♡ Chapter 15 ♡

It hadn’t been four hours since their last kiss, but Yu Xia was still a little unaccustomed to his intense, forceful kisses. However, she remembered her earlier words: it was her turn to take the initiative. She wrapped her arms around his neck, standing on tiptoe to keep up with his rhythm and respond to him.

Lu Yanzhou was completely taken by her sudden boldness. He bent down, lifting her effortlessly into his arms. The moment Yu Xia found herself suspended in the air, her heart raced like crazy, and she nervously looked up at him. The man held her with one arm while the other supported the back of her head, pressing her closer as they continued kissing. He turned and walked toward the bed.

In a whirl of movement, Yu Xia found herself lying on the soft bed. Her heart was pounding, her eyes wide as she nervously looked at Lu Yanzhou.

He knelt on one knee on the bed, leaning over her, his gaze locking onto her flustered expression. He lowered himself again, kissing her lips softly, then moving his kisses from her lips to her neck and behind her ear. Yu Xia shivered, her hands clutching his arm as she mumbled, “Lu Yanzhou…”

Lu Yanzhou buried his face in her shoulder, sighing deeply before propping himself up again, pinching her cheek gently. With a casual smile, he asked, “Are you sure you want to sleep here?”

“I didn’t finish what I was saying…” Yu Xia’s face flushed red. She had braced herself for this, but she was still very nervous. She lowered her eyes, avoiding his gaze, and whispered, “We’re just sleeping together, I didn’t say anything about doing anything…”

Lu Yanzhou chuckled lowly. “I didn’t intend to do anything either.”

“…”

Now, Yu Xia didn’t know what to say.

Her dress had rolled up to her thighs, revealing her pale, slender legs. Lu Yanzhou’s gaze darkened. He pulled the blanket over her, then sat back against the bed’s headboard.

Yu Xia blinked and glanced at the open laptop on the desk. “Are you still working?”

“I was planning to handle a few emails,” he said, glancing at her with an unreadable look. “But now, I don’t have the energy for that.”

“…”

Yu Xia couldn’t help but smile and opened her arms for an embrace.

Lu Yanzhou leaned down towards her. Yu Xia wrapped her arms around his neck and gazed at him with bright eyes. “I just realized you haven’t told me you like me.”

Even though their relationship had begun in a unique way, and she knew he had fallen for her at first sight, she still wanted to hear him say those words.

The man lowered his head, his sharp nose gently brushing against hers. He chuckled softly and said, “I like you.”

Yu Xia mimicked him, tilting her head to kiss the corner of his lips. “I like you too.”

Lu Yanzhou’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and he sighed helplessly before sitting up and ruffling her hair. “Go ahead and sleep first. I’ll finish the emails and then sleep.”

Yu Xia mumbled, “But… you said you weren’t in the mood?”

“Not being in the mood means I need to distract myself,” Lu Yanzhou said, giving her a half-smile. “So you should sleep first.”

Yu Xia immediately understood, and her face began to heat up. This blunt yet subtle conversation was both embarrassing and enjoyable.

He placed her phone, which had fallen on the bed, on the nightstand and turned off the lights, leaving only the desk lamp on.

Just as he stood up, he felt his hand being pulled.

Lu Yanzhou turned back to see her delicate white hand. His gaze shifted to the girl who had half her face hidden under the blanket. In the dim light, Yu Xia seemed bolder, holding his hand and whispering, “I didn’t say I couldn’t…”

Lu Yanzhou took a deep breath and asked softly, “What time do you have to get up tomorrow?”

Uh…

“Eight o’clock.”

Lu Yanzhou brushed her hand away, then leaned down and tucked her hand under the blanket. His gaze was deep and gentle as he said, “Next time. I’m afraid you’ll be upset with me if you can’t get up tomorrow.”

Yu Xia opened her mouth to respond, but before she could say anything, he stopped her with a single sentence, “Don’t speak, sleep.”

Yu Xia rolled her eyes, pursing her lips, not saying a word.

The man lowered his head and kissed her lips lightly, whispering, “Good night.”

Afterward, he really turned around and walked away.

Yu Xia lay on the bed, secretly glancing at him. After a while, she suddenly remembered something, grabbed her phone, and sent him a message.

Living In Spring: [How old are you this year, boyfriend?]

The phone on the desk vibrated. Lu Yanzhou glanced at it, chuckling silently, then picked it up and replied.

L: [28.]

L: [My birthday is January 18th. It has already passed.]

Yu Xia muttered to herself, “You’re four years older than me.”

Lu Yanzhou heard it and looked toward the bed. “Stop playing with your phone and go to sleep.”

“…Aren’t you going to ask me when my birthday is?”

“June 19th.”

Yu Xia was surprised and sat up, clutching the blanket. “How did you know?”

In the dim light, he couldn’t see her expression clearly. He had enough light on his side, but Yu Xia hadn’t been wearing her glasses when she came upstairs, so she couldn’t see clearly either.

“I saw it when I helped you register after you twisted your ankle last time,” Lu Yanzhou leaned back against the chair, looking at her. “Anything else you want to ask?”

“Actually…” Yu Xia coughed, “I might not be a good sleeper.”

“It’s fine,” he chuckled softly.

Yu Xia slowly lay back down, staring at the dark ceiling. She said in a low voice, “I can’t sleep…”

There was a brief silence in the air.

Click.

The sound of the computer closing.

Footsteps grew nearer.

Lu Yanzhou pulled back the blanket, lay down beside her, and hugged her into his arms with a sigh. “I’ll stay with you.”

This was Yu Xia’s first time sharing a bed with a man. She thought she would be too nervous to fall asleep. Her head felt stiff from the arm under it, and being held like this was uncomfortable, but to her surprise, she slowly drifted off to sleep.

The alarm went off the next morning, and Yu Xia struggled to get up. She hadn’t done much, but she was already so tired. Thankfully, Lu Yanzhou had been rational enough the night before and spared her.

Lu Yanzhou, who was already dressed, was sitting on the couch. He had chosen a casual outfit: black cargo pants and a simple black T-shirt. He knew that white shirts and dress pants would attract too much attention at the convention, but this look was still handsome and less noticeable.

When he saw her struggling to sit up, he smiled faintly. “Morning.”

Yu Xia paused for a few seconds, then turned off the alarm and looked at him. “Morning.” She got out of bed and smoothed out her slightly wrinkled dress. Taking her phone, she said, “I’ll change downstairs and come back to find you.”

Lu Yanzhou nodded and escorted her to the door.

Back in her room, the editor stood there smiling, studying her with a curious look. She circled around her, asking, “Hmm, you look surprisingly good? I thought you’d have trouble getting out of bed.”

“Go away,” Yu Xia said, feeling embarrassed. “We didn’t do anything.”

The editor looked surprised. “He could actually resist?”

Yu Xia changed the topic quickly, “Hurry up and change and do your makeup. We don’t want to be late.”

Yu Xia finished changing and doing her makeup as fast as she could, then went upstairs to find Lu Yanzhou. She took a black mask from her bag and handed it to him.

Lu Yanzhou took it and put it on. He looked down at her. “Is this good?”

Yu Xia stared at his face, realizing the mask couldn’t hide his good looks. If anything, it added a layer of mystery. She thought for a moment, then took out a black fisherman’s hat from her tote bag.

“I bought this hat too big. You should be able to wear it.”

“Really too big? It’s not something you bought for someone else?” Lu Yanzhou asked nonchalantly.

“Really,” Yu Xia couldn’t help but laugh, signaling for him to lower his head. “I don’t have any of my ex’s stuff here.”

Lu Yanzhou chuckled and lowered his head as she put the hat on him.

Yu Xia suddenly remembered something and said, “I don’t think I ever told you why I hugged you by mistake that night.”

Lu Yanzhou hadn’t asked before, not wanting to hear about her past relationship or anything like, “He looks a little like you.” But since she brought it up, he casually asked, “Why?”

“The white windbreaker you were wearing that night looked very similar to a birthday gift I gave him.” Yu Xia looked at him, her gaze growing cold, and cautiously continued, “That night, he came to return the clothes and break up with me.”

Lu Yanzhou lowered his eyes and said “Oh” indifferently: “Throw away that piece of clothing when you get back.”

“…”