Only I Understand His Gentle Heart - Chapter 103.3

He didn’t dare.

When Lin Ziyu returned to her dorm that night, she felt a twinge of regret. They didn’t have much time together. Once she returned from the border, she’d be busy writing the screenplay, and her trips to the military would be far less frequent. By then, even if she wanted to kiss him, she might not get the chance…

Idiot, does he even know how to count days?

So, the next evening, while they were out for a walk, Lin Ziyu waited until they reached a quiet spot with no one around. She tugged on the hem of his shirt and pulled him into a hug.

Zhang Wulin froze for a moment, licking his lips nervously as his face flushed bright red. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around her.

Under the dim light, they hugged each other in secret.

Lin Ziyu had never experienced a relationship like this before. At 26 years old, she found herself feeling a rush of emotions, her heart pounding uncontrollably. As she touched his firm back, she whispered softly, “Hey, Squad Leader.” Looking up from his embrace, she said, “Lower your head.”

Zhang Wulin, thinking she wanted to tell him a secret, leaned down with his flushed face. “Hmm?”

The next second, something soft and sweet like cotton candy pressed against his lips. His entire body stiffened, his eyes widening as his heart thumped wildly in his chest.

So strong…

Lin Ziyu blushed as her hand rested against his chest, feeling his powerful heartbeat. Her own heart raced too.

Why do I feel more and more like a mischievous older sister?

Lin Ziyu gently rubbed her lips against his, feeling his body grow warmer, and his lips heating up. But he didn’t kiss her back. Frustrated, she nipped at his lip, and that seemed to jolt him to his senses. Suddenly, he opened his mouth and captured her lips in his.

He wasn’t experienced—it was all instinct. He kissed her lips softly, fumbling and unpracticed. Lin Ziyu kissed him back, their lips pressing and moving together. When her tongue slipped into his mouth, he mimicked her movements and ventured his tongue into hers.

Their lips and tongues tangled, and Lin Ziyu eventually took back control of the kiss.

Zhang Wulin kissed slowly and earnestly, his every movement filled with care.

After a while, Lin Ziyu pulled away, catching her breath.

Zhang Wulin stared at her flushed lips, licked his own, and asked in a low voice, “Can I kiss you again?”

Lin Ziyu, “…”

Raising an eyebrow, she looked at him.

Seeing her reaction, Zhang Wulin grew nervous, thinking she was dissatisfied with his kiss. Embarrassed, his palms began to sweat as they rested on her waist, the warmth seeping through her thin clothes. Lin Ziyu, unable to watch him flustered like this, stood on her tiptoes and kissed him again.

“Of course you can. Why not?”

Her voice was soft but firm.

“From now on, if you want to kiss me, just do it. You don’t have to ask.”

“Really?”

“Mm-hmm.”

Zhang Wulin took her words seriously. Whenever he found an opportunity, he would sneak kisses from her.

He was always careful, though. His hands never wandered too far. At most, they would move up and down her waist. Sometimes he was tempted to touch her chest, but just as his hand reached below her collarbone, he would pull back, restraining himself.

In Lin Ziyu’s past relationships, men often sought opportunities to take advantage of her, rushing to get her into bed as soon as possible. But Zhang Wulin was different. She could feel that in his heart, she was someone to be cherished. His restraint, combined with his clumsy yet sweet advances, made her heart flutter and left her longing for more.

On their last night at the border, they stole another moment to kiss.

This time, Lin Ziyu initiated it, which only made Zhang Wulin kiss her even more passionately. By now, his learning curve had caught up. He took the lead, pressing her against a corner wall. Their bodies were so close that she could feel his hand moving from her back to her side, gripping her waist firmly.

Closing her eyes, Lin Ziyu rose onto her tiptoes and shifted slightly against him. The soft curves of her chest brushed against his solid frame.

Zhang Wulin’s body heated up, his excitement getting the better of him. His hand moved forward and lightly grazed her chest through her clothes.

The moment his hand touched her, he froze as if he’d been shocked. Quickly, he withdrew his hand, as if burned.

Lin Ziyu couldn’t help but laugh. She looked up at him and teased, “Squad Leader, you’ve got the heart but not the nerve, huh?”

Zhang Wulin’s face turned beet red as he pleaded softly, “Please don’t laugh at me…”

“Alright, I won’t laugh,” Lin Ziyu said, suppressing her laughter. But her grin wouldn’t fade, and she stood on tiptoe to kiss him again. “You really are something, Squad Leader. You’re so much fun.”

“…”

Just fun?

For a moment, Zhang Wulin felt a pang of anxiety. A small part of him was afraid that one day Lin Ziyu might stop finding him fun—or worse, that she might get bored of him altogether.

But Lin Ziyu hadn’t meant it that way. She truly thought he was adorable and endearing.

After they returned to Beicheng, the two didn’t see each other for a long time.

Zhang Wulin was granted half a day’s leave during a team activity, and they managed to meet. The two shared a meal in a private room and hugged for a while, kissing softly before they parted.

Lin Ziyu held onto his waist, reluctant to let go. “When will you have a full day off next? One where you can go shopping and see a movie with me?”

Zhang Wulin felt a little guilty. The military had its rules. Sometimes, an unexpected mission could call him away at any moment. He didn’t dare make empty promises. But then he remembered his upcoming annual leave for visiting family.

With a smile, he said, “My family leave starts next month. I get 20 days. I’ll spend 10 days at home, and after that, I’ll come back to be with you.”

In truth, he wanted to ask her to come home with him.

But he stopped himself. They hadn’t been together long, and their relationship was still new. Meeting his parents seemed too soon—she probably wouldn’t agree. So, he held back.

Lin Ziyu’s eyes lit up as she looked up at him. “Really?”

Ten days.

It sounded like a long time. Just thinking about it felt wonderful, and Lin Ziyu couldn’t stop herself from mentally planning out how to spend those ten days together.

Zhang Wulin watched her happy expression and couldn’t help but smile. His broad grin revealed bright white teeth, sunny and dazzling. “It’s true.”

When you have something to look forward to, time feels like it drags on forever.

At the start of November, Zhang Wulin’s family leave finally arrived. Before boarding the train, he called Lin Ziyu. She scolded him for not telling her sooner—she could’ve come to see him off. Zhang Wulin chuckled sheepishly. “It’s fine. I’ll be back in ten days.”

He had it all planned out. Twenty days of leave—ten days for his family, and ten days for his girlfriend.

Lin Ziyu understood he hadn’t been home in a long time, so she didn’t push him. They stayed in touch every day through calls and messages. At night, their phone conversations stretched on until the phones grew hot and their batteries died, neither of them wanting to hang up.

For the first time, Zhang Wulin felt a deep longing to return. One night, he said, “What if I come back two days earlier?”

But Lin Ziyu insisted firmly, “No, stick to the plan. Changing the ticket would just be a hassle.”

“Alright…” Zhang Wulin was walking outside when he suddenly said, “I really miss you.”

Lin Ziyu froze, caught off guard by his words. She hadn’t expected her squad leader to say something so romantic. She couldn’t help but laugh. “I’ll be waiting for you to come back.”

Zhang Wulin beamed. “Okay.”

When his parents heard he was coming home early, they pestered him with questions. With no way out, Zhang Wulin admitted he had a girlfriend. They were shocked at first, but soon they were overjoyed. “Why didn’t you bring her back with you?”

He wanted to, of course, but…

He smiled awkwardly. “We just started dating. It’s too soon to bring her home.”

Deep down, he felt unsure. Their relationship was still new—there wasn’t even a firm commitment yet…

Sigh.

Dating was such sweet torment.

When he saw Lin Ziyu again in Beicheng, that’s exactly how he felt.

Lin Ziyu lived in a small one-bedroom apartment she rented herself. It was tidy and cozy, with a warm and inviting atmosphere.

The moment Zhang Wulin stepped inside, he caught a faint, pleasant scent—something like perfume. It was the same fragrance Lin Ziyu often wore.

It made him feel like Lin Ziyu lived a very refined and meticulous life, completely different from his own. He couldn’t help but wonder if his family or his circumstances could ever give her this kind of life…

(For the record, the scent in the room came from Lin Ziyu adding a little perfume to the water when she mopped the floor earlier.)

Lin Ziyu poured him a glass of water. As soon as he finished drinking, she stood on her tiptoes, hooked her arms around his neck, and kissed him.

Zhang Wulin snapped out of his daze and immediately leaned down to return her kiss.

The two kissed passionately, reluctant to part even for a second.

It took a long time before they finally pulled apart, both slightly out of breath.

Zhang Wulin looked down at her, his face still a little flushed. “Didn’t you say you wanted to watch a movie? We can go tonight.”

Lin Ziyu, already prepared, gave him a cheeky smile. “I’ve got it all planned out. I’ve already booked the restaurant, and after dinner, we’ll head to the movie. By the way, it’s a new release—and I’m one of the screenwriters. I thought I’d take you to help support the box office.”

Zhang Wulin froze, feeling a little embarrassed. He scratched his head awkwardly. “In the future, I should be the one making the plans. Otherwise… it makes me look bad.”

Like someone living off a woman’s support.

Lin Ziyu rolled her eyes at him. “You hardly have any free time, and you don’t even know the area. If I left it up to you to book a restaurant, you wouldn’t know where to start. It’s less trouble if I handle it.”

“Then… I’ll pay,” Zhang Wulin said, genuinely believing that the man should foot the bill.

Lin Ziyu grinned at him and said, “Sure.” She reached into his pants pocket, pulled out a black wallet, and took out a few hundred-yuan bills. Waving them playfully, she said, “Okay, I’ve got it now.”

Zhang Wulin grinned from ear to ear. “Take it, take more if you want.”

He paused, then added, “How about I give you a card instead? There’s some money in it…”

Lin Ziyu, “…”

They’d barely started dating, and he was already offering her a bank card. Was he serious?

Unable to resist, Lin Ziyu gave him a playful smack on the head. She’d wanted to lecture him, but the words caught in her throat, and instead, she burst out laughing. “Don’t be in such a rush to hand over your salary card, Squad Leader.”

Zhang Wulin scratched his head awkwardly. “That’s not what I meant.”

Still laughing, Lin Ziyu moved his suitcase to the side of the couch. “Didn’t you say you brought me some local specialties?”

“They’re in the suitcase. Let me get them for you.” Zhang Wulin squatted down and unzipped the suitcase.

Inside, Lin Ziyu saw a couple of changes of clothes and… food. Lots of food. It took up more than half the suitcase.

Some of it was store-bought, but most of it was homemade by his mother, who had insisted he bring it along.

He pulled everything out in one go, placing it on the coffee table. “It’s just food. If you like it, I’ll ask my mom to send more next time. I’ll take these out later—I’ll go find a nearby hotel to stay at.”

Lin Ziyu, looking at the pile of food, instinctively asked, “Why stay at a hotel?”

Zhang Wulin’s face turned red. “To stay close to you… so it’s easier to come over.”

“No…” Lin Ziyu hesitated, then lowered her voice, a little shy. “You can stay here. That’s even closer.”

Zhang Wulin’s face turned beet red. “I-I don’t think that’s appropriate…”

Lin Ziyu found his reaction amusing and was speechless for a moment. Finally, she huffed, “You can sleep on the couch or make a bed on the floor. There’s heating—it won’t be cold.”

Zhang Wulin glanced at her, scratching his head as his ears turned pink. “Is that okay?”

“Why not? We’re boyfriend and girlfriend!”

Good point…

Zhang Wulin hadn’t even considered the possibility of living with Lin Ziyu. Ten days and nine nights—it seemed like a long time. The thought of it filled him with satisfaction and excitement.

Still, he couldn’t stop some stray thoughts from creeping into his mind, and he silently scolded himself for it.

Lin Ziyu couldn’t entirely avoid similar thoughts either. Her cheeks turned a little red, but being three years older and more experienced, she brushed it off. She ruffled his short-cropped hair, finding it slightly prickly, and said, “Hurry up and unpack. I’m going to change—we need to head out.”