Married A Man I Hate - Chapter 25

Chapter 25: The Kind Person Turns Into a Wife; Tasting the Meat (Opening the Meat Diet)

Inside the bathroom, Le Qingfei was like a crab—red-faced and ears burning, like a crab that had been thoroughly steamed.

The sound of knocking on the door rang out, followed closely by Fu Li’s voice.

“Feifei, do you really not need my help?”

“……Don’t want.”

In the mirror, Le Qingfei’s face grew increasingly red, “You, are not allowed to stay outside the door.”

Even though the door was closed, Le Qingfei still felt awkward, just as if someone were staring at him while he was using the toilet.

Suddenly, something flashed through Le Qingfei’s mind.

Fu Li hugging him from behind, continuously telling him it’s okay, it’s okay… you look cuter like this, and then pressing even harder.

“Ah——!”

The first thing Le Qingfei did after finishing applying the medicine and coming out was to take a pillow and give Fu Li a violent beating.

He hadn’t realized it that night—the extreme comfort of his body had overridden the so-called shame. Recalling it now, Le Qingfei wished he could beat himself unconscious.

Of course, he had to beat Fu Li up first.

Fu Li took off his glasses, allowing him to hit him several times, and patted the buttocks sitting on his waist and abdomen, “Did you apply it?”

“Applied it.”

“Let me check.”

Le Qingfei froze for a second. In the next split second, he was easily pressed back onto the bed, realizing once again exactly how much Fu Li usually yielded to him.

“Hey! You…”

Le Qingfei only felt a wave of coolness on his buttocks. Immediately after, his pants were put back on exactly as they were, and his entire person was lifted up.

Fu Li looked at him, “It’s still swollen. Three times a day, must remember to apply it, you know?”

“……Oh.”

Le Qingfei nodded blankly.

Fu Li’s expression was serious, making Le Qingfei almost despise himself in his heart for thinking too much.

“I will check every day,” Fu Li said, “If you forget, the task of applying medicine will be handed over to me.”

“……”

Le Qingfei gave him a kick.

Fu Li smiled as he gripped his ankle, picking up a sock to put it on him, and said the restaurant was already booked.

Le Qingfei wasn’t used to someone putting socks on him, but Fu Li’s movements were too fast, and he was already reaching toward his pajamas.

Mmh?

Le Qingfei hurriedly covered his chest.

Seeing this, Fu Li carried him to the sofa on the side, placed the clothes properly, and began tidying the bed.

Fearing he would peek, Le Qingfei took his clothes and hid in the walk-in closet. By the time he finished washing up and came out, Fu Li had already tidied the room.

Le Qingfei: “Are you not going to work?”

“You were so busy a while ago, leaving the door very early every day and coming home very late, working very late in the study at night. How come you are so idle today?”

“To accompany you more.”

Fu Li walked up behind him, picking up a comb to comb his hair, “I’m sorry, I was too busy a while ago.”

Le Qingfei froze for a moment, turning his head, “I’m not blaming you.”

“Don’t move.”

Fu Li straightened his head, “You are on vacation at home, I should have accompanied you more originally, it’s just that there are more matters at the end of the year. I will arrange my own time well, I don’t want you to be sad because of this.”

Le Qingfei lowered his eyes, not knowing what he was thinking.

Perhaps, except for his mom and dad, no one had ever cared about his sadness as much as Fu Li did, even if it was just a tiny bit.

“Fu Li, I’m not angry anymore, nor am I sad.”

The person behind him let out a light smile, pinning the strawberry hair clip properly. Leaning his body forward, he drew close to his face, saying in a small voice: “Then Feifei give me a kiss.”

“Ah?”

Le Qingfei blinked.

Fu Li: “If you’re not angry with me, just give me a kiss, okay?”

Le Qingfei: “Why do we have to prove it this way?”

Fu Li drew closer, lightly kissing his cheek, “I’m not angry with Feifei, what about Feifei?”

The sunlight fell beside their feet, the tiny dust particles looking like inconspicuous little whirlpools. Le Qingfei’s train of thought was also muddled up by Fu Li.

He always felt something wasn’t quite right.

Downstairs, Le Wangzong and Kang Wei had prepared brunch, and were cautiously walking upstairs, preparing to call the two to eat.

Before they could even draw near, they heard a loud “smack” sound.

Le Qingfei pulled open the door, walking downstairs huffily; Fu Li rubbed his cheek with his finger, walking behind Le Qingfei with a normal expression.

The two walked into the dining room one after the other. Just as Le Qingfei pulled out a chair, he was caught by Fu Li and turned out of the villa.

The door pushed open, and thin snowflakes drifted toward the two.

Le Qingfei ate a few flakes, pah pah pah, spitting several times consecutively. Fu Li suddenly cupped his face, drawing close, insisting that snowflakes were also stuck to his eyelashes.

Just as Fu Li was about to kiss his eyelids, Le Qingfei caught sight of the driver waiting on the side holding the car door open. Shocked in his heart, he hurriedly pushed the person away, his ears red as he ran into the car limping.

For the next several days, Le Qingfei was dodging Fu Li.

Fu Li was like someone who had been deceived into eating vegetarian for a lifetime, and suddenly got to taste a mouthful of meat, instantly realizing that such a delicacy actually existed in this world: having tasted meat (opened the meat diet). The moment he saw him, he would hold him, hug him, and kiss him, and would also continuously sniff at his face and neck.

Constantly saying he smelled so good was one thing, but he also always loved to take small bites of him with his teeth.

Le Qingfei suspected that Fu Li simply had skin hunger (cutaneous deprivation).

He hid away to Padata Cabin, but it was of no use at all. Fu Li came too, coming here every day at noon to pick him up for lunch, and would also come to pick him up at off-work time.

Just like he had said, he would do his best to squeeze out time to accompany him.

For the first two times, Le Qingfei had hidden outside, but in the photos Xu Yi sent him, Fu Li holding an insulated box standing in the yard looking was truly so… pitiful.

Very annoying.

Le Qingfei stopped hiding at noon, reluctantly sharing lunch with Fu Li, but Fu Li wasn’t allowed to stay long—he had to leave right after eating.

Fu Li went along with him in everything.

On the first day, after packing up the tableware and dining table, he gave him a deep look and left;

On the second day, after packing up……, he held his hand briefly and left;

On the third day, ……, he touched his face and left;

On the fourth day: he kissed his face and left;

On the fifth day:

“What are you doing…”

Le Qingfei held a lint roller in his hand, his waist hugged by Fu Li, lightly pressed against the little cat’s wooden bed. Just as he opened his mouth, the corner of his lips was kissed by Fu Li.

After finishing the kiss, Fu Li pressed against his forehead, locking eyes with him.

As if obtaining some sort of hint from his gaze again, he kissed down once more, pecking and kissing from the left corner of his lip to the right, and then cautiously kissing his lips.

It was so gentle, like a little cat’s tail sweeping past Le Qingfei’s hand propped on the wooden bed while Fu Li was kissing him.

The little cat behind them kept meowing continuously in a small voice. Le Qingfei’s scalp felt a wave of numbness. The moment their lips and teeth parted a little, the person pressing over him found the right timing and poked his tongue tip inside.

Sweeping around very quickly, hooking his tongue briefly.

Like another cat’s tail.

A bright kiss.

“I’ll come pick Feifei up in the afternoon,” Fu Li kissed his nose tip once more before letting go of him, “Remember to miss me, okay?”

Fu Li turned around and left.

Le Qingfei held the lint roller, watching Fu Li’s back wearing a black trench coat walk out of the room door. The driver waiting on the side immediately came forward holding an umbrella, and the assistant followed closely behind, reporting work to him within those short few steps of the way.

The car door opened. Fu Li suddenly turned his head, looking toward Le Qingfei who was still in a daze.

Le Qingfei turned his back around immediately.

When Xu Yi came in, the red on Le Qingfei’s face had already receded by more than half, “Qingfei, what’s wrong with you?”

“Ah?” Le Qingfei followed the direction of Xu Yi’s finger, touching his own burning face, “Oh, a bit hot.”

Xu Yi cast a glance at the overcast and rainy day outside the room, letting out a smile, “True, it’s spring after all.”

That’s right, it was spring.

Le Qingfei realized long after—the New Year had yet to arrive, but spring was already here.

Early beginning of spring, open-eyed spring. This year’s spring arrived exceptionally early; even the New Year was a warm New Year.

It was also the warmest New Year Le Qingfei had spent in his eighteen years.

When Fu Li returned from his business trip to Australia, Le Qingfei was before the coffee table in the living room, researching writing spring couplets with Rosita and the others.

Several helpers walked over; two helped the driver carry the gifts Fu Li bought for Le Qingfei, and one took over Fu Li’s coat.

“How is it?”

“The trash can is filled up,” the helper opened her fingers, “Five of them.”

Fu Li smiled and nodded.

He walked closer toward the person before the sofa. Le Qingfei was writing intently, not discovering his approach.

The remaining helpers rose one after another, leaving the East District without a sound or sign.

Fu Li tilted his head to look at the handwriting on the spring couplet; he could barely make out the horizontal, left-falling, vertical, and right-falling strokes, and as for the rest, there was simply no more.

“Rosita… Mmh?”

Le Qingfei widened his eyes, the “Mmh” sound being very light, like a small animal, “Didn’t you say you wouldn’t return until tomorrow?”

Fu Li did not answer, but instead took over the calligraphy brush from his hand. Upon the horizontal scroll banner that Le Qingfei had ruined by writing, with a smooth and flowing style, he wrote down four characters in one breath:

[Thinking of you, missing you (Si Qing Nian Qing)]

Le Qingfei read it out in a small voice, the tips of his ears turning red, “Don’t you always speak such mushy words, my goosebumps are all coming up…”

Fu Li looked at him, using his removed glove to lightly touch the little ponytail on the top of his head, “Want to learn?”

Le Qingfei took another look at Fu Li’s characters—they were indeed quite good-looking—and nodded.

“Go to the study and wait for me,” Fu Li turned around to walk upstairs, “I’ll go take a bath.”

Le Qingfei looked at Fu Li’s back, letting out an “oh” long after.

The sound of the bedroom door closing rang out from afar.

Le Qingfei puckered his lip a bit, slowly packing up the things on the table, lowering his eyes, and murmuring in a small voice: “He didn’t miss me very much either, see, he went upstairs by himself, he just knows how to lie to me…”

A few days ago, Fu Li and he were currently strolling through the shopping mall buying New Year goods.

Fu Li hung up several phone calls consecutively. In the end, it was he who made him take it before Fu Li went to the side, and as a result, not long after he came back, he said he had to go on a business trip.

Le Qingfei was somewhat disappointed, because this was his first time buying New Year goods—not only did he have money, but it was also that as an “adult,” he could buy gifts for his older sister.

But he knew Fu Li was busy with work; everyone had their own things to do, and he himself had no reason to be unhappy.

That very night Fu Li went to the airport, though this time he brought him along together.

Le Qingfei was pressed against the back row seat, kissed to the point of being unable to catch his breath; even his collarbone was given a large bite.

Fu Li continuously touched his waist, continuously kissed his ears, making him promise he must absolutely miss him.

The phone calls and video calls these past few days had indeed never cut off either—at least during the times Fu Li didn’t have to hold meetings, he would always make video calls to him, saying he missed him so much, asking if he missed him, making him take lots of photos…

The result was, the moment they met, it was like this.

Le Qingfei snorted twice, arranging the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone well upon the wide writing desk. Just as he picked up the brush, the study door was pushed open.

Fu Li wore a black sleeping robe, his hair half-dry, hanging before his forehead slightly messily, half-obscuring that handsome and deep face. Not wearing glasses, staring at Le Qingfei behind the writing desk, he walked straight toward him.

“You’re here, my things are all… Mmh.”

Le Qingfei’s words were blocked by Fu Li’s lips. Fu Li gripped his shoulders, pulling him into his embrace masterfully, kissing him layout by layout.

Before Le Qingfei could react back, he had already been placed upon the writing desk by Fu Li.

Fu Li parted his legs, standing inside, one hand gripping his knee pit and thigh, one hand pinching the back of his neck, not giving him a chance to evade any single kiss.

Fu Li kissed gently, but gradually, it seemed as if kisses like a dragonfly skimming the water were already unable to express it, so it became increasingly anxious and hurried, breaking open his lips and teeth, forcefully sucking and tangling with his tongue tip.

“Missed you so much.”

Fu Li gave him a chance to switch breaths, his forehead lightly pressing, looking at Le Qingfei’s red, slightly open lips and trembling eyelashes during his violent panting. He kissed right there.

“Missed Feifei very much, so I finished the work ahead of time, wanting to come back to see you.”

A deeply entangled and moving kiss, their bodies unconsciously leaning closer.

“Still holding a meeting on the plane, had no time to take a bath and change clothes, only then did I fail to kiss Feifei at the very first glance of seeing Feifei. Don’t be angry with me, okay?”

Fu Li’s left hand went all the way up, gripping the tight waist, pulling him toward himself.

“Missed you so much,” Fu Li kissed him, “Did Feifei miss me?”

The calligraphy brush in Le Qingfei’s hand slanted and smeared onto his own calf—Fu Li pushed his loose pink long pants up to his thighs.

Kissed to the point of dazedness, he didn’t speak.

Only feeling this kiss was exceptionally long, as if all the oxygen inside his chest cavity had been gathered clean by Fu Li.

Bewildered and helpless, he raised his head to gaze at Fu Li.

His clear black eyes became all the more transparent and wet, which in Fu Li’s eyes was a silent invitation.

As if being bewitched like that, he cupped Le Qingfei’s face, starting anew, solemnly kissing bit by bit from the forehead to the nose bridge, and then from the right corner of the lip to the left, deeply crushing over the crimson lips.

The panting was so light, so good to hear.

Le Qingfei sat by the edge of the writing desk, still in a daze. Fu Li had already gripped his ankle, letting his sole step upon his own knee, holding a wet wipe, wiping away the ink stains on his calf bit by bit.

Finally, he kissed right there.

“Mmh,” Fu Li pinched his calf belly briefly, “Finally grew a bit of flesh.”

Le Qingfei snapped back to his senses, drawing his leg back immediately, pulling down the pajama pants that were stacked on his thighs. Jumping down from the writing desk, he stood with his back to Fu Li, refusing to look at him.

Fu Li smiled silently, rising to stand behind him, watching Le Qingfei pick up an ink stick and rub it rapidly inside the inkstone like a small angry tornado.

“Slower,” Fu Li gripped his hand, “Don’t splash it onto your hand.”

Le Qingfei thought back to the way Fu Li kissed his leg just now. Fearing he was going to repeat the old trick again, he hurriedly slowed down.

Failing to understand what was so good to kiss about a leg.

Le Qingfei thought.

However, Fu Li did seem to indeed like kissing his legs very much; a week ago on that night, his thighs were bitten the most.

Mmh, actually other places had them too…

“What are you thinking of?”

Fu Li’s voice suddenly rang out by his ear. The hand Le Qingfei held the calligraphy brush with gave a shake, and an ink dot flew out.

Fu Li wiped away the ink stain at his tiger’s mouth, leaving behind a patch of wet trace, re-gripping his hand.

The veins protruding, distinct-jointed large hand completely covered Le Qingfei’s fair and slender hand, like a father teaching a child to write down the very first stroke.

[Home (Jia)]

The first character Fu Li led him to write.

Le Qingfei turned his head to look at the man pasted behind himself. The black sleeping robe had already loosened as early as when they were kissing, the clothing sash barely tied at the waist and abdomen, the mermaid line (iliac furrow) looming faintly.

“Concentrate.” Fu Li tilted his head to kiss his cheek.

Le Qingfei gave a snort of defiance, turning his face over, writing characters seriously.

[Harmony in the family brings prosperity to all undertakings (Jia He Wan Shi Xing)]

The most ordinary five characters, yet it seemed to be the thing that the two of them, in the past twenty-odd years, including the rest of their lives hereafter, were pursuing.

Perhaps, this was also the only common point between him and Fu Li.

Fu Li: “What I wrote is our home.”

Le Qingfei: “What?”

Fu Li put down the calligraphy brush. The gold-rimmed glasses had already hung back onto his nose bridge long ago, yet the gaze looking toward him was a genuine truth unshielded by even half a fraction.

“It has nothing to do with others. Le Wangzong and Kang Wei, Zou Ying and Fu Qian, and also Shang Rong… are all inconsequential people. As adults, we can choose our own family.”

Fu Li reached out his hand to hold his hand, “Fu Li and Le Qingfei have a home belonging to themselves.”

Their own… home…?

He seemed to understand. So when Fu Li pulled him along to walk downstairs together and pasted these five large characters onto the elevator doorframe, he did not refuse.

“Why did you choose this one, see?”

Le Qingfei looked down at Fu Li, “The one I wrote the best, how come you didn’t paste it?”

Also, clearly with Fu Li’s height, extending his hand briefly would get the thing pasted well, yet he still insisted on having him sit astride his shoulders.

Fu Li supported Le Qingfei’s thighs with both hands, “That one naturally has its own place where it ought to be pasted.”

Le Qingfei tilted his head. Fu Li instead didn’t seem to plan to tell him, bringing him back to the gift room to unwrap the gifts brought back from Australia.

Every time Fu Li went on a business trip, he would buy many, many gifts for him—local handicrafts and some region-limited toys and clothes. A dazzling line-up; in less than three months, two rooms were specifically opened to place gifts.

In truth, they could be bought at any time, but Fu Li truly liked the way Le Qingfei’s eyes lit up when seeing him return home. Mmh, anticipating gifts counted too.

Le Qingfei took identification photos of all the handicrafts Fu Li gave him, and then placed them one by one into the display area on the second floor.

It was exactly that empty place with lots of tables and acrylic.

Le Qingfei didn’t know either how Fu Li knew he liked Lego and small ornaments, having prepared these before he had even moved in.

Thinking, Le Qingfei unwrapped another special thing.

“A specimen?”

Le Qingfei held a red specimen square frame. Lying inside was a beautiful golden flower specimen, the fine branches covered full of tiny golden pompoms, like the February sunshine of Australia.

Logically speaking, flowers made into specimens would change color, but this gift in Le Qingfei’s hands was still glittering gold.

He had never received such a special gift.

“Silver wattle flower, also called acacia flower.” Fu Li sat beside him, saying with a smile, “When I was sending you messages asking if you missed me, standing beneath the tree, it just happened to fall upon my shoulder.”

He looked into Le Qingfei’s eyes, “So, I treated this as Feifei’s answer.”

Le Qingfei cradled the flower specimen, suddenly feeling a bit sad, “But, I have never said I missed you.”

He didn’t know why he would feel sad for Fu Li; clearly the person who didn’t miss him was himself.

Le Qingfei’s nose began to feel sour. Before Fu Li could react back, a tear fell down, followed closely by a second drop.

Fu Li drew closer, reaching out his hand to wipe away his tears.

Fu Li’s hand was so large, always able to completely cover more than half of Le Qingfei’s face; the tears also quickly disappeared beneath his palm.

“Feifei, no need to feel sorry.”

Fu Li raised his hand to flick his wet eyelashes, “No need to worry about being unable to respond to me. You only need to try to accept everything I do for you, trying to be moved by me. Remember?”

Le Qingfei didn’t know what he should say. Holding the specimen with both hands, he nodded, “I remembered.”

Fu Li: “So, is Feifei moved a little bit?”

Le Qingfei thought about it, nodding, “A little bit.”

Fu Li tilted his head to kiss his thin eyelids revealing dark-colored blood vessels, “Mmh, this is enough.”

Le Qingfei’s eyes were still warm, even more so after being kissed by Fu Li. He didn’t know when he was held into the embrace by Fu Li either, tilting his head slightly, like a flower drenched by kissing.

“Still hurts?” Fu Li hugged him, his hand placed beneath his waist, pinching lightly, “Did you remember to apply medicine?”

Le Qingfei struggled a bit, “Applied it, stopped hurting long ago.”

“Mmh, let me check.”

Fu Li picked him up to walk into the bedroom. Not placing him upon the bed out of fear he would move around chaotically, he sat down on the sofa holding Le Qingfei, flipping the person over.

“I am not a pancake again…!” Le Qingfei sprawled in Fu Li’s arm curve, his face hotter than his eyes, “Don’t…”

Fu Li kissed the top of his hair, “Very quick.”

A slight cool breeze blew in.

Le Qingfei buried his fully reddened face into Fu Li’s chest, hearing the heartbeat thumping and beating inside the chest cavity, not a fraction slower than his own.

He raised his head, looking toward Fu Li’s face—calm and self-composed, without half a ripple or surprise.

“You… Mmh,” the words Le Qingfei wanted to open his mouth to speak suddenly stopped. Stiffening for a split second, he tightly pinched Fu Li’s arm, “You, what are you doing?”

Fu Li still wore that expression of drifting clouds and light breezes, lowering his eyes to look at him, “Merged too tightly, can’t see clearly.”

“Baby, part a little bit.”

……

Le Qingfei hurriedly came down from his body, locking himself inside the bathroom. Not letting himself out until the hot air on his face had completely dissipated, seeing Fu Li leave, he let out a sigh of relief.

Bad egg Fu Li.

Le Qingfei picked up the acacia flower specimen, not putting it away to the display shelf, but instead leaving it in the bedroom, placing it together with the photo of his mom and dad on the bedside table.

He liked this gift very much.

“Looks like Cinderella.”

“Mmh?”

Fu Li was currently sitting behind the writing desk looking at reports. Hearing the words, he looked toward Le Qingfei who was sprawled on the carpet playing with a puzzle.

Le Qingfei propped his face with both hands, his slender calves crossed and cocked up, “Before the father left the house, he asked the daughters what gifts they wanted. The other older sisters all said they wanted beautiful clothes and diamonds; only Cinderella said she wanted the very first tree branch that bumped against the father’s hat.”

Fu Li let out a smile, “How come you remember so clearly?”

“I also remember it was a hazel branch, see. It was planted upon the mother’s grave, watered with tears, and the little white bird on the tree would even help Cinderella fulfill her wishes.”

Le Qingfei lowered his head to continue playing with the puzzle, “When I was little I didn’t have toys, I read my sister’s fairy tale books many times, so I remember them all.”

Fu Li froze slightly.

Le Qingfei spoke to himself: “Right now I have many toys. I have the hazel branch, and also the beautiful clothes and diamonds Fu Li bought for me, I have them all. Mom and Dad will both be very happy.”

Fu Li tilted his head, his shoulders sinking slightly, rising to go to Le Qingfei’s side, touching the little ponytail on the top of his head.

Le Qingfei stuffed a handful of puzzle pieces into him, frowning, “This one this time is too large, you have to help me.”

Fu Li leaned down to kiss the top of his hair.

With Fu Li’s help, every time it could be finished puzzling very quickly.

Le Qingfei looked at the person helping him fix the puzzle, unable to resist asking him why he was so awesome at doing everything.

“Because I had very good teachers and a learning method suitable for me, and guaranteed that I wouldn’t be distracted by other matters; the only thing I needed to do was learn.”

Fu Li looked at Le Qingfei, saying: “If it were switched to Feifei, you would be even more awesome than me.”

Le Qingfei didn’t believe it, “I can’t learn well, I only like to play.”

Fu Li: “Is that so? How come I feel Feifei has been learning all along, and learning better than many people.”

“Ah?” Le Qingfei sat up, “How come I didn’t know.”

“Padata Cabin at the very beginning was Feifei alone, but discovering you couldn’t understand the regulations and contracts, so you found your friend. And Feifei knew the friend’s academic studies were very busy, so you rarely disturbed him, mostly spending time taking care of so many little cats alone. Right now even procedures that complex are being independently completed by yourself, is this not awesome?”

Listening, Le Qingfei’s chin tilted up slightly, and the corners of his mouth couldn’t resist curving up either.

If he had a tail, it would probably be wagging continuously too.

Fu Li drew closer, “Feifei is very awesome, just hasn’t encountered a matter you like, right?”

Le Qingfei nodded like a chicken pecking rice.

Fu Li looked at his serious and confidence-filled appearance, hooking his lips, “So, what does Feifei want to do?”

“I want to play.”

Fu Li paused, “Aside from playing?”

Le Qingfei thought for a long time, “I want to learn to make fruit jam.”

“I feel my technique of making fruit jam can be raised a bit further. If someone could teach me to make fruit jam, that would be good.”

Fu Li: “Making fruit jam is a short-term goal, what about long-term?”

Le Qingfei switched to another posture, his knees bringing together, kneeling sitting on his legs, “I can make fruit jam continuously, making the best-tasting fruit jam in this world.”

Mmh.

Fu Li pondered for a short moment, “Feifei, we still need to finish university first. After finishing, we will open a fruit jam factory of Feifei’s, how about it?”

Le Qingfei was somewhat disappointed; he thought Fu Li would agree to let him not study and just stay at home making fruit jam.

“Okay then.”

But he knew Fu Li was right.

He lowered his head, his shoulder held gently, Fu Li pasting by his ear, “I know, Feifei doesn’t like those things currently being learned, right?”

Le Qingfei nodded, “I don’t like whatever economics major one bit.”

Le Qingfei was studying finance.

Fu Li smiled and kissed his face, not correcting him, “I hope Feifei goes to university because this segment of experience will become a part of your life; you can also make many friends, just like my good friends were met in university.”

“But, I don’t want to learn, can’t understand it.”

Fu Li let go of his hand, picking up the brush to begin applying the final layer of glue, “So, I will switch Feifei to a major you like.”

What?

Le Qingfei froze.

“Really?” He hugged Fu Li’s arm all at once, “Will you really help me switch majors?”

Fu Li: “Jinggang University allows switching majors, why can’t it be done?”

Le Qingfei was dizzied by the joy, only feeling his cheeks burning hot, woozy, just like when Fu Li forcefully kissed him.

“What major does Feifei want to study?”

“Making fruit jam.”

Fu Li lowered his head, his shoulders twitching a few times. When raising his head, the trace of his smile had yet to completely dissipate, “There is no such major, think again.”

“Then, is there a major for protecting small animals?” Le Qingfei rested his chin upon Fu Li’s shoulder, “Just like Animal World, small animals all like me very much.”

Fu Li nodded: “Animal Science or Wildlife Protection. As long as you pass all the make-up exams, I’ll switch majors for you once school starts.”

Fu Li thought Le Qingfei would be unhappy, because this time he failed six subjects in the final exams—all of them being professional courses, to him they were simply like books from heaven.

So, if Le Qingfei acted cute and begged him, saying he didn’t want to participate in the make-up exams, Fu Li would agree.

But unexpectedly, Le Qingfei immediately patted his chest and accepted, “Okay!”

Fu Li pulled back the battle-spirit-filled little tiger, “Going where?”

Le Qingfei: “I’m going to learn, see.”

Fu Li pulled him back into his own embrace, “No rush, celebrate the New Year first.”

Perhaps Le Qingfei had already gotten used to Fu Li’s embraces, or perhaps this portion of anticipation was truly too beautiful. He nodded his head, obediently leaning in Fu Li’s embrace, watching their puzzle solidify bit by bit, never to scatter again.

The New Year arrived; the new year seemed as though it would have a new beginning.

The Le family’s villa main door was also switched with new couplets and the character “Fu” (Blessing/Fortune), all of them being taught to Le Qingfei to write by Fu Li.

Le Wangzong and Kang Wei each held a “Fu” character, asking Fu Li if it was pasted straight.

Shi Yun cracked melon seeds, nudging Le Qingfei: “Look at your husband, see how he trained those two people.”

Le Qingfei didn’t understand, “What do you mean?”

Shi Yun froze for a moment, realizing back that Le Qingfei was still in the dark, truly thinking these two old-never-dyings had suddenly awakened to a realization.

Fu Li didn’t tell him, just like one can’t let a child know Santa Claus is fake.

Shi Yun let out a laugh, shook her head, and said it was nothing.

On New Year’s Eve, Jinggang set off fireworks.

They could be seen from the backyard of the Le family’s villa, but not many. Le Qingfei stood on his tiptoes, and next, Fu Li propped his thighs, lifting him up.

“Don’t you be like this,” Le Qingfei cast a glance at the people beside them, “Put me down.”

Fu Li serious: “Feifei, have you forgotten we are already married?”

“……”

Oh, right.

Ever since sleeping for a night with Fu Li, Le Qingfei always felt he and Fu Li were “unable to see the light,” but in fact, they had already been married for three months.

Le Qingfei pinched his ears, and remembered something again, saying to Fu Li: “You said last time that once my illness was well, you would bring me to watch fireworks, see.”

Fu Li pinched his thigh, imitating him, “Remembering it, see.”

Le Qingfei started laughing.

If Fu Li said he remembered, then he remembered.

He securely sat within Fu Li’s robust arm curve, watching the distant fireworks blooming at the edge of the sky, turning his head to look at the uncle, aunt, and older sister on the side again.

Older sister came home to celebrate the New Year; everyone didn’t fight.

This seemed to be the first New Year of such “peaceful reunion” in Le Qingfei’s memory.

He lowered his head to look at Fu Li again.

Fu Li’s lenses reflected the tiny fireworks, blurry yet multicolored, like a rapidly spinning kaleidoscope.

Detecting his gaze, Fu Li raised his head, raising his brows in inquiry.

Le Qingfei subconsciously shook his head.

Fu Li turned back. In the next second, Le Qingfei’s breath suddenly drew close, falling by his ear, accompanied by the clear sweet scent of strawberry candy.

“Fu Li, thank you.”

A brief freeze.

Fu Li turned his head to look at Le Qingfei, kissing his cheek, “You’re welcome, Strawberry King.”

Le Qingfei opened his mouth, ultimately saying nothing. Fu Li keenly detected something, striking while the iron was hot, drawing close to kiss the corner of his lip once more.

Le Qingfei’s brow center was knit tinily, his lips were too, his cheeks puffing slightly, very good to kiss.

“Feifei is so good.”

Le Qingfei’s eyes lit up, “Am I very good right now too? What are you going to send me?”

Every time Fu Li said he was good, he would send him gifts. Uncontrollably, Le Qingfei began to look forward to Fu Li praising him.

But he didn’t expect either that the gift Fu Li sent him this time was not diamonds, bracelets, or bags, but instead——

Fu Li: “Welcome home.”

Le Qingfei stared blankly at the architecture before him—a Mediterranean-style seaside villa, the carved wooden door pasted with the spring couplets he wrote a few days ago. It looked very strange, yet Le Qingfei liked it very much.

This time, without needing Fu Li to give him a light push behind his back, Le Qingfei ran inside by himself.

The four-story villa was even larger than his uncle and aunt’s house, and also Fu Li’s maternal grandfather’s house; if he hadn’t missed the Tuscany study tour activity, he probably would have seen such a beautiful villa there, or Barcelona and Santorini.

A helper pushed open the back door leading toward the villa for him.

The courtyard was deep, unable to see the end. The eyes full of dark green were clearly distinctly different from the sky of the blue hour, yet as if melting into one entity.

Before he launched a question, Fu Li drew close, saying: “Yes, all of it is.”

Le Qingfei took a deep breath, standing on tiptoe to point at the distant lake, “Is that lake it too?”

Fu Li nodded, subsequently holding his hand, walking through a forest of wintersweet whose flowering phase was about to end and whose fragrance was at its thickest, descending to the seaside along the winding stone steps that allowed two people to walk side-by-side.

The sea surface spread open into a right-arc shape, like a gentle crescent moon at the edge of the sky. The snow-white waves crashed against the sand beach; his and Fu Li’s manor was right upon Half Moon Bay.

Le Qingfei’s mouth was slightly open, watching the great sea lying beneath his feet—mysterious and massive, at this moment instead waiting for his arrival.

Perhaps a bit conceited, but Le Qingfei just felt the great sea was waiting for him.

“The crabs of this entire stretch of sand beach all belong to Feifei.” Fu Li said.

Le Qingfei looked blankly toward him, “What?”

Fu Li stuffed both hands into his pockets, “Private sea area. Waiting until summer, Feifei can catch crabs here.”

Le Qingfei’s heart gave a skip, both hands squeezing before his chest, “I like catching crabs very much, belong to me alone?”

Fu Li smile: “That’s right, because the manor’s master is Le Qingfei.”

“Master?”

The words of Le Qingfei’s counter-question had just left his mouth when that ship stopping upon the sea surface ignited fireworks; the sky full of fireworks boomed and bloomed.

Looking up, the sky seemed to be rolling with colored snow. The quiet deep blue sky was a kaleidoscope even larger than Fu Li’s lenses and his eyes. Fireworks like a dream, like snow, like rain, falling into the sea surface.

Le Qingfei stood on the spot, not snapping back to his senses until Fu Li encircled and hugged him from behind.

“This, is the fireworks’ master me too?”

“Yes,” Fu Li tightened his arms, hugging him tightly in his embrace, “The master of the fireworks, the great sea, and the manor is all Le Qingfei.”

Le Qingfei turned his head to look at Fu Li, as if bewildered, and also as if confirming.

Fu Li: “Written with your name, this manor.”

Le Qingfei’s lips parted slightly, taking a good while before opening his mouth: “Why, see?”

Unbeknownst whether it was a firework veering off course, Le Qingfei saw it in Fu Li’s eyes too.

Fu Li said with a smile: “Because the villa has an attic.”

Le Qingfei was puzzled.

“This way, Feifei won’t have to worry about sleeping in an attic.”

Le Qingfei’s heart tapped and thumped straight, inside his ears even drowning out the sound of fireworks blooming. How could it be so fast?

Fu Li, how could he remember so much?

Before his eyes blurred a layer of water mist, unable to see Fu Li’s face clearly, only remembering the body temperature and heartbeat he brought to himself at this moment.

“Fu Li…”

“Don’t say thank you.” Fu Li took the initiative to open his mouth, not wanting Le Qingfei to be too sad, teasing him: “If wanting to thank, Feifei can give me a kiss, this ought to be the best…”

Fu Li’s cheek pressed against a wave of soft touch.