Chapter 155: A Different Feeling

A cold wind blew in, chilling Lu Cheng into a shiver.

Lin Qingyan was still there with her back turned: "Did you put on your clothes?"

"Ah, all set, all set."

Lin Qingyan finally turned her head slowly, only to see Lu Cheng sticking out his big white butt, crawling into the quilt.

"You're not wearing pajamas? That's so cold."

Lu Cheng doesn't like that stuff; he prefers sleeping naked.

"Aren't you supposed to be sleeping with my sister tonight? Why did you come back again?"

Seeing Lu Cheng settle down, Lin Qingyan walked over, pulled the curtain, and began to make the bedding.

"I want to talk with you."

Lu Cheng rested his hands behind his head: "Talk about what? How to get to Gui Cheng, right? I've figured it out: you have to take the Jingguang Line train, then transfer to a passenger car midway; just hop on with me when it's time."

Lin Qingyan finished making the bed and started changing clothes; through the curtain, there was a rustling sound.

"Qing Yanjie, when are you planning to go over? How about the day after tomorrow, that works for my shift on the train."

"Then I'll ask Ding Jingzhang to pull me off the line; I can look after you on the train. It's the year‑end now, and the trains are pretty chaotic…"

Lu Cheng muttered to himself, half‑asleep, when suddenly the curtain was pulled aside.

Lin Qingyan had already changed into pajamas, shedding the thick cotton jacket she'd worn during the day; the cotton pajamas revealed her graceful figure.

"From now on… don't call me Qing Yanjie anymore."

"Then what should I call you? Comrade Lin Qingyan?"

"No need to be that formal, just call me Qing Yan."

Lin Qingyan said as she lay on the bed; Lu Cheng lay on his side, propping his face with one hand.

Knowing Lu Cheng wasn't wearing anything underneath, Lin Qingyan didn't dare to look at him either, and just stared at the ceiling.

"Lu Cheng, thank you."

"Again? Always bringing up thanks!" Lu Cheng rolled over, lying on the bed: "If you really want to thank me, give my shoulders a squeeze."

If this day didn't happen, something would always feel missing.

During the month Lin Qingyan was away, he could still, while everyone was watching the television, sneak over to Sun Yan Hong's house for a massage.

That won't happen anymore.

Fortunately Lin Qingyan didn't refuse; she stretched out her hand and began kneading his shoulders.

Lu Cheng patted his lower back: "Come, sit on me; you're leaning like that and can't use your strength."

Lin Qingyan hesitated a moment; since Lu Cheng was naked, when she sat on him she only dared to pull up the top of the blanket.

"Is this okay?"

"It's not quite the same."

Turns out every woman's massage feels different.

Take Sun Yan Hong, for example; her grip is stronger, probably because she's used to exerting force.

And Jiang Mengmeng, whose hands are smaller; his shoulders are broader, so Jiang Mengmeng can't grasp the flesh, only a small patch of muscle bears the pressure.

Lin Qingyan's hands are slender, pressing on the body gives another feeling.

Lin Qingyan asked suspiciously: "What's not quite the same?"

Lu Cheng was stunned for a moment, then realized, why is she comparing?

"Ah, nothing, nothing, it's fine…"

Lu Cheng quickly changed the subject: "By the way, tell me about your time in West Germany. I heard Director Wang say there was no progress a few days ago, how did it suddenly get settled?"

Bringing up the matter, Lin Qingyan also felt lucky; she told Lu Cheng about how she met the Middle General's daughter.

Lu Cheng saw through her little thought at a glance.

"So it was your final effort, huh? You're quite the opportunist, knowing the Middle General couldn't get it, you turned to his daughter—nice, nice."

Hearing Lu Cheng's teasing, Lin Qingyan couldn't hide the mix of shame and anger on her face.

"Who's the opportunist? You're so rude!"

Lu Cheng laughed: "You dare say you approached his daughter not to get close to her father?"

Lin Qingyan pursed her lips, glared at Lu Cheng in irritation.

She did have that motive; everyone in the Delegation knew, but she did it to buy a warship. Captain Lei and his men praised her before she even got there, and when it came to Lu Cheng it turned into opportunism.

So annoying.

"I don't want to deal with you."

Lin Qingyan complained aloud, but her hands never stopped kneading Lu Cheng's shoulders.

Sensing the shift in mood, Lu Cheng couldn't help but laugh, playing the little brat again.

"Look at you, making a joke out of me, not funny at all."

Lin Qingyan tilted her head: "Who doesn't like hearing compliments? As I said, I also made an outstanding contribution; even Captain Lei praised me for being smart."

Putting the Introduction Letter aside, this was done without Lin Qingyan's knowledge; her painstaking effort to approach the Middle General's daughter was entirely for Lu Cheng.

Turning back, she was even called an opportunist.

Alright, I'll praise you a couple of lines too: this time you truly displayed brilliance, earning a great merit for our Railway Department…

Lin Qingyan interrupted: "I'm not part of your Railway Department; I'm with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."

"Ministry of Foreign Affairs?" Lu Cheng turned sideways, glancing at her; Lin Qingyan hurriedly turned her face away.

"Today Captain Lei told me he suggests I work for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; I wanted to ask your opinion."

"Ha, that's good news, what's there to hesitate about? Of course go."

Lu Cheng lay back on the bed again, sighing inwardly, thinking that now he'd have a wife from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

After more than half an hour of pressing, it was clear his hand strength had waned, Lu Cheng quickly rolled over, and Lin Qingyan shifted from sitting on his lower back to sitting on his stomach.

Even though separated by the quilt, she still blushed.

Seeing Lu Cheng's mischievous grin, obviously intentional, she hurried back to her own nest and pulled the curtain closed.

The room fell quiet, and Lin Qingyan could hear someone out in the courtyard, stepping on the packed snow at night, the "crunch‑crunch" sound.

Only when she heard Lu Cheng's steady breathing did Lin Qingyan turn over, pulling the curtain aside a bit; the reflection from the snow outside made the room shine silver.

Lying on her side, she just sat there, quietly watching his sharply defined face.

After a long while she still hadn't fallen asleep, she simply got up, threw on a thick coat, lit a candle on the desk, and wrote a letter to the West German girl named "Heidi".

After all, they had helped her, so the letter was partly to report her safety, and also because she wanted to chat with Heidi about Lu Cheng.

She thought she didn't have that kind of feeling toward Lu Cheng, yet why did she feel at ease whenever she lay beside him?

Perhaps Heidi could give her the answer.

The next day, Lu Cheng took her to the tea stall and asked Uncle Zhao Bin to handle the resignation paperwork.

When he heard Lin Qingyan was leaving, Zhao Bin was the most saddened.

Lin Qingyan speaks so gently, unlike that Lu Ying sister, who is like a tigress; even though she arrived last, now all the tea stall staff have to obey her.

At least with Lin Qingyan there, Lu Ying can tone herself down a bit.

At noon, Lu Cheng was somehow dragged by Uncle Zhao Bin to the State-run Hotel for a meal.

Mainly to thank him for bringing such a good comrade, Lu Ying, to the tea stall.

Because of selling those warm‑keeping items, the tea stall's profit has multiplied several times over its previous level.

Uncle Zhao Bin was overjoyed, pulling Lu Cheng to keep drinking.

After finishing her meal, Lu Ying found an excuse and left with Lin Qingyan.

Coincidentally, today the wages were also settled, so Lin Qingyan prepared to buy something; the day after tomorrow she will follow Lu Cheng by train to visit her father.