After finishing their meal, Gu Rongqi took the bowls to the kitchen, and Cheng Qicai watched as Gu Rongqi neatly placed the bowls into the dishwasher. Having nothing else to do, she washed a plate of cherries and went out.

As Gu Liji watched the two busy people, a sense of loneliness welled up in his heart, and he suddenly felt an urge to fall in love.

How come everyone else has a beautiful love story but he doesn't? That's not right.

He was trying to figure out which part of the process had gone wrong.

Seeing Gu Liji's sudden sadness at a 45-degree angle, she pushed the cherries towards him, "Brother Gu, have some cherries."

Gu Liji ate a few.

When Gu Rongqi came out and saw Gu Liji, he frowned and asked, "Is there anything else?"

"No...that's all." Receiving Gu Rongqi's hint, he stood up and said he was going back.

Sigh, people these days, brothers turn against each other, human nature has changed, people forget friends for the sake of beauty, there's no point in him staying here!

As soon as Gu Liji left, Gu Rongqi sat down next to Cheng Qicai and put his arm around her.

Noticing his low spirits, Cheng Qicai, while eating cherries, suddenly had a flash of inspiration and realized what was going on.

She looked up at Gu Rongqi with a smile, "Are you jealous?"

Gu Rongqi glanced at her but did not deny it.

Cheng Qicai, as if she had discovered a new continent, asked incredulously, "You're actually jealous of me and Brother Gu?"

Gu Rongqi lowered his head and pressed his forehead against hers, asking calmly, "Is there something wrong with that?"

Seeing Gu Rongqi's handsome face suddenly approaching, Cheng Qicai took a step back, but Gu Rongqi's large hand restrained her, so she could only retreat a limited distance.

"Gu Ge and I are just friends! Besides, he's your younger brother..."

“But you treat him much more naturally than you treat me.” Gu Rongqi tightened his grip on her waist.

Cheng Qicai inexplicably sensed a hint of settling scores in his tone.

"..." Cheng Qicai was silent for a while before explaining, "But I'm only open and honest with friends when I don't have feelings for them. I'm hesitant because I like you!"

"..." Gu Rongqi was silent for a moment, then asked in a hoarse voice, "What did you say?"

That shouldn't be the case. We're so close, how could we not hear what she was saying?

Cheng Qicai looked at Gu Rongqi strangely and found that the tips of his ears were red, he looked innocent, and the hand holding her waist was hot.

She exclaimed inwardly, "Holy crap! This shy and affectionate look is strangely captivating."

Cheng Qicai moved a little closer to him and repeated, drawing out the last syllable, "I said... I like you!"

The next second, Gu Rongqi's face came closer.

But Cheng Qicai cupped his face in her hands and laughed, "Haha, Gu Rongqi, you look so cute when you blush!"

Gu Rongqi watched her laugh, his Adam's apple bobbing.

"Seven Colors, you really should get a new name."

Cheng Qicai was incredibly excited at this moment, "Then what do you want me to call you, Rong Qi, Qi Qi... Hey, I just realized that the character 'Qi' in your name sounds a bit like the character 'Qi' in mine. Calling you Qi Qi always feels like calling myself..."

Cheng Qicai rambled on, "How about calling him boyfriend? But I can't say that in front of other people..."

Before she could finish speaking, Gu Rongqi picked her up, turned her around, and put her on his lap.

Feeling Gu Rongqi's firm thigh muscles beneath her, she looked at him somewhat embarrassed.

Her long, flowing hair swept across Gu Rongqi's face and neck. Gu Rongqi's first reaction was not itchiness, but a thirst emanating from within his body.

The top-to-bottom arrangement allowed Cheng Qicai to see Gu Rongqi's emotions more directly. Looking into his deep, still eyes, Cheng Qicai felt a sudden unease.

She cupped his face in her hands again, feeling the heat beneath her skin. She stammered, "I think we can talk properly, not in such an... uh... ambiguous way. Creating a harmonious society starts with you and me."

She spoke her last sentence with force and conviction, yet it also carried a sense of bluffing.

Gu Rongqi's voice was low and hoarse, "Hmm, I won't say anything."

The next second, the hand that was holding her moved to the back of her head, pressing her against himself in an irresistible manner.

This kiss felt more intense than any she had ever experienced before. She felt like she hadn't even had time to breathe before her mouth was blocked.

It felt like someone was holding her head down and submerging her in water. Just as she was about to suffocate, someone pulled her up to take a couple of breaths, and then pressed her down again. That feeling of suffocation terrified her.

But the hand around her waist, like a snake coiling around its prey, tightened continuously, contracting faster the more she struggled.

Retreating was impossible, and advancing would only send the enemy to their aid; Cheng Qicai was so distressed she wanted to cry.

Physiological tears slid down the corners of my eyes.

The next second, Gu Rongqi wiped away the tear with his fingertip.

Cheng Qicai was finally able to catch her breath. She leaned on Gu Rongqi's shoulder, panting, "You...you're so annoying..."

"Mmm." Gu Rongqi chuckled softly, gently kissing the strands of hair on her cheek, and said tenderly, "Qicai, I'm a normal man too, and I like you very much."

So this is the consequence of my own sharp tongue and teasing him? Cheng Qicai wept silently in her heart.

She promised herself she would never flirt with him again. Her tongue was now both sore and numb.

Looks like I'm not far from getting sausage lips...

After regaining some strength, Cheng Qicai angrily shook off Gu Rongqi's hand on her waist and got off his lap.

She decided that she was going back now, to get away from this person who kept talking about family.

Seeing Cheng Qicai's sullen face, he knew he had angered her this time, so when she suggested going back, he didn't say anything more.