Married in a Daze - Chapter 106

Chapter 106

What kept netizens company to ring in the New Year, besides the various well-wishes from their favorite idols, were photos of Qin Zhenzhen and Lu Ruyun on the streets. The news that the two had celebrated the New Year in a park like an ordinary couple spread in an instant.

The search volume for this topic shot straight up the trending charts. Meng Xin had never expected such a stimulating start to the first day of the New Year. She was still eating when her assistant called, nearly choking on her food. Gripping her chopsticks, she thought of Qin Zhenzhen's words.

Sister Meng, I know my limits.

What excellent knowledge of limits indeed.

It was one thing for them to secretly appear in a park, but to actually kiss in public? Even though they were partners, they were still public figures. Thinking of the potential fallout, Meng Xin took several deep breaths before speaking to her assistant. "Suppress the news first."

The assistant's voice carried a hint of laughter. "Alright, Sister Meng."

When Qin Zhenzhen received Meng Xin's call, she had already shaken off the people tailing them. She and Lu Ruyun had disguised themselves again. Not daring to go back on the main streets, they simply took small paths home.

The ringing of her phone startled Qin Zhenzhen. Seeing 'Meng Xin' on the screen, she hunched her shoulders and handed the phone to Lu Ruyun. "Help me answer it."

Lu Ruyun was confused. "What's wrong?"

Qin Zhenzhen gave a wry smile. "Just say I went to the bathroom."

Lu Ruyun took the phone. As soon as she connected, a booming voice full of energy erupted from the other end.

"Qin Zhenzhen! Are you out of your mind? Do you have any idea how many media outlets are camped out waiting for news about you right now? And you just go out like that? Aren't you afraid something might happen? Kissing in the park? You are truly clueless!"

Meng Xin roared for a good while before finally catching her breath. "What, cat got your tongue? Weren't you the one with all the excuses?"

Lu Ruyun glanced at Qin Zhenzhen's lovely, tense face, her pitiful expression. A smile touched Lu Ruyun's eyes, and her voice softened as she replied, "Sister Meng, Zhenzhen isn't here."

Qin Zhenzhen let out a relieved laugh. Meng Xin paused upon hearing Lu Ruyun's voice. "Lu... Lu Ruyun?"

Lu Ruyun replied with a light laugh, "It's me."

Instantly, the anger in Meng Xin's belly evaporated. She hadn't held back when spreading those negative stories about Lu Ruyun before. Later, she had even gone to Lu Ruyun's apartment for a meal. Deep down, she felt a sense of guilt towards Lu Ruyun.

So, she couldn't bring herself to continue the lecture. She could only clear her throat. "Well, um, I have other matters to attend to. I'll hang up first."

Lu Ruyun acknowledged. "Okay."

Meng Xin, still somewhat worried, wanted to add something. "As for Zhenzhen..."

Lu Ruyun looked at Qin Zhenzhen. "I'll relay your message to Zhenzhen. I'll have her stay at home these next couple of days."

Meng Xin breathed a sigh of relief. "Alright then."

Seeing Lu Ruyun hang up, Qin Zhenzhen quickly moved closer. "What did Sister Meng say? Did she lecture me again?"

Lu Ruyun nodded. "Sister Meng wants you to stay home for the next couple of days, don't go out."

Qin Zhenzhen obediently replied, "Okay—"

She dragged out the word, aware that she had indeed been too reckless tonight. Fortunately, there weren't many people in the park, and fortunately, they had run fast. Otherwise, who knows what kind of commotion it might have caused.

Thinking of this, she bit her lip and lowered her head to check Weibo. She didn't see news about them on the trending list; presumably, Meng Xin had it taken down. However, there were still photos of her and Lu Ruyun in the popular topics.

The shot was taken from a great angle, showcasing both their excellent figures. The cold wind lifted their long hair, tangling it together. They stood close, embracing tightly, skin against skin.

From the photo, Qin Zhenzhen could see her own flushed cheeks and the reverent posture she had while kissing, which inexplicably made her feel a bit shy. Her gaze settled on Lu Ruyun in the picture. Half of Lu Ruyun's expression was hidden behind her long hair; only her closed eyes and long eyelashes were visible.

The two were intimate, the scene beautifully composed.

As expected, the fans in the comments section below the hot topic were going wild. Photos of this quality, comparable to wallpaper material, immediately sparked their jubilation.

—New Year's gift! New Year's gift! Zhenzhen and Cloud Fairy are indeed the best, giving everyone candy to eat right on the first day of the year!

—Worthy of the CP I stan, so sweet! Come on, come on, don't miss out if you're passing by! Giving out candy! One piece each, if it's not sweet you can blame me!

—Zhenzhen, how can you and Cloud Fairy show off your love every single day! I'm getting angry! [Warning: Actually the truth].

—I was right there in the park! Fish me up! I even have pictures of the two setting off fireworks!!!! They are simply a pair of immortals! Let me quietly add, Lu Ruyun's aura is super amazing! Qin Zhenzhen is even more beautiful than on TV, and she had this sort of... delicate and clinging feeling?

—Delicate and clinging??? I think you might have some misunderstanding about Zhenzhen. Our Zhenzhen breaks the sky with her dominance, okay?

—Upstairs, I beg you for the address! I want to run into them!

Weibo was buzzing noisily. Qin Zhenzhen sighed again, thinking about being grounded for the next two days. Lu Ruyun held her hand. "Are you unhappy?"

"Was it wrong for me to take off your mask earlier..."

Qin Zhenzhen turned her hand around to hold Lu Ruyun's, shook her head, and looked up. "Not at all. Even if you hadn't taken off my mask, I wouldn't have been able to resist wanting to kiss you."

Lu Ruyun's cheeks flushed slightly at her candid words. She pursed her lips and said nothing.

The two walked slowly towards their neighborhood. Past midnight, the pedestrians on the street gradually thinned out. Yin Lanfang had seen off the guests and, feeling somewhat uneasy, was about to call Qin Zhenzhen. Before she could dial, she heard movement at the door. Turning her head, she saw Qin Zhenzhen and Lu Ruyun had returned.

"Where did you go for so long? I was just about to call."

Qin Zhenzhen let go of Lu Ruyun's hand. "Just strolling around."

Qin Ye walked out of the kitchen. "Come have some midnight snacks."

As he spoke, he reheated several dishes on the dining table, then placed a bowl of small glutinous rice balls in front of each person. Qin Zhenzhen wasn't very hungry, but she still pulled Lu Ruyun along to each have a bowl. After eating, Qin Ye cleared the dishes, and Yin Lanfang told Qin Zhenzhen to take Lu Ruyun to rest.

Having been busy all day and running around so much at night, Qin Zhenzhen was already exhausted. She took Lu Ruyun to the bathroom to wash up, then returned to the bedroom.

The suite wasn't equipped with central heating. Yin Lanfang had turned on the air conditioner for them early on and, afraid they might feel cold, had also laid out an electric blanket. Returning to the room, Qin Zhenzhen sighed, "Truly, only a mother's love is best." Lu Ruyun smiled at her drowsy expression. "Let's sleep."

Qin Zhenzhen pulled her hand and sat on the bed. "Sleep together!"

She emphasized the words. Lu Ruyun, tugged by her, had no choice but to take off her shoes and get into bed. The bedroom curtains weren't drawn. Qin Zhenzhen lay on top of Lu Ruyun, looking up at the window. The moonlight was bright, with a few stars scattered about. Without the sound of fireworks filling the sky, the surroundings seemed very quiet.

The footsteps outside the door also gradually faded, followed by the sound of a door closing. Presumably, Yin Lanfang and Qin Ye had returned to their room to rest.

Qin Zhenzhen stretched out a finger and lightly traced it in front of Lu Ruyun's face. "Teacher Lu, is the moon beautiful?"

Lu Ruyun followed the direction of her finger and looked out. Her heart felt very settled. She nodded. "Beautiful."

Qin Zhenzhen withdrew her hand, looked up at Lu Ruyun, then leaned in to nibble her chin. "Which is more beautiful, the moon or me?"

There was a mischievous glint in her bright eyes, as dazzling as stars, making it hard to look away. Lu Ruyun parted her red lips slightly. "Of course, you are more beautiful."

Qin Zhenzhen suddenly laughed, her features blooming like a flower. She poked Lu Ruyun's chest with her finger. "Then tell me, did you start liking me because I'm beautiful?"

Lu Ruyun was slightly taken aback.

Although she didn't want to think of herself as shallow, her initial notice of Qin Zhenzhen was indeed because she was beautiful.

But at some unknown point in time, she gradually began to see that besides being beautiful, Qin Zhenzhen also possessed a gentle heart. She was clever and sharp, never putting on airs because of her looks or high popularity. She handled situations appropriately, knew when to advance and retreat, and once she had a goal, she was willing to throw herself into striving for it, never giving up easily. Even when Lu Ruyun herself was trapped in darkness, Qin Zhenzhen wanted to pull her out, bit by bit.

Lu Ruyun thought for a moment and nodded, tacitly admitting it.

Seeing her be so honest, Qin Zhenzhen chuckled softly, poking even more forcefully with her finger. "Teacher Lu, that's called attraction at first sight!"

She enunciated each word clearly, her voice like a clear spring splashing into Lu Ruyun's ears, very pleasing to hear.

Lu Ruyun grasped her hand, momentarily speechless to refute.

The atmosphere was serene. Neither spoke, only the sound of their shallow breathing filled the room. Qin Zhenzhen rolled over. Originally lying on top of Lu Ruyun, she now had her back to her. Lu Ruyun looked at her slender back and pursed her lips. "Zhenzhen?"

Qin Zhenzhen gave a noncommittal "Hmm." Lu Ruyun, feeling somewhat nervous, asked, "Are you angry?"

Angry that she was such a shallow person, only noticing her because she was beautiful.

Hearing the tension in her voice, Qin Zhenzhen rolled over to face her again. "Why would I be angry?"

"I was just thinking about how to thank my mom tomorrow."

Lu Ruyun couldn't keep up with her train of thought for a moment. "What?"

Qin Zhenzhen said naturally, "Thank my mom for giving birth to me so beautifully, catching Teacher Lu's discerning eye."

Lu Ruyun saw her own reflection in Qin Zhenzhen's clear eyes. The room was lit by a warm yellow light, and under the covers, it was cozy. After finishing her sentence, Qin Zhenzhen's hands became restless. Both had changed into pajamas. Lu Ruyun hadn't brought her own clothes and was wearing Qin Zhenzhen's, which fit just fine.

The blanket was pulled up to just below their necks. Lu Ruyun's lovely face was slightly flushed, her voice a bit lower. "Zhenzhen, let's rest early tonight."

Qin Zhenzhen chuckled lightly. "No. It's the New Year. Doesn't Teacher Lu have a New Year's gift for me?"

Lu Ruyun caught her constantly wandering hand, lowering her gaze to look at her. "What gift do you want?"

Qin Zhenzhen climbed up and turned off the light. The room was instantly plunged into pitch black. It took Lu Ruyun a few seconds to adjust before she could make out Qin Zhenzhen's outline and her bright, clear eyes.

"A gift."

"Of course, the best gift would be giving Teacher Lu to me."

As she spoke, she pressed down on Lu Ruyun, leaning close to her ear to whisper softly, "Ruyun, Happy New Year."

Lu Ruyun's heart immediately softened. The hand holding Qin Zhenzhen's lost its strength, letting her do as she pleased. In the darkness, she echoed, "Zhenzhen, Happy New Year."

The moon reached the treetops, then quietly hid itself in the latter half of the night. Ultimately mindful of being at home, Qin Zhenzhen didn't fool around too much with Lu Ruyun. After satisfying her craving a little, they fell asleep holding each other.

Under the night sky, the room was quiet. No one knew how much time had passed when a series of urgent phone ringtones shattered the serene atmosphere. Lu Ruyun woke up, opening her eyes in confusion. Two minutes later, she answered the call.

It was a man's voice on the other end.

"Ruyun, Yaoyao is in trouble."

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