The Epoch of Miyu

The surroundings seemed to fade into the background, as if only the person beside her remained visible in her eyes.

Time appeared to stand still, and the world fell into silence.

As he looked at her, an inexplicable restlessness and agitation stirred within him—a feeling he couldn’t quite comprehend, let alone know how to soothe.

This enchantment, as if woven by some mysterious spell, was eventually broken by someone raising a glass to propose a toast.

Soon, everyone was caught up in the lively, boisterous atmosphere, drinking merrily as if stirred into a bubbling pot of congee.

Watching everyone sway uncontrollably from the alcohol, Ji Feng, while still somewhat sober, took out his black card and handed it to Xue Rui. He instructed him to book rooms for everyone in the private lounge at the hotel upstairs, so they could rest directly after drinking.

Xue Rui immediately carried out the task.

When everyone learned that their kind colleague Xiao Ji had arranged rooms upstairs for them to rest in after drinking, they cheered enthusiastically and drank even more freely, without any worries.

After Xue Rui finished booking the rooms, he no longer paid any attention to Ji Feng or Xu Miyu. Instead, emboldened by alcohol, he mustered the courage to seek out Li Qiaoqi. From then on, he either clung to Li Qiaoqi or found ways to make her cling to him.

Xu Miyu felt she had drunk too much. Her head was spinning so badly she could barely manage simple arithmetic within ten. She wanted to find Li Qiaoqi and tell her she was going upstairs to rest. After searching around, she unexpectedly spotted Li Qiaoqi in a corner, kissing Xue Rui.

The two were locked in an embrace, kissing with fervent passion, so absorbed in each other that not even the sky collapsing could tear them apart.

Xu Miyu’s eyes widened in surprise. Her senses dulled by alcohol, she knew she should step aside and leave this intimate space to the passionate couple. But her movements were sluggish from the drink, making it seem as though she was standing there, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle of their kiss, unwilling to leave.

Suddenly, a hand landed on her shoulder—the pressure felt oddly familiar. Turning her head, she blinked away the blurriness and focused her gaze, realizing it was her classmate, Qiang Ge, patting her. No wonder it felt familiar.

Qiang Ge was completely drunk, his speech slurred and his stance unsteady. He leaned on Xu Miyu’s shoulder for support.

“Miyu, what are you doing? Peeking at others kissing?” he teased, his tongue heavy and numb from the alcohol.

Xu Miyu flushed with embarrassment. She hadn’t meant to spy—she really hadn’t.

But Qiang Ge didn’t believe her.

“It’s fine, it’s normal to be curious. We’re all adults. Don’t worry, once I sober up tomorrow, I’ll find you a great match!”

Xu Miyu struggled to argue that she wasn’t that desperate for a man!

As one teased and the other protested, Qiang Ge laughed so hard he could barely stand. Stumbling, he nearly collapsed onto Xu Miyu.

She watched as Qiang Ge lurched toward her. In the next moment, she would either brace against his momentum to steady him or be knocked over together with him.

But neither scenario unfolded.

Just as Qiang Ge was about to crash into her, someone suddenly yanked her aside. Qiang Ge stumbled forward, missing his target, and landed flat on the floor.

Xu Miyu turned to see Ji Feng pulling her away.

But he, too, had drunk far too much. He was swaying unsteadily on his feet, barely able to maintain his own balance. And yet, he had still reached out to pull her to safety…The impact of Xu Miyu crashing into him completely threw him off balance, sending him tumbling sideways. As he fell, he still held onto Xu Miyu...

So the two of them fell together.

Remarkably, Ji Feng managed to dredge up a sliver of direction from his fading senses just before hitting the ground, shifting his position to land on his back while pulling Xu Miyu against his chest.

Thus, when they landed, he became her cushion, with her lying atop his chest.

In her dazed state, Xu Miyu heard her own heart pounding—thump, thump, thump, thump.

Her palm pressed against Ji Feng's chest, and beneath it, she felt the same rhythmic thumping.

She hadn't expected to avoid being pulled down by Qiang Ge, only to end up being dragged down by Ji Feng instead.

Suddenly, she found it somewhat amusing. So, lying on Ji Feng's chest, she began to laugh softly.

As she laughed, she lifted her head to look at Ji Feng.

She froze in an instant.

He had actually closed his eyes, as if he'd fallen asleep.

She was so stunned that her mind couldn't process it for a long moment. He really was acting like a joke from a comedy sketch—falling asleep right where he'd fallen.

Such behavior wouldn't be strange in anyone else.

But this was Ji Feng!

The noble, aloof, fastidious, and disciplined Ji Feng!

Snapping back to reality, Xu Miyu quickly pushed herself up from Ji Feng and knelt beside him.

She shook him. He didn't move. Without thinking, she instinctively reached out to check his breathing. A faint, warm breath brushed against her fingers, immediately enveloping them in a soft, lingering warmth.

Xu Miyu felt a tingle in her fingers and quickly withdrew her hand.

She looked up, intending to call for help to get Ji Feng to his feet.

But then the scene in the room stunned her once more. There was no one left to help—Qiang Ge was still lying on the floor nearby, hadn't even gotten up, and was now raising his hand to toast the ceiling light. After the toast, he even pretended to drink from an imaginary glass, then let out a boisterous laugh.

The others were also drunk, randomly calling out names—one moment shouting "old classmate," the next "dad" or "son."

The couple who had been passionately kissing in the corner had, at some point, disappeared upstairs together.

Xu Miyu shook her head. She was dizzy herself, but surprisingly, she had become the most sober person in the room.

Seizing what little clarity she had left, she stepped out and called a few servers, asking them to help carry the drunk guests up to the hotel rooms.

The servers knew that everyone in the room was a friend of the boss, so no matter how disheveled or foolish they looked, they couldn't be neglected. Thus, they followed Xu Miyu's instructions and began assisting people upstairs.

With the help of a male server, Xu Miyu managed to lift Ji Feng from the floor. The moment he was upright, she felt a twinge of regret—she should have taken a photo of him with her phone first. Maybe she could have used the video to extort a hefty sum from him once he sobered up.

As soon as Ji Feng stood straight, he opened his eyes. Perhaps the brief nap on the floor had stored up a tiny bit of energy, giving him the strength and spirit to indulge in his willfulness.

Unlike when he was sober, he no longer tolerated others touching him. He immediately brushed off the server, refusing any help to get upstairs to his room—even though the server was male.

Then, he shifted his entire weight onto Xu Miyu.Xu Miyu gritted her teeth, hoisting one of his arms over her shoulder as she struggled to support him. She pleaded, "If you won't let anyone else touch you, at least try to use some of your own strength, will you? I can't hold you up all by myself!"

Ji Feng glanced down at her and made an effort to stand more steadily. Xu Miyu felt the weight on her lessen considerably.

Since he refused to let anyone but her near him, she had no choice but to escort him upstairs to his room herself.

After confirming his room number, she fished the key card from his pocket.

Fortunately, though Xu Miyu had drunk quite a bit, her alcohol tolerance was relatively good—especially compared to Ji Feng's. With a mix of propping and dragging, she finally managed to haul him successfully into his room.

Xue Rui hadn't dared to shortchange Ji Feng, booking him the most luxurious suite in the hotel. But the opulent suite was far from friendly to someone inebriated; the distance from the entrance to the bedroom felt like crossing an entire soccer field.

During the arduous journey from the door to the large bed, Xu Miyu nearly felt a pang of sympathy for the men's soccer team. Soccer fields truly were difficult to traverse.

By the time they finally reached the bedside, Xu Miyu was panting heavily from exhaustion. She released Ji Feng, giving him a push onto the bed, and he collapsed onto it with a thud.

He lay flat on the bed, eyes closed and motionless. It seemed as if he were resting with his eyes shut, or perhaps he had already fallen asleep.

Too tired to move, Xu Miyu simply sat down on the carpet by the bed to catch her breath. As she turned her head, Ji Feng's face suddenly filled her vision.

His eyes were closed, his eyelashes casting delicate shadows across his cheeks. His nose bridge was high and straight, as if meticulously carved by an artist. His thin lips were pressed tightly together, exuding an aura of both restraint and temptation.

As Xu Miyu stared, it felt as if someone had pressed a mute button in the room—everything around her fell into a vacuum-like silence. Then, as if a play button had been hit, a rapid thumping sound began to echo: thump-thump, thump-thump.

It took her a moment to realize that the thumping was the sound of her own heartbeat.

A chill ran through her, and she broke out in a fresh sweat.

The perspiration from carrying Ji Feng hadn't even dried yet, and now a new layer dampened her skin.

It felt utterly sticky and uncomfortable.

She rose from the carpet and swayed lightly into the bathroom. Picking up a towel, she dampened it and began wiping the sweat from her face and body.

Finally, the clammy sensation was cleansed away. Her heartbeat, too, gradually returned to its normal rhythm.

After rinsing and wringing out the towel, Xu Miyu glanced around. Above the sink, near the bathroom entrance, was a drying rack where she could hang the towel.

She walked over, her back to the door, and reached up to place the towel on the rack.

Unexpectedly, the rack was a bit higher than she'd thought—her first attempt fell short.

Rising onto her toes, she stretched her arms and body upward with effort.

A strip of her waist was exposed between her sleeveless top and skirt.

Normally, if she felt her top riding up, she would immediately adjust her posture and swiftly pull her clothes back into place to cover herself. But now she thought, It's fine—I'm alone here, and the other person is passed out drunk in the room.

So she continued her efforts until she successfully hung the towel on the rack before finally relaxing her stance.

Her fitted sleeveless top had been tugged upward and now clung above her waistline. Until she actively pulled it back down, it stayed hitched there, leaving that slender, pale strip of waist exposed beyond the hem.

Xu Miyu didn't hurry to adjust her top. Rubbing her slightly sore arms, she turned and walked toward the door.But after taking a few steps, she froze as she looked up.

She didn't know when Ji Feng had woken up. She didn't know when he had walked to the bathroom door.

Now he was leaning against the doorframe, staring intently at the exposed strip of her waist.

Xu Miyu no longer cared about rubbing her arm. She quickly tugged her shirt down, hiding her exposed waist.

Ji Feng's gaze shifted from her waist to her face. He was looking at her, so she looked back at him.

She saw his eyes become completely different from before. There seemed to be an unnamed fire burning within them, and he was letting that fire grow increasingly fierce.

Xu Miyu suddenly felt flustered, her throat growing dry.

She didn't know what to say or do, feeling utterly helpless and panicked.

Ji Feng straightened up from the doorframe and stepped inside, advancing toward her step by step.

With each step he took, her heartbeat grew heavier and faster, and she retreated in small, frantic steps.

Until her back pressed against the bathroom counter, leaving her with nowhere to retreat. She could only watch as he closed in on her, listening to her own heartbeat explode.

She turned her head away in panic, hiding like the proverbial ostrich burying its head in the sand. She thought that if she didn't look at him, even if he came closer, she could pretend he wasn't there.

But Ji Feng wasn't so kind as to let her off. He raised his hand, gripped her chin, and turned her face toward him, leaving her with no escape but to look at him.

Xu Miyu felt her heartbeat was so frantic it might make her cry. When she spoke, her voice trembled with panic: "You... you..."

But nothing else came out after "you."

Ji Feng leaned slightly forward, bringing his face closer to hers, his gaze burning as he stared into her eyes.

"What about me? Never mind me, let's talk about you." His voice was hoarse, roughened by desire. "Tell me why you're always seducing me in front of me, hmm?"

Xu Miyu's voice broke with panic: "I'm not seducing you, I'm not!"

Ji Feng abruptly grabbed her waist, lifted her, and placed her on the bathroom counter.

"No, you are!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he cupped the back of her head, leaned in, and fiercely kissed her.

Xu Miyu was completely stunned.

Between their lips and teeth was his reckless invasion. There was no skill, no experience, only the most primal impulse and magic.

She began to struggle, pushing him, hitting him, trying to escape his lips.

He was pushed aside but turned back to face her, his eyes blazing with intensity.

The next moment, he kissed her again, more fiercely and wildly than before.

She struggled with all her might, pushing him away.

He kissed her again.

Finally, she exhausted her strength, her arms dropping, no longer resisting, melting into his consuming kiss.

Her mind went blank, her chest vibrating with the sound of heartbeats—whether hers or his, she couldn't tell.

The whole world seemed to spin around her, making her dizzy and enchanted.

When she regained her senses, they were already in the room.

He looked at her, his eyes like a net, trapping her so she could neither retreat nor advance, forced to remain in his grasp.

Now he was like a devout seeker of knowledge, filled with curiosity, wanting to try everything.

Earlier downstairs, she had been dizzy, stumbling, and unable to stand straight—whether it was an act or not, all signs of exhaustion were now gone.

He was like a mighty general charging across the battlefield.

Later, the situation quietly reversed. Seizing an opportunity, she took control of the situation. She became the teacher to his curiosity.He felt himself transformed into a leaf boat, drifting and bobbing until it reached shore somewhere. A void that had existed in his heart was now filled to the brim.

He sank into the beautiful illusion she had created for him. He no longer felt like himself. That night, his willpower seemed to have vanished entirely.

He blamed it all on her.

Fuming, he called her name angrily, demanding to know why she always tempted him.

She shook her head urgently, denying it. Then he felt he had bullied her, and a wave of guilt and pity washed over him.

Outside the window was the city’s quiet, cool night, but inside, it was a warm, illusory dream.

When Xu Miyu woke the next morning, she stared blankly at the white ceiling, momentarily disoriented about where she was.

Everything that happened the night before seemed hazy, as if separated from the present by a layer of gauze.

Pushing aside that gauze, memories began to return. Xu Miyu sat up abruptly in bed, her heart pounding so hard she felt both annoyed and panicked.

Her head still felt a little dizzy. She pressed her temples and waited quietly for the dizziness to fade.

Glancing beside her on the bed, she saw only the impression left by someone who had slept there, but no sign of the person himself.

Listening carefully, she heard the sound of a shower coming from the bathroom.

So he was there, washing up.

For a moment, Xu Miyu sat frozen in bed, but beneath her calm exterior, her thoughts churned and boiled.

He must have woken up sober, realizing that under the influence of alcohol, he had once again crossed lines with this divorced woman.

What must he have been thinking as he looked at the woman sleeping beside him?

She remembered the last time they had unexpectedly ended up together. The next morning, despite his restrained demeanor, she could sense his inner fury and extreme disgust toward her. She could feel that he resented her, that he believed she had tainted him.

This time was similar—alcohol had once again led them astray.

So when he woke up and saw her beside him, realizing what they had done the night before, he must have felt deeply annoyed and regretful, right? He must still believe that this alcohol-induced night was dirty. That’s why he rushed to take a shower as soon as he woke up.

Xu Miyu pressed a hand to her chest. Such thoughts filled her with humiliation and made it hard to breathe.

She dressed silently and slipped away alone.

After washing off the lingering smell of alcohol and sweat from the night before, Ji Feng stepped out of the bathroom.

He dried his hair quietly, as if any louder movement might wake the woman still sleeping in the room.

She must have been exhausted last night; she deserved to sleep a little longer.

Recalling the previous night… it had been the one and only time in his life he had lost control and acted on impulse.

Waking up that morning, looking at the person beside him, listening to her soft breathing, and thinking about what had happened… surprisingly, he didn’t feel the same self-loathing and disgust as he had the first time.

But he was still somewhat bewildered. This kind of loss of control was unprecedented in his life, leaving him with no experience to draw from.

He decided to take a shower first, hoping to wash away his muddled thoughts.

But as he stepped out, drying his hair, Ji Feng froze at the sight of the room.

It was empty. The bed was so clean and tidy it was as if nothing had happened the night before, as if it had all been just a dream of his.

She had slipped away quietly.Ji Feng stood in the empty room, his emotions suddenly spiraling out of control again as anger surged through him.

She had slipped away without a single word! She was even more carefree than he was!

For the next several days, Ji Feng waited for Xu Miyu to come and give him an explanation.

But even until the last day of the New Year holiday, there was no sign of her.

Her utter silence only made him more restless and agitated.

On the final day of the holiday, he found an excuse to pass through the lobby and saw her on duty.

He made up a reason to call her over and asked her to follow him upstairs.

She responded politely and obediently, following him to the penthouse. Her courteous demeanor felt like an invisible barrier, creating a sense of distance between them.

Back in the suite, he closed the door and turned to face her, asking directly, "What are your thoughts about what happened that night?"

Xu Miyu looked up at Ji Feng.

He was asking her how she felt about that night.

His face was completely expressionless as he spoke, making it impossible to guess what he was thinking.

So he must be afraid that she would cling to him, right?

She smiled, forcing herself to appear composed, and told him, "That night was an accident, all because we had too much to drink. Please don’t dwell on it, Mr. Ji. I will forget everything that happened that night too."

She maintained her smile, careful not to let the trembling hidden in her heart betray her words.

She noticed Ji Feng frown slightly.

Was he still not satisfied with her answer?

She quickly added, "Although there was... that in the room that night, and we used it... but just to be safe, I went and took emergency contraception as soon as I left the next morning. So there won’t be any risks afterward. Please rest assured."

Ji Feng listened to Xu Miyu’s words. His brows furrowed, then relaxed, only to furrow again. He couldn’t quite identify the emotions swirling inside him. There was a sense of relief, but also a surge of anger, along with an inexplicable ache and a feeling of loss.

She was treating that night so lightly and casually—so casually that it left him speechless.

Frowning, he even thought somewhat petulantly, Fine. Just as she said, that night was nothing but an accident, fueled by alcohol. It seems she regretted it the very next morning—otherwise, she wouldn’t have slipped away without a word and ignored him all these days. Well, if that’s the case, then it’s only right to forget that night as she wishes.

A strange, gloomy calm spread through him. In this almost morbid state of tranquility, he straightened his back and reasoned with himself: It’s not because she regretted it and said she would forget that night that I’ve decided to forget it too. It’s because I intended to forget it all along.

He continued to convince himself: Forgetting that night is for the best. She isn’t right for me anyway. Not in any way! She doesn’t meet a single one of my criteria for a partner!*

So, forgetting everything about that night was a good thing. He absolutely wouldn’t feel angry about it, nor would his pride be wounded—such things were completely impossible! Burying and forgetting everything that happened that night was good, very good indeed.

Satisfied with his own reasoning, he lifted his chin and told Xu Miyu expressionlessly, "Alright, I understand. You may leave."

But after speaking, he couldn’t help but let out a faint, almost imperceptible sigh.Xu Miyu, however, thought there was something else in that sigh that she hadn't properly handled.

She immediately racked her brains and finally seemed to have thought of it.

Before leaving, she asked Ji Feng, "Have I... done something immoral to Miss Jiang? Is that what's troubling you? Does Miss Jiang know about that night we... If you need me to, I'm willing to explain and apologize to Miss Jiang."

As he listened to her words, Ji Feng's brow furrowed tighter and tighter.

"That's unnecessary," Ji Feng said coldly.

After a pause, he added impatiently, "She's not my girlfriend. You don't need to explain or apologize to her about anything."

Xu Miyu let out a long sigh of relief.

In that sigh, Ji Feng could genuinely feel the intense guilt she had been imposing on herself.

So she wanted to forget that night because she thought he had a girlfriend?

The tip of his tongue tingled with the urge to ask this question aloud.

But before he could speak, she called out to him first.

"President Ji."

"...What?" Ji Feng stared intently at Xu Miyu, waiting for what she would say next.

Xu Miyu also looked at Ji Feng—not with any calculated coyness, not with any strategic retreat, not with any deliberate seduction—but simply with clarity and seriousness as she told him, "Please rest assured, I can swear that I have never intended to seduce you. And I have never intended to play hard to get with you. That night was truly just an accident after drinking. After I leave here, I'll forget what happened that night and never mention it again, and I'll be careful to maintain my distance from you."

After solemnly saying these words, she bowed to him and turned to leave. Speaking these things calmly and clearly was her last shred of dignity. She was truly afraid that if she didn't make her stance clear, he might throw another 200,000 at her, telling her it was compensation for that night.

Watching Xu Miyu's retreating figure, Ji Feng suddenly felt a heavy tightness in his chest.

She was too understanding, too nonchalant. Like this, between the two of them, it made him seem like the one who couldn't let go.

He thought irritably, How utterly unreasonable!