It was no wonder Su Yuqing was overthinking. Just now, she thought she had heard her sister’s screams from inside the room, and strangely, the door seemed to have been locked from the inside.
“Are you sleeping?” Su Yuqing gently pushed the door, sensing it might not have been fully closed.
Inside, the man heard the noise, as if a switch had been flipped, instantly calming himself.
He suddenly opened his eyes, taking in the girl before him—her black hair tousled, her expression dazed—and he couldn’t help but lightly bite her lip.
“Someone’s here,” he said, his voice hoarse, breath fluttering across her face.
The girl made a soft sound, almost inaudible.
“Should I go out?” he teased, nibbling her ear.
Yutao slowly regained her senses and sluggishly replied, “I locked the door…”
No sooner had the words left her mouth than a voice sounded sharply from outside: “Sister, I’m coming in…”
Before Yutao could respond, the latch at the door suddenly loosened.
Seeing the door about to be pushed open, Yutao’s mind went blank. Instinctively, she rose from the man, not yet sure how to respond, when behind her, the man leapt from the wide-open window with a “thud.”
The movement was so swift, more agile than a leopard, that Yutao was left dumbfounded.
Soon, Su Yuqing pushed the door open from outside. She saw Yutao standing amid a mess of scattered clothes, her face still stunned, and panicked as she ran over to grab her hand. “Sister, are you okay?”
Yutao instinctively glanced toward the window; the man’s figure had long since vanished, leaving only the distant scenery.
She suddenly laughed, a strange relief washing over her, and looked at Su Yuqing. “I’m fine. Why did you suddenly come?”
“I heard screams from your room just now,” Su Yuqing said truthfully. “What happened?”
Yutao raised her eyebrows with a smile. “Nothing, I just accidentally knocked something over.”
Su Yuqing, sensing something off from her breathing and the flush on her face, instinctively touched her cheek and exclaimed, “Why is your face so hot? Are you running a fever?”
Yutao’s heart skipped a beat, a thrill of being caught afterward coursing through her. “Not a fever, it’s just too hot… flushed from the heat…”
As she spoke, her eyes flicked back toward the window, wondering if the man had truly left.
Su Yuqing’s gaze was scrutinizing. Still uneasy, she touched Yutao’s forehead again. “But your forehead is burning too.”
She paused for a moment before saying, “Wait here for me. I’ll go find Brother Yunyang. He should still be at home.”
As she turned to leave, Yutao grabbed her hand. “Don’t go. I’m fine. You don’t need to trouble him.”
“It’s fine, sister,” Su Yuqing said, assuming she was just being shy. “Brother Yunyang is kind. He’ll surely give you the fever medicine if you ask.”
“I really am fine,” Yutao said, almost laughing, pointing to the things on the table. “I just accidentally knocked something over while mixing the medicine powder. You go about your business.”
Su Yuqing scrutinized her but, finding nothing suspicious, finally said, “Then go on. Call me if anything happens.”
Once Su Yuqing left, Yutao firmly latched the door, then ran to the window and peered outside. The man was leaning against the side wall, calmly gazing at the distant scenery.
Yutao exhaled, lightly tapped the window. “Lu Yunyang.”
The man turned, pressing his lips together, and whispered with a smile, “He’s gone?”
Yutao glared at him, dissatisfied. If he hadn’t suddenly done that, she wouldn’t have been so startled, nor would she have drawn Yuqing here. “It’s all your fault. If you hadn’t suddenly kissed me, Yuqing wouldn’t have knocked.”
If she hadn’t knocked, it wouldn’t have spoiled their moment.
Lu Yunyang saw the lingering blush on her cheeks, a trace of coquettishness in his eyes. The alluring look made him think of a beguiling fox spirit.
He licked the corner of his lips and slowly approached, pinching her chin, his fingers grazing her reddened lips as he asked with a smile, “So thrilling… don’t you like it?”
He had always been serious and composed, which made Yutao think of him as a very reserved man. But now, his sudden playful words left her momentarily speechless.
When she regained her senses, she reached up, looping her hands around his neck and biting him lightly. Her voice was muffled. “Then come in and continue…”
The previous passion had been abruptly interrupted. Lu Yunyang’s rational mind regained control. He cupped her face, kissed her lips, and then lowered his head to soothe her. “Be good. We’ll play later. Don’t let Yuqing find out again.”
Yutao glared at him, then quickly bit his chin, a hint of excitement in her voice. “You said it was thrilling! I feel it too! Come in!”
She pretended to pull him inside, but Lu Yunyang blocked the window with one hand, looking at her seriously. “Don’t. If we alarm your mother, I might not be able to come see you again.”
Though the Su family had no grudge against him, if they discovered him in her room in broad daylight, even an innocent man would earn one.
“I haven’t figured out how to tell them yet. Give me some time; I’ll find a way soon.”
Yutao pouted slightly. Though she wanted to argue, she had to admit he was right. The people here were especially conservative, unlike their kind. Moreover, their current relationship wasn’t suitable for public display. They needed time to ease the shock.
“Then it’s still your fault,” Yutao muttered, her shimmering eyes tinged with displeasure. “Back when I broke off the engagement, you should have refused outright, not kept refusing.”
Though it sounded bratty, even manipulative, to Lu Yunyang it only felt like playful teasing; he had no intention of blaming her.
“Yes, my fault,” he nodded, admitting it. “I shouldn’t have withdrawn. Then none of this would have happened.”
Yutao smiled, lightly pecking his lips. “It’s fine. I forgive you.”
Her features were radiant; when she smiled, a soft charm lingered between her brows, almost enchanting. Lu Yunyang’s heart skipped, and he couldn’t help but kiss her again.
Their lips met, mingling with the wind, heavy breaths and soft moans fading gradually.
After calming his breathing, Lu Yunyang looked at her seriously. “I’ll return to the commune later. You gather the medicinal herbs; I’ll take them back and grind them. I’ll have them ready for you.”
The heat of their kiss still lingered inside Yutao. She panted softly and then went back to gather the items from the table.
The man eyed the herbs in her hands, brow furrowed with curiosity. “These are the materials for your rouge?”
“Yes,” Yutao nodded. She still had some of the plain oil from last time, and the man had brought her more herbs yesterday. She intended to make more to give to Lin Lifang later.
Suddenly, she remembered something and turned to the man. “Can you help me deliver something?”
“What?” Lu Yunyang replied.
Yutao retrieved the three unopened boxes of rouge meant for Lin Lifang from the wardrobe. “These, please take them to Lin Lifang for me.”
Lu Yunyang squinted at the small ceramic boxes. “To Lin Lifang? Why?”
Yutao didn’t hide anything and explained the deal she had with Lin Lifang.
Lu Yunyang chuckled. No wonder she had greeted him at the hospital so familiarly before—it was because of this.
“Did you make all this yourself?” He opened the box and examined the colored, scented paste.
“Of course I did,” Yutao said, resting her chin on her hand. “How is it? Better than what they sell in department stores?”
Lu Yunyang had never bought such things for women in department stores, so he had no comparison, but praising his wife was always right. “What you made is naturally the best.”
Yutao’s eyes lit up. “So you do have good taste.”
Lu Yunyang hummed, his deep gaze fixed on her. “I’ve always had good taste. I only like the best—always—including you.”
Yutao was baffled by how many times he had praised her today. If not for the window, she would have thrown herself at him to reward him.
“That’s just to match you,” she said softly, her cheeks deepening in color. “I have high standards too.”
She had been here almost three months. Though she hadn’t met many people, none compared to Lu Yunyang.
Lu Yunyang laughed lightly, lifting the rouge box. “So after you give these to Lin Lifang, don’t do this again.”
Yutao froze. “Why?”
“It’s dangerous,” he said slowly, putting the items away. “If someone reports it, you could be sent to labor reform. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“Then don’t let anyone find out,” Yutao said, glaring at him. She knew the risks before making them, but this was the only way to earn money. “There’s risk in everything.”
“There is,” Lu Yunyang said firmly. “If you really enjoy making this, I know people at Jia Hua Chemical Factory. I can introduce you to them.”
“Then don’t risk selling it privately again.”
The news was almost unbelievable. Yutao stared blankly. “Jia Hua Chemical Factory?”
Seeing her naive expression, Lu Yunyang gently tapped her nose. “Yes. The best-selling snow cream here comes from their factory, and they also sell rouge and lipstick.”
“If they recognize what you make, maybe one day your products will be sold in department stores. You could even work there.”
Though uncertain if it would really happen, Yutao felt this was the best news she’d heard all day.
She didn’t want to sell privately anyway—too risky. With Gu Yuan unstable, if what the man said came true, she might become prosperous.
Yutao leaned close to him, smiling, and asked, “So you’ll help me?”
Her soft cherry lips were within reach. Lu Yunyang instinctively leaned in, lightly pecking them, a teasing smile on his face. “If I don’t help my own wife, who would I help?”