Chapter 097　 How could this not be considered a good thing

  *

  Thinking about having only one month left to spend together, Li Chengshi felt a pang of sadness looking at every object in the house.

  Su Xian came into the living room in her workout gear to warm up for some weightlifting. Seeing him staring blankly at the refrigerator, she joked, "Are you connected to the fridge via Bluetooth? When you move out, I’ll give you all these kitchen appliances as a gift." After all, she and Zhao Nanfeng would be buying new ones.

  Knowing they only had a month left, he wanted to try his best to be gentle with her. Yet, seeing her so happy, he couldn't help but mock her: "Team Leader, you must be looking forward to your new life, right? Actually, I’m happy for you too. After all, someone as 'perfect' as the Boss is hard to find—well, except for one little thing."

  After speaking, he went back to his room. The smile on Su Xian’s face gradually faded.

  She was relieved he didn't know about her weekend date with Zhao Nanfeng being canceled; otherwise, he would have said something even harsher.

  She worked out for a while, feeling a bit distracted. She nearly dropped a dumbbell on her toe and let out a startled cry.

  Li Chengshi, having changed his clothes, rushed out of his room to support her. "Are you hurt?" he asked nervously.

  "No, it just hit the tip of my shoe. My foot is fine."

  "That’s good... Did what I said just now upset you?"

  "Yeah, you little brat. You really know what I’m afraid of and chose to pick on exactly that!" she said, somewhat annoyed.

  "It’s my fault." He took her hand, balled it into a fist, and tapped his own waist, pretending to gasp in pain. "Eighty years from now, I’ll definitely die from your 'Seven Injuries Fist.'"

  Su Xian pushed him away with a laugh. "Get out of here. Don't be so 'abstract' in front of a middle-aged person."

  "Hmph. When you like me, you call me 'baby,' but when you don't, you say I'm being 'abstract.'" (a mimic some line from the movie Chinese Odyssey)

  Su Xian burst into laughter.

  Seeing her mood improve, he felt relieved. "I’m heading out then. Wait for me to come back and cook dinner tonight."

  "Sure. But where are you going?" He was dressed neatly and carrying a backpack.

  "To look for an apartment. I have to take it seriously this time."

  She nodded. With only one month left, he needed to make arrangements for his new life in advance.

  **

  When he returned home last night, Kuroda had already left. The house was spotless, but Zhao Nanfeng felt an increasing sense of pressure. He wanted to contact her but realized he had forgotten to ask for her phone number, leaving him completely in a passive position.

  He paced around the living room, feeling restless.

  Fortunately, near noon, Kuroda appeared outside his door of her own accord.

  She was in high spirits, bringing premium sushi and the finest sake. Not wanting to embarrass her, Zhao Nanfeng ate and drank with her. They talked for a long time, listening to her recount her adventures in the US. Beautiful and wealthy, she hadn't lacked suitors in high-society circles.

  "その時初めて自分の気持ちがわかった、君だけ思ってる、ずっとね。（That was the first time I realized my own feelings. I was only thinking of you, the whole time.）"

  Seeing Zhao Nanfeng’s troubled expression, she gave a thin smile. "安心してください。あなたを困らせるつもりはないの。ただ……この二日だけ、ここにいさせて。貯めこんだ思いを全部話したら、私は消えるよ。あの時みたいに、逃げるように。(Please don't worry. I don't intend to trouble you. Just... let me stay here with you for these two days. Once I've spoken all these bottled-up feelings, I’ll disappear. Just like last time—fleeing."

  The look in her eyes evoked pity, and Zhao Nanfeng simply couldn't refuse. "いいよ。（Alright.）"

  "ありがとう。君はいつも優しいね。（Thank you. You’re always so kind.）"

  *

  Kuroda stood up and took a jar of ointment from her bag, saying it was a special scar-removing cream she brought back from the US. She had always felt guilty because Zhao Nanfeng was stabbed by Suzuki Shinya’s thugs on her account, and she brooded over not staying to care for him. "今できるのはこれだけ。（This is all I can do now.）" She took his hand and led him to the bedroom, making him sit on the edge of the bed. Kneeling before him, she gently unbuttoned his shirt and touched the scar tenderly. She looked up at him, filled with apology. "ごめんなさい。（I'm sorry.）"

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  "気にしなくていい。(Don't worry about it.)" He wasn't just being tough; he had never blamed her for it. Besides, the fact that she had risked coming to the hospital to see him back then still moved him. She definitely loved him sincerely, and he didn't necessarily dislike her either. It was just that societal rules required one to love only one person at a time—that was the fault of the rules.

  The ointment gave off a mild herbal scent, stirring the emotions.

  Zhao Nanfeng didn't care about the scar at all, but he loved her touching him like this. He gently lifted her chin and looked at her, his eyes filled with desire.

  **

  Architectural design spans both technical and artistic fields, making architects some of the people in the world who need to study the most.

  Around 2:00 PM, Su Xian stepped out of her study to relax her mind and move her body. The weather outside was nice, so she decided to go for a drive.

  Somehow, she found herself near Suitengu.

  Of course, it wasn't "somehow"; she just didn't want to admit the unease in her heart.

  What 'urgent business' could Zhao Nanfeng possibly have?

  Li Chengshi’s mockery echoed repeatedly in her mind.

  She drove to the parking lot he usually used and immediately saw the company car marked with "Towa Design" parked there.

  He’s at home. Her heart sank.

  *

  During the period when they worked in Suitengu, Zhao Nanfeng had given her a key. Later, she forgot to return it, and he never thought to ask for it back.

  Su Xian stood outside the door holding the key, hesitating for two or three minutes before finally inserting it into the lock. With a click, she turned the door open.

  The entrance was a spacious foyer. Her heart sank once more because there stood a pair of golden zori (sandals) typically worn by Japanese women with formal kimonos. Hanging on the wall rack was an elegant Japanese overcoat, a "douchugi."

  Rounding the L-shaped foyer wall into the living room, the sounds of a man and a woman having sex reached her ears.

  *

  In that instant, all the anxiety, worry, and fear she had felt along the way suddenly vanished. This was likely because, from the very beginning, she had never been able to fully trust him and had always maintained a certain guard. At this moment, with the nightmare becoming a reality, the uncertainty disappeared, and her mind actually became certain.

  How could this not be considered a good thing?

  It was much better than being with him for two or three months, becoming completely devoted, and then discovering such a thing, wasn't it?

  Now, it was simply a case of accidentally having a "shallow crush" on him once again.

  *

  She walked softly over and sat on the living room sofa, facing the door of his room. This way, when Zhao Nanfeng walked out, she could fully appreciate the expression on his face.

  Looking around, she saw a large oil painting on the opposite wall, signed by Zhao Nanfeng. He didn't paint in oils often and wasn't particularly good at it, but after a few glances, Su Xian recognized the woman in the painting was herself. It was her silhouette from the back, holding an iron rod to block the three thugs when they attacked the company. Perhaps because of this, Zhao Nanfeng had fallen in love with her again.

  Looking closer at the dried flowers on the side table, they were the ones she bought on his birthday. Among them was a large sunflower, a seasonal bloom for July and August. At the birthday party Su Xian had meticulously prepared for him eight years ago, there had been a massive bouquet of sunflowers.

  Zhao Nanfeng, you're actually quite the romantic, aren't you?

  **