Once the movie started, the theater was engulfed in darkness. Xu Ke was engrossed in the film when suddenly, Shen Mu tightly gripped her right hand which was resting on her knee. Caught off guard, she almost screamed. Looking sideways, he was watching the screen with a serious expression, as if the hand wasn’t his. She tried to pull her hand away, but he was too strong; her hand didn’t budge. She was getting anxious, her movements becoming more pronounced, and Yin Wancheng seemed to notice something, glancing over. She quickly stopped moving, pretending to be absorbed in the movie. Shen Mu smiled slightly, looking nonchalant. This infuriated her even more, and she tried to pull her hand away again. Yin Wancheng looked over once more. Catching his movement from the corner of her eye, she stopped immediately. After several rounds of this, she was exhausted and had lost interest in the movie. In a huff, she stood up. Shen Mu stood up as well, thankfully releasing her hand. “I’m going to the restroom,” she whispered, and left the cinema hall, crouching. Unexpectedly, Shen Mu followed her out. Xu Ke was speechless, standing in the corridor, glaring at him. “What were you doing just now?” “Nothing, just holding your hand.” Xu Ke was at a loss for words, “You, you’re acting like a hooligan.” Shen Mu chuckled, then after a while, seriously asked, “Do you want to call the police?” Xu Ke was at a loss with his shamelessness. At that moment, her phone vibrated. She took it out to see it was Lin Ge calling. After a moment’s hesitation, she answered. “Xiao Ke, I often think these days, if I were rich enough to buy three houses—one for us, one for mom, and one for Lin Yao, would we have not broken up?” His voice was low, filled with deep sorrow and helplessness, as if talking in his sleep. Xu Ke felt a pang in her heart, remaining silent. Their breakup was so sudden and helpless, involving the most mundane and trivial matters, dissecting love into fragments. Thinking of Li Pingyu and Lin Yao’s attitudes when she moved out, she realized that even if financial issues were resolved, their characters and personalities were fundamentally unchangeable. However, she didn’t want to say these things; he had mentioned he couldn’t choose his family, so she didn’t want to comment on his family, still wanting to respect his dignity. “Xiao Ke, with money, people can live more freely, keep happiness. Right?” Xu Ke sighed, “Many things in this world aren’t just about money.” She didn’t value money highly, but she had encountered his family who did. Many conflicts erupted around this reality, which was unbearable. Lin Ge’s voice choked up, “Xiao Ke, these two years, I owe you a lot. Whenever you need me, I’ll always be here.” Xu Ke, holding back her sadness, said slowly, “Lin Ge, in the years to come, you’ll be like family to me.” After hanging up, she felt empty inside. Perhaps, having been suppressed for too long during their relationship, the pain of the breakup was mixed with a sense of relief and liberation. She even began to doubt if she really loved Lin Ge, or if she loved an illusion, seeking a peaceful, harmonious life. The breakup with Lin Ge was indeed painful, but not as heart-wrenching as when Shen Mu had deceived her, leaving her in despair, as if the whole world had turned dark with one word from him, devoid of any light or warmth. Shen Mu was silent for a moment, then softly said, “Although I anticipated this outcome, I still don’t want you to be sad.” Xu Ke understood what he meant. Recalling their previous encounters, his tone had always been certain, predicting she wouldn’t stay with Lin Ge. Why was he so sure? She asked subconsciously, “What do you know?” “I know everything about you. I didn’t come to you immediately after returning because I thought he could make you happy. But after understanding the situation, as an outsider, I see clearly.” She felt inexplicably annoyed, “Did you investigate me?” He paused, “Not an investigation, just concern. Then, I couldn’t let go, couldn’t be at ease.” At that moment, the corridor was quiet, with just the two of them. He looked into her eyes as if trying to peer into her soul or to send his intentions into her heart. This gaze made her sigh internally. Meeting his gaze, she whispered, “Shen Mu, we can’t go back.” He remained silent, still staring intently at her. For a moment, the corridor was as quiet as a night in the deep mountains. She said slowly, “Six years, such a long time. We’ve both changed a lot, we can’t keep our feelings stuck in the past. Maybe, you’re driven by guilt or a sense of responsibility, but it’s unnecessary.” He squinted, then earnestly said, “Fine, let’s start over. Tonight, consider it our first meeting.” Xu Ke was taken aback; she hadn’t expected him to say that. His determined gaze, so similar to that night, reminded her of how he always went after what he wanted with all his might, rarely failing. At that moment, she felt like she was being drawn into his gaze. She avoided his eyes, bit her lip, and walked past him. During the movie, she watched it absentmindedly, keeping her hands in her pockets to prevent another surprise attack, sweating in her palms. After the movie, the three went to the hospital to check on Shao Yiping’s condition, then drove back to Rong Di. Upon entering, Shen Mu asked Yin Wancheng, “Wancheng, there are guest rooms on both the first and third floors, which one do you prefer?” “Hmm, mom will definitely find it more convenient on the first floor when she comes back, I’ll stay on the first floor too.” “Okay, then rest early.” As he said this, he turned to Xu Ke with a smile, “Xiao Ke, shall we go upstairs to rest?”
Why did his words sound so ambiguous? She quickly ascended the stairs and entered her room. After a while, Shen Mu knocked and came in. Xu Ke was sitting on the bed, sorting her clothes. She looked up and casually asked, “What’s up?” He approached with his hands behind his back, first giving her a smile, then placing several pieces of lingerie on her bed, and solemnly said, “Frugality is a virtue, it’s a shame to throw these away.” Xu Ke glanced at them, her face immediately flushed; these were the lingerie he had given her last time. After delivering them, he didn’t leave but pointed at the lingerie and said, “I’ve never chased a girl, so I’m not good at giving gifts. But I think these are very practical. Look, they have lace, so even if you bend over or show some cleavage, you won’t be exposed.” Unable to bear it any longer, Xu Ke, her face flushed, snapped, “Shen Mu, get out.” He was a bit baffled, got up, and walked out, but at the door, he turned back and said, “Call me if you need anything.” Xu Ke gritted her teeth, “I’m fine.” He closed the door and left.
Xu Ke haphazardly stuffed the pile of lingerie into the wardrobe, feeling both amused and annoyed. He said he had never chased a girl, which was true. She remembered often finding pink letters in the mailbox and receiving calls from girls looking for him. The funniest incident was when a girl and Mo Xiaoxiao became instant friends, only for the girl to show her true colors, which made Mo Xiaoxiao furious. Being as outstanding as he was, Shen Mu naturally attracted many women, so he never had to put effort into chasing girls; instead, he found dealing with rejections more troublesome. However, even so, gifting lingerie was quite thoughtful; he even considered the possibility of exposure, which was quite… exasperating.
