Chapter 36. She got caught in the crossfire.
Chapter Thirty-Six: She's the one who got caught.
The more he treated her like a child, the sadder Lin Su became. She sniffled against his chest, tears welling up in her eyes.
The small kitchen was already stuffy, and now that their upper bodies were pressed together, his body was practically burning hot, but Lin Su didn't want to leave and just wanted him to hold her like this.
The setting sun shone through the glass window into a corner of the kitchen, reflecting golden light onto the white tiles. Zhou Yunqi saw that she was still nestled in his arms, but she didn't say a word. He could only wait patiently, occasionally stroking her head to comfort her.
Lin Su's hands encircled his waist, and she heard a sigh from above.
Finally, she spoke, her voice like that of a wounded kitten, tinged with sorrow: "Zhou Yunqi—"
The man whose name was called gave a low "Yes, I'm here."
Why don't you find a partner?
Zhou Yunqi fell silent.
How could she have the nerve to ask that question?
She then asked, "Aren't you afraid of growing old alone?"
Good question.
That's an excellent question.
After his parents passed away, he was not afraid of loneliness, nor of death. He felt that it was fine to live his life alone. He had long since gotten used to it. However, the appearance of a certain person made him feel uncomfortable.
“So, Rushing,” he countered, “are you afraid I’ll grow old alone?”
"I'm afraid." A very straightforward answer.
Why are you afraid?
"You're such a good person, you shouldn't live alone for the rest of your life. You will have a spacious and bright house, a wife who loves you deeply, lovely children, and a warm and comfortable home. You deserve all of this."
Even if that person isn't me, as long as they truly love you, it's okay.
As Lin Su thought of this, her throat felt as if it were blocked by a thick wad of cotton, and she couldn't speak. She closed her eyes, and two streams of hot tears flowed down her cheeks. When she tried to burrow into his arms again, her chin was pinched.
He wouldn't let her snuggle into his arms again.
“Of course I deserve all of this.” The man lifted her chin, gazing into her wet eyes, “but only if we love each other deeply.”
Zhou Yunqi cupped her smooth, delicate face, wiped away her tears with his thumb, and said in a low, husky voice, "It's not a one-sided affection."
Lin Su was speechless for a moment, only her slightly upturned, red nose twitched gently.
Zhou Yunqi sighed deeply: "Tell me the truth, did my aunt say something to you that she shouldn't have?"
Lin Su stared at him blankly: "How did you know? Did she tell you?"
"The old man at the gate said she came to see you in May?"
Lin Su had no choice but to nod.
"Why didn't you tell me?" His face instantly darkened.
Lin Su stammered, "I was preparing for exams at the time and didn't have the energy to think about these things."
"What did she say to you?" he questioned.
"That's all."
"They said Director Guan has a daughter who would be a good match for me? They said the higher-ups are trying to set us up?"
Lin Su stared at him intently, her expression saying it all.
Zhou Yunqi looked back at her helplessly: "So these past few days, you'd rather keep these things to yourself than ask for my opinion?"
Lin Su lowered her eyes and replied, "I didn't keep it to myself. I said I'm going to take the college entrance exam."
"He came out as soon as the college entrance exam was over, and then started yelling that he wanted to move out?"
Lin Su lowered her head and said softly, "I moved out because I wanted you to live there. I felt like you would be nagged at your uncle's house."
“Of course they’ll nag,” he said. “But if you move back, won’t you be arguing with your stepmother and stepsisters?”
Lin Su swallowed, then looked up again: "Just bear with it."
"How can you bear it? Even if you do, don't you care that I'm worried?" His gaze was deep, and his expression became even more serious as he spoke.
Lin Su didn't know how to answer for a moment.
As their eyes met, the small kitchen fell silent once more, with only the sunlight growing more slanted and redder, and the sky already tinged with rosy hues.
The air inside was even more stuffy, and the two of them were standing very close together, neither of them moving away from the other, with Zhou Yunqi's hand still on her arm.
With a sigh of helplessness, Lin Su's body was pulled into his arms.
This time he held her tighter, his arms wrapped around her, his hands pressing against her back, as if he wanted to embed her into his body.
"How stupid are you to think I'd let you go back to your stepmother's house and suffer?"
"..." Lin Su was speechless. "But, where do you live?"
“Don’t you want me to be pressured by my aunt?” he asked.
Lin Su nodded: "Mm."
"Why?"
"Because I think you are a person with your own opinions. If you like that girl, you don't need your aunt to act as a mediator."
Although what she said wasn't wrong, after all that effort, she still hadn't gotten to the point.
Is she genuinely stupid, pretending, or simply clueless?
Doesn't she feel even a hint of jealousy?
For him, love was unique, selfish, and intolerant of anyone else.
But listening to her babbling on and on, it was as if she had no part in the home she imagined.
So generous, so easily giving things away.
That's great.
Seeing that he remained silent, Lin Su took the initiative to ask, "So what do we do now?"
"What do you mean, what to do?"
Where do you live?
Zhou Yunqi released her from his arms, looked at her, and said in a cold voice, "I'll stay here, and you'll stay here too."
He refused to believe that after a summer together, she hadn't made any progress at all.
Lin Su: "...But aren't you afraid of what others will say?"
Zhou Yunqi frowned.
The brain that just finished the college entrance exam is really useful; it can find his loopholes in no time.
The man asked, "Aren't you afraid of what others will say?"
Lin Su shook her head: "I'm not afraid."
What's there to care about? Everyone's busy, and besides, she's really not familiar with her neighbors. The old man at the door has long suspected their relationship is inappropriate, but they still have to be polite to each other when they meet.
"Since I'm not afraid, I'll stay here for the rest of the holiday."
"Oh," Lin Su replied. "Okay."
"..."
After a sticky, tug-of-war, Lin Su sat down at the dining table and continued eating watermelon.
Zhou Yunqi started preparing food directly in the kitchen.
Lin Su glanced at the man occasionally. After all that fuss, things had returned to what she had initially expected.
Yes, she had fantasized before that he would live here after he came back. She liked the feeling of living with him, and she would accept it even if something happened.
She even considered taking the initiative to have something happen between them.
But after what just happened, Lin Su had some doubts; it seemed he didn't have those kinds of thoughts.
Never mind, let's keep them here first.
Thinking about it that way, she seems like a female bandit.
No, no, he was the one who offered to stay and live with us.
Lin Su smiled slightly, still feeling a little smug.
While busy, Zhou Yunqi occasionally glanced outside and noticed her strange expression, sometimes frowning, sometimes forcing a smile, and he didn't know what she was thinking.
Are all 18 or 19-year-old girls like this?
She's always being difficult and whining, and it takes a long time to calm her down when she gets upset.
But I can't not coax him.
Sigh, I've fallen for her.
However, it seems that after this incident, he has become much more obedient. During the meal, I calmly asked him what he planned to do during his holiday.
Zhou Yunqi said casually, "I do nothing, just sleep at home until the sun is high in the sky, have a meal, and then go out for a stroll."
Seeing him switch to spoiled brat mode in a second, Lin Su snorted, "He'll be ruined, won't he?"
"Afraid I'll become useless?" he laughed. "Do you have any guidance for me?"
Lin Su didn't know exactly how he started out and became a big shot, but she always felt that someone like him must have been planning things out long ago. For example, even though he couldn't return to Beijing completely because of the debts there, he must have been planning his business before he could return to Beijing completely.
She said, "I'm just a student, I can't offer guidance. But can I ask you something?"
"What's up?"
"How many more years will it take you to return to Beijing?"
Zhou Yunqi looked at her and said, "It depends. I'll definitely be able to go back before you graduate from university."
"That's pretty fast," Lin Su said. "So, do you want to go it alone? For example, if the policies allow in the future, would you like to open a factory or some kind of business?"
At that time, the policy was not fully liberalized, and only individual businesses were allowed. If one wanted to start a business, there was only one form that was permitted: a Sino-foreign joint venture.
He said, "If the policy allows it and the conditions are right, of course I want to run my own company. Who wants to be controlled by others?"
"So what kind of factory do you want to open, or what kind of company do you want to run?"
Zhou Yunqi: "Why are you asking so clearly? What, are you afraid you won't be able to support me in the future?"
Lin Su: "No, we were just chatting casually. I was just curious."
"What are you curious about?"
"I'm curious what you'll do in the future."
And how did he become a big shot?
"The future?" He laughed. "I won't do anything. I'll just stay in the warm and comfortable home you mentioned and take care of my wife and children."
Lin Su couldn't help but snort and glance at him: "You should focus on your career first, otherwise you won't be able to support your wife and children."
To be honest, she was worried that if Zhou Yunqi got married and had children, and his life trajectory changed, would he no longer be able to become a big shot?
Rather than living an ordinary, mediocre life, she seemed to prefer seeing him become a powerful figure, wielding immense influence and power in the capital.
Since she's already transmigrated into the book, of course she hopes to see this man as a character described in the novel's world—a bigwig in Beijing's elite circles, a figure associated with "red capital," or a domineering CEO.
That way, she would feel proud and honored.
He sat across from her at the table, unaware of her thoughts, and picked up a piece of tofu skin for her: "So, according to you, I have no choice but to pursue this career?"
Lin Su nodded hurriedly: "Of course."
"Why?"
Lin Su looked at him and said very seriously, "Men who are successful in their careers are very attractive. I like to see you succeed in your career."
Tsk.
Sure enough, she could say the word "like" so casually and easily, without a trace of lust.
"Yeah, who would want to watch a loser?"
Lin Su smiled and said, "Yes, yes."
He glared at her, his teeth itching with hatred: "What a ghost! Hurry up and eat, you're always so slow."
"oh."
Lin Su felt a little secretly pleased that her relationship with him had returned to a state where they could be in the same room without feeling super natural.
There are still so many days left; she can see Zhou Yunqi every day.
But she seems to have oversimplified things.
After dinner, and while we were enjoying the breeze from the fan for a while, Lin Su asked, "You didn't bring any clothes. Are you going back to your uncle's house tonight?"
He replied, "I have a set in my box."
Lin Su asked in surprise, "It's in the box?"
"I brought it with me today," he smiled. "I was afraid you'd ask me to stay like before, so I had to prepare in advance."
Lin Su instantly realized that this man actually had a plan.
She muttered as she went to take a shower, then came out wearing a sleeveless nightgown and shorts, feeling much cooler.
Zhou Yunqi sat on the sofa, looking at her fair, slender arms and long legs, and instantly felt that this was going to be a very long summer.
He took a deep breath, went to the suitcase to get some clothes, and said, "I only brought one spare set. If I had known it would be this soon, I would have left some cool clothes with me."
Lin Su suddenly remembered his photo album and said, "Let me see your photo album. I haven't finished looking at it yet."
He was taking a cold shower in the bathroom.
Lin Su lay on the bamboo mat, raised his legs, and leisurely flipped through his photo album.
Soon after, Zhou Yunqi walked in: "Where are the mosquito coils?"
Before the mosquito net was even lowered, Lin Su looked up and her breath caught in her throat.
The man in front of me was wearing only black trousers, shirtless, revealing his beautiful and muscular abs. His arm muscles were smooth and evenly defined, and his skin seemed to glow under the incandescent light.
But he had a smile on his lips, and his gaze was burning as he stared directly at her.
Lin Su's heart clenched.
It's over.
How am I going to get through this summer?
...
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