Chapter 46 "You Can't Just Enjoy Without Taking Responsibility"...
Where to go on a date on the first day of the Lunar New Year?
Qiao Shu felt that Yu Zeheng was not normal, and so did she, believing his nonsense.
She had never been in a serious relationship. Although she had dated and eaten with many different types of handsome men, the feeling was always different.
The car was driving from the city center to the suburbs.
Qiao Shu put down her phone, wrapped her coat tighter, thought for a moment, and said, "We should be on a date, not on a legal program, like the kind where someone brutally murders their ex-wife and buries her body in the wilderness, right?"
The trees growing on both sides of the road had long since lost their leaves, their branches crisscrossing, making the entire night sky mottled.
Yu Zeheng remained unmoved upon hearing this: "Now you're scared? If you had treated me even a little better these past two years, I wouldn't have thought of this."
She tilted her head, raised her eyebrows, and snorted twice through her nose: "How come I never realized you could complain so much?"
It seems like he's been feeling incredibly wronged these past two years.
Am I wrong?
"Why should I be nice to you? I'll be mean to you, so mean that you'll grit your teeth and wake up in the middle of the night wondering how this woman could be so hateful." Qiao Shu smiled. "Just thinking about it makes me feel good."
She didn't want him to have an easy time.
Mentioning his ex-wife is not a casual remark, nor is it a lighthearted way of saying that the divorce is nothing to him or that he can forget her. She is meant to be a significant part of his life, someone he will think about and miss for the rest of his life, even if he hates her to the core. In short, it is by no means a trivial matter.
She's just really bad.
Yu Zeheng rested his hands on the steering wheel, frowned slightly, and then smiled: "If that's the case, my future days might not be easy."
"You made the choice, so please be mentally prepared." Qiao Shu gave him a sympathetic look and symbolically patted his arm to cheer him on.
Yu Zeheng chuckled softly.
He drove off the highway and along a small road, passing farmland, low houses, and weeds, before finally parking in an open area.
"We've arrived, get off the bus."
Qiao Shu looked around, and all she could see was desolation. She had imagined that it might be a movie theater, where she would hold popcorn, squeeze into a crowd, and watch a family-friendly movie, or that she would spend a fortune to hire a band to play just for her. But she never imagined that she would be far away from the city and heading to the suburbs.
She pushed open the car door, and before stepping out, she glanced critically at the dusty mud, but after some hesitation, she still stepped onto the muddy ground with the soles of her lambskin shoes.
Yu Zeheng opened the trunk of the car.
"You'd better..." He stopped mid-sentence, looking around at the contents of the trunk, and began, "What are these?"
Have you ever played with firecrackers and fireworks?
The fireworks Qiao Shu had seen before were clusters of fireworks blooming in the sky, dazzling and fleeting. She had never played with fireworks when she was a child; at most, she had played with sparklers.
The trunk was filled with two large cardboard boxes, each with a different shape and a variety of colors, each with its own unique way of playing and design.
Qiao Shu lowered her chin, revealing her entire face, her eyes bright: "Where did you get so many?"
Yu Zeheng took out a silver lighter from his coat: "I ordered it two days before the New Year. It's been in the car ever since it was delivered. Want to play with it?"
"certainly."
Qiao Shu picked out fireworks from the cardboard box. It was her first time playing with them. She carefully read the instructions on the back before tearing off the plastic wrapping and finding the fuse. She exhaled a breath of cold air, her excitement like fireworks blooming in her eyes: "Will it explode on my hand?"
"Run faster." Yu Zeheng handed her a lighter.
"If anything happens to me, you'll be the first person I contact." Despite saying this, Qiao Shu couldn't resist her curiosity and set off fireworks with Yu Zeheng.
Fireworks laid flat on the open ground burst into flames, making a loud noise, and the dazzling display of light illuminated a small area.
The light from the fireworks illuminated her smiling face with its dimples. Qiao Shu gazed at it quietly for a moment, then turned to look at Yu Zeheng: "What's so fun about something this pretty?"
The large cardboard box was like a treasure bag, filled with all kinds of fireworks. Qiao Shu couldn't play with them all, so in the end, Yu Zeheng neatly arranged them in a row, then squatted down and lit them one by one, running away before they were set off.
The fireworks resembled glowing jellyfish on the seabed, surging upwards in concentric circles before exploding all at once at a high point.
"nice."
Fireworks are going off, and they are kissing.
The air was cold, but her breath was warm. Qiao Shu could see the flickering of fireworks in Yu Zeheng's eyes. He pecked at her lips intermittently, and when he saw that she couldn't help but purse her lips as if she was about to curse, he covered her lips with his own, his coldness carrying him as he pried open her lips and teeth, tasting them on his tongue.
Yu Zeheng hugged her and then pulled her hands into his coat pockets: "Did you enjoy today's date?"
Qiao Shu tilted her chin up and hummed for a while before replying, "It's alright."
She laughed as soon as she finished speaking, and said solemnly, "I like it very much."
Looking back now, being in a relationship wasn't so bad.
Yu Zeheng smiled, the smile spreading in his eyes. Qiao Shuxin's heart trembled slightly as she watched him lower his head again and kiss her lips.
Her hands were still being held tightly in his large, broad hands.
It was rare for them to get along so well, and their kisses became more and more natural. Even Qiao Shu found it unbelievable. When the fireworks ended, she covered her cold face and asked, "The pure love part is over. When will the adult part be served?"
Yu Zeheng was already used to Qiao Shu's unpredictable behavior. He glanced at her with his deep eyes and asked, "Want it again?"
He used the word "again".
It's as if she can't get enough to eat.
Qiao Shu wanted nothing more than to bite him to vent her anger, but she forced a smile and said, "You're no longer capable?"
Yu Zeheng reached out and grabbed her hand: "Let's go home."
That's more like it.
They weren't the sweet, romantic type of young lovers. Their next words were meant to shut each other up; it was a pointless exchange, a battle of wits where neither was willing to back down.
On an empty flat ground, fireworks were set off once, and the remaining cardboard boxes were put back into the box and put into the car. After removing the black traces of the fireworks, nothing was left, as if nothing had happened, yet something had indeed happened.
On the first night of the Lunar New Year, someone childishly used their body to prove whether it was possible or not, and used up a whole box in two nights.
Qiao Shu realized the absurdity of "the emperor no longer holds morning court." The consequence of excessive indulgence was that she didn't wake up until noon. She barely woke up after drinking a glass of Americano, lay on the sofa, and replied to messages on her phone one by one.
Qiao Kaiyu bombarded her with over a dozen messages, all voice messages. Qiao Shu only listened to the beginning, where he scolded her for telling her family about the loan. He said he had lent the money, but he wasn't going to refuse to pay it back. They were siblings, and he didn't need to go to such lengths.
The rest didn't listen; they were probably just venting their frustrations.
I also have news about my sister-in-law Chen Yi. I want to meet with her and talk about the 20 million yuan.
Qiao Shu gave the same old reply, saying that her aunt had gone too far, that she had been devoted to the Qiao family, but hadn't expected to be called an ingrate.
Qiao Kaiyu: [You know my mom, she's all bark and no bite. She can say a few words to you and you won't listen, but now she's dragged me into this mess. I can't even stay home during the Chinese New Year.]
Qiao Shu: [If you had said something in my defense, I wouldn't have gotten so angry and said the wrong thing. How come it's all my fault? Or do you think Aunt is right?]
If it weren't for our sibling bond, I would have already complained to Grandpa.
Qiao Kaiyu was also afraid that if she lost her temper, she might really offend the old man, so he could only swallow his anger and say, "Grandpa isn't in good health, so let's be careful what we say and not upset him."
Qiao Shu closed the chat window without expression.
She scrolled down to reply to Yu Mingwu's New Year's greeting: "Wishing our lovely Mingwu grows more and more beautiful, and a smooth and successful new year."
The next second, Yu Mingwu made a video call.
"Sister-in-law, Happy New Year!" Yu Mingwu was at home, wearing a red sweater and with her hair in a bun, revealing a youthful and invincible face. "I miss you so much."
Then pucker your lips and pretend to kiss.
Qiao Shu accepted everything without question.
Yu Mingwu sat cross-legged on the bed and told her that the New Year was so boring. Yesterday, a relative wanted to introduce her to a boyfriend, which almost scared her. She deliberately made a serious face: "But Dad said that she is still in school and can't have a relationship too early."
“My friend has already had three boyfriends. In my opinion, dating is still considered early dating.”
Qiao Shu smiled and asked, "So, how is Yu's puppy love progressing?"
"No progress, he didn't even send me New Year's greetings, that deadbeat!" Yu Mingwu punched her pillow twice to vent her anger. "By the way, the air pressure was very low on New Year's Eve, and my brother was nowhere to be seen at night. Mom and Dad were quite angry."
Yu Mingwu didn't know where Qiao Shu was, only that her older brother needed to go to the Qiao family with Qiao Shu, so she said, "You know his temper. I've always been a little afraid of him, so I didn't dare to ask. Did he go back with you?"
Qiao Shu nodded somewhat guiltily and mumbled an "Mmm".
"Sister-in-law, are you in Nanwan? Can I come visit you?" This was the real reason Yu Mingwu made the call.
Qiao Shu was about to say yes when her phone was taken away. Yu Zeheng looked at his younger sister on the screen and refused succinctly, his tone icy: "No."
"Don't bother me."
Qiao Shu: "..."
Yu Mingwu opened her eyes, but before she could react, the video call was disconnected.
The phone was handed back to her, and Yu Zeheng called her to eat, glancing at her as he said, "Although she is my sister, you can refuse some inappropriate requests."
Qiao Shu chuckled, speechless: "What improper request?"
"For example, right now, they are trying to disturb people's peace and quiet."
Aunt Chu and Auntie will return one after another on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year. Before that, there will only be the two of them and Xiao Xi in Nanwan.
They've been staying at their home in South Bay for the past few days.
Starting from the second year of junior high, some shops gradually opened, and private restaurants delivered meals to her. When she didn't have much of an appetite, Yu Zeheng would fry two steaks and make her a yogurt bowl or something. After eating, they would play games together, either as a couple or in a PK battle.
Qiao Shu was impatient. When she died during a duo adventure, the first reason she looked for was Yu Zeheng. Running too slowly or too fast would cause her death. Later, when clearing levels and fighting bosses became boring, she would secretly follow behind his game character, kill him, and then innocently say, "I'm really sorry."
Sorry, I apologize, I'll come again next time.
Yu Zeheng gripped the controller, accepting his various ways of dying with equanimity, until he finally reached the final boss. While Qiao Shu was concentrating on dealing with the boss, Yu Zeheng jumped up and headbutted Qiao Shu's game character in the boss's face, thus ending his life.
"ah!"
Qiao Shu kicked him: "You did this on purpose! We finally got to this point, and now we have to start all over again. You're so annoying."
Yu Zeheng remained calm and composed, mimicking her tone: "I'm really sorry."
Qiao Shu was furious: "Xiao Xi, go bite him for me!"
Lying between the two, Xiao Xi was as docile as a plush toy. When it heard Qiao Shu call its name, it raised its head to look at her. It couldn't understand, but that didn't stop it from grinning.
Xiao Xi is kind, so Qiao Shu has to do it herself.
She lunged forward, but Yu Zeheng was prepared. She threw herself into his arms, wrapped her arms around his neck, and opened her mouth to bite down, but before she could bite, he grabbed the back of her neck and lifted her up, forcing her to meet his dark, watery eyes that seemed to be dripping with tears.
So, biting turned into kissing. She was unwilling to bite his tongue, but each time she opened her mouth, it only made it easier for him. His forceful sucking made Qiao Shu's tongue and jaw ache.
In the distance, Yu Zeheng's game character stood blankly in place, only to be crushed by the boss.
Xiao Xi jumped off the sofa when Qiao Shu pounced on her, looking at the two of them with a curious, bewildered yet obedient smile.
"Xiao Xi, watch out, don't mess around!" Qiao Shu retorted, her face flushed, and punched him on the shoulder.
Yu Zeheng freed one hand to cover Xiao Xi's eyes, then leaned down and kissed her lips, leaving a trail of wet kisses from her chin to her neck.
Why didn't I know kissing felt so good before?
During infancy, people perceive and explore unfamiliar things in the outside world by sucking and biting. This is a way of perceiving the world and gaining pleasure and a sense of security, and is known as the oral stage.
Just like now, Yu Zeheng gets to know Qiao Shu through sucking and biting, exploring everything about her, her unknown secrets.
When Qiao Shu was bitten and it hurt, she could only grab his hair or retaliate by biting his shoulder to vent her anger.
The result is usually not good; he'll let her bite, but he also wants to gain benefits for himself.
Xiao Xi, with its eyes covered, didn't move, only barking anxiously twice.
There was no way to get her to the living room downstairs, so Yu Zeheng carried her upstairs. The sheets in the second bedroom hadn't been changed yet and were already a mess. They went to the master bedroom, where they embraced and kissed in the dark without turning on the lights.
When Qiao Shu was in a dark environment, she couldn't help but play with touch, using her hands to feel his presence, but not just on his face.
She would slide her fingers down his thin jaw to his prominent Adam's apple, mischievously pressing down very lightly, feeling his Adam's apple bob forcefully as he swallowed uncomfortably. Further down, along the lines and textures of his muscles, she would spread her fingers on his left chest, her palm against his skin, making a thumping sound, as if his heart was beating in her hand.
"You jump so fast." Qiao Shu breathed a sigh of relief.
Yu Zeheng grasped her wrist and pulled it down, his voice low and husky: "You'll jump even faster later."
The game was forced to end, or rather, a new game began. She was drawn into another experience, not using her fingers to get to know him or confirm his existence, but rather the collision between bodies and the trembling of souls. All the initial vague pleasure gradually became clear in the afterglow.
Yu Zeheng pressed her head against his chest to prove that what he had just said was not a lie.
The powerful voice in her ear made Qiao Shu blush, as if her heart was trying to keep up with the beat.
“It’s my turn.” In the darkness, Yu Zeheng switched places with her.
Qiao Shu mumbled, "What?"
Yu Zeheng lowered his head and leaned closer: "Let me hear your heartbeat."
"..."
Qiao Shu had a tense expression, and his body temperature was as hot as boiling water. She could feel his fluffy hair and warm face, and his high nose bridge closely followed his undulating lines.
Yu Zeheng's voice was deep, with a hint of amusement: "Also very soon."
Then came another soft chuckle: "Getting faster and faster."
Qiao Shu grabbed his hair, her voice dripping with shame: "Enough!"
Yu Zeheng propped himself up on his arms and looked up at her. He gently stroked her cheek, his voice like a persistent, enchanting whisper.
"Why is it so hot?"
Qiao Shu groaned, thankful that it was pitch black and Yu Zeheng couldn't see her face, or how red she would turn. She hated that he knew everything, yet he still deliberately said it out loud.
As the wind and rain subsided, the lights were turned back on.
Yu Zeheng naturally took care of the cleaning and cleanup work, while Qiao Shu only needed to provide assistance. She held the blanket up to her collarbone, covering up some of the conspicuous marks.
In the past, she would have been very annoyed and would have had to swipe his card repeatedly to vent her anger. Now, as she lifted her eyelashes, her broad back bore many of her marks, and she touched her nose, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
Yu Zeheng threw the trash into the trash can and then picked up the clothes from the ground.
Bored, Qiao Shu hugged the blanket and casually opened the bedside table drawer. She glanced at the ring box, opened it, and there was their wedding ring inside.
She picked out the ring; she knew the style well.
Qiao Shu frowned and looked at Yu Zeheng's hand again. On his left hand was their matching wedding ring.
"What happened?" She picked up the ring, her gaze falling on Yu Zeheng's face. "Didn't you lose it?"
Yu Zeheng wasn't wearing a shirt, just a pair of pants, revealing his lean chest and tight, narrow waist. Because of the exercise he had just done, his pale skin had an ambiguous light pink tinge.
He pursed his lips, his jaw clenching: "I didn't say it was lost."
He didn't say anything, but he never wore it again.
Qiao Shu had seen Yu Zeheng's bare hands before and naturally assumed that he had lost his wedding ring after the divorce. She slowly curled the corners of her lips: "Can I understand that you already liked me before the divorce?"
The ring swayed back and forth on her finger, gleaming with metallic luster, like a proud flag.
Yu Zeheng neither said yes nor no. He got into bed, his gaze falling on her face. Her jet-black hair had already spread out behind her, and her face was radiant with a captivating brightness.
Everything can be explained now.
Qiao Shu shared her perspective: "So after the divorce, when you saw my social media account through Mingwu, I rarely posted photos of myself. It was usually scenery and pictures of Xiaoxi. If you didn't browse the entire page, it would be hard to tell that it was me."
Yu Zeheng remained silent, letting her continue.
Qiao Shu, having caught him red-handed, was in a state of excitement. She rolled over and sat on his lap, looking down at him disdainfully: "Have you been watching a lot these past two years? How often? A few times a week or every night?"
Her posture resembled that of someone interrogating a criminal.
Yu Zeheng supported her waist, his eyes dark: "I don't remember."
Qiao Shu smiled, her shallow dimples appearing mischievous yet sweet: "That's every day."
"..."
"What are you thinking when you look at my updates? What are you feeling? Are you angry that I'm doing well after my divorce, that I have a fulfilling life and a bunch of friends, as if you've never existed in my life?"
"So you're really upset and racking your brains to make things difficult for me. All you can think of is the joint debt we didn't settle during our divorce. You had your lawyer contact me so I'd remember you, remember that you still exist, right?"
Yu Zeheng did not refute any of this.
It was like he was torturing himself; the more he hated her, the more he wanted to look through her social media posts, trying to piece together her life from them.
Good or bad, happy or unhappy, he will no longer be a part of my life.
Yu Zeheng smiled and said, "It's not just anger. I also think it's good that you're like this. You're very happy. Without these things happening in China, you're taking good care of yourself."
Emotions are complex.
The feelings of hatred and resentment can only arise from the presence of liking.
Qiao Shu wrapped her arms around his neck, paused for a moment, then her eyes flickered. She pecked his lips and said, "I did think about you during those two years. After your team won the championship, I watched the replay of the race and saw you. I gritted my teeth and hummed in response, thinking, 'It's alright, at least I didn't embarrass myself.'"
During those two years, even when they were separated and things didn't go well, neither of them wanted the other to suffer.
When their eyes meet, emotions are written all over each other's faces, and they can understand each other perfectly.
Almost without saying a word, the two of them, who had just separated, clung to each other again, as if they were tireless, or as if they had a skin hunger, wanting to stick together, wanting to exchange warmth, just to ease their anxious hearts.
Afterwards, Yu Zeheng carried Qiao Shu to the bathroom to wash up.
The warm water from the showerhead pattered on her skin, relieving her fatigue. She closed her eyes comfortably, feeling his fingers running through her hair.
Still thinking about what had just happened, her face flushed, unsure whether it was from the hot water or something else.
After taking a shower, Yu Zeheng dried Qiao Shu's hair, lifting her long hair from behind with his arm and then carefully drying it with a hairdryer. The damp hair felt like silk.
Qiao Shu squinted, enjoying the service.
Yu Zeheng paused halfway through blow-drying his hair and asked, "What is my identity now?"
Qiao Shu lifted her long eyelashes, her eyes clear and bright, black and white. She feigned ignorance: "What is your identity?"
"I'm asking you a question."
"I don't know, what kind of status do you want?" Qiao Shu threw the question at him, while teasingly saying, "Is our CEO Yu no longer satisfied with just bed partners? Isn't his appetite a bit too big?"
“Your bed partner can’t blow-dry your hair, cook, or go on dates.” Yu Zeheng said in a flat tone, dissatisfied, “You can’t just enjoy yourself without taking any responsibility.”
Qiao Shu chuckled and mumbled three words: "Boyfriend."
Yu Zeheng wouldn't let her get away with it so easily, and pressed on, "Whose is it?"
She pursed her lips and said, "It's mine, Qiao Shu's."
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Author's Note: I'm finally getting the title of ex-husband! [cat emoji]
50 red envelopes, kiss kiss!
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