Chen Yu Ying didn’t insist, she just smiled and pursed her freshly touched-up lips, and said softly, "But you still have to go back to school with Wanqiu and Bufan tonight, right?"

"Or," her eyes twinkled mischievously, "are you planning to ditch them and take Uncle Zhuang’s car back with me? I can’t guarantee my dad won’t randomly decide to pick me up, or that we won’t bump into him under my apartment."

"I have my ways." Faced with Chen Yu Ying’s "threat," Lin Li just smiled lightly.

A little threat, funny and laughable.

...

After dinner, as planned, the five of them went to a nearby mall to hang out and play, and everyone except Ding Sihan bought a small gift.

They then returned to the back door of the church and handed them over to the lady under the Christmas tree, to participate in the gift exchange activity.

"How about we look for Ying Bao’s lipstick now, if it’s not in the restaurant, it must have fallen around here," Ding Sihan suddenly suggested, after putting away the proof of participation.

"No need." Chen Yu Ying restrained the urge to look back at Lin Li, shook her head at Ding Sihan, "It’s a waste of time, let’s not miss the movie, just pretend I don’t want it and throw it in the trash can."

"Rich lady is indeed rich, how generous," Ding Sihan praised.

"Indeed." The trash can itself agreed.

At the cinema, the five of them sat in a row with Lin Li still surrounded on both sides.

The lights dimmed, and the screen started showing advertisements.

Lin Li stared at the screen, but his mind had already drifted to the soft lips slightly pursed beside him — meaning Chen Yu Ying on the right, Bufan on the left could roll away.

The plan during dinner, meant this moment now.

Lin Li turned his head, suddenly bringing his cheek and ear close to Chen Yu Ying, along with a puzzled inquiry:

"Monitoress, what did you just say?"

Chen Yu Ying was taken aback, her lips slightly parted, she looked at Lin Li in confusion, "I didn’t say anything..."

"Oh."

Lin Li nodded.

Something cold poked her left hand, Chen Yu Ying looked down to find her own stolen lipstick.

"This..." Chen Yu Ying wanted to tease a little, but just as she began to speak, she was interrupted—

"Monitoress, what did you just say?"

Lin Li’s cheek approached with his words.

Chen Yu Ying blinked.

Now she couldn’t possibly not understand.

A faint blush spread across her cheeks, Chen Yu Ying turned to the other side, where Ding Sihan was leaning towards Qu Wanqiu, whispering to each other.

Noticing Chen Yu Ying’s gaze, she leaned in again and whispered, "What’s going on?"

"Nothing." Chen Yu Ying shook her head.

Ding Sihan raised a middle finger.

Chen Yu Ying didn’t even need to look back to guess that Lin Li beside her was making faces at Ding Sihan, possibly having been the first to stick up a middle finger.

But because of this, Lin Li returned to a normal distance, leaning against the chair back of the cinema.

Soon, the movie officially began.

For a moment, Chen Yu Ying found it difficult to focus on the movie’s content, as her gaze moved almost imperceptibly, but she found that Lin Li’s face was far from her because he was talking to Bai Bufan.

They must, must...be talking, right.

It couldn’t be...

Chen Yu Ying thought such a thing between boys was inappropriate (•́へ•́╬)!

She had overthought it because Lin Li quickly leaned back towards her, repeating his signature line:

"Monitoress, what did you just say?"

Robot Lin Li could only say this line.

This time, it seemed an answer was needed, as Lin Li patiently maintained a perfectly posed stance, waiting.

But truthfully, many things are either zero times or countless times.

Once you’ve taken the first step, there’s no obstacle to lifting your leg again.

Even though Chen Yu Ying felt her heartbeat seemingly overwhelming the cinema’s background sound, her emotions tumbling, in reality, the hesitation lasted only a fleeting second.

Her fingers quietly grasped Lin Li’s sleeve, like finding a floating piece of wood in an unseen corner, and then, she quickly tilted her chin up slightly.

The feel of the lip gloss was wet and cool, as light as a feather brushing across spring water.

"I meant this..."

Chen Yu Ying quickly pulled back, her equivocal explanation as light as a whisper.

But in the dimness, Lin Li could still make out the shimmering water in her eyes, where shyness and indulgence intertwined.

The lingering softness and sweet fragrance on his cheek felt more uplifting than a hymn in the church, Lin Li thought.

All right then.

Turning slightly, Lin Li, in the interplay of light and shadow on the screen, precisely grasped Chen Yu Ying’s hand hidden under her sleeve.

Chen Yu Ying was also satisfied, gently gazing at Lin Li’s profile for a moment, then turning her focus to the movie, until——

"Monitoress, what did you just say?"

Chen Yu Ying: "..."

It’s only been a minute, hey.