◎ “This moved you already?” ◎

Because of that surprise-filled “Zhihu diary” post, and because she had bragged about Lu Rangchen far too much, Yunque ultimately made some preparations for Lu Rangchen that evening.

For instance, she had gone out of her way to get a delicate little dress — so sheer it was barely there at all.

The kind that would seem to fall apart at the slightest tug.

And this particular garment had been borrowed from Xu Linda.

Not long before, when Xu Linda had just started dating someone and was head over heels in love, she had specifically bought several of these, showed them off to Yunque, and even offered to give her one.

But at the time, Yunque had found it far too embarrassing and refused.

Who could have guessed that just a few days later, she would end up having to seek out Xu Linda for help after all?

Xu Linda, of course, laughed so hard she could barely breathe.

She said, “Sure, Yunque — look at you, you finally know how to open up.”

Yunque’s ears burned warm.

Outwardly she stayed calm, but inwardly she felt completely helpless.

After all, she had made a promise to Lu Rangchen…

A promise meant keeping it.

The trouble was, this type of garment wasn’t sold in department stores. Buying it online would take too long, and she didn’t dare venture into one of those little red specialty shops. So her only option was to “borrow” one from Xu Linda.

Fortunately, that girl really did have one that had never been worn.

Xu Linda drove over immediately with grand enthusiasm, delivered it right to her door, and threw in two small toys Yunque had never seen before.

When Yunque opened the package and saw what was inside, her scalp genuinely tingled.

She even started having second thoughts.

Later that evening, when Lu Rangchen came home, she was evasive and coy the entire time, unwilling to tell him what she had gotten from Xu Linda.

But Xu Linda, that blabbermouth, had already told him everything.

So after a satisfying dinner and drinks, Lu Rangchen pressed Yunque down onto the sofa and kissed her freely and indulgently for a long while. Only afterward did he catch his breath and stare directly at her, his eyes silently questioning: “Where’s my pretty little dress? Why aren’t you wearing it for me?”

Whether it was the red wine from dinner, or whether the man in front of her and his sweet words were simply too irresistible — she couldn’t be sure.

Yunque covered the disheveled front of herself, her eyes hazy and pitiful as she looked at him, whispering, “Never mind… it’s too sheer…”

Her face was flushed like a blooming peach blossom, naively bashful without even realizing how lovely she looked — beautiful enough to make one’s heart tremble.

Before she could say another word, Lu Rangchen, barely restraining himself, tilted up her chin and kissed her again, hungrily and forcefully, sealing off her breath along with any words of resistance.

And so that night unfolded in two acts. The first half was on the sofa and before the floor-to-ceiling window, curtain sheers half-drawn, lights casting a floating, ethereal glow, accompanied by the soft sound of a vinyl record playing — low murmurs and whispered words.

The second half was in the bathroom, where he helped dress her in that pretty little garment with his own hands — only to strip it away again without mercy.

It was the first time in her life she had ever seen Lu Rangchen so utterly out of control, so completely indulgent.

Come daylight, Xu Linda even called Yunque especially to check in, asking how the dress she’d sent had worked out.

At that moment, Lu Rangchen was sitting right beside her, patiently blow-drying her hair for her, dressed in his bathrobe.

Yunque quietly let her cheeks flush warm, cast a perfunctory glance at Lu Rangchen, and said, “It was fine.”

Before Xu Linda even had a chance to react, Lu Rangchen raised an eyebrow and said with great ceremony: “I worked so hard last night, and the verdict is just ‘fine’?”

“…”

Yunque immediately clapped a hand over his mouth, her expression mortified. “I’m in the middle of a conversation with her — can you keep it down?”

But Xu Linda’s hearing was far too sharp.

She caught Lu Rangchen’s words at almost the exact same moment and burst into laughter, wailing with delight like a phone alarm going off.

In the end, Lu Rangchen simply took the phone from Yunque and talked to Xu Linda himself.

What he said was, of course, rather baffling.

He had the nerve to ask Xu Linda where those garments were sold, because he wanted to buy some for Yunque himself.

It sounded like a joke.

But it infuriated Yunque, who snatched the phone back and hung up on the spot.

Lu Rangchen sat beside her, shoulders shaking with laughter — mischievous and utterly deserving of a good swat — but once the laughter faded, he knew to gather her into his arms and soothe her with kisses.

Kissing him felt like an addiction.

Yunque had clearly decided she was going to go take care of things, but in the end she was held in place by him and obliged him once more.

After that, the entire summer break, the two of them were frequent and wild with each other.

Lu Rangchen even became “a king who no longer holds morning court.”

He even went ahead and got those links from Xu Linda for the garments, buying an entire collection in one go.

Yunque had assumed she would never get through all of them.

But by the time summer break ended, all twenty-some pieces had been gloriously put to use.

And yet despite all that, there wasn’t a single sign of anything happening with her belly.

Even Xu Linda was curious about it.

She said that among the women she knew, some were already pregnant with their second child at this rate — yet the two of them were perfectly unruffled.

At the time, Lin Zhi happened to be out shopping with the two of them, and she gave Xu Linda a mild look and said, “Do you really think my brother’s the same as those irresponsible men? My brother dotes on his wife. He definitely takes the initiative to be careful.”

That statement left Xu Linda completely stumped.

She was about to ask Yunque to confirm — but the color that immediately drained from Yunque’s face said it all.

With both of them staring straight at her, Yunque laughed despite her exasperation. “We’re in public — can the two of you watch what you say?”

What “goes without saying” meant — that was it right there.

Xu Linda was genuinely envious.

She even complained to Lin Zhi, saying her boyfriend was unreliable — she always had to force him before he would be responsible, and once he even got angry and they parted on bad terms over it.

Lin Zhi, with the air of someone who had seen it all, said: “You really need to protect yourself then. That kind of man is usually the irresponsible sort.”

A few words were enough to make Xu Linda prop her chin in her hand, feeling low.

And genuinely annoyed, she furrowed her brow and said: “At worst I’ll just find an opportunity to dump him.”

Lin Zhi was quite in agreement. “Exactly — there are so many men in the world, why tie yourself to just this one?”

Xu Linda laughed at that and asked her: “And what about you? What’s going on with that Xie Han of yours?”

Classic case of pressing on exactly the sore spot.

Lin Zhi impatiently furrowed her brow and said bluntly: “He’s been abroad visiting his cousin recently.”

Yunque sipped her coffee and couldn’t help asking: “So where do you two stand right now?”

“Just… the same as always.”

Lin Zhi shrugged with elegant nonchalance. “Together when we have time, each busy on our own when we don’t.”

Xu Linda blinked. “So it’s still that… what do you call it… ‘friend’ situation?”

“…”

Lin Zhi, furious, rolled her eyes and said in a perfectly polished British accent: “It’s called an open relationship, okay?”

Xu Linda couldn’t suppress a snort of laughter.

Seeing Lin Zhi on the verge of getting angry, Yunque quietly shot Xu Linda a reproving glance, and she closed her mouth and sat up primly.

Given how sensitive the topic was, the three of them didn’t pursue it further.

But even without discussing it, Yunque had still heard bits and pieces about Xie Han and Lin Zhi from Lu Rangchen.

The gist of it was: while the two of them hadn’t made things official, the level of their involvement was almost indistinguishable from a real couple.

Perhaps because both of them had future engagement obligations hanging over their heads.

Their situation was essentially: be happy for as long as possible, and leave no regrets.

Though that’s what was said on the surface.

From where Yunque stood, Lin Zhi was still quite some distance from true detachment.

At the very least — the moment Xie Han sent her a message, the corners of her mouth curved up; if he called her or sent a gift, she’d be in a good mood for the better part of the day.

In Lu Rangchen’s words: there was nothing to be done about Lin Zhi.

She was one of those people you could see was going to cry later, but there was no way to help her.

By comparison, Xu Linda’s love life was in far better shape.

At the very least, she was nowhere near as romantically-driven as Lin Zhi.

And those words weren’t a joke.

Not long after, Xu Linda actually did break up with that boyfriend over a small disagreement.

Yunque had expected her to be devastated.

But Xu Linda simply invited her out to a bar for one drink, and after that, Yunque never saw her pining or mourning again.

Of the three of them, the one who spent those two months most happily was Yunque alone.

Perhaps it’s true that once love enters one’s life, a person truly becomes different.

In any case, that summer, with Lu Rangchen showering her with nourishment on all fronts, Yunque miraculously went from ninety jin to ninety-five jin.

But she was simply the type blessed by genetics at birth.

Even having gained weight, she still looked very slender.

And the few extra pounds had all gone to exactly the right places.

In the blink of an eye, Yuhua School started its new term.

The classes Yunque was teaching advanced to their final year of high school, and evening self-study sessions began.

This meant that two evenings a week, Yunque could no longer make it home in time for dinner.

The day the announcement was made at the staff meeting, Yunque hadn’t even gotten around to sending Lu Rangchen a message before Deng Jiao had cheerfully gone and told him herself.

And so, that same afternoon, before school had even let out —

The hallway on the senior floor was buzzing with excitement.

Those teenagers, however they’d heard it, were passing around the news that Teacher Zhu’s boyfriend had arrived — and since he couldn’t find her office, he’d been escorted in by Old Liu.

Within minutes, the students’ private group chat was in an uproar:

“Oh my god, none of you saw it, but I did — he is GORGEOUS!”

“Not even exaggerating, I swear.”

“Teacher Xiao is tall enough, right? This guy has like half a head on him!”

“And those long legs — they’re practically longer than Teacher Zhou’s entire lifespan!”

“And his face — for real, at first I thought some male celebrity had come to our school to film a drama.”

“His clothes aren’t flashy at all, very understated, casual-looking, clean-cut and nice — but you can tell he has real taste just by looking at him, and the clothes look expensive.”

“Obviously he’s young — how could he not be? You can tell just from the car he drove. Otherwise how would he even be able to catch up with Teacher Zhu?”

“Not sure what he came for, but he must be here for Teacher Zhu?”

The first-hand news spread through the group chat like wildfire. As a result, the moment the last class of the day let out, a large number of students skipped dinner entirely and rushed to cluster around the area near the office, buzzing with excitement.

Part of it was just wanting to watch the spectacle.

But another part of it was genuine curiosity — just what kind of strikingly handsome man could have won over Teacher Zhu, the most beautiful teacher at their school?

As a result, Yunque had barely stepped out of Class One’s room carrying her books and water cup, heading toward the office, when she was startled by the dense crowd of students swarming around the door.

She stopped, looking puzzled, and asked: “What are you all looking at?”

Though she had a commanding presence in class, in everyday situations Yunque’s voice was soft and sweet.

So outside the classroom, the students weren’t afraid of her at all.

Even now, after having had their “eye-opening” experience, the group of not-quite-grown high schoolers still grinned and refused to leave. Several of the bolder ones even came over to tell her: “Teacher Zhu, your boyfriend is SO handsome!”

“…”

Yunque’s brow furrowed ever so slightly, a smile inexplicably tugging at the corner of her mouth.

But before the smile could surface, she watched them scatter and disappear.

Yunque was completely baffled.

It wasn’t until she pushed through the crowd and into the office that she discovered Lu Rangchen had actually come.

He was sitting right there in the chair beside her desk.

Old Liu was standing next to him, handing him oranges, bananas, and candies with enthusiastic zeal — thoroughly uncharacteristic of her usual self.

Yunque’s heartbeat stumbled for a beat. She set her books on the desk and stared at Lu Rangchen with a rare, slightly dumbstruck expression. “Why did you come?”

Lu Rangchen had actually known she was there the moment she walked in.

He could tell from the sound of her footsteps alone.

Not to mention the scent on her — that scent which was both uniquely distinctive and deeply alluring to him.

But at this moment, he simply didn’t stand up. He leaned back lazily in the chair, tilted his gaze toward Yunque with an affected air, and said: “Hmm? The ever-so-busy Teacher Zhu has finally returned?”

The playful intimacy in those words made even Old Liu laugh.

Yunque’s gaze flickered with a trace of self-consciousness.

She looked as if she wanted to smile but was holding it back — aware that so many other teachers were present, along with that sea of curious students outside the door, it wasn’t the place for flirting. So she reined herself in.

She pulled out her chair and sat down, resuming the composed and proper bearing of Teacher Zhu, studying Lu Rangchen and asking: “Who told you to come here?”

Lu Rangchen looked at her, the corner of his mouth curving up lazily. “Interrogating me, are we?”

He raised his chin slightly and pointed at the pale pink three-tiered lunch box sitting on her desk, his tone unhurried. “I just came to drop off some food. Is that not allowed?”

“…”

Only then did Yunque notice the lunch box. She was instantly speechless.

Old Liu was still teasing beside them: “Look at how good this young Lu is — he knows to bring you food, yet here you are, walking in like you’re interrogating a suspect, cold-faced. Honestly.”

Old Liu held a place in Yunque’s heart not unlike that of a parent figure.

Since she had spoken, Yunque had nothing more to say. She could only feel a little sheepish as she pulled the lunch box toward her, casting a glance at Lu Rangchen. “You made this?”

Lu Rangchen made a near-imperceptible sound in his throat.

The direct, unwavering look in his eyes seemed to lodge a silent complaint.

Yunque pressed her lips together. She didn’t quite know what had come over her in that moment — but under the desk, she quietly squeezed his hand where it rested on his knee.

Lu Rangchen dropped his gaze and glanced down, and the look he gave her when it swept past was somewhere between a smile and not.

Seeing the young couple getting cozy, Old Liu had no wish to intrude. Since she didn’t have to supervise evening study that night, she said a brief goodbye and left.

On her way out, she even helpfully “shooed away” the crowd of students who had been peering in through the doorway with curiosity.

Old Liu was nowhere near as gentle as Yunque — one shout was enough to send those students scattering in all directions.

With everyone gone, the look in Lu Rangchen’s eyes became visibly, shamelessly open.

That gaze made Yunque too flustered to meet it directly. She even nudged him with her foot under the desk, a silent signal not to push it.

But this man was completely impervious.

The more uncomfortable Yunque became, the more he hooked his lips into a smile and toyed with her using just his eyes — breezy and unconcerned, as if he wanted the whole world to know exactly what they were to each other.

Enduring the discreet, probing glances from the few other teachers in the office, Yunque could only give him a mild look and drop her gaze to open the lunch box he had prepared.

It appeared to be brand new.

The lunch box looked particularly fresh, and it was insulated too. The moment she opened it, a fragrant aroma drifted up.

Goodness knows where this man found the energy.

He had brought her three dishes.

There was garlic spare ribs, braised chicken feet, and stir-fried broccoli — all things Yunque loved.

Yunque was genuinely surprised.

She looked at Lu Rangchen, slightly at a loss. “You made all of this?”

“How could I have.”

Lu Rangchen raised his chin. “The garlic spare ribs and chicken feet I ordered from a restaurant. The broccoli is what I made.”

“…”

Even so.

Even just that was more than enough to warm a person’s heart.

Because from childhood to adulthood, no one had ever — in the moments she needed it — brought her something to eat.

For a moment, Yunque genuinely didn’t know what to say. She gazed at Lu Rangchen with soft, earnest eyes.

Lu Rangchen curved his lips into a smile, his eyes full of tender indulgence. “What’s this — moved already?”

If they had been at home, Yunque would have leaned over and kissed him right then.

But this was the office.

With several other teachers watching, she couldn’t bring herself to do anything. She thought for a moment, settled for pressing her lips into a pleased curve, lowered her gaze, picked up her chopsticks to arrange the containers, then looked back up and asked: “Have you eaten?”

Lu Rangchen said: “Yes, I ate before I brought this over to you.”

Yunque gave a small “oh” and finally picked up her chopsticks with a clear conscience.

She usually ate very slowly.

Slow and dainty.

Lu Rangchen always teased her about it, saying every time he watched her eat, he worried she’d be too slow to compete for food out in the world and end up going hungry.

But right now, Yunque was visibly eating faster than usual.

Lu Rangchen clicked his tongue. “What’s the rush? No one’s going to steal it from you.”

He reached over and pulled out a paper napkin, helping her wipe away a small smear of sauce at the corner of her mouth.

Yunque followed the direction of his hand and licked the corner of her mouth, looking at him with a muffled voice. “…I’m just worried about you.”

Lu Rangchen raised an eyebrow with an amused hum. “Worried about me? Why?”

“…Don’t you still have to get back to the club?”

Yunque blinked and said: “Aren’t you in a rush today?”

That’s usually how it went.

Lu Rangchen would come home with her, share dinner, and then make a trip back to the club. The drive wasn’t long, and besides, the club had been getting busier and busier lately.

Word was they had leased several new venues for commercial events, which were currently being renovated, and Lu Rangchen had to keep a close eye on things.

Yet today, Lu Rangchen seemed relaxed and unhurried. He casually twisted open a bottle of juice he’d brought along and placed it in front of her, saying with a trace of helplessness: “No matter how rushed things get, I still have to wait for my wife to finish eating, don’t I?”

“…”

Yunque’s face heated, and all of a sudden she felt shy.

A sweetness bloomed in her chest.

She murmured quietly: “Keep your voice down — the other teachers are still here.”

Lu Rangchen let out a careless laugh.

Yunque lowered her voice indignantly: “If people talk behind my back later saying I’m being disgustingly lovey-dovey, it’ll be nothing to you.”

Lu Rangchen’s eyebrows lifted at her words.

He was just about to retort something —

When the office door was suddenly pushed open.

Two teachers walked in, having just come back with their takeout orders. One of them taught math and had a decent relationship with Yunque; she glanced over and instinctively said with a smile: “Oh, Teacher Zhu, did you bring your own lunch today?”

The other one was Zhang Leyao.

Ever since that incident before, the two of them had maintained a lukewarm relationship — in the office, if they could avoid interacting, they did.

But sometimes, some things couldn’t simply be avoided by not interacting.

Like right now. Before Yunque could even reply to the math teacher’s comment, Zhang Leyao glanced over and caught sight of the man sitting beside her — with a sharply handsome profile and an imposing, distinguished air. Who else could it be but Lu Rangchen?

Her heart lurched.

Zhang Leyao froze with embarrassment.

And to make it worse, both of them — the young couple — instinctively glanced in her direction at the same moment.

Lu Rangchen’s especially.

Though he did look at her, his gaze couldn’t have been more different from the deep, concentrated warmth he directed at Yunque. It was more like the look of someone appraising a dish they didn’t find particularly appetizing.

Zhang Leyao’s cheeks flushed hot in an instant. She pressed her lips together, a flash of irritation crossing her face, and slipped away to her own seat.

Inwardly: Damn it. What terrible luck.

She prayed desperately that Lu Rangchen wouldn’t recognize her as the one who had once actively tried to pursue him.

As it turned out, she had worried for absolutely nothing.

Lu Rangchen stared at her retreating figure for two inexplicable seconds, furrowed his brow slightly, then turned back to Yunque with an expression of complete innocence. “Who was that just now?”

“…”

“Did she just glare at me?”

The author has something to say: Today is the last day of 2023! Wishing all my readers a Happy New Year! May the new year go smoothly for you all — good health and great fortune!!!