86: "I like you too, Lu Chen."

In a brightly lit building, before a neat and tidy office desk.

Lu Chen was dressed in a well-tailored dark suit, which made his figure appear even more tall and slender, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, like a walking clothes rack.

He took steady steps and stopped in front of Gu Xiaoxiao’s cubicle, leaning slightly, with a warm smile on his face like the spring sun.

That smile gently spread from the corners of his mouth, reaching his eyes, which sparkled with points of starlight, as if holding an entire brilliant galaxy.

Below his high nose bridge, his thin lips parted slightly, and his voice was as gentle as a clear mountain stream, flowing slowly: “Xiaoxiao, a new restaurant just opened recently. How about you accompany me for dinner after work tonight?”

Gu Xiaoxiao was currently slumped over her cubicle, her eyes empty and dazed, her thoughts still immersed in the icy, bone-chilling river water, her heart filled with the despair of being treated coldly by Lu Chen.

Hearing this familiar yet unfamiliar voice, her hand trembled slightly, and the paper under her fingers rustled softly, before she slowly raised her head.

She first subconsciously looked at Lu Chen, her eyes full of disbelief and helplessness, as if the person in front of her had walked out of an illusion.

Then, she lowered her head and looked at herself; her clothes were dry and clean, without any trace of river water, and the documents on her desk were neatly arranged. Everything was as it usually was, which only deepened the daze in her eyes.

Gu Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but murmur to herself: “Didn’t I jump into the river? How could I be back at my cubicle?”

At this thought, her heart suddenly clenched, as if grasped by an invisible hand, and her fingertips turned white.

She raised her hand and pinched her arm, but felt no pain at all. At this moment, she finally confirmed:

“It’s a dream after all…”

In an instant, disappointment and pain surged into her eyes like a tide, her gaze dimming rapidly like stars that had lost their light.

Her face, which originally still held a trace of Life Qi, instantly fell, the corners of her mouth turning down slightly, carrying endless bitterness.

How much she wished that none of this was a dream, how much she longed for time to rewind, to return to the warm moments she first spent with Lu Chen, even if only for a brief moment.

Gu Xiaoxiao slowly raised her head once more, looking at Lu Chen with his gentle smile. In this instant, she felt as if she was truly seeing him clearly for the first time.

The Lu Chen before her was almost dazzlingly handsome, and his warm smile seemed to possess a magical power, stirring within her a sense of preciousness she had never felt before.

Precious like a brilliant pearl found in the darkness, and rare like the fleeting blossoms of spring.

For no reason, her eyes welled up, her nose tingled, and an urge to cry like surging waves instantly engulfed her.

Almost instinctively, Gu Xiaoxiao stood up, her chair making a slight sound behind her.

At this moment, her heart was filled with complex emotions, and she no longer cared about the strange looks from her colleagues.

Since this was a dream, there was no need to be constrained by reality, and why care about the feelings of others?

Do whatever she wanted, after all, this was her dream, controlled by her!

Gu Xiaoxiao stepped forward without hesitation, using all her strength to hug Lu Chen’s waist tightly, burying her face in his shoulder, and weeping bitterly.

Her hands clutched Lu Chen’s suit jacket tightly, her knuckles white, as if it were her last straw of hope.

Her body trembled uncontrollably, and tears poured out like a broken dam, quickly soaking the front of Lu Chen’s shirt.

Lu Chen was clearly not expecting such an intense reaction from her; his body stiffened slightly, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

But very quickly, that hint of surprise was replaced by heartache.

He gently raised his hand and slowly and softly patted Gu Xiaoxiao’s shoulder, trying to soothe her startled emotions. His voice grew even gentler, as if coaxing an injured young animal: “What’s wrong? Don’t cry, I’m here.”

These soft words, however, were like a sharp dagger, piercing directly into Gu Xiaoxiao’s heart, making her cry even more heartbrokenly.

Her tightly clenched small fists, filled with grievances and resentment, lightly pounded Lu Chen’s chest, and she sobbed incoherently:

“You’re a scoundrel, a super big scoundrel! Why do you have to bully me like this? Why do you have to bully me like this, what did I do wrong after all?!”

“If you’re unhappy, you can tell me, why treat me like this, why, boo hoo hoo…”

“Why pretend not to know me, why be so cold to me, why bully me like this, boo hoo hoo…”

Each word was accompanied by sobs and tears; she cried profusely, her delicate body trembling, appearing even more helpless.

Lu Chen still maintained his gentle, spring-breeze-like smile, his eyes full of indulgence and tolerance, allowing Gu Xiaoxiao to hit him, allowing her to cry on his shoulder, without the slightest impatience.

His other hand always gently supported her shoulder, patting it again and again, as if conveying silent comfort with this action: “Alright, alright, it’s all my fault, don’t cry anymore.”

Gu Xiaoxiao felt Lu Chen’s gentleness, as if she had truly returned to the beautiful times when he doted on her.

But deep down, another voice was shouting, telling her that this was just an illusory dream, and when she woke up, everything would disappear, leaving her alone to face the cold reality.

This realization filled her heart with waves of sorrow and discomfort, and her tears flowed even more uncontrollably, wetting Lu Chen’s clothes and also soaking her shattered heart.

Gu Xiaoxiao slowly raised her tear-streaked face, tears welling in her eyes, her eyelashes wet and clinging together, like butterfly wings dampened by rain.

Her nostrils flared slightly, and her body quivered with sobs, her voice caught in her throat. With great difficulty, she managed to squeeze out fragmented sentences, each word laden with grievance and resentment:

“Do you know? You’re a scoundrel, a super, super big scoundrel…”

That trembling tone, as if every word carried immense weight, was the release of her long-accumulated pain.

Lu Chen stood there quietly, his posture as straight as a pine tree.

He still maintained that smile capable of dispelling gloom, his eyes full of tenderness and indulgence. He leaned slightly and responded gently: “That’s right, I’m a scoundrel, as long as you like it.”

His voice was as soft as the gentlest breeze in spring, lightly caressing Gu Xiaoxiao’s heart.

Looking at this extremely gentle Lu Chen before her, Gu Xiaoxiao’s thoughts uncontrollably drifted back to the cruise ship deck.

That cold, heartless, frosty Lu Chen instantly pierced her heart, and sorrow surged back like a broken dam.

Gu Xiaoxiao sniffled hard, trying to compose herself, but her reddened eyes still betrayed her fragility, and she asked choked with sobs: “Do you like me?”

Since it was impossible to get an answer in reality, she might as well ask clearly in this dream.

Even an illusory response was better than a heart full of confusion.

The smile in Lu Chen’s eyes grew even deeper, as if it could warm the surrounding air. He nodded without hesitation, his gentleness unwavering:

“Of course. In this world, I will definitely be the person who likes you the most.”

His gaze was sincere and firm, as if he were uttering the most solemn vow in the world.

Having received the answer she had longed for, Gu Xiaoxiao’s lips curved upwards slightly, breaking into a smile through her tears.

Crystal tears still hung on her face, shimmering with tiny glints of light, like precarious dewdrops on morning flower petals.

She sniffled hard, with the capriciousness and coquettishness of a little girl, and said crisply: “Then I want you to say ‘I like you’, the full version.”

Lu Chen shook his head slightly, his eyes full of helplessness and indulgence, a faint smile playing on his lips, and he teased: “What’s wrong with you today, crying and laughing, and saying such strange things?”

Gu Xiaoxiao, however, was persistent, her rosy lips pouting slightly, her coquettishness growing stronger: “Hurry up, I just want to hear it.”

Lu Chen was completely at a loss. He smiled indulgently, looking at Gu Xiaoxiao with a focused gaze so gentle it seemed it could melt her, and said word by word: “I like you.”

His utterly serious demeanor made it seem as if only the two of them existed in the world at that moment, and these simple four words carried all his deep affection.

If Lu Chen himself were to describe this gaze, it would be ‘deeply affectionate even when looking at a dog’!

The smile on Gu Xiaoxiao’s face instantly widened, like the most splendid flower blooming in spring. The smile was sweet, as if she had just tasted the richest honey in the world.

It also held a charming cuteness, like a little cat that had stolen a fish, satisfied and playful.

There was also a captivating charm; the tears in the corners of her eyes had not yet dried, adding a touch of delicate vulnerability, and an unintentional hint of sexiness that made it impossible to look away.

But the stubbornness deep in her bones remained, and she still pouted coquettishly, dissatisfied: “I want to hear the full version! Who are you, and who do you like? You have to say the names.”

Lu Chen was amused by her, and his hearty laughter gently echoed in the air. He indulged her by shaking his head again, his eyes full of preciousness as he looked at Gu Xiaoxiao, as if she were the most precious treasure in the world:

“Alright, alright. I, Lu Chen, like, Gu Xiaoxiao.”

Every word was spoken clearly and firmly.

Gu Xiaoxiao finally smiled contentedly, like a tired bird finding a warm harbor, and gently leaned on Lu Chen’s shoulder again, saying in an almost whispered voice:

“I like you too, Lu Chen.”