Impoverished Me Saving Love-Starved Rich Women

Chapter 36 : How the Night Plays Tricks

Spring City is an extremely prosperous coastal city.

When night falls like ink, seeping into the entire city, the lights from street signs of various colors, neon lights, and street lamps shine brilliantly, dyeing the city in their own hues.

But those colors are too vivid, appearing decadent, making the crescent moon overhead seem even more pure and bright, sprinkling down its gentle moonlight in a fine drizzle.

Whenever this happens, Xie Ci always likes to cast his gaze toward that bright moon in the sky. The pure moonlight always inspires endless imagination, allowing one to sink into their own world.

But not today.

A little cat was following behind him.

Xie Ci walked ahead, his pace neither fast nor slow, his wrists swaying gently with his arms. Half a step behind him, she was like a frightened little cat, carefully grasping the corner of his clothing. The force was both light and heavy; light as if afraid of breaking something, heavy as if it were a drowning person's only piece of driftwood.

Xie Ci hadn't expected she would choose to hold onto his clothing corner. She held it so subtly that it was hard to notice, so he had no choice but to occasionally glance at the graceful shadow on the ground, listening to the sound of high heels to judge her position.

"Up ahead... turn left..." Her voice was very soft, carrying a hint of lingering nasality.

"Okay." Xie Ci replied casually, turning left.

However, this wasn't a game. Taking the wrong path wouldn't result in a jump scare.

In the end, the roles have reversed. Now it's my turn to be the "game character."

Night had just fallen, so naturally there were more pedestrians on the street. Xie Ci walked along the street, having casually thrown on some of his old clothes today, bought from street stalls, the whole outfit adding up to less than a hundred yuan, cheap and casual.

But Ling Xi was different. Her white blouse hugged her voluptuous upper body tightly, her black pencil skirt outlined her slender waistline, her temperament a blend of allure and coolness that appeared even more captivating in this hazy moonlight.

Her small feet wrapped in black stockings stepped in high heels, each step treading on Xie Ci's shadow, following closely.

Passing pedestrians couldn't help but turn their heads, their gazes filled with amazement and envy. Such a mature, beautiful woman would actually follow behind a man with such a dependent posture, her eyes full to the brim with nothing but his silhouette.

"That girl is so pretty, like she walked out of a movie..."

"Her aura is incredible. Although the guy next to her is handsome too, it still feels like they don't quite match?"

"They look like people from two different worlds."

Those casual words were like little needles piercing her heart. She looked up in a panic, her throat tightening. She opened her mouth wanting to say something, but when the words reached her lips, she swallowed them back down.

What should I say? To whom should I say it?

She didn't know.

A trace of dejection appeared on Ling Xi's small face. She stealthily glanced at Xie Ci, confirming he hadn't noticed her, only then allowing this dejection to surface.

Right now she was like a child, following closely behind him step by step.

Xie Ci suddenly stopped.

"Oof..."

Ling Xi wasn't paying attention and lightly bumped into his shoulder. It didn't hurt much, but it made her panic. She quickly stepped back half a pace, raising her hand to touch her nose, her eyes full of bewilderment.

He turned around, pointing at a brightly lit small stall by the roadside. Scratching his head, he spoke, "They sell candied hawthorn. Want some?"

At the stall, the crystalline sugar coating gleamed with an enticing luster under the lights. Ling Xi froze for a moment, looking at herself reflected in his eyes, and as if possessed, she nodded.

And so, the scene changed to this: Xie Ci still walked casually ahead, now holding a stick of candied hawthorn, reaching it back toward her. Ling Xi stretched out her hand to take it, touching his fingertips. She lowered her head and took a bite. After the sourness came a refreshing sweetness.

It temporarily suppressed the bitterness in her heart.

Like a child who had received candy, she obediently followed behind, nibbling at the candied hawthorn in small bites while watching his hand gently swaying.

Those warm hands were now empty.

A thought suddenly sprouted in her heart, climbing up quietly like a vine.

It would be nice if I could hold it.

As soon as this thought emerged, she startled herself, then firmly crushed it.

With what identity could I hold her hand?

The graceful figure by the car window suddenly surfaced in her mind.

She didn't know.

However, the candied hawthorn was eventually going to be finished, and the sweetness in her mouth was about to dissolve completely, leaving only the lingering sourness, even longer lasting than the earlier sweetness.

She watched his swaying hand, and from somewhere came the courage, like a drowning person grasping driftwood, or like burning one's boats, her fingertip lightly hooked his little finger.

The movement was very light, like a feather brushing past.

For some reason she felt very nervous, holding her breath, staring intently at his back, carefully observing his reaction.

Xie Ci paused.

But it was only a pause. He said nothing and continued walking forward.

So they still walked as before, one in front and one behind, the young man casual and relaxed, the woman mature and alluring. The woman followed behind the young man, occasionally giving directions, and then the young man would walk in that direction without asking where they were going.

Only now, instead of clutching his clothing corner, she was hooking his little finger.

The streetscape remained brilliant, the night remained beautiful, the moonlight remained enchanting.

But the temperature in their hands had changed.

He suddenly quickened his pace. His canvas shoes crunched over small pebbles on the road surface, making cheerful tapping sounds. The clicking of high heels behind him immediately accelerated, carrying a hint of panic. The hand hooking his little finger tightened slightly, and the ankle wrapped in black stockings tensed in the shoe.

He suddenly slowed down. The sound of his steps on the ground stretched out, as if afraid of stepping on the moonlight on the ground. The clicking of the high heels also slowed, one step at a time, gracefully trailing behind. But the hand hooking his little finger still hadn't loosened, growing even tighter.

Ling Xi quietly let out a breath.

But she puffed out her cheeks, somewhat indignantly aggrieved.

What is he doing!

Before they had walked a few more steps, the little finger she was hooking moved. Then his palm turned over, slowly and firmly grasping her hand.

His palm was very warm, carrying a reassuring temperature, completely enveloping her slightly cool fingers.

Ling Xi's breathing skipped a beat. That warmth traveled from her fingertips all the way to her heart. She raised her head, looking at his back, moonlight outlining his silhouette.

So this is what it feels like... to be held by someone...

Xie Ci swept his peripheral vision over her tender white fingers. The moonlight spilling on the ground remained pure and bright.

He sighed helplessly.

I came to admire the moonlight, but how could I know the night would play such tricks.

At first, the two shadows were one in front and one behind. His shadow swaying ahead, her shadow chasing behind.

Later, the shadows gradually drew closer. When the canvas shoes' tapping moved forward half an inch, the high heels' clicking would follow half an inch.

From some step onward, the tapping and clicking merged into the same rhythm.

But this road seemed too short.

The two stopped at a quiet place.

Ahead was the high end residential complex where she lived, with tight security and even facial recognition access control.

The light at the entrance was warm yellow and cozy, like an invisible barrier.

Xie Ci stopped walking and released her hand.

"We're here." He looked at his now empty hand, the temperature from just now seeming to still linger on his skin. Moonlight fell on her face. Xie Ci looked at her sapphire blue eyes and silently committed them to memory.

Tonight's moonlight is truly enchanting. I should have properly admired the moon.

Ling Xi stood in place, biting her lip. Suddenly she stepped forward half a pace, placing herself in the same night as him.

He smiled, waved his hand, and turned to leave.

......

But at the instant he turned around, the evening breeze carried Ling Xi's fragrance brushing past his nose. She almost instinctively reached out her hand. Her fingertips first touched his wrist, then suddenly tightened.

"Um..."

Her voice trembled a little.

"Would you like to... come in and sit for a while?"

Xie Ci sighed helplessly.

I should have known!

"How the night plays tricks..."

The emotions hidden in this night were even more entangling than the moonlight.