MY - 52

Lu Nandu went inside.

Jiang Xi didn’t drink the black tea that Xu Qingzhou had placed on the table.

After sitting in the sun for a long time, her body felt warm. Fine dust motes danced in the light.

Jiang Xi suddenly really wanted to smoke a cigarette.

She reached into her pocket, but it was empty. She hadn’t brought any cigarettes.

She hadn’t smoked for a long time; the last time was two weeks ago.

To Jiang Xi, cigarettes were just a diversion, not that important, but also essential.

Smoking was usually how she released her emotions.

Jiang Xi took her hand out of her pocket. Although it was cold, sitting in the sun for a long time was still uncomfortable.

She looked around the yard.

It was almost noon. The sun was shining directly down, and there was almost no place to hide from it.

Jiang Xi got up and walked to the eaves. Xu Qingzhou hadn’t invited her in, so she wouldn’t go inside rashly.

There was nowhere to sit under the eaves, so Jiang Xi leaned against the wall.

Not long after Lu Nandu went inside, Xu Qingzhou came downstairs.

He probably was looking for Jiang Xi. After he came down, he pushed the door open but didn’t see anyone on the rattan chair.

Jiang Xi looked over, realizing Xu Qingzhou was looking for her. “Teacher Xu, I’m here.”

Xu Qingzhou heard her and turned around. He smiled when he saw her. “There you are. I was wondering why you’d leave so soon. It must be uncomfortable sitting in the sun. I forgot to tell you that you could sit anywhere you like in the house when I went upstairs.”

He took a step back into the house, but didn’t close the door. “Come on in. You might have to wait a while longer.”

Just before Lu Nandu went in, Xu Qingzhou had said it wouldn’t be long.

But now he had changed his tune.

Jiang Xi’s face was calm. “Okay.”

But Xu Qingzhou seemed to know what she was thinking, or maybe he was just casually comforting her.

“Don’t worry, it’s normal. Come on in.”

Jiang Xi didn’t decline and went inside to sit on the living room sofa. Xu Qingzhou brought her some desserts and placed them on the table before returning upstairs.

Xu Qingzhou’s house wasn’t decorated in a minimalist style, but it wasn’t overly ornate either. Probably due to his profession, the layout and decor were warm, with an overall warm color scheme.

The house was in a sunny spot, and the entire small building was bright and airy.

Jiang Xi just sat there, taking out her phone to play with it.

However, she was never that interested in games. She looked at it for a few minutes and then had nothing else to do.

In the middle of it, she received a call from Ji Yuanzhou. Ji Yuanzhou was always very busy at the end of the year. This year, he was promoted to director, and his workload had increased significantly, so they hadn’t been in touch for a while.

What surprised Jiang Xi was that Ji Yuanzhou was still working overtime on the second day of the Chinese New Year.

Ji Yuanzhou didn’t say much on the phone. He just mentioned a few things about his cruel boss who had gone home with his wife and children for the New Year, leaving a group of employees unable to leave the company.

Jiang Xi asked casually, “Are you home alone?”

After a brief silence on Ji Yuanzhou’s end, he laughed. “Do you have clairvoyance?”

Jiang Xi chatted calmly, “Not only clairvoyance, but also all-hearing.”

Ji Yuanzhou laughed.

Ji Yuanzhou wasn’t a person who liked to talk about his private relationships, but he had mentioned them to Jiang Xi more or less, and Jiang Xi had a rough idea.

That man was all-powerful and ruthless.

He had trapped Ji Yuanzhou in a corner, a canary with broken wings.

Jiang Xi asked, “Are you bored?”

Ji Yuanzhou: “It’s alright.”

She was probably smoking. She paused for a moment, then took the cigarette away. Her voice was nonchalant, as if she didn’t care about anything.

“Maybe one day I’ll get bored of it.”

Jiang Xi lowered her eyes, looking at the light spots on the floor projected through the checkered glass.

She asked, “How long?”

Ji Yuanzhou said leisurely on the other end, “Half a year?”

“A year?”

She laughed. “Or longer.”

Jiang Xi didn’t say anything.

Ji Yuanzhou finished his cigarette. “Alright, I’m done smoking. Break time is over. I’m going back to work.”

Jiang Xi laughed. “Do you really have work to do?”

Ji Yuanzhou said, “I can’t go out, but I still need money, don’t I?”

Jiang Xi was still smiling. “That’s true. Alright, go back to work.”

After hanging up the phone, Jiang Xi looked up and glanced at the wall clock.

Lu Nandu had been upstairs for half an hour.

She looked away.

The minutes ticked by, and Lu Nandu finally came downstairs.

Jiang Xi’s ears were sharp, and she turned her head to the side.

Lu Nandu on the stairs also saw her and paused his steps.

In those two seconds, Jiang Xi had already observed his expression without showing any emotion.

The progress was probably not going well. Lu Nandu’s expression was a little grim, and even when he smiled at Jiang Xi, he couldn’t hide it.

Jiang Xi didn’t expose him. She just asked, “Are you done?”

Lu Nandu wasn’t slow to adjust his emotions. He came down the stairs in two or three strides and nodded. “Yep, all done.”

He quickly came to Jiang Xi, leaned over to pick a grape from the table and threw it into his mouth, then leaned back into the sofa. “I was afraid you’d left.”

Jiang Xi looked at him. “I’m not that untrustworthy.”

As soon as he saw her, Lu Nandu’s anxiety lessened significantly.

“Since you’re so trustworthy.”

He suddenly leaned close to her. “Then will you promise to date me in the future?”

Lu Nandu’s eyes curved when he smiled. His usually intimidating face became harmless.

If she had to describe it with one word.

Jiang Xi had the answer since high school: sweet.

Lu Nandu was really well-behaved and harmless to her. He liked to act spoiled with her and liked to tease her from time to time.

“Dating me comes with after-sales service,” he was spouting nonsense again. “Big sister, will you say yes?”

Jiang Xi didn’t know why he had so many crazy ideas in his head.

She pushed his face away with her hand. “You think you’re selling something.”

Lu Nandu picked another grape and threw it into his mouth. “Yeah, I think it’s a pretty good idea to sell it to you.”

Jiang Xi glanced at him indifferently.

After a while, she suddenly asked, “Why in the future?”

Perhaps he hadn’t expected her to ask this question, and Lu Nandu was stunned for a moment.

He was leaning back in the sofa, with one arm draped over the back of it. A few seconds later, he ran his hand through his hair in frustration. “Right now... I can’t.”

Jiang Xi didn’t ask him why again.

Seeing that she didn’t answer, Lu Nandu wanted to say something to make her happy.

“Well,” he said, “right now, this product’s quality isn’t quite up to standard.”

After saying that, Lu Nandu stared at Jiang Xi’s side profile. Sure enough, Jiang Xi’s lips curled up a little.

Lu Nandu also laughed silently with her.

Jiang Xi turned her head to look at him. “Keep it up.”

Meeting her gaze, Lu Nandu stared at her for a few seconds and said smugly, “Of course. It’s a custom-made exclusive.”

Jiang Xi felt like pinching his face when he was being so smug.

Xu Qingzhou came downstairs and asked Jiang Xi, “Have you been waiting long?”

Jiang Xi: “It’s alright.”

Xu Qingzhou: “You came in the morning. Have you had lunch yet?”

When Lu Nandu heard Xu Qingzhou say that, he was stunned for a moment and turned to look at Jiang Xi. “You haven’t eaten yet?”

He had seen Jiang Xi at noon and hadn’t thought much of it.

Jiang Xi only glanced at him, then looked back at Xu Qingzhou and answered him, “It’s okay, I’m not hungry.”

Xu Qingzhou came downstairs and sat on the sofa opposite them. He asked, “I’m making some soup in the kitchen. Would you like a bowl?”

Lu Nandu: “No need. I haven’t eaten yet either. I’ll take her out to eat.”

Xu Qingzhou caught the word “out.”

Lu Nandu really needed it.

Xu Qingzhou smiled. “Alright, alright, go ahead.”

Jiang Xi didn’t want to bother Xu Qingzhou for too long. After saying goodbye to Xu Qingzhou, she left with Lu Nandu.

It was three in the afternoon, and the alley was deep and quiet.

The sunlight was slanting, not reaching the people, and there was a hint of coolness in the air.

Jiang Xi and Lu Nandu walked side by side.

She asked, “Where do you live?”

Lu Nandu: “Just up ahead.”

“Where?”

When they reached the small building where the old lady and the little girl were, Lu Nandu slowly stopped. Jiang Xi stopped with him, confused.

He lifted his chin towards the building across the street. “Here.”

Jiang Xi heard him and turned around.

The villa had a similar style to all the other small lofts here, but it seemed to be a bit old. The texture of the bricks showed signs of age.

She looked at it for a few seconds and then looked away.

She didn’t ask him why he lived here. Lu Nandu clearly wasn’t short on money and could have found a better house.

She asked, “Aren’t you going in?”

Lu Nandu: “You haven’t eaten yet. Let’s go out and eat.”

Even though Lu Nandu looked calm and showed no signs of emotional distress, Jiang Xi knew that this was a big deal for him.

He had been able to hide it well for the past few years, and all his fears had been suppressed under his emotions and never resolved.

He was now just like the little boy who couldn’t control his emotions many years ago.

Jiang Xi could guess that Lu Nandu probably hadn’t been out for a long time.

But she didn’t say anything. This was a rare occasion where Lu Nandu wanted to go out. Maybe it was for her, or maybe it was for himself.

She hummed. “Let’s go.”

Jiang Xi didn’t look for a place too far away. This kind of thing couldn’t be rushed. They had to take it one step at a time.

They didn’t walk far. Because it was a holiday, many small shops were closed. Jiang Xi found a noodle shop nearby.

During the meal, Lu Nandu was a little agitated, but he was trying to control it.

Jiang Xi couldn’t figure out what this was related to. In the past... she had never seen Lu Nandu have such a strong reaction to crowds.

There wasn’t much she could do, so she just chatted with Lu Nandu to distract him a little.

The meal was rushed, but it was also considered a step forward for Lu Nandu.

After they finished eating, they didn’t go anywhere else and went straight back to Lu Nandu’s house.

The small loft Lu Nandu rented wasn’t as bright as the one at the end of Xu Qingzhou’s alley. It was dark and gloomy, with a European loft style.

Lu Nandu closed the door behind them.

Jiang Xi: “Why are you living here?”

Lu Nandu walked to her side. “It’s more convenient to get to Xu Qingzhou’s from here.”

Jiang Xi had a feeling that there was more to it than just that, but she didn’t ask again.

The house didn’t have much of a lived-in feel to it and was exceptionally clean.

Lu Nandu had already walked into the house. Jiang Xi watched his back.

There was no longer any sign of abnormality in Lu Nandu’s emotions. He had adjusted quickly in the distance from the noodle shop to his house. This was probably why his abnormality had gone unnoticed for so many years.

Jiang Xi followed him upstairs.

There were three rooms on the second floor. The one Lu Nandu was staying in was the least spacious.

Jiang Xi took a look. The other two rooms had windows and were clearly brighter and not as cramped.

The white gauze curtains moved slightly. The bed sheets had wrinkles on them, and the quilt was messily pushed to one side.

Lu Nandu appeared behind her. “What’s wrong?”

Jiang Xi’s gaze moved away from the window, and she shook her head. “Nothing.”

She was about to take her hand off the doorknob. Lu Nandu said, “I slept here last night.”

Jiang Xi turned to look at him.

Lu Nandu looked down at her and asked, “Are you sleepy?”

This weather was the perfect time for a nap. It was a little past three, so there was still time for an afternoon nap.

Jiang Xi looked at him for a few seconds, then turned around and walked into the room. “Let’s rest for a while.”

Lu Nandu hesitated for a moment.

But he quickly followed her in. “Then can I stay until you want to sleep?”

He was a step away from her. Between the torment and being with Jiang Xi, Lu Nandu resolutely chose her.

Jiang Xi lowered her eyes and didn’t refuse. “Okay.”

Lu Nandu was immediately happy.

Jiang Xi sat on the sofa. Lu Nandu sat on the floor with one leg bent, his arm resting on it, and his other long leg stretched out carelessly in front of him.

He would look up and say a few words to Jiang Xi from time to time, and the two of them chatted casually.

The sunlight was lazy. Even Jiang Xi, who wasn’t feeling sleepy at first, started to feel a little tired after sitting for a while.

And Lu Nandu’s sleepiness came even faster than Jiang Xi’s.

Perhaps it was because he hadn’t slept well last night, or perhaps because Jiang Xi was there, and he felt a lot more relaxed.

Jiang Xi lowered her eyes slightly, her gaze falling on Lu Nandu’s face.

Lu Nandu’s head was resting on the sofa, his eyelashes were half-closed, but he was still looking at her.

As he was looking at her, Lu Nandu’s hand suddenly became restless.

Jiang Xi’s arm was on the armrest of the sofa, with one hand supporting her forehead and her other fair and slender fingers resting on the sofa.

Lu Nandu’s five fingers grabbed her index finger.

He rolled over and faced her.

Jiang Xi didn’t move.

She looked at him. “Lu Nandu.”

Even though he was so sleepy, Lu Nandu still held his eyelids open and looked at her.

He hummed.

Jiang Xi finally asked, very calmly, “Just now at the noodle shop, what did you hear?”

She knew very well that it wasn’t what he saw because Lu Nandu hadn’t looked around, or perhaps, he hadn’t dared to look.

Lu Nandu looked at her.

The air seemed to be suffocating. Just when Jiang Xi thought Lu Nandu was about to push her away, he frowned slightly. “I.”

His lips parted slightly. “I heard screaming.”

“They were all screaming.”

It was a very simple sentence, but Jiang Xi knew that Lu Nandu had a hard time saying it.

Her heart instantly clenched.

Lu Nandu moved closer to her, and his forehead rested on her hand.

He finally couldn’t bear it anymore.

“Big sister.”

His voice was faintly filled with a crying tone.

“Can you please tell them to stop screaming?”