Chapter 44: A Gentle Pinch on the Cheek
In the instant he lifted his head, Gu Zehuai’s face was gently cupped by a pair of hands—Wen Jiu’s hands, still warm from the water, pressed softly against his cheeks. For the first time, Gu Zehuai found himself meeting Wen Jiu’s gaze, and only then did he see the expression on her face.
Wen Jiu was smiling, her hands still resting lightly on his face.
She had just listened to Gu Zehuai speak at length, and at first, she hadn’t quite processed his words. But soon enough, she accepted them—she had already been prepared for this moment, and these were, after all, the words she had longed to hear.
Seeing Gu Zehuai standing there with his head lowered, too nervous to meet her eyes, afraid of rejection and visibly tense, Wen Jiu felt a pang of sympathy. Without thinking, she reached out her hands, gently lifting his face so he could look at her.
As Gu Zehuai saw her expression, he realized there was no displeasure—on the contrary, her eyes glimmered with amusement.
Clearing her throat, Wen Jiu nonchalantly withdrew her hands. Truth be told, his face felt rather nice to the touch.
Her expression grew serious as she looked at Gu Zehuai and shared her thoughts. “Gu Zehuai, you say you like me, but I can’t agree or refuse you hastily just because of a few words. That wouldn’t be fair to either of us. I need some time to think about it—will that be all right?”
The moment Gu Zehuai heard this, he knew there was hope. He nodded eagerly, making his sincerity clear.
“Jiujiu, you’re right. I’ll show you with my actions that I truly mean what I say!”
Wen Jiu nodded, her earlier solemnity fading, and with a playful smile, she chided him, “All right, relax a little. You’re the one who made things so tense.”
Gu Zehuai responded at once, agreeing.
Once the tension faded, an awkwardness lingered between them. Still, Gu Zehuai was reluctant for Wen Jiu to leave so soon.
And Wen Jiu felt the same. She replayed Gu Zehuai’s confession and her own response in her mind—despite the awkwardness, he had really confessed to her! The cleverest hunter often appears as prey. She would never confess first; she’d always intended to wait for Gu Zehuai to take the initiative.
After a while, Wen Jiu stood up, preparing to head home. Though Gu Zehuai was reluctant, he walked her to the door, waiting as she entered.
But just as Wen Jiu was a step from her door, she suddenly turned around, looking at Gu Zehuai with bright, expectant eyes, a hint of shyness coloring her face. “Can I pinch your cheek one more time?” she asked.
Gu Zehuai, feigning aloofness, replied, “My cheeks are only for my girlfriend to pinch.”
Wen Jiu pretended to be disappointed. “All right, then save them for your girlfriend. I’ll go in now.”
She made as if to turn away, but Gu Zehuai quickly caught her wrist. “Wait—there’s no girlfriend yet; I haven’t won you over, have I? If this counts toward the test, then go ahead, pinch as much as you like.”
He guided her hand upward.
Without hesitation, Wen Jiu reached out and gently pinched his cheek. It felt as nice as before—Gu Zehuai’s skin was flawless, pale and smooth, not a pore in sight.
Having satisfied her wish, Wen Jiu withdrew her hand, quickly unlocked the door, and, waving goodbye, slipped inside.
Gu Zehuai remained where he was, the warmth of her touch lingering on his hand. After standing there a moment longer, a smile broke across his face before he finally headed home.
Inside, Wen Jiu leaned against the door, taking several deep breaths.
That was close—she’d almost lost control! Gu Zehuai was so handsome, it was hard not to be swept away.
She scolded herself silently. She must remain composed!
After her shower, Wen Jiu received a message from Gu Zehuai.
“Are you free tomorrow night? Would you like to go see a movie together?”
Tomorrow was Friday—almost the weekend.
She replied, “Sure.”
Gu Zehuai’s response came almost instantly: a sticker of an animated figure leaping three feet into the air with joy.
It was his way of showing how happy he was, and Wen Jiu couldn’t help but laugh.