Damn it! The girl he likes insists on dragging him to a blind date.

In winter, it always gets dark early in Haicheng.

At 5 p.m., when Xia You came out of the coffee shop, Sheng Zongche was already waiting outside the door.

He was wearing a long, dark gray coat, his hands in his pockets, and a watch was peeking out from the cuffs, its metallic sheen subtly visible against the dark patterned fabric.

The moment he saw Xia You, a glint appeared in the man's eyes, revealing his handsome features.

Xia You walked over quickly, and before she could even stand still in front of him, Sheng Zongche took her bag with one hand and put his other arm around her waist, pulling her into his embrace.

"Xia Xiaoyou, it's been six hours, five minutes, and sixteen seconds since I last saw you. I miss you so much."

Xia You reached out and pressed against his chest. "Can you stop this? We're on the main street. Behave yourself."

Sheng Zongche said, "After you left this morning, I lay in bed all morning. The thought of you broadcasting with Qin Chiyu made me feel uncomfortable all over."

Xia You: "..." What's wrong with this guy? No matter how I try to reason with him, I can't get through to him. He's gone around in circles again.

Sheng Zongche spoke again: "I thought about it carefully and realized that every time Qin Chiyu looked at you, his eyes were full of little hearts."

Xia You looked at her like she was crazy. "Are you out of your mind? How could you figure that out? Do your eyes look like stars when you look at Qin Chiyu?"

Sheng Zongche suddenly reached out and pinched Xia You's little face into a ball, making her red lips into an adorable little pout. She mumbled, "What are you doing? Let go of me, you're drooling..."

"It flows, it flows onto my hands, Xia Xiaoyou's saliva is sweet."

"you…!"

Xia You stretched out her arms and punched Sheng Zongche's chest, "Let go of me! Even if Qin Chiyu really thinks that way about me, that's his business. Why are you messing with me? If you're so capable, go mess with him!"

Sheng Zongche grinned and said, "Get him? You want to see? If you want to see, I'll consider it. How about we record another passionate video?"

"Neuropathy!"

Sheng Zongche laughed and released Xia You, tidying her messy hair. "What should I do, Xia Xiaoyou? Although I know it's not your fault, I'm just unhappy. Who told you to be so beautiful and wonderful, making Qin Chiyu unable to forget you?"

Xia You turned and walked forward, saying as she went, "Don't overthink it. I know Qin Chiyu well. Although he's a bit overconfident, he's a very decent person. He knows I have a boyfriend, and he won't be a third party. His pride won't allow it."

Sheng Zongche's long arm suddenly reached out, his burning chest pressed against her back through her clothes, and he pulled her up to him.

"I'm in a bad mood, Xia Xiaoyou, can you do something to cheer me up?"

Sheng Zongche, with his broad shoulders, narrow waist, and long legs, hung up on her like that, and Xia You stumbled and almost fell.

"Sheng Zongche, how old are you? You still need to be coaxed? Why don't you go back to kindergarten?!"

Sheng Zongche leaned his face over the girl's nape. "How about you kiss me? I don't ask for much, just a 30-second kiss will do."

Xia You clung to his arms, dragging her feet forward. "No, this is a public place. There are so many people watching, isn't that okay?"

"I don't mind being seen."

Xia You went crazy, "You don't care if others do, but can't others just not want to see you?"

Sheng Zongche finally let go of Xia You and took her hand instead. "Youyou, do you know that before I met you, I had never thought about being in a relationship in my twenty-one years of life? But I never thought that being in a relationship could be so enjoyable."

Xia You stopped and looked at him. Before she could speak, a wave of sourness welled up in her eyes.

I suddenly felt a bit sentimental.

Those names secretly hidden on the back of draft paper, the panic when they bumped into each other in the corridor, the glances that quietly swept past the window during evening self-study—it was no longer just her own chaotic battle.

Xia You looked up and met Sheng Zongche's smiling eyes, but she couldn't help but let a smile curve her lips.

"Nini, on your birthday... I have something to tell you."

Sheng Zongche was taken aback: "What's wrong?"

You'll find out then.

"Can't we say it now?"

Xia You shook her head: "No, I need to find a special occasion to say it. Anyway, don't worry, it's not a bad thing."

Sheng Zongche stopped, still holding her hand, and asked, "Am I not your first love?"

"What nonsense are you talking about? Yes, you are my first love."

"So...you were actually forcibly kissed by someone else before we kissed?"

"No! My first kiss was with you, with you, with you!"

Sheng Zongche: "Xia You, are you a man? Did you undergo gender reassignment surgery?"

"Sheng Zongche, shut your mouth!"

……

Sheng Zongche led Xia You by the hand to the roadside parking lot not far away.

Xia You was surprised to find that he wasn't driving the two-seater Ferrari, but a four-seater Porsche.

"Nini, you changed your car? Why are you driving a four-seater?"

Sheng Zongche grinned mischievously, "A bigger car has a more spacious back seat, which is more convenient for my wife and me... mmm ahh."

Xia You choked and slapped the man's stomach. "What are you fussing about? You're disgusting! Nothing's happened between us, okay? Do you need to poop? If you do, go do it. Holding it in is bad for your rectum."

She opened the passenger door, got in, and fastened her seatbelt.

Sheng Zongche sat in the driver's seat, his slender hand reaching out to the back seat to steadily embrace the bouquet of champagne roses wrapped in off-white matte paper.

The petals were so full they looked as if they were bathed in moonlight, layer upon layer, shimmering with a gentle golden glow.

Before Xia You could react, the bouquet gently landed on her lap, carrying a cool mist and a light floral fragrance, and felt quite heavy.

Xia You couldn't help but smile slightly. Her fingers instinctively picked up the bouquet, her cheek brushing against the cool petals. "Oh, no wonder you drove a four-seater car today, so you were going to give me flowers. Why did you suddenly give me this?"

Sheng Zongche pinched her cheek. "You've forgotten all that? Today marks the hundredth day since you jumped into my car at the entrance of that old alley."

Xia You was a little touched. "Oh, how did you even remember that?"

"I remember how many times we've kissed so far, do you want to hear it?"

"I don't want to hear it," Xia You changed the subject, "These flowers are so beautiful, champagne roses. Their meaning is 'I am devoted to you.' How many are there here?"

"Fifty-seven flowers, my beloved wife."

Xia You said, "You should send fifty-three flowers."

Why?

"I examine myself three times a day," Xia You said, leaning in and kissing Sheng Zongche on the cheek. "You need to reflect on yourself, Sheng Nini. Your head is full of lewd nonsense."

"Oh, I do examine myself three times a day—" Sheng Zongche touched his cheek, which still smelled of the girl. "How do I examine myself? Have I been too polite to Xia Xiaoyou? Have I spoiled her too much? When we first make love, should I punish her in a few different ways?"

Xia You: "…………"