Past two in the morning, Jiang Wen leaned there, a hidden fire burning in his eyes.

Feng Ning made no sound.

So the two of them just sat there for a while.

Feng Ning stood up, about to go grab her phone, which was charging by the bed.

The space was a bit narrow; as she passed Jiang Wen, her arm was caught.

Feng Ning fell into his lap.

Jiang Wen pulled her further in.

She slid down. He nudged her knees apart, letting her kneel on the carpet.

The two of them looked at each other. Feng Ning cupped Jiang Wen’s face, pressing her forehead to his. “What are you planning to do?”

In this position, she could clearly feel a certain something.

Not that it mattered — Feng Ning had stopped being shy about this sort of thing since she was a teenager, and now she was even more composed about it. “If you’re really struggling, want me to help you with my hand?”

Jiang Wen tilted his head, his lips silently pressing against her neck. After lingering there a moment, his mouth opened, and he bit down.

She yelped in pain. “What the hell, you’re so into biting people, are you a dog or something?”

In the latter half of the night, worn out from tangling with him, they moved to the bed to sleep since the floor was hurting her back.

Feng Ning, utterly exhausted, felt like her eyelids were glued shut with paste. She’d only been asleep a few minutes when she was flipped over again, being kissed.

Repeated several times.

…

…

When the phone rang, Feng Ning rolled over groggily, fumbling under the pillow, and answered with a mumbled greeting.

Silence on the other end for a long moment.

Feng Ning, still half-asleep, said again, “Who is it.”

Zhao Binlin’s voice came through, somewhat stammering: “Feng— is that Feng Ning?”

Feng Ning’s eyes snapped open, sleepiness clearing away in an instant. She pulled the phone away from her ear.

— She’d answered Jiang Wen’s phone.

On the other end, Zhao Binlin, still recovering from his shock, said, “You… did you just wake up?”

Feng Ning glanced around; Jiang Wen wasn’t in the room. She could hear the faint sound of water running from the bathroom. She sat up a little and answered calmly, “Oh, yeah.”

“Is Jiang Wen next to you?”

“He’s in the shower.”

Zhao Binlin made a couple of somewhat strained sounds. “Then… okay, have him call me back later.”

Feng Ning’s sleepiness was completely gone after that call.

After hanging up, she picked up her own phone from the nightstand. Checking emails and WeChat, she replied to a few messages.

Shuang Yao had sent one that morning:

Shuang Yao A’Yao: [I swear, Xiao Zhao told me you have a boyfriend now, spent last night together ringing in the new year…………..don’t tell me it’s Jiang Wen?]

Ning: [Yes]

A minute later, Shuang Yao sent back a dozen exclamation points, twenty-some question marks, thirty-some ellipses, and a long string of shocked meme stickers.

Her phone buzzed nonstop.

Feng Ning didn’t reply to any of it, waiting for her to calm herself down.

Shuang Yao A’Yao: [You’re not messing with me right?]

Ning: [Messing with you how?]

Shuang Yao A’Yao: [Didn’t you tell me you weren’t planning on getting back together with Jiang Wen?]

Shuang Yao A’Yao: [I’m starting to think I have amnesia……?]

Ning: [I was just saying that :)]

Shuang Yao A’Yao: [Huh???? Just saying that??!!!!!?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]

Ning: [Well, take it one step at a time. Not gonna overthink it anymore, who knows, might die tomorrow anyway.]

Shuang Yao A’Yao: [Wow, you’re something else, Feng Ning, seriously, something else.]

Ning: [………….]

Jiang Wen walked without a sound, and Feng Ning only noticed him approaching once he was already at the bedside.

She kept typing, glancing at him between messages. “Done showering?”

Jiang Wen’s short hair was still wet, droplets dripping from the ends. He made an affirmative sound.

Feng Ning sent Shuang Yao a few more replies, then set the phone aside. She lifted the blanket and got out of bed, slipping into her slippers. “Alright, I’m going to go brush my teeth in the bathroom.”

Her hair was a mess; she hadn’t dried it properly the night before.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she smoothed it out a bit with her fingers, the ends slightly tangled. Feng Ning’s hair reached her waist, and she was sensitive about her scalp being tugged, so normally she used a cushion brush.

Right now there was only an ordinary comb, so she made do.

Glancing up, she met Jiang Wen’s eyes in the mirror.

He leaned against the doorframe, watching her for a while. “Want help?”

Feng Ning’s hand paused. “Help with what?”

Jiang Wen’s eyelids lowered slightly, gesturing vaguely.

She caught on. “You want to help me brush my hair?”

Jiang Wen made an affirmative sound.

Feng Ning found it inwardly amusing but didn’t let it show. She made an acknowledging sound and handed the comb over to him. “Sure, go ahead.”

She bent over the sink to brush her teeth. Feng Ning’s mouth was full of white foam as she watched Jiang Wen in the mirror.

He stood behind her, head lowered, gathering all the hair from her shoulders and back into one hand. It was clear he had no experience, his movements a bit clumsy, but full of patience.

She grabbed a cup, rinsed her mouth, wiped it with a nearby towel, and straightened up, wincing.

Jiang Wen immediately looked up. “Did I hurt you?”

“No, I was just messing with you.”

Honestly, Feng Ning couldn’t quite handle this clingy, dawdling side of Jiang Wen. “Stop combing, I’ll just tie it up in a ponytail. Let’s go check out and get breakfast. We’ll miss the afternoon flight otherwise.”

Neither of them had much of an appetite, so they found a noodle shop nearby and ate a little.

On the way to the airport, Feng Ning chatted on WeChat with Shi Yuange.

Both of them sat in the back seat, Jiang Wen next to her. “Who are you talking to.”

Feng Ning kept her head down, not looking at him, answering offhandedly, “My senior schoolmate.”

Jiang Wen made an “oh” sound and turned his head away.

The driver had music playing, and for a while no one in the car spoke. Feng Ning checked over some client materials Shi Yuange had sent, then after a moment turned to Jiang Wen. “Oh right, Zhao Binlin called you, call him back later.”

He said nothing.

She called out, “Hey.”

Jiang Wen kept staring out the window, still not moving.

Even without seeing his expression, she could sense that unhappy air about him.

Feng Ning thought back — how exactly had he ended up sulking at her again?

She thought it over, then handed her phone over, showing him the chat screen. “I was talking with my senior schoolmate about work stuff.”

Jiang Wen’s eyelids drooped as he glanced at the phone, finally willing to speak to her. “When did he text.”

Feng Ning answered, “This morning, while you were showering.”

Once off the highway, they turned a corner and arrived at Nan City Airport. The two got out of the car.

Before boarding, Jiang Wen called Zhao Binlin back. “What’s up?”

“You land at three this afternoon?”

“Mn.”

Zhao Binlin held it in for a long moment, then cursed loudly. “Damn it, did you actually get Feng Ning?”

“I didn’t ‘get’ her.”

Zhao Binlin raised his voice. “Then this morning, Feng Ning answered your phone — you’re telling me you two weren’t together last night??”

Jiang Wen said calmly, “We were together.”

Zhao Binlin got even more worked up. “Are you serious, so she just slept with you and isn’t planning to take responsibility for you? Man, that’s rough.”

Jiang Wen said, unfazed, “She confessed her feelings to me.”

Zhao Binlin: “…”

After a stunned pause, he said, “What’s that supposed to mean.”

Jiang Wen: “Can’t understand plain speech? Feng Ning confessed to me, and I reluctantly agreed to be with her.”

Zhao Binlin said, “Is your delusion acting up again or what?”

Jiang Wen hung up on him.

…

…

The temperature on the plane was set oddly — taking off her puffer jacket left Feng Ning cold, but wearing it made her too warm. She asked the flight attendant for two blankets, tossing one to Jiang Wen and wrapping herself in the other.

It was still over an hour to Shanghai; there was nothing to do, no chance to sleep. Bored, Feng Ning said, “Jiang Wen, get your phone out, let’s listen to some music.”

Jiang Wen handed his phone to Feng Ning, and they each put in one earbud.

She opened his playlist, tapping into the recently-played rankings.

The top track was a local MP3 file, directly imported. She was curious. “What’s this?”

Jiang Wen reached out and quickly swiped the screen down. “Nothing, just a video clip, I use it to practice listening.”

Feng Ning, seeing his reaction, was certain something was up, and made a noncommittal sound.

Jiang Wen scrolled down a bit more, then said, “Never mind, I don’t have many songs on here, just listen to yours.”

“I don’t feel like unlocking my phone, I’ll just search my account, listen to my playlist.”

Jiang Wen leaned back against his seat.

“What was that thing you had that’s so unpresentable.” Feng Ning brought it up again.

Jiang Wen frowned. “What would I have that’s unpresentable?”

“That video clip?”

“Mn.”

She guessed, “Not some adult video, right.”

“Falling asleep to porn?” Jiang Wen deflected. “I’m not as depraved as you think.”

“Oh yeah, good to know.” Feng Ning smirked. “Then let me practice my listening too.”

Jiang Wen realized what she meant and reached up to stop her, but Feng Ning was a second faster, tapping the play button on that MP3.

It was a song.

The intro passed quickly.

You are, in my dreams, unfamiliar, familiar, unlike any other…

Your eyes are colorful… black and white is you too… lows and highs of joy… beginnings without end…

A familiar, low, gentle female voice played out, and both of them froze.

Feng Ning burst out laughing. “You secretly recorded me singing?” She thought back. “When did I ever sing ‘Various Kinds’? Oh, was it that time at Disney?”

Jiang Wen yanked the earbud out of her ear, somewhat mortified with anger.

Feng Ning kept laughing.

Jiang Wen’s face darkened. “Stop laughing.”

Feng Ning promised him, “Alright, I’ll stop.”

A few seconds of quiet, then she laughed again.

Furious, Jiang Wen grabbed the blanket off his knees and threw it over her head.

Feng Ning’s voice came out muffled from underneath: “If you like it that much, I’ll go get an annual membership at the KTV in Yunan City, we can go sing karaoke whenever.”

She pulled the blanket back down, revealing her face, taking a couple breaths of fresh air.

…

…

No matter how much teasing went on around him, Jiang Wen closed his eyes to rest, treating Feng Ning as though she were invisible.

The flight attendants on this flight began handing out water and drinks one by one.

Passing them, Feng Ning asked for a coffee.

When the attendant reached Jiang Wen, he kept his eyes closed and said flatly, “Thanks, I’m fine.”

Feng Ning idly flipped through a magazine, taking a sip of her coffee. Turning a few more pages, she unconsciously hummed a tune, broken and fragmented.

Jiang Wen’s eyes snapped open, glaring at her in irritation. “Feng Ning, do you ever stop?”

Feng Ning shut her mouth this time.

Never mind, she wouldn’t tease him anymore — if she pushed too far, she’d have to coax him again later.

An hour and a half later, the plane touched down at Pudong Airport.

At the airport terminal.

Watching the two of them come out through security, Zhao Binlin took off his sunglasses.

Jiang Wen maintained his usual reserved, cool demeanor, his right hand holding Feng Ning’s.

They wore matching jacket styles.

Once they got close, Zhao Binlin said meaningfully, “Jiang Wen, you had me come pick you up at the airport just to show off in my face, huh?”

Jiang Wen didn’t bother responding.

Zhao Binlin turned to Feng Ning, asking pointedly, “Man, I really am at a loss. So the two of you, dressed like this, what is this, couple’s outfits?”

Feng Ning didn’t answer him either. Zhao Binlin persisted. “Say something, come on, what’s actually going on, old flame reignited or what?”

Jiang Wen, losing patience, finally spoke up. “Dating.”

“Huh?”

“The two of us. Are. Dating.” Jiang Wen glanced at him. “Understand now?”

Dating.

Zhao Binlin was thoroughly amused by that word.

Zhao Binlin drove them.

He gossiped the entire ride, and Feng Ning, in good spirits, chatted along with him.

It happened to be dinnertime, so they found a Sichuan restaurant over on Nanjing West Road to eat.

At the table, Feng Ning and Zhao Binlin drank; she wouldn’t let Jiang Wen have any.

While Zhao Binlin was busy replying to messages, not paying attention, Feng Ning whispered, “I’m afraid if you get drunk you’ll hug me and cry again.”

Jiang Wen: “…”

Her tone turned wicked. “I’ve known you this long, and only just discovered you cry so easily — tears streaming down like pear blossoms in rain, so pitiful.”

Jiang Wen: “Maybe you should stop eating.”

“Hahahahahahahahahahaha.”

Feng Ning laughed, thoroughly delighted.

She felt like it had been a long time since she’d been this happy.

Zhao Binlin, having put his phone down, had no idea what they were talking about, but seeing Feng Ning laugh, he said, “What’s so funny, tell me too.”

Jiang Wen kept glaring at Feng Ning, but his words were directed at Zhao Binlin: “None of your business.”

Zhao Binlin gritted his teeth, cursing. “Jiang Wen, let me tell you, if it weren’t for the fact that you’re my childhood friend, I’d have carved you up a long time ago. You’re so annoying!”

The meal went pleasantly enough, mostly filled with chatter between Feng Ning and Zhao Binlin. Jiang Wen didn’t drink, and afterward, he dropped both of them off at home.

Zhao Binlin first, then Feng Ning.

She had work the next morning and hadn’t slept well the past two nights. She needed to go back and catch up on sleep.

As the car approached Yunan City, Jiang Wen turned onto a quieter side road. The car stopped, engine off.

Feng Ning looked down, unbuckling her seatbelt.

The car door locked with a click.

She turned her head. “Hm?”

Jiang Wen was silent for a moment, then said, “Stay a bit longer, ten minutes.”

“Then why lock the door?”

“Afraid you’ll run off.”

Feng Ning: “…”

He lowered the car window slightly, letting in a stream of cold air.

Feng Ning leaned back against the seat, gazing at the road ahead, dark except for a single streetlamp. She suddenly spoke up: “You are, in my dreams, unfamiliar, familiar…”

She’d just sung half a line of “Various Kinds” when Jiang Wen raised his hand and covered Feng Ning’s mouth.

She was laughing, her lips moving against his palm, warm damp breath puffing against his hand.

The gesture carried an unintended hint of provocation, though she was entirely unaware of it.

The lower half of Feng Ning’s face was covered, only the bridge of her nose and above visible, her eyes blinking away.

Jiang Wen lowered his voice. “On purpose?”

She mumbled through his hand, indifferent. “Don’t be so sensitive.”

“Sing again, and face the consequences.”

Hearing his warning, Feng Ning asked, curious: “What consequences would I face?”

“What do you think?”

“I don’t know.”

Jiang Wen pulled his hand away, leaning toward her, tilting her chin up, replacing his hand with his lips, silencing her.

A light kiss, and Feng Ning laughed against it. “So this is the consequence…”

She looked as though she hadn’t had enough. “Then I think I quite like it.”

Jiang Wen: “…”

Whatever casual flirting technique Feng Ning tried on Jiang Wen, he simply couldn’t withstand it.

Jiang Wen stared at her, his breathing growing heavier.

He paused for a full ten-odd seconds, his gaze taking on a burning warmth. “And this?”

Feng Ning tried to push his hand away, but he caught her other hand too, pinning both behind her back.

“I’m a normal man.”

Feng Ning, still smiling: “Are you though?”

Jiang Wen’s voice had gone completely hoarse: “Why don’t you find out.”