“Oh, that’s good then…”
Hearing Qin Nanfeng’s answer, Lin Xinyuan finally relaxed, her dazed little head nodding absentmindedly.
Just as she was about to continue scrolling through her phone, lurking in the comment section to read her readers’ posts, the person beside her reached out again to pat her head.
“Good girl.”
Lin Xinyuan stayed silent, letting Qin Nanfeng do as he pleased. She only lowered her gaze, her face growing red.
This guy was getting more and more shameless…
But she had no intention of rejecting him at all…
Mmm, this feels so nice…
Lin Xinyuan squinted her eyes in comfort, unconsciously leaning into his big hand, only to freeze suddenly.
Her head stiffened. She glanced at Qin Nanfeng from the corner of her eye, uneasy, but he didn’t seem to notice. She let out a breath of relief.
“What’s wrong now?”
“N-nothing…”
Thank goodness he didn’t notice… If he really found out, she’d be too embarrassed to live!
He’s just some silly yellow-haired guy… So how did things end up like this? How did she become like this…
So shameful…
At that moment, Lin Xinyuan suddenly realized it had been several months since she picked up the jade bracelet, and she’d changed so much in that time. She couldn’t help but feel a little desolate.
The youth’s hand didn’t linger long, soon moving away.
Lin Xinyuan glanced in Qin Nanfeng’s direction and saw he seemed to be chatting with someone, his fingers flying rapidly over the screen.
She instantly grew wary, wanting to see what Qin Nanfeng was talking about, but feeling too embarrassed to actually look. In the end, she could only puff up her cheeks in frustration.
Staring at her phone, she kept scrolling, but her heart wasn’t in it. Her gaze kept drifting uncontrollably to Qin Nanfeng.
“Why do you keep looking at me? Am I really that attractive to you, Xiaoyuan?”
Noticing the girl constantly peeking at his phone, Qin Nanfeng chuckled to himself, instantly understanding. He pretended to ask, not forgetting to tease her.
“Hmph…”
It’s said that experience makes you wise. Lin Xinyuan had been teased by this guy so many times, she knew the more she retorted, the more excited he’d get.
So she just gave a cold response, barely humming back.
Her tsundere little face, lips painted with a light pink gloss, shimmered invitingly, begging for a taste.
Qin Nanfeng’s gaze lingered on her lips for a moment, a dark glint flashing in his eyes as he said silently, “So, that ‘hmph’ means? Xiaoyuan really agrees with me? Looks like you do like me after all. I certainly don’t mind…”
“Tch… boring…”
Hearing this, Lin Xinyuan immediately turned her head away, pretending not to care. But out of Qin Nanfeng’s sight, her expression grew a little dazed, her heart pounding faster and faster.
One beat after another, too rapid to be normal.
Her gaze was lost. Even though Qin Nanfeng’s words were so direct, she didn’t dare probe further.
Trying meant uncertainty. That kind of unpredictability scared her. She couldn’t handle any more changes…
Even though she knew that, if it worked out, it would be wonderful…
Her petite body trembled ever so slightly, barely noticeable, but Qin Nanfeng had been watching Lin Xinyuan all along, and immediately noticed her unease.
Seeing this, Qin Nanfeng sighed quietly in his heart.
He’d been too hasty after all…
He stopped teasing Lin Xinyuan, instead leaning in to hold her soft little hand, gently kneading it: “Mm, I’m bored.”
It took nearly half an hour before the dishes started arriving, mostly because so many people had come to try the Long Street Banquet.
Qin Nanfeng ordered Mutton Stew and a few vegetarian dishes, so once the mutton was finished, they could dip the veggies in the pot.
In the dead of winter, eating Hotpot-like food always felt comforting, especially in an atmosphere like this…
The tables were arranged in a long line like a dragon, each one steaming with rising heat, the scent of food and the murmur of voices creating a festive New Year’s feeling—just like the barbecue stall owner had said before, the charm of the Long Street Banquet was all about the atmosphere. Otherwise, you might as well just go to a regular restaurant.
Qin Nanfeng used the slotted spoon to scoop a big helping of mutton into Lin Xinyuan’s bowl, saying offhandedly, “Eat more. You’re too skinny.”
Lin Xinyuan touched her little tummy, a bit troubled, but not wanting to refuse Qin Nanfeng’s kindness: “But I don’t think I can eat any more.”
“If you can’t eat meat, then I’ll dip some greens for you, okay?”
Lin Xinyuan thought about it, then agreed: “Alright…”
After she spoke, she took advantage of Qin Nanfeng’s inattention to secretly glance down at herself several times.
Am I… really that thin…
I feel fine…
Could it be he likes girls with a bit more chubbiness?
But no matter how much she ate, she never gained any weight. Her mom had fed her all sorts of tonics, but nothing changed…
What’s wrong with that!
Sure enough, stupid yellow-haired guy, always making a fuss…
0…
The girl grumbled to herself, endlessly criticizing Qin Nanfeng in her mind, her brows furrowing in inexplicable anxiety. But when Qin Nanfeng looked over after finishing, she quickly composed herself.
Qin Nanfeng dumped the mutton from her bowl into his own, then prepared to use the empty bowl to pick some greens for her.
Lin Xinyuan hesitated, wanting to say she could get her own. With Qin Nanfeng always serving her food, it made her seem like a little kid.
But knowing she couldn’t win an argument with him, she stayed quiet.
“Eat up, once we’re done we’ll go for a walk.”
“Okay.”
Lin Xinyuan only ate a little at this meal, leaving most of it for Qin Nanfeng to finish off.
After eating and resting for a bit, Qin Nanfeng called the Waiter over to pay the bill, then led Lin Xinyuan out.
“Where are we going?” Lin Xinyuan checked her phone—it was just eight o’clock.
“I don’t know, there’s still a while before the Fireworks Banquet, let’s just wander around for a bit.”
“…”
They walked on in silence. The number of tourists on the stone-paved street grew even greater, and the two of them wove their way through, before they knew it, they’d reached Lantern Street.
They’d come here in the daytime too, but back then the lanterns overhead weren’t lit, and there weren’t nearly as many stalls as now.
The lamplight spilled across the stone road, as if painting the whole world with a retro filter.
On either side, the shouts of the street vendors rang out. Now and then, girls dressed in Hanfu walked by, laughing, chattering, bickering, or playing around.
The place bustled with energy, full of life.
Lin Xinyuan let Qin Nanfeng lead her by the hand, looking around with curious eyes.
Even though they’d already been here once, Lantern Street at night was still completely different from during the day.
Compared to daytime, at night the old-fashioned atmosphere was even stronger, just like the ancient Night Market scenes in TV dramas.
The aroma of all kinds of snacks wafted through the air, but the two had just eaten, and they’d basically sampled everything earlier anyway.
So their attention shifted to other things.
They had barely walked a few steps when Qin Nanfeng noticed a lively crowd gathered ahead.
So he took Lin Xinyuan over and squeezed through the crowd.
“Hey! Watch it!” A boy was shoved from behind, annoyed as he turned around, ready to give the culprit a piece of his mind.
Qin Nanfeng wore a polite smile: “Excuse me, thank you.”
As soon as the boy saw how tall and strong Qin Nanfeng was, he immediately backed down.
The words he’d been ready to say got stuck in his throat. He dared not say a word, only grudgingly making way.
He cursed under his breath, but soon froze in place.
A graceful silhouette appeared behind Qin Nanfeng—a beautiful girl in Hanfu, like a figure from a painting, suddenly stepping into view, so ethereal it was unreal…
Lin Xinyuan looked up, offering the boy an apologetic smile and a slight nod, then hurried to catch up with the youth ahead.
The boy was left alone, staring dazedly at that graceful figure, feeling the resentment in his heart melt away.
“Mama, I’ve fallen in love…”
He muttered in dialect, his mind full of the shy smile the girl had just shown…
She was so pretty!
Then, as if realizing something, his smile froze, and the thing that had just filled his heart shattered like glass.
“Heavens, how can a handsome guy like me still not have a girlfriend!” The boy took a deep breath and sighed toward the sky, looking miserable. “Finally got my heart racing, and yet the heavens have made me lose so utterly…”
The people around quietly edged away, leaving him alone in the empty space, wallowing in self-pity.