The fresh scent of plants and trees slipped quietly through a crack in the window of the reception room. That was where Xue Zhou and Ding Zhou first met.
What began as a duty to protect him gradually changed through one chance encounter after another. It was hard to say whether Xue Zhou had fallen for him over time or been drawn in by some unseen affection. His partiality toward Ding Zhou slowly became instinctive, requiring no thought at all.
He'd take the first hit for Ding Zhou when trouble arose in society. He'd quietly sort out the little worries of everyday life. Even when someone casually teased Ding Zhou, Xue Zhou couldn't help stepping in front of him to protect him. This affection needed no reason and knew no bounds. Then, one day, Xue Zhou suddenly realized that Ding Zhou had become a line no one could cross, a vulnerable spot no one was allowed to touch or hurt.
But Ding Zhou had always been passive and restrained in this relationship. He never asked for anything more. Instead, he was used to making himself small, so small he seemed to sink into the dust, as if simply being able to stay by Xue Zhou's side were already an immense stroke of luck. When he learned that Tian Fei was Xue Zhou's ex-boyfriend, he felt no resentment or suspicion. He merely smiled quietly, a subtle tenderness hidden in his eyes, and accepted that past without reservation, as though it had always been a part of Xue Zhou's life.
Theme: Don't be afraid. Someone in this world loves you.
