CH 20

Gu Jinrong noticed Shen Qingzhi's gaze and lifted a teasing smile.

"Oh, Qingqing, do you want to kiss me?"

Blushing, Shen Qingzhi immediately denied, "I-I don't, don't slander me."

Her voice was full of indignation, and if it flowed a bit more smoothly, it would have been more convincing.

"Tough mouth." Gu Jinrong didn't continue to approach, but mischievously captured one of her flushed ears, gently pinching it.

Shen Qingzhi couldn't help but let out a soft hum, but she seemed to enjoy arguing back, "You're the tough mouth, My mouth is soft."

"Is that so?" Gu Jinrong's hand movement slowed down as she gazed directly into Shen Qingzhi's emerald eyes.

"Whether they're soft or tough, you'll know once you try them."

As Shen Qingzhi scratched the sofa with her hand, she admitted to herself the shameful feeling of being tempted when Gu Jinrong made that proposition.

Her gaze once again focused on those lips that were comparable to a lip mask. Tasting them didn't seem like a bad idea.

Shen Qingzhi, as if enchanted, reached out her hand and hooked it around that superior swan-like neck, pulling the person closer to herself.

She tentatively brushed her lips against Gu Jinrong's, while Gu Jinrong maintained a subtle smile at the corner of her lips, welcoming and encouraging.

In an instant, Shen Qingzhi felt a small electric current surge through her body, spreading to every limb and bone.

Startled by the sudden shock, she panicked and tried to push the person away.

But in the next second, a slender and powerful hand firmly held the back of her head.

Gu Jinrong held her in place, deepening the kiss.

Shen Qingzhi, who had been a solo player for twenty-three years, used to find it perplexing when watching others kiss. What was the point of two people gnawing on each other's lips?

But now, she found herself leaning half of her body against Gu Jinrong's embrace, with her head being held and lips being "gnawed on" by the other person.

Gu Jinrong, like the most skilled hunter, initially just lightly traced along the edges of Shen Qingzhi's lips, setting a trap.

When the prey hesitated and stepped into it, Gu Jinrong fiercely launched an attack, lips and pearls colliding.

Finally, they found the breakthrough and ventured deeper.

Shen Qingzhi didn't know when she had closed her eyes. Even taking a breath felt difficult, leaving only soft murmurs.

"gulu~"

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This translation is originally posted on

https://love4baihe.blogspot.com

An untimely sound interrupted the romantic atmosphere between them and brought Shen Qingzhi back to her senses.

Seizing the moment when Gu Jinrong was momentarily stunned, she finally managed to withdraw from the other's embrace. With one hand covering her protesting stomach, she angrily complained.

"It's all your fault. I haven't eaten enough dinner yet."

Although her words blamed the other person, her voice was both reproachful and tender. Even Shen Qingzhi herself was startled by it.

Gu Jinrong looked at the young girl who was within arm's reach. Her lips, which had just been intimately connected, were now moist and rosy, and her eyes, tinged with mist, were embedded in her blushing face, appearing cute and pitiful.

Her heart softened, and she gently rubbed the delicate earlobe beneath her fingers. Her voice was filled with indulgence as she spoke.

"It's my fault. Let me take you for a late-night snack now."

***

At this time, it was approaching midnight. Gu Jinrong led Shen Qingzhi out of the ceremony venue in advance, changed into casual attire, and arrived at the intersection of the "Good Food Street" near the back gate of Y University.

"You brought me here for a late-night snack?"

Shen Qingzhi kept one hand in her pocket and looked at Gu Jinrong with a quizzical gaze. As an internationally acclaimed actress, being brought to eat street food by her felt surprisingly down-to-earth.

"Yes, I remember there's a place here that serves the best beef noodles, with the perfect texture. Suddenly, I had a craving for it. Didn't you used to love it too?"

On the chilly night, Gu Jinrong naturally reached out and took hold of Shen Qingzhi's exposed hand, enclosing it in her palm.

Her actions were so natural that by the time Shen Qingzhi realized it, she was already being led into the noodle shop. The opportune moment to retort with her habitual response of "Who likes it?" slipped away.

Nine years ago, Shen Qingzhi was still in junior high school, while Gu Jinrong was in her third year at Y University.

Shen Qingzhi had a late growth spurt back then. At fourteen, she still looked like a little bean sprout among her peers, let alone standing in front of an adult seven years older than her.

Whenever she had free time, she would run to Y University alone to find Gu Jinrong.

Gu Jinrong's roommates in the dormitory all recognized her, and they would often tease her, saying, "Your little tail has come over again."

At that time, Gu Jinrong was not as mature and alluring as she is now. Clad in a white dress, she appeared pure and noble.

She never got annoyed by her roommates' jokes.

Whenever Shen Qingzhi appeared, no matter what she was busy with at that moment, Gu Jinrong would say within half an hour, "I'm taking Qingqing out to eat."

It seemed like she was born to be fed.

So this "Good Food Street" near the back gate of Y University became their feeding ground.

Stir-fried noodles, barbecues, dry pots, hot pots... all the students' favorite delicacies.

But in Shen Qingzhi's impression, nothing could beat the signature noodles in Tanji Beef Noodle Shop.

Despite her petite stature, she could devour two bowls of noodles by herself each time.

The noodle shop usually operated until 2 a.m., providing late-night snacks to passersby.

However, this time was when there were the fewest people around. The students had already returned to their dormitories, and the late-night snackers had yet to appear.

So when they entered the shop, apart from two young people sitting in the northeast corner, the entire place seemed deserted.

"Boss, three bowls of signature beef noodles, two without cilantro and extra scallions."

Gu Jinrong placed the order and led Shen Qingzhi to their familiar window-side seats.

"Sure, please wait a moment." The boss, a woman in her sixties, had been running the shop for over a decade and was still lively.

She skillfully lifted the dough, kneaded it, and then pulled it into even, thin noodles.

Shen Qingzhi hadn't been here for a year since graduating, and now, revisiting this familiar place, she couldn't help but stare at the noodles for a moment, lost in thought.

"Don't worry, it'll be ready soon." Gu Jinrong gently patted Shen Qingzhi's hand, soothing her as she always did.

Shen Qingzhi turned her head and pulled her hand back.

I wasn't worried. Don't make it sound like I'm a starved ghost reincarnated.

Suddenly, she remembered that when they entered the shop, Gu Jinrong ordered three bowls of noodles. She lifted her chin with dignity.

"Let me tell you, I'm a female artist now, and I have to maintain my figure. I can only eat one bowl of noodles."

Gu Jinrong nodded with a smile. "No problem, I'll eat two bowls."

The three bowls of beef noodles arrived quickly. The soup was rich, the meat was evenly cooked, and the noodles were of the perfect thickness.

Gu Jinrong first pushed the bowl without cilantro in front of Shen Qingzhi and held the bowl with cilantro for herself. The remaining bowl was placed neatly in the center of the table.

Pfft, such a perfectionist.

Shen Qingzhi chuckled inwardly. At the moment, she isn't in the mood to tease people.

She picked up a strand of noodles with her chopsticks, brought it to her mouth, and finally, her tumultuous internal organs found solace. She felt a sense of relaxation spreading through every pore.

As a frequent customer of this shop, Shen Qingzhi had her own technique for eating noodles. She could inhale a long strand of noodles without biting it off, and she took pride in that.

In contrast, Gu Jinrong's eating manners were much more refined.

Her red and thin lips slightly parted as she chewed delicately, making eating a bowl of noodles seem like a royal feast.

Shen Qingzhi couldn't help but start having inappropriate thoughts as she watched those beautiful lips open and close.

Now she's pretending to be refined, but those pretty lips could be quite aggressive when biting.

But... it's actually quite enjoyable.

Shen Qingzhi stared at those lips, completely unaware that Gu Jinrong had stopped eating and was looking at her with a smile that isn't a smile.

"Qingqing, not here."

Shen Qingzhi instantly became defensive: What do you mean, not here? Where do you think you're going?!

She lowered her head and took a forceful slurp of noodles, saying fiercely, "I'm just eating noodles. Why can't I? Hurry up, don't forget you have to eat two bowls."

Gu Jinrong nodded and continued eating her bowl of noodles at a leisurely pace.

While Shen Qingzhi's bowl was almost empty, Gu Jinrong still had half of hers left.

Feeling the half-fullness of her stomach, Shen Qingzhi couldn't bear Gu Jinrong's slow pace any longer.

So she used the serving chopsticks to pick up half of the noodles from the bowl in the center of the table and put them into her own bowl, speaking in a pleasing tone.

"I thought you were having a hard time eating, so I'm kindly helping you with half of it. But this won't happen again."

As Gu Jinrong watched the puffy little face in front of her, eating the noodles with focus and dedication, with fine layer of sweat appearing on her forehead, accompanied by tiny hairs, making her look adorable.

It felt like time had suddenly turned back to nine years ago when they were still students, sitting by the window in the shop, ordering three bowls of noodles, enjoying the peacefulness of time.

While the two of them were peacefully eating their noodles, little did they know that their names were buzzing on today's hot search on Weibo, creating a lively discussion.