Lou Yuming's eyes were serious, but his tone was casual: "Just a good omen."
What good omen could 520 be?
She now felt that sum of money was like a hot potato.
Lou Yuming didn't waste time with her and gave a command: "Accept it."
Just as Song Xi was about to say something, a car horn sounded behind her.
The red light had passed, and she quickly stepped on the accelerator, her car speeding forward.
Just as Lou Yuming was about to speak again, Song Xi directly interrupted him: "Don't talk while driving, I'm afraid I'll get distracted."
The man pursed his lips, his face darkening.
Haiyue Mountain Villa.
After returning home, Song Xi kept pretending to be busy, refusing to discuss the red envelope with Lou Yuming. Although he remained silent, his intense gaze was hard to ignore.
Song Xi finally relented, making an excuse about buying groceries to temporarily escape.
Lou Yuming's expression showed a hint of displeasure. Seeing her carelessly left phone on the sofa, he picked it up directly, entered the password, and accepted the money for her.
A moment later, Song Xi returned, panting. Before she could speak, Lou Yuming proactively handed her the phone.
"Thank... thank you." Song Xi was startled, took the phone, and then ran off again.
Lou Yuming curved his lips imperceptibly.
Half an hour later, Song Xi returned.
She had bought a lot of things, two large bags, her fingers red from carrying them when she got home.
It was cold outside today. Despite wearing a mask, her ears were freezing.
Fortunately, it was warm inside, as Lou Yuming had turned on the air conditioning in advance.
Glancing at the red marks on her fingers, he furrowed his brows: "Why didn't you call me?"
He was a patient, and if he accidentally aggravated his wound again, Shao Cheng would surely hunt her down.
Song Xi took out the groceries and then thrust the other bag into Lou Yuming's arms.
"I'll cook, you can handle the decorations."
Lou Yuming lowered his gaze and saw the colorful, gaudy items in the bag. His eyebrows furrowed even tighter. "Can we not do this?"
Song Xi replied with two words.
"No."
So, Song Xi, wearing an apron, busied herself in the kitchen, while Lou Yuming sat on the sofa, meticulously untangling the knotted decorations.
Song Xi stole a glance back. Seeing a grown man over 1.8 meters tall struggling with decorative items, she inexplicably found the scene a little amusing, yet also a little heartwarming.
Lou Yuming found the scene peculiar.
The streamers in his hand were things he would never have bought himself, yet here they were.
Being tall, he easily hung the streamers at the highest point.
They were red, with the words "Happy New Year" on them, which he stared at for a long time.
He no longer resisted, hanging up all the decorations. Window decorations were pasted onto the glass, and the purchased red fruit tree ornament was placed directly above the coffee table.
Red was everywhere, filling the entire house with a festive atmosphere.
Lou Yuming stood there, feeling a sense of being out of place, as if he had walked into someone else's home.
When Song Xi came out and saw the transformation, her eyes lit up.
"You did a great job!"
Her tone was like praising a child who had scored full marks.
Lou Yuming feigned indifference, but inwardly, he was quite pleased.
After two hours of busy work, Song Xi finally finished all the dishes.
A table full of food, comparable to a feast.
She was even sweating from exhaustion.
Lou Yuming took out a tissue and gently wiped the sweat from her forehead.
Song Xi was stunned for a moment: "Thank you."
In the past, days like this were no different from any other for Lou Yuming. There were just fewer cars on the road and more noise outside; he was still alone.
But now it was different.
The dishes were freshly made and steaming hot, the decorations in the room were placed by his own hands, and Song Xi was sitting in front of him. He was not alone.
"I forgot to watch the Spring Festival Gala yesterday, so I'll rewatch it today."
She turned on the television, full of enthusiasm.
Lou Yuming felt something bubbling in his chest, a sensation he had never experienced before. He didn't know what it was, but he instinctively felt it was something to be cherished.
Song Xi held her wine glass, the light overhead casting a golden glow on her. Her beautiful eyes curved into crescent moons, and her smile was captivating.
"Lou Yuming, Happy New Year."
Lou Yuming's mind seemed to freeze for a second.
He picked up his wine glass and gently clinked it against hers, his voice unusually hoarse.
"...Happy New Year."
Outside, fireworks and firecrackers erupted in succession. The sound of the Spring Festival Gala filled the air, along with Song Xi's giggles at the sketches.
Lou Yuming lowered his gaze, his dark eyes locked onto her smiling face, his eyes seeming to brew with a passionate emotion.
"Song Xi, will you be my girlfriend?"
"What?" Song Xi hadn't heard clearly; her attention was fully on the sketch.
Lou Yuming stood up, placed his hands on the dining table, leaned in, and, without warning, kissed her lips.
Song Xi was taken aback. Due to her surprise, her mouth parted slightly, which he exploited, their lips and tongues intertwining in a kiss that was both gentle and dominant.
They kissed for an unknown amount of time; the sketch had already ended.
Song Xi's body felt weak, her lips flushed.
He finally pulled away, cupped her chin, and looked directly into her eyes with his usual commanding gaze. He repeated himself: "Be my girlfriend."