Cheng Jun returned home from the hospital without saying a word along the way.
Ruan Jiujiu stole glances at him several times. After they entered the house, she changed her shoes and quietly asked Cheng Jun, “Do you want to eat something? Are you hungry?”
Although Cheng Jun didn’t say much on the surface, he was probably feeling quite upset. Silent and introverted people tend to be like that. Even someone who usually loves to eat might not have an appetite in such moments. Ruan Jiujiu regretted saying this as soon as the words left her mouth. She could empathize with Cheng Jun’s feelings, and what he needed now was probably some quiet time alone. How could he possibly be thinking about eating?
Cheng Jun said, “Noodle soup.”
Ruan Jiujiu replied, “What?”
Cheng Jun’s tone was unusually firm and serious as he said, “With two eggs.”
Ruan Jiujiu hesitated for a moment and then said, “Alright.”
She knew that people needed to replenish their energy, so if Cheng Jun wanted noodle soup with eggs, she would make it for him.
While the noodles were boiling in the hot water, she waited in silence. She didn’t notice Cheng Jun leaning against the refrigerator, watching her cook quietly.
Ruan Jiujiu prepared a bowl of noodle soup with three eggs, although she didn’t have much appetite herself. She served it to Cheng Jun.
He quietly ate the noodles while Ruan Jiujiu sat across from him, her chin resting on her hand as she absentmindedly looked around the kitchen. She wanted to find a topic to talk about but couldn’t think of a suitable way to start a conversation.
One was eating noodles, and the other pretended to be lost in thought.
After eating a few bites, Cheng Jun suddenly stood up.
Ruan Jiujiu was surprised and asked, “What’s wrong? Is there something wrong with the noodles?”
In her puzzled gaze, Cheng Jun returned with a bowl, picked out a few strands of noodles and an egg, poured some soup, and then placed the bowl in front of Ruan Jiujiu.
“Eat.”
In that moment, Ruan Jiujiu was touched. Cheng Jun was actually sharing his food with her. It was like stealing a meal from a vicious dog, even more precious than a prodigal son’s return.
Ruan Jiujiu was so moved that she almost shed tears. In this moment of warmth, she even had a brief thought of studying what a grand feast would be like.
Cheng Jun, in his slow and deliberate manner, said, “Oh, by the way.”
Ruan Jiujiu asked, “What?”
“This is something you owe me. Remember to repay it next time.”
He pointed to Ruan Jiujiu’s bowl.
Ruan Jiujiu retorted, “What do you mean? Just because you took a bite, it’s yours?”
Cheng Jun remained calm and assertive, “Yes.”
Ruan Jiujiu exclaimed, “This is robbery logic!”
Cheng Jun pointed to the boiled egg he had taken a bite from and said, “Mine.”
Then he gestured to Ruan Jiujiu, whom he had bitten a few times, and said, “Also mine.”
Ruan Jiujiu blinked in surprise at first, then realized the implication of Cheng Jun’s words. Her face turned bright red, but she tried to look composed as she glared at him.
“Shut up and eat your food.”
After this little episode, the atmosphere returned to its usual state of comfortable banter. It also made Ruan Jiujiu feel a bit more relaxed.
Cheng Jun, as usual, finished his noodles, then slowly gathered the dishes and went to wash them. He placed the bowls in the sink, donned a pink apron, and hung his head, lost in thought, remaining still for quite some time.
Ruan Jiujiu pursed her lips and approached him, saying softly, “If you don’t want to wash, just leave it.”
“…”
Cheng Jun turned around, extended his arms, and said in a muffled voice, “Hug me.”
Ruan Jiujiu’s heart softened, and she embraced his waist, burying her face in his chest. Her cheek touched the soft fabric of his sweatshirt, and she could faintly feel his warmth.
Cheng Jun slowly retracted his hands, holding her in his arms. They remained in this silent embrace for a long time, so long that Ruan Jiujiu’s legs were almost numb.
Ruan Jiujiu couldn’t hold back any longer and said, “Let go.”
“No,” Cheng Jun said firmly.
“You let go first,” Ruan Jiujiu insisted.
“…”
“I need to use the bathroom,” she said.
“I’ll go with you.”
“Do you want to die?”
Their sweet bickering stopped here.
Father Cheng condition was deteriorating day by day, and even with expensive medications and expert treatment, it couldn’t prevent the rapid aging of his body. Now, all he needed to do was to enjoy the last moments of his life as much as possible.
Cheng Jun didn’t insist on going to accompany him. The years of estrangement between them couldn’t be resolved with just an apology, and both father and son were well aware of that.
Ruan Jiujiu knew that this meeting in the hospital would be her last encounter with Cheng’s father, and Cheng Jun would definitely not come to this hospital again.
…
She lay on the bed, unable to sleep, enduring another restless night.
Ruan Jiujiu stared at the ceiling lost in thought.
She couldn’t help but think of her dream again, where Qu Wei was telling Cheng Jun something one-sidedly, and he remained indifferent until she started pleading and then… a figure rushed forward, stabbing Cheng Jun and hurriedly fleeing.
She anxiously clutched her chest. Could it be that the dream was a premonition, showing her how Cheng Jun died in her past life?
The word “death” hung like a shadow over Ruan Jiujiu’s head.
Ever since Xu Biyin spoke of her ominous fable-like metaphor, Ruan Jiujiu had been feeling uneasy.
Qu Wei was like a ticking time bomb now, and if she didn’t know Qu Wei’s movements, Ruan Jiujiu couldn’t feel safe at all.
*knock, knock, knock*
The quiet room was suddenly interrupted by a knocking sound, startling Ruan Jiujiu.
Outside the door, Cheng Jun’s slow and leisurely voice came, “Are you asleep?”
Ruan Jiujiu asked, “What’s the matter?”
Cheng Jun replied, “The air conditioner in my room is broken, and it’s so cold.”
The air conditioner was broken?
However, spring was already well underway, and it was impossible to be cold, especially when you could wear thin clothes and were covered by a blanket.
Ruan Jiujiu sat up, opened the bedroom door, and saw Cheng Jun standing at the door, wrapped in a blanket, looking weak and helpless. He stared silently at her.
He sighed and said, “It’s so cold.”
… Your little match-selling boy, Jun Jun, is now online.
“…”
Ruan Jiujiu blocked him at the door and said, “Go back. Don’t come over to hog the bed.”
Cheng Jun’s face was full of innocence, as if Ruan Jiujiu was being unreasonable. “I’m not hogging the bed, I’m hogging the mattress.”
“Isn’t that the same thing?” Ruan Jiujiu asked.
Cheng Jun held the blanket tightly and pointed to the bed. “This is mine.”
Then he pointed to Ruan Jiujiu. “And that’s mine too.”
Ruan Jiujiu: “…”
The two of them remained in a standoff.
Cheng Jun looked like a homeless stray dog, gazing at Ruan Jiujiu with pleading eyes.
Ruan Jiujiu made up her mind, closed the door, and let him go back to his study to sleep, separated by the door.
Outside the door, there were no footsteps, as if no one was standing there, leaving only silence.
Ruan Jiujiu thought that if she left Cheng Jun there for a while, he would eventually give up and go back to his room to sleep.
Suddenly, the idea of sleeping together made Ruan Jiujiu feel uncomfortable. She had never shared a bed with anyone before, except for dormitories during her school years.
Ruan Jiujiu sat on the bed and deliberately said loudly, “I’m going to sleep, good night!”
Outside the door, Cheng Jun remained silent, not responding to her.
One minute passed.
Two minutes.
Five minutes…
Ruan Jiujiu couldn’t stand it any longer. She sighed inwardly, knowing that Cheng Jun must have counted on her soft-heartedness, hoping that she would give in. Although he was confident, she couldn’t bear to let him stand there outside the door like a pitiful stray dog waiting for her to adopt him.
Ruan Jiujiu got out of bed with frustration, pushed open the door, and, as expected, Cheng Jun was still standing there. His actions were exactly the same as when she closed the door. When he saw the door being opened, his eyes brightened, and he looked at her with a pitiful expression, wrapped in his blanket.
Ruan Jiujiu gritted her teeth. Heaven knew how much charm Cheng Jun’s handsome face had when he made this expression. Even someone with a heart of stone might succumb.
If it weren’t for the sake of saving face, she almost wanted to hug Cheng Jun and comfort him.
No! She couldn’t give in! Some people would only take advantage of you and continue pushing boundaries.
Ruan Jiujiu said expressionlessly, “We agreed. I sleep on the left, and you sleep on the right. My side is six, yours is four. No crossing boundaries, no strange behavior. We lie down and sleep quietly… Hey, hey!”
Before she could finish her words, Cheng Jun, in a very familiar manner, held Ruan Jiujiu’s hand and led her towards the bed.
Ruan Jiujiu felt flustered, “What are you doing?”
Cheng Jun said naturally, “Going to sleep.”
When he said he was going to sleep, he actually meant it.
With each of them under their own blanket, they wrapped themselves tightly. Under Ruan Jiujiu’s strict orders, an invisible line was drawn between their two blankets, and Cheng Jun wasn’t allowed to cross it.
Facing each other felt awkward, and even lying down, they still felt strange, as if they had done something more than just sleeping.
Ruan Jiujiu wrapped herself in her blanket, turned around, and faced away from Cheng Jun. Both of them fell into a silent state of preparing to sleep. Ruan Jiujiu closed her eyes, but her expression remained tense, her cheeks tight, as if she were enduring something.
“Cheng Jun, don’t sleep facing me.”
From behind, Cheng Jun’s voice was warm and mellow, “I’m not.”
Ruan Jiujiu continued to endure, “…The breath you’re exhaling is hitting the back of my neck.”
“Oh,” Cheng Jun responded.
Facing the imminent danger of being smothered, Cheng Jun finally regained his survival instinct. He moved slowly, and Ruan Jiujiu could no longer feel the faint air currents blowing on her neck, alleviating her almost-hair-raising sensation.
Was this what it was like for a married couple to sleep together?
For someone with relatively high sleep requirements like her, she couldn’t even imagine a scenario where two people shared the same blanket, their arms touching, and any movement from the other would affect her sleep. How could anyone sleep like that?
Ruan Jiujiu’s mind continued to wander. She wondered if Cheng Jun had fallen asleep, whether he was staring at the back of her head, and what his mood was like. After all, it should be his first time sharing a bed with someone else.
“I’m a bit nervous,” Cheng Jun said.
“Hmm?” Ruan Jiujiu was surprised. “How do you know what I’m thinking?”
Cheng Jun slowly replied, “You’re thinking that it feels strange to sleep together with someone, right?”
Ruan Jiujiu: “…”
She had been completely figured out.
In the pitch-black night, with the curtains tightly drawn, Ruan Jiujiu could only vaguely see the ceiling light. She curled up in her blanket, expecting to feel uneasy and uncomfortable lying in bed with Cheng Jun for the first time, but surprisingly, it wasn’t that bad.
Ruan Jiujiu asked, “How about your feelings? Compared to me, you should be even less fond of physical contact with others.”
Facing Ruan Jiujiu’s inquiry, Cheng Jun fell silent for a moment.
“I feel like it should be this way.”
“Ah…” Ruan Jiujiu’s face flushed at his words, which sounded like a confession. She quickly burrowed back under the covers.
Fortunately, the room was pitch dark, and her blush couldn’t be seen. This helped Ruan Jiujiu avoid feeling too embarrassed.
The room fell silent again.
Ruan Jiujiu gazed at the ceiling and was the first to speak. “Although you told me not to worry about these things… I’m a bit afraid that Qu Wei might do something to you.”
Cheng Jun turned his face and stared at her intently. “Did you have another nightmare?”
Ruan Jiujiu had dreamt about him.
Just the mention of this made Cheng Jun’s tone unexpectedly cheerful.
“It’s nothing. I just dreamt that Qu Wei hurt you.”
Ruan Jiujiu muttered softly, “Some parts of the dream were eerily similar to reality, so I’m a bit scared.”
“…”
“…Cheng Jun? Are you asleep?”
Ruan Jiujiu had her back to Cheng Jun, but she struggled to roll over and, along with her blanket, ended up rolling across the bed, landing on Cheng Jun’s blanket.
Ruan Jiujiu raised her head, and her lips almost brushed against Cheng Jun’s chin. Startled, she hastily moved backward to put some distance between them.
They were too close.
So close that in her fleeting moment of panic, Ruan Jiujiu noticed that Cheng Jun was staring at her. The emotions in his eyes seemed substantial, poking at the softest defenses around her heart.
Ruan Jiujiu forced a nervous laugh while facing him, suddenly realizing that the air conditioning in the room had never been turned on. Someone had complained about the cold, but in her room, it was quite calm. It seemed like he was more interested in something else.
“I’ll go turn on the air conditioning.”
“No need.”
“Then… what should I…”
“Don’t move.”
Cheng Jun’s voice was incredibly low, as if he were suppressing something, and the two words he uttered emerged hoarse and with a rising intonation.
Ruan Jiujiu stared at him, her night vision adjusting to see Cheng Jun’s face up close. His delicate eyebrows, attractive lip curve, and, most importantly, his eyes, were surging with a breathtaking and irresistible beauty. Ruan Jiujiu swallowed hard, her throat dry.
Was his face really that handsome? She felt utterly defenseless!
It was like an army of ants crawling around, making Ruan Jiujiu tremble.
Almost as if she was about to be caught, Ruan Jiujiu, trembling, called his name softly, “Cheng Jun… Cheng Jun…”
Her calling his name unexpectedly made him even more unable to control his restlessness.
Ruan Jiujiu thought she might be in trouble today.
The kiss that followed was intense and prolonged, causing Ruan Jiujiu to almost forget to breathe and making her feel lightheaded.
She tried to break free from the blanket, but it was wrapped too tightly. Cheng Jun also tried to move, but Ruan Jiujiu had wrapped his blanket around him so securely that he couldn’t move either.
Suddenly, they both snapped out of their passionate moment and locked eyes.
Ruan Jiujiu: “…”
Cheng Jun: “…”
They had suddenly awakened from their daze, and Ruan Jiujiu felt extremely embarrassed.
Her lips were slightly swollen and painful from the bite. If it weren’t for the current situation, she might have wanted to scold Cheng Jun.
Cheng Jun asked, “Should we not continue?”
Ruan Jiujiu replied, “…Let’s just go to sleep.”
Author’s note: Poor little Jun. Hahaha.
Additional updates today as compensation~
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