gentle
In early autumn, after several days of lingering rain, Luo Yan sat in her office, staring at the code on her computer screen, her fingers flying across the keyboard.
I recently joined this internet company as a backend developer. The project is on a tight schedule, and I've already had my third cup of coffee on the table. Water droplets condensed on the cup are dripping onto my laptop.
"Luo Yan, want to go eat at that newly opened hot pot restaurant after get off work?" Her colleague Li Meng leaned over, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. "Their tripe is especially fresh."
Luo Yan rubbed her throbbing temples, looked at the interface on the screen that was still not fully debugged, and shook her head: "No, you guys go ahead, I have to finish fixing this bug, otherwise we won't be able to do joint debugging tomorrow."
Li Meng pouted: "Working overtime again? Won't your partner say anything?"
Mentioning Qi Sheng, Luo Yan's lips unconsciously curved into a smile: "He knows I just started working, so it's normal for him to be a little busy." Even so, she still felt a little uneasy—when she left in the morning, Qi Sheng had told her, "Don't stay up too late, I'll pick you up after get off work," and now it seemed she would have to make him wait again.
Night slowly fell, and the office gradually emptied, leaving only the sound of Luo Yan's typing. The rain continued to fall outside the window, and the streetlights shone through the glass, casting long patches of light on the floor. Suddenly, her phone vibrated; it was a message from Qi Sheng: "Are you done? I'm downstairs at your office, I brought some strawberries."
Luo Yan quickly saved the code, packed her things, and ran downstairs. When the elevator doors opened, she saw Qi Sheng standing under the eaves of the lobby, holding a plate of strawberries in his hand, with raindrops in his hair, but with a gentle expression.
"Why did you come over without waiting for my message?" Luo Yan ran over and brushed the raindrops off his shoulders.
“I guess you’re almost done with your work,” he said, shaking the strawberry plate.
The two walked towards the subway station under one umbrella. Qi Sheng tilted most of the umbrella towards Luo Yan, and his own shoulder quickly became wet. "Isn't the sports school busy today?" Luo Yan looked at him, feeling a little guilty.
"It's alright. We trained in the morning and organized the training plan in the afternoon," Qi Sheng said casually. "There was a funny kid today. He threw the ball into a tree while practicing his serve and insisted on climbing up to get it. I had to hold him up to reach it in the end."
Luo Yan was amused: "Aren't you afraid he'll fall?"
"Don't worry, I'm supporting you," he said, looking down at her with a smile in his eyes.
Back home, Luo Yan had just changed her shoes when Qi Sheng washed the strawberries and placed them on the table.
"Eat strawberries." He held a strawberry to her lips.
Luo Yan took a bite.
Qi Sheng sat down next to her and looked at her. "Are you tired from working overtime today? Was the code difficult to modify?"
"It's alright, it's just a bit convoluted," Luo Yan said while eating, "but now that it's fixed, I feel much more at ease."
Lying in bed that night, Luo Yan nestled in Qi Sheng's arms, listening to the rain outside the window, her fingers gently tracing his chest. "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting so long today," she whispered.
Qi Sheng tightened his arms around her, holding her even closer: "Why are you apologizing to me?" He lowered his head and kissed the top of her head. "You focus on your work, and I'll take good care of you. That's good enough."
The rain pattered softly, like a gentle lullaby. Luo Yan closed her eyes, the faint minty scent emanating from Qi Sheng filling her nostrils, and her heart was filled with peace.
The weekend sun was exceptionally bright, streaming into the bedroom through the gaps in the curtains and falling on Luo Yan's face. She groggily opened her eyes and found that Qi Sheng was already awake, leaning against the headboard looking at his phone, his fingers lightly swiping across the screen, careful not to wake her.
"Awake?" Qi Sheng felt her move, turned his head, and looked at her with a gentle gaze, as if she had just woken up.
"Hmm," Luo Yan stretched, "Don't we have to get up early for training today?"
“No need, it’s the weekend,” he put down his phone, reached out and ruffled her hair. “What do you want for breakfast? I’ll go buy it.”
Luo Yan nodded, staying in bed and not wanting to move: "Sweet soy milk, with extra sugar."
"Okay." Qi Sheng pinched her cheek, then got up and put on his clothes.
A little while later, Qi Sheng returned with breakfast and a small bouquet of daisies. The white petals were glistening with dew, fresh and beautiful. "I just happened to pass by a flower shop and bought them for you." He placed the flowers in a glass vase by the bedside.
Looking at the bunch of daisies, Luo Yan felt as if her heart was filled with something.
After breakfast, the two decided to go grocery shopping. Qi Sheng pushed the shopping cart, with Luo Yan following behind like a little tail. "The laundry detergent is almost gone, remember to buy some," Luo Yan said, pointing to the laundry detergent on the shelf.
Walking into the fresh produce section, Qi Sheng stopped and carefully selected pork ribs. "I'll make you sweet and sour pork ribs today," he said as he picked, gently pressing the ribs with his fingers to check their freshness.
Luo Yan hugged Qi Sheng from behind, pressing her face against his back: "Qi Sheng, you're so good to me."
Qi Sheng took her hand in return, his tone tinged with amusement: "How can I be your boyfriend if I'm not good at this?"
After returning home from shopping, Qi Sheng immediately went into the kitchen. Luo Yan leaned against the kitchen doorway, watching his busy figure, cutting ribs one moment and preparing sauce the next.
"Do you need any help?" Luo Yan walked over, wanting to assist him.
“No need, you can just sit and wait,” Qi Sheng said, pushing her out of the kitchen.
Before long, the aroma of sweet and sour pork ribs wafted out, a rich savory flavor mingled with the sweetness of sugar. Qi Sheng brought the ribs to the table; the golden ribs were coated in a thick sauce, looking incredibly appetizing.
"Try it and see if it suits your taste." Qi Sheng picked up a piece for her.
Luo Yan took a bite; it was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a sweet and sour taste. "Delicious!" she exclaimed, picking up another piece.
Qi Sheng watched her eat happily and couldn't help but smile: "Eat more if you like it."
On Wednesday morning, Luo Yan felt dizzy and weak when she got up. She touched her forehead and found it was a little hot. "I think I have a fever," she muttered to herself, struggling to get out of bed, but Qi Sheng held her down.
"You look terrible." Qi Sheng reached out and touched her forehead. "Why do you have a fever? Did you not cover yourself properly last night?"
"Maybe," Luo Yan said weakly. "It's okay, I'll just take some fever reducer. I still have to go to work today."
“You’re going to work with a fever,” Qi Sheng frowned, his tone firm and unwavering. “You must stay home and rest today. I’ll ask for leave for you.”
As he spoke, he picked up his phone, asked for leave for her, and then called the sports school to say that he would be late. Only then did he turn around to find fever reducers and a thermometer for Luo Yan.
"Let's take your temperature first." Qi Sheng handed the thermometer to Luo Yan and went to the kitchen to pour her a glass of warm water. "Take your medicine and get a good night's sleep. I'll make you some light porridge."
Luo Yan looked at his busy figure, feeling both warm and guilty: "I'm so bad, making it impossible for you to go to work normally."
Qi Sheng patted her head and said, "You should rest well. That's more important than anything else."
After taking her medicine, Luo Yan lay down on the bed and quickly fell asleep. In her hazy state, she felt Qi Sheng occasionally touching her forehead and covering her with a blanket. When she woke up again, it was already noon; her fever had subsided considerably, and she felt much better.
Stepping out of the bedroom, I saw Qi Sheng sitting on the sofa in the living room, watching training videos while glancing towards the kitchen every now and then. "You're awake. How are you feeling now?" He saw Luo Yan, immediately stood up, and went over to touch her forehead. "The fever has gone down."
"Much better," Luo Yan said with a smile. "Is the porridge ready? I'm a little hungry."
"It's ready a long time ago, it's in a thermos," Qi Sheng said, leading her to the dining table and serving her a bowl of millet porridge. "I added some yam to soothe her stomach."
Luo Yan sat at the dining table, sipping warm millet porridge, watching Qi Sheng bustling around, her heart feeling as if it had been gently warmed. "Aren't you going to the sports school? Won't that interfere with your work?" she asked worriedly.
“It’s alright. I’ve already taken care of the important things this morning. I can go later this afternoon,” Qi Sheng said, sitting across from her as he watched her drink her porridge. “Besides, how can I leave you alone at home when you’re sick?”
In the afternoon, before Qi Sheng went to the sports school, he put all the medicine and water at home within Luo Yan's reach and repeatedly told her, "If you get a fever again, remember to call me."
"Okay, go to work now, don't be late." Luo Yan smiled and pushed him out the door.
After Qi Sheng left, Luo Yan sat on the sofa, picked up her phone, and saw a message from Li Meng: "You have a fever? Are you alright? Do you need me to bring you some food?"
"It's okay, I'm much better now. My boyfriend is taking care of me at home," Luo Yan replied with an undisguised smile.
In the evening, Qi Sheng came home from work carrying a bag filled with Luo Yan's favorite fruits and snacks. "There wasn't much going on at the sports school today, so I came home early," he said, placing the bag on the table. "How are you feeling? Is anything bothering you?"
“No, he’s completely healed,” Luo Yan walked over and hugged him.
He lowered his head and kissed her forehead. "You need to be more careful in the future."
Take good care of yourself. "
That evening, Qi Sheng made Luo Yan a light vegetable noodle dish, and the two sat at the table, eating slowly. "By the way," Qi Sheng suddenly said, "my mom wants us to come home for dinner next weekend, and she said she wants to meet you."
Luo Yan paused for a moment, a little nervous: "Won't Auntie like me?"
“How could that be?” Qi Sheng said with a smile. “She has always been very curious about you.”
Luo Yan was still a little nervous: "Should I buy some gifts? It wouldn't be good to go empty-handed."
“No need, you can go in person,” Qi Sheng said. “My mother doesn’t need anything, she just wants to see you.”
The weekend arrived quickly, and Luo Yan followed Qi Sheng to his home. As soon as she entered, she saw Yu Jing wearing an apron and coming out of the kitchen with a warm smile on her face: "Yan Yan's here? Come in and sit down, are you tired from the journey?"
"Hello, Auntie," Luo Yan said, a little nervously, carrying the fruit she had just bought. "I'm not tired."
"You're here, why did you buy anything?" Yu Jing took the fruit and said with a smile, "Please sit down, I'll go wash some fruit for you."
Qi Sheng patted Luo Yan on the shoulder to reassure her, then followed his mother into the kitchen: "I'll help."
Luo Yan sat on the sofa in the living room, watching the mother and son busy in the kitchen, and gradually relaxed. After a while, Yu Jing came out with a plate of washed strawberries: "Yan Yan, try these strawberries, they're so sweet."
"Thank you, Auntie." Luo Yan picked up a strawberry, put it in her mouth, and found it sweet and delicious.
"Yanyan, I heard you're a software developer? That's amazing! It must be tough for a girl to do that, right?" Yu Jing sat down next to her, holding her hand, her tone friendly.
"It's alright, it was a bit difficult at first, but I'm getting used to it now," Luo Yan said with a smile.
Yu Jing seemed very kind and approachable, which completely put Yu Jing at ease.
During lunch, Yu Jing kept piling food onto Luo Yan's plate, and her bowl quickly became a small mountain. "Yan Yan, eat more. You're so thin, you must be working too hard," Yu Jing said with concern. "You need to rest more in the future and not stay up late all the time."
"Thank you, Auntie, I understand." Luo Yan felt warm inside, as comfortable as if she were at home.
Luo Yan was in an exceptionally good mood after leaving Qi Sheng's house. "Auntie really likes me," she said, skipping and jumping as she held Qi Sheng's hand.
"You can come often in the future."
"Mm." Luo Yan nodded.
That evening, Zhang Qi invited Luo Yan out for dinner, and also brought her boyfriend. "Our busy man finally has some free time?" Zhang Qi said with a smile. "How are you and Qi Sheng doing lately? Are you two always showing off your love?"
Luo Yan blushed: "What do you mean by showing off your love? Just live a normal life."
“Living a normal life?” Zhang Qi raised an eyebrow. “I’ve heard that some people pick up their girlfriends after get off work every day and buy them different kinds of delicious food every day. Is that what you call living a normal life?”
Feeling embarrassed by the comments, Luo Yan changed the subject: "Let's not talk about me anymore, let's talk about you. When are you getting married?"
Zhang Qi and her boyfriend smiled at each other: "Soon, we'll get married next year after the house is renovated."
Seeing the undisguised sweetness in their eyes, Luo Yan felt a soft ripple in her heart. She thought of herself and Qi Sheng, from their cautiousness on campus to the stable integration into each other's lives. She realized that love really does slowly settle into the most reliable form through daily interactions.
That evening, Luo Yan and Qi Sheng strolled slowly along the street. The evening breeze carried the coolness of early autumn, ruffling her hair. Qi Sheng naturally reached out to tuck it behind her ear, his fingertips brushing against her cheek, feeling the familiar warmth. "What were you talking about just now? You were laughing so happily," he asked.
“They were talking about Zhang Qi and his wife’s wedding plans,” Luo Yan looked up at him, her eyes sparkling. “They said they wanted to decorate their new house to be very cozy, and that they would often go out for meals together in the future.”
Qi Sheng held her hand: "Then let's make plans together often in the future. When the weather gets cooler, we can go camping together."
“Okay.” Luo Yan nodded.
It was almost ten o'clock when she got home. Qi Sheng went to pour her some warm water. Luo Yan sat on the sofa, looking at the bag Yu Jing had given her on the coffee table—it contained a pair of woolen socks she had knitted herself, the stitches fine and the socks warm to the touch. She picked up the socks and gently ran her fingertips over them; they were warm and soft.
Qi Sheng brought over the water and, seeing the socks in her hand, smiled and said, "My mom knitted them for several days, saying she was worried your feet would get cold in winter, so she specially chose the softest yarn."
Luo Yan looked up at him, her eyes a little hot: "Qi Sheng, thank you for making me feel at home in Su Yi."
Qi Sheng squatted down, took her hand, and looked at her earnestly: "This is your home. We will have many more days like this in the future, we will celebrate every holiday together, and we will make this home even fuller."
Luo Yan nestled into his arms, closed her eyes, and smiled contentedly.
Before going to bed, Luo Yan put the pair of wool socks in the most conspicuous place in the wardrobe. Qi Sheng tucked her in and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead: "Goodnight."
"Goodnight," Luo Yan said, taking his hand and placing it against her heart.
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