Chapter 16

After a long kiss, Yi Xiyu lay panting in Zheng Jishi’s arms.

Zheng Jishi contentedly stroked her head, wondering why she hadn’t said a word. Then the warm, damp feeling against his chest caught him off guard. Nervously cupping her face, he saw that her eyes were nearly soaked with tears.

“What’s wrong? Why are you crying?” He almost bit his tongue as he spoke, immediately scolding himself harshly inside—how could you lose your head like this?

Flustered, Zheng Jishi hurriedly wiped away her tears, but the more he wiped, the more they fell.

“I’m sorry, please don’t cry anymore, okay? It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have… I shouldn’t have…” He couldn’t bring himself to finish the sentence. He truly had been unfair to Xiyu, but to say he didn’t care at all was impossible.

Yi Xiyu sniffled, pushing his hand away and turning her face to the side. “I don’t want to talk to you right now.”

“Alright, alright, it’s fine if you ignore me.”

Zheng Jishi, proud of his thick skin, said, “As long as I’m paying attention to you, don’t cry anymore, Xiyu.”

Almost laughing at him, Yi Xiyu pressed her lips together to hold back tears, her voice thick with emotion. “Is playing with me really that much fun?”

“What?”

Zheng Jishi was a bit surprised, unsure what she meant by “playing.” If she meant the kiss earlier, he felt a pang of discomfort.

She turned back to face him, revealing red-rimmed eyes like a vulnerable little rabbit. In his memory, Yi Xiyu was always a lively little sunshine, rarely showing such fragility and sorrow.

“Don’t you really feel my feelings?”

“You contact me when you think of me, and ignore me when you don’t. Am I just someone you can casually put aside to pass the time?”

Her words hit hard, leaving Zheng Jishi momentarily stunned. In those brief seconds, he struggled to grasp the meaning behind her words—difficult to believe, yet overwhelming joy and guilt flooded him.

“Xiyu…” Zheng Jishi stared at her blankly.

Tears glistened and quickly slid down her cheeks. She pressed her lips together, stubbornly holding her expression. “I’ve already given up. What does it mean when you act like this now?”

“If you don’t like me, why do you get close to me?”

“Who said I don’t like you?!”

The words she had held back due to hesitation came out more easily than she expected. Zheng Jishi sighed in relief, licking his dry lips, his deep eyes fixed sincerely on Yi Xiyu.

“I didn’t play with you, and I didn’t mean to ignore you. You’re not someone I casually discard or use to pass the time.”

He shed his usual playful and careless demeanor, his tone unusually serious.

“It’s not that I didn’t feel your feelings… it’s just…” Zheng Jishi sighed, “I didn’t dare to believe it.”

“Xiyu, you probably don’t realize how wonderful you are.”

Yi Xiyu looked at him foolishly, but as Zheng Jishi spoke, her tears slowly stopped. Her expression was somewhat dazed as she stammered, “Y-you mean…?”

Amused by her innocent look, Zheng Jishi’s eyes softened as he nodded openly.

“That’s right. I like you, Xiyu.”

“Because I like you, I don’t dare to treat you lightly.”

He rubbed his nose, somewhat embarrassed. “I’m not really a good person. I’ve done plenty of foolish things before.”

“That's why I hesitated for so long after realizing I liked you.”

Zheng Jishi cupped her face, gently wiping away tear stains with his thumb. “I was worried I couldn’t give you happiness.”

He gave a self-mocking smile. “And of course, I worried I was imagining things.”

Yi Xiyu’s eyes widened. “No way!”

She pouted and hugged his neck tightly, her voice returning to its usual cheerful tone. “I really like you, Jishi!”

“Super, super like you!”

If Zheng Jishi’s emotions could be summed up in a few vivid words, it would be that he struggled to suppress the urge to soar into the sky. All he wanted to say was, Ah... I’m dead...

How could Yi Xiyu be this adorable!?

He held her tightly and smiled in reply, “Yeah, I also super, super like you, Xiyu.”

After savoring this tender moment of mutual confession, Zheng Jishi gently released her and pulled a small box from his pocket. Curious, Yi Xiyu looked down and found a rose gold necklace inside, its pendant two interlocking rings.

“I didn’t know when you’d be able to wear it, so I’ve kept it with me all this time. When I first saw it, I thought it would look beautiful on you,” Zheng Jishi babbled, somewhat verbose as he explained. After unclasping the necklace, he chuckled when Yi Xiyu stood still, staring at it. “Turn around.”

“Ah… okay!” She obediently turned her back and then thoughtfully swept her hair to one side.

Zheng Jishi bent down and smiled softly, carefully fastening the necklace around her neck.

Before Yi Xiyu could reach up to touch it, she felt the warmth of his chest press against her back, his hand gently resting on her waist, and his chin on her shoulder. His voice was lazy and low. “Today marks one day of being in love.”

“Girlfriend?”

Her initially stiff body gradually relaxed in the warmth of his embrace, a radiant smile lifting the corners of her mouth. “Mm-hmm, boyfriend!”

“Hehe!” Her silly grin made Zheng Jishi laugh, his eyes narrowing with mischief. “Since that’s the case, let’s settle some old issues.”

“Huh?”

“Someone just said you kissed many people when you were in the States?”

Yi Xiyu’s smile froze instantly. Feeling guilty, she blinked nervously. Zheng Jishi flipped her over in his arms, seeing her eyes darting back and forth, clearly uneasy. He wasn’t truly angry, but he couldn’t help but care.

He pinched her soft cheek. “Is that true?”

Yi Xiyu read his expression perfectly and immediately declared earnestly, “No! Of course not!”

She leaned in cutely. “I have very high standards; how could I kiss just anyone?!”

Zheng Jishi smiled warmly at her with eyes curved like moons. He couldn’t probe further. His proud nose brushed her cheek as he lowered his voice. “You better be telling the truth, or else…”

Tickled, Yi Xiyu laughed, shrinking her neck back to dodge, only to be pulled firmly into his arms again. Curious, she looked up at him. “Or else what?”

Zheng Jishi pondered. “I’m a very petty person. So, if that were true…”

“I’d have to exercise my rights as your boyfriend…”

Boyfriend’s rights? Before Yi Xiyu could react, Zheng Jishi demonstrated his meaning.

“Mmm…”

His large hand grasped her chin and kissed her deeply, tender and intoxicating. Soft moans escaped her lips as her hands found their way around his neck, while his hands traced slowly down her back.

The air seemed to thin. Just as things were about to escalate, Zheng Jishi withdrew his hand from her smooth waist, stopping himself with reason. He gently caressed her flushed face and whispered hoarsely, “Alright…”

Yi Xiyu’s gaze was still a little dazed. Seeing this, Zheng Jishi’s Adam’s apple moved as he bit his cheek, the closeness between them sweet yet tormenting.

“It’s just been one day, moving too fast… not good,” he muttered quietly, seeming to explain to Yi Xiyu but also warning himself.

They were both adults, yet they had been kissing this long in front of each other. The main thing was how stunning Yi Xiyu’s figure was. Anyone who’d seen it on TV would understand that his mind naturally drifted to unspeakable, inappropriate thoughts.

Pull yourself together, Simond! Even if it really came to that… there’s nothing here to do it with, he harshly reminded himself.

Yi Xiyu licked her lips, not dwelling on it much. Though her cheeks were flushed, she didn’t seem shy but sincere. “If we’re not doing anything else… how about another kiss?”

“Ah… please…” he said, but the smile on his face clearly showed he was all in.

He cupped her face and kissed her again. They sat on the living room sofa, lost in each other’s lips for an unknown length of time.

Later, during lunch face to face, their lips looked redder than ever. The spicy squid and rice cakes left traces on their slightly swollen mouths as soft sucking sounds rose and fell.

“Pfft…” Yi Xiyu couldn’t stop laughing.

“Really…” Zheng Jishi shook his head, at a loss for words.

After the meal, Zheng Jishi tidied up the takeout trash and even diligently took out the garbage left by Mr. Jelly after breakfast. Like a little shadow, Yi Xiyu followed him down to the apartment entrance.

“All done,” Zheng Jishi said, pointing to the door, amused yet helpless. “If I keep seeing you off, I might as well take you home.”

Yi Xiyu turned her head awkwardly, suddenly remembering they lived next door. She sheepishly scratched the back of her head.

“What time do you need to be at the set this afternoon? I can take you,” Zheng Jishi offered, stroking her head gently.

Yi Xiyu shook her head. “Hyejin will come pick me up. You should get some proper rest.”

Though he had slept last night, it was on the sofa, so probably not very restful.

Zheng Jishi thought for a moment before nodding. “Alright then.”

“Dinner together tonight?”

This time Yi Xiyu didn’t refuse and nodded happily. “Sure, sure.”

Her smiling face always made him want to ruffle her hair, and he didn’t hold back. Seeing her eyes curve in a smile, he chuckled softly.

“I’ll head back now.”

“Mm-hmm.”

Though they said their goodbyes, their feet stayed rooted together, unwilling to part.

Zheng Jishi raised an eyebrow, then opened his arms. “How about one last hug?”

Yi Xiyu immediately laughed and took a few steps forward, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist, nuzzling her head into his neck. “Oppa, I really can’t bear to let you go…”

If their clingy display had been seen by her manager, she’d probably be scolded, but Zheng Jishi thoroughly enjoyed it. The words “Want to move in together?” almost slipped out, only to be held back by his reason.

Tsk, too fast. That might scare her.

If Yi Xiyu knew what was on his mind, she’d definitely raise both hands and feet in enthusiastic agreement.