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True romance is the fragrance of a gentleman or lady’s abundant soul, or a little extra tenderness from someone with a sharp mind and youthful spirit. Not everyone has this gift.
In the deep silence of night, Lulu was sound asleep. Yu Zhimei suddenly woke up from a dream where she had lost Lulu. She turned her head and saw Lulu sleeping peacefully on another pillow, having been woken by Yu Zhimei’s movements as she sat up. The ceiling above the loft bed was flat and smooth, while the right side sloped down to form the attic roof. The space near the window was too low to stand upright, so she used it for storage. A small square window sat snugly under the slanted roof, its ceiling made entirely of glass. When Yu Zhimei first decided to rent this place, it was because of that transparent glass roof. During the day, sunlight flooded the room, and at night, lying on her side in bed, she could gaze at the sky. Urban lights replaced the stars, blending orange and purple beams into her view. She walked downstairs to the kitchen for a glass of water and then stepped out onto the balcony, where Jian Zhaowen stood enjoying the breeze. Seeing her approach, he seemed flustered, glanced briefly at the air conditioning unit outside, and then retreated back into the room.
Jian Zhaowen had driven eagerly to the airport to pick Yu Zhimei up. He had initially worried that she hadn’t fully healed from her emotional wounds, but seeing her rosy cheeks reassured him—she had clearly enjoyed her week off. After bringing her luggage home and watching her casually toss her coat onto the sofa, Jian Zhaowen suddenly grabbed her hand, interlacing their fingers, and kissed her earnestly. Startled by his own boldness, he immediately apologized: “Whoa, I didn’t mean it like that—I just missed you so much...”
Before going to sleep that night, Jian Zhaowen sent Yu Zhimei three rules via text: absolutely no physical contact; always maintain a distance of at least half a meter; and fulfill any reasonable requests she made without question. Yu Zhimei replied teasingly, “Are you courting me?” Jian Zhaowen responded, “There are things beyond algorithms worth trying.”
Reading this message, Yu Zhimei couldn’t help but doubt whether this roundabout-talking Jian Zhaowen was truly the same entrepreneur who once drank at her house. His clumsy, awkward attempts at romance were reminiscent of a man who didn’t know how to date—clumsy, rigid, and tinged with adolescent naivety. Naturally, she wasn’t about to agree easily—if Jian Zhaowen wanted to pursue her, why not give her dreamy prince charming a chance?
She was genuinely curious to see just how romantic this Jian Zhaowen, whose ex-girlfriends boasted online was “the most romantic man in the universe,” could really be. Though Shanghai was a vast city, there weren’t many truly romantic spots after living there long enough. Xiahui Road, Clement Apartments, the Bund—these were remnants of an era’s charm. For those burdened by life, their last ounce of energy went to bars. True romance, in Yu Zhimei’s mind, required the fragrance of a refined soul or the lively tenderness of a youthful spirit—not something everyone possessed.
So when Jian Zhaowen showed up dragging a suitcase and invited her to a hotel suite, Yu Zhimei thought cynically, Of course. She never expected him to succumb to such base male instincts—to suggest meeting in a hotel, crude and vulgar. While checking in on the 58th floor, she deliberately stepped back to examine the contents of the soft-sided suitcase. Inside, she found objects with sharp edges, some circular, others cylindrical. Her ears flushed red. If it was what she imagined, she certainly wasn’t ready—though she happened to be wearing a matching set of lace lingerie.
“I’ve been looking forward to this day for a long time. I knew a ‘mecha-girl’ like you would love this,” Jian Zhaowen said, humming the theme from Ghost , and winked as they entered the elevator.
Yu Zhimei tried her best not to look at him. “Jian Zhaowen, I advise you to behave like a gentleman.”
“Come on, do you think I’m like you, thinking about playing VR games all day?”
“Then why did you drag this suitcase along?”
“Toys, I told you—they’re toys.”
...What kind of toys?
Once inside the room, Jian Zhaowen sat down and let out a long sigh. “I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long. Ever since I met you, I thought you’d definitely enjoy this. It’s just that our apartment is too small to pull it off.”
Bracing herself to be pinned down or teased, Yu Zhimei sat at the foot of the bed, finding a position less likely to cause pain if pushed over. “What exactly are you scheming? Stop dragging it out.”
Jian Zhaowen kicked off his shoes and used one foot to push himself away from the table, leaving a damp mark on the surface with his clean socks. “You’ve got the wrong idea. Does everything in a hotel have to involve indecent acts?” He opened the suitcase to reveal colorful dominoes sorted by color into large bags, along with various mechanisms and spring ropes. “I booked this suite for two days specifically to play with these. My friends always complain my ideas are boring—it’s impossible to set them up properly in our cramped apartment. Honestly, whoever designed Xiao Ma’s grandfather’s rental must not have cared much. If it were me, I’d renovate the place…”
Jian Zhaowen had rented a luxurious suite with breathtaking views, intending to spend their time building—and toppling—dominoes.
“You planned this, didn’t you? What a creative idea.”
Jian Zhaowen was already arranging the sofa and unpacking the first bag. “I’m starting with the blue ones. Do you want to help?”
“Do you have a blueprint?” Yu Zhimei was relieved she’d worn loose pants today.
“No, just follow my instructions.”
Thankful she hadn’t voiced her earlier assumptions aloud, Yu Zhimei knelt beside Jian Zhaowen to assist. Leaning against the wall, he carefully adjusted angles, meticulously aligning each piece. When the outer row wasn’t perfectly straight, he patiently guided her: “Move the ninth tile inward slightly… two millimeters…” Then, rummaging through the mini-fridge for drinks, he handed her a glass, gently brushing her hair behind her ear with his finger. “Your hair—it’s not blocking your eyes, is it?”
Yu Zhimei’s hand trembled, and the painstakingly arranged domino chain toppled over with a crisp sound. Frozen in place, she braced herself for Jian Zhaowen’s reaction. Instead, he shielded the fallen pieces protectively. “It’s fine, let me fix it. Go check if we need more drinks.”
Calm and patient, he truly exuded warmth. Yu Zhimei turned back to the fridge, noting the prices weren’t cheap. Without looking up from arranging the tiles, Jian Zhaowen somehow seemed to sense her actions. “If you don’t find anything you like, we can take a break and head to the lounge later. They have plenty of options during happy hour.”
“Regular customer, huh?”
“I knew you’d say that.” Jian Zhaowen quickly reset the fallen dominoes. “We should finish a third of the setup before five o’clock, right? Just don’t knock them over again—it takes forever to rebuild. Writing code doesn’t even frustrate me this much…”
They carefully assembled a third of the structure. At 5:30 PM, the alarm rang. Hearing Yu Zhimei’s stomach growl, Jian Zhaowen quietly set the timer and headed downstairs to the lounge. By this time, many people had already claimed seats, either playing chess or chatting, vying for coveted window-side spots. After circling the lounge for a while without finding a seat, they considered ordering room service. Suddenly, Jian Zhaowen hurried ahead, signaling a waiter to clear a table—someone had apparently declined dinner at the lounge. The spot was indeed prime, offering the best views. This high-end Renaissance hotel was meant for moments like these, not sleazy affairs like catching cheating partners.
While Yu Zhimei mixed cocktails, Jian Zhaowen returned carrying two plates of light snacks, reminding her to grab ice cubes. As she leaned over, she felt a sudden nip on her earlobe, sending shivers down her spine. Nearby, a girl whispered to her friend, “That guy in the black shirt by the window is so handsome. Should I go ask for his WeChat? At least that’s possible, right?” Flustered, Yu Zhimei scooped a spoonful of ice, grabbed a bottle, and poured half a cup recklessly before returning to her seat. Jian Zhaowen, still gazing out the window, calmly remarked, “This view is my favorite. At night, you can see the Bund, the elevated highway lights strung together like a golden belt around Shanghai.”
Taking a sip from her glass, Yu Zhimei grimaced as syrup coated her mouth. Realizing she had accidentally poured half a cup of lychee syrup, she forced herself to act normal and glanced back at the counter. Returning to her seat with a greenish pallor, she snatched Jian Zhaowen’s drink and gulped it down. “What’s going on? Drinking vodka at Miaolin Dessert Shop, drinking vodka at the lounge—is this your habit now?”
“It’s become one. After drinking this for so long, I can’t get used to anything else.”
What else could explain the bottles stocked in her room? A warm feeling spread through Yu Zhimei’s chest. Picking up a fork, she ate salmon pensively. “Do you think I’m bad?”
“A little.”
“And that I’m ruthless?”
“A little.”
“Yet you don’t criticize me?”
“Human nature is complicated. You’re simply protecting your freedom. Everyone has the right to defend themselves against harm. Douyu acted immorally without your knowledge, and the law can’t protect everything. So if you returned his wrongdoing, why should I judge you? Besides, he’s just an ex-boyfriend. Using your hands to eliminate my rival makes me happy.”
“Jian Zhaowen, I don’t know why, but I still enjoy hearing you confess like this.”
“It’s okay. You can drag this out for as long as you want. Listen to my cheesy declarations until you’re ready to accept.”
“...How did you know I was stalling?”
“I didn’t. But since I stood you up before, I’ll wait however long you need.” Jian Zhaowen stopped mentioning Douyu and fed her the last piece of salmon. “It’s such a pleasure to have a date without Xiao Ma interrupting. With him around, he always dominates the conversation, leaving no room for romance.”
Gazing at her reflection framed by the nighttime scenery, watching the arcs of the elevated highways stretch into the distance, and listening to Fly Me to the Moon playing softly in the background, Yu Zhimei felt the world align perfectly with her wishes. Back at work, moving to the new office on Madang Road, the creative SPACE on the second floor was airy and spacious, no longer crowded. There was even a foosball table and a tea station. The company downstairs was working on Durex’s quarterly campaign, and the entire park buzzed with positive energy. Everything seemed to fall into place—her promotion to Content Director, overtaking a colleague on maternity leave, proved her hard work finally paid off. Troubles would undoubtedly arise again, but for now, jazz music drifted gently into her ears, Jian Zhaowen sat across from her clinking glasses, and the sounds of cutlery and laughter enveloped her. She felt grounded yet floating, part of the world yet untouchable.
She didn’t feel the urgency to claim Jian Zhaowen just yet. The beauty of ambiguity lay in the anticipation of closeness. Rather than rushing to topple the dominoes, she relished imagining Jian Zhaowen’s blueprint coming together piece by piece, only to casually disrupt one section—a hidden greed she extended luxuriously in her heart.
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PS: I’m late again today but haven’t missed a chapter! Daily updates are truly exhausting, and I’m grateful to all my readers for sticking with me so far. Feel free to add this story to your favorites, leave votes, and join me in the comments—I’m waiting to chat with you! 😊
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