Chapter 26

Alzheimer’s wouldn’t even help, Lu Yi realized. She knew very well they weren’t going to forget so easily, it was just wishful thinking. What she really wanted was an unspoken agreement that neither would bring up that night again.
Lin Jinshen lowered his lashes. “What I mean is, since we’re married, there’s nothing shameful here. We’re supposed to be close, after all.”
“Which means certain needs, biological urges, hormonal sparks, even… dirty talk, are all normal between a married couple.”
“…”
She felt as if she were sitting through a biology lecture.
Specifically, an animal behavior segment on “mating rituals.”
Lu Yi rubbed her temple, trying to decide if Lin Jinshen’s calm explanation meant he was enlightened, or just preferred to crunch relationships down to formulas. She was leaning toward the latter.
Still, he’d managed to make their wild night sound reasonable enough.
“You’re right.” She nodded, “I’m fine now.”
“You’re sure?”
“I’m sure.”
Lin Jinshen tilted his head, eyes steady on her.
She got the sense he didn’t believe her. Under his gaze, she started to doubt herself too, he seemed to see straight through her, reading all the tangled feelings she was trying to hide.
Her lips pressed together. Seconds ticked by; just as she was about to speak, he suddenly leaned in, blocking out the light.
For a moment, Lu Yi felt snatched up, spine gone ramrod straight against the seat, hands awkwardly clutching at nothing. She tried to hold her breath, but that cool, sandalwood scent of his still crept in, everywhere.
Her heart hammered. His face loomed closer; under sharp brows, his lashes were impossibly long and dark, casting shadows across his cheekbones.
Lin Jinshen stretched a long arm across her, and she instinctively edged back, wedged tight in the narrow space. If she leaned forward, she’d practically brush his cheek.
His arm reached to the right, around the seat, pulling the seatbelt over. With a click, he fastened it securely on her left side. Then he drew back, the air between them finally opening up again.
“You weren’t wearing your seatbelt.” His voice was low, cool, and casual.
She only realized after the fact, lost in conversation, she’d forgotten the seatbelt entirely. She forced out a thank you, mumbling a quick excuse: “I usually do.”
“Mm. Good habit,” Lin Jinshen replied in that serious, almost fatherly tone.
It made Lu Yi feel like a little kid who’d done something good and was waiting for praise. She sank lower into her seat, a bit embarrassed by the whole thing.
They drove back to Chengxi Garden.
Aunt Fang was already off for the night, knowing both of them had dinners and wouldn’t be home. She hadn’t bothered cooking much. Puff the cat was slowly learning to accept Lin Jinshen’s presence, not coming too close, but meowing softly from a safe distance, just to make sure she was noticed.
Lu Yi put her bag down and scooped Puff up, making sure she’d eaten and the litter box was clean. Finding everything in order, she gave her head a gentle rub: “Such a good boy tonight.”
Lin Jinshen, seeing she wasn’t heading upstairs just yet, said, “I’m going to take a shower.”
“Okay.”
Lu Yi turned away. Her gaze drifted to a corner of the floor-to-ceiling window, and she frowned, just slightly. Getting used to everything would take time. Right now, she was still far from calm and collected.
Lately, Aunt Fang had sent her videos: Puff had learned to open doors. He’d jump up and press down the handle, he was too small for the heavy security door, but he could unlock the first-floor bathroom door with ease.
Several times now, Aunt Fang had found him inside the bathroom.
Aunt Fang could hardly contain her delight: “I knew from the first moment I saw him, this little girl was smart.”
Lu Yi hadn’t seen it happen in person yet, but now she was egging Puff on, nudging her toward the door to see if she’d try it for her.
Puff tried to play it cool at first, but the moment Lu Yi set her down, she circled around, nuzzling for cuddles. Lu Yi pointed at the door and said, “Show Mom a trick.”
“Meow?”
“You’ve got this.” Lu Yi gave her head a gentle pat.
Puff seemed to finally get it. She sashayed over with all the elegance of a show cat, leaped up to the door handle, pawed at it, but didn't quite manage it the first time. After a few determined tries, the door creaked open a sliver. She hooked her claw, tugged, and victory, door open.
She glanced back at Lu Yi and let out two proud “meows.”
“Wow!”
Lu Yi scooped Puff up in glee, showering her with kisses. “Is our little Puff ready for college now?”
“Meow meow?”
Lin Jinshen came out after his shower just in time to overhear this little exchange, as if Lu Yi and the cat were genuinely having a conversation. He started toward the study but switched course.
The voices came from near the cat’s corner: plush rug, scratching post, climbing frame, and all sorts of mysterious little toys he couldn’t identify. Compared to his memory, her corner had grown into a tiny fairytale haven.
And there was Lu Yi, utterly at home, legs bent, cat clutched in her arms so their faces almost touched, her expression lit up with gentle delight.
Lin Jinshen padded downstairs, glass of water in hand.
It was the sound of footsteps that made Lu Yi suddenly aware he was there, she glanced up to meet his eyes.
Lin Jinshen always wore dark colors out of habit, but tonight's pajamas were a soft almond white that softened his usual chill, making him seem less intimidating. His hair was still a little damp from the shower, falling over his forehead, looking even darker under the light.
Beneath those stray bangs was a striking nose; his lips pressed together, the bones of his hand stark around the glass.
Puff noticed him, huddled tight in Lu Yi’s arms, refusing to move.
Lin Jinshen’s tall frame cast a bit of a shadow over the girl and cat as he walked over in his slippers, the air somehow heavier until he stopped at the kitchen island.
He pressed a button. Water burbled into his glass.
Lu Yi ducked her head, squishing Puff’s chubby cheeks between her fingers. Those round eyes were almost criminally cute.
Lin Jinshen’s deep voice cut in suddenly, “What's its name?”
“What?” Lu Yi hadn’t quite caught it.
“Its name?” Lin Jinshen tipped his chin, repeating himself.
Was she imagining it, or was Lin Jinshen actually interested in Puff? Seizing the moment, Lu Yi lifted Puff up like a show-and-tell, “Her name’s Puff! Most of her back is golden, but her belly is pure white, like a cream puff with a filling.”
Puff, the dessert. Lin Jinshen finally put two and two together, matching the cat to her name for the first time.
Puff, currently held aloft for inspection, belly exposed to the world, just blinked blankly. Impossible not to adore.
It was rare for Lin Jinshen to pay Puff any attention, so Lu Yi jumped on the chance. “Do you want to try petting her? She’s super sweet, she won’t bite.”
Lin Jinshen lazily half-opened his eyes.
Lu Yi’s lips curled up, bright hope sparkling in her gaze.
She wished they’d all get along one day; that way, Puff wouldn’t always treat him like a cat-eating monster, and maybe, just maybe, she’d dare to roam upstairs, expanding her domain.
There was a pause. Then Lin Jinshen muttered, “…I don’t like cats.”
“Just give it a shot. She’s got the nicest temperament, and her fur’s crazy soft,” Lu Yi coaxed, picking up on how he sounded a little less resolute than usual.
Water filled the glass. Lin Jinshen hit pause, hesitated for a second, then quietly set the glass on the table and walked over.
The moment he got close, Puff shrank deeper into Lu Yi’s embrace, ears up, watching him like he was danger personified.
“Puff’s a little scared of you. Try luring her with a treat, she’s a total foodie, if you give her snacks she’ll warm up,” Lu Yi suggested.
Lin Jinshen towered over Puff, pausing to consider whether any of this was even necessary.
As he was thinking it over, Lu Yi gently tugged his fingers.
It was like someone had tugged directly on the strings of his heart.
Lu Yi, watching with interest, whispered, “Come on, let’s see if she’ll go for it.”
She was just as curious: would Puff, usually terrified of Lin Jinshen, brave her fear for the prospect of food?
Any other time, Lin Jinshen would’ve declined; he wasn’t the type to jump through hoops for a cat, and whether it ate or not was hardly his problem. But now, as the words hovered on his lips, he surprised himself by staying silent and instead took the treat Lu Yi handed him, tearing it open. The sound made Puff’s ears prick right up.
Big cat eyes fixed on him, no, on the treat in his hand.
Puff meowed, weak with wanting and nervousness in equal measure.
She wanted it, but still afraid.
Lin Jinshen squeezed the treat. Pasty fish-shrimp goodness oozed out, filling the air with irresistible scent.
“Meow~” Her cries got shriller and more impatient.
Lu Yi couldn’t help a gentle laugh. She loosened her hold on Puff and lazily stroked her fur. The little furball was utterly defenseless against temptation, when food appeared, her dignity disappeared.
Lin Jinshen’s hand dangled limply over his knee, almost like he couldn’t be bothered. Puff mewed anxiously, and only then did he slowly raise the treat. Puff’s eyes tracked the movement like lasers.
Puff called out a few more times, finally bursting with impatience. She dared to reach out, tentative paw on Lu Yi’s knee, little head stretching toward the treat, but tensed and ready to bolt at the slightest scare.
She sniffed, eyes narrowed.
She wanted it so much it almost hurt.
“She’s about to break,” Lu Yi laughed.
Lin Jinshen glanced at her, close enough to see the dimples that surfaced when she smiled.
This wasn’t as boring as he’d expected.
Puff finally broke, stretching her neck and licking at the treat, rumbling with greedy little sounds. When a small chunk fell, she hooked it back with her paw and devoured it like treasure.
“Puff’s well past a healthy weight now, so she’s on a diet. I hardly ever let her have treats, so she’s absolutely starving for them,” Lu Yi explained, then added with a grin, “Go ahead, you can pet her now.”
Turns out, when food’s on the line, pride’s got nothing on Puff.
Lin Jinshen raised his hand, long fingers easily spanning half of Puff’s body. His movements were stiff as he lowered his hand. Puff instinctively jerked back in fright, but the treat’s aroma was too much: she shuffled forward again. His petting was more like an awkward little pat.
It was soft, fur smooth beneath his fingers, a strange, electric sensation tingling in the air.
Strangely enough, he didn’t really mind.
Nibbling away, Puff grew bolder, stretching out a front paw and planting it on Lin Jinshen’s leg.
“She’s starting to trust you,” Lu Yi said, smiling. Physical contact was a big step for cats. This first touch was a win, neither side pushing the other away.
Lin Jinshen’s angular brows drew together; he didn’t reply, but his expression practically shouted: You think I need a cat’s approval?
Lu Yi’s lips quirked. “Wanna give her a cuddle?”
Lin Jinshen’s eyes flashed cold. He shut it down, crisp and final: “No.”
“Don’t even think about it.”
“Not in this lifetime.”
“All right.”
Lu Yi responded softly, amusement lingering in her eyes. If Lin Jinshen really meant it, he might consider moving Puff’s paw off his leg, but there she stayed.
Lin Jinshen asked, “You free this weekend?”
“Something up?” Lu Yi replied.
“My mom wants us to come home for dinner. She has something to discuss.”
Lu Yi blinked, curious. “What is it?”
“Wedding photos.”
Lin Jinshen replied flatly, ignoring the remnants of the cat treat and Puff’s attempts at cute persuasion. Instead, he gripped her scruff and gently lifted her off his leg, tapping her head with his finger, not too softly, not too hard.
After eating this much, you really want more?
Lu Yi was momentarily stunned. She’d assumed with how things were, wedding photos would just be some perfunctory shots and done, what was there to discuss?
“What’s there to talk about?” She looked lost.
“How many sets to shoot. What style. Where to take them,” Lin Jinshen responded.
“…Isn’t a single set enough?”
“One set?” Lin Jinshen’s lips quirked in a half-smile. He delivered the cold, hard truth: “You have twenty backup options.”
“?”
The two moms were oddly invested in the wedding photos, convinced it marked the start of everlasting marital bliss.
They personally selected twenty different styles, every one “perfect”, and as soon as they pictured Lu Yi and Lin Jinshen’s faces on those glossy images, they wanted them all.
Twenty sets was over the top, of course. The plan was to shoot ten, but which ten? That was up to the “young couple”, with Lu Yi’s opinion taking priority.
Shooting ten sets would mean four or five full days, easy.
Lu Yi praised the moms for their impeccable taste, choosing would be so hard! Then, pivoting, she gently questioned, “Won’t ten sets be a bit much? I’m worried I’ll get tired halfway through, and the later photos will look off.”
Madam Qin thought about that, then asked, “Well, then, how many do you think is reasonable, Yi?”
“Five sets?” Lu Yi halved it on the spot. She’d wanted to say three, but didn’t dare chop too much in case Madam Qin took offense.
Her friends always got cagey talking about their own wedding shoots, everyone ended up exhausted, the photos gathering dust.
Five still seemed a lot, but Madam Qin accepted it, nodding. “Whatever you say goes.”
From his seat on the sidelines, Lin Jinshen caught Lu Yi’s expression and coolly added, “Three sets are plenty.”
“Lin Jinshen!”
Madam Qin’s tone flared; she used his full name but quickly reined it in, teeth gritted to keep up appearances in front of her daughter-in-law. “Be quiet. You just have to cooperate, that’s all.”
“Five sets, then, it’ll probably take three days.” Lu Yi turned to Lin Jinshen. “Can you spare the time?”
Lin Jinshen nodded.
“All his projects have wrapped up. He’s got time, honestly, you two could be gone four or five days and the company would survive. Old Lin and his aunt have it covered. He’s barely missed,” Madam Qin said breezily.
She added, “Treat it like a vacation, a chance to unwind, have some fun together.”
Lu Yi tried, and failed, to picture ‘vacationing’ with Lin Jinshen, being glued together for four or five days? She’d rather work late at the office.
Madam Qin leaned in, already discussing wedding shoot aesthetics with Lu Yi.
“It’s got to be by the sea, sunrise, sunset, ocean horizon. Instant movie vibes, whatever angle you shoot from.” She spoke with the full consensus of both mothers.
The photography team was already booked.
Once Lu Yi picked the vibe, they’d sort out the outfits and accessories, she’d be free from all other worries.
The shoot would take place on a tropical island.
Madam Qin asked, “How’s next week? Make sure you request the time off, Xiao Yi. I’ll have to tell my coach too, skip a few classes.”
Lin Jinshen raised an eyebrow. “Why do you need to skip class?”
“To come with you, of course! Not just me, Xiao Yi’s mom, too. We’ll make sure you get the best shots.” Capturing every sweet moment.
“If you and Mom want a vacation, I’ll have someone plan something separately,” he said.
“Excuse me? You don’t want us there?”
Lin Jinshen’s tone was steady and unwavering. “Correct. The shoot will be exhausting, and it’s far too hot there. No need to haul you along just to suffer.”
Lu Yi actually wanted both moms included, but the way this was going, any protest on her part would seem unfilial. She quickly echoed, “He’s right, Mom. I’ll send you pictures, it’ll be just the same.”
Madam Qin relented, sighing in disappointment that she'd miss documenting their daily moments. “Fine, but take care of yourselves, both of you.”
“Take lots of pictures. Treat it like a real holiday, enjoy yourselves!”
“Will do.”
…
Lu Yi requested three days off from work, bringing her to a total of five with the weekend.
Her supervisor, Sister Wei, assumed she was running away from some romantic fiasco and teased her about it. Lu Yi clarified she was heading off for a wedding photoshoot.
Sister Wei paused, her expression strange the moment she heard “wedding.” She quickly pulled herself together and approved the leave. “Just relax and have fun.”
“Thank you, Sister Wei.”
Once she left the office, Lu Yi began packing for the trip.
Wanting to be prepared, she brought several outfits: dresses, tank tops, shorts, plus swimsuits and sleepwear. Sunscreen was a must. Then came her full arsenal of makeup, bottles upon bottles, shoes packed up, at least a half-dozen pairs… She ended up filling two entire suitcases to the brim.
Her phone was playing music, and she hummed along under her breath.
As she passed the mirror, she caught her own lips curving upward, a genuine smile. Far from being annoyed, she was actually looking forward to this trip.
It had to be because it’d been ages since she last traveled, lately, work was all she thought about.
Lu Yi pinched her cheeks, trying to tug her smile back down.
Lin Jinshen didn’t pack much; his suitcase was barely half full. Lu Yi saw that as a total waste, since they’d be sharing a room anyway, she snuck in a few extra outfits she couldn’t bear to leave behind and stashed them in his case.
So amid his sleek black and white wardrobe, her rainbow brights now peeked through.
There was no direct flight from home to the island, so Lin Jinshen had arranged a private jet. The flight plan had already been approved ahead of time. Just the two of them and the photo crew, plenty of space.
Private jets were nothing new, but the one Lin Jinshen had bought two years ago was seriously top-of-the-line. The master suite alone had a plush king-sized bed and every amenity you could think of.
Lu Yi checked out the bathroom, spotless, with a little freesia-scented diffuser quietly perfuming the air.
The counter was stocked with an entire set of her favorite skincare products, and the towels and bathrobes matched the luxury brands she always used.
As she stepped out of the bathroom, Lin Jinshen came in. “Like it?” he asked casually.
Lu Yi nodded. Honestly, there wasn’t a single thing she could complain about.
She set her purse down, sat on the edge of the bed, the mattress was just firm enough. Leaning back on her hands, she relaxed, only to spot a silver box on the bedside table. It looked familiar. At first, she thought it was perfume, but when she picked it up and read the label, her eyes widened. She glanced at him in disbelief.
“?”
She hadn’t expected Lin Jinshen to stock up on condoms for a flight, of all places.
He saw her looking and didn’t even blink. “That’s not mine.”
“So, I misunderstood?” So it was from the flight crew then.
It did look different from what they usually used, some fancy ice-cool ultra-thin kind, with extra grooves and all sorts of weird features. Their regular ones were much simpler, and, wait, that size was definitely off.
Lu Yi gnawed her lip, slightly embarrassed.
“Really not mine.”
With Lin Jinshen’s gaze dark and clear, utterly innocent, Lu Yi suddenly felt weirdly guilty, as if she were the one with the dirty mind.
Not that it was her fault, it was exactly the kind of thing he’d do.
After all, by his standards, they were behind on their monthly “quota.”
She was about to apologize when he drawled, unhurriedly, “The ones I brought are in the suitcase.”