Movie

"Time flies, it's almost evening." Su Xiaoqiang glanced at the time; it was nearly six o'clock in the afternoon.

Lu Mingfei wondered if it was time to head home. He hadn't told his aunt that he would be back late today.

"Um."

"Um."

Both spoke at the same time.

"You go first."

"You go first."

The two looked at each other and laughed.

"I'll go first then," Lu Mingfei volunteered.

"It's getting late, and I should head home. I didn't tell them I'd be out this late, and if I return too late, they'll worry."

"Can't you just call your aunt?" Su Xiaoqiang asked.

"Oh, right, but I don't have a cell phone!" Lu Mingfei said as if it were obvious.

"Dummy, just use mine!" Su Xiaoqiang handed her phone to Lu Mingfei. "Here, make your call."

"Oh, right." Lu Mingfei took the phone and dialed his home number.

"Uncle, a classmate is having a birthday today. Could you tell Aunt I'll be home late? Whose birthday? Xu Yanyan's. Got it, I'll be careful."

"Alright, done." Lu Mingfei handed the phone back to Su Xiaoqiang.

Su Xiaoqiang looked at Lu Mingfei deeply. Superpowered individuals these days really have it rough, not even owning a phone. She snapped her fingers and said, "I've decided, we're going to buy one more thing."

"Whatever Miss Su says, we do," Lu Mingfei said obsequiously.

He had been freeloading all day, so Lu Mingfei couldn't help but lower his posture.

Su Xiaoqiang took Lu Mingfei to the third floor, to an Apple store.

"You're buying a phone?" Lu Mingfei realized.

"This is the latest IPhone 3G this year. See what you think." Su Xiaoqiang directed the clerk to get her a black one.

"I think it's fine," Lu Mingfei nodded.

"Alright, we'll take it." Su Xiaoqiang waved her hand, bought the phone, and handed it to Lu Mingfei. "Come on, let's go get you a SIM card."

"Me?" Lu Mingfei asked, surprised.

"If not you, then me?" Su Xiaoqiang retorted.

"Hey, hey, I can't accept this without cause. You've already bought me so much today; buying more doesn't feel right!" Lu Mingfei waved his hands in refusal.

Su Xiaoqiang shoved the phone into Lu Mingfei's hand. "Just take it. The clothes I bought you today cost more than this phone, and I'm not short on cash."

"So how much is this phone?" Lu Mingfei asked.

"4,700."

Lu Mingfei froze. He had assumed the day's expenses might be around ten thousand, and while he knew Little Goddess's family owned several mines, he hadn't expected a single phone to account for half of that.

Whether here or in Soul Society, he had always relied on his own abilities to acquire things. Regardless of what he was doing, he felt more secure staying within his own means.

He turned a bit more serious. "I really can't take this. You've already bought me plenty today. I've heard you don't even spend this much when you treat your girlfriends to dinner. This doesn't feel appropriate."

Seeing Lu Mingfei like this, Su Xiaoqiang felt a pang in her heart for no apparent reason.

She felt that Lu Mingfei must have suffered too much in the past. She had heard his parents were always abroad and rarely visited him.

He had always been alone, without friends, only running to internet cafes after school. Even before she changed her perspective, she had always felt like his arch-rival.

Now, he wouldn't even accept a phone. Perhaps his pride was acting up, and her words just now had been a bit disrespectful, assuming that just because she had money, she could ignore his feelings.

She felt so guilty; Lu Mingfei must be feeling terrible.

It could be said that the two were completely on different wavelengths.

Carrying a hint of self-reproach, Su Xiaoqiang softened her tone. "I'm buying you this phone for my own sake, actually. If I run into danger in the future, I'll need to find you, right? I don't even have your contact info, and you're rarely on QQ. If I run into bad guys, I'll be helpless."

"Alright, that makes sense." Lu Mingfei accepted the reasoning. If she were in danger, he would definitely come.

And just like that, Lu Mingfei happily accepted the phone.

Su Xiaoqiang hadn't expected that she wouldn't even need to use her follow-up tactics before Lu Mingfei folded, making her wonder if her previous assumptions were even true.

After buying the SIM card, the two exchanged numbers. Lu Mingfei's first contact was the one Su Xiaoqiang entered.

Becoming Lu Mingfei's first contact—a huge success!

Walking out of Jiuguang Department Store, Su Xiaoqiang looked up at the sky; it was completely dark.

Time flew by so fast. She didn't want to go back yet, but what other excuse could she use to keep Lu Mingfei with her a little longer?

Lu Mingfei was already thinking about what to have for dinner.

"Mingfei, let's go see a movie," Su Xiaoqiang said, gently tugging at his sleeve.

"Sure, but let's eat first," Lu Mingfei replied.

"Mm!" Su Xiaoqiang beamed with a radiant smile.

Entering the cinema lobby, the two of them were struck by different sentiments.

Aside from the ones organized by the school, Lu Mingfei had never been to a movie theater; this was his first time, so happy!

It was also her first time coming to a movie with a boy, Su Xiaoqiang giggled foolishly to herself, so happy!

Su Xiaoqiang chose a romance film, and the two bought popcorn and cola before heading into the screening room.

They sat in the middle of the fourth row with no one on either side; it seemed this film had been in rotation for quite a while.

Placing the popcorn between them, they waited for the movie to begin.

The film told a very pure campus love story about a boy and a girl who were desk-mates, bickering and joking around at school until they slowly developed feelings for each other.

Lu Mingfei watched the movie very intently, while Su Xiaoqiang looked at Lu Mingfei's profile from time to time, very intently.

As the movie reached its climax, the two became immersed in it, and the speed at which they ate their popcorn slowed down involuntarily.

Both reached their hands into the bucket at the same time.

"Mm." Su Xiaoqiang's face flushed slightly; she felt her fingers brush against Lu Mingfei's.

After that, Su Xiaoqiang's mind was no longer on the movie; she just kept brushing against Lu Mingfei's hand every now and then, feeling a sense of warmth.

After using a little trick to graze Lu Mingfei's hand once more, Little Goddess looked completely satisfied.

Suddenly, Lu Mingfei grabbed Su Xiaoqiang's hand and held it tight.

Her hand looked petite compared to Lu Mingfei's, and being enveloped by his hand gave her a very warm feeling. Su Xiaoqiang didn't know why Lu Mingfei would do this, but she couldn't bear to let him let go.

Su Xiaoqiang's face turned very red, the flush spreading to her neck, making her look soft and pink.

"Xiaoqiang." Lu Mingfei looked at her tenderly.

"What is it? Just say it if you have something to say." Su Xiaoqiang lowered her head, not daring to look at his face.