The two walked out of the building. The square outside was sunny and breezy, with many people playing there, and adults and children flying kites.
The doll on Chu Yi's body attracted a lot of attention, and everyone looked on with envy, especially the children, who immediately turned around and tugged at their parents to ask for it.
Chu Yi was secretly delighted. Seeing Qiao Anchen's growing affection for him, her feelings swelled within her, and she wanted to ask her to do something.
Chu Yi tugged at Qiao Anchen's arm and stopped in her tracks.
"Hmm?" He turned his head, looking puzzled. The sun was shining brightly, a gentle breeze ruffled their hair, and in the bustling square, everything else became a backdrop.
Chu Yi tiptoed over and kissed him on the lips.
"This is a reward for you," she said with a smile, her eyes crinkling into a pool of water, in which his image was also reflected.
Qiao Anchen's expression shifted slightly. He stared at her for a few seconds, then turned around, took her hand, and continued walking forward. Chu Yi was somewhat displeased by his indifferent reaction.
The two clasped hands, and she deliberately tickled his palm. The stinging sensation was accompanied by a tingling feeling, and Qiao Anchen tightened his grip on her hand.
"Stop fooling around." The deep, calm, and serious tone made Chu Yi stop moving. She lowered her eyes and unconsciously bit her lip, her previous joy vanishing in an instant.
She looked down at her feet, lost in her sadness and despair, unaware of where Qiao Anchen had led her until a shadow fell upon them.
Under the shade of trees at the edge of the square, there were only a few scattered people. Qiao Anchen shielded Chu Yi in front of the tree trunk, his eyes deep and unfathomable.
Before she could say anything, Qiao Anchen reached out and lifted her chin, then leaned down and bit her lips.
Author's note: Ah, clutching my chest.
I'll give out 80 red envelopes for this chapter, hehehe.
41. Chapter 41
Chu Yi was forced to tilt her head back, her breathing a little unsteady. She felt a series of fine, dense licks and bites on her lips. Qiao Anchen's tongue brushed against her teeth twice, and Chu Yi reflexively closed her eyes, her legs feeling like they couldn't support her weight.
The warm, dry breeze under the sunlight brushed against her cheeks, and she could vaguely hear the clamor of voices around her. Chu Yi loosened her grip on Qiao Anchen's clothes, reached out and hugged his waist, pressing her whole body close to his chest.
She tilted her head back and obediently let him kiss her.
Qiao Anchen didn't kiss her for too long. When they finally parted, he couldn't help but peck her moist lips before letting go of her chin.
The two stared at each other under the shade of the tree. After a moment, Qiao Anchen looked away, his ears feeling slightly hot.
"Let's go home."
"Okay." Chu Yi put her hand in his palm, and the two walked towards the parking lot. Along the way, she didn't dare to look up at other people's expressions. Even though she hadn't done anything wrong, she still felt a bit guilty.
There was a supermarket near her home that Chu Yi often went to. When she drove there, she suddenly remembered that she didn't have any vegetables at home, so she asked Qiao Anchen to stop and go buy some things.
They rarely had the chance to go to the supermarket together. Usually, Chu Yi would come alone, and on weekends, they would each stay home to rest.
Qiao Anchen pushed the cart while Chu Yi browsed the shelves. There was a brand of milk that she really liked, in a large bottle, which was always placed on the top shelf.
In the first year of junior high, he had to stand on tiptoe to get it.
This time, as soon as she reached out her hand, Qiao Anchen behind her easily took it down for her, and he examined the milk carton in her hand.
"This is the brand we usually drink at home?"
"Yes, this brand tastes the best. I've always drunk this."
"Why is it placed on top of here?" Qiao Anchen asked casually. Chu Yi thought for a moment and guessed, "Probably because this is the best-tasting one, so even if it's placed in an inconspicuous location, there's no worry about it not selling?"
It's not that supermarkets and pharmacies usually put the most profitable items on the middle shelves so they're easily visible, while the high-quality, cost-effective items are tucked away in the corners.
Qiao Anchen nodded thoughtfully, seemingly accepting her explanation.
The two strolled around slowly, and the car gradually filled up. When they reached the fresh food section, Chu Yi suddenly said, "How about we buy a fish? We haven't had one in ages."
"Sure, let's go pick one now."
Inside the tank, a small tube was inserted, bubbling and gurgling, and many fish were swimming around, shaking their heads and tails.
After observing for a long time, Chu Yi finally chose the one that looked the most lively and robust.
"Hello, could you please weigh this for us?"
As it turned out, the fish was really strong. When the staff took it out and put it on the cutting board, it suddenly jumped up and fell to the ground, landing right in front of Chu Yi.
She shuddered in fright, let out a small gasp, grabbed Qiao Anchen's arm, and hid behind him. The fish on the floor was still struggling and slapping its tail.
"Sorry, sorry, this fish is so lively, which means it's fresh, right?" The uncle who was processing the fish joked with the two of them. Chu Yi nodded and forced a smile.
“Then you have to cook it well today,” she leaned over and whispered to Qiao Anchen, “to do justice to such a fresh fish.”
As Chu Yi spoke, she held him tightly, watching the fish under the uncle's hand warily, as if afraid it would jump up again. Her timid little appearance made Qiao Anchen unable to help but smile. He reached out and rubbed her head, drawing out his words.
"Yes, I will definitely make it—"
"A worthy death."
After weighing the fish, the two went to buy a bunch of fruits and vegetables. Chu Yi likes to eat snacks, so he took a lot of potato chips, cookies, cakes and the like. The packaging was colorful and strange, and it almost filled up most of the shopping cart.
Qiao Anchen picked them up one by one to examine them, and couldn't help but look up at her.
"What's wrong?" Chu Yi stopped shopping and looked at him. Qiao Anchen paused for a moment, but couldn't help but ask, "How come you don't gain weight even though you eat so much?"
After saying that, he muttered something to himself.
"He hasn't grown any taller..."
Chuyi: "..."
"It's genetic, you know?"
"Not gaining weight and not growing taller are both genetic! What can I do about it!" Chu Yi was so angry that she lost control of her expression. Her height was a sensitive issue, and anyone who touched it would suffer. She had even gotten into a fight with someone over it when she was a child.
Seeing her frantic state, Qiao Anchen immediately tried to salvage the situation. He put his arm around her shoulder, pulled her into his embrace, patted the back of her head, and added hastily without thinking, "I'm a little flustered."
"It's okay, it's okay, I just like petite girls, they're cute."
Chu Yi buried her face in his shoulder, her cheeks flushing red instantly. All her anger subsided like a receding tide, leaving only a fluttering heart.
Qiao Anchen had never said anything like that to her, not even a single word of affection.
This was the first time he had ever told her he liked her.
Chu Yi remained silent for a long time, nestled in his arms. Qiao Anchen was a little uneasy and carefully lifted her face to observe her. With him staring at her like that, Chu Yi's face became even hotter.
She turned her head away and looked elsewhere.
"Don't look at me," Chu Yi said sullenly. "I'm not angry."
“Then you…” Qiao Anchen looked at her, hesitant and worried.
"Why is your face so red?" he said, and even reached out to tentatively touch her cheek.
The touch on his fingertips was distinct, as if he had been burned. Chu Yi abruptly shoved his hand away, panicked, and looked around aimlessly, not daring to look at him.
"Is there anything else we want to buy? If not, we'll head back."
Qiao Anchen paused for a moment, then held back what he was about to say. His Adam's apple bobbed twice before he finally spoke: "That's all. Let's go back then."
The two barely spoke during the ride. Chu Yi turned her head to look out the window, and Qiao Anchen glanced at her every now and then.
Once home, Chu Yi had calmed down and, with a normal expression, carried the groceries to the kitchen to prepare a meal.
Qiao Anchen quickly took the things from her hands and said ingratiatingly, "Let me do it."
"Go and prepare the fish," Chu Yi said softly, her eyes lowered. Qiao Anchen paused for a moment before replying.
"good."
As a lunch, the meal was a bit late. The two had a clear division of labor and worked together seamlessly, each busy in the kitchen.
A gentle breeze blew in through the half-open window, carrying the scent of summer sunshine and fresh grass.
With all the side dishes prepared, Qiao Anchen turned on the stove to start cooking. He put on an apron, and Chu Yi, who had just washed her hands, naturally went over to help him tie the two straps around his waist.
Qiao Anchen paused for a few seconds, then turned to look at her, his voice carrying an indescribable tenderness, a blend of sunlight and wind.
"You can go out now, there will be a lot of fumes later."
The day passed simply, without any surprises or romance.
But Chu Yi felt that it was more touching and sincere than all that Qiao Anchen had done before.
As summer approached in Lancheng, Chu Yi received some good news. Her editor suddenly contacted her, saying that a film company was interested in turning her currently serialized comic into a movie. The two sides had already discussed it and sent over the contract, waiting for Chu Yi's approval.
The contract terms were very generous, and the other party was a well-known film and television company in the industry that had produced many critically acclaimed and highly-rated works.
Chu Yi saw that there were no problems. The only troublesome thing was that the other party wanted to meet the original author in person so that the two could sign the contract face-to-face.
The film company is located in Beicheng, which is about a three- or four-hour flight away. Chu Yi thought that since she was already there, she might as well do some sightseeing.
Beicheng is an ancient city with a long history, containing many historical sites and a rich cultural heritage, making it a well-known tourist destination.
After graduating from junior high school, she stayed at home in Lancheng, a small city. She hadn't been to many places, and she also had an old friend she had known for many years.
She met him when she first started drawing comics; he was also an author. The two could talk about anything, but they had never met in person. When she heard that he might be coming to Beicheng, she was very excited that night.
Xiao Gao: "Xiao Chu, come on over! Come play for ten days or half a month, I'll show you around!"
Xiao Chu: "I'm a little nervous."
Xiao Gao: "What are you nervous about! I'm not nervous at all!"
Xiao Chu: "...I'm afraid our impressions of each other will be shattered..."
Xiao Gao: "Don't worry, I've wanted to meet you for a long time. We're so familiar with each other, why would I need to worry about being an idol? Come on over, I'll arrange everything for you, from food and drinks to entertainment."
Xiao Chu: "Okay then!"
Then the two began to happily reminisce about what would happen after their meeting. Chu Yi typed on the keyboard while giggling to herself. Qiao Anchen brought in a cup of milk for her and, seeing her like this, couldn't help but ask.
"What are you doing?" He couldn't help but glance at her screen, only to see messages constantly refreshing the screen, and the other person's profile picture was a big pink pig's head.
Chu Yi glanced at him briefly, exclaimed "Ah!", a deep smile spreading across her face as she rapidly typed on the keyboard, casually replying, "A friend."
"Oh." Qiao Anchen put down his cup, lowered his eyes, and didn't say anything.
"Oh, right." Chu Yi finished chatting and remembered this matter, so she said to him, "I probably have to go to Beicheng."
"What's wrong?"
Chu Yi told him about the contract and also mentioned his friend Xiao Gao's invitation. When he heard that Xiao Gao was a female comic book author, Qiao Anchen's expression softened slightly.