Dazzling

Riding the Little Angel through Zhazha Pavilion once more, the streets on both sides were in disarray. The pungent smell of burning lingered persistently in the air. The houses along the road had long turned off their lights, leaving the empty streets cold and desolate.

Qing Ye sat on the back of the motorcycle, holding tightly onto Xing Wu. She didn't know where he was taking her, nor did she want to ask.

She also didn't know how many years Xing Wu had been taking care of his grandmother like this. The incontinence couldn't have happened just once. In the past, Xing Wu had never let her see these embarrassing moments—until a fire laid bare all the unpleasant truths. Qing Ye saw the most real aspects of his life, and besides feeling heartache, what overwhelmed her was a sense of helpless sorrow.

After Grandma's room was tidied up, Li Lanfang temporarily shared the room with her. As for Qing Ye, Xing Wu took her to the "Guest Come Grand Hotel" in Four Alleys—the same small inn where Meng Ruihang had stayed last time. Under the circumstances, having a place to stay on the eve of New Year's Eve felt like a luxury to Qing Ye. At least there was a place to shower and sleep.

Xing Wu didn't just book a single night. Qing Ye saw him negotiating a monthly rate directly with the plump woman. Sometimes she admired Xing Wu's foresight—even in such a situation, he could think about practical matters. Though the cost for one night wasn't high, staying long-term would add up to three or four thousand a month. Negotiating a monthly rate was indeed much more economical.

In the end, Xing Wu paid a thousand yuan upfront, took the receipt, and led Qing Ye upstairs. Qing Ye only had the backpack she'd brought when leaving in the evening and the laptop Xing Wu had risked his life to save. These were her only possessions now—she didn't even have a coat, just a thin sweater and dirty jeans. All she wanted at that moment was to take off these clothes and wash thoroughly with hot water.

It was nearly 2 a.m. when they reached the room. The room was fairly tidy but had only one large bed, not twin beds. Qing Ye froze for a moment, and Xing Wu said to her, "I'll go change it for a twin room."

Qing Ye grabbed his arm. "Forget it, don't bother. I want to shower."

But Xing Wu stood at the doorway without entering and said to her, "You stay here. I'll go to Huang Mao's place."

Qing Ye set down her bag and laptop, paused in silence, then turned to look at him. "I don't want to be alone."

Yes, she didn't want to be alone—at least not on this night. She couldn't fall asleep by herself. Closing her eyes, all she could see was the raging fire; the fear still felt so real, lingering even now.

Xing Wu entered the room and closed the door without another word, urging her to shower quickly.

The sound of water soon came from the bathroom, but Xing Wu paid no attention. He sat by the window, lighting a cigarette, his brow deeply furrowed. His silhouette was half-hidden in the dim light, shrouded in heavy oppression as he sank into deep thought.

So lost in thought, he didn't even notice when the bathroom door opened. It wasn't until Qing Ye had already gotten into bed and called out, "Hey," that he belatedly realized his cigarette had burned out. He stubbed the butt in the ashtray, looked up at her, and said, "Get some sleep. I'll wait until you're asleep before I leave."

Seeing how filthy he was—hardly a clean spot on him—Qing Ye frowned and said, "It'll be dawn in a few hours. Where are you going to go? You should take a shower."Xing Wu didn't insist further. He turned off the light for Qing Ye and headed to the bathroom. Alone on the large bed, Qing Ye felt no drowsiness—perhaps the events of the night had been too sudden and overwhelming, making it hard for her to fall asleep.

When Xing Wu emerged from his shower, Qing Ye rolled over to look at him. A towel wrapped around his waist, he was drying his hair, the faint light outlining his lean waist. The startling scar across his abdomen now exuded a dangerous, irresistible allure. Qing Ye's voice muffled by the covers, she said, "Come up."

Xing Wu tossed the towel aside, lifted the corner of the quilt, and lay down. He turned his head to look at Qing Ye, who lay beside him, radiating a soothing fragrance. His gaze fixed intently on her, his voice deep and magnetic: "Were you terrified?"

Qing Ye's eyes, soft as clear springs in the darkness, watched him without a word. Then she heard him say, "I heard you—I heard you calling me from inside. I wanted to rush out, but the beam collapsed. I couldn't get through."

Her lips trembled slightly. "Are you insane? Why worry about the computer at a time like that?"

Xing Wu turned onto his side and sighed softly. "I wanted to save your study materials too, but the fire was too intense. I could only grab the computer. It seemed important to you."

Qing Ye recalled when she first arrived at Zhazha Pavilion and had sought out the legendary Master Ju to repair her computer. So he knew the contents were crucial to her. Her emotions now a tangled mess, she lifted her hand under the covers and punched his chest. "Madman!"

Xing Wu directly draped an arm over her, intending to hold her, but... his hand landed on something soft and full. They sprang apart as if electrocuted. Xing Wu said in disbelief, "You're not wearing anything?"

"Do you think I have any clothes left?"

"Why didn't you say something?"

"Should I have? My clothes are in the bathroom—didn't you see them?"

"..." Xing Wu had been preoccupied earlier; perhaps he'd seen Qing Ye's clothes but hadn't registered it. Now, the vivid sensation in his palm made his breath suddenly uneven.

Qing Ye turned her head to look at him, her voice barely a whisper. "You... why aren't you saying anything?"

Xing Wu simply lay with his eyes wide open, staring blankly at the ceiling. Puzzled, Qing Ye leaned closer to him. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

His gaze slowly shifted to her face. Her soft hair cascaded slightly, brushing against his chest with a tantalizing itch. The elegant curve of her neck extended to her collarbone and down to forbidden territory beneath the covers. His Adam's apple moved involuntarily. Suddenly, he hooked his hand behind her neck, kissed her lips, and rolled over, trapping her in the circle of his arms as he deepened the kiss. His voice was hoarse and low: "What do you want me to say?"

Only at this moment did Qing Ye truly feel his warmth. Honestly, since earlier, she had been deeply worried about Xing Wu. He was too restrained, too abnormal—all his emotions suppressed in his chest, keeping her heart clenched.

Now, as he kissed her fiercely, she finally relaxed. She wrapped her arms around him, her voice choked with emotion. "Say whatever you're thinking. It's just the two of us now. It's okay, Xing Wu. If you're hurting, let it out. I'll bear it with you.""I want you..." He spoke the thought consuming his mind, unable to resist the temptation of the woman in his arms. Her warm, soft fragrance and smooth touch made his entire body tense. His kisses and voice simultaneously fell upon her neck, sending tremors through Qing Ye.

But the moment Xing Wu uttered those words, he suddenly seemed to sober up and let out a self-mocking laugh, pulling away from her. At that instant, Qing Ye grabbed him firmly. Her dark, bright eyes held no evasion, glistening with unshed tears in their depths, while the corners of her lips curved into a deadly arc as she stared intently at him: "All talk no action? Is Little Master Wu this cowardly?"

Xing Wu gazed at her in stunned silence, his breathing growing increasingly ragged. With a complicated look in his eyes, he said: "You saw what my life is like tonight, Qing Ye. Your half step feels like the ends of the earth to me."

Her tears silently traced down her temples onto the pillow as she raised both hands to tightly wrap around his neck, refusing to let him retreat. With determined eyes, she declared: "Who can honestly claim their life is crystal clear without any murkiness? What family doesn't have their troubles? What person is flawless? Yes, before coming here I never imagined I'd be with a poor boy, but the moment I fell in love with you, Qing Ye, you became the only choice. The one and only."

A burning flame surged relentlessly in Xing Wu's chest. Emotionally, he called her name: "Qing Ye..."

She gently raised her head to kiss him: "I told you... I'm yours..."

He reversed their positions, crushing her against his chest. The rough texture of his fingertips made Qing Ye's body tremble. Never before had they been so completely exposed to each other.

Xing Wu had seen many sides of Qing Ye - her shamelessness when acting spoiled, her fierceness when angry, her childlike exuberance when happy, her crying for her mother when sad.

But he had never seen this exquisitely tender side of her. Her luminous skin glowed with a soft radiance, her beautiful figure so stunning it instantly shattered his self-control. He could clearly feel his rationality crumbling piece by piece, the fire in his heart completely consuming him, leaving him at the mercy of his desires.

Qing Ye could feel Xing Wu trembling when he parted her legs, but wasn't she the same?

She held him tightly, feeling both afraid and excited, but mostly at a loss. After all, this was entirely unfamiliar to her - so unfamiliar that she had no idea what to do, simply surrendering herself to Xing Wu in a daze.

She didn't know how many girls experienced their first time in this bewildered state. Her mind felt hazy and heavy, the air thick with intoxicating scents, as if in a dream. Both of them took this sacred step together, Qing Ye shrinking into Xing Wu's embrace, shivering from the pain.

Xing Wu used scattered kisses to gradually relax her body. He asked her: "Does it hurt?"

"...I thought addiction meant... it would feel good."

A faint smile finally touched the corners of Xing Wu's lips: "I'll make you addicted."

He pinned her hands beside the pillow, overwhelming masculine energy enveloping her. While kissing her madly, Xing Wu gradually expanded his territory.

Qing Ye had been right - this man indeed possessed a natural talent for things, demonstrated perfectly in this matter.

He could look at her with tenderness enough to drown a person while simultaneously plundering her with wild abandon.Xing Wu could no longer distinguish whether it was the night's overwhelming experiences or years of repressed emotions that had conditioned him to ignore his inner desires. But once the floodgates opened, his longing surged forth like a raging torrent, unstoppable and all-consuming.

Qing Ye could sense that Xing Wu had lost control—or perhaps this was his most primal self, stripped of all pretense and restraint. Though the intensity was torturous for her inexperienced self, she couldn't bring herself to stop him.

She merely bit her lip tightly, enduring wave after wave of unfamiliar sensations that gradually seeped into her heart, filling her entire being. Thus, led by Xing Wu, she stepped through a gateway to a new world.

And so, that little red box she'd snatched back from Xing Wu and tossed into her bag ultimately served its purpose at the critical moment. As if destined by fate, they possessed each other.

At the peak of passion, he nipped at her lips and murmured, "Happy birthday." Qing Ye, already dazed, had forgotten midnight had passed—it was now her birthday. On this day, she gave herself to Xing Wu.

Only after calm returned did Xing Wu turn on the light and see Qing Ye's marked body. Suddenly struck as if by lightning, he gradually sobered up, frowning slightly. "Did... did I hurt you?"

Qing Ye's nose tip and hair were damp with sweat, her eyes glistening, her pure face flushed and intoxicating. Under the light and shadows, she was breathtakingly beautiful, her body still trembling slightly. Xing Wu pulled her into his arms with self-reproach, kissing her gently. "You're definitely poisonous. I couldn't control myself."

"Qing Ye, what should I do? I want to tuck you into my pocket and carry you everywhere."

His breath was scorching hot. Qing Ye lifted her head, rubbing her lips against his slightly stubbled chin. "Addicted after just once?"

He looked down at her with dazed eyes and a smile. Qing Ye's soft body squirmed in his embrace. "I'm hungry..."

Xing Wu kissed her jaw. "There's instant noodles in the room. Want some?"

"Yes."

Wrapping a towel around himself, he got up to boil water. Qing Ye lay prone on the bed hugging the quilt, her eyes following his movements. His taut, fluid back lines were wildly sensual, still bearing two faint scratches from her nails. Remembering his passionate state earlier, her cheeks burned hotter.

After pouring hot water, Xing Wu turned to see her hiding completely under the covers like a shy newlywed, only her eyes peeking out to watch him. Leaning against the small table, he gazed at her with a smile.

Qing Ye's eyes gradually curved into crescents. The room was quiet, neither speaking as they looked at each other with tacit understanding, their eyes overflowing with deep affection.

When the noodles were ready, Xing Wu bundled Qing Ye tightly in the quilt. As she reached out her pale arm to take the cup, he glanced at it and tucked it back inside. "Stay wrapped up so you don't get cold."

Blinking like a mummy, she asked, "Then how do I eat?"

Xing Wu twirled the noodles, blew on them, and brought them to her lips. She squinted with a smile and obediently opened her mouth.

While eating, Qing Ye said to him, "Do you think we're lucky? Thankfully we went out tonight, or we might have been trapped in that big fire?"Thinking about it now gives me chills. Earlier, my jacket and phone were thrown into the fire, then today I suddenly had a bunch of weird dreams and overslept. After waking up, didn’t my eyelid twitch all day?

This must be some kind of sign from heaven."

Xing Wu glanced at her sideways. "Hurry up and eat, mystic lady."

Qing Ye spoke with conviction. "I’m serious. Haven’t you heard of external omens? They’re hints from nature. My dad used to visit Taoist priests for divination every year. I went with him to temples and heard the old Taoists say that countless subtle things happen around us every day—birds flying in the sky, sudden sounds you hear, broken dishes, even unusual smells. These could all signal some kind of change, but most people overlook these details.

Think about it—if I hadn’t been so irritable today, would you have suddenly taken me out? Going out just happened to help us avoid disaster. I missed my mom a lot today—it must be her spirit watching over us from above."

Xing Wu stuffed another big bite into her mouth to shut her up. "Then if your mom’s spirit saw me sleeping with you, would she suddenly appear and strangle me?"

Qing Ye fell silent. The thought of her mom possibly having witnessed the entire scene from above suddenly felt a bit terrifying!