44. The bright moon hides the egret.
"It seems Nuannuan likes the feeling of being a bit of a rogue."
Shang Xinuan lowered her eyes to look at Li Xiran, the soft sunlight from the clearing sky outside the window falling on his cheeks.
The reflection made the man's features appear more deep and defined, especially his amber and jade-like eyes, which were both affectionate and gentle.
And she didn't know when it started, but she noticed that the restraint and repression of fate in Li Xiran's eyes had disappeared, leaving only a boiling love in his heart.
That was in the beginning, her imagination of how her lover would look at her.
"Nuan Nuan, are you ready?" Yu Jiayue suddenly appeared at the door, disrupting the atmosphere.
Li Xiran quickly stood up and shielded the young lady behind him, saying, "I guess we'll have to wait for her to change her clothes."
The flight was overnight, and she had just cried for a while.
In the damp and humid Cambridgeshire, she herself became soaked.
Yu Jiayue's view was completely blocked by Li Xiran, so he couldn't see whether the young lady was in a good or bad mood.
His tone was naturally no better, and it was particularly provocative: "Uncle Li, it's been a long time."
However, just as Yu Jiayue was about to step into the bedroom, Li Xiran grabbed her shoulder and forcibly dragged her out the door, saying, "Long time no see, little Yu."
“...”
The suddenly empty bedroom left Shang Xinu sitting on the bed in a daze. After a long while, she slowly got up and walked towards the dressing room.
Inside the cedar wood wardrobe, the nanny had already arranged everything neatly according to the season and color.
In October in England, the autumn air is crisp and clear.
After much deliberation, she finally chose a blue and white long-sleeved dress.
If someone deliberately makes the connection, they will notice that the color scheme is unusually harmonious when she stands next to Li Xiran.
-
On the way to the restaurant.
Shang Zun, Yu Zheng, and Li Xiran walked together, chatting about current events, economics, and politics in Shanghai.
Shang Dan, unusually, pulled Yu Jiayue aside, and the two whispered to each other, talking about something in hushed tones.
Qiao Xi walked at the back, arm in arm with Shang Xinuan. "In just a few hours, we'll be starting to live with my uncle. How are you feeling right now?"
International students often choose to live in dormitories or share apartments.
The young lady was used to being pampered and didn't want to stay in the dormitory or live with strangers.
But since it's abroad, there are bound to be certain risks for a girl living alone.
After discussing it with the monks, Li Xiran became the best choice.
"Utmostly uneventful, without any significant ups and downs."
"The naive girl had no idea that she had already walked into the lion's den."
“...”
"Anyway, remember to lock the doors and windows at night. While protecting yourself from wolves outside, you also need to be wary of wolves inside your home." Qiao Xi raised an eyebrow and grinned mischievously at her. "If you're planning to establish a relationship when you're studying abroad, prepare protective measures in advance."
Shang Xinuan naturally understood Qiao Xi's implied meaning: "Li Xiran is like a specially trained special forces soldier in some matters. He might be more nervous and wary of me when I'm drunk."
"Please, even gods have desires. Let alone men." Qiao Xi kept admonishing, "Besides, things are different now. The two of you are in a foreign land, relying on each other for survival, a lonely man and a lonely woman in the long night. There will always be a moment when you want to release the indulgence of adulthood."
“...”
"Or are you not planning to commit to a relationship with him at this stage?"
Shang Xinuan bit her lip and stammered in a low voice, "Those things...do we have to be in a relationship first?"
"Holy crap, then don't forget to bring this when you go grocery shopping. Otherwise, when the arrow is on the bowstring and you have no choice but to release it, you'll know what it means to be consumed by fire."
Despite the cool autumn weather, Shang Xinuan blushed from her cheeks to her earlobes.
Upon reaching the restaurant entrance, Li Xiran slowed down. "Your face is so red, are you feeling unwell?"
Shang Xin fanned herself with her hand, "It's just a little stuffy."
Qiao Xi suppressed a laugh and quickly took her arm as they entered the restaurant.
Li Xiran and Yu Jiayue were left alone. They exchanged a glance and followed each other into the room, their relationship strained.
Shang Zunzu does not eat Western food, so he booked a Chinese restaurant.
At the reddish-brown round table, Shang Zun sat in the main seat, with Li Xiran and Yu Zheng on either side.
Shang Xinuan sat between Li Xiran and Yu Jiayue, making it seem like a family dinner, but also like a political and business dinner.
However, Li Xiran spent a lot of time serving food to the young lady.
Since Mr. Li publicly declared his feelings, he no longer hides his affections for Shang Xinuan from others.
Yu Jiayue alone looked at Li Xiran twice because of his actions.
Finally, unable to resist any longer, he picked up the serving chopsticks and put a dessert on Li Xiran's plate, saying, "Uncle, try this mochi cake. It's soft, sticky, and sweet."
He smiled, but in his heart he thought Li Xiran was like that sticky rice cake, soft and clingy, unwilling to leave Shang Xinuan for even a moment.
Li Xiran smiled and raised an eyebrow, as if returning the favor, and also put a piece of meat on Yu Jiayue's plate, "Little Yu, try this stir-fried pork with vinegar, the sour taste is very pure."
Sitting between the two, Shang Xinuan gripped her chopsticks tightly, and fearing that her elders would notice the commotion among them, she lowered her voice and warned, "Can you two stop being so childish?"
Li Xiran put down the serving chopsticks first, saying, "Let's show some care for the younger generation."
“I’m just showing concern for my elders,” Yu Jiayue said casually.
“...”
After the meal, the car to take the Shang family back to China arrived.
The young lady, who had already cried, was now much calmer, waving goodbye.
Only after the van disappeared did she break down again, turn around, and secretly wipe away a tear.
Li Xiran and Yu Jiayue exchanged another glance, and the silent tension rekindled.
"Aren't you leaving?" Yu Jiayue had been looking forward to studying abroad for a long time, hoping to take this opportunity to cultivate her relationship with Shang Xinuan.
"Isn't Xiao Yu interning in the political affairs section of the TV station? You shouldn't have missed the news that the Li family will be expanding into the London market in the next two years!" He pretended to be surprised and looked at Yu Jiayue with great pride.
"So I'll be here with Nuannuan for the next two years. If Xiaoyu has any difficulties, she can always ask her uncle for help."
"Who wants to see you, you ill-intentioned weasel?"
"..." The young lady, who was feeling sad, had her thoughts disturbed by the hostile and sarcastic banter between the two.
As they spoke, the three of them arrived at the entrance of Yu Jiayue's apartment.
"Little Yu, go back quickly. Have a good rest this afternoon, and remember not to wander around tonight." As he spoke, he deliberately put his arm around Shang Xinuan's shoulder, saying in a loving tone, "Otherwise, when you're in a foreign country, we elders will worry about you."
Before Yu Jiayue could even retort, he simply put his arm around Shang Xinuan, turned around, and walked away.
"How childish you are, you're over thirty years old."
"So, being jealous and competitive with someone makes you younger, right?"
Shang Xinuan was amused by his words, "Did I mean that?"
"It is possible."
-
The two returned home, and Shang Xinuan habitually changed into her pajamas first.
Considering Li Xiran, she specially chose a layered silk nightgown, paired with an embroidered robe.
As she was putting her hair up and coming downstairs, she saw Li Xiran had changed into a dark blue silk loungewear set and was sitting on the sofa reading the British Times.
This was the life Shang Xinuan had envisioned before, but she never expected it to happen in this way.
Qiao Xi's ambiguous instructions began to surface in her mind at an inopportune moment, to the point that her palms, which were holding onto the stair railing, started to get damp.
"What are you thinking about?" Li Xiran suddenly looked up and asked her.
Shang Xinuan hurriedly looked away, pretending nothing had happened, "It's nothing, I was just going through the school opening process in my head."
"Then come down first, don't stand on the stairs," Li Xiran waved to her.
Shang Xin pulled her pajamas tighter and went downstairs to sit an arm's length away from Li Xiran.
Have any information or arrangements been made by the Chinese and British student associations regarding welcoming new students?
"Yes, there will be international student volunteers waiting in front of the college on that day."
Li Xiran put down the newspaper. "Then there's no need to worry. Take a good rest these two days and get used to the British time difference."
Shang Xinuan nodded, "So what will you do after school starts?"
Li Xiran turned down his work for half a month to stay in Cambridgeshire to be with her, but there was less than a week left before her school started.
“I have some work in London that requires me to come in person, and the rest of the time I handle Li’s documents remotely,” Li Xiran said with a smile. “Then I pick up and drop off the kids at school, help them with their homework in the evenings, and have dinner with them and put them to bed. I should be quite busy.”
These words implied that the young lady was spoiled, so Shang Xinuan kicked him in the knee with her bare foot without any hesitation.
Then Li Xiran quickly grabbed her ankle.
"Let me go." Shang Xinuan's feet were extremely sensitive, especially since Li Xiran was now harboring malicious intentions.
The next moment, he grabbed her ankles with both hands and easily pulled her into his arms. "Was it because I didn't take good care of her? Why is Miss... kicking me?"
"Li Xiran, you're being a pervert!"
Li Xiran held Shang Xinuan's waist tightly with one hand, giving her no room to dodge.
Shang Xinuan's knees were pressed against Li Xiran's legs, creating an ambiguous yet safe distance.
The room was for just the two of them, with only a dim lamp lit inside and scented candles burning on the coffee table.
The rich woody and floral fragrance blends into a warm and tranquil atmosphere, making it hard not to stimulate the hormones of adults.
"Is this all it takes to be a hooligan?" Li Xiran's expression was roguish, yet he also possessed a noble and gentlemanly air. When he stared intently at Shang Xinu and asked, his roguishness was tempered with a touch of elegance.
"What else do you want!" Upon seeing Li Xiran like this for the first time, the young lady instinctively covered her chest with both hands.
Li Xiran was still pinching her ankle, deliberately mischievously rubbing Shang Xi's warm skin with his rough fingertips.
People who have always been pampered are delicate from head to toe, and wherever his palm touches, a blush instantly appears.
“Then Xiao Nuannuan is a bit naive.” Li Xiran mischievously climbed his hand up her ankle.
As a result, the young lady's entire calf turned a blush.
“Li Xiran…” The usually serious man suddenly teased her in a roguish way, and combined with Qiao Xi’s words, the young lady couldn’t help but get nervous. “Not here.”
"What?" This time, it was Li Xiran who didn't immediately understand Shang Xinuan's meaning. "Why not here?"
"The curtains aren't drawn, the nanny will be coming to cook in a bit, and..." She practically wanted to bury her head in Li Xiran's arms, her voice barely a whisper, "...nothing like that..."
Li Xiran then understood what she meant, and let out a series of low chuckles, teasingly asking, "Which one is it?"
"That's it!"
"I still don't understand."
The young lady didn't know if he was pretending to be innocent or if he genuinely didn't understand the implied meaning.
But when he forcibly lifted her cheeks, her blood-red cheeks were exposed first.
But when she looked at Li Xiran's eyelashes, they were wet and bright, carrying a seductive yet unconscious desire.
Even at such close range, Li Xiran's Adam's apple bobbed up and down countless times.
“It’s just…” As a modern urban woman, Shang Xinuan doesn’t have many feudal and conservative ideas. She had already prepared herself for such intimate things when she learned that she would be living with Li Xiran abroad.
Given their current relationship trajectory, all that's left is for them to confess their feelings and officially become a couple.
So, intimate physical contact is inevitable, sooner or later.
For this very reason, every inch of excessive contact feels like a dangerous, ambiguous signal.
The word "set!" seemed to be burning hot, almost bursting out of Shang Xi's warm mouth.
"What do you need that for?" Li Xiran asked.
The young lady's shy expression froze on her face. She looked Li Xiran up and down in disbelief and said, "What do you want that for... I said to blow up balloons, would you believe me?"
Li Xiran was taken aback at first, then burst into laughter, while still protecting her from falling off the sofa.
"I'm not that naive. But I don't intend to do anything either." He said he wouldn't do anything, but his gaze was clearly full of teasing and seduction. "Or, Nuannuan, what do you want to do?"
"I didn't, you were the one who started it," Shang Xinuan accused.
"It seems Nuannuan likes the feeling of being a little rogue." Li Xiran stared at her lips and brought them closer.
“...”
"A rogue...is all about being unrestrained and seeking unknown thrills..."
"Warm and cozy, want to try it out?"
A note from the author:
Someone here is being indecent!
Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 03:04:14 on May 29, 2023 and 04:11:55 on May 30, 2023!
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: 30672006 and Xiaokunbao (1 bottle);
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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