The next day, Qi Lian came home from work carrying a massive watermelon. It was nearly as long as the coffee table in front of the sofa; Yu Mo had never seen a watermelon that large in her life.
He said it was grown by someone he knew, and the vine attached to it was still a vibrant, fresh green.
He fetched a large knife to slice it, asking her to hold it steady on one side while he shared some trivia. "Look at the little tendril next to the vine. See how it’s dried up? That means the melon ripened naturally on the vine. The smaller the navel on the bottom, the sweeter it is, and the clearer the stripes, the better. This is a top-tier melon."
As he spoke, a loud *thwack* echoed through the room. The moment the blade touched the rind, the watermelon split open on its own.
Yu Mo leaned in, catching the distinct, fresh fragrance of the fruit.
Qi Lian deftly sliced a few pieces and held one to her lips. "Taste it. I’ve already picked out the seeds for you."
Yu Mo took a bite from his hand. It had that perfect sugary, grainy texture—sweet and incredibly juicy. It truly was a magnificent melon.
She took the slice from him, her mouth full as she asked indistinctly, "Did you use to grow watermelons?"
"Never grew them myself, but people in the village did. Growing up, us boys caused plenty of trouble in other people's melon patches. We learned which ones were good by trial and error while stealing them.
"One time, five or six of us went out in the middle of a scorching afternoon. We had Qi Shuai acting as the lookout and swiped three or four melons to eat by the Lotus River. We were halfway through when that idiot Jiang Yuan suddenly said, 'Wait, I think this is my family's field.' Can you believe how dumb he was? Stealing from his own house."
He picked up a slice and finished it in a few large, messy bites.
They ate over a plastic basin, their heads huddled together as seeds, rinds, and juice dripped into the bowl.
"We can't finish a melon this big by ourselves," Yu Mo said.
"I'll save half for you; you can juice it tomorrow morning. I'll take the other half and share it with the neighbors. If you like watermelon, I'll keep buying them for you."
As they were talking, Yu Mo let out a small "Ah!" Qi Lian looked over and saw red juice dripping onto her white top, staining a spot over her chest. she stared at it, looking thoroughly annoyed.
He chuckled. "Who told you to be so... big?"
Yu Mo kicked him playfully.
She went to change into a tank top and sat back down to finish her melon at a more leisurely pace.
Qi Lian stopped after two slices. He stretched his limbs, pulled off his shirt, and started doing push-ups on the floor.
Yu Mo watched him with interest while picking out seeds, teasing him, "Isn't it hot wearing so many clothes?"
Qi Lian glanced up at her without stopping his rhythm. The veins in his arms stood out like a web of blue lines under his skin.
After finishing a set, he leaped up from the floor and swiftly stripped off his knee-length shorts.
Just when Yu Mo thought he was done, he reached down and pulled off his black underwear as well.
He gave Yu Mo a provocative look before dropping back down to continue his push-ups.
Yu Mo sucked in a breath. When it came to being thick-skinned, she was no match for him.
He was like a lithe leopard—his muscles flowed smoothly without a trace of excess fat, a body that was unabashedly beautiful. Sweat trailed down the indentation of his spine.
Yu Mo thought of certain other images, and suddenly the watermelon in her hand didn't taste so sweet anymore. She tossed the rind into the basin.
"You work hard enough every day, and your physique is already great," she asked. "Aren't you tired of exercising more at home?"
"Tired," Qi Lian grunted, his breathing heavy. "When I was alone, I only worked out when I felt like it. Now, I don't dare skip it."
"Why?" Yu Mo asked.
"Isn't it my body you're after? Didn't you want to sleep with me in the first place because of my build? If I let myself go, you'd have an excuse to dump me."
"Nonsense!"
Hearing him talk like that made Yu Mo want to bully him a little. She walked over and sat right down on his back. "Keep going then. What kind of person have you made me out to be?"
Qi Lian gritted his teeth and didn't stop. His face turned a deep red, and sweat poured off him.
Once Yu Mo had her fun, he suddenly heaved her up and swung her onto his shoulders.
Yu Mo shrieked, clutching Qi Lian’s head in terror.
The sudden loss of balance made her feel like she was standing on a swaying building, liable to fall at any second. She cried out in fear, "Qi Lian, put me down! I'm scared!"
Qi Lian gripped her legs tightly, teasing her, "Didn't you want to ride over my head and boss me around? I'm just giving you a hand. Don't you like it?"
"I don't! I'm going to break my neck! I'm scared!"
"What are you afraid of when I'm here? I want you to really feel what it's like to be above me. Don't just be tough with your words."
"Qi Lian, put me down, please..." There was a hint of a sob in Yu Mo's voice.
Qi Lian supported her waist and hoisted her down as easily as a sack of rice. He pinched her face, which looked ready to cry. "Look at you, such a coward! You're all talk when it comes to scaring me."
The fire they had lit left them both dazed with desire, and it spread directly to the bed.
"I don't want to... not like this," someone said petulantly.
"Then how do you want it? Do it yourself," someone else replied, gritting his teeth in total indulgence.
A while later...
"I'm tired," a voice said, acting spoiled.
"Then get down, you little ancestor. Don't complain later that I'm too heavy or that it hurts. You brought this on yourself." The man's voice was unsteady, on the verge of losing control.
Even the high-quality walnut bed couldn't withstand years of such wear and tear, and it began to creak and groan.
The moon climbed high into the sky, hiding behind the clouds.
Somewhere upstairs, a neighbor had their television turned up so loud it could be heard across several floors.
Next door, a couple was arguing, a woman's voice crying out in a piercing wail.
Yu Mo burrowed deep into Qi Lian’s arms. He tried to stop her, muttering, "I'm covered in sweat."
Yet, his arms cooperated, pulling her into a crushing embrace.
"I feel so happy, Qi Lian."
"Really?" He squeezed her tight. "Every day feels like a dream to me now. I'm always worried this life isn't real."
"It is. We'll live well together."
"I've given you my whole heart. Don't bully me."
"I'm not bullying you. Who could possibly bully a man as tall as you?"
"You know what I mean! No matter what happens in the future, whether you're angry or not, talk to me. You can't just ignore me, and you definitely can't talk about breaking up. What I fear most is you saying nothing and looking at me with those eyes—like I'm just a weed on the side of the road. That time you were mad and saw me on the street, you just tilted your head and gave me a cold 'Qi Lian' before brushing past me. I nearly had a heart attack. I'd rather someone beat me up; that would have felt better. Don't ever do that again."
His imitation of her was quite vivid.
"Hmph, you're really hard to please. Weren't you the one who rejected me back then? I even said hello when I saw you; that was very mature and decent of me. What else did you want? For me to pretend I didn't see you?"
"When did I ever reject you? I was just worried that you'd stop talking to me after you'd had your way with me. Couldn't you see how I was walking on eggshells? You were just tormenting me because you knew you had the upper hand. You could have just said, 'Qi Lian, let me sleep with you and I won't abandon you, but if you don't let me, I'll really ignore you.' Do you think I could have said no? If you had just given me a way out..."
"Then what about that time you were mean to me? The time I ran into you on a date with that girl? I didn't have any ulterior motives then; I just wanted to say hi."
"Just because you didn't have motives doesn't mean I didn't! Being seen on a date with someone else by the woman I like, and having no way to explain it... I was suffocating. You're such a silly girl; you just stood there like you were watching a show. I just wanted you to leave quickly, but then you got angry. If I saw you on a date with someone else on the street, guess what I'd do?"
"Pretend you don't know me?" Yu Mo giggled, teasing him. She knew she was poking a sore spot. His personality was deeply guarded, but he was actually reckless and feared nothing. If such a day ever came, she would be trembling in her boots.
"You think too highly of me. With me, there's no such thing as being 'decent.' Just you try it! If I see you out with that Liu Zhiyan fellow, tell him to consider first whether he can take a punch."
"Don't be like that. Why are you trying to scare me? Liu Zhiyan is just a friend. He's very simple-minded; don't talk about him like that."
She reached out and looped her arms around his neck, pouting and saying a few sweet, wheedling words. Just like that, the man who was as cold and hard as steel was rendered helpless.
He cleared his throat, his voice softening as he coaxed her, "I'm just talking. As long as you act a little spoiled, there's nothing I wouldn't give you."
He lifted her head and pressed his lips to hers, a gentle, lingering kiss. He gave her all the tenderness of his lifetime—tenderness that had never been seen before, hidden in every cell of his being, now squeezed out and poured entirely onto her.
***
Early the next morning, Qi Lian came from the kitchen to the bedroom to call Yu Mo for breakfast.
Yu Mo was sitting at the table by the window, which was covered in a cluttered array of cosmetics.
She was tilting her head to put on a pair of pearl earrings. Hearing Qi Lian enter, she glanced back at him and gave him an intimate smile.
The morning sun streamed through the window, bathing her in light. That smile was like a peach blossom blooming with morning dew, dazzling to the eyes.
She was wearing a form-fitting, dusty rose lace dress. Her skin was so fair it seemed to glow. The V-neck in the back revealed a patch of delicate skin. The dress's cut accentuated the curve of her chest before cinching sharply at her waist, which looked small enough to be held in one hand.
She looked radiant, impossible to look away from.
Qi Lian walked over and pressed himself against her, his large hand resting possessively on her curves.
"Where are you going today, dressed so beautifully?" he asked, his tone dangerous.
"I'm not meeting anyone in particular. I have a meeting today."
Yu Mo switched sides to put on the other earring. Because Qi Lian was leaning so close, she felt ticklish and tried to dodge away.
She couldn't see her own appearance, nor did she understand the thoughts swirling in Qi Lian’s head.
"Then can we change into something else?"
The thought of countless eyes falling on her, and the things those men would be thinking, made his head throb. Knowing his "property" was being coveted while he could do nothing about it was not a good feeling.
Yu Mo finished with her earrings and shook out her hair, fluffing it up. She started walking out, refusing him. "No!"
Qi Lian followed behind her, watching the sway of her hips, feeling both aroused and powerless.
He looked at the tight dress and asked, "What are you wearing underneath today?"
Yu Mo took a sip of watermelon juice and looked back at him with a wink. "Guess!"
Without a word, Qi Lian stepped forward in a few strides, pinned her waist, and flipped up the lace of her bodycon skirt with his other hand.
Yu Mo shrieked, "Qi Lian!"
Qi Lian saw red, his brain exploding with a roar. He raised his hand and slapped that perfectly rounded, completely exposed flesh. He gritted his teeth and cursed, "Fuck."
Yu Mo knew him too well. She hurriedly warned, "No! I'm going to be late. You're not allowed to touch me! We'll talk when I get back tonight."
Qi Lian ground his molars together as he helped her straighten her dress. He turned her around, leaned down, and bit her lip, tasting the fresh flavor of watermelon.
"Behave yourself. Don't pay attention to anyone who tries to talk to you. Anything another man can give you, your man can give you too. And the things they don't have, your man has those as well. Do you hear me?"
Yu Mo grabbed an egg pancake to eat, giving a casual "Mhm, mhm" in response.
