SYLM Chapter 94

Chapter 94: Lovesickness

The car drove out of the underground parking garage. Besides the occasional rustling of the Want Want milk candy packaging bags from the back seat, silence reigned between the two adults in the car.

On the way back, Gu Wan Jun didn’t forget to pick up the birthday cake she had ordered earlier from the bakery.

Soon, the three of them returned to Gu Wan Jun’s home, laden with bags.

As soon as Duo Duo entered, she ran to the shoe cabinet to get an alcohol wipe. She expertly pulled one out and wiped her little hands, then carefully cleaned both bags of Want Want milk candies.

Disinfecting upon entering was something her mother taught her.

After quickly spraying a few shopping bags with alcohol, Gu Wan Jun placed the birthday cake on the living room table and, together with Chen Lu, carried the remaining groceries into the kitchen.

The supermarket bags piled up on the kitchen counter. Gu Wan Jun casually tied up her long hair, revealing her slender neck, and began sorting through the groceries.

Chen Lu stood by, hesitating to say something. The next second, Duo Duo, having put the Want Want milk candies in her snack cabinet, ran into the kitchen. The little girl stood between the two women, looking up with her small face.

“Mommy, Sister Chen Lu, can Duo Duo help?”

Gu Wan Jun touched her daughter’s fluffy head and smiled, saying no need. She told Duo Duo to go read the book she hadn’t finished yesterday, saying that she and Sister Chen Lu were in the kitchen.

Hearing this, Duo Duo obediently nodded, ran back to the living room, grabbed a picture book, and sat at the desk, swinging her little legs as she began to read with relish.

Only the two of them were left in the kitchen.

The words that had almost reached her lips were swallowed back down. Chen Lu regretted not finding an excuse to leave the kitchen earlier.

Now it was too late to say anything.

Watching Gu Wan Jun’s busy figure, Chen Lu sighed inwardly. She rolled up her sleeves, revealing her fair wrists. “I’ll help.”

Gu Wan Jun glanced at her, a hint of a smile flickering in her eyes. “Okay, then you wash the vegetables for me.”

Chen Lu nodded and went to the sink to start washing the vegetables.

Gu Wan Jun stood next to her, holding a knife and slicing fish with practiced movements. Her gaze frequently fell on Chen Lu’s profile, watching the girl’s lowered eyelashes and slightly pursed lips. It was as if time had returned to five years ago.

“Chen Lu,” Gu Wan Jun called softly.

“Mm?”

Chen Lu looked up, meeting Gu Wan Jun’s peach blossom eyes filled with watery light. The lingering tenderness in her eyes made her heart skip a beat, and she even forgot to correct the form of address.

“Your hair is a bit messy,” Gu Wan Jun said, reaching out to gently tuck a strand of loose hair behind Chen Lu’s ear, her fingertips brushing against her earlobe as if by accident.

The cool touch grazed her skin, and Chen Lu’s body stiffened slightly. Her ears instantly turned a faint shade of red, and she even forgot to avoid it, until—

“Okay,” Gu Wan Jun withdrew her hand, smiling at her gently.

Seeming to realize something, Chen Lu frowned slightly and lowered her head to continue washing the vegetables, saying nothing.

Gu Wan Jun also continued cutting fish as if nothing had happened, but the smile on her lips deepened.

She knew where Chen Lu’s sensitive spots were and that the girl wasn’t repulsed by her touch. This subtle ambiguity filled her heart with joy.

“Sister Chen Lu, Mommy!” Duo Duo suddenly poked her head in from the kitchen doorway, looking at them curiously.

“What’s wrong, baby?”

“Do you really not need Duo Duo’s help?”

“No, Duo Duo, go play. Just wait for dinner.”

“But today is Mommy’s birthday, and Duo Duo wants to help Mommy.”

“Is that so?”

Gu Wan Jun deliberately drawled out the words, looking doting. “Then, can my darling help Mommy wipe the dining table? We’ll be serving dishes on it later.”

“Okay!”

Duo Duo nodded and obediently ran to get a rag.

Watching the little girl’s back, Chen Lu’s eyes softened a bit. She couldn’t help but sigh, “Duo Duo is so sensible.”

You’ve taught her so well.

Chen Lu didn’t say the last half of the sentence aloud.

And Gu Wan Jun, busy cutting fish, didn’t notice Chen Lu’s unspoken words. Hearing such praise, the woman’s eyes curved, her tone filled with a hint of pride: “Yes, she’s always been good.”

As if thinking of something, Gu Wan Jun paused, then softly added, “She likes you a lot, too.”

“……”

The movement of washing vegetables under the flowing water paused slightly. Chen Lu pursed her lips, saying nothing.

The kitchen was once again filled only with the sounds of cooking.

After Gu Wan Jun finished cutting the fish, she reached out to get the seasonings.

The kitchen was large, and the seasonings were on Chen Lu’s side.

Seeing Gu Wan Jun reach her hand out in front of her, Chen Lu, having been prepared after what happened earlier, subtly changed her expression and quickly moved half a step to the side.

Gu Wan Jun had obviously noticed her movement, but she seemed completely unfazed. Her gentle, watery voice sounded again, carrying a hint of a smile:

“Chen Lu, could you hand me the salt next to you? I can’t reach it.”

“……”

Looking at the hand that was indeed nearly ten centimeters away from the salt jar, Chen Lu’s eyelids trembled slightly, her heart in a complex state.

Perhaps she was overthinking it.

Chen Lu relaxed her tense body and reached out to grab the salt jar. When she handed it to Gu Wan Jun, their fingertips lightly touched the jar. Chen Lu’s pupils contracted, and she quickly retracted her hand as if burned!

Indeed, she wasn’t overthinking it.

Chen Lu’s face turned cold, and she immediately looked at Gu Wan Jun’s eyes. But after taking the salt jar, the woman withdrew her hand as if nothing had happened. She smiled, said thank you, and then focused on looking at the fish she was putting into the pot.

Was she overthinking it, or was Gu Wan Jun really doing it on purpose?

This time, Chen Lu didn’t relax her vigilance. She stared straight at Gu Wan Jun’s profile until the woman looked up again, “Chen Lu, could you hand me the—what’s wrong?”

Gu Wan Jun held the salt jar in her hand, and when she met Chen Lu’s direct gaze, her beautiful peach blossom eyes were filled with confusion. “What’s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?”

“……”

Whether Gu Wan Jun’s acting was too good or she really was overthinking it, Chen Lu didn’t see any flaws in those eyes. She pursed her lips, ultimately saying nothing. “It’s nothing. What did you say you wanted me to hand you?”

“Vinegar.”

“Here.”

In a few short seconds, the salt jar and vinegar bottle switched places. After taking the vinegar bottle, Gu Wan Jun smiled and said thank you again.

After the brief interlude, the two of them seemed to be focused on what they were doing, but in reality, each had their own thoughts.

Glancing at Chen Lu’s quiet profile, Gu Wan Jun breathed a sigh of relief in her heart.

It was a good thing she hadn’t been discovered, or the girl would definitely be angry.

Gu Wan Jun knew Chen Lu’s nature; pushing too hard would backfire.

She couldn’t tease her anymore.

Thinking of this, Gu Wan Jun began to focus on cooking. She put the seasonings into the pot and began to cook the fish. The aroma quickly filled the entire kitchen.

The meal took several hours to prepare. By the time all the dishes were on the table, it was already close to dusk outside the window.

During dinner, Duo Duo ate with gusto, praising Gu Wan Jun’s cooking skills with glee. Chen Lu, on the other hand, ate with her head down and didn’t say a word.

“Sister Chen Lu, why aren’t you eating the fish?” Duo Duo suddenly asked, pointing to the fish in Chen Lu’s bowl, which was almost untouched.

Chen Lu was stunned for a moment, then smiled. “I am eating it.”

Gu Wan Jun glanced at her, her tone more cautious. “Is it not good?”

Chen Lu’s body stiffened, and a complex emotion welled up in her heart. She looked up at Gu Wan Jun, who was looking at her gently, her eyes filled with a hint of anticipation.

She couldn’t stand Gu Wan Jun looking at her with those eyes.

“No, it’s very good.”

Chen Lu’s voice was soft. After speaking, she picked up a piece of fish and put it in her mouth. The freshness of the fish melted in her mouth. It really was delicious.

After dinner, the birthday cake was brought to the table: a beautiful strawberry rabbit cake. The edges of the cake were decorated with a circle of plump, bright red strawberries, and in the center of the cake was a rabbit meticulously sculpted from cream, round and cute, its ears standing tall as if listening to the surrounding laughter.

The three of them sat around the dining table. Duo Duo excitedly looked at the cake, occasionally stealing glances at Gu Wan Jun and Chen Lu. The little girl kept swallowing her saliva, already eager to taste the rabbit’s eyes made of chocolate beans.

After lighting the candles and turning off the lights, Gu Wan Jun gently closed her eyes, clasped her hands together, and made three wishes, the slightly trembling long eyelashes hiding an indescribable piety.

First, may her parents live to be a hundred years old.

Second, may Duo Duo be happy and healthy.

Third, may Chen Lu always be happy.

“Mommy, what did you wish for?” Duo Duo asked curiously.

Gu Wan Jun opened her eyes and smiled, touching Duo Duo’s head. “Wishes won’t come true if you say them.”

Chen Lu sat opposite her, her gaze fixed on Gu Wan Jun’s face, a complex look in her eyes.

She suddenly thought of the wish she made to Gu Wan Jun’s fairy wand that she bought for her during the Lunar New Year.

She hoped that Gu Wan Jun would be healthy and happy in the future.

If possible, she hoped that she could be a part of that future.

The fleeting fireworks of that year witnessed Chen Lu’s piety, but now everything was different.

After eating the cake, it was time to open the gifts.

The two gift boxes from Tang Ying contained a projector and a bottle of red wine, which was very much in Tang Ying’s style.

Duo Duo gave her mother a bracelet made of small beads and seashells, as well as a drawing she had made herself. The drawing showed Duo Duo, and Mommy Gu Wan Jun was holding her on the left, and Chen Lu was holding her on the right. It seemed that in the little girl’s heart, the three of them were a family.

Gu Wan Jun carefully put the drawing away and kissed her daughter’s cheek. She deliberately didn’t open Chen Lu’s gift but instead took out the projector Tang Ying had given her and suggested watching a movie.

Hearing that they were going to watch a movie together, Duo Duo immediately clapped her hands excitedly. “Yay! I want to watch a cartoon!”

Gu Wan Jun smiled and touched her head. “Honey, let’s watch a movie Mommy chooses today, okay?”

Hearing this, although Duo Duo was a little disappointed, she quickly nodded obediently, thinking that it was Mommy’s birthday today.

Chen Lu sat on the sofa, watching Gu Wan Jun adjust the projector, feeling somewhat conflicted.

Tang Ying had always been good at manipulating people’s hearts. The reason she gave these gifts was most likely to deliberately bring her and Gu Wan Jun together.

“Chen Lu, what do you want to watch?” Gu Wan Jun asked, turning her head after adjusting the projector.

Chen Lu shook her head. “Anything.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, Chen Lu belatedly realized something. She was about to change her mind and say “How about a comedy?” but Gu Wan Jun had already chosen a classic romance film before her.

After the movie started, Duo Duo sat in the middle, with Gu Wan Jun and Chen Lu on either side of her.

Gu Wan Jun opened the wine that Tang Ying had given her, poured two glasses, and then handed one to Chen Lu.

“Have some, relax,” Gu Wan Jun said softly, her eyes gentle.

Relax?

How could she relax being near this person?

After hesitating for a moment, Chen Lu took the glass and then lowered her head, taking a sip of the red wine. The aroma of the wine filled her mouth, carrying a hint of bitterness and sweetness.

The plot of the movie gradually unfolded. The ambiguity and back-and-forth between the male and female leads made Chen Lu feel a little dazed. She felt Gu Wan Jun’s gaze falling on her from time to time, carrying a hint of heat. Her already unsettled heart beat faster, and she gripped the wine glass in her hand even tighter.

Before the movie was even halfway over, Duo Duo had already yawned a dozen times. Having gotten up early and been excited all day, coupled with the fact that the little girl really couldn’t understand romance movies, she kept rubbing her eyes with her two little hands and fell asleep leaning against the sofa after a while.

Realizing that her daughter was asleep, Gu Wan Jun put down her wine glass, gently carried the little one to the sofa next to her, covered her with a blanket, and then sat back down next to Chen Lu.

Duo Duo had fallen asleep; it was time for her to leave.

Chen Lu thought, and she was about to put down her wine glass when Gu Wan Jun, who was sitting next to her, suddenly spoke:

“Chen Lu, do you remember when we used to watch movies together?”

Gu Wan Jun’s voice was very soft, carrying a hint of nostalgia in her gentle tone.

The fingers gripping the wine glass tightened slightly, and Chen Lu’s tone was indifferent. “I don’t remember.”

Gu Wan Jun chuckled and reached for her wine glass, swirling it gently. “Back then, you always sat next to me and secretly looked at me.”

In the dim environment, a faint crimson unconsciously crept up Chen Lu’s ears, but her voice still had no warmth. “You’re misremembering.”

“Is that so?” Gu Wan Jun turned her head, looking at her intently. “Then why did you always look away whenever I looked at you?”

“I didn’t.”

“You’re lying to me.”

“I said I didn’t.”

“You’re still saying you didn’t lie to me, you just said you didn’t remember.”

“……”

Chen Lu pursed her lips, saying nothing more.

As if receiving some kind of tacit permission, Gu Wan Jun, borrowing the strength of the alcohol that hadn’t even taken effect, gently leaned closer to the person next to her, their shoulders almost touching.

The light and shadows of the movie flickered across their faces. Gu Wan Jun’s gaze never left Chen Lu’s face. Chen Lu could feel her breath gently caressing her ear, and her heartbeat quickened involuntarily.

She really should leave.

“Chen Lu.”

But Gu Wan Jun suddenly called her softly again.

Hearing the sound, Chen Lu turned her head, meeting those amorous peach blossom eyes.

“Thank you for still being here.”

Gu Wan Jun’s voice was very soft, but the tenderness and affection in her eyes were so strong that they were almost overflowing.

Chen Lu’s heart trembled, and she almost dropped the wine glass in her hand. She turned her head away from Gu Wan Jun, her cold voice sounding a bit rushed. “It’s getting late, I should go.”

Gu Wan Jun looked at her, a hint of heartache flashing in her eyes. She continued on her own, “I took the liberty of doing what I did back then, I’m sorry.”

“……”

Mentioning the past, the hand holding the wine glass trembled slightly. Chen Lu bit her lip, tasting a faint bloody taste. “Don’t mention it again, I’ve long forgotten.”

“But I haven’t,” Gu Wan Jun’s voice was very soft, but it carried a hint of determination. “Chen Lu, can you give me another chance? I—”

“Gu Wan Jun.”

Chen Lu interrupted Gu Wan Jun’s words. She looked down at the wine glass in her hand, the red wine swirling slightly in the glass, reflecting their blurry reflections. Chen Lu bit her back molars, her cold tone carrying a hint of resolution:

“I won’t make the same mistake again.”

This sentence almost exhausted all of Chen Lu’s strength.

I won’t make the same mistake again.

I won’t.

I won’t.

I won’t.

Chen Lu repeatedly warned herself in her heart.

After speaking, she didn’t receive a response for a long time.

Chen Lu frowned subconsciously, turned to look at Gu Wan Jun. The woman leaned against the back of the sofa, supporting her temple with one hand. Those gentle and affectionate peach blossom eyes were fixed on her, the corners of her eyes slightly flushed. The dense and slender eyelashes blinked gently, casting a faint shadow under her eyelids like butterfly wings, as if she would fly away the next second.

Those eyes were clearly born dignified, but at this moment, they revealed a seductive desire, easily entangling Chen Lu’s heart.

One second, two seconds, three seconds… Chen Lu, lost in those peach blossom eyes, came back to her senses. She was about to ask Gu Wan Jun why she wasn’t speaking when the person in front of her suddenly leaned in and kissed her lips.

Her body stiffened suddenly, completely unprepared. The wine glass in her hand fell to the ground, spilling red wine everywhere, but no one had the mind to care about it now.

Chen Lu’s heart was beating so fast that it was almost jumping out of her chest. Her hands unconsciously grabbed the corners of her clothes. Her blank brain was filled only with Gu Wan Jun’s breath and warmth.

This kiss was very light, but it carried a hint of irresistible determination. Passively accepting such a kiss, Chen Lu actually forgot to avoid it and instead closed her eyes subconsciously.

After losing her sight, the other senses were amplified infinitely. Chen Lu clearly felt herself trembling.

No, or perhaps both of them were trembling.

She didn’t know how long the kiss lasted until Gu Wan Jun’s hand couldn’t help but touch Chen Lu’s cheek, seeming to want to take further action. The warmth of her palm made Chen Lu come back to her senses. She opened her eyes, and the moment she realized what she was doing, she immediately pushed Gu Wan Jun away as if burned, stood up, and took two steps back, her eyes filled with anger and regret:

“Gu Wan Jun! What, what are you doing!”

Chen Lu’s voice wasn’t quiet, and she almost startled Duo Duo, who was sleeping on the sofa next to her. But she didn’t have the mind to care about others at the moment. Seeing Gu Wan Jun get up from the sofa and walk over, Chen Lu retreated again and again until she reached the wall. Her face was quite ugly, and the tips of her ears were so red that they were about to drip blood:

“Don’t come over!”

Gu Wan Jun obediently didn’t step forward. She smiled and bit her lip, as if savoring the taste, her reluctant gaze moving away from Chen Lu’s red lips and looking at her eyes:

“Gazing is the prelude to a kiss. Chen Lu, you kept looking at me, who could resist not kissing you?”

“You!”

“Besides, you wanted to kiss me too.”

“…Nonsense!”

“Wasn’t it? You clearly responded to me just now.”

“……”

Nonsense! It’s utter nonsense!

But Chen Lu couldn’t refute it.

She had to escape from here immediately.

Although she had sensed something early on, Gu Wan Jun didn’t stop the girl who seemed to be running for her life. A few seconds later, a loud slamming door echoed throughout the living room.

This time, it really woke Duo Duo up.

The little one rubbed her eyes and saw her mother standing at the door with her back to her. The little one’s tone was a little aggrieved:

“Mommy~”

Her daughter’s voice pulled Gu Wan Jun out of the kiss just now. She quickly came to the sofa and softly comforted her daughter:

“Honey, I’m sorry, did I wake you up?”

“It’s okay.” The little one shook her head understandingly, then looked around, searching for that familiar figure:

“Where’s Sister Chen Lu?”

“Sister Chen Lu went home, and said she’ll come to see us again next time,” Gu Wan Jun lied.

“Is that so… Hey, Mommy, why is your face so red? Are you sick?”

“……”

A trace of unnaturalness flashed across Gu Wan Jun’s expression.

As she spoke, the little one’s cool, soft hands touched her cheeks, indirectly cooling Gu Wan Jun down.

Thinking back to the kiss just now, she was probably really sick.

Lovesickness.