Chapter 64 "That bed, you don't..."
Jiang Nuanyu really underestimated her "assets" accumulated in Beijing over the past few years. It's a wonder she was so confident, thinking she could empty the house all by herself.
They landed on Saturday noon, and only started packing in the afternoon. After working for half a day, Jiang Nuanyu's arms were already about to give way.
She leaned back on the sofa to rest for a while, drinking a bottle of mineral water, when her phone suddenly rang.
Although she had agreed to have her secretary come over to help, and Liang Qi had given her the secretary's number, Jiang Nuanyu thought it was her day off and she didn't want to bother the person, so she didn't take the initiative to contact them.
In the end, it was someone else who contacted her first. Both of them were at their usual off-get off work hours before the secretary started "working overtime."
Liang Qi's secretary, surnamed Xu, was a gentle and capable woman. Judging from her appearance, Jiang Nuanyu couldn't quite tell Xu's age, estimating she was only a few years older than herself. Since it was their first time meeting, calling her "sister" directly would seem too familiar and could easily be offensive.
However, she wasn't anyone's boss or superior, so she felt awkward calling him "Secretary Xu" all the time; and Secretary Xu's repeated polite "Miss Jiang" also made Jiang Nuanyu feel that he was being too polite.
Moving is a tedious task, and it feels a bit strange for two girls to talk without using titles, but it feels even more awkward when they do.
Finally, Secretary Xu took the initiative to say that she was definitely older than Jiang Nuanyu, and that if she didn't mind, she could call her "sister".
Jiang Nuanyu breathed a sigh of relief and said, "You can call me Xiao Jiang or Nuanyu, it's fine."
That day, Secretary Xu helped out until after 10 p.m. before going home. Jiang Nuanyu was still jet-lagged and continued packing boxes alone until late at night. She was so exhausted that she finally washed up and went to bed around midnight.
She only slept for three or four hours. Around eight or nine o'clock, Secretary Xu called again. The two of them worked for most of the day, packing everything up and loading it into the car, until the sun was about to set.
Upon arriving at Liang Qi's house, Secretary Xu swiped the card to open the door. Jiang Nuanyu stood to the side, one arm around the other elbow, staring blankly at the card in Secretary Xu's hand.
Secretary Xu turned around and saw this, and took the initiative to explain: "President Liang has been spending most of his time abroad recently, and he needs to handle housekeeping arrangements and document collection here, so he left a spare key card."
Jiang Nuanyu raised her eyelids after a second, looked at Secretary Xu, and blinked, puzzled.
Moving is physically demanding, and she was just so tired that she was distracted, her eyes wandering aimlessly without paying any attention to the access card.
Secretary Xu smiled at her and said, "No one will disturb you while you are here."
Jiang Nuanyu finally understood and realized what Secretary Xu meant by those two sentences. She immediately felt a little uncomfortable, her arms hanging down as she rubbed her palms together.
Although Secretary Xu was helping out of Liang Qi's instructions, the two would chat casually while packing the boxes. However, Secretary Xu was very discreet, neither remaining silent nor saying much, and she did not show any curiosity or interest in the relationship between the girl in front of her and the boss. Naturally, Jiang Nuanyu forgot to think about it.
But Xu's explanation made her belatedly realize that perhaps in other people's eyes, her relationship with Liang Qi was somewhat unusual. After all, she had moved all her things into his house.
But despite saying that, Jiang Nuanyu still felt guilty thinking about her relationship with Liang Qi and didn't know how to respond to Secretary Xu's words.
Fortunately, Secretary Xu went to direct the workers to move things, and the topic was dropped.
The workers carried Jiang Nuanyu's belongings piece by piece, box by box. One of the large cardboard boxes was full of books and was very heavy; even two strong young workers were struggling to lift it.
Jiang Nuanyu paced back and forth between the door and the elevator, feeling both helpless and apologetic. She wished she could do it herself, but was also worried about causing unnecessary trouble. She kept saying, "Thank you for your help," "Please be careful," "Thank you for your hard work," and "Thank you..."
The workers were quick and efficient, and the items were moved in a short time. After everyone left, the elevator lobby returned to a spacious and quiet state.
Jiang Nuanyu entered the house, and as soon as the door closed, the interior became even more silent than the outside.
A fragrance wafted in the air; it was probably from one of her perfumes whose cap had been broken.
The entryway was crammed full of boxes and bags of clothes of all sizes, with her camera bag on top of one of the boxes.
Jiang Nuanyu sat down on a cardboard box near the door. She hadn't brought any of the pots, pans, tableware, or household items from the kitchen. Aside from books and clothes, she hadn't chosen to keep many household items. She seemed to remember the feelings she had when she bought each blanket and every decorative piece.
She leaned on the edge of the box, staring blankly at the floor beneath her feet.
She didn't know what to do with all her belongings. Perhaps when she came back, she would find that most of them were no longer of any use to her.
She doesn't seem to be a sentimental person; whether she takes things with her or leaves them there, the items themselves aren't that important to her. But these objects carry her memories of the very beginning of her independent life.
When she moved out of her home, she only had time for a fleeting glance at the house where she had lived for more than four years. She might return to Beijing to live again, but she probably wouldn't go back to that home she once knew.
She didn't have a deep feeling about leaving in February, but now she suddenly realizes that a certain phase of her life had completely ended a few months ago.
The sun set, and the sky outside the window gradually darkened.
The motion-sensor light at the entrance turned on automatically. In the walk-in closets on both sides of the entryway, Liang Qi's suit jackets and overcoats were neatly hung, with rows of leather shoes below and a long bench in the center.
This is Liang Qi's home.
Jiang Nuanyu glanced again at the cardboard boxes that had just been moved in. Her belongings were placed in Liang Qi's house, and now she herself was in Liang Qi's space. So, what did Liang Qi's house mean to her?
This weekend was incredibly tiring, with long-haul flights and moving. Jiang Nuanyu didn't have the energy to think about it right now. She sighed and pulled a set of pajamas out of one of her luggage bags.
She desperately needed to take a shower and then get a good night's sleep.
Jiang Nuanyu went to the same guest bathroom she had used last time. After taking a shower, she walked to the bedroom door but hesitated.
In Paris, her relationship with Liang Qi could be ambiguous and gray. In the unspoken tacit understanding, they could coexist peacefully without any clear distinctions, only talking about romance and not asking about each other's status.
But after returning to China, to the environment where they first met, to the place where they first had sex, Jiang Nuanyu suddenly felt something was different. Those things she had once cared about so much, those parts she had indulged herself in temporarily setting aside without delving into, were now magnified infinitely in her mind.
Jiang Nuanyu stood at the door for a long time, her gaze fixed on the large bed. After a long while, she still felt that she shouldn't sleep there.
Only one of the double doors to the bedroom was open at the moment. Before turning around, Jiang Nuanyu inadvertently peeked inside and discovered that the other side of the door was not a wall, but a passage leading to a deeper part of the room.
She was too nervous the night before to notice this, but now she was a little curious.
She tiptoed over, the passageway leading to the bathroom and walk-in closet on either side. Entering the walk-in closet, Jiang Nuanyu was genuinely startled by the sight before her.
This walk-in closet is even larger than the two in the entryway. Unlike the entryway, which is specifically for hanging coats and storing shoes, this place feels more like a complete living space before going out.
On the left-hand wall, shirts and trousers are neatly arranged, while the other wall is mostly empty, with only a few casual clothes hanging on it. In the open storage compartments, neatly pressed loungewear is stacked.
The central glass display case showcases Liang Qi's ties, belts, cufflinks, lapel pins, and other accessories. In one of the compartments, a mechanical wristwatch is displayed, slowly turning.
Jiang Nuanyu recognized the wristwatch closest to the edge of the glass case; she seemed to have seen Liang Qi wear it recently.
It must be said that even by her own critical eye as a fashion editor, Liang Qi's taste in clothing is almost impeccable.
Jiang Nuanyu couldn't help but imagine how Liang Qi usually chose his shirts and accessories, how he buttoned his cuffs, put on his watch, and made his final adjustments in front of the mirror. Did he usually tie his tie first, or button his cuffs first?
Realizing she was pondering this question, Jiang Nuanyu paused for a moment, somewhat disdainful of her own "obsessive" thoughts.
There was another passageway on the other side of the walk-in closet. Jiang Nuanyu walked in, turned right once, then left once, and somehow ended up back outside the bedroom door.
She stood there blinking, retracing the route she had just taken, and couldn't help but marvel at how the house's layout was like a maze, just like its owner—full of twists and turns, all part of a predictable pattern.
After sneaking around Liang Qi's walk-in closet, Jiang Nuanyu felt a thrill of sneaking around and doing something naughty. Knowing she had gotten away with it, she stopped wandering around, returned to the entryway, took a blanket from her bag, and decided to make do with the sofa for the night.
As she got up, she casually brushed her half-dry hair aside and suddenly realized that this house was so big, and since it had a guest bathroom, how could it not have a guest room?
It's more appropriate for her to sleep in the guest room, right? Sleeping on the sofa doesn't look good either.
Thinking this, Jiang Nuanyu walked towards the guest bathroom.
After passing the bathroom, Jiang Nuanyu walked along the long corridor without any doors on either side. She reached the end and, puzzled, was about to turn back when she casually touched a wall. Unexpectedly, the "wall" slid open on its own.
Jiang Nuanyu was startled and peeked inside. Luckily, it was a guest room.
She went in, tossed the blanket she was carrying at the foot of the bed, lifted a corner of the quilt, and lay down.
The soft mattress enveloped her body, and in an instant, all her strength seemed to dissipate.
She was so tired that she fell asleep almost immediately after closing her eyes.
*
At dawn the next day, as the eastern sky began to lighten and before it was fully light, Liang Qi landed in the capital.
As the car drove into the city, Liang Qi leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes to rest.
Tianqi had an important meeting to attend in the morning, so he asked his driver to take him home to change his clothes first.
As soon as he entered, Liang Qi smelled the perfume in the air. It was unfamiliar, yet vaguely familiar.
As he took off his suit jacket, he glanced at the pile of luggage in the entryway, a silent smile playing on his lips as he thought to himself, "There's quite a lot of stuff."
Jiang Nuanyu's luggage blocked part of the passageway leading to the two dressing rooms. Liang Qi glanced around, too lazy to go around and put his clothes down, loosened his tie, and walked in while unbuttoning the top button of his shirt and carrying his coat.
As he passed the study and was about to turn into the dressing room, he suddenly changed direction and took a few steps forward to the bedroom door.
There was no one in the bed, and the blankets were neatly made, so it didn't look like anyone had slept in it.
Liang Qi frowned, loosened his tie, paused for a moment, and then turned and walked in the opposite direction.
He strode over, and as he passed the sofa, he casually tossed his coat and tie onto it.
Liang Qi pushed open the door to the guest room, saw the person sleeping on the bed, pursed his lips, and shook his head very gently.
This girl can be adorably persistent at times.
Jiang Nuanyu was asleep. Liang Qi didn't want to wake her, but for some inexplicable reason, he pushed his hand in the opposite direction instead of putting it down and went inside.
Jiang Nuanyu only slept on half of the bed, with one corner of the blanket pulled out and symbolically covered her stomach, while the other side was neatly covered.
Her black hair was spread out on the pillow, and she wore a white tank top and cotton shorts nightgown, with rounded shoulders and slender limbs exposed.
The curtains weren't drawn, and the room faced east, letting in the morning sun that bathed her skin in a healthy, rosy glow. Her eyebrows, however, were slightly furrowed by the light.
Liang Qi reached out and smoothed her brow with his thumb. His movements were gentle enough, but Jiang Nuanyu still noticed.
In her drowsy state, she subconsciously pulled down his wrist, rubbed her cheek against it, and then rested her head on his hand to continue sleeping.
Liang Qi looked down at her unconscious intimate gestures and was momentarily stunned.
Jiang Nuanyu slept soundly, her breathing quickly becoming even again, her breath falling gently into his palm, warm and slightly itchy.
The position was awkward, but Liang Qi managed to accommodate it for a while. Just as he tried to pull his hand away, the person on the bed woke up.
Jiang Nuanyu slowly opened her eyes, her gaze following the arm in front of her upwards. When she saw the person in front of her, she showed no surprise and softly called out, "...Liang Qi?"
Her voice was slightly hoarse, still a little sleepy, peaceful yet somewhat hazy.
"Mmm." Liang Qi responded to her. It was the first time he had seen her so unguarded after just waking up. He glanced at her for a moment before asking, "Why are you sleeping here?"
Jiang Nuanyu gradually came to her senses, took a couple of seconds to react, her gaze drifting away unnaturally, and stammered out an excuse: "I just finished showering, and then..."
"Really?" Liang Qi teased her deliberately. "This room is hard to find. You're the first person to sleep here."
"Hmm..." Before Jiang Nuanyu could think of a reply, Liang Qi casually added, "You've slept in that bed before, haven't you?"
"..." Jiang Nuanyu's face flushed instantly, her ears burning, and the skin on her neck and chest also felt hot.
How could he bring up the matter on that bed so openly?
She immediately dared not look at him, but still stubbornly insisted, "That's different."
"How is it different?" Liang Qi wasn't going to let her off so easily, and bluntly stated, "Still hiding here. What are you afraid of?"
"I didn't dodge." Jiang Nuanyu's ears were ringing from his words. She retorted, but her momentum had already diminished considerably.
"You won't admit it?" he continued.
“I don’t deny it…” Jiang Nuanyu turned her head away, her actions already admitting defeat.
Liang Qi wouldn't let her succeed, pinching her chin and turning her face towards him. He didn't use much force, and Jiang Nuanyu actually yielded to his strength, not really intending to resist.
He forced her to turn her head, her hand resting on his wrist, her eyelids drooping low, almost closed, but blinking intermittently.
Liang Qi's original intention was simply not to let her hide in front of him, but to let her see him and to see her expression clearly. However, when he touched the warmth of her face, he forgot what he was going to say.
He stared intently at her, and Jiang Nuanyu couldn't hold back any longer. She pursed her lips and asked, "When did you get back?"
Liang Qi didn't answer her. He bent down, put one arm around her lower back, and supported her thigh with the other, lifting her up straight without warning.
"ah--"
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