Chapter 57: Morning

When she woke up groggily, the rain outside had already stopped.

The curtains were drawn, but faint light filtered through, indicating it was already morning. She felt somewhat dazed, momentarily unsure of where she was until she saw him sleeping beside her and finally regained her memory.

Ah.

They had…

A string of images that made her blush flashed through her mind, her breathing already uneven. But he was still asleep, and she didn’t want to disturb him. She tried to remain motionless and silent, quietly nestled under the covers as she watched him.

He had his arm around her all night, and even now his left hand rested on her waist. She lay on his chest, their body temperatures perfectly aligned. Carefully lifting her head to peek at him, she found him just as handsome in sleep. His elegant widow’s peak carried a classical beauty, and only with his eyes closed could she see how long his lashes were—there wasn’t a single feature that wasn’t captivating.

…Sigh.

How could someone look so good?

She silently marveled in her heart, a sense of quiet satisfaction enveloping her. Yet, she couldn’t suppress her desire to be close to him. After watching him for a while, she thought… maybe she could steal a kiss.

—Would it be okay?

Just one little kiss…

She pursed her lips and carefully tried to prop herself up. But before she could move, she heard his amused voice asking, “Awake?”

As he spoke, those gentle, deep eyes opened, fully awake, revealing that he had been pretending to sleep all along.

Her face immediately flushed redder, last night’s memories bringing both shyness and panic. Suddenly unsure how to face him, she stammered awkwardly. Then his kiss landed again—more direct than usual, yet slightly restrained compared to last night. The lingering intimacy was strong, making her realize their relationship had fundamentally changed.

It was a long time before he finally released her. His beautiful eyes seemed to brim with wine as he naturally pulled her closer.

“Want to sleep a little more?” he whispered to her, his breath teasing her ear.

She still couldn’t speak, so she shook her head slightly while snuggling into his arms. Her shy demeanor seemed to delight him further, prompting him to lean down and kiss her again.

“Shall we get up?” he asked, seeking her opinion. “I’ll go buy breakfast, and you can take a hot shower…”

This time, instead of shaking her head, she nodded, though she remained silent. He chuckled softly and pinched her chin, clearly in an excellent mood.

With that, he got up first. His bare upper body made her avert her gaze—but not before stealing a glance. She stayed curled up in bed, hiding most of her face under the blanket, peeking with just her eyes as he opened the wardrobe to find clothes. He moved slowly and deliberately, buttoning up his light gray shirt one button at a time.

…So handsome.

Then he turned to wash up in the bathroom. The sound of the faucet turning on and off somehow felt special to her. Even more absurdly, after just a few minutes without seeing him, she began to feel uneasy, a little restless and dissatisfied.

—Fortunately, he returned soon.

He sat back on the edge of the bed and told her he was about to leave. She couldn’t resist and reached out from under the blanket, asking to be held. Laughing, he pulled her, wrapped in the quilt, into his arms, gently stroking her exposed shoulder.

“I’ll be back soon,” he coaxed her, his tone filled with more affection than ever. “Should I get spring rolls and wontons from the shop by the east gate?”

It didn’t matter what he bought; she just wanted to cling to him. So she nodded vaguely, and after a moment of silence, she murmured softly, “I don’t have any clothes to wear…”

Of course not.

Last night’s clothes were soaked, and they’d been… discarded haphazardly.

He paused, realizing this issue. Images from last night simultaneously flashed in both their minds, bringing a mix of awkwardness and lingering passion.

“…Then I’ll pick up an outfit for you too,” he responded, his voice growing hoarse again. “…Do you want a dress or pants?”

She buried her blushing face in the crook of his neck, her voice barely audible. “…Either is fine.”

“What color?” he asked again, his breath growing hotter by the second. “…And size?”

Size?

She felt like he was teasing her, her heart racing wildly. Before she could muster a coherent response, he leaned down and kissed her deeply—a kiss full of longing.

“My clothes are size S…” she panted, her pale neck flushing red. “For underwear… B…”

He seemed to chuckle, his low voice utterly mesmerizing, making her even more flustered than before.

“Alright,” he kissed the corner of her lips again. “I’ll be back soon.”

—Though, in reality, it wasn’t that soon. He returned after about half an hour.

By then, she had already showered and put on the white shirt he had handed her before leaving. His clothes were oversized on her, the shirt short enough to resemble a skirt. Barefoot, she wandered around the apartment, quietly exploring.

Last night had been too dark to see much, but now, in the light of day, she realized it was a two-bedroom flat with a living room, kitchen, bathroom, and two additional rooms—one set up as a bedroom and the other as a study. Though the building itself was old, the interior had been recently renovated, its minimalist black, white, and gray palette both simple and elegant.

—His parents didn’t live here?

Right… They probably resided in a nicer house elsewhere.

After finishing her exploration, she returned to the bedroom and started folding the blankets. Halfway through, she heard the door open and rushed out to peek—it was him, carrying breakfast and the clothes he had bought for her.

“Up already?” he noticed her, his gaze soft. “Do you want to try on the clothes first, or eat?”

She pursed her lips and stepped out of the room. “Let’s eat first…”

He had been about to reach for her hand but froze when he saw her wearing his shirt, barefoot. Perhaps girls never realized how much visual and emotional impact wearing their boyfriend’s clothes could have—especially when paired with bare feet.

“Put on some slippers first,” he cleared his throat, averting his gaze. Bending down, he retrieved a pair of disposable slippers from the shoe cabinet. “Will these do? They’re new.”

She obediently walked over to put them on, glancing inside the cabinet, which contained an entire bag of disposable slippers.

“These…” she ventured cautiously, slyly checking up on him. “Does this mean people often come here?”

He understood immediately that she was exercising her rights as his girlfriend, not minding the intrusion but rather finding it endearing. His eyes softened with amusement as he led her to the dining table. “Occasionally. Guo Yue and the others visit. When we first started the project, the team pulled all-nighters here.”

Pausing, he added, “Tang Fei hasn’t been here. She lives in the building next door.”

Hmm?

…Oh.

“I didn’t ask…” she protested awkwardly, secretly pleased but refusing to admit it. “…Why did you bring that up?”

All subtle tactics.

He didn’t press her, smiling as he went to the kitchen to fetch bowls and chopsticks. He transferred the wontons from their plastic container onto a plate, setting it before her. When he sat down, he positioned himself close to her, though she still felt distant. Occasionally, while eating, she glanced at him, her hints unmistakable.

He understood, his eyes dark with intensity. “Want to come sit here?”

He meant his lap.

She bit her lip to suppress a smile but quickly scooted over. No one was as obedient as she was. Sitting on her boyfriend’s lap, she wrapped her arms around his neck, transforming from a timid rabbit into a clingy koala. She simply refused to let him go, unable to tolerate even a tiny separation.

“Don’t we have to go to work today?” she asked, leaning against him as he fed her a spring roll. “Senior Gao and the others must already be at the studio, right?”

Her tone was indifferent, clearly reluctant to go.

“We’re not going today,” he replied, still indulging her wishes. “I’ll let them know.”

“Not going?” she feigned innocence, pushing her luck. “Why not?”

He glanced at her, his expression subtly teasing, as his hand lightly squeezed her waist. “Don’t you need to rest?”

Ah.

He…

She understood, feeling both shy and sweetly defiant, lightly swatting him and muttering complaints. “You’re bullying me…”

There was no purer form of flirting.

He chuckled, kissing her cheek and feeding her a small dumpling. Watching her eat, his expression turned serious after a moment. Finally, he said, “I’m not bullying you… Would you consider meeting my parents sometime?”

…Huh?

Parents?

She froze, completely unprepared for this sudden question. Blinking, she stared at him, forgetting to chew the dumpling in her mouth.

“…Meet your parents?” she repeated uncertainly.

“Yes,” he nodded firmly, his tone gentle yet serious. “Given our current relationship… I think it’s about time.”

“About time”…?

Their standards truly differed. She had told her parents she wasn’t planning to date anyone.

“…Isn’t it too soon?” she panicked, her words rushing out. “Won’t they find it sudden?”

“They shouldn’t,” he reassured her, perhaps sensing her unease as he gently smoothed her hair. “They already know I have a girlfriend.”

Of course.

Unlike her, he had never concealed anything. And his mother, being a teacher at the school, likely heard things through the grapevine.

“Oh…” One excuse shot down, she struggled to come up with another, mumbling awkwardly.

He observed her expression closely, trying to discern her true thoughts. After a moment, he asked, “Are you still hesitant about meeting them?”

“No…” she quickly denied. “I just…”

Sigh.

What exactly?

Even she didn’t understand her own feelings, let alone him. He fell silent for about a minute before finally deciding not to push her.

“Then we won’t meet them yet,” he kissed her forehead lightly, soothing her. “I didn’t mean to pressure you… I just…”

…Wanted to reassure her, given what had happened between them last night.

She understood his intentions, aware of how fortunate she was to have such a thoughtful and upright partner. He was so good that last night, she had impulsively clung to him without hesitation. Yet today, she hesitated, torn between moving forward and holding back.

Looking back, perhaps that marked the beginning of a mistake.