Chapter 88: Chapter 88 “Let, Let Go of Me! You Should Drink More…”

Chapter 88 "L-Let go of me! You should drink more..."

Chi Chen had originally planned to leave on Monday morning, but an afternoon call about company matters required his immediate return.

Watching a sulking Chi Chen drive away, forced to leave for work, Lu Zhishi stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, a sudden emptiness in his heart.

When Chi Chen was around, Lu Zhishi thought he was a bit stifling, a big "kissy monster."

Now that Chi Chen was gone, he regretted not having kissed him a few more times.

Well, now it would be days before he could kiss him again, and he already missed Chi Chen.

Rubbing the new bracelet on his wrist, Lu Zhishi went to the dining room to eat the dinner Chi Chen had prepared for him before leaving.

During their time apart, Lu Zhishi counted every day, consumed by longing, suffering from lovesickness, each day feeling like a year.

After gloomily finishing his final exams, Lu Zhishi began his winter break, marking the complete end of his junior year's first semester.

There was still a year and a half until graduation.

Upon seeing Chi Chen again, Lu Zhishi's happiness returned, and he clung to him, snuggling close.

Lu Zhiyu, standing before them, was speechless.

Lu Zhiyu felt a pang of jealousy—that annoying "Stinky Cheese," his eyes were only for Chi Chen!

Closing his eyes and turning away, out of sight, out of mind, Lu Zhiyu opened his eyes to see Zhao Xiaoxing approaching with his backpack and immediately went to meet him. The young couple, too, were all lovey-dovey.

Now it was Zhao Qiyun who was unhappy.

Zhao Qiyun felt a twinge of jealousy, averted her eyes, and squeezed Zhou Nianjing’s hand.

Zhou Nianjing turned to her, "What’s wrong?"

Zhao Qiyun shook her head, leaning in to nuzzle his head, all affectionate and clingy.

Even during winter break, Lu Zhishi was extremely busy. The company had a lot on its plate, especially with the year-end approaching, and overtime was a regular occurrence.

He was set to take over the Song Group after university graduation, and with so much to learn, the pressure was inevitable.

Moreover, his senior year would involve writing his thesis, likely making him even busier. For now, junior year felt relatively easier.

Every time he worked overtime reviewing documents, Lu Zhishi regretted his past laziness. Why hadn't he started learning at the company since high school, like Lu Zhiyu? Then he could have smoothly taken over the company right after graduation.

Lazy Cheese, Lazy Cheese, Lazy Cheese...

Lu Zhishi mentally chided his past lazy self—why hadn't he been more diligent? Then his present lazy self wouldn't be so exhausted.

Dragging his weary body, he worked until two days before New Year’s Eve, when Lu Zhishi finally began his holiday. The wilted little cabbage perked up, fresh and vibrant.

"Ding-ding-ding, your little cabbage is here for a visit."

Chi Chen led him inside. "It's coming home, not visiting, little cabbage."

The large villa, not far from the Lu and Chi families, was Chi Chen's current residence—their future marital home. They had just moved in last month.

On Lu Zhishi’s birthday, Chi Chen had gifted him this marital home, which was now in Lu Zhishi’s name.

In other words, Chi Chen was currently living in Lu Zhishi’s house, and they had already begun settling into their future home, gradually decorating it.

When Lu Zhishi first saw this birthday gift, he was puzzled for a while, unable to understand it.

Later, after Chi Chen explained, he finally understood why the villa was so close to home.

When Chi Chen moved in, Lu Zhishi came to help, bringing some of his own belongings along.

Upon learning it was their future marital home, Lu Zhishi became even more excited and began enthusiastically decorating the villa.

After realizing that everyone who passed by would tease him about it, Lu Zhishi felt a bit embarrassed and switched to decorating the villa quietly.

The peach blossom sapling from the small vegetable garden had been transplanted and now grew beside the new small garden, watered with nutrient solution, looking fresh and vibrant.

It was a token of love dug up years ago. When Lu Zhishi wasn’t home, Song Qinian took care of it year after year, and the sapling had grown quite a bit.

Just like him.

"What do you mean, just like you?"

Hearing this, Chi Chen turned to look at Lu Zhishi, raised an eyebrow, and asked curiously.

Lu Zhishi pointed at himself. "Me, I’ve grown a lot, just like the peach blossom sapling."

Hearing this, Chi Chen set down the vase in his hand and observed him for a moment.

Over the years, Lu Zhishi hadn’t changed much—only his features had matured, his looks becoming even more captivating, his smile brighter and more dazzling than the sun.

It was easy to get lost looking at him, and Chi Chen couldn’t help but zone out, a gentle curve forming at his lips.

Lu Zhishi: "?"

Touching his face, he wondered if he really was that good-looking. Lu Zhishi took out a small mirror to check.

He really was quite handsome!

Adjusting the strands of hair on his forehead, Lu Zhishi looked left and right in the mirror, preening a little.

Noticing his actions, Chi Chen snapped back to reality, watching him preen with an even brighter smile. He stepped forward, bent down, and kissed Lu Zhishi’s cheek.

After the kiss, he looked down and said apologetically, "Sorry, I couldn’t help it. Can I kiss you again?"

"?" Lu Zhishi thought he must have misheard.

But when he was pinned to the sofa and kissed, he realized he hadn’t misheard—this kissy monster really wanted more kisses.

Before things went too far, Lu Zhishi reached out and gently pushed against the chest of the person on top of him, turning his head slightly away, his face flushed as he whispered, "You’re crushing me..."

The weight on him slowly lifted, and a low, husky voice sounded by his ear, making Lu Zhishi’s ears tingle and burn.

"Sorry."

"It’s okay..." As Chi Chen got up, Lu Zhishi also sat up, grabbing a pillow awkwardly to hold in his arms.

Noticing his action, Chi Chen let out a knowing chuckle, his gaze lingering on the pillow in Lu Zhishi’s arms.

Lu Zhishi’s face grew even redder under his stare, but he couldn’t just put the pillow aside. In the end, he could only snap in embarrassment.

"Stop looking!"

"Sure." Chi Chen's voice was soft. "I'm going to get some cooling tea. Do you want some?"

Lu Zhishi's voice grew even quieter. He lowered his eyelashes and said awkwardly, "...Sure."

A low chuckle came from the living room. Chi Chen stood up, left for a moment, and returned with a pot of cooling tea, pouring them each a cup.

The usually affectionate couple sat separately today, on separate sofas about two meters apart, each holding a cup of cooling tea—one relaxed, the other awkward.

Stealing glances at Chi Chen, Lu Zhishi lowered his head to sip his tea, puzzled.

Chi Chen wasn't shy at all?

Why was it that the longer they were together, the less easily Chi Chen got shy? Was Lu Zhishi not working on himself well enough?

That shouldn’t be.

He turned to Chi Chen. "Why aren't you shy at all?"

Chi Chen paused mid-sip, silently recalling his character. It did seem a bit out of character lately.

His eyes darted—he’d gotten carried away. He and Lu Zhishi weren’t married yet. What if Lu Zhishi didn't like the real him?

He held his breath until his cheeks flushed, Chi Chen slowly lifted his gaze and said softly, "I am shy. I just didn't want to show it around you. I was afraid you wouldn't like me."

Seeing his expression, Lu Zhishi felt his heart soften. He hurriedly comforted him, "Of course I like you. I like every part of you."

Chi Chen nodded, his face red.

Now that he knew Chi Chen was shy too, Lu Zhishi no longer felt shy himself. His body cooled down, and his emotions settled. He casually tossed aside the pillow.

Chugging the cooling tea, Lu Zhishi burped, the taste of tea filling his mouth.

He moved over to sit next to Chi Chen. "Cooling tea flavor, eh? Let's kiss and see if your tea tastes different."

Chi Chen was startled, a smile unconsciously curling his lips. He put down his cup and leaned in.

Just before their lips met, Lu Zhishi pulled back and stood up, saying, "Nah, better not. What if we need more cooling tea? We'll save it for next time."

Chi Chen: "..."

Chi Chen’s smile dropped, his lips pressed into a straight line, then downturned into a frown.

He remained bent over, head lowered, lips downturned. Despite his large frame, his back carried a noticeable sense of grievance.

Lu Zhishi giggled mischievously, stepped back and circled him twice.

Chi Chen: "..."

Chi Chen let out a frustrated laugh.

"Come here, I've got something good for you," he beckoned to Lu Zhishi.

Lu Zhishi took a step back. "I don't buy it."

"Really, come here." Chi Chen pulled a small box from the drawer under the coffee table, stood up, and walked toward Lu Zhishi.

There actually was a gift box. Lu Zhishi had thought it was a lie. Curious, he approached Chi Chen.

It turned out Lu Zhishi was still too naive.

"L-Let me go!"

Trapped in the single sofa, Lu Zhishi tilted his head back to receive the kiss.

Chi Chen said nothing until he’d kissed him enough, then finally pulled away.

He kissed his lover’s forehead tenderly, unwrapped the small gift box, and slipped the men’s bracelet onto Lu Zhishi’s right wrist.

Chi Chen looked down at the bracelet-adorned wrist, then kissed the inside of Lu Zhishi’s wrist, murmuring, "So beautiful..."

He kissed, licked, and bit gently—first the wrist, then the cheek, then biting the lips—intimate and lingering. This time, Chi Chen was truly aroused.

Lu Zhishi’s entire body grew hot. Unable to handle it anymore, he pushed Chi Chen away and dashed home.

A short while later, he ran back, tossed down two large packets of cooling tea, and fled in a rush.

—Drink more cooling tea.

Lu Zhishi’s meaning was clear.

Chi Chen chuckled wryly, leaning back into the sofa, tilting his head back. His Adam’s apple bobbed occasionally as he closed his eyes, letting the emotions wash over him.

As soon as Lu Zhishi got home, he went upstairs to take a shower—a lukewarm one; he didn’t dare use cold water.

After soaking for half an hour, he finally calmed down. He sneakily washed his clothes, dried them, and put them away, then checked himself in the mirror.

Hmm, not so red anymore. Good thing there weren’t many people around lately. Otherwise, if anyone had seen his bright red face on the way back, the whole villa district would be buzzing with news about Lu Zhishi tomorrow.

"What were you up to? Your face was so red when you came back. Do you have a cold, a fever, or what?" Lu Zhiyu knocked and entered, carrying a bowl of hot ginger soup and a thermometer.

Lu Zhishi was stunned. "How did you know?"

Lu Zhiyu: "?"

Lu Zhiyu: "I was right at my door. You rushed past without noticing me?"

Lu Zhishi scratched his cheek, clasped his hands together, and bowed slightly. "I was in too much of a hurry. I didn’t see you. Next time, definitely next time..."

Lu Zhiyu: "..."

Lu Zhiyu was deeply hurt. That damn "Stinky Cheese"—he didn’t even notice his dear older brother!

His eyes were only on Chi Chen!

Lu Zhiyu fumed, turning away sulkily. He handed over the ginger soup and grumbled, "Drink up."

Lu Zhishi downed it in one go, then moved behind Lu Zhiyu to massage his shoulders and arms, saying softly, "I was in a hurry to shower just now. I didn’t mean to not see you, brother. Don’t be mad."

"Hmph." Lu Zhiyu lifted his chin slightly, clipped the thermometer onto Lu Zhishi, and felt his forehead. "Don’t go running around in the cold."

That damn Chi Chen—he wasn’t done with him. Always luring his dear younger brother to his new place.

How could his adorable younger brother not notice him when he came back? It must be Chi Chen’s influence!

Scheming green tea Chen!

Lu. Super brother-con filter. Zhiyu mentally noted this down against Chi Chen. At their New Year’s dinner, he’d definitely serve Chi Chen a heaping portion of cilantro—Chi Chen’s most hated ingredient.

"Okay, okay, I won’t run around. I usually just go to Chi Chen’s place or play games with Chubby Xing."

Lu Zhishi is usually quite a homebody; when he goes out, it's either to Chi Chen's place, the Zhao family's home, or back to his grandparents' house.

If he isn't allowed to go out and have fun, keeping him cooped up at home isn't a solution either. Oh well.

Lu Zhiyu closed his eyes resignedly and said, "Alright, go out if you want, just don’t catch a cold. Be careful."

"Okay~" Lu Zhishi nuzzled against his arm.

His temperature was normal. After giving some reminders, Lu Zhiyu went out, packed up his things, and left with several large bags.

Not daring to go back to the new house, Lu Zhishi stayed in his room watching movies. Whenever he missed Chi Chen, he would go to the balcony and glance toward the new house.

It wasn’t clear enough, so he searched the study for a telescope. Lu Zhishi sat on the sofa in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, watching TV and occasionally raising the telescope to look toward the new house.

Even in winter, it didn’t affect the workings of Zhishi’s biological clock. He got sleepy right on time, and with it being winter, his afternoon nap was especially sound.

This kind of situation is usually called hibernation.

Besides that, there’s spring drowsiness, summer fatigue, and autumn lethargy—Lu Zhishi loves sleeping in every season, and his biological clock is very fixed.

Having been tired from work lately, Lu Zhishi slept deeply, his dreams bizarre and chaotic. When he opened his eyes, he was still dazed and wearily rubbed his temples.

As his senses slowly returned, Lu Zhishi felt an arm resting on his waist. He turned his head to look.

The sky was growing dark, and the room was dimly lit. He could vaguely make out the line of Chi Chen’s jaw.

After watching for a while, Lu Zhishi slowly shifted closer and gently nestled into Chi Chen’s arms.

He waited, but Chi Chen didn't move—maybe he was asleep.

Lu Zhishi placed his hand on Chi Chen’s waist. Half a minute later, he draped his leg over Chi Chen’s body.

The little octopus in his arms closed his eyes and fell back asleep. Chi Chen opened his eyes, looking down tenderly at his lover, not moving a muscle.

He wished this could happen more often.

When he fell back asleep, the sky was still somewhat bright. When he woke again, it was completely dark. Lu Zhishi slowly sat up and glanced at the spot beside him—the covers were smooth and empty.

If it weren’t for the faint scent of Chi Chen’s perfume lingering in the bedding, he would have thought it was all a dream, that Chi Chen had never come.

Lu Zhishi stared at the empty space beside him for a long time, then rather guiltily looked around before burying his face in the nearby blanket, taking a deep breath.

Mmm, good—still the familiar scent of Chi Chen.

If only he were here in person. Lu Zhishi would definitely cling to him and inhale his scent to his heart’s content.

When the sound of the door opening came, Lu Zhishi was still engrossed in sniffing the blanket. Startled, he hurriedly sat up straight and frantically tried to tidy his hair.

Coming in and seeing him sitting there, Chi Chen was also surprised. He softly turned on the small room light, walked over slowly, and sat on the edge of the bed.

"I saw the room light was off and thought you were still asleep. Did you sleep well?"

He reached out to touch Lu Zhishi’s cheek—smooth and a little warm.

Lu Zhishi glanced guiltily at Chi Chen, wondering if his earlier behavior had been seen. That would be way too embarrassing.

"Pretty good, pretty good..."

"Are you feeling unwell? Your cheeks are warm and very red."

Lu Zhishi touched his face too. "Maybe it’s because I just woke up."

Actually, no—it was guilt and fluster making him blush. Who doesn’t blush when they’re feeling guilty?

"Mmm." Chi Chen’s thumb gently brushed his cheek, then he smoothed Lu Zhishi’s hair and helped him out of bed to put on shoes and freshen up.

Even though Lu Zhishi had escaped home at noon, now that he saw Chi Chen, he couldn’t help but stick close.

He liked Chi Chen, he missed Chi Chen—why shouldn’t he be clingy with his own boyfriend?

So Lu Zhishi stuck to him, arm against arm, fingers intertwined, staying attached even as they went downstairs.

"Alright, you two." Lu Zhiyu passed by carrying freshly cooked dishes, wishing he’d come out two minutes later. Seeing the clingy couple again, he felt a pang of jealousy, especially displeased with Chi Chen.

Lu Zhishi was stunned. "Brother, why are you cooking again..."

"What’s wrong with me cooking? My skills have improved a lot, okay? Even Pang Xiaoxing said it’s tasty."

Lu Zhishi: "...He’s biased."

"Nonsense." Lu Zhiyu refused to listen. "My cooking has always been good, and it’s quite delicious. You’ll know once you try it."

Lu Zhishi: "..."

Chi Chen: "..."

Song Qinian, sitting on the living room sofa watching Financial News, snorted lightly. Beside him, Lu Tingan, holding a cup and sipping water with downcast eyes, also curved his lips. Sometimes silence speaks louder than words.

Lu Zhishi let go of Chi Chen’s hand and went into the kitchen, hoping to salvage dinner. Unfortunately, it was too late—Lu Zhiyu had already finished preparing everything.

Sitting at the dining table, Lu Zhishi looked at the food in front of him and mentally prepared himself.

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Lu Zhiyu—it’s just that Lu Zhiyu’s cooking skills were about as reliable as Lu Zhishi’s fishing skills.

Chi Yuehang was the first to taste a bite. After a moment’s thought, he nodded. "Pang Yu’s cooking has improved quite a bit."

Lu Zhishi’s eyes widened slightly. He also picked up some fish, took a bite, and chewed thoughtfully.

How to put it? Edible, but average. Still, compared to before, it was a big improvement.

At least Lu Zhishi didn’t find any eggshell in the scrambled eggs with tomatoes.

It wasn’t entirely Lu Zhiyu’s fault—his current cooking skills were actually quite presentable. It’s just unfortunate that every household had their own master chefs, so Lu Zhiyu’s skills didn’t stand out.

The Lu family had Song Qinian, Lu Zhishi, and Lu Tingan; the Chi family had Chi Yuehang and Chi Chen; the Zhao family had Lin Sheng, Zhao Qiyun, and Zhao Xiaoxing—all were top chefs among the younger generation, not to mention the grandparents' generation.

Improvement was still a good thing. Both families praised him generously, and Lu Zhiyu regained his confidence.

He planned to go to the Zhao family tomorrow to cook for his boyfriend, see what needed improvement, and borrow a few cookbooks to practice. After getting married, he’d cook for Pang Xiaoxing.

Lu Zhiyu always remembered what Song Qinian taught him: to win someone’s heart, you must first win their stomach.

When Lu Zhishi learned of this plan, he quickly tried to dissuade him, suggesting he practice a bit more first. There was plenty of time ahead, and more practice would amaze everyone.

Lu Zhiyu thought his brother made sense and abandoned the idea of cooking at the Zhao family tomorrow. Instead, he decided to cook for the grandparents during tomorrow’s New Year’s Eve celebration.

Lu Zhishi: "?"

Lu Zhishi: "..."

Lu Zhishi was confused. Was that what he meant? That wasn't what he meant at all!

Lu Zhishi made a mental note that tomorrow, before Lu Zhiyu could start cooking, he would make the New Year's Eve dinner himself.

After finishing dinner, since they had some free time, the four adults sat in the living room chatting.

Lu Zhishi went back to his room first to take a shower. While blow-drying his hair, he toyed with the strands on his forehead.

It had grown quite a bit, almost covering his eyes. He decided to get a haircut after the New Year.

The shower took a while, and his mind wandered during blow-drying. Not to mention, Lu Zhishi even took the time to put on a face mask.

By the time he went downstairs again, more than an hour had passed. The adults were still talking, and Lu Zhishi didn’t want to interrupt. He walked over and sat beside Chi Chen, taking the calming tea handed to him and sipping it slowly.

Chi Chen’s expression was unusually gentle, filled with obvious joy. Lu Zhishi turned to glance at him a couple of times.

Blinking his slightly rounded peach-blossom eyes, he gestured with his eyes, asking Chi Chen, "What is it?"

Chi Chen curled his lips into a smile, his narrow, soulful eyes holding an indescribable emotion.

The corners of his eyes were slightly red.

Lu Zhishi reached out to wipe them, then held Chi Chen’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before checking on the others.

The four adults were talking, and Lu Zhiyu was also paying close attention, his expression serious and focused, nodding from time to time as he discussed matters with them.

Lu Zhishi listened carefully too, but the more he heard, the more he felt something was off. This didn’t sound like arrangements for the company’s annual party.

It sounded more like... engagement preparations.

He had some understanding of Zhao Qiyun and Zhou Nianjing’s engagement, but Lu Zhiyu and Zhao Xiaoxing’s engagement had been arranged by Lu Zhiyu himself, so Lu Zhishi wasn’t very familiar with the details.

Now, only half understanding, he felt it might be about them, but he was afraid it was just a misunderstanding. Still, Lu Zhishi couldn’t help but feel excited, his breathing coming a little faster.

He patted the back of Chi Chen’s hand, leaned close to his ear, and wanted to ask if it was about their engagement.

But he held back the words. Lu Zhishi didn’t dare ask Chi Chen—what if it wasn’t? Then they’d just be disappointed over nothing.

He could handle his own disappointment, but he didn’t want Chi Chen to feel the same. So, Lu Zhishi quietly scooted closer to Lu Zhiyu to ask for details.

Tugging lightly on Lu Zhiyu’s sleeve, Lu Zhishi leaned in and whispered, "What are they talking about?"

Lu Zhiyu looked at him, mussed his hair, and sighed. "It’s about your and Chi Chen’s engagement process. There’s a lot to prepare, so they’re discussing it early."

Lu Zhishi slowly broke into a grin, tried to hold it in, but couldn’t stop himself from bursting into laughter: "Hahahahaha—"

The conversation was interrupted by a burst of laughter. The four parents discussing the engagement arrangements: "?"

Amused by Lu Zhishi’s happy laughter, Song Qinian and the others also started laughing, the joy spreading among them.

After laughing, Lu Zhishi sat back beside Chi Chen, still giggling uncontrollably.

He tilted his head and nuzzled against Chi Chen’s shoulder, leaning close to his ear to whisper:

"I just heard from my brother that our engagement party has been pushed up. Do you know when it’s scheduled?"