Chapter 22
Josh seemed to have been burned.
"Josh, what do you think?"
On the first day of the new year, the bus was packed with people, and the two of them finally managed to find a place to sit down.
Upon hearing this, Josh didn't make a decision for him right away. Instead, he broke it down for him, explaining the pros and cons in detail.
Actually, the advantages definitely outweigh the disadvantages. "Choosing this major is indeed a good idea. Even if you don't work for him anymore, it won't be too difficult to find a job if you work hard."
"Furthermore, the current economic climate is not very good. If you can really learn something from their company during your university years, that knowledge will be useful anywhere."
She further analyzed, "As for Liu Weifeng, the reason I asked him for help back then was because I heard he was a very good person with principles. After so many years of contact, that's indeed the case. His wife is also a kind-hearted person at heart."
Chen Zhiyu: "Then I'll agree to it."
Seeing that he agreed without even thinking, Josh stopped him, saying, "Think about it carefully first. Anyway, there's still some time before your college entrance exam is over."
Chen Zhiyu said, "Actually, that major was indeed within my consideration range."
“There’s no need to rush into a decision. Maybe you’ll have a different idea after the college entrance exam.” Josh gave him a deep look and said, “If you just want to pay off your debts quickly, I advise you to think it over carefully. I can support you.”
Chen Zhiyu lowered his head and did not respond.
Thinking about the New Year's Eve party, Chen Zhiyu thought he had probably made up his mind.
Chen Zhiyu didn't want to bother her anymore, nor did he want to drag Qiao Xi down any further.
He wanted to grow up as quickly as possible.
After the New Year's Day holiday, Chen Zhiyu will have to wait until the winter vacation for another break.
In fact, it was only about a month, which passed in the blink of an eye. Just like that, Chen Zhiyu's senior year of high school was already halfway over.
As the New Year approaches, Josh and Chen Zhiyu, one a high school senior and the other a struggling office worker, have their holidays starting later than the other.
Josh won't get her holiday until the afternoon of the 29th of the twelfth lunar month, while Chen Zhiyu, a busy senior high school student, will only get his holiday two days earlier than her.
As the year draws to a close, the workload has clearly increased rather than decreased, leaving Josh so busy that she doesn't even have time to prepare for the New Year or clean the house. So when Chen Zhiyu came home for the holidays, he didn't rest that day and took on the entire task of cleaning the house.
He cleaned for a day and a half straight, until Josh went on vacation, with some finishing touches still left.
During the two days Chen Zhiyu was at home, he had already cleaned up the kitchen and bathroom, the two spaces most prone to grime. Now, all that was left was the living room and their respective bedrooms.
That day, after getting off work and having dinner with Chen Zhiyu, Josh also joined the cleaning operation.
Fortunately, the two of them are diligent in tidying up and have always kept the house very clean, so cleaning is not difficult.
The two of them first tidied up their own bedrooms.
Although the bedroom wasn't big, it could hold a lot of things. Taking advantage of this time, Josh simply tidied up all the things he didn't use before, throwing some away and discarding others, having a thorough and satisfying decluttering experience.
Josh first went through all the clothes in the closet from the inside out, then put them away neatly, and finally cleaned every nook and cranny of the bedroom.
When she finished tidying up and came to the living room, Chen Zhiyu was already cleaning the living room. Qiao Xi was surprised, "So fast? You've already tidied your own room?"
"Hmm, it's pretty easy to pack." Chen Zhiyu didn't have much personal luggage.
To avoid disturbing the downstairs neighbors, Chen Zhiyu had already moved the sofa out and cleaned it up early on. To be honest, there wasn't much room to clean.
Even so, it still took until after 9 p.m. to clean up.
After a hard day of cleaning, the two took showers one after the other. As usual, instead of going back to their rooms, they turned on the TV and comfortably sprawled out on the sofa in the living room to rest.
From then on, I finally began to enjoy the happiness that annual leave brought.
"I feel like I'm working harder during the New Year holiday than when I was at work." Josh stretched and leaned back lazily on the sofa. He had just taken a shower and felt much more relaxed and refreshed.
Chen Zhiyu took a shower before her and then sat on the sofa in the living room. His hair was short and didn't need a hairdryer; it dried quickly. He then casually lay down next to Qiao Xi.
They all stayed in the living room, and although they didn't really play together, they all tacitly agreed to stay in the living room for a while after taking a shower.
Even if they don't chat, they still keep each other company.
At first, the TV volume was kept low, and the two of them enjoyed the moment of quiet after a hard day's work.
In that instant, it felt like the whole world had quieted down, and their entire being was released. Josh and Chen Zhiyu enjoyed this comfort zone that belonged only to them.
But this wonderful feeling didn't last long.
The soundproofing in this house is so-so. When you're in the living room, you can't help but hear all sorts of people passing by on the stairs, and you can hear neighbors discussing things like what they're preparing for the New Year and whether their children are coming home.
Tomorrow is Lunar New Year's Eve, a time for family reunions. People will visit relatives and friends every now and then. Every year at this time, Aunt Li's house next door is always quite lively.
At this time of year, Aunt Li's husband would invite the elderly members of the family to stay at their home. Not only that, Aunt Li's son and his family, as well as her daughter, would also come back for the New Year.
It is a lively and bustling big family.
This year is no exception.
The joyful sounds of laughter and chatter drifted over the walls, filling the room with the lively sounds of clinking glasses and exchanging toasts from next door.
The living room seemed too quiet; it felt like you could hear an echo if you spoke loudly. Josh was afraid Chen Zhiyu would overthink it, so she turned up the TV volume.
The TV was showing a local station's Spring Festival Gala, and the audience's cheers filled the entire living room. Actually, the two of them didn't watch it closely; they just used it as background music to add some fun to their lives.
The two of them, one sitting and one lying down, stood guard in the living room.
Everyone does their own thing.
Even though she didn't pay attention, she could still hear the constant celebratory toasts. Josh looked down at Chen Zhiyu, who was lying next to her playing on his phone, and tried to comfort him, "Maybe in a few years, our house will be lively too."
Chen Zhiyu lay down next to Qiao Xi, his head half-resting on Qiao Xi's lap. Hearing this, he asked curiously, "Why do you say that?"
Josh replied matter-of-factly, "You'll bring your girlfriend, and I'll bring my boyfriend back for the New Year too."
Chen Zhiyu's gaze darkened. He didn't move his grip on the phone, but his right hand tightened its grip slightly. His voice mingled with the sound of the lock screen button, and he said in a calm tone, "No."
"What can't you do?" Josh asked, puzzled.
Chen Zhiyu was silent for a moment, not answering her question first, but finally asking the doubt that had been bothering him for a long time, "You...you have your boyfriend?"
“No, I meant later.” Josh didn’t notice the caution in Chen Zhiyu’s question.
Relieved to have received the answer he wanted, Chen Zhiyu said, "I think it's fine for just the two of us to spend the New Year together."
After saying that, Chen Zhiyu put down his phone, pursed his lips, rested his head on her thigh, and looked up at her.
Josh had just finished showering, and his hair was only half-dry. The strands were slightly curled, and his long, damp hair hung in front of his eyes.
Chen Zhiyu stared intently at that spot, surrounded by the pleasant scent of white tea and shampoo, which was very comforting and relaxing.
Chen Zhiyu reached out and twirled the damp ends of his hair in front of his eyes, retorting in a low voice, "I don't like crowds."
Upon hearing his words, Josh suddenly turned to look at him. As she did so, the cool ends of her hair slipped from his grasp and gently brushed against his forehead.
Chen Zhiyu subconsciously closed his eyes.
Seeing this, Josh reached out to wipe him, his fingertips gently tracing over Chen Zhiyu's skin, brushing against his cool forehead with warmth before withdrawing for a moment.
Faced with this sudden intimacy, Chen Zhiyu greedily wanted more and longer, and without thinking, he grabbed her hand.
Josh's hand was also slightly damp and soft, held tightly in his dry, large palm.
Josh was startled, looked down, and followed his own hand to see Chen Zhiyu's hand holding his.
Chen Zhiyu's fingers had prominent knuckles and the veins on the back of his hands were bulging. His hands were very beautiful. This was the first thought that came to Josh's mind after observing his hands up close for the first time.
His hand was a whole size bigger than his own.
It was at this moment that Josh suddenly realized that the boy in front of him was no longer the little kid who was a few centimeters shorter than him.
Chen Zhiyu, who used to cry all the time and couldn't stop, has now become a tall and straight young man.
By the time she realized it, her palm was already pressed against his. Chen Zhiyu's palm was dry and warm. Their hands were intimately pressed together, feeling the lines of his palm imprinted on hers.
Josh looked away, his gaze wandering before finally settling on his face.
Chen Zhiyu lay flat on his back. Because he had just washed his hair, his smooth bangs were all swept back, revealing his delicate eyebrows and full forehead.
This was the first time Josh had noticed his changes so carefully, using the same perspective he uses to look at someone his own age.
He doesn't look like her damn brother-in-law Chen Zhibin at all.
When Chen Zhiyu wasn't smiling, his features were cold and stern, his eyes like spring rain, carrying a hint of chill. His gaze was deep, sometimes unfathomable, and even somewhat oppressive.
Sensing Josh's gaze, Chen Zhiyu's eyes met hers. When he saw Josh, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, revealing a hint of roguishness, and his rain-filled eyes immediately cleared up.
A youthful and healing aura.
Josh's breath hitched for a moment, then his gaze shifted again.
His facial bone structure was three-dimensional, with a high nose bridge and sharp lines. When he looked at his Adam's apple, Josh seemed to be burned and turned his head away, no longer looking.
The sounds of laughter from next door continued, drowning out the sound from the television.
On the television, the Spring Festival Gala was in its final stages. The hosts were giving New Year's greetings, wishing the audience a happy new year. Amidst the chaotic sounds, Josh could clearly feel his heart pounding erratically.
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