Chapter 34 "It's too early to apologize."
Exhausted, Zhu Xu lay limply on the bed, his eyes half-closed as he looked towards the kitchen. His figure flickered past from time to time, with only a white bath towel wrapped around his waist, revealing his upper body at a glance.
Zhu Xu traced his features with his eyes: his narrow waist, broad back, and well-defined muscles. The kitchen was dimly lit, and his shoulders seemed to be bathed in a light glow.
The aroma of tomato meat sauce wafted through the air; it was from the instant pasta she bought at the supermarket.
While waiting for the noodles to cook, He Yanzhou leaned against the kitchen door, drinking water and glancing at Zhu Xu.
The two stared at each other for a long time without saying a word.
The room was quiet and the atmosphere was incomparably wonderful.
He slowly drank the water in the glass, then asked, "Would you like some more water?"
Zhu Xu shook her head. Her throat had been so dry and hoarse just now, and she had already drunk a large glass.
He Yanzhou didn't say anything more, his gaze still fixed on her. His lips were still damp, so he unconsciously licked them, his tongue briefly brushing against them.
Zhu Xu suddenly pulled the blanket over her head, creating a small mound on the bed that vaguely outlined her body.
He Yanzhou knew what she was thinking, chuckled softly, and recalled what had just happened.
He was willing to fulfill all her requests, whether she was deliberately teasing him or genuinely craving the experience.
He knelt on one knee and raised his face.
The trousers that were touching the ground were instantly soaked with water, and the warmth spread throughout his body.
Her expression changed drastically, and she immediately admitted defeat: "I was just kidding."
"It's too late."
Zhu Xu backed away, "Please, get up." She forced herself into a corner, her back pressed against the cold tiles, and suddenly felt a shiver.
"I'd love to experience that."
Zhu Xu was stunned; he had already truly felt it.
"He..." She instinctively pressed her hands against his head, wanting to push him away but lacking the strength, forced to stand on tiptoe: "Stop..."
He Yanzhou moved his hands up, his palms soft and full.
He tightened his fingers, matching the rhythm of his lips, until he heard her out-of-control pleas.
Time was short, and she was utterly useless.
Water was running in the bathroom, and the steam seemed even thicker than before.
He Yanzhou stood up and caught her as she collapsed. Her wet eyes looked at him, filled with utter grievance. His blood rushed to his head, and he wanted nothing more than to tear her apart and devour her whole.
But she said softly, "I'm so sleepy, I want to go to sleep."
He Yanzhou laughed incredulously: "What about me?"
"You go first, I'll get you a bath towel."
He Yanzhou actually let go of her: "Okay, go get it."
The room was only a little big; he wasn't worried she'd disappear into a crack in the floor. He quickly took a shower, wrapped himself in a towel, and went outside, where he saw the little hill hidden under the covers.
He Yanzhou casually turned off the light, untied his bath towel, lifted the blanket and reached out to her; only then did the storm truly begin.
...
The water in the pot boiled over, and He Yanzhou took two steps over, turned off the heat, and scooped out the spaghetti.
He cooked two portions, one more for himself and one less for her.
Zhu Xu said, "I don't want to eat."
He Yanzhou placed the bowl on the bedside table, leaned down and kissed her forehead: "Where do you feel unwell?"
My legs are sore.
He Yanzhou reminded him: "Eat with your mouth."
Zhu Xu said, "My mouth is sour too."
He Yanzhou couldn't help but laugh out loud: "First time hearing this." He sat down on the edge of the bed: "Let me feed you."
Zhu Xu still shook his head.
He Yanzhou didn't insist any further, moved to the sofa opposite him, and finished his portion. The instant noodles didn't taste as good as those from a restaurant, but his appetite was still good.
Zhu Xu wrapped himself in the blanket, leaving only his head sticking out, and quietly watched him.
He ate politely, but quickly; he would swirl the noodles around his chopsticks twice before putting them in his mouth, and he finished eating in no time.
"Let it sit, I'll wash it tomorrow." Zhu Xu was exhausted and just wanted to sleep.
"Soon, wait for me." He bent down, patted her head, and took the bowls and chopsticks to the kitchen.
Zhu Xu was drowsy when she heard the faint sound of running water. She squinted at the dim light source, and soon the sound stopped. She strode to the bathroom to rinse her mouth.
Zhu Xu automatically gave up his position.
He Yanzhou lifted the covers and lay down, pulling her into his arms from behind. He wrapped one arm around her neck, and with the other hand, he covered her soft, full breasts, giving them a malicious squeeze.
Zhu Xu snorted, too weak to resist.
It was already past midnight, and all was quiet.
As he was about to fall asleep, the moonlight cast a small shadow on his pillow. Zhu Xu noticed the silver bracelet on his wrist and his heart skipped a beat.
She couldn't resist touching it, stroking the smooth, cool indentation of the bracelet, which even had words and patterns engraved inside. She paused, then touched the back of his hand, where the veins on the skin covering the hard bones were clearly visible. She paused again, then touched his slender fingers and finger bones, moving upwards to touch his fingertips.
Her movements were so gentle, like a tiny ant crawling around, that it made people itch with desire.
He Yanzhou: "Don't you want to sleep? I don't mind playing a little longer."
Zhu Xu immediately stopped and quickly closed his eyes.
But not long after, he looked up again and exclaimed, "There were words inside the bracelet before?"
"Um."
Have you seen it? What characters are they?
He Yanzhou said, "One life, one love, one partner."
Zhu Xu remained silent.
Those stalls probably stock up on goods in bulk, so there's unlikely to be any fresh or creative ideas. But even though it's a bit rustic, it's still a kind of heartfelt blessing.
Zhu Xu said, "Pick it off. It's too cheap and doesn't suit your status."
"What do you want me to say? You really like the gift from me?" He nuzzled her head with his chin, not hesitating to express his feelings: "Indeed, I really like the gift from me."
Zhu Xu pursed his lips and smiled secretly.
"Actually, it looks really good on you." She turned around and snuggled into his arms.
He Yanzhou only found out after they were actually together.
It turns out she knows how to act cute.
He Yanzhou was extremely pleased, his heart fluttering uncontrollably, but he had to suppress his feelings because he was worried that she kept complaining of being tired.
The two were almost completely naked, and Zhu Xu easily sensed something, raising his head: "You..."
"Quiet," he whispered, "Don't move."
Zhu Xu quickly lay back down obediently, his forehead pressed against his chest, not daring to move at all.
After a while, He Yanzhou returned to normal. His hand rested on her arm, his fingertips touching a circular scar, and two more nearby, similar in size, with uneven surfaces. He knew she had tattoos on her arm: "Here," he tapped lightly, "What kind of design is it?"
Peony.
He asked, "Does it have any special meaning?"
"No." Zhu Xu's voice was calm: "He Xi recommended it at the time. She said that the peony petals were very dense and had a good effect on concealing scars."
He Yanzhou fell silent for a moment, then suddenly remembered the coffee shop last year, where he had pulled her from the floor, where she was barely alive.
They had only recently reunited, and his feelings for her were still unclear. Over the years, she had always been a special person to him. The regrets of his youth had gradually transformed into an inseparable emotion, which made him feel that the abuser deserved to be torn to pieces.
He Yanzhou raised his head and lightly kissed her cheek, then moved down to kiss her arm.
She remained curled up there, motionless, already fast asleep.
/
The room was brightly lit in the early morning.
Zhu Xu woke up, casually pulled back the curtains beside the bed, and couldn't help but squint. This was a city favored by sunlight.
He Yanzhou had already left. There was a message on her phone from him saying that the breakfast Zheng Zhi had brought was on the table and that she should heat it up before eating. He also said that he would see her later.
Looking at those three words, Zhu Xu seemed to feel the sweetness of love. He put down his phone, stretched lazily, and felt a bright glow in his heart.
She left home at nine o'clock, first going to the hotel to check on the project progress. She returned to the company at noon and went straight to find Zhao Siqiao. She was reviewing several proposals on her computer, looking quite well and seemingly in a good mood.
I was about to explain what happened last night when I suddenly remembered something else, so I asked, "Who was that person you were pulling and tugging at in the hallway?"
Such a straightforward and decisive person suddenly stammered, "You're crazy."
Zhu Xu sensed something was amiss: "You... left by yourself last night?"
"Yes." She handed the document to her casually: "Take a look first, and sign it."
Zhu Xu took it: "This isn't like you."
Zhao Siqiao leaned back in his chair and paused for a moment: "Actually, after going to those kinds of places too many times, they're all the same, and it gets boring after a while."
"It seems someone needs to cultivate their character."
Zhao Siqiao denied it: "No way..." Then, she suddenly remembered: "I didn't ask you, what's going on with you? You suddenly left yesterday? And He Yanzhou, where did he come from?"
Just as Zhu Xu was about to explain something, the person in charge of the conversation called, saying that they would be there in a few minutes and asking her to give them their exact location.
Zhu Xu walked quickly out while talking on the phone. When he reached the gate, he saw his black Porsche driving towards him from afar.
She waved.
With the driver's side window half-rolled down, He Yanzhou glanced over in their direction.
Zhu Xu pointed out the parking spot to him, and he slammed the steering wheel straight in. He rarely drove himself and didn't realize he needed to level the car and straighten the wheels. He grabbed his phone, opened the door, and got out.
Zhu Xu jogged a few steps to him and asked, "Why did you come here?"
He Yanzhou put his hands in his pockets and glanced carefully at the office building behind her: "Take a look at your place, and while you're at it, invite President Zhu to dinner."
"I dare not accept such praise," Zhu Xu said. "To be frank, my studio is just a slightly more advanced one. How could I dare to call myself the manager in front of you?"
She speaks softly and slowly, her eyes are clear and bright, and her smiling face shows she has a lot of energy.
He Yanzhou couldn't help but brush a few strands of hair from her forehead with his index finger: "I just passed by the hotel lobby, it's like a small forest, it made me feel good, let alone the guests."
"Really?" Zhu Xu was very happy.
He Yanzhou smiled at her and said, "Really."
"Thank you for your kind words," Zhu Xu said. "The project isn't finished yet; the later stages with flowing water mist will create an even more atmospheric effect."
"Looking forward to future cooperation."
"Okay," Zhu Xu said with a smile.
They chatted as they led him into the lobby.
Unlike office buildings in commercial centers, this place has a poor surrounding environment and basic amenities. Its advantages are low rent and proximity to a flower wholesale market, making it particularly convenient to source materials.
The office building has two floors, and they rented half of the first floor, which has enough space.
Upon entering, to the right are some stones, potted plants, white sand, and waterproofing materials, arranged haphazardly, temporarily serving as a warehouse. To the left are several cubicles, with documents and papers piled on the tables. During lunch break, there are hardly any people working at their desks.
Further inside, the two adjacent rooms are her and Zhao Siqiao's offices.
Zhu Xu bent down to pick up a stack of A4 papers that had fallen to the ground and placed them on the table next to him.
She glanced at He Yanzhou furtively, blushing slightly: "We've been doing online promotions lately, and the response has been pretty good. They're quite busy, so they haven't had time to organize these things."
"The atmosphere is great."
Zhu Xu twitched the corner of his mouth: "Are you serious?" He pushed open the door and invited him into the office.
He Yanzhou looked around and sat down on the sofa on the left: "Seriously, I'm quite envious of not having the chance to experience the joy of starting from scratch."
"..." Zhu Xu curled his lip: "What is Jintu? What is a resort hotel?"
“It’s much easier for a son to inherit his father’s business than to start from scratch. You know, having plenty of capital can make many things impossible.” He looked at her and said, “So, you’ve already done very well.”
Zhu Xu felt a warm glow in his heart upon hearing this. In reality, he was being overly modest, simply trying to acknowledge her hard work and dedication.
She stood opposite him, hands behind her back, smiling with her lips pursed.
He Yanzhou looked up at her for a moment. She had her hair pulled back, and was wearing a stylish white shirt and wide-leg trousers, revealing a narrow waist and a pert chest. Unlike her previous casual and carefree style, she now exuded a confident and radiant charm.
He patted the seat next to him: "Come sit here."
Zhu Xu walked around the coffee table and sat on the other side of the sofa.
He Yanzhou glanced at the empty space between the two of them and raised his chin: "Come a little closer."
Zhu Xu shifted slightly, and before he could even sit properly, he reached out and pulled her to his side, causing her to accidentally bump into his arms.
Her heart was still pounding uncontrollably, and the scent of him was wonderful to smell.
He Yanzhou lowered his gaze and slowly asked, "Are your legs still sore?"
Zhu Xu's cheeks flushed, and he asked first, "Did you participate in track and field competitions when you were in school?"
He Yanzhou thought for a moment and nodded.
She said, "You must know what it feels like to have sore legs after a good night's sleep."
He Yanzhou was aware of his loss of control at the time and felt slightly guilty afterward, so he said, "I'm sorry, I'll be more careful next time."
Zhu Xu shook her head, then suddenly raised her chin and leaned closer: "Just don't keep holding my leg up." Her breath was as light as a breeze, and her lips brushed against his earlobe almost imperceptibly.
He Yanzhou's eyebrows twitched; he had underestimated her.
Suppressing the regret welling up inside him, he whispered, "It's too early to apologize."
The two were whispering sweet nothings to each other when someone pushed the door open and entered.
Zhao Siqiao strode in, holding a cup of coffee in his hand. Seeing the two of them so close, he suddenly stopped and chuckled awkwardly, "Shouldn't I have knocked?"
He Yanzhou didn't take it to heart. He wrapped his arm around Zhu Xu's back and calmly took her hand, placing it on his thigh.
"What's going on here..." Zhao Siqiao said, "Congratulations."
"Thank you," He Yanzhou said with a smile.
Zhao Siqiao placed the coffee in front of him, sat down in the guest chair opposite the desk, and said jokingly, "President He, it's an honor to have you here. Our conditions here are rather basic, and we can only offer you instant coffee. Please don't mind."
"Don't be so polite," He Yanzhou invited. "Do you have time at noon? How about a simple meal?"
Zhao Siqiao was very self-aware: "I've already eaten, you guys go ahead."
The three chatted about other things, and He Yanzhou left after sitting for a while.
There weren't many good restaurants around, so while they were talking, Zhu Xu searched online for a while and found a Hunan restaurant with pretty good reviews, which he planned to take him there.
He Yanzhou stood up to say goodbye. After a moment's pause, he said to Zhao Siqiao, "It seems that Zhu Xu will have to spend some time with me in the future. Your company is just starting out, so don't hesitate to ask if you have any difficulties." He joked to himself, "My old classmate, happiness comes first. Please bear with me when it comes to social engagements."
Zhu Xu couldn't help but glance at him sideways, not expecting that he would still hold a grudge about this, and secretly scratched his back.
Zhao Siqiao exclaimed, "Oh, you're being too polite." He patted his chest and said, "She takes care of the home, and I take care of external affairs. I'm the best at all sorts of miscellaneous things."
"Thank you." He Yanzhou nodded slightly. "I'll treat you to a meal sometime."
Zhao Siqiao agreed and happily sent the golden Buddha away, feeling quite pleased with herself, thinking that future cooperation would definitely be no problem. As she walked back, a thought suddenly struck her, and she realized something.
Well, it's because of that incident where she dragged Zhu Xu to the club. She thought Zhu Xu was single, but who knew they had such a real relationship after all those outings.
Zhao Siqiao pursed his lips, shook his head, and muttered a few words under his breath.
Actually, she also found it boring. She suddenly got tired of that kind of place.
/
He Yanzhou stayed on Beidao Island for a few days before returning to Lincheng.
He slept at Zhu Xu's place and asked Zheng Zhi to bring over a suitcase containing several suits and daily necessities.
Zhu Xu gave up half of the wardrobe and hung all his clothes inside.
The room was small; sometimes you could bump shoulders while walking. But he adapted well and was quite happy to squeeze in with her.
After being separated, we each went about our own business.
We occasionally exchange messages and video call each other to say goodnight before bed.
As the rental company invests in advertising, it is experiencing some cash flow difficulties. Although it has achieved some success, its reputation has not yet been fully established, and it is only signing small contracts.
Zhao Siqiao said she would find a way to cover the funding so that Zhu Xu and his team could focus on construction, as customer satisfaction is the best advertisement.
Despite the division of labor, Zhu Xu still didn't want Zhao Siqiao to bear all the difficulties alone. Just then, Jiang Rao called to say that someone had taken a liking to her apartment in Lincheng and asked her to go back as soon as possible.
Zhu Xu was secretly pleased: "How sincere is the other party?"
“Compared to the previous buyers, he’s more reliable,” Jiang Rao said. “What are you still hesitating about? He said he would come back after New Year’s Day, but we haven’t seen him at all. Even if the deal didn’t go through, can’t he at least come back and see me?”
Hearing that she was a little angry, Zhu Xu played the victim: "I'm so busy right now. It's nine o'clock and I haven't had dinner yet."
Jiang Rao's voice immediately softened: "Go eat, what's more important than your health? Just rest for a couple of days, who knows, you might be able to sell the house."
"Okay, I'll go back." Zhu Xu glanced at his work schedule: "I should be able to go back the day after tomorrow."
"That's great!" Jiang Rao said. "You'll be able to attend the class reunion on the evening of the 3rd. It's been over a year since the last one, and everyone specifically asked you to go."
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