Chapter 39 Eating Candy
Young Xie Shiyan had a stern face and his brows were tightly furrowed, but in the end he couldn't resist her pitiful eyes filled with tears as she looked at him, so he secretly went to the convenience store and bought her a whole bag of lemon candies.
And what happened? She hid in the attic, like a little mouse that had stolen some oil, eating one piece after another, completely absorbed in the food. In the middle of the night, she was curled up in bed like a shrimp because of a toothache, her face pale, her forehead covered in cold sweat, rolling around in pain, her sobbing cries particularly heart-wrenching in the quiet night.
Alarmed, the two families rushed her to the emergency room. The sound of the drill mingled with her cries, becoming the most terrifying background noise of that summer.
Afterwards, she and Xie Shiyan were surrounded by their parents in the living room and given a severe scolding. The young Xie Shiyan stubbornly pursed his lips, remaining silent, but he tightly held her cold, trembling little hand in his sweaty palm, shielding her from most of the blaming gazes.
From that day on, Xie Shiyan imposed an iron fist on the candy in her pocket. Mature beyond his years, he wore a stern face, but his eyes held an undeniable seriousness, like a parent: "Ningning, two candies a week at most. If you eat any more, who will suffer the toothache for you?"
With that resolute tone, how could Jiang Yining possibly agree? The grievance of having her candy confiscated often brought tears to her eyes instantly, with tears hanging precariously on her long eyelashes, her small mouth pouting, as if she had suffered a great injustice.
Nine times out of ten, when Xie Shiyan looked into those eyes filled with tears and accusing him, his hardened heart crumbled.
He would sigh helplessly, resignedly take out the candy he had prepared in advance from his pocket, unwrap the candy, and stuff the small, bright yellow hard candy into her mouth, his fingertips occasionally brushing against her soft lips unintentionally.
As the tide of memories gently receded, Jiang Yining looked at the box full of candy in front of her, her heart warming and softening. She couldn't help but smile, a faint blush rising on her cheeks. She deliberately fiddled with the box of candy: "Wow, so much at once? Aren't you afraid I'll get cavities again?"
"Dream on." Xie Shiyan's deep voice rang out with a hint of laughter. At the same time, a warm, dry hand reached out, not to take the candy box, but to cover the back of her hand that was holding the candy box. His other hand was firmly gripping the steering wheel, his gaze still focused on the road ahead, but his voice clearly reached her ears.
"You haven't forgotten the rules, have you? Take one for yourself, and put the rest back."
Jiang Yining pouted and muttered under her breath, "Stingy."
Despite her complaints, she obediently opened the candy box, and a rich, tangy lemon scent wafted out. She picked out only one round candy, pinched the thin glass wrapper between her fingertips, gently twisted it, and then neatly tore it off.
She put the candy in her mouth, and her tongue immediately contracted slightly at the familiar yet domineering sour taste. Then, a refreshing sweetness spread out, neutralizing the sharp sourness perfectly.
She squinted comfortably, like a cat that had just been stroked and pampered, and let out a satisfied sigh: "Mmm...it's delicious."
The carriage was quiet. Xie Shiyan caught a glimpse of her obedient and content little face out of the corner of his eye. He let out a very soft chuckle, with a gentle indulgence that said, "I can't do anything with you," and gently shook his head.
The car drove into the bustling city center and finally stopped in front of a modern skyscraper. The huge glass curtain wall reflected the dazzling midday sun, creating an impressive sight.
Xie Shiyan unbuckled his seatbelt, turned to Jiang Yining, and said, "I'm going to take care of some urgent business. I'll be quick, at most forty minutes. Will you wait for me in the lounge?"
"Okay, go ahead and get busy." Jiang Yining mumbled a reply, her mouth full of candy, and unbuckled her seatbelt. Xie Shiyan got out of the car and quickly walked around to open the door for her. As soon as she leaned out, Xie Shiyan's hand instinctively reached out to protect her head.
He led Jiang Yining directly to a low-key and elegant lounge on the side of the first floor of the building. From outside the door, one could vaguely see comfortable sofas and green plants inside. A cool breeze swept over them as they entered, which felt so comfortable.
She steadied herself, looked up at the towering buildings nearby, then at the man in front of her, impeccably dressed and exuding an air of nobility. Suddenly, she tiptoed and quickly pecked his sharply defined jawline, the lingering sweet scent of lemon candy lingering between them.
"Go ahead, go ahead, Mr. Xie." A mischievous glint flashed in her eyes.
Xie Shiyan's eyes darkened, his Adam's apple bobbed almost imperceptibly, and in the end he simply raised his hand, rubbed his fingertips against her smooth cheek, and whispered, "Be a good girl and wait for me."
Jiang Yining watched him disappear before looking around the lounge. The air conditioning was strong, and a faint aroma of coffee filled the air. She found a sofa by the window and sat down, taking out her phone from her bag and casually browsing through it. The lemon candy on her tongue had mostly melted, leaving only a tiny bit of core sourness, stubbornly stimulating her taste buds.
She subconsciously licked her lips, her gaze sweeping over her small chain bag, and the memory of searching for candy that morning resurfaced.
"One candy... is too short to eat." She muttered to herself, her fingers unconsciously rubbing the strap of her bag, but her gaze involuntarily drifted to the familiar black Maybach parked outside the building, and she shook her head sharply.
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