Xiao Wang turned around at the sound, the tie in his hand pausing mid-motion. Seizing the opportunity, Director, their cat, crouched low before leaping up, paws outstretched in a valiant attempt to snatch it. But the tie’s surface was too slippery—no matter how frantically Director swiped, the tie slipped away right before his eyes.
The sight of the cat’s adorable antics made both of them burst into laughter.
As Xiao Wang stood up to put the tie away, Zhou Zhuofei called out, “Wait.”
“Check if the tie’s damaged.” Though she regularly trimmed Director’s claws, accidents could still happen.
Xiao Wang inspected it thoroughly, then handed it to Zhou Zhuofei as she approached. “It’s fine.”
Seeing her face suddenly so close, Xiao Wang was reminded of the moment that had been interrupted earlier. A pang of regret flickered through him.
So close…
He steadied himself and asked, “Have you gone through the agreement?”
“Yes, no issues. Lv Lawyer highlighted the key points for me.” After confirming it was unharmed, she set the tie down and even adjusted its position for him.
“…It’s just strange how much the other party’s attitude changed.” Zhou Zhuofei couldn’t make sense of it no matter how hard she thought.
“Could it be related to Xie Lan?”
“She shouldn’t know. I never told her anything.”
Since Xie Lan still relied on the Xie family for her education, Zhou Zhuofei had kept many things from her, not wanting to distract her from her studies.
“Then don’t overthink it.” Xiao Wang gently tapped her nose. “Since the matter’s resolved, the rest isn’t important. Are you hungry? What’s for dinner?”
“I was planning to eat yesterday’s leftovers.” They’d dined out the previous evening, and Zhou Zhuofei had packed the uneaten food to avoid waste.
“What about you?” She couldn’t very well ask Xiao Wang to join her for leftovers, but going out to eat again would defeat the purpose of her frugality.
In this heat, even refrigerated food risked spoiling after two days.
“I’ll grab something simple at home.”
“Why does that sound so pitiful?” Zhou Zhuofei muttered. She knew Xiao Wang wasn’t actually struggling, but his tone and expression gave her the absurd impression that he’d end up homeless if she didn’t intervene.
“It’s nothing. I usually keep dinners light.”
“That’s not good. You need proper meals.” She frowned earnestly. “You wake up so early—I doubt you even get enough sleep. Dinner is non-negotiable!”
No matter what she said, Xiao Wang simply smiled and agreed.
Still unsatisfied, Zhou Zhuofei added, “Send me a photo of your dinner tonight.”
“Alright. I’ll head back now.”
Reluctantly, she walked him to the door. Just as he was about to leave, he turned back, hesitating as if he had something to say.
Curious, she asked, “What is it?”
“You gave me a good morning kiss earlier. Shouldn’t there be a goodnight kiss too?”
His deadpan delivery made her laugh. Teasing, she replied, “But it’s not even nighttime yet.”
“For me, the next time I see you will be tomorrow. Isn’t that the same as saying goodnight?”
“Hmm, that’s… oddly logical. But you should take the initiative.” She took a step forward, feigning indignation. “It can’t always be me, right?”
The moment the words left her lips, an arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her into his embrace.
“Then I will.” Xiao Wang leaned down slowly, his face inching closer.
Zhou Zhuofei’s mind raced—where would he kiss her?
Her cheek? Forehead? Or the tip of her nose?
Before she could finish the thought, something soft and warm pressed against her lips. Her eyes flew open in shock.
Her… mouth?
Did that mean—her first kiss?!
Xiao Wang pulled away as lightly as a dragonfly skimming water. Straightening up, he found Zhou Zhuofei frozen, fingers pressed to her lips, her wide eyes brimming with disbelief.
This kiss had been far tamer than their earlier one. Why was she reacting like this?
“What’s wrong?”
Instead of answering, she kept tracing her lips, struggling to process that her first kiss had just happened.
It might have lasted mere milliseconds, but it counted.
After a long pause, she finally snapped out of it, frowning. “Who gives a goodnight kiss on the lips?!”
“Should I make it up to you?”
He moved in again, but Zhou Zhuofei pressed a hand to his shoulder, stopping him.
“Wait. That was my first kiss,” she said gravely. “Seriously. I’ve never kissed a boy before—childhood pecks on relatives don’t count. Mouth-to-mouth? Never.”
Her face instantly burned scarlet, and she buried it in her hands, mortified.
What was she even saying?!
Xiao Wang blinked, then relaxed as her words sank in. “It was mine too.”
“What?” She stiffened. “No way.”
“Is that so surprising?” A flicker of shyness crossed his face before his usual composure returned.
“You’re my first girlfriend. And I hope you’ll be the only one.”
In school, Xiao Wang had been the model student—studies came first, romance never crossed his mind. In college, his schedule was packed; relationships were the lowest-yield investment, so he never considered them.
At work, Ling Yu had taken him under his wing, explicitly advising him to focus solely on his career for the next three to five years. Xiao Wang had adhered to that without question.
So Zhou Zhuofei was undeniably his first love.
The first person who’d made his heart race so fiercely, who’d made him bend his own rules.
And moments ago, he’d quietly bared his heart to her.
Meanwhile, Zhou Zhuofei was still reeling from the revelation that she was Xiao Wang’s first love.
She’d never pried into his past. Realistically, as adults who’d weathered life’s ups and downs, having romantic history was perfectly normal.
People like her, who’d sworn off love after one setback, were rare. So she’d never held expectations about Xiao Wang’s experiences.
Yet the truth had blindsided her.
“I’m glad it’s you,” Xiao Wang said suddenly. “For years, I thought this was just how my life would be. Until I met you.”
He didn’t dwell on why he hadn’t noticed Zhou Zhuofei sooner.
There was no point pondering what-ifs. People evolved constantly—past versions of themselves were irrelevant.
All that mattered was that now, they loved each other.
"So you're saying that I..." Zhou Zhuofei first pointed at herself, then at Xiao Wang, her finger jabbing into his chest in sheer disbelief, "am your first love?"
Before he could answer, she pressed harder. "How is that possible? How have you never dated anyone?"
Xiao Wang hadn’t expected such a strong reaction. "Is it really that surprising?"
"How could this be?" Zhou Zhuofei muttered to herself, continuing to poke at him until Xiao Wang caught her finger.
"Keep this up, and your hand will hurt."
She didn’t resist, letting him hold her hand and massage her fingers.
Now that she thought about it, a first kiss wasn’t all that special. Kissing a man felt no different from kissing a cat.
For her, a first kiss wasn’t just about the act itself—it was more about her stubborn belief in idealized love, a kind of delayed gratification.
Deep down, she still believed love existed, that it could happen.
Xiao Wang had been her chosen first kiss from the start. Though the circumstances had been a bit rushed, it wasn’t entirely unacceptable.
Damn it, she had genuinely looked forward to her first kiss.
At eighteen, she had imagined countless scenarios—under the stars, beneath cherry blossoms, in the middle of a crowd...
Who would’ve thought it would end up happening at the doorstep of her rented apartment?
With that thought, she suddenly grabbed Xiao Wang’s hand. He gave her a questioning look.
Meeting his gaze, Zhou Zhuofei rose onto her toes and kissed him.
Just like last week, when she’d been tipsy, she wanted to feel for herself whether his lips were really as soft as they seemed.
The conclusion? Unbelievably soft.
It was nothing like kissing a cheek or the back of a hand. This felt like pressing her lips to a sun-warmed cloud—fluffy, inviting, and impossible not to sink into.
Her breathing hitched, and his mirrored hers, their exhales mingling in the tiny space between them, as if they were kissing all over again.
This wasn’t the first kiss she’d imagined.
But it was enough.
"Alright, now you’re my first kiss too," Zhou Zhuofei said, pulling back slightly.
Xiao Wang’s breathing was still ragged, his chest rising and falling, his amber eyes reflecting her image.
She was his first love. The realization hit her—compared to Xiao Wang, her fixation on a perfect first kiss seemed trivial.
"You—" Before she could finish, Xiao Wang moved, kissing her again, this time with a tenderness edged with urgency.
No longer passive, no longer just an affectionate nuzzle, he began to take.
His tongue traced her lips gently, seeking entry, coaxing her to follow.
With each slow, deliberate stroke, the kiss deepened.
His touch was tender yet fervent, like peeling back petals, drawing out their essence until it filled every corner.
Soon, her mouth was filled with nothing but his presence.
Zhou Zhuofei’s thoughts blurred, her legs weakening, her grip on his sleeves the only thing keeping her upright.
Xiao Wang guided her hand to his chest, letting her explore the firm contours beneath his thin shirt—each rise and fall almost as if responding to her touch.
