After finishing the hot pot, their lips were as red as if they’d put on lipstick. They glanced at each other and suddenly burst into silly laughter.
Jiang Yao was full and had no desire to move. She flopped limply onto the sofa, her face a picture of pure satisfaction.
Outside, the sky was gloomy. Flocks of birds circled above, as if searching for a warmer place. The withered branches of the tall plane trees along the street shivered in the cold wind, offering no suitable perch.
On a cold day like this, holing up at home was definitely the best choice.
Chen Yuan rested for a moment before getting up to clear the coffee table and take everything to the kitchen. That was it. He gave the table a quick wipe and then flopped down onto the sofa as well.
A full stomach always brings on drowsiness. After doing those few chores, he felt like his energy was completely spent.
"I’ll go get you a blanket."
He turned to look at Jiang Yao. Although the living room heating was on full blast, her clothes were too thin. Any slightly large movement caused the delicate garment beneath her white shirt to be outlined. He wondered if she didn’t feel the cold in the slightest.
He brought over a thicker blanket. They sat shoulder to shoulder, tugging the soft blanket over themselves. Snuggling close, they watched the movie *Ratatouille*.
Chen Yuan was focused on the movie for a little while before he gradually felt a weight on his shoulder.
Then, a few strands of silky hair brushed against his arm.
Jiang Yao leaned her head on his shoulder like a little kitten, even nuzzling against him a few times before her lips curved into a contented smile.
Chen Yuan suddenly found it all a bit surreal. A girl this cute, so pliant she seemed to melt, was sitting right beside him, smelling wonderful. Every inch of her was exquisite, yet compared to an eighteen-year-old like him, she was also incredibly mature.
He was acutely aware of her presence—every slight movement, every soft murmur as she mimicked the cartoon characters, sounded right beside his ear.
The feeling was intoxicating.
Chen Yuan couldn’t help but turn his head to look down at her.
From this angle, all he could see was her delicately wrinkled nose and her long, fluttering eyelashes, which trembled even more than the branches shivering in the wind outside.
In that instant, an indescribable feeling washed over Chen Yuan.
’A boring life isn’t scary. What’s scary is tasting an exciting one, only to lose it.’
’Never being in a real relationship isn’t scary, either. What’s scary is truly connecting with someone, only to be separated.’
He had been able to accept the end of his last online relationship and move on quickly. But now, he felt that if Jiang Yao was just acting on a whim, if her fiery passion was just an act and she didn’t really like him, that she would find the right moment to run away...
He was afraid he wouldn’t be able to accept the outcome of her departure.
’Being with her... I actually feel happy every single moment.’
’This is genuinely terrifying.’
Chen Yuan was lost in thought as time slipped by. Before he knew it, the movie had ended. A long, tedious list of credits scrolled up the screen.
After the credits finished, the movie started over from the beginning.
Jiang Yao had no desire to watch it a second time. She reached over and wrapped her arms around Chen Yuan’s arm, her grip firm and undeniable. She snuggled against him, half-consciously or not, until she couldn’t possibly be any closer.
He distinctly felt an indescribable softness pressing against him.
After a moment’s thought, Chen Yuan realized what that softness was.
Instantly, blood rushed to his head and his heart began to race.
Jiang Yao remained silent, but she started acting coy. He had no idea what she was trying to convey as she inexplicably shook his arm. The sensation was soft with every movement, pressing against him then pulling away, bouncing... This game of push-and-pull left him desperately anticipating the next touch.
Both of their faces began to flush, but they each pretended nothing was amiss, perfectly demonstrating a new couple’s futile attempts to hide their feelings.
"Oh, right, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you," Jiang Yao said, as if suddenly remembering.
"What is it?" Chen Yuan replied, puzzled.
"Back when you were in school, what kind of girls were you into?"
"I—"
Before Chen Yuan could get the word out, Jiang Yao cut him off. She tilted her head up and reminded him in a low voice, "No lying, now. I know every guy fantasizes about his future girlfriend. You have to answer honestly, or else..."
"Uh, probably... the older-sister type, I guess. The gentle and understanding kind."
Chen Yuan wasn’t lying. There really was a time when he was particularly into older girls at school. Girls his age were either obsessed with celebrities or complete bookworms, and they were all as plain as day, with no idea how to dress.
Older girls were different. They were mature, sophisticated, and utterly alluring.
Who could possibly refuse that beautiful older woman from the Neon Country films—the one next door who wears next to nothing and just so happens to like taking out the trash in the middle of the night?
"So you’re actually into that type?" Jiang Yao bit her lip, a thoughtful look on her face. She didn’t seem happy. Instead, she stared suspiciously at Chen Yuan and held up a finger. "Let me make a bold guess: you knew an ’older sister’ like that before, didn’t you?"
"Huh?" Chen Yuan froze.
"And I bet you two weren’t just strangers, right? Same school? Or was she the girl next door? Then, because she was gorgeous and spoke so gently, you developed a secret crush on her. But, held back by your age or your own timidity, you never tried to confess. So now you have this regret, and that’s why even when you fantasize about a future girlfriend, you subconsciously tell yourself that *this* is the type you want!?"