Be Passionately In Love

Inside the room, the TV was on, playing a variety show.

The two sat on the sofa, one in front of the other. Chen Luzhou had his legs spread open, encircling her in his embrace, his chin resting on her shoulder as he watched her methodically and excitedly unwrap red envelopes.

The air conditioning was on, so both had taken off their jackets, wearing only thin sweaters in matching colors—one in black skinny jeans, the other in loose sweatpants—sitting there neatly like Russian nesting dolls.

Xu Zhi pulled out a stack of crisp red bills from the envelope, counting them with practiced ease. After finishing, she turned her head slightly to look at Chen Luzhou, who was leaning on her shoulder, her expression a mix of envy and amusement. "So much? My dad and Uncle Cai never gave me this much before. Chen Luzhou, feeling pretty good, huh?"

With his chin still on her shoulder, Chen Luzhou lazily curled his lips and replied sensibly, "What’s there for me to feel good about? Did this money even pass through my hands?"

Satisfied, Xu Zhi stuffed the cash back into the envelope. "Smart answer. You’re definitely boyfriend material."

"Easy enough," he said with an absent-minded smile.

Xu Zhi glanced back at him and noticed his cold gaze fixed on the last red envelope on the coffee table.

She hadn’t planned to open this one—after all, it was from his father—and was about to get up for a drink of water. But Chen Luzhou didn’t budge, not letting her leave. His legs remained spread, elbows resting on his thighs, his hands loosely encircling her waist, long and clean fingers lightly intertwined. His index fingers tapped slightly as he tilted his chin up. "Go ahead. I know you want to see."

Xu Zhi picked up the envelope from the table. Though curious, she double-checked with him, "Are you sure?"

Chen Luzhou chuckled. "Why not? Do we have secrets between us?"

Xu Zhi laughed, leaning back until her head rested against his neck. She turned and kissed his cheek, then raised the thin red envelope high, flicking it with her fingers. "Then I’m opening it. My boyfriend said I could."

Chen Luzhou also bent down to kiss her ear, grinning. "Go ahead. You’ve already taken apart your boyfriend—what’s stopping you from opening his red envelope?"

Xu Zhi peeled open the flap, her heart inexplicably racing, utterly curious about what Uncle Fu had given. When she pulled out the two slips inside, she stared at Chen Luzhou in confusion. "What’s this? Why would he give you these?"

Two tickets to a boxing gym?

"Did you expect something else?" Chen Luzhou remained unfazed, shifting his gaze from the tickets to her face. The way she’d carefully opened the envelope told him exactly what she’d been thinking—afraid of tearing it. Leaning close to her ear, he teased knowingly, "A check? You little money-grubber."

Xu Zhi sighed, putting the envelope back, then turned to cup his face and pinch his cheeks. "Well, he should at least show some sincerity. After neglecting you for so many years, giving money would’ve been letting him off too easy."

"Was he good to you?"

"Pretty good. Uncle Fu treated me well. I really liked playing with him as a kid because he was so witty. So when my dad told me, I couldn’t believe Uncle Fu used to be such a scumbag."

"A reformed playboy? Yeah, I don’t buy it." Chen Luzhou scoffed coldly, tossing the envelope into a nearby drawer.

"Did you already open it before?"Chen Luzhou hummed in response, leaning back against the sofa and pulling her into his embrace. One arm wrapped around her waist while his other hand gently stroked her back. "I already took his down at the hospital," he said.

Xu Zhi settled onto his lap, her arms looping around his neck. The tingling sensation from his touch along her spine made her giggle, burying her face against his shoulder with a soft, ticklish murmur. "Chen Luzhou, you're getting more and more shameless at this."

He remained silent, feigning innocence, but his hands grew bolder, slipping beneath her shirt to trace idle circles against her smooth back. With deliberate, teasing movements, his fingers traced up her spine in a slow, tantalizing dance—utterly absurd yet executed with such nonchalance. His voice, however, stayed composed and analytical, as if detached from his roving hands. "Why do you think he gave us two tickets?"

Xu Zhi was thoroughly distracted by his touch, but the instigator himself seemed unperturbed, his expression serene save for those mischievous fingers. She thought to herself that beneath Chen Luzhou's proper exterior, he was nothing but a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Unable to resist, she leaned down to nip at his lips, sucking gently from his lower to upper lip before sliding her tongue inside to meet his. "No idea," she mumbled against his mouth.

Chen Luzhou let her kiss him, one hand resting on her waist, occasionally reciprocating but mostly allowing her to lead the messy, uncoordinated exchange while his mind wandered elsewhere.

Great. He'd mastered the art of multitasking too.

Xu Zhi sighed inwardly.

"Chen Luzhou, can you focus?" she chided.

He chuckled, retaliating with a playful pinch at her waist. "Now you're impatient? Remember what you were doing the first time you kissed me? You could set a world record for multitasking. Enough of this—let's head back early? We need to pick your dad up from the hospital tomorrow. Hand me the car keys."

Xu Zhi clung to him like melted glue, one arm still around his neck while the other lazily fished the keys from her pocket and tossed them into his hand. "No wonder Dad gave me the keys when we left. Did he ask you to pick him up?"

"Yeah. I'll handle the discharge paperwork at seven. Director Wei's probably on night shift today, and Wei Lin's about to start school. Your dad didn't want to trouble her."

"Why didn't Dad tell me? I thought he was being discharged this afternoon."During Xu Guangji's hospital stay, the two of them took care of all three daily meals. Breakfast was mostly delivered by Chen Luzhou. After a few deliveries, Old Xu caught on and asked if Xu Zhi was still sleeping. Chen Luzhou replied with an "Mm," adding that she'd been working hard at school and had finally adjusted her sleep schedule, so he didn't wake her. Old Xu casually inquired about Xu Zhi's life at school, and Chen Luzhou answered truthfully. Hearing this, Old Xu sighed, saying the girl took after her mother with her strong-willed personality. Yet he was also comforted—at least she had such a caring boyfriend. The thought that such an outstanding young man was also Old Fu's son doubled his joy. He'd long coveted Old Fu's mountain villa. Treating Chen Luzhou as a son-in-law in all but name, the two men shared an unspoken understanding when it came to spoiling Xu Zhi. So if Old Xu needed anything in the morning, he'd call Chen Luzhou directly—though this happened rarely, as Old Xu couldn't bear to keep bothering him.

These were things neither man would ever tell her.

"Probably forgot," Chen Luzhou said. "He doesn't have much stuff. I'll go pick him up."

Xu Zhi could somewhat sense that her father and Chen Luzhou had reached some kind of united front in certain matters. She tightened her arms around his neck, playing the smug card: "My boyfriend's so utterly bewitched by me."

Chen Luzhou thought for a moment, then poked her forehead with a laugh. "Ever considered the possibility that I'm actually bewitched by your dad?"

Xu Zhi burst out laughing. "Chen Luzhou, don't be gross."

"Seriously though, I really like Old Xu," he said, resting an arm on the sofa back. His smile bloomed like peach blossoms, carrying an inexplicable roguish charm—as if he could play both the scoundrel and the gentleman. "How about this—I'll lay my cards on the table. You love me, I love Old Xu, Old Xu loves you. We'll maintain perfect equilibrium."

Xu Zhi punched him. "...Are you an idiot?"

"Not as much as you."

"You're the idiot."

"You're the biggest idiot."

Xu Zhi clicked her tongue. "Are we really doing this?"

Chen Luzhou stood up with a laugh. "Enough joking. Let's get you home. Your dad's known you've been staying at my place these past few days."

Xu Zhi sprang up in shock, hurriedly straightening her clothes. "How would he know?"

Chen Luzhou bent to pick up the remote from the coffee table, turned off the TV, and tossed it onto the sofa. Looping an arm around her neck, he pulled her close as they headed out. "Told you you're dumb. Your dad calls your landline every night to check if you're home and what time you got back. Ever picked up?"

Xu Zhi: "..."

Oh no! How could I forget that!

Returning home with nerves wound tight, Xu Zhi felt like she was carrying a live grenade—unsure when it might explode. She debated whether to call Old Xu first to report that she was definitely, absolutely not spending the night at Chen Luzhou's place.

As she agonized over this, the landline rang with the urgency of a fire alarm—

The piercing sound throbbed at her temples. Xu Zhi rushed to the sofa, threw her head back with a "que sera sera" expression, cleared her throat, and sat up straight—

"Dad! I was just doing homework!"

A long silence followed, until finally, a familiar low chuckle came through the line.

Realization dawned instantly. "CHEN LUZHOU, YOU ASS!!"Over there, the laughter was barely contained. He was probably still standing downstairs, and Xu Zhi could easily picture him shaking with mirth, shoulders trembling, as if he'd completely shed any pretense of dignity. "I still prefer it when you call me 'brother.' 'Dad' is too much for me to handle. And honestly, you're really clueless. Bye."

Xu Zhi: "..."

When have I ever called him 'brother'?

Oh, right. In bed.

Meanwhile, at the hospital.

"Why did you give him boxing tickets?" Old Xu peeled an orange, puzzled, and popped a segment into his mouth.

Fu Yuqing sat by the hospital bed, uncharacteristically fidgeting. He reached out to take a segment from Old Xu's hand, only to have his wrist slapped away. With a disgruntled look, Fu Yuqing withdrew his hand. "No particular reason. I figured he probably has nothing to say to me anyway. Maybe punching something a couple of times will help him cool off."

Xu Guangji snorted. "Don’t underestimate that kid. He’s strong. Xu Zhi says he plays basketball every day—really fit."

Fu Yuqing sighed. "That’s why I gave him two tickets. If Xu Zhi goes with him, he’ll hold back a little. I’m getting old now—can’t take too many hits."

Xu Guangji leisurely ate another segment. "I bet he won’t even bother with you."

Fu Yuqing said with certainty, "No, he’ll definitely bring Xu Zhi along."