“Sorry, but you’re not me.”

Hearing the voice, Zhang Man spun around abruptly. The boy who should have been across the Pacific Ocean was now standing behind her, gently holding her. His dark eyes revealed an unreadable expression.

Half of her intoxication dissipated instantly—half from surprise, half from joy.

“Li Wei? Why are you back?”

She thought she was dreaming, but after taking a closer look, she knew it was real.

It had been six months since they’d seen each other, and the boy seemed a bit leaner. He was wearing the black wool coat Zhang Huifang had bought him last year for Lunar New Year, along with the scarf Zhang Man had given him.

It was him—he really came back.

Zhang Man was so excited that she turned too quickly. Already dizzy from the alcohol, she completely lost her balance. Yet, a sense of relief washed over her—she didn’t need to steady herself because he was there.

Instead of trying to stand upright, she clung to the boy’s waist, holding her cup of milk tea, and leaned bonelessly into his arms, closing her eyes.

Li Wei, feeling her arms around him, found his earlier anger somewhat soothed.

The two men stared at each other from opposite sides of the crosswalk outside Beiyi’s gates.

Cheng Zimo met Li Wei’s gaze for a long moment and finally understood—he had already lost.

Or perhaps, he had never stood a chance.

Just moments ago, she had firmly pushed him away, but in the next instant, she clung tightly to the boy she’d been yearning for.

Clenching his fists, Cheng Zimo pressed his lips into a thin line. In the end, he said nothing, turned, and left.

…

Zhang Man leaned against Li Wei’s chest, breathing in his familiar scent with delight, rubbing her face against the lapel of his coat. “Boyfriend, when did you get back? I didn’t know… I just checked your location earlier, and it wasn’t there. I thought you’d turned off your phone to sleep.”

Who would have thought that the person she had been longing for over six months would suddenly appear like a dream?

Drunk and overwhelmed, her mind was far from clear. She completely forgot what he might have seen or heard earlier and made no effort to explain.

For a long moment, the boy said nothing. His brows furrowed tightly, as if tied in an impossible knot.

Finally, he sighed, holding her in compromise. He smelled the strong scent of alcohol on her and, after a pause, asked in a low, hoarse voice, “Did you… go drinking?”

“Mm.”

Zhang Man had no interest in answering trivial questions. She just hugged him tightly, snuggling closer.

Her response was so straightforward that she didn’t even think to lie.

Li Wei felt an indescribable sourness and discomfort swell in his chest, like drinking a vat of aged vinegar on a freezing winter day.

Taking a deep breath, he gently pushed her away, trying to regain his composure. But as his eyes fell on the two cups of milk tea in her hand, the repressed anger surged once more.

“You even went to get milk tea together?”

“Mm…” Zhang Man, still unsteady from being pushed away, nodded hazily. His question reminded her of Liu Mumu’s earlier request. Holding up the unopened cup, she happily explained, “Pearls and red beans, 70% sweetness, no ice.”

The winter wind howled, and the icy air momentarily stole Li Wei’s breath. The cold seemed to slice through his lungs, leaving his chest aching dully.

She remembered his preferences so clearly.

So, they went drinking together, bought milk tea together—did they also watch a movie together?

Li Wei knew Cheng Zimo. He was a Ph.D. student at Q University, several kilometers away. There was no way this was “on the way.”

There could only be one explanation: they’d gone on a date. Afterward, the guy had thoughtfully walked her back, and they’d said a lingering goodbye at the gate.

The winter smog in Beijing worsened as the day wore on. Invisible particles in the air scraped against his lungs with every breath, leaving him in pain.

The earlier scene replayed in his mind.

He had rushed to see her straight from the airport, barely able to contain his anticipation. Yet, when he stepped out of the taxi, he saw Cheng Zimo holding the girl he treasured most—his Manman.

Not once, but twice.

From afar, he watched, feeling his temples throb with rage. When he paid the taxi fare, his expression was so dark that the usually chatty Beijing cab driver fell silent, driving off without a word.

Li Wei’s eyes were red, and his fists clenched tightly. He barely restrained himself from tossing the offending milk tea cup far, far away.

No. He had to control his emotions. He couldn’t start a fight the moment they reunited.

But then, the drunken girl naively poured fuel on the fire: “Oh right, I need to go deliver this milk tea to her.”

Her words shattered the fragile restraint Li Wei had managed to hold.

She still wanted to see him?

He gripped her wrist tightly, forcing her fingers open and taking the unopened milk tea.

Walking to a nearby trash can, he was about to toss it in when a hand grabbed his.

“What are you doing?”

Zhang Man was startled, unable to understand why he was suddenly so angry. She raised her head to study his expression.

This glance startled her.

Under the dim streetlight, the veins on the boy’s temple stood out, and his bloodshot eyes stared at her fixedly. In his gaze, pain, anger, suffocating despair, and helplessness intertwined.

Half of Zhang Man’s remaining intoxication instantly vanished.

Her foggy mind began to turn, and as she replayed the events and their conversation, she realized he had probably misunderstood.

She had made him upset.

The realization left Zhang Man feeling utterly miserable. Seeing him in pain made her heart ache a hundredfold more. Her eyes reddened as she looked at him.

“The milk tea isn’t for Senior Brother Cheng. Liu Mumu asked me to buy it for her, and she even paid for it! Look, she gave me 20 yuan. This is the leftover…”

She rummaged through her pockets anxiously, only to suddenly remember that she had spent the remaining money on another milk tea for herself. Dejected, she corrected herself, “Ah… I spent the rest.”

Changing her story halfway through made her feel like she was lying. Panicked, tears started streaming down her face as she explained, her voice breaking into sobs. “It really was Liu Mumu who asked me to get it. Tonight, we had a group dinner at Wudaokou, and she asked me to bring her a cup of Royal Tea…”

“Senior Brother Cheng said he had something to do at Beihang University and was just on the way. I didn’t know how he ended up walking me all the way to the school gate… I drank tonight, and my head’s been spinning—I really didn’t notice…”

She had planned to ramble on, adding more details to clarify, but her words were abruptly cut off.

——A kiss, after six months apart. Fierce and urgent, tinged with heartache and resentment.

The boy’s hands gripped her firmly, pressing his lips to hers, moving with unrestrained passion.

He hadn’t held her or kissed her in six months. To think the first thing he saw upon returning was her in someone else’s arms.

By now, he vaguely understood that he had misunderstood, but the thought still burned within him. The anguish was unbearable, and he had no outlet to release it.

So, with just a bit more force, he bit her.

Zhang Man, lost in his familiar kiss, felt her head spinning again. She was immersed in his warmth when the sudden bite startled her, drawing a yelp of pain.

She felt a bit wronged. “…Why did you bite me?”

“Has he kissed you like this?”

The boy’s voice was hard and angry, filled with reckless frustration, but his fingers gently brushed the corner of her eyes, wiping away her tears.

Zhang Man’s eyes widened. “What are you talking about? Of course not. Why would he kiss me?”

After speaking, she looked at the redness around his eyes, and her heart ached even more.

In her past life, when Qin Shuai had merely invited her to a movie, Li Wei had flown into a rage. Now, after seeing Cheng Zimo hug her, he managed to restrain himself, wiping her tears with such gentleness.

Though his eyes were red and his expression spoke of utter despair, even his trembling hand around her waist refrained from holding her too tightly.

Even when he bit her, he had held back.

He’d rather endure his own pain than risk hurting her.

This boy… he loved her more than she had ever imagined.

Zhang Man’s lips quivered as she fought the urge to cry again.

She lifted her flushed, alcohol-warmed face and raised three fingers obediently above her head. “I swear, absolutely, absolutely not. I didn’t even know he had feelings for me until tonight. He suddenly hugged me, and I pushed him away immediately. I was just about to reject him when you showed up.”

Her voice was soft and gentle, and as she spoke, she wrapped her arms around him again, clinging to his waist with a slight sob. “Really, boyfriend, please believe me, okay? I like you the most—no, I only like you.”

After about a minute, she finally heard his response:

“…Mm.”

His voice was thick, carrying a nasal tone. She couldn’t tell if it was an affirmation or a grunt.

Zhang Man’s heart felt both sour and sweet. Hugging him tightly for a while, she then stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. “Can you walk me back to my dorm? I’ll give the milk tea to Liu Mumu. And tonight… let’s stay at home, okay?”

“…Mm.”

---

When Li Wei started college, he purchased a three-bedroom apartment near B University in Haidian District, Beijing, to make their lives more convenient. At the time, Zhang Man didn’t feel like he was being extravagant—after all, she knew how much Beijing’s real estate prices would soar in the years to come. She even encouraged Uncle Xu to buy an apartment there as well.

During their four years of undergraduate study together, they would come back to the apartment on weekends or during holidays. Each month, Zhang Man would accompany him to the hospital for his psychotherapy sessions.

Later, as his mental state stabilized, the frequency of these sessions decreased to once every two months, then once a quarter…

In the six months he had been away, Zhang Man occasionally came over to clean, keeping the apartment neat and tidy.

After delivering the milk tea to Liu Mumu, they stopped by the supermarket before returning home, already quite late.

The moment they stepped inside, Zhang Man felt nervous.

The entire way back, the boy had ignored her. No amount of teasing, explanations, or reassurances seemed to soften him, and she couldn’t tell if he had calmed down yet.

Zhang Man felt guilty.

She turned on the living room lights and stole a careful glance at the expressionless person beside her. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming back today?”

If he had told her earlier, she would’ve gone to the airport to pick him up, and none of this would’ve happened.

“I just finished my project the day before yesterday and didn’t have time to tell you.”

He had been working tirelessly on his research, even sacrificing Christmas, New Year’s, and the Spring Festival to pull all-nighters. Finally, after submitting his paper, he requested two weeks off from his advisor to come back and see her.

He had actually planned to surprise her, but it turned into a shock instead—a shock so intense his heart still ached faintly.

The boy let out a cold snort, changed his shoes, and walked inside.

Feeling sheepish, Zhang Man followed closely, dutifully helping him take off his coat and hang it on the rack by the door.

When he headed into the bathroom, she hesitated, her face growing warm.

After all, they were at an age brimming with youthful energy, and after living together for four years, physical intimacy was inevitable. However, they had always restrained themselves and refrained from crossing the line. Zhang Man couldn’t help but feel a bit aggrieved about it. She knew he deeply respected her, but if she didn’t bring it up, he probably wouldn’t take that step until they were married.

But what was he thinking? Even if she was willing, how could she possibly muster the courage to bring it up herself?

After they each showered, Zhang Man emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a bathrobe, only to find the atmosphere markedly different from before.

She hadn’t taken more than a couple of steps when he swept her off her feet, carrying her into the master bedroom and tossing her onto the bed.

He showed no gentleness this time. His handsome face was flushed, and his grip was strong. The mattress was soft, and her entire body sank into it before bouncing slightly, leaving her feeling as though her bones were about to come apart.

His thick hair was only half-dry, damp strands spilling onto his forehead. He wore only a pair of shorts, his upper body bare. Standing by the bed, he looked down at her from above.

Zhang Man cast him a quick glance before shutting her eyes in embarrassment. This version of him was simply too domineering.

Unhappy with her reaction, he let out a discontented hum. “Manman, open your eyes. Look at me.”

Nervously clutching the bedsheet beneath her, Zhang Man obeyed and opened her eyes, unable to stop herself from swallowing hard.

He had always been disciplined about working out. During their undergraduate years, whenever he wasn’t busy with research, he would hit the gym several times a week. His body was lean and muscular, with strong arms and sharply defined abs, making her cheeks flush red.

Whenever they were intimate before, they were always clothed, at least wearing bathrobes. He had never made her scrutinize him so closely.

At that moment, she truly realized he had grown up—from a boy into a man exuding an aura of danger.

Standing by the bed, he gazed at her. Her curled hair framed her small, delicate face, her fair skin still flushed from her bath.

Wrapped in a white bathrobe, against the white sheets, her alabaster skin and silky black hair created an image that was utterly striking.

His gaze lingered at the neckline of her robe.

Compared to her high school days, the areas that needed to develop had matured beautifully.

His eyes darkened, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed, and he closed his eyes briefly.

From the age of 17, he had often dreamed of her. In those dreams, he had done everything with her.

He had always known she was willing. She was young, and he had held back for her sake. He had thought there was no rush for certain things. But today, he suddenly understood: his Manman was so wonderful, and so many people had their eyes on her.

So, he had to act sooner rather than later.

He knelt by the bed and gently brushed aside her hair, leaning down to press against her.

Six months of pent-up emotion exploded in that instant.

Zhang Man clutched the sheet nervously, responding to his passionate kisses. Yet she couldn’t help but feel a mix of shyness and confusion. While they had been intimate before, he had always been restrained and cautious. Never had he been so uninhibited.

His masculine form pressed against her entirely, enveloping her completely.

By then, she had a strong hunch about what was going to happen tonight. Her heart raced with both anticipation and nerves.

Fifteen minutes later, as his skilled hands brought them both to complete vulnerability, she suddenly noticed him rise and reach for something in the bedside drawer.

Realizing what it was, her eyes flew open in shock, staring at him.

The next moment, she suddenly felt a bit wronged in her heart.

“…You planned this! When did you buy it?”

She had originally thought that he had just acted on impulse, unable to control himself, but she didn’t expect that he had actually planned it.

The young man looked at her, smiled, and tore open the small packaging: “Just now at the supermarket, I picked it up when I was checking out. I had a plan.”

After saying that, he put it on in front of her and leaned in, pushing her with his knee.

Zhang Man’s heart trembled with grievance; he had never been like this before: “Li Wei… did you learn to be bad in America?”

She began to overthink. He had been so restrained for the past four years. How did he change so much right after coming back from America? Although she was willing, she still couldn’t get over it… After all, America was more open. Was he…?

“Mm, I did learn to be bad. Someone taught me for half a year.”

As expected, he really did…

Her heart ached, filled with grievance and pain, like a huge stone had lodged in her chest. Zhang Man pushed him away with tears in her eyes, slapping his shoulder in frustration: “Then go find the person who taught you! Why come back here?”

“…Manman, you can’t be unreasonable. There is no ‘other person.’ Didn’t I come back to find the one who taught me?”

His voice grew hoarse as he once again relentlessly pushed her apart: “You were the one who taught me for six whole months in my dreams…”

He looked at the girl in front of him, who went from sadness to stunned, then shyly covering her ears, and he chuckled lowly.

All these years, her face was still as thin-skinned as ever.

But with both of them being shy, how could anything progress? Someone had to play the bad guy, and it was him.

He kissed away the tear from her eye, grinding his teeth: “Manman, be good, cooperate with me, okay?”

His body was so tense, ready to explode, but he still gritted his teeth, keeping the last bit of his rationality, leaning against her, prying her hand away from her ears, and whispered in her ear: “Manman… I turned 22 last month. Will you marry me?”

This time, she didn’t avoid it, but instead smiled in a daze, and after a long while, tears fell.

She reached out, wrapped her arm around his neck, and pulled him down.

“…Okay, let’s get married.”

Upon hearing her answer, the young man could no longer hold back. He gripped her slender waist and sank down heavily.

At that moment, his blood boiled completely, and his scalp tingled. He bent down to her ear, speaking gently yet solemnly: “I love you, Manman.”