MY - 54

Jiang Xi didn’t know what to say.

Lu Nandu didn’t seem to be bothered by it. He glanced at the night outside the window. “Are you still going back?”

Jiang Xi hadn’t answered yet.

He said, “Don’t go back. Look, if you go all the way back, you’ll have to come back tomorrow. It’s not worth it.”

Under his teasing, Jiang Xi’s suppressed emotions instantly disappeared.

She laughed. “Who told you I was coming back tomorrow?”

He said seriously, “Lu Nandu, is there such a person?”

Jiang Xi pushed his head. “Aren’t you being childish?”

Lu Nandu laughed, reaching out to turn on the light in the room. “Let’s go eat.”

Remembering what Lu Nandu had said to her in the afternoon, Jiang Xi said, “Let’s not go out. Let’s order takeout.”

Lu Nandu was stunned.

Jiang Xi looked at him. “Do you remember what you told me this afternoon?”

Lu Nandu knew.

Even though his mind was in a state of chaos at the time, he knew what he had said.

He nodded slowly.

Jiang Xi looked away and didn’t ask again. She turned and walked downstairs. “Let’s go. I’m hungry.”

Lu Nandu followed her, no longer bringing up the topic. “What do you want to eat?”

Jiang Xi: “Anything is fine.”

After saying that, she suddenly thought of Xia Xinyan’s phone call this afternoon and laughed. “No rice bowls, no ham sausages.”

Lu Nandu was puzzled.

Jiang Xi tilted her head and looked at him. “There are a lot of shady kitchens out there. Although not all of them are like that, what if you get unlucky? Pay attention when you order food in the future.”

Lu Nandu didn’t have any prejudice against rice bowls.

But as soon as Jiang Xi said that, he immediately changed his mind, especially since he knew Jiang Xi was worried about him.

“Alright, I officially declare that rice bowls are now on my ‘I will never eat’ list.”

“Except for the ones you make, of course.”

Jiang Xi couldn’t be bothered with him.

In the end, they ordered some home-style dishes. A few small dishes were placed on the low coffee table in the living room.

Jiang Xi didn’t eat much. Lu Nandu seemed to have a good appetite, and he polished off the remaining meat and vegetable dishes.

He seemed to always have a good appetite.

Jiang Xi glanced at Lu Nandu’s face opposite her. He was obviously a little thinner than before.

She didn’t say anything and watched Lu Nandu finish all the food in front of him.

Usually, Lu Nandu ate very fast, but today he was eating slowly. Jiang Xi could tell that he was trying to stall.

The later it got, the more reason he had to keep her there.

Jiang Xi said, “Even an ant eats faster than you.”

Lu Nandu looked up at her. “Didn’t you tell me before to chew slowly? I’m listening to you.”

Jiang Xi looked at him expressionlessly. “How come I’ve never seen you so obedient before?”

When they first met, there were countless times when he was disobedient, and she couldn’t get him to leave no matter what she said.

Lu Nandu: “Don’t jump to conclusions so early.”

“There’s still a long way to go. I’ll listen to you from now on.”

Jiang Xi didn’t answer anything, she just glanced at him.

Lu Nandu quickly returned to the main topic, tentatively asking her, “Look at how late it is. Are you still going back tonight?”

Jiang Xi raised her hand, took a sip of the drink next to her, and said, “Didn’t a person named Lu Nandu say I wasn’t going back tonight?”

An hour and a half ago, although Lu Nandu had said that, he was actually not at all sure.

Jiang Xi had driven here herself, so she could leave whenever she wanted.

He was a little surprised. “Really?”

The atmosphere was very relaxed. Jiang Xi leaned back on the sofa and said, “You can go ask Lu Nandu.”

Lu Nandu slammed his chopsticks on the table. “This person is so nice.”

Jiang Xi was amused by him. “Have you no shame?”

Lu Nandu, who was propping his chin with one hand, also looked at her and smiled.

The two of them looked at each other. Jiang Xi was the first to lower her gaze. After a while, she asked, “Where is the bathroom?”

Lu Nandu lifted his chin in a certain direction. “Over there. You’ll see it when you walk over.”

Jiang Xi: “Are there any bathrobes? A men’s one is fine too.” She could just tie it a little tighter.

Lu Nandu was still propping his chin with one hand, looking at her. He curled his lips a little, looking mischievous.

“Yes, there are.”

Jiang Xi couldn’t understand his smile.

“You go and take a shower,” he tapped his fingers on the table. “I’ll clean up the table. When I’m done, I’ll get one for you and bring it over.”

Jiang Xi: “Okay.”

Although this duplex villa had been uninhabited for a long time, it was exceptionally clean and the facilities were in good condition.

After Jiang Xi had been in the hot shower for more than ten minutes, there was a knock on the door. She heard a little sound and turned the water down.

Lu Nandu leaned against the door. When he heard the sound of the water lessen inside, he said, “I brought the clothes.”

“There’s no place to put them outside the door. Can you open the door? I’ll pass them in.”

Jiang Xi was just about to say he could just leave them outside the door, but when she heard Lu Nandu say that, she remembered that there was indeed no place to put things outside the door.

The two of them had lived together before, and Jiang Xi knew Lu Nandu’s character.

In the past, Lu Nandu loved to play tricks when she was taking a shower, acting spoiled and coaxing her. After he got in, he would always mess around for a long time.

She forgot to reply for a moment.

Perhaps Lu Nandu outside the door had the same thought as her. He spoke before her. “I’ll just hand them to you. I won’t do anything else.”

Jiang Xi, of course, knew that Lu Nandu wouldn’t do anything now. She turned off the water. “Okay.”

She walked over barefoot on the tiles and opened a crack in the door.

Lu Nandu was indeed very trustworthy. He didn’t even turn his head and handed the clothes to her with his backhand.

Jiang Xi looked down at the white shirt in his hand. “Didn’t you say there was a bathrobe?”

Lu Nandu had obviously lied to her. He cleared his throat and said nonsensically, “I remembered wrong. I looked for a long time and couldn’t find one. I only have my shirt. Just make do with it.”

Jiang Xi’s long hair was wet, and water was dripping down. A crystal-clear drop of water hung on her delicate chin.

It detached.

And dripped onto the back of Lu Nandu’s hand.

It was warm, with her body temperature.

Lu Nandu frowned slightly.

Jiang Xi glanced at it, looked away, and took the clothes he handed over. “Alright.”

After she took the clothes, Lu Nandu withdrew his hand, and Jiang Xi closed the door.

Half an hour later, Jiang Xi came out of the bathroom. The man’s shirt was oversized, covering her to a little below her thighs, with her fair and straight legs showing underneath.

Even though she was wearing Lu Nandu’s clothes, and she knew his intentions, Jiang Xi was not at all awkward.

She came out of the bathroom, drying her hair, and walked into the living room.

Lu Nandu was leaning back on the sofa, looking at her.

Jiang Xi met his gaze. “Go take a shower.”

Lu Nandu smiled. “Okay.”

He picked up the hairdryer next to him and motioned to her. “The hairdryer.”

Jiang Xi walked over and took it. “Thanks.”

Men’s showers were obviously much faster than women’s.

Jiang Xi’s hair was long, and it took her some time to dry it.

The ends of her hair were still a little wet, and she kept blowing them.

Lu Nandu had already come out of the bathroom. Jiang Xi’s head was slightly tilted, watching him approach.

She was sitting on the sofa. Lu Nandu sat down by her legs, looking up at her a little. “Big sister.”

Jiang Xi had just finished drying her hair. She put away the hairdryer and looked down at him. “Hmm.”

Lu Nandu looked at her with puppy-dog eyes.

How could Jiang Xi not know what he was thinking? She handed the hairdryer to him. “Dry it yourself.”

Lu Nandu’s eyes drooped. “I want you to help me.”

Jiang Xi: “It’s the same hairdryer. There’s no difference.”

Lu Nandu: “There’s a big difference.”

But seeing that Jiang Xi didn’t intend to take it back, he obediently took it, but then put it back on the table.

Boys were usually pretty rough. They wouldn’t bother with these things after a shower. Lu Nandu was like that too. If Jiang Xi wasn’t going to dry his hair for him, he didn’t need to dry it himself.

Jiang Xi looked at him. “You don’t usually dry your hair?”

“Why would I?” Lu Nandu ran his hands through his hair. “It’ll be dry in a few minutes.”

The weather wasn’t warm now, and Jiang Xi was a little speechless.

“Come here.”

Lu Nandu immediately smiled. “I knew you couldn’t bear to.”

Jiang Xi chose to ignore his words, took the hairdryer back from the table. “Turn around.”

Lu Nandu was very obedient. He turned around with his back to her, leaning against the edge of the sofa.

Jiang Xi turned on the switch and started drying his hair for him. Lu Nandu’s hair was very soft. Jiang Xi’s five fingers would lightly grasp his hair from time to time.

Lu Nandu closed his eyes comfortably.

While she was drying his hair, Lu Nandu was very well-behaved. He didn’t cause any trouble or talk back. The boy’s hair was short, so it was dry in no time.

It was already late. Jiang Xi said, “Let’s go back upstairs.”

Lu Nandu hummed.

Normally, Lu Nandu would have racked his brain to stay with her, but tonight, Lu Nandu didn’t.

When they got back upstairs, Jiang Xi walked towards the room at the end of the hallway from the afternoon.

Lu Nandu walked her to the door. He didn’t intend to go in. “Then I’ll go back.”

Jiang Xi hadn’t gone in yet. She looked up at him, seeming to be guessing what he was thinking.

After a few seconds, she said, “You can stay in this room tonight.”

Lu Nandu didn’t agree. When he was about to speak, Jiang Xi interrupted him. “Lu Nandu.”

She looked at him. “I’m not afraid of you hurting me.”

Lu Nandu was stunned.

Jiang Xi said, “Have you always been afraid of this?”

Lu Nandu opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

Jiang Xi: “It’s okay. Take your time. Are you going to hide from me for the rest of your life?”

Lu Nandu finally made a sound. “Big sister.”

Jiang Xi was no longer looking at him. She pushed the door open and went in. “Come in.”

She turned on the light. Lu Nandu hesitated for a while, but still followed her in.

It was as if this was a cage. The two of them didn’t talk as much as they did downstairs. Jiang Xi slept on the bed, and Lu Nandu slept on the sofa.

They both seemed to know what would happen tonight.

But they also didn’t know what would happen tonight. They were confused and uneasy.

But neither of them said anything or brought it up.

Jiang Xi’s sleep was never very good. After lying in bed for two hours, she still hadn’t fallen asleep. Every sound in the darkness was crystal clear; she could even hear the other person’s breathing.

She knew Lu Nandu wasn’t sleeping either.

After all, her body was a little tired today, so Jiang Xi eventually fell asleep.

But with something on her mind, she couldn’t sleep very soundly in her dreams. Jiang Xi woke up with a start in the middle of the night.

Her consciousness instantly returned, and when she heard the sound coming from the sofa, her spine instantly went cold.

She heard Lu Nandu’s heavy breathing. He seemed to be gritting his teeth and enduring it.

Jiang Xi didn’t move. She didn’t even open her eyes, keeping them closed as usual.

After an unknown amount of time, the heavy breathing on the other side gradually subsided.

Jiang Xi knew Lu Nandu had walked over. He stopped by her bed.

She didn’t open her eyes.

Lu Nandu took her hand. “Big sister.”

Jiang Xi’s eyelashes trembled. It turned out Lu Nandu knew she wasn’t sleeping.

He spoke, his voice slightly hoarse. “I didn’t mistake you for someone else.”

Jiang Xi’s nose suddenly felt a little sore. She finally opened her eyes.

There was a faint light outside the window. Jiang Xi saw his black eyes, struggling to stay awake, and obedient.

Her heart softened completely. She finally raised her hand and gently caressed his face.

She looked at him and asked, “Are they screaming?”

Lu Nandu struggled for a while and finally nodded.

“They...”

Jiang Xi paused for a moment and then asked, “Did they say anything?”

Lu Nandu moved closer to her but didn’t look at her anymore. He shook his head. “No.”

Jiang Xi didn’t give him a chance to hesitate and asked again, “Where are they?”

She asked, “Where are they?”

Lu Nandu didn’t look at her. His brows furrowed, and his expression was a little pained.

Jiang Xi cupped his face, making him meet her gaze. “Tell big sister.”

“They’re all outside the window, aren’t they?”