Chapter 6: Kissing the Belly

Su Zhiluo's hands were warm in the cold winter. Liu Chengxu felt dizzy and could only say "hmm" and "okay" without hearing what Su Zhiluo was saying.

"Did you bump your head?" Su Zhiluo noticed that her eyes were unfocused.

"I'll just sit for a bit, it's fine." Liu Chengxu was worried that she would see through him, so he rambled on about this and that, and Su Zhiluo was so confused by him that she forgot to take her hand back for a moment.

Su Zhiluo found a secluded spot and squatted down in front of her to check her leg. Liu Chengxu was worried it wasn't serious, so she pretended to be shy and wouldn't let her see. But when she took off her pants that night, her entire knee was bruised and scraped.

Only after the pain began did Liu Chengxu belatedly realize it, and he grinned, grimacing.

This semester has been very long for Liu Chengxu; she thinks about going home every day.

Other majors have been on holiday for a week, but they've only just started their exams.

To prepare for the final exams, Liu Chengxu would immerse himself in the library every evening to study, and he started packing his bags three days before the exams.

After the exam, Liu Chengxu rushed back to his dormitory, dragging his suitcase downstairs in one breath.

Su Zhiluo stood by the flower bed, her black stand-up collar pulled down to her nose, revealing only her eyes. She called out to her just as Su Zhiluo was about to rush out of sight.

Liu Chengxu turned around, froze, and then took out his phone to take a picture of her. At this moment, Su Zhiluo looked a lot like the model Cha Baomei photographed.

Su Zhiluo had no confidence in Liu Chengxu's skills and thought it wouldn't look very good, but she was surprised to find that it was quite good and had a photographer's style.

"How come you're so good at taking pictures? Did you take some advanced courses?" Su Zhiluo smoothed her hair that was messed up by the wind and leaned over to pull her suitcase. "Send them to me later."

Liu Chengxu hadn't studied it, but because he liked her and observed her closely, he could always find her most beautiful angles.

The entire campus was filled with the sound of suitcases being dragged around. Most people were alone, except for Liu Chengxu, who had someone come to pick her up. She leaned against Su Zhiluo and said, "Sister-in-law, let me come."

Su Zhiluo didn't give it: "It's not heavy. You must have had a tough exam. I'll give you some when we get back. You've been using your brain too much lately, are you feeling dizzy?"

Liu Chengxu shook his head, overwhelmed by her doting affection.

The bus on the way back was full of students. There was only one empty seat, so Liu Chengxu gave it to Su Zhi. The bus was swaying, and the female student next to her had her suitcase blocking her feet. Every time the bus swayed, Liu Chengxu had to hold on tightly to the handrail, otherwise she would bump into the suitcase every time.

Su Zhiluo patted her leg. Liu Chengxu saw it, but hesitated, unsure. Su Zhiluo patted her leg again and called to her, "Come sit on my lap."

The bus had just stopped, and the swaying carriage was briefly at a stable state. Liu Chengxu squeezed over and carefully sat on her lap. The bus door shook again with a "whoosh," and Su Zhi put her hand on her waist to steady her.

Liu Chengxu's hands slowly clenched, tense, his heart pounding wildly. The car shook even more violently, and Su Zhiluo hugged her waist tightly.

Liu Chengxu lowered her head, secretly pleased. She looked up and her gaze met that of the swaying girl opposite her. The girl immediately understood her crush. Liu Chengxu suppressed her smile, not daring to be overly boastful.

"Alright, Cheng Xu, we're here," Su Zhiluo called to her.

"So fast?" Liu Chengxu blurted out.

Su Zhiluo let go of her hand. "It's been half an hour."

Their destination wasn't the station; they could just get off at the subway station near their apartment building. Liu Chengxu dragged her suitcase off the bus, and Su Zhi got off and took the suitcase from her.

A cold wind blew in his face, and Liu Chengxu exhaled a puff of white breath. Su Zhiluo said, "I forgot to remind you to wear a scarf. Come here and walk next to me, it'll keep you warm."

It took them an hour to get home, and both of their noses were so cold they were uncomfortable.

The floor inside was wet and cold, no different from walking barefoot on a frozen iron surface; it was no better than outside.

Su Zhiluo said, "Living alone is like this, it will be better when you go home."

Liu Chengxu liked this sentence very much and wanted to write it down.

The whole house was filled with the aroma of chicken soup. Liu Chengxu took a deep breath, and Su Zhiluo walked into the kitchen. "You're craving it, aren't you? Do you want fish soup or fish hot pot tomorrow?"

Liu Chengxu squatted on the ground packing her suitcase, reminiscing about eating fish hot pot.

Liu Chengxu first put the things he brought for his sister-in-law on the table, then carried the clothes into the bedroom. Su Zhiluo called out to her, "The area under the bed might be a little damp, so put the clothes in my closet."

There was only one small cabinet in the room. Liu Chengxu used to stuff his clothes into the storage box under the bed. Liu Chengxu opened the cabinet and glanced to the side, seeing a dried pink rose in the photo album on the bedside table.

Liu Chengxu stood at the door holding the photo album and called out to Su Zhiluo, "That pink rose..."

"I originally wanted to make the whole bunch into dried flowers, but as you know, the house is damp in autumn and winter, and they would wilt quickly. So I saved that one flower. I put a packet of dehumidifier in the back, otherwise it would have rotted in the last few days."

"Then you knew it was me who bought it?" Liu Chengxu asked.

Su Zhiluo said, "At first I didn't think of it, but after thinking about it carefully, I realized that you're earning your own money and being generous to me, so it must have been you who bought it."

She added, "The whole house smelled of roses for those few days. I brought a bouquet to my workstation, and everyone said it smelled wonderful. I really like it, thank you."

Su Zhiluo placed the casserole on the table. It was a little hot, so she rubbed her ears. She had specially bought free-range chicken and hadn't used too many random seasonings. The stew, with its fragrant meat and mushrooms, tasted delicious. She also stir-fried a plate of Shanghai bok choy to cut through the richness.

Su Zhiluo first scooped out a bowl of chicken, then put the chicken leg in her bowl, saying, "Here you go."

Liu Chengxu reached out his hands to take it, and Su Zhiluo whispered, "Be careful, it's hot."

"Yes, thank you, sister-in-law."

Su Zhiluo sat down, looked at the hand holding the bowl, and asked, "Didn't you use the face cream I bought for you?"

"I used it."

"Then your hands look so rough."

Her hands were dry, and Liu Chengxu wasn't sure if it was from being a waitress serving dishes so often that they were frozen. She put her hands behind the bowl, not wanting Su Zhiluo to see them.

After dinner, Su Zhiluo took her face cream and sat cross-legged on the sofa. Liu Chengxu went to the bathroom to soak his hands for a while and then came over. Su Zhiluo applied the face cream to the back of her hands, and Liu Chengxu rubbed the face cream until it melted, and his hands were soon moisturized.

Liu Cheng followed his hand toward the bedroom. The school dormitory was much better than this small, shabby room. It was a four-person room with bunk beds and wardrobes, a balcony where sunlight could shine in, and air conditioning that could be turned on at night when it was cold.

Liu Chengxu rushed over and smelled the sunshine. She snuggled closer, her back was warm, and she stuffed her hands inside; it was soft and fluffy new cotton.

Even with mottled walls and rusty pipes, Su Zhiluo would always wash the sheets with jasmine-scented laundry detergent and keep a few potted plants on the windowsill, their names unknown, bringing gentle life to every broken corner. No matter how good things were outside, she cherished this home more.

When Su Zhi entered the bedroom, she saw Liu Chengxu had taken off his shoes and was lying on her bed. She didn't scold him, but instead asked, holding a gift bag, "What did you buy for me this time?"

Then, she took out four pairs of earrings and two boxes of lipsticks. Su Zhiluo put on the earrings and asked, "Do you know how to choose lipstick colors?"

“I picked it out with my friends. Both of them gave me advice, and they both said it suits you.”

Su Zhiluo opened the packaging, took a mirror, applied the lipstick, and wiped her upper lip with her fingers. The college student really had good taste; the orange and peach colors complemented her aura and were very suitable for the winter atmosphere.

Liu Chengxu leaned over the bed and tugged at Su Zhiluo's clothes. Su Zhiluo met his bright and focused eyes, and her heart clenched. It was as if Liu Chengxu longed for her to kiss him.

Su Zhiluo slowly turned around, and heard Liu Chengxu's soft voice in her ear, "Sister-in-law, you are so beautiful." She wanted to kiss him.

Liu Chengxu chose two kinds of lipsticks.

Matte and lip gloss.

One wants to lick, the other wants to kiss.

Liu Cheng asked her, "Do you like it?"

"I really like it." Su Zhi said honestly, "When you come back, you bring me things. I feel very surprised and think, 'What will my Cheng Xu bring me when he comes back today?'"

"Our Cheng Xu, our Cheng Xu, it was she and my sister-in-law who formed a family," Liu Cheng Xu said, overjoyed, blurting out, "Sister-in-law, I love you."

Su Zhiluo tasted a hint of the sweetness of the lipstick, and out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at Liu Chengxu, who seemed somewhat allergic to the word "love" at the end.

Liu Chengxu's acting was good for the first time. Even though his heart was pounding and he was so nervous he felt like he was going to die, his face was full of innocent smiles.

Su Zhilu put away the mirror, suppressing the heat on her face.

She questioned herself inwardly about what she was thinking, how could she have thought that Liu Chengxu had feelings for her that crossed the line?

After taking a nap at noon, the two of them went out in the evening. Just then, Aunt Zhang from next door brought her granddaughter home. Aunt Zhang warmly called out to Su Zhiluo, "Does your Cheng Xu have any plans for the winter vacation?"

Su Zhiluo didn't really want Liu Chengxu to work at the bar. She figured Aunt Zhang knew some connections, so she asked her a couple of questions. As she expected, Zhang Rulan pulled out a flyer. "This is what I left when I found a tutoring class for my Mingming. Now a lot of parents are looking for tutoring, and I was thinking about whether your Chengxu should become a teacher."

Su Zhiluo quickly took it, and Zhang Guilan said, "I specifically asked, and the hourly rate for those with higher education is not cheap; a few hours can easily cost over a hundred yuan."

Su Zhiluo flipped through the pages and realized it was much better than going to the tavern; she could even include it in her resume later.

"If I go, what will happen to my friends?" Liu Chengxu was worried about Meng Zhenyue. Cha Baomei went home for the New Year, and Meng Zhenyue was living alone at school. It would be very unsafe for her to go to the bar alone.

"You're so stubborn. Ask her if she wants to come along."

Su Zhiluo glanced at her, and Liu Chengxu immediately called Meng Zhenyue. Meng Zhenyue agreed, saying it was a good opportunity to change jobs. Liu Chengxu was afraid that she was just settling for him, so he asked her many times. Meng Zhenyue laughed and said, "I'm not stupid. I know what I want to do. Actually, I also want to change. I always feel that singing in bars for a long time has made me think that this is my safe zone and comfort zone. I think that whatever happens in the future, I will want to do this. It's good to change."

After hanging up the phone, Su Zhilu laughed at her, "Look at your friend, you're still worried. You should learn from her, be brave and go for it, do whatever you want, don't always stay in your comfort zone."

At first glance, it seems to be a concern that she might end up working as a waitress every day, but upon closer inspection, it's more like saying we shouldn't treat her as a comfort zone.

Love becomes sensitive and suspicious when there is no response or certainty.

What are you thinking about?

Liu Chengxu shook his head, worried that the person he liked would notice something amiss, and gave an indifferent smile.

At the supermarket, I ran into Su Zhiluo's friend. The friend lives in the factory and we met up on our day off to buy discounted vegetables and fruits to cook for ourselves.

The two walked and talked, with Liu Chengxu following behind. He noticed the skincare section next door and went over to grab a tube of discounted hand cream.

Chang Ruyin said in a low voice, "Why does your sister-in-law look so sullen? It's not because of me, is it?"

Su Zhiluo didn't notice, but turned around to look at Liu Chengxu's position, where he was waiting for her. "She's always had this expression since she was a child, you know that."

Liu Chengxu was transformed from a little hedgehog; she used to be quite prickly. Chang Ruyin had received several eye-rolls from her. Back then, feeling sorry for her friend, she would often tell her that this person was probably someone who couldn't be tamed.

Chang Ruyin: "Then what about your relationship with Yang Jie?"

Su Zhiluo: "No rush, as I said. I haven't decided yet. I want her to stop wasting her time on me and find someone better."

Chang Ruyin: "She contacted me yesterday and asked if I had a good relationship with Liu Chengxu, saying she wanted to talk to her about it."

Su Zhiluo: "It has nothing to do with Cheng Xu, it's my fault."

After they finished chatting, Chang Ruyin noticed that Liu Chengxu's eyes were practically bulging out of their sockets.

There were discounted sweaters in the second-floor merchandise area, and Su Zhiluo compared them to Liu Chengxu's.

Liu Chengxu was still wearing Su Zhiluo's old sweater. They used to be very poor, and Liu Chengxu grew up quickly, so Su Zhiluo threw her hers at her. It fit Liu Chengxu well back then, but now it's short-sleeved.

Su Zhiluo: "You didn't even say it was so much shorter."

"I grew another centimeter or two during college, and then the clothes stopped fitting."

Su Zhiluo looked at her height; she seemed to be a bit taller than her sister. She could be a suitable international supermodel in the future. Su Zhiluo felt a sense of pride; she had really raised Liu Chengxu very well.

Back home, Su Zhiluo changed the coal in the stove, and Liu Chengxu filled a kettle with fresh water and put it on.

In winter, lighting a stove is more cost-effective than buying an air conditioner. During the day, you can simmer a pot of soup, letting it cook slowly until it's fragrant and delicious; at night, you can boil water to make tea, with the warm air filling the room. The house will be warm all day long.

Su Zhiluo carried hot water into the bathroom and poured it into a basin. The steam instantly rose and filled the small space, creating a hazy atmosphere. She quickly closed the door; the warm, humid steam filled the bathroom, so she wouldn't feel cold even if she was naked.

Liu Chengxu was collecting clothes on the balcony when a cold snowflake landed on the back of her hand. Fine snowflakes began to fall from the sky, like scattered feathers.

"Sister-in-law, it's snowing! Sister-in-law, come and see!"

Su Zhiluo didn't reply to her. She sat on the sofa with her back to her. Liu Chengxu ran in and saw Su Zhiluo rubbing her knee.

Liu Chengxu rushed over: "Sister-in-law, what's wrong?"

Su Zhilu frowned, rubbing her knees, the pain still lingering. She said, "I caught a chill."

Liu Chengxu squatted down beside her, "Let me see, is it the wind..."

"No, don't say that." Su Zhiluo was young and didn't want to be told she had rheumatism. "I just caught a chill, and it's a little lingering, but I'll be fine soon."

Liu Cheng asked, "Why didn't you say so before?"

Su Zhiluo's leg had been hurting for many days, but Liu Chengxu, who was at school and hadn't come home, hadn't noticed. Su Zhiluo said, "It doesn't hurt all the time."

Liu Chengxu: "I'll go buy some hand warmers, that'll make me feel better."

Liu Chengxu immediately got up to go out, but Su Zhiluo, wearing slippers, pulled him back and said coldly, "It's so late, why are you still going out? Alright, stop making a fuss."

She acted as if she hadn't heard him and still went out. Su Zhiluo said, "Go to the kitchen and get me some hot water."

They lived in the suburbs, where there were hooligans, thugs, and lazy gamblers. There was a man in their building who loved to gamble, and they would usually avoid his house.

Liu Chengxu said in a muffled voice, "Sister-in-law, I don't like winter anymore."

Su Zhiluo laughed, "You say the same thing when there's a cold snap in spring, you say the same thing when it's sweltering in summer, and you say the same thing when it's winter."

"Autumn didn't say anything."

Liu Chengxu was taken aback, then pursed his lips. Liu Chengxu and Su Zhiluo would never like autumn; it was the season her sister left.

Liu Chengxu lowered his head and rubbed his hands together to warm them, then gently placed them on her knees. The warmth of his hands slowly seeped into her skin, bringing a sense of reassuring comfort.

Su Zhiluo trembled and pulled her arms back. "Go take a shower, the water is getting cold."

Liu Chengxu filled Su Zhiluo's bathtub with hot water. After taking a bath, he immediately pushed Su Zhiluo to take a shower. When Su Zhiluo came out, Liu Chengxu lay down in her bed and said, "Sister-in-law, I've warmed it up for you."

Liu Chengxu made way for Su Zhiluo, and she lay down. Then she jumped onto Su Zhiluo's bed, making Su Zhiluo afraid that she would kick the bed down. Liu Chengxu pulled his blanket over and laid it across the bed, saying, "I'll sleep with you, so you don't get frostbite again."

Liu Chengxu lay down beside her and whispered, "We'll buy a big house in the future, install air conditioning and underfloor heating, so you won't feel cold."

Su Zhiluo slowly hummed in agreement.

Liu Chengxu was seriously envisioning the future. At that time, she would stay in City A, have a stable job, rent a bright and spacious house, and give all the money to Su Zhiluo. Su Zhiluo would deposit it in the bank, and once they had enough, they would buy a house, a two-bedroom house with heating and air conditioning.

Liu Chengxu felt sorry for his sister-in-law, and he kept her knees covered all night.

Su Zhiluo woke up in the middle of the night and, still half asleep, looked at her downcast eyes. She was incredibly obedient and knew how to take care of people.

Waking up early, Su Zhilu felt something was wrong. She lifted the covers and looked inside. Liu Chengxu was sleeping close to her lower abdomen, his face flushed and burning hot, his closed eyelashes slightly curled upwards. Su Zhilu realized this and took a deep breath, tightening her abdomen. The sleeping man immediately followed suit and pressed himself closer, squeezing his body against hers, Su Zhilu's legs resting on his stomach.

Su Zhilu smiled helplessly.

puppy.

Sensing that Liu Chengxu was about to wake up, Su Zhiluo closed her eyes.

Liu Chengxu's lips unconsciously brushed against Su Zhiluo's abdomen. Su Zhiluo's slender waist shrank back. Liu Chengxu opened her eyes, woke up, and stared blankly at Su Zhiluo's lower abdomen. Then, she leaned forward and kissed her lower abdomen.

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It's lunchtime! [Food][Food][Food] Did you miss me?