The next day, Cen Jin slept until noon again.

When she emerged from the bedroom, no one else was home. Only the untouched dishes and soup on the dining table – perfect in color, aroma, and taste – reminded her that Li Wu had been here last night.

She opened WeChat; their chat history still ended with her message telling him to go home.

Last night’s sweet talk hadn’t completely placated the boy. He was still sulking, yet thoughtfully left food behind, as if afraid of pushing too far and losing her.

Standing by the table, Cen Jin smiled faintly and sent him a message.

First: “Sister’s awake.”

No response.

Then: “Sister’s eating.”

Still no movement.

Cen Jin had to resort to the ultimate double entendre: “Is little brother’s cooking emotional? Not as tasty as a little brother.”

Finally, he couldn’t hide anymore: “…”

Cen Jin’s tone suddenly turned cold: “What’s with the dots? Think you’re a big shot now? Back at school and won’t even tell me?”

Li Wu replied: “Didn’t want to disturb your work and rest.”

His stubbornness made Cen Jin both angry and amused: “Thanks a lot, quite thrilling to finish and run.”

Li Wu: “I’m in the lab.”

Cen Jin remained nonchalant: “So what?”

Li Wu: “Stop it.”

The more embarrassed he got, the more excited Cen Jin became to tease him: “I’ll say it: smooch smooch smooch.”

Li Wu: “…”

He tried to threaten her: “Don’t go too far.”

Cen Jin continued flooding the screen with “smooch,” completely unrestrained.

Li Wu sat on his stool, his mind full of last night’s helpless scenes on the sofa that were hard to witness or imagine, his ears almost burning transparent.

He stopped chatting deeply with her, hastily throwing down “I need to record data” before closing WeChat.

Li Wu took a deep breath, stood up, cleared his wandering thoughts, and focused on the experiment.

Xu Shuo stood opposite the equipment, not noticing his state: “How many times is this now? Looks like we can’t replicate it.”

Chen Shuyang walked over: “You think good data comes easily? Take a break, we’ll continue in the afternoon. Let’s eat first.”

The three boys walked downstairs toward the cafeteria. Suddenly remembering something, Xu Shuo glanced at Li Wu: “Our department’s Halloween party next week, are you coming?”

Li Wu’s independent nature usually rejected such occasions: “No.”

“Oh…” Xu Shuo put on a teasing face: “Need to go home and serve your big sister in bed?”

Li Wu’s hands were in his pockets, and his voice grew sharp: “Can you not talk like that?”

Xu Shuo stopped teasing and continued persuading: “But Zhong and Wen are both going. Our dorm’s only missing you – not very sporting. Plus you need to bring a date. A perfect chance to bring your girlfriend. Still won’t let your brothers meet her?”

The last sentence stirred something in Li Wu’s chest. After thinking for several seconds, he said casually: “She’s busy with work. I’ll ask and see.”

Back in the dorm that evening, he messaged Cen Jin: “Are you busy now?”

She replied: “Not really.”

Li Wu carefully considered his words before deciding to be direct: “Our department has a Halloween party next Saturday night. Would you like to come?”

Cen Jin, having attended similar events in college, understood immediately: “Want me to be your dance partner?”

Li Wu: “Mm.”

Cen Jin checked her calendar: “Should be free.”

Li Wu repeated: “Should be?”

Cen Jin: “Yes, should be.”

Li Wu, afraid of pressuring her: “Then I won’t go either.”

Cen Jin couldn’t help but yield: “Is over 80% probability okay?”

Li Wu smiled: “Good.”

The chat window was quiet for a moment before Cen Jin sent a heartfelt message: “Don’t give up enjoying all the beautiful things about student life just because I can’t participate. Besides love, your life has many bright spots worth capturing and pursuing.”

Li Wu understood, but he naturally had little interest in these group activities. He mainly asked Cen Jin to test her attitude.

Last night’s events had awakened something in him, and he felt somewhat dissatisfied with their caged-bird-like relationship. So he decided to take the initiative, seeing if she was willing to step into his territory and go public.

She hadn’t resisted, showing she wasn’t avoiding it, her attitude was open, and she didn’t think their relationship needed hiding.

Li Wu was overjoyed and chatted with Cen Jin for another half hour before contentedly putting down his phone and opening his textbook.

―

For an entire week, Cen Jin carefully arranged her schedule to ensure she could squeeze out Saturday night to fulfill her college student’s wish.

At four in the afternoon that day, Cen Jin returned home early and pulled up the Corpse Bride makeup tutorial she’d watched several times, beginning to recreate it in the mirror.

After finishing her makeup, she changed into an all-white strapless wedding dress she had set aside earlier.

By the time she finished adjusting her veil and skirt, it was dark outside. Cen Jin hurriedly put on a cardigan, grabbed her clutch, and rushed to F University.

The woman in white trailing fabric, with her eerie yet beautiful makeup, looked like an enchanting spirit from a dream.

Walking toward Li Wu’s dormitory, holding up her skirt, Cen Jin received many admiring glances and playful whistles from male students.

She kept her eyes forward, only messaging Li Wu: “I’m almost there. What are you dressed as today?”

“…” Her phrasing made the young man pause: “Don’t laugh when you see it, my roommates did it.”

When they met, Li Wu and all his dormmates were stunned.

Cen Jin stopped two meters away, looked at Li Wu, put her hands on her hips, and burst out laughing: “Are you serious?”

Li Wu held his phone, looking embarrassed: “Does it look bad?”

“Not bad,” Cen Jin sighed: “Just that we completely didn’t coordinate.”

Li Wu’s lips curved: “Isn’t East meets West good?”

Cen Jin ended the call and walked toward this tall, ethereal young Daoist priest in white robes.

Li Wu’s roommates, also in various strange costumes, seemed more excited than the people involved, constantly pushing and jumping around.

Stopping in front of Li Wu, Cen Jin let down her skirt, lifted her head slightly, and extended her hand.

Li Wu took it, gripping it tightly, pulling this most beautiful woman in the world toward himself.

The watching lone wolf roommates howled continuously as if witnessing a wedding.

Cen Jin was Snow White among the dwarfs, elegantly turning her gaze around, and asking each of them their names.

The young men were flattered, hurriedly introducing themselves.

After brief greetings, the roommates dispersed to pick up their dance partners.

As the crescent moon rose, Li Wu led Cen Jin unhurriedly toward the party. Both dressed in eye-catching white, with outstanding looks, they made quite a striking pair, naturally drawing many glances.

Li Wu was blooming with joy, his smile refusing to fade as he found chances to whisper: “You’re so beautiful today.”

Cen Jin raised her eyebrows, pretending not to hear his praise, but her fingertip lightly scratched his palm: “Little Daoist priest, I want to take you home right now and break your vows.”

Li Wu’s ears reddened, his heart itching from the demon woman’s actions and words. He released her hand to change position, pulling her closer to himself.

“What are you doing?” The wedding dress was smooth and cool as Cen Jin’s waist twisted like a fish in his hands.

Li Wu gripped tighter, his possessiveness was obvious.

In public, they both restrained themselves, not daring to be too unrestrained.

Entering the venue, it was crowded with people, and almost everyone simultaneously turned their gazes toward them.

Cen Jin’s elegant bearing made her like an off-season migrating swan, stirring up a lake of still-young birds.

Whenever classmates came to ask, Li Wu would openly introduce Cen Jin’s identity, holding onto her the whole time, and not allowing her to be more than half a meter away from him.

The music started, and the venue lights dimmed. The bizarre decorations failed to create a scary atmosphere. The pumpkin lanterns burning in the corners of the dance floor seemed more intimate than spooky.

Li Wu and Cen Jin held each other, swaying to the music, not dancing steps but tender and passionate.

Taking advantage of the dim environment, their noses touched several times, melting into each other with almost-touching breaths and brushes.

When the bright lights illuminated everyone, the music turned cheerful and playful.

With her experience from studying abroad and nightclub practice, Cen Jin was in her element, and not at all shy. She swayed freely among the young people, moving gracefully, her smile radiating brilliance.

She perfectly integrated while remaining the center of attention, while Li Wu, having no dance skills, automatically became the background.

Later, some students simply stopped dancing to watch her, clapping along, unable to take their eyes off her confident, vivid expression.

…

After several songs, Cen Jin had worked up a light sweat. When she sat down by the wall to rest, Li Wu quickly brought her a bottle of water, almost speechless with delight.

Cen Jin took a few small sips and looked up at him: “Didn’t embarrass you, did I?”

Li Wu stared unblinkingly: “I feel even more inferior now.”

Little thing – Cen Jin raised her hand and jabbed his abdomen hard with the bottom of the water bottle.

Li Wu couldn’t dodge and burst out laughing.

Cen Jin looked around, snorting disdainfully: “See who dares to think about my man now.”

Just as she finished speaking, suddenly a girl called Li Wu’s name loudly.

Li Wu turned his head. The voice sounded familiar to Cen Jin, and she also looked toward it. A girl dressed as Harley Quinn was running over, her two ponytails bouncing, movements graceful and light, quickly stopping in front of Li Wu, slightly out of breath.

She had sweet features, her face small as a palm.

“I’m late!” the girl’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Li Wu: “You look so handsome today–“

Then she observed Cen Jin, her brows furrowing slightly in consideration: “Is this your teacher…?”

Before Cen Jin could speak, Li Wu had already opened his mouth: “She’s my girlfriend.”

The girl laughed in surprise: “Huh? Sorry, sorry, I thought she was a department teacher. I was wondering when our school got such a beautiful teacher.”

This approach? Cen Jin internally rolled her eyes while maintaining an outwardly friendly demeanor.

The girl looked back: “Hello, I’m from the School of New Media, my name is Wan Chun.”

Cen Jin smiled gracefully: “Hello junior, no need to be so formal, you’re making me sound like I’m a generation above you. I don’t want to take advantage.”

Wan Chun paused: “Okay, sister, are you also a graduate of our school?”

“Mm,” Cen Jin nodded: “I was also in New Media.”

“Wow! So you’re a senior! Hello senior!”

Cen Jin responded lightly.

After the greetings, Wan Chun spoke to Li Wu again: “You’re so trendy, having an older girlfriend. If I go wait outside a middle school now, could I find a boyfriend like you?”

Cen Jin smiled slightly, with an implied warning: “Try it and see if you can.”

Wan Chun’s smile didn’t diminish, her almond eyes round: “Senior, do you think I could find one?”

Cen Jin curved her lips, fingers stroking the water bottle, already too lazy to respond.

After two seconds of frozen atmosphere, Li Wu suddenly spoke, his tone slightly innocent: “How can she answer that? I was the one who waited for her.”

Hearing this, Cen Jin turned her face to laugh softly, wanting to poke him again with what she was holding.

…

After the party ended, Cen Jin wouldn’t let Li Wu return to his dorm, forcefully pushing him into the back seat of the car, using both lips and hands to half-reward, and half-punish him for quite a while.

Li Wu wouldn’t yield, pressing back against her, leading to another physical struggle. Cen Jin had exhausted her energy at the party and couldn’t match this kid’s stamina and strength. She could only cling to his solid frame like an octopus, letting him move as she kept making soft sounds.

Finally, the two lay tangled together in disheveled clothes, catching their breath. Cen Jin gritted her teeth: “Should I mark you right now? Maybe then there wouldn’t be so many fluttering butterflies around.”

The young man humbly asked for guidance: “How would you mark me?”

Cen Jin pressed against his ear, breathing softly: “Take you.”