passionate love

The brand-new home, like a carefully polished gem, shines brightly in the spring sunshine. It's no longer just a place to live, but has been imbued with the full meaning of "home"—

A haven where one can completely relax when exhausted, a space where all joys and sorrows can be shared, a private and warm world that belongs only to Qi Shuo and Tan Huaiyu.

The prelude to cohabitation began slowly in this newly renovated space, in a simple yet incredibly reassuring way.

In the early morning, Qi Shuo's biological clock is his natural alarm clock. He wakes up precisely at the first light of dawn. In his arms is Tan Huaiyu's warm body, who is wrapped around him like a koala, sleeping soundly with even and long breaths. His cheeks are flushed with a healthy blush from deep sleep, and his long eyelashes cast a small shadow under his eyelids.

Qi Shuo didn't get up immediately, but just watched quietly. The morning light shone through the gap in the curtains, casting a soft glow on Tan Huaiyu's face, making him look even more innocent and unguarded than usual.

Qi Shuo watched for a while before slowly and carefully "rescuing" himself from Tan Huaiyu's entanglement. This was not easy; Tan Huaiyu seemed to sense the departure of the heat source even in his sleep, grumbling in dissatisfaction and instinctively tightening his arms.

Qi Shuo had no choice but to patiently move the blanket away little by little until he finally managed to "escape" and even tucked the blanket back into Tan Huaiyu's bed.

He washed up, changed into his workout clothes, and tiptoed out the door. The morning air was cool and refreshing as Qi Shuo jogged along the neighborhood. This was his habit, without fail.

Now, on his way back from a run, he'll stop by the breakfast shop downstairs and buy breakfast for two—Tan Huaiyu loves the steamed buns and soy milk there, while he prefers a bowl of congee and a tea egg.

When he returned home with breakfast, Tan Huaiyu was usually still nestled in soft pillows and blankets, struggling with morning grumpiness.

Qi Shuo would put breakfast in the kitchen to keep it warm, then walk over and pinch Tan Huaiyu's nose or gently pat his cheek: "Lawyer Tan, get up, you're going to be late."

Tan Huaiyu whimpered, her eyes barely open, reaching out to grab Qi Shuo's sleeve, burying her face in his waist, which was still cool with morning dew, her voice muffled and sticky: "Just five more minutes... just five more minutes..."

These five minutes often turn into fifteen minutes or even longer. Only when Qi Shuo sees that time is really running out will he half-drag, half-carry the person out of bed and push them into the bathroom.

Hearing the gurgling water and the drowsy humming coming from inside, Qi Shuo would turn around and go to the kitchen to place the warm breakfast on the small dining table they had chosen together, which was covered with a checkered tablecloth.

During the day, the two were busy with their own things. Qi Shuo worked in the factory, dealing with cold machines and complex blueprints, which required absolute focus and patience.

At the law firm, Tan Huaiyu deals with various case files, clients, and courtrooms, requiring clear logic and keen insight. But the physical separation doesn't seem to sever some invisible connection.

During lunch break, Tan Huaiyu's message would arrive on time: [Have you eaten? What did you eat? Don't just eat something mediocre again!] The accompanying photo was usually a picture of his own sumptuous lunch, or a smug smile with a "V" sign at the camera.

Qi Shuo usually replied simply: [I ate. In the cafeteria. Okay.]

Sometimes, he would send Tan Huaiyu a picture of the large pot of food from the factory canteen, which would elicit a series of exclamation marks like "no nutrition" and "pitiful" from him, followed by a "afternoon tea" order for him—usually a fruit platter or a health-preserving soup—delivered directly to the factory gate, which would elicit good-natured teasing from his coworkers.

Occasionally, when Tan Huaiyu was nervous before court appearances or meetings with important clients, he would call Qi Shuo. He wouldn't say much, but just listening to Qi Shuo's steady breathing and the occasional background noise of the machine seemed to give him strength. "Qi Shuo, I'm a little nervous," he would whisper.

"Hmm." Qi Shuo's reply was usually only one syllable, but he would stop what he was doing, go to a relatively quiet place, listen to him say a few more words, or simply reply, "Do it your way, no problem."

Sometimes, when Qi Shuo encountered technical problems, he would frown. Tan Huaiyu would send a message at just the right time, perhaps just a silly puppy rolling around emoji, or a random "I miss you".

Qi Shuo watched, his tightly furrowed brows unconsciously relaxing slightly, and he would reply with a "Mm," or "What do you want to eat tonight?"

The time when they get off work is one of the most anticipated moments of their day.

Whoever gets home first is responsible for preparing dinner.

Qi Shuo's cooking skills are solid to a survival level; he can quickly prepare nutritionally balanced meals.

Tan Huaiyu displayed boundless enthusiasm and potential in "feeding Qi Shuo," and could even whip up a decent three-dish-and-one-soup meal by following the recipe. Although he would occasionally make a mistake, Qi Shuo was never picky and would always finish the meal without changing his expression, and then quietly go and wash the pot.

At the dinner table, they would share their day's experiences. Tan Huaiyu would enthusiastically recount amusing incidents from the courtroom or complain about a particular difficult client.

Qi Shuo was mostly a quiet listener, occasionally picking up a piece of food and putting it in her bowl when she was so engrossed in talking that she forgot to eat, or offering a few insightful comments when she talked about a technical issue.

Under the warm yellow light, simple meals, rising steam, and the smiling eyes of the person across from you form the core picture of "home".

Nighttime is a time for each other to completely relax. Sometimes they would lean on the sofa together to watch movies. Tan Huaiyu would pick out documentaries or old movies that Qi Shuo might be interested in. As they watched, Tan Huaiyu would lean his head on Qi Shuo's shoulder and his hands would wander off to touch the snacks on the coffee table.

Qi Shuo would adjust his posture to make him more comfortable, and occasionally, if his hand stretched too far out, he would gently pat it or simply hand it to him.

Sometimes they would each do their own thing. Qi Shuo might be reading professional books or studying newly arrived tool blueprints. Tan Huaiyu, on the other hand, would be on his laptop, working on unfinished tasks or reviewing files. Each would occupy a corner of the sofa or dining table, undisturbed by the other, with only the soft sounds of turning pages and typing, and the occasional knowing smile exchanged when their eyes met. A peaceful and tacit understanding permeated the air.

Of course, more often than not, they slept side by side in intimacy. The spacious new bed finally allowed them to sleep in each other's arms without any worries. Tan Huaiyu still liked to cling to Qi Shuo like a koala, burying her face in the crook of his neck and using both hands and feet.

Qi Shuo went from feeling uncomfortable at first to feeling completely at ease now. He would even unconsciously tighten his arms around the person in his arms in his sleep. The warmth of their embrace and their intertwined breaths became the deepest lullaby of the night.

On weekends, they would go to the supermarket together, pushing shopping carts and wandering between the shelves, discussing what vegetables to buy and what daily necessities to purchase.

They would clean the room together, one mopping the floor and the other wiping the dust, and occasionally they would laugh and joke about who was being lazy.

I might go to see a movie, or just take a aimless walk, sunbathe on a park bench, and watch people come and go.

Living together wasn't filled with the dramatic romances depicted in novels; it was mostly about these mundane, almost mundane details:

Whoever takes out the trash, washes the dishes, hangs the towels neatly, and squeezes the toothpaste from the bottom...

There are times when they bicker over trivial matters, such as Qi Shuo forgetting the soy sauce Tan Huaiyu asked him to buy, or Tan Huaiyu leaving his socks lying around again. But often, a glance, a compromise, or a silent hug can make those little unpleasant things disappear.

True romance may be hidden in the everyday moments, day after day. It's the soy milk and fried dough sticks on the breakfast table, the light left on when you come home from work, the warm water handed to you when you're sick, every night you fall asleep in each other's arms, and every morning you wake up in each other's embrace.

The address of Yucaiyuan has not changed, but when you push open the door, what hits you is no longer loneliness and coldness, but the aroma of food, the smell of sun-dried quilts, the freshness of green plants, and the unique warmth of "home" that comes from the fusion of two people's lives.

This is their home. It is a refuge for wandering souls, a haven for weary bodies, and a place where two hearts lean closely together and beat in unison.

Morning and evening, year after year.

Their cohabitation has only just begun. And they have a long and wonderful time ahead of them to write their future together.

The word "in love" sounds like a term for young people, something passionate and bubbly. It doesn't seem quite right to describe Qi Shuo and Tan Huaiyu—one is calm and reserved, while the other, even in love, still carries a hint of cautious ingratiation.

But in reality, once the veil of "relationship" was completely pierced, once the shared "home" was built, and once the daily routine of cohabitation stabilized, a kind of sweet, somewhat childish syndrome belonging to "being in love" quietly spread between the two of them in a unique way that they themselves had not anticipated.

Symptom 1: Syncope.

This was mainly evident in Tan Huaiyu, but Qi Shuo was not immune either. No matter when or where, as long as the two were in the same space, Tan Huaiyu's gaze was like it was equipped with an automatic tracking radar, always involuntarily stuck to Qi Shuo.

Qi Shuo was chopping vegetables in the kitchen, and Tan Huaiyu was able to "track" him all the way from the living room sofa to the kitchen door, leaning against the door frame, watching intently until Qi Shuo's ears turned red from his gaze and he turned his head helplessly to ask, "What are you looking at?" Only then did he snap out of his daze, smile embarrassedly, and say, "I'm watching your knife skills," but he refused to move his feet.

Qi Shuo was reading on the sofa, while Tan Huaiyu was working. Although they each occupied one end of the sofa, Tan Huaiyu's gaze would drift over as she wrote, landing on Qi Shuo's lowered eyelashes, straight nose, or the well-defined fingers turning the pages of the book. Then she would start to daydream, and the corners of her mouth would unconsciously turn up.

It wasn't until Qi Shuo looked up and precisely caught his fleeting gaze, raising an eyebrow and silently asking that Tan Huaiyu hurriedly looked away, pretending to be typing intently on the keyboard, his ear tips turning bright red.

Qi Shuo, though seemingly focused, could always pinpoint Tan Huaiyu's location with his peripheral vision.

He didn't need to look up to know whether Tan Huaiyu was curled up in the corner of the sofa or got up to pour water. Occasionally, when he looked up, his eyes would subconsciously search for that figure first, and only when he saw him would he feel at ease.

This silent, continuous exchange of glances and confirmation, like a hidden current, flows silently between the two, bringing a strange sense of security and satisfaction.

Symptom 2: Limb contact hunger.

In this respect, the two can be said to be "in the same boat," only their ways of expressing it are different.

Tan Huaiyu is a blatantly and unabashedly "clingy" person. They need to hold hands while walking, sit side-by-side, and be held while lying down.

When watching TV, he would snuggle into Qi Shuo's arms, his back pressed against Qi Shuo's chest, his hands gripping Qi Shuo's wrists. When eating, he would secretly touch Qi Shuo's legs under the table.

Needless to say, when it comes to sleeping, an octopus-like hug is the standard, as if you haven't slept until you've given away your entire weight and body heat.

Qi Shuo is much more reserved, but his reserve is often more aggressive and "unintentionally" domineering.

For example, when Tan Huaiyu was hanging clothes on the balcony, he would walk over, wrap his arms around his waist from behind, rest his chin on his shoulder, and watch him clumsily unfold his shirt.

For example, when Tan Huaiyu is brushing his teeth in the bathroom with a mouthful of foam, he will lean against the door, reach out and wipe away a little toothpaste stain from the corner of his mouth, and then "casually" linger his finger on his cheek for an extra second.

For example, when waking Tan Huaiyu up in the morning, it's no longer just a verbal call; instead, she'll lean down and kiss his rosy cheeks or eyelids with a kiss that carries the cool scent of shaving spray, until she "kisses" him awake.

These seemingly unintentional touches were filled with silent possessiveness and intimacy. Tan Huaiyu relished it, and often felt her heart race and her face flush red from Qi Shuo's proactive flirting.

Symptom 3: Infantilization and double standards.

Love seems to have a magical power to lower one's IQ and age simultaneously.

For example, the two could engage in a silent war lasting up to three minutes, filled with eye contact and childish "threats," over who gets to eat the last piece of pork rib.

In the end, Tan Huaiyu usually "loses the battle," but the ribs still end up in his bowl.

For example, Tan Huaiyu would deliberately stuff his icy feet into Qi Shuo's warm bed, making Qi Shuo shiver, and then look at his helpless yet indulgent expression, laughing like a cat that had successfully stolen some fish.

Qi Shuo would reach out and tickle Tan Huaiyu's side when he was feeling smug, until Tan Huaiyu laughed so hard he was out of breath and begged for mercy.

For example, Tan Huaiyu doesn't care about working overtime late into the night, but he will nag for a long time because Qi Shuo worked an extra half hour at the factory, from "you should pay attention to the balance between work and rest" to "dinner is cold", nagging on and on like a housekeeper.

Qi Shuo, on the other hand, can eat any of Tan Huaiyu's failed culinary experiments without batting an eye, but when Tan Huaiyu is under a lot of work pressure and wants to rely on coffee to keep going, he will confiscate his coffee cup without saying a word and replace it with a cup of warm milk.

Symptom 4: Personalized nicknames and "encrypted calls".

"Qi Shuo" and "Tan Huaiyu" are the official names, but at home, especially at certain times, some "encrypted" words that only they understand will appear.

When Tan Huaiyu is being coquettish or feeling guilty, he will draw out the sound of "Brother—".

When Qi Shuo was bothered by Tan Huaiyu or was in a good mood, he would pinch Tan Huaiyu's cheek and call him "little friend". In the dead of night, when they were whispering sweet nothings to each other, Tan Huaiyu would whisper "A-Shuo" in Qi Shuo's ear, his breath unsteady, and Qi Shuo would reply with an even hoarser voice, "Huaiyu".

They have also developed a unique and efficient communication system.

A single glance, a subtle change in expression, or even a change in breathing is enough for the other person to understand.

For example, if Qi Shuo frowned almost imperceptibly, Tan Huaiyu would know that he was probably hungry or feeling unwell. And if Tan Huaiyu unconsciously bit his lower lip, Qi Shuo would know that he was probably anxious about some case or matter.

This unspoken understanding is a wonderful product of the combined effects of long-term close interaction and the intense focus of "love brain".

The infatuation of being deeply in love has made these two people, who were both burdened by heavy pasts and used to hiding their emotions, vibrant, lively, and even somewhat "unlike themselves." But it is precisely these slightly childish, clingy, and even "improper" behaviors that prove that they are more relaxed, trusting, and happy in this relationship than ever before.

Spring has already brought forth a riot of flowers, and the scent of summer can be faintly detected.

The symptoms of being deeply in love continue to "occur," and there seems to be no sign of "recovery" in the short term.

But who cares?

Perhaps, some "illnesses" are cures in themselves.