Qi Xi had never been in a relationship and had no idea what the normal progression of love should be. But after clearing up the misunderstandings with Gu Yan, she couldn't help but feel a little lazy, wishing the world would stop so she and Gu Yan could nestle in this place meant just for them. Even if they did nothing, as long as the other person was there, she felt she could remain idle like this forever, not wanting to go to work at all.
Qi Xi had been leaning against Gu Yan's chest, but the thought of work jolted her awake. They were still at Gu Xuehan's place!
Almost instantly, Qi Xi scrambled out of Gu Yan's embrace. She straightened her appearance, resuming a serious and composed demeanor, wishing she could sit miles away from him.
Meeting Gu Yan's questioning gaze, Qi Xi cleared her throat and reminded him, "If your sister suddenly comes home to get some materials or documents and sees us like this, disheveled and embracing, she'll definitely find it unacceptable."
The more she spoke, the lower her voice became, tinged with embarrassment. "After all, we both took the day off. If she sees us not working but engaging in office romance, she'll think we're extremely unprofessional. She'll think I'm a traitor, living in her house and flirting with her younger brother. It's simply beastly behavior, a complete betrayal of her kindness."
Qi Xi cleared her throat again. "So from now on, we must control our emotions. We need to maintain a distance in this house, acting like proper colleagues, disciplined and respectful."
Unfortunately, these words failed to persuade Gu Yan. He merely chuckled and grasped the key point of her speech: "You need to control your emotions. Does that mean you really want to hug me right now?"
Her secret exposed, Qi Xi blushed. She glared at Gu Yan, stubbornly denying it, "That's not the case."
But just as she finished speaking, Gu Yan embraced her from behind. At first, his posture was stiff and noticeably tense, but soon he seemed to settle into this new role, gently tightening his hold on Qi Xi and resting his head lightly on her shoulder.
Qi Xi felt the warmth radiating from Gu Yan against her neck. It tickled, and the sensation seemed to seep into her heart, quickening her pulse.
Then she heard Gu Yan's voice, close to her ear: "It's okay. If you want to hug, just hug."
As he spoke, Gu Yan deepened the embrace.
Qi Xi couldn't see his face, but for some reason, this embrace felt even more heart-fluttering than a face-to-face one. However, remembering they were in Gu Xuehan's apartment, she immediately felt the potential embarrassment of being discovered, like being caught in an affair. She gently pushed Gu Yan, trying to break free.
"Gu Yan, let go of me."
But Gu Yan was being playfully stubborn. He said matter-of-factly, "I won't."
"But what if your sister comes back...?"
Gu Yan, his head buried in her hair, spoke in a low, calm voice, "Don't worry, she definitely won't come back."
What kind of logic was that! People having secret affairs always thought that way, and weren't they always caught red-handed in the end!
Qi Xi was about to admonish Gu Yan when she heard him continue: "Because this isn't my sister's apartment."
He calmly clarified his previous lie, his voice steady and confident: "This apartment is mine. It's always been mine. So my sister won't come here at all."
Qi Xi was taken aback. She turned to look at Gu Yan, "You tricked me?"
"I did trick you, so what?" Gu Yan only briefly averted his gaze before looking directly at Qi Xi again. "If I hadn't tricked you, you wouldn't be living across from me."
Although he appeared confident, Gu Yan seemed a little embarrassed. He offered a concise explanation: "I have a lot of books, but the study in this apartment is very small. So when my parents bought this place, they bought both units on this floor in my name. Firstly, it offers better privacy. Secondly, it provides extra storage space. Thirdly..."
He abruptly stopped, as if cutting himself off.
Qi Xi looked up at him, "Thirdly, what?"
Gu Yan looked away, as if trying to hide something, "Forget it, it's nothing."
But the more he acted this way, the more suspicious it seemed, making Qi Xi even more curious. She started to act coquettishly, "Tell me. It's so frustrating when you only say half of something."
Gu Yan clearly didn't want to say anything at first, but he seemed to have little resistance to Qi Xi's requests. She only acted cute once and stared at him with her bright eyes, and he almost immediately surrendered, disarmed and defenseless.
"Thirdly, when my parents bought these two apartments, they were thinking that in the future, when I get married and have children, they could come over to help take care of the kids. They could live right next door, convenient for childcare but without interfering too much in our lives."
His reasoning was perfectly logical, a normal and considerate thought from parents. However, the "our" and the way Gu Yan looked at Qi Xi while talking about marriage made her feel incredibly shy.
Qi Xi deliberately turned her head away and said in a voice that, despite her best efforts, still sounded unnatural, "Your parents are thinking way too far ahead."
Gu Yan picked up the thread, "I used to think they were thinking too far ahead, but now I think it's not that far off." He coughed, trying to maintain a calm tone. "Older people know best. You never know when you'll need an extra room. It's good to buy early so it's ready when you need it."
The way he said that...
Qi Xi lightly punched Gu Yan and glared at him, "Stop talking! You're a stumbling block on my career path!"
The mention of the apartment suddenly reminded Qi Xi of something. "So when Chen Xuan wanted to stay here, it was because you didn't want her to?"
Gu Yan felt no guilt. He nodded calmly and then showed a slightly petulant expression. "I just didn't want her to live here."
"This apartment, I only want you to live here." He gently hugged Qi Xi again, becoming like a spoiled little boy who only wanted to share his candy with a specific person. No matter how much anyone else desired it, he wouldn't budge. Perhaps to emphasize his point, he reiterated, "I won't let anyone else live here."
He looked into Qi Xi's eyes, "I finally got you to live next door to me. I don't want anyone to ruin it. I just want to be with you."
Gu Yan continued his confession without any hesitation, "So that day, when my parents wanted to visit, I refused."
He didn't think there was anything wrong with this, but Qi Xi felt nervous and uneasy after hearing it. "That's not very good. What if your parents find out later? It'll make me look bad, like I've usurped their place before anything even happened between us. What will I do when I meet them? Will they think I'm inconsiderate...?"
"Qi Xi."
"Hmm?"
Gu Yan tightened his embrace, a hint of laughter in his low voice, "Who was it just now telling me not to think so far ahead?"
Qi Xi froze, and when she understood what Gu Yan meant, she immediately looked annoyed and raised her hand as if to hit him. Gu Yan had to laughingly let her go before she gave up.
After finishing the porridge, Qi Xi still felt a little unsatisfied. She tugged at Gu Yan's sleeve, "Do you have anything else to eat?"
Gu Yan instinctively replied, "There's some dessert I bought earlier in the refrigerator."
Dessert sounded great!
Qi Xi felt she desperately needed some sugar intake. But just as she was about to go to the kitchen and open the refrigerator, Gu Yan suddenly seemed to remember something and quickly rushed over to pull her away.
"Forget it, pretend I didn't say anything."
Qi Xi was puzzled. Leaning against the refrigerator door, she blinked at Gu Yan, "Why?"
Gu Yan seemed embarrassed. He coughed, "Because it's durian flavored." He explained, "I bought it a while ago, before I knew you didn't like durian either."
"Whether I like it or not isn't important, but don't you dislike it? Didn't you say you couldn't stand the smell? And you're keeping durian-flavored dessert in the fridge? Wouldn't the whole refrigerator..."
Gu Yan looked helpless. "There's no other way." He looked into Qi Xi's eyes and then, seemingly too embarrassed to meet her gaze, lowered his eyes. "Although I don't like durian, if you really liked it, I would try my best to like it too."
He looked relieved, as if he had dodged a bullet. "Luckily, you don't like it."
Seeing Gu Yan's relieved expression because she also disliked durian, Qi Xi couldn't help but laugh.
"Are you silly?" She tugged at his shirt, murmuring, "Even if it's something I like, you don't have to like it too..."
"But I want to enjoy it with you." Gu Yan thought for a moment and said seriously, "Actually, if you really liked durian, I think I could eat it with you."
"Durian! That smell!" Qi Xi felt suffocated just thinking about it. "I used to force myself to eat it. Gu Yan, you really don't have to!"
Gu Yan pursed his lips. "Actually, after you bought so much for me, I've become numb to it. Although I still can't say I like it, I think I've gotten used to the smell of durian."
Was that even possible...?
Qi Xi thought Gu Yan was a little silly, but at the same time, she felt he might be the smartest man in the world, because he always seemed to know exactly what to say to easily move her heart and make her unable to resist.
"No more durian in the future. I won't let you eat it again." An indescribable tenderness and affection welled up in Qi Xi's heart. She touched Gu Yan's face. "Gu Yan, would you be willing to rewrite a precise 'Gu Yan Encyclopedia' with me?"
Hearing the words "Gu Yan Encyclopedia," Gu Yan was stunned and then seemed to suppress a smile. But facing Qi Xi's serious gaze, he didn't dare to laugh outright, lest the girl across from him get angry.
He simply reached out and gently patted the top of Qi Xi's head, then lightly pinched her cheek, and agreed to her request without hesitation: "Okay."
Because of that single "okay," Qi Xi's heart suddenly raced, like a rebellious lamb escaping the sheepfold at night, the feeling of leaping over the fence. She felt a surge of longing and restless anticipation for the exciting future.
Gu Yan paused, his ears slightly red, but his tone was firm and serious: "However, I have a lot of hobbies, and they're a bit complicated. You might have to spend a very, very long time to complete the revised edition of the authentic 'Gu Yan Encyclopedia.'"
He looked at Qi Xi: "So you might have to stay with me for a very, very long time to truly create a complete 'Gu Yan Encyclopedia.'"
Qi Xi's heart felt a bittersweet ache, but it wasn't entirely sour. Savoring it carefully, there was a citrusy sweetness within the sourness, a blend of sweet and sour that created a richer, more layered flavor.
Amidst this overwhelming surprise, confusion, and helplessness, amidst these bittersweet and fulfilling emotions, Qi Xi met Gu Yan's gaze and nodded solemnly: "From now on, I'm the chief editor and responsible person for the 'Gu Yan Encyclopedia,' and I have the final say on its interpretation."
Gu Yan smiled and nodded solemnly, mirroring Qi Xi's manner: "Okay, you're the sole chief editor."