Ye Qingyun didn't really believe that Gu Chenyuan had taken the initiative to pursue him, but since Gu Chenyuan said so, he, who had amnesia, could only believe Gu Chenyuan's words for the time being.
Even if Gu Chenyuan's pursuit was awkward, he still had to give him face and support him!
Ye Qingyun thought this way until he was called to dinner the next day.
Gu Chenyuan sat in his seat waiting for him, while the waiters standing behind him all looked dazed, as if they had seen a ghost.
What's going on? Is there some hidden secret in this food?
Ye Qingyun looked at the meat and vegetables on the table that she had never seen before, mustered her courage, and cautiously took a bite.
Ye Qingyun: "!"
This is exactly what he likes.
Gu Chenyuan observed Ye Qingyun's expression discreetly and asked, "How is it?"
"It's so delicious!" Ye Qingyun praised, while also a little curious, "Is everything here this good?" After saying that, Ye Qingyun realized she had asked a pointless question. This was the highest power center in the entire interstellar space, so of course they had the best chefs; everything could be made delicious.
Gu Chenyuan: "Mm."
Ye Qingyun asked eagerly, "How much would it cost to hire a chef like this?"
He also wants to hire one!
Gu Chenyuan looked up at him, his expression indifferent: "If it's you, one kiss is enough."
Ye Qingyun was stunned and didn't react for a moment.
Gu Chenyuan looked at him as if he were waiting for something.
No way, could it be...?
"You don't want to?" Gu Chenyuan lowered his eyes and asked in a muffled voice, "Then can we hold hands?"
Ye Qingyun finally realized what was happening.
The person who cooked for him was indeed Gu Chenyuan.
Gu Chenyuan is someone who doesn't care about material possessions or the taste of food at all. How much effort did he put into making such exquisite and delicious dishes that perfectly suit his taste?
Ye Qingyun felt a surge of emotion. He looked down at the table and saw Gu Chenyuan's hand hanging down, in a loosely clenched position.
Ye Qingyun reached out and placed her hand in that warm palm, where it was firmly grasped.
Their hands were clasped tightly together. Ye Qingyun felt nervous, but strangely, she didn't feel any sense of unfamiliarity. It was as if they had clasped hands like this countless times before.
The clinking of bowls and chopsticks could be heard from time to time on the table. The people eating didn't talk much, as if they had just met.
Under the table, two hands remained clasped together, never letting go.
————
Ye Qingyun felt a little lightheaded.
Is this what it feels like to be in love? He likes it so much!
However, being favored by a domineering monarch can indeed shake one's will. Fortunately, he was a good young man who grew up under the red flag, with a firm will, so he was not blinded by infatuation and turned into a bewitching concubine who brought disaster to the country.
It's truly unpredictable how a boy could have the chance to become a demon queen.
————
After dinner, Ye Qingyun followed Gu Chenyuan for a walk in the garden.
The hand that had been released after the meal was grasped again.
This is not a closed space; someone could come to talk to Gu Chenyuan at any time. Ye Qingyun even saw the guards in the distance practically glaring out of their sockets. Ye Qingyun subconsciously tried to pull her hand away, but couldn't; instead, her hand was gripped even tighter.
Ye Qingyun whispered, "In public, this isn't appropriate."
"What's wrong with it?" Gu Chenyuan's voice was somewhat cold.
“Look,” Ye Qingyun looked around, pulled Gu Chenyuan to a slightly more secluded corner, and said worriedly, “What you’re doing doesn’t reflect well on your subordinates. If someone with ulterior motives sees this, they’ll say you’re easily swayed by beauty and don’t act like a dignified monarch!”
Gu Chenyuan: "Mm."
"So, in public, you should still put on airs and keep your distance from me—"
Before Ye Qingyun could finish speaking, Gu Chenyuan stepped forward and gently pulled him into his arms.
This level of contact didn't seem unacceptable to Ye Qingyun; he was just a little startled.
“I’ve already been bewitched, it’s too late.” Gu Chenyuan whispered in his ear, “Let them say what they want, I can’t keep my distance from you for such a ridiculous reason. Qingyun… to me, you are more important than anything else in this world.”
Ye Qingyun's face began to flush. Gu Chenyuan didn't hold him for long before letting go and taking his hand again.
This time, Ye Qingyun did not struggle, letting Gu Chenyuan lead him through the garden, his heart pounding like a drum.
————
Night falls, and it's time to sleep.
Ye Qingyun was escorted back to his room by Gu Chenyuan. He turned around to close the door, only to see Gu Chenyuan standing outside the door, quietly watching him, clearly intending to watch him until he was completely out of sight.
"Good night, you should go back and get some rest too." After saying that, Ye Qingyun gritted her teeth and closed the door.
After closing the door, Ye Qingyun didn't leave. He pressed his ear against the door and listened for a long time, but he didn't hear Gu Chenyuan's footsteps at all.
Gu Chenyuan couldn't possibly still be here, but it's unlikely he'd be standing at the door the whole time.
Ye Qingyun opened the door a crack, puzzled. By the dim light of the corridor, she saw Gu Chenyuan leaning against the wall, head down, arms crossed, standing quietly. Hearing the sound of him opening the door, she turned to look at him.
Gu Chenyuan is actually still here!
Ye Qingyun was stunned. "What...what are you doing here? Why aren't you going back to sleep?"
Gu Chenyuan looked at him without explaining, and simply said, "It's okay, stand for a while, you go to sleep first."
Ye Qingyun: "You'll be going back to sleep soon, right?"
Gu Chenyuan said calmly, "You go to sleep first."
Ye Qingyun then closed the door again.
Gu Chenyuan stood outside the door, listening to the sound of water from inside as someone was taking a bath.
Ye Qingyun was separated from him by a wall, which was his limit. Any further and he would feel extremely anxious.
It's too far. What if something happens to Ye Qingyun and he can't get there in time? What if Ye Qingyun gets annoyed with him, wants to leave, and makes some kind of jamming device to sneak away?
He couldn't let these things happen, so he chose to stay here, even if he couldn't rest, he was willing to do so.
Anyway, he rarely slept during the time Ye Qingyun was away, and he had long since gotten used to it.
Gu Chenyuan knew that his own thoughts were terrifying; love that didn't allow for any space was very easy to make people feel annoyed and want to escape. He didn't want to give Ye Qingyun that feeling, so he chose to stand there silently, without disturbing her.
Gu Chenyuan stood quietly, the sound of water in the bathroom did not stop, and the door was opened again with a click.
Ye Qingyun peeked halfway out of the door to look at him, her body still warm and damp, with water droplets dripping down her hair, onto her prominent collarbone, and then sliding into the places covered by her clothes.
“I knew you were still here!” Ye Qingyun said.
Gu Chenyuan was caught off guard by the sudden grab. He hesitated for a moment, then reached out and stroked Ye Qingyun's hair, catching the falling water droplets in his hand to prevent them from getting into her clothes. He explained softly, "Don't be afraid. I won't do anything to you against your will. I just... couldn't sleep, so I stood here for a while."
"Do you even believe what you're saying?" Ye Qingyun bluntly exposed her words.
He wasn't stupid. Given Gu Chenyuan's unwavering presence throughout the day, combined with the fact that he had died once, it was easy to guess that Gu Chenyuan was afraid and dared not leave.
If he doesn't open the door, will Gu Chenyuan just stay outside like this, and sleep on the ground when he gets tired?
Ye Qingyun felt both heartache and anger. He opened the door wider and said angrily, "Come in quickly."
Gu Chenyuan was stunned for a moment, and then followed Ye Qingyun into the room in a daze.
He watched as Ye Qingyun found a towel to dry her hair, complaining as she did so, "You're really taking advantage of my love! You only do what you want because I spoil you! We haven't even kissed yet, and you've already started sleeping together!"
Gu Chenyuan wanted to explain to Ye Qingyun again that even if they were in the same room and sleeping in the same bed, he would never force Ye Qingyun to do anything if she didn't want to.
But the words that were on the tip of his tongue changed Gu Chenyuan's mind: "We used to be like this too."
Ye Qingyun: "???"
Gu Chenyuan continued, "When we first slept in the same room, we weren't even friends."
Ye Qingyun was so frightened that she almost dropped the towel in her hand.
Is he really that open-minded? Is he out of touch with the times?
No, if he were more innocent, maybe it's just that the two of them had nowhere to live, so they were forced to squeeze into one room?
At this point, he couldn't help but ask Gu Chenyuan to confirm something.
“Shen Yuan… let me ask you,” Ye Qingyun paused, “how far had our relationship progressed? You mean that kind of relationship, um, you know what I’m asking, right?”
If they've already slept together, and every time they do it, they engage in intense physical activity, then tonight will be very awkward; he might even have to consider sleeping on the floor.
However, if both parties are sexually frigid and focus more on emotional connection, then this sheltering arrangement is very safe.
...Now that I think about it, Gu Chenyuan's lack of interest in that area is perfectly in line with his aloof persona. Gu Chenyuan's interest in that kind of thing is probably only a tiny bit, or even non-existent.
Moreover, although there is no romantic storyline in the novel that Gu Chenyuan is in, the novel's perspective is that of the main character who is the receiver!
...Gu Chenyuan and his attributes conflict. It's quite possible that the two of them could actually have a Platonic relationship.
But it doesn't matter. Even if he's Platonic, he still likes Gu Chenyuan.
Ye Qingyun waited anxiously for Gu Chenyuan's answer. Gu Chenyuan remained silent for a long time before answering truthfully: "A kiss, or with your hands."
Ye Qingyun breathed a sigh of relief. The fact that the relationship was progressing like that of middle school students dating made him feel quite at ease. He dried his hair, lay down on the bed, and urged Gu Chenyuan to take a shower.
After Gu Chenyuan finished washing up, Ye Qingyun patted the spot on the bed next to him, signaling him to come over.
When the light was turned off, a dent appeared in the bed next to Ye Qingyun.
"No insomnia allowed. You have to force yourself to sleep even if you can't," Ye Qingyun said domineeringly.
Gu Chenyuan responded very softly, groped in the darkness, and finally grasped Ye Qingyun's hand.
Ye Qingyun did not resist, letting Gu Chenyuan hold her hand, while asking curiously, "Our kisses, they weren't the very first kind, lips touching lips, were they?"
"No." In the darkness, Gu Chenyuan's voice was husky and indescribable. "It's... the kind of kiss where I kiss every inch of your skin."
Ye Qingyun: "???"
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