Chapter 46: Lift Your Legs

The silk nightgown slid off her shoulders, piling into soft folds on the floor.

Shen Yanhui kissed the side of Gu Yan's neck, his voice low and hoarse: "Now, you are also a part of this painting."

Gu Yan's whole body went limp, her fingers pressed against the cold glass, trembling slightly.

Outside the window were the sleeping mountains; inside were their intertwined figures.

The glass wall was like a mirror.

She saw her own flushed cheeks and hazy eyes.

She also saw his gaze, deeper and more intense than the night.

"Shen Yanhui..." she pleaded in a small voice, "go upstairs..."

"Isn't it good here?" he murmured tenderly.

Yet his movements were not gentle at all; his arms tightened, pressing her even closer to himself.

Gu Yan leaned powerlessly against the glass, cold in front and burning hot behind.

Tears rolled uncontrollably from the corners of her eyes; she begged piteously for mercy, but before she could finish a sentence, it was interrupted by a moan spilling from her throat.

Shen Yanhui was not having an easy time either; he closed his eyes and tilted his head back, the veins in his neck standing out.

"Relax..." he turned her face back and kissed her.

Gu Yan cried incessantly.

"I don't know how... what should I do..."

She did not know how to relax...

About an hour later, Shen Yanhui picked up the exhausted young woman horizontally and walked upstairs.

The living room returned to silence, save for a layer of mist that had formed on the glass wall.

He carried the young woman into the bathroom to clean her.

Yet she dodged left and right, whimpering and fussing incessantly.

The fire Shen Yanhui had just extinguished was stoked once more.

He had originally intended to let her off, but now it seemed that was quite unnecessary.

"Hey, hey, hey... what are you doing?!"

Shen Yanhui pressed her against the bathroom wall and turned on the overhead shower; steam quickly filled the entire bathroom.

"Be good," he kissed her red lips.

Gu Yan's exclamation turned into broken moans once again.

Before long, the man's low, hoarse coaxing mixed with the woman's soft, sweet sobs, drifting out slowly.

It was unknown how much time had passed.

When Gu Yan was placed on the bed, she was so tired she couldn't even lift her hands.

In her daze, she grabbed the man's hand, "Downstairs, the glass..."

Shen Yanhui leaned over and kissed her forehead, "Sleep, I will go clean it."

Gu Yan set her mind at ease and fell into a deep sleep.

Shen Yanhui threw on a bathrobe and went downstairs. Looking at the absurd traces on the glass, he let out a very soft, low chuckle.

Someone who had always been of such golden, noble status, yet one day was actually willing to do this cleanup work.

If it were told, no one would likely believe it.

——

Gu Yan slept until the sun was high again.

Her whole body was more sore and weak than the first time.

The bed beside her was empty, and she did not know where Shen Yanhui had gone.

Gu Yan lay on her back, staring blankly at the vintage crystal chandelier on the ceiling.

This could not go on.

Was she really going to be played until she broke?

She had to set some ground rules.

There had to be moderation.

Twice a week, no more than that.

She had to have a good talk with Shen Yanhui; this was for his own good, too.

After all, there was an old saying: there is no land that can be plowed to ruin, only oxen that can be worked to death.

Thinking this, she sat up with great difficulty. Just as she moved, a knock came at the door.

"Miss, are you awake?" It was Xu Yuan's voice.

Gu Yan's hand paused, and she hurriedly looked down at herself. Fortunately, there were no new marks.

Last night she had emphasized it repeatedly and coaxed him for a long time before he agreed not to kiss her in any conspicuous places.

"……I'm awake, come in."

The door pushed open, and Xu Yuan walked in carrying a tray. On the tray was warm water and a small bowl of thick, white stewed soup, steam curling from it.

She scanned the room: the messy sheets, the thin blanket dropped at the foot of the bed...

It looked like things had been quite intense last night.

She placed the tray on the nightstand, her expression relatively calm: "Mr. Shen ordered the kitchen to stew this soup, saying that you... need to replenish your strength."

She said the last few words with a bit of embarrassment.

Gu Yan's ears burned instantly, and she brushed back a lock of hair, "Oh."

Xu Yuan: "Mr. Shen said for you to rest more today; he had something to attend to and went out, but he will be back tonight."

She reached out to pick up the water glass, took small sips, watched Xu Yuan pull back the curtains and tidy the bed, and continued, "Oh."

Xu Yuan finished smoothing the sheets and turned to look at her. Her gaze lingered for a moment on Gu Yan's reddened earlobes and the faint red marks on the side of her neck, then quickly moved away.

"Then... shall I go prepare breakfast? What would you like to eat, Miss?"

Gu Yan was still feeling awkward. "Whatever, you decide."

Xu Yuan replied with a "Sure," but stopped when she reached the door.

Her expression was conflicted, and finally, as if she had made up her mind, she spoke rapidly: "I know I shouldn't be meddling, but... you and Mr. Shen are young, but you still need to pay attention to sustainable development; health is the capital of revolution!"

After saying this, she didn't dare look at Gu Yan's expression, pulled the door open, and rushed out.

As a result, because she was too flustered, her left foot tripped over her right foot as she left, and she hit the door frame with a "thud."

"Hiss—" Xu Yuan clutched her forehead and ran off without looking back, her footsteps fading away in a mess.

Gu Yan: "………………"

Her dignity.

Gone forever.

When she went downstairs, breakfast was already set on the low table in the living room. Clear porridge, side dishes, and delicate dim sum.

She called out to Xu Yuan, who was making a quick getaway, "Is your forehead okay? Do you want to have a doctor look at it?"

Xu Yuan shook her head and disappeared from sight.

Gu Yan set her mind at ease and sat down to drink her porridge in small sips.

She had only taken a few bites when her phone vibrated; it was a message from Lin Wei.

Lin Wei: 【Bored to death, how is it in the mountains? Is it fun?】

Gu Yan: 【It's fun.】

Lin Wei replied instantly: 【Oh~ you seem to be in a good mood, Mr. Shen is feeding you well, right?】

Gu Yan bit her spoon and replied with an eye-rolling emoji.

Lin Wei: 【We've been best friends for so many years, share some of your feelings with me.】

Share her feelings?

Is this something that can be shared?

While Gu Yan hesitated, Lin Wei's messages bombarded her again.

【Is Mr. Shen super strong in battle?】

【How long is it? Half an hour? An hour?】

Gu Yan: 【……】

Lin Wei: 【Just tell me, does it feel good?】

Gu Yan replied haughtily: 【Average.】

Lin Wei: 【? Screenshot taken, I'll let Mr. Shen judge for himself later whether what you said is true.】

Gu Yan bristled: 【You dare!】

Lin Wei laughed uncontrollably, stopped teasing her, and returned to the main point.

【Next week, Professor Chen from the Jingzhou Academy of Fine Arts contacted me, wanting to invite Yan to next month's Impressionist Art Exchange and Sharing Seminar. He is the domestic authority on Monet, and this seminar is of a very high standard.】

Gu Yan's hand paused.

She had heard of Professor Chen; he was a leading figure in domestic Impressionist research.

She asked: 【What is the format?】

Lin Wei: 【Online plus offline, the offline part is at the Jingzhou Art Museum, you can choose to participate remotely.】

Lin Wei: 【However, Professor Chen especially hopes you can attend in person. He said he has seen your works from your Paris period and that your handling of light and shadow has a very Eastern poetic quality; he wants to have an in-depth chat with you.】

Gu Yan: 【What is the specific time?】

Lin Wei: 【Late August, just before your art exhibition.】

Gu Yan was somewhat tempted; she was quite looking forward to communicating with these art masters.

Lin Wei: 【I think you can go. If you don't want to show your face, we'll just wear a hat and a mask, who would be able to recognize you?】

Gu Yan thought for a moment: 【Okay.】

However, late August... she would probably still be in the mountains then.

If she wanted to return to Jingcheng, she would have to come down from the mountain early.

She would also have to say a word to Shen Yanhui first.