Volume 1, Chapter 147: Since You Decided to Marry Me, Why Meet Him Again?
Xu Zhi was silent for a few seconds before nodding slightly.
In truth, she harbored a subtle yearning typical of a young woman. Liang Jinmo had no home for a long time, and even now, returning from a business trip, he still faced a hotel suite. She wanted to leave a light on for him, a beacon to let him know someone was waiting for his return.
Yet now, she felt she had done something unnecessary. A twinge of discomfort and helplessness stirred within her, and she did not understand why things had unfolded this way.
Her lashes drooped, and her expression seemed tinged with grievance.
Liang Jinmo frowned, about to speak, but then noticed a bandage on her finger and asked, “How did you hurt your hand?”
Xu Zhi did not hide it. “I was trying to cook… accidentally cut myself.”
He glanced back, his gaze passing over the dining area, and sure enough, he saw some dishes on the kitchen counter.
Xu Zhi wrenched her wrist free from his palm and continued toward the dining room. “You must be tired. Get some rest early.”
At first, he did not move, but seeing her go to remove the food cover from the dining table, he finally followed.
The dishes on the table were homely—Kung Pao chicken, stir-fried broccoli, and shredded potatoes.
In recent days, Xu Zhi had tried many recipes, but few turned out well. These dishes were among the few she had managed to prepare acceptably.
She felt it a pity to throw them away and wanted to put them in the fridge. Just as she lifted a dish, she heard Liang Jinmo speak.
“I really didn’t have dinner.”
It was true. After meeting with Liang Muzhi today, he had lost his appetite even for lunch. When it came to causing nausea, Liang Muzhi was quite effective.
He took the plate from her hands and placed it back on the table. “Don’t put it away. I’ll wash my hands and then eat.”
In the bathroom, he turned on cold water, the chill stimulating his nerves. Lowering his eyes, he suddenly realized this was the first time ever—someone was waiting for him at home, cooking for him.
He remembered the bowl of wontons that Gao Ying had once made him.
Gao Ying must have learned to make wontons for her man, not for him. Most of the time, she did not care about his preferences.
Tonight was different. Someone had learned to cook for him.
He should feel content, yet gazing at the flowing water, an unshakable unease lingered like a shadow.
Xu Zhi and Liang Muzhi had spent over twenty years almost inseparable. Back then, he could only watch quietly from a lonely corner. He never wished to return to that place.
Liang Jinmo came out after washing his hands. Xu Zhi had already served rice and sat by the table.
Because he was eating, she served herself a bowl as well.
As Liang Jinmo picked up food, her heart tightened, and she cautiously watched his expression.
---
He ate the chicken she had made, and when he glanced up to see her nervous face, he found it somewhat amusing.
“How is it?” Xu Zhi asked. “Is it okay?”
His mood had been quite bad, but strangely, seeing her so wary made her seem endearing. His gloom eased considerably.
“It’s very good,” he answered honestly.
Xu Zhi pressed her lips and picked up more food for him, a smile creeping to the corners of her mouth.
“My mother still doesn’t believe I can cook well. I’ve been learning by watching videos these past few days. I’ll learn more dishes later. Whatever you like, just tell me…”
She relaxed a bit. For her, cooking was about this: learning for him, and feeling fulfilled when he enjoyed it.
The atmosphere at the table improved greatly. Xu Zhi couldn’t help but chat about other things.
“I went to a second interview today. I prepared like you said. They seem really eager to hire people. They even gave me a written test.”
Liang Jinmo asked, “How was the test?”
“I think it went okay,” Xu Zhi thought for a moment and pursed her lips slightly, “but there were a lot of subjective questions. I’m just afraid I’m self-deluded.”
“That’s fine,” Liang Jinmo reassured her, “It’s your first interview; gaining experience is more important.”
Perhaps love held a magical power. She had been quite nervous, but hearing his gentle, low voice calmed her. She nodded, “True.”
After dinner, Liang Jinmo rolled up his sleeves, ready to wash the dishes.
Xu Zhi gently pushed him out of the kitchen. “You have work tomorrow. Go wash up and get some rest. I’ll do the dishes.”
Liang Jinmo stood firm. “Your hand is injured.”
“I have gloves.”
Still, he moved to the sink. “No, that won’t do.”
Watching him put on gloves and start washing, Xu Zhi realized he could be quite stubborn at times.
After showering, Xu Zhi lay in the spare bedroom, tossing and turning.
She had so much she wanted to say to Liang Jinmo, but he came back late, and they barely spoke.
Besides, he was so distant… She felt undignified yet couldn’t help but wonder: after more than a week apart, no kiss, no embrace on his return—did he not miss her at all?
The man she loved was just next door, yet she felt lonely. After a long time of restless tossing, she finally sat up.
Quietly, she tiptoed to the master bedroom.
The door stood open. Barefoot, she moved in the dark, standing by the bed, gazing at the man lying there.
It was too dark; she could only see a vague outline, not his face clearly.
---
She didn’t quite know what she wanted to do—just to be with him. She had never liked anyone this much before, not even depended on Liang Muzhi so deeply.
Perhaps he was asleep. He had work tomorrow. She didn’t want to wake him, so she stood quietly for a while, just as she considered sitting by the bed, a voice broke the silence.
“Sleepwalking?”
Xu Zhi was startled. “You… you’re not asleep?”
Liang Jinmo also suffered from insomnia. He sat up and switched on the bedside lamp.
The dim light flickered on. He glanced at Xu Zhi and saw her bare feet. With a helpless tone, he said, “Don’t you feel cold?”
“There’s floor heating.”
“Walking barefoot isn’t good for your health,” he pulled back the covers. “Come up.”
She hesitated briefly, no more than three seconds, then climbed in.
Liang Jinmo raised his hand to pull the covers over them both, holding her close beneath the blanket.
“Can’t sleep?”
Xu Zhi nodded and couldn’t help but gently nuzzle into his embrace.
He was taken aback.
She felt like a cat to him. He’d never understood why people liked cats before, but at that moment, he did. That simple movement melted his heart.
He held her tightly, the faint fragrance of her bathing still lingering, and his taut nerves eased. He asked again, “Is there something you want to tell me?”
From the calls and messages during his trip to the dinner table earlier, she mostly talked about the interview. He wondered if she would confess meeting with Liang Muzhi.
Xu Zhi thought of it, too, but...
She found it hard to say. Instead, she asked him, “What about you? Don’t you have anything to say? I feel like something’s bothering you. You came back unhappy.”
Liang Jinmo fell silent.
“You won’t talk,” Xu Zhi sighed. “I know you tend to bottle things up. But I told you before, this is my first relationship, and I’m not good at reading between the lines. Every time you’re upset, I overthink. When you give me a cold look, I feel awful…”
She didn’t know what she had done wrong and kept guessing about the past—if he remembered how she treated him before. Some wounds were hard to heal quickly.
“No matter what you’re thinking, I want you to tell me. We have a long future ahead… If we can’t communicate well, many problems will arise.” She buried her face in his chest, whispering, “I used to be too shy to say many things… But now, I feel I can’t stay silent. If I don’t express myself, you’ll think I don’t love you. But I really don’t know how else to show it. I’ve already proposed to you…”
Her voice held a trace of grievance.
Liang Jinmo lowered his eyes, his Adam’s apple moving slightly. After a long moment, he finally spoke again.
“Since you’ve decided to marry me, why did you meet with Liang Muzhi?”