Chapter 17 Ignition (Three-in-One) Rough fingertips kneaded her inch by inch…
"Chi Yu!"
"Chi Yu! Chi Yu!"
The girl's voice was clearly trembling with sobs, indicating she was terrified.
She tossed the towel she was using to dry her hair aside and ran out in a panic, as if some monstrous beast was behind her. Turning around, she bumped into a warm, broad chest.
It is Chi Yu.
Xin Mian was terrified and almost burst into tears, "Waaah..."
“Chi Yu…”
"I'm scared, I'm scared..."
"What's wrong?"
Chi Yu ran up, rushing forward in two strides, his chest heaving, and without hesitation pulled the person into his arms.
Xin Mian buried her head in his chest, pointing behind her, "Fat Orange...sofa..."
She can't even speak a complete sentence.
Chi Yu's handsome face was frighteningly gloomy. He wanted to go inside to see what was on the sofa, but she clung to him like a drowning person grasping at the only piece of driftwood, desperately trying to burrow into his arms.
He gently patted her slender back with his palm, his deep voice softening, "I'll go take a look."
"...Um..."
She nodded slightly, her fingers gripping his clothes so tightly they turned white.
Chi Yu put his arm around her shoulder and moved in little by little.
The girl's room was exquisite and clean, with a unique, faint fragrance.
The apricot-pink bedding set and sofa fabric were made of the same color, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere.
At that moment, several caterpillars were lying haphazardly on the light-colored sofa fabric.
Colorful caterpillars.
It was alive and constantly wriggling.
The chubby orange cat squatted next to the pile of caterpillars, occasionally pawing at them to push the caterpillars that were about to roll off the sofa back into the sofa.
The fluffy cat tilted its head and meowed in confusion.
[Don't you like people?]
This is a gift for you.
Xin Mian mustered her courage and glanced back. When her gaze fell upon the swarm of insects, it was as if she had been pricked by a needle. She quickly turned her head away and instinctively wanted to run away again.
Chi Yu grabbed her and pulled her close.
He wrapped his long arm around her, pressed his large hand against the back of her head, and pulled her into his embrace. "Don't look."
After saying that, his cold gaze shot straight at Fatty Orange.
The chubby orange cat, which had been gazing innocently at Xin Mian, suddenly twitched its ears, keenly sensing a hint of danger.
[Who? Who wants to kill me?]
Chi Yu's warm palm gripped his shoulder, and Xin Mian's back stiffened. She gripped his clothes even tighter.
"Close your eyes, I'll take you out."
She nodded gently, her lips slightly pale from being tightly pursed. She nervously turned around in his palm and was led outside by him.
After leaving the room and turning right, Chi Yu led her to the small living room on the third floor and pressed her down to sit on the sofa. "You can open your eyes now."
Xinmian felt extremely insecure and could only grab a nearby cushion and hug it to her chest.
Her eyes were glistening with tears as she looked up at him, opening her mouth as if to speak.
"...you...me..."
Chi Yu gently patted the top of her head with his large hand, his voice steady and reliable, "I'll handle it."
After saying that, he turned and left the small living room, heading towards his room.
Immediately afterwards, Xinmian heard a somewhat mournful "meow".
Then came the low whimpers of the chubby orange cat as it was being lectured.
Ten minutes later, Chi Yu returned, carrying Fat Orange in his hand.
"alright."
He threw the pile of insects, along with the sofa fabric, into a large trash can by the roadside.
Xin Mian paused for a few seconds before stiffly nodding.
Having dealt with the bugs, Chi Yu finally had time to teach Fat Orange a lesson.
He looked at it coldly and grabbed it by the scruff of its neck, forcing it to stand against the wall.
It's obvious he's being punished by standing.
"It's a girl's room, and you, a grown man, just barge in like that. Have some shame."
Chi Yu scoffed coldly, his deep voice containing a threat, "You're a cat and she's a human. You like insects but she doesn't. There's no way you two can be together."
The chubby orange cat meowed pitifully, but dared not try to be clever at this moment.
Like a child who has made a mistake.
After ordering Fatty Orange to stand as punishment, Chi Yu took a glass of warm water, returned to the sofa, and handed it to Xin Mian.
Her mood was noticeably better than before; she was calmer, and the wet tears that had been clinging to her eyelashes had completely disappeared.
Only her eyes were still slightly red.
The tall man knelt down on one knee in front of her, his dark gaze fixed on her until Xin Mian was almost embarrassed before he finally spoke, "So scared?"
The heat of the hot water traveled through the glass and directly into her palm, smoothing out the wrinkles of fear in her heart little by little.
Xin Mian nodded honestly, "I'm very scared..."
She always kept her distance from these creatures that crawled on the ground.
Chi Yu suddenly remembered the first day they met, when she was climbing a tree to catch a cat.
He smirked, "Such a coward, yet he climbed a tree to catch a cat before."
Don't you know that insects love to stay on trees?
Xin Mian belatedly realized what was happening and shifted her shoulders uncomfortably. "...I...didn't think that much about it at the time."
She wouldn't dare do it again.
She took a sip of water and whispered, "...Am I too embarrassing...?"
Few people are this afraid of insects.
Chi Yu straightened up slightly, hooked a stool over from the side with his long legs, and sat down casually opposite her.
His tone was cold and hard, yet tinged with helplessness, "What's so shameful about this?"
He's not good at comforting people; he's never done it in his twenty-odd years of life.
Now, looking into the little girl's red eyes, all I can say is this dry, lifeless sentence.
Xin Mian sniffed and mumbled, "...When I was little...I was once so scared by an insect that I fainted."
Perhaps it's a lingering trauma from that time...
Even when she's older, she'll still reflexively jump away if she sees even a small insect in a vegetable leaf.
The reaction was so strong that it seemed strange.
"...I...I don't know how to overcome it..."
Chi Yu stared at her intently, "If you don't know how to overcome it, then you don't need to."
Fear and anxiety are perfectly normal emotions; no one dictates that we must rank them or determine which is superior before we can stop.
Xin Mian froze, looking up at him.
For some unknown reason, her red eyes suddenly filled with tears.
She asked, sobbing, "Then... then there's nothing you don't understand...?"
“Of course,” Chi Yu replied quickly.
For example, they don't know how to comfort you.
Xinmian instinctively wanted to ask more questions, but before she could speak, something was stuffed into her arms.
Looking down, I saw it was Chi Yu's phone.
The top image shows the interface of a mini-game.
She was puzzled when he asked, "Playing games?"
Xin Mian was bewildered, not understanding why the topic had jumped so quickly.
The game's interface is colorful; it's an unfamiliar yet very simple match-3 game, and each pattern is adorable.
She was intrigued, sniffed, and asked him, "Is this difficult?"
Chi Yu leaned closer and turned up the sound effects volume for her, and cheerful game sounds immediately popped out from the phone's earpiece.
"I haven't played it before, why don't you give it a try and give me your feedback?"
"ah?"
Xin Mian looked up at him.
Chi Yu said in a relaxed and casual tone, "A friend did this, just think of it as a review."
"...Oh, okay."
Because she had the task of evaluation, Xinmian played very seriously and was completely focused.
Chi Yu stood up, looked at her for a while, and then turned and left the small living room.
The game's sound effects have a strong sense of rhythm, with occasional heavy beats.
The fat orange cat, punished to stand in the corner, stood upright with its front paws tucked in. Every time it was about to slip off, a loud sound effect would rang out, making its ears twitch, and it would immediately stand up straight again.
Not long after, Chi Yu returned.
He was holding a hairdryer.
Xin Mian had just finished a game when she heard the sound and looked up.
"This game is quite fun."
Her tone was relaxed, and the tension and fear that had brought her to tears had completely dissipated.
Chi Yu nodded casually, indicating to her, "You can continue playing."
As he spoke, he plugged in the hairdryer and walked over to her.
Xinmian then realized that her hair wasn't dry yet.
She quickly put down her phone. "...I'll do it myself."
Chi Yu suddenly laughed, his long legs stopping right in front of her, looking down at her.
"What? You thought I was going to blow-dry your hair?"
Xinmian: ......
"no..."
He must have just finished showering when he ran up here, as his hair was still a little damp, with a few stray strands hanging over his forehead, looking somewhat messy, and his pupils were dark and deep.
He looked at her with exceptional focus.
The image of her frantically burying herself in his arms flashed through Xin Mian's mind at an inopportune moment.
The man was tall and his tanned skin was slightly cool after a shower, but you could feel his body temperature even through his clothes when you touched it with your fingertips.
It is the warmth, strength, and vitality of an adult male.
She belatedly realized that the tips of her ears had turned red.
Just then, Chi Yu bent down slightly, and a refreshing and pleasant scent wafted over her, as if to completely surround her.
The distance between the two was immediately shortened, far exceeding the normal social distance.
Xinmian's breath hitched, and she instinctively leaned back, only to have a large hand grab her shoulder.
The man's deep, magnetic voice almost rang in her ear, "Don't move."
She froze completely, her fingertips clenching the cushion tightly at her sides. She endured it again and again, but finally raised it and placed it between the two of them, trying to create some distance between them.
However, the results were minimal.
A mature, hormonal aura was aggressively assaulting her fragile nerves. A few seconds later, Xin Mian finally found her voice, "...What are you doing?"
There was a rustling sound coming from behind.
Chi Yu stood up straight, his expression returning to its usual cold and roguish look, the old scar on his brow looking somewhat arrogant. "The wires are tangled together."
She turned her head to look and, sure enough, saw that a section of the hair dryer's cord still showed signs of being twisted up.
The crisp scent gradually faded from her memory. He slowly sat back down on the stool and reminded her, "Weren't you going to blow-dry your own hair?"
Xinmian snapped out of her daze and, without thinking, pressed the switch directly.
Before the hairdryer could even be aimed at her hair, the hot air blasted out and sprayed directly at the chubby orange standing in the corner.
Suddenly, all the cat's fur stood on end.
[Meow~!]
[Human! You're getting revenge on me!]
A slightly panicked, shrill scream rang out.
Fat Orange almost couldn't support its own weight and slid down, but was glared at by Chi Yu and stood up again by rubbing against the wall.
Xinmian was amused, and the slight ambiguous atmosphere from just now completely dissipated.
She adjusted the direction of the hairdryer, tilted her head slightly, and carefully dried her hair.
After taking a shower, she put on a cotton nightgown, the collar of which billowed out in the hot air.
Chi Yu had already sat down, but he was already much taller than her, and even sitting down, he was still taller than her.
At that moment, the glimpse of fair, smooth skin exposed at the neckline unexpectedly entered his field of vision.
Her shoulders and back were thin, with a small but noticeable indentation in her collarbone. Her neck and shoulder lines were slender and smooth, and the way she was blown her hair created a supple curve. Her skin was dazzlingly white.
His eyes darkened, but he didn't continue looking. He looked away and supervised Fatty Orange as he was being punished by standing.
After Xin Mian finished drying her hair, Chi Yu got up and put away the power cord. "I've sent the game to your phone. Play it when you have time, and feel free to give me your feedback."
Xin Mian instantly recalled the fear of being dominated by her graduation thesis, "You don't want me to write a user experience report for you, do you?"
Chi Yu almost laughed in exasperation, "Why are you taking on all the work yourself?"
Xin Mian understood what he meant and quickly waved her hand, "No, no."
I will not take on any work, absolutely not.
She stood up, thanked them, and then tried to leave.
However, from the corner, a mournful gaze followed her relentlessly.
Fat Orange is still being punished by standing in the corner.
She stopped, pursed her lips, and turned to look at Chi Yu. "Shouldn't we... give him a little punishment as a warning?"
"Um...corporal punishment is not encouraged..."
As she spoke, she raised her fingertip and lightly pointed in the direction of the chubby orange.
[Meow~]
[Human, save this cat!]
Fat Orange knew that Xinmian was pleading for it, and its cries became even more mournful and desolate.
The word "we" inexplicably pleased Chi Yu.
The man crossed his arms, his broad shoulders pressed against the wall, a slight smile playing on his lips as he lazily glanced at the chubby orange. "Alright, for her sake, you don't have to stand as punishment."
[Meow~!]
The fat orange cat's bark instantly cheered.
However, the next second—
“However,” Chi Yu continued slowly, the remaining person and cat in the small living room staring intently at him, their eyes filled with the same expectation, but with a different kind of clear brightness, “there will be no small yellow croaker tomorrow.”
[Meow!]
The cries suddenly turned sour.
[I swear to defend my little yellow croaker to the death!]
The chubby orange cat shook its fluffy head and barked several more times.
[So what if I have to make a kitten stand as punishment? I've never heard of a kitten dying from standing as punishment!]
The fat orange cat's protesting meows were particularly loud; even Xinmian, who had never owned a cat before, could hear its dissatisfaction.
She cautiously raised her eyes, hesitated for a long time before finally speaking, "...Can't you make an exception?"
"Or, should I pay for tomorrow's small yellow croaker?"
After all, Chi Yu punished Pang Ju because of her, so her pleading for mercy seemed a bit ungrateful.
But the chubby orange looked so pitiful that she couldn't help but soften her heart.
The man narrowed his dark eyes, looking at her meaningfully. "Do I look like someone who's short of money for two fish?"
Having said that, he no longer cared whether or not Fatty Orange was punished.
They've stood up, and they've given them a lesson.
Seeing Xin Mian pleading for Pang Ju with her delicate brows furrowed and her face full of worry, some wicked thoughts in his heart seemed to be about to burst forth.
"Is it worth it to plead for it and incur a favor?"
This sounded like there was room for negotiation, so Xin Mian didn't hesitate and quickly nodded, "It's worth it, it's worth it."
Chi Yu didn't reply, but stared at her intently, his gaze as tangible as a physical object, full of meaning, making her feel a chill run down her spine.
Just when she was about to back out, he finally relented and slowly nodded, "Okay."
Xin Mian's eyes suddenly lit up, "Really?"
Two dimples appeared on the girl's fair cheeks, staring straight into his eyes.
Chi Yu's Adam's apple bobbed, and he nodded again. "Really."
Xinmian quickly ran to the corner and hugged Pangju, "Pangju, Pangju, your little yellow fish is safe!"
[Meow~]
The chubby orange cat was pressed into her arms, its fluffy face pressed into a small persimmon shape, and it raised its paw to pat her arm.
People who protect fish should repay their kindness with boundless gratitude.
A person and a cat, squatting in a corner, put on a heartfelt performance.
Chi Yu couldn't help but find the fat orange cat's paw resting on Xin Mian's body an eyesore. He straightened up and walked over, grabbing the fat orange cat by the back of its neck with one hand, its round cat eyes almost turning into phoenix eyes.
Xin Mian stood up and followed him out.
"Thank you for what you did earlier."
She thanked him sincerely, her tone low and gentle.
The window at the far end of the third floor was open, and a night breeze blew in, stirring the hem of her skirt near her ankles.
Chi Yu paused slightly, turned around, and without warning, raised his hand to ruffle her hair, whispering, "Go to sleep early."
The warm weight fell, and Xinmian was completely stunned.
She could clearly feel the breadth of the man's large hands, and even the subtle sound of the calluses on his palms rubbing against her hair.
It was magnified little by little as her heart suddenly raced.
All other sounds seemed to fade away in that instant, and the small space became the whole world, as if only the two of them remained.
"despair--"
A noise suddenly came from the courtyard gate on the first floor; it must be Chen Xiulian returning.
Xin Mian snapped out of her daze, looked away from him, and with her ears burning red, ran quickly back to her room.
"Bang—"
The room door was closed.
The wind from the closing door rushed straight at him, and the faint fragrance of her body seemed to linger in the air.
Chi Yu stood in front of her room for a while until the chubby orange cat he was holding started to wriggle unhappily. Only then did he look away and slowly curl his lips into a lazy smile.
***
After this incident, Fatty Orange behaved itself for several days.
Xin Mian used these few days to finish drawing the picture book that the publisher had commissioned.
She breathed a sigh of relief when she clicked the send button in the email.
Concentrating intensely on drawing is very mentally taxing. She had been drawing for several days in a row, and at this moment she did feel a sense of exhaustion after putting in the effort.
It was dusk, and from the balcony's floor-to-ceiling windows, one could see the shimmering sea in the distance.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, it still shone like an orange-yellow fireball, painting the sky with a dazzling gradient of colors in its afterglow.
Xin Mian closed her laptop, lazily lay on the table, stared at the orange-red clouds that were about to be replaced by azure blue for a while, then got up and opened the French windows.
On a midsummer evening, the sea breeze has long lost the heat of the day.
A gentle breeze blew by, ruffling the strands of hair at her temples.
Looking out from the balcony, the crowds on the beach appear as tiny, slowly moving dots.
Xinmian rested her hands on the balcony railing, enjoying the view of the sea and sky meeting.
Then, suddenly, the sound of a lighter's flint wheel spinning came from downstairs.
She looked down and saw Chi Yu leaning lazily against the second-floor balcony, a cigarette dangling from his mouth.
His brows were slightly furrowed, and he held a lighter in one hand.
The faint firelight flickered and danced in the evening breeze, casting shadows that revealed the old scar on his brow.
However, the cigarette couldn't be lit.
The man noticed her gaze, put away his lighter, took the cigarette from his mouth with his long, well-defined fingers, and looked up at her.
There seemed to be a light flickering in those dark, bright eyes.
Xin Mian was taken aback, then saw him lean back lazily, a half-smile playing on his lips as he spoke, "Xin Xiaomian, have you forgotten something?"
Xinmian: ? ? ?
"...What's up?"
As soon as she finished speaking, she realized what she meant.
She quickly ran back to her room, grabbed her phone, and opened the shopping app.
The sky has fallen.
The pants she ordered for him were pre-sale items.
It hasn't been shipped yet.
The day after tomorrow is the date I arranged to go to the beach with Qin Shengtian.
It's probably too late.
She clicked into the customer service chat window and asked when the goods could be shipped.
The reply I received was that it would be sent out at the earliest tomorrow.
Xinmian pouted somewhat helplessly.
It's almost 7 o'clock now. Even if I cancel this order and reorder, it probably won't be shipped out today.
Holding her phone, she slowly moved back to the balcony.
I was thinking about how to explain it better.
Chi Yu remained in the same position as before, leaning against the balcony railing, but the cigarette in his hand was gone.
As the last golden rays of the setting sun faded, a cool evening breeze stirred his T-shirt, outlining his slender waist.
Xin Mian was clearly thinking about how to tell him this, but as soon as she got close to the railing, her gaze was drawn to him.
Her gaze, as if equipped with radar, remained fixed on the man's lean and powerful waist and abdomen.
Even through his T-shirt, she could vaguely catch a glimpse of the shape of his muscles.
It's all because the third floor and the second floor are too close together; she can almost see the entire second-floor balcony.
The hem of the T-shirt swayed gently, like the only part of a still landscape painting that moved with the wind.
It's hard not to attract other people's attention.
However, the moment Xin Mian raised her gaze slightly, she met his long, narrow, dark eyes.
She snapped out of her daze, her ears turning a faint blush, and unconsciously tightened her grip on her phone.
"Um... the pants might not make it in time..."
Upon hearing this, he slowly curved his lips into a smile and chuckled softly, "I remember you bought me pants, not a performance outfit."
"Huh?" Xin Mian was even more confused. "What do you mean?"
"If it's not a performance costume, why was it delivered at a specific time?"
That makes some sense.
Xinmian silently suppressed the urge to cancel the order and repurchase.
——
Before they knew it, the date they had agreed upon with Qin Shengtian arrived.
Xinmian had been staring at the logistics information on her phone all day until a snap of her fingers rang out in front of her.
"No need to look anymore, the package won't be delivered that quickly."
The two had already left the house, walked out of Dongpu Lane, and were heading to the beach to meet up with Qin Shengtian and the others.
Around 6 p.m., the scorching sun that had been baking all day finally softened a little.
A large number of people, including tourists and locals, gathered on the beach to join in the fun and participate in beach activities.
Qin Shengtian, wearing shorts, stood in Yang Chengjing's elongated profile silhouette created by the sunlight.
Upon seeing Xinmian, he waved vigorously at her.
However, before she could speak, Liu Haoyuan, who was standing next to her, had already shouted out.
"Holy crap! Brother Yu, you're really not wearing anything!"
What happened to our brotherly bond? Why aren't you wearing the pants he bought?
Chi Yu glanced at him and said in a cocky tone, "It's just that I'm not wearing ugly pants, it's not like I'm not wearing any pants at all."
Liu Haoyuan made an exaggerated gesture of being heartbroken, "Brother Yu, don't you really think those pants are pretty good-looking?"
Xinmian stood timidly to the side, listening to their banter about the pants, not daring to say a word.
Silently, I picked up my phone and glanced at the logistics information again.
Qin Shengtian smiled and put her arm around Mianmian's shoulder, explaining, "Mianmian, look, there's an event on the sidewalk later. There will be many vendors setting up stalls tonight."
In order to develop tourism, Wangshui Island holds events on the beach from time to time.
Clearwater Bay boasts a gentle, calm beach and beautiful scenery, making it a top choice for every event.
The sidewalk along the coastal avenue has been specially designated for vendors to set up stalls, stimulating the street vendor economy and also boosting the economy of businesses near the coastal avenue.
Although it's called an event, it's more like a small market. Besides the market, Wangshui Island has also held bonfire events before, and is now even considering hosting small music festivals.
On one side of the beach, there is a bustling market stalls on the sidewalk, while on the other side, the closer you get to the sea, the quieter the noise becomes.
The waves, pushed and receded by the evening breeze, washed over the beach and rocks, their sound both distant and serene, strangely coexisting with the bustling activity on the other side.
Xinmian went out wearing a long dress, and the hem swayed slightly in the sea breeze.
She and Qin Shengtian walked hand in hand at the front, chatting and laughing as they went.
On the beach, some tourists were playing games, such as the common three-legged race.
One of the teams was in such a hurry that they tripped and fell flat on their backs, causing everyone to burst into laughter.
Liu Haoyuan put his arm around Yang Chengjing's shoulder and complained, "You used to fall down all the time when you played with this as a kid."
Yang Chengjing glanced at him and asked, "Who insisted on being in my group?"
Qin Shengtian turned her head with a smile, "When Yang Chengjing was in my group, he never lost."
The three children are about the same age and have been together since elementary school. Three-legged races are a common activity and game at school.
Liu Haoyuan, feeling "attacked" by the two of them, snorted, "Yes, yes, you two are the most in sync."
While talking and laughing, she pushed Yang Chengjing to Qin Shengtian's side and walked to Xin Mian's other side, saying, "Now that Xin Mian is here, I can be in a group with her from now on."
As soon as he finished speaking, a chilling gaze swept over from the side.
Liu Haoyuan shrugged, but still fearlessly moved closer to Chi Yu, deliberately saying, "Brother Yu is so aloof, he probably wouldn't be interested in this kind of trivial game."
Hahahaha.
Xin Mian watched them fooling around with a smile, nodded seriously, and muttered to herself, "I think so too."
I also think that Chi Yu looks down on this kind of "childish" game.
She had barely finished speaking when she felt a light pinch on the back of her neck, and she jerked her head around.
The man appeared behind her without her noticing, his tall figure almost looming over her, his body temperature warming her slightly.
She instinctively took a half step back, but the sand was too soft, and she stepped on her own heel, staggering slightly, when he grabbed her arm.
"Are you that afraid of me?"
Xin Mian immediately shook her head, "No, I'm not afraid."
Chi Yu, with one hand in his pocket, chuckled softly, "Is that so?"
He suddenly bent down, looked at her, and asked in a lazy tone, "Xin Xiaomian, do I eat people?"
"Won't."
“Oh,” he drawled, “looking at you, I thought I was some kind of monster.”
Xinmian silently grumbled to herself, "Demons and monsters aren't as eloquent as you."
"He's cursing me in his heart."
She stared in astonishment.
“You guessed right,” the man’s low chuckle sounded particularly irritating.
Xin Mian didn't dare utter a single word, nor did she dare to meet his gaze again.
Humans may instinctively feel fear towards creatures larger than themselves, especially someone as tall as Chi Yu, who is nearly 1.9 meters tall.
Standing next to her creates an inexplicable sense of oppression.
Sometimes he looks at her coldly, sometimes he teases her playfully, and sometimes he is very considerate and reliable.
She couldn't understand it or figure it out.
A gentle evening breeze stirred the stray hairs that had fallen onto her cheeks. Xinmian awkwardly touched her earlobe, her gaze sweeping around before finally settling on the small market on the sidewalk.
A burst of noise erupted from over there, attracting Qin Shengtian's attention, who waved to her.
"Mianmian, let's go take a look!"
There are also many small games at the street market, the most lively of which is a darts stall.
Similar to shooting games common in amusement parks, you can win prizes by hitting a certain number of balloons.
Just as Xin Mian was being pulled to the front by Qin Shengtian, some tourists finished their round and left dejectedly because they hadn't hit the balloon.
The two glanced around the wall of gifts at the back, and Xinmian stared intently at the cat spring tunnel toy, unable to look away.
Behind me, a warm body temperature approached, and a man's deep voice rang out.
"You want that one?"
The voice was very familiar. She turned her head and saw a tall, broad chest.
Further up, there is a sharp and well-defined jawline.
Not hearing her reply, Chi Yu looked down at her, her dark eyes reflecting her image, his gaze asking if she wanted to play.
The crowd around her was surging, but no one could squeeze past her.
The two were standing too close, and Xinmian subconsciously wanted to move forward, but for no reason she remembered what he had said on the beach earlier, and she stopped in her tracks.
She coughed lightly and nodded slightly. "It would like to give it to Fat Orange to play with."
"But I feel like I'm unlikely to hit it."
“Okay,” Chi Yu said as if he hadn’t heard the rest of her sentence, and immediately took out his phone to scan the QR code to pay.
Play three rounds.
Hearing the sound of the QR code payment, Liu Haoyuan, who was standing nearby, shouted excitedly, "Brother Yu! Let the boss see your skills!"
Chi Yu smiled, took the dart from the shopkeeper, and handed it to Xin Mian.
Xin Mian was stunned. "You weren't playing?"
"It's you who's playing."
"But I can't."
"I'll teach you."
That's why he bet on three rounds.
I gave her the first two games to practice with.
Seeing his confident demeanor, the boss couldn't help but tease him, "Brother, don't blame me if you embarrass yourself in front of your girlfriend later."
"We are not..."
Xin Mian wanted to explain, but the voice behind her beat her to it.
He calmly replied to his boss, "I can't afford to lose face."
Xin Mian looked up at him, her voice low, reminding him, "I have absolutely no idea how to do this..."
He smiled casually, "Don't you believe me, or don't you believe in yourself?"
She answered honestly, "I don't believe in myself."
Qin Shengtian quietly leaned closer and said, "Mianmian, don't worry, Brother Yu is really good at this."
Xin Mian: I trust him, but I don't trust myself...
As she was lost in thought, Chi Yu had already moved up a position behind her, completely enveloping her.
His warm chest pressed even closer than before, his head slightly lowered, his breath warm and gentle. "Hold the back half with your fingers, and use your wrist to pull."
"Five in the first round, let's test the distance first."
As he spoke, he shoved a toy dart into her hand.
His long, well-defined fingers pinched her fingertips, adjusting her gesture.
Ke Xinmian's attention is completely unable to be focused.
He was so close that even with her back to him, she could still smell his unique, refreshing scent.
The warmth emanating from his broad chest wafted over her from behind, soothing her slender back.
His rough fingertips kneaded her fingers inch by inch, and finally wrapped around the back of her hand, like a warm shell that blocked out the cool night breeze.
She threw the first two darts while she was lost in thought.
Each dart hits a balloon squarely.
Qin Shengtian clapped and cheered from the side.
Xin Mian finally realized what was happening, but her gaze followed the movement of the two people's intertwined hands.
What are you thinking about?
His tone was extremely serious, as if the touch just now was not something he had done intentionally.
"Do you still want to win a prize?"
She abruptly pulled her hand back, only to hear him say, "Give it a try."
The dart was placed in the palm of his hand.
Xin Mian looked up blankly and met Qin Shengtian's expectant gaze.
"Go for it, Mianmian!"
She took a deep breath, trying her best to ignore the man with an overwhelming presence behind her.
He threw several more darts, but missed.
His voice rang out from above her head, “The wind is blowing from the south tonight, so throw the darts a little off course.”
"Try again."
When the wind blew, the decorations on the spring of the cat spring tunnel toy on the toy wall swayed gently.
Xin Mian glanced at it out of the corner of her eye, then immediately looked back at it.
Focus your attention and keep a close eye on those balloons.
Of the five darts thrown in the first round, only the two that Chi Yu threw while holding her hand missed; the other three all missed.
People nearby were whispering that this game was too difficult.
The boss dared to set it up like this, so he definitely wouldn't let anyone win the prize so easily.
Xin Mian looked up, about to follow the sound, when the man's hand flashed past in her line of sight.
“Xin Xiaomian, Fatty Orange is still waiting for you to bring back a gift at home.”
The voice was so low that only the two of them could hear it. In her mind, the image of Fatty Orange pacing back and forth on the third floor these past few days, yet not daring to enter her room, came to mind.
The next second, her ears were covered by a warm palm.
The surrounding chatter was blocked out, like noise-canceling headphones, but with a greater sense of security.
In the second round, he hit 3 out of 5 darts.
This is already an unexpected result, and now there's only one round left.
Xinmian took a deep breath, trying to recall the feeling of hitting the dart.
In the third round, five darts were thrown from her hand one by one.
The popping sounds of balloons being poked and the gasps of the onlookers continued to rise, but they were shut out from her world.
Qin Shengtian and Liu Haoyuan's mouths were wide open, but Yang Chengjing manually closed them, one on each side.
After throwing all the darts from her palm, Xinmian stared at her hand in disbelief.
Was she possessed by Chi Yu?
Otherwise, how could he shoot so accurately?
"Ahhh! We won!"
Qin Shengtian exclaimed in surprise, and Liu Haoyuan also exclaimed "Holy crap!" repeatedly.
Xinmian turned her head, her clear black and white eyes sparkling.
"Chi Yu! Chi Yu! I actually got them all right!"
The girl's fragrant hair fluttered in the evening breeze, lightly brushing against the man's sharp jawline.
The bright streetlights illuminated the deep, melancholy light in his eyes.
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Author's Note: [Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers]
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