Chapter 36 - Missing this kiss, so tender and lingering, filled with desire...
Back home, as before, Lin Xi washed up in the bathroom in her room, while Fu Qingli used the bathroom in the living room.
Back in the room, Fu Qingli instructed Lin Xi: "I've put the change of clothes on the shelf. Check if anything is missing before you take a shower."
Yesterday they went directly from the civil affairs window and came back without bringing anything with them.
Lin Xi's toiletries and change of clothes were prepared by Fu Qingli in the morning, so she didn't find these words particularly special and casually replied, "Okay."
Once inside the bathroom, as she checked the things he had prepared for her, Lin Xi's already flushed face continued to heat up.
How could she forget that the change of clothes also includes underwear!
Before getting her marriage certificate yesterday, she took a shower at home and didn't sweat much afterwards. She didn't feel uncomfortable in the morning even though she didn't change her clothes.
But I ran around all day and was covered in sweat, so I had to change my clothes.
The underwear and pajamas in front of her all carried the unique scent of laundry detergent. It was easy to imagine that someone as thoughtful as Fu Qingli must have washed and dried them before wearing them.
She couldn't bring herself to believe that he would bother Aunt Yao with such trivial matters.
There's only one possibility left: he washed it himself.
This realization made her feel a little embarrassed and awkward.
He did such an intimate thing as washing her underwear so naturally, as if what Xia Duo said was true: he didn't just treat her as a younger sister, otherwise he wouldn't have been so uninhibited.
So, what about him...?
She suddenly realized that Aunt Yao had only prepared one bed for them in her own room, and Fu Qingli didn't seem to have any intention of preparing another one, which meant that they would have to sleep together again tonight.
Now that they're both sober, will something naturally happen between them?
Although she complained to He Xiaduo that he seemed to have no romantic desire for her, she was still a little scared when something might actually happen.
Lost in thought, she quickly finished her shower, casually rubbed her wet hair with a towel, and went outside.
Thinking that lying down first might make me less scared.
Before she could even reach the bedside, the door suddenly opened.
Fu Qingli, dressed in black silk pajamas, walked in carrying a hair dryer. She was tall and slender with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. Her half-wet hair hung over her prominent brow bone, giving her an air of leisure. The neckline of her pajamas was slightly crooked, inadvertently revealing her beautifully shaped collarbone.
The warm yellow light in the room cast a hazy glow around him.
Fu Qingli stopped in front of her, reached out and touched her hair, feeling its moisture.
"Sit down, I'll blow it for you."
As he spoke, he took her hand with his long, slender fingers, led her to sit down on the edge of the bed, and carefully wiped her hair again with a dry towel before picking up a hairdryer to dry her hair.
He was always more meticulous and patient than I was.
The medium-speed wind is just right, neither too hot nor too cold, so she doesn't just feel the wind.
She was sitting, and he was standing.
They were very close.
He had just finished showering, and the scent of cedarwood on his body was temporarily covered by the fragrance of the shower gel, but before long, the woody scent would reappear, stronger and fresher than usual.
The pleasant scent, the warm hands, and the comforting breeze made Linxi drowsy.
Once her hair was completely dry, Fu Qingli stopped and pointed to the water and medicine by the bedside: "The water is warm now."
That was Linxi's antidepressant, which she always kept in her small bag.
She didn't want him to see her, so she ate in the bathroom this morning without his knowledge.
It's probably something left in the bathroom after eating, which he saw and cleaned up.
"I..." Lin Xi wanted to say something, but when she opened her mouth, she felt she couldn't say it.
Although the bottle is entirely in English, there's no way he wouldn't understand it.
Fu Qingli leaned down and gently pressed his lips to her smooth forehead, closing his eyes to hide the heartache in them: "Xiaoxi, it's okay. If you don't want to talk about something, you don't have to. I'll walk with you slowly forward."
*
Unlike Lin Xi's idea of sharing a bed, Fu Qingli didn't work, but he still needed to confirm many things.
I spend my days with her, and my evenings are spent catching up on the work I've missed.
However, Fu Qingli brought the computer into the room and used it to work at her desk, and also used it to help her fall asleep.
Such scenes were quite common in my memory; she would often be nestled on the sofa, basking in the sun and taking a nap, while he sat beside her, reading books and looking at documents.
The long-awaited warm scene gradually relaxed Lin Xi's heart.
Before long, the medicine took effect, and her consciousness gradually blurred as she became drowsy. Before falling asleep, she vaguely saw Fu Qingli stand up and walk over. She felt a warmth on her body and then lost consciousness.
When she woke up again, it was already the next morning, and she was lying in his arms.
This time, the two lay face to face on their sides.
As soon as Lin Xi opened her eyes, she saw Fu Qingli's raven-feather-like eyelashes lightly wrapped around his nose, his high nose bridge sharp, his thin lips slightly parted, and his breathing steady; he was still asleep.
It's so close!
I could feel his breath spraying on my face, warm and moist.
Lin Xi suddenly felt like crying, though she couldn't explain why.
Perhaps because we've been apart for so long, I sometimes can't quite grasp the reality of things. On this quiet morning, waking up to see the sunlight and him there, the regret of so many years is suddenly made up for, and I desperately need an outlet to vent my mixed emotions.
She couldn't help but reach out and gently stroke his forehead and the bridge of his nose, then lingered on the tip of his nose.
Suddenly, my wrist was grabbed.
She saw Fu Qingli open her eyes, and the drowsiness in her eyes instantly vanished.
Realizing it was himself, his gaze softened suddenly, and without warning, he leaned down and kissed him deeply.
As their lips touched, Lin Xi's tears fell, wetting both of their cheeks.
Fu Qingli paused, but did not stop. He simply tightened his grip on her waist, leaving no gap between them.
In the early morning, the two kissed passionately, confirming each other's real existence and comforting the loss and despair that had followed them after waking from their dreams.
This time, Fu Qingli was extremely patient. Under his gentle offensive, he did not forget to guide her to respond to him awkwardly, and at the right time, he gave her enough time to breathe, all for the sake of a deeper entanglement.
The kiss was lingering and passionate, brimming with desire.
Lin Xi felt his aura forcefully invading her territory; the breathing beside her ear grew heavier and deeper, and the skin that touched hers gradually became scorching.
Finally, Fu Qingli took the initiative to step back.
Lin Xi then realized that the blanket had somehow ended up on her, separating the two of them.
Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes were unfocused and lost in thought, and she met his gaze with confusion.
A few seconds later, Fu Qingli reached out and covered her watery almond eyes, closed them slightly awkwardly, calmed his heavy breathing, and spoke after a moment, his voice still hoarse: "I'll go make breakfast, you rest a little longer."
After saying that, he got up and left without any hesitation, but his back looked strangely stiff.
What's wrong with him?
Why didn't it continue?
In this situation, Lin Xi couldn't possibly sleep. To prevent herself from overthinking, she simply got up, thinking of checking if there was anything she needed to pack before leaving.
After washing up and going outside, I found no one in the kitchen and no signs of cooking.
A faint sound of running water could be heard coming from the bathroom in the living room.
Fu Qingli has a slight case of mysophobia, so it's not surprising that she takes a shower early in the morning, but this time it seems to have taken a little longer.
It took her almost twenty minutes to wash up, and he still hadn't finished.
However, Lin Xi did not rush him. She went into the kitchen and followed his example from yesterday, first toasting the bread and then turning on the stove to prepare frying eggs.
Just as the eggs were cracked and put into the pan, the bathroom door opened, and Fu Qingli was drying her hair with a towel.
Upon hearing the sound, she didn't even care that her hair was still dripping wet. She casually tossed the towel onto the back of the chair and hurried towards the kitchen.
"Little Creek, let me handle this."
Lin Xi, holding the spatula, turned back to him and smiled, "It's okay, I can do these simple things. I can cook now."
Although Lin Fengyuan couldn't take care of Lin Xi when she was young, she never had to worry about where to eat. Even when Yao Wenxiu wasn't around, the other families in the compound were all Lin Fengyuan's colleagues, so she could just eat at any of them.
Moreover, Lin Fengyuan was worried about her cooking alone at home, so he never let her learn to cook.
These things only happen after the two separate.
Fu Qingli walked over in a few steps and forcefully took the spatula from her hand: "You don't need to know how to do it. Just call me when you're hungry. Remember, you don't need to do any of these things around the house from now on."
The girl, who was pampered by her father, was supposed to marry him and enjoy a life of luxury. How could he bear to let her suffer like this!
"But I want to help too." Perhaps because she was spoiled, Lin Xi unconsciously adopted a slightly coquettish tone.
Fu Qingli looked around and said, "Then could you get me a plate?"
*
After breakfast, Zhou Leyan came downstairs and, together with Fu Qingli, put the furniture back on with dust covers.
Aunt Yao pulled Lin Xi aside and repeatedly gave her instructions.
"Don't forget to eat when you're busy. Remember to eat three meals a day on time."
"Don't stay up late often, try to rest early."
"Treat Qingli well, and remember to talk to him if anything happens. Don't keep it to yourself."
...
Lin Xi patiently agreed again and again.
As they were about to say goodbye, the two were already in the car when Zhou Leyan suddenly leaned close to the driver's side window and whispered in a voice only Fu Qingli could hear: "Treat Xiaoxi well, and don't let me find out you're not treating her well!"
He clearly hadn't finished speaking, but he turned back and waved goodbye to them with a smile.
In fact, he had long understood that Fu Qingli would never treat Lin Xi badly.
When I was young, I naively thought about the importance of first come, first served, and assumed that I was the first one there.
But later I realized that I was the one who was slow to realize it.
Seven-year-old Fu Qingli had been cared for by a nanny before coming to Nanqing, and had no experience in taking care of people.
But from the moment he met Lin Xi, he became exceptionally attentive to her affairs. He would learn from Yao Wenxiu how to braid Lin Xi's hair, dress her, and wash her. He would take Lin Xi to amusement parks and zoos to make up for the childhood she lacked compared to her peers.
Even in the years that followed, he took on the responsibilities of an older brother, from major matters like academics and daily life to minor matters like hobbies and emotions.
Every single thing they did revealed their care and concern.
Looking back at myself, I always found her noisy and spoiled, and I never wanted to play with her.
But when the six-year-old girl went out with him and ran around with them, her knee hit the edge of the flower bed. She didn't cry or make a fuss, but with tears welling up in her eyes, she comforted him, saying, "Brother, it's okay. I'll tell Aunt Yao that I fell by myself."
Missing out is never a simple matter; she loved someone else.
Instead, he was always a step behind Fu Qingli, whether it was in his kindness to her or his love for her.
From beginning to end, in Lin Xi's mind, he had no right to compete with Fu Qingli.
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