Chapter 43
"Josh, call me."
Soft sobs soon filled the empty, silent room.
The room was pitch black, and nothing could be seen. Josh touched her hand by the sound and found it was wet. Her heart tightened, and she hurriedly turned around to turn on the light, but her hand froze in mid-air before Chen Zhiyu pulled her into his arms again.
His hot breath fell on her neck, sending waves of heat through her. Chen Zhiyu wrapped his arms around her, pleading softly through sobs, "Don't turn on the lights yet." He laid bare his vulnerability and helplessness in the darkness. "I'm sorry, I didn't protect you well. I'm sorry, I should have arrived sooner."
“This wasn’t your fault in the first place.” Josh had never known he had put so much pressure on her. She explained softly, “Chen Zhiyu, what I need is never a boyfriend who always helps me and stands up for me.” She thought that perhaps she should take this opportunity to speak frankly, “I have my own ability to handle trouble. Don’t think of me as weak.”
"I know, but I feel I'm far from being a good enough boyfriend."
Josh wanted to say that he had done enough, but the words lingered in his mouth and he couldn't bring himself to say them. Perhaps what Chen Zhiyu needed wasn't empty comfort.
Thinking of this, Josh tiptoed and cupped his face in her hands. She tilted her head back and leaned in lightly, her voice gentle and seductive, "Then please behave well from now on, okay, boyfriend?"
Chen Zhiyu's remaining rationality crumbled completely under the impact of those words. He stopped crying, pulled Qiao Xi into a deep embrace, and kissed her without hesitation.
The tentative exploration and careful entanglement between the lips and tongue can be a kind of healing remedy.
His movements were gentle, with a hint of ingratiation, but Josh was no longer satisfied. She tried to control the frequency of her breathing, gripped the fabric of Chen Zhiyu's clothes tightly with her right hand, and whispered, "Chen Zhiyu."
"Um?"
Are you conscious right now?
It was too dark to see Josh's expression when he asked the question. Chen Zhiyu was a little confused, but still honestly replied, "Sober."
"I am also sober."
The room was quiet for a while. When Chen Zhiyu finally understood what it meant, he chuckled softly.
Josh was furious. She clenched her fist and slammed it into his chest with all her might. This was the second time she had brought it up herself; if he pretended not to understand again, she would break up with him.
"Oh dear." Chen Zhiyu was amused by her appearance, accurately grasped her hand, and rubbed her slender wrist with his fingertips. After releasing her, he gently ruffled her messy hair a couple of times, as if soothing a cat with its fur standing on end. "Go take a shower first."
"I've turned on the light." Chen Zhiyu turned on the light.
The light from the incandescent bulb immediately filled the room, and the two people stood facing each other, neither of them taking the first step.
Chen Zhiyu's eyes were still red with grievance, and the tip of his nose was also red. Qiao Xi awkwardly avoided his gaze and gave in first, "I'm going to take a shower."
Her hasty actions resembled an escape. She rummaged through her suitcase and pulled out a change of clothes. As she turned to go into the bathroom, she noticed a follower with a similar change of clothes.
The pajamas in Josh's hands were all crumpled up, and she asked alertly, "What are you doing?"
"I'll help you," Chen Zhiyu said, stepping into the bathroom first.
Josh didn't have any other wounds, just one on his shoulder, which had just been treated with medicine. He still needed to be careful when showering and try to avoid getting it wet.
So this time, Chen Zhiyu wiped her down.
...
After showering, Josh lay absentmindedly on the bed. Her long hair was pressed beneath her, but she was completely unaware of it.
The faint fragrance made Josh's throat go dry with nervousness. Although she was the one who brought it up, everything she had just witnessed was still so unbelievable.
As she pondered, the bathroom door opened, and Chen Zhiyu walked out. She turned her head to look at him; a towel was loosely tied around Chen Zhiyu's waist, revealing his slender waistline.
As he walked towards her, his V-line was vividly displayed.
Looking down again, some things are one thing to imagine, another to see; another to touch; and yet another to feel...
More and more uncontrollable thoughts rose in her mind, and the rising heat made Josh's face burn. She hurriedly turned her face to the side and faced the wall to reflect on her actions.
"Why isn't the air conditioning on?"
Upon hearing Chen Zhiyu's question, Qiao Xi was stunned. She felt like she was about to evaporate from the heat. Hadn't the air conditioning been turned on yet?
A beep broke the long silence. After adjusting the air conditioner to a comfortable temperature, Chen Zhiyu tossed aside the remote and continued walking slowly toward her.
Josh looked like a statue with a stiff neck, too embarrassed to turn her head until a shadow fell over her.
Chen Zhiyu sat on the edge of the bed, his warm hand gently holding Qiao Xi's chin. The two looked at each other in silence. His gaze was undisguised, just like it had been in the bathroom.
Josh felt uncomfortable under that blatant gaze.
If gazes had weight, she would surely be overwhelmed. Josh finally couldn't bear it any longer and raised her hand to cover her face from that piercing gaze. In that instant, it felt as if a butterfly was fluttering in her palm, eagerly trying to break free of its cage.
Chen Zhiyu, whose eyes were covered, remained bent over without moving, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips. "What are you shy about? What haven't I seen just now?"
Upon hearing this, Josh blushed and hurriedly covered his mouth, which was about to utter a serious sentence.
Those bright, clear eyes stared straight at her again.
In her daze, Josh felt the first warm, minty kiss on her palm. The cool, refreshing scent of mint continued to spread, expanding its territory, gradually landing on her forehead, the tip of her nose, and her lips.
Josh had just showered, the fresh scent of mint mingling with the sweet aroma of her shower gel. She clasped her hands together, folding them over her chest, feeling the minty fragrance fill her body and flow down to her sensitive neck.
Josh involuntarily shuddered.
Noticing her shivering, Chen Zhiyu stopped what he was doing. He frowned, pulled the blanket over her, and asked with concern, "Are you cold?"
"It's alright," Josh replied softly.
A few seconds later, after figuring out the reason for her trembling, Chen Zhiyu chuckled softly. He leaned down, supporting himself on the bed with one hand and raising her head with his right, continuing the unfinished ritual.
His lips brushed against hers, then he touched her earlobe and collarbone.
Josh's tense hands relaxed under gentle guidance, and she placed them on Chen Zhiyu's shoulders. The two kissed while both were fully conscious.
Her body trembled slightly, as if the fabric of her clothes were breathing urgently.
The pajamas were quietly unbuttoned, one button at a time, leaving a cherry-like fragrance on the clothes, as if one were in a cherry orchard.
In the cherry orchard in the morning, the mist had not yet dissipated.
A light mist reverently enveloped the tender cherries, moistening them and drawing in their sweetness. Under the gentle caress of the morning light, they shimmered with delicate, enchanting light.
A gentle breeze rustled through the branches laden with cherry blossoms.
The branches were powerless to resist, trembling and shaking in the howling wind.
...
Chen Zhiyu carefully avoided the wound, gently rubbing the back of Qiao Xi's neck in a soothing manner. The light cast varying shadows on his profile, and his Adam's apple bobbed slowly with each whisper, his voice carrying a unique, slightly seductive quality, "Qiao Xi, relax."
Like a magic spell hidden within her, a tingling sensation surged through her body like an electric current. Like a fuse ignited instantly, it exploded along her spine, sending an even more intense tremor through her taut shoulder blades.
Their lips met again, entrusting each other to one another.
A sudden gust of wind picked up outside the window, the sound of the wind whistling against the window frame.
Josh couldn't help but let out a soft hum. She turned her head, her gaze falling on the heavy curtains, and murmured, "Was the window not closed properly?"
Chen Zhiyu had a sweet candy in his mouth, its soft and sweet texture making him reluctant to let go. How could anyone be worried about whether the window was closed properly at this crucial moment? It was clearly a huge insult to him.
Chen Zhiyu's gaze didn't linger on the curtains at all, and he answered absentmindedly, "Closed." After saying that, he forcefully exerted his waist and abdomen.
She was forced to sit up, her eyes squinting comfortably, her vision blurring as she stared at the curtains without moving. She could clearly see the curtains swaying in front of her.
"Josh, look at me." Chen Zhiyu was annoyed by her distraction. The two met each other's gazes through the dim light.
Josh felt like she had just drunk the strongest liquor, the aftereffects of which hadn't yet fully kicked in. The air was thin, and she strained to breathe, tilting her head back.
The sound of panting that fell beside my ear was sometimes far away, and sometimes very close.
The wind outside the window grew louder and louder, but the two were so engrossed in their sweet moment that they paid no attention to it.
The noise knocked over the vase on the bedside table, and several dried flowers fell to the floor.
The room was filled with the strong smell of alcohol. The freesias, soaked in the wine, seemed to have taken too much, trembling violently, their delicate petals falling like heavy rain with each impact, leaving a trail of ambiguous scents on the floor.
"Josh, are you warm now?"
The comforting words were mistimed, turning into subtle ambiguity.
This night is destined to be unsettling.
The fog grew thicker, the moon outside the window was dampened by the mist, and the air conditioner in the room worked hard, making the air stuffy and hot.
Beads of sweat rolled down Chen Zhiyu's forehead and nose, landing vertically on a patch of white skin.
Covered in hot sweat, they resembled sparks of fire.
Sparks gathered and coalesced into a blazing furnace.
The furnace fire was burning brightly, making the red-hot iron block extremely hot.
The blacksmith in the blacksmith's shop was engrossed in his work, striking precisely each time to produce a crisp sound. Through countless hammer blows and clangs, the iron block gradually changed shape.
The blacksmith was extremely patient, determined not to give up until he achieved his goal, sometimes hammering away furiously, sometimes carving with exquisite care. Beads of sweat gathered on his forehead, dripping onto the hot surface with a hissing sound, and steam instantly filled the air.
...
"Josh, call me." Chen Zhiyu's voice rang in Josh's ears again.
It tormented her relentlessly, as if it would never end unless Josh answered.
Josh turned her head to the side, gripping the sheets tightly to hold herself in place, and murmured, "Chen Zhiyu."
"No, think again."
The cotton sheet slipped from his damp palm in an instant, and Josh spoke incoherently, seemingly unable to think clearly. No matter what, he appeared dissatisfied.
Is a form of address really that important? Husband, boyfriend, darling—she tried them all, but none were right. On the verge of a breakdown, she finally gave up, saying, "I don't know."
Chen Zhiyu punished her severely before slowly revealing the answer, as if teaching a child to speak, uttering each word clearly, "Call me brother."
Josh's mind went blank for a moment. Before she could even think, she was tormented and forced to submit. She gritted her teeth and gasped for breath as she tried to repeat after him, "Brother, brother."
Josh finally collapsed completely into his arms.
Chen Zhiyu lay down next to Qiao Xi, rubbing his chin against her damp hair, his left hand still unconsciously patting her back, watching her fall into a deep sleep.
As the night wore on, the wind gradually died down, leaving only the faint sound of the air conditioner running.
...
Josh woke up at noon the next day. She was alone in bed; Chen Zhiyu wasn't there.
I feel refreshed all over.
Josh looked down and saw that the pajamas she was wearing were not the same ones she had worn the night before.
Her shoulder was a little sore, but it was much better than yesterday. She could still smell a faint scent of ointment. She turned her head and tried to make out the smell. Chen Zhiyu must have already reapplied the ointment for her.
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