SBAB Chapter 48

She cried, her eyes swollen and red, and took the cup of unsweetened coffee that Lin Xin had tried when they first met. The quadruple-strength coffee sat uneasily in her throat, bringing Cheng Shiyin endless, inescapable bitterness.

Until the sun rose again, until Lin Xin suddenly lowered his head and poured pure, sweet affection into her mouth. From then on, that cup of coffee seemed to vanish from their lives.

Cheng Shiyin closed her eyes, feeling Lin Xin’s answer: simple, direct, forceful, yet cautious.

This was Lin Xin’s first kiss, one he gave entirely in the flow of emotion, with no technique involved.

But how could Cheng Shiyin easily let go of this cautious person’s rare boldness? Lin Xin had already stepped forward with his left foot, so couldn’t she step forward with her right, moving toward him? Just like in a dance, when two partners close the distance between them.

Cheng Shiyin stepped diagonally forward, turning her body, pressing Lin Xin—who had hesitated, showing signs of pulling back—against the door. She wrapped her arms around his neck and forcefully pressed his hesitant head down.

[This is what an older sister does on New Year’s, got it? Silly boy.]

Cheng Shiyin used her tongue to pry open Lin Xin’s lips, which were harder than a rock and dumber than his brain.

[Kissing isn’t just about two mouths meeting, you know?]

Cheng Shiyin was like a strict teacher, offering no explanations, just relentlessly imparting a wealth of knowledge to Lin Xin. She moved her tongue, simulating the movement of a snake, exploring deeper into his throat, until it coiled around him like a constricting serpent trapping its prey. Unable to escape, he could only helplessly experience his surrender.

Lin Xin’s shock lasted only a second; he quickly closed his eyes, no longer staring in disbelief. He gave up any futile resistance—he had been “strangled” by her.

Cheng Shiyin let go of his limp and powerless tongue, focusing once again on the lips that had once been tightly shut. She placed her upper lip between his, preventing them from closing, and gently captured his defenseless lower lip. The tongue that had just feasted moved softly over his lower lip, caressing him repeatedly, like feathers teasing at his heart.

It felt ticklish, numbingly sweet.

Suddenly, the feather left his heart, but the numb, sweet sensation remained. Lin Xin’s legs weakened, and he half-sank, leaning against the door, his back damp, gasping for air, his eyes still fixed on Cheng Shiyin, who had let go of him.

Lin Xin was too stunned by the sudden situation. He knew this was Cheng Shiyin’s way of showing him her mutual affection, yet he instinctively wanted to deny it, unable to forget the feeling of unrequited love he had grown accustomed to.

Cheng Shiyin read his emotions from his eyes. Before Lin Xin could utter any words that would hurt himself, she sealed his mouth once again. This time, her attitude was firmer, her movements even more forceful, almost rough.

[Show some courage.]

[Like I am.]

Cheng Shiyin kept stimulating Lin Xin’s senses, constantly conveying her feelings to him, like a series of heart-stimulating injections hitting his heart.

Finally, the shift came.

Lin Xin’s body was no longer weak; he stood upright, gently pushing Cheng Shiyin—who could only kiss him on tiptoe—away from him. One hand grasped her shoulder, looking deeply into her eyes, while the other hand cupped her face.

[I love you.]

He said, “I like you.” The words were on his lips, but in the end, he switched to a lighter phrasing, only to add one more thing at the end: “Forever.” It felt like a return to the starting point.

Lin Xin quietly smiled, then fixated on the red lips he had just tasted. So, he lowered his head once again to show Cheng Shiyin the results of his earlier learning.

This time, it became a tug-of-war between the two of them. Neither of them was willing to back down, neither was willing to let go of the other.

In a daze, the door somehow closed, likely pushed by someone’s heel. Their bodies tangled together, leading them to the biggest piece of furniture in the bedroom. Had the table lamp on the bedside table not crashed to the floor, they might not have even realized they had both ended up with lips as full as Angelina Jolie’s.

Their gazes met, Lin Xin’s arms braced on either side of Cheng Shiyin’s face, his eyes filled with passion as he stared into hers. Both of their clothes were damp with sweat, and Cheng Shiyin’s collar hung half off her shoulder, the air around them thick with an unmistakable tension.

After stopping the frenzied kiss, Cheng Shiyin finally had the chance to give Lin Xin a clear answer. She looked into his eyes, tilted her neck, and quickly kissed him on the cheek. “I like you too,” she said.

Unlike the earlier intensity, it made Lin Xin’s heart race even faster.

“Thump, thump, thump, thump.” Four beats in a second.

Lin Xin wanted to know if Cheng Shiyin’s heart was racing as wildly as his. Before he could ask, he found his gaze inexplicably shifting downward, and then… Lin Xin had no choice but to jump up and crouch in the corner of the room.

Long time no see, friend. You’re still as lively as ever! Lin Xin thought to himself.