The Second One

Shen Yi placed both hands on her shoulders, feeling the bones beneath without discomfort.

The softness yielded under his touch, the sensation through her black sweater remarkably pleasant.

Shu Yunyi sat before the computer, her gaze fixed on the screen but her mind elsewhere. She shrugged lightly, unable to shake him off, and eventually let him be.

"Massage properly if you’re going to do it."

"No funny business, or I’ll kick you out..."

Shu Yunyi shot a glance at the hands on her shoulders, voicing her warning.

"Relax," Shen Yi assured her.

"Top-tier service guaranteed—you’ll feel amazing, alright?"

With that, he began kneading earnestly, his movements strictly professional, focused solely on relieving tension.

Shen Yi’s strength and skill were undeniable, his fingers pressing deep into her muscles, working their way down to the bones.

Gradually, Shu Yunyi’s body relaxed. Her lips parted slightly as she exhaled, her back slumping lazily against the chair.

Her fingers drifted absently over the keyboard, failing to type a single coherent word.

"Done!"

After just a few minutes, Shen Yi stopped and patted the top of her head.

"How’s that? Still sore?"

Shu Yunyi rolled her shoulders and tilted her neck left and right, testing the sensation.

"Wow, it’s actually gone. No more stiffness."

She’d been hunched over her desk for days, and her neck and shoulders had grown uncomfortably tense—such was the nature of her work.

Though she appeared youthful, her body wasn’t as resilient as it had been in her teens, where a good night’s sleep would fix everything.

Shen Yi perched on the armrest beside her and handed over her teacup.

"Glad to hear it."

"Here, take a sip. It’s just the right temperature."

A small smile tugged at Shu Yunyi’s lips as she accepted the cup. The warm tea slid down her throat, spreading heat through her chest.

"Ahh... much better," she sighed, setting the cup down with a contented exhale.

"Hey, you barely drank any. Finish it," Shen Yi chided, tapping the desk.

Shu Yunyi pulled her laptop closer, clicking distractedly.

"What’s the rush? I’ll drink it later."

"Later? It’ll be cold by then."

Shen Yi wasn’t having it—he wouldn’t rest until he saw her drain the cup.

"It’s not even that much. Down it, and I’ll refill it for you."

He lifted the cup to her lips himself.

"Hold it steady—don’t spill it," she grumbled, too stubborn to resist.

"Fine, fine, I’ll drink it, happy?"

Despite her protest, warmth bloomed in her chest. She tipped her head back and gulped the remaining tea.

"See? All gone."

"Amazing! Shu Yunyi, you’re incredible," Shen Yi teased, taking the cup back with an exaggerated thumbs-up.

"Childish!"

Shu Yunyi rolled her eyes, torn between irritation and amusement.

"Get lost! Can’t you see I’m busy? Stop distracting me."

Shen Yi stood, smirking.

"Wow, kicking me out already? Should I really leave, then?"

He took a slow step toward the door.

Shu Yunyi’s annoyance flared at his act, but the thought of him actually walking out gnawed at her. She turned her head away and snapped,

"Stay put!"

"Go sit over there and wait quietly. I’ll finish up soon."

Without another glance at him, she bent over the keyboard, typing furiously.

Shen Yi chuckled but dropped the act, his expression turning serious.

"Understood!"

He then sat to the side, resting his chin on his hand, his eyes fixed intently on Shu Yunyi.

People often say that a focused man is the most attractive, and the same holds true for women.

The more Shu Yunyi immersed herself in her work, the more captivating she became. Shen Yi couldn’t help but admire the "scenery" before him.

The room gradually fell silent, save for the faint tapping of the keyboard.

Shu Yunyi sat upright, her spine straight, her shoulder blades slightly drawn in, forming a perfect inward curve that flowed all the way down to her hips.

The dim, yellowish glow of the desk lamp spilled over her sweater, its black mesh revealing glimpses of her cool, pale skin beneath.

Lost in her work, Shu Yunyi occasionally paused to jot something down in her notebook or tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear with her pinky.

The longer Shen Yi watched, the more enchanted he became. Unable to resist, he stood up and approached her, leaning in to whisper by her ear:

"Yunyi, it’s getting late."

"Leave the rest for tomorrow. It’s time for bed..."

Shu Yunyi shivered slightly at the warmth of his breath and turned her head away, refusing.

"Tomorrow has its own tasks. I’m almost done."

"If you’re tired, go ahead and sleep first."

Shen Yi wasn’t about to let her stay alone. He shook his head firmly.

"I’m not tired... but you are."

With that, he scooped Shu Yunyi up from her seat in one swift motion. Her soft, hundred-pound body pressed against him, her delicate fragrance filling his senses.

"Ah!"

Shu Yunyi gasped as she was suddenly lifted into the air, caught off guard.

Once she regained her bearings, she quickly wrapped her arms around Shen Yi’s neck and smacked his shoulder in playful annoyance.

"You’re terrible... you scared me!"

"Hahaha!"

Shen Yi laughed heartily in response, carrying her all the way to the bedroom.

He tossed her onto the bed, where she bounced slightly from the impact, her long hair fanning out across the sheets.

Though she was bundled up tightly and hadn’t done anything suggestive, simply lying there exuded a mature, alluring charm.

Her shoes slipped off her feet one after the other, landing on the floor with a soft thud. Shen Yi crawled onto the bed beside her, pressing a kiss to her cheek before moving to her brow.

"Ah... wait a second."

Shu Yunyi suddenly remembered something urgent and pushed against Shen Yi’s chest—though he didn’t budge. Flustered, she propped herself up on her elbows and hurriedly said:

"The drawer... it’s in the drawer."

"Go get it."

......

The next morning, Shen Yi woke up right on schedule.

His internal clock never failed him.

Last night had been quite the ordeal—he’d even had to get up in the middle of the night to shower.

But Shu Yunyi wasn’t like Fu Nanzhi. Though she was at that age where desires ran high, she wasn’t as insatiable.

The reason he’d gotten up at midnight was because, as he held Shu Yunyi in his sleep, he realized she had also "shed her skin."

Unconsciously, he had rubbed flakes from her shoulders, startling himself awake.

So, he ended up carrying a drowsy Shu Yunyi to the shower, washing her thoroughly from head to toe.

Afterward, it took some coaxing and sweet-talking to finally lull her back to sleep in his arms.

In the bathroom, Shen Yi towel-dried his damp hair, revealing a tousled, short cut.

Five or six days had passed since then. Taking advantage of a grocery run, he’d stopped by the barber to trim the overgrown locks that had nearly covered his eyes.

Although it hadn't been long since his last haircut, Shen Yi was used to keeping it short. Even a little extra length made his scalp itch, and sleeping on it often left the strands sticking up awkwardly. This cut was neat and low-maintenance—just a quick tousle with his fingers in the morning, and he was good to go.

He headed downstairs to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for everyone.

Today’s meal was simpler than the past few days. After frying some eggs, Shen Yi boiled water for noodles.

He decided on yangchun noodles, just enough for three people.

Fu Nanzhi had a medical checkup scheduled today and needed to fast to avoid skewed results, so her portion wasn’t necessary.

Noodles couldn’t wait, so while the water heated, Shen Yi went back upstairs to wake the others. By the time they finished washing up, breakfast would be ready.

When he reached Fu Nanzhi’s door, he pushed it open and stepped inside.

She lay curled at the edge of the bed, her peaceful sleeping face a pleasant sight—though the blanket had slid askew, revealing a less-than-graceful sleeping posture.

Shen Yi chuckled softly, crouching beside the bed to nudge her arm.

"Wake up, time to get up."

"Mmm..."

Her eyelids fluttered slightly, but she only let out a faint murmur, still not opening her eyes.

Shen Yi tried again, leaning closer to her ear.

"Come on, Nanzhi, wake up. You have that medical checkup today, remember?"