244: Chapter 244: The dark environment is suitable for interaction.

Some people like watching comedies on dates, feeling that as long as both people are happy, that's all that matters.

Some people like watching art films on dates, feeling that it makes them seem sophisticated.

Some people like watching romance films on dates, feeling that it resonates with their emotions.

Zhao Xiaoshuai was different; he chose a horror-thriller, as it was easier to make a move.

The three of them sat on the sofa directly facing the large screen. Originally, Zou Luyao had been clinging to Sun Yingxue, and Zhao Xiaoshuai was sitting to Zou Luyao's left.

However, as the plot progressed, Zou Luyao became engrossed in the movie. Sun Yingxue took the opportunity to go to the restroom, and upon returning, she naturally sat on the other side of Zhao Xiaoshuai.

In the darkness, Zhao Xiaoshuai felt a nimble little hand rest on his thigh.

He glanced at Sun Yingxue on his left and placed a hand on her thigh in return.

It was only polite to reciprocate.

An atmosphere of fear is highly contagious, so Sun Yingxue would always shriek at just the right moment, instantly causing Zou Luyao to shriek along with her every time.

Zou Luyao was so terrified that she subconsciously grabbed the nearest arm and hugged it.

Sun Yingxue pressed her lips against Zhao Xiaoshuai's ear and whispered, her breath sweet like an orchid, "Brother, did I do well?"

Feeling the softness against the arm buried somewhere on one side, and the breath blowing directly into his brain at his ear on the other, Zhao Xiaoshuai's heart fluttered.

He reached out his right hand and grasped Zou Luyao's hand, as if wanting to provide her with a sense of security, and indeed, Zou Luyao's tension eased significantly.

However, his sudden action made her feel shy and nervous, forcing her to stare straight at the screen, not daring to turn her head for fear of making eye contact at that moment.

'What does he mean by this? Is he confessing to me, or is he just comforting me because he saw I was scared? Should I pull my hand away, or...'

Seeing Zou Luyao to the side with her neck stiff and rigid, not daring to even glance over, Zhao Xiaoshuai secretly turned his head to the left, planning to focus on dealing with one at a time.

Sun Yingxue discovered that she exceptionally enjoyed this feeling of walking on the edge of a knife.

Zhao Xiaoshuai had told her that Zou Luyao couldn't yet accept that he was two-timing, so for now, she couldn't expose their relationship.

In this pitch-black environment, with Zou Luyao right beside them, these little interactions that felt slightly illicit made her feel thrilled from the bottom of her heart.

After whispering that sentence into Zhao Xiaoshuai's ear, she took his earlobe into her mouth.

Sun Yingxue clearly felt his body tremble, but he forced himself to remain still, likely worried that Zou Luyao beside them would notice.

Having succeeded with her "little prank," she was about to let him off the hook, but as soon as she let go, she was caught by Zhao Xiaoshuai, who had suddenly turned his head to trap the little fish that hadn't yet had time to retreat to its nest.

'Is he not afraid of Yaoyao finding out?'

But since Zhao Xiaoshuai wasn't worried, why should she be? After a brief moment of shock, she responded intensely.

Unlike their first kiss, this time Sun Yingxue was no longer wearing the mask of a shy and innocent persona; her true nature was actually that of a passionate person who loved excitement.

Zhao Xiaoshuai's Multitasking skill was always running.

Half of his consciousness was constantly sensing Zou Luyao's state and the direction of the movie's plot, prepared at any moment to pull away and turn back as if nothing had happened.

The other half of his consciousness was fully focused on Sun Yingxue, because he discovered that these little interactions in the pitch-black environment had actually caused Sun Yingxue's stagnant favorability to break through once again.

[Your favorability/relationship value with Sun Yingxue has exceeded 300 and reached "Like"; you may claim the current stage treasure chest.]

The movie's plot gradually entered a mundane daily routine of gathering evidence, and Zou Luyao's tense body gradually relaxed.

'Perhaps he was just comforting me because he saw I was scared by the corpse earlier; after all, he hasn't made any excessive moves since.'

She began to recall all the little things Zhao Xiaoshuai had done to take care of her over these past few days.

He had saved her from the brink of self-destruction.

He had freed her from the predicament that had plagued her for over a decade.

He had patiently led her to gradually understand the world, taking care of her in every way and fulfilling all her wishes.

'I think I've started to like him a little bit.'

Zou Luyao mustered her courage, channeled strength into her stiff hand that hadn't dared to move, and squeezed Zhao Xiaoshuai's hand back.

Their fingers intertwined.

Life is not a game, and people are not NPCs; a person's favorability doesn't only increase by a certain value when they receive a gift.

Sometimes, the heating up of emotions only requires a small opportunity.

[Your favorability/relationship value with Zou Luyao has exceeded 300 and reached "Like"; you may claim the current stage treasure chest.]

Zhao Xiaoshuai was very surprised when he heard the system notification.

Zou Luyao's previous favorability was only at 237 (Affection), and he hadn't done anything, so how did it suddenly skyrocket so much?

He had only tentatively held her hand.

But he made a prompt decision; the moment he felt Zou Luyao clasp his fingers, he ended his interaction with Sun Yingxue, patted her leg comfortingly, and quickly turned his head back.

Zou Luyao secretly glanced at Zhao Xiaoshuai from the corner of her eye; she really wanted to know how he would react.

But she only saw a dark shadow quickly approach her, and then gently plant a kiss on her cheek.

Zou Luyao's body stiffened again.

'How could he!'

'And Yaoyao is right next to us; what if she sees? How embarrassing!'

Zhao Xiaoshuai wanted to strike while the iron was hot, taking advantage of this inexplicable surge in emotion to push the favorability as high as possible.

However, Sun Yingxue on the other side was a bit unhappy.

She had thought she didn't care about such things; after all, the reason she was born into this world was due to a similar relationship.

But until this moment, when that inexplicable sourness surged out from her heart, she realized that she did care a little.

She pinched him hard with the hand that was still resting on Zhao Xiaoshuai's thigh.

Although he had to neglect one for the other, he felt relieved to see that while Sun Yingxue was expressing her dissatisfaction, her favorability hadn't dropped.

Seeing Zou Luyao return to her wooden state, staring straight ahead and not daring to turn her head, he turned his head again to try and resume the interaction that had just been interrupted.

But Sun Yingxue turned her head away, dodging his lips.

However, her hand also grabbed Zhao Xiaoshuai's other hand, and their fingers intertwined.

It was as if she was saying, "Whatever she has, I must have too."

This was only possible because it was Zhao Xiaoshuai; he possessed control far beyond that of an ordinary person, otherwise, swaying his upper body so casually would inevitably have been noticed by those in such close proximity.

However, now that both his hands were locked and both beauties seemed like they wouldn't pay him any attention for the moment, he seemed to be at his wit's end.

"My hands are locked, but I still have my feet."

He slipped both feet out of his slippers and stepped onto the feet of the two beauties respectively.