Xia Liyang froze, her heart skipping a beat uncontrollably.

She hesitated, raising her face to meet Lu Huaicheng’s deep, unreadable gaze.

They were only about 20 centimeters apart.

She could almost see her own dazed reflection in his beautiful, star-like black pupils.

She could also feel his steady breathing gradually merging with her own, which was slightly rapid.

His lips curled slightly, and his warm hand lightly stroked her through her thin clothes.

His tone was teasing but not entirely teasing, “Hm? Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“…” Xia Liyang took a deep breath, trying to calm her chaotic heartbeat. Her long lashes fluttered, her voice faint, “I was just wondering, what do I mean to you?”

“What do you think?” He raised an eyebrow slightly.

It seemed like he wanted to hear her own definition of their ambiguous relationship.

Xia Liyang hesitated for a moment, then tentatively asked, “Am I considered your lover?”

Upon hearing that, Lu Huaicheng chuckled softly. Instead of answering, he asked back, “Have we done anything that would make us lovers? Aside from your so-called indirect kiss?”

“…” Xia Liyang opened her mouth, but was momentarily at a loss for words.

Because, all along, she had been the one flirting with him.

Although he would occasionally respond, the most they’d done was hold hands briefly, and even that wasn’t exactly in a clear, deliberate way.

Other than that, the closest they’d ever been was right now.

Xia Liyang looked at the man in front of her, his gaze unreadable. His warm palm was still holding her slender waist, showing no sign of letting her go.

So, she decided to be bold for once. Her hand climbed onto his broad shoulder, and her fair neck stretched as she quickly planted a kiss on his cheek.

“Does this count?” Her soft fingers nervously gripped his shoulder, her rounded fingertips pressing into the folds of his shirt.

Her long eyelashes fluttered shyly, and her clear, delicate face showed a hint of playful daring.

Lu Huaicheng’s eyes deepened, his Adam’s apple moved as he gazed down at her moist, rosy lips.

Xia Liyang’s heartbeat quickened, and she subconsciously swallowed, her white teeth lightly biting her lip.

The grip of Lu Huaicheng’s hand on her waist tightened slightly, and he slowly leaned closer to her.

His warm breath brushed against her nose.

Instinctively, Xia Liyang closed her eyes, her heartbeat pounding like a drum in her ears, her fingers digging into the muscles on his shoulder.

The next moment, the quiet villa was interrupted by the sudden sound of the doorbell.

Their almost-touching lips froze in place.

Xia Liyang quickly opened her eyes, turning nervously to glance toward the entrance.

“Someone’s here?”

“It should be the private dinner delivery I ordered,” Lu Huaicheng said calmly as he released her waist and casually leaned back on the sofa. “Go and get it.”

“Oh, okay.” Xia Liyang quickly stood up and hurried to the entrance.

Lu Huaicheng glanced at her still-flushed ears, and the dark fire in his eyes continued to burn silently.

Only when she had brought the delivery man inside and set up the dinner table did he look away and stand up, as if nothing had happened, walking over to her side.

“So, you ordered dinner…” Xia Liyang bit her lip, trying to talk to him as naturally as possible.

Even though they hadn’t really kissed, she couldn’t help but feel a bit awkward and self-conscious whenever she met his deep, calm eyes.

“Yeah,” Lu Huaicheng responded lightly as he pulled out a chair by the table. “Sit.”

“Is there a portion for me?” Xia Liyang fluttered her long lashes, glancing at him uncertainly.

“Do you think I can eat all this by myself?” He gave a casual laugh and sat down in the chair across from her with a relaxed demeanor.

“Right.” Xia Liyang pressed her lips together and sat down, feeling a bit out of place. “Thank you for the meal, Mr. Lu.”

“Help yourself to whatever you like,” Lu Huaicheng handed her a pair of chopsticks.

“Oh, okay.” Xia Liyang took the chopsticks, her fingers brushing against his hand for a brief moment.

That familiar warmth and touch reminded her of the sensation of his hand resting on her waist just moments ago.

Her heartbeat skipped a beat, and she sneaked a glance at the man across from her.

His deep-set features were as calm and composed as ever, and his dark eyes were as serene as a still pond.

It was as if the moment they almost kissed had no impact on him at all.

Xia Liyang pursed her lips tightly, her emotions becoming more complicated as she tried to figure out whether he had even wanted to kiss her back earlier.

As she mentally replayed the moment several times, inspiration suddenly flooded her mind. The previously low mood quickly lifted, and her chopsticks began moving faster as she thought about getting home to write.

Lu Huaicheng paused, noticing her sudden change in pace as she began devouring her food, and slowly lifted his eyes.

“No one’s rushing you. Eat slower or you’ll choke.”

“I… just remembered that I have a research paper to write, and I need to give it to my professor tomorrow,” Xia Liyang mumbled through a mouthful of rice.

“So, you’re planning to leave as soon as you finish eating?” Lu Huaicheng’s brows furrowed slightly.

“Yeah,” Xia Liyang nodded, quickly downing the sea urchin soup in front of her.

Lu Huaicheng’s expression was complex as he stayed silent for a moment before speaking calmly, “Take your time. I’ll have the driver take you home afterward.”

“…” Xia Liyang froze for a second and quickly waved her chopsticks. “No, no, it’s really not necessary! I’ll just take the subway home.”

“It’s no trouble at all. Taking the car will save you at least half an hour compared to the subway.” As he spoke, Lu Huaicheng picked up his phone and began scrolling through it, ready to call the driver.

Not wanting to make the trip back to campus, Xia Liyang’s nerves tightened, and she quickly tugged at his sleeve. “Mr. Lu, really, it’s not necessary… I’m just not used to, um, riding in private cars.”

“Not used to riding in private cars?” Lu Huaicheng raised an eyebrow, repeating her somewhat strange excuse.

“Well… I never rode in private cars growing up. We always took the bus or vans to get to town, and there were always lots of people… so riding alone makes me feel a little nervous,” Xia Liyang explained with difficulty, her mind racing.

“I see.” Lu Huaicheng gave her a thoughtful glance.

“Yeah,” Xia Liyang nodded pitifully. “Besides, I’m pretty much done eating now, so I can leave.”

“You haven’t finished your meal,” Lu Huaicheng said, his eyes lowering to her bowl.

“I… well, I’m full…” Xia Liyang forced a smile.

Thinking that if she wasn’t full, she could just order takeout when she got home. But there was no way she was going to waste time making a detour to school!

“What if I go with you back to school?” Lu Huaicheng raised his eyes slightly, his deep black gaze falling on her.

Xia Liyang’s heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly shook her head. “No, no, I’d feel too embarrassed…”

“You didn’t seem embarrassed when you kissed my cheek earlier.” His long, narrow eyes squinted slightly, his tone both teasing and reproachful.

“…” Xia Liyang was stunned for a moment, not expecting him to bring that up. Her ears turned red as she averted her face. “I was impulsive earlier. Isn’t apologizing enough? Besides, you also wanted to…”

“Wanted to what?” His lips curved slightly, his deep eyes full of hidden meaning.

“To kiss me…” she murmured softly, her voice so faint it was almost inaudible.

Lu Huaicheng narrowed his eyes slightly and chuckled. “Are you testing my hearing?”

“No.” The redness in Xia Liyang’s ears spread along the delicate curves of her ear. She hurriedly put down her chopsticks and stood up. “Anyway, you really don’t need to take me. Enjoy your meal, I’ll take my leave now!”

After saying that, she left the dining table like a gust of wind, walking quickly towards the entrance.

“…” Lu Huaicheng’s thin lips parted slightly, his deep gaze following her slender figure.

In the end, he didn’t call out to stop her.

In fact, some things that night had gone beyond his control.

For example, when she impulsively kissed his cheek

He had indeed been tempted to kiss her back.

And when she hastily said she was leaving.

His first instinct was to stop her.

He even suggested accompanying her back to school, something he never would have considered before—wasting time in such a pointless way.

Lu Huaicheng frowned slightly, the emotions in his eyes settling back into his usual calm composure after she disappeared from the entrance.

He lowered his gaze and resumed eating the meal, as if no one had ever been there.

….

Back home, Xia Liyang furiously typed at her keyboard, writing nearly 3,000 words before stopping to order fried chicken as a late-night snack. She then went to the living room to stretch her stiff muscles.

She had rushed home earlier, leaving the curtains in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows undrawn. Through the large glass, she could see the now-familiar riverside villa.

The lights on the first floor of Lu Huaicheng’s house were all off, leaving only the window in his bedroom illuminated.

Vaguely, it seemed as though there was a figure standing behind the window.

She wondered what Lu Huaicheng was looking at.

Though this man was hard to figure out and loved to tease her, he truly provided her with amazing inspiration and material for her novel.

It would be nice to spend more time with him.

Xia Liyang stood in front of the window, lost in thought for a moment. Suddenly, an idea struck her, and she hurriedly grabbed her phone to send him a message on WeChat: “Mr. Lu, I finished my research proposal. Are you asleep?”

After a moment, she received his reply.

Lu: “Not yet.”

Xia Liyang smiled slightly and typed: “Let me guess what you’re doing right now.”

Lu: “Sure, go ahead.”

Xia Liyang: “Do I get a reward if I guess right?”

Lu: “What kind of reward do you want?”

Xia Liyang: “I want to go on a date with you.”

After sending the message, Xia Liyang felt a little nervous and glanced at the blurry figure behind the window.

Her phone vibrated again.

Lu: “What if you’re wrong? Shouldn’t there be a punishment too?”

Xia Liyang: “Sure, you can decide the punishment.”

After all, she couldn’t possibly guess wrong.

Lu: “Deal.”

Seeing that he agreed, Xia Liyang quickly typed while his figure was still at the window: “I guess you’re standing by the window in your bedroom.”

Lu: “Why do you think that?”

Xia Liyang thought for a moment before playfully fabricating a reason: “Because at this time, you should already be in your bedroom getting ready for bed. But you don’t seem like the type to lie in bed and scroll through your phone, so since you replied to my message, you must not have laid down yet.”

Lu: “I could also be sitting by the bed.”

Xia Liyang: “True, but the rest was just a gamble based on instinct.”

Lu: “Your instincts are quite sharp.”

Xia Liyang smiled even wider and typed happily: “So I guessed right?”

Lu: “Yes.”

Xia Liyang: “About that date…”

Lu: “I’ll find time to arrange it.”

Xia Liyang: “Heart emoji.jpg”

Lu: “Go to bed early.”

Xia Liyang: “Okay, goodnight, Mr. Lu.”

Lu: “Goodnight.”

Xia Liyang set down her phone with a smile, taking one last look at his shadowy figure before drawing the curtains.

He would never guess that she hadn’t relied on instinct at all but had cheated by using her geographical advantage.

However, whether it was the excitement of writing or something else, Xia Liyang couldn’t fall asleep even after her late-night snack.

She tossed and turned in bed, almost sleepless all night.

….

The next day was Song Jinhe’s graduation ceremony. After spending half the morning covering up her massive dark circles, Xia Liyang finally managed to look presentable.

When she arrived at the school, Song Jinhe had just finished taking group photos with her classmates.

With a joyful smile on her face, wearing a light purple-trimmed academic gown and holding her cap, she waved at Xia Liyang.

“Congratulations.” Xia Liyang stepped out of the car, holding a bouquet of flowers.

“Thanks, the flowers are so beautiful!” Song Jinhe smiled as she took them, then glanced at Xia Liyang’s tired face. “You look a bit exhausted.”

“Don’t even mention it. I had insomnia last night,” Xia Liyang sighed helplessly.

“What happened?” Song Jinhe asked.

“Maybe I wrote too much before bed yesterday, and my brain got a little too excited,” Xia Liyang said.

“You’ve written late at night before, but you’ve never had insomnia. Could it be that something happened between you and Lu Huaicheng?” Song Jinhe teased, nudging her lightly with her elbow.

“Well…” Xia Liyang thought carefully. “Not really, we didn’t actually kiss.”

“What?! You’re already at the stage where you could kiss?” Song Jinhe’s eyes widened in surprise and excitement.

“I don’t know…” Xia Liyang hesitated for a moment and briefly told Song Jinhe about what happened last night.

“Come on, you don’t know? You two are basically dating now,” Song Jinhe remarked.

“But he hasn’t said if I count as his lover or not,” Xia Liyang said, uncertain.

“You don’t need to clarify that. His actions already say it all!” Song Jinhe paused. “But let me check, you don’t actually want to date him seriously, right?”

“Of course not,” Xia Liyang scoffed.

“Then there’s even less reason to clarify it. As long as he hugs you, kisses you, and gives you all the experiences you need for your writing, isn’t that enough?”

“That’s true,” Xia Liyang nodded thoughtfully.

Just as they were about to ask someone to take a few photos for them, there was a bit of commotion near the entrance of the library.

“What’s going on?” Xia Liyang turned her head to look.

“Apparently, some big shot from the finance department gave a lecture in the library this morning, and it might’ve just ended,” Song Jinhe wasn’t too sure.

Hearing the words “finance department,” “big shot,” and “lecture,” a nerve in Xia Liyang’s brain suddenly twitched.

Could it be…?

Her heart sank, and she anxiously tugged on Song Jinhe’s arm. “I have a bad feeling about this. Let’s go somewhere else.”

“Huh? What’s going on?” Song Jinhe was confused as she was pulled along for a few steps.

“Well, Lu Huaicheng gave a finance lecture at our school before, and I’m a little worried…” Xia Liyang hadn’t finished speaking when she suddenly heard a familiar voice behind her.

“Xia Liyang?”

It was Lin Shen.

Xia Liyang’s breath caught. When she turned around and saw he was alone, she relaxed slightly and smiled. “Mr. Lin, what a coincidence.”

“Yes, quite a coincidence. Are you here for…” Lin Shen glanced at Song Jinhe beside her, thinking she looked familiar.

“I’m here for my friend’s graduation ceremony,” Xia Liyang quickly explained, then said hurriedly, “Sorry, we’re in a rush to get to the cafeteria before the line gets too long. We’ll have to leave now.”

“Oh, no problem. You two go ahead.” Lin Shen smiled warmly, but his gaze lingered on Song Jinhe.

Suddenly, he remembered where he had seen her before.

Lin Shen stood in place, lost in thought for a moment, until Lu Huaicheng, with his deep-set features and tall posture, emerged from the crowd.

“What are you daydreaming about?” Lu Huaicheng casually removed his black leather gloves and handed them to Lin Shen.

“Mr. Lu,” Lin Shen snapped out of it, took the gloves, and smiled. “I just ran into Xia Liyang.”

“Oh? What’s she doing here?” Lu Huaicheng paused and raised his gaze.

“She said she’s attending her friend’s graduation ceremony,” Lin Shen paused for a moment. “I think you’ve met her friend before.”

“Who?” Lu Huaicheng raised an eyebrow.

“The girl who accepted the award in place of ‘Wujin Xia’.” Lin Shen replied honestly.

“Oh.” Lu Huaicheng’s eyes flickered slightly, and after a brief pause, he asked casually, “Where is she now?”

“She’s probably gone to the cafeteria for lunch,” Lin Shen glanced at his watch. “It’s almost time for the dinner Mr. Wen mentioned. Should I have the driver bring the car around?”

Lu Huaicheng remained silent for a moment, then said indifferently, “No need. His dinners are always crowded and noisy. I won’t go.”

Lin Shen was momentarily stunned, then nodded. “Understood. Where would you like to eat?”

With his hands in his suit pockets, Lu Huaicheng replied lazily, “The cafeteria.”