Chapter 18 First Time with Cotton Candy

Chapter 18

Lu Baozhu saw a man sitting on a bench downstairs, looking somewhat dejected.

Back home, Lu Baozhu took a shower and finally felt refreshed. She sat on the terrace waiting for the wind to dry her hair.

Upon seeing Xu Xing'an and Lu Baozhu stand up, she didn't say anything. The man who had been sitting on the bench downstairs also stood up, looking timid and hesitant.

Li Zhiqiang: "I know I've let you down."

Xu Xing'an remained silent, and Li Zhiqiang was tormented. He dared not come to Xu Xing'an, yet he had no choice but to come.

A man doesn't easily shed tears, but Li Zhiqiang wept, "I shouldn't have come to you after what I did. I know I went too far back then. But you don't know, I truly love her. If I hadn't done this, her father wouldn't have agreed to us being together!"

Li Zhiqiang wiped away his tears, while Xu Xing'an stood there unmoved.

Li Zhiqiang: "I've always considered you my older brother."

Xu Xing'an: "What are you trying to say?"

Li Zhiqiang: "The restaurant's renovation... it wasn't me, it was her dad. If it were me, I definitely wouldn't compete with you! You know, we're getting married, and her dad isn't willing right now. Only if I win this project can our wedding be truly successful. I know I owe you, and I will definitely repay you and be grateful to you in the future!"

Xu Xing'an: "You have an older brother."

Li Zhiqiang slumped onto the bench, his eyes filled with despair.

Lu Baozhu was astonished. "He actually came to you, hoping you could give him the right to renovate the restaurant?"

Xu Xing'an couldn't help but reach out to touch Lu Baozhu's satin-like hair, but he restrained himself and nodded.

Lu Baozhu was still angry, saying, "How could he be so shameless!"

Lu Baozhu reached out and gently touched Xu Xing'an's hair, as if to comfort him.

Lu Baozhu thought she heard Xu Xing'an chuckle softly. She looked down and saw that Xu Xing'an was looking down, so she must have misheard.

Lu Baozhu: "He's absolutely shameless!"

Xu Xing'an: "Mm."

Going to the park is really helpful when you're in a bad mood; being in nature is refreshing for both body and mind.

Lu Baozhu took a bite of a cotton candy, handed it to the side, and asked, "Want to try some?"

Xu Xing'an took a bite, and Lu Baozhu was overjoyed.

Lu Baozhu: "Is it sweet?"

Xu Xing'an: "It's very sweet."

Lu Baozhu held up the plump, white cotton candy and asked, "Doesn't it look like a pink cloud?"

Xu Xing'an glanced at the cotton candy Lu Baozhu was holding, and they each took a bite before looking at the clouds floating in the sky.

Xu Xing'an: "Like."

Lu Baozhu suddenly moved closer, her smug little expression on her face, "Didn't you say it was junk food?"

Xu Xing'an: "Eating a little bit occasionally is harmless."

This hypocritical man, he didn't say that last time!

Xu Xingan: "Last week, I cooked instant noodles for you twice, with vegetables, eggs and fish balls, and that's what you told me."

I remember now!

Lu Baozhu ignored Xu Xing'an's focused gaze on the cotton candy she was holding. "That's right," she thought, "it's not like I eat this kind of thing every day."

The children were gathered around the uncle making cotton candy, chattering excitedly and even jumping up and down.

Lu Baozhu thought, this must be the first time Xu Xing'an has ever eaten cotton candy!

...

Lu Baozhu looked at her younger brother with surprise and delight.

Lu Yu: "Sis, we can go back now, he's getting married."

Lu Yu was still somewhat disdainful when the topic came up. What vows of eternal love? They're getting married now. Even if he didn't get married, Lu Yu wouldn't have looked down on him. Now that they're married, he'll look down on him even more.

Lu Baozhu did not answer Lu Yu immediately.

Lu Yu: "Sis, are you really planning to marry Xu Xing'an?"

Lu Baozhu: "He's very good."

Lu Yu: "Even if he's a good person, you can't marry him. Your parents don't approve of your engagement. They even got angry with me when they found out you came to see him. They didn't tell me why when I asked them."

"Anyway, you have to come back with me."

When Xu Xing'an returned, Lu Baozhu was sitting in the living room without the lights on. He turned on the lights, and Lu Baozhu turned her head to look at him.

Xu Xing'an: "Today, Chen Yu told me that he plans to marry Sun Meng."

Lu Baozhu: "This is really a good thing."

Xu Xing'an sat down next to Lu Baozhu and deliberately continued to talk to her about Chen Yu and Sun Meng.

Sun Meng's family are locals, and they were somewhat dissatisfied with Chen Yu. However, seeing that Chen Yu's career is going well, they are not particularly opposed to him anymore.

Sun Meng also has a younger sister who is quite interesting. Because of Chen Yu's bribery, she even spoke up for her future brother-in-law.

Xu Xing'an rarely brought up these things before.

Lu Baozhu: "My younger brother is here, I might have to go back."

Xu Xing'an remained silent for a long time, then smiled and said, "I should go and visit them."

Lu Baozhu: "I still have a lot to do after I get home."

Xu Xing'an: "Perfect timing. I've been busy with some things lately. You and your brother go back first, and I'll come see you in a while, okay?"

Lu Baozhu nodded. "Okay."

The two fell silent again.

Xu Xing'an went to the kitchen to cook, and Lu Baozhu secretly watched him.

Lu Baozhu: "At least we can eat junk food today, right?"

Xu Xing'an: "No."

Lu Baozhu stared at her toes again, head down, without saying a word.

Lu Baozhu didn't get to eat dinner with junk food, but she did get to eat a late-night snack with junk food.

After returning home with Lu Yu, Lu's parents did not blame her; in fact, they were very caring towards her.

Lu Baozhu couldn't help but ask, "Why can't I marry him?"

Upon hearing this, Mr. and Mrs. Lu exchanged a glance.

Lu's father: "His grandfather forced his son into marriage, and his father disregarded everyone's objections to marry a girl from the slums and even broke with his family, but in reality, neither of them loved them. Baozhu, perhaps he is no different from his grandfather and father, or perhaps he is no different from Chen Huai."

Lu Baozhu laughed and said, "You've misunderstood him."

If Lu Baozhu hadn't gone to find him, he would have remained single his entire life, never getting married.

Mr. Lu: "In short, we will not agree to you marrying such a person! We will talk to him about the engagement."

Lu Baozhu: "If that's the case, why did you arrange the marriage for them in the first place?"

Mr. Lu: "We didn't know about these things. At the time, we just thought his father was a well-educated and reasonable scholar. If you hadn't gone to find him, this engagement would have been null and void long ago."

Mr. Lu: "Baozhu, you've troubled him for a long time, we'll thank him."

When Lu's father served food to Lu Baozhu, Lu Baozhu suddenly remembered that Xu Xing'an had also served her food that day.

Xu Xingan said, "Take good care of yourself."

...

Lu Baozhu's job was suspended without pay. The factory where she worked was managed by a friend of her father, and her life there was leisurely and comfortable.

When Lu Baozhu arrived at the office, everyone greeted her warmly.

Lu's parents said that she had gone to stay with relatives for a while, not in Shenzhen, but in the capital.

"You look even more beautiful than I have!"

"Your skin is so smooth and delicate, especially your face! What products do you use?"

"More than that, look at her eyes, they're so bright and clear, like a spring of water."

After staying in the office until the end of the workday, Lu Baozhu slowly walked back. When she saw a figure, Lu Baozhu was stunned for a moment. She was about to chase after him, but then stopped.

Lu Yu, having just gotten his driver's license, drove over and asked, "Sis, what are you looking at?"

Lu Baozhu said with feigned disdain, "Look how tall that person is."

Lu Yu: "Sis, I'm 1.8 meters tall, 1.8 meters tall!"

Lu Baozhu: "1.79 meters tall."

Lu Yu: "I'm wearing shoes, so I'm over 1.8 meters tall. I only said I'm 1.8 meters tall, which is already being modest, okay!"

Lu Baozhu's eyes showed even more disdain.

In the evening, Lu Yu took Lu Baozhu out to play. When they passed the basketball court, Lu Yu met some familiar friends. They all ran over and surrounded Lu Baozhu, while Lu Yu was pushed out of the way.

"Sister Baozhu, it's been a long time."

"Sister Baozhu, would you like to play basketball?"

"Don't you know whether your sister Baozhu plays basketball or not?"

"Ha ha ha ha."

Lu Baozhu sat to the side watching them play basketball, just like every summer before.

No, Lu Baozhu was with Xu Xing'an last summer.

Lu Baozhu sat in the car accompanying Xu Xing'an to set up a stall. Lu Baozhu had tried all the snacks at that night market. She couldn't quite remember what she liked or disliked, but Xu Xing'an did.

Lu Baozhu stood in front of a watermelon juice stall. "Isn't this delicious?"

Xu Xing'an: "It doesn't taste good."

Lu Baozhu: "You don't like it?"

Xu Xing'an remained silent, and Lu Baozhu suddenly realized what was going on regarding their watermelon juice incident.

Lu Baozhu: "Try it, try it, it's really refreshing!"

During that time, Lu Baozhu particularly enjoyed eating crunchy watermelon and was very interested in it.

Xu Xing'an stared at the straw that Lu Baozhu had used, and after a long while, he lowered his head and took a sip.

Lu Baozhu: "How is it?"

Lu Baozhu: "Haha, isn't this hard to drink? I just took a sip, and it doesn't taste good at all."

After a long while, Lu Baozhu remembered that the two of them seemed to have shared a straw.

Lu Baozhu lowered her head silently, just like Xu Xing'an, and remained silent.

If they were with Xu Xing'an, they would probably be strolling around outside together, or perhaps Lu Baozhu would be taking Xu Xing'an to the beach.

I wonder what Xu Xing'an is doing?

Maybe he's working?

On one occasion, Chen Yu joked with Lu Baozhu, "You know what? I've never seen him in a hurry to leave work before, but now he's more eager to leave than anyone else."

The reason is self-evident.

...

Chen Yu was cautious and apprehensive, while Xu Xing'an was like a workaholic every day, looking tired but increasingly exuding a disdainful and indifferent aura.

After hearing from Sun Meng that Lu Baozhu had returned, Chen Yu never dared to mention Lu Baozhu in front of Xu Xing'an again.

Sun Meng sighed when she saw Chen Yu, "Are you this busy with work again?"

Chen Yu: "Fortunately, it didn't affect our wedding."

Being busy with work has its advantages; they've become wealthier and can spend more money on their weddings.

The Sun family began to be satisfied with Chen Yu.

The relatives who used to deliberately belittle Sun Meng have all shut up. Every time they see Sun Meng, they are all smiles, as if those arrogant relatives have become kind and friendly.

Xu Xing'an returned home and sat in the living room for a long time.

After Lu Baozhu and Lu Yu returned, they never contacted him again.

Xu Xing'an wondered if there was a problem with the phone, or if Lu Baozhu had called but he just wasn't home.

-----------------------

Author's Note: [Let me see]