After their intimacy, Fu Shize got up to fetch a glass of warm water from the kitchen. Yun Li sat on the bed, bundled up like a dumpling in the blanket, her voice hoarse as she asked, "What should we do?"
Fu Shize followed her gaze to the bedsheet and replied casually, "Sleep in my room."
Handing her the water, Yun Li took a few sips, soothing her throat before whispering, "Are we sleeping together?"
Fu Shize lowered his eyes. "Do you want to sleep alone?"
Still sore, Yun Li hesitated, worried he might do something again in the middle of the night, but eventually nodded.
Fu Shize: "I don’t want to."
"......"
Not only that, Fu Shize didn’t even ask for her opinion. He simply scooped her up, blanket and all, and carried her to his room. His bed had only a fitted sheet—no blanket.
"......"
Yun Li finally realized he had never intended for them to sleep separately in the first place.
A lump of frustration rose in her throat as she sulked in the corner, unable to understand why he had pretended to ask for her opinion. Amused, Fu Shize walked over and touched her cheek, but she turned her face away.
Undeterred by the rejection, he leaned in and kissed her cheek.
"......"
"You..." Yun Li couldn’t think of a proper retort. After a long pause, she muttered, "So shameless."
Fu Shize smirked, as if enjoying her feeble complaint. He adjusted the pillow on the bed. "One’s missing."
As he turned, Yun Li thought he was going to fetch the pillow from her room. Panicking, she forgot her anger and hid half her face under the blanket, murmuring, "That one’s... dirty."
Fu Shize pondered for a moment before replying, "We have plenty of pillows at home."
"......"
Watching him disappear through the door, Yun Li recalled the events of the night—the moments when her senses had been completely overtaken by him, the tender yet deliberate kisses and touches. Her face burned crimson. Wrapped in the blanket, she slipped out of bed and went to his wardrobe, randomly pulling out a shirt to wear.
Before she could find comfortable pants, Fu Shize returned. Flustered, Yun Li quickly sat back on the bed, knees pressed together as she tugged the shirt lower.
The oversized shirt, her disheveled hair, and her flustered gaze made Fu Shize’s eyes darken. He approached her slowly, like a predator.
Yun Li felt like a lamb awaiting slaughter. Without a word, Fu Shize tossed the pillow onto the bed and handed her the water glass and her phone.
"I don’t want to drink." Worried the shirt might ride up if she moved, Yun Li refused, but Fu Shize insisted, placing the glass in her hand. Within seconds, his fingers brushed against the shirt, gripping it roughly and pulling it toward himself.
Yun Li fumbled, spilling water on the shirt.
"Drink some," Fu Shize coaxed in a deceptive tone. "Or your throat will hurt later."
"......"
......
Listening to the sound of running water from the bathroom, Yun Li rubbed her legs, still breathing lightly. Glancing at the shirt discarded in the corner, she sluggishly returned to the wardrobe.
This time, she deliberately picked out a high-necked set of pajamas, covering herself from head to toe in long sleeves and pants.
Her phone suddenly rang—it was Yun Ye calling.
Startled, she hung up immediately.
Yun Li: [?]
Yun Ye: [?? Why didn’t you answer?]
Yun Li: [Oh, I just didn’t want to see your face.]
Yun Ye: [...]Not having found the right moment earlier, Yun Li suddenly remembered to remind Yun Ye: 【Don’t use that drone for now. It’s quite important to your brother-in-law.】
Yun Ye: 【I accidentally bumped into it when I was confessing.】
Yun Li: 【Just leave it there. I’ll check it when I get back.】
Yun Li was lost in thought about the drone. When Fu Shize gave it to Yun Ye, he must have considered the possibility of it getting damaged, yet he still handed it over.
Yun Li clearly understood the intention behind his action.
To him, she was already the most special person.
He loved her, and by extension, her family as well.
Fu Shize finished showering, a towel still draped over his damp hair as he approached Yun Li, warm steam trailing behind him. He leaned down to brush his lips lightly against hers. His eyes still carried the same unabashed affection from earlier, reminding Yun Li of what he had said tonight—
“Lili, you’re the closest person to me now.”
Yun Li raised her soft hands and wrapped them around his neck.
“I’ve got you now.”
She smiled, her eyes curving.
“And I’ll never let go.”
Fu Shize lowered his gaze. Her words carried a solemn promise.
A droplet of water slid from his hair onto Yun Li’s face. She wiped it away with the back of her hand, startled. “Are you crying?”
Fu Shize casually rubbed his hair with the towel, pulling it down to cover his nose. Yun Li could only see the curve of his jaw as he laughed softly. She giggled too, cupping his face and saying earnestly, “I’m going to live longer than you.”
“—That way, your world will always have my love.”
At this moment, Fu Shize felt with overwhelming certainty—those most unbearable times in his life were completely behind him now.
For no particular reason, it just seemed that as long as she was with him in the days to come, nothing would ever feel unbearable again.
It was almost midnight when Fu Shize checked his phone. Xu Qingsong had texted him hours earlier: 【Late-night snack?】
He handed the phone to Yun Li, his intention clear—letting her decide whether to go.
After the night’s events, Yun Li was a little hungry, but the last time she had seen Xu Qingsong, she and Fu Shize hadn’t reconciled yet. She felt a faint awkwardness and hesitated for a long moment before looking up at Fu Shize. “Should we go?”
Fu Shize thought for a second. “It’s been a while.”
Back at EAW, Xu Qingsong and Fu Shize had been practically inseparable. Yun Li pulled out a pair of loafers from the shoe cabinet and tugged at his sleeve. “Is Director Xu a good friend of yours?”
“Yeah.” Fu Shize tilted his head slightly. “Why?”
“Nothing.” She slipped on her shoes. “I just feel happy knowing you have another friend.”
Hearing this, Fu Shize smiled faintly. He pulled her up the moment she finished putting on her shoes, catching her effortlessly, then reminded her, “Just call him by his name. In terms of seniority, he’s your nephew.”
“…”
Once they stepped outside, Yun Li felt like she was floating in midair. Her former boss had suddenly become her nephew, a whole generation below her.
It felt utterly surreal.
The meetup was set at a seafood stall near South River Garden. Yun Li and Fu Shize arrived first on foot and had just taken their seats when she looked up and saw Xu Qingsong crossing the street toward them.
Winter had arrived in Nanwu, yet he was dressed lightly—a tailored blazer over a pale blue shirt, the top two buttons left undone.
His gaze quickly found them. Xu Qingsong offered a faint smile, giving Fu Shize’s shoulder a light pat. “You’re looking well.”"Mhm." Fu Shize's voice was naturally relaxed, and he gave Yun Li a meaningful glance. "Lili took care of it."
Hearing this, Yun Li's face flushed.
How had she taken care of him...
Xu Qingsong raised a brow slightly, smiling as he nodded at her. His demeanor was refined and noble; after pulling out a chair to sit, he even smoothed out the wrinkles in his jacket appropriately.
Yun Li couldn't help but glance in his direction once more.
When she withdrew her gaze, however, she met Fu Shize's eyes beside her. Seeing him staring at her, Yun Li felt inexplicably guilty and pretended to calmly study the menu.
Fu Shize, however, directly asked Xu Qingsong, "Where did you buy that outfit?"
Yun Li: "..."
"You like it?" Xu Qingsong glanced down at his clothes and joked, "I can just give it to you. It’d probably suit you too."
Fu Shize didn’t answer but instead turned to Yun Li and asked, "Do you like it?"
"..."
Xu Qingsong assumed he was seeking Yun Li’s opinion and silently chuckled to himself as he poured a glass of water.
Under Fu Shize’s intense gaze, Yun Li felt as if she were sitting on pins and needles, mentally scolding herself for not controlling her eyes. After hesitating for a moment, she blurted out honestly, "It looks really nice. Qingsong has great fashion sense."
Her voice was soft, and the way she said his name sounded intimate.
"Too kind." Xu Qingsong didn’t notice the familiarity in her address and accepted the praise graciously before asking Fu Shize, "Should I just mail it to your school?"
Fu Shize pondered for a moment before suddenly saying, "Thank you, Director Xu."
Yun Li: "..."
After this little episode, Yun Li obediently reverted to her usual way of addressing Xu Qingsong, feeling somewhat speechless toward Fu Shize. He must have been jealous.
And yet he called her the jealous one.
He’d reminded her to call Xu Qingsong by his name when they left, only to turn around and act like this.
The seafood stall specialized in seafood dishes. Yun Li first pushed the menu toward Fu Shize, who glanced at it briefly before saying gently, "You order. Pick what you like."
Yun Li then passed it to Xu Qingsong.
The man simply gave her a bright smile, lightly nudging the menu back toward her with his fingers. "You go ahead."
As the only person at the table who was genuinely there for a late-night snack, Yun Li ordered some mantis shrimp and shellfish according to her preferences. Considering Fu Shize’s stomach, she consulted Xu Qingsong before opting for steaming or boiling as the cooking method for all the dishes.
When the food arrived, Fu Shize picked out a large mantis shrimp for Yun Li. He wasn’t particularly fond of seafood that required effort to eat, so he just casually placed a few items in his bowl without touching them.
Xu Qingsong wasn’t hungry either. He took a mantis shrimp and leisurely peeled it over his plate, occasionally looking up to exchange a few words with Fu Shize.
Most of their conversation revolved around recent events. Yun Li couldn’t really join in, so she focused on peeling her shrimp.
"Where are you planning to go after graduation?" Xu Qingsong teased. "Want to come to EAW?"
Hearing his question, Yun Li momentarily spaced out.
Fu Shize replied, "Thinking of staying in West Fuling for now."
Distracted, the shrimp shell pricked her finger. Yun Li flinched slightly, feeling clumsy. Embarrassed, she lowered her head and continued peeling.
Fu Shize noticed her reaction and handed her a tissue. "Did you hurt yourself?"
Yun Li shook her head. "No."
It was just a prick—no broken skin.Fu Shize casually took over her mantis shrimp. While still talking to Xu Qingsong, he clumsily peeled the shrimp for Yun Li, meticulously removing each piece of shell before placing it on her plate.
"YouSheng is hosting a competition in universities for VR game development," Xu Qingsong mentioned leisurely, unable to suppress a light chuckle. "Fu Zhengchu said he wanted to participate last time, but then claimed he had to accompany his girlfriend."
Fu Shize had heard about Fu Zhengchu's relationship, though it wasn’t his first, so he wasn’t particularly interested.
At the moment, his attention was entirely on the mantis shrimp in his hands, pondering how to peel it without dirtying his fingers. Xu Qingsong glanced over curiously, "Is it hard to peel?"
"Not really," Fu Shize replied absentmindedly, successfully peeling another one and placing it in Yun Li’s bowl.
"I can do it myself..." Yun Li declined.
With others present, she didn’t want to appear like a helpless child. Fu Shize gave a nonchalant "Mm," then asked Xu Qingsong about company matters while continuing to leisurely pick up another shrimp.
Noticing Yun Li’s bowl neatly lined with peeled shrimp, Xu Qingsong looked at his own fingers—visibly smooth and delicate. Fu Shize frowned, "What?"
Unfazed, Xu Qingsong teased, "Got pricked."
"..."
Yun Li couldn’t help but laugh, quickly taking a sip of water to hide her amusement. Fu Shize shot her a glance before grabbing a shrimp from the plate and tossing it into Xu Qingsong’s bowl. "Do it yourself."
Xu Qingsong let out a slow "Ah," lowering his head with a smile as he peeled the shrimp.
By the time they finished supper, it was already past one in the morning. The two saw Xu Qingsong off to his car. He first nodded at Fu Shize, then glanced at Yun Li before looking away.
The blue sports car shrank into a dot in the distance.
Fu Shize pulled Yun Li’s hand into his pocket as she leaned against him, their elongated shadows stretching under the streetlights.
Recalling the harmonious atmosphere at the table, Yun Li remarked, "This time, Director Xu treated me like a friend."
Before, though polite and courteous, he had always maintained a certain distance.
Fu Shize murmured softly, "Mm."
Gradually, their respective friends would become shared friends. Their lives would intertwine more, synchronize, and become inseparable.
Only after leading her into the residential area did Fu Shize stop and ask, "Does it hurt where you got pricked?"
Yun Li realized he was referring to her thumb, which had been nicked by the shrimp shell. She rubbed it lightly. "It does sting a little."
No sooner had she spoken than Fu Shize took her finger and pressed it to his lips, his dark eyes gazing down at her. Her heartbeat quickened, the soft touch sending a faint tingle through her skin.
His gaze lingered on her until he gently released her finger. Under the light, Yun Li noticed his own fingers were slightly torn from the shells. Heart aching, she took his hands.
Yet Fu Shize remained detached, watching her.
As if waiting for something.
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