♡ Chapter 18 ♡

The lights in the corridor were bright. Yu Xia stood at the door and looked up at Lu Yanzhou: “I’ll pack my luggage and bring you the gift later.”

Lu Yanzhou looked down at her and smiled: “I’ll change my clothes and wait for you?”

It was clearly her own request, but Yu Xia blushed when she heard him say that. She nodded with a red face. “Okay.”

He raised his chin slightly. “Go ahead and get inside.”

Yu Xia closed the door behind her, changed into slippers, and wheeled her suitcase back to her room. She didn’t immediately start unpacking. Instead, she placed the gift box on the table and then went to the wardrobe to find something to wear before heading to the bathroom for a shower and hair wash.

By the time she came out, her hair was dry, and her phone on the bed rang twice.

She walked over and picked it up.

L: [0314]

L: [The code to my house.]

Boyfriend’s house code acquired!

Her lips curled into a smile. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she replied, “Should I return the favor and tell you my house code?”

After Lu Yanzhou finished his shower, he came out in his bathrobe, drying his hair. Seeing her reply, the corners of his mouth lifted in a smile, and he sent a voice message: “If you’re willing.”

After drying his hair, Lu Yanzhou hung up the towel and walked over to the wardrobe.

It was already April, and despite the large temperature differences between morning and evening, he didn’t need to wear a windbreaker. He picked out the clothes he had worn the previous evening and changed into them.

At that moment, Yu Xia sent another message.

Living in Spring: [I’ll tell you later.]

Living in Spring: [Just a heads-up, I’ll come by in ten minutes.]

What was she hinting at?

Was she reminding him to change into his clothes and wait for her?

Lu Yanzhou smiled quietly to himself. He wasn’t sure what exactly she had in mind, but he had a feeling it might be something beyond his expectations. She always did things that surprised him.

Yu Xia pulled a can of beer from the fridge.

It was the same beer that Tang Yue had bought when she stayed over. There was just one can left. The two glasses of wine she had earlier weren’t enough. She needed another drink to build up her courage.

Ten minutes later, Yu Xia, dressed in her homewear, stood at Lu Yanzhou’s door, entering the password carefully.

Beep—

The door opened.

The moment she pulled the door open, her heart started pounding wildly. Lu Yanzhou, wearing the same outfit she had first seen him in, stood by the entryway. His hands were casually stuffed into his pockets, and he looked at her with a playful smile in his eyes.

Yu Xia stared at him, not blinking.

She continued to look at him for a solid half-minute.

“Are you planning to just stand there and stare at me?” Lu Yanzhou asked with a helpless smile. He walked over, pulled her inside, and closed the door behind them. He then wrapped his arms around her and looked down at her, eyes filled with curiosity. “Now, can you tell me? Why did you want me to wear this outfit?”

Earlier in the car, he had also asked, “Why?”

Yu Xia replied, “You’ll know once you see it.”

Yu Xia slid her hand through the open white windbreaker, wrapping her arms around his lean waist. Looking up at him, she said, “I first remember seeing you in this white windbreaker, but I didn’t really get a good look at the outfit you were wearing that night.” She paused, her tone softening. “I’ve always thought our first meeting wasn’t exactly pleasant. That day was pretty awful for me, and I guess you probably thought so too…”

That day, he had definitely seen her with Zhou Yu.

But what did he think when he saw them together? Did he wonder, “Oh, so she has a boyfriend? They’re fighting?”

Lu Yanzhou gazed intently at her, waiting for her to continue.

“But tonight, Lin Su told me that our meeting was actually romantic. It’s fate to have met the right person after the wrong one. So, I want to see you again, to remember how you looked that night.”

She was redefining their first meeting.

Lu Yanzhou stared at her for a long moment, then bent down slightly and lowered his lips toward hers. Yu Xia thought he was going to kiss her, so she closed her eyes, her heart racing.

But instead, he asked softly, “Why are you still drinking beer?”

Yu Xia, eyes still closed, trembled as she whispered, “To build courage…”

“What do you need courage for?” The amusement in his voice was clear.

Yu Xia took a deep breath and opened her eyes, her shyness evident in her gaze. She didn’t hide it, but there was no intention to look away either. She stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the lips, mumbling softly, “Courage to act.”

Lu Yanzhou’s throat moved as he lowered his head and kissed her lips.

They stood there, kissing in the entryway, reluctant to part. Just as Yu Xia felt like she couldn’t stand any longer, Lu Yanzhou scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bedroom.

Yu Xia was laid gently on the bed, her long black hair spilling over his pillow. Her fair skin contrasted against the deep blue sheets.

Lu Yanzhou, dressed in his off-season clothes, was already covered in sweat. He tossed his coat aside and then removed his thin sweater. As Yu Xia had imagined, his broad shoulders and narrow waist were apparent, and his abs were toned—not overly defined, but just perfect. She gasped, staring at him, her thoughts swirling in a panic. “I… I forgot to bring the gift for you.”

Lu Yanzhou leaned over her, his breath warm and uneven against her neck. “It’s fine. You can give it to me tomorrow.”

Yu Xia rested her cheek against his warm neck, the familiar scent of wood calming her nerves. The atmosphere in the room grew heavy, with an unspoken tension and heat filling the air. The bedside lamp cast a faint glow as Yu Xia, feeling as if she were a fish tossed around by the waves, endured a whirlwind of emotions, a mix of pain and pleasure. She clung to Lu Yanzhou’s taut back, and after pleading countless times, the man finally relented.

Yu Xia lay on his chest, breathless and exhausted. “Darling, don’t you know what ‘there’s always tomorrow’ means?”

“I know,” Lu Yanzhou brushed the damp strands of hair from her forehead, his voice hoarse. “That’s why I’ve been patient.”

“…”

So, what happens when you’re not patient?

Yu Xia felt dazed and exhausted, but she didn’t want to fall asleep. She whispered, “Guess what gift I bought for you. If you guess correctly, I’ll tell you the code to my house.”

Lu Yanzhou stroked her hair, thinking for a moment before suggesting, “Perfume?”

“No, try again.”

“How many guesses do I get?”

“Hmm… Five.”

This was a tough one.

Lu Yanzhou thought for a few seconds, then guessed, “A figurine?”

“Wrong.”

“A watch?”

“No, no, no.”

“Ugh…” He lowered his head and kissed her forehead. “Baby, give me a hint.”

The way he said “baby” made Yu Xia feel a little flustered. She ran her finger over his chest. The next moment, his hand stopped hers. “Don’t tease me.”

Yu Xia looked up at him innocently. “I’m giving you a hint.”

Lu Yanzhou took a deep breath, calm for a few seconds, before looking down at her. “A fountain pen?”

“You got it!” Yu Xia grinned, keeping her promise and revealing her house’s password.

Lu Yanzhou chuckled softly, his fingers grazing her cheek. “What does the password mean?”

“The day I registered my pen name and became Ms. Sanxia.” Yu Xia yawned, still groggy. “And what does your password mean? March 14, White Day?”

“I changed it to the date I came to see the house,” he said, explaining his habit of using moving dates as passwords. But now it has taken on a new meaning. “It’s also the day I first met you.”