Chapter 291: How Could She Really Harden Her Heart and Completely Push Him Away
Chapter 291: Chapter 291: How Could She Really Harden Her Heart and Completely Push Him Away
Bai Ye’s fingertips were slightly damp with warm sweat. He gently rubbed the back of Yun Sheng’s hand, his movements tender and reverent.
Each stroke felt like a soft feather lightly brushing against her heart, sending a subtle shudder through her body. Even her own fingertips turned soft, entirely drained of the strength to pull away.
Bai Ye maintained his leaning posture, and they were so close that they could feel each other’s scorching breaths. As he exhaled over the hair on her forehead, his unique, crisp scent lingered at the tip of her nose, making her feel even more flustered.
Yun Sheng subconsciously lowered her eyes. Her long eyelashes fluttered, not daring to meet the burning affection in his gaze. Yet, the heartbeat pulsing through his palm, the warm breath by her ear, and the friction of his fingertips made it impossible to escape. She kept all of Bai Ye’s kindness in her heart and clearly saw how much he cared for her. However, because of his identity and things that happened in the past, she had lingering reservations and couldn’t truly reciprocate his feelings.
"Yun Sheng, look at me and tell me—do I really not have a single chance?"
Hearing this, a heavy knot tightened in her chest.
"Bai Ye, I..."
She didn’t know what to say. She didn’t know how to reject such a weighty and profound affection, let alone how to face the inexplicable wavering in her own heart.
Seeing her hesitate, the stubbornness in Bai Ye’s eyes deepened, and he gripped her hand a bit tighter. He gently raised his other hand and carefully brushed away a stray strand of hair by her temple. His fingertips inadvertently grazed her cheek. The warm touch made Yun Sheng stiffen, her cheeks burning even hotter.
"I know you still have reservations, but I can wait," he said softly. "I’ll wait until you let go of all your worries and are willing to accept me. I just hope you won’t shut me out of your world right now. Let me watch over you and protect you."
His words were tender yet heavy. Like a pebble dropping softly into her heart, they stirred an intense surge of bittersweet emotion, bringing a slight prickle of heat to her eyes.
Not only had he refrained from arresting Si Jin, but he had also been secretly covering up Si Jin’s identity in roundabout ways. He silently helped her keep the secret of her special spiritual power, and time and time again, he stepped forward to keep her safe whenever she was in danger. With all this profound kindness etched in her mind, how could she really bear to push him away completely?
The entanglement between them ran too deep. It was no longer something she could sever just because she wanted to. Moreover... her heart wasn’t made of stone. Faced with such a fiery and reverent devotion, she ultimately couldn’t remain indifferent.
Yun Sheng looked at Bai Ye’s cautious demeanor, clearly terrified of upsetting her. After a moment of silence, she replied softly, "Okay. I understand."
His expression froze for a second at her words before uncontainable joy swept over his features. He suddenly tightened his grip on her hand. His other arm subconsciously rose, wanting to pull her into a tight embrace, but he restrained himself, pausing mid-air.
"Are... are you telling the truth? You’re willing to let me stay by your side?"
Yun Sheng nodded again.
This time, Bai Ye could no longer hold back and pulled her straight into his arms. His tall figure drew closer, enveloping her in his warm aura. His usually cold and hard facial contours were now impossibly soft.
She didn’t struggle, silently consenting to his proximity and touch. In the face of this fervent joy and devout guardianship, the tightly strung defensive wall in her heart quietly cracked open.
Holding her, Bai Ye didn’t speak, afraid that opening his mouth would shatter the beauty of the moment.
Right then, the terminal on Yun Sheng’s wrist suddenly rang, breaking the silence in the room. Snapping back to her senses, Yun Sheng gently pushed against him, creating a sliver of distance. When she saw the name "Lin Mo" flashing on the screen, she discreetly stepped back a bit more before pressing the answer button.
"Yun Sheng, are you done with the examination? Did it go smoothly?"
Si Jin’s deep and gentle voice came from the other end of the terminal. Through the speaker, it entered Yun Sheng’s ears clearly and inevitably drifted into Bai Ye’s ears as well.
Gathering her wits, Yun Sheng softened her tone and replied, "Yes, it’s done. But Mo Chen said the data hasn’t been fully compiled yet, so I might have to wait a little longer. How are things on your end? Is everything alright?"
"Don’t worry, everything went smoothly over here too. However..."
"What’s wrong?"
Hearing the word "however," her heart instantly leapt to her throat. Her nerves tensed, and her voice unconsciously pitched higher.
"Don’t be nervous, it’s nothing major," Si Jin quickly slowed his pace to soothe her. "I just ran into Xing Che. Something happened to him. The specifics are quite complicated, so it’s hard to explain over the phone. Once I wrap things up here and come pick you up at the research institute, I’ll tell you all the details."
Hearing "Xing Che," Yun Sheng frowned slightly, a trace of confusion welling up inside her.
Ever since they returned from Zone 10 and added each other as friends on their terminals, Xing Che had left to undergo an examination and seemed to have vanished into thin air. She had messaged him to ask how he was doing, but he never replied. At the time, she figured he must be busy with his own affairs, so she hadn’t reached out again. She never expected Si Jin to bump into Xing Che while dealing with Xu Chengyuan’s matters.
Suppressing her doubts and worries, she answered gently, "Okay, I understand. Stay safe and don’t rush. I’ll wait for you at the institute."
Beside her, Bai Ye quietly listened to their conversation without interrupting or backing away, still holding tightly onto her hand. It wasn’t until she hung up that he leaned closer again, asking in a low voice, "Yun Sheng, what you said earlier... you meant it, right?"
He was referring to her saying, "Okay, I understand." It was her silent consent to let him stay by her side. He was afraid it had merely been a momentary impulse of emotion that she might regret at any time.
"Yes, I meant it." Her voice was very soft but lacked any hesitation, as if she had reached the decision after careful deliberation.
Upon hearing this affirmative reply, Bai Ye grew visibly delighted. The corners of his mouth turned up uncontrollably, and even the tension between his brows completely smoothed out. He gripped her hand tightly, his fingertips rubbing the back of her hand over and over. His usually cold, hard features had completely melted into profound tenderness.
Just then, the door to the lounge was gently pushed open with a CLICK.
Holding a data pad, Mo Chen hurried in. A hint of exhaustion lingered between his brows, but he was clearly eager to inform Yun Sheng about the compiled data. However, as soon as he stepped through the door, his gaze instinctively landed on the two people by the sofa.
Seeing their intimate posture, he froze for a split second, but immediately recovered his usual composure. Mo Chen slightly lifted his chin, his eyes sweeping over their clasped hands. In a flat, emotionless tone, he asked, "The data has been compiled. Is it a convenient time for you to hear it?"