Chapter 57 "I love you."
When Lin Che woke up, his entire body was filled with a pervasive pain.
It felt like being taken apart and reassembled, every inch of muscle, especially in the lower back and inner thighs.
Consciousness slowly returned, and he struggled to open his heavy eyelids. The light in the room was blocked by thick curtains.
He tilted his head slightly and felt the warm breath and heavy touch on the side of his neck.
Lu Yu was still hugging him tightly, with most of his face buried in his neck, his tall nose pressed against his skin. He was sleeping soundly, his arms still possessively wrapped around his waist, making it difficult for him to breathe.
Lin Che tried to move his body slightly, but as soon as he did, the head in the crook of his neck rubbed against him, and then the arms around his waist tightened instantly.
"Hmm..." Lu Yu made a vague nasal sound, and his thick eyelashes trembled and slowly opened.
Those deep eyes were misty when he first woke up. He subconsciously rubbed the skin on the side of Lin Che's neck with the tip of his nose, took a deep breath of the breath that made him feel at ease, and then he woke up completely, his eyes focused on the slightly frowning face of the person in his arms.
"Baby, are you awake?" Lu Yu's voice was hoarse and lazy, which was unique to someone who had just woken up, and it made Lin Che's eardrums itchy.
He leaned over and placed a warm, sleepy kiss on Lin Che's forehead without hesitation.
Lin Che thought of the "tragedy" of last night and the aches and pains all over her body at the moment, as well as the way this guy's arms had tightened around her even in her sleep. A wave of shame and anger surged in her heart.
His face flushed, he raised his foot weakly, and kicked Lu Yu's strong calf with his knee, neither lightly nor heavily.
"hiss……"
Lu Yu pretended to take a breath, but the corners of his mouth couldn't help but rise high, and his eyes were filled with the bright stars of satisfaction and undisguised pride.
Not only did he not let go, but he closed his eyes and leaned forward again with a look of enjoyment. Like a well-fed large dog, he used his warm lips to kiss Lin Che's forehead and brow several times affectionately, and laughed softly: "Kicked me? Huh? Who was it last night..."
"Shut up!" Lin Che's ears instantly turned red, and she quickly reached out to cover his mouth, feeling so embarrassed that she wanted to bury herself in the pillow.
Lu Yu took the opportunity to grab his hand and kissed his fingertips, his laughter vibrating in his chest.
He propped himself up slightly, looking down at Lin Che's flushed face, which was slightly angry but more lively, and said softly, "Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore. Are you hungry? Is your throat a little dry?"
After he said this, Lin Che did feel his throat become dry and tight.
He pursed his lips and said "hmm" softly.
"Lie down, I'll get you something to eat." Lu Yu finally let him go and got out of bed with a swift movement.
His naked, muscular upper body was exposed to the cool air. His muscles were smooth and powerful, and there were even a few shallow scratches left on them from Lin Che's haste.
He didn't care at all. He casually picked up the trousers thrown on the back of the chair and stepped barefoot on the warm floor. He turned around and glanced at Lin Che again, his eyes so gentle that they could drip with water: "Wait a moment."
Lin Che heaved a long sigh of relief after watching Lu Yu's tall and straight figure disappear at the bedroom door. The aching feeling deep in his body became more pronounced after he relaxed.
He struggled to sit up, and the thin blanket slipped off, revealing his chest and shoulders which were also covered with ambiguous traces, making his face flush again.
He wrapped the quilt tightly and moved to the edge of the bed. When his feet landed on the ground, the soreness in his legs and waist almost made him fall.
He walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and pulled open the heavy blackout curtains with a "swish".
In an instant, a dazzling white caught my eye.
I don’t know when the heavy snow last night stopped, and the sky was the high and clear gray-blue color unique to winter.
The thick snow bent the branches of the evergreen trees, forming round and lovely arcs.
The sunlight penetrated the clouds and sprinkled on the snow. The outlines of the buildings in the distance appeared soft and quiet in the snow. The whole world seemed to be muted, and beautiful ice flowers condensed on the window glass.
What a heavy snow...
Lin Che was lost in thought. He stretched out his slender fingers and traced the traces of moisture on the glass window, stroke by stroke. Finally, he touched the cold glass with the tip of his nose before he came to his senses.
He wrapped himself in Lu Yu's large bathrobe and walked towards the bathroom in slippers.
The sensor light automatically lit up, and he stood in front of the sink. The mirror clearly reflected his fair neck and the area above his collarbone.
There were densely packed marks of varying depths, extending from just below the ears to the depths of the nightgown's collar. The alternating red and purple colors looked particularly shocking on the delicate skin, and some areas were even slightly swollen.
"Lu Yu!!!"
Lin Che's face suddenly turned completely red, and he growled at the mirror in embarrassment and annoyance.
How is he supposed to go out today?!
Lin Che reached out and touched the marks on his neck. The skin beneath his fingertips still felt slightly tingling. The memories of last night came flooding back, making his heart beat faster and heat rush to his head.
Just then, the bedroom door was gently pushed open and Lu Yu walked in holding a tray.
On the tray was a cup of steaming honey water, a bowl of soft and fragrant millet porridge, and a few refreshing side dishes.
"Baby, drink some water first..."
Before he could finish his words, he saw Lin Che standing at the bathroom door, wrapped in his nightgown, her face flushed red, staring at him with shame and anger, her finger pointing at her own horrible neck.
Lu Yu's eyes fell on the masterpiece he had carefully "painted". His eyes darkened instantly and his Adam's apple rolled. Instead of feeling any guilt, he strode over, placed the tray on the bedside table, and then reached out to pull the angry Lin Che into his arms.
"What's wrong?" He asked knowingly, his voice tinged with laughter. He lowered his head and moved closer to the marks, his warm breath spraying on the sensitive side of Lin Che's neck. "It looks pretty good."
He even stretched out his fingertips and gently touched the darkest mark.
"What the hell is good-looking!" Lin Che was embarrassed and angry, and wanted to push him away. "How can I face people today?!"
"I don't see anyone." Lu Yu said confidently, holding his arms tighter and rubbing his chin against the top of Lin Che's head. "It's snowing so hard outside, the roads are blocked. It's just right for you to stay home with me. You are not allowed to go anywhere."
He paused, his voice softening again, coaxing, "Eat first, ok?"
Lu Yu took advantage of his height to completely hold Lin Che in his arms, resting his chin on Lin Che's shoulder, squinting his eyes and sniffing the scent of Lin Che with an expression of enjoyment.
Lin Che was held in his arms, feeling the warmth from his chest and the strong heartbeat. Holding the toothbrush with toothpaste squeezed on it by Lu Yu, he sighed resignedly and let Lu Yu hug him from behind.
——
Lin Che, wrapped in Lu Yu's oversized nightgown, curled up on the thick carpet in the living room, like a cat that was finally satisfied after being carefully cared for.
He tucked himself into a fluffy, soft wool blanket, revealing only a small portion of his face and his focused eyes. Spread out before him was the giant puzzle that he hadn't finished yesterday.
Fragments were scattered around him. He nimbly picked up a piece with his slender fingers, carefully identified the curvature of the edge under the light, and then accurately fit it into a gap.
The soreness in his waist, back and inner thighs was still evident, but the tranquility and concentration at the moment allowed him to temporarily ignore the discomfort.
The sound of water splashing and dishes colliding came from the kitchen. Lu Yu was cleaning up the leftovers of breakfast.
Every movement he made while washing the dishes was very smooth, the water rushing over his bony hands.
The winter morning sunlight poured in through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, dancing on the clean kitchen counter, and reflected on Lu Yu's angular profile, which was breathtakingly beautiful.
Just as Lu Yu drained the last dish and placed it in the dish rack, his phone on the countertop began to vibrate. The name "Cheng Yi" flashed on the screen.
Lu Yu shook off the water droplets on his hands, wiped them casually with a towel, and quickly picked up the phone.
"Hello," His voice returned to its usual calmness, with a hint of the neatness of handling business, completely different from the lazy and seductive look in the bedroom a few minutes ago.
Cheng Yi's clear and slightly hurried report came from the other end of the phone.
Lu Yu frowned slightly, listening intently, occasionally uttering a brief "hmm" before quickly issuing instructions: "... Got it, send the information to my email first... Move up the afternoon video conference by half an hour... Yes, focus on the third quarter's data..."
While listening to the phone, he walked quickly out of the kitchen, his eyes habitually searching for the figure in the living room.
Seeing Lin Che curled up on the carpet, concentrating on solving puzzle pieces, the concentration in his eyes was instantly covered by a soft warmth.
Lu Yu walked straight to Lin Che without stopping.
His tall figure loomed over them. Lin Che had just put a tricky-shaped piece of debris into the right place, and before she could show a satisfied look, a warm and moist kiss landed unexpectedly on her cheek.
“Hmm?” Lin Che looked up suddenly, his eyes filled with confusion and a hint of surprise at being interrupted.
Lu Yu's kiss was gone in an instant, as fast as a gust of wind.
He didn't even glance at Lin Che's expression. With his free hand, he pointed his index finger swiftly and pointedly at the phone to his ear, his eyes conveying the message of a work call. Without stopping, he strode towards the study without hesitation, still saying to Cheng Yi on the other end of the line, "...Okay, I'll go check it out now and get back to you in ten minutes."
Lin Che was left sitting alone on the carpet, with his head raised. The place on his face where he was kissed still seemed to have a lingering warm and moist touch.
He watched Lu Yu's tall figure quickly disappear behind the study door, and listened to the click sound of the study door being gently closed. He was stunned for several seconds.
The living room suddenly became quiet, leaving only the quiet flow of sunlight after the snow outside the window.
Lin Che blinked, his cheeks belatedly starting to heat up. He subconsciously raised his hand and touched the spot where he had been attacked with his fingertips. The skin beneath his fingertips seemed even hotter than elsewhere.
“This guy…” Lin Che muttered softly, with a hint of helpless anger in his tone.
Lin Che's gaze returned to the puzzle in front of him. He tried to regain his previous focus, wrapping himself tightly in the wool blanket and burying himself deeper into it, leaving only the red tips of his ears exposed. His fingertips unconsciously fiddled with the puzzle pieces scattered on the blanket.
————
Lu Yu was a little surprised that Lin Che would come to him on her own initiative, especially when he was working. Seeing Lin Che quietly opening the door and poking his head in, Lu Yu's heart softened.
Lin Che quietly opened the door of the study. He was a little worried about disturbing Lu Yu's work, but he really couldn't help it.
As soon as he looked up, his eyes met Lu Yu's. Lu Yu immediately put down the mouse and opened his arms to Lin Che.
After getting permission, Lin Che almost immediately trotted over with a clear goal - he spread his legs and sat on Lu Yu's strong thighs, wrapping his arms tightly around Lu Yu's neck, burying his hot cheeks deeply in his neck, and resting his chin on the familiar, reassuring shoulder.
The whole person clung to him tightly like a koala seeking shelter.
Lu Yu caught him steadily, his broad palm naturally wrapped around his slender waist, and the other hand gently stroked his soft head.
The weight and warmth of the body in his arms, as well as the undisguised dependence, filled Lu Yu's chest with an indescribable sense of satisfaction.
He tilted his head slightly, his lips brushing against Lin Che's earlobe, his voice low and full of concern: "What's wrong? Are you unhappy?"
Lin Che rubbed his neck, and the tip of his nose was filled with the clean and pleasant scent of Lu Yu, which made his tense nerves relax a little.
He spoke sullenly, "I can't really put it into words... it's just... it's snowing outside again, and it's so quiet, so quiet... I feel a little uneasy."
He paused, as if trying to organize his words and analyze this sudden and disorienting emotion.
"Before... I've been alone for many years, and I've long been used to it. But now..."
Lin Che tightened her arms around Lu Yu, as if to draw more strength from him. "Now, whenever I'm alone, even for a moment, I feel empty inside, like I can't find the bottom. I feel... scared."
He swallowed the word "worry about gains and losses", feeling that it was a bit pretentious, but the feeling was so real, like a cold tide flooding over his heart.
Lu Yu listened quietly, his chest rising and falling with each breath. He didn't rush to comfort her, but simply tightened his arms, completely enveloping Lin Che in his presence.
He felt the heavy dependence and uneasiness.
This wasn't just a simple act of coquettishness; Lin Che was revealing her most vulnerable side to him.
The soul that has been immersed in loneliness for too long, has just tasted the warmth but still dares not believe it and is afraid of losing it.
Lu Yu's heart felt like it was being gently twisted, and a delicate and dense feeling of tenderness surged up. He turned his head and gently kissed the top of Lin Che's head, his free hand gently patting Lin Che's back.
Lin Che sniffed and buried her face deeper into Lu Yu's neck. A muffled voice with a thick nasal tone sounded, "You go ahead and do your thing. I'll hold you and recharge for a while."
Lu Yu laughed silently, his chest vibrating with a joyful resonance. He adjusted his posture to make Lin Che more comfortable. One hand remained firmly around his waist, while the other hand gripped the mouse again and clicked on the unfinished file.
The snow outside the window is still falling silently, covering the world in silver.
In the study, the only sounds were the gentle clicks of the mouse and the combined, steady breathing of the two people. The unnerving silence was broken, replaced by a deeper, more solid tranquility—the tranquility of two people leaning on each other, confirming each other's existence.
Lin Che leaned against Lu Yu's warm and solid chest, listening to his steady and strong heartbeat, feeling the occasional subtle twitching of his arm muscles as he worked, and the possessive and protective power wrapped around her waist.
He closed his eyes and placed all his weight and trust on the person behind him. He finally relaxed completely and indulged in this unique sense of security.
He knew that this embrace would always be open to him as long as he needed it.
"Lu Yu."
"Huh? What's wrong, baby?"
"I love you."
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