Chapter 30: I Have Never Had a Girlfriend

Lu Qingyue had already opened her ticket-buying app on her phone, leaning in close to urge him, “Hurry up, see which one you want to watch?”

Her intentions were pure, and she pressed near without a hint of hesitation. Her soft hair was tousled by the wind, a few stray strands drifting lightly against his neck, tickling him in a way that made his heart itch.

Cheng Xingye loosely held her slender shoulder, gently pulling her away so she wouldn’t be so close. In a deep, magnetic voice, he asked quietly, “Lu Diandian, do you often go to the movies alone with guys like this?”

Lu Qingyue felt her reputation was about to be ruined.

She’d been single since birth, never once going out to see a movie with a man, so she immediately retorted, dissatisfied, “How could that be? You’re my first man.”

Cheng Xingye: “???”

Seeing his bewildered expression, Lu Qingyue grinned mischievously, “Hehe, I meant the first man I’ve watched a movie with. What were you thinking?”

Cheng Xingye: “...”

So she was deliberately teasing him again?

He gave a silent laugh, lazily lifting his hand and tapping her forehead without ceremony. “You’re supposed to be grown up, but you still act like a child.”

...

In the end, the two bought tickets and went in. It was a youth romance film.

Fifteen minutes later, they both regretted it.

The fact that there were still empty seats on Christmas Eve said everything about the movie’s quality. Those couples would rather brave the cold outside than watch such a terrible film in the theater. Only these two, posing as siblings, were the biggest fools of the night.

But they were already there.

Lu Qingyue sighed, resisting the urge to leave, convincing herself that maybe there would be a plot twist later.

Another half hour passed, but nothing changed.

The story was painfully clichéd—a secret crush starting in high school, finally graduating only to attend schools in different cities and begin a long-distance relationship.

Once together, it wasn’t as sweet as imagined. They only saw each other every few months, and whenever they did, arguments quickly broke out. Suspicion began to grow.

Distance became the greatest barrier between them.

The film’s synopsis had already stated the ending was tragic, no wonder couples didn’t want to see it on Christmas Eve.

Lu Qingyue watched in frustration.

Halfway through, she looked around at the mostly empty theater, feeling so bored she wanted to leave.

But since it was her idea to watch a movie, it wouldn’t be right to suggest leaving now.

She glanced around and saw Cheng Xingye sitting listlessly in his seat, eyelids drooping, looking uninspired—she couldn’t tell if he was actually watching.

So she cleared her throat twice and leaned over to chat with him. “Xingye, could you handle a long-distance relationship?”

Cheng Xingye glanced sideways at her, answering carelessly, “No.”

Lu Qingyue immediately understood. “Oh, so all your girlfriends are from Jiang University?”

Cheng Xingye: “...?”

He chuckled wordlessly, holding up three fingers with a meaningful look. “That’s three times now.”

Lu Qingyue looked at him, puzzled.

Cheng Xingye, with a confident air, lifted his chin slightly and said leisurely, “You’ve asked about my girlfriend three times tonight. Do you really care that much?”

Lu Qingyue was taken aback.

With his remark, she suddenly realized she had indeed been asking about his girlfriend all evening.

She didn’t know what was wrong with her tonight.

Whether he had a girlfriend, or how many he’d had, it really shouldn’t matter to her, should it?

After his comment, Lu Qingyue felt inexplicably lost.

Cheng Xingye wasn’t waiting for an answer; after speaking, he leaned back, watching her with leisurely interest.

The movie continued to play, the screen flickering with dim light.

His features were shrouded in that soft glow, making his profile seem even deeper.

His dark pupils were like amber, hidden behind lashes as black as crow feathers, sharp and focused, like a beast watching its prey—yet his eyes carried a smile, giving him a roguish, unruly charm.

Lu Qingyue met his gaze, her heart inexplicably tightening.

She realized that no matter how many times she teased him, it meant nothing to him.

Because he was always the one in control.

Flustered, Lu Qingyue quickly looked away, staring at the movie screen, trying to calm the vague, inexplicable flutter in her heart.

The movie kept playing, reaching the scene where the couple finally broke up.

Suddenly, a soft voice came from beside her.

“I’ve never dated a Jiang University girl.”

Cheng Xingye kept his eyes on the screen, pausing a moment before emphasizing, “I’ve never had a girlfriend at all.”

A faint self-mockery stirred in his heart, laughing at himself for not being able to hold back, needing to explain it to her.

Lu Qingyue let out a surprised “Ah?” and turned to him, confused. “But everyone says you’re a playboy.”

Cheng Xingye finally turned his head, his gaze fixed on her with silent pressure and that same mischievous edge.

Lu Qingyue met his look, earnest and curious. “No girlfriend... so you’re the kind of jerk who toys with girls’ feelings but won’t give them a title, right?”

Cheng Xingye looked at her calmly. “Whose feelings have I toyed with?”

She was bold enough to say that.

Wasn’t it he who’d had his feelings toyed with by her?

At sixteen, she already knew how to charm, managing to keep him under her thumb even without seeing him. What would happen when she grew up?

Definitely a little heartbreaker.

Cheng Xingye suddenly found it both amusing and aggravating, unable to resist wondering what kind of person this little troublemaker would grow up to be.

Lu Qingyue watched the inexplicable smile on his lips, her curiosity overflowing. She pressed on, “You’ve never dated, never played with anyone’s feelings, but you’re already twenty-two...”

Cheng Xingye immediately understood what she meant.

He propped his elbow on the shared armrest between their seats, staring at her slightly yellowish face, calmly resting his chin in his hand as he asked, “What are you thinking?”

Right here, right now—what could Lu Qingyue be thinking? Of course, she was imagining certain activities, up and down, front and back!

She grinned slyly, refusing to take the bait, deliberately following his words. “I’m thinking about whatever’s on your mind.”

Cheng Xingye saw through her feint, unfazed, and instead curled his lips in a smile, suddenly tapping her forehead. “You should clear out all the nonsense in your head!”

Lu Qingyue: “How did you know my head is full of nonsense right now?”

Cheng Xingye: “...”

He really couldn’t stay with her any longer.

The girl had absolutely no guard around him, but he was hardly a saint.

To keep himself focused, Cheng Xingye stood up, planning to step outside for a cigarette.

Before leaving, he noticed Lu Qingyue was wearing a plaid wool skirt today, her slender legs exposed, dazzlingly pale.

He took off his trench coat and tossed it over her legs, saying, “Just watch your movie. I’ll be back.”

Lu Qingyue immediately asked, “Where are you going?”

Cheng Xingye glanced at her lazily, his tone suggestive. “I’m going to clear out the nonsense.”

“Oh?”

Lu Qingyue was instantly intrigued, tilting her head with playful curiosity. “How exactly? Care to elaborate?”

Cheng Xingye: “...That’s enough, you!”