One second ago, Su Ci’s cheeks were puffed with anger. The next, her eyes overflowed with joy. She wrapped her jade-like arms around his neck, rubbing her head against his chin. “Can’t you be a little more proactive?”

Her hair brushed against his jaw, tickling him. Lu Zhe’s chin tensed, and the scent of the girl filled his nose.

The coldness in his voice shattered, replaced with indulgence. “Can’t you be a little more obedient?”

The girl loved to tease, always full of mischievous schemes, yet still made people helpless to resist.

Su Ci hugged him tighter, her laugh smug. “Nope.”

– – – ˗ˋˏ♡ˎˊ˗ – – –

The next day, Su Ci woke up early.

She changed into casual short sleeves and long pants, applied sunscreen, and prepared to go out with Lu Zhe to pick up Little Kuaile.

She had promised Little Kuaile that once he got his prosthetic installed and could walk, she would have Lu Zhe bring the two of them to the amusement park. Now that it was the holidays, it was the perfect time to fulfill that promise.

She opened her door and saw Lu Zhe standing there in casual clothes as well.

Normally, Lu Zhe wore his school uniform, but today he wore a full black outfit. His handsome face looked even paler and cooler, his expression calm — even more handsome than usual.

Su Ci felt her little heart beat a few times faster for no reason.

“Let’s head out.” Su Ci leaned closer to Lu Zhe. “I’ve never been to an amusement park. You have to take good care of me.”

She had heart disease when she was young and had never been to an amusement park. Even if she went, she couldn’t play much, and there was no one to accompany her. So, as a child, she never developed any particular longing for amusement parks.

The hard, cold lines of Lu Zhe’s profile softened a little. He said, “I haven’t been either.”

Su Ci tilted her head to look at him. “Then that’s perfect. It’s our first time.”

A faint smile hid in his pitch-black eyes. Lu Zhe allowed the girl to lean on him. “Mm.”

Little Kuaile knew he was going to the amusement park today. He woke up very early, packed his tiny backpack by himself — putting in his water bottle, tissues, and a small towel — then sat obediently in his small wheelchair, waiting for Su Ci and Lu Zhe to pick him up.

Boss Fang yawned, rubbed his son’s head, and reminded, “If you get tired from walking, or if your leg hurts, remember to tell your Zhe-gege, alright?” His son had only recently begun practicing walking and still needed time to adjust.

“I know.” Little Kuaile nodded obediently.

Just then, Su Ci and Lu Zhe pushed open the shop door and walked in.

“Ci-jiejie, Zhe-gege.” Little Kuaile’s big black eyes lit up.

“You’re here. This little guy woke up by himself at dawn and packed his bag to wait to go out,” Boss Fang said with a laugh. “I’ll leave him to you two. I’m going back to sleep for a while.”

“No problem. Let’s go, Little Kuaile.” Su Ci stepped forward to push his wheelchair. He still wasn’t suited to walking too much.

“Bye-bye, Papa.” Little Kuaile happily waved his little hand at Boss Fang.

Boss Fang nodded. “Mm, go on. Have fun.”

Seeing his son this happy made him happy too. But what he didn’t expect was — wasn’t Su Ci taken back by the Su family? How did she end up back here again?

Since it was the holidays, the amusement park was crowded, and all the attractions required waiting in line.

It was the first time for all three of them. Lu Zhe was composed, but Su Ci and Little Kuaile beside him both widened their dark eyes, unable to stop looking around.

“Lu Zhe, I want to play that one.” Su Ci pointed at the distant carousel. She was afraid of heights, so she didn’t dare ride anything too intense.

“I want to too.” Little Kuaile stared without blinking.

Lu Zhe instantly felt like he was taking two children out.

There weren’t many people waiting at the carousel, so it was quickly Su Ci’s and Little Kuaile’s turn.

After helping Little Kuaile onto a small colorful horse, Su Ci sat on the small white horse behind him. She waved toward Lu Zhe who stood outside the fence. “Make sure you take pretty pictures of me.”

In front, Little Kuaile piped up in his soft, milky voice, “Zhe-gege, Little Kuaile wants to look handsome.”

“Mm.” Lu Zhe looked at the girl in the camera, smiling as bright as a flower, and pressed the shutter.

After sending the photos to her phone, he deleted the message record.

Su Ci lifted Little Kuaile down. After coming out, she leaned close to Lu Zhe. “Did you take good ones?”

Lu Zhe returned her phone to her.

Su Ci eagerly opened her beauty shots. When she saw the photo, she couldn’t help complaining, “As expected of a straight guy, you made me look so fat.”

Lu Zhe looked at the girl in the photo — brows curved, overwhelmingly pretty — and didn’t see a single bit of “fat” anywhere.

“Luckily I’m beautiful enough to survive your straight-man photography skills.” Su Ci looked at it a few more times, then began praising herself again.

It was Little Kuaile’s first time riding a carousel, and he was so excited he could barely sit still, his big eyes shining almost as brightly as lightbulbs.

“Are you tired?” Lu Zhe opened Little Kuaile’s small wheelchair for him to sit back down.

Little Kuaile shook his head. “Zhe-gege, let’s play over there.” His tiny finger pointed toward the small children’s drop tower not far away.

“Mm.”

The weather was scorching. After accompanying Little Kuaile through several rides, Su Ci was exhausted.

She sat in the rest area, tugging on the hem of Lu Zhe’s shirt. “I want ice cream.”

Little Kuaile’s eyes lit up. He sucked in a bit of drool. “I… I want some too.”

“I’ll go buy it.” Lu Zhe had been taking care of both Su Ci and Little Kuaile the entire time without a single complaint.

There was a snack booth right beside the rest area selling drinks and ice cream.

Lu Zhe was tall and strikingly handsome, so while he stood in line he drew quite a few glances from nearby girls.

Su Ci narrowed her eyes slightly at the sight. She asked Little Kuaile beside her, “Is big sis pretty?”

“Pretty. Big sis is beautiful.” Three-and-a-half-year-old Little Kuaile already had excellent aesthetic sense.

“Is Lu Zhe-gege handsome?” Su Ci continued asking.

Little Kuaile nodded. “Handsome.” After saying that, he felt it wasn’t enough and added, “Super handsome.”

“Do big sis and Lu Zhe-gege look good standing together?”

Little Kuaile nodded again. “Good. Super good.”

Su Ci rubbed his head in satisfaction. “Little Kuaile has great taste.” Not like Lu Zhe — whose aesthetic sense was not within normal bounds.

After Su Ci finished her ice cream, she refused to walk around under the sun anymore. She had looked at the amusement park map — there was a cinema here.

“Let’s go watch a movie.” Coincidentally, there was a showing in ten minutes.

Little Kuaile had never watched a movie before and looked completely excited.

When the three entered the theater, it was almost full. Only seats in the last row were left.

Su Ci had to sit next to Lu Zhe, and since Lu Zhe needed to take care of Little Kuaile, he sat between them.

They were watching a 3D movie. After helping Little Kuaile put on the children’s 3D glasses, the lights dimmed and the movie began. Little Kuaile stared at the big screen, eyes wide and unblinking with excitement.

Lu Zhe turned back around, and right then, a small pale hand stretched toward him.

“Help me put them on too.” Su Ci handed her glasses to him.

Lu Zhe took the glasses, gently tucked the girl’s hair behind her ear, and then put the glasses on her.

The light from the screen fell across his face, making him look a little softer.

“All done.” Lu Zhe withdrew his hand.

The movie was a theme-park version of Beauty and the Beast. Little Kuaile watched with intense curiosity, his big eyes blinking nonstop.

On the other side, Su Ci was getting sleepy. Her arm rested against Lu Zhe’s on the shared armrest, absorbing the faint coolness of his skin. On a hot day like this, Lu Zhe was basically a block of ice.

Su Ci loved this fairy tale the most and knew the plot by heart. Lazily, she withdrew her gaze from the screen and looked toward Lu Zhe beside her.

The glow from the screen fell across the boy’s face. She looked at his sharply defined profile, his perfect jawline, and felt her heart stir.

Simply put, Su Ci propped her chin with one hand and seriously admired him.

Watching Lu Zhe was way more interesting than watching the movie.

Her burning gaze was impossible to ignore. Lu Zhe definitely felt it. He coughed uncomfortably, turned his head slightly, and told her, “Watch the movie.”

Su Ci shook her head. “The heroine isn’t as pretty as me. It’s boring.”

Lu Zhe: …

Just then, Su Ci noticed the couple sitting in front of them lean their heads together.

She looked up to the left — the couple there had already become kissing fish.

Her dark eyes brightened. Su Ci poked Lu Zhe’s arm.

The boy lowered his head, voice suppressed. “What is it?”

Su Ci licked her lips, a little excited. “Look, they’re all kissing.”

Lu Zhe lifted his gaze. Sure enough, the girl’s eyes were glowing, full of mischief.

The next second, Su Ci said, “Lu Zhe, remember to cover Little Kuaile’s eyes.”

As soon as she said that, she tilted her chin up and pressed her lips to his.

Soft fragrance rushed over him. The darkness in Lu Zhe’s pitch-black eyes deepened under the 3D glasses. He let out a low, muffled sound, raised his hand, and reached back to cover Little Kuaile’s eyes.

The girl loved to tease — she deliberately brushed her lips against his, soft lips pressing against his own, making his heart tremble.

Lu Zhe’s gaze grew even darker. With a sudden fierceness, he bit down on her greedy little mouth.

Beside them, Little Kuaile looked utterly confused. He tried to pry Lu Zhe’s hand away. “Zhe-gege, Kuaile can’t see the movie.”

Who knew how many kisses later — when they finally parted — Lu Zhe’s breathing was slightly unsteady. He released Little Kuaile’s eyes.

Su Ci’s lips were red and glistening. Her black eyes seemed soaked in water, shimmering beautifully.

She looked at Lu Zhe like a little demon who had stolen something sweet and whispered with a laugh, “Lu Zhe, I think your kissing skills improved a little.”

The boy’s jaw tightened, and the tips of his ears turned red in the dim light. He scolded her helplessly, “Just shut up.”

Su Ci trembled with laughter and leaned against his chest.

In the car.

Lu Zhe looked at the sleeping Little Kuaile and Su Ci, each leaning against one side of him. He relaxed his posture so they could lean more comfortably.

The sunset spilled into the car. Thinking of how indulgent he had been in the cinema, he closed his eyes for a moment.

Just then, the phone rang.

Throughout the trip, Su Ci had asked him to take photos, so her phone had stayed in his hand.

Seeing the unfamiliar caller ID on the screen, his eyes narrowed.

Lu Zhe had an excellent memory. He rarely forgot something he’d seen once.

He remembered — last night, Su Ci answered a call from this very number.

He glanced at Su Ci, sleeping soundly against his chest, then pressed the answer button.

“Cici, can you come back the day after tomorrow? There’s a gathering, and I want to invite you,” He Ermeng said on the other end. His tone was cautious, hopeful she would come, but afraid she would reject him.

After a long moment with no reply, He Ermeng’s heart grew uneasy. He called out again, “Hello, Cici?”

Lu Zhe held the phone, lowered his gaze to the sleeping Su Ci, and suppressed his voice. “She’s asleep.”

“What the—” Hearing an unfamiliar male voice through the phone, He Ermeng instantly exploded. “Who are you? Why do you have Cici’s phone? Where’s Cici? Let her hear the call!”

Lu Zhe repeated, “She’s asleep. When she wakes up, I’ll pass on your message.”

“Bullshit! Why would I need you to pass it on? Who the hell are you! Why are you with Cici?!” He Ermeng shouted, but on the other end of the line, the beeping of a disconnected call had already sounded.

Lu Zhe put the phone down, his chin resting against the girl’s soft hair. His voice was low and gentle.

“I’ll be selfish just this once.”