Pure emotion error - Chapter 13
Chapter 13 *Cohabitation Agreement*
Having finished packing everything else, Lin Yiqiao placed the last few books she had brought on the bookshelf, categorized by type.
Just then, there was a knock on the bedroom door.
The door opened, and Yan Lu stood there, waving a stack of A4 papers in his hand. “You said yesterday you wanted to establish daily rules, so I drafted a proposal. Take a look, and you can change anything you don’t like.”
Lin Yiqiao loved rules, and upon hearing this, she immediately put down the books she was holding, walked to the door, and took the papers.
The document was titled *Cohabitation Agreement*.
“You made a mistake,” Lin Yiqiao said, pointing to the title. “It should be ‘cohabitation’.”
“This is based on a standard template provided by a legal firm,” Yan Lu said seriously. “Legally speaking, the definition of ‘cohabitation’ is broader, better avoiding potential future disputes over rights and responsibilities. Using more precise wording provides protection for both of us.”
This explanation sounded very professional, and Lin Yiqiao nodded in acceptance.
He didn’t invite Yan Lu into the room, but stood by the door, looking down. He read quickly, his fingertips gliding lightly along with his gaze, his eyelashes fluttering like tiny brushes.
His fingertips stopped at the sixteenth clause, which Lin Yiqiao read aloud: “Public consumables should be included in the joint procurement list, purchased using public funds, and both parties must be present for each purchase.”
He looked up at Yan Lu, frowning, and asked, “What do you mean by public consumables?”
Yan Lu leaned back relaxed against the doorframe, his tone gentle: “Things we’ll both use together, like tissues, cleaning supplies, toothpaste, and shower gel.”
Lin Yiqiao was puzzled: “Do we share toothpaste and shower gel?” In his mind, these were very personal items.
“Of course,” Yan Lu said matter-of-factly, “What if we accidentally use each other’s if we don’t?”
Although the apartment wasn’t small, there was only one bathroom. Keeping toiletries together could indeed lead to mistakes.
Logically, that seemed to work, but… something felt off.
Lin Yiqiao thought for a moment, then stubbornly said, “No, toothpaste and shower gel are personal items and can’t be shared. I’ll be careful not to use yours, and you should be too.”
“Okay,” Yan Lu smiled, naturally walking into Lin Yiqiao’s room, sitting down at the desk, and writing a note after the clause, “Okay, I’ll listen to you on this one.”
Lin Yiqiao stood next to Yan Lu and continued reading, stopping at clause eighteen: “To save time and energy, both parties should share the company’s vehicle to and from get off work.”
After reading this, Lin Yiqiao said to Yan Lu, “I plan to walk to and from get off work; it only takes about twenty minutes from here to the company. It’s too much trouble for me to have to adjust my schedule to fit your car.”
Yan Lu rested his arm on the back of the chair and slowly… He retorted methodically, “Twenty minutes is ideal. Can you walk in a thunderstorm? If you work late like the other day, is walking safe?”
These two questions stumped Lin Yiqiao. “Then…”
“You don’t need to accommodate my schedule,” Yan Lu continued. “We just need to align our schedules in advance and commute at the same time.”
Lin Yiqiao hesitated, “But…”
“There are no ‘buts’,” Yan Lu said. “I promised your mother I’d ensure your safety. What if something happens to you on your commute? What will I do?”
When he said “What will I do?” his voice became very soft. He leaned slightly towards Lin Yiqiao, looking directly into her eyes, making her heart race.
“Hmm…” Lin Yiqiao looked away, returning her gaze to the paper. “You make a good point.”
“Article Twenty-Three: Both parties should jointly purchase the week’s groceries every Monday and eat together every day.”
“Why is there this clause?”
Yan Lu countered, “Otherwise? Order takeout every day?”
“No,” Lin Yiqiao shook her head, sitting down on the edge of the bed. “I mean, why do we have to eat together every day?”
Yan Lu raised an eyebrow. “I need to eat, and you need to eat. Since we both need to eat, why not eat together?”
“That’s a bit strange,” Lin Yiqiao said. “We’re just sharing an apartment. If we also have to go to work together, go grocery shopping together, and eat together, it sounds like we’re living together.”
“Lin Yiqiao,” Yan Lu turned to face her directly, “We agreed to jointly maintain order in our living environment. Isn’t the kitchen part of that living environment?”
Lin Yiqiao: “Yes.”
“Sharing the kitchen, isn’t that also part of maintaining order?” “Oh,” Lin Yiqiao said, “then don’t worry about that. I can’t cook, and I basically don’t use the kitchen. You can use it yourself.”
“So what will you eat?”
Lin Yiqiao said, “Sandwiches, cereal, salad.”
Yan Lu: “…Every day?”
Lin Yiqiao nodded.
Yan Lu sighed deeply, “Okay, then when I make steamed sea bass, seafood with dipping sauce, cola chicken wings, typhoon shelter crab, or black pepper steak, you can only eat sandwiches, cereal, and salad.”
After saying that, Yan Lu picked up his pen and pretended to cross this out, “I’m deleting this.”
“Wait,” Lin Yiqiao leaned over and grabbed Yan Lu’s hand, “Can you make all of these?”
These are all things Lin Yiqiao likes.
Yan Lu smiled slightly and said modestly, “That’s just the tip of the iceberg.”
Lin Yiqiao unconsciously swallowed, “Then…then I’ll do the dishes.” ”
Yan Lu’s smile widened, and he added to Article 23: ‘Party A is responsible for cooking, and Party B is responsible for washing the dishes.’
After reviewing all the clauses, Lin Yiqiao added a final clause: ‘Both parties must fully respect each other’s independent bedroom space and may not enter without permission.’
Yan Lu nodded. ‘Okay, but what if one of us has an accident and needs the other’s help? For example, if I’m unconscious and can’t verbally agree to your entry?’
Lin Yiqiao thought for a moment. ‘Then add ‘except in emergencies.’
Yan Lu added the clause and asked, ‘Any other questions?’
Lin Yiqiao said expressionlessly, ‘Yes, you’ve entered my room without permission.’
Yan Lu showed no embarrassment, smiling as he stood up and walked out. ‘Okay, I’ve revised the parts I needed. I’ll print it at the company tomorrow.’
‘Send me the electronic version, I’ll go print it.’ Lin Yiqiao followed behind. ‘I have to go back to the company to work overtime today.'” ”
Yan Lu paused, then reminded him, “Today is Sunday.”
Lin Yiqiao walked him to his room, hummed in agreement, and closed the door.
Yan Lu had originally planned to cook a steak at home for lunch, then they could relax on the sofa together watching a movie in the afternoon, and go grocery shopping together after dinner.
But Lin Yiqiao actually packed his backpack and went to work overtime.
Yan Lu offered to walk him, but he declined: “Today isn’t a workday, and the weather is nice; it’s perfect for walking.” The front door clicked shut, leaving only the soft hum of the jellyfish tank’s circulation system, making the already quiet space even more serene.
Yan Lu began to uncontrollably miss Lin Yiqiao from his teenage years.
Back then, Lin Yiqiao wasn’t a workaholic; he was lazy and didn’t want to do his homework on weekends. He loved it when Yan Lu took him out to play.
He would always come along when Yan Lu went to play basketball. He didn’t play, but he could watch from the sidelines all afternoon.
Then he would sit on the back of Yan Lu’s bicycle, hugging Yan Lu’s waist, pressing his face against Yan Lu’s sweat-soaked back, and letting Yan Lu take him home.
A phone notification interrupted his reverie. Yan Lu opened it and saw… The message from workaholic Lin Yiqiao:
Mechanical Engineering Group Lin Yiqiao: [Send me the electronic version of the “Cohabitation Agreement.”]
Yan Lu: [File]
Yan Lu: [What time are you coming back? I’ll pick you up.]
Mechanical Engineering Group Lin Yiqiao: [Between 9:30 and 10:00 PM, not late at night, I’ll walk back.]
Lin Yiqiao got home at 9:37 PM. The lights were off; Yan Lu wasn’t home.
Lin Yiqiao took a shower, changed into her pajamas, fed the jellyfish, and put the brine shrimp eggs into the automatic incubator.
By the time she finished, it was already 10:40 PM, and Yan Lu still hadn’t returned.
The master bedroom door was open. Lin Yiqiao walked to the door… Driven by curiosity, he turned on the light and peeked inside.
The room was about the same size as the second bedroom, simply furnished. Light gray walls, dark gray bedding, and a black bedside table.
One entire wall was occupied by a floor-to-ceiling built-in wardrobe. The doors were made of semi-transparent black glass, which, under the light, resembled a huge, somewhat blurry mirror.
Lin Yiqiao thought, “If that’s the case, wouldn’t I be able to see my reflection in the black mirror when I lie in bed?”
It felt a little strange.
Lin Yiqiao was just curious; it wasn’t an emergency, so he turned off the light and didn’t go in.
Back in the second bedroom, Lin Yiqiao thought again, “Yan Lu likes black and gray so much, yet he gave him…” He bought light blue bedding. The slippers he prepared were also light blue, with a small pink peach on them.
Lin Yiqiao turned off the light and climbed into bed, suddenly remembering the “Cohabitation Agreement” was still in his bag. He had already bound and signed it; it only needed Yan Lu’s signature to become effective.
He turned the bedside lamp back on, got up, and took the document out of his bag, intending to put it on the kitchen island so Yan Lu could see it while having breakfast the next morning.
Walking into the living room, he heard the electronic lock unlock, and then Yan Lu came in.
The overhead light instantly switched on, revealing Lin Yiqiao, clutching the document and wearing jellyfish-print pajamas, with nowhere to hide.
“Not asleep yet?” Yan Lu closed the door, leaning against it as he changed his shoes. His voice was lower and hoarser than usual, carrying a noticeable weariness and languor, as he asked Lin Yiqiao, “What time is it?”
Lin Yiqiao’s phone was in his room, so he ran back to check, then ran back out to report to Yan Lu, “It’s 11:30.” ”
Yan Lu took off his coat and draped it over his arm, walking towards the living room.
As he approached, Lin Yiqiao smelled the alcohol on him.
The warm scent of alcohol mixed with his natural body odor wasn’t unpleasant, but it carried a strong, aggressive quality.
He was wearing a thin, black, high-necked wool sweater, extremely form-fitting, clearly outlining his broad, straight shoulders, strong, full chest muscles, tapering waist, and the powerful lines of his arms beneath the sleeves.
Lin Yiqiao’s heart suddenly raced again, an alarm bell blaring inexplicably in his brain. He slammed the document onto Yan Lu’s chest with a “thud,” yelling, “Sign this!”
Then he quickly fled back to his room.