Chapter 96: Helping You Wash Your Feet

Since Lin Qingyan returned, she has been nonstop busy.

Lu Cheng sat with his legs crossed on the bed, chin propped up, watching Lin Qingyan pace back and forth inside and outside the room.

She washed her face, brushed her teeth, then untied her hair and combed it with a wooden comb.

"Can you turn your back, I want to change clothes," Lin Qingyan asked, combing her hair and turning her face aside.

Lu Cheng's vehicle duty rotations last several days; when he was away, Lin Qingyan lived alone in the house and got used to it, so his return made her feel a bit restrained.

Even now, she still can't tell what kind of relationship she has with Lu Cheng.

"You change, I'll close my eyes," Lu Cheng closed one eye and kept his right eye open.

Seeing Lin Qingyan stare at him, half angry, half amused, Lu Cheng solemnly explained, "You may not know, but my right eye is blind; I see nothing with it. I'm sorry for hiding this for so many years and making you marry a one‑eyed dragon."

Lin Qingyan smiled faintly, "I don't believe your nonsense."

She still decided to wait until bedtime to change; she had gotten off work late, and wanted to use this time to soak the clothes so they could be washed before she slept.

"Qing Yanjie, you look really beautiful with your hair down."

Usually Lin Qingyan wears a thick plaited braid, but with her hair down and smoothed, she looks more graceful.

Lu Cheng felt he hadn't married in vain; in two years he'd acquire a Siheyuan, see a beautiful woman daily, and even prolong his life.

The only downside is that he can't touch her; a touch would make her cry.

Sleeping on the same bed every day is truly a torment.

Lin Qingyan pursed a smile, "I'm not as pretty as your sister; back in school, anyone who liked your sister could line up in long queues."

As a younger brother, how could one think his sister is beautiful?

"That's different; my sister is bold and easygoing, so those little boys find her approachable. You, on the other hand, always keep a cold face, and as the daughter of a high‑ranking leader of the Grand Courtyard, no one dares to get close."

When Lu Cheng mentioned the Grand Courtyard, Lin Qingyan's expression dulled.

That Du Yuan Siheyuan is his grandfather's property; she lived there as a child, and later when her father was promoted to Deputy Hall, the agency allocated a two‑story separate building.

In that Grand Courtyard, all the residents are high‑ranking leaders.

After her father met with an accident, that separate building was sealed off, but fortunately her grandfather was a war‑hero, so the Siheyuan wasn't confiscated.

But that was only temporary; she knew the Street Office was trying to persuade her to go down to the countryside for labor, likely for that Siheyuan.

In this situation, with no support, she had to compromise; people must first survive.

Fortunately, Lu Cheng's arrival was resolute and unyielding, keeping the Siheyuan.

She felt deeply grateful.

After combing her hair, she brought a small half‑basin of cool water onto the floor, lifted the Thermos Flask that sat on the stove, poured hot water into it, and then carried it to Lu Cheng.

"You should soak your feet; the weather's cold, a soak will warm you up."

Lu Cheng stood up, letting her sit on the bed, "I went to the Bathhouse this afternoon after work; you sit there, I'll wash you."

"Ah, I—I don't need you to wash me," Lin Qingyan refused, feeling a bit ashamed at a man washing her feet.

But Lu Cheng ignored her, pressing her onto the bedside, grabbing her feet and immediately taking off her shoes and socks.

Lin Qingyan's skin was already very fair; her soles were as white as jade, and her toes slender and long.

"You, stop looking; I'll wash them myself."

With her feet in Lu Cheng's hands, Lin Qingyan's ears flushed red with embarrassment, and she hurried to pull her feet away.

"Don't move!" Lu Cheng pressed the feet into the hot water, then gestured toward the clothes he had brought back, "I'll wash your feet, you wash my clothes—that's Equal Exchange."

Lin Qingyan was speechless, "Then you wash your own clothes, and I'll wash my own feet, that's fine."

That would be different; washing clothes is labor, washing a beauty's feet is appreciation—different mindsets.

Lin Qingyan, extremely awkward, finished washing her feet, "I'll dry them myself; you've been on the vehicle for several days, you must be tired—go rest first."

Lu Cheng tossed the foot‑drying cloth onto Lin Qingyan's leg, then placed his hands on the bed; Lin Qingyan involuntarily leaned back, lest their faces meet.

Lu Cheng persisted, leaning forward as if to kiss her.

Lin Qingyan dared not look at him, turning her face aside, "Didn't you say you had something to ask me?"

Almost forgetting the matter, Lu Cheng grabbed her and pulled her up, then immediately lay prone on the bed.

"Ah, these past few days on vehicle duty have been tiring; you can knead my shoulders for me."

Lin Qingyan shook her head slightly, but still extended her slender hands to knead Lu Cheng's shoulders.

"Hmm, comfortable, press a bit harder, I like the pressure."

Lin Qingyan increased the force a little, "You still haven't said what you wanted to ask."

"Oh, I just wanted to ask where the Poetry Association you and my sister visited is located?"

Lin Qingyan had indeed gone there a few times with Lu Ying, but since the family incident she hasn't had the mind to go.

"It's right at the Cultural Palace; why do you ask?"

Lin Qingyan's hands paused briefly while kneading, and Lu Cheng patted her shoulder, signaling her to continue.

"Nothing much, just go see—it was just a short poem we wrote a few days ago; going there to exchange ideas will improve my literary cultivation and help me catch up with you and my sister's thoughts."

Lin Qingyan knew that although Lu Cheng also graduated high school, during those two years he was busy coordinating nationwide activities with classmates; he made many friends but didn't study much.

"Wanting to study is good, but you don't need to focus on poetry…"

Before Lin Qingyan could finish, Lu Cheng suddenly remembered something.

"By the way, Qing Yanjie, I recall you speak several languages—English, German, Japanese, Russian—you know them all, right…?"

Lin Qingyan startled, quickly looking out the window to see if anyone was outside.

Lu Cheng noticed her mood; being multilingual nowadays is a talent, but in these special times, speaking many languages can attract scrutiny, possibly landing one a spy badge.

Lin Qingyan grew up in a good family; her mother was strict, training her in singing, music, violin, piano, dance, and foreign languages from a young age, which gave her a noble bearing unlike ordinary people.

But after the family upheaval, she dared not mention things like her multilingual ability.

"Don't be nervous, Qing Yanjie; it's not that harsh now. I'm a drifter, but since you're my fiancée, I can't just sell you away, right?"

Lin Qingyan certainly didn't mean that; Da Za Yuan is crowded and full of eyes, she fears that others might act on what they hear, human hearts are unpredictable, and she has a deeper understanding than anyone else.

"Why are you asking about this?"

Lu Cheng patted his shoulder again, and Lin Qingyan had no choice but to go on.

"I'm transferred to Beijing Station, right? Beijing Station has the China‑Russia line; who knows, maybe one day I'll be on that line, learn more foreign languages, and have extra skills to rely on."

Lin Qingyan nodded: "Hmm, then every night when you come back, I'll teach you."

"ok!"

Lin Qingyan smiled: "You've got some foundation; at least you can say 'ok'! I'll teach you more in a bit."

"We'll talk later; for now, apply some force, right, this amount of pressure, sss, ah…"

After pressing for a while, there was no sign of movement; Lin Qingyan turned her face and saw that the person had already fallen asleep comfortably.

"Weren't we supposed to learn Russian? You fall asleep before even starting? Honestly, then go sleep over there yourself."

Lu Cheng was sleeping on her half of the bed; Lin Qingyan tried to push him a few times, but Lu Cheng was too heavy to move.

She poured out the foot‑washing water, then first covered Lu Cheng with the quilt, tucking the corners neatly.

She then walked to the half of the bed where Lu Cheng had originally slept, pulled the curtain closed, and in the quiet room the rustle of changing clothes could be heard.