A DING from the elevator shattered the tranquil warmth.
Li Zhi shifted slightly in his embrace, finally looking up.
She didn't struggle free right away. Instead, she gazed up at him, her eyes still glistening, her voice muffled by the collar of her down jacket. It was a sound of kitten-like affection and dependence:
"Dumbass... the elevator's here."
"Let Uncle Li and Aunt Xu wait a little longer."
Li Zhi stared at Shen Yuan in disbelief and poked him on the forehead.
"You must have a death wish."
Shen Yuan chuckled. "Just kidding. I'll take you down."
The girl's voice suddenly softened, muffled by her jacket but carrying a natural, matter-of-fact intimacy. "What do you think? Taking your girlfriend downstairs—isn't that your duty? My dumbass boyfriend."
Her words struck a chord deep in Shen Yuan's heart, and the bittersweet pang of their impending farewell was instantly replaced by overwhelming sweetness.
