"It's nothing." Qiao Qiu didn't know how to answer Gao Meng. She couldn't tell the truth, and she couldn't make up a lie either.
"If you're alright, go inside. You must be tired after such a long drive." Gao Meng wisely refrained from asking any further questions.
Qiao Qiu nodded, turned and went inside, then lay back on the sofa and rubbed her lower back. Sitting in the car for so long definitely wasn't comfortable.
Gao Meng walked up to her, bent down, and rubbed her skin. "Let me help you."
The moment Gao Meng's hand touched Qiao Qiu's waist, Qiao Qiu felt a tingling sensation spread throughout her body from that spot. Qiao Qiu quickly grabbed Gao Meng's hand, looked up to see Gao Meng's questioning gaze, and coughed awkwardly. "Um, Mengmeng, I'm hungry. My back is just a little sore; I'll feel better if I lie down here. What should we eat tonight?"
"We didn't buy any groceries, so we'll order takeout tonight." Gao Meng pulled her hand back, picked up her phone, and opened the takeout menu. "Qiuqiu, what do you want to eat?"
"I want to eat Jue Wei's braised duck feet. You can order the rest." Qiao Qiu continued to rub her lower back. Last time she went, she didn't feel her lower back was this sore. Tsk, her period might be coming soon. She should be careful these next few days.
"Okay." Gao Meng quickly ordered takeout and dragged her suitcase into the room.
Qiao Qiu turned over, looked at Gao Meng's room, and paused for a moment.
When Gao Meng came out, she saw her staring blankly again. Helpless, she thought, "This girl has been spacing out a lot lately."
"Mengmeng, how about I sleep with you tonight?" Qiao Qiu suddenly blurted out.
Sleep together? Gao Meng's heart pounded for no reason when she heard those three words. She looked at Qiao Qiu, her beautiful face full of anticipation.
Gao Meng suddenly felt conflicted. Logically speaking, there was nothing wrong with best friends sleeping together, but for some reason, she felt a bit resistant, yet also looked forward to it.
Seeing that Gao Meng was silent and hesitant, Qiao Qiu went all out and pleaded, "Mengmeng, I've never slept with my best friend before, so I just want to try and see if I can sleep more soundly, okay?"
Seeing her pitiful look, Gao Meng's heart softened, and she agreed, "Okay, you can sleep at my house tonight."
Qiao Qiu almost jumped up with joy, "Mengmeng is so nice."
Gao Meng smiled and continued tidying up. Qiao Qiu watched her busy figure, propped her chin up, and was in a very good mood.
Seeing that she was happy again, Gao Meng didn't think much of it and her mood improved as well.
Qiao Qiu rested her chin on her hand, beaming with delight, thinking that she would succeed tonight; her happiness was almost overflowing.
Their neighborhood is always the fastest for delivery, and the delivery guy arrived in no time.
The delivery guy was a handsome young man, about 1.8 meters tall. Qiao Qiu couldn't help but take a second look. Seriously, are all delivery guys this good-looking?
Qiao Qiu saw this as a business opportunity and couldn't help but ask a couple of questions.
The delivery guy laughed and told her that you don't need to be handsome to deliver food; you just need to be neatly dressed and not too bad-looking.
"Qiuqiu, did you get your takeout?"
Hearing Gao Meng urge her on, Qiao Qiu responded inside before saying goodbye to the delivery guy.
Gao Meng was setting the table inside when she heard Qiao Qiu chatting happily with the delivery guy. Before she could even think, she blurted out a sentence that interrupted her.
Gao Meng felt somewhat bewildered, but she couldn't quite put her finger on why.
Qiao Qiu returned with the takeout, and Gao Meng filled the steaming hot food onto plates. Qiao Qiu's braised duck feet were served on two plates, with three on one plate and more than a dozen on the other.
Qiao Qiu laughed as soon as she saw it. "Mengmeng understands me best." She loves eating duck feet while watching TV or reading novels; it tastes incredibly delicious that way.
"Go wash your hands quickly." Gao Meng was happy to see her happy smile.
Qiao Qiu, like a child who had received candy, went to the kitchen with light steps.
Gao Meng looked at her petite and slender back and shook her head with a light laugh.
After dinner, Qiao Qiu and Gao Meng went into the art studio next to the bedroom.
Gao Meng is someone who loves painting very much and values it highly, so she generally doesn't let just anyone into her studio. Even when relatives from her family come to visit, Gao Meng doesn't allow them in.
To enter, one must have a deep passion for painting. Only someone with that kind of passion will be able to enter without damaging the artwork.
However, there were fewer requirements for Qiao Qiu; she could come in as she pleased.
Although Qiao Qiu said she wasn't as interested in painting anymore, Gao Meng didn't believe her. She couldn't believe that someone who had persisted in painting for twelve years would really lose interest in it.
Even if there really weren't any left, Gao Meng would still willingly let her in.
Qiao Qiu walked into the studio and suddenly remembered that she still needed to paint a picture for Qiu Yijianmeng. She decided to borrow Mengmeng's place to paint one for Qiu Yijianmeng and send it to her in a couple of days.
"Mengmeng, I want to paint a picture. Can I borrow your paints for a bit? I'll buy you a set of paints another day." Qiao Qiu blinked her big eyes and looked at Gao Meng. She knew that painting used up a lot of paints and paper. Gao Meng wouldn't be short of money to buy them, but buying paints would still take time.
Gao Meng playfully pinched her nose and laughed, "Do I need you to buy me paints? If you're not comfortable with that, just paint one and give it to me."
Qiao Qiu was slightly taken aback, feeling that this way of drawing was somewhat familiar.
Then she thought about it and realized it might just be a coincidence; sometimes she liked to do that too.
"Mengmeng, now that you have the one I promised you, that makes two."
Gao Meng stroked her chin, thought for a moment, and said, "This one doesn't need to be too difficult. I'll accept whatever you draw."
Qiao Qiu nodded. "Okay."
After saying that, she turned around and started working on the easel.
She didn't see the unusual gleam in Gao Meng's eyes, nor the slight upturn of her lips.
Qiao Qiu's drawing for Gao Meng was much simpler: a beautiful woman in ancient costume with a large expanse of auspicious clouds behind her, as if she were riding the wind.
Half an hour later, Qiao Qiu handed the painting to Gao Meng.
Gao Meng examined the painting closely. It was painted with ink wash, the shades of which were just right, and the figures in it seemed to come alive.
Gao Meng felt that this beauty looked very familiar, but she couldn't remember where she had seen her before.
Qiao Qiu had been paying attention to Gao Meng's expression, and when she saw her slightly furrowed brows, she couldn't help but ask, "Mengmeng, how are you?"
"It looks somewhat familiar, but I can't remember where I've seen it before. The whole painting is still very beautiful," Gao Meng commented.
Qiao Qiu's heart pounded. The face looked familiar. What did that prove?
"Mengmeng, I haven't finished drawing it yet. You can look at it after I finish drawing it."
"Okay." Gao Meng nodded. Actually, she didn't feel that anything was missing from the painting. But Qiao Qiu's words made her even more hopeful.
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