CHAPTER 572: 390.

"So you’ve been acting in front of me just to chase me? You’re quite the schemer!" Zhong Ruixi’s expression seemed somewhat off, not exactly angry but definitely not happy either.

"Does it matter if you have more or less money? I never cared about that. I feel comfortable with you because you’re like me. If two people can have this kind of understanding and pace, it saves a lot of worries, am I right?"

I rambled casually, and ended up removing the thorn from Zhong Ruixi’s heart.

"Mind if I take a look around?" Zhong Ruixi seemed in a better mood, as she wandered around on the first floor with her hands clasped behind her back.

"Look around as you please." I was eager for her to find something to do, taking the opportunity to tidy up my things, and moved the books she shouldn’t see up onto the higher shelves.

Zhong Ruixi stood at the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing outside for a while, then opened the balcony door to stretch her neck. The night was deep and windy, and being on the top floor made her hesitant to step out, so she retreated quietly and headed to the kitchen.

"Oh my God, so much good stuff to eat!" Zhong Ruixi casually opened the walk-in food refrigerator and was startled by what was inside.

The three-meter deep and high cold room was packed full of a dazzling array of food. An entire wall of meats, a wall of eggs and dairy, a wall of vegetables.

"Oh wow! You banish me to a little dark room, while you sleep in a place this big?!"

"What did you expect?" I chuckled.

"Geez! Such a big bathtub!" Zhong Ruixi dashed into my bedroom, and screamed at the transparent glass wall in the bathroom, "I’ve never used a bathtub before!!"

"Is it that surprising? You don’t have one at home?"

"We do, but my parents don’t allow it, saying it wastes water. I’ve showered since I was a child." Zhong Ruixi said, annoyed.

"Forget about all those rules now, just go have a nice soak." I gently stroked her back.

Zhong Ruixi glanced back at me warily, "You’re up to something, aren’t you? With the glass all exposed, you can see everything clearly. I bathe inside while you get an eyeful outside? I’m not falling for that."

"Why be so reserved?" I said as I moved closer to her. Zhong Ruixi’s loungewear shorts barely reached her thighs, her loosely fitted tank top hung over her small chest without a bra, and if she showed even the slightest hint of wavering willingness now, I’d let her fully savor the joys of being a woman.

"Hey!" Zhong Ruixi put her hand on my chest and stepped back, her back thumping against the glass wall, "I trusted you enough to come over, remember!"

"Trust me with what?" I pulled Zhong Ruixi by the waist, drawing even closer.

Zhong Ruixi stiffened like a stick, leaning back, "I’ll be mad if you mess around!"

She wasn’t feigning coyness, nor was she nervous. I could tell; Zhong Ruixi really wasn’t in the mood for intimacy right now. It made sense, though she came over tonight voluntarily, there was a reason for it, and not feeling up to it was only normal.

"Am I rushing?" I smiled, ceasing my advance.

"It’s my fault." Zhong Ruixi said solemnly, giving my chest two pats, "It’s really out of necessity today, otherwise I wouldn’t make such a request. When a girl asks to stay at her boyfriend’s house, she’ll surely send the wrong signal. But something happened tonight, and my brain is all scrambled, I just can’t muster any spirit."

"Hmm... You’re not a lesbian cheating me into marriage, are you?"

Zhong Ruixi opened her mouth to curse, but then her eyes shifted, "Wait, aren’t you the one who doesn’t want to get married? How could I cheat you?"

I ruffled her hair, "Alright, do whatever makes you happy. You’re Zhong Ruixi after all; no one can pressure Zhong Ruixi."

She spat, returned to the room to pack her clothes; I hurried downstairs, organized the remaining draft notes and papers, and stuffed them into the file cabinet.

The girl took a shower in the guest room, said goodnight to me through the door, and then went silent.

I stayed on the balcony a while longer, smoked a cigarette to clear the clutter in my head, then turned in for sleep.

Zhong Ruixi is different from other girls; when she says no, it’s not half-hearted. I’ve never considered Zhong Ruixi a conventionally traditional girl; she wouldn’t suppress her feelings with some silly notion of "chastity". Her refusal of my touch is simply because she personally feels the time isn’t right.

If you respect Zhong Ruixi enough, genuinely caring about her thoughts, her actions become easily readable. If I push too hard, she’ll retreat. But if I go along with Zhong Ruixi, when she’s ready, she’ll come to me herself.

In the middle of the night, half-asleep, the mattress suddenly tilted to one side; I knew Zhong Ruixi had come. I didn’t open my eyes or speak, but pretended to turn over, letting my arm naturally rest on the girl’s body.

Zhong Ruixi burrowed closer to me, moved my arm to a more comfortable spot, and gave a light kiss on my lips, wishing to lie down and sleep against me.

With my eyes closed, I slid my hand under her little tank top, caressing her waist. Zhong Ruixi, who exercises regularly, had healthy and smooth skin, her waistline sloping like a valley, pleasantly firm under my touch.

"You’re obviously awake, just pretending." Zhong Ruixi didn’t resist my caress, speaking in a slightly drowsy voice near my pillow, her fingers brushing across my chin.

I wrapped my arm around her waist, pulling her in closer, starting to kiss her. Zhong Ruixi came forward, eyes slightly closed, her hand gliding to the back of my head and into my hair.

Zhong Ruixi’s kiss was intense yet clumsy; she was inexperienced. But I wouldn’t be satisfied with her child-like kissing any longer; I used my tongue to tease her teeth, treating her lips as delicious tender meat to gently bite repeatedly.

Within just five or six seconds, Zhong Ruixi instantly understood what a lover’s kiss meant. Her little mouth opened slightly, tongue extending out, tangling with mine. She licked my tongue forcefully, chasing it when I tried to retreat, pushing her tongue into my mouth.

I mercilessly sucked on her, she whimpered softly, pressing her face towards me, almost as if to deliver her tongue right into my throat.

Naturally, my hands wouldn’t remain idle either; as Zhong Ruixi focused on experiencing the true sweetness of her first kiss, I had already grasped her delicate breasts. Without a bra, her modest bust was unguarded as I cupped it in my hand.

Zhong Ruixi loves exercise, with practically no excess fat on her body, so her chest naturally couldn’t be large—barely a B-cup. However, her youth and vibrant metabolism made those breasts one of the most elastic I’ve ever felt. I squeezed upward, feeling that softness tremble with my kneading and resist, moving back and forth. Amidst the heated friction, Zhong Ruixi’s nipples quickly hardened, stubbornly pressing into my palm.

I thoroughly enjoyed the girl’s moist, intense tongue kiss, my hand continued kneading up and down, letting her tiny nipple sometimes dive into the fingers, getting teased again and again.

As I moved, Zhong Ruixi arched her body slightly, almost cooperating with my kneading. I slightly increased the pressure between my fingers, pinching her nipple more firmly. The girl seemed to revel in it, her hands pressing down on me subconsciously, moans growing more frequent from her throat.

I let go of her lips, moving on to kiss her cheek and neck. Zhong Ruixi whimpered softly, letting me suck and lick her neck, eyes closed, displaying an expression of enjoyment. My fingers pinched her nipple even harder, yet she appeared oblivious.