Chapter 38 "You play, and then it's my turn..."
Qiao Shu naturally didn't place an order; she wasn't that perverted, just trying to provoke him with her words.
Yu Zeheng was clearly more perverted than she had imagined. On the way back, he asked her if she had enough money and if there were any details she didn't understand, saying he could cooperate.
Qiao Shu crossed her arms and muttered a curse under her breath: "Shameless."
At the end of the year, Yu Mingwu and Yu Mingcong returned to China for winter vacation.
As winter sets in in the north, the weather is often foggy. Even when the sun rises, the light is blindingly white, and the warmth is barely perceptible.
The day after Yu Mingwu returned to China, she contacted Qiao Shu and asked her to have dinner and go shopping. She was craving food while she was abroad. She learned from her mother that, for various reasons, Qiao Shu and Yu Zeheng were maintaining the illusion that they were not yet divorced.
Although she repeatedly reminded them that it was an illusion, an illusion could become another possibility. Perhaps there was still room for their relationship to turn around, and perhaps everything could start anew.
Yu Mingwu still treated Qiao Shu as her sister-in-law, and Qiao Shu treated her as her younger sister.
Qiao Shu took her shopping and eating, then to a spa treatment to kill time. Finally, Yu Mingwu went to get her long hair trimmed, and Qiao Shu was there to give the hairdresser advice on the length, layers, and curl. She had a good eye for aesthetics, and the final result always satisfied Yu Mingwu.
"Want to go to Nanwan? Let's invite Mingcong to dinner tonight too." Since they were already divorced, she couldn't go to the Yu family's house.
Yu Mingwu's eyes lit up: "Great!"
The two got into the car one after the other, and let Uncle Qin drive back to Nanwan.
After Qiao Shu left, Yu Mingwu and her mother Jiang Wenxin came to Nanwan. She was still upset at the time, and seeing Nanwan's gloomy and quiet atmosphere, like a haunted house, made her even more upset. She thought that the house in Nanwan would be sold sooner or later, but she just hadn't found a suitable buyer. She never thought that two years later, she would see it completely transformed.
Plant some plants that can withstand the cold winter in the courtyard, such as spruce, golden juniper and boxwood pruned into small ball shapes, which are tall and layered. When it snows, the white snow covers the tree tops, which is quiet and beautiful.
The garden is filled with creeping juniper, golden-edged liriope, and clematis with small purple flowers. Other flowers that cannot withstand the cold have been transplanted into the greenhouse.
"Miss Yu." Aunt Chu came out to greet Yu Mingwu.
"Aunt Chu, it's been a long time. How are you doing?" Yu Mingwu greeted her.
The room was heated to the brim. After taking off her coat and hanging it on the coat rack, Xiao Xi came out excitedly, snuggled up to Qiao Shu's feet, and stared at the stranger in front of her with wide eyes.
"Ah, sister-in-law, it's so cute, even cuter than in the photos." Yu Mingwu squatted down and waved to Xiao Xi. Xiao Xi was shy and timid, wanting to go over but not daring to, and kept circling around Qiao Shu's feet.
Qiao Shu bent down, picked up the little guy, and held him in her arms so that Yu Mingwu could pet him first to do desensitization training. Yu Mingwu raised her arm high and then gently lowered it, stroking its head. Xiao Xi looked up to smell the scent of her palm.
"It's familiar with you now." Qiao Shu put Xiao Xi down, giving them time to get used to each other, and went upstairs to change her clothes first.
Yu Mingwu successfully became acquainted with Xiao Xi. A few minutes later, he held Xiao Xi in his arms, and Aunt Chu brought over some fruit slices and tea to cleanse his palate.
"How can you be so cute?" Yu Mingwu sat on the sofa, reluctant to put Xiao Xi down. It was so well-behaved that it wouldn't resist when she held its paws, and would look at her with its bright black puppy eyes.
Her heart had already melted.
Qiao Shu changed her clothes and went downstairs. Her hair was loosely tied at the back of her head, with a wisp of curly hair at her temple.
Yu Mingwu rubbed Xiao Xi's head and asked casually, "Does your older brother usually come home very late?"
"Did you tell him?" Qiao Shu asked, resting her arm on the sofa.
Yu Mingwu nodded.
Qiao Shu calculated the time: "Then he should be back before dinner."
"Does he usually stay up this late?"
"Tonight?" Qiao Shu didn't think much of it: "Your brother is busy with work."
Yu Mingwu was angry. Just how busy was she? So busy that she didn't even have time to come back? Her sister-in-law was just too nice; her own brother didn't appreciate it at all.
Yu Mingcong also arrived before dinner.
Yu Mingcong has a dignified appearance, clean and refreshing, with red lips and white teeth. Unlike Yu Zeheng, he looks like a good student. Upon entering the house, he formally calls her "sister-in-law".
"Brother, come see Xiaoxi." Yu Mingwu waved to him while holding Xiaoxi.
The dishes being prepared in the kitchen were the siblings' favorites. It was a rare moment of liveliness in Nanwan; usually, it was just boiled vegetables or pan-fried steak. The chef felt he had been underutilized in the past, and now that he finally had a chance to showcase his skills, he confidently prepared a table full of dishes.
When Yu Zeheng returned, he caught sight of two familiar faces. He frowned as he heard them call him "elder brother."
What are you all doing here?
Yu Mingwu pouted: "We were all invited by my sister-in-law, but you, as the eldest brother, I haven't seen anyone all day."
Qiao Shu raised an eyebrow, a hint of schadenfreude in her eyes. She nodded slightly, a silent agreement mixed with silent mockery, before generously speaking up for him: "There's nothing I can do, your older brother is very busy with work."
She rested her chin on her hand, enjoying the spectacle.
Yu Mingwu snorted coldly: "Sister-in-law, don't speak up for him."
Yu Zeheng: "..."
Qiao Shu curled her lips and added a smile.
The two of them had finished their act after going back and forth.
The meal was very pleasant. Yu Mingwu had endless things to say, and Yu Mingcong would occasionally add a few words. The twins sometimes had a great understanding; if Yu Mingwu couldn't remember a word, Yu Mingcong could always fill in the blank with a casual remark.
After dinner, Yu Mingwu suggested playing cards.
Yu Zeheng wasn't interested and went upstairs to take a shower.
Playing the simplest form of Dou Dizhu, Qiao Shu wasn't very lucky and never managed to become the landlord. Yu Mingwu, on the other hand, was conservative and cautious, and would always let the next player have a bad hand. Yu Mingcong, however, would take the hand regardless of whether it was good or bad. As a result, Qiao Shu and Yu Mingwu were teammates for one night.
This is not a good thing.
Yu Mingwu was completely like a novice, unable to count cards or feed cards. She inexplicably took over Qiao Shu's cards and then played single cards to feed Yu Mingcong. Yu Mingcong could count cards and easily figured out the two people's cards. He then adjusted the order of playing cards. One was too stupid and the other was too shrewd. Qiao Shu and Yu Mingwu kept losing.
The punishment was to tear off pieces of paper, wet them, and stick them to the face.
After a while, Qiao Shu and Yu Mingwu had notes stuck to their faces, while Yu Mingcong only had a few scattered ones.
Yu Zeheng went downstairs, and three faces and a small dog's head looked up at the same time. The other two faces were covered with paper strips, making it difficult to distinguish their features.
Qiao Shu's face was already small, and she was really tricked. The note was stuck from her forehead to her chin. Through the gap in the note, she saw Yu Zeheng approach and sit down next to her. She leaned back and pressed her back against his leg.
"How could you lose so badly?" Yu Zeheng asked in a low voice.
Yu Mingwu said with a bitter face, "My luck is terrible!"
Qiao Shu closed her eyes, refraining from exposing her.
Yu Mingcong asked, "Big brother, wanna play together?"
Yu Zeheng responded calmly, "You guys play first."
Once again, Yu Mingcong won the landlord position, and Qiao Shu and Yu Mingwu were on the same team. They lost the game without any doubt, and Yu Zeheng finally understood why the two of them lost so badly.
"Big brother, can your sister-in-law help me stick this on?" Yu Mingcong held the note and pressed it mercilessly onto a small patch of Yu Mingwu's cheek, about the size of a fingernail.
Qiao Shu turned around, placed her hands on her lap, and resignedly said, "Tieba."
"Is there any room left?" Yu Zeheng leaned down, his breath rustling the paper as he spoke. The paper then touched his face, causing a slight itch.
Qiao Shu could only peek at him through the crack, clearly seeing the curve of his lips. She blew on it, and the notes started flying around again. It was a little embarrassing, but mostly funny.
"Hurry up and post it on Tieba."
The note stuck to her forehead, like a talisman, temporarily suppressed her arrogance.
Yu Mingwu lifted the note from his mouth: "Big brother, you play, I'm going to rest for a while."
Qiao Shu perked up and nudged Yu Zeheng: "Okay!"
Yu Zeheng sat down.
Without Yu Mingwu's foolish teammate, Qiao Shu's skills weren't bad, and she was confident she could win. After several rounds of playing cards, she teamed up with Yu Zeheng more often. He could count cards and knew what cards she had and what cards she wanted. With that ability, it was hard for her not to win.
Yu Mingcong put down his cards: "I feel like I've been bullied."
Qiao Shu tilted her head and pointed to her face: "Who's bullying whom here? Mingwu, put up a note!"
Yu Mingwu responded, her smile revealing the satisfaction of revenge. She readily tore off two strips and slapped them onto Yu Mingcong's face.
Half an hour later, Yu Mingcong's face was covered in strips, and he crossed his arms, saying, "I was indeed bullied."
Yu Mingwu laughed so hard she bent over, and the notes fluttered all over her face. Qiao Shu laughed along with her, and the notes flew everywhere, turning into the rustling sound of shredded paper rubbing together.
Qiao Shu turned around and raised her hand.
Yu Zeheng picked up the note that had fallen from Qiao Shu's face, held it between his fingers, smiled silently, and raised his hand to pat her palm.
Yu Mingwu caught a glimpse of this scene, and the radar went off. She took off the note and said, "It's getting late, sister-in-law and brother, let's go home first."
"It's still early." Qiao Shu glanced at the time.
"It's getting late, I'm already sleepy." Yu Mingwu stood up and pulled Yu Mingcong's sleeve: "Brother, let's go."
"Sister-in-law and brother, we'll head back now." Yu Mingcong calmly removed the note and stood up.
"Be careful on the road."
On the way back, Yu Mingcong asked her what was in such a hurry.
Yu Mingwu patted her face, recalling the interaction between Qiao Shu and Yu Zeheng just now. She thought there was something going on: "If we don't leave now, will we be delaying my sister-in-law and brother's romance?"
In Qiao Shu's dictionary, there is only one word related to her relationship with Yu Zeheng: romance.
It's not about talking, it's about doing.
Qiao Shu sometimes felt that Yu Zeheng was more like a pretty good toy to her.
The physical structures of men and women are very different. Her slender, cool fingers couldn't help but reach out and touch his prominent shoulders and broad back, stroke his prominent collarbone, and then press on his strong, lean chest muscles. Following the muscle lines down, there were his well-defined abdominal muscles. She gently poked them, and the abdominal muscles seemed to breathe up and down.
My fingers went further down and were grabbed by a large hand.
Qiao Shu looked up unhappily, while Yu Zeheng lowered his eyelashes, his eyes dark and unfathomable: "Don't you want to sleep yet?"
"You won't let me play?" She raised her delicate eyebrows.
Yu Zeheng took her hand, lifted it, and placed it near his lips, gently biting her finger: "You play, and then it's my turn."
Never mind then.
Qiao Shu is still not over it.
Her bitten fingertips were slightly damp. She rubbed them against his thin lips and felt Yu Zeheng's darkening gaze. She turned and lay on his side, her nose against his chin. Her eyes were open, her eyelashes curled, and she looked as cunning and lazy as a cat.
"Do you have a cigarette? I'd like to see you smoke."
Qiao Shu does things entirely based on interest. On a whim, he thought that the way he smoked was sexy, so he found some cigarettes and a Zippo silver lighter.
She held the lighter against his chest and lit the cigarette he was biting on his lips.
The flames that shot up reflected on their faces. Qiao Shu's long eyelashes trembled, and when she looked up, the red flames were reflected in her eyes.
Yu Zeheng's cheeks were slightly sunken. She looked into his eyes, then moved to his lips. She held his chin and kissed him, naturally tasting the cigarette he was holding in his mouth. She choked and coughed on his shoulder, her whole face turning red from the smoke.
He stretched out his long arm, casually extinguished the cigarette, then turned over, grasped her chin, and kissed her. There was still a very faint taste of tobacco between their lips and teeth, and Qiao Shu tasted a little sweetness.
The smoke that clung to her eyes seemed not to have completely dissipated, and through the thin white mist, she could see his blurry face and handsome features.
"Would you like to try turning off the lights?" Yu Zeheng brushed the stray hairs from her forehead.
Qiao Shu looked at him, as if trying to see into his heart: "Are you going to be my psychologist and give me desensitization training?"
"You can stop anytime if you feel uncomfortable."
After hesitating for two seconds, Qiao Shu said okay.
Fear of the dark isn't a major psychological trauma; she won't be unable to breathe in the dark, nor will she break down and scream. Her discomfort is more like insects crawling on her arm, like a persistent, intractable infection that she can't shake off.
Are you ready?
Qiao Shu lay on Yu Zeheng's chest: "Ready, Dr. Yu."
With a snap, the light in the room went out, plunging the room into darkness.
Qiao Shu's brows furrowed almost simultaneously. She took a deep breath, and the darkness, as if alive, swallowed up the surrounding sounds. It climbed up her body, drilling into her blood and internal organs.
He took her hand in his, lifted it up, and placed it on his face: "Can you touch me?"
Qiao Shu relied on touch to feel him, her voice tense: "Okay."
Yu Zeheng's voice was deep: "These are my eyes, can you feel them?"
Qiao Shu slowed her breathing, her fingers first touching his prominent brow ridge, then his eye socket, and finally his eyelashes. She felt the warmth seeping into the texture of her fingertips.
Her fingers moved down to touch the bridge of his high nose; unlike the warmth of his eyes, it was cool.
Then came his lips, excessively soft, his fingers like pens tracing their shape.
Even in the darkness, there is not nothing.
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Author's note: 50 red envelopes, muah!
good evening
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