The lingering glow of twilight streamed through the large floor-to-ceiling windows, spilling onto the living room sofa; swept up by Duan Yiheng, Lin Xi tumbled headlong into the deepening dusk. Before she could offer any resistance, Duan Yiheng captured her lips in a kiss.
Leaning back against the sofa cushions, he lifted Lin Xi's legs, guiding her to straddle his lap. The sofa was exceptionally deep; as he leaned back, his body tilted slightly, leaving him positioned just a touch lower than Lin Xi. With every breath stolen from her lungs, Lin Xi managed to let out two muffled protests from deep within her throat:
"The... the curtains..." The words, though slurred, managed to reclaim a shred of Duan Yiheng's rationality. The home was equipped with a voice-activated smart system; Duan Yiheng called out a command, and once the system acknowledged him, he fixed his gaze on Lin Xi and instructed: "Close all the curtains in the house." Lin Xi pounded lightly against his chest: "Why close *all* of them?"
Duan Yiheng caught her hand and pressed a kiss to it: "To save us the trouble of closing them later." Lin Xi was left speechless. Duan Yiheng craned his neck—his Adam's apple bobbing—to kiss Lin Xi again, tracing a path from her lips to her cheek, and from her cheek down to the curve of her neck... Leaning close to his ear, Lin Xi whispered the question in a flush of embarrassment: "Here?"
"Mm." Duan Yiheng cupped her waist. "Is that a problem?" "It's not dark yet... and right here..." Lin Xi trailed off, unable to finish the thought. Duan Yiheng smiled and pressed a kiss to the corner of her eye: "What are you thinking? We haven't showered yet—that wouldn't be very hygienic." Lin Xi gave his neck a playful shake:
"Then let go of me!" Duan Yiheng scooped her up into his arms. "Let's go take a shower." The lights in the living room remained unlit; the couple had lingered on the sofa for nearly half an hour, and with the curtains drawn tight, the room had taken on a dim, dusky atmosphere.
The bathroom was equipped with motion-sensor lighting, but the thick, steamy mist soon shrouded everything in a hazy blur; nothing could be clearly seen, save for the gentle sound of running water and a few faint, whispered moans. Their shower lasted two hours; when it was finally over, Lin Xi—her limbs feeling utterly weak—was carried out by Duan Yiheng and helped into her pajamas. "Are you hungry?"
Duan Yiheng asked in a gentle voice. Lin Xi nodded; this time, she truly was hungry. Duan Yiheng carried her into the living room and gently set her down on the sofa. "Sit here for a moment; I'll go fetch you some slippers." Lin Xi lay back on the sofa, pulling a nearby throw blanket over herself.
Duan Yiheng returned with the slippers, placing them on the rug before the sofa. He crouched down and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. "What would you like to eat?" Lin Xi's eyes crinkled into a smile. "It's not too late yet. We could call a restaurant for delivery—and maybe have some wine? To celebrate." "Alright."
Duan Yiheng kissed the tip of her nose. "Rest for a little while; I'll go get things ready. Do you want to eat at the dining table or right here?" Lin Xi smiled. "Let's just eat right here." Duan Yiheng placed their order, then went to Lin Xi's wine cabinet to select a bottle of red wine, which he proceeded to decant.
Lin Xi was roused from her drowsy slumber by a wafting aroma. She opened her eyes to find the coffee table laden with pan-seared steak, a cheese platter, creamy seafood soup, a fresh green salad, and two servings of roasted pumpkin. "You're awake?"
Duan Yiheng walked over and gently stroked her cheek with his palm. "Come sit up and eat." Seeing that the red wine had already been decanted and allowed to breathe, Lin Xi realized she must have slept for at least half an hour—if not longer.
The steak had already been sliced into bite-sized pieces. Famished, Lin Xi slid off the sofa and settled onto the rug beside the coffee table, accepting a piece of steak that Duan Yiheng offered her. Duan Yiheng brushed her long hair back behind her ears. "How is it?" Lin Xi nodded enthusiastically. "Delicious! I want another piece."
Duan Yiheng forked another piece for her. Once her rumbling stomach had been somewhat appeased, she took the fork from him and said, "I'll feed myself now." Duan Yiheng sat down beside her and poured wine for them both. Lin Xi held her stemmed glass, gently clinking it against Duan Yiheng's.
They ate and chatted, letting the hours slip quietly by. By the time she reached the last bit of salad, Lin Xi was simply too full to finish it, so she handed it over to Duan Yiheng to polish off. With more than half a bottle of red wine still remaining, she curled up in Duan Yiheng's arms, sipping her wine and sharing sweet conversation with him.
As the alcohol's delayed effects began to set in, Lin Xi felt her cheeks grow warm; she pressed the cool glass of her wine against her face to soothe the flush. Seeing this, Duan Yiheng nuzzled her affectionately. "Baby, the alcohol is really kicking in now." Lin Xi smiled with her eyes still closed. "It was delicious." "You little lush," Duan Yiheng teased. "Anyway, neither of us has work tomorrow, so if you get drunk, you can just sleep it off." Lin Xi downed the rest of her red wine in one gulp, startling Duan Yiheng into trying to snatch the glass away. "Why are you drinking so fast?" Suddenly, Lin Xi straightened up within his embrace. Duan Yiheng furrowed his brows.
"Why are you kneeling? Come sit on me." Lin Xi tugged at the collar of Duan Yiheng's pajamas, muttering softly, "Why do you have to be so tall? I can't even reach you to kiss you." Even though he was right within reach, Duan Yiheng—with a touch of playful mischief—deliberately straightened his back even further as he coaxed her, "I don't believe you can't reach me."
In truth, Lin Xi didn't have a very high alcohol tolerance; of the entire bottle of red wine, Duan Yiheng had only consumed a third himself, so he wasn't at all surprised that she had gotten drunk. However, some drunk people simply refuse to admit it. The moment he remarked, "You're drunk," Lin Xi narrowed her eyes and retorted, "Who's drunk?
I *can* reach you to kiss you—want to bet?" Duan Yiheng cupped the back of her neck with a helpless air, holding her steady so she wouldn't flail about. "I don't believe it." Lin Xi cupped his face in her hands and lifted her knees to brace them against his legs.
Before Duan Yiheng could react, Lin Xi hoisted herself up and knelt right onto him. He hissed in pain—a sharp intake of breath—feeling as though he had brought this suffering entirely upon himself. Seizing the moment, Lin Xi threw herself forward, kneading his face playfully. "Come here."
Duan Yiheng let out a long breath, tilted his head back, cupped the back of Lin Xi's head, and kissed her fiercely. The fruity notes of the red wine were crushed and released between their four lips; Lin Xi's face flushed an even deeper crimson, and the air around them seemed to grow thin. For a fleeting moment, she felt as though she couldn't catch her breath.
Duan Yiheng devoured the soft moans escaping her lips, pulling her close as they tumbled together into a tangled heap upon the carpet. Lin Xi, her eyes hazy with intoxication, murmured softly, "Brother." Duan Yiheng froze, feeling as though a thousand electric currents were coursing through his body; he loosened his hold on Lin Xi slightly, pressing his lips against hers as he asked:
"What did you call me?" Drunk, Lin Xi was a stark contrast to her usual self; she tightened her grip around Duan Yiheng's neck and whispered, "Brother." Duan Yiheng let out a heavy, ragged breath and began trailing kisses along the curve of her ear. The coffee table was a chaotic mess of cups and dishes—and the living room sofa was in much the same state.
Duan Yiheng's stemmed glass held only a remnant of wine; viewed from a distance, beneath the shimmering light, two entwined figures seemed to tumble right into the liquid within. In a sudden, dizzying moment, the wine splashed outward. The leather sofa felt cool and comfortable against her skin; Lin Xi's face was flushed a deep crimson—as one spot grew warm beneath his touch, he would move on to heat up another.
The alcohol raged wildly through her system, causing even the light within her field of vision to flicker and waver. Duan Yiheng planted a gentle kiss on the flushed corners of her eyes. "Are you awake?" Lin Xi let out a soft whimper. "I swear, I'm never drinking again." Duan Yiheng chuckled softly, leaning in to whisper right into her ear:
"It's alright. I'm here." Lin Xi fell silent... She could have sworn she detected a hint of teasing in his tone. "Are you finally—" Lin Xi's impatient urging dissolved into a muffled moan as Duan Yiheng pressed his forehead against hers, smearing sweat across her hair and brow.
It was nearly June; the weather was dry and warm—making the shower she had taken earlier feel utterly pointless. She couldn't manage to utter another word. Finally, Duan Yiheng kissed her cheek. "Don't rush. We have the whole night ahead of us."
Lin Xi instinctively lifted her eyelids; the curtains were drawn tight, blocking out the night sky outside—meaning she would likely miss the breathtaking morning light as it illuminated the towering skyscrapers of Tiandu Yuxi.