Expressing her guilt in front of everyone, Pei Chen lowered his gaze, his lashes casting shadows over his eyes. Zhong Xinrou, sensing the emotion, gently reassured Gong Qinxin, “What matters most is the present. It’s about making the best of the days ahead.”
The past was behind them, and what was most important now was to cherish the present.
Gong Qinxin nodded, “Yes…”
The housekeepers brought out some fruit, and Zhiyi, with a sweet and gentle smile, fed Pei Chen a piece of apple, her demeanor soft and endearing. Pei Chen responded with a smile, and seeing this, Zhong Xinrou remarked with a smile, “These two have always had such a strong bond over the years. Zhiyi can be a bit spoiled at times, but thankfully Xiao Pei is patient and always so understanding with her.”
Pei Yongxia, a bit embarrassed, responded, “Oh, not at all. Zhiyi is such a wonderful girl. If anything, it’s our family that doesn’t quite match up to hers in terms of financial standing…”
“Oh, don’t say that,” Liang Tianming interjected with a wave of his hand. “Those material things aren’t important to us. What matters most is that the two of them truly care for each other. We’ve seen how good Xiao Pei is to Zhiyi over the years. Besides, Xiao Pei is outstanding in our eyes—he’s even started his own successful business.”
Hearing this, Pei Yongxia felt a warmth in his heart and turned to Pei Chen, “Son, you must treat Zhiyi well. If you don’t, I’ll be the first to hold you accountable.”
Pei Chen firmly held Liang Zhiyi’s hand, “I will, I promise.”
A while later, lunch was ready, and the families gathered around the table. Liang Tianming smiled and said, “The kids have been together for four years now, and with their shared business venture, we’re practically family already. We should make sure to keep in touch more often.”
“Yes, let’s keep in touch more,” everyone echoed as they clinked glasses and smiled.
During the meal, the parents asked the young couple about their plans for marriage. Blushing, Liang Zhiyi responded, “Pei Chen and I have talked it over, and we’re in no rush to get married. We want to focus on building up the studio first.”
Zhong Xinrou smiled and said, “You young people these days prefer not to marry too early. It’s your decision to make, and we won’t interfere.”
“Mm.”
—
And so, the two families enjoyed a harmonious meal together. Although the topic of marriage wasn’t discussed, the bond between the families was more or less solidified.
As the weekend ended and June neared its end, Pei Chen, Liang Tongzhou, and Xuan Xia had to travel out of the province for an important business negotiation. They would be away for three days.
When Liang Zhiyi learned that Pei Chen wouldn’t return until Saturday, she felt a small pang of disappointment, especially considering the significance of Friday’s date. However, she kept her feelings to herself, not wanting him to feel guilty about prioritizing work.
On Wednesday, when she dropped him off at the airport, she smiled warmly at him and said, “Good luck, President Pei. Stay safe out there.”
He pulled her into his arms, ignoring the people around them, and kissed her lips gently, “Mm, wait for me to come back.”
The others around them started teasing, and Xuan Xia joked, “Hey, hey, hey, do you have to be so lovey-dovey?”
Blushing, Liang Zhiyi looked down, while Pei Chen calmly responded, “Haven’t you gotten used to it by now?”
“Too much, it’s just too much…”
Finally, the three of them flew out of the province, leaving all the studio’s matters in Liang Zhiyi’s hands. She oversaw the production at the factory while coordinating with Pei Chen and the others, handling everything with meticulous care. The staff even remarked that with her abilities, she was more than capable of managing things on her own.
On Friday afternoon, Ji Fei’er dropped by Liang Zhiyi’s office for a chat. When she found out that Liang Zhiyi and Pei Chen’s families had met the previous weekend, she teased, “You two are moving fast! You haven’t even decided to get married yet, and your parents have already met.”
Resting her chin in her hand, the girl pinched Ji Fei’er’s cheek playfully, “Speaking of which, you and my brother have been together for years now. When are you going to introduce your parents to mine formally as in-laws?”
Ji Fei’er, embarrassed, swatted her hand away, “I haven’t even told my parents yet…”
“You’ve kept it under wraps pretty well. But let me tell you, I think my parents have figured it out. With how close our families are, your parents will find out sooner or later.”
“What? How do your parents know?!”
“That day, my mom overheard you talking with my brother. I have a feeling she’s already guessed it.”
“What did they say?!”
“Why are you so nervous? You grew up playing at our house. My parents already think of you as a daughter.”
“Well, being a daughter’s best friend and being a son’s girlfriend are completely different!”
Liang Zhiyi’s eyes curved into a smile as she pointed to herself, “Don’t worry. Just make sure to treat your future sister-in-law well, and I’ll put in a good word for you.”
“Hmph, you little rascal…”
The two continued to joke around, but after a while, Ji Fei’er remembered something and leaned in closer to ask, “So, how far have you and Pei Chen gotten?”
“What do you mean?” Liang Zhiyi asked, a bit wary.
Ji Fei’er nudged her shoulder playfully, “You told me before that you two hadn’t done ‘it’ yet. I’m just curious if Pei Chen has, you know, ‘broken his vow’ since you graduated?”
A slight blush crept onto Liang Zhiyi’s face as she half-covered it with her hand, mumbling softly, “We’ve been so busy after graduation, where’s the time for that?”
“Hey, don’t tell me… Is Pei Chen asexual?” Ji Fei’er’s eyes took on a teasing glint.
“…”
Ji Fei’er, now caught up in her own thoughts, continued, “Pei Chen is always so calm and distant, right? He was such a bookworm in high school. I bet he’s not interested in that kind of thing at all. Imagine, you two lying in bed, and he starts talking about calculus or advanced math!”
Liang Zhiyi shot her a speechless glance.
Pei Chen, asexual? That was the funniest thing she’d heard all year.
Considering how he reacts whenever they get a bit close—she couldn’t help but think of him as a bit of a rogue. Everyone else had clearly been fooled by his cool demeanor. Hmph…
Cutting off Ji Fei’er’s gossiping, Liang Zhiyi shooed her back to work, and she returned to handling the studio’s tasks herself.
As evening came, and everyone else in the studio gradually left for the day, Liang Zhiyi decided to stay and work late, knowing she’d just be alone at home. She glanced at the calendar, thought of Pei Chen, and sighed, her longing for him bubbling up like fizzy soda.
She missed him so much.
With a soft frown, she pushed her feelings aside and continued organizing the company’s files.
Outside, the sky grew darker as stars filled the night.
The studio was nearly empty, except for one person.
Focused on her work, Liang Zhiyi didn’t hear the footsteps outside until there was a knock at the office door, followed by a familiar, gentle voice laced with amusement:
“Working so diligently—do I owe you a reward?”
She instantly recognized the voice and looked up in surprise, only to see Pei Chen standing at the door, dressed in a crisp white shirt and black pants, his dark hair framing his handsome face. He was holding a suitcase beside him, his eyes full of warmth as he looked at her.
For a moment, her mind went completely blank.
“Pei Chen…”
Delighted, the girl immediately jumped up and ran to him. He lifted her into his arms effortlessly, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, her eyes sparkling like they were sprinkled with tiny diamonds, filled with joyful surprise. “You came back early?”
“Actually, I finished everything today, so I hurried back to surprise you.”
“You rushed back just for this…”
He gazed at her, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “Today is our four-year anniversary. Shouldn’t I be here with my girlfriend?”
Four years ago, in June, they had become a couple.
She hadn’t expected him to remember, and the thought filled her with so much emotion that she felt a twinge in her nose. Moved, she leaned in to kiss him, and he immediately took control, deepening the kiss as he closed his dark eyes, one hand cradling the back of her head.
The ticking clock was the only sound in the room, and the air around them seemed thick with sweetness.
When the kiss finally ended, he looked into her eyes and asked in a low voice, “Have you eaten dinner?”
“Not yet.”
“I bought you a cake.”
Her eyes lit up, “Where is it?”
“In the car.”
Excited, she quickly packed up her things, and they left the studio together.
When they reached the parking lot and stood beside the car, he said, “It’s in the backseat.”
She eagerly opened the back door and saw a transparent cake box adorned with tiny star lights inside. The cake was a red velvet one, and next to it was a beautiful bouquet of flowers.
She was thoroughly surprised. After they got into the car, she picked up the bouquet, her eyes crinkling with happiness. “You even prepared this?”
Pei Chen pressed his lips together slightly. “I didn’t have much time, so I couldn’t do anything too elaborate. I wasn’t sure if you’d like it.”
She snuggled into his arms, her dimples deepening with sweetness. “Pei Chen, as long as it’s from you, I love it.”
The flowers and cake might seem simple, maybe even a bit cliché to some, but to her, it was the perfect kind of romance from her straightforward, scientifically minded boyfriend. She could feel all of his love in this gesture.
Sitting on his lap, she opened the cake box, scooped up a bite of the cake, and popped it into her mouth, content and happy like a little kitten, her eyes narrowing with pleasure.
After a few bites, she set the cake aside, and Pei Chen gently turned her to face him directly.
The position was a bit intimate, and although the air conditioning in the car was on full blast, she found herself unable to move in his embrace. The warmth of his body and the heady scent of his presence made her heart race.
His deep, dark eyes bore into hers as he asked:
“Is the cake good?”
She bit her lip lightly, “Mm.”
He tilted her chin up, his voice deepening with a raspy edge, “Let me have a taste.”
Then, he captured her lips.
His cool breath instantly overwhelmed her, mingling with the sweet creaminess of the cake still lingering in her mouth.
Heat surged between them as he dominated the kiss, and she found herself leaning back involuntarily, her eyelashes fluttering like a butterfly’s wings.
This kiss was more intense, more possessive than the last.
The silence around them was only broken by the sound of their lips meeting, the wet, intimate noises amplified by the rapid beating of her heart. His kisses trailed down to her swan-like neck, tracing a path that made her whimper softly, until he finally brought his lips close to her ear, his breath coming in short, hot gasps:
“Zhizhi—”
She felt his hand sliding under her dress, and her mind began to spin, desperately trying to stay focused. “Mm…”
He gazed at her, his eyes filled with a restrained intensity, his voice hoarse:
“Be mine tonight, okay?”
He had desired this for so long, and now he felt ready to make her completely his.
The moment his words registered, it was as if fireworks exploded in her mind.
Her heart raced faster than ever, completely taken aback that he would bring this up. She bit her lip, staring at him in a daze, her voice soft:
“Here…?”
Pei Chen paused for a moment, then chuckled at her innocent confusion. He whispered in her ear, “I’ve already booked a hotel room. But if you ever want to try it here, that’s not out of the question.”
“…”
Oh no, she hadn’t meant that! QAQ.
He asked her again if it was okay, and the shyness faded from her face as she wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning closer. Her voice was tender and teasing in his ear, “Weren’t you the one who held back and didn’t want to continue back then?”
“Mm, I’m not planning on holding back tonight.”
His deep voice, laced with desire, sent a shiver through her.
They shared another passionate kiss before Pei Chen finally pulled back, restraining himself as he murmured, “I’ll go start the car.”
He moved to the driver’s seat, while she remained in the back.
Neither of them said much after that. Pei Chen’s eyes stayed fixed on the road ahead, his emotions simmering beneath the surface as he fought against his growing impatience. Meanwhile, she looked out the window, her heart pounding with a mix of nervousness and anticipation.
The tension between them silently built, the air thick with expectation.
After a while, the car passed by a convenience store, and Pei Chen pulled over.
“Let’s make a quick stop at the convenience store.”
Pei Chen glanced at her through the rearview mirror.
“Huh?”
He swallowed slightly, his tone calm, “I’ve booked the hotel for two nights. We should get some of your favorite snacks so you won’t get hungry tomorrow.”
She blinked in surprise, then nodded and followed him out of the car.
They walked into the convenience store together. It was a bit larger than usual, and as they strolled through the aisles, she absentmindedly picked up snacks and dropped them into the basket he was carrying.
Once they finished shopping, they headed to the checkout. As they stood at the counter, her gaze inadvertently fell on a shelf lined with boxes. Almost immediately, she felt his arm wrap around her waist, and he whispered in her ear:
“Grab two boxes.”
Her face instantly flushed with heat as she realized what he meant.
So this was his main reason for stopping by—picking up “tools of the trade” for their night together. qwq.
At that moment, the cashier looked at them with a knowing expression and asked, “Anything else you need?”
“…”
Her embarrassment deepened, making her feel like she was doing something scandalous. She quickly grabbed two boxes and handed them over.
After the cashier rang up their items, Pei Chen paid with his phone and took the shopping bag.
As they left the convenience store, the thought of the cashier’s knowing look made her cheeks burn. She hurried toward the car, only to be pulled back just as she reached the door.
“Why are you in such a rush?”
She turned around, her back pressing against the car door, her heart racing. “What is it…?”
Pei Chen was standing very close, his fingers idly playing with the two boxes. His eyes lowered slightly, and his voice dropped to a husky whisper:
“Did you just pick these at random?”
Her face turned even redder as she glanced at the boxes, nervously rubbing her nose. “No, I chose carefully. You… don’t like the ultra-thin ones?”
“…”
He paused for a moment before replying, “That’s not the issue.”
She looked confused, and he leaned down, his low voice brushing against her ear, “Given how many times we’ve done this, don’t you think your estimation is a little off?”
Liang Zhiyi: ?
“Get in the car first,” he finally said.
“Huh?”
Still puzzled, she felt a sudden nip at her earlobe, and his voice, deep and teasing, came softly, “I’m going to grab two more boxes—large size.”