CH 103

A pink pig tail with a hint of mischief suddenly appeared in front of Lu Zhiqiao. She was startled, blinked her eyes, and didn't react.

"Is it for Niu Niu?"

Qi Yan pursed her lips and smiled, shaking her head. She extended her finger and flicked the pig tail playfully, saying, "It's for you."

The small pink pig tail swayed and curled, being both cute and subtly suggestive. Lu Zhiqiao immediately understood the implication, her face turning red in an instant. She felt a mixture of embarrassment and annoyance, furrowing her brows, and raising her hand as if to hit Qi Yan

Obviously, these were lingerie with a playful twist, not the kind one would wear in their daily life. 

No need to guess what the occasion is.

As Lu Zhiqiao raised her hand, it was immediately seized, and she felt a sudden tightening around her waist. Caught off guard, she stumbled and found herself falling into a warm and tender embrace. Before she could even let out a startled cry, her lips were sealed in a passionate kiss.

"Mmm—"

Qi Yan held the pig tail in one hand and held her with the other. She closed her eyes, sweeping fiercely as if venting, seeking solace, and soothing the inexplicable surge of sadness and anger in her heart. Gradually, it started to intoxicate her, creating a slight itch in her chest, and a surge of impulse boiling in her mind.

She was fragrant, sweet, gentle, and serene. Taking refuge in her harbor, where the wind couldn't reach and the rain couldn't dampen, she was willing to remain stranded forever.

In the midst of intense emotions, Lu Zhiqiao had completely forgotten about being in the kitchen. She couldn't help but cling to Qi Yan's shoulder, responding eagerly, even shifting from being passive to taking the initiative.

"Mom, when will dinner be...?" Lu Wei ran to the kitchen door, but before finishing her sentence, she saw her two moms embracing each other affectionately, unwilling to part. Her throat tightened, and she came to a halt.

Both of them were startled and quickly separated. Lu Zhiqiao instinctively pushed Qi Yan and looked towards the door.

Meeting her daughter's surprised gaze.

The little girl reacted swiftly, uttering, "Excuse me, you can continue!" She turned around and disappeared in a flash.

Lu Zhiqiao's mind went blank, and her face turned as red as a pig's liver. She felt a burning sensation, and with a complaining tone, she lightly hit Qi Yan and glared at her, muttering, "You're so restless, during broad daylight..."

"I was wrong~" Qi Yan took the opportunity to grab her hand, leaned close to her lips and gave a kiss, then let go. She raised the pigtail panties in her hand and lowered her voice, "I'll go wash this up, and you can wear these another day. We..." She said, giving a mischievous smile.

Then before Lu Zhiqiao could raise her hand to hit her, Qi Yan swiftly ran out.

….

Throughout the evening, Qi Yan's mood was not very good. Despite her efforts to appear relaxed and normal, she couldn't hide the heaviness in her expression.

Lu Zhiqiao noticed but didn't ask, wanting to wait for Qi Yan to speak up on her own. However, from after dinner until bedtime Qi Yan showed no intention of opening up. Instead, she absentmindedly leaned against the edge of the bed, pretending to be engrossed in her phone while sighing.

Both of them remained silent, turned off the lights, and lay down.

The room was pitch black, and the silence was so profound that it seemed to buzz in their ears. They could hear each other's breaths clearly.

Lu Zhiqiao was always a fast sleeper, able to doze off within ten minutes of resting her head on the pillow. She quietly waited, waiting until her eyelids were almost closing, while the person beside her continued to breathe at irregular intervals, showing no signs of falling asleep.

Finally, unable to resist any longer, she turned over and embraced Qi Yan, pressing her lips against her cheek.

"Huh?" Qi Yan instinctively held her hand and tilted her head. "Can't sleep?"

"It's you who can't sleep."

"..."

"I've noticed that your mood hasn't been great since you came back," Lu Zhiqiao whispered, imitating her gesture and gently kissing her ear. "Is something wrong?"

The ticklish sensation in her ear caused a slight shiver, and Qi Yan had never realized that her ears could be so sensitive. She immediately softened, allowing Lu Zhiqiao to hold her.

"...there isn't really anything wrong."

"If you feel uncomfortable keeping it to yourself, just speak up," Lu Zhiqiao kissed her again, then held onto that soft earlobe.

Qi Yan kept her eyes open, staring at the pitch-black ceiling. Her fingertips scratched Lu Zhiqiao's palm as her breath deepened. She didn't know where to start, as if it were both simple and complicated at the same time. She was unsure of what exactly was causing her anxiety.

Outside the window, there was an argument from a neighboring house.

"The man's angry roar, the woman's high-pitched scream, the child's crying, and the sound of things falling with a thud."

Lu Zhiqiao had great patience, holding her quietly like this, not saying a word. Her lips traced a circle along the earlobe, as if soothing gently, adding a touch of tenderness to the darkness.

"Qiao Qiao."

"Mm, I'm here."

"Is gender the original sin?" Her voice suddenly became hoarse.

Lu Zhiqiao was taken aback, seemingly understanding what she wanted to say. After a moment of silence: "The world we live in was constructed from a male perspective. So... one could say that."

The person in her arms took a sharp breath.

She heard Qi Yan speak in a tone devoid of emotion, almost mechanical, describing the events of the afternoon in a casual manner. Afterward, both of them fell into silence.

A solemn atmosphere quietly spread...

The noise of the argument outside grew louder and louder, with things being thrown, curses, and shouts. It was evident that it was a fierce confrontation, as if they were about to tear down the entire building. It was disturbing to be causing such a ruckus in the middle of the night.

"I feel so fortunate," Qi Yan said.

"My parents never told me how a girl should be. When I was little, I liked playing with toy guns, but they didn't force dolls upon me. I didn't like wearing dresses, and they didn't expect me to be meek. When I said I wanted to become a teacher, they never mentioned that it was a stable job that would allow me to take care of the family. They love me, not like one would treat a caged canary but rather they want me to venture out into the world as a 'person' and get to know it.

"They used to say often that I was the best gift from heaven."

Qi Yan continued rambling, her voice choking up, yet her eyes remained dry, devoid of any moisture.

In the circles she found herself in, many girls were treated as "little princesses" or "precious gems," but these labels felt like describing a caged canary or a pet—something she had never liked since she was young.

She was born into anticipation and love, and although she had experienced the malice of the world before, her strong beliefs could support her and keep her standing.

So, upon hearing Chi Nian's words, the dormant volcano in her heart suddenly erupted. She couldn't comprehend it, couldn't accept it, couldn't tolerate it. She felt as if she had fallen into a dream, forcibly detached from reality, and mentally distressed.

"But A'Nian is her biological mother. How could she say such things?"

"She wasn't like this before..."

"Well, I can't meddle in other people's affairs. They can do whatever they want, but I don't want to be friends with this person anymore. It suffocates me."

After babbling alone for a while, Qi Yan suddenly realized the absence of sound beside her. She paused and turned her neck, "Qiao Qiao? Are you asleep?"

In the darkness, warm lips pressed against hers.

"..."

The noise outside the window had ceased at some point, and the surroundings quieted down. Fluids merged, and intertwined breaths mingled together.

Lu Zhiqiao tilted her head back, moving away from her lips, and buried her face in her hair. She whispered softly, "I'm also very happy to have met you." After speaking, she took a gentle breath, inhaling the fragrance of her hair. "If you're feeling unhappy, just stay away from the people and things that make you unhappy."

Qi Yan parted her lips and hummed. She rolled over and lay on her side, with one arm wrapped around her.

….

Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=3975255

This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.

In mid-October, there were a few autumn rains, and the weather became slightly cooler.

The 20th of the month was Lu Zhiqiao's birthday, but she seemed to have forgotten. She woke up in the morning without any reaction and went to work as usual.

For some reason, Qi Yan insisted on going with her.

She acted as a driver and nanny all the way, safely escorting her to the company. She stuck to her like a shadow, walking with an air of being her all-round attentive bodyguard. However, once they entered the office, she instantly became flirtatious, embracing her and refusing to let go.

"I love watching my wife work."

"Don't make trouble."

"Boss Lu, how about a sweet kiss?" Qi Yan blinked her eyes, showing a determined and unyielding attitude.

There were still a few minutes left before work, and she dared to recklessly act out, knowing that Lu Zhiqiao couldn't do anything about it. She became even more shameless, teasing and flirting, insisting on seeing Lu Zhiqiao blush and feel shy before stopping.

Lu Zhiqiao glanced at her watch, sighed helplessly, but a slight smile formed on her lips. She leaned over and lightly pecked Qi Yan's lips, then pushed her away.

"Later, I need to go out for a bit. Just stay in the office. There are snacks in the cabinet, a water dispenser and a coffee machine in the reception area. The Wi-Fi password is Niu Niu's birthday. Don't wander around."

"Okay, go get busy." Qi Yan nodded and sat down on the sofa, casually picking up a financial magazine from the coffee table to read.

After flipping through a couple of pages, she started feeling drowsy and put it back.

Lu Zhiqiao sat at her desk, made two phone calls, speaking in a language Qi Yan couldn't understand, and then hung up. She turned on her desktop computer, and after a moment, she got up, grabbed her bag, and left the office.

The slender white legs, pointed high heels, swayed back and forth in front of Qi Yan until they disappeared through the door.

Qi Yan took out her tablet from her bag, connected to the Wi-Fi, and lounged on the sofa to watch a movie.

Time passed quickly.

Unconsciously, it was already noon, and Lu Zhiqiao hadn't returned yet. Qi Yan put down her tablet, rubbed her eyes, stretched lazily, and reached for her phone to make a call. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

Just as she stood up, the door was pushed open from the outside, revealing a large bouquet of vibrant red roses. The person who entered behind them was Xiao Wan.

"Boss Lu, someone sent—" 

Their eyes met, and both of them were momentarily stunned.

"You are?"

"Boss Lu's friend."

Xiao Wan looked around: "Is Boss Lu not here?"

"She went out." Qi Yan said calmly.

Xiao Wan nodded, looking at the flowers in her hand and then at Qi Yan. She felt a sense of familiarity but couldn't quite place it. Deciding not to engage in too much conversation with this person, she resolved to wait until Lu Zhiqiao returned. So she prepared to leave with the flowers.

"Wait," Qi Yan called out to her, her gaze fixed on the bouquet of flowers with a meaningful look. "Are those for Boss Lu?"

Xiao Wan hesitated.

Without waiting for a response, Qi Yan stepped forward and took the flowers from her, placing them on the coffee table. "Just leave them here. I'll call her. You can go about your business."

"..."

The girl looked at her a few more times, said nothing, smiled politely, turned and went out.

The door closed, and the office fell silent.

Qi Yan stared at the bouquet of roses, their vibrant red color striking and eye-catching, resembling passionate love. Among the petals, there was a delicate card inserted, with the words "Happy Birthday" written on it, and at the bottom, a row of intricate small characters.

—Amidst the thousands of lights, I only want to go to the home where you are.

A trace of delight flashed in her eyes, and her lips curled up. She took out her phone and snapped a photo, pretending to be nonchalant as she settled back on the sofa to continue watching the movie.

A moment later, a steady and powerful sound of high heels approached from a distance and stopped outside the door. In the next second, the door was pushed open.

The roses were quite eye-catching, and as soon as Lu Zhiqiao entered, her gaze fell upon the vibrant red color on the coffee table. She paused for a moment, then her eyes shifted to Qi Yan sitting on the sofa. The woman just looked up. She met a gloomy gaze impartially, and her heart suddenly sank.

"Whose flowers are these?"

She closed the door and walked briskly towards the coffee table. She picked up the card that was nestled among the petals.

Qi Yan let out a cold snort. "How would I know?" she replied, lifting her eyes to glance at Lu Zhiqiao, deliberately trying to display a hint of anger. "I didn't even know it was your birthday today. Well, look, someone sent flowers to the office and even confessed their feelings."

Lu Zhiqiao stared at the card, reading the sentence without a signature. She was puzzled for a moment, but before she could delve into her thoughts, she quickly looked at Qi Yan and explained, "I usually don't celebrate my birthday. I forgot today, but this flower... "

She had only a handful of close friends, and each of them knew her inside out. It was absolutely impossible for any of them to send her flowers with a confession.

Could it be someone from the company?

None of her subordinates knew her birthday, not even Xiao Wan. Besides, office dating is not allowed, and everyone was well aware of it. Who could be so brazen as to send her roses?

Unable to figure it out and misunderstood, Lu Zhiqiao felt anxious and helpless. She furrowed her brows and placed the card back forcefully, saying angrily, "I'll throw it away."

After speaking, she picked up the flowers and turned around.

"Come back!"

"?"

Qi Yan stood up hastily, snatched the flowers from her hand, and put them back. Unable to contain her excitement, she burst into laughter and hugged her. "I ordered them. Happy birthday, wife~"

"You..."

Lu Zhiqiao widened her eyes, pointed a finger at Qi Yan's nose, parted her mouth but unable to utter a word. Then her expression changed instantly, and she lightly slapped Qi Yan on the shoulder, scolding, "What kind of trick is this? You scared me!"

"Ouch!" Qi Yan playfully exclaimed, matching her tone. "I wanted to give you a surprise."

"It was clearly a scare."

"Well, I was wrong," Qi Yan said, grabbing her hand and obediently leaning in to give her a kiss on the lips.

Lu Zhiqiao was wearing the familiar and alluring scent of "Hunting Goddess," a blend of icy citrus and deep sandalwood that was intoxicating. In the serious and formal environment of the office, the two girls were pressed close together, their eyes filled with affection, inevitably giving rise to some mischievous thoughts.

Unaware of her intentions, Lu Zhiqiao wasn't really angry either. She felt a warm sensation in her heart and was suddenly struck by a tingling sensation, as if she had been electrified. "How did you know it's my birthday today?" she asked.

"I asked Niu Niu," Qi Yan replied in a low and hoarse voice, leaning in closer and planting a gentle kiss on her tear mole.

The scorching breath enveloped her, causing the pores on her face to seemingly melt away. Lu Zhiqiao let out a suppressed hum from her throat, instantly melting into her embrace. With her half-opened lips, she didn't have a chance to say a word before they were forcefully sealed by her.

With a swift movement, she almost surrendered.

"Qiao—"

Qi Yan called out to her in a breathy voice, her hand restless.

Lu Zhiqiao instantly understood what she wanted to do and hurriedly held onto that hand. "We can't do that here!" 

"..."

In the evening, after work, the two of them sat in the car as Qi Yan wore a face of lingering anticipation. They drove back home.

The house was decorated just like last time when it was Qi Yan's birthday. There was a large birthday cake on the table, accompanied by gifts. As soon as they entered, Lu Zhiqiao froze and then saw their daughter bounce out of the room.

"Mom, happy birthday~"

Lu Wei hugged her tightly, smiling widely, and then happily ran to the table, holding a beautifully wrapped gift and handing it to her. "This is a gift for you, open it and see."

Lu Zhiqiao took it in surprise, feeling both cherished and amazed. She carefully tore off the wrapper, revealing the brand and design inside.

It turned out to be the laptop model she had been wanting to replace.

She widened her eyes, about to ask, but her little daughter proudly shook her head and said, "I bought it with the prize money I won in last year's piano competition."

No more, no less, exactly 20,000 yuan.

Lu Wei always wanted to give her Mom a gift. But if she were to buy it with her pocket money, it would still be using someone else's money, lacking sincerity. The prize money is something she saved for a long time and couldn't bear to spend, after all, it's money she "earned" herself. It holds a different meaning, and even spending a single bill feels painful.

But when she spent it on a gift for her Mom, she felt it was worth it. She didn't even bat an eye.

Lu Zhiqiao curved her lips, narrowed her eyes, and smiled. With one hand freed, she gently stroked her daughter's head. "Thank you baby, Mom likes it very much."

"Hehe~"

"Ahem—" Qi Yan cleared her throat softly, giving a signal to her daughter.

Lu Wei understood the cue and clapped her hands. "Ah, I haven't finished my homework. I'll go back to my room first." She turned around and hurried back to her room.

"?"

Lu Zhiqiao was stunned, still not fully reacting, as the laptop in her arms was taken away and set aside. Her hand was unexpectedly caught. She looked up in confusion and saw Qi Yan winking at her with a mysterious smile, saying, "Come with me."

Both of them put on their shoes again, and she was led out of the house, heading towards the opposite side.

Her heart began to beat rapidly, as if there was an even bigger surprise waiting for her ahead. The intuition grew stronger and stronger.

Qi Yan unlocked the door with a key, without even changing their shoes, and led her into the master bedroom.

The spacious room was decorated in an extremely festive manner. The beddings and pillowcases were all replaced with red ones, and the walls were adorned with pink and purple balloons and ribbons. Two red paper-cuttings of the Chinese character "Double Happiness*" were stuck on the window glass, giving it the appearance of a wedding room.

*Typically the character "囍" is written in Chinese calligraphy, and frequently appears on traditional decorative items, associated with marriage. Double happiness symbol also often found all over the wedding ceremony, as well as on gift items given to the bride and groom. The color of the character is usually red, occasionally black.

"This is..." Lu Zhiqiao was dumbfounded.

A gentle voice came to her ears, "Qiao, do you feel like something is missing?"

Lu Zhiqiao's gaze fell on the back wall of the bed, where there seemed to be an empty space. In her impression, there should have been a wedding photo hanging there, if this were to be considered a wedding room.

"A wedding photo?" she asked.

"That's right."

Qi Yan looked deeply into her eyes, holding both of her hands in his palms and gently rubbing them. "Would you like to marry me?"

Author's Note:

PS: The phrase on the card, "Amidst the thousands of lights, I only want to go to the home where you are" was taken from the internet.