141: Chapter 140 Chu Yi Comes to the Movies Again

Su Bai lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

The lights were off, and the curtains weren't drawn tight; a sliver of moonlight squeezed through the gap, drawing a thin white line on the ceiling.

He turned over and sat up.

Who should he call?

Song Qian?

Lin Qiaoyou?

Song Qian's body was very warm; when she pressed against him, she felt like a piece of warm jade.

Lin Qiaoyou's body was also soft, but even softer—like a bundle of freshly sun-dried cotton, and once held in his arms, he wouldn't want to let go.

He was conflicted.

How about... calling them both over?

He reached out to touch the phone on the nightstand, wanting to send a message.

Just as his fingers touched the phone, the door was knocked on.

Very lightly—three knocks, a pause, then two more.

Su Bai's hand stopped.

He listened to the breathing outside the door—very light, very cautious, as if afraid of being heard.

The corners of his mouth curled into an arc; he got out of bed, walked to the door, and pulled it open.

Chu Yi was standing outside the door.

She was wearing a white camisole, its thin straps hanging on her collarbones, the neckline cut very low, revealing a large expanse of fair skin.

Below that were light blue shorts, very short, just barely covering the tops of her thighs, leaving her legs bare, straight, and long.

She wasn't wearing shoes, her bare feet stepping on the carpet, her toenails painted with light pink nail polish, shimmering slightly under the dim corridor lights.

Her hair was draped down, freshly washed and still damp, a few strands sticking to her cheeks, with water droplets trickling down the tips of her hair.

Her face was flushed, whether from the heat of the shower or some other reason, he didn't know.

She was holding a silver laptop, with a sticker of a cartoon cat on the casing.

She looked at Su Bai, her eyes bright, lips pursed, wanting to smile but feeling too shy to do so.

"Sister is asleep."

Her voice was very small, so small that Su Bai almost couldn't hear it clearly.

"I'm not sleepy, will you watch a movie with me?"

Su Bai looked at her.

She stood in the corridor, moonlight shining in from the window at the end of the hall, falling upon her and plating her silhouette with a layer of silvery-white light.

The neckline of her camisole looked even lower in the moonlight, revealing the soft curves below her collarbones.

The edges of her shorts pressed into her thighs, leaving a faint red mark.

She held the computer, her fingers tapping lightly on the casing, the nails producing a faint, crisp sound against the metal.

Su Bai stepped aside to let her in.

Chu Yi walked in, and as she passed by him, he smelled her scent—sweet, like strawberries.

She walked to the bedside, took off her shoes, climbed onto the bed, sat cross-legged in the center, placed the computer in front of her, and opened it.

The screen lit up, the blue light reflecting on her face, making her eyes appear even brighter in the blue glow.

She patted the spot beside her.

"Come up."

Su Bai closed the door, walked over, and sat down on the bed.

The mattress sank, and Chu Yi's body swayed with it; she didn't steady herself, just turned the computer a little toward him so he could see the screen too.

The movie had already started; the opening credits were in English and scrolling by quickly.

Chu Yi had chosen a drama film; Su Bai didn't catch the title, but after watching for a few minutes, he knew what kind of movie it was.

The pacing was slow, the lighting dim, and the male and female leads were in a tiny apartment with the window open, the curtains billowing in the breeze.

The two of them sat on the sofa, very close, close enough to see the curve of each other's eyelashes.

They spoke in very quiet voices, small enough that it sounded like they were whispering secrets.

Then the man reached out and tucked a stray lock of hair from the woman's face behind her ear.

The woman didn't dodge, just closed her eyes.

The man lowered his head and kissed her.

Chu Yi's body tensed up.

Su Bai felt it because her shoulder was pressed against his arm.

Her shoulder was cool, carrying the dampness of her recent shower, her skin smooth like satin.

She didn't move away, just stayed pressed against him, her eyes fixed on the screen, her eyelashes trembling.

The kiss in the movie was long, the camera shifting from their faces to outside the window, to the city nightscape, to the flickering neon lights in the distance.

Then the camera shifted back, and the two were no longer on the sofa, but on the bed, their clothes scattered all over the floor.

Chu Yi's breathing changed.

It didn't get heavier, but shallower, coming in quick, short bursts.

Her hand rested beside the computer, fingers gripping the bedsheet, knuckles turning white.

Su Bai didn't move.

He leaned against the headboard, watching the screen, his expression calm.

Chu Yi slowly leaned over, first her shoulder pressed against his arm, then her whole arm against his, and finally, she rested her head on his shoulder.

Her hair was wet, sticking to his neck, cool to the touch.

Her breath puffed against his collarbone, hot.

Her fingers moved away from the bedsheet, slowly reaching over to rest on his hand.

Her fingers were small and cool, the tips lightly brushing across the back of his hand like a feather.

Su Bai looked down at her.

Chu Yi didn't look at him, staring at the screen.

The scenes on the screen were no longer appropriate to watch, but she watched very intently, as if attending a very important class.

Su Bai withdrew his gaze and continued watching the screen.

The sounds in the movie were quiet, but in this silent room, every syllable was heard clearly.

Chu Yi's fingers drew circles on the back of his hand, round and round, very slowly, very lightly.

Her body grew softer and hotter, like a piece of chocolate placed next to a radiator, slowly melting and sticking to him.

Su Bai turned his hand over and grasped hers.

Chu Yi's hand paused, then her fingers spread out, interlacing with his.

Fingers interlocked.

Her hand was small, his fingers long; when locked together, her fingers could only grip two of his.

But she held on very tightly, as if grasping something very important.

The music in the movie was light and soft, like ripples left by a breeze blowing across water.

Chu Yi leaned on Su Bai's shoulder, her fingers still locked with his.

"Su Bai." Chu Yi spoke, her voice very soft.

"Hmm."

"Do you think the movie is good?"

Su Bai thought for a moment.

"It's alright."

Chu Yi lifted her head and looked at him.

Moonlight leaked in through the gap in the curtains, falling on her face; her eyes were very bright, containing the moonlight, the light from the computer screen, and his reflection.

Her lips were slightly parted, moist, glistening in the moonlight.

"Su Bai." She called him again.

"Hmm."

"Your heartbeat is so fast."

Su Bai didn't speak.

Her hair brushed against his chin, tickling him.

Su Bai reached out to touch her head; her hair was still wet, cool, slipping through his fingers like flowing water.

"Your hair isn't dry," he said.

Chu Yi gave an "Hmm" but didn't move.

"You'll catch a cold."

"I won't."

Su Bai didn't speak again.

Chu Yi lay on his shoulder, her breathing slowly becoming light and even.

Su Bai thought she had fallen asleep and was just about to reach out to turn off the computer when she moved.

She lifted her head from Su Bai's shoulder and looked into his eyes.

The moonlight shattered into a sheet of silvery-white light in her eyes.

She leaned in and kissed him on the lips.

It was quick, very light, like a dragonfly skimming the water.

After kissing him, she retracted and buried her face in his neck.

Su Bai looked down at her.

Her ears were red, from the earlobes all the way to the tips, red to the point of transparency.

Her fingers were still locked with his, gripping very tightly, her nails digging into the back of his hand, causing a little pain.

"Sister Chu Yi."

"Hmm." Her voice was muffled.

"You've had too much to drink."

Chu Yi shook her head.

"I haven't had too much."

She paused, "I only had two glasses."

Su Bai didn't speak.

Chu Yi lifted her head from his neck and looked into his eyes.

"Su Bai, do you think I'm not good?"

Su Bai looked at her.

"No."

"Then why won't you kiss me?"

Su Bai was silent for a second.

Chu Yi looked into his eyes, waiting for his answer.

The moonlight moved slowly across her face, from her forehead to her eyes, from her eyes to her lips.

"I'm afraid you'll regret it," Su Bai said.

Chu Yi paused, stunned.

Then she smiled.

In that smile, there was no intoxication, no childishness, only a kind of pure, earnest light—as if she had thought about it for a long time and finally figured it out.

She reached out, touching his face, from his cheekbone to his chin, from his chin to his lips.

Her fingers were cool, resting against his lips like a leaf blown down by the wind.

"I won't regret it."