Chapter 119: Simple Love

Her slightly cold palm was now covered in warmth. The boy’s hand, with its well-defined knuckles, loosely cupped hers, his thumb unconsciously caressing the smooth, delicate skin on the back of her hand.

Su Yuqing felt the car’s air freshener mixing with the fresh, soapy scent from the boy’s collar, growing richer and more intoxicating. The thrilling sensation made the toes hidden inside her canvas shoes curl reflexively.

Su Yuqing was too shy to keep pretending to be asleep.

"Don’t move. Just close your eyes and rest."

The moment Su Yuqing stirred, Chen Mo’s voice sounded.

There was a hint of laughter in his voice as his right arm wrapped around her back, pulling her closer into his embrace.

As his fingertips brushed past the loose strands of her ponytail and his wrist grazed the nape of her neck, they both held their breath.

Leaning against Chen Mo’s chest, Su Yuqing felt his heartbeat quicken. To her surprise, its accelerating rhythm gradually began to sync with her own fluttering heart.

She couldn’t help but smile.

’So it’s not just me who gets flustered,’ she thought. ’He feels it too.’

Just then, Chen Mo also closed his eyes to rest for a moment. His head slowly came to rest against Su Yuqing’s, his bangs brushing over her brow. His warm breath was like a delicate web against the crown of her head.

As the taxi jolted gently over a speed bump, Chen Mo suddenly covered the hand she had resting on the seat with his own.

His palm, slightly calloused, had a hint of roughness, yet the moment it covered the back of her hand, it felt as gentle as catching the first snowfall.

Through the car window, the dappled shadows of the streetside sycamores flowed over their overlapping sleeves.

Chen Mo was now gently tapping a beat on Su Yuqing’s hand while humming a little tune.

Su Yuqing peeked open her eyes and saw Chen Mo’s Adam’s apple bobbing slightly to the rhythm of his humming.

Su Yuqing quickly recognized the melody.

It was one of the few songs she had heard and actually remembered, titled "Simple Love."

Its lyrics perfectly matched Su Yuqing’s ideals about love.

I can’t say why, but I’ve become so proactive.

When you fall in love with someone, anything is worth doing.

I want to shout it out loud, that I can’t bear to leave you, even the neighbor next door has probably guessed how I feel now...

Many people might not remember the verses even if they’ve heard them, but anyone who’s heard the chorus would never forget its vibrant, youthful melody.

And right now, the scene of Chen Mo and Su Yuqing leaning against each other was a perfect reflection of the chorus’s lyrics.

I just want to hold your hand and never let go, can love be simple, without any pain?

You, leaning on my shoulder; you, sleeping on my chest. A life like this, where I love you, and you love me...

The out-of-tune melody, resonating from his chest, sent a pleasant tingle spreading through her entire body.

As he hummed the chorus, his fingers, which had been tapping out the beat, stilled. His hand covered hers completely, then gently squeezed, just as the lyrics described: holding on and never letting go.

Listening to Chen Mo hum, Su Yuqing couldn’t stop the sweet feeling from welling up inside her.

’If only Chen Mo and I could have a simple love, just like in the song,’ she mused. ’What a wonderful thought.’

The boy suddenly lowered his head, nuzzling the crown of her head with his chin. Through the open collar of his shirt, a line of his collarbone was visible, tracing a uniquely masculine and alluring shape in the flickering light.

Su Yuqing was mesmerized by the sight and the sound, her mind beginning to weave beautiful daydreams.

On some strange impulse, she spread her fingers, slid them half an inch under the hem of his shirt, and pressed her palm against his firm side. The boy’s intense body heat immediately sent a tremor through her fingertips.

In that instant, even she was shocked by her own boldness.

But his excellent physique, honed by regular exercise, meant the muscles of his waist were well-defined and firm to the touch, sparking a thrill of pleasure in the one doing the touching.

Chen Mo felt a hand on his waist, one that seemed unsure of where to rest and was subconsciously fumbling. He couldn’t help but glance down in surprise at the girl in his arms.

Su Yuqing wasn’t actually trying to be improper; she was just so nervous she no longer knew what to do with her hand.

The instant she reached out and realized how bold she was being, her hand, poised over his waist, was thrown into a state of confusion.

She didn’t dare pull away, but her hand kept twitching, rising and falling, which made it look even more like she was deliberately touching him.

Finally, she steeled herself and let her hand rest there, boldly yet shyly taking in the firm, smooth feel of his lean, athletic waist.

By now, however, she didn’t dare to even glance at Chen Mo.

She had no idea what he thought of her bold move.

But at least he hadn’t flinched or rejected her touch.

This allowed Su Yuqing to breathe a small sigh of relief.

Still, she inwardly scolded herself for getting so carried away a moment ago.

She had never dared to initiate contact with Chen Mo; it was always he who touched her, whether intentionally or not.

She was always the passive one, a result of the slut-shaming embedded in the way her mother had raised her since she was a child.

In Li Fengzhi’s eyes, Su Chengfeng had been seduced away by a slut, so she had always drilled into Su Yuqing that a woman who actively touches a man is a slut trying to seduce him.

After hearing such words time and again, they became like a curse that hung over Su Yuqing.

It made her feel panicked and terrified whenever she took even the slightest bit of initiative.

When she had impulsively kissed Chen Mo before, the initial sweetness was immediately followed by a wave of panic.

Her first thought at the time was to worry about whether Chen Mo would think she was too forward, or even promiscuous.

It just goes to show that a parent’s teachings can sometimes leave an indelible mark on their child.

And right now, Su Yuqing was once again in the grip of that terrifying curse.

The sweetness and joy that had just been building in her heart were quickly replaced by panic and unease under the spell’s influence.

She was terrified of what he must think of her now.

She simply couldn’t bear such a blow right now.

Just as her thoughts were running wild, a large hand gently covered her own, which was still resting on Chen Mo’s waist.

"Having a nightmare?" Chen Mo was also quite surprised by Su Yuqing’s boldness. In his experience, she was a more reserved girl who rarely initiated contact herself.

So he simply assumed she must have been having a nightmare and, feeling insecure, had reached out for something to hold on to.

Her earlier fumbling, he thought, must have just been her struggling in a bad dream.

Hearing Chen Mo’s gentle voice, Su Yuqing’s panicked heart gradually calmed. Her eyes suddenly grew moist, and she felt the urge to cry.

’He never seems to misunderstand me,’ she thought. ’He’s always trying his best to take care of me.’