Li Qing stood frozen outside the store, her expression blank as if her soul had left her body. Her wide eyes were filled with disbelief, staring intently at the scene inside.
Liu Changqing noticed her arrival but showed no hint of alarm. Instead, he calmly continued what he was doing. He raised An Yuanyao’s arm and pulled the sleeve off her jacket, taking it off completely.
He turned away and shook the jacket out. It was thoroughly soaked, not the kind of lightweight tracksuit one might wear for running, but rather a casual, absorbent one—so much so that even hours of air drying hadn’t made much difference.
Turning back to An Yuanyao, he raised an eyebrow.
“You’ve got so real talent. Why didn’t you just go ho to change first?”
anwhile, Li Qing remained rooted to the spot outside, her heart aching. She had deliberately skipped class this morning to co and spend so ti with her "uncle," but her high spirits had utterly crumbled.
She glanced at the two of them, hesitating for a mont before speaking in a shaky voice.
“Uncle… is she your wife?”
“Don’t talk nonsense.”
Liu Changqing waved her off without looking, unaware of the trembling tone in her voice.
“She’s just soone I know. You can tell what kind of state she’s in right now.”
After hearing this, Li Qing finally began to seriously size up the woman before her.
At first glance, she judged the woman to be older than herself, with skin that seed less vibrant than her own. Her appearance… well, she didn’t seem like Uncle’s type, at least not soone he would fancy.
Her gaze dropped further.
Nothing too threatening there either.
Subconsciously, Li Qing puffed out her chest a bit.
As if everything suddenly made sense, her earlier irritation dissipated like smoke. A faint smile crept across her lips as she quickened her pace and knelt beside An Yuanyao.
“Can I call you Sis?”
“…Sure.”
The abrupt gesture left An Yuanyao puzzled. She tilted her head slightly, staring curiously at Li Qing.
“What’s your na, Sis?”
“An Yuanyao.”
“That’s such a lovely na! My na’s Li Qing—like the ‘qing’ in ‘sunny.’”
“Your na is lovely too…”
An Yuanyao’s weak voice grew quieter with each word, as if she could barely muster the energy to respond.
Liu Changqing noticed her state. After setting her jacket aside, he fetched a blanket from the back room and draped it over her shoulders. Then, he handed her a packet of dicine along with a cup of warm water.
“Take the dicine.”
“Thank you.”
An Yuanyao accepted the cup and pills, her expression filled with reluctance. She placed the dicine in her mouth and imdiately grimaced in pain. Quickly, she gulped down a large sip of water.
Barely swallowing, she stuck out her tongue, looking pitiably at Liu Changqing.
“It’s so bitter…”
“Deal with it. I don’t have any sugar.”
Liu Changqing’s response was curt, his tone unamused. He had already learned during their last encounter that she had a sweet tooth.
Watching the interaction unfold, Li Qing, crouched nearby, couldn’t shake a growing sense of unease. Her eyes darted nervously toward Liu Changqing, her thoughts racing.
I’ve got to keep an eye on this woman…
Li Qing's face tensed as she felt warning bells ringing in her heart. She forced herself to act nonchalant, coughing awkwardly while raising a fist to her lips.
“Cough, cough!”
An Yuanyao looked at her, puzzled.
“Big sis, what’s your relationship with Uncle?”
Li Qing’s tone carried subtle tension. Crouching on the ground, her long skirt covering her knees, she nervously wrung the fabric in her hands, avoiding An Yuanyao’s gaze. She was deeply afraid of hearing a response she wouldn’t like.
Since her previous encounter, Li Qing hadn’t given up on Liu Changqing. She had visited the store a few more tis under the pretext of buying books, and while Liu Changqing still didn’t rember who she was, their interactions had grown warr.
To Li Qing, this was progress. She believed that with persistence, she could eventually win his heart.
But now, her conviction wavered.
An Yuanyao thought for a mont before answering.
“I guess you could say… forr comrades-in-arms.”
“Comrades-in-arms?”
Li Qing tilted her head in confusion. She had no idea what kind of shared experiences could warrant such a term.
Just as she was about to ask more questions, Liu Changqing returned from the back room. The two won fell silent imdiately.
“What are you two whispering about?”
“Nothing,” An Yuanyao replied with a shake of her head.
Not pressing further, Liu Changqing turned his attention to Li Qing.
“You don’t have class this morning?”
“I… Ah, no! No class!”
Li Qing stamred, nearly slipping up. She quickly clapped her hand over her mouth, eyes darting nervously.
At that mont, a phone began to ring. The three of them exchanged glances before Liu Changqing broke the silence.
“Why are you all looking at ? It’s your phone,” he said, pointing at Li Qing.
Realizing it was hers, Li Qing quickly dug out her phone, crouching and shielding herself as she answered the call.
Her roommate’s anxious voice ca through the receiver.
“Get back here now! The advisor’s doing roll call personally—I can’t cover for you!”
Li Qing’s face fell. She hastily hung up, her expression panicked as her eyes darted around the room. Finally, as though struck by inspiration, she blurted out an excuse.
“Oh no! I just rembered sothing urgent! I’ve got to get back to campus. Uncle, I’ll co see you in a couple of days!”
Before anyone could respond, she bolted upright, making a beeline for the door.
“Uncle, I’ll visit again soon!”
And with that, she dashed out of the store, leaving Liu Changqing and An Yuanyao in stunned silence.
After a long pause, An Yuanyao spoke, breaking the stillness.
“Didn’t expect you’d still be this popular, looking the way you do now.”
“Don’t tease .” Liu Changqing shook his head and patted his belly.
“Do I really seem like I’d have that kind of appeal?”
“Not necessarily,” An Yuanyao replied, a mysterious smile playing on her lips.
Liu Changqing glanced at her, her grin making him uneasy. Wrapped in a blanket and dripping water from her damp clothes, she looked less like an alluring figure and more like a bedraggled traveler lost in the desert.
Deciding not to humor her further, Liu Changqing retreated to the computer and sat down.
“Enough joking around. There’s a towel on the rack—grab it yourself. You can also use the blow dryer in the back room for your clothes. Once you’ve dried off, there’s a recliner you can rest on if you’re feeling tired. If the sunlight’s too bright, just close the curtains. There’s tea in the kettle and your cup from earlier on the table—help yourself to so warm water.”
Liu Changqing spoke without looking up, assuming she’d take his advice. When no response ca, he finally glanced up to find An Yuanyao staring at him intently.
Her gaze was penetrating, her eyes seeming to speak volus.
For reasons he couldn’t explain, Liu Changqing found himself flustered under her scrutiny. He quickly averted his gaze, feeling a rare sense of unease.
After a long mont, An Yuanyao finally spoke. Her voice was soft, yet the words carried weight.
“She’ll regret it.”
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