Chapter Sixty-Six: Sleep, I Won’t Touch You

The sound of water crashing echoed relentlessly in the bathroom.

Ruan Mianmian slipped into the darkness, hiding herself within, opening the faucet and splashing cold water over her cheeks again and again.

Yet despite her efforts, her face remained flushed, a rosy glow stubbornly lingering, and her eyes still held traces of confusion and surrender that had yet to fade.

Jiang Ce stood outside, unmoving, waiting for her.

He knew his actions just now had been a bit excessive. He had failed to restrain the urge simmering in his heart, letting his true desires take control.

He had said before, he wanted to do just that.

So he didn’t regret it, only felt a faint disappointment when he saw Ruan Mianmian so resistant.

But he understood—he needed to wait for her.

Ruan Mianmian didn’t actually reject Jiang Ce’s closeness, but now wasn’t the right time, at least not under these circumstances.

Though she had become Ruan Mianmian, she wasn’t truly the original Ruan Mianmian.

And the person in Jiang Ce’s heart was not her.

Ruan Mianmian understood this clearly, so no matter how passionately she expressed her feelings, there was always a reservation deep within her.

A knock sounded—

Jiang Ce rapped on the bathroom door, afraid that if he didn’t say something, Ruan Mianmian would hide inside for half the night.

“Mianmian, I’m sorry.”

Jiang Ce apologized.

Ruan Mianmian’s heart trembled at his words; she could almost picture the disappointment and hurt on Jiang Ce’s face at that moment.

She opened the door, head lowered, avoiding his gaze. “It’s late. Let’s sleep.”

But Jiang Ce suddenly gripped her shoulders, then tilted her chin up so she had to look at him.

He cupped her face, earnestly examining her, and only after confirming she hadn’t cried did he gently let go.

“Go to bed,” he said.

Ruan Mianmian nodded and returned to the bedroom, but Jiang Ce didn’t follow, and there was no sound from outside.

She peeked out, saw Jiang Ce lying on the sofa—such a small couch, curled up uncomfortably, no matter how she looked.

Softly, she said, “Come inside and sleep. The sofa’s too small.”

Jiang Ce didn’t open his eyes, shaking his head, answering, “It’s fine, I’m comfortable enough.”

His tone was cold, his mood unreadable.

Ruan Mianmian sensed Jiang Ce might be angry.

She stood at the bedroom doorway, dazed, saying nothing, making no move.

Jiang Ce realized she hadn’t gone in, lifted his eyes toward her, and repeated, “Go to bed. It’s late.”

Ruan Mianmian bit her lip, feeling lost inside.

With years of solo life behind her, she truly didn’t know how to handle such a scene.

“Maybe…you should just come inside and sleep.”

She knew saying this now was a bit much, especially after how fiercely she’d resisted earlier. Now, inviting him in—it looked…

Sigh, she thought, she might as well have agreed from the start.

She mentally voiced her regret.

Jiang Ce suddenly sat upright, leaning on his chin, exhaling quietly.

Ruan Mianmian took the opportunity to shuffle closer. She didn’t sit, just stood beside him, watching silently.

“Actually, I…”

“You don’t have to say it. I understand,” Jiang Ce interrupted.

“No, you don’t understand.”

Ruan Mianmian crouched down, curling herself into a small ball, speaking slowly: “It’s not that I don’t like you. I just think it’s too fast—it’s not the right time yet.”

She wasn’t sure if Jiang Ce would understand.

Jiang Ce raised his eyes. “I understand. Go to bed.”

He nodded toward the bedroom, indicating for her to return.

But Ruan Mianmian stayed squatting, stubbornly, “You too.”

Jiang Ce sighed, rubbing his face in resignation, lowering his voice, “Do you really not realize I might not be able to control myself?”

“Huh?”

Oh…

Ruan Mianmian was instantly embarrassed.

When she finally lay in the bedroom bed, the living room light remained on, and Jiang Ce was back on the sofa, eyes closed.

He really had forced himself to let her sleep in darkness, fearing the light would keep her awake.

Then, his trembling lips had pressed against hers.

Perhaps, in that moment, he was truly afraid.

Ruan Mianmian’s heart was a tangled mess of emotions.

The night crawled by slowly. Unsettled, she couldn’t sleep well, worried Jiang Ce might also be awake, so she’d sneak open the door to peek at the living room.

The first few times, Jiang Ce lay quietly, eyes shut on the sofa. But the last time, she found him sitting there, fiddling with his phone.

Hearing the noise, Jiang Ce looked over instinctively.

Their gazes met at the border of darkness and light, and Ruan Mianmian, guilty, ducked back inside.

…

Watching the door snap shut, Jiang Ce was speechless.

Ruan Mianmian leaned against the door, heart pounding, a sense of foreboding rising within her.

Sure enough, the next moment she heard footsteps approaching.

The door was pushed open, and Jiang Ce caught her red-handed.

He stared at her intently, then bent down and scooped her up into his arms without a word.

“Sleep. I won’t touch you.”

Jiang Ce’s voice was icy, his jaw tense.

Ruan Mianmian wisely kept quiet, letting him carry her to the bed.

The warmth of his embrace enveloped her, holding her tight, while his cool voice continued to warn her.

“Don’t move, or else…”

You know what that means.

Ruan Mianmian obediently closed her eyes at once.

Soon, the steady rhythm of her breathing reached him. Jiang Ce looked down at her, a faint smile appearing at his lips.

The next morning, just as dawn brushed the sky, Ruan Mianmian’s alarm rang out.

Jiang Ce opened hazy eyes, picked up her phone, and silenced it, still half asleep.

At that moment, Ruan Mianmian clung to him like a koala, arms and legs wrapped tightly around him, holding him immobile.

She slept soundly, her lashes trembling slightly, beautiful and perfectly behaved in his arms.

Jiang Ce gazed at her, his eyes softening with a smile.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang loudly outside, making Ruan Mianmian frown in her sleep, though she didn’t wake—probably because she’d gone to bed so late.

But if the doorbell kept ringing, that might change.

Jiang Ce squinted irritably, carefully extricating himself from Ruan Mianmian, then strode toward the door with an aggressive air.

He was bristling with hostility, looking ready for a fight.

When he opened the door, he leaned sullenly against the frame, voice cold: “What do you want?”

Outside, Jian Yanzhi had come with breakfast for Ruan Mianmian, full of joy, but hadn’t expected a man to answer the door—a handsome man, no less.

“How are you here?!”

The breakfast in Jian Yanzhi’s hands tumbled to the floor.