Chapter 478: An Explanation Owed to Two Women: A Difficult Choice

Chapter 478 -257: An Explanation Owed to Two Women: A Difficult Choice

He Lingyi slowly opened her eyes, but she still didn’t dare look down, only at his face.

Their gazes met. They were so close they could see their own reflections in each other’s eyes.

He Lingyi’s face flushed red. She let go of his hand, lowered her head, and whispered, “Let’s go.”

Jiang Sifan took her hand, and they walked the rest of the glass corridor.

He Lingyi’s palms were sweaty, and his heart was pounding.

By the time they came down from the Guangzhou Tower, it was nearly dark.

Jiang Sifan took He Lingyi to a restaurant by the Zhujiang River. They got a table by the window with a view of the Guangzhou Tower at night.

The tower lit up, its lights—purple, pink, and blue—shifting and changing, their reflections shimmering on the Zhujiang River.

He Lingyi leaned against the window, gazing at the nightscape. “It’s so beautiful!” she exclaimed. “Even more beautiful than the Oriental Pearl Tower!”

“That just means you’ve never been to the Oriental Pearl Tower,” Jiang Sifan said with a smile.

“I have! But I think this is more beautiful!” He Lingyi turned to look at him, her eyes sparkling.

The food arrived: steamed sea bass, spareribs in black bean sauce, blanched prawns, beef chow fun, and a slow-cooked traditional soup.

He Lingyi ate with delight, praising the food with every bite. She said the food in Yangcheng was incredible, a hundred times better than the food in Jinling.

Jiang Sifan watched her eat, a constant smile on his face.

After dinner, they went for a walk along the banks of the Zhujiang River.

A cool breeze blew in from the river, carrying the scent of water. He Lingyi looped her arm through Jiang Sifan’s, leaning her head on his shoulder as they walked at a leisurely pace.

“Brother Sifan,” she said suddenly.

“Hm?”

“Did you have a good time today?”

Jiang Sifan paused for a moment, then smiled. “I did.”

“Me too.” He Lingyi looked up at him, her eyes bright. “This has been my happiest day of the whole semester.”

Jiang Sifan just looked at her, saying nothing.

After walking for a while, they arrived at Haixinsha.

People were dancing in the plaza, walking their dogs, and flying kites.

He Lingyi spotted a cotton candy stall, pulled Jiang Sifan over, and bought a pink one. She took a bite, leaving a trace of spun sugar on the corner of her mouth.

“You’ve got something on your mouth,” Jiang Sifan said, smiling.

He Lingyi stuck out her tongue to lick the corner of her mouth but missed the spot.

Jiang Sifan pulled a tissue from his pocket and offered it to her.

He Lingyi didn’t take it. Instead, she tilted her face up, closed her eyes, and said with a smile, “You get it for me.”

Jiang Sifan froze. The hand holding the tissue hovered in mid-air. After a moment’s hesitation, he reached out and wiped it for her.

His fingers brushed against the corner of her mouth. It was warm and soft.

He Lingyi opened her eyes and looked at him, her face blushing.

Jiang Sifan pulled his hand back, crumpled the tissue, and stuffed it in his pocket. “Come on,” he said with a smile, “I’ll take you back to your hotel.”

He Lingyi nodded, looped her arm through his again, and they continued walking.

It was nearly nine by the time they got back to the hotel.

Jiang Sifan walked He Lingyi to her door and handed her the key card. “Get some rest. I’ll take you out for dim sum tomorrow.”

He Lingyi took the key card but didn’t open the door. She stood there, looking at Jiang Sifan, her lips parting as if she wanted to say something but held back.

“What is it?” Jiang Sifan asked.

“Brother Sifan…” He Lingyi looked down, her voice barely a whisper. “Could you… stay with me? I’m scared to be alone.”

Jiang Sifan froze.

“The hotel is so big, I’m afraid to sleep by myself.” She looked up at him, her eyes glistening. “You can sleep on the couch. I won’t bother you.”

Jiang Sifan opened his mouth to say no, but when he saw her eyes, the word died on his lips.

He wanted to refuse, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

“Brother Sifan, please,” she begged, her voice a mix of flirtation and pleading.

Jiang Sifan stared at her in silence for several seconds before sighing and nodding. “Alright. I’ll stay.”

He Lingyi broke into a smile, her eyes curving into crescents. She opened the door and pulled Jiang Sifan inside by the arm.

The door shut behind them.

The hallway fell silent, leaving only the low hum of the external air conditioning unit.

The room was lit by a warm, yellow light that enveloped them both.

He Lingyi tossed her bag onto the bed and turned to Jiang Sifan with a smile. “Brother Sifan, have a seat. I’m going to go take a shower.”

Jiang Sifan nodded. He sat down on the couch, picked up the remote, and turned on the TV.

He had no idea what was playing on the screen.

Only one thought occupied his mind.

‘I’m in He Lingyi’s hotel room, and she’s in the bathroom taking a shower.’

A warm, yellow light glowed through the frosted glass of the bathroom door. The sound of SPLASHING water was like a lullaby, yet it was also a fire that made him unable to sit still.

He flipped through the channels, again and again, nearly breaking the remote.

Twenty minutes later, the water stopped running.

The bathroom door opened, and He Lingyi emerged.

She wore a white hotel bathrobe, her hair wrapped in a towel, revealing a long neck and pale shoulders.

The robe’s collar was slightly agape, revealing her collarbones and the faint, alluring curve just below them.

Her face was flushed from the steam, and her lips were plump and rosy.

“Brother Sifan, you can shower now,” she said, her voice soft.

Jiang Sifan glanced at her before quickly looking away. He shot up from the couch and hurried into the bathroom.

The bathroom was filled with her scent—the fragrance of her body wash, the sweet smell of her shampoo, and that other, indefinable aroma that was uniquely hers.

Jiang Sifan cranked the cold water tap and stood under the spray for a long time, until his skin was red, before finally turning it off, getting dressed, and walking out.

He Lingyi was already in bed, the covers pulled up to her chest, her hair fanned out across the pillow.

The bathrobe hung on a hook. She had changed into a light pink slip, the spaghetti straps leaving her shoulders and arms bare.

“Brother Sifan, are you sure you’ll be comfortable on the couch? Why don’t you take the bed? I can sleep on the couch.”

“No, it’s fine. The couch is comfortable enough.” Jiang Sifan lay down on the couch, using his jacket as a blanket.

He Lingyi turned off the lights.

The room plunged into darkness.

After a moment of silence, He Lingyi’s voice cut through the darkness. “Brother Sifan, are you asleep?”

“No.”

“Me neither.”

Another moment of silence passed.

“Brother Sifan, can you come here for a second? I’m a little scared.”

Jiang Sifan hesitated, but he got up and walked to the side of the bed.

He Lingyi reached out, took his hand, and whispered, “Just sit here with me for a little while. You can go back after I fall asleep.”

Jiang Sifan sat down on the edge of the bed.

He Lingyi held his hand. Her fingers were cool and soft.

In the darkness, her breathing was soft and even.

Jiang Sifan sat on the edge of the bed, watching her face in the dark.

Her long eyelashes fluttered faintly.

She was asleep.

Jiang Sifan gently slipped his hand from hers, stood up, and returned to the couch.

He lay there, staring at the ceiling for a long, long time.

His mind was a tangled mess.

He thought of Wen Wan.

‘Wen Wan is probably at the apartment right now, with Jiang Silu. Is she asleep already? Will she ask Jiang Silu who I went to pick up? Will she suspect something?’

He didn’t know.

All he knew was that he owed Wen Wan an explanation. And he owed He Lingyi one, too.

He rolled over to face the back of the couch, pulling his jacket over his head.

‘I’ll deal with this tomorrow.’