TPIL - 7

Qi Xiaochuan rode his bicycle with Luo Andi on the back as they headed home. When they left earlier, the warm-hearted pizza shop manager had even come out to ask if they lived far away. The “Downton Abbey”-like estate where Luo Andi lived was indeed quite distant, but when the manager suggested they take an electric scooter instead, Qi Xiaochuan still refused. The single-seat scooter couldn’t carry two people, and even if it could, the only way would have been for Luo Andi to crouch in front of him. Even if she didn’t mind him stepping on her princess dress, he wouldn’t have accepted that arrangement.

Besides, he was used to riding bicycles and had carried passengers more than a few times before. During his time working at the gas station, he once gave a ride to a colleague who was 186 cm tall, cycling five kilometers to the Administration for Industry and Commerce office.

Luo Andi held onto the edge of his shirt as Qi Xiaochuan pedaled. It was already dark, and they didn’t speak. At crossroads, while waiting for the traffic light to change, he reached out and pulled her hand around his waist tightly, reminding her, “Don’t fall.”

As he rode, she noticed that the strap of his chest bag was slightly tilted and helped adjust it. For some reason, she felt his bag resembled Doraemon’s pocket because throughout the day of work, she had seen him pull out coins, his work ID, chewing gum, and a bunch of colorful pizza shop coupons.

When they arrived home, the main house lights were already off. Only then did Qi Xiaochuan feel a bit worried; he had let someone else’s daughter spend an entire day supervising him outside. Luo Andi saw through his concern and took the opportunity to reassure him: “It’s fine. I’ve already informed my parents.”

But this only made Qi Xiaochuan more nervous.

So, the next morning, he delayed going to work by thirty minutes and made a special trip to Luo Andi’s house to apologize.

Unexpectedly, they didn’t blame him at all. Instead, they invited him to join them for Luo Chuisun’s end-of-course ceremony during the long holiday—it was truly astonishing. While her twin sister was preparing for high school entrance exams, he was already pursuing graduate studies.

In any case, Qi Xiaochuan left feeling overwhelmed by their kindness. Just as he was about to head to work, Luo Andi ran after him.

He had long legs and walked quickly, and he was the type of person whom few dared to approach on the street. One reason was his intimidating expression, but the most important factor was that he always kept his gaze straight ahead, giving the impression that he was on his way to kill Bill—anyone who dared to stop him might lose an ear.

She wore white long socks and ran until she was out of breath, calling out loudly: “Xiaoxiao!”

After calling several times, he finally turned around. Seeing it was her, and probably calculating how much salary he would lose for being late, he still walked back: “What is it?”

“Did you get beaten up?” she asked.

A fleeting look of astonishment crossed his face, but it quickly shifted to a mix of impatience and discomfort. Qi Xiaochuan asked, “Who told you?”

“Grandpa Gardener said all the newly planted bamboo was ruined, so the housekeeper checked the surveillance footage and then told my parents.” She looked at him with concern, her eyes lingering on his face. “Does it hurt?”

That wretched old man again—he had promised to go frog releasing with him tonight, yet here he was being betrayed.

“Ah,” Qi Xiaochuan tried his best to maintain a composed demeanor as he replied, “It’s fine now.”

“I’m sorry, they…”

“It’s okay. Don’t blame them.” He responded, “They were only acting in your best interest.”

“What do you mean?”

Qi Xiaochuan remained his usual infuriating self, his face stern as he repeatedly glanced at his watch, showing no manners whatsoever. “Think about it from another perspective. If there’s a guy constantly pursuing you, but you don’t like him, his actions are essentially just causing you trouble. I’m not saying that’s what you’re doing, but I’ve certainly endured a lot because of you. Moreover, they think I’m playing with your feelings.”

Luo Andi gazed at him. For a brief moment, Qi Xiaochuan felt a flicker of worry. He was in a rush, and the pressure from her had been building up over time, so he blurted it out without thinking. He feared she might be hurt by his words, but he meant no harm—he simply didn’t want to see a girl cry, especially not the precious daughter of the family that provided his income.

However, none of the scenarios he feared came to pass.

Luo Andi smiled.

“You’re really kind,” she said.

Her praise always came out of nowhere, leaving him baffled. Qi Xiaochuan felt a bit awkward, and in that moment, the foolish and inappropriate role seemed to shift to him. He said, “I’ve thought about it—I won’t marry you when we grow up.”

For once, he deeply felt how difficult something could be. Normally, he was accustomed to handling situations with ease, even if he wasn’t good at it, he could quickly decide between avoidance and rejection. However, at this moment, Qi Xiaochuan struggled to keep himself from stuttering like someone with a disability: “It’s not because there’s anything wrong with you. It’s just who I am. I’m cold towards others, have a bad character, and I do whatever I want without considering those things… I’m sorry.”

She didn’t seem hurt at all. Instead, she looked at him with great interest.

“I never plan to live with anyone—not just you, but anyone else either,” he continued, increasingly feeling the lack of words and sensing a comical absurdity in exposing his flaws. “My faults are countless and impossible to hide. After knowing me for so long, you should already be aware of them… With your qualities, there’s absolutely no need for you to settle for me.”

Luo Andi tilted her head, thought for a moment, and then asked him with a somewhat childlike friendly expression, “What if you change your mind later and want to live with someone? Will you come see me?”

“No,” he answered decisively this time. Qi Xiaochuan added, “I won’t come looking for you.”