Chapter 23: If I Were Bald, Would You Still Love Me? (23)

Beside them, Bai Yao let out a melodramatic "Wow." Shen Ji imitated her and echoed with his own "Wow."

Gu Yue Shuo and Bu Zhong Yao were what one might call 'plastic lovers'—he, a pampered young master; she, a privileged heiress. Knowing full well the other's delicate nature, Bu Zhong Yao never even thought to ask Gu Yue Shuo for help digging through garbage bins. She assumed he wouldn't help her anyway, so it caught her off guard when he stepped forward on his own accord.

Covering her face, Bu Zhong Yao stole glance after glance at Gu Yue Shuo. Though he looked pale and haggard now, dark circles under his eyes, a far cry from his usual spirited, cool demeanor, she realized to her surprise that tonight, he seemed to outshine Xuanyuan Mo, who stood beside him.

Softly, Bai Yao whispered to Shen Ji, "See? Winning a girl's heart is actually quite easy."

Shen Ji glanced at the two boys rummaging through trash and pursed his lips. Taking a couple steps forward, he was about to join them.

Bai Yao quickly pulled him back. "What are you doing?"

Shen Ji replied, "Yao Yao, I want your heart too."

Bai Yao said, "My heart has always been yours; you don't need to dig through garbage for it."

Shen Ji shook his head. "No, Yao Yao's heart isn't mine."

Bai Yao looked at him, puzzled.

Shen Ji placed a hand over his chest and said, troubled, "I don't have Yao Yao's heart here. Yao Yao, I want your heart."

Bai Yao shot him a few sidelong glances, not quite understanding his sudden sentimentality. He had grown more clingy and sensitive lately, she mused. Every night for days, he had climbed in through the fourth-floor window to sleep beside her, but aside from hugging and kissing, he never crossed any line. Perhaps he’d been holding back too long, and that made him insecure and prone to overthinking?

She mentally tallied their ages—they were both legal adults, and graduation loomed at the age of twenty next year. Their school combined Eastern and Western education, and in such an open environment, she figured it wouldn’t hurt to reward him a little more.

Thinking this, Bai Yao felt a flutter in her own heart. Rising on tiptoe, she kissed his jaw, hooked her fingers with his, and coaxed, "Come take my heart tonight, won't you?"

Shen Ji’s eyes sparkled. He nodded emphatically, "Yes!"

Bai Yao’s cheeks flushed, and for once she felt shy, much like Bu Zhong Yao.

Once Xuanyuan Mo and Gu Yue Shuo had found all the items, the group made their way to the spot where they had previously encountered Zhao Yuan. Night had already fallen. There lay pig’s liver and stomach, sheep’s stomach and intestines, even fish heart and lungs… A hodgepodge of viscera, utterly mismatched.

Gu Yue Shuo voiced his doubts, "Will this really work?"

Bu Zhong Yao, spraying perfume on Gu Yue Shuo, replied, "We’ll know once we try."

Both he and Xuanyuan Mo reeked, but Xuanyuan Mo, for once, didn’t receive Bu Zhong Yao’s care—and he didn’t mind. "Let’s hope it’s useful," he said.

The moon had risen, and Bai Yao was eager to return to her dorm and prepare for the wonderful night ahead. She declared briskly, "Alright, if you’re still dreaming, let Zhao Yuan come find me. I’m not afraid. Let’s all go home; I’m heading back."

With those words, Bai Yao took Shen Ji’s hand and left.

Shen Ji said, "Yao Yao, he won’t come for you."

Bai Yao replied, "Of course I know he won’t."

After all, all this fuss was merely to comfort Bu Zhong Yao and Xuanyuan Mo, to give them peace of mind and prevent them from scaring themselves. From beginning to end, Bai Yao had only accompanied them in their antics; she never truly believed that a girl in campus romance would actually encounter ghosts.

Shen Ji wanted to follow Bai Yao back to her dorm, but she stopped him at the entrance, "Go take a shower, change into clean clothes, then come see me."

Shen Ji blinked. "Okay."

Afraid he’d arrive too soon and catch her unprepared, she added, "Wash yourself thoroughly. Don’t come too quickly. I need time to tidy up as well—understand?"

He nodded obediently, "I understand."

Bai Yao hugged him, and Shen Ji joyfully wrapped his arms around her waist. Just as he was about to kiss her, she covered his mouth.

Her cheeks reddened, her expression bashful yet her eyes alight with bold excitement. She deliberately slowed her speech, drawing out her words, "Tonight, I’ll be waiting for you—to take my heart."

She pushed him away and sprinted into the dormitory.

Shen Ji stood there, slowly raising his hand to cover his face. In his sparkling eyes, it seemed as if a skyful of stars had descended.

Back in her room, Bai Yao washed herself until she smelled fresh and sweet. If circumstances allowed, she would have lit a scented candle and smoothed her bedding perfectly. Looking at the two pillows side by side, she felt, for the first time, that together they looked truly beautiful.

But then she remembered she hadn’t prepared the most important thing.

After some thought, she recalled that a girl next door was a determined introvert, and the girl upstairs was someone who often partied late into the night—surely adept at such matters.

She stepped out, walked upstairs, and knocked on the room door. "Sorry to bother you, may I borrow something?"

A narrow crack opened. The lights were off, making it impossible to see inside.

Bai Yao smiled, "May I borrow some contraception?"

She thought she heard a gust of wind; the room was silent for a long time. Another breeze, and from the darkness, a hand emerged, trembling, holding out the item.

Bai Yao noticed the woman's long fingernails—perfect for nail art. She took the box, which contained only two left, but that should suffice. She thanked sincerely, "Thank you, you’re very kind. I apologize for being loud before. I’ll bring you a proper thank-you gift later."

The door closed, and all was quiet.

Bai Yao returned, placing the box on her bedside table for easy access. She lay on the bed, waiting for the young man to climb in from the dark window.

Outside, the wind howled. She didn’t know how long she waited, and gradually felt herself drifting to sleep.

Bai Yao dreamed.

In her dream, she felt short of breath. Opening her weary eyes, she was met with the boy’s fervent kisses. With each kiss, he softly called her name, "Yao Yao, Yao Yao…"

Dizzy from his affection, she asked, "Why did you come so late?"

Shen Ji’s clean face broke into a smile. "Because Yao Yao told me to wash thoroughly, so I washed every bone, one by one."

She thought to herself he was exaggerating, but the next moment, as her nightgown’s strap slipped down her shoulder and his hand slid along her collarbone over her smooth skin, her body tensed involuntarily.

Shen Ji lowered his head and pressed a gentle kiss to her chest. "Yao Yao, I want your heart."

Unable to bear the tantalizing scene, Bai Yao had enough of his lingering touches and urged, "Can’t you be a little faster?"

Shen Ji blinked, ever obedient, and sat up to remove his T-shirt. His lean, toned torso radiated strength, and his large hand rested where he had kissed her, feeling her heart’s wild, vibrant beat.

He was about to take off his pants—she could hardly wait.

Just then, she felt a chill at her chest. She looked at her unharmed body, then at Shen Ji.

Carefully, Shen Ji held a still-beating heart in his hands, his eyes curling with a smile so madly devoted and fulfilled.

Right before her eyes, he opened his mouth impossibly wide—like a creature from a nightmare—and with a single bite, swallowed her heart whole.

Swallowed it…

Swallowed…

Swallowed it!!!!

Bai Yao’s eyes flew open. "What are you doing!"

Shen Ji grasped her hand, guiding it down from his throat, past his exquisite collarbone to his left chest. Beneath her hand, she felt a heart beating.

The boy grinned broadly, his smile filled with wild, innocent delight. "I’ll take good care of Yao Yao’s heart. No one else can eat it—it belongs to me!"

He bent down, pressing his lips to hers. His dark eyes curved into crescent moons, locking onto her gaze. His whole body trembled with excitement, yet his smile remained so pure. "Yao Yao, can you feel it? We’re joined together now. You can’t go too far away, or you’ll die."

He spoke as if announcing a momentous event, exaggerating with passionate fervor, "I can’t be without Yao Yao either, or I’ll break apart—crack!—and shatter into pieces!"

Bai Yao: "…"

She chose to close her eyes.

The next morning, Bai Yao awoke to the familiar ceiling. Instinctively, she tried to move, but the person beside her held her so tightly she couldn’t budge.

Shen Ji slept soundly, looking so gentle and docile, like a small animal longing for affection.

She recalled that last night, she had fallen asleep waiting, hadn’t used the things she’d prepared, and didn’t even know when he arrived. It all felt like a ridiculous dream.

Carefully extricating herself from his arms, she walked in a daze to the bathroom, nearly bumping into the door. Thankfully, she stopped just in time.

Bai Yao patted her chest. "Scared me to death so early in the morning…"

Wait.

She touched her chest again, switched hands, and patted herself all over.

Huh?

Where was her heartbeat!?