Chapter 33

That Christmas, everything was covered in snowy whiteness, and the atmosphere was delightful.

Jia Xiao Yu and Qian LeLe had arranged to go to a movie together that evening, while Zhen Bao, who was "spoken for", was automatically abandoned by the three girls. After class, when they saw the familiar man outside the teaching building, Jia Xiao Yu and Qian LeLe hugged Zhen Bao's arms on either side, and whispered with lowered voices while laughing: "Drive safely tonight."

Zhen Bao's face turned even redder than if she had put on makeup.

After half a year at university, she had already grasped the implied "other layer" of meaning behind "driving".

As they drew closer to Fu Ming Shi, Jia Xiao Yu and the other two gave him meaningful greetings before leaving first.

Fu Ming Shi stared at Zhen Bao. "Are you sick?"

Zhen Bao denied in a muffled voice, not daring to shift her gaze towards Fu Ming Shi. In her mind she involuntarily recalled when Fu Ming Shi had pressed her onto the bed that day. Her roommates said that Christmas and Valentine's Day were holidays when boyfriends and girlfriends were most likely to...drive, could Fu Ming Shi really be planning that?

Just the thought made her heart thump erratically.

Fu Ming Shi sent her to the hospital entrance where she had a part-time job, while he went on to the library. When she was almost finished, he would come early to wait for her.

"Are you hungry?" Fu Ming Shi sat on the back of the bicycle and pulled the approaching girl into his embrace.

Zhen Bao nodded.

Fu Ming Shi kissed her cheek. "Then let's leave the bike here and go straight back to the villa. Wang Ma made delicious food tonight."

The gift she had prepared for him was still in the dormitory, so Zhen Bao made an excuse to return there first.

In the car, Zhen Bao's face turned red as she took out the scarf and gloves from her bag. After Fu Ming Shi fastened his seatbelt, he habitually looked at her. Seeing the large grey scarf she was taking out, he was puzzled at first, but in the next moment there seemed to be starlight flashing in his eyes. "A Christmas present?"

Zhen Bao nodded, handing the items to him, and said in a low voice: "I knitted them myself, for you to wear when you come here."

At A University, he was just an ordinary college student, there was no need to worry about being judged.

Realizing she had knitted them herself, the starlight in Fu Ming Shi's eyes grew even brighter. He accepted the scarf and inspected every inch of it carefully, before burying his face in the scarf. The scarf carried her faint scent.

Although the air conditioner was on in the car, Fu Ming Shi still wrapped the scarf his fiancee had given him around his neck, and happily said as he drove: "I'll take a photo when I get back to show Grandfather."

He didn't say he liked it, but his actions expressed it.

Zhen Bao was very happy.

Fu Ming Shi suddenly recalled something. "I forgot to prepare a gift for you," he said apologetically.

Zhen Bao was puzzled. "Didn't you give me one already?" That necklace supposedly worth at least five figures.

Fu Ming Shi corrected: "That was a Christmas Eve present."

Zhen Bao laughed softly. "It's also a Christmas present."

Fu Ming Shi didn't speak again. When the car reached a secluded road, he stopped at the roadside, turned to Zhen Bao and motioned for her to lean closer. "Let me tell you something," he said.

Zhen Bao obediently did as instructed.

Fu Ming Shi bent down and whispered in her ear, "When you were giving me the gift, I wanted to kiss you." Without waiting for Zhen Bao to fully digest these words, Fu Ming Shi tilted up her chin with one hand, and skillfully kissed her lips. Only then did Zhen Bao understand that she had fallen into his trap, but she couldn't restrain her own feelings of liking him, and secretly smiled. Sensing the upturned corners of her mouth, Fu Ming Shi seized the chance to deepen the kiss.

When the kiss ended, Zhen Bao turned to look out the window, breathing lightly.

Fu Ming Shi still leaned on the passenger seat backrest, gazing at her profile with dark eyes, wanting to devour her completely.

Zhen Bao's phone suddenly rang.

Only then did Fu Ming Shi sit properly and continue driving.

Zhen Bao secretly breathed a sigh of relief and looked at her phone. Jia Xiao Yu had sent a photo of the three girls sitting side by side in the movie theater.

Smiling, Zhen Bao chatted with her roommate. The movie had started over there, while she and Fu Ming Shi had arrived at the villa.

Wang Ma was still preparing dinner. Fu Ming Shi led Zhen Bao upstairs to the third floor, and brought her to his room door. He turned and pressed her against the door. Zhen Bao felt inexplicably panicked, afraid her roommates had guessed right, but Fu Ming Shi only kissed her ear and said in a low voice: "Tonight, we'll have a candlelight dinner."

Scenes from idol dramas immediately surfaced in Zhen Bao's mind - a handsome man and beautiful woman, a romantic setting.

"I've prepared a dress for you, will you change into it?" Fu Ming Shi looked into her eyes as he spoke.

Zhen Bao glanced down at her jeans. They really didn't match a candlelight dinner.

"Okay," Zhen Bao agreed obediently. After Fu Ming Shi's long talk yesterday, this time she didn't waste effort considering the price of the dress. He was just using his own way to express his feelings, and only splurged on holidays anyway, so why should she dampen his enthusiasm?

"The dress is in my room. Should I take it out, or..." Fu Ming Shi kissed her lips. "Should you go in?"

The suggestive tone was a bit too much for Zhen Bao to handle. She moved aside to let him take the things out.

Fu Ming Shi laughed and kissed her again before entering the room. He quickly came out with a gift bag.

Zhen Bao walked nervously towards her own room, followed by Hei Dan and Yue Liang, like flower boys trailing after a bride. Fu Ming Shi watched Zhen Bao enter her room before returning to his own to change into a suit.

In the neighboring bedroom, Zhen Bao placed the gift box from the bag onto the bed and gently opened it. Her eyes were met with a swath of cherry blossom pink. Zhen Bao loved anything pink, so just the dress color had won her over. She carefully unfolded it, and the soft, smooth chiffon skirt slipped through her fingers, feeling extremely comfortable to the touch.

But after seeing the full design of the dress, Zhen Bao's cheeks flushed over and over. Because it was a halter neck dress with a plunging neckline. Although the wide straps could cover a bra, the front and back were far too revealing. Just imagining wearing it made Zhen Bao feel she couldn't put it on.

But the dress was so beautiful that Zhen Bao still tried it on first. After putting it on, she walked to the mirror and caught sight of the large expanse of skin below her neck, and the...cleavage. Turning around, she saw a large area of her back was also exposed. Now it looked just like the couples going on dates in TV shows, but...

Just as Zhen Bao was about to take it off, there was a knock at the door. "Are you done changing?"

Zhen Bao became extremely nervous.

There was no movement inside, so Fu Ming Shi laughed softly. "Don't tell me you can't accept this kind of dress."

Zhen Bao really couldn't accept it! In all her years, she had never worn such a revealing skirt.

"Feng Bao, after you graduate, after we get married, I'll bring you to many occasions. You have to get used to it slowly." Fu Ming Shi spoke gently and patiently outside the door. "You've seen it in TV shows. Let me tell you, dresses in real life will be even more exaggerated. Yours is already quite conservative."

Zhen Bao stared at the mirror. She felt the dress really was very pretty, and also very revealing.

"Open the door and let me see." Fu Ming Shi knocked again.

Zhen Bao was conflicted, but eventually covered her chest towards the mirror, gritted her teeth and went to open the door.

She opened the door slowly. Fu Ming Shi followed the widening gap, first seeing half her shoulder and the skirt, then her face that was even pinker than the dress, because she was awkwardly lowering her head. Fu Ming Shi instinctively looked down along her line of sight, taking advantage of his height to get an unobstructed view of her décolletage.

Fu Ming Shi already knew she was very well-developed, but only at this moment did he get a deeper understanding.

His throat moved as he forced himself to return his gaze to her face, and hoarsely praised: "Very beautiful."

Zhen Bao still had her head lowered.

Fu Ming Shi did his best to dispel her embarrassment by taking a step back and making another suggestion. "You can let your hair down."

Zhen Bao reflexively touched the large braid behind her head.

Fu Ming Shi suddenly stepped forward, his body nearly touching hers, then bent down to help her undo her hair tie, before gently combing it out for her. Zhen Bao's hair was fine and smooth, obediently spreading out behind her back. One strand fell over her front, the jet black strands brushing against her flushed cheek, unexpectedly making this innocent girl seem coquettish. Fu Ming Shi lowered his head, wanting to kiss her.

Just then, Wang Ma's voice sounded from downstairs - dinner was ready.

Fu Ming Shi could only stop for now, taking her hand. "Let's go down."

Zhen Bao bent down to look at her feet. She was wearing cotton slippers.

Fu Ming Shi forced himself not to look at her chest area, and hoarsely said, "It's alright."

If he didn't mind, then Zhen Bao obediently went with him. As they walked downstairs, she secretly sized up Fu Ming Shi. He wore a black suit, Fu Ming Shi's usual attire, tailored perfectly to accentuate his slender waist and particularly long legs. Going down the stairs, his legs crossed over each other, exuding an indescribable allure.

The first floor living room was very dark, Wang Ma was nowhere to be seen. Only a table set for two with candlelight dinner was in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows. Outside the windows was thick snow, while inside was as warm as spring, so warm that Zhen Bao's whole body felt hot.

Fu Ming Shi pulled out a chair for her and helped her sit down, even thoughtfully helping her unfold her napkin.

His head was too close to her chest area, so Zhen Bao's body was stiff until Fu Ming Shi went around the table to the opposite seat, eyes never straying. Glancing at the table, Zhen Bao saw a vibrant bouquet of roses, a bottle of red wine, three lit candles, and several appetizing dishes.

Zhen Bao was hungry, her stomach growling. It had been over eight hours since lunch.

"Go ahead and eat," Fu Ming Shi said with a smile, helping her scoop food.

Zhen Bao ate very seriously, hoping to forget about the dress through this action.

Sitting opposite her, Fu Ming Shi ate leisurely and casually. His gaze barely left Zhen Bao, attracted by every part of her - liking her innocence, liking the unintentional allure she revealed, liking her girlish personality, and also liking her mature figure.

Sensing Zhen Bao's glance, Fu Ming Shi promptly brought his eyes back and poured himself some wine.

Zhen Bao eyed the bottle, seeing it was nearly empty. She had drank a small glass, the rest had all entered Fu Ming Shi's stomach.

Zhen Bao suddenly felt a little worried that he would get drunk.

"Do you know how to dance?" After drinking the last mouthful of red wine, Fu Ming Shi dabbed his lips with a napkin, behaving elegantly. Then he asked Zhen Bao, head slightly lowered, eyes gazing up, as if harboring ulterior motives.

Zhen Bao's heart thumped anxiously. "No, I don't."

"I'll teach you."

Fu Ming Shi put down his napkin, walked around to her side, put his left hand behind his back, bent down and extended his right hand to her in a perfect invitation to dance.

Zhen Bao looked up to see the candlelight flickering in his eyes.

She immediately turned her face away, softly declining, "I won't be able to learn it."

"I'm patient, and confident I can teach you." Fu Ming Shi insisted.

Zhen Bao's face was nearly on fire. She wasn't afraid to learn dancing from him, but she was afraid this dance lesson would take on another flavor.

Zhen Bao was startled when someone suddenly grabbed her hand. She looked back to see Fu Ming Shi smiling at her. He moved backwards while pulling her away from her seat. Zhen Bao's mind went blank until Fu Ming Shi leaned in to embrace her by the waist, then her mind exploded in a thunderous boom.

"Relax, do as I say." Fu Ming Shi lowered his head and slowly taught her to lift her feet.

Zhen Bao had no experience and stumbled clumsily, stepping on him several times. Fu Ming Shi was extremely patient, seeming willing to teach her until the end of time. Holding her slender waist, he guided her in a slow dance around the living room, passing by the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the romantic snowy courtyard, passing by the luxuriant potted plant in the window corner, and gradually moving towards the sofa in the center of the living room.

Just as Zhen Bao managed to match his rhythm, the back of her calf unexpectedly bumped into something. She instinctively clung to Fu Ming Shi, hoping he would pull her up, but unexpectedly, Fu Ming Shi fell down with her!

There was no anticipated pain as she fell onto the bouncy sofa, her head cushioned by his broad hand.

"Does it hurt?" Fu Ming Shi held himself above her, his voice low.

Zhen Bao smelled the mellow aroma of red wine and her heartbeat quickened. She shook her head first.

"That's good then."

Since she was unharmed, Fu Ming Shi relaxed and pressed down on her lips, firmly pinning her body as well.