964 Countdown: 3 Nights, 2 Days Left Part II (1/2)

”Jinjing, I—”

Long Jinjing forced herself to smile before shaking her head. ”No need to explain yourself. I already know that you don't…l-love me. It's okay, Nikolai. Really.”

His expression became even more complicated. He opened his mouth but no words came out so he just shut it again.

She looked away and avoided his gaze while doing her best to blink away her unshed tears before they fell without her control.

”If you're uncomfortable with me saying that I love you, I'll stop.” Her whisper blended with the cold wind but she knew that he could hear her. ”I won't say it out loud anymore. It's just that…I can't…I c-can't help it. I really do love you, Nikolai.”

He sighed. A heavy feeling was pressing within his chest. It was so damn uncomfortable, but he had no idea how to deal with it, or how to deal with her, and this entire situation between the two of them.

All he could do was to pull her in his arms and embrace her. Then he pressed a kiss on top of her head.

”I'm sorry, Jinjing.”

Those words broke her control. She pressed her face against his chest. Tears spilled from her eyes and soaked his light coat. However, she kept silent, preventing herself from sobbing loudly, not wanting to bring unnecessary attention to the two of them in this public place.

He lifted her chin and forced her to look at him. His warm and rough fingers wiped away her tears but more flowed out from her eyes.

”If I weren't who I am, I would marry you in a heartbeat, Jinjing. But I can't give you the happily ever after that you desire. A devil like me doesn't deserve an angel like you.”

She couldn't see him clearly anymore because of the darkness and the tears clouding her vision.

”You keep calling yourself a devil…but y-you're not. And I'm not an angel either. Both of us are only h-humans.”

He didn't reply but his expression indicated that her words didn't shake his beliefs.

”But even if you're really a devil, I'll still love you because…that's who you are.”

It was then that he felt something inside his chest shake. No, it was more than that. It felt like something inside his entire being shook. She didn't know this, however, and kept talking after seeing that he didn't react.

”It's okay, Nikolai. I understand that you don't…l-love me at all. I already accept it even though it hurts. But t-thank you for indulging me and taking me out on a date today before our relationship…ends.”

He frowned but still didn't say anything. Her words from earlier about loving him for who he was continued to echo inside his mind, sending his own emotions into utter confusion.

”And although I know that it's just an excuse when you said that you'll marry me in heartbeat if you weren't who you are, it still made me a little happy inside.”

He embraced her more tightly, almost crushing her soft and petite body, while he looked up at the night sky. His expression showed none of the tumultuous emotions raging inside him. He knew that she was crying because of him but couldn't do anything about it. He didn't know how to.

Then he sensed a faint sigh of frustration within his consciousness. It was the remnant of Lu Zihao.

He didn't respond to it. The remnant also didn't speak to him.

A few minutes later, the heat was blasting inside the vehicle, gradually warming both of them up. Long Jinjing removed her scarf and glanced at the time on the dashboard. It was already getting late but she refrained from reminding him, wanting this moment with him to last longer. She took a peek at him.