Extra 1 (0.5
Busy days always make a year seem too short.
Time flies, and the New Year is just around the corner. At this time of year, Guan Nan is usually holed up in her studio, running around day and night, constantly moving between live streaming studios and locations. She finally got a six-month break last year, but this year she's back to the old ways.
Fortunately, she goes to get off work and leaves on time every day, no longer having to stay in the studio all the time, just like any other ordinary worker.
Before the holiday, Guan Nan went back to Hecangyuan again, cleaned up, and put up the couplets. She didn't go downstairs until evening, and before leaving, she looked back at 5-13 one last time.
—Beep.
Hearing the horn, Guan Nan turned around and saw a hand reaching out of the car window, casually waving.
The moment Guan Nanfang saw him, her tightly clenched lips relaxed instantly.
"Why did you stop here?" The car drove from the other end of the grocery store, deliberately taking a long detour, and stopped five or six meters away from the store. Guan Nan almost laughed when she saw this.
Jiang Li handed her the pancakes he bought from Gaosuntang, glanced at the rearview mirror, and said slowly, "Isn't this because I was worried that your godbrother wouldn't like me?"
Hearing this, Guan Nan smiled and said, "Don't worry, they've gone home for the New Year."
"..." Jiang Li rested his hands on the steering wheel, raised an eyebrow at her, and said indulgently, "Okay, I'll listen to you. Don't be afraid."
Guan Nan took a bite of the warm pancake and said, "Jiang Li."
"Hmm?" Jiang Li responded.
Guan Nan asked, "Where are we going?"
"Where do you want to go?" Jiang Li slowed down the car and asked in a lazy tone.
"Let's go to the Bell Tower," Guan Nan said after thinking for a moment. "I heard that wishes made under the Bell Tower are very effective."
"·····"
After a few seconds of silence, Jiang Li turned his head to look at her, took out a tissue to wipe the grease from the corner of her mouth, and said with a soft laugh, "Making a wish with the clock tower is not as good as making one with me."
Guan Nan was puzzled: "You're not the clock tower."
“Yes,” Jiang Li said honestly, “but I created this gimmick.”
Guan Nan turned her head to the side, "Jiang Li."
"Um."
“Last summer, I secretly made a wish there. I think it was pretty effective.” Guan Nan said very seriously, and then added, afraid that he wouldn’t believe her, “After all, it all came true.”
Jiang Li said, "Really?"
Guan Nan hummed in agreement.
In an instant, Jiang Li turned the steering wheel, steer the car that was about to turn into another lane towards the clock tower: "Since you've said so, let's go take a look."
The car didn't drive over; it stopped on the empty road where I had last watched her swing on the exercise equipment.
The two walked hand in hand slowly down the clock tower. As always, the area beneath the clock tower was filled with couples seeking love, taking photos and making wishes to commemorate the occasion.
Looking at the endless stream of newcomers, they slowed down.
Guan Nan seemed to only then remember his identity as "President Jiang," and couldn't help but ask curiously, "How did you come up with the idea of investing in Hecangyuan?"
After saying that, she added solemnly, "You're not going to say it's because of me, are you?"
"..." Jiang Li smiled, raised his hand to brush her wind-blown hair behind her ear, and said slowly, "Why can't I say it?"
Guan Nan looked up at him, "Jiang Li."
"Um?"
"Has anyone ever said..." Guan Nan asked seriously.
Jiang Li: "What did you say?"
“If it’s true, then you really are,” Guan Nan paused, then said slowly and deliberately, “a foolish, lord.”
Seeing her so serious, Jiang Li's lips curled up, and he said slowly, "Really? Then I quite enjoy being a tyrant."
When he spoke of a "tyrant," he emphasized it with an indescribable intensity.
Hearing this, Guan Nan couldn't help but laugh. "If you hadn't said it, it might have seemed more sincere."
Jiang Li laughed as well: "Really? Then I take back what I said."
“That won’t do,” Guan Nan shook her head, “It can’t be taken back.”
"The function to retract within two minutes is no longer working?" Jiang Li said slowly.
Guan Nan nodded: "Yeah. It's completely ineffective."
“I didn’t realize,” Jiang Li squeezed her hand, his voice tinged with amusement, and said slowly, “You’re quite domineering.”
Seeing how serious he was making it sound, Guan Nan wrinkled her nose and couldn't help but say, "How is this tyranny? I didn't restrict your personal freedom, nor did I tell you what to do or what to report, what time you have to be home, or that you can't smell other women's perfume on you."
“Hmm,” Jiang Li pulled her away from the pedestrians, “then I hope you’d better be a little more domineering towards me.”
It sounds exhausting to say this. Guan Nan couldn't imagine how tiring it would be to implement it. It seemed like a more physically demanding task than signing a contract. "...Then forget it."
But after saying that, Guan Nan was afraid that he would feel that she didn't value him, so she quickly added, "This depends on the individual's self-awareness."
Jiang Li: "Okay, I'll be more self-disciplined from now on."
She just said it offhand.
Upon hearing this, Guan Nan pursed her lips, as if to say, "You don't need to be so self-aware."
The next second, Jiang Li raised an eyebrow and solemnly said, "I will try my best to report everything, be home on time at seven o'clock, and only have your scent on me."
"·····"
“If you can’t do that,” Jiang Li said, “then kick me out of the house.”
She doesn't seem like that kind of person, does she?
Guan Nan choked for a moment, then looked up and glanced at his face several times before defending herself, saying, "It's not that serious, okay? Why do you make it sound like I'm inhumane?"
The photographer's attention was drawn to their brief conversation.
The two walked side by side. The man had a faint smile on his face, his posture was somewhat casual and relaxed, and he casually teased the woman with a few words. The woman was sometimes annoyed, sometimes frowned, sometimes blushed, and sometimes looked up at him.
I couldn't resist capturing the couple's bickering moment and sharing the photo.
The two were somewhat surprised.
Unsure of the other party's intentions, Guan Nan cautiously asked, "How much?"
"It's free." The photographer handed her the photo, waving his hand with a smile. "I came out to take some photos, and you two looked so well-matched that I couldn't resist taking one. This is the first portrait I've taken today."
The photos were very well taken, and Guan Nan offered him money, but he refused.
Jiang Li tugged at her hand and walked towards the vending machine. When he came back, he was holding a few bottles of drinks and handed them to the photographer: "Thanks, buddy."
"You're too kind." The photographer took the water, smiled, and walked away.
After packing the photos, the two walked to the foot of the clock tower. When Guan Nan finished fulfilling her wish, she turned around and saw Jiang Li staring at her.
Guan Nan, beaming, ran down quickly and hugged him tightly.
With his arm around her waist, Jiang Li looked down at her happy and contented smile and couldn't help but ask, "What did you wish for that day?"
"May--"
She hoped that God would give her a chance, even if it was just for a second or a moment, and she would muster all her courage to take the initiative to approach Jiang Li.
After a brief pause, Guan Nan looked up at him blankly, then suddenly her eyes crinkled into a smile: "I won't tell you."
"You really won't tell me?" Jiang Li chuckled softly.
Guan Nan shook her head: "No."
"Why?"
She felt as if it were all a dream, and only when the person standing below the steps did she feel a sense of reality again.
Guan Nan wrapped her arms around his waist, feeling the heat emanating from him: "Because..."
She greedily hoped for an afterlife, so that she could...
I promise him a lifetime of a hundred years.
"Why?" After hearing half of it without saying anything, Jiang Li thought he hadn't heard clearly, so he leaned closer to hear it more clearly.
Guan Nan met his gaze and said bluntly, "Because I love you very much."
There was a two-second silence.
Jiang Li raised an eyebrow: "How much do you love me?"
"I love you that much." Guan Nan took a step back, spread her arms to indicate the distance, and said very seriously.
Jiang Li was taken aback for a moment, then mimicked her gesture by doubling the size, and smiled as he gestured, "That much love?"
Seeing this, Guan Nan spread her arms wide, saying, "I love you so much."
“Oh,” Jiang Li smiled meaningfully, “you love him so much.”
Realizing that her behavior was too childish for her age, Guan Nan felt ashamed and paused for two seconds before immediately stopping, turning around and running away with her face flushed.
Jiang Li found it somewhat unbelievable.
After regaining his senses, Jiang Li smiled and strode after him, running a short distance.
In the instant their hands met, Guan Nan felt a momentary daze, just like that afternoon many years ago. After the bell rang, they ran freely and joyfully along Huangjue Road.
The next moment, Jiang Li stretched out his long arm, put his arm around her shoulder, and pulled her head into his arms.
He pinched her cheek with a wicked grin and whispered, "This time, I've got you."
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