Chapter 297: Gaokao Results Are Out

At the crack of dawn, a faint, pale gray light seeped through the edges of the window curtains.

The gentle breeze from the central air conditioning kept the room cool. The thin blanket covering them had slipped down during their deep sleep, with just one corner resting loosely over their overlapping knees.

Chen Mo woke up first, his neck and shoulders slightly sore from holding their cuddling position all night.

Before he was fully awake, the warmth of their skin pressed together had already instinctively stirred a deep tenderness within him.

He turned his head slightly. Su Yuqing’s head was pillowed in the crook of his shoulder, her breathing light and even. Her long eyelashes drooped like butterfly wings. A night of peaceful sleep had washed away the melancholy that once clung to her brow, leaving her relaxed face as pure as morning dew, untouched by dust.

The floor lamp next to the coffee table was still on. Its soft glow filtered through the stray hairs on her forehead, making her cheeks look as warm and lustrous as jade.

For a moment, Chen Mo slowed his breathing even further, his gaze greedily tracing her features.

It was the same face he saw every day, yet each time Chen Mo looked at it, he felt something new.

His fingers twitched, but he resisted the urge to reach out and touch her, not wanting to disturb this precious moment.

The television had long gone black, entering standby mode and returning the space to complete tranquility.

After a while, Su Yuqing’s eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes.

Before she was fully conscious, she could already feel the strong shoulder beneath her cheek and the familiar, steady warmth radiating from the body beside her.

"You’re awake?"

Almost instinctively, she snuggled closer into his arms, her own arms wrapping unconsciously around his waist. She let out a muffled, nasal hum. "Nope~"

"Then sleep a little longer." Chen Mo’s voice was slightly hoarse from just waking, but it was filled with an unconcealable smile.

He took the opportunity to pull her closer, nuzzling his chin against the crown of her head.

The corners of Su Yuqing’s lips curved upward as she hugged him tighter.

"I feel so peaceful, sleeping like this," Su Yuqing murmured.

"Then I’ll let you hold me every night from now on," Chen Mo said, his voice full of laughter.

A sweet smile graced Su Yuqing’s lips, and she said with a hint of lazy coyness, "Forget it. Sleeping on the sofa like this is bad for us."

Upon hearing his genuine, calming words, the anxiety and heaviness that had plagued her heart the previous night silently melted away like snow.

"Who said anything about the sofa? From now on, you can just sleep in my room. If you don’t mind giving up your private space, my door is always open," Chen Mo said with a casual laugh, affectionately stroking her back.

Her heart stirred at his words, but she didn’t immediately agree. Instead, her arms tightened around him—an answer in itself.

"What do you want for breakfast?" After cuddling for a while longer, Su Yuqing propped herself up and began to gently massage the back of Chen Mo’s neck. "I can make some congee. It’s light and warming."

"Anything’s fine." Chen Mo savored her thoughtfulness. He took her other small hand in his, placed it over his heart, and said earnestly, "Anything you make is fine. Eating breakfast with you is more important than what we’re eating."

The sun had now completely lifted the veil of night, its golden rays streaming over the windowsill and pooling on the clean floor.

The two of them rose in unison, a silent understanding between them.

Su Yuqing went into the kitchen and began preparing a simple breakfast.

The white rice congee bubbled softly on the stove, and the rising steam carried the warm, sweet fragrance of grain.

Chen Mo didn’t leave the kitchen. He leaned against the doorframe, watching her busy figure from behind.

The soft morning light outlined her slender silhouette.

He watched her hair sway gently with her movements, watched her open the refrigerator for pickled vegetables, watched her slender yet steady fingers grip the ladle and slowly stir the pot... Every mundane action filled Chen Mo with a profound sense of stability and reassurance.

"What is it?" Su Yuqing turned to meet his intense gaze, a look filled with endless affection.

"Nothing..." Chen Mo shook his head, his eyes brimming with a smile and a sense of fortune. "Just seeing if you need any help."

He walked over and gently hugged her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder.

His broad chest gently enveloped her slender back.

The warm yellow light, the steam from the congee, and the sound of their heartbeats all intertwined, painting this ordinary morning into the most moving picture in the world.

Su Yuqing wanted to say he was getting in her way, but the words died on her lips. She couldn’t bring herself to say it, couldn’t bear for his gentle embrace to end. In the end, she could only shoot him a helpless yet doting sideways glance before continuing with her tasks.

Outside, the city began to stir. The sounds of traffic and voices grew clearer as another new day, full of infinite possibilities, dawned.

And within that window, which glowed with a cozy light, the white steam rising from the stove was like a slender lifeline, silently entwining two hearts that had weathered many storms and had finally found a safe harbor.

They no longer needed any profound declarations of love.

An embrace in the kitchen at dawn, the boundless understanding and gratitude in their shared gazes—these were the most profound confessions of love for the warm, ordinary life they now held in their hands.

In the days that followed, their relationship grew even more harmonious.

And Su Yuqing finally moved from sleeping alone in the guest room into Chen Mo’s bedroom.

Although they now slept together, both of them remained quite restrained because of their prior agreement.

But once they were actually sharing a bed, they both realized that sleeping together now that their relationship was official was far more tantalizing than when their status had been ambiguous.

It took a considerable amount of self-control for them not to cross the line they had drawn for themselves.

Before they knew it, the day the college entrance exam scores were released had arrived.

As they sat in front of the computer, Chen Mo looked perfectly calm, but Su Yuqing was filled with apprehension.

’How did I do? Will my score be high enough for my dream school?’

’Most importantly, I hope the score difference between me and Chen Mo isn’t too big. Otherwise, even if he were willing to go to the same school as me, I’d feel too guilty about it.’

Soon, the moment of truth arrived.

Chen Mo clicked the mouse to check the scores...

His score was outstanding. Even though he had intentionally held back, he had still scored a 699, a score approaching that of the provincial champion. This year, the top scorer in Jiang Province had gotten a 722.

Although Su Yuqing had previously only been an above-average student, her grades had improved by leaps and bounds, nourished by love.

After all, it’s hard for your grades not to skyrocket when studying becomes a joyful experience.

Especially when the person you loved, who loved you in return, was giving you personalized, round-the-clock tutoring.

This time, Su Yuqing scored a high 675 on her college entrance exam.

Although she was still a few dozen points shy of the top-tier students, it was an outstanding achievement nonetheless.

Su Yuqing herself never imagined she could score so high.