Chapter 45

The living room was dim, lit only by the pale moonlight filtering in from outside. Neither of them spoke; the silence around them was especially still.

The old apartment wasn’t large, and the layout was fairly compact. The entryway was right beside the dining table, only a few steps away.

Yu Nianyi walked over first and leaned against the table.

Xi Yu stood at the entrance and didn’t follow her in.

Yu Nianyi set her bag on the table and turned back to look at Xi Yu. In the dim light, Xi Yu looked just like she had in the painting; only a vague outline was visible, but her gaze was startlingly sharp.

She raised a hand and switched on the living room light. The space brightened all at once. Xi Yu’s face became clear, the bridge of her glasses casting a beautiful shadow along the line of her nose.

“In my eyes, knowing someone likes you and still silently allowing it means indulging them; indulging them means agreeing.”

It was a shameless line, yet hard to fault.

It was as if she had bluntly torn away the hazy veil that had always hung between them; the answer was self-evident.

Yu Nianyi looked at Xi Yu with a calculating glint in her eyes, waiting for that big, fat meal to jump into the pot so she could feast to her heart’s content.

Xi Yu was silent for a long time. Just as Yu Nianyi was about to speak again, Xi Yu suddenly lowered her eyes. Her expression seemed unchanged, but the eyes beneath her lenses looked straight into Yu Nianyi’s, heavy and dark, like a whirlpool in the deep sea that drew people in and made them dizzy.

“Your logic is a little too clever.”

Yu Nianyi’s eyes widened slightly as Xi Yu took two steps forward. Standing before her, Xi Yu braced one hand on the corner of the table beside her, lowered her head a little, and the faint curve at the corner of her pale lips was almost nonexistent. Their faces were very close; the air between them held a faint warmth.

“If I don’t refuse you right now, what would you do?”

Yu Nianyi stiffened; her ears immediately burned hot. She drew a sharp breath and, almost unconsciously, bit down on her lower lip. Her heart was pounding so hard that her thoughts turned noisy and tangled.

Xi Yu’s gaze fell on Yu Nianyi’s lips, white from being bitten. She saw the tiny sliver of teeth showing, then the white disappear between lip and teeth, only to be colored red again.

Yu Nianyi clenched her fist lightly. As her thoughts gradually settled, she lifted a hand and pressed it against Xi Yu’s. Then she leaned forward, tipped up her chin, and placed her mouth against Xi Yu’s lips with unmistakable aggression, bold enough that she even extended her tongue to brush Xi Yu’s lower lip and that little mole she had long coveted.

Xi Yu was rarely taken off guard.

Yu Nianyi’s kiss forced her to tilt her head back. She could clearly feel the intense wet heat on her lips, along with the quick, warm breath against her skin.

There was a ruthless force in it; strong and oppressive, with a faint, secret tremor hidden deep inside.

Yu Nianyi took the chance to stand up straight, rising slightly onto her toes. She carefully supported Xi Yu’s neck and deepened the kiss.

Xi Yu kept her eyes open the whole time. She only froze for a few seconds before the corners of her eyes curved faintly, quietly watching Yu Nianyi’s impulsive, almost domineering movements.

After pressing in for quite a while, Yu Nianyi finally slowly pulled back. She loosened her grip, but her heart was still beating wildly, and her breathing remained uneven.

Xi Yu felt the pressure around her neck slowly ease. She paused, then raised a hand to loosely steady Yu Nianyi at the small of her back. The tie at the back of the coat brushed across the back of her hand like a tickle. She pressed her lips together and looked at Yu Nianyi’s breathless state; when she spoke, her voice was a little rough and hoarse. “You’re bolder than I expected.”

“I thought you were only good with words.”

As her senses slowly returned, the pressure around her waist became even clearer. Yu Nianyi’s hand slid a little lower and settled on Xi Yu’s shoulder. She lifted her brows, looking openly provocative. “Sister Xi Yu, you’re underestimating me. I was even worried you might not be used to it at first, so I’ve been holding back and taking care of you.”

Xi Yu gave a low hum, and as her hand moved behind Yu Nianyi, the tie at the back of her coat was kneaded loose until the knot finally came undone and dropped.

“Then I should thank you,” Xi Yu said, head lowered.

Yu Nianyi didn’t dodge at all. Following Xi Yu’s movement, she slid her hand into Xi Yu’s coat and landed it on the clearly indented curve of her waist, smiling like a fox. “That’s only right. I’ve been preparing for Sister Xi Yu’s happiness for a long time.”

Xi Yu’s mouth flattened slightly. Looking at Yu Nianyi’s rather considerate expression, she asked in confusion, “My happiness?”

Yu Nianyi nodded. Tilting her head, she studied Xi Yu’s face, then her gaze once again drifted uncontrollably to the lips she had just touched. “Yes, Sister’s happiness.”

As soon as she finished speaking, she lifted her chin and kissed her again.

This time it was still just a taste, but the touch was soft and the force behind it was heavy. Their lips pressed against each other again and again, wanting to go deeper, yet only daring to linger at the entrance.

Xi Yu didn’t respond much; she only lowered her head slightly so the two of them were at the same height.

Yu Nianyi opened her eyes without meaning to, only to see Xi Yu staring at her. She froze, her face instantly flushing red, and in clear dissatisfaction she opened her mouth and bit Xi Yu’s lip.

Xi Yu frowned slightly, watching Yu Nianyi pull back with red lips and slightly panting breaths as she complained, “Why do you keep your eyes open?”

Xi Yu gave a quiet hum. After a moment of silence, as if thinking about something, she kept looking at Yu Nianyi without the slightest attempt to avert her gaze.

“What have I prepared?”

Yu Nianyi blinked, only then realizing Xi Yu had been paying attention to that topic the whole time. She cleared her throat and said with a wicked little smile, “For example, my cooking skills.”

Xi Yu watched Yu Nianyi’s flushed face and smiling eyes in silence, her features alive with shifting light as the corners of her mouth curved. After studying her for a while, Xi Yu nodded. “I can try it sometime if there’s a chance.”

This time it was Yu Nianyi’s turn to freeze. A scene she had seen in some video started replaying in her head. She grabbed Xi Yu’s coat and said instinctively, “We can do it now.”

Xi Yu raised a brow, the black and white of her eyes clear and distinct. “Without buying ingredients, how would you cook?”

Yu Nianyi: “……”

She sighed and let go of the coat, her head drooping miserably. “Fine. If we’re not cooking, then we’re not cooking.”

“I’m already very happy today. The rest... can wait.”

She had only said half of it when Xi Yu suddenly lowered her head. Tilting it slightly, she kissed the corner of her lips lightly. The softness brushed across her mouth, and in an instant she was surrounded by Xi Yu’s faint, unique fragrance.

Her heart once again lurched out of control. Yu Nianyi’s mind went boom. The moment she looked up at Xi Yu, she clearly caught that shallow emotion in Xi Yu’s eyes; it was almost melting away.

Xi Yu straightened and stared at her. “Perhaps you also really want me to see the piece you’ve been creating for a long time right now.”

Yu Nianyi’s face reddened. She gave a quiet “Mm” and pulled Xi Yu’s hand toward the studio.

The easel still held the canvas. The studio window was half open, and the instant they stepped inside, a sharp, bone-deep chill rushed over them.

In the painting, Xi Yu sat upright and straight, her legs crossed, her hands pale and strong.

Most eye-catching of all were her flawless features; her brows and eyes were distinct, her gaze focused, and the slight curve of her lips somehow made the softness in the painting feel even more apparent.

The person in the painting was Xi Yu, yet not the usual Xi Yu.

After looking for a long time, even those normally calm, unsmiling eyes seemed to hold a trace of hidden intimacy.

Xi Yu stood before the painting, silently studying the version of herself inside it.

Yu Nianyi held Xi Yu’s hand and subconsciously gave it a light shake. “For the background color, I chose deep blue. Deep blue blending into black is the color Sister Xi Yu gave me. Besides that, I couldn’t think of any other color that suits you.”

Xi Yu asked, “The color I gave you?”

Yu Nianyi nodded, smiling. “Yes. Very calm, and a little mysterious, like the deep sea.”

“That’s the feeling you give me.”

Xi Yu nodded. Looking at the figure of herself in the painting, and at how the background seemed to merge with her, the setting only made her more vivid; the whole piece had an indescribable sense of harmony.

“So this is how you see me,” Xi Yu said softly.

Yu Nianyi smiled smugly. She raised her hand, loosely clenched it into a fist, and aimed it toward Xi Yu’s lips as if she were holding a microphone. “That’s right. So, as the subject of the work, how does Ms. Xi feel? Are you already so moved you can’t put it into words?”

Xi Yu lowered her eyes to the “microphone” right in front of her, then looked at Yu Nianyi, who was smiling very happily. Her voice was clear and distinct. “Very impressive.”

“Your professional ability is quite good. Every piece you make gives people an unexpectedly powerful shock.”

Yu Nianyi froze for a moment. Her fist loosened, her face turning fully red, yet the corners of her mouth wouldn’t stop lifting as she muttered, “I didn’t know Sister Xi Yu could praise people like this. You’re obviously much better at it than I am.”

Xi Yu looked at Yu Nianyi’s reddened face, her evasive gaze, the sugary softness in her voice. She paused, and her tone was a little lighter than even she realized. “I’ve said it; that’s just the truth.”

“If we’re talking about praising people, you’re better at it.”

Yu Nianyi raised her brows, her eyes bright as she looked at Xi Yu. “Then I’ll thank Sister Xi Yu first.”

Xi Yu looked rather pleased with that; her pale lips curved slightly, and the little mole on her lower lip slipped into Yu Nianyi’s line of sight with the rise of that curve. Yu Nianyi stared for a moment, then tightened her grip on Xi Yu’s hand and lifted her chin to kiss her.

Xi Yu froze, gazing at Yu Nianyi’s black lashes trembling slightly; then she lowered her head and very lightly deepened the kiss as well.

Yu Nianyi’s brows tightened before relaxing again almost at once. The response on her lips was especially clear, carrying a fierce, intoxicating heat. Xi Yu’s unique, clean scent lingered between their lips. In the end, Yu Nianyi couldn’t hold back, and a soft sound slipped from her mouth.

Almost immediately, Xi Yu opened her eyes. Her gaze was dark, studying Yu Nianyi’s brows and eyes, which were trembling even more noticeably than before. She lowered her head, braced Yu Nianyi by the arm, and guided her backward.

Yu Nianyi stiffened and instinctively opened her eyes, only to see Xi Yu kissing her with her head lowered. There was a familiar warmth along her forearm. Following Xi Yu’s lead, she subconsciously moved back with her.

As Xi Yu lowered her head further, the glasses on the bridge of her nose finally bumped against Yu Nianyi’s nose. Yu Nianyi hissed in pain and asked instinctively, “Why are you moving backward...”

Before she could finish, she felt something soft press lightly against her back. She could clearly feel Xi Yu’s hand pressing at her back, likely to keep her from bumping into the windowsill. Yu Nianyi glanced behind her and turned back just in time to see Xi Yu reach out and push the half-open window shut. Then Xi Yu looked straight into her eyes and smiled faintly. “Aren’t you cold?”

It was as if she were deliberately tempting her; her eyes were fixed on Yu Nianyi’s, yet all she said was something so ordinary, something that somehow sounded especially teasing to Yu Nianyi.

Her heart jumped. Almost by instinct, she kissed her again.