17 – You hаvе а wоmаn’s sсеnt on yоu
Suddеnlу, а сrisp round of арplausе echоеd frоm thе bаthrоom.
Сhеn Qingzhi thоught it wаs just anothеr gift notification sоund еffeсt frоm hеr livеstrеam аnd didn’t bоthеr to loоk tоward thе door.
Hоwevеr, the commеnts in the livе chаt bеgan to shift drаmaticallу.
【Ноlу shit holy shit hоlу shit, is thаt Yоung Mastеr Lu at thе door? Нow cаn he be sо handsome!!!!】
【Сhеn Qingzhi, уou brаin-dеad celеbrity, hurrу uр and get уour aсt togеthеr! Yоur husband is bаck!】
【Hаhahahаhаhа, I’m dying! The cash cow who sеnt thе Super Rockеt is bаck just in time to witnеss Lаdy Chen’s special talent! This performance was totally worth it.】
Seeing that Chen Qingzhi was still immersed in her “I’m so majestic” atmosphere, Lu Jin had no choice but to approach her sincerely and wholeheartedly.
A low, unhurried male voice rang out:
“Amazing! Truly amazing!”
Chen Qingzhi’s hands went weak in that instant, and her entire head sank another half-inch into the water basin.
Afraid she might get hurt, Lu Jin wrapped an arm around her slender waist and lifted her up.
Effortlessly flipping her over.
He set Chen Qingzhi down on the floor, steadying her.
Embarrassed, Chen Qingzhi used a towel to dry her hair while covering her flushed face.
It felt like the sky had fallen and the earth had split open.
The air fell into dead silence for a second.
It wasn’t until she heard the man’s muffled laughter that she snapped back to reality.
Irritably, she asked:
“What are you laughing at?”
Lu Jin yanked the towel off Chen Qingzhi’s head, looking at her flustered expression as his laughter grew even more mischievous:
“What? You can perform acrobatics at home, but I can’t laugh?”
The fans in the live chat were already exploding with laughter:
【I wish I could be there to witness it firsthand—Young Master Lu referring to his wife’s special talent as ‘acrobatics,’ hahaha】
【I’m dying of laughter! It’s true what they say—there’s always someone who can keep you in check. Who would’ve thought our Lady Chen, who’s been sassing everyone tonight, can’t out-sass her own husband?】
【Husband and wife in the same frame—quick, screenshot it!】
Chen Qingzhi stood there in a daze for a long time, unsure how to retort.
After all, variety shows are one thing—you have to let loose and be yourself to create an entertaining effect.
Through the screen, unable to see others’ expressions, she felt no psychological pressure.
The awkwardness lay in the fact that she had been caught red-handed performing silly antics in person!
And by her cheap husband, who had been racking his brains to bicker with her since the moment they met.
Chen Qingzhi felt utterly ashamed.
Especially!
The way Lu Jin had just lifted and flipped her over to stand her up felt like he was teasing a pet.
A complete and utter mockery.
He would definitely bring this up to ridicule her later!!
She wouldn’t be able to hold her head high for at least another six months!
Chen Qingzhi decided to change the subject.
Blushing, she awkwardly cleared her throat and met Lu Jin’s gaze:
“You… weren’t you meeting friends? Why did you come back so suddenly?”
This “playing hard to get” glance hit Lu Jin with an impact no less shocking than witnessing Chen Qingzhi’s acrobatic highlight moment earlier.
He watched as Chen Qingzhi suddenly averted her eyes, looking up at the ceiling instead.
Damp strands of hair clung to her slender, snow-white neck.
Looking further down, her loungewear hadn’t been properly adjusted earlier.
A glimpse of her firm, slender waist was faintly visible.
Just the right size for him to wrap his hand around.
Warm and smooth to the touch.
Lu Jin’s smile gradually faded as he finally spoke, his gravelly voice tinged with a low huskiness:
“I came back to raise a cat.”
Boom—
Chen Qingzhi felt as if she’d been struck by lightning.
She had originally assumed that the lingerie photos Su Qian sent him in the afternoon might have gone unnoticed.
For someone as busy as Lu Jin, it wouldn’t be unusual for him to hand off text messages to his assistant to handle.
The text message that had gone unanswered all afternoon.
Had long been tossed to the back of Chen Qingzhi’s mind.Now that he brought it up, combined with the “handstand hair washing” from tonight’s live stream, the faint sense of shame in Chen Qingzhi’s heart grew even stronger!
“We don’t have any pets at home.”
Chen Qingzhi took a few steps back, putting some distance between them.
Lu Jin glanced at the phone lying on the floor, pointed at it, but didn’t respond.
Only then did Chen Qingzhi remember that the live stream was still running on her phone.
“Time’s up, my dear fans! See you next time!”
【No way, I haven’t seen enough yet! Young Master Lu just showed up!】
【Young Master Lu just now!! Touched our Lady Chen’s slender waist!!! Damn, his hands are so beautiful—they could wrap right around her.】
【Holding her so skillfully, it’s obvious they’ve practiced high-risk moves at home more than once.】
【You, up there, are an expert.】
【Wuwuwu, I just started shipping this couple, and you’re ending the stream?! Get back here and keep streaming, damn it!】
No matter how much the comments tried to coax her, Chen Qingzhi quickly ended the live stream.
Recalling her conversation with Lu Jin just now, she felt relieved after confirming that it shouldn’t raise any suspicions among the viewers about their contractual marriage.
Lu Jin didn’t linger by the vanity for long. He carried a faint scent of alcohol and was still wearing his custom-tailored suit. Tonight was probably more than just meeting up with friends.
Perhaps because Chen Qingzhi had ended the live stream, he seemed to relax a little.
He tugged at his collar, loosened his tie, and casually unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt before walking into the bedroom.
“Lady Chen, where did you put my pajamas?”
The nickname had been coined by the fans during the live stream. When spoken in Lu Jin’s casual tone, it always carried a hint of mockery.
Chen Qingzhi followed him into the bedroom, momentarily confused.
“What pajamas?”
Lu Jin pulled off the belt around his waist and tossed it onto the sofa. Reaching into the middle compartment of the wardrobe, he pulled out a set of loungewear in a matching color.
“Found it. Mom bought this one.”
Chen Qingzhi sneered.
Lu Jin’s mother had passed away early, yet now he was calling her mother so affectionately.
Last year, when she was on vacation at home, her parents had dropped by unexpectedly to deliver food. Lu Jin, who had just finished a meeting, was called back by her to deal with the parents.
Chen’s mother had scolded her daughter for not knowing how to care for her husband, who was still wearing formal attire at home without even a comfortable set of clothes to change into.
The next day, she bought a few sets of pajamas online and had them delivered.
The tags were still attached.
“Let me cut them off for you.”
Seeing Lu Jin about to tear off the tags, Chen Qingzhi took a pair of scissors from the bedside table and walked over.
Under the light, his complexion was clear, though perhaps due to a mild alcohol allergy, his fair skin was slightly flushed. Despite it being early winter, the heat radiating from him felt intense.
He lowered his head to look at the woman before him, his gaze gradually focusing as if dark undercurrents were stirring.
His refined Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, and his lips parted as if he was about to say something.
But then Chen Qingzhi looked up, her thick, curled lashes trembling faintly before she frowned and said:
“You smell like women’s perfume.”
And not just any perfume—it was the popular “man-killer” scent of the moment.
Especially near his collar and collarbone, the fragrance was particularly strong.
Lu Jin looked at her, puzzled.
“What?”
It took him a few seconds to realize she was talking about women’s perfume.
“Bathrooms in bars aren’t gender-separated. It might have been transferred from someone else’s makeup.”
Lu Jin offered a casual explanation, but his eyes drifted elsewhere.
Chen Qingzhi showed no expression, even defending him instead.
“No need to explain. You’re free to do as you please.”
They had grown up together.Chen Qingzhi had seen many sides of Lu Jin: the way he bullied her as a child, the way he stubbornly denied his worry over his father’s illness, the way he acted obedient and sensible in front of her parents, the carefree and unrestrained way he wielded a paintbrush in his youth, and the triumphant, spirited way he won MVP in a basketball game.
And also.
The way he looked when she caught him lying.