The dinner was takeout they had ordered, but since it was a New Year's reunion meal, it was still quite lavish.
Yu Zhiling had reverted to her initial reserved demeanor. After finally warming up to him over those ten days, the sudden shift in their relationship now felt awkward—especially with Mo Zhu sitting right beside her.
After the meal, he went to clean up while Yu Zhiling kept gulping down water, watching him wipe the table and gather the takeout trash.
She paced over and asked softly, "Um, did you book a hotel?"
Mo Zhu turned to look at her, leaning lazily against the doorframe.
"No, it was too last-minute."
Yu Zhiling wasn’t sure how to respond. He had driven six hours to get here—asking him to turn right back after just a few hours didn’t seem right.
"I’ll check nearby hotels for you. Rest here tonight and head back to Beicheng tomorrow."
As she lowered her head to search on her phone, light footsteps approached, and a shadow fell over her. Before she could react, an arm wrapped around her waist, and a fluffy head nestled into the crook of her neck. Warm breath brushed against her skin, sending tingles down her spine.
He whined playfully, "Just let me stay like this for a bit. Don’t worry, I won’t do anything. I’ll leave soon."
Yu Zhiling didn’t refuse. She set her phone aside and hugged him back. Mo Zhu had shed his coat, leaving only a thin base layer, but thankfully, the underfloor heating kept him warm.
"Just started dating and already have to say goodbye. I really don’t want to go," Mo Zhu chuckled, straightening up and pulling her out of the embrace. His tone was wistful. "I wish I could stay longer with you, senior."
Yu Zhiling’s face flushed, and she quickly pushed him toward the door. "I’ll find you a hotel. Stay the night and leave tomorrow—go home for New Year’s."
Knowing she was easily flustered, Mo Zhu didn’t tease her further. A new relationship needed careful handling.
Yu Zhiling sat on the couch searching for hotels while Mo Zhu, instead of wandering, took a seat across from her, arms crossed as he watched her focus.
"Book this one. They still have a king room available, and the reviews are decent. Make do for tonight and leave tomorrow."
Mo Zhu glanced at it and pulled out his phone to book, but Yu Zhiling pressed his hand down. "Let me do it. You came all this way for me, and you paid for dinner. I’ll cover the hotel."
Mo Zhu frowned. "Do we really need to keep score like this?"
Yu Zhiling muttered, "For now, yes. It’s not like I’m making you split everything."
Watching her finalize the booking, Mo Zhu felt an inexplicable discomfort. He liked spending on her and didn’t want her spending on him—to him, couples shouldn’t nickel-and-dime each other.
But the moment he saw her smiling face after securing the room, those thoughts vanished.
Fine. He might consider them officially together, but Yu Zhiling clearly still had him on probation.
It was already 11 p.m. Yu Zhiling stood and grabbed her coat. "You should head out now. Get some rest and return to your parents tomorrow."
Mo Zhu slipped on his shoes at the entryway. "I’ll go alone. Don’t walk me out—it’s not safe at night."
Yu Zhiling hesitated but eventually took her coat off again. She followed him to the door, watching as he put on his jacket and shoes. Their eyes met, and an awkward silence settled.
Her boyfriend was leaving—what was she supposed to do?
Why wasn’t he moving?
"Aren’t… you going?"
"I’m waiting for a proper goodbye. The kind couples do."
Yu Zhiling: "..."
She mentally scrolled through TV shows and videos, trying to recall what couples did when parting. This was deeper than friendship now.
Mo Zhu watched her quietly, amused. She’d never dated before, always buried in her studies, and her flustered expression was endearing. His heart softened, and he couldn’t bear to drag it out. He stepped forward, bending down to hug her.
Suddenly, Yu Zhiling rose onto her tiptoes and planted a quick kiss on his cheek.
Mo Zhu: "..."
Yu Zhiling: "...Was that okay?"
Mo Zhu straightened, deadpan. "Not enough. We’re adults."
Yu Zhiling remembered their last kiss—he’d said the same thing. Adults kissed differently.
Mo Zhu leaned down again, meeting her gaze. "Want to kiss me properly?"
Not a peck—a real kiss.
Yu Zhiling whispered, "Can I have some time to prepare?"
Mo Zhu had only been teasing, but her earnestness made him laugh. Eyes crinkling, he kissed her cheek firmly.
"Then I’ll return the favor. Adults can kiss like this too. I was just messing with you, senior."
She was so easy to fool. Adorable.
Before she could get mad, he ruffled her hair, grabbed the trash by the door, and left.
Yu Zhiling stood frozen in front of the closed door, finally lifting a hand to touch her cheek—burning enough to fry an egg.
She covered her face, silent for a long moment, before muffling a laugh into her palms.
The next morning, Yu Zhiling set an early alarm to see Mo Zhu off, but just as she was about to leave, his message arrived:
Senior, it’s raining. I’m heading out alone—don’t come. Stay home with your parents.
See you when term starts. Thirteen more days.
Thirteen days until classes resumed.
For the first time, thirteen days felt unbearably long.
Mo Zhu had taken over a large part of Yu Zhiling’s life again. Every night before bed, he insisted on video calls, yet she never found it annoying. Watching him whine and share his day only made him more endearing.
His room was filled with LEGO sets and model stands. Lying in bed, Yu Zhiling noticed a newly assembled piece on his desk.
"What’s that?"
Mo Zhu, in the middle of changing, paused and walked over, flipping the camera to show her.
"A little house. Like it?"
"It’s beautiful. The decor is so cozy—is this your style?"
"It’s yours," Mo Zhu said. "I built it—our future home."
Yu Zhiling froze, then realized why the model looked familiar. It resembled the simple structure she’d once made during an architecture club event—from the miniature tools she’d used to the paint colors, even reflecting her clothing preferences. Mo Zhu had pieced together her tastes effortlessly.
She hadn’t expected him to be so attentive.
Even less had she expected him to think of home—a home with her, in their future.
Yu Zhiling noticed the camera lens turning toward her again, meeting the handsome face of her boyfriend. Mo Zhu leaned back in his computer chair, the wall behind him a solid expanse of black—his room’s aesthetic was the epitome of cool tones, but Yu Zhiling preferred warmth.
"In the future, I’ll buy a spacious apartment just like this," he said. "I’ll paint the walls the creamy yellow you like, fill the rooms with plants—whatever you want, we’ll make it happen."
If anyone else had said this, she might have dismissed it as empty promises. But when Mo Zhu spoke, his tone was light yet earnest, effortlessly convincing.
Yu Zhiling sat up, hesitating before finally asking, "What exactly does your family do? You seem… financially comfortable."
Mo Zhu chuckled. "Just some legitimate business—real estate. Don’t worry, senior, I keep my word."
Well, that confirmed it—he really was from a wealthy family.
After a pause, she ventured another question. "And your parents… they’re really okay with us dating?"
Mo Zhu sighed, immediately catching her implication. "Senior, you’ve been watching too many short videos. You’re overthinking it."
Yu Zhiling: "…"
When their video call ended, she noticed a notification on her chat screen—a "pat" message.
—"Snakey" patted me and said, "Here’s five million, leave my son."
Followed by his text: 【Senior sister, my parents would never do that.】
Yu Zhiling: "…"
She quickly changed her "pat" message.
After the Lantern Festival, it was time to return to Beicheng for the new semester.
Yu Zhiling packed her luggage and bid her parents goodbye at the train station.
Yu Xiangrong planted several kisses on both her cheeks. "You little rascal, won’t see you for another half a year."
Yu Zhiling hurried to reassure her. "I’ll be back for May Day—that’s just three months, not half a year."
Jiang Yingchen pulled his wife close. "Alright, alright, let her go. The boarding’s started. Message us when you get to campus."
"Got it!"
After passing through the ticket gate, Yu Zhiling boarded the high-speed train and texted Mo Zhu.
【On the train now. Should arrive by 5 PM.】
He replied almost instantly: 【Got it. I’ll pick you up.】
Mo Zhu got out of bed as soon as her message came in, showered, and dressed. With spring’s arrival, the weather had warmed, and he never felt the cold much anyway—just a long-sleeved shirt under a windbreaker, and he was out the door.
He reached the station by 2 PM, and as her arrival time neared, he bought her a cup of hot milk tea.
The moment Yu Zhiling stepped out of the station, she spotted him.
After two weeks apart, she’d expected a hug—assumed he’d initiate it. Instead, he simply handed her the tea, took her suitcase, and started walking.
Yu Zhiling: "?"
She was baffled. She’d put on a full face of makeup for this! How could he not react at all?
Once they were in the car, she leaned in close, blinking deliberately.
"Notice anything different about me today?"
She’d gone all out—full glam, even individual lashes. This was her highest level of effort for meeting someone!
Mo Zhu’s throat moved as he cupped her face, tilting his head to press a light kiss to her lips.
They locked eyes, silence stretching between them.
His gaze swept over her face, voice dropping lower. "Beautiful. So beautiful."
As he leaned in again, Yu Zhiling quickly covered his mouth. Mo Zhu blinked, confused.
Flustered, she stammered, "I—I’m wearing makeup. It’s not safe to ingest. Wait till I take it off."
Mo Zhu: "…"
He rested his forehead against hers, nuzzling gently. "Alright."
Instead of heading to campus, he drove to his apartment.
Yu Zhiling froze when they parked. "This is…"
"My place." Mo Zhu grabbed her luggage, took her hand, and led her toward the building.
Dazed, she followed him inside. The elevator opened directly into his unit—ninth floor, fingerprint lock.
The moment the door shut, his calm demeanor vanished. He pinned her against the door, cradled her face, and kissed her deeply, lips capturing hers.
Yu Zhiling snapped back to reality and pushed him away.
"Wait—let me remove my makeup first! You’ll get lipstick and foundation all over you!"
His lips now tinted with her color, he murmured, "Does it really matter?"
"Yes! I don’t want to ingest that stuff!"
She shoved him aside, dug out her makeup remover from the suitcase, and locked herself in the bathroom.
Three or four minutes felt like years to him. He stared at the frosted glass door, listening to the water run.
The second she stepped out, an arm hooked around her waist.
Mo Zhu tested the waters with a soft kiss. Her face was bare now, skin dewy, water droplets still clinging. Meeting her eyes, he asked, "Senior, can I kiss you?"
Her fingers curled slightly as she gripped his shoulders, whispering, "…Yes."
He nipped at her lips, and when she parted them willingly, he deepened the kiss, guiding her toward the living room until they tumbled onto the couch.
At some point, her thick coat was discarded. Mo Zhu shrugged off his windbreaker, leaving her sprawled against the black sofa, her hair fanned over the pillows. Her oversized cream sweater—V-neck askew—bared one shoulder.
He kissed her again, tongue sliding against hers, a silver thread escaping the corner of her mouth before he wiped it away. At twenty, restraint was impossible. He’d only meant to kiss her, but the sounds she made—her gasps, her warmth—shattered his control.
His mouth trailed to her ear. Yu Zhiling clung to him, a whimper escaping as he tugged her sweater down, lips skimming her shoulder, one hand slipping beneath the fabric to grip her waist.
Her waist was her weak spot—even the lightest touch made her squirm. She came to her senses, nudging his head away.
"Mo Zhu, wait."
But he was lost in the moment, deaf to her protest. She shoved his shoulder firmly. "Mo Zhu, stop. This is… too fast."
He snapped back to reality, withdrawing his hand instantly. "Sorry—I’m so sorry. I got carried away."
Sitting up, he pulled her into his lap, peppering her lips with chaste kisses as he adjusted her sweater.
"It's okay, I know." Yu Zhiling's lips were slightly swollen, her eyes glistening with moisture, and faint marks dotted the side of her neck.
Mo Zhu kissed the curve of her ear, gently catching her earlobe between his teeth before murmuring, "It's only six. We can go out for dinner at eight, and I'll take you back to campus by nine. Alright?"
Yu Zhiling buried her face against his shoulder, her reply muffled but soft. "Mm."
They still had two more hours to kiss.
