She was like a small animal drinking water; every tiny movement struck a chord in his heart.
Gao Hongyi’s knees sank deep into the soft carpet, the collar of her loungewear slipping quietly to the side.
It revealed the skin beneath her collarbone, as tender as cherry blossoms, with lines that were clear and alluring.
Gu Yebai didn’t dare look directly at her, but his male instincts forced him to steal glances again and again, only to look away in a frantic rush every time.
“Everything of Uncle Bai’s is mine…”
“It’s all mine!”
“I’m really so happy… How fortunate I am, to be with my beloved… Hehehe…”
Her voice carried a hint of trembling satisfaction.
From her previous posture of lifting her neck, she slowly lowered her head, her chest rising and falling slightly with her breath.
Her deep cherry-colored hair cascaded down like a waterfall, acting as a private curtain that veiled her blurred profile, leaving only a glimpse of enchanting allure between the strands.
“What will we do from now on?”
“What do you mean, ‘what’?”
“Don’t worry, Uncle Bai, I’ll take responsibility for you.”
Gao Hongyi looked up, and in the deepest depths of her eyes was a thick sense of possessiveness.
“Besides, why bother pretending to be a good person, Uncle Bai?”
“Weren’t you the one who kissed me first?”
“Since you took the initiative to kiss me, you’ve already indirectly admitted it. No matter what I do to you after this, it’s all rightful and legal. Do you understand?”
‘Now you belong completely to me. Shouldn’t you feel happy?’
“I’ll allow you to be happy now… Uncle Bai.”
She remained in her petite, submissive kneeling position, looking up at him.
The fire and tenderness in her eyes intertwined in a bizarre way.
Everything that had just happened was like a lingering, hazy dream.
Upon waking, it left a scorching brand behind.
It was terrifying, yet impossible to escape.
It really… had happened.
He never would have imagined that he would see that dazzling, deep cherry-red hair in such a way.
“Uncle Bai, don’t be nervous.”
Gao Hongyi suddenly burst out laughing.
“You see, doesn’t this have its benefits? Even if you can’t keep writing mystery novels in the future, you can always go to the P-site and keep writing~ But… I still prefer Uncle Bai writing stories from the heart. Actually, it doesn’t matter which platform you post on. It doesn’t even matter if you don’t publish at all.”
“Sometimes I think, wouldn’t it be better if Uncle Bai only wrote for me, and was my personal author?”
“Hongyi… you…”
“Uncle Bai, you can hold your head high. This is a glorious thing. You can brag about it in your reader groups; I don’t mind. Because knowing that Uncle Bai has been completely claimed by me gives me a strange sense of security.”
Gu Yebai’s throat bobbed.
‘I should tell her to go clean up first,’ he thought, but the words reached his lips and he swallowed them back down…
…
That kind of thing really just happened so absurdly.
‘Is it really okay?’
“Uncle Bai, your sense of morality is just too strong.”
“I am a famous beauty at school, you know. Plenty of people have confessed to me. But look at you—you don’t look happy at all.”
“Forget it. Next time, I’ll prioritize asking for your consent.”
Gao Hongyi reached out, palm facing up.
“Come, let’s keep holding hands.”
“It really made me sad and upset to see Uncle Bai accidentally get a fish bone stuck in his throat while eating fish… Now, I feel much better.”
Gu Yebai placed his hand in her palm.
Then, their ten fingers intertwined and closed tightly, just like usual.
…
Gu Yebai realized that in this relationship, as the man, he was being led entirely by the nose.
He was in a state of complete passivity.
“Are you full from dinner?”
Gao Hongyi’s voice was soft, carrying a sense of laziness.
“If you’re not full, we can go to a restaurant. I know a nice Italian place. The environment is very quiet, and a candlelit dinner would be great. Once we get back home, there’s even an after-show program…”
“Forget it, Hongyi… I’m already full.”
Gu Yebai felt a bit helpless, yet there was an indescribable tenderness in his voice.
“What about you?”
“Hehe, I’m full too.”
Gao Hongyi burrowed further into Gu Yebai’s arms, her nose gently rubbing against his chin, reminiscent of a large cat.
“By the way, what time are Uncle Gao and Aunt Ya coming back today? You mentioned before that they were returning to Donghai today.”
“Mom and Dad are already back.”
Gao Hongyi sat completely in Gu Yebai’s lap, her legs resting naturally over his, filled with sweet attachment.
“They’re probably eating out right now. They won’t be coming back to this house. This is a home for just the two of us.”
“Mm…”
Gu Yebai’s heart felt a faint ache.
Uncle Gao and Aunt Ya trusted him so much, entrusting their daughter to him.
But just now…
Even though she had taken the initiative, he hadn’t strictly refused her.
Guilt pricked at his heart like a small thorn.
But no matter what, he couldn’t run away.
“Since Uncle Gao and Aunt Ya are back in Donghai, we should at least meet with them.”
Just as he finished speaking, Gao Hongyi’s phone suddenly vibrated.
The screen lit up with a WeChat video call.
The caller ID read “Dad.”
….
Gu Yebai’s heart skipped a beat.
Gao Hongzhi.
The man who had been so cheerful and gentle when they met in Linchuan, the man who had patted his shoulder and said, “We’re family from now on.”
Gu Yebai instinctively wanted to hide, but Gao Hongyi’s red hair brushed against his chin, carrying the faint scent of shampoo.
“Don’t be afraid, Uncle Bai. Let’s answer it together.”
Before answering, Gao Hongyi wiped her mouth with a tissue and tilted her head with a smile.
It was as if she were saying, ‘Look, this is all your masterpiece.’
Gao Hongzhi’s familiar face instantly filled the entire screen.
He was the same as ever—his eyes were relaxed and kind, filled with an unhidden doting gaze.
“Yo, how is your life together going? You’re already like one family, inseparable… It reminds me of Aunt Ya and me back in the day, Little Gu.”
“Little Gu, have you adjusted to being in Donghai these last two days? The climate, diet, and daily routine… if there’s anything you’re not used to, tell me, and I’ll arrange it for you.”
“Aunt Ya and I prepared quite a few gifts for you both. We’ll drop them off after dinner and see how smoothly your little life is going.”
‘Things are going way too smoothly…’ Gu Yebai thought.
‘I can’t even catch my breath.’
“Uncle Gao, I’m doing very well. Don’t worry, I’ll definitely treat Hongyi well.”
Gao Hongzhi looked at Gu Yebai and at Gao Hongyi, who was hugging his neck.
“Hongyi isn’t bullying you, is she?”
“This child… she’s proud, but she has two completely different sides when it comes to you versus everyone else. She probably wouldn’t, right? If she does bully you, just tell me, and I’ll have your back.”
“Dad, how could I ever bully him?”
“I even personally made steamed sea bass for Uncle Bai today. Isn’t that right, Uncle Bai?”
She looked at Gu Yebai with a slightly defiant glint in her eyes.
“Uncle Bai ate so well. I ate very well, too.”
Gao Hongyi intentionally emphasized the words “very well,” her gaze sweeping over Gu Yebai with a special ambiguity that only the two of them could understand.
“That’s good then.”
Gao Hongzhi nodded with satisfaction, the smile on his face not yet fading.
Then, he changed the subject.
“By the way, when I went to Yanjing this time, I met someone I really got along with. You can call him Uncl… actually, the title ‘Uncle Bai’ seems to have become Hongyi’s exclusive name for Little Gu now…”
“Forget it, never mind the title for now. That friend of mine has a daughter who seems to be your neighbor. She’s beautiful, has a great personality, and is sunny, cheerful, and polite. She’s the same age as you; she’s a very good kid.”
“I’ve already made an appointment for a small dinner gathering tomorrow at that Japanese restaurant near our house. You young people should meet, chat, and become friends.”