Stick to her
"Baby, can you sit in here?"
Zhuang Yu'an sat in the bathtub, his face flushed with color. His greeting beneath the water was an invitation harder to refuse than words could ever express to the person assisting him.
The clothes fell one by one. Hot water enveloped half of Zuo Xiao's body, but many things were hotter than the water: his breath, his kiss, the warmth of his chest, and so on.
The water rippled, and he closed his eyes in the lingering kiss. She groped back, fixed, and sat down.
After hearing two muffled groans of the same frequency, he suddenly opened his eyes in disbelief.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, enduring the pain that seemed beyond her ability, and looked at him with a look of half-unbearable and half-satisfied satisfaction.
"Go down..."
Zhuang Yu'an froze, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, his voice raspy. If one of his arms hadn't been paralyzed, he would have immediately picked her up and put an end to her absurd behavior... He should have that level of self-control...
"Didn't you... let me sit in here?" Zuo Xiao exhaled softly, lifting his head slightly, then lowering himself. The strain on his body was greater than he'd expected, and the corners of his red eyes shone with a glint of light.
"Stop..." He closed his eyes tightly due to the overloaded nerve stimulation, "This is very dangerous, go down..."
"It's not dangerous..." She hugged him tighter and rubbed her cheek against his. "I took medicine, it's safe..."
The water rippled gently, a trickle of clear water spilling over the edge of the tub, slowly trickling onto the dry ground. Suddenly, a sharp cry disrupted the slow progress, and the waves suddenly increased in amplitude, surging out of the tub with a roar. Amidst the clatter of wave after wave, more water crashed out, soaking the ground like a mess.
In the bedroom, Zuo Xiao rested his head on his right arm and suddenly started to chuckle.
"What's wrong?" He curled his lips and kissed her cheek.
"I was wondering..." She tried to stop laughing, "The chairman is injured and we need to issue an announcement. Should we also issue an announcement about the sexual relationship?"
Zhuang Yu'an couldn't help but laugh. After a while, he said, "That's a good question. Considering that the chairman's sex life quality may have a significant impact on his personal decision-making ability, he has an obligation to disclose information. He should also disclose the identity of his partner and the status of their relationship to provide investors with stable expectations."
Zuo Xiao couldn't help but admire this man's ability to make up lies in a serious manner, and teased: "So you want the whole world to know that I slept with you?"
"How about starting with WeChat Moments?" Zhuang Yu'an suggested, "How about posting a photo of us at the Summer Palace?"
Zuo Xiao guessed he had been planning this for a long time, otherwise he wouldn't have figured out which official photo to release so quickly. She tilted her head and said, "No."
"Why not?" A long leg pressed forward, "I don't want to take responsibility if I sleep with you?"
"How am I irresponsible?" she argued. "I help you bathe and change clothes, sleep with you, talk with you, and even go to the temple with you to worship the gods... I'm simply overly responsible, okay?"
There was no sound in his ears. When Zuo Xiao turned around, he saw him staring deeply at the chandelier on the ceiling, wondering what he was thinking.
After a long pause, he said, "If you don't want to make it public yet, then don't make it public."
He was so accommodating that she felt bad and explained, "Too much has happened recently, it's not appropriate to be too high-profile."
"That's right." His voice was calm, no emotion could be heard, "And it might irritate Luffy."
Zuo Xiao lowered his head and said "hmm".
"Luffy hasn't been to the company since that day. He doesn't answer calls or reply to messages," Zhuang Yu'an said. "Ge Xin has visited him a few times and said he's been locked up at home all day, drinking to drown his sorrows. But he's fine for now."
"Do you want to go see him?" he asked suddenly.
Zuo Xiao was slightly startled, then angrily asked, "Are you testing me?"
Zhuang Yuan paused and said, "It's not a test, just an inquiry. I've been very conflicted these days. Luffy is my friend, and I can't watch him become depressed. But frankly..." He hugged her tighter, "I hope you won't see him or care about him anymore, and don't give him any unnecessary hope..."
"However, I have no right to ask you to obey my will," he said. "So I can only tell you the situation and let you make your own decision. If you choose to help him, I will support you. I believe you can handle it."
Zuo Xiao couldn't accept his words completely, but she couldn't find fault either. She said in a cold tone, "I never have any contact with my ex-boyfriend."
"I'm sorry, I'm too narrow-minded." Zhuang Yu'an kissed him, "I clearly didn't want you to see him, but I pretended to be so generous... Baby, for my good behavior just now, can you forgive me?"
"Just now? Did you perform well?" Zuo Xiao opened his eyes wide. "Do you really think you performed well?"
Zhuang Yu'an's breathing stagnated, and after a moment he said anxiously, "Is it not good?"
Zuo Xiao scoffed, "Come on, you couldn't even find the entrance at first, and you almost made me burst out laughing!" After thinking for a moment, he helped him make amends, "Later... it was barely OK, I guess."
Zhuang Yu'an gritted his teeth and tried to save face: "The duration is still okay, right?"
Zuo Xiao suppressed a laugh: "Oh, don't worry about it. It's your first time after all, there's still room for improvement!"
“…”
"Hey, what are you doing?"
"Place an order, buy a set, and make progress."
"...You're crazy! What time is it?!"
The next day, Zuo Xiao woke up feeling like she'd been beaten up. The culprit, however, was in high spirits. He coaxed her out of bed and led her downstairs.
A perfectly intact acoustic guitar appeared before my eyes.
Zuo Xiao picked it up and looked at it again and again: "Is this new?"
"Yes. You lost your job to save me, so of course I have to compensate you."
Zhuang Yu'an pulled her to sit down and pushed a square box on the coffee table in front of her: "And this one, it's yours too."
Zuo Xiao looked at him suspiciously and opened the box.
This is a custom-made microphone. The body is adorned with dreamy blue and white gradient diamonds, and a raised relief surrounds the microphone head, featuring the blue warning logo and the name in Chinese and English. The craftsmanship is exquisite.
Zuo Xiao knew this microphone was the model of choice for many top singers, with custom orders typically reaching six figures and taking at least two months to produce. Who wouldn't be moved by such a thoughtful gift?
She pursed her lips and said, "I didn't hit anyone with the microphone."
"Well, this is extra." He leaned in, almost touching her lips, and said, "Just as a thank you for helping me break your virginity."
"Psycho!" Zuo Xiao blushed and punched him in the chest. Zhuang Yu'an looked very happy and grabbed her hand and said with a smile, "Baby, do you like it?"
Zuo Xiao thought about it and said truthfully, "I like it."
She looked at the priceless gift in her hands, feeling a slight unease. After experiencing life and death together, agonizing over who had given more seemed absurd. In the face of a life-or-death relationship, material possessions lost their standing as a measure of worth.
But she didn't think that this was just the beginning.
Ever since she happily accepted this six-figure gift, Zhuang Yu'an's "extra" gifts have flowed like a faucet. One day, the latest phone and computer, the next, a designer down jacket and snow boots. These gifts, while pricey, were practical and exactly what she needed—at least since her old phone had a cracked screen from a drop. So, at first, she didn't refuse.
It was not until the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month that the Zhuang brothers and sisters accompanied her for the last time to the rental house where they left their nightmarish memories. After moving all their things to the villa, Zhuang Yu'an received a courier that required his signature in person for confirmation.
Zhuang Jinghao was helping Zuo Xiao put away her clothes in the first-floor guest bedroom. Even though Zuo Xiao had previously stated she'd be looking for a new place to live after the Lunar New Year, Zhuang Yu'an quietly replaced the room with an eight-door wardrobe, leaving most of her clothes hanging.
"There's a delivery for you." Zhuang Yu'an appeared at the door and looked at her with a smile in his eyes.
Then, Zuo Xiao was surprised to see the electric guitar.
She recognized it instantly: it was the "Blackie" guitar used for over a decade by her most admired guitarist, the legendary Eric Clapton. Twenty years ago, the original sold at auction for a staggering million dollars, becoming a musical legend. Later, the brand released a replica, perfectly recreating even the embroidery on the bridge and the cigarette burns on the headstock. She knew the market value of the guitar was at least 300,000 yuan, making it a priceless treasure for fans of the legendary Eric Clapton.
Zhuang Yuguang watched her face intently for a moment, watching her expression change from shock to ecstasy and then hesitation. He walked over, pulled her to sit on the sofa, and said, "Do you want to try it?"
"This is too expensive." She said hesitantly.
"Well, I know it means a lot, but it's not expensive for me." He put his left arm around her shoulders and smiled, "I have too much money to spend."
Zuo Xiao was so breathless that he glared at him after a moment: "Then donate it!"
"I'm already donating," he said with a smile. "In addition to a charity fund dedicated to rescuing stray animals, I'm also planning a charity project focused on rural education. I'm also planning to launch a rural music enlightenment program, allowing rural children to learn various instruments for free and experience the beauty of music. Speaking of which, it was you who inspired me."
He’s been tricked again… Zuo Xiao complained in his heart.
At this time, Zhuang Jinghao walked over hesitantly.
"Wow, this guitar is so cool!" she asked, pointing to the headstock. "Is it made to look old on purpose?"
"Yes," Zuo Xiao explained, rubbing the burn marks on the edge of the guitar head with his fingers. "This guitar is called Blackie. The original guitar used by Eric Clapton was damaged by a cigarette burn. The manufacturer later made a replica, using the same brand and batch of tobacco from that year to create the same burn mark in the same place."
"Damn, this is too exquisite!" Zhuang Jinghao exclaimed, "Then why don't you try it now? Let's hear what this legendary guitar sounds like!"
"Give it a try," Zhuang Yu'an encouraged softly. Under the expectant gazes of the brother and sister, Zuo Xiao stretched out his hands and solemnly took out the guitar.
It took quite a while to find the speakers, plug them in, and tune them. When everything was ready, Zuo Xiao swallowed nervously and asked, "What songs do you want to hear?"
Zhuang Jinghao naturally looked at his brother. After a moment's thought, he suggested, "How about Eric Clapton's 'Wonderful Tonight'?"
Zuo Xiao's eyes lit up instantly. "Wonderful Tonight," Eric Clapton's signature song, was a beloved love song that had touched countless hearts. It was also a favorite of hers, so familiar that she could play and sing it effortlessly without even looking at the sheet music.
She nodded and smiled, "Okay, this one."
"Hey wait..." Zhuang Jinghao said, "Why do you all seem so familiar with this song? Am I the only one who hasn't heard it? Can you give me some basic information first?"
Zuo Xiao pursed his lips and smiled, saying, "Let your brother talk first?"
Zhuang Jinghao looked at his brother expectantly. He smiled and said, "This is one of Eric Clapton's masterpieces, released in the 1970s. He wrote both the lyrics and the music. At the time, he was waiting for his beloved woman to get dressed and go to dinner with him, and suddenly he was inspired to write this song to express his deep love for her."
"Wow! How romantic!" Zhuang Jinghao's eyes lit up.
Zuo Xiao interrupted to dispel the rumors: "Actually, the lyrics are quite boring. To put it nicely, they're simple. It's basically about a woman who's undecided about what to wear to a dinner party tonight. After getting dressed up, she asks her boyfriend how she looks. He compliments her on how stunning she looks, and then all night she keeps exclaiming, 'Oh my god, my love is so stunning, I love her so much...'"
"Hahaha!" Zhuang Jing laughed heartlessly, "Isn't that the love song?"
Zuo Xiao burst into laughter and looked at Zhuang Yu'an meaningfully, but the latter just smiled without saying anything.
Zuo Xiao continued, "The song, which tells the story of love through the details of ordinary life, and features an extremely gentle and romantic yet subtle and restrained melody, has won the love of countless people and has become a legend. A few years after writing the song, the great writer married this charming woman."
Zhuang Jinghao's face was filled with emotion. "How romantic!" she said, and Zuo Xiao continued, "But later on, the great god became an alcoholic, drug addict, cheated on his wife multiple times, and even had a child with another woman. That went on for about ten years, and they divorced."
Zhuang Jinghao was stunned, his face flushed red for a moment, and he cursed, "Scumbag!" After a pause, he asked, "Do you like this song?"
"I like it!" Zuo Xiao said without hesitation. "You can't link a work's work with a person's character. But I like this song. It's not the original version I like, but the live version from one year. That version is over eight minutes long. Not only is the music rearranged and the tempo slowed down, but it also adds a lot of guitar solos and female harmonies. The master's performance is superb and soulful, and the harmonies are incredibly beautiful. It's intoxicating... After hearing this version, listening to the studio version is simply unbearable."
Zhuang Jinghao was so excited by what she said: "Then send me the link later! I want to listen to the studio version you mentioned!"
"No problem." Zuo Xiao said with a smile, "Then let's get started now."
The familiar prelude sounded at her fingertips, and after a moment, she opened her lips slightly:
"It's late in the evening. She's wondering what clothes to wear..."
The performers were captivated, and so were the listeners. Zhuang Jinghao, hands on her cheeks, stared blankly at her future sister-in-law. Zhuang Yu'an, even more so, was filled with his beloved. At this moment, his universe was filled with only her, and his love was overwhelming, melting him.
The next day, the Zhuang siblings split up. Zhuang Jinghao went to their hometown in Hubei to pick up their grandparents and fly to Hainan, while Zhuang Yu'an accompanied Zuo Xiaoxian back to Nanjing and flew to Hainan after seeing her off.
This was the shortest flight he had ever taken, so short that he didn't even have time to finish talking to his lover before the plane landed.
In the parking lot, the car he'd reserved for her had been waiting there for five minutes, and he still held her hand, refusing to let go. His rough fingertips rubbed her palm over and over again until she called out, "I should go."
"Yeah." Zhuang Yu'an looked at her intently, and there was an unconcealable loss in his low voice.
"Can I take you home?" he asked.
"No." Zuo Xiao rejected it mercilessly, "Then you'll miss your flight to Hainan."
"I can change the ticket." He said, grabbing his hand again and walking towards the door, apparently intending to get in with her.
"Oh!" Zuo Xiao stopped and scolded him, "Why are you so fussy... Let's go!"
Zhuang Yu'an's expression froze, and after a pause, he said, "Then after the third day of the Lunar New Year, I'll come to Nanjing to see you, okay?"
Men who have just started having sex are more clingy than dogs. Zhou Zhihui was like this back then... Zuo Xiao just wanted to get rid of him quickly and said in a perfunctory manner: "Okay, let's talk about it on WeChat when the time comes, okay?" As he said that, he hurriedly opened the car door and half of his body got into the car.
Zhuang Yu'an reluctantly let go. Before closing the door, he couldn't hold back and leaned over to touch her lips. No matter how foolish he was in private, he always acted like a self-disciplined gentleman in the presence of others. This light kiss was the ultimate in intimacy.
The car slowly started, and the familiar figure gradually disappeared into the world framed by the car window. Zuo Xiao breathed a sigh of relief, but at the same time, a wave of emotion welled up in his heart. It turned out that he, too, was a little reluctant to leave him.
The car drove towards the city. Zuo Xiao took out his phone and saw a message from him: "Let me know when the baby gets home."
Recalling the way he eagerly watched her leave in the parking lot, she pursed her lips and replied, "Okay, let me know when you land safely."
"My flight is delayed." The other party replied immediately, and sent a crying kitten emoji, which made Zuo Xiao laugh. After a while, he said, "If I had known earlier, I would have sent you home."
This chat was endless. Zuo Xiao exited the chat interface with him and entered the "Red and Hot Shocking Rolling Circle" group.
The group was already in the mood for the Spring Festival: Jiang Miaomiao posted a video of the Blue Lemon annual meeting, proudly announcing it as a masterpiece she'd edited herself, and asked them to give it a thumbs-up. Zhuang Jinghao posted several photos, showing blue skies, white clouds, and swaying coconut trees. Peng Lei sent a short video of a self-built house in the countryside, showing several middle-aged men slaughtering a pig in the yard. It was a gruesome sight.
Zuo Xiao pointed his phone out the car window and took a picture, captioning it "Landed in Nanjing." Then Qiangzi rarely revealed his shortcomings: "I really envy you guys who don't have to work..."
After a while, Peng Lei sent a link to a certain audio app, followed by a barrage of messages:
“What the hell! What the hell!!!!”
"The big blogger reacted on a windy day!!"
"Over 10,000 likes! Hundreds of comments!"
"Fuck, I'm going crazy!"
"Go and see!"
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