When Si Yiheng's lips came down on hers, Shu Yu subconsciously murmured weakly, "Si Yiheng..."
Si Yiheng's body stiffened. Even though Shu Yu was now in his arms, he still felt as if he was about to lose the whole world.
He didn't even dare to listen to Shu Yu speak, nor look into her eyes.
He was afraid Shu Yu would blame him, hate him, afraid she would once again utter the words from that note.
A note written without a trace of hesitation.
When Shu Yu left him, she did so without a moment's hesitation. Now, would she loathe him, look at him with eyes full of resistance?
Si Yiheng hesitated no longer. He pried open Shu Yu's lips, his tongue slipping in, carrying a searing heat and an irresistible force.
This kiss silenced any words Shu Yu might have spoken.
He didn't want to hear a single word she might say.
Shu Yu felt his breathing grow heavier, his fingers tightening slightly against her waist.
Si Yiheng leaned in, rubbing against her cheek.
Like a large dog desperately confirming its owner's scent was still there—frantic and on the verge of breaking down, making sure she hadn't vanished.
Rubbing, then kissing, then rubbing again, over and over.
Shu Yu: "..."
He just wouldn't talk, only kissing like this.
Clearly, she was the one being held and having her eyes covered, yet it seemed to be Si Yiheng who had no sense of security.
But Shu Yu couldn't tell what he was thinking now.
Was he furious, wanting to make love out of hatred?
Or would he continue to be forgiving, letting bygones be bygones?
"Si..."
"Mmph..."
Her words were cut off by Si Yiheng again.
Shu Yu's eyelashes fluttered as she was kissed breathless. Her chest heaved violently. She moved her fingers, trying to grasp something, but found nothing.
So she could only press against Si Yiheng's chest, feeling the thunderous pounding of his heartbeat.
Tears soaked the silk ribbon over Shu Yu's eyes.
Si Yiheng stared blankly at the tear stains on the ribbon, his heart aching as if a dull knife were slicing through flesh.
He thought that by covering Shu Yu's eyes and blocking her parted lips,
he could avoid seeing the gaze he didn't want to see and hearing the words he didn't want to hear.
But it turned out he couldn't.
Shu Yu was crying.
The cold hardness in Si Yiheng's eyes crumbled, leaving him utterly helpless.
Si Yiheng loosened his fierce grip on Shu Yu just a little.
"I won't bully you anymore. Don't talk, don't cry. Just sleep peacefully."
"Everything will be fine."
When they woke up, they would be together forever, and no one would disturb them.
Si Yiheng's voice was level, even a little stiff and cold.
Shu Yu, dazed from the kisses and afraid to provoke him further, could only nod obediently.
She figured Si Yiheng was angry, but still, like before, he held on to some reason.
Exhausted from all the kissing, Shu Yu leaned against Si Yiheng's chest and fell asleep quickly.
Once she was asleep, Si Yiheng untied the ribbon, had someone bring a cold towel, and placed it over her eyes to reduce the swelling.
At the touch of the cool cloth, Shu Yu instinctively nestled deeper into his arms to escape the cold.
Si Yiheng's heart clenched at her movement, bitter and sore.
Even as Shu Yu burrowed into his embrace, why couldn't he feel any joy?
The plane landed at the airstrip of some estate.
Si Yiheng carried Shu Yu off the plane and all the way into their new home.
When Shu Yu woke again, she opened her eyes to pitch-black darkness.
She was still cradled in Si Yiheng's arms. She didn't move, sensing that he was staring at her.
Like a beast lurking in the dark.
If she stirred now, it would signal him that she was awake.
And then it'd be time for some activity involving shutting her mouth.
That would definitely get Iron Egg blocked again. Since the mission ended, she hadn't had a chance to communicate with him.
"Egg," Shu Yu whispered cautiously, as if afraid Si Yiheng would notice.
Iron Egg replied: [I'm here, I'm here. I've been blocked again for a few hours. Did Si Yiheng bully you?]
Shu Yu slowly blinked. Having her lips kissed raw—did that count as bullying?
Shu Yu thought: "It doesn't count as bullying, right? It's fine, within acceptable range."
She then quickly asked, "Is the mission complete?"
Iron Egg: [Yeah, yeah, it's done. The rewards—fifteen billion and a villa—have already been credited to your name.]
Shu Yu breathed a sigh of relief. Now she could pay Si Yiheng back. She admitted she had deceived him, and she'd return the money.
If Si Yiheng was willing, they could wipe the slate clean and start over together.
Shu Yu then remembered what she had asked Iron Egg to investigate. "So, about me and Shu Yu...?"
Iron Egg hurriedly shared some of the info he had dug up, though he left out the part about Si Yiheng's repeated plot-kill cycles.
Headquarters hadn't given a definite response yet, and those plot kills had nothing to do with Shu Yu for now.
Iron Egg: [It's just that you and her were swapped due to a system error. When you transmigrated into the book, you two swapped back.]
[Consider it everyone returning to their rightful place.]
Shu Yu relaxed a little. At least she hadn't completely vanished.
She could also start a new life of her own.
[I've filed an appeal about the system error. When the outcome comes out, I'll see if I can squeeze some compensation for you.]
Shu Yu nodded: "Okay, sounds good."
"Egg, do you think Shu Yu will hand over the OC designs I drew to the client?"
Iron Egg: [!!!]
Gotta say, Shu Yu was really dedicated. After nearly half a year, she still remembered the OC issue vividly.
Shu Yu just couldn't help it—she often had nightmares about the client calling her out for ghosting.
Iron Egg: [If Si Yiheng, after you ran off, accused you of abandoning the commission, would you come out immediately to explain yourself?]
Shu Yu: w(ﾟДﾟ)w
Please, don't blacklist her.
Her tone turned resentful. "Egg, you're so cruel. Good thing you're not Si Yiheng's system, or I'd be in trouble."
Iron Egg: [Baby Yu, now you see how tough I am, right?]
Shu Yu laughed and played along, "Got it, got it. Lord Iron Egg, have mercy on me."
Iron Egg: [By the way, Baby Yu, have you figured out how to deal with Si Yiheng? As far as I know, he's already taken you on his private jet to some unknown island.]
Shu Yu asked Iron Egg, "If I tell Si Yiheng I was on a mission, do you think he'll believe me?"
Iron Egg: [I have to burst your bubble.]
[Due to restrictions, you can't say a word about the mission. At best, you'll be muted; at worst, you'll be punished.]
Leaking details about system missions, the Transmigration Bureau, or the Salvage Department would destabilize the book world entirely.
Iron Egg's words didn't surprise Shu Yu.
Shu Yu: "I wonder if my brother is really worried right now."
Suddenly, Shu Yu felt the arm around her waist tighten as Si Yiheng pulled her closer.
She turned around to embrace him and leaned in to kiss him gently. "Gege, don't be mad anymore."
Si Yiheng froze.
He hadn't expected Shu Yu to be awake, nor had he expected her to say that.
In the darkness, Shu Yu couldn't make out his expression.
His voice was cold and stiff. "I'm not mad."
Shu Yu kept kissing him, like a kitten licking someone—clingy and heedless of the other's consent.
Si Yiheng’s palm gently supported Shu Yu’s waist, lifting her up and settling her onto his lap.
“You don’t need to coax or lie to me like this. I won’t believe you anymore.”
Shu Yu: “…”
She had managed to ruffle his temper.
Shu Yu looped her arms around Si Yiheng’s neck, her lashes lowered as she lightly brushed against his throat. “I didn’t lie to you, Si Yiheng. I do like you.”
In the darkness, Si Yiheng’s eyes were cold and heavy. “You said you liked me before, but you still ran away.”
Shu Yu: “…”
She blinked softly. “I did lie to you, but can’t you be generous and forgive me?”
Si Yiheng: “…”
His voice was stiff. “I’m just very petty.”
He had been too generous before, which made Shu Yu think he was easy to fool.
That she could leave him without paying any price.
Her moral blackmail failed, Shu Yu sullenly traced her fingers over Si Yiheng’s lean abdomen.
After a long pause, she spoke weakly, “You said yourself that even if we broke up, you wouldn’t be mad. You said you’d respect me and give me freedom.”
Si Yiheng: “…”
Shu Yu: “Are you going back on your word now?”
Si Yiheng’s voice turned cold and hard. “I never agreed to a breakup.”
Shu Yu’s mouth moved faster than her mind. “Breakups don’t need your permission, Gege. Be reasonable.”
Si Yiheng: “…”
The moment she felt his grip tighten, Shu Yu bit her lip.
She reminded herself that she was here to soothe him, not to provoke him.
She ran through all the answers Si Yiheng had already shot down.
Saying she liked him was useless now—he had learned from his mistakes.
Moral blackmail didn’t work either—he had no conscience left.
Struggling for an idea, she hesitated, then murmured, “Gege, will you kiss me? I miss you so much.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, the vast room plunged into a dead silence.
Shu Yu pressed her lips together. Another failed attempt at unlocking his heart.
He didn’t even want to kiss her anymore.
Si Yiheng was clearly still very angry.
Just as a flicker of disappointment crossed her face, Si Yiheng’s palm slid to the back of her neck, pulling her close. He kissed her, sucked on her lips, and deepened the kiss, greedily stealing her breath.
Wild and fierce,
as if he wanted to melt her breath into his own, to crush her entire being into his bones and blood.
As Shu Yu felt the changes in Si Yiheng’s body, her mind went blank.
He rubbed against her, moving with each rise and fall,
yet never entering her.
Where his body pressed, a shivering sensation rippled through her. Overwhelmed, Shu Yu weakly clung to his arms.
“Baby Yu, touch it. You’re not being good—you’ve gotten your Gege wet again.”
Shu Yu’s lashes trembled like butterfly wings kissed by rain.
“Si Yiheng…”
“Mm… don’t be like this.”
“You’re bullying me.”
Si Yiheng kissed her earlobe, his scorching breath making her even hotter.
“Baby, but we’re broken up now. We can only kiss—we can’t do that sort of thing anymore.”
