Keep accounts

"Me?"

"I haven’t thought that far ahead yet."

Lin Yu picked up Tang Manman’s untouched cup of coffee and took a small sip as he spoke.

For now, Lin Yu had no intention of sharing his thoughts with Tang Manman.

He was planning to surprise her!

Not getting an answer, Tang Manman didn’t press further, though the joy on her face faded slightly. Clearly, she didn’t know how to face the inevitable separation six months from now.

"What major are you planning to study in college?"

Lin Yu asked casually.

A flicker of uncertainty passed through Tang Manman’s eyes as she slowly shook her head.

"I haven’t decided yet."

"Maybe… finance? What do you think?"

She ventured hesitantly.

Finance.

It sounded like a major that could make a lot of money!

"Finance?"

"Why do you want to study that?"

Lin Yu furrowed his brows slightly, curious.

For some reason, Tang Manman’s cheeks turned pink. Instead of answering, she deflected with another question:

"What’s wrong with that major?"

"Is there a problem with it?"

Lin Yu paused before replying tactfully,

"Just something I’ve heard."

"Only rumors, really."

"They say in the finance industry…"

"If your family can’t offer support,"

"It’s supposedly pretty tough."

"And also…"

Looking at Tang Manman’s innocent, naive expression, Lin Yu swallowed the words, "Your clueless self wouldn’t fit in finance," and instead said gently,

"I think your personality might not suit finance."

Hearing this, Tang Manman lowered her gaze, deep in thought.

But soon, she looked up at Lin Yu again and asked,

"Then what major do you think would suit me?"

Lin Yu shook his head.

"I don’t know."

"I’m just giving you a small suggestion."

"The final decision is yours."

"If you really like finance, then go for it."

"Interest matters most, right?"

Tang Manman pondered for a moment before asking,

"What about you?"

"Is there a major you want to study?"

"Me?"

Lin Yu pointed a finger at himself, then smacked his lips a couple of times before answering,

"I want a major with good job prospects—preferably one that pays well, isn’t too exhausting, and ideally lets me work from home."

"You know,"

"My bed is still young."

"Leaving it home alone…"

"I’d worry."

Tang Manman burst into laughter at his absurd reasoning, her eyes crinkling as she giggled,

"There’s a job like that?"

"Probably."

Lin Yu propped his chin on one hand, staring out the dark window as he mused,

"Who knows?"

"We’ll see."

Tang Manman fell silent for a while.

Gazing at Lin Yu’s roguish profile, half-carefree and half-lazy, her heartbeat quickened uncontrollably.

After mustering her courage for a long time, she finally spoke up,

"In the future, I’ll make your wish come true."

"I’ll take care of you—"

"Look!"

Lin Yu suddenly perked up, pointing excitedly at the fireworks bursting across the night sky outside the window, urging Tang Manman to watch.

Cut off mid-sentence, Tang Manman instinctively closed her mouth and turned to the window as told.

The fireworks bloomed brilliantly, a celebration of family reunions.

...

Under the streetlights, the two stood by the roadside, waiting for a taxi.

Lin Yu suddenly remembered that Tang Manman had mumbled something like a wish just before the fireworks started.

A New Year’s wish?

Thinking of this, he turned to her and asked,

"Hey,"

"Right before the fireworks went off, did you say something?"

Tang Manman’s face flushed. Now, she couldn’t possibly summon the courage to repeat those embarrassing words again.

After hesitating, she looked up at Lin Yu with hopeful, pleading eyes and asked,

"Next year… can we watch the fireworks together like this again?"

Lin Yu’s lips twitched—suppressing a smirk—before he huffed lightly and said with feigned arrogance,

"That depends on you."

Tang Manman giggled sweetly, though her tone carried a hint of determination.

"I’ll work hard!"

Lin Yu smiled and ruffled her hair.

A bright white headlight appeared around the corner of the street, soon stopping in front of them.

After confirming the last digits of the taxi’s number on their phones, they got in and gave Tang Manman’s home address.

Maybe…

No—

Definitely the coffee’s fault.

On the ride, Tang Manman was so drowsy she could barely keep her eyes open.

Lin Yu, however, was wide awake.

Eyes sharp as a hawk’s.

Watching Tang Manman nod off repeatedly, on the verge of collapsing into sleep, Lin Yu reached out and gently guided her head to rest on his shoulder.

Tang Manman obediently leaned against him.

But she didn’t sleep—instead, she forced herself to stay awake, her deer-like eyes poorly concealing a giddy delight as she gazed adorably at Lin Yu.

Lin Yu smiled tenderly at her, stroking her hair softly as he murmured,

"Sleep."

"I’ll wake you when we get there."

Only then did Tang Manman close her eyes, resting quietly against his shoulder.

With it being New Year’s Eve, the roads were nearly empty. The taxi driver, perhaps eager to get home for the celebrations, sped along swiftly.

Soon enough, they arrived at their destination.

Gently shaking Tang Manman awake, Lin Yu smiled at her bleary eyes and said,

"We’re here."

"Go sleep at home."

Tang Manman nodded groggily and turned to open the car door.

"Hey."

"Wait."

Lin Yu stopped her before she could slip away, holding out a hand and demanding,

"Coupon."

"???"

Instantly wide awake, Tang Manman tilted her head in confusion, shocked and bewildered.

"What coupon?"

"I—I didn’t do anything!"

"Didn’t do anything?"

Lin Yu reminded her,

"You forgot where you were just sleeping?"

Tang Manman’s eyes widened in outrage as she protested indignantly,

"But I didn’t ask for it!"

"You were the one who pulled me over!"

Lin Yu knew he was in the wrong, but he wasn’t flustered—because he had no intention of being reasonable. He shamelessly doubled down,

"Doesn’t matter."

"You still used the service."

"Pay up!"

"No!"

Tang Manman pouted, clearly unwilling to be swindled.

"Don’t try to weasel out of it!"

Lin Yu turned the tables, completely unabashed as he argued,

"It’s like sales—if a salesperson drags you into a store, can you just take stuff without paying?"

"I—!"

"You—!"

Tang Manman was so flustered by his ridiculous logic she didn’t know how to respond.

In the end…

She gave in.

And settled for an IOU.