“Captain, which of these windproof scarves do you think suits me best?” Tang Lin held up several half-face yarn scarves, her eyes sparkling as she gazed at Fu Zhengchu.
She wore exquisite makeup, her delicate features perfectly framed by her oval face.
“They all look fine,” Fu Zhengchu replied carefully after a moment, aware of her eager anticipation.
Unsatisfied with his answer, Tang Lin pressed further, “Little junior, I’m asking which one is more suitable for a girl to wear.”
Yu Li recalled that Tang Lin was a first-year graduate student, two years senior to Fu Zhengchu. She had thought Tang Lin’s earlier mention of getting close to Fu Zhengchu was just a joke, but now it seemed she was taking swift action.
Seeing Fu Zhengchu stammer, Tang Lin made no effort to hide her intentions and continued, “How about this? You pick one for me, and as thanks, I’ll give you one too.”
“That’s not necessary…” Fu Zhengchu’s expression grew awkward as he glanced nervously toward Yu Li and the others.
Usually talkative and lively when interacting with them, he now found himself cornered by Tang Lin’s persistence.
Tang Lin finally noticed the presence of the other two. Her gaze lingered on Fu Shize’s face for a few seconds before moving down to their tightly clasped hands. She raised an eyebrow and gave Yu Li a meaningful look.
It seemed she had completely forgotten about Fu Shize.
The other members of Fu Zhengchu’s group gathered around as well.
Almost everyone first focused their attention on the two attractive individuals before them, then shifted their gaze to their joined hands.
Yu Li instinctively wanted to avoid this scrutiny and tried to withdraw her hand.
She tugged gently, but Fu Shize’s grip, though not forceful, left her no room to escape.
As she attempted to pull away a second time, Fu Shize glanced at her. Yu Li had an ominous feeling, and before she could react, he yanked her into his arms.
This sudden movement caught the attention of the others. Embarrassed by the scene, Fu Zhengchu quickly ushered the rest of the group away.
Yu Li steadied herself and quipped, “I didn’t realize my boyfriend was so thick-skinned.”
Fu Shize pinched her ear and responded, “Not thick enough yet.”
Yu Li: “…”
Fu Shize: “There’s no one around now.”
Yu Li: “…”
After spending quite some time in the store, Yu Li finally chose her equipment and they left. With no other plans, the two drove back to EAW, where the company had recently introduced several new games they could play together.
The experience hall was open as usual on weekends. Fu Shize went to Xu Qingsong’s office to get some equipment, while Yu Li waited in the break room, where she ran into He Jiameng, who had come in to work overtime.
“Hey, Teacher Xian Yu, you’re working overtime on the weekend? Not going on a date?” He Jiameng asked.
Yu Li smiled, “Actually, I am on a date…”
“A date at the office?” He Jiameng grinned knowingly. “I guess it’s hard to be open about office romances during the week. Sneaking around like this must be exciting, huh?”
“…”
Yu Li gave her a look, indicating she shouldn’t jump to conclusions. He Jiameng didn’t pursue the topic further and sighed, “The boss said he’d be coming in today, which is why I came. I was hoping for some alone time with him, but then his little cousin showed up.”
“But you know,” she continued, “they are family. She’s quite pretty too.” Realizing she had no chance for private time with Xu Qingsong, He Jiameng picked up her bag and ended her overtime adventure.
Yu Li glanced at the time. Ten minutes had passed, and Fu Shize hadn’t returned yet.
After a moment’s hesitation, she walked to Xu Qingsong’s office door. She knocked, and Xu Qingsong’s voice called out a neutral “Come in.”
As she pushed open the door, she saw not only Xu Qingsong and Fu Shize but also a young woman. The girl had long, straight black hair and wore a uniform dress. Her gaze rested on Yu Li for just a moment before dismissively moving away, apparently assuming Yu Li was a company employee.
Yu Li immediately recognized the face from the photo she had seen before.
Seeing Yu Li enter, Fu Shize walked towards her.
Lin Wanyin, thinking he was about to leave, ignored Yu Li’s presence and angrily said, “Ah Ze, I came to find you on New Year’s Eve too. Why are you avoiding me?”
“…”
“Ever since Sister Sheng said you were dating someone, I didn’t believe it. You wouldn’t even date me, how could you possibly have a girlfriend?” Lin Wanyin prattled on, oblivious to his coldness as she followed behind him.
Fu Shize ignored her and took Yu Li’s hand.
This intimate gesture finally caught Lin Wanyin’s attention. Her scrutinizing gaze lingered on Yu Li for a long while. “Is she your girlfriend?” she asked.
Without waiting for an answer, Lin Wanyin continued nonchalantly, “Oh, well that doesn’t matter. Even if you have a girlfriend, I can still hang out with you, right?”
Yu Li: “…”
Among the three, only the young woman spoke with wide-eyed enthusiasm. Xu Qingsong rose with a pained expression and reluctantly offered, “Wanyin, how about I take you for a tour around? Your uncle needs to spend time with his friend, so let’s not disturb them.”
“No way,” Lin Wanyin flatly refused. “I came all this way specifically to see Ah Ze. He has to keep me company.”
Her tone carried a hint of dissatisfaction and reproach. “Besides, I don’t mind you two being together. Surely your girlfriend won’t mind if I join, right?”
“You don’t mind, do you?” Lin Wanyin asked Yu Li directly.
Yu Li: “…”
Relying on her familial connection to Fu Shize, she seemed certain that Yu Li wouldn’t refuse in this situation.
Yu Li met her challenging gaze, feeling as though a headstrong child had wandered into the office. Before Fu Shize could intervene, she calmly replied, “Actually, I do mind.”
Lin Wanyin: “…”
Yu Li looked up at Fu Shize. “I’d like to go home now.”
Xu Qingsong caught Fu Shize’s eye and managed to restrain Lin Wanyin before she could react.
Yu Li wasn’t clear about Lin Wanyin’s motives but sensed she was a spoiled child. As they left the office, they had barely taken two steps when Lin Wanyin caught up, stubbornly following about two meters behind them.
When they walked faster, she sped up. When they slowed down, she matched their pace.
“…”
Yu Li looked at Fu Shize, who wore a tense expression tinged with impatience. He seemed eager to escape and pulled her along at a quicker pace.
Seeing that the two were completely ignoring her, Lin Wanyin complained, “It took me a whole hour to get here!” Throwing caution to the wind, she added, “I’m still a minor! If you abandon me here and something happens, you’ll be fully responsible. My parents won’t forgive you either!”
These threats seemed to not affect Fu Shize, but Yu Li felt a twinge of anxiety hearing them. After they got in the car, Lin Wanyin ran towards them. In the rearview mirror, Yu Li saw her stop and throw her backpack on the ground.
They had barely driven for two minutes when Fu Shize’s phone began vibrating incessantly. Yu Li glanced at it and saw several incoming calls from his parents.
Lin Wanyin had likely already complained to the elders.
Fu Shize called Xu Qingsong: “Why didn’t you tell me she was coming?”
“I was practically held captive,” Xu Qingsong replied resignedly. “She snatched my phone as soon as she came in.”
“…”
Fu Shize hung up.
“Is that your niece?” Yu Li asked, leaning back in her seat and looking ahead. “I accidentally saw that she had sent you a lot of messages before…”
Fu Shize: “I didn’t read them.”
“Does she like you?”
“…”
“Probably.”
Yu Li was shocked: “She wants to commit incest?”
“…”
“If you don’t want to give her hope, shouldn’t you reject her directly?” Yu Li looked around, bringing up old grievances. “Like how you rejected me before.”
“…”
Fu Shize pulled over to the side of the road and turned to Yu Li. She had spoken without any trace of anger. His expression softened as he unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned over to embrace her gently.
After a few seconds, he cupped Yu Li’s face and lightly licked her lips. She froze for a moment before quickly recovering, wrapping her arms around his neck.
When they were both breathless, Fu Shize finally released her and fastened her seatbelt. Yu Li noticed his phone screen light up, showing ten missed calls. She hesitantly asked, “Is it okay to leave her there?”
After witnessing the situation today, Yu Li could guess that Lin Wanyin was pursuing Fu Shize one-sidedly, using her family connections without regard for his feelings or circumstances.
However, if Lin Wanyin was indeed a minor who had come specifically to see Fu Shize, he might inevitably face criticism from others if anything were to happen to her.
Yu Li didn’t want that to occur.
Fu Shize looked at her, and Yu Li half-jokingly said, “After all, she is your niece. In a way, she’s devoted to you…”
Not wanting to discuss the matter further, he responded with his half-joke: “Not kissed enough?”
“…”
When they arrived home, Yu Li was bombarded with exclamation marks from Deng Chuqi.
Deng Chuqi: [Are you and Xia Xia’s uncle living together???]
Yu Li, unsure where this information came from, replied: [How is that possible? Who told you that?]
Deng Chuqi: [That Lin Wanyin girl. Xia Xia said she posted on her Moments that you two are living together.]
Startled by this news, Yu Li jumped up from the sofa and hurried to the kitchen with Fu Shize’s phone. He was washing strawberries. “Can I look at your WeChat?” she asked.
Fu Shize nodded, unhurriedly washing another strawberry. He bit half of it and held the remaining half to her lips.
As she focused on the fruit in front of her, his face became slightly blurred. Yu Li parted her lips slightly, and he pushed the strawberry into her mouth, his fingertip lingering to caress her lower lip.
Yu Li blushed and pushed his hand away, flustered as she swallowed the strawberry.
She searched for Lin Wanyin on WeChat. The most recent messages in the chat window were voice messages, and above them was an endless stream of question marks.
“…”
She converted the voice messages to text. As the messages appeared, Yu Li’s calm expression began to crumble.
[I just like you. I’ve never done anything to hurt you. Why are you treating me like this?]
[What’s wrong with liking my uncle?]
[I don’t even mind your girlfriend anymore. I don’t need a title. Can’t you just pay attention to me?]
Reading these messages infuriated Yu Li. She felt her boyfriend was being morally blackmailed.
She clicked on Lin Wanyin’s Moments and saw the latest post: [Came to play with my little uncle, but he and his girlfriend rushed home. I’m just a poor lonely single dog, wuwuwu]
They had many mutual friends, and the post had already garnered numerous likes. A few comments stood out:
Dad: [[Smiley]]
Mom: [[Smiley]]
Mom replied to Dad: [Cause for universal celebration [Flower][Flower]]
Dad replied to Mom: [[Thumbs up][Thumbs up][Thumbs up]]
These must be Fu Shize’s parents. Neither of them had told their families about their relationship yet, but Lin Wanyin’s post had effectively announced their relationship to his relatives.
Surprisingly, this made Yu Li feel somewhat happy.
Returning to the main chat interface, she saw that Fu Shize’s parents had sent numerous messages. She didn’t open them, but a video call came in from his father.
Yu Li brought the phone back to the kitchen. Fu Shize frowned, “Don’t answer.”
The call timed out, but another video call persistently came through. Fu Shize turned off the water and picked up the phone, but only to mute it.
“…”
“Maybe we should answer one?” Yu Li suggested, feeling a bit guilty as she watched his phone screen dim and brighten repeatedly.
Fu Shize: “He never used to video call me before.”
Yu Li: “?”
Fu Shize: “Lin Wanyin probably told him about you. He wants to see you.”
Seeing no reaction from Yu Li, he paused what he was doing and asked, “Do you want to meet them?”
“No, no, it’s too soon,” Yu Li quickly shook her head. Feeling that wasn’t enough, she flipped his phone face down so they couldn’t see the video call notifications.
Her quick refusal made Fu Shize raise an eyebrow, his gaze thoughtful.
Water flowed from the fruit basket into the sink. Fu Shize turned off the tap. “Do you think it’s too soon?”
A definitive answer might suggest a lack of confidence in their relationship. Yu Li shook her head and said seriously, “Meeting them would be fine.”
Fu Shize paused, then asked, “What about sharing a tent?”
They hadn’t spent the night together yet, but Yu Li had some expectations and anticipation for such a scenario. She admitted honestly, “That’s not too soon. But could you sleep with clothes on?”
“…” He smiled slightly. “Do you usually sleep with clothes on?”
“Yes.”
“Alright,” he tilted his head and countered, “Then can you sleep without clothes on?”
“…”
Unable to argue further, Yu Li could only resign herself to waiting for that day to come. Strangely, as the time approached, her nervousness decreased.
Several times, she found herself wondering if he would buy matching sleeping bags.
The incident with Lin Wanyin didn’t cause any further ripples.
On the day of the camping trip, Fu Shize came to pick her up by car, having already packed their luggage. The campsite was a three-hour drive from the city center, and they followed the bus in their car.
Fu Shize fastened Yu Li’s seatbelt and kissed her forehead before starting the journey.
Upon reaching the campsite, Yu Li helped Fu Shize set up their tent on level ground—an orange double tent.
More than ten tents dotted the large clearing. Yu Li took a photo and sat down by the pre-arranged hot pot. Fu Zhengchu, the trip leader, had already organized the group to gather flashlights for lighting.
Fu Shize draped a large blanket over Yu Li’s shoulders. When he sat down, Yu Li wrapped the other corner around him.
Under the blanket, their bodies pressed close. Yu Li secretly caressed Fu Shize’s hand, and he reciprocated, grasping her hand and massaging her upper wrist.
They had brought plenty of beer.
Before joining, Yu Li had assumed she’d only need to stay with Fu Shize, without interacting with others.
The dozen or so participants took turns introducing themselves. As the only couple present, Tang Lin asked with a smile, “How did you two get together?”
Yu Li glanced at Fu Shize and replied, “We just met…”
Another girl asked, “And then you fell for each other?”
Yu Li: “Not exactly. One of us pursued the other.”
“Who pursued whom?”
Yu Li wasn’t ashamed to admit she had pursued Fu Shize, but before she could speak, Fu Shize said, “I pursued her.”
She looked at Fu Shize as he squeezed her fingers supportively, quickly moving past the topic. For the rest of the time, she and Fu Shize were like two isolated creatures huddled under the blanket, both silently staring at the small hot pot before them.
Yu Li listened to others discussing previous hiking experiences. She turned her head towards them several times, wanting to say something, but never found the courage.
Someone came over to chat with them. It was the group’s deputy leader, a young man from Fu Zhengchu’s club.
“I’m Gu Kaiming,” he said, bringing a bottle of alcohol and pouring some into paper cups for both of them. Usually, Fu Shize would refuse, but this time he didn’t.
Yu Li greeted him, and Gu Kaiming casually sat down on their picnic blanket.
“Your girlfriend is very pretty,” Gu Kaiming said to Fu Shize, who nodded and replied, “Thank you.”
“Don’t be shy, everyone here is nice,” Gu Kaiming noticed Yu Li’s nervousness and smiled at her. “Let me introduce you to the others.”
Yu Li looked at Fu Shize, who nodded, though he showed no interest and remained where he was, playing with the small hot pot.
As a long-time social phobic, Yu Li nevertheless yearned to be part of such a group. She followed Gu Kaiming, and though she wasn’t very talkative, she managed to join in conversations led by others.
Strangers didn’t seem so hard to interact with after all…
When she looked back at Fu Shize, he was sitting in the same spot, looking bored. Those who tried to chat with him were quickly repelled by his indifference.
But his gaze never left her.
This supportive look gave Yu Li a boost of confidence. When she next looked back at Fu Shize, over an hour had passed.
He was still sitting in the same place, but the flashlight had been taken away by others. His figure, hidden in the darkness, looked somewhat forlorn. Yu Li suddenly felt guilty and, after saying goodbye to the others, ran back to his side.
“I was gone too long,” she said as she sat down. Fu Shize had told her to take the blanket when she left, and now he felt cold. Yu Li wrapped the blanket around him twice.
Sitting there, his whole demeanor was like a block of ice. Yu Li found it oddly amusing and asked, “Are you still cold?”
Fu Shize: “Mm.”
Yu Li tightened the blanket around him, realizing he was serious. “What should we do?”
He stared at her: “I need a heat source.”
Yu Li: “…”
“Let’s go,” he said, standing up and wrapping Yu Li in the blanket with him. He led her towards the woods. By this time, most people had dispersed, and their departure went unnoticed.
They walked to a small grassy area, a low-lying spot surrounded by rocks on three sides.
It was a very secluded place.
Yu Li was still observing the terrain when she stumbled on uneven ground, falling forward.
She landed on soft grass, unhurt but in an awkward position. Fu Shize, still wrapped in the blanket with her, was pulled down too.
He even laughed.
Yu Li was a bit exasperated. Just as she was about to get up, his hands slipped through the gaps between her arms, bracing against the ground. He leaned forward, close to her. Yu Li retreated step by step, eventually lying back on the grass.
The light was dim, making it hard to see his features clearly, but his breath was familiar. Fu Shize’s breathing gradually grew heavier. Yu Li’s first reaction was still to look around.
He gently held her chin, making her look directly at him. He smiled, “You’re always distracted at crucial moments.”
“But what if someone sees us… I’m just trying to eliminate potential risks,” Yu Li argued.
“Risks?” He leaned close to her ear: “The risk is right in front of you.”
Before she could react, Fu Shize’s lips touched the corner of her face, gradually moving to her lips. Yu Li looked at his lowered eyes and the stars scattered across the sky. With great effort, she flipped their positions, pinning Fu Shize beneath her.
His body tensed, his eyes darkening as he controlled his breathing.
Yu Li first touched the corner of his lips. It was her first time initiating a kiss in this position. Her face flushed as she said breathlessly, “I want you to see the stars too.”
Fu Shize only then noticed the sea of stars behind her. Her eyes were clear, and she spoke softly and sweetly. Her actions were purely innocent, without any other intentions.
His desire was still present, and he lifted his head to kiss her, but Yu Li avoided it, pushing gently on his chest. “Look at them, please.”
Her tone sounded slightly reproachful.
“Alright.”
He obediently lay back on the ground. The clouds had cleared, revealing a gradient of blue-gray sky dotted with white lights and a streak of transparent mist.
It wasn’t just stars; it was the Milky Way.
She earnestly and persistently wanted him to see the beautiful scene she had witnessed.
Fu Shize suddenly burst into laughter.
It was completely unrestrained laughter.
“I see it,” he said, still laughing. “And I see you.”
He cradled the back of Yu Li’s head, pulling her down, while his other arm tightened around her waist. Their lips met again, hot and moist. He did not attempt to hide his emotions, releasing all his pent-up feelings at once.
They lay side by side on the grass, shoulders touching. A gentle evening breeze carried the faint scent of earth, and silence surrounded them.
It was Yu Li’s first time seeing such a vast expanse of stars. The Milky Way stood like a phantom in one corner. Feeling the warmth in her palm, she smiled.
Wanting to steal a glance at Fu Shize, she turned her head, only to find herself caught in his gaze. Yu Li was startled: “Aren’t you looking at the stars?”
“Don’t want to,” Fu Shize said, lying on his side with his head propped on his hand. He moved closer, his eyes fixed on her. “I didn’t come here to look at stars.”
…
Back at the tent, Fu Shize hung the flashlight at the top. The campsite was remote, without proper restrooms. Yu Li didn’t feel comfortable doing these things with Fu Shize, so she went with Tang Lin to find a secluded spot.
Tang Lin was outgoing and had already become familiar with the others. They had gone stargazing together earlier.
“Yu Li, you should have seen it! When your boyfriend said he pursued you, everyone around was so envious,” Tang Lin said, making an exaggerated expression to mimic the others’ reactions. “But it’s true, though. With your boyfriend’s personality, I thought you must have pursued him.”
“He’s so cold, he must have been head over heels in love with you to decide to pursue you.”
Yu Li hadn’t thought about what Tang Lin said. Their relationship had developed steadily, like any normal couple’s.
Sometimes she wondered why Fu Shize liked her, but she wasn’t one to dwell on such thoughts unnecessarily.
Fu Shize seemed to like her a lot.
But head over heels in love? It probably hadn’t reached that level.
Tang Lin continued, “Actually, I’m so envious of you. Your boyfriend is so damn handsome, cool, and devoted only to you. Ah, I want that too.”
Brought back to reality by her words, and thinking about devotion, Yu Li remembered that Fu Zhengchu had dated four or five people. She asked, “Are you pursuing Fu Zhengchu?”
“Yes!” Tang Lin looked a bit dejected. “But he’s a bit cold. I added him on WeChat, but his replies aren’t very enthusiastic.”
This didn’t match Yu Li’s impression of Fu Zhengchu, so she remained silent.
“He seemed to be talking with your boyfriend today. Do they know each other?”
Yu Li calmly replied, “My boyfriend is his uncle.”
“…”
Tang Lin’s mouth twitched. “Your boyfriend doesn’t look that old.” She grinned mischievously. “A mature man isn’t bad though, he can take care of you.”
“My boyfriend is the same age as me. They just have different generational titles,” Yu Li explained, but Tang Lin didn’t seem to pay much attention. Her eyes lit up: “Then you must be close to Fu Zhengchu, right? My family runs a pet shop. Why don’t you two invite Fu Zhengchu to come along? Everything will be in the house. Your boyfriend is so handsome, he must love dogs!”
There was no connection between these two things.
However, Yu Li remembered that day near the overtime office when Fu Shize had bought fish balls to feed a small dog. That scene had left a deep impression on her.
She only said she would ask, without giving Tang Lin a definite answer.
“But you know, your boyfriend is so handsome, you need to keep a close eye on him,” Tang Lin said. “My ex-boyfriend was very handsome too. He got together with me on impulse, but once the novelty wore off, he became very cold. It’s best to define the relationship early on.”
Define the relationship.
Yu Li looked confused, and Tang Lin answered with a meaningful look—it was exactly what Yu Li was thinking.
She was momentarily speechless.
Back at the tent, Yu Li was still pondering Tang Lin’s words, but her vague uneasiness dissipated upon seeing Fu Shize’s face.
The more she looked at that face, the more satisfied she felt.
She snuggled close to him. “They say having you as a boyfriend gives me face.”
Fu Shize had been in the tent for a while and replied casually, “What do you think?”
Yu Li: “I agree one hundred percent.”
He ruffled her hair and relaxed, scrolling through the latest tech news.
“I made some desserts for you,” Yu Li said, taking out several small boxes of cupcakes from her bag. “Should we send one to Fu Zhengchu too?”
Fu Shize: “Let him come get it himself.”
Yu Li: “Do you want to eat now?”
Fu Shize: “Mm.”
She opened a box, but Fu Shize didn’t move, quickly scrolling through articles on his phone screen.
Yu Li placed the cupcake directly in front of his screen.
Fu Shize leaned back lazily. “No hands.”
He had one arm around Yu Li and the other holding his phone. Yu Li sighed, unwrapped a spoon for him, and scooped up a bite.
He ate it with a smirk.
After finishing the dessert, they went outside to wash up. When they returned, Fu Shize laid out the sleeping bags. He had brought two separate sleeping bags, not the couple’s sleeping bag Yu Li had imagined.
After laying them out, Yu Li stared at him. He hadn’t followed through on his earlier statement about sleeping naked, only removing his jacket and sweater before slipping into the bag.
Yu Li felt a bit disappointed.
She was quite conservative, but she had imagined too much about this night. Now that reality differed from her expectations, she couldn’t help feeling let down.
Noticing her expression, Fu Shize: “…”
“You want to see?”
He emerged halfway from the sleeping bag, sat up straight, and, meeting her gaze, gripped the hem of his shirt and slowly began to lift it. First, a small inch of pale skin was revealed, then his abdomen.
Yu Li’s breath caught, and she quickly grabbed his hands, carefully helping him put his shirt back in place.
He watched her actions, finding it amusing. Before they could continue their little dance, Fu Zhengchu’s silhouette appeared in front of the tent.
After unzipping the tent, Fu Zhengchu took the box of cupcakes Yu Li handed him. He glimpsed the two separate sleeping bags in the tent and shook his head with a sigh.
Back in his tent, he opened the cupcake—it was matcha flavored—and opened his chat window with Fu Shize.
Fu Zhengchu: [Uncle, I can’t believe you brought two single sleeping bags.]
Fu Zhengchu: [Are you not up for it??]
His phone buzzed with a simple text emoji, a large “Oh.” It was the first time he had seen Fu Shize use an emoji. Fu Zhengchu blinked, nearly choking on his cupcake.