Wanyi sat quietly in the library, a book open before her.
Lately, she had been studying the history of porcelain.
Ever since she had touched that Qianlong-era moon flask in Hong Kong with her own hands, something had shifted within her. For the first time, she truly felt the unique beauty of porcelain as an art form.
She wanted to write her graduation thesis on it.
Only when the library’s closing music began to play did she finally close her book, pack her bag, and head back toward the dormitory.
The room was silent when she returned—lights on, but no one was inside.
She set her bag down, washed up, and climbed into bed.
Wanyi had always been someone who faced difficulties head-on.
She had experienced things most people never would.
So she wasn’t afraid.
If there was one exception—
It was Shen Yuxun.
She had never imagined their lives would intersect.
Never imagined there would be a story between them.
She picked up her phone and tapped on his profile.
He had sent her a message that morning, but there had been nothing since.
Probably busy.
She typed out a simple “Goodnight,” hesitating before sending—
When a message from him appeared first.
“Already asleep?”
His profile picture was still the ocean—calm, distant, unreadable.
“Almost,” she replied. She was already lying in bed.
“Been busy today.”
“Mr. Shen must be handling a thousand things,” she teased, sticking out her tongue unconsciously.
“But I still miss you,” came the reply almost instantly.
“Sweet talk isn’t reliable.”
“Come downstairs.”
“What?”
“I’m downstairs.”
Wanyi hurriedly threw on a light hoodie and rushed out of the dorm.
There was an unconscious urgency in her steps.
The cool night breeze brushed against her skin.
Dressed simply in a hoodie and jeans, her long hair fell loose over her shoulders, swaying in the wind. Her bare face was pale and flawless, a faint blush lingering at her cheeks from the walk.
She slipped into the back seat of the Bentley.
“Uncle Chen, go buy a pack of cigarettes,” Shen Yuxun said.
Uncle Chen immediately understood and stepped out, walking away.
Wanyi turned back to look at him.
He wore a white shirt with a dark navy striped tie, a blue silk suit jacket draped over him, the cuffs revealing a pair of exquisite cufflinks.
He must have just come from some formal engagement.
“Why did you come so late?” she puffed her cheeks slightly, her tone carrying a soft, playful complaint.
She was surprised—but unable to hide the quiet happiness in her heart.
“I just finished an international video conference,” he said, gently taking her hand. His palm was warm, steady, reassuring. “I wanted to see you.”
“Won’t it be too late when you go back?” The university town was far—nearly a forty-minute drive even to his home.
He raised a brow, voice drawn out lazily. “I can’t sleep without seeing you.”
“Well… you’ve seen me now.”
“Not enough.” A faint, teasing smile curved his lips.
She lightly punched his shoulder—but he took the opportunity to pull her closer.
She fell into his chest, guided by his strength.
“Nowhere near enough, Wanwan,” he murmured. “I want to see you all the time… keep you by my side.”
Slowly, she lifted her arms and wrapped them around his waist.
She could feel the firmness of him beneath the fabric—broad shoulders, a narrow waist, strength held tightly under restraint. His suit fit him as though it had been made just for him.
His arms tightened around her, his voice lowering near her ear.
“Give me something sweet.”
He tilted her face gently, his fingers brushing along her chin.
His gaze burned, intense, as if it could consume her entirely.
She could smell that familiar ocean scent on him—clean, subtle, intoxicating.
Then she felt it—
The softness of his lips against hers. Cool at first, like the chill of early autumn or morning dew.
His hands slid over her arms, holding her close—
As if he wanted to pull her completely into himself.
The faint scent of him—warm, distinctly masculine—brushed past her senses, carrying a quiet, irresistible pull.
For a moment, Wanyi forgot how to think.
There was only instinct—only response.
The car was wrapped in a suffocating silence, broken only by the soft, tangled sounds of breath and lips meeting.
Something deeper lingered beneath it—unspoken, unnamed.
The kiss stretched on, slow and consuming, as though it carried everything they could not put into words.
At last, he drew back slightly.
His gaze lingered on her, deep and unwavering, filled with something almost tender.
“I won’t let you go.”
It sounded less like a statement—more like a promise.
“…Okay.” Wanyi nodded softly.
Even if this encounter led nowhere, even if it had no ending—
She felt she would never regret it.
A faint redness touched her eyes, as though she had gathered all her courage in that quiet moment.
But it was already late. Curfew was approaching.
“I should go,” she said softly, lowering her gaze, still not fully recovered from the kiss.
“Goodnight,” Shen Yuxun replied, his voice gentler than ever.
Wanyi pushed open the car door and walked slowly back toward the dormitory.
Her fingers brushed against her lips—still flushed, slightly swollen from his kiss.
The air beneath the dorm building was filled with the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms.
She had never thought the scent could be so sweet.
Back in her room, she lay down on her narrow bed—
And quickly fell asleep.
In the days that followed, Wanyi worked at the art gallery during the day and picked up part-time jobs at night whenever she could.
Sometimes, Shen Yuxun came to see her in the evenings—only to find her out working.
She would make excuses, saying she had something to do.
She had never approached him because of money—
And she would never ask him for it.
Because affection… was priceless.
One day, she was at the gallery as usual.
The night before, she had taken on a copywriting job and worked until two in the morning.
Now, she felt sluggish, her mind clouded with fatigue.
“What’s wrong? You don’t look well,” Xiaoyou asked, leaning closer.
She had noticed Wanyi seemed drained these past few days—pale, worn, lacking her usual brightness.
“I’m fine. Just a little tired.” Wanyi lowered her head, taking a bite of her plain bun while reading through an exhibition brief.
“You should rest more. Your health comes first,” Xiaoyou said, sounding like someone speaking from experience. She knew Wanyi was diligent—any task given to her, she handled with care and responsibility. Even overtime never drew a complaint.
It was no wonder everyone in the team liked her.
And with her looks… gentle and beautiful—it only made her more endearing.
“I took on a writing job last night. I finished around two, so I’m a bit tired today.” Wanyi poured herself a cup of coffee, trying to stay awake, even though she didn’t like the taste.
“Why are you still taking side jobs? The internship pays pretty well, doesn’t it?” Xiaoyou asked, having some idea of Wanyi’s situation from their occasional chats.
“I’ve had some issues… my financial aid’s been suspended.” Wanyi didn’t elaborate. It was complicated—and it involved Shen Yuxun. She didn’t want it to affect him.
“No wonder you’ve looked so exhausted lately. You’ve been working nights too, haven’t you?” Xiaoyou suddenly understood. “And you’re eating buns every morning…”
“I used most of my money to pay tuition,” Wanyi said quietly.
“That won’t do. No rest at night, and barely any nutrition during the day—how can your body handle it?”
“I’ll be more careful.” Wanyi thought for a moment. The few jobs she had taken on would barely cover her meals for the month.
“Tomorrow morning I’m making egg and ham sandwiches—want me to make one for you?”
“That’s okay, thank you.” Wanyi smiled faintly and declined. She didn’t want to trouble anyone.
“Oh, right—there’s a team-building event tomorrow,” Xiaoyou suddenly remembered.
Tomorrow was Saturday.
“What kind of event?”
“A hot spring villa trip. It’s at one of the company’s resorts. We’ll head back Sunday afternoon. It’s super expensive usually—I wouldn’t even go with my boyfriend,” Xiaoyou said excitedly.
“A hot spring…” Wanyi murmured thoughtfully.
“And guess what—the big boss himself is coming this time! It’s the first time I’ve heard of it since I joined. The other teams are already buzzing, planning what to wear to stand out.” Xiaoyou leaned in, whispering conspiratorially.
Wanyi lowered her head with a small smile.
She remembered Shen Yuxun asking her out to dinner the night before.
She had declined, saying she needed to work on assignments.
He hadn’t sounded pleased—his voice low over the phone as he asked how many days it had been since she’d seen her “boyfriend.”
She hadn’t been able to answer.
It had been a few days.
She… missed him.
“Don’t forget to bring a swimsuit,” Xiaoyou added, puffing up indignantly. “Show off your figure and shut that Xiaoqi up—she’s always gossiping about you.”
“It’s fine. Let her talk.” Wanyi smiled faintly. As long as she did her work well, that was enough.
That evening, back in the dorm, she opened her wardrobe.
After a moment’s thought—
She packed her swimsuit into her bag.