Chapter 42 Confession
The smoke of New Year's Eve and the bustle of Spring Festival faded like the receding tide, leaving only the sound of waves on this nameless island in the South Pacific. Sunlight poured unreservedly onto the soft, silvery white sand beach, dyeing the crystal clear waters into layers of dreamy blue and green.
Two large white beach chairs were placed side by side at the edge of the dense shade of palm trees. Gu Xu lay on one, his long, slender legs stretched out casually, wearing only a pair of crisp green and white beach shorts. His skin, meticulously cared for by years of indoor living, was a dazzling white under the scorching tropical sun, like fine bone china. One could even see the faint blue veins flowing beneath the thin skin. He closed his eyes, sunglasses perched on his high nose bridge, his chest rising and falling slightly with his even breathing, his completely relaxed posture like a noble big cat resting in its territory. The salty warmth of the sea breeze brushed against his slightly damp forehead and bare chest, bringing a comfortable coolness.
Chu Yan walked barefoot on the sun-scorched sand as he returned from the beachside stall. He held two large green coconuts, their hard shells neatly peeled open and long, colorful straws inserted. Glistening water droplets rolled down the curved shells, reflecting a translucent light in the sunlight.
"Here, Mr. Gu, would you like some natural electrolytes?" Chu Yan's voice was laden with a lazy smile as he stopped beside Gu Xu. He handed him a coconut, but his eyes lingered uncontrollably on Gu Xu's sun-kissed body. His chest and abdomen were toned and smooth, and his skin seemed to glow with a delicate soft light under the light. Chu Yan's Adam's apple rolled slightly, and he whistled frivolously, "Mr. Gu, you have such a good figure. You must have worked hard in the gym, right?"
The corners of Gu Xu's lips curved up imperceptibly, and he didn't even bother to open his eyes. He reached out and accurately took the cold coconut, his fingertips accidentally brushing against the back of Chu Yan's hand, bringing a subtle touch. He held the straw in his mouth and took a deep sip. The sweet, slightly cool coconut water slid down his throat, instantly dispelling the last trace of heat.
"Shaopin," Gu's voice was sun-soaked, hoarse and lazily satisfied. "This place is a good choice." He was referring to the private island, far from the hustle and bustle, that Chu Yan had finally agreed to let him book. No paparazzi, no annoying business partners, just waves, sunshine, and this person beside him. He enjoyed this rare, pure, seemingly stolen vacation. Of course, that is, ignoring the culprit in his pocket that kept buzzing, interrupting this tranquility.
Chu Yan sat down on the beach chair next to him, also sipping coconut juice. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the palm fronds, casting dancing spots of light on him. He was about to say something when his phone, which was placed on the small round table next to him, vibrated. The name that popped up on the screen was "Brother Yu."
Chu Yan picked up the phone and pressed the answer button. His tone instantly changed to the respectful gentleness that was unique to Chu Yu: "Hello, Brother Yu?"
Gu Xu's ears twitched imperceptibly, and though his eyes remained closed, the corners of his relaxed mouth tightened slightly. It was Chu Yu again.
Chu Yu's voice came through the airwaves on the other end of the line. The background seemed very quiet, but he still carried his usual sternness and control over the overall situation. "I've reviewed the budget report for the third phase of the project. There are a few points that I need to confirm with you in person. When will you be back?"
Chu Yan rubbed his brows, looked at the boundless blue sea and sky before him, and said in a slower voice: "Brother Yu, I'm still on vacation on the island. Can we discuss the report details via email? Or should I contact you as soon as I get back?"
"Vacation?" Chu Yu's voice did not express any emotion, but in that second of pause, invisible pressure seemed to have penetrated the radio waves. "With Gu Xu?" The question was questionable, but it carried a sense of affirmation.
Chu Yan's fingertips tapped lightly on the cold coconut shell, his tone unchanged, with a hint of innocent calmness: "Yes, Mr. Gu's kindness is hard to refuse. Don't worry, Brother Yu, work will not be delayed. I brought a notebook."
There was silence on the other end of the line for a few seconds. Gu Xu could even imagine Chu Yu's furrowed brow and the look of disapproval on his stern face. Finally, Chu Yu said, "Process the report as soon as possible," and hung up.
Chu Yan had just put down his phone and hadn't even had time to catch his breath when Gu Xu's phone, which was placed on the small round table, lit up. The name jumping on the screen was "Gu Hongyuan".
Gu Xu's brows knitted together instantly, impatience written all over his face. He took a deep breath, as if to suppress some emotion, before slowly picking up the phone and answering it. His voice returned to his usual calm and distant tone: "Dad?"
Gu Hongyuan's voice, full of energy but clearly displeased, came from the other end of the line, as if he was asking about some company matter. Gu Xu patiently explained, his gaze cast towards the shimmering sea in the distance, a subtle hint of irritation in his eyes.
Chu Yan stood by, leisurely sipping coconut water, watching Gu Yu's profile as he was forced into work mode, a hint of anticipation flickering across his eyes. Sunshine, beach, coconut trees—what a perfect vacation scene! But alas, they weren't ordinary people who could completely abandon everything. Chu Yu, Gu Hongyuan, and Gu Ye, far away in S City, probably burying himself in a sea of homework or training... These invisible threads still entangled them, even at the ends of the earth.
After dealing with his father, Gu Xu irritably threw his phone back onto the small round table with a soft "pop." He reclined on his beach chair, took off his sunglasses, rubbed his brow, and complained to Chu Yan, "The old man really spoils the mood."
Chu Yan chuckled and handed over his half-drunk coconut: "Cool down, Mr. Gu. Drink something sweet to neutralize it."
Gu Xu glanced at him and didn't answer. He just closed his eyes again, as if trying to regain the tranquility that had just been interrupted.
The hustle and bustle of the day faded as the sun sank below the horizon. Night gently enveloped the entire island. The dazzling white sand beach, shimmering in the daytime, was now tinged with a hazy silver glow by the moonlight and starlight. On a secluded beach, far from the villa complex, a huge bonfire was lit. The orange-red flames licked the dry wood, crackling and warming the surrounding fine sand. Cheerful music drifted faintly, as the island staff and other tourists danced and barbecued around the bonfire, their laughter and singing drifting on the night breeze.
Chu Yan and Gu Xu did not join the crowd. Each carrying a can of ice-cold local beer, they walked barefoot, aimlessly along the wet beach, which was repeatedly smoothed by the tide.
They drifted further and further away from the roaring campfire, the sounds of people and music gradually replaced by the sound of the waves, leaving only the gentle tread of footsteps on the sand, the occasional clink of beer cans, and the vast, eternal whisper of the tide. The moonlight, cool and clear, cast a path of shimmering silver across the ocean, stretching into the unfathomable distance. The sea breeze ruffled their hair and thin clothes, bringing a salty, cool breeze, but it couldn't dispel the silently brewing, increasingly dense atmosphere between them.
Gu Xu tilted his head back and took a long gulp of ice-cold beer. The slightly bitter liquid slid down his throat, bringing a slight stimulation, but it failed to suppress the increasingly clear clamor in his heart. He tilted his head to look at Chu Yan beside him. His eyes outlined Chu Yan's perfect profile. He narrowed his eyes and looked at the moonlit sea road in the distance. His expression was relaxed, and there seemed to be a faint smile at the corner of his lips. The sea breeze ruffled the loose hair on his forehead, making him look less calculating than usual, and more clean and charming at his age.
Gu Xu's heart skipped a beat, then began to beat furiously again, a sound so loud it threatened to drown out the waves in his ears. His fingers gripping the beer can unconsciously tightened, the cool metal staining the sweat on his palm. A powerful impulse, a mixture of unprecedented tension and a near-desperate determination, suddenly surged into his mind.
He stopped.
Chu Yan also stopped and turned to look at him with some confusion.
"Chu Yan." Gu Xu's voice echoed on the silent beach, a subtle tension, even a hint of dryness. He took a deep breath, the salty sea breeze rushing into his lungs, seeming to give him a little strength. He didn't meet Chu Yan's eyes, but cast his gaze on the distant, black sea, undulating in the moonlight, as if confiding in that depth.
"I..." He began, his voice much lower than usual, with a seriousness he had never had before, "I've lived for more than twenty years, and I've known since I was very young that if you want something, you have to fight, grab, and calculate. Feelings are a luxury, a weakness, and a stumbling block to success. I'm used to wearing a mask, used to weighing the pros and cons, and used to weighing everything on the scale of interests." He smiled self-deprecatingly, and that smile looked a little bitter in the moonlight.
"I thought I had stopped caring. Until I met you." He finally turned his head and looked at Chu Yan with burning eyes. Those eyes, which always carried calculation and distance, now clearly reflected the moonlight and Chu Yan's shadow, with complex and passionate emotions surging in them.
"The first time I saw you backstage at 'Undercurrent', I felt something was different. It's not because you're so good-looking—although you are indeed incredibly good-looking—but because of your eyes." Gu Xu's speech speed unconsciously quickened, as if he was eager to confess. "So pure, yet so deep, like an ocean hiding the entire starry sky. You're clearly still a student, but when you look at me, it's as if you understand everything, see through everything. I can't take my eyes off that contradictory feeling."
"Later, the secret base on the top of the mountain, the fireworks from the helicopter, and every time in the hotel..." Gu Xu's voice deepened, with a hint of hoarse sexiness, "You let me see another world. A world where I don't have to be constantly on edge, where I can temporarily let go of my calculations, and even reveal a little of my true self. When I'm with you, I don't have to be the heir of the Gu family, I don't have to be the always perfect Gu Xu. I can relax, I can be like an ordinary person, feel my heartbeat quicken, look forward to the next meeting, get irritated by a call from Chu Yu, and let my mind wander because of an ambiguous word from you..."
He took a step forward, closing the distance between them. The sea breeze blew his hair across his forehead, revealing his smooth forehead and a pair of eyes that were now filled with unprecedented sincerity and tension.
"Chu Yan, I know you're smart. You see through all my disguises and calculations. I also know that you're never short of people around you, whether it's Chu Yu, Gu Ye, or even other people I don't know about." He paused, his voice trembling with an imperceptible sense of desperation. "But I still want to say, it's not out of profit, it's not out of a desire to conquer, it's just simply because I want to be with you. I want to wake up every morning and see you, I want to share those annoying work trivia with you, I want to watch sunsets around the world with you, I want to hold your hand openly and tell everyone that you are mine."
His eyes were fixed on Chu Yan, as if he wanted to carve all his feelings into his eyes, with an almost pious plea and unquestionable seriousness:
"Chu Yan, I like you. Not the superficial kind that can be withdrawn at any moment. This is a serious love, a love that wants to be in a relationship with you. Are you willing?" He spoke the last three words softly, yet they carried a weight of more than a thousand pounds, a resolve that carried all the chips on the table. The sea breeze seemed to hold its breath at that moment, and only the faint sound of music from the bonfire and the nearby crash of the waves provided the sole background for this lengthy confession.
Chu Yan listened quietly. In the moonlight, his expression was hidden in the intersection of light and shadow, making it difficult to discern. Gu Xu's lengthy, unreserved confession truly caught him off guard. He had expected Gu Xu to express something, but not with such directness and genuine emotion. This didn't seem like the calculating heir of the Gu family, always wearing a mask of perfection. Instead, he seemed like a young man clumsily revealing his true feelings.
Time seemed to freeze for a few seconds. Gu Xu's heart was in his throat, his palms were sweaty, and he could barely hold the cold beer can. He could even hear the sound of his blood rushing.
Finally, Chu Yan moved slightly. He raised his hand and gently scratched the tip of his nose, a helpless yet slightly cunning smile on his face.
"Mr. Gu," his voice, with a hint of lazy magnetism, broke the suffocating silence, "Your confession is quite sudden." He paused, looking at Gu Xu's expression, which was instantly tense and almost stiff, and continued slowly, "But I promised our brother Yu..." He deliberately dragged out the last word, "I won't fall in love before graduating from high school."
Gu Xu's heart seemed to be suddenly grasped by an invisible hand, and then fell heavily. The feeling of loss instantly overwhelmed him. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, such as "I can wait", or "only half a year", but his throat seemed to be blocked, sore and astringent that he couldn't make a sound. He looked away in embarrassment, looking at the dark sea, and felt that the heartfelt confession he had just made was a huge joke. Yes, Chu Yan was only eighteen years old, still a high school student, what on earth was he expecting?
Just when Gu Xu was about to be overwhelmed by his emotions, Chu Yan's voice sounded again, with a hint of obvious laughter and teasing:
"So," he also took a step forward, and the distance between them instantly closed to the point where they could almost feel each other's breath. Chu Yan tilted his head slightly, looking at Gu Xu's eyes that suddenly lit up with disbelief and a hint of confusion. His lowered voice was full of bewitching magnetism, "I'll have to ask our President Gu to have a secret relationship with me for six months. How about it, President Gu, is it okay?"
Gu Xu felt as if his heart had been struck hard by a heavy hammer, then began to beat wildly and uncontrollably, thumping against his chest and making his eardrums buzz. Blood rushed to his head, and even his ears began to burn.
"You..." Gu Xu's voice was noticeably trembling. He subconsciously raised his hand and pressed down on his pounding heart, as if afraid it would burst out of his throat. The action was childish and clumsy, yet incredibly real. He looked into Chu Yan's eyes, which were so close and filled with a mischievous smile, and felt his throat dry. After a long pause, he finally managed two breathy words: "Okay."
This cautious and extremely cherished answer, and his subconscious action of pressing his chest, instantly struck a soft and mischievous corner in Chu Yan's heart. He laughed softly, and his laughter was particularly clear on the quiet beach, with joy and a hint of subtle pampering.
"Gu Xu," Chu Yan moved a little closer, his nose almost touching Gu Xu's. His warm breath brushed against his slightly cool skin. He lowered his voice even more, with a kind of temptation that led to depravity. "Do you know what the first thing young couples who have just accepted a love confession do when they are together?"
Gu Xu's breathing suddenly became rapid. Under the moonlight, a hint of shyness clearly crossed his usually calm face, and the blush at the base of his ears quickly spread to his neck. His Adam's apple rolled violently, and his deep eyes locked firmly with Chu Yan's lips, which were so close to him, with strong emotions and desire surging in his eyes. He didn't say anything, only a low and affirmative response from the depths of his throat: "Yes."
The smile in Chu Yan's eyes deepened, like a galaxy filled with diamonds. He tilted his head slightly, a malicious smile on his lips: "Then I shouldn't be considered a hooligan, right?"
Before he finished speaking, he didn't give Gu Xu any chance to think or retreat. He raised his hand and gently cupped Gu Xu's slightly hot cheek, his fingertips feeling the delicate touch and slight trembling of her skin. Then, he tilted his head slightly and kissed her with unquestionable tenderness and strength.
The moment their slightly cool lips touched, both of them trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly. Then, they pressed even more tightly together. Gu Xu's lips were softer than he had imagined, with a hint of salty sea breeze and a slight bitterness of beer. Chu Yan's kiss was tentative and gentle at first, like a feather brushing past. But after the initial stiffness, Gu Xu seemed to have been ignited by a fuse, and the long-suppressed desire erupted like a volcano! He suddenly took the initiative, tightly clasping Chu Yan's neck with one hand, and with the other hand, tightly wrapping his arms around his thin waist, pressing him hard against him!
The entanglement between lips and teeth instantly grew intense and deep. No longer a superficial exploration, it was filled with an almost predatory possessiveness and the ecstasy of regaining what had been lost. Gu Xu's kiss was skillful and domineering, with the aggression and irresistible power of a grown man. He pried open Chu Yan's teeth, his tongue plunging deep, greedily capturing his breath, as if he wanted to unleash in this kiss all the forbearance, temptation, and desire of the past six months, or even longer.
Chu Yan groaned, his body jolted back slightly by Gu's sudden passion and strength. He quickly recovered, and instead of retreating, he thrust forward. Their lips and tongues tangled fiercely, exchanging hot breath and the faint aroma of beer. The sound of their saliva mingling was particularly clear and ambiguous on the silent beach.
The moonlight streamed silently, casting a cool, silver glow over the two people who embraced and kissed. A few steps away, the waves rolled tirelessly, kissing their ankles before quietly retreating, leaving behind a cold, damp feeling. The distant roar of the campfire and the faint sounds of music seemed completely isolated from another world. It seemed as if only they were left in the world, the burning touch of their lips against their teeth, the pounding of their hearts, and the intense, inextricable, forbidden, and sweet surge of love.
This kiss wasn't about a first, naive exploration, but rather the complete outburst of long-suppressed desire and emotion between two adults, already acquainted with sensuality and a tacit understanding, after breaking through the final layer of window paper. It was passionate, lingering, and imbued with unquestionable possession and surrender, leaving their first mark amidst the eternal whisper of the tide.
[…Are you really with him?] The system felt as if the sky had fallen. It had just finished repairing itself when it discovered that its own child had been abducted by someone from the small world without anyone noticing.
[Of course.] Chu Yan nodded as a matter of course. [This is a reward for the brave who dare to face their inner selves.] Gu Xu was actually a coward, but he was determined to get involved in this murky water of love, so Chu Yan didn't mind letting him get what he wanted.
[What about Gu Ye?] The system is still very dedicated. [Gu Ye has fallen in love with you.]
"So what? There are too many people who love me, system." Chu Yan looked at Gu Xu, who was curled up in his arms, and smiled. "Emotions are illusory, the mission comes first."
The author muttered: Seeing that the number of people asking for updates has exceeded ten digits from single digits, the main contributor also got so angry and angry that he sent out all the manuscripts in his storage.
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