148: Chapter 147 Then I'll come to your place tonight.

When waking up in the morning, sunlight had already squeezed through the gap in the curtains, a thin strip falling onto the bedsheet like a golden thread.

Su Bai opened his eyes to find Xin Yaoqiao lying on his chest, still asleep.

Her hair was spread across his arm, feeling silky smooth.

Her face was flushed, her mouth slightly parted, and her breathing was light and even.

Her red bodysuit had long since been tossed somewhere, and the quilt had slipped down to her waist.

Su Bai didn't move.

He lay there, staring at the ceiling.

He recalled the events of yesterday—in the car, in the basement, on the sofa—time and time again.

Xin Yaoqiao was like an insatiable cat, wanting more and more, until finally, exhausted, she fell asleep on top of him, too lazy to even move a finger.

He reached out and stroked her hair; she didn't wake up, only burrowed deeper into his embrace like a little animal that had found its nest.

Su Bai's hand rested on her back, and after a moment, it slowly slid downward.

Her skin was very smooth and warm, like silk that had been warmed by the sun.

His fingers slid down from her waist and paused.

Xin Yaoqiao stirred, letting out a vague hum as if dissatisfied at being disturbed.

Su Bai didn't stop.

His hand continued downward, and Xin Yaoqiao opened her eyes, looking at him groggily; though her eyes weren't fully open, the corners of her mouth had already curled up.

"You're at it again." Her voice was hoarse.

Su Bai didn't speak, merely rolling over.

Xin Yaoqiao laughed, reaching out to wrap her arms around his neck and pulling him down.

With her lips against his ear, her voice was as soft as the wind,

"Then hurry up, we're going to be late."

An hour later, the two finally got out of bed.

Xin Yaoqiao went to shower first, while Su Bai lay in bed waiting for her.

The sound of rushing water came from the bathroom, mixed with the sound of Xin Yaoqiao humming a tune; the melody was completely off-key, but she was humming happily.

Su Bai stared at the ceiling, thinking about what had just happened, remembering the smile at the corners of her mouth when she said "we're going to be late," and the strength of her fingers when she wrapped them around his neck.

He rolled over and buried his face in the pillow.

Xin Yaoqiao came out of the bathroom wrapped in a bath towel, her hair wet and clinging to her face.

She walked over to the wardrobe, pulled out a school uniform, put it on, turned around, and tilted her head to look at him.

"Have you seen enough?"

Su Bai said,

"No."

Xin Yaoqiao laughed, walked over, bent down, and kissed him on the cheek.

"Go take a shower quickly, I'll wait for you downstairs."

Su Bai finished his shower, changed into his school uniform, and went downstairs.

Xin Yaoqiao was already sitting at the dining table, with two portions of breakfast—toast, fried eggs, and milk—laid out in front of her.

She was spreading jam on a piece of toast, spreading it thick, to the point where it spilled over the edges and dripped onto the plate.

Su Bai sat down opposite her and picked up a piece of toast to take a bite.

Xin Yaoqiao also took a bite, chewed, swallowed, and said,

"You're taking me to school today."

Su Bai: "Got it."

Xin Yaoqiao took another bite of toast and said while chewing: "Just drop me off at the school gate, don't drive in."

Su Bai glanced at her. Xin Yaoqiao's face flushed slightly.

"It's not good if people see."

Su Bai didn't say anything and continued eating his breakfast.

After finishing breakfast, the two went out.

Su Bai drove, with Xin Yaoqiao in the passenger seat, her legs curled up on the seat, her white stockings shimmering slightly in the morning light.

She was wearing a pair of small black leather shoes, the laces tied tightly, with the bow-knot wings sticking up.

The car drove out of Bixian Lake and merged into the traffic.

The roads during the morning rush hour were crowded, with traffic moving in fits and starts.

Xin Yaoqiao leaned back against the seat, looking out the window, still humming a tune—still the same off-key song.

When they arrived at the school gate, Xin Yaoqiao didn't get out immediately.

She sat in the passenger seat, watching the students coming and going at the school gate.

Some were riding bicycles, some were walking, and some were getting out of private cars.

Xin Yaoqiao turned her head to look at Su Bai.

"Well, I'm off."

Su Bai gave a grunt of acknowledgment.

Xin Yaoqiao pushed open the car door, got out, walked two steps, then turned back, bending over to lean toward the car window.

"Are you going to pick me up after school?"

Su Bai said: "No."

Xin Yaoqiao pouted, but didn't say anything, and turned to walk away.

Her twin tails swayed behind her head, and the hem of her school uniform skirt fluttered gently in the morning breeze.

A few students saw this.

A boy getting off a bus happened to see Xin Yaoqiao step out of that black panamera.

He froze.

A girl next to him also saw it; she tugged on her companion's sleeve, leaned in to whisper something into her companion's ear.

The companion turned her head, looked at the car, then at Xin Yaoqiao's retreating figure, her eyes wide.

"Isn't that Xin Yaoqiao?"

"Which Xin Yaoqiao?"

"Which other one? The big sister."

"She got out of that car?"

"Whose car is that? It's so cool."

"It's not the car that's cool, it's the person driving it. Didn't you see just now?"

"Didn't see. What did he look like?"

"Didn't see clearly, but his profile was very good-looking."

"Could it be... Su Bai?"

"..."

The murmurs spread like ripples on a lake stirred by the wind.

Su Bai parked the car in the school parking lot, got out, and walked into the teaching building.

Someone in the hallway saw him and whispered something.

He didn't pay any attention and kept walking.

When he entered the classroom, Mu Qing was already sitting at her desk.

She was holding a book but not reading it, her eyes fixed on the desk, lost in thought.

Hearing Su Bai enter, she looked up at him with an indescribable look in her eyes—not anger, not sadness, but a resentful expression, as if she had been neglected for a long time but was too embarrassed to say it out loud.

Su Bai sat down next to her.

Mu Qing looked at him without speaking.

Su Bai didn't speak either, taking out his textbook.

Mu Qing waited for a while, and when he didn't speak, she couldn't hold back anymore.

"Su Bai."

"Yeah."

"Did you stay at Xin Yaoqiao's place last night?"

Su Bai looked at her and nodded.

"Yeah, why?"

Mu Qing pouted, her lips sticking out so far they could hold an oil bottle.

She lowered her head, her fingers drawing circles on the textbook, round and round, very slowly.

"You've never stayed at my place." Her voice was very quiet, so quiet that Su Bai almost didn't hear her.

Su Bai looked at her.

Her face was flushed, her ears were red, and she was drawing circles on the textbook with such force that the paper was torn.

He reached out and pressed his hand onto hers.

Mu Qing's hand paused, and she looked up at him.

"Then I'll just go to your place tonight, won't I?"

Mu Qing was stunned for a moment, then her face turned even redder.