Xiao Ning'er did not answer.
She simply leaned against him, her breathing gradually growing calm and even, as though a string stretched taut all day had finally gone completely slack.
The two sat on the roof for a long time-until several distant lanterns went out, until the chill in the wind deepened, until the moon moved from the east to directly overhead.
Then Xiao Ning'er moved.
She slowly lifted her head from his shoulder and turned to look at him. Her gaze traced the contours of his profile, from his brow to the bridge of his nose to his jaw, inch by inch, as though she wanted to commit his face to memory.
Shen Fei turned to look at her as well, and their gazes met beneath the moonlight, barely any distance between them.
Xiao Ning'er suddenly leaned closer.
This time, she was quicker and more decisive than before. Her lips landed on his cheek, leaving the faintest touch.
She lingered there, her lips pressed against his skin for about two breaths before she pulled away, as though she wanted to leave a mark.
After drawing back, she did not turn her head away. She only shifted her gaze toward the distant rooftops. The blush on her cheeks spread from the roots of her ears to her cheekbones, especially vivid in the moonlight.
Her breathing had quickened a little, her chest rising and falling faintly. With both hands braced against the tiles, her fingertips curled tighter, her knuckles turning white.
Feeling the lingering warmth on his cheek, Shen Fei raised a hand and touched the place she had kissed.
The skin beneath his fingertips was warm, still holding a trace of the heat of her lips.
He turned to look at her. Her profile was tense, as though she were