Chapter 26

The moment Zhang Jingzhu saw the message, she felt a pang of heartache.

In a way, the Lianzhu company was a past that Cheng Shuinan never wanted to mention. His mother had died because of it, and he was imprisoned in the dark, damp warehouse because of it.

Now, he had come to this place that brought him so much pain and sorrow just to deliver her a meal that was more or less unnecessary.

Zhang Jingzhu grabbed her phone and ran downstairs.

Zhang Ning was sitting next to her. She wanted to chat with her, but she saw Zhang Jingzhu disappear like a gust of wind.

Downstairs, Cheng Shuinan waited for Zhang Jingzhu’s message, but he didn’t dare to enter the company.

He stood straight in front of the Lianzhu company, holding his thermos.

The heavy snow fell silently, covering his hair and shoulders. He was wearing a thick white down jacket. The fur collar wrapped around his long neck, slightly raised. The crystalline snowflakes fell on his long, thick eyelashes. His eyes held undisguised curiosity and joy. He raised one hand, letting the snowflakes melt in his palm.

Through the glass door, Zhang Jingzhu saw this scene.

She pulled open the door and ran towards him. When Cheng Shuinan heard the sound, he turned around abruptly. He looked at Zhang Jingzhu, who was running towards him, with shy anticipation. He opened his arms. But Zhang Jingzhu stopped half a step away from him.

Zhang Jingzhu: “It’s snowing so heavily. You could have just waited for me at home. Why did you come here? Isn’t it cold outside?”

Cheng Shuinan’s arms lowered slightly. Seeing that Zhang Jingzhu didn’t have any intention of hugging him, he lowered his eyes unhappily and blinked, dropping a snowflake flower. The cold temperature didn’t extinguish the fire in his heart. He took a step forward and embraced Zhang Jingzhu, pressing her seamlessly against his chest.

“If you hug me, I won’t be cold.”

Even though he was wearing a thick down jacket, his chest was still cold, always filled with a faint, damp smell. Zhang Jingzhu was pressed against his chest. She could hear his heartbeat, as well as the strong scent of orange. She wrinkled her nose.

“Cheng Shuinan, did you spray perfume?”

“Yeah. I used yours. I like this scent.”

It was the same scent as hers. Zhang Jingzhu took a deep breath.

It was really too cold outside. Zhang Jingzhu pulled Cheng Shuinan towards the company.

Cheng Shuinan followed silently behind her. He knew what he was facing when he came here, but the pain and sorrow he had imagined disappeared in an instant, like the snowflakes that fell on his palm, quickly melting into water.

What was more profound and intense was the violent tremor in his chest when Zhang Jingzhu ran towards him.

Holding her in his arms, no matter how strong the wind and snow, he was unshakeable.

She took his hand and walked into the Lianzhu company.

He felt an inappropriate peace.

The resentment he should have felt towards this place had completely melted away.

Zhang Jingzhu was a standout in the company, both in terms of family background and appearance. Many people had a crush on her. But her whereabouts were always unpredictable. She rarely attended company dinners and was always the first to rush out after work. Although she had a gentle face, everyone behind her back thought she was cold and distant.

This was the first time she had brought a man in front of everyone.

Everyone sighed again, lamenting how unfair Nüwa was in creating humans.

Zhang Jingzhu was already beautiful, but the man she was holding hands with was even more handsome, so handsome that it was unfair to other people.

“Zhang Jingzhu, who is this?”

Zhang Jingzhu was already adept at answering this kind of question: “He’s my boyfriend. He was worried I wouldn’t eat well here, so he came to deliver me food.”

Cheng Shuinan stood quietly beside her. When he heard her unhesitatingly admit their relationship in front of her colleagues, his cheeks instantly turned red. His bright eyes were filled with intense, soft love.

The hand she was holding swayed back and forth. He couldn’t control his joyful mood. The fingers she was holding slowly curled up, tightly hooking onto her warm palm. Facing the ambiguous looks from everyone, he had a hint of arrogance and self-satisfaction, which came from being labeled as her official boyfriend. He casually glanced around, then leaned closer to Zhang Jingzhu. Their shoulders were almost overlapping.

He really liked this kind of intimacy without any gaps.

He had done his homework before coming here. He knew that human society required some social skills. Although he was clueless about it, he could learn. Sharing food appropriately could enhance the relationship between colleagues. He had deliberately made several extra portions.

If Zhang Jingzhu needed to use this to improve her relationship with her colleagues, she could share it. If she didn’t need it, he could eat the rest after satisfying her appetite.

Fortunately, he had prepared well. When Zhang Jingzhu brought him into the rest room and lifted the lid of the thermos, the strong scent instantly filled the air. Through the glass door that offered no privacy, countless eyes were drawn towards them.

Zhang Jingzhu ignored them and asked Cheng Shuinan, who was sitting next to her, “Did you eat?”

Cheng Shuinan: “I’m not hungry.”

Zhang Jingzhu glanced at him and didn’t say anything. She moved some of the food from the thermos out for them to eat. The rest, she took outside to the rest room and asked her colleagues if they needed any.

During the blizzard, everyone only had instant noodles, so naturally, they couldn’t resist the delicious, hot food.

The meat buns that Cheng Shuinan had made were snatched up immediately.

Everyone who had received Zhang Jingzhu’s favor was very conscientious and gave up the rest room to them. They didn’t go in to bother them.

After her initial awkwardness and shyness, Zhang Jingzhu entered a state of “ignorance is bliss.” After all, this was her workplace, and everyone was in a relationship where they saw each other every day. Suddenly, her boyfriend came here with a lunchbox, and everyone politely gave up the rest room to them.

Even though they weren’t doing anything intimate, it always felt like there were eyes watching them.

Zhang Jingzhu buried her head in her food. After a long time, when the shyness in her heart passed, she realized that Cheng Shuinan was strangely quiet. She worriedly glanced at him.

After initially asking Zhang Jingzhu about the flavor of the food, Cheng Shuinan had become silent. He sat quietly beside her on the sofa. His back was straight, and his eyes were lowered. It seemed like he was staring at the thermos, but actually, his gaze was blank and empty. When he blinked his eyelashes, it seemed like a tear fell.

Her heart suddenly tightened. Zhang Jingzhu secretly berated herself for her carelessness. She had thought that since he didn’t show it, he didn’t care. But how could he possibly not care?

He was always like this. When he was sad or upset, he would never say it. He would hide it in his heart and digest it himself.

This made Zhang Jingzhu feel even more

She put down the food she had eaten halfway. Their distance was already very close, but Zhang Jingzhu didn’t mind getting closer. She tried to lean against him, her fingers slightly spread, squeezing into his fingers. She gripped his hand, meeting Cheng Shuinan’s suddenly shy gaze.

“Okay, don’t be sad. We’ll leave when the snow stops.”

Zhang Jingzhu had a special kind of power. Her gentle, caring gaze was like a spring breeze blowing across the snowy ground, instantly turning all the coldness into water.

Their fingers intertwined.

Cheng Shuinan pursed his lips, his thin lips trembling slightly. He didn’t dare to meet Zhang Jingzhu’s gaze, afraid she would see the hidden joy and excitement in his eyes.

He had just… He had noticed Zhang Jingzhu’s sudden tension and awkward emotions. He was afraid that his overly clingy personality would bother her. He could only restrain his gaze and not look at her.

But he didn’t expect that she would misunderstand.

He should explain it to her.

But Cheng Shuinan’s voice suddenly couldn’t make any sound. Through his sweater, scales suddenly appeared on his chest and waist due to his excited emotions. He lowered his head and looked into Zhang Jingzhu’s worried, gaze. The fingers she was holding seemed to sense his emotions and trembled slightly.

Cheng Shuinan lowered his eyes, his thick eyelashes covering the emotions in his eyes. He used a hoarse voice to make a single, monotonous

Then, he half-lifted his eyelids.

He looked at her with soft, dependent eyes.

Zhang Jingzhu couldn’t help herself. She opened her arms and hugged him, no longer caring about the ambiguous gazes from around them. She proactively buried her head into his chest and gently patted his back.

“It’s okay. We’ll leave soon.”

Cheng Shuinan still only made a single, monotonous He tightened his arms and his cheeks turned red.

He thought, he hadn’t said anything. It was Zhang Jingzhu who misunderstood.

Her embrace was filled with comfort and warmth.

The corners of Cheng Shuinan’s mouth gradually curled upwards. His eyes were filled with deep satisfaction and glee.

As the night deepened, the snow began to lessen.

It was scary to walk alone in the snow at night, but it was different when you had someone to accompany you.

Cheng Shuinan put his mask back on, covering his lower face. His face had never been revealed. Zhang Jingzhu’s explanation was that he had a cold and was afraid of infecting other people. Until they left the company, holding hands, the people who were still staying at the company started whispering.

There was naturally some slander and jealousy, but more of it was envy and blessings.

There was a thick layer of snow outside the company door. Half of their feet would sink into it when they walked. If they walked on this kind of road for too long, their cotton shoes would give up resisting and let the cold seep into their feet.

Cheng Shuinan walked in front, and Zhang Jingzhu followed behind, stepping on his footprints.

The air they exhaled immediately turned into white mist. Zhang Jingzhu reached out and rubbed her frozen face. She took large steps, accurately stepping on the footprints Cheng Shuinan had left behind. She walked in a crooked way. Seeing this, Cheng Shuinan stretched out a hand to her, wanting her to hold it.

The snow had lessened, but the wind was still whipping at their faces.

Before they even left the company grounds, actually, they had only walked a few steps, Cheng Shuinan suddenly squatted down: “Zhang Jingzhu, get on. I’ll carry you.”

Zhang Jingzhu was bundled up like a snowball. Her coat was a matching couple set, a long white down jacket with a matching cotton hat and scarf. Only her eyes and her frozen, red nose were exposed.

“It’s still a long way. I’m very heavy.”

Cheng Shuinan still squatted, turning his head to look at her. His hands remained in a raised position. He smiled: “It’s okay. You’re not heavy. If you are, I’ll put you down.”

Zhang Jingzhu didn’t refuse anymore. She bent down and leaned against his back. He slowly stood up, wrapped both arms around her inner thighs, and pulled her up, securely carrying her on his back.

Zhang Jingzhu hugged his neck. Seeing that he wasn’t putting on a show, she slowly pressed her face against his neck. Actually, his body temperature was still cold, but it made Zhang Jingzhu feel warm.

Cheng Shuinan steadily carried her and walked towards home.