Snow in the water town

Nie Chuiying put her phone away with peace of mind, completely unaware that the name on the first line of her WeChat account had changed from "Northwest First Tropical Level" to "Subarctic Coniferous Forest Dominant Species".

I don't know what's so clever about Shi Yunshan's revised note.

After Shi Yunshan finished revising, she continued Nie Chuiying's words: "Actually, the invisible hand is the government."

"..."

Nie Chuiying's witty remark was cut short. After a long pause, she said, "Please ask the political science representative to leave."

Yu Nianxi: "Please, those in your family who are in business, mind your own business."

Xi Ai hadn't done anything, but she was still included in the attack range, so she had no choice but to join forces with Shi Yunshan: "Science students who are daydreaming in class are not allowed to say they are paying attention."

"Sister Lina—" Yu Nianxi shifted the focus, "I want to guess right now that Xi Ai is the murderer!"

Lina chuckled and said, "Don't worry, there'll be a surprise."

"Alright, now please go and find the part of yourself that you've lost."

"Okay."

"You can't tell anyone."

Meng Yike's words had an underlying meaning: "Is it okay to disturb others?"

Lina would certainly be happy to see this kind of plot development, preferably with everyone being a villain.

Xi Ai stood to the side, chuckled, and then, noticing a gaze, looked up at Chu Yiqi: "Don't worry, Teacher Chu. I'm not that kind of malicious person."

"Who knows?" Chu Yiqi remained noncommittal, especially disbelieving that Xi Ai would be the kind of person who would stay quiet and not cause trouble.

Xi Ai is a lively person, and she is particularly good at creating lively events.

After Chu Yiqi and Xi Ai became acquainted, they often went to their friends' gatherings together. At first, she didn't think anything of it, but after she went abroad and still had a deep friendship with Nadia and the others, she suddenly realized that their group of people were not very noisy at first, but when Xi Ai was around, it was very noisy, and there would always be some surprises or shocks from time to time.

She had suspected more than once that Xi Ai actually intended to bring Chu Yiqi into her circle. Whether it was giving everything away without reservation or simply wanting to bring this excitement to Chu Yiqi, it didn't matter.

When Chu Yiqi had just gone abroad, she rarely went to parties when Nadia invited her. Nadia leaned against the door and casually mentioned, "Trust me, trust our experience from all these years of playing together."

So Chu Yiqi, half-believing and half-doubting, went out with Nadia and climbed a mountain for half a day. Then they played billiards at the top of the mountain for an afternoon and finally saw a beautiful sunset.

Actually, it was Xi Ai who taught her billiards. The first time she went to Xi Ai's villa in Lantshek, she asked Xi Ai, "What's the basement mainly for?"

Xi Ai handed Chu Yiqi a cherry and said, "It's not suitable to do anything on the whole floor downstairs, so we set up a bunch of equipment. Billiards? Ping pong? Bowling?"

"You can do all of that?" Chu Yiqi was not very convinced.

Xi Ai was particularly proud, but tried to suppress it: "Of course, otherwise why would I waste money?"

"Oh, Xi Ai."

"What's the matter?"

"I want to learn billiards, but I haven't had the time before."

"Okay, shall we go after dinner?"

Through her sleeve, she felt a warmth on her wrist, and for a moment she was in a daze, as if she couldn't tell whether it was Xi Ai covering her hand and then hitting that shot, or the real Xi Ai willingly holding her hand.

Chu Yiqi subconsciously withdrew his hand, and Xi Ai rubbed her fingertips together, saying casually, "If you keep spacing out, you'll end up being the last one."

Xi Ai walked into the courtyard and searched aimlessly, but it couldn't be said that she wasn't looking carefully, because she didn't even miss a single blue snowflake.

The cameramen were unwilling to follow along and trample on that poor patch of grass.

Ning Ning, holding her camera a short distance away, watched as Xi Ai stood there for a long time and couldn't help but ask, "Teacher Xi, have you discovered anything?"

Yes, yes.

"What?"

Xi Ai didn't let that hope linger for long. She said, "I found a lazy ladybug." Xi Yuan stepped back a little and asked her, "Do you want to take a look? I can hold your camera for you."

Ning Ning was taken aback, then joked with Xi Yuan, "We suggest that Teacher Xi bring out a brick so we can take a close-up picture."

"Remember to cut out those shots."

"Not necessarily."

"Then I'll break off all ties with you."

Xi Yuan squatted to the side taking pictures, adjusting the light and focus slowly and methodically. Ning Ning laughed and said, "What should we do? It seems like a popular female celebrity is acting like a diva on a variety show. While others are completing their tasks, she's playing on her phone."

"Ning Ning, you really should go and start a marketing account."

"Photography is blocking my dream of getting rich."

Ning Ning found a great angle to take a close-up photo of Xi Ai.

Chu Yiqi, standing quite a distance away, found it somewhat amusing, yet it seemed perfectly reasonable that such a thing had happened to Xi Ai.

Chu Yiqi had no idea who had hidden his things, nor did he even realize that something was missing. So he wandered around aimlessly, feeling that hiding the coffee was a bit like trying to hide something obvious.

But seeing Xi Ai taking her time, Chu Yiqi became uncertain again. So, while watching Xi Ai photograph ladybugs, Chu Yiqi came up with a reason for himself: he knew all too well about Xi Ai's habit of sipping coffee and wine like clocking in for work, and the idea of ​​her hiding coffee in the wine cabinet to provoke her seemed genuinely sarcastic.

Thinking about it this way, Chu Yiqi felt that he really had a talent—the talent to trick others and then kick them when they're down.

Xi Ai wandered around for a while but didn't find her coffee. However, she did see Meng Yike's things. Xi Ai looked up and saw that Meng Yike was coming this way. She quickly squatted down and used a bunch of small bushes to cover herself. She also told Ning Ning to squat down quickly so as not to be exposed.

Ning Ning really wanted to laugh, but she bit her lower lip tightly to avoid making the final shot blurry.

Xi Ai moved with a duck-like gait, yet she moved very quickly, hiding Meng Yike's things in places Meng Yike had already been.

Ning Ning set up the support frame and finally had a chance to start laughing.

Xi Ai whispered, "Oh dear, I'm such a vicious person, why doesn't anyone ask me to play a villainous supporting role?"

Will you answer?

Xi Ai thought for a moment, then decided to evade the question and get away with it: "Who knows?"

Actually, there's a very high chance she won't have the chance. She currently has a short film in the planning stages, and once the group variety show is released, it will seamlessly follow. After that... there won't be much time left.

Chu Yiqi seemed to have some kind of cheat code, always able to catch Xi Ai's movements. Once again, he observed Xi Ai's crime without making a sound, and looked at the color scheme—it was a summer blue that immediately reminded people of Meng Yike.

When Lina asked Chu Yiqi to hide the things yesterday, she had already told her that the boxes were arranged according to their respective support colors.

Before Chu Yiqi could start gloating, he saw Xi Ai pause for a long time before finally pulling a pink box out of a pile of fallen leaves.

Very good, I've seen myself reflected in the gossip and the drama.

Chu Yiqi felt that Xi Ai was really annoying, but at the same time he felt that he had gotten her without any effort.

Seeing Xi Ai making a mysterious "shh" gesture to Ning Ning, Chu Yiqi was practically fuming. The two weren't far apart to begin with, so Chu Yiqi simply walked over and coughed lightly.

Xi Ai jumped up and quickly stood up straight, then put the box behind her back and started to complain: "Why do you walk so quietly? Staying up too late will damage my heart."

"..." What does it mean to turn the tables and blame someone else? This is the standard answer.

The living example still wouldn't stop there: "Why hasn't Teacher Chu gone to find him yet?"

“I’ve found it, Teacher Xi.”

Chu Yiqi observed Xi Ai's expression, then looked at the pink tail peeking out from behind her.

"..."

Chu Yiqi suddenly realized that perhaps every time Xi Ai saw through her tricks, it wasn't because she wasn't good enough at pretending, but because in front of certain people, every subtle difference would be magnified, and the movie queen was no exception.

Chu Yiqi smiled and asked Xi Ai, "Teacher Xi, have you found it?"

"certainly."

"But all along the way, all I saw were Yi Ke and Nian Xi's support colors."

The implication is: Shouldn't this be mine?

Xi Ai had no choice but to shut up and stop talking nonsense.

Chu Yiqi and Xi Ai found a secluded spot, and Ning Ning followed along to take pictures.

They hid among the lilac blossoms, and Chu Yiqi asked, "I don't remember anything being missing?"

Xi Ai glanced at the camera, then looked at the cascading lilacs, and finally at Chu Yiqi, saying, "The birthday present you received the year you left. I couldn't make it back to give it to you then, so it stayed with me. Now it's being returned to its rightful owner."

Chu Yiqi was stunned, unsure how to react, and even a little afraid to open it.

Xi Ai belatedly realized that she had already exposed herself as the "murderer," but after only a moment's hesitation, she recklessly asked, "Let me see?"

"Can I take a picture?"

Chu Yiqi nodded after a long pause: "Okay."

Three seconds later, Xi Ai took the initiative to break the awkward silence, saying, "OK, time's up—"

Ning Ning stepped aside without asking any further questions, but Xi Ai said instead, "How about this, Chu Yiqi?"

"What's wrong?"

"You're one of them, aren't you?"

Why do you think it's me?

Xi Ai almost laughed. She was sleepy when she woke up in the morning, but she was wide awake because she saw the note. How could she not know whose handwriting it was?

“Okay.” Chu Yiqi conceded under Xi Ai’s somewhat speechless gaze, saying, “But I won’t give you any spoilers.”

"No, I just want you to act in my play."

Chu Yiqi didn't reply. This scene was just like when she asked Xi Ai back then: "Act with me in a play."

She had been plotting for a long time, deliberately making Xi Ai encounter a moment of despair, and then testing Xi Ai's stance step by step, and finally found out about the conspiracy.

She guessed that Xi Ai must have known about her scheme, whether she knew it at the time or realized it later.

However, perhaps if it weren't for this, she and Xi Ai wouldn't have been able to get together.

Chu Yiqi looked at Xi Ai and suddenly realized what Xi Ai's scheme was all about.

This person has always had a strong competitive spirit. I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing, but even in a game, there's always something premeditated about it.

However, if this little bit of effort is put into this, it will make the whole game much more interesting.

“Xi’ai, I’ve always felt that you’re particularly suited to be an official in some political intrigue novels.”

"What's wrong?"

"They've learned to read people's minds."

Xi Ai said nonchalantly, "Likewise."

"It's a pleasure to work with you."

"Then I'm sorry to trouble Spruce and Shadow."

Chu Yiqi did not leave, but stood under the wisteria for a while longer.

The lie about "not being able to make it back" is just something to fool the audience at the time.

*

Xi Ai did indeed get tainted by the acquisition case those few days, and was busy cleaning up the mess. However, she saw Chu Yiqi's news after the press conference.

When Chu Yiqi was watching the live stream, she suddenly realized that even with light makeup, Xi Ai still looked very tired.

By the time she came to her senses, the message had already been sent.

I want to see you.

Almost without hesitation, Xi Ai booked a flight back that very night, which happened to be the Little New Year in the South.

That day, snow fell in the water town.

After walking around in high heels all day, Xi Ai was a little tired, but she still picked a few branches of winter cherry blossoms and held them in her hand.

Chu Yiqi sat by the window, her knees crossed. She knew Xi Ai had appeared outside, but she didn't react at all, as if she was in a daze, only her gaze unconsciously following her.

The person who returned was covered in wind and snow, cold and frigid, yet inexplicably exuded a certain warmth, as if he had never changed, but his exhaustion was undeniable.

Chu Yiqi suddenly hoped that Xi Ai would reply to her in the afternoon with "I can't make it back in time" instead of "I'll be back soon, do you want something to eat?"

Chu Yiqi thought for a long time before finally saying, "I want a bouquet of preserved flowers."

She hadn't held out much hope, but she still saw the cherry blossoms covered in snow on Xi Ai's hand. They couldn't live forever, but they were eye-catching enough.

Chu Yiqi suddenly felt like embracing that handful of fresh snow.