Yingqu Liuzi was pampered by her wealthy daddy.

It was almost nine o'clock when I parked the car downstairs at the apartment building. The streetlights were on, casting a dim yellow light on the road.

Shen Yu'an sat in the back seat, her hand still being held by Xize, and neither of them spoke.

The driver wisely didn't turn around and waited quietly in the driver's seat. The engine hummed softly, and the air from the heater was warm.

Shen Yu'an looked out the window at the familiar apartment door, then looked down at her fingers wrapped in a large hand.

He should have gotten off the bus; it was getting late, and he had class tomorrow. But his body seemed to be out of control, and he couldn't move from his seat.

"We're here," Caesar said. His voice was softer than usual, with a slight drawl at the end, as if he wasn't too keen on ending the night.

"Mm," Shen Yu'an responded without moving.

A few seconds later, Xize gently pinched his fingertip.

"Go up." The words seemed to urge him on, but the hand holding his didn't let go.

Shen Yu'an raised her head and met Xize's gaze.

The car was dimly lit, with streetlights streaming in through the window, casting a soft glow on Xize's profile. His grey-blue eyes were looking at him, and there was something different about them than before.

Previously, it was restrained and subtle; now, it is open, undisguised tenderness.

Shen Yu'an's heart started racing again.

He felt he should say something, such as "I'm leaving now" or "See you tomorrow".

But these words stuck in my throat, I just couldn't say them.

He didn't want to leave. He had only been in a relationship with this person for a few hours, and he hadn't recovered yet; he couldn't bear to leave.

Xize didn't urge him.

The two of them sat quietly in the car, holding hands.

After what seemed like an eternity, Shen Yu'an finally released Xize's hand. He slowly moved towards the car door, placed his hand on the door handle, and glanced back at Xize.

"Sir, I'll go up now."

Xize looked at him without saying a word.

Shen Yu'an pushed open the car door, and a gust of cold wind rushed in, making him shiver.

He stepped out with one leg while the other remained inside the car, his entire body stuck between the car doors. He glanced back at Xize one last time.

Xize had been sitting still, but when he saw Shen Yu'an turn around, he moved. He bent down, leaned out of the car, braced one hand on the door frame, and gently took Shen Yu'an's wrist with the other.

Shen Yu'an was pulled back a little by him, and half of him shrank back into the car.

"Wait."

Xize's voice was very low.

He got out of the car, stood outside, and closed the door behind him. The two stood by the streetlights below the apartment building; Shen Yu'an looked up at him, while Xize looked down at him.

"Let's watch for a while longer," Caesar said.

Shen Yu'an's ears turned red again. He lowered his head, rubbed the small pebbles on the ground with the tip of his shoe, and muttered softly, "Why won't you let me leave?"

"I don't want you to leave."

Shen Yu'an's ears turned even redder.

The two stood under the streetlight. It was very quiet around them, with only the occasional car driving by on the side road, its sound fading into the distance.

A few lights were on in the windows of the apartment upstairs. A cat peeked out from behind a trash can by the roadside, glanced at them, and then ran away.

Shen Yu'an waited a while, then looked up again. Xize was still looking at him, his gaze never leaving him. The feeling of being stared at so intently made Shen Yu'an's legs go weak.

"Sir..." He started to say something, but was interrupted after only two words.

Xize took half a step forward. It was a short distance, but enough to completely eliminate the gap between the two. Shen Yu'an leaned against the car door, and Xize stood in front of him, looking down.

He was so close, so close that Shen Yu'an could feel the temperature of his breath.

A faint scent of cedar enveloped him, and the light from the streetlights was mostly blocked by Xize's tall figure, so Shen Yu'an was completely shrouded in his shadow.

Shen Yu'an dared not breathe.

Xize raised his hand and touched Shen Yu'an's chin with his fingertips. It wasn't a firm touch, just a gentle pat to make him lift his face a little.

Shen Yu'an tilted her head back following the force of his hand, meeting Xize's gaze.

Those grey-blue eyes were closer now than ever before, so close that Shen Yu'an could see his own tiny reflection in his pupils and the glare of the streetlights.

Xize lowered his head.

His lips touched Shen Yu'an's lips.

It's very light. So very light. It's like it was just pasted on.

Shen Yu'an didn't feel the passionate kisses shown in movies, but rather a warm, soft touch that landed on his lips, lingered for two seconds, and then left.

Xize straightened up and stepped back to his original distance.

Shen Yu'an stood frozen in place, his mind blank. The warmth of that touch still lingered on his lips, soft and warm, like something had gently touched him.

He blinked and looked at Xize.

Xize's expression was calm, but Shen Yu'an noticed a faint red mark on the tip of his ear. Normally so aloof and restrained, that little red mark on the tip of his ear made him seem less haughty.

"Good night," Xize said. His voice was still steady, but a little lower than usual.

Shen Yu'an opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but couldn't utter a single word. His face was already flushed, and the base of his neck was burning hot. He could only nod twice forcefully, then turned around, opened the apartment door, and ran inside.

Only after running into the elevator did he realize he had forgotten to say goodbye. As the elevator doors closed, he leaned against the metal wall and covered his face with his hand.

The sensation on my lips is still there. It was very light, very brief, but it's lingering.

When the elevator reached the third floor, Shen Yu'an's legs were still weak as he stepped out. He took out his keys, opened the door, changed his shoes, and walked into the living room without turning on the lights.

He walked to the window and looked down.

The black car was still downstairs, parked next to the streetlight. Xize was standing next to the car, looking up.

Shen Yu'an was startled and instinctively took a step back. But he quickly stepped forward again and stood in front of the window without drawing the curtains.

The two men faced each other across a distance of three floors. Shen Yu'an couldn't quite make out Xize's expression, but he saw the man raise his hand and wave at him. It was a small gesture, just a slight lift of his hand.

Shen Yu'an also raised his hand and waved. He had only waved twice when he saw Xize lower his head and smile.

Even from that distance, he couldn't see the smile clearly, but he could feel it. The person was smiling.

Xize got into the car, and it slowly drove away. The taillights turned a corner at the street corner and disappeared into the night.

Shen Yu'an stood by the window and watched the car disappear completely before lowering his hand.

He turned and went back to the bedroom, didn't turn on the light, and plopped down on the bed. He buried his face in the pillow, chuckled softly, then rolled over and stared at the ceiling.

The sensation on my lips is still there.

Shen Yu'an touched his lips with his finger, then pulled it back as if he had been burned. He pulled the blanket over his head, curled up in the covers, and laughed out loud.

The man kissed him.

The man really kissed him.

Although it was just a light touch, very light, it was real. Lips touching lips, not forehead, not cheek, but lips.

Shen Yu'an tossed and turned in bed for a while when his phone suddenly vibrated.

He took it out and saw that it was a message from Xize.

"We're here. Get some sleep. I'll pick you up tomorrow morning."

Shen Yu'an looked at the message, pressed his phone against his chest, and smiled until his lips ached. He typed a reply, his fingers trembling.

"Okay. Goodnight, Daddy."

After sending it, he buried his face in the pillow again. He had said those three words once during the day, but typing them out on his phone now felt different.

Xize replied quickly, with just two words.

Goodnight, baby.

Shen Yu'an's face flushed red. "My husband actually called me 'baby,' how unfair!"

He turned his head and took a few deep breaths to calm down.

I put my phone on the bedside table and turned off the light.

He lay in the darkness for a while, his heartbeat slowly calming down. The sensation on his lips was still there, but he knew he should go to sleep.

Before he closed his eyes, he thought of one last thing.

What should he say when Xize comes to pick him up tomorrow morning?

Say "Good morning"?

Or should we talk about something else?

Shen Yu'an thought for a moment, and the corners of his mouth turned up.

Then let's just say good morning. Anyway, there will be many, many more mornings to come, and many, many more "good mornings."

He turned over, hugged the blanket, and quickly fell asleep. A slight smile lingered on his lips, as if he were having a very sweet dream.