Chapter 23 "Want to sleep together?"...
After registering at the entrance, the taxi slowly drove into the villa area. Zhou Yiyang, sitting in the passenger seat, could see the brightly lit Sheng family villa from afar.
On a late autumn night, the bushes surrounding the villa soared into the clouds, and a cold night wind howled through them. The courtyard was filled with the fragrance of clothes and the air was thick with the mixed scents of champagne and perfume.
Several young people, dressed in formal attire, accompanied their parents to the banquet. They stood in the courtyard, imitating their elders, holding wine glasses and chatting happily.
Zhou Yiyang stared intently at the group of young people and said coldly, "That bastard Lin Yao still dares to come."
Jin Ming spat and said, "Go down and deal with him?"
Sheng Yu glanced at him, her aloof gaze unchanged.
Jin Ming sat down sullenly.
The taxi stopped right next to the gate. With a click of the door, Lin Yao and the others turned around and saw Sheng Yu. Their eyelids twitched.
Sheng Yu's gaze swept over him without lingering for even a second, her expression so indifferent it was as if she were looking at roadside trash.
Lin Yao frowned, put down his wine glass, picked up a new one from the table, and greeted Sheng Yu with a smile, "Brother Yu, congratulations! President Sheng's long-cherished wish has come true, and he has finally married a wife who is his equal."
He was humble and bowed to offer her a glass of wine, but his words completely touched on Sheng Yu's sensitive spots.
"Lin Yao! You're deliberately picking a fight, aren't you?!" Jin Ming slammed the car door shut, pointed at Lin Yao's nose, and cursed, "You're the kind of person who can't say anything nice!!"
The guests in the courtyard all turned their heads, covering their mouths and noses as if they wanted to whisper among themselves, but they swallowed their gossip because Sheng Yu was present.
Zhou Yiyang reached out his arm to stop Jin Ming, shook his head, and signaled him not to act impulsively.
Jin Ming snorted and glared angrily at Lin Yao, then remained silent.
Sheng Yu seemed completely unconcerned about what Lin Yao had just said. He walked up to him with his hands in his pockets, glanced down at him, and said, word by word, "You've been too eager to please the wrong person. You should have said that to Sheng Hong."
Lin Yao smiled and said, "But we haven't met President Sheng yet."
Sheng Yu chuckled and patted his shoulder, raising an eyebrow as she asked, "You want to be his dog? Has he even given you a second glance?"
He didn't lower his voice, which drew wide-eyed stares from those nearby.
Lin Yao's face flushed red instantly, as if he had been stripped naked out of thin air. The shame made him tremble all over, and the wine glass in his hand slipped and fell to the ground, spilling champagne all over the floor.
Sheng Yu brushed the corner of his clothes as if they were dirty, and walked past Lin Yao with a calm expression.
Lin Yao gritted her teeth, grabbed his arm suddenly, and said in a low voice, "I know you look down on me, but you're not much better!"
He uttered a few words in a low, hoarse voice: "Everyone knows your mother came from an ordinary background and only rose to prominence because of President Sheng—"
Sheng Yu's eyes narrowed suddenly, his jaw muscles tightened slightly, and he punched Lin Yao's temple.
Lin Yao was caught off guard and knocked to the ground by him. He curled up next to the champagne pool, clutching his throbbing temples.
People around gasped and backed away; for a moment, no one dared to step forward to help Lin Yao.
Sheng Yu cracked his knuckles: "You dare mention my mother?"
After he finished speaking, he bent down, grabbed Lin Yao by the collar, and pulled him up.
Before Lin Yao could catch his breath, the suddenly tightened tie made it hard for him to breathe, and his face turned purple.
Zhou Yiyang and Jin Ming both heard Lin Yao's provocative words. At this moment, both of them had anger on their faces, but Jin Ming's anger was mixed with a trace of fear.
"Brother Yu knows what he's doing," Zhou Yiyang said softly, trying to comfort him.
Sure enough, when Lin Yao struggled with his hands and feet, Sheng Yu loosened his grip slightly, allowing him to stand on the ground.
But he still didn't let go. Like carrying a dead dog, he searched through all of Lin Yao's pockets one by one. Only after finding a small plastic bag did he finally throw Lin Yao to the ground and throw the plastic bag in his face.
Sheng Yu looked at him and scoffed, "If you still want to go in, I don't mind helping you one more time."
Lin Yao was startled and gasped for breath as he clutched the plastic bag in his hand. He stood up and looked around nervously.
Sheng Yu clapped his hands leisurely, ignoring the probing gazes of those around him, and walked straight toward the villa gate.
Jin Ming, as if waking from a dream, moved closer to Zhou Yiyang and whispered, "Brother Yu, are you going to see President Sheng? Should we follow?"
Even the closest friends shouldn't interfere when it comes to family matters, but thinking of Sheng Yu's completely cold expression, Zhou Yiyang pondered for a moment, then frowned and said, "Let's go over first... and wait in the reception room."
Before entering, Zhou Yiyang took out his phone, scrolled through it to find Tang Ci's contact information, and his tightly furrowed brows relaxed a little.
The banquet hall on the first floor of the Sheng family's house was close to the back garden. Guests sat on the sofas around Sheng Hong and Cheng Rui, chatting and laughing with flattery.
Through a floor-to-ceiling window, the back garden is as bright as day, and workers are working day and night to repair the long-abandoned swimming pool, with weeds piled up all around the pool.
"President Sheng is such a good man. President Cheng just mentioned that he likes swimming, and you immediately called workers to repair the pool." The man who spoke had only returned to the country in the last two years and was unaware of the Sheng family's inner workings. He asked without any restraint, "This pool is in a truly excellent location. How come President Sheng let it fall into disrepair before?"
After a few seconds of silence, Cheng Rui laughed and said, "Old Sheng is so busy traveling all over the world, he doesn't have time to swim."
Everyone smiled and moved on from that topic, continuing to discuss the marriage alliance between the Sheng and Cheng families.
As Sheng Yu entered the reception room, she overheard Sheng Hong saying, "Cheng Rui likes summer. August is the perfect time to hold a wedding because the weather is warm."
Stepping into the reception room amidst a new round of flattery, Sheng Yu immediately noticed the view outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.
The pool's water valve was turned on, and clear water surged and filled the entire pool. The well-insulated floor-to-ceiling windows completely blocked the sound of the water, but Sheng Yu heard a rumbling sound in his ears, and a blinding red light suddenly appeared before his eyes, forcing him to pause and regain his footing.
The main seat in the reception room faced the entrance. Sheng Hong saw Sheng Yu first. He cleared his throat and asked in a deep voice, "Why aren't you studying in the evening? What are you doing home?"
“You scold your son as soon as he gets home? What kind of father are you?” Cheng Rui patted Sheng Hong’s hand lightly and waved to Sheng Yu with a smile: “Xiao Yu, come sit down.”
Sheng Yu looked at the empty seat on the sofa that everyone had made, walked over, but stopped behind Sheng Hong. He leaned back against the sofa and smiled, saying, "Evening self-study is nothing compared to your happy occasion."
His posture was intimate, and his tone was teasing; at first glance, it seemed like a scene of fatherly love and filial piety.
Sheng Hong softened his tone: "Have you eaten? I'll ask the kitchen to make you a bowl of noodles?"
Sheng Yu straightened up slightly, tapping the leather sofa with his fingertips, and said calmly, "No rush, let's talk about my mother first."
Sheng Hong's eyebrows shot up suddenly, his face turned ashen, and he lowered his voice to scold, "With so many people here today, what's wrong with you?"
Sheng Yu glanced calmly at the swimming pool outside the window and smiled, "You don't want to talk to me alone? Then I'll talk here?"
Everyone finally realized the tense atmosphere between the father and son, and they all became somewhat uneasy.
Cheng Rui's polite smile froze. Although Sheng Yu was talking to Sheng Hong, he indirectly slapped her in the face.
She had never been treated like this before. She threw her teacup on the table and stormed off.
Seeing this, the guests also got up and made excuses to leave this troublesome place, but their eyes still kept glancing in this direction.
Behind the reception room, at the Western-style island, several servants were cutting fruit and making tea with their eyes downcast. After finishing their work, they quietly slipped into the kitchen.
Sheng Hong's face turned pale and then red, and he remained at a stalemate. He snorted coldly and stood up, "Come to the study with me."
Sheng Yu glanced around lazily, a smile playing on his lips, but his dark pupils remained devoid of emotion. "Everyone, continue. Don't let my family's little troubles spoil the fun."
The people around hesitated and stammered, and after a long while, someone finally spoke up: "Young Master Sheng is joking."
Sheng Yu withdrew his gaze and, as he left the reception room, touched the island counter with his fingertips.
Zhou Yiyang and Jin Ming were positioned at a perfect angle to see his movements clearly. The maid had forgotten a small fruit knife before leaving, and it was now nowhere to be found, leaving only a small water stain on the table, reflecting the light under the lamp.
With a sudden rush of consciousness, Zhou Yiyang tugged at Jin Ming's sleeve. "Go wait outside the study. I'm going out to make a phone call."
Jin Ming nodded hurriedly and followed Sheng Yu's retreating figure.
Just as Zhou Yiyang's hand trembled as he dialed the phone, he heard a scream come from the study.
The maid who was cleaning the study was kicked out and smashed on the floor along with the cups and saucers, making a loud crashing sound, followed by a deafening slam of the door.
Then, a deathly silence fell over both the inside and outside of the door.
Inside the study, Sheng Yu walked over the shards of white porcelain scattered on the floor to the desk, and looked at Sheng Hong, who was fiercely pulling at his tie, and sneered: "Not pretending anymore?"
Smashing the cup vented some of his anger. Sheng Hong pinched his brow bone hard, then resumed his usual sanctimonious attitude: "Xiao Yu, your mother has been gone for almost three years. What's wrong with me marrying someone else?"
Sheng Yu fiddled with the metal hilt of the knife in his pocket, not answering Sheng Hong's question: "August 10th, the date you chose?"
Sheng Hong hesitated as he pulled the chair, avoiding Sheng Yu's gaze: "Cheng Rui made the decision; she doesn't know anything about your mother's affairs."
“Of course she doesn’t know,” Sheng Yu said, his hands gripping the edge of the table, the veins on the back of his hands bulging, coiling like snakes on his cold skin.
"To avoid affecting the stock market, you kept the news of my mother's death a secret," Sheng Yu said, his eyes lowered and his voice hoarse as he spoke each word clearly. "Even the reason why my mother committed suicide is only known to you."
"How was I supposed to know she'd be stupid enough to commit suicide?!" Sheng Hong's lips tightened, and he exhaled heavily through his nose. He slammed his hand on the table. "You're just like your mother—petty, suspicious, and overly sensitive. You can't handle even the slightest pressure and you're ready to kill yourself."
He sneered, his eyes filled with disdain: "If you can't overcome the lowly genes in your body, you're destined to be killed by them."
Here we go again. From childhood to adulthood, Sheng Yu has always heard similar things from Sheng Hong.
Low-class, sensitive, inferior, and not presentable.
Sheng Hong always described the mother and son in this way.
The year his mother committed suicide, Sheng Hong brought many women home. His mother's hysteria was met with his frequent disdain and belittling.
His heart pounded against his chest like a trapped beast, his breathing became rapid and disordered, and the image of his mother covered in blood kept flashing before Sheng Yu's eyes.
He put his hand in his jacket pocket, his fingertips sinking into the sharp blade of the fruit knife. Thick blood spurted out along the blade, but he felt no pain. The crazy, dark thoughts that had been suppressed in his heart took over his mind.
Sheng Yu looked down at Sheng Hong, the overhead light illuminating the bloodshot veins in his eyes.
The hand holding the knife was taken out of the pocket, and blood slid down the fingertips to the tip of the knife and fell to the floor.
Tick-tock, tick-tock.
Sheng Hong suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, gripping the armrest of his chair and backing away, asking incredulously, "You! What do you want to do?!"
/
When the taxi stopped outside the Sheng family villa, Tang Ci handed the driver the large sum of money she had been clutching in her hand and quickly got out of the car, without even having time to take the change the driver gave her.
Only a few people were standing scattered in the courtyard, huddled together, whispering to each other, their eyes frequently glancing towards the room.
Tang Ci took out her phone and made a voice call to Zhou Yiyang. Zhou Yiyang didn't answer, but he quickly came out of the room and waved to her.
Zhou Yiyang, unlike his usual frivolous and relaxed demeanor, frowned deeply and led her through the door with a serious expression: "They are in the study now, the door is locked, and we don't know what's going on inside."
The corridor outside the study was only occupied by people closely connected to the Sheng family. Secretary Zhao paced anxiously in front of the door, occasionally startled by the sound of heavy objects hitting the door from inside, which made him pat his chest.
"Secretary Zhao, did you knock on the door?" Zhou Yiyang asked, slightly out of breath.
Secretary Zhao nodded worriedly: "I've sent the housekeeper to get the keys."
As they were talking, the butler hurriedly came downstairs, holding a bunch of keys in his hand.
The group exchanged glances, and Jin Ming asked in a low voice, "Who will open the door?"
The butler glanced around at everyone, paused for a moment when he saw Tang Ci, and then handed the key to Secretary Zhao.
Secretary Zhao, holding the keys, shifted his gaze to Tang Ci's face, hesitated for two seconds, and said, "How about we wait a little longer?"
The study fell into complete silence. The ticking of the clock on the wall kept everyone on edge, and no one knew what was happening in the silence.
Tang Ci noticed the housekeeper and Secretary Zhao's wariness and belatedly realized that she had come unnecessarily. She whispered to Zhou Yiyang, "Why don't I wait outside?"
Zhou Yiyang shook his head, leaned down and whispered in Tang Ci's ear, "Sheng Yu went in with a knife."
Tang Ci's eyes widened instantly, and at the same time, the sound of a heavy object falling to the ground came again from inside the heavy door.
The scene of the fight in the park flashed through his mind: Sheng Yu, holding a gleaming dagger, recklessly stabbed the bald man in the head.
Tang Ci bit her lower lip and murmured, "We can't wait any longer."
She snatched the key from Secretary Zhao's hand and, to everyone's astonishment, inserted it into the lock.
With a click, the heavy door was opened.
Tang Ci pushed open the door forcefully. When she saw the scene before her, her throat felt like it was blocked by cement, making it impossible to swallow and causing her to have difficulty breathing.
The window behind the desk was wide open, filling the large study with a cold draft. Sheng Yu gripped Sheng Hong's neck with his left hand, pressing his head against the windowsill, while his right hand, holding a fruit knife, was raised high, blood flowing from his fingertips down to his wrist.
Tang Ci could even smell the rust in the air.
Sheng Hong gripped the arm holding the knife tightly with both hands, his Adam's apple bobbing incessantly, barely managing to squeeze out two words: "You unfilial son!"
Sheng Yu ignored him completely, clenched his blood-dripping hand into a fist, broke free from Sheng Hong's restraint, and pressed the tip of the knife down hard against Sheng Hong's neck.
The people outside the door broke out in a cold sweat. The butler cried out in alarm and had to hold onto the door frame to keep his balance.
A flash of silver light appeared under the lamplight, and a silver lighter flew into the study, grazed Sheng Yu's sharp jaw, and smashed straight into the window.
The lighter struck the glass with great force, and a crisp, sharp sound exploded inside and outside the door, like fireworks, causing everyone's thoughts to pause briefly.
A large shard of glass fell silently onto the lawn outside the window along with the lighter, with a few remaining shards scattering everywhere. One sharp fragment pierced Sheng Yu's cheekbone.
A slight pain caused him to freeze for a moment. Sheng Hong seized the opportunity to break free from his grasp and collapsed to the ground along the windowsill like a mangled piece of flesh, his meticulously combed hair now soaked with cold sweat.
The butler and Secretary Zhao quickly entered the room and separated the disheveled father and son.
Zhou Yiyang slowly exhaled, belatedly loosening his clenched hands. Jin Ming turned pale with fright and ran forward to pull out a stack of tissues to press on Sheng Yu's wound.
Sheng Yu took the tissue, wiped the blood briefly, and threw it into the trash can. He rubbed his temples hard and said in a hoarse voice to Tang Ci, who was standing blankly outside the door, on the verge of tears, "Don't be afraid."
Sheng Hong was helped back into his chair by the butler. Hearing his words, he turned to look at Tang Ci outside the door, his face darkening further. He rebuked the butler, "Who let her in?! Are the Sheng family's security guards all useless?!"
“Me.” Sheng Yu turned to look at Sheng Hong, and threw the fruit knife on the desk. “The person you should arrest is me. It’s not too late to call the police now.”
The Sheng family has achieved its current position not only because of its strong financial resources, but also because of its public relations department, which is able to suppress all public opinion.
Exposing family scandals brings no benefit to the Sheng family, and Sheng Yu has grasped this point, which is why he is so arrogant.
Sheng Hong's face turned a deep purplish-red. After muttering a few angry curses under his breath, he finally couldn't suppress his rage and roared, "You unfilial son! Get out of here—"
Sheng Yu chuckled and turned to leave the study.
As he passed Zhou Yiyang, he looked up and asked, "You asked her to come?"
Seeing Sheng Yu's displeasure, Zhou Yiyang said in a low, hoarse voice, "At least she can actually stop you."
Sheng Yu exhaled a breath of stale air and said in a low voice, "Don't let her come to places like this next time."
Zhou Yiyang glanced at Tang Ci, whose lips were pale, and nodded with a pang of pity.
A large group of guests had gathered at the end of the corridor, their inquisitive gazes frequently turning toward Tang Ci, all speculating about her identity.
Tang Ci stared at her toes, standing stiffly.
She looked so small and weak, yet she was incredibly strong when she opened the door to stop him.
Sheng Yu sighed silently, as if surrendering, or perhaps accepting.
He raised his hand and vigorously ruffled Tang Ci's hair: "Let's go."
Hearing his voice return to normal, Tang Ci felt a lump in her throat, nodded and hummed in agreement. She quickly picked up the lighter that had fallen against the wall and followed Sheng Yu.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the young master of the Sheng family put his arm around a strange girl and escorted her out of the house.
The taxi that had brought them was still parked outside the villa area. When the driver saw Tang Ci, he warmly rolled down the window and said, "Little classmate, do you need another ride? I can use this to pay you back the change I just gave you."
Tang Ci glanced sideways at Sheng Yu's right hand, which was hanging down, and nodded, saying, "Go to the nearest hospital."
The driver noticed Sheng Yu's injuries. After the two got into the car, he turned his head and looked her up and down: "Young lady, your boyfriend got into a fight? You live in a place like this and you still get into fights?"
Tang Ci's lips moved, unsure how to explain, her fingertips gripping the hem of her clothes helplessly.
Sheng Yu frowned and rolled down the car window: "Drive your car."
The driver realized he was someone not to be trifled with, so he didn't waste any more words, put the car in gear, and drove off.
The car window was lowered by a third, and the north wind howled outside, inevitably letting some of it into the car. Tang Ci was dressed very thickly, but only her exposed neck and hands felt cold.
Tang Ci tucked her fingertips into her sleeve to conserve her body heat, and her gaze unconsciously shifted to the side.
Sheng Yu rested her head on the headrest, her dark eyelashes half-closed, and the wisps of hair on her forehead were blown about by the wind.
He remained silent, lost in thought. His arm, which had been wrapped around her, now hung limply on the cushion, pressed tightly against hers.
Only then did Tang Ci truly feel that Sheng Yu was beside her. Her heart, which had been hanging in mid-air, slowly sank back to its original position.
The taxi drove smoothly through the bustling streets, and when it passed the university town, Sheng Yu suddenly said to stop.
Tang Ci looked out the window: "We haven't arrived at the hospital yet."
"To the pharmacy," Sheng Yu said, handing the fare to the driver and getting out of the car.
Tang Ci had no choice but to get off the bus, walk around to the back of the car and stand in front of Sheng Yu. When she looked up, her delicate brows furrowed: "Let's go to the hospital. What if the wound is serious?"
Sheng Yu gently rubbed her temples with his clean hands, his tone casual: "Are you cursing me?"
Tang Ci remained silent, pursing her lips as she looked at him.
Sheng Yu smiled and raised her hand to show her: "I know what I'm doing, a bandage will do."
Tang Ci didn't believe it. She grabbed his wrist and carefully examined his palm. The wounds from the knife cuts had stopped bleeding.
The depth of the cut was not discernible, and Tang Ci dared not rashly pry it open to examine it.
The pharmacy on the street was wide open. Tang Ci looked at the busy staff inside, took a step back and said, "Let the medical staff take a look first. If the wound is too deep, we still need to go to the hospital."
Looking at her stubborn expression, Sheng Yu gave a slight smirk: "I'll listen to you."
When the pharmacy staff saw Sheng Yu's hands covered in blood, they were initially startled. After examining her, they found no major problems, prescribed bandage medication, and instructed Tang Ci, who was listening attentively, on how to care for her.
Tang Ci carried the bandaged medicine and had Sheng Yu sit on a bench outside the pharmacy. With a serious expression, she followed the steps instructed by the medical staff to clean and bandage him step by step.
Sheng Yu had previously noticed that when Tang Ci was doing something, her light-colored lips would unconsciously purse slightly, and her long eyelashes would droop obediently, giving her an inexplicably devout appearance.
Feeling a tickle in his heart, he raised his hand and brushed aside the girl's small, fan-like eyelashes.
Tang Ci suddenly opened her eyes and asked hesitantly, "What's wrong?"
Sheng Yu rubbed his fingertips together: "There's ash."
Tang Ci, unsuspecting, murmured "Oh," then lowered her eyes to tie the gauze properly and released his hand, saying, "All done."
Receiving no response, Tang Ci looked up and met Sheng Yu's dark pupils.
In order to see the wound clearly, Tang Ci stood very close to him, which was a bit too intimate.
Tang Ci blinked, took a step back, and tried to create some distance.
Sheng Yu suddenly raised his bandaged right hand and supported her waist.
He didn't use any force, but Tang Ci immediately stopped and asked softly, "What's wrong with you?"
"Aren't you going to ask me why I got into a fight today?"
Tang Ci bit her lower lip and asked, "Do you want to say something?"
Sheng Yu lowered her eyelids and nodded, her clear voice still hoarse: "My father's engagement to the Cheng family is set for August 10th next year."
“That day…” He paused, his sharp Adam’s apple bobbing a few times, before continuing, “was the anniversary of my mother’s death.”
Sheng Yu lowered his head slightly, his nose was straight, and his jaw was clenched. His features were strong and sharp, yet he inexplicably revealed a sense of vulnerability.
Like a broken sword, its sharp edge exposed, yet shattered beyond repair.
The night was quiet, and the noise from not far away seemed to be separated from them.
At this moment, Tang Ci could only see Sheng Yu and hear his breathing.
Tang Ci felt her heart being squeezed, and she didn't know how to offer any words of comfort in vain.
She stood there stunned for a few seconds, then leaned in and hugged Sheng Yu, burying her forehead in his shoulder, and said softly, "No matter what happened, your mother certainly wouldn't want you to hurt yourself..."
Tang Ci felt the palm on her waist tighten, and her breath caught in her throat.
Sheng Yu gently pulled her into his arms, patting her back lightly with his bandaged palm: "Did I scare you?"
Tang Ci gave a muffled "hmm," and said, "I was scared when I saw you with a knife." Sheng Yu's deep, magnetic voice sounded in her ear, "Don't do that again."
/
The university town is bustling all year round.
As winter approaches, the commercial street is bustling with people.
Sheng Yu stood up from the bench, and Tang Ci rubbed her nose awkwardly: "Where are we going now?"
"Go back to evening self-study?" Sheng Yu asked her.
Tang Ci took out her phone, glanced at the time, and shook her head: "School will be over soon."
Sheng Yu glanced at her thin back: "Is this the first time you've skipped class?"
Tang Ci belatedly realized his mistake, lowered his head and nodded dejectedly, saying softly, "I'll go to Lao Xu tomorrow to get a fake sick note."
Suddenly a gust of night wind blew by, rushing into Tang Ci's collar from her neck, making her shiver involuntarily.
Sheng Yu shifted his gaze from her fair neck: "Come with me to buy some clothes."
Tang Ci secretly touched his thin coat, nodded and said, "Okay."
At the end of the street, only the luxury stores on the first floor of the shopping mall were still lit. Tang Ci followed Sheng Yu into the store without any suspicion. When she glanced at the price tag of the silk scarves on the counter, she secretly clicked her tongue. She stood awkwardly next to Sheng Yu, afraid of damaging the merchandise in the store.
With a clear goal in mind, Sheng Yu walked to the scarf display rack, casually picked out two cashmere plaid scarves, paid for them without even asking for packaging, draped the dark blue one around her neck, and held the brick red one in her hand before leaving the store.
Tang Ci asked him, puzzled, "Why don't you use a bag? It's so inconvenient to carry around like that."
Sheng Yu didn't say anything, but raised her hand and wrapped the red scarf around her head: "Because it was bought for you."
Tang Ci's two wide eyes popped out from under the scarf, and she said urgently, "It's too expensive, I can't accept it."
Sheng Yu pressed down on her hand as she untied her scarf and said calmly, "Consider it an apology for skipping class."
The cashmere scarf warmly wrapped around her bare skin, preventing her cheeks from cooling down. With a flushed face, she mumbled, "Don't buy me anything next time."
She didn't know how to return something so valuable.
The street across from the mall was brightly lit, with shops displaying colorful signs, and if you listened carefully, you could hear all sorts of laughter.
It was completely different from the cold and impersonal home.
Perhaps it was her outrageous act of skipping class that gave her courage. Tang Ci looked at the 24-hour private cinema and said, "Sheng Yu, let's not go home today."
Sheng Yu crossed his arms and raised his eyes with a flippant glint in his eye: "You want to sleep with me?"
Tang Ci was provoked by the word "sleep" in his words, and tightened her scarf, saying in a trembling voice, "I didn't mean sleep, I meant to go to bed."
She pointed to a sign across the street and showed it to him: "That movie theater stays open all night."
Sheng Yu lowered her voice and said "Oh," in a leisurely tone, "Let's go take a look."
The heat from Tang Ci's earlobes had not yet dissipated when she bought her ticket in the cinema lobby.
The clerk showed them the movies playing in each theater on a tablet. Tang Ci skipped the horror movie list and struggled to choose between inspirational and romance films.
"Which one should we choose?" Tang Ci asked Sheng Yu, tilting her head.
Sheng Yu pointed to the theater showing romance movies: "This one."
"Okay." The clerk skillfully opened the seat selection system and, while letting them choose their seats, routinely reminded them, "Our theaters are equipped with cameras, so please be civilized during the movie and refrain from any indecent behavior."
Tang Ci rarely goes to the cinema and assumed the clerk was referring to indecent behavior like "taking off shoes." Fearing she might not be fully aware, she earnestly asked, "What kinds of behavior are prohibited?"
The clerk paused, an embarrassed expression appearing on his face: "Please wait a moment, I'll go find the documents."
Sheng Yu raised her hand to stop the shop assistant and told her, "We can't kiss."
Tang Ci froze, the heat in her cheeks returning, and she silently shrank back.
Sheng Yu continued frankly: "Anything more than kissing is not allowed."
Tang Ci quickly buried her entire head in the scarf, leaving only her two bright red ears peeking out from her hair.
She tugged at Sheng Yu's sleeve, her voice barely audible, "I know, I really know."
The clerk handed over the printed movie tickets, then corrected with an awkward smile, "Kissing is still allowed."
"..."
Tang Ci nodded haphazardly, his body steaming. As he entered, he tripped on the steps and stumbled forward.
Sheng Yu reached out and pulled her into his arms, calmly raising his eyes: "Are you stupid or not?"
Tang Ci nodded with a embarrassed face: "I'll learn from my mistakes and know better next time."
Sheng Yu still had his hand on her shoulder, and asked casually, "Who do you want to come with next time?"
Not knowing why he asked that, Tang Ci blinked in confusion: "Probably... with friends."
Upon hearing this, Sheng Yu pinched the back of her neck but didn't say anything.
The old-fashioned movie theater had no partitions between the seats. The two found seats in the back row according to the signs and sat down. The seats were narrow, and their arms were touching.
There were seven or eight audience members scattered in the front row; some were eating, and some were playing games.
Tang Ci lowered her voice and asked, "Do you want something to eat? I'll go buy some."
Sheng Yu shook his head: "If you want to eat it, just buy your own."
Tang Ci wasn't actually hungry, but the thought of spending the night at the movie theater and how the latter half of the night would be unbearable made her get up and go to the counter.
The movie theater only sells bagged snacks and refrigerated bottled drinks. Seeing her hesitation, the clerk kindly told her that there was a 24-hour convenience store downstairs.
Tang Ci thanked the clerk and went downstairs to the convenience store to choose some hot food, which took a little time to heat up.
When she returned to the cinema lobby, she saw Sheng Yu standing by the door with his phone in his hand.
Tang Ci jogged over, panting, and asked, "Why did you come out?"
Sheng Yu took the plastic bag from her hand: "Didn't you hear the phone ringing?"
Tang Ci gave a blank "Huh?" and took out her phone from her coat pocket. She opened the empty call log and then remembered that her phone had been malfunctioning for a long time: "The phone's call function is having some problems, and I haven't gotten it fixed yet."
Sheng Yu glanced at the phone with its chipped edges in her hand, said nothing, and pulled her closer to him with his arm around her shoulder.
When they returned to the theater, the previous movie had already come to an end, and the credits on the screen scrolled silently.
Tang Ci took a heated sandwich out of the plastic bag, took a bite, and then remembered to ask Sheng Yu, "Do you want some?"
Because she had something in her mouth, her speech was not clear, and there was an inexplicable sticky intimacy about it.
"What did you say?" Sheng Yu leaned closer to listen.
Tang Ci swallowed the sandwich and asked again, "Do you want some?"
As she spoke, she held the sandwich in front of him so that he could see it more clearly.
The air was filled with the aroma of toasted bread and a faint fruity scent from the girl's hair.
Sheng Yu's brow twitched slightly as she opened her mouth and took a bite of her sandwich.
Tang Ci was stunned for a moment, and then a burst of fireworks exploded in her mind. Sparks flowed through her limbs and bones, and her neck, arms and palms felt numb.
Sheng Yu felt no remorse for eating someone else's food. He swallowed the sandwich with his Adam's apple bobbing, and politely but casually praised, "Not bad."
Tang Ci moved her lips, hesitated for a few seconds, and asked hesitantly, "So, are you still going to eat?"
A flirtatious smile played on Sheng Yu's lips as he casually reached out and touched her cheek.
Tang Ci stared blankly, her fingertips almost crushing the sandwich into thin slices.
"If you eat any more, you'll spontaneously combust."
"..." Tang Ci silently withdrew her hand, unscrewed the bottle of mineral water and took a sip, then haphazardly untied her scarf and fanned her cheeks with her hands, explaining, "The air conditioning temperature is set too high."
Sheng Yu loosened the scarf as well, shifting her gaze from her rosy lips to the screen: "It is a bit hot."
The next movie they showed was "Titanic". Tang Ci had seen some clips of it on TV when she was a child. When Jack took out his sketchbook to draw, Tang Jianwei sent her back to her bedroom.
Tang Ci was quickly drawn in by the film's opening, her emotions rising and falling with the protagonist's. The globally popular soundtrack began, and the male and female leads met on the deck.
The cruise ship sails on the tranquil sea, like a child nestled in its mother's arms.
Tang Ci suddenly felt a weight on her shoulder. She glanced to the side and saw that Sheng Yu had fallen asleep sometime earlier.
He was so tall that he hunched over in the narrow chair, resting his head on her shoulder.
Tang Ci tried to sit up straight so that he could lean back more comfortably.
As soon as she raised her shoulders, Sheng Yu's tightly closed eyelashes twitched.
Tang Ci had no choice but to stop and, using the dim light from the curtain, quietly observe Sheng Yu.
His eyelashes were long and thick, casting a small shadow on his eyelids. He had a straight nose with a sunken philtrum and thin, sharp lips.
He has a cold and aloof appearance, but Tang Ci knows that's not the case.
Just like when she was a child, Tang Ci knew better than anyone that a soft heart was hidden beneath that hard exterior.
Tang Ci kept watching until her eyes were sore before turning her gaze back to the screen, but she had already missed the rest of the plot, and drowsiness began to wash over her.
As the terrifying sound of a cruise ship crashing into an iceberg erupted from the speakers, Tang Ci groggily opened her eyes, her sense of smell gradually returning. A faint scent of soap mixed with a hint of tobacco filled her nostrils.
She was stunned for a while before realizing that she was covered with Sheng Yu's coat.
Her head rested in the crook of his arm.
She roughly calculated how long she had fallen asleep based on the movie footage, rubbed her face in annoyance, got up, took off the coat draped over her shoulders and handed it back to him: "I slept for so long, why didn't you wake me up?"
She was still half asleep and didn't notice that her voice had a strong nasal tone.
"It's alright." Sheng Yu put on his coat, stood up from his seat, and tapped her shoulder with his fingertip. "Let's go."
"Where to?" Tang Ci asked in a muffled voice, rubbing her eyes, seemingly confused.
"Let's go to the hotel." Sheng Yu quickly put the scarf on her.
Tang Ci took out her phone and glanced at the time. It was almost 2 a.m., and there were only a few hours left before dawn. Staying in a hotel at this time was really not cost-effective. She whispered to Sheng Yu, "Let's sleep here for a while, and we'll go back to school when it's light."
Sheng Yu's tone left no room for argument: "Go sleep in a hotel."
"Okay." Tang Ci obediently got up and was led out of the movie theater by Sheng Yu's arm around her shoulder.
The commercial street was deserted and quiet in the middle of the night. Only a few signs were lit up along the long street, and the tree trunks on both sides of the road were bare, with the cold wind blowing through them.
Tang Ci sneezed twice silently, wrapped her scarf tighter, but still couldn't keep out the cold wind blowing into her collar.
Sheng Yu walked ahead of her, blocking most of the wind. They asked two hotels in a row, but were refused by both because they did not have their ID cards.
When Sheng Yu came out of the hotel lobby for the third time, she looked rather unwell.
Tang Ci said dejectedly, "Why don't we go back to the movie theater?"
With his hands in his pockets, Sheng Yu frowned and gestured with his chin toward the small hotel across the street: "Let's ask at this one too."
The hotel receptionist was sleeping on the table when she heard the doorbell ring and suddenly looked up.
"Hello, how many are in your party?"
"Two people," Sheng Yu said smoothly, "Two rooms."
The receptionist looked them up and down several times: "Are you adults?"
Tang Ci swallowed nervously.
Sheng Yu tapped the counter impatiently with his fingertip: "I'm an adult now, but I forgot my ID card in my dorm. Can you open it?"
It's common for college students in the neighborhood to forget their ID cards when they check into hotels. Sheng Yu frowned as he finished speaking this string of practiced words, and the receptionist no longer suspected anything. She took a registration form from the file shelf and called out to the two of them, "Okay, then you two register your ID cards and phone numbers."
Tang Ci nodded quickly, stood next to Sheng Yu and waited for him to finish writing. She took the pen and filled in her information. When writing her ID number, she wrote it a year too high. When returning the form, she pursed her lips guiltily.
The receptionist was busy checking room information and didn't notice her unusual behavior. She placed the registration form next to the keyboard and told them, "There's only one double room left. Will you take it?"
Tang Ci quickly replied, "Other room types are fine too."
The receptionist looked apologetic: "All the other rooms are booked."
Tang Ci froze, looking at Sheng Yu helplessly.
Sheng Yu raised an eyebrow and asked the receptionist, "Is there a sofa in the king-size bed room?"
"some."
Sheng Yu took out some money from his wallet and placed it on the counter: "Open it."
The small hotel has four floors and no elevator. The last empty room is at the end of the corridor on the third floor.
Sheng Yu took the room key and handed it to Tang Ci, who had been staring at the floor with her head down. "You go up first, I'm going outside for a smoke."
Tang Ci took the thin room key, said "Oh," let out a barely perceptible sigh of relief, and turned to go upstairs.
Sheng Yu walked to the door, took out a cigarette from his cigarette case, and pulled out a cigarette.
The receptionist rested her chin on her hand and looked towards the door. The young man was tall and handsome, but his demeanor was too aloof. He held a cigarette between his fingers and took a long time to take a puff without any expression.
This wasn't a craving for cigarettes; it was purely to pass the time and avoid embarrassing his girlfriend.
The receptionist had never seen such a handsome and considerate guy before, and she called out, "Handsome, are you two just starting out?"
Sheng Yu raised his eyelids noncommittally and did not reply.
The receptionist, no longer wanting to make a fool of herself, shrugged and continued playing a game on her phone.
Sheng Yu waited until the sparks were almost burning the filter before he went upstairs. As soon as he reached the third floor, he saw Tang Ci's thin figure standing against the wall, as if being punished.
Sheng Yu approached: "Why don't you go in?"
Tang Ci looked up, exhausted: "There are so many people in the corridor."
She was probably really sleepy; her voice trailed off at the end of her sentences, sounding almost like she was being coquettish.
With a sudden thought, Sheng Yu glanced down the corridor. A few thugs were standing by the window smoking. He extended his uninjured arm to Tang Ci and said, "Don't just stand there like an idiot next time. Call me."
Tang Ci nodded hesitantly, so sleepy that she was completely obedient, and reached out to hug his arm.
The thugs and the elderly share common interests, and people always stare and gossip when they pass by. The difference is that the thugs are more aggressive.
Just as Tang Ci was about to brush past Sheng Yu and the thugs, one of the thugs jokingly said, "Brother, your girlfriend looks pretty innocent."
The other thugs laughed and chuckled, their eyes lingering lewdly on Tang Ci's face.
Sheng Yu, with a cigarette butt in his mouth, exhaled a puff of smoke and said coldly, "Shut your mouth."
The thug coughed twice, choked by the smoke, and cursed under his breath as he raised his fist at Sheng Yu.
Tang Ci suddenly grabbed the hem of Sheng Yu's clothes and anxiously reminded him, "Be careful of the wound."
Sheng Yu dodged the thug's punch without changing his expression, grabbed the thug's arm with his left hand, and pinned him against the wall with a twist of his wrist. The cigarette butt between his fingers flickered and hung above the thug's eyes.
“Let’s each take a step back and not bother each other,” Sheng Yu said, looking at the thug whose face was covered in cold sweat from the pain. “Do you agree?”
The thug nodded frantically, shouting, "I agree! Brother! I was just kidding with you!! Please, be a magnanimous person and let me go!"
Sheng Yu shook off his hand, put his arm around Tang Ci's back, and walked past them.
The moment the door opened, the thug who had been taught a lesson couldn't contain his anger and yelled, "Brother! Don't forget that a night of passion is worth a thousand pieces of gold!"
Before they could turn around, the thugs dashed back into their room.
Sheng Yu was left with a somber face, while Tang Ci's face was flushed.
Fearing that Sheng Yu would continue to fight with the thugs, Tang Ci grabbed his arm and said, "Let's ignore them and go inside."
Sheng Yu inserted the room card into the sensor slot on the door and slammed the door shut.
The dim light illuminated the entire room, which was small, dilapidated, and rusty.
The two stood in the entryway, filling the space, with the bed just two steps away.
Tang Ci then realized that this was a double room.
The bathroom is near the bedroom door, and the central air conditioner above it emits a faint damp and musty smell, with extremely limited heating effect.
Tang Ci was so nervous that she lost control of her senses and said, curling her fingers, "I'm going to wash up first."
Sheng Yu nodded, and only after Tang Ci closed the door did he take off his coat and throw it on the coat rack.
The faint sound of water coming from the bathroom reflected the girl's slender figure in the frosted glass.
Sheng Yu irritably crushed the cigarette box.
This time, the craving for cigarettes really kicked in.
He sat on the sofa and absentmindedly played a game of Tetris. When the sound of water from the bathroom stopped, he started the next game. After playing for a while, there was still no new movement from the bathroom.
Tang Ci clutched a disposable face towel and wiped her face for the third time. Thinking about facing Sheng Yu later, her cheeks flushed uncontrollably again.
I had no choice but to wet the washcloth again and wipe my face once more.
After repeating the action of wiping her face countless times, her cheekbones were rubbed raw and bleeding from the rough washcloth. Tang Ci finally made up her mind and opened the bathroom door.
Outside, however, it wasn't quiet. The television had been turned on at some point and was showing a popular variety show.
Amidst the laughter of the celebrity guests, Tang Ci entered the bedroom, and Sheng Yu also stood up from the sofa, casually tossing the TV remote onto the bed: "Turn off the TV if you're sleepy."
Tang Ci picked up the remote control and put it down again, then asked hesitantly, "Do you want to sleep over there?"
"I'll sleep on the sofa." Sheng Yu didn't give her a chance to argue, stepped into the bathroom, and closed the door.
Tang Ci stared blankly at the sofa less than a meter away from the bed, her brow furrowing.
She glanced at the frosted glass of the bathroom, then turned and slowly climbed into bed, lying down in the corner.
With her eyelids drooping and drowsiness creeping over her again, Tang Ci yawned as she watched TV, torn between watching a little longer or turning it off now.
Finally, she turned the volume down to the lowest setting, closed her eyes, and fell asleep.
Tang Ci was a light sleeper; even the slightest change in sound could wake her. So when the familiar footsteps sounded in the room, she slowly woke up. The main lights in the room were off, with only the television screen casting a dim glow.
Fearing that Sheng Yu would feel embarrassed, Tang Ci did not open her eyes.
After waiting for a while, she didn't feel any dent beside the bed. She opened her eyes a crack and saw that Sheng Yu was already lying on the sofa.
The narrow sofa was indeed too small to accommodate his tall frame; half of his lower legs were sticking out of the sofa, propped up in a stiff position.
Tang Ci opened her lips, wanting to call out to him, but no sound came out.
They remained locked in this stalemate for a few seconds, the innocent corner of the blanket crumpled in her grip.
Suddenly, Sheng Yu put down his phone, stood up from the sofa, and walked towards the bed.
Tang Ci stopped breathing instantly, her hands and feet froze, and her neck felt numb.
Sheng Yu walked to the bedside in two steps and stopped.
Tang Ci buried her head in the blanket, slowly closed her eyes, and held her breath. In the silence, a soft clicking sound suddenly came from the window.
She opened her eyes in surprise, lifted the corner of the blanket, and saw Sheng Yu pull the screen window shut and close the gap in the window tightly.
The cool breeze beside her legs disappeared almost instantly, and Tang Ci felt a tightness in her chest. She curled up into a ball with her limbs.
She suddenly felt a weight on her body, followed by a faint scent of soap.
Perhaps thinking she was cold, Sheng Yu took off his coat and put it on top of her blanket.
Tang Ci could feel his movements as he straightened his clothes, and at the closest point, she could even feel Sheng Yu's breathing.
The drops were gentle and light, lightly brushing against her cheeks.
The sofa is really too small.
Tang Ci murmured to herself.
As Sheng Yu got up to leave, she hesitated and reached out to grab his wrist, only to find it icy cold to the touch.
Tang Ci looked up at him by the light of the television, and asked softly and hesitantly, "Sheng Yu, do you want to sleep together?"
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