They chose a shopping mall along the way back to Huagui Road to watch the movie.

To match Zhang Lian’s shirt color, Zhou Mi deliberately wore a knee-length white dress with bubble texture today, with a clever tie design on the back, making her look like a fresh, bright little jasmine.

The cinema was inevitably crowded during the holiday. As the two stood side by side at the ticket machine scanning the QR code, almost every passerby would take a few extra glances at this striking, handsome man and beautiful woman.

Holding the two tickets as they came out, Zhou Mi wanted to check the current time, but found it too troublesome to dig her phone out of her bag. So she cupped her hands and raised them to Zhang Lian’s chest, in a requesting gesture.

Zhang Lian lowered his eyes, raising his eyebrows slightly: “What is it?”

Zhou Mi said, “Opening my bag is too tiring. I want to know how much time we have before entering.”

Zhang Lian smiled, understanding her intention and offering her the hand with his wristwatch.

Zhou Mi immediately solemnly held it before her: “Thank you.”

She turned his hand flat, lowering her head to carefully examine the hands and numbers on it.

Zhang Lian’s watch had a simple, durable mechanical feel, with exquisite tourbillon on the dial. The light rose gold color of the case unexpectedly suited his somewhat low-key yet sophisticated personality.

Zhou Mi noticed the small Jaeger-LeCoultre logo and swallowed back her curiosity about its price.

“Alright, check complete, seventeen minutes left.” Zhou Mi no longer cupped his hand but changed to holding his sleeve, slowly returning his hand to his side.

Just as she let go, her hand was grasped in return, or more accurately, seized.

Zhou Mi considered her hands not small, but Zhang Lian’s entire body, including his limbs, had an exceptionally long frame, and his hands were excessively large, able to envelop hers effortlessly.

Zhou Mi’s lips immediately curved high, her chest thumping back and forth like a rattling drum.

Zhang Lian leaned in to ask: “Isn’t this what you wanted? Going through so much trouble.”

Zhou Mi said, “No, I just wanted to check the time.”

The man chuckled, obviously not believing her.

Zhou Mi, with a slightly heated head, poked at his palm, but he took the opportunity to change their position, interlocking their fingers, restricting all her small movements.

The entire arm held by him was a bit awkwardly stiff, yet Zhou Mi still defended herself: “I didn’t expect this development…”

In such a public place.

Her heart was both sweet and uneasy, her small head looking around, like a honey jar afraid of being stolen from.

But Zhang Lian seemed not to hear, taking both tickets from her and putting them in his trouser pocket.

Zhou Mi pushed out her lips: “Don’t you trust me, afraid I’ll lose them?”

Zhang Lian’s expression was slightly helpless: “Your dress has no pockets.”

Zhou Mi belatedly realized: “Oh…”

He is so attentive.

Though it wasn’t the first time she’d known this.

Zhou Mi apologized: “I overthought it.”

Zhang Lian glanced at her: “Not only do you tend to overthink, but you also habitually assume the negative.”

“Alright—” she employed her nasal tone, speaking stubbornly: “In the future, I’ll try to think positively, imagining you as the kindest, best person in the world.”

Zhang Lian smiled without speaking.

He glanced at the crowd gathered near the checkout counter and asked Zhou Mi: “Want some popcorn?”

Zhou Mi asked him: “What about you?”

Zhang Lian said, “I’m fine either way.”

Zhou Mi said, “Me too.”

The two looked at each other and smiled, Zhou Mi’s expression being more rich and lively. She even squeezed her brow, as if affected by the atmosphere between them.

Zhang Lian knew he wouldn’t get a clear answer, so he pulled her directly toward the counter. Zhou Mi followed with a secretly upturned corner of her mouth. The two looked as if they had walked out of an art film, like the embodiment of a white tower and a white dove.

Just after joining the queue, standing steady for no more than a minute, Zhou Mi suddenly heard someone calling her from the side: “Zhou Mi—?”

She opened her eyes in alarm, searching for the source of the voice, and found it was her university classmate, Mo Rui.

The girl had cut her hair to ear-length, and her style was vastly different from before. Zhou Mi examined her for several seconds before determining who she was, matching the name with the vague impression in her mind.

She walked excitedly towards her.

As Zhou Mi squeezed out a smile, she quickly withdrew her hand from Zhang Lian’s fingers, her mind flashing only one dark, bold word: horror story.

She pulled her hand away with extraordinary force, causing even Zhang Lian to be somewhat surprised.

Mo Rui stopped in front of her, briefly inquiring about her recent situation.

Zhou Mi struggled to maintain composure as she answered.

Mo Rui began to make some teasing sounds, glancing at Zhang Lian, then winking at her: “Ohoho~ I noticed you earlier, with this handsome guy beside you. Who is he? Won’t you introduce us?”

Zhou Mi couldn’t answer, choking for a few seconds: “Ah… just someone I know.”

Mo Rui smiled: “I always thought you were still with Lu Ming.”

Zhou Mi felt as if plaster had been smeared on her face, struggling to move her facial muscles: “No, we separated last year.”

Mo Rui looked at Zhang Lian again, teasing: “This new brother is quite good. Is this the attraction of a beautiful woman? Never without a handsome man by her side.”

“It’s not what you think,” Zhou Mi hastily clarified: “Don’t make him uncomfortable.”

Mo Rui didn’t believe it but didn’t ask further. She only asked about their movie time, and upon finding out they weren’t watching the same showing, she exchanged a few regretful pleasantries and left.

Once she walked away, Zhou Mi finally took a light breath and exhaled in relief.

She turned to examine Zhang Lian’s face, confirming he showed no unusual expression, then remembered to introduce him, deliberately making conversation: “My university classmate.”

Zhang Lian’s gaze dropped from his nasal bridge, giving a bland “Mmm” in response.

Zhou Mi then lowered her head to find the hand that had just held hers, only to discover he had already put it back in his pocket.

Her heart felt like paper with a small hole burned by a cigarette butt, with a scarlet pain gradually expanding.

Zhou Mi’s eyelashes trembled slightly, and she blurted out: “Let’s go back.”

Zhang Lian frowned, as if he hadn’t heard clearly: “Not watching the movie?”

Zhou Mi tightly pressed her lips together for a moment: “Mmm.”

Zhang Lian asked: “Why?”

Zhou Mi’s nose swelled: “I suddenly don’t feel like watching it.”

Her heart was now in chaos, very regretful, very tangled, because she had ruined everything due to her timid, fearful nature.

Zhang Lian was silent for a while, then asked: “Are you sure?”

Zhou Mi nodded, not saying a word.

“Then let’s go.” Zhang Lian lifted his leg and turned, and Zhou Mi followed closely. From the elevator to the parking garage, they didn’t exchange another word.

When there were no people around, only rows upon rows of cars, Zhou Mi’s walking pace slowed down.

They gradually changed from walking side by side to one in front and one behind.

The gap between them widened.

Zhang Lian noticed this, slowed his steps, and looked back to see the girl in the white dress holding up one hand, helplessly wiping tears.

He stopped, strode back with large steps, and stood in front of her: “Why are you crying?”

She hung her head very low, avoiding his gaze, mumbling: “I didn’t mean to.”

At this moment, a car approached.

Zhang Lian lightly grasped her arm, pulling her to the roadside, standing like a dam with his back at the edge of the walkway: “What didn’t you mean to do?”

“Which thing,” he characteristically chose to clarify: “Meeting a classmate, or suddenly not wanting to watch the movie?”

Zhou Mi sniffed, her eyes wet and red: “Everything.”

She explained brokenly: “Because that classmate of mine, she runs a public account… she’s doing self-media now, has quite a lot of fans, several tens of thousands, has connections in our industry, I was really afraid she would recognize you… But she didn’t, and then you got unhappy too, I didn’t mean to pull my hand away, but that was my first reaction at the time…”

“Why do you cry so easily,” Zhang Lian raised his hand to wipe away the tears about to fall from her chin, then extended his arm to pull her into his embrace: “One or two sentences could have explained it clearly, why do this?”

Zhou Mi buried herself there: “Because this is our first proper date, I was afraid you’d be unhappy, but I also didn’t know what to do.”

Zhang Lian took out both the tickets and his phone with one hand to check: “Three minutes left, shall we go back and watch?”

Zhou Mi raised her eyes: “Can we still watch?”

Zhang Lian said, “Of course, we can.”

Zhou Mi stopped her tears: “Mmm.”

He took her hand again, quickly pulling her back the way they came.

When they entered the theater, the film on the big screen had just gone past the opening.

After sitting down, Zhang Lian paid extra attention to her eyes, which were still sparkling with tears even in the darkness, like dewdrops on leaves at night.

He didn’t let go of her hand again.

And she also held it with both hands, as if cherishing and making amends.

The beam from the projector spread out from above their heads, the floating dust making it look like a pure white galaxy.

Zhou Mi suppressed her heavy breathing, pretending to look straight ahead, but stealing glances at Zhang Lian with her peripheral vision.

The man was very focused. He seemed to be very focused and engaged in everything he did, his pupils and eyelashes all cast in the serene blue of the scenes in the movie.

Zhou Mi leaned back against the chair, placing his hand on her leg, using her tiger’s mouth to grip his tiger’s mouth.

She felt him squeeze lightly, like a response or comfort.

Zhou Mi also discovered that, to let her hold his hand, Zhang Lian’s right arm was constantly bent awkwardly, so she quietly asked: “Is your arm uncomfortable?”

Zhang Lian glanced at her, changing his grip to hold one of her hands.

Zhou Mi still asked softly: “Is this less uncomfortable?”

Zhang Lian: “Mmm.”

They didn’t speak anymore.

Zhou Mi suddenly felt grateful that she had chosen to sit in the last row, so when she took out her phone, the only person affected would be Zhang Lian, and he probably wouldn’t reprimand her in person.

Zhou Mi typed with one hand, inputting five characters, and sent it.

Zhang Lian’s phone vibrated once, and he took it out to glance at it.

Zhou Mi heard him laugh very softly, a sound that could easily be drowned by the Dolby audio effects, but her ears could capture it clearly and precisely.

She had confessed to him in this situation, being honest with him: I like you.

Zhang Lian didn’t reply, putting his phone back in his pocket, maintaining his original posture sitting there, his eyes also directly facing the screen.

After a moment, he suddenly turned his head, lowering his voice to ask: “Are you still watching the movie?”

Zhou Mi didn’t understand his meaning: “Huh?”

His chest visibly heaved once: “If not, let’s go home.”

—

As soon as they entered Zhang Lian’s bedroom, Zhou Mi was pressed against the door. He kissed her until she couldn’t breathe, her entire body softening.

Zhang Lian’s actions were rarely this rough. Just as Zhou Mi was about to hang onto him weakly, he swiftly pulled back her dress hem, supporting her with one arm, and threw her onto the bed.

Zhou Mi lay in his gray-black bedding, which had the faint scent that usually appeared on his body, very light but giving a sense of belonging.

She stared at the all-white ceiling, as if lying in a snow-covered landscape, her teeth chattering, trembling with excitement, every pore intensely shivering, even breaking into a shy yet anticipatory smile.

Because the man on the verge of losing control looked like an angry male leopard.

Sexy beyond compare, beyond addition.

She heard Zhang Lian pull open a drawer, then slam it shut, making his final preparations before the hunt in his territory.

Zhou Mi was dragged over, the man’s cool trouser material rubbing against her, a strong, piercing sensation also splitting into her cerebral cortex, like an electric current, nearly making her dizzy.

She couldn’t help but open her mouth and gasp sharply.

“You like me,” Zhang Lian said, standing there, looking down at her, repeating the content of her impulsive text message: “Is that so?”

Zhou Mi whimpered, her face violently flushing red.

He hadn’t removed a single piece of clothing, leaning down. Zhou Mi’s dress hem was like snow piled up, revealing the cream-colored rose with large red stamens underneath, which were again crushed into fragments.

Zhou Mi groaned in pain, her nails sinking into the skin of his nape in release.

When Zhang Lian replaced it with biting, Zhou Mi could only helplessly massage his hair roots.

He stared at her thoroughly flushed face: “You like me, but pretend not to know me?”

“Do you like me?”

He demanded again, his breath hot against her ear.

Whenever Zhou Mi tried to open her mouth to answer, he would make it impossible for her to speak normally, forcing her to bite her lip and whimper, one sound after another, increasingly urgent.

Thoughts tossed high, then fell.

In the increasingly unbearable up and down movements, Zhou Mi felt her body and soul continuously splitting, then overlapping again, unable to distinguish who was chasing whom, or who was waiting for whom, in chaotic blurriness.

When the overwhelming experience pressed down, all that remained in her senses was Zhang Lian’s intense eyes.

Zhou Mi’s entire body convulsed, holding the man’s neck, and even her breathing was trembling.

…

They stayed in the bedroom until sunset. Zhou Mi lay on her side in Zhang Lian’s arms, resting with closed eyes, but couldn’t fall asleep.

Physical and mental satisfaction was a wonderful experience, but it would also fall into an enormous emptiness afterward, needing to hold the other person to fill it.

Fortunately, he also seemed to like being clung to by her like this.

Zhou Mi’s lips maintained a slight upward curve. After a while, she couldn’t help but laugh twice, like a little white bird shaking its feathers and chirping happily after stealing food.

Zhang Lian half-reclined there, also smiling, stroking her hairline twice: “What are you always laughing about?”

She still hadn’t opened her eyes, nuzzling against his side: “I told you in the text message.”

Zhang Lian smiled gently: “When did you realize it?”

Zhou Mi furrowed her brow for a moment, answering seriously: “I don’t know either, maybe some morning or afternoon.”

Zhang Lian contentedly pulled her closer.

Zhou Mi pretended to change her expression, complaining coquettishly: “I don’t believe you didn’t know, you kept asking just now.”

Zhang Lian laughed lightly: “With your tendency to change your mind and go back on your word at a moment’s notice, I really couldn’t be sure.”

“What about you?” Zhou Mi suddenly opened her eyes, looking up, her index and middle fingers landing on his exposed chest, like legs with a clear target, taking small steps to his chin, holding it: “Do you like me?”

Zhang Lian allowed her to hold him: “Obviously.”

Zhou Mi paused, not entirely satisfied, pouting: “I want you to say it.”

Zhang Lian looked at her, his eyes full of laughter: “I like you.”

He answered very seriously, without any hesitation. Zhou Mi was somewhat surprised, smiling and raising her head higher: “Really?”

Zhang Lian gripped her wrist: “You’ve already got your scissors around my neck.”

Zhou Mi made a dismissive sound, withdrawing her hand: “Then I won’t use violence, I command you to answer again.”

Zhang Lian took a breath, directly lifting her chin high, kissing her forcefully: “I like you, I like you, how many times do I need to say it?”

Zhou Mi’s chest heated up, breathlessly pushing him away, turning over: “Too tired, I’m resting now.” She had already gotten the answer she wanted.

Zhang Lian also lay down, embracing her from behind, like a crescent moon enclosing a star. The two people’s skin touched warmly, without any barriers. Zhou Mi annoyedly yet happily rubbed her face secretly, thinking: how annoying, it’s understandable that her legs are sore, but why is her face also sore?