Chapter 887: Breaking Barriers
"Have I said this before? You're really beautiful." Lu Ke stared at Candice intently and said with all seriousness.
In the dim light of the projector, Lu Ke's eyes, bright as the North Star, shone faintly. The shimmering halo flickered in the light and shadow, and she could feel the burning intensity of his gaze as it passed through the distance and landed on her skin.
Caught off guard, Candice's cheeks began to flush slightly.
But Candice was not a shy person. She straightened her back, raised her chin slightly, and said in a proud and confident tone, "Did you just find that out now? You have no taste."
Even after saying that, Candice was still a little reserved. After all, tonight was different from the past. The same jokes and teasing seemed to have a hint of ambiguity now. From friendship to love, from friends to lovers, once the barriers were broken, the situation became subtle.
So, Candice changed the subject and pointed to the gift in Lu Ke's hand. "What's that? Did someone confess to you at the bar?"
"Phew..." Lu Ke let out a long sigh. "It was a very, very long night. A lot of things happened."
Lu Ke walked over to Candice and sat down on the sofa, sinking deep into it. They sat side by side, and for a moment, it felt like they were back to those nights when they talked for hours.
"You changed your clothes!" Candice noticed this detail and then smelled the familiar scent of soap on Lu Ke. A faint scent of mint mixed with the smell of dew-covered grass lingered under her nose, as if she could feel the misty heat and refreshing coolness of the sun.
"Yeah," Lu Ke nodded and confirmed. Then he started talking about the magical things that happened tonight.
First, there was the prank at the offensive line's party, then the sadness of the team's veterans, then the chicken soup longevity noodles at home, and finally, Julia's brave confession.
The two of them sat facing each other with their legs crossed. Lu Ke talked, and Candice listened. Nothing seemed to have changed, and yet everything seemed to have changed. The comfortable and pleasant way they interacted made them feel no awkwardness or strangeness. The sweetness was mixed with a hint of familiarity.
As they talked, time seemed to stop. The whole world was just the two of them.
In the end, Candice smiled knowingly. "So, someone did confess to you." She then chuckled and said meaningfully, "It seems you're really sought after. Luckily, you confessed first this afternoon. Otherwise..."
"I confessed? Huh, why didn't I know?" Lu Ke asked with a confused look.
Candice immediately straightened her back. "It wasn't a confession? Then what was that kiss this afternoon?"
"A French greeting," Lu Ke said, still being serious.
Candice meaningfully raised her chin. "Oh..." The ending stretched on and on. "So, you greet Julia like that every time you see her?"
For the first time, Lu Ke was speechless.
Seeing the playfulness in Candice's eyes, the corners of Lu Ke's mouth turned up. "Are you saying you don't like it? If you didn't like it, why didn't you reject it?"
The aggressive question made Candice's expression turn a little shy.
The curve of Lu Ke's mouth was like a crescent moon. His eyes showed a hint of pride and joy.
Candice caught Lu Ke's reaction out of the corner of her eye and muttered in response, "If I rejected it again, with your slow personality, who knows how long I would have to wait? Don't you know how important timing is in a relationship? We've missed so many chances. I'm not in a hurry, but my friends are."
There were too many things to talk about, and Lu Ke couldn't keep up.
Although he tried his best to suppress it, a big smile still bloomed on his face. "Are you saying you've been thinking about a relationship between us for a long, long time? I didn't know you liked me so much."
"I never said that," Candice's eyes widened. She tried to defend herself, but Lu Ke didn't give her a chance.
Looking at her pretty and charming smile, Lu Ke leaned in and...
On the wall, the projector was still running. The classic romance movie "When Harry Met Sally" was playing.
The movie tells the story of two friends who, after years of going in circles and experiencing many ups and downs, finally realize that the person who is most suitable for them has always been by their side. In the end, they live happily ever after.
In the living room, in the rotating light and shadow of the projector, the shirt and T-shirt were already...
In a battle of wits, neither of them was willing to give in easily, trying different ways to taste different flavors. In the end, the model was no match for the professional athlete's stamina and energy, and she fell into a deep sleep. The long battle finally came to a temporary end.
Looking at Candice curled up in his arms like a kitten, Lu Ke raised his right hand and gently, gently touched her delicate face. A faint blush came from deep within her skin, with a shyness that was different from the usual. He couldn't help but lower his head and press a light kiss on her.
The exhausted Candice was still sleeping soundly. She just subconsciously scratched her cheek with her right hand, changed her position, and continued to sleep soundly.
Lu Ke carefully sat up, pulled away, and put two pillows next to her. Candice adjusted her position like a cat, found the most comfortable spot, and continued to fall into a deep sleep. It was obvious that the physical exertion had been very great.
So, Lu Ke quietly got up and went to the side to let Candice rest well.
In a daze, Candice didn't know how long she had been asleep. She just vaguely felt a breeze blowing, shivered, and woke up. She subconsciously looked left and right, but she couldn't find Lu Ke. She groggily wrapped herself in the blanket and sat up. Then she saw Lu Ke sitting cross-legged on the sofa next to her.
Candice rubbed her eyes. Through her blurry vision, she could see Lu Ke's focused look. After a careful look, she couldn't help but laugh and cry. "You're not reading the playbook right now, are you? If you are, we're breaking up tomorrow, breaking up!"
Lu Ke heard her voice, looked up, and saw Candice's watery eyes. He bent down and kissed Candice on the lips. "You didn't just meet me today, did you?" Lu Ke didn't answer directly, but the low chuckle in his throat confirmed Candice's guess.
Lu Ke's magnetic voice sounded low in Candice's ear. "But I don't think you have a chance to run away now. You're mine now."
"Hmph, I belong to myself," Candice said, wrinkling her nose and pouting in response.
Lu Ke didn't say anything. He just let his eyes slide down, looking at Candice's figure. The invisible gaze left a physical burning sensation on her skin, making Candice lower her head. She then saw a bunch of hickeys on her collarbone. Fragments of what had just happened appeared in her mind again, and her cheeks turned red.
This time, Lu Ke didn't read the playbook with no interest. He put the playbook aside, supported himself on his feet, and scooped up Candice, who had her knees curled up against her chest. He held her up like Popeye and put her back on the sofa. The two of them sat down again.
"Tonight, work can be put aside for a while. Let's enjoy some time that belongs only to us," Lu Ke said with a smile. "I didn't pay attention just now, but I just remembered. Did you know about Julia? I mean, before tonight."
"Yes," Candice nodded and confirmed. "Remember the last time we watched the Wild Card game at your place? I vaguely noticed that the way she looked at you and the way she acted around you were different. It's a woman's intuition." Candice looked at the gift on the coffee table. "Aren't you going to open it?"
"I'm not going to open it," Lu Ke answered without any hesitation. This was a trick question, and a little hesitation could cause a lot of trouble. What's more, Lu Ke had no intention of opening it. "I already firmly rejected her, and I won't leave any possibility for the future. Otherwise, my relationship with Logan would be awkward."
Seeing Candice nod meaningfully, Lu Ke didn't try to guess what it meant. He immediately changed the subject. "What movie were you watching before I came back? Do you want me to watch it with you?"
"'When Harry Met Sally,' a classic romance movie. But let's not watch it tonight. You have to get up early for practice tomorrow, and I need to get my schedule back to normal. Let's do it another day. When we have time, we can watch this movie again. But I seriously think you'd rather watch game film, right?"
"Haha."
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