Chapter 22 That Kiss
With a "click", the cork was easily pulled out, and the dark red wine slowly flowed along the wall of the glass into the high-heeled glass, with fine foam appearing.
Su Nian pushed one of the cups in front of Ling Shen, raised the cup and shook it gently, "Happy New Year, Ling Shen."
"Happy New Year, Su Nian." Ling Shen clinked glasses with him, and the crisp sound of the collision was particularly clear in the quiet room.
The wine has a slightly bitter sweetness when it enters the throat, just like the mood at the moment, with a bit of surprise, but also an indescribable warmth.
Su Nian picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork ribs, and the sweet and sour aroma instantly exploded in his mouth. He squinted his eyes in satisfaction, "Your nanny's cooking skills are really good, much better than my bowl of plain noodles."
Ling Shen looked at the blush on his cheeks and couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth. "If you like it, eat more. There's still plenty in the thermos box."
The fireworks outside the window continued to intermittently burst, illuminating the room with flickering light. The two chatted idly, discussing everything from their favorite books to childhood memories. The only sounds of silence were the soft clink of dishes and the faint sound of firecrackers in the distance.
Ling Shen noticed that when Su Nian smiled, there would be faint dimples at the corners of her eyes, and her eyes would light up when she talked about her favorite writers. These subtle expressions made his heart ripple with softness.
After finishing the last bite of food, Su Nian leaned back in his chair and burped softly, "I haven't felt this full in a long time."
Ling Shen was clearing the dishes. "Let me wash them." Su Nian held his hand down. "It's not right to ask a guest to wash the dishes. Just sit here."
Looking at Su Nian's busy back in the kitchen, Ling Shen leaned against the door frame, feeling that this was probably the most special year he had ever experienced.
After washing the dishes, Su Nian came out with two glasses of water and handed Ling Shen a glass of warm water, "Drink some water to calm you down."
The two sat side by side on the sofa by the window, watching the fireworks outside the window gradually becoming sparse. No one spoke, but they didn't feel awkward.
"Ling Shen," Su Nian said softly, looking at Ling Shen who turned his head, "Thank you."
Ling Shen looked at Su Nian's serious eyes, his heart suddenly stopped for a moment, and his raised hand suddenly stopped in place.
The moment the clock struck twelve, the sound of dense firecrackers came from afar, and the new year officially arrived.
Ling Shen finally raised his hand and brushed Su Nian's face. "Su Nian, in the new year, I hope to eat with you like this more often."
Su Nian didn't say anything, the fireworks outside the window were reflected in her eyes, but in Ling Shen's eyes, Su Nian was even more gorgeous than the fireworks.
The lights in the bookstore stayed on until late, and the warm yellow light shone through the windows onto the empty streets, reflecting the distant stars and warming the entire cold winter night.
They leaned side by side on the cushions by the bay window, fireworks blooming one after another outside the glazed window. Ling Shen counted the shadows cast by Su Nian's eyelashes. When the seventh firework exploded, the breathing beside him gradually became longer.
The light golden moonlight flowed on Su Nian's drooping eyelids, making the teardrop mole under his eyes look particularly gentle. Even the subtle curve at the corner of his lips looked like stars crushed by the moonlight.
Ling Shen carefully picked up Su Nian, his fingertips carelessly brushing the slightly cool skin on her neck. After settling her down, he stood by the bed, watching the moonlight trace a silver line across Su Nian's figure, the faint scent of cedar wafting through the undulating blankets.
His Adam's apple rolled twice, and his fingers hovered above Su Nian's cheek, not daring to let go until another firework exploded outside the window. Finally, as if bewitched, he gently traced the curve of the other's brow bone.
When his fingertips touched those soft lips, Ling Shen felt his heartbeat nearly shatter his chest. The wind from his leaning forward ruffled Su Nian's hair, and the kiss between her eyebrows was softer than a firework, as if he was afraid of shattering a fragile dream.
However, the moment their lips parted, his senses suddenly returned, and he took a half step back, knocking over the glass on the bedside table. With a crisp crackling sound, he rushed out of the door in a panic, even his scarf fell on the back of the chair.
Ling Shen sat in the cold car after leaving. The softness between her lips made him unable to help but raise his hand to touch them repeatedly.
He didn't know that Su Nian opened her eyes the moment he left, and her fingers gently stroked her eyebrows, which still carried Ling Shen's warmth.
The moonlight from outside the window poured in through the gauze curtains, casting a layer of cool silver light on his pale face. However, the smile on Su Nian's lips was bitter, like honey dipped in coptis chinensis, sweet but bitter.
Su Nian felt as if her heart was slowly being melted by the warm March sun, but also as if it was thrown into a boiling oil pan, feeling tormented and conflicted.
He was completely entangled. He curled up in the bed and wrapped himself tightly with the quilt, as if this could isolate those chaotic thoughts. He didn't want to admit it, but he had to admit it.
The moment Ling Shen appeared in the bookstore, his heart was shamefully moved. Even under Ling Shen's gentle gaze, he didn't even think of Shen Ran. When Ling Shen expressed his wish, he almost sank into that gentleness and nodded in agreement.
The scent of cedar belonging to Ling Shen mixed with sandalwood was like an invisible cage, trapping Su Nian inside and lingering for a long time.
That kiss, filled with cherishment and joy, was like a feather gently brushing against his heart, or like a blazing flame burning his soul. He could feel it, but the more clearly he felt this emotion, the more uneasy he felt.
The relationship between them is thin and fragile, maintained only by that piece of contract. It is like a small boat in a storm, no one knows where it will be blown in the next second or what will happen in the future.
Reality was like cold shackles, awakening him from his brief dream.
Su Nian put down his hands in frustration, pulled the quilt hard over his head, and tried to put all his thoughts behind him.
But the silence in the darkness made those thoughts even clearer. He tossed and turned in his quilt. The faint sound of fireworks could be heard outside the window, but it was out of tune with his world, leaving him with a heart full of melancholy and confusion.
Ling Shen returned home, the soft touch of Su Nian's hair still lingering on his fingertips. Humming a tuneless tune, he walked into the bathroom. The warm water from the shower ran down his neck, and in the steaming mist, he seemed to see Su Nian's sleeping face, her head tilted on his shoulder—her eyelashes fluttering gently like butterfly wings, her breath brushing against his collarbone with a subtle warmth.
After drying his hair, he wrapped himself in a fluffy gray robe and snuggled into bed. The dim light of the night lamp at the head of the bed made Su Nian's silhouette even clearer in his memory.
Ling Shen pressed the back of his hand against the corner of his mouth, but he couldn't suppress the upward curve, and a subtle sweetness rose in his chest.
He turned over and buried his face in the pillow with the fragrance of laundry detergent. With Su Nian's shadow in his mind, he slowly fell into a starry dream.
As the morning light filtered through the blinds, casting dappled shadows on the dining table, Ling Shen was putting fried eggs onto a plate, a gentle smile always on his lips.
Ling's mother paused holding the milk bottle, her eyes moving back and forth between her son's shining eyes and naturally relaxed brows. Although she wanted to ask, Ling's father quickly grabbed Ling's mother.
No one knows a son better than his father. Ling's father knew that the person who made Ling Shen so happy must be very important to him. Even more important than Jiang Yi. After all, during the years when Jiang Yi was around, Ling Shen was not as happy as he is now.
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