Lemon Soda Candy - 57

Zhou Anran felt as if something had exploded in her mind.

She couldn’t tell if it was because of his sudden change in how he addressed her, or the gentle, coaxing words that carried a hint of command.

Obediently, she parted her lips, and Chen Luobai’s tongue immediately slipped inside.

The boy explored her mouth with a mix of inexperience and dominance.

Zhou Anran’s breath was filled with his presence; her lips and tongue were entirely claimed by his assertive advance.

In this intensely intimate moment, as he kissed her deeply, a faint sense of reality finally settled in.

A fleeting sense that she was, indeed, dating Chen Luobai.

The kiss lasted for several minutes.

In the empty Live House, the only sound was the blush-inducing noise of their kiss.

When Zhou Anran was nearly out of breath, the boy finally pulled back from her mouth.

Chen Luobai lingered, kissing her lips softly for a moment longer before fully pulling away, his forehead resting against hers, their breaths still mingling, his voice low.

“Did you eat the lemon candy?”

Still dazed from the oxygen-deprived haze, Zhou Anran took a moment to respond. She shook her head slowly. 

The two candies he’d given her during his confession—how could she bear to eat them?

Then, remembering something, she nodded. “Before I left, my roommate gave me a different lemon candy.”

The girl in his arms looked bullied to the point of tears, her eyes shimmering with moisture, her lips flushed a vivid red from his kisses, her voice soft and trembling. 

Chen Luobai’s hand, resting at the nape of her neck, twitched slightly. He leaned in again, kissing her, his tongue brushing her lips, catching the faint, lingering scent of lemon.

After a moment, he pulled back, hearing her soft gasps. He chuckled, his nose brushing hers. “No wonder our Ranran is so sweet.”

Our Ranran.

Those words made Zhou Anran’s heart tremble softly.

This boy teased her relentlessly, she was simply asking, but he seemed to genuinely think she wanted to hear different nicknames. Tonight alone, he’d already switched to two.

Zhou Anran clutched the fabric of his jacket, still a bit shy. “I ate it ages ago.”

“Still sweet,” Chen Luobai murmured, brushing his lips against hers again. His voice dropped. “You didn’t eat the two I gave you?”

Zhou Anran shook her head. “No.”

“When I—” Chen Luobai paused, his fingertips gently stroking her cheek. “Why did you put two candies on my desk back then?”

Zhou Anran’s grip on his shoulder tightened slightly.

Chen Luobai had wanted to ask her for a long time but wasn’t sure if she’d want to talk about the past. He hadn’t dared to bring it up. When she didn’t answer right away, his thumb soothingly brushed the corner of her eye. “It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it.”

Zhou Anran shook her head again. “It’s not that.”

She just wasn’t used to it, and it felt embarrassing to lay her little thoughts bare in front of someone else.

But if he wanted to hear, she wouldn’t refuse to tell him.

“It was a spur-of-the-moment decision.”

Zhou Anran thought back to that day, the details vivid despite the years. Maybe it was the nervous tension that had strung her tight, or maybe because it was him, but even now, the memory of that moment—her actions, her feelings—was as clear as yesterday.

“You looked so unhappy that day. I wasn’t close to you then and didn’t know how to comfort you. Later, when I was on duty, I found two soda candies in my pocket. I remembered you usually drank soda, so I secretly slipped them into your desk.”

Zhou Anran paused. Saying these things out loud in front of him still felt a bit embarrassing, so she buried her face in his shoulder, continuing in a small voice, “I thought, maybe if you ate them, maybe if you liked the flavor, you’d feel a little happier.”

Chen Luobai’s heart suddenly melted.

His high school desk had been stuffed with countless things, sincere love letters, carefully prepared or expensive gifts. But almost everyone who left something for him wanted something in return, whether material or emotional.

No one was like her, so foolishly slipping two candies into his desk, just hoping he’d feel a bit better that day.

Back then, she didn’t even dare speak to him.

How much must she have liked him to take the risk of being found out just to leave something on his desk, yet expect nothing in return?

Before today, Chen Luobai had regretted mistaking those two candies for ones from Tang Jianrui or he others and eating them carelessly.

But now, he felt immensely grateful.

Grateful that he hadn’t wasted her heartfelt gesture.

Chen Luobai tilted his head to kiss the side of her forehead. “I ate those two candies back then.”

Zhou Anran froze, lifting her head in surprise.

Chen Luobai touched her cheek. “I ate them that same night.”

Her eyes lit up, sparkling like stars in the night sky.

Like the lyric he’d sung to her here once—

“Like a diamond in the sky.”

Chen Luobai continued, “I was upset that day because the night before, I overheard my mom telling my dad she wanted a divorce.”

The small hand gripping his shoulder seemed to tighten.

Chen Luobai smiled and pinched her cheek. “They didn’t divorce. They’re practically glued to each other now, disgustingly in love.”

Zhou Anran exhaled in relief.

“But back then, I really thought they were getting divorced. When I got home that day, our housekeeper was on leave, and I didn’t eat dinner. I thought the candies were from Tang Jianrui or the others, so I just opened them and ate them.”

Hearing him mention the misunderstanding again, Zhou Anran felt a slight flush of embarrassment.

“But after eating those two candies—” Chen Luobai’s thumb brushed her lip, and he leaned down to kiss her softly, “I really did feel a little happier that day.”

Zhou Anran’s nose suddenly stung.

She’d thought those candies had been tossed aside by him, or at best, forgotten in some drawer at his house.

Like her feelings back then, never to see the light of day.

But they had, it turned out, already glimpsed a sliver of light.

Burying her face in his shoulder again, she whispered, “That’s good.”

Chen Luobai’s fingers played with her hair, then he leaned down to kiss her ear. His hand slid to her chin, lifting her face slightly as he kissed her again, his voice low. “On behalf of that blind, idiotic Chen Luobai from back then, thank you, our Ranran.”

That night, their kisses were long and intermittent.

Chen Luobai would kiss her for a while, then pause to talk.

So much so that when Zhou Anran fell asleep that night, she dreamed of Chen Luobai kissing her.

The next morning, woken by her alarm, Zhou Anran buried her flushed face in her pillow for a long time before dragging herself out of bed.

After breakfast with Chen Luobai in the cafeteria, as he led her by the hand along the tree-lined path toward the school’s exit, she finally remembered to ask, “Where are we going?”

Chen Luobai glanced at her. “You’ll know when we get there.”

As long as she was with him, it didn’t matter where they went, so Zhou Anran didn’t ask again—until she realized he’d brought her to the entrance of a residential complex.

Zhou Anran blinked. “We’re going in there?”

He’d said he was taking her somewhere else to study, so she’d assumed it would be a café or bookstore off-campus.

Why a residential complex?

Chen Luobai hummed in confirmation. “I have an apartment here.”

Zhou Anran was stunned, a bit surprised. “Did you just buy it recently? You never mentioned it, and I haven’t seen you stay off-campus.”

Though freshmen weren’t allowed to live off-campus, weekends were fine.

“I bought it a few years ago. Dorm’s closer, lets me sleep in. Plus, I was trying to chase someone.” His gaze lingered on her, teasing. “Living off-campus wouldn’t give me those chance encounters with you.”

Zhou Anran’s ears warmed. “Let’s go, then.”

She took a few steps forward, only to realize the boy holding her hand hadn’t moved. 

Zhou Anran turned back, puzzled. “What’s wrong?”

Chen Luobai had expected her to be at least a little shy, but her complete trust and lack of questions caught him off guard. His eyes darkened. “You’re sure you want to come with me?”

Zhou Anran didn’t understand why he was asking again now that they were at the entrance, but she nodded.

Chen Luobai looked at the girl in front of him, his throat bobbing uncontrollably.

She was always like this.

No matter what he asked, she’d agree.

As if she’d let him take anything he wanted.

Chen Luobai took two steps forward, stopping in front of her, unsure if he wanted to tease her or test something.

“No matter what I might do to you, you’re still coming with me?”

It took Zhou Anran two seconds to catch his meaning. Her face flushed crimson.

She hadn’t thought twice earlier, assuming he genuinely just wanted to bring her to study. Only now did it hit her that going to his apartment alone might carry a hint of ambiguity.

Seeing her face finally flush red, Chen Luobai couldn’t help but pinch her cheek, his voice almost gritted. “Zhou Anran, don’t think too highly of me.”

Zhou Anran: “…”

But he was good.

If he really intended to do anything, he wouldn’t have said something that sounded teasing but was actually a warning.

Seeing her lashes tremble, her whole body tense with shyness, Chen Luobai’s heart softened again, and he regretted scaring her.

But if she kept letting him have his way, agreeing to everything, he wasn’t sure he could trust himself to stay in line.

Chen Luobai sighed inwardly, his voice softening as he coaxed, “I’m teasing you. I promise not to touch you until you’re ready.”

When she didn’t respond, he added gently, “If you’re scared, we can head back to school now.”

Zhou Anran snapped out of her daze, her face still red, but she shook her head slightly. “No need. I trust you.”

Chen Luobai’s breath hitched.

He raised his hand, pinching her cheek again.

Zhou Anran covered her face, about to ask why he pinched her again, but the boy was already leading her forward. “Let’s go.”

“…”

Thinking of his earlier teasing words, Zhou Anran didn’t dare ask more.

His apartment was on the 28th floor.

The space was decorated in dark gray tones, open and spacious, with floor-to-ceiling windows and an open-plan living and dining area.

At the entrance, Zhou Anran saw him place a pair of brand-new women’s slippers in front of her.

She slipped them on, and Chen Luobai glanced down. “Might be a bit big. I’ll get a new pair next time.”

Zhou Anran’s lips curved faintly.

After changing, Chen Luobai led her to the sofa, then gestured toward the kitchen. “There’s drinks and fruit in the fridge. Want me to wash some for you?”

Zhou Anran shook her head.

Having just eaten breakfast, she couldn’t eat anything now.

“Let’s read first.”

The boy let go of her hand and sprawled lazily on the wide, bed-like dark gray sofa. “You read. I’m gonna lie down for a bit.”

Zhou Anran: “…?”

She was about to ask if he hadn’t slept well last night when he suddenly grabbed her wrist.

Then pulled.

Zhou Anran tumbled onto the soft sofa, her bag slipping off her shoulder. He casually picked it up and tossed it aside.

Chen Luobai wrapped an arm around her waist, rolling them until he was half-leaning over her.

Still processing, Zhou Anran blurted, “What are you doing?”

His breath brushed her face, his tone dripping with ambiguity. “What do you think?”

Zhou Anran recalled his earlier words outside the complex, her face burning again.

Half-propped above her, careful not to crush her, he suddenly burst into laughter, his shoulders shaking before he buried his face in her neck, his chest vibrating with laughter.

Only then did Zhou Anran realize he was teasing her again.

She really shouldn’t think too highly of him. He was clearly really bad.

“Chen Luobai!”

Even when angry, her voice was soft, calling his name like she was pouting.

Chen Luobai had only meant to tease her, but now he was tempted to do something more. He tilted his head, kissing her ear, then slowly moving to her lip, his voice low.

“Baby, we can’t do anything else, but a kiss is okay, right?”

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