Chapter 25 Overbite
The scent of sandalwood still lingered in her nose as Lin Mianmian clutched the fortune slip and walked slowly out of the main hall.
Jiang Nuan was captivated by the stunning cultural and creative store next door and waved for her to wait by the release pond.
Lin Mianmian had just turned the corner of a vermilion corridor when her wrist was suddenly grabbed.
Xie Lin stood in the shadow of the pillar, the top two buttons of his black shirt undone, revealing his delicate collarbone. Morning light filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled shadows on his face.
You can post your life photos right here!
His fingertips were burning hot, calloused, and gripped her wrist so tightly it hurt, yet she couldn't bear to let go.
"Don't avoid me." His voice was low, with a hint of pleading, yet also an undeniable force.
Lin Mianmian's heart skipped a beat. She struggled to pull her hand away, but her cheeks flushed red first: "Xie Lin, what are you doing here?"
“I’ll follow you,” he answered honestly, his eyes almost overflowing with stubbornness. “From the moment you leave the school gates.”
The wind blew through the corridor, causing the copper bells to ring out with a clear, crisp sound.
Not far away, several young girls were holding up their phones, secretly looking this way, their whispers drifting on the wind.
"It's that handsome guy from earlier!"
"He seems to be talking to that girl! Oh my god, a delicate little white rabbit paired with a wicked big bad wolf, so sweet! A gentle beauty from Jiangnan x a strong and obsessive boss."
Lin Mianmian's face flushed even more. She hurriedly tried to push him away, but he pinned her against a pillar. In the narrow space, the scent of sandalwood mixed with tobacco enveloped her.
This is a sacred Buddhist site; it's not suitable for flirting.
Xie Lin's forehead was pressed against hers, and the tip of his nose was almost touching hers.
He looked at her slightly trembling eyelashes, his Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice became terribly hoarse: "Mianmian, I know you're wronged, I know you're having a hard time, don't bear it all alone, okay?"
She turned her face away, showing no emotion: "We're not a good match, your dad won't agree."
"I don't care." He interrupted her and leaned down to kiss her lips.
The kiss came unexpectedly, carrying both a cautious, tentative approach and a surge of love that had been suppressed for too long.
His lips were slightly cool, and he kissed her very lightly, afraid of startling her, and also afraid that she would push him away again.
Xie Lin's heartbeat was deafening, drowning out the sound of the temple bells and the distant chanting.
She could feel his breathing getting heavier and heavier, and she could feel his hand trembling on her waist.
The little girls not far away were stunned, covering their mouths with big, aunt-like smiles, not daring to make a sound for fear of disturbing the scene.
Xie Lin slowly released her, his fingertips gently tracing her reddened lips, the tenderness in his eyes almost drowning her.
He leaned close to her ear and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, "With me, you don't have to worry about anything. Just be a princess and I'll take care of everything for you, okay?"
Lin Mianmian's tears finally fell, landing on the back of his hand, scalding hot.
Looking into the depth of his eyes, at the lingering pallor on his face, and remembering what he had done for her, she felt a pang of unease.
Jiang Nuan's voice came from outside the corridor: "Mianmian! Where are you?"
She immediately pulled her hand back, but didn't run away. Instead, blushing, she softly said, "I'm going to meet up with Jiang Nuan."
Xie Lin looked at her flushed cheeks and her flustered, evasive eyes, and a slow smile crept onto his lips.
That smile carried the joy of regaining what was lost, and the certainty of being determined to succeed.
Today's style is exceptionally gentle.
Lin Mianmian had just met up with Jiang Nuan under the ginkgo tree when her phone vibrated.
It was a message from the hospital. When Jiang Nuan saw the message on Lin Mianmian's phone, her tone was full of joy and excitement: "Yes! Mianmian, someone has paid for your grandma's surgery in full, and even saved enough for her follow-up rehabilitation!"
"That's great! Our Mianmian finally doesn't have to work so hard from dawn till dusk anymore."
"Mianmian, I'm going to the restroom." Jiang Nuan walked towards the restroom.
Lin Mianmian hummed in agreement, but the tips of her fingers gripping the phone instantly turned white, and her heart pounded wildly.
A hospital staff member added, "Yesterday, a tall man in a black shirt came in. He was very handsome. He put down his card and left. No matter how we asked, he refused to leave his name."
Black shirt, tall, handsome features.
Lin Mianmian turned around abruptly, looking towards the direction of the main hall. In the morning light, the tall, handsome young man leaned against a vermilion pillar, his gaze fixed on her from afar, carrying a hint of barely perceptible doting affection and tenderness.
Her eyes instantly reddened, and her heart felt as if it had been struck hard by something, a mixture of bitterness and warmth spreading through her entire body.
My heart, which had been frozen for so long, is now slowly sprouting new buds.
The surrounding noise instantly fell silent; the whispers of the worshippers and the sound of the copper bells became indistinct background noise.
The boy smiled at her; at that moment, he was shining in her world.
When Lin Mianmian walked up to him, her breathing was a little erratic: "You did it, didn't you?" Her voice was very soft, with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor.
Xie Lin neither nodded nor shook his head, but simply looked at her with his hands in his pockets, his eyes overflowing with tenderness.
"I've paid for the surgery and the subsequent rehabilitation fees." His voice was hoarse, with a hint of cautious probing. "Grandma's surgery is scheduled for next Wednesday, and the surgeon is one of the best experts in the country."
Lin Mianmian's heart trembled violently. Thinking of how she had made him kneel in the rain all night, her nose stung with tears: "Thank you, Xie Lin."
She bit her lower lip and remained silent for a long time before raising her head to look into his upturned, almond-shaped eyes: "What do you want?" she asked bluntly.
Grandma taught her to be grateful to others; he had helped her so much, she had to repay him.
Xie Lin's heart skipped a beat, and his Adam's apple bobbed.
He paused again, staring intently at her, "I only want you, be my girlfriend, and we'll be together."
Now that he has solved her biggest problem, she has no reason to refuse.
She paused for a few seconds and nodded gently: "Okay." However, in this agreement, there was love, but not much; more than that, there was a heavy feeling of gratitude.
A single word struck Xie Lin's heart like a heavy hammer.
His eyes suddenly reddened, and he stared at her in disbelief, afraid he had misheard. He reached out and carefully embraced her, his touch as gentle as if he were holding a fragile treasure.
"Mianmian, thank you." His voice choked with emotion, his chin resting on the top of her head, warm tears falling onto her hair.
Lin Mianmian's body stiffened slightly, but she didn't hug him back; she simply let him hold her.
She knew that from this moment on, fate and hair were intertwined once again.
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