Be Passionately In Love

The room fell into silence for three seconds.

"...Wait a second."

So Chen Luzhou locked himself in the bathroom and spent half an hour figuring out the correct way to put on that thing. He even made sure to lock the door, tossing the hairdryer out before doing so.

With a "thud," it landed on the table—cold and indifferent.

Xu Zhi couldn't stop laughing as she dried her hair, even adding fuel to the fire from outside the door, "Chen Luzhou, have you figured it out yet? Need me to come in and help?"

Ignoring her teasing, Chen Luzhou sat on the edge of the bathtub, arms crossed indifferently. Beside him lay a freshly unwrapped condom. He glanced at it, sighed, looked again in disbelief, then tilted his head back to stare at the ceiling in despair.

"Chen Jiaojiao?" The sound of the hairdryer stopped, and her tentative voice called from outside.

Chen Luzhou replied lazily, "Not dead yet. Stop bothering me."

Only when the hairdryer started up again did Chen Luzhou let out a deep sigh. He picked up the slippery thing beside him and gave it another resigned look.

Earlier, he hadn't paid much attention. Since he'd been under the covers, he hadn't looked down, relying on touch to put it on. It had slipped off several times, and even when it stayed on, it felt uncomfortable. He thought he might have bought the wrong size, but it turned out he'd just forced it on the wrong way—apparently, it's harder to put on inside out, according to the internet.

Chen Luzhou wasn't about to start over. Inside out was fine; the important thing was avoiding accidents. Online sources said wearing it inside out didn't affect its effectiveness, though it might slightly increase the chances of failure. But Chen Luzhou doubted that was possible—the whole process had been rushed. He hadn't even fully... half of it was still outside. Frustrated at the time, he'd just gone through the motions a couple of times before pulling out.

By the time Xu Zhi finished drying her hair, he still hadn't emerged. She lay on the bed, savoring the afterglow. It felt like she'd just moved a pawn, only for the opponent to declare checkmate—game over. It had been a mere taste, nothing more. But she didn't think Chen Luzhou had held back; she suspected he might genuinely not be very good at it.

There had been no communication between them during the act. Chen Luzhou had braced his hands on either side of her pillow, looking down at her with an expression that seemed to say, "Satisfied? Got what you wanted? Happy now?"

But his eyes—dark and gleaming, damp with sweat—were irresistibly captivating, restrained yet alluring.

Just as Xu Zhi's patience ran out and she was about to knock, Chen Luzhou opened the door. They locked eyes in the doorway, and he asked, "When's your... you know, coming?"

Xu Zhi paused, realizing he meant her period. "Soon."

Chen Luzhou gave a noncommittal hum. "Let me know if it's late."

Xu Zhi nodded, suddenly feeling nervous. "It shouldn't be."

Chen Luzhou picked up his phone to charge it but noticed the hotel's bedside charger was already occupied by Xu Zhi's. Neither of them had brought their own. Tossing his phone onto the nightstand, he sat on the edge of the bed and gave her a meaningful look before saying calmly, "It won't. Just keep an eye on it."

Chen Luzhou had only glanced at the charger earlier, but Xu Zhi understood. She walked over and unplugged her phone. "You can use it."Chen Luzhou didn’t mind and didn’t interrupt either. Since she was right beside him, there was no need to check his phone. After a final glance to confirm no messages required replies, he tossed his phone back onto the bedside table, leaned against the headboard, and pointed casually yet earnestly to the edge of the bed in front of him. Tilting his chin up, his tone was both lazy and serious: “Come here, let’s talk.”

It was already late at night. The sounds of cars outside were sparse, and human voices were nearly absent. The hotel’s ktv had closed at midnight, and soon even the last traces of noise faded, leaving the surroundings in complete silence. Moonlight seeped through the gaps in the window, softly spilling in like a wisp of smoke, gently draping over the corner of the bed, as tender and alluring as water.

Xu Zhi set her phone aside and moved closer, their knees touching. She nudged his leg lightly.

“Stop rubbing against me,” Chen Luzhou said, arms crossed as he leaned against the headboard, deliberately shifting his leg away slightly. He looked at her with a faint smirk. “We’re talking. Be serious?”

“…It was an accident!”

“Girlfriend, be honest,” he chuckled. “You think I can’t tell you’re doing it on purpose?”

Xu Zhi rolled her eyes, deciding it wasn’t worth arguing over. “What do you want to talk about?”

Chen Luzhou had spent most of his time earlier figuring out how to respond to her long message. That Xu Zhi had said those things had genuinely surprised him. He sighed. “Let’s talk about our future.”

“We’re only freshmen—isn’t this a bit heavy?” Xu Zhi said.

“We’ve already come this far. Might as well dive into the heavy stuff.” He grabbed a pillow to prop behind his back and looked at her. “Do you have any thoughts about me switching majors? Or what you’d like me to do in the future?”

“You don’t have your own ideas?” Xu Zhi asked.

“I do, but I want to hear yours.” His posture remained unchanged, his gaze unusually earnest.

The warm glow of the bedside reading lamp haloed his head, the light and shadow accentuating his straight nose bridge. His lashes were striking, and his hair fell softly against the headboard, giving him an air of gentle determination. The occasional breeze from outside brushed past them, carrying his scent, yet Xu Zhi didn’t feel the slightest chill—her heart was full and content.

“Honestly, I think you’re more suited for academia,” she said, stretching her legs since he wouldn’t let her nudge him. She turned her head to look at him. “I don’t think any major would be a problem for you. Staying on for grad school and becoming a professor would be great too.”

He hummed in acknowledgment, tilting his head slightly in thought. “That would probably mean staying in Beijing, then.”

Xu Zhi bent forward, hugging her knees as she glanced at him. “You don’t want to stay?”

“What about you? Do you want to go back home or stay here?” Chen Luzhou looked out the window briefly before turning back to her. “I’m guessing you’d rather go home. If that’s the case, would we end up in a long-distance relationship? Have you thought about that? Also, professors don’t make much—a full professor only earns about 300k a year, and I wouldn’t even make associate until I’m thirty. Don’t you want a boyfriend who makes more money?”

It wasn’t that he thought being a professor was a bad path, but compared to starting his own business, the income would be relatively lower. And Xu Zhi’s love for money was, well, undeniable.

He really knew how to tempt her. “What do you think?”Chen Luzhou leaned back, his head slightly tilted as he gazed down at her thoughtfully. After a moment, he said, "I originally planned to transfer to the Social Sciences experimental program, then specialize in Economics after the second year. But switching to Social Sciences might require an extra year, which feels too troublesome. If you think becoming a professor is a good path, I’d need to prioritize securing a postgraduate spot first. Whether I stay at this university or not can be decided later."

At this point, Xu Zhi grew drowsy. Blinking her sleepy eyes, she eventually rested her head on his lap and said earnestly, "You know, I have an uncle who’s a professor at Qing University. He graduated from the Art School of A University. Back when job assignments were handed out, his school offered two options—one at a university in Hong Kong and the other at Qing University. But Qing U promised to arrange a job for his girlfriend on campus, so he chose to stay there. Later, whenever I went to their place for dinner, I’d always hear them arguing. My uncle would say, 'If it weren’t for you, I’d be in Hong Kong by now.' And what could my aunt say? She’d just stay silent, with no rebuttal—after all, he’d compromised for her. That’s why I’ve always said love should make people brave, not force them to compromise, understand? Dating is one thing, but when it comes to academics or careers, we should both make the best decisions for ourselves first. Our futures shouldn’t be tied to each other. Who wants to be bogged down by mundane struggles? Neither of us is a saint."

Chen Luzhou idly traced the curve of her ear, leaning against the headboard as he murmured an absentminded "Mm."

For them, everything was still too early to tell. He wished time would slow down so he could savor these university years with her, yet he also hoped it would hurry up, just so things could settle sooner.

But some things truly couldn’t be settled yet. Even a closed coffin could be reopened. Love wasn’t something you could casually sustain for nine or ten years. Many couples weathered long-term relationships only to break up when marriage was finally on the table.

Neither spoke further. He remained propped against the headboard, studying her under the dim overhead light. Xu Zhi lay sprawled across his lap, her face cushioned against his hand—soft and warm. Unable to resist, he pinched her cheek, drawing a muffled grumble from the half-asleep girl. She buried her face deeper into his palm, her eyelashes brushing against his dry skin as she muttered, annoyed yet resigned, "Chen Luzhou, why do you keep pinching my face?"

He glanced down, teasing her. "Eyelash fairy, calling it a night already?"

"Then do you still wanna do it?"

"Is that all you ever think about? No. Go to sleep."

"Hmph."

Soon enough, the eyelash fairy was fast asleep.

Sometime in the middle of the night—perhaps because the air conditioning was cranked too high—Xu Zhi woke up overheated. The room was pitch-black, all lights off. In the hazy darkness, she vaguely sensed someone still sitting by the bedside. Turning her head, she found Chen Luzhou still leaning against the headboard. Rubbing her eyes, she asked groggily, "You’re not asleep yet?"

Chen Luzhou, also drowsy, let out a low hum. "No, just woke up. Had a dream."

Xu Zhi asked, "What about?"

His voice was hoarse as he coughed lightly. "Dreamt I was back in senior year again."

Rubbing her eyes, Xu Zhi chuckled lazily. "Scared yourself awake? I’ve had nightmares about senior year too—woke up in a cold sweat every time. Truly terrifying."Chen Luzhou smiled without saying anything. Truthfully, it wasn’t like that. In his dream, he had searched for Xu Zhi, only to realize she wasn’t in his senior year of high school. He reached out to touch her face and said, “Go back to sleep.”

Xu Zhi, still half-asleep, mumbled an “Mm.”

Honestly, he hadn’t expected their relationship to start so abruptly. If it weren’t for Tan Xu, he might have waited a little longer—at least until after midterms. They should have followed the usual steps, but ever since they met, nothing between them had gone according to plan. Then again, that seemed fitting for the two of them.

Leaning against the headboard, Chen Luzhou closed his eyes and rested for a while before opening them again to gaze out the window. No matter how beautiful the moon was, it needed someone to admire it. No matter how enchanting the summer cicadas’ song, it needed someone to listen. Why overthink it? For now, he’d just love her fiercely. If they ever broke up in the future, at least she’d have dated him—could she even find someone better?

The next day, they checked out and returned to the school cafeteria for breakfast. Chen Luzhou sat across from her, peeling a hard-boiled egg before placing it in her bowl. Xu Zhi, still groggy with sleep, picked it up and stuffed it into her mouth, cheeks bulging as she chewed noisily. He thought to himself—this was indeed the kind of love that could drive a person mad.

“On the first day of dating, you’re already showing me how to scare off a boyfriend, huh?” Chen Luzhou said as he placed a second egg in her bowl, tilting his chin toward her. “Dip it in vinegar.”

Xu Zhi replied, “I’m starving. I was hungry in the middle of the night, but you insisted on talking. I wanted to order late-night snacks.”

“Why didn’t you say so?” Chen Luzhou picked up a soup dumpling, popped it into his mouth, and glanced at her.

“You were so serious, discussing academic stuff—how could I interrupt?” Xu Zhi said, then caught sight of a familiar figure out of the corner of her eye. “Isn’t that your roommate?”

Chen Luzhou turned to look, a soup dumpling still pinched between his chopsticks. He took his time before turning back—it was Zhao Tianqi and another guy.

Curious, Xu Zhi asked, “Liu Yisi said all you guys talk about in the dorm at night is girls. Do you join in?”

Chen Luzhou chuckled, dipping his dumpling in vinegar. “When would I have time for that?”

When he first arrived, Li Ke had told him that college was different from high school. High school friendships were simpler, while college had more underlying interests. He hadn’t come here to make friends, let alone gossip about girls. He spent most of his time with Li Ke and the other provincial top scorers, which was stressful—these guys were relentless. With midterms approaching, the real test was coming, and honestly, he was a little nervous.

Xu Zhi thought about it and agreed. Leaning back in her chair, she glanced outside. Even on weekends, A University’s campus was bustling. Some students were already hurrying toward the library, books in hand, too busy to admire the autumn scenery by the lake. She asked, “Are you going to the library later?”

Chen Luzhou’s phone buzzed just then. He glanced down and said, “Yeah. I’ve been catching up on calculus these past few days and haven’t even touched Marxist philosophy. Li Ke’s already pushing me—look how early it is.”

Xu Zhi considered it and said, “Then I’ll go with you today.”

“Weren’t you going to photograph buildings?” Chen Luzhou looked up.The cafeteria was getting more crowded, the curtains constantly flapping open and shut as gusts of wind swept in intermittently. Xu Zhi, with her sleeves rolled up and hands tucked in for warmth, said, "I'm not taking any more photos. The stuff I shoot turns out too abstract to even look at. A few guys from our photography club are working on aerial shots for the ball game recently. With midterms on Wednesday, I should probably hit the books first. But hey, what’s with that look?"

Chen Luzhou gave her a meaningful glance, set down his chopsticks, and sighed. "Then stop rubbing against my leg."

Xu Zhi: "..."

After a quick stop at their dorms to grab their books, they headed straight to the library. All the tables were packed, but as soon as they walked in, they spotted Li Ke—the notorious overachiever—already seated at their usual spot, with two books placed on the adjacent seats to save them spots. The moment Chen Luzhou sat down, Li Ke glanced at Xu Zhi beside him and whispered, "Where were you last night? You didn’t come back to the dorm for two nights in a row."

Xu Zhi had gone to throw away some trash before joining them. Chen Luzhou pulled out a chair for her and then turned to Li Ke with a nonchalant expression. "Since when did you get so nosy? Even you knew I wasn’t in the dorm, and we’re five floors apart."

"Zhao Tianqi mentioned it. Probably everyone on your floor knows by now," Li Ke said.

Chen Luzhou leaned back in his chair, one arm casually draped over the back of Xu Zhi’s seat while the other flipped open his book. He smirked faintly and muttered lazily, "Zhu Yangqi came over. Had to keep him company at a hotel."

The moment the words left his mouth, Chen Luzhou felt a faint, deliberate brush against his leg.

Again.

Could he even focus on studying at this rate?

Ignoring her, he continued indifferently, "Your department takes linear algebra, right? Got a textbook I can borrow? I’m thinking of switching to economics next semester."

The leg persisted, nudging him relentlessly.

Chen Luzhou finally turned his head, shooting her a cool, warning look. "Girlfriend? A little self-awareness, please?"

Xu Zhi looked equally exasperated. She pointed at his pants pocket and shielded her mouth with a book, whispering, "No, your condom’s sticking out."

Author’s Note: 200 red envelopes.

**New Novel by Qing An: *A Hint of Sweetness***

Synopsis: For three years at City No. 1 High School, a saying circulated: "Wang Xiaoqi, the top dog of No. 1 High, and Xu Yinong, the eternal runner-up."

One evening after self-study, Xu Yinong was alone on cleaning duty, sweeping the floor with her head down. When she straightened up, she found "the top dog" leaning against the classroom doorframe, watching her.

Xu Yinong: "What are you staring at? Stop showing off."

Wang Xiaoqi smiled. "I didn’t do anything."

She kept sweeping, her tone sharp. "Move your feet."

Wang Xiaoqi obliged. "Since I’ve already beaten you in exams, how about I take the loss and treat you to a meal?"

Xu Yinong’s focus shifted oddly. " You’re taking the loss?"

"Fine, then you take the loss. After the college entrance exams, just accept me as your boyfriend."

"..."

Years later, they met again—she was the team lead on the client side, he the project manager on the vendor side.

One day, his subordinates were gossiping about the client’s female lead: "Her looks, her poise, everything’s top-tier—especially her figure."

Wang Xiaoqi hung up the desk phone and cut in, "You all have too much free time?"

Later, he and Xu Yinong ran into each other in the break room.

"Director Xu, don’t your female employees have looser-sized shirts?"

Xu Yinong: "Manager Wang, what’s that supposed to mean?"

Wang Xiaoqi leaned against the doorframe, as lazily as he had years ago. "What do you think?"Xu Yinong scoffed dismissively in return, "Manager Wang, is that any way to speak to your client daddy?"

"Then tell me, client daddy—what identity would be appropriate for me?" Wang Xiaoqi smiled. "Ex-boyfriend?"

"..."

＊Secret crush / Campus to workplace / First love reunited / Office romance / Fully pre-written, daily updates until completion. Now plump enough to dive in~

You can directly search "Little Affection" or the author Qing An in the app, enter via the column—the first one is it. Welcome to bookmark~