1
The moment my mom's slippers faded away at the stairwell, I was still huddled inside the wardrobe, my heart pounding louder than the drumbeats of the square dance downstairs.
In the darkness, I touched my own lower lip, swollen from his kiss—scorching hot, slightly tingling, with a hint of mint.
That bastard Zhou Xu—kisses me and then shoves me into the closet?
Fine. He collected half the interest; I'll collect the other half.
Holding my breath, I pushed the wardrobe door open a crack. The hallway light was off, leaving only a sliver of warm yellow light seeping through the gap beneath his door.
Barefoot, I tiptoed across the floor, silently creeping toward that beam of light.
2
The door wasn't locked.
I turned the knob, opening it just a palm's width, and heard him talking on the phone inside—
"...Yes, Auntie, don't worry. I'll make sure she drinks her warm milk. The seven o'clock bus tomorrow? Okay, I'll take you to the airport."
His tone was sweet and obedient, like a model neighborly big brother.
If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, who would have guessed that just ten minutes ago, this very "model" exterior had pinned me against the sink and kissed me until I couldn't breathe?
Fury flared in my chest. As soon as he hung up, I shoved the door open and stormed in—
3
Zhou Xu had just put down his phone when he turned and saw me standing in the doorway, wrapped in a towel, hair dripping, and radiating pure hostility.
He visibly froze for half a second, his gaze tracing the path from my bare feet up to my collarbone, then shifting to—
I immediately pulled the towel up to cover my chest. "Close your eyes!"
He chuckled softly, not only refusing to close them but casually slipping one hand into his pocket while lifting the box of skewers from the coffee table with the other. He waved it at me. "Strawberry and yam skewers—your favorite. Want some?"
Me: "..."
Oh my god, how does he always manage to hit my weak spot in a second?
The aroma wafted straight into my nose, and my stomach made a pathetic gurgling sound.
Zhou Xu's eyes crinkled into a charming smile: "You haven't paid off your debt yet, and you think you can just run? Eat first, then we'll talk about the rest."
4
In the end, a strawberry yam lured me into the room.
The door clicked shut behind me.
My heart fluttered at the soft sound—it was over. I'd walked right into the trap.
Zhou Xu placed the box on the desk, then casually pulled a dry towel over my head, gently rubbing it. "Dry off first. Don't catch a cold."
Muffled by the towel, my voice sounded like a hollow drum: "Zhou Xu, you went too far just now."
"Which part?" he asked innocently. "Kissing you, or shoving you into the closet?"
"Both were over the line!"
"Then you get a punishment," he murmured, his voice low and laced with a playful hook. "Let me kiss it away, okay?"
I yanked the towel off my head, about to curse at him, only to plunge into his eyes brimming with laughter.
Those eyes, still damp with bathroom mist clinging to his lashes, shimmered like a shattered pool of stars under the light.
My breath caught in my throat, my resolve crumbling like shattered glass.
5
Suddenly, he raised his hand, his thumb brushing lightly against the corner of my lips. "Still swollen. Sorry. I'll be gentler next time."
Boom—
My mind exploded like fireworks.
Who needs a next time with him!
I turned to grab the door handle, but he beat me to it, pressing his palm against the door panel, trapping me between him and the door.
"Xia Li," his voice lowered, tinged with a hint of coaxing, "every word I said in the bathroom just now—I meant every single one."
My back pressed against the cold door panel, his scorching chest right in front of me. Trapped with no escape, I lifted my chin defiantly. "Which part?"
"I like you."
Four words, spoken softly like a sigh, yet they slammed hard against my heart.
My mouth opened, my throat parched. "But... but when we were kids, you called me a slug..."
"Yeah. Back then, I wanted to kidnap that snot-nosed kid and keep her forever."
He lowered his head, his forehead touching mine, his voice even softer: "Now I don't want to keep you as a pet. I want to marry you. Will you let me?"
6
My brain completely shut down.
Zhou Xu suddenly smiled, like a child who'd pulled off a prank. He stepped back half a pace and pressed the skewered meat into my hand: "Eat first. Think it over slowly. I'll wait for you."
I lowered my head and bit into the sweet potato, its sweetness making me tremble. I could hear my own heartbeat pounding deafeningly.
As soon as I finished one skewer, he reached over, wiped the sugar from my lips with his fingertip, and casually popped it into his own mouth.
I was cooked right there on the spot.
7
After eating my fill, my rationality finally kicked in.
"My mom leaves at seven tomorrow," I cleared my throat. "Are you... really going to see her off?"
"Yeah, it's on my way." He paused, lifting his eyes. "While Uncle and Aunt are away, I'll look after you."
Take care of me?
A flood of unspeakable thoughts raced through my mind.
As if reading my mind, he flicked my forehead with a finger, amused. "What are you thinking? Just the usual stuff—meals, rides, helping with homework."
I covered my forehead and muttered under my breath, "I hope that's all it is..."
Zhou Xu raised an eyebrow, leaning in slightly. "If you're not satisfied, we can always upgrade."
"...No thanks!"
I shoved him away and scurried back to the door, my hand on the handle before turning back. "Zhou Xu, I'll collect the interest another day. You better be ready."
He slipped one hand into his pocket, his smile both mischievous and gentle. "I'll be waiting."
8
Back in my room, I slid down the doorframe onto the floor, covering my face and screaming silently.
My phone flashed—
Z·X: [Strawberry yam is sweet, but you're sweeter.]
Z·X: [Goodnight, little snot-nose.]
I buried my face in my knees, but the corners of my mouth curled upward wildly.
—It's over, Xia Li. You're completely done for.