Chapter 34: A Flutter of the Heart

What are the things that adults can do, but children cannot? There are many, but at this moment, the distance and posture between the two made Cen Mo’s thoughts wander.

Why did she end up in his arms just by delivering a bowl of egg drop soup?

The man’s palms were warm, gripping her waist like iron bands. The strength was quite firm, forcing her to shift forward, which only brought them closer together. Both of them had just finished showering, so their clothing was naturally thin—especially since Su Xingzhi’s bathrobe was loosely tied, the front flaps open. Nestled in his embrace, Cen Mo only had to look up to see those firm abdominal muscles.

It was... simply too tempting.

Her head lowered involuntarily, her cheeks flushed. "So, what do you suggest we do?"

He rarely saw her looking this docile, her face half-red like this. As Su Xingzhi looked down at her, his gaze deepened. He had always known her personality; while she appeared calm on the outside, she was incredibly soft on the inside and couldn't handle being teased at all. Yet, it was precisely this contrast that made her even more adorable. She was such a vivid, lively person; every expression and every movement was unique and authentic, coming from the heart without a trace of pretense.

"What do you think?" He chose not to be explicit, instead guiding her to continue.

Cen Mo didn't make a sound. Her mind was a chaotic mess, feeling a bit annoyed at her own reaction. She felt so spineless—how did she end up so completely under this man's thumb? She should have been more of a queen, at least lifting his chin and teasing him back...

But this moment was different from anything before. It wasn't something she could prepare for in her head; her body’s reactions were genuine reflections of her inner thoughts, impossible to fake. Thinking this, she wanted to sigh. She felt as though her former image had been completely destroyed. She, the fearless "Sister Cen," had somehow transformed into a shy, timid little woman.

"If you don't answer, I'll have to punish you," the man’s voice, laced with a smile, sounded above her head.

Before Cen Mo could react to what he meant, his legs suddenly sank, straightening out. With her waist held firmly, she couldn't pull away. Startled, she felt like she was on a slide, her body slipping downward. She had no choice but to pull her arms from his sides and wrap them tightly around his neck.

Su Xingzhi let out a low chuckle, taking the opportunity to lift her up. He stopped teasing her and began to walk forward with purpose.

The mattress in his room was quite soft. After Cen Mo sank into it, her body bounced slightly. She saw the man follow, leaning over her, his deep, dark eyes fixed directly on hers. Cen Mo grabbed the bedsheets, nervous again. Facing this situation for the first time in her life, she had no experience and didn’t know how to react. However, she didn't want to show weakness as she had before, so she widened her eyes and stared back.

One second, two seconds, three seconds. The two of them locked eyes for a long while. Cen Mo’s eyes began to sting, but she didn’t blink—not on purpose, she just forgot to…

Su Xingzhi knew her staring talent. When she was serious, those big, round eyes could hold a gaze for a full half-minute without trouble. Because of this, he had nearly had his head bumped by her before.

Supporting his weight on his arms on either side of her, he feigned leaning in, inching closer. Sure enough, she was startled and instinctively closed her eyes for a moment.

The anticipated event didn't happen. When Cen Mo opened her eyes again, she saw the man still leaning over her, though their faces were now much closer. The scent of his body wash wafted over—not the sweet fragrance she had, but a faint, grassy, fruity-wood scent that was subtle yet strangely captivating.

Noticing the increasingly obvious smile on his face, Cen Mo tilted her head to the side, took a deep breath, and gave herself a mental pep talk. When she turned back, she was determined. She propped herself up, leaned in, and carefully brushed her lips against his cheek.

"Is this okay?" She lay back down and blinked, asking.

Su Xingzhi didn't answer. His Adam’s apple bobbed, his gaze deepening. He wanted to see what she would do next.

After a moment, seeing the woman’s conflicted expression, she slowly rose again. This time, instead of his cheek, she pressed a warm kiss onto his lips. Strictly speaking, it wasn't much of a "kiss"—at most, it was like a child’s playful peck, a brief contact between lips.

But even so, it was enough to make the man’s heart surge. His large hands, braced on the bed, shifted. He was about to deepen the kiss, but hesitated.

Cen Mo had made a new move.

After their lips touched, they didn't pull away. She maintained the posture of looking up, her neck beginning to ache, but she felt she needed to go further because Su Xingzhi hadn't reacted yet.

The man’s lips were soft, but the stubble on his chin was a bit prickly. Disliking the sensation, she shifted to a different angle and tentatively parted her lips, continuing to trace his. There was the faint taste of mint toothpaste and the sweetness of sugar water.

Retreating was no longer an option. Her actions had completely ignited the final spark.

The root of her tongue stung, and she let out a muffled sound. Having stared for too long, her eyes were sore and red, tears welling up, making her look as if she were being bullied. And in fact, she was—with her neck supported by his large hand, she couldn't lie back down. She was forced to crane her head, being kissed deeply, while it looked entirely as if she were the one initiating it.

What kind of situation was this?

Before, his beard hadn't seemed that prominent, but now, pricked by the stubble, she felt a sting of surprise—how could it hurt so much? The skin on one’s face was the most delicate, after all.

She pulled her hands away from the back of his head and waved them around aimlessly, eventually landing a few thumps on his shoulder. Finally, mindful of her comfort and letting his thumb linger lovingly over the corner of her mouth, the man ended the kiss.

Slowly laying her head back down, he breathed against her ear, asking in a low, pressing tone, "Now, what is our relationship?"

Seeing the redness at the corners of her eyes, Su Xingzhi worried he had been too rough. He wiped away her tears with the back of his finger, then pulled her deep into his embrace, sitting up together and leaning against the headboard.

Because of the recent shower, the woman’s short hair was still a bit damp—she must have been lazy and not dried it completely. His fingers combed through her hair, bringing a slight chill that felt quite pleasant. Beneath that slightly longer layer of hair was the closely shaved nape. He touched it; it was prickly, yet different from a man’s buzz cut.

Her hair was very soft, remaining so even when cut short. It felt like the fur of a small kitten—fuzzy and exceptionally cute. He couldn't help but stroke it a few more times, which immediately provoked Cen Mo’s dissatisfaction.

The woman turned her head, looking rather fierce: "Don't touch my hair, it’ll cause hair loss."

"You have so much hair, why worry about that?" Su Xingzhi wanted to tease her, but he stopped. He pulled her tighter and continued to press, "Why didn't you answer my question earlier?"

Cuddled in his arms, Cen Mo was silent for a few seconds. Suddenly wanting to see his face, she acted on the thought.

She wriggled out from Su Xingzhi’s arms, lowered her head to smooth out the hem of her nightgown, and tucked her feet under her, sitting in a proper "duck sit."

Su Xingzhi’s gaze swept over her, and he wanted to laugh again. The nightgown was quite modest, with a high, round collar, revealing only a portion of her fair calves. She held the fabric tightly, causing it to stretch taut, making her whole body look round and puffy, hiding her figure entirely.

Even so, the woman’s expression remained solemn. Looking at him earnestly, she said, "I have thought about this seriously these past few days. I think I like you—the kind of 'really like you'—which is why I was so angry when I heard that Shen Xilin speaking ill of you."

She lowered her voice: "Growing up, the only people who could cause such a great emotional disturbance in me, besides my parents, have been you."

What does it feel like to like someone? Before, Cen Mo had never experienced it. She had always been indifferent by nature, busy with making a living, and naturally didn't have the spare energy for matters of the heart. A suitor once, after being rejected by her, angrily called her heartless and claimed she would never find love. Cen Mo hadn't taken those words to heart, though she had secretly worried she might truly end up alone.

Until Su Xingzhi appeared.

This person could make her laugh, make her shy, make her feel warm, and for the first time, make her heart race.

Love was something one learned intuitively; there was no need to search for it. She had simply misunderstood her feelings, believing that each time her heart fluttered for Su Xingzhi, it was merely admiration and gratitude for her boss.

Facing such a sincere confession, who could resist? Especially when the person opposite was the woman he loved deeply.

Su Xingzhi reached out and pulled her back into his arms, simultaneously liberating the stretched fabric of her dress. The two of them cuddled for a while longer. Cen Mo eventually wiggled out, climbed out of his embrace, and stood barefoot on the floor. After searching for a moment, she put on her slippers.

"I’m going back to sleep." She walked quickly to the door and grabbed the handle. As she turned to leave, she said slowly, "Are you… going to take a cold shower later?"

"What?" Reclining lazily against the headboard, Su Xingzhi raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing, just wanted to remind you to take care of your health." With a pointed glance downward, Cen Mo hurried out and shut the door tightly behind her.

She certainly knew a lot.

Looking at the closed door, Su Xingzhi felt a bit helpless. For some reason, he had a premonition that his future days might not be so easy.

…

The next morning, Shen Xinian, the president of Shengda, came to visit in person. Su Xingzhi had anticipated this, inviting him directly into the living room, where the two sat and talked for about an hour.