Did something happen to Chen Fu?
After pulling an all-nighter, her nerves couldn't withstand the repeated torment of her excited emotions. Lu Xiaomi couldn't help but tremble. Without thinking, she grabbed her coat draped over the sofa and went outside. As she opened the door, she bumped into her secretary, scattering the faded project research forms all over the floor.
"Mr. Lu, where are you going?"
The secretary's exclamation was immediately drowned out behind Lu Xiaomi. Late February in Weicheng was still a bit chilly, and her thin black coat made her shadow look very long. When Lu Xiaomi braved the cold and crawled into the driver's seat, her hands were already frozen stiff.
I was already very familiar with the route from the company to Chen Fu's house, and luckily there wasn't much traffic, so I arrived at Chen Fu's house quickly. The key clicked crisply as it entered the lock, and Lu Xiaomi held her breath as she slowly pushed the door open.
As she stepped into the room, the motion-sensor light in the entryway turned on, revealing a warm, dim yellow light. The chaotic and unexpected events she had imagined did not occur; everything in the room was fine. Lu Xiaomi took off her boots and walked slowly towards the bedroom.
Chen Fu sat on the bed in the bedroom with her back to her. Scattered light shone on her champagne-colored dress, revealing the beautiful curves of her waist and abdomen.
The atmosphere in the room was subtly romantic. Chen Fu, looking as if she had just woken up, turned around and wrapped her arms around her shoulders and neck.
A soft touch pressed against Lu Xiaomi's chest, the person in front of her lying sleepily in her arms, and if she looked down, she could see a large expanse of Chen Fu's bare back.
Suddenly, the atmosphere in the room became erotic. Chen Fu pulled her to sit on the bed, while she sat between Lu Xiaomi's legs.
"You've arrived?"
The three words were uttered softly from Chen Fu's lips, carrying an air of boundless joy.
*
Seeing that her worries had turned out to be a misunderstanding, Lu Xiaomi was both amused and exasperated. She pinched Chen Fu's chin with two fingers, forcing her to look up and meet her gaze. Her deliberately cold expression hid helplessness as she pinched Chen Fu's face and asked her why she didn't get up to rush to her schedule.
Drowsiness made her lose control of her strength, leaving two red marks on Chen Fu's cheeks. The other woman, oblivious, sat boneless in her lap, rubbing her soft face against Chen Fu's palms. Chen Fu cupped Lu Xiaomi's face in her hands, smoothing her furrowed brows, and replied irrelevantly, "Why do you always frown? Frowning makes you ugly."
"I'm so tired."
After pondering for a long time, Chen Fu came to this conclusion. Her face was listless, as if she was truly tormented by the announcement.
But Chen Fu never complained of being tired easily, so there had to be a reason for her being tired. Lu Xiaomi cautiously probed from the side, asking if something had happened at work recently, or if she had encountered any bad people.
She had asked Xiaolingdang the same question on her way here. The girl anxiously replied that no, Sister Fu's work had been going very smoothly lately, and Planner Chen was too busy trying to please her to dare to make things difficult for Chen Fu.
Chen Fu sat directly in Lu Xiaomi's lap, her legs spread apart and draped over Lu Xiaomi's waist. She tilted her head and looked at people like a small animal. She reached out and rubbed Lu Xiaomi's temples, and said softly, "It's been so long since we last saw each other."
"I miss you so much, don't you want to spend more time with me?"
She spoke with a flirtatious air, yet her eyes were sincere. Lu Xiaomi quickly explained that it was not true.
It had indeed been a long time since they last met. After their last separation, they were both tied up by different things. They were now living together in a semi-cohabiting manner. Chen Fu was currently living in Lu Xiaomi's house. She had always lived there before, but recently she had been too busy and moved to a place closer to her company.
Chen Fu said, "You haven't come to see me in a long time."
This question stumped Lu Xiaomi. She had indeed been very busy lately and had neglected Chen Fu's feelings. Sitting on the bed, the warmth of the room made her even more drowsy, so she frantically tried to think of an answer. Having remained silent until now, Chen Fu simply cupped Lu Xiaomi's face in her hands.
"Could we go out for a walk together this afternoon?"
As she spoke, she raised her phone, which displayed a travel guide that Chen Fu had prepared earlier. A new amusement park had opened in Weicheng, and it was less crowded during the weekdays. There was also a commercial area nearby, so they could watch a movie together in the evening.
Chen Fu's eyes sparkled, holding a hint of joy; no one who saw her could resist her.
So Lu Xiaomi reluctantly nodded in agreement.
*
Both of them were originally very busy today. Lu Xiaomi had to take an economics class in the afternoon, and the project team had a meeting in the evening. Chen Fu's schedule for the day included an advertisement shoot followed by a live broadcast event. Skipping work without a special reason would make an artist seem uncontractual, and the organizers wouldn't easily compromise. Lu Xiaomi could only instruct her assistant to appease the organizers and handle everything properly.
These things took up a lot of her time. By the time she finished dealing with everything, it was already 2 p.m. Chen Fu poked her head out of the fitting room. She was wearing a beige down jacket and looked soft and approachable.
The amusement park was nearly deserted during the weekday, and Chen Fu, wearing a mask, was hardly recognized. Inside, there were two rows of extravagantly styled fairytale shops, their neon signs flashing in Chen Fu's eyes. She stood in front of an adorable sculpture at the shop entrance and asked Lu Xiaomi to take a picture of her.
Lu Xiaomi took out her phone and laughed at her for acting like a child.
Chen Fu was still very enthusiastic when taking photos, but she ran into trouble when choosing amusement park rides. Chen Fu leaned against Lu Xiaomi, who held her finger and gestured on the map. She said, "We can go on the pirate ship first, and then go on the giant swing."
Her fingers were held in Lu Xiaomi's palm, and every time Lu Xiaomi pointed to a certain spot, Chen Fu would shrink back and burrow into Lu Xiaomi's arms, saying, "No, it's too exciting, I dare not play."
In her early years, Chen Fu appeared on various small, unrelated programs, which often engaged in exaggerated behavior to boost ratings. Once, to complete a game, she rode a roller coaster four times in a row. She remained remarkably calm throughout, maintaining a faint smile despite the hysterical screams of the host beside her. The production team thought this was a good editing opportunity, so later they had Chen Fu ride a giant swing ride or a drop tower, and she showed no reaction whatsoever.
Chen Fu's subconscious avoidance puzzled Lu Xiaomi, but she quickly realized that Chen Fu was just feigning affection. So Lu Xiaomi went along with her and whispered mischievously in Chen Fu's ear, "..."
"What should we do then? Isn't the point of coming to an amusement park to enjoy these thrilling rides?"
A burning sensation from her hot breath tickled her neck. Chen Fu flinched slightly, her eyes glued to the map. Her fingers slid to the Ferris wheel. She said, "Let's go ride the Ferris wheel. Ferris wheels are so nice."
Seeing Chen Fu say that, Lu Xiaomi couldn't refuse. When they boarded the Ferris wheel, it was already getting dark. Before going up, Chen Fu was very excited and almost jumped for joy, but after sitting down, she became quiet and stared at the scenery outside the window without saying a word.
Following Chen Fu's gaze, Lu Xiaomi looked down and saw the bustling night view of Weicheng from the highest point. The twinkling lights stretched out like gnarled branches, and after looking at them for a while, a faint sense of oppression arose in her heart.
It's like a steel behemoth that eats people.
Lu Xiaomi placed her hands over Chen Fu's eyes. Sensitive to her feelings, she vaguely sensed that Chen Fu was not in a good mood, so she comforted her by saying, "Whatever is bothering you, just forget about it today."
Tomorrow is another brand new day.
The palm of her hand was tickled by the slight trembling of her eyelashes. Chen Fu turned around in her arms and said dismissively, "You're overthinking it. I'm really not unhappy."
"They all say that couples should kiss on Ferris wheels."
*
After getting off the Ferris wheel, it was completely dark. Lu Xiaomi asked if they wanted to do anything else, but Chen Fu slowly shook her head.
Her lips were swollen from Lu Xiaomi's kisses, and she's throwing a tantrum now.
The amusement park used to have a nighttime parade, but this show had to be cancelled due to low visitor numbers during the weekday. As a replacement, several fountain shows were added to the site.
There happened to be a fountain in front of them, and the Little Mermaid was holding a large water bottle, from which water flowed continuously.
Chen Fu buried her face in her scarf and asked Lu Xiaomi in a muffled voice, "Are there really mermaids in this world?"
Lu Xiaomi said yes, of course they do. They live in the boundless sea, and there are witches at the bottom of the sea who will use poison to exchange for the Little Mermaid's legs.
Chen Fu smiled upon hearing this.
There are no mermaids.
Her smile was gentle and sweet, but when the neon lights of the amusement park flashed, Lu Xiaomi actually saw a hint of sadness in it.
“Cut off both legs, grind the bones, and sew a fish tail onto the festering scars.”
A tear slid down Chen Fu's left eye.
"That way I'll turn into a mermaid."
--------------------
Author's Note:
Lu Zong: Forget about today, tomorrow will be another beautiful day. (Confident)
Fufu: I have no tomorrow (with certainty)
Chapter 32 CP32
Chen Fu's words left Lu Xiaomi stunned. The cold evening wind of Weicheng blew into her sleeves, and Lu Xiaomi was instantly shocked and horrified.
Like a dry joke used to lighten the mood, Chen Fu immediately returned to normal after saying that. She looked at Lu Xiaomi's stiff expression and suddenly laughed. She said, "Just kidding, didn't you watch porn when you were little? How can you believe this?"
Intuition told Lu Xiaomi that things weren't so simple, and Chen Fu's actions must mean something. She hadn't seen Chen Fu for only a few days, yet this person had acted so strangely. The frustration of things getting out of control filled Lu Xiaomi's heart, which reminded her of the repeated setbacks she had encountered in the company. So, she spoke with a hint of impatience.
She said that I should talk to her about anything that happens, and if I feel stressed, she can help me find a psychologist.
As soon as she finished speaking, Lu Xiaomi regretted it. Sure enough, Chen Fu's expression immediately darkened. The car came to a smooth stop downstairs in the apartment complex. She deftly unfastened her seatbelt and got out of the car.
Are you trying to push me onto someone else?
These words were sensitive, suspicious, and neurotic. Chen Fu's eyes widened as she stared intently at every expression on Lu Xiaomi's face, like a startled snake making a show of force. But upon closer inspection, one could see that the expression hidden within was both painful and poignant, blurred by the flickering headlights.
Her face was blurred in the winter light, and even her demeanor turned cold. Although it wasn't raining, her long, black, curly hair hung heavily down her chest as if dripping water. Chen Fu bit her lower lip tightly, as if desperately trying to suppress some overwhelming emotion that was about to break through the ground.
Lu Xiaomi stood there, choked with emotion, and said, "That's not what I meant. Let me explain."
She took a few steps forward, wanting to hug Chen Fu, but was subtly pushed away. Chen Fu's expressionless face held a hint of coldness, then she gave a perfunctory smile and said, "Okay, I was just teasing you, don't take it to heart."
"If you find me annoying, I won't make jokes like that with you anymore."
As people gradually left work and went home, the streetlights along the roads in the community came on, and the scattered light shone on Chen Fu's face.
She waved goodbye to Lu Xiaomi in the warm yellow light, saying that Lu Xiaomi still had things to do at the company and that she had already taken up so much of Lu Xiaomi's time today, so Lu Xiaomi should go home now.
With each word Chen Fu spoke, Lu Xiaomi's heart sank further. She didn't know how to begin. She didn't even dare to sigh helplessly, afraid that Chen Fu would look hurt and ask her why she was sighing, or if she found her troublesome.
"Tomorrow's work..."
Next to the residential building was a wall of snow piled up, and the asphalt road underfoot was covered with a thin layer of ice. To pass the time, Chen Fu slid her shoes back and forth on it.
"Don't worry, I will definitely get up on time and start work on time tomorrow, Mr. Lu. I will make money for you."
Her tone was deliberately teasing and playful. Lu Xiaomi didn't notice the tremor in Chen Fu's voice. She just smiled bitterly and said okay.
So Chen Fu waved and turned to walk towards the apartment building. The winter night in Weicheng was truly cold; she felt she had never felt such a sharp chill before. The gloomy weather froze her legs in place, and a heavy weariness weighed on her, tearing at her internal organs, which, unsurprisingly, were once again filled with a torrent of blood. Chen Fu sighed, feeling she might not survive such a winter.
Lu Xiaomi stood behind Chen Fu, watching her figure gradually disappear from her sight.
Chen Fu walked with great difficulty. The road was slippery due to the snow, and she had an old injury on her right leg. Lu Xiaomi frowned and wanted to accompany her upstairs, but she stopped in her tracks as soon as she took a step.
The person in sight stumbled and fell to the ground, their body sprawled awkwardly in the cold snow.
Lu Xiaomi was startled and hurriedly ran over. Chen Fu was kneeling in the snowdrift, her whole body covered with tiny icicles formed from snowflakes.
Lu Xiaomi lifted the person out of the snowdrift. The fine snowflakes also soaked Lu Xiaomi's clothes, and the icy coldness pierced the soft flesh on her chest.
Lu Xiaomi hurriedly asked her how she was, if her leg was okay.
Chen Fu shook her head and silently pushed her away.
Warm liquid dripped down her chin onto the snow. Chen Fu gasped for breath, her gaze slowly moving downwards along the blood. On the natural canvas of white snow, the blood resembled withered plum blossoms, their crimson petals tinged with resentment.
"Why are you bleeding so much?!"
Chen Fu's lower face was stained with blood. She lowered her eyes and gave a deep smile.
*
After Lu Xiaomi helped Chen Fu into the car, she prepared to go to the hospital. However, Chen Fu couldn't bear to hear the word "hospital" and struggled to unbuckle her seatbelt to get out of the car and go home. Lu Xiaomi forcefully held her hands down and fastened them in the seatbelt, but Chen Fu bit her wrist.
The person in front of her was bound to the chair like an injured murderer. The sharp pain in her wrist brought Lu Xiaomi back to her senses. She hugged the trembling Chen Fu and comforted her softly, saying, "Okay, we won't go. We won't go to the hospital."
Lu Xiaomi carried Chen Fu out of the car. Chen Fu nestled in her arms and closed her eyes wearily. The nosebleed in her arms had stopped slightly. Lu Xiaomi gently placed her on the sofa and wearily took out her phone to call her family doctor.