She puffed out her cheeks, glaring at him, looking utterly enraged. If he could ignore the flash of mischief in her eyes, Ji Dongyang would have truly believed she was angry.

He lowered his head, eyeing her, and chuckled softly. “You want me to kiss you back?”

I do! Her eyes immediately lit up. She stared at him intently and edged forward again.

“Dream on.”

He turned away and continued to enter the password. Zhou Yining pouted, helpless.

The young woman lowered her head in disappointment and silently turned to go back. She stood at the door, fumbling for her keys. Where are they?

Ji Dongyang leaned against the doorframe and watched her, wondering if he had been a little too harsh. He was about to say something, but she was rummaging through her bag with a clatter, as if she were arguing with it.

Zhou Yining was still wearing the same black dress, with only a long down jacket thrown over it. On her feet were a pair of delicate, high-heeled shoes, a nude-gold color. Her ankles and the tops of her feet were exposed to the air, so pale they were dazzling. After standing outside for so long, her feet were freezing.

She rummaged through her bag, then suddenly remembered: the keys were in Wan Wei’s car.

Noticing that Ji Dongyang was still standing there, she immediately turned to look at him. She didn’t say a word, just stared at him with wide, pitiful eyes.

Ji Dongyang asked, “You didn’t bring your keys?”

She nodded vigorously and said pitifully, “Can I stay at your place tonight?”

Ji Dongyang scrutinized her, and she quickly held up three fingers. “I promise I won’t sneak a kiss on you!”

He turned around, a low, husky laugh escaping him. “Come on in.”

Zhou Yining instantly broke into a wide, brilliant smile and followed him. “So, do I get the bed? I remember you only have one bed here. If you don’t mind, we can sleep together.”

Ji Dongyang didn’t turn back, replying impatiently, “If you say one more word, you’re sleeping outside.”

The voice behind him instantly fell silent.

Zhou Yining walked in barefoot, stepping onto the soft, plush carpet. Ji Dongyang went directly to his room. After a moment, he emerged in a black casual outfit, a towel in his hand. He looked at her and said, “You can sleep in the room.”

After speaking, he turned and headed for the other bathroom, giving up his master bedroom for her.

Sharing a space, Zhou Yining could clearly feel him deliberately keeping his distance. Does he think I’m a vicious beast? She hummed a few times and shamelessly walked into his room. The room was decorated in a minimalist black-and-white theme, with a two-meter-wide bed, a single sofa, and a small round table.

She pounced on the bed and rolled around a few times in excitement. Since she couldn’t sleep with the man himself, at least sleeping in his bed was a win!

Two minutes later, she got up and left the bedroom.

Standing at the bathroom door, she listened to the sound of trickling water and swallowed. “Can I borrow some clothes to wear?” she asked.

After a long pause, a low voice replied, “Whatever.”

Zhou Yining bit her lip before reluctantly leaving.

She opened his closet. As a famous actor, he naturally had many clothes, all neatly hung and categorized. She spent a few minutes picking and finally took a white shirt into the bathroom.

As an actor, his bathroom was well-stocked. Zhou Yining used a man’s makeup remover for the first time, removed her makeup, and then started showering.

After his shower, Ji Dongyang casually toweled his hair dry and tossed the towel aside. He glanced towards the bedroom, pursed his lips, turned off the light, found his sleep mask, put it on, and lay down on the sofa.

Half an hour later, Zhou Yining came out of the bathroom, her dark hair hanging smoothly over her chest. The shirt’s length reached her mid-thigh, subtly revealing her soft, graceful curves. A man’s white shirt on a woman was always unexpectedly alluring. She stood at the door and looked out at the dark living room, dimly seeing a figure lying on the sofa with the help of the bathroom light.

She slowly walked over and stood by the sofa for a while.

“Are you asleep?”

After a long pause, his low voice came back. “What is it?”

“I’m hungry.”

She was genuinely hungry. She hadn’t eaten much at the banquet, but had drunk a lot of alcohol. Now her stomach was rumbling.

Ji Dongyang wasn’t asleep either. He frowned. “I only have frozen dumplings.”

Zhou Yining stared at the tall, long-limbed man on the sofa. “Then I’ll eat dumplings.”

He pulled off his eye mask, stood up, and without looking at her or turning on the lights, walked past her towards the kitchen. “Wait.”

Zhou Yining happily followed him. “What kind of filling do you have? I’ll go check.”

Ji Dongyang flipped the switch in the dining area, flooding it with light. He turned his head and looked at her, his expression slightly stunned. The next second, he said in a deep voice, “Go change your clothes.”

Zhou Yining looked down at herself, displeased. “Why? I’m not exposing anything.” Everything that should be covered was, and she had even buttoned up to the second button!

His tone was non-negotiable. “I told you to change, so change.”

Zhou Yining pouted. “What should I wear?”

“Workout clothes.”

“…”

Seeing his cold expression, the one that said, “No change, no food,” Zhou Yining turned away indignantly. “Fine, I’ll change!”

Ji Dongyang took two boxes of dumplings into the kitchen. His tall figure stood by the side, waiting for the water to boil, when suddenly he was hugged from behind. Just as he was about to scold her, she let go and moved in front of him, smiling sweetly. “I’m changed. I guarantee you won’t get any wild ideas when you see me like this!”

She was wearing the same black casual outfit as him. The man’s clothes made her look even smaller and thinner, but the only thing that hadn’t changed was the full curve of her chest.

He must be crazy to have let her stay here.

He turned his head and asked flatly, “How many dumplings?”

Zhou Yining glanced at them. “Two kinds of filling? Then four of each, I guess.”

Ji Dongyang put the dumplings into the boiling water. Zhou Yining asked again, “You’re not eating?”

“No.”

“Okay.”

When the dumplings were on the table, Zhou Yining rummaged through the kitchen. “No chili sauce? No vinegar?”

Ji Dongyang watched her about to open the refrigerator and stopped her. “No need to look. I don’t have any of that.”

Zhou Yining stared at him for a moment, then suddenly sighed and pouted. “Okay, it’s not good without chili sauce.”

She liked spicy food, while his stomach was sensitive and he ate very blandly. Perhaps it really was difficult for two people like them to be together?

Ji Dongyang remembered that Ah Ming had bought a bottle of soy sauce before. He pulled open the top cabinet, found the bottle, and turned to her. “Want some soy sauce?”

Zhou Yining quickly turned around. “Yes, yes, yes!”

Ji Dongyang gave her the soy sauce and walked back to the living room. Zhou Yining stared at his retreating figure, suddenly feeling that this man was very lonely. What did it matter that he was worshiped by millions? What did it matter that he was a movie star? His life was so simple: besides acting, all he did was rush from one engagement to another. When he returned home, what did he do besides sleep and read scripts? Does he just eat bland dumplings all alone?

Ji Dongyang checked the time: 00:45.

He put on his eye mask, stretched out his legs, and leaned lazily on the sofa.

Zhou Yining finished the dumplings quickly. She walked over to the sofa. Every time she saw him wearing the eye mask, she had the urge to sneak a kiss. To avoid being thrown out, she resisted.

“Go to bed when you’re done eating. It’s late.”

Zhou Yining was a little suspicious. Could he walk freely with his eye mask on? His hearing was incredibly sharp.

She sidled over and sat down next to him. “I can’t fall asleep.”

Ji Dongyang pushed his eye mask up and glanced at her. “What else do you want?”

I want to take advantage of you! I want to sleep with you!

Ji Dongyang could read her thoughts from her expression. He snapped impatiently, “Cut out all the nonsense in your head.”

“How do you know what I’m thinking? Are you thinking it too?” She giggled and moved closer, her arm brushing against his. The muscles in his arm were strong and sleek, warm and powerful. She couldn’t help but move another inch closer.

He stood up abruptly, looking down at her. “Since you love the sofa so much, you can sleep on it.”

With that, he genuinely turned and walked away.

Zhou Yining frantically stood up and grabbed his arm. Ji Dongyang turned around and looked down at her. Zhou Yining gripped his fingers tightly. The living room was dark, and his tall figure blocked the light from the dining area. He stood in the backlight, his expression much softer than usual, so handsome that it was captivating. She tilted her head back and asked him, “Do you really not like me?”

Ji Dongyang lowered his head and looked at her. “Why do you like me?”

What’s so great about him?

Zhou Yining couldn’t quite put into words why she liked him, but she just really wanted to see him smile and be set on fire for her.

He stepped closer, his voice dangerously low. “Can’t say? Or is it not a genuine liking?”

Ji Dongyang took another step closer, right up against her.

Zhou Yining’s heart suddenly pounded faster. The man’s firm, powerful chest suddenly leaned forward, and she couldn’t help but take a small step back. Her knee bent and hit the sofa, her legs went weak, and she sank into the soft cushions. How pathetic!

The next moment, she struggled to sit up straight and threw her arms around his waist. She rubbed her head lightly against his solid abdomen. “I really do like you.”

Ji Dongyang’s hands hung by his sides; he didn’t push her away.

He looked down at her fuzzy head and asked in a low voice, “If one day, because of me, you face a storm of public criticism, or even something more serious, like having to leave the entertainment industry, would you be afraid?”

Would you regret it?

Zhou Yining froze, not understanding. A vague sense of unease settled in her heart. She wanted to look up at him, but he pressed down on the back of her head with his hand, as if he was hugging her. She was overjoyed. “No, I’m fearless.”

He didn’t say anything else. Zhou Yining quietly hugged him, rubbing her head against him from time to time.

After a long time, Ji Dongyang finally let go of her and pulled her up. “Go to sleep.”

Zhou Yining refused, pressing him. “What did you mean by that? You’re a movie star! Being with you is a win for me.”

Why did he ask her if she was afraid?

Ji Dongyang looked at her, but in the end, he didn’t tell her. “I have a lot of fans, and they can be crazy. I’m afraid you won’t be able to handle it psychologically.”

Zhou Yining pouted. “So what? Being a movie star is no big deal…”

She thought that’s what he was talking about. She wasn’t afraid of that at all.

Ji Dongyang patted the back of her head. “Go to sleep.”

Zhou Yining smiled at his rare show of affection and immediately became obedient. “Okay.”

After walking two steps, she turned back and winked. “Are you really going to sleep on the sofa? I don’t mind…”

His expression darkened, and she immediately and neatly turned around and went back to the room.

The moment she stepped inside, Zhou Yining rolled around on the bed happily, too excited to fall asleep.

Ji Dongyang turned off the lights, returned to the sofa, and stared into the darkness, lost in thought.

…

The next day, Zhou Yining slept until almost 10 a.m. She quickly got up, opened the door, and called out for Ji Dongyang. The apartment was empty, and there was no sound at all. Zhou Yining searched every room, but couldn’t find him.

A notification popped up on her phone from Weibo:

“Ji Dongyang appeared at the airport this morning, besieged by fans.”