Chapter 126 Unable to Stop He hadn't even expressed his feelings yet, how could he...
The cheesecake that was stored in the refrigerator never ended up in Zhu Liushuang's stomach. She had drunk a whole bottle of red wine the night before and felt extremely unwell. She ate half a bowl of millet porridge as a token gesture, then left He Ming behind to go to the bedroom to catch up on sleep.
He Ming, worried, followed her to the door. But she didn't even bother to exchange a proper greeting before hastily closing the door, looking rather embarrassed as if she were fleeing in panic.
This is understandable. Firstly, she really has a low alcohol tolerance, and her dizziness wasn't an act. Secondly, she had just passively received He Ming's heartfelt confession, and at this moment, she felt both bitter and excited, like a spice jar had been overturned. She needed to be alone for a while to slowly process these emotions.
Just as he had promised, He Ming did not pressure her.
He only sent her a WeChat message after she entered the house.
Zhu Liushuang lay in bed, squinting as she read the message: [I've left for work. I'll be back around noon and take you to your company.]
Wasn't he working overtime every night and so busy that he was overwhelmed? How come he suddenly has so much free time that he can drive her to and from get off work?
"Hmph—men." Zhu Liushuang huffed arrogantly through her nostrils, continuing to reply to him with narrowed eyes. But despite her complaints, the blush on her face wouldn't fade.
Who told her to have liked him for so many years!
She had already forgiven He Ming the moment he embraced her and poured out his heart.
At noon, the man who had told her to wait patiently at home arrived as promised.
At that time, Zhu Liushuang had already tidied herself up and was staring at the second hand on the wall, counting with utter boredom.
"What did you have for lunch?" He Ming stood at the door, one hand on the doorframe. Today he was wearing a dark green long coat, which made his handsome features stand out even more.
Zhu Liushuang looked towards the sound and became somewhat engrossed in watching him.
"I ate a boiled egg." After realizing what she had said, she answered truthfully, "I saw there was some breakfast left in the kitchen, and it would be a waste to throw it away."
He Ming knew she was frugal, but upon hearing the words "boiled eggs," he couldn't help but purse his lips. He suppressed his pity and nodded silently.
"Aren't you busy today, senior? You even have time to come back and drive me to work." Zhu Liushuang walked in his direction and said casually.
Her intention was to show concern for his work, but as soon as she spoke, she felt that her words had taken a different turn, as if she were mocking his recent disappearance.
This hurdle is unlikely to be overcome in one go.
The listener seemed to understand and replied in a more serious tone, "I'm busy, but it's lunch break now, so my trip back won't cause any problems."
Zhu Liushuang didn't reply, letting him bend down to change his shoes. A cold wind whistled in from the doorway, making her nose itch, and she couldn't help but sneeze. She instinctively raised her arm to cover her mouth and nose, and a second sneeze followed.
The front door slammed shut, and the next second, a large, kind hand unexpectedly covered her forehead.
Even after standing at the door for a long time, He Ming's palms remained warm.
"Besides your stomach, where else do you feel uncomfortable?"
Zhu Liushuang was stunned, only focused on putting her feet into her shoes, forgetting to even tie the shoelaces. The warmth on her forehead vanished quickly, and she covered her nose to let out the sneeze she had suppressed before replying to him, "No, my stomach feels much better too."
"It's three degrees below zero outside today, wear more clothes." Without asking her opinion, He Ming took out the beige down jacket from the closet and draped it over her shoulders.
Zhu Liushuang puffed out her cheeks. She actually wanted to wear a coat, since it looked much better than a bulky down jacket. But the man in front of her didn't notice her dissatisfaction at all, and waited earnestly for her to put on her coat.
If she doesn't put it on, he's afraid he'll have to help her get dressed.
Feeling uneasy under her gaze, Zhu Liushuang reached out to button her clothes.
He Ming seemed unsatisfied with her outfit, so he took a woolen scarf and a hat from the closet and put them on her.
The door closed, and the indoor heating was turned up to 22 degrees Celsius. Zhu Liushuang, bundled up tightly, protested with a long face, "It's hot—"
Her face was flushed, and her bright, almond-shaped eyes looked at him innocently.
His gaze lingered on the tip of her nose, which was covered with a fine layer of sweat, and He Ming's heart fluttered. He affectionately patted her head and said, "It'll be cold when we go out in a bit."
To be honest, Zhu Liushuang felt that Jiang Cai's performance was a bit pretentious, but she couldn't help it.
Love is like sneezing; she can't stop herself from sneezing, nor can she stop herself from loving He Ming. She also can't control herself from being affectionate with He Ming.
Some things are just natural expressions of genuine feelings.
At this moment, she had to admit that she appreciated all of He Ming's care and concern for her.
She was willing to accept his gentlemanly manners, his thoughtfulness, and his unintentional domineering and forceful nature.
And—they enjoy it.
"You're wearing so little, and I'm wearing so much..." She was secretly pleased, but she was still muttering to herself.
“I’m a man…” He Ming said helplessly, “I’m not afraid of the cold.”
Zhu Liushuang turned her head and went straight to open the door. Just as she touched the doorknob, her sleeve was hooked from behind.
"Tie your shoelaces before you go out."
The space in the entryway was so small that she could even hear his sighs, which made her so embarrassed that she lowered her face even further.
What's wrong? She acted like she couldn't take care of herself in front of He Ming today...
"Huh? Oh—" Zhu Liushuang quickly squatted down to tie her shoelaces, and the fuss caused her earlobes to turn red.
To her surprise, He Ming also squatted down. He was faster than her, and before she could even tie her left shoelace, he quickly tied her right shoelace.
Zhu Liu's hands trembled, and he almost tied his left shoelace into a knot.
"Don't stare at me..." Under his gaze, she became increasingly nervous.
A playful scolding, tinged with an unwitting charm, slipped into He Ming's heart, like a mischievous little fish blowing bubbles on the tip of his heart.
With his heart pounding, He Ming withdrew his hand and composed himself. After she tied her left leg, he scooped her up from the ground.
If you linger too long in the entryway, even the ample time becomes insufficient.
Zhu Liushuang couldn't tell if she was embarrassed or anxious; after leaving the house, she quickened her pace. She walked briskly ahead, while He Ming followed leisurely behind.
She pressed the down button first, and He Ming was still a few steps away from the elevator when the doors opened.
"Come in quickly, or we'll be late..." she urged him, her tone far from gentle.
He Ming's heart stirred slightly; he was quite pleased with her appearance.
Love can transform a person. He thought: It wasn't just him who changed; the magic of love also affected Zhu Liushuang.
In the past, she would cry, laugh, and feel shy in front of him, occasionally revealing her soft and vulnerable side. But most of the time, she played the role of an understanding, gentle, and empathetic confidante.
There was always a layer of cautious mist between them.
But things are different now. Now she gets angry, she acts spoiled, and she throws tantrums...
She became more and more vivid and lively in his eyes.
He Ming felt a sense of comfort; he understood what this change meant.
This meant that, for Zhu Liushuang, he was someone she could rely on. Therefore, she let down her guard and presented her most authentic self to him.
She didn't say "yes" aloud, but all her body language conveyed the same answer—she was willing.
How can you teach him to remain unmoved?
He Ming quickened his pace and strode into the elevator car, his brows revealing an indescribable joy: "It only takes a little over ten minutes to drive from Chunhua Lane to your company, so I won't be late."
Zhu Liushuang fell silent, staring absently at the gleaming elevator doors.
There was no heating in the elevator, and a cold draft seeped in from above the door, making her forehead feel chilly. Fortunately, He Ming had the foresight to put a scarf and hat on her, so she wasn't shivering from the cold.
Soon, the announcement for the basement level sounded, and the elevator doors slowly opened. The man beside her stepped out first, taking her hand and pulling her forward.
All that could be seen was the man's broad shoulders and back, and his dark, shaky head. In an instant, Zhu Liushuang's soul returned to its place.
She bit her lip demurely, muttering to herself: I haven't even said anything yet, so why did he just take my hand? And why did he do it so casually!
She was wearing thick clothes, and with He Ming's hand wrapped around hers, she immediately felt a surge of heat. But the man holding her hand seemed oblivious, and even as if he thought she wasn't hot enough, he once again hid her hand in his coat pocket.
He Ming was strong, and Zhu Liushuang couldn't break free.
Or rather, He Ming saw her ticklish, kitten-like grip not as resistance, but as blatant seduction. She would occasionally scratch his palm with her fingertips, and instead of getting annoyed, he would hold her hand even tighter.
It was midday, and the underground parking garage was nearly deserted. Besides the two of them, only a cleaning lady remained on the entire walkway. Seeing the handsome man and beautiful woman, and how closely they clung to each other, the cleaning lady couldn't help but glance at them a few more times.
Zhu Liushuang felt embarrassed by the stares and hid half of her face behind He Ming, but no matter how she tried to hide it, she couldn't conceal the burning blush on her cheeks.
Compared to Zhu Liushuang's shyness, He Ming was much calmer. This man seemed to be more composed than his peers from birth. When faced with the stares of others, he could keep his eyes straight ahead, focusing on his own path and flirting with the one he loved.
Of course, he knew that Zhu Liushuang was shy, so he didn't act too obviously and didn't dare to tease her. As a result, the two of them didn't say a word to each other the whole way.
Upon reaching the car, he first helped the person into the passenger seat, then went to the other side door himself. Suddenly, the soft fist was gone from his hand, and He Ming felt a hollow emptiness in his palm, a sense of unfulfilled longing.
As I drove out of Chunhua Lane, the desolate street scene flashed past the window.
The winter was bleak, and many trees along the roadside had withered and were left with only bare branches. However, this desolation was soon covered by the green of the camphor trees.
As the car entered the commercial district, Zhu Liushuang's turbulent heart was finally calmed by the lush greenery. However, her head remained turned towards the window, avoiding eye contact with He Ming.
If she were to turn around and glance at the rearview mirror, she would see He Ming's concerned gaze.
At the zebra crossing, the man stepped on the brake, but his eyes kept glancing at Zhu Liushuang's slender, delicate hands. Several times, He Ming wanted to reach out and hold her hand, but Zhu Liushuang sat stiffly, her hands resting on her knees without moving, so he suppressed the impulse in his heart.
Even he himself found it unbelievable that he would develop such a deep obsession with her hands.
Perhaps it was because her hands were completely different from his own—small, soft, and feeling like a solid ball of cotton in his palm, both comfortable and stress-relieving, making him unable to resist.
As the trip drew to a close, Zhu Liushuang finally managed to turn her head, which had been tilted to one side. As usual, she wanted to get out at the intersection a few dozen meters away from the company, but He Ming didn't give her the chance and drove directly to the office building.
She wasn't the one driving, and since he couldn't persuade her otherwise, he couldn't say anything more coy.
She opened the car door and was about to get off when she heard someone calmly call her from inside the carriage.
"Liu Shuang, what time do you get off work today?"
Zhu Liushuang probably knew he would come to pick her up, so she didn't show any surprise: "I took the morning off, and I'll probably have to stay and work overtime for an hour or so today, around seven o'clock."
"Okay, I'll be downstairs at your company at 6:50." He Ming paused and then added, "Call me if anything comes up."
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Author's Note: When it comes to romance, this senior is absolutely a natural-born expert [droopy-eared rabbit head]
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