Back at home, Gu Chenyan prepared a basin of hot water, wet a towel, and applied it to Qiao Shu’s wrists.
Qiao Shu felt a bit embarrassed, “Actually, I can do it myself.”
Gu Chenyan: “Don’t move.”
The warmth of the towel on the sore wrists brought a momentary relief, but this sensation was quickly shattered by the applied pressure.
“Hiss!”
Qiao Shu took in a sharp breath.
Gu Chenyan stopped the massaging motion, and there was a hint of concern in his gaze, “Does it hurt a lot?”
Qiao Shu gritted his teeth and smiled, “Actually, it’s not too bad, just caught me off guard suddenly.”
Gu Chenyan: “Hmm, if it hurts, try to endure it. It’ll feel better once it’s massaged out tomorrow.”
Qiao Shu: “Okay.”
Once he adapted to the pain, it became more bearable, and towards the end, it even felt somewhat comforting. Qiao Shu leaned back on the sofa, watching the man in front of him earnestly massaging his wrists.
Clearly, he was a cold and lofty CEO, but this man turned out to be unexpectedly…
Gentle.
Qiao Shu pondered for a moment and settled on that word.
Gentle Gu Chenyan…
Qiao Shu chuckled softly.
Gu Chenyan: “What’s so funny?”
Qiao Shu: “Suddenly feeling a bit happy.”
Gu Chenyan looked at him.
Qiao Shu’s smile widened.
Gu Chenyan patiently massaged Qiao Shu’s wrists for half an hour until Qiao Shu felt so comfortable that he was on the verge of falling asleep.
“Hmm?”
There was movement around, and Qiao Shu opened his sleepy eyes, his thick black eyelashes trembling.
Gu Chenyan bent down, carefully covering Qiao Shu with a blanket. When he heard a sound, he looked at Qiao Shu and saw his bewildered eyes. “Did I wake you up?”
He adjusted the blanket, “Take a nap, I’ll go prepare dinner.”
With Aunt Lan and Uncle Zhou away in their hometown for a few days, they had to handle their meals themselves.
Qiao Shu blinked, and his foggy mind cleared. He stretched his legs to get off the sofa, “I’ll help you.”
Gu Chenyan stopped him, “No need, your hand is not healed yet. Rest well.”
Qiao Shu: “…”
Indeed, he couldn’t handle pots and pans with his current hand, nor could he hold a knife.
After a moment of thought, Qiao Shu suggested, “I can wash the vegetables.”
Gu Chenyan: “Don’t touch water for now after applying the ointment.” He paused, “Be good, it’ll heal soon.”
Qiao Shu: “!!!”
Ah!
Why is he suddenly shooting again!
Gu Chenyan walked towards the kitchen.
Qiao Shu watched his figure, kept watching, and raised his hand to cover his flushed cheeks.
Can’t handle it!
Really!
There was the sound of water from the kitchen.
Qiao Shu lay on the sofa, occasionally peeking towards the kitchen. After a while, he reached for his phone and found Jiang Jiayu’s WeChat.
Qiao Shu: Yu Yu.
Qiao Shu: I might be falling in love.
Jiang Jiayu had just finished filming and was shocked when he saw the message.
Jiang Jiayu: !!!
Jiang Jiayu: Where’s your husband?
Qiao Shu wondered: He’s in the kitchen making dinner.
Jiang Jiayu: !!!
Jiang Jiayu: You scumbag!
Jiang Jiayu, feeling deeply concerned, typed rapidly with both hands on the phone.
Jiang Jiayu: Qiao Qiao, listen to me. You’re already married, let’s not be fickle. Cheating is not good, especially when your husband is so good, wealthy, has a pleasant voice, treats you well, and even a CEO personally cooks for you.
Jiang Jiayu: [Harm of Cheating]
Jiang Jiayu: [Regrets of the Past – Cheating]
Qiao Shu: …
This misunderstanding is a bit too much.
Qiao Shu quickly typed: No.
Qiao Shu: I mean, I want to date Gu Chenyan.
Jiang Jiayu: ???
Jiang Jiayu: Aren’t you already married?
Qiao Shu confidently stated: But we haven’t dated yet.
Qiao Shu: He’s so charming.
Qiao Shu: Yu Yu, I think I’m about to succumb.
In just a few days, Qiao Shu’s heart had already skipped a few beats abnormally.
Qiao Shu felt that this was the arrival of love.
Love…
The beautiful and heart-moving words that Qiao Shu had once fantasized about, he now realizes, without even touching them. It tasted sweeter than he could have imagined.
Although uncertain at the moment, Qiao Shu believes that continuing like this, falling in love with Gu Chenyan is only a matter of time.
Such a man…
He wants to hold onto it tightly.
The next day.
Qiao Shu woke up early, only to be disappointed to find that Gu Chenyan was still up earlier than him.
When he went downstairs, Gu Chenyan was already preparing breakfast in the kitchen.
Qiao Shu: “Good morning.”
Gu Chenyan: “Good morning.”
Qiao Shu approached: “What are we having today?”
Gu Chenyan: “I made egg pancakes and soy milk.”
Qiao Shu joined in: “Perfect, those are all my favorites.”
After finishing breakfast, Qiao Shu voluntarily cleaned up the table and utensils. Once done, he walked over to Gu Chenyan, who was feeding the fish. He searched for a topic: “Are you busy today?”
Gu Chenyan looked at him: “Today is my day off.”
Qiao Shu sighed.
Feeling somewhat disappointed, he said with a hint of resentment, “Today, I also have to go practice swordsmanship.”
Gu Chenyan: “What time?”
Qiao Shu: “I’ll leave at nine.”
At nine o’clock, Gu Chenyan changed into his clothes and said to Qiao Shu nearby, “Let’s go.”
Qiao Shu: “???”
Gu Chenyan: “Aren’t you going to practice swordsmanship?”
Qiao Shu blinked: “Oh?”
Gu Chenyan: “I’ll take you there.”
In an instant, Qiao Shu’s heart blossomed with joy.
A wonderful mood had a magical assist in practicing swordsmanship. By the end of the day, Qiao Shu had mastered several difficult movements, and his sword dance was much more beautiful than the day before.
Master Wu praised, “You did well today.”
Qiao Shu smiled, “It’s because the master taught me well.”
He bowed to Master Wu while holding the sword, saying, “These past two days, thank you for Master Wu’s guidance.”
Master Wu nodded.
The day after tomorrow, they were set to start filming, and Qiao Shu needed to free up a day in advance to prepare clothes and other items. Therefore, he could only spend two days learning at the swordsmanship hall.
Time was a bit tight, but the results were pleasing.
On the way home, Qiao Shu suddenly remembered that he had forgotten to call a driver to bring his car back home yesterday.
Qiao Shu: “…”
He took out the keys from his backpack, a moment of sorrowful silence.
He called Gu Chenyan.
Qiao Shu: “Chenyan, you don’t need to come pick me up.”
Gu Chenyan: “Oh?”
Qiao Shu: “The car from yesterday is still at the place. I’ll drive it back home today.”
Gu Chenyan: “Call a driver.”
“I’m almost there.”
Happiness is often simple.
When getting into the car, Gu Chenyan said, “Try not to drive after practicing swordsmanship, it’s not safe.”
Qiao Shu smiled, “Okay.”
As they passed by a large supermarket, Qiao Shu remembered the package sent from Lancheng that arrived today.
Qiao Shu: “Gu Chenyan, I want to go to the supermarket to buy some things.”
Gu Chenyan: “Sure.”
The two walked together in the supermarket.
Qiao Shu put on his mask and approached a store assistant.
Qiao Shu: “Hello, may I ask where the wrapping paper is located?”
Store Assistant: “Go straight ahead, turn right at the end, and you’ll see it after a few steps.”
Qiao Shu: “Thank you.”
Finding the place, Qiao Shu carefully selected from the shelves, eventually settling on a large red festive gift bag. He grabbed over a dozen of them and then went to get a stack of red paper.
Qiao Shu looked up at Gu Chenyan, “Alright, let’s go home.”
Gu Chenyan: “Okay.”
Naturally, he reached out and took the things from Qiao Shu.
Qiao Shu revealed a smile.
During the rush hour after work, the supermarket was crowded with people buying groceries, cooking, and parents shopping with their children.
Inevitably, in such a busy environment, one might encounter a couple of unruly kids.
“Be careful.”
Gu Chenyan wrapped his arm around Qiao Shu’s waist, leading him to step aside.
Two little boys giggled as they playfully chased each other, brushing against Qiao Shu’s clothes and swiftly running past.
The boys’ parents, witnessing the situation, calmly approached and apologized, “Sorry, sorry, did they bump into you? Our kids are a bit mischievous and don’t understand much due to their young age.”
Gu Chenyan sternly stated, “Being young is not an excuse.”
The parent was taken aback.
Gu Chenyan continued, “Please discipline your children. This is a public place, not a playground for their playfulness. It’s common sense that most people, including children, should know and abide by.”
The parent felt embarrassed and somewhat ashamed, “You! We’ve already apologized, why are you still so petty? You look decent and well-dressed, but why so rude.”
Boom!
“Waah! Dad!”
The cries of the child echoed, and the parents turned around, their expressions changing drastically as they hurriedly ran over.
Qiao Shu also turned to look.
It turned out that the two unruly kids had knocked down a small mountain made of Pepsi cans.
Pepsi cans rolled all over the ground.
Shouts of scolding followed.
Qiao Shu: “…”
Gu Chenyan glanced at him calmly, then withdrew his gaze and looked back at Qiao Shu, “Were you scared just now?”
Qiao Shu shook his head.
Even before he noticed the two mischievous kids, Gu Chenyan had already held him to avoid them.
Huh?
Holding him?
Qiao Shu lowered his head to look, and Gu Chenyan’s hand was still tightly gripping his waist.
The slightly thin fabric transmitted the warmth of the other’s hand clearly to his skin.
A bit scalding.
Qiao Shu blushed.
Gu Chenyan tightened his arm, pulling Qiao Shu even closer, “Let’s go.”
“Huh?”
Qiao Shu looked at the hand around his waist, trying to suppress the heat on his face. His voice softened, “Are we walking like this?”
With so many people in the supermarket, it felt a bit embarrassing.
Gu Chenyan didn’t think there was anything wrong. He nodded calmly, “Yes, there are many people.”
Qiao Shu raised his hand to press down the curled-up corners of his mouth, “Alright.”
…
They prepared dinner together.
After eating, Qiao Shu opened the delivered package and took out all the candy jars. He then went to find scissors, sat on the living room carpet, and gestured at the folded red paper.
Gu Chenyan, after finishing a call, walked over. He saw Qiao Shu holding scissors, making “snip-snip” sounds on the folded red paper, looking confused, “Cutting paper?”
Qiao Shu nodded with a smile, “Yes.”
Gu Chenyan: “Why are you cutting this?”
Qiao Shu: “I want to cut the character ‘Double Happiness’ and stick it on the candy jars.”
Gu Chenyan: “Huh?”
It was only then that Qiao Shu remembered he hadn’t told Gu Chenyan about the friend’s wedding candy situation. He put down the scissors and looked up at Gu Chenyan, his cheeks slightly pink, “Gu Chenyan, since we are married, we should give out candies to our friends.”
Gu Chenyan was briefly stunned. Then he walked over and sat down beside Qiao Shu, saying seriously, “I’ll do it with you.”
Qiao Shu chuckled.
There were over ten candy jars. Qiao Shu counted them, breaking them down on his fingers, “One for Yu Yu, one for Sister Qiong, one for Sister Yue…”
After counting the candy for friends with close relationships formed after transmigrating into the book, Qiao Shu looked at Gu Chenyan, “One for Aunt Lan and Uncle Zhou, one for Fang Zhouyou, and, well, give some to Assistant Chen and the others.” He paused and whispered, “Do you have any other friends? Are these candies enough?”
Gu Chenyan glanced: “It’s enough.”
He didn’t have many friends, and some business partners didn’t need candies for now.
Qiao Shu reassured him, “That’s good.”
As Gu Chenyan wasn’t skilled at cutting paper, he mainly helped Qiao Shu stick the cut ‘Double Happiness’ onto the candy jars and carefully placed them into the gift bags.
The ‘Double Happiness’ characters that Qiao Shu cut were very beautiful. When he was young and his parents were still alive, every Chinese New Year, they would cut ‘Double Happiness’ characters and paste them on doors and windows at home. Qiao Shu learned it by watching and eventually mastered the art.
The two of them quietly busied themselves for nearly two hours, finally wrapping up all the candies.
Qiao Shu clapped his hands, “Tomorrow, we can just call for express delivery.”
With the wedding candies ready, Qiao Shu went to bring the remaining parcels. He opened a pack of snacks, wiped his hands with a wet tissue, and took out a piece of dried meat, handing it to Gu Chenyan’s mouth, “Give it a try. This is a specialty dried meat from Lancheng; I read online that it’s delicious.”
Gu Chenyan, who seldom indulged in snacks, hesitated but opened his mouth carefully, tasting it, “Not bad.”
Qiao Shu joyfully raised his eyebrows, “Great.”
“As long as it’s good.”
Time spent alone always passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, it was time for Qiao Shu to join the filming crew.
Dragging his suitcase into the nanny car, Qiao Shu rarely felt a bit reluctant to leave home.
Gu Chenyan said, “Take care of yourself.”
Qiao Shu nodded.
Gu Chenyan added, “Call me if you need anything.”
Qiao Shu continued nodding.
Yu Qiong urged from inside the car.
Looking at Gu Chenyan, Qiao Shu hesitated for a moment and asked, “Gu Chenyan, can we hug before I leave?”
⌈Weekend chapters: 2⌉ ⌊Progress: 1/2 ⌋
