Chapter 20: A Sleepless Night

When Du Gu Yi had finished applying the medicine and returned to the bedroom, Gu Xin Yao was already asleep. The warm amber glow from the bedside wall lamp still illuminated the room softly. She had left most of the bed for him. The wedding earlier that day had been exhausting, so it was only natural that she fell asleep. He stood by the bed but lingered before slipping under the covers. Her sleeping posture was so proper—lying slightly on her side facing him, one hand resting atop the blanket. Even in sleep, the corners of her mouth lifted slightly, as if dreaming of something delightful.

Unconsciously, he bent down, letting his fingers glide gently over her face, soft and tender. She wasn’t the best woman he could have met, nor the most beautiful, yet somehow he had chosen her. It was remarkable, even surprising to himself.

He just looked at her for a long while, then slowly, a smile curved his lips.

He had never been a gambler, but this time, he decided to take fate’s gamble. He lifted the blanket and lay down, casually switching off the wall lamp.

Perhaps unused to sharing a bed with someone else, Gu Xin Yao shifted closer to him as he settled beside her, pressing against him and never moving away afterward.

At first, Du Gu Yi felt uneasy. He was used to sleeping alone; now with her so close, he tried to inch backward. But she was clingy in her sleep—whenever he moved, she moved with him, nearly pushing him off the bed. In the end, he compromised, scooting closer to her side to claim half of the bed.

Just as he got comfortable, she wrapped around him like an octopus, setting his heart pounding wildly, while she slept peacefully as if nothing was happening. He silently recited legal statutes in his mind, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t suppress the fluttering feelings stirred by their physical contact. He gave up and simply watched her.

Unfortunately, Gu Xin Yao was utterly exhausted. Even if someone shone a thousand-watt light on her, she might not wake up—not to mention his gaze. After half an hour, Du Gu Yi finally conceded. He reflected that this must be punishment; earlier, he had refused her, and now she was tormenting him in this way.

Thankfully, although she liked to snuggle and hold him while sleeping, she made no other moves. He smiled wryly at the curtains. Being held all night like this—how could he sleep?

Her warm breath against his neck felt like a child’s fingers tickling him—not disturbing, but impossible to get comfortable.

“Xin Yao! Wake up! Xin Yao…” Du Gu Yi wanted to free himself from her arms entwined around his waist, but she seemed determined in her sleep to hold on tight. Unless he broke her arm, his desire for freedom was just a wish. Reluctantly, he whispered softly by her ear.

His voice roused her. Half-awake, her gaze unfocused, she suddenly pressed a firm, clear kiss on his lips.

The kiss stunned Du Gu Yi, but the surprise was brief. Like a sleepwalker, she began leaving soft, scattered kisses on his lips, chin, neck, and collarbone.

He felt a tightening in his abdomen, a surge of heat gathering downward. He was no wooden doll—such a strong stimulus was nearly unbearable.

Just as he was about to stop her and she was about to pull open his robe to continue, somehow she nestled onto his chest and fell asleep again. Her steady, even breaths made Du Gu Yi both amused and helpless. He had truly intended to stop her, and even if he couldn’t, he wasn’t ready yet. Yet she stopped on her own.

Looking at the woman sleeping sweetly on his chest, he sighed helplessly. Using force, he sat up and carefully lifted her onto the pillow.

Before he could get up, she pulled him into her arms. Now, it was he who lay atop her. If expressions could be made tangible, his face would be full of disbelief.

He glared at her sleeping form, secretly grumbling: who said she had good sleeping manners and wouldn’t crush him? That was a lie. Then he couldn’t help but laugh—she was asleep, how could she know?

She really was a complete fool.

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He lifted his head to look at her sleeping face. She was quite pretty, just not into much makeup. Today was their wedding day, and his mother had hired the country’s best makeup artist, highlighting all her best features. Seeing her at the ceremony, he barely recognized the woman who usually didn’t bother with her appearance.

Without makeup, she possessed a natural, pure beauty. Perhaps that night was why he was drawn to her, and why he impulsively proposed marriage.

He shook his head. Too many things happened today for him to sort out, but one thing was clear: if this kept up, he wouldn’t get any sleep.

Supporting himself on one arm, he reached behind to tug away her hand wrapped around his waist. Although she resisted, he insisted and pried her fingers free, then pushed his pillow into her arms. Finally, he was free.

He quietly slipped off the bed and looked back into the darkness. She still clutched the pillow, probably sleeping soundly. He smiled softly, eyes filled with tenderness, then left the bedroom and gently closed the door.

The moment the door clicked shut, in the dark room, a pair of clear eyes opened wide. Gu Xin Yao sighed. She had hoped to bridge the gap between them through sleepwalking but had failed.

She set aside the pillow and rubbed her messy hair, scolding herself for being silly. She should have kept going earlier but had stopped when she noticed his stiffness, softening her resolve.

She was never one to give up easily; otherwise, she wouldn’t have become a chief engineer at such a young age. She thought back to movies she had seen—how male leads coaxed female leads into surrendering.

Recalling the limited films she’d watched, her frown eased. Yes, she remembered one she’d seen before arriving here. Though it felt a bit shady, it was better than being stuck and frustrated.

Quietly, she got out of bed, unsure where he had gone.

Opening the door, only one wall lamp glowed in the living room—but Du Gu Yi was nowhere to be seen.

She glanced around, then heard the sound of running water from the guest room on the right wing. Ha, he was taking a shower—so he must have felt something earlier.

Snapping her fingers, she thought, this made things easier.

This wasn’t her era—here, men didn’t always chase women. If she wanted happiness, she had to be proactive herself.

Encouraging herself, she tiptoed toward the bathroom.

Inside, besides the water, it was silent. Gu Xin Yao lightly slapped herself. She was growing more and more lascivious in her thoughts, corrupted by that movie.

It was late, and Du Gu Yi hadn’t expected her to wake up, so the bathroom door wasn’t locked. She pushed it open just a crack with one finger.

What she saw made her feel like blood might spurt from her nose. Du Gu Yi appeared to be taking a cold shower, no steam to obscure the view. She could see his body clearly.

Indeed, he was a handsome man with perfectly proportioned lines. Water ran down his chest muscles, the scene resembling an angel among mortals. He tilted his head back, letting water wash over his face, unaware of the voyeur at the door.

“So beautiful…” Before she could finish her admiration, she leaned too heavily and the door banged against the wall. The echo wasn’t loud, but it startled Du Gu Yi.

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He instinctively covered himself. When he saw who it was, Gu Xin Yao was scrambling up from the floor, looking utterly embarrassed.

She thought herself incredibly unlucky—never before had she been so clumsy: caught spying on a man showering. Though technically she had a right, it still felt improper. She had promised to wait for him but ended up sneaking a peek. If anyone knew, they’d laugh themselves silly.

“Um, I—I just woke up and saw you weren’t there. I thought something might have happened, so I came to find you,” she stammered, wiping the water from her face, utterly mortified.

Du Gu Yi looked at her in surprise. His hands still modestly covered him, but his tension eased.

Listening to her flustered explanation and seeing her unsure where to look, he almost laughed but held it back.

“I’m fine. You should go back to sleep. I’ll be back soon.” Though the conversation felt awkward, he spoke kindly.

She was still standing there, making it hard for him to continue showering. And even if he wanted to dress, she had to leave first—his clothes were hanging on her side.

“Ah? Oh, okay,” Gu Xin Yao said, glancing at him. Seeing no anger on his face, she relaxed, though her bold plan to captivate him shrank back. Nervously, she gripped the door handle, unsure whether to close it or not. Leaving it open seemed awkward, but shutting it made her reluctant to part.

After hesitating, she chose to retreat, closing the door behind her. Leaning against the wall, her heart raced. Closing her eyes, she saw Du Gu Yi’s body again—his physique even better than the famous David sculpture.

Last time they were together, she had been too nervous to enjoy it, so she hadn’t had much chance to look. This time, she truly saw him, blushing deeply. Really, really...

Covering her face, she gave up on the risqué idea. She lacked the courage and boldness of movie heroes. Instead, she decided to slowly win him over and wait for him to make the first move.

With that resolve, she floated back to the bedroom as if walking on clouds.

This time, she truly slept. When Du Gu Yi returned chilled and slipped under the covers, she was sound asleep, lying properly, and none of the earlier incidents repeated.

Du Gu Yi, lying in bed, was a little surprised. When he realized she might never have truly slept earlier but was sleepwalking to try to get closer, he quietly chuckled. He didn’t think she was cunning, just amusing. Her charm seemed no less engaging than his passion for work.

With these thoughts, he closed his eyes. Though the night was restless, it was also sweetly peaceful.