As the sky gradually darkened, the evening breeze gently carried away the noise and restlessness of the day.
“Let’s stay here.”
The door of the guesthouse was open, and only one staff member was in the lobby, writing something behind the counter. Upon seeing someone enter, they put down their pen.
“Two rooms, please.”
“Please show your relevant documents.”
Cheng Fangqiu took out the three of them’s identification documents from the sling bag she carried and handed them to the staff. After checking, the staff, noticing their distinguished appearance and demeanor, couldn’t help but ask, “Returning from the provincial capital? Why not stay at home?”
Hearing this, Cheng Fangqiu thought it was a routine inquiry typical of the times, sighed, and truthfully replied, “The bus broke down halfway, delaying us for an hour or two, so we missed the last bus back to the village.”
“Nothing can be done about such things,” the staff sighed. In those days, buses breaking down on the road was a common occurrence. Being able to repair it was considered lucky; the worst was when it couldn’t be fixed and they had to wait for a replacement bus, which could take more than just an hour or two.
Cheng Fangqiu knew this was the case, but the delay disrupted many of their plans. They had hoped to get home tonight to see their family, but instead, they ended up staying at a guesthouse.
Thinking of something, Cheng Fangqiu added, “Two of your best rooms, please.”
Staying outside was nowhere near as comfortable as staying at home, but there was no choice. If they didn’t stay here, they would have to sleep on the streets. Moreover, unlike later times when there were various hotels to choose from, only state-run guesthouses were available.
Cheng Fangqiu had never stayed in a guesthouse before and didn’t know what the conditions were like. She felt somewhat uneasy, not daring to expect too much, but surely the more expensive rooms would be better than the cheaper ones.
“Alright,” the staff, seeing they were well-dressed, had intended to ask what level of room they wanted. Now that they had brought it up themselves, it made things easier. After quickly completing the check-in, they handed over the keys, “The rooms are on the second floor, with room numbers on the doors.”
“Okay, thank you,” Cheng Fangqiu took the keys and turned to the two men who had been silent behind her, “Let’s go.”
Zhou Yinghuai and Zhou Yingchen were carrying a lot of things, mostly gifts from Zhou’s parents for their in-laws. They had also bought some local specialties from Rongzhou. Since they only planned to stay for two or three days, none of them had brought much luggage.
The two rooms were not next to each other. Cheng Fangqiu casually handed a set of keys to Zhou Yingchen, and the three of them parted ways.
Upon opening the door, a large bed came into view, covered with sheets and a quilt. Perhaps from too many washes, they looked somewhat yellowed and old, but still tidy.
To the left of the door was a bathroom, and to the right stood a floor clothes rack for hanging clothes.
The room was not large, but it had basic furniture. At the far end, there was a window. Cheng Fangqiu looked out and could vaguely see a street outside by the moonlight, dark and somewhat eerie.
She quickly drew the curtains and turned to Zhou Yinghuai, who had just turned on the room’s fan. The fan was the cheapest model on the market; it could blow air but was quite noisy and very noticeable.
“Where do we shower?”
She had just looked; the bathroom was very small, with the squat toilet and sink taking up most of the space. If they showered in there, they probably wouldn’t even be able to stretch out their arms and legs, and they’d have to worry about water splashing into the toilet and then back onto themselves.
Just thinking about it made her skin crawl.
Zhou Yinghuai thought for a moment and replied, “There should be a water room.”
“Have you stayed in other guesthouses before?” Cheng Fangqiu’s curiosity was piqued, and she quickly moved to his side, hugging his arm and pressing for more details.
The weather was hot, and as she leaned in, the temperature between them rose sharply.
Zhou Yinghuai instinctively reached out to hold her waist as she approached, steadying their momentarily swaying figures, and then answered, “Yes, during university, I often went with my teacher to learn at machinery factories in various cities, so I occasionally stayed in guesthouses…”
His peripheral gaze inadvertently caught sight of the two soft mounds pressed against his arm, and his words gradually trailed off.
She was wearing a long dress styled like a shirt today. Feeling hot, she had undone the top two buttons. Normally, this wouldn’t have been noticeable, but now, as she leaned in close, the pressure caused her graceful curves to nearly burst through the remaining buttons.
From his angle, he could clearly see the jade-like valley between her breasts, her slender waist accentuating the fullness of her chest.
The dim yellow light, the noisy whirring of the fan, the sticky sweat on their bodies…
It all seemed to take on an indescribable sense of ambiguity in that moment.
Zhou Yinghuai felt his throat go dry. His fingertips brushed against the fabric at her waist a couple of times before he took a deep breath, somewhat flustered, and leaned over to adjust the angle of the fan to ensure the weak breeze was directed at them.
“Guesthouses in big cities have much better conditions, with private bathrooms, clean sheets and towels, and even free meals. In smaller cities, they’re more like this one.”
Cheng Fangqiu’s attention was entirely on Zhou Yinghuai’s words, and she didn’t notice his discomfort. She reached out to play with his fingers, saying leisurely, “Should we go take a shower now?”
Zhou Yinghuai’s hands were beautifully shaped, with distinct knuckles and faintly visible veins, like a meticulously crafted piece of art.
He silently watched her mischief-making with his hand, his usually deep eyes now brimming with turbulence, his voice tinged with a hint of hoarseness. “You want to go now?”
Before Cheng Fangqiu could respond, she met his gaze, darker than the night outside the window. Her feet instinctively took half a step back, creating some distance between them. She lowered her eyes and murmured, “Yeah, let’s go. It’s too hot, and I’ve been sweating all day.”
As soon as she finished speaking, he didn’t let her go immediately. Instead, he pulled her closer, their chests now pressed tightly together, almost seamless.
She abruptly looked up at him. His tall frame blocked most of the light, casting a shadow over his face, but it couldn’t obscure his striking features. His thin double eyelids slightly lowered, his dark eyes sharp, the intensity in them multiplying.
The hand she had been holding had somehow slipped free, and it now rose steadily, leaving a faint trace in the air.
His rough fingertips pinched the button on her collar, slowly working it into the crevice between her breasts. She couldn’t help but let out a soft gasp, immediately biting her lower lip to suppress the sound threatening to escape.
The sweat made their skin sticky, amplifying every sensation of touch.
His hand, which had been resting on her waist, slid downward, lifting her skirt and roaming over the thin fabric.
The thrill of being intimate somewhere other than home rushed to her head, muddling her rational thoughts. Her long lashes fluttered as she listened to his seductive voice whispering in her ear.
“Qiuqiu, let’s do it once before showering?”
Her clothes were in disarray, while he remained impeccably dressed, not a single wrinkle out of place.
Cheng Fangqiu’s eyes shimmered with a faint blush, her delicate face under the dim light resembling a soul-stealing enchantress. She reached up and grabbed his collar, crumpling it until she was satisfied.
Her face flushed like peach blossoms, she hesitated, “But we’re all sweaty…”
“I won’t go inside,” he replied almost immediately, as if waiting for her to say that.
“Then how?” Cheng Fangqiu’s eyes showed a trace of confusion. He leaned in and whispered something in her ear, causing her eyes to widen in shock, her cotton candy-like body trembling. Just as she was about to refuse, his next words bewitched her, and she found herself nodding in agreement to this deal.
“Qiuqiu, help me take it off,” he said, his eyes brimming with barely concealed delight, his thin lips nibbling at her earlobe.
Her hands trembled as she reached for his belt. The cold touch made her want to retreat, but under his encouraging whispers, she gradually relented.
“Yes, just like that.”
“Qiuqiu, the shirt too.”
Zhou Yinghuai’s expensive, well-tailored white shirt was soon spread out on the low table. Then he reached out and pressed her down onto it. Her skirt was already a mess, unable to cover anything.
Even without external support, the cotton candy remained unsoftened, maintaining its original upright shape, which conveniently allowed him to savor it once more.
This time, however, it wasn’t his fingers that came to taste, but rather…
Cheng Fangqiu couldn’t bear to look, her hands awkwardly propped on the table, her fingertips gripping the fabric of her shirt until they went numb. Her shoulders involuntarily hunched, and an indescribable sense of shyness enveloped her entire body, her fair skin gradually flushing pink.
“Qiuqiu.”
His hoarse voice called her name repeatedly in her ear, like a finely woven spider’s web, tightly entangling her.
Absurd. Too absurd.
But it was their first attempt, and he hadn’t quite mastered the right force or angle. She couldn’t help but feel some pain and instinctively reached out to stop him.
Yet, he refused to let her go, stubbornly grabbing her hand and making her hold it up instead.
Cheng Fangqiu’s face flushed red as she angrily turned her head to glare at him. In doing so, her lips accidentally brushed against his scorching skin, startling both of them. She quickly turned her head away again, instinctively pursing her lips, feeling both embarrassed and annoyed.
“Zhou Yinghuai, you did that on purpose!”
Her voice trembled at the end. Zhou Yinghuai glanced over, his gaze falling on her now crimson neck and the tips of her ears. His Adam’s apple bobbed repeatedly, and the gentle movements he had been maintaining suddenly became more forceful.
Just as Cheng Fangqiu was about to continue scolding him, her chin was seized, and a domineering kiss landed on her lips, forcing her to swallow all her words.
After what felt like an eternity, he buried his face in her neck, calming his ragged breathing. Finally, as if to appease her, he planted a few light kisses near her ear and said in a husky voice, “Go take a shower. I’ll take care of you when you come back.”
Cheng Fangqiu’s ears burned at his words, her anger dissipating for the most part, replaced by a faint sense of anticipation.
“Mm,” she responded softly, not daring to show her eagerness too openly. She pinched his ear playfully, glanced at the mess on her chest and the surrounding area, and huffed, “You made this mess. Clean it up.”
Zhou Yinghuai chuckled lightly, his eyes filled with unmistakable satisfaction. With one hand, he lifted her off the low table and used the clean inner lining of his white shirt to gently wipe away the stickiness on her chest.
In addition to that, her skin was covered in bright red marks from his earlier fervor. His gaze burned for a moment, but he forced himself to remain calm, carefully wiping her clean.
Then, he helped her put her bra and dress back on.