If There Was a Past Life, I Must Have Liked You First

Before that hand could even touch Lin Wanwan's face, it was intercepted mid-air by a much stronger grip.

Chen Zhi's fingers were long and his knuckles well-defined. Right now, they were locked in a death grip around Blondie's wrist. Without a word, he simply used the momentum to fling him to the side.

Caught off guard, Blondie stumbled back several steps, nearly crashing into the streetlamp pole behind him.

Before he could even steady himself, a figure had already stepped in front of Lin Wanwan, shielding her.

"Get lost."

Blondie rubbed his reddened wrist, grimacing in pain.

He had wanted to curse the guy out, but looking up and meeting Chen Zhi's eyes, he forcibly swallowed the profanities that had reached the tip of his tongue.

Stiffening his neck, he hollered with fake bravado, "What? You wanna fight?"

Blondie spat on the ground, trying to salvage his pride. "How do you prove he's your boyfriend? Huh? Let's hear you call him hubby!"

Chen Zhi frowned, his fists already clenched.

There was no reasoning with a scumbag like this; the most direct method was physical persuasion.

Just as he was about to make a move, he suddenly felt a warm touch from behind.

"How do I prove it?"

Lin Wanwan's voice came from behind him, carrying a trace of an unsettled tremble.

Chen Zhi was about to turn around and tell her not to be afraid, but a pair of hands grabbed his shoulders and turned him around.

Lin Wanwan's delicate little face magnified before his eyes.

She stood on her tiptoes, reached out, and wrapped her arms around his neck. Without any hesitation, without any technique, she forcefully pressed her lips against Chen Zhi's.

"Mmph..."

Chen Zhi's pupils instantly contracted.

In that second, the world hit the mute button.

The riverside breeze stopped, the distant roar of traffic vanished, and even Blondie's clamoring could no longer be heard.

His senses were infinitely magnified.

A soft, moist sensation spread from his lips, carrying the unique, sweet fragrance of the young girl that was dizzyingly sweet.

Lin Wanwan obviously didn't know how to kiss.

She just pressed tightly against him. Because of her nerves, her teeth even accidentally bumped against Chen Zhi's lips, causing a slight sting.

Chen Zhi's hands had been frozen in mid-air. A few seconds later, he finally reacted, slowly lowering them to grip the girl's slender waist, pulling her closer into his embrace.

This movement acted like some sort of signal. Lin Wanwan kept her eyes closed, her eyelashes trembling, but the arms around his neck tightened even more.

It was a green, clumsy kiss, yet passionate enough to ignite the entire summer night.

A long time passed.

It wasn't until both of them were somewhat out of breath that Lin Wanwan let go. Her heels touched the ground, and she leaned limply against Chen Zhi's chest as if all the bones had been removed from her body.

Chen Zhi instinctively protected her, looking up with slightly unfocused eyes.

That Blondie was long gone.

Only the two of them were left by the river.

The dim yellow streetlights stretched their shadows, overlapping and inseparable.

The girl in his arms buried her head deeply in his chest, hugging him tightly with both hands.

"I like you."

A muffled voice came from his chest, carrying a hint of a sob.

"I like you, Chen Zhi, I like you."

It was as if she wanted to pour out all the words she had hidden in her heart for the past three years, or perhaps even longer, all at once.

"I really, really like you..."

Chen Zhi felt a small patch of his shirt grow wet.

He sighed. The last line of defense in his heart finally collapsed completely at this moment.

He raised his hand and gently stroked Lin Wanwan's smooth, long hair, over and over, in a comforting manner.

"I know."

Chen Zhi's voice was a bit hoarse. He lowered his head, resting his chin on the top of her head. "I like you too, Lin Wanwan."

The person in his arms stiffened for a moment before suddenly lifting her head.

Lin Wanwan's eyes were red.

"Say it again," she demanded bossily, sniffing.

Chen Zhi chuckled, reaching out to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes. "I said, I like you too."

Lin Wanwan smiled through her tears.

She let go with one hand and dug around in her pocket, finally pulling out the "big diamond ring" they had bought for fifty-two dollars.

Under the moonlight, the massive glass diamond refracted a dazzling light.

"Put it on for me."

Lin Wanwan handed the ring to Chen Zhi and extended her left hand. Her fingers were slender and long, pale and glowing.

Chen Zhi took the ring.

Even though it was a lightweight alloy band, it felt heavy in his hand right now.

He held Lin Wanwan's hand, pinched the ring, and instinctively went to slip it onto her ring finger.

"Ah, no, wait!"

Just as the tip of the ring touched her knuckle, Lin Wanwan pulled her hand back.

Chen Zhi paused. "What's wrong? Is the size wrong?"

"You idiot, Chen Zhi!"

Lin Wanwan glared at him and extended her hand again, but this time she curled her ring finger inward, leaving only her middle finger straight. "That spot has to be saved for the real one later."

She looked into Chen Zhi's eyes, as serious as if she were taking an oath. "A fifty-two-dollar glass ring can only go on the middle finger. In the future... in the future, you have to buy me a real big diamond ring before you can put it on my ring finger."

Chen Zhi stared at her blankly.

The young girl's eyes were full of anticipation, along with a kind of trust that seemed to hand over her entire life to him.

He felt a lump form in his throat.

"Okay."

Chen Zhi nodded solemnly. "In the future, I'll buy you a pigeon egg diamond, the kind that'll break your finger from the weight."

"Get out of here!" Lin Wanwan burst into laughter.

Chen Zhi carefully slid the ring down to the base of her middle finger.

The size was just right.

Lin Wanwan raised her hand, examining it left and right against the moonlight. The more she looked, the more satisfied she became, as if what she was wearing was a priceless, rare treasure.

"It's beautiful."

She suddenly turned around, then threw herself into Chen Zhi's arms, wrapping her hands tightly around his waist, hugging him as if she wanted to meld herself into his very bones and blood.

"What am I now, Chen Zhi?"

She looked up, asking even though she knew the answer, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

"You are my girlfriend."

Chen Zhi looked down, gently rubbing his nose against hers, their breaths mingling together.

Lin Wanwan let out a contented sigh and hugged him even tighter, practically hanging off Chen Zhi's body.

"I like you so much, Chen Zhi, I like you so much."

Like a broken record, she tirelessly repeated this phrase, as if she could never say it enough.

Chen Zhi's heart melted into a puddle of water.

He patted her back gently, over and over, like coaxing a child:

"I know."

"I like you more."

"Nonsense!"

Lin Wanwan immediately retorted, nuzzling against his chest. "Obviously I like you more! I've liked you since we were kids!"

"I liked you in my past life."

Chen Zhi suddenly spoke up. His voice was very light, yet full of certainty.

"If there was a past life..."

Lin Wanwan hugged him tightly, her voice growing very soft and gentle. "Then I definitely liked you first. Because Chen Zhi is an idiot and so slow to react, I must have been the first one to fall."

Chen Zhi felt as if his heart had been struck heavily by something.

It was true.

In his past life, she really had been the one silently waiting behind him all along.

Chen Zhi took a deep breath, suppressing the emotions surging in his eyes.

Lin Wanwan noticed Chen Zhi's unusual reaction.

She affectionately rubbed the tip of her nose against Chen Zhi's cheek, her warm breath brushing against the crook of his neck.

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

She murmured softly, a hint of wistfulness lingering in her contentment.

"I just want to be with you..."

"Why did it take us so long to finally be together?"

The girl's sigh faded into the wind.

Chen Zhi closed his eyes and rested his chin on the crown of her head, breathing in her familiar scent.

It wasn't too late.

Not too late at all.

"Wanwan."

"Hmm?"

"I want to be with you, too."

Chen Zhi opened his eyes and gazed at the flickering city lights in the distance. "In this life, and the next, we will always be together."