Teasing?

Gu Yue was awakened by the tickle on her eyelashes—Tang Wulin had no idea when he had woken up, but he was lying by her pillow, brushing his nose against her lashes. His breath carried the minty scent of last night's body wash, like a clingy big dog.

"Awake?" His voice was husky, still hazy with sleep, but his hand was already misbehaving, sliding up along her waist. His fingertips hooked her pajama collar and gave it a little tug. "I'm hungry."

Gu Yue opened her eyes. Sleep still veiled her purple pupils as she raised a hand and slapped his paw away. "There's bread in the bag. Go get it yourself."

"Bread doesn't taste good." Tang Wulin rolled over and buried his face in the crook of her neck, whining in a muffled voice. "Yesterday, when we passed that milk tea shop at the alley entrance, you took a sip of my bubble tea and said, 'The tea flavor's a little weak.' That reminded me—you used to always buy bubble tea with double sugar, and you wanted it hot too."

The tips of Gu Yue's ears grew slightly warm. She really did like milk tea, but how long ago had that been? In recent years, she had practically quit everything overly sweet and rich. Even when she drank tea, she only drank the mildest kind. Yet Tang Wulin remembered. He remembered something she had said casually three years ago, remembered the contented look in her narrowed eyes when she drank milk tea, like a cat that had secretly stolen honey.

"Then go buy some." She pushed at his shoulder, but he hugged her instead, rubbing his chin against the top of her head. "Hurry up. I'll be waiting."

Tang Wulin really did rush out like a gust of wind. Gu Yue listened to him changing shoes, shutting the door, and his footsteps fading farther and farther down the stairwell before she slowly sat up and rubbed her messy long hair. The sunlight outside had grown brighter, bathing the cream-colored curtains in a warm glow. She remembered the navy jacket Tang Wulin had worn when he ran out, its cuffs still marked with water splashed on them when he had washed her feet last night—what an idiot. He had even forgotten to change clothes before going out.

Time passed second by second. Gu Yue turned over and checked her phone: 9:20. Tang Wulin had been gone for forty minutes. She frowned and walked to the window to look down. The plane tree leaves downstairs swayed in the wind, but there was no sign of that familiar figure. Ten more minutes passed before the room door unlocked. Gu Yue turned around and saw Tang Wulin standing in the doorway with a plastic bag in his arms, his hair blown into a mess by the wind and the tip of his nose red from the cold, like a big dog that had just rolled back from the snow.

"Why did you take so long?" She walked over, took the plastic bag from him, and opened it. She instantly froze—inside was a bottle of room-temperature milk and a small, exquisitely packaged tin of tea leaves. The label on the tin read "Longjing," the kind she usually drank.

"What... did you buy?" Gu Yue's voice carried disbelieving disappointment. Her fingers clenched around the milk bottle until her knuckles turned white.

Tang Wulin rubbed his hands together, his gaze drifting to the floor as the tips of his ears slowly reddened. "Well... the lady at the milk tea shop said they'd sold out of pearls today, and they were out of taro balls too. They only had coconut jelly left, but you said you don't like coconut jelly... So I thought, milk plus tea leaves is milk tea too, right? It's like... like taking milk tea apart into ingredients. If I make it myself, it'll definitely suit your taste better!"

His excuse sounded perfectly righteous, but Gu Yue saw through his little scheme at once—he obviously knew she liked freshly made sweet milk tea with pearls and milk foam, yet he had deliberately bought the most basic ingredients. He was clearly trying to tease her and watch her get worked up.

"Tang Wulin." Gu Yue's voice sank, and fire flickered in her purple eyes. "Did you do this on purpose?"

Tang Wulin looked up and saw her puffed-up face, like a little cat with its fur standing on end. The wronged expression he had prepared nearly cracked. He hurriedly lowered his head, twisting the hem of his jacket between his fingers. His voice carried a pitiful note. "I... I didn't do it on purpose, really! I just wanted to make you the best milk tea..."

His lashes lowered, casting shadows beneath his eyes. His lips pressed into a thin line, making him look like a big dog that had been scolded by its owner, even his ears seeming to droop. Seeing him like this, the fire in Gu Yue's heart went out with a whoosh—she had seen Tang Wulin's ruthlessness when facing powerful enemies, and she had seen his shameless clinginess when he acted cute around her, but she had never seen him like this. He looked eager to please yet faintly aggrieved, like a child who had done something wrong and was waiting for her forgiveness.

"Forget it." She sighed and set the milk and tea leaves on the table. "Let's try brewing a pot of tea."

Tang Wulin's eyes immediately lit up, as though stars had fallen into them. He hurried to fetch a teapot, boil water, and rinse the tea leaves, his movements clumsy but earnest. Gu Yue leaned against the sofa and watched his back. The sleeves of his navy jacket were rolled up to his elbows, revealing his sturdy forearms. On his wrist was still the matching bracelet she had given him last year—made of rare metal and engraved with tiny star patterns. The water bubbled as it boiled, and the tea leaves unfurled in the water, releasing a clear, bitter fragrance. Tang Wulin scooped a spoonful of tea leaves into the pot, then looked up and smiled at her. "Gu Yue, look, the tea leaves have opened up!"

Gu Yue walked over, took the teapot, and poured half a cup of strong tea into a glass. The tea was pale green, clear and bright. She looked up at Tang Wulin. He was staring at her hand with anticipation in his eyes. "Add the milk next?"

"Mm." Gu Yue picked up the milk bottle and poured in less than half a cup. The milk was room temperature, and when it mixed with the hot tea, a thin layer of foam rose to the surface. She found the sugar jar and added two spoonfuls of rock sugar—Tang Wulin liked sweet things, but she preferred it lighter, so she only added two spoonfuls.

"Stir it." Tang Wulin leaned closer and helped her stir with a spoon. His fingers brushed the back of her hand, carrying a faint warmth. The tea slowly turned milky white, like melting snow or coffee with milk added. It gave off a strange yet tempting aroma—the clean bitterness of tea leaves, the sweetness of milk, and the mellow flavor of rock sugar.

"Want a taste?" Tang Wulin lifted the cup and held it to her lips, his eyes shining with anticipation.

Gu Yue hesitated, then took a small sip. The tea slid over her tongue. First came the sweetness of the milk, then the bitterness of the tea leaves, and finally the sweetness of the rock sugar spread through her throat. The three flavors blended just right, not jarring in the slightest. It was even fresher and more suited to her taste than the milk tea sold outside.

"How is it?" Tang Wulin stared at her face like a puppy waiting to be praised.

Gu Yue nodded and took another sip. "It's alright."

"Alright?" Tang Wulin wrinkled his nose, a little dissatisfied. "I looked up guides for this! They said the ratio of milk to tea should be three to one, and you have to use aged rock sugar for fragrant milk tea! And you actually said 'alright'?"

"Alright, alright. It's good." Gu Yue smiled and patted his hand, then took the cup and drank from it herself. There was still plenty of milk tea in the pot. She sat on the sofa and drank mouthful after mouthful, quickly finishing the whole pot. The temperature was just right, neither too hot nor too cold. It slid down her throat and warmed her stomach pleasantly. When she looked up, Tang Wulin was sitting across from her with his chin propped on both hands, watching her with a half-smile. The light in his eyes shone like stars.

"Gu Yue, is it good?" he asked, his voice carrying a hint of mischief.

Gu Yue froze for a moment, then suddenly realized—she had been played! This idiot had deliberately bought milk and tea leaves, deliberately made her prepare the milk tea herself, all so he could watch her drink it happily! Seeing Tang Wulin's smiling face, her anger flared up. She grabbed a cushion from the sofa and threw it at him. "Tang Wulin! You tricked me again!"

Tang Wulin caught the cushion with a laugh, then pounced over and hugged her, rubbing his chin against the top of her head. "I didn't trick you. I really wanted to make milk tea for you. Even if you're angry, it was worth it—you looked so happy drinking it just now. Your eyes curved into crescents. You looked even prettier than when I bought you takoyaki last time."

Gu Yue's face turned red all at once. She pushed at him, but he only held her tighter. Sunlight filtered through the curtains and fell over them, overlapping their shadows like a warm painting. She could hear Tang Wulin's heartbeat, strong and steady like a war drum, making her own heart tremble.

"Idiot," she said softly, threading her fingers through his hair and rubbing his messy head.

"I am an idiot." Tang Wulin smiled and admitted it, lowering his head to kiss her forehead. "But I'm an idiot who belongs only to you."

Gu Yue closed her eyes, breathing in the minty scent and milky fragrance on him, feeling his warmth. Suddenly, she felt that days like this were actually quite nice—having someone who loved to tease her, and a room full of sunlight.

"Don't tease me again next time," she said quietly.

"Alright, I won't tease you next time." Tang Wulin agreed at once, but he could not hide the smile in his eyes.

The wind outside was still blowing, and the plane tree leaves rustled softly. Gu Yue leaned against Tang Wulin's chest, listening to his heartbeat and breathing in the fragrance of milk tea as she slowly closed her eyes.

As for the next milk tea, she would let him tease her. After all, he had fooled her countless times already. What difference would one more make?