You're my wife, don't doubt it!

Why can't I read her mind? Xiao Yao thought indignantly.

"By the way, there's something I wanted to ask you," partly to cover up her embarrassment, and partly because that's what she wanted to ask anyway: "Professor Yao herself should be unaware of what Teacher Yao's shadow did, right?"

“I think so,” Yu Luying nodded.

"Shadow admitted that he took the underwear, but did he say anything else?" Xiao Yao continued, "Did he tell you how a shadow managed to get into the real world?"

"So you're not going to let this underwear thing go?" Yu Luying's voice unconsciously rose a few octaves, thankfully there wasn't anyone around.

"No, I was thinking, if the person who started this isn't Teacher Yao, then unless it's purely a coincidence, there must be some bad guy lurking in the shadows," Xiao Yao explained awkwardly.

Yu Luying shook her head: "He didn't tell me that—really, he didn't."

"Boss, another can of Coca-Cola, ice-cold, please. Coca-Cola, no Pepsi," Xiao Yao called out as he turned around.

"Don't...don't drink anything cold." Yu Luying tugged at his sleeve: "These next few days...don't drink anything cold."

"Why?" Xiao Yao asked, puzzled.

"Are you stupid... Haven't you felt anything these past two days?" Yu Luying blushed again as she spoke and lowered her head.

"You mean, when you're on your period, you can't drink anything cold?" Xiao Yao was starting to understand.

"You...you...you...isn't this common sense?" Yu Luying exclaimed anxiously, "Are you doing this on purpose?"

"No, I really didn't know," Xiao Yao said earnestly. "I know now."

"..."

"To be honest, you wouldn't know how hard it is for girls every month unless you experience it yourself," Xiao Yao said, scratching his head.

"Thank you for your hard work on this matter." Yu Luying gave a pale smile.

"You're welcome," Xiao Yao said generously. "However, compared to having children in the future, this is nothing... Oh dear, thinking about it is actually a little scary."

As he spoke, Xiao Yao's face showed worry.

"Who said I wanted to have your baby!"

As soon as Yu Luying finished speaking, she immediately lowered her head, scooped up the remaining two pieces of fish tofu from the bowl, and stuffed them into her mouth, as if doing so would allow her to retract her previous statement.

"What did you just say?" Xiao Yao asked tentatively, feeling awkward.

Yu Luying pursed her lips, wiped the corner of her mouth, and then stomped her foot: "What what what? Hurry up and go to the movie theater, or there will be no tickets left."

Yu Luying's movie voucher was issued by her mother's school and could be redeemed for two movie tickets at "War Cinema".

The two took the subway to People's Square, and it was already dusk when they got off the train.

“Your grandma gave you summer allowance, which wasn’t much to begin with. Don’t squander any money you have, or you’ll end up starving and burden me,” Yu Luying said.

"Okay, okay." Xiao Yao glanced at the passing cars and gently touched Yu Luying's shoulder. The latter instinctively shuddered, but Xiao Yao simply switched places with her, pushing her to the side closer to the roadside.

"Thank you." Yu Luying looked at him in surprise.

"I wonder how Teacher Yao is doing now." Xiao Yao looked at the bustling crowd, feeling somewhat sad. "Maybe I should go and see him."

Yu Luying pursed her lips: "Actually... although I know Teacher Yao is very good to you, and I know he hasn't really done anything bad, but... but after all, he had those kinds of thoughts about me, and his shadow stole my heart... so, my feelings are very complicated..."

"You're so pretty, it's normal for Teacher Yao to like you," Xiao Yao teased her.

"...I'm not talking to you anymore!"

Xiao Yao said seriously, "I just think that judging others based on thought crimes is the most terrifying thing in the world."

Chapter 75 The Beautiful Magic City

2023-01-08

Xiao Yao said solemnly, "I just think that judging others based on thought crimes is the most terrifying thing in the world."

“But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman and desires her has already taken her in his heart.” Matthew 5:28. Yu Luying hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“Who among you is without sin? Throw stones at her first!” Xiao Yao skillfully invoked the scripture her uncle had recited yesterday to retaliate: “Not just Teacher Yao, but even you, me, or anyone else, if forced to publicly confess like this, no one could withstand it, right? Who dares to say they are without blemish?”

Yu Luying glanced at him in surprise, then lowered her head and walked while looking at the tips of her shoes: "Xiao Yao, you are right. In Buddhist terms, you have the potential for enlightenment."

"Huh?" Xiao Yao was flattered.

The two arrived at the entrance of "War Film City". Xiao Yao took the lead and lifted the curtain, went in, and then kept the curtain up until Yu Luying came in before letting it down.

"Who taught you that?" Yu Luying clenched her fists and blurted out this question out of the blue.

"Huh?" Xiao Yao was taken aback, then realized what Yu Luying meant.

"Hello, what movies are showing now?" Yu Luying walked to the counter of the War Cinema and looked up at the movie schedule.

"We have 'Beautiful Shanghai' at 8:25 and 'Troy' at 8:40. These are the two closest shows." The staff member in a suit uniform looked at the filming schedule.

Xiao Yao pondered to himself, "Shen Jie seemed to have said she wanted to see *Troy*, right? To avoid watching the same movie twice, it seems better to watch *Beautiful Shanghai* instead, besides..."

"How about..." Xiao Yao tentatively suggested.

"The Beautiful Magic City?" the two of them said in unison.

The two exchanged a smile, offered no further explanation, and exchanged their tickets.

“We still have such great chemistry.” Xiao Yao said this while buying popcorn.

As expected, Yu Luying didn't act arrogantly or complain; she simply nodded obediently.

...I'm still not quite used to it.

When Xiao Yao went to buy popcorn and Pepsi paper cups, Yu Luying didn't rush to pay the bill.

"It's so annoying, they don't even sell Coca-Cola."

"Come on, it's just a Coke, don't make it sound like you're appreciating fine wine."

"Don't look down on Coke..."

The two had their tickets checked, entered the venue, and found their seats.

I don't know if the movie was too obscure or if the timing was wrong, but there weren't many people in the theater.

Xiao Yao placed the popcorn bucket on the armrest in the middle of the seat.

"This is the first time I've ever watched a movie with a girl," Xiao Yao said casually.

"Me too."

"?"

“With a boy,” Yu Luying explained.

"Oh."

Before the movie started, Xiao Yao glanced at Yu Luying, a subtle feeling stirring within him.

Yu Luying turned her head to look at him: "What are you thinking about?"

"Uh...actually, I rarely watch movies...go to the cinema to watch movies. I can watch them on TV or computer...I don't know why I would spend tens of dollars to go to the cinema."

"..."

"I went to the cinema a few times during elementary and middle school, all of which were organized by the school. Since coming to Shanghai, I've only gone a few times during winter break when the school gave out vouchers..." Xiao Yao suddenly felt stupid and shut his mouth again.

Yu Luying chuckled.

After the movie started, Xiao Yao was surprised to find that the movie was really... terrible.

This is not a domestic romance film at all, but a family ethics drama.

The film is titled "Beautiful Shanghai," but it's neither "beautiful" nor "Shanghai" in the traditional sense—the actors all speak with accents from all over China, and it must have been quite a challenge for them to force themselves to speak Shanghai-accented Mandarin.

"Ma Yuanzheng really is a professional at playing domestic abusers, huh?" Xiao Yao commented quietly.

"Hmm." Yu Luying stared straight ahead, her body tense.

She could have relaxed and leaned back in her seat, but she sat as if she were in a classroom.

The reflection from the screen cast a somber, pale light on both of them.

Xiao Yao picked up a small handful of popcorn, opened his palm, and stretched it out.

Yu Luying tilted her head like a little bird, sucked a kernel of popcorn into her mouth and ate it, then tilted her head again and sucked...

???????

Xiao Yao was somewhat confused.

Feeling the moisture of his lips touching his palm, his tongue tasted not only the sweet aroma of popcorn but also the salty sweat of his own palm.

Why are you so skilled? !

……

In the movie, the single mother finds two condoms in her college-aged daughter's pocket.

"Damn it," Xiao Yao commented.

"Slap!" Grandma reached out and slapped the little girl across the face, and Xiao Yao's face twitched instinctively.

He reached for the popcorn but touched something soft and cool.

Pretending to be nonchalant, Xiao Yao withdrew his hand and glanced at the popcorn bucket. A small hand was carrying popcorn away.