◎Love flows like water, flooding through his life.◎
After the wedding house was renovated, Li Xia and Fang Zeqing decided to move in together ahead of schedule.
Qu Shuxin carefully consulted an old almanac to pick an auspicious moving-in date for them, but it was delayed by Fang Zeqing’s sudden filming project. They ended up postponing it for a while longer. By the time they finally moved in, both families’ parents came first to celebrate.
Lin Hong gifted them a major appliance for their new home: a dishwasher. She said it was to prevent the two of them from arguing over chores—better to spend that time chatting, since their relationship shouldn’t be bogged down by trivial matters.
Zhao Xiaolan brought a beautiful balcony flower stand, custom-made by Li Dayong, along with a pot of Wenxin Orchid that she had lovingly tended herself. It already had twenty flower spikes, clusters of plump pale pink blooms waiting to burst forth, with a unique fragrance—light, sweet, and refreshing.
It added a touch of bright vitality to the empty balcony.
Zhao Xiaolan told Li Xia to take good care of it. The flower’s language was “carefree joy.” “Mom hopes you’ll love life and stay free of worries.”
“This flower looks stunning when it blooms in full, but even when the petals wither and fall, we must accept it with grace.”
Li Xia understood what her mother meant.
Lin Xu gave them a thick red envelope stuffed with cash.
Li Chun arrived with a huge bouquet of flowers and a bag of dog food. “Don’t starve our Cheese,” she said.
Qu Shuxin’s gift was a small gold locket she had saved up for over many years, wrapped in layers of soft cloth. It felt heavy in the palm, its once-dull gold now shining with new meaning.
Qu Shuxin spoke slowly. “I was saving this for your wedding, but Grandma wants to give it to you early. She hopes you’ll not only make it to the wedding—marriage is simple enough. You two need to walk a much longer, farther road together.”
After that joyful moving-in feast, Li Xia laughed and cried.
She glanced at the man beside her and was surprised to see the shimmer of tears in Fang Zeqing’s eyes.
From dating, to long-distance, to finally ending it; from house-hunting and buying, to waiting for renovations and dealing with rework—now they were truly starting to live together. He had put in so much effort, and Li Xia had seen it all.
It had been on an ordinary night that she had taken the first step toward him.
She never imagined that the life after would be reshaped by him, step by indelible step.
After toasting the elders, Li Xia tugged at Fang Zeqing’s hand under the table.
She raised her glass, clinked it gently against his, and smiled. “Thank you.”
Those days were a whirlwind of bustle and excitement. After the family dinner, Li Xia’s friends came over first, then Fang Zeqing’s friends from Beijing, followed by colleagues from the studio. They brought gifts or fine liquor—or sometimes nothing but their blessings.
As the hosting couple, Li Xia and Fang Zeqing were exhausted yet blissfully happy.
Li Xia asked if he was tired.
Fang Zeqing shook his head. “Entertaining them together with you feels like pure happiness—the kind where people see us, visit us, even barge in on us.”
Then he added, “But mopping the floors and hauling out the trash? That’s exhausting. I almost want to call them back to do it.”
Li Xia burst out laughing. “Next time, make them take their own trash with them.”
“Hahaha.”
…
Fang Zeqing had a knack for going to extra lengths only to end up unappreciated—a thankless habit Li Xia only realized later.
During a meal with friends, a colleague asked Li Xia if she had time the following weekend for their kid’s third birthday party. Li Xia, thinking of the courtesy gift she’d need to give, casually said she was free. The colleague then asked, “Will Director Fang come too?”
Li Xia glanced at Fang Zeqing and squeezed his hand, signaling him not to push himself.
To her surprise, he said he could make it.
The colleague lit up. “Perfect! You’re a pro—could you help shoot some photos and videos that day? We’d love to capture the memories.”
The request seemed harmless at first, but Li Xia quickly shut it down, waving her hands. “He’s a director, not a freelance photographer.”
The colleague pressed, “Oh, come on, don’t hold out on us. It’s no sweat for a big-shot director like him. Just help us out?”
Fang Zeqing had already said he’d go, and Li Xia couldn’t think of a polite excuse on the spot.
But then he chimed in himself. “If you don’t mind my amateur skills, I’d be happy to help.”
The colleague was thrilled and told them to arrive early.
After the chat, Li Xia pulled Fang Zeqing aside, frowning. “Why did you agree? You finally get a break.”
He shrugged. “I figured I’d be going with you anyway. Might as well lend a hand.”
“And capture someone else’s happy moment while I’m at it.”
Li Xia still looked reluctant. She knew nitpicking would make her seem petty—after all, it was her friend—but she hated seeing Fang Zeqing taken advantage of like that, treated as some disposable tool.
Sensing her unease, Fang Zeqing leaned in close to her ear to ease her mind. “Don’t be mad. It’s good practice for me too—I haven’t shot anything like this before.”
“Practice for what?”
He drew even closer, his voice laced with amusement. “So later, I can film our own kid.”
Heat flooded Li Xia’s cheeks from his warm breath. She swatted him hard.
Fang Zeqing laughed heartily.
…
In truth, Fang Zeqing’s generosity that day left a sour taste.
Not only was he bossed around nonstop for photos and videos, but even during the meal, he was dragged off for group shots, returning to cold soup. When someone asked about his rates, they brushed it off with, “We’re friends—no charge needed.”
On the drive home, Li Xia grew angrier the more she thought about it. Amusingly, her phone buzzed the next moment with a thank-you message and a digital red envelope.
A WeChat red envelope.
Li Xia didn’t accept it.
She knew it was probably just two hundred yuan at most.
She felt narrow-minded for quibbling over money with a friend, but she couldn’t help feeling indignant on Fang Zeqing’s behalf.
“Is our friendship only worth two hundred?” she said.
“You could see it this way: We didn’t ask for payment, but they offered.”
“I get that, but your time is worth way more than two hundred.”
Fang Zeqing caressed her cheek. “So protective of your own.”
“Yeah, I am! What’s wrong with that? Got a problem?”
“…”
Fang Zeqing kept his left hand on the steering wheel and patted her head with his right.
Gazing ahead, his voice softened. “It’s fine. I’m not upset, and I don’t feel shortchanged.”
That simple sentence cut right through to the heart of Li Xia’s worries.
She fell silent.
The car cruised leisurely back to their new home. Time stretched out as Li Xia watched the passing scenery, lost in thought—sorting through her feelings, coming to terms with them.
If Fang Zeqing was happy to do it and her friend was grateful, she shouldn’t overthink it. It was supposed to be a joyful occasion.
With that in mind, she turned to look at the man beside her.
His handsome profile still made her heart skip—faint traces of her kisses on his lashes, his straight nose bridge.
Li Xia’s mood lifted just like that.
Her boyfriend had helped document someone else’s happiness—a truly good deed.
She should be proud.
The car pulled into the parking garage. Fang Zeqing parked, and as they headed to the elevator, he remembered a package to pick up, so Li Xia went home first.
She flicked on the lights and stepped into her clean, orderly, warm, and quiet world—their world.
Li Xia loved the living room’s floor-to-ceiling windows. From up high, the view was ethereal yet grounded. Clutching a mug of hot water, she stood gazing at the night sky and the city lights twinkling below.
After a long moment, she heard the door open behind her. She didn’t turn as Fang Zeqing entered, set down his things, and headed to wash his hands—the sound of water, then footsteps drawing near.
The next instant, a pair of arms wrapped around her waist from behind, his familiar warmth enveloping her.
Li Xia’s heart fluttered.
“Still mad?”
Fang Zeqing held her from behind, his chest pressed to her back. He tilted his head, trying to catch her expression. Li Xia twisted away playfully. He gently nudged her chin with his fingers, turning her face to his.
Only then did he see the bright curve of her smile.
“You’re clearly smiling.”
His breath tickled her ear. Li Xia couldn’t hold back and let out a giggle.
Seeing her happy put his mind at ease.
He had prepared a dozen explanations, but they were no longer needed. Li Xia was always like this—easing her own worries before he even had a chance to comfort her. He knew she hated seeing him overworked, just as he hated seeing her upset.
Fang Zeqing glanced up. The glass reflected their overlapping figures, the bright little home expanding into view.
He wanted to say something, to express himself—right now, pressed against her, sharing their heartbeats.
His mind went blank. He just wanted to show it through actions.
The mug was in the way; he set it aside. The hands at her waist slipped under her hem, inching toward her warm skin. His other hand cradled her face, turning her head as he claimed her lips.
Li Xia’s pulse raced. In this position, she felt every thump of his heart against her back. Their cheeks nearly touching, they kissed, breaths mingling again and again. Her back grew hot, her body too. Fang Zeqing always tempted her with soft, lingering caresses, his tenderness eroding her last defenses.
Before surrendering completely, Li Xia gasped for air and pushed at him lightly.
“I… I really have something to say.”
“Wait.”
She had turned to face him fully, her arms still looped around his neck, her cheeks and lips flushed from his kisses.
Fang Zeqing eased back a little. “What is it?”
Li Xia thought of his busy figure that day, his polite enthusiasm toward her friend. Her fingers traced his brows and eyes as she spoke softly. “You did great today.”
She lowered her gaze. “I was in the wrong—I should’ve turned it down for you right away. You don’t have to indulge me like that. I don’t want you working so hard.”
So she was still dwelling on it.
Fang Zeqing smiled. “It was clearly my own decision, so how is that indulging you?”
Li Xia wanted to say something more, but Fang Zeqing spoke first. “You did great too. A couple of days ago, when my friends came over, you specially made appetizers for them, fetched drinks for us, and even went with me to see them home.”
“Because they were your friends,” Li Xia said.
“Exactly.”
Fang Zeqing looked steadily into her eyes.
Li Xia suddenly understood.
Because they were her friends.
She fell silent for two seconds, carefully organizing her words. “What I mean is, from now on, let’s not let other people’s issues cause fights between us. What if—what if you do something on my account, and it ends up hurting our relationship? I don’t want that. If you’re ever uncomfortable or reluctant, just tell me, okay?”
She wanted to say that they were each other’s top priority.
Fang Zeqing nodded.
“Actually, I don’t feel like I did anything for them. I was just helping you out,” he said.
“That’s exactly the point…”
“I get it.”
“You worked hard today.”
“It’s nothing.”
“You barely ate anything today.”
“I’m not hungry,” Fang Zeqing said. “I’ve got plenty of energy.”
Li Xia laughed, amused. “Oh, really?”
She leaned in to hug him, pressing her ear to his chest and listening to the intense, vivid thump of his heartbeat.
She spoke directly to the heartbeat. “Has anyone ever told you how gentle you are?”
“Me?” its owner replied.
“Yeah.”
Fang Zeqing chuckled with a slight tremor, a mischievous spark lighting his eyes. “Was I gentle last night too?”
“…”
Li Xia tilted her head up, knowing full well he was teasing her as she met his smiling gaze.
She couldn’t help but sigh to herself—Fang Zeqing was the kind of man who could make her head spin at the drop of a hat—
Involuntarily, she rose on tiptoe.
In a soft whisper: “Not gentle, but I loved it anyway.”
Fang Zeqing paused for a beat, then bent down to her.
Unlike their earlier kiss, this one was deep and teasingly provocative. With no other support, Li Xia clung to his shoulders as he advanced relentlessly, backing her against the floor-to-ceiling window. His broad, warm palm braced her back against the cool glass, steadying her so she wouldn’t slip—which left him all the space he needed.
His breathing grew ragged as he kissed her without pause, desire slipping further from his control. His hand trailed down from her waist, first unfastening the chain on her half-skirt to make room, then brushing his fingertips against the thin fabric beneath.
Li Xia’s clothes remained neatly in place, but her heart was in utter disarray. Her body trembled—now lightly, now intensely—under his touch.
She even forgot to kiss him back.
He tested her response with gentle, teasing strokes from outside, each one heightening her senses. Li Xia felt a slow-burning heat that clenched her heart in pleasurable agony, coursing through her entire body.
Teetering on the edge of losing all reason, she patted him lightly and murmured for him to close the curtains. Fang Zeqing obeyed at once, using his other dry hand to draw them shut. As realization dawned, her face burned even hotter.
He scooped her up and carried her straight to the sofa.
From exploring each other’s souls to exploring their bodies.
Fang Zeqing proved an excellent student.
He said he wanted it right there.
Li Xia bit her lip but didn’t object.
They sank into the narrow cushions, their movements in no way hindered. That beautiful, mesmerizing body pressed down before her eyes, leaving Li Xia’s gaze hazy and her heart in turmoil. She felt him nuzzle into the hollow of her neck, his lips tracing a path from her collarbone upward to pleasure her, their hot breaths mingling as they left faint, intimate trails of moisture on her skin.
Several times, Li Xia fought the impulse to arch her back.
Seeing how still she lay, Fang Zeqing’s breathing quickened. He reined in his arousal and paused, his ear tips flushed red as he asked, “What are you thinking about?”
“Are you… uncomfortable?”
Li Xia shook her head.
Her fingers threaded through his hair, her palm slick with fine sweat. Her heart fluttered with sweet numbness. She leaned closer to kiss his forehead.
Her eyes drifted downward, meeting his gaze brimming with affection.
“I’m thinking that we’re stepping into a whole new kind of relationship, Fang Zeqing.”
Once they married, they would enter something even more intimate—a bond that wove their destinies together.
She said no more, but he understood.
“Do you trust me?” Fang Zeqing asked.
In the quiet intensity of their shared gaze, Li Xia answered without a second thought. “I love you.”
Which meant she trusted him without reservation.
Fang Zeqing looked at her, pressing their damp palms together, fingers interlocking as they plunged into life’s most selfless ecstasy.
Li Xia discovered another way love expressed itself—
Direct. Fierce.
She even took a moment to trace his abs, teasing him. “Mmm, even all sweaty, you’re irresistible.”
Fang Zeqing let out a helpless laugh, utterly defeated by her.
All he could do was redouble his efforts from then on—to convey his feelings, to express himself more fully.
Afterward, he drew Li Xia into his arms and closed his eyes in deep satisfaction.
Fang Zeqing had always believed happiness came in fragments—sporadic, disjointed snippets. Countless discarded moments might yield just one satisfying, cherished glimpse.
But later, he realized that in the days spent with Li Xia—
Love flowed like water, flooding his life without restraint.