Moving In Together. Her heart racing, Wen Qingli walked out of the home-style restaurant. Lu Zheng drove her back to the entrance of her apartment building.
Wen Qingli unfastened her seatbelt and looked over at Lu Zheng with a soft smile. “I’ll head up first. Good night.”
With that, she pushed open the car door and stepped out.
She lived in an old apartment building with no elevator.
Barely had she set foot on the stairs when she heard steady, firm footsteps following from behind.
Wen Qingli turned around and saw Lu Zheng walking after her. A hint of confusion crossed her face. “Lu Zheng? Why are you coming up?”
Lu Zheng lifted his gaze. His features were deep-set, his jawline sharp and defined. “Teacher Wen, I have no intention of living separately.”
Wen Qingli’s long lashes fluttered, and her breath caught slightly. “You mean…”
Lu Zheng pressed his lips together—thin and naturally reddish. “Pack your things. We’re moving into our marital home.”
Wen Qingli’s heart skipped a beat.
Seeing her fall silent, he frowned faintly. “You don’t want to?”
Wen Qingli shook her head quickly, a smile spreading across her lips. “No, of course I do.”
How could she not want this?
He was the person she had longed to draw close to ever since her youth. Now that she finally had the chance, she intended to hold onto it tightly.
Wen Qingli’s apartment was on the third floor. It was small—just one bedroom and one living room. The walls were painted a soft sky-blue, giving the space a clean, gentle feel, and the furnishings carried a warm, artistic charm.
Wen Qingli poured a glass of lemon water and handed it to Lu Zheng. “Have a seat for a moment. I’ll go pack.”
Lu Zheng took a sip, then set the glass down. His voice was low and steady. “Do you need help?”
“No, I’ll be quick.”
Before long, Wen Qingli came out rolling a silver suitcase.
Lu Zheng reached out and naturally took it from her.
Before Wen Qingli could pull her hand back, her fingertips accidentally brushed against the back of his hand. It felt as though a faint electric current had run through her.
She raised her hand and tucked her long hair behind her ear, hiding the faint flush rising on her cheeks.
The two stepped outside, and just as she closed the door, her elderly neighbor came over carrying a box of freshly boiled dumplings.
“Teacher Wen, heading out somewhere?” The aunt glanced at Lu Zheng—tall, imposing, and strikingly handsome. “Is this your boyfriend?”
Wen Qingli shook her head hurriedly. “Oh no, this is Captain Lu from the police station. He’s just here to help me move some things.”
The aunt looked Lu Zheng up and down. What a fine-looking young man.
She pulled Wen Qingli aside and pressed the box of dumplings into her hands, then whispered, “Do you have Captain Lu’s WeChat? I have a niece who’s still single…”
Wen Qingli glanced toward Lu Zheng. With his good looks and stable government job, he was exactly the kind of son-in-law most families hoped for.
“Auntie, Captain Lu is already married.”
She’d taken it upon herself to turn down the request for his contact information. Surely he wouldn’t mind, would he?
The aunt sighed in disappointment. “Well, that figures. A man as solid and good-looking as him is bound to be taken quickly.”
Then she brought up the blind date Wen Qingli had gone on the day before.
“That Mr. Wang I introduced you to—he’s not bad, is he? He may not look like much, but his family’s property is about to be demolished. Once you marry him, you’ll be set for a comfortable life.”
At the mention of Mr. Wang, Wen Qingli could barely suppress her exasperation.
“Thank you so much for thinking of me, Auntie. But why don’t you introduce Mr. Wang to your niece instead?”
She handed the dumplings back to the aunt.
Then she hurried over to Lu Zheng’s side and looked up at him. “Let’s go.”
Once they were back in the SUV, Lu Zheng noticed Wen Qingli’s lips pressed tightly together, her soft cheeks slightly puffed out—looking rather like a little pufferfish.
“Are you angry?” he asked in a low voice.
Indeed, Wen Qingli was a little annoyed. When she first moved here, she had tried to be friendly with the neighbors. After the aunt learned she was an art teacher, she had repeatedly brought her granddaughter over to ask for help with painting lessons.
To “repay” the favor, the aunt had insisted on setting her up on blind dates. After turning her down several times, Wen Qingli had felt it rude to refuse again, so she had agreed to meet Mr. Wang the day before.
Thinking back on the man’s absurdly arrogant remarks still made her blood boil.
“That Mr. Wang from yesterday was the blind date she arranged for me.”
Lu Zheng nodded thoughtfully. “Sometimes you lose something only to gain something better. Wouldn’t you agree?”
Wen Qingli turned to look at him, her eyes resting on his sharp, handsome profile as he drove. Suddenly she understood what he meant.
Right. If she hadn’t gone on that blind date yesterday, she never would have run into him.
“By the way,” she said, biting her lip slightly, “the aunt asked for your WeChat just now—said she has a niece who isn’t married yet. But I told her you’re already taken.”
Lu Zheng glanced over at her. “That is your right as my wife.”
Hearing those words, Wen Qingli’s heart began racing uncontrollably again.
How had she never noticed before that he could say such sweet things?
The car pulled into Jingyuan Residential Compound.
Here, every apartment was a spacious high-floor unit with unobstructed sea views.
The marital home Lu Zheng’s mother had left him was roughly 200 square meters, furnished in a simple yet elegant light-luxury style.
At the entrance, Lu Zheng took out a pair of pink slippers for her.
Wen Qingli looked down at the slippers, her heart giving a soft flutter.
Had another woman ever stayed here before?
The thought had barely crossed her mind when a faint, inexplicable twinge of sourness and awkwardness rose in her chest.
She watched Lu Zheng carry the suitcase inside, then bit her lower lip gently and asked, “Lu Zheng… would it be improper for me to wear slippers that someone else has used?”
Lu Zheng turned back to face her, his eyes dark and calm. “No one else has worn them. I had a cleaner come over today to do a full deep clean of the house. These slippers were bought especially for you.”
A bright, sweet smile spread across Wen Qingli’s face. “Lu Zheng, you’re so thoughtful. Thank you.”
Lu Zheng was puzzled.
Just buying a pair of slippers made her think he was thoughtful?
How easily she was satisfied.
Wen Qingli slipped on the slippers and hurried after him. “How many rooms are there in this place?”
Lu Zheng walked ahead, explaining as he went. “One master bedroom, two guest rooms, and a study.”
Wen Qingli nodded. “Then I’ll take one of the guest rooms.”
Suddenly, the man in front of her stopped short.
Caught off guard, Wen Qingli bumped her nose right against his firm, solid back.
“Ouch…”
His back was rock-hard. The pain made her gasp softly.
Lu Zheng turned around to see her rubbing her reddened nose. He frowned in concern. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine, really.”
Seeing how soft and delicate she looked, and knowing she was timid and easily flustered, Lu Zheng softened his words. “Teacher Wen, I have no intention of sleeping in separate bedrooms. As husband and wife, there are duties we are expected to fulfill. But I understand you need time to adjust—I will wait until you feel comfortable.”
In other words: he was a normal man, and now that they were married, he expected their relationship to progress naturally.
Wen Qingli nodded. “I understand.”
They were both adults. Legally married. She understood perfectly well.
Yet just thinking about being intimate with him made her stomach twist with nervousness—though beneath it all lay a flutter of excitement and anticipation.