It felt like a long time had passed, yet it also felt like just a fleeting moment when the boy disappeared from her senses.

His heart was trembling so intensely that it felt almost insane, as if it would jump out of his chest.

His throat rolled violently a few times, and his hand, which he had clenched tightly, had already turned white, but he still didn't dare to touch her.

The girl's lips were very soft, still carrying the slight chill of the rainy night.

The sound of the rain outside gradually became smaller, and her tiptoes also gently touched the ground.

The bright light from inside the room shone down, and the boy's pale face turned red, while his eyelashes trembled rapidly.

It seemed like the girl's sweet fragrance was still on his lips, and his heart was beating violently in his chest without any sign of weakening. He was at a loss, standing still in a daze. 

"Would you think I'm a bad girl if I wanted to cheat?" The tears disappeared from the girl's eyes at some point, and she looked straight at him, her voice even sounding cheerful.

What did she mean? His heart stopped for a moment, and before he could even think, the words had already slipped out of his mouth, "No, I wouldn't."

In her presence, he threw away all his principles and rationality. In his eyes, she was always the best, the moon in his heart that he could never reach.

The girl laughed again, and she reached out to lightly hook her fingers around the boy's neck. 

Her voice was low and seductive, "Then you can't leave me. I want you to be my little lover. Are you willing?"

His already flushed cheeks seemed to turn even redder for a moment, and he stared blankly, unsure of how to respond. 

Morality and reason were tearing at the young man, he knew it was wrong, but the temptation of being with her was just too great.

Even if it was just a part of her.

But the girl looked at him with those captivating peach blossom eyes, her cool fingers lightly touching his almost boiling hot cheeks, every word she spoke could instantly take his life.

"Do you want to?" 

His Adam's apple rolled violently twice, he closed his eyes, hiding the shock and pain in his eyes.

On the table next to him was an incense burner, and the night breeze blew in, filling the room with a refreshing fragrance.

The girl leaned in, still carrying a faint scent, and gently rested her head on his shoulder, laughing softly, "Okay, I won't tease you anymore. I wouldn't want you to be just a little lover."

The young man's body stiffened, his breath stopped.

"What, what do you mean?" The girl's head rested softly on his shoulder, and a few strands of damp hair brushed against his neck.

"I would never be with Lin Qifeng," she said. "But why do you think that?"

The boy's hands were clenched at his sides, his fingers turning white.

"On graduation day, I arrived late and saw him holding you at the entrance of the music building."

"He's with Mingyue, and he even gave her a moon-shaped bracelet."

The room fell silent, and the girl turned her face, her soft white cheek rubbing against his shoulder.

She tilted her head slightly, looking up at the boy's dark eyes. "I only like you."

The night wind blew a corner of the curtain, and the dim yellow light outside spilled in.

But Gu Miao's eyes, as quiet as the dark night, seemed to burst into fireworks.

Was he dreaming? 

He opened his mouth, but found his throat dry and unable to make a sound. 

The girl reached out her hand and lightly hooked his fingertips, whispering, "You like me too, don't you?"

He was still stunned, his thoughts in disarray from the girl's words, and even his breath stopped for a moment.

"I think so." 

The girl's beautiful peach blossom eyes seemed to fall into a sky full of stars, blinking and shimmering.

Time seemed to stretch in an instant, and the boy heard the blood rushing through his body, gathering in his chest, almost bursting with fervor.

His eyes turned red, and his hoarse voice echoed in the night, deep and intense.

"I like you. I really like you."

All the sweet words were stuck in his chest, all the love he had never dared to express before, melted into this pale confession.

But the girl was overjoyed. 

She buried her head in the young man's warm chest and complained softly, "You didn't even hug me."

His stiff fingers seemed to loosen their grip because of the girl's words. 

The surging emotions in his chest made him involuntarily gasp for breath. 

Despite the cold night, his heart was burning, and he trembled as he reached out to embrace the girl.

*

The next day, Cheng Chu woke up early. The sky was just beginning to brighten, and the air was damp from the rain.

As she pushed open the door, she ran into Housekeeper Song.

"Good morning, Aunt Song," Cheng Chu greeted her warmly.

"Good morning, but why did you sleep in the guest room?" Housekeeper Song asked, puzzled.

Cheng Chu's footsteps faltered, and she pursed her lips, searching for an excuse. "I was watching a movie last night and got too tired to go upstairs," she said.

The media room was close to the guest room, and Gu Miao had slept in her room last night, so Cheng Chu could only come up with this excuse. 

Aunt Song didn't suspect a thing and nodded, "You woke up so early today, I better hurry and make breakfast. What do you want to eat?"

Cheng Chu followed her footsteps, "I want to drink seafood congee, how do I make it? Can you teach me?"

"Of course, come to the kitchen and I'll teach you. It's easy to make." 

Seafood congee was indeed not difficult. First, peel the fresh shrimp and marinate it with salt. Then, fry the shrimp heads in the pot to extract the shrimp oil. Add the soft and tender white rice porridge to the marinated shrimp meat and shrimp oil. Finally, sprinkle some salt and shredded cabbage for seasoning, and it's ready to serve.

Cheng Chu had never cooked before, but she wasn't clumsy. 

After Mrs. Song explained it once, she was able to cook it perfectly.

The aroma of the congee in the clay pot was enticing, and Cheng Chu filled half a pot and brought it upstairs. The fragrance diffused in the room was a pleasant citrus scent, mingling with the freshness of the morning dew after the rain. 

The young man slept in a very disciplined posture, as if even in his dreams he was constrained. He lay flat, with the sheets neatly tucked in. 

The morning light shone in, and Cheng Chu squatted by the window, propping up her head to look at him. 

The sleeping young man seemed to have shed his tough exterior, and the dark long lashes cast a shadow of blue. His features relaxed, with a gentle ripple, devoid of his usual coldness. 

The morning sun was gentle, and he seemed to be immersed in a beautiful dream, with a smile on his face and a few murmurs from his lips. 

Cheng Chu leaned in.

His slightly hoarse voice, like an electric current, entered her ears. 

"Chuchu..." 

Cheng Chu's heart skipped a beat as she looked at the young man's face, which was so close to her. She couldn't help but reach out her hand. In the garden, cicadas chirped incessantly. 

The young man, with his dark and stern eyes, opened them in the next second.

Cheng Chu quickly withdrew her hand, stood up, and looked at the slightly drowsy eyes of the young man. 

She said uneasily, "Good morning, it's time for breakfast."

The sleepiness that still lingered in his eyes dissipated as soon as he saw the girl. 

Gu Miao panicked and sat up, curling his long body in the corner of the bed.

"It's okay, my bed is comfortable, right?" Cheng Chu smiled, "Some people were still stubbornly refusing to sleep last night."

A rush of heat spread from his ears to his neck, and the young man felt the special reaction of his body in the early morning. He wished he could just faint right now.

"I, I, I..." He stuttered, afraid that the girl would see, and turned to face the corner of the wall. 

"What are you doing?" Cheng Chu looked at the young man who was facing the wall in reflection, curious.

A few strands of breeze drifted into the room from the window, and the young man's back instantly stiffened.

"Can you, uh, step out for a moment? I need to freshen up," he said, immediately regretting his words. This was her room, who was he to ask her to leave?

A sudden realization dawned on Cheng Chu, and her face turned red.

"I'll step out first, call me when you're done," she said, darting out of the room.

Outside, the sun was shining and birds were chirping.

With the absence of the girl's presence, the young man's body stiffened, and he let out a sigh.

He was supposed to leave last night, but the girl had held onto him with her bright peach blossom eyes, as if there were stars twinkling in them.

"It's late now, and there are no cars outside. Are you going to walk back?" The boy had planned to refuse, but seeing the girl's puffed-up cheeks, he swallowed his words.

The girl looked up and said, "You can sleep in my bed, we'll talk about the rest tomorrow."

"No," he blushed and stubbornly shook his head.

How could he sleep in her bed?

"But the guest room is usually where my sister sleeps. Do you want to sleep in a bed that she's slept in?" The girl said, still pouting.

He continued to shake his head, stumbling over his words, "No, no."

"Then go to sleep, quickly," Cheng Chu pushed him onto the bed.

The bed was soft and sinking, but Gu Miao struggled to get up as if he had been electrocuted.

The girl held him down by the shoulders, towering over him, "If you sleep in my bed, I'll reward you with a goodnight kiss."

Goodnight kiss? For a moment, Gu Miao's mind went blank and numb. When he came to his senses, he found himself already tucked into bed.

The sweet scent of the girl filled his nostrils, and the blanket was light and soft, but it made his heart melt.

"Go to sleep obediently," she said.

He was too weak to resist and surrendered, no longer struggling.

The evening breeze was cool, but the blanket was warm.

The girl's beautiful face slowly approached, and finally kissed him on the cheek.

"Goodnight," she whispered.

The boy's Adam's apple bobbed rapidly.

He felt like he was not only trapped in the soft blanket, but also in the girl's heart.

The light was quietly turned off, and the door clicked shut.

The room was dark, but the fire in the boy's heart burned wildly, spreading throughout his body without restraint. 

Today felt like a dream. In the darkness, the young man lay stiff, afraid to close his eyes for fear that everything would disappear like a bubble. 

The rain had started again, trickling onto the balcony. 

It wasn't until the faint light of dawn appeared on the horizon that Gu Miao finally couldn't resist closing his eyes. 

The author has something to say: 

Gu Miao: I dare not fall asleep, afraid that everything is just an illusion.