Chapter 148 Couple Tattoos
In early September, Lin Yu took stock of the funds in her account and found that it was enough to pay back the two huge sums of money Jiang Chuan had previously spent on her.
She roughly calculated the total amount and transferred the money to a separate bank card. She deliberately chose a weekend when both of them were home and placed the card on the table in his study.
Jiang Chuan was sitting in front of his computer processing work emails when he was interrupted by the sudden noise. He looked up and saw Lin Yu standing menacingly in the light and shadow in front of the blinds.
He was taken aback for a moment, and after seeing the bank card on the table, his eyes gradually became playful.
Jiang Chuan's lips curled up slightly. He rested one elbow on the armrest, lightly tapping his temple with two fingers. His gaze lingered on her for a full half minute, as if he were watching some interesting performance.
"What's going on this time?" he asked slowly, his tone clearly mocking. "What new script has our Director Lin gotten this time?"
Recalling the intertwined fingertips under the dim light and the blush-inducing whispers, Lin Yu's face flushed instantly. "Shut up!"
She grabbed the stack of documents on the table, threatening to hurl them, her voice tinged with embarrassment and annoyance. "You should really let all your colleagues at the firm see this. The seemingly upright and virtuous Attorney Jiang in their eyes is actually such a scoundrel behind the scenes!"
Jiang Chuan stopped her from gripping the document, chuckled softly, and raised an eyebrow at her. "So? Is this my betrothal gift for marrying into the Lin family?"
"Dream on!" Lin Yu laughed and scolded, "This is to repay the money you paid for renting an apartment and buying a car for me before."
"Why are you suddenly making such a clear distinction?" Jiang Chuan was amused by her earnestness. "What? The company has just turned a profit and you're already planning to abandon me, a startup employee? President Lin, you've really hurt my feelings."
Lin Yu was instantly amused by his twisted argument and burst out laughing. She simply crossed her arms and went along with his plan.
"So what if it is?" she drawled, her tone carrying three parts provocation and seven parts joke, glancing at Jiang Chuan's feigned aggrieved expression.
"Spending too much time with men slows down my sword-drawing speed. So I think it's necessary to reassess our partnership."
"Cooperation?" Jiang Chuan repeated meaningfully, his gaze fixed on her lips, which were so close to his. "Then, Ms. Lin, when do you plan to... have some deeper business discussions with your partners?"
"Pah, shameless!" Lin Yu's heart skipped a beat, but she still wouldn't admit defeat, tilting her chin up to meet his amused gaze. "President Jiang, please be a little more professional and show some respect for independent women!"
"Oh..." Jiang Chuan chuckled softly, his tone teasing, "May I ask, Ms. Lin, who is so independent, are you also planning to be self-reliant tonight?"
"Hey!" Lin Yu instantly understood his implied meaning, feeling both embarrassed and annoyed. "Jiang Chuan! You're twisting the facts! Don't you understand that one thing at a time?"
"I belong to you completely, so naturally my money belongs to you too."
Jiang Chuan leaned back, sinking into the chair, the leather seat creaking slightly. He crossed his arms, gazing at her with a faint smile in his eyes.
"What I want to sign with you is a lifetime contract."
These words warmed Lin Yu's heart.
She was not indifferent to Jiang Chuan's efforts, nor was she unmoved. It was precisely because of this that she cherished this friendship even more.
She wanted to face the storms with him, rather than always hiding under his wing and becoming someone who needed his constant protection.
"So if that's the case, what's yours is mine, and what's mine is yours! So stop pushing it around and just accept it."
Unable to refuse Jiang Chuan's kind offer, he thought for a moment and then suggested, "How about this, consider this money as my investment capital. You can register my name in the company, and I'll offer a 20% discount on all your legal consultations. How does that sound?"
"What?" Lin Yu didn't react for a moment, and subconsciously asked, "I have to pay to consult you?"
"Who was it that just now patted their chest and said they wanted to be an independent woman?" Jiang Chuan raised an eyebrow to remind her, then slowly added, "Besides, didn't all the money I earned end up in your pocket in the end? You can do the math yourself."
Lin Yu stood there pondering for a while before finally realizing what he meant, and suddenly looked up. "You're really cunning!"
"So now you think I'm too old?" Jiang Chuan seemed to have been hit where it hurt. He immediately got up from his chair and walked over to Lin Yu in a few steps.
He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her tightly into his embrace, and held her chin, then lowered his head and gently bit her lips.
"...Looks like you haven't done enough homework last night. How about coming back to the room with me now and reviewing it all again?"
"No, it's broad daylight..." Lin Yu tried to push him away, but her body still lingered in his embrace.
“Daytime is perfect.” He deliberately lowered his voice, his warm breath brushing against her burning earlobe. “The light is good, you can see more clearly.”
Jiang Chuan has become increasingly difficult for her to handle lately; he can steer the conversation off-topic in less than three sentences.
Recalling how he had kept her up until midnight last night, her cheeks instantly turned as red as fire. She quickly broke free from his embrace and dashed away, laughing and begging for mercy as she ran.
"I was wrong, I was wrong! You are in the prime of your life! Forever eighteen! No younger brother can compare to you in the slightest!"
Seeing her flustered and cowardly appearance, Jiang Chuan leaned against the door frame and laughed heartily.
In the end, he did not accept the money. Considering that the team was in a critical period of business expansion, Lin Yu did not insist, respected his decision, and invested all the funds into the company's operations.
Part of the funds were used to support new technology research and development, and the other part was used for recruitment. The two agreed to discuss the matter further when the profits were distributed at the end of the year.
......
Lin Yu finally finalized the design for their matching tattoos with Jiang Chuan the day before her 28th birthday.
Knowing that her painting skills were limited, she made a special trip to Lin Jing and explained her ideas to her sister in detail.
Lin Jing carefully designed several proposals, taking into account the experiences and personalities of the two individuals. Ultimately, they chose the design that they both fell in love with at first sight.
A red sun is supported by black ink waves, each character taken from the other's name. The image is clean, with simple and smooth lines.
It was as if Lin Yu had completely merged his bright and passionate self into Jiang Chuan's world. And those surging waves further demonstrated his unending and surging love for her.
This profound meaning of mutual enhancement allows the Zen-like beauty of the entire tattoo design to be brought to its fullest expression.
The two spent a long time searching on the platform before finally finding a studio hidden in an old alley.
The boss was a quiet young woman with black-rimmed glasses and short, ear-length hair; she looked as pretty as a high school student. Despite being a tattoo artist, she herself was always impeccably clean, giving her a unique, punk-like quality.
The girl was sitting at the table adjusting the machine when she heard the noise. She looked up at them, holding the tattoo needle between her fingers.
“Sit down.” She gestured to the leather chair next to the workbench.
Lin Yu handed over the pre-printed pattern and briefly explained its meaning to her.
The girl took the blueprint, spread it out on the workbench, examined it carefully under the light, then looked up at the two people in front of her and pointed at it with her finger.
"It suits you very well."
"Thank you." Lin Yu smiled and nodded.
The girl didn't say anything, but simply took her wrist and looked at it. "To cover the scar?"
Lin Yu leaned closer. "Yes, use the lines of ocean waves to cover this area." He then nudged Jiang Chuan beside him with his shoulder. "The same goes for his."
The girl nodded and turned to prepare. After mixing the ink, she changed to a new needle tip and attached it to the tattoo machine, then tested the speed.
Lin Yu suddenly felt a belated sense of fear. Noticing her nervousness, Jiang Chuan hooked her wrist, pressed his thumb against her rapidly throbbing blue veins, and gently comforted her, "Don't be afraid, I'll go first."
He rolled up his sleeves to his elbows, revealing his well-defined forearms. A pale pink old scar ran across it, a mark left by T to protect her years ago; so much time had passed without him realizing it.
Jiang Chuan rested his left arm on the workbench, started the tattoo machine, and the needle tip traced the pre-transferred outline of the waves.
The dark lines seeped into the skin, gradually covering the old scar. It was as if the pain of the past was being recast by the love of the present, transforming into a unique and intimate mark between the two.
Lin Yu turned to look at Jiang Chuan, gazing at his calm profile and relaxed eyes, and the tension in his heart gradually dissipated.
More than forty minutes later, the pattern on Jiang Chuan's forearm finally took shape.
The girl used saline solution to wipe away the excess color, applied a layer of clear repair cream to the red and swollen skin, and then gently placed a piece of plastic wrap on it, instructing, "Don't get it wet, remember to change it tomorrow."
When it was Lin Yu's turn, Jiang Chuan considerately sat down next to her, took her hand, and intertwined their fingers.
As the needle rose and fell, the gentle waves covered the childhood trauma. The pain continued, and she sat under the glaring light, sweating profusely from the pain, yet she also felt a strange healing power in it.
It felt as if the burden in my heart was being released and detached little by little along with the physical pain.
She recalled the night in Feicheng when she opened her heart to him, and how those buried memories and hidden pains were now completely illuminated by the warm sunlight.
A few hours later, the two walked out of the tattoo shop and sat on a bench by the roadside to rest.
Lin Yu raised his wrist and gently placed it on Jiang Chuan's forearm. In the sunlight, the two patterns, one large and one small, echoed each other.
"There's no washing it off now." She looked up at him, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Regret it?"
Jiang Chuan's fingertips gently brushed against Lin Yu's cheek, his voice low and warm. "My only regret now is not getting it tattooed in a more conspicuous place."
"Where would you like it tattooed?" She tilted her head slightly, tracing the outline of his collarbone in the air. "Here?" Then, she ran the back of her finger across the skin of his neck. "Or...here?"
"Whatever you want," Jiang Chuan replied softly. He reached out and gently squeezed Lin Yu's fingertips, then took her hand and pressed it tightly against his heart.
A steady, powerful pulse came from beneath her palm, striking her hand again and again. "But perhaps, it's still too shallow."
Lin Yu flipped her wrist and intertwined her fingers with his. "Jiang Chuan," she whispered, "this is the best birthday gift I've ever received."
"It's my pleasure." Jiang Chuan took her hand to his lips and gently kissed it. "Happy birthday, Banban."
"I'm suddenly so hungry!" Lin Yu looked up, meeting his downcast gaze, and smiled in response. "On such an important day, shouldn't you treat your birthday person to a bowl of longevity noodles?"
"Let's go." Jiang Chuan leaned down, his nose brushing against her temple, and a gentle kiss landed on her forehead. "Let's go pick up the cake first, and then we'll buy some ingredients at the supermarket." He took Lin Yu's hand. "Then we'll go home and I'll show you what I can do."
"You're going to cook? Today?" Lin Yu looked up, her eyes lighting up, and instinctively hugged his arm tightly.
Jiang Chuan looked at her excited expression and chuckled as he pinched the tip of her nose. "No, it's every single day from now on."
A gentle breeze swept by, as if the city's hustle and bustle had been silenced.
At this moment, the only things left in the world were the mingling of our breaths, the rustling of leaves in the wind, and the newly formed marks on our skin that seemed destined to exist from the beginning.
......
During Monday morning's meeting, Jiang Chuan sat by the window, flipping through project documents his secretary had just printed. Suddenly, a hand reached out from the side and pressed down on his wrist as he turned the pages.
As soon as she looked up, she met Zhang Hengyuan's mocking gaze.
He held a cup of Americano, leaned closer, and his thumb brushed against a small patch of tattoo peeking out from Jiang Chuan's sleeve. "What's going on with this?"
Jiang Chuan continued working, his gaze still fixed on the documents, his tone calm. "Have you sorted out the case file analysis? You still have the leisure to stare at me."
"Why analyze the case files? Let's analyze you first!" Zhang Hengyuan put the coffee on the table and reached out to tug at his sleeve.
The moment his sleeve was pushed up, Zhang Hengyuan scoffed and raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "You're really something, aren't you? Playing such tricks behind people's backs?"
"Envious?" Jiang Chuan pulled his wrist back slightly. "It's just a pity your love life has a short shelf life; I'm afraid you won't have that chance."
"After all, explaining the origin of a tattoo to different girlfriends can be a bit of a hassle!"
"Don't hide! Let me take another look." Zhang Hengyuan ignored his teasing, gripped his forearm tightly, and lowered his head to examine him carefully.
A moment later, he suddenly pointed to his temple on his wrist bone, his voice rising slightly. "Isn't this a bit too obvious?"
"A serious relationship." Jiang Chuan finally looked up, glancing at him with a half-smile. "Who do I need to pretend to be reserved for?"
"Great, great." Zhang Hengyuan patted his shoulder heavily and laughed loudly, "I never thought you'd have a day like this."
Taking advantage of the moment when he loosened his grip, Jiang Chuan withdrew his hand and rolled down his sleeve. "If you like, come to my office after the meeting, and I'll draw one for you with a marker."
“Draw a line,” a colleague chimed in with a laugh. “Otherwise, at the rate Yuan changes girlfriends, he could be running for chief in an African tribe in less than six months!”
"Get lost!" Zhang Hengyuan laughed and cursed, then grabbed an empty folder from the table and threw it at him. "They all like me, what can I do? I'm just too soft-hearted, I can't stand seeing girls cry for me."
His colleagues teased him, saying, "Brother Yuan, you're not dating, you're clearly doing charity!"
A murmur of laughter filled the conference room. Jiang Chuan glanced at him, then calmly added, "Being soft-hearted is a problem. I suggest you see a cardiologist and get intervention as soon as possible, don't delay treatment."
"...You little brat!" Zhang Hengyuan was momentarily speechless, and everyone burst into laughter. Amidst the commotion, Jiang Chuan calmly buttoned up his cuffs.
......
Lin Yu, whose wrist had just recovered from the swelling, couldn't wait to take a picture of the tattoo and send it to the family group chat with his peers.
Originally, the group only contained Qi Sheng and Zou Lang, but Qi Sheng was never one to speak much, and Zou Lang had been busy with his studies lately, making Lin Yu act like a schizophrenic, constantly talking to herself in the group. After thinking it over, she simply added Lin Kang and Lin Jing to the group as well.
As the designer of the original design, Lin Jing was the first to reply. "It's really great, the actual product is even more stunning than the design draft! I think our studio should definitely consider starting a custom tattoo design service."
Zou Lang, who was studying in the library, also popped up. "Haha, officially confirmed! Now my brother-in-law is completely out of my sister's clutches!"
Seeing the string of praise scrolling across the screen, Lin Yu's mouth almost stretched to his ears in a wide grin. Just then, Qi Sheng's voice message popped up.
She casually tapped the phone, and the sound of a horse-drawn horn rang out, mixed with his usual irritating tone.
"Wow, that's great! My family has been raising pigs for so many years, and they've finally been successfully sold. The quarantine stamp has been put on."
"Bro, did you swallow a motorcycle whole or did you get altitude sickness from being in Yunnan?" Lin Yu instantly switched into battle mode and retorted without any politeness: "Why are you pretending to have a bubbly voice?"
Qi Sheng responded even faster, another voice message popping up. "Next time you have this kind of need, don't waste your money, just come to me directly. I'll use a compass to carve Jiang Chuan's name on your forehead, I guarantee it'll be a perfect replica."
“Haha, I understand how it feels to not get official certification. Be patient, bro…” Lin Yu typed a few words and sent them. He added at the end, “Look at your voice… are you about to have a heart attack from all this?”
"How about I send you some dried sea buckthorn fruit to clear away all your resentment?"
The group chat was silent for a moment, and Qi Sheng, unusually, didn't reply. After a while, a rain of red envelopes suddenly appeared on the screen.
Lin Yu was quick and agile, grabbing the most. Seeing the unexpected windfall in her WeChat wallet, she immediately put on a fawning expression.
"My dear brother, you must be tired from your trip! Remember to rest if your throat is sore. Your sister is happy to serve you and bring you tea and water!"
Finally, he added a silly emoji of a child looking up and staring at the wind. "Don't forget to say hello to Xinpeng for me, and don't forget to bring back some flower cakes!"
"Don't try to drug me, I'm not falling for that." Qi Sheng replied coldly. "Take the money and go play somewhere else, don't bother me."
Lin Jing and Zou Lang, having received red envelopes, followed Lin Yu, expressing their gratitude profusely. Even Lin Kang, who had been lurking in the shadows, was brought to the surface. "??? Qi Sheng, are you targeting me? Taking advantage of my time difference?"
Then another message came: "I only accept US dollars. You can calculate the exchange rate yourself, just don't make me lose too much money. Thank you, Mr. Qi. @Qi Sheng"
"You haven't had enough of taking advantage, have you?" Qi Sheng said succinctly. "Go take another nap, I'll imprint it on you in my dreams."
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