"Why a... monster?" Lin Ran asked without hesitation.
Perhaps Ink Orange Ice couldn’t even feel sadness. Calmly, she whispered, "Because they say I have no heart. That I’m cold and heartless. That when Grandpa died, I didn’t shed a single tear."
"Did you feel sad?"
"I don’t know. When Grandpa passed... my heart felt hollow."
"What about your parents?"
"I don’t know. They say my parents were traitors. Grandpa raised me alone." Ink Orange Ice murmured softly. After a second, she added quietly, "I don’t want to talk about this."
"Alright. Let’s keep watching the moon." Lin Ran lifted his head and gently pulled her into his arms.
"Have you been with other women?" Ink Orange Ice suddenly asked, her voice icy.
"Why ask that now?"
"I’ve only been with you. So you can only be with me. If you’re not clean anymore... I won’t be with you again." She muttered matter-of-factly, her serious expression oddly endearing.
Lin Ran gently pinched her cheek. "Okay."
"Swear it. You always lie to me."
"Then I won’t swear. What’ll you do?"
"I won’t be with you anymore."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Fine." Lin Ran suddenly smiled.
Ink Orange Ice looked up into his eyes. "You’re bullying me."
"How am I bullying you?"
"You just are. You know I can only be with you." Her clear, unwavering gaze held his. Lin Ran sighed, meeting her eyes. "Just trust me. If I ever were with someone else... I’d tell you."
"Then I’d rather not know." Ink Orange Ice clenched her tiny fists and punched his shoulder.
Lin Ran gazed into her eyes—cold yet pure under the bright moonlight.
"Seen enough of the moon?"
"Are you leaving?"
"Yeah. I’ve things to handle these next two days."
"When will you visit me next?"
"Missing me already?"
"No." Ink Orange Ice bit her lip lightly. "You made me lose a ranked match. You have to help me win it back."
"Alright. I’ll play with you another day. Let’s head down."
Ink Orange Ice stood up. They walked through the pavilion to the heavy motorcycle. Lin Ran sat on the rear seat, gently wrapping his arms around her waist. Wind roared past them all the way.
When they reached the villa gate again, Ink Orange Ice watched him get into his car. She stood quietly by the door. Just as Lin Ran started the engine, she suddenly sprinted over and spread her arms, blocking the car door.
Lin Ran hit the brakes, confused.
Ink Orange Ice walked to the passenger side, opened the door, and stared intently into his eyes.
"One more time before you go."
"Here?"
"It’s all the same anyway."
Like a small cat, she slipped into the passenger seat.
………………………………
Driving away from the villa, Lin Ran always felt a pang of guilt after being with Ink Orange Ice—as if he’d deceived a young girl.
But she was only half a year younger. And the first time? She’d pinned him down on a hotel bed.
*This is fine*, Lin Ran thought. It was already 9 PM. He called Su Nisheng.
"Hey, Su-san. Where should I return the car?"
"Where are you now?"
"Outside... just about to bring it back."
"Come pick me up at Xu Weiyu’s building. We’ll grab drinks. Don’t worry—just a quiet bar this time."
"Are you safe now?" Lin Ran’s voice carried concern.
"Yeah. Someone handled it. Big sister’s safe." Su Nisheng replied casually, sending her location. Lin Ran acknowledged and hung up, starting the navigation.
He drove with the windows down for fresh air. At Xu Weiyu’s building, Su Nisheng and Xu Weiyu emerged—light makeup on, one in a JK skirt, the other in an elegant Lolita dress. Xu Weiyu bounced behind Su Nisheng, her chest jiggling lightly.
Su Nisheng took the passenger seat; Xu Weiyu sat in back.
Su Nisheng seemed cheerful. No more worries. No need to stay at Xu Weiyu’s place for half a month. She’d nearly lost her sanity to the sanity-draining creatures now infesting that house.
"How’s the car?" Su Nisheng asked, wind in her hair.
"Pretty good. Spacious. Soft seat. Stable ride." Lin Ran assessed objectively.
"Keep it then. It just sits in my garage anyway."
"Why buy it if you won’t use it?"
"Bought it recently. Wanted something low-key. Sports cars are uncomfortable." Su Nisheng’s gaze held unspoken meaning.
Lin Ran thought it over. "Nah. I hate driving. Traffic jams drive me nuts."
"Suit yourself." Su Nisheng shrugged.
Xu Weiyu scrolled on her phone in the back, bored. These two ex-lovers—still close—left no room for her. She put her phone away, opened the window.
She’d found something fun lately. What Raven taught her had unlocked new ways to use her powers. She’d hoped Su Nisheng would stay longer... but Silver Lady had wiped out the four "Mask" members in just one day. Su Nisheng really was lucky.
Lin Ran’s eyes flickered to Su Nisheng’s legs beneath her skirt—black pantyhose gleaming. He quickly looked away. *Focus on driving.*
Twenty minutes later, they reached the bar. Lin Ran, Su Nisheng, and Xu Weiyu got out. Su Nisheng had reserved a secluded corner booth.
They’d been here before.
In high school, Su Nisheng often brought Lin Ran here. She always paid—he couldn’t afford it. To her, it was just pocket change. She simply wanted company while drinking.
The bartender brought Su Nisheng’s stored Macallan and her personal glass. There was even a glass engraved with Lin Ran’s name—ordered by Su Nisheng years ago.
Lin Ran hadn’t visited this bar in ages.
Sometimes, late-night drinks needed no reason. A sudden urge. Simple as that.
Su Nisheng poured whiskey into Lin Ran’s glass. "Heard you quit the underground fights?"
She hadn’t "heard" it.
Their circles didn’t overlap. Who would tell her?
"Yeah."
"Why the change of heart? What’s the new job?" Su Nisheng fired two questions. Lin Ran answered both.
"Xu Zhi quit. I got bored alone there. Decided to partner with her—online content creation."
"Training her to be an influencer?"
"Not really. I don’t know much about it yet. Still learning. But she’s pretty. This era has no shortage of beauties—just a lack of *branded* beauties. Like... ‘beautiful writer’ or ‘beautiful pianist.’ Xu Zhi doesn’t know what she wants. So I’ll try with her. Targeting the otaku market. Big audience."
"True. Xu Zhi is quite lovely." Su Nisheng sipped her drink, stealing glances at Lin Ran.
He’d said Xu Zhi wasn’t his girlfriend.
"Rare to see you... change your life path for someone else." Su Nisheng’s words carried hidden weight.
"Xu Zhi still owes me 400,000. If I don’t help her earn money, how will she pay me back?" Lin Ran smiled, clinking glasses with her. Xu Weiyu sipped grape-flavored cocktail slowly.
Beneath her skirt, tight white lace socks hugged her slender calves. Her little leather shoes looked adorably delicate.
Su Nisheng thought for a moment. "I’ll text you a contact. Best promotional resources. Guaranteed."
Her tone was confident.
She had the right to be. Besides leading an Alliance A-rank squad, she was the only daughter of the Alliance’s deputy commander. Her mother ran multiple companies—including internet giants that built their fortune.
Lin Ran considered it, then shook his head. "No need. I can handle it myself. If you step in... it changes things."
"Not considering me a friend anymore?" Su Nisheng teased.
But Lin Ran just watched her eyes steadily.
Her smile was a mask. Hiding guilt. Compensation.
Lin Ran’s gaze held nothing.
"Let’s drink."
He neither refused nor accepted. Just raised his glass, clinking softly with hers. Su Nisheng drank again. Her eyes grew slightly hazy.
When drunk, her gaze at Lin Ran turned dreamy.
But Lin Ran stayed quiet.
Soft music played. Traffic hummed below. Wind drifted through the window. For a fleeting moment, Lin Ran felt like it was high school summer again.
"Hey, Lin Ran."
"Hmm?"
"Do you ever dream about the past?"
"What past?"
"This bar. Last night... I dreamed about our first time here. Remember?"
"Forgotten."
Watching his puzzled face, Su Nisheng’s lips twitched faintly. She sipped her whiskey. The smooth liquid slid down her throat, carrying a familiar bitterness that seeped into her heart.
*You forgot. That night, we were tipsy. We stared at each other, silently counting five seconds in our hearts. I was the one who suddenly leaned in to kiss you.*
*Our first kiss.*
