IJLHTW - 50

The atmosphere in the car was somewhat stagnant, and Mo Xingchen felt an inexplicable pang of sadness. It seemed that handsome men were often blind to reality.

“There’s plenty of grass elsewhere. Don’t be too disheartened,” Mo Xingchen patted his shoulder. She had always been soft-hearted and couldn’t bear to see such a handsome man look so lost.

The man remained silent, sitting quietly in the passenger seat. But sitting there doing nothing wasn’t a solution. After some thought, Mo Xingchen softly asked, “How about I treat you to some late-night snacks?”

She had arrived in Beijing in the afternoon and slept until 9 p.m. Finding it boring to stay home alone, she decided to visit a bar for some entertainment. She hadn’t even met up with her friends yet when she stumbled upon this incident.

Blame it on her soft heart—she truly pitied the young man.

The man suddenly ran his hands through his hair, slightly messing up his hairstyle, which only added to his rugged charm.

Under the dim yellow streetlight, Mo Xingchen discreetly sized him up again. She stole several glances at him as he sat motionless. Eventually, she began openly staring at him without restraint.

The young man was truly captivating.

When she stared openly, the seated man suddenly turned his head. “Or let me treat you instead. Thank you for today.”

Since she no longer wanted to return to the bar anyway, there happened to be a famous barbecue place nearby. Mo Xingchen drove them there directly. Surprisingly, even during the Lunar New Year holiday, the place was bustling with business.

There were no seats left inside, so the owner had set up a large tent outside. Smoke filled the air, but it wasn’t too cold.

Mo Xingchen frequently visited this place, and the owner recognized her. After seating her, they brought over the menu. The menu was simple—a single laminated page with items listed on both sides. It had been a while since she last came, and she was craving their food.

Fortunately, she knew better than to order just for herself. After all, the handsome man across from her had just gone through a breakup. With great sincerity, she asked, “Are there any foods you don’t eat?”

As she looked up at him, oh my goodness, what a sight!

How could someone look so good? His deep black eyes seemed to pull you in with just one glance. His long, curled eyelashes were enough to make anyone jealous.

“I don’t eat offal,” the handsome man said indifferently.

He still appeared listless.

Mo Xingchen understood. After all, his girlfriend had cheated on him with someone who, aside from being wealthier, was far inferior in every other way. If it were her, she’d be furious too.

This reminded her of Shao Yi. That Lu Lu was only superior to Shao Yi in terms of family background. Everything else about her paled in comparison to Shao Yi.

Shao Yi had been with that jerk for six years, only for him to mercilessly cheat on her.

What was wrong with people these days? Why were they so materialistic?

Deep down, Mo Xingchen still wanted to find someone she truly liked. Money wasn’t important—she earned plenty. A high degree wasn’t necessary either—she was already a B University graduate. Anything higher would mean foreign universities, which was rare.

But finding someone she truly liked was incredibly difficult. Despite her efforts, she was still single.

Even Huo Ci, the eternal singleton, had found someone. Thinking about it made Mo Xingchen feel a little sad.

As a result, she ordered quite a lot of food.

Seeing her order so much, the man hesitated and asked, “Isn’t it too much for just the two of us?”

Mo Xingchen froze, realizing this was his treat. Her face immediately flushed with embarrassment.

“I’m not worried about ordering too much, just don’t waste food,” the man said seriously as he looked at her.

Mo Xingchen had a straightforward personality and usually despised stingy men. Yet, when he said this, she didn’t find it offensive at all. Instead, she agreed with him.

Seeing that he was still upset, Mo Xingchen decided to order a few bottles of beer. After all, drowning sorrows in alcohol was the norm.

A drunken stupor was the best way to forget troubling matters.

Once the beer arrived, Mo Xingchen grabbed a bottle and tapped the cap off against the edge of the table. The man across from her was taken aback, but Mo Xingchen had already placed the bottle in front of him and opened another for herself.

Raising her bottle, she earnestly said, “Your ex-girlfriend has terrible taste. Let’s toast to you leaving someone with such poor judgment.”

The man stared at her, and unexpectedly, a faint smile, almost imperceptible, appeared on his previously gloomy face.

Outside, the northern wind howled, and the dim yellow light above cast a warm glow on their faces.

He raised his bottle and softly said, “Cheers.”

In the end, they didn’t eat much of the grilled meat but drank quite a bit of alcohol. Later, Mo Xingchen, feeling unsatisfied with beer, asked the owner to bring out some liquor.

By the time they were thoroughly drunk, Mo Xingchen slurred, “Don’t lose heart. Sure, you’re not as rich as others now, but who knows? Maybe one day you’ll strike it rich, and their family will go bankrupt. We might be poor, but we’ve got ambition. Who doesn’t have dreams?”

The man sitting across from her froze. Poor but ambitious?

He glanced down at his clothes and chuckled.

________________________________________

The phone on the bedside table kept buzzing. Mo Xingchen reached out groggily to turn it off. After flipping over, she collided with a wall.

Momentarily stunned, her previously foggy mind suddenly cleared.

When she opened her eyes, she saw a bare chest right in front of her. Her face was only inches away from it.

Mo Xingchen bolted upright and looked around—this was her room.

She was home?

When she got up, she lifted the blanket, letting in a gust of cold air. The person sleeping beside her burrowed deeper into the covers. Mo Xingchen looked down at herself—thankfully, she was still wearing her pajamas.

Wait… who changed her into these pajamas?

“Hey, get up!” Mo Xingchen wanted to scream in frustration. Unable to tolerate it anymore, she yanked the blanket off completely, revealing his lean, muscular body.

He was wearing only a pair of underwear.

The man, now exposed to the cold, opened his eyes. His dark pupils gazed at her with a hint of pitifulness.

“What’s wrong?” He crossed his arms over his chest—it was genuinely cold; she had forgotten to pay the heating bill before leaving.

Mo Xingchen wanted to grab him and beat him up, yet he still had the audacity to ask what was wrong. But when he opened his eyes and looked at her, she suddenly gasped. Why did he still look so damn good even after a night of heavy drinking?

Her inner fangirl instincts were brutally triggered.

Her anger inexplicably subsided by half.

“Why are you in my house, and why are you sleeping in my bed?” Mo Xingchen demanded fiercely.

“After drinking last night, you insisted on bringing me home with you. When I helped you inside, you even took off my clothes,” the man sat up, his lean body emanating a faint warmth.

Mo Xingchen: “….” I couldn’t possibly have said that.

Unfortunately, the memory loss associated with drunkenness hadn’t afflicted her. Last night, she vaguely remembered pulling him and refusing to let him leave. She might have indeed undressed him first.

She desperately wanted to find a crack in the ground to hide in.

“You also said you really liked my face.”

The man looked at her, reminding her earnestly.

Mo Xingchen desperately wanted to cover her face and hide. Fine, you can stop talking. I remember the sins I committed.

“I’m a bit cold. Can you cover me with the blanket?” The man eyed the blanket in her hand hopefully.

Looking at his messy hair and the eager gaze directed at the blanket in her hand, she strangely found him resembling a fluffy dog waiting to be fed.

She flung the blanket at him, covering his head completely.

After clearing her throat, she said, “You should go back.”

“I can’t go back,” a muffled voice came from under the blanket.

Mo Xingchen remembered he had just been dumped last night. Feeling a bit sympathetic, she asked, “Why can’t you go back?”

“You said you liked my face.” The blanket was pulled back, revealing that handsome face that Mo Xingchen indeed liked. But did he have to state it so matter-of-factly?

He lowered his eyelids and softly asked, “Can I stay at your place for a few days? That way, you can look at my face every day.”

Mo Xingchen was forced to take a deep breath at his logic. Then, the man looked up at her again, his eyes reflecting a sense of helplessness. “I have nowhere else to go.”

What does that have to do with me? Mo Xingchen was about to harden her heart when she suddenly met his gaze.

“I don’t even know your name. How can I let you stay?” As soon as the words left her mouth, Mo Xingchen silently lit a candle for herself in her heart.

Fangirl, die.

“My name is Siyang.”

________________________________________

Yi Zhecheng had been working in New York for half a month, and Huo Ci was busy with work as well. They could only occasionally call each other. He knew she was preparing for her touring photography exhibition and asked if she needed any help.

Huo Ci thought for a long time before softly asking, “Will you come to see it?”

The photography exhibition was essentially a photographer’s inner expression. Presenting her carefully captured works to the public required immense courage.

On the other end of the line, he softly replied, “Of course, I won’t miss a single stop.”

Huo Ci smiled and focused more intently on her preparations.

After finishing work on Friday, Huo Ci was driving home when she suddenly remembered that Yi Zhecheng would soon return to China. She had promised to accompany him to meet his parents, but she hadn’t even prepared gifts yet.

Realizing this, she hastily turned the car around and headed to the mall.

The first and second floors of the mall were filled with various international luxury brands. Huo Ci had worked with these brands numerous times. However, choosing gifts for his parents troubled her. After all, the Yi family lacked nothing.

This was Huo Ci’s first time preparing gifts for a boyfriend’s parents, and its importance was undeniable. She thought for a long time but didn’t know whom to consult. So, she wandered aimlessly around the mall until she stopped in front of a dazzling store.

Displayed in the window were rings. Huo Ci was immediately drawn to the pair in the center.

Having worked in fashion for so many years, she had photographed countless jewelry advertisements. She had seen countless expensive diamonds, remaining calm as others marveled. She always thought she didn’t like such things. Did a ring really symbolize an eternal life?

But at this moment, she stood quietly in front of the window, gazing at the simple pair of wedding rings.

Hand in hand, together for life.

“Huo Ci.” A voice came from behind her.