Chapter 15: Just a Relationship Where We've Kissed

Shen Yanhui glanced at her and nodded to the doctor: "Understood. I'll leave the recovery plan to you."

"It's my duty." The doctor packed up the medical kit, gave a few more instructions regarding diet, and then left the room, led by the maid.

The door closed gently.

Only the two of them were left in the room.

Gu Yan was still blushing, sitting on the sofa, not knowing where to put her hands or feet.

Shen Yanhui walked up to her and looked down at her from above.

Gu Yan felt her scalp tingle under his gaze, and she put on a brave front: "What are you looking at... My health is perfectly fine, no need to worry blindly..."

Shen Yanhui didn't speak; he simply bent down, bracing his hands on the sofa armrests, trapping her in that small space.

His scent suddenly closed in, carrying a faint aroma of fir and a hint of the night breeze's chill.

Gu Yan's breath hitched, and she shrank back, but there was nowhere to retreat.

"The doctor said so much, and you only heard the second half?"

Gu Yan: "?"

"That you'll be more prone to feeling unwell—didn't you hear that?"

Gu Yan: "..."

His gaze landed on her still-pale face, then slowly moved down, sweeping over her slender neck and thin shoulders.

"From now on," he paused, saying in a deep voice, "you are not allowed to play with those dangerous things again."

"You are not allowed to wear too little."

"You are not allowed to crave the cold."

With every "not allowed" he spoke, Gu Yan's eyebrows arched a little higher.

Not until he finished did she finally seem to find her voice: "Shen Yanhui, who do you think you are to order me around!"

Very good, Gu Yan, very imposing.

One must absolutely not lose the upper hand in front of a man.

One must handle him, one must occupy the dominant position.

Although she hadn't been in a relationship, she still knew this much common sense.

Thinking this, she became even more righteous, pointing her index finger at the man's chest, tilting her head, the tear mole at the corner of her eye flickering: "At most, we just have a relationship where we've kissed."

She deliberately made her tone light: "We're all adults here; it was just a whim, just a kiss. Mr. Shen wouldn't take it seriously, would he?"

As the words fell, her own heart faltered first.

Heaven is her witness, she wasn't the type of person to kiss just anyone. She just, she just didn't want to be looked down upon by him.

Yes, that was it.

Shen Yanhui didn't speak immediately.

He only lowered his eyes, looking at the finger pointing at his chest, and suddenly chuckled.

His Adam's apple rolled, and his expression was truly not innocent.

A wave of numbness raced down Gu Yan's spine.

Damn it, why is this man's laughter so sexy.

"A relationship where we've kissed?" he repeated, his voice dropping even lower, carrying a gravelly texture, "Just that?"

He suddenly raised his hand and clamped it directly onto the back of her neck.

His palm was warm, irresistibly pulling her forward.

The distance instantly became zero.

His lips covered hers.

It wasn't a fleeting touch; he forcefully pried open her lips and teeth, tangling with her tongue.

Since she said it was just a relationship where they'd kissed, wouldn't it be a waste of that title if he didn't kiss her more?

Gu Yan's breathing turned chaotic in an instant, her fingertips unconsciously clutching the fabric on his chest.

"Mmm..." A faint whimper escaped her throat, sounding like a soft, yielding response.

Shen Yanhui's body paused, then he kissed even deeper.

His kissing technique was too good, or rather, he knew too well how to dismantle her resistance. Gu Yan soon went limp, her eyes hazy.

It was unknown how much time had passed before Shen Yanhui slowly pulled away.

His breathing was also somewhat heavy, his eyes dark and deep, with shocking desire churning within them.

Gu Yan was panting, her cheeks flushed, the corners of her eyes damp, that tear mole looking stunningly vivid.

He looked at her, still not quite having regained his senses.

Shen Yanhui released the hand holding the back of her neck, but his thumb lingered, stroking the delicate skin on the side of her neck.

"Now," he spoke, his voice incredibly hoarse, "do you know what kind of relationship it is?"

Gu Yan opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

Shen Yanhui laughed again.

He straightened his body, increasing the distance between them: "Get some rest early."

Having said that, he stood up and walked toward the door.

Gu Yan was caught off guard—he was just... leaving?

She hadn't even answered yet.

Who knew that when the man reached the door, he suddenly stopped; Gu Yan had a bad premonition.

Sure enough, he raised an eyebrow and asked, turning back in a leisurely manner: "That expression of yours, does it mean you don't want me to leave?"

He was absolutely doing this on purpose!

——

The next day, Gu Yan returned home with Doctor Zhou.

The car stopped on the side of the road a short distance from the main gate.

The rear window rolled down, and Gu Yan poked her head out to look left and right. The morning light was just right, and the road was quiet; apart from the occasional gardening vehicle passing by, there were no other eyesores or cars.

She breathed a sigh of relief, turned her head to the driver's seat, and said quickly to Chang Su, "Just drop me off here, thank you, Assistant Chang. Hurry and go, hurry and go, don't get seen."

Her tone carried a hint of guilty, thief-like urgency.

Chang Su found it amusing; there would actually come a day when his master was treated as a nuisance.

But he did not show it on his face and nodded in agreement.

Gu Yan got out of the car with the doctor, and as soon as she entered the main gate, she saw Zhong Bo coming out of the glass conservatory on the side.

"Miss, you're back." Zhong Bo smiled and walked up to greet her, looking a bit puzzled when he saw the person behind her, "Who is this?"

"This is Doctor Zhou, whom I invited. Please help arrange a quiet guest room; Doctor Zhou may need to stay for a while."

"Very well, Miss." Zhong Bo immediately beckoned a maid over and gave a few low-voiced instructions. The maid then respectfully led Doctor Zhou toward the guest wing.

Once the doctor had walked far away, Gu Yan leaned in close to Zhong Bo and asked in a lowered voice, "Is my mother... inside?"

Zhong Bo mimicked her and lowered his voice to reply, "The Madam is having tea in the living room, and the Second Young Master is there too."

Gu Yan immediately felt that something was wrong.

Mother was there, and Gu Lin was there too.

The atmosphere sounded quite off.

She bit the bullet, changed her shoes, and shuffled toward the living room.

In the living room, Yang Bing was leisurely brewing a pot of pre-Qingming Longjing tea. Hearing footsteps, she did not lift her eyelids, focusing only on the thin stream of water pouring into the purple clay teapot.

Gu Lin stood to the side, his expression a bit wilted.

Seeing Gu Yan enter, he quickly shot her a look that said, "You're on your own."

Gu Yan felt even more guilty, but her face immediately blossomed into the sweetest, most charming smile as she took small steps over and called out softly, "Mom—"

Only then did Yang Bing lift her eyes, saying nothing. She simply used a pair of tweezers to pick up a small white porcelain cup, placed it in front of her, and then slowly filled it with the clear, bright tea.

While her mother was pouring the tea, Gu Yan quickly exchanged a look with Gu Lin: Did you say anything?

Gu Lin rolled his eyes almost imperceptibly and looked away.

Gu Yan felt slightly relieved.

It seemed this silly brother of hers hadn't spilled the beans about her and Shen Yanhui yet.

"Staying out all night?"

The sword hanging over her head finally fell.