His voice was soft, but his gaze toward Shen Jintang was exceptionally firm.
Shen Jintang looked away somewhat uncomfortably, but her lowered eyebrows softened considerably.
She lay in bed and whispered, "Then sit here for a while, don't move around or make a sound."
She paused, then added, "Most importantly, don't let anyone find out."
"Don't worry, I'll leave tomorrow morning." Gu Zhixing leaned against the woodpile, one leg slightly bent, a smile on his lips, his gaze fixed on Shen Jintang.
The two of them stayed quietly in the woodshed, one sitting and the other lying down, neither of them speaking again.
However, this quietness did not make people feel depressed; on the contrary, it gave Shen Jintang a sense of peace that she had not felt for a long time.
——
The next morning.
Sunlight streamed through the cracks in the woodshed, casting warm and gentle rays onto Shen Jintang's face.
She frowned slightly, slowly opened her eyes, and saw through the haze that Gu Zhixing was still in the same position as last night, leaning against the woodpile, but he was already asleep.
Sunlight streamed through the cracks in the woodshed, falling on Gu Zhixing's face and casting a soft halo around his features.
Shen Jintang gazed at him quietly, her eyes lingering on his handsome face.
His brows carried a hint of wickedness, his nose was straight, and his thin lips were slightly pursed. In his sleep, he was different from his previous flamboyance, appearing exceptionally serene.
His eyelashes were thick and long, trembling slightly with his breath, like butterfly wings in early spring, carrying a touch of liveliness.
Shen Jintang couldn't help but take a few more glances. His well-defined features seemed to have been meticulously sculpted, with every detail perfectly proportioned, making one want to admire him.
She had never observed someone so closely before, but she knew that Gu Zhixing was the most handsome person she had ever seen.
Shen Jintang's gaze was drawn to Gu Zhixing's face as if by a magnet. His eyebrows and eyes gradually blurred in her eyes, like a delicate ink painting, making her unconsciously sink into it, and even her breathing became soft.
After an unknown amount of time, Gu Zhixing's eyelashes trembled slightly, like butterfly wings brushing against the morning dew, and he slowly opened his eyes.
His gaze gradually cleared from its hazy state, and at that moment, it unexpectedly met Shen Jintang's gaze.
Shen Jintang's heart skipped a beat. She subconsciously looked away, coughed lightly, and tried to hide her inner turmoil. Her voice carried a hint of barely perceptible tension: "You're awake?"
Gu Zhixing's gaze fell on Shen Jintang, catching the faint blush spreading across her cheeks. A sly glint flashed in his eyes, and he narrowed them slightly, asking in a teasing tone, "Are you looking at me?"
Shen Jintang's face grew even more rosy, like the morning glow dyed by the dawn, making her even more charming and shy.
She hurriedly lowered her head, her fingers gently stroking the folds of the bedding, trying to use this busyness to hide her panic: "It's almost dawn, you should go."
However, Gu Zhixing did not get up. He just looked at her quietly, his gaze as deep and unfathomable as a pool, with a hint of inquiry. He then asked, "Were you looking at me just now?"
Shen Jintang raised her head and met his deep gaze, and was momentarily stunned by the light in his eyes.
She tried to compose herself, her voice trembling slightly, and changed the subject, saying, "No. If you don't leave soon, someone will come."
Gu Zhixing simply nodded slightly, his smile growing even wider, with his usual arrogance, and said, "I know you were definitely looking at me just now."
As he spoke, he stood up and reached for the bedding in Shen Jintang's hands.
Seeing that she was getting annoyed by his teasing, he stopped joking and softened his tone, asking, "I had my exam yesterday, and the results will be out today. Do you want to go check them out?"
Shen Jintang lowered her eyelashes, her long lashes casting a faint shadow under her eyelids, and did not reply.
A slight sense of disappointment flashed through Gu Zhixing's heart. He roughly understood what Shen Jintang meant, so he reached out to grab the bedding.
Shen Jintang pointed to the back window of the woodshed: "Go out from there, don't go through the front door. Take the bedding with you, don't leave any trace."
Gu Zhixing nodded, deftly rolled up the bedding, held it in his arms, and instructed, "I brought Liuhuo with me last night. After I leave, he will keep watch over you in the shadows. Just call out if you need anything."
Shen Jintang nodded slightly, indicating that she understood.
He walked to the window, glanced back at Shen Jintang, as if he wanted to say something more, but then turned away, preparing to leave.
"If all goes well, I'll come to see you tomorrow." Shen Jintang's voice suddenly sounded from behind, carrying a hint of barely perceptible tension.
Gu Zhixing stopped abruptly, his eyes lit up, and he turned to look at her, as if he couldn't believe his ears, seemingly trying to confirm the truth of Shen Jintang's words.
Shen Jintang nodded slightly, her eyes gradually hardening, and urged softly, "Let's go quickly, don't be late."
Gu Zhixing smiled and nodded, "Okay."
After he finished speaking, he gently pushed open the back window, and the morning light shone through the crack onto him, as if draping him in a golden veil.
He stepped lightly out the window, his figure gradually disappearing into the morning light, leaving only a faint warmth lingering in the air.
The woodshed fell silent again, leaving Shen Jintang sitting alone in the corner. Everything around her seemed to have lost its sound, except for the sound of her chaotic heartbeat echoing in her ears.
She sat to one side, her hands tightly clasped on her knees, staring blankly ahead, her heart filled with a mixture of emotions, like a spilled spice jar, bitterness, frustration, struggle... a multitude of feelings intertwined, leaving her unsure how to settle her emotions.
On the one hand, she hated herself for being so easily swayed by Gu Zhixing's few words, which had shaken her original firm plan. The dissatisfaction and self-blame for her own weakness spread in her heart, making her want to slap herself twice to remind herself to be more clear-headed.
On the other hand, Gu Zhixing's face was like an indelible painting, constantly appearing in her mind. His every smile, every word stirred ripples in her heart, making her unable to help but think about it, ponder it, and care about it, even though she knew it shouldn't be like this.
"I am your source of confidence, so you don't have to gamble with your life."
"Why not?"
"I know you can hold on, but I don't want you to do it alone."
She sighed softly, closed her eyes, and tried to calm herself down.
Time flowed silently in the woodshed, as if even the air itself had frozen.
Shen Jintang was completely unaware of how long she had been in this tranquility until a soft footstep came from outside, breaking the silence.
She immediately opened her eyes, her gaze instantly becoming sharp and alert.
Immediately afterwards, a voice rang out from outside the woodshed: "Miss, the young master requests your presence."
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