Xiao Cheng had been busy with who-knows-what and hadn’t returned for two days. Lin Aiyun, occupied with comforting the heartbroken Ma Xiulan after her failed blind date, hadn’t had the time to worry about where he’d gone.
“What’s the big deal? There are plenty of men in the world—if this one named Li didn’t work out, there’s always a Zhao or a Zhang. You don’t need him. Xiaolan, stop crying.” Lin Aiyun held Ma Xiulan’s hand and handed her a handkerchief. Guan Ju, standing nearby, chimed in as well.
“Exactly! Aiyun-mei is right. Look at your eyes—they’re all swollen. It’s his loss that things didn’t work out. You’re wonderful, and you’ll find a much better man.”
With the two of them talking her through it, Ma Xiulan finally calmed down. She wiped her tears: “You’re right. I’ll tell my mother to find me someone better! He looked down on me for being uneducated, but I look down on him for putting on airs just because he’s read a few books.”
The blind date had been going well at first—both sides had seemed interested. But then the man had whipped out a questionnaire and insisted that Ma Xiulan answer it in front of everyone.
In this era, most people were illiterate. Not just Ma Xiulan—no one present except the man himself could have answered those questions. The result was predictable: the man had thrown a fit on the spot and called off the match.
Such a bizarre reason for rejection was truly something else.
If the man cared so much about a woman’s education, he should have clarified that before the meeting. Pulling that stunt at the last minute just humiliated both families.
There really were all kinds of people in this world.
“Forget the unhappy stuff. Let the past be the past—we have to look forward.” Seeing that Ma Xiulan had finally come around, Lin Aiyun felt a weight lift off her shoulders.
“Mm.”
“What are you all chatting about?” A slightly weary voice came from the doorway. They all turned to see Xiao Cheng and Zhou Jin, who had been missing for days.
“Nothing much.” Lin Aiyun shook her head. Since the topic was sensitive for the young girl, she changed the subject: “What took you so long? Where have you been the past two days?”
Zhou Jin frowned and instinctively glanced at Xiao Cheng. He usually didn’t like anyone prying into his whereabouts.
But to Zhou Jin’s surprise, Xiao Cheng showed no sign of annoyance. His lips even curled up slightly, brushing off his fatigue with a light laugh: “Tied up at the factory. Came back as soon as everything was settled.”
His tone lifted at the end, like a child seeking praise from an adult.
“I see.” With so many people around, Lin Aiyun could only pretend not to catch the deeper meaning. She gave him a quick smile and asked: “Are you tired? Have you eaten? Do you want to rest first, or eat first?”
Xiao Cheng’s brow furrowed slightly, then relaxed at her concern. He shook his head: “No need. Pack up—we’re heading back.”
“Huh?” Lin Aiyun blinked, not immediately catching on. Then it dawned on her—back to Lanxi County.
“Alright.” There wasn’t much to pack anyway—just a couple of outfits and the things they’d bought at the department store.
“I’m going to take a shower. Once you’re packed, hand your things to Zhou Jin.” Xiao Cheng had wanted to ruffle her hair, but with others watching, he held back and turned toward the bathhouse.
“Miss Lin, I’ll be outside. Just call if you need anything.” Zhou Jin nodded and left.
Once they were gone, Ma Xiulan and Guan Ju crowded around her.
“Aiyun, you’re leaving?”
“Yes. Xiao Cheng seems to have finished his business—it’s time for us to go.” Coming here had been sudden, after all; they couldn’t stay forever. But looking at the two faces before her, she felt a pang of reluctance.
Who knew if they’d ever see each other again?
“Aiyun, I’m going to miss you so much. I was hoping you’d come to my wedding!” Ma Xiulan’s barely dried tears threatened to spill again. Lin Aiyun hurriedly pulled her into a hug.
“Don’t cry, don’t cry—or you’ll turn into a little kitten!”
“Aiyun-mei, Qiuqiu was planning to come tomorrow to have you braid her hair—I guess she won’t get the chance.” Even the usually composed Guan Ju’s eyes were red.
Though they hadn’t known each other long, the three women looked at one another and couldn’t help wiping away tears.
Parting is always bittersweet, yet life forces us to face countless goodbyes. In this fast-paced, turbulent world, all we can wish for each other is peace and joy.
…
The car slowly pulled away from Changzhu Village, and only then did Lin Aiyun’s emotions begin to settle.
“Feeling better?” Xiao Cheng noticed her gaze finally turn from the window and knew her time to decompress was up. He reached out, pulling her halfway into his arms, his thumb gently massaging her temples in slow, circular motions, helping her relax.
He didn’t really understand friendships between women, nor could he imagine tearing up over such a small thing himself.
But he didn’t need to understand it, nor did he need to offer any commentary. All he had to do was respect it and give her comfort afterward.
After all, the only thing he truly cared about in all this was her.
“Mm.” Her voice carried an unavoidable nasal tone. Lin Aiyun didn’t feel like talking—she just buried her face in his chest, drawing strength from the familiar, warm embrace.
Her eyes were sore, but she couldn’t fall asleep. She tried to lift her head to talk to Xiao Cheng—only to feel a weight settle on her shoulder.
Xiao Cheng had fallen asleep before her. He must have been exhausted these past two days, barely sleeping. There were faint dark circles under his eyes. Afraid of waking him, Lin Aiyun stayed as still as possible. Before she knew it, she’d dozed off too.
What she didn’t know was that without her, Xiao Cheng could hardly sleep at all.
—
By the time they returned to Lanxi County, the sky was just turning dark. The lingering glow of dusk hung on the horizon, casting a warm, soft light over everything.
Lin Aiyun woke up before Xiao Cheng. Her neck was stiff, and her shoulder had gone completely numb. Seeing that he was still asleep, she only dared to gently rub the back of her neck—but the moment she moved, he stirred too, clearly waking up.
The car had been parked in the yard for a while now. Rather than staying cramped in the small space, it was better to go inside and sleep in a proper bed.
“Xiao Cheng, we’re here. Let’s go inside and sleep.” She reached out and poked his arm, her voice low and soft.
But the moment she spoke, he pulled her into his arms, his long arms locking around her waist, holding her in place. Lin Aiyun didn’t like being affectionate in front of others. Her cheeks flushed, and she instinctively tried to pull away, glancing toward Zhou Jin in the driver’s seat.
The moment Xiao Cheng moved, Zhou Jin had already unbuckled his seatbelt. A soft click and a door shutting—he’d gotten out and, considerately, gone inside ahead of them.
In the empty, spacious yard, only the two of them remained.
Beside the car seat, their thighs pressed tightly together. Heated blood pulsed around them, beginning to stir in the dim light—cautiously, yet brazenly.
Warm breath wrapped around her from behind, spilling over her scalp. His broad palm kneaded her shoulder and neck, over and over.
At first, Lin Aiyun thought he was up to something—the position was far too intimate. But after a while, he maintained the same motion, as if he were just loosening her stiff muscles.
So she’d been overthinking.
Wherever Xiao Cheng had massaged, it felt much better. Being attended to by him wasn’t half bad. A pleased smile tugged at her lips as her guarded nerves fully relaxed.
“Thank you.”
But the moment she said it, she regretted it—because his hand, having accepted her thanks, slowly shifted direction, wandering toward places it shouldn’t go. She grabbed his hand in a flash, but her body still flinched back reflexively, her ears turning crimson.
“Xiao Cheng!” Her voice rose as she turned to find his dark, deep-set eyes already wide open.
“Such a good girl—let me rest on you the whole way.” His voice was hoarse from sleep, husky and alluring. As he spoke, he rested his chin back in the crook of her neck, his warm breath curling around her reddened ear, lingering long after.
Lin Aiyun felt a ticklish sensation and shrank back, staring at this man who seemed utterly unaware of his own roguish behavior. She was both annoyed and embarrassed. Ever since the day he’d confessed, it was as if he’d been spontaneously enlightened—he knew exactly how to make her blush at every turn.
Not only had he become skilled at kissing, but his hands were also growing bolder by the day. If she hadn’t stopped him, he’d probably have had his fill by now.
Hah—men!!!
“Let’s go inside.” The longer they stayed in the car, the more Zhou Jin’s imagination would run wild.
She was already starting to dread being alone with Zhou Jin, terrified he’d silently judge her with his eyes or ask questions she didn’t know how to answer. It was too awkward. But that worry was probably unfounded—given Zhou Jin’s nature, even if she and Xiao Cheng made out right in front of him, he probably wouldn’t spare a glance, let alone gossip about it later.
“Didn’t you miss me the past two days? Now that we finally have some time alone, you don’t want to stay with me a little longer?” Sensing her tension, Xiao Cheng shifted his hand from her waist to brace against the seat, pulling back slightly to give her some space.
But only slightly.
Hearing this, Lin Aiyun’s vision darkened. She looked at Xiao Cheng in disbelief—where on earth had he learned to say things like that?
Even the Xiao Cheng from her past life, let alone this young, fledgling version of him, had never been much for sweet talk.
Staring at her stunned expression, Xiao Cheng’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. He rubbed his thumb against his palm. This didn’t work? He should have known better than to listen to those people and their so-called “wisdom from experience.” In his view, it was all nonsense. Better to just pull her in and kiss her—that actually got results.
At least that built intimacy and made both of them happy.
With that thought, his gaze unconsciously drifted to her lips—full, rosy, irresistible. Once he kissed them, he never wanted to leave. They had a strange power over him.
Just as he was about to lift his hand to cup her face, she spoke.
“Of course I missed you. But you were busy with work—I couldn’t exactly pester you, could I?”
His gaze shifted, landing on her bright, glittering almond-shaped eyes. Beneath the night sky, they were more captivating than the moonlight itself. Xiao Cheng’s Adam’s apple bobbed as those four words echoed in his mind—of course I missed you.
He was about to respond when she added in a perfectly serious, teasing tone: “We should give each other proper space. Otherwise, one day I might just get tired of you.”
“Tired?” Xiao Cheng repeated, his voice unreadable.
Lin Aiyun blinked her long lashes, meeting his eyes—dark as a deep, still lake. A tremor ran through her. Suddenly, she realized… could it be that Xiao Cheng didn’t understand jokes?
What she didn’t know was that he understood perfectly—he just never treated her words as jokes. He remembered every single one, taking them seriously.
Moonlight streamed through the car window, painting a silver tableau. Their shadows intertwined.
“But I won’t get tired of you. I like you clinging to me—I’d rather you be by my side every moment.”
Hearing this, the explanation she’d been about to offer died in her throat. She looked up and caught the bobbing of his Adam’s apple, the long column of his neck, the veins visible beneath his skin. Higher still, his sharply defined jawline. His thin lips parted to continue speaking those domineering, utterly unreasonable words.
“Lin Aiyun, if you ever do get tired of me, I won’t give you the chance to leave.”
“I’m not a good man—you knew that from the start, didn’t you?”
His thumb traced the curve of her ear, slow and deliberate—a caress, perhaps, or a threat.
If she didn’t know exactly who Xiao Cheng was, she might have been intimidated. But she also understood that unlike her own words, he wasn’t joking. He meant every syllable.
“I know that. I wasn’t serious.” Lin Aiyun grabbed his hand, her red lips pouting. “Why are you trying to scare me?”
Xiao Cheng laughed in exasperation: “We’ve barely been together, and you’re already throwing around the word ‘tired.’ Who’s scaring whom?”
She knew she’d misspoken, but that wasn’t what she’d intended. She tried to brush it off with a laugh: “You’re the one scaring me. Anyway, I’m hungry—I’m going inside to find something to eat.”
With that, she reached for the door handle. But her hand only made it halfway before he pulled her back. In the next instant, she was lifted, then settled astride his lap on the car seat, her hands instinctively landing on his shoulders to steady herself.
Their eyes met in the dim light. The atmosphere slowly heated up.
“Mm, my fault.” Xiao Cheng’s gaze was heavy, half his face hidden in shadow, his expression unreadable.
Lin Aiyun was still marveling at his sudden cooperation when a gritted follow-up came, making her heart skip a beat before racing.
“I should have shut that mouth of yours from the very beginning.”
In the chaos of their breathing, he suddenly pressed her body against his and kissed her—every movement a punishing nip, fierce and unrestrained.
He caught her delicate, pale wrist and wrapped it around his neck. She didn’t resist—instead, she clung to him, parting her lips just slightly to meet his, carefully soothing.
When the kiss ended, she rested her forehead against his and whispered between soft breaths: “Xiao Cheng, I won’t get tired of you either.”
Her voice was low—she wasn’t sure if he’d heard. But she didn’t plan to repeat it. If he missed it, so be it. She’d prove it with action instead—action was far more powerful than words anyway.
But when she looked down, she caught the lingering smile on his face.
A little embarrassed, she pressed her lips together: “You heard me—why didn’t you answer?”
Leaving her hanging in awkwardness.
Xiao Cheng curled his lips, his features softening with warmth: “I was too busy smiling. Next time, I will.”
“…”
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