Chu Yueyi felt that Shi Guanghua was toxic; he always managed to make things chaotic.
They had just started with casual chitchat, yet somehow ended up arguing, quickly segueing into a strange atmosphere. She carefully replayed their conversation in her mind, unable to pinpoint the cause, but a sudden skirmish had erupted.
She dared not listen to his next words, nor imagine what he might say, but her keen judgment and intuition told her it wasn't something that should be said at this moment. If she truly heard it, everything would change.
Therefore, Chu Yueyi, wearing disposable gloves, picked up a soft, white rice ball and directly cut off what he was about to say.
She stared at him anxiously, not daring to relax for a moment. If he were to make another big move, she'd have to keep stuffing rice balls into his mouth.
Shi Guanghua quietly gazed back at her. He gently bit the rice ball from her hand, chewing and swallowing it leisurely before calmly reminding her, "This is cold."
The soft rice ball was cool and refreshing, filled with a rich, sweet filling that melted on the tongue, sweet but not cloying.
Hearing him change the subject, Chu Yueyi immediately relaxed and mumbled, "Ah, but it tastes good, right? That shop is famous..."
Chu Yueyi didn't care whether the rice ball was hot or cold; as long as it could interrupt his "skill," it was a good rice ball. She pretended nothing had happened and took out a second one, trying to ignore the previous topic.
Shi Guanghua nodded, affirming the excellence of the rice ball through his actions. Seeing her focus entirely on the snack, he abruptly asked, "Are you not ready yet?"
Chu Yueyi always felt there was more to his words, and now cold sweat broke out on her back. She asked with slight panic, "Ready for what?"
She had already started to misunderstand Shi Guanghua's words, having no idea what kind of madness he was about to unleash. Despite his outwardly cold and calm appearance, when he spoke, his thought process was astonishing, making his actions completely unpredictable.
She could communicate and interact smoothly with others, but with him, she often stumbled and failed. He always forcefully dragged her into a direct rhythm, then stirred up intense and profound emotions, causing her to completely lose her advantage in wording. She would start a mindless mutual attack, only to be defeated by his rich experience.
Her strength lay in verbal subtlety, but he was unbelievably straightforward and direct.
Shi Guanghua gazed at her silently for a long time, lost in thought about who knows what, making her feel increasingly uneasy. His eyes were as deep as a moonlit night; if that gaze was the quiet night sky, what adorned it was not the lonely and timid stars, but the steady and clear moon.
Chu Yueyi couldn't move under his gaze, as if suddenly petrified by Medusa.
"Alright, this works too," Shi Guanghua pondered for a few seconds, making a decision in his mind. His tone was both light and indifferent, "You prepare first."
Although his words implied concession, they made her increasingly nervous, always feeling that he had something else up his sleeve.
Chu Yueyi remained silent for a long time before tentatively speaking up to confirm, "We're going out as friends, right?"
Shi Guanghua nodded without hesitation, "Yes."
Chu Yueyi's tense nerves finally relaxed, at least they had a consensus on this matter.
He looked at her thoughtfully, "Unless..."
Chu Yueyi's heart skipped a beat. She hurriedly raised the second rice ball and said with a smile, "Want another one?"
Shi Guanghua: "...Sure."
Shi Guanghua had his hands in his down jacket pockets. He wasn't wearing disposable gloves, but naturally bent slightly, looking at her with those clear, dark eyes, as if obediently waiting for her to feed him. Noticing her motionlessness, he blinked in confusion, seemingly not understanding why she hadn't moved.
Chu Yueyi felt like a zookeeper for large animals at that moment, but he was clearly a genuine adult human!
She had to interrupt his "skill" to stuff the rice ball, yet he assumed she would feed him.
Chu Yueyi had felt nothing when feeding him earlier, but now as she raised the rice ball again, her feelings were quite complex, feeling that something wasn't quite right.
As he lowered his head, his jet-black hair fell forward, his trembling eyelashes appearing extremely long. He slowly bit the white rice ball with his pale lips, savoring it unhurriedly, his movements throughout exceptionally elegant.
Watching this scene, Chu Yueyi couldn't help but silently complain.
Damn it, this is just eating rice balls by the roadside, it doesn't need to reach the level of an otome game CG, right?
Is it because of that face? So eating anything looks weird?
Chu Yueyi's expression tensed as she fed him numbly and mechanically. Finally, she raised an eyebrow and said, "Can't you eat normally?"
Shi Guanghua, unaware of how he had offended her again, asked in confusion, "What's considered normal?"
He didn't know there were special requirements for eating rice balls, so he naturally used his usual way of eating. He didn't think he had done anything rude or improper.
Chu Yueyi couldn't very well say "don't eat so seductively," but to be fair, he was quite innocent, and it was strange that she was staring at him eating. She continued to nitpick in dissatisfaction, "You're too lazy, just take it yourself."
Shi Guanghua glanced at the rice balls in the paper bag and said bluntly, "There aren't many left anyway."
Chu Yueyi argued persuasively, "If you never use your hands, your limbs will atrophy, just like if you don't talk, your mouth will atrophy."
Shi Guanghua now realized she was deliberately finding fault and weakly retorted, "...They haven't atrophied."
Chu Yueyi, now holding the upper hand, began to bully the honest man, saying flatly, "But they're below average."
Shi Guanghua turned to look at her, staring at her small, moist lips, and asked in return, "Is your mouth so impressive?"
Chu Yueyi met his deep gaze, her heart pounding but not backing down, "W-well, it's at least better than yours..."
Shi Guanghua didn't continue the verbal sparring. He withdrew his meaningful gaze and said softly, "Oh—"
Chu Yueyi: "..." What kind of attitude is that!
Chu Yueyi couldn't figure out Shi Guanghua's attack level. She found that pinning him down and pummeling him would be quite easy, but occasionally he would show a half-dead attitude that left her feeling inexplicably stifled.
It was like someone trying to punch a rock. The rock wouldn't hit back, but it would make the person's hand hurt while remaining unchanged. People could move the rock around, but they couldn't defeat it.
After finishing the snacks they bought, they casually looked for food nearby, strolled around a bit, and then it was time to part.
The winter streets were still empty, with hardly any pedestrians. Some of the shops in the area had already closed, leaving only a few famous old establishments. They hadn't gone to crowded places, so today's outing had been quiet and comfortable.
Shi Guanghua hadn't decided which mode of transport to take back. He hadn't driven today, so his options were more diverse.
Chu Yueyi casually asked, "What are you having for dinner?"
Shi Guanghua: "Don't know, depends on what they make."
Just as he finished speaking, he suddenly remembered something and realized, "No, wait, they've gone to burn incense. They won't eat in the evening."
Cheng and the others had gone together to burn incense and worship Buddha, reportedly squeezing through crowded scenic spots. They probably wouldn't come back for dinner, and their return time would likely be very late.
Hearing this, Chu Yueyi stared blankly at him, surprised as she surveyed this lone individual. She asked curiously, "What did you eat last night? Did you have dumplings?"
"Hotpot," Shi Guanghua replied, reminded by her question. He added, "I can cook frozen dumplings tonight."
Chu Yueyi looked at him with pity, momentarily at a loss for words: "..."
She looked around, searching for a suitable place, and suggested, "Why don't you find a place to sit for a while?"
Shi Guanghua noticed her choice of words and hesitantly pointed to himself: "Me?"
"Yes, just wait a bit," Chu Yueyi took out her phone, glanced at the time, and promised softly, "I'll be back soon, okay?"
Shi Guanghua naturally wouldn't refuse any of her requests, but faced with her gentle attitude as if coaxing a child, his eyes lowered slightly, and he unusually asked another question: "How soon?"
It was as if he sensed her favor and suddenly became unrestrained, starting to test the waters.
"Hmm... it's not even five o'clock yet." Chu Yueyi thought for a moment, turned her phone screen towards him to show the time, and patiently negotiated, "How about 5:16? Rounded up, it's your birthday?"
Her phone used the 24-hour time format, different from his settings, so 5:16 PM would be "17:16".
Hearing this, Shi Guanghua felt a slight stirring in his heart and reminded her, "That's not long from now." It wasn't long until five o'clock either.
Chu Yueyi responded good-naturedly, "That's why I said soon."
Shi Guanghua: "Okay."
"I'll be back soon, you sit over there, don't stay out in the wind!" Chu Yueyi, seeing he agreed, immediately sprang into action, not forgetting to point out a resting spot for him, displaying a sense of urgency where every second counted.
Shi Guanghua wanted to tell her not to rush, that he could wait as long as necessary, but she had already dashed off in a flash, disappearing in an instant.
Following her directions, he walked into the quiet store, casually finding an inconspicuous corner to sit down. He then took out his phone from his pocket and set it to 24-hour time format.
He placed the phone on the table and began to wait quietly for her return.
At home, Chu Yueyi was frantically cooking dumplings while anxiously watching the time. She was meticulously calculating in her mind, believing she could fulfill her promise.
Chu Wenyue took out the insulated lunch box and muttered, "Why are you in such a rush cooking dumplings? Are you playing that childish electronic pet game where if you don't feed it on time, the pet faints from hunger?"
Chu Yueyi nervously stirred the dumplings with a spoon, replying halfheartedly, "Something like that."
"Be careful..." Chu Wenyue furrowed his brow as he stared at the pot. He always felt her cooking skills were unreliable. He wanted to say "don't let it die," but such words were considered unlucky during the New Year, so he had to swallow them back.
Chu Yueyi finished cooking the handmade dumplings, swiftly packed them into the box, and hurried out the door.
In the store, Shi Guanghua lightly touched his phone, the screen showing "17:15," but she had not yet appeared. He felt a bit disappointed, but not too deeply. After all, it was an unreasonable request, so there was no need to mind.
The next moment, the time on the screen changed to "17:16," and a bag containing the insulated lunch box was placed on the table. He instinctively looked up at the person he had been waiting for.
Sure enough, she was standing beside him, showing no signs of having rushed over, looking even composed and at ease.
"Right on time, not a minute late," Chu Yueyi said without the slightest hint of being out of breath or flushed. She looked at him calmly, standing tall as she said, "Tsk, tsk, tsk, you actually doubted my speed? I timed it perfectly to arrive just now."
Chu Yueyi had arrived early, waited for the right moment to approach him, and then leisurely revealed herself, catching him just as he looked down at his phone.
Caught in the act, Shi Guanghua suddenly felt awkward and mumbled, "No..."
"Then why were you checking the time? Did you think I would break my promise to you?" Chu Yueyi shook her head in mock disappointment. "How the world has changed, there's not even a shred of trust between people anymore. Mr. Shi, you've really let me down."
Shi Guanghua saw how she seized upon this detail, proudly chiding him, even her eyebrows raised in triumph.
At that moment, his heart suddenly softened, inexplicably filled with a joy like melting snow, as if touched by the warmth of spring sunshine. A faint smile inadvertently appeared on his face as he softly repeated, "No."