Chapter 55
Jinzhou South Station was abuzz with people. Xia Wan, dragging her small suitcase, followed the crowd out of the station. The air was thick with the unique urban smell of exhaust fumes and various other odors, a stark contrast to the crisp, clear air of Jincheng. She had been away for only a few days, but it felt like a lifetime ago.
She looked up and saw the tall and straight figure among the crowd of people waiting to pick her up.
Jiang Yu wore a soft, light gray cotton-linen shirt, the sleeves casually rolled up to his elbows, revealing his sleek forearms. He wore well-tailored khaki trousers, shedding some of his business-class austerity for a more relaxed air. He stood at the edge of the somewhat noisy crowd, his figure still slender from his injuries, but his aura was calm, a world of its own. Unlike many around him, he didn't look down at his phone. Instead, his gaze calmly scanned the stream of people leaving the station until their eyes met in mid-air.
At that moment, a faint glimmer seemed to pass through his deep eyes, like a small stone dropped into the surface of an icy lake, causing shallow ripples. It was a kind of concern and waiting that needed no words.
He walked towards her, his pace not fast but steady and deliberate. When he reached her, he naturally reached out and took the suitcase handle from her hand. Then, with unmistakable strength and naturalness, his left hand grasped her right.
His palms were dry and warm, firmly wrapped around her slightly cool fingertips, as if to dispel the fatigue of the journey.
"Tired?" His voice was low, but it had a strange soothing power in her ears. "Go home."
There were no excited hugs after a long separation, no sweet words, only these two simple words—"Go home." Xia Wan's heart, like tea leaves soaked in warm water, slowly unwound. All the melancholy of leaving home and the rush of returning home found a place to rest in this moment.
She nodded, letting him hold her hand as they walked through the bustling crowd toward the parking lot. His broad palms, calloused fingertips, rubbed against her skin, conveying a reassuring warmth and strength.
The car drove smoothly along the elevated highway leading back to the apartment. The setting sun dyed the sky a warm orange-red. The glass curtain walls of the tall buildings reflected a magnificent halo of light, and the entire city was bathed in a lazy and prosperous twilight.
"Jincheng...how's it going?" Jiang Yu asked casually, looking ahead, breaking the silence in the car. His profile was outlined by the setting sun, the lines clear and soft.
"It's fine. The weather is cooler than here, and the wind carries the sweet scent of locust flowers." Xia Wan leaned back in her chair, looking at the familiar city scenery outside the window. Her voice was soft and relaxed, "My mom...she asked me to thank you."
Jiang Yu's fingers gripping the steering wheel tightened slightly, then loosened again. "What are you thanking me for?" His voice still sounded calm.
"Thank you... for visiting my dad." Xia Wan's voice was soft, like a feather brushing against the tip of her heart. "She said you care about me."
Jiang Yu was silent for a moment before he murmured, "Hmm," and said nothing more. Some things didn't need to be said; they were understood. The solemn promise made that morning in the cemetery had long surpassed the weight of words.
The carriage fell silent again, with only soothing music playing. Xia Wan looked out the window at the rapidly receding street scene and suddenly realized that the route was wrong.
"Jiang Yu," she turned her head with some confusion, "This doesn't seem... to be the direction back to my apartment?"
Jiang Yu looked straight ahead, with a faint, almost invisible curve at the corner of his mouth, but his tone was natural: "Well, let's go back to my home."
Xia Wan was stunned and blinked, thinking she had misheard.
Jiang Yu took advantage of the red light, slowly stopped the car, and turned his head to look at her. The afterglow of the setting sun fell into his eyes, reflecting a warm golden hue. "The doctor said that I need someone to take care of me as an injured patient. I can't lift heavy objects, and the wound can't come into contact with water. There are many things I can't do." He paused, his eyes fixed on her face, with a hint of obvious grievance and righteous accusation, "Even driving to pick you up requires special approval from the doctor. I need someone to watch over me so that I can get better quickly, so that you don't have to secretly feel distressed every time you see me like this."
He leaned closer to her and lowered his voice, adding a hint of coaxing, "Can you bear to leave me alone in that empty apartment to fend for myself?"
Xia Wan was completely stunned, the tips of her ears visibly reddening. This... was this Jiang Yu? The usually stern, taciturn, and in control Jiang Yu? Was he... acting like a spoiled brat? Or was he being a scoundrel? This stark contrast left her momentarily unable to react, her heart racing uncontrollably, a surge of heat washing over her cheeks.
"I...I'm not..." She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but found her words were insufficient. Looking at his handsome face, so close, with a slightly rogue expression on his face, she couldn't bring herself to say, "I can go and take care of you, but I can't stay." The look in his eyes, seemingly playful but actually concealing a deep sense of expectation and dependence, was like a soft net, gently binding her.
The light turned green, and Jiang Yu sat up straight again, starting the car steadily, as if he wasn't the one who had been acting so coquettishly just now. "It's settled," he said firmly.
Even as the car pulled into the underground garage of the famous high-end apartment building in the city center, Xia Wan was still feeling a bit dizzy. Was she...going to move into Jiang Yu's house?
The elevator went up steadily, the numbers ticking. Xia Wan's heart was pounding. When Jiang Yu opened the apartment door with his fingerprint and stepped aside to let her in, she took a deep breath before stepping inside.
The apartment boasts a minimalist modern style, offering expansive views. From the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, the dazzling cityscape and winding river unfold like a galaxy of lights. The space is spacious, the decor exquisite, with a predominantly black, white, and gray palette and clean lines. The furniture is clearly of high quality. However, rather than a "home," it feels more like a well-designed display space devoid of life. The cleanliness is almost cold, and the air is filled with a sense of emptiness, a chill that belongs only to him.
"Slippers." Jiang Yu took out a pair of brand new, soft women's slippers from the shoe cabinet and placed them next to her feet. "Try them on to see if they fit."
Xia Wan changed into slippers, which were the perfect size. She took off her coat, and Jiang Yu took it naturally, hanging it in the cloakroom in the entrance hall. His movements were smooth and flowing, as if she had lived here for a long time.
"What do you want to eat tonight?" He walked to the open kitchen and opened the double-door refrigerator. "There's not a lot of ingredients in the refrigerator, but it should be enough for a simple meal."
Xia Wan followed and looked at the limited variety of ingredients neatly arranged in the refrigerator. She shook her head and said, "I'm a little tired. I don't want to make it too complicated. I'll just make some noodles."
"Okay." Jiang Yu responded and took out eggs, tomatoes and a bunch of green vegetables from the refrigerator.
Xia Wan rolled up her sleeves, ready to take over. "Didn't you say I should take care of the patient? Master, you should rest." She tried to regain some initiative, her tone tinged with a coquettishness she wasn't even aware of.
Jiang Yu chuckled softly upon hearing this, and readily gave up his position as head chef, leaning against the sink. "Okay, thank you for your hard work, 'maid,'" he deliberately dragged out the last syllable, a faint smile in his eyes.
Xia Wan's face flushed again, and she glared at him, but didn't argue. She turned around and skillfully began washing vegetables and chopping tomatoes. Soon, the kitchen was filled with the rhythmic sounds of chopping vegetables and the sizzling of frying pans.
Jiang Yu didn't leave, but leaned in beside her, using his left hand to pass her a bowl and an egg. There wasn't much communication between the two, but their movements were inexplicably tacit. The steam rising from the pot, carrying the aroma of food, gradually dispelled the cold and indifferent atmosphere in the apartment, spreading a warm undertone of "life."
Dinner was simple: tomato and egg noodles, refreshing and delicious. They sat facing each other at the table, eating quietly. Outside the window, the bustling nightscape unfolded, while inside, the warm lights and the steam of food filled the air, creating a strange yet incredibly harmonious scene.
"If you're free on the weekend," Jiang Yu suddenly said, breaking the silence, "you can go look at the house."
Xia Wan raised her head and looked at him in surprise.
Jiang Yu's eyes swept over the cool-toned decor and huge floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room, and his tone was calm and unperturbed: "This place...may not be 'livable' enough. Let's move to another place with more space, closer to your design institute."
He was planning their future and embodying this future in the physical space of a "home".
Xia Wan's heart skipped a beat. She lowered her eyes, slowly rolling up the noodles on the plate with her fork. After a few seconds of thought, she whispered, "Isn't this moving too fast? I'll stay here until you're well. There's no need to... look for a place yet, right? Besides, the view is great here. We could... slowly add things to it." They weren't replacing things, but rather "renovating" them together, letting the space gradually imbue themselves with their own aura.
Jiang Yu looked at her, seemed to understand what she meant, and nodded: "I'll listen to you. Let's talk about it when we get married."
"Puff..." Xia Wan was choked by Jiang Yu's very un-Jiang Yu words...
After dinner, Xia Wan took the initiative to clear the dishes. This time, Jiang Yu didn't fight for it, but simply stood by the sink and watched her busy back. The rush of water and the crisp sound of dishes clattering against each other brought an unprecedented sense of peace and satisfaction to his heart, which was accustomed to high-speed operation and precise calculation.
When Xia Wan finished cleaning the kitchen, dried her hands and walked out, Jiang Yu was answering a work call. When he finished and returned to the living room, he saw Xia Wan standing in front of the bookshelf, carefully stuffing several thick architectural yearbooks and professional books she brought into the gaps that were originally filled with financial journals and hardcover classics.
Her movements were gentle and tentative, as if she was carefully marking out her own territory.
Jiang Yu didn't say anything, just watched quietly. It wasn't until she put the last book away and turned around that she met his focused gaze.
"What's wrong?" Xia Wan touched his ear uncomfortably.
"Nothing," Jiang Yu walked forward, her eyes sweeping over the newly added books on the shelf that bore her personal imprint, and a faint smile appeared on the corner of her mouth. "That's good."
He reached out his hand, not to take the book, but to gently tuck a strand of hair from her forehead behind her ear. His fingertips accidentally brushed against her sensitive earlobe, causing a tiny shudder.
"This will be our home from now on." He looked into her eyes, his voice low and clear, "You can decorate it however you want."
Not "my apartment," but "our home." Xia Wan's heart softened at these words. She looked at his face, so close, so stern yet so gentle, and for the first time, she felt so clearly that they were heading towards a clear, warm future together.
Although this "home" has a time limit, at least during this period, it is a private space belonging to two people alone.
"It's getting late, tidy up and get some rest. Going to bed early and getting up early will help your wound heal." Xia Wan's words burst the bubble of ambiguity.
"Okay, I'll do as you say." Jiang Yu turned around, pushed her luggage in from the entrance, and pushed it straight towards the master bedroom.
Xia Wan quickly snatched it away. "Master, I'll just sleep in the guest bedroom."
Jiang Yu turned around and faced her, his tall figure casting a long shadow in the corridor light. He took a step forward, leaning slightly forward, and met her gaze. They were so close that she could clearly see her own reflection in his eyes. "I'm a young master now, and I can't have a bed-warmer?"
Xia Wan lowered her head, her face as red as tomato sauce tonight. "It's so warm, why do we need a bed warmer?" Then she wheeled her luggage to the guest bedroom and slammed the door shut.
"Xia Wan, remember to help me wipe my body later..."
"Wipe it, wipe it, wipe it for you." Xia Wan muttered in the room, and then quickly reported her itinerary to Lin Wei. "Mother Lin, I think Jiang Yu has been possessed by something unclean..."
The video call came in quickly, "Xia Bao, what's wrong? Jiang Yu... Hey, wait~~~" Lin Wei gave Xia Wan an ambiguous look, "Where are you? Hotel?"
"No, no, I'm in Jiangyu's apartment..."
"Wow, Baoer, you guys are living together now! Is it progressing so quickly?" Lin Wei screamed, scaring Xia Wan so much that she quickly turned down the volume on her phone.
"Shh, shh, no, no, I just came here to take care of the injured." Xia Wan hurriedly explained and briefly told Lin Wei the whole story.
"Wow, handsome Jiang has invited you to live together, please be sure to sign for it..."
The two of them were chattering in the room when Jiang Yu's voice came in from outside the door. "Xia Wan, come and help me take a bath!"
"Oh, okay." Xia Wan replied hurriedly.
"Oh my god, taking a shower~~~" Lin Wei was secretly eating sugar.
"Lin Xiaowei, it's not what you think. I just helped him wipe his upper body." Xia Wan quickly explained.
"Hmm... I understand... the kind without clothes..."
"You!" Xia Wan looked at her bestie's face, full of lust, and wanted to crawl over from the screen to brainwash her. Outside the door, Jiang Yu called her again. "Hey, I'll be right there." Xia Wan quickly responded, "I won't chat with you anymore. I'll brainwash you when we meet. Bye!"
When they said they were wiping his body, they really were just wiping his body. Jiang Yu was dressed neatly and sat by the bathtub in the master bedroom. Xia Wan walked over, helped him take off his shirt, and gently wiped his back with a warm towel.
The towel was warm and soft, and Xia Wan wiped him gently, which was a bit tormenting for Jiang Yu. The chaotic first time they had just met popped into his mind at an inopportune moment: her desperate plea to stay, her stubborn vulnerability, her red and swollen eyes, her swollen lips, and the warmth of their embrace... He was getting more and more excited. When would he finally be able to "cheat" this stubborn little cat who clearly loved him?
"Ahem, okay, Xia Wan, I'll take care of the rest." Jiang Yu stopped thinking in time, turned around gently, covered Xia Wan's right hand with his left hand, and slowly pulled Xia Wan in front of him. Looking at her red eyes, he knew that she remembered what happened because she saw the wound.
Jiang Yu remained seated, hugging Xia Wan's waist with his cheek against hers. "Xia Wan, I'm not in pain anymore. I'll be fine soon, so don't cry, okay?"
"I didn't cry." Xia Wan replied to him softly.
"Well, you didn't cry. I was mistaken." Jiang Yu sat up, stretched out his left hand to cover Xia Wan's neck, and with a little force, they kissed for a long and short time. "Okay, baby, you should go wash up too. Everything is ready, all new, in the bathroom outside." Jiang Yu touched Xia Wan's hair, "Be good, go ahead."
Outside the window, the night view of Jinzhou is as bright as the Milky Way, and inside the room, under a warm lamp, two figures are quietly weaving their new coordinates.
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