Chapter 50 "I Want to Sleep with You"
Qiao Shu had lost count of how many times she had told Yu Zeheng to shut up.
No one is better at distorting the truth than him. How can he say such a thing with such self-righteousness? Doesn't he feel ashamed?
Yu Zeheng placed his hand on her shoulder, reducing the pressure as he pressed down, his thumb pressing against her bone, rubbing away the soreness and discomfort in her muscles.
Qiao Shu lowered her head, revealing a slender, fair neck beneath her jet-black hair.
His fingers moved downwards, along the shoulder blades, all the way down to the lower back. He didn't have any special techniques; he relied entirely on patience and strength to massage.
Qiao Shu closed her eyes comfortably.
Just as I was about to fall asleep, the hand behind me stopped, slid along the curve of my waist, and placed its palm on my lower abdomen. The next second, it pulled me into its embrace, pressing me tightly against its chest.
His warm breath brushed against her neck, and Yu Zeheng nuzzled the back of her neck with the bridge of his nose: "Goodnight."
They went to bed so early that they both woke up around five or six in the morning.
I cuddled in bed for a while before getting up.
We were all early risers who were used to exercising, but we couldn't run without equipment, so we followed the path we hadn't walked far that day and started climbing. The monks at the temple said there was a pavilion further up, and once we reached that, we could turn back. The path beyond that was undeveloped.
The air in the mountains was humid and cold. Climbing mountains was more strenuous than regular exercise. Qiao Shu looked up and caught a glimpse of a corner of a pavilion near the summit. Just as she was about to perform her retreating act, Yu Zeheng stood in front of her. His black down jacket didn't look bulky on him. With his hands in his pockets, he exuded a strong sporty vibe, like a handsome young college student.
"How about we have a contest to see who gets to that pavilion first?"
Their immaturity is comparable to that of a male college student.
Once there's a winner and a loser, even the most boring things become interesting. If you're going to do something, do it the best you can. Qiao Shu agreed one second and started running the next.
Climbing mountains is an extreme test of endurance, and the few seconds she gained by cheating were meaningless.
As the pavilion came into view, Qiao Shu struggled to block him, using both hands and feet to step onto the pavilion first, and then collapsed onto the bench without regard for her image, breathing heavily with her chest heaving.
"Is it really necessary?" Yu Zeheng smiled helplessly at her expression.
Because of the strenuous exercise, Qiao Shu's face was rosy and her eyes were moist. She glanced at him and said, "As for it, I must beat you."
She wants to win at video games, and she wants to win at mountain climbing; she's determined to crush him!
"I will beat you my whole life."
The words almost slipped out, and Qiao Shu was momentarily stunned when she said them.
Yu Zeheng leaned against a pillar of the pavilion, his expression serious: "Why don't you want to win in bed? When have you ever finished first?"
His tone was casual, as if he were just saying that it was a cloudy day, and he didn't come across as frivolous or vulgar.
Qiao Shu almost choked while breathing.
No matter what you say, whether it's black or white, he has a knack for turning it into something risqué.
"Can you tone it down a bit and reduce the smell?" Qiao Shu didn't even have the energy to roll her eyes. "Or is your cold still not better? You still have a fever."
There was no race on the way down the mountain, so Qiao Shu had no motivation.
She walked halfway, and Yu Zeheng carried her halfway. She lay on his back, feeling the 190-meter height. The cold wind kept blowing, and she jokingly said that it was colder at the top.
When they returned to the temple, the Qiao family members had already woken up.
The old man is talking to the host.
The rest of the people wandered around the temple, eventually settling into the front yard to stretch out or chat. The signal was poor on the mountain, so playing on their phones wasn't very interesting; it took forever to load a single webpage.
When Qiao Shu and Yu Zeheng returned in high spirits, everyone in the courtyard looked over.
Chen Yi said with a smile, "The master said you got up early this morning to go hiking. You're still young and have such good energy."
"What's so interesting about this crappy mountain?" Qiao Kaiyu's phone kept spinning, and he impatiently put it away.
Chen Yi's smile vanished instantly; there was no point in exchanging a single word.
Qiao Shu came over to greet him, smiling and saying good morning. When she looked at Qiao Kaiyu, her gaze swept over him from head to toe: "There's not much to see, but mountain climbing is a good form of exercise. You just don't understand, brother. Looking at your figure now, you haven't exercised in a long time, have you?"
“Your older brother would never walk if he could take a car. He just lies down when he gets home. What can he possibly do?” Chen Yi’s voice came coolly.
Aunt interjected, "Your older brother works so hard, he finally has some free time, of course he needs to rest."
Yu Zeheng took Qiao Shu's hand and asked with apparent concern, "Brother, did you break even on your futures trading?"
"..."
One sentence shut four mouths up.
The one with the worst expression was Qiao Kaiyu, who coughed and brushed it off.
Aunt crossed her arms, her face grim: "Kaiyu, have you finished talking to Grandpa?"
Qiao Shu suppressed a laugh and gave a thumbs-up.
On the way back, Qiao Shu was in the same car as Yu Zeheng. She was holding her phone when she saw a message from Guan Han saying that the financial audit had been halted by higher-ups.
Qiao Shu asked: "Is this Qiao Kaiyu?"
Guan Han replied: 【No, it's at a higher level.】
Qiao Shu turned off her phone, rested it on her chin, and looked thoughtful. Although Guan Han didn't say it explicitly, both of them knew that the person in question could only be the old man.
She smiled, then stretched and closed her eyes: "I'm so tired, I'm going to sleep for a while."
Yu Zeheng turned up the temperature inside the car: "Go to sleep, I'll wake you when we get there."
The convoy drove from Qingling Temple back to the Qiao family's old residence, while only Yu Zeheng and Qiao Shu drove back to Nanwan.
After getting out of the car, Qiao Zhenkai specifically asked Qiao Kaiyu to escort him upstairs.
“I’ll do it myself. He’s clumsy, I’m afraid he won’t do it well.” Auntie followed and put her hand on the wheelchair.
Qiao Zhenkai's face was tense, his expression dark: "Since you know he's clumsy, why don't you teach him properly?"
Aunt froze, and Uncle called to Qiao Kaiyu: "Grandpa is calling you, hurry up and go."
Qiao Kaiyu stepped forward, vaguely sensing that something was about to happen, but he didn't know what the old man knew. With a heart full of anxiety, he escorted the old man upstairs to his study.
"Grandpa, scold me if you want, I was wrong."
Qiao Kaiyu stood ramrod straight. On the way back, he saw a message from Zhou Wanying saying that the financial audit was over and they hadn't found her. She thought he was the one who did it.
In fact, he was unaware of it.
Qiao Zhenkai didn't speak, his aged but still sharp eyes scrutinizing him. After a long while, he said, "You know, I've always had high hopes for you. That's what I told you too. That's why I let you join the company after you finish your studies, and even when I made my will, I was treating you as my heir."
Qiao Kaiyu nodded: "I know, Grandpa."
"No, you don't know." Qiao Zhenkai's tone was calm, so when he laughed while saying "I just didn't expect you to be this stupid," it was hard to tell whether he was mocking him or himself more.
"Did I give you too little?" he asked in a low voice.
"No, it's because I really want to prove myself, Grandpa. Everyone at the company is watching and comparing me to you. But how can I possibly be better than you? I just want them, and you, to see that I'm just as good as you."
Qiao Zhenkai didn't believe him and said to himself, "I've given you everything I could, even your father didn't receive this kind of treatment. I'm honest with myself, I haven't treated you badly, but your performance has been really disappointing. You've been nepotistic, you've made a mess of the company, and you've embezzled public funds to cover your investment losses. It's one thing to mess around normally, but you've also taken it out on the company. I don't ask much of you. As long as you can wait, the company will be yours sooner or later."
His gaze suddenly sharpened, and he swept the items off the desk, smashing the inkstone onto the floor with a dull thud: "How can you be so stupid?"
Qiao Kaiyu's mind went blank for a moment, and he immediately knelt down, repeatedly saying that he had done these stupid things because he was blinded by greed and wanted to prove himself.
Qiao Zhenkai's blood pressure soared, and he almost couldn't catch his breath. He patted his chest and said, "I went to burn incense and pray to Buddha this time because I wanted to ask if I had done too many evil deeds, and why my descendants are all useless good-for-nothings."
Qiao Kaiyu dared not utter another word and obediently endured the scolding. If the old man really wanted to hold him accountable, he wouldn't have suppressed the investigation. Since the old man stepped forward to protect him, his position was secure.
Qiao Zhenkai berated him mercilessly, his blood pressure gradually calming down: "Cut off all ties with that accountant, make sure it's clean, don't let anyone have any leverage over her, she can't stay in the company anymore."
Qiao Kaiyu nodded: "Don't worry, I will handle this matter properly."
“I will make up for the embezzled money for you, but remember, this is the last time.” Qiao Zhenkai looked at him, his eyes deep: “You haven’t hidden anything else from me?”
Qiao Kaiyu waved his hand and shook his head: "No, really no more."
Qiao Zhenkai gave him a deep look and then sighed: "If you keep going like this, you'll be outdone by Qiao Shu sooner or later."
“Xiao Shu? She, she can’t be, what ability does she have…” Qiao Kaiyu had never regarded Qiao Shu as an opponent. He denied it repeatedly, and even wanted to laugh. But when he saw the serious expression in the old man’s eyes, he thought of some things he had overlooked.
"I'm tired, you can leave." Qiao Zhenkai said, stopping there.
Qiao Kaiyu left with a furrowed brow. He had begged her to join the company. She claimed she was just coasting along, but none of her tasks were easy. Besides, how many times had she tripped him up before? The recent audit was also suspicious. Was she really not involved at all?
Qiao Shu's face flashed into his mind, and he laughed in anger. So this was his good sister waiting for him here.
It was a week later that Qiao Kaiyu took the initiative to contact Qiao Shu. Now that they were both in the same company, they would run into each other all the time, so it was very convenient for them to have a meal together.
“It’s getting harder and harder to get you to have a meal these days. My little sister is quite busy.” Qiao Kaiyu watched her put down her bag and sit down, resting one arm on the table.
Qiao Shu chuckled upon hearing this: "Isn't it because my older brother can't pay back his money that he's avoiding me?"
"Who says I can't pay you back? I'll transfer the money to you in a couple of days."
“That’s great.” Qiao Shu looked at the menu and ordered a ribeye steak and a white wine.
Qiao Kaiyu crossed his arms and leaned closer to the dining table, observing Qiao Shu's expression: "I've heard some very interesting things recently."
"What?"
"They say you're quite close to Guan Han, playing tennis and having meals together in private. She's such a strange person, how can you get along with her?"
"Then why don't you tell me, brother, who I don't get along with?" Qiao Shu smiled. "Guan Han is my boss, so it shouldn't be a problem for me to get along with her."
"Of course, you're very good at winning people's hearts."
The waiter served the food, and the two chatted casually.
Qiao Kaiyu lowered his head to eat a small piece of meat and casually asked, "I see you and Yu Zeheng are back to normal. What, are you two planning to remarry?"
Qiao Shu ate slowly and deliberately: "I don't know, we'll just have to see how it goes."
“You’re both getting on in years, it’s not appropriate to keep hooking up with someone.” Qiao Kaiyu put down his knife and fork. “Ask yourself honestly, Yu Zeheng has treated you well, so who else could you possibly marry if you keep picking and choosing?”
"Brother, are you also here for Aunt's sake, coming to eat this meal with me?"
Qiao Kaiyu's tone was inquisitive: "That's not right. We're all family, and we certainly don't want you to be happy. I've never understood why you got divorced before. Was it because the will made you uncomfortable? Were you doing it for the old man's benefit?"
Qiao Shu touched the corner of her mouth with a tissue, her eyes flashing, and answered without hesitation, "Yes."
"You're being a bit too ruthless. What did the Yu family do wrong that you're so angry that you want a divorce? People have feelings. Is it worth it to scheme and plot for personal gain?"
Qiao Shu remained silent for a moment, listening to his grand pronouncements about his marriage, patiently waiting for him to finish: "I won't get a divorce, I'll have another child, and I'm willing to be your stepping stone?"
“You know everything, and the old man is protecting you, so there’s no need to test him anymore.”
Qiao Shu brushed her long hair aside and got straight to the point. She knew that the old man had called Qiao Kaiyu to the study, and she also knew that the old man had lost his temper. After that day, Zhou Wanying resigned and disappeared, and the embezzled public funds were made up.
The old man hasn't broken ties yet, so she pretends not to know and continues going to and from get off work.
Qiao Kaiyu clapped his hands and laughed: "It's not my fault, you're just too good at pretending. Aren't you tired these days?"
"You're really amazing, little sister. You've always had the men around you completely under your thumb since you were little, and you've only gotten better at it as you've grown up. You were like that before, and you're still doing it now with Yu Zeheng. You're the best at manipulating people. Everyone else in the world is stupid, but you're the smartest and most intelligent one."
"Does Yu Zeheng even know what kind of person you are? Aren't you ashamed to be a woman like you?"
Qiao Shu took a sip of wine and said calmly, "What's there to be ashamed of? You're such a useless piece of trash, yet you can sit comfortably in this position. What do I have to be ashamed of?"
Qiao Kaiyu slammed his hand on the table, knocking over the wine glass, and a little wine splashed onto Qiao Shu's face: "I really don't know what you're arguing with me about. Is it that Yu Zeheng didn't give you money, or that the Qiao family didn't give you enough? Isn't it better to just be a good Mrs. Yu?"
"not good."
Qiao Shu wiped away the wine stains and said two words lightly.
Qiao Kaiyu tugged at his tie in a fit of irritation, a smile playing on his lips: "You really are just like you were when you were a kid, so unlikable. If I had known you'd still be like this, I should have locked you up longer back then."
After three or five days, they'll learn their lesson and behave themselves.
Qiao Shu listened calmly to him finish speaking. The next second, she poured a glass of wine directly onto his face. Before Qiao Kaiyu could explode, she said coldly, "You'd better be polite to me, because I'm not only your sister, but also your creditor. I can sue you at any time."
She pulled out a tissue to wipe her hands, then tossed it onto the table: "It's a real shame, you've ruined a perfectly good meal."
By the time Qiao Kaiyu wiped the wine stains off his face, Qiao Shu had already grabbed her bag and left.
His anger had not subsided, and he had to suppress it. He took out his phone, paused the recording, cut out the middle part of the recording, found Yu Zeheng, and sent the recording to him.
Yu Zeheng went back to the Yu family home for dinner that evening, as was his custom.
Only Yu Xunli and Jiang Wenxin were at home, and their conversations revolved around company matters.
When Yu Xunli asked him why he had so much working capital recently, he only said that he needed it, but he didn't know exactly what it was for.
"Is it because you don't know or you don't want to say?" Yu Xunli knew his son well enough to know that he was definitely not acting on a whim.
Yu Zeheng could only say that he had both.
After dinner, Jiang Wenxin inquired about his relationship with Qiao Shu. She had sensed something was off since New Year's Eve and had a feeling that the two were dating: "Could you bring Xiao Shu home for dinner next time?"
Yu Zeheng went to get his coat, and when his mother inquired, he said helplessly, "Let's talk about it later, things aren't stable yet."
Jiang Wenxin's expression changed upon hearing this: "Are you even capable?"
When Yu Zeheng returned home that evening, Qiao Shu had already returned to Nanwan and was enjoying quality time with Xiao Xi. Hearing him return, she turned around, and the two of them, one human and one dog, lay on the sofa to greet him.
"I'm back."
The indoor lighting was soft and warm, casting a gentle glow on them.
It's hard to describe exactly how he felt at the time, but what's certain is that decades later, Yu Zeheng still remembered this scene.
Qiao Shu patted Xiao Xi's head and let it go to greet Yu Zeheng when he came home. It was obsessed with greeting every family member.
"You're back so late, I've been waiting for you for a long time." As the man approached, she rested her head on her hand, looking languid and tired. "Could you carry me up to my room?"
Yu Zeheng hummed in agreement, leaned down to kiss her lips, and then picked her up in his arms.
Qiao Shu hooked her arms around his neck, admiring his expression. His face was just too pleasing to her eye. She raised her head and restlessly kissed his cheek intermittently.
Once inside the room, she grabbed his tie and unbuttoned his shirt, saying, "Yu Zeheng, I want to sleep with you."
"I haven't taken a shower yet."
"I've filled the tub with water."
Qiao Shu hugged his neck tightly, her lips close to his ear, her voice very soft.
There was no need for further explanation; the two were perfectly in sync, and their clothes were stripped off completely outside the bathroom.
The bathtub overflowed as he lay down, wetting the floor. Qiao Shu gripped his shoulders, domineeringly taking the lead.
Yu Zeheng lay down, his arms resting on the edge of the bathtub.
Qiao Shu swayed aimlessly in the water, and Yu Zeheng could only hold her waist to straighten her.
She was usually delicate and complained about being tired, and the resistance of the water made it even more difficult. The situation was completely chaotic, and she felt uncomfortable, as if she was angry with herself and wanted to give up.
“That’s not how it’s done,” Yu Zeheng said softly.
Before Qiao Shu could utter a word, she was swept up in a new round of turmoil.
The bathtub was originally full of water, but after getting up, only a shallow half remained. Yu Zeheng used a towel to dry her off, then carried her out of the room and onto the bed.
When they were lying in bed together again, Yu Zeheng brushed a stray hair from her ear.
"Is there anything you want to tell me?" he asked.
Qiao Shu closed her eyes, her eyelashes still wet. She snuggled into his arms, buried her face in his chest, and said in a muffled voice, "I'm so tired. I won't play like this anymore."
Half a minute later, the person in my arms began to breathe evenly.
Yu Zeheng thought of the recording he received today. In the recording, Qiao Shu's voice was highly recognizable and her pronunciation was clear.
Qiao Kaiyu: [You don't understand Qiao Shu. She's always been ruthless in achieving her goals. Divorcing you was a way of using you, and she's using you now too. You're her biggest bargaining chip.]
I don't believe you can't see these things clearly.
Men hate being schemed against the most.
Qiao Kaiyu felt that he had been schemed against for so long, and this was only his first time fighting back. He had prepared his guiding words in advance, and Qiao Shu also admitted that his expectations had been met.
Late at night, he received a reply from Yu Zeheng.
Why is she only using me?
She likes me.
-----------------------
Author's note: Tomorrow is the day I completely break ties with my family.
Look at our double A combination!
50 red envelopes, kisses, goodnight.
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