Chapter 32: I Lied

Bang! As soon as the words left his mouth, Sheng Li was pinned against the door. Her blood rushed instantly, her heartbeat racing wildly. He seemed unwilling to give her a chance to choose.

This was so unfair, Sheng Li thought, her face flushing with embarrassment.

Though she had asked for intensity the last couple of times, why did he think that after their last encounter, she would dig herself into another hole? Sheng Li had ridden her bike here in a hurry, and beads of sweat had formed on her forehead. A strand of hair clung to her cheek, and her eyes softened with emotion, hiding her usual arrogance and dominance.

She reached up to hook her arms around his neck, pressing a gentle kiss to his Adam’s apple. In a soft whisper, she said, “Don’t move.”

Yu Chi’s Adam’s apple bobbed uncontrollably. He glanced down at her face, brushing away the strand of hair stuck to her cheek. Sheng Li kissed her way up from his Adam’s apple to the corner of his lips, murmuring, “Not intense tonight. I want something gentler. Can you satisfy me, little brother?”

The curtains were tightly drawn, the bedroom lights off, and the living room bathed in warm tones. The small space was cast in a dim, cozy glow. Though it was an old, shabby apartment, it felt warm and romantic. This place was like a secret haven for their passionate love—almost everything between them happened here.

Yu Chi didn’t answer her question. Instead, he gripped her slender waist and bit her lower lip before capturing her lips in a kiss. With a low chuckle, he said, “I prefer it intense.”

This little brat—he was doing this on purpose, wasn’t he?

“If I’m asking for gentleness, don’t you understand what I mean?” Sheng Li narrowed her eyes, wrapping herself around him entirely, cupping his face and looking at him earnestly. “Your technique last time was terrible—it hurt.”

Yu Chi: […]

His ears turned slightly red. After glaring at her for a few seconds, he scoffed, “Sister, I’m still a beginner. You should be more understanding. If my skills were that good, how would I be different from Lu Xingyu? Would you even want me then?”

What he said made sense, and Sheng Li couldn’t argue. She stroked the back of his neck soothingly, smiling contentedly. “Hey, what’s wrong with you? We’ve already slept together—why are you still jealous of Lu Xingyu?” She pressed her hand against the back of his neck, and Yu Chi obligingly bent his head. “I’m yours, so stop being upset.”

The next moment, she was swept off her feet.

Sheng Li landed on the bed with a heavy “squeak,” the sound seemingly even more strained than last time. She placed her hands against his chest, looking up at Yu Chi hovering above her. Nervously, she joked, “This bed won’t collapse, will it?”

If it did, that would be quite amusing.

As Yu Chi’s weight pressed down on her, her words seemed to strike a funny chord. He leaned close to her ear and chuckled, “I don’t know. We can try.”

Sheng Li: […]

Try my ass! Whoever tries is an idiot!

In the living room, a phone rang at an inopportune moment.

Sheng Li’s phone was still in her pocket. She nudged Yu Chi, her voice teasing, “It’s your phone.”

“I don’t care.” Yu Chi’s voice was muffled against her neck.

The ringing stopped, but less than a minute later, it rang again.

Yu Chi propped himself up beside her, irritated, and rolled off the bed. Frowning, he walked into the living room. The screen flashed with the name “Xu Yang.” He picked up the phone and moved to the window before answering.

Xu Yang laughed, “I thought you were asleep. I was about to hang up.”

Yu Chi’s tone was cold, “Well, you woke me up.”

“Really?” Xu Yang sounded skeptical. “It’s not even midnight yet. Would you really sleep that early?”

“Not sleeping,” Yu Chi replied impatiently. “What is it?”

Xu Yang sighed, “Nothing much. My parents found out they were deceived about the contract and have been sighing all day, blaming themselves for not being cautious enough. Can I tell them that you also signed with Starshine? That way, they’ll feel reassured and stop blaming themselves. It’s driving me crazy.”

“If you want to tell them, go ahead. It’s not a secret,” Yu Chi said indifferently.

Xu Yang continued, “I consulted a lawyer. Breaking the contract is basically impossible—the fee is too high. But you still have a chance. If the drama becomes popular next year and you get noticed, maybe some company will be willing to buy you out.”

“Let’s talk about next year when it comes,” Yu Chi said absently, glancing toward the bedroom. Sheng Li had mentioned helping him break free, but he didn’t want that. After a pause, he said to Xu Yang, “If a company buys me out, I’ll find a way to help you terminate your contract too.”

After all, to some extent, Xu Yang had been dragged into this mess because of him.

—

The bedroom light was off, and dim light filtered through the half-open door, casting a hazy glow over the space. When Yu Chi pushed the door open, Sheng Li was still in the same position. She wore a lavender-colored spaghetti strap dress, revealing her delicate collarbone. Her soft black hair fanned out on the gray sheets, and she was scrolling through Weibo on her phone. He leaned over, his knee parting her closed legs, positioning himself firmly between them. Hovering over her, he took her phone away and whispered, “Aren’t you afraid the phone will hit your face?”

Sheng Li was feeling sleepy. She had yawned just before he came in. Her eyes glistened as she looked at him, her legs spreading apart to accommodate him. She reached up to hook her arms around his neck and planted a soft kiss on his lips, mumbling, “Was that Xu Yang calling?”

“Mm,” Yu Chi murmured, no longer interested in discussing anyone else. He captured her lips, kissing her fiercely, biting her. Sheng Li winced, feeling his breath move lower. She frowned, worried he might leave marks, and whispered softly, “Don’t bite randomly—I have to film tomorrow.”

Buried in her neck, Yu Chi’s voice was hoarse, “Mm.” After a pause, his hand slid along her leg, his fingertips gently caressing. “Is this okay?”

The old air conditioner groaned as it ran, the air thick and humid. Sheng Li covered her face, regretting ever setting that ridiculous code word. Half the night, she had been thoroughly “arranged” by the squeaks.

“Sister,” Yu Chi supported himself beside her, holding her close and asking in a muffled voice, “You never answered me last time—am I your first love?”

“No,” Sheng Li denied outright. If she said yes, wouldn’t he get carried away?

Yu Chi’s muscles tensed, and he looked at her with restrained frustration, choosing not to press further. The symphony of the wooden boards began with a loud creak, the rhythm growing faster and louder as it progressed. He kissed her cheek softly and whispered reluctantly in her ear, “Are you still leaving at 5:30 in the morning?”

“Mm,” Sheng Li’s voice trembled slightly, her eyes moist.

In truth, she didn’t have to leave that early. On the way here, she had considered it. Her next scene wasn’t until 11 AM, and she only needed to arrive at the set by 9 AM to get ready. She could have Lao Liu drive around and then have Yuan Yuan pick her up. If anyone asked, she could say they had gone out for breakfast.

At a little past 2 AM, after sending a message to Yuan Yuan, Sheng Li leaned her head against Yu Chi’s chest and quickly fell asleep.

By 7 AM, Yu Chi woke up first. His internal clock was precise, and he usually woke up around this time automatically. The bedroom was dim, and he reached for his phone. The faint glow of the screen illuminated Sheng Li’s face, showing no signs of her waking anytime soon.

If no one woke her, she could probably sleep until noon.

Yu Chi gently pinched her smooth, tender waist, deciding they couldn’t stay in bed any longer. He pried her arms off him, got up, grabbed a clean set of clothes, and left the room, closing the door behind him.

After finishing his shower, Yu Chi walked into the kitchen.

The kitchen had a small fridge and a full set of utensils, but Yu Chi rarely used them. He actually knew how to cook—after all, Jiang Dongmin had often ordered him around as a child. Making breakfast or stir-frying simple dishes was within his skillset, and he was quite good at it.

But with the crew providing boxed meals and breakfast available outside, he hadn’t used the kitchen much since moving in.

He pulled out a nonstick pan from the cabinet—one he had bought at the supermarket when he first moved in. Why? Because when Yuan Yuan was hospitalized, she had sent him not only documents but also pictures of various foods, mentioning that Sheng Li liked this kind of egg pancake in the morning.

Within a few kilometers, all kinds of breakfast options were available.

Except for this homestyle egg pancake.

At the time, he couldn’t exactly ask the hotel chef to make it, so he had to do it himself.

At 8 AM, Sheng Li was woken up by her alarm.

After getting dressed, she stumbled out of the room, still drowsy. The living room lights were off, and the curtains were slightly parted, letting in bright morning sunlight that streamed through the gap and landed on the coffee table.

On the coffee table sat a transparent disposable food container, filled with slices of freshly made egg pancakes.

Yu Chi lounged lazily on the sofa, wearing a white T-shirt and plain black sweatpants. He was looking down at his phone when he heard the door open and glanced up.

She walked over and sat directly on his lap, pointing at the container. “Did you go out to buy breakfast? Didn’t you say the place closed down?”

Yu Chi set his phone aside and rested his hand on her waist, casually replying, “I lied to you.”