Chapter 13
The two arranged to meet outside the school gate.
When Lin Zhiyan saw the familiar car, his eyes couldn’t help but light up. He opened the passenger door and got in.
He pulled the seatbelt and was about to buckle it when a bouquet of blue and white flowers suddenly appeared in front of him. Lin Zhiyan was stunned for a moment, then looked up, his eyes unconsciously curving into a smile. “This is…”
Lu Ze held the bouquet out to him and said, “I felt they suited Senior.”
The bouquet was centered around light blue hydrangeas, dotted with white eustomas. The blue and white combination was elegant and unique, and Lin Zhiyan indeed fell in love with it at first sight.
He took it carefully, the corners of his mouth couldn’t help but curl up, his eyes sparkling. “Thank you.”
Lu Ze smiled and started the car, driving away.
The movie theater they had booked was in the city center, not too close and not too far from the school.
On the way, the two chatted idly. When Lu Ze heard that he had originally had plans for tonight, his fingers tapping on the steering wheel paused. He said, “So, Senior ditched your experiment to come out with me?”
Lin Zhiyan looked down at the bouquet, occasionally poking it with his finger, and unnaturally hummed in agreement.
Lu Ze smiled. “I have that much face with Senior, huh?”
Lin Zhiyan said stubbornly, “It’s mainly because of the movie you mentioned. I’ve been following it for a long time and have always wanted to see it.”
“Is that so?” Lu Ze turned the steering wheel and said slowly, “Then while there’s still time, why don’t you tell me what the movie is about, Senior? I only know it’s a suspense film. I haven’t had time to read the synopsis yet.”
Lin Zhiyan was silent for a moment. His finger accidentally poked off a petal, and he was instantly heartbroken. He then saw the smile on Lu Ze’s face from the corner of his eye, and his mouth unconsciously pouted as he muttered, “Why are you so annoying?”
Lu Ze held back his laughter and said in a pleasant voice, “Yes, yes, my fault.”
“I am extremely honored that Senior ditched your experiment to come out with me. And please rest assured, Senior, I will make this evening worthwhile and will definitely not let the experiment be wronged.”
Lin Zhiyan’s lips were straight, but the smile in his eyes was hard to hide.
The car stopped at a red light. The more Lin Zhiyan looked at the fallen petal, the more he felt it was a pity. His gaze fell on Lu Ze, and a thought suddenly flashed through his mind.
He leaned over and tucked the eustoma petal behind Lu Ze’s ear.
Lu Ze had thought he was going to do something and didn’t move, letting him do as he pleased, but he didn’t expect him to do this.
Looking at the abrupt white petal among his black hair in the rearview mirror, Lu Ze couldn’t help but laugh.
Lin Zhiyan shamelessly shifted the blame, “You made it fall. You have to take care of it.”
The red light in front turned green, and the car started smoothly. Lu Ze casually took the flower from his ear. Before Lin Zhiyan could feel disappointed, he saw him very naturally put it in his mouth.
After chewing it, Lu Ze said, “It’s quite sweet.”
Lin Zhiyan held the flowers in his arms. For some reason, his ears suddenly turned red.
He shrank into the passenger seat, his chin resting on the edge of the bouquet, his small nose twitching slightly.
How is it sweet…
Lu Ze watched him from the corner of his eye, a smile dyeing his features.
777 exclaimed in his mind. As expected, the Host was more skilled.
***
The two had booked the 5:30 PM show. After watching it, it was almost eight o’clock, just in time for dinner at a nearby mall.
There were obviously quite a few people with the same idea, and it was also a weekend, so the movie theater was crowded with people.
Before getting out of the car, Lin Zhiyan had been worried that the flowers would be crushed if there were too many people, so he had left the bouquet in the car. Now, it seemed that was the right decision.
When the two arrived, there were still about ten minutes before the movie started. Lu Ze took Lin Zhiyan to get the tickets, bought some snacks and drinks, and then it was time to check the tickets.
The two stood in line, side by side. Most of the people in front of them were in pairs, but unlike them, they were mostly male-female couples.
Lin Zhiyan’s gaze fell, looking at their tightly held hands and even the intimate gesture of the boy’s arm around the girl’s waist. He silently averted his gaze, his lips unconsciously pursing.
Just as his mind was wandering, his wrist was suddenly tightened. Lu Ze turned his head to look at him, his voice laced with a smile, “What are you thinking about? You look so absent-minded.” He tightened his grip on his hand, looked straight ahead, and said calmly, “If I don’t watch you carefully, you might get lost.”
Lin Zhiyan’s eyes curved, and he said in a small voice, “Then can’t you just hold on to me tightly?”
There were a lot of people on the weekend. The people in front of them went in one by one. When it was their turn, the young lady checking the tickets paused on their clasped hands, the corners of her mouth couldn’t help but curl up, and her voice softened a little, “Hello, your tickets.”
Lin Zhiyan’s face couldn’t help but heat up, and he turned his head away, not daring to look at her. But Lu Ze took the ticket stubs openly and even said, “Thank you.”
It was unclear what he was thanking her for.
The corridor leading to the screening hall was long and dim. The two held hands and didn’t let go. It wasn’t until they entered the hall that the movie had not yet started. The lights inside were bright, and the seats were gradually filling up with people.
Lu Ze and Lin Zhiyan were too outstanding in appearance. Since they entered, people had been looking at them, and then at their hands. Some people showed disgust, some looked away politely and restrainedly, and some’s eyes lit up with excitement.
Lin Zhiyan didn’t know what they were excited about.
Their seats were in the middle, in the rows with the best view. Lu Ze settled Lin Zhiyan in his seat, placed the drinks on the armrest between their seats, and then put the popcorn in his arms before sitting down to his left.
Their clasped hands separated. Before Lin Zhiyan could feel disappointed, he saw him reach out again, take his left hand, and place it on the middle armrest, holding it tightly.
The lights in the screening hall dimmed at the right time, and the surroundings were instantly dark.
Lin Zhiyan was stunned at first. He looked back at him and saw that he was watching the advertisement on the big screen. The light from the big screen barely illuminated his face, and his expression was serious and proper.
The corners of Lin Zhiyan’s mouth pursed slightly, and his eyes were filled with sweetness.
The movie started soon.
The pace of the film was fast. From the very beginning, it didn’t give the audience time to react, presenting a case in its entirety through various investigations. Lin Zhiyan gradually became engrossed, eating popcorn one after another with his right hand.
In the middle of the film, the situation seemed to be clear. There were clues to the murderer, and it seemed that he would be found soon. The protagonists’ mood also lightened up, and the pace of the film also became much lighter, with a series of warm and funny daily scenes.
Lin Zhiyan’s emotions, which had been dominated by the film, also gradually relaxed. He casually put another piece of popcorn in his mouth. When he looked down, he found that he had already eaten nearly half of it.
But Lu Ze, who was next to him, hadn’t touched a single piece.
Lin Zhiyan couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. He leaned towards him, held out the popcorn to him, and asked in a small voice, “Do you want some?”
Lu Ze turned to look at him. Lin Zhiyan picked up a piece and said, “Popcorn.”
Lu Ze looked at him, then at the small piece of popcorn. He suddenly leaned over and bit it, his lips seeming to brush against Lin Zhiyan’s fingers, making him freeze.
Lu Ze savored it carefully, his eyes still fixed on the big screen, and said in an equally small voice, “Thank you, Senior.”
The plot became tense again, gradually reaching its climax.
Lin Zhiyan stared at the screen without blinking, but his mind was blank, his attention not on it at all.
The touch on his fingertips seemed to linger. Lin Zhiyan no longer dared to use this hand to pick up popcorn, but his other hand was being held tightly.
This person probably had this planned all along.
The darkness hid the blush on his face, but the light in his eyes, reflected by the big screen, was flowing, and the emotions jumping within were impossible to hide.
By the end of the movie, Lin Zhiyan had only watched the second half in a daze. He knew who the murderer was, but he didn’t feel the shock of the twists and turns at all.
The audience in the movie theater slowly left. Lu Ze held the trash in one hand and Lin Zhiyan in the other, carefully protecting him as they walked out.
The movie was over two hours long. The two went to the restroom. When they came out and were walking in the deep and winding corridor, Lin Zhiyan was still thinking about things, but Lu Ze grabbed his wrist at a corner.
Lin Zhiyan looked up at him in confusion, only to see him put a finger to his lips, the helplessness in his expression clear.
Lin Zhiyan didn’t understand what was going on at first, but after hearing the faint noises not far away, his face turned red from his ears to his cheeks.
There weren’t many people here, and the corridor was very quiet. Because of this, the subtle sounds were very obvious, along with the heavy breathing and wet sounds of intimacy, all of which were vividly transmitted over.
Lin Zhiyan’s Adam’s apple couldn’t help but bob. He looked a little embarrassed, but this was the only way out.
Lu Ze leaned against the wall, looking down at him, his eyes deep and restrained.
The couple around the corner was clearly getting passionate, and even their sweet nothings were not held back. Lin Zhiyan’s face turned red just listening to them. He stood beside Lu Ze, and even his fair earlobes were red.
Neither of them made a sound. The voice-activated lights in the corridor dimmed, leaving only the green light of the emergency exit glowing.
The dim environment could create an ambiguous atmosphere, not to mention the seductive background music from over there.
In the past, Lin Zhiyan was someone who could watch a movie with his entire dorm without batting an eye, but now, perhaps because he was with a different person, he just felt uncomfortable everywhere.
The kiss through his finger in the car, their tightly held hands, and the intimate contact just now.
Lin Zhiyan carefully looked up at Lu Ze and was scorched by the deep color in his eyes.
Actually, something had been wrong for a long time. It had already crossed the line.
Lin Zhiyan knew very well that he would never have such intimate contact with anyone, nor would he postpone his experiment time for anyone.
Lu Ze said he would give him time to think about it and not rush to reply. So what were his thoughts now?
Lin Zhiyan tremblingly raised his eyes and looked at Lu Ze’s face, illuminated by the faint light. He said in a whisper, “Do you want to hug me?”
Lu Ze’s eyebrow raised. “What?”
Lin Zhiyan said, “You can hug me.”
Time seemed to freeze. Lin Zhiyan clearly saw the restraint and suppression in Lu Ze’s eyes surge out as if destroyed by something, sweeping over him like a tidal wave.
He grabbed his wrist with one hand, seeming to want to use force but tensing up. “Do you know what you’re saying?”
Lin Zhiyan’s thick eyelashes trembled. He looked up at him, his expression obedient and soft.
He said, “I want you to hug me.”
