Before going home, Zhong Ruanxing first went to the mall to buy him some daily necessities.
She parked the car and held Song JinXing, who was about to get out of the car after unfastening his seatbelt: "You just stay in the car and wait for me. I'll go buy what we need."
"Zhong Ruanxing" was not some nobody now. If he went shopping with her like this, they'd definitely end up trending online tomorrow. Tsk, he didn't feel it before, but now he realized how easy it was to trend online.
After walking a few steps away from the car, she turned around and came back, leaning against the half-lowered car window to ask him: "Is your period about to start?"
With a stiff face, Song JinXing replied: "Yours is."
Zhong Ruanxing: "Oh, is my period about to start?"
Song JinXing: "There's still a week left."
Zhong Ruanxing understood: "Then I'll buy a few packs of sanitary pads just in case it comes early. You have to learn diligently from Teacher Niu these next few days, you won't be able to practice once your period starts."
Song JinXing glanced at her lightly: "I've been drinking Chinese medicine ever since I came back from finishing filming for Spy. "
Zhong Ruanxing: "So?"
Song JinXing looked away: "It doesn't hurt as much anymore."
Zhong Ruanxing admired him: "You can even drink something so bitter like Chinese medicine."
But then she quickly understood when she recalled the hot Americanos Tong Ling would bring to the office. She waved and headed towards the elevator.
It was the busiest time of day at the mall in the evening. She pushed the cart around, buying toiletries and changes of clothes. Finally, she arrived at the shelf with sanitary pads. She found her usual brand, grabbed a pack of daytime pads, a pack of nighttime pads, two packs of protective underwear, and a pack of panty liners.
Two girls next to her whispered enviously: "Look! A handsome guy is buying sanitary pads!"
"He must be buying them for his girlfriend, right?"
"Of course, why else would he buy them if not for his girlfriend? I'm so jealous of her!"
Zhong Ruanxing thought to herself, they wouldn't have guessed that I'm really buying them for myself!
When she got back to the car, Song JinXing had already called Father Song to tell him about not going home these days. Due to the nature of her work, Father Song was used to his daughter not staying home, so he didn't ask much when he assumed she had more schedules to attend.
Song JinXing's luxurious multi-million dollar mansion was located in a courtyard compound. He hadn't returned since they switched bodies.
When he opened the door and went in, he almost didn't recognize this cold and empty house that used to be his.
The sofa and curtains were changed, paintings were hung on the walls, vases with plants and flowers were placed around. She didn't make big changes to the overall layout, only replacing some soft furnishings and adding lots of decorations. The whole room emanated the exuberant vitality that was so characteristic of her.
Zhong Ruanxing put the things she bought on the coffee table, took off her coat, and went to open the fridge: "I'll whip up some simple food, is instant noodles okay?"
Song JinXing saw that his fridge, which previously only contained mineral water, was now fully stocked.
Zhong Ruanxing took out a bundle of Shanghai greens in one hand, and grabbed a peach to nibble on with the other. Seeing him staring blankly, she bit down on the peach and grabbed another one from the container, calling out unclearly: "Catch!"
She threw the peach at him.
Song JinXing caught it in one hand. The slightly cool sensation spread through his palm.
While nibbling on the peach, Zhong Ruanxing rummaged through the fridge: "Song JinXing, how many slices of ham do you want? With or without bacon?"
This was still the same house, yet everything was different because of her.
Song JinXing heard his own voice say: "Anything is fine, the same as you."
She smiled brightly: "Let me show off my cooking skills today and treat you to my specialty - instant noodles." Seeing that he was still holding the peach and standing there, she laughed: "Go sit down, why are you still standing? Don't be shy, this is your home after all. Try out that sofa, it's so comfy and you'll sink right into it."
Song JinXing uttered an "Okay" and went to sit on the sofa. Indeed, just like she said, it was like a cotton cloud that he sunk deeply into.
Previously, he didn't like coming back here.
His subordinates said he was a workaholic who would stay in the office instead of going anywhere else if he could. In fact, it was all the same to him wherever he was. To him, this courtyard compound was merely a place to sleep, and could not be considered home.
But if it remained like this, he would want to come back.
She had given this place the meaning of "home".
The shopping bags on the coffee table contained a full set of daily necessities. Song JinXing picked out what he needed, and told Zhong Ruanxing who was cooking noodles: "I'll go take a shower first."
He took the elevator up to the second floor. When he first bought this place, he had the entire second floor opened up into a master bedroom suite. At this moment, the master bedroom also looked different than before. She didn't drastically change it to pink like she had joked about before, only replacing the dark and gloomy color scheme with simple white and warm tones.
So the room became bright and tidy, lacking the oppressive feeling of loneliness it previously had.
He walked to the bedside and looked at the mushroom-shaped bedside lamp, chuckling softly to himself.
After the shower, the instant noodles were already cooked. The whole house was filled with the tempting smell of noodles. Zhong Ruanxing looked at him expectantly: "Try it!"
After one bite, he raised his head and said: "This is the most delicious instant noodles I've ever had."
Zhong Ruanxing burst out laughing: "Flattery will get you nowhere, a simple compliment is enough. Hurry up and eat, I'll apply medicinal oils on you after we're done."
He also laughed lightly in response.
After eating, Song JinXing washed the dishes while Zhong Ruanxing took out all the medicinal wines needed, filling up the coffee table. When he finished washing up and came over, she pressed him onto the sofa and lifted up his clothes.
It didn't seem so bad before, but now the bruises were surfacing - his legs, waist, and arms were all mottled with purple and blue splotches. Zhong Ruanxing felt awful seeing this: "This Teacher Niu, really! You have to talk to him properly tomorrow, don't train so intensely!"
Song JinXing lay stomach-down on the sofa, propping his chin on a pillow. His sleepwear was hitched all the way up, exposing a large expanse of his back.
Zhong Ruanxing first applied medication, then poured out some medicinal wine into her palms and rubbed them warm before spreading it over his waist.
Song JinXing suddenly shuddered slightly.
This was her own body after all. There shouldn't be anything awkward about her touching herself.
He forcibly suppressed the strange feeling in his heart, letting her massage him from top to bottom, rubbing in the medicinal wine. Wherever the wine touched felt a little hot at first, then a cool and gentle sensation would spread.
Song JinXing turned his head to the side. He saw her puffing up her cheeks, meticulously blowing at the spots that felt hot.
That strange feeling grew even stronger, until he broke out in sweat.
Zhong Ruanxing wiped him with puzzlement as she exclaimed: "Song JinXing, you're sweating! Are you too hot?"
His voice was somewhat stiff: "Mm...a little."
Zhong Ruanxing stood up: "Then I'll go open the window."
Song JinXing grabbed her wrist: "No need, it's just the medicinal wine is too hot. Keep applying it."
She uttered an "Oh", and sat back down on the sofa. She had just scooped up another handful of medicinal wine and rubbed it warm before applying it to his shoulder blades, when the passcode lock on the front door suddenly beeped. Before either of them reacted, the door opened, and Song Shuling walked in carrying a huge bag of vegetables and fruits.
"Brother, I..."
As she spoke, she glanced up and saw the two people in the living room. Her eyes widened in shock as she pressed her lips together.
Zhong Ruanxing hurriedly pulled his sleepwear back down to cover his shoulders, explaining: "It's not what you think!"
Song Shuling slowly revealed an awkward yet polite smile: "I didn't think anything of it."