{Chapter: 208 Good Brother!}
Just as Gui Qingtong reached the doorway, her hand brushing against the frame, Lin Yuan suddenly extended his arm and gently grabbed her shoulder.
"Wait a moment…"
His voice was calm, but there was a quiet urgency behind it.
He couldn't let Gui Qingtong go—not yet.
If she called Mei Yuxian right now, everything would be exposed. After all, Mei Yuxian wasn't in her room at all. She was still lying next to him under the thick quilt, trying to remain hidden and still.
Lin Yuan's mind raced, but he maintained a composed expression on the surface. There was no other option at this point but to delay Gui Qingtong—to gently stop her from leaving and buying just a little more time.
Gui Qingtong paused and turned around slowly, her heart still fluttering from earlier. Her wide eyes met Lin Yuan's, and her cheeks turned a deeper shade of crimson, as red as a ripe apple.
Though she felt a wave of relief upon seeing that he had at least wrapped himself with a sheet this time, her gaze still lingered instinctively on his upper body.
His toned figure was fully exposed from the waist up. Smooth, defined muscles, subtle lines across his abs, and the effortless strength in his arms gave him an irresistible allure. Combined with his already stunningly handsome face, the sight made Gui Qingtong's breath catch in her throat.
She blinked several times and instinctively looked away, only to find her eyes being drawn back like a magnet. Her breathing quickened slightly, and her heart drummed loudly in her chest.
Lin Yuan noticed, of course, but said nothing.
Gui Qingtong, remembering that he had been the one to stop her, finally asked, her voice a little flustered, "Why… what's the matter, Brother Lin Yuan?"
Lin Yuan gave a faint smile, ever calm. "Nothing serious. I just realized I need to go to the bathroom for a moment… and while I'm at it, I'll call your mother too. You can head downstairs first and start preparing breakfast, alright?"
"Oh… okay, no problem." Gui Qingtong nodded quickly, not suspecting a thing. She thought maybe he was just being considerate, trying to give her something to do while he got ready.
Before turning again to leave, she pointed casually to the bed. "Brother Lin Yuan, the smell in the room is still strange. I noticed it as soon as I came in. Maybe Mom brought you to the wrong guest room? It might not have been cleaned properly. Should I go ask someone to take care of it? You can wait in another room in the meantime—"
She trailed off as Lin Yuan suddenly caught her wrist again, a bit more firmly this time.
Hidden beneath the quilt, Mei Yuxian's heart jumped with tension. She had stayed perfectly still, barely daring to breathe. But now the conversation was turning dangerously close to exposing her.
Lin Yuan smiled again, his voice soft and persuasive. "That won't be necessary. I still haven't gotten dressed yet. It's already embarrassing enough to be seen like this by you. If anyone else comes in now, it would be even more awkward."
He paused, his eyes meeting hers with gentle warmth. "It's fine if you see me like this, Qingtong. But I'd rather not let others see me half-naked like this."
Hearing those words, Gui Qingtong's heart skipped a beat.
"It's fine if you see me…"
Those words echoed in her head like a sweet melody. Her ears grew hot again, and a tiny, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
There was something comforting—no, something special—in the way he said that.
Gui Qingtong nodded shyly. "Alright then! I'll go down now and make breakfast. I'll make something delicious for you and my mom!"
She gave him a bright smile, clearly pleased with herself.
"Good girl. Go on," Lin Yuan said gently as he reached out and patted her head.
The gesture made Gui Qingtong's smile deepen. She adored being praised by Lin Yuan, and his touch—gentle and warm—made her feel safe, cherished, even proud.
She didn't know, of course, that just the night before, those same hands had caressed her mother's body with intimate familiarity.
As Lin Yuan's hand brushed her hair, she noticed a faint stickiness at the crown of her head. She frowned slightly, thinking it might just be sweat from Lin Yuan's palm, given how warm the room was.
She didn't think too much about it.
Her heart was too full.
She turned, eyes bright, and ran out of the room with quick, light steps—her expression a blend of bashfulness and joy.
Just before closing the door behind her, Gui Qingtong turned her head slightly, her face tinged with embarrassment. "Brother Lin Yuan… I'm sorry for disturbing you this early. Please… don't tell my mother, okay? She'll definitely scold me if she finds out I barged in like this!"
Lin Yuan chuckled lightly and gave her a reassuring nod. "Don't worry. I won't say a word to your mother."
'Because your mother already knows exactly what you just did…' Lin Yuan added silently in his mind, his expression calm, even as his thoughts carried a subtle irony.
With a light smile and a satisfied heart, Gui Qingtong finally closed the door and left the room.
As the sound of her footsteps disappeared down the hall, silence settled back into the space.
Last night had been… intense.
Neither Lin Yuan nor Mei Yuxian had been in a rational state. Passion had taken over, and in the heat of the moment, they had forgotten everything else—including locking the door. A reckless mistake, especially considering Gui Qingtong's early visit.
They had taken comfort in the fact that this upper floor was usually off-limits to everyone else. But that assumption, paired with their heightened emotions, had nearly cost them everything.
Letting out a small sigh of relief, Lin Yuan walked to the door and turned the lock with a faint click, securing it this time.
He then turned back toward the bed, the corners of his lips lifting into a teasing smile. "She's gone now. You can come out, baby."
From beneath the thick quilt, a pair of flushed cheeks slowly emerged. Mei Yuxian lifted the covers, her hair a tousled mess, her breathing still uneven—not from exertion, but from the mix of emotions surging inside her.
Nervousness. Guilt. Panic.
Her voice, once composed and dignified, came out flustered and uncertain. "W-What… what did you just call me?"
Her eyes darted toward him, trying to regain some sense of composure. "You… still need to call me S¡st£r Yuxian. That's what you should call me."
Last night's madness had stripped her of all self-restraint. She had been swept away—utterly helpless in the current of desire. But now, with the near miss of being discovered by her daughter, Mei Yuxian was slowly regaining a shred of her rationality.
Unfortunately for her, Lin Yuan wasn't about to let her build that wall back up so easily.
He returned to the bed in two long strides, leaned in, and pulled her into his arms with the same confidence and warmth that had shattered her defenses last night. His hands, as bold and mischievous as ever, began to move without hesitation, caressing her soft skin.
"You didn't seem to mind calling me 'Br*th£r'… or even 'D@ddy' last night," Lin Yuan whispered playfully into her ear, his voice low and suggestive. "So why the sudden change of heart, S¡st£r Yuxian?"
As his hands explored, Mei Yuxian's breath caught in her throat. Her body responded before her mind could even process what was happening. She flushed a deeper red, biting her lip as she tried to resist the magnetic pull of his touch.
"I-It's… different now…" she murmured, voice trembling slightly.
Though she had pleaded with him to stop many times the night before, the truth was clear in the way her body reacted to him now. Her mind might cry for restraint, but her heart—and her body—craved the intimacy they had shared.
Mei Yuxian's usual authority, the elegance and strength she always displayed, had crumbled into something delicate and vulnerable. Her voice, normally poised and commanding, was now soft, breathy… submissive.
Lin Yuan tilted his head and gave a boyish grin. "Different, huh? You'll have to explain that to me. What exactly makes it different?"
She tried to push him away halfheartedly, her palms against his firm chest, but she lacked strength—or perhaps the will—to truly resist.
"I… I just mean… when it's just the two of us, it's okay for you to call me that kind of name… occasionally…" she whispered, struggling to maintain her seriousness.
"But if someone overhears… if Qingtong hears… I honestly don't know how I'd explain it."
There was a genuine fear in her tone now. She still hadn't figured out what she would do if her daughter ever discovered the truth. It was a terrifying thought, one that made her chest tighten.
Mei Yuxian looked up at Lin Yuan, her eyes slightly pleading. "So, you should continue to call me 'S¡st£r Yuxian.' It's safer that way."
A shy but coquettish smile curled on her lips as she leaned in slightly and added, in a soft murmur, "And besides, I know my good br*th£r is obsessed with his s¡st£r, isn't he?"
She gave a little pout at the end, half teasing, half sincere.
Lin Yuan's smile deepened as he looked into her eyes. She was trying—struggling—to put on a serious face, to draw a line between reason and temptation. But that line had already blurred, and she knew it.
She had lost all authority in his presence.
And the truth was… she didn't really want it back.
*****
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