sleeping in the same bed

The main light in the living room was off; only a floor lamp next to the sofa emitted a hazy, yellowish glow.

The intense waves seem to have subsided for the time being, but the aftershocks are far from over.

Lin Tingyue was held tightly in Chi Zhuo's arms, her cheek pressed against his chest, the sound of his strong heartbeat mingling with her own, indistinguishable from his.

Even though she was right next to him, Lin Tingyue's head was still a little dizzy.

Chi Zhuo's arm was wrapped around her waist, carrying an undeniable sense of possession, and his chin gently rested on the top of her head, caressing it lightly.

His fingers unconsciously entwined around her soft hair scattered on the sofa, the movement carrying a languid intimacy that followed.

An ambiguous warmth and silence filled the air.

Lin Tingyue felt weak all over, too lazy to even move her fingertips, but her thoughts drifted like a kite with a broken string.

All of this happened too fast, yet it seemed like a natural progression.

Chi Zhuo seemed a little different after returning from the charity gala.

Every step of the process was challenging her preconceived notions.

"Are you alright?" Chi Zhuo's deep, slightly hoarse voice broke the silence from above.

His palm gently stroked her smooth back.

Lin Tingyue's cheeks flushed, and she buried her face even deeper into his chest, letting out a barely audible "Mmm".

Her shyness pleased him.

Chi Zhuo chuckled softly, her chest heaving, causing her to rise and fall slightly.

He didn't say anything more, but tightened his arms and held her even more securely.

"Gurgle—"

An untimely soft sound came from Lin Tingyue's abdomen, which was particularly clear in the quiet space.

Her body froze instantly, and her ears turned so red they looked like they were about to bleed.

Chi Zhuo chuckled again, his obvious pleasure evident.

He released her, stood up, and smoothly picked up the hoodie and trousers scattered on the ground, casually putting them on.

Then, he bent down and, along with the thin blanket, picked up Lin Tingyue, who was wrapped up like a silkworm cocoon.

"Ah!" Lin Tingyue exclaimed softly, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck. "What are you doing?"

"I'll feed you." Chi Zhuo looked down at her, his tone exceptionally gentle, yet with a lighthearted teasing quality.

He carried her steadily toward the restaurant and placed her on a cushioned dining chair.

The thin blanket slipped down slightly, revealing her rounded shoulders and the ambiguous red marks on her collarbone.

Lin Tingyue frantically tried to pull him back, but Chi Zhuo had already turned and walked towards the open kitchen.

Instead of calling the housekeeper over as usual, he opened the refrigerator himself.

Lin Tingyue curled up in the chair, watching his tall figure busy in the warm light of the kitchen.

He took out eggs and vegetables, his movements not particularly skillful, but methodical and unhurried.

Soon, two steaming bowls of egg and ham noodles were served.

Clear broth, thin noodles, topped with a golden-brown fried egg and vibrant green vegetables—simple, yet incredibly fragrant.

"Make do for now." Chi Zhuo handed her the chopsticks and sat down opposite her.

Lin Tingyue took it, bent down, and took a bite. The taste was surprisingly good, light and warming to the stomach.

The two ate their noodles in silence, the atmosphere no longer as tentative and stagnant as it had been at breakfast, but rather flowing with a tranquil and harmonious feeling of post-meal tenderness.

"The family dinner next Friday," Chi Zhuo suddenly spoke, his voice slightly muffled in the rising steam, "Does Dad have any preferred gifts?"

Lin Tingyue paused in her grip on the chopsticks, then looked up at him.

"He...likes drinking tea and also likes collecting inkstones and calligraphy."

“Okay.” Chi Zhuo noted it down, then added, “You decide the time. Just let me know in advance and I’ll have the driver pick you up.”

"Okay." Lin Tingyue nodded.

After finishing the noodles, Chi Zhuo cleaned up the dishes and put them in the dishwasher.

Watching him do these everyday chores, Lin Tingyue suddenly felt that this huge but often deserted house had, for the first time, the warmth of home.

"Are you still tired?" After washing the cups, he turned his head and asked, his voice much lower and softer than usual.

Lin Tingyue subconsciously shook her head, but then felt that the answer seemed to carry some kind of implication, and her cheeks burned even hotter. She quickly lowered her eyelashes and whispered, "...It's okay."

"Lin Tingyue." He called her by her full name, but his tone was not harsh.

"Hmm?" she responded subconsciously, her voice trembling slightly without her even realizing it.

“From now on,” he said, looking at her, each word clear and slow, “you won’t have to be so careful anymore.”

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but found her throat was a little dry.

Chi Zhuo didn't seem to need her answer. He leaned down and placed a soft, warm kiss on her smooth forehead.

"It's late, go wash up and rest." He straightened up, ruffled her hair, and the gesture was natural and affectionate.

Lin Tingyue was still in a daze, only following the order and walking towards the bathroom.

Soon after she finished washing up, she lay comfortably on the bed, feeling somewhat weak all over.

Just as she closed her eyes to rest for a while, she heard a knock on the door.

She sat up abruptly, opened the door, and saw Chi Zhuo standing there.

He was wearing a dark bathrobe, his hair was half-dry, and wisps of hair fell across his forehead, making him look less serious and more casually lazy than he usually was.

Lin Tingyue was a little surprised, thinking that something had happened to him.

"you……"

Before she could finish speaking, Chi Zhuo walked in on his own and sat down on the edge of her bed.

Lin Tingyue: ...?

Then, Chi Zhuo pulled back her blanket, lay down, and remained silent the entire time.

Lin Tingyue was dumbfounded on the spot.

Seeing that she didn't move, Chi Zhuo said calmly, "Aren't you going to sleep?"

Lin Tingyue clenched her fingers as if she had made up her mind, lifted the other side of the blanket, and then lay down.

The mattress sank slightly with her movements, and the two were at a distance that was neither too close nor too far apart. She could clearly feel the heat emanating from his body.

She had her back to him, her body slightly curled up, and her heart was beating exceptionally loudly in the quiet night.

Suddenly, a warm arm reached out from behind, wrapped around her waist, and gently pulled her back into his embrace.

Lin Tingyue's body stiffened instantly.

"Don't move," his voice whispered in her ear, husky with sleepiness, "Just sleep like this."

His embrace was warm and firm, completely enveloping her.

Tingyue's stiff body gradually relaxed, and she finally leaned completely into his arms.

She closed her eyes, feeling an unprecedented sense of intimacy and peace.

On Friday afternoon, Chi Zhuo returned to pick her up as expected.

He changed into a more casual dark gray suit, and the gifts he prepared were a top-quality purple clay tea set and an ancient She inkstone, which were quite valuable and showed his thoughtfulness.

When they arrived at the Lin family's residence, Zhen Lan and Lin Yaozong were already waiting at the door, their faces showing undisguised joy and a hint of barely perceptible nervousness.

"Dad, happy birthday." Chi Zhuo spoke first, handing over the gift, his tone respectful yet affectionate.

"Oh, good, good! It's good that you're back. Why did you bring a gift?" Mr. Lin accepted the gift with a broad smile, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes smoothed out.

Zhen Lan took Lin Tingyue's hand and looked her up and down. Seeing that her complexion was rosy and her eyes no longer had the gloom of the past, and seeing the natural and harmonious atmosphere between her and Chi Zhuo, which was not intimate, half of the weight in her heart was finally lifted.

The family dinner had a harmonious atmosphere.

Although Chi Zhuo didn't talk much, he was well-mannered, showed great respect to Lin's parents, and was able to respond to conversations and bring up topics at appropriate times, demonstrating excellent judgment.

He even had a few drinks with Lin's father, chatting about current events and economic trends, showing him ample respect in their conversation.

Although it was just a family dinner, even the dim-witted Lin Tingyue knew it was an essential social occasion. After the meal, she tactfully followed Zhen Lan to the kitchen to cut fruit.

Zhen Lan immediately saw through Lin Tingyue's emotional change and inquired about it from the side.

"Yueyue, you and Chi Zhuo, aren't you...?"

Lin Tingyue's cheeks flushed slightly, and she lowered her eyes. "Mom, don't ask anymore."

Zhen Lan was washing the dishes and smiling beside her, "Seeing you all doing well makes Mom happy too. Although we had no choice back then, Mom really wanted you to be happy."

Lin Tingyue lowered her head, looking somewhat dejected. "Mom, this is my own choice. You raised me all these years, and I don't regret it. I just feel useless, unable to help the family on my own."

Zhen Lan's eyes reddened slightly. "You've suffered."

Lin Tingyue asked in surprise, "Mom, why isn't my brother home this time? Didn't he tell Dad it's his birthday today?"

Zhen Lan sighed, "Sigh, your brother has gone abroad."

"Why is he abroad again?" Lin Tingyue asked in surprise. "Hasn't he finished his business overseas?"

“You don’t know, he’s been staying at home all this time and has been arguing with your dad. He got a project overseas that he said was very profitable, but your dad was very opposed to it, saying that he was speculating and making a profit, and insisted that he stop and come back to China to develop his business. Then your brother wanted shares in your dad’s current company, but your dad was not happy about that either. The two of them started arguing, and in the end, your brother left in a fit of anger.”

"Oh, is that so? But it's Dad's birthday, didn't you even say a word of blessing?"

"He's probably furious and didn't say a word." Zhen Lan sighed. "Ever since your dad arranged this marriage for you, your brother has been resenting him, saying he sold his daughter. You know your brother, his words... are just like your dad's, each one harsher than the other. When you're not home, I can't stop them at all."

Lin Tingyue stood up and pulled Zhen Lan to sit down on a stool next to her. "Mom, I'll talk to my brother about this later. He's an adult now, why is he still arguing with Dad? Besides, I know my brother loves me, but it's not entirely Dad's fault. I'll talk to him properly next time. If he knew that I'm getting along quite well with Chi Zhuo now, he might be happy for me."

Zhen Lan nodded with satisfaction.

"Yueyue, Mom really feels that you've grown up and changed."

"Of course, Mom, I'm not a child anymore. I now run my own studio and have my own business. I can stand on my own," she said, then smiled and hugged Zhen Lan's arm affectionately.

"Mom knows, Mom is just praising you for being so capable. My Yueyue is really good at this."

"Of course! Don't you know who my precious daughter is?"