Chapter 106 "From now on, wherever you are, I will be there."
Lin Che finally got to eat the long-missed bowl of Lu's egg noodles.
In the small open kitchen illuminated by warm yellow light, Lu Yu rolled up his shirt sleeves and concentrated on frying the demanding egg. As he flipped the egg with the spatula, fine brown bubbles appeared on the edge of the egg white and the aroma filled the air.
Lin Che sat cross-legged on the small carpet in the living room, holding the bowl that seemed too small for Lu Yu, and ate so hard that a little sweat appeared on the tip of his nose.
In the hot steam, he squinted his eyes contentedly, like a cat fed with top-notch cat food.
Lu Yu sat on the sofa opposite him, watching him eat quietly with a deep look in his eyes. The anxiety that had been soothed just now quietly surfaced again when he saw him staying so naturally in this "temporary" nest.
"I won't come to find you," Lu Yu's voice sounded in the quiet living room, with a hint of imperceptible melancholy, "Have you never thought about coming to me on your own initiative?" There were deep scratches left in the tone of his voice by three years of long waiting.
Lin Che paused while eating noodles.
He put down his chopsticks and raised his head, a little soup still on his face, but his eyes were looking at Lu Yu with extraordinary seriousness. Lin Che did not answer immediately, but slowly swallowed the food in his mouth.
"No." He paused, his eyes meeting Lu Yu's without wavering, "You don't come to see me, or... you ignore me, don't love me anymore..." He uttered these words clearly, as if stating the worst possibility, "I have already made plans."
Lin Che suddenly leaned forward, closer to Lu Yu. A glint of paranoia flashed in her eyes. She lowered her voice, but every word she spoke was clear, with a kind of ruthless tenderness that Lu Yu had rarely seen before. "For the rest of my life, I will haunt you like a ghost that you can't get rid of, and I will follow you wherever you go, not even a step away. You want to get rid of me? Only if I die."
The description of being "haunted" carried a childish ferocity, forming a sharp contrast with Lin Che's homely demeanor as he held the bowl of noodles. But the resolute look in his eyes as he said this made Lu Yu's heart suddenly shrink, as if being gripped by an invisible hand.
However, the next second, the vicious expression on Lin Che's face disappeared like ice and snow melted by the sun. Instead, it was replaced by a smile as brilliant as ever, dazzling everyone.
"So... Mr. Lu," Lin Che said briskly with a hint of mischief, "you can't escape."
The speed of the expression change, the switch from hell to heaven, the naked, coquettish threat and complete surrender... were like a dose of the most powerful medicine, hitting the softest and hardest part of Lu Yu's heart with incredible precision.
Looking at Lin Che's face that smiled heartlessly yet seriously under the light, Lu Yu's tense mouth lines finally softened little by little.
A clear and genuine smile, yet with a hint of helplessness and indulgence, spread naturally across his handsome but perpetually stern face.
Lin Che also smiled at him, her eyebrows curved.
The subtle temptation and uneasy resentment in the air disappeared silently at the moment when they smiled at each other.
All that was left was the steam lingering in the bowl and the warm glow in each other's eyes that could no longer be concealed and was regained.
Lin Che picked up the chopsticks again, lowered his head, and ate the remaining noodles and the perfectly fried egg at the bottom of the bowl in small bites, as if he was tasting the most precious delicacy in the world.
Lu Yu leaned back on the sofa, his eyes never leaving the figure who was concentrating on eating noodles. His eyes were deep and focused, as if he wanted to engrave this lost and regained ordinary life atmosphere deeply into his bones.
"Eat slowly, no one is going to snatch it from you." Lu Yu frowned, pulled a tissue from the table, leaned over and wiped the oil stains off Lin Che's mouth.
"I've been thinking about it for a long time..." Lin Che's voice sounded muffled. He looked up at Lu Yu and continued to eat.
Upon hearing this, Lu Yu paused in wiping and reached out to touch the soft black hair on Lin Che's forehead.
"You little heartless guy..."
_____
After finishing his noodles, Lin Che licked the corner of his mouth contentedly, and naturally pushed the bowl and chopsticks in his hands forward, leaning against the edge of the sofa behind him like a lazy cat rubbing its belly.
"Are you full?" Lu Yu naturally picked up the dishes in front of Lin Che and turned to walk towards the kitchen. The sound of running water filled the air as his slender fingers carefully rinsed the dishes, his movements so skillful that it seemed as if he had lived in this small apartment for a long time.
"Aren't you going back?" Lin Che leaned against the kitchen door frame and looked at Lu Yu's back with innocent eyes.
"Where to go back?" Lu Yu paused and asked without turning his head.
This question stumped Lin Che for a moment. He opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.
"If you don't go back, I won't go back either." Lu Yu turned off the faucet, shook off the water droplets on his hands, and turned around with an unyielding expression on his face.
Lin Che muttered softly, "This... the bed is too small. How are the two of us supposed to sleep here?" He looked down at his toes, his ears turning red.
When she looked up, she saw Lu Yu already unbuttoning his shirt. His slender fingers slowly unbuttoned the second button, revealing his defined collarbone. Under Lin Che's shocked gaze, he unbuckled his belt, the metal buckle making a crisp click.
"I...you...Lu...Lu Yu, you...don't..." Lin Che stuttered and stepped back. Before he could finish his words, Lu Yu picked him up and threw him over his shoulder like a sack.
"I...will see today if I can sleep with two people." Lu Yu's voice was filled with unquestionable dominance as he strode towards the bedroom.
When Lin Che was thrown onto the bed, stars appeared before her eyes. The single bed creaked under the weight.
Before he could recover from the shock, Lu Yu had already pressed down on him.
"Hey...Hey...Lu Yu." Lin Che hurriedly stretched out his hand and pressed it against Lu Yu's strong chest to stop him from leaning over.
The two were so close they could feel each other's breath. Lu Yu's body heat shone through the thin shirt, numbing Lin Che's fingertips. He saw the complex emotions swirling in Lu Yu's deep eyes.
"Are you scared?" Lu Yu asked in a low voice, his voice unusually hoarse.
Lin Che shook her head, but did not loosen her hand that was pressed against Lu Yu's chest.
He bit his lower lip and whispered, "It's not that I'm afraid...it's..."
Before he could finish his words, Lu Yu suddenly grabbed his wrist and pressed his hand against the pillow. His other hand caressed his cheek, and his thumb gently stroked the corners of his red eyes.
"It's been three years, Lin Che." Lu Yu's voice was low and restrained. "Do you know how I got through these three years?"
Lin Che's eyelashes trembled, and tears welled up in her eyes.
Of course he knew, just like himself, that every minute and every second was torture.
"I..."
"Shh." Lu Yu's index finger gently pressed on his lips, "Don't talk."
By the time Lin Che reacted, Lu Yu had already wrapped his hands around the tie he had taken out from somewhere.
"Hey——" Lin Che's hands were restrained. Lu Yu easily grabbed both of his wrists with one hand and lifted them up and pressed them against the wall.
This posture made Lin Che angry and embarrassed. She couldn't move her hands, so she could only kick Lu Yu's legs with her feet. However, she didn't expect that Lu Yu would easily press her legs under her legs.
Through the thin fabric of his suit pants, Lin Che could clearly feel Lu Yu's muscles throbbing, and every beat was about to overwhelm him.
"Now, I ask you questions and you answer them. If you don't answer well... you must be punished."
Lin Che raised her head, her small chin forced upwards, her hands still restrained by Lu Yu. "What...what punishment?"
Lu Yu lowered his head to look at Lin Che who was being pinned down by him. The emotions in his eyes were well restrained. From Lin Che's perspective, he seemed cold, ruthless and unreasonable.
But it was better this way. Only by scaring Lin Che's courage would he be obedient.
"First question."
"Um?"
"Why didn't you come to me when you came back?"
Lu Yu closed the distance between him and Lin Che, and it felt like their lips would touch if one of them moved a little more.
Lin Che stared blankly at Lu Yu, whose breath was spraying on his face, with red eyes. He said a little aggrievedly, "I just told you... It's not that I won't come to you, but I will come to you after I finish dealing with things."
After saying that, Lin Che felt Lu Yu's face getting closer and closer, and the scent of cedar instantly filled his nostrils. He subconsciously swallowed his saliva, and his Adam's apple rolled, but how could Lu Yu in front of him let him go so easily?
Lin Che closed her eyes tremblingly, her long eyelashes trembling slightly. Lu Yu curled his lips, and when their lips were almost touching, Lu Yu suddenly distanced himself.
When she opened her eyes again, the innocence in Lin Che's eyes almost overflowed. She looked up at Lu Yu, her eyes full of accusation, as if saying, "Why don't you kiss me?"
"Second question, do you... miss me?"
"Yes."
"How much do you miss it?" Lu Yu asked.
“Hmm…” Lin Che looked up again, not knowing how to answer this question: How much do you miss it?
"How do you prove it?" Lu Yu changed his words, his deep eyes still staring straight at Lin Che, clearly seeing every change on his face.
For some unknown reason, Lin Che's eyes were focused on Lu Yu's lips. When he raised his eyes again, he was caught off guard and his gaze met Lu Yu's.
Lin Che's gaze slowly moved downwards, landing on Lu Yu's Adam's apple and his exposed white collarbone.
“Lu Yu…” Lin Che called softly.
"Have you missed me?" Lu Yu lowered his head and saw Lin Che's bright eyes staring at him. He was completely defeated. Once again, he really had no way to deal with Lin Che.
Lu Yu's Adam's apple rolled, and the darkness in his eyes deepened. He leaned over and whispered in Lin Che's ear, "I'm going crazy thinking about it."
Warm breath brushed against his ears, and Lin Che involuntarily shrank his neck. The tips of his ears flushed red, practically dripping blood. He muttered softly, "Why are you still bullying me like this..."
"Is this bullying?" Lu Yu chuckled, loosening the tie that bound Lin Che's wrists and gently rubbing the red marks with his fingertips. "How about this?"
His kiss softly touched the center of Lin Che's brow, then the tip of her nose, and finally gently touched her slightly trembling lips. This kiss was incredibly gentle, a stark contrast to the forceful one just now.
Lin Che was a little dazed by this sudden tenderness. Even after Lu Yu's lips left, he still kept his head slightly tilted up, looking at the other person with wet eyes.
"Third question," Lu Yu's voice was hoarse, "Will you run away again in the future?"
Lin Che shook her head and took the initiative to put her arms around Lu Yu's neck: "I won't run away, even if I die."
Lu Yu finally gave up and hugged her tightly. Lin Che could feel his arms trembling slightly, and his heartbeat was so loud that it almost broke his chest.
"Lu Yu..." Lin Che patted his back gently, "I'm back, really back."
"Yeah." Lu Yu buried his face in Lin Che's neck and took a deep breath, as if he wanted to carve this familiar breath into his bones.
It had been raining outside the window since some time, and the raindrops were gently tapping against the glass. On the small single bed, the two tall men had to hug each other tightly to barely lie down, but neither of them complained.
Lin Che rested her head on Lu Yu's arm, listening to his steady heartbeat. Suddenly, as if remembering something, she looked up and said, "Oh, you haven't answered my question yet."
"What?"
"You're really not going home tonight?" Lin Che blinked. "This bed is really small..."
Lu Yu rolled over and pinned the man down, narrowing his eyes dangerously: "It seems the punishment just now wasn't enough?"
Lin Che quickly shook her head, but was kissed on the lips the next second.
"You have to sleep even if you can't," Lu Yu pressed his forehead against his, his voice filled with unquestionable dominance, "From now on, I'll be wherever you are."
The sound of rain grew louder, but it couldn't drown out the mingling breathing inside the house. In this small but warm apartment, two wandering hearts finally found a home.
When Lin Che was about to fall asleep, he felt Lu Yu gently kiss the top of his head and whispered something.
He didn't hear clearly, but subconsciously rubbed against the other's arms again, with a satisfied smile on his lips.
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