Chapter 130 I Want to Kiss You "Liu Shuang, I want to kiss you... is that alright...?"
He Ming's chin rested on the top of her soft hair, its weight neither too light nor too heavy, making her feel very safe.
As he spoke, his warm breath occasionally brushed against her hair, then silently seeped into the gaps above her head. The sensation was ticklish, like being gently kissed by a swimming fish.
Her gaze lingered on his chest, and Zhu Liushuang couldn't help but sigh inwardly: love truly can make people blind. When he loved her, all her flaws were insignificant. Conversely, she felt the same way about him.
"Don't say that..." she muttered, "Who would swear they're sick just to comfort someone else!"
Noticing her unusual expression, He Ming moved his chin and moved his head away from the top of her head. He took a step back, his arm still loosely around her, but his knees slowly bent and lowered until his gaze was level with hers.
The world before her suddenly shifted from the dark gray striped sweater to He Ming's face. Zhu Liushuang hurriedly raised her hand to cover her reddened eyes: "Ugh... my makeup is all messed up... don't look at me..." Although she said this, her gaze couldn't help but slip through her fingers and drift to that handsome and extraordinary face.
“You still look good even with your makeup on…” the man said sincerely. “Liu Shuang, put your hands down and look into my eyes.”
As soon as she finished speaking, her hands, which had been resting on her brow bone, surrendered and gently fell to her sides.
Her gaze lingered on the upper half of his face, and the moment it met, her heart melted completely. She didn't know when it had started, but whenever his clear, cold eyes met hers, the icy resolve within them would quietly melt away.
He gazed at her intently, his affection flowing gently into her heart like a surging spring tide.
“Liu Shuang, I’m not belittling myself, nor am I exaggerating the risks to comfort you. I’m just… looking at the problems we might encounter in the future with a rational perspective.” He explained to her word by word, “Risks are everywhere. All we can do is cherish the present and take precautions.”
In his affectionate eyes, Zhu Liushuang saw her own smile gradually blossoming.
Fate had been unfair to her, shackled her with layers of chains, tormenting her day and night, forcing her to walk alone. But at this moment, she felt that if she could exchange the hardships of the first ten years of her life for He Ming, she would be willing to endure it.
“Okay, no matter what happens in the future, we’ll face it together.” She said with tears in her eyes, and then stepped forward to hug his waist again.
How fortunate she was that the person she fell in love with so passionately was such a wonderful person.
He wouldn't force her to change, but he could give her positive energy through words and actions. He not only absorbed her negative emotions but also helped her out of life's mire. In his heart, she had many virtues; she was a shining, unique being. He pitied her, respected her, loved her, and would teach her how to love herself…
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The couple ate their birthday dinner until there were hardly any customers left in the restaurant.
"Do you want to pack it up and take it home?" He Ming asked her as usual when it was time to pay the bill.
Zhu Liushuang smiled brightly: "Yes, that saves me the cost of lunch tomorrow." He understood her lifestyle, so she spoke without reservation. "Don't pack the vegetables; it's not good to eat leftovers."
"Yes, I know..." Zhu Liushuang said as she took the takeout box from the waiter and picked up some food. "I still have broccoli and asparagus at home. I'll stir-fry some tomorrow morning, put half on a plate, and save the other half for you as a side dish with your porridge."
"Don't worry about me, there are several breakfast shops outside the community..." He Ming picked up the takeout box containing meat and vegetables from the table and helped pack it into a bag.
Zhu Liushuang disagreed, saying, "The breakfasts outside are oily, and you have gastritis. It's not healthy to eat too much... Anyway, I'm bringing my own lunch. Leaving half for you is just a side thing, it's no trouble."
Seeing that he couldn't persuade her otherwise, He Ming changed his mind and said, "Then tomorrow morning, you can ride in my car to the company."
Their companies were in the north and south of the country, not even on the same route. Furthermore, their work hours were different; He Ming started work an hour later than her. Looking at the faint dark circles under his eyes, Zhu Liushuang felt a pang of reluctance and gave a vague answer: "We'll talk about it when we get back."
He Ming didn't offer any further comments, and scanned the QR code on the table to pay the bill.
Zhu Liushuang deliberately moved closer to him, wanting to see exactly how much the meal cost.
He Ming seemed to have seen through her thoughts and didn't hide anything, directly presenting her with the payment receipt. Even though Zhu Liushuang was somewhat prepared, she was still taken aback by the four-figure price on the receipt.
"That's too expensive! This price is enough for me to cook a Manchu Han Imperial Feast..." she muttered under her breath, her face long. "Let's celebrate my birthday at home next year." As she spoke, her eyebrows furrowed, and she put on an expression as if she had been ripped off.
Seeing this reminded He Ming of the tabby cat he had as a child, which was incredibly cute. He raised his hand and affectionately ruffled her hair, saying, "Okay, whatever you say."
The nightlife in Gucheng is lacking, especially on winter nights like this, after nine o'clock in the evening, there are few pedestrians on the road.
As the two stepped out of the Dreamy Restaurant, they noticed the ground was wet. Looking up, they saw fine raindrops falling gently from the sky.
Southern winter nights are already cold, and the rain only intensifies the chill, making it seep into your bones. Zhu Liushuang was about to take a step forward when He Ming blocked her way.
He reopened the restaurant door for her and said, "There's an umbrella in the car. Wait for me inside for a bit while I go get it."
The door wasn't closed, and half of her body was still exposed to the cold wind. Almost without thinking, Zhu Liushuang proactively clung to He Ming's arm, gently shaking it, saying, "It's only a short walk to the parking lot, senior, let's run there..."
Her gentle tone sounded like a coquettish plea, but He Ming insisted, "No, the doctor said you should avoid catching a cold... I'll go get an umbrella and be right back."
He didn't care whether he got wet or not, and strode into the rain without even covering his head with his hands.
Zhu Liushuang gazed at his shoulder, which was gradually becoming damp, and a surge of impulse welled up inside her. She pushed open the door and chased after him without hesitation.
"Senior...wait for me—" she called out to him as she ran, letting the raindrops fall on her.
The man striding ahead stopped, turned around in surprise to look at her, a hint of helplessness on his face.
She quickened her pace, ran to his side, and unabashedly took his hand: "The rain is getting heavier, let's run—"
The last "run" sound rises slightly at the end, as if it's about to burst into joy.
The man silently grasped her hand and led her toward the parking space.
Despite the cold wind blowing and the drizzling rain, Zhu Liushuang was completely unaware, feeling as happy as if she were walking on clouds.
She knew her behavior was willful and childish, but that's just what she wanted to do.
During her school days, she watched many idol dramas with Tian Xingyu, and these dramas always featured rain scenes. Whenever this happened, the female lead, without an umbrella, would be rescued by the anxious male lead. Although she would reluctantly complain to her friend that the plot was too cliché, she couldn't help but fantasize about holding hands with him and running wildly in the rain…
Now, the scene she had imagined countless times has finally become a reality.
Zhu Liushuang suddenly understood why so many girls loved watching romantic dramas filled with pink bubbles. Because when certain scenes from those dramas happened to her, it was undeniably sweet. So sweet that her heart and eyes were overflowing with joy.
The sound of the passenger door opening pulled her from her dazed thoughts back to reality. He Ming let go of her hand and urged her to get in the car quickly. Zhu Liushuang stumbled into the car in a daze.
The car's heater was on in advance, so it was much warmer than outside.
Her scarf and hat were damp, so she took them off. The outermost layer of her down jacket was made of waterproof fabric, so it wasn't a big problem, but she was so hot from running that she took it off as well.
The person in the driver's seat was in a much worse state than she was.
He Ming was soaked for a longer time, and with nothing to cover himself, the color on his shoulders became even darker. Raindrops clung to the back of his hands, and his head was covered in a dense layer of water droplets; even his eyebrows and eyelashes were not spared.
As soon as he sat down in the chair, Zhu Liushuang tore off a few tissues to wipe him.
“I can do it myself…” The man gave her a deep look, then took the tissue from her.
His face hardened; was he blaming her for acting recklessly?
Zhu Liushuang's mind raced; she nervously guessed his thoughts while observing his expression.
He Ming took off his coat and threw it into the back seat, then symbolically wiped his face and stuffed the half-wet tissue back into her hand.
Is that all? Zhu Liushuang thought to herself: His hair and eyebrows are still wet, isn't he uncomfortable?
“Senior…” she pointed to his face and the top of his head with her index finger, her voice pausing for a moment, “It’s not dry yet.”
"It's nothing," the man said nonchalantly. "The air conditioning will dry it all off."
"It's so uncomfortable! You can't see the hair on top, it's all wet!" Zhu Liushuang insisted, "Quickly lower your head, I'll wipe it for you."
He Ming silently pondered her words, his throat bobbing as he finally uttered in a slightly hoarse voice, "Okay—"
He turned his knees toward her, his whole body leaning towards her little by little. The man's back arched into a solid bridge, and his hairy head obediently peered into her eyes.
His hair was a deep, jet-black color, and perhaps because he had been too busy to take care of it lately, it had grown two inches longer than before. Zhu Liushuang raised her hand and wrapped a tissue around each clump of wet hair, carefully absorbing the moisture.
His scent filled my nostrils.
In addition to the familiar scent of camphor wood, there was also the crispness of rainwater.
Zhu Liushuang gradually became absent-minded, her fingers mechanically repeating the wiping motion. Because of her leaning forward, He Ming's forehead was almost touching her lips, and his breath sprayed onto her neck.
The scorching breath ignited the skin on her neck, burning her cheeks and earlobes red. She no longer had the patience to dry his hair completely; after a few hasty tidinesses, she regained some composure before her mind wandered further.
"Okay, okay... it's almost dry." She nudged his shoulder and said.
Upon hearing this, the head that had been dominating her vision moved slightly. Unexpectedly, his full forehead brushed against her upper lip.
The atmosphere in the carriage became even more subtle. Zhu Liushuang, still shaken, couldn't help but recall the touch from just moments before. That brief contact was like a wild goose flying past without leaving a trace; if it weren't for the lingering warmth on her lips, she would have thought it was just her imagination.
"What's wrong?" The man's head hadn't left her side yet. He opened his eyes and looked into her eyes with an innocent and puzzled expression.
Didn't he... sense it?
Zhu Liushuang awkwardly met those deep, moist eyes, trying to find even a trace of panic within them. Unfortunately, she found nothing.
She turned her head away awkwardly, looked ahead, and said, "It's okay, let's drive home."
The moment she turned away, a suppressed laugh welled up in He Ming's eyes. He grabbed her hand and his voice became slightly more intimate: "Liu Shuang, turn around."
"No—drive faster..." Zhu Liushuang ignored him.
The man tugged at her arm again, pleading, "Don't be angry, turn around... it's my fault."
Of course it's his fault!
He was the one who deliberately flirted with her, and he was also the one who acted like nothing had happened afterward.
Zhu Liushuang awkwardly turned her head, her face flushed red with embarrassment: "Why did you ask me to turn around?"
The man gently kneaded her fingers in his palm, and seeing that she was finally willing to face him, he immediately straightened his back and leaned forward. He pulled one arm out and gently encircled her, whispering an invitation in her ear: "Liu Shuang, I want to kiss you... is that alright?"
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Author's Note: [Milk Tea] Senior is more of a guiding type of lover, so he'll gradually lead Shuangshuang out of the mire of life. As for matters of the heart, although he lacks dating experience and is a bit of a straight man, he's a natural flirt!
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