Chapter 19 Dating Routine... But... what right does he have?
On Sunday, the sky was clear and the sun was shining brightly, a rare sunny and breezy day after several days of humid weather.
Tian Jiayou arrived at the entrance of Zhu Qingting's residential compound half an hour early. He deliberately chose a conspicuous spot to park his car and stood by the car holding a bouquet of pale pink champagne roses.
Today he wore a casual outfit with a distinctly Korean style: light blue loose-fitting jeans, paired with a soft white printed sweatshirt, and clean white sneakers. He looked refreshing and sunny, lacking some of the artistic flair of a musician, but possessing more of the approachable charm of a boy next door.
Not long after, Zhu Qingting walked gracefully out of the residential area, and Tian Jiayou's eyes lit up.
Zhu Qingting had dressed up carefully today as well. She chose a sweet Miu style outfit. She wore a white knit top with a sailor collar, the delicate collar trim adorned with tiny pearls, paired with a navy blue pleated knee-length skirt that made her legs appear slender and long. Her long hair flowed smoothly over her shoulders, adorned with a bow hair clip in the same color as her skirt. This outfit made her look sweet and lively, a stark contrast to her usual serious image in the practice room—plain-faced, with her hair up and tightly fitted.
"Senior, have you been waiting long?" Zhu Qingting walked to the car and took the flowers that Tian Jiayou handed her.
"No, I just arrived." Tian Jiayou opened the car door and took out a cup of still-warm soy milk and a nicely packaged sandwich. "I was worried you hadn't had breakfast, so I just bought some things."
"Thank you, senior." Zhu Qingting accepted the cup with some surprise, her fingertips touching the warm rim, a slight warmth spreading through her heart.
The car drove smoothly toward the Shanghai Wild Animal Park in Pudong.
The zoo is full of life in spring, with many visitors, mostly families with children or sweet couples.
Tian Jiayou was very considerate. After entering the park, he took the initiative to go to the visitor center to get a detailed tour map, and after carefully studying it, he planned out the best route.
They first rode in the park's unique feeding vehicle, entering the predator enclosure to observe the leisurely strolling lions and majestic tigers up close. When a Bengal tiger gracefully walked past the vehicle, Zhu Qingting couldn't help but gasp softly.
Afterwards, they went to the walking area to feed the gentle alpacas and the recently popular internet celebrity, Kapi Bala. Zhu Qingting looked at these furry little creatures with eyes full of childlike curiosity and joy.
She carefully reached out her hand and let a baby alpaca lick a carrot from her palm. The warm, wet touch made her laugh out loud.
Tian Jiayou held up his phone the whole time, constantly snapping photos of her playing with the animals and laughing heartily. His photography skills were excellent; he had a perfect grasp of composition and lighting, and every photo captured her most natural and touching expression.
As the sunlight grew increasingly intense, Tian Jiayou naturally opened the parasol he had prepared in advance, tilting most of it towards Zhu Qingting.
When he sees a slight sweat on her forehead, he immediately goes to the convenience store to buy her an iced drink; when he sees a stall selling animal-shaped ice cream, he asks her if she wants to try some; when he sees a cute plush toy, he doesn't hesitate to take out his phone to buy it...
His care was meticulous, yet he maintained a perfect distance, making her feel neither burdened nor uncomfortable. Zhu Qingting felt relaxed and comfortable, temporarily forgetting the pressure of choreography and also easing the annoyance caused by Chai Yundu in the past few days.
In the afternoon, they also went to see a circus acrobatic performance. Monkeys riding bicycles, brown bears jumping rope, high-altitude acrobatics…
The wonderful performance drew continuous applause from the audience. Zhu Qingting watched with great interest, while Tian Jiayou, sitting next to her, often found his gaze unconsciously drawn to her smiling profile, finding it more captivating than any performance.
As the sun set, the day's activities drew to a close. Sitting in the car on the way back, Zhu Qingting looked through the photos Tian Jiayou had sent via teleportation. The images that captured the day's joyful moments still brought a smile to her lips.
"I had a lot of fun today, thank you, senior," she said sincerely.
Tian Jiayou gripped the steering wheel, glanced at her sideways, and said, "Whatever makes you happy. You can rest tomorrow too. I heard the aquarium in Lujiazui is amazing, it has an underwater tunnel with stunning visual effects, do you want to go check it out together?"
Because of her pleasant experience today, Zhu Qingting nodded almost without hesitation, "Okay."
The next day, the two changed their date location to a dreamy ocean aquarium.
They passed through a long underwater tunnel, with giant manta rays and sharks swimming gracefully overhead, and colorful tropical fish darting around them like flowing rainbows.
In the jellyfish exhibition hall with its deep blue light, jellyfish of various shapes, under the changing lights, resemble water sprites, stretching their translucent bodies and floating in the azure water, a breathtaking sight.
Tian Jiayou continued to play the role of the perfect companion, patiently accompanying her to see each exhibition area, explaining the marine life knowledge he had done his homework on in advance, and continuing to act as a professional photographer, capturing every amazing moment of her in the dreamlike underwater world.
After leaving the aquarium, the two went to a well-reviewed local Shanghainese restaurant on the Bund for lunch. They chatted and laughed while looking at the photos they had just taken on their phones, commenting on which one was the best and which one showed the most natural expression. Their faces were almost touching, and the atmosphere was harmonious and intimate.
After dinner, seeing that it was still early, Tian Jiayou suggested going to see a newly released, well-received romance movie. In the dark theater, he carefully held popcorn for her and handed her tissues whenever she was moved by the plot.
After the movie ended, they went shopping and bought the incredibly expensive luxury chocolate brand Laderach, and had afternoon tea at Lady M.
And so, we played all day long. When I checked the time, it was already past nine o'clock at night.
"Time flies, let me take you home," Tian Jiayou said naturally.
"Okay, thank you for your help, senior."
On the way, Zhu Qingting suddenly remembered something and said, "Senior, if you see a hardware store with convenient parking, please stop there. The light bulb on my balcony is out. I asked customer service for the bulb model number and I'm thinking of buying a new one and replacing it myself."
"No problem," Tian Jiayou readily agreed.
Soon after, the car arrived at the building where Zhu Qingting lived.
Zhu Qingting got off the bus with the bouquet and chocolates Tian Jiayou had given her that day, the doll she bought at the aquarium, the packaging bag she bought while shopping, and the light bulb she had just bought.
Tian Jiayou also unbuckled his seatbelt, got out of the car and looked at Zhu Qingting, "Let me go up and help you. Changing light bulbs is something that's easier and safer for a guy to do."
Zhu Qingting instinctively wanted to refuse; she had never allowed any man to set foot in her private space.
“You don’t need to worry,” Tian Jiayou said sincerely, noticing her concerns. “You can wait in the hallway. I’ll just go in and change for a bit and be right back.” He thought for a moment and added, “Just think of me as a repairman. If you were to hire a repairman, wouldn’t it be a single man coming over?”
Zhu Qingting thought about it for a moment and realized that it made sense. Besides, she had never changed a light bulb before; she had only watched the replacement video sent by customer service and knew she definitely needed help.
Seeing Tian Jiayou's sincere attitude, he nodded and said, "Alright then, I'll trouble you, senior."
So, Tian Jiayou took the bags from Zhu Qingting, and the two walked into the building together.
While waiting for the elevator, Zhu Qingting quietly took out her phone and quickly sent a WeChat message to Qin Youyou: "I've found a repairman to come to my house to change a light bulb. If I don't reply to you in 15 minutes, call me!" After sending the message, she put her phone back in her bag.
The two walked into the elevator chatting and laughing, neither noticing that a black McLaren was quietly parked in a parking space not far away.
Inside the car, Chai Yundu wore a mask and hat, revealing only a pair of deep eyes. At that moment, those eyes were fixed on the two figures walking side by side at the entrance of the building, before disappearing together.
He had been back in the country for several days, but he had refrained from visiting her. Tonight, however, he couldn't bear the longing any longer, so he specially drove a car that Zhu Qingting had never seen before to her neighborhood, just wanting to catch a glimpse of her from afar.
He knew she would jog in the neighborhood in the evenings, but he waited for a long time and she never showed up.
He initially thought she had just gone out with friends, so he waited patiently.
But to my utter surprise, this is what I saw.
She stepped out of a strange man's car, holding a garish bouquet of roses and carrying several shopping bags, her smile so sweet. This was clearly the standard post-date state.
What stung him even more was that the man actually followed her upstairs!
It's so late... how could he get into her house?
This realization was like a dagger, piercing his heart. In all the time they'd known each other, aside from that one time when Qin Youyou was also there, when he delivered something to her doorstep, he had never stepped inside her house! Each time, he would say goodbye downstairs and leave alone.
My heart ached terribly. My knuckles, gripping the steering wheel, were white from excessive force, and the veins on the back of my hands bulged.
So quickly, she already has someone else by her side?
It turns out that she can fall in love so quickly, and that man can enter her life so easily. Compared to that, his own carefulness and sincere efforts seem like a joke.
An unprecedented sense of humiliation and utter defeat overwhelmed him completely.
He sat quietly, like a frozen sculpture, staring morbidly at the room in the living room where the lights were on.
Time ticked by, each second feeling like a slow, agonizing torture. Just as he was about to be consumed by jealousy and pain, the apartment door opened again, and the man appeared, walking alone to his car and quickly driving away.
Chai Yundu glanced at his watch; only 13 minutes had passed.
He stared intently at the taillights of the car disappearing into the night, his doubts growing stronger rather than dissipating.
In such a short time... what exactly did they do upstairs?
The thought coiled around his mind like a venomous snake, making it hard to breathe. He wanted nothing more than to rush upstairs, bang on her door, and demand to know who that man was and what their relationship was.
But... what qualifications does he have?
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Author's Note: I'd like to recommend my completed novel, "Winning a Million-Dollar Lottery: My Dream Man and I Travel the World."
[A travel blogger with a sunny disposition X A handsome, aloof, and love-starved bar owner]
A sweet story about a girl's unrequited love for the female lead turning into a real relationship.
Corporate slave, obedient donkey, top-notch company nanny...
These are all labels associated with Xu Nianyi.
She thought she would carry these labels until she retired at 55.
Unexpectedly, he used a beer opener to scratch out a "jackpot" for himself.
Endless overtime, demanding bosses, difficult colleagues, and the threat of a poor working environment...
Goodbye to all of you!
I decisively resigned, bought an SUV, converted it into a mobile bar, and registered a travel blogger account.
And... I also managed to snag that white moonlight male god from my student days.
They sailed towards the mountains and the sea:
Watch the sunrise over the golden mountains at Hemu Fairy Tale World, and listen to the echoing camel bells beside Crescent Lake at Dunhuang's Singing Sand Dunes.
Waiting for the wind to come by Erhai Lake in Dali, or sunbathing on a coconut grove beach in Sanya...
Xu Nianyi had always believed that all these years it had been a one-sided crush on her.
Until under the starry sky, he handed me a glass of wine, his voice softer than the wind:
"I've been mixing this 'White Moonlight' drink for you for many years."
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