Li Heng led Shen Zhiyi to a rocking chair near the tent and sat down.

From this vantage point, you can overlook half of the city's night view from the mountaintop.

He handed over the plate.

Then, out of nowhere, he produced a bottle of water, unscrewed the cap, and placed it beside her.

Shen Zhiyi's dark eyes shone brightly.

Wow, the puppy is really clever.

Okay, I'll forgive him for hugging me inappropriately.

She picked up the plate and started eating.

Li Heng stared at her chubby cheeks and curved eyes, at her completely different attitude and expression from when she had just confessed to those people. For some reason, images flashed through his mind like a movie.

He offered fruit to his mother, but she brushed it away, and it fell to the ground...

He went to open the door for his drunken father late at night, only to be kicked away and beaten on the ground...

He held his award certificate and perfect report card, begging his mother not to leave, but she tore them to shreds...

He took the prize money he won in the competition to the debt collectors, begging them not to vandalize his house. But after driving them away, his father beat him so badly that he lost his hearing, accusing him of deliberately hiding money and causing him to miss his chance to win back his fortune in gambling.

He closed his eyes.

He gripped the hearing aid tightly in his hand.

For him, "giving" has long been a joke.

It could even retaliate as a more devastating and terrifying weapon.

But……

He opened his eyes.

Looking at Shen Zhiyi's profile as it was blown open by the night wind.

A satisfied smile graced her face.

[So delicious! A top student is a top student; he excels at everything, even barbecue.]

How did he know what dishes I liked?

[Is your observation skill that good?]

He even knew to get me water; that's thoughtful of him.

She was praising him.

Comprehensive.

Watching her eat with gusto, Li Heng felt a strange and complex feeling welling up inside him.

For the first time, he felt this way.

Even without any reward, giving is a worthwhile and wonderful thing.

Seeing him staring at her, Shen Zhi assumed he was hungry too, and offered him a skewer of grilled shrimp. "Do you want some?"

Li Heng did not react.

Shen Zhiyi's gaze fell to the hearing aid he was holding in his palm. She put down the bamboo stick, leaned over, took the hearing aid from his palm, and put it in his ear.

Slender fingertips swept across the palm.

Li Heng's body suddenly froze.

Her warm fingertips brushed against the skin of his earlobe, sending a tingling sensation through him. Then, with a firm press, the silence vanished.

The noise and heartbeat returned to my ears.

Li Heng stared at her blankly.

The dazzling stars poured down, illuminating her eyes, lips, and nose, which were so close to hers...

Every place was just right.

The image of her that appeared before him was pieced together.

Not an inch more, not a fraction less, would make her the complete and unique woman she is...

The night breeze lifted a strand of her hair, brushing against his cheek.

He smelled a faint fragrance of gardenias.

A fragrance powerful enough to capture his soul...

He saw her speak and heard the voice coming from those small lips, "Li Heng, do you want some?"

She held the shrimp to his lips.

He instinctively opened his mouth and bit down.

Shen Zhiyi raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Are you hungry too?"

Why didn't you say so earlier?

"If I had known, I would have gone grilling with you."

"Barbecuing is much more fun than dancing."

She pulled it out, freeing the shrimp from the bamboo skewer and leaving it between his lips and teeth.

She smiled and stuffed the remaining two bamboo skewers into his hand.

"Why are you standing there?" She smiled, her pearly teeth gleaming in the moonlight. "The way you're holding that shrimp right now, you really look like a puppy."

Li Heng came to his senses.

Turning his head, he swallowed the shrimp meat into his mouth.

“Young Miss, I am not your pet.” He lowered his eyes and said calmly.

Shen Zhiyi chuckled.

Suddenly, she leaned over and pointed to the bamboo skewers in his hand, "Aren't those shrimp skewers all unpeeled?"

"After you baked it for me, did you even peel the shells for me before bringing them to me?"

Li Heng slowly tightened his grip on the bamboo skewer with his finger bones.

Shen Zhiyi raised an eyebrow, tilted her head toward him with interest, and said, "You're not a pet."

"But it seems... they really do treat me like their master."

"Otherwise, why would you treat me so well, Li Heng?"

Li Heng's jawline tightened, and his calm gaze swept over from behind his glasses as he said, "I'm just afraid you'll reveal my secret."

"Just trying to please you."

"Oh." Shen Zhiyi pouted in disappointment and leaned back in her chair.

I thought you were willingly acting as my dog.

It seems she's still quite stubborn.

She picked up the water bottle, gulped down a few mouthfuls of water, and put it down.

"I'm going to the restroom."

Li Heng watched her retreating figure, paused for a moment, then lowered his eyes and stared at the mineral water bottle she had drunk from on the bench.

There was a very faint lipstick mark at the bottle opening.

Her lip print.

A glint of light flickered in Li Heng's eyes.

He picked up the mineral water bottle, pressed it against the opening, and slowly put his mouth on the area she had covered...

He tilted his head back and drank the water in one gulp.

Adam's apple bobbed.

Some obscure desire, hidden in the cold water, slowly seeped into his throat, flowing throughout his body...

Li Heng gripped the bottle tightly, his eyes slowly darkening.

...

Not far away, Dou Tianzong was hiding behind a tent. When he saw Shen Zhiyi leave, his eyes lit up.

Heaven is on his side!

He touched what was in his pocket and curled his lips into a cold smile.

Today, he will make Zhiyi see clearly what a cowardly and unreliable man Li Heng is!

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