Chapter 20: The Ending
When the movie ended, Mu Le couldn’t quite put into words what she was feeling.
Some people, perhaps, are just destined to meet.
Even if you forget their name, deep in your heart, an unerasable mark has already been left.
That mark is called… I like you.
There was laughter, there was emotion, there was reflection. This movie had indeed shown her a lot.
However, Mu Le’s understanding was not exactly the same as Xiao Yuze’s.
As the curtains slowly fell, the man let out a soft laugh.
“Do you know why I brought you to see this?”
Mu Le stayed silent. The warmth remaining in her hand suddenly made her feel a little flustered.
“I just wanted you to understand… even if you suddenly became like you are now, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing. Because maybe… this is exactly what will help you find true happiness.”
In the dim light, she couldn’t see his expression clearly.
Only his voice carried an unbelievable gentleness.
Mu Le felt as if she had grasped something, yet it was strange and impossible to describe.
His long fingers quietly slipped into her hair while she was lost in thought, gently brushing through it.
“I’m sorry.”
Before Mu Le could respond, his voice came again.
Why… was he saying sorry?
She blinked, confused, while an indescribable feeling filled her heart.
A mix of bitterness, joy, and confusion. Something she couldn’t shake off or clearly explain.
Yet… something about her felt… off.
Was it because of the movie she just watched? She couldn’t say, only that something felt wrong.
“Don’t overthink it. Just stay as you are. That’s right… this is fine.”
In the next moment, the lights came on.
Xiao Yuze gently pinched her cheek, a soft smile on his face.
Mu Le stayed silent for a moment, then returned a big smile. “Mm, thank you.”
……………………
By the time they left the cinema, it was already late at night.
In a big city, you can’t see a perfect starry sky. Only the constant flow of cars and people, and the hidden waves of desire beneath the night.
Night is just a disguise, hiding the desires waiting to be released.
Mu Le stood at the cinema entrance, still holding the rest of the popcorn.
Xiao Yuze went to get the car, and she felt a little bored.
All around, young couples were walking out of the theater, some with slightly red eyes from being emotional.
But, as she had thought, this wasn’t a terribly sad story—it couldn’t make Mu Le cry.
And more than that, it was Xiao Yuze’s unusual behavior earlier that caught her attention.
“What a coincidence… are you waiting for your boyfriend here?”
Just as Mu Le was thinking, a clear, bright voice sounded beside her.
She turned toward the voice and saw a woman she didn’t recognize.
She looked a little older than Mu Le, with a very striking short-haired “cool woman” look and figure.
Mu Le blinked in confusion. Before she could speak, the woman leaned over casually.
“I was sitting right behind you just now, and I saw the whole show of you and your boyfriend being all lovey-dovey. I’m traumatized!”
Although her words sounded teasing, the woman’s face carried a very friendly smile, so it didn’t feel rude.
Mu Le froze for two seconds, then shook her head quickly. “He’s not my boyfriend, he’s…”
“Oh, I know, I know. He’s your husband, right? Haha.”
Seeing the woman smiling so silly, Mu Le felt a little helpless.
Does this girl really think he looks like her boyfriend?
“Ahem, sorry, I tend to be a little too familiar with people.”
Sensing she may have overstepped, the woman finally quieted down.
“It’s okay.” Mu Le shook her head, the girl didn’t seem bad at all.
The woman smiled too, but then suddenly looked thoughtful, her expression darkening a little.
“If you don’t cherish some people, once they’re gone, you can’t get them back. Well, your boyfriend is back—bye!”
Before Mu Le could fully understand her words, the woman waved and walked off in the opposite direction.
Mu Le stared blankly at her retreating figure. Gone… can’t get back?
Even when Xiao Yuze returned behind her, Mu Le kept her eyes lowered, lost in thought.
He glanced toward the direction the woman had left, then back at Mu Le.
“Was that your friend?”
Mu Le, startled by his question, stayed silent for a moment before shaking her head again.
“No, I don’t know her. But she seemed like a really interesting older sister.”
Xiao Yuze raised an eyebrow but didn’t press further.
Even though the summer night had cooled from the day’s heat, the wind still carried a hint of warmth.
Before Mu Le could react, he casually took the popcorn from her hand and handed her a big ice cream.
After dinner before the movie, a cold treat after watching it was really enjoyable.
Mu Le stared at the ice cream, again quiet.
It was her favorite, creamy chocolate, melting slowly in her mouth with the coolness of milk, washing away the lingering heat in an instant.
As they walked toward the car, Mu Le ate small bites of her ice cream in silence.
Until…
“Why are you crying?”
Xiao Yuze had just opened the car door for her, only to notice her little face wet with tears.
Crying? Me?
Mu Le instinctively reached up, and her fingertips indeed touched the unexpected wetness.
Why?
She didn’t know.
“Lele, your reflexes are really slow. The movie ended a while ago, you know.”
Xiao Yuze sighed helplessly, gently wiping the marks off her face, including the chocolate crumbs at her mouth.
“That’s not…” Mu Le turned her head slightly, mumbling.
“Yes, yes. Lele can watch all kinds of sad stories without a frown. How could you possibly cry over this little thing? Right, I was mistaken.”
As he buckled her into the seat, Xiao Yuze chuckled softly.
Mu Le didn’t argue. Instead, she just stared at his gentle actions.
“Are we… really not dating?”
Xiao Yuze’s hand froze.
Dating… huh?