Married in a Daze - Chapter 101
Chapter 101
Regarding the matter of mistaking one person for another, Qin Zhenzhen adamantly refused to admit to it. However, after Lu Ruyun hung up the phone, she desperately searched for topics to discuss.
"Just now... what did your aunt say to you?"
Lu Ruyun sat down on the sofa, placing her phone on the coffee table. She turned her head to look at Qin Zhenzhen and replied, "Nothing much. She was asking if I'll be going back for the New Year."
Qin Zhenzhen gave a dry laugh. "You seem to have a very good relationship with your aunt."
Lu Ruyun nodded, her expression softening. "Yes. I was raised by my aunt."
Qin Zhenzhen, who had originally wanted to probe further, was momentarily stunned by her words. "Raised by your aunt? Then your mother..."
She didn't finish the question, biting her lower lip, looking hesitant. The afternoon sunlight leaped into the living room, warming the entire space. Outside the window, the cold wind howled, but inside, it was warm and cozy.
Lu Ruyun pulled her down to sit, wrapping an arm around her waist. Her bright eyes were deep and profound. "When I was ten, I started living with my aunt. I stayed with her until I graduated from university. Later, my aunt remained unmarried, and the family felt it was because raising me was inconvenient for her. So after I was discharged from the hospital, they sent me to City A."
Qin Zhenzhen nodded. "Discharged from the hospital? When were you hospitalized?"
Lu Ruyun rested her chin on Qin Zhenzhen's shoulder, the warmth seeping through the fabric. "When I was little, I was treated with medication. When I graduated, my condition worsened, and I was hospitalized for a while. Later, Vice Dean Ding was transferred to City A, so the family conveniently sent me here too."
As she said these things, her expression and tone didn't change much. Lu Ruyun continued to hold Qin Zhenzhen. One might have thought these matters were difficult to speak of, but they weren't.
If she was telling Qin Zhenzhen.
She was willing to.
Qin Zhenzhen pondered the words "condition worsened." She pressed her lips together and asked, "Why did your condition worsen?"
Lu Ruyun lowered her gaze, playing with Qin Zhenzhen's fingers. Her expression was calm, but a hint of fear lingered in her eyes. "I saw her."
Qin Zhenzhen turned her head to look at Lu Ruyun. "Your mother?"
Lu Ruyun nodded.
Qin Zhenzhen saw the fear in her eyes clearly and patted the back of her hand. "Alright. I don't want to know the rest."
Lu Ruyun's gaze showed surprise, as if she didn't understand why the questioning stopped halfway. Qin Zhenzhen tweaked the tip of her nose. "Ruyun, your expression tells me you haven't forgotten those things at all. Bringing them up again is like rubbing salt in the wound. I admit, I really want to know. I want to know every detail. But not now. Not this way."
"I want to wait for the day when you've let go, when mentioning it won't make you feel sad or suffocated. Then, you can tell me everything, from beginning to end."
"After all, I'm going to be busy the next few days. What if you have an episode and I'm not by your side? I'd feel even worse than you."
Qin Zhenzhen's words made Lu Ruyun hold her even tighter, as if wishing to meld her into her own body. Qin Zhenzhen's waist was firmly pinned. She patted Lu Ruyun's arm. "Loos... loosen..."
The remaining words were swallowed between lips and tongue. After kissing her deeply, Lu Ruyun looked up. Both their eyes were sparkling, shimmering. Qin Zhenzhen looked at her, stopping to ask, "What's wrong?"
Lu Ruyun pursed her lips. "Do you have any promotional events this afternoon?"
Qin Zhenzhen's mind was muddled from the kiss. She thought for a moment and nodded. "Originally, there was a schedule, but Sister Meng informed me the time was changed. So I'm free this afternoon."
Hearing this, Lu Ruyun stood up, pulling Qin Zhenzhen along as they both headed towards the bathroom. Qin Zhenzhen swallowed. "What are you doing?"
"Instalment payment."
Qin Zhenzhen: ...
The bathroom door opened and closed. From inside, only occasional soft, coquettish sounds could be heard, lingering and tender, full of springtime ardor.
In another apartment not long after, it was like the depths of winter. Zhang Yiyao's expression shifted several times. "Where is Ruyun?"
He Shuangshuang steeled herself. "Yaoyao, Ruyun is busy these days. Besides, you two just had that rumor not long ago. Both logically and emotionally, it's necessary to avoid suspicion."
"Avoid suspicion?" Zhang Yiyao's voice was somewhat shrill. "We didn't do anything! Why do we need to avoid suspicion!"
He Shuangshuang had a headache looking at her. Zhang Yiyao's temper was getting worse and worse. She would throw things around at the slightest provocation, as if gone mad. At this moment, there was no trace of her former gentle self.
Naturally, she knew Zhang Yiyao's mental state wasn't great, but she had never seen her during an episode before. Seeing it for the first time was, frankly, a bit frightening.
Just as He Shuangshuang was about to contact Vice Dean Ding, Zhang Yiyao snatched her phone away. "Are you calling Ruyun?"
He Shuangshuang watched the phone in her hand and coaxed, "Yaoyao, give me the phone. I'll call Ruyun."
Half-believing, half-doubting, Zhang Yiyao handed the phone to her, staring fixedly at her. "You call."
"Put it on speaker."
He Shuangshuang had no choice but to dial Lu Ruyun's number. But after three consecutive calls, no one answered. Zhang Yiyao couldn't sit still, pacing back and forth in the living room. He Shuangshuang wanted to call Vice Dean Ding when Zhang Yiyao wasn't looking, but Zhang Yiyao grabbed her wrist. "Ruyun must be in trouble. I'm worried. I need to go see her."
"Yaoyao." He Shuangshuang felt terrible seeing her like this. She embraced Zhang Yiyao, giving her warmth.
"It's alright. Ruyun will be fine. Don't get agitated. Let's take your medicine first, okay?"
Held by her, Zhang Yiyao's emotions slowly stabilized. She took two deep breaths. "Is she really okay? Shuangshuang, I'm still worried. I want to go see for myself."
Seeing her stubborn expression, He Shuangshuang had to say, "Alright. I'll go with you. But you have to take your medicine first."
Zhang Yiyao nodded, took the medicine He Shuangshuang handed her, and swallowed it with cold water. Her expression gradually calmed considerably, and He Shuangshuang also breathed a sigh of relief.
"Let's go."
He Shuangshuang nodded. "Okay."
Both she and Zhang Yiyao had keys to Lu Ruyun's apartment. She had called Ruyun's phone for so long with no answer, so she guessed she probably wasn't at the apartment. She had heard that Ruyun wanted to accompany Zhenzhen to promotional events these past couple of days, so her original intention was to swing by the apartment, and if no one was there, just come back.
Thinking of this, He Shuangshuang turned to Zhang Yiyao. "Yaoyao, if Ruyun isn't at the apartment later, we'll just come straight back, okay?"
Zhang Yiyao had regained a fair amount of her rationality. Her expression was no different from usual. "She's not at her apartment? Then where would she be?"
He Shuangshuang shrugged. "I heard she's accompanying Zhenzhen for promotions."
As she spoke, she smiled at Zhang Yiyao. Zhang Yiyao nodded, a look of apology on her face. "I'm sorry, Shuangshuang. Was I too willful just now?"
He Shuangshuang waved her hand with a smile. "It's fine. I know you're hurting. Letting it out is good."
Zhang Yiyao patted her shoulder. "Thank you, Shuangshuang."
He Shuangshuang turned to look at her, comforting her. "Actually, Yaoyao, I think if you have something on your mind, you shouldn't keep it bottled up. Talk to me. Even though I might not be able to give you any solutions, talking about it will make you feel much better."
"As for Qiuhan... are you really sure about breaking up?"
After hearing He Shuangshuang's words, Zhang Yiyao looked thoughtful. "Yes, I'm sure. I've missed many chances already. I don't want to miss it again this time."
He Shuangshuang was momentarily confused by her statement, but she couldn't quite put her finger on why. She simply shook her head and drove towards Lu Ruyun's apartment.
The scenery outside the car window was as bleak as ever. No light shone in Zhang Yiyao's eyes, only a dark murkiness.
Lu Ruyun and Qin Zhenzhen lingered in the bathroom for over two hours before emerging. Qin Zhenzhen's legs were a bit weak. Lu Ruyun helped her into the adjacent bathroom to soak in the bathtub. Qin Zhenzhen shot her a coquettish glare. "Satisfied now?"
Lu Ruyun glanced at her sideways, thought for a few seconds, and answered honestly, "No."
Qin Zhenzhen's foot slipped, nearly causing her to fall.
She looked at Lu Ruyun speechlessly and pushed her hand away. "Alright, you can go out now. I'll soak for a bit."
Lu Ruyun stood by her side reluctantly. "Let me help you."
Qin Zhenzhen gritted her teeth. "No need. I'm afraid you won't be able to control yourself!"
Lu Ruyun: ...
After Qin Zhenzhen definitively, certainly, and absolutely refused her help, Lu Ruyun went to the shower stall to rinse off. She came out wrapped in a bathrobe, her long hair damp. Turning her head, she saw Qin Zhenzhen with her eyes slightly closed, cheeks flushed pink, her body still bearing faint traces of their earlier intimacy—subtle, light marks on her skin. Lu Ruyun only glanced before coughing lightly and left the bathroom.
After exiting the bathroom, she sat on the sofa and turned on the TV to watch the news.
The TV was playing the morning press conference. Lu Ruyun used a hairdryer on her long hair while watching Qin Zhenzhen on screen interacting with everyone. She played a couple intimately with Hu Jing, and the scene where she played a consort with Song He, harmonious and in perfect tune.
The more Lu Ruyun watched, the tighter she gripped the hairdryer. After sitting on the sofa for a few seconds, she stood up and walked to the bathroom door, entering without knocking.
Qin Zhenzhen was soaking comfortably with her eyes closed when a dark figure suddenly loomed before her. She opened her eyes to see Lu Ruyun leaning down to give her a fierce kiss.
After kissing her, she left.
As the door closed, Qin Zhenzhen shouted, "Lu Ruyun, are you insane?!"
Hearing her voice, Lu Ruyun touched her fingers to her lips, a smile spreading in her eyes.
With that disruption, Qin Zhenzhen lost all desire to soak in the bath. She climbed out of the tub, rinsed off the foam, threw on her bathrobe, and left the bathroom. Seeing Lu Ruyun sitting on the sofa, she walked over and kicked her calf with her foot. "Why did you kiss me just now?"
Lu Ruyun looked up. Qin Zhenzhen's face still had un-wiped water droplets, sparkling. She pulled Qin Zhenzhen by the wrist to sit on her lap. Without answering, she simply picked up the hairdryer from the coffee table. Instantly, the living room was filled with a buzzing sound.
Qin Zhenzhen was comfortably pampered by her. Afraid of being inconvenient, she simply lay on top of her. Lu Ruyun's fingers ran through her beautiful hair, blow-drying the damp strands bit by bit.
They leaned against each other, neither speaking. In the living room, besides the hairdryer, only the sound from the TV could be heard. Over ten minutes later, Lu Ruyun put down the hairdryer.
Qin Zhenzhen shook her hair, releasing a waft of fragrance.
Lu Ruyun patted her back. "What do you want for dinner?"
Qin Zhenzhen was straddling her. Hearing this, she pulled back slightly. She thought seriously for a few seconds. "Anything. I'll love whatever Teacher Lu cooks."
Her slightly coquettish tone made Lu Ruyun chuckle lightly. "Alright then. I'll cook more meat for you tonight."
Qin Zhenzhen's pretty brows furrowed. "Why?"
Lu Ruyun hugged her, tightening her hold around her waist. "Afraid you'll run out of energy."
Qin Zhenzhen's cheeks instantly flushed crimson. She bit Lu Ruyun's earlobe fiercely. "Will I have energy or not?"
Her breath blew by Lu Ruyun's ear. Lu Ruyun's earlobes turned slightly red, but she still insisted stubbornly, "No."
Qin Zhenzhen, unwilling to admit defeat, wanted to launch another sneak attack but was stopped by Lu Ruyun. Accompanying her soft, protesting sounds was the sound of the door opening.
With a click, the door opened. Both Qin Zhenzhen and Lu Ruyun froze simultaneously, turning to look at the entrance.
He Shuangshuang stood awkwardly at the doorway, raising her hand with an awkward laugh. "What a coincidence! You're both home."
Qin Zhenzhen glanced at Lu Ruyun, almost falling off her lap.
Comments
Post a Comment