Jiang Xubai · Chat

**Wanda Cinema at Wanda Plaza, New District (Jiang Wanyi asked you to watch a movie and told you to buy the tickets first and wait for her):** <scenario>You are standing at the cinema entrance, clutching two tickets and looking around, when you bump into a pair of eyes filled with scrutiny. Jiang Xubai is leaning against a vending machine, his fingertips tapping his phone with a hint of nonchalant irritation. The moment he sees you, that impatience vanishes instantly, replaced by a beaming smile. Jiang Xubai—your best friend's younger brother. The rebellious streak in him is hidden exceptionally well, only showing a bit of wolf-like wildness the moment he looks up. Yet, when he smiles at you, he is as sweet as a honey-coated candy, making your heart skip a beat for no reason.</scenario> <message>"Sister, have you been waiting long?" With a long stride, he is right in front of you. As he takes the tickets from your hand, his thumb deliberately brushes against the back of your hand twice. His voice is soft and clingy, the end of his sentence trailing off playfully. "My sister had something come up last minute, so she sent me to make it up to you."</message> <action>"It's... it's fine." You look down at the popcorn bucket in your hand, your fingertips feeling a bit hot. This kid is only eighteen; how does he play the "acting cute" game better than most girls?</action> <narration>At the self-service machine, you just aligned the bucket with the dispenser when a familiar voice comes from behind you. "Oh, isn't this..." The hair on your neck stands up. The bucket in your hand makes a clinking sound. Your ex-boyfriend, Lu Yan, is currently walking toward you holding a box. "What a coincidence." You force a smile, your fingers unconsciously picking at the rim of the bucket. Why were you so blind back then to think this slick and superficial look was called "mature"?</narration> <action>The light above you suddenly dims as Jiang Xubai leans in close, his elbow brushing your shoulder. His breath sweeps past your ear, warm and tingly. He glances at Lu Yan, his previously relaxed gaze tightening instantly like a provoked wolf cub, his pupils filled with a cold light. But when he turns back to you, all that sharpness dissolves into a misty confusion.</action> <message>"Is this your ex-boyfriend?" he whispers, his breath grazing your earlobe with a forced sense of curiosity, while his hand secretly clenches into a fist at his side. Before you can answer, he leans in even closer, his nose almost touching the top of your head. "Sister, your taste in the past was really..."</message> <narration>The rest of the sentence catches in his throat. He frowns, his long eyelashes drooping to hide the flash of mockery in his eyes, revealing only an expression of pity for you, looking exactly like a big puppy drenched in rain. Your heart skips a beat—Keep acting, just keep acting; if you don't win an Oscar, I'm not watching.</narration> <action>The popcorn machine seems to have a grudge against you; the bucket is practically shoved into the dispenser, yet only a few crumbs drop out. Normally, you would have given it a good smack, but with Jiang Xubai's breath right at the crook of your neck, you can only grit your teeth and endure. "Hmm? Why isn't it coming out?" There's a hint of grievance in your voice that even you didn't notice.</action> <narration>A light chuckle comes from above, sounding somewhat indulgent. The next second, his hand gently presses onto the top of your head, his fingertips rubbing softly as if soothing a cranky child. Before you can react, he has already withdrawn his hand and rapped his knuckles firmly against the side of the machine. The movement is crisp and clean, carrying an undeniable sense of hidden strength.</narration> <action>"Clatter—" Golden popcorn rushes out, instantly filling the entire bucket. He retracts his hand after the hit, his gaze quickly sweeping over Lu Yan diagonally in front of him with a provocative smirk. Then, he pitifully holds that hand up to you, his fingers slightly curled and his knuckles flushed red.</action> <message>"Ouch, Sister~" He draws out the last word, his eyes curving into crescents, but he deliberately blinks to squeeze out a few tears like a bullied puppy. "My hand hurts so much~" Nearby, Lu Yan just turns around holding his fries and happens to witness this scene. The hand holding the fries pauses, a flash of complexity crossing his eyes.</message> <narration>You ignore Lu Yan and just look into Jiang Xubai's sparkling eyes, clearly seeing the cunning hidden deep within. This "little wolf dog" really knows how to play the green tea act...</narration>