He stood under the light, his coat still on, his chin half-covered by a large gray woolen scarf, revealing his eyebrows and features, which appeared even more striking and refined, with a touch of gentleness.
Perhaps it was the intense focus in her eyes, or the gentle smile on her face, that stirred a rare tender emotion within Chu Yi.
She smiled shyly.
"I'm glad you like it."
“I’ve also prepared a gift for you,” Qiao Anchen said, his tone gentler than before.
Chu Yi saw him take out a paper bag and hand it to her, and she widened her eyes in slight surprise.
Qiao Anchen had never given her anything other than jewelry.
Curious, she took the bag and opened it. Inside were two identical white sweaters, the only difference being that each had half a red heart embroidered on the hem, which together formed a complete heart.
Chu Yi looked up in surprise, her face beaming with joy.
"Why did you decide to buy this!"
“Didn’t you say you’ve never worn matching outfits with your partner?” Qiao Anchen scratched his head, feeling a little embarrassed by her bright eyes.
Earlier, when Chu Yi was out for a stroll, he saw a young couple walking by. They were wearing matching outfits and looked very eye-catching and well-matched.
She couldn't help but sigh with envy.
It was just a casual remark at the time, and I didn't take it to heart after the first year of junior high, but I didn't expect Qiao Anchen to remember it.
"This sweater is so pretty!" she said happily, holding the sweater, and immediately pulled Qiao Anchen to try it on. The moment the two stood side by side in front of the mirror, Chu Yi stared blankly, unable to look away.
They were wearing matching white sweaters, standing side by side, the hearts on the hems of their sweaters merging into one, as if a bright red heart connected their bodies.
Chu Yi suddenly reached out and cupped her face with both hands, palms against her cheeks, looked up at Qiao Anchen, puffed out her cheeks and widened her eyes.
"It looks good," she said with a hint of shyness. Qiao Anchen lowered his eyes, his lips curving upwards slightly as he nodded.
"I think it looks good too."
Chu Yi stared into his dark eyes, which were now filled with her. She couldn't help herself and reached out to hug Qiao Anchen.
"Waaah—" She buried her face in his chest and let out a sound like a sob. Qiao Anchen hugged her back, patted her, and asked with a smile.
"What's wrong?"
"Suddenly, I felt so happy." Chu Yi lifted her head from his embrace, resting her chin on his chest. Her black hair was disheveled, her cheeks were slightly flushed, and her eyes were shining.
She gazed at him with such love.
Qiao Anchen stared at her for a few seconds, then couldn't resist bending down and lifting her up from the ground.
Chu Yi was thrown onto the bed. The bedroom was dark, with only the faint light from the living room shining in from outside the door, creating a dim and ambiguous atmosphere.
Qiao Anchen was already impatiently taking off her sweater, but Chu Yi pushed away his head that was buried in her neck and kissing her, her words muffled.
"I haven't showered yet..."
"It's okay." Qiao Anchen's lips covered hers, completely extinguishing her reason.
Everything is fine.
A natural and sweet evening: a date on the Ferris wheel, exchanging gifts, both seemingly unable to contain their feelings.
If there were no end—
Chu Yi was drowsy, his face buried in the pillow, unconsciously sobbing and begging for mercy.
The person behind her was biting her ear, their breath hot and wet. Suddenly, she heard a low, husky, seductive voice.
"Chu Yi... call me brother, and I'll let you go if you say it once."
Chu Yi didn't care about anything else. As soon as he heard the words "I'll let you go," he immediately and impatiently carried them out.
However, the word "brother" turned into countless "brothers," and countless blush-inducing words were added before Qiao Anchen reluctantly let her go.
At the time, I didn't feel anything; my consciousness was half-detached, and I was irrational.
But afterwards, when Chu Yi recalled his thoughtless words, he wished he could just drown in the bathtub.
Qiao Anchen was still laughing there, wiping the water droplets off her body while looking down with a wistful smile as if savoring the moment.
Chu Yi blushed and slapped his hand away.
"Pervert!" she cursed angrily.
Qiao Anchen raised an eyebrow in surprise, then, remembering something, his smile became even more delightful.
"I'm sorry." He apologized sincerely. Chu Yi stared at him suspiciously and cautiously. A second later, she heard Qiao Anchen say again, sincerely and solemnly.
I thought you liked it.
“I heard you screaming happily at the amusement park before, so I wanted to try it at home too.”
"Don't be angry, I was wrong."
"..."
Author's Note: Chu Yi: I don't believe you for a second, you old geezer!
61. Chapter 61
I discovered at the beginning that time and time spent together can really change a person.
Just like now, when she tries to recall, she can hardly remember what Qiao Anchen was like when they first got married.
For example, she is the same.
Over time, they gradually accepted each other in their marriage, revealing each other's most comfortable and authentic selves.
It also revealed a side of her that she herself was unaware of.
Chu Yi finally fell asleep peacefully in Qiao Anchen's arms, because she no longer had the energy or the mind to be angry with him. All she wanted was a bed, a warm blanket, and to sleep peacefully one more time.
Not long after Christmas, the weather cleared up for a while, and the winter sunshine was bright and comfortable. The clear skies after days of overcast skies seemed especially precious. Coincidentally, the film crew was coming to Lancheng to shoot scenes these two days.
The original setting for the comic "First Day of the Lunar New Year" was Lancheng, but due to various reasons, the production team eventually decided to film in Shanghai, a city with more beautiful scenery and greater prosperity.
The reason for filming here is that in the original novel, there is a scene where the male and female protagonists go to an ancient temple to burn incense and pray to Buddha, and stay there for one night.
The comic depicts the temple scenery in great detail, with a serene and elegant style. The crew searched for several locations in Shanghai but felt they lacked the right atmosphere. In addition, they found that Lancheng was a better fit for several other filming locations, so they came here in advance and stayed for a week.
That ancient temple is based on a real place and is quite famous in Lancheng. It's located in a mountain outside the city, about a three- or four-hour drive away. Of course, Chu Yi hadn't been there with Qiao Anchen. She had gone to offer incense with Cheng Li before and stayed there for one night, which is why she could describe the scenery so clearly.
The production team decided to use this ancient temple as the filming location. They contacted the temple's management and went to great lengths to obtain permission, but were prohibited from filming the main hall and the area where the Bodhisattva was enshrined.
At most, the filming took place in the surrounding area and the backyard accommodations.
The film crew has been shooting for almost two months now, and Chu Yi has been wanting to find time to visit the set, otherwise they'll be wrapping up filming soon.
Just as she was getting restless, she heard the news and immediately couldn't contain herself, especially since the first day's filming location was near the shopping plaza she frequented.
The production team chose Monday during the day because it's a weekday and there aren't many people around. After confirming the schedule, Chu Yi couldn't help but share it with Qiao Anchen.
"I'm going to visit the set tomorrow!"
On a quiet and peaceful night, the two lay side by side in bed. Qiao Anchen was reading a book, while Chu Yi received a message from the producer and immediately began to talk to him with great interest.
Qiao Anchen paused for two seconds, a thoughtful look in his eyes, and then turned his head away.
"Visiting the set?"
"Yes!" Chu Yi nodded emphatically, unable to contain himself as he explained, "It's the film crew that adapted my comic. They're coming to Lancheng tomorrow to film on location, right in the square we used to frequent."
"So I'm going to take a look!" Chu Yi said happily, her eyes almost crinkling into crescents.
Qiao Anchen thought for a moment, then asked, "So all the main actors will be here too?"
"Of course!" Chu Yi exclaimed, "How can we take pictures if we don't come!"
After she finished speaking, she started chuckling to herself, clearly having thought of something. Qiao Anchen's gaze darkened, and he remained silent.
Seeing that he seemed uninterested and turned back to reading, Chu Yi wasn't surprised. Anyway, Qiao Anchen always ended the conversation after only a few words on these topics, and she buried herself in her phone, quite satisfied.
Unbeknownst to them, Qiao Anchen hadn't turned a single page of the book in his hand for a long time.
The next day, the sky was clear and the winter sun shone with a touch of warmth, its gentle light enveloping everything.
Chu Yi woke up naturally on the first day of the lunar month, got ready, and went out. Around noon, she had lunch. As she was about to leave, she thought it wouldn't be right to visit the set empty-handed, so she ordered a batch of milk tea from her usual milk tea shop and asked the staff to deliver it to her.
When she arrived at the film set, it was already afternoon tea time. The producer recognized her from afar and quickly went up to greet her.
The two had met once before in Beicheng. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, he led Chuyi inside and introduced her to the director and other staff members of the drama.
The filming is currently underway; the male and female leads have just finished playing the claw machine and are walking hand in hand in the square.
This was the first time Chu Yi had seen the lead actor of the drama in person. Ji Mubai seemed a bit thinner in real life than he appeared on screen, and his face was smaller and more delicate. He was a handsome young man who was hard to look away from when he was walking down the street.
The female lead was clearly well-chosen; she was petite, with a fresh and refined face full of natural collagen, exuding a youthful charm that was captivating and adorable in every smile and gesture.
This scene was recorded by Chu Yi based on what actually happened between her and Qiao Anchen. Now, seeing it being presented to her again by a young actor, she was stunned and couldn't take her eyes off it, feeling an indescribable emotion and feeling of being moved.
The girl in the picture is covered in dolls, almost exactly the same as she was in the first year of junior high school. She shakes the dolls on her body while grabbing the boy's hand, looking up at him and smiling as she talks.
A little child nearby saw her covered in dolls and looked on with envy, then threw a tantrum at his mother, wanting more.
A mischievous glint flashed across the girl's face as she tugged at the boy in front of her.
He turned around.
Caught off guard, the girl tiptoed and kissed him.
"Cut!" the director, sitting in front of the camera, called out with satisfaction. The male and female leads inside quickly let go of each other, smiled, and walked towards them.
"You were in good form just now, you nailed it in one take," the director said, then clapped his hands and raised his voice.
"Everyone, take a break. Our original comic author came to visit the set today and even bought milk tea for everyone."
His introduction drew everyone's attention, as if he had a special effect that made him stand out.
Chu Yi couldn't take it anymore, and a hint of embarrassment appeared on his face as he lowered his eyes to look at the ground.
"Thank you, miss~" Some of the younger girls were more lively, waving their milk tea cups at her and thanking her with a smile. Chu Yi immediately replied.
"You're welcome." He added a shy smile.
"Ah! It's Teacher Chu Yi! I love your comics so much, can I get an autograph?" A couple of people claiming to be her fans came out, and Chu Yi was flattered and quickly bowed her head to sign autographs for them.