The next morning, Cen Jin spent quite a while rummaging through her walk-in closet before finding a summer outfit with a higher neckline.
Last night they had both been a bit wild, spending nearly an hour in the car, getting completely sweaty. Going upstairs, from the elevator to the entryway, Li Wu clung to her back, nuzzling and sniffing like a puppy.
Cen Jin could barely withstand his affection and surging hormones, using all her willpower to maintain control, to avoid corrupting him completely too early.
Fortunately, she had to work today. If they kept fooling around like this, she might end up doing even more outrageous things to the young man.
Although he was now her boyfriend, perhaps because she had watched him grow up, even while trying to adapt to and invest in the new relationship, she couldn’t help feeling guilty at certain moments.
Cen Jin finished applying her cool setting spray, making sure her mind could stay calm and clear, before leaving the bedroom.
Li Wu sat at the dining table eating breakfast, somewhat surprised to see Cen Jin up so early.
Following that came embarrassment—in those few seconds when she looked at him, flashes of white, soft, and full moments flickered through his mind.
He noticed her choice of top today, his ears turning completely red. He quickly said “Good morning” then lowered his head to continue drinking his porridge, using the bowl’s rim to hide his uncontrollable upturned lips.
Hah, last night he was like a thirsty young beast, today immediately pure as a snowflake.
He really could switch modes effortlessly.
Cen Jin laughed internally, walking past him to fiddle with the coffee machine, asking with her back turned: “Did you sleep well last night?”
Li Wu’s face grew hotter, coughing once before answering: “Fine.”
“Really?” Cen Jin didn’t believe him.
Li Wu remembered her dating principle and corrected himself honestly: “Didn’t sleep well, didn’t sleep well all night.”
Cen Jin turned back, deliberately teasing him: “What’s going on, just starting to date and you’re already losing sleep?”
Li Wu fell silent, finishing what was left in his bowl in a few bites, then got up to ladle porridge for Cen Jin in the kitchen.
Standing side by side at the counter, Cen Jin glanced at him, raising her hand to pinch his ear: “Have your ears had any moments when they weren’t red these past two days?”
Li Wu’s heart jumped, quickly putting down the bowl to catch her hand: “Stop touching me.”
His voice had deepened compared to earlier, unclear whether pleading or warning.
Cen Jin struggled twice unsuccessfully, looking up at him: “Why can’t I touch you?”
“Don’t you need to go to work?” His threat was like a little tiger’s fur standing on end, fierce for just a second before settling down, starting to laugh, the strength in his fingers around Cen Jin’s wrist also lessening.
Cen Jin took the opportunity to punch his chest twice: “You’re getting bold, huh?”
Li Wu let go of her hand, lowered his gaze for a moment then suddenly pulled her into his arms with one hand, burying his face in her neck, breathing deeply.
Cen Jin’s whole body tingled, and she couldn’t help wanting to hang onto his neck and do something uncontrolled and inappropriate. Mainly because he smelled so good, that young, solid, and fresh scent that she couldn’t smell in the office, wouldn’t be able to smell for the rest of the day, and would miss terribly.
But she couldn’t indulge herself.
After all, there was work.
Cen Jin pushed against the young man’s chest, her tone carrying a stickiness she hadn’t noticed herself: “Enough, I need to go to work.”
Li Wu sensed it but didn’t move an inch, his nose sliding across her jaw, then very lightly pecking twice behind her ear before reluctantly straightening up.
Cen Jin’s whole body had tensed, as if she could imagine the dynamic scene—his sharp facial lines, prominent nose, and eyes intoxicated by her.
Cen Jin’s heartbeat quickened slightly.
So when Li Wu’s hand left her lower back, she immediately stepped back, a rather large step, as if drawing a wide invisible warning line.
Cen Jin continued turning to make coffee, her mind unsettled, catching Li Wu carrying his bowl back to the table in her peripheral vision, his gait natural. She couldn’t help cursing internally: little brat.
…
After breakfast, Cen Jin left with Li Wu. She dropped him at the subway station entrance, then drove to work.
As soon as she opened her computer and logged into WeChat PC, she received her little boyfriend’s greeting: Are you at the office?
Cen Jin replied: Yes.
She was considering whether she should enforce rules early and set Li Wu to “Do Not Disturb” mode.
Otherwise, this kid would probably keep chatting with her, and she might not be able to work well for the next two hours.
During this interval, he had already replied.
Li Wu: Go ahead with your work.
Li Wu: I like you.
Li Wu: Today’s portion, forgot to say it in person this morning.
These three messages immediately made Cen Jin’s eyes curve with a smile, her cheekbones rising. If there weren’t colleagues nearby, she would have wanted to cup her face and look at them forty or fifty times.
She glanced sideways at Lu Qiqi’s gloomy face as she edited photos, propped her lips, and mentally switched from “Do Not Disturb” back to “Message me”:
Cen Jin: What about you, are you at school?
Li Wu: Three stops away.
Cen Jin asked: Going to the lab today too?
Li Wu replied: Yes, might be later today, after five o’clock.
Cen Jin paused: Then don’t come back, I’ll probably work overtime too.