Jiang Jianhuan tried to find joy amidst his suffering.
Santa Claus images were hung everywhere on the streets, and colorful lights twinkled. A huge Christmas tree was placed at the entrance of the shopping mall.
Amidst the relaxed festive atmosphere, Jiang Jianhuan's mood was as heavy as a tree branch weighed down by snow.
Arriving at the familiar villa, Jiang Jianhuan rang the doorbell, but no one answered for a long time. She couldn't help but wonder if Su Mo had fainted at home again.
Lost in thought, the tightly closed door in front of her was suddenly opened with a click. Su Mo stood there, expressionless, her hair disheveled, and her sweater askew, looking as if she had just woken up.
He turned and went inside without a word, and Jiang Jianhuan followed him hesitantly.
The living room was just as she had last visited, except that there was an extra blanket on the large gray sofa, rolled up messily, as if the person sleeping on it had just gotten up.
As Jiang Jianhuan was guessing, he saw Su Mo sit on the sofa, close her eyes, and rub her temples in discomfort.
What are you doing here?
His voice was slightly hoarse, with a hint of sleepiness, and Jiang Jianhuan's heart skipped a beat.
"Didn't Li Sa tell you? He asked me to bring over the shirt that was altered last time." Jiang Jianhuan took out the paper bag she had been carrying all the way and explained.
Su Mo paused for a few seconds while rubbing her temples, then lowered her hand and looked at her with dark, melancholy eyes.
"Just leave it there, I'll try again later." He gestured casually, and Jiang Jianhuan put the paper bag aside, her fingers restlessly on her knees.
Su Mo closed her eyes, leaned back on the sofa as if catching up on sleep, and ignored her without asking her to leave.
"It's Christmas today, aren't you...going out?" He didn't speak, and Jiang Jianhuan, sitting there feeling restless, could only casually find a topic to break the stagnant atmosphere. Su Mo, who was leaning against the sofa, suddenly opened her eyes.
"I never celebrate Christmas." His gaze remained fixed on her, never wavering. Though his tone was casual, it conveyed a deep sense of unease.
"Why..." Jiang Jianhuan's mind was in complete chaos, and she could only unconsciously continue asking questions along with his topic.
Su Mo didn't answer again. She just lay down, leaning against the sofa with a blanket draped over her, and closed her eyes to fall asleep.
Jiang Jianhuan didn't dare to move at all, her hands and feet seemed stiff, her gaze fixed on his face, and the memories were stirred up again.
The day they officially got together was Christmas Day.
Not long after the kissing incident, Jiang Jianhuan asked him to spend Christmas together. Su Mo was very busy at the time and seemed to casually agree.
Later that day, she waited alone at the agreed place for a long time before Su Mo rushed over.
It was snowing, and the road was wet. Jiang Jianhuan was almost frozen, and her eyes couldn't help but redden when she saw Su Mo.
"sorry."
"Something unexpected happened at the bar."
Su Mo apologized to her gently, and without thinking, grabbed her hands, which were red from the cold, and breathed on them to warm them.
"Why don't you go in and sit down first?"
"Your phone is off, I was afraid you wouldn't be able to reach me." The girl's voice trembled in the cold wind, carrying a hint of grievance.
Su Mo couldn't help but pull her towards the brightly lit restaurant behind them.
In the warm, heated room, Jiang Jianhuan regained some of her energy and her usual vitality, and her frozen thoughts began to come back to normal.
"You just took my hand!" She stared wide-eyed at the person opposite her, her expression a mixture of surprise and delight. Su Mo's face showed a hint of embarrassment as she looked away from her.
Why did you hold my hand?!
Do you like me?
She fired off a barrage of questions, her eyes wide open, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curve into a smug and triumphant smile. However, upon closer inspection, one could clearly see a hint of unease and apprehension hidden beneath the surface.
Su Mo felt inexplicably soft-hearted, sighed softly, her voice tinged with a hint of helplessness.
"If I don't like you, why did I accept your invitation?"
-
Jiang Jianhuan always remembered that the ecstatic feeling he had at that time was even more exciting than winning five million in the lottery.
I don't know if it's because the living room is too hot or the air isn't circulating, but a stuffy, oppressive feeling is suffocating me.
Su Mo kept her eyes closed, her right hand casually bent and resting on her forehead, the smooth lines running from the bridge of her nose to her chin, her lips slightly pursed, revealing a faint red hue.
Jiang Jianhuan sat for a while, then spoke up to say goodbye.
"I have some things to take care of at the company, so I'll leave the clothes here. Try them on when you have time. If the size still doesn't fit... you can ask Li Sa to let me know. But that shouldn't happen, I've made a few minor alterations."
She lowered her eyes and finished speaking in one breath without stopping. The moment the last word landed, her mind went blank, and she didn't even know what she had said.
A few seconds later, Su Mo opened her eyes.
He turned to stare at her, and Jiang Jianhuan met his gaze. The two stared at each other silently in the quiet living room.
So quiet, so peaceful, time seemed to stand still, leaving only familiar yet unfamiliar faces.
Su Mo's expression changed at this moment; her eyes were clear, as if everything had been reset to zero, like a newborn baby who had just woken up.
Jiang Jianhuan could clearly see a softness welling up in those dark eyes, which gradually coalesced into clarity.
Su Mo lowered her eyes, coughed lightly, and sat up from the sofa.
"Bring the clothes over here, I'll try them on for you now."
Chapter 10