Days passed by, and Liu Jia went from just picking He Ju up after class to spending weekends at his home, a routine that lasted for a whole month.

During that month, He Ju occasionally reached out to Su Ran, but she either ignored him or responded with indifference.

Exhausted in spirit, He Ju gradually stopped messaging her.

Meanwhile, Liu Jia seemed to be healing him slowly. His foot had improved significantly; he limped a bit and walked slowly, but that was all.

He could actually live on his own now, but Liu Jia continued to treat him exceptionally well.

She had infiltrated every corner of He Ju’s life, making him grow accustomed to her presence.

This tranquility was shattered in a snack shop on a Friday afternoon.

Liu Jia was animatedly recounting fun classroom stories to He Ju when an ice-cold cola was suddenly splashed onto her face.

“Ah—” The surrounding crowd gasped, unsure of what had happened.

The cola dripped from Liu Jia’s face onto her princess dress. She had dressed up for the meal with He Ju, but now she looked like a drenched chicken instead of a proud princess.

He Ju’s face darkened with anger. Turning around, he saw Su Ran’s furious expression: “Liu Jia, you’re so cheap! Hooking up with He Ju while I’m not around?”

As Su Ran moved to slap Liu Jia, Liu Jia recoiled in fear.

He Ju grabbed Su Ran’s wrist and flung her away: “Enough, Su Ran. It’s not what you think. Can you be rational for once?”

After speaking, He Ju took off his jacket, draped it over Liu Jia, and stood up with her in full view of everyone: “It’s okay, it’s okay.”

Su Ran was nearly hysterical: “Brother He Ju? You push me away for her? And you want me to be rational? How can I be rational?”

He Ju looked at Su Ran with complex eyes, wanting to say something, but Liu Jia’s tearful voice rang in his ear: “I want to go home, can you take me home?”

The onlookers grew in number, and their gazes toward Liu Jia shifted.

Su Ran tried to confront Liu Jia again: “Tell me, why are you stealing my brother He Ju?!”

He Ju could only protect Liu Jia and block Su Ran: “Su Ran, have you forgotten? We’re not in a relationship. So who I dine with or spend time with is none of your business right now!”

Liu Jia, pale with fright, had never imagined such a scene. Her fingers clung tightly to He Ju’s clothes, trembling uncontrollably from cold or fear.

Noticing this, He Ju felt an inexplicable urgency and, without further argument with Su Ran, scooped up Liu Jia and left.

Su Ran watched in disbelief as He Ju walked away. For a moment, her world seemed to spin.

Wasn’t it?

What did He Ju mean? Just last month, he was madly in love with her. How could he change so completely in just a few days?

Su Ran couldn’t understand, but when she checked her phone, she realized that He Ju had already reached out to her numerous times a month ago. She now frantically looked after He Ju’s retreating figure.

But He Ju’s limping silhouette quickly disappeared from her sight.

It turned out that He Ju’s foot injury hadn’t fully healed.

She thought it was a minor injury, and because she had been out playing all month, she hadn’t paid attention.

Su Ran felt annoyed but also thought that if He Ju couldn’t endure even a month without her, how could he say he loved her?

He Ju was just another liar, just as her mother had said: men are unreliable.

Su Ran left angrily, and the onlookers gradually dispersed.

—

He Ju had never seen Liu Jia so helpless, like a frightened kitten burying her head in his chest, afraid to come out.

He Ju took Liu Jia home, and she slowly calmed down.

She wasn’t Si Hua; she was timid.

Su Ran was domineering. Just one confrontation in her past life made her legs weak, and it was the same in this life.

He Ju placed Liu Jia on the sofa and fetched a wet towel from the bathroom to wipe her face: “It’s okay, I’m here, no one will bully you.”

Liu Jia finally came back to her senses, her eyes red and pitiful, tears falling as she sobbed: “I’m… I’m sorry, am I useless?”

He Ju’s heart tightened inexplicably: “No, it’s my fault you got splashed for no reason…”

Before he could finish, Liu Jia suddenly hugged him.

He Ju stiffened slightly, but Liu Jia was crying so hard he didn’t push her away.

Instead, he gently patted her back: “It’s okay, it won’t happen again…”

It took a while for Liu Jia to let go of He Ju.

He Ju smiled and wiped her tears with a tissue: “Be good, I’ll run a hot bath for you, it’ll make you feel much better.”

As He Ju was about to leave, Liu Jia grabbed his hand and spoke softly: “I know your feelings for Su Ran, I know you’re afraid of getting hurt, and I know the feeling of not wanting to return to darkness after seeing the light. I’m willing to be with you, to endure countless lows together, to wipe your tears when you cry, I will never leave you, even though today I was still weak…”

Liu Jia took a deep breath: “But that’s because I wasn’t sure if you would stand by me, so I was confused and sad. I’m timid and afraid, but for you, I will learn to be brave, to walk side by side with you slowly, but…”

Liu Jia’s eyes reddened again: “I’ll still be sad. Can you give me a definite answer?”

He Ju was all the courage Liu Jia had.

Liu Jia, choking up, asked him: “He Ju, can you give me a chance to love you properly?”

He Ju frowned and did not answer.

Liu Jia continued: “I can give you time to slowly forget Su Ran, and it’s okay if you can’t forget her, just don’t push me away…”

As she lowered her head, tears fell again.

He Ju watched, his heart aching unusually.

He thought of the past, of Liu Jia’s dedication over the month, Su Ran’s indifference, and… Su Ran’s social media filled with photos of her outings with various friends.

In the end, He Ju chose to let go of his past self, and for the first time, he took the initiative to embrace Liu Jia.

In two lifetimes of memories, Liu Jia had never received a true embrace from He Ju.

Liu Jia, with trembling hands, hugged He Ju back, and in the moment she lowered her eyes, she wept silently.

He Ju couldn’t understand that Liu Jia’s love for him spanned two lifetimes, years of longing and pain, for this life’s encounter. So…

A simple hug was redemption for Liu Jia.

He Ju said: “I’m not sure what my future holds, but this past month together has made me realize that what I want, at the very least, is a stable love and a stable life. Liu Jia, I may not love you as much as you love me, but I’m moved by you right now. Shall we give it a try?”

How could it not be okay?

Liu Jia wiped her tears and said: “It’s okay, let’s try. I love you, I’ll start by loving you.”

After speaking, Liu Jia asked: “So, are we a couple now?”

He Ju smiled and nodded: “Yes.”

Liu Jia: “Then… can I kiss you?”

He Ju was slightly stunned, looking at Liu Jia as her fair cheeks slowly reddened, but her eyes were as determined as if she were about to join the Party.

Why?

Why was Liu Jia so eager to mark him as hers?

He Ju didn’t understand, but such fervent love was what he needed the most.

He Ju hooked Liu Jia’s head and closed his eyes to kiss her.

Liu Jia was initially inexperienced, but with He Ju’s gentle guidance, she began to hold his neck and passionately respond to him.

He Ju didn’t see the tears falling from the corners of Liu Jia’s eyes.

In her past life, Liu Jia could only hold a photo and cry herself to sleep every night, every kiss just a dream.

She had to numb herself with alcohol over and over again.

So, she feared this moment was also a dream.

That’s why she clung to He Ju, kissing him for a full hour, their feelings quickly heating up.