6. Chapter 6
The bedroom was bathed in dim yellow light, and the air was filled with a lingering, ambiguous atmosphere.
Chu Yi never wanted to move after finishing, so Qiao Anchen took a shower and came back with a wet towel to wipe her body.
Chu Yi felt a little embarrassed, thinking that her 'roommate' had suddenly become a little too considerate.
She looked at Qiao Anchen's messy black hair and felt inexplicably a little angry, more like she was settling scores later.
"Why won't you watch a movie with me?" She had even washed fruit, set up the projector, and carefully selected the film.
"I didn't." Qiao Anchen stopped what he was doing, his dark eyes still moist, as if shrouded in mist, hazy yet pure.
"You said you wanted to read a book," Chu Yi reminded him.
“I wanted to read a book earlier.” Qiao Anchen looked thoughtful, then answered seriously and frankly.
"Then why did you do such a thing?" Chu Yi's tone was accusatory, completely unaware that she was being somewhat arrogant and spoiled.
Qiao Anchen lowered his head and continued to wipe her body clean with a towel.
A soft muttering came from behind.
"Because this kind of thing is much more interesting than watching movies..."
Chuyi: "..."
After spending this time together, Chu Yi had a general idea of Qiao Anchen's personality. She didn't say anything, just pursed her lips and let him finish.
The lights went out again, and this time both of them were exhausted and quickly fell asleep.
After the 'movie' incident, Chu Yi completely gave up on trying to get closer to Qiao Anchen, letting everything take its natural course, and her life became simple and ordinary.
Unlike the stagnant atmosphere at the first day of the Lunar New Year, Cheng Li is currently brimming with springtime energy. Her WeChat Moments and Weibo are bombarded with pink posts, either couple selfies or constant mentions of her beloved.
Flying to Japan today, flying to the Maldives tomorrow, they're showering us with lovey-dovey displays like they're free. Chu Yi's eyes are red with envy, and she keeps rolling around on the bed with her phone in her hand.
Waaaaah, other people's boyfriends are like her husband.
I can't think about it, it will only make me sad.
As if on cue, Cheng Li, who was in the Maldives just a second ago, sent her a video call. As soon as Chu Yi answered, she saw a blue sea, sky, sandy beach, and coconut trees on the other end.
"Honey, could you excuse me for a moment? I need to chat with my sister." Cheng Li said to the man with the beautifully muscular chest next to her, her voice sickeningly sweet. After giving him a kiss, she was finally left alone on the other end.
Chu Yi was forced to eat dog food again, and her stomach felt a little sore.
"Sister, Qixi Festival is coming soon, what are your plans?" Cheng Li lay on the beach chair, her two slender white legs crossed and moving restlessly, which was very alluring.
Chu Yi lowered his eyes, looking dejected.
"I don't know, but it's still early..."
"Why so early! There are only a few days left, and you have to book in advance for the better restaurants!" Cheng Li rambled on on the other end.
"You wouldn't believe it, my darling booked the trip two weeks ago, saying she wanted to spend our first romantic Qixi Festival together!"
"...Is there something you need?" Chu Yi asked her, eager to end the conversation.
"How can you be so cold!" Cheng Li rebuked, her eyes darting around. "I just haven't chatted with you in a while, so I wanted to check on you."
"My current situation is nothing to worry about, but I know your situation inside and out," Chu Yi said expressionlessly.
Cheng Li burst out laughing on the other end of the line, thoroughly enjoying herself. "Sweetie, don't be so down~ How about I buy you a plane ticket and we'll party for three days and three nights!"
"Forget it, I don't want to get beaten to death by your darling." Chu Yi glanced at the time in the upper right corner. "I'm not going to say anything more, I'm going to cook."
"Wow, you can cook now? Really? You're such a perfect wife and mother!"
Chu Yi ignored Cheng Li's shouting on the other end of the line, cut off the video call, and got out of bed.
Qiao Anchen left work on time tonight, and she needed to start preparing dinner early.
In today's interconnected world, there's a phenomenon where, regardless of the holiday, marketing accounts, personal bloggers, and comedians emerge in droves, offering all sorts of humorous commentary on the topic.
Just like Qixi Festival two days later.
Now, whenever you open Chu Yi's homepage, two out of every five new posts are about Qixi Festival, and even the updated comics have reader comments.
[It's almost Qixi Festival, author! Aren't you going to give us some sweet moments?!][It's almost Qixi Festival, author! Aren't you going to consider giving us some extra chapters as a bonus?!][Wishing you a happy Qixi Festival in advance!]
Chuyi: "..."
Even someone as slow to catch on as Chu Yi, bombarded with this barrage of information, couldn't help but start looking forward to the Qixi Festival.
That evening, as she scrolled through her phone, she casually remarked to the person next to her.
"By the way, it seems like Qixi Festival is in a few days."
"Hmm?" Qiao Anchen pushed up his glasses and casually replied.
"What's wrong?"
What's wrong--
Chu Yi's heart felt as if it had instantly turned into ruins.
She found it hard to believe.
"Don't we... want to think about how we're going to get by?" Chu Yi tried her best to speak calmly. Upon hearing this, Qiao Anchen finally shifted his attention from the book in his hand to her face.
"Qixi Festival?" He pondered for a moment, "Valentine's Day?"
“I need to see if I need to work overtime that day, but there doesn’t seem to be any particularly difficult work lately. Shall we go out for a meal together?” he asked tentatively.
Chu Yi: "..." Sure enough, I shouldn't have had any expectations of him.
"Okay then," she finally replied reluctantly, having lost all desire to continue the conversation. She turned her back, pulled the blanket up, and wrapped herself tightly in it.
Chinese people still have a strong sense of ritual in traditional festivals. On the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, the shops on the street are decorated in pink, and the shops also launch various activities, such as discounts for couples, free games, or small gifts.
There are countless people selling roses on the street.
Chu Yi went outside to pick up the package. It was sent to her by Cheng Li. The deliveryman was probably a newbie and not familiar with the area. After explaining for a long time, she ended up going out to pick it up herself.
The box was exquisitely packaged, layer upon layer. Chu Yi, out of curiosity, took a knife and opened it. Then, he pulled out a...purple lace, transparent panty...?
She stared at the tiny, almost nonexistent ball of fabric in her hand, feeling as if her worldview had been shattered.
It seemed as if Cheng Li had received a notification that the package had arrived, as she called Chu Yi at the same time. Chu Yi calmed her breathing and answered.
"Hey, baby, did you receive this? Mommy is sending you love for Qixi Festival!!!" Accompanied by a burst of cheerful laughter, Cheng Li's flamboyant appearance was vividly portrayed.
Chu Yi covered her face.
"Cheng Li, please, have some decency!"
Hahaha, looking forward to your romantic Valentine's Day tonight! Mua~
"..."
As Qiao Anchen was about to get off work, Chu Yi had already changed her clothes and asked him if he needed to make a reservation in advance.
Qiao Anchen replied after a while, saying that she could just go there and he would come to pick her up.
After receiving a call from Qiao Anchen informing her that she could go out, Chu Yi looked at herself in the mirror again. The little girl in the mirror was wearing a black dress, with her long hair falling down to her snow-white shoulders, the ends of which were curled, making her look pretty with a touch of sexiness.
She remembered the unusual underwear she was wearing today, and her face flushed uncontrollably.
Chu Yi habitually pursed her lips, then remembered something, took out a lipstick, and leaned close to the mirror to touch up the color.
The striking red color, paired with her black hair and black dress, seemed to make her shed some of her childishness and give her a uniquely feminine charm.
Qiao Anchen was stunned for a moment when he saw Chu Yi's glance, but then immediately recovered and opened the car door for her.
Chu Yi wore high heels today, and seemed to match Qiao Anchen better when standing next to him. In the past, she only reached his shoulder, and she always felt like a little girl.
The two of them didn't talk much along the way. Qiao Anchen was always a man of few words, while Chu Yi had dressed up specially and was a little reserved.
She secretly sized up Qiao Anchen.
They do have uniforms, but they usually only wear them on specific occasions. On ordinary days, they wear their own clothes, which remains unchanged. Qiao Anchen almost always wears a suit and shirt, and he must wear a tie when there are important meetings.
Today, probably for work, Qiao Anchen was dressed in a black suit, light blue shirt, and navy blue tie with dark patterns.
His handsome face was accentuated by the coldness of his expression, which remained calm and serious, rarely showing any emotion. He was especially focused when driving.
Chu Yi stared intently, her eyes filled with fascination, forgetting to look away.
Someone overtook them and honked twice. Chu Yi was startled awake, realized what was happening, touched his nose, and felt embarrassed.
The restaurant seemed to be nearby, and they arrived shortly after. Qiao Anchen went to park the car, while Chu Yi looked around.
This area seemed to be a commercial district, with many shops and a wide variety of dishes. Her eyes swept over them one by one, and the signs in front of her were all kinds of things.
There are countless examples like "Premium Crayfish", "Old Chongqing Hot Pot", and "Homemade Hunan Cuisine".
Some even set up a few tables outside, drinking and chatting, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere full of life.
Chu Yi couldn't help but start muttering to himself.
It seems... I haven't seen any restaurants with a nice ambiance suitable for a date...
Qiao Anchen quickly parked his car and came over. He took off his tie, unbuttoned two buttons on his shirt to reveal his fair and well-defined collarbone, and held his suit jacket in his hand.
He was so handsome that he stood out from his surroundings; every step and movement he made exuded elegance and charm.
For a few seconds, Chu Yi forgot what she had just been thinking.
"Where shall we eat?" Chu Yi finally found her voice when Qiao Anchen walked up to her. Qiao Anchen turned his head slightly to indicate this and led her to the side.
"Right here, very close."
Chu Yi followed him, and in a few steps, she watched as Qiao Anchen walked into the double glass door next to him. Red festive couplets were still pasted on the old wall. Moving her gaze upward, she saw a huge green sign above her head.
——'Homemade Hunan Cuisine'.
7. Chapter 7
Amidst the waiter's loud welcome, Qiao Anchen found a table by the window and sat down. Chu Yi, utterly despondent, followed behind him and sat down expressionlessly.
"I often eat at this restaurant; the food is very good." Qiao Anchen said as he poured tea after unpacking the tableware. Chu Yi remained silent, quietly removing the plastic wrap from the bowls and plates in front of her.