Chapter 27
"You're really crazy."
On the second day of the trip, just as Yao Chen had said, it was another sunny and beautiful day.
They set off early in the morning, enjoying the relatively warm sunshine, and visited several scenic spots.
When the temperature reached its peak, I decided to go back to the hotel to escape the heat.
We're halfway through today's itinerary. The afternoon is free time, and the plan for tonight is to see the light show.
Josh tossed and turned all night and couldn't sleep well. After parting ways with Chen Zhiyu and Yao in the elevator, all he wanted to do when he got back to his room was close his eyes and get some rest.
When I woke up, it was a little after 3 p.m.
Josh stayed in bed without moving, scrolling through her phone messages. First, she sent a few photos of tourist attractions to Tang Ning, chatted for a bit, and then saw that Yao had tagged her in the temporary group, inviting her to play poker together.
Josh declined, saying he hadn't had enough sleep yet.
The stomach is indeed an emotional organ; it can express all your moods, whether good or bad.
Josh had something on his mind, and he barely ate any breakfast or lunch. Only now did he realize he was hungry. The sun outside was scorching, and he didn't want to go out, so he lay in bed and opened a food delivery app.
Two food delivery companies were in the final selection stage. Before Josh could even decide which one would win, Chen Zhiyu sent a message: "I ordered some dumpling soup for you, it'll be delivered in a bit."
Upon seeing this message, the superficial calm that had been maintained for half a day was completely shattered. Josh threw down his phone and sighed deeply.
This morning, Chen Zhiyu's attitude remained unchanged, and his behavior was no different from usual. But it was precisely this unchanging attitude that made Qiao Xi increasingly uneasy.
Josh felt like he was always next to a hidden, unpredictable bomb, constantly in a state of unease.
This feeling of unease was like waiting for another shoe to fall from upstairs at any moment. Josh was filled with anxiety and unease, but he didn't know how to deal with it.
This anxiety and unease became even more apparent when she was face-to-face with Chen Zhiyu.
The three of them went out in the evening. They first strolled around the nearby night market, ate some snacks, and then headed straight for the light show.
A light show in the old town area.
The ancient city has four famous ancient towers, located in four different directions. They have a long history, a rich cultural heritage, and are iconic buildings in the area.
The ancient building is brightly lit, especially beautiful at night, with its exterior walls shimmering with golden light.
In the hazy night, their outlines stood out particularly well under the lights.
The dazzling light show attracted many tourists, with the colorful lights adorning the night sky.
During the summer travel season, when activities are in full swing, there is a large flow of tourists. Josh and his friends were forced to squeeze into a slightly narrow intersection with the crowd, where a group of people had gathered in front of them.
As more and more people gathered, it became difficult to leave, and Yao was pushed to the front by the crowd.
Before Josh could see what was happening in front of her, she was jostled and knocked about. Fortunately, Chen Zhiyu quickly reached out to protect her.
With tigers in front and wolves behind, the two could hardly move an inch.
Yao Chen, who was walking ahead, had already been separated from them. He turned halfway around with difficulty and waved to them, "I'll go ahead and wait for you..."
He was left speechless in the crowd, and soon Yao disappeared into the vast sea of people.
Before she could pay attention to him, someone shoved her forward from behind, causing Josh to stumble forward again. Chen Zhiyu caught her in his arms just in time to prevent her from falling.
His face was pale. He turned his head, and under the cover of darkness and the crowd, the culprit was nowhere to be found.
"Are you alright?" Chen Zhiyu reached out and steadied Qiao Xi's arm, then turned around and asked.
Josh looked up at him and said something.
The surroundings were too noisy, and Chen Zhiyu couldn't hear clearly.
He leaned down slightly, leaned close to his ear, and Josh whispered, "There are too many tourists here. It's easy for a stampede to happen. Let's get out of here quickly." He then added, "Be careful with your phone in your pocket."
Chen Zhiyu's ear tips turned red and itchy. He suddenly turned to look at Qiao Xi. Because they were so close, Qiao Xi's slightly cool nose brushed against his cheek, and now even his cheeks felt a little hot.
The two of them were stunned for a moment.
The two were so close that their breaths ignited each other, and they only separated quickly when they heard someone urging them from behind.
Chen Zhiyu looked into the distance, out of sight, and saw the hand that had grabbed Qiao Xi's arm extend all the way to her palm, finally interlocking their fingers.
"Come with me." Chen Zhiyu raised his voice and pulled her out from the side.
Chen Zhiyu led her into an alley. The streets were crowded, but the alley was deserted, with no streetlights, only the hazy moonlight.
There was complete silence.
"Yao Chen has already walked out from over there." Chen Zhiyu sent Yao Chen a message and put his phone back in his pocket.
They remained silent on the road afterwards.
The alley was long and quiet, and the sound of their footsteps was amplified in the empty alley.
Neither of them quickened their pace, their interlocked hands gripping tighter and tighter. In the quiet alley, Josh found himself breathing heavily and his heart pounding wildly.
At the end of the alley is the night market street I visited in the evening, which is still bustling and full of lively atmosphere.
It's windy at night, making the alleyway even cooler.
Because she planned to stay out until evening, Josh changed into a pure white cotton tank top before going out in the evening, paired with a light-colored cotton-linen shirt, only buttoning the middle two buttons of the shirt.
A breeze blew through the room, and the night wind gently lifted the hem of her dress, just like her drifting thoughts.
The hem of the shirt gently brushed against Chen Zhiyu's bare, muscular arms, teasing them with each sway, and even the dampness in the wind carried a sticky, ambiguous feeling.
Halfway through the journey, Chen Zhiyu suddenly stopped, his tall figure blocking her way. He lowered his head and gently tucked the hem of his shirt into her denim pocket.
Chen Zhiyu's hand didn't fall; in the same position, he stroked her arm, rubbing his thumb on it and sliding his palm down until their hands clasped together again.
The slight redness around his ears hadn't faded, and the heat on his cheeks hadn't subsided. Josh felt the heat of his thumb, and then the warmth of his entire palm.
Josh tilted his head back and looked directly into Chen Zhiyu's eyes, those sharp eyes now filled with tender affection.
No, a voice inside her kept reminding her that this was definitely not normal.
Her eyelashes trembled slightly as she constantly reminded herself to stay calm. Josh wanted to withdraw her hand as casually as she had last time.
But this time, Chen Zhiyu held onto her tightly.
Under the cover of night, the lights at the far end were bright, and the lights coming from behind him seemed to be coated with a warm glow.
The light was just ahead, but for the first time, Chen Zhiyu didn't yearn for it as much. The closer they got to the alley entrance, the more his despicable greed was exposed. He gripped Qiao Xi's hand with a little more force and slowly said, "Qiao Xi, are you going to continue pretending you don't know anything?"
As soon as he said that, everything around him seemed to slow down and become quiet.
Both breaths stopped at that moment.
The lights in front and behind softened, and his gaze became even more resolute. "Didn't you ask me what kind of person is most suitable for you?"
Unable to break free from his grip, Josh's other palm was slightly sweaty. When she realized what Chen Zhiyu was about to say, she hurriedly tried to stop him, "Chen Zhiyu!"
If he waited for Josh to fall in love with him on her own initiative, his heart would probably explode. Chen Zhiyu's hands were still warm from her touch. He couldn't hold back and almost blurted out, "Talk to me."
Josh's mind went blank for a moment, and before he could even read the words, he raised his voice, "Chen Zhiyu!"
"Talk to me, I'm the best match for you."
The words landed steadily.
As he uttered those words, Josh's pupils slowly widened.
It's one thing to have a guess in your heart, but it's quite another to actually hear the other person admit it.
For a moment, her brain went blank, her heavy thoughts like worn-out mechanical gears, and she could even hear a creaking sound in her ears.
She took a half step back, one foot feeling as if it were on a sponge, as if she would fall due to weightlessness at any moment.
Her gaze slowly focused on the face of the person opposite her, as if she were confirming something.
Josh felt completely annihilated by those few words he uttered so easily, and every time he tried to speak, his words were thrown into disarray.
She even suspected that the noise was causing her tinnitus, and she might have misheard something.
But Chen Zhiyu was uncooperative. He spoke again, completely shattering the only reason she could think of to avoid the situation.
This time, Chen Zhiyu spoke clearly and deliberately, "I said, Qiao Xi, talk to me."
Every word was a gem, leaving Josh's shoulders and neck stiff and numb.
The alley was quiet, but the noise came from outside.
Chen Zhiyu spoke firmly and with evidence, “You should talk to me instead of them, because I know you better than anyone else. I know you like sweet and spicy food, I know you are afraid of heat and even more afraid of cold, you love to drink iced cola, you like to eat iced watermelon, and you like to drink a little wine when you have nothing to do, but you don’t have a very high alcohol tolerance.”
Chen Zhiyu approached her step by step, his steady footsteps falling on Qiao Xi's ears, his tall figure completely looming over her. "They all say that even the best love can't withstand the ravages of time, but I don't believe it."
"They say it can't withstand the seven-year itch, but I don't believe it."
“We’ve known each other for five years now. After we date for another two years, we’ll get married.”
“Oh, no, that’s not right.” Chen Zhiyu suddenly paused, his brows furrowing in regret. “I’m not old enough to get married yet.”
Is this the key point?
Josh took a deep breath, recovering from her shock, and finally found her voice, "Are you crazy! Are you crazy? Chen Zhiyu! I'm your sister!"
Her voice was sharp and hoarse, but not as powerful as she had imagined.
Chen Zhiyu tilted his head, his dark eyes appearing exceptionally deep in the night. He didn't speak, but Qiao Xi could already guess what he was going to say.
At this point, she utterly despised this so-called tacit understanding. Josh took two steps back and roared, "That won't do either. I'm still your sister."
She just didn't know whether she was saying this to one person or two.
"Why not?" Chen Zhiyu approached step by step, looking down at Qiao Xi. "I don't want you to be my sister, I just want you to be my daughter..."
"Shut up!" Josh shouted angrily, as if there was still room for maneuver as long as he hadn't spoken.
With his heart pounding so hard it seemed about to burst out, Chen Zhiyu forced a muffled laugh from his chest, and the corners of his mouth gradually curled up.
"What are you laughing at!" Josh was puzzled and glared at him unhappily when he saw his expression.
Even at this point, he could still laugh.
Upon hearing this, Chen Zhiyu's eyes narrowed slightly, and he replied in a muffled voice with a hint of amusement, "Nothing?" He then added, "I've finally said what I've been wanting to say, and I feel much better now."
"......"
Josh kept her eyes closed; she shouldn't have asked.
“You’re really crazy.” This time, she could finally be sure.
"Yes, I'm crazy. I'm crazy for holding back until now to confess my feelings to you. I'm crazy. I actually held back until now to say the truth that I've been keeping in my heart. I'm just crazy."
He pressed on relentlessly, forcing Josh back into the depths of the alley.
In the quiet of the night, Josh could hardly make out the other person's expression.
The air was thick with a tense and heated atmosphere, so real it made it hard for Josh to breathe.
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