Chapter 25

In the quiet room, the subtle sounds of lips brushing against each other and the rustling of fabric are amplified infinitely.

When these sounds invade his consciousness, Shang Mingbao suddenly and clearly realizes—he’s kissing!

She can’t say she was just kissed; although Xiang Feiran took absolute initiative and led with dominance, she… did respond. She hooked her arms around his neck, bent her waist, stood on tiptoe, and leaned her body weight on his arm as he firmly embraced her waist.

Her lips were like an open gate, but Xiang Feiran didn’t enter; he only restrained himself to kiss her lips. Because of this restraint, his kisses were even more intense.

Shang Mingbao’s back was pressed against the corner of the windowsill, making it very sore. She finally couldn’t hold on any longer, furrowing her brows and letting out a soft moan, seemingly in pain.

This sound was like a spinning top where dreams and reality intersected. Xiang Feiran’s kiss stopped abruptly, and after a moment, he pulled away from her lips.

Shang Mingbao’s face was as red as if she had an allergy, flushed to an extent she hadn’t anticipated. It was so red it felt embarrassing, and she was sure it looked bad. She had to hide her face in his neck, standing on tiptoe to block his view.

Right now, she could post online: “What to do if you’ve kissed a revered elder brother?”

Xiang Feiran held her in his arms. She was so small and thin, like a delicate pressed flower. He embraced her tightly, his arms feeling ample, so his left hand gently rested on the back of her head.

He hadn’t thought of an opening line; his nose and thoughts were filled with her fragrance, mingling with the high temperature in his body, making it hard for him to think of anything else. After a breath, he swallowed, trying to say something when he heard, “What does this mean…”

Shang Mingbao’s voice sounded muffled, her forehead resting on Xiang Feiran’s shoulder.

“Sorry,” he began, apologizing first. After taking a deep breath, he smiled slightly, his voice tinged with self-mockery, “I’m not very clear-headed because of the fever.”

“I know!” Shang Mingbao clung to the words like a lifeline, eager to hold onto them tightly. “When you’re not clear-headed, you might do some irrational things.”

Xiang Feiran frowned slightly: “It’s not an irrational thing; that’s not what I meant.”

“Actually, I feel the same,” Shang Mingbao said, her tone flustered, her ears burning red beneath Xiang Feiran’s gaze. Xiang Feiran found her very cute and wanted to kiss her. But even though they had just been more intimate, he felt more nervous about kissing her ear, as if this act of intimacy was even more precious, tightening his throat.

“The two cocktails at lunch were quite strong, with a lasting effect…” Shang Mingbao said clearly, with a hint of natural complaint and distress in her tone.

Xiang Feiran’s kiss on her ear stopped, his breath held as he asked, “What do you mean?”

“I’m not clear-headed, and you’re not clear-headed either, so…” Shang Mingbao hesitantly began, “Shall we just pretend this didn’t happen?”

–

After a two-hour group meeting on Monday morning, Professor Tryon reserved twenty minutes to talk with Xiang Feiran. He informed him in advance that the paper on the hybrid origins of the Gentianaceae would be accepted by *The Plant Journal*.

The Plant Journal is a highly regarded, top-tier journal in the field of botany, with a high impact factor. Publishing classification results is a significant achievement. Professor Tryon congratulated him and also reminded him to continue in this direction and deepen the research on the species differentiation patterns within the Gentianaceae family.

The paper was accepted with high marks, and as is customary, there would be a gathering to celebrate. Xiang Feiran sent a message to his intern to book a restaurant and also politely and symbolically invited Professor Tryon.

Professor Tryon, as expected, declined after some symbolic hesitation, saying, “I see you’re quite distracted today. Already diving into the next problem so soon? Don’t stretch yourself too thin.”

It was quite amusing to hear this from him. Xiang Feiran smiled slightly and responded with a hint of humor, “To maintain continuity in research.”

“But don’t forget to balance work and relaxation,” Professor Tryon pointed to his temple. “If you’re too tense, it could cause problems here. I need someone to lead a biodiversity survey in northern Wisconsin. You’re the most experienced in this. Interested?”

Field surveys involve rough conditions, high intensity, and take up a lot of time. Moreover, such horizontal assignments usually lack sufficient funding, so most team members avoid them. Xiang Feiran already has a heavy research workload, and Professor Tryon is reluctant to let him leave, but he is the best candidate for this task.

“Think about it and let me know by email tomorrow evening,” the professor said, patting his shoulder before turning to leave.

Xiang Feiran wasn’t sure how his boss could tell he was distracted and overly tense. He didn’t feel that way himself.

Everything seemed normal—except for the fact that, while writing instructions, his fingers would falter, making very basic errors.

Among the graduate students he supervised was a Chinese student who came over with a cup of coffee, smiling, and said, “Dr. Xiang, you’re not quite yourself today.”

Seeing the fever medicine on his desk, she added, “Oh, you’re sick?”

Xiang Feiran came back to his senses and took the coffee from her. “Thank you.”

However, she lifted her hand and moved the coffee cup away from him. “If you’re sick, you shouldn’t drink this. I’ll make you some American ginseng tea instead.”

Xiang Feiran replied, “No need.”

After a while, a cup of steaming water with the scent of American ginseng was placed beside him.

“Today, I’m not going to listen to you,” the girl said.

She said this because Xiang Feiran was reserved and strict, and both she and the other two interns were somewhat intimidated by him. However, they had to admit that working under him led to rapid progress because he was open and generous with his knowledge, and quick to share his research findings. This level of openness and confidence in his field was rare.

The girl’s gaze lingered on Xiang Feiran’s distracted profile for a few seconds before she asked, “Dr. Xiang, the restaurant reservation is confirmed for 6 PM, right?”

Xiang Feiran nodded.

Her encounter with him was brief, and she quickly returned to her computer, respecting his need for space.

Xiang Feiran hadn’t touched the American ginseng tea she’d made, instead keeping a licorice lozenge in his mouth. It wasn’t that he had anything against her; he just wasn’t used to others intervening in his personal affairs.

The kiss from the previous night lingered in his mind, and his throat was still sore. It might be a result of the fever, which the licorice lozenge wasn’t alleviating.

After the kiss, Shang Mingbao naturally explained everything with “the alcohol went to my head,” saying, “And besides, Feiran, you’re so handsome, it’s hard for me to refuse…”

Her candidness about her “intoxicated impulses” made Xiang Feiran narrow his eyes, his breath growing colder, and he found himself at a loss for words.

“We’ve only met twice; a little misstep is normal. We just need to correct it!” Shang Mingbao suggested earnestly, “How about we just call it a date?”

The concept of a “date” in New York’s culture is distinctive. A man and woman can drink, kiss, hold hands, and even sleep together, but when asked about the relationship, it’s always “just friends” or “still figuring things out,” without any commitment.

After she mentioned the word “date,” Xiang Feiran’s eyes darkened further, and without a word, he kissed her again.

Shang Mingbao, dazed by the kiss, felt her breath completely taken over. She couldn’t deny her reactions, despite trying to convince herself otherwise.

When the second kiss ended, her face was flushed, though less than before. Her eyes were misty, and when she spoke, her voice was nasal from the kiss.

“What are you doing…” she complained with a nasal tone.

Xiang Feiran looked down at her, saying flatly, “When is the next date?”

Shang Mingbao was taken aback, stuttering, “Ah?”

“Uh, no, this is wrong—” She was flustered and her words were jumbled, “We should stop…”

Xiang Feiran, with a detached tone, asked, “Why is it wrong?”

He gave her a chance to explain.

“Because you’re like an older brother, and I’m like a younger sister—”

“I’m quite sure I don’t have a younger sister.”

“…”

Shang Mingbao was speechless and flustered, her face turning red again. Her frustration boiled over as she pushed him out the door. “Get out! Get out, get out, get out…”

The apartment was small, and as she pushed and scolded him toward the entrance, she tried to slam the door behind him. However, he decisively held the door open.

“So, when is the next date?” he asked coldly, his face illuminated by the afternoon sun, giving off an unyielding, unwavering determination.

Shang Mingbao was at a loss, instinctively trying to check the calendar in her mind but then realizing her mistake. She angrily shoved him out and slammed the door.

The meeting ended four hours earlier than expected, before sunset. Xiang Feiran went downstairs, bought a bottle of bottled water from the vending machine, and took some medication with it.

Returning to his apartment, he worked through his fever until ten in the evening.

Simon, sensing something was off, was apprehensive about inviting him to dinner. He made Italian meat sauce pasta and fried meatballs. Xiang Feiran ate silently, deep in thought. When he finished, he suddenly asked, “If a girl responds to your kiss but then says it’s best to pretend it never happened, what does that mean?”

Simon almost choked on his food.

“Why are you asking that?” he asked warily.

Xiang Feiran glanced at him. “Just helping a friend.”

Simon gave a thorough analysis, concluding that the girl likely had feelings but wasn’t ready to move forward, preferring to keep things as they were.

“In other words, she feels safer and more comfortable with the current situation and isn’t keen on making any changes, or her desire for change isn’t strong enough to take the next step.”

As a veteran columnist for a popular urban romance column, Simon was confident in his analysis. However, Xiang Feiran dismissed it, muttering, “Nonsense.”

Though he didn’t accept Simon’s advice, Simon knew that Xiang Feiran had stayed up late the previous night. The next morning, Simon greeted him and handed him a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. “Take care of yourself. You need to be in good shape to make sound decisions, or you’ll keep making mistakes.”

A single sentence was like a revelation, and Simon had never seen him so obediently finish an entire glass of orange juice.

In today’s research group office, Xiang Feiran was indeed acting out of character, diligently drinking water, taking medicine on time, and taking moments to rest his eyes.

But he couldn’t actually fall asleep.

The judgment of “not liking him that much” lingered in his mind, never allowing his brows to relax for a moment.

He was waiting for news from Shang Mingbao.

But Shang Mingbao hadn’t contacted him at all, not even with a routine inquiry about his condition.

Shang Mingbao had a really terrible morning. She and Liao Yunuo were in the same major, studying art management. Liao Yunuo had entered the program because her family donated money, so she was somewhat better off, while Shang Mingbao had entered on her own merit. The professor who taught on Monday was very strict, took attendance frequently, and had eyes as precise as infrared spotlights for recognizing faces. Shang Mingbao was late and got marked.

After struggling through the morning classes in a daze, Liao Yunuo heard her sneezing constantly and asked her bluntly, “What did you do yesterday? Did you catch a cold too?”

Shang Mingbao stammered for a long time, unable to hide it, and confessed everything. Liao Yunuo listened with great interest: “And then?”

“There’s nothing more to it. I think he needs to calm down.” Shang Mingbao slumped on the dining table, feeling gloomy under the midday sun: “What does he even like about me?”

“Why are you asking me? Go ask him.”

“I don’t have any other advantages besides being a little pretty.”

Liao Yunuo: “Hmm, very self-aware.”

Shang Mingbao kicked her: “Xiang Feiran can’t be a person who only looks at appearances. He shouldn’t like me so easily.”

Liao Yunuo raised an eyebrow: “Think positively, maybe he doesn’t like you that much? Love needs a reason, but having a crush on a young girl doesn’t.”

The so-called comfort was a comfort to the point of cementing Shang Mingbao’s heart.

By the afternoon, she started to have a runny nose, and her sneezes gave her a headache as if someone had hit the back of her head. Tissues were piled up on her desk, and she didn’t catch a single word of the art history lecture. After finally enduring the last class, Liao Yunuo took her shopping. She had recently taken a liking to a white guy at a boutique in the West District and wanted to help him with sales.

Shang Mingbao went with her and discovered that it was a designer store selling accessories and fashion. In front of the jewelry counter, a sales assistant was enthusiastically explaining a multi-diamond bracelet to an elderly couple.

“This bracelet is made of opal and turquoise…” Under the lights, the sales assistant, wearing black gloves, showcased the bracelet to the customers, explaining that the opal was mined from an old Australian mine and the turquoise was antique stones collected by the designer from Tibet, claiming they had strong energy.

Shang Mingbao listened as the couple discussed in hushed tones. Initially, she didn’t pay much attention, but when she learned that the bracelet was priced at over ten thousand, she took note.

Liao Yunuo flirted with the sales assistant, and Shang Mingbao cleared her throat, moved closer to the couple, and quickly whispered, “The stone over 1 carat is African, it has poor luster and is not valuable. The second one is of decent quality, the third and fourth are Australian opal with poor fire, and the fifth is a double-layered stone, which is not valuable. The sixth has the best fire but has cracks—check it under the light. As for the turquoise…” She glanced at the returning sales assistant and whispered, “All of it is glued.”

The couple looked stunned.

Shang Mingbao sneezed and casually walked away. She didn’t pay much attention, but noticed that the couple didn’t leave immediately; instead, they continued chatting with the sales assistant. Maybe they didn’t believe her? Perhaps they thought she was just an Eastern scammer with a student appearance and unkempt hair?

What a joke! Did they not know they were dealing with someone who grew up playing with gemstones in top-tier material banks from a jewelry group, and who had spent so much time in the New York Geological Museum? Opal and turquoise of such a level were her specialty.

She ignored them and started examining other items in the display case. Although the quality varied, the designs were interesting.

After a while, the couple left, and surprisingly, they left with shopping bags!

Gosh! Over ten thousand! Were they really so foolish with money?

Liao Yunuo also bought two items. She was indeed naive with money, mainly to impress a guy, so Shang Mingbao didn’t bother telling her that the Paraíba tourmaline wasn’t of great quality.

After paying and heading out, she saw the couple under a streetlight by the entrance.

“Miss,” the elderly lady approached.

Shang Mingbao listened in a daze and learned that the couple were tourists from Spain who liked the pattern on the bracelet so much that, despite knowing the stones weren’t great, they still wanted to buy it. Thanks to her, they ended up getting it at a very good price.

“2000, how about that?”

Shang Mingbao gave a thumbs up: “Good price.”

“We want to thank you,” the elderly lady said, pulling out two hundred-dollar bills from her wallet and handing them to Shang Mingbao.

Shang Mingbao was surprised, but after the elderly lady’s repeated insistence, she accepted the money, tucked it into her coat pocket, and thanked them.

A 10% commission—very fair for a brokerage fee.

After the couple left, Shang Mingbao, no longer calm, grabbed Liao Yunuo’s arm, her eyes shining with disbelief as she asked, “Cheese, did I just make money?!”

Although two hundred dollars wasn’t enough for an afternoon tea, Liao Yunuo still shared in her excitement.

“Ah, five-finger peach.” Shang Mingbao pressed the two hundred dollars into her palm and looked up at the Christmas lights in the approaching dusk.

“Hmm?”

“You don’t know? This is a call from our ancient ancestors about the joy of harvest.”

Liao Yunuo glanced sideways: “Got it. Your family has been in business since the time of the cave dwellers, right?”

Shang Mingbao ignored her teasing and started calculating in her mind. Even if she told her dad where the money came from, he probably wouldn’t believe it. He would definitely say that without a paper trail, it doesn’t count. Shang Mingbao tucked the two hundred dollars into her coat pocket and decided to save it.

After the excitement, her already depleted energy quickly drained, and she planned to go back to her Fifth Avenue apartment to rest.

At about this time, Liao Yunuo tapped her on the shoulder: “Dr. Xiang?”

Shang Mingbao knew this area was close to Columbia, but she didn’t expect to run into Xiang Feiran. She turned around hastily, keeping her head down: “Don’t greet him! Don’t let him see you!”

Liao Yunuo: “…So that’s what you meant. In that case, don’t turn towards him.”

Huh?

Shang Mingbao looked up in confusion, only to see Xiang Feiran waiting for the light at the crosswalk on the opposite side of the street.

The twilight was dim, and the city was caught in the hustle and bustle of the evening traffic. This area had a different calmness compared to lower Manhattan, even the streetlights seemed softer.

Through the flowing traffic with its turning signals, the world appeared as a slow-shuttered image. As the red numbers counted down, Shang Mingbao felt like she was trapped in some kind of snare under his intense gaze.

It wasn’t until eight seconds later when the red light stopped and the green light and waiting crowds began to move, that her heart skipped a beat. She quickly and awkwardly turned towards the perpendicular crosswalk, dragging Liao Yunuo along with her.

No, no, she wasn’t ready to see him yet, and she hadn’t even put on makeup today! After a sleepless night and catching a cold, she looked and felt awful! Did she eat something strange for lunch?

Huh? Why was she thinking about this?

“Did he not follow us?” she asked quietly, not daring to look back.

“No, Dr. Xiang doesn’t seem like the type to make a scene in public,” Liao Yunuo replied.

Shang Mingbao bit her lip, unsure whether to feel disappointed or relieved, only knowing that she was out of breath. A second later, her phone began vibrating insistently in her pocket.

A WhatsApp call, the name “Xiang Feiran” was tormenting her.

Taking a deep breath, she blended into the diverse crowd on the crosswalk and swiped to answer.

Amid the city’s ambient noise, Xiang Feiran’s voice sounded cool and distant: “Why are you running away?”

Shang Mingbao quickly made up a reason: “I… I have something to do.”

“Ah, Dr. Xiang is out with someone today? Want to join us for a meal? This Spanish place is quite good,” Liao Yunuo was still probing.

Shang Mingbao’s steps faltered abruptly. Instinctively, she turned her face, keeping the phone pressed to her ear.

Her confused and disoriented gaze caught a glimpse of Xiang Feiran standing at the entrance of a charming restaurant with twinkling lights, talking to a petite girl.

The girl had a ponytail and simple attire; from the side, she appeared to be of East Asian descent, but that was all she could discern.

Xiang Feiran’s gaze crossed the street, and his voice came through clearly: “Wait for me on the other side.”

The girl seemed to have noticed that Xiang Feiran was speaking to someone nearby and turned her face toward him. Her delicate and quiet features made Shang Mingbao’s heart sink inexplicably, overwhelmed by an irrational pang of jealousy.

She turned away, tightly holding Liao Yunuo’s hand, and trudged forward, making the most of the last few seconds of the green light.

“You don’t like him, but you’re jealous now?” Liao Yunuo was puzzled.

“Who said I’m jealous!” Shang Mingbao retorted fiercely.

“Didn’t you say that even if he was dating someone, he would just give a gift and keep his distance?”

“Liao Yunuo!” Shang Mingbao crossed the safety island, deflated, and said, “Don’t make things worse. Your words might make me think he likes me more than he does. Are you going to take responsibility if I end up thinking it’s more than it is?”

Liao Yunuo pointed at her phone: “Is the call still going?”

Shang Mingbao picked it up—

Xiang Feiran nonchalantly informed her: “It’s still on.”

“!……”

Shang Mingbao’s legs felt weak, realizing she couldn’t escape now.