Chapter 24: The Gathering

Warm morning sunshine passed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, hitting the two snuggling teddy bears leaning against the window sill. The neighborhood was peaceful and silent, the clear sound of bicycle bells could be heard from downstairs. Xu Wei frowned and changed position.

The air conditioner in the room released cool air, the two naked bodies on the bed stuck together under the blanket. Their legs moved, and it caused a bit of discomfort. Xu Wei was groggy from sleep, and when she opened her eyes, she witnessed a white chin with a prominent Adam’s apple below.

A hand was placed on her waist, and when she wanted to put distance between them,  the hand swept her back. Her head rested on his arm, too, and she inhaled a cool, warm fragrance.

Below her, there was an uncomfortable, swollen, huge thing that was slowly turning harder. Xu Wei propped herself with her arms and moved away, but was forcefully pinned by his thighs. Yu Shizhou’s eyes opened, his sleepy eyes were misty.

“Wei wei.” He called her without meaning anything. Yu Shizhou just wanted to say her name.

Xu Wei didn’t bother with his words and pressed her hand against his waist. “I’m going to get up.”

His legs moved, but she was still clamped in between.

Rolling over, Yu Shizhou hovered over her and gently sucked her earlobe. “I’m hungry, just a moment, okay?”

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**********

Xu Wei came out of the shower, and breakfast was ready. Yu Shizhou waited for her at the table. He wore a comfortable, loose  t-shirt, looking casual in his fluffy, short hair  unlike  his usual strict look.

Yu shizhou’s skin was white with a tinge of healthy blush, and his eyebrows were relaxed. He looked happy, maybe because he slept well or just simply in a cheerful mood. When Xu Wei saw such a picture  of a handsome man, her spirits rose and was happy.

Taking the milk he offered, Xu Wei took a sip as she sat. She felt a little uncomfortable, her legs were numb and a bit stiff. It was already eleven o’clock, but she woke up at around seven am.

“I’ll go to buy the tickets later, do you want to go with me?” he asked.

The hand stirring the coffee cup slightly paused, and the table was much quieter than earlier to  not miss a sound.

Xu Wei was direct, “No, you promised yourself. Go and buy it alone.”

Yu Shizhou raised his eyes at her, his eyelashes covering them as he took a sip of coffee. “Okay.”

Xu Wei didn’t notice his delicate actions, and happily finished her meal, filling her stomach. When Yu Shizhou left the house, she went back to their room to  catch up on her sleep.

She slept until four o’clock in the afternoon, and got up when a friend in the compound invited her to go out and have fun. After she finished preparing, Yu Shizhou came back just in time. He was carrying a bag of vegetables and fruits.

Xu Wei wore a light green dress that had a v-neck. The dress couldn’t cover the ambiguous red marks on her chest. The color complemented her snow-white skin, it highlighted the blushing red on her skin as if she was lychee. It suited her perfectly.

The hem of her skirt didn’t reach her knee, and her slim legs were exposed. Her waist was slender, shapely hips, bountiful bre*sts, her body was  so good. Yu Shizhou froze for a moment when he saw her like this, dressing as if she was going out.

He hung on the keys on the key holder on the wall, swiped his phone and asked nonchalantly, “Going out?”

Xu Wei didn’t raise her head and replied, “Yeah. Bridal shower, it’s my friend’s wedding tomorrow.”

He leaned against the living room wall, his head drooping slightly and a few strands spilled on his forehead to cover his emotions. Breathing deeply, he was tempted to ask why she wasn’t taking him with her. In the end, he said, “I’ll take you there.”

Xu Wei looked at her phone as a new message arrived, “Bring your husband, so we get to know him.”

She cocked her head toward Yu Shizhou and thought that they had been married for almost a year, and he hadn’t even met her hairdresser. The both of them went their own ways.

She didn’t know what Yu Shizhou did on the weekends to have fun. Every time she came home, she would always see him sitting on the sofa, pretending to be a wooden man.

She smiled and said, “Do you want to come along? I’ll introduce you to my friends?”

He was still lost in thought when the surprise hit him, and for a second, his eyes lip up in happiness. Obviously, he wanted to say yes immediately, so she wouldn’t change her mind. But different words came out of his mouth, and he wanted to beat himself to death, “Is it convenient?”

“Convenient. Go and change.”

****************

When Xu Wei arrived with Yu  Shizhou, all of their acquaintances were in the box already, even Wan Lijue and Su Jing were there. Xu Wei took Yu Shizhou to the groom-to-be, Du Qian, who was well-mannered, wearing a pair of glasses with excellent manners.

Xu  Wei smiled and said, “My husband, you know him.”

Du Qian seriously looked at Yu Shizhou and reached out, “Hello, Mr. Yu, I was abroad when you and Wei Wei got married. I couldn’t attend, I’m sorry.”

Xu Wei patted Du Qian’s  shoulder. “I haven’t seen you in days,  you’re so out of touch. I’m embarrassed to accept the necklace that you gave me.”

Du Qian pushed up his glasses, looking like a successful businessman. “It’s just a gift, Ms. Xu. I’ll punish myself with a few cups later.”

After a few words, Du Qian got up to entertain the others, all of whom were acquaintances.  Yu Shizhou met Du Qian’s meaningful eyes, and the corner of his mouth rose, and he took Xu  Wei’s hand.

“No, where’s sister-in-law? I haven’t seen her yet, introduce her to me.”

Du Qian was not surprised about Xu Wei’s insistence, he looked at Yu Shizhou and walked away.

They picked a less crowded sofa and sat down. Xu smiled at Yu Shizhou, and whispered in his ear,  “Wow, Professor Yu, what’s with your face? This isn’t your classroom. Is it because you’re afraid of your students seeing you here and breaking your mask of a perfect teacher? Hmph, how hypocritical.”

Yu Shizhou’s face flashed under the colored lights. His eyes looked like dark ink, and he smiled but it was chilling. “The person just now, who was he to you?”

“He’s the most promising in our neighborhood, graduated from Harvard majoring in economic management. He was my target when I was a kid.” Her smile was delicate and heartfelt.

Yu Shizhou observed Xu  Wei for a while, finding not a shred of pain on her face. He gradually relaxed. Then it occurred to him that she liked Wan Lijue, and even if Du  Qian gave him a look with hidden hostility,she didn’t necessarily know what people were thinking.

He felt stifled in his heart, and couldn’t help but mention, “How come you didn’t follow in his footsteps?”

Xu Wei looked confused for a moment, then replied, “Domestic schools aren’t bad, and the university I went to was supported by my family.” She had completely forgotten that she went to Jiaotong University for Wan Lijue.

Yu Shizhou tilted his head, gazing at her for a long time. Xu Wei blinked her eyes and cocked her head to the side with a smile.

Su Jing put the glass of water on the table, and took Wan Lijue’s hand. “Shizhou and Xu Wei are here, let’s go over and greet them?”

It had been a long time since she had seen Yu Shizhou and Xu Wei, and it was usually Xu Wei who approached him first. Today, Xu Wei pulled Yu Shizhou to the side and ignored him, it felt uncomfortable.

When he heard Su Jing’s words, he went with her. Xu Wei leaned to Yu Shizhou and laughed in a small voice, “You’re like a little old man. Du Qian will think we’re here to crash the party.”

She pinched his cheeks, and it took a while for her to realize there were other people sitting next to them. Su Jing looked at Yu Shizhou and said hello.

Xu Wei ignored them, still trying to make Yu Shizhou smile. He gave her  a warning look, but it wasn’t intimidating, causing her to laugh.

Su Jing interrupted, “Where did you go on your last business trip for so long, Xu Wei?”

“Wuhan.”

Su Jing said, “Then, why did you quarrel last time? I went to your house, and saw that Shizhou was unhappy.”

“What did you go to my house for?” Xu Wei asked rhetorically.

Wan Lijue and Xu Wei’s eyes  darted from Su Jing to Yu Shizhou. The latter picked up a glass of water and  handed it to Xu Wei. “I  don’t know. I met her at our house’s front door, and I left without saying anything.”

So, Su Jing went to his house on her own and Yu Shizhou had nothing to talk to her and left on his own first. After sitting for a while, Xu Wei didn’t even say anything to Wan Lijue.

Wan Lijue couldn’t stop himself and asked, “What are you up to? You haven’t come out in a long time.”

“Work, family,” Xu Wei said jokingly.

Xu Wei wore a pale green dress, her skin was white and smooth, looking delicate. She looked so soft and warm under the light. The makeup on  her face was minimal, her smile was genuine and her eyes were shining. She was obviously living a good  life, and had a carefree aura around her.

She was talking intimately and casually to Yu Shizhou, obviously, the two of them had a very good relationship. In the past, Xu Wei was at odds with Yu Shizhou. He and  Su Jing had a good relationship, and didn’t like Xu Wei’s attention on him.

Now that Xu Wei and Yu Shizhou were sticking like glue to each other, he wasn’t happy about this development. Yu Shizhou coldly looked at Wan Lijue’s eyes that were full of envy.

He sneered in his heart.