Back to the old house
Back in the living room.
Lin Tingyue immediately dropped her gentle demeanor, slumped her shoulders, and let out a soft "humph".
She picked up an orange from the coffee table and started peeling it, without even glancing at Chi Zhuo.
Chi Zhuo found her puffed-up face amusing, leaned closer, and whispered, "What's wrong? Weren't you pretty fierce just now?"
Lin Tingyue broke off a segment of orange and popped it into her mouth, mumbling, "It's nothing, I just think that President Chi is really charming, he even chased me to my home."
That sarcastic tone made Chi Zhuo's smile deepen.
He took the half-peeled orange from her hand and naturally continued peeling it, carefully tearing off the white pith and handing the smooth orange segments to her.
"Are irrelevant people worth getting angry about?" He lowered his voice, with a hint of coaxing. "Besides, I won't let them come anymore, okay?"
Su Jinghe came out of the kitchen and happened to see this scene. She immediately lowered her head and smiled.
She immediately put on a smile, walked over and sat down: "Listen to what Aunt Su said just now. Don't mind her. Mom supports you in pursuing your career. Besides, Xiao Zhuo is Xiao Zhuo, and you are you. We are all the same. There's no distinction between those who take charge of domestic affairs and those who take charge of external affairs. We are all family."
Chi Zhuo placed the peeled orange into Lin Tingyue's hand, looked up at his mother, and said in a calm but unquestionable tone, "Mom, in the future, don't bring just anyone home unless it's absolutely necessary. Tingting doesn't say anything, but I find it noisy."
Su Jinghe felt a little embarrassed after her son said that, and didn't dare to say anything more. She quickly replied, "Okay, okay. I didn't mean to... well, never mind, I'll be more careful next time."
However, Lin Tingyue was still quite curious about what Su Wanqing and her daughter were doing here. She asked, "Mom, what are Aunt Su and the others doing here? It's so late."
Su Jinghe said, "It's like this, Wanqing got a promotion at the company, and Aunt Su wanted me to talk to Xiaozhuo about arranging an apartment for her near the company. Well, Xiaozhuo happens to have a spot available in this apartment building, so..."
Lin Tingyue immediately understood, "Oh, that's it."
If you ask Chi Zhuo, will he agree?
Lin Tingyue tilted her head and looked at Chi Zhuo.
Chi Zhuo couldn't help but laugh at her gaze, and gently pinched her cheek: "Why are you looking at me like that? Do you think I'd agree?"
"How would I know?" Lin Tingyue deliberately dragged out her words. "After all, he's your childhood sweetheart, so outstanding, and he even got promoted—"
"Stop." Chi Zhuo interrupted her, then turned to Su Jinghe and said, "Mom, just decline these kinds of things in the future."
He then looked at Lin Tingyue, "What childhood sweethearts? We're just ordinary friends."
Seeing their reaction, Su Jinghe quickly nodded, "Okay, okay, Mom understands."
Lin Tingyue's little knot in her heart instantly disappeared, but she still deliberately said, "No, what if they really need help?"
“If you really need it, just apply for employee housing at the company. The conditions aren’t bad.” Chi Zhuo took a sip of water slowly. “If you can’t even handle this little thing, then you don’t need to stay at the company.”
Lin Tingyue was finally satisfied with these words, and couldn't help but smile.
Seeing this, Su Jinghe tactfully stood up: "Oh dear, I still have soup simmering in the kitchen, go check if it's ready. You two chat, you two chat."
Only the two of them remained in the living room. Chi Zhuo leaned closer to Lin Tingyue and lowered his voice, "Are you satisfied now?"
Lin Tingyue snorted and popped a segment of orange into his mouth: "Who cares? I was just asking casually."
Chi Zhuo slowly chewed the orange segment, swallowed it, and then spoke, his voice tinged with laughter: "This orange is quite sweet."
Lin Tingyue broke off another piece and ate it herself, nodding, "Hmm, it's quite sweet."
Lin Tingyue said sourly, "But you two have a pretty good relationship. He keeps calling me 'Brother Zhuo, Brother Zhuo,' don't you feel sorry for him at all?"
Chi Zhuo chuckled and shook his head: "It sounds awkward. It's much better when you call me by my full name."
Hearing this, Lin Tingyue deliberately leaned closer again, "Then... what if I call you that? Brother Zhuo~"
Chi Zhuo chuckled softly and whispered, "Heavenly music."
Lin Tingyue's ears burned, and she instinctively tried to shrink back, but Chi Zhuo gently put his arm around her waist.
"Why are you running?" he asked in a low voice, with a hint of amusement. "Weren't you quite the flirt just now?"
Lin Tingyue retorted stubbornly, "Who flirted with me? I was just asking a normal question."
"Is that so?" Chi Zhuo leaned even closer, his nose almost touching hers. "Then I'll just give a normal answer."
His breath brushed against her face, carrying a faint, sweet orange scent. Lin Tingyue's heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively tried to turn her head away, but Chi Zhuo gently pressed her chin with his fingertips.
"Mom's still in the kitchen..." she whispered, her voice a little weak.
Chi Zhuo chuckled softly, "She'd love for us to be like this." Even as he said that, he loosened his grip a little, only holding her hand.
Su Jinghe lingered in the kitchen for a while before finally coming out. "The soup is ready, come and have some! You must be exhausted today."
Taking the opportunity, Lin Tingyue freed her hand and stood up, saying, "It's alright, Mom, let me help you."
At the dinner table, Su Jinghe looked at the young couple, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Xiao Zhuo, about today's matter... Mom really won't get involved anymore. It's just that if Aunt Su asks about it..."
Chi Zhuo served Lin Tingyue a bowl of soup, his tone calm: "If she asks, just say I won't agree. Or just tell her to come find me."
Lin Tingyue sipped her soup and glanced at Chi Zhuo.
His profile was sharply defined, and his tone was flat, but it exuded an undeniable authority.
The lingering bitterness in her heart completely vanished.
After dinner, the two returned to their bedroom upstairs.
Lin Tingyue kicked off her high heels, stepped barefoot onto the carpet, and let out a long sigh: "Comfortable."
Chi Zhuo followed behind her, bent down to pick up the shoes she had kicked around and put them away: "Aren't you tired of wearing these kinds of shoes?"
Lin Tingyue, lying down, replied, "It'll be tiring, but it looks good."
The room in the old house was where Chi Zhuo lived when he was in school. The things here are very simple, and there is almost no trace of his personal life, but the room is very clean.
Lin Tingyue sat up in bed and glanced around.
"Hey? Why don't you even have a mirror in your room?"
She stepped barefoot onto the carpet and looked around the overly minimalist room.
Chi Zhuo was hanging up her coat when he heard this and paused: "What do you need a mirror for? You're beautiful enough."
"Can't I be a little narcissistic?" Lin Tingyue walked to the wall and gently ran her fingers along the smooth surface. "It's strange, there isn't even a single photo."
She looked down the desk and opened a drawer, only to find a photo album inside.
The album has a black cover with no words on it.
She took out the photo album and curiously flipped to a page.
The first page is a group photo of her high school class when she was sixteen years old, taken during the school's anniversary celebration.
"Wow, you actually hid my high school photos! When did you get them?"
Lin Tingyue turned around and saw Chi Zhuo standing there, his expression somewhat evasive.
Chi Zhuo said calmly, "That's all in the past."
Lin Tingyue recalled the note in the photo frame in the apartment from back then, and said thoughtfully, "Oh, you're not still holding a grudge about what happened back then, are you?"
Chi Zhuo said softly, "I guess so. You know I hold grudges."
Lin Tingyue whispered, "To remember this long is truly amazing."
"What?"
Chi Zhuo raised his head and looked in her direction.
Lin Tingyue immediately shook her head, "It's nothing, it's nothing."
She flipped through the album to the back, only to find it completely blank. She was incredulous: "What's going on? Such a big album with just one photo?"
"Isn't that enough?"
Chi Zhuo came over and found her some pajamas.
"Alright, hurry up and wash up and go to bed, it's cold."
When the topic of sleep came up, Lin Tingyue immediately became a little awkward. "I still find it strange, why did you only keep this one photo? Also, I remember there's a drawing I made in your room too, why is that?"
Chi Zhuo placed her pajamas by the bed, paused slightly upon hearing this, and turned to look at her, "You really want to know?"
Lin Tingyue's heart skipped a beat, but she didn't hold back: "Wow, you wouldn't have had designs on me back then, would you?"
She was just joking casually, wanting to see his helpless denial.
Unexpectedly, Chi Zhuo turned around to face her and chuckled softly, a deep laugh that tickled her ears. "Mm," he responded.
Lin Tingyue was stunned, her eyes widening slightly: "...What do you mean by 'hmm'?"
“It’s exactly what you think.” Chi Zhuo walked up to her, squatted down, and looked at her calmly, his gaze level with hers. “Back then, I was already plotting something.”
The air seemed to fall silent for a moment. Lin Tingyue could hear her own heart pounding faster. She looked into those eyes so close to hers, and there she clearly saw her own stunned reflection.
"Liar..." she retorted instinctively, but her voice lacked conviction, "How could that be..."
Don't say she was too naive and ignorant back then. Even now, she is still far inferior to Chi Zhuo. In fact, in terms of family background and ability, she is not good enough to match the man in front of her.
Chi Zhuo reached out, his fingertips gently brushing through her hair, and said softly, "So what answer do you want to hear?"
Looking at the face so close to hers, Lin Tingyue felt flustered. She didn't dare to think too deeply about Chi Zhuo's words and just wanted to change the subject.
"Um... I'll go wash up."
She was trying to avoid the question again; she shouldn't have asked it.
But Chi Zhuo didn't give her that chance. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
For a moment, Lin Tingyue was speechless, but she felt her blood boiling, and the other person kissed her very slowly, as if their breath was gradually becoming hot.
After a long while, he stepped back slightly, his forehead pressed against hers, his breathing a little erratic.
Lin Tingyue's cheeks were flushed, her breath was unsteady, and she was tightly clutching his sleeve, her eyes glazed over.
"you……"
"punish."
Lin Tingyue frowned. "Punishment?"
What kind of punishment?
Did she do something wrong?
But she didn't dare ask, and she was afraid that Chi Zhuo would ask her the same question he had just asked.
Chi Zhuo chuckled, put his arm around her waist, lifted her up, and pushed her towards the bathroom: "Go take a shower."
Lin Tingyue was so weak she could barely stand, and said in a spoiled tone, "I...I have no strength left..."
Chi Zhuo smiled and said, "Then... I'll wash you."
Upon hearing this answer, Lin Tingyue immediately stood up straight and ran away without looking back.
"pajamas!"
After Chi Zhuo reminded her, she covered her face and ran back, making Chi Zhuo laugh non-stop.
When she finally finished her shower, Chi Zhuo was already leaning against the headboard, looking at something on a tablet. Lin Tingyue dried her hair and walked over, instinctively wanting to find a mirror to look at herself, but then remembered there wasn't one in the room.
"Stop looking," Chi Zhuo put down the tablet and reached out to her, "Come here, I'll wipe it for you."
Lin Tingyue obediently sat on the carpet in front of him, with her back to him, feeling him gently wiping her hair with a towel.
The room was quiet, with only the soft sound of towels rubbing against hair and each other's gentle breathing.
After drying her hair until it was half dry, Chi Zhuo put down the towel and slowly combed her long hair with his fingers.
Suddenly, he spoke in a low voice: "Listen to this, do you regret marrying me?"
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