Chapter 63: The Movie

The rumbling sound of fireworks surrounded the room, pounding against her eardrums with a strong, rhythmic intensity.

Ming Can bent down and poured more whiskey into her glass. She misjudged the angle, pouring too much at once. She added half a glass of juice, took a sip, and found it too strong. So, she filled the glass to the brim with juice and slowly drank it all.

Why wasn’t he back yet?

The longer she waited, the more anxious she felt. Ming Can twirled the empty glass in her hand, already feeling a bit lightheaded.

Only then did she think to check the alcohol content of the whiskey.

46.7%.

Ming Can remembered the last time she drank liquor this strong—she had downed three or four shots and started feeling floaty.

Her current state was already halfway there.

Several more minutes passed before Chi Xiao finally returned.

The flickering light from the sky cast his long, slanting shadow on the ground, slowly stretching toward her.

Ming Can looked up and saw him holding a thick, light beige blanket. She instinctively said, “I’m not cold.”

Chi Xiao: “Are you sure?”

Ming Can: “Positive.”

Not only was she not cold, she was even feeling a bit hot. The constant noise of fireworks and firecrackers, along with the fiery glow in the sky, seemed to radiate heat. Ming Can felt warm from her chest to the tips of her fingers.

Chi Xiao paused, then suddenly tossed the blanket onto Ming Can’s lap without another word.

Ming Can: “…”

She had already said she didn’t need it, yet he insisted on covering her.

Was he her daughter or something? So controlling.

Ming Can let out a soft “tsk” but didn’t throw the blanket back at him. She casually spread it over her knees and asked, “Why did it take you so long?”

As she spoke, Chi Xiao sat down beside her.

Not in his original spot, but in the place where Miaomiao had been sitting. The soft cushion of the sofa sank slightly, causing the swing to sway gently.

Ming Can was also swayed, the movement slight, but it still startled her enough to grab the armrest of the sofa.

“You scared me,” Ming Can blurted out. “Can’t you be gentler?”

Chi Xiao turned to her, giving her a strange look.

Only after speaking did Ming Can realize how unreasonable she sounded.

Oh no, when the alcohol hit her brain, she became unfiltered, blurting out whatever was on her mind.

Fortunately, she hadn’t drunk much, and her rationality was still in control, able to suppress her impulses.

She decided to speak as little as possible from now on. Silence was golden.

As if bored and looking for something to do, Ming Can smoothed out the blanket on her lap. She noticed that one end was tucked under the person sitting beside her. She gently tugged at it twice, and the person next to her shifted slightly, allowing her to pull the blanket free before sitting back down.

Was it her imagination?

It seemed like the person next to her had moved a bit closer.

Suddenly, her nose was filled with the scent of someone else. Ming Can remembered that Chi Xiao didn’t wear cologne. The fragrance on him likely came from the closet’s sachets—a cool, crisp minty scent. Tonight, he might have used the shower gel from Ming Shu’s place, adding a fresh, soapy aroma, like dewy grass in the early morning. As the dew slid off the grass, the sun rose, its rays piercing through the crystal-clear droplets, radiating the sharpness of a new dawn.

Yes, Ming Can felt that Chi Xiao’s scent tonight wasn’t as cool as usual. Instead, it felt a bit warm.

She sniffed lightly, like a little hamster, as fireworks continued to explode in the sky. The faint smell of gunpowder seeped into the room, making the air feel even more intense.

Chi Xiao looked down at her, her head bowed as she first smoothed out the blanket, then meticulously folded it, smoothing out every wrinkle, as if she couldn’t get enough of it.

At the same time, she remained deliberately silent for a long time.

As if he were air.

It wasn’t until then that Chi Xiao finally answered her first question, his tone calm: “I just changed Miaomiao into his pajamas downstairs.”

“That still wouldn’t take that long,” Ming Can said instinctively. “Miaomiao is so well-behaved. Does it really take ten minutes to change his clothes?”

…

Oh my God.

Why did she have to mention the exact time of ten minutes?

It made it seem like she had been counting the minutes, waiting for him.

Ming Can wanted to slap a piece of tape over her mouth.

From now on.

Absolutely, she couldn’t open her mouth carelessly.

Chi Xiao leaned back lazily, his eyes fixed on the sky. The silver trails left by the fireworks fell like dense rain, flickering in and out of his gaze.

“After changing Miaomiao’s clothes, I got a phone call,” he said calmly. “It was from my mom.”

Ming Can remembered Chi Xiao mentioning that his mother lived on the East Coast of the U.S., where it should be noon right now.

She mentally rehearsed what to say, then slowly spoke, word by word: “What did she say to you?”

“Happy New Year,” Chi Xiao said. “And she asked me to talk to my sister.”

“Sister?”

“Yeah. The child she had after remarrying. She’s a bit older than Miaomiao.”

Ming Can’s mood instantly grew heavier, unable to help but put herself in his shoes.

Even the thought of her father going on a blind date was hard for her to accept.

She couldn’t imagine how Chi Xiao had felt when he found out his parents had remarried and had new children in their new families. How had he gotten through that?

Back then, he was just a teenager.

“What’s with that expression?” Chi Xiao raised an eyebrow, glancing at Ming Can, then boldly ruffled her hair. “It’s the New Year. Cheer up.”

He really, really liked touching people’s heads.

He’d mess up her hair without any pattern, then pretend to kindly smooth it out.

His long fingers hooked her hair, slowly sliding down to the ends, as if playing with a doll.

Ming Can didn’t react at all, just pursed her lips lightly and sat quietly, letting him wreak havoc on her head.

The flickering fireworks cast a mottled light on her face, making her look ethereal, as if she didn’t belong to this world.

After who knows how long, those sharp, dark eyes finally turned to him, glaring in exasperation.

Chi Xiao casually withdrew his hand. The next moment, Ming Can, as if she had been thinking about it for a long time, asked him, “Why is your mom like that?”

How could she be so distant and cold toward the child she had given birth to? Even if she couldn’t stand her husband, shouldn’t she have at least wanted to take her child with her when they divorced? Didn’t she have even a sliver of desire to keep her child?

Chi Xiao’s hand rested on his knee, his body sinking further into the sofa. He coldly stared into the void and said, “The reason is actually very simple—she just didn’t have any feelings. Who says a mother has to feel love for the child she gave birth to?”

After speaking, he suddenly turned his head, glancing at Ming Can like a dragonfly skimming the water.

Among the jumble of emotions, there seemed to be one called envy.

Ming Can was only nineteen, had never experienced childbirth, yet she could pour endless love into a child who had appeared out of nowhere.

Every time he saw her interacting with Miaomiao, Chi Xiao felt warmth, but also a sense of envy.

He envied Miaomiao for having a mother like her.

Ming Can wasn’t an overly emotional person. She was pragmatic, and most of her actions were driven by self-interest.

But she had a natural maternal instinct.

When facing Miaomiao, she would shed her tough exterior and naturally become soft.

Perhaps this was how mothers were supposed to be, but unfortunately, Chi Xiao’s mother wasn’t like that.

Or rather, she didn’t have those feelings when it came to him.

“My dad and mom got together through an arranged marriage. Back then, my dad hadn’t achieved what he has now. Their families were well-matched, and they had agreed on a business collaboration before the wedding. But after they married, my dad didn’t keep his promise. He found a better business opportunity and delayed the investment and technological development for my mom’s company,” Chi Xiao’s tone was light, as if he were telling someone else’s story. “This was my dad’s fault. My mom was very career-driven. When she didn’t get what she wanted, it was only natural for her to leave him.”

“As for me, I was completely unimportant compared to her career. I was even an obstacle to her progress. She didn’t like me, and I can understand that.”

As he spoke about his family, Ming Can’s heartbeat suddenly grew heavy, thudding against her chest, one beat after another.

She couldn’t help but lean over the table again, pouring herself a little more whiskey, adding just a small amount of juice, and sipping it slowly.

Amid the dense sound of fireworks exploding, the room felt unusually quiet.

This time, Ming Can wasn’t deliberately silent.

Even with the alcohol, she didn’t know what to say.

Chi Xiao’s gaze lingered on her.

In some ways, Ming Can was similar to his mother.

Both were very strong-willed, always prioritizing their careers, self-centered, and treating others as tools.

The difference was that Ming Can seemed to value emotions more.

Although she often treated the people around her as tools, she was also like the sun, illuminating the lives of everyone around her.

For a long time in high school, just catching a glimpse of her from afar made Chi Xiao feel as if the sun had shone on him, dispelling all the darkness and cold.

And now.

This scorching, dazzling sun was sitting right beside him.

So close that their arms were almost touching.

Even now.

Chi Xiao still felt that everything that had happened since his birthday was like a dream.

She remained silent, lost in thought.

“Are you dumbstruck?” Chi Xiao suddenly nudged Ming Can’s arm.

Ming Can snapped out of her thoughts, her fingers fiddling with the blanket as she murmured, “I was thinking about your family.”

“Don’t think about it.”

“Why?” Ming Can pouted. “I think it’s worth learning from.”

“What’s there to learn from?” Chi Xiao said lightly. “In your case, it definitely won’t happen.”

Ming Can’s eyes widened slightly, confused: “Why?”

Chi Xiao turned to look at her, his tone calm and resolute: “Because whatever you want, I’ll give it to you—as long as I can provide it.”

His voice was as light as a breeze, yet it carried an infinite amount of confidence and certainty.

It was as if he were stating a truth that no one had ever questioned since ancient times.

Ming Can was startled by his audacity, stuttering as she spoke: “Y-you think… who do you think you are?”

“For now, I’m nobody,” Chi Xiao turned his gaze away, looking at the distant sky, his tone steady. “But as a potential marriage partner, I’m actually quite good. I suggest you seriously consider it.”

Ming Can: “I don’t need you to tell me that.”

Damn it.

She had let her inner thoughts slip again.

Chi Xiao was already the confirmed heir, while she was still stuck in hell mode. If what he said was true—that he would give her whatever she wanted—then this alliance would clearly be nothing but beneficial for her.

Thinking this, Ming Can suddenly realized that this guy had a new tactic for pursuing her.

The lure of benefits was way too effective on her.

She absolutely couldn’t say too much tonight.

Otherwise, she might end up selling herself without even realizing it.

Ming Can raised her hand and mimed sealing her lips shut.

At that moment, the rumbling sound of fireworks suddenly fell silent.

The fireworks show had ended.

The surroundings plunged into utter silence. Ming Can’s ears were ringing slightly, and she rubbed them as she checked the time.

12:15 a.m.

The half-hour fireworks show wasn’t too short, but it wasn’t particularly long either.

The dazzling lights of the fireworks had completely faded, and the night enveloped everything like a thick, heavy fog.

Should they go back now?

Ming Can hugged the blanket, leaning back into the soft cushion, and stayed silent for a while.

With the fireworks as a distraction earlier, she hadn’t noticed, but now that the show was over, her heartbeat became unbearably loud.

How could it be so loud?

She held her breath, afraid the person next to her might hear it.

Maybe she should hurry back…

“Want to watch a movie?” Chi Xiao suddenly asked. “If you’re not in a rush to go back.”

Ming Can opened her mouth, her brain not yet catching up, but her mouth answered first: “Sure.”

As soon as she spoke, the man beside her stood up. In less than a minute, he returned with a laptop, opened a video app, and handed it to her: “Pick one.”

The laptop rested on her lap, and Ming Can’s fingers lightly glided over the touchpad. Since it wasn’t her usual computer, her movements were a bit clumsy.

Before long, she clicked on a movie and turned to ask Chi Xiao: “This one?”

Chi Xiao glanced over and saw the title—

Wolf Warrior.

His expression stiffened almost imperceptibly: “You like war movies?”

“Don’t you?” Ming Can said. “Last time, when I was with Miaomiao at his fitness class, I saw you watching a war movie.”

“…” Chi Xiao was silent for a long time. “I was just casually watching that day. You can pick whatever you like.”

Ming Can: “I don’t know what to watch either…”

Chi Xiao leaned closer, his finger tapping the left side of the touchpad: “Then just pick something with a high rating from the library.”

Their arms were now completely pressed together. The scent of the opposite sex enveloped her, intense and invasive, yet also pleasant.

Ming Can suddenly covered her mouth.

She had almost blurted out how good he smelled.

A moment later, the cursor stopped on a romantic drama.

Pride and Prejudice.

No one objected.

To be precise, no one said anything.

Chi Xiao moved the small round table in front of the sofa, placed the laptop on it, and started the movie.

His laptop screen was large, and the distance was just right for watching.

The movie began with a romantic sunset casting golden light over the peaceful countryside. A young girl in a long dress, holding a book, ran across the fields toward her home.

Ming Can remembered to stay silent, her lips tightly pressed together as she focused on the movie.

The film’s visuals were beautiful, the pacing gentle, and the soothing music gradually calmed her restless heart.

She told herself—

Just pretend you’re watching the movie alone.

Don’t think about unnecessary things.

It’s best not to think at all. If you don’t think, you won’t say anything careless.

Silence.

A long silence.

Apart from the dialogue and background music from the movie, there was no other sound around.

It was past midnight, and in the deep darkness of the night, such a beautiful, quiet film easily induced drowsiness.

After who knows how long.

The girl beside him lowered her gaze, motionless. Chi Xiao, feeling a bit stiff, couldn’t help but stretch his shoulders, seizing the opportunity to subtly move his arm behind Ming Can.

Just as he was about to lift his arm, suddenly, a heavy head landed on his shoulder.

Unlike last time, when she had hesitated before making a move, this time Ming Can’s arms decisively wrapped around him, tightly pulling his arm to her.

Her eyes were closed, her cheeks tinged with a faint pink. She leaned against his shoulder, slowly moving closer to his neck. Her nose twitched like a little animal’s, and her soft lips parted slightly as she murmured in her sleep:

“You smell so good.”