Chapter 5

Chapter 5

“…”

I sat there blankly for three seconds.

Three seconds later, I threw off the blanket. “I’m coming right now!”

“What time is it?” Yi Lin looked at me blearily. “Why are you making so much noise…”

“Get up,” I said, grabbing my coat and pulling it on as I shoved my feet into my shoes and ran toward the little washroom. “Lu Boya is here!”

Yi Lin had used up all the hot water last night, so I brushed my teeth and washed my face with cold water, then ran my fingers through my hair.

When I came back out, I saw Yi Lin still buried under the blanket on the bed. Panicked, I said, “Why are you still sleeping? Lu Boya is here!”

“So he’s here.” Yi Lin’s voice came from under the blanket, calm and indifferent. “What does that have to do with me?”

To have such a laid-back love rival-what a blessing. I had to take it.

I hurriedly yanked open the door and had only run two steps before I suddenly stopped.

The rain outside had already stopped. Dawn had only just begun to break, and the mountains were thick with mist. The plants and grass were soaked through, all of it a deep, shadowy green.

Amid the dark green and inky black, there was a soft, luminous white, gentle as a beam of moonlight.

I stared blankly at Lu Boya. My heart surged, but the daze did not last long.

It felt like an instant. It felt like two or three seconds.

By the time I came back to myself, I was already running, heedless of everything, toward the moonlight that belonged to me.

I hugged him hard, confirming he was truly there, confirming that I had gathered the moon into my arms.

I didn’t want to say a single word. Not even one.

I tightened my hold, wishing I could fold this person into my heart and lock him away at the very bottom of it.

Lu Boya held me just as tightly. His lips brushed light kisses against the tip of my ear, as if he, too, was making sure, and his breathing gradually steadied.

Neither of us spoke. We didn’t need words.

But this was not a world meant for just the two of us.

Starting with someone’s “Aiyo,” the hooting and teasing around us never stopped.

I had always had thick skin, so being watched didn’t bother me. But considering Professor Lu was thin-skinned, I let go and changed to holding his fingers instead. Then, perfectly openly, I said to the workers, “You all know now. This is my family, surname Lu, Lu Boya, a mathematics professor at Sunan University.”

Lu Boya nodded and greeted them.

These workers had followed me on projects for several years. They counted as my own people, one team, and when they started messing around, they didn’t care much about seniority or boundaries.

Praising Lu Boya for being good-looking and praising his job were all normal.

After that, though, their words started getting improper. They might not have meant anything bad by it, but their mouths had no filter.

I didn’t want Lu Boya to become the target of other people’s jokes, much less their flirting, so I put on a stern face and said to them, “If you want to mess with someone, mess with me. Don’t mess with him. If you upset him, I’m the one who’s going to suffer later.”

Lu Boya squeezed my hand and looked at me with a smile.

Anyone who had been with me long enough knew my temper.

Since I had put it that way, they restrained themselves quite a bit. After laughing and joking for a while, they dispersed.

The door of one of the bungalows opened. Yi Lin stood in the doorway, quietly watching me and Lu Boya.

She had washed up too. Her hair was combed much smoother, her features bright and pretty, and she was wearing my clothes.

My sense of vigilance suddenly jumped. All cleaned up like this-was my love rival about to start business hours?

Although Yi Lin’s gaze was on Lu Boya, her tone was flat. “The flood receded?”

“Mm,” Lu Boya answered.

“Was the road dangerous?” Yi Lin asked.

“Mm,” Lu Boya answered.

“Got it,” Yi Lin said.

With that, she turned and went back inside.

In my heart, I went, Huh? That was it? Half-hearted business hours? Ineffective competition?

“Why is she here?” Lu Boya looked at me and asked softly. “And what she’s wearing… seems to be your clothes.”

I blinked and said, “Yesterday, she came to do the surveying, and then it rained heavily and the flood washed out the bridge, so she-”

My eyes suddenly widened. “The bridge is broken. How did you get here?!”

Even if the flood had receded, getting up and down the mountain still wouldn’t be easy.

Before Lu Boya could answer, I immediately looked down.

He was wearing a silvery-white hardshell jacket, light gray pants, and sneakers.

His pants and sneakers were covered in mud, and the cuffs of his pants were still dripping water.

How he had gotten here went without saying.

“You-”

My anger flared up in an instant, only to be forcibly pressed back down. I shook off his hand and headed for the room, not forgetting to turn back and shout, “Wait there!”

I opened the room door and saw Yi Lin folding the blanket.

“Don’t fold that yet,” I said hurriedly. “The first room on the left is the temporary office. Here’s the key. Go over there first and let Lu Boya come in to shower and change.”

Yi Lin glanced at me.

I shoved the key into her hand and pushed her toward the door. “Go first. I’ll make arrangements for you in a bit. Lu Boya waded through water to get here…”

“I waded through water too.” Yi Lin walked as I pushed, her tone calm. “And I got rained on. Nothing happened to me. He’s a grown man. What’s the rush?”

No, this was not something to compare!

If I hadn’t been pressed for time, I really would have loved to complain: Lady, you’ve picked the wrong target for your competition.

After sending off Bodhisattva Yi, I welcomed in Buddha Lu.

I heated water at lightning speed. I couldn’t find a new towel, so I could only give him mine. I couldn’t find suitable clothes either, so I was discussing whether we could borrow some from one of the workers for him to wear…

“I brought some,” Lu Boya said, unruffled. “In the waterproof bag outside.”

“So well prepared,” I said, still angry. “Before you came, why didn’t you also buy accident insurance while you were at it?”

A mountain storm, flash flood, washed-out bridge, and he still dared to wade through the water… He was a refined, scholarly university professor. The heaviest thing he had probably ever carried in his life was his laptop.

How did he dare?

I couldn’t understand it, and I was furious. I found his waterproof bag outside, scoffed when I saw how it looked-pretty professional, huh-and then realized, wait, why was it so heavy?!

When I lifted it, I could clearly feel the weight.

This had to be sixty or seventy pounds, right?

Lu Boya could carry this? And carry it all the way here?

…Had he eaten spinach or something?

I carried his bag back into the house. He had already gone into the small room inside.

I knocked on the door. “I brought your bag in.”

“Help me find a set of clothes,” Lu Boya said from inside. At the same time, the sound of running water drifted out.

I said, “Oh,” unzipped the bag, and casually pulled out a… survival rope… a silk braided cord… a steel awl? A Swiss Army knife?!

I stared blankly at the tightly shut door of the little room. He had actually brought a full set of wilderness survival gear.

I kept digging and even pulled out an inflatable life vest, an oxygen device, swimming goggles, and a foldable helmet.

If the floodwaters hadn’t receded, had he been planning to… swim through them to get here?

I should have been moved.

But I wasn’t. Not even a little.

All I felt was a chill down my back and a coldness along my spine, a delayed wave of fear finally crashing over me.

…If something had happened, if something had gone wrong, what would he have done? What would I have done?

I clutched the gear in my hands. In that instant, I wanted to give Lu Boya a proper beating.

I was shocked and furious, terrified in hindsight, and worried sick.

I couldn’t even stop myself from shouting, “Lu Boya!”

My tone was not exactly pleasant.

From behind the door, Lu Boya answered, “I’m here. What’s wrong?”

…Nothing.

I took a deep breath, suppressed my panic, and let relief take its place.

Thank God he was all right.

Thank God.

I set the clothes on the stool by the door, reminded him where they were, and left the room.

In the courtyard, Yi Lin was talking to the village officials who had rushed over.

When they saw me come out, the officials explained the situation.

The floodwaters had receded, but the bridge was broken, so getting out of the mountains would be difficult. Everyone in the village had gone to help build a temporary bridge. At the earliest, we could leave tomorrow.

Yi Lin frowned slightly, but said nothing else.

I guessed she wanted to leave as soon as possible. After all, Lu Boya had come. From her position, she definitely wouldn’t want to see the two of us together.

“We can’t leave until tomorrow,” Yi Lin said, turning to me with a lukewarm expression. “How do you plan to arrange things for me and him?”

What was with that tone, so matter-of-fact and yet so full of accusation?

I couldn’t understand Yi Lin’s attitude, so I asked in the most ordinary way possible, “I don’t think I’m responsible for arranging accommodations for you, am I?”

It wasn’t as if I had asked her to come. She hadn’t come for me, either. And given the relationship between us, there was really no need for me to take that responsibility onto myself.

As soon as I said that, Yi Lin only lowered her head slightly. Then she curved her lips faintly and said, “Fine.”

After that, she asked, “Can I borrow your clothes for the time being?”

I nodded.

She looked at me. “Thank you for last night.”

After thanking me, she went back into the room being used as the temporary office. Before long, she came out carrying a bag.

She gave me another slight nod, then silently headed out of the courtyard.

Oh, this heart of mine that had absolutely no resistance against girls!

I called after her and asked, speechless, “Where are you going?”

“To find somewhere in the village to stay for the night, then return to Sunan tomorrow,” she answered softly.

“Are you familiar with the village? Do you know whose home would be convenient for a single girl to stay in? Do you know whose home would be safe for a single girl to stay in?” I fired off three questions in a row.

She didn’t speak. She only tightened her grip on her briefcase.

I sighed as I walked over, then snatched the bag from her hand. “You’re staying in my room tonight. No matter what, safety comes first. Once the bridge is ready tomorrow, you can leave.”

“There is already someone in your room,” she said in a low voice.

“Lu Boya… I’ll make arrangements for him later.” I gritted my teeth, both helpless and unwilling. “Honestly, I give up on the two of you. Either don’t come, or only one of you come. Why did you have to show up together? I don’t know if either of you feels awkward, but my head is buzzing from this mess…”

“I came first,” Yi Lin emphasized.

Oh, and you’re proud of that?!

I laughed despite my anger. “People who know the situation know you like Lu Boya. People who don’t might think you have a crush on me. No, seriously-I don’t get it. Why are you competing with him? He’s my boyfriend, and you’re my love rival. Can those two positions even be compared?”

“Boyfriends and love rivals hold similar positions,” Yi Lin said, shocking people without ever stopping to consider the consequences. “Neither is necessarily permanent. Either can change at any time.”

When she said this, she wasn’t looking at me. Instead, her gaze went past me, toward the space behind my back.

I turned my head and saw the door had opened. Lu Boya had come out.

The man had clearly waded through water and crossed a river, and half of him had been in a sorry state. Yet after just this short while, he looked refined and elegant, like bamboo swaying after the rain.

My boyfriend was seriously handsome!

I thought this with great satisfaction.

Lu Boya heard Yi Lin’s words and smiled. Then, unhurriedly, he said, “A boyfriend may become a husband, but a love rival will never become a friend.”

Yi Lin’s face darkened.

Why did I feel like there was killing intent between these two? Or maybe not killing intent, but hostility? …Or maybe not hostility, but… but… I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.

Whatever it was, it definitely wasn’t ambiguity. It was even a little unfriendly.

But in any case, both of them were highly educated, well-mannered people of status and standing. Surely they couldn’t start fighting in public.

From a distance, the foreman shouted that it was time to cook, and Lu Boya volunteered to take charge of the kitchen.

I knew he was a good cook, but I felt his cooking skills here were possibly, very possibly… basically useless!

He rolled up his sleeves and stood before the makeshift chopping board set up under the color steel shed, scanning the kitchen utensils.

The workers gathered around me, grinning as they expressed their envy.

He could grace the parlor and enter the kitchen, teach excellent classes, and still love an illiterate.

“President Xu, your life has been worth it!”

I looked at that raised thumb and gave two dry laughs. Heh. Heh-heh.

Steak, pan-seared foie gras, baked lobster-sure, he could handle those. But this kind of big-pot communal cooking? It might just take his life.

My man was supposed to be a delicate beauty, gorgeous as a flower, gentle and elegant, the kind of refined darling who even had standards for plating!

Refusing all help, Professor Lu was brimming with baseless confidence.

Under my extremely worried gaze, Lu Boya turned on the faucet, picked up a simple plastic basin, washed the greens, rinsed the pot, added the rice, then gripped a kitchen knife and started hacking away at the ribs with loud, heavy thuds.

I was so scared I nearly rushed over, terrified he would hurt his hand.

And yet Lu Boya’s expression remained calm and composed. His chops were clearly so forceful, but he didn’t even twitch a brow.

Although the ribs he chopped were all evenly sized, and the way he heated the wok and added oil looked perfectly proper, I still couldn’t relax. So I just stood there and watched him finish cooking… one, two, three, four… sixteen dishes!

Huge basins of food were carried out one after another. It wasn’t just me-over a hundred workers were stunned too.

There were a lot of people on the crew, and they were construction workers with big appetites. Usually, meals on site were served by the basin, so that part wasn’t unusual. But all they ever had at the worksite were ordinary greens and meat.

Lu Boya had somehow taken ordinary ingredients and made more than a dozen different dishes.

Cold dishes, stir-fries, stews, soup, and he even… braised a whole pot of pork hock!

With food like that, no one could possibly hold back.

Lu Boya was showered with all kinds of praise, and I got dragged into it too.

“President Xu is so blessed!”

“President Xu is definitely going to have such a comfortable life from now on!”

On the outside, I was beaming, my eyes curved in a smile. Inside, I was going hahahahahahahahahaha-!!!!!

Don’t be jealous! Whatever you do, don’t be jealous hahahahahahahaha-!!!!!

Lu Boya could handle a knife and fork, and he could hold disposable bamboo chopsticks just as steadily. When he picked up a rib and put it into my bowl, he winked at me.

His brows lifted slightly, his eyes seductive. That expression seemed to say: Did I make you look good?

I didn’t say anything. I just pressed my lips together and smiled, bumping my head lightly against him: You made me look ridiculously good!

Under the low table, the tips of my shoes touched his. Our shoulders brushed from time to time. Whenever I looked up, I either saw the smile in his eyes or the grin on my own face reflected back at me.

“I’m full.” Yi Lin set down her bowl and chopsticks, then stood. “Take your time.”

“That’s all you’re eating?” I noticed she had only taken a few bites.

Yi Lin, in a perfectly pleasant tone… Mm, actually! Surprisingly! explained to me in a perfectly pleasant tone that she wasn’t very hungry and was already full, then even told me to eat more.

After that, without sparing Lu Boya a single glance, she left just like that.

I’d always felt that two women fighting over one man was completely unnecessary.

When it came to feelings, there was really no need to fight back and forth.

If he was yours, he was yours. If he wasn’t yours-then please! You absolutely must! Wish the man and the person who snatched him away everlasting happiness, may they stay locked together forever! Then go be beautiful all by yourself, so beautiful you practically sparkle!

Judging from this, Yi Lin had probably given up on Lu Boya. Mm, she really was a good girl who knew where to draw the line and had principles!

“Don’t eat too much,” Lu Boya whispered by my ear.

I shot him a sidelong look. What was going on? Even Yi Lin told me to eat more, and you’re telling me to eat less? You don’t love me as much as Yi Lin does-not!

After dinner, Lu Boya planned to clean up the aftermath.

“Enough, enough.” I stopped him and rolled his sleeves, which he had pushed up again, back down. “You’ve already proven how virtuous you are. No need to perform any further.”

Bowls, chopsticks, plates, and basins for over a hundred people were no joke.

I left the remaining work to the small foreman to assign, then rubbed Lu Boya’s fingers.

The water here was drawn from mountain springs. Even in the hottest weather, it was still cold.

He wouldn’t let me help, washing the vegetables, rice, and meat all by himself. His long, slender fingers had been soaked until they were pale and icy.

“That was food for over a hundred people,” I couldn’t help grumbling. “You could’ve at least let me help out. Look how cold your hands are… Don’t you know it hurts me to see that?”

“You feel bad just because I cooked one meal. Do you think I don’t feel bad that you spent ten years selling your strength?” Lu Boya asked gently in return.

When I lifted my eyes, he pulled his hand free and gathered me into his arms. “With me here, you don’t have to do anything. I can’t bear to let you do anything.”

“But you can’t always be here,” I joked with a smile. “What, you’re not going to teach anymore? Not going to give lectures? Not going to research mathematics? You’re going to follow me around and make a living on construction sites? I’ll move bricks, you’ll cook, and we’ll be dusty, grimy bosses together?”

“I can,” Lu Boya said without the slightest hesitation.

“I can’t.” I gently pushed him away, then wrapped my arms around his waist again and looked up at him with a smile. “Everyone has things they’re supposed to do, places they’re supposed to stand, and… higher, farther goals.

“Ten years ago, I hoped I could be debt-free, own a house and a car, and have a home of my own. Ten years later, I did it.

“Now I want to use this place as my starting point and build a greater enterprise. That’s the direction I’ll be fighting toward for the next ten years.

“You should be the same. Spend your whole life pursuing a future even farther away. Don’t fall into the dust for the sake of love.”

I was a hopeless romantic. I liked Lu Boya so, so much. Seeing him made me happy; kissing him made my heart race.

But being lovestruck didn’t mean I had no ambition. Being kind to others didn’t mean I lacked a wolfish drive.

I was an adult. I wanted this, and I wanted that. I wanted everything.

I didn’t know whether Lu Boya was serious, but if he really came to the construction site to cook and wash dishes, I thought I would be very disappointed.

“I’m an associate professor right now,” Lu Boya said with a smile, rubbing my short hair. “Before you reach your goal for the next ten years, I’ll try my best to become a full professor. Otherwise… I won’t be worthy of you.”

“Then before you become a full professor, I’ll also work hard to reach my goal. Otherwise… I won’t be able to afford you.” I tilted my head. “You’re already gorgeous as a flower, so I have to take responsibility for making money and supporting the family.”

Lu Boya laughed and pulled me back into his arms.