Re-engraving the Spring - Chapter 53

Outside the house.

Chi Qiu couldn’t listen to anything else. He panicked and clutched Lu Ming’s hand before hurriedly walking towards the outside. The front yard was lit with small lights, and Chi Qiu nearly tripped over a stone crack on the road. Luckily, Lu Ming’s eyes and hands were quick; he grabbed him, taking him into his arms.

Chi Qiu cowered against Lu Ming, a fine sweat appeared on his forehead. His face was pale while his eyes were wet, and he didn’t say anything.

In the silence, Lu Ming tacitly tightened his arms around him, picking him up and sending him back to the car. Lu Ming calmly fastened his seat belt, then stroked his arm: “Let’s go home.”

Chi Qiu lowered his head silently, without answering, tears fell on the back of his hands.

Before getting into the car, Lu Ming did not forget to pick up Chi Qiu’s guide cane and hand it to Chi Qiu. Chi Qiu clenched the guide cane subconsciously, but still didn’t look up.

It was not until they returned to their villa that Chi Qiu slowly let go of the cane in his hand, as if he had returned from a place of constraint to a harbor where he could relax a little.

Lu Ming led him out of the car and Chi Qiu was a little unsteady. He probably sat in the car for too long, so his limbs were slightly numb.

Seeing this, Lu Ming picked up Chi Qiu without hesitation. Chi Qiu was startled and reached out to hug Lu Ming. The warm skins of the two were pressed against each other, and Lu Ming determined his pace and walked forward.

The distance from the front yard to the house was not long. Chi Qiu leaned on Lu Ming’s shoulder, his voice was soft as a mosquito: “I’m sorry.”

“…”

Chi Qiu apologized to Lu Ming, his throat was sore and bitter: “I didn’t know Uncle Lin would say such a thing. I’m sorry for letting you hear it.”

Lu Ming stopped and said truthfully, “I don’t care.”

Chi Qiu bit his lip as unspeakable words swirled in his mouth. His heart was in a state of embarrassment. In fact, the conflict had never been resolved. He was ashamed of his deception to Lu Ming.

“I lied to you, Uncle Lin and Xiao Xia…they don’t like me very much. I want to get along well with them, but I always don’t do well. I’m sorry, Lu Ming, I don’t know how to tell you.”

“Chi Qiu.”

“Lu Ming, I didn’t mean to lie to you, I really don’t know what to do.”

Chi Qiu in his arms seemed to be out of control, he apologized to him, for Lin Yuming’s words and actions, and for his own lies, and even more for his own unlovable self.

People always wanted to show their loved ones the good side of themselves, and these glass-like cracks in the family were something Chi Qiu didn’t want to show to Lu Ming.

Today, it suddenly appeared in front of Lu Ming.

Chi Qiu felt ashamed and guilty, and he was even afraid that Lin Yuming’s words would hurt Lu Ming.

These quarrels ran through Chi Qiu’s short teenage years, and they were vivid and harsh. He was afraid of the quarrel between Lin Yuming and Chi Lanyan, and he was also afraid of Lin Yuming’s accusation.

Lu Ming frowned and stopped talking. This was already one of the richest expressions on his face.

He took Chi Qiu into the house, the soft light made Chi Qiu close his eyes with difficulty. Lu Ming looked so helpless when he saw Chi Qiu’s face covered with tears.

Aunt Zhang hasn’t rested yet, it seemed that she had something to look for Lu Ming for. As soon as she walked out of the room and saw this scene, she immediately took two steps forward with concern, and looked at Lu Ming, seemingly wanting to open her lips1欲言又止: hold back words which spring to one’s lips.

Lu Ming said, “Aunt Zhang, prepare a cup of hot milk and send it to the bedroom in half an hour.”

After saying that, Lu Ming took Chi Qiu straight to the bedroom. He let Chi Qiu sit down, then gently held Chi Qiu’s shoulders and lowered his voice: “Wait for me for a while.”

“En.” Chi Qiu’s voice choked, not knowing what Lu Ming was going to do. He didn’t look up at Lu Ming. Instead he lowered his head and tears couldn’t stop falling, smashing open the clouds. He wiped himself, the back of his hand was wet.

Soon, the sound of water came from the bathroom. Chi Qiu rubbed his wet eyes and looked at the bathroom door in confusion.

From the door, Lu Ming walked out calmly.

Chi Qiu retracted his gaze and wondered what Lu Ming was doing; was he going to take a shower? Just as he was puzzled, Lu Ming had finished preparing everything. He took one of Chi Qiu’s bath towels, walked to Chi Qiu and half squatted down: “Go take a bath, relax, and don’t think about anything else.”

“I…”

Lu Ming held Chi Qiu’s hand and led him all the way into the bathroom. He turned back and slowly unbuttoned Chi Qiu’s shirt. His face was calm, but the words he said were thoughtful words, “No one has to have a complete and harmonious family.”

There were tiny tears hanging on Chi Qiu’s eyelashes, shaking.

“Chi Qiu, you don’t have to apologize to me for his words and actions either.” Facing Chi Qiu, who was a head shorter than himself, Lu Ming slightly bent down a bit and rubbed away the fine teardrops for him with his fingertips.

He was like coaxing a child, with a cold face, saying words that were incomparably gentle in Chi Qiu’s ears, “When you finish taking a bath, we’ll go to bed early tonight. Tomorrow is Sunday, I’ll stay home with you.”

“Accompany me?”

“Yes.”

“But you’ve been busy these days…”

“No need to worry about that, I’ll be with you tomorrow for whatever you want to do.”

The tears on Chi Qiu’s cheeks were warm. He hoarsely said, “I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

“Then let’s sit and talk.” Lu Ming’s technique of coaxing people was getting better and better, and he had completely mastered the skill of how to calm Chi Qiu down. He came closer and planted a kiss on Chi Qiu’s forehead. Chi Qiu closed his eyes in shock.

Lu Ming tried to slow down his tone as much as possible. In his emotionless face, his gentle tone often seemed out of place.

But it did not matter, the ‘blind’ Chi Qiu was very used to this thing. Obviously his eyes could not see a ripple in Lu Ming’s expression, but could feel Lu Ming’s love.

People became vulnerable when they were cared for.

Chi Qiu’s nose became more sore. He plunged into Lu Ming’s arms and hugged Lu Ming tightly. He sniffed, trying to suppress his cry.

Lu Ming patted his back: “You don’t have to hold back if you want to cry.”

Chi Qiu whimpered, feeling so wronged.

Lu Ming hugged him: “Go take a bath, be good.”

“En.”

Ji Qiu no longer clung to Lin Yuming’s sharp taunts as he sat in the bathtub and the warm water wrapped around his chilled body. The trembling in his body gradually subsided, and the tears were wearily tucked away from his eyes.

Lu Ming didn’t go out, he stayed by Chi Qiu’s side, holding Chi Qiu’s hand. It was not until the water in Chi Qiu’s bathtub became cold that he asked Chi Qiu to get up, wrapped him in a huge bath towel, and led Chi Qiu to the sink to brush his teeth.

This kind of uncompromising care was simply treating Chi Qiu as a little child.

Chi Qiu saw Lu Ming’s half-wet shirt, and pinched Lu Ming’s fingers: “I’m not crying anymore, you go take a shower.” If Lu Ming caught a cold because of this, it was really not worth the loss.

After taking a bath, Chi Qiu’s mood had stabilized a lot.

While Lu Ming was taking a bath, he changed into his pajamas by himself and took the initiative to get into the bed, wrapped in the blanket and was in a daze.

Aunt Zhang knocked on the door twice, interrupting Chi Qiu who was in trance.

Chi Qiu got a head out of the quilt: “Come in.”

Aunt Zhang opened the door with one hand while holding a cup of hot milk in her other hand. Seeing that Chi Qiu had returned to his usual appearance, she came over with a smile, “Sir, drink the milk while it’s hot.”

Chi Qiu sat up and took the hot milk from Aunt Zhang’s hand. He didn’t say anything and drank half of it with a “gulp”.

At this moment, the bathroom door opened.

Lu Ming was topless and his hair had been blow dried. When he saw Aunt Zhang was in the bedroom, he turned around and entered the cloakroom, closing the door. Facing the full-length mirror in the cloakroom, Lu Ming tore off the bath towel around his waist, and took out a bathrobe-style pajamas from the closet, putting it on.

And Chi Qiu tilted his head and drank the remaining half cup of milk, handed the cup back to Aunt Zhang and went to the sink to rinse his mouth.

A few minutes later, Lu Ming came out of the cloakroom.

Chi Qiu was waiting for him on the bed, so Lu Ming walked over quickly, followed Chi Qiu position, and sat in the quilt.

As usual, Lu Ming would take the tablet to look at the work documents before going to bed, and then rest.

Today, however, he was lying down directly, and his pillow was pressed out in a neither deep nor shallow arc.

Chi Qiu slowly moved over and slept close to Lu Ming. Sticking to him, he reached over and hugged Lu Ming: “Can I hold you to sleep tonight?” His eyes were still moist and reddish because of the cry, it made people feel unbearable.

“En.”

Lu Ming responded in a low voice and stretched out his arm directly.

Chi Qiu pillowed onto Lu Ming’s arm, his breathing was not quite steady, and each breath was exhaled on Lu Ming’s chest. Lu Ming turned slightly sideways and took Chi Qiu into his arms, his palm caressing Chi Qiu’s back as he softly said: “Sleep.”

Chi Qiu sniffed the fragrance of the shower gel on Lu Ming’s body, and lost some sleep.

Even after drinking hot milk, he was not sleepy. When he saw Lu Ming’s sleeping appearance with his eyes closed, he couldn’t help but touch Lu Ming’s chin with his finger.

Unexpectedly, the next second, his hand was held by Lu Ming.

T/N: Sorry for being MIA after I told you all I’d update everyday. There’s no excuse for this. Anyway, I’m still free until 24th so I’ll try to update as much as I can. I don’t wanna give false hope you guys anymore, I feel bad. Also, my update schedule changes to every Monday.

By the way, double update for today. There’ll be another chapter after this.