BSS - Chapter 145

Chapter 145

On the late-night street, it was so quiet you couldn’t hear a thing. Inside the silent car, aside from the two people’s hurried breathing, there was only the restrained hum of the engine, almost fading into background noise. The quiet of the night was very different from ordinary silence. It wasn’t merely still; it created an atmosphere that encouraged silent restraint. On a night like this, even if emotions came on strong and fast, one couldn’t help but draw out one’s breaths, letting everything settle before releasing it.

So, as Xu Wei spoke, her tone gradually quieted. The words she uttered slowly became whispers between their lips, tugging at Deng Chuan’s nerves.

Don’t be afraid, Xu Wei said.

Don’t be sad.

I’ll always be with you.

How familiar those words sounded.

The very words Deng Chuan had once said to Xu Wei were now being returned to her by Xu Wei at a different time, from a different starting point, but with the same cherished sentiment.

Deng Chuan quickly realized this. She panted, unable to stop herself from raising an arm to wrap around Xu Wei’s waist.

Xu Wei leaned over, and a few loose strands of her hair fell onto Deng Chuan’s face, which she immediately and gently brushed away.

As Xu Wei brushed her hair aside, their faces became clearer to each other. Deng Chuan could now see Xu Wei’s expression. As she spoke those familiar words, her face held an innocent sincerity that made it almost impossible to look away, and it made Deng Chuan’s heart ache with a tender pang.

With that sincerity, Xu Wei kissed her. Deng Chuan sighed through her parted lips, wondering how she could explain to Xu Wei that her silence was no longer due to reluctance, but a kind of frank composure that had bloomed in the face of the present Xu Wei, at this present moment. It was like a red-hot iron plunged into cold water, about to be forged into a hard, cold blade. The old Deng Chuan, when saying those same words to Xu Wei, would have worn the same earnest expression. Deng Chuan had no doubt about the truth of her feelings for Xu Wei. Of course they were true, just as her urgent desire to become better and more mature was true. So, on this late night when she had run away with Xu Wei, Deng Chuan had already learned to suppress her surging emotions. She was already becoming an adult.

But at this very moment, Xu Wei chose to slowly reveal, from beneath her bona fide adult shell, the innocent spirit of her youth that belonged to her original soul.

It was so moving.

Deng Chuan couldn’t help but think that this was the first time she had ever seen this side of Xu Wei.

The sound of the engine gradually faded into silence, replaced by the profound quiet of the night. Time was slowly stretched out by the darkness, turning this night into a boundless sea.

Xu Wei leaned down and captured Deng Chuan’s lips, sealing them with a kiss, sealing in all the surging tenderness in Deng Chuan’s heart. The name she was about to call out was also sealed by Xu Wei’s kiss. Xu Wei patiently kissed Deng Chuan’s breathless lips, then slid her kisses over Deng Chuan’s ear, jaw, and neck.

As Xu Wei kissed her, her movements were so gentle that Deng Chuan couldn’t even bear to frown.

While kissing her, one of Xu Wei’s hands gently supported Deng Chuan’s upturned neck. The coolness of the metal ring at the base of her ring finger branded itself onto Deng Chuan’s heated skin, like an extra touch of consideration.

And it was this very touch of coolness that allowed Deng Chuan to find her bearings amidst the rising and falling heat, like a sailboat on the sea spotting the coast.

Xu Wei moved close to Deng Chuan’s ear. They rarely had such intimate moments when both of them were so completely lucid. They gazed into each other’s eyes, confirming that they were both wide awake. Then Deng Chuan blinked, signaling for Xu Wei to come and hold her.

As expected, a smile flickered in Xu Wei’s eyes, followed by heartache and loving pity. Deng Chuan saw it more clearly this time. It was the look of Xu Wei striving to protect her Little Friend, who was now actively showing vulnerability.

So, against the backdrop of the night, Deng Chuan’s heart settled a little. With her newfound calm, she thought, I have to protect this innocence of Xu Wei’s, too.

But when she looked into Xu Wei’s eyes, it seemed Xu Wei was thinking the exact same thing.

It was as if the god of fate had assembled a full hand and slapped it on the table with a soft thud. An unconscious sigh escaped Deng Chuan’s lips.

And to top it off, Xu Wei was cupping her face at that moment, coaxing her, “Don’t worry.”

Deng Chuan gazed into her eyes and shook her head. I’m not worried, she thought.

She thought, I’m happy.

When Deng Chuan first met Xu Wei, she felt that Xu Wei was someone who valued her personal space. She had even thought—with a hint of joy and care she hadn't yet recognized—Just like me.

But now, at this moment, a moment when they would strive together and could accompany each other, Deng Chuan understood completely:

Ultimately, she and Xu Wei were essentially the same kind of person.

The same coolness, the same pride, the same sincerity, the same tenderness, just embedded in different points in time and molded into different forms.

When two identical souls meet, even if the timing is wrong, the era is wrong, and their fates are intertwined, they will still be drawn to each other.

They were destined to be together. Destined to cherish and protect one another.

A clear smile spread across Deng Chuan’s lips.

Having confirmed this fact, she became more composed. She thought further: she was still growing up, but Xu Wei was different. Xu Wei’s innocence was so precious. Deng Chuan secretly resolved to forever cherish and protect Xu Wei’s innocence. And from Xu Wei’s perspective, she was willing to forever be the child in Xu Wei’s heart who relied on her.

Deng Chuan thus allowed her heart to soften, which in turn sent an excited shiver through her body.

Her Little Friend was watching her with wide eyes, her gaze hazy in the dim light. It made Xu Wei want to see her more clearly. She reached out, tucking the hair that had fallen on Deng Chuan’s face behind her ear, then straightened her clothes. Seeing Deng Chuan’s lips trembling slightly, she quickly asked in a soft voice, “Are you cold? Should I turn up the AC?”

In truth, Xu Wei’s question was a case of caring so much it muddled her thinking. Both of them were sweating to some degree. Even if they were to turn up the AC, it would be to prevent catching a cold; it had nothing to do with feeling cold.

But Deng Chuan played along, shrinking back a little before putting on the expression of a pitiful puppy. She reached out her arms to Xu Wei for a hug, then nuzzled her cheek against Xu Wei’s as she leaned in.

Xu Wei leaned closer. She was soft and fragrant. Overwhelmed by emotion, Deng Chuan couldn’t resist opening her mouth and biting her cheek. Xu Wei hissed in surprise and sat up straight, patting her. “What’s wrong with you?”

“I love you too much.” The Little Friend’s eyes were smiling, clearly very satisfied. “I love you.”

Hearing this, Xu Wei subconsciously glanced to the side, seemingly shy. It took her a few seconds to react before she reached out to pinch Deng Chuan’s cheek. “You little fool… what are you saying.”

Deng Chuan once again put on the expression of a puppy with its arms outstretched, asking for a hug.

Deng Chuan held out her arms, and Xu Wei, feigning reluctance, settled back into her embrace. Deng Chuan’s hands held Xu Wei’s waist in a seamless embrace. They snuggled together, looking out the car window at the dark blue wall beyond.

As they watched, Deng Chuan suddenly spoke. “Why did you change to that profile picture back then?”

Xu Wei said, “I was in a bad mood at the time.”

Deng Chuan asked again, “Then why are you still using it? Are you still in a bad mood?”

“Of course not.” Xu Wei smiled and turned her head, then planted a kiss on Deng Chuan’s ear, which was red from arousal. “Now, of course, it’s because I’m in a good mood.”

They flattened the front passenger seat and covered themselves with a jacket Xu Wei usually kept in the car, chatting idly. By the time they were at the airport the next morning for the drop-off, both of them looked exhausted, forcing themselves to stay awake.

Deng Chuan could see the disapproval of them staying up all night practically overflowing from her mom’s eyes.

While Xu Wei talked with Lao Deng and the others, Deng Chuan went to buy coffee. When she returned, her parents had already left, reassured. Xu Wei drank her coffee while Deng Chuan, wearing gloves, held a sandwich and offered her the first bite. “What did my mom and dad say?”

“Nothing much,” Xu Wei said lightly, pointing at her hair. “Tie your hair up before you eat.”

Hearing this, Deng Chuan obediently put down her sandwich, took off her gloves, and pulled the hair tie she always wore on her wrist to simply tie up her hair.

Xu Wei watched this series of actions, a smile flowing from the corners of her eyes and brows. She couldn’t help but say, “If you’re really going to wear it, let me get you a nicer one.” At first, she hadn’t noticed her Little Friend’s stubbornness about this, but after seeing it so often, she finally understood Deng Chuan’s intentions.

Frankly, Xu Wei liked this behavior of Deng Chuan’s; it gave her a sense of belonging, of having been claimed. She had always worn the ring Deng Chuan gave her, of course, out of a similar desire to declare her own claim.

In a relationship, everyone feels possessive. It’s a two-way street.

Xu Wei propped her head on one hand. Her face showed some fatigue from the lack of sleep, but this fatigue made her look even gentler, almost completely offsetting her usual cool demeanor in public. In the bustling airport coffee shop, several people had already passed by, stealing glances at her in just a short time.

Deng Chuan was already a little unhappy about that, and her eyes lit up at Xu Wei’s words. “Okay.” She held out a hand to Xu Wei, palm open. “Give it to me now. I don’t want a nice one, I want one you’ve used.”

Xu Wei chuckled. “Look at you, so pathetic.”

Perhaps because her brain was sluggish from lack of sleep, on a whim, Xu Wei also extended a hand and placed it in Deng Chuan’s palm. She deliberately spoke very slowly, in a very low voice, “I’ve already given you my whole self, and you’re still thinking about things I’ve used?”

For a rare moment, Deng Chuan could only say, “Huh?” Her mind hadn’t caught up, but she remembered to hold tightly onto Xu Wei’s hand.

Seeing her subconscious reaction, Xu Wei was both exasperated and amused. “Let go… I’ll pick a good one for you when we get back.”

Her Little Friend clung to her hand, reluctant to let go, wanting to say more, but not forgetting to glare at a man who was craning his neck to look at Xu Wei as he passed by.

Xu Wei followed her gaze and understood, then gently traced a finger across her palm.

Deng Chuan’s attention snapped back to her, just in time to see Xu Wei leaning her face closer.

She involuntarily leaned in as well, and then-

She was kissed soundly on the mouth.

The man nearby looked like his eyes were about to fall out of his head, as if he’d seen a ghost.

There was a clatter from the table behind them; a fork must have fallen onto a ceramic plate.

Deng Chuan didn’t want to pay attention to any of it. Xu Wei’s lips still carried the rich aroma of coffee, and she was looking at her, her eyes curved into a smile, full of tenderness.

On this early summer morning, the eight or nine o’clock sun was already intense, but the air conditioning in the airport was strong. The sunlight that fell on them was stripped of its scorching heat, leaving only a warm shell.

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