Chapter 18
The morning sun shone gently through the gaps in the undrawn curtains onto the messy little bed. Ling Peng's biological clock caused him to wake up at his usual time. The moment he regained consciousness, he was startled by the real weight in his arms and the soft breathing beside his ears.
He tilted his head to see Zhao Jinglu's peaceful face resting on his arm, her eyelashes like two small fans casting a faint shadow under her eyes. She was sound asleep. Her presence was so real, with a warm body temperature and a faint fragrance, filling every corner of this rental house where he had lived for so long but always felt it was only a temporary residence.
An unprecedented feeling of solidity and fulfillment instantly enveloped him. No longer was it empty and desolate, no longer facing the silence of four walls after work. The sun, and she, were both there. For the first time, this room felt unmistakably like "home."
He was very careful, afraid of waking her up, so he just tightened his arms slightly, holding her more tightly in his arms. He bent down and gently kissed the top of her head, then closed his eyes contentedly, enjoying this belated, ultimate peace and happiness.
Last night's intense and passionate sex had exhausted both of their energy, leaving them with barely time to exchange a single word. Now, in the morning light, Ling Peng slowly recalled yesterday's astonishing surprise.
The person in her arms moved, as if he had woken up. She opened her eyes drowsily, met his deep, smiling eyes, and her cheeks instantly flushed. She subconsciously wanted to shrink back into the quilt, but Ling Peng smiled and hugged her.
"Are you feeling shy now? Who was so brave as to come here alone yesterday?" His voice was hoarse from waking up in the morning and full of doting.
Zhao Jinglu buried her face in his chest, smiled sullenly, then raised her head, her eyes sparkling with a hint of pride: "Surprise?"
"I was so frightened I nearly had a heart attack." Ling Peng pinched her nose, feeling both apprehensive and delighted. "What were you thinking? How dare you come here alone? Did you tell your family?"
"I told them... I'm going to participate in a dance competition out of town," Zhao Jinglu whispered, her eyes a little vague. "It'll only be a few days..."
Ling Peng frowned immediately, his tone filled with seriousness and fear: "Zhao Jinglu! You are really... too brave! What if something happens on the way? You are unfamiliar with the place, you get lost or meet bad guys..."
Seeing that he was truly worried, Zhao Jinglu quickly hugged his waist, raised her face and acted coquettishly, her voice soft and sweet: "Oh, it's not lost! Look, I'm here fine, isn't it? This shows that God is moved by my sincerity and will bless me!"
Seeing her acting so naughty and cute, Ling Peng's worries and the need to teach her a lesson instantly vanished. He could only sigh helplessly and ruffle her hair vigorously. "Don't do this next time! You must tell me in advance if you're coming, and I'll pick you up. Do you understand?"
"I know, I know!" Zhao Jinglu responded with a smile, obviously not taking it too seriously, enjoying the long-lost embrace.
After a while of cuddling, Zhao Jinglu got up and went to wash up. Standing at the sink, she brushed her teeth while curiously surveying the space filled with traces of Ling Peng's life. Her eyes swept across the shower shelf and she saw a strange transparent tubular container. Holding her toothbrush in her mouth, she pointed at it and asked vaguely, "Ling Peng, what's that for? It looks weird."
Ling Peng, who was leaning against the door frame looking at her, had an extremely unnatural embarrassment flash across his face when he heard the words. He rushed in, snatched the thing away and stuffed it into the cabinet next to him. His movements were so fast that they were almost as fast as the wind.
"Don't pry into a man's secrets." He pretended to be calm, but his ears were a little red.
Zhao Jinglu froze with her toothbrush in her mouth. She blinked a few times, looking at his unusual flustered expression. Suddenly, a flash of lightning flashed through her mind. When she entered the house yesterday, he seemed to have hurriedly tidied the room...
Could it be... that what we dealt with yesterday were also these kinds of "men's secrets"?
"Ah!" She understood something instantly, her cheeks suddenly turned red, even her neck was dyed pink, and she almost choked on the foam in her mouth. She quickly turned around and brushed her teeth fiercely in front of the sink, not daring to look at him again.
Ling Peng looked at her red ears and flustered movements and couldn't help but chuckle. He felt embarrassed but also thought her reaction was adorable.
The next few days were an unprecedented experience for Ling Peng.
He still went to work every day, but his mood was completely different. No longer mechanically completing tasks, he was filled with anticipation, eager for the end of the day. When the time came, he would immediately shut down his computer and leave, taking a detour to a food stall he'd seen on Dianping. He'd buy her something she might like, and then, almost eagerly, he'd rush back to "home."
Because someone was waiting for him at home.
Opening the door, she saw that familiar figure, either curled up on the sofa watching TV or curiously fiddling with the dehumidifiers in his room, which she had never seen before. The air was filled with a warm, lifelike atmosphere. This simple happiness was something he had never experienced in the past two years in Shenzhen.
On weekends, he turned down all unnecessary social engagements to spend time with her wholeheartedly. It was funny, he'd been in Shenzhen for so long, so busy with work, that he hadn't even visited many of the famous attractions. Now, he could take her with him, like a couple of ordinary tourists, to Window of the World, OCT, or just to Shenzhen Bay Park to enjoy the ocean breeze.
Like all couples in love, they went to the movies hand in hand and shared a bucket of popcorn in the dark theater; they went to the large supermarket with a shopping cart, bought snacks and fresh ingredients, and discussed what to cook for dinner; after dinner, they took a walk in the community, looking at the lights of thousands of homes, and chatting about the trivial fun and troubles in their lives.
It was ordinary, yet filled with the warmth of everyday life and humanity. Every moment seemed to make up for the daily routines we had missed in the past two years, and also to preview the beautiful blueprint for our future life together.
In just a few days, they seemed to be a pair of honeymooning newlyweds, greedily soaking up this stolen and extremely precious time together.
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