22.
I found Lục Từ Niên at the bend in the hallway.
“Lục Từ Niên!”
He stopped in his tracks and turned around, a gentle smile blooming on his lips, his eyes sparkling as they reflected my small figure.
“Nhiếp…”
The rest of his sentence suddenly vanished. His eyes widened as he looked around innocently, then he opened his mouth again, just about to let out a “woof.”
Footsteps sounded behind us.
I hurried over, pushed Lục Từ Niên into a secluded corner, and clapped a hand over his mouth.
The two people behind us picked up their pace and gradually disappeared down the hallway.
I breathed a sigh of relief and looked into Lục Tiểu Hà’s innocent puppy-dog eyes, stifling a laugh.
Where did I even come up with that?
The light at the bend in the hallway was dim. I could faintly hear the commotion from the banquet room through the wall, but there wasn’t another footstep in sight.
I relaxed a little. Lục Tiểu Hà let me hold him in the secluded corner, blinking up at me.
Lục Từ Niên had drunk quite a bit tonight. The strong smell of alcohol hit me right in the face.
A little puppy, drunk as a skunk.
The endearing phrase made my lips curl into a small smile. I rose onto my tiptoes, about to kiss his cheek out of habit.
In an instant, he suddenly dodged.
The soft sensation struck me like lightning.
The man’s sharp eyes lit up for an instant, then grew hazy again as his usual cold demeanor settled over him once more.
He lowered his eyes and looked straight into mine.
So close.
So close that we could see nothing but each other in our eyes, our breaths mingling, the sensation still lingering on our lips.
My heart skipped a beat, and I instinctively tried to step back.
The warmth of his hand on my waist seeped through my clothes, burning hot. His other hand cradled my head, and before I could react, he gently brushed his lips against mine.
My eyes flew open.
The taste of alcohol spread through my mouth, carrying a sweet hint of mint.
My mind was like a machine pushed past its limits; in that moment, it could no longer function.
I let him lead my senses.
I panted, resting my forehead against his chest, my mind buzzing as if it might explode.
Lục Từ Niên’s arm around my waist didn’t loosen.
He said nothing, burying his face in my shoulder.
We both became shy little mushrooms, bowing our heads.
“…Tiểu Hà?”
“No.”
The man’s voice was husky, tinged with a vague hint of desire.
My face flushed bright red.
“I’m sorry.”
I suddenly lifted my head. “Why are you apologizing?”
“Just now… I kissed you without asking.”
His hand tightened around my waist.
“I’m sorry.”
“Why did you kiss me?”
My mind was blank, and I blurted the question right at Lục Từ Niên.
The hallway suddenly felt stifling. Lục Từ Niên loosened his hold on me.
I waited for a while, hearing only the soft music drifting from the banquet hall in the distance.
“This isn’t the right time.”
He spoke softly, not to answer me, but as if talking to himself.
“At first, I meant to find a proper occasion to tell you.”
“But I can’t wait any longer.”
“What?”
I couldn’t make out what he said next.
“I can’t wait any longer.”
“Tiểu Khê.”
He leaned down and murmured each word in my ear, calling my name with aching tenderness.
He raised his head and looked straight into my eyes, countless stars sparkling in his gaze.
The smile at the corners of his eyes swept away his coldness. His gaze was gentler than the clouds in the sky.
“I like you.”
“Tiểu Khê, I like you.”
The planets in the universe exploded one by one, turning into countless sparkling stars that glittered in my mind.
It took all my strength to find my voice again.
“I like you too.”
23
In the mirror, my swollen red lips looked accusingly at me.
The culprit stood beside me, an innocent smile still touched by the haze of alcohol. Lục Từ Niên hadn’t stopped smiling all evening.
“What should we do?”
Lục Từ Niên shook his head vigorously.
“Let’s not go back.”
“What?”
“Text them and say we’re leaving early.”
Drunk, Lục Từ Niên had become quite rebellious.
“On our first day together, do you really have to go back and entertain all those drunk people?”
I almost laughed at the absurdity of it. “Aren’t you drunk too?”
He suddenly reached out and took my hand, lacing his fingers with mine.
“It’s different.”
“How is it different?”
He thought about it seriously for a moment.
“You said you’d take responsibility for me.”
“So…”
“Let’s run away together.”
24
I really did run away with Lục Từ Niên.
He was too drunk to drive, and when I offered to drive, he pulled me back.
“I want to take a walk with you,” the man said with a roguish look.
“Don’t argue with a drunk,” I told myself.
The two of us walked through the city together. The streets shimmered with nighttime lights, and the dry breeze brushed our faces. Everything felt peaceful and still.
Shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand, we strolled down the street.
“When did you start liking me?”
I suddenly asked.
“Back in high school, I guess. I was always hearing the teachers praise you. The physics teacher praised you a lot.”
“I saw you in the office a few times, too. You even helped explain the lessons to me. You made everything so clear.”
“You liked me back then?”
“No,” Lục Từ Niên said honestly, shaking his head. “I just thought you were really good at it.”
“One time, I was running laps on the track and lost my ID card. I was in a hurry to get something to eat, and you chased me until you caught up, then gave it back to me.”
“The sun was setting that day, and its light fell on your face. When you smiled, you looked so warm.”
“Suddenly, my heart started beating so fast.”
“Then why didn’t you confess to me?”
I teased him with a laugh.
“Because… you were so wonderful, beautiful, and smart, and you always had lots of people around you. I heard that a lot of people wrote you love letters, but you turned them all down.”
He paused for a moment.
“I… was too dull back then. Really boring.”
“Later, when we were in college, I ran into you again at the school gate. You greeted me, and I felt like I was dreaming.”
“Then later, you came to our company…”
He lowered his head, the corners of his lips curling into a tender smile. “I’ve used up all the luck I’ll ever have.”
Lục Từ Niên smiled, dimples appearing in both cheeks. He looked incredibly sweet.
I was a little stunned. “No.”
“What?”
“It wasn’t luck.” I reached up and pressed a finger into his dimple, then said seriously, “Why do you think I deliberately joined your company?”
Lục Từ Niên stared at me blankly. A few seconds later, as if overwhelmed by an immense happiness, he said, “Don’t tell me…”
“That’s right.”
I smiled and nodded.
“I’ve liked you for years, too.”
25
Lục Từ Niên and I made our relationship official, and every day we were lost in sweet romance.
It was a few days before I realized that Lục Từ Niên hadn’t switched bodies with Lục Tiểu Hà for a while.
One evening, as Lục Từ Niên held me and read, I brought up whether we should go see the spirit medium again. He paused, then suddenly changed the subject:
“That day, when you went to that temple, you went to pray for love, didn’t you?”
“That’s right.”
“What were you hoping to pray for?”
Was he setting a trap for me or what!?
“You already know, so why ask?” I grumbled, lightly punching his shoulder. He looked into my eyes, then suddenly understood and smiled tenderly:
“That temple is famous for answering prayers for love.”
“When I heard what you said that day, it suddenly clicked.”
“Before you went there, I’d already visited that temple and prayed for love, too.”
Lục Từ Niên’s brows arched, making his meaning clear.
“All I’m saying is…”
“Our fate was written in the stars.”
Flowers seemed to bloom all around me in an instant.
“Then we have to go thank the Bodhisattva!”
I suddenly remembered.
Lục Từ Niên tapped me lightly on the forehead. “Let’s go this weekend.”
I nodded eagerly, then suddenly remembered something else:
“Then why did you always ask me about work during my free time?”
His expression changed, as if he didn’t want to answer.
I took his hand and gave it a gentle shake.
“Because… I wanted to talk to you.” His face took on an almost childlike innocence, like a boy just falling in love who had no idea what to do.
“But I didn’t know what to say. Every time I heard your voice, I got nervous… I couldn’t think of anything to say. I could only talk normally when we were discussing work.”
I stared at him for a moment, then burst out laughing, clutching my stomach.
“W-what are you laughing at?”
He looked a little flustered and kind of silly.
“You’re so cute.” I stifled my laughter, suddenly wrapped my arms around his neck, and kissed him on the cheek.
My sudden move startled Lục Từ Niên. His ears turned bright red, and he gently kissed me on the forehead in return.
26
The person I fell in love with at first sight had finally become the one who would spend the rest of my life with me.
Lục Từ Niên and I had secretly loved each other, but we’d both been too timid for so many years.
Luckily, even fate was on our side.
—The End—