SKS Chapter 29

Chapter 29: An Embrace

Fu Sizhuo had changed out of his suit, now dressed in loose black clothes, sweatshirt and pants, the jacket zipped to the top, leaving only his clean, slender jaw visible.

His dark hair fell over his forehead, soft and slightly tousled.

So fresh it looked like water would come out if pinched.

No wonder that young girl at the supermarket had thought he hadn’t yet graduated.

At this moment, the sharpness of Fu Sizhuo’s usual features had softened. He was lowering his head, smiling as he looked at her.

Shen Zhuying’s heartbeat nearly leapt out of her chest.

How could he smile so beautifully?

“Let’s go, Classmate Fu.” She sighed lightly, subtly turned her gaze aside, and said slowly, “A hotel isn’t very convenient. I still prefer going to you and your wife’s home.”

The lights and curtains were drawn, a huge screen lowered.
She and Fu Sizhuo sat on the sofa, with a space between them, not too close, not too distant.

They were watching a film that had been wildly popular a few years back, ‘Dying to Survive’.

Shen Zhuying had already seen it once in the cinema, but after so many years, she’d forgotten most of the plot. Still, a classic was a classic, watching it again was just as stirring.

From the middle of the movie to the end, Shen Zhuying was crying almost nonstop.

At first, Fu Sizhuo quietly handed her tissues.

But she only clutched them tightly, never wiping her tears, just staring at the screen with tears spilling down.

She had a pair of eyes that could soften hearts.

Fu Sizhuo had long since learned that.

He leaned closer, intending to wipe her tears for her.

At that moment, the film reached the scene where Huang Mao took the fall for the whole truck of “evidence,” breaking through the police blockade, laughing wildly—

Bang—

A massive truck slammed into him head-on.

Shen Zhuying turned her head away, unable to bear it, and buried herself directly into the man’s chest.

The strong, cool scent of pine crashed over her, and for several long seconds Shen Zhuying was utterly dazed.

Her mind was still lost in the storyline just now, yet instinct told her something wasn’t right. She was about to lift her head to pull away when suddenly her back was being patted, gently, steadily, with quiet strength.

Shen Zhuying’s throat tightened.

She could even hear the pounding heartbeat in her ear, fast and forceful.

No, maybe it was her own.

After all, she was this close to him now, close enough to reach out and hold him.

That was what she thought, and it was what she did.

Shen Zhuying lifted her hand, and through the thin layer of fabric, slowly wrapped her arms around the man’s lean, powerful waist.

The heartbeat in her ear grew even faster.

Fu Sizhuo stiffened, his whole body unnatural.

After a moment, his hand slid down naturally, resting on her waist, pulling her closer.

And so, they embraced more tightly.

Outside, the golden moonlight was blocked by the heavy curtains; inside, it was dim and hushed.

Only the film kept playing, its flickering light spilling across the two entwined figures, weaving in a few shades of tenderness and unspoken longing.

On that quiet, ordinary night, the newlyweds, still unaccustomed, still not well acquainted with one another, finally heard each other’s heartbeats.

With the same anticipation and fervor.

No one knew how long it lasted, but eventually the hand around his waist slipped away, and in Fu Sizhuo’s ear came only steady, even breathing.

“Shen Zhuying.” Fu Sizhuo’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he called her name in a voice barely above a whisper.

The only response was the girl’s calm, rhythmic breaths.

He closed his eyes. Over and over, one image flashed across his mind—

A massive runaway truck barreling forward.

Bang—

And then the world fell silent.

Fu Sizhuo’s knuckles tightened as he drew her closer in an even more intimate embrace, murmuring like a dream: “Zhuzhu.”

At some point, Shen Zhuying seemed to stir awake again.

A ray of sunlight slipped through the heavy curtains, landing playfully on Fu Sizhuo’s face. His lashes were long, his features exquisite, but his stillness carried an edge of numbness.

“Fu Sizhuo, it’s morning now,” she mumbled drowsily, then nestled closer, rubbing her face against his chest to find a comfortable position before drifting back to sleep.

But… was that all just a dream she had?

When Shen Zhuying woke the next morning, she patted her own face, still a little dazed.

After all, it wasn’t possible that Fu Sizhuo had simply held her in his arms all night, right?

She casually washed her face without bothering to tidy herself up, slipped on her bunny slippers, and went straight downstairs.

Auntie Li was busy in the kitchen, poking her head out to ask, “Zhuzhu, what do you want for breakfast today?”

“I want your shrimp dumplings,” Shen Zhuying said, pulling out a chair to sit down.
“Where’s Fu Sizhuo?”

“Sir just went to the gym.”

By the time Fu Sizhuo finished his run and came back, Shen Zhuying was resting her chin in her hands, staring at him openly and unabashedly.

No dark circles, no pimples. So last night really must have been a dream.

But his skin was so good, why was it so smooth?

And his nose so straight…

Tsk, and his lips were really well-shaped too.

Even though Fu Sizhuo had already grown used to her blunt, straightforward gaze these days, he still couldn’t help but break out in goosebumps under her stare.

“What, hold me once last night and suddenly you don’t recognize me anymore?” He set his water glass down, his tone tinged with teasing amusement.

“No.” Shen Zhuying’s face flushed red. She quickly turned her head aside, her gaze finally landing on the faint outline of the man’s waist.

Tsk, it really felt so good.

Next time, she wanted to hug him again.

——

As expected, ever since she had posted that moment on her social feed, Shen Zhuying had been bombarded by wave after wave of messages.

Most of her university classmates were asking who it was she had married.

And her high school classmates?
The majority were busy speculating about her and Fu Sizhuo’s relationship.

After all, the photo she had posted was almost identical to the one Fu Sizhuo had shared, except hers was missing the woman’s silhouette.

She picked out a few close friends and replied to them one by one, leaving the rest unanswered.

Scrolling casually down twice more, Shen Zhuying suddenly noticed that her long-silent high school group chat had been very lively these past few days.

She tapped it open to take a look.

It turned out the class monitor was organizing a class reunion, the venue set at Baozhen Tower, the date next Tuesday.

The monitor had even sent out an Excel sheet to collect the number of people who could attend.

Shen Zhuying opened the sheet for a glance and saw that quite a few were planning to come.

Back in high school, she had gotten along fairly well with most of her classmates. Since she happened to be free that day, she didn’t hesitate much before filling in her name.

Barely a few minutes later, Huang Yixuan sent her a WeChat message.

【Huang Yixuan】: Zhuzhu, you’re going to the reunion that day?
【Muzi Manying】: Mm-hm.
【Huang Yixuan】: Maybe you’d better not go. I’m afraid people will talk about you.
【Muzi Manying】: Huh? Talk about me what?

It was as if Huang Yixuan had found a place to vent. She angrily sent a long string of messages.

【Huang Yixuan】: You don’t know? That moment you posted last time, someone screenshotted it and uploaded it to the school forum. Now a lot of people are saying you’re just clout-chasing off Fu Sizhuo, that you’re shameless…
【Huang Yixuan】: Anyway, they’re saying really nasty things. Remember how back in high school you never got along with Zhou Qinqin? I’m afraid she’ll bring it up at the reunion and embarrass you in front of everyone.

Shen Zhuying frowned. She turned and logged into the Jingbei High forum she hadn’t visited in ages, searched her own name, and clicked into the most popular thread.