Quick Travel to the Clouds

Chapter 567 The Little Demon 28

Chi Jingchen buried his face in her warm neck, like a stranded whale sinking into its only harbor, his throat emitting heavy and long breaths.

"We finished filming ahead of schedule." His lips were chapped, and a slight stinging sensation came from his touch on her neck. "I discussed it with the director, and we worked through thirty scenes in three days."

Yun Chu's fingertips touched the wrinkles in the back of his shirt—evidence of him curling up on a chair on set, still in his costume, catching up on sleep. Her nose stung, and she tightened her grip on his belt: "Crazy..."

He chuckled softly, his chest heaving like a weary thunderclap. Suddenly, his arms tightened, almost kneading her into his ribs: "Even the craziest person couldn't stand this."

He freed one hand, his fingertip pointing to the title of the unfolded itinerary: "Day 1: Separation Anxiety Test." "How could I bear to let my star go through this challenge alone?"

Suddenly remembering something, Yun Chu broke free from the embrace and jumped off the bed: "Wait for me for five minutes!" She ran barefoot to the kitchen, the cold light from the opening and closing of the refrigerator door outlining her slender figure.

Chi Jingchen leaned against the door frame and watched her tiptoe to reach the honey jar in the hanging cabinet. In the dim light, the hem of her nightgown fluttered up, revealing the pale blue veins on her fair ankles.

This is the living starlight he earned by staying awake for 48 consecutive hours.

When the warm honey water was placed in his palm, he lowered his head and took a sip—it was so sweet it was almost bitter, the level of sweetness she could never quite get right.

But he swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing, and suddenly grabbed her wrist, kissing the rim of the cup she had tasted deeply.

The stickiness of honey mingled with the rusty, weary taste of blood on the lips and tongue, salty, astringent, and scalding hot.

"Don't be afraid." He pressed his forehead against hers as she gasped for breath, wiping away the tears from her eyes with his thumb. "Go stand up for your sister, go eat your way through the delicious food of six cities, go let millions know how wonderful Luo Yun Chu is..."

As dawn broke outside the window, a thin mist painted the horizon blue. Chi Jingchen leaned against the headboard, allowing Yun Chu, who was resting her head on his lap, to see the gradually brightening clouds outside the window.

"Get some sleep," she said, her fingers touching his heavy eyelids and the fine dust on his eyelashes. "The plane doesn't take off until ten o'clock (it's a day earlier, flying to the filming city)."

Chi Jingchen gave a muffled response, his hand instinctively stroking the back of her neck, as if to soothe her or mark her. In the final moments before falling into a deep, sweet dream, his murmured words were broken into pieces by the morning breeze and bathed in light:

"My starlight... shall forever shine with unwavering pride..."

As the morning light filtered through the gauze curtains, casting dappled golden hues on Chi Jingchen's eyelids, Yun Chu had already pressed the suitcase lock to the softest possible sound.

She knelt on the edge of the bed, gazing at the shadow cast by his eyelashes—still specks of dust from his all-night editing session, and even the slight furrow in his brows in his sleep carried the lingering weariness.

As she leaned forward, her hair brushed against his collarbone, and just as her lips were about to touch the corner of his mouth, she was suddenly grabbed by the back of her head by a burning hot hand.

Chi Jingchen's eyes were wide open, showing no signs of sleepiness; he had clearly been pretending to be asleep, waiting for her to say goodbye.

Before she could even gasp, he pulled her into the bed with his arm around her. His kiss, which smelled of morning dew, carried the sweetness of honey hidden in a jar, but her tongue tasted the bitter coffee flavor unique to him after staying up all night.

“Caught a little star that ran away.” His muffled chuckle sent shivers down her spine, and his canines grazed her lower lip as a form of punishment.

The kiss was fiercer than the one last night, as if trying to steal away all the scent of their impending separation. It continued until her knuckles turned white as she gripped his collar, then he pressed his forehead against hers, panting, "Remember when we video chat every day..."

Before he could finish speaking, she silenced him with a kiss.

She mimicked his usual trick, gently scratching his short hair at the back of his head with her fingertips, and sure enough, she felt a shiver run down his spine.

The sound of suitcase wheels rolling over the cobblestones came from outside the window. Suddenly, Chi Jingchen rolled over and pressed her into the fluffy down pillow. In the morning light, the muscles of his arms supporting her above him were taut and sharp, but he gently removed the stray hairs that were stuck to her eyelashes.

"Chi Jingchen." She suddenly called him by his full name, her fingers tracing the dark circles under his eyes from staying up all night. "Wait for me to come back..." Her voice trailed off as he deepened his kiss. He pressed his palm against her lower back, pulling her close. The belt of his robe had come undone, revealing her collarbone.

As the echoes of the airport announcement drifted through the window, Chi Jingchen finally let go of her, but stubbornly still tugged at her coat belt and wrapped it around his wrist: "Send your location as soon as you land."

His eyes held a thousand unspoken words, which ultimately manifested only as the trembling of his fingertips as he tied her scarf—beneath which lay the fresh kiss mark he had just left.

The constant temperature of the cabin air conditioning couldn't dispel the lingering heat at Yun Chu's ears. She leaned against the porthole, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the smooth satin of the scarf at the side of her neck.

This place also bears the burning imprint of Chi Jingchen, a secret declaration mixed with exhaustion, possessiveness, and endless longing.

Yun Chu gently untied a corner of her silk scarf and took out a small, cylindrical rollerball concealer from her makeup bag. The cool metal tube pressed against her skin, and she tilted her head slightly back, facing the blurry reflection in the porthole, her wrist rotating steadily and gently.

The dark marks were gradually covered and neutralized under the white cream, eventually disappearing without a trace.

Round and round, and round again... as if trying to collect the intense sorrow of parting, both sweet and bitter, that had just occurred, carefully hiding it in a corner known only to oneself.

The sea of ​​clouds beneath the wings surged endlessly, much like the ripples in her heart at that moment.

A humid, salty sea breeze from Qingdao swept over us, instantly dispelling the stuffiness inside the cabin.

The recording venue was set up in a relaxing courtyard overlooking the coastline, where the sunlight shone brightly on the white sunshade and the brightly colored lounge chairs.

"Chu Chu!"

A familiar yet slightly anxious voice rang out.

Luo Yunshuang was already waiting under the sunshade. She was wearing a refreshing resort-style long dress and had exquisite makeup. However, when she saw her sister, a hint of relief, "Finally arrived," flashed in her eyes, which was quickly covered by a professional and bright smile.

She quickly stepped forward and naturally took the carry-on suitcase from Yun Chu's hand.

"Are you tired from the journey? I've been texting you for ages and haven't replied. I couldn't get through on the phone either, I was so worried!" Yun Shuang patted her arm affectionately, her tone full of sisterly concern and a hint of reproach.

"Sis!" Yun Chu smiled and rushed over to give her a tight hug, nuzzling her cheek against her sister's shoulder as if seeking reassurance. "I accidentally fell asleep on the plane, and the landing was so bumpy that I didn't notice my phone..."

She subtly tugged at her collar to make sure the area that had just been carefully covered was completely sealed.

Yun Shuang's embrace carried a familiar fragrance and the subtle scent of cosmetics left from long hours of filming, which eased Yun Chu's tense nerves slightly, but also brought a bittersweet burden of "my sister knows nothing."

Luo Yunshuang released her, looked her up and down carefully, her gaze lingering on her face for a moment, with a hint of doubt: "Why is your face a little red? Is it too hot? Or..."

"It was so stuffy on the plane!" Yun Chu quickly interrupted her possible thoughts, took her sister's arm and walked inside. "Sis, can you tell me about it? Where are the others?"

The two were talking in hushed tones as they walked in when a distinctive, hearty, even slightly explosive laugh suddenly broke the tranquil coastal atmosphere at the entrance of the courtyard.