Chen Xizhu and Yin Fanlu came to care about Fu Shitian's mood, but they didn't expect to hear such explosive good news. They were almost stunned by the surprise. They wanted to hold Fu Shitian and Shi Yi down and make them explain everything in detail, but seeing that Shi Yi was still wet and Fu Shitian's back was also wet, they let them go and asked them to wash themselves and be prepared to be skinned and cooked later.
Shi Yi and Fu Shitian were both a little embarrassed and smiled without saying anything, which was considered as tacit consent.
Chen Xizhu and Yin Fanlu stopped bothering him and went downstairs to ask the boss to prepare dinner. After they left, Shi Yi tilted his head, stared deeply at Fu Shitian, and smiled quietly.
Fu Shitian's face turned red when she looked at him, and the dimples at the corners of his lips appeared for the first time in a long time, looming.
Shi Yi stretched out his index finger and poked it lightly, like teasing a beloved kitten.
Fu Shitian's ears flushed red. She held her mischievous fingers and reminded her softly, "Go take a shower quickly." She touched upwards along her fingers, and the back of Shi Yi's hand was already cold.
"Okay." Shi Yi knew his limits, withdrew his hand, and stood up: "Then I'll go take a shower. You should also change your clothes and blow dry your hair."
"Yeah." Fu Shitian responded.
Shi Yi looked at her and couldn't help but lower his head and peck her nose again, then he turned around and walked out with a smile on his face.
Fu Shitian was caught off guard, staring blankly at her back as she disappeared into the corridor. He raised his hand to touch the remaining warmth left by Shi Yi on the tip of his nose, and could not help but smile. Suddenly, his eyelashes trembled, and his other hand, which was placed beside his legs, slowly clenched the bed sheet.
It was so tight that it was numb, and so twisted that it hurt. She shivered her eyes, released the strength in her waist and back, reached out to touch the place where Shi Yi had just sat, and slowly lay down, as if she had survived a disaster. She buried her face in the back of her hand, her forehead against her fingertips, as if she was attached to it, and seemed to be grateful. To Shi Yi, and also to fate, she murmured devoutly: "Thank you... Thank you... Thank you for giving her back to me."
Tears flowed through the gaps between her fingertips and soaked the white sheets.
There were footsteps again in the corridor. It should be Shi Yi coming out with some clothes to change. Fu Shitian put away his emotions, sat up, turned his back to the door, and quickly walked to the sofa chair by the window where his backpack was placed to get the hair dryer.
It was indeed Shi Yi in the hallway. Fu Shitian heard her footsteps getting closer, and then they stopped, followed by the sound of a door closing.
Shi Yi went in to take a shower.
Fu Shitian breathed a sigh of relief. She looked out the window at the stars swaying on the river, and a soft smile appeared in her eyes. She wiped her tears, took out the hair dryer, sat in front of the dressing mirror, and carefully dried her hair, blowing it back into a soft curl. Then she changed out of her nightgown and put on a fresh and romantic one-shoulder halter dress with floral patterns that she would wear out at night.
Just as I was about to put on makeup, the phone on the bedside table vibrated.
Fu Shitian closed the lid of the lotion and moved sideways to get his cell phone.
The number displayed on the screen was actually Shi Yi's cell phone number.
"What's the matter?" Her voice softened unconsciously.
Shi Yi asked: "Did you bring your own hair dryer? The hair dryer here has too little wind. My hands are sore from lifting it."
Her tone was very plain, and her voice was a little hoarse and low, but it sounded particularly pleasant.
The corners of Fu Shitian's lips curled up.
She could tell that Shi Yi was being coquettish. It had always been like this, Shi Yi always acted coquettishly without showing it.
"I brought it. I'll bring it to you in the bathroom?" She continued following Shi Yi's words.
Shi Yi said "hmm" and hung up the phone.
Fu Shitian picked up the hair dryer and walked out.
Shi Yi had already opened the bathroom door and was waiting for her.
In the bathroom, the fresh scent of shower gel filled the air. Shi Yi had his back to her, wearing a nightgown, with wet black hair, revealing a large area of white shoulders and back, and jade-like skin, just like the goddess Aphrodite who had just walked out of the water.
Fu Shitian's heart skipped a beat.
Shi Yi heard the voice, turned around and smiled at her.
Fu Shitian's throat moved and his whole body became hot.
Shi Yi seemed to be aware of something, a cunning flashed across her eyes, and she felt more at ease. She stretched out her hand to signal Fu Shitian to give her the hair dryer.
Fu Shitian calmed himself down and said softly, "Let me help you blow it."
Shi Yi was satisfied and smiled even more: "Then let's go to my room."
There were no chairs here, and Shi Yi was taller than her, so it was inconvenient for her to blow the flute. Fu Shitian had no objection and followed her out.
They stood in front of the dressing table. Shi Yi sat down while Fu Shitian stood to blow dry her hair, just as they often did when they were young. The mechanical noise of the hair dryer sounded regularly in the air. Fu Shitian's thin white fingers shuttled through her black hair. Shi Yi's deep eyes lingered on Fu Shitian's clear face in the mirror. No one spoke, but occasionally their eyes met in the mirror, and their eyes moved.
The air I breathed into my lungs seemed to have turned sweet.
Shi Yi's heart softened, and his body leaned back further and further. Finally, he leaned completely into Fu Shitian's arms, with the back of his head resting against Fu Shitian's heart.
Fu Shitian was stunned. He turned off the hair dryer, put one arm around Shi Yi's shoulders, and put the hair dryer on the dressing table with the other hand.
Shi Yi grabbed her empty hand after using the hair dryer, placed it on her lower abdomen, tilted her head slightly, leaned comfortably in Fu Shitian's arms, and closed her eyes.
Fu Shitian's heart is as gentle as water.
She found that Shi Yi had become softer than before, like a little lion cub that had taken off its majestic mask, which made her heart flutter and distressed.
She did not break the silence, but silently adjusted her posture to make Shi Yi more comfortable.
It was unknown how long it had been, perhaps thirty seconds, perhaps three minutes, Shi Yi touched her wrist and said softly in her arms: "Did you wear that watch all the time?"
Fu Shitian naturally understood which area she was referring to. She responded softly, "Yeah."
When they broke up, she took almost nothing that Shi Yi had given her. Only the watch and the star projector, she really couldn't bear to part with. They were the few treasures she was lucky enough to keep in her life. She was afraid that Shi Yi would throw them away, just like throwing herself out of her life.
"Then why didn't you wear it later?" Shi Yi asked.
"I was afraid you would feel troubled." After all, times have changed. If Shi Yi has already started a new life and has a new partner, she would probably feel a little uncomfortable if she suddenly saw her ex still carrying the token of love she gave her.
Shi Yi snorted and laughed: "Then why did you adjust the taste of the dishes?"
Fu Shitian stammered and replied softly, "I want you to eat more comfortably."
After saying this, she also realized that her behavior was too contradictory. On the one hand, she took off her watch and thought about not disturbing Shi Yi, and on the other hand, she adjusted the taste of the dishes, deceiving herself and knowingly committing a crime. But at that time, she was struggling and sinking in the contradiction. She wanted to get close but didn't dare, wanted to stay away but couldn't, and even the idea of being nice to her and hoping that she would live a good life felt like an excessive offense.
Shi Yi played with her soft hands and could feel the sincere affection in her words. She was silent for several seconds before she spoke again: "Can I ask you again... Why did you break up with me?"
Fu Shitian's hands froze for a moment as he was being held, and his throat seemed to be blocked by something.
When they broke up that year, Shi Yi's angry words and his distrust of her once again stirred up a wave of pain in her mind like a huge wave.
She never blamed Shi Yi. However, the deep pain she felt at that time was still unforgettable when she thought about it now.
"Is it inconvenient?" Shi Yi's voice became fainter, and he raised his body a little, as if he wanted to get up.
Fu Shitian hugged Shi Yi tightly, holding her against his waist and abdomen, holding her tightly.
"It's convenient, nothing inconvenient." She said softly. "That year, on the day I went back to see my grandmother, my sister had a car accident. I didn't know if she would wake up or get better. It would cost a lot of money..."
Shi Yi felt a pain in his chest and tightened his grip on her hand. He heard Fu Shitian continue, "Besides, my father will be released from prison soon. I don't know how he has been reformed and what kind of person he has become. I feel like I won't be able to see tomorrow..."
"I don't want to get you into trouble."
She spoke very calmly. At the end of her words, Shi Yi could even hear a hint of relief in her tone.
In an instant, Shi Yi felt a pain in her heart. She only guessed this about Fu Siyu, but she didn't expect that Fu Shitian had to bear more than she guessed. She never thought that Fu Shitian had hidden concerns about her father. She always thought that behind Fu Shitian's unhappy expression and forced smile in those days was just the hard life and the pressure from her family to get married.
A myriad of emotions surged in her heart, making her throat choke and unable to speak. She turned sideways, pressed her cheek against Fu Shitian's chest, and her eyes were wet with tears.
She had to endure so much hardship and suffering, things that would once make her cry, but now she can talk about them with a smile.
She missed too much and made too many mistakes.
"There won't be a next time." Thousands of words merged into a nasal declaration.
Fu Shitian gently rubbed her head and didn't ask "no next time what", just replied: "Okay."
There will be no more concealment, no more mutual distrust, no more you not telling and I not asking, no more separation...
Be it a warning, an apology, a promise, or anything else, she could understand it all.
"Never again." She lowered her head and kissed the top of Shi Yi's head.
Shi Yi sniffed softly in her arms.
"What about your father?"
Fu Shitian paused while rubbing the back of her head, then said softly, "No more."
Shi Yi was surprised, he raised his head from her arms and looked at Fu Shitian, "I'm sorry, I..."
Fu Shitian pressed Shi Yi's lips with his thumb, shook his head, and gently stopped her from speaking: "It doesn't matter. You will know it sooner or later."
"He was released from prison in June of the year we graduated, and died in October. Liver cancer. It was discovered too late."
Shi Yi's throat tightened. She could see that there was a hint of sadness in Fu Shitian's eyes. She hesitated to speak, wanting to ask more questions, but was afraid of making Fu Shitian more sad.
As I was hesitating, the phone on the desk suddenly vibrated twice.
Fu Shitian immediately hid his emotions and smiled as usual: "It seems to be a text message from Fanlu, maybe telling us to pack up and go downstairs to eat."
Shi Yi had no choice but to swallow the question that was about to come out of her throat. Without turning her head, she reached for her phone and opened the text message to check. Sure enough, it was Yin Fanlu who told them that dinner had been delivered to the balcony downstairs.
"Let's go, change our clothes and go downstairs." Fu Shitian let go of Shi Yi.
Shi Yi stood up facing her, and placed a hand on her shoulder, asking her not to move. "One last question."
"Um?"
"Let's sleep together tonight?" Her tone was steady, but her eyes were flickering.
Fu Shitian was stunned.
Shi Yi pretended to be calm: "Your bed is wet."
Fu Shitian looked at her, and the corners of his eyes slowly turned pink.
"Okay," she agreed.
The author has something to say: Three rooms can be achieved with two