Chapter 8

He nodded and said, "I came from the airport, flew to Hangzhou yesterday for a brand event"

His attire appears more spirited than last time, without glasses, and his hair seems to have been trimmed a bit. He is wearing a maroon windbreaker and black sports pants, with the loose-fitting clothes draping over him, presenting a clean and sharp silhouette that accentuates his flat shoulders, giving off a refreshing and slender impression. As he reaches out to pick strawberries, the sleeves of his clothing make a rustling sound.

Today he only bought six flavors of yogurt from the same brand, and the names of these flavors are quite fancy, such as Rum Red Grape, Coconut Rose, and so on. It is rare for a boy to be interested in such things. As it turns out, he is going to give them to me, "I heard this yogurt is very delicious, take it home with you"

This conjecture spun around in my mind and then vanished

I underestimate your intentions, yet he does not take it lightly. I am grateful that I came to the appointment; otherwise, I would feel too guilty

We briefly chatted about our recent situations, and I suddenly thought that I should get a driver's license. Taking the subway on rainy days is also inconvenient, as everything is damp, which adds a few more points of anxiety compared to usual. It is still more relaxed to drive myself. After I leave the supermarket, I can also give him a ride home

In the past, I did not wear glasses and felt that things were a bit blurry, but it was not very inconvenient. Later, after taking on a martial arts drama, I became somewhat fearful, worrying that if I could not see clearly, it might cost me my life later on

As Sunday morning arrived, I naturally woke up around 7 o'clock. Unable to fall back asleep, I resigned myself to getting out of bed and sat on the edge of the bathtub to brush my teeth. After washing my face, I looked up at the mirror; this face, compared to when I was seventeen or eighteen, showed little change, just a bit leaner, without any excess flesh.

It must be the rain, for I felt the cold and rough aura surrounding him, still unable to dissolve in the warmth of the supermarket

He took off his mask and held up a box of strawberries to smell.

At that time, I thought to myself, this person who invites me to the supermarket every day and gives me a small gift before leaving, could it be that they are... a plant from the supermarket?

I do not understand when it is said, "Strawberries will not have a fragrance"

The train arrived at the station, and I woke up and got off. During the evening rush hour, the subway station was bustling with people, and I lowered my head and hurried on. In fact, the items I bought from the supermarket were not many, yet carrying them for just a short while caused my hand to ache. No wonder Fangfang says I am unable to carry anything on my shoulders or lift anything with my hands, and that I do not exercise.

What if rumors spread and it affects him? It is better not to meet.

Although I saw nothing, I still responded with a sound

Then I thought, I should not agree to meet him privately again; just because no one caught us this time does not mean it won't happen next time

I nodded and fell silent, but after a while, I couldn't help but say, "How about I treat you to a meal?"

Forty minutes later, I threw the umbrella into the shopping cart in the supermarket

The third installment of this series is set to begin filming this year. As a special appearance, I will be involved in the production of this film. They did not specify whether my role would be large or small; I only know that the script was sent out a few days ago

I placed the strawberries into the shopping cart and curiously asked him, "Why aren't you wearing glasses?"

I walked into the supermarket for about ten minutes, pushing an empty shopping cart, and unknowingly arrived at the area filled with fruits, where the air was fragrant all around. I thought, if I were to unfortunately encounter Zhou Jiashu, it would be nice to have something to give in return.

"Yes." He not only said this with certainty, but also held the strawberry up to my face, "Smell it—"

As we sat in the subway car, I found myself awakening from a dreamlike state, pondering why I did not simply refuse the milk he offered me

Zhou Jiashu's sophistication in dealing with people is well-deserved, having debuted at the age of ten and immersed himself in the entertainment industry for nine years. Whether or not this is a deliberate display, his gaze conveys sincerity through his eyes. From a distance, he appears to be as pure as snow and as resilient as a plum blossom, seemingly reluctant to bow to worldly pressures. I feel both admiration and an inability to resist.

Who could have imagined that he was the man who walked into my home, apart from Yu Gaoxing, Yu Gaoxing's assistant, my male assistant, the property staff, and the employees of the furniture store... Well, I don't even know which number he is among the men who have entered my house

He stared at me without even blinking

I went downstairs to retrieve the package, which contained a total of five books. Each book was slightly thinner than a magazine, and it took me nearly an entire day to read through them and organize my parts. By the time I checked the time again, it was already six o'clock in the evening

After much contemplation, the sky has darkened. I sit in the pitch-black living room, silently mocking myself: overly sentimental.

What is he rushing to the supermarket for if he is not buying anything

I honestly say, "Order takeout"

He extended his finger to press down on the lower eyelid of one eye, pulling it downwards, "Invisible."

Perhaps he, being a person of high status, tends to forget things and may not remember this agreement tomorrow

As I stepped into the elevator of the apartment building, Zhou Jiashu was still by my side, and I began to feel nervous, regretting that I had not tidied up the living room before leaving the house

There is nothing to worry about, I will just grab a bite to eat casually on the way back

I deluded myself into thinking that today I have been feeling a weight on my heart, only to realize that it was the premonition of the script arriving

The closer it gets to the agreed time, the heavier my anxiety and guilt become, so I can only tell myself that since I have decided to break the promise, I should not think about it anymore

I took it with a sense of skepticism, noticing that it was indeed deceptively ordinary, indistinguishable from other strawberries. Then, my gaze shifted from the strawberry to him, and I discovered that there were traces of rainwater on his clothes

He laughed out loud and then said, "I can smell that this box is not sweet..." He put down this box, picked up another one, sniffed it, and said, "Hmm, this box is sweet."

At the time I starred in "The Floating Lipstick," I was unaware that it would become the beginning of a film series. The second installment of this series is produced by a mainland company, featuring the male lead played by Teacher Shi Jun, who is the adopted son of 'my' husband. The story's pacing and overall effect are more commercial and appealing to the general audience, making it quite successful at the box office. At that time, I was busy filming and did not accept the producer's invitation to make a cameo, but I still took advantage of Teacher Shi Jun on Weibo.

He also said, "I have a holiday next weekend and will come over earlier"

I looked at the entire box of imported milk, and my first thought was not to express gratitude, but to suspect that he held a grudge against me, "I can't lift it!"

At that moment, he leaned slightly, nudged my shoulder, took out his phone from his pocket, and answered the call, "Hey, Old Yuan, no, I'm not at home, I went to the supermarket. I bought a box of milk to give to a friend, and I need to take it over to her now." After hearing what the other party said, he suddenly laughed, "I think milk is quite good, don't wait for me, you all go ahead and eat."

I slightly lowered my head, and the tip of my nose touched the plastic wrap. I truly took a sniff and said, "Nothing!"

"No matter what is filmed, it is always hard work; you have worked hard as well." His tone was sincere

I truly did not foolishly search for his name along with the supermarket brand. There was nothing.

To me, rumors are not a big deal. Compared to the consequences brought by rumors, the people around me are more concerned about whether I have found a good man. My understanding of Zhou Jiashu is based solely on encyclopedic information, and I know very little about his public image.

Seeing the boxed Dandong strawberries, I stopped. Each box of strawberries was bright red, and their sizes were quite uniform, suggesting that their flavors might not differ much. Just as I was about to casually pick a box, a voice suddenly sounded behind me, "Take a whiff."

I could not help but ask him, "Did you just arrive?"

As we exited the supermarket, he raised one arm, as he was carrying a heavy load, and then quickly lowered it, saying to me, "You take this box of milk back."

Upon returning home, the twilight outside the balcony was dim, and the last rays of sunset illuminated the living room. I placed the supermarket shopping bag down on the spot, not even bothering to turn on the lights. I immediately took out my phone, opened Weibo, and searched using the keywords of my name and Zhou Jiashu. Only after not seeing anyone mention encountering us together at the supermarket did I feel somewhat relieved

Zhou Jiashu, upon hearing this, said in a daze, "I have a driver's license." I felt as if I had been pressed down again for no reason. He continued, "However, I rarely have the opportunity to drive myself. When I am truly exhausted, I don't even want to sit in a car; I might as well just lie down on the ground."

He hung up the phone, and I could not pretend I had not heard. "Did I delay your meal?"

I was thinking about what to have for lunch when I picked up my phone and coincidentally saw a notification for a delivery.

Isn't filming a martial arts drama quite challenging? When I was shooting "Full Moon," I also had to use a wire for a while. At first, it was exciting, but after a while, it became uncomfortable, and in the end, that part was cut out

How could I possibly obey his commands unconsciously? Of course, I turned my head around.

I wandered around the kitchen for quite a while and only found a box of skim milk to drink. The crab roe noodles I bought that day were exquisitely packaged, but the portion was not large. Moreover, the preparation was very simple: cook the fine noodles until done, then scoop a spoonful of crab roe sauce onto the noodles, drizzle some accompanying soy sauce, and the taste was fresh and delicious. I ate it for three consecutive meals and finished it all.

In the days that followed, I spent my time in frustration, neither having clearly told him not to meet again next week nor having added him on WeChat. What else could I do? Another Sunday arrived, and at seven thirty in the evening, I arrived at the supermarket on time

Perhaps he did not care at all. On that day, after walking around the supermarket, he did not see my figure and left without a second thought

To be honest, he does not seem like the kind of person who would casually lie on the ground, but I must admit that it is very comfortable to be around him, and there are no awkward moments. I have always wanted to be that kind of person, and inevitably, I engage in conversation with him with a mindset of observation and learning, yet I forget to buy something to give to him.

But we forgot to exchange WeChat contacts. What if I break my promise and leave him waiting in vain?

He considered everything thoroughly, but I do not suspect that he has any ulterior motives, nor do I worry that he might feel disheartened by my distrust. Therefore, I said, "Put on your mask."

It was drizzling today. Originally, I was wearing a sweater, added a shirt, and topped it off with a black wool coat. As I reached the entrance of the apartment building, the automatic door opened, and a cold wind mixed with raindrops rushed towards me, making it impossible for me to hesitate. I turned back and took the elevator upstairs. As the elevator ascended, I glanced at the time; it was already 7 o'clock, and I felt a bit anxious. I opened the door and only reached in my arm to grab the scarf hanging in the hallway before leaving.

He then realized the issue, thought for a moment and said, "How about this, I will help you carry it to a place near your home, about two or three hundred meters away, and I won't follow you there"