Sweet Kiss - Chapter 3.2

Chapter 3.2: “Living Together” 

The living room had a warm, simple design. On the floor were two pairs of slippers, one of which was the pair she had just bought yesterday. At that moment, she understood the meaning of her aunt’s message earlier that afternoon, “I’ve had your luggage delivered.”

Standing in the living room, she turned to Bai Tingshou and asked, “When did they get here? Yesterday?”

Bai Tingshou responded with a simple “Hmm,” without further explanation.

After receiving a call from Li Yansui’s aunt last night, he rushed downstairs to meet her. He invited her upstairs, but she declined.

When he heard that Li Yansui would be living with him, he agreed almost immediately.

“But how did you know she’d agree?” he asked, his voice cool and indifferent, revealing no emotion.

“What if she doesn’t want to?” he continued, looking down, hiding his expression.

He wasn’t one to force things, especially with Li Yansui.

The night wind was slightly chilly, ruffling his hair. Having rushed out in thin pajamas, he suddenly felt cold.

Smoke swirled, obscuring his aunt’s expression, but he could faintly hear her low, hoarse voice: “If she didn’t want to, she wouldn’t have come to Qinghui City. If you didn’t want to, you wouldn’t be here, would you?”

He couldn’t see her face, but he felt the loneliness emanating from her. Since Li Yansui’s parents passed away, her aunt had taken on the responsibility of caring for her.

Raising Li Yansui alone showed her incredible strength.

Bai Tingshou didn’t deny it, taking the luggage as a sign of agreement.

His aunt smiled, “Get some rest.”

With that, she turned and left, her silhouette blending into the night.

Once she was gone, he took the luggage and returned upstairs.

Back in the present, Bai Tingshou felt a fleeting warmth on his face.

Li Yansui had already changed into slippers and was walking around the house as if nothing had happened.

Bai Tingshou followed her inside.

“Your luggage is in your room. I didn’t touch it,” he said, heading to the kitchen.

“And my slippers?” Li Yansui pointed at her slippers, curiously asking, “Did they just appear out of nowhere?”

“Auntie asked me to take your things out of the small suitcase so you wouldn’t forget,” he explained, pouring milk from the fridge and placing it in the microwave.

Li Yansui had already headed upstairs. “I’m going to wash up.”

Just as she finished washing up, there was a knock on the door.

First, she saw a cup of steaming milk, followed by Bai Tingshou’s voice, “Milk.”

“When did you heat it?” Li Yansui took the milk, feeling it was too hot, and handed it back to him.

“While explaining why your slippers are here,” Bai Tingshou said, holding the milk with gloved hands.

Li Yansui found it amusing. “You knew it was hot and still handed it to me?” she laughed.

Bai Tingshou, unflustered, replied, “You told me before that girls should drink something warm.”

Li Yansui: “…”

That was so long ago.

She turned back into her room, grabbed a few napkins, and took the milk. “Good night.”

“Sleep early. I won’t be responsible if you’re late,” Bai Tingshou said before returning to his room.

Li Yansui stuck out her tongue at his back, thinking, “When have I ever been late? ”

With the door closed, she turned into her room, blowing on the milk before taking a sip. It was sweet and tasty.

Maybe he still had a bit of a conscience, she thought.

Finishing her milk, she was about to rest when she received a message from her aunt.

It was a photo.

The sea served as as the backdrop, with the woman’s long hair cascading over her shoulders. Her eyes were clear and bright, devoid of the sternness she often had at work. She wore a radiant, happy smile.

It reminded Li Yansui of her aunt from more than a decade ago.

The woman who once said she would travel around the world.

As Li Yansui looked at the photo, her eyes turned red, and her nose tingled with emotion.

She called her aunt.

“Hello?” The background noise was chaotic and loud, with music playing, but it didn’t affect her ability to hear.

Li Yansui quickly wiped her tears with the back of her hand and said sternly, “Auntie, where are you? Are you drinking again?”

Her aunt said something to the people around her in English, and after a moment, she seemed to find a quiet place, as the background noise suddenly ceased.

Smiling, her aunt replied, “No, I promised you I wouldn’t drink.”

Since taking over the Li family, her aunt had more social engagements and drank more, which took a toll on her health.

To ensure her aunt’s well-being, Li Yansui had strictly forbidden her from drinking. She even personally ordered her aunt’s lunch from trusted restaurants.

They chatted a bit more, and Li Yansui couldn’t help but whine, “When are you coming back? I miss you.”

“Oh, Auntie misses you too! I’ll be back in a few days. Don’t worry. But you should also take care of yourself and not just worry about me, okay?” Her voice was gentle, with a hint of tipsiness.

Since Li Yansui had school the next day, they ended the call shortly after.

“Drinking again,” Li Yansui muttered.

Back in his room, Bai Tingshou found his phone vibrating on the desk. It was a reply from his mom to the message he’d sent five minutes earlier—a photo of hot milk and a “Thank you.”

Ms. Yu replied bluntly, “I’ll thank heavens if you don’t drive her away.”

Bai Tingshou felt a bit guilty as he put down his phone, grabbed his clothes, and went to wash up.