◎ I think my hopeless romantic side is back ◎

“This is a gift from Mother Nature?” X laughed in disbelief. “Why don’t you think again? This is my gift!”

“Let’s not say things that might hurt our relationship,” I said, grabbing his pinky and swinging it back and forth. For good measure, I put on the most saccharine voice even I found unbearable. “Come on, time for push-ups!”

I wasn’t actually exerting any force—honestly, even if I tried my hardest, I doubted I could move him. But he still let himself be led forward by the tiniest bit of effort.

The clock had already passed ten. The gym members had long since left, and even the staff had started heading home. The last person in the building, the janitor, knocked on the office door before leaving.

X told them he’d lock up and sent everyone on their way.

The realization that we were now the only two people left in this massive fitness center…

Wow. Instead of feeling nervous, I was thrilled.

And X, the absolute saint that he was, honored a promise he had never actually made—he did push-ups in front of me.

I—oh my god, oh my god—those shoulders, that back, those arms. Incredible.

One word: perfection.

Lowering, lifting, lowering, lifting—effortlessly completing ten reps—X finally glanced up at me and asked, “How many should I do?”

“Shh, don’t distract me.”

I must have looked like I was in some kind of religious trance, hands clasped before me, eyes filled with sincerity and reverence as I declared,

“I’m recording this scene into my memory. One day, when I die, anyone scanning the QR code on my tombstone will be able to see this exact moment that I have now burned into the depths of my soul.”

X, who had been doing push-ups without breaking a sweat, completely lost it and started laughing. Shaking his head, he pushed himself up in one swift motion and stood. He glanced at me, still grinning, his expression full of helpless amusement.

I, however, was still basking in the aftershocks of my visual feast, indulging in the memory.

Seeing that I remained half a meter away, showing no intention of making a move, X frowned slightly and asked, “So you had me do push-ups… for this?”

What’s going on? I wasn’t taking advantage of the situation, yet he seemed a little disappointed.

I blinked innocently and said, “Of course, I’m an honest person. Don’t you know that?”

X’s polite smile told me he didn’t believe a single word—not even the punctuation.

“Alright, fine. I was actually planning to lie flat beneath you like a yoga mat while you did push-ups.”

Afraid he wouldn’t understand, I enthusiastically gestured to illustrate my point.

“You get it, right? I’d be lying on my back, and when you do push-ups, you’d be able to—”

“Okay, got it. No need for the details.”

X cut me off with a laugh.

He turned his face slightly to the side, probably a little embarrassed. I was sure of it because his ears, which tended to switch to a full-red mode at the slightest provocation, were my most reliable radar.

“Don’t just stay quiet.” I had a mischievous streak, so I reached out to poke his waist.

X caught my restless hand effortlessly, his gaze deepening slightly. “Teacher Seagull, sometimes I really wonder where you learn all these tricks from.”

Was he… subtly probing into my dating history?

I let out a dramatic sigh, put on a serious face, and earnestly spouted nonsense. “I honestly have no idea. It all just comes naturally whenever I see you.”

Love, pleasure—why overanalyze? That would just take the fun out of it.

X stared at me for a while before finally looking away. He changed the topic casually. “Alright, since you had such a well-thought-out plan, why didn’t you follow through with it earlier?”

“I tried, I really did.”

The moment I brought this up, I instantly transformed into a little human bitter melon, my face scrunched up as I complained.

“But I just couldn’t do it. The office is my ultimate no-go zone for this kind of thing.”

I truly admire those who can pull off workplace romances. This fear of mine even affects how I enjoy movies or novels—whether it’s the domineering CEO with an evil smirk or the sweet yet fierce puppy-like intern, the moment I see these setups, I get chills and swipe away immediately.

Of course, my workplace has plenty of good-looking and charming colleagues. During work hours, we get along well, chat happily, and collaborate seamlessly on presentations. But the moment work ends, I just want to bolt. I’d rather never see them again for the rest of my life. Anyone who’s been tormented by corporate life would surely understand where I’m coming from.

So maybe it was time to change locations.

Stretching lazily, I walked over to the window and glanced at the dark night outside before turning to X with a meaningful look. “It’s really late. Are you tired? I’m so exhausted.”

“Yes, it’s very late,” X said, his deep gaze resting on me. “Should I take you back to the same hotel as last time?”

Was he deliberately baiting me?

Or was he waiting for me to give him a clear, definite answer—letting me know that the choice was mine to make tonight?

I clasped my hands behind my back and swayed over to him. “Can you take me to see what the lobby of a high-end apartment complex looks like?”

X lowered his gaze, suppressing a smile. “Just the lobby?”

I pouted and played the pitiful card. “Well, I was afraid you’d refuse to invite me in, so I had to leave myself some room to save face.”

X looked at me with an admiring expression. “Teacher Seagull, your ability to talk your way through anything is truly impressive.”

My face slowly turned red.

I knew he didn’t mean anything by that comment, but I couldn’t help it. I had grown into a walking, talking little yellow^[1]In Chinese slang, “yellow” can refer to something risqué or suggestive. plant. His casual teasing somehow sounded suggestive in my mind.

“Ah-ha!” I grabbed his sleeve and loudly accused him, fabricating an imaginary teacher role. Pretending to be a child tattling, I declared, “Teacher! He’s being inappropriate! It’s him!”

X didn’t even react at first, probably because my cackle was too infectious. He let out a long sigh and said, “You might as well start a class—just based on your top-tier skill at twisting things around.”

“Who’s really being inappropriate here is obvious.”

Wow. He just turned the accusation right back at me.

“So what if I am? I’m a proud and upright fan of all things spicy.” I switched tactics, leaned in with a sweet smile, and whispered,

“But it’s no fun being yellow all by myself. Would you like to join me?”

It was impulsive, really.

According to my original plan, I was supposed to go back to the hotel alone, get a full night’s beauty sleep, wake up refreshed, put on my sexiest lingerie, do a full glam makeup look, and then set up a fun rendezvous with X.

But whatever. Time flies, and life waits for no one. My health check report was fine, so if not now, then when?

The air was suddenly filled with a strange silence.

Time seemed to slow as dust particles froze midair.

After a long pause, X finally asked, “Are you sure?”

Of course, I gave a firm answer.

Everything after that fell into place naturally. I wanted to clean up the mess I had made from eating and drinking, but X told me to leave it for the housekeeper tomorrow. So, we turned off the lights and stepped out. I waited at the door while he locked it.

Neither of us hurried, yet there was an unspoken anticipation building between us.

“It looks like it rained earlier.”

I held my palm up, feeling the lingering moisture in the air.

X stepped forward from behind me, took my raised hand, and clasped it tightly in his.

Shallow puddles had formed on the ground, reflecting the warm glow of the 24-hour convenience store at the street corner.

I stopped in front of one of the puddles, tugged at his clothes, pointed at the store, and mumbled hesitantly, “Um… do you… have… I don’t…”

“No, I don’t have any at home.”

X answered my unfinished question, as if making something clear.

But just as he took two steps toward the store, he turned back again and stood facing me. His voice was steady as he asked one more time,

“Are you absolutely sure?”

Compared to those guys who try to invite a girl home after just one meeting under the pretense of watching a cat do backflips, X’s repeated confirmation felt especially respectful.

However, being respected again and again inevitably led my thoughts to wander. I had always been the one chasing after him, that was true, but was it simply his personality, or was it because…

Maybe he wasn’t that interested in me? He wasn’t worried that I might suddenly change my mind, escape, and leave his “fishpond”?

I didn’t answer him because, at that moment, I felt a little stifled. I admitted that there was a bit of frustration mixed in. Yes, I was attracted to X’s physique, and I never believed that women had to wait for the man to make the first move. But that didn’t mean I was willing to ignore my self-respect and throw myself at a man who had no interest in me at all.

I walked into the convenience store with my head down and took the initiative to grab a box of condoms, heading straight to the counter. X followed closely behind me. With legs as long as his, catching up to me only took a single step.

X seemed a little confused about why I was suddenly upset. He trailed behind me like a silent yet perplexed shadow. When I was about to pay, he reached in from behind, insisting on covering the cost himself.

I glanced at him but didn’t refuse.

I realized that this was not good. Being emotional was never a good sign. Emotions like these should only exist in stable relationships, where terms like “unreasonable tantrums” actually apply.

In the kind of ambiguous relationship X and I had, there were only two possible outcomes—either it would ignite instantly or fizzle out cleanly. Swift and decisive, no lingering attachments.

Feeling insecure?

That was terrifying.

I was feeling restless, too preoccupied to care about the layout of the entrance hall or whether it was spacious or cramped. Inside the elevator, I couldn’t help but turn my head frequently to look at him.

Anyone being stared at like that would feel a little unnatural. X gently squeezed my fingers and asked me what I was looking at.

I thought for a moment. “I’m figuring out how to put it into words.”

What was he nervous about? Even his palm was slightly sweaty as he held my hand.

We tightened our grip on each other’s hands, as if both of us were afraid the other might slip away.

The numbers on the screen kept climbing rapidly. It felt like an arrow had already been nocked, and there was no turning back now.

“Can I ask why you were upset just now?”

X suddenly broke the silence.

“I wasn’t upset.”

I shamelessly denied it at first, then decided to be honest with him. “X, to be honest, I feel a little frustrated.”

“Frustrated?” X turned to me in surprise.

The small box in my pocket was positioned awkwardly, and its sharp edges were pressing against me uncomfortably.

Since I was already saying embarrassing things, I might as well get it all out in one go. “You fitness guys have incredible self-discipline, right? Or are you just not interested in me in that way? It’s always been me… um, pushing things forward.”

X suddenly seemed to understand. His expression and tone became serious, making me believe that he was being completely sincere.

“If I said I had never thought about it, that would be unrealistic. You get that, right?” he said, his straightforward analysis carrying nothing but honesty.

I felt my heart, which had sunk to the bottom of the lake, start to beat again. I slowly let out an “Mm.”

The elevator’s mirrored walls reflected our figures. I saw him looking at me the entire time.

X: “I wasn’t going to tell you this, but that day in the car, there were several times when I almost lost control.”

My face gradually turned red. “…Oh, well, your acting was pretty good then. I didn’t notice at all.”

“So, I’m not uninterested in you. I’ve thought about it, many times. These past few days, I’ve been…”

He didn’t finish because I pinched him—hard.

He inhaled sharply, and the strange tension instantly shattered. We exchanged knowing smiles.

X let out a slow breath, looked at me steadily, and said, “But that’s not all I want.”

I suspected that the air freshener in his upscale apartment complex must contain some kind of magic spell. Because at that moment, looking into X’s deep eyes, I actually believed him.

This was dangerous. My hopelessly romantic side was making a comeback, and it looked like it might devour all my rational thoughts.