Jiang Yubai suddenly spoke up, "Lin Zhixia."
Lin Zhixia responded confidently, "What is it? I hadn't finished my sentence just now."
Jiang Yubai rolled down the car window, letting the crisp cold air rush in. His expression seemed calm, but his voice grew softer as he said, "I have no other intentions. I just wanted to take you out for some fun."
Lin Zhixia chuckled lightly.
Her laughter was like a hook, tugging at his heart and thoughts. He tried hard to push away those inappropriate notions, turning his gaze to the vast scenery outside the window.
Lin Zhixia leaned against his shoulder and murmured to herself, "I know you're the best to me..."
The undulating mountain ranges stretched endlessly, the moon shining like a silver platter. The nightscape of mountains and rivers was breathtaking, yet Jiang Yubai barely noticed. In his heart, he silently repeated her nickname—Xia Xia, Xia Xia—she was as radiant as summer sunshine, and he had adored her since they were young.
Lin Zhixia had no idea about Jiang Yubai's ever-changing thoughts. One of her hands reached for her backpack, suddenly reminding her of Han Guang's thesis. She had promised Han Guang she would write a new review by tomorrow night.
Lin Zhixia never broke her promises.
At 9:30 p.m., Jiang Yubai and Lin Zhixia arrived at the hotel.
The moment they stepped through the main entrance, Lin Zhixia was dazzled. The lobby was paved with light golden marble floors, square pillars with silver bases stretched up to the ceiling, and the floor lamps resembled snowflakes, their glow intertwining in a display of palatial luxury.
Lin Zhixia assessed it very seriously, "This place looks expensive."
Jiang Yubai, however, said, "It's not too bad. It's the off-season for tourism."
Lin Zhixia probed indirectly, "What does 'not too bad' mean in terms of price?"
A faint smile crept into Jiang Yubai's voice, "That's a tough question. We have to consider market elasticity, inelastic demand, the competitive state of similar products..."
"Jiang, Jiang, Jiang Yubai," Lin Zhixia cut him off.
He responded by calling her name, "Lin Zhixia."
Lin Zhixia sighed, "You've matured."
"We're both adults now," Jiang Yubai replied casually.
Lin Zhixia eagerly agreed, "Right, we should do adult things."
Jiang Yubai was checking in. Hearing her words, his fingers stretched out, resting on the cool counter. His personal attendant stood beside him, speaking to him, but he zoned out for a few seconds before replying fluently in French.
Once the check-in was complete, Jiang Yubai couldn't help but ask, "Earlier, you said we should do adult things..."
"Yes," Lin Zhixia nodded.
Jiang Yubai remembered that Lin Zhixia had previously told him she wasn't mentally prepared. Why the sudden change? Whatever her plans were, they should take things step by step.
While pondering her deeper meaning, he kept his eyes fixed on her retreating figure.
Lin Zhixia pushed her suitcase along cheerfully.
They entered an elevator together—just the two of them. Lin Zhixia declared energetically, "The most important thing as adults is responsibility. I promised Han Guang I'd review his paper and send him feedback by tomorrow night. I will definitely do it."
So that was what she meant by "adult things."
Jiang Yubai's emotions rose and fell like an automatic elevator. As usual, he encouraged her, "You have a whole day. You'll definitely finish it."
Lin Zhixia circled behind Jiang Yubai and expressed herself bluntly, "It just occurred to me—I'm really happy that when I wake up tomorrow, the first thing I'll see is you."
Jiang Yubai swiftly pulled up the suitcase handle.
Lin Zhixia wondered what he was doing when the elevator reached the top floor.
Jiang Yubai pushed the suitcase out first, then crouched down. Since Lin Zhixia was still leaning against him, he effortlessly lifted her onto his back.
The hotel corridor was carpeted in soft fabric. Lin Zhixia wrapped her arms around his shoulders, resting her chin in the crook of his neck. With every step he took, she giggled softly, her warm breath brushing against his neck, reminding him of little fish darting among lotus leaves in a summer pond.
Jiang Yubai murmured, "You're like a little fish."
Lin Zhixia replied, "You're the fisherman who caught me."
Jiang Yubai laughed, "I'm so lucky."
Inspired, Lin Zhixia composed a love poem on the spot:
"You're the fisherman who caught me;
You're the lamp that lights my heart;
You're the breeze that drifts into my dreams...
You're the ideal I never thought I'd find."
After reciting it, Lin Zhixia was quite pleased with herself.
She added, "This is my first love poem for you. Emperor Qianlong wrote forty thousand poems in his lifetime—what dedication! I'll write forty thousand for you too."
After all, each one only took ten seconds. Lin Zhixia thought to herself.
Her string of sweet words didn't provoke an intense reaction from Jiang Yubai.
His breathing quickened, but his ears didn't turn red. Lin Zhixia missed his shyness from their younger days. Once he carried her into the room, she launched another round of advances.
Ahead in the living room was a massive glass window, framing the towering, snow-capped mountains and the deep blue stillness of the lake. The stars twinkled in the water, their reflections shimmering with the rippling waves in the dark.
"Look outside," Lin Zhixia deliberately guided Jiang Yubai's attention. "What do those stars remind you of?"
Jiang Yubai, utterly lacking in romance, answered, "Fireflies."
He was still reeling from the shock of "Lin Zhixia writing forty thousand poems for him."
Lin Zhixia pondered for a moment, then improvised, "You must know about Japanese haiku, right? Haiku are classical Japanese short poems. One of my favorites goes:
*'When I think of you,
even the fireflies in the marsh
seem like wandering souls
escaping from my body.'*
The Chinese translation means..."
Standing behind Jiang Yubai, she slowly raised her right hand, hesitantly reaching for his chest.
She continued translating the haiku for him:
*"Longing for someone,
even the marsh fireflies seem
like wandering souls
escaping from my heart."*
Before she could finish, Jiang Yubai seized her hand.
She tugged hard but couldn't break free.
The next second, Jiang Yubai lifted her onto the bay window. Leaning against the cold, transparent glass, his gaze burned like fire—an outcome Lin Zhixia hadn't anticipated at all. She had expected Jiang Yubai to shyly turn away, too embarrassed to look at her. Instead, he stared at her so intensely it felt like she owed him money.
She averted her eyes, her cheeks flushing. "You... don't look at me like that."
He tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. "You just said I was the ideal you never thought you'd find."
Lin Zhixia was about to retreat, but he wrapped an arm around her waist. He lowered his head, kissing the corner of her lips. When she didn't pull away, he kissed her properly. Under the dim living room lights, they embraced in silent intimacy. Jiang Yubai even undid the buttons of his shirt, shedding his usual reserved demeanor and openly inviting Lin Zhixia's scrutiny—a move that worked perfectly. Her gaze never left him.
"Want to touch?" Jiang Yubai asked her.
Lin Zhixia nodded eagerly.
Jiang Yubai tugged at his collar, hesitating slightly. He knew Lin Zhixia's curiosity was insatiable—she had long wanted to study him from head to toe—but he wasn't entirely confident in his self-control. He decided to set some ground rules, but before he could speak, Lin Zhixia said, "I won't force you. If you're not comfortable, forget it. It's already 10 p.m. I should shower and sleep. I have to wake up early tomorrow to edit Han Guang's paper. I'm very busy."
With that, Lin Zhixia slipped away.
Her heart pounded, her face burning. She needed to cool down quickly.
Her pajamas and toiletries were in the suitcase.
Dragging her suitcase behind her, Lin Zhixia hurried into a bedroom. Unzipping it, she knelt on the floor but couldn't resist peeking through the door crack at Jiang Yubai. He still sat alone on the bay window, looking desolate.
The faint moonlight outlined his profile as he tilted his head slightly, seemingly admiring the layered mountain peaks. The cold, lonely scenery made Lin Zhixia's heart ache. She dashed back to Jiang Yubai, looping her arms around his neck and planting kisses all over his face.
He cupped Lin Zhixia's waist and pinned her down. Remembering his earlier offer—"Want to touch?"—she ran her hands over him haphazardly, praising, "Not bad, not bad. Your muscles are well-trained... getting firmer."
Jiang Yubai didn't reply. He kissed her neck and collarbone, his back against the starry night sky. Immersed in this scene, Lin Zhixia felt her soul drifting in a warm ocean current. Jiang Yubai kept calling her nickname, "Xia Xia..."
Pressed against her ear, he murmured like a dream, "Xia Xia."
Lin Zhixia melted, though her voice remained firm, "Why do you keep calling me Xia Xia?"
He nibbled her earlobe in response.
Lin Zhixia's mind went blank. She completely forgot about the thesis, her computer, her advisor, and her students—she didn't even have the energy to spend ten seconds composing another love poem. Instead, she began whispering his name, "Jiang Yubai..."
Only now did she truly understand him.
Jiang Yubai and Lin Zhixia were in perfect harmony. But at the height of their passion, Jiang Yubai picked up his jacket, covering himself as he calmly said, "I'm going to shower."
"Okay," Lin Zhixia said considerately. "I'll shower too. Want to go together?"
Jiang Yubai turned to look at her. His eyes were darker than the night. Lin Zhixia quickly clarified, "There are three bathrooms here. We can each use our own."
Jiang Yubai stood up from the bay window. "Rest early tonight. Tomorrow, we'll study together in the study."
"Mm, sounds good!" Lin Zhixia agreed cheerfully.
Lin Zhixia returned to her bedroom, rummaging through her suitcase to unpack. She had actually brought a swimsuit—Jiang Yubai had mentioned the hotel room had an indoor hot spring, and she had never tried one before.
She had bought the swimsuit at a mall near campus. The design wasn't exactly modest—she couldn't find a conservative one. The lingerie store only sold bikinis... The more she thought about it, the more flustered she became.
With a snap , Lin Zhixia shut her suitcase and fled to the bathroom.
She spent over ten minutes showering.
Wrapped in her nightgown, she stepped out, her mind clear and far from sleepy. She wandered around the suite, quickly discovering the gym, the hot spring terrace, and the outdoor pool. Standing indoors, she surveyed the scenery—mountains and lakes stretched like an unrolled scroll around the pool.
Where was Jiang Yubai?
Lin Zhixia figured he must already be in bed.
She tiptoed silently into Jiang Yubai's bedroom—brightly lit, indicating he was still awake.
The spacious bed was draped with delicate curtains. Lin Zhixia called out boldly, "Jiang Yubai!"
Jiang Yubai heard her from the bathroom.
Water dripped from his hair, trailing down his jaw as he stood naked before a full-length mirror, hands braced against the sink. Instinctively, he called back loudly, "Lin Zhixia!"
Lin Zhixia click-clacked over.
Jiang Yubai quickly stopped her, "I'm showering."
Lin Zhixia stood outside the bathroom door, puzzled. "Why are you taking so long?"
Jiang Yubai took a deep breath, answering calmly, "I was... meditating."
Lin Zhixia believed him. "I see. I understand."
Jiang Yubai's bedroom connected to a spacious balcony overlooking the vast lake. The breeze carried a hint of moisture, cool and refreshing in the night.
Lin Zhixia sat on Jiang Yubai's bed, closing her eyes to meditate. A few minutes later, Jiang Yubai emerged from the bathroom and sat beside her. He didn't disturb her, but she leaned into his embrace, nuzzling against him.
His clean, crisp scent intoxicated her.
"Time to sleep," Jiang Yubai reminded her.
"Then I'll go back," Lin Zhixia said.
Jiang Yubai whispered in her ear, "How about we share the bed? We can chat before sleeping..."
Lin Zhixia considered it briefly before slipping under the covers. Jiang Yubai turned off all the lights and joined her. She rolled into his arms, murmuring sweetly, "Hold me, please."
Jiang Yubai wrapped an arm around her and said, "Goodnight."
"Didn't we agree to chat before sleeping?" Lin Zhixia protested.
Jiang Yubai countered, "What about?"
Lin Zhixia said, "Let me tell you a bedtime story."
Jiang Yubai smiled slightly. "One you made up?"
"Mm," Lin Zhixia began narrating, "After years of arduous exploration, Captain Lin Zhixia discovered a resource-rich planet in the vast universe. She shared this good news with Jiang Yubai..."
Jiang Yubai moved closer.
She continued, "Exploring the universe is a long journey. Both Jiang Yubai and Lin Zhixia have their own paths. But in Lin Zhixia's heart, Jiang Yubai will always come first. The joy of sharing good news with Jiang Yubai outweighs all the confusion and hardship she's endured..."
Her voice grew softer.
She drifted off to sleep.
But her impromptu story, like a special edition of the Exploring the Universe comic series, etched itself deeply into Jiang Yubai's mind. Holding her tightly, warmth filling his embrace, he too relaxed and fell asleep.
At 7:30 the next morning, Lin Zhixia woke to find Jiang Yubai dressing with his back to her. She rolled over, burrowing under the covers and peeking through a small gap she made. Watching his back, she marveled at his perfectly sculpted, flawless silhouette.
Hearing movement behind him, Jiang Yubai turned and said, "I went to the living room earlier. Your phone was vibrating—someone was calling you..."
"Did you answer?" Lin Zhixia asked.
Jiang Yubai replied vaguely, "It was your brother."
Lin Zhixia's heart skipped a beat.
Unconsciously, another half-month had passed without calling her brother. Counting the days, today was indeed their scheduled call day. It was rare for her brother to initiate contact—why did she feel so guilty?
Lin Zhixia slipped on her slippers and hurried to the living room. Her phone showed four missed calls. Without delay, she dialed Lin Zeqiu's number.
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