Chapter 113: I'll Get It Back Next Time We Meet

After being placed on the bed, Wen Jiu immediately rolled over and wrapped herself tightly in the quilt, leaving only a pair of eyes fixed on Gu Zehuai.

“We agreed, remember? Just sleeping, nothing else,” Wen Jiu warned.

Seeing her braced as if facing a mortal foe, Gu Zehuai could not help laughing. Helplessly he said, “If you keep talking, it will no longer be merely sleeping.”

Wen Jiu fell silent at once.

Gu Zehuai slipped under the covers, closed his eyes, and drew Wen Jiu into his arms, murmuring, “Sleep.”

Only then did Wen Jiu relax. It had been several days since they last met; she simply could not believe his self-restraint was so strong, and so she had worried needlessly.

Though she had slept until eleven that morning, the long afternoon left her drowsy. Nestled in Gu Zehuai’s embrace, she sank into deep sleep.

When she woke and checked the time, it was already six in the evening. Seeing that Gu Zehuai still slept, Wen Jiu gently loosened the arm encircling her waist and prepared to rise.

She had not yet sat up when Gu Zehuai pulled her firmly back against him.

Wen Jiu could not help thinking how light a sleeper he was—no matter the hour, the slightest movement of hers would wake him.

Gu Zehuai gazed at her with sleep-hazed eyes, holding her even more tightly, his voice rough from rest. “What time is it? Shall we sleep a little longer?”

“It’s past six already. If we sleep any more, we won’t need to sleep tonight.”

Gu Zehuai gave a soft laugh. “If you cannot sleep, we can always do something else.”

“You rogue! Get up this instant!”

Urged by Wen Jiu, Gu Zehuai rose. Even after he entered the bathroom to wash, he remained a little dazed.

He had never before slept straight through from four in the afternoon until six; his head felt heavy upon waking. At the company he usually only dozed briefly in the lounge during the midday break.

Gu Zehuai took Wen Jiu to a Chinese restaurant. As they neared the end of supper he proposed, “Jiu Jiu, shall we go to a film afterward?”

It happened that Wen Jiu had not been to the cinema in ages. She opened her phone and scanned the newly released titles—there were so many that her eyes swam with choices.

She simply picked one at random.

After dinner they went straight to the theater.

Though Gu Zehuai’s villa possessed a private screening room, the experience could never match a true cinema. Both of them wished to savor the ordinary pleasure of a young couple on a date watching a movie.

Wen Jiu had chosen a festive New Year comedy; the auditorium was nearly full.

Gu Zehuai led her by the hand to their seats and set the freshly bought popcorn on the cup holder.

The film was delightful, drawing peals of laughter from Wen Jiu.

Gu Zehuai turned to watch her, his eyes soft with affection.

She watched the screen; he watched her.

When the credits rolled, Wen Jiu suggested returning to the Wen residence. It was the New Year season, after all, and she had no proper excuse to stay overnight at the apartment.

Gu Zehuai raised no objection and drove her straight back to the Wen home.

Just before she stepped out of the car, Gu Zehuai cast her an almost accusing look. “Jiu Jiu, have you forgotten something?”

Wen Jiu understood at once what he meant, yet she pretended ignorance. “Forgotten what?”

From her expression Gu Zehuai knew she was feigning. Before she could move he drew her close and leaned in to kiss her.

The kiss did not last long. With formidable self-control Gu Zehuai released her, then fixed her with a suggestive gaze and said slowly, “Jiu Jiu, the next time we meet I shall collect everything at once.”

At those words certain vivid images rose unbidden in Wen Jiu’s mind. She nodded, answered him with a few perfunctory phrases, and hurriedly left the car.

She had not yet reached the living room, still lost in the sweetness of the moment with Gu Zehuai, when her phone chimed several times in quick succession.

Unlocking it, she found several screenshots from Shen Mengxia, followed by a single line of text.

[Jiu Jiu, look at the messages in the class group right away. She’s utterly shameless! She’s actually trying to frame Gu Zehuai!]