Zhou Muyang was surprised.
“The delivery got here that fast?”
He had ordered the food right after the game started, and one match lasted thirteen minutes.
Getting a delivery in just thirteen minutes was a first for Zhou Muyang.
He clicked to start another game and, while waiting for the matchmaking, walked to the door and opened it.
“Coming!”
The moment the door opened, a wave of heat rushed toward him.
“Just leave the delivery at the—”
His voice suddenly stopped.
Zhu Heqing stood outside, backlit by the sunlight.
Today, he wasn’t wearing a suit. Instead, he had on a loose black drop-shoulder T-shirt paired with wide-leg trousers in the same color.
The outfit looked fresh and casual, making him look both sophisticated and much younger.
Zhou Muyang stopped mid-sentence, an awkward expression appearing on his face.
Zhu Heqing hadn’t expected Zhou Muyang to be the one opening the door either. He paused for a moment before the corners of his handsome lips lifted slightly.
“I’ve heard Fufu mention you. Zhou Muyang, it’s nice to meet you.”
Zhou Muyang majored in physical education, but he was also somewhat interested in psychology. Whenever he had no classes or training, he would sneak into psychology lectures.
Although Zhu Heqing was smiling, there wasn’t much warmth in his eyes. Instead, there was a faintly concealed sense of scrutiny—and even disdain.
“I heard Auntie Zhang mention you during the New Year dinner. She said you’re seven years older than Yu Huan and that you’ve spoiled her so much that you’ve practically turned her into a little kid.”
Zhou Muyang grinned.
“Now that I’ve met you, I’d say you’re definitely mature and reliable.”
Zhu Heqing’s expression remained calm.
“After all, I’ve got a few more years of life experience. I should be a little more mature.”
“That way, whenever Fufu runs into a problem that someone her age can’t solve, I can rely on my experience to help her.”
Zhou Muyang gave a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
“Keeping someone in a greenhouse isn’t necessarily a good thing. Without experiencing storms, a person can never truly grow up.”
Zhu Heqing’s tone remained indifferent.
“She doesn’t need to experience storms.”
Zhou Muyang raised an eyebrow and wanted to argue, but then he realized that Zhu Heqing genuinely had the power to say that.
As long as he and Yu Huan didn’t break up, he could guarantee that Yu Huan would never have to suffer the harshness of society for the rest of her life.
“Zhou Muyang, are you a pig?”
From inside the room, Yu Huan complained impatiently.
“Why is it taking you so long to get the food? You didn’t even enter the game. The countdown is already over, and now I have to wait another minute.”
The two men hadn’t been speaking loudly. Yu Huan was completely absorbed in her game and hadn’t paid any attention to who Zhou Muyang was talking to.
When Zhu Heqing suddenly appeared in front of her, Yu Huan didn’t react at first.
She glanced at the person following behind Zhou Muyang without paying much attention.
Then she sensed something was wrong and looked up again.
Her dark, bright eyes seemed to hold a pool of clear water whenever she looked up at someone.
Yu Huan already had large, round eyes, and when she was surprised, they looked even bigger.
She blinked.
“Zhu Heqing!”
They hadn’t seen each other for several days.
Although they video-called every day, it still wasn’t the same as seeing each other in person.
The moment Zhu Heqing suddenly appeared in front of her, Yu Huan tossed her phone aside and jumped straight into his arms.
Zhu Heqing effortlessly caught her with one arm while holding the pot of freshly made soup in his other hand.
He praised her, “Good girl. You’ve finally returned to your pre-illness weight.”
Yu Huan wrapped her arms around his neck.
Zhu Heqing was wearing her perfume—the bitter peach scent she had recently fallen in love with. It was sweet and delicate.
Zhu Heqing already had a refined, handsome appearance with gentle features, so the sweet fragrance didn’t seem out of place on him at all.
“How come you’re suddenly here?”
“I wanted to give you a surprise.”
Zhu Heqing carried her over to the sofa and sat down.
“You said yesterday that you wanted pork rib and corn soup. It’s my first time making it, so I don’t know if it tastes good. Can you help me try it?”
Yu Huan was delighted to have someone serve as her cushion.
The air conditioner was running, keeping the room cool, so even sitting on Zhu Heqing’s lap didn’t feel hot.
She pointed with her pale finger.
“Zhou Muyang, go get some bowls.”
“Am I your dog? You tell me to go, and I just go?”
Zhou Muyang crossed his arms and looked between the two of them, letting out a cold snort.
Yu Huan didn’t understand. Zhou Muyang had been perfectly fine just moments ago, so why did he suddenly seem like he’d swallowed gunpowder?
She frowned.
“What happened to you? Is your adolescence not over yet?”
Zhou Muyang folded his arms and seemed to think of something before smiling.
“Yeah. That’s the bad thing about being young. Sometimes puberty comes back.”
“What’s wrong with you?”
Yu Huan clearly didn’t understand.
When Zhou Muyang still refused to move, Yu Huan urged Zhu Heqing instead.
“Go get the bowls for me.”
“Don’t.”
Zhou Muyang spoke again.
“Your boyfriend finally came all this way to see you. He doesn’t even know where the bowls are. What if he has to ask me where they are?”
“No need.”
Zhu Heqing placed the thermos on the coffee table and stood up.
The veins on the hand holding Yu Huan subtly stood out against his cool, pale skin, making the sight strangely alluring.
“Fufu can just tell me.”
Zhou Muyang:
“……”
He watched coldly as Zhu Heqing carried Yu Huan into the kitchen.
He couldn’t help thinking that Yu Huan was a heartless little traitor who had completely forgotten her friends the moment she saw a handsome man.
Even if they considered seniority and closeness, he had grown up with Yu Huan since childhood and had practically worked like a servant for her.
With a relationship that close, shouldn’t she at least have talked to him before getting a boyfriend?
But what happened?
He had finally finished training and traveled from his university to Qing University to see Yu Huan, only to discover that she had already fallen in love.
The more Zhou Muyang thought about it, the more upset he became.
He simply felt as though the cabbage he’d protected since childhood had been eaten by a pig.
And because of that, even looking at Zhu Heqing made him dislike everything about him.
Inside the kitchen, Yu Huan sat on Zhu Heqing’s arm while directing him to take out three bowls.
From her elevated position, she looked down at him, her gaze slowly traveling over his face—from his full forehead and thick, long eyelashes to his high nose bridge and moist lips.
The longer she looked, the stronger one thought became.
She wanted to kiss him.
She stretched out one finger and gently hooked it beneath Zhu Heqing’s chin, tilting his face upward.
Zhu Heqing obediently raised his head and met her eyes.
Yu Huan wrapped one arm around his neck, leaned down, and pressed her small, full lips against his.
Zhu Heqing’s breathing faltered for a moment.
He suppressed the urge to take control and instead gave all the initiative to Yu Huan.
Yu Huan tentatively extended the tip of her tongue and lightly touched his lips.
His lips were slightly cool and incredibly soft, like cotton.
Her movements were slow and gentle, like a child who had just discovered a new toy.
“Brother, your heart is beating so fast.”
Her leg happened to be pressed against Zhu Heqing’s chest.
Through the thin fabric of his clothes, she could feel his heart pounding rapidly and forcefully.
Each beat came faster than the last, each one heavier than before.
Zhu Heqing couldn’t withstand her teasing.
A flush slowly spread across his neck, eventually reaching the corners of his eyes.
His voice became husky and affectionate, while the desire in his heart grew increasingly difficult to suppress.
“Baby…”