Chapter 33 The Kiss. 9/30.07.00
Kwon Ji-yong looked at An Yeo-feng's thoughtful expression, feeling both uneasy and expectant.
She was anxious, knowing that he might react negatively if he found out his thoughts.
He also hoped that she would understand his feelings and not reject him.
An Rufeng opened her mouth, originally wanting to directly ask him what he meant and whether he liked her.
However, she stopped herself quickly.
This Schrödinger-like liking may or may not exist.
If he doesn't explicitly state it, just pretend it doesn't exist.
She didn't need to ask for clarification beforehand.
After all, if he likes someone, he'll say it directly someday.
If she didn't like it, she saved herself the trouble.
The words Anjou wanted to ask before the wind subsided.
She glanced deeply at Kwon Ji-yong, who was looking at her with a smile, and casually said "Whatever makes you happy" before leisurely walking out of the private room.
Kwon Ji-yong frowned as he watched An Yeo-feng's composed back.
Did she sense his affection? If she did, why didn't she react at all?
Was it just his imagination when he sensed her emotions?
Kwon Ji-yong immediately denied this method; he was certain she had some idea.
She has always been keenly perceptive of other people's emotions; she could tell how he felt from their very first meeting.
She might have sensed it now, but it was vague and she had some doubts, just as she had doubts about the feeling Watanabe gave her.
Quan Zhilong's eyes darkened slightly, and he suddenly laughed, following An Rufeng and standing shoulder to shoulder with her.
Whether she clearly felt it or had a vague feeling, she didn't show any rejection or aversion, did she?
He should just keep it up.
It wouldn't be a bad idea to take things a step further when the time is right.
"Where shall we go tomorrow?" Quan Zhilong asked An Rufeng on the way home.
He knew she couldn't stay at home and would go out almost every day, even if it was just for a city walk.
"Huh? You want to come with me?" An Rufeng turned to look at him. "Don't you have any plans tomorrow?"
Kwon Ji-yong shook his head: "Of course it's fine. Didn't I say I wanted to celebrate your birthday early?"
"You invited me to dinner, I thought you only had time in the evening."
"I'm taking the whole day off tomorrow."
Because An Ru Feng was going to spend her birthday with her family and not with her friends, Quan Zhilong specially set aside the day before her birthday.
It's really inappropriate to just give a regular gift to someone you like on their birthday!
"I'm going to see Nala tomorrow morning, and then to see an art exhibition about sculpture in the afternoon," Anrufeng said, revealing her plans.
"I'll go with you," Kwon Ji-yong said directly.
"If you don't find it boring." Anru Feng was naturally happy to have someone to keep her company.
"How could it be boring? It's very interesting."
After parting ways with Kwon Ji-yong in the elevator, An Joo-bong returned home.
Upon entering, An Rufeng saw the house was a mess and couldn't help but ask, "Mom, what are you doing? A spring cleaning?"
"Pack your things and go on a trip. Your dad and I will leave after your birthday," Mrs. An replied as she packed her things.
An Rufeng's heart sank, and she couldn't help but ask, "Are you going on a trip? When will you be back?"
"He won't be back anytime soon."
"Shall I go with you?" Anru Feng asked softly.
“No.” Mother An looked up and refused gently.
"Why?" An Rufeng's expression was not good.
“It’s just the two of us. What are you going to do? You have so many friends, all around the same age. Young people should hang out with other young people.”
“But I just want to be with you all.” A vulnerable look appeared in An Rufeng’s eyes.
An's mother put down her luggage, stood up, hugged An Rufeng, and gently advised, "From January to now in June, your father and I have been with you in Tokyo for half a year. Half of that time has passed. Try to get through the rest of the time on your own, okay?"
“But without you, I feel... I feel so lonely.” An Rufeng couldn’t help but shed tears.
Hearing the sobbing beside her, Mother An didn't say anything, but just silently hugged her and patted her back gently to comfort her.
After crying for a while, An Rufeng's mother saw that An Rufeng had vented her emotions, so she let go of her and poured her a glass of juice.
As An Rufeng sat on the sofa with red eyes, holding a glass of juice, her gaze following An Rufeng as she packed her luggage, An's mother finally couldn't help but say, "We'll try our best to answer your calls."
Anru looked at her mother with still-wet eyes, her voice hoarse: "I can't see your faces."
An's mother compromised: "We will accept your video calls and try not to go to places with poor network connectivity."
Anru Feng then drank the juice in her hand.
The next morning, Anru and Quan Zhilong went to the park to pet the cats, but their aunt said that Nala had run off to play by herself yesterday and hadn't come back yet.
The summer sun was already scorching before noon, shining on every corner of the park.
Kwon Ji-yong and An Yeo-feng sat quietly on a bench under the shade of a tree in the park, chatting and waiting for Nala to return while avoiding the sun.
A gentle breeze caressed their hair. Kwon Ji-yong tilted his head slightly to look at An Yeo-feng, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
Before he met Anru Feng, on days when he didn't have any schedules, he would usually be surrounded by a group of friends, attending all sorts of lively parties. He was a fun-loving and lively person, and he quite adored and enjoyed those kinds of days.
After meeting An Rufeng, Quan Zhilong rarely went to such lively occasions. He mostly went with her to art exhibitions, took walks and chatted, or met and made friends with strangers.
Kwon Ji-yong never expected that he would find himself enjoying such a life, free from extravagance and excitement.
It could be described as a life of self-cultivation, which he found anything but boring; on the contrary, he felt fulfilled and satisfied. Even the feelings of loneliness, solitude, and emptiness that he used to experience were now rarely felt.
He found everything he did with Anru Feng to be incredibly fun, fulfilling, and joyful, even if it was just talking or not talking at all.
As the two were talking, Alexander walked over with a look of delighted surprise: "Ann, you're here too! What a coincidence!"
Hearing the voice, An Rufeng turned around with a surprised smile on her face: "Qiao, are you here to see Watanabe?"
This park is opposite the Watanabe residential area.
Alexander nodded, and seeing Anjou sitting leisurely in the chair, he couldn't help but ask, "Didn't you come to see Watanabe?"
Anru Feng shook her head: "I came to see an aunt's cat. Watanabe also likes that cat very much. Its name is Nala. If you often come to see Watanabe, you should know it too."
Alexander's eyes widened upon hearing this, and he blurted out in surprise, "Watanabe likes cats? Doesn't he... hate cats?"
He stopped mid-sentence, then chuckled, "Nala? You really like it? Maybe I've actually seen it. Can I see a picture?"
"Aren't you classmates and friends for years? How come you don't know if Watanabe likes cats?" An Rufeng asked casually when she saw his surprise at Watanabe's hobby, and also showed him the photos.
Alexander frowned when he saw Nala's photo.
Seeing his expression, which didn't seem like one of doubt or suspicion, An Rufeng couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong? Is there a problem?"
“I think I was…” Alexander thought of something and didn’t finish his sentence. Instead, as if he had just noticed Kwon Ji-yong, he greeted him and abruptly changed the subject.
Kwon Ji-yong listened to the two's pleasant conversation from the side, especially Alexander, who still seemed to have feelings for An Joo-fung, and now only pretended to see him after a long time, so how could he be in a good mood?
Kwon Ji-yong gritted his teeth. He wasn't her boyfriend yet, so he couldn't do anything openly.
Kwon Ji-yong greeted Alexander with a friendly smile.
He shifted his body slightly, and without making a sound, reached his hand behind the Anjoufeng chair, bending it slightly so that from Alexander's angle it looked as if he were embracing Anjoufeng.
Alexander frowned upon seeing this, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.
Does An already have a new date?
He glanced at Kwon Ji-yong and realized he looked familiar; it was the same person who had hit him last time.
So he likes An too. No wonder he was so angry last time.
Alexander mentally assessed his chances of winning.
Kwon Ji-yong slightly raised his chin, looked at Alexander, and asked with a smile, "You seemed to have something left unsaid?"
Alexander, upon hearing him mention what he hadn't finished saying, instantly put aside his thoughts and simply said, "It's nothing, I just felt like I'd seen it somewhere before, but I can't quite place it."
“I see,” Kwon Ji-yong said calmly but matter-of-factly, and smiled. “I thought you had something important to tell us.”
Kwon Ji-yong specifically used the word "we," placing Anjou-feng and himself in the same camp, separating them from Alexander.
Alexander watched as Kwon Ji-yong "embraced" An Joo-bong and spoke to him casually, looking like they were a couple. He felt a pang of disappointment. Did he have no chance?
Alexander was already somewhat unsettled, and seeing this scene only made him more agitated, so he said a few words and hurriedly took his leave.
Nala didn't come back all morning. In the afternoon, the two of them went to see a sculpture exhibition and bought some sculptures to take home.
In the evening, Kwon Ji-yong arrived early at a French restaurant he had booked.
Soft piano music played in the restaurant. He chose a window seat, through which he could see the bustling streets and the brightly lit skyscrapers in the distance.
Kwon Ji-yong wore a white shirt with the collar slightly open, looking both casual and elegant.
His gaze kept drifting towards the door. The doorbell rang softly, and An Rufeng walked in. Quan Zhilong's eyes lit up, and his gaze was immediately drawn to her.
An Rufeng wore a white long dress. The dress was perfectly tailored, outlining her slender figure. The hem of the dress swayed gently with her steps, revealing her delicate calves.
She wore a pair of green silk high heels, the ribbons as green as tender new buds wrapped around her slender ankles, making her calves look smooth and fair.
Her long, jet-black hair was half tied up, with the other half hanging straight down behind her ears. She wore a pair of small pearl stud earrings.
Her steps were confident and composed, her demeanor as elegant as a white tulip.
Kwon Ji-yong stood up and greeted him with a smile.
He took out a carefully wrapped bouquet of daisies from behind him; the flowers were pure white and emitted a faint fragrance.
He handed it to An Rufeng, flashing a bright smile that revealed his white teeth, and said, "Happy birthday, Rufeng!"
White petals and yellow stamens, huddled together, wrapped in light green paper, look quite fresh and natural.
An Rufeng smiled and took it, then lowered her head to sniff it lightly before looking up at Quan Zhilong: "It looks great, thank you!"
Then she smiled and asked Kwon Ji-yong, "Why did you send me this kind of flower?"
Anru asked this not because chrysanthemums are often used in China to express respect and remembrance for the deceased, and that receiving chrysanthemums would be considered taboo.
She hadn't even considered this possibility.
She paints traditional Chinese paintings, and in her heart, chrysanthemums, along with plum blossoms, orchids, and bamboo, are the "Four Gentlemen," symbolizing noble qualities and unwavering spirit. She was very happy to receive chrysanthemums.
She was just curious about why he thought of giving her chrysanthemums.
She had usually received bouquets of roses or mixed bouquets, so this was the first time she had ever received a bouquet of pure chrysanthemums.
Was it because she paints traditional Chinese paintings that he sent her chrysanthemums?
Daisies symbolize "hidden love" or "secret crush," so Kwon Ji-yong giving her daisies was a subtle way of expressing his feelings.
An Rufeng suddenly asked this question, and he thought she was asking why he gave her flowers with such a symbolic meaning.
He was somewhat surprised that she asked him directly to his face.
Kwon Ji-yong glanced at her expression, unable to discern anything, but a deep meaning flashed in his eyes as he slowly smiled and said, "Because I like it very much."
He paused, looked up at An Rufeng, his brown eyes sparkling like starlight, and said softly, "My love is for you."
His eyes, filled with a gentle smile, revealed joy, sincerity, and an indescribable affection.
An Rufeng met his gaze, a gentle look that made her instinctively want to sink deeper into it, and her eyelashes trembled slightly, her heart beating a little faster for no reason.
She lowered her eyelids and shook her head helplessly.
He's using ambiguous language again.
Anru Feng laughed, "What! Just because you like it? You're so narcissistic." She shook the daisy. "But I like this flower too. So I'll accept it."
"Ru Feng, do you like her too? Why is that?" Kwon Ji-yong asked with a smile.
"Because it represents noble and steadfast character."
"Anything else?"
"What else?" An Rufeng looked at him in confusion.
Does it only represent purity and steadfastness? Does it represent anything else?
"What other meanings does it have?" An Rufeng asked Quan Zhilong. Apart from the part about the character of a gentleman, she really hadn't paid attention to any other meanings.
Kwon Ji-yong sighed, smiled helplessly, and told her about its other meanings: "It also represents innocence, peace, hope, pure beauty, and love hidden deep in the heart."
Anru Feng exclaimed in surprise, "It has so many meanings?" She then asked with a smile, "And what is it about you that you like it?"
“All of them.” Kwon Ji-yong finished speaking, then gave An Ru-feng a meaningful look, “However, lately I’ve been paying more attention to its emotional connotations.”
In terms of relationships? Love hidden deep in the heart?
There are always things that can lead to misunderstandings.
As they spoke, the two had already sat down at the dining table.
An Rufeng gently placed her hand on the table, propped her chin up with one hand, and couldn't help but wonder, could he really like her?
She looked up at Kwon Ji-yong, pondering the question.
An Rufeng was wearing long sleeves, and because she was supporting herself on the table, the sleeves were pulled up, revealing a section of her slender white wrist.
With her wrist bones slightly protruding and her fingers slender, Kwon Ji-yong's gaze unconsciously lingered on her hands.
As An Rufeng pondered, her attention was drawn to Kwon Ji-yong's face.
Her gaze lingered on his brown eyes for a moment, then gradually moved to his lips.
Her gaze moved slowly, gradually tracing the shape of his well-defined lips.
She has a very beautiful mouth shape. When she purses her lips and doesn't smile, she looks indifferent, but when she smiles, she is very infectious. When she pouts, she is even cute.
"What's wrong?" Kwon Ji-yong couldn't help but feel something under her intense gaze. His eyes darkened as he asked.
An Rufeng glanced at Quan Zhilong and said directly, "Your lips are very beautiful."
Upon hearing this, Kwon Ji-yong raised an eyebrow and smiled, then reached out and took her hand, which was supporting her chin, and held it in his palm.
His lips kissed her hand.
He slightly raised his eyelids, his deep gaze unabashedly fixed on An Rufeng's crimson lips.
He stared at her lips for a while before slowly raising his eyes to look directly into An Rufeng's eyes.
He gave her a low, smirking smile, his voice cold and husky: "It's for you."
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