Xiao Qiqi was both amused and annoyed. "It's all better now, time to eat!" Chen Yuanxing jumped up, showing no trace of his previous weakness.
This dinner made Chen Yuanxing feel that life was both wonderful and the world was both incredibly dark. When he tasted what he considered the most delicious lamb stew with radish in his life, he felt that the torment and hunger he had just endured were all worthwhile, and that life with Xiao Qiqi cooking was truly wonderful; but when Xiao Qiqi smilingly stuffed garlic-flavored bok choy into his bowl, he felt that the world was incredibly dark. He protested, and Xiao Qiqi threatened him with lamb; a bite of lamb followed by a bite of bok choy, and life oscillated between sweetness and pain. So after the meal, Chen Yuanxing didn't know whether he was still savoring the meal or simply feeling disheartened.
So when Xiao Qiqi pushed him to wash the dishes, he was so indignant, "Xiao Qiqi, I hate washing dishes the most!" That's why he never used a lunchbox to eat at school.
Xiao Qiqi smiled and spread her hands, "I can't stand cold water."
Chen Yuanxing was speechless. He resignedly went into the kitchen, being very careful, but unfortunately still couldn't hold onto a plate. Xiao Qiqi heard the crisp sound of the plate shattering and ran into the kitchen, immediately seeing Chen Yuanxing standing there innocently with his hands outstretched. Helpless, she sighed, "I'll do it."
Chen Yuanxing was overjoyed, but still a little embarrassed. "Don't you say you can't use cold water?"
"Idiot, isn't there hot water? Didn't I tell you you can use hot water to wash dishes?" Xiao Qiqi innocently put on gloves and winked at Chen Yuanxing. Sure enough, Chen Yuanxing immediately jumped up and down, calling Xiao Qiqi a "heartless bad woman." Seeing him baring his teeth and jumping up and down, Xiao Qiqi felt very happy.
Xiao Qiqi nestled on the sofa, pretending to doze off, while Chen Yuanxing continued chatting online with a girl. "Chen Yuanxing, aren't you going home yet?"
"Oh, I'm not going back today," the person replied very smoothly.
Xiao Qiqi suddenly opened her eyes, "...What do you want to do?"
He continued typing away, unfazed, "Your bed is big enough, you can move it a bit and I can sleep comfortably. We've slept in the same room before, and I'm not afraid, so why are you?"
"No way!" Xiao Qiqi objected, her face darkening. "Do you consider this your home or a hotel?"
"It's a hotel, you can pay for it." Chen Yuanxing was chatting with a girl who was only eighteen years old, but his mind was not on the topic at all.
"You!" Xiao Qiqi choked with anger, stood up and slammed Chen Yuanxing's laptop shut. "Pack your things and get out of here right now."
Chen Yuanxing looked at Xiao Qiqi innocently, "No, sister, it's so dark, how am I supposed to walk?"
"Even in the dark, there are streetlights and taxis." Xiao Qiqi pulled his bag from under the table. "Get out of here right now!"
Chen Yuanxing grabbed Xiao Qiqi's hand, "Please, sister, look how innocent and kind I am, a model young man of virtue and integrity! I just need to borrow a small bed from you for one night. I really can't go back tonight." He shook Xiao Qiqi's hand, pouting like a child, "Sister, please, I promise I'll behave. It's the dead of winter, and you're in such a state, what can I possibly do?"
"Ah, what else do you want to do?" Xiao Qiqi slapped him across the face. "Then you should get out of here. This is my room. Why should I, a girl, have a man like you living here with me?"
"It's not living together, it's just sharing a bed." The more she said it, the more inappropriate it became, and Xiao Qiqi felt her face turning bright red.
"Get out!" Xiao Qiqi stopped helping him pack his things and dragged him out by the hand. Chen Yuanxing remained firmly seated in the chair, refusing to get up no matter how Xiao Qiqi pulled him.
"Sister, is it okay if I stay up all night and go online?"
"no."
"This won't do! You're too cruel!" Chen Yuanxing's eyes darted around as he unleashed his trump card, "You think I don't want to go home? It's all because of you!"
Xiao Qiqi stopped pulling him away, but still held onto his hand, asking, "Why because of me?"
“My mom is at home waiting for me with a stick.” Chen Yuanxing looked at Xiao Qiqi pitifully, “Because…because of what happened yesterday when I went to the police station.”
"Really?" Xiao Qiqi looked at him doubtfully. "But you only went in because you wanted to fight, right?"
"Yes, I was the one who hit him, but why did I hit that idiot? I don't even know him. Why would I beat him up?"
Xiao Qiqi retorted, "I didn't ask you to stand up for me."
“Yes, there are plenty of things you didn’t ask me to do, but I’ve done a lot anyway,” Chen Yuanxing seized on the retreat in her words. “I’m just hiding for a couple of days, sister, please be kind enough to take me in. You don’t know, my mom is terrifying, she really hits me, and it hurts a lot. Hmm?” Chen Yuanxing continued to shake Xiao Qiqi’s hand, her beautiful phoenix eyes filled with expectation, pleading, and pity, like a stray dog on the street, making it impossible to refuse.
Xiao Qiqi's heart began to soften. "Then you can sit here and surf the internet, but you're not allowed to sleep in my bed."
"Alright, alright, I was just about to chat with the pretty lady." Chen Yuanxing nodded hastily, a smug glint in his eyes. If he could just wait two more days, his mother would be going on a week-long visit to Europe, and he'd escaped this ordeal. Of course, his mother wouldn't beat him as he exaggeratedly claimed, but she was certainly capable of having the guards keep him confined to his home for weeks. As for his father, he always turned a blind eye to him; a trip to the police station was nothing to him.
21. Half a year
Xiao Qiqi didn't sleep well that night. She got up to go to the bathroom, but her hand landed on soft skin instead. The curtains weren't drawn, and the dim light from the streetlamp shone in. Xiao Qiqi realized she had landed on Chen Yuanxing's face. Chen Yuanxing winced in his sleep, mumbled something, turned over, and hugged Xiao Qiqi's teddy bear before falling back asleep. Xiao Qiqi sighed. In the dead of winter, she really couldn't push him off the bed in the middle of the night, could she? In the dim light, Chen Yuanxing's sleeping posture was extremely peaceful, quite different from his usual cheerful and boisterous self. His brows were relaxed, showing a hint of determination and tranquility. Xiao Qiqi ultimately didn't disturb his sweet dream. She climbed over him quietly to the bathroom, then quietly climbed back into bed, grabbed her teddy bear, and hugged it with her back turned before finally falling into a deep sleep.
The next day, she was awakened by the sunlight again. Groggy, she turned over and found a hand on her waist. Xiao Qiqi gritted her teeth, pried the hand off, and pinched it hard. Chen Yuanxing woke with a start, his eyes snapping open as he sat up, still drowsy. His dark pupils stared unfocused at Xiao Qiqi for a long while before he slumped back onto the pillow. When Xiao Qiqi looked again, he was breathing evenly once more. Xiao Qiqi chuckled and shook her head.
After washing up, Xiao Qiqi turned on her computer and saw Chen Yuanxing's laptop on the table. She hesitated for a moment before opening it. It was time to look for a job again. The software that started up was the QQ chat program Chen Yuanxing had been working on all night. Xiao Qiqi hesitated again; she hadn't been on QQ in a long time, perhaps there were messages from Lin Wen and Huang Yu. So she typed in her own username, but when she entered her password, her heart ached again. Perhaps she should change her password.
There was hardly anyone talking in the class group chat, and Xiao Qiqi, being invisible, naturally wouldn't pop up. So she went to job postings, revised her resume, and submitted them, spending the entire morning endlessly sending emails. Xiao Qiqi had been thinking a lot these past few days and decided to abandon her current major and switch to marketing; there were plenty of job openings anyway. Marketing would involve interacting with more people, perhaps making her more acquainted, which would improve her mindset. Being busy would also reduce her alone time, unlike her current job where she would go straight home after get off work, leaving her with vast amounts of free time that drove her crazy. Besides watching those silly Korean dramas to kill time, she had absolutely nothing to do. Even watching Korean dramas, while immersing her in beautiful love stories, also brought a sense of sadness; she realized that love was both so simple and so heartbreaking.
The phone rang, and Xiao Qiqi saw it was Fang Xuelian calling, so she took the phone to the balcony to answer it. Fang Xuelian naturally asked Xiao Qiqi why she wasn't going to work and what had happened between her and Xu Qing. Xiao Qiqi didn't want to mention Chen Yuanxing, fearing Fang Xuelian would continue to press her, so she only stammered a few words about how she really couldn't continue seeing Xu Qing. Fang Xuelian was clearly in a good mood, only expressing a few words of regret, and then volunteered to help Xiao Qiqi get her wages. Xiao Qiqi thanked her and, following her good mood, asked a few questions about the prosperity of Hong Kong before they hung up.
Looking at the lazy winter sun outside the window, Xiao Qiqi felt the urge to smoke. There was a slender 520 cigarette on the windowsill. She naturally took the cigarette, lit it, and inhaled it slowly into her lungs. The pleasant feeling of the swirling smoke spread from her throat to her internal organs, bringing a cool sensation and gradually clearing her mind.
Chen Yuanxing coughed a few times, woke up, rubbed his eyes, and said in a muffled voice, "Auntie, you're angry! I'm choking!"
Xiao Qiqi looked at him through the glass window, covering her nose and pouting, like a child throwing a tantrum because he hadn't slept well. She put out her cigarette and opened the glass window on the balcony.
Chen Yuanxing finally opened his eyes, looked around blankly for a long time, and then remembered that he wasn't at home. "Xiao Qiqi!"
Xiao Qiqi came in from the balcony. "Didn't I tell you you weren't allowed to sleep in my bed? Where are you now?"
Chen Yuanxing ruffled his messy hair, squinted, and pouted, "Sister Qiqi, I'm starving."
Xiao Qiqi smiled wryly, "Are you starving? Alright, I'll go make some porridge."
Chen Yuanxing watched Xiao Qiqi leave, and only after a long while did he get up. He went to the bathroom and washed his face with cold water before he came to his senses. He was really bored surfing the internet in the middle of the night, and seeing that Xiao Qiqi was sleeping soundly, he secretly climbed into bed. He was actually very afraid that Xiao Qiqi would wake up and push him to the ground. Fortunately, when he woke up, he found himself in bed instead of on the ground.
Xiao Qiqi was washing rice and cooking porridge in the kitchen when Chen Yuanxing shuffled into the room in his slippers. Seeing that Xiao Qiqi's QQ was flashing, he called out, "Sister, someone is looking for you."
Xiao Qiqi was pouring water and didn't hear him. Chen Yuanxing saw that Xiao Qiqi hadn't responded for a long time, so he casually opened the chat box and his expression changed when he saw it.
Looking up at Xiao Qiqi's slender figure through the kitchen's glass door, Chen Yuanxing bit his lip, his phoenix eyes flashing a few times. He quickly clicked the mouse and typed a few times. After staring at the screen for a while, Chen Yuanxing muttered to himself, "So it was him. Poor Xiao Qiqi, what a silly girl."
When Xiao Qiqi returned, Chen Yuanxing was leisurely combing his hair. Xiao Qiqi asked, "Did you call me just now?"
"Yes, I'm asking where your comb is."
Seeing that he was already combing his hair, Xiao Qiqi said "Oh" and sat down to continue submitting resumes.
"Xiao Qiqi, you want to do sales?" Chen Yuanxing leaned over Xiao Qiqi and looked at her. "That's too tiring. You're a girl, you'd be better off doing something like secretarial or accounting."
"None of your business. If it weren't for you, would I need to look for a job right now?"
"Tch, it's not that I care about you, you don't appreciate my kindness." Chen Yuanxing straightened up. "By the way, it's almost Chinese New Year, why aren't you going home? What kind of job are you looking for?"
“I need to find a job before I can go home.” Chen Yuanxing had no idea about Xiao Qiqi’s difficulties. Even if she wanted to go home, she was afraid her parents would worry. She could only go back on the eve of the Lunar New Year so that her parents would know that she had been busy working. “Besides, I went back for the National Day holiday. If I find a job, I won’t go home for the New Year.”
"Wow, then I'll spend the New Year with you."
Xiao Qiqi didn't even bother to look at Chen Yuanxing, and said indifferently, "No need."
Everything suddenly went smoothly. The very next day, Xiao Qiqi received interview invitations from three different places. She eventually chose a job as a project manager at a decoration company. She had no experience whatsoever. The operations director who interviewed her was a very serious middle-aged woman, but for some reason, she took a liking to Xiao Qiqi, saying that she possessed a kind of perseverance and hard-working spirit. Regardless of what others thought, Xiao Qiqi finally breathed a sigh of relief. Although her salary was tied to performance, at least she had a job, which relieved her worries.
Having work naturally puts Xiao Qiqi in a good mood, and she was no exception. She happily called her parents and then Jiang Yilan. Jiang Yilan told her that she had already returned to her hometown and brought Zhao Xi home for the New Year. Xiao Qiqi was both happy and regretful. She was happy that Jiang Yilan was finally settling down, but regretful that she might not be able to go back for the New Year and see them. However, when Jiang Yilan said that she and Zhao Xi would come to Beijing after the New Year, Xiao Qiqi cheered up again.
Chen Yuanxing was kicked out by Xiao Qiqi that afternoon. Afraid to go home, he secretly called his aunt. His mother was furious to hear he hadn't returned that night, and even his father was sullen all night. So he went to Zhou Zijian's place, intending to hide for a couple more days. But that very night, Zhou Zijian received a call from his father, who said his grandfather was seriously ill and needed to be sent abroad for treatment. Chen Yuanxing, of course, dared not refuse any longer and went to the United States with his father that very night.
Two months passed. Chen Yuanxing's grandfather, already severely frail, passed away despite all the money spent and even organ transplants. After finishing his grandfather's funeral, school had already started. Chen Yuanxing only briefly saw Xiao Qiqi before returning to school. His parents had already arranged for him to study in the United States after graduation; his return to school was merely to take necessary language exams and prepare some materials. He frequently called Xiao Qiqi, who seemed busy and fulfilled, but he couldn't feel happy. A sudden, unprecedented sense of loss puzzled and unsettled him. Graduation always comes quickly and bittersweetly, and Chen Yuanxing eventually attributed this lingering attachment to the sadness of graduation.
Xiao Qiqi didn't go home for the Spring Festival. Her new job was thriving. The company's operations director greatly admired her meticulousness, diligence, hard work, resilience, and humility, and intentionally mentored her, taking her to meet clients, handle orders, negotiate, and even personally guiding her through every step of the project process—how to operate, supervise, and inspect. Xiao Qiqi was naturally optimistic, but a heartbreak had left her somewhat withdrawn. Determined to embrace a new life and start anew, she quickly recovered at work. Within months, she became the director's most capable assistant, rising from project manager to deputy project manager in just six months. Her fulfilling days made time fly by, so fast that there wasn't even time for melancholy. Work, though tiring, was enjoyable; life, though busy, filled every cell in her body. The arrival of Jiang Yilan and Zhao Xi further enriched her emotional life. With Jiang Yilan's constant chatter, her smiles became more frequent.
But as time went on, work became smoother, money became more readily available, and life settled into a routine. The lingering emptiness gradually surfaced. Those lonely nights were still filled with light sleep and short rests; the more tired I became, the more awake I felt. Each night, after working overtime or accompanying clients, I would gaze at the dim yellow streetlights, sit on the balcony, and smoke. Wisps of smoke seeped from my nostrils into my very being—a feeling of emptiness tinged with loneliness. I watched many Korean dramas, occasionally crying over the pointless romances, occasionally feeling melancholic, but mostly filled with longing.
Jiang Yilan and Zhao Xi would occasionally visit on Xiao Qiqi's days off. Xiao Qiqi would then cook for her, and Jiang Yilan, tasting her cooking, would smile sweetly with her round eyes, saying, "Xiao Qiqi, whoever marries you is truly lucky. You'll definitely be a perfect wife and mother." At these times, Xiao Qiqi would sometimes drift into a daze. A perfect wife and mother? Every time she ate vegetables, Xiao Qiqi would think of Chen Yuanxing. Did he still refuse to eat vegetables?
Chen Yuanxing's phone calls remained frequent, with Xiao Qiqi always answering while he spoke. His topics were wide-ranging, from the swearing of the aunt selling roasted sweet potatoes on the street to Da Xiong's drunken striptease on campus, from the girls he met at internet cafes to the attire of young female teachers, from the sadness of graduation to his upcoming studies abroad, from the games he played to the vegetables he hated… In short, he was a chatterbox, and Xiao Qiqi always felt good listening to his exaggerated rants. Actually, with him, she was always very genuine, her laughter, tears, anger, and joy flowing freely without pretense. A year of working life had taught Xiao Qiqi to wear a mask in public, and even with Jiang Yilan, she had unspeakable secrets. That beautiful yet heart-wrenching love from university had become a permanent thorn in her heart; pulling it out was painful. Perhaps only Chen Yuanxing, the so-called junior who unintentionally entered her most miserable and negative days, was someone she could truly be with.
Perhaps this is one of the reasons why Xiao Qiqi tries so hard to avoid Chen Yuanxing. She has nowhere to hide in front of him, and facing him directly and nakedly always makes her erupt with the unspeakable pain from her memories. But without his presence, she is so restrained and repressed that her heart aches, and even the smoke that numbs her nerves cannot help her fall asleep.
Xiao Qiqi spent the spring in this awkward state until summer arrived, another year of farewells was approaching. Xiao Qiqi sat on the balcony looking at the dark, starless sky, the cigarette twig swirling around her fingers already had a thick layer of ash, but she didn't even notice.
She was awakened by the crisp sound of the doorbell.
22. Seeking refuge
Xiao Qiqi checked her watch; it was one in the morning. Who would ring the doorbell so late? "Who is it?"
"Xiao Qiqi, it's me." Chen Yuanxing's voice was tired, but it was exceptionally clear in the dark. Xiao Qiqi opened the door in surprise and was even more surprised to see Chen Yuanxing carrying a large bag and coming in with a body full of heat: "You, why did you come back in the middle of the night?" Only then did Xiao Qiqi realize that he hadn't called her for more than a week.
A hint of worry lingered between Chen Yuanxing's brows, and his weariness was undeniable. He tossed his bag into Xiao Qiqi's room, sat down in a chair, and took a breath. "Sister, can I stay here for a few days?"
"No good." Xiao Qiqi replied quickly, "You still haven't told me why you ran back to BeiX in the middle of the night. Shouldn't you be at school right now?"
"Ugh, so tired," Chen Yuanxing replied weakly with his eyes closed. "Sister, I'm so sleepy. Can you ask me anything tomorrow?"
"No..." Xiao Qiqi hadn't finished speaking when the other person had already pounced on the bed. Xiao Qiqi followed and shook his arm, "Hey, I told you not to sleep in my bed." After shaking him a few times, the other person didn't react at all. It turned out he was already asleep. Xiao Qiqi sighed. He seemed to have seen bloodshot eyes earlier. Could it be that he hadn't slept for days? He often played games and it was common for him to not sleep for days. Could it be that he had been playing games for a few days and then came back to Beijing to catch up on sleep? Although Xiao Qiqi was full of suspicion, there was nothing she could do. She found a towel and covered him with it before turning off the light and groping her way to lie down inside.
Xiao Qiqi's company is not close to here, so she has to get up very early. When she got up, she saw that Chen Yuanxing was still sleeping soundly, so she thought for a moment but decided not to wake him.
Another busy day at the company, and Xiao Qiqi quickly forgot about Chen Yuanxing's suspicions. She went to the construction site to supervise the night's work, and didn't get home until after midnight. Exhausted, she turned on the light, only to find Chen Yuanxing's large bag still on the floor, and him still lying in bed, sound asleep. Xiao Qiqi then remembered that someone had inexplicably entered her home. She sat on the bed and nudged Chen Yuanxing, "Chen Yuanxing, get up!" Chen Yuanxing was fast asleep and couldn't hear her. Xiao Qiqi nudged him again, but still no response. She had stood at the construction site all night, calling out to him all night, and was too tired to push anymore. She took a shower and went to bed. The next day, she woke up as usual and rushed to work. But Xiao Qiqi had her mind on it today; she had to leave work early to find out what was going on with that troublemaker. So, she sent another colleague to the construction site that evening and went home early herself.
Chen Yuanxing had actually been awake all night. He watched Xiao Qiqi get out of the car and walk back from the balcony, then quickly lay down on the bed and pretended to be asleep. He knew perfectly well that Xiao Qiqi got up and went to work this morning, but he just didn't dare to open his eyes. He spent the whole day at Xiao Qiqi's house feeling anxious and uneasy. How could he explain things so that she wouldn't suspect anything?
No matter how worried Chen Yuanxing was, Xiao Qiqi returned home before dark. When Chen Yuanxing saw Xiao Qiqi return, he fawned over her, taking her bag and pouring her water. Xiao Qiqi remained calm and let him run around busily until there was nothing left to do, then she said, "Chen Yuanxing, sit down."
Chen Yuanxing sat down uneasily, raising his hand to stop Xiao Qiqi from speaking: "You don't need to ask me, just tell me yourself. I've completed the procedures for studying in the United States, so I don't need to wait for my graduation certificate, and I returned to Beijing early. But when I got back, I found out that my parents bought plane tickets today and have already gone to the United States, and they've sold the house. My aunt went back to her hometown, so now I'm homeless. School in the United States doesn't start until October, and I want to spend more time with my friends, so I want to stay in Beijing for a few more months, and that's why I'm asking to stay here with you for a while." He spoke very quickly, afraid that Xiao Qiqi would seize on any point and press him for answers.
Xiao Qiqi looked into his eyes, "Lying?"
Chen Yuanxing narrowed his phoenix eyes, firmly supporting his father's style. When lying, one must never show any fear or evasion; one must be righteous and assertive, dominating the other party with one's presence, and say firmly and steadily, "No!"
Xiao Qiqi observed him for a long time but couldn't find any sign that he was lying. "Okay, even if what you said is true, then why are you staying here? Don't you have plenty of friends?"
“First, you owe me money, so I don’t have to pay rent to stay here; second, my richest and most helpful friend is Zhou Zijian, who is currently living with a beautiful woman, so he won’t take me in; third, hehe, sister, you have the kindest heart, you will definitely take me in.” Chen Yuanxing explained with a smile, each point making perfect sense. In fact, these were reasons he had thought of all day.
"Unfortunately, I'm not very kind." Xiao Qiqi stood up and looked for her wallet. "I've already deposited your money. I'll return it to you now. You can stay wherever you like, whether it's a hotel, a relative's place, or even a classmate's place."
"Sister!" Chen Yuanxing blinked his charming eyes and pretended to be pitiful. "Waaah, how can you be so heartless? I helped you back then, you can't kick me when I'm down."
Xiao Qiqi was indeed moved by his words of concern. Yes, last summer, he had even saved her life. Xiao Qiqi's heart slowly tightened. Immersed in memories and pain, she ignored Chen Yuanxing's use of the phrase "kicking someone when they're down." Chen Yuanxing was also filled with guilt at this moment. He was truly a despicable person, using Xiao Qiqi's pain to force her to take him in—how unmanly! But he really had nowhere else to go. Besides Xiao Qiqi, who else could his parents not find? If things got really desperate, his parents might even have someone follow all his friends. As long as Zhou Zijian didn't want to come to Xiao Qiqi's place and didn't betray her, hiding with Xiao Qiqi was the most suitable option for him.
After thinking for a long time, Xiao Qiqi still said, "No, I'm a girl, it's inconvenient for you, a grown man. If you really have nowhere to stay, I'll help you find a room."
Upon hearing this, Chen Yuanxing jumped up and down, "Sister, no way! First, I will absolutely not bother you. My character is top-notch, and I would never have any ulterior motives towards you. Second, well, I... I've never lived alone before, and I have no idea how to manage a household. You want me to live alone? Do you want me to starve to death or get filthy?"
"What does that have to do with me?" Xiao Qiqi still wouldn't back down, but her tone had softened a bit. Chen Yuanxing, being quite clever, naturally sensed Xiao Qiqi's concession. "Sister, consider it helping me out. You see, I helped you last year too. Consider it compensation for my lost youth, okay?" Chen Yuanxing shook Xiao Qiqi's arm with a greedy look. "Sister?"
Xiao Qiqi remained silent, and Chen Yuanxing jumped up happily, "Sister, I bought groceries, shall we cook? Don't worry, I bought them at the lowest price in the market."
Xiao Qiqi felt a headache coming on and didn't know how to get rid of this persistent guy. She could only comfort herself by saying that she would leave it for now and deal with it in a few days. She followed Chen Yuanxing to the kitchen, looked through the groceries he had bought, and couldn't help but laugh and cry, "These groceries must be the cheapest ones at the market."
Chen Yuanxing said proudly, "Of course, I asked many places, and this is definitely the cheapest."
"Good quality and cheap, do you understand?" Xiao Qiqi suppressed her annoyance and pointed at the vegetables. "Most of the greens are yellow, the celery is too old to pick, and this? How many days has this chicken been sitting here? And the cowpeas, oh my god, they're so old!"
"Huh?" Chen Yuanxing scratched his head as Xiao Qiqi pointed out the flaws in his proud work one by one: "So it's not just about the price."
Seeing Xiao Qiqi busy, Chen Yuanxing eagerly turned around and asked, "Sister, what can I do for you?" Xiao Qiqi found him in the way, so she said helplessly, "Go watch TV in the living room for me."