60. Afternoon warmth

The morning light filtered through the gaps in the heavy curtains, casting a narrow strip of light on the carpet.

Chi Jin woke first. She found herself clinging to Chen Yisheng's arm like a koala, her head resting on his shoulder. He seemed still asleep, his breathing steady and long. Memories flooded back to her mind like a tide—the dazzling fireworks, that kiss as soft as snowflakes, and then back to the hotel...

The intimacy without any barriers made her addicted.

She quietly raised her head and gazed at his sleeping profile in the dim light. His usually cool eyes were now quietly closed, his eyelashes casting a faint shadow, his nose high, his lips... Chi Jin's face felt slightly hot, and she hastily looked away.

She couldn't watch any more. She had something on her mind, something she felt was the right thing to tell him.

Chen Yisheng had actually woken up when she moved, but he was enjoying the quietness of the early morning and the warmth of her embrace, so he didn't open his eyes. It wasn't until he felt Chi Jin's breathing become a little rapid, as if she was worried about something that he pretended to have just woken up, tightening his arms a little, and speaking in a hoarse voice, "What time is it?"

"It's still early." Chi Jin's voice was a little muffled.

He noticed something unusual in her tone and lowered his head to see her expression: "What's wrong? Didn't you sleep well?"

Chi Jin crawled out of his arms, sat up straight, and even subconsciously pulled the collar of his pajamas closer. His expression was rare and serious.

Chen Yisheng's heart skipped a beat for unknown reason, and he sat up as well.

The warm atmosphere in the early morning suddenly became a little tense.

He looked at her tense little face, and countless thoughts flashed through his mind—was she regretting it? Did she feel things were moving too fast? Or…did he do something wrong last night that left her dissatisfied? Even worse, a thought popped up: Was she going to say something like, "Last night was wonderful, but we still…" A breakup signal?

Chen Yisheng was frightened by his own wild thoughts. His Adam's apple rolled, his heart tightened slightly, and he nervously asked, "What happened?"

Chi Jin took a deep breath, placed his hands on his knees, clenched into small fists, as if he had made a great determination, and looked straight at him: "Chen Yisheng, I have something to tell you. Something... about my past."

Here it comes.

Chen Yisheng's heart nearly jumped into his throat, his face unconsciously turning pale. He spoke with difficulty, "You talk, I'm listening."

He even subconsciously prepared himself to hear any bad news, such as she didn't really like him that much, or...

"My dad." Chi Jin's voice was steady, but if you listened carefully, you could hear a slight tremor of suppressed effort. "He used to drive a bus."

Chen Yisheng was stunned for a moment. He didn't expect this to be the opening line. He nodded: "Yeah."

"In my senior year of high school, just before the college entrance exam," Chi Jin's speech slowed down, as if he carefully considered each word before speaking. "He was on the last bus that day and saw someone robbing him on the bus. He tried to stop them... and was stabbed. He couldn't be saved."

Chen Yisheng was completely stunned, his heart feeling like it was being gripped by an icy hand. He instantly understood the source of her momentary stiffness and strangeness when she mentioned her father and fireworks last night.

All the tension and speculation vanished, leaving only a surge of heartache. He subconsciously wanted to reach out and hug her, but Chi Jin gently blocked him.

She needed to finish it in one breath.

"My mom... couldn't handle the blow. She had a mental breakdown and was hospitalized for a long time. At that time, the sky suddenly fell on our family. It felt like I had to grow up overnight. I had to deal with Dad's funeral, take care of Mom, and study for the college entrance exams... The pressure was too much, and I didn't know how to relieve it." She paused, her voice lowering. "That's when I started drinking. At first, I only had a little to fall asleep at night, but later... I needed to drink more and more. It seemed that only when I was dizzy could I temporarily forget the pain and fear."

Chen Yisheng was so heartbroken that he couldn't imagine how the seventeen-year-old girl could go through all this alone.

"So." Chi Jin raised her head and tried to force a smile at him, but it was more heartbreaking than crying. "My drinking capacity wasn't innate, it was something I developed back then. Maybe... I can be considered a bit of an alcoholic. Although I don't drink much now, I know that my dependence on alcohol is stronger than that of ordinary people. I feel it's selfish to hide this, so I have to say, first, my mental state may not be very good, and second, I used to be addicted to alcohol."

Chen Yisheng hugged her.

She finally finished the most difficult part, feeling as if a heavy burden had been lifted from her shoulders. She breathed a sigh of relief, and her expression grew more serious, even carrying the solemnity of a promise. "Chen Yisheng, I'm not telling you this to sympathize with me or to think there's something wrong with me. I just think we should be honest with each other."

Chen Yisheng looked at the strength beneath her fragility in her slightly red eyes, and saw how she tried to maintain her composure and determination to get better after revealing her scars.

All his nervousness and anxiety turned into boiling emotions. He reached out his hand, and this time, he didn't let her refuse. Instead, he gently but firmly embraced her in his arms, so strong that he almost kneaded her into his bones and blood.

"Jinjin." His voice was hoarse, filled with genuine heartache. "Thank you for trusting me. Your father is a hero, and you are very brave too. But if you have any emotional fluctuations in the future, I hope you will think of me first."

Chi Jin's tense body finally softened completely in his warm and firm embrace. She closed her eyes and buried her face deep in his chest, feeling his strong heartbeat and reassuring breath.

The expected scrutiny, pity or questioning did not appear, only complete acceptance and understanding.

She nodded gently in his arms and said sullenly, "Yeah."

Chen Yisheng held her for a moment before loosening his grip a little. He looked down at her wet eyelashes and gently wiped away the tears that still lingered in the corners of her eyes with his fingers. He spoke in a deliberately casual tone, "So, this is the big news you're going to solemnly announce? You scared me... I thought Editor Chi was going to give me a notice of dismissal and not even give me the status of your secret lover, right?"

Chi Jin was amused by him and burst into laughter. He punched his chest embarrassedly and said, "Don't call me Editor Chi!"

The sunlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains, illuminating the entire room and dispelling the last bit of gloom. The two smiled at each other, and the air was no longer filled with apprehension, but with a warmth that deepened intimacy and stability after experiencing honesty and acceptance.

"It's still early." Chen Yisheng asked in a low voice, with a doting tone, "Do you want to sleep a little longer? You are the King of Hell's favorite little ghost."

Chi Jin found a more comfortable position in his arms, shook his head, nodded, and whispered, "The King of Hell's favorite ghost chooses to sleep for a while, and you can find the second favorite ghost to play with."

Chen Yisheng hadn't expected her to play word games with him. He couldn't help but chuckle, and he also threw back the quilt and crawled in. He stretched out his arms and pulled her into his arms without saying anything: "Okay, then the King of Hell himself will come and keep the little ghost company for a while longer."

"Okay. Good night." Chi Jin smiled with his lips pursed, his eyes curved into crescents.

"It's good morning." He corrected, his voice lazily and doting, as if he had just woken up.

"No! It's bad, it's bad!" Chi Jin seemed to be suddenly hit by something. He suddenly jumped up from his arms, his face full of annoyance, "We paid for that other room! But we didn't even stay there!"

Chen Yisheng was stunned at first, but then he was amused by her belated realization of the money-grubbery. He put his arms around her waist and laughed softly, his chest shaking.

"Is it very expensive?" Chi Jin shook his shoulders, anxious and distressed, "Stop laughing! How come you don't feel sorry for your money at all!"

"Alright, alright," Chen Yisheng said, his arms like crab claws. With a little effort, he pulled the grumbling young rich man back into his arms and held him tightly. "I'll follow your instructions. I'll be careful about this kind of extravagant behavior next time and reflect deeply on it."

Chi Jin sighed in his arms and muttered softly: "Alas, rich people are different. I have to be frugal with every penny."

"Be careful next time. I didn't expect you to..."

Chen Yisheng paused, and thought of the lingering moments last night, her face flushed. Fortunately, he was behind Chi Jin and she couldn't see him.

Almost at the same time, Chi Jin thought of the same thing, and her face flushed, the heat quickly spreading to her ears. Fortunately, her back was facing Chen Yisheng, so he couldn't see.

"Go to sleep." Chen Yisheng coughed lightly to cover up the momentary embarrassment. He tucked the quilt carefully for her and gently rubbed his chin against the top of her head. "Sleep a little longer, until you wake up naturally."

Chi Jin suddenly turned around, a sly glint in his eyes, and deliberately stretched out his hand to hook his neck, his voice soft and teasing: "You're so sleep-deprived? Are you... tired?"

Chen Yisheng's face turned even redder, but he still forced himself to remain calm. He smiled and pinched the tip of her nose: "You must respect the elderly and love the young. I am old and cannot compare to you young people who are full of energy."

Chi Jin pushed forward, leaning forward slightly, and whispered something very quietly and quickly into his ear. Chen Yisheng's ears turned red at a visible speed, and even his neck was stained with a thin layer of pink.

"Hahahahaha!" Chi Jin laughed loudly after his trick succeeded, "Does this count as teasing you?"

Chen Yisheng looked at her laughing heartily, feeling both amused and helpless. His eyes darkened, and he moved closer with a hint of warning: "Little devil, be careful not to play with fire and get burned."

"Oh, I was wrong, I was wrong!" Chi Jin admitted defeat instantly. She was still feeling tired. She quickly turned around and wrapped herself in the quilt like a silkworm cocoon. "Sleep! The world is big, but sleep is the most important thing! I'll eat delicious food after I wake up!"

It is the first morning of the new year.

It was also their first morning.