Chapter 22 (1/2): I Can Only Sleep With You
It was ten o’clock at night on the street. Although some shops nearby still had their lights on, the surroundings were very quiet.
Occasionally, a car would pass by on the road.
At the entrance of the residential complex, a tall and slender man wrapped his arms around the person in his embrace.
The two of them seemed as if they were on a deserted island, completely detached from everything around them.
After a long moment, Cheng Jinyu looked up at the nearby driver and said, “Thank you for safely bringing her home. It’s so late now, you should go back and rest.”
Cheng Jinyu had been in a position of authority for so long that even his words of gratitude carried an imposing presence.
The driver instinctively replied, “Alright, alright, I’ll head back first.”
Just as he was about to leave, the driver glanced at Cheng Jinyu and couldn’t help but say, “Sorry, Mr. Meng, I misunderstood you earlier.”
Mr. Meng.
For this awkward form of address, Cheng Jinyu instead raised his eyebrows and smiled.
“It’s nothing. It’s better to be cautious,” Cheng Jinyu nodded slightly.
The driver knew better than to say much, nodded in return, and got back in the car to leave.
Cheng Jinyu then lowered his head to look at the person in his arms. Ever since she had leaned against him, she had become somewhat quieter, as if she had fallen asleep.
“Meng Chu, let’s go home.”
He spoke softly.
The person in his arms didn’t make a sound, so Cheng Jinyu had no choice but to let her get into his car first.
She was well-behaved the entire time; if he told her to get in, she would.
When they arrived downstairs at her building, Cheng Jinyu opened the passenger door and unbuckled his seatbelt.
Since she was lying on the driver’s seat, Cheng Jinyu bent over to pick her up.
But just as he was about to pull her into his arms, Meng Chu, who had originally kept her eyes closed, slowly opened them.
She looked at the man before her, as if trying hard to recognize him for a long while, and finally asked quietly, “Why are you here?”
Cheng Jinyu was amused by her and asked softly, “Don’t you remember how you got home?”
Huh?
Meng Chu looked at him in a daze, clearly her memories were fragmented in pieces.
Cheng Jinyu was helpless; he reached out to half-support, half-carry her out of the car.
“Let’s go. Let’s go home first.”
After the two went upstairs, Meng Chu reached into her bag to find her keys.
She searched for a long time but couldn’t find them.
Cheng Jinyu took her bag and looked inside. After a moment, he finally found the keys.
Once the door opened and the lights turned on, the Little Robot’s cute mechanical voice sounded softly in the quiet living room: “Chu Chu, welcome home.”
“Thank you,” Meng Chu bowed deeply in the direction of the Little Robot.
Her action made Cheng Jinyu laugh.
Although Cheng Jinyu was a bit annoyed and worried that she was so drunk she smelled of alcohol, seeing her like this— a little drunk and still adorable— was just too much to handle.
“Alright, no more greetings. Change your shoes and go lie down in the room,” Cheng Jinyu’s tone took on a coaxing softness as he spoke to her.
Meng Chu dazedly changed her shoes while Cheng Jinyu found the slippers he had brought last time in the cabinet.
Just as he slipped into his slippers, Meng Chu staggered forward unsteadily.
Seeing her unable to walk a straight line, Cheng Jinyu stepped forward and held her gently.
He then laid Meng Chu down on the bed and found the air conditioner switch beside the bed.
“I’ll go get you a glass of water,” he said softly, bending over to look at the person on the bed.
Meng Chu closed her eyes and muttered something indistinctly.
Cheng Jinyu left the room and headed straight to the kitchen.
After opening the refrigerator, he saw various yogurts, milk, bread, and bottled water inside.
He searched carefully and finally found an unopened jar of honey citron tea on the top shelf.
He checked the expiration date— it was still good.
He easily twisted open the cap.
Noticing there was no hot water in the house, he took the kettle from the dining table.
As he poured the mineral water into the kettle, it began to whistle as it heated up.
Cheng Jinyu returned to the room to check on Meng Chu.
She had shifted from lying on her back to lying face down on the bed.
“What’s wrong?” Cheng Jinyu asked, kneeling beside the bed and looking down at her.
Meng Chu opened her eyes, which were glistening with unshed tears, her face full of grievance. “My head hurts.”
“Lie down, I’ll rub it for you.”
Before saying this, Cheng Jinyu had never known that he could be so patient at home.
Meng Chu shook her head, “I just want to lie face down.”
Earlier she was lying on the bed, her head pounding fiercely. Although her eyelids were heavy, she just couldn’t fall asleep, and her stomach churned with discomfort.
“Alright, then lie face down.”
Cheng Jinyu chuckled softly.
After getting drunk, her personality was no longer so reserved; it felt like she was letting her true self show.
She could be coquettish, and she could make demands—anything.
Cheng Jinyu began massaging her forehead to ease the feverish sensation.
He was about to get up to get water.
But just as he rose, he looked down and saw Meng Chu with her head tilted up, her eyes still misty with unshed tears.
“Where are you going?” she pouted and asked pitifully.
Cheng Jinyu slowly knelt beside the bed, staring at her face with a gentle smile. “I’m going to get you some water, be good.”
His warm voice seemed to immediately soothe her.
Her fingers relaxed their grip and just before completely letting go, she looked up at him.
“Hurry up.”
How could Cheng Jinyu refuse such a near-sweet plea?
He nodded and said, “Alright, I’ll be right back.”
Apparently not fully trusting his promise yet, Meng Chu loosened her fingers.
Cheng Jinyu went outside and quickly poured a cup of honey citron tea with hot water. Worried it was too hot, he fetched a bottle of water from the fridge and diluted it, cooling it down.
When he brought the cup back, Meng Chu took it and drank it all in one gulp.
Seeing how thirsty she was, Cheng Jinyu took the empty cup and asked, “Do you want more?”
“No,” Meng Chu shook her head, lying face down with her cheek pressed against the sheet. In a low voice, she said, “It’s sweet.”
Cheng Jinyu placed the cup on the bedside table and said, “Then close your eyes and sleep.”
Meng Chu hummed in agreement and seemed to fall asleep again.
He thought she would obediently sleep through the night.
But just as he finished speaking, Meng Chu suddenly opened her eyes and stared at him intently.
“I haven’t taken a shower yet,” she said, looking at him.
At that moment, Cheng Jinyu’s heart skipped a beat, but he calmly asked, “What do you want to do?”
Meng Chu propped herself up on her hands and sat up. “I have to take a shower.”
“You’re drunk, Meng Chu,” Cheng Jinyu reminded her quietly.
It was never wise to argue with someone drunk.
While he was speaking, Meng Chu was already walking toward the wardrobe. She opened it and muttered softly, “Where’s my pajamas? I have to shower. I have to shower before sleeping, otherwise I’ll smell bad.”
Standing behind her, Cheng Jinyu heard her muttering and couldn’t help but want to smile.
Finally, Meng Chu found her pajamas and then opened a drawer. “And my underwear too.”
The white wardrobe was organized meticulously, and when she opened the drawer, her underwear—white, pink, and gray—came into view and caught Cheng Jinyu’s eyes.
He slightly turned his body to avoid looking.
Meng Chu took the clothes and headed toward the bathroom.
“Meng Chu, it’s not safe for you to shower like this.”
Cheng Jinyu reached out and grabbed her arm.
Meng Chu looked at him with a face full of grievance, “But I’ll get stinky.”
Cheng Jinyu was helpless but followed her to the bathroom door. Before she went in, he made a decision and said, “Don’t close the door while you shower.”
That way, if she really slipped or something happened, he could rush in immediately.
Meng Chu blinked, seemingly using the last bit of logic her brain had to process this.
Cheng Jinyu explained, “I’m just worried you might fall.”
This time, Meng Chu obediently nodded.
*
Soon after, the bathroom door closed—but wasn’t locked.
Leaning against the wall beside the door, Cheng Jinyu listened to the sound of running water inside.
Though he smoked occasionally — sometimes Jiang Min’an and the others would invite him to their cigar gatherings—he never really had a strong addiction.
He usually didn’t even carry cigarettes.
Yet for some reason, his throat felt itchy now.
He really wanted a cigarette.
After some time, his phone in his pocket vibrated suddenly.
Cheng Jinyu took it out and saw it was Jiang Min’an calling.
At first, he didn’t want to answer, but then he changed his mind and picked up. “Hello.”
“Are you home? Come out for drinks,” Jiang Min’an was a social butterfly, good at schmoozing and gathering people. There was no one he couldn’t befriend. Naturally, his social calendar was packed, and he often organized gatherings.
Cheng Jinyu leaned against the wall, his voice lazy: “Not going.”
“Still at the company or at home?” Jiang Min’an knew him well — he was a workaholic. It was quiet on his end, so probably not at some event.
“Home,” Cheng Jinyu replied nonchalantly.
Since Meng Chu’s place was, in a sense, his home now, he could enter without hesitation.
“What are you doing at home?” Jiang Min’an asked.
Cheng Jinyu listened to the continuous sound of water and replied slowly, “Being the Door Guardian.”
Door Guardian?
Jiang Min’an thought he was imagining things and asked, “You’re being the Door Guardian at home? What kind of obsession is that?”
“Since you’re home with nothing to do, come out. We haven’t gathered in two weeks.”
Jiang Min’an urged again.
Cheng Jinyu chuckled softly, “I’m already the Door Guardian. It’s boring here.”
Jiang Min’an: “Why are you speaking in riddles with me?”
Obviously, he had figured out Cheng Jinyu was teasing himself.
At that moment, the continuous water flow suddenly stopped.
Cheng Jinyu suppressed a smile: “Alright, I won’t chat anymore. Bye.”
He hung up decisively and put the phone back in his pocket, quietly waiting for Meng Chu to come out.
But after a long time, there was still no movement.
Cheng Jinyu walked to the bathroom door and raised his hand to knock.
Unexpectedly, just as he was about to knock, the bathroom door opened from inside.