He deliberately made loud noises while changing his shoes in the entryway. After glancing at her door, he walked over in his slippers with distinct “pat-pat-pat” sounds.
“Ah Xu.”
“What is it?”
“I want to come in.”
“I’m going to sleep. Whatever it is, say it from outside.”
“That won’t do.”
The person inside fell silent. Yin Feng traced the patterns on her door with his fingers until they grew warm, then said, “I’ll just come in for a moment.” He pulled out a thin wire from his pocket and after just two attempts, the lock clicked open.
You Mingxu was leaning against the headboard playing with her phone, not bothering to look up. The great writer’s skills in petty burglary remained first-rate.
From the corner of her eye, she saw him slowly walk over and sit down at the foot of the bed, near her feet.
“When I woke up this morning, you were already gone,” he said. “Why didn’t you wake me? Just leave me there alone.”
You Mingxu slowly raised her head.
He was slightly pouting, head hanging low, exposing the clean, taut line of his nape.
You Mingxu understood. So, he didn’t remember anything from last night? After all, he had been drugged and his consciousness was clouded.
Looking at the wild little white flower from last night now innocently blooming by her feet, You Mingxu’s heart stirred like water in a bottle, silently sloshing. She didn’t know whether to feel relieved or angry.
After glancing at him twice, she lowered her gaze back to her phone and said, “Oh, there was something at the bureau, so I left early.”
Then she noticed the little white flower scooting his bottom closer to her, carefully advancing until he reached her knee before stopping. He said, “Ah Xu, I saw you at the book signing. But why did you sneak to the signing and not want me to know? Were you avoiding me?”
It was as if someone had plucked a string in You Mingxu’s ear. She thought to herself, this kid’s mind is working quickly now. However, his voice was clear and his eyes peaceful, seeming only confused.
You Mingxu said flatly, “I was just passing by. I was tailing a suspect earlier and was in disguise. When I went to the signing, I was too lazy to change. I arrived late, so I couldn’t be bothered to greet you all.”
From the corner of her eye, she saw him sitting still.
“Oh, I see…” he said.
You Mingxu felt an inexplicable irritation rising, vaguely sensing something strange in the air. But when she looked up, she saw Yin Feng sitting there, playing with the waistband of his shorts. She thought perhaps she was being oversensitive.
“Alright, I need to rest. If you don’t have anything else, leave,” she said.
He was quiet for a few seconds, then turned to look at her.
Completely different from his celebrity persona during the day, he was now wearing a T-shirt and shorts, his fluffy short hair falling over his forehead, and wearing large slippers with his leg hair showing.
Silent, his gaze deep and bright. At that moment, where was his childishness? That was a man’s way of looking at a woman. Now, unconsciously, it showed through.
You Mingxu felt inexplicably annoyed. She steadied herself, avoiding his gaze, and directly cut off all possibilities: “Yin Feng, if you’re always expecting rewards when you haven’t done anything to deserve them, then I’ll have to cancel rewards altogether, starting today. Understand? It’s not like I owe you anything.”
Yin Feng stared at her, still silent.
You Mingxu felt anger rising in her chest and got up from the bed, walking toward the door with a cold expression. But he grabbed her arm: “Okay, I get it! I understand, Ah Xu, don’t be angry! I won’t randomly ask for rewards anymore, won’t ask every day! Only when you’re willing to give them. Please don’t cancel all future rewards, okay? What if I behave well in the future?”
You Mingxu thought to herself, what the hell is this situation? Looking down, his five fingers were firmly locked around her arm, long and powerful. Yet she didn’t want to look up into his eyes.
But the even colder, more heartless words she had intended to say couldn’t come out. He had made himself so humble – did he understand, or not? Yet he had blocked all her words in her chest.
His hand gripped tighter, suddenly reminding You Mingxu of when she had first picked him up from Tibet.
“…We’ll see how you behave in the future,” she heard herself say.
The person beside her responded with a relieved “okay.”
You Mingxu suddenly felt extremely stifled. She wanted to smoke, pulled her hand back, picked up the cigarette pack nearby, and walked to the balcony.
She couldn’t be bothered with him. After finishing half a cigarette, she realized she had come out wearing only her sleepwear and felt cold.
Just as she was about to quickly finish the remaining cigarette and go back in, she heard footsteps behind her. She stood still.
A familiar presence approached, and then a jacket fell on her shoulders. His hands pressed lightly on her shoulders. Because he was so close, even if just for a brief moment, she felt his chest almost press against her, nearly enveloping her in his embrace. But it was just a fleeting touch.
“Ah Xu, don’t catch a cold,” he said, his careful tiptoeing and emotional low audible in his voice.
“Mm.”
Then she heard him slowly walk back into the room.
Strangely, after his brief appearance, You Mingxu’s previously stifled, rigid mood lightened somewhat. She thought, perhaps living under the same roof with him peacefully wasn’t such a difficult thing. She just needed to be a bit stern, and wouldn’t he be completely obedient?
After a few more days, when his attention and interests were drawn to other things, he probably wouldn’t even remember what had happened between them.
Or perhaps, when he regained his memories and consciousness, how much could this matter mean to him anyway?
The autumn air was crisp and clear.
It was a weekend, and after getting up and having breakfast, You Mingxu curled up on the sofa to watch TV. Sunlight quietly streamed in from the balcony as she watched her usual trashy drama series. After finishing one episode, she glanced at that tightly closed door. That guy was sleeping in again, not acting like a grown man at all!
After she watched another half episode, the door finally opened. She looked at him once. Yin Feng’s hair was like a chicken’s nest, his T-shirt wrinkled from sleep, barefoot, and walking out with drowsy eyes.
Then he came directly to her side, curling up on the sofa, hugging his legs, completely motionless.
You Mingxu said, “Go brush your teeth and wash your face first and put on your shoes. There’s breakfast they delivered in the kitchen, eat that before coming back.”
“I want to rest a bit…” he said softly.
You Mingxu said angrily, “What rest do you need when you just woke up? Go!”
Only then did he stand up, head hanging low, and walk toward the bathroom.
Hearing the water sounds from the bathroom, the house was no longer quiet. You Mingxu’s mood improved considerably, and she stretched out on the sofa, enjoying the TV show much more.
Since that time, after they had set their ground rules, Yin Feng seemed truly scared and never mentioned “rewards” again, nor did he try to take advantage of her in his half-understanding way. The two seemed to have returned to their initial “owner and puppy” relationship.
You Mingxu felt this was best. He hadn’t awakened, and she had killed any male-female desire in its budding state, leaving him confused and unaware. Otherwise, if they had continued that passionate path if they slept together one day, she truly wouldn’t be able to face the bureau chief, the department head, and all her subordinates at the police station.
Yin Feng carefully finished brushing his teeth and washing his face until it was clean and bright. Hearing no sound from the living room, he looked up and saw a vivid picture of beauty.
You Mingxu had her legs propped up on the coffee table, her thin white feet bare, lounging on the sofa as lazily as possible. She even showed a hint of childishness not present at other times. She must have seen something funny, as she stared at the TV with curved lips.
Want to do it, really want to do it. Yin Feng thought somewhat dejectedly.
These days, he didn’t know what spell he was under, but he had thought about it many times. Ever since that night when she had mentioned “doing it” to him, and he had looked up information online…
But forget about doing it, he didn’t dare let her know even his feelings for her. Otherwise, she would turn hostile at the slightest provocation and might even kick him out.
He could only continue being her good boy. Waiting for the day her stone heart would bloom.