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墨書 Inktalez
Zhou Xuanyu's strength and the warmth radiating from him felt like an invisible charm, and she could only immerse herself in it.
Junxi turned over, resting her head on his arm as she faced him. The white bandage around his neck stood out prominently.
She raised her hand, gently stroking the soft bandage, feeling a pang of sympathy.
"Have you ever thought about what would happen if that snake was really poisonous?"
"I didn't think that much," he replied.
He truly hadn't thought much of it. When he saw the snake lunging at Junxi, his instinctive reaction was to rush over and embrace her. It was a reflex, akin to pure instinct.
He should be grateful for such instincts because had he taken even a second longer to react, he wouldn't have been able to shield her from that harm.
"What if you had time to think about it? What if you knew it was a venomous snake? Would you still save me?" Junxi tilted her head back, curiosity shining in her eyes.
Zhou Xuanyu turned his head away.
Women always loved to pose hypothetical questions, but he refused to answer them.
"I'm asking you."
"Go to sleep."
Zhou Xuanyu pressed her head into the crook of his neck.
"It seems like you won't," Junxi said, leaning against him and deliberately sounding sulky.
Zhou Xuanyu seemed to see through her act but still chose not to respond.
Junxi pushed him and got up from the bed. "I'm not sleeping anymore."
Zhou Xuanyu sighed lightly, helplessly pulling her back into his embrace.
"Yes, you will."
"Mm?"
"Yes." He repeated it again.
No matter how many ifs or assumptions there were, he could do it.
Junxi rested her head on his shoulder, secretly smiling to herself, not allowing him to see. Even though this answer was one she had coaxed out of him, she still felt satisfied.
Zhou Xuanyu gently patted her back, as if soothing a child to sleep.
Gradually, she closed her eyes, all her anxieties and fears fading away little by little in his embrace.
When Junxi woke up, it was already evening. As she opened her eyes, Zhou Xuanyu was no longer beside her; the sound of running water came from the bathroom.
What’s he doing taking a shower at this hour?
After a while, Zhou Xuanyu emerged from the bathroom, his bronze skin exposed to the air, a towel loosely tied around his waist, looking as if it could fall off at any moment.
Seeing that she was awake, he paused for a moment.
"Are you going out?" Junxi asked.
"I'm not going out."
Zhou Xuanyu took a towel to dry off the droplets of water on his body. The soft towel brushed against his well-defined arms and chest... Junxi instinctively averted her gaze, feeling a bit hot.
"Then why are you taking a shower?"
"It's hot," he said seriously.
In fact, it was because of her that he felt hot.
Even just holding her had already stirred him up; not to mention that the sleeping Wen Junxi was far from calm. He was indeed a gentleman, but at the same time, he was also a normal man.
However, he knew that it wasn't the right time to take things further with her.
"It is quite hot," Junxi loosened her collar. "I need to wash my face too."
She got up from the bed and crawled to the foot of it. Just as she was about to get down, the blanket caught her foot, causing her to stumble and nearly fall.
"Watch out!"
Zhou Xuanyu rushed over, but it was too late to catch her; he could only fall to the ground, serving as a human cushion.
This human cushion wasn't soft either, and Junxi still felt a sharp pain. Fortunately, the bed wasn't very high.
"Where did you hit?" Zhou Xuanyu supported her shoulders, lifting her slightly as he carefully checked her over.
Junxi lay against his chest, her collar tilted downwards. With a quick glance, Zhou Xuanyu caught sight of something he shouldn't have.
"Cough!" He cleared his throat and quickly looked away. "Let's talk about it later."
"My waist hurts; I can't get up," Junxi said, pretending to try to rise but only managed to squirm without getting off him.
Zhou Xuanyu's expression hardened; it seemed his patience with her had run out.
In one swift motion, he flipped over and pinned Junxi beneath him.
The carpet wasn’t as soft as a mattress, but its texture was smoother. She felt as if he had thrown her into a cloud.
Junxi blinked up at the towering Zhou Xuanyu. His muscular torso glowed under the light, making her heart race.
Zhou Xuanyu began to kiss her, starting from her forehead, moving down to her brow, then to her nose, and finally landing on her lips.
Though Junxi felt fear, she didn’t resist his closeness at all.
Throughout the day, no matter what he thought, she was ready for this moment.
She opened her lips for him, welcoming his entrance. As their tongues intertwined passionately, Zhou Xuanyu's hand found her soft waist, pulling them even closer together. It felt as if they could merge completely if only they could shed the remaining layers of clothing…
Suddenly, a piercing ringtone shattered the intimate atmosphere, snapping both of them back to reality.
Zhou Xuanyu released Junxi and got off her, helping her up from the floor in the process.
Her clothes were already in disarray, while his towel was barely hanging on.
They had come dangerously close to crossing a line.
Junxi dashed toward the bathroom.
Zhou Xuanyu turned to find his phone.
If it weren't for this sudden call, his carefully laid plans would have completely collapsed today, taking a qualitative leap into chaos. He didn't know why, but this rational person would lose control time and again in front of Junxi.
Perhaps it was because, in her presence, he could stop being the calm, calculating machine that was Zhou Xuanyu; he could become an ordinary man who wanted to love.
The call was from the Zhou Family Mansion.
Zhou Xuanyu glanced at the number on the screen and answered without hesitation.
The butler wasted no time on pleasantries and quickly explained the reason for the call.
It was about Zhou Xuanyu's older brother, Zhou Xuan Yong, who had collapsed at home.
According to the butler, this wasn't the first time Zhou Xuan Yong had fainted.
"Has he been taken to the hospital?"
"No, Second Master. Your doctor friend has already come to the house."
"I'll be there right away," Zhou Xuanyu said.
He intended to hang up after that.
"Wait a moment, Second Master," the butler called out to him.
"Speak."
"Before he fainted, Master was looking at Young Master's photos. If it's convenient, could you bring Young Master with you? It's been difficult for them over the years..."
"I understand," Zhou Xuanyu replied and hung up the phone.
---
When Junxi came out of the bathroom, Zhou Xuanyu was putting on his shirt. He had his back to her, and as he moved his arms, the muscles on his back flexed.
"I have something to take care of. I'll have the driver take you home," Zhou Xuanyu said while fastening his buttons and glancing back at Junxi.
Junxi's face had been washed, but the blush remained.
"What happened?"
"Nothing."
He answered without hesitation. Junxi couldn't tell if he was truly fine.
"Okay. Then I'll head back. See you tomorrow."
Junxi turned and walked toward the door.
"Wait a moment." Zhou Xuanyu suddenly called her back.
Junxi turned around to look at him.
He fastened the last button on his left cuff and strode over to her, wrapping one arm around her.
"I'm sorry about earlier." His voice was heavy, as if weighed down by a stone.
Junxi remained silent, gently pushing him away and brushing over his wound.
"I'm leaving. Take care."
Zhou Xuanyu nodded.
The bedroom fell silent again. Before long, Zhou Xuanyu was fully dressed. As he headed downstairs, he dialed Zhou Ziyan's number.
The call connected faster than he had expected. It was noisy on Zhou Ziyan's end, not sounding like she was at home.
"Where are you?" Zhou Xuanyu asked.
"What's wrong?"
"If you have time, come home with me."
Zhou Ziyan was silent for a few seconds, seemingly processing where "home" referred to.
"I'm not going."
"Your dad fainted."
Zhou Ziyan fell silent again and then hung up the phone.
Zhou Xuanyu listened to the busy tone coming from the receiver, feeling a bit overwhelmed as he pressed his fingers against his temples.
Zhou Ziyan was also a stubborn person, so much so that he could cling to a single point for years without letting go. This trait was quite similar to his own.
Zhou Xuanyu grabbed the car keys and stepped outside.
The sky had darkened. Junxi was supposed to have dinner with him before leaving; perhaps it was possible that he wouldn’t leave at all...
He shivered as he started the car, feeling a bit irritated as he pressed down on the accelerator.
The gates of the Zhou Family Mansion were wide open, and Jason's dark red car was parked on the lawn. Zhou Xuanyu parked his car neatly alongside Jason's before getting out.
"Second Master," the butler and Jiang Shen approached him.
"What’s going on?"
"The doctor has seen him; it’s still the same old problem," Aunt Jiang said sadly, glancing toward the entrance. "Has Young Master not arrived? The old master wants to see him."
Zhou Xuanyu remained silent and headed straight upstairs.
Inside the room, Jason was using a stethoscope to examine Zhou Xuan Yong. Hearing Zhou Xuanyu push open the door, he asked without turning around, "You’re here so soon?"
"Yeah."
Zhou Xuanyu walked over to the bedside. Zhou Xuan Yong looked pale as paper, lying on the large bed and appearing particularly frail.
"The sudden fainting today was due to some emotional fluctuations. I’ve prescribed him some calming medication; he should be fine for now," Jason said softly.
"He’s thinking about Zhou Ziyan."
"Speaking of Zhou Ziyan, I just saw those photos. Zhou Ziyan seemed quite close to his father when he was young; how did things get so strained later on?"
Zhou Xuanyu turned around and pulled open the cabinet next to Zhou Xuan Yong's bedside.
The cabinet contained many cigarettes, remnants of what Zhou Xuan Yong had smoked before. After falling ill, he had given up smoking—the one thing he loved most in life—in hopes of living a little longer.
Zhou Xuanyu took out a pack and gestured to Jason, signaling him to step out onto the balcony for a smoke before continuing their conversation.
Jason placed his stethoscope into his medical bag and stepped outside.
The wind on the balcony was strong, and the cigarette he lit barely lasted a few puffs before it burned out. Yet, Zhou Xuanyu continued to light one after another, remaining silent.
The unresolved tension between Zhou Ziyan and Zhou Xuan Yong stemmed from the death of Zhou Ziyan's mother.
Zhou Ziyan's mother, Lai Hong, had committed suicide. The doctors said that Lai Hong had suffered from severe depression before taking her own life, but Zhou Ziyan never believed it. He always thought that his mother's suicide was due to his father, Zhou Xuan Yong, having another woman outside their marriage.
Over the years, there had been little communication between father and son.
Time had not dulled Zhou Ziyan's hatred; even today, when he saw Zhou Xuan Yong, he regarded him with the wariness and coldness reserved for an enemy.
Zhou Xuan Yong felt deeply saddened by the hostility from his son. He had tried numerous times to mend their relationship, but each attempt had failed.
At some point, it became Zhou Xuanyu's wish to see this father-son pair let go of their grievances.
He believed that regardless of the past, the deceased were gone, and the living must move forward—especially after learning that his elder brother, Zhou Xuan Yong, was also gravely ill. He didn't want Zhou Ziyan's life to be filled with more regrets.
The pack of cigarettes quickly dwindled down to just a few left.
Jason sneezed. He had hurriedly taken off his white coat when leaving the hospital and forgotten his jacket. The warmth inside the room had made him oblivious to the chill outside until the wind hit him.
"Let's go back inside," Zhou Xuanyu suggested.
"Wait a minute, look who's coming!" Jason pointed ahead.
Zhou Xuanyu followed his finger and saw a beam of light approaching slowly from a distance. The car moved at a snail's pace, as if its driver was reluctant to come closer.
It was Zhou Ziyan's car—the one Zhou Xuanyu had given him on his birthday.
Actually, it wasn't a gift from Zhou Xuanyu; it was a present from Zhou Xuan Yong under his name for his beloved son. Zhou Xuanyu acted as a conduit between them, bridging their communication.
However, most of the time it was Zhou Xuan Yong expressing himself while Zhou Ziyan rarely initiated conversations with his father.
Thus, in Zhou Ziyan's life, it was mostly Zhou Xuanyu who played the role of father.
Zhou Ziyan's car parked on the lawn, snugly wedged between Zhou Xuanyu's and Jason's vehicles. The parking space was quite narrow, but then again, Zhou Ziyan was an excellent driver.
"You see, Zhou Ziyan's foot has recovered quite well; at least he has no problem driving normally," Jason's voice came through.
Zhou Xuanyu nodded. His gaze was fixed on the silver car, waiting for the door to open, but inside, Zhou Ziyan showed no signs of movement.
It seemed he wasn't planning to get out.
Then what was he here for?
Inside, Aunt Jiang and the butler heard the commotion and quickly rushed out to greet him.
With no other choice, Zhou Ziyan opened the car door and walked into the house.
Aunt Jiang and the butler greeted Zhou Ziyan warmly, but he remained aloof, responding only occasionally, leaving Aunt Jiang and the butler exchanging puzzled glances for a long time.
Zhou Xuanyu stood on the balcony, watching the awkward Zhou Ziyan, and dialed his number again.
"Since you're here, come upstairs," Zhou Xuanyu said.
Hearing this, Zhou Ziyan looked up and immediately spotted Zhou Xuanyu standing above.
He hung up the phone and walked into the hall.
Zhou Xuan Yong had already woken up. He was excited to hear from Jason that Zhou Ziyan had returned and wanted to get out of bed, but Jason held him down.
Before long, Zhou Xuanyu brought Zhou Ziyan in.
"Zhou Ziyan, you're here! Come sit down," Zhou Xuan Yong said, patting the edge of the bed.
"No need," Zhou Ziyan replied coolly.
Zhou Xuanyu glanced at him, but Zhou Ziyan pretended not to see. Instead, he turned to Jason and asked, "What caused you to faint?"
"It's nothing. I'm fine," Zhou Xuan Yong interjected before Jason could respond.
"Uncle, since you're fine, please don't call me back so casually in the future. I don't want to come back," Zhou Ziyan said before turning to leave.
"Zhou Ziyan..." Zhou Xuan Yong called out in distress.
Zhou Xuanyu quickly followed him out and stopped Zhou Ziyan in the corridor.
“Zhou Ziyan, can’t you stay a little longer?”
“I said I don’t want to come back.”
“You have to come back whether you want to or not; this is your home!” Zhou Xuanyu reminded him in a low voice.
Zhou Ziyan sneered, “Home? After my mom left, I no longer have a home.”
“Zhou Ziyan…”
“Uncle, I know you want me to forgive him, but this is my matter, between him and me. You don’t need to interfere.”
With that, Zhou Ziyan went downstairs.
Compared to his earlier hesitation, he left quite decisively.
Indeed, Zhou Ziyan didn’t want to be controlled by Zhou Xuanyu anymore, nor did he want to be like a child in front of him as he had been before.
Because now he was not just Zhou Xuanyu’s nephew; he was also Zhou Xuanyu’s rival.
A rival is equal.
The weekend passed in the blink of an eye, and the new week marked the beginning of a new month.
Colleagues in the office were chatting about the fun they had during camping and barbecuing.
“Junxi, it’s such a pity you guys left early that day.”
“The starry sky was beautiful?” Junxi felt a twinge of envy at the mention.
“It’s beyond beautiful; you wouldn’t believe it. That night there was even a meteor shower,” Xiaolin said with an expression of rapture. “I made a wish for my prince charming to appear soon.”
“That sounds wonderful.” Junxi smiled; she wanted to see a meteor shower too.
Back when she was obsessed with Meteor Garden, she was completely captivated by Domyoji. The song Inevitably still rolls off her tongue effortlessly.
"I’m just afraid I might fall in love with you, so I dare not get too close. Loving you requires a lot of courage, and I feel like I have nothing to offer..."
Xiaolin was still talking when Zhou Xuanyu and Zhou Ziyan walked in from the corridor. The two of them had expressionless faces and parted ways as soon as they exited the passage.
"I can hear you rambling on," Zhou Ziyan glanced at Xiaolin and said irritably, "What, do you think a prince charming who hasn't even shown up for your blind date can be found by a shooting star? Dream on."
"I'm dreaming! Every woman has her youthful dreams; you wouldn’t understand. If you don’t believe me, ask Junxi. Junxi, don’t you want a prince charming too?"
Xiaolin suddenly turned her attention to Junxi.
"I do," Junxi answered without hesitation.
"See? See?" Xiaolin proudly lifted her chin towards Zhou Ziyan.
Zhou Ziyan looked at Junxi and scoffed, "Isn’t there one right in front of you?"
"Where? Where?" Junxi pretended not to see Zhou Ziyan.
Zhou Ziyan picked up a folder and tossed it toward Junxi, "Look closely, am I not handsome enough?"
"Handsome, handsome, handsome!" Junxi half-heartedly gave a thumbs-up, casually picking up the documents on the table that needed the CEO's signature and stood up to head toward Zhou Xuanyu's office.
Junxi knocked on the door but received no response.
She tilted her head to peek through the transparent floor-to-ceiling glass and saw Zhou Xuanyu on the phone. When he noticed it was her knocking, he nodded to indicate she could come in.
Junxi pushed the door open and heard Zhou Xuanyu say, "Okay, let’s leave it at that for now."
He hung up the phone.
"Mr. Zhou. These documents need your signature," Junxi stepped forward, standing half a meter away from his desk, and handed the documents to him.
Zhou Xuanyu pushed his phone aside without lifting his head and took the pen to sign while glancing at the papers.
Junxi stared at his neck; he was wearing a shirt that covered the bandage. Only from this elevated angle could she catch a glimpse of it.
He seemed to have not slept well last night; there was a hint of fatigue in his expression.
"Do you still want to go camping?" Zhou Xuanyu suddenly spoke up.
"Um?" Junxi was taken aback.
He still didn't look up, as if he were talking to himself.
"What about this weekend?"
"Ah?"
Junxi was completely stunned. After a while, he finally realized that Zhou Xuanyu must have heard her conversation with Xiaolin just now.
"Just the two of us?"
"Who else did you expect?" His pen paused for a moment.
"No one." Junxi quickly denied it.
Zhou Xuanyu looked up and handed her back the signed document.
"Are we going or not? Answer me."
"We're going."
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