Chapter 40: The Aftermath

Su Zhiluo didn't really like comparing Liu Chengxu to any small animal, although sometimes, Liu Chengxu really was a little dog.

She always liked to gently rub her cheek against hers. If she sensed that the other person didn't resist, she would take the opportunity to kiss her. Su Zhiluo could never resist such intimacy, her eyelashes trembling as she accepted it.

The temperature plummeted today, and even the air conditioner's heating couldn't ward off the chill. Liu Chengxu pulled the down comforter over them and carefully wrapped them both up, then lowered his head to kiss her delicate collarbone.

Su Zhiluo grabbed her shoulders and body, and Liu Chengxu said softly, "I want to come from behind."

Su Zhilu shook her head. She didn't know if it was psychological or something else. Logically speaking, they were about the same, but she just felt that it was too exciting.

Ironically, Liu Chengxu liked this very thing. When she placed her hand on Su Zhiluo's waist, Su Zhiluo would tense her back and crawl forward. She loved holding Su Zhiluo's calves and kissing her back.

Liu Chengxu wrapped his arms around her waist. "Aren't you shy? This way you won't be able to see me, and you can make your voices louder."

These words are just excuses.

Su Zhiluo was extremely ashamed. When Liu Chengxu kissed her again, she turned her face away and whispered, "But every time this happens, you don't listen to me. You'll ruin me."

If it's a game Liu Chengxu likes, she'll play for a long time; Su Zhiluo checked the time last time, and it was around fifty minutes. Liu Chengxu didn't forget to exercise in S City; her stamina is excellent, and Su Zhiluo can't keep up.

Liu Chengxu kissed her neck, his teeth gently rubbing against her soft flesh, and Su Zhiluo went limp. Liu Chengxu whispered, "I'll be obedient this time, I'll do whatever you say."

Su Zhiluo tightened her fingers on her shoulder and said softly, "Then hurry up today."

Liu Chengxu said, "If you hurry up, I can hurry up too."

Compared to later, Su Zhiluo preferred to linger with her, because being close allowed her to perceive the other person's state, which was not particularly shameful, and it was also very discreet and gentle.

Before Su Zhiluo could start, she hooked her arm around Liu Chengxu's neck and kissed him, trying to ease the awkwardness. Liu Chengxu, supporting himself on the pillow, pulled her forward, throwing her phone and bank card to the ground.

Su Zhiluo tried to pick it up, but Liu Chengxu pulled her back and pressed her against the headboard, kissing her. After a few minutes, Su Zhiluo was out of breath and turned her head away to breathe.

Liu Chengxu called her, "Sister-in-law."

Su Zhiluo was provoked by this address and couldn't help but remind her, "...Don't call me sister-in-law when we're doing this in the future."

Liu Chengxu didn't understand and asked her, "Why?"

She whispered, "I'm used to calling you that." She called out twice more, her voice lingering and sweet, like a demon ready to devour someone.

Su Zhiluo bit her lip as pleasure surged within her.

Liu Chengxu said, "Sister-in-law, look... you won't be able to see it in a moment."

Liu Chengxu's curly hair brushed against her chest, tickling her. Su Zhilu could feel Liu Chengxu, whom she had raised, now mature and charming, possessing her.

It looks like it was eaten by the puppies they raised.

*

Su Zhiluo lay face down on the pillow, pressing her waist down. Liu Chengxu's hand covered her buttocks, and he whispered in her ear, "Faster or slower?"

Even when Su Zhiluo was about to pass out, she still clung to her and asked.

Su Zhiluo said, "Hurry up."

After that, she kept calling Liu Chengxu's name, urging her, "Slow down, slow down."

Su Zhiluo couldn't go on and tried to crawl forward, but there was a wall in front of her, so Liu Chengxu grabbed her calves and pulled her back.

Liu Chengxu flipped her over again and kissed her lips fiercely, biting them until Su Zhiluo's lips hurt.

"Relax a little." Liu Chengxu's breath fell on her ear.

Su Zhiluo didn't want to either; she felt even more strongly about it today than yesterday. Liu Chengxu brushed the hair away from her face and gently kissed her ear. He said, "Let's try navel oranges next time."

*

Most of the time they were together, but today Su Zhiluo was too tired, and Liu Chengxu had done it twice. She was sleepy as soon as it was over. When Su Zhiluo fell asleep, she thought about getting up early to help Liu Chengxu.

When Su Zhiluo woke up in the morning, she still remembered this incident and was about to get up and kiss her when she opened her eyes and found that she was not there.

Su Zhiluo got dressed and got out of bed. Liu Chengxu was preparing breakfast in the kitchen. She stood there for a while, and Liu Chengxu turned to look at her and asked, "What's wrong?"

Su Zhilu smiled and shook her head before entering the bathroom.

I feel a little ashamed and embarrassed.

In the morning, the meal was plentiful.

I had a stir-fried snakehead fish, some steamed sweet potatoes, and a special congee with preserved egg that I made in case Su Zhiluo didn't have an appetite for breakfast.

Liu Chengxu said, "I'm going to see a client today."

Su Zhiluo asked, "Where is it?"

Liu Chengxu shared his location with her on his phone, and Su Zhiluo said, "The location is a bit remote."

Liu Chengxu: "A 500-square-meter villa looks like this."

Su Zhilu was astonished; owning a villa here meant being extremely wealthy. Liu Chengxu said, "For the two of us, seventy or eighty square meters is enough."

Didn't you say you wanted to buy a very big house?

"It's this big." Liu Chengxu had once desperately wanted to escape from this place, to escape every inch of air enveloped by his sister's memories.

Upon her return, she felt the bonds of home again. Every item Su Zhiluo had acquired bore her mark; she no longer needed to flee in panic.

The two of them were originally going to have dinner at Chang Ruyin's house, but now Liu Chengxu has to work, so they can only wait until she finishes her work before going over.

Su Zhiluo had nothing to do, so she accompanied her to work. After dropping her off, she didn't bother Liu Chengxu and wandered around the neighborhood on her own.

The villa area was very large, and the landscaping was like a forest park. After looking at it, she secretly went to see Liu Chengxu.

Liu Chengxu rolled up his sleeves and worked with several workers to set up the level, measure data, and then took out his notebook to record it.

Chen Qiuyi, who was with Liu Chengxu, noticed Su Zhiluo and asked, "Who is that to you?"

Liu Chengxu turned around and saw Su Zhiluo. She subconsciously wanted to say that she was her sister-in-law, but before she could finish speaking, she said, "My girlfriend."

Chen Qiuyi was shocked: "You have a girlfriend? Didn't you not have one before?"

It's pretty obvious whether someone has a girlfriend or not. She used to always seem tense, which made it seem like she'd been dumped.

Liu Chengxu said, "We were talking about it before, and we recently made up."

Liu Chengxu continued scanning, preparing to make a model.

After she finished her work, Su Zhiluo immediately put gloves on her and touched her fingers, saying, "They're so cold."

Su Zhiluo covered her hand and rubbed it, then put her hand into her own pocket.

Liu Chengxu put his arm around her waist and said, "We still have to go to a few more places. Why don't you go back? It's cold."

Su Zhiluo took out the food she had bought from her bag. Liu Chengxu reached out to take it, and Su Zhiluo said, "Open your mouth."

Liu Chengxu was stunned.

Most of the time, Su Zhiluo is good at keeping her distance and won't do anything intimate.

"I hope we can win the lottery for a license plate so we can buy a car and take you to work." Su Zhiluo brought the food to her mouth. "Open your mouth, your hands are all red from the cold."

Liu Chengxu felt a lump in her throat, and she opened her mouth to eat it.

Just then, snowflakes began to fall. She blinked, and the snowflakes melted in her eyes.

Liu Chengxu reached out to take it and said, "It's snowing."

"Come on, have a few more bites."

Su Zhilu fed her a chicken leg.

Liu Chengxu said, "It's cold." She reached out and hugged Su Zhiluo.

Su Zhiluo said, "I'll help you these next few days, that way it'll be faster. It always breaks my heart to see you working so hard." She sighed.

After finishing the meal, Liu Chengxu completed the finishing touches.

The two walked slowly to the subway station, snowflakes falling gently. Liu Chengxu took out a red jewelry box from his pocket.

Su Zhiluo asked, "When did you buy it? I have one, you can keep it for yourself."

Liu Chengxu placed it in her palm: "Take turns wearing them."

Su Zhiluo clutched the box in her pocket, walked several steps, and then turned her head to look at Liu Chengxu's hand.

Because of her habits over the years, she was more restrained around Liu Chengxu. She turned to look at Liu Chengxu's hands several times and said, "There are snowflakes on your gloves."

"It's alright," Liu Chengxu said.

"Let me pat you down so you don't catch a cold," Su Zhiluo said.

Liu Chengxu raised her hand, and Su Zhiluo patted it on the shoulder. After patting it, she didn't give her hand back, but just held it.

Liu Chengxu's heart pounded with excitement.

They were as intimate as a couple holding hands, not to mention that it was Su Zhiluo who took the initiative.

In an instant, many things came to Liu Chengxu's mind. For example, her former deskmate liked to read novels, and she had glanced at a few along with her. There was a strange phrase in it, "a deer's heart pounding," and at the time, she thought to herself with a strange expression that her heart must have been smashed to pieces. She also thought of the first time she bumped into Su Zhiluo's chest, feeling nervous, uneasy, and with Su Zhiluo's fragrance filling her breath. She felt like she was doomed.

Her heart was pounding like a deer's, burning with tension, and her fingers, which were being held, were constantly sweating.

“That’s strange,” Liu Chengxu said.

Su Zhiluo's face was very red, and she walked with her head down.

Liu Chengxu himself said, "I still have this feeling at 25."

Su Zhiluo didn't understand this sentence at first, but after walking for three minutes, she suddenly realized that she had given too little love, and Liu Chengxu didn't realize it until he was 25 years old.

She also understood why Liu Chengxu suddenly lost control that summer, accusing her with the most hurtful words, and even punishing each other by separating.

Liu Chengxu poured all his love into her, but he never received an equal response. Like a caged cub, he could only vent his helplessness by biting the bars; or like a drowning person, struggling clumsily, even if he could only grasp at a straw.

Those sharp arguments and hurtful words were nothing more than the most clumsy plea in despair, begging her to spare even a little bit of love, even if it was just a spark of affection.

Liu Chengxu is not greedy; a little love is enough.

Su Zhiluo was struck by a wave of guilt.

He had given her a lot of love from his family, but very little affection from his lover or partner.

Liu Chengxu should also have a love that belongs solely to her.

She squeezed Liu Chengxu's hand tightly again.

Liu Chengxu said, "Wait a moment."

Liu Chengxu took off his gloves, reached out and held her hand. She held the gloves in her other hand and said, "This way you can feel it more clearly."

Su Zhiluo placed her palm on the other hand, thinking that she would treat her better in the future.

Very good.

Make up for all the guilt I felt towards her.

Su Zhiluo looked at Liu Chengxu through the rustling snowflakes.

The look of an elder looking at a child has long since faded from her eyes, replaced by tender affection and hidden love—like admiring a rose she has personally watered, each bloom gently touching the softest part of her heart.

Liu Chengxu turned his head as if he sensed something: "What's wrong?"

Su Zhiluo hurriedly looked away, even her breathing became soft.

Her heart was pounding so hard she was cursing herself for being so weak.

This is love.

What's the panic, Su Zhiluo?

————————!!————————

The cafeteria at 2020 is open for lunch! [food emojis]

What if it ends? My baby will be hungry! [crying emoji]