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43. Tremolo

Chen Shuoyin didn’t quite understand what Pei Yu meant. What did it matter how the person splashed water on her?

It didn’t take long for her to understand through his actions.

He gently touched every part of her cheek, brushing her stray hair behind her ear before kissing her earlobe.

His teasing kisses made her shoulders instinctively shrug upward, as if being tickled. Her fingertips tensed, digging into his firm arm, only for him to calm her with a reassuring pat before capturing her lips in a deep kiss.

He was using his own way to help her forget the grievance of being splashed with water and bullied for no reason.

It was strange. She wanted to push him away, but as time passed, she didn’t.

Instead, she grabbed him harder, trying to counterbalance her inner turmoil—perhaps by seeing him in pain, she could level the imbalance between them.

Pei Yu didn’t resist her aggression. On the contrary, the harder she hurt him, the deeper and more passionate his kiss became.

In her hazy state, Chen Shuoyin found herself back on that yoga ball. But this time, she was alone, repeatedly losing her balance, falling toward one side, barely hanging onto the edge, unable to stand upright in the center.

She turned her head to look—the culprit was Pei Yu. He had control over her legs, guiding her movements with kneading, pulling, and pushing techniques, assisted by his agile tongue. He even teased her, “Don’t clench so tight. It’s just a 90-degree angle, you can still do it kneeling.”

Chen Shuoyin had practiced dance for a few years—flexibility wasn’t an issue. But under Pei Yu’s wanton gaze, she simply couldn’t relax.

She had never imagined things could be done this way. The intense sensations made tears stream down her face as she finally snapped at him, “Pei Yu, are you insane?! Get off me!”

His response was to continue targeting her weaknesses, pressing and colliding with precision.

A tongue had no bones, yet it made her body tremble uncontrollably, triggering involuntary muscle contractions.

Because she refused to face him directly, twisting and struggling, Pei Yu eventually flipped her over, admiring her from a different angle. “What’s wrong with you tonight? It’s been two months, and you still haven’t accepted it?”

Chen Shuoyin had only agreed to this because his submissive posture—like a begging dog—gave her a sense of conquest. But who knew that even as a ‘dog,’ he exuded such wild charm? His forehead was damp with sweat, his loose strands of hair scattered messily, and his dark, brooding eyes fixed intently on her reactions.

Lunatic. Lunatic. Lunatic.

Chen Shuoyin crawled away, but he grabbed her ankle, pulling her back against his lips. She shivered, heat enveloping her entirely. Like a puddle of melted wax, she collapsed onto the bed, burying her face in frustration.

“Wife?” Pei Yu licked his lips—glistening from the mix of their shared fluids—and hugged her tightly, still unsatisfied. “Why are you still upset?”

He brushed her hair away from her shoulder, leaving soft kisses along her neck. Then, lifting her chin, he leaned in for another kiss.

Chen Shuoyin, regaining her composure, covered her mouth and jumped off the bed, hastily pulling on a hoodie. “Don’t kiss me with that mouth—you just kissed there.”

Pei Yu chuckled. “Why not? That’s also part of your body. Besides, I rinsed my mouth first.”

“Are you disgusted with yourself?”

“It smells quite nice. Didn’t you just take a shower?”

Chen Shuoyin threw a pillow at his face. “Shut up.”

Now she had to shower again.

Seeing her real irritation, Pei Yu finally quieted down and watched as she went into the bathroom.

When she came out, he was sitting on the sofa, flipping through a script. The bedsheets had been changed—the previous dark-colored ones had shown the water stains too clearly.

When he looked up, she asked, “Are you sleeping here tonight?”

Pei Yu didn’t answer, only raised an eyebrow as if saying, What do you think?

“I caught a cold today. My head feels dizzy. I’d like to sleep alone.”

She found it hard to put into words the fact that she had repeatedly witnessed his death. Maybe this time, she wouldn’t be labeled as mentally unstable, but… Pei Yu seemed to—possibly—be falling in love with her?

The way she kept pulling away made her feel like a heartless woman.

Pei Yu stood up, touched her forehead with the back of his hand, and ignored her request. “No fever. I’ll make you some ginger tea.”

Was that a yes or a no?

“No need. I’ll be fine after some sleep.” His kindness only made her uneasy.

Pei Yu nodded, grabbed his coat, and put it on. “Alright.”

Hearing the door close behind him, Chen Shuoyin let out a breath of relief.

He was much easier to talk to now.

After an exhausting day, she nestled into the freshly changed sheets, breathing in the calming scent of orange blossom, and fell into a deep sleep.

In the middle of the night, she felt an unbearable heat against her back. Half-awake, she turned over—only to find Pei Yu sleeping next to her. Startled, she sat up in horror.

Why was he back?!

Pei Yu stirred at her movement, pulling her into his arms. “What’s wrong?”

His forehead touched hers as if checking her temperature. “Hmm, not feverish. I’ll heat up the ginger tea.”

He started to get up, but she instinctively grabbed his arm. “I don’t want it.”

This reaction stunned her.

She clutched the blanket and abandoned all pretense. “I’ve been having nightmares lately, but you sleep so soundly that I didn’t want to wake you. So from now on, don’t come here at night, okay?”

Pei Yu froze, silent for a long time.

Finally, he pulled out a spare blanket from the closet. “You sleep. I’ll take the sofa.”

His stubbornness was driving her crazy. She turned on the bedside lamp, the stark white light illuminating every inch of the room—including his rigid posture.

Her voice was unsteady, sharper than she intended. “I meant, I don’t want you in the same space as me. Do you understand?”

Silence.

Her breath came in shallow gasps. She had gone too far.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”

Pei Yu turned to face her. He looked visibly hurt but still spoke gently. “I didn’t mean to disrespect you. I was just worried you might get a fever.”

Guilt twisted in her chest. She forced a small smile. “I’m fine now. My mind is just a mess. I need some time alone. You don’t have to leave the building—just don’t come back tomorrow, okay?”

Pei Yu sighed. “Chen Shuoyin.”

“…What?”

“You really want to tell me that you traveled here from three years ago, don’t you?” His bitter smile made his tall, strong frame look fragile.

She was stunned.

“You figured it out?”

“I don’t need an explanation,” he said. “I accept it.”

His voice was steady, but his clenched fists betrayed his emotions. “Let me guess—you realized it when the water was splashed on you?”

For the first time, her burden lightened. She chuckled. “You’re really smart—except when you’re being an idiot.”

Pei Yu scoffed. “No. I’m just a fool.”

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