pjbooks Chapter 22 is so detailed
Chapter 22 is so detailed
Chen Mo looked at her for two seconds, then pulled her into his arms.
The movements weren't gentle, even a bit rough. It was as if something that had been suppressed for too long had finally found an outlet, bursting forth in an instant.
Lin Shiyu hummed in agreement and pressed herself against him. Her body was soft and warm, like sun-dried cotton. She could feel the strength of Chen Mo's arms, and through his shirt, she could feel the warmth of his chest and his heartbeat.
Calm, powerful, and much slower than hers.
"Your heartbeat is so slow." She buried her face in his chest, her voice muffled.
"Because I'm very clear-headed," Chen Mo said.
His chin rested on the top of her head, and he smelled the shampoo in her hair, mixed with the lingering scent of red wine. It wasn't strong, but it made him want to sink into it.
Lin Shiyu didn't speak, burying her face even deeper. Her fingers gripped the hem of his shirt tightly, her knuckles turning white, as if she were grasping at something that might disappear at any moment.
About ten seconds passed. Maybe longer.
Chen Mo's hand slid from her waist to her back. The warmth of his palm traveled through the thin fabric of her dress, causing Lin Shiyu to tremble slightly.
"Chen Mo..."
"Um."
"Your hand..."
"What's wrong?"
"It's nothing." She buried her face even deeper, her ears turning almost red. "It's just... a little hot."
Chen Mo didn't speak.
His hand didn't move away; instead, it slid slowly across her back, feeling her body tremble slightly in his palm. Her back was straight, the lines of her spine clearly visible beneath her thin dress, and the shape of her shoulder blades was distinct, like two wings about to unfold.
She was too thin. So thin that you could almost touch her bones.
Chen Mo frowned, his fingers gently tracing down her spine, from her cervical vertebrae down to her waist.
Lin Shiyu's breathing quickened. She could feel the traces of his fingers on her back, like a burning line running from her neck down to her tailbone. The searing sensation made her body involuntarily tense up, then involuntarily soften.
"Chen Mo..." her voice trembled, almost pleading, "Didn't you say it was just a hug?"
"I said 'give me a hug,'" Chen Mo said in a low, unhurried voice. "I didn't say how to hug."
Lin Shiyu opened her mouth as if to say something, but then swallowed it back.
Because she realized she didn't want him to stop. This thought ashamed her, yet she couldn't deny it.
Chen Mo's fingers stopped at the narrowest part of her waist, gently stroking it until they sank into that dimple. The skin was warm, beneath which lay a thin layer of soft flesh, and further in, the supple texture of the muscles.
"Your waist is so slim."
"……Um."
"Was it always this detailed?"
"It used to be... a little thicker than it is now." Lin Shiyu's voice trailed off. "Now I'm thinner... my waist is only 1.7 feet."
Chen Mo measured her waist with his fingers; it was almost as if his two hands could encircle it.
One foot seven inches.
The number lingered in his mind for a moment, then overlapped with a certain image.
During his university years, he overheard dance students discussing their figures at a radio station gathering. Someone said Lin Shiyu had the smallest waist, only 1.8 feet. Others disagreed, saying the measurement was inaccurate and she was clearly 1.75 feet.
He was sitting in the corner drinking water when his ears involuntarily perked up.
He never imagined that years later, he would personally verify this number.
"It's time to sleep." Chen Mo released his hand and took half a step back.
Lin Shiyu's body swayed, as if she had lost her support. She raised her head, her eyes misty, her pupils slightly unfocused, her lips slightly parted, as if she were expecting something, or as if she were afraid of something.
"Chen Mo."
"Um?"
"You..." She bit her lower lip, hesitated for a moment, "Do you think I'm frivolous?"
Chen Mo was taken aback for a moment: "Why do you ask that?"
"Because..." Lin Shiyu lowered her head, her fingers gripping the hem of her skirt, "because I just let you hug me... and even let you... touch my waist..."
Her voice grew softer and softer until it became a mosquito's buzz.
"A decent girl wouldn't do something like that," she added, a hint of self-deprecation in her voice. "So...do you think I'm promiscuous?"
Chen Mo did not answer immediately.
He leaned against the doorframe, hands in his pockets, looking at her: "I don't think you're frivolous. I just think you've had too much to drink."
"I didn't drink too much..."
"You've had too much to drink," Chen Mo repeated, his tone leaving no room for argument. "When you sober up tomorrow, you'll regret what you said and did tonight."
Lin Shiyu raised her head and looked into his eyes.
Those eyes held no desire, no contempt, no scrutiny, only a calm, restrained, and reassuring certainty.
"I won't regret it."
Her voice was soft, but firm.
Chen Mo was silent for a few seconds, then reached out and gently ruffled her hair.
"Go to sleep. We have to get up early tomorrow."
Lin Shiyu looked at him, her eyes reddening again.
But this time she didn't cry.
She tiptoed and quickly kissed him on the cheek, then turned and ran into the second bedroom, slamming the door shut.
Chen Mo stood there, reaching out to touch the spot where he had been kissed.
The skin still retained the warmth of her lips, soft and moist, with a hint of red wine's intoxication.
[Ding! Target "Lin Shiyu" has reached 98 points of favorability towards the host, entering an "Irresistible" state. Hidden achievement triggered: Master of Hearts. Reward: 100,000 yuan has been credited to your account!]
[Note: Lin Shiyu's current favorability towards the host is nearing its maximum of 100 points. A special event will be triggered when the favorability reaches 100 points. Please prepare accordingly.]
Chen Mo looked at the system notification that appeared in his mind and a slight smile appeared on his lips.
Nearly full value. 98 points. 2 points short.
He didn't know what would fill those last two points, but he vaguely felt that they weren't about money, a house, or a car, but something more fundamental—something he wasn't yet sure he was willing to give.
Chen Mo shook his head, stopping himself from thinking about it. He went to the kitchen, poured himself a glass of water, drank it, turned off the TV and the lights, and went into the master bedroom.
Lying in bed, he closed his eyes, and the scenes from tonight flashed through his mind.
The moment Lin Shiyu tiptoed to kiss his cheek, her eyes shone. It wasn't a light reflected from lamplight, but a light that emanated from her heart, bright and warm.
He recalled an afternoon from his university days.
It was raining that day. He was on duty at the radio station when Lin Shiyu came to return an umbrella she had borrowed a long time ago. She stood at the door, her hair soaked by the rain and clinging to her cheeks. She handed him the umbrella, said, "Thank you for the umbrella," and then turned and ran into the rain.
After running a few steps, she turned back and smiled at him.
The smile was so brief that he almost thought he was seeing things.
But he remembered that smile for many years.
Looking back now, what was in that smile was the same as what he saw in her eyes tonight.
But by then, he already had Guan Yao by his side.
Now, Guan Yao is not by his side.
Chen Mo turned over, pulled the blanket over his head, and stopped thinking about it.