Sweet slice-of-life love story: Wife, Let's love again
Chapter 227 - 223: Can’t Take Action

Chapter 227: Chapter 223: Can’t Take Action

Luo City started to get cold in November.

By the time it was nearing December, those who couldn’t handle the cold had already donned their sweaters and trousers. Qin Guanglin, banking on his youthful vigor, only put on long johns and was ready to head out.

"You bought wool trousers and you’re not wearing them."

"I’m not cold, just stay home and wait for me to come back. If you’re hungry, there’s still food in the fridge, don’t be too lazy to cook."

"Oh."

Creak.

The sound of the door closing, He Fang closed his eyes and burrowed into the quilt, planning to sleep in a little longer.

Heating in the city started in mid-November; inside and outside were two different worlds. Qin Guanglin shivered from the cold as he stepped out, touched his sleeve, and considered going back for wool trousers. But having just refused He Fang’s nagging suggestion, he didn’t want to lose face and hesitated before heading back inside.

"The temperature dropped again today, remember to wear more if you’re going out." He poked his head in to advise, and without waiting for He Fang’s response, he closed the door with a bang and went downstairs again.

He Fang didn’t have to work on Saturday, and Qin Guanglin had only Sunday off. In the bitter cold, both were too lazy to get out of bed to make breakfast; they just skipped it, stayed warm in bed, and waited until it was time to go to work, buying breakfast on the way to eat at the office.

"Morning."

"Morning."

"Ah, finally made it to Saturday again."

People in the office greeted each other, yawning and eating breakfast at their desks.

The original seven people had now grown to nine; there was an additional painter and a colorist, both on probation. The responsibilities weren’t clearly divided; they helped wherever needed, which did indeed relieve some of Qin Guanglin’s pressure.

"Stayed up late again last night?" Qin Guanglin glanced at the dark circles under Chen Rui’s eyes. The man was pushing himself too hard; in just under two months, his eye sockets had begun to hollow, his cheeks were more gaunt, and his hair was a mess compared to when he started.

"There’s a script I bought for a good price. I’ve been sitting on it for two months and haven’t touched it; I really need to hurry up and get it done."

Chen Rui leaned back in his chair, tilted his head up, and rubbed his face vigorously with both hands to perk himself up and get ready to start work.

"I wouldn’t dare get in your car anymore, with you driving so fatigued." Qin Guanglin shook his head, thought for a moment, then cocked his chin at him, "How about... show me if I can help you out?"

For the past month and a half, he had been working like a painting machine, his proficiency in the three comics had been forcibly raised by two levels, and his efficiency had significantly increased. He guessed he could handle one more.

"It’s just working overtime after all."

"Pushing yourself that hard?" Chen Rui glanced sidelong at Qin Guanglin.

"Who’s pushing harder than you?"

"I’m the boss; if I don’t push, who will?"

"Heh, well, no pain, no gain." Qin Guanglin rubbed his fingers, "If you collapse from exhaustion, I’ll have to look for another job."

"No, I mean, we both leave work at the same time, how come you’re all plump and I’m... even though I stay up an extra hour or two, the difference shouldn’t be that big, right?"

Chen Rui, puzzled, looked at Qin Guanglin, whose complexion and spirit seemed... even plumper.

"Uh... you might need a girlfriend." Qin Guanglin shrugged, "When I get home, I have pork rib soup, softshell turtle soup, chicken soup, duck soup... always rotating, while you probably just cook instant noodles for a late snack?"

"That’s not a girlfriend you’ve got, that’s a caretaker." Chen Rui shook his head in realization, understanding where the problem lay.

This guy was just too damn good at enjoying life.

...

Smoking was purely a habit if done continuously, without feeling any joy.

However, if someone supervised it, and you could only smoke occasionally, it was pure pleasure.

Xiao Yu lay on the couch, puffing out smoke, exuding an air of immortality, while a small cat dozed on a soft cushion beside him.

Ding-dong.

The cellphone on the table rang. Xiao Yu snorted smoke out of his nostrils, grabbed it to take a look, and the next moment, his body froze. In a flurry, he jumped off the couch, threw the nearly whole cigarette into the toilet in the bathroom, then came back and frantically fanned the air with a throw pillow.

He couldn’t have picked a worse time to show up!

A few minutes later.

Knock, knock, knock.

The sound of knocking echoed, and Xiao Yu nervously opened the door, welcoming Zhou Nan inside.

"Weren’t we supposed to go out this afternoon? Why did you come over so early..."

Zhou Nan sniffed suspiciously, eyeing him. "With such a strong smell of air freshener, you’ve been smoking again?"

"No, no."

"I bought Xingxing a piece of clothing, worrying it might get cold..." Zhou Nan said as she walked in with a small bag, then suddenly stopped, "You did smoke!"

"..."

Xiao Yu glanced sheepishly at her and chuckled, "Well, about quitting smoking... I’ve been really trying, truly, now it’s just one cigarette a day..." He scratched his head, his gaze wandering, then quickly changed the subject, "Hey, why would the cat need clothes? It’s not like it’s cold with all that fur."

"Hmph." Zhou Nan pouted, not wanting to push too hard. She sat on the sofa, lifted the small cat onto her lap, and pulled out a tiny garment from her bag, talking as she compared it, "The temperature in Luo City keeps dropping; what if you take it out and it gets cold? Plus, you’re the only one in your house, you don’t heat all the rooms, look how cold it is..."

Xiao Yu lived in the old district where there was no central heating. Most people still used coal boilers for warmth. His parents were away on business, and living alone, he thought it wasteful to heat with a stove, so he made do with a space heater in his bedroom and used air conditioning when it was too cold.

While talking, Zhou Nan had already dressed the cat, and pleasingly played with it after seeing its endearing look, she raised her head toward Xiao Yu, "Looks good, right?"

"It looks good." Xiao Yu said sourly, looking at his own cat, and sighed, "Cats are more pampered than humans..."

He was still wearing an old sweater from last year, not having bought a new one yet.

"Of course, it’s more precious than you." Zhou Nan glanced at him, then casually pulled out a regular-sized sweater from her bag, "When I bought Xingxing’s sweater, the shop owner gave me an extra large one too, and I thought I don’t have a cat that big..."

"Let me see if it fits!"

Xiao Yu snatched it happily and tried it on, "So, that day you were secretly measuring me with your fingers..."

"Who was measuring?!?"

"Hehehe... Wait for me to change into it; it looks warmer than what I’m wearing."

Seeing Xiao Yu scamper off to the bedroom to change, Zhou Nan sighed in relief; she had been worried he might not like it, but that worry was for nothing.

"Does it look good?"

Xiao Yu, feeling like he’d acquired a treasure, lowered his head and fumbled with the sweater on himself, then stood before Zhou Nan to ask.

"It’s okay, it suits you."

"It’s much better than Xingxing’s." Xiao Yu proudly adjusted the collar, "Actually, you primarily came to give me this sweater, right? Xingxing’s was just incidentally..."

"Don’t flatter yourself."

Zhou Nan lowered her head to play with the small cat on her lap, staunchly refusing to admit that Xingxing’s was just incidental. After a moment’s silence, when she didn’t hear Xiao Yu speak, she looked up to see him leaning in close to her, leaving her slightly startled, "What are you doing?!"

"..."

Without speaking, Xiao Yu’s gaze fell on her slightly parted lips, and he leaned in to kiss her.

"Mmm."

Zhou Nan was pushed back, leaning against the sofa. She expected that this would be enough—as usual, a simple hug and a peck—but something felt different this time.

She tensed up, instinctively clenching her fists, ready to throw him to the ground with a martial arts move, but she stopped herself mid-motion.

This is my boyfriend, my own chosen boyfriend.

Don’t get physical, don’t get physical, don’t get physical.

Calm down, calm down, calm down...

Unaware that he was on the brink of getting slammed to the ground, Xiao Yu awkwardly tried to linger on those smooth, tempting lips.

Eh, quite lovely.

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