CITM - 63

Ye Yun had many enchanting dreams, with all sorts of wild commotion playing out in them, so much so that when she woke up and leaned against the headboard, she was still in a daze. Even though a day had passed, it felt as though her entanglement with Bai Wenfu was still from last night. The lingering warmth of the after-effects made it hard for her to distinguish between dream and reality, until she heard Bai Wenfu’s voice from outside the room. Suspecting she was still dreaming, she threw off the covers, got out of bed, and opened the door.

When she saw Bai Wenfu in a black overcoat, looking stern, in the living room, her mind went blank, and she felt completely disoriented.

Ma Jianliang turned to her and said, “You’re awake?”

Ye Yun closed the door again. Fragmented memories gradually pieced themselves together, and along the path of recollection, she slowly remembered.

After the event that night, she had met Bai Wenfu in the hallway and insisted on dragging him to the back door, where she sat on the steps and talked to him at length, spontaneously kissing him, and then...

The more Ye Yun thought about it, the more her face twisted. While kissing him, her hands had been rather unruly, trying to undo his pants. Outdoors, with waiters occasionally passing by behind them, she had tried to take off his pants in broad daylight. When he refused, she seemed to have thrown a tantrum.

Ye Yun slowly raised her hand and covered her face in disbelief, lingering in the room for a long time before coming out.

A knock sounded on the door. Ye Yun moved to the door and opened a crack. Bai Wenfu’s figure appeared at the doorway, his broad hand resting on the door, looking down at her. “May I come in?”

Ye Yun stepped aside, and Bai Wenfu entered the room, closing the door behind him and surveying the space. Next to the bed, a sewing machine was covered with a cloth, and a familiar feeling washed over him. The window was slightly open, and the light-colored curtains were stirred by the breeze, offering a view of the bustling street life. The room wasn’t particularly spacious, but it was neatly kept, carrying her scent, which captivated him.

Ye Yun’s expression was slightly unnatural. She told him, “You can sit on the bed.”

Bai Wenfu walked to the edge of the bed and sat down, his fingers brushing the bedsheet, still warm from her body. He raised his dark eyes to look at her.

Ye Yun hesitated for a long time before deciding to confess to him. “The night before last, I didn’t mean that.”

Bai Wenfu raised an eyebrow slightly. “What do you mean?”

“I just wanted to see the scar on your leg. I didn’t mean that.”

Ye Yun’s voice trailed off at the end. Even she felt this explanation was a bit too absurd; after all, who would suddenly ask to see someone’s scar while kissing them?

Bai Wenfu pretended not to understand. “Which ‘that’?”

Ye Yun took out the clothes she was going to wear from the wardrobe and turned back to glare at him playfully. “You don’t believe me, do you?”

Bai Wenfu’s voice held a smile. “I do.”

Ye Yun put the clothes on the bed and asked him, “Then why are you smiling?”

“Can’t I smile?” The smile in his eyes deepened.

Ye Yun tossed the clothes down and turned back. “You just don’t believe me.”

He raised his hand and clamped her waist, pulling her into his embrace. She tumbled onto his lap. He lowered his gaze. “How do you want me to prove it?”

Held by him like this, Ye Yun’s heart raced. Her white nightgown was made of light material, making her feel soft to the touch. His breath brushed her ear and neck, and her thoughts drifted, her gaze falling on his lips.

He lowered his head, blocking out the light from the window. Her vision dimmed. His lips gently sucked at hers, tender, fragmented kisses, cherished and aching, from the corner of her mouth to her lips. Her body felt like it was electrified. Ye Yun felt a tickle in her heart, wanting to be more intimate, but then remembered the absurd things she had done and couldn’t bring herself to take the initiative.

He seemed to be doing it on purpose, rubbing her lips, tempting her, yet he made no further move.

She saw through his intention and decided not to play along. Just as she turned her head, he delved into her lips. In the moment of their fusion, the sounds of wind, birds, and the radio outside the window all disappeared.

Never before had she accepted his kisses like this. In the past, she was always disturbed by worldly concerns, afraid of being seen by others, afraid of moral judgment, and could never get past her own internal barrier. Even when their passion was intense, she always felt that their brief love was stolen, not blessed by the world, and her heart could never find peace.

Now, outside the window was a blue sky, bathed in sunlight and warm breezes. The gentle ring of bicycle bells echoed through the street, the radio host’s voice was clear and articulate, and birds perched on electrical wires, peeking about.

She closed her eyes, immersing herself in his kiss, feeling the intimacy and flutter he brought her. The air in her chest grew thinner and thinner.

He changed direction, pressing her against the headboard. His burning breath enveloped her again. Her nightgown crumpled. Her familiar territory was invaded by him, and a dizzying sensation overcame her.

Ma Jianliang’s voice came from outside the door. “I put the inventory sheet on the table. Remember to sign it after you’ve looked it over.”

Her lips were held by Bai Wenfu, unable to respond. He moved his kiss lower. “Answer him.”

Ye Yun spoke out, “Okay, got it.”

His fingertips, burning with warmth, slid down. Ye Yun arched her body, gripping the bedsheet tightly, biting her lip to suppress any sound.

“If you go to the factory after signing, remember to take it with you.”

Ma Jianliang continued talking endlessly at the door. Bai Wenfu grew somewhat displeased. He pinched her clitoris, and the intense pleasure almost made Ye Yun cry out.

Physiological tears welled up in her eyes. The sound from outside stopped. Bai Wenfu squeezed harder. Under the double stimulation of tension and intensity, warmth surged, and Ye Yun’s mind went blank. For the first time, she reached a climax this way. Her body trembled uncontrollably, like countless fish swimming across her skin, so exquisite it was unbearable. She collapsed, clutching him.

Bai Wenfu’s eyes overflowed with an alluring, bone-deep smile. He brought his hand before her eyes. “This is what you mean by not wanting that?”

Ye Yun then realized that in response to her denial, he was letting her body tell the truth.

She slid into the covers in embarrassment, muffled, “You go out, I need to change.”

When Ye Yun came out dressed, Bai Wenfu was already downstairs. He stood at the shop entrance, lighting a cigarette. Ye Yun came down carrying a bag. Through the glass display window, a faint, almost invisible curve appeared on his lips, and his enigmatic aura made Ye Yun’s body feel warm.

As Ye Yun spoke with Ying An, Bai Wenfu put out his cigarette and pushed the door open. Ye Yun’s gaze shifted to his face, her mind wandering, yet she appeared as if nothing had happened, handing him the trench coat she held. “Your clothes, they’ve been ironed.”

Bai Wenfu took the trench coat. “You ironed them?”

Ye Yun glanced away and hummed in affirmation.

This casual exchange, undetectable to others, hinted at a different kind of affection between them. When they lived together before, she often took Bai Wenfu’s clothes to the shop, ironed them neatly, and brought them back to him. He was tall and broad-shouldered, and clothes looked good on him. The clothes she ironed for him always looked exceptionally crisp.

The shop assistants were all watching, so Ye Yun could only pretend to be serious and say, “Is there something you came for?”

“Can’t I just come to see you if there’s nothing?” He deliberately made his words ambiguous.

“I’m planning to go to the hair salon to get a perm.”

“I’ll go with you.”

Ye Yun glanced at the sales assistants who were listening intently nearby, walked a couple of steps towards the door, and told him, “It will take a long time.”

Bai Wenfu’s voice reached her from behind, “It’s not like I haven’t accompanied you before.”

________________________________________

A sleek black car stopped in front of the hair salon. Many people inside turned to look. Bai Wenfu got out first, and by then, some people in the salon had already recognized him.

Mrs. Zheng pulled Mrs. Yuan and told her who he was. Saying this only piqued the interest of those nearby.

Everyone stretched their necks, and when Ye Yun’s figure stepped out of the car, the group, led by Mrs. Zheng, was surprised into silence.

As soon as Ye Yun entered the hair salon, Mrs. Zheng deliberately raised her voice, “Oh, what brings you here? Didn’t you say you’ve been very busy lately?”

“Even when busy, I still need to make time to get my hair done. We’ll be taking a group photo soon.” Ye Yun looked exceptionally well today, her entire face flushed and radiant.

Mrs. Yuan leaned closer to her, her eyes darting towards Bai Wenfu. “What’s going on?”

Ye Yun paused, then calmly said, “Just what you see.”

She went inside to wash her hair, leaving Mrs. Zheng and Mrs. Yuan to exchange bewildered glances, wondering how she had managed to charm this formidable “living devil” in just a few days, getting him to personally accompany her for a perm.

To them, he was an image of ruthlessness, so him accompanying a woman to get her hair done was a stark contrast to his usual demeanor. The women chuckled behind Ye Yun’s back, saying that Xiao Ye must have cast a spell on Boss Bai.

When women get excited chatting, they don’t lower their voices. These comments were made right in front of Bai Wenfu, as they deliberately watched his reaction. They found that Mr. Bai’s expression remained unchanged, his composure excellent.

Mrs. Zheng had, after all, dined at the same table with him and could be considered to have some rapport, so she feigned defending Bai Wenfu to subtly probe for information. “You shouldn’t talk nonsense. Boss Bai has seen all sorts of situations. He wouldn’t be charmed by our Xiao Ye, right, Boss Bai?”

Bai Wenfu’s facial structure was solid and smooth. With a slight turn of his gaze, his masculine charm and power struck people’s hearts directly.

He replied with a somewhat nonchalant tone, “If Miss Ye was willing to cast a spell on me, we should be inviting you to a wedding feast right now.”

At these words, everyone present was stunned. They were still questioning whether Boss Bai was just toying with Xiao Ye, but he directly stated that if Ye Yun agreed, he would marry her. He didn’t seem to be joking, and such boldness made them wonder if Ye Yun truly had cast a spell on him.

As a result, when Ye Yun came out after washing her hair, everyone looked at her with an inexplicable joy, which made Ye Yun feel baffled.

Ye Yun sat down in front of the mirror, and the hairdresser applied the curlers. Her gaze fell on the figure in the mirror. Bai Wenfu was sitting on the sofa behind her. She had worried he would be bored, but then she noticed that he had a newspaper in his hand at some point, leisurely flipping through it.

After the hairdresser finished rolling her entire head, Ye Yun looked at him again. He had, at some point, raised his head and was staring at her intently, his dark eyes like a bottomless abyss, carrying an indefinable sense of loneliness.

She wondered if he also remembered that time he accompanied her to the hair salon. That day, the hair salon in Erwei Alley was also crowded, full of women, just like today, chattering away.

The difference was that those people looked at them with malice and disdain. It was also that day that she said hurtful things to him; she said he would eat her until there were no bones left. He let go of her hand and walked away without looking back. Even though her goal was achieved, it hurt more than having her heart carved out.

Time was like a mirror, revealing past pains and showing them what they wanted. Ye Yun curved her lips at him, and the loneliness in his eyes gradually vanished, replaced by warmth.

Mrs. Yuan leaned over and whispered to Mrs. Zheng, “Look at Xiao Ye. I see her staring at Boss Bai in the mirror for a long time. They’ve only known each other for a few days, and their relationship is already this good?”

Mrs. Zheng had a profound expression. “How do you know they’ve only known each other for a few days?”

Ye Yun finished her perm and greeted Mrs. Zheng and the others. As she was leaving, Mrs. Zheng said to Bai Wenfu, “Boss Bai, I heard tickets for the trade fair are hard to get. Given our connection with Xiao Ye, could we trouble you to help us get some tickets?”

Bai Wenfu readily agreed. Mrs. Zheng and the others smiled and secretly gave Ye Yun a thumbs-up, making her ears feel warm.