Chapter 16 Chapter 16 That night was very enjoyable
Croatia.
Qiao Shu paused for a second, recalling a distant memory.
The first thing that comes to mind is Croatia's abundant sunshine, typical Mediterranean climate, hot summers, and the salty sea breeze.
The anniversary trip was a spur-of-the-moment decision. At the time, neither of them had any jobs. She had the idea to go to Dubrovnik, Croatia, after rewatching Game of Thrones. She mentioned it, and the next day she was already on a flight to Zagreb.
That was a great trip.
After landing, they checked into a seaside hotel in the city center. After checking in, Qiao Shu spent an afternoon at the spa to relax completely. Then she had dinner at the hotel. Because Yu Zeheng had made arrangements, the hotel thoughtfully prepared an anniversary surprise, offering cake and champagne. A violinist played a tune, and she rested her chin on her hands, looking at the jewelry box that Yu Zeheng handed her. Inside was a Cartier Panthère de Cartier high pearl necklace.
Jewelry and delicious food are both delightful, not to mention having a handsome and wealthy man at your service.
Yu Zeheng stood behind her, brushed aside her long hair, and put a necklace on her neck. His warm fingers caressed her delicate skin, sending shivers down her spine.
The last two days were spent in Dubrovnik. We climbed the walls of King's Landing in the early morning to avoid the crowds, and took a cable car at sunset to overlook the ancient city and the islands, with the sunlight casting a golden glow on the red rooftops.
She turned around and saw Yu Zeheng's tall and handsome profile. His face was illuminated by the light, which outlined his distinct facial features.
He turned his head and came into her line of sight.
For a moment, Qiao Shu thought she had a pretty good eye for men.
She spent her last night on a private yacht. After dinner, she lazily sprawled on the soft seat, a glass of light golden liquor swirling in her hand. A gentle sea breeze blew by, and she comfortably closed her eyes.
She couldn't remember who kissed her first. His breath hit her, carrying the scent of sea salt in the wind. She breathed heavily, and in her confusion, she looked into his eyes, dark and domineering. He was like a cheetah that had been lying in wait for a long time.
Qiao Shu clung to his shoulders. His sharp lines startled her, yet also gave her a strong sense of security. He could easily lift her up, and with his other hand, he brushed her sweat-dampened hair aside, letting her look at the lights of the island.
Unlike cruise ships, yachts are not stable and will rise and fall with the waves.
In the swaying motion, Yu Zeheng was her only stable foothold. Her chin rested against his shoulder and neck, and tears and sweat soaked his skin.
On the boundless ocean, only their yacht's lights shone all night long.
When they woke up in the morning, the two embraced, covered only by a thin blanket. She clung tightly to his neck because she was cold. Their eyes met, and they both felt a little unfamiliar and uncomfortable with each other after the night before.
But I have to admit, I had a great time that night.
A slight flush rose to her cheeks. Qiao Shu hadn't expected her casual boast to be exposed so easily. She had only given a small amount of information, yet he had managed to make that connection.
Of course, she wouldn't admit it, and retorted without batting an eye: "It's not only Croatia that has yachts."
Qiao Shu knew that her words couldn't stand up to scrutiny, so she stopped laughing, found a pen, and signed her name at the end of the last page of the document.
The document was made in duplicate, and she kept one copy.
Qiao Shu handed over another document: "I hope President Yu will also strictly abide by the agreement and not violate any rules."
“Of course.” Yu Zeheng took it, his voice indifferent.
"That's good."
Qiao Shu took the document and walked out lightly. A moment later, her sweet and gentle voice rang out from downstairs: "Xiao Xi, come to Mommy, my little darling, why are your paws so dirty?"
Yu Zeheng lowered his eyes and casually tossed the document onto the table.
It's inevitable that there will be friction when living together again. Before the divorce, they were tolerant of each other, but now that they are divorced, the ex-husband and ex-wife are living under the same roof and neither of them will give in to the other.
Both of them had the same early rising routine and a habit of exercising. When Qiao Shu was doing Pilates, she watched Yu Zeheng running by, wearing sportswear and a sweatband.
Since the food is different, the chef can prepare two separate portions. Also, since the meal times are different, they rarely sit at the same table.
At night, Qiao Shu usually went to bed early when she had nothing to do. She turned on the light, put on an eye mask, and got into position. The silence of the room made her hearing exceptionally sharp. She heard sounds that were not enough for her to ignore, intermittent, coming from the next room.
She frowned, hugged the blanket tightly, and endured it again and again.
The noise continued until late into the night. Qiao Shu, unable to bear it any longer, took off her blindfold, threw off the covers, slipped on her slippers, opened her bedroom door, and walked straight to the master bedroom door. She clenched her fist and knocked on it in frustration.
After a while, no one answered, but noise drifted out from the doorway.
Qiao Shu pursed her lips and knocked harder this time.
Nearly half a minute later, just before she was about to angrily turn the handle and go straight in, the door was suddenly opened, and a noisy, rhythmic sound rushed in. Yu Zeheng was behind the door, cautiously opening it only a crack wide enough for one person.
"What's wrong?" He lowered his eyebrows.
Qiao Shu was filled with anger, but when she saw that he was shirtless and wearing only a pair of gray sweatpants, she felt a little confused. The hand holding the doorknob had obvious muscle lines, not to mention his flat and firm chest with clearly defined muscle walls, his fair and cool-toned skin, his lean abdomen without a single ounce of fat, and his V-line disappearing into the hem of his pants.
Long, straight, and strong legs.
Qiao Shu smelled the fresh, damp scent of someone who had just taken a shower.
Yu Zeheng leaned against the door: "Hmm?"
Qiao Shu met his gaze, gritted her teeth and tried her best to control her temper as she asked, "Do you know what time it is? Do you know that the noise you made last night is already considered disturbing the peace?"
She had pushed up her eye mask on her forehead, her long hair was a little messy, her face was small, and her eyes were big and bright under her thick, long eyelashes. Her expression was especially vivid when she got angry.
It was as if he had committed some heinous crime, one that was unforgivable.
Yu Zeheng turned to look at the clock, then turned back to answer her, "It's twelve o'clock now."
Qiao Shu crossed her arms, raised her eyebrows slightly, and let out a soft "hmm" from her nose.
It means asking him if he knows what to do at this point?
Yu Zeheng remained calm and composed: "I'm in my room, and the volume is within normal limits. I don't think it will disturb you."
He used to follow her schedule, but now that he lives alone, he does whatever he wants.
“The truth is, you’ve seriously affected me; I can’t sleep at all,” Qiao Shu said through gritted teeth.
"If this is bothering you, I think you should look for the reasons within yourself. If you really have trouble falling asleep, I suggest you wear earplugs. If that doesn't work, I know a good psychologist."
He mocked her, saying she had a mental illness.
Qiao Shu suppressed her anger and cut him off, calling him by his full name: "Yu Zeheng!"
Yu Zeheng replied lazily, "Mm."
"You should be asleep by now." Qiao Shu forced a stiff smile, trying her best to suppress her dissatisfaction, not wanting the contract to fall apart so soon.
Yu Zeheng calmly replied, "There is no such clause in the contract."
OK.
Qiao Shu took a deep breath, her smile vanishing instantly. She clenched her fists and went back to her room, then took out earplugs from the drawer. Before falling asleep, she thought resentfully, "Why is it that she's the one who has to put up with this?"
And why aren't you wearing clothes in the middle of the night?
Show-off!
During the daytime, South Bay becomes Qiao Shu's home turf.
Every morning, Qiao Shu would take Xiao Xi for a walk on time, humming a cheerful tune as she put on the leash, uttering all sorts of sweet words in a distorted voice. After the walk, they would play frisbee on the grass, and she would exaggerate, saying that if the puppy could retrieve the frisbee, it was already incredibly smart.
Afterwards, various gifts would be delivered to her door. Qiao Shu was well-liked, and since she had just returned to China and was living in South Bay, friends who were unaware of the situation would inevitably send gifts to comfort and welcome her.
She called him back, and the first thing she said was, "Darling, I love the gift! How do you have such good taste? Have you been secretly taking classes?"
"You've gone to too much trouble. I miss you too. When do you have time to have tea together?"
"I have so much to tell you, but I'm afraid my sister has already forgotten me."
"..."
The sound drifted in from outside the window, and Yu Zeheng frowned. She could spout hypocritical and deceitful words without hesitation. In fact, the gifts had been unpacked and then repacked, and all of them had been sent to the storage room.
But that didn't dampen her enthusiasm on the phone.
Later in the evening, guests would arrive, bringing nothing more than some trivial gossip, but Qiao Shu's expression would make one think that she was a good listener and would put herself in the other person's shoes.
Joyful laughter would also ring out, as if she were in a garden, surrounded by blooming flowers, with a vibrant and lively atmosphere all around her.
It's noisy.
Yu Zeheng thought expressionlessly how she managed to do so many meaningless things on the same day, clanging and banging like a wound-up toy, never stopping.
After the guests left, Qiao Shu hugged Xiao Xi, who had been neglected all along. She buried her head in Xiao Xi's soft, fluffy white fur and rubbed against it affectionately. Xiao Xi always looked at its owner with a wide, angelic smile. Qiao Shu wrinkled her nose and said playfully, "How can you be so cute?"
Looking up again, she saw Yu Zeheng behind the second-floor window. She gave him a sweet wink, clearly and obviously intentional. Yu Zeheng lowered his eyelashes and drew the curtains.
Qiao Shu didn't care at all. She hugged the puppy and hummed a tune, her eyebrows raised high with joy.
For several days in a row, Qiao Shu hadn't started her new job yet. The style of the office she had chosen wasn't to her liking, and the custom-made desks and chairs hadn't been delivered. She had been staying in South Bay, taking the opportunity to sort out her network of contacts and think about whether there was anyone she could use in the future.
During dinner, Qiao Shu and Yu Zeheng sat at the same table.
Qiao Shu fed Xiao Xi boiled shrimp, which Xiao Xi ate obediently at her feet. Qiao Shu picked up a piece of green vegetable and chewed it carefully. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Yu Zeheng ask her with a cool expression, "Aren't you tired?"
She was always busy welcoming and seeing off guests, and in front of others, she always appeared energetic.
Qiao Shu pretended not to understand. She chewed her food and swallowed before saying, "Why would I be tired? I'm so happy chatting with my friends every day."
Yu Zeheng took a sip of ice water: "It's very noisy."
The idea that one person is an army is embodied in her.
Qiao Shu rested her chin on her hand and smiled, "Oh, did I bother you? Sorry."
Her words contained no apology, but rather a hint of provocation.
Yu Zeheng looked at her and said, "What do you think? The neighbors probably think we're throwing parties every day."
It's strange that the neighbor could hear it, given how far away they are and the dense trees in between.
Qiao Shu asked in confusion, "Did I tie your legs?"
Yu Zeheng put down his knife and fork and retorted, "You're the one making noise, why should I leave?"
“Because it’s not me who can’t stand it. Oh, if I remember correctly, it doesn’t seem to be written in the contract.” Qiao Shu rested her chin on her hands, raised her eyebrows, and looked every bit the arrogant and domineering young lady.
She won back a point, feeling incredibly satisfied and relaxed.
The two people's voices were clearly audible to Aunt Chu and the others in the living room, so they all refrained from approaching. Aunt Chu wiped her freshly washed hands and smiled silently.
The Qiao Shu she knew rarely clashed with anyone.
Children without parental protection learn self-protection through trial and error. Qiao Shu also has her own set of survival rules. She is observant and friendly to everyone. She is good at pretending and is never truly open to anyone.
The noise is good too; it breathes new life into this long-silent house.
The conflict escalated late at night. Even with earplugs, Qiao Shu couldn't block out the noise from next door. With a tense expression, she knocked on the master bedroom door again.
Yu Zeheng leaned against the door frame and asked what he could do for him.
This time he was dressed, in a loose gray long-sleeved shirt and a thin knitted sweater, which, combined with his expression, gave him a slightly lazy look.
Qiao Shu pushed open his room door without saying a word, wanting to see what he was up to.
There were several screens in the corner of the room. The main screen showed a racing car driver's seat scene, another screen showed various data, which she couldn't understand, and the other side showed a racetrack scene, an F1 simulator. He played racing games in the room every night.
The room was furnished completely differently from when she lived there.
Qiao Shu frowned: "Is this what you do every night?"
"Otherwise, what do you think I'm doing?" Yu Zeheng retorted.
He didn't turn off the simulator; loud music was blaring from the speakers. Qiao Shu said sarcastically, "I thought you were forming a band."
Even when playing emulators and wearing headphones, there would be no outside sound. In her opinion, he was doing it on purpose. She was too lazy to argue anymore, so she walked past him and barged into his room.
A cool voice behind her reminded her that she had violated the contract, which clearly stated that she could not trespass on the other party's territory without permission; this was a serious breach of the contract.
To hell with unequal contracts!
So what if she's trespassed and crossed the line? He was the one who provoked her first.
Qiao Shu walked to a corner, her eyes searching among a pile of professional equipment. She wanted to turn off the power, but just as she bent down to unplug the socket, an arm was grabbed and she was pulled up.
She was angry at the time and misjudged their location, so when she was pulled up, everything went black and she crashed solidly into his chest.
Qiao Shu felt a pain in her forehead and was dizzy from being hit by his solid chest. She was about to fall backward due to the reaction force. She instinctively grabbed his other arm, but only managed to grab a bit of his clothes. She lost her balance and panicked. In that instant of weightlessness, an arm crossed her lower back.
"It hurts so much."
As soon as Qiao Shu regained her footing, she covered her forehead, tears welling up in her eyes from the pain of the impact. She glared at him fiercely.
Yu Zeheng hadn't expected things to turn out this way. He hadn't used much force; when she bumped into him, he couldn't dodge in time. In the end, he caught her with a quick reflex. Under his palm was her smooth silk fabric, thin enough to clearly feel her delicate spine.
She had a very thin waist, about the width of his hand. She wasn't the skinny type, just small-framed with some flesh in certain areas.
A condemning look alone wasn't enough. Once Qiao Shu regained her footing, she immediately clenched her fist and punched him in the chest, which was as hard as a rock.
Perhaps she had already given it her all.
But the punches that landed on Yu Zeheng had little force.
Qiao Shu had a red mark on her forehead from the impact. Her hair was messy, with stray strands even sticking to her cheeks. Unlike the Qiao Shu who was meticulous about every single strand of hair during the day, she made no attempt to disguise herself. She lost all composure and said coldly, "Two years have passed, and you're still as annoying as ever!"
That moment felt like going back two years.
She would get so angry that he would throw away her high heels that she would jump up and bite him to vent her anger, and she would stand behind him and demand compensation, arrogantly threatening to max out his credit card.
Yu Zeheng released her, the warmth of her body still lingering in his palm. He said casually, "You too."
It's still the same Qiao Shu.
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Author's Note: Why Reward Him
That punch really hit someone hard. [Joker]
50 red envelopes, kiss kiss!
————
I highly recommend my good friend Mousse's "Love After Marriage," a pure example of a marriage of convenience that blossoms into love.
When Lin Tingwan was twenty-three, her family arranged a business marriage for her.
Among many men, she chose Xie Jianhuai of Tiancheng Group.
Outstanding appearance, excellent figure, extremely wealthy, rigid and boring, with only work on his mind.
Most importantly, his birth chart indicates he will have a prosperous marriage!
At their first meeting, he was expressionless, his voice as cold as if he were giving an order: "I don't need feelings. I hope that Miss Lin and I can each get what we need."
Lin Tingwan nodded: "Okay."
Xie Jianhuai was thus elevated to the status of her perfect husband.
He is clean in body and mind, receives millions every month, and never goes home except on days when he is completing his mission.
Just as Lin Tingwan was happily planning her future life, she gradually noticed changes in him.
Lin Tingwan went to a spa with her best friend when he appeared at the shop entrance.
Lin Tingwan went shopping with her best friend when he appeared at the mall entrance.
Lin Tingwan went on vacation to Yunnan with her best friend, and he appeared at the door of the villa.
After seeing Xie Jianhuai at home for seven consecutive days, Lin Tingwan finally couldn't help but ask, "Why are you home again today?"
“We haven’t developed any marital bond yet.” He paused, then said deliberately, “I think it’s because we haven’t set enough task days.”
"...Would you like to add a few more days?" Lin Tingwan asked tentatively.
Xie Jianhuai adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses and answered earnestly, "Every day."
The sky has fallen! My husband has suddenly become obsessed with coming home!
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