Chapter 48 Will you also fall for me?
On the vast sea, all sounds fell silent.
Chen Jizhou, dressed in loose black clothes, sat there casually with his back to the starry sky and the boundless waves, holding a cell phone that seemed to be out of battery. His posture was relaxed, like that of a young man. Forever calm yet forever passionate, his expression was quite serene, without any tension about confessing anything, but a slight smile played on his lips—a smile meant to comfort her.
Jiang Meng stood there stunned for a while, her heart pounding heavily, as if it were about to jump into her throat. She blinked, tried to calm herself down for a moment, and asked him, "How did you know about this joke?"
Chen Jizhou: "What's the joke?"
Seeing her blank expression, he was quite curious: "Didn't you check the calendar before you went out? Today is Qixi Festival."
"..."
She quickly took out her phone and glanced at it; it really was Qixi Festival.
Jiang Meng's expression slowly relaxed, like the bricks and tiles of a city collapsing and shattering on the ground, her withered expression raising a cloud of dust.
Looking up again, Chen Jizhou looked at her with a half-smile: "What's with that expression?"
Then, the roar of an engine came from behind. He looked over Jiang Meng's shoulder and looked back. Jiang Meng also turned around. A small boat that was there to help them had arrived.
Chen Jizhou glanced at the time and said, "I've said too much; we'll be there in three minutes."
Jiang Meng exclaimed in surprise, "You secretly called someone?"
He smiled, teasing her, "You're so timid. What if I scare you to death? Would I have to take responsibility?"
Chen Jizhou helped Jiang Meng to her feet and gently patted her back: "Let's go."
Jiang Meng mumbled an "oh" in her sleep, and as he helped her onto the small boat, she said, "Actually, it's okay to drift for a while."
Chen Jizhou said, "I'll try it another time if I have the chance. It's too dangerous to do it late at night."
He will still handle any complicated situations and focus on resolving her anxieties.
Jiang Meng smiled with relief and steadily sat down in the small boat.
Once ashore, the club owner came over and asked them what had happened.
Chen Jizhou said, "The fin has fallen off."
"What? It's gone?? Where did it go?"
"It fell into the sea," Chen Jizhou said calmly as he walked forward, "No need to look for it, the deposit is yours."
The deposit must be substantial, so the boss immediately shut up and said, "Okay, okay."
Chen Jizhou then asked, "Do you have any warm water here?"
The owner said, "You want to wash your feet? There's a foot bath pool in the back with adjustable water temperature."
Chen Jizhou's sneakers weren't wet at all today.
Jiang Meng was wearing flip-flops when she went out. Her feet were covered in sand when she walked on the beach. She was wondering where to buy some tissues to wipe them off when Chen Jizhou called her over. Jiang Meng followed him excitedly.
The foot-washing pool is specifically for tourists and is located outside the restrooms.
The corridor lights were dim at that moment, so Chen Jizhou went over to adjust the water temperature first.
He rinsed his palm with the showerhead until the temperature was just right, then glanced at Jiang Meng and said, "Take off your shoes, I'll rinse you."
Jiang Meng took off one of her slippers, and as soon as she lifted her foot, she lost her balance.
Chen Jizhou: "Help me up."
He bowed slightly, and she put her arm around his waist.
Jiang Meng wasn't supporting him; she was... hugging him.
What he actually meant was that she could put her arm around his shoulder.
It's unclear whether Jiang Meng misunderstood, or if this made it easier for her to stand more steadily.
Chen Jizhou didn't say anything, but kept his head down and focused on washing her feet.
He wasn't wearing the bracelet she gave him today; instead, he was wearing an iWatch that he usually uses for exercise.
"Is it cold?" he asked.
"It's so warm—but could you rub my feet for me? They don't smell bad, they smell nice."
Chen Jizhou chuckled and glanced at her.
Jiang Meng smiled sweetly, stretched out her hand to show him, and said confidently, "I can't reach it myself."
Fearing the watch strap might hurt her, Chen Jizhou took off his watch.
Jiang Meng, feeling smug, blurted out, "Actually, you don't need to be so gentlemanly with me. I usually enjoy watching people take things by force."
"..." I couldn't understand what she was saying.
Chen Jizhou quietly worked as a foot masseur for a while.
He really helped her carefully scrub the dirt off the insteps and soles of her feet. Jiang Meng cooperated by spreading her toes, moving her ankles, turning them around, opening and closing them, like she was dancing.
After washing for a while, he asked, "Is there still sand?"
"The ankle is still there."
Watching Chen Jizhou hold her feet and gently wash them for her, Jiang Meng looked at him again, a smile spreading across her face, and whispered, "Hey, I think this is a bit ambiguous between us."
Chen Jizhou turned off the shower without expression and put it down: "Rinse yourself."
"No, I'm enjoying the service right now," Jiang Meng said, clasping her hands together. "Okay, just kidding, please, brother."
He was taken aback: "Who's your brother?"
She smiled and said, "You're my brother. Brothers are so good, but you have a bit of a temper."
Chen Jizhou laughed in exasperation; he was at a loss for what to do with her.
Charm worked; soon he had washed her other foot clean as well.
Jiang Meng put her feet back into her shoes: "Okay, thank you."
As she walked out, Chen Jizhou remained standing there. Jiang Meng turned to look at him and saw him frowning with worry, staring at his wet feet. She said, "The wind is quite chilly at night. You'll definitely catch a cold if you go out like this."
Chen Jizhou slowly unfolded the tissue in his hand and beckoned to her: "Come here, let me wipe you down."
Chen Jizhou, with the enthusiastic attitude of serving others to the best of his ability, helped her dry the water on her feet and finally advised, "If you're not feeling well, take care of yourself and don't always make yourself suffer."
Are you unwell?
Jiang Meng thought for a while before realizing that he was talking about her menstrual cramps.
She said fearlessly, "It's okay, I'm easygoing. I forget the pain once the wound heals. I can stay up all night if I want, and drink milk tea if I want. The most important thing is how I feel in the moment. I learned that from you."
Chen Jizhou said, "You don't have to learn everything from me."
He washed his hands again and said, "If you're not feeling well, others will feel sorry for you too."
"……Um?"
“I mean your family.” He lowered his eyelashes and wiped his hands.
Jiang Meng met his straightforward gaze and smiled slightly, "Yes, I understand."
As Jiang Meng walked out of the club, a huge pink inflatable archway caught her attention. Chen Jizhou had already gone to get the car, so Jiang Meng didn't call him. She went over to take a look herself. There was a female security guard sitting in front of the archway. She looked up and saw the words "Urban Adventure" written on it. She asked the woman, "What kind of event is this?"
"A matchmaking event was organized by a dating group for Qixi Festival. The idea was that people who drew cards of the same color would team up to participate."
Jiang Meng became interested and asked with bright eyes, "Where do you draw the tickets? Are there still any tokens left? Can you still get in now?"
A moment later, she came over excitedly, waving two paper cards in her hand, and said, "Chen Jizhou, there's still a pair of cards left over here, let's go in and play too?"
He bent down to take it and asked what it was.
Jiang Meng explained it to him.
Chen Jizhou glanced at the hand of cards: "Do you want to check the event time?"
Jiang Meng then looked down and saw that entry would close at 6 p.m.
Missed it...
It's just that single people who never celebrate Valentine's Day have no sensitivity to Qixi Festival.
Chen Jizhou glanced at her dejected expression, smiled, and stuffed the card back into her hand.
Jiang Meng climbed onto the back of the motorcycle dejectedly. She had forgotten about wearing a helmet, so she naturally hugged him from behind, resting her cheek on his neck. Chen Jizhou paused in handing her the helmet.
Her arm naturally wrapped around his waist, loosely holding him for a moment. Suddenly, her cheek, which had been tilted to the side of his neck, straightened up, and her chin rested on his shoulder. Jiang Meng looked at the stray hairs behind his ear and was about to say, "Why aren't you leaving yet?"
The words were on the tip of her tongue when a gentle evening breeze swept by, cleansing her face. Under the dim streetlights, the road was quiet, and the distance was dark. They seemed to be in the center of a stage play, with only the lamp above them emitting a last, gentle glow.
Jiang Meng changed her tune and asked him softly, "Chen Jizhou, don't you want to be in a relationship at all?"
He said in a low voice, "Why are you asking this all of a sudden?"
Jiang Meng stared at his profile for a long time without saying a word.
So Chen Jizhou had no choice but to turn his face to see what she was up to, and Jiang Meng gave him a smile that suited him perfectly.
The moment he turned his head slightly, she leaned forward, getting so close that their noses almost touched. Jiang Meng shifted her position, wrapping her arms around his neck, bringing them even closer. She looked down, unable to see his lips because they were so close; all she could see was his high, straight nose. Jiang Meng's voice became a little weak: "So, even if I talk to you like this, won't you be moved?"
Chen Jizhou paused for a few seconds, lowered his eyes, and slowly turned around.
He sat up straight in the car, handed her the helmet, and his silence probably meant, "Don't play these pointless games."
Jiang Meng then remembered that she hadn't put on her helmet yet. She quickly put it on and explained in a fast-paced voice, "I didn't mean anything by it. I was just a little curious. I think some people don't not want to be in a relationship, they just haven't figured it out yet. Like in period dramas, there's the concept of 'love threads,' have you seen it? Some people haven't even grown them yet, but once they do, they start having a passionate relationship. So I'm testing you to see if you've figured it out yet."
With a click, she fastened the clasp, smiled, and said, "I hope I didn't scare you."
After a moment of silence, Chen Jizhou glanced at her in the rearview mirror, pointed with his finger, and asked, "Have you finally figured it out?"
Jiang Meng was overjoyed and extremely proud: "I opened it a long time ago."
Still curious, she tilted her head to look at him and pressed on, "What about you? Do you also feel something for me?"
Chen Jizhou's tone relaxed a bit, attributing everything to a normal physiological reaction: "Of course I would when you're this close."
He chuckled and drove off, saying, "I'm a normal man too, okay?"
Jiang Meng gave an "oh" that seemed to understand but not quite.
Was it attraction to her? Or would it be the same for anyone? She wasn't sure.
When they parted, Jiang Meng was still holding the two cards in her hand. Chen Jizhou snatched one from her fingers, held it up, and said, "If you feel regretful, then find a day to make up for it."
Jiang Meng: "Are you serious? A one-day couple?"
He laughed and said, "Of course it's true."
The intense feeling of liking someone is probably the anticipation of seeing them again soon. When Jiang Meng returned home excitedly, the phone had already rung.
She hurriedly fed the kitten and was about to take a bath when she received a message from Chen Jizhou.
He sent her a screenshot of his heart rate detected by his iWatch.
Range: 93-125 beats/min
Today: 17:30-18:30
Below is a fluctuation chart, showing a clear upward trend in heart rate.
Jiang Meng replied with a smile, "You've finally figured it out!"
Chen Jizhou: "I've finally figured it out too."
Jiang Meng was in a good mood and clicked on the picture again to take a look. Then, she focused her attention on that period of time.
But……
The fluctuation began at 5:30 PM.
It wasn't her time to test him.
It was the time he had just seen her that day.
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