Solitary Toss of Tenderness

When you gaze at me, I see the whole world from your eyes

On a mid-April night, with the lights turned off, Lu Zizheng found her usual comfortable sleeping position in Jiang Huaixi’s embrace. As she prepared to drift off to sleep, Jiang Huaixi suddenly asked her, “Zizheng, Auntie Lin said she’ll be going to the fields the day after tomorrow to harvest vegetables. She might not have the time to come and cook for us. She asked if we could go over to her place for a meal.”

Lu Zizheng didn’t lift her head, gently nuzzled against Jiang Huaixi’s chest, and replied in a warm tone, “I’ll go along with whatever you decide.”

Jiang Huaixi tousled Lu Zizheng’s hair and chuckled, “When did you become so obedient?”

Lu Zizheng looked up with a slightly furrowed brow, her tone displeased, “It seems like you’ve never really been attentive to your feelings, hmph.”

Jiang Huaixi found it amusing, touched her nose, and quickly changed the subject, “Sure, let’s go over for dinner then. But let’s go a bit early and maybe see if we can help with anything.” Her words were filled with contemplation.

Lu Zizheng looked at Jiang Huaixi’s serious expression and suddenly burst into laughter with a “puchi” sound. She gazed at Jiang Huaixi’s aloof demeanor, as if she was detached from the world, and imagined her wearing a straw hat, rolling up her pants, holding a sickle, and bending over in the fields while “heaving ho” harvesting vegetables. This mental image felt strangely out of place.

Confused, Jiang Huaixi asked, “What are you laughing at?”

Biting her lip, Lu Zizheng couldn’t contain her amusement. Her imagination had taken her to a humorous place. Suddenly, she sat up and began acting out the scene in vivid detail to the still bewildered Jiang Huaixi.

She picked up a pen and a book from the bedside table, holding the book upright on the bed with one hand while gently sliding the pen across it with the other. Clearing her throat in a playful and surprised manner, she said, “Zizheng, come take a look, why can’t I seem to cut these vegetables?”

Jiang Huaixi’s expression froze, looking at Lu Zizheng, and her face turned slightly dark…

Lu Zizheng was caught up in the moment and didn’t notice that she was playing both roles. Clearing her throat, she responded with a warm and gentle voice, “Huaixi, why are you so silly? The blade of the sickle is on the other side. You’re holding it the wrong way. Here, let me show you.”

The sweet voice sounded again, “Oh dear, Zizheng, I cut my hand, it hurts so much.”

Lu Zizheng was about to continue the act, but she saw Jiang Huaixi suddenly sit up as well. With a half-smile that seemed to hold a deeper meaning, Jiang Huaixi unexpectedly stopped Lu Zizheng’s hand that was holding the book. Under Lu Zizheng’s astonished gaze, Jiang Huaixi gently brought Lu Zizheng’s index finger into her mouth, tenderly soothing, “Here, it won’t hurt this way…”

Lu Zizheng’s laughter froze instantly. She suddenly felt a rush of heat throughout her body, her cheeks slowly flushing with a rosy hue. Panicking, she was about to pull her hand away.

However, Jiang Huaixi softly sucked on Lu Zizheng’s index finger, her teeth lightly closing around it, biting with just enough pressure to keep Lu Zizheng from pulling away.

Lu Zizheng’s heart raced in an instant, her breath grew heavy, and a thin layer of sweat formed on her nose. Stammering, she scolded, “Huaixi… What are you doing?”

With a raised eyebrow and a half-smile, Jiang Huaixi replied, “I saw you having so much fun by yourself, so I thought I’d join in.” Slowly, she approached Lu Zizheng, gently capturing her lips. Without realizing it, she pushed Lu Zizheng onto the large bed, their lips intertwining. Amid their entangled kiss, Lu Zizheng heard Jiang Huaixi’s soft laughter, “It’s more enjoyable with two people than alone. Since you’re intrigued, I’ll play along with you.” As Jiang Huaixi spoke, Lu Zizheng sensed her hand gradually moving past her abdomen and further down…

Instinctively, Lu Zizheng hurriedly caught Jiang Huaixi’s hand, her chest heaving dramatically. Struggling to maintain her remaining composure, she gasped, “But my script doesn’t unfold like this…”

Jiang Huaixi raised an eyebrow, her eyes gleaming mischievously, “In the moment, it’s still the director’s call.” Her hand had already begun teasing Lu Zizheng bit by bit, eroding her last shreds of reason. “The director thinks that this scene should unfold like this to make it more exciting. Hmm, are you going to cooperate?”

Lu Zizheng opened her eyes, biting her lip as she gazed at Jiang Huaixi’s eyes, shimmering with moisture and tenderness, like they were filled with contained water. She watched as Jiang Huaixi closed her eyes and tenderly pressed her lips against her, her long lashes fluttering. Gradually, a fond smile curved at the corner of Jiang Huaixi’s lips. Lu Zizheng closed her eyes and responded gently to Jiang Huaixi’s kiss. Slowly releasing Jiang Huaixi’s hands, she instead clasped them around Jiang Huaixi’s neck, silently accepting this spontaneous pre-sleep game that had escalated into something more intense…

The corner of Jiang Huaixi’s lips gently curved into a beautiful arc, accompanied by a soft sigh of tenderness, “That’s being good…”

However, on the morning when the day Jiang Huaixi had mentioned arrived, after they had finished breakfast and were about to leave, Jiang Huaixi suddenly turned to Lu Zizheng and said, “Zizheng, I just received a call last minute. I need to take a car to the nearby city for some business today. Can you go to Auntie Lin’s place by yourself?”

Lu Zizheng was evidently surprised, having not heard Jiang Huaixi mention anything about it before. For a moment, she seemed a bit dazed. However, it was just a brief pause, and the next moment she responded understandingly, “Sure, it’s okay. You go and attend to your matters, I’ll be fine.”

Jiang Huaixi expressed her apologies, saying, “I’m sorry I can’t accompany you. I’ll try my best to come back in the evening and have dinner with you.”

Although Lu Zizheng felt a twinge of disappointment, she still shook her head and considerately replied, “It’s alright, I’ll be fine. Don’t worry, take your time on the road.”

Jiang Huaixi smiled and kissed Lu Zizheng’s forehead, then stood at the door to see her off, “Go to Auntie Lin’s place first. I might take a while to arrive.”

“Okay.” Lu Zizheng softly agreed, giving Jiang Huaixi a lingering glance before turning to leave.

Thus, for the rest of the day, Lu Zizheng truly didn’t see Jiang Huaixi again.

By evening, the sun had set, and the moon was quietly beginning its ascent. Lu Zizheng had already had dinner at Auntie Lin’s house, but there was still no sign of Jiang Huaixi.

Lu Zizheng stood by Auntie Lin’s doorstep, gazing out, unable to help feeling a sense of worry.

Amid her hesitation, Lu Zizheng pulled out her phone, pondering whether she should call Jiang Huaixi to inquire about her return time. She was concerned that it might disturb Jiang Huaixi while she was handling her business. Just as she was caught in this dilemma, Auntie Lin suddenly approached her, looking troubled, and pleaded, “Zizheng, my daughter just called. She said she’s with her child at the wooden boardwalk near the seaside, but she has something urgent to attend to and needs to leave. She wants to leave the child there and have me wait to pick them up. It’s getting late, and the kids haven’t eaten yet. I need to prepare dinner, so could you please help by going over to pick up the child?”

Lu Zizheng paused for a moment, then smiled gently, putting her phone away without hesitation and agreeing, “Sure, Auntie Lin, it’s not a problem. The wooden boardwalk, right?”

Auntie Lin nodded, saying, “Yes, that’s right. Thank you for your help.”

With a light chuckle and a nod, Lu Zizheng began to walk away.

The sun had completely set, and night had fallen. The wind outside was a bit strong, blowing in gusts that made Lu Zizheng shiver involuntarily. She rubbed her nose and walked while thinking. She considered how Jiang Huaixi had left the house in the morning dressed rather lightly. She wondered if she would come back feeling cold and perhaps catch a cold—just when she had recently recovered from one…

She began to hesitate once again, wondering whether she should call Jiang Huaixi to remind her not to catch a chill when she comes back.

Lost in her thoughts and hesitations, she had unconsciously arrived at the wooden boardwalk. The dim and poorly maintained street lamps on either side of the road were better than complete darkness. The surroundings were eerily silent, except for the sound of the wind and the waves. There was no sign of any child in sight.

Lu Zizheng stood at the entrance of the wooden boardwalk, her arms crossed over her chest. The darkness around her made her feel uneasy. A gust of sea breeze blew, causing Lu Zizheng to involuntarily sneeze due to the cold. As she was trying to reassure herself with the thought that “Maybe Auntie Lin’s daughter hasn’t arrived yet,” she suddenly heard a series of rapid footsteps behind her. In the quietness of the night, the sound was strikingly clear, startling Lu Zizheng and causing her to shiver. Out of reflex, she turned around to investigate.

However, just as she turned around, a dark and unknown object covered her eyes, plunging her into a terrifying darkness. Startled, Lu Zizheng screamed instinctively and began flailing her arms and legs. In the midst of her panic, she suddenly heard a familiar light laughter, “Haha, hahaha…”

Lu Zizheng immediately stopped her movements and reached out to remove the object covering her vision. Jiang Huaixi, however, was quicker and helped her take off the item covering her face. She gently draped her coat over Lu Zizheng’s shoulders and then pulled her into an embrace, whispering in her ear with a hint of displeasure, “It’s so chilly out, and you’re coming out in this cold without wearing enough layers. How thoughtless.” Finally, her tone softened, and she teasingly added, “But Zizheng, you’re so easily frightened, your reactions are truly adorable.”

Hearing Jiang Huaixi’s beloved calm and clean voice, feeling the real sensation on her body and the familiar fragrance that reached her nose, Lu Zizheng’s frantic and racing heart gradually began to settle. With the mix of old grievances and new frustration, as Lu Zizheng calmed down, her initial reaction was irritation. She bit Jiang Huaixi’s shoulder lightly but firmly, and with a hint of resentment, she said, “Is scaring me fun? Weren’t you supposed to come back to have dinner with me? You were out the whole day and didn’t even make a single phone call.”

There was a touch of sadness in her tone, which made Jiang Huaixi’s smile curve even more distinctly at the corners of her lips. She brushed her fingers against Lu Zizheng’s face and softly complained, “But you didn’t give me a call either.”

Lu Zizheng bit her lip, hesitated for a moment, and then explained, “I was afraid of disturbing your work.”

Jiang Huaixi chuckled lightly, releasing her hold on Lu Zizheng. She lowered her head, her beautiful ink-like eyes gazing tenderly at Lu Zizheng. She spoke earnestly, “Silly girl, in my heart, nothing matters except you. So, if you miss me or worry about me, or if there’s anything you want to tell me, don’t hesitate or hold back. Just be honest and tell me, alright?” She didn’t want Lu Zizheng to be so cautious around her. Jiang Huaixi wanted Lu Zizheng to be her true and candid self in her presence. Whatever version of Lu Zizheng it was, that was the one she liked the most.

Lu Zizheng gazed up at Jiang Huaixi’s clear, exquisite, and unusually gentle face. She whispered in a daze, “Huaixi…”

Jiang Huaixi understood that Lu Zizheng had taken her words to heart. She blinked knowingly, touched Lu Zizheng’s cheek, took her hand, and turned around with a smile, saying, “Come, let me show you something.”

Unexpectedly, Lu Zizheng pulled her hand back slightly and retreated, saying, “Huaixi, I need to wait here for Auntie Lin’s grandchild.”

Jiang Huaixi turned back, noticing Lu Zizheng’s serious expression, and couldn’t help arching her eyebrows with amusement, “Hmm, well, before we go together, let me tell you a secret. So, actually, I’m the grandchild you’re waiting for. Hello, sister, I’m Jiang Huaixi.”

Lu Zizheng furrowed her brows, not comprehending at first. And by the time she finally understood that she had been fooled by Jiang Huaixi and Auntie Lin working together, Jiang Huaixi had already taken her hand and was leading her forward.

As they stepped onto the second section of the wooden boardwalk, Lu Zizheng saw that the pitch-black path suddenly illuminated as Jiang Huaixi turned back with a radiant smile, snapped her fingers crisply, and in an instant, the lights began to flicker like stars, illuminating Jiang Huaixi’s enchanting and affectionate face.

Then, Lu Zizheng heard Jiang Huaixi let out a sigh, sounding somewhat melancholic as she said, “Even though I feel that celebrating this kind of anniversary is a bit too girly for me and doesn’t really match my style, I think you’re more sentimental, so you might like it. I’ll reluctantly go along with it.”

Jiang Huaixi’s voice suddenly grew softer, and under the warm and dim light, Lu Zizheng faintly noticed an inexplicable, girlish blush on Jiang Huaixi’s usually composed and unaffected face.

With their fingers intertwined, Lu Zizheng moved closer to Jiang Huaixi, leaning against her shoulder. It was only then that she heard Jiang Huaixi’s gentle voice whispering to her, “Zizheng, happy one-month anniversary.”

In that moment, Jiang Huaixi saw Lu Zizheng’s eyes sparkling and shining, more radiant than the stars themselves…