Chapter 144 - 131: A Long-awaited Date

Chapter 144: Chapter 131: A Long-awaited Date

Lin Zhengran spoke up as well. "It’s been a long time since we last wandered the streets together with no real purpose, hasn’t it?"

Jiang Xueli looked up at him, her pigtails bouncing gently with every step.

"Yeah, I think we pretty much stopped going out together after we started junior high. Ever since He Qing came along, it was always the group of us. We never went out just by ourselves."

Lin Zhengran: "I don’t really notice it since I see you all the time, but thinking back, I realize you’ve really changed since we were kids. You’re much prettier now, and a lot calmer too."

Jiang Xueli hadn’t expected him to compliment her so directly.

A blush crept onto her cheeks as she lowered her head slightly.

"N-Not really... Although, I guess I might have gotten a little prettier. People started confessing to me in high school... remember I told you during military training? They’d say I was cute and want to chat and get to know me. But, besides you, I don’t feel anything for anyone else."

She said softly, "Back then, I would’ve rather just watched you from a distance in class than waste my time talking to them."

Lin Zhengran glanced at her.

"We should come out and hang out like this more often. Back then, I was always pushing you and He Qing to practice singing and Taekwondo because your fundamentals weren’t strong. Now that you’ve built a solid foundation, the rest will be much easier. We can make plenty of time to relax and unwind like we are today."

"Okay, I’d like that," Jiang Xueli said with a smile, then asked out of the blue, "By the way, Zhengran... are you happy when you’re with me?"

"Hm?"

She looked away, embarrassed.

"I don’t know how it is for you, but I’m so happy every single day I’m with you. Like right now, we’re just walking and not doing anything, but I feel so joyful... And before, whenever we were going to be alone together—even if it was just practicing singing in my room—I’d get so excited I’d wake up extra early in the morning."

She recalled how she was practically a bundle of nerves every day:

"I’d be up at the crack of dawn getting things ready, just hoping you’d come over sooner and nap on my bed. And speaking of which! When I always said I didn’t like you lying on my bed... that was a lie. I actually love how comfortable and casual you are around me."

She turned her head to look at Lin Zhengran. "Because it shows how close we are, like we can do whatever we want without holding back... In other people’s eyes, it must have looked like we were a couple."

Lin Zhengran stared at Jiang Xueli in surprise. Jiang Xueli pressed her small lips together, then slowly broke into a wide, happy grin, her eyes curving into crescents.

"But I never thought we’d actually become a couple one day, that you’d become my boyfriend. It all feels like a dream."

"Actually, I’ve thought you’d be my girlfriend for a long time now."

Her eyes flew open, her gaze trembling.

Lin Zhengran said, "Because I’m really happy when I’m with you, too."

She studied him as if in a daze, then let out a sudden cough, not daring to meet his gaze any longer. She looked away again. "W-Well, what a coincidence. I guess that means we really are... a match made in heaven."

Lin Zhengran held out his hand.

After a moment of silence from Lin Zhengran, Jiang Xueli turned and saw him holding out his hand.

It only took her a split second to understand what he meant.

She stared at his handsome, outstretched hand in disbelief.

Her small, pale hand twitched, then slowly rose to rest in his palm.

The moment their hands touched, Lin Zhengran closed his fingers around hers.

Jiang Xueli slowly bit her lip.

A phone alarm went off. Lin Zhengran pulled his phone from his pocket and checked the time.

"Time’s up."

"Time’s up? What time is up?" Jiang Xueli thought he meant their date was over, but they had only just started holding hands.

But then she saw Lin Zhengran pull two movie tickets from his pocket.

They were tickets for the 10:30 showing of the romance movie.

"It’s time for the movie. I guessed you’d be sleepy during the earlier show—you had dark circles under your eyes this morning, after all. So I went ahead and bought tickets for this showing instead, the 10:30 one. If we head over now, the timing will be perfect."

He asked, feigning ignorance, "So, you wanna go?"

Jiang Xueli stared at the tickets—for the very movie she’d been wanting to see since yesterday.

She couldn’t hold it in and let out a laugh. Her vibrant eyes were fixed on Lin Zhengran, one hand held in his, the other clasped behind her back.

She playfully scolded him, "You big dummy~ Of course we’re going!"

Lin Zhengran held her hand and quickened his pace toward the movie theater.