"Are you angry?" She raised her hand, her fingertips lightly tracing his jawline. "So angry you don't want to talk to me?"

He remained motionless, his gaze fixed intently on her, as if trying to find some answer in her eyes.

Yu Jiuyuan suddenly smiled, leaned over, and gently pecked him on the lips.

He finally responded, raising his hand to hold the back of her neck and deepening the kiss.

The force was somewhat hasty, carrying a long-suppressed grievance and possessiveness, as if trying to make up for all the intimacy that had been lost in the past few days.

"Yu Jiuyuan," he said, his voice hoarse from the kiss, his forehead pressed against hers, "you can't keep doing this..."

"Hmm?" She deliberately drew out the word, her fingertips sliding through his hair, gently caressing it. "Can't I do anything?"

He stared at her, his eyes swirling with complex emotions—resentment, forbearance, and a hint of grievance he himself didn't even realize: "You can't... leave me aside."

Her heart softened.

This person, who seems to care about nothing, actually cares about her bias more than anyone else.

"I won't abandon you," she whispered in his ear, her voice low like a sigh, carrying a hint that only the two of them could understand, "Tonight... I'll make it up to you."

His body froze instantly, and his ears turned red at a visible speed.

Yu Jiuyuan straightened up, took his hand, and turned to walk towards the stairs.

The warmth of his palm reached my fingertips, accompanied by a slight tremor.

As she walked down the second-floor corridor, she noticed that Xie Zhecheng's door was ajar and the lights were off.

Yuan Xu and Lin Yanran's room was also quiet. They must have heard the commotion downstairs and wisely refrained from coming out to disturb them.

She already knew about what the group had been discussing behind her back that day.

Xie Zhecheng's perfectionism made him unable to accept this "sharing" situation, but he still chose to compromise in order to stay by her side.

Yuan Xu seemed to be immersed in her own world, but when she and Rong Shenghan were close, she would silently clench the test tube in her hand.

Lin Yanran's arrogance shattered, yet she would still ask the kitchen to prepare an extra dessert for her when she was too busy to eat.

They said they would let Rong Shenghan "become the big boss" and they would "be the small boss," just so that she wouldn't be monopolized by Rong Shenghan alone.

She neither pointed it out nor refused.

Just like now, no matter who she's with during the day or what she does, she always returns to this room at night, back to Rong Shenghan's side.

This was the title she bestowed upon him, a privilege unique to him.

Close the door to shut out all the disturbances of the outside world.

Rong Shenghan hugged her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder and breathing warmly on her neck.

"Are you tired?" he asked softly, gently kneading her shoulder with his fingertips, his voice filled with careful concern.

"A little." She turned around, wrapped her arms around his waist, and buried her face in his chest. "But seeing you makes me feel less tired."

These words, though only half true, precisely pleased him.

He tightened his arms, holding her even closer, as if he wanted to meld her into his very bones.

“Yu Jiuyuan,” he lowered his head and kissed the top of her head, “Don’t ignore me anymore.”

"Okay." She closed her eyes, her voice muffled, "I won't ignore you."

Moonlight streamed through the thin curtains, casting dappled shadows on the floor.

The breathing in the room gradually became heavy, clothes were scattered all over the floor, and a lingering, tender atmosphere filled the air.