CA | Chapter 17

◎Kisses.◎

　　The exhibition was held on the second day after they landed. Ning Jia had spent the whole day shaking off her jet lag, and Shen Yicheng ignored her advice, staying at the hotel cinema to watch old films until eleven or twelve before coming back.

　　Ning Jia slept in her own bedroom. In the middle of the night, she felt the bed dip, and Shen Yicheng wrapped her from behind, his hand resting on her waist. Half-awake, Ning Jia told him to get some rest earlier. Shen Yicheng had probably played for half the day again, or why would she still be unable to wake him in the morning no matter how much she shook him?

　　”You’re almost thirty, and you’re still staying up late to play.” Ning Jia thought it was absurd. She shook his shoulder, but Shen Yicheng slept soundly. Ning Jia sat beside him eating breakfast. After she finished, she shook him again, and he just rolled over and kept sleeping.

　　At that moment, someone knocked on the door. Ning Jia couldn’t put down the bread she had spread with jam and cream, so she had to carry it over to open the door. The person outside was unfamiliar, in his twenties, with thick brows and large eyes, like a swimmer from a magazine. He froze when he saw Ning Jia, then checked the room number. “Sorry, is this Mr. Shen Yicheng’s room?”

　　Ning Jia nodded but did not let him in. “What can I do for you?”

　　The other man held out his hand. Out of politeness, Ning Jia offered hers. They shook hands, and only then did he say, “I’m Xiang Yang. I’m developing my business in Italy right now. You must be Ning Jia?”

　　Ning Jia nodded, while searching the name in her memory. The Shen family had not seemed close with any Xiang family back then, so he probably was not from Beishi.

　　”I heard him mention you a few days ago. You’re pretty young.”

　　He spoke with a southern accent.

　　Ning Jia first invited him inside. “He hasn’t gotten up yet…”

　　”He sleeps hard. There was a year when an earthquake couldn’t even wake him.” As he spoke, Xiang Yang strode in with his long legs and shook Shen Yicheng awake in just a couple of moves.

　　Ning Jia leaned against the doorframe. Shen Yicheng sat up with a frown. She watched him put on his shirt while the two of them exchanged the kind of small talk old friends used when catching up. Then, for a moment, she felt oddly unnecessary. She turned to leave, only to hear Shen Yicheng call her, “Jiajia, come here.”

　　He rarely called her that.

　　Ning Jia turned back and obediently stood beside him. Shen Yicheng pointed at Xiang Yang. “My college classmate. What should you call me?”

　　Ning Jia stared blankly for a long moment, then lowered her voice. “Then what should I call him?”

　　Xiang Yang burst out laughing. “Your younger brother-in-law? Just call me brother.”

　　Ning Jia secretly laughed to herself. She called Shen Yicheng Second Uncle, and called Xiang Yang brother. Shen Yicheng had really gotten a huge bargain.

　　Xiang Yang patted his shoulder again. “Aren’t you going to introduce her?”

　　Shen Yicheng glanced at Ning Jia and lightly took her hand. “Our Ning Jia.”

　　”That’s it?”

　　Shen Yicheng kicked him. “Get out and wait for me. I’m getting dressed.”

　　Xiang Yang got up and headed out, not forgetting to be obnoxious on the way. “Like who hasn’t seen it before…”

　　Ning Jia sent Xiang Yang to the reception lounge. The two of them sat on the sofa, and Ning Jia felt a little awkward, so she stood up and said, “I’m going to change too.”

　　Getting dressed and doing makeup also took quite a while. Shen Yicheng was faster than she was, and Ning Jia did not even need to press herself to the door to hear the two men talking.

　　”Nice one, bringing back someone that young. She’s not underage, is she?”

　　”Do I look like a beast?”

　　”Hard to say. How old is she?”

　　”Eighteen.”

　　”Damn, you’re an animal!”

　　Shen Yicheng said nothing and took the insult as his due.

　　Ning Jia found it funny. Somehow, everyone seemed to think Shen Yicheng was the one getting the better end of the deal. Ning Jia ate, drank, and had fun with his money. When she wanted to eat something, she would lean over and nibble on him. No matter how you looked at it, this was a money-losing business. If he did not try to get something out of her, Ning Jia would even feel a little embarrassed, to the point of having the bizarre illusion that she was mooching off her elders.

　　The way he had just addressed her was something she had never expected. Judging by how well the two men got along, at the very least, in Xiang Yang’s eyes, Ning Jia was not an underling of his, but his girlfriend.

　　It was hot outside, and the sun was blazing. Ning Jia wore a white tie-front top that exposed her midriff, along with a denim miniskirt. As soon as she came out, Shen Yicheng furrowed his brows deeply, but said nothing.

　　Xiang Yang bent down to tease her. “What do you want to eat? Tell Uncle.”

　　Ning Jia hurried behind Shen Yicheng, her face hot from embarrassment. She should have known his friends were cut from the same cloth. What was that saying again? Birds of a feather flock together.

　　Xiang Yang drove his own car, while Li, the assistant, drove theirs. The moment Shen Yicheng got in the car, he asked, “Does your stomach still hurt?”

　　Ning Jia touched her belly. “It doesn’t hurt.”

　　He was clearly pretending not to know.

　　Ning Jia said softly, “Can’t you praise me for once?”

　　Shen Yicheng looked at her butterfly-wing eyelashes, at her soft cheeks with their faint blush, then reached out and pinched her chin, turning her toward him as he lowered his voice. “So vain.”

　　Ning Jia sniffed at him. Shen Yicheng’s palm covered her bare waist and stomach. Ning Jia looked up, wrapped her arms around his neck, and said, “Call my name again, okay? You kept saying you and you.”

　　He lifted a brow. “Ning Jia.”

　　She pouted and clung tighter, muttering bad things about him near his ear.

　　*

　　The exhibition displays were dazzling, with jewelry brands from all over the world taking part. Shen Yicheng had Ning Jia and Xiang Yang on his left, and a translator plus assistant on his right, like an emperor touring in disguise, unable to hide his air of luxury.

　　He ran into a few clients, or rather business partners. Ning Jia could not really understand much, and the translation came through their earpieces anyway. After saying a couple of words to him, she went to look at a diamond necklace. This row featured very modern designs that followed a commercial style, brilliant yet restrained, glamorous yet elegant. Ning Jia stared at them without blinking until Li came to call her over to attend the conference.

　　There were also lectures and exchange sessions at the exhibition. Ning Jia went to listen for a while, but it was a little hard to follow, so Shen Yicheng gave her translator to her and had Xiang Yang help him with the conversations.

　　Ning Jia listened to an exchange session that interested her, then spoke directly with the staff on her own. Shen Yicheng sat beside a row of pearl accessories, chatting idly with Xiang Yang, and every so often his eyes drifted toward Ning Jia.

　　”Your Ning Jia’s Italian is actually not bad. Mostly, she’s courageous.” Xiang Yang sighed. “When I was eighteen, I didn’t have the guts to talk to foreigners in broken, stammering speech like that. Looks like she’s the sort of young lady from your circle.”

　　Ordinary people found it hard to come into contact with these things. It was partly a matter of perspective, but more importantly, the upbringing they had received from childhood was different. At a glance, she did not look like she came from an ordinary family.

　　Shen Yicheng was silent for a moment before saying, “She’s not exactly that.”

　　”What do you mean?”

　　Shen Yicheng had no intention of revealing Ning Jia’s private matters to his friend, and only said lightly, “She’s capable on her own.”

　　Xiang Yang clicked his tongue. “You were the one who promoted her?”

　　He glanced over. “Not me.”

　　Xiang Yang knew he did not want to talk and did not press further. “Where are we going to have fun next? Want to come to my place for dinner?”

　　Xiang Yang’s wife was Italian, and just as warm as he was. Shen Yicheng turned him down with “She’s shy.” Xiang Yang looked her over and over, but still could not see where the tactful, polished Ning Jia was shy.

　　When the exhibition hall’s opening hours ended, the visitors gradually left. Ning Jia turned to look for Shen Yicheng, and only when she walked over did she notice a box in his hand.

　　Her heartbeat suddenly sped up. She felt a little expectant, and a little embarrassed too, until she reached his side. Shen Yicheng opened the box and showed her the diamond necklace inside. Ning Jia looked at him, then at the people around them, and only then took the necklace.

　　Her outfit today was not suitable for wearing it, and Ning Jia had already tried it on earlier. It seemed he had noticed long ago that she had her eye on this necklace. Ning Jia hooked her arm through his and waited until the group walked out before saying in a voice only the two of them could hear, “Thank you, Uncle.”

　　Shen Yicheng tilted his head and gently kissed her forehead. Ning Jia was deeply moved. She wrapped her arms around his waist, her tail practically ready to fly up to the sky.

　　This was a necklace centered on an oval pink diamond of flawless clarity and cut, with white pavé diamonds decorating the sides, and a chain dotted here and there with diamond pendants. Whether from a collector’s point of view, an aesthetic point of view, or the vanity of the person receiving it, this necklace was basically a solid slap to Ning Jia’s little pink pony butt. She hugged the box, and hugged Shen Yicheng too, humming all the way back to the hotel.

　　In the car, Ning Jia opened the box and looked again and again, and Shen Yicheng asked with a smile, “You like it that much?”

　　”I love diamonds the most.” Ning Jia helped him finish the sentence. “I’m tacky.”

　　He chuckled softly, his arm around her shoulder. He used his fingers to toy with the ornaments on her ears, first a clip, then a stud, while the silver strand hanging down ran through the hole in her earlobe. Shen Yicheng had never looked closely at her ears before. He turned her over to inspect the other side, where there was only one piercing, hanging with a four-petal flower whose petals were all sparkling white diamonds.

　　That was quite a lot of places to hang things from. Shen Yicheng’s verdict was that if she had four ears, they would all be covered too.

　　Ning Jia looked at Xiang Yang’s car and asked him, “Aren’t you guys going out to catch up or something? I can stay at the hotel on my own. Of course, it would be even better if you let the translator姐姐 and Assistant Li stay with me.”

　　Shen Yicheng asked, “If I leave you behind, you won’t be upset?”

　　”I won’t be upset. Uncle bought me this because he was afraid I’d be upset, wasn’t he?”

　　Little sly fox. He saw right through everything.

　　Shen Yicheng lowered his head to tease her. “Then do you want diamonds, or do you want Uncle?”

　　”I want you.” Ning Jia said righteously, “Diamonds can’t produce more diamonds, but Uncle can buy me lots of diamonds.”

　　”You little money grubber.” Shen Yicheng said, “Behave at the hotel. If you want to go anywhere, I’ll take you.”

　　Ning Jia nodded obediently, and Shen Yicheng always felt he owed her a great deal. Looking at her so obedient like this, he felt an indescribable ache.

　　”You really aren’t holding a grudge?”

　　Ning Jia said, “I’m not petty. Besides, you’re not going off to find some tall woman with big waves.”

　　So she did hold a grudge after all. The vehicle stopped. Shen Yicheng opened the car door, then looked back and left her with, “I think you’re the one who holds grudges very well,” before getting into Xiang Yang’s car.

　　Ning Jia returned to the hotel room alone. She took out the diamond necklace, even pulled out a magnifying glass, and examined every inch of it carefully. After looking her fill, Ning Jia carefully put it away, locking it deep in the most hidden corner of her suitcase, then locked the suitcase itself.

　　Birdsong drifted in now and then from outside the window. Dusk was approaching, and a mass of dark purple clouds lingered on the horizon where it met the sea. Gulls cried out in waves. Ning Jia looked toward the distant place where voices and movement gathered, and her smile faded. She sat alone on the balcony, hugging her knees and burying her face in them.

　　*

　　This time, Shen Yicheng’s reunion with Xiang Yang was one reason for the trip. The other was that he needed to discuss a business deal with an Italian businessman, and Xiang Yang had to serve as the middleman.

　　That was also because the matter involved assets under the main branch of the Shen family. Otherwise, Shen Yicheng rarely bothered himself with miscellaneous affairs belonging to companies that were not his.

　　Ning Jia wanted the translator姐姐, so Shen Yicheng left the translator to keep her company and found another one.

　　The round trip took two days. During that time, Li the assistant said she had thrown up once. Shen Yicheng called her, and Ning Jia said she had eaten seafood, it had upset her stomach, and it was nothing serious.

　　She reported nothing to him, neither happiness nor discomfort. When Ning Jia was not by his side, she was like a pet that could not speak. To say she was sensible, she really was sensible, but somehow he always felt a little heartbroken.

　　After the business was settled, Shen Yicheng rushed back to the hotel overnight. Ning Jia was still asleep, and only woke when she heard the door.

　　Just as she was about to sit up, Shen Yicheng turned the door open and came in, then sat beside her. Ning Jia naturally collapsed into him, nestled there for a moment, and then fell asleep again.

　　Shen Yicheng lay awake until two. Suddenly, Ning Jia spoke. “Still not asleep?”

　　”I thought you were asleep.”

　　Ning Jia said, “I was asleep. But I felt like you were still awake.”

　　He had not turned over or moved any part of his body, and still he had woken her up.

　　”Is your stomach still uncomfortable?”

　　”No… I just can’t eat anything cold anymore.”

　　”Stop being vain, and don’t go chasing cold things.”

　　Ning Jia was dissatisfied. “You just scold me as soon as you get back.”

　　He did not answer. Ning Jia coaxed him again. “Go to sleep quickly, or tomorrow you won’t be able to get out of bed again.”

　　Shen Yicheng buried his face in her hair, then moved lower and rested against her chest. In a daze, Ning Jia wrapped her arms around him. The next morning when she woke up, Shen Yicheng was lying on her chest. Ning Jia’s flesh had gone numb. He looked refined and proper, but only when he got close did she realize just how big he actually was. After finally pushing him away, Ning Jia hurried to rub the spot that had been crushed asleep. But then she remembered that she usually slept on him like this too, so she could not really get angry. Instead, she lay back down in his arms.

　　Shen Yicheng had missed breakfast. When he woke up, Ning Jia was calling for lunch. Shen Yicheng pressed the phone down and prepared to drive her out to eat.

　　He had his own car here too. Because Ning Guoqiang liked cars, Ning Jia recognized a few models. This was the new Maserati Quattroporte, translated as the Executive. With its gray body, roomy and comfortable, Ning Jia fastened her seatbelt and said to Shen Yicheng, “I want to learn to drive. I want to get my license.”

　　He said, “Learn when we get back. I’ll buy you one once you pass.”

　　The Kiss novel exclusive compilation. Ning Jia cheered and thanked Mr. Shen for his generosity.

　　The car drove into town. The midday atmosphere carried a hint of laziness, and there were not many pedestrians on the road. Ning Jia spotted a bookstore by the roadside and asked Shen Yicheng to stop nearby. She lifted the hem of her red dress and ran out, and when she came back, she was holding an Italian edition of *The Divine Comedy*.

　　Shen Yicheng rested a hand on her shoulder and leaned over to look. Ning Jia opened the first page, which still had an oil-painting bookmark left behind by the previous owner.

　　Ning Jia flipped through it casually. Clearly, she had already finished reading the original text. Shen Yicheng’s fingers brushed over the delicate skin of her neck. He did not ask anything, only told her to read the first poem.

　　Ning Jia’s small hands anxiously rubbed at her refined brows as she stumbled through the reading, a little awkwardly. Her nimble tongue seemed to break free from the restraints of her native language. From every angle, Ning Jia was a language prodigy.

　　”Midway through the journey of our life, I found myself within a dark forest…”

　　Shen Yicheng listened quietly until Ning Jia said awkwardly, “There are too many words I don’t know.”

　　He bent down and kissed her hair, encouraging her, “You read very well.”

　　Ning Jia looked up at him, her eyes bright. Shen Yicheng did not expect such a young, tender soul to be able to understand the hesitation of middle and old age, but that gaze was still lovable. Recently, Ning Jia had noticed that he often revealed a sorrowful expression, one that carried pity for her, and it stung a little. She avoided his gaze.

　　”Whenever I go somewhere, I buy a book from a bookstore.” Ning Jia put the book into her small crossbody bag. “As a travel memento. Does Uncle keep records? I heard you spent many years abroad before.”

　　Shen Yicheng said, “Just doing some boring things.”

　　For years, he had been traveling to exhibitions and handling business all over the world. The time he spent quietly honing himself was actually very little, far less than when he was younger. In truth, aside from that little residence, he had a larger studio in the southwest, and buying jade materials from places like Myanmar was quite convenient. Only in the past few months had he been living in Beishi on a long-term basis.

　　Ning Jia said, “My dad always says your Shen family has taste. He also likes to follow the trend and buy some jewelry and jade pieces back to collect, and little by little I came to like them too.”

　　Shen Yicheng smiled. “And you ended up liking tacky diamonds.”

　　”Oh come on.” Ning Jia folded her arms and looked out the window. “I’m not talking to you anymore. Diamonds are so beautiful.”

　　Luxurious, expensive, indestructible.

　　Even if they were just a marketing tool for capitalists, diamonds really had managed to become forever.

　　They were the hardest, most unrivaled symbol of love and beauty, and only old-fashioned people like Shen Yicheng thought diamonds were unbearably tacky.

　　Shen Yicheng found a restaurant and said he would buy her a drink as an apology. Ning Jia looked at the sticky thick soup on the table, then at the iced grape wine in Shen Yicheng’s cup, and for a moment felt like he was repaying kindness with ingratitude.

　　The restaurant served traditional Northern Italian cuisine. In terms of dishes, there were cheese ravioli, risotto, meatballs, pasta, and minestrone, all of it. Ning Jia ordered pasta as her main dish, while Shen Yicheng chose beef minestrone, a red pot that looked as if it had a whole jar of tomato sauce dumped in it. Shen Yicheng gave her a bowl. The scents of bay leaves and tomato-braised beef blended together, rich and warming. He himself ate bread with cheese, and after the meal there was fresh chocolate almond pudding.

　　Ning Jia was full. Shen Yicheng took away the rather aged bottle of grape wine, and the two of them drove back along the coast to the hilltop hotel. Before getting out of the car, Ning Jia asked him, “Are you leaving again?”

　　Shen Yicheng answered, “I’m staying here with you.”

　　”You have to keep your promise,” Ning Jia said softly before closing the car door tightly. With her hands behind her back, she walked forward. The sunlight splashed everywhere, and Ning Jia’s light-colored hair shone like gold. Shen Yicheng asked the valet to park the car and caught up to her in two steps.

　　Ning Jia did not look back. She reached out and held his fingers, leading him from the front. When they got to the room, she flung her crossbody bag aside, turned around, and threw herself into his arms, wanting him to hold her for a nap.

　　Shen Yicheng entered her room and put her down on the soft bed. Ning Jia watched him go to the sink and wash his hands carefully, then wipe them dry with a handkerchief. Her mouth felt empty again, until he placed his fingers between her lips.

　　Ning Jia licked them, resting against his arm and glancing at him.

　　”What, do you still want to eat something?”

　　Ning Jia smacked her lips. “Has Uncle ever done that before?”

　　He should have known by now that when she wore that expression, she was never asking about anything serious.

　　He was at least ten years older than her, and Ning Jia had never seen his bastard side before. Shen Yicheng curved his lips and used his finger to tease the center of her tongue. Ning Jia blushed and told him not to do that.

　　Shen Yicheng asked her, not do what?

　　Ning Jia pushed his hand away. She did not want it anymore.

　　Shen Yicheng whispered in her ear. Ning Jia listened with wide eyes and was dumbstruck. After stammering for a long time, she finally said, “You can do that too?”

　　He nodded.

　　”How could that be…” Ning Jia touched her cheek. “Wouldn’t you die of exhaustion?”

　　Shen Yicheng said a few more things, and Ning Jia protested, “You pervert.”

　　That time, she could not even enjoy his fingers anymore. Ning Jia turned her back to him, but Shen Yicheng still placed his index finger in her mouth. Ning Jia listened to many things that could not be written down and could not be broadcast, and while she was shocked, she did not forget to nibble on his finger. In the end, she held that jade-white hand and drifted into sleep.

　　Shen Yicheng said he was completely awake after saying all that, but after some clinging and rubbing, he still got up to take a shower.

　　In the afternoon, Li the assistant came to take them to another city, a seaside vacation villa built into the mountainside. Ning Jia slept soundly on his lap in the afternoon, and when they arrived she could not wait to change into her swimsuit. When Shen Yicheng saw her swimwear, he silently draped his own coat over her.

　　Ning Jia accused him, “You’re interfering with my freedom.”

　　Shen Yicheng said nothing. Once they got there, the night sea breeze made her stomach feel cold, and Ning Jia stopped complaining.

　　She could not get into the water, so she could only look at the scenery by the sea, play a little kayak, and eat and drink. While Ning Jia was buying drinks, she saw several people come up to flirt with Shen Yicheng. He was lying on a beach chair, his legs crossed, one arm under his head, muscles on full display and pale enough to shine.

　　Shen Yicheng did not understand Italian, but Ning Jia did. They were inviting him to go to a bar for drinks.

　　Ning Jia slammed the things onto the table. Shen Yicheng sat up straight, looking at her with a trace of confusion.

　　The lead woman said, “your daughter?”

　　Shen Yicheng laughed.

　　Ning Jia fired back in Italian. After the group expressed their apologies, they turned and left. Ning Jia quickly stripped off the coat and covered Shen Yicheng with it. Shen Yicheng said with a smile, “You just interfered with my freedom to dress.”

　　Ning Jia shoved the coat over his face and told him to shut up and stop talking.

　　The sea breeze was too cold. Shen Yicheng took off the coat and gathered her into his arms. Ning Jia fought stubbornly, but in the end she could not win, and all she could do was mutter things like “tall women, big waves” under her breath.

　　Shen Yicheng said, “Any other words? You little vinegar jar.”

　　Ning Jia said, “I am a vinegar jar!”

　　Translated, it might mean, “I want Uncle to look only at me,” and Shen Yicheng could interpret that however he liked.

　　As they bickered and fussed, Shen Yicheng felt as if he had gone back to eighteen too. What had he been busy with when he was eighteen? He had been much more overbearing than Ning Jia, much more than Ning Jia…

　　He covered Ning Jia’s small mouth. Ning Jia was only making a little scene, leaning against his hand and then kissing his palm all wet and clingy.

　　Too easy to appease.

　　Ning Jia had not crossed that line yet. She desperately wanted to know whether Shen Yicheng had high, long-legged lovers. Leaning back in the deck chair, he recalled, “It was just my preferred type.”

　　Ning Jia drew out the “oh” for a long time.

　　Shen Yicheng found her adorable, pouting like a little pufferfish. He lowered his head and pinched both her cheeks. Ning Jia blinked, moisture gathering in her eyes.

　　”Uncle, let me tell you something.” Ning Jia looked serious. “Do you know why wild geese are considered a symbol of love? Because they always come in pairs. If…”

　　Shen Yicheng spoke gently, warmly. “I only have you. Don’t be unhappy.”

　　Ning Jia’s little lesson on love was forced to stop. She let out another long “oh” and buried herself in his arms, saying nothing more.

　　Shen Yicheng stroked her back and held the hollow behind her knee. Ning Jia suddenly shivered, covered the back of his hand, and made him stop moving upward.

　　She resisted him touching certain places.

　　Shen Yicheng did not force it. He carried her back to the scenic villa. Ning Jia hugged him from behind and still did not speak. Shen Yicheng could not figure out what she was thinking, so he let her cling to him as she wished.

　　The next day, she woke him with a shake. Ning Jia had prepared a bouquet of roses for him, and even borrowed two bicycles.

　　She wanted to ride into town. She had heard there were some nice sights there.

　　”Like in a movie?”

　　Ning Jia nodded.

　　She put the roses in the bicycle basket. Shen Yicheng’s biking skills were terrible, and in the end it became Ning Jia pushing the bike beside him, while also helping steady the back of the seat so he could learn bicycle riding faster.

　　Around them were vast green lawns and pools of water here and there. After riding for a while, Ning Jia found a grove of trees. She took a picnic mat out of her bag, along with some fruit and sandwiches.

　　Shen Yicheng looked at the slightly blurred slice of bread and asked, “You made these yourself?”

　　Ning Jia nodded.

　　So solemnly, just like a proposal.

　　As Shen Yicheng chewed on the sandwich, he wondered what he would answer if she truly proposed. The first thing that came to mind was actually, “How do I persuade my mother?” and the second was, “She’s not old enough to get a marriage certificate yet.” There was not even the slightest room to refuse. It was terrifying.

　　He really was too childish. Being with a girl as young as Ning Jia seemed to make him childish too, made him unreasonable, his rationality collapsing across the board. In a romantic little Italian town, all he wanted was to make her happy.

　　The sandwich only smelled of char-grilled ham. It could not really be called delicious. The fruit was sweet enough, though nothing special. In the grove was a pool, and there seemed to be a few pairs of swans resting on it in utter silence. For Shen Yicheng, none of this was particularly special, only Ning Jia… she counted.

　　Ning Jia hummed a little nocturne, not knowing what she was thinking.

　　Shen Yicheng stroked her hair. Ning Jia turned her head to look at him and leaned dependently onto his shoulder.

　　He toyed with her hair between his fingers, while she toyed with the rose in her hand. Suddenly, she said, “Why doesn’t Uncle like kissing?”

　　Her voice was syrupy, like rose jam.

　　Shen Yicheng was silent for a while before answering, “Because I think it’s disgusting.”

　　”Oh…” She still had the same question. “Then we won’t kiss anymore in the future?”

　　Shen Yicheng leaned close to her cheek and brushed it with his lips. Soft, tender, smooth, like freshly steamed egg white. Ning Jia’s nose rubbed against the tip of his. “That kind of kissing.”

　　”What kind?”

　　Ning Jia looked at him and pressed her lips to his. “This kind.”

　　The air was filled with the sound of his breathing. Ning Jia held back every path by which she could draw in oxygen, closed her eyes, and pressed once against his lips.

　　He parted his mouth, meeting her through the gap. Lips and teeth touched. Ning Jia’s breathing went out of rhythm, and before he could do anything else, she was already gasping hard.

　　Shen Yicheng did not laugh at her. He was gentler than ever before, holding her as he coaxed, “Don’t be nervous, Jiajia.”

　　Ning Jia gathered her courage and kissed him again. Shen Yicheng taught her how to regulate her breathing, taught her how to be intimate. Ning Jia was inexperienced yet pretending to be practiced. Shen Yicheng bent down, and she kept inhaling rapidly, her heartbeat racing. He soothed her. “Relax.”

　　Ning Jia felt as if something was about to break out of her chest and lungs. She tightened her grip on the rose and said in a tiny voice, “I want you to be mine.”

　　Shen Yicheng was speechless, stroking her, and Ning Jia held out the rose to him. “Or I can be yours.”

　　Belonging to each other, becoming each other’s only one.

　　At that time, her fantasy of love was still so pure. She did not understand that people could not truly belong to one another. In her mind, love and possession were inseparable. Ning Jia thought that perhaps she did not understand love, but she could reduce how much she asked of Shen Yicheng, and she could not lose his desire for her.

　　To become an existence that could be taken or left did not seem as good as becoming something more twisted, something where their souls merged.

　　Roses, diamonds, everything one should prepare when courting someone in a fairy tale, Ning Jia had given them all to him.

　　Ning Jia was very nervous. When she truly became nervous, she would tremble slightly. Shen Yicheng cupped her face and said, “Then what do you think we’re doing?”

　　Ning Jia answered, “I want you to tell me.”

　　She did not want vague guesses, not even verbal reassurance.

　　Shen Yicheng sighed. “You’re my girlfriend. That’s what I told Xiang Yang. When we get home, I’ll tell Aunt Zhang and the assistant too.”

　　Ning Jia waved a hand. “Don’t say it. That’s so embarrassing.”

　　Aunt Zhang probably still thought they had a purely innocent uncle and niece relationship.

　　He emphasized in a proper tone, “Study hard. As for other things, we can talk about them later.”

　　Ning Jia gave a perfunctory agreement, then pressed him again. “Do you still think kissing is disgusting?”

　　He blocked her mouth and used practical action to tell her whether he found it disgusting or not.

　　*

　　Shen Yicheng’s driving had improved somewhat. He could ride a bicycle by himself now. Ning Jia watched from behind as he wobbled forward, and for a moment she could not tell who was the elder.

　　When they reached their residence, Ning Jia asked Li the assistant downstairs to help return the bicycles, and after looking around did not find the translator, so she asked Shen Yicheng, “Did the translator姐姐 go back?”

　　”The translator姐姐 is very expensive.”

　　So she was that expensive, and yet he had agreed to let her spend two extra days accompanying Ning Jia.

　　Ning Jia asked again, “So no more business talks?”

　　Shen Yicheng wrapped an arm around her. “No more. Where else do you want to go play?”

　　Ning Jia wanted to go to Venice, so Shen Yicheng asked Li the assistant to arrange it, while he held her and went back to the room. After closing the door, Ning Jia looked at the luggage that had barely been unpacked and asked, “How many days of vacation do we still have?”

　　Shen Yicheng chuckled softly. “You’ll have to ask Li.”

　　His schedule was basically handled by his assistant and secretary. Shen Yicheng was thinking that when they went out in the future, they should bring Secretary Zhou too. Maybe Ning Jia would want a female companion with her, and it would also make things more convenient for talking.

　　Ning Jia leaned against the railing and looked at the pale blue sea. Shen Yicheng sat beside her and had no interest in admiring the scenery, only resting his chin in his hand as he looked at her.

　　Ning Jia smoothed her hair, her ears turning red, and said with her head down, “What are you looking at?”

　　”I’m looking at how many piercings your ears have left.”

　　Ning Jia touched her ears, her voice growing quieter. “Not many…”

　　Shen Yicheng told her to come over, so he could look more closely. Ning Jia climbed into his arms and sat down. He kissed her ear first, then her cheek and lips. Her hands rested on his shoulders, slowly climbing to his side face. This time, she was far more practiced than before. Ning Jia adjusted her breathing and began to lick carefully. Shen Yicheng pinched her chin and loosened her a little, and Ning Jia stared at him in a daze, leaning forward to press against him, only so she could kiss his lips.

　　”That’s enough…” Shen Yicheng stopped her from getting addicted. “We still have plenty of time.”

　　Ning Jia felt that Shen Yicheng’s lips were much tastier than his hands.

　　So she had no choice but to hug his hand tightly again. She was just about to put it in her mouth when he withdrew both hands. Ning Jia was utterly confused, like a child whose snack had been snatched away, pitiful and aggrieved.

　　Shen Yicheng ordered lunch. He told Ning Jia to eat first while he went to shower. Ning Jia did not eat much each time, but if she ate slowly, she could stuff quite a lot into her stomach. When Shen Yicheng came out, he saw her dividing a meatball into four pieces and chewing each bite carefully, her manner of eating resembling a small child.

　　He could not tell whether Ning Jia had really grown up or not. Maybe people her age were all somewhat half-mature, like green plums just pickled.

　　Ning Jia climbed clingily into his arms. Shen Yicheng held her while she ate a cheese sandwich, then lowered his head to taste a bite of hers. It really was delicious.

　　Ning Jia looked at the half slice of bread left, silently stuffed it into her mouth, and then went for the pudding. Shen Yicheng took her spoon and ate half a cup. Ning Jia cried out inwardly and, feeling wronged, finished the rest. Then she used her fork to spear a meatball. Shen Yicheng leaned in to share a bite, and Ning Jia complained, “Second Uncle, do you have to steal my food?”

　　Shen Yicheng laughed and ate her meatball in one bite. The last one.

　　Ning Jia was devastated. When a fresh plate of meatballs was brought over after that, she put her grievances aside and cleared the dish.

　　His palm wandered over her body. Ning Jia felt that he had really taken a liking to touching her lately, but that did not stop her from eating snacks. Shen Yicheng assessed her figure, then closed his hand. Ning Jia’s whole body burned hot. She did not dodge, only heard him say, “Why aren’t you gaining weight?”

　　”I’ve gained three jin already.”

　　Shen Yicheng rubbed her. “Three jin, and where did it go? Your face?”

　　How could she possibly know where those three jin had gone? More likely, the three jin had been evenly distributed and had not gone anywhere in particular.

　　”Anyway, I did gain weight…”

　　”Eat more.” Shen Yicheng said, “From now on, eat five meals a day. Small meals, more often.”

　　”Are you raising a pig?”

　　”Pigs eat more happily than you do, and they gain weight fast too.”

　　Ning Jia fiddled with her fingers. Shen Yicheng said carelessly, “How did you get your body into such bad shape? Have you been to the hospital?”

　　Ning Jia paused and leaned against his chest. “Gastritis. Nothing serious.”

　　”Try some Chinese medicine to regulate it?”

　　Ning Jia’s tongue turned bitter. “Chinese medicine… I don’t want to take it.”

　　Shen Yicheng’s tone made it clear that it was not up to her whether she wanted to or not, as if he were about to hand Ning Jia over to a doctor to deal with.

　　Ning Jia rubbed his calf with the tip of her foot, but he was utterly unmoved. “Being cute won’t work.”

　　Fate had been set. Ning Jia could only howl about it.

　　Rolling once, Ning Jia glanced at his thin lips and the dry sandalwood scent coming off his body, then leaned her mouth toward him again. Shen Yicheng asked, “You really have to kiss?”

　　”Did I make Uncle think I’m disgusting?”

　　Shen Yicheng cupped her face and kissed her deeply. Ning Jia felt something brush against her and her ears burned. She understood that he did not find her disgusting, only that he thought this was too troublesome.

　　Ning Jia remembered the whispers he had breathed into her ear the night before, and their close, intimate rubbing. “That kind is fine too.”

　　That kind of thing.

　　Shen Yicheng said, “No.”

　　Ning Jia told him that it was not illegal.

　　He pressed the back of her head and kissed her like a storm. Ning Jia was left staggering, unable to steady herself. One hand held his face while she regulated her breathing, and with the other she tried to soothe him.

　　Shen Yicheng caught her hand and lowered his eyes to meet hers. Ning Jia looked at him, her palm scorching hot. She pressed against his cheek and closed her eyes. “I thought you didn’t want to, that you thought I wasn’t attractive enough.”

　　Shen Yicheng said, “You’re attractive enough now.”

　　It was rare for Shen Yicheng to praise her, so Ning Jia put her all into it. Shen Yicheng held the back of her hand, and Ning Jia murmured, “Your hands are so big.”

　　”You like hands that much?”

　　She thought about it and said, “I don’t know… Uncle, I like your hands. They’re very good-looking.”

　　His breath brushed against her cheek. “You only like my hands?”

　　”Now I like Uncle’s mouth even more.”

　　He laughed helplessly. Ning Jia was clingy and shameless, and told him that she wanted to eat his lips every day from now on. Shen Yicheng held her and said in a hoarse voice, “You can only eat my hands.”

　　Ning Jia stopped moving and begged him, only getting halfway through before Shen Yicheng’s forehead tightened. He had not expected to be threatened like this by her, with both coercion and enticement.

　　In the end he gave in. “All yours.”

　　Ning Jia cheered. When he leaned down over her, heavy as hell, Ning Jia still wanted to nibble at his shoulder. She kissed along his neck all the way up and down, and Shen Yicheng did not get up for a long time. Ning Jia rubbed his waist with her calf, and Shen Yicheng felt somewhat on the verge of collapse. He gripped the hollow behind her knee and warned, “Don’t move around.”

　　Then Ning Jia said, “Eat my hand, Uncle.”

　　Shen Yicheng held out his hand to her, but Ning Jia wanted the other one, the one that had just been working hard. Her eyes were pure to the extreme, yet she was doing something earth-shattering and deeply sinful, even winning over Shen Yicheng’s germophobia.

　　Her hand was still sticky. Ning Jia took his finger and put it in her mouth. Shen Yicheng lay on top of her and, after a long while, said, “I’ll go wash up.”

　　Ning Jia clung to him and would not let him go. Back and forth they went, and in the end he held her hand again. Ning Jia swung her legs, looking at how hard he was suffering, and remembering the motion of his fingers in her mouth last night, she obediently leaned close to his ear and repeated it.

　　Shen Yicheng frowned. He did not want to hear any of it. Only desire and the scent of roses occupied his mind. He felt waves of nausea, but could not stop. Ning Jia’s lips came close, and he kissed her almost impatiently, easing away all his discomfort.

　　Displaced memories tangled together, finally condensing into a single point.

　　He lay on the sofa, covering his forehead, while Ning Jia’s voice grew ethereal. Shen Yicheng gradually steadied his breathing, and Ning Jia stroked his black hair until they both felt tired. Only then did Shen Yicheng hold her and sleep with his head on her chest.

　　This was the first time Ning Jia had ever seen him nap. In the past, she could hear Shen Yicheng’s breathing whether he was asleep or awake, and she could distinguish it clearly. Ning Jia seemed never to have truly slept. She knew every time he turned over, every embrace, and every unconscious kiss he pressed onto her skin.

　　Ning Jia casually wiped her hands, then hugged him and complained, “At this rate, even three jin of flesh will be pressed back off me.”

　　He could not hear her. Shen Yicheng slept very soundly, and Ning Jia envied him so much.