Chapter 19: Staying Here Tonight

After a glance, one could clearly see the pink flush running along Lin Qingyan's fair face all the way to the base of her ear.

"Mom, Qing Yanjie's stuff is over there, and I have to ride with the car for duty these few days, so I won't be back for a few days; let's have Qing Yanjie stay there for now."

Hearing Lu Cheng's words, Lin Qingyan inexplicably let out a sigh of relief.

Chen Xianglan thought for a moment; with her own brat absent, Lin Qingyan was indeed a bit restrained, so she said, "Well, that works too, let's eat first."

At the table, Lu Cheng was busy focusing on cooking, while a displeased Chen Xianglan tapped with her chopsticks.

"Look at you, only eating by yourself, not even serving Qing Yan a dish. That brat... Qing Yan, try this, eat more meat; you've been so skinny lately."

"Thanks... Mom, that's enough, that's enough, that's a lot." Lin Qingyan held her bowl and chopsticks, while Chen Xianglan kept piling dishes onto them, almost overflowing.

Seeing the bowl full of meat, Lin Qingyan picked a few alternating lean and fatty slices and handed them to the Lu Cheng sitting beside her.

Chen Xianglan complained outwardly, but inside she was delighted.

Don't be fooled by being two years older; she still knows how to be caring.

"Qing Yan, don't serve him; he's not without hands."

"It's fine, Mom. Lu Cheng works every day, he should eat more; it's okay if I eat less."

Lu Cheng looked at the fatty meat slices in the bowl and said, "Stop passing dishes around; we're family, no need to be so formal."

Chen Xianglan pursed her lips and said, "You brat, people care about you, and you still mess it up."

Lu Cheng shook his head helplessly, "Alright, people marry wives and forget their mothers; coming here, they forget their sons. Sigh, seems I have no standing in this family anymore."

Chen Xianglan rolled her eyes, "You're just gluttonous; even a meal can't block your mouth."

The meal passed amid laughter; since her father was sent down, this was Lin Qingyan's first time feeling the warm atmosphere of a home.

After finishing, they chatted a bit more, checked the time, and Lu Cheng mounted his bicycle, preparing to take Lin Qingyan back to Yu'er Hutong.

Lu Beitang went out for a walk, and after returning home, Lu Cheng still hadn't come back.

"Ying Ying, where did your brother go? Why hasn't he returned? He can't be out partying again; he's married now, he can't be as homeless as before."

Lu Ying came out of Xi Er Fang, carrying foot‑washing water, and said, "Dad, you don't need to wait for Lu Cheng; he just told me he's not coming back tonight."

"What? Not coming back?"

Lu Beitang's face hardened, "What does he mean? Reverse Marriage?"

His son, even if he starved to death, still couldn't become a Reverse Marriage.

After dumping the water, Lu Ying held the basin, "It's fine, Dad; my older brother already became a Reverse Marriage, so we don't need Lu Cheng either."

When the Boss was mentioned, Lu Beitang sighed, "Your older brother's situation is different; whether he can return in the future is a separate issue, so our family's Third also cannot become a Reverse Marriage."

"If he really has that intention, tell him I despise him for a lifetime."

Lu Ying smiled without replying and returned to Xi Er Fang.

In Yu'er Hutong, after Lu Cheng took Lin Qingyan home, he showed no intention of leaving.

"Lu Cheng, I've arrived home, thank you. You go back first; be safe on the road."

Lu Cheng hadn't intended to go back at all; after all, it was the first day of their marriage.

"Qing Yanjie, I'm not going back today; I'll sleep here."

"Ah, not going back?"

Lin Qingyan paused while spreading the bedding, "Y‑you, how can you not go back?"

Thinking back to the day before yesterday, just like tonight, the lonely spinster stayed in the room, and she couldn't help feeling uneasy.

Looking at Lu Cheng's graceful figure, a fire seemed to rise within her, pressing Lin Qingyan onto the bed.

"What do you think, Qing Yanjie? On a long night, the first day of marriage, what should a couple do?"

Lin Qingyan opened her eyes wide; she obviously knew what to do, but they had previously agreed that they didn't need to share a room.

"Lu Cheng, why are you breaking your word? You can't treat me like this."

Lu Cheng's mouth curved upward, "Can't I? We're now legally married with certificates; whatever I do to you isn't harassment."

Hearing Lu Cheng's words, Lin Qingyan struggled a few times, but her hands were firmly held; as a young lady, she had no strength to break free.

"Fine, marry a rooster, follow the rooster; marry a dog, follow the dog."

As a wife, she has the duty to give her body to her husband.

After an inner struggle, Lin Qingyan forced herself to relax, but the thought of what was about to happen kept her body tense with fear.

Seeing this, Lu Cheng slowly unfastened one button on her front, revealing a swan‑like neck, graceful clavicle lines.

As Lin Qingyan, frightened, closed her eyes, trembling lashes, tears welled up.

Lu Cheng, seeing this, gently wiped away her tears with some tenderness.

His feelings toward Lin Qingyan were very complicated, and likewise, Lin Qingyan felt a similarly complex emotion toward him.

At least now, Lin Qingyan didn't completely fall in love with him.

"Alright, just teasing you."

Lu Cheng stood up, "People from the Street Office will probably come these few days; I'll stay in the side room, you get some good sleep."

The door creaked shut, and Lin Qingyan slowly opened her eyes.

Sitting up, covering her front with her clothing, she looked at the empty room, still unable to believe Lu Cheng had truly left without any lingering attachment.

Early the next morning, Lu Cheng stretched lazily and walked into the courtyard, beginning to practice boxing.

Last night's sleep was truly comfortable; I have to say, staying in the Separate Courtyard is much cleaner.

Unlike the Da Za Yuan, where ten‑plus households lived; even a fart from the opposite door could be heard.

As soon as morning came, the clanging noises woke him up directly.

After boxing for a while, he was drenched in sweat, feeling exhilarated.

I was just about to go to the pool to wash up when the main gate was suddenly knocked.

Lu Cheng called out, "Who is it?"

"Fine, you're indeed inside, open the door!"

It was the voice of Street Office's Zhong Qingbao; from the tone, anger mixed with joy, this was not a friendly visitor.

Outside, Zhong Qingbao was still shouting, with two Public Security comrades behind him.

"You open the door quickly, messing with a male‑female relationship; don't think you can run, I'm right at the door blocking you."

"Hold on a second," Lu Cheng replied, then hurried into Lin Qingyan's room and began taking off his pants.

It was still early, dawn just breaking, and Lin Qingyan was clearly woken by the noise outside.

But when she opened her eyes, she saw Lu Cheng suddenly burst in, shouting her to get up while taking off his pants.

"Qing Yanjie, get up quickly, the Street Office people are here."

"You! Then why are you taking off your pants?" Lin Qingyan didn't even dare to look.

"You didn't hear him shout, saying we're messing with a male‑female relationship, that they're here to catch us; if I don't take off my pants, how can they know we slept together last night."

Hearing the frantic knocking outside, Lu Cheng also became a bit urgent, but this rope belt, the more he rushed, the harder it was to untie.

"Qing Yanjie, please help me untie it quickly."

"Ah, I don't want to help you untie."

"Fine, fine, it's a dead knot; get scissors."

Finally, after much trouble, he cut it open, and Lu Cheng spread his fly open and opened the main gate.