I Woke Up and Got Married Chapter 55

Chapter 55

The atmosphere inside the private room turned awkwardly tense.

Chi Suinian was holding a pair of binoculars. He didn’t know what material they were made of—cold to the touch—but strangely, his palms felt hot just holding them.

His face flushed. He quickly threw the binoculars back onto the table and glared at Lu Zhiyue. “How long have you been watching?”

Lu Zhiyue coughed lightly, hesitated for a moment, then said, “…Roughly, since four years ago.”

“…”

Alright, he had clearly underestimated this bastard surnamed Lu.

Just now, the waitress had said that Lu Zhiyue had been coming here for the past three years. Chi Suinian had already guessed as much and had only asked to see whether Lu Zhiyue would lie to him. He hadn’t expected—the peeping had actually lasted even longer than he thought.

Chi Suinian quickly did the math in his head. Four years ago, they should still have been in their sophomore year of college.

As Lu Zhiyue said, that was when their relationship had been at its worst.

But, just like that provocative “confession” in the high school cafeteria, Chi Suinian was absolutely certain—it had always been Lu Zhiyue who started things first.

During their middle school years, everyone had been too busy with studies to cause trouble, and the teachers kept order.

So, most of the time, he and Lu Zhiyue could at least maintain the illusion of civility.

But once they entered university, things changed. The student-teacher ratio was way off, the teaching methods were completely different, and with so much free time, that bastard Lu started finding all kinds of ways to mess with him—

When he played basketball, Lu Zhiyue showed up with people to ruin the game.

When he went online, Lu Zhiyue had already booked out the internet café he frequented.

When he played games, Lu Zhiyue created accounts on every platform just to target him…

And so on—endless.

The more Chi Suinian thought about it, the more suffocated he felt.

And then something even more suffocating occurred to him. There was a time when he had to attend an event and couldn’t be bothered to go home to change, so he just changed clothes in his office.

He hadn’t stripped completely, but now that he thought about it…

Chi Suinian frowned. “You… what exactly did you see before?”

Lu Zhiyue didn’t quite understand. “What do you mean?”

Chi Suinian’s face flushed red. For a long moment, he didn’t know what to say, so he just blurted out, asking whether Lu Zhiyue had seen him undressing.
This bastard’s head was full of nonsense—who knew what kind of garbage would come out of his mouth.

“Nothing.” Chi Suinian turned his head away, muttering, “Are you done eating? If you’re done, leave.”

Lu Zhiyue glanced at his reddened ears and suddenly realized what he meant. “You’re talking about when you changed clothes in your office?”

“…”

So he had seen.

Chi Suinian pressed his lips together several times, wondering how he could silence Lu Zhiyue without starting an all-out war.

“You didn’t strip completely,” Lu Zhiyue said mildly. “Why so shy?”

Chi Suinian’s palm clenched on the table—he was furious. “If someone spied on you changing, would you not mind?”

“If it were you, I wouldn’t.”

“…”

Chi Suinian ground his molars so hard they creaked.

He really shouldn’t have brought up shame or modesty—this bastard had none. Luckily his teeth were still strong; otherwise, he would’ve shattered them by now.

He stared out the window, silent for a long time.

Lu Zhiyue thought he was still angry, but in truth, Chi Suinian’s gaze was drifting unfocusedly, and the tips of his ears, hidden in shadow, were faintly red.

The clinking of dishes broke the silence. Lu Zhiyue said, “Eat some more? You barely touched anything earlier.”

Without looking at him, Chi Suinian said, “Not hungry.”

A hand reached across the table. Chi Suinian thought Lu Zhiyue was just taking back the plate in front of him, but the hand kept coming closer—its target was him.

“?”

Before he could react, that hand tilted his chin upward. Then, his lips were gently rubbed by Lu Zhiyue’s thumb. The touch made Chi Suinian’s fingers twitch, and he nearly cursed out loud—

“Don’t clench your jaw. It’s bad for your health.”

“…”

If I don’t grind my teeth, should I bite you instead?

Expressionless, Chi Suinian turned his head away. The hand slid off his chin, leaving behind skin that felt both cool and hot, even tingling a bit.

Did Lu Zhiyue have hangnails or something?

Expression blank, Chi Suinian rubbed at that spot hard enough to redden the skin.

“So touchy—what are you, a pervert?”

He hadn’t eaten much of the meal; even when Lu Zhiyue grilled food and handed it to him, he just picked at it without appetite. Somehow, he didn’t feel hungry at all—his stomach was already full of irritation and disgust toward this weirdo.

When they left the private room, Chi Suinian deliberately glanced at the door. There was a lock on it—clearly, the room wasn’t open to the public.

Hands in his pockets, leaning against the doorway, he said blankly, “Key.”

Lu Zhiyue blinked. “What key?”

“The key to the private room.”

Lu Zhiyue replied, “Even though I’ve been using this place, the key isn’t with me.”

So it was with the shop owner. Chi Suinian turned and walked out. “Then don’t come here again.”

“Since we live under the same roof… no need.”

Lu Zhiyue froze, dazed for a moment before realizing—

Was that… permission to watch openly now?

When he went downstairs to settle the bill, Lu Zhiyue told the front desk that he wouldn’t be coming often anymore and that they could use the room freely instead of keeping it reserved for him.

The receptionist, an old employee, thought the restaurant must have offended him or that the food wasn’t good, and quickly asked several questions.

Lu Zhiyue smiled helplessly. “Your service is excellent. It’s just that the reason I came here… no longer exists.”

The receptionist blinked, then understood instantly. “Oh! The person you’ve been waiting for all this time—you finally met them?”

Lu Zhiyue relaxed and smiled. “Yes.”

“Ah, congratulations, Mr. Lu! That’s wonderful news.”

Lu Zhiyue took out some cash and handed it over. “Thanks. Keep the change.”

Chi Suinian was waiting at the entrance, watching Lu Zhiyue chatting endlessly with the young woman, that stupid grin still on his face. Irritated, he called out, “Can we go now?”

Lu Zhiyue turned back. “Let’s go.”

······

According to Lu Zhiyue’s plan, they drove to the largest cinema in the city center. It was the weekend, so the place was packed—almost everyone there was a couple.

“I’ll go pick up the tickets. You wait here,” Lu Zhiyue said. “There are a lot of people—don’t wander off.”

Did this man think he was a three-year-old child?

Without even looking back, Chi Suinian walked toward the lounge area. “Got it, stop nagging.”

The two of them stood out in the crowd—both tall, handsome, and walking together. Naturally, they drew plenty of attention.

“Ah, their couple outfits are so cute!” a girl said, tugging insistently on her boyfriend’s sleeve. “See? I told you we should’ve worn matching clothes for the movie. You just wouldn’t listen. Look how sweet they look!”

The guy quickly said, “Okay, okay! Take a good look—after the movie, we’ll go buy the same set, alright?”

The girl pouted, “No way, that color makes people look darker. You’d look awful in it.”

The boyfriend glared resentfully at Chi Suinian.

“…”

Chi Suinian found an empty seat and sat down casually. From where he sat, he could see the movie listings for the day.

“My Deskmate Is My Arch-Enemy”
“Sweet, Secret Crush”
“Fake Marriage with My Crush”
“My Nemesis Keeps Tricking Me into Kissing Him”

“…”

“???????”

What kind of cursed theater was this?

Why did every single title sound like it was based on his and Lu Zhiyue’s life story?

Also, with so many movies on the same theme releasing at once, weren’t these directors afraid of flopping?

At the ticket counter, the clerk wore a perfectly professional smile. “Sorry, sir, since it’s the weekend, all VIP rooms are fully booked. If you’re not in a hurry, I can reserve one for you tomorrow?”

Lu Zhiyue said, “No need. A regular screening is fine.”

His eyes scanned the schedule. After a brief pause, he asked casually, “Which upcoming movie has the fewest people?”

The clerk was startled for a second, then checked her screen. “Well, there is one. Very few tickets sold—only eight seats so far. It starts in ten minutes, but…”

“We’ll take that one. Two tickets.”

The clerk swallowed back the words ‘it’s really boring’ and smiled instead. “Alright, please choose your seats. The movie starts in ten minutes. Hope you enjoy it.”

“Thanks.”

Lu Zhiyue returned to the lounge.

Chi Suinian immediately asked, “Which movie did you buy?”

Lu Zhiyue handed him the tickets.

“Loch Ness[mfn]The Loch Ness Monster, known affectionately as Nessie, is a mythical creature in Scottish folklore that is said to inhabit Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. It is often described as large, long-necked, and with one or more humps protruding from the water. [/mfn] Monster vs. Zombie King.”

Chi Suinian’s fingertips stiffened. “…”

“What’s wrong?” Lu Zhiyue asked, noticing his unnatural stillness. “You’ve seen it already?”

“…”

No, he hadn’t.

And he had no plans to—ever.

Out of all the sweet, romantic movies playing today, this bastard had picked this—a bloody monster showdown with a title that screamed “trash fire.”

Just how twisted was Lu Zhiyue’s taste?

Lu Zhiyue handed him popcorn and milk tea. “Come on, let’s go. It’s about to start.”

“…”

When they entered the theater, Chi Suinian immediately noticed how empty it was.

Rows and rows of seats—completely unoccupied.

…Wait. For this movie, Lu Zhiyue had basically booked a private screening?

He turned, about to say something, when voices drifted in from the entrance.

Chi Suinian froze. Before he could move away, it was too late—he suddenly found himself face-to-face with Tang Jin and Lu Heng.

“…”

“…”

“…”

After a long, heavy silence, it was Lu Heng who recovered first. “What a coincidence. You two came to see the monster movie too?”

This terrible movie was that popular?

Lu Zhiyue calmly replied, “No, we’re on a date.”

Chi Suinian: “…”

Great. Once again, this bastard had killed the conversation dead.

“…”

Sure enough, silence fell again.

“Haha… ha…” After a long pause, Lu Heng let out a few awkward laughs, his shocked mouth moving on autopilot. “What a coincidence! We’re on a date too, haha.”

This time, Chi Suinian was genuinely stunned. “You two…?”

“No, no!” Tang Jin waved his hands frantically. “Not with each other! We both asked out girls to see a movie, but they stood us up. Since we had nothing better to do this weekend, we just came anyway.”

Chi Suinian: “…”

Inviting girls to watch this kind of movie—yeah, no wonder they got stood up.

“Today’s really something, huh? Suinian, which seat are you in? Let me see—” Before he could react, Lu Heng caught a glimpse of his ticket. “Row 9, seat 8—holy crap! I’m sitting right in front of you! We really are brothers, even our seats are destined to match.”

Chi Suinian did not want that kind of “destiny.” Expression frozen, he headed to the back row and sat down without even checking the seat number. There were so many empty seats anyway.

As soon as they sat down, the lights above slowly dimmed, and the room sank into darkness.

“Should we… just leave?” In the row in front, Tang Jin whispered to Lu Heng, “They’re sitting right behind us—I can’t focus on the movie.”

Lu Heng muttered, “Yeah, me neither.”

“So, we go?”

Lu Heng frowned, thought for a moment, and said, “No need. They’re behind us. As long as we don’t turn around, we can just pretend we don’t exist.”

Tang Jin said helplessly, “Can’t pretend.”

Their combined presence was too strong—his scalp felt cold, like their aura was pressing down on the back of his neck.

Lu Heng said, “They haven’t even said anything. Besides, I think this movie’s gonna be pretty good—oh, it’s starting, it’s starting…”

Tang Jin: “…”

Why, why had he ever agreed to go pick up girls with this idiot?

In the back row, Chi Suinian rested his chin on his hand, staring blankly at the huge screen.

Beside his elbow, the cold touch of something pressed lightly against his arm through his sleeve.

He suddenly remembered the cup of milk tea Lu Zhiyue had given him. Out of boredom, he poked in the straw and took a sip.

Then he froze.

“How did you know I like this flavor?”

He never drank milk tea while working.

Lu Zhiyue turned his head slightly, his voice calm. “In college, I paid attention to your takeout orders.”

“…”

He was honestly tired of saying the word pervert.

Then a thought hit him. “Wait… sophomore year—the milk teas that showed up outside my dorm room for a whole month—was that you?”

Lu Zhiyue gave a quiet “mm,” then looked slightly surprised. “You didn’t know?”

Didn’t know? He’d nearly died of fright!

That summer had been hot, and Tang Jin loved cold drinks—he’d often buy one for Chi Suinian too. So when those milk teas kept appearing, Chi Suinian thought Tang Jin had just kept bringing them.

Until one day, he got tired of the flavor and told Tang Jin to stop buying it. Tang Jin had been totally confused—then horrified—when he realized he’d never bought those drinks.

Chi Suinian had been so spooked he went to the hospital that very night for a blood test.

Lu Zhiyue clearly didn’t know that part. Seeing Chi Suinian’s hesitation, he asked, “You don’t like that flavor anymore? I bought another one too. Want to try it?”

“No.” Chi Suinian bit down on the straw, muttering around it, “You drink it yourself.”

One bottle of cold milk tea later, Chi Suinian lost all interest in watching the movie—not that he’d had much to begin with.

His mind was a chaotic mess.

When had Lu Zhiyue started liking him?

It seemed like Lu Zhiyue knew everything about his life and habits—while all he remembered was anger and frustration.

He stared blankly at the screen, his expression shifting from curious to sour.

Damn it.

Who cared when it started?

A pervert like that deserved to pine for someone forever and die single.

Suddenly, his cheek was gently pinched. Lu Zhiyue

low voice came beside his ear: “Drink properly. Don’t chew the straw.”

Chi Suinian clutched his cup, flustered and fuming. It took him a second to realize—he’d been touched again.

He turned, ready to curse him out—but then caught sight of Lu Zhiyue lifting a coffee cup, head tilted slightly as he took a sip.

His Adam’s apple bobbed with each swallow, the corner of his mouth glinting faintly with moisture.

Chi Suinian stared at that faint shine for a few seconds—then, inexplicably, swallowed.

Gulp.

“…”

Damn it.

What the hell was he doing?

Just now, he’d actually thought Lu Zhiyue’s lips looked soft.

Soft—and kissable.

F*ck.

He’d spent all this time calling him a pervert, and now he was fantasizing about him in a movie theater?

Chi Suinian wanted to die of shame.

Maybe sensing his turbulent emotions, Lu Zhiyue set down his coffee and turned toward him.

“What were you looking at?”

Did this man have eyes on the side of his face?

“…Nothing.” Chi Suinian ruffled his hair, lowering his head to sip his drink again. “Just zoning out.”

“You were looking at me,” Lu Zhiyue said suddenly. “And swallowing.”

“…”

That instant hit like a slap—shame burning straight through him, mixed with the forbidden thrill of being caught in public. His heart started pounding as he stammered, “Bullshit. You’re so ugly—why would I?”

“Then why did you swallow?”

Lu Zhiyue met his eyes openly, the flickering light from the movie screen reflecting in his irises—clear, bright, and devastatingly beautiful.

Chi Suinian thought this damn milk tea shop should go out of business. He’d bought a sweet drink, but it felt like he was drunk on liquor—the kind that blurred his vision and lowered his guard.

Before he realized it, the distance between them had disappeared. Their breaths mingled, close enough to feel each other’s warmth.

He didn’t even know who had leaned in first—but suddenly, he found himself bent across the armrest, surrounded by Lu Zhiyue’s faint scent of pine.

…He must’ve drunk something laced with alcohol.

His heart pounded wildly; tingling heat raced from his fingertips to his head. Chi Suinian swallowed again, unable to help it.

Lu Zhiyue’s eyes darkened slightly. “I saw that.” He reached out, brushing his fingers over Chi Suinian’s throat. “You swallowed again.”

“…”

Chi Suinian shivered at the touch, finally snapping back to his senses. He tried to pull away, bracing his elbows on the seat, but Lu Zhiyue slipped an arm around his shoulders and drew him closer instead.

The cool pine scent grew stronger.

“Don’t run,” Lu Zhiyue murmured. “A date’s supposed to end with a kiss.”

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