After finishing the skewers, drinking a bowl of slightly sour and refreshing tomato egg drop soup warmed Zhen Bao's entire body.
There was thick snow on the road. Fu Ming Shi pushed his bike with one hand and held Zhen Bao's hand in his pocket with the other.
The snow crunched under their feet. His hand was big and warm.
When they got to the garage, Fu Ming Shi bent over to lock up. Zhen Bao was especially reluctant. He had come over in the heavy snow and waited two hours, but she had only kept him company for a meal.
"Shall we go for a stroll?" As students gradually returned from evening self-study and wheeled their bikes into the garage, it was clearly not a suitable place for kissing, so Fu Ming Shi asked Zhen Bao in a low voice.
Turns out he hadn't had his fill of her company either.
Zhen Bao felt sweet inside. She said softly, "Let me put my things upstairs first."
Fu Ming Shi: "Be quick."
Zhen Bao's face turned red. She swiftly turned around, bag in one hand, gift bag from Fu Ming Shi in the other. When Fu Ming Shi had first handed it to her, Zhen Bao had peeked inside and it looked like four big red apples.
"You're back so early? I thought you were going to take a stroll around campus. A snowy wander, how romantic." Jia Xiao Yu, Fan Xuan and Qian LeLe were all studying. Bored from reading, when Zhen Bao came in with the pretty gift bag, Jia Xiao Yu couldn't resist teasing her.
By now Zhen Bao could calmly deal with this degree of ribbing. She held up the gift bag and handed out apples.
Qian LeLe, the first to receive an apple, exaggeratedly gasped and held the apple high, praising loudly, "Wow, I've never seen such a huge apple in my life! As expected, with love's nourishment, even apples are bigger than other families'!"
Zhen Bao couldn't help chuckling.
After giving one to Fan Xuan, as Zhen Bao lowered her head to get one for Jia Xiao Yu, she suddenly noticed that besides two prettily ribboned red apples, there was also a red elongated gift box.
Zhen Bao blanked for a moment.
Jia Xiao Yu's eyes were sharp. She immediately craned her neck to look. Just as Zhen Bao wanted to hide it, Jia Xiao Yu's hand shot out swiftly and grabbed the jewelry box. Fan Xuan came from the wealthiest family. Jia Xiao Yu's hand just flashed through the air, and Fan Xuan was already exclaiming in surprise, forgetting to continue munching her apple. "Oh my god, it's Cartier!"
The name was unfamiliar to Zhen Bao, but Jia Xiao Yu immediately dropped the jewelry box into Zhen Bao's hand as if scalded, afraid she might accidentally damage it and not be able to afford compensation.
"Zhen Bao, quick, take a look!" After a brief shock, Qian LeLe and Fan Xuan crowded over too. Having already heard from Feng Yue that Fu Ming Shi had booked two presidential suites in one go, the three roommates had decided Fu Ming Shi must be a wealthy man. So now their focus was on what was the gift, rather than delving into Fu Ming Shi's profligate actions.
Zhen Bao was embarrassed. "He's still downstairs..."
"Just take a quick peek. Go back down right after," Fan Xuan urged excitedly.
Zhen Bao was curious about the gift too. With a strangely nervous heart, she opened the box in front of her three roommates.
There were two lights on the dorm room ceiling, but their vision was almost entirely blocked by the three girls' heads. Still, the ruby apple pendant inside the jewelry box dazzled them, even in the poor lighting. The discreet platinum chain set off the thumb-sized ruby, whose color resembled blood. Magnificently luxurious, plus the romantic Christmas Eve atmosphere, no woman could resist its charms.
"Ahhh!" Fan Xuan excitedly shook Zhen Bao's arm, but kept her voice low. "Zhen Bao, your Fu Ming Shi is too rich! If anyone gave me that necklace, I'd immediately marry him!"
"Even if Fu Ming Shi wasn't my boyfriend, just for giving me this necklace, I'd be willing to marry him." Jia Xiao Yu hugged Zhen Bao's other arm, her eyes brimming with hearts.
Standing opposite Zhen Bao, Qian LeLe grinned wickedly. "Maybe Zhen Bao already promised to marry him."
"Don't talk nonsense," Zhen Bao said, flushing.
The three girls laughed together.
Fan Xuan reminded Zhen Bao to put the necklace away safely, keeping her voice low the entire time. "That necklace is worth at least six figures. You should take it home and keep it safe, Zhen Bao. People are always coming and going in our dorm. It'd be bad if something happened to it, and it would ruin relationships."
"I'll return it to him. It's too expensive." Zhen Bao nodded and put the jewelry box in her down jacket pocket. Fu Ming Shi was still downstairs, so she didn't listen closely to her roommates' advice, simply heading downstairs first.
With so many people around the dorm building, Zhen Bao handed the necklace back to Fu Ming Shi with one hand, while tightly covering the pocket with the gift with her other hand. Seeing all the girls clustered together taking photos on the snowy Christmas Eve, the romantic atmosphere was evident. Even more abundant were couples everywhere. The streetlights were obscured by the fluttering snowflakes, casting a hazy yellow glow, which added to the blurry beauty.
There was almost no one behind the library, the atmosphere optimal. Fu Ming Shi put his arm around Zhen Bao's shoulders and backed her against a streetlight pole, lowering his head to look at her. "Miss me?"
Their heads were so close together the snowflakes could not intrude upon them, instead piling up on Fu Ming Shi's hat.
In the dim light, Zhen Bao tilted her head up slightly. The man's dark eyes before her were like the night sky, with two bright stars in their depths. So gentle and handsome, like someone out of a fairy tale or idol drama, the kind that wasn't real. Fu Ming Shi was so wealthy, could he really continue liking her forever?
"This question is hard to answer?" Seeing she had concerns, Fu Ming Shi temporarily suppressed his urge to kiss her.
Zhen Bao lowered her eyes and nodded. She thought about it every day.
"Then why aren't you happy?" Fu Ming Shi kissed her forehead.
"Why do you keep buying such expensive things?" Zhen Bao took out the jewelry box and tried to stuff it in his pocket. "I'm not used to using them."
"You can just wear it for me to see."
She had been fine going upstairs, but was ill at ease coming back down. Fu Ming Shi had guessed it was about the gift. Snatching the jewelry box back, Fu Ming Shi opened it, then put it back in his pocket. He undid the necklace and directly put it on Zhen Bao. Zhen Bao twisted her neck away and grabbed his hands. "I don't want it..."
"Don't you like it?" Fu Ming Shi stopped to ask.
Zhen Bao shook her head. She didn't know what to say.
Fu Ming Shi helplessly put the necklace away for the moment. Pressing his forehead to hers, he asked, "Do you know how much I'm worth now?"
Zhen Bao nodded. When she had just arrived in the capital, she had searched for information on Fu Ming Shi. He was worth tens of billions of yuan, not even counting Fu Elder and Fu Zheng's money.
"I have so much money. If I don't spend it, what's the point of working so hard to earn it?" Fu Ming Shi looked into her eyes, unable to elicit a reciprocal gaze. Fu Ming Shi gave a small laugh. His lips slowly shifted to her ear. "Or would you rather I leave all the money for our future children?"
Zhen Bao's ears instantly grew hot. She thought of her roommates vowing to marry him.
"Money is earned to be spent, Feng Bao."
Fu Ming Shi held her hands to his lips and kissed them, his dark eyes never leaving her. "I'm not spending money randomly. If I were an ordinary white collar worker, I would only buy you jewelry I could afford. If you asked me for expensive pieces, I wouldn't be able to buy them. Now I have money. You like low-key styles, so I won't buy flashy things for you to show off. But small concealed things like jewelry, you can't refuse me those."
Just as Zhen Bao wanted to speak, Fu Ming Shi suddenly pressed a finger to her lips. "The only reason I will accept for you to refuse is if you don't like it."
Zhen Bao instantly had no rebuttal.
Fu Ming Shi took out the necklace again and put it on her. Her down jacket collar was very thick. He tilted his head and brushed her hair aside. The necklace was cool, and some snowflakes took the chance to land on her too. Zhen Bao couldn't help shivering, and Fu Ming Shi apologized in a low murmur.
His fingertips inadvertently grazed her neck. Zhen Bao's heart raced as she desperately tried to make conversation. "Xiao Yu and the others saw it."
Fu Ming Shi was unconcerned. As he clumsily fiddled with the necklace clasp, he calmly said, "There are two types of college roommates. One kind gradually loses contact after graduation, becoming like strangers. Another kind remains friends. Which do you think those three are?"
Zhen Bao immediately said, "The second kind."
"In that case, it doesn't matter if they find out early. True friends will only feel happy for you." After getting it fastened, Fu Ming Shi arranged her hair back over her shoulders and turned to look at her.
Zhen Bao shyly lowered her head.
The pendant was hidden by her jacket collar. Fu Ming Shi looked into her eyes and praised, "So beautiful."
Zhen Bao grew even more nervous.
Fu Ming Shi drew near, tilting up her chin. "Now, can you properly answer me?"
Zhen Bao was bewildered.
Fu Ming Shi lightly pecked her lips. "Miss me?"
Zhen Bao closed her eyes and softly mm-hmmed.
As soon as she admitted it, his lips firmly pressed onto hers, cool initially, swiftly turning hot. In the distance, the teaching buildings faintly echoed with lively sounds, contrasting with the tranquility here, so quiet that the whisper of falling snow could be heard, so quiet that the movement of his throat as he swallowed could be heard, so quiet that...
Two people seemed to be approaching, conversing.
Zhen Bao tensely pushed Fu Ming Shi away.
Fu Ming Shi pinned her down like a mountain, not letting her get distracted.
How could Zhen Bao not get distracted? Her body couldn't move, but she twisted her mouth away from him. Yet the more she evaded, the more tightly Fu Ming Shi pursued her, as if wanting to make up for everything they had missed these past ten-odd days. But he was considerate enough to cradle her face in his hands, ensuring no one would recognize her if they didn't come too close.
Those two left the area quickly. Snowflakes danced in the breeze. Zhen Bao's heart thumped like a drum.
When he finally stopped, Zhen Bao's tongue felt numb.
Fu Ming Shi buried his face in her collar, breathing heavily. His voice was hoarse. "Let's get a room."
He had spoken too softly for Zhen Bao to hear clearly. She turned her head questioningly. "What?"
"It's time you got back." Fu Ming Shi gave a frustrated laugh, admitting he was pathetic. She was too innocent, he didn't dare reveal his less pure masculine side, even though in this day and age it was normal for dating couples to get a room, moreover they were engaged with the elders' approval.
Zhen Bao took out her phone. It was almost half past nine.
She nodded. Unconsciously, she stamped her feet a few times. They had stood in the snow for too long. Her body felt very warm from his kisses, but her feet were cold.
Noticing her small action, Fu Ming Shi crouched before her, offering to piggyback her.
Zhen Bao awkwardly declined, walking ahead first. "Let's go." Too many people around campus.
However, after taking a few steps, there was no sound behind her. Zhen Bao looked back to see Fu Ming Shi still down on one knee there, gazing at her with a smile. Zhen Bao refused to give in and continued forward. After walking almost fifty meters, she finally surrendered and docilely returned to him.
"Let's take a photo for Elder Master." Fu Ming Shi hugged her legs and spun her around once before stopping under the streetlight.
"No more photos." Zhen Bao was too embarrassed to flaunt affection in front of elders.
"Elder Master is spending Christmas too. Let him be happy." Fu Ming Shi stood her with her back against the streetlight, refusing to budge without a photo.
Someone else was approaching in the distance, so Zhen Bao had no choice but to take out her phone. In order to get them both in the same frame, she had to rest her head on Fu Ming Shi's shoulder. Her knitted cap was the same style Fu Ming Shi had bought for her at the hotel last time - off-white, while Fu Ming Shi's cap, which he'd gotten from who-knows-where, was light gray. Placed side by side, they looked somewhat like a couple's matching set.
With a "click", the photo was taken. They looked it over - not bad.
"Let's get going," Zhen Bao said, putting her phone away.
Fu Ming Shi gave her a piggyback ride, feeling cheerful. "I'll set it as my phone wallpaper when I get back."
Still resting on his shoulder, Zhen Bao saw the upturned corners of Fu Ming Shi's mouth and realized he truly liked her a lot.
For the first time, she couldn't resist asking him, "Why do you like me?"
Fu Ming Shi's steps faltered briefly and he turned to look at her, replying, "Does there have to be a reason?"
"Mm," Zhen Bao made a small, coy sound.
Fu Ming Shi laughed and bounced her playfully as they walked, saying, "The Fu and Zhen families were engaged by their parents in an arranged marriage, but it didn't happen for the previous generation, so the engagement was passed down to us - it's fate. It's destined that I would like you." When he had finished, he twisted back around to look at her earnestly and emphasize, "Fated, I was bound to like you."
Snowflakes drifted down lightly as he spoke these sweet words. His face was very good-looking, but his explanation was a bit far-fetched.
"Tell me the real reason," Zhen Bao said, turning her face away, not daring to meet his ardent gaze.
Seeing the adorable top of her hat, Fu Ming Shi became serious. "I want to look at you while I tell you."
Zhen Bao hesitated briefly, then obediently turned back, bashfully closing her eyes.
Fu Ming Shi made an effort to kiss her forehead, exceptionally gentle. "It's because I like you, that's why I like you."
Just that simple.
