a brief moment when my vision went black, I felt a sharp pain on my lips.

She was bitten again.

Cheng Guo hissed, so angry she wanted to curse. She raised her eyelashes, but in her dark vision she couldn't see Shen Zhui's eyes clearly. For some reason, she thought he must be extremely aggrieved and furious to bite her again.

Shen Zhui released her lips, his gaze hovering a few centimeters above her, his imposing manner softening.

Are you testing me, or do you really think you have me figured out?

Faced with such a question, Cheng Guo's chest rose and fell slowly. She slowly touched his cheek, listened to his breathing so close to hers, and pressed her palm against the back of his neck, pushing him down.

The rubber boat that had crashed onto the surface slowly slid to the side, sunlight streaming in, filling Chen Zhui's dark, bright eyes with a mixture of grievance, confusion, and anticipation.

Cheng Guo rubbed the back of his neck, raised her face, pressed her lips to his lips, and when his breathing became noticeably lighter, she opened her lips and bit his lip hard.

Yu Guangzhong's face was blurry, but you could tell he was in a lot of pain from that bite; his beautiful brows were furrowed, but his groan was pleasant.

Shen Zhui's brows relaxed, and he was about to kiss her when she reached out and stopped him.

He rubbed the tip of her fingertip against his teeth, but didn't persist.

It was as if she had coaxed him back to health with that one word.

Their boat had drifted downstream for a while and slowed down. Shu Shu and Ruan Ning's voices were getting closer and closer. Shen Zhui pushed the other rubber boat away completely and sat up first.

Cheng Guo also sat up.

The boat was flooded, her T-shirt and pants were soaked, and Chenzhui's baseball cap was long gone, but she didn't have time to care.

Chen Zhui's lips are so red, did she bite them?

I hope she becomes just as famous.

Cheng Guo reached out and touched the corner of her lips.

Shu Shu and Ruan Ning stopped calling her. Their boat stopped a few meters away, and they looked rather comical as they stared at her with their oars raised. But what they said next made Cheng Guo want to jump into the water.

“You two,” Ruan Ning’s gaze swept over their faces, her expression teasing, “why don’t you put the boat back up so you can kiss for a while longer?”

"..."

No relatives.

Cheng Guo raised her eyelashes, and the undried tears at the corners of her eyes were swept away by the wind, feeling very cool. She squinted to take a closer look, and thankfully, Xu Qingnian hadn't come over.

They didn't lose face in public.

The two men chuckled and paddled away. Cheng Guo curled up and sat on one side of the kayak, while Chen Zhui sat on the other side, his long legs stretching out towards her without any restraint. His voice was light and cheerful, and all his anger had long since vanished.

"You already have me, you can't think about anything else."

"What else?"

"You can't think about other people, other dogs."

"I never said I wanted to date you."

Cheng Guo saw him glare at her, as if he were looking at a scumbag, and suppressed a laugh as she asked, "What's wrong with thinking about it?"

After a very soft hum, Chen Zhui spoke again, "Then you really did bully me."

"Then you can wait to be bullied," Cheng Guo teased him with a smile.

"You still dare to bully me?" he muttered in a low voice, his tone smug. "You don't even bite me hard enough."

Her exposed ankle was suddenly gripped, and he stroked her ankle with his fingertips, pulling her over. Cheng Guo's heart skipped a beat, and she kicked his wrist lightly, slightly embarrassed and dissatisfied. "I'm not like you, treated like a dog."

Shen Zhui smiled and released her, then bent down to wring the water out of her trousers, his tone arrogant and confident, "No one outside is better than me."

"Central air conditioning is the worst thing; even the dogs are distributed equally, and you don't get an extra one."

He made a pointed remark, not feeling at all that there was anything wrong with belittling others behind their backs. "If I had a dog, I would only let you pet it."

Cheng Guo chuckled upon hearing this and pointed out directly, "If he really gives me two more, you won't be happy."

Shen Zhui was indeed unhappy, and pulled her hand to rub his chest, "Aren't you enough with me?"

The pectoral muscles beneath her palm were supple, and his heart was pounding inside her chest. Cheng Guo felt as if her entire hand was on fire. She pulled her hand back, made him look down, and ruffled his hair haphazardly a couple of times. "That's more like it."

"Can I be your boyfriend?"

"cannot."

Shen Zhui turned his head away, refusing to let her touch him anymore.

*v*

The call from Shen Zhui was from Sister Qi. Earlier this year, his team submitted an unreleased animated film to the CCTV-sponsored animation festival to participate in the selection for the Most Promising Award. Today, the organizing committee called to invite him to attend the awards ceremony.

This is Shen Zhui's first time participating in a national-level competition. Regardless of the awards or honors he receives, it will be a great affirmation of his career, even though the current monetization potential of this career is less than one percent of his income from his side job as an actor.

The awards ceremony was in early August, which happened to be the same day I met Cheng Guo and Xu Qingnian.

To avoid trouble, Cheng Guo didn't mention it to him and went out with him in the morning.

Sister Qi had the driver bring the van to the underground garage early in the morning. After Chen Zhui got in the van, he was taken to get his hair and makeup done, while Cheng Guo drove herself to work.

At 5 p.m., the list of winners for this year's awards was released online. Compared to the TV and film categories, the animation awards have received less attention. However, this year's awards for the most promising animated film director, "Shen Zhui," sparked discussion because it shared the same name as the popular actor Shen Zhui. The controversy was further amplified after the official award ceremony photos confirmed that the two were the same person.

On her way to the restaurant, Cheng Guo briefly browsed the news websites, saved a few photos, and then checked the news about Chen Zhui.

Around 4 PM, he sent two photos. In the first one, he was holding a trophy in one hand, his eyes were indifferent, but the corners of his lips were upturned with undisguised joy, as if he was about to say smugly: "See? Nobody outside is better than me."

In the second photo, the trophy is held by several hands at the same time, and you can feel the passion and excitement of a group of young people even through the screen.

[Yay! We're going to celebrate with them tonight.]

Cheng Guo replied with "Okay," and immediately received his reply: [What about you?]

Cheng Guo: Had dinner with friends and went home

[Yay! Oh!]

She doesn't seem very happy.

Just as Cheng Guo was about to ask him what was wrong, she received another message: "[Will I get a reward today?]"

Having reached the restaurant entrance, Cheng Guo saw Xu Qingnian sitting by the window waiting for her. She waved to him, smiled, and replied to Shen Zhui with a message saying, "Let me think about it," before putting away her phone and entering the restaurant.

She didn't receive any news from Shen Zhui until she left the restaurant, but Yu Muying sent her a WeChat message asking her to call her after she was done.

When the call connected, Yu Muying was watching TV with her grandmother. After chatting for a few minutes about her grandmother's health, Yu Muying asked her how her evening was.

Cheng Guo crossed the road with light steps, entered the hospital through the side gate, and headed towards the inpatient department.

"I enjoyed being with him, but we didn't have any feelings for each other."

“Marriage can’t be based on feelings alone,” Yu Muying said, though she had anticipated today’s outcome, she still tried to persuade her. “After you get married, you’ll find that feelings and emotions alone are not enough. These are consumables that will eventually disappear in the friction. Cheng Guo, you need to weigh things carefully—”

“Mom,” Cheng Guo interrupted her, “I don’t want my first relationship to be the result of weighing the pros and cons, because that would leave me with no expectations for the future.”

After a long silence, Yu Muying said, "You and Qingnian are both very good kids, and feelings can be cultivated. Why don't you try meeting a few more times?"

Cheng Guo stepped onto the stairs and entered the inpatient department. The sound of cicadas chirping outside immediately subsided. She turned onto the emergency exit and climbed the stairs. "Mom, he plans to travel the world from now on."

"Living away from home? Professor Du didn't mention that."

"It was his recent decision." "So he won't be living with his parents anymore?"

"I'm not here most of the time."

"His family has already prepared a wedding room for him."

After a moment of silence, Cheng Guo guessed at Yu Muying's emotions and said softly, "Mom, perhaps their Rome is not his Rome."

After another long silence, the only sound on the phone was the steady footsteps of Cheng Guo on the steps. Yu Muying finally spoke: "I will be teaching the third grade group after school starts. You can think about your feelings yourself."

She paused for a few seconds, then said, "Cheng Guo, you know my bottom line."

When she was born, Mu Ying was teaching at the high school. Later, after her divorce and multiple illnesses that left her with no time to care for herself, she applied to transfer to the relatively easier junior high school.

Cheng Guo was grateful for Mu Ying's efforts for her, but she often felt depressed. At this moment, she silently let out a sigh of relief, her chest felt full, and her eyes were hot. "I know."

Yu Muying hung up the phone, and Cheng Guo stood in the stairwell to calm herself down.

If July is the height of summer in Licheng, then August is the beginning of autumn. Rainfall decreases, the heat and humidity subside, and the weather turns dry. By the end of August, you need to wear a light jacket when you go home from your night shift.

By then, Shenzhui should be ready to start school.

There aren't many courses in his senior year, and I don't know if he'll move out by then.

If she moves away, her breakfast will probably have to go back to eating bread.

Today, Xu Qingnian wanted to give her a Samoyed, but she refused.

The hospital was still quiet at night. Cheng Guo stood in the stairwell, gazing at the only star in her field of vision through a narrow window, lost in thought. After pulling herself out of her reverie, she looked down at her phone for a while, then put it away and paused as she stepped out of the emergency exit.

A tall figure stood by the wall outside the lounge; the person I had just been thinking about was now standing just a few meters away.

There weren't many medical staff or patients' families coming in and out. Shen Zhui wasn't wearing a mask. He was dressed the same as in the photos from this afternoon: dark trousers, a white shirt, and a narrow, long black tie that was tied loosely, with a fold that revealed his exquisitely sexy wrist bone. A silver watch strap was wrapped around it, making him look refined and noble, with a sense of ease that belied his actual age.

He was wearing makeup today, his eyebrows were heroic and his nose was high. The young man, who should have been full of vigor, had a particularly resentful look in his eyes. He leaned against the wall and stood there far away, his black shadow gathering at his feet, waiting motionless for her to come over.

Cheng Guo walked over slowly and stopped two steps away from him. He looked down at her and said, "You went on another blind date."

It is an affirmative sentence.

"You saw it?"

She asked with a smile.

Shen Zhui didn't reply, his brows furrowing in annoyance. "You've been on one blind date after another, Dr. Cheng. You've seen all of them, shouldn't you take responsibility for me?"

He brought up something from eight hundred years ago, and Cheng Guo knew that while he was angry, he was more likely just looking for an excuse to act shamelessly.

She suppressed a smile and calmly raised her eyes: "I've seen more than just you."

"So I was the only one whose towel was pulled off in the middle of the night, right? And I was the only one whose lip was bitten, right?" he muttered softly, his tone aggrieved.

"..." Cheng Guo's ears slowly turned red.

She kindly changed his dressing, but he pretended to be asleep. Now he's deliberately misinterpreting her meaning, saying she lifted his towel, without mentioning at all the times he bit her first.

How do you know it's just you?

Chen Zhui was taken aback, his bright, moist eyes looking even more aggrieved: "Sister..."

Cheng Guo's waist instantly went numb.

"I'm not a sadist, am I?" Cheng Guo thought to herself.

Shen Zhui took a step forward, seized the opportunity to hug her, and nuzzled his head against her neck, seemingly casually pressing it against her skin. "This time, I don't want any title, okay?"

"No," Cheng Guo replied decisively.

Then I got bitten on the neck.

Although it doesn't hurt, this person changed their attitude way too quickly, didn't they?

Shen Zhui kept a straight face and waited silently for her to go downstairs together, get in the car, and take the elevator back to the community. He didn't pay any attention to her.

Cheng Guo opened the door and went inside, with Chen Zhui following behind. After closing the door, Chen Zhui went to press the light switch on the wall.

He slammed the light down, but it didn't turn on. Frustrated, he slammed it down again.

Only the small lamp in the corner of the wall sensed someone passing by and lit up with an extremely faint light.

Cheng Guo turned around in the light and called out, "Chen Zhui".

In the dim light, Shen Zhui suppressed his initial irritation, pursed his lips, lowered his head to look at her, and remained silent.

His tie was long and thin, the end brushing against the metallic buckle. Cheng Guo gently pinched it between two fingers, flipped her wrist, and the black tie wrapped around her fair palm. The tie straightened, and Chen Zhui was forced to lower his neck, his breath so close that it touched the tip of her nose.

Something in the air is slowly fermenting.

After a long while, Shen Zhui turned his head away, his eyes stinging, and said, "I don't kiss my friends."

Cheng Guo looked at him quietly and slowly loosened her tie.

His tie bent loosely in an arc, but Chen Zhui didn't move away. He tensed up for a few seconds, his Adam's apple bobbing in the shadows. He looked back at her, staring into her eyes, and his tone softened against his will, "After we kiss, will we be boyfriend and girlfriend?"

"no."

Cheng Guo smiled and tugged at his tie, then kissed him.

-----------------------

A note from the author:

Waaaaaah, I'm back! I had writer's block. This chapter was really difficult; I wrote 8500 words, wasting 2300. But thankfully, the romance is finally starting! Are you guys still here? [Pity][Pity]

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival tomorrow! Wishing everyone a happy holiday in advance! [Let me see][Let me see]

This chapter includes a red envelope, hehe.

The line "Their Rome is not his Rome" is a paraphrase of "Your Rome is not my Rome" from Jiao Yelu's poem "I Should, I Want, I'm Willing." Thanks to Xixi for sharing this poem with me! [Sprinkling flowers]