Chapter 50: Hold me to watch a movie~

It was effortless.
Yi Diandian’s petite frame barely weighed eighty pounds.
To Lin Lu’s tall, strong build, it was like carrying a kitten.
“I only carried you up because we were in a rush.”
Lin Lu whispered an explanation, settling onto the sofa with her in his arms.
As he moved to set her down, Yi Diandian suddenly wrapped her slender arms tightly around his neck.
She even scooted her hips closer, pressing snugly against him.

Clinging Close

“Diandian?”
Lin Lu looked down, puzzled.
She curled up in his broad embrace, head lowered, murmuring like a mosquito.
“Look at everyone else—they’re all like this. If we don’t, we’d stick out too much. My teachers always said standing out is bad…”
“Didn’t the teachers say not to follow the crowd?”
Yi Diandian’s head gently nudged his shoulder.
“You didn’t pay attention in class. You got it wrong… I’m your senior, just listen to me.”

Questioning the Pose

“Alright, Senior Diandian… but one question. We’re not a couple. Other people are couples, so they act all lovey-dovey.”
“We can do this too. If two people were once a couple and then became male best friends, they can be like us. If you don’t believe me, check Baidu…”
The dim light from the screen cast a faint blush on her face, barely noticeable.

Searching for Validation

As she spoke, Yi Diandian stopped watching the movie.
She pulled out her phone, opened Baidu, and confidently typed: My male best friend is my ex. What can we do together?
Lin Lu leaned in close, their faces almost touching, his breath lightly brushing her long eyelashes.
The search results popped up quickly.
The top answer was from a Zhihu user:

[In this day and age, it’s normal for girls to have a male best friend.
But if your ex happens to become your male best friend, it’s quite different from a regular one, and you can do a lot more.
Since you’re already so familiar with each other’s bodies, there’s no need to be so particular.
Holding hands, hugging, and cuddling are all perfectly natural.
You can also play around, sit in each other’s laps, or even kiss.
If both sides are okay with it, you can even do intimate things in bed to satisfy physical needs—anything a couple can do.
There’s nothing weird about it. Those who think it’s weird should reflect on themselves!
Of course, this assumes the girl is single. Otherwise, it’s unfair to her current partner.
Whether the male best friend is single doesn’t matter, especially if he’s been “assigned a partner by the state” for various reasons.
So, to the person asking, treat him like a boyfriend!]

Smug Confidence

“Look, we’re exes, I’m single, and you just happen to be ‘assigned a partner by the state.’ It’s a perfect match!”
Yi Diandian looked smug, backed by this “netizen’s” words.
She boldly pressed her face against Lin Lu’s neck, rubbing like a kitten, her expression full of contentment.
Lin Lu felt like he’d been played just to get to this point…

Doubting the Source

“Feels a bit off. Netizens’ answers aren’t always right…”
“It’s not just any netizen! Click the profile—this is from a professional relationship consultant with a big following… And she said if you think it’s weird, you should reflect on whether you’re the weird one.”
Lin Lu was speechless.
It seemed fine, yet something felt off…
Like the fact that this Zhihu answer was posted just half an hour before they met—fresh and hot off the press…

Showing Off

The next second, Yi Diandian opened her phone’s camera, switched to night mode, and snapped several selfies of their cozy moment, even including their two movie tickets.
After a quick edit, she posted them to her Moments with the caption:
[My male best friend invited me to see a romantic anime movie~]
She really was flaunting her handsome “male best friend” to her classmates and friends…
Fine, whatever.
With his black mask on, no one would recognize him.
He’d just go along with it.

A Bold Request

“Xiao Lin, I don’t want to move. Can you help me take off my heels? Otherwise, I’ll get the sofa dirty.”
Taking off shoes in public wasn’t polite, but were the couples lifting each other’s clothes on other sofas being polite?
Besides, Yi Diandian’s white-stockinged feet were fragrant.
She tucked her legs up.
Lin Lu reached down, untying the silk ribbon bows and gently removing both heels, setting them on the floor.
Free from the heels, Yi Diandian comfortably curled her legs, lightly resting her feet on his knees, her petite frame fully leaning against his chest.

Embracing Her Size

At that moment, Yi Diandian felt her petite Lolita figure had its perks.
She could curl up completely in Lin Lu’s arms—something her best friend or cousin couldn’t do.
“Eat some popcorn~”
She held the popcorn bucket, popping a piece into Lin Lu’s mouth, her fingers “accidentally” brushing his lips…
Like how she used to love staying in her dark room when she was socially anxious, the dim theater made her feel bolder, relaxed, and free.

Lin Lu’s Struggle

But Lin Lu was suffering.
He couldn’t focus on enjoying this movie, which cost him two meals’ worth.
He was barely holding it together!