Chapter 59

When we embrace, we are blending together like paint.

Liang Daiwen’s kiss felt like possession. It wasn’t too sexual, just his lips gently sucking on hers, not teasing her earlobes or neck. But in front of the building door, with her chest still bare, Gu Yi was going crazy. In Shanghai, rent is expensive—1500 for a bed, 3000 for a bed with a door, 4500 for a bed with a door and basic facilities, and 5500 for a nicely decorated home that could be called a love nest. Half of her salary goes into rent—could they just go upstairs already?

But the essence of desire lies in shame. Nothing excites more than the possibility of being caught in a situation like this. It was midnight, and no neighbors interrupted Liang Daiwen’s wild behavior. She was held at the door, her arm instinctively pushing at his chest, telling herself, no, stop, this is outside, and she’s not wearing a bra. Things were different now. The Liang Daiwen of the past wouldn’t have had such an effect on her, but now, after half a year of transformation, every one of his moves was new to her.

Gradually losing her ability to think, Liang Daiwen suddenly stopped. Gu Yi, still in his embrace, looked up at him in confusion.

“Since I’m your boyfriend now, can I ask for one thing?”

“What…?” She was already bracing herself for some teasing.

“I’m so hungry. Can we go to that restaurant we went to last time? You didn’t come at noon, and I’ve been working overtime and haven’t eaten.”

“...”

“What’s wrong?” Even as he said this, Liang Daiwen turned his head away, but it was clear he felt something, his ears turning red. Gu Yi, too, could tell something was off from the way his white shirt and trousers fit him. Liang Daiwen cleared his throat and said, “I won’t go upstairs with you. I… anyway, I’m not going up.”

Gu Yi, flustered, opened the door and ran upstairs, heartbroken. Why did she have to talk to the cameras, and only have one slipper on? A fairy should never descend to the mortal realm!

The most humiliating part was that her body seemed to have caught a cold. She took a long shower and changed into a fresh set of clothes. When she came downstairs again, she was wearing jeans and a knitted cardigan. Liang Daiwen looked at her and laughed softly, biting his lip, glancing at her and then looking away. What was he doing? After a moment, she realized—this was the outfit from the time her nipple pad had been exposed.

But when their eyes met, Liang Daiwen rubbed his nose and smiled shyly, opening his arms. “Want to… come over here?”

“What for?”

“A hug. About the nipple pad thing… I owe you a kiss.”

Gu Yi turned around and left: “If we don’t leave now, Zheng Aunty’s place will close!”

In the car, Gu Yi held back her anger, her file transfer assistant filled with mockery of Liang Daiwen. The man next to her had a growling stomach but only smiled quietly, not daring to speak up. At the restaurant, they ordered a full table of food. Just as Liang Daiwen picked up his wine glass, Gu Yi shook a bottle of sake, swirled it around, and opened it with a tap. She drank straight from the bottle. Liang Daiwen watched her from across the table, his expression a half-smile, intrigued: “What are you thinking now?”

Not responding, Gu Yi twisted open another bottle and stared at Liang Daiwen while drinking, the alcohol quickly taking its effect. She thought, Let the alcohol do its thing—the alcohol was like a cleansing fire, cleansing her thoughts of him. Liang Daiwen, the expert in stirring people’s hearts and then leaving them hanging, seemed to provoke her senses. Now, sitting across from her, he was casually eating, unbuttoning two top buttons of his shirt. Gu Yi’s gaze burned, her mind spinning. “Don’t unbutton your shirt! Button it back up!”

“Why?” Liang Daiwen looked at her in confusion.

Without thinking, Gu Yi realized her eyes were bloodshot with a mixture of frustration and confusion. Her mind was reeling, and here was Liang Daiwen, eating comfortably, slurping his soup, and casually picking out roast meat for her: “You didn’t eat, did you? I guessed you came straight to Ounce with an empty stomach and drank a whole lot of beer.”

The alcohol was getting to her head. Gu Yi looked at Liang Daiwen’s lips, smeared with oil, his sensual, perfect shape—the heat of their previous kiss in the doorway came rushing back. She had thought she might be swept off her feet, but now, at midnight, they were just two people, a man and a woman, eating late-night snacks at a near-closing restaurant. The man seemed like a monk, a knight in abstinence. He was saying, “I can’t forget this place after our last meal together. You even lost a tooth, and I felt so sorry, but it was cute.”

Gu Yi smiled through clenched teeth, her thoughts in turmoil. Dude, even if you’re emotionally challenged, can you at least act like a man now? She felt both anger and sadness—she had been tempted, only for him to run off, leaving her frustrated and wondering if there was something wrong with her.

Was it a special skill for him to halt the building tension between them?

Liang Daiwen didn’t stop her from drinking. After finishing three bottles of sake, her vision started to blur. Liang Daiwen, clumsily trying to roll the meat in the lettuce, couldn’t even do it right. Gu Yi watched those hands—beautiful, long fingers—but other than drawing, he seemed clueless when it came to handling other things. When he finally managed to pass the food to her, she tried to open her mouth to catch it, but couldn’t position it right. Liang Daiwen gently held her chin and placed the food into her mouth. As the food settled in her stomach, she sobered up, her mind clearing. It dawned on her that Liang Daiwen was a man who kept emotions and desires separated—what she had thought was a sign of passion was merely his way of expressing his success in his affections. She had misunderstood a pure man.

The bitter feelings spilled inside her.

“You weren’t yourself earlier. What happened?”

She wasn’t about to tell him what was really going through her mind. Gu Yi leaned back into the cushion. “I got an offer from a stand-up comedy club. But the contract has some weird clauses.”

“Oh, that’s nothing. Just bring up your concerns and ask them to modify it. If they don’t agree, there will be other opportunities.” He licked his lips. “I thought you were angry with me.”

Gu Yi stubbornly replied, “Of course not. You helped me open the door and even brought me here for dinner. You’re polite and considerate, why would I be angry? I just wanted to sign the contract and do stand-up, but I messed up and locked myself out. I was just annoyed at myself.”

She almost believed her own performance. She was good at this.

Liang Daiwen suddenly looked very serious, placing his hand on her head as if holding a basketball: “Stand-up comedy will definitely take off. You’ll get other club offers too.”

Though the head pat felt warm, Gu Yi’s alcohol-laden mind started to question—had this man learned to do this from watching Korean dramas?

The restaurant owner, Aunt Zheng, came to serve the dishes. It was a tradition at the place—near closing time, they sent pickled meats to the last guests.

“Ah, you graduated a while ago, right?”

“Yes, many years ago.”

“Yeah, I can tell—your vibe is different. When students come in, they dress so young and noisy. But you... when you drank like that, you looked like a grown-up.” She then turned to Liang Daiwen. “And this handsome young man is?”

“My boyfriend.” Liang Daiwen straightened up. “We’ve been together for less than two hours, and you’re the first to know.”

Gu Yi froze. In that moment, as the light hit Liang Daiwen’s face, his smile—filled with joy, satisfaction, warmth, and gentleness—lit up the dim city like sunshine scattering the gloom. It was as if he was lighting up a corner of the world, and the warmth from that smile felt like something that would be unforgettable for the rest of her life.

It had just rained. The streets were wet, the campus was quiet, and few people were around. Drunk and leaning on Liang Daiwen’s waist, Gu Yi yawned, her eyes blurry. As they stepped onto the main road, the lights and shadows of passing cars blended with the city’s life. Liang Daiwen held her tighter, listening to her foolish laughter.

“Liang Daiwen, I told you, there are chain hotels around here. Did you hear me, or not?”

“I heard you.”

“I’ve never been to one. My roommate would leave at night saying, ‘I’m going to take out the trash,’ and then not come back all night. I was scared, called her, worried she was in danger, but she never answered.”

“You’re a good girl.”

“My mom taught me—self-respect, self-love, independence, and strength. But look, I’ve never even been to one of those little motels.” She hiccupped, and Liang Daiwen waved for a taxi. Gu Yi pouted drunkenly: “Give me a chance! I’m your girlfriend now!”

“Stop it.”

The car drove further, passing one hotel after another: Hanting, Home Inn, B&Bs, theme hotels... Gu Yi pouted and looked at Liang Daiwen: “Cheap!”

“I’m not dating you to sleep in places like that. If we just want to relieve desires, we can swipe left and right on Tinder. Why bother with all this waiting and teasing?”

“Do you know how chocolate and cake become so delicious?” Gu Yi was already drunk enough to see double. She twirled two fingers around each other. “Chocolate melts and mixes with cream; before it becomes a finished product, it’s all messy too. Life is dirty from the start. We just mess up other people’s love, then let new people clean it up again. It’s not wrong to stumble through love blindly. No one is born perfectly sweet.”

“In my heart, you’re pure— I don’t want you to have any more bad memories.”

Gu Yi smiled, wrinkled her nose, and held back tears that were about to spill over. Instead, she grabbed Liang Daiwen’s arm and took a bite.

Liang Daiwen frowned as he pressed his forehead against hers. “Why do you bite me? Are you a dog?”

Sorry, I just didn’t know how to handle this kind of emotion. After growing up for so many years, no one has ever given me such tenderness.

When Gu Yi woke up, she found herself on Liang Daiwen’s bed. Used to sleeping on his sofa, she wasn’t quite comfortable lying in bed for the first time. The upright Liang Daiwen wasn’t beside her. Gu Yi turned over—it must be because she hadn’t touched him at all. This clean freak had allowed her to sleep on the bed in her clothes, surely making an exception just for her. Wait a second... Damn! Where did my clothes go?!

When she lifted her blanket, she saw she was wearing Liang Daiwen’s T-shirt and nothing else but underwear. Gu Yi rolled her eyes dramatically and rushed out of the room, shouting, “Liang Daiwen! You dirty pig! Where are my clothes?”

Liang Daiwen, leaning back on the sofa with his eyes closed, pointed at the dryer. “They’re still drying.”

“You!”

“What did I do? You puked all over me as soon as you walked in yesterday. If you can’t hold your alcohol, don’t drink so much. You could barely stand—you were clinging to me like a two-hundred-sixty-pound octopus.”

“You!”

“Since you’ve seen everything from changing clothes—was that what you wanted to ask?”

“You!”

“What else could I do? You’d get rashes if you stayed in those dirty clothes. Women have the same parts you do—I’m not some prude who hasn’t seen naked women online before. Nothing to be afraid of.”

Gu Yi’s face turned blue from anger. She stormed into the bedroom to take a shower, then realized... she hadn’t brought any clean underwear. The hairdryer was in the living room, and she was wearing an XL-sized T-shirt—no problem. Gathering up her courage, she grabbed the hairdryer and returned within a minute. Liang Daiwen wouldn’t sleep well tonight anyway; he wouldn’t notice anything amiss. Besides, he’d already seen it all...

Gu Yi ran out of the room with her legs still crossed. Liang Daiwen was sitting on the sofa reading Yi Zhou magazine when she said, “I thought about it again, you were angry while going to eat yesterday. Wasn’t it because I didn’t come up and... you know?”

“You’re overthinking.” Gu Yi was halfway through running when she saw Liang Daiwen still intently reading his magazine without fully lifting his head. She teasingly added, “Liang Daiwen, the upright gentleman, how could someone who practices abstinence like a priest use such an old-fashioned method?”

“Exactly, I don’t follow the rules. For example...”

Behind her came the sound of the magazine being thrown onto the ground. A piece of clothing was gently lifted, and her waist received a light lick. Caught completely off guard, Gu Yi let out a startled cry—who would expect their first kiss to start from the waist? It was too late to run; two hands locked around her waist, fingers digging into her skin as the man behind her laughed, “How soft you are. Why aren’t you wearing pants?”

That single sentence made her feel instantly aroused. Liang Daiwen bit her earlobe, saying, “This is the second time you’ve gone braless in front of me now. Last time was an accident with the door lock, but this time I hope I’m not mistaken.”

“I...”

“Shh—don’t talk anymore.” His tongue licked around her earhole, his voice wet as he whispered, “I won’t disappoint you.”

His hand slid inside her T-shirt, lips still pressed to her ear. The sounds of his tongue and saliva echoed in her ear. Liang Dawen had used her own words against her; love was indeed a filthy game of trial and error. He pulled her toward the sofa, pressing her down until her clothes rode up. Their bodies fit together perfectly, and something stirred near her empty lower half. Her breathing grew rougher.

Fingers circled on her chest, teasing but avoiding her sensitive spots. She couldn’t help twisting slightly. A laugh sounded by her ear. “See? You want me too.”

She finally understood why Liang Dawen always played this game—delaying pleasure, letting desire build before giving in. It was all about waiting for her to lose patience first. This seemingly pitiful man only needed to use his wits to toy with her at will. As he grabbed her chin for another kiss, Gu Yi decided to take control. She turned, pulling him onto the sofa. “Yes, I’m tempting you,” she said.

He sank into the sofa with an air of eroticism, his body melting along with his bones. As Liang Daiwen stripped off his clothes, his expression changed. His body, honed by constant training to control pain, was even more sensual than she’d imagined. His beautiful lips framed a prominent Adam’s apple, and beneath the hollow of his collarbones, hints of his sternum were visible. The lines of muscle connecting his chest to his arms drew her gaze involuntarily. Most enticing of all was his eyes—his forehead glistened with sweat as he looked at her without reserve. It was too erotic; if this scene were a movie, it would be a beautifully shot adult film. His body seemed so perfect that it felt like she wasn’t part of it.

His body pressed closer, head tilted as he kissed her lips. The sound of their kiss made her shiver. In her dazed state, her hands slid down to cup his waist and pull him towards her. From this angle, she could feel everything clearly. His fingers traced circles over her naked skin, exploring areas she didn’t even know existed. She closed her eyes in a foggy haze, kisses never stopping. By then, she couldn’t think straight anymore.

“Are you scared?”

“No.”

“That’s good. You can always lean on me because... I’m yours now.” Liang Daiwen looked at her with deep affection. “I love you.”

The words ‘love’ had always seemed so light and easy to say, but she’d never heard them from anyone before. Being carried into the bedroom and kissed until she couldn’t wait any longer made even the sound of tearing plastic packaging thrilling. The pleasure as he entered her felt like diving into an unknown tunnel—dark, yet filled with strange new sensations she’d never experienced before. The curtains weren’t drawn, and it wasn’t morning yet. With her leg resting on Liang Daiwen’s shoulder, every cry out was a moan of pleasure. He told her not to close her eyes, to look at him, not to be afraid.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to look at him—it was just that his sight alone made her desire surge uncontrollably. In that moment of eye contact, Gu Yi felt goosebumps run down Liang Daiwen’s arms. His leg slipped off her shoulder as he lowered himself, still whispering in her ear: “Not enough, not enough yet.”

Neither of them had any intention of letting go.

The dim light gradually brightened, seeping through tiny gaps in the curtains and tracing seductive lines on their bodies. She bent down provocatively, her flexible spine challenging the man with his stamina. In that moment, she felt like a graceful mermaid. Liang Daiwen turned her over and bit down hard on her neck:

“What you’ve given me, I’ll give back to you.”

Panting and moaning came not just from her own lips but also from the man embracing her. In mere hours, he’d experienced more pleasure than he had as an adult. From close caresses to intimate closeness, Gu Yi got a taste of love’s inseparable bond. Passionate lovers often disappear from daily life because what happens behind closed doors is simply too alluring.

When she woke up groggily, Liang Daiwen was lying beside her, watching. It should have been a warm scene, but Gu Yi couldn’t bring herself to look at him anymore—no longer ascetic priest, but sensual and unrestrained. How did he endure it before? His gaze made her blush; she finally asked, “What are you thinking?”

Liang Daiwen chuckled softly. “I didn’t expect things to move so fast. I was planning to take you to see Google’s offices today since it’s the weekend. But now it’s already afternoon, and I’m starving.”

“I...”

“Teasing you is really fun. Yesterday, when you were drunk, you jumped up saying you couldn’t get my bed dirty. You made me hand over your clothes, even stuffed your underwear under your pillow. You wouldn’t let me into the bedroom, acting all serious and untouchable. Then you blamed everything on me; I had no choice but to go along with it. And now you’ve come out of the bathroom like this—how am I supposed to handle that? If I don’t explain, would you think I’m some old pervert?”

“...”

“Forgetting what happened isn’t a good thing—you don’t even realize you got tricked. Yesterday, I didn’t stop you from drinking, giving you free rein. Now you’re tasting the bitter fruit, aren’t you?”

On the front camera of her phone, her neck was covered in tiny strawberry marks, making Gu Yi’s insides twist.

After they finished eating, Liang Daiwen asked if she wanted to watch a movie together. Gu Yi joked, “What, a P Station user wants to show me some adult films now?”

“I’m asking if you want to watch Hou Mai’s movies. That silk scarf you wore around your neck before always reminds me of them.”

“Oh. That was Guan Xingxin’s idea. I didn’t realize it would lead to that scene; I was actually worried he’d choke me with a tight hold. Come to think of it, I once heard a joke from my favorite stand-up comedian.”

“What is it?”

“Happy times are always short-lived. Men aren’t about quick finishes—they just want you to feel good.” Gu Yi wrapped an arm around Liang Daiwen’s shoulders. “At the time, I thought there’s no such thing as men who can last all night or have incredible stamina. If they claim long-lasting ability, it probably includes foreplay and ‘wise man’ time—just lying around.”

Feeling a bit embarrassed after saying this, Gu Yi dove under the bed to look at the stars. Just as she started to crawl forward, Liang Daiwen grabbed her leg and pulled her out. A sense of unease washed over him—oh great, why did she have to challenge him? This man never admitted defeat, especially when it came to matters like these...

Liang Daiwen pressed Gu Yi onto the bed. “Well, well, you’ve certainly piqued my competitive spirit.”

“No, no, no! Let’s watch a movie or chat about books instead! Can we use this precious weekend for something else?” Gu Yi turned and straddled Liang Daiwen, kissed him briefly, then cleared her throat.

Suddenly, Liang Daiwen asked, “What’s up? Are you going to give us one of your stand-up comedy routines?”

She wanted to get dressed and leave. Liang Daiwen tightened his grip on her, chuckling. “I’m just joking with you.”

“Trying to joke around at this moment? Why don’t you go be a stand-up comedian?”

“I’d just steal your thunder. Don’t you think my expressionless face would make for an even better comedy act than yours?”

“Go ahead if you want. Competition keeps us on our toes. Hey, stop licking! What are you doing...?”

Liang Daiwen dove into her T-shirt, licked for a while, then laughed. “Buried in your chest... kinda... suffocating.”

Blushing like a steam engine, Gu Yi pushed him away and burrowed under the covers. “Shut up! I don’t want to hear that!”

Liang Daiwen followed suit, diving under the blankets. Warm yellow light seeped through, casting shadows like sunset and clouds. The two embraced, gradually losing all desire as they clung to each other, as if neither wanted to let go.

Softly, Liang Daiwen said, “Um, about that synesthesia you taught me earlier, I think I’ve got it a bit now.”

“Hm?”

“I used to draw.”

“And?”

“We’re holding each other now, it feels like... different colors of paint... blending together.”

It was so romantic, she couldn’t help but get swept up.