Su Nuonuo’s heart felt both sour and warm, as the regrets of her previous life surged up within her.
For some reason, upon seeing him again in this life, she only wanted to hug him.
If they weren’t still so young, she truly would have wanted to kiss him.
Lu Zhiye’s entire body stiffened from her embrace. His hands hung at his sides, unsure of where to place them. He wanted to return the hug but did not dare.
He lowered his gaze, staring at the top of her head. His brows furrowed slightly, and a heavy, inexplicable feeling settled in his chest.
He could clearly feel that she was holding him tightly, as though carrying a heart full of unspeakable thoughts—weighty and pressing.
In a low voice filled with confusion, he asked, “What’s wrong?”
Su Nuonuo buried herself deeper into his chest, shaking her head and pressing her face closer. Her voice came out muffled, carrying a slight nasal tone, “Nothing’s wrong. I just want to hug you.”
Afraid that he would keep questioning her, she quickly added in a soft, gentle tone, “Lu Zhiye’s embrace is the most comfortable~”
Yet her eyes quietly grew moist. The pain of missing him in her previous life was too much. Thankfully, in this life, she was able to hold him early. Within that relief, there was a hidden bitterness he could not understand.
After holding him for a while, Su Nuonuo finally remembered that she should go home.
She tugged lightly at his clothes, her eyes curving into soft crescent moons. “Lu Zhiye, will you send me home?”
Without hesitation, Lu Zhiye nodded. The two of them greeted Grandpa Lu and then left. After walking a short distance, they reached the main road, and further ahead was the bus stop. Su Nuonuo followed closely behind Lu Zhiye.
What should she do… she wanted to hold his hand.
But she didn’t dare. He had already allowed her to hug him for so long—if she asked to hold his hand again, it might scare him away.
It was better for a girl to be reserved.
The two walked side by side toward the bus stop. Morning light slanted down, stretching Lu Zhiye’s shadow long and firm.
With sharp eyes, Su Nuonuo noticed it. Quietly slowing her steps, she tiptoed and began stepping on his shadow, her small shoes pressing repeatedly along the outline of his silhouette as she walked with playful seriousness.
From the corner of his eye, Lu Zhiye noticed. He paused slightly, then deliberately slowed his pace and subtly shifted his foot, moving his shadow closer to her side.
Seeing her grow more and more absorbed in stepping on his shadow, Su Nuonuo suddenly reached out, grabbing his wrist and shaking it as she looked up with a bright, curved smile. “Lu Zhiye, your shadow is so big. Walking on it means I won’t fall~”
Saying that, she moved even closer to him, almost brushing against his arm entirely.
Her small steps followed his shadow as she moved, her skirt brushing lightly against his pants. The soft, fleeting contact made one’s heart itch faintly.
Lu Zhiye lowered his gaze to look at the top of her fluffy hair. A faint curve unconsciously formed at the corner of his lips.
In a low voice, he replied, “Walk slowly. I’ll wait for you.”
He raised his hand and gently supported her waist, afraid she might lose her footing, protecting her steadily all the way. Under the warm sunlight, the air was filled with a gentle, sweet tenderness.
At the bus stop, they didn’t wait long before the bus Su Nuonuo needed arrived.
As soon as the doors opened, Lu Zhiye glanced at the crowded passengers inside. His brows immediately furrowed. Without thinking, he took her hand and led her onto the bus with practiced ease.
Inside, people stood shoulder to shoulder, tightly packed, the air stuffy and noisy.
Lu Zhiye immediately turned sideways to shield her. One hand gripped the overhead handrail, while the other naturally encircled her slender waist, firmly protecting her within the small space between him and the rail, not allowing anyone to bump into her.
Su Nuonuo was enclosed in his warm and solid embrace. The faint, clean scent of soap lingered at the tip of her nose, and she couldn’t help but lean even closer into him.
Her small hand quietly clenched the edge of his clothing, her fingertips sinking into the soft fabric.
The bus jolted suddenly, and her body swayed slightly. Her forehead lightly bumped against his firm chest. When she looked up, she unexpectedly met his deep, dark eyes.
There was a difference of more than half a head between them. She tilted her face upward slightly, her nose occasionally brushing past his jawline. Her warm breath drifted across his earlobe, lingering and intertwining, making his heart tremble faintly.
Lu Zhiye’s Adam’s apple moved heavily. His gaze darkened slightly as he leaned down toward her ear, his voice low and husky yet laced with indulgence, “Hold onto me properly. Don’t fall.”
The hand around her waist tightened subtly, holding her even more securely.
The surrounding noise of people and the shaking of the vehicle faded into the background.
All that remained was the two of them, their chests pressed close, and the ambiguous, sweet rhythm of their heartbeats—one overlapping another, clear and burning.
When the bus arrived at the stop, Lu Zhiye stepped out first, blocking the crowd as he held her wrist tightly. “Slow down. I’ll get off first.”
He landed steadily on the ground, then turned back, reaching out to grab her arm and gently pull her down. Worried she might stumble, his palm naturally supported her lower back for a moment.
As soon as Su Nuonuo’s feet touched the ground, before she could even steady herself, he pulled her a couple of steps toward the roadside, avoiding passing traffic.
She looked up at him with a smile, her fingertips brushing against his palm. “Lu Zhiye, you’re really good at taking care of people.”
The tips of Lu Zhiye’s ears grew warm. He tightened his grip on her mischievous fingers and replied in a low voice, “Stand steady.”
His gaze fell on a bit of dust on her skirt. He reached out and gently brushed it away. His fingertips accidentally grazed her calf. Both of them paused for a moment, the air filled with a sweet, subtle tension.
Walking toward the villa area after getting off the bus, a faint meowing suddenly came from the roadside grass.
Su Nuonuo’s steps halted. She bent down to look—it was a thin, small kitten, its fur dull and gray, clearly abandoned.
Her heart suddenly trembled, but the more she looked, the more familiar it felt.
A sudden realization struck her. Wasn’t this the same kitten she had encountered in her previous life after moving into Lu Zhiye’s home?
Back then, Grandpa Lu had smiled and said it was something Lu Zhiye had picked up from somewhere and treasured dearly.
He had even given it the name Little Nuomi, joking that it was similar to her name.
Su Nuonuo crouched down and gently touched the kitten’s soft body, her eyes filled with pity. She pursed her lips slightly and said dejectedly, “It’s so pitiful. I want to raise it, but my mother prefers keeping pets at home…”
After speaking, she immediately stood up and tugged lightly at Lu Zhiye’s arm, swaying it gently.
Standing on her tiptoes, she looked up at him, her eyes slightly red and carrying a soft, coaxing tone.
Her voice was sweet and clingy as she said, “Lu Zhiye~ you should raise it, okay? Look how well-behaved it is. Please~”
Her small hand clutched his sleeve, shaking it back and forth, her nose lightly brushing his arm. Her soft, delicate demeanor made one’s heart tremble faintly.
Lu Zhiye looked at her crouching on the ground, gently stroking the kitten’s head. Her profile, bathed in morning light, appeared exceptionally soft and gentle.
Suddenly, he felt that this scene struck him far more deeply than any confrontation or fight ever could.
He seemed… to vaguely understand why he couldn’t refuse her.
Lu Zhiye nodded somewhat woodenly. Su Nuonuo hadn’t expected him to agree so easily.
Her heart softened. She gently picked up the kitten and carefully placed it into his palm, coaxing it softly, “Be good and go home. Mommy will come visit you when she’s free.”
Only after saying that did she belatedly freeze. In her previous life, she had referred to herself this way in front of the kitten, and she had unconsciously said it again.
Just as Lu Zhiye’s fingertips touched the kitten’s warm fur, he heard her words. His Adam’s apple moved, and he suddenly spoke, “If it calls you mommy, then I…”
Before he could finish, he abruptly realized he had misspoken. The tips of his ears instantly turned bright red.
He hurriedly composed his expression, holding the kitten and walking forward quickly. His back was stiff, his posture straight, yet it carried a hint of awkward tension.
Su Nuonuo stood frozen in place, watching his reddened ears, her eyes curving into a smile as she called out loudly, “Mm, you’re its dad.”
Lu Zhiye’s steps abruptly halted!
Thinking of something, Su Nuonuo quickly caught up and asked, “Let’s give it a name?”
Lu Zhiye still seemed not to have recovered from being called “dad.” His ears remained faintly red as he lowered his head to look at the kitten’s soft fur, and in a muffled yet serious voice, he said, “Let’s call it Little Nuomi.”
Su Nuonuo’s heart suddenly trembled. The smile froze on her lips.
Little Nuomi.
She confirmed it—it was the same cat from her previous life that had accompanied her for a long time.
Her heart pounded rapidly. She stared blankly at Lu Zhiye’s back, her fingers tightening slightly.
But this was clearly her home area. In her previous life, they had never walked this road together. How had he found this kitten?
Could it be that… in her previous life, he had truly been here before?