Chapter 72: First Kiss

Facing his teasing gaze, Ming Can’s first thought was—

If he wants a kiss, then fine, who’s afraid of who?

Unlike the accidental touches before, she now had the “license” to do so. Kissing him was completely justified.

Ming Can rose higher on her tiptoes, tilting her head closer to his. In the dim light of the room, the contours of his features were strikingly defined. His thin lips, which had been lightly pressed together, relaxed slightly, looking softer the closer she got.

And it wasn’t just the look. Ming Can suddenly remembered the feeling of accidentally brushing against the corner of his lips when she had tackled him on the ski slope.

They really were soft.

In an instant, the heartbeat she had been trying so hard to ignore suddenly went haywire, pounding so hard it left her dizzy.

She really didn’t want to admit it, but she was feeling a little nervous now.

Was kissing on the first day of being together too fast?

Ming Can’s movement froze midway. Chi Xiao looked down at her, his expression one of complete surrender.

The distance between their lips was just a few centimeters apart. Ming Can’s fingers tightened around the fabric of Chi Xiao’s shirt. In the next moment, a dull thud came from outside the door. Ming Can jolted in surprise and, in a panic, closed the gap, pressing her lips against his.

She had kissed him.

It was a light touch, fleeting and gone in an instant.

It felt like she hadn’t even experienced it.

Ming Can lowered herself back to the ground, nodding calmly. “The seal is stamped.”

With that, she turned and walked out. “I’ll go see what that noise was.”

As she walked out of the room with her back to Chi Xiao, Ming Can let out a long breath, her legs feeling slightly weak.

His lips were so warm. The moment their lips touched, her nose brushed against his, their breaths mingling, sending an inexplicable wave of flustered panic through her.

The lingering impact of her first kiss dominated Ming Can’s senses. She pressed a hand to her chest and quickly walked out into the hallway outside the workshop.

Miaomiao was sprawled on the floor by the wall, clutching his head as he tried to get up.

“What happened?” Ming Can hurried over to help him up. “Oh no, your head’s red.”

Miaomiao was still wearing the VR headset. Unaccustomed to the augmented reality mode of the headset, he had run into the hallway, accidentally bumped into the wall, and stumbled to the ground, disoriented.

“It’s okay, it only hurts a little,” Miaomiao said bravely. “This game is too hard. I wanted Dad to teach me how to play.”

Ming Can helped him take off the headset. “If you’re falling over, you shouldn’t be playing anymore.”

Miaomiao rubbed his slightly dizzy eyes and looked up at Ming Can in surprise. “Mom, your face is so red.”

Ming Can replied, “That’s because… it’s too hot in here.”

As she spoke, she theatrically lifted her collar to fan her face.

Miaomiao clearly heard Ming Can’s thoughts.

Kiss… kissing?!

Dad and Mom were hiding in the room doing something embarrassing!

When Chi Xiao walked out of the workshop, he saw Miaomiao suddenly slap his hands over his face, covering his eyes, and his round little face turning bright red.

“What’s wrong with him?” Chi Xiao asked.

“He bumped into the wall,” Ming Can said. “It’s your fault for letting him play with that headset.”

Miaomiao kept his hands over his eyes, his dark pupils peeking through the gaps between his fingers as he sneakily glanced at his parents. Then he quickly covered his eyes again and inexplicably shouted, “I don’t know anything!”

Ming Can/Chi Xiao: ?

After shouting, the child dashed off, his movements agile and showing no signs of being hurt by the collision.

Ming Can and Chi Xiao exchanged a look.

Standing under the bright hallway lights, Ming Can noticed that Chi Xiao’s face was also slightly flushed. His pale skin was tinged with an unnatural redness, and a few small red bumps had appeared on his forehead and neck.

“Why are you breaking out in rashes again?” Ming Can asked worriedly. “How are you feeling? Are you uncomfortable?”

“It’s fine,” Chi Xiao said, his breathing slightly heavier. He looked down at Ming Can, his gaze lingering on her lips as he added with a faint smile, “It’s just that the way you ‘stamped the seal’ earlier was…”

“A bit too stimulating for a patient.”

Ming Can: “…”

–

That evening, Ming Can took Miaomiao home without letting Chi Xiao, who was still recovering, escort them.

Finding a reliable foster home for Xiao Zhu would take some time, and afterward, the house would need a thorough cleaning. Only then could Chi Xiao safely enter the house again.

As for where he would stay after that…

Ming Can thought that if he still wanted to live here to make it easier to take care of Miaomiao, it wouldn’t be a problem.

The house was big enough, and everyone would have their own rooms, allowing for relatively independent living.

Besides, Ming Can wasn’t in the habit of exposing herself in the common areas of the house, and she believed someone like Chi Xiao wouldn’t either.

After all, he was her newly minted boyfriend. If they did end up living together, she would definitely need to pay more attention to her appearance at home.

Of course, she couldn’t make it look too deliberate.

…

As Ming Can lay in bed after her shower, applying a face mask, her mind kept wandering to these random thoughts.

Because her skin was so warm, the face mask dried out quickly.

By the time she applied the second mask, it was already late at night. Ming Can was holding her phone horizontally, scrolling through her social media feed, when a notification popped up. It was a message from Chi Xiao, and she nearly dropped her phone on her face.

There were two voice messages.

Ming Can sat up in bed and held the phone to her ear to listen.

The man’s deep, magnetic voice sounded particularly captivating in the quiet of the night. “Hey, junior, let me ask you something.”

“Did I just get into a relationship?”

The upward inflection at the end of his sentence made it sound like he was showing off.

It was really kind of annoying.

Ming Can rubbed her tingling ear and typed a reply: 【Isn’t it obvious?】

【Are you trying to back out now?】

cx: “No, just wanted to confirm.”

cx: “Sleep well, girlfriend.”

The last three words were spoken slowly, as if deliberately emphasized, each one echoing in her ear.

Ming Can flopped back onto the bed, curling up with her blanket.

It wasn’t just Chi Xiao who felt unsettled.

Ming Can had a feeling she might not sleep well tonight.

–

The next morning, 7:20 AM

Today was the first day of the new semester at Morning Star Elementary School. Ming Can had packed all the necessary items for registration into Miaomiao’s backpack and carefully explained what he needed to do once he got to school.

“Mom, you’ve already said all this stuff like a hundred times,” Miaomiao complained, clearly not impressed. “I’m not a three-year-old anymore. I’m almost six! You don’t have to worry so much!”

“Alright, alright, you’re the best,” Ming Can said with a laugh, pinching his cheek. The two of them walked out of the building together.

By early March, on clear days, the arrival of spring was unmistakable.

The cold wind that hit their faces no longer made them shiver, and the sunlight shone brightly, casting a long, slanting shadow on the ground. The owner of the shadow stood lazily by the flower bed, hands in his pockets, watching Ming Can and Miaomiao as he tilted his chin slightly.

“Dad!” Miaomiao shouted excitedly, about to run over, but Ming Can grabbed the back of his collar.

“You haven’t been disinfected,” Ming Can said. “You can’t hug him.”

Miaomiao pouted. “Fine.”

The shadow on the ground leisurely stretched toward them.

Chi Xiao was wearing a military-green windbreaker today, paired with black cargo pants and combat boots. The clean, sharp lines of his outfit gave him a more striking and commanding presence than his usual casual handsomeness. His hair was swept back, revealing his forehead, as if he had spent some time styling it in front of the mirror.

In early spring, Beijing was full of poplar fluff, and his respiratory system was probably still a bit sensitive. He wore a mask, but his energy and spirits seemed good.

“As long as I don’t come into direct contact with the cat, it’s not a big deal,” Chi Xiao said as he walked up to them, reaching down to pat Miaomiao’s head.

“Why are you here?” Ming Can asked. “You didn’t say anything in advance.”

“If I told you in advance, would you have let me come?” His voice was low and muffled by the mask. “I’m really fine now, just a bit of rhinitis left.”

Ming Can sighed. “Alright.”

Morning Star Elementary School was only a ten-minute walk away. After dropping Miaomiao off at school, Chi Xiao drove Ming Can to B University.

B University was two kilometers from her neighborhood. Ming Can usually took a taxi to school, so this was the first time someone had driven her there.

When they got into the car, Ming Can instinctively opened the back door, then paused, realizing it might not be appropriate. She closed the door and sat in the front passenger seat instead.

It was the second day of their relationship.

But being together felt pretty much the same as before.

However, both of them knew deep down that their relationship had undergone a seismic shift. This change brought with it a strange, disorienting feeling, making the silence in the car particularly unbearable.

Ming Can had indeed suffered from insomnia the night before.

Her mind was filled with the thought, Oh my god, I’m actually going to be in a relationship! She couldn’t sleep, so she grabbed her phone and started researching how newly dating couples should interact. She even took notes while reading.

At this moment, she mentally reviewed what she had learned the night before:

– To have a good relationship, you must let go of shame, communicate bravely, and listen attentively.

– Gradual physical contact can ignite passion.

– A strong desire to share is key to maintaining that passion.

– …

As someone who had always excelled academically, she now felt the pain of having knowledge forcibly crammed into her brain but having no idea how to apply it.

The car ride was silent. To pass the time, Ming Can rummaged through the center console and found some alcohol wipes, meticulously disinfecting her clothes and hands.

When the car entered B University and stopped near the science building, Chi Xiao got out and strode over to open the door for Ming Can.

Ming Can was momentarily stunned. She adjusted her collar and hopped out of the car, standing in front of him.

Her heart inexplicably raced as she stared at Chi Xiao’s windbreaker. After clearing her throat, she asked, “What time is it now?”

Chi Xiao replied, “7:48.”

“Oh, it’s still early,” she said, looking around. “No wonder there are so few people around.”

The first morning class started at 8:20. If she arrived early, Ming Can usually studied in the classroom.

She looked up at Chi Xiao. “Aren’t you going to…”

“I don’t have a class first period,” Chi Xiao said casually. “Didn’t you check my schedule?”

Ming Can pouted. “I glanced at it, but I didn’t memorize it.”

Chi Xiao smirked. “I, on the other hand, have your schedule memorized backward and forward.”

“What’s the last class on Thursday afternoon?” Ming Can immediately tested him.

“Securities Economics.”

“Tuesday night?”

“Introduction to Maoism.”

“First period on Wednesday morning?”

“No class,” Chi Xiao said, glancing at her. “Or maybe it’s an elective, but you haven’t chosen one yet.”

Oh no.

This guy really did memorize it.

Ming Can stared at her phone, where her own schedule—which she hadn’t even fully memorized—was displayed. She couldn’t help but feel a bit impressed by him.

She put her phone away, rubbed her hands together, and hunched her shoulders like a little old lady. The tips of her ears, exposed to the cold, were tinged with a warm red.

“Junior Ming Can.”

“Huh?” Ming Can looked up. “What is it?”

“There’s still half an hour before class,” Chi Xiao said slowly. “How about showing your boyfriend around your school?”

Ming Can’s ears grew even hotter. She blinked and asked, “The campus is huge. What do you want to see?”

“Just around here,” Chi Xiao said casually, glancing around. Then, with a straight face, he added, “Where’s a good place for dating?”

The moment the question landed in Ming Can’s ears, several suitable spots for dating immediately came to mind.

To be honest, B University had a long history, with its retro architecture and serene, beautiful environment. Among the students, there were more than a dozen well-known “dating spots.” Although Ming Can had never paid much attention to these things before, she had heard about them.

With the mindset of excelling not only in studies but also in relationships, Ming Can thought seriously for a moment before saying to Chi Xiao, “Nearby, behind the old liberal arts building… I think that area is… um… pretty suitable.”

Her tone was serious, but by the end, she was stammering.

If dating were a subject, it would undoubtedly be the hardest one Ming Can had ever taken.

There was no prior experience to rely on.

She could only fumble her way through.

“Let’s go,” she said, trying to sound casual as she lightly nudged Chi Xiao with her elbow.

“Mm,” Chi Xiao replied, his gaze dropping to the small whirl of hair at the top of her head. A faint smile tugged at his lips. “Then I’ll trouble you to lead the way.”

The old liberal arts building was only about a hundred meters away.

Behind the building was a quiet path. On the left stood a row of weeping willows, while on the right were scattered plum and cherry blossom trees, interspersed with tall cypresses.

The two of them walked side by side onto the small path covered in fallen leaves. With each step, there was a faint crunching sound.

The atmosphere remained quiet.

Ming Can kept her eyes on the ground, feeling like there was enough space between her and Chi Xiao to fit another person.

If a student were to walk by from the opposite direction, they might think the two of them were strangers who just happened to be walking at the same pace.

Huff.

Ming Can let out a soft breath and glanced sideways at the man beside her.

He was wearing a mask, revealing only his sharp, cool eyes. His gaze was fixed straight ahead, occasionally glancing at the small grove of trees beside them. It was hard to tell what he was thinking, as he hadn’t said a word for a while.

Ming Can’s eyes drifted down to Chi Xiao’s windbreaker pockets.

Both of his hands were tucked inside, and it didn’t look like he had any intention of taking them out.

Ming Can remembered the relationship advice she had read last night.

Don’t be shy. Say what’s on your mind.

“Senior,” Ming Can suddenly stopped walking and called out to him softly. “Um… do you want to hold hands?”

Her cheeks burned, and her eyes were half-lidded as she tried her best to sound casual.

Chi Xiao also stopped and looked down at her.

Without answering, he simply pulled his left hand out of his pocket and reached into her right pocket.

Ming Can was startled, and her hand in the pocket instinctively curled up.

The man’s long, slender fingers firmly pried her hand open, slipping into her warm, slightly damp palm, and gently clasped her entire hand.

“Are you warm?” he asked, pulling her hand out of the pocket and exposing it to the cold air.

Ming Can felt as if her heart had also been exposed to the air. A jolt of electricity seemed to run through her body. She was nervous but instinctively gripped his fingers.

His knuckles were firm, his palm broad and dry, easily enveloping her entire hand.

Because of the hand-holding, the distance between the two of them closed significantly.

Ming Can’s lips curled into a smile, a wave of joy spreading through her chest.

It felt like she had accomplished something incredibly challenging.

And then.

She felt twice as happy.

Chi Xiao gently squeezed the back of her hand and asked, “You’re this happy?”

Ming Can suppressed the curve of her lips and tried to sound experienced as she said, “Senior, in a relationship, you should be straightforward. I’ve told you what I want. If you have any needs, you can say them directly too.”

Ming Can could sense that ever since they had entered this path, he seemed to have something on his mind, but he had kept it to himself.

“Is that so?” Chi Xiao nodded twice. “Then I’ll be direct?”

Ming Can: “Go ahead.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Chi Xiao suddenly let go of her hand, turned her around to face him, and his tall frame completely enveloped her.

The dense foliage in the grove cast dappled morning light, creating a hazy, almost dreamlike scene that made her dizzy.

“Last night’s little moment wasn’t enough,” he said, raising an eyebrow, his voice low. “How about we kiss a bit more?”

“Wait,” Ming Can clearly thought his suggestion was too much. “I have class soon. What kind of couple kisses… or does that kind of thing… before an 8 a.m. class?”

The speckled sunlight filtering through the trees made the grove seem like it was shrouded in a light mist. Chi Xiao’s gaze, as he looked down at her, also appeared hazy. It seemed like he had taken her words to heart, seriously pondering for a moment before speaking again. His tone was still calm but carried a hint of casual arrogance. “We’re not an ordinary couple, though.”

Ming Can was confused. “What do you mean?”

“We already have a kid. What can’t we do?” He leaned down, reaching out to pinch her chin, his tone laced with temptation. “Do me a favor, Miaomiao’s mom, and take off my mask for me.”