Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Wen Moshi and Wen Moshen had almost identical features—they both had heart-warming smiles. Wen Moshi’s features, however, were more defined and delicate than Moshen’s.
Lin Nuan had also crushed on somebody before. She knew what that burning gaze meant.
A song by Harpo “Only You” began to play in the music store on the roadside, the beat messing with Wen Moshi’s heart. He felt somewhat nervous and put one hand in his pocket, revealing his uneasiness.
Lin Nuan felt her face tighten up. She pretended to glance at her watch and said, “My colleague is still waiting for me to bring her the doughnuts and milk tea, we should talk about this some other day…”
Wen Moshi’s hands curled up in his pockets. He grabbed Lin Nuan, who brushed past his shoulder and said, “This won’t take long.”
Lin Nuan wanted to pull back her wrist but he only tightened his grasp.
Gazing at her long hair, he took a deep breath and said with great determination, “Lin Nuan… I’m 26 years old, and I’ve never been in a relationship before. The real reason I didn’t go on those dates arranged by my mother wasn’t because I wanted to focus on my career and be as great as my brother—that’s just the excuse I gave my mother. It was because I already had somebody I liked, but I didn’t have the guts to say it out loud. I was afraid it would make things awkward and ruin a good friendship.
“It’s been eight years, Lin Nuan. I know you like my brother, but you don’t know that I’ve liked you all this time…”
Lin Nuan clenched the plastic bag tightly in her hands. So people already knew about her feelings towards Wen Moshen.
…
The red light flashed on at the crossroad.
Lu Jinnan parked his car and looked at Tuan Tuan through the rearview mirror. He was fast asleep on Fu Huai’an’s leg, covered with his suit as if it were a blanket. His white little face radiated a warm red like the hue of an apple.
Lu Jinnan smiled and unintentionally laid eyes on Lin Nuan and Wen Moshi outside, who were standing at the entrance of the doughnut shop near the road.
He rolled down the car window to take a proper look—it was her, Lin Nuan.
Naturally, he clearly saw that Wen Moshen was holding Lin Nuan’s hand. He said with a grin, “No wonder she suddenly changed her mind at the administration unit—so she’s into the young pretty boys!”
Fu Huai’an looked up and glanced at the roadside through the car window…
“You just want to have a one-night stand with somebody, why go through so much effort just to get a marriage certificate? This type of women looks upright and dignified, but there’s more than enough ways to win her over. You don’t need to put in so much effort. The easiest solution is simple and rough, if you’re willing, I can take care of it for you within a week.”
“Don’t interfere in this,” Fu Huai’an said coldly.
He looked away and gently patted Tuan Tuan on his legs with one arm. He used his right hand to light up the cigarette in his mouth. His slender long fingers rolled down the car window as he exhaled the smoke and flicked the cigarette outside.
He kept his unfathomable gaze fixed on Lin Nuan through the smoke.
School ended earlier on Fridays. A group of middle-school students were chasing each other on their bikes on the pedestrian lane. The pedestrians dodged away from them as they threw them the side eye. The leader of their pack turned around to look at his friends chasing him from behind when his bicycle brushed across Lin Nuan’s back.
“Careful!” Wen Moshi pulled Lin Nuan closer. The students had already gone too far before he could confront them.
Lin Nuan furrowed her eyebrows. Without warning, she caught eyes with that familiar pair of dark pupils hidden behind the smoke. Her heart was suddenly left hanging in mid-air, and she felt sheepish and timid as if she were caught cheating.
It was Fu Huai’an.