The light was still on in the study downstairs, Mr. Li must still be reading in there.
Only the ho ergency light was still on in the living room. Xie Ying’an pulled Qingran by the hand, sneaking out like thieves, both unconsciously lightening their steps.
Qingran had never done anything behind her parents’ back before. During the short walk from the living room to the front door, she felt like her heart was about to leap out of her chest.
Xie Ying’an wasn’t doing much better. In his nervousness, his palm was sweating while holding Qingran’s hand.
The two didn’t dare change shoes in the living room, fearing Mr. Li might suddenly co out.
After changing their shoes outside the door, Qingran realized: it was just going out with Xie Ying’an to buy sothing to eat at night, why was she feeling so guilty?
Since they were already out, there was no point in fretting over it now. They both washed their hands under the outdoor faucet.
With the water still dripping from their hands, Xie Ying’an took Qingran’s hand and they walked toward the parked bicycles.
The moon was bright tonight. The young man turned to look at her; his dark eyes shone brighter than the stars. He asked, "What do you want to eat?"
Qingran wasn’t picky: "Anything."
Seeing Xie Ying’an lead a brand-new bicycle out from the bike shed, Qingran was dumbstruck for a mont.
She pointed to the bicycle in surprise: "Yours? When did you buy it?"
Xie Ying’an, pushing the bike, walked out with her: "It’s been a while. I’ve kept it here and never ridden it."
Preparation for an unforeseen event.
Even he had not expected that the bicycle, which had been sitting unused for so long, would co in handy on the night before he was supposed to go ho.
Qingran gently closed the courtyard gate and sat on the rear seat of the bicycle, riding with Xie Ying’an toward the nearest night market.
The night breeze was cool, devoid of the day’s heat.
The distance on the bicycle was intimate; the two were quite close. Every now and then, a whiff of Xie Ying’an’s body wash scent, which Qingran liked, wafted through the air.
The road was smooth, not bumpy at all. Qingran sat sideways on the rear seat, her hands clutching the backrest’s tal fra firmly, watching the night road, feeling a sense of expansiveness.
She had been busy studying every day for the past two years and hadn’t been out at night for a long ti.
As she thought about this, there was a sudden sharp turn ahead. Qingran, propelled by inertia, leaned forward, her face pressing against Xie Ying’an’s back, and without realizing it, her hands had grabbed onto his clothes at the waist.
As the road smoothed out again, the sound of the young man’s voice ca from ahead, with a hint of laughter, "Are you okay?"
It was not that she wasn’t okay, but as Qingran sat up to look at the back of Xie Ying’an’s head, she suspected that he had done it on purpose.
"I forgot to remind you just now," Xie Ying’an said again: "Hold on tight."
This ti he rembered to give a warm reminder.
Hah! Just how tight is tight enough, to hug your waist?
Qingran was just about to let go of the clothes on Xie Ying’an’s waist when the bicycle suddenly jerked violently, and her hands, which were about to relax, tightened instead.
"Speed bump, there are many more ahead," Xie Ying’an explained.
"Oh." Qingran held on to Xie Ying’an, with no intention of letting go.
Sure enough, the bicycle went through a series of rough bumps, so jarring that Qingran could hardly sit still, and perhaps out of fear of falling off, she instinctively wrapped her arms halfway around Xie Ying’an’s waist in a rush.
Xie Ying’an, biking, glanced down and saw the girl’s arms encircling him from behind...
He chuckled softly, not hiding his pleasure at the mont, and slowed down the bike without Qingran noticing.
Perhaps because of his regular exercise, the young man’s waist was firm, like a hard piece of stone. Qingran didn’t dare to linger on the sensation, and as soon as the bumpy road was over, she let go of her hands.
Xie Ying’an looked at the smooth road ahead, his expression revealing a hint of disappointnt.
The night market was already bustling, and on weekends, it was even more lively.
Xie Ying’an parked the bicycle in the designated area outside, and walked into the crowd with Qingran.
Just a few steps away, he reached out again to hold Qingran’s hand.
Qingran gave him a glance, sowhat puzzled by his recent habit of holding hands at every turn.
Why had Xie Ying’an’s aloof persona crumbled into glass shards, irreparable no matter how much he tried?
Where was the Xie Ying’an from the book who always kept a distance from won, was as detached as a monk, and even treated the heroine with indifference from beginning to end?
"People are many; I’m afraid we’ll get separated," Xie Ying’an explained earnestly upon seeing Qingran looking at him.
The night market was indeed crowded. Qingran didn’t mind; having held hands so many tis, one more or one less didn’t matter.
The night market wasn’t just crowded with people but also with vendors.
Hungry to her bones, Qingran could hardly wait any longer. She reached back to grip Xie Ying’an’s hand and pulled him into the crowd.
They stopped at a barbecue stall. The business was booming. The owner, sweating profusely, flipped the skewers in his hand while managing to pass them an empty plate. Greeting the custor with a smile, he said, "Choose whatever you like!"
Qingran picked a few items and put them on the plate. After choosing, she turned to Xie Ying’an: "What do you want to eat?"
Xie Ying’an shook his head, lowering his voice slightly, "Let’s look around elsewhere later."
Qingran’s eyes brightened, fully agreeing: "Sure!"
After getting their barbecue, Qingran and Xie Ying’an found themselves in front of a shaved ice stall.
In the sumr heat, what’s more comfortable than enjoying a cup of chilled shaved ice?
If there’s anything, it’s having two cups.
Qingran chose a matcha flavor, while Xie Ying’an picked a mango flavor.
The shaved ice seller, a middle-aged woman, represented seventy percent of the won her age who tend to talk and gossip a lot—and she was no exception.
Her hands skillfully scoped the ice while she took the chance to look up at Qingran and Xie Ying’an several tis, then cheerfully asked, "Are you siblings? You both look so attractive."
Xie Ying’an’s expression darkened a bit. He furrowed his brows and moved a step closer to Qingran: "We’re not siblings."
Qingran was tempted to say that there was no need to explain to a stranger—let her misunderstand if she liked. However, seeing Xie Ying’an’s serious and earnest look, she swallowed the words that ca to her lips.
His youthful sentint was too obvious.
"Oh, young lovers!" The shaved ice seller drew out her words, nodding with an ’I get it’ expression, and murmured, "Tsk tsk! Each as good-looking as the other. Truly a perfect match!"
Qingran: "..."
Only then did Xie Ying’an relax his face a bit. He didn’t bother correcting the shaved ice seller’s misunderstanding this ti and took a cup of shaved ice with one hand, leading Qingran to the next stall.
Thanks to Xie Ying’an, after visiting just a few stalls, Qingran was already full from the night market’s offerings.
She pulled on Xie Ying’an who still wanted to wander around, hinting at her desire to head back.
Xie Ying’an handed her the orange juice he had just bought and asked, "Full?"
Qingran nodded and covered her mouth to yawn: "I want to sleep."
After a full al at this hour, sleepiness inevitably followed.
Xie Ying’an checked the ti on his phone. It was already past eleven at night. Knowing that Qingran wasn’t accustod to staying up late, he decided to head back.
The two walked out of the bustling night market with Qingran following Xie Ying’an onto the street, suddenly finding the quietness surrounding them quite serene, now missing the lively scene from monts ago.
Xie Ying’an pulled out his bicycle, and Qingran, sowhat apprehensive, took a seat behind him.
They had just cycled a short distance when she couldn’t help but tug on Xie Ying’an’s clothes: "Can we take a less bumpy road?"
Xie Ying’an paused, then with a hint of laughter in his voice, replied, "No!"
Qingran: "..."
So annoying!
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