◎How Would You Kiss Me?◎

I had to summon all my self-control to resist pulling back the swaying curtain before I finished my work.

Had X left?

When did he leave?

Did he get into his car and drive off right after saying goodnight, or did he linger downstairs, reluctant to part?

He was haunting my thoughts. To resist this unstoppable fascination, I deliberately cut back on texting X. Of course, there were other reasons too—work during the day was incredibly busy, and at night, I shared a room with a colleague, making video calls inconvenient.

So, after that intense emotional high, X and I settled into a delicate balance for a week—not too close, not too distant. If I didn’t think about it, it was fine, but the moment I did, it felt like an itch I couldn’t scratch.

Finally, the workweek was over. Our team usually didn’t work overtime on Saturday nights, and after being tormented by a week of high-pressure tasks, we all agreed to unwind with a hotpot dinner. One of the guys suggested we go on a night cruise around the lake afterward.

You know those four words that are impossible to refuse?

“Since we’re already here.”

Everyone went along with it—except for me. I used exhaustion as an excuse to head back to the hotel early.

This was terrible. Whether sitting or lying down, I was thinking about him. I didn’t want to be too eager, but there I was, tossing and turning in bed like a flipping pancake.

Unable to resist, I opened my phone and checked his social media. Huh? He hadn’t posted anything all week.

Feeling puzzled, I liked a check-in post he had made on Monday morning.

Almost immediately, as if he lived inside my phone, a WeChat message popped up:

X: “Are you resting?”

I smirked. “Mm.”

X: “Can we video call? Or voice call?”

I carefully chose my words, not wanting to sound too eager. “We can video call. My colleague is out playing.”

Whether my face was on screen or not didn’t matter—I still spent a long time finding the most flattering angle before answering. The moment the video invitation popped up, I smoothed my hair, adjusted my collar, and deliberately counted to three in my head before accepting.

It looked like he was sitting at a desk—a dark walnut-colored table that matched well with his black long-sleeved T-shirt.

After nearly a week without talking, I felt… not exactly distant, but a little shy. I wasn’t as natural as before. Trying to sound lighthearted, I asked, “What were you just doing?”

X turned his phone to show me his computer screen, which displayed an online shopping cart. “I was thinking of buying some local specialties to leave at the hotel front desk. If you’re willing, you can share them with your colleagues and bring some back.”

I smiled, my eyes curving as I let out a playful “Ohhh,” pretending to be innocent while reaping the benefits. “So, our generous Teacher X, aside from planning to spend all this money, what else were you thinking about?”

“I was also thinking,” X said slowly, deliberately lowering his voice, “about what Teacher Seagull is doing right now.”

The way he spoke—his slow, measured tone—had an irresistibly captivating pull.

“Thinking about Teacher Seagull, huh…” I grinned, rolling around on my bed while holding my phone. “Teacher Seagull just had hotpot.”

X: “Which restaurant?”

I mentioned the restaurant’s name. It seemed to be a well-known local hot pot place that our client had repeatedly recommended, assuring us we wouldn’t regret trying it.

X asked me, “Did you order craft beer? The hot pot restaurant and the bar next door have the same owner.”

“I did.” I recalled for a moment. “I ordered… passion fruit ale.”

X: “Was it good?”

Me: “Not bad.”

X: “I’ll try that next time.”

Me: “What do you usually order?”

“Teacher Seagull.”

I deliberately filled in the gaps of a week’s absence with small talk, knowing it was a safe choice. But X called me out, addressing me seriously.

“Hm?” My mind drifted in midair, already anticipating that Monday night’s events would be brought up again.

X asked, “Want to take a guess? How many times have I been to the lake district?”

I laughed dryly. “Don’t tell me it was only that Monday?”

“Since I became an adult, I’ve been there five times,” X said. “From Monday to Friday this week, I went every single day.”

His voice sounded calm—too calm, like air compressed to an extreme density. “For an entire week, I felt like I was stuck in Monday night. Do you understand?”

I did—of course, I did. The “kiss bomb” I threw had left lingering effects. This past week, I was even somewhat grateful that my overwhelming workload had forcefully pulled me away from that night’s dream. Otherwise, I would have long since drowned in it.

I suddenly didn’t want to hide anymore. I have always believed that in relationships, women can take the initiative just as much as men. Making the first move is like facing off against a boss in a game—it’s a process that brings a sense of achievement.

Softening my voice, I asked him gently, “X, do you want to guess what I’m thinking right now?”

X: “What are you thinking?”

Me: “I’m thinking… I told you I’ve been drinking. Why haven’t you taken advantage of the opportunity yet?”

It felt like déjà vu—time momentarily froze again. But this time, the scene shifted. The phone was adjusted, and X’s face appeared on the screen.

The face I had imagined countless times in my dreams. He was staring straight at me.

Oh my god. Why is fate so unfair? It had already given him nearly perfect body proportions, yet it still showered him with a face fit for instant stardom!

Within the rectangular frame of the camera, his sharply defined features were striking. To be honest, his sharp eyebrows and eyes carried an innate sense of aggression, but the youthful energy overflowing from him softened that intensity just right—

My god, that was vitality! Radiant, youthful vitality! The kind I had lost ever since I became just another cog in the adult world!

The impact of the video call was overwhelming, making it feel as though an incredibly handsome man was right in front of me, so close, so tangible, so within reach. I completely lost my focus, unable to recall the last time I even breathed.

“Teacher Seagull, say something.”

X had turned on his camera without warning! And he was actually! This! Good-looking!

I decided to embrace my nervousness. Slowly covering my chest, I deliberately exaggerated my stammering, “How… how could you… just suddenly… go all out like this?”

X: “Now that you’ve seen my face, do you find it repulsive?”

Oh god, what nonsense was he spouting? I quickly responded, “The fact that I haven’t fainted from being overwhelmed is already me being polite.” I was afraid that if I delayed even a second, I wouldn’t be able to express my sincerity in full.

I put on an exaggeratedly distressed expression and dragged out my words, complaining, “X, I really regret it…”

His expression shifted slightly, his brows furrowing. “Regret?”

“Deeply regret!” I practically gritted my teeth. “I should have just thrown caution to the wind and kissed you that Monday night!”

X was amused by my exaggerated expression, chuckling briefly before quickly regaining his composure. Then, he looked at me seriously and said, “Let’s meet.”

I was surprised, yet not entirely. I asked, “Right now?”

X: “Anytime you want to.”

That sentence felt like a spell unlocking something deep within me. His beautiful face quietly gazed at me, and something within me stirred effortlessly.

I glanced at the time—it was already past ten.

If we met now and kissed, it definitely wouldn’t stop at just a kiss. I couldn’t help but imagine.

Even as I sternly warned myself, I still couldn’t resist sending all my thoughts to X over WeChat:

“How would you kiss me? Would you cup my face and kiss me the moment we meet, unable to hold back? I love being kissed like that—it makes me feel needed, protected, possessed. Where would your hands be while kissing me? Would they gently caress my cheeks, or would you hold my entire back in your grasp? Would the lights be on in the room? Would you press me against the wall in the dark, or would your arms wrap around me tightly, pulling me into you like entwined vines, with no space left between us, desperately drawing from each other?”