lcionline Chapter 121 Arrested for Doing Bad Things
Chapter 121 Arrested for Doing Bad Things
Chapter 121 Arrested for Doing Bad Things
At 2:15 a.m., the elevator in the Yintai Center apartment stopped with a "ding".
The door slowly opened, and Jiang Yu carried a bulging paper bag in one hand, filled with more than a dozen plush toys he had won at the arcade that night, and held Liu Yifei's hand in the other.
"I'm exhausted—" Liu Yifei kicked off her snow boots as soon as she entered the door, leaving the two shoes lying askew in the entryway.
She stepped barefoot onto the soft, off-white plush carpet, casually tossed the few plush toys she was holding onto the sofa, and then slumped down, sinking deep into the sofa with a long, satisfied sigh.
Jiang Yu smiled and shook his head, placed the paper bag next to the sofa, bent down to straighten her shoes, and then sat down next to her: "You were so crazy when you were playing, now you know you're tired?"
"Mmm—" Liu Yifei responded lazily, leaning against him like a boneless cat. "But I'm happy. I haven't been this crazy in a long time, like a normal person."
Jiang Yu hugged her and kissed her forehead. "I'm glad you're having fun. But don't stay out this late next time; you have training tomorrow."
"Okay, Mom Jiang," Liu Yifei said with a smile, reaching out to pinch his cheek.
Jiang Yu took her hand and held it in his palm.
Her hands were small, with slender fingers, and were a little cold from being outside.
The living room was well-heated; Jiang Yu had deliberately turned up the temperature when he left in the afternoon. The room was now warm and cozy, a stark contrast to the freezing cold of minus five degrees Celsius outside.
Only one floor lamp was turned on, its warm yellow light casting a soft halo on the dark gray walls, making the whole space feel cozy and private.
Outside the window, the night view of Beijing is still dazzling.
Liu Yifei suddenly moved, lifted her feet off the sofa, lifted the hem of Jiang Yu's sweater, and pressed her cold feet directly against his stomach.
"Hiss!!" Jiang Yu gasped, instinctively grabbing her ankle. "Why are your feet so cold? They're like ice cubes."
"I don't know, maybe I'm just naturally cold-natured," Liu Yifei said with a grin, her toes playfully wiggling on his belly like little fish testing the water temperature. "Your belly is so warm, like a little stove. Let me warm it up."
Jiang Yu smiled helplessly and grasped her slender ankle.
"The living room is so warm, why are your feet still so cold?" he said, while wrapping her feet in his warm palms and gently rubbing them from the instep to the sole and then to each toe, trying to warm her up with the most primal way of generating heat through friction.
Liu Yifei squinted comfortably, like a cat that had been petted and made a soft humming sound: "I've been like this since I was little. My hands and feet are always cold in winter and hot in summer. My mom said I have insufficient qi and blood and an imbalance of yin and yang, so she stewed a lot of tonics for me, such as donkey-hide gelatin, red dates, longan, and angelica root—I feel like throwing up just from the smell of it, but it didn't help."
"Go see a traditional Chinese medicine doctor later and get some proper treatment," Jiang Yu said earnestly, his hands still moving. "Health is the foundation of everything. You're going to training camp soon, don't catch a cold, or it will affect your training."
"I know, you're even more nagging than my mom." Liu Yifei complained, but her body betrayed her by snuggling closer to him, lifting her other leg and tucking it into his other hand. "I need to cover both of them."
Jiang Yu was both amused and exasperated, and could only cover one with each hand.
He looked down and saw that her ankles were slender, her insteps were fair, her toes were rounded, and her nails were painted with light pink nail polish.
"You're too thin." He frowned, his thumb rubbing the protruding knuckles on the back of her foot. "Lucy needs to film action scenes, and the character of Lucy has a lot of fighting and running scenes. You need to build muscle and improve your stamina. Starting tomorrow, you need to adjust your diet and increase your training. I'll have a nutritionist make a plan for you."
"Ah—no—!" Liu Yifei wailed, her body going even further limp. "I've been trying so hard to eat. My mom makes sure I eat five meals a day: chicken breast, beef, broccoli, brown rice—I'm practically turning into broccoli! But I just can't gain weight. There's nothing I can do. Besides, my mom says I look good on camera this way, with a small face and a thin frame. If I get any fatter, I won't look good, and the camera will widen my face."
"Health is more important than looking good on camera," Jiang Yu said seriously, increasing the pressure on his hands as if massaging acupoints.
"Listen to me, building muscle appropriately won't affect your on-screen appearance. Look at those Hollywood actresses, Angelina Jolie, Charlize Theron, Scarlett Johansson, which one doesn't have muscle definition? Muscles where they should be, lean where they should be, that's what looks good, it's healthy beauty, the beauty of strength."
Liu Yifei felt a warm glow in her heart as she listened to his earnest analysis.
She knew he genuinely cared about her; it wasn't just talk, but something he had actually done.
"Okay, whatever you say," she said softly, rubbing her foot against his hand like a spoiled little animal. "Will you practice with me?"
"I'll go with you." Jiang Yu nodded without hesitation. "I also work out every morning, from 7:30 to 8:30, without fail. We can do it together from now on, and I'll keep an eye on you. But you'll have to get up earlier, you can't sleep until noon like you did today."
"7:30?!" Liu Yifei's eyes widened. "Kill me! I often stay up until 1 or 2 a.m. reading scripts. I'll die if I get up at 7:30."
"Then adjust your schedule." Jiang Yu remained unmoved. "Early to bed and early to rise makes you healthy. Besides, you're going to France soon, and you'll have jet lag to deal with, so you need to start adjusting now."
Seeing his resolute expression, Liu Yifei knew there was no room for negotiation.
She pouted and didn't argue anymore. Instead, she leaned over and kissed him on the lips, with a hint of flattery: "Then wake me up."
"Okay, I'll call you." Jiang Yu smiled. This kiss was like turning on a switch. He released her legs, reached out and hugged her waist, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her deeply.
This kiss was much more passionate than the previous fleeting touch, carrying the longing accumulated over the past week and the suppressed desire of the night.
Liu Yifei was taken aback at first, then closed her eyes, reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck, responding gently.
Her lips were soft, carrying the faint sweet fragrance of the jasmine tea she had just drunk.
The living room was quiet, with only the soft sounds of their lips entwining and their increasingly rapid breathing.
After kissing for an unknown amount of time, Jiang Yu reluctantly let go.
Liu Yifei's cheeks were flushed, like a ripe peach, and her eyes were moist, as if veiled by a layer of misty rain in Jiangnan.
She was slightly out of breath, leaning against him, her fingers unconsciously playing with the first button of his shirt, unbuttoning it, buttoning it up, and unbuttoning it again.
"Jiang Yu————" she called him softly, her voice carrying a certain sticky sweetness.
"Hmm?" Jiang Yu's voice was a little hoarse, as if he was trying his best to restrain something.
"I—" Liu Yifei bit her lower lip, hesitating to speak, her eyelashes casting a fan-shaped shadow under her eyes, trembling slightly.
"What's wrong?" Jiang Yu looked down at her, his fingers gently stroking her flushed cheeks.
Liu Yifei didn't say anything, but simply raised her head and kissed him again.
This time it was her initiative, with a fearless and passionate spirit, like a moth drawn to a flame.
Jiang Yu was stunned for a moment, then kissed her back more forcefully, tightening his arms as if he wanted to meld her into his body and become one with her.
The two kissed on the sofa, their initial gentle probing gradually turning into a passionate and tender embrace.
Jiang Yu's hand slowly moved up from her waist, stroking her slender back, feeling the warm skin under her sweater and the slightly protruding vertebrae; finally, it stopped at the back of her neck, gently caressing the sensitive skin there.
Liu Yifei's body trembled slightly, and she let out a soft, suppressed whimper, like a kitten's whimper.
After an unknown amount of time, Jiang Yu forced himself to stop.
He pressed his forehead against Liu Yifei's, and both of them were breathing heavily.
"Yifei—" His voice was low and hoarse, like someone who had been walking in the desert for too long and was parched with thirst.
"Hmm?" Liu Yifei's eyes were half open, her gaze unfocused and unfocused, clearly still not recovered from the passionate kiss.
"Go wash up first." Jiang Yu took a deep breath, released her, and placed his hands on the back of the sofa to create some distance between them. "It's late."
Liu Yifei looked at him, blinked, and her long eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings.
She seemed to understand something, and her face turned even redder, all the way to her ears, and even her neck was tinged with a faint pink.
She nodded, her voice barely audible: "Then—then I'll go take a shower first."
"Okay." Jiang Yu stood up, turned and walked towards the bedroom. "I'm going to the bathroom in the other bedroom."
The two turned and went in different directions, like two rivers that briefly met and then separated.
Jiang Yu walked into the guest bathroom next to the master bedroom, closed the door, leaned against it, and let out a long breath.
When Jiang Yu finished washing up and tidying up, and changed into dark gray pajamas and returned to the master bedroom, Liu Yifei was already lying in bed.
She was unusually quick today; she had already taken a shower and changed into her pajamas.
A light pink cotton two-piece set, the top has a small white rabbit pattern printed on it, and the pants are solid color.
Her hair, half-dry, lay loosely on the light gray pillow, gleaming with a healthy sheen under the warm light of the bedside reading lamp.
She lay on her side, her back to the door, her body slightly curled up, as if she were already asleep.
Jiang Yu tiptoed to the bedside, lifted the covers, and lay down.
As soon as he lay down, Liu Yifei stirred, turned over, and faced him with her eyes still closed.
Jiang Yu smiled and reached out to turn off the bedside reading lamp.
The room was plunged into darkness in an instant, with only a sliver of city light filtering through the edges of the heavy blackout curtains, barely outlining the furniture.
He had just closed his eyes and adjusted to a comfortable position when a soft, warm hand reached out, groping in the darkness to find his hand, then their fingers intertwined and held tightly.
"You're not asleep?" Jiang Yu asked softly, his voice sounding exceptionally clear in the darkness.
"Mmm—" Liu Yifei responded, her voice sleepy and sticky, like melted toffee, "Waiting for you."
Jiang Yu felt a warmth in his heart, as if enveloped in a hot spring. He held her hand tightly and said, "Go to sleep. It's late, and we have to get up early tomorrow."
"Mmm," Liu Yifei responded, but leaned closer to him, almost pressing her entire body against him, her forehead against his shoulder.
Jiang Yu's body stiffened for a moment.
In the dark, a person's other senses become exceptionally sharp.
"Jiang Yu————" she suddenly whispered, her voice exceptionally clear in the darkness.
"Hmm?" Jiang Yu responded, trying to keep his voice calm.
"You were amazing at the claw machine today!" Liu Yifei's voice was even softer, as if she were revealing a secret. "I've never met anyone so good at it. Do you have some kind of secret technique?"
Jiang Yu smiled, a smirk playing on his lips in the darkness: "There's no secret, it's all about practice. Practice makes perfect."
"But those claws are clearly very loose; they can't grab anything at all," Liu Yifei said, puzzled. "I've seen many people insert dozens of coins and still not get a single item. How come you managed to grab so many?"
"There's a technique to it," Jiang Yu explained patiently. "You have to look at where the dolls are placed; choose those near the exit..."
The center of gravity needs to be stable. When controlling the claw, don't move it straight up and down; instead, sway it to utilize momentum. Time your descent carefully, ideally grabbing the plush toy's body or head, avoiding small parts like the ears, hands, or feet. Also—arcade machines are programmed to increase claw strength after a certain number of throws, increasing the success rate. I observed for a while and roughly figured out the machine's pattern.
Liu Yifei was stunned: "So complicated? I thought it was just a random grab—"
"There's a method to doing anything to the extreme," Jiang Yu said. "It's the same for claw machines, acting, and doing business."
Liu Yifei was quiet for a moment, then whispered, "Jiang Yu, I think—you're amazing."
"Why are you suddenly bringing this up?" Jiang Yu chuckled.
"I just think you're amazing at everything." Liu Yifei's voice was exceptionally clear in the darkness. "You're amazing at work, able to build such a big company; you have amazing foresight, making money on every investment; you're amazing at driving, playing racing games so well; even something as simple as playing claw machines is amazing—"
The two of them lay there in each other's arms, quietly in the darkness.
After an unknown amount of time, Liu Yifei suddenly moved, raised her head, and searched for his lips in the darkness.
Her movements were a little clumsy; she touched his chin first, and then his lips.
Jiang Yu paused for a moment, then responded.
This kiss was more lingering and deeper than the one on the sofa, carrying a sense of desperate gamble.
Liu Yifei slipped her hand under the hem of his pajamas and placed it on his back.
Her palms were warm, having been warmed by his touch. They felt soft, like they carried a subtle electric current, sending a shiver down Jiang Yu's spine.
"Yifei—" he gasped for breath. Reason told him he should stop, but his body's instincts, his desire for her, and the warmth of her body and the passionate kiss in the darkness were all frantically breaking down his defenses.
His hand unconsciously went up to her back, and through the thin cotton nightgown, he could feel the warmth of her body and her slight trembling.
"Jiang Yu—" Liu Yifei's voice was soft and gentle, carrying an unprecedented allure, like the song of a siren, "I want—"
She didn't finish her sentence, but her meaning was already clear.
Her hand reached out from inside his pajamas and began to unbutton them.
The silk material was very smooth, the buttons were small, and her fingers trembled slightly as she unbuttoned them slowly.
One, two, three —
Liu Yifei's hand touched it, her fingertips tracing the outline of the pectoral muscles, feeling the taut muscles under the skin and the strong, rapid heartbeat.
"Jiang Yu————" she whispered his name, her voice filled with a hazy longing, as if she were talking in a dream.
Jiang Yu's reason was in turmoil.
Ultimately, desire and emotion overwhelmed reason.
He rolled over and pinned her beneath him, kissing her deeply.
The kiss was aggressive, like a volcano that had been suppressed for a long time finally erupting, fiery and turbulent.
Liu Yifei responded enthusiastically, reaching her hand out from inside his pajamas to continue unbuttoning the remaining buttons.
The only sounds in the room were rapid breathing and the rustling of clothes.
Both of their pajamas had been mostly removed, and the areas where their skin touched felt burning hot.
Just as Jiang Yu's hand reached deeper and touched her bra strap, Liu Yifei suddenly grabbed his wrist.
"Wait—wait a minute—" she gasped, her voice trembling with obvious tension.
Jiang Yu stopped what he was doing, propped himself up, and looked at her in the darkness.
His eyes had adjusted to the darkness and he could barely make out her outline: her long hair was disheveled, her eyes shone like stars in the darkness, her cheeks were flushed, and her lips were slightly swollen.
"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice hoarse and unlike his own.
"I—" Liu Yifei's face was flushed red even in the darkness, like a ripe tomato, "I'm a little—nervous—scared—"
Jiang Yu took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.
He rolled over and lay down on one side, pulling Liu Yifei into his arms and gently patting her back, like comforting a frightened little animal.
"It's alright, we'll take it slow." His voice was still hoarse, but he had regained some composure. "No rush, we'll talk when you're ready. We have plenty of time, there's no need to rush."
Liu Yifei nestled in his arms and whispered, her voice filled with guilt, "I'm sorry—I—was I such a spoilsport?"
"No need to apologize," Jiang Yu interrupted her, kissing her forehead lightly, a reassuring kiss. "This is perfectly normal. Everyone gets nervous and scared the first time. This shows you care about this, care about me, and it's not just a momentary impulse. I'm glad you're so careful."
"Really?" Liu Yifei looked up, searching his eyes in the darkness.
"Really," Jiang Yu said earnestly, gently brushing away the stray hairs from her forehead with his fingers. "What I want isn't fleeting pleasure, but a lifetime. So let's take it slow and make sure we're on the right track. It's not too late to do it when you're fully prepared, when we both feel it's the right time."
Liu Yifei hugged him tightly, burying her face in his chest, and said, "Jiang Yu, you're so good to me."
"Go to sleep." Jiang Yu hugged her tighter, pulled the blanket up to cover both of their shoulders, "I have to get up early tomorrow to take you home."
"Um."
The two lay down again, this time simply embracing quietly.
Although the heat in my body hadn't completely subsided and my heart was still beating fast, I felt a deep sense of peace and warmth, like two little animals huddling together for warmth in the cold winter.
The next day, the two slept until the sun was high in the sky.
Jiang Yu woke up first. His biological clock made him somewhat conscious around nine o'clock, but he had gone to bed too late last night, and his body craved warmth and comfort, so he drifted off to sleep again.
When he woke up again, he looked at the luminous clock on the bedside table; it was 11:20.
He was stunned, not expecting to stay up so late.
He always gets up at eight o'clock sharp, without fail, no matter how late he worked the day before or how much coffee he drank.
.
Yesterday was really exhausting. I played until 2 a.m. and then stayed up very late before finally going to sleep. I was completely worn out, both physically and mentally.
He looked down at Liu Yifei in his arms.
She was still fast asleep, her face pressed against his chest, her breathing even and long, her warm breath brushing against his skin.
Jiang Yu looked at her quietly, a sense of satisfaction and peace welling up inside him.
Just watching her sleep, doing nothing, makes me feel happy and fulfilled.
After another ten minutes or so, Liu Yifei finally stirred and groggily opened her eyes.
Her eyes were somewhat dazed and unfocused when she first opened them, but they gradually became clear after blinking.
"What time is it?" she asked in a muffled voice, heavy with sleepiness.
"It's 11:30," Jiang Yu said, gently brushing the stray hairs from her cheek with his fingers.
"Huh?" Liu Yifei snapped awake, sitting bolt upright with her long hair disheveled and draped over her shoulders. "So late? Oh no, my mom must have called—"
She grabbed her phone from the bedside table, unlocked it, and saw a row of missed calls and unread messages on the screen, all from her mother, Liu Xiaoli.
Two missed calls, starting at 10:30 a.m., one every half hour.
Three brief news items:
09:35: Yifei, are you up yet? The physical education teacher will be here at 10:30.
10:35: Why aren't you answering the phone? Are you still asleep?
11:15: Call back after seeing the message.
Liu Yifei, with a pained expression, showed her phone to Jiang Yu: "What should I do? My mom is definitely angry. The teacher has been waiting for over an hour—"
"Don't rush." Jiang Yu sat up, picked up his phone, and said, "I'll call your aunt and tell her you were talking about the script until late last night and just woke up. Go wash up and go home right away."
Jiang Yu had already dialed Liu Xiaoli's number, his tone natural and composed, "Auntie, this is Jiang. Yifei was discussing the script until very late last night and just woke up. She's washing up and heading home now, and will be there in about half an hour. Sorry to keep the English teacher waiting."
Liu Xiaoli was silent for a few seconds on the other end of the phone.
Those few seconds felt like hours to Liu Yifei. She stared at Jiang Yu nervously, holding her breath.
Then Liu Xiaoli's voice came through, her tone unreadable: "Okay, I understand. Tell her to hurry up, the teacher has been waiting for an hour and a half and just left. I told her she had something come up and we'd reschedule for another afternoon."
"Okay, Auntie, we'll be right there. I'm so sorry," Jiang Yu said.
"Okay, be careful on the road." Liu Xiaoli hung up the phone.
Jiang Yu put down his phone and said to Liu Yifei, "It's all done. Get up and wash up. The teacher has already left; we'll do it another afternoon."
Liu Yifei breathed a sigh of relief, but was still a little uneasy: "Is my mom angry? She sounded so calm, which is unlike her usual self."
"You're definitely a little angry, but it shouldn't be serious." Jiang Yu got out of bed, took out clean clothes from the closet, and said, "Get up quickly, let's hurry."
The two quickly got up and washed up.
While Liu Yifei was brushing her teeth, Jiang Yu had already changed his clothes.
He went to the kitchen to prepare a simple lunch, took out bread slices from the refrigerator and put them in the toaster, and heated two cups of milk.
"There's no time to make anything complicated, just eat this." He brought breakfast to the table just as Liu Yifei finished washing up and came out.
She tied her hair into a low ponytail, with a few stray strands falling across her forehead and the back of her neck.
She was without makeup, but her skin was glowing, fair and delicate.
She wore a black sweater, which made her skin look even whiter.
She sat down, picked up a loaf of bread, took a bite, and then drank a large gulp of milk: "Delicious. Why is your bread better than mine?"
"You've got the cooking time and heat just right." Jiang Yu sat down opposite her, watching her wolf down her food, and found it incredibly cute. "Eat slowly, don't choke."
"I'm starving." Liu Yifei took another big bite. "It's been more than ten hours since I ate dinner last night."
"Who told you to sleep until noon?" Jiang Yu laughed. "You can't do that anymore. You need to have a regular schedule."
"Okay," Liu Yifei replied, but clearly didn't take it to heart.
She quickly finished one slice of bread, then picked up a second one, saying as she ate, "My mom is definitely suspicious. She's very shrewd and not easily fooled. Besides, Shu Chang is in Yantai; she might call and ask Shu Chang."
"Let them ask," Jiang Yu said dismissively. "Shu Chang knows what to say. Didn't you two plan this together?"
"They've already planned it, but what if my mom actually calls and Shu Chang accidentally lets it slip?" Liu Yifei was still worried.
"No, Shu Chang is very clever," Jiang Yu reassured her. "Eat up, I'll take you home after you finish."
After breakfast, the two tidied up and prepared to go out.
Liu Yifei put all the dolls she won last night back into the large paper bag, ready to take them home.
"How are you going to explain all these dolls to your mother?" Jiang Yu asked, picking up his car keys.
"I'll just say it's from playing the claw machine," Liu Yifei said, carrying a heavy paper bag. "My mom knows I like playing claw machines, and I used to go often, but I've never won so many."
"What did you say when she asked who you went with?"
Liu Yifei smiled and followed him out the door. "Anyway, it's already like this, a dead pig doesn't fear boiling water."
Jiang Yu was amused by her analogy: "What dead pig? You're a fairy."
"When my mom scolds me, I'm not a fairy anymore, I'm a dead pig." Liu Yifei pouted.
The two took the elevator downstairs and drove off.
Beijing was still congested on a weekend afternoon. The journey from Yintai Center to Liu Yifei's apartment on the Northeast Third Ring Road, which usually takes twenty minutes when there is no traffic, took nearly forty minutes today.
On the way, Liu Yifei kept looking out the window and didn't say much.
She was holding the rabbit doll in her arms, her fingers unconsciously pinching the rabbit's ears, clearly preoccupied.
"What's wrong?" Jiang Yu turned to look at her while waiting at a red light. "Still worried about what your mom said?"
"Hmm." Liu Yifei nodded, hugging the rabbit doll even tighter. "She definitely knew I wasn't at Shu Chang's last night. She's known Shu Chang for many years and knows a lot about Shu Chang's family situation. Shu Chang's parents divorced a long time ago, and Shu Chang basically lives alone. My mom often invites her over for meals and treats her like a daughter. So—"
Jiang Yu then realized the seriousness of the problem: "What did Shu Chang say?"
"I don't know," Liu Yifei said, scratching her hair in frustration. "I only sent Shu Chang a text message last night, saying that if my mom asked, I should say I was with her. But I didn't go into details. Besides, Shu Chang went to the set the day before yesterday afternoon, she must be very busy, she might not see the message, and she might not remember to cover for me."
The car finally arrived at Liu Yifei's apartment building.
This is a high-end apartment building located on the northeast Third Ring Road, offering a quiet retreat amidst the bustling city.
There are security guards on duty at the entrance 24 hours a day, and you need to swipe a card or register to enter or exit.
Jiang Yu parked the car on the side of the road without turning off the engine.
"We're here," he said.
Liu Yifei didn't move. She looked at the familiar buildings outside the window, then at Jiang Yu, her eyes filled with obvious reluctance and attachment.
She was picking at the rabbit doll's ears with her fingers, her lips pursed.
"What, don't you want to get off?" Jiang Yu smiled, reaching out to ruffle her hair. "It's not like we'll never see each other again."
We can meet again tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, and the day after that.
Liu Yifei blushed, recalling the intimacy of the previous night and the final stop, her heart filled with mixed emotions.
She lightly punched him: "You still dare to talk back! It's all your fault—"
"Okay, okay, it's my fault." Jiang Yu smiled, took her hand, and said, "Go upstairs quickly, don't keep your mother waiting."
I'll call you tonight.
"Okay." Liu Yifei then let go of her hand and unbuckled her seatbelt.
She picked up the paper bag containing the doll, opened the car door, and glanced back at Jiang Yu, her eyes softening. "Then—be careful on your way back. Send me a message when you get to the company."
"I know." Jiang Yu nodded. "Go quickly."
Liu Yifei got out of the car, closed the door, waved to him from the roadside, then turned around, swiped her card, and entered the apartment building.
Jiang Yu watched her figure disappear into the lobby before slowly driving away.
Liu Yifei carried a heavy paper bag and took the elevator up to the 16th floor.
Her apartment is 1602. There are two apartments on each floor. An elderly professor and his wife live in apartment 1601 across the street. It's very quiet.
Standing at her front door, she took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, trying to calm her nerves.
Then he took out the key, inserted it into the lock, and turned it.
The door opened, and she immediately saw her mother, Liu Xiaoli, sitting on the living room sofa, watching TV.
The TV volume was very low; it was CCTV's news channel.
Hearing the door open, Liu Xiaoli turned around and stared straight at her, her gaze sweeping over her from head to toe like a searchlight.
His gaze was calm, but so penetrating that it made Liu Yifei feel uneasy.
"Mom, I'm home," she said softly, changing into slippers and walking into the living room, placing the paper bag on the floor next to the coffee table.
Liu Xiaoli didn't speak, she just looked at her, her gaze sweeping from her face to the paper bag on the ground, then back to her face, and finally lingering on her slightly swollen lips for a few seconds.
Liu Yifei felt extremely uncomfortable under her gaze, as if she were being observed under a microscope.
She tugged at the hem of her sweater: "Um—I'm going to change. The teacher's gone, right?"
"The teacher waited for you for an hour and a half and just left," Liu Xiaoli finally spoke, her voice calm. "I told her you had something come up and we could reschedule. The teacher's time is very valuable; she earns 500 yuan an hour. I paid her and let her go after she waited for you for an hour and a half."
"Oh—I'm sorry," Liu Yifei said softly, turning to walk towards her room, trying to escape the suffocating atmosphere.
"Stop," Liu Xiaoli said, her voice low but carrying an unquestionable command.
Liu Yifei stopped and turned around, her fingers unconsciously twisting together. "Mom, what's wrong?"
"Were you really at Shu Chang's place last night?" Liu Xiaoli asked, her eyes fixed on her, not missing a single subtle change in her expression.
Liu Yifei felt a tightness in her chest, but tried her best to remain calm.
Remembering Jiang Yu's instructions and the fact that Shu Chang should have already received the message, she nodded: "Yes, we were talking about the script until very late."
"How late will we talk?" Liu Xiaoli continued, her tone as indifferent as if she were asking about the weather.
"Around 2 a.m.," Liu Yifei said, trying to make her voice sound natural. "Then I went to sleep."
"Where will you sleep?"
"Of course it's Shu Changjia," Liu Yifei said, feeling a little uneasy.
Liu Xiaoli was silent for a few seconds, but those few seconds felt like hours to Liu Yifei.
She could even hear her own heartbeat, thump-thump-thump, like a drum.
Then Liu Xiaoli slowly said, enunciating each word clearly: "I just called Shu Chang."
Liu Yifei's heart skipped a beat, as if she had stepped into thin air. But she still tried to remain calm: "Oh—what did Shu Chang say?"
"Shu Chang said," Liu Xiaoli looked at her, her gaze sharp as a scalpel, "that she's joined the crew in Yantai."
Liu Yifei was completely stunned. She stood there, her mind blank, as if she had been struck by lightning.
She opened her mouth, as if to say something, but no sound came out.
Oh no, we've been completely exposed.
Did Shu Chang not receive Jiang Yu's message at all? Or did she receive it but let it slip?
Or perhaps her mother was just bluffing?
Looking at her flustered and helpless appearance, Liu Xiaoli's face showed a complex expression.
There was helplessness, heartache, and a sense of "I knew it."
She sighed and pointed to the single sofa opposite her: "Sit."
Like a puppet on strings, Liu Yifei obediently walked to the sofa and sat down, placing her hands on her knees and lowering her head, like a prisoner awaiting trial.
"Yifei," Liu Xiaoli's tone softened, carrying the gentleness and helplessness unique to a mother, "Mom isn't saying you can't go to Jiang Yu's place."
Liu Yifei looked up, her eyes a little red.
"Mom isn't some old-fashioned person," Liu Xiaoli continued, her voice soft, each word clearly reaching Liu Yifei's ears. "I understand that when you young people are in love, you want to be together. Mom also really likes Xiao Jiang; he's steady, reliable, responsible, and sincere towards you. Our families know each other well, and I've met his parents; they're both very good people, reasonable, and not materialistic."
She paused, looking at her daughter: "But, Mom hopes you'll be more reserved and protect yourself. It's not that I don't trust Jiang Yu, it's just that things are unpredictable. You two are so close now, but what about later? What if—I mean, what if—something changes in the future, and it's always the girl who gets hurt. Your body is yours, your reputation is yours, and your future is yours; you must cherish it."
Liu Yifei bit her lip and whispered, "Mom, Jiang Yu isn't that kind of person. He won't hurt me."
"I know he's not like that now," Liu Xiaoli nodded. "But people change, and circumstances change. Besides, you're both in the prime of your careers right now, especially you. You're filming, promoting, and you'll be incredibly busy, constantly on the go. Relationships require time and effort to cultivate. With both of you so busy, can you really manage to maintain them?"
"We can," Liu Yifei said earnestly, her eyes firm. "We will understand and support each other."
When we're busy, we each do our own thing; when we're not busy, we try to be together as much as possible. And—Jiang Yu said he'll fly to see me often.
"I hope so." Liu Xiaoli nodded, but there was still a hint of worry in her eyes. "Mom isn't against you two, but I hope you'll be cautious. Girls need to know how to protect themselves and leave room for maneuver. Some things, wait until you're sure, until things are stable, until you're truly committed to this person, before you do them. Don't make decisions you might regret later because of a momentary impulse."
Liu Yifei blushed, knowing what her mother meant.
She thought of what happened last night, and of Jiang Yu's final restraint and respect, and felt both warm and guilty.
"Mom, we—we didn't do anything," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "We just—slept together, but—we didn't...you know...Jiang Yu—he respects me a lot. When I said stop, he stopped."
Liu Xiaoli looked at her, seemingly trying to judge the truth of her words from her expression.
After a while, she nodded, her expression completely softening, even showing a hint of relief in her smile: "That's good. Xiao Jiang is a good child, Mom can tell. But no matter how good he is, you two need to take it slow, don't rush. Relationships are like soup, they need to be simmered slowly over low heat to bring out the flavor. If you cook it over high heat, it's easy to burn it and it's easy to burn it dry."
"Okay, Mom." Liu Yifei smiled, a huge weight lifted from her shoulders. "You're right, I'll remember that."
"Good to know." Liu Xiaoli smiled and pointed to the paper bags on the ground. "Where did these dolls come from? There are so many."
"Last night—I went to the arcade with Jiang Yu and won these prizes." Liu Yifei confessed honestly. Since she had already been exposed, she might as well tell the whole story. "He's really good at winning prizes. He won so many. When I couldn't win any, he helped me win some."
"You guys even went to the arcade?" Liu Xiaoli raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised. "You've got guts! Aren't you afraid of being recognized?"
"We booked the whole place," Liu Yifei said. "Jiang Yu had the manager clear it out; it was just the two of us. We played until after 1 a.m.
Liu Xiaoli shook her head, both amused and exasperated: "Being rich means you can do whatever you want. But—it's actually quite romantic."
"Okay," Liu Yifei nodded. "Mom, you're not angry anymore, are you?"
"I wasn't angry at all," Liu Xiaoli said. "I was worried about you. Now that I know you two know your limits and Xiao Jiang respects you, I'm relieved. But next time you're going to Jiang Yu's place, tell me beforehand, and don't lie. Lying is bad, and it's easy to get caught; see, I caught you today, didn't I?"
Liu Yifei laughed sheepishly, "How was I supposed to know you were so shrewd, trying to trick me?"
"Old ginger is spicier," Liu Xiaoli said smugly. "Your little tricks can't fool me. Go change your clothes. The teacher said to come again tomorrow. You should review on your own today."
"Hmm." Liu Yifei stood up, picked up the paper bag from the ground, "What about these dolls—"
"Put it in your room, don't let it pile up everywhere. Keep it tidy."
"it is good."
Liu Yifei carried the paper bag back to her room, closed the door, leaned against it, and let out a long sigh.
As I thought about it, the corners of my mouth unconsciously turned up, and my heart felt as sweet as if it were filled with honey.
Just then, my phone rang.
It was a text message from Jiang Yu: "Have you arrived yet? What did your mom say? Did she give you any trouble?"
Liu Yifei replied with a smile: "I've arrived. My mom found out, but she wasn't angry. She just told me to be more reserved and protect myself. She also praised you, saying you're a good kid, steady and reliable."
A reply came quickly, accompanied by a relieved emoji: "That's good. Auntie is right, you should listen to her. What do you want to eat tonight? I'll bring it over for you when I'm done."
Liu Yifei thought for a moment and typed: "No need to trouble yourself, my mom is home and has definitely cooked. You go about your business, we can talk on the phone tonight."
"Okay. I'm going to a meeting now, I'll call you tonight."
"Okay, you go ahead and do your thing."
Putting down her phone, Liu Yifei hugged her rabbit doll and lay down on the bed. Looking at the delicate plaster lines on the ceiling, her heart was filled with happiness and peace.
She has a loving and caring mother who is strict but understanding; a boyfriend who loves, respects, and supports her; a career she is passionate about and a bright future; and tonight, a bed full of toys and wonderful memories.
With life like this, what more could one ask for?
She closed her eyes, then sat up and arranged the dolls one by one, placing them on the bedside table and the bay window.
She placed the white rabbit next to her pillow, and from then on, she would hug it to sleep every night.