Serenade

Chapter 23

The hotel was booked by a few friends using Bo Yan's phone. They huddled together planning excitedly for him, as if they were the ones going to get a room -

"This one's good, Mediterranean theme."

"No no, sensual round bed room."

"Holy cow, this one doesn't even have doors on the shower."

Jin Xi: ...

Can she sneak away now!

Jin Xi glanced at Bo Yan. Under the bright lights, his dark pupils were as deep and translucent as black cat's eye stones, his expression serene, like a clear breeze under the autumn moon.

Jin Xi suddenly felt the air around her getting stuffy.

Shen Ping Chuan huffed and snatched away the phone, "No sensual room crap! That's going too far, I'm warning you guys!"

Under the protection and care of her stepbrother, the hotel was finally booked - a high-end one in the business district downtown, a suite with three rooms and two bathrooms.

Jing Chi said, "Why did you book a suite? Our game rules said two people per room."

Shen Ping Chuan grumbled unwillingly, "I need my own room, I have to keep an eye on my little sister. If this beast tries anything with her at night, I have to be the first to rush in."

Jin Xi and her dorm mates looked at each other and said, "Then...maybe we should get rooms too."

Half an hour later, at the hotel lobby.

The receptionist looked uncertainly at the large group of young men and women, "Are you sure...you don't want to book more suites?"

"No need, just the one."

Of course it was more fun for everyone to stick together. So the current arrangement was - Jin Xi and Bo Yan shared a room, one group of guys squeezed into one, and the three girls shared another.

Jin Xi said helplessly, "Really...what's the point?"

"No point, no point! Just trying to fulfill you two's destiny together, we're happy to do it!"

Her annoying friends eagerly shoved Jin Xi and Bo Yan into the room.

After shutting the door, they huddled against it to eavesdrop.

"Any movement?"

"Did they start yet?"

"Dang, you're already hard that fast? Take your time, take your time!"

Only Shen Ping Chuan was miserable, banging on the wall and bawling, "Little sister, big brother has failed you!"

At this moment, Xu Chaoyang seemed to recall something and asked Jing Chi, "Who did you write on your slip of paper?"

Jing Chi said, "Who else could it be, Bo Yan of course."

Xu Chaoyang chuckled, "What a coincidence, me too."

Chu Zhao scratched his head, "Um, actually...I wrote Bo Yan too."

Lin Luo: "I also picked Bo Yan."

Xia You: "I sure as hell wrote Bo Yan!"

Chu Tang: "Don't look at me, I'm the same as you all."

Shen Ping Chuan spat out a mouthful of blood.

He turned back around to continue banging on the wall miserably, "My little sister!"

Jin Xi had no idea everyone had telepathically picked Bo Yan, except Shen Ping Chuan.

With the door shut, all the noise and excitement was blocked outside. The room walls glowed dimly with a small nightlight.

The man stood by the bed, half his handsome features obscured in the shadows around his eyes, though his sharp outline was clearly visible.

Jin Xi went to turn on all the lamps by the bed, brightening up the room. Then she opened the curtains to make the view more open.

It felt less awkward this way.

But not really.

The big bed sank with a muffled thud as Bo Yan sat down.

Jin Xi quickly backed up against the wall, reacting sensitively, "What are you doing!"

Bo Yan said innocently, "Just sitting down."

Jin Xi pointed at him accusingly, though without much confidence, "Just now, Jing Chi secretly pulled you aside in the hallway and slipped you something. What was it?"

Bo Yan looked at her slender snow-white fingers, lowered his head slightly to press his lips together, a smile rising at the corner of his eyes, "Guess?"

Jin Xi walked up to him and looked down imperiously at his left pant pocket, which had something rectangular bulging under the thin fabric.

She fixed her dark eyes on him like dots of ink, "Bo Yan, what is that?"

Bo Yan looked at her tightly pursed red lips, so pale at the corners they were turning white, her earlobes flushed red, clearly extremely nervous already.

"Reach over and feel for yourself, I'll give it to you if you find it." He leaned back on the bed, propping himself up with one hand, opening his body to face Jin Xi.

He had already taken off his down jacket and hung it on the hanger. Now he wore a light gray round-neck wool sweater, loosely outlining his fit physique, looking robust yet not crude - a very typical clothes hanger build.

He reclined there facing her like that, the smile at the corner of his mouth deepening more and more, his dark gaze taking on a dangerous glint, as if deliberately tempting her.

Jin Xi licked her dry lips, hesitated for a moment, then slowly walked over to feel the pocket of his pants.

Suddenly he grabbed her slender wrist, shoved her back with a burst of strength, and easily flipped her over onto the soft big bed.

Jin Xi tumbled into the soft bed, the world spinning around her.

Bo Yan knelt on either side of her body, pinning both her wrists together over her head with one hand. He pressed her down under him, like a fish out of water, unable to move.

She widened her eyes in shock, her heart thumping loudly against her chest.

Bo Yan slowly lowered himself until his face was right by hers.

"Mmph!" Jin Xi let out a stifled moan, like a frightened creature, turning her face away to the side.

His lazy exhalations puffed against her forehead, warm and toasty.

Bo Yan didn't say anything, just looked at her with his jet black eyes like that, the two of them locked in each other's gaze from inches away.

Jin Xi's face and ears had already turned completely red, even her breathing stopped.

Bo Yan was itching impatiently, slowly moving closer to her lips.

Sensing the impending danger, Jin Xi squeezed her eyes shut.

But the feeling of their lips touching didn't come. The man had buried his face into her shoulder instead, and started laughing, shaking the entire bed with his mirth.

Jin Xi opened her eyes to see him dangling a pack of cigarettes with his long, elegant fingers next to her ear, laughing ceaselessly.

"I just had Jing Chi help me buy a pack of smokes, that's all. What were you thinking?"

Jin Xi realized she had been tricked and pushed him away forcefully, sitting in a huff at the edge of the bed.

Bo Yan walked over and tugged at her little pinky, refusing to let go, "Oh? What did you think he gave me?"

Jin Xi shook his hand off, "How would I know! You guys are so bad!"

Bo Yan sat down close beside her, leaning over to look down at her, "How have I been bad to you?"

Jin Xi wanted to say something, but couldn't think of anything. She just felt...he always bullied her.

But did he really? Jin Xi couldn't explain it.

"You guys...ganging up on me today, that counts!"

Bo Yan's expression didn't change as he held out his hands innocently, "Don't forget, I was stripped bare by you personally in the first round. And there was Xu Chaoyang kissing your dorm mate too. You had the most fun messing with everyone, and now it's your turn, so we're ganging up on you?"

"I..."

His irrefutable arguments left Jin Xi speechless.

She really couldn't blame others, this was just karma coming back around.

She scooted away sullenly, "Shouldn't have played this kind of game in the first place, just hurts each other's feelings, what's fun about it."

Bo Yan said lightly, "Instead of regretting what already happened, think about what we should do tonight. We still have several hours to get through."

Jin Xi quickly said, "Don't you dare try anything naughty."

"When have I thought about anything naughty?"

She got up and looked around the room, then opened the wardrobe to check inside. It was completely empty, not even a spare blanket.

The whole room was just a bed and beddings.

She asked resentfully, "Senior, how do we sleep tonight?"

Bo Yan leaned back lazily against the window, long legs crossed, "However junior wants to sleep."

At this time, Jin Xi felt that calling each other "senior" and "junior" actually carried a hint of roleplay interest, anyway the atmosphere was strange.

Jin Xi walked over and grabbed the bedsheet, "Senior, are you tired?"

In response, Bo Yan gave a lazy yawn, answering her question.

"Then...then senior can take the bed." Jin Xi carried a small stool to the corner and sat down facing the wall.

Seeing her posture, she intended to meditate upright all night.

"Then I'll leave you be, I'm going to shower first." Bo Yan said and went into the bathroom.

A few minutes later, Jin Xi tiptoed to the bathroom door and listened. Hearing the sounds of rushing water inside, she finally felt assured to go to the door, opening it to slip outside.

But her friends were all crammed outside eavesdropping, and immediately shoved her back inside -

"What are you doing, go back in, go in."

Jin Xi pleaded, "I just want to get some air."

"We agreed you two will spend the night together, not a minute less, not a second less."

She was stuffed back into the room by her annoying friends.

After his shower, Bo Yan came out wearing a thin black T-shirt and boxer shorts, revealing those long, fair legs.

She was used to seeing him dress so casually and relaxedly in the dorms before, but now...

She didn't even dare look his way.

Seeing her little face red as a cherry, Bo Yan's mouth quirked up silently. He didn't say anything, just went to the left side of the bed and lay down, taking out his phone.

Jin Xi hurried into the bathroom and locked the door. The bathroom still carried wisps of warm steam, and she could smell the shower gel's fragrance in the air.

Oh whatever, Jin Xi took off her clothes and started showering, the hot water beating down and dispelling all the chill from her body.

As if compelled by some force, she stood before the mirror watching herself in the misty glass -

Her fair body now had smooth, distinct curves, taking on the beautiful silhouette of a young woman. Her small breasts in front, still a little better than a training bra, the fruits still tender and unripe, like they were still sleeping.

Bo Yan definitely looks down on her figure.

Wait, what was she thinking! She quickly turned her back.

Just as she turned around, she suddenly saw the tall, slender figure of a man standing outside the frosted glass door, a black circle all around, standing upright facing the glass door.

Jin Xi exclaimed in surprise: "What are you doing?"

Outside the door, Bo Yan said in a low voice: "It's past 12 o'clock."

"Ah?"

"Past 12, it's a new year now."

"Oh..."

"I wanted to ring in the new year with you. Can I come in?"

Jin Xi: ......

Damn, that would be crazy!

"No! Don't come in! I'm taking a bath!"

Outside the door, Bo Yan chuckled lightly: "Just kidding."

Jin Xi breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that being with him was like riding a rollercoaster, he always had a way to make her heart flutter.

"Anyway, happy new year, butt Xi."

"Happy new year." She was so flustered that her words were slurred.

Bo Yan laughed and left.

Jin Xi watched his blurry silhouette disappear in front of the frosted door, and breathed a sigh of relief. She turned back and corrected herself: "Happy new year."

She splashed some water and gnashed her teeth: "Happy new year, brat."