Chapter 174: Why don't you sleep with me?

Notice that Xia Xi was zoning out, Xu Yanfeng furrowed his brow slightly, placed his palm on the back of her neck, and firmly supported her, forcing her to entwine more tightly with him, leaving no spare energy to think of anything else as she threw herself completely into the violent kiss.

Her scapula pressed against the hard wall, and after a while it began to hurt; Xia Xi couldn't move, and just as she tried to push him away, he anticipated her thought and placed his other hand under her back.

But not pressing on her sweater; it was inside the sweater.

She wasn't wearing underwear; the camisole had built‑in padding, her back was smooth, and his hand stroking it made her skin feel like it was burning.

When her throat was dry enough to feel like it was smoking, Xu Yanfeng let her go, their foreheads touching, their breaths equally ragged and intertwined; in the quiet house, the sound made faces flush even more.

Xia Xi wrapped her arms around his waist, still catching her breath, and spoke in broken fragments: 'You…… your kissing skill…… has improved.'

A thin sheen of sweat appeared on Xu Yanfeng's neck; at first it was hot, then the wind blowing in from outside made it feel icy. Unconvinced by her words, he asked: 'Was the first time really that bad?'

She had said it herself: 'Your kissing is so bad because you've never kissed anyone else.'

Xia Xi couldn't help but laugh, lightly brushing his lip corner with her lips like a tiny bird's beak pecking: 'It's not that bad; I was lying to you.' At most it's inexperienced, certainly not 'bad.'

But he's a genius; in any area, after just a few tries he improves rapidly, and now he can easily make her lose herself in the kiss, utterly overwhelmed.

She was already deeply infatuated with him; if this continued, being sold off she might even have to count money for him.

But he's so rich, he probably wouldn't sell her.

Xia Xi let her imagination run wild; Xu Yanfeng, unable to restrain himself, kissed her again—this time not as fierce, gently sucking and licking, a tender flavor blending in, like tasting sweet, silky caramel pudding.

She was also very active, mutually feeding off each other.

The phone rang at an inopportune moment; Xia Xi closed her eyes, took a deep breath to ease the heat in her chest, picked up her fallen bag and his suit jacket: 'I got it dirty with my shoe.'

'It's fine.' Xu Yanfeng took the suit jacket and casually tossed it onto the nearby wall cabinet.

Leaning against the wall, Xia Xi's breathing remained unsteady, her chest rising and falling in waves, her fingers limp like noodles; after a while she still couldn't find her phone, so Xu Yanfeng, unable to watch, helped her pull it out of her bag.

It was a call from Zhao Lei.

Xia Xi answered, her eyelids lifting, her eyes watery as she looked at Xu Yanfeng.

Being so close, Xu Yanfeng heard the person on the phone say: 'Grandma, what time is it now? You're not coming back—are you planning to sleep on the street? Didn't you say you were eating with friends and haven't finished yet?'

Afraid she couldn't sleep on the street and would have to sleep in Xu Yanfeng's doghouse, Xia Xi lowered her head and gave a soft, sugary laugh: 'You guys lock the dorm door; I'm not going back tonight.'

She herself found that sugary voice hard to bear, instinctively cleared her throat, fearing Zhao Lei would ask more, and got ahead of her: 'My phone's about to die, that's it.'

She took the phone away from her ear, saw the screen flash a 10% battery warning, and she wasn't lying—it really was almost out of power.

Xu Yanfeng took a pair of women's slippers from the shoe cabinet and placed them beside her feet.

Xia Xi raised an eyebrow, kicked off her little leather shoes, slipped into comfortable indoor cloth slippers that fit well, and asked with a smile: 'You bought these, right?'

'The housemaid bought them,' Xu Yanfeng said casually.

Last time she came here, she wore his slippers, which were too big and wide, making her walk with a clumsy slap‑slap, almost tripping; so he ordered the housemaid to get some women's supplies—besides slippers, also clothes and toiletries.

'The housemaid wouldn't buy them on her own; it's because you told her to.' Xia Xi clung to him like gum, pleading pitifully, 'I'm starving—do you have instant noodles here?'

Xu Yanfeng looked down at her: 'You haven't had dinner?'

'What do you think?' Xia Xi rolled her eyes, 'You left so abruptly I had no mind to eat. I first ran to the male dorm to find you, then came to the apartment, only to be blocked outside and unable to get in—I almost went crazy and headed to the villa to look for you.'

Xu Yanfeng's eyes dimmed a little; it was his fault.

'Have you eaten?' Xia Xi asked him back.

'I went home, drank a bowl of ginseng chicken soup, and ate a bowl of wontons,' he explained in detail.

Xia Xi instantly flew into a rage, pinching his waist and shouting, 'You have no conscience!' She had searched everywhere for him, yet he could still eat, and hearing his description he seemed quite full—what a bastard.

No matter how she scolded Xu Yanfeng, he accepted it without rebuttal: 'There's no instant noodles at home; shall I order takeout for you?'

At this hour, calling the housemaid over would be inconsiderate.

Xia Xi, wanting to tease him, pouted and demanded: 'You can't cook? I want to eat something you made.'

Xu Yanfeng's face stalled, he was at a loss—he couldn't cook at all, and for her safety he didn't want to risk it, saying he'd learn later: 'I'll get a chef to come cook at home; do you want Western or Chinese food?'

'Forget it, just order takeout,' Xia Xi conceded.

He's a young master of a wealthy family; he probably doesn't even know all the kitchen utensils, and might end up blowing up the house.

Besides, it's not fair to blame him—her family runs a big restaurant, yet she can't cook either; once, when the adults were busy, she volunteered to make fried rice for Xia Xuan, and made her vomit from eating it.

Xu Yanfeng pulled out his own phone from his pocket and gave it to Xia Xi so she could place the order.

Xia Xi felt she could eat a whole cow, wanting everything she saw, she added four or five items to the cart in rapid succession and handed it to him to enter the password. Xu Yanfeng didn't take the phone; he went to get her a drink, recited the payment code, and told her to enter it herself.

After waiting about half an hour, Xia Xi was so hungry her stomach felt pressed against her back; the takeout finally arrived, brought up by the apartment manager, Xu Yanfeng went out to help her bring it in and set it on the coffee table. Xia Xi tossed a cushion onto the rug, sat cross‑legged on it, lifted each lid, rubbed her hands together, and began to enjoy dinner: 'Want some more?'

Xu Yanfeng declined, sitting on the sofa to keep her company.

While eating, Xia Xi pondered where she would sleep that night—the secondary bedroom or the master bedroom?

She glanced at Xu Yanfeng, who looked like a proper gentleman, and without thinking she was sure she'd sleep in the secondary bedroom.

In his plan, kissing would have to wait three months, sharing a bed possibly half a year later—no, maybe a year later… it's uncertain, since she's not the type to stay put and always likes to mess up his plans.

Xu Yanfeng suddenly caught sight of her upturned lip corner and couldn't help but wonder, 'Is the food really that good to make her this happy?' He glanced at the junk food on the coffee table, which only deepened his puzzlement.

'Are you happy?' he asked, leaning forward to pick up a fry from the box, tasting it—it was just average.

Xia Xi slurped a mouthful of noodles, bit into a fried chicken leg, her mouth glistening with oil, and asked: 'Why are you asking that?'

'You're smiling—aren't you happy?' Xu Yanfeng naturally pulled out a tissue and wiped her mouth.

'Oh, I'm thinking about where I'll sleep tonight.'

Xu Yanfeng fell silent for a moment, then said: 'No one ever stays over here, the guest room isn't tidied, so tonight you'll sleep in the master bedroom.'

Xia Xi's heart rippled, her chewing slowed to a stop, and she asked: 'And what about you?'

Xu Yanfeng kept a solemn expression, leaving no room for imagination: 'Me? Of course I'll sleep on the sofa.'

'The sofa in the master bedroom?'

'The sofa in the living room.'

'……'

Xia Xi choked on a bite of chicken leg, her expression going blank for three seconds before turning flat; no wonder it's Xu Yanfeng—calling him a proper gentleman is an understatement; he ought to be called a monk.

Sharing a bed and pillow doesn't mean anything will happen, yet he didn't dare—he didn't even dare stay in the same room, maintaining such clear boundaries with his girlfriend, as if the person who had just walked in and shoved her against the wall to kiss her wasn't him.

Xia Xi had finished eating, took off her disposable gloves, walked a few laps around the house to aid digestion, then went to inspect the master bedroom.

The last time she visited, all the facilities were clean and tidy, simple and austere—reflecting Xu Yanfeng's orderly nature. She walked straight into the wardrobe, intending to borrow one of his shirts to sleep in, but when she slid open the door, she saw a row of women's clothing hanging inside: everyday wear for all seasons, pajamas, and intimate apparel, all complete.

The tags were still attached, obviously newly bought.

Xia Xi froze, then three seconds later she ran out of the wardrobe and bumped straight into Xu Yanfeng's arms; he caught her elbow and said, "Why aren't you watching where you're going?"

"Why did you buy me clothes?" Xia Xi pointed at the wardrobe behind her; of course she wouldn't be foolish enough to think he'd gotten them for another girl.

She had thought it was something urgent, but Xu Yanfeng replied in his usual casual tone: "It's so you can come stay over."

"You've thought this far ahead—why don't we sleep together?" Xia Xi rose onto her toes, slipped her slender arms around his shoulders and neck, crossed her wrists behind his neck, her eyes bright, her words as bold as ever.

Xu Yanfeng's voice sounded slightly tense, unnatural: "It's for your own good."

Xia Xi wasn't slow; she quickly grasped his implication, a smile tugging at her lips she couldn't hide: "What you mean by being good to me is…" She tilted her head, her soft lips brushing his ear as she spoke, her lips moving like light pecks, her voice soft as a sigh: "You're afraid you won't be able to control yourself."