Chapter 21

It was even more desolate and cold here than in the city center. The winter wind rattled through in gusts, sharp enough to sting her face.

Yu Nianyi hugged herself and hunched her shoulders as she walked out. She could clearly feel the delayed chill seeping into her sleeves. She let out a breath; the white plume from her mouth drifted in the air, half-veiling the backs of the man and woman ahead, whose atmosphere seemed oddly harmonious.

She lowered her lashes and let her gaze fall on the dark mountains in the distance, already swallowed by night, her interest fading.

“...Was the food not to your taste? I saw you barely ate anything just now,” Chen Shuo’s rather concerned voice came from ahead.

Yu Nianyi quickened her pace and caught up with the others.

“No.”

“Then—”

“It’s late. Go rest early.”

That black-clad figure stepped down the stairs before anyone else and got into the car.

Chen Shuo froze for a moment, then called for Chen Ming to get in first.

“What’s going on? My sister doesn’t look like she’s planning to refuse at all,” Xi Yao said with a burp, walking beside Yu Nianyi, her brows knitted into a tight line. “She didn’t answer or refuse at the table; compared with all the people who used to pursue her, she’s treating him completely differently.”

“What exactly is so special about this Chen Shuo...?”

Yu Nianyi shoved her hands into her pockets and said nothing.

“I really don’t see any special treatment here; there isn’t even the slightest ambiguous vibe,” Luo Yiran said.

Xi Yao glared at Luo Yiran with wide eyes, looking every bit like an amateur. “You don’t understand. This is only their first meeting; of course I know my sister better than you do.”

Luo Yiran pressed her lips together and laughed softly. “Is that so?”

“Of course!”

“...But you barely ate this meal. Did you not like it? Or was it because there were too many people and you felt a bit restrained...?”

Xi Yao tugged on Luo Yiran’s arm and shook it, her red lips pouting as she stared straight at her with large eyes.

Luo Yiran blinked, hurriedly looked away, and instinctively glanced at Yu Nianyi, who was standing off to the side and watching the show in silence.

Yu Nianyi waved a hand and very cooperatively stepped aside. “You two can be mushy on your own; I’m heading off first.”

“...Hey, Yu Nianyi is one of us, my sworn buddy. You really don’t have to mind her at all; just treat her like she’s invisible...”

Yu Nianyi: ...

In the car, Xi Yu, Chen Shuo, and Chen Ming had already taken their seats. Yu Nianyi looked at the empty seat beside Xi Yu; a flicker of surprise crossed her eyes. She had assumed Chen Shuo would seize the chance to sit next to Xi Yu, but he was still in the seat he’d taken on the way there.

“You all go back first! We still have things to do!” Xi Yao waved at the people in the car through the window, then pulled Luo Yiran away in another direction.

Shanxue Zhongge was next to a quiet manor; its hot springs were quite famous. Looking at the direction they were heading, they were probably going there.

Yu Nianyi twitched her mouth. It was obvious what was going on with those two; pink bubbles were practically flying everywhere, and even a fool could see it. Xi Yao really knew how to plan; she wanted her to paint something to celebrate for them, treating her own people like they weren’t people at all.

“They really like this place,” Chen Shuo said with a hearty laugh, his gaze drifting, intentional or not, toward Xi Yu seated upright in front. “If we had more time, we should stay a little longer.”

The person being singled out said nothing; the car was unexpectedly quiet.

Chen Ming was stuffed from the meal and tired from a whole day of playing, so she answered a few simple words before closing her eyes to rest.

Yu Nianyi dozed for a while. When she woke again, she just happened to hear Chen Ming speaking; the car was gradually turning toward the familiar hotel, and the group got out.

“Xi Yu-jiejie, Nianyi-jiejie, I’m going back to rest first. See you tomorrow.” Chen Ming greeted the two of them and yawned her way back to her room first.

Chen Shuo stopped by the elevator, the light in his eyes flashing as he looked at Xi Yu. “The environment here is excellent, and every night they organize professional stargazing activities. The scenery is unbeatable; if you have time, I’d like to invite you to take a look.”

Yu Nianyi studied Xi Yu’s expression and stood quietly to the side, waiting. She could have helped Xi Yu turn him down, but if Xi Yu herself was interested, then she couldn’t be so tactless.

“Do you want to go?” Xi Yu turned her head slightly and looked quietly at Yu Nianyi, who wasn’t saying anything beside her.

Yu Nianyi met Xi Yu’s calm eyes; her gaze hesitated for a moment, then brushed over the surprise in Chen Shuo’s eyes before she smiled. “I think I’ll pass. I want to go back and rest early.”

“All right.” Xi Yu nodded. “Thank you, but no need.”

With that, she walked into the elevator without looking back, leaving Chen Shuo alone.

Yu Nianyi smiled silently and took a long step into the elevator, standing in front of Xi Yu and completely blocking the view Chen Shuo had been casting in her direction. She looked at Chen Shuo with a bright smile. “Good night. Sweet dreams.”

The elevator doors slowly closed. Chen Shuo stood outside, his expression stiff; in the end, he still didn’t chase after them.

-

At ten that night, the hotel manager delivered late-night snacks and fruit, specifically asking about Xi Yu and Yu Nianyi’s tastes and choosing only light, easy-to-digest items.

Xi Yu had just finished a video conference and was working alone at the desk in the living room, telling Yu Nianyi to rest first.

Yu Nianyi ate a little, then took the pajamas she had specially packed from her luggage and deliberately went into the bathroom in the living room to shower.

She gave Xi Yu, who was lowering her eyes and working, a light sidelong glance. Seeing that Xi Yu remained unmoved, seemingly not noticing at all, she withdrew her gaze and walked straight into the bathroom.

For this trip, Yu Nianyi had deliberately chosen a black lace nightdress that just covered the upper part of her thighs. The design over her chest was bold and exquisite; the V-neck opening barely revealed a patch of fair skin, and the hem was finished with delicate, pretty lace.

When she bought it at the sleepwear shop, the dress had drawn the attention of nearly every woman in the store; not a single one had failed to praise how beautiful and sexy it was.

She didn’t know whether Xi Yu was straight or not, but as long as she was a normal person, she would be drawn to this dress.

Yu Nianyi narrowed her eyes slightly, swaying before the mirror in a deliberately alluring way. She lifted a hand to gather her damp hair over her shoulder, took the hair dryer, and blew it until it was half dry; then she deliberately let the half-dry blond hair fall down her back, exposing a large expanse of her chest.

She pressed an ear to the door and listened to the sounds outside; faint footsteps seemed to be coming closer.

Yu Nianyi opened the door and walked slowly into the living room.

Xi Yu was sitting on the sofa. The laptop screen was still lit, the light falling on her straight legs; a corner of her black suit pants gleamed under the glow.

It seemed she had just finished being busy and still hadn’t changed into sleepwear.

Yu Nianyi lowered her eyes and, as she walked, casually used a towel to dry her half-dry blond hair; her gaze landed on the fruit on the dining table.

She brushed her fringe aside and quickly glanced toward the person on the sofa who hadn’t moved an inch. Their eyes met across the open space; Yu Nianyi’s eyelid twitched, and she changed direction, walking to the dining table instead.

Xi Yu slightly lifted her chin and raised her eyelids, looking straight toward Yu Nianyi. Her expression remained calm, and her gaze did not move away.

Yu Nianyi had her back to Xi Yu, yet she could still clearly feel Xi Yu’s unabashed stare. The living room was unusually quiet; the only sound was Yu Nianyi chewing the fruit she picked up and put in her mouth.

After standing in the living room for a few minutes, Yu Nianyi began to feel the chill again after a long absence; the air conditioner was on, and cold air was seeping in from her room. Yu Nianyi had a habit when she slept and painted: she liked to leave the window open a small crack; when the weather was nice, she’d open it wide and feel the occasional breeze drifting in.

Yu Nianyi turned with the fruit plate in hand and walked straight toward Xi Yu.

From start to finish, Xi Yu had kept her eyes on Yu Nianyi’s direction; her gaze swept over Yu Nianyi’s bright chest and slender, somewhat pitiful long legs. Under the thin black dress, she looked rather frail.

“Are you finished with work, Xi Yu-jie? These fruits are really fresh; try some.” Yu Nianyi ignored Xi Yu’s gaze, sat down beside her with practiced familiarity, and stabbed a crystal-red strawberry with a fork, offering it to Xi Yu’s lips.

Xi Yu leaned back slightly and lowered her eyes to glance at the strawberry right in front of her; her thin lips pressed together.

Yu Nianyi put on an embarrassed look and instinctively said, “Xi Yu-jie, don’t be polite with me. If you don’t like strawberries, there are others...”

Xi Yu said nothing. Her pale lips rested against the bright strawberry, but she didn’t open her mouth.

Yu Nianyi fixed her eyes on those tightly pressed lips and softened her voice, acting pitiful. “It’s really delicious; Xi Yu-jie, try it... My arm is getting sore..."

Xi Yu glanced at Yu Nianyi’s arm, which was hanging in the air with a hint of desolation; after a brief pause, her lips parted slightly and she bit the strawberry into her mouth.

As Xi Yu swallowed, the fork hung lightly in the air. Yu Nianyi stared at those lips chewing with her mouth closed, then set the fork back on the plate a few seconds later.

“Thank you,” Xi Yu said.

Yu Nianyi tilted her head and smiled, her eyes curving; her smile was fox-like, sly. “I once saw a line online that said food is always best when someone else feeds it to you.”

“Is that so, Xi Yu-jie?”

Xi Yu pressed her lips together, as if considering what Yu Nianyi had said. Yu Nianyi unconsciously looked at the pink lips in front of her; her attention was almost completely drawn to the mole on the lower lip, which, with the sheen of moisture, looked even brighter and more striking.

Noticing Yu Nianyi’s unguarded stare, Xi Yu said calmly, “Is that so? A strawberry is still a strawberry. Whether it tastes good depends on my interest, and...”

Here she paused on purpose, then leaned her upper body closer to Yu Nianyi. Behind her glasses, her eyes were clear and dark, reflecting Yu Nianyi’s bright, smiling face. “Your technique.”

Yu Nianyi’s breathing caught for a moment. She blinked, the smile on her face rising as usual, and leaned even closer while staring at Xi Yu’s face. It was only when their noses were separated by barely three centimeters that she belatedly realized the hem of her nightdress had been pinned beneath Xi Yu’s hand, leaving her unable to move any farther.

“You’re wearing too little,” Xi Yu said.

Yu Nianyi lowered her eyes and looked down, only to see a long, slender, fair hand pressing steadily against one corner of the black nightdress. The smooth, flowing fabric had been wrinkled in several places by the hand’s movement; against the black-and-white contrast, Xi Yu’s hand looked even more defined, her knuckles distinct and her nails round and pretty.

Her fingers moved slightly; the nightdress wrinkled again with the motion, gradually revealing Yu Nianyi’s fair, vivid thigh.

“Be careful not to catch cold.” Xi Yu stood up quickly and walked straight toward Yu Nianyi’s room.

Yu Nianyi froze for a few seconds, then got up and followed her to the doorway. There she saw Xi Yu with her back to her, drawing shut the floor-to-ceiling window that had been left open a crack. Once the window was closed, she drew the blackout curtain as well, and the room immediately sank into darkness.