Conclusion: He...
An alarm rang from the bedside. Song Guanyu, her face buried in the soft quilt, groggily turned over, fumbling under the pillow to find her phone and shut off the annoying alarm. Dazzling sunlight streamed through the white curtains, casting a glow on the bed.
She had work today. The agent had called her last night, and after sending her address, she must have fallen asleep on the sofa.
Sitting up in bed, she grabbed her phone to check the day's schedule. Her agent had messaged early in the morning, saying she would come pick her up later to head to the shoot for the perfume ad of the top-tier blue-blood luxury brand she had recently signed as the exclusive global ambassador.
She quickly read and replied, then put down the phone. Only then did she glance over to the side—Ye Yansheng wasn't there, but she could tell someone had slept there.
Throwing off the covers, she got out of bed barefoot. As her toes touched the carpet, she turned her head and saw the rose she had given Ye Yansheng last night on the nightstand, now nicely placed in a glass vase. The flower had absorbed plenty of water and was no longer wilted; it was vibrant and beautiful.
A broad smile spread across her face. She bent down and rubbed the tip of her nose against the flower, giving a few satisfied hums. Then she said, "Good thing you took care of it properly." Otherwise, her effort of carefully picking it in the hot garden yesterday would have been wasted.
Standing up straight, she headed to the bathroom. He wasn't there either—he must have gone to work.
Her eyes lit up. Great! That meant she could do whatever she wanted at home. Looking at herself in the mirror, she was still wearing the strapless dress from yesterday. Ye Yansheng really didn't bother to change her into pajamas; sleeping in a bra was so uncomfortable.
She immediately stripped off all her clothes and let the water run over her naked body. Once completely wet, she washed away her laziness, feeling refreshed.
Just as she finished washing up and was about to leave, she could grab breakfast from the shop at the entrance. The car picking her up would almost be there by then, and she could savor the food in the car—perfect.
When she came back last night, she had passed by the entrance and was tempted by the aroma from the steamed bun shop. There were soup dumplings too—just thinking about them made her mouth water. With that in mind, she quickened her pace.
She had to get them hot and fresh.
After quickly getting ready, she dried her hair halfway, then randomly picked a gray tank top from the closet and paired it with denim hot shorts, making her legs look long and slender. Her head-to-shoulder ratio was excellent, and she liked such breezy outfits in private. It would be a shame not to show off her figure.
She should enjoy the freedom of dressing the way she wanted.
Standing in front of the full-length mirror, Song Guanyu spun around, cupping her chin with delight, admiring her own beauty for a moment before turning to leave the master bedroom. Her hair was still a bit damp, but she didn't mind. She grabbed her small bag and happily ran to the living room.
Buns! Soup dumplings! I'm coming!
Just as she was about to embrace the delicious food, Song Guanyu stumbled as she entered the living room—almost falling. Was she seeing things?
Why was Ye Yansheng here? Wasn't he supposed to be at work?
Ye Yansheng was leaning on the marble kitchen counter with one hand, focused on placing something that looked like a large bread into the oven.
The oven started working.
His short, stylish black hair hung lazily over his forehead, unlike the neat look from work yesterday. His facial features were gentle and refined, but with a deepening contour. A pair of wild eyes carefully watched the item in the oven, a satisfied smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
Little Radish Head would probably like it later.
A delicious aroma filled the air. Song Guanyu sniffed—it smelled like the lingering scent of pan-seared steak. Her appetite was instantly sparked. She forgot about the soup dumplings and obediently followed the scent into the kitchen. Seeing Ye Yansheng in his black silk pajamas, still unaware of her presence, she called out softly.
"Dr. Ye, what delicious food are you making?"
Hearing her voice, he turned around. Seeing Song Guanyu's hair still damp with moisture, he slightly frowned.
"I'm making you some Wellington steak. It'll be ready in twenty minutes." He reached out and touched her loose hair, the ends still dripping with tiny water beads.
His eyes were sharp and composed, making him seem intimidating.
"Why didn't you dry your hair?"
The girl before him had half-wet, long black hair flowing over her chest. She was dressed very lightly, as if about to go out.
Ye Yansheng leaned his broad back against the counter, his tone inexplicably making her throat feel dry. Just as Song Guanyu was about to speak, Ye Yansheng suddenly grabbed her by the armpits.
"Ah!" Song Guanyu exclaimed in surprise.
He lifted her like a child, placing her on the wide, hard countertop. He stepped forward, squeezing between her legs. The bright sunlight slanted onto her fair legs, contrasting with his deep black clothes—a striking visual of black and white. Her calves dangled lightly against the sides of Ye Yansheng's waist and hip bones, creating an ambiguous posture.
Song Guanyu's spine tingled with weakness. The man's fresh scent from his bath mingled with the kitchen's smoky aroma, both captivating and alarming.
Stammering, she answered his question: "Because I'm going out. My agent's car should be here soon."
Hearing her answer, he suddenly pressed the bridge of his nose against hers, his sturdy arms propped on either side of her, trapping her.
Ye Yansheng lifted his eyelids slightly, his dark pupils gazing deeply at her. No one knew what was brewing in his eyes.
"If you don't dry your hair, you'll get a headache. Let me get the hairdryer and dry it for you, okay?" he coaxed.
But Song Guanyu wriggled, saying no, pushing against his firm chest, trying to push him away. Her ride would be there soon.
The person in his arms wasn't being obedient this time. Ye Yansheng suddenly clasped her waist, pulling her closer, tightening his grip. Under his hand, her waist was so thin, he felt he could wrap his entire palm around it.
Song Guanyu froze at the motion, no longer moving. She looked up at him in surprise.
She thought: Could it be that the rose I gave him last night made him enlightened, causing this sudden enthusiasm this morning?
Her eyes widened as she looked at him, her lips moving. "Dr.-Dr. Ye, aren't you going to work today?"
He smiled. "I'm off today." His other hand slowly moved to her back, then suddenly he frowned and looked at her, his voice low. "You didn't wear a bra?"
"Huh?" Song Guanyu was stunned for a second by his question. She quickly snapped out of it, blushing and her ears burning. She stuttered, "I-I did wear one... I used pasties... This kind of top looks better with pasties." Her voice grew softer.
Ye Yansheng paused, then placed his hand on the back of her neck, gently kneading her skin. She shivered, looking up in confusion.
"Dr. Ye?"
Looking at her pink lips, she was calling out "Dr. Ye." Ye Yansheng's Adam's apple moved up and down. Suddenly, he wanted to kiss her, in that moment.
Before he kissed her, Song Guanyu heard him say: "Yesterday you gave me a flower. Now I'm giving you a kiss. You'll also be blessed by the god of luck and become the luckiest person."
Before Song Guanyu could react, the hand on the back of her neck applied slight pressure, tilting her head up. She was half-reclining.