He was just about to get up and stand, I couldn't help it.

  I grabbed his arm, and he suddenly turned around to look at me. I felt the fire in my heart burning up to my throat, and a little inexplicable grievance, with a hint of heat in my eye sockets. I said: "What do you mean? Does kissing not count? What are you thinking in your heart? Of course, this is not to say that I like you, nor did I kiss you..."

  His eyes also ignited with the same fire, a black flame.

  My words were stuck in my throat. He hugged me, pinning me to his chest, and this time the kiss was much more intense. His tongue probed inside, just like Zhang Yu said, like a wolf, wanting to turn my world upside down. But why did I suddenly feel like crying? Tears welled up in my eyes. His hands were on my back, gently caressing me with a certain tenderness. He kissed me until I couldn't breathe, and by the time I came to my senses, I was already sitting on his lap, my hands held captive, being repeatedly kissed.

  Until the waiter lifted the curtain, he didn't let go of me. I suddenly bounced up from his leg, but he still held my hand and looked at me with a slightly red eye.

  The waiter smiled awkwardly and walked away, with my hand firmly in his grasp, saying "What does this mean again?"

  "Tan Jiao," he said, "I like you, that's what I've been thinking in my heart. You're also very clear, I couldn't hide it at all. Every move you make, I think is lovely, and it's the kind of girl I want in my heart. But I have no way to speak up and ask you to be with me. What will happen in the future, nobody knows. I can promise nothing to you, and I still have... things that must be done, unfinished. I may even... not stay in Dalu for too long. I have no way to be with you, I don't want to hold you back."

  I listened with a mix of joy and fear, my heart sank afterwards, but I still had some lingering doubts. I forced myself to maintain an indifferent tone and asked: "The thing you said must be done, is it related to Wu Miao's case?"

  Wu Yu opened his hand and fumbled for a few moments before pulling out a cigarette, lit it with his head down, took a few fierce puffs, and remained silent.

  Before, I only searched for Wu Yu online, so I didn't find out much. But now, I know what happened to him. What was it that brought this proud son of heaven crashing down from the clouds, and turned him into the quiet, worldly person he is today?

  "I've seen the news online," I said. "It was about a year ago, just a month after we got off the ship. Wu Miao encountered... a serial killer, and it was extremely brutal and twisted. She was his fifth target." I paused, finding it hard to continue: "A month later, your mom, due to excessive grief, accidentally fell into the water and passed away. In such a short time, you lost everything."

  "Tan Jiao," he said, "let's just forget it."

  It turned out that the wound was still deep in his heart and had never healed.

  "You gave up your original job, identity, and future, and for this whole year, you've just been searching for the murderer?" My tears slowly overflowed. "But it's okay, I understand. I can accompany you to find the murderer together. If you leave Dalu, I can wait for you."

  "You can't understand," he said calmly. "This kind of thing only happens to oneself, and then you know that day will never end."

  I was speechless. My eyes turned red, did his too?