Chapter 72

The hotel was fairly busy. By the time Yu Nianyi and Xi Yu arrived, there were still two or three couples checking in at the lobby. People came and went on the street outside; fireworks went off from time to time.

“Please present your ID cards.”

When it was their turn, the front desk first checked the online reservation. Xi Yu gave the phone number and finished the ID verification. In less than a few seconds, the receptionist handed over the room card. “Here is your key card, please keep it safe.”

Yu Nianyi deliberately slowed her steps, always keeping half a pace behind Xi Yu.

They took the elevator, swiped the room card, and the lights came on.

It was a fairly spacious room, with the kind of standard hotel layout she remembered; there was only one large bed.

“Do we need to let Auntie know?” Xi Yu turned slightly to look at Yu Nianyi, waiting for her to come in as she closed the door behind her.

Yu Nianyi walked a few steps forward, put the things in her hands on the table, and sat down on the bed with a plop. “No need. She sleeps lightly, and messaging her would probably wake her. We can tell her tomorrow morning.”

Xi Yu nodded and casually took off her coat, hanging it in the wardrobe. Her gaze fell on the double bed beneath Yu Nianyi. “The bed might be a little small.”

Yu Nianyi glanced back; the 1.5-meter-wide double bed was only just enough. Fortunately, it was just right for the two of them to sleep together. If either of them were a little sturdier, it might feel cramped.

“It won’t be,” Yu Nianyi said as she fell backward, sinking into the soft mattress. Half-lidded, she looked up at the pale light on the wall above them. “Something this size is just right for the two of us.”

Xi Yu quietly watched the way Yu Nianyi lounged there, her toes swaying easily. Her gaze slowly moved upward from the white socks peeking out of the opening of her slippers to the purple patterned sweater that had ridden up slightly, then to her long golden hair and her fair face with a light touch of makeup.

She watched for a moment, then, as if sensing something, the person on the bed braced herself on one arm and suddenly sat up, smiling back at her.

“Xi Yu-jie,” Yu Nianyi said, her eyes glinting with mischief as she tilted her head. “Do you want to shower first, or should I?”

The room fell quiet for a few seconds. Just as Xi Yu was about to speak, her phone suddenly rang. A faint crease appeared between her brows, and she showed no intention of answering it.

Yu Nianyi tipped sideways and flopped onto the soft pillow, her expression lazy, like a golden kitten content to lick its fur. Fingering her hair, she said very considerately, “It’s okay if Xi Yu-jie answers first.”

Xi Yu’s brows eased slightly. She turned and picked up her phone, lowering her head to glance at the screen; it was still ringing, but she did not answer.

Yu Nianyi took the chance to stand and walk behind Xi Yu, where she saw the name Chen Shuo on the screen at a glance.

She smiled and tilted her head, asking with feigned curiosity, “Why is Chen Shuo calling Xi Yu-jie so late?”

Xi Yu turned the screen off and lowered her eyes to look at her. “No need to pay attention to him.”

Yu Nianyi smiled sweetly and lifted a hand to rest on Xi Yu’s arm. Then, rising onto her toes, she leaned up and kissed her, pressing her mouth neatly against Xi Yu’s lips.

Xi Yu froze for a second. Instinctively, she lowered her head, casually pushed the glasses off the bridge of her nose, then quickly turned and pressed her lips back against Yu Nianyi’s.

Their hurried breathing burst into the narrow space between them. Xi Yu kissed Yu Nianyi’s mouth, then urgently parted her lips to draw Yu Nianyi’s lower lip into her mouth, slipping into the unusually hot, wet softness and sucking deeply.

That faint jasmine scent seemed to rise again in the air.

The phone rang again, persistently, its impatient rhythm breaking the mood between them.

Yu Nianyi was kissed back a little, and she pulled away slightly. Taking a deep breath, she met Xi Yu’s eyes. “Xi Yu-jie, are you really not going to answer it? I can help you get rid of him.”

Xi Yu said nothing. She studied Yu Nianyi’s face for a while, then brushed her fingers over Yu Nianyi’s cheek and touched her ear.

Yu Nianyi’s face warmed. She did not dodge the touch this time; instead, she let out a soft, comfortable hum. Then Xi Yu lowered her head and pulled her fully into her arms, kissing her again.

The call did not come a third time.

The two of them took showers one after the other. Afterward, on the bed, Yu Nianyi solemnly took out the thing she had brought in her bag: the black packaging box.

Xi Yu’s attention was drawn over. “What is this?”

Yu Nianyi grinned and opened the package herself, looking smug. “This is amazing. My childhood friend Su Yue gave it to me, the one I told you about before. When I came back this year, she gave me a lot of these things and said the customer feedback was really good.”

Xi Yu watched as Yu Nianyi unpacked it and took out a pale blue object with a rather unusual shape, along with disposable finger cots, gloves, and a set of cleaning tools.

“You want to try it.” Xi Yu looked at Yu Nianyi.

Yu Nianyi went “wow,” then nodded. “Of course. Since Xi Yu-jie came all this way to look for me, I have to do my best.”

“But... how do you use this... bzzzz—” Before she could finish, Yu Nianyi somehow pressed a button, and the whole thing started vibrating. She jumped in surprise and tossed it onto the bed, staring at the object in front of her.

Xi Yu picked it up and examined it from top to bottom, then said, “This is a bit like the one Sun Mengyao mentioned.”

Yu Nianyi blinked in confusion. “Sister Mengyao knows about this too?”

Xi Yu nodded. “She had more experience with it before.”

“Want to try it?” After looking at it for a while, Xi Yu asked.

Yu Nianyi nodded along, looking rather eager. She leaned toward Xi Yu, practically crawling closer. “Okay, but does Xi Yu-jie know how to use it?”

Xi Yu turned her head and switched off the lamp by the wall; the surroundings immediately sank into darkness. “I’ll try.”

Everything she could see was dark. Yu Nianyi looked around blankly, then felt her arm being guided until she was laid down in the middle.

“Lie down slowly.” Xi Yu’s voice came.

There was a rustling sound. Once she had adjusted to the darkness, Yu Nianyi could faintly make out Xi Yu sitting beside her, having casually tied up her hair and now bowing her head to wipe down the tools.

Yu Nianyi laughed softly, turned onto her side, and curved her eyes at Xi Yu. The room was unusually quiet. Xi Yu kept her eyes lowered slightly, her expression calm and composed, and Yu Nianyi felt a long-lost sense of peace. After watching for a while, she suddenly said, “Xi Yu-jie.”

Xi Yu stopped and looked over with those clear, black-and-white eyes. When Yu Nianyi did not continue, she asked softly, “What is it?”

“I’m really happy that you came to find me.” Yu Nianyi buried half her face in her arm, leaving only a pair of beautiful eyes visible. Her voice came out muffled. “Actually, I really wasn’t happy before the New Year.”

Xi Yu paused and sat up a little straighter, lowering her eyes to stare at Yu Nianyi.

Yu Nianyi buried her whole face then, squeezing her eyes shut. “I can’t help it. Sometimes I feel like I’m still not enough now, not good enough. I’m not as emotionally stable as Xi Yu-jie, and I’m not as successful in my career. I can’t control my own emotions.”

A hand suddenly fell onto her head and gently stroked it.

Yu Nianyi’s nose stung. She buried her face even tighter. “I was just jealous. I just don’t like Chen Shuo. I thought I could handle it, and I thought I understood everything, but I still care a lot. I can’t...”

“Sorry.”

Yu Nianyi went still. Suddenly, she found herself pulled into an embrace. Xi Yu stroked her fluffy head, her voice very light. “Sorry. This is my fault.”

Xi Yu’s hand settled at the back of Yu Nianyi’s head. Catching that familiar scent, Yu Nianyi subconsciously lifted her face and rubbed closer to Xi Yu.

“You’ve already done very well. Thank you.” Xi Yu’s voice came from above her head. “Thank you for thinking of me.”

Yu Nianyi shook her head and sniffled. “I’m your girlfriend, Xi Yu-jie. Don’t underestimate me. I’m not only good at painting, you know.”

“Yes, you’re my girlfriend.” Xi Yu nodded, then reached out to touch Yu Nianyi’s ear. Yu Nianyi shrank her neck at the ticklish feeling. Looking down at her slightly reddened eyes, Xi Yu asked, “Cried?”

Yu Nianyi let out an indignant little “ah?” and frowned as she looked up at her. The fiercest thing about her from head to toe was those eyes, black and startlingly intense. “No I didn’t!”

Xi Yu murmured in response, smiling but saying nothing.

Yu Nianyi looked away and lay quietly in front of Xi Yu.

Outside, purple-red fireworks suddenly burst open, scattering through the dark sky in a rustling bloom. Flecks of purple-red light fell like stars across the heavens; in the blink of an eye, another firework exploded. There was occasional noise from outside, laughter carried on the wind.

The room was especially quiet. Everything around them was dark and still. White bedding covered both of them, and a faint warmth spread between them.

She could almost hear Xi Yu’s steady heartbeat beside her. Yu Nianyi took a deep breath, inexplicably feeling a little lighter inside. There had never been a more comforting moment than this.

“Just like this is good enough,” Yu Nianyi said suddenly.

Xi Yu lowered her head to look at her. Yu Nianyi took the chance to prop herself up, staring intently at Xi Yu’s face. Xi Yu was hidden in the dark; her eyes were deep, and dazzling in their depth.

“I just want to make things clear with Xi Yu-jie. I don’t want to keep being awkward with you because of outsiders.” Yu Nianyi said, “I want to be with Xi Yu-jie for a very, very long time.”

Xi Yu gave a soft hum, those dark eyes fixed steadily on Yu Nianyi. She reached out and brushed Yu Nianyi’s eyes, her voice very gentle. “We will.”

“That’s what you said.” Yu Nianyi laughed, then pounced onto Xi Yu. She buried her head in Xi Yu’s neck and rubbed against her, then lifted her face and gave Xi Yu a reward-like peck on the cheek.

A very loud one, and absolutely adorable.

Xi Yu laughed as she caught Yu Nianyi’s body, then glanced at Yu Nianyi’s lips before tilting her head and kissing her.

In the middle of their intimate back-and-forth, Yu Nianyi shifted, and her arm bumped into something. She froze and pulled back to look.

Xi Yu noticed the movement and looked too. The thing they had just said they would try was now pinned beneath the blanket, finally seeing daylight again.

...

The two novices really did not know how to use it. They were the kind who had already taken off their pants and were being completely honest with each other, yet still had no idea what was going on.

Still, thanks to Su Yue’s thing, the somewhat heavy atmosphere had eased a little.

“...Is it worn like this?” Yu Nianyi lowered her head and quickly glanced over it, and her cheeks turned completely red, even the skin at her neck burning hot.

Xi Yu said nothing. With her legs apart and kneeling on either side of Yu Nianyi, she moved a little with the motions.

Yu Nianyi gave a soft gasp. Her mind went blank, and she cast a hurried glance downward; almost reflexively, she tried to scoot back.

“Don’t move.”

Xi Yu leaned down, one hand pressing against the side of Yu Nianyi’s thigh. Yu Nianyi looked over instinctively and saw Xi Yu’s lowered eyes; a flush had spread across the pale side of her face. Xi Yu looked at Yu Nianyi. “I haven’t turned the switch on yet.”

Yu Nianyi sucked in a sharp breath and instinctively clutched Xi Yu’s other arm, her head turning to the side too.

Bzzzzzzzz—

She let out a little sound at once, just about to remark that the thing made quite a racket, when the next second Xi Yu’s movements made her head spin and her whole body itch with countless tiny pricklings.

Xi Yu let go of Yu Nianyi’s hand and bent down straightaway, pressing a kiss to the side of Yu Nianyi’s face, which had turned away on its own.

The clear scent of jasmine seeped into her nose. Yu Nianyi shivered, turning her face back instinctively, and the next second Xi Yu kissed her again, lips meeting hers as she slowly sucked.

Yu Nianyi gradually loosened her grip and let her hand rest around Xi Yu’s neck, then drifted lower.

Xi Yu’s lips parted slightly; she kissed Yu Nianyi’s mouth again and paid no mind at all to Yu Nianyi’s shameless movements, even rocking her upper body with a steady rhythm.

Yu Nianyi’s soft sounds rose and fell. The whole of her seemed to have fallen into cotton candy made entirely of Xi Yu, sweet enough to make her dizzy, dissolving the moment it touched water.