Zhou Yining, clad in a sleeveless white dress that showed off her delicate, snow-white collarbones, shivered and ducked back into her apartment. It was seriously cold out there. She sent a WeChat message to A’Ming: *”Were you lying to me? I’ve waited an hour, and he’s still not back!”*

Before she got a reply, the sudden “ding—” of the elevator made her heart leap. She peeked out her door and was rewarded by the sight of a tall, familiar figure walking down the hall.

Ji Dongyang glanced up and immediately spotted the little bun-haired girl peeking around her doorframe, beaming at him. “You’re back!” she chirped.

The next second, she bounced out from behind the door, her skirt fluttering around her like pure, untrodden snow.

He paused slightly, quickly schooling his features. “Do you need something?” he asked, though he doubted it was anything important.

Goosebumps prickled her skin from the cold. She scurried over to him, pressing close to his side for warmth and urging, “Yeah, hurry up and open the door. I’m freezing to death.”

Ji Dongyang glanced sideways at her firmly shut door. Zhou Yining had already started pulling open his down jacket, trying to burrow inside for warmth. The next second, his hand closed around her arm, pulling her back out. “Then go back inside.”

After waiting so long for him, there was no way she was leaving now.

She blinked up at him, her voice softening to a whisper. “It’s still early. Just let me stay for a little while?”

Ji Dongyang looked down at her. The skin under his fingers was warm, soft, and delicate; he could feel the faint, adorable bumps of her goosebumps. He released her arm, turned, and keyed in his passcode. Zhou Yining’s eyes darted around, pretending not to look, but she couldn’t resist finally leaning in for a peek. He promptly palmed her head and turned her around. “Hey, hey! I really wasn’t looking!” she protested hurriedly, twisting her neck to look back.

Ji Dongyang ignored her, walking inside and leaving the door open.
Zhou Yining swiftly followed, her body stiff with cold. As he shrugged off his down jacket, she quietly took it and pulled it on herself. The residual warmth from his body seeped into her bare skin through the fabric. She sighed in relief. Finally, some warmth.

Ji Dongyang watched her, a restless irritation stirring in him. He remembered what Yang Xun had just said: *A man’s indulgence towards a woman is the beginning of liking her.*

Yang Xun had also added, “It was like that with me and Wan Wei. At first, I let her have her way, did whatever made her happy. That woman got more and more spoiled. By the time I couldn’t take it anymore and didn’t want to indulge her so much, she turned on me without a second thought. So, you can’t spoil women. I don’t care what’s going on with you and Zhou Yining right now. If you really like her, there’s nothing I can do. Just keep it quiet, and don’t let gossip fly everywhere.”

His gaze refocused. He walked to the kitchen and poured a glass of water.

The man’s down jacket was long and oversized, reaching all the way to her ankles. She trailed after him, step for step. “Ji Dongyang, did you accept ‘Heart Knot’?”

He drained the glass of water, his tone flat. “What’s it to you?”

Zhou Yining nodded vigorously. “It is! Maybe I can be in the same crew as you again.”

Ji Dongyang leaned against the dining table, glancing at her. “So eager to be in another project with me?”

“Of course,” she said without hesitation. Then she asked, “After you wrap up here, are you moving away?”

He didn’t answer the second question. Instead, he took two steps forward, stopping right in front of her. He looked down at her, his gaze imposing. “Why are you so set on staying in the same crew as me? Didn’t you say I have a bad temper?”

His presence was overwhelming. Zhou Yining involuntarily took a step back. The heating was kicking in, and wrapped in his thick down jacket, she was starting to feel uncomfortably warm. She retreated; he advanced, backing her against the edge of the table until she had nowhere left to go. She tilted her head up to look at him. His eyes were focused, yet held a certain coolness.

She chose to ignore the chill in his gaze, staring instead with a captivated, expectant look.

Her heart hammered like thunder, a nervousness she’d never felt before.

She reached out, grabbing onto his black sweater. “That was… before I knew you better.”

He leaned down, bracing his hands on the table behind her. Her soft waist arched back involuntarily. Her breath hitched, the tips of her ears turning pink. She started to sweat. His sudden proximity was unexpectedly flustering.

So, men really did have a natural advantage in these situations, always overpowering women in sheer presence.

The moment he engaged, she panicked.

“And you think you know me now?” he asked.

“…”

He spoke again, “Do you like acting?”

She nodded emphatically.

“Do you want to go even further?”

She nodded again. She wanted to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him.

Ji Dongyang stared at her clean, makeup-free face, then straightened up. “Then keep your distance from me,” he said indifferently.

He turned away in silence, leaving her standing there, stunned.

Zhou Yining stared at his retreating back, letting out a deep breath laced with faint disappointment.
He’d gotten so close just now… she’d almost thought he was going to kiss her.

Ji Dongyang went straight to his bedroom to shower. Zhou Yining stood outside the bedroom door, listening to the sound of the water. Her heart was thrown into complete disarray.

She took off the down jacket, sat back on the sofa, and spotted the Blu-ray collection in the transparent glass cabinet. Getting up, she walked over, selected a disc, and slid it into the player.

When Ji Dongyang emerged from his shower, he found her hugging a blue cushion, watching the movie from the sofa. He’d thought she would have been angry enough to leave, but she was still here.

The movie playing was “Redemption,” a film he’d made this year. Zhou Yining turned to him with a sweet smile. “I didn’t pay close attention at the premiere screening last time. I’m making up for it now.”

Ji Dongyang’s hand, rubbing a towel through his hair, stilled for a second. Her face was already turned back to the screen. Tonight, her hair was in a bun, with stray strands framing the back of her neck, leaving her entire profile exposed—a full forehead, beautiful. Her voice was soft. “I’ve been watching all your old movies lately. Really watching them. My favorite is ‘Black & White.’ The line between good and evil, black and white… It’s just a single thought.”

She patted the spot on the sofa beside her. “I want to talk to you.”

Ji Dongyang stared at her for a few seconds before slowly walking over and tossing the towel aside.

He wore a short-sleeved shirt. Fresh from the shower, his black hair was slightly damp and messy. He sat down beside her, his presence cool and clean. Zhou Yining was instantly enveloped by his scent. Her thoughts began to wander, and she forgot how she wanted to start.

“Go on,” he said.

Zhou Yining lowered her head. After a long moment, she slowly began, “You’ve been to Zhou Jiahui’s birthday party. I don’t know if you remember, but my relationship with her is very bad. Exceptionally bad. I instinctively dislike anything she likes. She… really likes you. You were very popular back then; she was practically obsessed. I… I had a cat once. A black one, called Fluffy. It was very cute, very clingy. Later, it was thrown out. Zhou Jiahui threw it out.”

“There were lots of other things, too. After that, the more she liked something, the more I hated it. Including you.”

“Actually, I know it’s not right, but I can’t control it.”

Ji Dongyang suddenly turned to look at her.

Zhou Yining looked up at him, too. Her eyes were glistening and bright, like after her crying scene, holding a trace of vulnerability. She shifted closer to him, wrapping her arms around his. Ji Dongyang moved slightly but ultimately didn’t push her away.

Zhou Yining grinned, taking the opportunity to rest her head on his shoulder, soaking in the solid, powerful feel of the man.

She’d said her piece. She believed Ji Dongyang should understand her meaning now. Those things between her and Zhou Jiahui… this was the first time she’d ever spoken about them to anyone. She just wanted to explain that her previous prejudice against him hadn’t come from her true heart.

Ji Dongyang looked toward the LCD screen across the room, his voice faint. “Finished?”

She nodded.

He pressed a hand to her head, pushing her away as he made to stand up. “If you’re finished, go home. I need to sleep.”

Zhou Yining checked the time. It wasn’t even 10 PM yet. She quickly latched back onto him. “Stay and watch this movie with me! I’ll go home as soon as it’s over!”

Ji Dongyang looked down at her, then settled back against the cushions. Zhou Yining smiled happily. This time, she behaved herself, focusing on the screen without saying another word.

Ji Dongyang had been filming intensely for several days and was tired. He had originally planned to catch up on sleep early tonight, never expecting her to barge in again. He watched the screen for a few minutes, found the light a bit harsh, felt around on the sofa for his sleep mask, put it on, and let his head fall back against the cushions.

Zhou Yining was absorbed in the movie. After a while, she wanted to talk to him. She turned her head and saw him with the mask on, head back on the sofa, seemingly asleep.

She was delighted. She loved it most when he was asleep!

She lost interest in the movie. Drawing her legs up onto the sofa, she rested her chin on her knees and just stared at him.

Her gaze traveled from the sleep mask, down his nose, to his lips, his chin, and finally settled on the prominent Adam’s apple. She’d always thought a man’s Adam’s apple was his sexiest feature—the second most obvious male characteristic.

She slowly knelt on the sofa, staring at the spot on his lip where she’d bitten him, the mark still faintly visible.

Only then did she reflect that she’d bitten him quite hard. Two days had passed, and it was still somewhat noticeable.

She stared at his face, swallowed, and slowly leaned in.

Her breath, light as a cat’s, fanned across his face. She stared at his lips, then slowly extended her tongue. The very tip of her tongue gently licked his lip, like a cat lapping at water.

The next second, a hand on her shoulder firmly pushed her back to her original spot.

Ji Dongyang ripped off the eye mask, his gaze sharp and fixed on her.

So he hadn’t been asleep after all…

Zhou Yining still wanted to say something, but he was already on his feet. He didn’t even look at her again. “Go home. Don’t make me say it again.”

He picked up the remote and turned off the TV.

He turned and walked back to his room, closing the door behind him without a shred of mercy.

Zhou Yining bit her lower lip, staring blankly at his series of fluid actions. She glanced back at the now-black LCD TV. She was really being despised!

Defeated, she flopped flat onto the sofa, kicking all his cushions onto the floor in a messy heap.

When she left, she not only took his down jacket with her but also took away his sweater. She refused to believe he could stand losing so many clothes without eventually coming to find her!

Ji Dongyang returned to his room and wiped a finger across his lips. It came away slightly damp. Irritated, his phone on the dresser rang.

He walked over, picked it up, glanced at the screen, and went to stand by the window.

“What is it?” he said coldly.

The icy tone gave Lu Xiao pause. “Did I wake you? You sound pissed.”

Ji Dongyang: “No.”

Lu Xiao breathed a sigh of relief and laughed. “Then what’s with the anger? Thought I’d disturbed the great Ji Dongyang’s beauty sleep. Anyway, I’m coming to B City tomorrow. Free to meet up?”

Ji Dongyang thought for a moment. “The crew’s rushing the schedule lately. My time’s uncertain.”

Lu Xiao: “No problem. I’ll be there for a week. We’ll find time.” He sounded exceedingly pleased with himself. “If nothing else, I can always come visit you on set, right? Isn’t Zhou Yining in the same crew as you? Perfect chance to finally meet her.”

Ji Dongyang gave a light laugh. “She wrapped up her part.”

No one had told him that. Lu Xiao was momentarily stunned, then laughed again, brimming with confidence. “What a coincidence. But it’s fine. I’ll be there a while. There’ll be chances.”