Chapter 117 Fruit Hard Candy

After learning that Jiang Chuan had successfully reunited with his family and that his grandmother's condition had been effectively treated, Lin Yu finally felt much relieved.

Aside from exchanging phone calls with people in Changsha every day, I spend the rest of my time reviewing for the registration exam.

She unusually developed a routine of going to bed early and waking up early. After washing her face with cold water, she began to bury herself in studying past years' training materials and exam questions.

When encountering difficult knowledge points, I no longer try to struggle with them like before. Instead, I join several study support groups and try to solve the current problems in a more efficient way.

She would occasionally think about Chen Guang's suggestion to return to Linjiang to take the postgraduate entrance exam, but she was always held back by some inexplicable emotion. Was it nostalgia for the city where she had lived for so many years, or something else entirely?

She knew perfectly well what was going on, but she needed time to sort things out.

During this time, Lin Jianguo called her to inquire about her situation during her quarantine.

The two hadn't been in much contact since New Year's Eve. She didn't mention Lin Min to him, only saying that the epidemic situation in Shanghai was relatively stable at the moment, and that he shouldn't worry too much.

Lin Jianguo paused on the other end of the phone. "How's your exam preparation going?"

"It's alright."

Lin Yu was surprised that her father had started to take the initiative to care about her life and studies. She didn't even remember mentioning to him that she wanted to take the certification exam. "Some of the knowledge points are quite obscure."

“I just bought two reference books too. I’ll flip through them when I’m at home. If there’s anything you don’t understand, send it to me on WeChat later.”

Lin Yu then realized that her father seemed to be taking the initiative to mend their relationship. A long-lost warmth welled up in her heart, like a collapsed house being repaired little by little. "Oh, okay, I'll tidy it up later."

Just as she was about to hang up the phone, Lin Jianguo suddenly called her name. "Banban..."

He paused for a moment, seemingly finding it difficult to speak. "Dad... hasn't gone drinking for quite some time."

"Um."

A warm feeling welled up in Lin Yu's eyes, and after a long while, he replied, "Dad, I have some new ideas at work, and I might... I might need your advice?"

A long-lost impulse suddenly welled up in her heart. Perhaps, in some unintentional moment, the expectation of reconnecting with her father had already quietly taken root in her heart.

After lunch that day, Zhang Hengyuan suddenly contacted him.

He was Jiang Chuan's friend, but the two had only met a few times and their WeChat conversations were limited to polite greetings. Lin Yu was somewhat surprised that he was suddenly calling him.

The voice on the other end of the phone was somewhat polite, saying that his uncle had a side job he wanted to outsource and asked if it would be convenient to send her WeChat contact information.

Holding his phone, Lin Yu recalled that when he was in Japan, he had indeed mentioned that his uncle held an important position in a state-owned design institute and that there was an opportunity to collaborate.

At the time, he thought it was just polite talk, but he never expected that during this period after losing his job, the man would actually come to his aid in his time of need. Lin Yu quickly thanked him over the phone, saying that he was available anytime.

On the other end of the phone, Zhang Hengyuan chuckled and agreed, then casually mentioned, "Miss Lin, my junior brother has really fallen for you this time. You two must have a long and happy marriage."

This deliberate teasing made Lin Yu think twice, and he already had a premonition. "Senior brother, did he ask you to introduce me to someone?"

"Ouch, look at my mouth!" Zhang Hengyuan feigned annoyance, his tone full of glee. "Don't mention it in front of him, or he'll turn on me again. That kid's a real handful..."

After hanging up the phone, a WeChat notification sound rang out. Lin Yu accepted the friend request, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then began discussing project details with Zhang Hengyuan's uncle.

As the conversation deepened, she discovered that the project was substantial in scale, offered generous compensation, and had surprisingly easy workload—it seemed tailor-made for her.

Recalling Zhang Hengyuan's meaningful hint, Lin Yu's thoughts were in turmoil.

Lost in thought, a knock on the door interrupted her. She got up and opened the door, and saw Chen Guang standing outside, carrying a lunchbox and half a watermelon.

After two days apart, his shaved scalp was already sprouting bluish-gray stubble, which was no longer so conspicuous in natural light. Lin Yu couldn't help but secretly admire his vigorous vitality.

"What, have I gotten even more handsome in just a few days? Are you so mesmerized by me?" Chen Guang shook the plastic bag in his hand, a mischievous smile in his eyes.

"I'm not without hands and feet, you don't need to come here every now and then." Lin Yu stepped aside to let him in, without responding to his teasing.

Chen Guang placed the food on the table, and Lin Yu took the watermelon, put it in the sink, and cut it in half.

He laughed when he saw this. "After all these years, your laziness hasn't changed at all." He then took out a piece of hard candy from his pocket and handed it to him.

Lin Yu looked up following Chen Guang's slender fingers as he twirled the candy. He saw Chen Guang standing behind him, backlit, his face obscured in shadow.

The kitchen was already cramped, yet he insisted on squeezing in by the sink, his warm breath brushing against her ear. This made her feel slightly uncomfortable, and she unconsciously took a half step to the side. "I don't have any hands to take it, you eat it yourself."

Chen Guang ignored her refusal, instead leaning against the edge of the sink, slowly unwrapping the candy, holding it with two fingers, and directly offering it to her lips.

Lin Yu instinctively dodged backward, his body bumping into the cold kitchen counter. But then he suddenly leaned forward, gently pushing the candy into his own mouth with his fingertips.

Chen Guang curled his lips into a triumphant smile, his fingers lightly brushing against her lower lip, the sweet and sour taste of orange candy spreading between her teeth in an instant.

Lin Yu paused slightly, then looked up at Chen Guang beside him. Today, Chen Guang's eyes seemed unusually deep, and he exuded an aggression unlike any other.

"Don't stand here, you're in the way!"

Instead of backing away, Chen Guang took advantage of the situation and braced himself on the countertop with both hands, trapping her between the sink and himself.

His movements were somewhat forceful, yet maintained a perfect distance. The hem of his shirt gently brushed against Lin Yu's nape as he leaned forward, causing a slight tickle.

Caught off guard, Lin Yu's hands were covered in watermelon juice. He had no choice but to turn around with his elbows raised, his forehead inadvertently brushing against Chen Guang's chin.

Before she could even speak, he preemptively asked, "What are you doing?" He lowered his head slightly, his tone innocent, but a mischievous smile lurked in his eyes.

Lin Yu was furious. She looked up at him, elbowing him against his chest, trying to create an excessively intimate distance. "That's what I should be asking you," she said, her voice tinged with annoyance, though her earlobes turned uncontrollably red.

Chen Guang remained calm and composed, instead leaning closer until his nose almost touched hers. His gaze lingered on her slightly puffed-out cheeks, which were still full of candy.

Only when Lin Yu felt uneasy did he softly ask, "Is it delicious?"

Lin Yu nodded subconsciously, then asked in return, "You don't know about your own candy?"

Chen Guang simply shook his head slightly, a harmless smile playing on his lips. "I don't know, because it's in your mouth."

Before he could finish speaking, his lips were already pressed down.

This was their first kiss. Her naturally upturned lips, even without expression, carried a hint of a smile, which had captivated Lin Yu countless times in class, now truly pressed against his lips.

His lips were softer than I had imagined, with a faint scent of tobacco and a cool mint flavor, yet they gradually grew hot as I moved them around.

His kiss was very light, as if he were testing her, or perhaps tracing her lips. His tongue lightly brushed against her slightly protruding cupid's bow, causing Lin Yu to tremble unconsciously.

Between breaths, she caught the scent of laundry detergent on him, mixed with his slightly dry heat. Her heart pounded in her ears, and she couldn't tell if it was his or her own.

Lin Yu leaned back abruptly, trying to break free by pressing his elbow against his chest, but he was pulled into his arms by the way.

She pressed her lips together, offering only weak resistance, but Chen Guang calmly took her lower lip in his mouth and gently nibbled at it. The sharp tip of his canine tooth brushed against her tender lips, the stinging pain causing her lips to involuntarily part slightly.

He immediately seized the opportunity, his tongue sweeping across her sensitive palate, snatching the half-melted candy, and putting it into his own mouth.

The sweet and sour taste mingled between their lips and teeth. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed the sweetness mixed with their breath.

Lin Yu's cheeks flushed red with anger, feeling dizzy from the candy-scented kiss. Her fingers unconsciously tightened, leaving two bright red marks on his white T-shirt from her fingertips, which were covered in watermelon juice.

She was firmly trapped in front of the sink by Chen Guang, her lower back pressed against the cold countertop, with nowhere to retreat. She could only gasp for breath, a few muffled sobs escaping her throat.

Enraged, she suddenly bit down hard on the tip of his tongue as it probed in. The taste of blood instantly filled their mouths, mingling with the lingering sweetness of orange candy.

Chen Guang let out a muffled groan, briefly interrupting the kiss, but he didn't pull away. His lips still brushed against Lin Yu's lips almost imperceptibly, his voice low and husky, carrying a hint of danger.

"...Who taught you that?"

"You bit me first. Are you a dog, Chen Guang?"

"Have you forgotten? Back in college, I was always your watchdog?" Chen Guang gently stroked her chin with his thumb, deliberately bringing up the past.

"Then I want you to get out of here..." Lin Yu's voice trembled with anger.

"Where are you going?" Chen Guang's breath came in ragged gasps, spraying onto Lin Yu's neck. "I just want to stay by your side."

She turned her face away and said, word by word, "Anyone could, but it won't be you..."

Lin Yu's body stiffened, like a string stretched to its limit, as Chen Guang's hoarse, almost humble whisper reached her ears. "You can treat me as him, or anyone else..." he said, raising his hand to cover her eyes.

These words not only shocked her, but even Chen Guang himself seemed to be stunned for a moment. In Lin Yu's memory, he had never been so humble before.

She could clearly feel something pressing against her, and its burning heat indicated that he wanted far more than just a kiss.

At this moment, Chen Guang was in a sorry state, as if he might kneel down and beg for her forgiveness at any moment. This should have made her feel happy, because she had finally made him taste the same pain.

But Lin Yu's heart was cold and undisturbed. Even the pleasure of revenge seemed to have been replaced by anger. At this moment, she finally realized that they could never go back to the way things were before.