Xiang Wanniao stepped out of the bathroom after her shower, only to find herself locking eyes with Gu Jingzhan.
Gu Jingzhan's dark eyes lifted slightly, his gaze sweeping down her figure. As he took in her attire, his prominent Adam's apple bobbed.
The woman was wearing a champagne-colored, lace-trimmed slip nightgown that barely covered her thighs, revealing a pair of long, slender, fair legs. The silky fabric clung closely to her body, perfectly accentuating her voluptuous curves.
Everything was laid bare.
Her deep brown, wavy long hair was draped lazily over her back, and her cheeks were flushed pink from the lingering steam. Her beautiful eyes looked wet and shimmering.
Gu Jingzhan's heart was thrown into instant turmoil.
He tightened his grip on the magazine in his hand, the bulging veins on the back of his hand baring his inner endurance and restraint.
The man lowered his eyelids and silently withdrew his gaze.
Seeing that Gu Jingzhan remained unmoved, Xiang Wanniao looked down at her outfit and couldn't help doubting herself.
Was her outfit not sexy enough, or was her figure not good enough?
How could he have no reaction at all? He didn't even spare her a second glance.
Filled with a sense of defeat, she walked unhappily to the edge of the bed and sat down. After a moment of silence, she couldn't resist turning back to look at Gu Jingzhan.
Certain that he wasn't looking at her, Xiang Wanniao grew even more sullen.
She pulled back the duvet, climbed in, and deliberately turned her back to Gu Jingzhan, lying right on the very edge.
The bedroom instantly plunged into a dead silence, where even the dropping of a needle could be heard.
One second, two seconds...
"I'm sleepy, going to sleep," Xiang Wanniao said in a huff.
Hearing this, Gu Jingzhan put down the magazine in his hand and lay down properly on the sofa.
He replied in a calm voice, "Turn off the lights."
Not hearing the man's footsteps approaching, Xiang Wanniao felt puzzled and turned her head to look behind her, only to find him lying flat on the sofa, looking ready to fall asleep immediately.
She bolted upright from the bed and asked, "Why are you sleeping on the sofa?"
Gu Jingzhan closed his eyes and countered, "If I don't sleep on the sofa, where should I sleep?"
"The bed, of course!"
Hearing Xiang Wanniao's words, Gu Jingzhan abruptly opened his eyes, then turned his head mechanically toward her.
"What did you say?"
"I said, come to bed and sleep with me."
Xiang Wanniao looked at him very seriously and repeated what she had just said.
A flicker crossed Gu Jingzhan's dark eyes, his cool voice carrying a trace of hoarseness: "Do you know what you're saying?"
"We're a legal married couple, what's wrong with sleeping together?"
"..." Gu Jingzhan was left speechless.
Xiang Wanniao lifted the corner of the duvet on the other side, patted the empty space, and invited him: "Come on!"
Gu Jingzhan remained entirely unmoved.
Seeing that he made no move for a long time, Xiang Wanniao said, "Either you come to bed and sleep with me, or I'll go down and keep you company on the sofa."
After a brief silence, Gu Jingzhan threw off the blanket, got up from the sofa, and headed to the bed.
Seeing him walk toward her, Xiang Wanniao curved the corners of her lips slightly.
As soon as Gu Jingzhan lay down, Xiang Wanniao pulled his right arm, burrowed straight into his arms, and rubbed against his chest.
Gu Jingzhan's body stiffened visibly, his hands looking somewhat at a loss.
"You..."
"I want you to hold me to sleep."
Gu Jingzhan closed his eyes, trying to steady his chaotic state of mind.
With a hoarse voice and a tone of helplessness, he said, "Xiang Wanniao, I'm a normal man."
"So?" Xiang Wanniao tilted her head up to look at him.
The man's Adam's apple rolled. "I won't be able to hold back."
Xiang Wanniao smiled, leaned in to kiss his lips, and teased lightly, "If you can't hold back, then don't."
Gu Jingzhan's dark eyes suddenly lit up, growing increasingly burning with heat, before he rolled over to pin her beneath him, sealing her lips with a kiss.
He sucked on her soft, tender lips, then parted her teeth with his tongue. A warm heat surged into her mouth, greedily plundering the sweet taste belonging to her lips.
Xiang Wanniao slowly closed her eyes, her boneless, delicate hands gradually wrapping around his neck, passionately returning his kiss just the same.
After an unknown length of time, Gu Jingzhan suddenly stopped.
Xiang Wanniao's mist-filled eyes held a hint of confusion as she asked perplexedly, "What's wrong?"
"It's getting late, go to sleep."
"???"
Before she could react, Gu Jingzhan had already pulled away from her, gotten up, and stepped out of bed.
Knowing what he was going to do, Xiang Wanniao grabbed his hand and asked with a wronged expression, "Would you rather take a cold shower than have me?"
Gu Jingzhan tried his best to maintain his composure and explained, "I'm afraid you'll regret it."
"I don't regret it!"
Xiang Wanniao shifted behind him, wrapped her arms around his waist, and hugged him tightly from behind.
"Gu Jingzhan, it's you—I don't regret it."
Gu Jingzhan took a deep breath, trying to pry her hands apart. "Qiaoqiao..."
Xiang Wanniao tightened her grip. "I want to become a real couple with you."
A moment later, Gu Jingzhan untangled her hands from around his waist, turned to face her, and raised a hand to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
"At least not tonight."
"Why?"
Gu Jingzhan bent down, murmured softly beside her ear, "We don't have protection here. We'll continue tomorrow night when we get back to Guiyuan."
The tips of Xiang Wanniao's ears instantly turned red, and her heart pounded uncontrollably.
Seeing her shy appearance, Gu Jingzhan's lips curved upward, and he couldn't help teasing, "Weren't you very bold just now? How come you're blushing now?"
"I..." Xiang Wanniao lowered her head to avoid his gaze. "I'm sleepy, I want to sleep."
Just as she tried to slip away, Gu Jingzhan tightened his arm around her slender waist, caging her within his embrace, and then lowered his head to leave a medium-sized kiss mark on her collarbone.
"Since you provoked me, don't even think about escaping from me again."
Xiang Wanniao said firmly, "Never in this lifetime."
Gu Jingzhan gazed straight into her eyes, his deep eyes swirling with surging emotions, looking even deeper than the night outside the window.
Late at night.
The bedroom lights went completely dark, and bright moonlight filtered through the cracks in the curtains in wisps and threads.
Peaceful yet rippling with emotion.
Gu Jingzhan slowly opened his eyes, lowering his gaze to look at Xiang Wanniao sleeping soundly in his arms. Surging love and endless tenderness flowed in his eyes.
His long, knuckle-defined fingers gently stroked the woman's cheek, moving with extreme care for fear of waking her.
This was a moment he had longed for many, many years.
Gu Jingzhan didn't know why Xiang Wanniao had suddenly changed her attitude toward him, nor what her ultimate purpose was in doing this.
Yet he didn't want to probe too deeply into any of it; even if it seemed out of reach, he would strive to make it happen.
As long as she could look him in the eye, as long as she continued to stay by his side, as long as she no longer resisted him, and as long as there was a tiny corner of her heart reserved for him...
The woman's soft hair brushed past his fingertips, stirring his heartstrings.
Gu Jingzhan gazed at her steadily for a long time, and finally lowered his head to place a lingering, tender kiss on her brow.
Qiaoqiao, is all of this truly just a dream I'm having?
If it is, I hope to stay asleep forever and never wake up.
That way, you will always love me.