Chapter 9

Eat

Xu Yan let out a sound, relaxed her body, leaned against the car, and glanced at her: "So, is the excuse for not coming just because of the crayfish?"

Xu Yanshi was distractedly steering the car while listening to the phone call. The vehicle turned into a sparsely populated alley, and she impatiently said, "Stay with me, I am hanging up."

Oh, when did she ever say that? How is this person misrepresenting the concept?

Xu Yanshi, with a lack of emotion, curled her lips slightly, opened the car door, and took her seat in the driver's position. Yuan, quick-witted, maneuvered around the front of the car and climbed into the passenger seat, fastening her seatbelt, sitting up straight obediently, and smiling at him: "Let's go together"

As the lights begin to glow, the night scenery along the roads flourishes. The antique-style lamps, arranged in a line, emit a soft yellow light, illuminating the wide and straight road, casting a patchwork of quiet shadows on the ground. In the distance, tall buildings rise into the dark curtain of night, and the entire city is a kaleidoscope of colors, yet remains calm and serene

To the garden

Xu Yanshi went up with them to get their coats, preparing to go downstairs to buy lobsters. The room was already in chaos, with Gao Leng, You Zhi, and several other boys playing games, one moment playing PUBG and the next playing Honor of Kings

After passing several intersections, the scenery before me gradually became familiar

Xiang Yuan was discussing with the driver about stopping at the intersection ahead, just then, Gao Leng's phone rang, and he immediately answered it as if he had grasped a lifeline

After speaking, he unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car. He sat in the garden for a while, feeling that he had misspoken. He realized that he had been too hasty with his words; knowing that he was being suppressed by connections, he still brought it up in front of him. Wouldn't this only discourage him further?

Gradually, his ears began to feel warm, along with the tips of his fingers. In the cramped carriage, an inexplicable warm breeze arose, softening the previously tense nerves. His almost imperceptible voice lingered in her ear, more ticklish than a feather.

It is annoying to listen to

Gao Leng seemed to ask her where she was

Xiang Yuan glanced around, deliberately avoiding looking at him, and understandingly said: "Actually, you don't need to go buy... it's too much trouble, I can just have hot pot."

That is my fault

Xu Yanshi watched the performance with an expression as if she had never seen a lollipop before, skillfully raising her eyebrows in a way that seemed to convey—where did you buy this, is it a product from the moon that you brought back?

Indeed, it seems that responding this way is not quite appropriate. It feels somewhat strange no matter how I reply to this WeChat message. She really acted impulsively; she shouldn't have sent it in the first place, as it has made the already awkward relationship between the two of us even more uncomfortable.

Xu Yanshi drives very properly, neither answering calls nor using her phone. The only thing is that she is a bit laid-back, leaning against the driver's seat with one arm resting on the window, steering with one hand. Even when parking, she uses her palm to maneuver the steering wheel with one hand, a typical experienced driver

In the rearview mirror, Gao Leng exchanged a glance with Lin Qingqing. Unexpectedly, Lin Qingqing hesitated and said to Gao Leng: "If you are not going to the team leader, then I won't go either. They are all boys, and it wouldn't be meaningful for me to go."

"Thinking too much about you," Xiang Yuan turned her head to look out the window and happened to catch a glimpse of a nearby lobster restaurant. She blurted out: "I want to eat lobster. Gao Leng said you all should eat hot pot. I've been feeling overheated lately and can't eat spicy food."

Xiang Yuan smiled and said, "There really is something going on"

Hello. She pressed the phone to her ear

Xu Yan went downstairs to drive, dressed very casually in a simple gray sweatshirt, a white down jacket that reached his knees, and a pair of plain white sneakers. He strode towards the parking lot, with the pant legs clinging to his calves in the wind, outlining a neat silhouette that was clean yet powerful

The talent rolled their eyes while scanning the barcode

Shi Tianyou raised his index finger and shook it, saying, "nonono, perform the sculpture."

Why does she always act foolishly when she encounters Xu Yan

She lowered her eyes, her eyelashes fluttering lightly, quickly scrolling through her Moments aimlessly, "You speak."

After the two individuals finished purchasing lobsters, they went to the supermarket. When asked what he was buying, Yuan replied.

I see you

"Where have you reached?" On the other end of the phone was You Zhi

On the way back, the two were waiting at a red light. A call from Gao Leng came in, urging them. Xu Yan lazily leaned against the seat, glanced at it, and did not answer.

He did not speak immediately, but remained silent for a moment

So how do you want me to respond? Understood? Oh? Alright?

Lin Qingqing was accompanying Xu Chengli to watch an English animated film. There were several lines she did not understand, yet Xu Chengli seemed to comprehend them all, even muttering that the dialogue in the movie was quite foolish, as if it were meant for three-year-olds. Lin Qingqing was left in shock, questioning her own life.

Zhang Jun felt that Jin Yong was insulted and became angry: "That is The Return of the Condor Heroes"

Gao Leng and Lin Qingqing got out of the car, while Xiang Yuan remained inside. Under the dim yellow streetlight, Xu Yan stood by the flower bed, also holding a phone. He was tall to begin with, and the streetlight illuminated him neatly and clearly. Dressed in a gray tracksuit, he appeared more spirited than usual, but without a jacket, he looked somewhat thin among the crowd of passersby bundled up like bears.

The interior decoration of the car is quite simple, and the car itself is a standard model. It is evident that there is indeed not much money involved

Well, are you really not coming

This is quite an old residential community, with facilities that have remained unchanged for several years. Not far away is a senior citizens' park, bustling with a group of aunties who have "changed many squares but still cannot dance this particular dance". There are also people walking dogs and playing with children, and the crowd is so dense that even the streetlights seem to exude vitality

Don't! Didn't we just have a good conversation? The aloof one, feeling anxious, suddenly had a bright idea and made a gesture of five towards the other party, saying, "In that case, I'll give you five pieces, it's the year-end bonus, after all, participation is what matters."

Xiangyuan seemed to hear someone suddenly shout on the phone: "Where are you going?"

Xiang Yuan gritted her teeth, wishing she could slap herself to death; she truly has lifted a stone only to drop it on her own foot

Xiang Yuan directly picked up the phone from the armrest box, leaned slightly, and pressed the microphone to his ear, forcibly connecting the call for him

Xiang Yuan took out two lollipops that he had just bought from the supermarket and said, "Look what I brought back for you from the Northwest!"

Serendipity

Shi Tianyou and Zhang Jun were mocking the actress from her favorite idol drama, saying, "This actress's sculpted nose is good enough to star in 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes'"

Good

She hurriedly got out of the car and chased after him. Xu Yan heard the sound of the door closing behind her, did not look back, locked the car, and strode towards the building.

Xu Yanshi parked the car, turned off the engine, took the car keys, and finally turned her head, casting a complex glance at her, one that seemed to be both mocking and self-mocking: "No need."

Gao Leng called a ride-hailing app downstairs, setting the location to Xu Yan's apartment.

She was momentarily dazed, her voice clear yet inexplicably dissipating the chill in her heart, for it was both long-awaited and familiar. In a daze, she almost believed that at the other end of the line stood that once proud young man.

The driver pointed to the intersection ahead and said, "Just turn, and you will arrive."

Xu Yanshi did not look at her, his gaze still fixed ahead, but his index finger resting on the steering wheel paused for a moment as he said, "Hey"

The garden fox glanced at him suspiciously, "I heard from Gao Leng that things don't seem to be going particularly well for you here... Have you considered going to another company? I can... find someone to help introduce you."

He casually pressed the car key

Xiang Yuan put her phone back in the armrest and asked the question she had always wanted to ask, "How did you come to this company?"

... ...

As her fingertip accidentally brushed against his ear, it felt as cold as it did with others. The moment their fingertips met, her nerves suddenly tensed, and every pore on her body seemed to shudder as if electrified. This man was likely as cold as ice, even in his blood.

The man wore a cold expression, looking down at her with a glare

The waiter thought she had stolen something and almost jumped over the counter to catch her. Yang immediately took out his phone to make the payment, while urging, "Pay up, pay up."

Cold and aloof like an octopus, I pounced into his arms, only to be pushed away with a disdainful look from Xu Yan. Immediately, his voice came through the phone: "Get out of the car. I'm going to buy lobsters."

As the vehicle passed through the traffic light, the aloof phone call came through again

Shi Tianyou let out a sound, expressing a lack of interest

He lifted the collar of his down jacket, grasped the steering wheel again, and tapped his index finger rhythmically. Glancing at the rearview mirror, he said, "We will arrive soon." His voice was a bit hoarse, and after speaking, he cleared his throat

... ...

There are still two traffic lights. However, there is a problem now; my team leader said he doesn't want to go, and Lin Qingqing also expressed her indecisiveness by saying she doesn't want to come over either. What should I do

Zhang Jun, a fan of Jin Yong for ten years, became interested and seriously started discussing with him: "Huang Rong?"

Xu Yanshi was not wearing glasses, and she had to squint slightly to recognize that it was Xiang Yuan's figure. Then she let go of her hand, stood up straight, but her gaze did not look at her; instead, she tilted her head and beckoned to a girl behind her at an angle.

The intersection ahead is about to be crossed soon, and Xiang Yuan is silently scrolling through her social media feed with her head down. In fact, she is not really looking at it; she is merely passing the time out of boredom, waiting for the aloof one to finish greeting them before asking the driver to stop.

The voice carried no emotion, was neither gentle nor the kind of words meant to coax someone out of the car. It was no different from a simple "hello," yet it made Xiang Yuan's heart skip a beat. The key point was that the expression was clearly cold, as if the one speaking was not the man outside the car whose face bore the words "keep your distance".

She did not know how to greet Xu Yanshi later, as the person did not reply to her messages and even went to their home to have a meal. If she had not added that sentence "I would have stopped liking you long ago," it would have been fine, but with that addition, it seemed a bit like a clumsy attempt to cover up her feelings. Although she said it sincerely, her phone remained silent. She felt a sense of embarrassment, as if someone had her fate by the throat and she could not struggle, which was excessively disheartening. Moreover, having just returned from the desert today, it was inappropriate for her to rush over without even taking a proper shower.

She suddenly felt that she had been deceived; Xu Yan's phone call was merely a delay tactic. She was already downstairs, and now to take a taxi back? That would be too awkward, wouldn't it? The phone in Xiang Yuan's hand was still connected, and in the blink of an eye, the driver had already revved the engine and pulled up to the entrance, engaged the handbrake, and turned on the rooftop light, as if a halo of "doing good deeds without seeking recognition" was shining above: "Arrived, five-star rating, thank you"

As the car drove halfway, it turned into a small road where the streetlights were shorter than before but shone brighter. The number of pedestrians increased, hurrying past. Yang Yuan steeled himself and found an excuse, hesitatingly turning back to Gao Leng and Lin Qingqing, saying: "I suddenly remembered that I seem to have an appointment with a friend tonight... Moreover, I haven't received my year-end bonus, so there's nothing to celebrate."

Gao Leng spoke for a short while before unceremoniously handing over the phone, saying, "The boss said to let you take it."

Didn’t you say you didn’t like it anymore? Xu Yan paused for a moment, seemingly smiling: "What, are you afraid to come?"

Then it really hung up

Suddenly, a tightening sensation gripped Yuan's chest, an unexpected teasing that was already akin to stirring a murky lake, and he casually tossed a boulder from a distance. ... She had imagined that Xu Yan, upon receiving that text message, might have a myriad of reactions: disdain, ridicule, indifference ... . ... Never would she have thought that he would actually say it outright.

also ... ... is not

The appearance is indeed outstanding

The reasons sound very ample

... ...

Cold and aloof, gritting teeth, reflecting on the pain: "Twenty, no more than that."

The car lights flashed briefly, unlocking the doors. As he placed his hand on the car door, he casually glanced at the rearview mirror and paused; there stood a person in the mirror

A deep male voice came from the other end of the line, characterized by its usual indifference, calling her name

Xu Yanshi then turned to look this way, while Gao Leng had already shrunk his body and was dashing towards his boss. Lin Qingqing slowly followed behind, turning back three times to confirm whether Yuan had gotten out of the car.

She sat in the passenger seat and secretly glanced at the driver's phone mounted on the holder. It seemed to be oriented north-south relative to her home, feeling like the ends of two different worlds. She scratched her nose, not expecting to visit his home in such a manner after many years, her emotions somewhat complicated

I was just trying to spare you from embarrassment, giving you a way out, " Xiang Yuan said, lowering her head and pressing her toes together, "Moreover, you didn't respond to me either."

Xiang Yuan slowly slipped his hand into the pocket of his down jacket and walked up to him

Xiang Yuan was once again entangled in thought. After hesitating for a while, she turned to the driver and asked, "Where have we arrived?"

I don't know. Xu Yan glanced elsewhere, stood up straight, placed her hand on the doorknob again, and asked her with her head lowered: "Are we still eating crayfish?"

The aloofness of the group hinders progress, while You Zhi violently slams the phone and pins someone down on the sofa to beat them up, only to stubbornly regroup afterwards.

He simply leaned his entire body weight against the car, crossed his arms over his chest in a very relaxed manner, and continued to carelessly add insult to injury by throwing stones at her feet: "Didn’t you say we should let go of the past and start anew?"

... ...

Xu Yan was wearing an open down jacket, holding a car key in one hand while the other hand was tucked into her pants pocket, looking down at her: "Looking for me?"

He seemed to have walked to a quiet place, feeling increasingly restless in the garden. The moments in his social circle were scrolling by faster and faster, reaching a state from three days ago. Just as she was becoming a bit impatient and was about to lock the screen, wanting to shout into the phone, "Are you going to say anything or not?" suddenly, the other side spoke up.

She put away her phone and went out through the door

She hurriedly caught up, and before the entrance of the unit, her slender arms directly blocked the heavy, dilapidated iron door, preventing anyone from passing. With a playful smile, she called out his name: "Xu Yanshi?"

Xiang Yuan stared blankly at the name "You Zhi" illuminated on the phone screen. Did Xu Yan answer You Zhi's call? She hesitated for a moment. Gao Leng, impatient and aloof, urged her, "Hurry up!"

He did not speak. While Yuan was waiting at the door, she caught a glimpse of a jar of lollipops arranged like flowers on the counter. After hesitating for a moment and seeing that he had not yet come out, she impulsively rushed in and took two, quickly putting them into her pocket.

Why aren't you answering?