Chapter 95 With his aloof and unapproachable demeanor, where...

"Excuse me, could you please make way?"

Anxious urging brushed against her eardrums, and Zhu Liushuang reacted a beat slow, turning her body to the side. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw several large cardboard boxes stacked up to the sales assistant's chin. The aisle was narrow, the edges of the corrugated cardboard brushed against her forearm, and the boxes tilted precariously, seemingly about to topple over.

In her panic, she could only grip the bag of rice tightly, and the shopping cart was violently pushed aside. With a loud crash, the wheels spun wildly, and it looked like it was about to crash into the puffed food display not far away. Fortunately, someone reacted quickly and steadied the out-of-control cart for her.

"Excuse me, are you alright?" the sales assistant asked, still shaken.

"No...it's nothing, you go ahead with your work." Zhu Liushuang's voice was deep and resonant, her gaze fixed on the hand that had rescued her. Because of the force used, the veins on the back of the man's hand bulged, and under the fluorescent light, the bluish-purple veins looked like a winding river on a snowfield.

The person who stopped the shopping cart was none other than He Ming. He bent down and put two boxes of strawberries into the basket, then, holding the handlebars, walked towards her calmly.

"Were you scared?" The shopping cart was piled high with items, the most eye-catching being the bright red peak at the top. She was standing right in front of the air vent, and with a "whoosh," a warm breeze brushed against her cheeks, making it hard for her to open her eyes.

He Ming subtly stepped forward, shielding her from the air conditioner's blast. With one hand in his pocket, he lowered his gaze and called her name.

"Liu Shuang?"

"Ah? It's nothing." Zhu Liu hurriedly tossed the bag of rice into the shopping cart, her lips parting slightly. "Senior...do you like strawberries?"

He Ming doesn't actually like eating fruit much. Like most men, he rarely touches fruit or desserts. As for the taste of strawberries, it's probably still stuck in the past, several years ago. His grandmother loved strawberries, and there was a plot of land in their country courtyard dedicated to growing them. Whenever there was a good harvest, his grandmother would always save a few plates for him.

He had seen Zhu Liushuang lingering in front of the freezer for a few minutes.

Even now, he still can't understand why he turned back halfway and, as if possessed, picked up the strawberry she had been looking at again and again.

Perhaps it was because of the fleeting look of disappointment on her face?

His dark eyes flickered, and a thought silently crossed his mind. He Ming felt a jolt in his heart, but he didn't grasp it in time.

"Hmm, I quite like it," he replied casually. "These two boxes look good, I'll buy them and try them."

Zhu Liushuang glanced back at He Ming, but couldn't find a single clue on his face.

So it turns out—it was his own preference!

She had been deluding herself again. Zhu Liushuang thought to herself with a self-deprecating smile, but quickly recovered from the brief moment of disappointment and found her place.

She smiled and tilted her head back, saying, "Strawberries are just coming into season now, so they might not be very sweet yet. In another month or two, greenhouse strawberries will be even sweeter. I know an auntie whose greenhouse strawberries are grown with less pesticide and are not expensive... If you like strawberries, next time we can go to a strawberry farm to pick them fresh, and eat them as we go. That would be so satisfying!"

“Okay.” He Ming pushed the shopping cart forward with ease and casually asked her, “Liu Shuang, would you like to get some more fruit, milk, or something?”

"No need, I'm planning to set up a stall next weekend, and I'll definitely have more fruit than I can eat then," Zhu Liushuang said with an embarrassed smile. "I'll bring the extras over to eat."

"Hmm." He Ming was only focused on the road in front of him, responding casually.

When it came time to pay, Zhu Liushuang insisted on paying, but the man walking in front of her pushed her back. His reason was that he had a membership card, which not only allowed him to enjoy member prices but also accumulate points to redeem gifts.

By the time she realized that she could still pay by scanning the code even if she gave him her membership card number, He Ming had already paid the bill and was leaning against the counter packing the items into bags.

Zhu Liushuang walked over to him and helped him organize the remaining items. Taking advantage of a moment when he wasn't looking, she quietly pinched the shopping receipts into her palm and then slowly stuffed them into her coat pocket.

She didn't want to have too much financial involvement with him, but living together inevitably meant he would spend money for various reasons. Discussing these things in public would only make her a laughingstock. Therefore, she planned to keep track of the expenses herself and then transfer the money to him. If He Ming refused, she could simply add more to the dinner bill in the future.

He Ming couldn't fathom Zhu Liushuang's ulterior motives. He was actually somewhat of a chauvinist, believing it was only natural for a man to pay when out and about. After all, that's what his father and maternal grandfather had taught him since childhood.

————

As winter approached, the sun set earlier and earlier. Following the setting sun, the two headed home.

The carriage was quiet. Zhu Liushuang tilted her head to one side out of boredom, glancing out the window every now and then. At first, she didn't notice. Gradually, she realized that the way back was not the same as the way she had come.

The sky outside the window turned from pale blue to dark murky, the afterglow of the setting sun tinged the evening clouds red, and sunlight dripped through the branches of the goldenrain tree. The bright red fruits, like little lanterns, clung to clusters, trembling softly in the evening breeze.

She couldn't help but roll down the car window, wanting to see everything in front of her more clearly.

"Did you take a different route, senior?" The cold wind blurred her vision.

"Yes, this way there's no traffic."

"This road is so beautiful...so many goldenrain trees!" Zhu Liushuang murmured. "Does senior like goldenrain trees? There's also a goldenrain tree avenue on the campus of No. 1 Middle School."

I first met you there. The sunset that evening was just as gentle and beautiful as it is today.

She almost blurted out everything that was on her mind.

"Goldenrain tree? I don't like it." Her voice was so soft that He Ming only caught the first half of her sentence, so he answered truthfully, "When it blooms and drips oil, it's quite annoying. Cars parked under the tree can't be cleaned even after washing."

The man's answer reached her ears accurately, without the expected reminiscence of the past, and was even somewhat "a mood killer".

But Zhu Liushuang realized that she didn't seem to care that much whether he remembered or not.

Their memories were always skewed; what she cherished so deeply was nothing more than fleeting, ordinary scenery to him. Her fingertips gripped the windowpane, lingering on the beautiful crimson glow outside, a profound peace settling within her.

The reason is simply this: at this moment, he is right beside her.

"The goldenrain tree drips sap?" Zhu Liushuang asked, puzzled. "I don't think I've ever noticed that. I picked up a clump by the roadside and brought it home as a decoration; it's quite pretty."

He Ming turned on the turn signal and drove into Chunhua Lane. While observing the road conditions, he patiently explained, "To be precise, it's not that the trees are dripping oil themselves, but rather that aphids on the trees produce secretions. These secretions contain a lot of sugar, making them very sticky. Once they get on the car, they're not easy to clean."

"So... has your car suffered a lot of damage from being parked under the goldenrain tree?" Zhu Liushuang asked, turning her head. After his explanation, she could understand where his dislike for the goldenrain tree came from.

“Not many times,” the man said, looking straight ahead. “You learn from your mistakes.”

"Oh!" Seeing that he had no desire to continue the conversation, she gave a dry reply and took the initiative to end the topic.

About ten minutes later, several people were standing in front of the elevator on the second basement floor of Chunhuali, including Zhu Liushuang and He Ming. They had bought quite a lot of things, enough to fill two large shopping bags. When they got out of the car, Zhu Liushuang originally wanted to carry one bag herself, but the man was faster than her, and didn't give her a chance to help.

"Senior, are you heavy? Can you carry one of my bags for me..." She took small steps to his right and asked in a low voice. The elevator had been stuck on the fourth floor for a while, but there was no movement.

The ends of her jet-black hair brushed against the man's arm, carrying a faint scent of citrus.

He Ming lowered his eyes and said succinctly, "No need."

The rubbing of the fabric released a sweet, citrus scent that tantalized his senses. He adjusted his posture and simply moved the shopping bag, which was digging into his leg on the right, to the left.

Without the obstruction of shopping bags, the distance between them grew even closer.

So close that Zhu Liushuang could touch He Ming's fingertips with just a slight stretch of her hand.

But she dared not make any rash moves and quietly hid the hand that was close to him behind her back.

Why isn't the fourth floor coming down yet?

"I heard they're renovating and moving furniture, right?"

"Why did they have to move now of all times? They're so inconsiderate..."

"Never mind... let's take the stairs!"

A middle-aged couple nearby couldn't wait any longer and stormed off in a huff.

Zhu Liu glanced at He Ming and suggested, "How about we take the stairs too?"

It's only the fifth floor; for someone like her who usually climbs six floors to get home, it's no challenge at all.

Hearing the voice, He Ming lowered his head, his gaze passing over the fluffy hair of the person beside him and landing on her white leather boots. He roughly estimated the height of her heels and said calmly, "Let's wait two more minutes, she should be down soon."

"Okay," Zhu Liushuang replied. It wasn't that she lacked patience; her suggestion to take the stairs was merely out of concern that his arms would ache from carrying heavy things for too long. Now it seemed her worries were unnecessary. He could easily lift two bags with one hand, and even standing in front of the elevator for an hour or two wouldn't be a problem.

Of course, they didn't need to wait that long. A minute later, the downward arrow on the control panel lit up.

Soon, the elevator descended to the second basement level, and traffic resumed as normal.

Zhu Liushuang followed He Ming into the elevator car, followed by a mother and son. The little boy, held in the arms of the young mother, looked only two or three years old, with bright, dark eyes that were incredibly endearing. She couldn't help but glance at him a few more times.

"Beautiful sister—hug me." The little boy said in his childish voice. He stretched out his arms, as if to jump into Zhu Liushuang's arms. Even though his mother stopped him, his chubby little hands still held on to Zhu Liushuang's sleeve.

"I'm sorry, this child is very outgoing... He likes pretty older sisters the most." There were only four of them in the elevator, and the boy's mother said shyly as she pulled her son's hand away.

"It's nothing." Zhu Liushuang smiled shyly, her gaze still lingering on the little boy's dimples, and she couldn't help but exclaim, "He's so cute!"

"Mom—Mom—Pretty sister—praised me...cute!" The little boy understood, raised his round face, and said proudly.

The young mother lowered her head, her gaze gently touching her son's cheek, and said with a smile, "Yes, our Xiaoshan is especially cute. But... Xiaoshan is a boy, he can't just ask pretty ladies for hugs!"

"Why—why?" the little boy asked vaguely.

The young mother's smile widened, and she pointed at He Ming, saying, "Because if you hug your older sister, your older brother will get jealous!"

The interaction between the mother and son was very interesting. Zhu Liushuang was watching intently when a voice suddenly drifted into her ear, "Big brother will be jealous."

Big brother? Jealous?

The speaker meant no harm, but the listener was thrown into turmoil. She subconsciously turned her head to secretly observe He Ming's expression. The man's lips remained unmoved, his eyes were lowered, and he didn't even look up to give the mother and child a glance.

"Jealous? What's vinegar?"

The elevator arrived at the third floor. The doors slowly opened and then closed, shutting out the conversation between the mother and son.

Zhu Liushuang couldn't help but purse her lips, her long eyelashes covering her eyes.

The man beside her had an unapproachable air about him; he certainly wasn't the type to get jealous.

————

That evening, the two of them cooked dinner together.

He Ming was in charge of selecting and preparing the vegetables, while Zhu Liushuang was in charge of cooking. As the saying goes, "teamwork makes the dream work," and the two, working together for the first time, cooperated quite well.

Three dishes and a soup were laid out on the table, steaming hot. He couldn't eat spicy food, so Zhu Liushuang cooked only mild, home-style dishes.

The kitchen tap was running, and she rinsed the two boxes of strawberries repeatedly before arranging them on a plate. Although there were two boxes, there were only about seventeen or eighteen strawberries in total.

"Fruit assassin!" Zhu Liushuang muttered to herself as she carried the plate out of the kitchen.

"Senior..." she was about to call out to him when she saw him leaning against the dining table, talking on the phone with a serious expression. She quickly fell silent and gently placed the strawberries on the table.

The person on the phone glanced at her briefly. Zhu Liushuang received the message, pointed to the plate of strawberries near He Ming, and silently said, "Dessert after dinner, washed clean."

He Ming nodded, indicating that she should start eating.

The phone call lasted for about ten minutes. Zhu Liushuang was too embarrassed to start talking first, so she rested her chin on her hand and listened to most of his work. Although she didn't understand everything, she could guess from He Ming's increasingly cold expression that they seemed to have encountered a tricky situation.

As expected, He Ming was unable to have dinner with her.

He grabbed his laptop bag, picked up his overcoat, and hurriedly left. As the door closed, Zhu Liushuang sighed inwardly.

The feeling of eating alone is completely different from eating with someone else.

She lost her appetite; the dishes that were once delicious tasted like cardboard. She ate a little bit, but then felt she couldn't eat any more.

There was so much leftover food; it would be a waste to throw it away. Zhu Liushuang planned to save it for tomorrow's lunch, but she was short of an insulated food container. So, she dialed He Ming's WeChat voice call.

The call was answered shortly after the phone rang. The sound of a car horn came through the receiver.

"Liu Shuang?"

"Senior..."

Her voice was drowned out by his.

"What's up?"

"Hmm." Zhu Liushuang nodded into the receiver. "Do you have any insulated lunchboxes? I looked all over the kitchen but couldn't find any."

"Insulated lunchbox?" The man repeated her words, as if trying to recall. "There should be one. Go look in the storage room. There's a small cubicle opposite the study; it's the third box from the bottom."

"Okay. Then I won't bother you while you're driving." She was about to hang up. "Drive safely, senior."

"Are you looking for a thermal lunchbox to take to the company?" The man's voice rang out again a second before she pressed the end button.

Zhu Liushuang paused for a moment before saying, "Yes, we didn't finish the food... there's still a lot left."

"I'm sorry, Liu Shuang." The man's apology reached her ears through the radio waves. "It happened so suddenly..."

“I know.” She interrupted his explanation, her tone deliberately light. “Anyway, we can just reheat it tomorrow and eat it again, saving us the cost of lunch.”

He Ming was silent for two seconds, then softly hummed in agreement. A moment later, he added, "By the way, eat all the strawberries; they won't be fresh if left out too long."

Zhu Liushuang glanced at the untouched strawberry on the table and said slowly, "I'll just try a few. The rest can be eaten when you get back from working overtime."

"I don't know what time I'll be back yet." He Ming skipped over the topic of strawberries and instructed, "If you're worried about sleeping at night, remember to lock your bedroom door."

Was he worried about her?

Are you worried that she might be scared to sleep alone?

The man's deep, cello-like voice sealed the wound in her heart. The loneliness on her lips vanished instantly because of his few words, replaced by a gentle smile.

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Author's note: I've been busy with the sports meet these past few days, and I'm exhausted every day [shrug]. I just go home and fall asleep as soon as I get home, sob sob sob!

Every expression, gesture, and word from the senior touched their hearts.