Chapter 11: Moving House
Shen Zhuyu’s flight was early the next morning.
That night, the two sisters, as usual, huddled under one quilt, whispering to each other.
“Elder Sister, won’t you stay a little longer?” Shen Zhuying clung to her tightly, her voice muffled.
“I’ve already delayed for too long.” Shen Zhuyu helplessly stroked her sister’s hair. “I haven’t even congratulated our little Zhu, finally marrying the man you’ve liked for so many years.”
Shen Zhuying’s eyes grew hot; she gave a muffled “mm,” then asked, “Elder Sister, are you angry?” Shen Zhuyu shook her head.
“Zhuzhu, although I don’t approve of you making such a big decision on your own, Elder Sister will still be happy.” She cupped Shen Zhuying’s face and smiled.
“Do you know why?”
“Why?” Shen Zhuying sniffled.
“Because our Zhuzhu is brave enough. It also means you’re ready to face the love and hate, companionship and quarrels that may come with marriage, and even… to face some… possible disappointments, isn’t that so?”
Shen Zhuying’s eyes were clear and pure. She nodded. Since she had liked him for so long, if she decided to try—
Then she would not be content with just being boyfriend and girlfriend.
She wanted wholehearted love, or else a clean break.
Shen Zhuyu gently touched her sister’s ear. Here was the place of her flaw, yet so many people, though they looked whole, carried crippled hearts.
Shen Zhuyu was thankful her sister had grown into who she was now—
A soul so complete and rich. A life so brave and worthy of applause.
“Our Zhuzhu is living quite an ideal life now, isn’t she?” Shen Zhuyu said.
“You have the career you love and the person you love. Everything is good, right?”
“Mm.”
Shen Zhuyu hugged her tighter. “So for making such a choice, of course I can only be happy for you.”
An all-night heart-to-heart didn’t stop Shen Zhuyu from kicking her sister out of bed the next morning.
“Shen Zhuying! Can you please fix your sleeping posture!” Shen Zhuyu roared, her face covered in teeth marks. “If I go out like this, people will think I had some wild battle last night!”
“When in fact I don’t even have a man!!!”
Shen Zhuying sat pitifully on the floor, hugging the quilt, her big eyes staring up at her.
Shen Zhuyu, fuming, suddenly burst into laughter. “What am I in a rush for, whoever your man is, he’s the one who should worry.”
Shen Zhuying’s eyes went wide.
Oh right!!!
With the way she slept, how could she ever lie in the same bed with Fu Sizhuo in the future!
She was determined to sleep in his bed!!!
Shen Zhuying grew sad.
After personally sending Shen Zhuyu onto her flight, Shen Zhuying became even sadder.
That sadness lasted all the way until evening, when Fu Sizhuo got off work and came to pick her up.
They had agreed to move house today.
Shen Zhuying sat in the passenger seat, silent, her expression heavy and downcast.
After a moment of consideration, Fu Sizhuo asked, “You still don’t want to move?”
Shen Zhuying shook her head. It was just that whenever she thought about how the man she had secretly liked for so many years might soon witness her sleeping posture, she felt…
very heavy-hearted and very sad.
When they arrived downstairs at Building 9, Fu Sizhuo turned his head to glance at her. “Mind if I come up?”
“Of course I don’t mind.” Shen Zhuying swiftly opened the car door. “After all, we’re already married.”
Fu Sizhuo raised his brows, letting out a soft laugh. “True.”
“But my place is a bit small, you know. Definitely not comparable to yours.” Shen Zhuying’s apartment was a 30-square-meter loft unit she had spent nearly all her savings to buy, and even more effort to decorate.
Who would have thought that in less than half a year, she would already have to move out.
Shen Zhuying pressed her fingerprint against the lock.
Inside came into view a lively pale green. Fresh flowers sat in vases on the dining table and at the bedside.
Though small, the apartment had a real sense of design. It was clean and tidy.
The feeling it gave off… was just like Shen Zhuying herself.
Fu Sizhuo thought of that phrase.
Just like Shen Zhuying, clean and full of vitality.
“Piggy, Piggy, Piggy[mfn]It’s still Zhuzhu, I decided to translate it so it doesn’t conflict with her Zhuzhu(pearl) nickname[/mfn].” Shen Zhuying stepped inside and scooped the little orange cat into her arms. “We’re moving, you know.”
“Moving to…” Shen Zhuying paused, then gestured with her chin at Fu Sizhuo, “…this uncle’s house.”
“Uncle?” Fu Sizhuo lowered his gaze at the little cat, confirming, “I’m the uncle, and you’re the mom?”
“Ah?” Shen Zhuying blinked. “What about it?”
Fu Sizhuo let out a laugh in exasperation.
He took the little orange cat from her arms, his pale knuckles gently kneading its back as he murmured, “Piggy is going to Daddy and Mommy’s new home.”
Daddy and Mommy…
Shen Zhuying silently lowered her head, her face turning red again.
This is what it meant to be a master, this was true mastery.
Halfway through packing, Shen Zhuying grew more and more reluctant, shooting Fu Sizhuo a resentful glance, wondering how possible it was for a nearly 1.9-meter-tall man to move into her tiny 30-square-meter flat with her.
The answer, of course, was zero.
Whimpering, she continued to pack.
Fu Sizhuo looked helpless, unsure what to do. Finally, he said, “What if… I just buy up a few of the units near yours and knock them together?”
That way, she wouldn’t have to move, and he could still live in.
I’ll buy up the few units near your place.
Shen Zhuying looked at the tiny thirty-square-meter apartment before her, her hard-earned savings, and fell into silence.
I’ll fight it out with you rich people!!!
After finishing packing, Shen Zhuying glanced once more at the suddenly empty little home and closed the door.
She stood quiet for several seconds, then pulled Fu Sizhuo’s hand over and pressed it onto the fingerprint lock.
With two beeps, the electronic screen displayed: fingerprint recorded.
Shen Zhuying smiled in satisfaction.
Tilting her head up at him, eyes sparkling like starlight, she said, “Fu Sizhuo, from now on this is also our home.”
Fu Sizhuo’s Adam’s apple bobbed twice, his throat feeling tight.
He gave a very soft “mm,” as though afraid to disturb something.
———
Shen Zhuying thought the version of herself from half an hour ago was really putting on airs, honestly.
Looking at the huge villa in front of her now, she instantly couldn’t understand what was so worth clinging to about her thirty-square-meter place.
Was that even a house? It wasn’t even as big as someone else’s bathroom!
Especially when Shen Zhuying entered the yard and noticed that wide open space, her eyes lit up several degrees.
Her occupational habit flared up; she couldn’t help but swallow. “Can I… plant something here?”
“Of course you can.” Fu Sizhuo tried hard to suppress the smile tugging at his lips. “This is your home too.”
Shen Zhuying clenched her fists in excitement.
Fu Sizhuo added, “There’s also a greenhouse up front.”
At that moment, Shen Zhuying practically wanted to throw herself at him, screaming “husband” at the top of her lungs. But she restrained herself.
It was only the third day after marriage, she had to stay reserved.
It wouldn’t do to scare her husband away.
Once inside the villa, Fu Sizhuo carried her luggage into the master bedroom.
Shen Zhuying hesitated a little and asked, “Are we living together?”
“What else?” Fu Sizhuo tilted his head, his long lashes lowering. “Mrs. Fu, we’re married.”
Shen Zhuying quietly pursed her lips. “That’s true enough, but still…”
“You want separate rooms?” Fu Sizhuo asked her again.
Shen Zhuying quietly tugged at her sleeve. “Is that… allowed?”
Wuwuwuwu, her sleeping posture really was a bit shameful.
