After returning to her bedroom, Zhou Mi slowly and gently locked the door, climbed onto the bed, sat up straight, and then sent a message to Zhang Lian, each character a separate message:

Are

you

there

The video call came through immediately.

The moment she connected, Zhou Mi covered her entire face with both hands, too embarrassed to look at the other side.

Zhang Lian’s brief laughter filtered through the gaps of her fingers that were meant to conceal.

The air stilled for a moment, and Zhou Mi sneakily spread her fingers a little, revealing a partial view.

In the video, Zhang Lian was sitting there, and from the background, it appeared to be a gray fabric sofa in a hotel room. His black shirt was meticulously buttoned, with only his gaze carrying a hint of intimacy.

Zhou Mi abruptly dropped her hands, disappointment evident in her expression: “I thought…”

Zhang Lian asked: “What did you think?”

Zhou Mi said: “I thought you…” She hesitated and changed her words: “I thought I’d get to see your abs.”

Zhang Lian laughed: “Wishful thinking.”

Zhou Mi: “?”

Zhou Mi waved both hands: “Goodbye.”

Zhang Lian stopped her: “Wait.”

Zhou Mi responded irritably: “What?”

Zhang Lian frowned slightly: “What season is it? Still wearing a spaghetti strap nightgown?”

Zhou Mi rolled her eyes, stating emphatically: “Easy to take on and off, what’s wrong with that?”

Zhang Lian curved his lips, his smile deepening.

“You’re still smiling?” Zhou Mi grumbled unhappily: “I specially used a new shower gel today… It smells so good.”

Zhang Lian asked: “How good? I can’t smell it, describe it.”

Zhou Mi raised her hand and sniffed her inner wrist twice: “Like the cutest little mango in a rainforest.”

Zhang Lian laughed again: “Do you know the convenient way to peel a little mango?”

Zhou Mi felt a slight surge in her emotions, immediately wrapping herself in the blanket, and replied stiffly: “No.”

Zhang Lian looked at her with an unchanged expression, like an online tutor giving individual instruction, patiently guiding: “It’s very simple, with appropriate rubbing, once the skin loosens, you can peel it off.”

Zhou Mi instantly flushed red, mumbling: “Oh, I’ve learned.”

“Got it?”

“Is it that difficult?” Zhou Mi said casually.

“Very well,” he lowered his tone, demanding briefly and pressingly: “Now prove it to me.”

…

Around midnight, Zhou Mi tiptoed out of her room for another shower, and on the way back, she also poured almost a full glass of water.

The sustained, soft oral breathing from a short while ago had left her as parched as if she’d spent hours in a desert.

Standing by the bed, Zhou Mi’s face, which had just managed to cool down, was hit by another wave of heat.

She put the glass on the desk, quickly restored the messy bedding to its normal state, and then went to drink the remaining cold water.

Lying back on the pillow, Zhou Mi took out her phone again and looked at the video call duration on the WeChat interface.

She sent Zhang Lian a message: Are you asleep?

Zhang Lian replied: Just finished showering.

He also asked: How did you feel today?

Zhou Mi smiled: Pretty good.

Zhang Lian said: More than that, right?

Zhou Mi’s ears felt slightly hot as she confessed: Yes! I never thought you could be so sexy just by talking!

Zhang Lian: We can try more in the future.

Zhou Mi said: But I still prefer you.

Zhang Lian replied: I’m coming back tomorrow.

Zhou Mi became a sappy poet again: I miss you so much. So much. Miss you.

Zhang Lian: Me too.

Zhou Mi instantly transformed from a melancholic wild goose to a squawking parrot: Especially sleeping in my little bed at home, I always think of that night when we slept holding each other.

Zhou Mi continued: But we only had that one night.

Zhang Lian replied: I can drink with your father tomorrow night.

Zhou Mi laughed: Better not, I don’t want to be subjected to fire by friction.

Zhang Lian sent a laughing emoji—one he had saved from her.

But he quickly became serious: I miss that night, too.

Zhou Mi’s heart softened: Why?

Zhang Lian: Because of the honesty.

Zhou Mi agreed and elaborated: And it was honesty that went beyond the surface.

Zhang Lian: Mm.

Zhou Mi recalled: I haven’t told you yet.

She typed with an acid nose but a casual tone: During that period right after we separated, when I returned home, I would lie on my side facing your direction every night, crying for a long time, especially long, until I dozed off to sleep.

She sent a bitter smile emoji: It’s truly embarrassing to recall.

Zhang Lian seemed somewhat displeased: Do you have to tell me these things when we’re apart?

Zhou Mi puffed her cheeks and exhaled: Then, when should I tell you?

Zhang Lian said: Tell me tomorrow night, tell me in my arms. I don’t like feeling helpless.

Zhou Mi agreed with a smile: O-kay.

Zhou Mi changed her mind: Wait, it’s not completely helpless.

Zhang Lian: Mm, go on.

Zhou Mi secretly smiled: If you say to me now, “Zhou Mi, I love you, I love you, I will love you forever,” it would offset my historically accumulated negative emotions.

The next moment, the screen darkened, and the contact name “Brother Wolf” flashed before her eyes.

Zhou Mi quickly answered: “Hello? Why suddenly…”

“Zhou Mi.” Due to the earphones, Zhang Lian’s voice was right beside her ear, focused to the point of being impossible to ignore or interrupt.

“I love you.”

Zhou Mi felt her heart skip a beat. This was the first time she had heard the word “love” from his mouth.

“I love you.”

There was a pause, but not deliberately deepened:

“I will love you forever.”

It wasn’t a recitation, nor was it a line reading, but a declaration found only in literary works, and she was the female lead. This natural moment belonged only to her, solemn yet ordinary, as if it wasn’t prompted by her impromptu request, but an expression from the depths of his heart.

Ah—

Ahhhhhhhh!

Zhou Mi’s inner voice roared, like countless people celebrating and dancing at a grand gathering. The switch to her tear ducts was easily pried open, and she unconsciously tugged at her slightly swollen nose: “I thought you… wouldn’t deign to say such nutritionally empty sweet nothings.”

“I don’t…”

“How…”

They spoke simultaneously on the receiver, then stopped at the same time.

Zhang Lian said, “You first.”

Zhou Mi’s smile widened: “You go first.”

Zhang Lian: “I suddenly forgot.”

Zhou Mi: “I think I forgot, too.”

“Did you forget?”

“Forgot,” Zhou Mi racked her brains, then had a sudden flash of inspiration: “Oh, I remember now!”

Zhang Lian laughed: “Go ahead.”

Zhou Mi completed her interrupted sentence: “I thought even if you were willing to say it, you would only type it.”

Zhang Lian said, “I thought the best way would be to say it in person, but the conditions are really limited right now.”

Zhou Mi’s eyes curved in a smile: “I didn’t order you to say it right now.”

Zhang Lian said deeply, “I was worried you might lose sleep over it again.”

Zhou Mi scratched her neck: “It probably wouldn’t be that bad.”

She then asked: “What about you, do you remember what you were going to say?”

Zhang Lian said, “I remember now.”

Zhou Mi asked: “What?”

Zhang Lian said, “I don’t agree that sweet talk is nutritionally empty. Losing the desire to express is the beginning of love’s disappearance.”

Zhou Mi raised her lip: “Really? Then I’ll say more to you in the future, every day.”

She also took the opportunity to express her love joyfully: “Zhang Lian Lian, I love you so much too, I’ll always love you, forever love you, heart~”

Zhang Lian immediately burst into laughter.

Zhou Mi asked: “Why aren’t you serious or moved at all?”

Zhang Lian said, “It’s the first time I’ve heard it, maybe I’m a bit unaccustomed.”

Zhou Mi’s voice became completely affected, like twisted toffee: “So are you happy after hearing it?”

Zhang Lian asked in return: “Are you happy?”

Zhou Mi pressed her lips hard: “To be honest, I’m super happy, I dare not stand up, I’m afraid I might not be able to resist jumping and then bounce straight off the earth from the bed.”

Zhang Lian couldn’t help but smile at her description: “Then why ask me this redundant question?”

Zhou Mi rolled over, burying her face in the pillow, afraid to make laughter that would disturb others.

“Love,” in her eyes, was a million times more than “like,” possibly even more.

She had been afraid to say it before, fearing it would be too heavy, too binding for both of them. She feared making love into a form of mutual taming and obedience.

But at this moment, she let it roll out of her heart and mouth effortlessly, because he had said it first. His love had been placed there first, able to support and receive hers.

Their balance remained stable; even when not by each other’s side, they could see each other with just a glance.

And she would ultimately fear nothing.