37: One night

Because summer was approaching, even though it was already past six, the sky was still bright, with hardly any sign of getting dark.

Jiang Yuan sat by the floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the sea dyed golden-orange by the sunset, and the high-rise buildings standing along the coast, feeling an indescribable sense of comfort.

Gu Xinyu, meanwhile, was quietly packing her luggage.

She wore the watch Jiang Yuan had given her on her wrist; as she moved, her cuff slipped slightly, and the watch face occasionally glinted under the light.

"Xinyu, change your clothes later, wear this..."

Jiang Yuan suddenly thought of something and turned to look at her.

At this moment, Gu Xinyu was half-bent, her graceful figure perfectly facing him, with smooth and alluring lines, which made Jiang Yuan momentarily stunned, unable to finish his sentence.

Gu Xinyu straightened up and turned around. Seeing Jiang Yuan's expression and remembering her posture just now, she couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.

"Mm, I brought a few outfits, I'll go change in a bit."

Her voice was soft, her tone as gentle as ever, but a faint blush quietly spread across her cheeks.

Gu Xinyu and Liu Zhuoyun were completely different.

Whether it was their temperament, charm, or the overall impression they gave, they were two entirely different styles.

"Alright, we'll go eat once you're done packing."

Jiang Yuan retracted his gaze and said, "I'm too tired today, so let's not bother going out. We'll just eat something simple at the hotel restaurant."

"Okay."

Before long, Gu Xinyu had finished packing.

At this time, she had changed into a light V-neck long-sleeved top and a floor-length black skirt, with a black cross-body bag slung over her shoulder. She looked simple and clean, yet possessed a very natural sense of refinement and fashion.

(I'm not good at describing outfits, so the protagonist's attire will be left to your imagination. I won't write about it.)

The hotel restaurant was on a high floor, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a full view of the coastline.

This time of day was when the sunset glow was most beautiful; the horizon was dyed a light golden-orange-red by the evening glow, and the sea surface shimmered with light.

When the waiter handed over the menu, he was originally introducing red wine.

Before he could finish, Jiang Yuan smiled and waved his hand.

"No need for wine, just bring a few bottles of Qingdao Beer."

He had come to Qingdao specifically for the experience of "drinking beer and watching the sea."

Not drinking Qingdao Beer would feel like a wasted trip.

Soon, chilled Qingdao Beer was brought over, with fine beads of water clinging to the bottles.

The two ordered a few simple seafood dishes, paired with beer, and for a while, they felt quite content.

"Come, shall we toast first?"

Jiang Yuan raised his glass and gently clinked it against Gu Xinyu's.

"Okay."

Gu Xinyu looked at him, a hint of a smile in her eyes, and tilted her head back to take a sip.

The beer was a bit cold on the palate, and slightly bitter, but it quickly turned sweet, carrying the unique taste of this city.

Outside the window were the sea breeze and city lights; inside, there was soft, warm light.

Their conversation ranged from their travel itinerary to interesting stories encountered while managing his account, and then to small snippets from their own distant pasts.

Unconsciously, the atmosphere became different from during the day.

Bottle after bottle of beer.

Jiang Yuan's alcohol tolerance was good to begin with, and after a few bottles, he was only slightly tipsy.

Gu Xinyu didn't seem to drink much, but her cheeks gradually took on a faint red hue, and the corners of her eyes shimmered slightly.

She wasn't a talkative person, but later, when recounting amusing stories from her past, her voice had a barely noticeable clinginess.

The more one drinks, the truer the words become.

Whether she was truly a bit drunk or using the alcohol to say things she normally wouldn't dare, even she couldn't quite tell.

When she looked at the table again, several empty bottles lay there.

"That's enough, any more and I'll have to carry you back."

Jiang Yuan checked the time and got up to pay the bill.

On the way back to the room, Gu Xinyu walked steadily enough, though her pace was a bit slower than usual.

Once inside the door, she sat down on the sofa, letting out a soft sigh, as if she had just completely disengaged from her calm professional mode.

"Feeling dizzy?"

Jiang Yuan handed her some water.

"Not really, just a bit warm."

She took the water, took a small sip, leaned back against the sofa, and her eyelashes fluttered slightly.

When she came out after washing up, she had already dimmed the room lights, leaving only a few wall lamps, making the light soft and somewhat ambiguous.

Gu Xinyu leaned by the bed, her hair simply tied up, her gaze softer than it had been in the restaurant.

"Brother Jiang."

She called out to him.

Jiang Yuan hummed in response and casually asked, "Still uncomfortable?"

"A little."

She stood up, walked closer to him, and looked up at him, her eyes holding a hazy moistness, whether from the alcohol or something else.

Originally, the two were just casually leaning by the bed, talking about whether to go to the Zhan Bridge tomorrow or take a yacht out to sea.

As they talked, their distance unconsciously grew very close.

So close that he could clearly smell her faint perfume and a hint of beer on her.

The air was quiet for a while.

Neither of them mentioned the word "sofa" again.

The next moment, Gu Xinyu seemed to make a decision, taking a slight step back, then slowly reaching out to unbutton her top.

The sound of fabric slipping was exceptionally clear in the quiet room.

She didn't deliberately try to show anything, but simply looked at him earnestly, her tone very calm: "Brother Jiang, I want to be yours..."

As her words fell, she was left with only the most basic coverings.

Her fair collarbones and skin were fully exposed in the ambiguous lighting.

Then, with a touch of cautiousness, yet very serious boldness, she reached out to pull at Jiang Yuan's clothes.

Jiang Yuan was not without time to choose.

But in the end, he did not pull away.

When the lights were turned off, only the faint lights of the sea outside seeped through the curtains, casting a subtle outline in the room.

Breaths overlapped little by little, and the temperature rose gradually.

Many words no longer needed to be spoken.

That night, outside, the sea breeze crashed against the shore.

Inside, it was the distance where two people finally faced each other honestly.

To Jiang Yuan's surprise, that night was actually the first time for both of them to truly take that step.

This fact was revealed in the initial moments of slight panic and stiff coordination.

Even though both tried their best to appear calm and composed, they still showed a slight unfamiliarity in certain movements, unconsciously avoiding eye contact, and even their breathing became erratic when they were too close.

Of course, from the outcome, neither seemed entirely inexperienced.

Jiang Yuan knew very well that his so-called "experience" was mostly "theory" painstakingly accumulated from videos, scattered fragments, and imagination; putting it into practice was truly for the first time.

Fortunately, his improvisation wasn't bad, and combined with his usual attentiveness, he quickly found the most suitable rhythm.

He was much stronger than Gu Xinyu had imagined.

So strong that she almost couldn't bear it at one point, her fingertips unconsciously tightening, gripping his shoulder. Yet, he always managed to loosen his grip and let her recover just when she was nearing her limit, preventing her from passing out directly.

As she slowly recovered from that hazy sense of weightlessness, her breathing had just stabilized a little when everything seemed to be quietly reignited under his subtle guidance.

This push-and-pull progression made the entire night feel exceptionally long.