Qiu Yingying is reborn and bound to a learning system.

Recently, Qiu Yingying's life has quietly gained some unusual warmth.

What struck her as odd was that for a week straight, every afternoon at three o'clock, a deliveryman would bring her a large bouquet of flowers. At first, it was fresh lisianthus, then dew-kissed white roses, and finally, elegant lilies of the valley. Each bouquet was exquisitely packaged, yet none were signed. The receptionist jokingly teased her, "Yingying, is someone secretly showing interest in you?" Qiu Yingying touched the dewdrops on the petals, a vague guess forming in her mind, yet it all seemed too unreal. She could only blush and wave her hand, saying, "Maybe it was a mistake."

What's even more coincidental is lunchtime. She usually eats at the fast food restaurant downstairs from her office, sometimes a bowl of beef noodles, sometimes a simple meal set. But every time she pays, the cashier always smiles and says, "Miss, someone has already paid for you." When she asks who it is, the cashier only says that a gentleman contacted her beforehand and took down her facial features. As this happened more and more often, Qiu Yingying's guess became clearer and clearer. That secret expectation grew quietly like a vine, making her heart race every time she walked into the fast food restaurant.

Meng Yanchen's messages became more frequent. No longer the occasional "Take care," but warm, everyday greetings: "Did your morning meeting go well?" "I heard your department took on a new project, are you too busy?" Sometimes they would chat about professional issues at work, and he could always pinpoint her concerns with insightful observations, his tone calm yet reassuringly professional. When she posted on social media complaining about working overtime, he would immediately like it and then message her: "Don't stay up too late, remember to order a hot meal." When she posted photos of a meal with her friends from the 22nd floor, he would comment: "Looks like you're having a great time, be careful."

Occasionally, on her way home from get off work, she would catch a glimpse of that familiar black sedan parked across the street from her company. She'd roll the window down a little, and see that familiar figure. His back was ramrod straight, his gaze focused yet respectful when it fell on her. He didn't approach, just watched quietly, making her cheeks burn. She pretended not to see him, but her steps unconsciously slowed. Her heart fluttered like a tiny, fluttering bird, a mixture of sweetness and trepidation.

That afternoon, an unexpected confession at the company entrance shattered the peace. A male colleague from the same department blushed and confessed his feelings to her. Qiu Yingying was stunned for a moment, then quickly and sincerely refused, "I'm sorry, I have no plans to be in a relationship right now. You're a very good person, let's just stay colleagues." The male colleague's disappointment made her feel a little guilty. When she returned to her workstation, her phone screen lit up with a message from Meng Yanchen.

"Are you free after get off work?" followed by another message: "Thank you so much for your advice at the park. I've been meaning to treat you to a meal as a formal way of thanking you."

Qiu Yingying gripped her phone, her fingertips slightly warm. After hesitating for a few seconds, she replied, "Okay."

At the entrance of the Joyful Song residential complex in the evening, Meng Yanchen was already waiting by the car. He wore a dark gray knit sweater, which made his figure appear even more upright, and carried an exquisite black velvet box. Seeing Qiu Yingying approach, a faint gentleness appeared in his eyes as he stepped forward to greet her: "Have you been waiting long?"

"No, no, I just came down too." Qiu Yingying waved her hand, her gaze unconsciously falling on the box in his hand.

Meng Yanchen seemed to see through her curiosity and handed her the box: "Thank you for listening to me talk about so many troubles before."

Qiu Yingying opened the box, inside lay a small wristwatch. The dial was a pale pearl white, and the strap was made of delicate leather. The design was simple yet exquisite. "This is too valuable, I can't accept it." She quickly closed the box, intending to return it to him.

"It's not expensive," Meng Yanchen said, pressing her hand down. His fingertips inadvertently brushed against her palm, the warmth causing his fingers to tighten almost imperceptibly for a moment before returning to normal. "I just think it suits you well, and it'll be convenient for telling the time. Don't refuse." His tone was gentle yet firm, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly. Looking into his earnest eyes, Qiu Yingying finally accepted, saying, "Thank you."

"Get in the car." Meng Yanchen opened the passenger door for her, and just as he was about to close it, he heard Qu Xiaoxiao's voice behind him: "Oh, Yingying, where are we going?"

Qu Xiaoxiao walked over with her bag slung over her shoulder, her eyes darting between the two of them before finally settling on the velvet box in Qiu Yingying's hand. She winked and smiled, then swaggered away.

The atmosphere inside the car carried a subtle ambiguity. Qiu Yingying looked down and fiddled with the watch box in her hand, but her eyes couldn't help but drift to Meng Yanchen's hand.

He gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles distinct, his fingers long and slender, his skin so fair you could see the pale blue veins. As he turned the wheel, his knuckles exerted a slight pressure, the lines clean and beautiful. Occasionally, he would unconsciously tighten his fingertips, then slowly relax them. Qiu Yingying watched, her throat tightening, and she subconsciously swallowed—she'd always been a hand fetishist.

She was most attracted to clean and strong hands. She knew the feeling of intertwining her fingers with those hands, and she remembered how her heart would race when those hands swept over her and held her tightly. She quickly turned to look out the window, her ears burning red as if they were about to bleed.

The Western restaurant was warmly lit, and soft piano music filled the air, carrying with it the subtle aroma of food. The two sat facing each other, and Meng Yanchen pushed the menu towards her: "Take a look and see what you'd like to eat. Don't be shy."

Qiu Yingying looked down at the menu, her fingertips accidentally touching the water glass he offered, and she quickly withdrew them as if struck by lightning. A faint smile flashed in Meng Yanchen's eyes, his eyebrows slightly raised, and he subtly pushed the water glass towards her, his fingertips almost brushing against her fingers: "Drink some water." His Adam's apple bobbed slightly, his fingertips tightened imperceptibly under the table, and then relaxed again.

Her heart pounded even harder. She picked up her water glass and took a sip, her gaze involuntarily falling on his hand. He was raising his hand to lightly touch the corner of his lips, his fingertips caressing his lower lip. The movement carried an unintentional, restrained sensuality, making her momentarily lost in thought, even blurring the words on the menu.

"What are you looking at?" Meng Yanchen's deep and pleasant voice interrupted her thoughts. A faint smile played on his lips, and his Adam's apple bobbed slightly.

Qiu Yingying snapped back to reality, hurriedly lowering her head: "N-nothing, I was just thinking about what to order." She could feel her ears burning hot, probably already bright red, and her neck was also getting hot. She quickly told herself not to overthink it.

Meng Yanchen didn't expose her, but patiently waited for her to order, his fingertips gently stroking the edge of the table, the smile between his brows never fading.

After the waiter left, the two fell into a brief silence, a faint ambiguity filling the air. Meng Yanchen spoke casually, "Are you single now?" His tone was steady, with only his Adam's apple bobbing slightly, revealing a hint of barely perceptible tension.

Qiu Yingying was taken aback, not expecting him to be so direct. She guessed that the recent flowers were from him and nodded: "Yes, always."

"Then why don't you consider dating?" He looked at her, his gaze focused but not intense, carrying a hint of barely perceptible expectation. "Haven't met the right person yet? Do you want to take responsibility for me?" His fingers tightened slightly under the table, his knuckles turning slightly white, and the smile between his brows faded, replaced by a more serious expression.

Qiu Yingying gripped her skirt tightly, her fingertips tightening slightly, and whispered, "It's not that, it's just that I feel my job is still unstable, and I don't want to be in a relationship right now." It wasn't that she didn't sense Meng Yanchen's feelings, but she didn't dare to. She was afraid that giving her heart would lead to the same outcome, so she could only choose to back down.

A fleeting hint of disappointment flashed in Meng Yanchen's eyes, so quick it was almost imperceptible, before he regained his composure and spoke gently, "It's alright, you can't force feelings." He paused, looking into her eyes, and added, "I just feel that it's not easy to meet someone you like. If you have feelings for someone, why not give it a try?" His Adam's apple bobbed slightly, his fingers slowly loosened, and a faint smile appeared on his brow, full of understanding and patience.

His gaze was so deep and earnest that Qiu Yingying was somewhat overwhelmed and didn't know how to answer, so she calmly ate her meal.

Dinner was pleasant. Meng Yanchen wasn't talkative, but he always managed to find topics that interested her, chatting about everything from work to life, from the girls on the 22nd floor to her favorite foods. The atmosphere was relaxed and comfortable. Occasionally, the two would make eye contact, and Qiu Yingying would subconsciously look away.

As they stepped out of the restaurant, a light rain began to fall, and a cool, damp breeze swept over them. Meng Yanchen immediately opened his black umbrella and sheltered her under it: "Let's go, I'll take you home."

The umbrella wasn't large, and the two were very close, her shoulder pressed against his chest. She could clearly feel his steady, strong heartbeat and smell his refreshing fragrance. The rain pattered against the umbrella, blocking out the outside noise, leaving only their breaths mingling together. As Qiu Yingying walked, she suddenly noticed that his left shoulder was already wet from the rain; his dark knitted sweater clung tightly to his body, outlining the broad, muscular lines of his shoulder.

"Your shoulder is wet!" she exclaimed, reaching for the umbrella, but he held her hand down. The warmth of his palm seeped through the thin fabric of her clothes. His fingers tightened slightly, the pressure gentle yet firm. "It's alright," he said, looking down at her with eyes so tender they seemed to melt, a faint smile playing on his lips. "I'm not cold, just make sure you don't catch a cold." He tilted the umbrella further towards her, making sure she didn't get wet at all.

Back in the car, Meng Yanchen turned to fasten her seatbelt, his movements natural and gentlemanly. But the car was cramped, and his proximity made the air feel thick and heavy. His fragrance intensified, his breath brushing against her cheek, warm and gentle. Qiu Yingying's heart pounded uncontrollably. She looked at his face so close, at his slender hands fastening the seatbelt, at the lingering tenderness in his eyes.

Whether it was the ambiguous atmosphere of the rainy night or the allure of his voice, Qiu Yingying, as if possessed, tilted her head slightly and gently kissed his cheek.

The soft touch is fleeting, like a feather gently brushing against the heart.

The two froze simultaneously.

Qiu Yingying's cheeks flushed instantly, her ear tips were so red they seemed to be burning, and even the base of her ears felt intensely hot. Her mind went completely blank, and she wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into—what had she just done?!

She could feel her ears burning; they must be incredibly red, even her neck was flushed. Ahhh, how could she lose control like this? He's just a handsome man, isn't he?

Meng Yanchen was also stunned. A fleeting look of surprise flashed in his eyes. Then his Adam's apple bobbed violently, his fingers tightened sharply, his knuckles turned white, and he gripped the seatbelt even harder.

Qiu Yingying tilted her head back, her wet eyes looking at him like a kitten: "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to."

Before she could finish speaking, Meng Yanchen gently pressed down on her shoulder. His fingers loosened, the pressure gentle and not at all inappropriate, but his eyes were focused on her, his tone gentle and serious: "It's okay." An ambiguous atmosphere spread infinitely in the small space.

Qiu Yingying didn't know if it was right to let herself continue spending time with him. Anyway, they had already kissed, so what else could she do?