Chapter 112 is absolutely certain that it's the kind of affection a man has for a woman. ...

When the man's large hand landed unexpectedly on her head, Zhu Liushuang forgot to breathe. Her slightly open mouth remained agape, her body stiffened, and her gaze fell into those clear, cold eyes.

Just seconds before, a fleeting wave had swept through the area. But before she could even catch a glimpse of its warmth, the smile in He Ming's eyes vanished without a trace. And with the smile, the hand that had been slowly caressing the crown of her head also disappeared.

Despite his continued aloofness, Zhu Liushuang was not discouraged.

The night wind was so cold it made her teeth chatter, but it also kept her mind incredibly clear.

It's often said that people reveal their most selfish side in times of crisis. For example, when the aftershocks struck, he could have easily abandoned her and run away first. That way, even if a life-threatening disaster followed, his chances of survival would have been much greater.

But he never abandoned her.

When the accident happened, his first thought was to hold her hand tightly and protect her to his side. It was also he who, with all his might, led her to escape that terrifying building.

The book says, "Husbands and wives are like birds in the same forest; when disaster strikes, they fly away separately."

They weren't a couple in the true sense of the word, but He Ming was able to stay by her side through thick and thin, so what was there for her to be disappointed about?

After a night of terror, Zhu Liushuang was absolutely certain that she held an important place in his heart.

And the hand that involuntarily covered the top of her head was the unspoken, irrefutable proof.

She could always find excuses for his previous hesitant and restrained transgressions, but not tonight. She couldn't find a reason to convince herself.

Back in their school days, He Ming was known as the "unattainable beauty" among all the girls. He had very few male friends, let alone any close contact with girls. After their reunion, she learned from Gu Xufeng and others that he was a serious, rigid, and woman-averse "workaholic."

Why would someone who is supposedly "cold and aloof" make such ambiguous and intimate gestures towards her?

The answer is obvious: he also fell in love with her.

It's the kind of affection a man has for a woman.

Perhaps it hasn't reached the point of love, but there's definitely a good feeling towards each other.

Right now, she's still unsure whether he's as perceptive about matters of the heart as she is.

Courage slowly gathered in her chest, and Zhu Liushuang decided to add fuel to the fire by taking the initiative to verify her conjecture.

Another gust of wind swept by, and she rubbed her hands together, bringing them to her mouth and exhaling a few puffs of white breath.

Having built up her emotions, she sniffed and looked at him with a wronged and helpless expression: "Senior...I...I'm so cold—" Her voice trembled slightly at the end, perfectly portraying the girl's vulnerability.

Although it involved some performance, there was no deception involved.

It was only two or three degrees Celsius outside, but she was only wearing a thin cotton nightgown and cloth slippers that she hadn't had time to change out of. It was understandable that she was so cold that she couldn't speak clearly.

She was eager to see He Ming's reaction, so she twisted her fingers and stared at him expectantly. Her eyes were glistening with tears, and she looked incredibly pitiful.

He Ming wasn't in much better shape either. He was wearing a knitted sweater and loose-fitting sweatpants, both autumn clothes. But he was in the prime of his life and could withstand the cold. Plus, the run he had just done had made his back sweat, and warmth filled his whole body.

When he belatedly realized that the woman in front of him was different from him and couldn't stand the cold, He Ming felt a moment of self-reproach. His fingertips moved up to the collar and quickly unbuttoned the sweater from top to bottom. He took off his knitted sweater and wrapped it around Zhu Liushuang without saying a word.

He gave her his coat, leaving the man in only a thin white short-sleeved shirt. His strong forearms were exposed to the air, instantly raising goosebumps.

Zhu Liushuang hadn't expected him to take off his clothes so readily, and she felt both touched and guilty. Her lips parted, and she reached up to pull at the fabric on her shoulder: "Senior...you..."

Before she could finish her refusal, he changed the subject.

"I'm not cold. But you... you've been sitting on the floor without moving, did you twist your ankle?" He pretended to check her ankle. "I remember, you twisted your left ankle before?"

He remembers it so clearly!

Her eyelashes trembled slightly, and Zhu Liushuang's heart instantly melted into a pool of autumn water.

"No... I didn't bump into anything, and I didn't twist anything." She shook her head, feeling a warmth on her back, and his scent filled her nostrils. "I'm just a little exhausted from running."

"Okay, can you stand up now?" He relaxed his brow and extended a hand to her. "It's too cold outside, everyone has gone home, let's go home early too."

Before I knew it, the noise had gradually subsided, and a few scattered figures remained on the football field, walking towards the apartment building in twos and threes, supporting each other.

Zhu Liushuang withdrew her gaze from the distance, nodded, and then firmly placed her right hand into his palm.

There was no need to test him anymore; he cared about her far more than she had imagined.

The cold and the warm touched, and the moment their hands met, He Ming's relaxed brows furrowed again. With a sudden force, he pulled her up from the grass.

Zhu Liushuang staggered two steps, barely managing to stop beside him. As soon as she regained her footing, she heard his deep voice echo in the night.

“Your hands are too cold… If you stand like this any longer, you’ll get hypothermia.” He said seriously, “Liu Shuang, give me your left hand too.”

"Oh!" Zhu Liushuang, puzzled, blankly stretched out her left hand.

Soon, both hands were covered by broad palms.

The heat from the friction between their skin briefly warmed her stiff knuckles. She moved her index finger, and her fingertip accidentally brushed against the heel of his palm.

Feeling a ticklish sensation like a cat scratching her, He Ming lowered his eyes and asked, "Are you warmer now?"

After receiving an affirmative answer, he quickly tucked her left hand into her sweater. His right hand, however, was tightly clenched in her palm.

"Let's go home now." He walked quickly, pulling her along without a word of explanation.

Zhu Liushuang's face turned bright red, whether from the cold or embarrassment, she didn't know. She lowered her head, her eyes fixed on his toes.

The dim streetlights in the neighborhood illuminated their path, and on the quiet lane, she let him lead her.

The slippers tapped and stomped rapidly, the frequency matching the beating of her heart.

Their clasped hands parted at the door of apartment 502. He Ming pressed the electronic lock, and the two entered the apartment one after the other.

The room was warm and cozy, and all the furniture was intact. Only the vase on the dining table had fallen over and rolled onto the carpet, but thankfully it didn't break.

Zhu Liushuang quickly went over, picked up the fallen vase, and put it back on the dining table. She continued searching to see what else had been damaged.

"Liu Shuang, go take another hot shower, then go to bed early." The person behind her stopped her from doing her thing.

Zhu Liushuang pinched her earlobe and hesitated, "Won't you be able to manage all this by yourself? The wall lamp in the study..."

"I'll take care of it. You go take a shower first." He interrupted, his tone becoming more forceful.

He Ming's cold and handsome face was still in her sight, but through his face, Zhu Liushuang could vaguely see the shadow of her mother.

How alike their expressions were when they spoke!

She knew the source of this resemblance.

It stems from their concern for themselves.

Therefore, Zhu Liushuang gladly accepted He Ming's concern. She softly said "okay" and then went to the bathroom as he instructed.

Her mother, Gu Chunling, called late, while she was showering. She quickly grabbed a towel and draped it over herself before answering the phone.

"Hey Mom! Do you know how many times I've called you?" Hearing her mother's voice, Zhu Liushuang couldn't help but complain, "I couldn't get through to you at all, I thought something had happened to you..."

"Xiaoshuang, it's my fault. I put my phone in my bag and haven't had time to check it."

Zhu Liushuang rubbed her sore eyes and asked again, "Are you home now? How's your home? Did anything get damaged in the earthquake?"

"Sister Ling, someone's calling from up ahead..." An unfamiliar female voice came through the receiver, followed by a funeral dirge.

Zhu Liushuang asked in confusion, "Mom? What's wrong...?"

"Oh, I forgot to tell you, your great-aunt had a heart attack today... I was helping out in their village!" The voice on the other end of the phone paused. "Xiaoshuang, why are you calling me so many times all of a sudden? What's with all this talk about vibrations... Mom doesn't understand."

Zhu Liushuang remained silent for a moment. Since her mother hadn't felt the tremor, she didn't need to tell her about the terrifying experience she had just had, lest she worry unnecessarily.

She downplayed the issue, saying, "According to the news, there was a major earthquake on Butterfly Island around 7 o'clock. We live on a high floor and felt it a little, so I wanted to ask about the situation on your end."

"Around seven o'clock... I was washing dishes in the front yard. There was a slight tremor, and I thought they were carving out a mountain somewhere, so I didn't pay any attention..."

"Okay, it's good that everything's alright. You go ahead with your work, don't stay up too late." Someone was calling her mother's name again on the other end of the line, and she prepared to hang up.

Footsteps mingled as Gu Chunling walked and sighed, "When you were born, your great-aunt held you. Alas, who knew she would leave so suddenly... The funeral feast will last for three days, Xiaoshuang, will you come to eat?"

"It's too far. I've been very busy at work lately, so I probably won't have time."

"Are you coming back with Xiao He for New Year's Day?"

Zhu Liushuang hesitated. The bathroom door was tightly closed, but she couldn't help but peek towards the door frame: "Even if I come back, he's still not sure... It's almost the end of the year, and he might have to go to the company to work overtime at any time."

"Alright... Mom understands." Gu Chunling said this, but her words betrayed her displeasure.

She pretended not to notice and hung up the phone, making up an excuse.

————

The New Year's Day holiday is just around the corner, and Zhu Liushuang actually predicted something.

He Ming indeed didn't have time to accompany her back to Donghu Community.

Two days after Christmas, he suddenly received a notice from his company that he had to go on a short business trip to Yunhe, with the return date to be determined.

That's why his promise to take her to Chengjia Village to see the winter plum blossoms also fell through.

The house in Chunhua Lane is big, and it feels empty without him.

On the second day of He Ming's business trip, Zhu Liushuang simply packed her bags and went to stay at her own home. She planned to spend more time with her mother and take her to the hospital for a physical evaluation during the holiday.

On New Year's Eve, her best friend Tian Xingyu came to stay at her house.

Having not seen each other for a long time, the two of them squeezed onto one bed and chatted quietly for a long time.

More precisely, it was Tian Xingyu who kept asking questions, and Zhu Liushuang who answered them in great detail.

Her friend's gossip-loving spirit is commendable; she almost wishes she could install a camera on her and broadcast her daily life with He Ming 24/7.

Zhu Liushuang was so pestered that she finally started to lie to her friend. But Tian Xingyu wasn't one to be easily fooled, and immediately launched an attack with her "tickling armpit technique".

Laughter and pleas for mercy echoed in the bed. Just when she was about to be scratched to the point of exhaustion, a phone call came to her rescue.

The words "[He Ming Calls]" flashed on the phone screen, surprising Zhu Liushuang and filling her with joy.

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Author's Note: [Please] Take a short break. The next chapter will feature a plot I've been planning for a long time, and I'm a little excited.