Chapter 67: Chapter 67 “How Many More Years Do We Need to Wait?”…

Chapter 67

"How many more years do we have to wait?"...

Lu Zhiyu sent a message after a while, and Lu Zhishi quickly opened it, leaning his ear closer to listen.

"Chi Chen arrived before six o'clock, insisting on making you breakfast. I have no idea what he was thinking."

Lu Zhiyu said, "I won’t say anything else. Just focus on dating him properly. We’ll talk about the future later. Chi Chen is a good guy."

Anyway, Lu Zhiyu would never tell his younger brother that Chi Chen wanted to skip the engagement and go straight to marriage.

Even if he brought shares of the Chi Group and wanted to join their Lu family, it was still impossible.

Their Fat Cheese was still too young.

Lu Zhishi was also a big romantic at heart. Lu Zhiyu wouldn’t mention this to him—if he did, this kid might just go and tell their dads that he wanted to marry Chi Chen, marry, marry, marry!

Two big romantics.

What the heck? Lu Zhishi frowned. What’s the difference between saying this and not saying anything at all?

No matter how many messages he sent to bombard him, Lu Zhiyu refused to say more. Lu Zhishi huffed angrily, put down his phone, and flopped down.

Not long after, the villa door opened. Before he could see anyone, Zhao Xiaoxing’s voice drifted in first: "Six Cheese!"

"Chubby Xing! Get over here!"

Lu Zhishi sat up, leaning over the back of the sofa to look back.

The young man had grown up, his body having stretched and grown tall. Zhao Xiaoxing wasn’t as chubby as he was in childhood.

He was now tall and slender, the baby fat on his face gone. His eyes and eyebrows resembled his vibrant, bold, and beautiful mother, while his mouth and nose bridge took after his father—soft and always smiling.

Boys change a lot as they grow up. The once chubby, adorable little one had turned into a bright and handsome young man.

But the moment he spoke...

"Six Cheese, let’s go play later. I want to go see Mimi and Sang Biao."

Zhao Xiaoxing ran into the living room and, imitating Lu Zhishi, plopped down lazily on the sofa.

"Sure, let’s go after lunch." Lu Zhishi sprawled back, then sat up again, poking Zhao Xiaoxing’s side: "Wanna do instant noodles for lunch?"

"Giggle—that tickles!"

His waist and ears were sensitive spots. Zhao Xiaoxing couldn’t help but laugh loudly, clutching his poked side and leaning away: "Yes, yes! I want two cups of instant noodles, the sour-spicy flavor."

Lu Zhishi swallowed, "Then let’s have sour spicy noodles, extra-large portions, with extra spice and vinegar."

Zhao Xiaoxing nodded, then shook his head: "I can eat that, but you can’t. You can't handle that level of spice."

"There’s no one else here. Just look the other way and pretend you didn’t see it."

"No way, it’s too spicy. You’ll get a stomachache again." Zhao Xiaoxing refused.

Lu Zhishi thought about the flavor and couldn’t help but drool, wishing he could eat two bowls: "But I’m really craving it."

"You can eat, just not that spicy." Zhao Xiaoxing stood firm, taking out his phone to order.

"It doesn't hit the same." Lu Zhishi insisted.

Zhao Xiaoxing didn’t look up from his phone: "Then I’ll message your brother and Brother Chi Chen to ask."

"Never mind, never mind." Lu Zhishi immediately surrendered, saying insincerely, "Mild spice is good too, really, it’s also tasty."

Zhao Xiaoxing laughed until his stomach hurt. This reluctant self-convincing was oddly adorable.

Watermelon was an essential part of summer. Lu Zhishi ordered a super-large watermelon to have with their sour spicy noodles at noon.

Zhao Xiaoxing took a sip of cola and sighed, saying, "Let’s cherish this happy time while it lasts."

Lu Zhishi was busy texting Chi Chen and didn’t look up, asking instinctively, "Why?"

"Next week, school starts with military training."

Lu Zhishi’s typing slowed. He slowly looked up, closing his eyes, unwilling to face reality: "My summer, my vacation, was all spent getting a driver’s license."

He shouldn’t have said it. The moment he did, Zhao Xiaoxing’s expression turned pained too.

Two long faces slumped on the sofa, enjoying the air conditioning and sipping cola, until the sour spicy noodles and watermelon arrived. Only then did their long faces turn into bright faces.

"Sour spicy noodles, sour spicy noodles!"

"Watermelon, watermelon!"

After taking a photo to send to Chi Chen, Lu Zhishi clasped his hands together with a serious expression: "Let’s eat."

He picked up his chopsticks and took a big slurp. Unsurprisingly, Lu Zhishi choked: "Cough, cough—"

Zhao Xiaoxing across from him: "..."

In a panic, Zhao Xiaoxing poured water and patted his back with such force that it felt like he was trying to knock Lu Zhishi’s lungs out. Lu Zhishi quickly grabbed his hand: "Enough, enough, I'll live."

"You're unbelievable, Lu Zhishi."

"Alright, alright, don’t worry, I’m fine." Lu Zhishi comforted him while secretly stealing spoonfuls of spicy broth from Zhao Xiaoxing’s bowl.

By the time Zhao Xiaoxing noticed, his bowl of sour spicy noodles had lost nearly half its broth. Strangely, the rim of the bowl was clean, as if that half of the broth had disappeared into thin air.

Zhao Xiaoxing: "?"

Zhao Xiaoxing silently pulled out his phone.

Lu Zhishi quickly stopped him: "No, no! Don’t message my brother. I’ll just have a couple bites."

After a bit of back-and-forth, the dining area quieted down. Two sweet-melon kids enjoyed two bowls of moderately spicy sour spicy noodles.

"Don't push it next time."

"Okay, okay~ Slurp~"

"Slurp~"

This was the good life: cool air conditioning, a bite of noodles followed by a sip of cola, and sweet watermelon after lunch.

They had already finished lunch when Chi Chen finally replied. From the background noise, it sounded like he had just gotten out of a meeting.

It was clear he hadn’t eaten lunch on time. Lu Zhishi made a video call, squeezing his face into the screen. "Dummy Chi Chen, did you skip lunch again?"

The camera shook slightly as Chi Chen returned to his office and sat in his desk chair.

With dark hair and pale, cool-toned skin, beneath the stray strands on his forehead were narrow, deep-set single-lidded eyes. His nose was tall, his lips soft and red, and when he wasn't smiling, he appeared rather aloof.

For work today, he wore a white shirt with the top two buttons undone, his Adam's apple and collarbones clearly visible.

His voice was deep and magnetic too. Lowering his eyes, he said softly, "I've been pretty busy and forgot to eat lunch. I'll go grab something soon. What did you have for lunch today?"

"Spicy and sour noodles, and half a watermelon."

His good looks were undeniable even through the screen. Lu Zhishi chided him while quickly taking screenshots to save in his album. "You have to eat on time, you know? Otherwise, you'll get a stomachache."

"Mm. The spicy and sour noodles look a bit spicy. Your stomach's sensitive—next time, could you have something less spicy?"

Chi Chen then asked quietly, "Could you remind me from now on? I always get so busy I lose track of the time and miss lunch."

"Of course!"

Lu Zhishi agreed without hesitation. "I won’t eat such spicy food next time, and I’ll remind you to eat on time."

"Then when it’s lunchtime, can you call me on video?" Chi Chen’s lips slowly curved upward, his voice still low, his eyes filled with anticipation. "If it’s just a message, sometimes I’m too busy to notice."

"Okay~ I’ll video call you then."

Lu Zhishi couldn’t resist that expression and tone—it made his heart melt. He really wanted to reach through the screen and kiss Chi Chen’s cheek.

The curve of Chi Chen’s lips lifted even higher. "Thank you. Sorry to trouble you, boyfriend."

"It’s fine, it’s no trouble. I'd like to video chat too." Lu Zhishi waved shyly, tilting his head slightly, his ears turning red.

"Mm, I miss you too."

"?" Lu Zhishi was puzzled. He didn’t remember saying he missed Chi Chen just now, but he still leaned closer to the screen, puckering for a kiss. "I miss you too."

Zhao Xiaoxing, eating watermelon nearby, "..."

Is this how all couples are when they’re in love?

He blinked his big eyes, lowered his lashes, and scooped a spoonful of watermelon into his mouth.

"I might be back a bit late this afternoon. Chubby Xing and I are going to the Stray Animal Rescue Center to check it out, so I might not make it for dinner with you."

"Then I’ll pick you up after work, okay?"

"Sure, sure."

The couple kept chatting endlessly over the video call. Lu Zhishi checked the time and told Chi Chen to go eat.

They said they’d hang up, but it took another long moment before the call finally ended.

Lu Zhishi curled up on the sofa, eating watermelon and sipping cola.

"How's it going with my brother?"

He asked suddenly, making Zhao Xiaoxing choke. Zhao Xiaoxing took the tissue Lu Zhishi handed him, wiping his mouth looking awkward.

"Not much."

"Really?" Lu Zhishi was skeptical. Was his oblivious brother really that clueless?

It shouldn’t be—Chi Chen was the same age and already in a relationship.

"Really." Zhao Xiaoxing took another sip of cola, pursed his lips, and lowered his gaze. "We'll see how it goes."

Lu Zhishi, "Do you guys text?"

Zhao Xiaoxing nodded, then hesitated and shook his head.

He said, "We do, but not much. Brother Xiao Yu often sends things over, saying they’re for my brother, but there’s always something for me too."

Lu Zhishi, "..."

Dude, I really don’t get you two. You don’t even text much, and when you do, it’s not much. How are you supposed to build a relationship? At least go hang out together.

And what's with his brother? His way of expressing himself is way too subtle. What’s wrong with just saying the things are for Chubby Xing?

...Two clueless cowards.

Zhao Xiaoxing changed topics. "Should we nap before going to see the cats, or go now?"

"Let’s nap first. The cats nap at noon too—let's wait till they wake up."

In the summer, who doesn’t nap? Both people and animals get sleepy in the summer.

After finishing their halves of the watermelon, they washed their hands and went upstairs to rest.

Lu Zhishi stretched, fell onto the bed, hugged his big plush rabbit, and fell asleep instantly. His sleep quality was really good, almost enviable.

Outside, the sun was bright, the sky clear and cloudless, with no wind.

At 3:30 in the afternoon, they got ready and left. Lu Zhishi got into Zhao Xiaoxing’s car.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Lu Zhishi silently pulled the seatbelt tight and held onto the seat, looking nervous.

Zhao Xiaoxing said exasperatedly. "My driving skills are about as good as yours, you know."

Lu Zhishi, "That’s exactly why I’m scared. Have you forgotten how many times we failed our driving tests before?"

Zhao Xiaoxing, "..."

Zhao Xiaoxing, "Fine."

They drove uneventfully all the way to the Stray Animal Rescue Center. Lu Zhishi and Zhao Xiaoxing carried the animal supplies and snacks they bought on the way, registered at the front, and went in.

Lu Zhishi was the owner here. He went to the office and asked the manager about the recent situation at the rescue center.

Zhao Xiaoxing took a stroll along the route, checking on the various animals, and finally made his way to the cat area.

"Here, kitties!"

Zhao Xiaoxing called out, and immediately a bunch of little cat heads popped out from various corners, meowing adorably.

A magnet for furry friends, Zhao Xiaoxing was instantly surrounded by a group of furry animals as soon as he stepped in with a few bags of cat treats.

"Alright, alright, I’ll pet everyone." Zhao Xiaoxing crouched down, his legs, hands, and back covered in cat heads.

He chuckled helplessly, patting each one on the head before opening the treats to feed them.

When Lu Zhishi came over, he saw him surrounded by cats and laughed, pulling out his phone to take a picture.

"Look."

Lu Zhishi had just entered and was also surrounded by meowing kittens, so cute it melted his heart.

He showed Zhao Xiaoxing the photo on his phone, then crouched down to pet each cat's head, calling each by name.

"Mimi yi hao, you've gained weight again."

"Mimi er hao, how did you get beat up by Sang Biao next door again?"

"Sang Biao, Sang Biao, where's your Xiaohua?"

Mimi, Sang Biao, Caihong, Xiaohua, Bodian, Facai...

There were so many cats that Lu Zhishi couldn't pet them all fast enough; his legs and back were soon covered by these adorable fluffballs.

"Click—"

Zhao Xiaoxing laughed and waved his phone. "I took one of you too. Today, you're Six Cheese surrounded by fluffballs."

Lu Zhishi also laughed, struggling to reach out and take the phone to look at the photo.

The photo was beautifully taken, with a perfect angle. The natural lighting filtered, making the person in the picture look gentle and radiant with a sunny smile.

Lu Zhishi nodded. "I'll post it on my Moments later—the joy of being surrounded by fluffballs."

After feeding the cats with cat treats, Lu Zhishi and Zhao Xiaoxing helped bathe them, scrubbing and rubbing, occasionally having to catch the escaping furballs.

Since they were already there, they didn't just stop at the cats. After bathing and blow-drying the little ones, Lu Zhishi and Zhao Xiaoxing went to visit the other animals.

All the animals here were rescued by volunteers from the streets. They were thin and small when they first arrived, but after a few years of care, they've all become chubby.

Like the little ones in the dog area.

"Ruff ruff—"

Lu Zhishi was immediately pounced on as soon as he entered, getting his face covered in slobber. The dogs were too enthusiastic, their tails wagging so fast they became a blur.

"Alright, alright, stop licking my face! Wangcai! Laifu!"

Zhao Xiaoxing first took out his phone to snap a photo, then hurriedly rescued him, using a wet wipe to clean his face.

"Too enthusiastic, way too enthusiastic..."

Lu Zhishi went to wash his face, held back the dogs trying to jump on him, and took out a brush.

"Alright, come get your baths now! Afterward, it's dinnertime."

Zhao Xiaoxing held the hose while Lu Zhishi used the brush, one holding them down and the other scrubbing.

The two brothers spent a lot of effort bathing a whole pack of dogs. By the time they finished, their clothes were completely soaked, and they had to change into a clean set midway.

When Chi Chen called, Lu Zhishi was still busy blow-drying a group of unruly puppies.

"Chi Chen."

"Lu Zhishi." Chi Chen's voice came over the line: "Look up."

His heart skipped a beat. Lu Zhishi instinctively looked up and saw Chi Chen outside, separated by a mesh barrier, watching him with a gentle smile at the corner of his mouth.

Lu Zhishi's eyes instantly lit up. "Chi Chen!"

After hanging up, Chi Chen came in and walked over to Lu Zhishi.

Zhao Xiaoxing, busy working, looked up and greeted Chi Chen: "Brother Chi Chen."

Chi Chen nodded. "Xiao Xing."

Lu Zhishi looked up at Chi Chen. "Wait for me a little longer. Once I finish blow-drying them, we can leave."

Chi Chen took out a handkerchief and wiped the thin layer of sweat from Lu Zhishi's forehead, then gently brushed the stray hairs away from his face.

"It's alright."

He took the pet dryer from Lu Zhishi's hand, bent down, and started blow-drying the dog in front of him with practiced ease.

Lu Zhishi asked curiously, "Chi Chen, you're so skilled. Where did you learn this?"

Chi Chen glanced at him. "Half the times your hair was blow-dried when you were little were done by me. I just got used to it after so many times."

As for the other half, it was done by Lu Zhishi's father and brother. Chi Chen alone accounted for half of the times Lu Zhishi's hair was blow-dried.

Lu Zhishi: "..."

Lu Zhishi's cheeks turned bright red.

"Pfft—"

Lu Zhishi looked over. Zhao Xiaoxing was biting his lip hard to stifle a laugh, his face turning red from the effort. "Go on, you two, don't mind me."

Lu Zhishi: "..."

Lu Zhishi's cheeks turned even redder.

He looked at the person beside him, bent down, and gently bumped his head against Chi Chen's.

Chi Chen chuckled softly, tilted his head, and kissed Lu Zhishi's hair, saying gently, "Be good."

The heat spread from his face to his ears and neck. Lu Zhishi lowered his gaze, tilted his head, and gently leaned into Chi Chen's neck, nuzzling against him once, then again.

Chi Chen's heart softened. He loosely wrapped an arm around Lu Zhishi's waist and tilted his head to rest his cheek against Lu Zhishi's hair.

"Wait for me a little longer. It'll be dry soon."

"Okay~"

The couple was being all lovey-dovey.

Zhao Xiaoxing shook his head and continued blow-drying the dogs, quietly being the bright third wheel.

After blow-drying all the dogs, applying coat conditioner, and combing each one's fur smooth, the sun had already sunk below the horizon, and the sky began to darken.

Lu Zhishi was still worried about the other little ones, so he held Chi Chen's hand and made rounds, checking on everything.

Finding no issues, Lu Zhishi let out a sigh of relief and reminded the manager and staff to keep an eye on the animals' conditions.

After chatting for a while and giving final instructions, he finally walked out of the rescue center's gate with Chi Chen.

Zhao Xiaoxing had already gone back, joking he was a third wheel and didn’t want to interrupt their date.

Arriving at the parking spot, Chi Chen opened the passenger door. Just as Lu Zhishi was about to get in, a lush, vibrant bouquet of black tea roses greeted him.

Lu Zhishi’s eyes lit up. He looked up at Chi Chen, unable to suppress a wide grin that showed all his teeth, his eyes filled with affection and joy.

Chi Chen shyly averted his gaze, his ears turning red, but soon looked back, lowering his eyes to meet Lu Zhishi’s directly, a smile curling at the corners of his lips.

"Such beautiful roses, I love them." Lu Zhishi hugged the bouquet and slid into the passenger seat, looking up at Chi Chen with a smile. "It's hard to manage with these flowers—could you help me with the seatbelt?"

"Sure."

Chi Chen leaned in, bending over to fasten the seatbelt. As he started to pull back, his tie was suddenly tugged, pulling him forward. His lips brushed against something soft.

He lowered his gaze to find Lu Zhishi’s smiling face close to his. His lips were playfully nipped, and then the tie was released.

"Let’s go, boyfriend. Let's go home for dinner."

But Chi Chen didn’t respond immediately. He remained leaning in, his eyes fixed on Lu Zhishi’s lips.

He asked, "Can I have a kiss?"

Lu Zhishi curved his lips into a smile, his eyes twinkling like a sly little fox. "No."

"Mm."

Chi Chen lowered his head, lifted Lu Zhishi’s chin with his fingers, tilted his head slightly, and kissed his lips. His nose pressed against Lu Zhishi’s cheek, leaving a slight dent.

It took a moment before the indentation on his cheek faded.

Lu Zhishi’s lips were flushed, his cheeks even more so, his breath deepened, and his eyes moist.

"Let’s go home for dinner."

After one more kiss to his forehead, Chi Chen stepped out of the passenger seat and returned to the driver’s side to drive them home.

The Maybach pulled into the front yard of the Lu residence. Chi Chen stayed for dinner again that evening and lingered in the living room afterward, sipping calming tea.

Lu Zhishi sat beside him, leaning against his arm, scrolling through his phone to post on social media.

The photos were from their time at the Stray Animal Rescue Center earlier that day. The caption was simple: "A day surrounded by adorable fluffballs. So happy, so joyful."

Noticing what he was doing, Chi Chen took out his phone, opened Lu Zhishi’s social media, gave it a like, saved Lu Zhishi’s photos, and added them to the "Cheese Album."

On the other sofa, Lu Zhiyu also liked the post and spent some time looking through the photos.

In the pictures, the young man in a white T-shirt was crouching on the ground, covered in adorable little cats, his smile bright and radiant. His large, round eyes curved with laughter, gentle and warm like a little sun.

His fingers moving slightly, Lu Zhiyu saved all the photos, storing them in both the "Cheese Album" and the "Little Star Album."

Lu Zhishi checked the notifications, responded briefly to a few comments, then put his phone away and quietly drank tea with Chi Chen.

They stayed until 9:30 PM. After finishing a cup of calming tea, Lu Zhishi was getting sleepy.

He was so tired he could barely keep his eyes open. Chi Chen helped him upstairs, ran a bath for him, got his clothes ready, and led him to the bathroom.

Worried he might fall asleep in the tub—something Lu Zhishi was entirely capable of—Chi Chen waited until he finished showering and came out.

After drying his hair and watching Lu Zhishi curl up in bed hugging a plush rabbit, Chi Chen turned off the light, closed the door, and went back downstairs.

Lu Zhiyu was still in the living room. Seeing Chi Chen come down, he glanced over.

"Fat Cheese asleep?"

"Yeah, he just drifted off." Chi Chen wasn’t in a hurry to leave. He sat back in the living room and poured another cup of calming tea for himself.

"You really like my brother that much?"

Chi Chen looked at him and nodded, his expression calm and serious. "Yes, I really do. I think about marrying him every day."

"?" Lu Zhiyu’s mouth fell slightly open. After a pause, he said, "My brother’s still young. What’s the rush? Wait a few more years."

"Marriage makes it official," Chi Chen said slowly. "Just being boyfriends isn’t enough security. I want to be legally recognized partners."

Lu Zhiyu’s mind filled with: "???"

Chi Chen asked again, "How long do I have to wait?"

Distracted, Lu Zhiyu didn’t react immediately and instinctively asked, "What?"

"How many years until we can get married?"

Lu Zhiyu: "...At least four years. My brother needs to graduate from university first. My dad and the others won’t agree before that."

Chi Chen pressed his lips together, nodded, and said nothing more.

Lu Zhiyu rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. He never expected Chi Chen to be like this in a relationship.

One big love-struck brain and another little love-struck brain—a perfect match.

It was getting late. After finishing his calming tea, Chi Chen got up to leave.

Lu Zhiyu walked him to the door, watched him enter the Chi family home, then closed the door, turned off the lights, and went back upstairs.

Having hadn't slept well the night before and worked a full day today, Chi Chen looked somewhat tired.

After washing up, he took another look at Lu Zhishi’s photos, gave his chubby cactus some nutrient solution, poked the little sun on his nightstand, then lay down, turned off the light, and went to sleep.

On the other side, Lu Zhishi woke up groggily for a moment. He’d been dreaming of Chi Chen. Unconsciously, he glanced at the black tea roses on his nightstand, turned over, hugged his big plush rabbit, and fell back asleep.

The moonlight was beautiful, the night sky cloudless—a peaceful night for sweet dreams.

A few days later, it was the start of the semester at A University. Lu Zhishi officially began his college life.

Lu Zhishi whined tearfully, "A long-distance relationship? I don’t want a long-distance relationship. We’ll only see each other every five days."