Impossible Lovers

Zheng Baozhu lying there felt that the words sounded a bit off. Half-propping herself with her arms, she turned to look at Qu Zhi, "I think your words sounded quite ambiguous. Others might think we were doing something inside!"

"…"

Qu Zhi stood in place, silently looking at Zheng Baozhu for a moment, "Is it possible that you're overthinking things?"

"Heh, clearly, your words were vague," Zheng Baozhu tried to sit up from the couch, but her elbow slipped, and she was about to fall. Qu Zhi quickly reached out and caught her.

"Are you okay?" Qu Zhi hugged Zheng Baozhu, helping her up slowly. Zheng Baozhu held her waist with one hand, her brows furrowing, "My waist…"

The fall just now made her already sore waist even worse.

"Did you twist your waist? Does it hurt here?" Qu Zhi supported her with one hand and gently pressed the area around her waist.

"Hey, hey, hey, be gentle…" Zheng Baozhu grabbed Qu Zhi's arm, trying to sit up from the couch. Seeing this, Qu Zhi gently pressed her back down, "Don't move, you might fall again. Let me help you up."

Zheng Baozhu leaned on Qu Zhi's shoulder. When she lifted her head, her lips inadvertently brushed Qu Zhi's lips.

Zheng Baozhu: "…"

Qu Zhi: "…"

Both of them froze abruptly and the room fell into complete silence. Zheng Baozhu felt like she couldn't hold back anymore. Oh my god, what did I just do?! Did I accidentally kiss Qu Zhi?!

The hand on Qu Zhi's shoulder began to sweat and her mind was filled with "I'm done, I'm done".

Although Qu Zhi's face showed no change and remained expressionless, the slight blush on his cheeks unintentionally revealed his true feelings at the moment.

The two of them froze like this for two seconds. Zheng Baozhu seemed to forget about her waist pain as she pushed Qu Zhi away and sat on the couch, hugging her knees, "Uh, well, I'm fine now, you can go back!"

"…Mm," Qu Zhi nodded somewhat unnaturally. He glanced at Zheng Baozhu once more and then turned and left the room. After he left, Zheng Baozhu finally relaxed, listening to the thumping sound of her heart, and slowly collapsed onto the couch.

This was just an accident, Zheng Baozhu! Everyone is an adult; no one would take this seriously! Yeah!

Zheng Baozhu mentally reassured herself, grabbed a piece of medicinal plaster, tore it open, and applied it to her waist before crawling into the blanket.

After Qu Zhi returned to his room, he walked directly to the bathroom, turned on the tap in front of the sink, and splashed cold water on his face. The water was still gushing, and Qu Zhi supported himself with both hands on the sink, looking up at his reflection in the mirror.

When Zheng Baozhu's lips brushed across Qu Zhi's lips, he realized that it felt so light, as if a feather gently brushed his heart. Unconsciously, he raised his hand and lightly touched his lips. After a moment, he snapped back to reality, turned off the tap, and walked out of the bathroom.

Whether Qu Zhi slept well that night, Zheng Baozhu didn't know, but one thing was certain: Zheng Baozhu didn't sleep well.

Throughout her life, she had never dated or pursued any male celebrities. She was a person who remained calm and composed. However, last night, she actually dreamt of kissing Qu Zhi!

She knew Qu Zhi was toxic, but she didn't expect him to be so intoxicating!

After all, she only accidentally brushed against his lips yesterday; surely it shouldn't have such an intense aftermath!

Zheng Baozhu stared at the ceiling until dawn. :)

She was afraid that if she closed her eyes, she would see herself kissing Qu Zhi again, and her heart couldn't handle that.

To avoid recalling any unpleasant scenes every time she saw Qu Zhi's face, Zheng Baozhu stayed in her room these days, not going out at all. Even during meetings, she had Wei Zhen come up to her room to conduct them.

The hotel staff had been talking; it seemed like Miss Baozhu had returned, but not completely.

"Qu Zhi, have you seen Zheng Baozhu these past two days?" When Qu Zhi and Qi Sheng were having a meal together, Qi Sheng asked him. As soon as Qu Zhi heard Zheng Baozhu's name, he paused with his chopsticks and calmly shook his head. Qi Sheng clicked his tongue, "What's going on? Liang Huihui said she hasn't left her room, and even her lunch is delivered directly by a robot."

Qu Zhi said, "She might be in seclusion."

"…"

Was that so? It seemed like Miss Baozhu couldn't be understood using ordinary thinking, "Are you still going to her house for the New Year's Eve dinner tomorrow? Will she come out of seclusion by then?"

Tomorrow was New Year's Eve, and after they finished work today, they would be able to enjoy a short break. Qu Zhi had mentioned before that Professor Qu and his wife were staying at the research institute this year and couldn't come back, so Qu Zhi had no choice but to go to Zheng Baozhu's house for dinner.

When Qi Sheng heard the first half of Qu Zhi's answer, he felt sorry for him, but the second half made him feel like Qu Zhi's parents were planning ahead, trying to find a wife for him.

Qu Zhi didn't answer him. After finishing his meal, he put down the chopsticks and picked up some tissues, "I'm done eating. Take your time."

"Eh, you're done so quickly?" Qi Sheng looked surprised.

Qu Zhi lightly frowned, looking at him, he repeated that word, "Quick?"

Qi Sheng: "…"

He remained silent for a while before looking at Qu Zhi and saying, "You can drive now? When did you start getting into these worldly things?"

“…” Qu Zhi pursed his lips and walked away. Qi Sheng quickly finished his food and followed him.

When Qu Zhi returned in the evening, he passed by Zheng Baozhu's door and deliberately paused. The door was closed, and Qu Zhi lifted his hand to knock, but right before doing so, he stopped.

His hand hesitated for a moment, then he withdrew it and returned to his room.

The next morning, Su Mingxi started calling Zheng Baozhu, urging her to come back early and help make dumplings. Annoyed, Zheng Baozhu had no choice but to get up and freshen up.

Considering that it was almost New Year's Eve, Zheng Baozhu deliberately chose a long red velvet dress and styled her hair with a red-themed scarf. Finally, she put on her favorite pearl necklace and earrings.

After getting ready, she hesitated whether to inform Qu Zhi or not. Her mom had already asked him to come along, so if they were seen leaving separately later, her mom would definitely chatter endlessly.

It was one thing on a regular day, but it was better to be amicable on New Year's Eve.

As she was pondering, Qu Zhi sent her a message.

Qu Zhi: Su Auntie just called me, asking us to come over early.

Zheng Baozhu pursed her lips and replied: Okay, I'll leave after having lunch. I'll wait for you at the entrance.

Qu Zhi looked at the message, typed a line in the chat box, considered it for a moment, then deleted it all, and finally responded with a simple "Okay".

When Zheng Baozhu saw his message, she put down her phone and went to the front desk to arrange for the meal delivery.

At noon today, Zheng Baozhu deliberately controlled her food intake, as she knew there would be many delicious dishes in the evening. She wanted to save some space for them. After sending a message to Qu Zhi, she picked up her bag and went downstairs to get her car.

As the car drove from the garage to the hotel's entrance, Zheng Baozhu saw Qu Zhi coming out from inside.

The two of them locked eyes; Zheng Baozhu subconsciously focused on Qu Zhi's lips.

To be honest, Qu Zhi's lips were indeed very attractive; his jawline was smooth and beautiful. Although slightly thin, the shape was alluring, making one unable to resist wanting to taste him.

So it wasn't surprising that she had that kind of dream; it just meant that maybe she needed to find a boyfriend! And it happened to be the time she had accidentally touched Qu Zhi's lips, so the person in her dream naturally had Qu Zhi's face.

Everything made sense now.

Zheng Baozhu averted her gaze, gave a wry smile, and said, "Let's get in the car. If we're late, my mom will nag again."

"Okay," Qu Zhi nodded, also looking away, and opened the passenger door to get in.

If Zheng Baozhu hadn't been lost in thought just now, she would have noticed the subtly astonished look in Qu Zhi's eyes. Her skin was naturally good, and under the setting of the bright red dress, it appeared even fairer and more radiant. The pearls on her neck and ears added a perfect touch to the red outfit, making her look elegant and charming.

From a young age, Zheng Baozhu had liked this kind of jewelry-like dressing, but Qu Zhi used to sneer at it. Today, when he saw Zheng Baozhu sitting in the car, he was somewhat astonished.

Zheng Baozhu didn't notice his emotions. After he fastened his seatbelt, she drove the car out. To avoid any awkwardness during the drive, Zheng Baozhu deliberately played a nostalgic song playlist.

The playlist consisted of old songs, and the first one was Su Ming's [Beginnings].

The warm and clear voice flowed through the car. When it sang, "The day I met you, it seemed to fill the whole world", it almost tainted the air with sweetness.

As the song approached its end, Qu Zhi, who was sitting in the passenger seat, casually remarked, "Is this Su Ming's song? It sounds good."

Humming along to the melody, Zheng Baozhu glanced at him, chuckled lightly, and said, "So Dr. Qu also enjoys popular songs like this?"

Qu Zhi also turned to look at her. "In your impression, am I someone who always listens to opera?"

Shaking her head, Zheng Baozhu replied, "In my impression, you have always been disconnected from the music."

"..."

Qu Zhi fell silent for a moment and said, "Then this is an opportunity to get to know me again."

With Qu Zhi's words, Zheng Baozhu felt a bit shy. When did she become so easily shy, even though she thought she had thick skin?

Clearing her throat, she continued driving, and the playlist had already moved on to the next song, a soothing tune.

And so, Zheng Baozhu and Qu Zhi listened to the songs all the way back from the park to their old residential area.

Both the Qu and Zheng families still lived in the same neighborhood. Qu Zhi had been abroad for so many years and rarely returned, while Zheng Baozhu rarely came back after moving to the hotel. Zheng Baozhu found a parking space and parked the car, and they both got out of the car together.

Qu Zhi had brought some gifts; he didn't come empty-handed. Zheng Baozhu thought that Dr. Qu was not as ignorant of social customs as she had imagined. They went upstairs together, and when Su Mingxi heard the knocking, she rushed over to open the door for them.

"You're here!" Su Mingxi opened the door and greeted Qu Zhi with a smile, "Qu Zhi, come in, come in. Why did you bring so many things? You really are too courteous!"

"..."

Zheng Baozhu followed Qu Zhi and changed into slippers, closed the door, and walked to the sofa. Su Mingxi noticed her sitting there and immediately started ordering, "Baozhu, go wash your hands. I've kneaded the dough, you can start making dumplings. We'll cook and eat them tonight."

"...What about Qu Zhi?"

Su Mingxi replied, "I haven't seen Qu Zhi in so many years. Can't I chat with him for a bit?"

"That's fine," Zheng Baozhu said, "Making dumplings requires using hands, not mouths. It won't delay your chat."

"..."

Su Mingxi sighed inwardly.

Qu Zhi stood up, took off his coat, and placed it aside, "I'll help out as well."

"Alright. Let me bring the ingredients out for you both to work here," Su Mingxi also stood up and went to the kitchen to prepare the ingredients.

The dining table was cleared out, with Qu Zhi kneading the dough, while Zheng Baozhu was preparing the fillings. Zheng Baozhu looked at Qu Zhi kneading the dough and couldn't help but say to her mother, "Mom, you said making dumplings starts with kneading the dough?"

Su Mingxi corrected her, "I meant kneading the dough after mixing it."

Zheng Baozhu felt a bit speechless, "Why don't you just buy some pre-made dumpling wrappers?"

"But where's the ritual in that? Aren't you young people all about rituals?" Su Mingxi picked up the dough Qu Zhi was kneading and examined it, "Look at how well Qu Zhi kneads the dough!"

Qu Zhi said, "When I was studying abroad, I couldn't come back for the Lunar New Year, so we international students would gather together. We'd make dumplings and knead the dough ourselves; we got used to it."

"It's not easy studying abroad. Luckily, you made it through," Su Mingxi said, then pulled a chair and sat at the table, curious about Qu Zhi, "Little Qu, tell Aunt Su, did you have any girlfriends while studying abroad?"

"..."

Zheng Baozhu rolled her eyes, "Mom, why are you so nosy?"

"I'm not asking you. I'm asking Qu Zhi," Su Mingxi ignored Zheng Baozhu's remark and kept her eyes on Qu Zhi.

Qu Zhi lightly coughed and said, "No, I was busy with my studies there, I didn't have time for dating."

"Oh..." Su Mingxi nodded thoughtfully, "You're not that young anymore. Now that you're back in the country, how about I introduce you to someone?"

"...Huh?"

"It's Aunt Chen, who dances with us in the square. She has a niece who also studied abroad and just returned last year," Su Mingxi enthusiastically introduced, "You two are about the same age, both studied abroad, and have common ground. Why not give it a try?"

"Mom, are you talking about Yue Yue? She likes sports! Can you imagine Qu Zhi doing sports?" Zheng Baozhu quipped as she continued mixing the filling.

Su Mingxi gave her a look and retorted, "Why not? I remember Qu Zhi was good in physical education when he was little and even won a championship on sports day, right?"

"..."

Qu Zhi admired Aunt Su's memory and said, "Now, the work at the lab is quite demanding, so I don't have much time for sports."

"It's alright. I also know another person, she graduated from a prestigious domestic university and now works as a teaching assistant at a school. She's also a scholar-type, so she won't find you boring!" Su Mingxi said enthusiastically.

Zheng Baozhu laughed, "So, what will they talk about? Experimental data and research papers? Can they find common ground in that?"

"Hey, Zheng Baozhu, why do you have so many opinions?" Su Mingxi looked at her, "I'm just trying to introduce a potential partner to Qu Zhi here. Why are meddling?"

"Am I meddling? I'm just worried you might bring disaster to that poor girl!" Zheng Baozhu teased.

"How is Qu Zhi a disaster to the poor girl? Come on, tell me, what's wrong with Qu Zhi?" Su Mingxi said and then narrowed her eyes, studying Zheng Baozhu, "Zheng Baozhu, don't tell me you've developed feelings for Qu Zhi?"

"Me? Haha, cough, cough," Zheng Baozhu coughed twice in a row, her face turning slightly red with embarrassment, "Hehe, this is the funniest joke I've heard all year!"

"Heh, you can still laugh. But what about your own boyfriend? You also settled down with anyone yet?" Su Mingxi said, lightly tapping the table, "Perfect! While you're home these days, I'll arrange a blind date for you."

"Don't... You better continue trying to set up Qu Zhi!"

Qu Zhi glanced at them and told Su Mingxi, "Aunt Su, I am indeed busy with work right now and not looking to date. Please don't bother anyone on my behalf."

"How is it bothering anyone? Don't listen to Zheng Baozhu's nonsense; that girl is really exceptional," Su Mingxi continued to persuade, "Look at your parents; aren't they both scholars? Aren't they doing well?"

"Uh..." Qu Zhi nodded, "Actually, the issue is, they are too perfect."

Zheng Baozhu couldn't help but burst into laughter again.

Su Mingxi looked over and scrutinized, "Baozhu, don't tell me you've actually fallen for Qu Zhi? Back in the day, you used to curse him all the time. Now don't embarrass yourself."

"..."

Zheng Baozhu changed the subject and handed the chopsticks to her mother, "Mom, come, taste this. Is the flavor good enough?"

"Take it away, take it away. You taste it yourself."

As Qu Zhi and Zheng Baozhu sat down to wrap dumplings, Zheng Baozhu's father also returned from work and joined them in the dumpling-making. To bring good luck, they even placed a coin in two dumplings.

As they were bustling with preparations for the Chinese New Year feast, the official character posters for the main roles in the drama [New Moon Wuxin Sword] were officially released today, with Zheng Baozhu playing the role of Ye Ling prominently featured.