“You keep saying you’re not messing with me,” Lu Zhixing said softly. “But you’re always playing with my heart.”
His emotions were entirely in Xi Yu’s hands—his happiness, his pain, his unease, his jealousy.
He seemed particularly prone to throwing tantrums, yet Xi Yu could always dispel every bit of his resentment with remarkable ease.
Lu Zhixing’s heart was racing. The light overhead was an orange-yellow, like a perfectly ripe persimmon. The sky outside had not yet grown dark, but the room had already taken on a secretive, intimate atmosphere.
“Go take a shower,” Xi Yu said. “You’ve gotten me all wet.”
Lu Zhixing’s eyes darkened. Satisfied, he went into the bathroom.
Xi Yu used magic once more to dry the damp bedsheets.
He’s still so easy to placate, Xi Yu thought.
*
The two had set their wedding date for early spring. There was still some time to go, and Xi Yu had initially worried that if Lu Zhixing failed to recover his memories, their wedding would feel incomplete.
Now, however, he felt that it was best to let things take their natural course.
Borrowing trouble from the future by worrying in advance was simply asking for misery.
His original intention had been to make his beloved disciple happy. He had thought that anything they wanted would only feel complete once Lu Zhixing recovered his memories. But that was putting the cart before the horse, making both of them unhappy instead.
After spending a lively and wonderful New Year in Country S, the group finally returned to City A.
Luo Cheng’an did not come back with them. He had made plenty of new friends and said he wanted to stay and have some fun before returning. But Lu Zhixing had secretly gossiped with him about it, and suspected that Luo Cheng’an was actually avoiding Shen Tan.
The wedding preparations were a novel experience for Xi Yu. At first, Shen Qing dragged him around to look at all sorts of wedding venues. But after two days of running around, Xi Yu used the excuse that the company was particularly busy at the beginning of the year and threw himself into work ahead of schedule.
Lu Zhixing, on the other hand, was running around enthusiastically.
With Xi Yu deliberately coaxing him, Lu Zhixing had become very lively and cheerful.
He no longer insisted that certain things had to wait until he recovered his memories. Instead, he simply considered whether the Lu Zhixing he was now wanted them.
Of course, their wedding night was something that absolutely had to wait until after the wedding.
“Is there anything on your computer that I’m not allowed to see?”
In the bedroom, Xi Yu had just showered and changed into ivory-white silk pajamas. His hair was still dripping wet, but a single stroke of his hand was enough to dry it.
He was standing in front of Lu Zhixing’s computer. He couldn’t understand why Lu Zhixing always closed it the moment he appeared.
And it wasn’t just today. Lu Zhixing had been looking at something on it for the past two days, and every time Xi Yu approached, he would shut the computer down.
In the end, Xi Yu couldn’t resist asking.
Lu Zhixing looked a little uncomfortable. “It’s just some spreadsheets.”
Xi Yu nodded, then seemed to lose interest. He lifted the covers and climbed into bed.
“Go take a shower. It’s getting late.”
They had attended a meeting today, and by the time they got home, it was already half past ten. Lu Zhixing had gone to pick him up. Now it was nearly midnight.
“I’ll go right away.” Lu Zhixing picked up a set of pajamas matching Xi Yu’s, though in a different color, and headed towards the bathroom.
After the bathroom door closed, Xi Yu played with his phone. Half a minute later, Lu Zhixing poked his head out of the bathroom.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I just remembered I forgot to get my bathrobe.”
Xi Yu frowned. “It’s right there on the rack.”
“I didn’t see it.” Lu Zhixing gave an awkward smile before closing the door again.
Only then did Xi Yu leisurely get out of bed and walk over to the computer Lu Zhixing had left on the desk.
“I’d like to see what kind of spreadsheets you’re hiding so carefully.”
With a scoff, Xi Yu opened the computer and entered the password. The smile on his face froze, and his eyes widened slightly.
Two seconds later, he slammed the computer shut. A deep flush spread from the tips of his ears all the way down to his toes.
Every exposed part of his body was bright red.
When Lu Zhixing came out, he saw the unnatural redness on Xi Yu’s face. He paused, then reached out to touch his forehead. But Xi Yu suddenly dodged him as though he had been electrocuted.
“Let’s go to sleep, let’s go to sleep.” Xi Yu pulled the covers over his head. “I have work tomorrow.”
Lu Zhixing blinked, then glanced at the computer before accusing him, “You snooped through my computer!”
Xi Yu was silent for a moment. Then he suddenly threw off the covers, looking indignant despite having absolutely no moral high ground.
“What you’re doing is wrong, you know that? It’s filthy!”
Xi Yu’s face was an outrageous shade of red. Lu Zhixing wasn’t faring much better. Both of them were as red as boiled shrimp as they stared at each other, wide-eyed.
“I just…” Lu Zhixing tried to explain in a small voice. “I wanted to study a little.”
The guilty look on Lu Zhixing’s face only emboldened Xi Yu. Like a teacher who was utterly disappointed in a student who had suddenly gone astray, he interrogated him.
“Is this really something worth studying?!”
And what exactly did Lu Zhixing need to study?!
All he had to do was lie down, didn’t he? Wasn’t he the one who needed to study?!
In the end, Xi Yu couldn’t bring himself to say the rest out loud.
Lu Zhixing, however, looked as though he had just been struck by a bolt of lightning. He shouted back even louder.
“You’re scolding me!”
A question mark slowly floated above Xi Yu’s head.
Lu Zhixing burrowed under the covers and wrapped his arms around Xi Yu fiercely, yet the kiss he planted on his lips was unexpectedly gentle, completely at odds with his actions.
Then he buried his face in the crook of Xi Yu’s neck and mumbled an explanation.
“You said that after we got married, we would… I don’t have any experience. I’m afraid I won’t do it well and you’ll dislike me. I want you to feel good.”
……………………..
Lu Zhixing sounded so aggrieved that he paused, then reproached Xi Yu in an even more wounded tone.
“And you still scolded me.”
Ever since they returned from Country S, Xi Yu had been indulging him, constantly reassuring him that he was special.
Xi Yu let him have his way. This boundless indulgence was like handing an anxious Lu Zhixing a sword called courage. With it in his possession, Lu Zhixing became increasingly spoiled and willful.
The movement of Lu Zhixing’s lips as he spoke against Xi Yu’s neck made him feel a little ticklish. That faint, lingering sensation spread into his heart, seeming to erase every other emotion and leave behind only tenderness.
Xi Yu began to reproach himself. He really shouldn’t have been so harsh.
Lu Zhixing had done all this for his sake. How could he speak to him so harshly?
That had been terribly unkind of him, Xi Yu thought.
At that moment, Xi Yu was so moved by the lengths Lu Zhixing had gone to for him that he failed to notice the oddity in his words.
For example, why was he worried about Xi Yu not feeling good?
Xi Yu spent quite a while coaxing Lu Zhixing. He even gave the aggrieved child a sweet piece of candy before finally managing to soothe him into sleeping contentedly.
A week before the wedding, Luo Cheng’an returned. His expression was blank, his brows and eyes gloomy.
“Still haven’t sorted things out?”
Xi Yu had given himself a wedding holiday and was working from home. Wearing gloves, he was taking pictures of the snowman he had built.
Luo Cheng’an walked over to him and saw Lu Zhixing holding up a miniature snowman, presenting it to Xi Yu with an eager, flattering expression. He promptly smacked it with his palm.
The little snowman’s head fell off.
Lu Zhixing froze for a moment, then immediately called out to Xi Yu.
“Brother, look at what he did!”
Xi Yu hurriedly picked up a handful of snow from the ground, rolled it into a neat little ball, then took the lipstick Shen Qing had given them to use for drawing the snowman’s mouth and dabbed on two little dots.
“There, there. It’s fixed.”
Lu Zhixing was happy again, but he didn’t forget to keep an eye on Luo Cheng’an. He then quietly moved behind Xi Yu.
Luo Cheng’an’s boots crunched against the snow as he stamped his feet. Gritting his teeth, he demanded, “Was it you who told that damned Shen… Shen Tan where I was?!”
Luo Cheng’an had originally planned not to attend Xi Yu’s wedding at all. He intended to vacation overseas until that bastard Shen Tan forgot to bother him. But three days ago, Shen Tan had inexplicably appeared.
Xi Yu looked towards Lu Zhixing. Lu Zhixing was too guilty to meet his eyes.
At first, Luo Cheng’an had only been suspicious. Shen Tan had contacted Lu Zhixing long ago, but Lu Zhixing hadn’t revealed anything at the time. And Luo Cheng’an hadn’t provoked him lately, so there had been no reason for Lu Zhixing to do something like this.
But judging by Lu Zhixing’s reaction, there was no doubt about it!
“You’re getting back at me!!!” Luo Cheng’an pointed furiously at Lu Zhixing, gathering spiritual power as though he were about to teach him a lesson.
Xi Yu hurriedly stepped in. “Don’t fight, don’t fight.”
From behind Xi Yu, Lu Zhixing stuck his tongue out at Luo Cheng’an, making the latter so furious that he practically saw flames.
“Today, I’m going to show you what I’m capable of!” Luo Cheng’an shoved Xi Yu aside.
“Brother, save me!” Lu Zhixing shouted.
Xi Yu’s forehead throbbed, but it was true that Lu Zhixing had acted unfairly.
Xi Yu couldn’t bring himself to fight Luo Cheng’an, so he grabbed Lu Zhixing by the shoulders and quickly whisked him back into the house.
That left Luo Cheng’an alone, furious enough to kick over the snowman he had just finished building.
“Why did you do that?” Xi Yu asked helplessly.
Shen Tan’s identity was special, and it wasn’t easy for Luo Cheng’an to avoid him. Now that Lu Zhixing had exposed his whereabouts, it was only natural that he would be angry.
“He deserved it,” Lu Zhixing replied, entirely unapologetic.
“What did he do to offend you, hmm?”
Lu Zhixing fell silent for a moment. Then he told Xi Yu everything Luo Cheng’an had said to him before.
After listening, Xi Yu said nothing and headed straight for the door.
“Where are you going?”
“To beat him up.”
No wonder Lu Zhixing had suddenly become so possessive and started overthinking everything! So this was where it had all begun!
That was too much!
“There’s no need to go,” Lu Zhixing stopped him. “Actually, I should thank him.”
Previously, Lu Zhixing had always felt that there was an indescribable barrier between him and Xi Yu. Xi Yu was on the other side, and no matter how hard he struggled, he couldn’t tear it down or get through to him.
But now, Xi Yu had lifted that barrier away, and Lu Zhixing was happy.
There really wasn’t any resentment on Lu Zhixing’s face. Xi Yu was puzzled.
“Then why did you tell Shen Tan where he was?”
Lu Zhixing lowered his eyes. “Because that day he sent you nude photos. Lots of people’s nude photos.”
“Watch your wording,” Xi Yu corrected him. “It was a group photo at a party. And they were only showing their upper bodies.”
Luo Cheng’an had attended a pool party and sent Xi Yu a group photo.
Lu Zhixing muttered, “Still doesn’t make it okay. You’re only allowed to look at mine.”
In the end, Xi Yu didn’t go and fight Luo Cheng’an again. He had initially been a little angry on Luo Cheng’an’s behalf, but after thinking it over, he decided to let it go.