My bedroom only had a bed and wardrobe, no chairs. He sat down beside the bed, and suddenly the originally spacious room seemed cramped. I could only sit at the other end of the bed, and we both fell silent for a while. The curtains were also drawn by me beforehand, with only soft orange light shining through.

  "How long have you been living here alone?" he asked.

  "It's been over a year, right?"

  "What else do you usually do besides writing?"

  I feel a bit fresh and also warm. Because since we met, it seems that we have been pushed by fate all the time. Rarely do we chat about life and family like this.

  "I said: 'Watching dramas, going out for a stroll, finding good food to eat. Sometimes playing with Zhuang Yu or meeting up with former classmates, but they're all too busy with work. Sometimes I just go to the library or bookstore. How about you? Are you usually studying or working on projects?"

  He nodded.

  "Isn't there any entertainment?" I asked.

  He smiled, shook his head and said: "It's clearly now, but thinking back, it feels like half a lifetime ago. My past self was just as you said, everything was purpose-driven, every minute seemed to be squeezed for an extra second... It was quite boring, not as interesting as your life."

  "You're not boring at all." I said immediately, "Actually, when I was on the ship, I said that with a bit of intention and attitude. In fact, you were just desperately trying to work hard for the life you wanted. You are actually better than most people."

  He didn't say a word, and we were only an arm's length apart. His body suddenly moved, and he leaned over, pulling me closer by tens of centimeters. My heart skipped a beat, and before I knew it, I was already in his arms. At this moment, the surroundings were eerily quiet, the light was silent, the walls were silent, and even the air was silent. Yet, it seemed as if there was a colorless flame burning around us. He let my head rest on his shoulder, and with one hand, he gently stroked my face, whispering softly: "Jiao Jiao, I miss you so much. Even when we're just lying in adjacent rooms, I still miss you."

  I whispered: "Me too." I felt my heart trembling.

  He hugged me and fell onto the bed, covering his head with a blanket and kissing me passionately.

  That kiss was scorching, those fingers were powerful, and that breath was trembling. Unlike every previous time - actually, there weren't many times - our kisses were all different. He's a tall man, his world is vast yet overflowing, now he seems determined to bring me into his world. He seemed to have made up his mind, wanting to achieve some goal, so he kissed very patiently, and also... thoroughly. He started from my forehead, cheeks, lingered on my lips for a long time, then lowered his head and buried it in the nape of my neck.

  "Ah... beloved..." The low, muffled voice was the spell of this strong yet gentle man. Just like that, my body tensed up tightly, yet went limp at the same time. I felt him taking off my top, and instinctively reached out to stop him, but my hand was immediately caught by his. I tried to struggle, but he just laughed, a low, heavy laugh. Then, astonishingly, he folded my arm back and pressed it under my body. My heart thudded, tense to the point of almost dying.

  Then, his hand reached under my nightgown. My heart tightened, it's coming, it's coming... but unexpectedly he didn't make a move, instead he grasped one of my thighs. I was taken aback, and before I knew it, he had buried his head and was gently stroking the skin on my leg.

  "I heard my own voice dry and cracked: 'What are you doing...'"

  There was a hint of amusement in his voice: "I've been wanting... to touch this place..."

  My mind went "buzz" and all the sensations in my body seemed to disappear, except for his fingers on my leg, his touch, his breath. I knew what he was laughing at, I knew what he meant, yet I still wore skirts... Now, it's finally fallen into his hands...

  He touched me for a while, his hand slowly probing inside. This time I was really panicked, my whole body feeling like it was being held over the fire. And his hand, his body, was the fiercely burning flame.

  "Too fast..." I protested in a low voice.

  He paused in his actions and looked at me: "You...don't want to?"

  I think I must have been kicked in the head by a donkey, why did he hesitate and fall silent at this moment when he could have stopped and asked if I was willing?

  I actually hesitated for just one second.

  However, he had already sensed it. There was a dark glow flashing quickly in his eyes. He lowered his head and smiled. I knew I was in trouble. The words slipped out of my mouth: "Ah... is... I actually don't want to..." He lowered his head and covered my mouth with a kiss that was so forceful, it almost hurt me.

  Then my other hand was also pressed down on the bed by him.