Chapter 48 The room was filled with a mixture of last night's perfume, alcohol, and something more intimate and warm.
When Li Chi'an woke up, the first rays of morning light were shining through the gap in the curtains onto Yu Shi's profile.
His handsome face appeared exceptionally gentle in the soft light, a stark contrast to the domineering man he had been during the passionate night.
She moved her body slightly, only to find herself tightly embraced by his arms.
Memories flood in like a tide, bringing with them delightful details and a burning warmth.
Last night, fueled by alcohol and long-simmering emotions, the barrier between friendship and romance was finally broken.
His kisses, his touches, his deep voice whispering in her ear—everything was so clear, as if it had just happened.
In fact, the slight soreness in their bodies and the strange sense of satisfaction they felt silently testified to what the two of them had done last night.
"Awake?" His eyes were still closed, but a smile had already crept onto his lips. His voice carried the unique huskiness of early morning, like soft sandpaper gently rubbing against the heart.
Li Chi'an gave a soft "hmm," his voice still somewhat gentle.
He slowly turned her around so that she was facing him.
In the dim light, his eyes shone brightly, as if they held stars, as he gazed intently at her. There was no trace of sleepiness in them, only a clear tenderness and a trace of the lingering heat of the previous night.
Li Chi'an hesitated to meet his gaze any longer. "Hmm. Your hand..."
Instead of letting go, he hugged her even tighter. "I feel great, how about you?"
He opened his eyes and gazed at her intently.
“I…” Li Chi’an’s voice was slightly hoarse, “and I feel very good.”
A silent tension spread through the air.
"One more time."
...
Once he calmed down again, Li Chi'an was too exhausted to even pick up his phone to check the time.
The sunlight finally managed to cut several bright slits in the curtains, and dust particles danced in the beams of light.
Both of them were drenched in sweat and neither wanted to move.
Yu Shi's arms were still wrapped around her, and Li Chi'an's face was pressed against his chest. She could hear his strong heartbeat gradually calming down from its rapid pace.
"Keep at peace." Yu Shi suddenly spoke, his voice regaining its clarity, yet still carrying the tenderness that followed their lingering affection.
"Hmm?" she replied lazily, not wanting to break the silence.
He sat up slightly, looked down at her, his expression unusually serious and solemn. "Look at me, okay?"
Li Chi'an raised his eyes and met his gaze.
His eyes were bright and sincere.
“What I said last night was true,” he said slowly, each word crystal clear, “I genuinely like you, I really like you. I want to start a real relationship with you, not a one-night stand, not an ambiguous relationship, but a serious one.”
Li Chi'an's heart trembled slightly.
She is not an innocent young girl. Having gone through marriage and childbirth, and just escaped from a failed relationship, she knows the weight of the word "serious" and is aware of how complicated her current situation is.
She didn't respond immediately, but just looked at him quietly, waiting for him to continue.
Yu Shi seemed to know her concerns, and he continued, "I have a general understanding of your situation, which is enough for me to consider whether I want to have a relationship with you. However, I don't think it's a problem or a burden. It's a part of your life, and I accept and respect it."
He paused, as if organizing his thoughts to make his promise sound more credible, "And your son, I can't say I can take care of him and love him as wholeheartedly as a father right now, but I promise that in the future, I will try my best to maintain a good relationship with him and won't put you in a difficult position. I will learn how to get along with him."
Li Chi'an felt a surge of heat in his heart.
Her son is the softest yet strongest part of her life, so she is willing to bring it up herself. At least, she had seriously considered these things before starting.
Yu Shi gently stroked her cheek with his fingers, his eyes earnest. "So, Chi An, please don't reject my concern for you later, and... my declaration of love for you. I hope that, without interfering with your personal time and career, when we are both free, we can be like any normal boyfriend and girlfriend, going on dates, having meals, watching movies, or doing something exciting like we planned today... doing anything that can make each other happy."
He spoke simply, without flowery language, yet every word struck Li Chi'an's heart.
She could see the sincerity and expectation in his eyes, as well as a cautious nervousness.
The room quieted down, with only the faint sound of the air conditioner running.
The sunlight shifted a little further, illuminating half of Yu Shi's face, making his focused expression as he awaited an answer exceptionally clear.
Since he was so serious, Li Chi'an took a deep breath, straightened up, and looked back at him with the same serious gaze.
“At that time,” she began, her voice calm yet firm, “I can agree to your request. However, I have two conditions, or rather, principles.”
“Go ahead,” he replied immediately, his expression becoming even more focused.
“First,” Li Chi’an looked him straight in the eye, leaving no room for evasion, “when we’re together, there can be absolutely no deception between us. You can have your space and privacy, which I respect, but when I ask you something, you must tell the truth. If problems arise between us, or feelings change, we can bring it up honestly, or even break up, but I absolutely cannot accept betrayal or deception. That’s my bottom line.”
Without the slightest hesitation, he nodded emphatically, “I agree, this is also my principle. We must be honest with each other and see things through to the end.”
Looking into his determined eyes, Li Chi'an felt a sense of peace in a corner of his heart.
She continued, her tone even more serious than before, "Secondly, and very importantly, there are times when my son needs me, and I may have to put you and our dates second. For example, when he's sick, when there's an important school event, or when he's feeling down and needs my company... In those moments, he must come first. It's not that I don't value you, but it's my responsibility. Can you understand and accept that? If you can agree to that, then I'll agree to officially date you."
It would be a lie to say she wasn't nervous when she said those words.
However, there was no fear or hesitation.
That was good, but she had her own principles and stance.
This condition was something she had thought about in her mind after the two of them expressed their willingness to take things further last night.
She hadn't met any other men yet, so she didn't know how these conditions mattered to them, but what did it matter?
She doesn't care who they are; as long as she knows what she wants, everything else is secondary.
She will not compromise on these two conditions for any reason, so it must be made clear before we begin.
Yu Shi remained silent for a few seconds, his expression serious, clearly considering her words carefully rather than just giving a perfunctory reply.
A moment later, he looked at her again, his eyes showing no sign of reluctance, but rather a thorough understanding.
“I completely understand.” His voice was steady. “Zui Zui is your child; it’s only natural that he needs you. If I can’t even accept and support that, what right do I have to say I like you and want to be with you? I can’t guarantee you that I won’t feel neglected or complain about your prioritization of your child in the future. But I will try my best to examine myself and do what I can, because it’s you, so I’m willing to see what I can do.” He paused, a gentle and sincere smile curving his lips. “My goal is to have a happy, joyful, and mutually fulfilling relationship with you. As for the more distant future, let’s leave that to time, okay?”
"So, you agree?"
"I agree."
Yu Shi's answer put Li Chi'an's mind, which had been slightly on edge, back on track.
She doesn't need empty promises; what she needs is sincerity in the present moment and a shared effort.
A warm current flowed through my body, dispelling the last trace of uncertainty and gloom.
A relaxed and genuine smile finally appeared on Li Chi'an's face, like the dawn breaking through the clouds.
“I’m so lucky to have met you, and I like you,” she answered clearly. “Then let’s give it a try.”
Yu Shi's eyes lit up instantly, bursting with immense joy and relief.
He suddenly pulled her into his arms and held her tightly, as if she were a most beloved treasure.
"That's wonderful, that's wonderful," he murmured, his joy overflowing, and he even excitedly planted several light kisses on her hair.
The two whispered sweet nothings in bed for a while longer, enjoying the sweetness and sense of security that came with their newly confirmed relationship.
It wasn't until Li Chi'an felt their bodies pressed together, sticky and sweaty, and her stomach rumbled with hunger, that she smiled and pushed him away, saying, "Alright, it's time to get up. Aren't we going skydiving? If we're any later, we'll miss our reservation."
Only then did he reluctantly release her, but he still managed to steal a quick kiss on her lips. "Oh right, I almost forgot the important thing! This is our first official date since we became a couple, so we have to have a great time."
The two smiled at each other, and the air was filled with a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.
They got up one after the other, and their naked bodies were exposed to the bright morning light. The atmosphere was less about passion and more about the intimacy and naturalness of everyday life.
Without Li Chian even having to ask, he bent down, picked up her nightgown from the sofa, and placed it by the bedside.
"Thanks."
"Don't do it again." Yu Shi pulled Li Chi'an out of the quilt and put her white silk nightgown on her.
"Okay, boyfriend."
Li Chi'an smiled sweetly. The two of them, dressed, squeezed into the bathroom to wash up. Their faces, with similar smiles, were reflected in the mirror. Their toothbrushes and cups were placed side by side, like a metaphor for a beginning.
...
After washing up, they went hand in hand to the hotel restaurant for breakfast.
Having transcended the boundaries of romantic relationships, Yu Shi treated Li Chi'an in a significantly different way than before.
He carefully pulled out a chair for her, remembered that she drank coffee with milk only, no sugar, and even pushed the basket in front of her before she reached for the bread.
"How did you know I like croissants?" Li Chian asked in surprise.
"I noticed you chose puff pastries for breakfast the other day," he said casually, as if remembering her preferences was the most natural thing in the world.
A warm feeling welled up in Li Chi'an's heart.
A person who is willing to treat you with care is always more heartwarming than someone who is indifferent.
"What are the plans for today?" She took a bite of a croissant, crumbs of pastry sticking to the corner of her mouth.
Yu Shi naturally reached out to wipe it away for her. "I've already booked a wingsuit flight, starting at eleven o'clock."
Li Chi'an's eyes lit up. "How did you know I've always wanted to see this?"
“I saw that you like the feeling of flying, and there are some nearby, so I thought you would be interested in checking them out.”
"This is on my list of things to do before I die."
Li Chi'an really liked it.
After successfully divorcing Chen Li and receiving the divorce certificate, the first thing she did was to revise her life's to-do list. She knew very clearly that in the future, she wanted freedom and rich life experiences.
She wanted to try many things she had never done before: skydiving, rock climbing, diving, surfing... Each extreme sport allowed her to experience a different sense of life, which made her understand more deeply that she was herself, rather than just playing a certain role as a writer, worker, mother, or ex-wife.
"Okay!" she agreed excitedly, then hesitated for a moment, "But I probably can't play today."
“You can’t do it today,” Yu Shi laughed. “To do wingsuit flying, you need to accumulate more than 200 high-altitude skydives, have excellent physical fitness, and good mental qualities. All of these require training.”
Li Chi'an nodded, "And there's the matter of buying equipment."
“That’s not a problem,” Yu Shi said. “The hardest part is the effort, sweat, and mental energy you put in to achieve these things.”
Any experience in the world becomes precious when money is not an issue, and other things that cannot be measured by money become valuable.
"It's alright, I have plenty of time. It's great that I was able to visit the base today."
I really like your peaceful and optimistic nature, Li Chian. "What's better is that you can watch me play today."
Wow!
"That really couldn't be better."
Afterwards, they took a taxi to the skydiving base.
Throughout the journey, Yu Shi held Li Chi'an's hand tightly, his fingertips occasionally tracing lightly across her palm, bringing a subtle flutter of emotion.
Skydiving is a sport that requires courage, not to mention wingsuit flying.
As the plane climbs to high altitude and the cabin door opens, the strong airflow and the tiny ground beneath one's feet instinctively evoke fear.
Standing behind Yu Shi, Li Chi'an watched him prepare for the flight, feeling even more excited than Yu Shi himself. "You're so cool."
She watched as the other person, dressed in professional equipment, methodically made pre-flight preparations.
I just felt that everything the other person did had a captivating charm that made people admire them.
Being able to spend time with such a vibrant person elevates even the quality of one's own life.
"Do you like it?" Yu Shi's voice pierced through the wind.
"I like it," Li Chi'an answered without hesitation.
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