Thirty days.
It sounded like forever when it started.
Now, it felt like a dream that ended too soon.
Lu Sheng sat at his favorite café, staring out the window, swirling his iced Americano. The wind was soft today. Peaceful.
Chen sat across from him, silent.
Neither said a word about the date on the calendar.
But both knew—today was day thirty.
"The contract's over," Lu Sheng said, casually flipping his straw with his fingers.
Chen looked at him, his voice quiet. "So what now?"
Lu Sheng smirked slightly. "Now? You're free."
Chen's brows furrowed. "And you?"
"I was always free," Lu Sheng said with a teasing smile, though something unreadable flickered in his eyes. "You were the one proving yourself, remember?"
Chen hesitated. "Did I pass?"
Lu Sheng stood, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "Depends on who's grading."
He turned to walk away—leaving Chen staring at the half-empty coffee cup on the table, heart heavier than expected.
---
Lu Sheng was checking out some new art books at a local bookstore when someone bumped into him—literally.
"Oh, crap—sorry!" the stranger said.
Lu Sheng looked up, eyebrows raised.
The guy was tall, sharp-jawed, with messy hair and dimples that appeared when he smiled. Dressed in a vintage jacket and worn boots, he had that effortlessly cool aura that turned heads.
"You okay?" the stranger asked, offering a hand.
Lu Sheng took it slowly. "Yeah, I'm fine."
"I'm Lin Zhihao," he said. "I just moved here. Is this bookstore always this cramped or do I just have bad luck?"
Lu Sheng chuckled. "Both."
Zhihao smiled. "You have a nice laugh."
Lu Sheng blinked, amused. "You always flirt with strangers you knock over?"
"Only the beautiful ones," Zhihao replied smoothly.
---
That night, back at home, Lu Sheng received a message on WeChat.
Unknown Number:
> "It's Zhihao. Hope this isn't weird, but… I'd like to see you again. Coffee? Or something stronger."
Lu Sheng stared at the message, a smirk playing on his lips.
"Already?" he murmured.
Just as he was typing a reply, another knock came at the door.
He opened it to find—Chen.
Chen blinked. "I… I was nearby. I thought maybe we could talk."
Lu Sheng tilted his head. "The contract's over, remember?"
Chen stepped closer. "I know. But what if I don't want it to end?"
Before Lu Sheng could answer, his phone buzzed again.
Zhihao had replied to his "Sure. Coffee sounds good."
> "How about tomorrow? You pick the place. I'll be there."
Chen glanced down at the screen and saw the message. "Who's that?"
"Someone new," Lu Sheng said nonchalantly. "A guy I met at the bookstore."
Chen's expression darkened. "You're going out with him?"
Lu Sheng shrugged. "Why not? I'm single."
Chen swallowed, jaw clenched. "Lu Sheng…"
Lu Sheng smiled sweetly, walking past him toward the kitchen. "Jealous?"
"…Yes."
"Well," he said over his shoulder, "you had thirty days. He just needed five minutes."