The night was vast and dark as Lin Xiao drove Su Qingning toward Jinhai City.

Gazing at the fleeting lights outside the car window, Su Qingning's thoughts drifted back to the previous evening. Her mood had been abysmal, so Lin Xiao had taken her for a drive on the highway. In that moment, all her despair had found its release, and she had impulsively kissed him.

That's right, the memory of her initiating that kiss. Her cheeks instantly grew hot. How could I have been so bold?

Seeing her silence, Lin Xiao asked with a smile, "What are you thinking about?"

Hearing his gentle voice, Su Qingning blushed. She could hardly bring herself to look at him, so she feigned indifference. "Nothing!" she said, not realizing her voice betrayed a hint of panic.

Lin Xiao knew her well enough to guess she was thinking about something embarrassing. Otherwise, she wouldn't be avoiding his gaze, and her voice wouldn't have trembled.

Lin Xiao chuckled. "You aren't by any chance recalling how you kissed me first last night, are you?"

BOOM!

Su Qingning's body trembled slightly. How is this damn rogue so clever? He always sees right through me so effortlessly. I hate this feeling of being completely transparent.

She feigned aloofness. "Hmph, of course not! I would never think about something like that!"

"But baby, I've been thinking about it this whole drive."

That single word, "baby," made Su Qingning's cheeks flush a vibrant, delicate red, even her earlobes burning hot. Her heart hammered against her ribs, threatening to burst from her chest.

Just then, Lin Xiao reached out and took her hand. Her fingers were long and slender, so soft they felt as if they were boneless. As he held her hand, Su Qingning's embarrassment intensified.

"Baby, I know our current relationship might feel awkward for you, but you can't give me hope just to crush it yourself."

His voice carried a tinge of pain. Su Qingning instinctively glanced at him and saw that his deep eyes did indeed hold a flicker of hurt.

A complex emotion surged through Su Qingning, finally settling into a pang of heartache. "I... I didn't!" she said quickly.

"Then can you please not be so cold to me? You know, from the moment you kissed me on the highway last night, my heart has been filled with this incredible joy. But after we got back to the bar this afternoon, you went right back to how you were before.

"I know you were under a lot of pressure yesterday, on the verge of collapsing, and that's why your attitude toward me changed. But I took it to heart. I really did. I like holding you when we sleep. I like kissing you. Qingning, I think I'm really falling for you. I've never fallen for anyone in my entire life. You're the first. You can't be this cold to me."

BOOM!

Su Qingning's mind went completely blank.

Whenever I used to watch TV dramas and see couples confess their feelings and get all emotional, I always thought it was so fake. How could anyone get that worked up over a simple 'I like you'? But right now... I feel it. I'm thrilled. No, it's more than that—it's pure elation. His words, his confession... it feels like my heart is about to explode.

So many people have confessed to me over the years; I'd grown sick of hearing it long ago. So why does his confession make me feel so exhilarated? Could it be... that I've fallen for him too? No, impossible. How could I possibly like him? If I have to put a name to it, maybe it's just... being touched. Yes, that's it. I'm just touched. After all, he's done so much for me. But being touched isn't the same as love. It's definitely not love. She convinced herself of it.

She turned to glance at Lin Xiao, but the moment her gaze met his, she saw an undeniable, deep affection in his eyes. Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly looked away.

"Qingning, do you like me?" Lin Xiao asked suddenly.

Su Qingning felt her breath catch in her throat. Her heart hammered wildly, her expression a mess of panic. "I... I... I don't!" she stammered.

The words had barely left her lips when, before she could even see Lin Xiao's reaction, her own heart began to ache. For some reason, her mind flashed back to the wedding that afternoon, to Shao Mei'er boldly declaring her love for Lin Xiao in front of everyone.

Lin Xiao's expression fell. He had thought that after all this time together, even if she didn't love him, she would at least have developed some feelings for him. He hadn't expected such a blunt rejection. It seemed he had been getting ahead of himself. With a sense of defeat, Lin Xiao released her hand.

"Alright, I understand."

His flat words made Su Qingning's eyes instantly redden, but since she was turned away from him, he couldn't see.

Not wanting to make her feel embarrassed, Lin Xiao forced a smile. "It's okay. I'll keep trying."

Tears streamed down Su Qingning's face. Lin Xiao is so good to me, and I just hurt him. She desperately wanted to apologize, but the words wouldn't come out. She knew it was her own pitiful pride getting in the way. In the three years since her father's death, life had warped her, leaving her proud and aloof on the outside, but insecure and sensitive within.

Lin Xiao finally noticed her trembling shoulders. "Qingning, are you crying?"

"No, I'm not!" she retorted, but her voice was thick with unshed tears.

"I'm sorry for putting you on the spot," Lin Xiao said, his voice gentle as he passed her a few tissues. "Don't worry, I won't ask you difficult questions like that again."

His words seemed to be the final straw. She whipped around to face him, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Lin Xiao, I'm sorry," she choked out. "My answer just now... that wasn't what I truly meant. I didn't want to hurt you. You're wonderful; I'm the one who's a mess. I don't know how to answer your question. My feelings are all tangled up... C-can you just give me some time?"

Lin Xiao gently wiped away her tears. "Silly girl," he said with a warm smile, "of course. We have all the time in the world."

Su Qingning looked at him, her eyes filled with gratitude.

"Alright, no more crying," Lin Xiao said softly. "I have something serious to discuss."

Su Qingning nodded. "What is it?"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.