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Ji Shengsheng locked the door almost immediately.
She was very nervous. Although Xu Yu's expression remained normal, judging from his behavior, Ji Shengsheng thought he must also be very nervous.
Unlike before, which involved so many roundabout steps, Xu Yu went straight to the point after confirming that she was in the right frame of mind.
The tension brings more excitement.
Then she heard Xu Yu say, "It's time."
Feeling her senses shattered, tears welling in her eyes, Ji Shengsheng heard the sound of fireworks exploding outside the window. Soon, Xu Yu pulled back a corner of the curtain and led her to the window.
Fireworks exploded outside the window, and Xing Xing knocked on the door, calling her to come downstairs. Ji Shengsheng turned to look at Xu Yu, who then kissed the corner of her eye.
The sound of Xing Xing knocking on the door seemed to resonate with her heartbeat.
Ji Shengsheng was afraid that her parents would knock on the door the next second and ask what they were doing.
Xu Yu was punishing her for her inattentiveness with his actions. But she didn't dare to make a sound.
Finally, Xing Xing stopped knocking on the door.
Ji Shengsheng used her last bit of strength to please Xu Yu.
Her initiative will only attract more initiative in return. Ji Shengsheng saw Xu Yu turn on the light and change to another one.
...
When Xu Yu came out of Ji Shengsheng's room, Xing Xing practically stared at him, trying to see if there was anything wrong with his face.
They would stay inside for an hour, playing music without saying a word, and wouldn't open the door even when knocked on.
Although he suspected there might be something fishy going on, he also felt they probably wouldn't dare.
Xu Yu sat on the sofa, holding a very thick photo album—Xing Xing's personal one.
"Where is she?" Xing Xing stood in front of Xu Yu, looking at the sofa that was usually reserved for him.
"She's asleep." Xu Yu closed the photo album. "What's wrong?"
"You'd better not let me find out you're doing anything you shouldn't be doing..." Xing Xing shouted.
Mr. and Mrs. Ji went to deliver some snacks to their neighbor, leaving only the two of them in the living room.
Xu Yu asked, puzzled, "'What do you mean by 'things you shouldn't have done'?"
"You don't know?!" Xing Xing pulled up a chair and sat opposite Xu Yu, repeating, "You don't know?!"
"Ji Shengsheng is just an innocent little girl who doesn't know anything. She couldn't possibly have any ulterior motives. We're both guys, so don't pretend. I know what you're thinking."
“Oh, it seems you don’t know Sheng Sheng at all.” Xu Yu continued flipping through the photo album. “There’s nothing between her and me that you call ‘unacceptable’.”
"What she wants to do is what she should do."
Xing Xing: "?!?!"
Ji Shengsheng was already exhausted, and when Xu Yu was cleaning up the mess, she didn't even have the strength to help. She somehow fell asleep, dreaming that Xu Yu had been in a car accident, and then woke up with a start.
Her legs hurt a little. Her lower abdomen was also a bit uncomfortable.
I stood up and took a few steps, feeling inexplicably awkward.
I walked around the room for a while, and only left the room after I felt a little better.
She spotted Xu Yu at a glance, sitting solemnly on the sofa.
Xu Yu wore the gray shirt she made, and under the warm light in the living room, ... her figure was beautifully outlined.
...Seriously, what a handsome boyfriend.
It would be great if we had armbands and restraint belts...
Ji Shengsheng walked towards Xu Yu as if possessed, and after confirming that her parents were not home, quickly kissed Xu Yu on the cheek.
Xing Xing practically jumped up from his chair immediately: "Holy crap—I'm still here?! I'm a person too!"
"Sorry," Ji Shengsheng scratched his head, "The atmosphere was just too good, I couldn't resist."
"I can't stand you guys anymore." Xing Xing stormed upstairs. "Call me again when you're eating dumplings. I'm going to sleep."
Hearing Xing Xing close and lock the door, Ji Shengsheng immediately lowered her head and kissed Xu Yu.
Xu Yu readily pulled her to sit on his lap.
"...My parents will be back soon." Ji Shengsheng wanted to leave, but Xu Yu wouldn't let her.
"There is still time before that."
When Ji's parents opened the door, Ji Shengsheng and Xu Yu were looking at photos on the sofa. A thick photo album had been turned to its last page.
After closing the photo album, Xu Yu played Go with Ji's father.
While Ji's father was pondering, Xu Yu was recalling those photos.
The album contains almost all of Ji Shengsheng's photos from birth to high school.
They all come from a past he was unaware of and had not participated in.
Of course, there are many photos of him with Xing Xing.
Even her shy, hesitant expression, and the way she looked at him.
At least at some point, Ji Shengsheng had feelings for Xing Xing.
"It's your turn," Ji's father reminded him.
Xu Yu nodded, pondered for a moment, and put down the chess piece.
Mr. Ji loved playing Go, but no one else in the family was interested. He was quite surprised to learn that Xu Yu could play Go.
He believed that a person's playing style reflects their character. Although he didn't deliberately observe, Xu Yu was indeed a very perceptive person.
He has a good foundation, is very resilient, and likes to gradually accumulate advantages, fight long battles, and persevere until he succeeds.
He wasn't sure if Xu Yu and his daughter, with their flexible, unrestrained, and freedom-loving personalities, could have a harmonious and lasting relationship, but he was always unwilling to worry too much, so he decided to leave the young people's affairs to them.
After finishing a game of chess, Xu Yu followed Ji Shengsheng to the kitchen.
Ji Shengsheng and Xing Xing are helping Ji's mother make dumplings.
They were standing very close together when Ji Shengsheng accidentally got flour on herself. Xing Xing naturally reached out to help her dust it off, but the flour on his hand made Ji Shengsheng's clothes even whiter.
The two burst into laughter, and Xing Xing, for some reason, had a sudden inspiration and smeared some flour on Ji Shengsheng's face.
Ji's mother smiled helplessly from the side.
Xu Yu hesitated to place his chess piece.
"There's plenty of time," Ji's father reminded him to continue.
After finishing making dumplings, Ji Shengsheng walked out of the kitchen, stood behind Xu Yu, and watched them play chess.
Xu Yu looked at the flour on her cheeks, put down the chess piece, and helped her wipe it clean.
He then carefully brushed off the flour that hadn't been completely removed from her body.
"...I'm going to take a shower."
She still felt very embarrassed to be so intimate with Xu Yu in front of her father.
After Ji Shengsheng went to take a shower, the second game of chess ended, and Ji's father brewed tea and looked at Xu Yu.
"Sheng Sheng is a girl, and parents of girls always have more concerns. I hope you don't mind this."
Xu Yu nodded.
“If you decide to be together, as your parents, we will not interfere in your lives, nor will we meddle or cause you any trouble.”
Xu Yu looked into Ji's father's eyes.
Clearly, that wasn't his main point.
"If you're sure you want to be together, I hope you can have a proper conversation with your parents beforehand. I don't want to see Sheng Sheng crying because of a disagreement with you or your family one day."
"Don't rush to agree," Father Ji stopped him from speaking.
"There's something I need to tell you beforehand. We're not preventing you two from being together; that's why you're both here today. If Sheng Sheng has been wronged, her mother and I certainly have the ability to stop you from continuing to be together."
"As her parents, we know Sheng Sheng's personality best. She's not the type to keep going until she hits a wall; she'll change direction when she's frustrated."
"I know."
"We hope you won't hold a grudge against Xing Xing as a partner. If you were just Sheng Sheng's friend, we would be more likely to treat you the same way."
Because he is a partner, there needs to be distinction, scrutiny, and supervision.
"I see."
"Go prepare dinner," Mr. Ji said, standing up and stretching his limbs. "Are you staying at a nearby hotel?"
"Mm." Xu Yu nodded.
"How far is it?"
"It's very far."
Taoyuan is not a typical tourist city, and it gets very cold in winter. In addition, due to the disaster, not many hotels were open during the Lunar New Year.
"There are still empty rooms upstairs; you could consider staying overnight."
According to the custom in Taoyuan, people don't go out on the first day of the Lunar New Year. In the morning, younger generations pay New Year's visits to their elders. Then they eat glutinous rice balls together, symbolizing family harmony and reunion.
When Ji Shengsheng came out after taking a shower, she was overjoyed to learn that Xu Yu was staying overnight.
After finishing his meal, Xing Xing chatted with Ji's parents for a while before leaving. Ji Shengsheng then led Xu Yu upstairs.
Xing Xing had slept in one of the rooms, and Ji Shengsheng originally wanted Xu Yu to stay in another room. But Xu Yu insisted on staying in the one Xing Xing had stayed in.
Ji Shengsheng had no choice but to go downstairs, grab the clean bedding from her closet, and replace the bedding in the room with new ones.
"Try it on, my mattress is a bit thin."
Xu Yu obediently lay down on the bed. Ji Shengsheng stood beside the bed.
“Actually, this is Xing Xing’s private room,” Ji Shengsheng explained. “Although there are no of his things in it anymore, he always stays here when he comes to my house. He likes to sleep in the room on the west side.”
Xu Yu nodded: "I know."
That's why he agreed to let me stay overnight.
Mentioning Xing Xing, Ji Shengsheng suddenly remembered: "Did you see the keychain on my keychain? It suddenly disappeared."
As they were talking, Xu Yu suddenly got up, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her to sit on the bed.
"I feel a little awkward sitting like this." Ji Shengsheng took off her shoes and tried to sit a little further inside.
Xu Yu turned to look at her, and with a forceful push of his left hand, she somehow ended up sitting on Xu Yu's forearm.
...It felt even more awkward.
Xu Yu seemed completely unaware of anything amiss, simply untying the "friendship chain" between her and Xing Xing with one hand.
This is the peace bracelet that Xing Xing insisted she wear on New Year's Eve at the hospital that day; she had explained it to Xu Yu.
"It's past midnight." Xu Yu put the bracelet away. "You can take it off now."
Ji Shengsheng nodded: "Actually, it's quite pretty."
"You can't bear to pick them?"
Ji Shengsheng felt something poking her.
...It was the snake-shaped bracelet on Xu Yu's right wrist.
"Not really..." She tried to back away, but Xu Yu stopped her.
This situation... is really hard to describe.
Only when she felt her strength being drained did Xu Yu gently put the bracelet on her wrist: "Happy New Year."
Ji Shengsheng had no strength and let him wear it: "...Where did you learn all this?"
"In your comic book."
This is the page I just happened to turn to.
Ji Shengsheng didn't look at him: "...You learn pretty quickly."
"Thank you for the compliment, I will continue to work hard."
Xu Yu stood very close to her, staring into her eyes for a long while before coaxing her, "Sheng Sheng, keep your distance from Xing Xing."
Ji Shengsheng: "...Huh?"
Honestly, what about her and Xing Xing?
"I don't like the way you two get close." Xu Yu patted her back reassuringly, as if he would only feel at ease if she made a promise immediately.
I don't like their natural way of talking and playing around.
“We really didn’t…” Ji Shengsheng looked into Xu Yu’s eyes and saw the suppressed pain, so she stopped explaining. “Okay, I promise you.”
"Thank you." Xu Yu kissed her cheek.
"What can I do to make you happier?" Ji Shengsheng sighed. "Tell me, and I'll try my best to do it."
Feeling happier?
Xu Yu looked at Ji Shengsheng's wispy hairs on her forehead, her eyes, her eyelashes, the bridge of her nose, the dimples on her cheeks, and her earlobes.
Can I love him a little more?
Can I love him a little more?
Could we need him more?
Can I become even more inseparable from him?
He wanted promises, he wanted actions; he wanted too much, even to the point of being shameless.
"And you? What do you want me to do?" Xu Yu raised his hand and stroked Ji Shengsheng's cheek.
"I just want you to be happy."
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