But this answer, she could never tell him.
Chu Yao valued her pride.
Zhou Wenshi understood—this was a forbidden topic.
So he still needed to maintain his best condition.
Before leaving, Zhou Wenshi carried two pillows to the front desk to negotiate a purchase, leaving both the receptionist and Chu Yao stunned.
Chu Yao didn't understand: "Why are you buying these?"
The receptionist was clearly curious too.
She looked at Chu Yao, then at this handsome man.
It was the first time she'd seen someone come to a hotel and leave with hotel souvenirs.
The key question was—what was so special about these two pillows?
The receptionist couldn't tell.
The hotel had always bulk-ordered this model from a high-end brand, and guests praised its comfort.
But that shouldn't make a guest want to take them directly, right?
If he wanted to buy them, he could just go to the brand directly—at least those would be brand new.
Zhou Wenshi explained: "You held them."
Chu Yao's expression turned subtle: "Just because I held them?"
Zhou Wenshi hummed in affirmation: "Yes."
Chu Yao found it amusing: "So from now on, you'll buy everything I touch? You can't possibly buy it all—what kind of quirk is this?"
Zhou Wenshi's expression grew slightly awkward: "It's different."
Anyway, he absolutely had to buy them. Chu Yao couldn't be bothered to argue: "Fine, fine, buy them then. Two extra pillows in the dorm won't hurt."
Zhou Wenshi: "They won't be extra."
These two pillows carried her scent. He could hold them while sleeping.
Chu Yao watched his stubborn insistence and was genuinely amused, but seeing the seriousness in his eyes, she suddenly joked: "Don't tell me—whatever I've eaten, you'd eat too?"
By logical deduction, if he wanted what she'd held, wouldn't he also want what she'd eaten?
Unexpectedly, Zhou Wenshi actually imagined it.
If she gave him half-eaten food, everything she left for him—his face inexplicably grew a little warm.
He hummed again for a moment: "That works."
He looked at her.
"If you let me eat, I'll eat it all."
This caught Chu Yao off guard. She was speechless for half a second: "…You don't even mind? I won't even eat food others have touched, and you actually want to?!"
Zhou Wenshi explained very seriously: "Anything you leave behind, I like."
He pressed his lips together.
He wasn't used to expressing love directly, but love needed to be expressed.
Chu Yao: "…Then you really are… quite the eater."
She couldn't imagine the scene of Zhou Wenshi calmly taking the remaining half and eating it directly—it felt too out of character, too unlike Zhou Wenshi.
Chu Yao: "I've never given anyone my leftovers."
Zhou Wenshi: "Then you can give them to me."
Chu Yao was at a loss.
She never expected that what started as a joke would end with him looking genuinely eager.
Now she didn't even know if she should start saving something for him in the future.
The thing was, she never had leftovers anyway.
She looked troubled: "Then let's just forget it."
Zhou Wenshi pressed on: "We can't forget it. Why forget it? You don't want to give me food? I'm willing to eat your leftovers."
Because of his persistence, he was getting a bit anxious.
He had the look of someone who would panic if he weren't allowed to eat them.
Both Chu Yao and the receptionist beside her were stunned.
Chu Yao could almost see the receptionist's eyes saying, Holy shit, girl, how did you manage that?! A role model for us all!
She slowly closed her eyes: "…"
Chu Yao called his name, her voice a little weak, and complained, "…Are you a dog? Zhou Wenshi, you just have to eat."
Zhou Wenshi pressed his lips together. "If it's for you, I can be."
He hesitated for a moment. "But I've never learned how. If you need it, I can learn first, and once I've learned, I'll be one for you."
The receptionist nearby was stunned speechless.
This… this… Could this be live dog-training instruction?
Oh my god! She was witnessing a legendary scene in person!
When would she ever get to see such good-looking people perform for her like this?
She cast a look of reverence at Chu Yao.
This girl was too powerful!
Sis, send me a tutorial too—I want a boyfriend this obedient as well!
And the guy—so obedient and sensible, he deserved to have a girlfriend! Good, he should keep it up!
Be a role model for the new generation!
Chu Yao: "…"
She was getting embarrassed under the receptionist's gaze, and stomped her foot at him in annoyance. "You just know how to throw yourself at me. What 'be'? Go buy your pillow!"
Chu Yao turned and walked away, wishing she could get as far away as possible.
Only Zhou Wenshi remained, holding two pillows, still a little confused.
Did he say something wrong?
But he really was willing to be one for her, and he really didn't know how.
If he'd never learned, should he just do it directly?
Zhou Wenshi felt he might not do well without experience, and then she might not like it.
This was his first relationship. There were many things he didn't understand, and he didn't know how to better meet his girlfriend's expectations.
He wanted her to be happy.
Zhou Wenshi turned around and continued negotiating the purchase.
The receptionist switched back to her professional smile. "Alright, sir, we'll communicate with you on this end."
She called the person in charge.
Zhou Wenshi got what he wanted and walked away with his pillows in his arms.
In her spare time, the receptionist opened her group chat with her best friend.
[Sis, I've got a huge piece of gossip! Let me tell you, today there was this super handsome guy with his girlfriend…]
The receptionist typed away passionately.
Her best friend quietly read the whole thing and sent [Oh my god!], [Holy crap!], [666] and other enthusiastic praises.
Because Zhou Wenshi was carrying two pillows, he attracted quite a bit of attention, and passersby couldn't help but take a second look.
Chu Yao once again enjoyed the treatment of being the center of attention, so she walked a little faster. Zhou Wenshi, not understanding why, followed along.
Chu Yao gave up on speeding up.
"I really don't want to stand next to you after all."
Zhou Wenshi: ?
"Did I do something wrong?"
He began to think about what he'd done along the way. They were walking, doing nothing, and he hadn't said much.
Zhou Wenshi looked at his girlfriend's expression and guessed, "Did I talk too little?"
His girlfriend's expression wasn't unpleasant—she wasn't in a bad mood.
Chu Yao rarely saw a male lead as good at self-reflection as him, and seeing him carefully observe her expression, as if he would do something if she were truly upset, she explained, "No, I just don't like being the center of attention. I don't like being stared at."
Zhou Wenshi remembered how, in the second cafeteria, she kept avoiding gazes and instinctively kept her distance.
He said directly, "Sorry, I can't control others not looking at me."
Chu Yao was surprised. "Why are you apologizing for that? It's not your fault. Well, I guess it kind of is, but looks are innate. If people want to look, let them."
Zhou Wenshi looked a little moved, as if he thought it was really nice that she could understand him.
Chu Yao: "…"
You're such a lovesick fool.
The only problem was the object of her affection.
She had already chosen to selectively ignore the fact that the mission description was unreliable—after all, things had been off from day one.
"Nominal" or not, she could see he had no such self-awareness whatsoever.
He was actually quite proactive.
Cold and aloof? That was for other people. With her, he smiled quite readily.
There were plenty of issues, but as long as they didn't affect the final outcome and the mission still worked, she couldn't be bothered to file a complaint.
A bug was a bug.
She'd just make do for now.
Missions always had bugs from time to time—a qualified Task-bearer had to be good at ignoring problems.
Chu Yao had already comforted herself and turned to discuss with him where they should go eat next.
That was the top priority.
They ultimately decided on hotpot.
Chu Yao happily enjoyed a meal and finally returned to A University with Zhou Wenshi.
It was already 10:30 PM when Chu Yao got back to the dorm.
Huang Chuying was sitting at her desk with a face mask on. Hearing the commotion, she giggled. "Ooh~ Which little beauty has returned?"
She casually struck a pose at the desk.
"Let me take a closer look—turns out it's our little A'Yao back."
Chu Yao laughed at her antics, set a bag of grapes and bananas on the desk, and sat down directly. "You never run out of material."
Huang Chuying hummed. "Of course. Where did you run off to all day? I didn't see you this afternoon."
"Went out to play. Why? Miss me?"
Chu Yao picked off a third of the grapes into a bowl, rinsed them several times at the sink, and placed a bowl in front of Huang Chuying.
"Here, want some?"
She called the other roommates over to eat too, then got up to pour herself a glass of water. When she came back, she could still hear Chu Ying muttering about how she had a conscience after all.
Chu Yao smiled helplessly.
After Huang Chuying finished her mask and applied her toner and lotion, she tried a couple of grapes and spat out the skins. "Mmm~ Pretty sweet. You know how to pick 'em."
Chu Yao: "Zhou Wenshi picked them."
Huang Chuying immediately realized who Chu Yao had spent the day with. A knowing smile crept onto her face as she looped her arm around her and whispered, "A date?"
Chu Yao: "Not exactly. But I was with him today. Does watching cartoons all day count?"
Huang Chuying: ?
"Cartoons? Not watching some movie or something?"
Huang Chuying couldn't understand it—two people on a date watching cartoons instead of something that gets the hormones and passion going?
One look at her expression and Chu Yao knew exactly what was running through her mind. She chuckled. "Not everyone's like you—when you're with a handsome guy, all you think about is how to get him in bed."
Huang Chuying clicked her tongue, tossed a grape in the air, and caught it neatly with her other hand. Lazily, she said, "If you're dating, you've got to taste the goods. I don't do vegetarian."
She let out another "hey" and nudged Chu Yao's shoulder, winking. "So you didn't, didn't kiss him? You at least got your lips on him, right?"
"Thanks, but no. Not at that stage yet." Chu Yao picked up a grape and started peeling it.
"You're boyfriend and girlfriend, and you still care about that?" Huang Chuying was even more surprised. In this day and age, someone as slow to warm up as A'Yao was a rare find.
She tossed the grape into her mouth and spat out the skin. "If it were me, I'd have gone for it on day one."
She glanced at Chu Yao again and shook her head. "If it were you, who knows how many years it'd take before you got a taste."
Taste…
Chu Yao couldn't help but think back to Zhou Wenshi brushing against her palm, murmuring for her to teach him, his chest and abs fully on display, even the red mark on his right side faintly visible through the bathrobe, like a bewitching flower blooming in secret.
The water droplets vanished as they rolled down the red spot.
His body temperature was rising too.
Chu Yao peeled the grape with great care, stripping away every bit of the skin until nothing remained. She popped the grape into her mouth and mumbled, "…Mm."
Actually, Zhou Wenshi wasn't entirely without appeal to her.
But when you're on a mission, you can't afford to mess things up.
She had professional ethics.
"I probably won't eat him, and I won't even kiss him."
Huang Chuying was shocked: "Full celibacy?"
Chu Yao peeled another grape and ate it: "Isn't that a good thing?"
Huang Chuying silently gave her a thumbs up: "6, 666, only you, A'Yao. You're practically a monk."
A few grapes remained in the bowl. Chu Yao pushed it over: "Want more?"
Huang Chuying took two: "You eat the rest."
Chu Yao: "Okay."
She finished the remaining grapes, washed her hands, and sent Zhou Wenshi a message.
Chu Yao: Ate the grapes. They're very sweet.
Chu Yao: Calculate today's bill and I'll transfer you the money.
[Him]: No need
[Him]: You bought me things too, so it cancels out
Dorm 504, male building.
Zhou Wenshi instinctively looked at the two pillows placed at the head of his bed, snuggled intimately against his own pillow.
He had just returned to the dorm. Feng Yao found it extremely unusual—he'd actually come back carrying two pillows.
Zhou Wenshi didn't explain the details. He just said a brief sentence, then carefully placed the pillows at the head of his bed, one on each side of his own.
Feng Yao clicked his tongue in amazement. Anyone watching would think those pillows were Zhou Wenshi's wives—he wouldn't even allow a second glance, let alone anyone getting close.
What a strange quirk.
Fortunately, Feng Yao didn't have wandering hands.
Still, he was genuinely curious—if he touched them, would Zhou Wenshi actually get upset?
The moment he raised this hypothesis, he was met with a cold sneer from the handsome guy.
Feng Yao raised his hands in surrender.
Okay, okay, he got it. They were untouchable.
He still couldn't see what was so special about those two pillows. They were just pillows, weren't they?
Zhou Wenshi couldn't be bothered to satisfy Feng Yao's curiosity.
He wouldn't share with anyone the fact that Chu Yao had held those pillows and left her signature scent on them.
That belonged to him alone.
Before returning to A University today, Chu Yao had planned to bring some fruit back to the dorm, so she dragged him along to browse the stalls nearby.
But when it came to the selection, she was troubled. She walked and sighed, sighed and walked.
Making her distress very obvious.
Chu Yao scanned the area, muttering in frustration.
"Is there any kind soul who can help me pick out big, sweet grapes?"
Zhou Wenshi beside her: "…" He understood who the "kind soul" referred to.
Chu Yao's eyes were sincere, fixed on him, her hands pressed together in a prayer gesture.
She didn't say a word more, but it reminded him of the first day they met.
—'Please, please, can I apply to be your girlfriend?'
These eyes seemed to say:
'Please, please, I'm begging you, kind soul.'
He seemed to hear another sentence spoken in the same tone.
At that moment, silence spoke louder than words.
On the summer night, the breeze was quiet and lingering.
The dim streetlights, the murmurs of passersby, the laughter between friends, the intimate whispers of family—it was as if he could hear none of it.
All that remained was her serene face beneath the night light, her gentle, radiant eyes, and the faint smile on her lips.
She simply looked at him, expectant and focused.
His heart pounded—thump, thump, thump, thump, thump—beyond his control, beating harder and harder, as if it might leap right out of his chest.
His chest felt tight and warm, heat surging all the way from his heart to the tips of his ears.
He felt a little hot.
So hot.
Burning up because of her.
Zhou Wenshi realized he simply couldn't resist her.
With just one move from her, he was already laying down his arms in surrender.
He looked away, somewhat awkwardly: "Okay."
He successfully picked out a large grape that perfectly matched her requirements.
Hearing her say with a smile, "What a kind person you are."
He hummed softly in acknowledgment, enduring the burning heat at his ears: "You can also make him do more things."
Chu Yao let out a "wow": "That's amazing!"
Listening to her laughter, he nearly bit through his lip.
She ran over to the water pipe to wash the grapes, then ran back, looking mysterious: "Does the kind person want a reward?"
She hid a grape behind her back.
He pretended not to notice, playing along with her little game.
She told him to close his eyes, and he really did, anticipating the grape she would hand him.
"Ta-da—" came her cheerful voice.
Warm breath drew close to him, and something was pressed into his hand…
Zhou Wenshi opened his eyes in surprise.
"Candy?"
Chu Yao asked with a beaming smile: "Surprised? It's not a grape."
"Surprised," Zhou Wenshi said, unable to contain his joy even though he'd been tricked. He repeated, delighted, "Surprised."
She chuckled: "Did you think I'd give you a grape? That's not the kind of game I play."
Zhou Wenshi's heart and eyes were full of her.
Not to mention, she had gone out of her way for him.
This alone left him so pleasantly surprised he was at a loss for words.
"Chu Yao."
"What's wrong?"
"I feel happy."
"Then the kind person should stay happy forever."
Zhou Wenshi remembered the moonlight on their way back.
The bright moon hung high, starlight scattering across the ground.
He walked with Chu Yao through the nighttime campus, the night breeze blowing comfortably.
Just like that, she walked him to the entrance of the boys' dormitory.
"Goodbye, kind person."
She trotted off on her own, swaying happily.
The moonlight was beautiful, but the person beneath the moonlight was even more so.