”Come here,” he murmured as his free hand swept around to hold the small of her back, pulling her in for a half hug. His nose brushed against her hair as she leaned into his embrace. “Thank you.”

Liam squeezed him before releasing him, her face warming slightly. She wished that she could’ve done something more elaborate for him, but she realized that things like this meant the most to him. She was just glad that she could make him smile. It was the least that she could do for him after all that he had done for her.

”How was work?” She asked him. Ying Sheng couldn’t believe he works at the company that made her favorite game. You can imagine her shock when she found out.

”Good, just busy,” Liam replied as he motioned for her to follow him to the living room so that they could curl up on the couch next to each other and eat. He bit into a piece of French toast and hummed at the taste. “Damn, you should sell French toast at your bakery.”

”I wouldn’t be doing all of the baking,” Ying Sheng laughed softly as she bit into her bacon, feeling it crunch beneath her teeth. She was definitely planning on hiring professional bakers to help her out. She would handle the business aspects.

”Well, I’ll be requesting goods made by you,” Liam replied before shooting her a playful smile. “It’ll have that special touch.”

”Oh, really? You think it’ll be that good?” Ying Sheng asked as she lifted her eyebrow up at him. It was nice of him to think so. She would work extremely hard to get her bakery up and running. Businesses took a lot of work, but that didn’t scare her away. She knew that challenges were a part of life.

”I’ll be there every week,” Liam promised her as he lightly nudged her foot with his own.

”Promise?” Ying Sheng giggled behind her hand as she peered at him. She would actually have to get her bakery up and running, but it was a nice sentiment for him to offer to come out to see her regularly. At least she would have one supporter.

Liam shifted his plate to his left hand before reaching out his pinky on his right hand to her, prompting her to lock their pinkies together.

”Gotta make me something special, though,” he chuckled as he tightened his pinky around hers.

”Special treat for a special guy,” Ying Sheng commented with a smirk, lifting her eyebrows up at him playfully. Even if the cheesy things that she said were fairly amusing, she did mean them. He was special to her.

Liam playfully rolled his eyes at her before going back to finishing up his breakfast, his eyes meeting hers every so often as they passed quiet smiles to each other.

”I was going to ask you out on a date this weekend, but we have Dong Yishan’s birthday party,” Liam told her.

Ying Sheng felt her heart race a little at the fact that he was planning on asking her out again. She knew that it was coming eventually, but it still made her emotions soar. She enjoyed spending time with him, and she was looking forward to possibly deepening their interactions. They had acted platonic for so long now, and her feelings didn’t reflect that mentality anymore.

”Are you going to be okay going to a club? That’s a lot of people and noise,” Ying Sheng asked him, genuinely wondering if he would be fine in such a scene. It could be a lot, and it even got overwhelming to her at a point. However, she enjoyed the chaos and noise. It blocked everything else out, and the alcohol definitely helped too.

Liam popped the last bite of his bacon into his mouth before putting the empty plate on the coffee table near them. He gave her a nod as he looked back over at her.

”It’ll be fun, and I know she really wants us to come and celebrate with her,” Liam replied as he lounged back against the couch cushion.

blinked a few times in surprise, not expecting that response from him. She had noticed that he had been getting slightly bolder lately. She liked seeing him put himself out there more.

”Well, you owe me a dance,” Ying Sheng quipped, wondering if he would go that far for her. She loved to dance when it was dark and the strobe lights were flickering. Feeling that bass shake her chest was an otherworldly feeling.

”Don’t get mad at me if I step on your toes,” Liam told her as he lifted his hands in an innocent manner, excusing himself from the blame if that happened.

Ying Sheng smirked and placed her plate next to his before moving to lean against his side, feeling his arm wrap around her shoulders. She liked when he held her close, especially since he felt so warm against her. Her eyes trailed up to his, tension crackling between them. It always got so tense when they were touching each other.

”I’ll show you a few moves,” she smirked at him, tilting her head up in a confident manner. She knew that she wasn’t the best dancer, but she knew how to move well enough and could teach him enough to keep him from floundering around.

Liam lifted his eyebrows a little at her.

”Just on the dance floor?” Liam asked her in a suggestive manner.

Ying Sheng gaped at him, especially not expecting that comment to come out of his mouth. He was cute and innocent, and it would take a lot for her to see him as anything but that.

”Liam!” She scolded him playfully. The last thing that she wanted him to do was stop, though. She enjoyed hearing him flirt and seeing a different side to him than just the shy one. Liam immediately blushed, beginning to duck his head, like he was embarrassed of what he just said.