Chapter 30 Indulging Your Pampered Nature
Xie Qingci was startled and immediately stood up from the bed, turning around to look.
Liang Jingzhuo lay on the bed fully clothed, his suit jacket and vest tossed on the bedside table. He was wearing a shirt and trousers, his long legs slightly bent, and his leather shoes were still on the floor.
His eyes and brows were languid and sleepy as he raised his hand to touch his nose.
Xie Qingci was still in shock, her heart pounding in her throat. "You...why are you back?"
Isn't it supposed to be next week?
The pain dispelled most of the fatigue and drowsiness. Liang Jingzhuo sat up in bed. His tie was gone, and two buttons were undone, giving him a casual and nonchalant look.
His eyes, still adjusting to the bright light, looked at the person standing by the bed, who was bathed in light and seemed even more dazzling.
"We finished early, so we came back sooner."
The project went very smoothly, without any delays, and was even completed ahead of schedule. He didn't need to be present for the remaining finishing work; he signed the papers one second and rushed back on a plane the next.
He didn't sleep well on the plane, and coupled with the continuous work he'd been doing lately, he was quite exhausted.
He originally intended to rest for a while before telling Xie Qingci that he was back, but as soon as he entered the house, he saw that it had changed drastically.
The curtains in the master bedroom were changed to light colors, and the bedding and lamps were all changed to a minimalist and cozy home style. Even the carpet was changed to a new style.
It's true that almost all the load-bearing walls were replaced.
I didn't have time to look closely, I was too tired, so I just lay down on the bed and fell asleep, and then I was suddenly woken up by something.
Xie Qingci breathed a sigh of relief, recovering from her shock, and looked at the red mark on the tip of his nose—the mark she had just made from hitting him with the clip.
Why didn't you say so?
I told her she wouldn't be coming today.
Liang Jingzhuo glanced at her head; the culprit that had hit his nose was the same one he had given her last time.
My gaze shifted back to her face, but I saw no sign of surprise at his early return.
"Are you unhappy that I came back early?"
His voice was still slightly hoarse from the fatigue of traveling day and night.
Xie Qingci took a step back with her hands behind her back and laughed, "No."
After saying that, she immediately changed the subject: "Have you eaten? Aunt Wen isn't here, but I can make you something."
It's past breakfast time, but not quite lunchtime yet, which is a bit awkward.
Looking at her expression, Liang Jingzhuo could clearly see that she was feeling guilty.
It wasn't as surprising as I expected.
He recalled that on the way to Australia, the executive accompanying him joked, "Don't fight when we get back in a month."
Why are you arguing? It's like she'd rather he not come back.
Including the time on the plane and just after landing, his total deep sleep time did not exceed three hours.
The airplane food was mediocre, but he wasn't hungry.
He glanced at the person in front of him who had deliberately taken a step back to create distance, and reached out to pull the person back.
Before Xie Qingci could react, she took two steps forward and fell onto his lap.
Below the buttocks are the man's strong and powerful legs.
She was so shocked that her whole body stiffened.
When did they become so close that they could sit on each other's laps?!
Then it dawned on me that we had already done even more intimate things.
"What...are you doing?"
Although the person in front of him looked slightly dejected, his aura was still clear and refreshing.
Liang Jingzhuo looked down at the person sitting on his lap, his back involuntarily tensing up. Surprised, his eyelashes trembled slightly like butterflies in spring.
He felt a fleeting moment of excitement as the long-lost warmth returned to his arms, but he had no intention of doing anything else.
He pulled her close and lay down again, saying, "Sleep with me a little longer."
My eyes are tired and sore, and I can barely keep them open.
Xie Qingci rested her head on her arm below her, and suddenly even her breathing slowed down.
Even during the few days they shared a room on Hong Kong Island, they had never lain together so intimately.
Afterwards, they each slept on their own side and went to sleep very properly.
The person in front of me had closed their eyes, their tired expression evident in their broad brows, and their breathing gradually became steady as they entered a state of sleep.
I'm really tired.
Xie Qingci lay quietly for a while, making sure he was really asleep, then propped herself up to get up.
The hand that had been loosely draped around her waist tightened again the moment she was about to stand up, and the palm that was around her shoulder also loosened its grip.
His eyes remained closed, and his voice was deep, husky, and magnetic as he asked her, "Where are you going?"
She had no choice but to lie back down: "I'm going to go and see the new decorative paintings."
Excuse.
The person in front of him was silent for two seconds, as if he had fallen asleep again, before continuing after a moment: "I'll see later."
Then, her brow furrowed slightly, and she drifted off to sleep again.
The curtains were only half drawn, the sheer fabric fluttering gently, letting in bright light.
Seeing that she couldn't leave, Xie Qingci stopped moving, her thoughts wandering, trying to see if she could induce some sleepiness.
She had only just gotten up, but she was too tired to stay awake any longer, so she had to refocus her attention on the person in front of her.
Her sleeping face was peaceful, but even in this completely relaxed state, her features were still not gentle, but rather sharp and intense.
A very typical striking, bold-looking face.
That day, Ke Meng also said that she has a light-faced aesthetic, but she found a husband with extremely strong features. The world is just a huge makeshift operation.
Thinking of this, her gaze shifted downwards, landing on his Adam's apple above the collar of his shirt, a prominent and sexy protrusion.
My thoughts suddenly drifted, and some images came to mind at an inopportune moment.
Sweating skin, gently roll up and down.
Xie Qingci's face suddenly flushed, and she quickly looked away.
Only after her cheeks gradually cooled down did she turn her gaze back to them.
Their posture resembled sleeping in each other's arms, giving the impression of a truly loving and understanding couple.
However, that is not the case.
She recalled that day when he said, "Let's get along well." Did this fall under the category of getting along well?
With a soft, fragrant body in his arms, Liang Jingzhuo slept soundly for a long time. When he opened his eyes again, his mind was still foggy, and he subconsciously thought he was still in the airplane cabin.
His hearing returned first, and when he heard birds chirping outside the window, he realized he had landed in Jingzhao.
The moment I fully regained consciousness, a sleeping face was clearly reflected in my vision.
He paused for a moment before slowly relaxing the strength in his shoulders and back that he was about to put on his feet.
He gazed silently at the sleeping face of the person in his arms for a moment. His arm, which was pressed under her head, had become stiff and numb, but he did not move.
He paused for a moment, looked up at the clothes on the bedside table, reached for his coat, and took out a gift box from his pocket.
Despite his busy schedule, he still managed to find time to buy her a gift.
When I returned from my business trip, I wanted to bring my partner a surprise, and he remembered.
Although the other party didn't seem very surprised.
When Xie Qingci woke up, the bedside was empty. She could hear the sound of running water coming from the bathroom. She opened her eyes groggily and raised her hand to shield her eyes from the light coming through the window.
In my blurred vision, a dazzling light appeared on my wrist that wasn't there before.
She opened her eyes.
A beaded ruby bracelet with diamonds encircling it is worn on the wrist.
After realizing who had put it on her, she turned to look in the direction of the bathroom.
The sound of water inside had stopped, and a moment later the door opened, and Liang Jingzhuo came out.
Seeing that she was awake, he paused in his light footsteps. "Awake?"
Xie Qingci got out of bed. "Hmm." She glanced at the bracelet on her wrist and said, "It's very pretty, thank you."
"Thank you" seemed to have become her catchphrase. Liang Jingzhuo moved his lips but didn't say anything to correct her.
Let's take it slow.
He nodded, glanced at the time, and asked, "Going out for lunch?"
Xie Qingci didn't know what time it was. She turned around, found her phone on the quilt, and glanced at it. It was already afternoon.
"It's past lunchtime." She had eaten breakfast late and wasn't too hungry. She put down her phone, looked up, and realized he probably hadn't eaten anything.
"Just something simple to eat?" She bought some vegetables when she came today, originally planning to enjoy the weekend alone.
This plan is probably impossible to complete now.
Liang Jingzhuo nodded and replied, "Okay."
Xie Qingci wasn't very good at cooking, so she only cooked a bowl of noodles. She wasn't hungry, so she didn't cook anything else.
Sitting in the restaurant downstairs watching Liang Jingzhuo finish her meal, she stood up and said, "Then I'm going back to school. You get some rest."
It's rare to see him so unkempt; he must be quite tired.
Liang Jingzhuo sat in the chair and looked at her. "Isn't today Saturday?"
"yes……"
To think that he could say it so openly made Liang Jingzhuo feel both angry and amused for a moment.
"Xie Qingci," he called her name, "You want to separate from me?"
Xie Qingci was stunned for a moment.
That's not it...
Otherwise, she wouldn't have gone to such lengths to renovate her home.
"No, I'm worried about disturbing your rest."
“I can rest here too.” The tone was firm and resolute.
"..." Xie Qingci blinked, defeated in the eye contact, and replied, "Okay."
Liang Jingzhuo glanced at her, stood up, and threw the dishes into the dishwasher.
As autumn deepens, the ginkgo trees in the courtyard turn completely yellow, a dazzling expanse of gold, their leaves fluttering down to the ground.
After finishing his meal, Liang Jingzhuo went back to his study to work for a while, while Xie Qingci sat in the four-cornered pavilion at the corner of the corridor, resting her chin on her hand and looking at the apricot tree with its falling leaves.
When Ke Meng and Duan Siyu saw that she hadn't gone back yet, they sent her a message asking when she would be finished and whether she would come back for lunch.
She replied: "I'm not going back."
After replying, he added: "[Liang Jingzhuo is back.]"
The two were slightly surprised: "Wasn't it supposed to be next week?"
Yes, she wanted to ask that too, since they said they wouldn't be back until next week.
They said it ended early and they came back.
Ke Meng: [Really, you didn't rush back just to see me earlier?]
The information caught her eye, and Xie Qingci paused for a moment, seeing the issue from this perspective for the first time.
She thought it was unlikely.
After spending time with him, she felt that Liang Jingzhuo was very rigorous and fair when it came to work, and not the kind of person whose decisions would be influenced by personal feelings.
Although he said that day that they should get along well.
She lowered her hand from her chin, held the phone with both hands, and replied: "No, it's just that work ended early."
Ke Meng was greatly disappointed that she hadn't gotten any, replying: "Well, it's really disappointing."
After saying that, she added that she and Duan Siyu planned to go out for a stroll today. Their energy, which had been depleted during the National Day holiday, was finally fully restored, and they wanted to get some fresh air.
Xie Qingci replied "okay," and the chat ended there.
I put down my phone, looked up, and saw Liang Jingzhuo walking out of the main house.
He changed his clothes, wearing a casual shirt and dress pants, no longer his usual business attire.
She sat on a stone bench in the pavilion, and when she saw him approaching, she asked, "Are you going out?"
He stepped onto the corridor steps and replied, "No, let's go for a walk."
I just finished work and noticed the weather is nice, so I'm going out for a walk. I can have dinner later and then come back.
Fu Shun Hutong is surrounded by restaurants and streets and alleys perfect for a stroll. It's not far, and you don't need to drive. You can walk there with her.
He had been to this place many times, but he had never actually visited it.
After saying that, she changed her approach, "You still don't want to leave? Then let's drive."
Remembering that Grandma Zhuang had mentioned that her elders also had courtyards nearby, I suppose she's probably already tired of exploring the area.
Xie Qingci stood up from the stone bench, smiled, and said, "No, let's go."
The weather in Jingzhao after autumn is indeed very nice. The warm sun is setting in the west, and the yellow apricot leaves are scattered all over the ground, making it a perfect place for a leisurely stroll.
As Liang Jingzhuo walked out of the door, he paused for a moment. Xie Qingci subconsciously took a step forward, but before she could react, he stopped.
After realizing what was happening, she stood two steps ahead of him and turned around to look at him. "What's wrong?"
Liang Jingzhuo extended his hand and asked her, "Aren't you going to hold my hand?"
Last time, I asked her if she wanted to hold hands, in a tone of inquiry; this time, it was a direct invitation.
Xie Qingci glanced at the hand he offered, took two steps back, and placed her hand in his palm. "...Okay."
She felt there couldn't be a stranger relationship in the world than theirs. They had done the most intimate things, yet they were still uncomfortable with basic physical contact like holding hands.
Liang Jingzhuo lowered his eyes to look at her hand in his palm. It was as fair and slender as ever, and she was only wearing a pair of rings that he had given her before on her ring finger.
"What about the diamond ring?" he asked.
Xie Qingci looked down at it upon hearing this, "I put it away; it's not convenient to wear it to class."
Wearing such a large, fiery diamond to class would inevitably be a bit too conspicuous.
Liang Jingzhuo didn't speak, paused for a moment, and then responded very softly, "Mm."
-
Finally, they ate near Fushun Hutong and, while walking back along the roadside, encountered a vendor selling sugar figurines on the street.
Hearing the shouts, Liang Jingzhuo stopped in his tracks. The shopkeeper, seeing this, quickly struck up a conversation with him: "Want a sugar figurine but not a handsome guy? You can choose your own design and blow it yourself."
When Xie Qingci saw him stop, she followed his gaze and assumed he was just curious.
But the next second he turned around and asked, "Can I sculpt her?"
The shop owner turned to look at her and said with a smile, "Sure, but it will take a while and the price will be a bit higher!"
He generously replied, "It's alright."
It doesn't matter where you are!
She's the one who's going to be a model!
Xie Qingci grew up in Jingzhao and was already used to these unique items that have been preserved in tourist attractions.
In comparison, there should be fewer of these things in Hong Kong, so she simply did her duty as a host and didn't hold it against him.
The owner's skills are pretty good; he would look up every now and then, then continue working with his head down.
When she needed air to help her breathe, Xie Qingci turned to look at the person next to her.
He didn't move, but raised his chin at her, displaying an air of authority that the one who paid was the boss, indicating that she should blow it.
She had no choice but to follow her boss's instructions.
Maltose is cooled and shaped, then drawn into thin tubes, becoming an important channel for magical transformations in one's hands.
The sugar shell slowly expands, taking shape.
Liang Jingzhuo looked at the person next to him who was puffing out his cheeks and blowing air. His fair cheeks bulged slightly, and the corners of his mouth turned up a little.
After the final shape was completed, Xie Qingci felt her mouth was going numb. She rubbed her cheeks and watched as the boss finished the finishing touches and handed her the sugar figurine.
Her round face doesn't resemble her at all.
Liang Jingzhuo took out her phone, paid quickly, and was very satisfied with the look, adding a comment, "It looks pretty much like it."
"..."
Holding the sugar figurine, I continued walking back. It was completely dark by then, with the streetlights casting a warm glow on both sides.
Liang Jingzhuo doesn't like sweets, and Xie Qingci is just so-so, but in the spirit of not wasting food and money, she still ate a few bites.
Everyone says maltose isn't sweet, but Xie Qingci still finds it a bit too sweet for her throat.
After taking a few bites, she looked at the person next to her and asked, "Why did you buy it if you're not going to eat it?"
He glanced at the sugar figurine in her hand. "Let's verify it."
"?"
"He said the style could be chosen at will, and if they couldn't make it, it would be consumer fraud, a one-time profit, and the brand effect wouldn't be good."
"..." Xie Qingci was speechless. "Are you going to Hong Kong Island to sell sugar figurines?"
The analysis is so logical and well-reasoned.
Without hesitation, Liang Jingzhuo rejected the conjecture, stating, "Low cost, low return, no investment value."
After a pause, he added, "Using celebrity influence is another matter, but that's a one-time expense, so I don't recommend it."
"..." Xie Qingci glanced at the sugar figurine in her hand, which she had already eaten half of, and instantly felt that it had become much more sophisticated.
After walking a while longer, most of the sugar figurines had been eaten; they were just too sweet for her to eat any more. She looked around and saw that the street was under renovation and there were no trash cans. She didn't know whether to throw them away or keep them.
Liang Jingzhuo noticed her hesitation, reached out and took it, took a bite, and frowned.
It is indeed very sweet.
Seeing his troubled expression, Xie Qingci suggested, "Why don't you just throw it away?"
"It's alright." He put the last piece into his mouth. "We can't waste it."
Excellent virtue!
As they approached Fushun Hutong, they passed a 24-hour convenience store and went in to buy milk for the next morning.
While standing at the checkout counter, my gaze inadvertently fell upon the shelves next to me, filled with boxes of all sizes, labeled with different models and fragrances.
She paused for a moment, then slowly looked away. Suddenly, the person beside her reached out and picked up two boxes of unscented perfume, tossing them onto the cashier's counter.
Afterwards, as if remembering something, he thoughtfully asked her, "Do you have any preferences regarding the fragrance and style?"
She had never shopped with him on Hong Kong Island, and he hadn't felt comfortable asking about it, but today was a good opportunity to ask.
The cashier, who had just finished scanning the milk with the barcode scanner and was about to scan two small items, stopped when she heard this sound and glanced back and forth between the two people.
Xie Qingci felt a surge of heat rising up her neck, and gritted her teeth, saying, "No need, just like this."
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