Beyond Reach - Novelbike

Arguing with Yan Tingli was practically routine.

Shi Sui was used to it. Though the more she thought about it, the angrier she got, it didn’t stop her from falling asleep easily.

She woke up in the morning, going about her own business in the study.

It wasn’t until almost noon that she heard movement from the master bedroom, guessing that Yan Tingli had finally gotten up.

Shi Sui wasn’t surprised.

Since high school, everyone talked about Yan Tingli’s intelligence, assuming there must be some hidden diligence behind it.

The truth was, Yan Tingli was so lazy it was beyond Shi Sui’s imagination. The longest he’d slept was fifteen hours straight, according to Shi Sui’s stopwatch.

Back in her freshman year, it was her second visit here. The night before, he’d kept her up until late, and then slept from eleven at night until three in the afternoon, impossible to wake.

Shi Sui was so scared she almost thought he was overindulging and about to exhaust himself.

Outside, Yan Tingli’s footsteps paced back and forth, but he didn’t come looking for her.

It wasn’t until lunch that Shi Sui heard a brief knock on the study door.

Probably calling her to eat.

It had a “take it or leave it” vibe.

Shi Sui wouldn’t let her stomach suffer.

She put down her drawing board and walked out. Yan Tingli had just sat down, a few freshly cooked dishes in front of him, not looking her way.

Was this a cold war?

Shi Sui’s steps were hesitant, her heart pounding, unsure what Yan Tingli might do, knowing she was always the one bullied in their arguments.

He stayed silent, and Shi Sui didn’t bother to make conversation, eating her lunch quietly.

The taste was as usual, only salt and soy sauce, no other seasoning.

…Another rich man’s survival health meal.

But Shi Sui only ate, not cooked, so she wasn’t in a position to criticize the chef.

After lunch, she put the dishes in the dishwasher, and saw Yan Tingli leaning by the window, on the phone.

On her way back to the study, she caught snippets of the conversation.

It was Uncle Yan, talking about having dinner with Professor Su’s family on Sunday, and Yan Tingli responded lazily.

Shi Sui lowered her eyelashes, noticing the corn juice Yan Tingli had freshly squeezed on the table. She sipped it absentmindedly.

In the study, she checked her phone. Li Yin had messaged her in the morning, asking about her weekend plans and if she needed any pocket money.

Shi Sui replied as usual, saying she didn’t need any, she had enough.

Li Yin sent over five thousand yuan: [Sweetie, buy whatever you want, enjoy your college life, don’t hesitate to spend.]

Two years ago, the industry was in a slump, her father’s construction company was struggling, and the family went through tough times, forcing her to stay with the Yan Family.

Later, her parents started live streaming in Hang City. Shi Sui didn’t know the exact figures, but judging by the increasing pocket money, things seemed to be going well.

Thinking of this, Shi Sui smiled at the screen, accepting the money: [Thanks, Mom~]

Li Yin was busy, quickly sending a patting emoji before leaving.

Shi Sui opened the shopping app, seeing her mother already broadcasting with a flawless look. Since entering this field, her parents were busier than before, often working nonstop.

Shi Sui rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought.

If only she could graduate quickly and be with her parents.

After replying to messages, she went to the study and continued her drawing on the tablet.

Ever since Shi Sui enrolled in the animation major at A University two years ago, it felt like she had one foot in purgatory. Endless drawings, software to master, post-production tasks piling up, and her classmates were fiercely competitive. On top of that, Yan Tingli was constantly squeezing the little time she had left.

The afternoon slipped away quietly, and when she looked up again, the sky outside was dotted with stars. Shi Sui stretched her neck, about to turn on the light, but the study’s light flicked on before she could.

Then, a gentle voice belonging to Li Yin echoed, “Sweetie, come out for dinner. It’s not good for your eyes to draw at dusk.”

Shi Sui froze for a moment, almost thinking her mother was really outside the door, before remembering that Li Yin couldn’t possibly be there at this hour. The voice could only have come from-Shi Sui opened the door and looked at the small robot that barely reached her waist. It was the second-generation Suowo home robot from Qisheng Technology, albeit with incomplete functions.

She named it Little Snail because it carried a small backpack on its back, resembling a snail’s shell. Yan Tingli had been involved in its development and brought Little Snail here during the initial testing phase.

Unlike the soon-to-be-released perfect product, Little Snail was incomplete and prone to frequent errors and bugs. The reason it had her mother’s voice was because, during the initial programming, Yan Tingli had asked her what voice she wanted. Shi Sui, having just finished a call with Li Yin, had replied sullenly, “Mom’s voice.”

Thus, Little Snail acquired Li Yin’s voice. Of course, Yan Tingli never used this voice again and even shut Little Snail down for a long time. The reason was an incident at dusk when he was nestled against her skirt, his soft hair brushing her thigh, and Shi Sui was biting her lip, breathless. The twilight cast a rosy hue of intimacy, and when “Li Yin’s” voice suddenly asked, “What are you two doing?” it was like a bolt from the blue, nearly scaring Shi Sui out of her wits.

The room fell silent. Shi Sui wasn’t the only one frozen; even Yan Tingli paused for a moment, his head trapped between her legs, letting out a muffled grunt. Little Snail then said, “Sweetie, it’s time to eat. Remember to have your meals on time.”

A second later, Yan Tingli kicked the robot back into the storage room, and he never used Li Yin’s voice again.

Returning from her memories, Shi Sui looked up and met Yan Tingli’s gaze at the dining table. He turned away, set down the plate, and uttered just two words: “Eat up.”

Shi Sui scratched her head. Just hearing Little Snail mimic her mother’s voice seemed to dissipate her anger. She moved slowly, and as she approached, she gently hugged Yan Tingli from behind.

He paused, his dark lashes lowered as he looked at her. “Hugging me, what does that mean?”

Shi Sui’s lips moved, but she didn’t apologize. If she had to apologize, then Yan Tingli, being so unreasonable, should be the one to bow down to her. Shi Sui found herself an excuse, “I’m comforting you.”

“I want you to kiss me.”

A kiss wouldn’t stop at just that, so Shi Sui was cautious, “I won’t.”

Yan Tingli’s fingers lifted her chin from behind, his thumb pressing against her lips, speaking coldly, “This mouth of yours, aside from kissing me and… well, when has it ever made me happy?”

Shi Sui’s cheeks turned crimson, her attention immediately diverted, “When have I ever done that to you?”

“Hard to imagine, isn’t it?”

Yan Tingli’s finger brushed against her lips, “You’d be just like now, cheeks and eyes all flushed, even crying because you couldn’t handle it, just looking at me pitifully.”

By all accounts, Shi Sui should feel ashamed and angry at such an affront, but she didn’t-none of that. Instead, she felt her body’s excitement, trying to hide it, only to be pierced by Yan Tingli’s casual words, “Got wet?”

Shi Sui wanted to cover her ears.

Just like that, she found herself unable to resist, her physiological reaction to Yan Tingli almost defying her instincts-truly infuriating.

A mere teasing could stir her so easily, “Such a big reaction,” Yan Tingli pressed her lips, his eyes darkened, “Is this what you really want me to do to you?”

Shi Sui shut her eyes tightly, “No!”

“Such a pity.”

He shrugged, turned on his heel, and left, skipping dinner, heading straight to the bathroom.

Shi Sui was left feeling drained, suspended in place.

She was used to Yan Tingli’s unpredictable desires, not bothering to think about what he was doing, focusing on her meal.

By the time she finished eating, he still hadn’t come out. Passing by the bathroom, ambiguous sounds reached her ears, causing her to pause.

A slight push, and the door opened.

Through the misty steam, Yan Tingli stood under the shower, his long neck, Adam’s apple moving slightly, his pale profile flushed.

The light fell askew, in the shadows, his dark eyes met hers, showing no discomfort at being watched.

The allure was hard to resist.

Shi Sui felt her legs weaken, the tide returning.

“Come here and kiss me.”

Shi Sui hesitated, not daring to move.

“Or do the other thing.”

…

In the end, she kissed him; Yan Tingli never failed to achieve his goals. Their quarrels and disputes always seemed to resolve in bed, unfailingly.

As Shi Sui leaned in to kiss him, he released a heavy breath.

Milky white splashed onto her clothes.

Accompanied by intense gazes.

The atmosphere enveloped her like a net, giving Shi Sui the illusion of being marked by a beast, unable to escape his scent for life.

…

Hours later, she glanced at her phone.

Her best friend Zhou Xuyan, who had been missing for a while after going into the mountains for inspiration, sent a message: [I’m back, let’s hang out tomorrow]

Shi Sui met Zhou Xuyan after moving into the Yan Family’s home. Like Yan Tingli, Zhou Xuyan was a prominent figure in high school, the legendary leader of the international class, with an impressive family background and striking beauty.

Few knew that Zhou Xuyan and Yan Tingli were distant relatives. Their grandmothers were cousins, and Zhou Xuyan was two months older than Yan Tingli, allowing her to call him cousin.

With her parents frequently traveling for business, Zhou Xuyan was often left at the Yan Family’s home, where she met Shi Sui. Over time, they became close friends.

[We haven’t seen each other for a month, even if Yan Tingli isn’t happy, you can’t back out] Zhou Xuyan’s message popped up again.

Shi Sui knew that Zhou Xuyan’s relationship with Yan Tingli was strained, almost like fire and water.

But she was the only one who knew about Shi Sui’s relationship with Yan Tingli.

Shi Sui was about to agree when footsteps approached from behind.

Yan Tingli, wearing half-frame glasses on the bridge of his nose, was replying to an email while casually handing her a glass of milk.

Although Shi Sui liked drinking milk, she simply couldn’t stomach it now, especially since she was still stained with his scent.

“No, thanks,” she said, visibly annoyed.

Yan Tingli paused before her, and after a few seconds, a slight snort sounded from his nose, seemingly mocking.

Looking up, she decided to drink the milk herself. “You have quite the imagination.”

Shi Sui hadn’t expected him to bring that up again, frustrated, she protested, “Don’t you dare do that to me again.”

“Don’t like it? But I enjoy it when you spray it on me-”

She covered his mouth with her hand. “Don’t you say it!”

Shi Sui was furious, wanting to tear apart his vulgar mouth. She sat down huffily and changed the subject. “Yan is back. She asked to meet tomorrow. Just letting you know.”

“Just the two of you?”

Shi Sui nodded. “It seems so.”

“Where to?”

“Not sure yet, probably just shopping.”

“Better ask her to confirm,” Yan Tingli said indifferently, putting down his glass with a “thud.”

Shi Sui parted her lips as if to say something, then closed them.

“I’ll ask her.”

[Yan, is it just the two of us? Where are we going?]

The reply came quickly:

[Is it Yan Tingli who asked you to check?]

[I’m so annoyed! Every time I go out, he has to ask a million questions. What is he, your dad? A twenty-year-old needing to report everything like that.]

[Is it still about that incident? It’s been so long!]

The incident Zhou Xuyan referred to had happened over a year ago.

On Zhou Xuyan’s nineteenth birthday, she had thrown a grand party.

At that time, Yan Tingli was out of town for a competition and reportedly couldn’t make it on time, which Zhou Xuyan didn’t mind.

Shi Sui had helped her decorate the villa early on.

Many guests arrived that day, and midway through, Zhou Xuyan mysteriously pulled Shi Sui aside into a private room, claiming she had something special to share just with her.

Upon opening the door, a dozen handsome men lined up on either side.

“How about that? I picked them all out myself,” Zhou Xuyan asked.

Shi Sui was too stunned to speak.

“You’ve just never had anything good,” Zhou Xuyan whispered in her ear. “You should take this chance, with him not around, to meet some real men, then you’ll see how messed up Yan Tingli really is.”

At that time, Shi Sui only thought of Yan Tingli as occasionally possessive, but not necessarily “messed up.”

However, feeling somewhat uneasy that night, she decided, “Let’s just enjoy the party outside-”

“It’s my birthday, I call the shots, and you must listen!” Zhou Xuyan insisted, pushing her inside. “We’re just going to talk, nothing else.”

“Don’t be a spoilsport,” she pouted.

Shi Sui was then pressed down onto a sofa.

The men were indeed great conversationalists, especially adept at providing emotional comfort.

Sitting there, Shi Sui found it amusing to watch Zhou Xuyan interact with them.

She drank a few sips of fruit wine, perhaps tired, she felt drunk quicker than usual.

Feeling a bit dizzy, Shi Sui put down her glass.

The man sitting quietly by her side asked considerately, “Do you want to lean on my shoulder for a bit?”

Shi Sui waved him off: “I just need a moment.”

But that moment brought on drowsiness, and in her haze, someone caught her cheek, their body carrying a cool mint scent, much like Yan Tingli after a shower.

Shi Sui murmured and leaned in.

As the noise around her lulled her into a sound sleep, it was the quiet moments when Shi Sui slowly woke up.

Shi Sui opened her eyes to find the room brightly lit. Zhou Xuyan stood at the doorway, arms crossed, engaged in some sort of argument, seemingly at a stalemate. In front of her stood a tall figure in a long coat. As Shi Sui’s vision cleared, she recognized Yan Tingli.

Yan Tingli ignored Zhou Xuyan, his gaze coldly directed towards Shi Sui. The weight on Shi Sui’s shoulder suddenly vanished as the boy who had offered his shoulder for her to lean on swiftly withdrew his hand.

Yan Tingli had arrived at half-past eleven that night. No one knew the competition had ended early, and he had managed to catch the last flight back.

As they were leaving, Zhou Xuyan protested, “It’s my birthday today, I want Suisui to stay.”

Yan Tingli was gently wrapping a scarf around Shi Sui’s neck, his tone soft as he asked her, “What do you think?”

Shi Sui felt uncomfortable with the public display of affection, even in front of Zhou Xuyan. She turned her face away, about to speak, when Yan Tingli leaned closer, “Think carefully before you answer.”

Feeling a chill in her heart, Shi Sui decided to go all in, “I want to stay with Yan.”

Yan Tingli chuckled softly, unsurprised, “Alright, we can stay together.” He turned his gaze to Zhou Xuyan, “Arrange a room for us at your place.”

Zhou Xuyan protested, “I don’t want you-”

“Unless you want Grandpa Zhou to hear about tonight.”

“…”

Grandpa Zhou’s strictness was Zhou Xuyan’s Achilles’ heel.

“No, I’ve reconsidered,” Shi Sui hurriedly tugged at Yan Tingli’s sleeve, “I’ll go back with you, I’ll go back.”

Without a word, Yan Tingli took her wrist and led her out, dragging a suitcase with his other hand.

Before that night, Shi Sui had never seen this side of Yan Tingli.

He would hold her under the shower, washing her repeatedly from head to toe.

As he leaned in to sniff her skin, he asked in puzzlement, “Why can’t I wash it off?”

Shi Sui, on the verge of breaking down, asked, “What exactly are you trying to wash off?”