Chapter 154: Dinner Party (Extra)
Before returning to work, Zhou Tianzui wanted to take Yu Qiao and You Ruxu on a week-long trip. While discussing destinations, Yu Qiao said, “Let’s go to Yuhai, I’ve never been there before.”
Her intention was to visit You Ruxu’s parents.
You Shu and Wu Xiulian had visited Jindu, a sort of meeting between the parents, but Yu Qiao hadn’t been to their home in Yuhai, and she wasn’t sure when she would have the time again, so she decided to take advantage of this opportunity to finalize things between Zhou Tianzui and You Ruxu.
“Finalize” wasn’t quite the right word, as neither You Ruxu nor Zhou Tianzui’s professions allowed for such public declarations, but those who knew them could sense the shift in their relationship, even Chen Xiang was now more cautious, saying to You Ruxu with a slightly awkward laugh, “Teacher You, why didn’t you tell me sooner? Dr. Zhou must think I’m annoying.”
You Ruxu said, “She doesn’t.”
If it wasn’t for Chen Xiang, Zhou Tianzui wouldn’t have known she was still alive, she was grateful, not annoyed,
Just—a little jealous.
They were standing close together as they talked, and Zhou Tianzui, seeing this, smiled faintly. Chen Xiang, feeling a sudden chill, asked, “When are you going to Yuhai?”
You Ruxu said, “The day after tomorrow, do you want me to bring you anything?”
Chen Xiang said, “Just some local specialties.” Then she chuckled, and You Ruxu said, “Okay.”
Chen Xiang asked, “Are you having a dinner gathering tonight?”
You Ruxu said, “With Zhou Tianzui’s colleagues.”
It was with the doctors again, Fu Shushu had called Zhou Tianzui, but Zhou Tianzui was showering, so You Ruxu answered. Fu Shushu didn’t ask why, as if it was perfectly normal, even adding, “Reporter You, you must come too!”
You Ruxu chuckled, “Okay.”
She told Zhou Tianzui, who said, “Aren’t you afraid I won’t go?”
You Ruxu looked at her, “Are you going or not?”
Zhou Tianzui said, “Hug me and I’ll tell you.”
Childish.
But You Ruxu still hugged her.
Chen Xiang left. Zhou Tianzui put down the kettle, returned from the balcony, and asked, “Why did she come?”
You Ruxu said, “She’s going on a business trip, she had some questions for me.”
Zhou Tianzui said, “Already so busy just after returning to work?”
You Ruxu said, “Not really.” Chen Xiang just wanted to visit, she brought some fruit and asked You Ruxu for some advice, You Ruxu had sent her some of her old news reports, even adding detailed notes, and Chen Xiang was incredibly grateful, sending a barrage of heart emojis on WeChat.
Zhou Tianzui, glancing at You Ruxu’s phone, saw the messages, the screen filled with hearts.
She looked at You Ruxu.
You Ruxu, pursing her lips, glancing at her from the corner of her eye, wanting to say something, then stopping herself, Zhou Tianzui reached out, and just as she did, You Ruxu chuckled.
“What are you doing…”
“Zhou Tianzui!”
A playful scuffle, Zhou Tianzui holding You Ruxu close, her soft laughter muffled against Zhou Tianzui’s chest, You Ruxu lost in the moment.
They lingered until noon, then went to Yu Qiao’s for lunch. Zhou Tianzui drove. They visited Yu Qiao almost every other day, Yu Qiao had initially wanted to move in with them for a while, but Zhou Tianzui, worried about her health, hadn’t agreed, and after a long, silent look, Yu Qiao had said, “Alright, I understand.”
Zhou Tianzui suspected she didn’t understand, but they still visited almost every other day, sometimes even staying for a couple of days.
Of course, there were whispers and gossip, Zhou Tianzui and You Ruxu, compared to before, were less discreet, their closeness evident to those who knew them, the rumors naturally followed,
“Oh, that Zhou girl, so it turns out she’s not normal.”
“The one who’s always with that reporter? I always thought there was something strange between them.”
“Those two girls, their lives are ruined.”
Yu Qiao, who used to ignore such comments, now retorted, “You’re the one who’s not normal! Halfway to your grave and still so narrow-minded, your life is the one that’s ruined!”
The speaker, her face red with anger, stormed off.
Of course, there were also positive comments,
“Those two girls are a good match.”
“What’s so good about marriage? I regret getting married, raising my son, then my grandson, waking up before dawn every day, and for what? Now my son and his family are living abroad, I could die here and no one would even know, I’m not even as happy as Yu Qiao.”
“Yu Qiao is so lucky, her daughter is so filial, so good to her, and now she has another daughter, so caring, I’m so envious.”
Yu Qiao, hearing these comments, felt rather pleased with herself.
Her mood improved, she cooked all sorts of dishes for You Ruxu and Zhou Tianzui, steamed fish one day, prawns the next. Zhou Tianzui received a substantial amount of compensation from the hospital, and also from the government, which she gave to Yu Qiao, who refused to accept it, “It’s for food,” Zhou Tianzui said.
Yu Qiao looked at her.
Zhou Tianzui said, “For both of us.”
As if they were already married, Yu Qiao nodded and took the money, a slight regret lingering, although she didn’t mind Zhou Tianzui being with You Ruxu now, but there would be no wedding, no banquet, and Yu Qiao still felt it was a pity.
But seeing that neither Zhou Tianzui nor You Ruxu seemed to care, she let it go.
Zhou Tianzui arrived home at 11:30. You Ruxu went to the kitchen to help, and Zhou Tianzui followed her. The kitchen was small, barely enough space for the two of them, “Mom, you should go rest,” Zhou Tianzui said to Yu Qiao, “It’s not appropriate,” Yu Qiao protested.
“Why not?” Zhou Tianzui said, “Two daughters cooking for you, and you’re complaining? Beautiful Yu, you’re hard to please.”
Yu Qiao, hearing her familiar teasing tone, couldn’t help but laugh. Zhou Tianzui helped her out of the kitchen, and closing the door behind them, she watched the two figures bustling inside, her heart warming, she sat on the sofa, eating fruit, waiting for dinner.
Zhou Tianzui like this, it was good.
Yu Qiao, lighting incense for Zhou Qiming, whispered, “You were always so understanding, I was the foolish one.”
Not entirely foolish.
When Zhou Tianzui came out, Yu Qiao had just finished offering incense. She said, “Are you going to offer incense to your father?”
Zhou Tianzui looked at You Ruxu, “She can do it.”
You Ruxu, looking at Zhou Tianzui and Yu Qiao, her hands clenching nervously at her sides, Zhou Tianzui took her hand, and Yu Qiao said, “That’s good, your father would be happy.”
Zhou Tianzui handed You Ruxu the incense sticks. You Ruxu’s palms were sweating, she only visited during the anniversary of his death, always going early to avoid seeing Yu Qiao and Zhou Tianzui, unable to face them, but now, she could offer incense to Zhou Qiming right in front of them.
You Ruxu stood before Zhou Qiming’s photo and softly called out, “Uncle,” She remembered the first time she met him, when she was young, her mother’s eyes red and swollen, she had thought he was a bad person, even throwing away the snacks he bought her. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
She bowed her head, “I’m sorry.”
Yu Qiao stepped forward and gently patted You Ruxu’s back. You Ruxu turned to her, Yu Qiao smiling at her, nodding slightly.
You Ruxu’s tears flowed silently. She looked down.
Yu Qiao handed her a tissue, “Thank you, Auntie,” You Ruxu said, her voice thick with emotion.
Zhou Tianzui, watching them, stepped forward and said, “Are we eating or not?”
Yu Qiao looked at her, “Are you hungry?”
Then she smiled, and You Ruxu also smiled. They sat down at the dining table, Zhou Tianzui looking at Yu Qiao, then at You Ruxu, “Mom, have you packed everything?”
Yu Qiao said, “Yes, it’s all there.”
A small suitcase. Zhou Tianzui said, “Just that? Do you need another one?”
Yu Qiao said, “I don’t have much, it’s enough.”
Zhou Tianzui said, “Then we can buy anything you need when we get there,” looking at You Ruxu, “You’ll take us shopping.”
You Ruxu nodded, “Okay.”
Yu Qiao ate her dinner, her head lowered. After dinner, they didn’t leave immediately. Yu Qiao cut some fruit for them. Zhou Tianzui’s old room had been simply redecorated, the bedsheets now a bright red, “Why this color?” Zhou Tianzui asked, frowning slightly.
Yu Qiao said, “Red is a lucky color, it wards off evil spirits, you two need some good luck.”
Zhou Tianzui couldn’t argue with that, she watched as Yu Qiao adjusted the bedsheet, later that night, lying in bed with You Ruxu, she said, “A Ran, does this look like…?”
You Ruxu looked at her, “Like what?”
Zhou Tianzui said, “A wedding bed.”
You Ruxu paused, looking at her, “Doesn’t it?” Zhou Tianzui asked.
You Ruxu, if she hadn’t mentioned it, wouldn’t have thought about it, but now, she had to admit, it did, she chuckled, “It does, a little.”
Zhou Tianzui said, “Just a little?”
She leaned in and whispered in You Ruxu’s ear, “I know why.”
You Ruxu, seeing her playful expression, asked seriously, “Why?”
Zhou Tianzui pulled up the covers, enveloping them both, and said, “Because we haven’t done what people do on wedding beds.”
You Ruxu was too embarrassed to even face Yu Qiao the next day.
So, during her lunch breaks, she would avoid going back to the apartment, resting on the sofa in the living room instead, but Zhou Tianzui would always drag her back to the bedroom, claiming, “My mom’s resting, you’ll disturb her if you stay in the living room.”
You Ruxu, pulled into the bedroom, sitting on the bed, chuckled in exasperation, “Then we’ll disturb her even more if we’re in here.”
Zhou Tianzui sat beside her, turned, looked at her intently, and asked, “How will we disturb her?” her expression feigning innocence, “What are you planning to do to me?” You Ruxu, meeting her gaze, “I’m not planning on doing anything.”
“I am,” Zhou Tianzui said, her voice soft and suggestive. You Ruxu, much more resistant to her charms now, “I’m going to sleep.”
Zhou Tianzui made her lie down and held her close, You Ruxu’s back to her, hearing You Ruxu call her name, her voice soft, a calmness settled over her, she tightened her embrace, her face buried in You Ruxu’s hair, the scent of her perfume and shampoo a comforting mix.
Her A Ran.
They didn’t do anything, having already been intimate twice that morning, they were both tired, they just lay there, holding each other, and slept for over two hours, You Ruxu, waking up, turned and hugged Zhou Tianzui, changing positions, and then drifted off again.
When they left the apartment, Yu Qiao had already gone grocery shopping. Zhou Tianzui called her and said they were having a dinner gathering tonight. Yu Qiao, remembering, told them to drive safe.
Zhou Tianzui drove, You Ruxu sitting beside her, eating a tangerine, occasionally peeling a segment and offering it to Zhou Tianzui. Dinner was at six. They arrived early, and as they reached the restaurant, You Ruxu excused herself to go to the restroom, Zhou Tianzui, holding her bag, waited for her at the entrance, when the director approached her, wanting to discuss some work matters, and Zhou Tianzui went inside with him, when You Ruxu returned, several people were already there, Zhou Tianzui sitting beside the director and Fu Shushu, who, seeing her, cleared her throat, stood up, and said, “Reporter You, sit here.”
The others in the room smiled knowingly, looking at You Ruxu and Zhou Tianzui.
You Ruxu lowered her head, her face slightly flushed. Although their colleagues knew about their relationship, being teased by so many people, she still couldn’t help but feel embarrassed. Zhou Tianzui, however, was unfazed, pulling out the chair beside her, and after You Ruxu sat down, handed her her bag, the message clear.
The atmosphere in the room shifted subtly, and just as You Ruxu sat down, He Wei arrived, about to sit beside her when Zhou Tianzui said, “Dr. He, Dr. Lin is looking for you.”
“Dr. Lin? Lin Luo? What does she want?” He Wei, puzzled, Zhou Tianzui just shrugged, and He Wei walked over to Lin Luo, patting her on the shoulder, “Why are you looking for me?”
Lin Luo, who had been discussing surgical details with a colleague: …!
