0916 had turned on Do Not Disturb mode.
After all, they were in the car, so Chu Hui didn't dare strip completely bare—he only bared two long, fair legs, and with practiced ease, straddled her and settled onto her lap, clearly intending to follow through on what he'd said himself during the day.
Although he kept denying it, Liang Qiao knew he was somewhat drunk, so she indulged every one of his movements, her palm silently steadying his waist, only occasionally reminding him, "Slow down."
But Chu Hui had never been one to listen, or perhaps it was that the person before him made it impossible for him to truly slow down. He couldn't suppress his parched craving, leaning down to kiss her with an urgency like someone searching for the only source of water in a barren desert.
The garish, kaleidoscopic city was sealed off beyond the window, and every sensation was amplified in that cramped, dark space—their breathing intertwined, one breath, then another.
A trace of Liang Qiao's pheromone leaked out—faint and subtle, bitter with a hint of papyrus, carrying no aggression at all. Just like her, when she was quiet, she was like a stone.
Now, he was going to soak that stone through with himself.
…
Just as Chu Hui had predicted, because of the New Year's Eve crowds, the trip from Tregini Center to the family quarters took roughly three times longer than usual. It wasn't until two in the morning that the two of them finally made it through the door—except Chu Hui still hadn't fully come back to his senses from his drunken indulgence, showing no reaction at all when he was laid down on the bed.
Ingredients were placed, commands were input, and the kitchen's various machines began the process of brewing hangover soup. Liang Qiao tidied up briefly, then returned to the bedside, only to find the drunkard frowning as he fumbled with his own clothes.
"Itchy… Liang Qiao," he called her name with his eyes closed, his hand groping downward and coming to rest on his waistband, mumbling vaguely, "Fix it… I'm going to leak…"
For a moment, she didn't know whether to cover his mouth or grab his hand. She sat down along the edge of the bed and said, "Don't move."
The drunkard let go.
She first pulled out two wet wipes to clean his face, then leaned down to undo his clothes. The rumpled uniform jacket was tossed onto the sofa, followed by his shirt and trousers.
Liang Qiao wasn't fond of leaving overly deep marks on his body, but a body that had weathered the tide of heat could hardly remain pristine. She carried him into the shower to wash him, and the moment her palm brushed past his waist and hips, he parted his legs with easy compliance, half his face buried in the hollow of her shoulder, eyes closed, letting out a vague, soft hum.
…
After the shower, Chu Hui barely managed to recover some of his wits. He shuffled into his slippers and went to the kitchen to drink the hangover soup. There was still half a minute left; he rubbed his face and leaned half-propped against the counter.
With a ding, the meal hatch opened automatically. The hangover soup had already been regulated to the most optimal temperature. He reached out and took it, and after taking a sip, he noticed a familiar box of medication sitting at the edge of the counter.
It was Omega contraceptive pills.
The contraceptives on the market nowadays had no side effects, and both he and Liang Qiao had taken them. But seeing the pills reminded him that he'd been a bit too wanton in the car just now—so much so that his lower abdomen still carried a lingering ache of fullness. He casually took one out and popped it into his mouth, washing it down with the hangover soup, while his mind wandered with a messy thought: having a child with Liang Qiao might not be so bad after all.
They had only been together for a little over a year, but he had never once entertained the thought of parting with her. Now that both of them had graduated, there were more things to consider. Hmm, marriage…
Didn't they have to submit materials to the marriage matching system? There was probably a premarital check-up too, and what else?
He mulled over these questions as he finished his hangover soup, setting the bowl back in the cupboard. Then he switched on the Memory Purge mode. The small nightlight by the bed was already glowing. He went into the bathroom to wash up and finally lay down in bed before three o'clock.
Marriage…
Would it be too sudden to ask now? The graduation ceremony had only just ended today.
He hesitated for a few seconds, wanting to speak but holding back. The moment he slipped under the covers, drowsiness swept over him, but he still forced himself to stay awake long enough to wrap his arms around the person beside him. Only when a gentle kiss landed on his forehead did he finally relax and drift off to sleep without a moment's delay.