First meeting
In the "Lanyue Bay" on a midsummer afternoon, cicadas are chirping loudly and the air is so thick that it seems like water can be squeezed out of it.
Wen Lingyi leaned against the carved iron gate of her home, a slender woman's cigarette between her fingers. The smoke curled up, but it couldn't dispel the melancholy in her heart. She was about to send off her best friend Su Qing, the younger sister of her husband Su Zhe, who had been in a marriage of convenience.
"...So my brother will be back from Europe next month, and you two have to rehearse your 'loving couple' scenes in advance." Su Qing's voice was full of her usual teasing, bringing Wen Lingyi's thoughts back from their wandering state.
"I understand." Wen Lingyi responded lazily, her eyes aimlessly sweeping across the meticulously trimmed lawn and the shimmering artificial lake in the distance.
Her life, like this carefully designed yet lifeless landscape, is exquisite, decent, and stagnant.
"Hey! Lingyi! Are you listening to me?" Su Qing waved her hand in front of her with dissatisfaction.
Wen Lingyi was about to say something perfunctory when her peripheral vision was suddenly caught by two figures on the main road of the community.
There are two maintenance workers.
There was an old master in front, walking a little unsteadily.
What attracted Wen Lingyi's full attention was the tall figure behind him.
Her chestnut hair was meticulously tied into a tight, round bun, firmly pinned at the back of her head, revealing her smooth, full forehead and slender neck.
The sun shone generously on her, giving her healthy wheat-colored skin a honey-like golden luster.
The cuffs of the work clothes are neatly rolled up to the elbows, revealing two arms with tight lines and full of power.
She was carrying a half-worn toolbox, and every step she took was filled with vigorous, unpolished vitality, which was out of tune with the luxurious yet dull environment of Lanyue Bay.
Wen Lingyi paused as she shook off the cigarette ash from her fingers.
Su Qing was still chattering about Su Zhe's schedule, but her voice seemed to be blurred by a layer of frosted glass.
They walked to the central fountain square.
The gorgeous European-style fountain is quiet at this moment, with only a shallow layer of water at the bottom of the pool reflecting the dazzling light.
The young female maintenance worker suddenly stopped, pointed to an inconspicuous corner on the edge of the fountain, and said something to the old master in front of her.
The sound was a little far away and could not be heard clearly, but the clear and slightly sweet sound, like a cool breeze in summer, unexpectedly penetrated the cicada's chirping and entered Wen Lingyi's ears.
She put down the toolbox, knelt on one knee with swift movements, and went to the corner to check.
The sunlight outlined the lines of her bent back. Under the stiff fabric, her shoulder blades rose and fell slightly with her movements, as smooth as the wings of a butterfly about to take flight.
The half-kneeling posture makes the dark blue overalls tight at the thighs, clearly outlining the powerful waist and hip curves, which are firm, full, and full of explosive power.
She raised her arm and casually wiped the sweat rolling down her forehead with her rolled-up sleeve.
This action lifted the hem of the work clothes a little, revealing a strong, thin and flexible waist, and the tight abdominal muscles were faintly visible.
As if she had confirmed the problem, she turned her head and said something to the master who was handing her the tools.
The moment she turned her head, Wen Lingyi saw her face clearly.
It was an extremely clean face, even a little childish.
In the strong sunlight, her large, clear eyes shone as if filled with broken stars, startlingly bright. Sweat trickled down her full forehead, across her straight nose, and finally hung on her chin, about to drip.
She smiled at the people around her, without any defense, pure and brilliant. With the corners of her mouth wide open, two small canine teeth could be seen, dazzlingly white in the sunlight.
So sweet... like a child who knows nothing about the world.
She took a large screwdriver and gripped the handle tightly with her fingers. Because of the force, the smooth muscles on her forearm instantly tightened, and the blue veins bulged slightly, winding under the wheat-colored skin, full of primitive power.
Beads of sweat the size of beans slid down her taut jawline, rolled over her slender neck, and finally disappeared deep into her neckline, forming a pool of sweat.
Above her head was a dense camphor tree. The sunlight penetrated the layers of branches and leaves, casting swaying, fragmented spots of light on her.
Especially on the sweaty skin on the back of her neck, the spots of light swayed gently with the breeze and her movements, as if kissing the area soaked in sunlight and sweat.
In just a few minutes, she tightened the last screw neatly, stood up, and dusted off her hands.
There is a sense of efficiency and freedom in his movements.
She casually pulled the black hairband from her bun, and her thick chestnut curly hair instantly cascaded down like a waterfall, spreading over her shoulders and shining warmly in the sunlight.
She shook her head, her hair flying, and she showed the master that brilliant smile again, her white fangs flashing.
At that moment, Su Qing's voice disappeared completely.
The noisy chirping of cicadas, the dim light of the fountain, and even the scorching sun overhead seemed to be blocked by an invisible barrier.
In Wen Lingyi's eyes, the only thing left was the female maintenance worker standing by the fountain, her chestnut curly hair swinging and her smile as bright as the sun.
His breathing was slightly choked, and his fingertips unconsciously dug deep into his tender palms, leaving several clear crescent-shaped marks.
I really want to...make that smile make me cry.
This idea was wild and direct, and it was inconsistent with the gentle personality she had always carefully maintained, which even surprised her for a moment.
That waist... the lines are stretched taut when exerting force. I want to use my palm to feel the arc of each contraction.
The way beads of sweat…roll into the hollow of my collarbone, they look like melted amber. I want to catch them on my tongue and taste what they are like.
The forearm was tense... the bulging veins throbbing beneath the tan skin. I wanted to use my lips to measure its surging warmth and strength inch by inch.
Long and powerful legs... When they kneel down on the waist, can the power that erupts easily crush all rationality?
Wen Lingyi's peach blossom eyes, which usually showed affection and smile, were now bottomless.
The desire that had been dormant for so long that one even thought it had died was easily ignited by this walking sun.
"Hey! Wen Lingyi!" Su Qing finally noticed her abnormality and followed her almost frozen gaze, which fell on Zhou Jianxing who was packing up his tools and preparing to leave.
Su Qing's eyes flashed with understanding and mischief. She nudged Wen Lingyi with her elbow, "Hey~ What are you looking at? Your eyes are almost popping out of your head. Tsk tsk, how rare is it that our Miss Wen also stares at someone with her eyes wide open? And at a... female maintenance worker?"
She deliberately drew out the tone with a hint of sarcasm.
Wen Lingyi came back to her senses instantly, and the flawless mask of gentleness covered her face again.
She flicked the ash gracefully, a faint smile curling up the corners of her lips. Her voice remained in that lazy, hoarse tone, without a trace of emotion. "What nonsense. I just thought... that girl was quite capable at her job."
He denied it lightly, but his eyes swept over the company logo embroidered on the chest of Zhou Jianxing's work clothes again without leaving a trace - a clear "Schindler Maintenance" logo.
Su Qing obviously didn't believe it and sneered: "Come on! Don't I know you? Didn't you start with the same look when you looked at that person back then? What was the result?"
She mentioned Wen Lingyi's past that ended in betrayal with a meaningful look.
The smile on Wen Lingyi's face faded a little, and a very fast and cold dark light flashed in his eyes.
Ex-girlfriend? A person who had long been swept into the garbage heap of memory.
"It's all so old, why bring it up again?" She stubbed out her cigarette, her tone flat, as if to end the conversation. "Well, don't you still have to go for the spa? Go ahead, don't be late."
Seeing her slightly cold expression, Su Qing knew that she had touched her forbidden zone, and curled her lips: "Okay, let's not talk about it. Then I'll go first, and we'll make an appointment later." She waved her hand, turned and walked towards her sports car.
Wen Lingyi stood there, still maintaining a decent smile on her face, watching Su Qing's car drive away. Only after the car disappeared around the corner did the gentle mask on her face slowly fade away.
My eyes turned to the fountain square again. It was empty, with only sunlight dancing on the open space.
·
Mrs. Wang, the most gossipy and enthusiastic neighbor in the community, was sitting under a parasol in her garden arranging flowers.
"Sister Wang, good afternoon." Wen Lingyi's flawless, gentle smile returned to her face, and her voice returned to its gentle, dripping tone. "I just saw a female maintenance worker fixing the fountain's landscape lights. She looked very quick and professional. Is she a new hire for the property management?"
When Mrs. Wang saw that it was Wen Lingyi, she immediately put down her scissors enthusiastically. "Oh, it's Mrs. Wen! You mean that tall girl with curly hair? That's Engineer Zhou! I think her name was Zhou Jianxing or something like that?"
She showed admiration on her face: "This girl is amazing! Don't look at her young age, her skills are top-notch! She is also hardworking and down-to-earth!"
"Oh? So amazing?" Wen Lingyi showed just the right amount of surprise and curiosity at the right time, and gently twisted the edge of her silk skirt with her fingertips.
"That's right!" Mrs. Wang, now in the mood for conversation, leaned in closer and raised her voice. "You've only just moved in, haven't you? Remember that torrential downpour last month in July? So much lightning and thunder! A transformer outside a building in the complex was struck by lightning, and the entire unit lost power! Even the repair truck couldn't get in! Guess what happened?"
Mrs. Wang kept it a secret, and only continued when she saw Wen Lingyi's focused eyes: "It was this young Engineer Zhou. Without saying a word, he tied a safety rope around his waist and hung on the outer wall of the 15th floor! He replaced the transformer in the midst of a violent storm! My God, we were watching from below at the time, our hearts were in our throats! That scene, wow, it's really not something that an ordinary person can do! It's dangerous and requires skills! This girl is brave and careful, that's it!" Mrs. Wang gave a thumbs up.
Hanging from the outer wall of the 15th floor... with a safety rope around my waist... braving the raging wind and rain...
High in the sky, the wind and rain are blowing.
Strength and fearlessness, these qualities are strangely combined with the image of a man with a bright smile and a bit of naivety in the sun just now, forming an even more deadly attraction.
"So... you're so amazing." Wen Lingyi's voice was still gentle, with just the right amount of admiration. In her deep peach blossom eyes, there was a strong, crazy undercurrent.
She got the key information: Zhou Jianxing. Schindler repair.
"Yes, yes! If anything breaks at home in the future, you can always go to Engineer Zhou!" Mrs. Wang continued to recommend enthusiastically.
Wen Lingyi smiled and nodded in response: "Yes. Thank you, Sister Wang." She stood up gracefully and said goodbye.
Returning to the empty and cold living room, she walked straight to the huge floor-to-ceiling window, her eyes sweeping across the exquisite yet silent garden outside the window, finally landing on the newly repaired fountain in the distance.
The fountain was now gushing clear water, reflecting tiny rainbows in the sunlight.
He picked up the phone and gently stroked the cool screen with his fingertips.
A lazy and hoarse voice sounded in the silent room:
"Hello, Xunda, are you doing maintenance? I'm Wen Lingyi from Building 7, Area A, Lanyue Bay. The crystal chandelier in my living room seems to have some loose connections, and a few of the bulbs aren't always bright enough. Could you please get a skilled technician to come take a look?"
She paused and added clearly:
"By the way, I heard... you have a worker here named Zhou Jianxing, and he's very skilled?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
