Grabbing his backpack, Shen An soon arrived at his exclusive suite, accompanied by Zhao Qingyu.
With a beep from the golden keycard, the suite door swung open, and Shen An let out an awed “Whoa!”
The suite’s environment was exceptionally luxurious, boasting nearly seventy square meters of space, especially with that floor-to-ceiling window facing a vast expanse of blue sea.
It wasn’t quite on the level of a presidential suite, but it was undoubtedly the finest among the single rooms.
It was clear Zhao Qingyu hadn’t shortchanged him—his room was the best among all the members, including the presidents.
Of course, Zhao Qingyu herself might be an exception, since Shen An hadn’t yet seen her room.
Watching Shen An marvel in amazement, his satisfaction plain on his face, Zhao Qingyu feigned a look of disdain, but inwardly she quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
She felt a spark of joy in her heart too. She had been worried he might not like the room she’d arranged for him.
As always, her true feelings ran far deeper than her outward demeanor suggested.
In fact, her inner self was often the complete opposite of what she showed on the surface.
The more domineering and forceful she appeared, the more fragile and vulnerable she felt inside.
Shen An tossed his backpack carelessly onto the floor and dashed to the bed, flopping down onto it with such enthusiasm that the entire mattress shook.
“Mmm~”
Eyes closed, Shen An let out a series of contented groans.
Zhao Qingyu pressed a hand to her forehead and cleared her throat in reminder.
But Shen An ignored her completely, his strange moans continuing unabated, bombarding her eardrums.
“Enough!”
Zhao Qingyu snapped irritably, “Save the humming for when you’re alone.”
Shen An opened his eyes and beamed at her. “Senior Sister, you’re so good to me~”
Zhao Qingyu froze for a moment, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks. She turned her head slightly, fidgeting. “Get up, now!”
Sometimes, a simple, heartfelt statement worked better than any clever line.
And the more perceptive and sensitive a girl was, the more she appreciated that straightforward sincerity.
“Aw, come on~” Shen An rolled over, hugging a pillow. “Just let me lie here a bit longer… It feels so good…”
Nodding off in the car hadn’t been comfortable at all, especially with both his shoulders occupied by others.
Shen An’s constitution was robust, but that didn’t make him immune to physical sensations.
The accumulated fatigue was still there.
Zhao Qingyu had been about to urge him again, but seeing the weariness in his eyes and his childlike pose clutching the pillow, her heart softened despite herself.
She pursed her lips, found a seat nearby, and slowly crossed her legs, letting him rest for a while.
“Senior Sister~”
Shen An murmured softly.
“Hm?” Zhao Qingyu looked up at him.
“Staying in a suite like this must cost a fortune, right?”
“It’s probably not bad,” Zhao Qingyu replied uncertainly.
“Probably?”
“How should I know?!” Zhao Qingyu said, flustered and annoyed.
Shen An rolled over again, staring at the ceiling. “True enough. Senior Sister, you never have to pay for hotels, so why would you know the prices?”
Zhao Qingyu’s brows furrowed slightly. “Why does that sound like you’re mocking me for being out of touch with the real world?”
“Ha~”
The corner of Shen An’s mouth quirked up. “You’re overthinking it, Senior Sister. I was just sighing.”
He opened his eyes, a touch of emotion in his voice. “You know, Senior Sister, if I wanted to stay here for one night, I’d have to work part-time for ten days straight—maybe even a whole month.”
Zhao Qingyu blinked in surprise. “That can’t be necessary, can it?”
“When I came into the hotel earlier, I saw some prices at the front desk. This suite’s probably around three thousand a night.”
“Really?”
“Yeah~ Three thousand! That’s more than my entire monthly living allowance.”
Zhao Qingyu fell silent.
She didn’t know how to respond to that.
She wasn’t the type to flaunt her wealth just to feel superior.
Her family background simply was what it was.
Most of the time, she didn’t even have a clear concept of money.
Take this two-day, one-night trip, for example. The entire vacation resort had shut down its regular business for the weekend to accommodate her.
Add in the housing costs for every member, the entertainment expenses, the food and drink—each item tallied up to a considerable sum.
Put it all together, and the Student Union’s entire yearly activity budget might not even match this one getaway.
Her silence stemmed from something simpler: though she never lacked for money, she never used it to lord over others.
So, faced with Shen An’s lament, she truly didn’t know what to say.
Or rather, anything she said would feel… inappropriate.
Silence was her only response.
“But the environment here’s great. Three thousand isn’t all that expensive for this.”
After a brief pause, Shen An realized the topic was killing the mood and steered away from it.
Even standard rooms in upscale hotels ran several hundred a night, and over a thousand was common.
Let alone a high-end vacation resort like this.
Those who came here were mostly from well-off families; others wouldn’t choose a place like this for a getaway.
Zhao Qingyu rose slowly and walked to the bedside. “You seem to like it here a lot.”
“Who wouldn’t enjoy this?” Shen An said lazily. “And if you can get that enjoyment without lifting a finger, who could say no?”
“Too bad~”
He closed his eyes and murmured, “It’s only for tonight.”
Zhao Qingyu disliked the hint of dejection and listlessness in his tone. She frowned and said softly, “If you like it, you can come back often.”
“Tch, I can’t afford that kind of luxury~ Plus, the car ride alone takes hours. I’d be exhausted.”
Shen An waved it off. “Nah, no time, no money.”
“Just come with me, then.”
Zhao Qingyu offered what seemed to her a perfectly reasonable solution.
“Huh?”
“Yeah, come with me. You won’t have to pay for the room, and you can ride in my car…”
She spoke gently. “Come once a week. The round trip takes extra time, but staying two days makes it worthwhile.”
Shen An’s mouth twitched. “You’re not saying you come every weekend, are you?”
“Of course not.”
Zhao Qingyu puffed out her cheeks. “I have plenty to do normally. I’m not idle.”
“Then why suggest coming with me every week?”
“I… I was just giving an example. It doesn’t have to be weekly—every two weeks, once a month, or… whenever you’re free, right?”
“Whoa, Senior Sister, you’re being so nice to me all of a sudden. I’m not used to it.”
Shen An rubbed his shoulders, his tone teasing.
Zhao Qingyu huffed. “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.”
“?” Shen An’s smile froze. “I knew it. So, what’s the price?”
“The price?”
Zhao Qingyu leaned down. “You’re mine. That’s the price.”
Shen An narrowed his eyes. “Can I just perform without selling my body?”
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a delicate fist came flying.
But Shen An was ready. He raised his hand and caught Zhao Qingyu’s punch midair.
He grinned. “Senior Sister, let’s talk this out nicely.”
Zhao Qingyu said coldly, “Then don’t make dumb jokes like that.”
She tried to yank her hand free but couldn’t shake his grip.
Her brows knitted tighter, a chill entering her gaze.
Shen An held her fist steadily, his voice softening. “Senior Sister, my impulses are getting hard to control again.”
“You…”
Zhao Qingyu’s heart skipped a beat, panic rising. “Let go of me first.”
“Sure~”
Shen An gently released her hand, and Zhao Qingyu let out a quiet breath of relief.
But it was just a trick.
Moments after letting go, he grabbed it again.
This time, he was bolder, seizing her arm and yanking her toward him.
Zhao Qingyu had no time to react. With a startled cry, she was pulled onto the bed in an instant.
By the time she gathered her wits, she found herself lying beside Shen An, sharing the bed.
Panic flooded Zhao Qingyu as she struggled to sit up.
But Shen An moved faster.
He rolled onto his side, one arm boldly encircling her waist, pinning her in place.
His other hand, as before, gently stroked her sleek, jet-black bob.
Twirling a lock of her hair, Shen An gazed at her tenderly.
Zhao Qingyu’s breathing quickened. Meeting his eyes, she felt an unprecedented thrill roaring wildly within her.
It was a tumult she’d never known or endured before.
Like a sudden storm, it battered relentlessly, desperate to breach the seawall, unleashing the waves to flood the land unchecked.
To wash everything away.
Gradually, her struggles weakened.
Her head, which had lifted from the pillow, settled back down quietly. Zhao Qingyu pressed her lips tight, staring up at the ceiling.
She chose to ignore his hands on her waist and in her hair.
Neither spoke.
The room was utterly still.
So quiet that they could hear the wind whistling past the window.
Zhao Qingyu’s gaze lost its focus. She stared up at the ceiling, yet she remained ever aware of the man beside her.
This feeling…
It was so strange.
