Chapter 14
He didn't react much after hearing those words, only wrapping his arm around my waist. Awkwardness was inevitable, and in the stagnant air, he seemed to belatedly realize what was happening and suddenly chuckled, filling the unnoticed nooks and crannies of this square-shaped, awkward world with a soulless laugh: "Ouch..."
I felt inexplicably ashamed and annoyed.
"It's so good to see you again, Qinghe." He let go of her hand and wiped away the tears of laughter. "I really can't imagine anything better in the world. It's a pity that I ruined the good atmosphere tonight, otherwise I would have liked to take you to other places. You know me, right? Even though you don't remember me, you always subconsciously go along with my nonsense."
I didn't know what to say, so I just nodded.
He then naturally extended another invitation: "In that case, let me take care of your dinner tonight! Don't tell me about your dietary restrictions—I'll definitely find your favorite restaurant. —Where do you live?"
I gave them an address. Of course, I didn't specify which number.
But even if I told you, you probably wouldn't be able to find it, I chuckled. The dense alleyways made it seem less like a street and more like a subspace within itself. Folded and arranged, it transformed the seemingly crowded space into a place where the poor lived.
"That place..." he said thoughtfully. "I've heard of it too. I heard it has a pretty high approval rating. Qinghe, do you know if there are any houses there that are still uninhabited?"
I shook my head.
“You don’t need to live there.” I was genuinely advising him. “It’s probably only a little better than a slum. The roads are winding and narrow. If there’s a larger electric scooter there, another vehicle won’t have to squeeze in.”
He frowned, looking troubled. The moment I met his eyes, I knew he was about to say something to me.
His face was full of disapproval: "Then how could you live there?"
It's as if I should live in a clean, bright, and spacious place. Although I'm not "Qinghe," his understanding of "Qinghe" is far too superficial. This house is clearly rented by "Qinghe."
I mumbled, "I live there...and it's very close to the school."
He said dejectedly, “Okay.” It sounded like a simple “I give in,” but it felt more like “I’m out of options.”
I pursed my lips and tugged at his sleeve: "What about you? You're back. Where are you planning to stay?"
He definitely didn't expect me to touch him, because his eyebrows were practically flying off in fright. Am I that scary? If I were, the two kids wouldn't have stopped me, holding hands.
“I’m still staying in hotels.” He held up his fingers and started counting, collecting one finger for each thing he said. “When I need a place to stay, I look for one. If I can’t find one, I just stay in another hotel… My requirements aren’t high, as long as I can see the snow-capped mountains.”
That's really not high. Apart from the apartment I live in, the ones blocked by tall buildings in front, and the ones whose windows just happen not to face that direction, any of the other apartments would be fine.
I didn't know what else to say, so I shut my mouth. I rarely think about Tachibana Miki, but now I can't help but wish she would lend me her mouth—whether what she says is harsh or unbearable, it's better than starting a topic I can't even respond to, as long as there's endless content to keep talking.
“My taxi is almost here,” he suddenly said. “Fifty-six meters…forty-three meters…twenty-seven meters…eight meters…”
I looked in the direction he was looking, and there came to a steady stop a black car whose brand I didn't recognize.
The driver got out of the car, wearing a black suit and white gloves. I watched as he pulled open the back door, but he didn't actually pull it; the door was automatic. He just stood outside gesturing for me to enter.
"..."
Gu Xinglian naturally took my wrist again, without showing any objection to the "advanced skills" of hailing a taxi or the "etiquette" of a taxi driver that were obviously not part of a taxi driver's skills.
The scalding heat of his palms imprinted itself on my wrists, making the skin there more sensitive. The slight dampness from nervousness, and the lingering attachment, made me feel as if I were wearing a pair of silver bracelets—handcuffs.
"..."
I told myself not to overthink it. I got into the car first, his hand instinctively blocking the door frame.
Then he remained motionless, seemingly lost in a memory that would be completely erased if he didn't recall it quickly.
I couldn't help but glance at him a few more times: to be fair, Gu Xinglian was very handsome, with long eyelashes, phoenix eyes, a nose that wasn't too high, and the curve of which was just pleasing to my eye. His mouth looked very cute when he smiled, and his hair was a slightly long style for a short hairstyle. He also wore blue teardrop-shaped earrings.
If you saw it a few days ago, you will definitely remember it today; if you saw it a few years ago, you don't need to ask your brain at all, you can be sure that you have long forgotten it.
Even someone like me who forgets faces after just one glance would remember this face for a few seconds. How could I have chosen option C, "familiar but never seen before," between options A and B?
Could it be that he secretly came to see me? I wondered to myself, and then I found out.
The reason I focus my memory on what happened after I arrived is because I'm certain that the sense of familiarity comes from deep within my own memories, not from this body. The familiarity of the body is a matter of longing and habit, while my familiarity is like, "Hey kid, it's only been a few days since I last saw you, how come you've grown so handsome? You haven't made much money as an internet celebrity, can you give some to your good friend?"
"..."
I silently turned my head toward the window. Gu Xinglian fastened his seatbelt and asked, "Are you sleepy?" He was very concerned about me. "If you want to sleep, you can lean on my shoulder or sleep on my lap."
I always feel that the longer I spend with him, the more my image is rapidly sinking down the hillside into the valley, at a speed I can't control. The valley is probably around the height of "a waterfall plunging three thousand feet" or "a five-thousand-foot mountain soaring to the sky".
—I can't even stop thinking about old-fashioned slogans like "Once you enter xx, you're in deep trouble and your integrity is gone forever."
I said as nonchalantly as possible, "I'm not sleepy, I just want to enjoy the scenery outside the car."
The sparse light stood out starkly against this dilapidated urban area. The distant streets were brightly lit.
He completely agreed. So much so that he squeezed himself closer to me with all his might, even though I hoped he'd consider the seatbelt issue. Completely oblivious to the dangers on the road that could send him flying with a sudden stop, he stared intently at our reflections in the car window, blatantly lying, "The scenery outside is truly beautiful, no wonder it's Qinghe!"
It's really impressive that he could see the "scenery" from so far away so late at night. I was too lazy to avoid him anymore, so I pushed him back to his seat: "Sit still, don't move around, you're annoying."
"..."
I fell silent. Was this something I should say? This was the first time we'd ever met.
“You smiled.” Gu Xinglian said to me with a smile, in a particularly good mood. “You’ve always been like this, criticizing me while secretly smiling, pretending to be very upright, but actually you’re wicked inside… Okay, you’ve always been very upright.”
Seeing me point my finger at his forehead like a gun, Gu Xinglian wisely took back his words.
It's childish, but I'm too lazy to care who he's talking about. He's the one who said he wanted to be friends with me now. As long as I don't have too much genuine affection for him, even if he finds out the truth, it won't hurt me.
I leaned on his shoulder, thinking hazily. Everything I did before was just a physical reaction, not from my heart. Therefore, I won this round. That idiot Gu Xinglian will never be able to beat me.
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