At eight o'clock in the evening, Shen Pingchuan anxiously paced back and forth in the hotel corridor, taking out his phone repeatedly to confirm he had the right room number.
The message from the girl was very brief: Shen Pingchuan, room 518 of XX Hotel, come over.
Why did she want to see him? It was one thing to meet up, there were so many places to do so on campus, but why choose a hotel?
Did she find out about something?
...Shen Pingchuan was now filled with countless whys. He felt both nervous and a little expectant... After all, the two had barely interacted at all since last year. If they ran into each other at school, they would just chat a little like ordinary friends.
He didn't want to disturb her life, because Shen Pingchuan knew that at present, any promise he made to her would be an empty cheque.
Shen Pingchuan was a man of action. He wouldn't say it, but he would do it.
Taking a deep breath and mentally prepared, the boy turned around and knocked on the door of room 518.
Soon, footsteps could be heard from inside the room, and his heart rose along with them.
The room door creaked open. Xia Qing had just taken a shower and was wearing a crisp light blue T-shirt and denim shorts. Her slender, long legs were clad in slippers.
Her skin was not as fair as other girls, with a hint of wheat color that looked incredibly sexy.
Her jet black long hair draped over her shoulders, still a little damp, and carried the fresh scent of shower gel.
Seeing her, Shen Pingchuan seemed to freeze up, stammering incoherently with a silly wave: "Hi!"
The corners of Xia Qing's mouth turned up slightly as she opened the door wide: "Come in quickly."
Shen Pingchuan's feet felt injected with mercury, making every step extremely difficult. He dragged his heavy footsteps into the room. Behind him, Xia Qing locked the door with a "click" and even put on the safety chain!
Shen Pingchuan pretended to stay calm, glancing around the spacious, bright room. A white double bed stood prominently in the center.
"Xia Qing, why did you ask me to come here..."
When he turned around, the smile froze on his face.
Xia Qing had already taken off her jacket.
The soft warm yellow light of the wall lamp enveloped her body. She had a figure so stunning it was breathtaking. Even in the thin summer clothes, her 39D figure was unimaginable, not to mention after taking off her jacket, leaving only a bra.
With great difficulty, he tore his gaze away from her breasts, looking down to her abdomen. Her beautiful waistline was flawless.
Shen Pingchuan swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. He reacted almost instantly, staggering back a few steps and turning his back to her.
"I... you... put your clothes back on!"
Xia Qing's voice was also trembling, perhaps from nervousness or fear: "Shen Pingchuan, I couldn't think of any other way, there was no other way... I know it was you, but this past year, I didn't dare contact you."
Shen Pingchuan clenched his fists tightly, struggling to restrain his arousal below.
Behind him, Xia Qing suddenly came over and hugged him from behind: "I'm really grateful to you. Even if you asked me to kneel down and kowtow a hundred times I would do it, but I know you don't need that. Shen Pingchuan, you can do whatever you want with me, I'll agree to anything."
Shen Pingchuan clearly felt the squeeze against his back. His whole back tingled as if a billion ants were crawling over it...
He suddenly understood what Bo Yan had meant - there would be many emergencies where he needed to make a choice in an instant.
Could he make that choice? Could he be sure his choice was the right one?
What had Shen Pingchuan done!
"Xia Qing, let go of me first." His voice was hoarse with desire: "Let's talk, okay?"
Xia Qing released him. Blushing, she kept her head down, about to reach back and unhook her bra, but Shen Pingchuan grabbed her wrist: "Don't do this, if you do this... I really might not be able to control myself."
"You don't have to hold back..." She said softly, her face red.
Shen Pingchuan hurriedly took off his suit jacket and wrapped her body in it, then pulled her to sit by the window. He dragged a chair over and sat opposite her.
Hunched over, he rested his elbows on his knees and clasped his head, trying to conceal his awkward arousal.
"Qingqing, I never intended for this to happen."
"I know." Xia Qing clutched the edge of his suit jacket and said softly: "I volunteered."
"You don't understand what I mean." Shen Pingchuan weighed every word carefully: "Helping you was something I could do. I don't need you to repay me like this. I don't want to exchange anything with you. Understand?"
"I understand."
"Good then." Somewhat relieved, he looked up at her tenderly: "You have a beautiful body. Promise me you won't show it to anyone. Cherish yourself."
Xia Qing slowly nodded.
Shen Pingchuan swore this was absolutely, definitely the choice he regretted most out of everything he had ever done!
But he knew it was the right one.
Even if he would regret it after walking out the door, he accepted it.
With great difficulty, he got up to leave. Behind him, Xia Qing suddenly grabbed his hand.
"Shen Pingchuan."
Even just hearing her call his name made Shen Pingchuan feel like his body would explode from torment.
Her hand was cold, and when she held his, the soft touch shattered his defenses.
"Shen Pingchuan, stay. Not as a transaction. I like you too."
Not a transaction, I like you too...
There was no way Shen Pingchuan could just turn and walk away casually. He wasn't a saint. The next second, he turned back and hugged her tightly, releasing all the restraint and pent up feelings from the past year in an instant.
Clumsily he sought out her lips, as if seeking his life's refuge. He kissed her intoxicatedly, sucking and nibbling...
Their clothes were also torn off and thrown aside. Now he no longer wanted any reason, he just wanted her, to possess her, to give her the most exquisite pleasure.
...There was no pleasure. That night, all Xia Qing and Shen Pingchuan felt was pain. This pain seemed to be constantly reminding him clearly that his actions might be wrong.
But he didn't care at all.
Afterwards, Xia Qing turned her back to him, curled up like a baby, trembling lightly.
Shen Pingchuan spooned her from behind, burying his face in the nape of her neck amidst her hair.
He felt like a complete hypocrite. Just before he had talked so self-righteously, yet in the end...
She must be thinking of him like this too, Shen Pingchuan guessed to himself.
He took her hand and she held his back. The two were pressed tightly together, intimate as a pair of lovers in the throes of passion, even though before today they hadn't even been friends.
What brought these two people closer?
It went without saying.
They both carefully avoided the topic.
"Did it hurt a lot?" He whispered in her ear, "You didn't make a sound."
"It's okay." Xia Qing turned her head slightly, reassuring him: "Don't worry about it, as long as you feel good."
Shen Pingchuan's heart wrenched. He understood their relationship was unequal, but it was fine. He would treat her well, he would make her the happiest girl in the world.
He secretly made this decision in his heart.
"Qingqing, be my girlfriend."
"Okay." She agreed without hesitation.
"After I graduate, I'll marry you."
This time, Xia Qing didn't reply.
He nuzzled her neck with his nose: "Hmm?"
"You... you don't have to marry me."
Shen Pingchuan suddenly sat up: "What do you mean? You said you liked me. I only..."
Xia Qing also panicked and sat up, pulling his hand: "I'm sorry, don't be angry."
"Don't say sorry, you've done nothing wrong to me." Shen Pingchuan was also a little anxious, inarticulately trying to explain: "Don't be like this, please!"
"I... okay, okay I won't mention this again. Let's not fight, let's be happy."
Shen Pingchuan's heart suddenly chilled. He really seemed to have made a terrible mistake.
"You're like other girls. Don't try to please me! We're boyfriend and girlfriend, not that kind of relationship! You can also scold me and hit me. In short, don't try to please me!"
Xia Qing looked at him, not understanding why he would suddenly get so angry. What did she say or do wrong?
"Tell me, what should I do? I'm sorry, I've never been in a relationship before."
"Ancestors! Don't say sorry to me. I've told you many times! You have nothing to apologize for! It's me who should apologize to you, okay?"
Shen Pingchuan had a hot temper and got irritated easily. He scared Xia Qing like this.
"Do you dislike me now?" Tears began to fall down Xia Qing's face. "If you don't tell me, I won't say anything anymore."
Shen Pingchuan felt like his heart was about to shatter. He hugged her and hastily wiped away her tears. "Okay, okay. No more fighting. Let's be good to each other."
"Shen Pingchuan, I'm stupid, but I'll listen to you," Xia Qing put her arms around his waist and buried her head in his chest. "Don't dislike me."
"How could I dislike you? I just...dislike myself a little. I'm a scoundrel! A hypocrite! A bastard!"
Xia Qing held him even tighter. "No, you're a very good person."
**
During the winter break of her third year of university, Jin Xi confessed to Shen Shishan about her relationship. Shen Shishan was extremely curious about Bo Yan and insisted Jin Xi must bring this boy back for him to see during the new year.
Of course, it was completely predictable that once they met, Shen Shishan liked Bo Yan even more than his own son. Every day he kept talking about having little Bo Yan over as a guest, saying it was too lonely for him to live alone. It would be better for him to move in so they could have a lively family gathering.
Shen Pingchuan listened feeling utterly heartbroken. He felt like he had come across a fake father!
Bo Yan was skilled in all eighteen martial arts. He could even play Shen Shishan's favorite game of Chinese chess. Not only that, he had the skill to win two games and lose three. Every day he amused Father Shen and kept him happy and smiling. Now he called him his son outright.
Jin Xi could confess everything to her dad without worry, but Shen Pingchuan absolutely did not dare to make his relationship public.
If Shen Shishan knew he had a girlfriend, he would certainly investigate Xia Qing. This matter simply could not hold up under scrutiny.
He could not imagine how his dad would react if he knew the truth.
The only person Shen Pingchuan could not deceive was Bo Yan, since he was also involved. Shen Pingchuan could only honestly come clean to him.
"There's no other way. My darling is too smart. I met her mother before and she searched for my photo in the school's online system, so she discovered it."
Bo Yan's brows furrowed slightly, his gaze cold and stern. "So for this past year, she's known everything but kept up appearances. Only after her father was discharged from the hospital did she reveal the truth to you?"
Shen Pingchuan instinctively defended his girlfriend. "Anyone in her position would be unable to make a decision right away. I'm grateful she's like this..."
"So you slept with her?"
Shen Pingchuan roughly grabbed Bo Yan by the neck with his elbow. He looked back at Jin Xi playing video games in the living room. "Keep your voice down. Don't make it sound so vulgar. Who slept with who? She's the one who slept with me, okay?"
Bo Yan looked at him coldly, with none of his usual joking manner. "Do you know what you're doing?"
"Of course I know. I'm saving someone's life! No, not someone, but my future father-in-law."
"Prince Shen, you are keeping a mistress."
Shen Pingchuan suddenly got angry and pushed Bo Yan. "Don't mention those two words to me! I'm not!"
"That's the nature of this situation. I warned you long ago and you had options."
"I'm crazy in love with her, Bo Yan. When she takes off her clothes in front of me, how could I resist? If you were me, could you restrain yourself?"
Bo Yan looked at him steadily. "Shen Pingchuan, I've always kept my promise not to touch your sister. A man who can't control his lower body is capable of terrible things."
Shen Pingchuan was suddenly confused. He took two steps back, and thought of how obedient Xia Qing usually was with him, whether watching a movie or eating a meal. She would lean on him. Even when they were intimate, she tried her best to satisfy his every request, as if she never said "no" to him.
His heart was torn open and the wind rushed through the hole.
Bo Yan had a nearly cruel rationality. He said in a low voice, "Even if your intentions are good, what you've given her is more than she can bear, money she can never repay in her lifetime, and she doesn't yet have the courage to refuse you, because it's her father's life. Other than letting you sleep with her, she has no second choice."
"I didn't have a choice either."
"Shen Pingchuan, you did have a choice. You could have controlled yourself not to take that step. Then everything would still have possibilities."
Shen Pingchuan's eyes turned red. He grabbed Bo Yan's collar, shouting hoarsely, "I won't admit it, Bo Yan. I absolutely won't admit that she's not free. We're the most normal boyfriend and girlfriend. Shouldn't a boyfriend spend money on his girlfriend? Forget tens or hundreds of thousands in medical fees. I'll spend however much I can earn in my lifetime on her without batting an eye."
"If you're so self-righteous, why are you afraid of your dad finding out? You don't even dare tell your sister who has always supported you."
Shen Pingchuan looked back at Jin Xi in the room. "I, I'm not afraid to tell her."
"Then go tell her now. Let's see if you can say it."
"What can't I say? We're dating fair and square. There's nothing to hide."
Shen Pingchuan impulsively went into the living room. "Jin Xi, I have something to tell you. Your brother has a girlfriend now. It's your Sister Xia Qing. Your brother has been with her for over six months without telling you. Now I'm telling you. Also, her dad's illness has stabilized. It's all thanks to your brother."
Jin Xi was crunching on some crispy roasted peanuts. She looked at him in surprise.
Before Shen Pingchuan could react, Shen Shishan, who had just changed into slippers in the entryway, suddenly spoke up, "You have a girlfriend now?"
