Hearing this, Xie Li glanced at Tang Man and indeed took another step forward. Then, in Tang Man’s unprepared moment of lifting her head, he lowered his head and touched her lips, very lightly, just a dragonfly-skimming-water touch, a very tender kiss.

In such a scorching summer, under the air conditioning, Tang Man actually felt a comforting coolness from this kiss.

Xie Li didn’t leave.

Tang Man blinked. Xie Li lowered his eyelids, his eyelashes trembling a few times, sticking to the side of her lips without any movement.

In that instant, Tang Man actually felt an indescribable heartbeat. Perhaps it was because she was bewitched by the boy she saw in the photo frame earlier. She couldn’t help but touch Xie Li’s slightly heated earlobe, then the back of his head and neck. She slowly caressed them as if caressing a piece of soft jade.

She took Xie Li’s lip between her own. Almost with this action, she felt her waist being embraced. Xie Li moved forward a bit more, almost stuck in front of her. Her face was gently cupped by him.

This sudden kiss was tender but also long, like two swans with their necks intertwined, seemingly distant yet intimate, their breaths touching from time to time.

Tang Man hadn’t felt such a tender kiss for a long time. It made her involuntarily think of the last hug downstairs in the apartment building, carrying the strong color unique to Xie Li.

She nestled against one side of Xie Li’s shoulder, with almost all the weight of her upper body hanging on him. She laughed, and the breath from her speech hit the side of the man’s neck, instantly reddening the man’s pale skin.

“Xie Li, your kissing skills need some good practice.” Tang Man’s breathing was also a bit unstable, but she still had the mood to tease Xie Li.

Xie Li didn’t say anything at first, with one arm around Tang Man to prevent her from falling off the windowsill without a point of support.

But after a long while, Tang Man didn’t get an answer. When she couldn’t help but slightly turn her head to look at Xie Li, he noticed. After a few seconds, when his breathing had calmed down a bit, his eyelashes fluttered a few times. Xie Li grunted softly, responding to what Tang Man had just said.

Tang Man laughed. She straightened up from Xie Li’s body and glanced at him. With her hand supporting on his arm, she jumped down from the windowsill but accidentally caused the photo frame beside her to hit the ground with a violent bang.

It scared her so much that she almost twisted her ankle and crashed directly into Xie Li.

Xie Li quickly helped Tang Man up, squatted down to look at her ankle, slightly furrowed his brows, and pinched it. “Does it hurt?”

Tang Man felt it and shook her head. “It’s okay. It hurt quite a bit just now, but it’s fine now. It shouldn’t be fractured.”

Xie Li grunted, pressed a few more times, and seeing no significant change in Tang Man’s expression, he put his mind at ease. His gaze then fell on the photo frame that had fallen on the ground. The glass was shattered all over the floor, revealing the old photo inside.

His hand paused for a moment before pulling the photo out from the shattered glass and placing it on the table beside him. Tang Man also squatted down and reached out to help, but Xie Li stopped her. “I’ll do it. This glass can easily pierce your hand if you’re not careful.”

Tang Man let out an “oh” and squatted beside him, watching Xie Li separate the photo from the frame and clean up the glass on the floor.

In the end, she really couldn’t help but sigh with a smile, “Assistant Xie, you really have an orchid-like elegance, suitable for the home and family.”

Xie Li glanced at Tang Man. Although his expression didn’t change much, she suddenly felt that this person seemed to have a more relaxed look in his eyes and brows, as if he had smiled for a moment.

For an instant, she was reminded of the winter jasmine blooming in the spring.

Xie Li stood up, one hand holding a garbage bag filled with broken glass, and the other hand reaching out to pull Tang Man up from the floor.

Lifting the garbage bag, he said, “I’m going downstairs to throw away the garbage. Do you want to come along? I can also take you for a walk around the neighborhood.”

Tang Man was in a pretty good mood at the moment. She didn’t immediately refuse Xie Li’s proposal but considered it for a moment. She glanced at the man who was always looking at her, then nodded with a smile, “Alright, I also want to see the place where you grew up.”

Xie Li grunted in agreement.

The two walked out of the room one after the other. Xie Li’s parents were sitting in the living room and stood up as soon as they saw the two.

Xie Li said, “Mom and Dad, I’m taking Tang Man out for a walk.”

“Okay, okay, it’s good to go for a walk. There’s a mall at the very front. You two young people can go shopping.”

Tang Man had no interest in the mall, but she still nodded with a smile and said, “Uncle and Auntie, we’ll leave first then.”

After receiving a nod and smile from the two elders, she followed behind Xie Li, holding his hand as they left the living room together.

After going downstairs and throwing away the garbage, the sun had already set quite a bit. There were many shaded paths in the community, and most of the trees were very large. Xie Li was very familiar with this place and walked in the more shaded areas, so it wasn’t too hot.

As they walked, Tang Man suddenly noticed many restaurants nearby. Occasionally, a few students in school uniforms could be seen. She paused for a moment and asked curiously, “Is there a school nearby?”

She felt that the uniforms on those people looked a bit familiar.

Xie Li nodded, “There’s a high school nearby. I used to study here before.”

So their old and shabby place was considered a school district housing. Housing prices in this area were high, considered expensive.

After Xie Li finished speaking, he saw some curiosity on Tang Man’s face. He thought about Tang Man’s high school life and asked, “Do you want to go take a look?”

“Can we go in now?”

Xie Li said, “We can. The security guard at the entrance is not strict.”

However, when they arrived at the school gate, Tang Man realized why Xie Li said they could go in. As soon as they walked over, the security guard eating in the room saw them. Before Tang Man could speak, the security guard called out, “Xie Li?”

“Uncle Ding.” Xie Li walked over holding Tang Man’s hand and exchanged pleasantries, “You’re having dinner so early?”

Uncle Ding smiled, “I didn’t have time to eat at noon.”

His gaze glanced at Tang Man. He blinked, stood up with his bowl, and said, “Is this your girlfriend?”

Tang Man smiled gently and didn’t say anything.

Xie Li nodded, “Yes, my girlfriend. I brought her over to take a look since I’m back home.”

Uncle Ding said, “Then good things are coming soon? Uncle Ding is waiting to eat your wedding candy.”

Xie Li smiled, then didn’t say much more. He bid farewell to Uncle Ding and walked into the campus holding Tang Man’s hand.