156: Chapter 155 Xin Yaoqiao's Gift

When Su Bai and Chu Yi walked out of the residential complex, it was already completely dark.

Streetlights illuminated the entire street, the orange glow forming a line that stretched into the unseen distance.

Chu Yi held his hand, fingers interlaced, gripping tightly as if afraid he might run away.

Su Bai looked down at their clasped hands; her hand was small, with slender fingers and neatly trimmed, clean nails.

"What do you want to eat?" Su Bai asked.

Chu Yi thought for a moment. "Hot pot."

Su Bai said fine.

The two walked along the sidewalk, passing a noodle shop, a fast-food restaurant, and a barbecue joint.

Chu Yi stopped in front of a hot pot restaurant, peering through the glass window; it was steaming inside and packed with people.

"This one looks pretty good."

Su Bai also took a look inside; it was indeed good. The soup in the pots was bubbling, the sliced meat on the tables was a mix of red and white, and the vegetables were vibrant green.

They pushed the door open and went in, and a waiter led them to a window seat.

Chu Yi took the menu, flipped through a few pages, and ordered a yin-yang pot, fatty beef, fatty lamb, tripe, shrimp paste, enoki mushrooms, potato slices, and baby bok choy.

She handed the menu to Su Bai, who added duck blood and wide vermicelli.

The waiter brought the soup base—spicy red oil on one side and tomato on the other, red on one side and white on the other.

The fire was turned on, and the soup began to bubble.

Chu Yi dumped the fatty beef into the spicy red oil pot and stirred it with her chopsticks.

The meat changed color, and she picked it up and put it into Su Bai's bowl.

Su Bai picked it up, ate it, and nodded.

Chu Yi smiled, picked up a piece for herself, blew on it, put it into her mouth, chewed, and squinted her eyes.

"Delicious," she said.

Su Bai poured the duck blood into the pot; it sank and then floated back up.

Chu Yi scooped a piece out, took a bite, and gasped because it was so hot, but she didn't spit it out, chewing a few times before swallowing.

"Slow down," Su Bai said.

Chu Yi shook her head. "It's delicious, so good."

She scooped out another piece, this time blowing on it before putting it into her mouth.

The two ate hot pot and chatted.

Chu Yi said: "What should I do if I don't want to go to school tomorrow?"

Su Bai: "You have to go even if you don't want to."

Chu Yi acted coquettishly, "Can't you coax me a little?"

"How do you want me to coax you?"

Chu Yi thought for a moment and said, "Say that Chu Yi is the most beautiful."

Su Bai looked at her, silent for two seconds.

"Chu Yi is the most beautiful."

Chu Yi was stunned for a moment, then smiled, laughing happily, her eyes curving into crescents.

After finishing the hot pot, the two walked out of the shop.

The night wind blew over, carrying the lingering scent of hot pot and the chill of autumn.

Chu Yi shivered and leaned closer to Su Bai.

Su Bai took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

The jacket was large, wrapping her entire body inside, leaving only her face and hands exposed.

Chu Yi sniffled and smiled.

"So warm."

Su Bai didn't speak, and they walked back the way they came.

The streetlights stretched their shadows long, casting them onto the ground, overlapping, separating, and overlapping again.

Chu Yi walked very slowly, taking small steps, as if trying to delay time.

Su Bai also slowed his pace, accompanying her.

Chu Yi couldn't help but stand on tiptoe and kiss his cheek, a very quick, light touch.

Then she took his hand and quickened her pace.

Back downstairs at the residential complex, Chu Yi took off the jacket and returned it to Su Bai.

Su Bai took it and draped it over his arm.

Early the next morning, Su Bai arrived at class and received a message from Xin Yaoqiao: "Did you forget about me?"

Su Bai glanced at it and didn't reply.

She sent another message, "I don't care, you pick me up after school today."

"If you don't come, I'll go to your class to find you."

Su Bai stared at the messages for a few seconds and typed two characters: "Got it."

At four in the afternoon, Su Bai drove to the school.

Many parents were already waiting at the school gate, with private cars lined up on both sides of the road.

Su Bai parked in an empty spot, turned off the engine, leaned back against the seat, and took out his phone to scroll through it; there were no new messages.

The school bell rang.

A large crowd of students poured out of the gate, their dark blue uniforms surging out like a tide.

Some were waving, some were shouting, some were laughing.

Su Bai watched the students, looking for Xin Yaoqiao in the crowd.

She was among the first to come out.

She wore her hair in two low ponytails, a white sweater, a grey pleated skirt, white stockings on her legs, and black leather shoes on her feet.

She stood at the school gate, looking left and right.

Su Bai honked the horn.

She looked over at the sound, saw the blue panamera, smiled, walked over quickly, opened the car door, and sat in the passenger seat.

"You're sensible enough," she said.

Su Bai didn't speak and started the engine.

Xin Yaoqiao leaned back against the seat, took off her shoes, and curled her legs onto the seat; her white stockings shimmered slightly in the sunlight, and her toes were curled, painted with light pink nail polish.

"Why are you so obedient today?" She tilted her head to look at him.

Su Bai said he had nothing better to do.

Xin Yaoqiao smiled. "Then you should come pick me up every day from now on."

Su Bai didn't speak.

Xin Yaoqiao waited for a while, and when she didn't get an answer, she pouted, but didn't say anything, turning back to look out the window.

The car drove into the gate of Bixian Lake, and the security guard, seeing the license plate, immediately let it pass.

The palm trees on both sides turned into golden silhouettes in the sunset, and the lake in the distance was covered with scattered gold.

The car stopped in front of Xin Yaoqiao's pink villa.

Xin Yaoqiao didn't get out of the car immediately, sitting in the passenger seat, her fingers tapping lightly on her knees.

"Su Bai."

"Yeah."

"Come inside and sit for a while."

Su Bai looked at her.

Xin Yaoqiao also looked at him, her eyes bright.

"Just for a little while."

Su Bai turned off the engine and got out of the car.

Xin Yaoqiao also got out, took his hand, and walked into the villa.

The inside of the villa was still in that girlish princess style: pink walls, white sofa, fluffy carpet, and a human-sized stuffed teddy bear.

Xin Yaoqiao changed her shoes, walking barefoot on the carpet; her white stockings stepped onto the pink carpet as if stepping on clouds.

She pulled Su Bai's hand to the sofa, let him sit down, went to the kitchen to pour two glasses of cola, handed him one, held one herself, and sat down next to him.

"Su Bai."

"Yeah."

"Did you go pick up another woman yesterday?"

Su Bai took a sip of cola.

"No."

Xin Yaoqiao looked at him for a few seconds, then smiled.

"Fine, if you say no, then no."

She leaned over, resting her head on his shoulder, her hair brushing against his chin, tickling him.

Su Bai reached out and wrapped his arm around her waist, and she leaned into his embrace.

The two sat there, neither of them speaking.

The clock on the wall ticked, tick-tock, tick-tock.

"Su Bai."

"Yeah."

"Do you like me?"

Su Bai didn't speak.

Xin Yaoqiao waited for a while, and when she didn't get an answer, she raised her head and looked into his eyes.

Her eyes were very bright, containing the light and her own reflection.

"If you don't speak, I'll take it as your silent consent."

She smiled, buried her face back in his chest, and said muffledly.

"I'll take it as your silent consent."

Su Bai looked down at her; her ears had turned red, from the lobes to the tips, red to the point of being translucent.

Then, the two intertwined.

It had grown dark, and the lights in the villa came on.

Su Bai stood up from the sofa. "I'm leaving."

Xin Yaoqiao also stood up, holding his hand, "Don't go."

Su Bai looked at her.

"Stay here tonight." Xin Yaoqiao's voice was very soft, but every word was spoken clearly.

Su Bai didn't speak.

Xin Yaoqiao waited for a while, and when she didn't get an answer, she lowered her head, her fingers drawing circles in his palm.

"You stayed last time."

Su Bai looked at her for a few seconds and nodded.

Xin Yaoqiao raised her head, her eyes brightening.

She smiled, laughing happily, her eyes curving into crescents.

She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek, a quick, light touch, then pulled his hand and headed upstairs.

"Come on, I'll show you something good."

Su Bai was pulled up the stairs, through the corridor, and into her room.

The room was large, as was the bed, with a pink quilt printed with white stars.

The pillows were white and neatly arranged.

A few books were stacked on the desk, with a desk lamp next to them, its shade pink.

The walls were covered with photos—some of herself, some of her and her dad, some of her and her classmates.

The wardrobe was white with sliding doors and embedded gold handles.

Xin Yaoqiao walked to the wardrobe, opened the door, took out a box, and handed it to Su Bai.

"Open it and see."

Su Bai opened the box; inside was a scarf, dark grey, knitted, feeling very soft and thick.

One end of the scarf was embroidered with a tiny "Xin" character, the stitching fine and dense.

"You knitted this?" Su Bai asked.

Xin Yaoqiao nodded. "It's my first time knitting, it's a bit ugly."

Su Bai wrapped the scarf around his neck; it was very warm.

"It's just right," he said.

Xin Yaoqiao looked at him, her eyes shining.

"Su Bai."

"Yeah."

"You have to wear it every winter from now on."

Su Bai looked at her.

"Okay."

Xin Yaoqiao smiled, a smile filled with satisfaction, peace of mind, and something indescribable.

She stood on tiptoe, wrapped her arms around his neck, and buried her face in his chest.

The night was still long.

Outside the window, the city was brightly lit, the distant skyline appearing and disappearing in the darkness, and the wind blew, causing the curtains to sway gently.

The desk lamp on the nightstand was on, casting a warm yellow light over the two of them.