Chapter 50 What is autumn in Mingde...?
Ji Qingyu's memory of what autumn in Mingde was like was already blurred; she only remembered walking with Fu Han on the tree-lined path behind the teaching building.
The wind rustled, and the maple trees turned a deep red. The leaves made a soft sound underfoot.
"Besides you, I haven't been close to anyone else." Ji Qingyu was busy explaining, but then felt that she seemed too eager, so she just tugged at Fu Han's hand.
"Really?" Fu Han smiled, leaned down, and pinched Ji Qingyu's chin. "Then who was that alpha who talked to you at the school gate today?"
“That’s my neighbor.” Ji Qingyu was forced to take two steps back, but Fu Han pulled her back.
"Neighbor? Really?"
"You, how dare you say that to me? Look at yourself!" Ji Qingyu finally blurted out after holding back for a long time, trying to remind the other person of something. His voice was half swallowed by the scarf. Sunlight shone on the tree-lined path, and the leaves cast golden shadows on the ground.
"Me?" Fu Han chuckled. "Are you going to tell me what to do?"
"I didn't..." Ji Qingyu retorted weakly, pursing her lips, looking angry but unable to speak out.
Seeing Ji Qingyu's reaction, Fu Han felt a little better. He stroked Ji Qingyu's earlobe with his beautiful, well-proportioned hand, and asked in a relaxed, upbeat tone, "How was yesterday's bento? Was it good?"
“It’s delicious, but school has already started. I can go to the cafeteria. Don’t bother your aunt; she works very hard too.” As Ji Qingyu spoke about this, some unpleasant thoughts came to mind, and her mood became low, causing her to distance herself from Fu Han.
Today it's strawberry parfait, tomorrow it'll be peach sabáyong, and there's also a huge thermos filled with ginger tea, barley water, and sweet red bean paste. Every day he feels like he owes Fu Han more and more; he doesn't like owing people like this.
The wind blew, scattering maple leaves all over the ground. Fu Han had always been a prominent figure, and even on this inconspicuous street, a few classmates who were passing by in a hurry would glance at the two of them, even showing some surprise and envy. Ji Qingyu felt uncomfortable, but Fu Han seemed to have long been used to it.
He smirked, seemingly oblivious to everyone around him, and raised an eyebrow. "Of course, my housekeeper is a very good cook. I had her teach me..."
He paused, then stopped abruptly.
"Teach what?" Why did this person stop halfway through his sentence? Ji Qingyu looked up at Fu Han with a strange expression, her eyes squinting as the sunlight dazzled her.
He didn't know how he appeared in the other person's eyes: a slender but well-proportioned figure, slightly curved eyes, pale lips, and a warm and gentle demeanor. His hair had a thin layer of light chestnut color in the sunlight.
Her lips were slightly parted, and a discerning eye could see the shape of her pink tongue. As it opened and closed, Fu Han stared at Ji Qingyu for two seconds before suddenly looking away and abruptly pulling her scarf up.
Ji Qingyu was stunned, like a beautiful snowman whose face had been suddenly covered, standing there blankly. He subconsciously reached out to grab Fu Han's hands, and only then did he notice the band-aid on Fu Han's hand. The band-aid was very cute. Ji Qingyu asked softly, "What is this?"
"What? What?" Fu Han frowned and turned his gaze, looking down at the band-aid. He smiled casually. "Oh, this? You hurt yourself by accident. What happened? Are you worried about me?"
Ji Qingyu shook her head, put her hand down, and took a few steps forward with her head down: "I'm afraid I'll have to wait in line to care about you."
"Why are you queuing?" Fu Han grabbed him impatiently, her tone turning serious. "Aren't you curious about how I got injured?"
Ji Qingyu haphazardly pulled off her scarf and continued walking forward in a sullen mood.
"Anyway, you got into a fight somewhere again! After a fight, a bunch of people will come and fawn over you. What do I have to ask? Let them ask!" Ji Qingyu raised her voice a little and turned around to glare angrily at Fu Han, who just laughed.
He pulled the omega close, his voice languid and ambiguous, carrying a tone that was neither too loud nor too soft, neither too light nor too heavy, neither too loud nor too soft, neither too loud nor too soft, not knowing whether it was contempt or a test. It was so languid and pleasant to listen to, hitting Ji Qingyu's eardrums and making Ji Qingyu's heart pound: "I said, you're not jealous, are you?"
Before Ji Qingyu could respond, someone called out to Fu Han from behind. It was an omega dressed in luxurious clothes, with a delicate and beautiful face and an arrogant demeanor. He was the one who had kissed Fu Han's cheek at the bar.
He didn't even glance at Ji Qingyu, but simply tossed a bunch of keys to Fu Han, flashed a bright smile, his cheeks flushed, gave her a restaurant address, and then waved casually, his tone as sweet as an expensive liqueur dessert, shyly saying, "See you later."
Fu Han took it with practiced ease. He was still holding Ji Qingyu's arm, gave a casual reply, and then looked down at Ji Qingyu, only to find that the smile on her face was gone.
The warm atmosphere between the two vanished instantly, leaving only silence. Fu Han opened his mouth as if to say something, but the next second another uninvited guest interrupted their conversation once again.
"Brother, what are you doing here? PE class is about to start. I was wondering why I didn't see you in your class's line." Ji Ran appeared out of nowhere and took Ji Qingyu's arm. "Let's go, or we'll be late for class."
Ji Qingyu was led along by Ji Ran like a puppet, carrying the lunchbox that Fu Han had given him.
Fu Han didn't stop him.
"Wow, this lunchbox is pretty." Ji Ran nodded as a greeting to Fu Han, her tone carrying a hint of teasing laughter. "What's wrong? You look down. Something on your mind?"
"Oh, it's nothing." Ji Qingyu came back to her senses. "He made an extra one and just gave it to me."
"That 'o' just now, how many times this month is it? Have you counted?" Ji Ran's voice was closer, sounding somewhat intimate, like a younger brother eager to persuade Ji Qingyu to turn back from her misguided ways.
"It has nothing to do with me." Ji Qingyu's tone was flat. "Let's go, isn't class about to start?"
They walked along the tree-lined path toward the playground. Ji Ran paused for a moment, then suddenly spoke.
"Brother, don't be sad... If you like bento boxes, I can bring you some. It's just that Auntie makes them, it can't be Fu Han himself." He patted Ji Qingyu on the back, took out a piece of candy from his pocket, and handed it to Ji Qingyu.
"Yes, of course not." Ji Qingyu lowered his head even further. He could clearly see the roadside weeds, so inconspicuous. This perspective was probably also the perspective from which Fu Han and his group saw him. He cleared his mind of unrealistic thoughts.
As expected, there was no sound behind her. Ji Qingyu resisted the urge to turn around. After a long time, she heard Fu Han and the omega laughing and joking again behind her. Of course, Fu Han was the kind of person who always had others revolve around him. He would never speak softly to others or be tolerant and accommodating.
Wasn't he the same, easily hooked by a mere flick of the finger and a few teasing words?
The old days faded away slowly like spots of light, leaving only some indelible afterimages. Ji Qingyu only remembered that the bento box that day was delicious. It was in an insulated box, and when she opened it, she found an omelet rice with "I Love You" written crookedly on it in ketchup. The writing was ugly, and Ji Qingyu only realized what it meant after she finished eating. She thought to herself that Fu Han's aunt was quite creative.
He had one bizarre dream after another. When Ji Qingyu woke up, his throat was dry and sore. The ward was dimly lit, with only the small night light on the bedside table shining faintly. The curtains were drawn, so he didn't know if it was day or night. He cleared his throat and turned his head to see a familiar face guarding him.
He was the one who was sick, but Fu Han looked even more haggard than him, with dark circles spreading under his eyes, and his handsome, aloof face shrouded in worry.
Fu Han leaned against the bedside, his eyes closed, and fell asleep with his face turned to the side beside him. This position looked awkward, so Ji Qingyu also turned his head to look at him awkwardly by the bedside.
Why is such a tall, imposing, and arrogant person showing such a vulnerable side? He had a feeling of unreality and reached out to touch Fu Han's nose. Before he could even touch him, the man in front of him seemed to have a telepathic connection, and his eyes flickered a few times.
Startled, Ji Qingyu immediately closed her eyes, instinctively pretending not to have woken up yet.
He heard a slight noise beside his ear, followed by the sensation of hot, burning breath. Someone gently kissed his cheek. A hand smoothed his stray hairs, then slipped down, stubbornly entwining with his fingers.
The beautiful voice is like an elegant and mellow cello, tinged with a sense of helplessness.
"It's been almost three days. Are you still not awake? I've made a lot of delicious food, all your favorites. If you don't wake up soon, I'm going to throw you away." His voice was low and hoarse, cold, but his hand gripped tighter and tighter, refusing to let go.
With her eyes closed, Ji Qingyu suddenly thought of the "I Love You" on the bento box, and a strange and absurd thought popped into her mind—could Fu Han have gone to the bar to listen to her sing and then specially made those bento boxes for her?
How could that be?
His thoughts were somewhat chaotic, wandering off to other things. The surroundings quieted down, and he could almost feel the other person's intense gaze fixed on his face.
After a while, his hand was pulled up and touched someone's skin. His cold and aloof demeanor melted, and his voice became softer than the red bean paste that Ji Qingyu had ever eaten, as if it were wrapped in a layer of cloying sugar, revealing a side that would never be seen under normal circumstances.
The heart rate monitor beside the hospital bed started fluctuating wildly, then began to jump and swell rapidly, about to break the warning line. He thought Fu Han had discovered he was pretending to be asleep, but the next second someone pressed their face against his hand and rubbed against it like a child.
That pleasant voice, tinged with grievance, heavy and muffled, gradually faded into the darkness, making Ji Qingyu's heart tighten along with it: "I was just kidding. I'll make whatever you want to eat from now on, so I'm begging you, please wake up soon, okay?"
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