Chapter 96 He's Home The man's warm breath was so close, wishing him well...
The day after moving into Chunhua Lane, Zhu Liushuang received her room key.
A small bunch of brass keys, three in total, was placed in the most conspicuous position on the dining table. Underneath the keys was a gray sticky note with handwriting in a flamboyant style: "For your room, remember to keep it safe."
Morning light streamed in through the window, casting dappled shadows on the walnut-colored wooden table. She clutched the keychain in her palm, her gaze involuntarily drifting towards the master bedroom.
The door was tightly shut, and the hallway was pitch black.
The room was so quiet that only her own breathing could be heard.
What time did He Ming get home?
Last night, she tossed and turned in the unfamiliar bed, unable to sleep. Though her eyes were closed, her ears were more sensitive than ever. Even the slightest sound outside the door sent shivers down her spine. But as she drifted off to sleep, the person she had been waiting for never returned.
Whether it was because she slept too soundly in the middle of the night or because the soundproofing in Chunhua was really good, Zhu Liushuang slept in a daze all night and didn't hear a single sound.
Have they resolved the thorny issues they faced?
She suppressed her worries, sat down in the dining chair, and while she was eating her porridge, she opened her WeChat Moments.
All of He Ming's colleagues were on Zhu Liushuang's friend list. Based on her observations, Gu Xufeng, Jiang Shuting, and others kept their work and personal lives separate. Only Lin Hui was straightforward and simple, and liked to post complaints about "working hard" on his WeChat Moments without any restraint.
With a gentle swipe of her fingertip, she accurately retrieved a WeChat Moments post made at 3 a.m.
[Lin Hui: The current state of young people: drinking the most expensive Chinese medicine and staying up the latest at night. Thanks to my clients, my already meager sleep has been reduced by half again!]
At 3 a.m., He Ming wouldn't get home earlier than that.
Zhu Liushuang's brows furrowed even more. She absentmindedly scooped the porridge from her bowl, her attention completely focused on Lin Huifa's photograph. Four cups of coffee, four dark figures buried in their work. She didn't even need to look closely to recognize which one was him.
After opening the comment box for a long time, she finally deleted the few words she had typed, leaving only a vague "like".
In the kitchen, the rice cooker held the millet and red date porridge she had specially cooked for him. Afraid he might wake up late, she added a bowl of hot water before leaving, just to prevent the porridge from drying out. On the dining table, the note he had left for her remained untouched, with a new line of neat handwriting added.
[Senior, remember to drink a glass of warm water when you wake up to soothe your stomach. I cooked too much porridge, it's still warm in the rice cooker, it should be just right for your breakfast.]
The excuse of "cooking too much" was clumsy, but it was enough to cover up her deliberate concern for him.
In Zhu Liushuang's plan, revealing her feelings too quickly was not the best strategy, so she needed to be more careful and cautious in dealing with their relationship than before.
————
At the end of November, Gucheng was immersed in northwest winds and frost.
Unfortunately, the air conditioner in the finance office suddenly broke down; it could only cool but not heat.
Zhuang Xiaoqian sat on the chair, stamping her feet and muttering to herself, "He said he'd be here in half an hour, why isn't the repairman here yet? My fingers are so frozen I can't even type."
"It'll be here soon, don't rush." Zhu Liushuang rubbed her reddened hands and continued writing the financial report. She was quite adaptable to cold environments; after all, she had spent far more winter days without air conditioning than with it.
"It's hard for people to go from luxury to simplicity!" Zhuang Xiaoqian muttered to herself. "It's because the underfloor heating at home is so comfortable that I feel like I can't live without it when I go out. Oh no, I have to put my scarf on right away."
Zhu Liushuang looked at Zhuang Xiaoqian, who was wrapped up like a dumpling, with a wry smile, and continued, "Sister Zhuang, you're so lucky. I rode my electric bike here this morning, and the wind was much colder than when I was in the office."
"If you ask me, you should have bought a car a long time ago. Riding an electric bike is so tiring. And the prices of domestic electric bikes aren't expensive these days. You could just put down a down payment and then take out a loan..." Zhuang Xiaoqian's voice suddenly trailed off as she spoke, "Liu Shuang, am I talking too much?"
Zhu Liushuang exclaimed "Ah!" and asked, puzzled, "Sister Zhuang, what did you just ask?"
Zhuang Xiaoqian breathed a sigh of relief, her face instantly brightening. She blurted out, "Seeing you so silent, I thought you were angry. I was trying to persuade you to buy a car, at least your commute wouldn't be so tiring. But everyone's family situation is different, and a car isn't a necessity..."
"I want to buy a house first... a car is optional," Zhu Liushuang said truthfully, staring at the computer screen.
"Buying a house? Prices have dropped quite a bit this year. How many square meters are you planning to buy? Do you have a preferred development?" Zhuang Xiaoqian said earnestly, holding her teacup. "Actually, the easiest way is to marry a man who owns a house..."
The cursor on the computer screen was flashing, and Zhu Liushuang could no longer hear what Zhuang Xiaoqian said next.
She already has a husband who owns a house, though only in name. And she's currently living in his house.
Her gaze began to wander, and Zhu Liushuang's thoughts flew out of the finance office and headed towards Chunhua Lane.
I wonder if he's awake yet?
He should be able to see the message on the note, right?
Does he like millet and red date porridge?
Should I send him a message and ask if he's coming home for dinner tonight?
All morning, the person she was thinking about was He Ming.
As for whether He Ming would ever think of her, Zhu Liushuang was certain that he absolutely wouldn't.
Firstly, she didn't even sneeze once, and secondly, his WeChat chat box remained silent.
The message asking if he was coming home for dinner appeared abruptly at the top of the page, but no reply came for a long time.
The man's response didn't come until just before he was about to leave work.
"If you're not coming back, then do as you please."
She deleted the text she had just typed into the input box and replied with an "OK" emoji.
Thankfully, she wasn't a fast typist. She was missing the last character, "medicine," from the line, "If you come back, I'll make mushroom and pork rib soup and stir-fried yam tonight." Staring blankly at the now-silent chat box, she felt a mixture of disappointment and relief.
Life isn't a rosy, bouncy shoujo manga. After He Ming worked overtime and came home late for five consecutive days, Zhu Liushuang finally understood: cohabitation is nothing more than two independent individuals sharing the same roof to live together.
Perhaps they weren't even considered roommates, since he had never eaten dinner at home.
Even the health porridge she cooked in the rice cooker was not served with a single spoonful.
For the first two days, Zhu Liushuang still felt uneasy.
By the fourth day, she had completely adapted to this life where she rarely saw anyone.
The huge house, with four bedrooms, two living rooms, and two bathrooms, became her world, where she could come and go as she pleased and tinker with things as she pleased.
Every evening, after talking to her mother on the phone, Zhu Liushuang would set up camp on the sofa in the living room: first, she would watch some variety shows, then watch some lessons and do some exercises, and when it was almost time, she would wash up and go to bed. Her life was even more leisurely than when she lived at home.
It was Friday, and Zhu Liushuang was too lazy to go to the supermarket, so she simply took the leftover rice and onions from the refrigerator and made a fried rice dish. She had only eaten half of the meal when the electronic lock suddenly beeped.
With a creak, a tall, dark figure stepped into the doorway.
Following the sound, Zhu Liushuang looked towards the entrance in surprise, the spoon she was using to scoop rice froze at her mouth, and with her wide almond-shaped eyes, she looked rather silly.
"Senior...?" She swallowed her rice and asked blankly, "Why are you back so early today?"
He Ming took off his leather jacket and draped it over his wrist, then changed into a pair of slippers and said, "The matter is settled."
"Then...why didn't you tell me beforehand?" Zhu Liushuang awkwardly picked at the rice in her bowl, unsure whether to eat it or not, and asked perfunctorily, "Have you had dinner?"
He Ming shook his head: "I'll just cook some noodles."
In the time it took to say a few words, the man had already strode up to her.
Before he could ask her, Zhu Liushuang explained, "I cooked too much rice last night, so we're having a simple meal today. There's some leftover fried rice in the pot. If you don't mind, senior... you can make do with it."
The man's hands were on the table, and when she looked up, he was looking down at her.
Every time he gazed intently at her, Zhu Liushuang felt her willpower was insufficient. Those dark eyes were like a deep, cold spring, constantly drawing her in until she was drowning and unable to climb out.
Her earlobes flushed red, and she averted her gaze, focusing her attention on the fried rice: "If you don't like egg fried rice, that's fine too..."
"Thank you." He Ming withdrew his gaze, turned and walked to the kitchen. "Fried rice it is, I'm not picky about food."
The man's figure disappeared through the kitchen doorway. A moment later, the sound of running water came from inside. A short while later, the man in the beige hoodie returned, carrying a plate of fried rice, and sat down opposite her.
Even though he made little noise, he stirred her shattered heart, making it flutter wildly. Zhu Liushuang stirred the rice in the plate, her eyelashes fluttering. The crystal chandelier filtered sparse spots of light below his eyelids, and his long, slender, fair hand held the porcelain spoon as if it were a work of art.
She didn't even care about the food in her own bowl, stealing glances at him every now and then before quickly lowering her head and pretending to scoop up a spoonful and put it in her mouth.
"I'm done eating, I'll wash the dishes." The man, focused on eating, pushed aside the empty plate, and when his gaze fell on the porcelain bowl across from him, which was still a third untouched, he deliberately lowered his voice, "Full? You didn't eat much."
The deep, gentle voice gripped her delicate nerves, striking her heartstrings with a "thud." The porcelain spoon clattered against the bottom of the plate, and Zhu Liushuang hurriedly stuffed the now-cold fried rice into her mouth.
She swallowed a few mouthfuls quickly, then pushed the plate in front of He Ming and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you, senior."
The man took the plate, but his cool, aloof eyes remained fixed on her face.
Zhu Liushuang was already very sensitive, and she couldn't stand him staring at her like that. If he didn't move away soon, her face would definitely turn red. Unable to bear it any longer, she stammered, "Senior... what's wrong?"
"You have some scallions on your lips," the man said, gesturing with his lips in a friendly reminder.
"I must have eaten too fast and didn't have time to wipe it." Zhu Liushuang smiled awkwardly and reached out to wipe the right corner of her mouth.
He Ming put down his spoon and pointed to her lips: "Not on the right, it's here."
"Is this it?" Zhu Liushuang groped towards the upper left. In her haste, the back of her hand brushed against his neatly trimmed fingertips.
The man nodded as if oblivious, picked up his spoon, and left the restaurant. She was left alone, stunned in her chair, listening to the pounding of her heart, her face flushed.
While He Ming was washing the dishes, Zhu Liushuang went to the bathroom to wash her face. Once the blush on her face had faded, she slowly walked out.
The man was sitting on the sofa in the living room, flipping through a financial magazine. The spot he was sitting in was the one she had been occupying every day for the past few days.
Zhu Liushuang twisted her fingers behind her back and walked toward him with a calm expression.
The person on the sofa seemed to sense something, slightly lifting their eyelids and fixing their gaze on her.
"Liu Shuang, there's a box of winter peaches in the entryway. See if you want some." After saying that, He Ming continued flipping through the magazine.
"Winter peaches? Are peaches delicious this time of year?" Zhu Liushuang asked, turning towards the entrance.
"These are winter snow peaches, a gift from a client company. They're from Shandong, and supposedly taste quite good," He Ming explained after his gaze lingered on the last page of the magazine for a long time.
The peaches were distributed in the afternoon, one for each employee in the audit department. In the past, he would have given the gift box to Gu Xufeng without hesitation, so that he could take it home with him.
But today, he did not do so.
When he was leaving work, Gu Xufeng approached him with a grin, making a move to take the box of winter peaches. Without thinking, he slapped Gu Xufeng's hand away.
"What's wrong, Lao He? Don't you dislike fruit?" Gu Xufeng asked in surprise. "Tingting loves winter peaches! I'll bring some back for her."
"I'm taking this box home." He couldn't come up with a better reason right away, so he said, "To get some...vitamins."
Gu Xufeng awkwardly withdrew his hand, muttering to himself, "Why the sudden need for vitamin supplements? Didn't you send out winter peaches last year? I remember you said no one in your family ate them. Could it be... you've developed a liking for them now?"
His colleague's doubts reached his ears word for word, but he pretended not to hear them.
After finishing organizing the documents at hand, He Ming picked up the gift box and left work early.
The double-glazed windows kept out the howling north wind, making the room warm and cozy. The person nestled on the sofa, pretending to be engrossed in a book, was suddenly pulled back to reality by Zhu Liushuang's voice.
"Senior, the winter peaches smell so good! Crisp peaches are tastier than soft ones, would you like me to wash one for you?"
He Ming tossed the magazine aside, leaned back, and sank into the soft sofa. The overhead light was excessively gentle; even when he stared at it intently, it didn't feel harsh on his eyes.
"Okay, thank you." He probably prefers juicy peaches to crisp peaches.
However, none of this matters.
Zhu Liushuang enthusiastically picked out three greenish-red winter peaches and went into the kitchen. As soon as she turned on the tap, she began humming a little tune. She rubbed the peaches with her fingertips, washing away all the prickly fuzz on the peels.
It seems inconvenient to eat it with the skin on, so why don't you cut it up?
As she reached the kitchen doorway, she suddenly stopped, pondered for a few seconds, and then returned to the counter with the washed peaches in her hands.
Peeling, chopping, and plating – she did it all with practiced ease. As a skilled worker who enjoys making desserts, she deals with fruit countless times and has cut countless pieces of fruit.
However, she rarely handles peaches because the dense fuzz on their skin can prick her hands. Without disposable gloves, her palms would likely become red and itchy, just like when touching the skin of yams or taro.
She knew her delicate skin well; if her palms got really red, she would use a hairdryer to dry them, a method she had learned before, which usually helped. Tonight, she was lucky; her palms didn't show any signs of irritation until she left the kitchen.
Zhu Liushuang rubbed her fingertips together, and when she looked up again, she caught a glimpse of He Ming. He had changed his posture, casually crossing his long legs and leaning lazily back on the sofa. His off-white hoodie was loosely draped over his body, unlike his usual formal and serious appearance in a suit and tie.
Her breathing unconsciously softened, and she boldly gazed at him, carefully tracing his eyebrows and eyes.
The ink-black color blurred into a sharp arc on his beautiful brow bone, and several barely perceptible wrinkles piled up between his brows, as if he still found it difficult to relax even in his sleep.
Her gaze lingered, slowly moving down from the light blue depths of his eyes. She scrutinized him as if admiring a captivating treasure. Her eyes lingered on the straight corners of his mouth, and she frowned almost imperceptibly, a hint of heartache flashing in her eyes.
He must be exhausted after working overtime for days on end.
With his left hand hanging at his side, Zhu Liushuang felt a urge to lose control. She steadied herself and managed to suppress the urge to smooth the wrinkles between his brows.
With a "thud," the financial magazines scattered along the edge of the sofa fell to the floor.
She was startled and almost dropped the fruit plate in her hands.
Suddenly, He Ming lifted his eyelids, a thin layer of mist covering his dark pupils. The weariness on his face hadn't faded, and as he turned his head to look at her, his Adam's apple bobbed.
"Cut it into pieces? Actually, it doesn't have to be that complicated..." The man's hoarse voice trailed off with a nasal tone, making it indescribably sexy.
Zhu Liushuang braced herself to meet his dazed gaze and replied irrelevantly, "Senior, why don't you go to the bedroom to rest for a while? Sleeping on the sofa can easily cause a stiff neck."
A tiny electric current surged behind her ear, and she bent down to place the fruit plate on the coffee table.
"No, I have a DingTalk meeting later." He Ming propped himself up on the sofa cushions, using the support to sit up straight. "Are the peaches sweet?"
"I haven't tried it yet, but it smells delicious. Would you like to try a piece, senior?" Zhu Liushuang picked up a piece of peach with her fork, turned around and handed it to him.
The freshly picked winter peaches weren't very juicy, but their aroma was just as enticing as that of a ripe peach. He Ming leaned forward slightly and took the fork she offered. Under her quiet gaze, he swallowed a piece of peach.
After chewing a few times, the lingering fragrance on the lips and teeth was surprisingly good.
"Is it sweet?" The person sitting on the carpet stared at him expectantly, their almond-shaped eyes shining brighter than the crystal chandelier above their head.
He Ming's brows relaxed, and he said softly, "It's quite sweet, eat more." His gaze inadvertently swept over her fair and slender neck, the V-neck sweater trimmed with lace, as delicate and graceful as the curve of her collarbone.
His drowsiness vanished instantly. He stood up, his arm reaching over her narrow shoulder and straight to the coffee table. After picking up a slice of glistening peach, he tugged at his collar and, with his back to her, said, "I'm full."
Zhu Liushuang ate several pieces in succession, her mouth filled with the sweet taste of winter peaches. Seeing He Ming turn to leave, she called out to him with a thick tongue, "Senior, are you free this weekend?"
"Going to set up a stall at the night market?" My phone lit up at an inopportune moment; it was a weather forecast notification.
According to the Central Meteorological Observatory, a cold wave will hit starting tomorrow, with temperatures dropping by 4-5 degrees Celsius across southern regions. Strong winds and snowfall are possible in some mountainous areas.
"Whether or not we'll set up a stall is still uncertain..." Zhu Liushuang said ambiguously, stroking her chin.
“You…” He Ming cleared the notification bar, hesitating to speak.
She noticed the fleeting mist in the man's eyes, but Zhu Liushuang was puzzled. She naturally assumed his hesitation stemmed from his inability to get away, so she said understandingly, "If you're not available, then forget it. I can handle it myself."
She forced a smile, trying to hide her embarrassment: "I called you earlier, but it wasn't about the stall. My mom called today to ask if you wanted to come over for dinner tomorrow..." Her smile grew wider and wider, until it finally froze on her face.
"Excuse me, could you please tell Auntie that I have a dinner engagement tomorrow night?" He Ming thought for a moment and said, "As for Sunday, I'm free in the afternoon and evening."
Zhu Liushuang pondered his words for a long time before she realized what he meant. He meant that he was free on the weekend and could accompany her to set up a stall at the night market.
————
Zhu Liushuang had to work on Saturday, so she didn't linger in the living room that evening. After finishing a whole plate of winter peaches, she stretched contentedly, then washed the dishes and prepared to take a shower.
The master bedroom door remained firmly shut, with only occasional bursts of heated arguments and muffled coughs from a man coming from it; she guessed he was probably in a DingTalk meeting.
Zhu Liushuang stood at the door of the guest bathroom, listened for a while from a distance, but couldn't hear anything clearly, so she closed the door and went in to wash up.
The bathroom was filled with steam, and the warm water soothed her skin. She squeezed shower gel into her palm and gently rubbed her body as usual.
But for some reason, a faint, itchy stinging sensation arose where her fingertips touched. She subconsciously scratched it with her nails, but the more she scratched, the more obvious the symptoms became.
Could it be an allergic reaction to peach peels?
Zhu Liushuang rinsed off the foam haphazardly, ignoring the water droplets dripping from her body, and grabbed a bath towel to wrap herself in.
Surely I can't be that unlucky?
I didn't have any reaction when I was washing peaches, so why am I suddenly starting to itch now?
A painful itch spread from her chest to her neck, like countless tiny ants crawling on her skin, relentlessly gnawing at her flesh. Zhu Liushuang took off her bath towel, hurriedly changed into her pajamas, and opened the bathroom door while scratching the itch with her fingers.
A burst of steam escaped, mingled with the sweet scent of citrus. She decided to try her luck in the bedroom to see if she had brought any allergy medication. If not, she would have to go out and buy some.
Her thoughts were consumed by the persistent itch, and Zhu Liushuang was so engrossed in scratching her neck that she didn't notice He Ming, who was holding a glass and frowning at her just a few steps away.
"What's wrong?"
The sudden sound startled her, her fingertips gripping her collarbone, motionless. She looked up to meet his gaze, her long eyelashes glistening with tears, her eyes moist as she spoke.
"It might be... an allergic reaction." As she scratched, the top button of her cotton pajamas popped open, revealing a small patch of reddened skin.
"Don't move." He Ming put down the glass and strode over to her. He knelt down, his gaze lingering on her neck.
The man's warm breath was so close that Zhu Liushuang staggered half a step, her back hitting the wall.
"Senior... it shouldn't be serious, it's just a little itchy." She barely dared to breathe, her eyes fixed on the ground.
"What allergy?" The scent of camphor flowers mingled with the dampness on her body, brewing and fermenting with each breath.
“It might be peach skin.” He was still examining her neck with a serious expression, his eyes completely unwavering, but Zhu Liushuang instinctively wanted to back away. However, there was a wall behind her, leaving her nowhere to retreat, so she could only lower her eyes and endure the torment alone.
"It's hives; we can't rule out the possibility of acute urticaria." Although He Ming didn't learn medicine from his grandfather, he had been exposed to it since childhood and could identify some common ailments. "Let's go to the hospital."
The gaze that had been fixed on her shifted away, and Zhu Liushuang mumbled in a muffled voice, "It's just an allergy, nothing serious."
Why make a big deal out of a problem that can be solved with some medicine?
Moreover, it was late at night, and he had finally gotten some rest time. If he had to accompany her to the hospital again, going back and forth and causing her so much trouble... even if He Ming himself was willing, Zhu Liushuang would feel bad about it.
As she pondered, the man emphasized, "Liu Shuang, go back to your room and change your clothes. I'll take you to the hospital."
It was obvious that He Ming's voice was more serious than Jiang Cai's, which forced Zhu Liushuang to look up and face him directly.
"Going to the hospital is too much trouble. I'll go downstairs to the pharmacy and buy a bottle of cetirizine..."
His brows furrowed, but He Ming didn't budge. He stared silently at the lower half of her flushed face and said in a deep voice, "Acute allergies can also cause laryngeal edema, which in severe cases can lead to suffocation and shock. The hives on your neck have spread..."
Large welts of sweat connected on the woman's snow-white neck, with red marks from scratching scattered among them, leaving tiny bruises. He Ming couldn't bear to look any longer and raised his hand to grab the woman's stubborn wrist.
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Author's Note: When a lone man and woman live under the same roof, how can they not cross boundaries? [Cat emoji]
I experienced the crowds during the May Day holiday [shrug] and I'm back to being a good person!
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