Clouds disperse and verdant greenery emerges
Lin Tingyue came out of the bathroom with her face clearly showing her unhappiness.
She thought that if she told Chi Zhuo about it, he might be able to resolve it in no time.
But she couldn't bring herself to say it, so she could only keep it bottled up inside and suffer alone.
After lying in bed, Chi Zhuo was looking at his phone. She was shocked and quickly put his phone on the bedside table, then leaned over him.
Chi Zhuo seemed a little surprised to see Lin Tingyue like this.
"So proactive today?"
Lin Tingyue's cheeks were flushed, and she exuded a fresh fragrance after washing her face.
"I……"
She quickly came up with an excuse: "My legs are sore from standing all day, I want to move around a bit."
Chi Zhuo: "...?"
He looked at Lin Tingyue's legs, then gently rubbed them with his warm hands. "Is it sore here?"
Lin Tingyue felt a little uncomfortable for a moment and quickly dodged away, "No...no, well, maybe...let's just go to sleep."
She quickly jumped off him and was about to roll up the blanket to cover herself.
But Chi Zhuo wasn't about to let her do as she pleased, so he simply pressed her down on the spot and said, "Lie down."
"ah?"
Lin Tingyue's mind was filled with those strange positions. She thought that at least the lights should be turned off now, and there should be some atmosphere.
Why do you jump straight to the point like that?
The moment Chi Zhuo's hand touched her shoulder, she tensed up, seemingly a little shy, "Um... could... could you turn off the light... ah..."
She spoke earnestly, explaining that she always felt safest in the dark.
The room was not only spacious, but also lit by so many rows of lights, so she really didn't feel anything, let alone any atmosphere.
These words startled Chi Zhuo. He seemed to be thinking for a moment before speaking, "But, if the lights are turned off, we can't see anything..."
After struggling for a long time, Lin Tingyue finally gave up trying to reason with Chi Zhuo and gave him a "come on" look, which made Chi Zhuo laugh out loud.
"I just wanted to massage your legs, why are you looking like you're ready to die? What, are you afraid I'll break your legs?"
As soon as Chi Zhuo finished speaking, Lin Tingyue turned her head sharply, looking incredulous, "You...you're going to massage my legs?"
Chi Zhuo nodded, a smug look on his face. "Yeah. Otherwise, what did you think I was going to do?"
His actions made Lin Tingyue look ridiculous, and she was so angry that she pounded the bed.
Seeing her embarrassed and annoyed expression, Chi Zhuo finally couldn't help but laugh out loud, his chest trembling slightly.
He reached out and ruffled her hair. "Lin Tingyue, what are you thinking about all day?"
"I didn't!" she retorted immediately, her cheeks flushing even more. She pulled the blanket over herself, wrapping herself up like a cocoon, leaving only her wet eyes peeking out as she glared at him. "Who told you to always speak so unclearly..."
"Okay, it's my fault." Chi Zhuo apologized readily, but a smile still lingered in his eyes.
He reached out and pulled me, blanket and all, close. "Now, can I see your legs? Didn't you say they were sore from standing?"
Lin Tingyue hesitated for a moment before slowly sticking one leg out from under the covers.
Chi Zhuo's palms were warm and dry, and he massaged her calves with just the right amount of pressure.
Her sore muscles were relieved by his acupressure, and she couldn't help but let out a soft groan as her tense body gradually relaxed.
The room was filled with the soft sound of breathing for a moment.
Chi Zhuo's technique was very professional; he patiently massaged her from her calves to her thighs.
Lin Tingyue secretly glanced at him.
The unease she felt gradually dissipated, replaced by a gentle and comforting feeling.
He has always been very meticulous.
"Today..." Chi Zhuo suddenly spoke, his voice unusually low in the silence, "Did something happen?"
Lin Tingyue's body stiffened almost imperceptibly.
He got the answer from her subtle reaction, his hands still moving, his tone still normal: "You've been listless since you came out of the bathroom. It's okay if you don't want to talk about it, you can tell me when you want to."
He could always accurately sense her emotions and then give her enough space.
"I don't know if you've seen it, but there are several trending topics online right now, all about Jiang Shaoyang and me. Although the photos are blurred, people who know me will definitely recognize me at a glance. Isn't this just announcing it to the world?"
Chi Zhuo asked, "Is this why you're unhappy?"
Lin Tingyue gave a muffled "hmm," and said, "That's turning black into white and talking nonsense."
She clenched her fists. "It was clearly him... and now I'm the one at fault, while he's the victim who was dumped? What a ridiculous joke!"
Chi Zhuo reached out and gently placed his hand on her clenched fist. The warm touch made Lin Tingyue tremble slightly.
“The trending topic has been removed,” Chi Zhuo said succinctly. “In addition, I asked Tingyuan to investigate, and Jiang’s Group has an important financing project that is at a critical stage.”
Lin Tingyue suddenly looked up, a hint of understanding and anger flashing in her eyes: "So he's pulling this stunt again? Using my 'dirt' to divert attention, or to create a 'victim' persona for himself to gain sympathy and make it easier for him to raise funds?"
“Very likely.” Chi Zhuo’s eyes were sharp. “This is his usual trick, but this time, he’s chosen the wrong target.”
His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable power.
Looking at him, Lin Tingyue felt her grievances and anger strangely soothed by this force.
"What do you want to do?" she asked.
“An eye for an eye,” Chi Zhuo said calmly. “He likes to use public opinion, so we’ll play along. But not now.”
He looked at Lin Tingyue, his eyes softening again: "Now, all you need to know is that you're leaving this to me. It's not worth getting angry for even a minute longer for someone like that."
"I know." Chi Zhuo stood up, poured a glass of warm water and handed it to her. "Drink some water. Don't forget that we also collaborated on 'Gong Cui Sheng' today; that's something worth remembering."
When "Gong Cuisheng" was mentioned, a genuine smile finally appeared on Lin Tingyue's face.
She took the water glass and sipped it slowly; the warm water seemed to dispel some of the chill in her heart.
"Thank you," she said softly.
In her heart, she was grateful that he had done all this for her so quietly, and that he had completely considered things from her perspective.
Chi Zhuo smiled but didn't say anything. He simply picked up his tablet, sat down on the sofa next to her, and started processing emails, showing her through his actions that he would stay with her.
The room fell silent, save for the occasional soft tapping of his keyboard.
This silent companionship made Lin Tingyue feel at ease, and she suddenly felt a sense of belonging.
She scrolled through her phone for a while and found that the trending topics about Jiang Shaoyang had indeed disappeared without a trace, and some of the discussions had also been cleaned up. She knew that this was Chi Zhuo's doing.
Lin Tingyue lay down, pulled the covers up, and suddenly asked softly, "Chi Zhuo, do you think... the relationship between people is really like stir-frying tea, requiring just the right heat and time?"
Chi Zhuo paused for a moment while operating the tablet, and looked at Lin Tingyue.
"Hmm." His deep voice was particularly clear in the quiet room. "It can't be rushed, nor can it be slow. But the most important thing is to find the right 'tea leaf'."
She suddenly reached out from under the covers, hugged his neck, and buried her burning face in the crook of his neck.
"Chi Zhuo."
"Um?"
"Thank you."
Chi Zhuo gently hugged her back, patting her back reassuringly. "Silly girl."
After a while, he asked in a low voice, "So... are your legs still sore? Do you want to 'move' around?"
Lin Tingyue gently twisted in his arms, punched his shoulder, and said in a muffled voice inside his pajamas, "...It doesn't hurt anymore!"
A low laugh came from his chest.
He turned off the main light, leaving only a dim bedside lamp, letting the ambiguous light fill the small space.
“Well,” he leaned down, close to her ear, his warm breath brushing against her earlobe, his voice alluringly magnetic, “now, can we turn off the lights?”
This time, Lin Tingyue didn't flinch. Before darkness completely descended, she tilted her head back and kissed his lips.
The night outside the window was hazy.
Chi Zhuo seemed to pause for a moment, then responded to the kiss.
His palm gently supported the back of her neck, his fingertips sinking into her slightly cool hair, he couldn't wait a moment longer.
The moment the bedside lamp went out, darkness gently enveloped us, and our other senses became exceptionally clear.
His kisses were patient, with a sense of exploration, quite different from his usual decisive and efficient style.
Lin Tingyue's body, which was initially tense, gradually softened under his rhythm, and her hand, which had been gripping the front of his pajamas, somehow wrapped around his waist.
When the kiss ended, both of them were breathing heavily.
In the darkness, she couldn't see his expression, but she could feel his warm forehead against hers, and his nose gently brushing against hers.
His voice was deep and slightly hoarse, "Here I am."
It wasn't explicitly stated, but she understood.
My cheeks burned again, but thankfully the darkness provided perfect cover.
She nodded very slightly, then, remembering that he might not be able to see her, gave an almost inaudible "hmm".
He received permission, but his movements became even slower.
The kiss landed again, this time gently pressing against her eyelids, the bridge of her nose, and her cheeks before finally returning to her lips.
The buttons of the pajamas were unbuttoned one by one, and the cool air touched the skin, causing a slight shiver.
But she seemed to have gotten used to such touches, yet she couldn't help but reach out and grasp him, unwilling to let him escape her body so quickly.
In her dazed state, she heard him ask in a hoarse voice, "Is it...sore here?" His palm was pressing on her calf.
She instantly remembered her lame excuse and felt so ashamed that she wanted to curl up, but he gently pressed her down.
At this moment, she was completely pinned down by him, unable to move an inch, yet she had no choice but to obey his commands.
"Don't hide." His breath brushed past my ear.
She had nowhere to run, and she didn't want to run anymore.
...
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