The sky outside Tang Rui's window had begun to shift, darkness fading slowly into soft lavender. The first rays of dawn filtered through the sheer curtains, casting a golden hue across the room. The city still slept, but inside this small haven, two hearts beat in perfect synchrony.
Xu Jie lay on his side, watching her sleep. Her cheek rested against his bare chest, one arm draped across his stomach, her breath slow and even. Her lips, slightly parted, held the remnants of a peaceful dream. In the hush of morning, with nothing but the sound of their mingled breathing, time itself seemed to pause.
He couldn't stop looking at her.
Last night had changed something between them—an invisible threshold crossed, not just of bodies but of trust, of love. Tang Rui hadn't just given him her first time. She'd offered him her entire heart, and in return, he had done the same.
For Xu Jie—no, for Xu Ning, the soul occupying this body—it had been his first time too. In both lives.
He had known combat, hardship, missions, code. But nothing had prepared him for the tenderness of that night. Nothing had readied him for the overwhelming ache of affection that bloomed when she whispered "I love you" with trembling certainty.
Gently, he brushed a strand of hair from her face. She stirred, her eyes blinking open, slowly adjusting to the soft light.
"You're staring," she whispered, her voice still heavy with sleep.
"Can you blame me?" he murmured. "You're beautiful."
She smiled, shy but luminous, and stretched like a cat, her leg brushing his beneath the sheets. Their bodies met again, skin to skin, and he felt her warmth as if it was the center of the universe.
"How do you feel?" he asked, watching her expression closely.
"A little sore," she admitted, cheeks flushing. "But... happy. Really happy."
He kissed her forehead. "Me too."
She turned onto her back, the blanket slipping slightly down her chest, revealing the soft curves he had traced in awe just hours ago. The pink flush across her skin, the tiny marks left by kisses and fingertips—they were reminders of something sacred, something only they shared.
He leaned in, kissing her shoulder gently. "Can I…?" he asked, voice low, almost hesitant.
Tang Rui nodded, reaching up to cup his cheek. "Yes. Again."
This time, it wasn't tentative. It wasn't wrapped in nervousness or fear. This time, it was slow-burning fire, fueled by affection, grounded in connection. Xu Jie kissed her deeply, his mouth finding hers with growing intensity. Her hands slipped around his back, drawing him closer, anchoring him.
As their bodies reconnected, they explored one another with more certainty—still gentle, but unafraid.
He slid the covers off, revealing her fully, and his breath caught. Her form was soft, graceful, every inch etched into his memory. He traced her skin with his fingertips, savoring the way she shivered at his touch. He kissed her neck, then lower, worshiping the hollow of her collarbone, the rise of her chest.
She arched into him, her breath catching as he took his time with her, learning her rhythms again. And she, in turn, touched him with delicate confidence, each caress a silent whisper of trust.
They moved together like a tide drawn by the moon—slow, deep, inevitable.
There were no words. Only gasps, sighs, and the silent chorus of two people who had never known love like this before.
When they reached the peak again, it was together—her fingers clutching his shoulders, his lips against her neck, the room bathed in the pale gold of early morning light.
After, they lay tangled again, her head resting on his chest, listening to the quiet thump of his heart.
"You're amazing," she whispered.
"You're my first, Rui," he said, voice thick. "In every sense. And my last, if you'll let me."
She looked up at him, stunned for a moment. Then she smiled—a real one, full and tearful. "You mean that?"
"I do," he replied. "You're the only one I want to wake up next to. Forever."
They lay like that for a while, wrapped in each other, wrapped in warmth and promise.
Eventually, hunger stirred. Tang Rui got up, pulling on his oversized T-shirt and padding barefoot to the kitchen. Xu Jie followed in his boxers, wrapping his arms around her from behind as she fumbled with the kettle.
"You're clingy," she teased.
"Just making sure this isn't a dream," he murmured into her shoulder.
They shared breakfast seated at the tiny kitchen table—milk, toast, and leftover birthday cake. She fed him a forkful with a mischievous smile, and he retaliated by kissing the frosting off her lips.
It was domestic, ordinary, perfect.
Back in the bedroom, their phones buzzed almost simultaneously. They exchanged a glance.
"The results," Tang Rui whispered, eyes wide.
Heart racing, Xu Jie picked up his phone. Fingers trembling, he opened the message.
Accepted.
Central Capital University. Department of Game Development and Engineering.
He looked up to see her covering her mouth in disbelief.
"I got in," she breathed. "Xu Jie—we both did."
He surged across the bed, pulling her into his arms, spinning her around.
"We did it," he laughed, his joy uncontainable. "Together."
She clung to him, tears streaming down her cheeks, and for a moment, it felt like all the pain, the pressure, the sleepless nights had finally been worth it.
The sun rose fully, spilling gold across their entwined figures.
This was how their new chapter began—not just as lovers, but as future classmates, as partners chasing dreams hand in hand.
And neither of them would ever walk alone again.