Chapter 71: Strawberry Mark
After finishing their card game, the four of them ate out together. Since Su Yu had work to do that evening, Xie Zhuo took her home after dinner. Chen Jizhou and Jiang Meng went to the supermarket. He looked at his wallet, counted his money, and after three hours of intense gaming, he had actually broken even.
"Actually, I still won," Chen Jizhou stuffed the money back and asked Jiang Meng, "Do you know why?"
Jiang Meng wasn't really keen on participating. She pushed her shopping cart slowly between the shelves, but still casually replied, "Why?"
"Because I was studying how to lose," Chen Jizhou said with a smile. "I never thought that even with this, you still couldn't beat me."
So this is the legendary "spiritual victory method"? Jiang Meng silently understood Xie Zhuo's meaning. She picked out snacks, no longer indulging him, and bluntly said, "Pride comes before a fall. You won't be favored by middle-aged and elderly women like this."
Chen Jizhou blocked her path, pressed down on the front of the shopping cart, and asked her seriously, "Tell me the truth, what kind of shopping cart does Auntie like?"
Jiang Meng said, "Be more mature and steady. I've told you this several times. If all else fails, you can learn from Xie Zhuo. Although he's quite flamboyant, at least he can maintain a proper facade."
"Of course, I'll definitely be dignified in front of you, Auntie."
Pingjiang was very quiet after the snow fell.
At night, the two walked home. Chen Jizhou carried a plastic bag in one hand and held her hand with the other. Jiang Meng loved the old street, which was full of life and rustic charm. The bare branches of the plane trees were covered with snowflakes, and every now and then a few would roll off to the ground. She loved the tranquility after the snow and would childishly stomp on the white snow when she saw it.
Jiang Meng said, "My parents used to forbid me from bringing friends over to my house. Actually, I envy those classmates who can have parties at home, so I'm very happy today. I'm happy to have friends over to my house."
Chen Jizhou looked at her, slowly recalling the past: "Didn't I come here often?"
"Yeah, but you're the kind of person who doesn't follow the usual path. You don't just break into doors or climb over walls, that doesn't count, you're sneaky."
"Sneaking around?..." Chen Jizhou couldn't help but laugh, pinching her cheek. "Is that how you talk about your boyfriend?"
Jiang Meng broke free and laughed along, shaking his hand. "That's how it is. Of course, it's not your fault. My family is too strict."
Jiang Meng paused for a moment, then said, "By the way, you might have misunderstood something when we were talking about kissing earlier."
He slowed his pace: "What?"
"Did you think I liked Li Shuheng back then?"
"……Um."
Jiang Meng said, "That's not true. I feel I need to clarify this with you. I was just in a bit of a sympathy with him, but later I found out he was hostile towards you, so I broke off all contact with him. I once told you that I kissed someone I liked, but it wasn't him."
"Actually, the person in my dream is A, whom I imagine..."
"It's you too."
Her voice was soft, yet it carried a weighty weight, even though he no longer cared so much.
Chen Jizhou lowered his head, burying the lower half of his face in his scarf, revealing only a pair of gentle, non-aggressive eyes. When he was reminiscing, he was even so quiet that he seemed a little vulnerable. After a moment of silence, he could no longer freeze his memory at any point in time. The memories were like a revolving lantern, frequently passing through the snow and in his eyes. All the things related to her were full of warmth, but also pain.
Jiang Meng continued, "I've thought about it occasionally, wondering if you two might be the same person, but I don't dare to think about it too much. I'm quite afraid that it really is you. If you confess that day, I will thank you, but I really don't know how to face this relationship."
After a long silence, Chen Jizhou replied, "I understand."
He looked at her, smiled, and blinked slightly. "You have me in your heart, and I know about the past."
“No need for so many explanations,” Chen Jizhou gently touched her cheek with his palm and said softly, “I have no regrets, Jiang Meng.”
She walked into his arms and quietly embraced him in the snow.
Back home, Jiang Meng quickly cleaned up the traces of their time there. Chen Jizhou was given permission to enter her small bathroom. He took a shower and came out wearing an indigo-colored coral fleece pullover pajama.
Chen Jizhou had indeed visited her house several times via unconventional means, but this room of hers...
This was his first time entering.
The bed at home was much sturdier. Chen Jizhou pressed on the mattress through it, and thankfully, there was no movement.
When Jiang Meng came in, he was standing in front of her bedside table, holding a picture book in his hands, Jimmy Liao's "Starry Night".
Hearing the sound of someone entering behind him, Chen Jizhou didn't turn around. He simply flipped through the pages in his hand and asked her casually, "Are you still reading this book?"
Jiang Meng smiled: "What does the word 'still' mean? How did you know I'd seen it before?"
Chen Jizhou quietly flipped through the pages and said, "You told me this story before."
Jiang Meng nodded: "That's right, I told you online. You remember you asked me to elope with you?"
"Elopement?" Chen Jizhou asked with a faint smile, "Did they?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Meng rummaged through her phone and found a chat log. She read it aloud to him: "Yeah, you said: 'You can experience things in a different way. If I were you, I'd probably try to become a character in the story.' I asked you: 'How would you try?' You said, 'For example, stargazing, going on an adventure, eloping—any angle would do.' I said, 'That sounds so dangerous.'"
"Then you called me a bookworm."
Chen Jizhou nodded: "Yeah, bookworm."
He reached out, as if to ask her to hand over her phone so he could take a look: "What are you looking at?"
Jiang Meng put her phone behind her back and said with a smile, "I'm carefully examining the evidence that you have a crush on me."
Chen Jizhou gave a helpless twitch of his lips and said, "Can you please stop? It's so embarrassing."
Jiang Meng pretended to stop her, and turned to the next page, continuing to read, "Oh, and that night, you sent me a Dream of the Red Chamber, talking about the Three Thousand Weak Waters..."
Before she could finish speaking, he bound her hands and forced her down onto the bed.
Chen Jizhou smiled, took her wrist, and tossed her phone aside. The phone slid off the pillow, and he whispered, "What's so interesting about the chat history? Give me a kiss."
Jiang Meng looked up without hesitation, kissed the corner of his mouth, and then kissed his cheek.
Chen Jizhou rolled over, letting Jiang Meng lie on top of him.
She sniffed the fresh scent of sea salt and lemon with the slightest movement of her nose, and couldn't help but kiss his Adam's apple and give him a small sip on his neck, leaving a pink mark on his thin skin, as if leaving her own personal brand there.
The two were locked in a passionate kiss when the sound of the door opening outside startled Jiang Meng.
Before they could take the next step, they heard Ye Zhaoxu call out, "Jiang Meng, someone's here at home?"
Jiang Meng jumped out of bed quickly: "Oh no, my mom's back! You'd better find somewhere to hide."
Chen Jizhou was quite surprised at first, but when he heard her say that she wanted to find a place to hide, he couldn't help but laugh.
Jiang Meng slammed the bedroom door shut behind her as she left: "Why are you back so soon?"
Ye Zhaoxu entered carrying her suitcase: "Did I say I wasn't going back today?"
Ms. Ye has a keen eye for observation and noticed something unusual about her home, so she looked around.
Jiang Meng immediately confessed: "I brought some friends to play cards this afternoon."
"Playing cards?" Ye Zhaoxu looked at Jiang Meng with suspicion. "Really?"
Soon, Chen Jizhou followed her out of the bedroom. Jiang Meng gave him a wink, but he shook his head, smiled weakly, and said with his eyes that he was fine and that she should come at him if she had any problems.
Chen Jizhou put on his coat and walked confidently to Jiang Meng, smiling politely: "Hello, Auntie, I came over today to visit. Xie Zhuo and my cousin were also here. Since everyone was free, we got together. I heard you have a mahjong table here, so we borrowed it for a few rounds. You don't mind, do you?"
So Ye Zhaoxu looked at Chen Jizhou again. Although he was dressed conservatively, she still caught a glimpse of the hickey on his neck. With a serious tone and expression, she asked him, "Oh, so what are you doing in the room now?"
Chen Jizhou paused for a few seconds, noticing her unfriendly gaze, and pulled his jacket zipper up to cover the hickeys. "We're in the room... admiring the moon."
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