MLROCSHR Chapter 51
by VolareLian Xun was awakened by his phone ringing to find the empty bedroom only contained him.
He suddenly sat up and checked the time; it was already eight in the morning.
He’d confidently declared last night that he would wake up early to take Qi Luzhi to the airport, but he still overslept.
Actually, it wasn’t entirely his fault.
Qi Luzhi, seeing how tired he was last night, wanted him to sleep in, so he deliberately changed his alarm time.
Lian Xun finished washing up and dragged his lazy feet to the living room. His footsteps echoed in the spacious room, and a sense of emptiness inexplicably filled his heart.
Usually at this time, he would see Qi Luzhi preparing a hot breakfast, urging him to come and eat quickly.
Lian Xun sighed.
He’d just grab a Sandwich from downstairs at the company later.
Qi Luzhi should be on the plane now. According to the flight information he sent, he wouldn’t land for another two hours.
Lian Xun wanted to call him but had to resist.
Throughout the morning, Lian Xun was distracted at work, checking his phone every few minutes.
He deeply understood what it meant for time to drag on.
Ten minutes past ten was the scheduled landing time for Qi Luzhi’s flight.
Lian Xun was just about to send Qi Luzhi a message, precisely on time, when he received a message from him first.
[Qi Luzhi: I’ve arrived.]
Lian Xun smiled happily, his fingers flying across the keyboard, sending several messages in a row.
[Lian Xun: I’m relieved you’ve arrived.]
[Lian Xun: Is it cold there?]
[Lian Xun: I miss you so much.]
[Lian Xun: Call me when you’re done.]
[Lian Xun: No, video call me.]
Half a minute later.
[Qi Luzhi: While I’m away, you need to eat well and take care of yourself.]
After a while, Qi Luzhi sent a “Love You” emoticon.
Lian Xun looked at the animated kitten bouncing on the screen, somewhat surprised, and then the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up.
He never realized that Qi Luzhi had such a cute side.
Knowing that Qi Luzhi’s business trip would be busy, Lian Xun only chatted briefly, not wanting to disturb him further.
In the afternoon, Lian Xun attended two meetings in a row. Once he was busy, the time didn’t seem to drag as much, and soon it was time to leave work.
Back home, Lian Xun couldn’t wait to call Qi Luzhi but worried he was still busy. He picked up and put down his phone repeatedly, ultimately sending a message first, asking if Qi Luzhi was done working.
The reply came: [Wait two minutes.]
Soon after, Qi Luzhi initiated a video call.
Judging from his background, he seemed to be on a high-rise rooftop, the surroundings dark, with faint lights of distant buildings visible.
“Where are you?” Lian Xun asked curiously.
“The meeting went on for too long, so I came out for some air,” Qi Luzhi said, moving forward a bit to find a better-lit angle.
Lian Xun noticed the fatigue on his face and was concerned. “Am I bothering you?”
“How could you be?” Qi Luzhi looked at the face filling the screen, full of concern yet still so cute, and the irritation from work instantly dissipated.
“I was afraid you’d miss me too much, so I had to put down work to call you.”
Hearing this, the heartache and worry Lian Xun had just felt vanished instantly.
Alright, he still had the energy to be glib; he seemed to be doing fine.
“Clearly, you’re the one who misses me too much,” Lian Xun retorted, unconvinced.
“Yes, I miss you very much.”
Qi Luzhi’s sudden display of affection caught Lian Xun off guard.
No matter how many times he heard such sweet words, his heart couldn’t help but race.
“It’s cold outside. You should go back in, and call me later when you’re back at the hotel.”
“Okay,” Qi Luzhi raised his wrist and glanced at his Watch. “I’ll call you again in an hour.”
“Okay.”
Lian Xun hung up and took advantage of the time to cook a bowl of noodles, even taking a photo specifically to send to Qi Luzhi, proving that he was eating properly, and then went to take a shower.
By the time he lay in bed, an hour had just passed.
Qi Luzhi called right on time. He had also just finished showering and was drying his wet hair with a towel.
Lian Xun immediately noticed a purplish-red, coin-sized, unidentifiable mark above the exposed collarbones outside his Pajamas.
He jumped up, letting out a sharp cry, “Ah—what’s on your neck?”
Qi Luzhi wouldn’t be cheating on him the first day of his business trip, would he?
And leaving such obvious marks?
That’s just too much!
In just a few seconds, Lian Xun had already imagined a whole drama.
Although he didn’t believe Qi Luzhi was that kind of person, the facts were right in front of him, making him unable to help but overthink.
Qi Luzhi looked down in confusion, unable to suppress a smile. “Didn’t you leave this last night?”
“Did, did I?” Lian Xun suddenly lost his confidence.
“Who else could it be?” Qi Luzhi tossed the towel on the sofa and sat down next to it, his tone laced with a hint of grievance. “You actually think of me that way.”
“…I’m sorry,” Lian Xun apologized softly.
This was the first time they had been separated since they got together, so even though Lian Xun was tired and sleepy last night, he still clung to Qi Luzhi, wanting to be close to him for a little longer.
In the end, his consciousness had long left his body, and he couldn’t even remember what he had done.
Lian Xun carefully examined Qi Luzhi in the screen, thinking, if only he could teleport to his side.
“What are you thinking about?” Qi Luzhi asked, seeing Lian Xun staring blankly.
“Thinking about you.”
Lian Xun changed his position, lying on his side on the bed.
“Aren’t I right here?”
“Still thinking about you.”
Talking through a screen and holding each other in person were still very different.
Qi Luzhi reached out and adjusted his collar, and Lian Xun, with his sharp eyes, noticed a raised red mark on the back of his hand.
“What happened to your hand?” Lian Xun asked.
This time, it was genuine concern.
Qi Luzhi glanced at it, unconcerned. “This? A mosquito bite.”
“There are mosquitoes this season?”
It was just after the new year, and it was freezing cold. Where would mosquitoes come from?
“What, you don’t believe me again?” Qi Luzhi raised his eyebrows.
“No,” Lian Xun sighed softly, “I’m just a little jealous of it.”
“What?” Qi Luzhi was puzzled.
“It gets to kiss you,” Lian Xun said.
Qi Luzhi paused for two seconds, and his gaze towards Lian Xun became increasingly profound, as if wanting to wrap him layer by layer through the screen. “When I get back, I’ll let you kiss me as much as you want.”
“Okay, then come back quickly.”
…
The two chatted for who knows how long, without a specific topic, aimlessly, just talking non-stop. It seemed that doing so could bring a little comfort to their restless longing.
It wasn’t until Lian Xun’s even breathing came through the phone that Qi Luzhi softly said “Goodnight” and then hung up.
The second day of the business trip was still busy from morning till night.
In between work, the two didn’t forget to send messages, sharing their experiences of the day.
Although Qi Luzhi would be back in just one more day, Lian Xun was still restless, wondering if he should buy a plane ticket and fly over to see him.