Married in a Daze - Chapter 79

Chapter 79

Qin Zhenzhen had been on tenterhooks for two days and had filmed for a long time. Despite saying she couldn't sleep, she drifted off to dreamland within seconds of getting into bed after her bath. Lu Ruyun sat at the head of the bed, lowering her gaze to look at her.

Finally, she could boldly stroke her sleeping cheek, could gaze upon her peaceful slumbering face, could take in the beautiful scene little by little, absorbing every detail.

She sat there dryly like that for a long time without moving, her fingertips lightly brushing Qin Zhenzhen's face, tucking the long hair behind her ear to reveal a fair, clean, pretty face, breathing shallowly, cheeks slightly flushed.

Before coming, she knew this was a path of no return. In truth, these past two days, she had wavered, just as Qin Zhenzhen had said. But the moment she thought of Qin Zhenzhen, that hesitation instantly dissipated. The thought buried deep in her heart was: she wanted to see her, wanted to watch her, wanted to be with her.

So she came.

Lu Ruyun turned off the bedside lamp, plunging the room into darkness. Her eyes were bright and clear as she slowly leaned down, gently placing a kiss on Qin Zhenzhen's forehead. A hollow place in her heart was filled with warmth, threads of sweetness seeping in. Unconsciously, she held Qin Zhenzhen even tighter.

Qin Zhenzhen seemed to sense her movements even in her dream, snuggling entirely into her embrace, rubbing her cheek against Lu Ruyun's chest, letting out a satisfied sigh.

The next day, the two of them didn't wake up until noon, naturally missing breakfast. He Shuangshuang and Ji Lu, as if by prior agreement, also hadn't come to knock. Qin Zhenzhen woke up naturally, stretching her arm out, accidentally hitting Lu Ruyun sleeping beside her. Turning her head, she saw Lu Ruyun was still asleep, breathing evenly and long.

She prepared to quietly get out of bed. Just as she lifted the blanket, her waist was encircled by an arm. Qin Zhenzhen looked down and saw a pair of slender wrists resting on her waist. She turned her head and saw Lu Ruyun slowly opening her eyes. "Morning."

Qin Zhenzhen's expression wasn't as natural as hers; a flush quietly crept onto her cheeks. She lowered her head, pretending to rub her eyes. "Morning."

Lu Ruyun's arm was still around her waist. She cleared her throat as if unintentionally breaking free from her hold and slipped into the bathroom like she was escaping.

Even sitting on the toilet, her heart kept thumping wildly. She cursed herself inwardly for being spineless—it was just sleeping together, was it worth getting this excited about!

Two little figures were fighting in her mind.

Of course it is, of course it is! This is the first time we've shared a bed!

Another little figure said, Of course it's not worth it! Nothing happened, I didn't even get to taste any tofu. What's there to be shy about?

Qin Zhenzhen was lost in reminiscing about the uneaten tofu when a knock sounded on the door. "Zhenzhen?"

Lu Ruyun's light, clear voice interrupted her train of thought. Qin Zhenzhen shot up from the toilet, spun a circle in the bathroom, and asked, "What's up?"

Lu Ruyun pursed her lips. "Are you done?"

Only then did Qin Zhenzhen turn to face the mirror. The woman inside had hair as messy as a bird's nest, no makeup, eyes not so large, with eye bags and dark circles. She let out a wail. "Not yet."

Lu Ruyun looked at the door that had been tightly shut for over half an hour: ...

The suite had two bathrooms, one in the bedroom and another at the back of the living room. Left with no choice, Lu Ruyun went to the bathroom at the back. When she finished washing up and came out, she saw Qin Zhenzhen sitting on the sofa making a phone call.

"Okay, I know, don't worry. Lulu will be with me."

"Drive safely."

After a brief exchange, she hung up. Lu Ruyun walked over and sat down beside her. "Meng Xin?"

Qin Zhenzhen nodded. "Just went back. Didn't want to disturb us, so she didn't come over."

After saying this, she looked up. Lu Ruyun noticed she was wearing light makeup and, upon closer sniff, there was a faint scent of perfume on her. Lu Ruyun pursed her lips. "Zhenzhen."

"Hmm?" Qin Zhenzhen hadn't yet withdrawn her gaze when it collided with Lu Ruyun's profound eyes.

Lu Ruyun thought for a moment and said, "You don't need to be so reserved in front of me. Besides, you look very beautiful without makeup too."

Suddenly praised, Qin Zhenzhen felt her face grow warm, cheeks flushed pink. Her eyes sparkled as she asked, "Does Teacher Lu mean you like the way I look without makeup?"

Lu Ruyun took her hand, her expression calm but her gaze utterly reverent. "What I mean is, I like you in every form."

Qin Zhenzhen's expression froze for a few seconds. Her already pink cheeks instantly turned crimson, heat rushing upwards. Her eyes grew misty, tinged with a watery sheen, looking utterly captivating.

Their gazes met in the air. Qin Zhenzhen unconsciously leaned forward. The doorbell rang at an inopportune moment. Qin Zhenzhen instinctively pulled back, but Lu Ruyun suddenly reached out, encircled her waist, and pulled her whole body towards herself, their lips meeting without a gap.

"Could they still not be awake?" He Shuangshuang, standing outside the door, frowned and muttered.

Ji Lu, hearing her voice, rolled her eyes. "Teacher Lu oversleeps sometimes too."

He Shuangshuang shot her a look. "Ruyun definitely doesn't. It's probably Qin Zhenzhen holding her back, not letting her get out of bed."

Ji Lu, holding her breath, retorted, "Nonsense! It's definitely Teacher Lu making Zhenzhen's legs too weak to get out of bed!"

Just as their argument finished, the door suddenly opened. Lu Ruyun, who they had just been discussing, stood at the doorway looking perfectly normal. She stepped aside slightly, her voice light. "Come in."

Ji Lu and He Shuangshuang exchanged a glance and walked into the suite.

Qin Zhenzhen had already retreated back into the bathroom. Her fingers rested on her slightly swollen lips as she bit her lip with a faint smile. After thinking for a moment, she still removed her makeup.

When she stepped out again, three people were sitting on the sofa. Qin Zhenzhen walked over with a natural expression, hearing He Shuangshuang's voice. "It was okay, I guess. If you ignore the fact that someone kicked me out of bed three times, I slept fairly well."

Ji Lu, not to be outdone, protested loudly. "What do you mean I kicked you? If you hadn't hogged all the blankets, would I have kicked you? You slept like a log, couldn't even be woken up by calling."

He Shuangshuang turned her head. "You have the nerve to say that about me? Did you drink last night? The way you went wild!"

"You're the one who went wild!"

The two of them were at it again, habitually bickering. Qin Zhenzhen walked over and sat beside Lu Ruyun, whispering, "What's going on?"

Lu Ruyun turned to look at her, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "Watching a show."

Qin Zhenzhen: ...

He Shuangshuang and Ji Lu's quarrel only lasted a few minutes. Each gave a disdainful hum and turned their backs on each other. Lu Ruyun's voice held a trace of laughter. "Finished arguing?"

He Shuangshuang rolled her eyes. "Can't be bothered."

Qin Zhenzhen also sensed the discord between the two. Ji Lu wasn't actually a quarrelsome personality. In the three years she'd been with her, she'd rarely seen her openly clash with anyone. Even during the audition when Tang Ya bullied her with her influence, she had only muttered a few words.

But every time she was with He Shuangshuang, she always ended up locking horns within three sentences. It was quite strange.

For a moment, silence fell in the apartment. All four sat without speaking. Ji Lu scooted over to the spot on the other side of Qin Zhenzhen and whispered, "Zhenzhen, Director Yu said he'll be arriving in City M at two this afternoon to meet up with us. Do you need me to start packing your luggage?"

Qin Zhenzhen paused. "Two o'clock?"

Ji Lu nodded. Qin Zhenzhen muttered quietly, "So early."

Lu Ruyun heard her muttering and asked, "What's wrong?"

Qin Zhenzhen replied with some displeasure, "I have to join the film crew this afternoon at two."

With Ji Lu and He Shuangshuang present, her tone was much more proper. She tilted her head up slightly. Lu Ruyun saw her pitiful-looking eyes and the frustration of wanting to act spoiled but not daring to because others were there. Amused, she lowered her head, a smile playing on her lips. "I also have to return to City A after lunch. There's still a magazine cover to shoot."

So even if she wasn't joining the crew at two, they still couldn't be together.

Sure enough, her consolation instantly improved Qin Zhenzhen's mood considerably. Ji Lu watched her expression shifting from rain to sunshine and scratched her head, her eyes puzzled. He Shuangshuang looked at Ji Lu as if she were an idiot, clicked her tongue, and shook her head.

The four of them had lunch at a Chinese restaurant near the hotel. As they entered, the large screen was playing news about Jian Mu at the airport.

"Mr. Jian, is it true that you wish to transition into acting through this new song?"

"Mr. Jian, how is the preparation for your new song going?"

"Mr. Jian, how was your collaboration with Miss Qin this time?"

"Mr. Jian—"

A barrage of questions, a dense crowd, the incessant flash of cameras. Jian Mu, dressed in a suit, remained calm and composed, as if he was long accustomed to facing so many media outlets. From time to time, excited fans waved flags and shouted, "Brother Jian! Brother Jian!"

Jian Mu merely smiled at the fans before walking out of sight with his bodyguards, leaving behind a chorus of cheers. The name "Jian Mu" was deafening; even just from the screen, one could feel the atmosphere of the scene.

Qin Zhenzhen stood still for several seconds before Lu Ruyun asked, "Should we change restaurants?"

"No need." Qin Zhenzhen smiled at her. "Here is fine."

The four entered a private room. Lunch lasted nearly an hour and a half. He Shuangshuang and Ji Lu still couldn't stand the sight of each other and didn't exchange a single word. Qin Zhenzhen and Lu Ruyun spoke occasionally, their demeanors natural.

After the meal, they returned to the room to pack. Qin Zhenzhen held onto Lu Ruyun's wrist as they sat on the sofa, clearly somewhat reluctant to part. Lu Ruyun watched her cat-like behavior—extending a tentative paw only to gently retract it—and felt her entire heart enveloped in warmth, melting into a puddle of tenderness.

At half past one, Qin Zhenzhen received a call from Director Yu, informing her of the meeting point. She and Lu Ruyun carried their luggage downstairs. Standing at the hotel entrance, they finally said their goodbyes.

"I'm heading off first."

Ji Lu had already hailed a car and was waiting inside. Lu Ruyun looked at her, then at the direction of the car. "Take care on the road."

Qin Zhenzhen nodded. "You too."

Before their relationship was confirmed, such greetings felt perfectly normal. But once in a relationship, every word seemed to carry a hint of sickly sweetness. The car not far away honked. Qin Zhenzhen bit her lip and looked up. "See you later."

Seeing her pitiful, reluctant expression, Lu Ruyun's heart stirred slightly. She took two steps forward, leaned in, and gently pecked her cheek, saying softly, "See you later. I'll be waiting for you at home."

A smile surfaced in Qin Zhenzhen's eyes. She nodded, turned around, and jogged to the car.

Lu Ruyun watched as the car in front of her started its engine and sped away into the chilly air. Her gaze remained fixed ahead for a long while before she came back to herself. He Shuangshuang, pushing the suitcase behind her, said, "Let's go."

The two walked in another direction. Before getting into the car, He Shuangshuang asked conversationally, "How was last night?"

Lu Ruyun paused her steps upon hearing this. "Quite good."

He Shuangshuang secretly breathed a sigh of relief, only to hear Lu Ruyun continue, "By the way, after we get back, have someone do some renovations at the apartment."

"Add an extra bathroom."

He Shuangshuang was stunned for a few seconds. "Bathroom?"

Then, as if thinking of something, her face flushed slightly, and she lowered her voice. "Was it that intense last night?"

Lu Ruyun: ...

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