She didn't have time to retreat, caught off guard by his kiss on the corner of her mouth, just a fleeting touch, before she could react, Lu Xiu had already withdrawn. The lights in the villa were not turned off, shining brightly and somewhat dazzling. She blinked, eyelashes fluttering, still feeling his lingering breath on her lips.
Su Qing gradually realized she was pressed against the doorframe, her eyes slightly widened, watching the casually indifferent man in front of her. She stood there, dazed, as if awaiting judgment.
"Hug me," Lu Xiu muttered hoarsely, arms opening to embrace her.
Su Qing stiffened, lips pressed together as the man enveloped her in his arms. His familiar scent filled her nostrils, causing her heart to tremble, enveloped in an endless night.
Morning came. The sound of rain outside was somewhat soothing. These days, there seemed to be more holidays, and she couldn't help but wonder if the company was on the verge of collapse.
She had been deliberately avoiding Lu Xiu these past few days, waking up early in the morning, hastily finishing dinner in the evenings, avoiding any contact with him.
The weather was getting colder. It rarely snowed here, but she was lucky enough to have seen it, back in high school. It had snowed heavily then, the snowflakes scattering around, turning into transparent puddles.
It was on her way back from meeting Xiao Yin that she saw the red lanterns hanging on the streetlights, realizing that the New Year was approaching.
Another year had passed, time flew by so quickly.
Returning home, she caught sight of Lu Xiu sitting on the sofa, holding a book in his hand, the red cover obscuring the text. Su Qing made a soft noise, preparing to go upstairs.
"Avoiding me?" A chill ran down her spine as Lu Xiu's nonchalant voice came from behind. It was followed by the sound of the book closing and footsteps approaching.
She had no choice but to bite her lip and turn around, trying to appear casual. "Not really. I have something to do."
"And yet you say you're not avoiding me. Don't look away," Lu Xiu said, his tone slightly teasing.
Su Qing paused for a moment, subconsciously touching her nose, pretending to yawn with a hint of coquettishness. "I'm so tired, I want to sleep."
Lu Xiu chuckled, leaning against the railing. Their bodies were close, breaths intertwining. Her clear eyes looked somewhat innocent.
"Su Qing, are you really tired or just pretending?"
Her hands pressed against his chest as she leaned back against the railing. For a few seconds, her heartbeat seemed to stop altogether.
The untimely ringing of her phone interrupted the moment. Su Qing followed the sound, her gaze falling on the sofa where Lu Xiu was sitting.
Impatiently furrowing his brows, Lu Xiu walked over and picked up the phone. Seeing the name Shen Yuqing on the screen, he slowed down, answering at the last second before the call ended.
There was silence on the other end, surprisingly quiet. Lu Xiu, obviously impatient, urged, "Speak."
As soon as he finished speaking, there were faint laughter and Shen Yuqing's voice coming through the line, "Why did you take so long to answer my call?"
Lu Xiu, not in a hurry to respond, turned around to find that Su Qing had disappeared.
His slender fingers brushed his forehead, sinking into the sofa, legs crossed on the coffee table.
"Nothing important. I'm hanging up." On the other end, Shen Yuqing sounded a bit urgent, "Wait, are you still my son? You haven't called in days, haven't come to see me. I just wanted to ask how things are going with that girl?"
Lu Xiu's throat itched. He picked up the cigarette box next to him, took out a cigarette, and lit it before speaking, "Why are you in such a hurry?"
"How can I not be in a hurry? I'm still waiting for a grandson. Some of my friends' grandsons are already a few years old. You, on the other hand, have no news at all. I thought you became a monk or something."
"Who said there's no news? I've already brought her home." Lu Xiu smirked, his fingers tracing circles on the sofa, his mind seemingly planning something.
"So soon? You're impressive, indeed my son. But why didn't you tell me? Should I come over tomorrow to see my daughter-in-law?" The tone on the other end was cheerful, conveying a sense of happiness.
"Don't come, you'll scare her."
His Adam's apple bobbed as he spoke, a lazy feeling in his voice.
"Alright, but you must bring her back for the New Year. I really want to see my daughter-in-law. Do you hear me?"
"I got it."
Lu Xiu hung up the phone, lit the cigarette, and exhaled a puff of smoke, his profile shrouded in a misty haze, his cigarette-holding posture lazy and arrogant, exuding a strong aura of delinquency.
Time passed quickly.
New Year's Eve.
Su Qing stood by the window, it was almost midnight now. Watching the numbers flashing on her phone made her feel a bit uneasy, but the streetlights outside illuminated the surroundings enough to keep the darkness at bay.
The villa area was quiet, devoid of any festive atmosphere. The cold wind rustled the branches in the garden.
Her eyes remained fixed on the zero hour displayed on her phone when suddenly a knock sounded at the door. She snapped out of her thoughts to answer it, finding Lu Xiu standing outside in black pajamas.
Before she could react, he pressed her against the wall. With a swift motion, he closed the door, his eyes opaque and inscrutable, causing her heart to race.
Her fingers involuntarily tugged at the hem of her clothes as Lu Xiu leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Happy New Year."
Very softly.
In that moment, she was taken aback, unable to recall the last time she had heard those words. Feeling his intense gaze, she met his eyes, a smile tugging at her lips. "Happy New Year to you too."
Suddenly, a chill ran down her neck. She lowered her head to see the rose gold diamond necklace around her neck. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was a clover-shaped brooch pendant, with the scattered diamonds reflecting a white halo, and the central diamond in the clover exceptionally large.
She didn't know when he had put it on her. Looking up at him, she remained silent for a moment before asking, "What's this for?" He lowered his lashes, lips quirking up without any concealment. "Because I like you."
"I like you." Those words seemed to cast a spell, lingering in her mind, and she couldn't find a reason to reject his gift.
"Is it worth it?" She hesitated, uttering softly.
"What do you think? You always deserve the best." Lu Xiu rarely spoke so seriously, each word piercing her heart.
Hearing this, she couldn't help but want to cry. These past few years had been like hell, worn down by reality, with no one caring for her except her mother.
Lu Xiu was like a little
angel to her, always proving that she was worthy of protection.
After contemplating for a moment, she reached out and hugged him, burying herself in his embrace. "Thank you."
Lu Xiu was startled by her embrace, his heart skipping a beat. He reached out and rubbed her head, his voice hoarse as he asked, tinged with a hint of anticipation, "So, does this mean we're back together?" Su Qing pulled away from his embrace, shaking her head. "It doesn't count."
"Are you playing with me, Su Qing?" Lu Xiu lowered his gaze, his voice husky, his eyes fixed on Su Qing.
"I haven't made up my mind yet. I want to sleep." Her mind raced, hastily making up an excuse to evade the question.