“What?” Lin Yue blinked, surprised. She knew Zhao Ming’s two hotpot restaurant partners, Ye Xuan and Chen Rui, were both his seniors from university—brothers-in-arms from their basketball team days. What she hadn’t realized was that these so-called “revolutionary comrades” were just as prone to falling for the girls closest to them.
Zhao Ming, ever the survivor, jumped in before Lin Yue could get angry. “Come back home. I’ll cover all the rent, utilities, even your transportation. You can boss me around as much as you want.”
“Deal!” Lin Yue lifted her chin in triumph. “Let’s see how you like being at my mercy for once, making me your little invisible roommate all this time. Karma’s coming for you!”
She returned home with Zhao Ming, immediately putting him to work: a full-house deep clean, then laundry duty, and a long list of chores. Lin Yue, satisfied with her orders, retreated to her room to play her favorite mobile game.
Not long after she logged in, her mysterious in-game “big brother” appeared online too.
Halfway through the match, Lin Yue snuck to her bedroom door, cracked it open, and tiptoed out. She peeked into the living room—quiet. Then, with ninja-like stealth, she crept to Zhao Ming’s door and flung it open. There was Zhao Ming, fingers flying across his phone screen, totally absorbed in the game.
Lin Yue snatched the phone from his hands, her face triumphant as she glanced at the screen. “Zhao Ming, did you really think you could fool me with some ancient voice changer trick? I might have missed it once, but not every time!”
Zhao Ming just shrugged, a mischievous smile on his lips. “Honestly, I thought you’d catch on much sooner.”
Lin Yue was about to argue when she noticed their team had just been wiped out in-game. She pouted, “I don’t care! If you don’t help me win a chicken dinner tonight, I’m moving out again!”
Zhao Ming grinned. “But my secret techniques are only for my own people.”
“I’m not your own people?” Lin Yue bared her teeth, ready to pounce if he dared say no.
He ruffled her hair, smoothing down her wild locks. “I mean my ‘inner circle’—my other half.”
Lin Yue, quick as ever, cut him off. “Well, I’m not an outsider, am I? Stop stalling. Are you going to teach me or not?”
With a helpless smile, Zhao Ming pulled her closer and guided her through the game, hand over hand, until they finally won. Only then did Lin Yue realize she’d fallen right into another one of Zhao Ming’s traps.
She chased him around the living room, both of them laughing like kids. Eventually, Zhao Ming caught her in his arms and asked, “Remember how you hated wearing your own uniform, but always wanted to wear mine? You’d always say, ‘Let’s swap, we’re on the same team.’”
Lin Yue nodded, grinning. “Of course! Yours was bigger, and the pockets were huge—perfect for stashing snacks.”
Back then, Zhao Ming’s uniform pockets seemed bottomless. What started with just sunflower seeds and candy soon escalated to chocolate, jellies, even bags of chips.
Zhao Ming laughed, “You silly girl! I had the tailor secretly make my pockets bigger, just in case you ever needed more space. I wanted to be prepared for anything you might need.”
Lin Yue was touched by all the little ways Zhao Ming had always looked out for her. She realized that the best kind of love wasn’t always dramatic or loud—it was the kind that quietly filled every corner of your life.
Zhao Ming said that old uniform was a symbol of his first love, and he planned to keep it forever.
Lin Yue teased, “Then I should wear it and take a photo, so you’ll always remember.”
Zhao Ming’s eyes sparkled. “Why not wear it for our wedding photos?”
Lin Yue agreed to the photo, but flatly refused the idea of a flash wedding. She couldn’t help but worry—what if marrying meant having Zhao Ming’s mother, her old teacher, as her mother-in-law? That thought alone gave her a headache.
Zhao Ming just laughed. “If anyone should have a headache, it’s my mom. Didn’t she always say, ‘Whoever marries you is in for trouble’?”
“Don’t say that!” Lin Yue huffed, covering his mouth with her hand.
Zhao Ming stretched out his arms, inviting her into a hug. “If loving you is trouble, I’ll take it. I was the one who fell first, after all.”
Lin Yue poked at his dimple, threatening, “Keep laughing and I’ll never let you go. You’ll be stuck with me forever.”
When Zhao Ming finally brought Lin Yue to meet his mother, she was surprised to find the teacher’s face calm, even a little amused.
“Auntie—um, Teacher—you…” Lin Yue stammered, nervous and curious.
Zhao Ming’s mom chuckled. She’d suspected for years that her son’s devotion to Lin Yue was no accident. She’d only wanted to see for herself when he’d finally bring his future wife home. If it was Lin Yue, she could accept it—after all, she’d known and liked her for years, and it was better than dealing with a stranger.
Lin Yue was surprised at how smoothly everything went. She stopped resisting Zhao Ming’s not-so-subtle hints about getting married quickly.
But Lin Yue wasn’t about to make things too easy. She insisted on a little challenge for their wedding night.
“Let’s play a round—winner gets the bed. Loser, no sleeping together!”
Zhao Ming, competitive as ever, won easily.
Lin Yue pouted and kicked him out of bed. “You win, but I’m not in the mood now. Rematch!”
This time, Zhao Ming lost on purpose.
Lin Yue glared. “You didn’t even try! That’s not fair!”
Zhao Ming’s eyes glinted mischievously. “Are you sure you want to play with fire, Lin Yue? You know what happens when you tease me.”
“Zhao Ming, behave! Can you keep your distance?” Lin Yue tried to fend him off with a pillow.
“Nope! There are better things to do on our wedding night than just games,” Zhao Ming said, closing the distance, his gaze intense.
Lin Yue had never seen him so eager. His eyes promised mischief—and something deeper.
She pretended to be scared, scooting to the edge of the bed, but Zhao Ming was too quick. He pinned her gently, laughter in his eyes.
And as he kissed her, Lin Yue realized that, just as Ye Xuan had once joked, sometimes the best advice comes from the most unexpected places.
Because in the end, there really isn’t any problem a kiss can’t solve—and if one isn’t enough, well, two will do the trick.
End
Chapter 05
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