Chapter 47 "Kissing like we did?"...
Qiao Shu didn't understand Yu Zeheng's obsession with how he addressed her, but after he had secured a formal title, he started blow-drying her hair.
He was in a good mood and didn't find it boring to blow-dry her hair for more than ten minutes. After he finished, he applied body lotion for her.
From neck to ankle, not even the gaps between fingers were missed, as meticulous as a spa therapist. Qiao Shu raised her arm and looked up, her gaze falling on his cold, handsome jawline, and couldn't help but reach out and touch it.
Qiao Shu felt sleepy after applying body lotion.
She closed her eyes, placing the eye mask she habitually wore on the bedside table. She maintained her habit of lying on her side, only now she would face Yu Zeheng.
Yu Zeheng brushed a stray hair behind her ear with his fingers, then brushed it across her earlobe.
His gaze was like tangible threads, circling her fair face, from her long, curled eyelashes to her slightly upturned lips.
For two years, he thought that was the end of their relationship.
Now Qiao Shu was lying on his bed, beside him, so close that he could hear her breathing.
Boy friend.
Yu Zeheng sneered lightly. A foreign word. Everything started anew. He had already upgraded himself from a bed partner to a boyfriend, and naturally he would upgrade to the next stage as well.
The few days of doing nothing and resting flew by in the blink of an eye.
In their days of reversed day and night, they would exercise together, sit cross-legged on the sofa to play games, or squeeze together to watch movies, or play racing games on simulators. Of course, they would also play other games, engaging in close combat, each holding back a strong desire to make the other submit to them. As a result, they would push each other down and start over again and again.
Strands of sunlight shone through the gaps in the curtains.
Qiao Shu brushed her long hair back, her eyes not fully open yet, but upon catching a glimpse of the handsome face, she first said "Good morning."
"good morning."
A kiss landed on his lips, and their noses brushed together intimately.
Last night, Qiao Shu was so tired that she had to be carried to the bathroom to brush her teeth. The two figures, one tall and one short, brushed their teeth side by side. Qiao Shu had toothpaste foam in her mouth. When she looked at the other person in the mirror, they made eye contact, frowned in tacit agreement, as if they were disgusted but also laughing, and then lowered their heads to spit out the foam and rinse their mouths with water.
After washing up, Qiao Shu playfully climbed onto his shoulders, holding her slippers in her hand and letting him carry her downstairs.
"This isn't my fault; you're paying for what you did last night."
Yu Zeheng grabbed her thigh and lifted her up by her buttocks: "If this is all you're going to pay for, I'll order more food tonight."
Qiao Shu leaned against his strong, broad shoulders, her face flushed: "Have some decency."
"I have always been a good person."
"...Shut up."
Yu Zeheng carried her downstairs. Xiao Xi heard the noise, wagged its tail, and went to the top of the stairs. After barking twice, it circled around the top of the stairs, waiting for them with great joy.
"How can you be so cute!" Qiao Shu's heart softened.
Halfway up the stairs, Xiao Xi suddenly turned around and ran towards the kitchen, following Aunt Chu out from around the corner, calling out "Good dog!" Then, she looked up and met Yu Zeheng and Qiao Shu on the stairs.
Qiao Shu bit her upper lip in frustration, then froze for a moment.
Aunt Chu was stunned, but being well-trained and experienced in such situations, she quickly adjusted her expression and said, "You... get up."
Yu Zeheng nodded: "You're back so early."
"It was agreed that it would be the fifth day of the lunar new year, and the others would arrive one after another in the afternoon," Aunt Chu replied with excellent professionalism.
It's already the fifth day of the Lunar New Year.
Qiao Shu was stunned. In her memory, they had just set off fireworks on the first night of the Lunar New Year. It was as if Xiao Xi had eaten her up in the past few days, and she felt nothing at all.
Happy New Year, Aunt Chu.
"Mr. Yu, Happy New Year." Aunt Chu then looked at Qiao Shu, "Miss, Happy New Year."
Qiao Shu's voice was very low: "...Happy New Year."
When they reached the top of the stairs, she patted his shoulder and whispered for him to put her down.
After Aunt Chu returned, order was restored in South Bay. She inspected the house and assigned tasks to the other servants. Hygiene was essential; the bed sheets had to be changed, the kitchen had to be cleaned again, and the food in the refrigerator needed to be restocked. She took care of everything, and her energetic figure appeared in every corner of South Bay.
Qiao Shu felt more awkward than anything else when she saw Aunt Chu.
After the divorce, she often complained about Yu Zeheng to Aunt Chu. This awkward situation was similar to complaining and cursing about her ex-boyfriend to her best friend, only to turn around and get back together with him sweetly.
"..."
If Qiao Shu were in Aunt Chu's shoes, she would also be speechless.
"The fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator are no longer fresh, so throw them all away. Someone will bring fresh ones later. After the bed sheets are dried, ironed, folded, and put away in the closet."
Aunt Chu saw Qiao Shu leaning against the door frame and crossed her arms: "You're already so tired after just arriving, why don't you take a break?"
"This kind of work isn't tiring at all. It's really relaxing here. At home, it's unbearable to watch anything." Aunt Chu smiled. "I'll go make some tea."
"good."
Aunt Chu brought over a pot of black tea and some snacks.
Qiao Shu, holding a cup of hot black tea, said, "Yu Zeheng and I... we get along quite well. I haven't been in a relationship for a long time, so I thought I'd give it a try."
Yes, just give it a try.
As an adult, she has been single for long enough.
Aunt Chu, who was eating a pastry, nodded and suppressed a laugh upon hearing this.
Qiao Shu said to herself, "He's actually quite annoying. He says he likes me and stuff, but I don't really hate him that much. He's just stubborn, his words are unpleasant, and he's a bit of a jerk, but he's not a bad person."
She pursed her lips, feeling awkward about her current explanation. She didn't care what others thought of her, but Aunt Chu held a different place in her heart, and she felt it was necessary to make things clear to Aunt Chu.
Ignoring the details and process, Qiao Shu looked at Aunt Chu's expression and found that she was smiling the whole time.
Qiao Shu drank tea to cover up his guilty conscience.
Aunt Chu put down the cookies. After all that Qiao Shu had said, she only cared about one thing: "You like him too, right?"
The sweetness of the black tea spread across her lips and teeth. Holding the teacup, she looked at the cedar trees in the courtyard: "There's a little bit of that."
"That's good. I've been wanting you to date more. You're so good-looking and have such a great personality. You're so young, what else is there to date?"
In Aunt Chu's eyes, the girl she raised from childhood was perfect; she was outstanding and perfect enough to match anyone.
Qiao Shu curled her lips and said, "That's what I think too."
As the Spring Festival came to an end, so did the short holiday.
When Qiao Shu arrived at the company, she had dinner and fun with her colleagues for the first two days and received many local specialties from her hometown from her colleagues. After two or three days, she got back to her focus and her attention was still on the project with Bocheng that had been interrupted.
She and Yu Zeheng only talked about love at home, never about work, so they did things the way they always did on projects, without any regard for personal feelings.
Public and private matters should be kept separate, and official matters should be handled officially.
Qiao Shu visited Bocheng a few times, and the communication between the two teams began to show results. When she was about to leave, she saw a familiar face. The other person also recognized her and greeted her after a moment of surprise.
"Miss Qiao."
"Yu Qiwen".
The two did know each other, and they almost got married.
Qiao Shu was surprised, but it was normal to want to meet at Bocheng again, since Yu Qiwen worked there. She put on a smile and greeted him in a generous manner.
Yu Qiwen stared at the face in front of him, feeling somewhat dazed. The feeling of being amazed was still there. He had clearly stated that he did not want to accept the family's arrangement, but after seeing the person, he inexplicably thought that a marriage between equals might not be bad.
"Are you here to see Zeheng?"
Unlike Yu Zeheng, Yu Qiwen received elite education from a young age, achieved excellent academic results, and had a smooth career. After graduation, he managed the family business. He has a calm and upright personality. The most outrageous thing he has ever done is probably dating a girl from an ordinary family.
When that girl approached Qiao Shu, she called off the engagement, partly because she couldn't marry a man who already had someone else in his heart, and partly because she was happy to see lovers finally get together.
Unfortunately, they ultimately reached no agreement.
Qiao Shu shook her head: "No, it's about work."
Yu Qiwen nodded and glanced at his watch: "It's noon. Otherwise, let's invite Zeheng and have a meal together as a trio."
Qiao Shu instinctively felt that the scene was a bit strange: "No need, I have things to do, and Yu Zeheng is also busy."
Yu Qiwen smiled, with an air of irresistible confidence: "Let's have a meal together, it's on me, after all, it's been several years since we last saw each other."
Qiao Shu had no hostility towards Yu Qiwen. She was satisfied with him when they first met. He was excellent in every way and there was nothing wrong with him. When she broke off the engagement, he stood by her side and wanted to take the blame on her.
Putting that incident aside, they had no personal grudges and could be considered friends.
Yu Qiwen insisted, and Qiao Shu had no good reason to refuse.
It's just a meal, and Yu Zeheng is there too. It's not her style to keep acting coy.
Qiao Shu nodded: "Okay."
The restaurant was located near Bo Chuang. Yu Qiwen and Qiao Shu met there and went over first. They sat in the private room for a few minutes when the waiter pushed open the door and a tall figure walked in.
He didn't look at anyone after entering, but went straight to sit down next to Qiao Shu in the middle of them, his clothes catching the cold wind from outside.
"Zeheng has arrived."
Yu Qiwen clasped his hands together, elbows resting on the table: "I was just talking to Xiao Shu about you."
Yu Zeheng's expression was cold, his lips pressed into a straight line, and his voice lacked its usual casualness: "What are you all talking about me about?"
"We were talking about why you hadn't arrived yet, and then you came." Qiao Shu rested her chin on her hand, her voice languid.
Yu Qiwen's gaze fell on Qiao Shu's face, and he said, "I heard that Old Master Qiao was sick and hospitalized some time ago. I wonder if his condition has improved now?"
"The recovery is going well, but as people get older, their bodily functions are not as good as when they were younger, so they can't fully recover to their previous condition."
Upon hearing this, Yu Qiwen replied with a hint of apology, "I'll visit you another day when I have time."
Qiao Shu replied generously, "Okay, Grandpa will be very happy to see you."
Yu Zeheng's voice suddenly rang out: "Aren't you supposed to be going to Europe on a business trip at the end of the month? With so much work to do, do you even have time to go?"
These words were spoken to Yu Qiwen.
"Grandpa Qiao was very good to me back then. Even when he was busy, he still made time to visit me," Yu Qiwen said calmly.
Just then, a waiter pushed open the door to deliver food, interrupting the conversation.
Yu Zeheng turned his head, meeting Qiao Shu's gaze for the first time since he came in. He asked, "Did you meet downstairs at the company?"
"Well, I've been to Bocheng quite a few times, who knew it would be such a coincidence today," Qiao Shu said casually.
Yu Qiwen said, "Because it's a rare opportunity to meet, I thought we should have a meal together as a way to catch up."
Yu Zeheng did not think they had anything to reminisce about.
I just felt that the older Yu Qiwen got, the less stable he became. Because of what happened before, they should have avoided each other.
"Have something to eat." Yu Zeheng picked up some food and put it in Qiao Shu's bowl.
Qiao Shu hadn't originally planned to have this meal, and she didn't have much to talk about with Yu Qiwen. Now that Yu Zeheng had arrived, she decided to rest and let the two of them chat while she focused on her meal.
During their conversation, Yu Zeheng didn't forget to serve Qiao Shu food and soup.
"Drink this soup, it's light and low in oil." He held the porcelain bowl and filled it more than halfway. "It's not easy for my brother to treat me to a meal, we can't waste his kindness."
Qiao Shu turned her head and glanced at him, finding his words strange for some reason.
"Yes, don't be shy," Yu Qiwen said gently. "Order whatever you want to eat."
Qiao Shu smiled, pursing her lips: "That's enough."
"Since that's the case, I won't stand on ceremony." Yu Zeheng called over the waiter, took the menu, and ordered again. He glanced up and down and added several dishes.
The smile on her lips froze, and Qiao Shu turned her head, squeezing out her voice through clenched teeth: "You really have had enough."
Who are we ordering all these dishes for?
"It's all your favorite food. Don't worry, I'm not a stingy person." Yu Zeheng closed the menu and handed it back to the waiter. "That's all for now, thank you."
"..."
I don't understand him anymore.
Holding his chopsticks, Yu Zeheng asked casually, "Are you still in contact with Miss Lu?"
Upon hearing this, Yu Qiwen's smile vanished, and he frowned almost imperceptibly: "We met a few times before the New Year."
Miss Lu, Lu Qin, is also Yu Qiwen's first love. She is an art student with a cool and aloof appearance. Qiao Shu met her once and felt that she had a rather stubborn personality.
When this matter was mentioned, Qiao Shu was no longer bored and curiously went to look at Yu Qiwen.
Qiao Shu only knew that after she broke off the engagement, Yu Qiwen went to see Lu Qin, but due to family reasons or problems between them, they ultimately did not reconcile.
She didn't know what the follow-up details were, and she couldn't help but be curious at this moment.
Yu Zeheng continued, "Is there really no possibility for you two?"
“It’s my fault. It’s understandable that she resents me. That’s just how fate is. Once you miss it, it’s gone. I’ve started to let go and stop forcing it.” Over the years, Yu Qiwen has been entangled with his family and this relationship. His mindset from back then is no longer there. Perhaps it’s a good thing that things have gradually faded away.
He was only distracted for a moment before telling Qiao Shu to eat more.
Slightly disappointed that she couldn't hear any more gossip, she slowly finished half a bowl of soup. She couldn't eat the food that Yu Zeheng had put on her plate, so she coughed lightly and gestured for him to stop.
In front of outsiders, Qiao Shu needs to maintain a certain image, but in private, she can't help but step on his feet.
They're never this attentive normally, who are they putting on this show for?
Yu Zeheng tilted his head and lowered his eyelashes: "I'm full."
"Um."
Yu Zeheng casually took her bowl, placed it in front of his own plate, and naturally finished the rest of his food, as if it were not the first time he had done this.
In fact, he is.
Qiao Shu glanced at him patiently, not understanding what was wrong with him.
Yu Qiwen observed his actions without making any judgments. After finishing his meal, he paid the bill with his card.
Qiao Shu has work to do in the afternoon, so she'll go back to Zhongcheng first.
"What do you mean, brother?" Yu Zeheng watched Qiao Shu get into the car, then looked at Yu Qiwen. "Don't you know what your relationship is?"
Upon hearing this, Yu Qiwen laughed: "What is our relationship?"
"It's not that we shouldn't eat together. You're not getting any younger, so you should avoid suspicion."
He kept avoiding any mention of impropriety, as if Yu Qiwen had done something out of line: "Make it clear, I did not have dinner with Xiao Shu alone."
That's not the point.
"And what about you two?" Yu Qiwen said softly. "As far as I know, you're already divorced."
Yu Zeheng glanced at him: "It's a divorce, not a widowhood. You can divorce and you can remarry. This is between her and me, so don't interfere."
Yu Qiwen patted his shoulder: "You're overthinking it."
"I hope I'm just overthinking it." Yu Zeheng pursed his lips, his jawline tightening.
Yu Qiwen recalled the scene from earlier: his cousin lowered his head and spoke softly to Qiao Shu; the two seemed to be a good match.
But four years ago, he was by her side.
—
Why didn't Yu Qiwen and Lu Qin end up together? Was it because your family objected?
After the meal, Qiao Shu followed Yu Zeheng curiously, asking him questions. He was tall and imposing, and she followed closely behind, her gossip-loving heart burning brightly.
"I don't know." A cold, icy voice boomed.
Qiao Shu didn't believe her: "How could you not know? You're from the Yu family, and these things in your family aren't exactly secrets. Tell me about them."
“I’ve met Lu Qin before. She’s beautiful and I’ve heard she’s very talented. Is your Yu family really so old-fashioned and rigid? Just because a girl’s family isn’t well-off, you’re so determined to refuse her? But Yu Qiwen didn’t get married after that. Rather than this stalemate, why not just let them be together?”
"..."
Qiao Shu muttered to himself behind him, expressing his opinion.
Yu Zeheng didn't want to say a word. He went into the dressing room, took out a set of loungewear, took off his coat and then pulled off his tie. He put his fingers on the shirt buttons, unbuttoned two buttons, and looked at him with a pair of clear black and white eyes.
Qiao Shu crossed her arms and raised her chin: "You take yours off, don't worry about me."
After all, where haven't we seen it before?
Yu Zeheng's face was cold and stern. He reached down and unbuttoned all the buttons on his shirt, revealing glimpses of his abdominal muscles beneath the white shirt. Sometimes, being half-undressed is more alluring than being completely undressed.
Wouldn't it look even better if it were watered, making it appear and disappear?
"If you really don't know, I'll ask Mingwu. She should know more about your family's affairs." Qiao Shu looked away after taking full advantage of the situation, raised her phone, and prepared to leave.
Yu Zeheng asked in a low voice, "Are you that interested in Yu Qiwen and their affairs?"
"There is some connection, after all, it's somewhat related to me?"
A glance swept over, and the next second, Qiao Shu was lifted onto the cabinet. Under the glass mirror, there was his neatly folded tie, some of the patterns of which were familiar—it was the one she had given him by swiping his card.
She sat on the cabinet, barely reaching his height.
Yu Zeheng stared at her with his dark eyes, looking reluctant but helpless: "After you two broke up, he wanted to salvage the relationship, but Lu Qin was unwilling to give him another chance, and soon after, he went abroad to study."
"Did Yu Qiwen go after him?"
“Yes,” Yu Zeheng said. “He went to France with Lu Qin, but because of work, he also needed to fly back and forth within China. Later, he heard that Lu Qin had a new boyfriend, and he was depressed for a while after returning to China.”
That's fantastic!
"And that's it?" Qiao Shu pressed.
"Later, Lu Qin returned to China, and they broke up. He pursued Lu Qin again, using every trick in the book, but to this day, they still haven't gotten anywhere. It seems there's no hope for them in this lifetime."
Qiao Shu had a crush on Lu Qin before, and hearing this made her even more certain that she hadn't misjudged her.
A man who is unfaithful once is untrustworthy for life.
Yu Zeheng’s voice was cold: “This is all his own doing. As a man, he lacks responsibility and is fickle. He deserves to be in this situation.”
Qiao Shu found it amusing: "You're talking badly about your cousin?"
"I'm just stating the facts. Is this really that complicated? If you like Lu Qin, be firm, overcome all obstacles, and give her an explanation. If you're weak-willed and don't like her enough, then make things clear to Lu Qin as soon as possible and break up cleanly."
Lack of responsibility, fickle, and weak-willed—that's how Yu Zeheng described Yu Qiwen.
Qiao Shu thought back to Yu Qiwen and asked with a smile, "Is he really that bad?"
They both have the surname Yu, so why didn't he show any favoritism?
"You think he's great?" Yu Zeheng braced himself on his hands beside her, leaning his entire upper body down until the tip of his high nose almost touched her face. "Yes, if you weren't satisfied with him, you wouldn't want to marry him."
"..."
"That happened so many years ago," Qiao Shu asked in return, "Why are you so concerned about it?"
He cares a lot.
He felt resentful that the person she initially chose to marry wasn't him. What made him inferior to Yu Qiwen?
"How far did things go between you and him back then?" Yu Zeheng asked again, his voice squeezed out from between his teeth, like the howling wind in winter.
Others only knew that they were getting engaged.
But who knows, besides them, how they met privately a few times and how they got along?
Qiao Shu felt his resentment was about to overflow, like water, about to surround her. She moved forward, her nose brushing against his, and poked the muscle under his shirt with the tip of her index finger: "You don't want to know."
The fingernail traced down the muscle lines. What does he eat to train so well?
Yu Zeheng's voice was hoarse: "I want to know."
"Have you ever eaten alone, held hands, or kissed like we have? What do you call him? Have you ever called him 'brother'?"
Its jet-black eyes were like obsidian, occasionally flashing with a bright light.
He lowered his head, his forehead pressed against hers, nuzzling her with each word he spoke, their breaths mingling erratically. Finally, their noses touched: "Is he better than me?"
If it weren't for what happened with Lu Qin, they would have been married long ago, and he would have to call her sister-in-law.
Just thinking about that scene made his brows furrow like a knotted thread, impossible to untangle.
Why is Yu Qiwen so lucky?
Yu Zeheng gritted his teeth, unable to suppress his jealousy—jealousy of what had happened, and jealousy of what might not have happened.
Qiao Shu trembled at his hot breath. Just as she was about to open her mouth, Yu Zeheng lowered his head and kissed her lips first, silencing her.
Yu Zeheng's voice was low and hoarse, as if he had resigned himself to his fate: "Never mind, I don't want to know."
-----------------------
Author's Note: Jealous puppies are the most exciting!
50 red envelopes, kiss kiss!
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