Together Forever - Chapter 49
Volume 3, Chapter 49: When You Listen To Me (1)
Tong Yan nodded slowly, her tense muscles relaxing, but her hands still trembled.
He swiped the key card, opening the door, still covering her eyes with one hand while carrying her bag with the other, leading her inside.
Her heart still racing, she blurted out, “Are you really okay?”
Then she realized he couldn’t see her speaking.
“I noticed the balcony last night; it’s beautiful. I wanted to show you. But… the bedroom is also quite inviting.” He closed the door, placing her bag on the sofa. “Which would Mrs. Gu prefer to see first?”
She smiled.
He was standing behind her, his hand over her eyes, asking questions he didn’t seem to expect her to answer.
She followed his lead, slowly stepping forward.
When he finally removed his hand, she saw the enclosed balcony and understood what he meant by “beautiful.” It was a glass-bottomed balcony, suspended in mid-air, offering a view of the pond and koi below, while above, the night sky, dotted with stars and a sliver of moon, stretched out before them.
It was breathtaking, designed for ultimate relaxation.
A large sectional sofa and a low glass coffee table provided a comfortable seating area.
“I was really scared,” she said, still slightly shaken, despite the beautiful view. “Next time I message you, no matter where you are, what you’re doing, you have to reply immediately.”
“Even during class?”
“Even during class.”
“Even during meetings?”
“Even during meetings,” she said without hesitation. “Work isn’t important; your safety is.”
Perhaps, for most people, such a demand would be unreasonable.
But after his previous health scare and tonight’s incident, she was truly frightened. While searching for the customer service number, she had imagined all sorts of scenarios, her imagination, fueled by fear, overwhelming her rationality.
And the most terrifying part was that it wasn’t entirely imaginary; it could happen.
“My fault,” he said, stepping closer, a smile in his voice. “I promise.”
His face was so close she could feel his breath on her skin. Startled, she tilted her head away. “We’re surrounded by glass…” He hummed in agreement. “Special glass. We can see out, but they can’t see in.”
She understood but still felt slightly uneasy.
Through the glass, she could see the night sky, the surrounding trees, and the faint glow of distant lights. Perhaps to enhance the ambiance, there weren't many tall streetlights, mostly low, recessed lighting along the pathways.
She was studying the lights when she felt his fingers gently caress her face.
Her eyebrows, her eyelids, her eyelashes brushing against his palm. Then his hand moved down, tracing the bridge of her nose, her cheek, finally resting on her lips.
His hand was surprisingly warm.
Since his surgery, his body temperature had often been lower than normal.
The rough pads of his fingers brushed against her lips, a warm, ticklish sensation. She bit her lip, suppressing a giggle, and pulled away. “I made you pudding, milk pudding.” She quickly retrieved the container from her bag. She had even bought special foil wrappers at the supermarket, carefully wrapping each pudding like a Portuguese egg tart.
Gu Pingsheng sat down on the sofa and patted the cushion beside him. Tong Yan, holding the container, quickly kicked off her shoes and climbed onto the sofa, sitting cross-legged. “Here you go.”
She peeled back the foil and offered him a pudding.
His lips curved into a smile as he took a bite.
“Have you been feeling unwell lately?” she asked.
“It’ll be much better once summer is over. It’s not a heart problem; it’s mainly here.” He tapped his upper chest. “Don’t worry too much. SARS is a type of pneumonia, and most people have had pneumonia at some point in their lives, usually as children.”
His tone was casual, and Tong Yan, her elbow propped on the back of the sofa, watched him intently as he ate.
He had impeccable table manners, eating quietly and efficiently.
She quickly unwrapped another pudding, urging him to continue.
He shook his head slightly, his smile deepening. Despite being a professor, he could be surprisingly… playful.
She played along, holding the pudding and feeding him.
While he was showering, she took out their clean clothes from her bag.
Hearing the water stop, she picked up his underwear and shirt, went to the bathroom door, and opened it slightly, intending to place the clothes on the counter.
She saw him in the mirror, naked, shaving.
Tong Yan quickly retreated, quietly closing the door, pretending she hadn’t seen anything. But a moment later, she opened the door again, leaning against the frame, watching him.
He looked at her through the mirror, shaving cream still on his face, his fingers tracing the areas he had missed. His body, though dry, still glistened in the warm light.
“Don’t you think… people are… fragile?” Tong Yan asked, walking over to him, her gaze fixed on his face.
He didn’t answer, wiping his face with a wet towel.
She was still trying to find the right words when he put down the towel, lifted her onto the edge of the sink, and turned back to the mirror.
The edge of the sink was narrow, and she had to put her arms around his bare back to keep from falling.
“What do you want to say?” he asked.
Tong Yan licked her dry lips. “I miss you. If you’re too busy with work, maybe… having a child would be… nice? Someone to… miss you with me.”
The steam from the shower made the bathroom warm and humid.
The humidity, the warmth, and his… state of undress, gave her words a distinctly suggestive undertone.
His lips curved into a smile.
“Sounds nice,” he said, then leaned down, not to kiss her lips, but to gently kiss her cheek, then her neck, his lips finally resting on the delicate skin of her throat. He then lightly nipped her soft cartilage.
A shiver ran through her, a mixture of pleasure and surprise.
His breath, warm and moist, against her skin.
He held her close, and she couldn't move, her throat tightening under his touch, unable to even swallow, her body sliding against the smooth surface of the sink.
His hand, supporting her back, prevented her from falling.
Moments stretched into an eternity.
The intimate torture almost suffocated her.
Finally, he lifted his head and kissed her. Her lips were dry, and as he deepened the kiss, she tentatively touched his tongue with hers, surrendering to his embrace…
He held her with one arm, the other hand slowly unbuttoning her shirt.
“Yan Yan?” he murmured, his voice husky, a seductive whisper in the warm, humid air.
She hummed in response, pretending he could hear her.
His hand slid down her back, lifting her slightly as he entered her.
Tong Yan gasped, her mind emptying, her body pressing against his… A long time later, he held her as they showered again, the warm water cascading over them, soothing and comforting. She climbed into bed, her body limp, and instantly drifted off to sleep.
She vaguely remembered him asking if she wanted him to dry her hair.
When she woke up, it was past eleven. The heater was on full blast, the room warm and cozy, making her forget it was autumn. The heavy curtains were drawn, and if it weren't for the clock on the nightstand, she wouldn’t have realized it was almost lunchtime. She sat up, her back aching, and remembered him drying her hair, holding her from behind, his hand resting on her lower back, then sliding lower… Apart from the feeling of his lips on her back, the rest was a blur.
She got dressed and found he wasn't there, but he had left her breakfast.
A resort brochure lay open on the table, a location circled in black ink.
After a quick breakfast, she took the shuttle to find him.
She had arrived after dark last night, unable to see the surroundings clearly. Now, in the bright sunlight, as the shuttle drove along the lakeshore, the autumn scenery was vibrant and beautiful. As she stepped off the shuttle, she spotted him in the distance, sitting under a parasol, reading, at the far end of a row of empty chairs.
A fishing rod lay beside him, untouched.
She walked towards him along the pebbled path, her carefully chosen outfit attracting admiring glances, but her gaze was fixed on him.
She crouched beside him. “When did you wake up?”
“Around seven,” Gu Pingsheng put down his book. “I thought you’d sleep till afternoon.”
Tong Yan, understanding his implication, turned away, pretending to study the fishing bobber floating on the water.
The resort provided everything needed for fishing. Around them, people excitedly called out, reeling in their catches, the fish surprisingly large. Tong Yan watched them enviously, then felt a tap on her shoulder. “Mrs. Gu, if you don’t reel it in, the fish will get away.”
She turned around and saw her own bobber submerged. “How? How do I do it?” Gu Pingsheng stood up, chuckling, and showed her, but by then, the fish had escaped.
“See? You’re so lazy,” she complained. “You could have done it yourself. Why did you expect me, a fishing novice, to reel it in…?”
“Fishing is just a way to pass the time. Watching you fish is the real entertainment.” He rebaited the hook, cast the line, and sat down.
Tong Yan squeezed onto the lounge chair beside him.
“Why the sudden desire for a child?” he asked.
“Because life is unpredictable,” she looked into his eyes. “We’re not like other couples; we’re not going to break up. I don’t want to wait for some disaster to happen before realizing there are things I should have done.”
The lakeside breeze was cool, and her light clothing offered little warmth. Her hands were cold.
“You’ve taught me a valuable lesson: principles mean nothing when it comes to love,” he said, pulling her closer and wrapping his jacket around her, his voice a seductive whisper in the wind. “Since Mrs. Gu is so eager, Mr. Gu will do his best.”
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