Shen Yue simply smiled, her gaze soft and gentle, her lips plump and vibrant red, the beauty mark on her nose striking. "Don't talk nonsense."
Her soft tone was like a playful plea.
Jiang Wei's body burned whenever he heard her voice. He cupped the girl's small, delicate chin, applying a slight pressure to force her to look up. "What am I going to do? I feel like I can't leave you anymore."
His low voice carried a hint of nonchalance, as if he were joking, but his eyes were dark and unfathomable, making it impossible to discern the true meaning behind his words.
Shen Yue's heart tightened, but she showed no outward sign. She merely gazed at him with her dark, moist eyes, her brows curved like crescent moons. "I don't have that much capability. I want to drink water."
Clumsily changing the subject, Shen Yue stood up to reach for the water glass on the table, but Jiang Wei held her firmly in place, showing no intention of letting go. He gripped the girl's fair, slender nape, feeling the soft, delicate touch, and couldn't help but stroke it a few times, becoming somewhat addicted.
"You do have that much capability."
He pulled the topic back, not giving Shen Yue a chance to refuse this time. His eyes, dark and profound, watched her, observing her every subtle expression.
Shen Yue unconsciously clenched her fingertips.
Although Jiang Wei's words were subtle, Shen Yue still sensed something was amiss.
Why was Jiang Wei suddenly saying such things to her? Jiang Wei had never been this affectionate before; he even found her embarrassing, and they had always kept their distance at school.
Shen Yue found this arrangement convenient and quite satisfactory.
However, Jiang Wei's current attitude left her feeling somewhat perplexed.
Shen Yue couldn't help but become vigilant.
Her expression remained gentle, her dimples shallow and sweet.
"Jiang Wei, you're speaking so strangely, so cheesy."
Jiang Wei suddenly chuckled, then quickly suppressed it. His expression turned unusually serious. "While I was away competing in other provinces these past few days, I thought about many things."
Shen Yue's heart sank, her brow furrowing involuntarily. A bad premonition washed over her.
"Have you thought about which university you want to apply to?"
His tone seemed questioning, but his eyes held no hint of inquiry, only an imperious refusal of opposition.
In a flash, Shen Yue seemed to understand his meaning. Her pupils contracted, believing she had misheard.
Shen Yue had already found her university – a county town far from this city, A University, a top-tier prestigious institution. As long as her grades remained at their current level, she was confident she could get in, marking a new beginning for her.
As for Jiang Wei's grades, he wouldn't be able to get in and would have to study abroad.
Shen Yue had always believed Jiang Wei was merely playing around. In this city, at this school, Jiang Wei could indeed do as he pleased, so Shen Yue tried her best not to provoke him, to comply with him until he grew tired of his games.
But it was clear Jiang Wei hadn't grown tired of his games; he was even considering controlling her decisions about staying or leaving.
A chill spread from her heart to her limbs, making her shiver uncontrollably. She tightly clenched her fingers, feeling a momentary urge to question him, to demand "why," but she quickly suppressed it.
Because it would be useless, utterly useless.
Jiang Wei had always acted on impulse, never considering the thoughts of those around him. Doing so would only anger him and achieve nothing; it might even alert him.
The fingers gripping her nape tightened. Shen Yue's breathing became somewhat rapid, but she continued to smile, her exquisite, beautiful face like a magnificent, richly colored peony.
She appeared indifferent. "I haven't decided yet."
Jiang Wei's fingers loosened slightly. His voice lowered. "I'll be going to France then. You come with me."
This was not a question, but a notification.
Shen Yue's hands and feet grew cold, her mind going blank for a moment.
He had expected the girl to agree happily and quickly. To his surprise, the girl seemed stunned, as if she hadn't registered his words, her small face ashen white, her long, dark lashes trembling slightly.
The smile on Jiang Wei's face faded a little, his brow seeming to be shadowed by a layer of gloom. "What? You don't want to?"
The girl came back to her senses. She tried to force a smile, but it wouldn't come. In the end, she just lowered her head, her voice weak, almost inaudible.
"I do..."
Jiang Wei, who was very close to the girl, heard her. Because everything he had desired since childhood had come so easily, he rarely felt excited about anything. Yet, at this moment, her words sent his heart surging with uncontrollable joy. He released his grip on Shen Yue's hand.
The girl lowered her head, her hair soft and dark, her skin as white as fine jade. Her eyes were exceedingly beautiful.
His gaze fixed on Shen Yue's nose, where a small, red beauty mark rested, neither too faint nor too dark.
This corner was quite secluded, invisible to onlookers. Jiang Wei knew Shen Yue was timid, so he pushed her further into the corner.
Once Shen Yue recovered, she looked up in a daze. Jiang Wei exuded a strong sense of pressure, his eyes burning.
"Jiang, Jiang Wei." The girl tilted her face up. She was familiar with this look, but since they were in public, she didn't want things to get too extreme. She reached out, pushing against Jiang Wei's hard chest, showing some resistance.
"Don't move."
Jiang Wei lowered his voice, his brow furrowed, revealing a hint of ferocity. He grabbed the girl's wrist, his fingers tightening, his thumb stroking lightly.
Shen Yue couldn't move now, nor did she dare to, fearing she might cause too much of a scene and attract the attention of those nearby.
This was the aspect of Jiang Wei that Shen Yue disliked the most.
He was too impulsive, completely disregarding the occasion or Shen Yue's consent, always acting wantonly.
The heat radiating from the young man was intense. Even though it was autumn, he wore only a simple black T-shirt, his exposed forearm solid and powerful.
He wasn't actually dark-skinned, but against the girl's fair complexion, he appeared several shades darker. Jiang Wei watched, feeling a fire in his chest growing fiercer, his breathing becoming heavy, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed, the sound of his swallowing loud.
"...Jiang Wei," Shen Yue couldn't help but struggle a couple of times, her long, thick eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings, her voice tinged with panic. "Can we not do this here?"
The potted plants offered no sense of security; it felt as if someone could appear at any moment.
Jiang Wei didn't listen. He exhaled a heavy breath, hot air billowing out, his chest heaving violently. Unable to restrain himself any longer, he lowered his head, gripped her soft, white chin, and bit down on that small, yet strikingly conspicuous red beauty mark.
Perhaps it was due to his excitement, but he hadn't quite controlled his strength.