In the novel "Joy of Life," the protagonist wakes up at Li Chengze's residence.

Inside the car, the two were quietly channeling their inner energy into each other, creating an atmosphere that was both bizarre and subtly ambiguous.

The two streams of true energy "blended together" in their meridians, fulfilling the "intimate bond" that neither of them had ever spoken of.

The hand he was holding seemed to become burning hot, and Tao Jingyang subconsciously let go of it.

But she found that her wrist was still being held by Li Chengze's fingertips.

For some reason, Tao Jingyang's heart began to burn, and his head drooped heavily, as if...

Even looking up is difficult.

What... is going on?

Li Chengze looked at Tao Jingyang, who was right beside him, with a few strands of hair falling down her forehead and cheeks.

Meeting Tao Jingyang's somewhat bewildered gaze, Li Chengzhe sat up straight, silently encouraging himself:

After so much preparation, we absolutely cannot let it all go to waste here.

Then, having made up his mind, he spoke aloud the emotions that overflowed from his chest:

Tao Jingyang,

His voice trembled slightly, a mixture of shyness he was experiencing for the first time, and fear and hesitation at the prospect of rejection.

But this uncertainty didn't last long. He shook off all thoughts of "uncertainty" and said to Tao Jingyang, word by word:

"My heart is with you." After saying these four simple words, it was Li Chengze who first teared up.

Even he himself didn't know what kind of emotion was behind it.

[Feeling pleased?]

Tao Jingyang paused for a few seconds before snapping out of his daze.

For some reason, romantic relationships seemed to be a completely foreign concept to her.

What is liking? Tao Jingyang didn't quite understand.

As she hesitated, Li Chengze suddenly moved closer to her.

However, he lowered his posture, hunched his back, looked straight ahead at Tao Jingyang's collarbone, then slightly raised his chin and eyes, looking up at her.

His eyes, which were originally slightly downturned, became rounded and blunt because he was looking up and his eyes were wide open.

When he leaned closer, Tao Jingyang instinctively met his eyes.

However, he got burned and had to look away.

In an instant, it felt as if something was spreading continuously in my blood, until it took root throughout my entire body.

She rummaged through her memories, still asking herself: [What exactly is liking someone?]

Tao Jingyang felt a throbbing pain in her head. If a rapidly functioning brain could generate heat, it would probably be cooked by now.

She searched her mind for every topic related to love, and music started playing in her head: "There's a simple question: What is love?"

"Is it a flavor... or a catalyst... wait, what song are we singing now?!"

Tao Jingyang shook her head slightly, her demeanor somewhat different from her usual self.

Li Chengze sat opposite her, silently observing her seemingly conflicted gaze.

After staring at each other for a long time, Tao Jingyang did not give an answer immediately.

He thought: Could it be that I was just being delusional?

As Li Chengze's eyes gradually dimmed, his burning gaze lowered timidly and he withdrew it.

Tao Jingyang reached out and grabbed his arm, stopping him from retreating.

She imitated him and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.

"Just say you like me, why make yourself look so pathetic?"

The wiping motions were meticulous and gentle, and even the words spoken sounded so pleasant and moving to Li Chengze's ears:

"I don't understand what liking is."

"But I might like you too."

She remembered how much she loved looking into his eyes, how much she loved watching him lean back on the couch reading;

He likes to look at her with a smile when he talks. If he smiles too much, he will shyly hold up a book in front of his face to cover his face, and then continue to look at her with his only exposed pretty eyes.

I like how he plots and schemes with a gloomy expression, but afterwards, he feels frustrated and sullen, chatting with Tao Jingyang about the meaning of life...

At this point, no one cared about who had fallen for whom first.

It's really pointless.

Even Li Chengze himself forgot for a moment that it was Tao Jingyang who first "admired" him.

The two were so close that it seemed they could almost touch lips and teeth if they got any closer.

Li Chengze, however, restrained himself and refrained from making any inappropriate moves.

Unlike men of this era, for him, holding a wrist and stroking a face was the ultimate experience.

Even sitting inside the carriage, Li Chengze was still taller than Tao Jingyang.

Tao Jingyang pushed Li Chengze back a little, pressed his ear to Li Chengze's heart, and listened to his vibrant heartbeat.

The latter moved stiffly, and if it weren't for his blood-red ear tips, one might mistake him for some kind of heart-devouring monster sitting in front of him.

"Thump! Thump!"

"Thump thump!"

In this world, there are two identical souls, searching for each other amidst a faint "blood pain".

If there are "gods" in this world, they will surely hear two heartbeats beating in unison, swearing an oath to the heavens.

"Forever and ever only you,"

"We'll weather the storm together."

Perhaps because the person in front of him hadn't moved, Tao Jingyang straightened up in confusion.

Looking at Li Chengze now, where is there any sign of "sickness and pain"?

This prompted Tao Jingyang to ask the next question:

"Wait a minute, weren't you feeling so unwell that you couldn't even sit up straight?"

"this..."

A breeze blew through the carriage window, ruffling the strands of hair that intertwined, drifting between the two as their thoughts swayed.