The question made An Xin's cheeks flush with awkwardness.
"Uh… because… weren't you the one who wanted to go? Mommy doesn't want to…"
"Ah, Mommy, why don't you want to? Don't you like Big Brother Jiang Cheng?"
"It's not that I don't like him."
"Then why don't you want to go?"
The question left An Xin completely stumped.
She had only tossed out a random excuse; kids always take things so literally.
"Because Mommy's grown up, so she's not really into zoos anymore."
"Then, Mommy, do you like Big Brother Jiang Cheng or not?"
"Don't overthink it. Go to sleep."
Seeing that An Xin had no intention of saying more, Annie was a little disappointed, but she still obediently closed her eyes.
The next day, Jiang Cheng arrived punctually at the Chengdu Zoo.
The moment she spotted the pair, Annie dashed over in excitement.
"Big Brother Jiang Cheng!"
Jiang Cheng half-squatted and scooped Annie up.
"Annie, you've grown taller."
Hearing this, Annie blinked her golden-brown eyes and gave a sweet smile.
"I grew one-point-five centimeters, hee-hee."
Winter in Chengdu lay under a blanket of damp, chilly fog.
Jiang Cheng stood beneath a ginkgo at the zoo gate; the white cloud of his breath lingered a second before vanishing.
Sparse sunlight filtered through bare branches, dappling the stone path.
He tightened the collar of his camel coat and fixed his gaze on two approaching figures.
An Xin led Annie closer. The Little Girl wore a beige down jacket and a fluffy white hat—adorable.
"Big Brother Jiang Cheng!" Annie let go of An Xin's hand and tottered over, her thick snow boots clacking on the stones.
Jiang Cheng crouched to catch the 'little cannonball', lifting her in a spin.
"Wow, our Annie's turned into a baby panda!"
Annie giggled, arms around his neck: "Mommy says I'm wearing too much, but she's the one who keeps shivering."
An Xin's steps faltered. She smiled: "Chengdu's damp cold really is… harsher than I expected."
Setting Annie down, Jiang Cheng looked at An Xin.
She wore a light-grey wool coat, scarf looped loosely, nose-tip and earlobes reddened by the cold.
"I have extra clothes in the car—want another layer?"
The instant she saw him, An Xin couldn't quite hide the complicated flicker in her eyes.
It had been more than half a year since she had initiated a meeting.
"No need. The zoo's huge; I'll warm up once we start walking."
"Fair enough. Let's go, then."
At that, Annie cheered and pulled the two adults forward.
In front of the panda enclosure, the crowd surged like colorful penguins in padded coats.
Jiang Cheng shielded mother and daughter to the glass viewing window.
An adult panda lolled on a wooden platform, munching bamboo.
Its black-and-white fur looked extra-fluffy in the winter sun.
"Isn't it cold?" Annie pressed her face to the glass.
A keeper arrived with more bamboo and chuckled: "Pandas' fur is thicker than you think—winter's their favorite season."
Jiang Cheng noticed An Xin unconsciously rubbing her hands.
After a brief hesitation he reached out and took them, chafing them gently.
He felt her fingers stiffen, yet she didn't pull away.
They hadn't seen each other for a while; Jiang Cheng sensed An Xin had changed.
Not in looks—her whole aura was cooler, more distant.
Before, she had still let tiny flashes of that girlish side show in front of him.
Now, even with her hands in his, the only emotion she betrayed was mild surprise.
If the tip of the ear peeking through her tucked hair hadn't flushed red, and if Jiang Cheng didn't possess the Mind Perception Skill, he might have thought she felt nothing at all.
"Well? Any warmer?"
He leaned closer, shrinking the space between them.
An Xin could see the shadow of his lashes and catch the familiar scent of him.
In truth, she felt exactly the same about him.
Watching his utterly natural, unfeigned gesture, she still couldn't define what lay between them.
She should step back, yet her body felt spell-bound.
"Much better—your hands are warm."
The moment the words left her lips, she regretted them.
The wall she'd built for half a year crumbled the instant Jiang Cheng took her hands.