SM Chapter 51

“Yes, every day, I like it very much…

Family traditions are evident here; Zhu Shihao is an extremely skilled conversationalist, able to chat with anyone if she so desires.

It was quite pleasant, except Tan Zhi Xu watched coldly as the two added each other on WeChat.

Sensing the increasingly cool air, Xu Yan smiled at Zhu Shihao, but his eyes were on Tan Zhi Xu, as he politely inquired, “Would you mind if I recommend your WeChat to my wife? She would probably enjoy chatting with you.”

Knowledgeable, with a flexible yet firm thinking style, a uniquely strong personal charm, and being so talkative, Zhu Shihao would be a great source of inspiration. His wife would likely be very fond of her.

Tan Zhi Xu met the man’s gaze, raising an eyebrow, somewhat surprised by his keen perception, but he didn’t show it on his face. He simply nodded slightly.

Xu Yan must really love his wife; he had mentioned her several times during their conversation, which gave Zhu Shihao a more complete impression of him, sparking some interest.

She smiled gently, “Sure, I’d like to meet her too.”

After calling for a driver and waiting for the car to arrive, Tan Zhi Xu prepared to leave with Zhu Shihao.

Yang Xu, who had been playing all night, only quieted down when it was time to leave. Looking at the two in the back seat through the car window, he perfunctorily reminded, “Remember to take Shihao home safely.”

Casting him a faint glance, Tan Zhi Xu lightly nodded, smiling wryly, “No need for you to say it. Let’s go.”

With that, the car window slowly rose, cutting off the view from outside.

They were also waiting for a ride, but since it was late at night and they were at a high-end club, they didn’t need to hide.

Standing in the courtyard, Yang Xu pouted and complained, “I was just being polite, expressing concern to Shihao, nobody asked him to say anything.”

Xu Yan said, “They have a very good relationship.”

Yang Xu stretched his limbs, moving his neck, “Of course, Zhi Xu doesn’t listen to reason, except when it comes to Shihao. Their families are neighbors, and they’ve known each other since they were born.”

So that’s how it is, no wonder.

Xu Yan nodded inwardly.

The person beside him continued, summing it up, “Everyone knows, those two are like siblings from different mothers.”

Xu Yan: “…?”

He slowly turned his head to look at Yang Xu, for the first time feeling that his friend in the industry was a bit dim-witted.

“Different mothers, siblings?”

Yang Xu didn’t notice the strangeness conveyed in his gaze, and replied with a confident “Mhm,” feeling certain about this description, even asking him back.

“Isn’t that a good enough relationship? Oh, you just met them, you haven’t seen it yet.”

Xu Yan: “…”

Speechless.

He didn’t need to see it.

It was already clear enough. That sense of intimacy that excluded others, creating its own atmosphere, the relationship was indeed excessively good, so was it possible that it wasn’t just friendship, not just being as close as siblings?

The natural possessiveness flowing out of their gestures and expressions didn’t seem so innocent.

“Have you been in love?” Xu Yan hesitated, but couldn’t help asking him.

Yang Xu stopped his rambling, looking at him with resentful eyes, “Seriously, brother? Our breakup last year was trending!”

His ex-girlfriend was someone in the industry, they didn’t deliberately hide it when they were together, and the breakup was even more of a spectacle.

Xu Yan was silent, of course he knew.

“Have you known your friends since you were little?”

Yang Xu thought he was trying to kindly change the subject, reassuringly patting him on the shoulder, “Of course, the three of us were classmates in elementary and middle school, and schoolmates in high school.”

“Oh, I see,” Xu Yan understood.

He probably grew used to it, seeing them from a young age, to the point where he couldn’t perceive anything amiss.

Sighing inwardly, he thought, so distance creates beauty, while being too close can sometimes blind one’s eyes.

Speaking of which, his distance with Zhao Zhao was just right. Every ripple in his heart and every emotional fluctuation was very clear, so love came beautifully.

Because there were gatherings all three days of the weekend, they didn’t return to Huating, but stayed in Shenyi.

After showering, Zhu Shihao lay on the bed, propping up her face, her eyes scanning the room. As far as she could see, there were more and more of her things. Even the walk-in closet was full of clothes for all seasons, as well as various intimate items, even more complete than what she had at her own place. Thinking of this, Zhu Shihao felt she should thank Tan Zhi Xu for her birthday present and reward him for his hard work these past two days. Her eyes darted around, and she flipped over, slipping on her slippers and jogging to the walk-in closet.

While rummaging, she muttered softly, “I remember hiding it in here…”

It was something she bought two or three months ago. When she saw it at the time, she complained internally about why the algorithm recommended this kind of thing to her. However, after staring at it for a few seconds, she inexplicably clicked on it and then inexplicably placed an order.

Buying it was one thing; it was just a bit of money. After receiving the actual items, her greatest act of courage was secretly bringing the two sheer pieces, one large and one small, to Shenyi after washing them.

Then, she hid them…

After searching for a while, she finally found it in a certain nightgown.

Zhu Shihao picked it up. It couldn’t be said that she treated it like nothing, but it didn’t block any light either.

Swallowing hard, she went to lock the door.

Tan Zhi Xu returned from his phone call to find an empty room. He looked around, the bathroom light was off. He lifted his foot and headed towards the walk-in closet.

His hand gripped the doorknob, and it could be turned, but the door wouldn’t budge.

Tan Zhi Xu: “…”

It was actually locked from the inside.

He knocked on the door.

“W-wait, almost done.”

Shocked, Zhu Shihao, who was blushing as she looked in the mirror, suddenly panicked. She looked around, quickly grabbed Tan Zhi Xu’s white shirt, and put it on.

Tan Zhi Xu raised an eyebrow, not urging her, not thinking too much about it, only assuming she was changing clothes. After all, Zhu Shihao was a girl who was shy but also generous and poised. Being straightforward in bed about her needs and closing the door to change clothes didn’t contradict each other.

However, when the door opened, he was faced with someone whose face was as radiant as a peach blossom.

His gaze slid frankly from her face to her feet, taking in her entire body. The loose white shirt draped over her, her slender figure seemingly swaying inside. The thin fabric couldn’t conceal the budding curves of her breasts.

“So this is, a gift for me?”

This was hardly a gift, at most just the packaging for a gift.

Thinking this, but thinking of herself just now in the mirror, Zhu Shihao couldn’t say it, the flush on her face deepening, the feeling of heat becoming clearer.

She whispered a soft “Mhm,” her voice very small. However, after Tan Zhi Xu took a step towards her, the two were very close, only half an arm’s length away, and he heard it clearly.

This delicate sound, airy and light, instead stirred a feeling of itchiness in his heart.

Raising a hand to scratch her chin, then lifting it with his fingertips, Tan Zhi Xu’s eyes were dark, a faint smile on his lips, loaded with meaning, “Baby, I’ll misunderstand if you’re playing by yourself behind my back.”

Startled by these words, her eyes widened.

She was stunned for a good few seconds before she reacted, balling her fist and hitting him.

“Don’t talk nonsense!”

Tan Zhi Xu let her hit him twice before catching her hand, his large hand enclosing her fist entirely, “Mhm, I’m just talking nonsense. You already have me, why would you need to do it yourself? What needs do you have that I can’t satisfy?”

“Shut up!” Zhu Shihao only felt her face burning, using her other hand to cover his mouth.

“Okay, I’ll shut up, let’s hurry up.”

After speaking, he bent his back and scooped her up in his arms, Zhu Shihao reflexively lifting her arms to wrap around his neck.

“There really is a gift,” he said in a lazy tone, laced with a low rumble after being tempted.

Lowering his head to kiss her, seeing her turn her head to bury her face in his chest.

“Yes, the gift is what’s inside once it’s unwrapped.”

As soon as the words fell, she felt the person holding her pause in his steps. When he stepped forward again, it was clearly faster.

His movements were quick. Tan Zhi Xu looked down at his gift, even his gaze was burning, his fingers playing with the mesh covering her budding breasts, his Adam’s apple bobbing, his low magnetic voice.

“When did you bring this over?”

“A long time ago.”

He didn’t ask what time it was anymore. That wasn’t really important. His possessive gaze landed on her. He now wanted to know another question more.

“Are there any more?”

Zhu Shihao pursed her lips, shaking her head, “That’s it.”

She looked at the man in front of her, shy but still asking, “Do you like it?”

Tan Zhi Xu stopped teasing with his fingertips, then opened his hand and closed it again, that feeling of fullness overflowing his palm, he chuckled, “Can’t you tell?”

Wasn’t it obvious?

Zhu Shihao whimpered softly, “But you’re usually like this too.”

Tan Zhi Xu kissed her, “Yes, every day, I like it very much.”

After her birthday, Liu Ruoyin and Zhu Yingqing also returned to work, everyone’s life continuing on its routine course.

Zhu Shihao, at 27, didn’t have peace for too long. When National Day arrived, after being summoned by order, she realized that her mom had “come back with a vengeance.” Why this phrase? Because for her, it was a bit frustrating.

Liu Ruoyin was serious now, the kind who wouldn’t give up until she reached her goal.

Sitting on the sofa in the Zhu family home, she silently looked at Liu Ruoyin’s phone, her fingertips sliding across photos, her eyes blank.

Then she silently turned to look at Zhu Yingqing on the side, with eyes full of pleading.

Having already received both a verbal instruction and a subtle reminder, Zhu Yingqing received his daughter’s pitiful gaze and still couldn’t bear it. Just as he cleared his throat, he was interrupted by his sharp-eyed wife.

“You better not say anything!”

It seemed like a light remark, accompanied by a sip of tea, but in reality, it was a serious warning.

Facing his wife’s threatening gaze, Zhu Yingqing expressed his helplessness, shrugging his shoulders and shaking his head at his daughter.

Zhu Shihao: “…”

At this time, she desperately hoped that her dad could stand up for her just once.

She should have dragged Zhu Suiyi along, at least there would have been someone to help speak for her.

Unfortunately, there was no turning back time, and no “I knew.”

“Mom, I think, there’s no need to rush.”

Liu Ruoyin calmly took a sip of her rose tea, “Not rushing. You pick two to meet, and the rest is up to fate.”

Zhu Shihao: “…”

She carefully considered her words, “If it’s all up to fate, then what’s the point of meeting them?”

There was no point.

As if seeing through her thoughts, Liu Ruoyin finally raised her eyes to give her a look, “There is a reason to meet, of course. Shihao, people always have to look forward, don’t they? At least you need to show that you’re willing to move on.”

These words had different meanings to Zhu Yingqing and Zhu Shihao.

She understood what Liu Ruoyin meant.

She didn’t need to immediately fall in love and get married, but she had to prove to her that Zhu Shihao wasn’t staying in place because of that so-called love letter object. She could have other reasons, but it couldn’t be because of someone from the past.

But, Mom, I just happen to be because of that person from the past.

After a long silence, Zhu Shihao broke the strange deadlock, “Is it really necessary?”

Liu Ruoyin put down the glass, staring at her, her tone firm, leaving no room for refusal, “Yes, it’s absolutely necessary.”

“Okay.” She lowered her eyes to look at the phone, swiped twice, and handed it back to her, “Then let’s go with this one.”

This one seemed to be the easiest to talk to.

Liu Ruoyin took it, looking at the phone, “Okay, I’ll send you the time and place later.”

After staying at home for dinner, she received a message from Tan Zhi Xu and prepared to leave. Zhu Yingqing said a few words to keep her, Liu Ruoyin only reminded her, “Once you get a response, I’ll forward it to you.”

Her actions of putting on her shoes paused for a moment, she said, “Okay.”

That evening, she looked at Tan Zhi Xu several times, wanting to say something but unable to speak.

She consoled herself that it was okay. She didn’t really intend to go on a blind date. She was just doing it for Liu Ruoyin’s sake, she’d explain and make it clear to the person.

It was clearly just an agreed-upon friends-with-benefits relationship, just a trial run. But these past few days, she seemed to have been overly immersed, to the point that even pretending felt incredibly guilty, and uneasy.

Tan Zhi Xu saw her expression in his eyes, but it wasn’t until two days later that he found out what she wanted to say but couldn’t.