TPIL - 34

Qi Xiaochuan entered first, his face impeccably composed, but subtle movements betrayed his unease as he rubbed his hands and said, “Please come in.”

Dragging her suitcase, wearing fluffy slippers, Luo Andi looked up in admiration as she came in, sincerely exclaiming, “It’s so beautiful.”

When she was young, Luo Andi’s father didn’t pay much attention to interior decoration, simply adopting the previous homeowner’s layout when they moved. Even so, it was still very beautiful, just more retro in style. However, Qi Xiaochuan’s home had a more fashionable design—though he hadn’t been involved, purely paying professionals to handle it.

To her, the aura of wealth was nothing unusual, but praise was never redundant.

Alexander McQueen, upon arriving at the new environment, wandered around without showing any signs of shyness.

“The room you’ll be staying in, I’ve already prepared it for you,” Qi Xiaochuan hesitated whether to hand over the bottled water, eventually placing it not too close nor too far on the table. “If there’s anything else you need, feel free to let me know. If something is inconvenient, you can mention it too. Do you know how to drive? I usually use one particular car. If you want to drive...”

Luo Andi was slightly startled, unable to resist confirming: “Did you prepare it yourself? You, Xiaochuan?”

“...I had some disagreements with the previous housekeeping company, so recently I’ve been cleaning by myself.”

She had never expected this, awkwardly saying, “Actually, you could have let me handle it myself... My moving in has already inconvenienced you, and I even brought my cat. I’ll pay you rent based on the surrounding prices.”

“It’s fine,” Qi Xiaochuan maintained his usual deadpan expression, if one were to judge his mood by facial expressions, he always seemed to harbor reservations, “My income is enough to last me a long time; I don’t need to earn more from you. It’s already good that you’re willing to live with me.”

Luo Andi didn’t push back much, merely asking curiously, “But why did you suddenly change your mind? At first, you were quite determined to make me leave, weren’t you?”

“I never said that.”

She approached, peeking into her designated bedroom, naturally retracing his earlier sentiments: “Didn’t you say so? That night, as soon as you called, you told me to take my things away immediately.”

“I don’t remember.” He turned his head to avoid the topic, changing the subject: “Do you want to watch the new Netflix medical drama?”

“Wow, 4K! I want to watch that zombie show.” Luo Andi’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

“…Do you really like that kind?”

The first decision Luo Andi made after moving into the new place was to buy a sofa.

When Qi Xiaochuan heard about it, he was suspicious: “Why not just have the furniture store deliver one? How many seats do you want?”

Luo Andi found this idea incredulous, her eyes wide as she said, “Xiaochuan, did you buy all your furniture like this?”

He suppressed the question marks floating in his mind, countering with, “Isn’t it normal to buy things like this?”

“Things bought are meant to be placed at home, likely for a long time. In other words, they become part of your life. Of course, it’s not just about functionality; appearance and comfort are important too.”

Faced with Qi Xiaochuan’s utterly perplexed expression, akin to listening to Polish, Luo Andi picked a weekend with no other plans and forcibly dragged him along to the furniture store.

In fact, not all of Qi Xiaochuan’s furniture was completely handled by the renovation company and designer. There was a period when he purchased lamps and chairs online, but they often turned out unsuitable upon delivery. Initially set aside, they later became obstructions. The hourly maintenance worker even demanded extra money because of them. Not winning the argument against the middle-aged woman who became a grandmother at forty, he vented his frustration by taking solid wood furniture on a picnic, joyfully chopping it for firewood and donating the rest to mountainous areas—though he had no idea if the rural self-built houses used his expensive Terzani chandelier.

Such embarrassing incidents, of course, couldn’t be told to Luo Andi.

Luo Andi genuinely didn’t know, earnestly selecting sofas under the guidance of a salesperson.

However, browsing a furniture store easily led to tangents.

“This bathroom rack is so practical!”

“Is this for the kitchen?”

“This children’s desk is so cute!”

Luo Andi sat by the low table and chair, smiling at Qi Xiaochuan: “Small-sized items seem especially adorable.”

“Adorable, my foot. We won’t use it even if we buy it. Let’s go.” Qi Xiaochuan turned his head.

A salesperson who bore a striking resemblance to Loki from the movie Thor smiled warmly: “Consider purchasing it when you two have children. For now, let’s go look at the sofas.”

As these words reached her ears, Luo Andi happened to stand up and accidentally tripped, falling forward. Fortunately, Qi Xiaochuan was nearby, swiftly catching her. Most of her weight hit his shoulder, but he didn’t budge, his arm wrapping around her back, his palm supporting her elbow effortlessly. Before she could look up, she heard him blandly reply to the salesperson, “Alright, thank you.”

Finally steadying herself, Luo Andi looked at Qi Xiaochuan again. He, utterly bored, glanced back, completely unaware of having said anything odd.

For every sofa they looked at, Luo Andi would sit down to try it. Although comfort or discomfort could be summed up in a word, some indescribable feelings were also important. After trying many, she mentally ranked them. On an unremembered sofa, she suddenly patted the space beside her and looked up at Qi Xiaochuan, saying, “You try sitting too.”

His attitude remained indifferent, especially since he had been distracted and unguarded, irritably replying, “It’s fine if you like it.”

Seeing this, the salesperson knew they might discuss for a while and tactfully excused themselves.

“Come on,” Luo Andi smiled, continuing to urge him, “Try sitting. Haven’t you walked enough? Aren’t you tired?”

How could he be tired? Back then, carrying eighty-pound appliances door-to-door, he once climbed eighteen floors only to find the wrong apartment and had to go down and climb another building. He tried to slip away, but his wrist was immediately caught. Luo Andi pulled Qi Xiaochuan and forced him to sit down.

Reluctantly, he sat down but immediately felt a sense of déjà vu. That bed. The princess bed he saw in Luo Andi’s bedroom as a child gave off this same feeling. Luo Andi rested her neck against the backrest, comfortably asking, “How does it feel?”

Qi Xiaochuan said, “Not bad.”

This was truly a disingenuous evaluation. It was so comfortable that he secretly considered buying one to put in his office, using it for fifteen minutes every day.

She swayed her head, trying to find the most comfortable position. Luo Andi said, “I could practically grow roots in this sofa.”

The superior fabric and texture acted like truth serum, causing Qi Xiaochuan to unwittingly confess, “Mm.”

She continued shifting, her neck not quite comfortable. She probably needed to see a doctor about her cervical spine. However, at that moment, he suddenly raised his hand, pressing her head onto his shoulder, firmly saying, “Don’t move.” Initially startled, her body gradually relaxed, quickly enveloped by the perfectly snug sensation.

Finally, Luo Andi sprang up, glanced at the price tag, and immediately contacted the salesperson.

Confirming the order, payment, and delivery flowed smoothly like clouds and water.

Qi Xiaochuan was amazed at the efficiency, while Luo Andi was content. Together, they went to a nearby fast-food restaurant. When ordering, the cashier, focusing their gaze on Qi Xiaochuan, kindly suggested a meal combo. Qi Xiaochuan was about to order casually but was abruptly intercepted by Luo Andi.

“Hold on,” Luo Andi gazed at the menu board, quickly deducing, “This combo can be customized, and half-price allows adding a drink. This way is more cost-effective.”

She decisively placed the order, finally taking the receipt and checking it while finding a seat. Qi Xiaochuan held her bag, staring at Luo Andi with an ambiguous gaze. She noticed the gaze after a while, turning her head and brightly asking what was wrong.

“I feel like some things about you have changed,” Qi Xiaochuan said, “But maybe I never fully understood you.”

Fast food was meant to be eaten with hands, and Luo Andi skillfully brought it to her mouth, answering, “Do you like working, Xiaochuan?”

He was drinking a milkshake: “It’s okay. Why ask?”

“Your secretary often mentions you,” she tilted her head, “saying you work a lot, are very dedicated, and reliable.”

“...” He stared at her sternly for a moment, then said, “You can tell the truth.”

She couldn’t help but laugh: “That’s indeed what he meant, just phrased differently.”

Qi Xiaochuan thought for a moment, casually saying, “Can’t say I like it.”

“Do you hate it?” Luo Andi was surprised, “Then how can you keep going?”

“I don’t dislike it, at least I don’t have to do work I’m not good at, and I can achieve my ambitions.” He ate quickly but didn’t give off a rude or unkempt impression, “Besides, I like making money.”

Suddenly, a commotion came from the side. A dramatic scene unfolded at the neighboring table. Something must have gone wrong during the discussion, as the woman splashed Sprite at the man opposite her. However, one side of the seating was against the wall, causing the liquid to splash back, inadvertently affecting Luo Andi, who was also sitting on the inner side.

She felt a chill on her shoulder blades, immediately standing up but failing to dodge. Her back was soaked, drops trickling down her clothes.

Without a second thought, Qi Xiaochuan took off his jacket, draping it over her before looking at the couple still immersed in their argument.

The man had also been splashed, glancing at them briefly. Clearly, he had no intention of taking responsibility for his companion’s irrational behavior, turning to flee. The woman, on the other hand, paid no attention to the innocent bystanders, hysterically grabbing the man’s shirt and angrily shouting at him not to break up with her. The two exchanged heated words, accompanied by a sentimental BGM, acting out their inner drama. Unexpectedly, a third person suddenly appeared, without a word, lightly tapping the man’s shoulder and more precisely splashing another drink at the pair.

Aside from concern for the cleaning staff, Qi Xiaochuan saw nothing wrong. He settled Luo Andi outside the door and went to the fast-food restaurant manager to pay compensation. The couple was left staring at each other, bewildered, not even reacting to their anger.

Luo Andi widened her eyes, equally caught off guard, worried yet straightforwardly asked, “Are they alright?”

“I apologized to the staff and left my business card,” Qi Xiaochuan unintentionally misdirected, answering irrelevantly.

She still wanted to turn back, though not out of maternal instinct, as she wasn’t anxious about them being splashed—after all, it wasn’t any substantial harm: “I mean those two people. They didn’t mean to...”

He forcefully pulled her, pushing her forward without explanation: “Forget it, let’s go change clothes.”

As he escorted Luo Andi out, the retaliated couple finally snapped out of it, united in indignation, chasing after them. The woman screeched, “Do you know who my father is?!” The man roared, “Splashed us and want to run?”

The notoriously petty Chinese turned around slowly. Luo Andi had already gotten into the car, wanting to get out but was pushed back in by him. Qi Xiaochuan, visibly annoyed, walked forward: “Wasn’t that splash enough to wash your brains?”

There was no trace of anger on his face, purely disdain for the trouble, and complete contempt for those unworthy of his notice. Ignorance was fearless, but at this moment, even the melodramatic couple could sense that they couldn’t possibly interfere with this man. On the contrary, he could easily toy with them, choosing not to only out of disdain.

“Father or grandfather, whoever you can call, call them,” Qi Xiaochuan said, “I understand that neither of you can walk independently at your age. Please sympathize with my limited patience; I really don’t want to talk to grown-up babies.”