Night Conversations

Half-awake, Xu Lin felt unbearably warm, though he was certain he hadn’t turned on the air conditioner. He shifted instinctively, only to realize something heavy was pressing down on him. A cold sweat broke out on his back as he snapped his eyes open, sleep instantly banished. Was this sleep paralysis?

As his vision adjusted to the dim light streaming in from the floor-to-ceiling window, he saw a figure sprawled across his chest. Focusing, he recognized the familiar delicate face and the cascade of golden hair—Chu Fengyi.

How had she gotten in? He was sure he’d locked the door, and it was an electronic lock, so without a keycard, it should have been impossible. Had she used her “money powers” again?

But this girl was heavier than she looked. She seemed so petite, without much flesh on her. Curious, Xu Lin reached out and gently poked her back. She was indeed slender, but felt surprisingly firm.

Was it muscle? If she undressed and revealed a body of pure muscle, that would be a bit terrifying. Hopefully, that wasn’t the case—her arms felt soft enough.

After a couple of squeezes, Xu Lin found his mood much improved; after all, he was usually the one getting beaten up by her.

Still, he wondered how she’d managed to get in. Grabbing his phone from the bedside, he saw it was only 2 a.m.—he’d only been asleep for two hours, no wonder he still felt groggy.

He couldn’t just let her sleep here, though. Her sister was next door, and Chu Qingchan had already warned him once today. He couldn’t afford to make any mistakes.

Slowly, he sat up and turned on the bedside lamp. Gently, he nudged Chu Fengyi. She murmured sleepily and rolled over, looking adorably innocent.

Xu Lin propped her up against his chest and whispered, “Wake up… How did you get in here?”

“Mm?”

“How did you get in?”

But she didn’t open her eyes; instead, she snuggled closer, resting her head on his shoulder.

Xu Lin couldn’t bear to disturb her further. He carefully laid her head on the pillow beside him and sat at the edge of the bed.

“Just sleep well here…” he murmured.

As he prepared to get some water and spend the night on the sofa, Chu Fengyi rolled over, kicking half the blanket off herself. Her thin nightdress rode up slightly, revealing a slender, pale waist. Xu Lin swallowed hard.

“It’s my bed—why should I sleep on the sofa? Ridiculous! What’s a grown man afraid of, anyway?”

With that, he took a sip of water, hurried back to the bed, lay down beside Chu Fengyi, wrapped the blanket around her, and pulled her into his arms.

But with the blanket between them, it was like hugging a plush toy—he couldn’t feel a thing. Sleepiness soon overtook him again, and he drifted off.

He didn’t know how much time had passed when the heat woke him once more. Blinking awake, he found himself cocooned in the blanket, but Chu Fengyi was nowhere to be seen.

“Chu Fengyi?”

“What is it?” came her voice from the bathroom, and Xu Lin exhaled in relief.

“I woke up just now. When did you come over here? How did you get in?”

“I just walked in. Your door’s broken.”

“As if I’d believe that!” Xu Lin’s eyes darted around as he suddenly remembered Chu Fengyi rummaging through his drawer earlier. Could it be…?

He opened the drawer cautiously and found nothing unusual, just a box he’d seen countless times but never used.

“What the… Chu Fengyi, if you want me, just say it outright! Why all the hints?”

“What?”

With the sound of a toilet flushing, Chu Fengyi yawned her way out of the bathroom. Spotting the box in Xu Lin’s hands, she paused, puzzled.

“What’s that? Chewing gum?”

“Are you really that clueless, or just pretending?”

“Let me see.”

She snatched the box from his hand, glanced at it, and immediately blushed.

“We don’t need this.”

“So you really do want me? Master, please spare your disciple!”

“Xu Lin, don’t be disgusting. I just haven’t been sleeping well lately, so I came to you. Don’t overthink it. Otherwise, you’ll never get to use that thing in your life.”

She slapped the plastic box onto the table, making Xu Lin shiver. Then he recalled something else, “Wait, my memory’s still fuzzy. Chu Fengyi, you must have seen our wedding chamber—”

Before he could finish, she pressed a hand over his mouth.

“Enough nonsense. Go to sleep!”

Xu Lin, seeing the rare blush on her face, felt no fear of her fists for once and snuggled closer.

“Just tell me, will you?”

“Xu Lin, you’re really asking for trouble, aren’t you?”

“No, no, I’m just curious.”

“That was between my husband and me. What does it have to do with you, Xu Lin?”

Xu Lin instantly felt a pang of regret, as if severing his ties with his past life that very morning had put him at a disadvantage.

Seeing Chu Fengyi turn away and refuse to speak further, he took a deep breath and moved toward the sofa.

“Who said you could leave?”

“Hm?”

“Come back and sleep.”

“Alright!” Xu Lin quickly climbed back into bed.

“Aren’t you cold without the blanket?”

“A little. I’ll turn on the air conditioner.”

“Just get under the covers… it’s fine.”

“Oh.”

Xu Lin nodded, timidly lifting a corner of the blanket and slipping inside. It was a single bed, not very wide, so as soon as he got in, he was pressed up against Chu Fengyi’s back.

He felt her shiver slightly and smiled to himself, then gently shifted her hair aside, careful not to pull it.

Chu Fengyi raised her neck to help him smooth her hair, then relaxed, leaning back against him.

Through the thin fabric of their nightclothes, they could both feel each other’s warmth, but at this moment, that heat felt just right.

“Xu Lin, you were right. I shouldn’t be trapped by memories of the past—no matter how beautiful, they’re over. And if I let the past twist who I am, I’m no longer Chu Fengyi.”

“Mm.”

“But Xu Lin, will you give me a chance? And give yourself one, too?”

“What kind of chance?”

“Let me like you. As Chu Fengyi, not as Wei Ran—let me try for myself.”

“I’ve never stopped you from liking me. If a beautiful girl likes me, how could I not be happy?”

“I’m serious.”

“And so am I.”

Silence fell between them, until Chu Fengyi spoke again a few seconds later. “Do you like my sister more?”

“Well, when I first met her, I just thought she was pretty. But, as I got to know her, I realized that beneath her cold exterior, she has such a pure, sweet, and kind heart.”

“She’s always been that way.”

“So, as a guy, it’s only natural to fall for a girl like that. But I’m confused, because I don’t know if what I feel is love.”

Xu Lin took a deep breath, for once speaking candidly from his heart.

“Love and like are different things. I also have to think about my parents, the future, and whether I’m worthy of her.”

“To be honest, just a month ago, I thought I’d just go to school, graduate, get into any university, and that would be it. But because of certain things—and because of you all—I’ve started wanting to do better. Even though I’m still a bit lazy, I hope I can become the kind of man worth admiring.”

“Maybe I won’t achieve all my goals, but if I become better, maybe I’ll accomplish things I never thought I could.”

“You’re already outstanding. But you said ‘you all’—who else?” Chu Fengyi leaned back, bumping her head against his chest.

“Well, to be honest, there’s also my dream girl.”

“Oh, wow, not bad! Is it that little class monitor? So greedy and fickle—be careful or you’ll end up with nothing in the end!”

“Then I’ll accept that. But if I grow and work hard, that’s still a good thing.”

“At least you see things clearly. Since you’re so fickle, I won’t take it so seriously. I just wanted to give myself an answer.”

“If, as Chu Fengyi, I can’t fall for you, then I’ll let it go.”

“That’s good thinking.”

“Goodnight, Xu Lin.”

“Goodnight, Chu Fengyi.”

“Aren’t your arms tired, hanging there? Just put it around me.”

Xu Lin gently wrapped his arm around her waist. She took his hand in hers, and he smiled wryly. They both closed their eyes in silence, drifting together into sleep.