Chapter 55: Surprise

The ticket-checking process was the same as in August, and her eager mood while waiting in line mirrored that of the previous time. He had already spotted her too, his deep eyes fixed on her. She felt her face burning, her heart racing with nervous excitement.

Finally, it was her turn to exit. Dragging her suitcase, she ran toward him, her steps slightly chaotic. She didn’t care about the crowd around them—she just wanted to throw herself into her boyfriend’s arms. It was exaggerated, really. They had only been apart for a little over half a month, yet their reunion felt like they hadn’t seen each other in years.

His arms around her were tighter than usual. The faint scent of soap lingered on his fog-blue sweater, and his breath brushed against her ear—warm and slightly ticklish.

“Was the journey smooth?”

He was asking her, his voice warm, though the question itself wasn’t particularly special. She nodded absentmindedly, focusing only on the satisfaction of being close to him again, barely registering what he was saying.

They didn’t embrace for long before other passengers exiting the station began passing by. They must have been blocking the way, as people kept glancing back at them. Only then did she remember to feel shy. Blushing, she pulled away from his arms, but when she looked up, his eyes were still bright—clearly… she had been hoping for a kiss.

—In August, she had seen a couple kissing.

…Now she wanted one too.

But he seemed not to understand her unspoken wish. Taking her luggage, he led her hand toward the exit with the flow of the crowd. As considerate as ever, yet she couldn’t help but feel a pang of disappointment. What was this? Had she not made her intentions clear enough? She… she wanted…

Her rabbit ears drooped. She felt as if she had lost a billion yuan for no reason.

While secretly lamenting in her heart, he suddenly steered them away from the crowd, retreating into a temporarily empty corner. Before she could react, the faint scent of soap grew stronger, and the next moment, she found herself drowning in the vast, endless lake of his gaze.

Ah…

…The lake was warm.

Where could there be a quiet place in such a bustling train station? Even a small corner could be interrupted by passersby at any moment. Yet he kissed her right there, his breath unusually fervent. There was no polite inquiry beforehand, no cautious testing—like a lake suddenly moved from beneath a waterfall to the mouth of a volcano, his passionate energy left her completely dizzy and disoriented.

Her mind turned to mush under his spell, her emotions and senses tightly gripped. She floated on the rippling surface of the lake, unsure why her legs even felt weak. All she could do was cling tightly to his neck, responding to his kiss. For a fleeting moment, she forgot where they were, wishing this could last forever…

…In the end, he was the one to pull away first.

The kiss ended, but their breathing remained equally ragged. He stayed close to her, his beautiful eyes reflecting her image—a pure face tinged with a hint of hazy desire, an alluring charm she herself didn’t realize.

“It feels like it’s been so long since I saw you…”

He raised his hand, lightly caressing her flushed cheeks, occasionally pinching them gently as he always did.

“…You seem to have gained a little weight.”

She was utterly mesmerized, her heart pounding as if it might explode. His words were unclear to her, but she vaguely understood he was teasing her.

“Not at all…” she mumbled defensively. “I just ate a little more during the holidays…”

He chuckled softly, his fondness for her seemingly growing by the second. Leaning down, he kissed her lips again, lingering reluctantly. She gazed at him intently, studying every detail with longing. From his widow’s peak to his eyes, everything remained as beautiful as before, enough to make her fall in love with him for another million years.

“Your hair is shorter…” she murmured, touching the hand that lightly brushed against her cheek.

These were meaningless words, yet they spoke them in a tangled web of affection. Half a month truly felt so long—it had made them both impatient to see each other. Unfortunately, passersby wouldn’t clear the space just for them. Their little corner soon filled with people, forcing them to part and rejoin the flow of the crowd in a normal manner.

On the taxi ride back to campus, she insisted on sitting close to him.

With the driver in the front seat, she was too shy to get too intimate, but she secretly held his hand under the seat. If she couldn’t touch him, she felt uneasy all over. Later, growing bolder, she leaned lightly against his shoulder, her forehead occasionally kissed by him. The soothing sweetness failed to calm the impact of that earlier kiss. She felt restless and unsatisfied deep inside, resorting to fiddling with his fingers to distract herself a little.

After arriving at school and dropping off her luggage in her dorm, she went out with him to eat hot pot. The festive atmosphere in the mall was still strong, everywhere red and vibrant. Her mood was exceptionally good, and even aimlessly wandering with him didn’t feel boring. She prayed silently that work could start later, much later—if only she could take a gap year.

“Are we going to the studio tomorrow?” But that was impossible. She had already begun to worry about tomorrow. “Usually, everyone starts work on the eighth day of the lunar new year…”

Her worried little face amused him. He pinched her cheek again and teased, “You’ve been thinking about work during the holiday, and now you don’t want to anymore?”

“I’m not thinking about work at all…” she let him pinch her cheek while quietly complaining, “I clearly just…”

“What?” he asked.

She pouted and refused to answer.

His eyes were bright as he reached out to pat her head. “Rest well tonight. Tomorrow, I’ll take you out to play.”

She obediently responded with an “Oh,” the single syllable brimming with happiness. At the same time, she finally realized why he had rushed back to school on the sixth day of the lunar new year—it was all for her.

Sigh, what could she do?

It seemed she was… increasingly, increasingly, increasingly falling for him.

At the end of last year, a new amusement park opened in A City, and many of her classmates had already visited. Yin Mengxi had wanted to go too, but their project had been tight on schedule, and shortly after, finals season hit. Overwhelmed with work, she hadn’t found the time. To her surprise, he remembered her casual wish and had bought tickets well in advance, taking her there early on the morning of the sixteenth via subway.

She was ecstatic, waking up early to dress up. Despite the winter chill, she wore a pretty little dress for photos, planning to post them online later that night. Seeing her dressed so lightly, he frowned. Thankfully, the sun was out, and the temperature was tolerable. Upon arrival, he bought her a thicker scarf from the gift shop, finally feeling somewhat reassured.

The amusement park was packed.

Perhaps everyone was trying to make the most of the holiday’s tail end, taking advantage of the good weather to venture out. The entrance was crowded with people, and it took nearly an hour just to queue in. Once inside, every attraction had long lines—twenty minutes at minimum, with no upper limit.

But she was still very happy.

Her hometown was a small city without such large amusement parks. In fact, she had only been to a similar theme park once in her life—during a middle school spring outing to the provincial capital in eighth grade. She had cherished the memory ever since. Now, having enrolled in A City, she could visit anytime she wanted, and with a boyfriend no less. Being with him made even queuing feel like an entertaining activity. She bounced excitedly in line, chatting nonstop, never feeling bored or tired.

They played seven attractions that day: river rafting, pirate ship, carousel, bumper cars, Ferris wheel, haunted house, and spinning teacups. They also watched a 4D movie. They had considered trying the free-fall ride, but after observing others scream pitifully from below, she decided against it, her legs feeling weak.

They played until seven in the evening, still flushed with excitement. He hadn’t expected her to enjoy the amusement park so much. Watching her, he felt like he was looking at a child. “So happy? Want to come often in the future?”

Really?

Her eyes sparkled brightly as she nodded enthusiastically like a pecking chick. Then, after a moment’s thought, she shook her head. “No, better not… Coming less often makes it more special and surprising. Coming every day would make it lose its charm.”

…Truthfully, she was thinking about the ticket price—300 yuan per person.

Unaware of her true reasoning, he simply nodded. “Alright, then. Are you hungry?”

She probably was—she had been so absorbed in playing that she skipped lunch, settling for a hot dog instead.

“A little…” she sheepishly touched her nose.

“Then let’s go,” he smiled, taking her hand. “I’ve booked a table for dinner.”

She assumed he meant an ordinary restaurant within the park, but to her surprise, it was a themed restaurant inside the castle. On the first floor, guests could take photos with actors dressed as princesses. Upstairs, cartoon characters delivered blessings. The menu was expensive—a steak cost 220 yuan.

This…

She felt a bit uncomfortable, but leaving after sitting down would have been awkward. Besides, he had already naturally placed their order, leaving her no room to suggest switching venues. Resigned, she sat stiffly, silently calculating his expenses for the day. Altogether, it amounted to roughly 1,500 yuan—she’d need to save up to give him a similarly valuable gift for his birthday in May.

Just as she finished planning this, a staff member in a mascot costume wheeled over a cart adorned with colorful flowers. On top lay an exquisite gift box. Shaking their head playfully, they clapped and gestured for her to pick it up and open it.

This…?

She was surprised, but he appeared perfectly composed, his eyes twinkling like gentle stars.

“Happy birthday,” he said to her. “Do you like your gift?”

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Author’s Note:

Tomorrow at 18:00, you’ll know what I mean!!!

(There’s actually nothing major to hide… just a precaution (lights cigarette)).