When Sunday arrived, the two split up. Chen An came directly to Starlight Cinema from the provincial capital, while Cheng Lele rode there on Chen Xiaomei’s bicycle. She planned to perform a stunning feat called “riding a bicycle” for Chen An right after watching the movie.

They arrived one after the other. Chen An was checking the showtimes on the hanging television screen. He wore a thin, light-colored turtleneck sweater with a jacket draped over his arm, and his face was adorned with a pair of thin-framed rimless glasses that reflected the blue light from the TV screen. Viewed from the side, his facial features were quite perfect, and his head-to-body ratio also met aesthetic standards—he looked like the very picture of a refined scoundrel. Cheng Lele couldn’t help but whistle. Holding up her phone, she took a selfie with him from a distance, then flirted: “Hey handsome, would it be convenient to treat you to a movie?”

Chen An turned his head, pushed up his glasses, and replied without any pretense of modesty: “If it’s you, sure. Why are you standing there like a post? Hurry up and come over to buy tickets.”

Cheng Lele made a sucking sound through her teeth: “I’ve got connections. I had my friend reserve tickets at the best viewing spots. Pick them up on arrival.”

With that, she pulled out her phone and dialed a number: “Brother Zhong, I’m here. You’re in the projection room? Okay, we’ll wait for you.”

After hanging up, Chen An asked: “Who was that?”

Cheng Lele replied mysteriously: “A friend.”

Then Chen An saw someone walking toward them from the other side of the lobby.

When the person approached, Chen An gave him a once-over.

Zhong Ming found it amusing—Chen An’s scrutinizing gaze was remarkably similar to how Cheng Lele had cautiously looked at him a month ago. These must be biological siblings.

Cheng Lele extended one hand in an introducing gesture: “Little brother, let me give you a grand introduction. This is my new friend Zhong Ming.”

Little brother wasn’t as enthusiastic as she’d imagined. He only nodded coldly, his gaze seemingly lingering on Zhong Ming’s mohawk. It was rather impolite to stare at someone so blatantly. Fearing that little brother would judge by appearance just like she had, Cheng Lele hastily added: “He’s a top student at Z University, you know.” Then turning to Zhong Ming, she said with considerable pride: “This is my little brother Chen An. He’s someone who’s going to win gold in the National Math Olympiad. Impressive, right?”

Chen An actually wasn’t staring at Zhong Ming’s hairstyle—he purely found the other person’s big eyes displeasing. He lazily extended his hand: “Pleased to meet you.”

Zhong Ming returned the handshake but addressed Cheng Lele: “I’ll be taking the bus back to school in a bit, is that okay?”

Cheng Lele had already made plans and asked anxiously: “You’re not watching with us? After the movie, we could have dinner together. Didn’t you always want to try that Mulan Palace for Yunnan cuisine? I’ve already booked a table.”

Zhong Ming pulled two tickets from his pocket, looking apologetic: “The school suddenly announced a meeting early tomorrow morning. If I’m too late, there won’t be a bus back. Next time I’ll treat you to a meal, okay?”

Cheng Lele said disappointedly: “Oh, I see. Then let me transfer you the money later.” Since she couldn’t reciprocate with dinner, she couldn’t let him pay for her movie ticket.

“No need, let me treat you both.”

“Don’t do that—you treated last time.” Simple-minded Cheng Lele had no idea her mouth was like a leaky colander, spewing out all sorts of dangerous information.

Zhong Ming was a perceptive person, and he quickly sensed the change in Chen An’s gaze. This man was nearly six feet tall, slightly slender in build, but had a strong presence—like an open three-door refrigerator constantly emanating cold air.

Before, he’d thought Chen Xiaomei was exaggerating, but now he suddenly became certain this wasn’t just simple sister-complex behavior. As a psychology student who also walked the edge of non-mainstream culture, his mind immediately cycled through several scenarios of inappropriate relationships.

He had originally planned to leave for the bus station right after delivering the tickets, but now his interest was piqued. He deliberately called out to Cheng Lele, drawing out the final syllable: “Lele—”

The refrigerator beside them indeed dropped another three degrees.

But Cheng Lele remained oblivious, looking up with two innocent eyes: “What is it?”

“My dad got hold of a cinema industry white paper—it’s an internal document that I can’t take out. Do you want to come upstairs with me to look at it? If you need it, I’ll have my dad secretly make you a copy.”

Cheng Lele was thrilled: “Yes, yes! Thank you, and please thank your uncle for thinking of me.”

Zhong Ming walked ahead without inviting Chen An upstairs. The projection room was an area off-limits to outsiders. If he didn’t mention it, Chen An couldn’t go.

Zhong Ming thought: Ha, let’s see you be a mobile refrigerator now. Turns out it’s an ice cellar that can’t move.

Seeing that Chen An wasn’t following, Cheng Lele turned back: “Little brother, wait for me a moment. I’ll be down in two minutes.”

Chen An smiled without warmth, pretending to be magnanimous as he stood with his hands in his pockets, saying: “Go ahead.”

But inside he was thinking: You just go and see.

Cheng Lele’s mind was fixated on the white paper. Without waiting to hear Chen An finish, she left, chatting and laughing as she walked shoulder-to-shoulder with Zhong Ming.

Chen An gritted his teeth as he leaned against the entrance, feeling utterly stifled.

So during this period, Cheng Lele had been watching movies with this person and even met his family. The two seemed quite compatible—no wonder she hadn’t been chatting with him as much these past few days.

The tender little cabbage he’d been nurturing in the tip of his heart, the one he’d been guarding and protecting with utmost care—he couldn’t prevent all those blind fools from sidling up to her. Before, there were pigs trying to root around; he could easily shoo them away. This time he’d been careless—what came was a fox. And the little cabbage herself was actually thinking of running off with the fox.

On the surface Chen An appeared calm, but internally drums and gongs clamored. His resentment was about to boil over in his stomach as he stared at the clock in the center of the lobby, counting the seconds.

Two minutes, one hundred and twenty seconds—truly long enough.

Completely unaware of all this, Cheng Lele entered the projection room, saw the uncle, and sweetly greeted: “Good evening, uncle.”

Naturally there had to be some pleasantries exchanged. The two-minute quota expired in seconds.

Getting the white paper, she flipped through it. Wow, such detailed data, very useful! Better take some photos first. This took five minutes.

Asking uncle to make copies, thanking him profusely. Another two minutes spent.

Coming out of the projection room, Zhong Ming accompanied Cheng Lele downstairs. Just as they turned the corner approaching the lobby, Zhong Ming suddenly pulled Cheng Lele back.

“Is Chen An your brother?”

“Huh? Oh!” Cheng Lele didn’t know why Zhong Ming was suddenly asking this, her mind hadn’t caught up yet.

“Biological brother?”

“Even closer than a biological brother.”

“Answer my question directly.”