Chapter 205: Don't You Miss Me?

Xia Xi had just bitten the second peeled candy between her teeth when she heard it; her expression froze, and she turned her neck to look back following Zhou Du's gaze. Like Zhou Du, she first doubted she had misseen, blinked a few times, and finally confirmed it was Xu Yanfeng.

The sunset had completely faded at this moment, as if someone had flipped a switch, and the light suddenly dimmed. Xu Yanfeng's face was hidden in the dim light, indistinguishable.

Zhou Du pulled a hand out of his pocket, rubbed the knuckle of his index finger against the tip of his nose, and said to Xia Xi, "It looks like there's no time tonight; let's meet again when we get the chance. I'm off."

He waved his hand, his relaxed brows lifting slightly, then gave Xu Yanfeng a last look before leisurely stepping away on another path, heading in the opposite direction from Xu Yanfeng.

After the initial surprise, Xia Xi recovered, stepped over the stone-paved path to Xu Yanfeng's side, her eyes full of delight as she grabbed his hand, feeling slightly cool: "Aren't you very busy? How do you have time to come over?"

They had talked on the phone the previous night; at that time she hadn't yet mentioned her travel details. In the conversation, he said he would meet a Swiss business partner this afternoon and might have engagements tonight, so he wasn't sure how late he'd be.

When he asked which high-speed train she would take, wondering if he could free up time to pick her up, she told him to focus on his own affairs and not worry about her. She had traveled back and forth between Nancheng and Qianlin many times, able to reach school even with her eyes closed.

Xu Yanfeng tightened his fingers, gripping her hand, his ink-black eyes drooping, his mood low, his voice as heavy as a water-soaked sponge: "The engagement is with my father."

Xu Guanshan personally took the lead; his sincerity was sufficient, his presence or absence didn't matter, so he made an excuse, canceled the dinner gathering, and came to the school to find her.

He rarely took this small path; fir trees lined both sides, their branches growing sideways, narrowing the path further. Walking through, fine, sharp twigs would brush against his body.

Perhaps it was fate, but today he happened to take this path and ran into Xia Xi and Zhou Du.

Zhou Du's intimate stroking of her hair made him jealous.

After not seeing each other for a vacation, Xia Xi missed him terribly, her longing about to burst from her heart, shown by the sparkle in her eyes, her lips turned up high, the hand he held quickly sweating, her other hand clutching his waist, waiting for him to pull her into his embrace.

But he seemed very calm, very restrained.

Xia Xi stared up at him for a long time, unable to help wondering, "Is work not going well?"

She never thought of jealousy; deep down she felt it unlikely, since she had earlier explained her relationship with Zhou Du. Xu Yanfeng is usually perceptive and rational, so he would understand. More importantly, someone as pure and aloof as he rarely gets jealous, and certainly wouldn't keep being jealous of the same person.

She wouldn't understand that no matter how capable a person is, once caught in the vortex of fated love, they have little rationality left.

Xu Yanfeng's lips moved slightly, his voice low: "No."

Xia Xi pulled her hand free from his sweaty grasp, placed both hands on his shoulders, then wrapped them around his neck, rose onto her toes and stepped forward to press against his shoe, her body flush against his.

Despite the cold weather, her cheeks flushed with a warm blush: "Don't you miss me at all?"

Today is the first day of school, so no one will come here; the tall firs form a natural barrier, hiding their silhouettes within, creating a world of their own where only the two of them exist, so quiet.

Xu Yanfeng slowly exhaled the pent-up breath, his voice still low, showing he could hardly muster energy: "Why are you asking that?"

"You don't even hug me." Xia Xi said softly, "nor kiss me."

Xu Yanfeng raised a hand and placed it on her waist: "Anything else? I'll take you to eat."

He really knows how to change the subject. Xi Xi was dissatisfied with his reaction, her brows knitting slightly, and without further ado she kissed his lips. She had spoken so plainly; couldn't he follow the model answer—first hold her tightly, then kiss her?

As for him, he just lightly said he'd take her to eat and that was it.

Their entwined lips and tongues stirred a long‑absent longing; Xu Yanfeng momentarily forgot everything, his palm gliding over her slender back, cupping the hollow of her neck, lifting her slightly, turning his head to regain the initiative.

Xia Xi was satisfied, her brow unfurrowing and the corners of her mouth turning up.

She gave him half of the toffee to eat.

A crease appeared between Xu Yanfeng's brows as he was forced to swallow the cloying chocolate.

Xia Xi smirked, panting as she leaned against his chest. She loved hearing his strong, powerful heartbeat; each "thump" seemed to say, "I like you."

The sky grew darker, the wind picked up, tree shadows swayed, and her eyes, glazed with a watery sheen, shone brightly even in the shade.

Xu Yanfeng took Xia Xi to a private‑home restaurant, booked a small private room, and ordered several dishes she liked.

After the first bite, Xia Xi recognized it: "Isn't this the place you ordered takeout from last time?"

Xu Yanfeng nodded, gave her a piece of braised goose, and scooped a bowl of matsutake chicken soup beside her.

Xia Xi praised the food without pause, her chopsticks barely stopping, while Xu Yanfeng used his chopsticks only a few times, mostly to serve her. She propped her cheek on one hand, swallowed the food in her mouth, then poked his forearm where his sleeve was rolled up: "Is your appetite poor?"

Xu Yanfeng set down his chopsticks, pinched a napkin to wipe his mouth: "I'm not very hungry."

"Really? I thought you were in a bad mood." Poor mood affects appetite.

"How could that be?"

Xia Xi narrowed her eyes, trying to gauge him; he first averted his gaze, picked up the teapot and poured a cup. He was drinking Da Hong Pao, its fragrance filling the air, not overwhelmed by the dishes' aroma, he lifted the cup to his lips and took a sip. Xia Xi spooned soup into her mouth, saw he had finished a cup and was about to pour a second, and said, "Drinking this much tea at night, aren't you afraid you won't be able to sleep?"

Xu Yanfeng paused, his dark eyes meeting hers: "I shouldn't."

"Oh." Xia Xi finished the soup in the small bowl, wiped her mouth, "I'm full too."

Leaving the private‑home restaurant, the streetlights stretched their shadows; she linked her arm with his and bounced along, the bun she had hastily tied for convenience swaying as she walked.

She called out "Xu Yanfeng," reminding him to look at the shadow on the ground.

Xu Yanfeng turned his gaze to the ground; she shook her head left and right, the bun wobbling with her, until he finally laughed, the corners of his mouth lifting into a noticeable arc, making him look especially handsome and charming under the light.

Xia Xi tilted her head to look at him, her heart fluttered, and she planted a kiss on his face, producing a loud "pop".

Xu Yanfeng froze for a moment, then pulled the arm she had both hands wrapped around, slipped it onto her shoulder, and gathered her whole body into the crook of his arm, filling his embrace with no gap, as if this would keep him from feeling insecure.

Without asking Xia Xi's opinion, Xu Yanfeng drove straight to his apartment.

Seeing the familiar apartment complex gate, Xia Xi raised her eyebrows, pressed her fingernail between her teeth to bite, her mouth curling up silently as she feigned innocence: "How did you bring me here?"

The gate had already risen, the car's front entered the fence, Xu Yanfeng tightened his grip on the steering wheel, turned his head to her: "Are you going back to school?"

Xia Xi's eyes darted about, she held back a laugh and said, "No." She said that just to see his reaction.

Xu Yanfeng took the hand she had resting on her knee and squeezed it hard, as punishment for her teasing.

Xia Xi: "Drive properly; don't think that just because you're inside the residential area you can ignore traffic rules."

Xu Yanfeng chuckled lightly, returned his hand to the steering wheel, the tires rolled over the speed bump, jolted a few times, then smoothly drove along the road lined with greenery and glided into the parking lot.

During the elevator's ascent, no one else entered; they stood side by side, the backs of their hands touching, as if scorched by a spark, that patch of skin burning hot. Their hearts pounded like rapid drumbeats, whether hers or his.

Following his inner desire, Xu Yanfeng slipped his fingers between hers, interlocking their ten fingers, palms pressed together.

Xia Xi instinctively licked her lips, feeling her mouth dry and her throat scratchy.

"Ding—"

The elevator arrived; Xu Yanfeng pulled Xia Xi out, opened the door, locked it in one smooth motion. He didn't turn on the light, eagerly shoved her shoulder, in the pitch darkness he precisely found her lips, his movements conveying an urge to devour her.