We are not friends

When Meng Yihe met his gaze, he naturally understood the meaning behind Cui Yu's words. He remained silent for a few seconds, then nodded and whispered, "Mm," as if to say, "Yes."

Cui Yu's smile brightened even more: "Then I'll pick you up tomorrow afternoon?"

"good."

On Saturday morning, Meng Yihe overslept for once after a long period of sleep following his busy schedule. He was woken up by his phone ringing. He groggily reached for his phone and saw the name "Cui Yu" flashing on the screen.

Meng Yihe rubbed her eyes, still heavy with sleep, and answered the phone: "...Hello?"

Cui Yu's clear, smiling voice came from the other end of the phone, sounding full of energy.

"Still not awake? You lazybones, it's time to get up. We're going to your aunt's house for dinner later."

The affectionate "little lazybones" instantly banished half of Meng Yihe's sleepiness. His ears burned slightly, and he cleared his throat somewhat awkwardly, trying to make his voice sound more awake: "...What time is it?"

"It's almost twelve o'clock." Cui Yu's voice was tinged with laughter. "Get up, wash up, and have something to eat. I'll pick you up around 3:30 in the afternoon. There's plenty of time, no need to rush."

“…Mm.” Meng Yihe responded softly, “I understand.”

After hanging up the phone, Meng Yihe lay on the bed in a daze for a few seconds. He took a deep breath, got out of bed, and went into the bathroom. The hot water washed over him, washing away the remaining sleepiness and gradually clearing his mind.

Just after 3:30, Cui Yu's car stopped right in front of Meng Yihe's apartment building.

Seeing Meng Yihe get out of the car, Cui Yu naturally got out and opened the passenger door for him. Her gaze lingered on him for a moment, and undisguised admiration flashed in her eyes. She chuckled softly, "You look great in this outfit today."

Meng Yihe's ears burned with embarrassment. Without replying, she quickly got into the car.

Upon arriving at the Meng family villa, Ye Chunhan personally came out to greet them, his face beaming with a warm smile.

Seeing the two of them get out of the same car, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes. She smiled and said to Cui Yu, "Oh my, Director Cui even went out of his way to pick up Xiao He? Your friendship is getting better and better! That's wonderful!"

She clearly attributed their shared arrival to the deepening of their friendship, her tone filled with relief.

Cui Yu replied with a smile, "It's just on the way, Auntie, you're too kind."

The atmosphere at dinner was as lively as ever.

Ye Chunhan personally cooked a lavish feast. She showered Cui Yu with concern and affection, her words overflowing with love and praise. Cui Yu responded with ease, winning her heart. Although Meng Ling didn't say much, her gaze towards Cui Yu clearly showed approval and satisfaction.

After dinner, the four of them moved to the living room to drink tea and chat.

Ye Chunhan brought up the Bincheng project again, praising the two for their seamless cooperation and being rare confidants and friends. Finally, she said to Meng Yihe with emotion, "Xiaohe, you should learn more from Director Cui in the future, be more lively, and make more friends like this so that your mother can rest assured!"

Meng Yihe suddenly put down her teacup, making a crisp sound.

The living room fell silent instantly, and everyone's eyes were on him.

Meng Yihe raised his head and looked at his parents. His voice was not loud, but it echoed clearly in the quiet living room: "Dad, Mom, Cui Yu... he is not my friend."

These words were spoken.

Ye Chunhan's smile froze instantly, and Meng Ling also put down his newspaper, looking at his son with a puzzled expression.

Under the astonished gazes of his parents, Meng Yihe did something that left everyone speechless. He suddenly turned to the side, reached out, and gently cupped Cui Yu's face beside him.

Then, under the shocked gaze of his parents, he kissed Cui Yu's cheek.

Time stood still at that moment.

Ye Chunhan and Meng Ling were completely stunned on the spot, their eyes wide open, their faces filled with disbelief, as if they had witnessed something that could never have happened.

Cui Yu was completely stunned.

He could clearly feel the warm touch of those soft lips on his cheek. This extremely bold kiss was completely beyond his expectations, causing even his usually composed mind to go blank for a moment.

After doing all this, Meng Yihe quickly let go of his hand, her cheeks flushed red and her breathing became rapid.

He didn't dare to look at his parents' reactions, nor did he dare to look at Cui Yu; he simply kept his head slightly lowered.

The shock on Meng's parents' faces was like a frozen image. Meng Yihe's sudden kiss and her declaration that they were "not friends" completely overturned their understanding.

Just as this deathly silence was about to spread, Cui Yu was the first to react.

The look of surprise on his face quickly faded, and he turned his gaze to Mencius's parents, who were still in shock. He leaned forward slightly, his posture respectful yet neither humble nor arrogant.

“Uncle, Aunt,” Cui Yu broke the suffocating silence.

"I'm sorry to let you two know this way. Yihe is right, we... are indeed not just ordinary friends."

He paused, met the two elders' surprised and uncertain gazes, and continued frankly, "There is one more thing, which I have never told you two before: I am not an Alpha, my true gender is Enigma."

"Enigma," Ye Chunhan repeated subconsciously, his shock deepening, but even more so, his disbelief. Meng Ling's brows furrowed tightly, as if he were judging the truth of the statement and its underlying meaning.

“Yes, Enigma.” Cui Yu nodded firmly, his tone sincere.

“I know this is rare and hard to accept immediately, but I am serious about Izuru. It is not a whim or for any other purpose.”

His gaze shifted to Meng Yihe, who was still looking down beside him, and his eyes instantly softened and hardened.

“I cherish him very much and will do my best to protect him and prevent him from getting hurt.”

He looked at Meng Ling and Ye Chunhan again.

"Please rest assured, both of you. I have absolute confidence and ability to take good care of Yihe and give him a stable and happy future, both emotionally and in terms of competence."

Ye Chunhan stared blankly at Cui Yu, then looked at her son beside her, whose ears were red and who remained silent. The shock on her face slowly subsided.

She processed this massive amount of information for a moment, then finally opened her mouth and asked the most direct question: "Enigma?...So, you two...can be together?"

Her focus didn't seem to be on the shocking nature of gender itself, but rather on whether it meant being "allowed".

Her personal recognition and affection for Cui Yu mitigated the shock of this astonishing truth to some extent.

Hearing Ye Chunhan's question, Cui Yu breathed a slight sigh of relief. He nodded solemnly, giving the clearest answer: "Yes, Auntie. There are no problems, either physiologically or emotionally. I'm just... a little special."

Ye Chunhan's eyes swept back and forth between Cui Yu and his son a few times, and finally, that familiar smile, tinged with helplessness yet relieved, returned to his face.

"Oh dear... this is really..." She shook her head, feeling both amused and exasperated.

"I was wondering... I always felt that you two were a little too close... So that's why..." Ye Chunhan seemed to automatically find a reasonable explanation for all the previous interactions between the two.

“Old Meng, look at this…” She nudged her husband, who had been silent the whole time, with her elbow.

Meng Ling snapped out of his shock. He glanced at Cui Yu—the young man he had always admired—and then at his own son, who had committed such a shocking act. Finally, he simply snorted heavily, picked up the newspaper again, covered his face, and tossed out, "You young people should handle your own affairs!"

This is almost tantamount to tacit approval.

Cui Yu felt a great weight lifted from his heart. He quietly reached out and gently grasped Meng Yihe's somewhat cold fingers under the table.

Meng Yihe did not break free.

The car drove smoothly away from the Meng family villa, the interior quiet, a stark contrast to the dramatic scene that had just unfolded in the Meng family's living room.

Meng Yihe leaned back in the passenger seat, her face turned towards the window.

Thinking back on his impulsive actions in front of his parents, he still felt waves of shame, but at the same time, he also felt a sense of relief, as if a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

Finally... I said it.

Cui Yu focused on driving, but out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the person next to him who was trying to appear calm but was actually extremely embarrassed.

Stopping at a red light, Cui Yu turned around, leisurely observing Meng Yihe's reddened ears, and deliberately drawled out his words, "I didn't expect this, Director Meng..."

Meng Yihe stiffened for a moment, but he still kept his neck stiff and looked out the window, without turning around or saying a word, pretending not to hear.

Cui Yu chuckled and continued teasing, "You usually seem so cold, but at a crucial moment... you're so bold?"

Cui Yu's tone was even more playful.

"They just kissed me right away? Huh? They didn't even tell me beforehand? I wasn't prepared at all."

Meng Yihe suddenly turned her head and glared at Cui Yu, her cheeks flushed and her eyes filled with shame and anger.

"Shut up!"

That look really wasn't very dangerous.

"What? You dare to do it but don't dare let people talk about it?" Cui Yu raised an eyebrow, his smile growing even more smug. The light turned green, and he started the car while continuing to tease him.

"However... I like it very much."

He lowered his voice, revealing undisguised pleasure in the last four words.

Meng Yihe was speechless at his blunt words, her face burning even hotter. She could only turn her head to look out the window again, her heart pounding wildly because of the words "I like it very much".

The car quickly arrived at Meng Yihe's apartment building.

"We're here." Cui Yu stopped the car and turned to look at him.

"Hmm." Meng Yihe responded softly, reaching for her seatbelt in a hurried manner, as if eager to escape this embarrassingly confined space.

With a "click," the seatbelt buckle came undone.

Just as he was about to push open the door and get out of the car, Cui Yu suddenly leaned over without warning, and a warm and strong hand quickly and gently grabbed the back of his head, stopping him from getting out of the car.

Meng Yihe turned her head in astonishment, and before she could react, Cui Yu's face was already looming large in front of her.

The next second, a kiss landed on his lips.

Unlike the tender, tentative kiss in the private room in Bincheng last time, this kiss was filled with obvious heat and long-suppressed affection. It came suddenly and fiercely, like a storm, instantly overwhelming all of Meng Yihe's senses.

Cui Yu's lips pressed tightly against his, lingering and caressing, as if trying to devour him completely.

Meng Yihe was completely stunned, her mind went blank.

His eyes widened in shock, and he could only feel the domineering yet gentle touch on his lips. He was enveloped in strong cedar pheromones, which had an aggressive quality that made his legs weak.

The kiss was short, but extremely profound.

A few seconds later, Cui Yu slowly stepped back a little, but the hand on the back of his head did not loosen.

Their foreheads touched, their breaths mingling, both of them a little rapid.

In the dim light of the carriage, Cui Yu's eyes churned with an intense, overwhelming emotion and satisfaction. Looking at Meng Yihe, whose eyes were glazed over from the kiss, his Adam's apple bobbed, and he whispered in a hoarse, sensual voice:

"This is what a kiss should be."

Goodnight, Yihe.

After saying that, Cui Yu let go of her hand, sat back in the driver's seat, and looked at Meng Yihe, who was completely petrified.

Meng Yihe seemed to have been ripped from his wits, staring blankly at Cui Yu for several seconds before suddenly snapping back to reality. His cheeks flushed crimson, even his neck turning pink. He hurriedly pushed open the car door, practically stumbling out, and without looking back, strode quickly toward the apartment building's lobby.

Watching his retreating figure, Cui Yu finally couldn't help but chuckle softly.

He then started the vehicle and drove away.

Meng Yihe rushed into the elevator as if fleeing for her life, leaning against the cold elevator wall.

His reflection in the elevator mirror showed his current appearance: his hair was slightly disheveled, his cheeks were flushed, his lips were moist and slightly swollen, and his eyes were panicked and lost. There was no trace of his usual calm and self-control.

"asshole……"

Meng Yihe cursed under her breath, but her voice lacked conviction.

He opened the apartment door, closed it behind him, and slid down to sit on the floor with his back against the door.

In the darkness, only his rapid breathing and the pounding of his heart could be heard. He raised his hand, his fingertips lightly touching his slightly swollen lips, the touch causing his heart to clench again.

As expected, Meng Yihe couldn't sleep that night.

I tossed and turned for a long time before finally drifting off to sleep in a state of extreme mental exhaustion.

The next day was Sunday.

Meng Yihe slept until the sun was high in the sky before waking up, feeling a little dizzy.

There were several unread messages on my phone. The earliest one was from Cui Yu, and the timeline showed it was sent shortly after he went upstairs last night: "[Home, goodnight, sweet dreams. (smiley face.jpg)]"

There was another message sent this morning: "Are you awake? Does your head still hurt? Remember to eat breakfast."