If words could carry weight, this sentence was no less than an earthquake in Meng Fu Yuan’s heart.

Although he had already realized the moment Chen Qing Wu took off his pinky ring that she had made her decision, hearing her say it outright still struck him like a thunderclap.

It was as if someone doomed to die was suddenly pardoned just before the execution.

Her breath, like mist, climbed from his Adam’s apple to his lips.

Meng Fu Yuan closed his eyes briefly, holding back the heat rising in them.

At this moment, he had no other thoughts, just an intense desire to hold her tightly and confirm she wasn’t a figment of his imagination, a dream. But his wrists were bound, and his instinctive struggle to free himself only left him feeling panicked and embarrassed.

She really knew how to torment him.

Just as he was about to try breaking free forcefully, Chen Qing Wu leaned down and gently bit his lip. After a brief pause, her tongue slipped between his lips.

Meng Fu Yuan could no longer resist. He lifted his arms, wrapping them around her head, holding her tightly, his bound hands pressing against her back, pulling her closer.

A sharp pain filled his heart. He desperately captured her breath, as if only by doing so could he be sure their feelings were the same:

A desire to be destroyed together in this fiery, flooded world.

This kiss lasted until they ran out of oxygen, and finally, they parted.

Chen Qing Wu calmed her breathing.

Meng Fu Yuan lowered his head, his forehead resting on her shoulder, exhaling a long breath, his excitement taking a long time to subside.

Chen Qing Wu felt his hands trembling slightly against her back, his deep breaths seeming to inhale her scent.

So close, so much like an addict finally finding salvation.

For some reason, she felt her eyes welling up.

If she hadn’t experienced it herself, how could she believe there would be such a man, loving her as if worshipping a faith?

They didn’t speak for a long time, feeling the aftershocks deep in their hearts.

The room was quiet, only the sound of their heartbeats and the snow falling outside the window.

Chen Qing Wu leaned on Meng Fu Yuan’s shoulder and spoke softly, “…I thought you were coming back tomorrow.”

“I saw the birthday gift you sent me.”

“…I missed you so much. If I could have gotten a visa in time, I might have flown to see you directly.”

Meng Fu Yuan didn’t speak, just turned his head to kiss her ear.

“Did you know I was sick?”

“I saw the message in the group chat.”

“Then why didn’t you come to see me?”

“The plane was just about to take off when I saw the message. I couldn’t exactly stop it.”

“But you could have sent a WeChat message.”

Meng Fu Yuan laughed softly, “Now you’re being unreasonable. I told you I wouldn’t reach out first, and you agreed.”

Chen Qing Wu snorted, “It was Qi Ran who took care of me, did you know?”

“So what? He didn’t take advantage of the opportunity when you were sick.”

Chen Qing Wu burst into laughter, “Indeed, unlike you who took the opportunity to steal a teacup from my house.”

Meng Fu Yuan paused at her words, looking at her as if asking, “You knew?”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I was selfish, Qing Wu. I have so few things of yours, I didn’t want to return one of my few treasures.”

For some reason, she was moved by his “selfishness,” his “greed.”

Although his love was so noble: never boastful, never self-promotional, never self-aggrandizing, and never cheapening himself through dramatic displays.

Their voices were low, like echoes of mist in a valley.

After a brief silence, it was unclear who initiated it, but they lowered their heads and their lips met, reigniting the smoldering embers.

This kiss was not as bitter as their previous desperate struggles, but gentle, as if finally filling the void of days spent in anxious longing.

Whether it was him or her.

“Qing Wu…”

“Hmm?”

The conversation interspersed between kisses was fragmented, like incoherent murmurs.

In such cold, ice-bound feelings, speaking them now somehow made them feel less bitter.

“I thought you wouldn’t come to find me again… but I seem unable to prepare myself for just becoming ordinary family friends with you. I was thinking, if you didn’t come to me by the agreed time, what should I do… perhaps never return to Nancheng, never see you again…”

Meng Fu Yuan took a breath, his breath brushing past her nose before his lips met hers again.

“I also thought… maybe from the beginning, I should have maintained our boundaries, not taken the first step… without what happened in the past half year, maybe I could have stayed as your brother. To gain and then lose is more painful than never gaining at all…”

Chen Qing Wu could hardly breathe, her heart aching not for herself, “…You don’t have confidence in me?”

“I don’t have confidence in myself.”

“…How could that be, you’re so good, I’m not a fool…”

No one spoke further.

All the restless waiting dissipated in this long kiss.

Soon, it wasn’t enough.

In the cold depth of winter, Chen Qing Wu felt herself burning like a caged fire, unable to find an exit.

Meng Fu Yuan felt the same, “…why did you tie my hands?” He asked in a low voice, breathing against her ear during a pause for air.

“Because you just scolded me.” Chen Qing Wu laughed softly, wrapping her arms around his head, her voice low and seductive, “…want to touch me?”

It’s hard to say if it was precisely because the other person was Meng Fu Yuan that she restrained her shyness and became so bold, so naturally revealing her desires without worrying about being looked down upon by him.

“…” Meng Fu Yuan remained silent.

“Who told you to be so hesitant just now, now I’m not letting you.” Chen Qing Wu lowered her head, using her kisses as weapons, slowly and deliberately landing them on every exposed inch of his warm skin above his collar.

From the first kiss, a certain presence had been clear, and her actions only made it more apparent.

Her head rested on his shoulder, watching his expression. She wanted to see him fall, and it seemed she wanted to let herself fall too, so she moved her knee over inch by inch.

Through the fabric of his suit pants, at the moment they touched, Meng Fu Yuan closed his eyes, his hand behind her seeming to want to stop her but unable due to his restraints.

After a moment, Chen Qing Wu made no further move.

Meng Fu Yuan opened his eyes, looking down at her.

Her head was bowed, as if she had reached her limit.

In the dim light, he couldn’t see the details of her skin, but as he leaned closer, he could feel the burning heat at the back of her neck.

He whispered in her ear, “Why did you stop?”

Chen Qing Wu remained still, as if she hadn’t heard him.

The next moment, she felt a hand on her waist. She immediately opened her eyes, looking down.

Meng Fu Yuan whispered, “Next time, remember to tie a dead knot.”

At this, the roles abruptly reversed.

Meng Fu Yuan grabbed her waist, sitting her on his knee, his large hand pressing her head down. He kissed her fiercely, while his other hand slipped under her sweater without hesitation.

It was indescribable whether that caged fire found an exit or burned even hotter for not finding one.

Curling her body seemed instinctive, and the touch covering her made her shiver from head to toe.

“Qing Wu…” Meng Fu Yuan’s voice trembled.

“Hmm?”

“To my room?”

“…Mm.” Chen Qing Wu buried her head in his shoulder. She could feel that Meng Fu Yuan’s request was deliberately subdued, as if he didn’t want to expose his longing too much and make her uncomfortable.

As soon as she agreed, Meng Fu Yuan unhesitatingly lifted her in his arms.

It’s hard to imagine that just a year ago, she thought Meng Fu Yuan was so serious and unapproachable. Now, he was so eager that he couldn’t even stop kissing her during the few seconds it took to carry her to the next room.

At the doorway, he paused slightly, freeing a hand to open the door.

The bedroom was right next door.

The entire third floor was silent, even the corridor lights seemed to be half-asleep.

Meng Fu Yuan reached out, pressed down the handle of the bedroom door, and carried her in, closing the door behind him.

The lock clicked.

The overhead light wasn’t on; Meng Fu Yuan headed straight to the bed.

Chen Qing Wu closed her eyes, her back landing on the bed.

The long-staple cotton sheets were exceptionally soft, with a fresh scent of recently laundered detergent.

“…Can you turn on the light?” Meng Fu Yuan asked in a low voice.

Chen Qing Wu nodded.

The soft yellow light from the bedside lamp was like moonlight, cool and flowing.

Meng Fu Yuan sat on the edge of the bed, one hand supporting beside her, his head turned to study her.

Without his glasses, his gaze felt sharper, as if it were a scalpel precisely dissecting her desires.

Chen Qing Wu almost couldn’t bear it, just about to lift her arm to shield her face, Meng Fu Yuan leaned down.

His breath fell on her neck, then wandered to her collarbone.

“Qing Wu…” Meng Fu Yuan’s voice was very low, “I’m afraid I’ll lose control… when you can’t accept it, remember to push me away.”

Chen Qing Wu blinked rapidly, “…Mm.”

The bedding was different from last time, a deep sea blue reminiscent of the ocean at night, giving her a dizzying sensation like seasickness.

A moment of coolness came as her sweater collar was pulled open, revealing her shoulder.

Chen Qing Wu opened her eyes, slightly moving the arm that blocked her view, to observe Meng Fu Yuan.

His deep, dark gaze was fixed on her.

She knew what he was looking at. White, a conventional style with some decorative lace, enough to break the monotony.

She didn’t understand why she felt like a tame herbivore pretending to be a fierce beast, now exposed and embarrassed.

Fortunately, Meng Fu Yuan seemed unaware. He lowered his head, his breath like boiling steam brushing against her skin.

When she jumped from the edge of the cup, Chen Qing Wu felt her heart skip a beat.

In the next moment, Meng Fu Yuan’s actions made her bite her lip abruptly, stifling a hiss and resisting the urge to curl up.

She turned her head, deliberately avoiding looking down. She didn’t dare to see or know whether to grab the sheet beside her or hold his head.

Is it still snowing outside? She didn’t know.

The wind howled outside, giving an illusion of rain.

It was as if in a quiet valley, the rain was eroding the red hawthorn fruits remaining on the treetops after the White Dew solar term.

Even though it was just this, Chen Qing Wu felt her heart like a balloon being inflated, on the verge of bursting.

She wasn’t afraid, rather, she was somewhat expectant, wanting to see how far Meng Fu Yuan would go under these conditions that couldn’t reach the final step.

So she didn’t stop him.

Meng Fu Yuan exhaled heavily.

He propped himself up slightly, extending his arm to pull Chen Qing Wu into his embrace.

His eagerness forced him to command himself to pause temporarily.

Chen Qing Wu trembled, feeling her bare skin against the slightly rough and cool fabric of his shirt.

She couldn’t distinguish whether the intense heartbeat was his or hers.

Meng Fu Yuan calmed his breathing, tilted his head, gently held her chin, and kissed her again.

Chen Qing Wu wrapped her arm around his shoulder, responding passionately.

The phone suddenly vibrated.

It lasted several seconds, impossible to ignore.

Irritated, Chen Qing Wu reached into her pocket for her phone.

It was a call from Meng Qi Ran.

She directly rejected it.

However, a few seconds later, the call came again.

Chen Qing Wu looked at Meng Fu Yuan, “…Can I take this?”

“Mm.”

Chen Qing Wu answered, put it on speaker, and placed it by her pillow.

“Wuwu, are you back?”

“No…just wandering around.”

“Can you come to the backyard? I need to talk to you.”

In the dim light, Chen Qing Wu looked up at Meng Fu Yuan’s face, very calm, with no extra expression.

If not looked at closely, it was hard to detect the hint of murderous rage in his gaze.

“…What is it? Can it wait?” Feeling a strange mischief, Chen Qing Wu raised her hand, her fingers trailing down the buttons of Meng Fu Yuan’s shirt one by one.

Meng Qi Ran said, “It’s urgent. It won’t take long.”

“Can’t you say it over the phone?” Her fingertips reached the last button, and at the same time, Chen Qing Wu lifted her eyes to meet Meng Fu Yuan’s.

His gaze was deep and dark, like the deep sea and night.

“The phone is not very convenient.” Meng Qi Ran’s tone showed some persistence.

“Then…” Chen Qing Wu’s fingers continued downward.

Meng Fu Yuan immediately reached out to stop her hand but was a step too late. The moment he grasped her hand, his eyes narrowed.

“Can you wait five… ten minutes?” Chen Qing Wu saw Meng Fu Yuan’s Adam’s apple move, as if swallowing a “mm” sound.

She smiled, silently asking him: Ten minutes, is that enough?

Meng Fu Yuan’s lips pressed into a line, his expression tensed further.

On the phone, Meng Qi Ran said, “Okay. See you in ten minutes.”

The call ended.

Chen Qing Wu’s free hand climbed onto Meng Fu Yuan’s shoulder, her head tilting close to his ear.

Her breath-like voice carried a siren’s song-like laughter, “You’ve waited so long, it’s been hard on you. How about a reward?”

Meng Fu Yuan had always been strict and self-disciplined.

Even in his imagination, he couldn’t let himself go, fearing it would be a form of desecration.

And now, what he never even imagined was happening.

This was his room.

For so many years, the study and bedroom were his absolute domains, where he would drop his constant vigilance and let his exhaustion rest a bit.

He would rest, read, smoke here… sometimes simply doing nothing, just being alone.

But at this moment, in this personal space, he was holding Chen Qing Wu’s hand, teaching her how to please him. And he had to restrain himself to keep it from ending too quickly.

For a moment, Meng Fu Yuan felt he had gone mad, because only madness could explain such a decadent, unbelievable dream.

He felt like he was desecrating a deity.

The wind howled outside.

Everything was a hazy white.

It was a violent summer afternoon rain, with steam rising in the air, mixed with the smell of grass and trees, making one feel drowsy, blurring the line between dream and reality.

Meng Fu Yuan cleaned up.

In the bathroom, as the water from the sink splashed, he pulled Chen Qing Wu’s hand for washing, meticulously like following a seven-step handwashing technique to prevent infection, not missing even a finger gap.

Chen Qing Wu kept her head down, as if looking for a hole to crawl into.

She admired Meng Fu Yuan’s ability to switch states so easily, now seeming like that thoughtful, meticulous, and considerate brother who would help his embarrassed sister wash her hands.

On her ring finger was still that silver tail ring.

It didn’t fit well, slightly too large.

Meng Fu Yuan lifted her hand, kissed her ring finger, and said, “How should I put this? If you’re shy, why did you provoke?”

“Mind your own business…”

Meng Fu Yuan chuckled.

He took a tissue to wipe her hands dry, then tidied her hair and collar, “I’ll go down with you.”

“Are we going public now?”

“Up to you.”

“…Then at least change your clothes.”

Meng Fu Yuan glanced at the mirror, seeing his disheveled shirt, “Indeed.”

Chen Qing Wu also glanced, then quickly looked away, “…Take a shower first, I’ll go see what Qi Ran wants.”

Meng Fu Yuan smiled and nodded.

Chen Qing Wu checked herself in the mirror, making sure everything was fine.

Just as she was about to walk out of the bathroom, she paused, tiptoed, and threw herself into Meng Fu Yuan’s arms.

“…Boyfriend, hold me.”