Unraveled

Inviting the Wolf In

Gu Quan had just called for a ride, and someone accepted the order right away. She muttered, "Book a hotel yourself."

Yuan Ye replied, "It's Friday night. Where am I supposed to find a vacant room?" His tone was casual to the point of carelessness—the excuse was flimsy at best.

Indeed, Changhai District was a university hub, and on weekends or holidays hotels were usually booked in advance. But it wasn't as if there were absolutely no rooms available. Yuan Ye just wanted to follow Gu Quan home.

In Gu Quan's subconscious, her relationship with Yuan Ye existed only because they had met online. The only reason they still kept in touch now was out of physical need. Considering Yuan Ye's flirtatious nature, she never thought he harbored any genuine feelings for her.

So she convinced herself the student standing before her simply wanted to save some money on lodging.

Her eyes remained fixed on the intersection ahead, waiting for the taxi to arrive. She finally said to him, "Fine. You can stay tonight. But you'd better leave early tomorrow."

Molly lived in the same community. The last thing Gu Quan wanted was for that "little witch" to see something again and spread rumors at work.

The car hadn't arrived yet, and Gu Quan stomped her feet against the cold, trying to warm up her lower body. Yuan Ye's gaze drifted to her legs, encased in black tights. He had noticed yesterday—her legs, though slender, were surprisingly full, smooth like jelly, soft to the touch, with just the right tautness when the muscles tensed, creating lines of striking beauty.

Yuan Ye quickly shifted his eyes away, a sudden coldness flashing within them. He realized he was becoming too engrossed in her—a dangerous sign.

And yet… he didn't resist.

Her short coat barely reached her waist, leaving her legs unprotected in the biting wind. Without hesitation, Yuan Ye shrugged off his own coat and draped it over her from behind. His low voice brushed past her ear: "This jacket rolled around on the ground earlier, don't mind if it's a bit dirty."

Gu Quan froze, then nodded without refusal. A rush of warmth coursed through her, her breath filled with the scent of him. It wasn't expensive cologne but the everyday fragrance of common laundry detergent—fresh, though rather strong.

The wind howled. Yuan Ye, now in nothing but a sweater in the winter chill, didn't feel cold at all. If anything, his chest burned hotter.

Gu Quan's apartment was messier than the first time they had met up, since she hadn't bothered to tidy beforehand.

But she didn't care. Once inside, she turned on the lights, slipped into slippers, and said, "You'll sleep on the couch tonight. Go shower first, I'll find a quilt for you."

Yuan Ye bent to change shoes, his sweater offering little warmth after the long walk from the gate to her building. He longed for a hot shower.

Gu Quan hung up her coat. Yuan Ye's black jacket was covered in dust, as were his sweater and pants. Originally, she'd planned to wash only his coat. But seeing the rest of his clothes, she figured it was best to wash everything.

She poked him with a finger. Yuan Ye, crouched over the shoe rack, straightened up. "What?"

Her tone was even: "Put all your clothes in that blue basin and wash them yourself. There's a dryer in the bathroom. Don't bring dirty clothes to the sofa—I just changed the cover last week."

With that, she headed to her room and fetched a thin quilt from the wardrobe. It was meant for spring or autumn—she didn't own anything thicker.

Her rented flat was a cramped one-bedroom. The living room was barely large enough for a sofa, which pressed up against a wall-mounted TV that was hardly used. For one person, it was fine. With Yuan Ye's tall frame inside, the place suddenly felt suffocating.

But the real challenge was the bathroom. Standing shirtless, Yuan Ye turned on the shower, only to be greeted by icy water. Despite the heater, the cold had him shivering. He cracked the door open and called, "Gu Quan."

She was unfolding the sofa into a bed. At his call, she went to the bathroom door and saw him standing there, bathed in bright light. Her face flushed, and she looked away. "What is it?"

His eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "The water's cold. Is the heater broken?"

"Oh—right," she said, realizing. "The switch is in the kitchen. I forgot to turn it on."

She hurried to the kitchen and flicked the switch. The water heater hummed to life. Returning, she said, "Give it three to five minutes."

The bathroom door remained ajar, Yuan Ye's weary face visible through the gap. Just as she turned back to finish the bed, he suddenly reached out and pulled her inside. With one swift motion, he shut the door behind her.

The small space, less than three square meters, instantly grew stifling with two bodies inside. The shower ran, water warming from icy to a comfortable forty-five degrees. Steam clouded the air. From behind, Yuan Ye wrapped his arms tightly around her, lowering his face to hers and murmuring, "Let's bathe together. I'm freezing."

His familiar low chuckle, the firm grip at her waist, and that deep, magnetic voice sent her heartbeat racing—like a rabbit fleeing across the prairie from a pursuing wolf.

The spray wet her hair and face, smudging the makeup she'd worn since morning. Feeling uncomfortable, she tried to push him away, only for him to seize her shoulders and turn her around. Her eyes landed on his bare chest.

No longer cold, he stood warm and steady, steam painting the scene with heat. His sharp, youthful features loomed close, leaving Gu Quan dazed.

"Careful, or I'll kick you out…"

The words lacked force, sounding more like a reluctant plea. Yuan Ye only smiled, lowering his head to claim her lips, his body pressing her against the damp tiles. His hand cradled the back of her head to shield her from the wall.

"Yuan Ye! My clothes are soaked…" she protested, thinking of the sweater that would surely shrink.

Later, Gu Quan would often reflect: she had always considered herself a rational, mature woman nearing thirty. Yet what Yuan Ye saw in her seemed… different.

She overlooked the subtle changes in his behavior toward her. If she were still a teenager, she might have lain awake replaying every glance and gesture. Now, however, she simply couldn't sleep because it was nearly five in the morning by the time they stopped.

Winter mornings stayed dark until late. The room remained cloaked in black as Gu Quan rolled over, only to find Yuan Ye watching her intently, satisfaction written across his face.

Her gaze was hazy, absent-minded, as though shrouded in mist. Yuan Ye's lips curled. "Can't sleep? What's on your mind?"

Though they had met many times, neither had asked such simple, familiar questions before: "What are you thinking?" "What's bothering you?" "What happened recently?"

Their bodies brushed in the narrow bed, his warmth pressed against her. She frowned. "You're crowding me—I can't even turn over."

He was supposed to sleep on the couch. Instead, he had "invited himself in." Two women might have managed in one bed. But with his tall, broad frame, the space felt suffocating. Yuan Ye arched a brow, then took her legs and draped them across his body, holding her like a plush doll. "Better now? Feels more spacious, doesn't it?"

Warmth radiated between them.

"Yuan Ye, how did you get into that fight?" Gu Quan, bored, finally asked.

His tone was flat. "I was leaving the bar when I saw them trying to 'take advantage' of someone. So I stepped in."

Gu Quan laughed. "You're not the type to just stand by? That's kind of heroic."

"Something like that." His voice was muffled. In truth, he'd just been looking for a fight.

"I don't usually pry, but since I can't sleep, I'll ask—" she teased, "last night when you asked me to go clubbing, was it to run into Molly and provoke her? I overheard she was going too. You saw her, didn't you?"

Yuan Ye chuckled, chest shaking. "I just wanted to hang out with you. You're overthinking it like some soap opera."

"Molly… tch, she's such a green tea type." Normally, he wouldn't have brought her up. But seeing Gu Quan's eyes sparkle with gossip, he added, "I never chased her. Remember that time at dinner, when I helped her pay in the cafeteria? She said her card was out of money, right? Truth is, she'd spent it all treating her roommates, then came to me to borrow mine. That's when she added me on WeChat."

Gu Quan immediately understood. "And after that, she started chasing you?"