Chapter 153: Can we hug a little longer before heading down?

Xu Yanfeng pulled back his deliberately averted gaze, letting it fall onto Xia Xi's face; she looked at him with a serious expression, her water-washed clear eyes holding a hint of grievance, a hint of caution, and a hint of anticipation.

So moving.

Few can withstand such a gaze and utter refusal.

Xu Yanfeng admitted for the first time: "I won't agree to you; it's not your fault, it's my problem."

"What do you mean?" Xia Xi's eyes filled with various emotions, now mixed with a hint of doubt; she then sucked in a sharp breath, her lips trembling in astonishment: "Could it be… could it be that you don't like women?"

Besides that, she could think of no reason that would let him say refusing to be with her wasn't her problem but his.

Xu Yanfeng: "……"

He didn't doubt Xia Xi's affection for him; he doubted how long this affection could last—one month? Three months? Half a year? A year?

Being his nature, rather than gamble on an uncertain future, he preferred to nip it in the bud from the start, which is why he repeatedly pushed Xia Xi away, cutting off any chance for them to develop further.

But Xia Xi kept coming back, whether due to her persistence or because she couldn't have him, making her long for him all the more.

Xia Xi pursued him so fervently that it often gave him the illusion that once she stopped liking him, she would withdraw quickly. Just like the bouquet of roses she gave him—initially blooming to the extreme, soon losing freshness, fervor, and even fragrance, it would quickly wither into a pile of dark brown trash.

After waiting a long time for Xu Yanfeng's reply, Xia Xi felt half-chilled, wondering if she had actually hit the mark.

She withdrew her hands from around his waist, lifted one hand to cover her mouth, and stared wide-eyed: "Do you really like men?"

Her forehead was flicked, still somewhat painful; Xia Xi hissed, moved her hand from her mouth to her forehead, rubbing the spot: "What's your problem? Just say it, you're killing me."

After she let go, Xu Yanfeng's tense body relaxed, he took a shallow breath, walked to the sofa, picked up the mineral water on the coffee table, twisted it open, and gulped a few sips.

Watching him drink water, Xia Xi unconsciously swallowed, feeling a little thirsty, but more than water, she cared about what he would say next; she knew Xu Yanfeng still had something to say.

Xu Yanfeng cleared his throat, leisurely put the mineral water back, and turned his gaze to the floor-to-ceiling window; the curtains were drawn two-thirds closed, leaving a third open in the middle, through which a dusky blue sky could be seen, a thin crescent moon half-hidden in the clouds, its light indistinct.

He heard his own voice, more ethereal than mist: "Can you be forever loyal to me?"

Xia Xi stared blankly for a moment; she didn't really understand why he said that now, nor did she think deeply—she just wanted to get him quickly, so she answered firmly: "I can."

At that time, Xia Xi didn't know that this sentence would become the sharpest sword she would later thrust into Xu Yanfeng.

Xu Yanfeng turned to look at her; though it was clearly a tender moment, his expression was gloomy: "I'll satisfy you."

Xia Xi's breath hitched, uncertainly asking: "What did you say?"

"You forgot your own words so quickly?" Xu Yanfeng didn't mind repeating for her: "You said, being your boyfriend is to satisfy you. I satisfy you."

Xia Xi was completely dumbfounded, forgetting how to breathe, staring fixedly at him. She had long awaited this moment, imagined countless scenarios of them together, never expecting it to happen on such an ordinary night.

The joy in her heart was overflowing, about to spill over; she didn't know how to express it, and after a while she was still dazed.

Xu Yanfeng saw Xia Xi's face gradually turning red, her eyes still wide open as if she'd heard something astonishing. He felt a bit pleased, the corner of his mouth twitching up slightly, his eyes softening with amusement.

This left Xia Xi momentarily unsure whether to look at his smiling eyes or his upturned lips.

At that moment, the suite's door was knocked lightly twice, enough to break the overly quiet atmosphere.

Xu Yanfeng gradually smoothed his smile, returning to his usual aloof calm, left the bedroom, walked through the living room, opened the door, and outside stood the butler.

Xia Xi's dress had been dried, neatly folded, placed in a wooden tray, and presented to her with both hands by the butler.

Only Xia Xi remained in the bedroom; her brain kept rushing with blood, she really wanted to fling open the window and shout outside, "I've caught Xu Yanfeng!" Knowing that would make people think she was crazy, she restrained herself.

Footsteps receded then returned; Xia Xi looked up toward the door, Xu Yanfeng brought her dress, lifted his chin at her: "Go change, I'll send you back to school."

Xia Xi muttered inwardly, "How did it dry so fast!" She hadn't had enough of wearing his clothes.

But she quickly shifted her mindset: Xu Yanfeng is now her boyfriend; won't there be plenty of chances to wear his clothes in the future?

Xu Yanfeng is her boyfriend.

Just rolling those words around in her mouth made her unable to stop smiling foolishly.

Xu Yanfeng: "What are you laughing at?"

"Huh? Did I laugh?"

Xi pursed her lips, picked up her dress, held it to her chest, and ran to the bathroom to change. When she came out, Xu Yanfeng sat upright on the sofa waiting for her, not looking at his phone nor the night outside, just sitting with a straight back.

Merely seeing this still scene made her heart race; just moments ago, when she looked in the mirror in the bathroom, she noticed her face was very red. She felt like a freshly baked sweet potato.

Xia Xi patted her face, silently cursing herself for being so shameless as a woman; before she'd caught him, she dared to speak boldly and gesticulate wildly at Xu Yanfeng, but now that she had him, her skin had become thin.

This is unreasonable.

Surely it's because she hasn't yet adjusted to the change in her status.

Xia Xi tilted her head back, exhaled, lifted a hand to fan her face to cool herself, then pretended composure as she walked to Xu Yanfeng's side and poked his arm: "I'm fine."

Xu Yanfeng looked at her; she had put her own dress back on—a bejeweled bluish-purple spaghetti-strap dress, its allure not much less than when she wore his white shirt. She was very beautiful, objectively so, leaving no room for doubt, and he had always known that.

Xu Yanfeng stood up, took the cashmere coat from the sofa's back, and draped it over her.

Just before leaving, Xia Xi called out to him: "Xu Yanfeng."

"Hmm?"

He had one hand on the doorknob, glancing at her sideways.

Her eyes shone with excitement, bright and piercing, and without a word she flung her arms around him, pressing her cheek against his chest, tilting her head slightly upward, and smiling at him: "Can we hug a bit longer before going down?"

Xu Yanfeng's fingers gripping the doorknob tightened, veins standing out.

Since he didn't say yes or no, she took it as consent, and without hesitation hugged him tighter, her arms crossing over his lean waist, squeezing him to the point of breathlessness.

Xia Xi closed her eyes, inhaling his pleasant scent, enjoying the boyfriend's embrace for a while; gradually, an itch rose in her heart, not quite satisfied, she lifted her eyelids, glanced at his superior jawline, and asked: "Can I kiss you once?"

Xu Yanfeng's spine went half-numb, he lowered his head to meet her gaze. He knew her earlier bashful blush was temporary; her nature was bold and uninhibited.

His eyes were too beautiful, deep and captivating; Xia Xi said: "Don't look at me like that, it makes people's hearts turn yellow, and I can't help wanting more."

Xu Yanfeng dared to bet that she certainly didn't mean the phrase "people's hearts in panic."

Xia Xi tiptoed to kiss him, but he covered her face with his palm; she frowned and muttered: "Why this trick again? Not letting me kiss when we weren't dating, and still not letting me kiss now that we are?"

She's the type who, given a little color, will open a dye shop; Xu Yanfeng didn't want to give too much at once, lest she obtain it too easily and fail to cherish it. So he refused decisively, without a hint of hesitation: "Don't push your luck."

Xia Xi moved his hand away and asked quite bluntly: "Then tell me, when will you let me kiss you?"