Chapter 54: Young Couple's Dating Diary (Sweet Love Begins)
The morning light shines gently into the living room through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows.
Lin Che's eyelids felt heavy, and the headache from his hangover felt like someone was beating a small drum in his head.
The process of regaining consciousness was slow and difficult. He was covered with a soft and fluffy duvet, which carried the same refreshing and pleasant scent as Lu Yu.
What happened last night?
With a "boom", Lin Che felt all the blood in his body rush to his head. His cheeks instantly turned red, and even his ears were incredibly hot.
He suddenly pulled up the duvet and covered his entire head with it like a frightened ostrich.
Oh my God...what...what did he do?!
Those intermittent, bold, and shameful images shocked him, especially the last one... that kiss... Was it him who took the initiative to pounce on her and kiss her? And then Lu Yu... responded like that?
My heart was beating so wildly in my chest that it almost jumped out.
After struggling for a long time, the strong feeling of thirst and physiological needs finally overcame the ostrich mentality.
Lin Che, with his messy hair, climbed up from the sofa on tiptoe like a thief, stepped barefoot on the warm floor, and instinctively moved towards the kitchen.
From the kitchen came the distinct sound of voices and the gentle hum of a juicer.
Lin Che paused at the door.
The open kitchen was bright and tidy. Lu Yu, with his back to the door, was wearing a simple dark grey home suit, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his sleek arms. He was standing at the counter, concentrating on slicing an orange with a deft movement.
Song Wanzhi, wearing a fine off-white sweater, was instructing Lu Yu on how to squeeze the juice better: "...Yes, the white veins on the orange peel should be removed as much as possible, otherwise it will be astringent. Press the flesh lightly, don't use brute force to beat it, retaining some fiber will make it taste better."
"Okay, I got it, Mom." Lu Yu's voice was a little hoarse from waking up in the morning, but unusually gentle.
His slender fingers deftly handled the oranges, placing the cut flesh into the juicer container next to him.
The air is filled with the sweet aroma of fresh oranges.
Lin Che subconsciously held his breath and tried to retreat quietly, but he heard Song Wanzhi's gentle voice again:
"Is Xiao Che going back to the hospital to resume work soon?" She asked casually while watching her son operate.
Lu Yu picked up an orange and continued to cut it. Without even looking up, he replied, "Well, next Monday."
"That's only a few days away." Song Wanzhi nodded, her tone filled with the concern of an elder. "By the way, Lu Yu," she changed the subject, with a hint of confusion and a matter-of-factness, "Why don't you arrange for Xiao Che to work in our own hospital? Why bother with that humiliation? The environment is familiar, the resources are good, and it's easier to take care of him in every way."
Lin Che's heart skipped a beat, his fingers curled up unconsciously, and he involuntarily stopped retreating and pricked up his ears.
Lu Yu cut the orange without any pause, and the blade made a slight "rustling" sound as it passed through the peel.
He didn't answer immediately. He just put the sliced orange segments into the container and spoke calmly. His voice was not loud, but it reached Lin Che's ears clearly at the door:
"Mom," he turned his head and glanced at his mother, his deep eyes showing a serious look, "Do you think I can't support Lin Che?"
Song Wanzhi laughed: "You kid, of course that's not what Mom meant. Can't our family support anyone else? I just feel sorry for Xiao Che and worry that he will be wronged outside."
Lu Yu put down the fruit knife, picked up a clean towel and wiped his hands. He turned around and said slowly to Song Wanzhi, "I know. I just want to respect Lin Che. He studied for so many years and studied medicine so hard. He stayed up all night and endured so much hardship to get to where he is today. This is the career he loves. It is where he has established himself with his own ability. I should support him in realizing his own value, instead of assuming that he should give up the world he has worked so hard for and move to a seemingly easy environment just because he married me."
He paused, his eyes seemingly inadvertently sweeping over the frozen figure at the kitchen door, and continued:
"That's not protection, that's bondage. I can't, and won't, use the name of doing it for his own good to stop him from shining. He can work wherever he wants. The grievances he's suffered..." Lu Yu's voice deepened, carrying a silent promise, "Of course, I'll help him resolve them."
The kitchen was quiet for a moment, with only the soft hum of the juicer as the sound.
Song Wanzhi looked at her son's serious expression, a gratified smile spreading across her face. She sighed softly and said with appreciation, "Okay, okay. Mom was mistaken. You're doing the right thing. You should respect Xiao Che. He's such an outstanding child; he'll shine wherever he goes."
Lin Che, standing at the door, had already been stunned by what he had heard. His heart felt like it was being soaked in warm honey water, sweet and swollen, almost overflowing.
Every word Lu Yu said struck his heart hard.
It is not charity, nor possession, but the deepest understanding and respect.
Lu Yu saw and remembered all the books he had read, the hardships he had endured, and the roads he had walked. He was proud of them and protected them with all his strength.
Her eyes felt hot, and Lin Che hurriedly lowered her head to hide her surging emotions.
He didn't want to eavesdrop any further. He just felt his mouth was extremely dry and he urgently needed ice water to cool down.
He took a deep breath, tried to make his expression look natural, then reached out and opened the refrigerator compartment of the double-door refrigerator next to him.
With a light "click", the refrigerator door opened and cold air rushed in.
The noise immediately alarmed the two people in the kitchen.
Lu Yu and Song Wanzhi turned their heads at the same time.
"Xiao Che, are you awake?" Song Wanzhi's face immediately broke into a gentle smile. She looked lovingly at the young man with messy hair and sleepy eyes standing at the door. "Did you sleep well? Does your head still hurt?"
Lin Che blushed at the question and replied in a low voice, somewhat embarrassedly: "Morning... much better, Mom. Thank you for your concern." He subconsciously wanted to reach out for the bottle of clear mineral water in the refrigerator.
However, before his hand touched the water bottle, a warm and strong hand reached out and closed the refrigerator door firmly without saying a word, blocking out the tempting cold air.
"You want to drink something cold right after waking up?" Lu Yu's low voice sounded above his head. Lin Che raised his head and was caught off guard by Lu Yu's deep eyes.
Lu Yu handed the glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, which still had fresh pulp and fibers, to Lin Che.
Fine water droplets condensed on the wall of the glass, and the transparent orange-yellow liquid exuded a sweet and tempting aroma.
"Drink this." His voice was low and soft. "Hot drinks hurt your stomach, and so does cold drinks. This is just right."
Lin Che's gaze slowly moved from Lu Yu's handsome face to his bony hand holding the glass, and then to the glass of clear, warm orange juice.
Lin Che bit her index finger unnaturally and quickly lowered her eyelashes to hide the panic and a hint of indescribable sweetness in her eyes. She obediently reached out and took the glass of warm orange juice.
Her fingertips accidentally brushed against Lu Yu's dry and warm fingertips, bringing a slight numbing sensation like an electric shock.
"Thank you..." Lin Che's voice was as soft as a mosquito's hum.
He held the glass of warm orange juice and drank it in small sips. Thinking back to everything that happened last night, he felt so embarrassed facing Lu Yu.
"Save me, save me, save me, someone save me!!"
Lu Yu was not affected at all. He stood in front of Lin Che with his tall body and could not move. He stared at Lin Che with his eyes, determined to make sure he finished drinking the glass of juice.
Lin Che sipped his juice and stole a glance at Lu Yu, who was standing before him with his arms folded over his chest, overseeing the work. "Why are you staring at me?"
After saying this, his face turned red and he almost buried his face in the cup.
"Heh..." Lu Yu's joyful voice rang in his ears. Seeing Lin Che's red face again, he couldn't help but stretched out his hand and pinched Lin Che's red earlobe lightly.
"Hey!-- "
“Snap—”
Lin Che swiftly slapped away Lu Yu's attacking hand with one hand, and ran out of the living room with the juice in his hand.
Song Wanzhi, standing by, couldn't stop laughing. She never thought that the son she had raised for nearly thirty years would still be embarrassed one day. But looking at his happy smile, he didn't look embarrassed at all. He even looked like he was really happy.
Song Wanzhi felt that she was becoming increasingly confused...
She wiped her hands and walked out of the kitchen. She looked at Lin Che, who was trying to curl himself up on the sofa, and then looked at her son, who was leaning against the kitchen door frame, his eyes still following Lin Che, with a happy smile on his lips. She understood.
"Xiao Che," Song Wanzhi said in a gentle voice, with the kindness that only an elder can give, "If you're still feeling dizzy, don't stay indoors. The weather is so nice today, why don't you let Lu Yu take you out for a walk? Get some fresh air, relax, and feel more refreshed."
Hearing this, Lin Che paused holding the cup and subconsciously looked at Lu Yu.
Lu Yu immediately responded: "Mom is right. Go change clothes? Let's go for a walk."
Lin Che really felt that if she stayed any longer, especially in front of Lu Yu's mother, she might combust due to excessive embarrassment.
Going out for some fresh air can at least temporarily escape this suffocating and ambiguous atmosphere.
He nodded, his voice muffled: "...Okay."
Lin Che took his time washing up, then put on the light grey hooded sweatshirt and light blue jeans he had worn yesterday. He casually smoothed his hair, which finally made it look less messy.
He took a deep breath in front of the mirror and tried to prepare himself mentally: Just treat last night as a dream! Just treat it as if nothing happened!
When he walked out of the bedroom and saw Lu Yu waiting at the entrance, he felt a little uneasy again.
Lu Yu is... very different today.
In my impression, Lu Yu mostly wears a shirt and trousers at home. Even when he is wearing casual clothes, he still has an elite and serious look.
But today, Lu Yu was wearing a white sweatshirt of the same style as Lin Che's light gray sweatshirt, dark casual trousers and a pair of casual sports sneakers, and a hoodless down jacket on the outside.
His hair was not meticulously groomed as usual, but fell naturally in a few strands in front of his forehead, making him look several years younger, with a rare casualness and laziness.
What was even more terrible was that Lin Che looked at her light grey sweatshirt, then at Lu Yu's white sweatshirt...
This color combination and style look like... a couple's outfit?!
Lin Che's face suddenly became hot again. He quickly looked away, pretending not to notice this damn coincidence, and lowered his head to put on his shoes.
Lu Yu saw his reaction clearly, and the smile on his face deepened, but he didn't point it out.
He picked up the car keys and naturally reached out to help Lin Che fix the hood on the back of her sweatshirt.
Lin Che dodged away like a frightened rabbit: "I can do it myself!"
Lu Yu's hand stopped in mid-air, he raised his eyebrows, and then withdrew it obediently: "Okay."
The car drove smoothly towards the city center.
The atmosphere in the car was a little subtle. Lin Che turned his head to look at the street scene passing by outside the window, pretending to be very interested in the trees on the roadside.
Lu Yu didn't try to find a topic to talk about, but occasionally glanced through the rearview mirror at Lin Che, whose ears were still red in the passenger seat.
Lu Yu took Lin Che to a large shopping mall. The mall was bustling with people on weekends.
Lu Yu walked naturally beside Lin Che, keeping a distance between him and the crowd without leaving any trace.
"What do you want to see?" Lu Yu asked him, turning his head.
Lin Che didn't really want to buy anything in particular; she was simply being "taken" out to relax. She casually said, "Just browse around."
They passed by a busy trendy toy store, and the huge cartoon dolls at the door attracted several children to gather around and take pictures.
The crowd was a little crowded, and Lu Yu naturally stretched out his hand, but it was not a vague protection like before. He slid his hand into Lin Che's slightly cold palm without any explanation, and then - his five fingers forcefully embedded in the gaps between his fingers, and instantly turned into a posture of ten fingers tightly clasped!
“?!”
Lin Che's entire body stiffened, and he felt a surge of electricity suddenly rushing up his arms from his tightly clasped fingertips, and straight to his head!
He subconsciously tried to pull his hand away, but just as his fingertips moved, Lu Yu gripped it even tighter.
"There are a lot of people." Lu Yu's voice sounded low in his ears, with a matter-of-fact calmness, his eyes looking straight ahead, as if this was just an ordinary action.
Lin Che's heartbeat instantly accelerated like a drum, and the temperature on his cheeks soared again.
He could clearly feel Lu Yu's dry and warm palm pressed tightly against his own. His fingertips were covered with thin calluses, rubbing against his knuckles, bringing a strange and heart-pounding sense of intimacy.
He didn't dare look at Lu Yu and could only let him hold his hand stiffly, feeling that his hand was like a pendant without any opinion.
However, this is not the end.
Perhaps because he felt Lin Che's hand was still a little cold, Lu Yu frowned slightly.
He stopped, turned sideways, and under the curious gazes of the people around him, he very naturally stuffed the hand that was clasped with his fingers, along with half of Lin Che's arm, into his open coat!
Lu Yu's warm body temperature was inside the wide coat, which instantly completely wrapped Lin Che's cold hand.
Lu Yu even used his other hand to gently press the back of Lin Che's hand through the fabric of his coat to make sure it was well "covered" inside.
"It's warm this way." Lu Yu lowered his eyes and looked at him. His tone was flat as if he was stating an objective fact, but in his deep eyes, he clearly reflected Lin Che's face that was red as if it was about to drip blood, as well as a barely perceptible joy after success.
Lin Che was completely stunned, his mind going blank.
Having their fingers clasped together was shocking enough, but now his hand was forcibly "detained" in Lu Yu's arms? !
After removing the down jacket, there was only a thin sweatshirt inside. He could even vaguely feel the outline of Lu Yu's solid chest and steady heartbeat!
This posture... this posture is too... too much!
In broad daylight!!!
What the hell is that?!
“I, I’m not cold anymore…” Lin Che tried to struggle, his voice as thin as a mosquito’s whisper, and filled with obvious panic.
He wanted to pull his hand out, but Lu Yu's hand was firmly held inside his down jacket, and he couldn't move at all.
"Yeah, I know." Lu Yu responded, but he didn't mean to let go. Instead, he continued to walk forward with him, "Hold it for a while longer."
The two of them walked in the crowded shopping mall in an extremely intimate yet strange posture.
Lu Yu has a tall and straight figure and a strong aura. He is wearing the same sweatshirt and "holding" his partner as if no one is around.
Lin Che, like a small animal held in the arms of a large beast, had a red face, lowered his head, and almost huddled himself in Lu Yu's coat.
This scene, which was too pleasing to the eyes and too intimate, inevitably attracted countless gazes.
"Wow! Look, look! That couple! They are so beautiful!"
Not far away, two young girls covered their mouths and screamed softly with excitement, staring at them with burning eyes.
"Oh my god! That tall guy is so handsome! He has such a strong aura! The girl next to him is so delicate and cute! She looks like she walked out of a comic book!"
"The key is the posture! Fingers entwined and tucked into their arms! This is too good! A live version of a domineering CEO protecting his delicate wife?!"
"Wow, so sweet! I'm dying! That little cutie's face is so red, even his ears are red!"
"They look like they're wearing matching outfits! Sweatshirts! Wow, now that the handsome guys have digested it internally, they still know how to have fun!"
"Take it, take it! It's a little immoral, but it's really pleasing to the eyes! It's like filming an idol drama!"
Even a few aunties passing by couldn't help but take a second look, with kind and understanding smiles on their faces, and whispered: "Oh, young people nowadays are so affectionate..." "The young man looks so energetic and considerate to his partner..."
These discussions, some loud and some low, drifted into Lin Che's ears intermittently.
He felt like he was about to evaporate on the spot!
What "little wife"! What "idol drama"! He wanted to find a hole in the ground to crawl into!
But Lu Yu seemed to have completely blocked out the sounds from the outside world. He still held his hand calmly and walked forward steadily. He even pulled Lin Che closer to his arms inconspicuously because a passerby came too close.
Lin Che felt like her face was so hot she could fry an egg on it.
He secretly raised his eyes and quickly glanced at Lu Yu's profile.
Lu Yu's jawline was a little tense, but there seemed to be a very faint, almost invisible curve at the corner of his mouth.
It was a...satisfying, sovereign pleasure.
This realization made Lin Che's heart jump. He gave up struggling and resignedly turned his face towards Lu Yu's coat, trying to use his clothes to shield his cheeks that were about to burn, and to block out the discussions that were making him dig his toes into the ground.
Never mind...let him be...anyway...my hands are quite warm...
When passing by an elegantly decorated men's accessories store, a dark gray cashmere scarf displayed in the window caught Lin Che's attention.
That color... matches the sweatshirt Lu Yu is wearing today, low-key yet full of texture.
Suddenly, the image of Lu Yu wearing a coat and a scarf flashed through his mind. He must look very good.
For some unknown reason, Lin Che pulled Lu Yu inside.
“Take a look?” Lin Che picked up the scarf. The soft touch was very comfortable.
He turned around, stood on tiptoe, and wrapped the scarf around Lu Yu's neck, gesturing at the length and color.
Lu Yu cooperated by lowering his head slightly, his deep eyes focused on Lin Che's face, which was so close and carefully gesturing.
Lin Che's fingers would occasionally brush against the skin on the side of his neck, causing a slight tingling sensation.
"Yeah, it looks pretty good." Lin Che put down the scarf, as if evaluating an ordinary commodity, but her eyes were a little vague.
He glanced at the label casually, then said to Lu Yu, "I'm going to the bathroom. Can you wait for me?"
"Okay." Lu Yu responded, but his eyes swept thoughtfully over the scarf that was put back in its original place.
Lin Che walked out of the accessories store quickly, but did not go to the bathroom. Instead, she quickly made a circle and slipped back to the vicinity of the store.
He hid in the corner, peeked in to make sure Lu Yu had his back to the door and was still looking at other accessories, then rushed back into the store like an agile kitten and went straight to the counter of the dark gray scarf.
"Please, please pack this for me, thank you!" Lin Che lowered his voice and spoke quickly, his heart beating like a drum.
He quickly paid the bill, took the exquisite paper bag handed to him by the clerk, slipped out like a thief, and walked to Lu Yu who was still waiting there as if nothing had happened.
"Okay?" Lu Yu turned around and his eyes paused on the paper bag in his hand.
"Yeah." Lin Che tried to remain calm and quietly hid the paper bag containing the scarf behind her. "Let's go."
Lu Yu didn't say anything, but a hint of understanding flashed across his eyes.
The two of them strolled around for a while longer before watching a lighthearted and funny movie. In the dimly lit theater, Lin Che's tense body slowly relaxed amidst the aroma of popcorn and the laughter around him.
At some point, Lu Yu's hand very naturally covered the back of his hand that was on the armrest.
Lin Che's body stiffened slightly at the warm touch, but he didn't immediately shake it off like he did this morning.
He just quietly curled his fingers and let the warmth wrap around him.
After watching the movie, it was already getting dark and the early winter wind was chilly.
Standing at the entrance of the mall, Lu Yu naturally reached out and helped Lin Che put on the hood of his sweatshirt and adjusted the collar of his down jacket: "Are you cold?"
"Not bad." Lin Che shook her head.
Lin Che took a deep breath, as if finally mustering up the courage. He pulled out the paper bag he'd been hiding behind his back and stuffed it into Lu Yu's arms. He stared at the ground and spoke quickly and vaguely, "...I bought it for you. Just...something casually."
Lu Yu looked down at the exquisite paper bag with the brand's logo in his arms, then at Lin Che, who was almost hiding in the hood of his sweatshirt. He opened the paper bag and found the dark gray cashmere scarf inside.
Lu Yu took out a scarf; the soft cashmere felt wonderful. He didn't put it on immediately. Instead, he looked at Lin Che, his voice low and gentle, a hint of a smile on his face. "Just bought it casually?"
Lin Che's face instantly flushed red, even his neck was dyed pink. He said stubbornly: "...I just think the color suits your clothes today..." His voice gradually faded away.
Lu Yu laughed softly, and the laughter was particularly clear in the cool twilight, carrying joy and satisfaction.
He unfolded the scarf, but instead of wrapping it around himself, he gently wrapped it around Lin Che's neck, carefully wrapping it twice.
The soft cashmere with the warmth of Lu Yu's palm instantly wrapped around Lin Che's neck, isolating the cold wind while also bringing another, stronger warmth.
“You…” Lin Che looked up in surprise.
Lu Yu helped him straighten his scarf, his fingertips carelessly brushing his jawline. Under the bright lights of the mall, his deep eyes reflected Lin Che's somewhat bewildered face, and his smile was gentle and affectionate:
"Thank you for the gift, Cheche. But I feel it is warmer around you than on me."
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