Due to her parents' work relocations, Shi Sui had moved between the north and the south since childhood.

She was accustomed to her parents' busyness, accustomed to having dinner at their friends' homes, and accustomed to finding her entertainment when lonely.

So when Shi Yue apologetically announced the decision to send her to stay with old friends until after the college entrance exams, she didn't think much about it and obediently agreed.

Shi Sui thought it would be similar to uncles and aunties, until Yan Zecheng led her into the magnificent Yan family villa.

Meeting Yan Tingli on the staircase, that indifferent glance he cast her way.

It still stood like an insurmountable chasm across Shi Sui's heart.

The "class differences" that had always been vaguely conceptual in textbooks had never been so clearly etched in her mind as in that moment.

That day, Song Jie had also received her at home, her attitude as gentle and bland as plain water.

Shi Sui didn't want to appear awkward.

But being young, she still showed her nervousness, afraid to see even a hint of displeasure on the hostess's face.

As it turned out, she was overthinking.

Yan Zecheng and Song Jie were both extremely busy. Her arrival in the vast Yan house was like a dandelion seed gently floating to the ground, unable to cause any disturbance at all.

And Yan Tingli, who shared the third floor with her, was much busier than she was.

Weekdays at school, weekends are filled with various training and competitions.

Most of the time, except for the servants, there was often no one else here.

So Shi Sui's tense nerves gradually relaxed, adapting to life at the Yan house.

Occasionally lonely, but fortunately, she was good at entertaining herself.

Though she and Yan Tingli saw each other constantly, fortunately, they could maintain mutual respect.

Morning with messy bedhead hair, or evening yawning while making milk, or occasionally pulling at her nightgown while dancing around.

He always appeared suddenly, startling her.

The only consolation was that Yan Tingli's reactions were always well-mannered.

Usually just a bland glance before calmly looking away, as if seeing something unpleasant to look at.

At first, Shi Sui would feel very embarrassed.

After many while, she became unfazed.

Later, no matter how hard Shi Sui racked her brain, she couldn't understand how Yan Tingli, who initially acted as if even one extra glance at her was too much, became so enthusiastic about sleeping with her.

To this, Yan Tingli later gave an answer that made her want to call the police-

"One more look and I get hard."

Why she ended up rolling around with Yan Tingli essentially came down to Shi Sui drinking too much.

That evening's dinner gathering was all classmates from the same art training class, familiar with each other.

"You're eighteen now, you should know your alcohol tolerance." A friend carried a case of beer into the KTV private room. "Grow some awareness before entering society, and prevent being taken advantage of."

"Especially you, Suisui, don't let anyone trick you."

Whether she'd be taken advantage of after entering society, Shi Sui didn't know.

But that night, Shi Sui thoroughly tricked herself.

After a few beers, she was spinning and giggling.

Holding the microphone wailing like a banshee in KTV, finally hugging her friend, crying, and calling for mama.

None of this was the most terrifying part.

The most terrifying part was-when Shi Sui was helped back to the Yan residence, it wasn't the auntie who opened the door, but Yan Tingli.

Yet Shi Sui was completely oblivious to his low pressure.

She stared at him with wide eyes: "Wow."

He looked like a beautiful boy from Japanese anime.

Her mind ran wild after drinking.

She somehow got her wires crossed, standing straight like she'd been electrified, learning from anime heroines and solemnly raising her hand in salute: "Ohayo, onii-chan!"

The friend who brought her back was surprised: "Suisui, is this your brother?"

Shi Sui was still giggling. Before she could think, her arm was suddenly grabbed, and with great force, the cool air conditioning hit her as she was pulled through the door.

She didn't know what Yan Tingli said to her friend. When she came to her senses, the door was already closed.

The house was dark with no lights on. She stumbled as he dragged her into the elevator.

Shi Sui instinctively tried to break free, then hazily remembered that the Yan residence's duty auntie had asked for leave today, so no one was home.

In the enclosed space of the elevator, she felt safe.

Leaning against the wall, she couldn't help staring at Yan Tingli again.

Looking at his forehead and brow bone, his nose bridge, and lips.

At the junction of his jaw and neck, there was also a small mole.

Devastatingly sexy.

"You're really good-looking." She unconsciously reached out to touch his brow bone.

Shi Sui had no idea what she was doing.

She just inexplicably felt like she'd wanted to do this for a long time.

Yan Tingli dodged slightly.

His dark eyes fell on her face, examining her inch by inch.

Drunk Shi Sui was brazenly thick-skinned, following him without clear consciousness as he didn't dodge again.

"Be my model." The cold, jade-like touch made her reluctant to let go. "I'll paint you beautifully."

He stared at her, a slight curve at his lips, bending down to ask: "What's in it for me?"

"Benefits?"

Shi Sui covered her face and giggled, "If you can be my model, I'd be willing to live in mansions and drive luxury cars."

Yan Tingli's chest vibrated, clearly genuinely amused, his pleasant voice stimulating her nerve endings: "Alright, I agree."

"Just for today," he slightly raised his brows, "aren't you going to seize the time?"

Accompanied by the elevator doors opening.

She successfully brought him into the bedroom in her daze, slowly setting up the easel.

Turning to see him supporting his arm, casually leaning against the wall.

Strangely asking: "Why aren't you undressing?"

Yan Tingli's long eyelashes dropped, dark gaze shooting through the orange-yellow light: "Undress?"

"Didn't you agree to be my model?"

He looked at her, his lips curving into a very slow smile: "You want me to be a nude model?"

"Yes."

"That won't do."

"Why not?" Shi Sui was dissatisfied.

"Need different stakes." As he spoke, his eyes slowly traced her skin, his Adam's apple moving.

If it were now, encountering such a gaze, Shi Sui would have already run away, rolling and crawling. But drunk, she was still recklessly pursuing the question: "What stakes?"

"Very simple," Yan Tingli's dark pupils blinked once, like temptation, like incitement.

"Come here, kiss me."

...Shi Sui felt she wasn't drunk on alcohol, but bewitched.

Otherwise, how could she have been so possessed to step forward, tiptoeing like touching a work of art?

Their breaths drew close.

Shi Sui crashed into his dark eyes.

In this instant, her nape felt cold.

An instinct belonging to herbivorous animals rushed to her scalp, making her movements freeze, her calves instinctively stepping back.

Yan Tingli remained motionless throughout.

Still gentlemanly, his brows and eyes like snow, as if without any worldly desires.

Shi Sui suspected she was overthinking. Finally, lust conquered instinct.

She slowly pressed against his beautifully shaped lips.

Just a light touch.

Her lower back was firmly restrained, the force frighteningly strong, making her begin to tremble.

"This isn't called kissing." His tongue suddenly moved, very violently driving straight in, his Adam's apple rolling, absorbing moisture like he was extremely thirsty, stirring her until she was dizzy and disoriented, "This is."

...That night, only she was bitten all over.

Before dawn, Shi Sui sobered up, seeing Yan Tingli sleeping beside her, so scared that her brain crashed directly.

Her memories were fragmented and blurry.

-Fragmented in that she couldn't remember clearly how exactly they ended up rolling together, but the pleasure during their passion, Yan Tingli's regretful words that they couldn't go all the way without protection, and her disappointment.

All crystal clear.

Shi Sui's scalp tingled.

Not knowing how to face it, she simply held her head and fled.

Before dawn, she ran downstairs, wandering around the villa complex.

Until the sun rose, she hadn't brought her phone and couldn't go anywhere, plus she couldn't stand the heat, so she could only sneak back.

By then, Shi Sui felt guilty for forcing Yan Tingli and never thought of a next time.

Going back, she was casually seduced with one sentence and became bewitched again, kissing him.

That night could still be considered an accident, but every subsequent tryst couldn't find any excuse.

Shi Sui couldn't help but admit it.

She coveted Yan Tingli and was addicted to the pleasure he gave.

The final bottom line Shi Sui set for this relationship was-don't, absolutely don't fall in love.

And don't let anyone know.

In the past two years, she covered her eyes and plugged her ears.

Avoiding any hints Yan Tingli gave as much as possible.

Sometimes, even urgently wanting to separate.

At least separation wouldn't trap her in this kind of entanglement anymore.

"Suisui," Yan Tingli's voice awakened her from deeper daze, with traces of cold laughter, "Next time you pretend not to hear, make your expression more natural, it'll be more convincing."

Shi Sui's eyelashes trembled.

With just a few words, he placed her on a high platform, leaving her absolutely no chance to escape.

"We can't..." Shi Sui could only lower her head, struggling to say those three words, "date."

"Reason."

"Not suitable."

"Size? Quite suitable."

Shi Sui ignored this, saying with pleading: "Can't we just stay like this?"

Her voice was slightly tense, her heartbeat heavy and fast.

She knew this would make Yan Tingli unhappy.

But this was already the most appropriate thing she could think to say.

Yan Tingli's expression was bland, even lowering his head to carefully arrange her skirt hem.

"Like this now," he paused, confirming with her in a low voice, "the relationship of having an affair with me at school?"

He deliberately made it sound ugly.

Shi Sui gritted her teeth, saying defiantly: "Yes, I like it this way."

Yan Tingli sneered: "Good, as you wish."

"Then from now on, I'll kiss you and touch you anywhere I want at school." His gaze swept over her disheveled clothes, "As long as-no one knows, right?"

Shi Sui felt a chill all over from his explicitly invasive gaze, "No...of course not-"

She was flipped around and pressed against the car window.

Yan Tingli covered her from behind, lifting her chin: "Suisui, look outside."

Shi Sui was forced against the car window, her expression immediately changing color.

-She saw Su Ye.

Su Ye is getting off work, carrying a briefcase, standing diagonally ahead, talking on the phone while opening his car door.

"Let go of me," she suddenly struggled violently, "Yan Tingli, you bastard...!"

Yan Tingli covered her mouth from behind.

"Shh." A kiss fell on her neck, murmuring, "Can't let anyone see."

"Otherwise, tomorrow it'll be on the campus wall, the whole school will know we're," Yan Tingli paused, "having an affair in the car."

Shi Sui didn't dare imagine, struggling with all her strength, but everywhere she touched was Yan Tingli's solid muscle.

Immovable.

Instead, the car shook, and Su Ye outside was attracted by the movement, glancing over.

Had Su Ye already seen them?

Shi Sui was so scared she forgot to breathe.

"Move again," Yan Tingli said in her ear, "and Professor Su will think we're having car sex."

Shi Sui endured and swallowed her voice.

Fortunately, Su Ye only looked once, then got in his car.

Soon, the sedan drove away.

In the silence, Yan Tingli suddenly lost interest, leaning back in his seat: "Forgot to tell you, this car has privacy film."

Shi Sui was still in shock, stiff there, about to move when she finally came to her senses. She collapsed and slapped his jaw, leaving a red mark on his pale skin. "Yan Tingli, can you stop forcing me like this?!"

Yan Tingli didn't dodge or avoid.

Just lowered his eyelashes, casting a heavy shadow.

Shi Sui's fingers shrank back, her heart jumping up and down.

Only silence remained.

After a long time, Yan Tingli finally slowly reacted.

"Forcing?" He wiped away the mark she'd scratched on his jaw, no expression on his face, "If I were forcing you, from the moment you got in the car, you should have been pressed on top of me and moving."

"Or from two years ago, you should have been locked in a house no one knows about, never wearing clothes again."

"Rather than like now." Cold mockery danced in his eyes, suddenly, he didn't continue.

Always like a dog, desperately seeking a bit of illusory love.

Shi Sui was stunned, waiting for more, but Yan Tingli stopped there.

As Su Ye's car drove away, Yan Tingli opened the car door expressionlessly: "Your mission is complete."

An attitude of dismissing guests.

They parted on bad terms.

Shi Sui said nothing, lowering her head to fix her disheveled clothes, picking up her bag to leave: "Then that's it."

She didn't want to deal with Yan Tingli anymore.

Not at all.

Before her leg could step out, she was suddenly pulled back from behind, the car door slamming shut.

Yan Tingli's face was close.

He had overflowing emotions, like restraint, like resentment.

Looking at her for several seconds before squeezing out a few words through his teeth: "I won't let anyone know."

Shi Sui didn't catch on: "...What?"

"Dating." The hand gripping her shoulder was very tight: "I won't let anyone know."

Shi Sui slowly digested these few words.

Dating, without letting anyone know.

Wasn't this an underground relationship?

She didn't dare to think deeply about Yan Tingli's intentions-why he would rather be this kind of boyfriend who couldn't see the light of day than give up on establishing their relationship.

She couldn't think about it.

Don't think! If she thought about it, she'd go dig wild vegetables tomorrow!

So she used her usual turtle strategy-retreating into her shell.

"Why... do we have to date?"

Yan Tingli wasn't surprised at all, and even leaned closer slightly, considerately giving her a way out: "How long?"

"Ah."

"Time to consider."

Shi Sui swallowed and held up one finger.

Yan Tingli: "Then one day."

"?" Shi Sui: "This is one week!"

Yan Tingli looked at her quietly, his gaze making Shi Sui's heart feel guilty, almost making her slide to her knees and change her answer.

He slowly smiled: "Agreeing after one week is also fine."

"Mm." Shi Sui responded.

One second later, she realized something was wrong.

"I'm just considering, I didn't say I would agree!"

After two seconds of silence, she still couldn't help but say: "...If it's not public, then dating or not dating isn't different from before."

"What were we originally?"

Shi Sui paused, enduring the shame and reluctantly saying: "Fuck. Buddies."

Yan Tingli: "And after we start dating?"

"...Boyfriend and girlfriend."

"Which sounds better?"

Shi Sui was dumbfounded, unable to tell if she felt disappointed or speechless: "...Just because of this?"

"Partly." Yan Tingli's emotions seemed to stabilize, even showing a tendency toward being willing to chat.

"Then what else?"

"If you're my girlfriend," he rested his hand on the car window, his eyelashes dropping, his voice gentle and light, making it impossible to tell if he was being sincere, "would you love me more?"

Shi Sui was stunned for a long while.

After a long while, she found her voice: "I..."

Before she could finish, Yan Tingli suddenly took her hand and placed it on a certain part of his leg: "Would you?"

"..." All of Shi Sui's stirring emotions and conscience instantly vanished as she pulled her hand back: "Get lost!"

She knew it!!!

Annoyed, she got out of the car without looking back.

When she drove away, she looked left and right, making sure no one was around before quickly jogging out.

That morning, a drizzle began to fall. Yan Tingli didn't go to school with her, and strangely, Yan Zecheng and Song Jie, who usually only showed up once a month, both appeared at the Yan residence at the same time, dressed in plain black.

At that time, Shi Sui didn't know what they were going to do.

She only remembered that when she came back that evening, the Yan residence was very quiet, even the several aunties who usually had smiling faces were solemn, their expressions full of unspoken secrets.

Moonlight illuminated half of his profile; the young man's heaven-gifted appearance was a gift from above.

What should have been a melodious tune was played by him with coldness and sharpness.

Making her suddenly feel.

He was also like her, wandering lonely in this maze-like big house.

And in this house that was so big it felt empty, there were only he and she.

At this moment, the girl's heartstrings seemed to become the struck piano keys, jumping with the musical notes, suddenly soaring, then rapidly falling.

But in this instant.

Along with the heart-flutter came panic.

Song Jie's casual remark about "not knowing one's place" was branded in her heart like a curse.

The indulgence after the college entrance exam was already transgressive.

Whether Yan Tingli would force her to marry was still too far away to think about now.

She stood on the balcony spacing out while watching the students coming and going downstairs, whispering softly: "Then what should I do?"

"Refuse him, firmly, swiftly."

Shi Sui remained silent, and Zhou Xuyan read something from her silence, "Did he force you to agree?"

Shi Sui wanted to say no.

But Yan Tingli had forced her on everything.

"...Mm."

"Don't worry, let me think, let me think." Zhou Xuyan stood up, walked around the room several times, then suddenly said, "How about you run now."

Shi Sui was startled: "Run?"

"Right, you should run, Sui Sui!" Zhou Xuyan thought it was more and more feasible and jumped up suddenly, "How did I not think of this before, you should run, the farther the better, go abroad."

Shi Sui picked at the railing with her fingers, feeling it wasn't very realistic: "I still have to finish college."

"Exchange." Zhou Xuyan said, "You secretly applied for exchange."

Shi Sui was stunned, slowly digesting the information.

Zhou Xuyan had indeed opened up a path she had never envisioned.

A University indeed had many overseas exchange programs for sophomores and juniors, though they had requirements for a resume and grades.

Shi Sui's were at the front of the class, but exchange required being very good at dealing with people, which she wasn't good at. Most importantly, she was introverted and homesick by nature.

If she went abroad, she'd be even farther from her parents.

What Shi Sui thought about farthest was only returning to Hangzhou after graduation to stay by her parents' side.

"But he wants me to answer in one week." Shi Sui said seriously.

"Silly," Zhou Xuyan said carelessly, "then you just agree first, stabilize the situation, then find the right timing to slip away."

Shi Sui lowered her eyes, thinking deeply for a long time.

After agreeing and then running away... wouldn't Yan Tingli remember this for a lifetime?

Zhou Xuyan: "You don't dare?"

Shi Sui was a coward who was content with the status quo. Unless absolutely necessary, it was hard for her to truly have the courage to fly far away.

"...Mm." She said quietly.

"It's okay if you don't dare now," Zhou Xuyan comforted, "just keep it in mind, treat this as a backup plan."

After chatting with Zhou Xuyan, Shi Sui's mood relaxed considerably.

When she thought about her relationship with Yan Tingli again, she could finally sort out some clarity-

If she reached that point someday.

At worst.

She would just run.

Run far away.

Yan Tingli could never find her again.

Zhou Xuyan's call had just ended when the screen lit up.

Seeing the WeChat message from Song Jie, Shi Sui's heart jumped.

With so many things happening, she almost forgot that Yan Tingli had just used her phone to say such rebellious things to Song Jie.

Song Jie didn't say much; the general meaning was that it was hard for her to make the trip, Yan Tingli was immature, and she hoped Shi Sui wouldn't take offense.

Shi Sui quickly gave an official reply, absolutely not asking any extra questions.

Probably quite satisfied with her reaction, Song Jie finally said she saw a very beautiful jade bracelet that had been blessed at a temple, and would give it to her next time she came home.

Song Jie was always generous, regularly sending her some expensive gifts. Shi Sui would accept them, but basically only wore them when Song Jie was present, to show appreciation.

Most of the time, these gifts were piled up in the cabinet in her bedroom at the Yan residence.

Once when Yan Tingli was monopolizing her bed, seeing her carefully put things away for fear of damaging them, he curled his lips mockingly: "Are you going to enshrine these things?"

Shi Sui: "It wouldn't be good if they got worn out."

"Just throw them out when they're old."

Shi Sui was helpless: "Who would throw away things that others gave with good intentions?"

Yan Tingli said indifferently: "They're all bought by the secretary; she won't remember."

Shi Sui was speechless: "But these are all Aunt Song's thoughtful intentions."

"Fake emotional things are just an eyesore when kept around."

Although Shi Sui knew Song Jie didn't like her much, hearing Yan Tingli describe it so nakedly still made her feel somewhat uncomfortable.

"You're the one who's fake." She retaliated.

At that time, Yan Tingli only tugged his lips slightly.

Of course, she didn't throw the things away, but Shi Sui never wore them again.

Later, in the apartment.

Her cabinet always mysteriously had many identical luxury items appear.

When she asked Yan Tingli, he told her to take them and play with them.

"Keep them," followed by a casual, "nothing is more real than this."

Yan Tingli certainly wouldn't buy fake goods.

But even now, Shi Sui still didn't dare to think deeply about what this "real" actually meant.

Coming back from her memories, looking at the message she hadn't replied to yet, Shi Sui lightly tapped the screen, thanking Song Jie once again.

Song Jie replied: [No need to be polite]

Friday elective class.

At noon before class, Shi Sui received a message from Yan Tingli: [No time this afternoon, not coming]

A few seconds later, another message came.

[No time tonight either, don't come over]

Seeing the message, Shi Sui first felt relieved, simply refreshed, and invigorated.

Then a sense of incongruity struck her.

When had Yan Tingli started reporting to her whether he was attending class or not? He never wasted words online, considering it a waste of time.

The word "reporting" suddenly emerged in her mind, making her shiver.

She stared intently for a while.

Shi Sui silently closed her phone.

"The bell's about to ring. Why hasn't Yan Tingli come yet?" Lin Anran looked left and right, whispering.

Zhu Wei in the back row yawned boredly: "Yeah, if I can't get him, at least getting a few glances would be some consolation."

Xue Jing opened her book: "Don't you guys know?"

Shi Sui's ears perked up alertly.

Tomorrow's RobotCup, a robot competition, will have the finals being held right at our school. He's preparing for it."

"How do you know?" Lin Anran asked.

"I'm in the student council, we have to help with this event," Xue Jing raised her eyebrows proudly, "I get all the inside information first-hand."

Shi Sui blinked.

She remembered last weekend when she was drawing in the study, Yan Tingli should have been outside designing algorithms while adjusting Little Snail.

He was probably already busy with this competition then.

"Speaking of which, I almost forgot, I have inside tickets here," Xue Jing took out tickets from her book and waved them, "Do you guys want to go watch?"

Lin Anran was suspicious of Xue Jing's sudden kindness: "You're not trying to trick us into filling head count quotas, are you?"

Xue Jing laughed in exasperation: "Listen to that, what kind of talk is that? This kind of cutting-edge technology competition is extremely hard to get tickets for! Today our Youth League teacher still wanted to get one for his kid."

"Alright, alright, I misjudged you." Lin Anran stuck out her tongue and casually pulled away a ticket.

Zhu Wei in the front row also grabbed one without ceremony, smiling: "There should be quite a few handsome engineering guys, I'll go take a look too."

People from the neighboring dorm also wanted to grab some, but Xue Jing dodged: "Hey, hey, save one for Sui Sui."

Shi Sui, who was enjoying a rare moment of leisure, coughed lightly: "It's fine, I'm not going."

"Didn't you say at lunch that you're not going home tomorrow?" Xue Jing asked her.

Shi Sui thought for a moment and found an excuse: "I don't like robots."

As she spoke, the class bell rang.

Xue Jing's remaining words got stuck in her throat.

Very coincidentally.

The professor finished the lesson early, and seeing there were still five minutes left, he pulled out the attendance sheet from the thick textbook and said with a smile: "Since there's nothing else to do, let's take attendance."

The words "take attendance" instantly woke up the drowsy classroom.

Thinking of the absent Yan Tingli, Shi Sui blinked lightly.

Not only was she not anxious, but she even felt a bit like watching a show.

Serves you right for not coming, serves you right for skipping class.

Deduct points, deduct points, deduct points.

Best if he fails, then he won't be allowed to take their classes anymore.

The professor called Yan Tingli's name twice, but no one responded.

Shi Sui was gloating over her mental scenario.

Suddenly-

The chair to her right sank.

Accompanied by a clear, low voice: "Present."

"..." Shi Sui's smile froze, petrified on the spot.

The familiar and detestable light mint fragrance drifted from beside her.

The professor put down the attendance sheet and looked over his glasses: "Student Yan, did you just arrive?"

Yan Tingli deflected, saying without blushing or breathing hard: "I just went out to take an urgent phone call."

The professor had an impression of this genius from the Institute of Interdisciplinary Information Studies. After thinking for a moment, he was still somewhat suspicious.

He turned his gaze to Shi Sui beside him: "Then could the student next to you tell me, has Student Yan been in class the whole time?"

Shi Sui's smile disappeared.

She felt Yan Tingli's half-smiling gaze directed at her: "Classmate, I've been sitting next to you in class the whole time, right?"

Shi Sui: "..."