Chapter 79: Melting
You Ruxu looked at Zhou Tianzui, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, and said, “Come here.”
You Ruxu took two steps forward, but instead of hugging Zhou Tianzui, she brushed past her and took the lunchbox to reheat it. Zhou Tianzui, slightly displeased, watched her. You Ruxu’s movements were slow and deliberate, occasionally glancing at Zhou Tianzui, a hint of amusement in her eyes.
The microwave was in the corridor. She took the lunchbox and went out. Zhou Tianzui sat in the ward. After running around all afternoon, her back ached, her calves were sore, and now, relaxing, she felt sleepy. The ward was quiet, the familiar scent of disinfectant comforting. She looked at the fluorescent light above, its glow creating ripples in her vision.
When You Ruxu returned, Zhou Tianzui was asleep. She quietly closed the door, walked over, and looked down at Zhou Tianzui, wanting to move her to the bed, to a more comfortable position. Just as she touched Zhou Tianzui, she woke up.
Opening her eyes, she rubbed her face and asked You Ruxu, “Is it warm now?”
You Ruxu nodded.
Zhou Tianzui extended her hand. You Ruxu looked down. Zhou Tianzui said, “Help me up.”
You Ruxu reached out and took her hand, her fingers interlacing with Zhou Tianzui’s. Before she could pull, Zhou Tianzui pulled her into an embrace. You Ruxu’s heart skipped a beat, her hand resting on Zhou Tianzui’s shoulder. Zhou Tianzui said, “Just a hug.”
She said, “Yao Zhao got a two-minute hug.”
This person—
You Ruxu’s hand on her shoulder relaxed, letting herself be held. After five minutes, Zhou Tianzui released her, picked up her chopsticks, and sat by the bedside table to eat, asking You Ruxu, “Have you eaten?”
“Yes.” You Ruxu took a sip of water. Zhou Tianzui picked up a green bean from her lunchbox, held it out to You Ruxu, her gaze serious. You Ruxu pursed her lips, then after a couple of seconds, opened her mouth and ate the bean, chewing slowly.
Zhou Tianzui had never fed her like this before.
It was like something she had seen her classmates do when they were dating in university.
You Ruxu smiled as she ate.
Zhou Tianzui looked up from her food, “What’s so funny?”
“You’re being childish.” You Ruxu said, then realizing she was also being childish.
Two thirty-year-olds acting like lovesick teenagers, doing such things, if anyone saw them, they would be laughed at. Zhou Tianzui repeated, “Childish?”
You Ruxu nodded.
She looked at Zhou Tianzui, whose expression was calm, a playful glint in her eyes, “What isn’t childish then? Enlighten me, Teacher You?”
You Ruxu, having just taken a sip of water, almost choked. She glared at Zhou Tianzui and lay back down on the bed.
The ward was quiet and cozy. You Ruxu stopped bickering and, thinking of what had happened today, looked at Zhou Tianzui and said seriously, “We were followed when I was out with Yao Zhao.”
Zhou Tianzui’s eating paused. She turned to You Ruxu.
You Ruxu continued, “But it seemed like they wanted me to see them.”
They were dressed in black, seemingly blending in with the night, but actually quite conspicuous. They followed closely, but did nothing, their gazes towards her and Yao Zhao not threatening.
Zhou Tianzui said, “They wanted you to see them?”
She asked, “To intimidate you?”
Such tactics weren’t uncommon, their purpose to frighten You Ruxu, hoping she would back down. You Ruxu said, “I don’t know, that’s a possibility.”
Zhou Tianzui said, “Then your car accident today…”
“Captain Zhou said the driver has no connection to Zhou Heng or Fengyuan. I don’t think it was Zhou Heng, it was too clumsy.” You Ruxu said this, but today’s incident still warranted caution. She told Zhou Tianzui just in case.
Zhou Tianzui lost her appetite.
You Ruxu, sitting beside her, asked, “Why aren’t you eating anymore?”
Zhou Tianzui said, “I’m full.”
You Ruxu said, “Then let me feed you.”
She sat opposite Zhou Tianzui, scooped up some food, and held the spoon out to her. Zhou Tianzui didn’t want to eat, but seeing You Ruxu like this, she sighed and ate it.
They finished dinner after more than half an hour.
The food had gone cold.
Zhou Tianzui’s stomach was already sensitive. You Ruxu offered to reheat it, but Zhou Tianzui stopped her, “I’m not eating anymore.”
You Ruxu put away the leftovers, “When are you going back?”
Zhou Tianzui looked at her, her gaze surprised, as if You Ruxu had asked a very interesting question. Her look made You Ruxu feel a little self-conscious, “What’s wrong?”
“Me going back?” Zhou Tianzui said, “Do you think you’ll be able to sleep here alone?”
Everyone knew she couldn’t sleep in unfamiliar beds.
You Ruxu did have trouble sleeping in unfamiliar beds, but the hospital ward was fine, probably because of the familiar scent of disinfectant, which reminded her of Zhou Tianzui, calming her. She rarely had trouble sleeping in hospitals.
She looked at Zhou Tianzui, “So you’re not going back?”
Zhou Tianzui said, “Can’t I sleep with you?”
You Ruxu shook her head: “No.”
The nurses made their rounds at ten at night and again at five in the morning. What would it look like if they saw them sleeping together? You Ruxu shook her head. Zhou Tianzui looked at her.
You Ruxu said, “Otherwise, I’ll go back with you?”
She was actually fine. The doctor had told her after the CT scan that she just needed to rest for a couple of days, that the soreness in her neck was normal. So, she didn’t really need to stay at the hospital.
Zhou Tianzui’s expression darkened slightly.
You Ruxu said, “Let’s go home?”
She sat beside Zhou Tianzui, leaning closer, a smile on her face. Zhou Tianzui looked at her intently. Everyone said Yao Zhao had changed a lot, but You Ruxu, since returning from Jindu, had also changed a lot. She wasn’t sure if it was gradual or if she was finally letting go of her reservations, but the change was noticeable.
Like now, asking in a tone she would never have used before, “Let’s go home?”
How could Zhou Tianzui refuse?
She couldn’t. Although she wanted to maintain a stern facade, she stood up. You Ruxu took her phone and her things, and seeing Zhou Tianzui grab the car keys, asked, “Are you driving or should I?”
Zhou Tianzui said, “I’ll drive.”
You Ruxu nodded, followed Zhou Tianzui to the car, and sat in the passenger seat. She said, “I need to work on Yao Zhao’s news report when we get back.” And also send the Fengyuan information to Xu Jinwan. Zhou Tianzui said, “And me?”
You Ruxu turned, the car’s heater having just been turned on, the air still cold. The chilly weather made Zhou Tianzui’s skin look even paler. You Ruxu said, “You sleep.”
Zhou Tianzui said, “Just sleep?”
You Ruxu said, “What else?”
Zhou Tianzui said, “Otherwise, I’ll wait for you.”
You Ruxu didn’t reply, just smiled and turned to look out the window. Snowflakes were falling softly. Some shops had already hung up red lanterns, a festive atmosphere. She asked Zhou Tianzui, “Do you like New Year’s?”
Zhou Tianzui said, “It’s alright, do you?”
“I love New Year’s.” You Ruxu said, “We moved to Jindu right before New Year’s.”
She looked at Zhou Tianzui and said something she had never told anyone before.
“It was very cold that year, heavy snow. My mom worked nearby, and I would sit outside the building every day at 5:30, waiting for her. Sometimes, I would even go to her workplace to wait for her. The uncles and aunties there were very kind, very good to me.”
Back then, she had thought she would live there with her mother, just like that. She liked that place, liked Jindu.
Zhou Tianzui parked the car, and they got out, the ground covered in a thin layer of snow. Zhou Tianzui said, “Have you ever built a snowman?”
You Ruxu said, “I’ve seen people build them.”
Zhou Tianzui said, “Come on.”
You Ruxu followed her. They stood on the steps in front of the building. Zhou Tianzui scooped up a handful of snow and shaped it into a small ball, about the size of her palm. You Ruxu, understanding, did the same, making a larger ball for the body. Zhou Tianzui stuck two twigs into it for arms. You Ruxu’s face lit up with a smile.
After arriving at the You family’s home, although You Shu and Wu Xiulian hadn’t set any strict rules for her, she knew what was and wasn’t acceptable. Building a snowman would get her clothes dirty, and she would get cold, catch a cold, so she had never done it before.
Zhou Tianzui, seeing her smile, understood.
She and You Ruxu had been together for almost four years.
It was only recently that You Ruxu’s emotions had started to change so drastically, this unrestrained smile. She placed the small snowman in You Ruxu’s hand, “Let’s go home.” Back at the apartment, Zhou Tianzui opened the refrigerator, gesturing for You Ruxu to put it inside. You Ruxu said, “Let’s put it on the windowsill.”
Zhou Tianzui looked at her, then they placed the snowman on the wide windowsill outside. You Ruxu seemed very happy, even checking on it after her shower to see if it had melted. Zhou Tianzui, drying her hair behind her, seeing You Ruxu staring at the snowman, chuckled, “If you like it that much, I’ll make another one tomorrow.”
“No need.” You Ruxu said, “I’m not a three-year-old.”
Not a three-year-old.
Yet so captivated by it. Zhou Tianzui finished drying her hair, walked over to You Ruxu, her hand resting on her back. The heater was on, and You Ruxu was only wearing a thin nightgown after her shower. You Ruxu said, “I still have some emails to send,” and brushed past Zhou Tianzui, not giving her a chance to speak. Zhou Tianzui watched as she went to the living room, drew the curtains, then followed her. You Ruxu sat at the coffee table, typing. Zhou Tianzui scrolled through her phone, there was so much news every day, too much to keep up with, but the major events were just a few, and the one related to You Ruxu was Fengyuan.
Zhou Tianzui read the latest news about Fengyuan, the same old topics, she wasn’t sure if someone was deliberately stirring up trouble, but the buzz remained high, the comments section a heated debate. Thinking of someone following You Ruxu today, she didn’t think it was that simple.
After browsing for a bit, she asked You Ruxu, “What do you think of Zhou Heng?”
You Ruxu’s typing paused, “Impulsive, extreme, but not stupid.”
In other words, whether today’s incident was his doing was questionable. You Ruxu didn’t believe it was Zhou Heng, but currently, all the evidence pointed towards him.
Zhou Tianzui said, “Impulsive people are easy targets.”
You Ruxu looked at her.
Zhou Tianzui smiled, “That’s how it always plays out on TV.”
You Ruxu chuckled, hearing that, then lowered her eyes, her lips pursed. Zhou Tianzui looked at her.
The crystal chandelier in the living room cast a bright, warm glow, the curtains drawn to keep the warmth inside. You Ruxu, typing rapidly, her gaze focused and captivating, her slender neck gracefully bent, her milky skin looking even fairer and smoother in the light. Zhou Tianzui watched her for a few seconds, leaned closer, and asked, “Not done yet?”
“Almost.” You Ruxu was finishing up a document. She turned her head slightly when Zhou Tianzui leaned in, their eyes meeting, so close that she could see each distinct eyelash, her own reflection in Zhou Tianzui’s pupils. You Ruxu’s hand on the keyboard curled slightly. Zhou Tianzui was sitting behind her on the sofa, but having leaned closer, she slid down and sat on the carpet beside You Ruxu, her back against the soft sofa.
The room felt cozy and warm.
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