Chapter 59: A Cinematic Encounter: Embarrassment and Teasing

Before her morning alarm could even chime, Su Mian’s eyes had already fluttered open.

Despite this not being her first offline meeting with Xiao Moyuan as “Sweetheart Marshmallow,” the blend of fear, shame, and a hint of secret anticipation had not lessened. Instead, it intensified, amplified by the significant “mission” ahead today.

She tossed and turned in bed, mentally rehearsing countless potential scenarios and her planned responses. She dreaded revealing herself through any minute detail.

With meticulous care, she applied her makeup, donned a soft, chestnut-colored long wig, and finally changed into the carefully chosen JK uniform, its thin black stockings clinging to her slender, straight legs.

Observing the sweet, slightly timid ‘girl’ in the mirror—a stark contrast to ‘Su Mian’—she mused, ‘This appearance should be fine…’

Taking a deep breath, she strove to calm her wildly beating heart. Only then did she muster the courage to leave, hailing a taxi to the agreed-upon Starry City.

Seated in the backseat of the taxi, Su Mian watched the streetscape rush past the window, her palms growing slightly damp with sweat.

She instinctively touched her burning cheeks, muttering softly to herself:

‘Damn it… I’ve already met him once looking like this, so why am I still so nervous, so… embarrassed?’

The fluttering sensation, akin to going on a real date, mingled with the guilt of deceiving him and the panic of being discovered, leaving her utterly restless.

Upon arriving at the entrance of Starry City, she spotted his figure from afar, standing out like a crane among chickens.

Xiao Moyuan, dressed in simple yet impeccably tailored casual wear, cut a tall, imposing figure with his austere demeanor, making him exceptionally conspicuous amidst the bustling crowd.

He seemed to have noticed her as well, his gaze piercing through the throngs of people to land precisely on her.

Su Mian’s heart skipped a beat. She quickly scurried over, forcing out “Sweetheart Marshmallow’s” signature sweet smile, her voice deliberately soft and saccharine, “Brother~ Have you been waiting long?”

Having the experience of one previous meeting, her words flowed much more naturally this time.

Xiao Moyuan’s deep gaze lingered on her for a few seconds, sweeping from her carefully styled hair to her feet clad in small leather shoes, before returning to her cheeks, which were slightly flushed from nervousness, and the necklace he had given her.

A faint, almost imperceptible curve touched his lips. “Just arrived. Let’s go, the movie’s about to start.”

His casual demeanor made it seem as if they truly were an ordinary couple, which somewhat eased Su Mian’s tension. Yet, this was immediately followed by a deeper apprehension—the more natural he acted, the more uncomfortable she felt.

They collected their tickets and entered.

Only after finding their seats did Su Mian realize that Xiao Moyuan had chosen the couple’s seats right in the middle of the theater!

These sofa-style double seats, without armrests in between, offered an intimacy that made her heart race.

Moreover, a glance around revealed that almost everyone present was a couple, and the air was thick with the sweet scent of popcorn and an undeniable romantic atmosphere.

The movie was a recently popular romance film, with a romantic plot and beautiful visuals.

However, not long after the film began, Su Mian found herself utterly unable to concentrate on the story.

Her entire being was consumed by her surroundings and the man beside her.

The couple in front had been practically glued together since the movie started, whispering intimately from time to time, the girl occasionally letting out a coquettish giggle.

The pair diagonally behind them were even bolder, passionately embracing and kissing in the dim light, their faint sounds unusually clear in the quiet cinema.

Not to mention the couples to her left and right, cuddling close, feeding each other popcorn, or holding hands, their fingers suggestively intertwined…

Su Mian had never experienced such a scene before.

She felt completely out of place, her entire body rigid with discomfort.

The heat on her cheeks steadily rose, even her earlobes burning intensely.

She sat stiffly, her eyes fixed on the big screen, yet she hadn’t registered a single word the protagonists had spoken. Her mind was filled with the intimate sights and sounds surrounding her.

Xiao Moyuan took in her discomfiture, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes.

He deliberately leaned slightly towards her, lowering his voice, his warm breath subtly brushing her ear. “What’s wrong? Is the movie not good? You seem… very nervous?”

His sudden proximity and whispered words made Su Mian tremble, almost causing her to jump out of her seat.

She whipped her head around, meeting his close-set eyes filled with scrutiny and playfulness. Her heart pounded as she stammered a denial, “N-No! The movie… the movie is great! I-I’m just a little… a little cold!”

She fumbled for an excuse.

“Cold?”

Xiao Moyuan raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over her slender arms, exposed by the JK uniform, and her legs clad in thin black stockings. His tone carried a knowing chuckle.

“Wearing so little, it’s certainly easy to get cold.” With that, he naturally reached out, enclosing her slightly cool hand, which rested on her lap, within his own warm, dry palm.

Su Mian instantly froze, her mind a blank.

The scorching warmth of his palm transferred to the back of her hand, a current instantly coursing through her entire body.

She tried to pull her hand away, but he tightened his grip with a gentle firmness.

“Better… now?” Xiao Moyuan’s voice was deep and magnetic, carrying an undeniable intimacy that clearly reached her ears in the dim, noisy cinema.

Su Mian’s face flushed so crimson it felt as if it might start smoking, even her neck turning pink.

She stammered, utterly at a loss for how to respond, allowing him to hold her hand, which felt as though it were about to ignite.

Just then, the scene on the big screen reached its climax: the male and female protagonists romantically embracing and kissing in the rain. Sentimental background music swelled, pushing the ambiguous atmosphere of the entire cinema to its peak.

Couples around them seemed to be infected, their intimate gestures growing more frequent and bold.

“Honey, keep your hands to yourself, so many people are watching…”

“Giegie, you’re such a good kisser. I won’t go home tonight, I’ll stay with you.”

“Baby, you’re so beautiful today, and your lips are so sweet.”

A variety of kissing sounds and intimate, even daring, sweet nothings from couples filled the air.

Su Mian felt like she was suffocating.

She could even distinctly smell Xiao Moyuan’s clean, pleasant cedar scent, mingling with the sweet stickiness of popcorn, creating a strange and heart-racing atmosphere.

Xiao Moyuan watched as even her fair earlobes turned translucent red, stifling a laugh as he continued his ‘teasing.’

He leaned even closer, almost pressing against her ear, and asked in a slow, barely audible whisper meant only for them, “They all seem… very engrossed. Baby, what do you say… should we… try to learn from them?”

“Learn… learn what?!” Su Mian spun her head around sharply, her voice rising slightly in agitation before she quickly realized her lapse and lowered it again, her eyes wide with fright, her face a picture of disbelief and panic.

Xiao Moyuan chuckled softly, finally ceasing his teasing. He released her hand, leaning back into his seat, his tone returning to its usual calm, though the amusement in his eyes lingered. “Just kidding. Watch the movie.”

The warmth on the back of her hand abruptly vanished, and Su Mian felt an inexplicable emptiness in her heart, instantly followed by a wave of immense embarrassment.

She hastily turned her head back, resuming her ‘focused’ gaze on the big screen, her heart pounding, utterly unable to calm down.

This Xiao Moyuan… he was absolutely doing it on purpose! He was clearly enjoying her predicament!

The remainder of the movie felt like an eternity to Su Mian.

Every cell in her body seemed aware of the man beside her, and the intimate gestures of the surrounding couples constantly bombarded her senses.

Although Xiao Moyuan made no further inappropriate moves, his occasional amused glances made Su Mian feel as if she were sitting on pins and needles.

Her originally planned ‘seductive’ maneuvers seemed utterly pale and powerless against Xiao Moyuan’s effortless counter-flirting.

Who exactly was trying to conquer whom?

Su Mian wanted to cry, feeling that in this confrontation, she had been at a disadvantage from the very beginning.

When the movie ended and the lights came on, Su Mian almost immediately stood up, eager to escape this place that had set her heart racing and made her blush.

However, Xiao Moyuan slowly followed, and then, beside her, he suddenly asked:

“Next time, let’s pick a horror movie.”

He paused, then added meaningfully,

“I hear… in those situations, you tend to lean in more actively.”

Su Mian: “!!!”

She stumbled, almost falling. The heat that had just receded from her cheeks surged back with a vengeance, even her fingertips trembling slightly with shame.

This man… he was too dangerous!