Chapter 62 Numb.62 Moist, thin lips parted slightly…

Xu Wu didn't move. But when his face touched the other's cheek, his thick, long eyelashes gently brushed against her skin, causing a slight tickle.

The whistling wind in her ears was gradually replaced by Jie Ying's hot, spraying breath, which dampened that small patch of skin, making her feel the temperature rising and turning it red. Xu Wu's eyelashes trembled, and her heart was pounding uncontrollably in her chest, unsure whether it was bittersweet or pleasurable. She lowered her eyes and gently wrapped her arms around the waist of the person in front of her.

The moment the gentle touch landed on his lips, Xu Wu's hand trembled involuntarily. In the instant her strength suddenly loosened, she subconsciously grabbed his clothes at the waist and clenched them tightly in her hand.

The cold wind whipped at the exposed skin, but the breaths we shared were warm, and even the cheeks that were affected by the wind felt warm.

It was an extremely restrained, light kiss, like a dragonfly skimming the water. Xu Wu's eyes were half-closed, and within her limited field of vision, she could only see the lower half of Jie Ying's face.

His moist, thin lips were slightly parted, and you could vaguely see his teeth between them.

Neither of them made any more intense moves; they simply kissed.

When Jie Ying leaned in, his thin lips were pursed. He didn't press hard when he touched Xu Wu's lips. After tentatively kissing the cupid's bow, he moved forward slightly to complete the kiss.

Although it wasn't a matter of breaking up immediately, he was conscious of lingering even while enduring it.

Feeling the warmth and breath from the other person on her lips, Xu Wu lowered her eyes. The grievances and bitterness she had swallowed back earlier seemed to be making a comeback. Sobbing almost immediately rose up and blocked her throat. Her breaths became heavier and heavier. She took several deep breaths, but it still wasn't enough.

For five whole years, he made up for it with a kiss.

But time cannot make up for it.

All the self-mockery and helplessness she felt when she unexpectedly saw Jie Ying enter another woman's house in front of her, the jealousy she felt when he brought his best friend's sister to tonight's wrap party, and all the unease she had felt over the past five years—all melted away in this embrace and kiss.

She had been deceiving herself, as if as long as she was associated with the same aura as Jieying, he would still hold her while she slept.

But when the other person actually stood in front of her, she smelled the scent that Feng Qing had brought over and realized the difference between the fake and the real thing.

Xu Wu's eyes stung, and just as tears were about to fall, she turned her head away from the kiss. Then, ignoring Jie Ying's stunned expression, she raised her hand to wrap around his neck, pressed her face against the crook of his neck, and hugged him tightly.

The overwhelming sea salt permeated everything, and Xu Wu felt as if she were about to drown in this smell. Her entire being, from her clothes and hair to her blood and reproductive cells, was branded by it.

This breath mingled with the air she inhaled, spreading throughout her body via her lungs and meridians, and then she exhaled, exchanging breaths that blended with Jie Ying's.

Xu Wu felt a large, soothing hand gently patting her back, and a slightly hoarse, deep voice whispered in her ear, "I'm sorry, I just..."

Jie Ying apologized and reflected. He was a little afraid that his actions were out of line, but in that situation, his actions were completely out of his control and were involuntary.

He was somewhat uneasy, not wanting to see Xu Wu's soft lips open and emit a chilling sneer and disdain.

These chaotic thoughts made Jieying extremely flustered, but the hand that was unconsciously patting her back did not stop.

"Jieying," Xu Wu mumbled, burying her face in his clothes.

"Hmm," he responded softly.

"..." Xu Wu half-opened his eyes, his dark pupils churning with countless obscure emotions.

She opened her mouth, wanting to viciously accuse Jie Ying as before, picking on faults that weren't his, but no words came out without her thinking.

Her heart was still pounding; she remained filled with fear and anxiety.

They wanted to do the same things as in the past to prove that the five years they had lost were no different.

Xu Wu thought she must be resentful; she really hated people who broke their promises.

She once thought she would never forgive this person.

How could he barge into her life, make a mess of her life, and then leave without a word?

But Xu Wu couldn't explain why she was so fond of winter, or why she looked forward to New Year's Eve every year.

When she came to her senses, she held her breath and thought defiantly, why did she have to be the one trapped in the vortex of the past?

So during her university years, she occasionally attended a few club dinners. At first, things went smoothly, but when the other party tried to add her contact information or made suggestive physical contact, Xu Wu would turn away in disgust, wishing she could wash her hands hundreds of times.

She gradually stopped participating until she met a junior who came to her for advice on a performance issue, and she was momentarily stunned.

The person in front of me looks somewhat like Jie Ying, especially in his eyebrows and eyes.

But unlike Xie Ying, he loves to laugh, which is the opposite of Xie Ying.

Seeing her stunned expression, even her friends jokingly asked her if she had a crush on him.

Xu Wu didn't speak, but shook his head.

She thought of Jieying again.

I can't forget that shadow.

Xu Wu knew she was bothered by his sudden departure, and she should have blamed him, but she couldn't judge Jie Ying's family situation, which made her five years of struggle seem insignificant.

She couldn't blame herself, nor could she directly blame Jie Ying anymore.

That flimsy excuse was completely exposed.

After much hesitation and back and forth, she called his name, but in the end, she could only swallow her words and say, "...It's nothing."

Even after they parted, Xu Wu still felt the heat on her face. She glanced at Jie Ying and noticed that the tips of his ears had been flushed red, almost to the point of bleeding.

Seeing this, her mood improved slightly, and she felt somewhat comforted.

The next second, Jie Ying licked her lips.

This was a very unconscious action, perhaps because my lips were dry.

But Xu Wu paused, feeling the heat on her face intensify. This person's behavior was just like a cat's. Her kitten, after drinking water, also liked to stick out its pink tongue and lick its lips, only the tip of its tongue showing.

She pursed her lips and tasted the unique aroma of Jieying.

Xu Wu took a deep breath and, after calming down, asked in a seemingly composed manner, "Where are you going next?"

Her gaze drifted to the other person's prominent Adam's apple, but she didn't dare to meet his eyes.

“I live in the West Bay area,” he answered honestly.

Upon hearing this, Xu Wu took out her phone to check the time, but before she could react, raindrops began to fall on the screen, and a few more drops landed on her forehead.

"It's raining?" Xu Wu frowned. He hadn't been told that it would rain tonight before he left home.

She looked at Jieying and asked, "It's raining, are you still going back?"

Unraveling the mystery of the film.

Xu Wu then realized that her words were somewhat ambiguous, sounding as if she didn't want people to go home. She coughed lightly to make amends, saying, "I meant, do you want to wait until the rain subsides a bit before you leave? After all, Xiwang is quite far."

Xiwang is also in the city center, but it is located in the south and north of Xu Wu's neighborhood. It takes about 20 minutes to drive back from here.

Upon hearing this, Jie Ying looked up at the night sky and said softly, "It's just started raining, and it's not heavy yet."

Xu Wu: "......"

She gave a curt "oh" and decided to let him be.

The rain came quickly and fiercely, suddenly intensifying within just a few seconds of speaking. The sea salt and freesia mixed in the air disappeared completely under the rain, leaving only the earthy smell of rain pattering on the road.

The two hurriedly returned to the steps to take shelter from the rain. Xu Wu irritably wiped the rain off her face with the back of her hand, her hair, wet and sticky to her skin, making her a little frantic.

A short while later, she heard a soft laugh from beside her.

Xu Wu turned her head and glared at him: "What are you laughing at?"

Jie Ying wasn't much better off; his bangs were wet, and his smiling black eyes reminded Xu Wu of their cat at home.

Felines typically have round eyes, but Jie Ying's eyes are rather long and narrow. When he's not smiling, these eyes, hidden behind his bangs, look at people with a strange, eerie quality, exactly like a feline lurking in the shadows, poised to pounce on its prey. But when he smiles, some of that chill dissipates. His eyes, wet with rain, are glistening as the wind blows from his left, ruffling his hair and leaving his thin lips moist.

Xu Wu paused, the drizzle hitting her face making her feel a little cold, but her gaze seemed to be captivated by Jie Ying's mesmerizing eyes, lingering there, unwilling to let go.

Jie Ying raised her hand, her index finger slightly bent, to wipe the water from her face. Her gaze, however, fell on her lips, and she smiled, "I wasn't laughing at you. I was just saying that the rain is getting heavier and it's hard to go home."

His tone remained unchanged, as if he were simply stating a fact.

If his gaze hadn't been so obvious, Xu Wu might have genuinely thought he was lamenting that he couldn't go home.

Xu Wu remained silent for a moment.

"I didn't bring an umbrella, I don't know how long it will rain."

Jieying sighed softly incessantly.

"There might be traffic jams, and I'll have to wear my wet clothes for a long time."

"It's not certain whether we can get a taxi."

Xu Wu scoffed, his words were full of holes, and it was hard to believe he could say them in that tone.

Why put on such a pitiful look and look at people with those beautiful eyes?

The sound of rain grew louder and louder. The huge raindrops hit the ground with a crackling sound like hail, and the reflections in the puddles were also smashed into pieces.

Suddenly, a source of heat was close to Xu Wu. Before she could turn her head, she heard a voice coming from the other person's chest, the tone rather deep: "I'm afraid you'll get sick."

Her constitution, which makes her prone to getting sick and feverish after being caught in the rain, remained unchanged even after five years.

"..." Xu Wu couldn't help but say, "An excuse."

"Well, not exactly." Jie Ying smiled, speaking slowly. "So, will you take me in?"

Author's Note: I've been busy with other things and a bit overwhelmed [pity]. Besides being busy, the data for this book didn't meet my expectations, which is a little disappointing. However, the outline was finalized last year, so I'll stick to it and finish it. There won't be any rushed endings, since I really like the characters [crying].