Sweet Gardenia - Chapter 30

The open-air swimming pool, the glaring sunlight of Jiangcheng… it felt as if it were scorching her.

Before coming here, she had heard about the weather, but she hadn’t anticipated that July would be the hottest season. Even as evening approached, the stifling heat clung to her skin like a steamer, pervasive and suffocating, without even a hint of a breeze.

Especially when he was still… saying things like that.

Whether his questions were good or bad, they felt like mere formalities. Her cheek was pressed against his again, and his voice sounded beside her ear: “Is it hot?”

The sunshade was baked hot, and the sunlight filtering through seemed to intensify the heat. Ripples in the pool overlapped as he moved, wave after wave washing against her wrists, which were braced against the edge of the pool. She squinted, trying to pinpoint the direction of the light, but gave up after a moment. The sound in her throat was fragmented by the ripples: “Yes… it is.”

She instinctively lowered her head, then quickly raised her eyes again. Her earlobes were already as red as they could get, retaining their warmth. She said, “Don’t you think it’s really sunny?”

“I’m not talking about that.”

…

He knew she was afraid of being seen, so whether out of mischief or consideration, he turned to face outward. The beach blurred into a harmonious backdrop in her vision, with tourists and passersby scattered here and there. She gripped the railing tightly, afraid of falling, but her body, in an attempt to overcome fear, secreted even more pleasure to suppress it. She wanted to ask him, “Do you like extreme sports because of this too?” But he didn’t seem like the type to be controlled by hormones.

Some people were taking photos, and occasionally someone would look up toward the top of the city’s tallest hotel. Even though she knew they couldn’t see her, she instinctively shrank back, only to have him grasp her chin.

His sense of control was measured.  She had noticed this early on. It was only now that she noticed the highly transparent glass in front of her, meant to ensure safety. Because it was so clear, from certain angles, it perfectly reflected the scene behind her: the endless expanse of the pool, the shimmering surface of the water.

His wet hair, his well-proportioned chest and abdominal muscles, the rise and fall of his chest.

Noticing her turning her head, he asked in the interval, “What are you hiding from?”

Her voice was muffled, drenched in sweat from the sun or perhaps more than just the sun: “You can see it… this glass.”

“What, the clouds?”

“…”

“What can be seen?” he asked, as if filled with curiosity. “I don’t see anything.”

Lu Zhi looked up, wondering if she was hallucinating. But when she lifted her head, in the faint, hazy reflection in the glass, her eyes met his. The reflective material wasn’t as clear as a mirror, but the blank spaces left more room for imagination. She said irritably, “You’re blind.”

He seemed pleased even after being scolded, as if to prove his eyesight, he kept his gaze fixed on her face until the very end. With her chin held firmly in his grasp, she couldn’t escape. Under his gaze, the thoughts she had just managed to calm began to boil over again layer by layer. Everything was too hot, the light had heated the railing until it was scorching, the water seemed to be continuously warming under the sun, and the warm pool water surged between her legs. Even the cold tiles beneath her palms now carried warmth.

So, it was understandable… that her face was flushed bright red from the sun.

Lu Zhi hesitated: “Stop staring at me…”

His nose lightly brushed against her cheek with the movement as he chuckled and asked, “Do you know what expression you’re making?”

No, no, no… definitely not!

Anyway, it was probably similar to the wallpaper she had accidentally set for him a month ago when she was drunk. Even without him saying a word, she knew exactly what he was thinking.

He seemed lost in thought. “So this is what it looks like in motion.”

Lu Zhi retorted, “You’re so annoying. Did you change the wallpaper?”

“No. It’s my personal phone.  Who’s going to see it?”

“…”

The sunlight finally faded completely as dusk fell.

Just as evening took over, a heavy rain began to pour. Lu Zhi lay to the side, watching him finish draining the pool, and only then did she grumble her way inside to take a shower.

By the time she dawdled for an hour or two and came out, he had already showered in another room and was fast asleep on the bed.

He seemed really busy.

But if he was so busy, why did he even come here?

Lu Zhi knelt in the middle of the bed, unaware that she had been staring at him for a long time. She reached out, inexplicably tempted to pinch his cheek just as he had done earlier. But in an instant, he pulled her hard, and she lost her balance, tumbling onto him with a thud.

He didn’t say a word.  Whether out of reflex or because he was awake, she couldn’t tell.

Pressed against his chest, Lu Zhi could clearly hear the steady, strong, and rhythmic beat of his heart. It didn’t falter or quicken because of her closeness.

She recalled reading somewhere that some people were naturally like this, emotionally stable, difficult to sway by external factors, and unaffected by others. Similarly, they found it hard to love.

But why was she even thinking about that? She didn’t need him to love her.

A life without the need for love was easier.  She had learned that lesson long ago. If you sought to be loved, you’d end up anxious, enduring disappointment, loss, and endless waiting. Little Lu Zhi at ten years old had already experienced it all for her, so she didn’t need to go through it again.

Snapping back to reality, Lu Zhi propped herself up and sat back, saying, “You sleep. I’ll head over first.”

“Where to?”

“The study.”

“…”

Dinner was reserved at a French restaurant overlooking the river.

The night view was stunning. Boats adorned with glittering lights drifted back and forth, while the skyscrapers along the banks formed a seamless skyline, their lights harmoniously shifting and reflecting on the water’s surface like an inverted mirage.

She declined the waiter’s offer to pour wine, leaving her glass empty. Her fingertips idly played with a dried flower as she gazed absently for a while until he asked, “Not used to the food?”

Puzzled, she glanced down at her plate. “We haven’t even started eating yet.”

He closed the menu, its black textured leather cover reflecting a grainy pattern. Fu Yanshang looked at her, sensing something. “Why have you suddenly turned cold?”

“…”

Lu Zhi guiltily rubbed the top of her head. “Have I?”

She shook her head, deflecting the question. “No, you’re just being too sensitive.”

“…”

She just felt that having clear boundaries between them might be better.

That afternoon, his sudden appearance had caught her off guard.  She had overstepped.

The decision didn’t affect her appetite, though. The dishes at the restaurant were quite good. She swapped the red wine for grape juice and praised everything from the appetizers to the dessert.

A post-dinner stroll would have been ideal, but the streets of Jiangcheng were unbearably hot. No one had the patience to walk under a scorching 40-degree sun, so browsing inside the mall seemed like a better option.

As the elevator descended to the first floor, he reached out his hand.

Lu Zhi paused. “Huh?”

“What’s wrong?” he said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “We’re married… can’t I hold your hand?”

“Oh.”

She felt at a disadvantage, already labeled as cold, so she obediently let him take her hand. The first floor was always crowded; it was probably just to avoid getting separated.

She forced herself not to focus on the sensation transmitted through his palm, because it felt so strange. It wasn’t as if she’d never held hands before.  Back in elementary school, during ballroom dance lessons, she’d held hands then too.

Back then, it was the person across from her who blushed.

She used to be so talkative at times like this, but tonight she was unusually quiet, like a record player that couldn’t produce sound. Fu Yanshang noticed her unusual behavior and fell silent as well.

Soon, she wanted to try the AR roller coaster nearby. While waiting for people to take their seats, she grew bored and absentmindedly unfastened her seatbelt. He stood by, waiting for her to call out to him as she usually did, but she didn’t. Instead, she tilted her head and summoned a staff member.

Compared to a real roller coaster, the VR version was much milder, offering little beyond visual impact, just the seat swaying back and forth. When she got off, she still didn’t feel satisfied, crumpling her milk tea cup with a soft rustle. She overheard two girls walking by, chatting excitedly.

“I suspect he’s fallen for someone else, seriously. We’ve only been married six months, and he didn’t say a word during dinner tonight. I had to ask to hold hands. What’s next? Should I suggest positions for sex too?”

Lu Zhi: “…For a moment, she felt a subtle sense of recognition, though she couldn’t pinpoint why. It wasn’t as if they were talking about her.

Just as she looked up and caught Fu Yanshang’s expression, she paused and asked, “Why are you making that face?”

He replied flatly, “We sensitive types are used to this expression.”

“…”

“Why are you still holding onto that?” she muttered. “Just assume I have something on my mind, okay?”

As she lifted her head, she spotted the target store and changed the subject: “I want to go buy some clothes. Will you help me pick?”

At the end of her gaze was a Victoria’s Secret store, a physical location in the mall. The mannequin at the entrance wore the season’s bestselling butterfly-strap lingerie.

Clearly, her words had diverted his attention: “…Out of underwear?”

“Well, it’s inconvenient to wash them while traveling, and I don’t have extras,” she said. “Haven’t you seen those challenges online? Where influencers have their husbands go into the store and pick out whatever they like.  Apparently, men are in a great mood after shopping like that. Opportunity knocks but once, are you coming or not? If not, I’ll just choose myself.”

“Whatever,” he said. “But if I pick them, you have to wear them.”

She stated upfront: “I won’t wear anything I don’t like.”

“I won’t buy anything you don’t like.”

…

Anyway, she needed to buy some tonight, and if it could briefly steer the conversation away, that was fine. Lu Zhi breathed a sigh of relief.

She had watched Victoria’s Secret fashion shows before, browsed their online store, and even seen videos where the contents were appropriately blurred.

So, she had thought of it as just a regular lingerie store, maybe with more straps, everything sold in sets… that’s all.

By the third minute inside the store, she realized just how wrong she had been.

This was only slightly more restrained than the outfits from the adult-themed flying chess Li Siyi had given her… just a little.

For example, this blue one… the entire upper half is made of lace, completely sheer and transparent. Can this even be called a nightgown? Can you actually sleep in this? Wouldn’t you have to wear another layer underneath?

And this one… it’s completely backless, so why even bother with the ribbon design? At this point, you might as well skip the underwear altogether. She thought it was completely unnecessary.

Fu Yanshang held up one piece: “This one?”

Her heart leaped with joy: “Don’t like it.”

He hummed in acknowledgment, as if he wasn’t surprised.

But… as Lu Zhi’s gaze swept over the collection, setting aside the sexiness, many of the styles were quite beautiful, objectively speaking.

Yet, for some reason, Fu Yanshang always managed to pick the least suitable one from the prettiest batch, and she, seizing the opportunity, happily rejected it.

Just like that, he pointed out nine sets in a row, and not a single one made the cut.

Lu Zhi picked two basic pieces and slipped into the fitting room, taking the chance to call Li Siyi.

Li Siyi was full of regret: “What was he thinking? Picking all the ones you don’t like. If I were him, I’d have picked at least twenty sets. So what if they cost four digits each? Money can’t buy happiness!”

Lu Zhi: “Whose side are you on?”

“Sorry, I’m not on anyone’s side. With your figure, you’d look absolutely stunning in Victoria’s Secret. If I were a man, I’d be drooling. Is he not a man?!”

Lu Zhi: “He missed his chance, and I’ll mourn that loss for him.”

“But maybe he sees it as something trivial. Maybe he doesn’t care.”

“Then I’d be worried about your future life.”

“…”

After trying them on, Lu Zhi pulled back the curtain. The sales assistant greeted her with a beaming, enthusiastic smile: “Would you like these two as well?”

“No need,” Lu Zhi waved her hand, “They don’t fit quite right.”

“Alright, please wait a moment. We’ll pack everything up for you once the receipt is printed.”

Lu Zhi instinctively said “okay,” then paused and tilted her head: “What… receipt? I don’t want these two.”

“Yes, your husband placed the order before checking out.”

For a moment, Lu Zhi stood frozen in place, the only sound in her ears the faint whirring of the printer. After a long pause, she asked hesitantly, “But didn’t I say I didn’t like those nine pieces?”

“Correct.”

The sales assistant’s face glowed with the gentle satisfaction of a huge sale: “We didn’t take the ones you didn’t like. The remaining 360 pieces have all been packed.”

Lu Zhi: ???
…?????