CH 13

Chapter 013 Hard-Mouthed, Soft-Hearted

Xu Xizhou blushed, and quickly snatched his underwear from under the toothbrush handle and hid it behind him.

Just when he thought the atmosphere couldn’t get any worse, Zhuang Jingchun suddenly raised the corner of his mouth and approached him.

“What dream did you have last night? Hmm.”

The last hmm had an airy sound. As if he had been bitten by ants, Xu Xizhou felt his face hot and itchy with a tiny trail of smoke.

“I dreamed of you, okay!”

He said this completely in the manner of smashing the broken jar[1]. Anyway, since he had a hard time, Zhuang Jingchun shouldn’t think that he would have it easy.

Zhuang Jingchun paused mid-turn. Holding the toothbrush in his hand, he frowned slightly, looking at Xu Xizhou with interest.

“I didn’t expect…you’d be this infatuated with me.”

He knew this guy would take the opportunity to taunt him again. Xu Xizhou rolled his eyes, “Yes, yes, I love you to death and I can’t extricate myself from this feeling. Your charm is the greatest in the world, right?”

Zhuang Jingchun smiled, feeling inexplicably happy, and headed back to the bathroom to continue brushing his teeth.

During his stay in Lyon, Xu Xizhou not only visited the factory every day but also did physical training in the gym. He is well aware that he must regain the fitness necessary to be a racer as soon as possible to be ready for next month’s winter test.

When he came back from the gym every day, his muscles were aching to death, and he fell asleep almost as soon as his head touched the pillow. On the contrary, it avoided the discomfort of getting along with Zhuang Jingchun.

The days passed by like a stream of water, and the Spring Festival was just around the corner. Xu Xizhou came back from the gym that day and received a call from Xu Mei.

“Xiaozhou, your grandparents are here. They are all talking about seeing you. I know you are out of the country and it will be Chinese New Year’s Eve soon. Anyway, go home and stay for a few days.”

Xu Xizhou clutched his phone, not knowing how to answer for a while. When he was a child, he stayed with his grandparents for a few years and they loved him very much. In the past two years, his grandfather had several operations and kept talking about him when he was sick. Even if he was not their biological grandson, emotionally and logically, he still had to visit them.

During dinner, he mentioned this to Zhuang Jingchun.

Zhuang Jingchun took a sip of the clam soup in the bowl, looking a little hesitant.

“My dad originally planned to take you to Paris for the Spring Festival. My mother will come too.”

After listening to him, Xu Xizhou suddenly felt a bit guilty.

“Sorry, I can’t accompany uncle and aunt here. I will find a way to make up for it later. I plan to buy a ticket to return home the day after tomorrow.”

“Do you want to go back alone?”

“Otherwise?” Xu Xizhou shrugged and laughed at himself, “I don’t have any other relatives.”

Zhuang Jingchun seemed to want to say something, but he frowned and swallowed the words back.

Two days later, Xu Xizhou flew back to China. Zhuang Jingchun didn’t see him off, but he bought a bunch of gifts and asked him to consign them and bring them back.

“If my dad knew that you bought these ties and cufflinks, he would probably throw them out directly.”

“Let him throw it if he wants, consider it as an apology.”

Xu Xizhou smiled and looked at the clouds outside the porthole.

“I’ll pay you back for these gifts when the team pays the salary.”

“Your salary may not be enough.”

“You just have to hit me down, don’t you?” Xu Xizhou saw the smiling stewardess approaching, and his voice immediately became quieter, “It’s about to take off, let’s not talk about it, bye bye.”

Zhuang Jingchun looked at the end of the call page on his mobile phone. After staring for a few seconds, he then remembered that he still had a document that he hadn’t signed, and he returned to work again.

In the evening, when he got home, the first thing he did when he entered the bedroom was to glance at the floor. When he didn’t see the furry black hair at first, he felt a little unaccustomed.

He pressed his temple, sat on the sofa chair, and looked at the night scene outside the window. That guy returned to China alone, facing the large group of the Lu family, he didn’t know if he would suffer.…

When the plane landed, it was already late at night in China.

Xu Xizhou dragged two large suitcases and a backpack and walked slowly to the exit. Xu Mei said that uncle Zhang would come to pick him up, but he didn’t expect to see an unexpected person.

“Uncle Zhang.” Xu Xizhou smiled at the driver holding the sign. His gaze fell on the young man in a white down jacket beside him, his face a little stiff.

He really didn’t think that Lu Rong would also come to pick him up.

The driver immediately took the suitcase in his hand. Lu Rong also stepped forward with a smile on his face.

“Xiaozhou, let me take your bag for you.”

“No need, this bag is not heavy. I can carry it myself.” Xu Xizhou met his gaze and unconsciously pulled the strap of his backpack.

He felt from the bottom of his heart that Lu Rong’s changes were really getting bigger and bigger. The country bumpkin who walked timidly into the door of the Lu family has long since disappeared. Lu Rong, who stood in front of him, was dressed in expensive clothes, and his gestures have become more and more like those of a wealthy young master.

“I thought you wouldn’t return home alone.”

Lu Rong suddenly spoke to break the silence in the car.

Xu Xizhou smiled awkwardly, “He is busy with work, and his family is spending the New Year abroad. Of course, they will not return to China.”

“I saw the news that you have signed with the F2 team. Congratulations.”

A street light flashed in from outside the window, and Xu Xizhou looked at the face on the opposite side, unable to tell whether he was sincere or false for a while.

But there are more important things that worry him right now. Seeing that he was getting closer and closer to Lu’s house, his expression became more and more nervous.

He hadn’t forgotten that the last time he left Lu’s house, he had a lot of trouble with Lu Feng. If he walks in later, he won’t be kicked out by Lu Feng directly, right?

Lu Rong seemed to see what he was thinking and smiled softly.

“Don’t worry, with grandparents here, Dad won’t lose his temper.”

After returning to the Lu family’s house, he saw that Lu Feng really didn’t say anything, but snorted coldly and headed straight to the study.

Xu Xizhou went to the room to talk to the two elderlies. Grandpa was getting old and was sitting in a wheelchair. He reached out and patted him tremblingly.

“You still know to come home to see me this old man, you little heartless!”

A sad expression adorned Grandma’s face as she secretly wiped away her tears.

“Xiaozhou, why do you bother to leave the Lu family? Even if you are not your biological grandson, you are also the grandson we have raised for so many years. This relationship can’t be changed so easily.”

Xu Xizhou held his grandma’s hand and took out the gift from the backpack with his other hand.

“Grandpa and grandma, don’t worry, I will always be your grandson, but now that I am an adult, it’s time for me to be independent. I can’t always stay at home. I promise I will visit you often in the future.”

“You have to keep your word.”

“Don’t worry, Grandma. Next time I will bring the trophy to see you.”

After coaxing the two elderly to sleep, Xu Xizhou gently closed the door and left the room.

As soon as he turned around, he found Lu Rong standing on the other side of the corridor.

“The bed in your room has been made up. It’s still your original room.”

“Thank you.”

Xu Xizhou was already very tired and just wanted to rest. He was about to pass by Lu Rong’s side when he heard the boy’s voice again.

“Do you know who will come tomorrow?”

Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve, the day of the family reunion. It’s not surprising that the Lu family has several relatives. Xu Xizhou wondered why Lu Rong had to tell him about this kind of thing.

“My adoptive father and adoptive mother.”

Xu Xizhou didn’t expect this answer at all. His head was blank for a few seconds, and he quickly thought that Lu Rong’s adoptive father and adoptive mother were the ones who picked him up in the wild and deliberately changed him with Lu Rong in the hospital because he was sick and they didn’t want to treat him.

It was the adoptive parents of Lu Rong who raised him for 18 years and nurtured him to become the village’s only college student. Although the exchange of the two children was obviously very inappropriate and they were suspected of committing crimes, Lu Feng and his wife did not sue the couple. Instead, they generously invited them to celebrate the New Year.

Xu Xizhou curled his lips, “So, you should be very happy, right?”

Lu Rong shook his head. In the quiet corridor, his handsome face was tinged with sarcasm. It was as if the flawless mask had been taken off, revealing an ugly crack.

“Actually, I hope they never appear in front of me.”

Xu Xizhou looked at him in surprise, “You… are you not afraid that I will tell these to others?”

“You won’t,” Lu Rong said lightly as he smiled and walked past him, “because…you are the same kind of person as me.”

This was probably the most difficult New Year for Xu Xizhou.

Early the next morning, Lu Rong’s adoptive father and adoptive mother came, carrying two large bags of local specialties. Seeing the simple smiles and reserved expressions on their faces, Xu Xizhou really couldn’t resent them. In any case, they were the ones who picked him up in the wilderness and saved him from death.

During New Year’s Eve dinner, Xu Xizhou ate absentmindedly. After playing cards with the two elderlies for a while, he went back to the bedroom.

The children who lived in the villa next door set off fireworks in the open space. Sitting at the bay window, watching the fireworks blooming in the night sky, he suddenly felt very lonely.

This was not his home, nor did it belong to his relatives. He was sitting here, obviously an outsider, but he still had to force a smile.

When he looked out the window in a trance, the phone on the bedside table suddenly vibrated.

He picked it up and saw that it was actually a message from Zhuang Jingchun.

“Has the gift been sent?”

“It’s sent out, they quite like it, except for my adoptive father.”

“That’s good. Don’t forget your physical training when you return home. Don’t slack off.”

“Got it. By the way, remember to help me say Happy New Year to uncle and aunt.”

“Hmm. I won’t greet your adoptive parents, lest they have a bad year.”

Xu Xizhou laughed lightly. His originally heavy heart became much lighter. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

Lu Rong stood at the door holding a plate of fruit.

“They are all watching the Spring Festival Gala. Why don’t you go down?”

Xu Xizhou shook his head, “You guys watch it, I plan to go to bed early.”

Lu Rong glanced at the mobile phone he was holding in his hand. Xu Xizhou had been listless all day, but now there was a smile in his dark eyes as if he had just finished chatting with someone.

There were some subtle, strange emotions in the depths of his chest that he couldn’t even notice.

“Are you chatting with your boyfriend?”

Xu Xizhou’s face changed slightly, and he looked at him vigilantly.

“Who I chat with doesn’t seem to be your business.”

“I’m just curious. If he really likes you, he should accompany you back to China.”

A dark and unclear emotion was visible in Lu Rong’s long and narrow eyes as he stared at Xu Xizhou closely.

“Are you really dating? Or……”

“My business with him has nothing to do with you, so I have no comment.” Xu Xizhou interrupted him coldly and closed the door with force.

He knew that Lu Rong would never make it easy for him. This guy was bound to use his weakness to threaten him. Because he was such a person in his previous life!

Xu Xizhou had only spent three days at the Lu family’s house and returned to Huayuan on the afternoon of the second day of the Lunar New Year. The nanny and the driver went home for New Year, so he had to clean up the villa himself.

He was someone who had never done any housework before. After mopping the floor all day, he was so tired that he put down the mop, sat on the sofa, and fell asleep.

When he was half asleep, he seemed to hear the sound of a lock being unlocked. The next moment, a tall, slender, and travel-worn figure appeared in front of him.