DXXZL - 65

Zhu Xingyao changed into Jiang Tu’s sportswear, but the clothes were far too large for her. The cuffs of the pants and sleeves hung loosely, much longer than they should have been. She felt a bit troubled, but her own clothes were completely soaked—water could literally be wrung out from the collar of her sweater.

She tightened the drawstrings on the pants and rolled up the hems, then glanced at herself in the mirror. Feeling a bit disheartened, she opened the door to step outside.

Jiang Tu stood outside, his gaze fixed intently on her. No other girl had ever worn his clothes before—only Zhu Xingyao. Looking at how the oversized outfit made her appear even more delicate and soft, a deep sense of satisfaction welled up inside him, as though their intimacy had taken another step forward.

Zhu Xingyao tilted her face upward, feeling uneasy under his unwavering gaze. “Do I look ugly?”

Jiang Tu stepped inside, closing the door behind him. He bent down and embraced her, nuzzling her head with his chin and planting a gentle kiss on her crown. In a low voice, he said, “Not at all. You look beautiful, and...”

“And what?” Zhu Xingyao asked softly.

Jiang Tu’s chest warmed as he murmured, “Seeing you in my clothes makes me incredibly content.”

That sense of fulfillment stemmed from a man’s possessiveness—a feeling that she belonged to him.

Zhu Xingyao was momentarily stunned. She nestled her head against him, rubbing it slightly, and wrapped her arms around him.

“Let’s go eat first,” Jiang Tu said deeply, exhaling as he released her.

When they returned to the dining table, Jiang Lu and his two teammates were already gone. Lin Jiayu explained: “He said he was afraid you’d beat him up, so he fled for his life.”

By the time Jiang Lu left, the live stream chat had exploded with comments:

“Brother’s voice sounds so good!”

“I heard it too! His name is Jiang Tu, right? Is this the ‘Tu’ we’re talking about?”

“My senior year of high school, there was also a guy named Jiang Tu. I heard his family was poor and owed a lot of debt. He also had a younger brother five or six years younger. He wore glasses, was handsome, but looked really cold. His grades were always top in the science class—he was even considered a contender for the provincial science champion. Unfortunately, he got into a car accident during the college entrance exam, almost missed it entirely, and didn’t do well in English. He ended up not making the cutoff for Tsinghua or Peking University and went to H University instead. Everyone at our school knows about this. Reporters tried to interview him back then, but he refused.”

Another First High School alumna chimed in: “Last month, during our school anniversary, Senior Jiang Tu attended. I heard he just returned from the U.S. not long ago. Someone in our class group posted photos of him—he’s really handsome! When I checked the pictures again, I realized he looks quite similar to K God…”

Jiang Lu’s personal information had been dug up by fans before, and he admitted that his family used to be poor when he was young. He also mentioned having an older brother who studied abroad.

Everything matched perfectly.

Unaware of all this, Jiang Tu sat down expressionlessly. Zhu Xingyao noticed Du Yunfei looking utterly devastated and hesitantly asked, “What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing,” Lao Yuan interjected, clearing his throat. “He’s just struggling to accept reality, thinking his roommate…” He trailed off without saying the words “got green-lit.”

Du Yunfei snapped back to reality, recalling recent news about Zhu Xingyao’s first love. Emotions swirled within him, and he echoed Lao Yuan’s earlier sentiment: “No wonder none of the department beauties could win your heart in college—it turns out you’ve liked Zhu Xingyao all along…”

Zhu Xingyao’s cheeks flushed slightly. She lowered her head and continued eating.

At 11 PM, Lao Yuan and Du Yunfei finally left together, leaving behind a table full of leftovers. Jiang Tu stopped Zhu Xingyao, who was trying to help clean up: “Don’t bother. I’ll take care of it later. Let me dry your clothes first. Uncle Liu should be here soon.”

Jiang Tu retrieved a brand-new hairdryer from the bathroom. Zhu Xingyao stood at the doorway, holding her wet clothes, and whispered, “It’s fine. I’ll just wear your clothes home.” Jiang Tu turned to look at her. “Are you sure? I’m worried you might have trouble explaining this to your parents.”

“I’m not a kid anymore. What’s wrong with wearing my boyfriend’s clothes?” Zhu Xingyao looked at him.

Jiang Tu gazed deeply at her, then set the hairdryer down. “It’s cold outside. Put on another jacket.”

He opened the wardrobe and handed her a black coat, carefully pulling her hair out from under it. Suddenly, Zhu Xingyao exclaimed softly, “Ow…”

“What happened?” he asked quickly.

“My hair got caught in the necklace…”

Zhu Xingyao instinctively reached to untangle it, her usual method being to simply pull out the trapped strands. But Jiang Tu gently held her hand still, murmuring, “Let me handle it.”

Her long hair was brushed aside as Jiang Tu stood behind her, carefully freeing the few strands tangled in the necklace. She was enveloped in his scent while wearing his clothes. As he gazed at her slender, pale neck, memories surfaced—back in high school, she would often wear her summer uniform and tie her hair into a ponytail, revealing that same delicate white neck. Her skin was smooth and flawless like fine jade. Back then, sitting behind her, he hadn’t dared to glance at her for too long.

Now, all he had to do was lower his head to kiss her.

Zhu Xingyao felt the silence behind her and whispered, “Are you done?” Suddenly, warm breath approached, brushing against the vulnerable skin of her neck, followed by a passionate, uncontrollable kiss. Her body trembled.

Jiang Tu embraced her from behind, kissing her neck as his breathing grew heavier near her ear.

Zhu Xingyao leaned softly into his embrace, her shoulders instinctively rising.

Jiang Tu kissed her ear, turning her around to capture her lips, which she had been nervously biting. She tilted her face upward, wrapping her arms around his neck. Taking a step back, she bumped into the wardrobe door. Jiang Tu swiftly shielded the back of her head with one hand. Lifting his gaze briefly, he saw her trembling eyelashes before slowly lowering his lips once more.

A few minutes later, Uncle Liu called.

Jiang Tu silently zipped up her jacket for her. Zhu Xingyao, her face flushed, looked up at him.

“Stop staring…”

His voice was hoarse as he leaned down to place a soft kiss on her closed eyes.

On the ride home, Zhu Xingyao sat in the car, still wearing Jiang Tu’s clothes. Uncle Liu pretended not to notice and drove her back. When she entered the house, Ding Yu emerged from her room and froze upon seeing Zhu Xingyao dressed in an oversized men’s outfit.

Ding Yu looked at her: “Stars, why are you wearing these clothes?”

Knowing that Jiang Tu would inevitably meet her parents at the concert the day after tomorrow, Zhu Xingyao explained: “We had hot pot with Jiang Tu’s college classmates tonight, and I accidentally got my clothes wet.”

Ding Yu fell silent for a moment, then sighed: “Go to bed early and get some rest. Prepare yourself for the performance.”

After a pause, Zhu Xingyao added softly: “Mom, if you see Jiang Tu at the concert, please don’t mention… that thing. It’s all in the past. I’m doing well now, and things between us are good.”

________________________________________

The next afternoon, Jiang Tu handed dozens of VIP tickets to Lao Yuan. “Give these to the R&D department. They’ve worked hard lately. If anyone has family members, they can take an extra ticket. Leave one for Du Yunfei so he doesn’t go looking for scalpers.”

Lao Yuan stared in disbelief: “Did you rent out the entire venue?”

Jiang Tu remained calm: “No, I only bought a portion of the tickets.”

Lao Yuan chuckled. “But the R&D department isn’t that big…”

Jiang Tu raised his eyes: “Give the extras to Lin Jiayu.”

Lao Yuan, delighted, took the tickets to distribute them. When colleagues inquired, he simply smiled and explained: “Company perks.”

That evening, Jiang Lu also received a few tickets. Holding them uncertainly, he asked Lin Jiayu: “My brother really said these are for me?”

Lin Jiayu shot him a sidelong glance. “Why do you look so guilty? Did you do something?”

Jiang Lu waved his hands frantically: “No, no, absolutely not!”

Well, except for the livestream mishap…

Shu Xian examined the ticket in her hand. She rarely went online and didn’t recognize Zhu Xingyao. Still, she found it strange: “Is this really a ticket from your brother? Since when did he start liking cello concerts? And why is he letting you bring me?”

“Mom,” Jiang Lu draped an arm over her shoulder, pointing to the photo on the ticket with his chin. “Do you think Zhu Xingyao is pretty?”

“Of course she’s beautiful,” Shu Xian replied.

Jiang Lu casually dropped a bombshell: “She’s my brother’s girlfriend.”

Shu Xian was momentarily stunned. She looked incredulously at Jiang Lu: “You’re not just teasing me, are you? Isn’t this girl a celebrity? How could that possibly be true?”

“It’s true. If you don’t believe me, ask Lin Jiayu.”

“Do you know Li Xixi?” Lin Jiayu grinned, picking up a box of cookies from the table. The spokesperson for the cookies was Li Xixi, whose photo was printed on the packaging. Lin Jiayu pointed to the image and said, “This is Li Xixi, the singer. Zhu Xingyao is a cellist. They’re best friends and both went to high school with Jiang Tu. Zhu Xingyao and Jiang Tu were even desk mates. They’ve known each other for years and are now together.”

Shu Xian clutched her chest, unable to believe it. “Really? Truly?”

Lin Jiayu smiled. “Of course. Why would I lie about something like that?”

The concert tickets featured a photo of Zhu Xingyao. Shu Xian held the ticket, examining it repeatedly, her eyes growing moist. Wiping her tears, she said, “Look at his personality—I’ve always worried he was too indifferent, focusing only on work. I feared he’d reach his thirties without ever finding a girlfriend…”

Lin Jiayu muttered quietly: “How could that be? I bet he’s been anxious about it all along…”

As for whether he was truly indifferent or not, that was something only Zhu Xingyao could answer. Only she knew.

________________________________________

At 7:20 PM on November 8th, in the grand theater of Jiangcheng Central Theater, forty minutes remained until the concert began. Audiences filed in with their tickets, nearly filling the venue. Xiao Kui led Jiang Tu backstage, whispering mysteriously: “Xing Xing sent me. Mr. Zhu and Mrs. Ding aren’t backstage yet.”

Jiang Tu entered the dressing room. Zhu Xingyao, dressed in a red gown, sat in front of the vanity mirror, her makeup impeccable. She looked up at him, opening her palm with a smile: “Tu Ge, help me put on my necklace.”

It was the one he had given her.

Jiang Tu lowered his gaze and walked behind her. Watching her reflection in the mirror, he leaned down to fasten the necklace around her neck.

Xiao Kui stood nearby, unable to tear her eyes away from him. She had never seen a man whose face could remain so calm while his eyes brimmed with emotions too intense to dissolve.

Zhu Xingyao asked: “Are Xi Xi and Xu Xiangyang here yet?”

Jiang Tu focused intently on securing the clasp of the necklace, replying softly: “I didn’t see them when I came in.”

Zhu Xingyao glanced at Xiao Kui through the mirror: “Xiao Kui, call Xi Xi.”

________________________________________

Fifteen minutes later, Jiang Tu returned to the VIP seats and saw Zhu Yunping and Ding Yu seated in the center. Taking a deep, silent breath, he approached them. “Uncle, Auntie.”

It had been years since Zhu Yunping and Ding Yu last saw Jiang Tu. In Zhu Yunping’s mind, Jiang Tu was still the stern-faced teenager standing stiffly outside the principal’s office in his school uniform. Ding Yu had only seen him once at the hospital, his clothes soaked with Zhu Xingyao’s blood.

Both were momentarily stunned, struggling to connect the image of that young boy with the formally dressed man standing before them now.

Zhu Yunping regained his composure and looked up at him. “Go back to your seat for now. We’ll talk later.”

Jiang Tu nodded stiffly.

Li Xixi and Xu Xiangyang arrived as well, sitting with Lin Jiayu and others.

Jiang Tu walked over and took a seat beside Lao Yuan.

The concert officially began.

Jiang Tu raised his head, looking toward the stage where a woman in a flowing red dress slowly entered, bathed in a soft circular spotlight. Surrounded by a halo-like glow, she appeared otherworldly in her beauty.

Zhu Xingyao accepted the cello handed to her and glanced toward the VIP seats. Nearly every face was familiar. Her eyes welled with emotion as her gaze locked onto Jiang Tu. Across the glittering stage, their eyes met, and she smiled faintly.

Jiang Tu’s chest swelled with emotion. For a moment, he even doubted whether this was one of the countless dreams he’d had over the years.