Chapter 145: Love-Struck Date

hestrawberry-toppedcreampuffwasscoopedupgentlywithaspoon.

WenYuzhitookabite.iseyesnarrowedslightly,andthesoftredtipofhistongueslippedoutfrombetweenhislipstolickawaythecreamthathadstucktothecornerofhismouth.

Andintheprocess,thelipsbrushedbythattongueinevitablybecamedamp,thefull,softcurveofhislowerlipgleamingwithawaterysheen.

zeersatacrossfromtheyoungman.

Betweenthemwasonlyasmallroundtable.twasnotlarge,onlyaboutanarm’slengthwide.

Whichalsomeanttheyweresittingveryclosetogether.

owclose?

Closeenoughthatfromwherehesat,hecouldseeWenYuzhiparthislipsandrevealglimpsesofthetonguehiddeninside.

Closeenoughthatthemomentheliftedhiseyes,hewouldseetheotherperson’sface—thatexquisitelybeautifulfacewithdelicatefeatures.

versincetheyenteredthecafé,thesurroundingglancescasttowardthem,whetherintentionalornot,hadneverstopped.

heywerecurrentlysittinginsideacafébythestreet.

riginally,theshophadnotbeenverycrowded.

ButafterWenYuzhisatbythewindowfacingthestreet,businesssuddenlyseemedtoimprove.

Customerscontinuouslywalkedin.heyorderedcoffeeordesserts,buttheirattentionwasnotonthefoodinfrontofthem.nstead,theysecretlylookedtowardWenYuzhi.

ookedatthatlittlebeautywhowasalmostabsurdlypretty.

Yetnomatterhowtemptedtheywere,theyonlydaredtowatchfromafar.oneofthemtrulydaredapproachandstrikeupaconversation.

Becausebeforetheycouldgetclosetothelittlebeauty,therewerealreadytallbodyguardsstationednearby.

heirexpressionswerecold.heauraaroundthemwassharpandimposing,filledwithpressure.heywerefartoodifferentfromordinarybodyguards,morelikesoldierswhohadundergonemilitarytraining.

nelookwasenoughtoknowtheywerenotpeopletoprovoke.

Andunderthosecircumstances,thefactthatzeerwasqualifiedtositacrossfromWenYuzhimadehimstandoutespeciallysharply.

Countlessjealousandenviousgazeslandedonhim.

hosepeopledesperatelywantedtoknowwhatexactlywassoattractiveaboutthisutterlyordinary-lookingguythathehadbeenfortunateenoughtoearnaseatacrossfromthelittlebeauty.

Someofthemevensecretlythoughtthathelookeddullandboring.Perhapsthelittlebeautywouldsoongrowtiredofhim.

Yetdespitebeingstaredatbysomanydissatisfiedeyes,zeer’sattentionremainedfixedontheyoungmanacrossfromhim.

verythingelsearoundhimwasunimportant.

WenYuzhihadalreadyfinishedonecreampuff.Whenhelookedup,herealizedthatzeerstillseemedtobestaringathim.

heyoungmanblinkedslowly.

“stheresomethingonmyface?”

zeerhadoriginallyintendedtosayno.

Butwhenhethoughtofallthepeopleinsidethecaféwatchingthem,thewordschangedatthelastsecondforreasonsevenhedidnotunderstand.

isvoicecameoutlowandrough.

“hereis...”

“Where?”

WenYuzhiwantedtolookforamirror,butzeerhadalreadystoodup.

eleanedacrossmostofthetableandgentlytouchedtheyoungman’scheekwithhisfingers.

hatpaleskinwassoft,likecotton.Withtheslightestpressure,hisfingertipsankfaintlyintoit.

nthepast,thesehandshadtouchedweaponsmorethananythingelse.isfingertipswereroughwithcallusesleftbehindfromyearsofholdingguns.

hiswasthefirsttimehehadtouchedsomethingsosoftanddelicate.

Comparedtoit,hisownhandsseemedunbearablyrough.

zeerhadtotensehisbody.erestrainedthestrengthinhishandsasmuchaspossible.

WenYuzhiwasstillwaitingforhimtoremovewhateverhadgottenontohisface.

Completelyunaware,theyoungmantilteduphisdelicatepaleface,utterlyobliviousthatthisintimatetouchwasonlyaclumsyexcuse.

Whentheskinofhischeekwasbrushedbythecallusedfingertips,WenYuzhishrankbackslightlywithsensitivity.

“ttickles...”

heyoungmanmumbledsoftly,hislashestremblingastheylowered.

hatsinglesentencesnappedzeerbacktohimselffromthesoftnessbeneathhisfingers.

Feelingthesurroundingstaresthatseemedreadytopiercethroughhim,zeerpretendedhehadalreadywipedawaywhateverwasonWenYuzhi’sfaceandcalmlywithdrewhishand.

“Alldone.”

Whenhespokeagain,hislowvoicesoundedfaintlyhoarse.

“sitcleannow?”

WenYuzhitouchedhischeek.Withoutamirror,hehadnoideawhatwasactuallyonhisfaceandcouldonlyaskzeer.

Attheyoungman’squestion,zeer’sgazenaturallyfellbackontohisface.

iseyespausedwherehehadjusttouchedhim.

zeerknewWenYuzhi’sskinwasdelicate.ehadfeltitfromthatbriefcontact.

Buthehadnotexpectedthatasimpletouchwouldleavebehindafaintmark.

Alittlerednessbloomedagainstthepale,delicateskin,likeablushspreadingacrosshischeek,makingthealreadybeautifulyoungmanevenmorestunning.

zeer’sthoughtsbecametangled.

“here’snothingleft.t’scleannow.”

WenYuzhihadnoideahowcomplicatedzeer’sthoughtswereatthatmoment.

ewasstillfocusedonthedesserts.

arlierhehadalreadyeatenthecakezeermade,sohewasnotespeciallyhungryanymore.

twasjust...

WenYuzhilookedatthedessertinfrontofhimself,thenattheuntouchedsliceofcakeinfrontofzeer.

venthoughhehadnotfinishedhisownyet,hehadalreadystartedcravingsomeoneelse’sfood.

estaredatthebeautifullycoloredmintchocolatecakeandthoughtthathehadnottriedthatflavoryettoday...

Maybe...justonelittlebite?

hinkingthis,WenYuzhisoftenedhistoneandaskedtentatively,“Cantryyours?”

hen,worriedthatzeermightmisunderstand,hehurriedlyadded,“’lluseacleanfork.absolutelywon’tdirtyyourcake.justwanttotastewhatthisflavorislike...”

fthishadbeenamongtheSaintClan,wheneverWenYuzhitriedtopickatnewfoodbeforefinishingwhatwasalreadyinfrontofhim,MansendisandMondwouldneverindulgesuchabadhabit.

Butsittingacrossfromhimnowwaszeer.

isteningtoWenYuzhi’ssoftenedvoicethatsoundedalmostlikehewasactingspoiled...

zeerfellsilentforamoment.

ntheend,hestillcouldnotresist.

“Youcan,”hesaid.

owitwasWenYuzhi’sturntostandup.

heyoungmanslowlyleanedforward.

Closer.

Closer.

othepeoplearoundthem,itlookedexactlylikeWenYuzhiwasleaningovertokisszeer.

“!!!!”

heireyesnearlyturnedredwithjealousy.

YetonlytheSaintClanroyalguardsstandingnearbyandzeerhimselfknewthatWenYuzhihadmerelyleanedovertotastethecake.

herewasstilldistancebetweenthem.

heyhadnotactuallytouched.

“hisflavorisgoodtoo.”

Beforehehadevenswallowedthecake,WenYuzhiwasalreadypraisingiteagerly.

hroughhisslightlypartedlips,thesoftredtipofhistonguecouldstillbeseencurlingaroundabitofcream.

hatnarrowsoftmouth...

hepalecream...

hefaintwetsounds...

xpressionless,zeerpickedupthecuponthetableandforceddownahugemouthfuloficedcoffee.

Seeinghimdrinksoquickly,WenYuzhihurriedlywarnedhim,“Ah...!don’tthinkyouaddedsugartothatcoffee!”

“...”

“t’sfine,”zeersaidcalmly.“preferbitterthings.”

...R-Really?

WenYuzhilookedatthepitch-blackcoffeeinthecupandcouldnotimaginehowbittercoffeewithoutmilkorsugarmusttaste.

Andyetzeerhadswalloweditallinonego.

Assomeonewhoonlylikedsweetthings,WenYuzhiinstantlyfeltdeepadmirationforhim.

Meanwhile,zeerhadalreadystartedeatingthecakeinfrontofhim.

Perhapsbycoincidence,thefirstplaceheatefromwasexactlythegapwhereWenYuzhihadtakenabiteearlier.

hepalm-sizedcakedisappearedquickly.

heyalsodidnotstayinthecafémuchlonger.

Seeingtheshopbecomingmoreandmorecrowded—andthatallthosepeoplehadcomebecauseofWenYuzhi—zeersuggestedthatsinceWenYuzhihadeatenenough,theyshouldleaveandfreeuptheseats.

WenYuzhihadalreadyfullysatisfiedhisdessertcravingsfortheday,sonaturallyhehadnoobjections.

Aftertheycameoutside,WenYuzhilookedatthebustlingstreetandturnedtozeerbesidehim.

“Wherearewegoingnext?”

“here’saclawmachinearcadenearby.Doyouwanttoplay?”

WenYuzhiansweredwithouthesitation.

“Yes!”

Whenhewaslittle,WenCheandMadamJilanyahadtakenhimtoplayclawmachinesbeforetoo.

Butthosememorieshadbecometoodistant,andhehadforgottenmostofthedetails.

eonlyrememberedthat[]WenChehadwonhimthebiggestplushieinsidethemachine.

ater,though,WenXingyanhadruinedit.

WenYuzhihadcriedmiserably.

obehonest,thedollitselfhadbeenordinary.hemallhadonlyplacedthoseclawmachinestheretoattractcustomers.

aturally,thequalityhadnotbeenanythingspecial.tcouldnotcomparetothecustomdollsWenYuzhiowned.

ButbecauseDaddyhadwonitforhim,andbecausetheyhadgottenitwhilethewholefamilywasouttogether,thatdollcarriedspecialmeaningtohim.

SowhenWenXingyandestroyeditrightinfrontofhim,WenYuzhihadcriedforaverylongtime.

WenChecouldonlycomforthimbysayingthatinthefuture,hewouldwineveryplushieintheentiremallforhim.

Butintheend,thatpromisewasneverfulfilled.

Andnow,yearslater,standinginfrontofclawmachinesonceagain,WenYuzhiimmediatelysethiseyesonthelargestplushieinside.

Coincidentally,itwasalsoarabbitplushie,onethatlookedverysimilartotherabbithehadbackthen.

WenYuzhicouldnothelprepeatedlyglancingatit.

hosefrequentlookswerenaturallynoticedbyzeer,whohadbeenpayingattentiontohimtheentiretime.

“Doyoulikethatone?”heasked.

WenYuzhinoddedsoftly.

“wantit.”

zeersaidnothing.

eleftforamoment,andwhenhereturned,hewascarryinganentirebagfullofgametokens.

ewalkedtotheclawmachineandinsertedtwotokens.

hefirsttryfailed.

zeerdidnotlookanxiousatall.einsertedanothertwotokens.

histime,themechanicalclawimmediatelygrabbedtherabbitWenYuzhiwanted.

nbarelytheblinkofaneye,theplushieWenYuzhihadbeenlongingforwasalreadyinfrontofhim.

heyoungmanblinked,stillunabletobelieveit.

nlyafterhereachedoutandhuggedtheplushietightlydidWenYuzhifinallyreact.

“Yougotitjustlikethat?zeer,you’reamazing!”

WenYuzhi’stonewasfullofpurepraise.

epressedhischeekagainsttheplushieandlookedoverexcitedly.

zeer’searsstartedheatingupagainfromthatgaze.

ecoughedlightlyinanunnaturalway.

“t’sactuallynotthathard.Youjustneedtoknowthetrick...herearestillplentyoftokensleftinthebag.Seeifthere’sanythingelseyoulike.Wecanwinmore.”

WenYuzhitriedseveraltimeshimselfafterward.

efailedeverysingletime.

Meanwhile,zeersucceededeverysingletime.

ehadnochoicebuttoadmitthatclawmachinesalsorequiredtalent.

Andunfortunately,hewassomeonewhodidnotpossessthattalent.

Soafterward,WenYuzhisimplypointedoutwhichplushieshewanted,whilezeerwasresponsibleforwinningthem.

heykeptplayinglikethatuntilallthetokensweregone.

Bythen,theSaintClanroyalguardswereeachcarryingarmfulsoffluffyplushies.

Meanwhile,WenYuzhicontinuedhuggingthatenormousrabbitplushietheentiretime.

zeeralsoheldone.

herabbitswereapair—onewhiteandoneblack.

WenYuzhiheldthewhiteone.

zeerheldtheblackone.

Whenzeersaidhewantedtheblackrabbit,WenYuzhi,whoalreadyhadcountlessplushies,generouslygaveittohimimmediately.

WatchingWenYuzhihugthewhiterabbitwithobviousaffection,zeersuddenlyrememberedwhattheKingofSpadeshadsaidthatmorning.

“Youdresseduplikethistogoonadate?”

Whenhesawzeercarefullydressedandobviouslypreparingtogoout,theKingofSpadeshadimmediatelyrevealedameaningfulsmile.

zeerstillrememberedhisownanswer.

“’mjustgoingtomeetsomeone.”

Justmeetingsomeone,andyoudressedthatseriously?

fcoursetheKingofSpadeshadnotbelievedhim.

Andzeerhadnotbotheredexplainingbeforeleavingwiththecake.

nlynow,whenzeerthoughtbackoneverythingtheyhaddonetoday—

atingdessertstogether.

Shoppingtogether.

Buyingthingstogether.

Winningplushiestogether...

Allofthosewerethingscouplesdeeplyinlovedidwhiledating...

hinkingofthis,zeer’seyesdarkened.

epressedhislipstogether,butthesoundofhisheartbeatgrewlouderandlouder.

Atthatexactmoment,WenYuzhi,whohadbeenwalkingahead,suddenlyturnedaround.

Seeingzeersilentlywalkingbehindhim,hesimplyreachedoutandgrabbedhishand.

ookingattheirjoinedhands,zeercouldnothelpfallingintoabriefdaze.

Foramoment,hetrulyfeltasthoughtheyreallywereonadate.

owever,thehand-holdingdidnotlastlong.

heirrelationshipwasstillnotthatclose.

WenYuzhialsodidnotknowwhetherzeerwouldmindsuchsuddenphysicalcontact.

Soafterpullinghimforward,WenYuzhiquicklyreleasedhishand.

Afterthatsoftwarmthdisappeared,zeer’sfingersunconsciouslycurledinwardagainsthispalm.

othingshowedonhisface.

Butdeepinside,anindescribablesenseoflossroseuncontrollablywithinhim.