Gloves - Chapter 39

In the early morning, An Chujie went out for her morning exercise and found Shang Zhuoxi sitting on a bench in the neighborhood. She hadn’t gone back all night? Shang Zhuoxi wasn’t sure if it was the cold that woke her up, or maybe a stomachache, or perhaps she hadn’t slept at all. She lifted her eyelids and looked at the sky that was still not fully bright, feeling a chill mixed with someone’s pleasant fragrance on her nose.

Shang Zhuoxi raised her head and as soon as she saw the person, her eyes immediately lit up.

“Chujie.” She greeted An Chujie with a smile, stood up, and most of her drowsiness disappeared. An Chujie, without any makeup, had her teal-colored hair casually tied back, making her look less unapproachable than during the day. But An Chujie only glanced at the enthusiastic person from the corner of her eye before starting to jog away.

Shang Zhuoxi followed her, and An Chujie quickened her pace. The morning air made An Chujie feel much more awake.

Shang Zhuoxi watched An Chujie’s figure, feeling both frustrated and helpless. She had never chased after someone like this before.

Having not eaten since yesterday afternoon and with a sleepless night, Shang Zhuoxi endured the pain in her stomach just to catch up to An Chujie. As for what she wanted to say, it didn’t really matter anymore.

Fortunately, after observing for a few days, Shang Zhuoxi had already familiarized herself with the terrain. She knew what time An Chujie left every day and roughly where she was headed.

So Shang Zhuoxi decided to walk in the opposite direction along the road, waiting for An Chujie to run up to her.

As the clock struck seven, the sky gradually brightened, and the streets began to fill with people and cars. An Chujie finally entered Shang Zhuoxi’s line of sight, but this time it seemed like she had no intention of crossing the road. No, she couldn’t let her get away like that. Shang Zhuoxi walked briskly towards her.

“Honk… honk honk… honk honk…” A series of urgent and chaotic honking came from not far away. An Chujie turned her head and saw a car with its headlights flashing, speeding towards Shang Zhuoxi. But the person in danger only had eyes for herself.

“Zhuoxi!” An Chujie panicked in an instant, rushing over to try and pull that person away. The honking car whizzed past, and Shang Zhuoxi’s hair and clothes danced in the air…

An Chujie’s vision went black as she abruptly crashed into a soft embrace. Her blood seemed to flow backward, her heart almost leaping out of her chest. She held onto that comforting sensation tightly, and a slightly reproachful yet gentle voice sounded above her:

“It seems like you’re really scared of me dying, aren’t you?” Shang Zhuoxi pressed An Chujie’s head against her chest, as if forgetting to address her by her full name.

“Silly girl, do you know how dangerous it was for you to run over here like that?” Due to An Chujie wearing flat shoes and Shang Zhuoxi being naturally taller, she held a significant advantage. With the rise in body temperature, the scent molecules on An Chujie became particularly active, and to Shang Zhuoxi, her fragrance was always enticing.

An Chujie was so frightened that her limbs became stiff. After confirming that Shang Zhuoxi was alive, she breathed a sigh of relief. But what followed was a deep sense of being played and deceived.

“Let go of me, Shang Zhuoxi,” An Chujie forcefully pushed against the dominant figure.

“I told you to let go of me!” An Chujie almost shouted, her body covered in sweat from the exercise, feeling extremely uncomfortable being held like this.

Shang Zhuoxi released her grip, and An Chujie’s face flushed, her chest rising and falling noticeably.

“Chujie, deep down, you still care about me,” Shang Zhuoxi said confidently, feeling a sense of joy in her heart.

“No, I don’t! I’d rather you die far away from me. Just don’t die in front of my eyes!” An Chujie’s response came without hesitation. She didn’t mind speaking harshly, hoping to anger Shang Zhuoxi enough to make her turn around and leave.

“You can deny it all you want, Chujie, but I know you. You can deceive me, but you can’t deceive yourself,” Shang Zhuoxi said, reaching out to grab her hand.

“I don’t have time to play these deceitful games with you. Please stop following me,” An Chujie shook off her hand and continued walking without looking back. Understand? Ha! It was precisely because of understanding that the hurt was so profound.

Shang Zhuoxi followed her back into the residential area.

“What are you doing here?” An Chujie put the key back into her pocket and looked cautiously at the tall woman beside her.

“Don’t worry, I won’t enter your home without your permission,” Shang Zhuoxi gradually realized that she should consider An Chujie’s feelings as well. Her gaze was sincere as she spoke. Only then did An Chujie open the door. Shang Zhuoxi leaned against the wall, showing no intention of going inside. She raised an eyebrow and shrugged, appearing relaxed, as if saying, “I’ll wait for you outside. After all, I have plenty of time.”

As soon as the door closed, Shang Zhuoxi immediately dropped her relaxed facade. The stomach cramps were unbearable, causing her to furrow her brows. She believed that An Chujie cared about her, and perhaps she should be more considerate and not let her worry.

When An Chujie finished getting herself ready and walked out with exquisite makeup, Shang Zhuoxi was in too much pain to appreciate it. Her head suddenly felt heavy, and her forehead, covered in a thin layer of cold sweat, slammed into An Chujie’s shoulder. Unconsciously, her body weight shifted towards An Chujie. An Chujie didn’t know what game Shang Zhuoxi was playing this time. Why did she look uncomfortable? An Chujie decided to wait there, not reacting at all. Maybe Shang Zhuoxi was deliberately trying to provoke her anger? She couldn’t let her succeed.

After about two minutes, the stomach pain subsided slightly. Shang Zhuoxi regained control of herself and stood up straight, smiling as she said, “Chujie, thank you. Thank you for not pushing me away just now.”

“Move aside, I still have work to do,” even though An Chujie didn’t know what Shang Zhuoxi was thanking her for, she didn’t show any gratitude. Her eyes focused straight ahead, filled with indifference.

Just as Shang Zhuoxi moved to the side, An Chujie walked out without a second glance. It seemed like she was slipping through Shang Zhuoxi’s fingers more and more.

—————————————————————————————————————————

“Hehe, Zichun, why have you been so busy lately? Take a break and spend some time with me. I’m leaving for the Western Hemisphere in just a few days,” Yang Yiluo couldn’t contain herself any longer. Being alone in the living room was boring. She had been waiting for Nian Zichun for so long that she was about to fall asleep. She had even read “The Decameron” for the second time.

“Yiluo,” Nian Zichun touched the hand that Yang Yiluo had hooked around her shoulder from behind, and with some guilt, she coaxed, “I’m almost done, can you wait a little longer?”

“No~ It’s always ‘almost done’, but it takes you two hours to finish,” Yang Yiluo gritted her teeth, revealing her stubborn little fangs.

“Then… how about 5 minutes?” Nian Zichun couldn’t help but feel sorry. She didn’t enjoy being stuck with those documents every day either, but being responsible to clients was the minimum professional standard she had to uphold.

“Fine, 5 minutes it is,” it was better than nothing. Yang Yiluo straddled Nian Zichun’s lap, rubbing her collar and playing with the ends of her hair. She murmured to herself, “Hmph, I’m going to punish you. You’re too busy to watch TV with me, too busy to chat with me. You have to answer phone calls at night and write these documents late into the night.” As she spoke, Yang Yiluo started to feel sorry for her again, “Are all lawyers this busy?” Yang Yiluo rested her head on Nian Zichun’s shoulder. Her shoulders weren’t broad at all, but they always made Yang Yiluo feel comfortable.

“There are different types of lawyers, some handle litigation, others handle non-litigation…” Nian Zichun smiled and touched Yang Yiluo’s head, earnestly explaining to her. Nian Zichun always answered Yang Yiluo’s questions honestly and seriously. Sometimes, this side of Nian Zichun seemed a bit dull, lacking in romance, but Yang Yiluo liked her just the way she was.

“Oh, I see,” Yang Yiluo responded, pretending to understand. In truth, she hadn’t been listening very attentively. She was just too tired.

“I heard from our neighbor auntie that my dad was also a lawyer before he passed away. That’s why I admire lawyers so much. But he worked himself to death. Zichun~ Chun~~~”

“Hmm? What’s wrong, Yiluo?” Yang Yiluo’s voice sounded muffled.

“Are you even listening to me?”

“I’m listening,” Nian Zichun replied.

“You are as important to me as my father, so I hope you will not be too busy and wear out your body, you promise me ……”, Yang Yiluo’s voice is getting smaller and smaller, talking about his father, Yang Yiluo will not touch the sadness, not ever had, how to lose the loss of the loss, but the listener is sour nose.

Nian Zichun looked at Yang Yiluo, who was now wide awake and bombarding her with questions. She couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease about their relationship dynamic. Yang Yiluo was a simple girl, and Nian Zichun cherished her for that. She admired Yang Yiluo’s positive attitude towards life, despite her difficult childhood. But there was a part of Nian Zichun that worried about their growing closeness.

As Nian Zichun tried to shift her legs, she felt the soreness and fatigue settling in. Yang Yiluo may not be heavy, but her tall frame and the prolonged sitting position had taken a toll on Nian Zichun’s muscles. She struggled to regain control of her limbs, as the muscles and nerves seemed to rebel against her brain’s commands.

Nian Zichun understood Yang Yiluo’s past and her struggles, and the more time they spent together, the more she appreciated her. Yang Yiluo was willing to do things for Nian Zichun that she had never been interested in or even opposed to before. It made Nian Zichun feel special and cherished.

However, Nian Zichun couldn’t shake off the nagging feeling of unease. The dynamics of their relationship were evolving, and it made her question whether this was the right path for them. She loved Yang Yiluo deeply, but she couldn’t ignore the potential consequences of their closeness.

But for now, Nian Zichun pushed those thoughts aside. It was late, and both of them needed rest. She assured Yang Yiluo that she was fine and that the documents were completed. Nian Zichun urged her to go to bed while she stayed behind, taking a moment to gather herself.

As Yang Yiluo left the study, Nian Zichun remained seated, her legs feeling weak and almost numb. She couldn’t deny the physical toll that their relationship was taking on her. But it was the emotional toll that worried her the most. She wondered if they were heading down a path that might lead to complications and heartache.

Nian Zichun knew she had to address these concerns, but for now, she focused on regaining control of her body. As she sat there, pondering their connection, she couldn’t help but feel a mix of affection and apprehension towards the future of their relationship.