Over the years, Lin Ran had taken great care of Sheng Qingxi, and she had grown taller, healthier, and her complexion had become fair and rosy. Lin Ran was not only happy but also quite proud of her well-being.
Sheng Qingxi instinctively snuggled closer to him and looked up, answering, “I want noodles.”
In the winter, Sheng Qingxi especially enjoyed warm, soupy dishes. Though she had gotten rid of some of her old eating habits over the years, she was still a bit picky. But these things were small matters to Lin Ran.
Lin Ran nodded softly. “I’ll add an egg for you.”
Sheng Qingxi smiled. “Okay.”
By this time, the two of them had reached the entrance of the gym.
Unlike Chucheng, Ningcheng experienced snow much earlier in the year. The moment they stepped outside, they saw tiny snowflakes falling from the dark sky, and the streetlights on campus were already glowing.
Under the lights, the snowflakes seemed to shimmer with a faint golden hue.
The campus was slowly emptying, and those still walking around hurried their steps.
Lin Ran raised his hand, his long, slender fingers swiftly unbuttoning his coat. He then tucked the furry bundle beside him into his coat, pulling her into his chest. Fortunately, the parking lot wasn’t far.
Sheng Qingxi’s view was blocked, and she couldn’t help but grab at his coat, struggling a bit. “Lin Ran, I can’t see the road.”
Lin Ran patted her head, showing no intention of letting her out. “Am I going to let you trip? Just stay still, it’s only a few minutes, we’ll be there soon.”
With no other choice, Sheng Qingxi stopped struggling and obediently stayed put.
When they finally reached the car, Lin Ran lifted her like a child and placed her in the passenger seat, bending over to buckle her seatbelt.
In the dim light, his features were not entirely clear, but as he leaned in, the warmth of his breath brushed against Sheng Qingxi’s cheek. She looked at Lin Ran’s serious expression as he focused on fastening the seatbelt, and couldn’t help but smile. Tilting her head slightly, she quickly kissed his cheek.
Lin Ran’s movements froze, and he looked up, meeting Sheng Qingxi’s eyes as she nestled in his chest.
She had grown up, and Lin Ran knew better than anyone how Sheng Qingxi had matured over the past few years. Her once serene demeanor had softened, and now, a gentle radiance lingered at the corners of her eyes and lips, as fluid as water. Unlike her quiet self in high school, she smiled more often now. Anyone could see how beautiful Sheng Qingxi had become.
Lin Ran lowered his gaze, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he suppressed the rising heat in his chest. In a low voice, he murmured, “I’ll let you kiss me when we get home.”
He didn’t want to ignite the flames and then have to drive.
Hearing this, Sheng Qingxi stiffened, not daring to touch him again. For nearly four years, the two of them had always slept in separate rooms. Lin Ran had never once crossed the line he’d drawn for himself, always keeping to the boundaries.
But over the years, there had been moments of temptation, especially during the summer.
Sheng Qingxi, who loved the coolness, felt no embarrassment in front of Lin Ran. After her bath, she’d often wear thin, airy nightgowns, drifting in front of him. It was clear that Lin Ran was a normal man.
Sheng Qingxi still remembered the burning sensation she felt under her palm that one time.
She bit her lip, not responding, and only relaxed when Lin Ran straightened up and closed the car door.
The rest of the ride was silent, but Sheng Qingxi could feel the air in the car getting warmer. She turned her head to look out the window, her heartbeat speeding up uncontrollably. Every moment of intimacy with Lin Ran made her nervous.
Perhaps it was for this reason that Lin Ran had never crossed the line.
Sheng Qingxi was too embarrassed to tell him that she wouldn’t mind. She certainly didn’t want to get scolded.
…
Lin Ran held Sheng Qingxi’s hand with one hand while opening the door with the other. Sheng Qingxi glanced at the apartment across the hall. He Mo and Xie Zhen were probably not home, or else they would’ve already called to look for Lin Ran. With finals coming up, the two of them had been cramming like crazy, practically living in the library recently.
After opening the door, Lin Ran stepped aside, allowing Sheng Qingxi to enter first, a habit of his.
Sheng Qingxi naturally walked in, turned on the lights, took off her shoes, and headed toward the living room. But this time, after taking just one step, she felt someone grab her arm. He pulled her back, and she found herself pressed against Lin Ran’s firm chest.
Sheng Qingxi blinked. “Lin Ran?”
“Mm.”
Lin Ran responded in a low, unhurried voice, but his actions were anything but gentle. He tugged off her scarf, and his hot lips pressed against the side of her ear, biting softly before trailing downward.
Sheng Qingxi tilted her head back, her fingers gently tightening around the arm at her waist.
In a blur, she was lifted and placed on the cabinet by the door. Lin Ran’s hand slid into her hair, his fingers tangling in the strands as he tilted her chin up to kiss her deeply.
Sheng Qingxi instinctively closed her eyes, her hand lightly pushing against Lin Ran’s broad shoulder.
The man’s breathing was heavy, his lips trailing kisses down to her jaw. His kisses were slow, deliberate, like the snowflakes falling softly outside. But soon, they became more fervent, rougher. She couldn’t escape, and soft sounds slipped from between her lips.
Sweet and teasing.
That tiny sound was all it took to make Lin Ran explode.
He tightened his grip on her, his pulse throbbing, every taut muscle and the whitened knuckles betraying his growing desire. Sheng Qingxi had never rejected him, not even after that one time when he had scared her. And after that, she hadn’t been afraid of him again.
Just a little longer, he reminded himself. It was so close now.
Lin Ran was almost twenty-two, less than a month away.
When the scent of cedar began to fade, Sheng Qingxi opened her eyes. Her usually clear gaze was now hazy with mist, her beautiful eyes glistening. The corners of her eyes were flushed from his kisses.
Lin Ran finally let her go, unwilling to look at her any longer, and lifted her down from the cabinet.
It took him a long moment to speak, and when he did, his voice was rough, hoarse. “I’m going to the kitchen. Don’t come in.”
Sheng Qingxi opened her mouth, her tongue tingling as she said, “Then I’ll go check on those two little ones.”
In truth, the two little ones had already heard the commotion. The sleek black cat and the big golden retriever were hiding behind the couch, their ears perked up, occasionally sneaking glances in their direction. They knew better than to interrupt Lin Ran when he was up to something.
This was the result of years of Lin Ran’s careful coordination with the two pets, and he was quite pleased with it.
After stepping into the kitchen, Lin Ran immediately turned on the cold water. In the dead of winter, he splashed the icy water on his face, and after a while, the sound of the water stopped. Straightening up, he glanced into the living room, where Sheng Qingxi sat on the couch, her head down as she gently stroked 2009’s head.
A smile tugged at the corners of his lips. Things were good the way they were now.
—
As soon as winter break started in Ningcheng, Lin Ran and his group headed back to Chucheng.
Coincidentally, it snowed on the day they returned, even though it rarely snowed in Chucheng.
Lin Ran drove Sheng Qingxi to Shengkai. Though he wanted to see her every day, he couldn’t deprive her of this bit of time. Sheng Lan was getting older, and Sheng Qingxi wanted to spend as much time with her as possible.
It was still two weeks before the New Year. For the past few years, Lin Ran had spent the New Year with Sheng Qingxi at Shengkai. However, this year was a little different—Lin Ran needed to bring Sheng Qingxi back to his family’s ancestral home.
Before he left, Sheng Lan invited Lin Ran to stay for dinner, but he smiled and declined, saying he had something to do.
He then patted Sheng Qingxi’s head and reminded her, “I’ll pick you up on the 29th. Make sure to dress warmly.”
Sheng Qingxi gazed at him, not asking what he was up to, and simply nodded. “Be careful on the way back.”
Lin Ran smiled at her again before turning to leave.
Sheng Qingxi watched him walk into the heavy snowfall, and when he reached the gate, he turned around to look back at her. They exchanged glances for a moment before Sheng Qingxi turned and went inside. Over the years, the two of them had developed a deep understanding of each other.
…
Meanwhile, Lin Yanyan had gone with Xie Zhen and the others back to the garage.
Lin Ran, however, still had something to take care of. He drove straight toward his destination. His dark sports car sped down the snowy streets like a blade slicing through the icy landscape.
One hour later.
The sports car pulled up in front of a private high-end jewelry store in Chucheng.
The car door opened, and a long leg stepped out. The hem of Lin Ran’s coat was traced by the wind and snow, drawing a sharp arc in the air. His expression cold and composed, Lin Ran shut the door behind him and walked directly into the store.
“Mr. Lin.”
The store’s security guard opened the door and bowed slightly.
As a professional, he remembered every customer’s face and name, especially this one. Lin Ran was the sole heir of the Lin family, someone everyone in their circle looked up to.
The distance between people often shifts quietly at certain moments.
But fortunately, Lin Ran remained the same.
He had called ahead of time, and the item he wanted was already prepared. Though they could have easily delivered it to him, this young master insisted on picking it up in person. The store manager had been out on a business trip but rushed back as soon as he received the news, just in time.
Lin Ran reached out and took the square velvet box, opening it to take a glance inside.
“Mr. Lin, this was custom-made in France according to the design you provided,” the manager said, his smile perfectly polite. “The diamond is truly magnificent.”
Such exquisite craftsmanship and flawless cutting were rare to see. What was even rarer was the diamond itself—he hadn’t seen a diamond this flawless in years. This wasn’t something that could be bought with just money.
Lin Ran nodded. “Thank you for your hard work.”
The manager’s smile deepened as he bowed slightly. “It’s my pleasure.”
Lin Ran slipped the box into his coat pocket, then, as swiftly as he had come, strode through the hall and corridor and left. The entire transaction took barely ten minutes—quick and efficient.
For the next week, Lin Ran was extremely busy. Since coming of age, his social circle had expanded rapidly. Everyone knew that after graduating from university, Lin Ran would be the one to take over the Lin family business, even more eagerly anticipated by Lin Youcheng than by Lin Ran himself. Social events and engagements were unavoidable, but Lin Ran never brought Sheng Qingxi to these occasions. That girl preferred quiet places, and besides, he didn’t want her to see the harsh realities of the world of fame and fortune. It was boring.
Another night.
Lin Ran stepped out of a business dinner, snow falling softly around him. A man beside him attempted to hold an umbrella, but Lin Ran stopped him with a gesture. The man obediently closed the umbrella and stood beside Lin Ran under the falling snow.
Lin Ran pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling the alcohol buzz hit him.
He tilted his head back slightly, gazing at the pitch-black snowy night. Though he hadn’t experienced this lifestyle for long, he had imagined it before he turned eighteen. He once thought he’d hate this repetitive existence, but he didn’t.
As long as he could protect Sheng Qingxi, he had no complaints.
He was grateful to be Lin Ran.
A sarcastic smirk tugged at his lips.
Lin Ran didn’t linger long in the snow. Once inside the car, he glanced at his watch.
Ten o’clock at night. Sheng Qingxi was likely still awake. After a moment’s thought, he directed the driver to head toward Shengkai. As they drove closer to the west side of the city, the lights dimmed, and the streets became emptier.
Only the snow kept falling, silently.
Lin Ran frowned as he gazed out the window. Perhaps it was the alcohol, but he suddenly thought he saw Sheng Qingxi’s figure, faintly visible under the dim streetlights. That slender, solitary figure seemed to flicker in and out of sight.
The image eerily overlapped with the memory of the first time he’d seen Sheng Qingxi in his previous life.
The memory of that night had never been this clear.
Lin Ran’s expression darkened. “Stop the car!”
The car screeched to a halt by the roadside.
Lin Ran got out and walked straight across the deserted street. The closer he got, the clearer the figure became. He clenched his jaw. It really was that little thing—what was she doing out here in this heavy snow?