I want to date you

Luo Lianqing was a little irritated. She was already annoyed that there had been no word from Wen Ce, and now Zhou Chi had come to make trouble.

She stood up and tidied the things on her desk. "You know how painful it is to be pestered by someone you don't like, right? That's exactly how I feel about you pestering me right now. You should understand."

Zhou Chi: ...Silence was him today.

Still unwilling to give up, he asked one more question. "There really isn't any chance?"

"No. Stop thinking about it," Luo Lianqing said without hesitation. "You're not my type."

"So Wen Ce is your type? The quiet, uncommunicative kind?" Zhou Chi asked incredulously.

"He's not quiet and uncommunicative," Luo Lianqing retorted, then rolled her eyes. "I'm not discussing Wen Ce with you. Go."

Zhou Chi sighed and said, "Teacher, haven't you noticed that you haven't once denied liking Wen Ce?"

Luo Lianqing's hand paused with the forms in it. She looked at Zhou Chi and frowned. "Don't talk nonsense."

Zhou Chi made an OK sign. "Got it. I give up. But Wen Ce is way too dull, isn't he? You should date someone who makes you happy!"

Luo Lianqing glared at him without speaking. What did he know?

When you liked someone, just seeing him was enough to make you happy.

After being glared at repeatedly, Zhou Chi mimed zipping his lips, then waved and turned to leave.

Luo Lianqing breathed a sigh of relief. Zhou Chi was so annoying.

But she lowered her long lashes and stared blankly at the forms in her hands. Where had Wen Ce gone?

The moment Zhou Chi stepped out of the office, he spotted Qin Yanran standing by the door and jumped. "Holy shit, what are you standing here for?"

Qin Yanran glanced at him. "I'm here to see the teacher."

Zhou Chi thought of his conversation with Luo Lianqing just now. It wouldn't sound good if word got out. He asked hesitantly, "When did you get here?"

"Just now. Why?" Qin Yanran gave him a somewhat puzzled look.

Zhou Chi breathed a sigh of relief. If she had only just arrived, she probably hadn't heard anything. He grinned. "I was worried you heard me confess to the teacher and get rejected again. It's kind of embarrassing."

Qin Yanran looked at him speechlessly. "I didn't know before, but now I do."

Zhou Chi looked unconcerned. "Not like it's the first time anyway. I'm off."

Qin Yanran waved goodbye to him, then turned and went into the office.

It was another two days before Wen Ce saw Luo Lianqing's messages.

He was lying on the floor, looking utterly exhausted as he swiped through his phone.

Zhao Li squatted beside him. "Ce, you haven't been getting enough exercise. Look how weak you are."

Wen Ce gave him two dry chuckles. "Have some shame. I haven't had a proper rest for three days straight, and the second I stepped out of the office, you dragged me over here to spar."

Zhao Li fell silent for a while, then smiled. "I'm in a bad mood."

Wen Ce fell silent too.

After all, everyone had been in a bad mood when they had uncovered the culprit yesterday.

No one had expected it to be Luo Cheng.

Wen Ce still remembered their last meeting, in the car across from that twenty-four-hour vending machine.

No one could have imagined that the partner they worked alongside would be one of the other side's people.

Zhao Li patted his trousers, found a pack of cigarettes, and offered one to Wen Ce. "He's been arrested. No wonder the stuff never moved after we watched it for so long. We got caught in a game of spies within spies."

Wen Ce took the cigarette and lit up with him.

He said nothing.

Because of Luo Cheng's involvement, everyone with any connection or relationship to him had to be investigated.

Zhao Li was the most seriously affected. They were partners, and he wouldn't be able to do anything for a long time to come.

"Now you can get some rest. Weren't you always saying you never had time for a break?" Wen Ce reached over and patted him.

Zhao Li gave a humorless chuckle. "Wen Ce, you really don't know how to comfort people."

Wen Ce nodded. "I really don't have that function. At most, I can treat you to a couple of meals."

Zhao Li sighed. "That works too. Oh, right, didn't I mention wanting to move? I've found a place, in your residential complex. I'll drop by for meals all the time!"

Wen Ce: ...

He looked at the smile on Zhao Li's face, wanting very much to refuse, but he also saw the desolation deep in his eyes.

"Two meals at most. No more. Don't keep coming over and disrupting my life." Wen Ce looked away, rubbing his phone with his other hand. "I have plenty of important things to do. I have classes to attend too."

Zhao Li looked utterly bewildered. "Wait, if you won't let me come mooch meals off you, what am I moving there for? I'm going to have nothing to do every single day for a long time!"

Wen Ce chuckled. "Who cares?"

As he spoke, he opened the chat on his phone one-handed and sent a message. [I'm coming back tomorrow.]

The reply came quickly: a happy sticker, followed by a tentative, [Can we eat together?]

[Yes. I'll cook for you.]

Watching the tenderness all over his face as he replied, Zhao Li had a terrifying suspicion.

Zhao Li's voice trembled slightly. "Wen Ce, you're not dating someone, are you?"

Wen Ce glanced at him and put away his phone. "How could I be?"

Zhao Li let out a small sigh of relief and muttered, "True. A shut-in like you who never even meets anyone new-how would you date? Your computer...?"

Before he could finish, he heard Wen Ce say lightly, "There's someone I like. I'm considering whether to pursue her."

Zhao Li: ...???!

"What did you say?!" He stared at Wen Ce in shock, not even caring that the cigarette butt in his hand had burned him.

Wen Ce took his last drag and smiled. "I wasn't quite sure before, but I've become certain lately. Even after finishing work and being that tired, I still think about her."

Zhao Li's expression went from incredulous to sour.

"What good is liking her? She might not like you back. In our line of work, once things get busy, we might not get to see each other for anywhere from half a month to half a year. Are you sure she can stand that?"

By the end, Zhao Li sounded increasingly miserable. "I suspect I'm going to be a bachelor for life."

Wen Ce stood straight up and gave Zhao Li a baffled look. "Who said anything about 'our'? I just check surveillance footage. I'm not as busy as you guys."

With that, he headed out. "I'm dead tired. Time for a shower and some sleep. I'm going home tomorrow."

Left behind, Zhao Li swore. "Is this the arrogance of the technical school?"

He had to admit, he was so envious. If only he had studied harder back then...

Wen Ce was in a very good mood, and seeing Luo Lianqing's reply made it even better.

What he had told Zhao Li was true too. Before, he had only felt a little something, but lately, he had been so busy that he hadn't even had time to eat.

Yet whenever his mind had a moment to spare, he would think of Luo Lianqing.

The way she had leaned close and quietly asked, "Do you know how to date?" The casual physical contact at his home before, and that sip of water he had accidentally taken from the wrong glass...

Over the past few days, whenever he had a spare moment and thought of Luo Lianqing's face, he really wanted to tell her, "I want to date you."