Chu Shichen's palms were covered with sweat, and they were too slippery to hold onto the edge of the marble table. His hands suddenly loosened, and he fumbled around randomly, and touched the jeweled cufflinks that Xiang Mingzhang had taken off.
Chu Shichen grabbed the diamond-shaped cufflinks in his hand. The sharp corners of the cufflinks pricked his palm, which hurt. He used the pain to stay rational and said, "I'm not ready."
Xiang Mingzhang's smile faded: "What are you not prepared for?"
Chu Shichen said: "I haven't thought about it that much. I want to finish what I need to do first..."
Xiang Mingzhang saw through him: "What are you worried about?"
Chu Shichen denied: "No."
These two words were too flimsy to comfort his guilty conscience or withstand Xiang Mingzhang's scrutiny. He risked saying more and making more mistakes, and explained, "My life has changed so much that I'm still adapting. I haven't considered many other things yet."
Xiang Mingzhang said: "Is that so."
Chu Shichen didn't need to answer anymore. Xiang Mingzhang stepped back from between his knees and straightened his slightly bent back. With just this one step, the distance between them seemed to have widened.
Chu Shichen let go of his hands, stepped on the ground, and put on his slippers awkwardly.
He left the bathroom and the heavy door closed behind him with a bang. The remaining "thumping" was caused by his chest.
Not long after, the sound of water was heard in the bathroom. Xiang Mingzhang took off his clothes and entered the shower room. The shower head was turned to the maximum and the water temperature was slightly cool. He raised his head and was strongly rinsed until his mind calmed down.
After two days of hard work in the hospital, Xiang Mingzhang had a layer of stubble on his chin. After taking a shower, he put on shaving foam and shaved it clean with the hotel's disposable razor.
When he came, he only brought a small bottle of aftershave, which was newly bought and had never been used. Xiang Mingzhang unscrewed it and applied a little. It smelled of agarwood and mint.
The sink was in a mess. The perfume bottle was upside down, two of the vines stuck inside had rolled out, and only one cufflink was left; the other must have fallen into the sewer.
Xiang Mingzhang chuckled. Why was she so nervous? She dared to jump into a river of unknown depth in the wild, but didn't dare to face him
Or is Chu Shichen afraid of something
In fact, Xiang Mingzhang left a leeway. The conversation just now was more of an inquiry than a statement.
He didn't explain his thoughts at all, just said "obviously" and asked Chu Shichen if he knew. He didn't confess his feelings, didn't say "I like it", and then asked Chu Shichen for an answer.
Xiang Mingzhang admitted that this cunningness was because he lacked a little confidence. When two people fight, they try to figure out each other's attitude. If one is tactful, the other will not be too rough.
If he was so straightforward that he left no way out, but Chu Shichen didn't want it, then the rejection would be final and both of them would be in a dead end.
Xiang Mingzhang thought to himself with self-mockery, is it a success or a failure to use business skills in this area
But Chu Shichen was really smart. He neither admitted nor denied it. He seemed to be in a panic, but in fact he still left room for maneuver.
Xiang Mingzhang came out of the bathroom. The huge suite was silent. Chu Shichen had already gone to bed, occupying one side, leaving two-thirds of the room empty.
Xiang Mingzhang walked to the other side with his cell phone, lifted the quilt, got on the bed, and sat against the headboard.
It was not too late. Xiang Mingzhang opened his mailbox, approved a few emails, read two documents, and made a concise long-distance call.
With sharp peripheral vision, he was sure that there was no movement beside the quilt.
After finishing his work, Xiang Mingzhang lay down, leaving only a night light on.
Chu Shichen was not asleep. Hearing the rustling sound behind him, Xiang Mingzhang seemed to turn over.
What exactly is the current situation? Chu Shichen can't control his complicated thoughts. What will Xiang Mingzhang think? Will he be angry? Will he regret coming here
—Chu Shichen, do you like me
But he is not Chu Shichen at all.
Therefore, he has no right to answer, and no right to say that he likes her. If he says it out loud, it would be a lie.
However, saying that you don't like it is also a lie.
When he told Xiang Mingzhang that he was not ready, it was not an excuse made in a hurry, nor was it a vague perfunctory answer. It was his most honest, thoughtful, and helpless answer at that moment.
As for how Xiang Mingzhang will view him in the future and what their relationship will become, he is willing to accept it.
Chu Shichen planned the consequences and accepted them.
He didn't have the energy to think anymore. Just as he closed his eyes, the quilt moved with a "whoosh", followed by a wave of warmth. Xiang Mingzhang moved closer and pressed against his back.
Chu Shichen suddenly opened his eyes, his body stiffened slightly: "What are you doing?"
Xiang Mingzhang's breath brushed behind his ears, his chest pressed against his shoulder blade, and he said, "Do you think I will honestly sleep on each side of you?"
Chu Shichen blurted out: "You're not angry?"
Xiang Mingzhang was stunned for two seconds, then grabbed Chu Shichen's waist with his big hands. It was too thin, less than half the width of his palm, so he turned the man over before he could do anything frivolous.
Chu Shichen bounced on the soft mattress, lying on his back, with Xiang Mingzhang half supporting himself on top of him. The light was dim, but the distance between them was enough to see his eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and mood.
Xiang Mingzhang joked, "You didn't say a word, but pointed your head at me. I thought you were just refusing me, but it turns out you were worried about whether I was angry or not."
Chu Shichen said: "I'm not worried, I'm just making a reasonable guess."
"Okay." Xiang Mingzhang asked, "Then if I get angry, will you care?"
Chu Shichen was unable to move. Xiang Mingzhang was suppressing him. There was desire and unwillingness beneath his handsome face. The most obvious thing when he asked this question was expectation.
Xiang Mingzhang's breathing was a little heavy, and he said greed was justified: "Verbal thanks and care are worthless, Chu Shichen, give me something practical."
Chu Shichen's whole body tensed up: "What do you want?"
Xiang Mingzhang moved, and his right leg pushed open Chu Shichen's knees and forcefully stuck in. He occupied him without leaving any room for any more, and his body muscles were like continuous mountains, hovering over Chu Shichen firmly.
The touch was so clear that Chu Shichen was stunned.
Despite the pressure, Xiang Mingzhang still wanted to test Chu Shichen's nerves. He suddenly asked, "Where are your tattoos?"
Chu Shichen was stunned: "What?"
"I've wanted to ask you for a long time, and I've been waiting for the right opportunity." Xiang Mingzhang said slowly, "Where is the tattoo on the inside of your thigh? Why can't I find it?"
Chu Shichen had long forgotten about this matter, and had no idea what a tattoo looked like. Xiang Mingzhang actually noticed it, kept it secret, and waited until this moment to interrogate him.
His senses focused on one point, and Chu Shichen shook his head in confusion.
Xiang Mingzhang whispered, "I checked them in the office that night, and my legs were very clean, without even a single mole. Where did you get the tattoo?"
Chu Shichen said slowly: "No."
"No tattoos?"
"… No."
Xiang Mingzhang said: "There is no best way. Removing a tattoo is much more painful than rubbing your skin."
Chu Shichen was on the verge of exploding: "That's enough, can you please stop talking?"
Xiang Mingzhang was not annoyed, and calmly rolled his Adam's apple: "If you block my mouth, I won't say anything."
As Chu Shichen stretched out his hand, Xiang Mingzhang grabbed it and pressed it against the pillow. He lowered his head and touched Chu Shichen's nose with his nose, then tilted his head and pecked Chu Shichen's lips lightly.
Xiang Mingzhang asked: "It's blocked like this, do you understand?"
Chu Shichen opened his lips slightly, and before he could utter a word, Xiang Mingzhang kissed him again, fiercely and violently, swallowing up even his breath.
Chu Shichen's lips were soft, and Xiang Mingzhang grabbed them wantonly without any mercy. Suddenly, he got his comeuppance, and his tongue was bitten by Chu Shichen's trembling teeth.
Xiang Mingzhang couldn't help laughing, and said softly, "Last time I kissed you after drinking vodka, it tasted like alcohol, not as sweet as this time."
Chu Shichen was confused and infatuated: "How can it be sweet?"
"Yeah." Xiang Mingzhang sighed as he kissed him, "Secretary Chu, why is it so sweet? Did you eat too much sweets?"
Chu Shichen closed his eyes dizzily, more drunk than when he was drunk. He was like a fallen fool, unable to sort out old accounts or settle new debts. Perhaps he even had to count with his fingers.
All I know is that this was his second kiss.
Chu Shichen was almost unable to breathe, and his voice was unclear. He instinctively struggled with his wrist, but Xiang Mingzhang let go of him, and the next moment his five fingers dug into the gaps between their fingers, holding him tighter.
After an unknown amount of time, Xiang Mingzhang raised his head, still infatuated.
Chu Shichen raised his slender neck, with veins popping out on the sides of his neck. He was forced to blow-dry his hair, which was now wet with sweat.
Xiang Mingzhang brushed aside Chu Shichen's hair, steadied his breath and said, "'Not ready' doesn't count as a rejection."
Chu Shichen drooped his eyelids: "What's that?"
The system needs to be upgraded, and the only options are "allow" or "ignore this time", but not "never upgrade". Xiang Mingzhang said: "It's my bad luck. I lost a cufflink and my patience is tested."
Chu Shichen didn't dare to ask for anything: "How much patience do you have for me?"
"It depends on your performance." Xiang Mingzhang said, "If you are not ready, continue to prepare. You must make it clear at any time what percentage of progress you have made and what your average speed is."
Chu Shichen pursed his lips and asked, "Was that a good performance?"
Xiang Mingzhang was almost distracted and said, "No, it's a thank you that you owe me."
Chu Shichen asked: "Have you paid it off?"
Xiang Mingzhang was not satisfied: "The principal has been paid off, but there is still a little interest left."
Chu Shichen couldn't help laughing and murmured, "It has always been others who owe the bank president interest."
Xiang Mingzhang didn't hear clearly: "What?"
On one of the warmest autumn nights in Harbin, Shen Ruozhen was empty-minded and raised his hand to support Xiang Mingzhang's chin.
It was the first time he paid interest to someone, and he did it willingly, gently kissing the corner of Xiang Mingzhang's mouth.
(End of this chapter)