Chapter 37

So Ming Yu's words had been like the solution to a puzzle. Perhaps it was possessiveness, or perhaps it was a faint liking, but would that liking last?

How long would that possessiveness last?

But she was different. She had given herself over heart and soul, and might never be able to recover.

That was why she had been afraid to make a new choice and face a new decision last night. She had thought that perhaps she could call it an accident, so the two friends could still maintain a respectable facade.

Heaven knew how carefully she had treaded on her way to becoming his friend, and how hard she had worked all along to adjust herself, afraid that someone would notice the signs.

After being deprived of light for so long, one really could grow afraid of its source.

Once she had given him her whole heart, what if she lost him one day...

She didn't dare imagine it.

She stood up. Seeing this, Chen Lüli let go of her and straightened up as well, raising an eyebrow at her.

Lin Yu took a step toward him, and he lowered his eyes to look at her. She held the scarf closed with one hand, unaware of just how enticing she looked at that moment: her curves faintly visible, her long legs fair, and, although she held the scarf tightly shut, Chen Lüli knew there was nothing beneath it but the curves of her body.

He betrayed nothing, but Lin Yu rose on tiptoe and pressed her red lips to his thin ones.

Chen Lüli lowered his gaze, his eyes dark.

Lin Yu traced his thin lips delicately, trying to slip inside.

Chen Lüli raised an eyebrow and parted his lips a little to give her a chance. Unfortunately, she only knew how to put on a show; underneath, she was entirely inexperienced. He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulled her into his embrace, and bit her lip. "What's this supposed to mean?"

Lin Yu parted her lips and bit his, clumsily catching the tip of his tongue. The man gave a soft grunt, lifted her slightly by the waist, and bent his head to kiss her fiercely.

The fact that she had nothing on beneath the scarf was arousing enough in itself.

And Chen Lüli knew that even better than she did. As they kissed, he casually sat down on the coffee table and pulled her onto one of his thighs. Lin Yu held him tightly around the neck, her lashes trembling and her breath coming short beneath his kisses. His hand rested casually on her, but still slipped a little beneath the edge of the scarf.

After a long while, Chen Lüli drew back a little and buried his face in her neck to compose himself.

Beads of moisture clung to Lin Yu's lashes.

Chen Lüli's voice was low and husky. "Tell me what this means."

He was no fool. She couldn't have called it an accident last night for no reason, and while her avoidance that morning could be put down to her personality, she had done this after he made his intentions clear. For an instant, the words female scumbag flashed through his mind. Lin Yu, quiet, well-behaved, and gentle, a woman of few words, only wanted to enjoy the pleasures of desire without bearing the weight of a relationship. In that instant, he was once again almost angry enough to laugh.

He admitted that forcibly kissing her and taking advantage of her vulnerability had been despicable, and that he had pushed her for an answer every step of the way. But he probably wasn't as much of a scumbag as she was, flirting and sleeping with him without wanting any emotional entanglement.

So this was how a good friend could be used.

Lin Yu's lashes fluttered. "I..."

Chen Lüli lifted his eyes and stared at her, wanting to see what would come out of her mouth.

Lin Yu met his gaze. Her eyes flickered as she said, "Could we try dating for three months first? But let's not tell anyone. We can date in private for now..."

Chen Lüli narrowed his eyes slightly.

Lin Yu leaned closer and kissed his thin lips, a hint of coquettishness in the gesture. "Going from friends to lovers, I need a little time to adjust," she murmured. "And after what happened with Li Yin, I'm a little uneasy. We've been good friends for years and know each other too well. Feelings like these can easily get muddled..."

Chen Lüli stared into her eyes. "Then all those times you got close to me on New Year's Eve weren't my imagination?"

Lin Yu said nothing, only kissing his lips and the tip of his nose.

Chen Lüli laughed in exasperation. "You just want my body, don't you?"

Lin Yu grew even more silent, simply kissing him and pressing herself against him. Chen Lüli's Adam's apple bobbed repeatedly. He had never imagined she could be coquettish, much less so irresistible. He clamped a large hand around her twisting waist, holding her firmly, and bit her lip. Unable to take it anymore, he said, "Fine, we'll do it your way. Three months. If we haven't broken up after three months, we'll make it public."

Lin Yu stopped acting coy.

She leaned against his shoulder and said softly, "Okay."

Chen Lüli was speechless.

Utterly helpless, he could do nothing with her.

Just then, someone knocked on the door, and Jiang Zao's voice came through it. "Yuyu, are you awake? You didn't seem to drink much last night, and that wine barely had any alcohol. Are you feeling unwell?"

The auntie stood to one side, her eyes lowered and her manner deferential. Unable to stop Jiang Zao, she didn't dare make a sound.

At the sound of Jiang Zao's voice, Lin Yu sprang off Chen Lüli and said in a panic, "Zaozao's awake. What time is it? Oh my god."

Chen Lüli sat on the coffee table, watching her run around in circles with a languid air. Unhurriedly, he said, "Your clothes are on the clothes rack. The auntie washed and dried them last night and brought them over."

Lin Yu said okay and rushed to get her clothes.

The freshly washed outfit gave off a faint fragrance, the same scent as Chen Lüli's collar. Lin Yu hurriedly put it on, then glanced back and saw Chen Lüli watching her.

Her face flushed bright red, and she covered his eyes with one hand. "Don't look."

Chen Lüli clicked his tongue. "Turn around. I'll fasten your bra for you."

Lin Yu had been unable to fasten it. How was she supposed to do it with one hand? With no other choice, she turned around and resigned herself to letting him do it. Chen Lüli lowered his eyes and fastened it for her.

Lin Yu then pulled on her sweater and straightened her skirt.

Jiang Zao called again, "Yuyu?"

She turned to ask the auntie, "Auntie, is there a key to this door?"

The auntie smiled. "The master may have it."

Jiang Zao said, "But your master doesn't seem to be awake yet either."

The auntie said, "He went to bed late last night."

Jiang Zao said, "I went to bed late too."

The two began chatting. Dressed and ready, Lin Yu prepared to leave. Chen Lüli looked at her for a few seconds. "Come here."

Lin Yu turned back, and Chen Lüli caught her by the waist and kissed her. She instinctively braced herself against his shoulders. He bit her lip, his low, husky voice muffled. "An underground romance. From now on, we'll have to be this flustered all the time. Are you really willing?"

Lin Yu opened her misty eyes and looked at the man before her. She nodded in her heart. Wasn't the happiness of being with him a gift from life too?

As for the future, she would deal with it later.

Lowering her eyes, she deliberately asked in a quiet voice, "Chen Lüli, don't you find it thrilling?"

Chen Lüli's grip on her tightened.

He narrowed his eyes and stared at her, then curved his lips into a smile. "You've got some nerve, Lin Yu. You're a rebel at heart, aren't you?"

Lin Yu smiled.

She sweetly kissed his thin lips.

Then she straightened up, smoothed her disheveled hair, and walked toward the door. She was nervous, her palms sweating, but she knew that since Chen Lüli had agreed, he would honor their agreement. She was afraid of change too, afraid that if they found out about her and Chen Lüli, they would be shocked, find it unbelievable, and also...

Wonder why it was her and not Ming Yu.

So it was better to maintain the appearance of calm for now and wait to see how things developed.

She pulled the door open.

Jiang Zao's eyes lit up at the sight of her. Smiling, she said, "Yuyu, you're finally awake. Oh, did you sleep really well last night?"

Chapter 37

"I slept very well," Lin Yu answered with a smile.

She closed the door behind her, concealing the tall figure sitting on the coffee table. Jiang Zao blinked and paused. There seemed to have been someone in Yuyu's room just now. Or had she seen wrong, and it was only the clothes rack?

"Now that you're awake, ladies, please come downstairs for breakfast," the auntie reminded them with a smile.

Jiang Zao came back to her senses and promptly linked arms with Lin Yu. "Right, breakfast. I drank a bellyful of water last night."

"I drank quite a lot too," Lin Yu said in a soft, gentle voice.

"Whoever suggested playing Chicken was so mean." For some reason, Jiang Zao suddenly spoke ill of Chen Lüli. No wonder they said a woman's intuition was always accurate.

Lin Yu could tell whom Jiang Zao was criticizing, and the tips of her ears quietly reddened.

The auntie walked ahead, pretending not to understand.

Breakfast had been laid out beside the kitchen island, near a floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the mountains behind the house. Jiang Yingshan and Jiang Yan'an were already seated at the table. Jiang Yingshan was drinking coffee, while Jiang Yan'an was eating a fried dough stick. Jiang Yan'an turned around, and his eyes lit up when he saw Lin Yu. "Yuyu, sit down."

Jiang Zao pulled Lin Yu down into a seat.

Jiang Yan'an hurriedly pushed some of the light porridge and other dishes toward her. Lin Yu smiled. "I can get it myself."

"The porridge this auntie makes is really good," Jiang Yan'an recommended.

Lin Yu nodded, her eyes curving with her smile, and ladled out some porridge with a large spoon.

Jiang Zao picked up a sandwich and took a bite, then glanced at Jiang Yan'an in disdain. "Why are you dipping your fried dough stick in soy sauce?"

Jiang Yan'an lifted his bowl and took a sip of porridge. "It's an old way of eating it."

Jiang Zao said, "How come I've never heard of it?"

"There's plenty you haven't heard of." Jiang Yan'an took several gulps of porridge and quickly finished the fried dough stick in his hand. Jiang Zao rolled her eyes and poured herself a glass of soy milk.

Seeing this, Jiang Yan'an said, "A sandwich with soy milk. Only you."

Jiang Zao looked up. "A fried dough stick dipped in soy sauce. Only you."

Lin Yu had served herself some porridge and was drinking it with her eyes lowered. She nearly laughed aloud when she heard them. The sweat on her palms had already evaporated. Just then, the chair beside her scraped back, and a tall figure sat down, bringing a familiar, faint fragrance with him. Lin Yu's hand paused on her spoon, and one side of her face grew warm.

When Jiang Yan'an saw Chen Lüli, he immediately asked, "Brother Lü, did you go to bed that early last night?"

Chen Lüli poured himself a cup of coffee and took a sip. "Pretty early," he said mildly. "I fell asleep as soon as I hit the bed."

Jiang Yan'an sighed. "No wonder you didn't reply to my messages. I wanted to chat with you all night."

Chen Lüli said, "I didn't have time to chat with you all night."

Jiang Yan'an protested.

Jiang Yingshan tapped at his phone and took a few bites of his sandwich. "Two grown men chatting all night. Do you think that sounds right?"

Jiang Zao burst out laughing.

Jiang Yan'an rolled his eyes. "Fair enough, but did you guys misunderstand? I only meant chatting on our phones."