The serial number is 1

The black sedan raced through the dim night, neon lights from the city streaking past the windows.

Soon, they encountered a traffic jam, and the car slowed to a stop.

Feeling the excessive silence inside the car, Nian Yuyu once again sneakily turned to look at Chu You, only to accidentally lock eyes with his calm, ink-dark pupils.

Chu You was looking at her too.

His cool gaze rested on Nian Yuyu's faintly blushing cheeks, and after two seconds, he was the first to speak, "Are you hot?"

Nian Yuyu touched her cheeks, which were obviously a few degrees warmer, and her ears also began to heat up. Her voice was soft and sticky with shyness, "I'm wearing too much."

Her flushed appearance was cuter and more childlike than usual, making one unable to resist the urge to tease her a bit.

A shadow flickered in Chu You's deep eyes, and after a slight bob of his Adam's apple, he said, "I'll turn down the heater a bit."

"Thank you," Nian Yuyu quietly breathed a sigh of relief. She felt he seemed more approachable than usual, which helped her relax gradually.

She had gone to the provincial Second Hospital today with a sliver of wishful thinking.

Now seated in his car, she felt an unreal sensation.

"Doctor Chu, are you not working tonight?" Nian Yuyu mustered up the courage to start a conversation.

Chu You started the car again, moving slowly with the traffic ahead.

His hands rested on the steering wheel, his posture relaxed as he answered Nian Yuyu, "Day off."

"Oh, that's good." Nian Yuyu racked her brains for the right words, then, struck by inspiration, blurted out, "Today is the Lantern Festival, and there's an event at the University Town Square. You could have a look; it's sure to be lively."

After speaking, seeing that Chu You did not respond, she began to regret it.

She had already made pointless conversation at the subway entrance yesterday, recommending it to him. To push it further was a bit overstepping, and it made her sound like a paid endorser.

As she thought about what to say to make up for it, the man beside her suddenly spoke, his magnetic, pleasant voice echoing in the car, "Do you want to go?"

Nian Yuyu was caught off-guard, nodding subconsciously, "I want to go."

"Okay," said Chu You, eyes on the road ahead. His usually indifferent face softened, a rare show of pleasantness.

Upon hearing his agreement, Nian Yuyu looked down, her thick lashes quivering slightly and casting a small fan-shaped shadow on her eyelids.

The temperature on her cheeks, which had just subsided, rose again, flushing a subtle pink silently.

Chu You's cool gaze paused on her blushing cheeks before turning away, as if a hint of warmth had infiltrated his deep black eyes too.

After passing the most congested section, the road widened, and the crawling sedan quickly picked up speed again.

All the while, Nian Yuyu attempted to start more conversations, and although Chu You's responses were brief, he didn't cold-shoulder her.

Time ticked by, and before they knew it, the car drove into an underground parking garage.

Chu You parked the car and unbuckled his seatbelt.

"There's limited parking at the square, this mall is right across from it."

"Okay," Nian Yuyu hurriedly fumbled with her seatbelt, pressing the button a couple of times, but the buckle remained firmly locked in place.

The next second, Chu You leaned over, his warm breath on the top of her head, "Stuck?"

Inhaling the faint smell of disinfectant from the person in front of her, Nian Yuyu's cheeks reddened embarrassingly as she murmured an affirmative.

A hand with distinct knuckles reached out, pressed down near the buckle, and it clicked open.

"There you go," Chu You's cool and pleasant voice resonated by Nian Yuyu's ear, and he pulled back.

Nian Yuyu dared not look up, feeling her cheek temperature climb again.

This time, however, it was from embarrassment; she had just spent half an eternity pressing without success!

Could it be that this safety belt recognizes people?

Chu You couldn't possibly think she did it on purpose, right!

"Let's go." Chu You got out of the car, walked around the front of the vehicle to the passenger side, and opened the door.

"Thank you." Nian Yuyu suppressed the embarrassment in her heart and got out of the car.

The two walked side by side out of the parking lot, the clean light pouring down and casting elongated shadows of them on the glossy floor.

Nian Yuyu secretly compared her height to Chu You's, then felt somewhat deflated.

At a neat 162 cm, today she even wore a pair of small leather boots with a 4 cm platform heel, yet she only came up to Chu You's chin.

Boys of such tall stature seemed to generally prefer girls with long legs.

Once out of the parking lot, the heavy cold air hit them in the face.

The streetlamps on both sides of the road emitted a milky halo of light, brightening up a small area.

The square across the road was brightly lit and bustling with people.

Chu You looked at the square across the street, his brows barely perceptibly knitting together, but they softened again when he saw Nian Yuyu next to him, her face full of anticipation.

The pedestrian light next to them turned green, and Nian Yuyu stepped onto the zebra crossing, then turned back to look at Chu You, her pale face clearly filled with joy, "Dr. Chu, let's go."

The gloomy mood from the parking lot had already scattered with the wind.

Seeing her eyes crinkling at him, Chu You's mood also brightened involuntarily.

He stepped forward to catch up with her.

The square was crowded, surrounded by various stalls as vendors took advantage of the festival to sell all sorts of items.

Nian Yuyu, in high spirits, looked around, her bright eyes narrowing into a soft curve.

And Chu You, keeping a distance of half a meter from her, rested his cool gaze steadily upon her.

"Does this look good on me?" Nian Yuyu picked up a cat-ear headband from a hair accessory stall, put it on, and turned to ask the person behind her.

However, upon seeing Chu You's finely handsome face, she froze.

Nian Yuyu became awkwardly helpless, a familiar warmth rising on her fair cheeks.

She had been too engrossed in browsing earlier and, assuming it was Jiang Jingyun following her, had naturally blurted out the question.

Chu You's dark eyes deepened as he shifted his gaze downwards.

The fluffy white cat ears featured two little pink hearts amidst her jet-black hair, adding a touch of coquettish charm to her cuteness.

Paired with those clear, innocent round eyes, she was enticing without realizing it.

"Very pretty," he finally spoke, his normally indifferent voice tinged with a restrained huskiness.

Feeling inwardly embarrassed, Nian Yuyu quickly took off the cat-ear headband and put it back on the stall, pretending to be nonchalant as she sauntered to the next stall, making excuses as she went, "I'm just looking around."

Chu You gazed at her retreating figure, his eyes darkening.

"Handsome guy, buy one for your girlfriend." The young stall owner selling the hair accessories winked at Chu You suggestively. "Your girlfriend looks super cute with that cat-ear headband. Makes people can't help but want..."

Before he could finish, Chu You's gaze turned cold, and he glanced at the young vendor nonchalantly.

The young stall owner chuckled ruefully to himself, swallowing the words he hadn't managed to say.

Nian Yuyu, unaware of what had just transpired, looked at the items on the stall but was lost in thought.

Recalling Chu You's gaze, slightly feverish, made her blush and her heart race uncontrollably.

That gaze seemed to ignite that sliver of... wishful thinking in her heart.