Still Frame Chapter 95
byChapter 95 Standing Before Spring
When Zhang Liuxin arrived at the study, Wen Jin’s video conference had already concluded. He was sitting behind his desk, leaning his forehead on his hand, lost in thought. He looked unusually spaced out. Only when he heard the door open did he lift his head and curve his lips into a smile for Zhang Liuxin.
The self of two years ago, the self of seven years ago, the self who first saw the older brother in white by the window, would never have imagined that one day Wen Jin would smile the instant he saw him.
“Does your head hurt?” Zhang Liuxin began to massage his temples, but Wen Jin grabbed his wrist and pulled him into his arms. Wen Jin said it didn’t hurt, yet he gently furrowed his brow and buried his face in Zhang Liuxin’s neck.
“That book,” Zhang Liuxin glanced at a book on the shelf, thinking he had seen wrong. “Did you bring it back from Bernlin?”
“Sister Hui sent it over. She said to keep it as a memento.”
Zhang Liuxin got up to pull it out. Wen Jin’s expression seemed to become unnatural.
“What’s wrong?”
Zhang Liuxin sat back down on his lap and opened the flyleaf. One look, and he understood, unable to stop himself from laughing.
There were many pencil markings on the flyleaf. The handwriting was clearly Wen Jin’s, consisting of the words Zhang Liuxin had taught him while they were in Bernlin. In the very center was Zhang Liuxin’s name, and a phrase in the Bernlin language: “I love you.”
“Professor Wen, why does it look like you wrote this while zoning out?” Zhang Liuxin asked deliberately.
Wen Jin wrapped his arms around his waist, applying a little force. “I wrote it during meetings. I’ve read this book nine times.”
He would open it when he suffered from insomnia. No matter how many times he read the content, it was a cliché and unoriginal love story. He found it boring, but while his eyes focused on the text, his mind would wander, thinking about Zhang Liuxin during his university days. That was how he managed to read it over and over.
There was also a piece of paper tucked inside the book. Zhang Liuxin had a feeling, and sure enough, when he opened it, it was the note he had left before he departed. He had hastily scrawled “I love you” to express his apology. Now, looking at it, there seemed to be a small water stain.
“Were you secretly crying?” Zhang Liuxin’s fingertip brushed the smudged ink. His tone was light, but the corners of his mouth wouldn’t lift.
“No.”
Zhang Liuxin turned his face to kiss Wen Jin’s eyes, a look of devotion, just like at their wedding, as he received the kiss Wen Jin lowered onto him.
Wen Jin’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, and Zhang Liuxin’s lips felt a little ticklish—“I wasn’t crying. It was rainwater.”
That night, they made love in Wen Jin’s bedroom. Only when Zhang Liuxin was carried onto the bed did he realize that there were no signs of habitation here. Everything was cold and immaculate. He separated his lips slightly from Wen Jin’s and asked, “Don’t you sleep in this room?”
Wen Jin clasped his hand and kissed him, a dense shower of kisses raining down on his body. He paused just long enough to answer, “I couldn’t sleep. I live in your room.”
Zhang Liuxin felt sorry for him again. He might really be the ‘love-struck idiot’ that Jiang You mentioned, always being swayed by a word or two from Wen Jin, or by the subtle vulnerability Wen Jin occasionally revealed, agreeing to all his requests.
Finally, Zhang Liuxin’s involuntary tears slid down his cheek and were pecked away by Wen Jin, who swallowed his whimpers, leaving only the sounds of intimate wetness.
Through blurred vision, Zhang Liuxin still remembered to tilt his head back and ask him in a hoarse voice, “Wen Jin.”
“What did you call me?”
Wen Jin spoke. He was usually silent, but at this moment, his voice was full of deep affection, like a cello, sounding in Zhang Liuxin’s ear. The movements beneath him intensified, and Zhang Liuxin let out a small gasp.
“A-A-Zhuo,” Zhang Liuxin could only cling to his neck, his two long arms trembling in the air with the other man’s fierce movements, his fingertips shaking. “When will you give me my ring?”
Wen Jin didn’t answer him, as if on purpose. Soon, Zhang Liuxin couldn’t speak anymore, only fragmented sounds escaping, until he completely lost consciousness as dawn approached, sleeping in Wen Jin’s embrace on the messy bed.
Wen Jin held him while cleaning up, and finally carried him to the adjacent room. He tucked in the corner of the quilt and watched the owner of this bedroom fall into a deep, sweet sleep. His eyes, nose, and lips were all flushed red. Finally, it felt real. Wen Jin carefully poked his cheek. Zhang Liuxin frowned slightly in his sleep, looking very cute.
“Good night, Liuxin.” Wen Jin closed his eyes, holding him contentedly.
Zhang Liuxin woke up the next afternoon. As his consciousness returned, he realized how absurd the previous night had been. Wen Jin was like a machine, saying nothing, only showering him with overwhelming kisses.
He inevitably had some marks on his body. Wen Jin hadn’t been like this before, but now there was a pink hickey on his neck. Zhang Liuxin felt a little troubled. He went downstairs and saw Wen Jin preparing lunch. When the other man turned around, Zhang Liuxin noticed that the mole beside his Adam’s apple was bitten red. He had to swallow the words he intended to say, and instead lazily curled up nearby to play with the cat, asking Wen Jin when he learned to cook.
“Professor Wen, why do you have measuring cups in the kitchen?”
He had genuinely thought Wen Jin had become a good husband and father, transforming into a handsome, peerless culinary god after two years apart. But when he looked closer, he saw Wen Jin wearing glasses, checking the measurements, meticulously adding salt down to two decimal places. His posture was even more precise than in the university laboratory.
What was finally served on the table was a large bowl of Bernlin-style rice noodles, without chili, topped with a squeeze of lemon juice and mint leaves. It looked very refreshing.
“Try it.”
Wen Jin then went to prepare lunch for Camellia. The cat benefited from Zhang Liuxin’s presence, meowing incessantly as Wen Jin busied himself cutting chicken breast, practically calling him ‘Dad.’
“It’s delicious.” The Bernlin dish Wen Jin made was surprisingly authentic. Zhang Liuxin was already hungry and finished it in one go. Holding a cup of honey water, he clung to Wen Jin like Camellia, watching him make cat food. “You’re so skilled. You’re a good dad, aren’t you, Camellia?”
Wen Jin glanced at him. The phoenix eyes behind the glasses were not sharp; the curve at the corner of his eye was very gentle. “Go rest on the sofa. I’ll heat up your traditional medicine later.”
After drinking the medicine, they took advantage of the good afternoon weather to stroll through the garden at Wenfei Terrace. They stopped by the willow tree. Zhang Liuxin squeezed Wen Jin’s hand. “It’s getting colder now, but when spring comes, this tree will sprout new branches again.”
“Yes, and the lemon tree should bear fruit then too.”
“Shall we pick them together then?”
Liuxin’s eyes were even clearer in the sunlight, like the vibrant lake water unique to spring. Wen Jin suddenly felt that Liuxin truly shouldn’t be associated with cloudy days; he should always stand in spring, bathed in bright sunshine.
“Alright.”
Wen Jin said he would keep him company, and indeed pushed off a lot of work during the day. The two continued working on the puzzle in the puzzle room. Zhang Liuxin was looking for a place to hang it up. Wen Jin said, “There’s an empty spot. I’ll take you to hang it up once it’s finished.”
However, just as the puzzle was nearing completion, the husband’s mind drifted elsewhere. Sitting on the rarely used chaise lounge in the puzzle room, he placed one hand on Zhang Liuxin’s shoulder and pressed lightly downward. Both were wearing loungewear; the soft fabric bunched and compressed. Zhang Liuxin used the hand clinging to his shoulder for leverage and whispered, A-Zhuo, slow down.
Wen Jin hadn’t even taken off his glasses, and a few strands of hair fell over his forehead, making Zhang Liuxin think of the term ‘refined scoundrel.’ Then, Wen Jin’s warm hand casually patted Zhang Liuxin’s lower back, telling him to do it himself.
“What time is it now…” Zhang Liuxin felt this was truly excessive indulgence, but he was past the point of no return. Besides, Wen Jin looked incredibly sexy like this, so he could only continue.
Wen Jin stared at him, turned up the air conditioning, and told him to bite down on the rolled-up corner of his shirt. Like Zhang Liuxin, he lowered his voice, as if afraid of being discovered. “Liuxin, sit down a little more.”
Just then, Wen Jin’s phone rang. Zhang Liuxin was startled by the sudden ringtone. Wen Jin sighed, leaving Zhang Liuxin suspended awkwardly. Finally, Wen Jin supported his waist, pulled him into his arms, draped a thin blanket over his legs, answered the phone with one hand, and used the other to wipe away the tears spilling from Zhang Liuxin’s eyes.
Zhang Liuxin shook off his hand and quieted his breathing, seeing that Wen Jin had already answered the call.
“Professor Wen, I heard you brought someone back with you this trip?”
It was Lu Zixia again. However, Wen Jin was in a good mood. He put the phone on speaker and tossed it aside, replying lazily, “Yes. What is it?”
Lu Zixia paused, finding a certain implication in his tone particularly… He wondered if it was his imagination.
“What are you doing right now?”
“Resting.”
“Where’s Little Sister-in-Law?”
Zhang Liuxin found Lu Zixia strange. He was about the same age as Lu Zixia, yet the other man always called him that, and no one could ever do anything about Young Master Lu.
“He’s right here. Get to the point.”
Lu Zixia’s next words were shocking. “Oh, long time no see, Sister-in-Law. By the way, don’t sleep tonight. Come to my bar for Brother Duan’s bachelor party.”
Zhang Liuxin’s “long time no see” was stuck in his throat. After hearing Lu Zixia’s statement, he didn’t know whether to deny it first or agree.
Wen Jin asked, “Fine. What time?”
“Nine o’clock, same as usual?”
“That’s too late. We need to rest.”
“Why didn’t you say it was late when you pulled all-nighters doing experiments? I don’t care, it’s nine. See you there.”
Lu Zixia hung up decisively. Wen Jin didn’t touch the phone. He slowly rubbed Zhang Liuxin’s waist through the blanket. With his other hand, he took a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from Zhang Liuxin’s temples, then offered him a sip of warm jasmine tea.
“Shall we continue?”
Zhang Liuxin thought he was being improper. He took the cup and drank himself, asking, “What bachelor party? Is Colonel Duan getting married?”
“Yes, to his boyfriend,” Wen Jin said lightly, showing no interest in his cousin’s love life. “It’s been almost ten years. They’re finally getting to the marriage stage.”
“They’ve finally achieved a happy ending! When are they holding the wedding? Do we need to prepare a gift tonight?”
Zhang Liuxin rarely attended gatherings with Wen Jin and his friends. Among the others, he was most familiar with He Qing because He Qing was gentle and easy to talk to.
“No need. You just need to be prepared to listen to his long-winded account of their love story. Because of their special status, they aren’t holding a wedding for now.”
Zhang Liuxin remembered the popular singer. Given the size of his fanbase, if the news of their marriage were announced, it would certainly cause chaos.
Seeing that Zhang Liuxin wanted to ask other questions, Wen Jin lost patience. He pulled off the blanket and kissed him again, saying, “It’s still early before we have to leave. Let’s continue.”
Zhang Liuxin was so exhausted that he had no strength left. After drinking the nourishing porridge prepared by Aunt Lin that evening, he couldn’t keep his eyelids open. In the end, Wen Jin put on his coat and tied a dark blue scarf around him. The lower half of his face was buried in the scarf, concealing many vivid marks.
However, the bite mark on Wen Jin’s Adam’s apple was still quite noticeable. Even a turtleneck couldn’t hide it—a suggestive pale pink ring around the small brown mole. Below that was a long, fair neck, tucked ascetically into a black collar, drawing attention.
Wen Jin didn’t seem to mind. He drove to Lu Zixia’s bar. On the way, he received a call from Yue Yun, who asked if Liuxin was back.
“He’s sitting right next to me.”
Yue Yun greeted Zhang Liuxin. Zhang Liuxin instinctively sat up straight, calling her Auntie with some trepidation.
“I won’t be in Huancheng for the next two days. Come over to Yayuan for dinner when I return.”
“Yes, Auntie.”
Wen Jin listened to Yue Yun and Zhang Liuxin chatting. When they stopped at a traffic light, he caught Zhang Liuxin’s pleading gaze, so he said into the phone, “Mom, we have something to do. We’re hanging up now. Get some rest early.”
“Alright. Don’t stay out too late. You need to look after Liuxin’s health.”
“Got it.”
After hanging up, Zhang Liuxin finally sighed in relief. Wen Jin asked him, “Two years ago you called her Mom, now it’s Auntie. When she gets back, she’ll nag me again.”
Their relationship was not a conventional marriage. Yue Yun was of high status and held significant power. Zhang Liuxin previously felt he didn’t have the standing to call her Mom along with Wen Jin, only doing so when attending events where it was mentioned.
“By the way, shouldn’t we go back to the Wen Residence?”
“No need,” Wen Jin explained. “Mom told us to go to Yayuan, so we don’t need to go to the Wen Residence. They’ve been separated for two years.”
“They” naturally referred to Yue Yun and Wen Huaichuan. Zhang Liuxin was surprised. In his impression, although the couple might not have been deeply affectionate, they at least appeared to be harmonious.
Wen Jin said casually, his tone flat, “In this regard, Chairman Wen is not as good as his son.”
Speaking ill of his father to his husband was considered highly disrespectful in the Wen family, but looking at Wen Jin’s perpetually aloof and refined profile, Zhang Liuxin felt that Wen Jin’s heart might not be as calm as he appeared.
Wen Jin noticed his expression. He activated the assisted driving feature and held Zhang Liuxin’s hand. “I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. I’m used to it.”
In the past, when Wen Jin didn’t express himself, Zhang Liuxin would often misunderstand him. Now that Wen Jin was expressing himself, Zhang Liuxin worried that he wasn’t telling the truth.
However, he still believed that trust was the foundation of marriage and love, so he simply pressed his palm more tightly against Wen Jin’s, smiled, and said, “Alright then. I brought back some Obar’s aromatherapy. I wonder if Mom will like it.”
Wen Jin said, “She will.”
“I wasn’t asking you,” Zhang Liuxin retorted.
Wen Jin pulled his hand up and kissed it. The cold lens of his glasses briefly touched the skin on Zhang Liuxin’s hand.
“Fine,” Wen Jin said. “Then ask me.”
Zhang Liuxin turned his face away and whispered, “What scent do you like?”
Wen Jin chuckled softly and lowered his volume too. “The scent of lemon, the scent of your sheets in the bedroom, and your…”
“Stop, stop! Wen Jin, focus on driving.”