Chapter 33: Expressing joy openly, but subtly revealing love...
Three days later, on the fifth day of the eighth lunar month, under the moonlight.
Wen Chuan slowly drove the car from the driver's seat. Qin Tianshu and Lin Fanxiang had already gone to rest inside the car.
Zhang Xuan was standing by the bookshelf, saying goodnight to Cai Cai.
The boy waved his finger earnestly at Cai Cai, while Qing Yu lay on the long couch.
Before leaving, Zhang Xuan looked at Qing Yu with a puzzled expression, "Why aren't you asleep yet?"
Qingyu pretended to be asleep, "I'll go in a bit."
"Oh," Zhang Xuan replied, then stepped into the depths of the carriage. After taking two steps, he stopped and turned to look at Qing Yu. He felt something was off.
Qingyu: "What are you looking at? If you don't want to sleep, go drive the car."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Xuan immediately turned and left. The lottery results were already set, and he was driving tomorrow morning, so now wasn't his time. Besides, who wanted to be out in the cold wind at night?
Poor Wen Chuan, one second to walk, one second to return to his room.
Three seconds later, the carriage finally quieted down.
Qingyu opened her eyes. Moonlight streamed gently through the window into the carriage, creating a serene atmosphere.
The girl in red got up and slowly walked to the car door.
"jingle--"
The wind chimes rang softly, and the girl opened the car door and sat on the other side of the driver's seat.
Amidst the wind and the darkness of the night, Wen Chuan didn't give a direct look, but instead slightly tilted his head and asked, "It's windy tonight, is there something you need?"
"Ahem—" Qingyu cleared her throat, then looked naturally at the night sky ahead, her voice simple and innocent.
"I have no idea."
Wen Chuan suddenly laughed; the boy's voice was gentle, yet it sounded slightly cool in the moonlight.
"Do I need to know?"
Qingyu didn't answer him. The girl stared fixedly ahead, as did the boy.
Their eyes never met.
Qingyu: "I apologize for what I said a few days ago about eating crab."
Wen Chuan smiled upon hearing this and said, "It's alright."
He knew that when she pestered him to eat crab back then, it was just because she was greedy for a bite of food, and she was just making things up.
Qingyu lowered her head and smiled helplessly. What could she do? She couldn't quite articulate what she wanted to say.
To be honest, eating crabs was actually a very small thing in the eyes of others.
In the autumn of the fifteenth year of Tianchen, while cultivating by the Qingyu Sea in Qingshui City, she happened to see someone catching crabs. She suddenly missed the hairy crabs in the lakes near Qishan. Since she had no money after leaving the mountain and had never eaten crabs made by humans, she ran back and begged Wen Chuan to make crabs for her.
However, Wen Chuan, who is usually easy to talk to, refused to back down on this matter. When Qing Yu asked him why, he refused to say. Later, Qing Yu got angry and said that she wanted to eat out.
That was the first time the boy had shown a cold face, his tone icy and disdainful: "Go ahead and eat if you want, I couldn't stop you anyway."
Qingyu was a stubborn person, and for some reason, she was very angry at Wenchuan's cold face. The girl thought angrily that she still had to eat the crab that Wenchuan made!
On the first day, Qingyu tried to reason with him, but Wenchuan just watched with a cold face.
The next day, Qingyu tried to reason with him, but Wenchuan coldly ignored her.
On the third day, Qingyu had a cold face, and Wenchuan remained expressionless.
Before going to sleep, Qingyu said to Wenchuan, "I've never eaten crab before, but I just wanted to try it once. And I think the crab you make is definitely the best in Qingshui."
“I asked you why you didn’t do it, but you wouldn’t tell me.”
"Never mind, I don't want to eat anymore."
—On the morning of the fourth day, Qingyu came to the kitchen, where several plump and tempting crabs were steaming in a pot.
A handsome young man stood in front of the pot. Amidst the rising steam, Qingyu couldn't see his face clearly, but could hear his helpless yet gentle voice.
"You've never eaten this before, so go ahead and eat."
...
Wen Chuan: "Qing Yu, I didn't care about this."
Although there were some unexpected events during the meal, he figured it out later and didn't care much about them. After that, he acted no differently than usual in his interactions with others.
Qingyu smiled as she listened to his words, "I know you didn't care."
She finally turned her head to look at Wen Chuan. The night breeze was slightly cool, and a girl's voice, filled with doubt and straightforwardness, drifted over.
“But I’m a little unhappy. I’m unhappy. Why don’t you care?”
Wen Chuan paused, the young man frowning slightly, concealing a trace of helplessness deep within his heart.
"Qingyu, this is just a small matter."
Qingyu continued to look at him, at this moment she was like an ignorant person, earnestly asking her question to the person she trusted.
“I know, so I’m also wondering why. It’s just a small thing, even if I lied, and you don’t care. I should be glad, but why am I unhappy now?”
She was genuinely puzzled. Why had she been so determined to eat crab a year ago because of Wen Chuan's cold attitude? If she was so determined, why did she say "never mind" when he was still unwilling? After adjusting her mood, she was clearly very happy when she saw the crab the next day, but now she felt a little apologetic.
Why?
A year ago, she didn't care about these things, but recently, when she realized that Wen Chuan seemed to have forgotten about it, the questions and doubts that the girl had hidden in her heart in the past also surfaced, and she found herself to be a little unhappy.
This makes no sense, Qingyu thought to herself, feeling completely bewildered.
Why?
There was no one around at this moment, only the sound of the wind and the whispers of the heart growing in the silence.
Wen Chuan unconsciously tightened his grip on the reins. For the first time, the boy didn't know what to say, whether it was an answer or a joke. He wanted to speak, but felt that he couldn't answer Qing Yu's question no matter what he said.
Qingyu kept watching him, watching his helplessness, watching his silence, and noticed that he seemed a little anxious.
The girl suddenly laughed. She turned around and looked up; they were both gazing at the same moon.
A gentle breeze under the moonlight caressed her bright smile, and her tone softened.
"Never mind, I just couldn't sleep, so I came to talk to you."
Qingyu brushed her skirt aside. The girl wanted to leave under the moonlight, but the boy beside her finally spoke.
His deep, helpless voice stopped her movements, instantly disrupting her previously calm state of mind.
“Qingyu, you always knew why, you were always a clear-headed and sensible person.”
"You just want to know what I think."
"You always like to do this, using innocent words to evoke other people's feelings."
Under the moonlight, the boy spoke softly, not uttering his last words—and then, everything would be under Qingyu's control.
At this moment, Qingyu heard an endless gentle breeze, and amidst her boundless emotions, she smiled and looked up at the full moon on the horizon.
She was indeed a willful and somewhat proud person, but at this moment, she neither thought about it nor wanted to.
“Wen Chuan, a year ago, I saw you cooking crabs in the kitchen. I was happy because I had won. I had successfully made you do things you didn’t want to do for me. I proved that I was important to you.”
“But at this moment,” Qingyu turned her head and looked at the gentle and refined young man beside her.
"I just feel sorry, sorry that I made you do something you didn't want to do. Ironically, I felt sorry then, but my happiness overwhelmed it, and it still is now, right now."
It wasn't until the golden autumn of another year, when she was more mature and her feelings were deeper, that she finally understood.
When young and experiencing the first stirrings of love, some people unconsciously try to prove their place in the other person's heart in various ways, even if it hurts the other person, even if they both know it's not necessary, and even if it doesn't count as true love.
The girl took a deep, soft breath, looked at the boy, and said earnestly,
"Wen Chuan, I know you don't care, but that's because you're good to me. I'm unhappy because I'm unhappy with myself."
“I know you’ve been accommodating me for the past two years.”
"I am indeed not a good-natured person. I have always known what I want and have always put myself first."
"I will only like people who like me."
Qingyu looked at Wenchuan, and under the moonlight, they finally locked eyes.
Wen Chuan was right, so she might as well be even more naive, naive enough to openly analyze all her thoughts, and openly express her growth and feelings. She just wanted to know Wen Chuan's feelings, to know them clearly.
After a moment of sighing, Wen Chuan looked at Qing Yu, the young man helpless yet with a deep smile, and called her softly, "Qing Yu."
"I didn't expect things to happen tonight; I wanted to wait a little longer."
"I still feel that you are too young."
Looking into the young man's gentle eyes, Qingyu smiled, and the girl understood what he meant.
"Human girls reach adulthood at sixteen, while demon girls reach adulthood at fourteen."
The implication is that, by any measure, she is already an adult.
Wen Chuan: "I know, but I always feel it's not enough."
Qingyu frowned slightly, wondering what he meant. Her expression was a mixture of confusion and displeasure.
I didn't understand what you meant.
The young man in blue unconsciously curled the corners of his lips. Under the moonlight, he was handsome and gentle, like a jade gentleman.
"I just want to know more about you, I want to know what you really like and what you really dislike,"
"My intentions have always been simple—I'm already in your life. What I want to do is to get to know you step by step, to see how you treat people and how you handle things. In the end, I want to exist perfectly, for a long time, and forever in your heart and in your life."
The moonlight was cool, and Qingyu's heart pounded like thunder. They were very close, their skirts intertwined, and the boy's words echoed in her ears. The girl finally felt a little dazed.
She was just telling him she liked him, but he seemed to be proposing love to her.
"But won't you feel wronged?"
Yes, so I'm very happy tonight.
Wen Chuan looked at the girl, and his usually calm eyes seemed to finally be filled with a gentle tenderness.
“I’m very happy, Qingyu.”
He was happy that she saw his efforts, he was happy that Qingyu was willing to tell him her feelings, he was happy that they were the same.
That spring day, he saved the love of his life.
The moon was high in the sky, and they looked at each other. A cool breeze blew through Qingyu's heart, which was burning with excitement. The girl was even a little confused.
Wen Chuan's smile remained unchanged. He gently reached out his hand, and the young man's slender fingers brushed across the girl's cheek, tenderly tidying her stray hairs.
A fleeting glimpse of night, a young man's gentle laughter, his tone unusually indulgent.
So, don't be upset.
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Author's Note: Data-saving version:
A year ago, the two had feelings for each other.
Now:
Xiao Hua reflected on herself [resting her chin on her hand], realizing she had fallen for Wen Chuan [let me see] —
So she wanted him to say he liked her [winking emoji]
Wen Chuan didn't want to talk. [Shut up]
Xiaohua carefully explained her feelings and insisted that he say it [covering her face and peeking].
Wen Chuan, helplessly [shyly]: Blah blah blah, I'm planning to be your perfect lover, blah blah blah
Little Flower [sprinkling flowers]: Oh no, I'm even more tempted now.
...
Ding ding ding, Jinlian has arrived. Passengers who need to get off or transfer, please take note. Thank you for your support and cooperation. We wish you a safe journey.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching, but the celestial phenomena are oppressive.
New passengers and those who haven't yet reached their destination, please enjoy the autumn scenery and, incidentally, escape for your lives.
Next stop, Shengjing.
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