He Lindi’s photo hadn’t been edited to remove the background, and very little was visible, the whole picture practically a close-up selfie. But sharp-eyed netizens still spotted the hot pot restaurant’s name in the corner and were certain that the restaurant only had one branch nationwide, in Yun Cheng.
So, some people wanted to try their luck at a chance encounter, only the news came too late; Chi Shuo and the others had already left.
The sky finally darkened, but the air still carried hot gusts of wind. Walking, all three started to sweat slightly, but no one suggested leaving.
Chi Shuo couldn’t help but admire the current harmony between them. No matter how you looked at it, their relationship was a bit… delicate, wasn’t it? Yet they chatted and laughed along the way.
No, wait, Chi Shuo felt the “chatting and laughing” didn’t include her. She had been mostly silent, listening to her ex-girlfriend and current girlfriend talk.
“So, are you taking Auntie sightseeing now?” Arriving at the canal bank, He Lindi continued asking.
Chi Shuo didn’t know why there was so much to ask. She hadn’t added Shen Qu on WeChat, but He Lindi had. What couldn’t be asked over WeChat? Why ask now?
Shen Qu cooperated, answering readily. With the sky darker, she had also taken off her mask. Besides, the lighting here wasn’t bright; no one would notice her if they weren’t looking closely. “Yeah, my mom wants to travel around the country. I wanted to too. Our next stop is Lingcheng, to see the snow.”
Chi Shuo pursed her lips and asked, “Doesn’t Lu Cheng have snow?” Then she answered herself, “Oh, that’s in winter. Only Lingcheng has snow now.”
He Lindi chuckled. “When are you leaving Yun Cheng?”
“The day after tomorrow.” Shen Qu said, “I’ve been running into fans lately. Hope things will be quieter in Lingcheng. Several times, while ordering food or waiting in line with my mom at tourist spots, I almost got recognized.”
Chi Shuo: “The woes of a celebrity.”
Just as she finished speaking, two high school girls appeared before them, holding notebooks and pens, looking expectantly at Shen Qu.
“Shen Qu! We love you! You really came to Yun Cheng!”
Chi Shuo and He Lindi stepped aside. Shen Qu put a finger to her lips to “shush” them, then signed their notebooks. But she couldn’t escape the two young fans’ excited chatter and quickly left after signing.
Even after they walked away, Chi Shuo and He Lindi could still hear their happy squeals.
Shen Qu touched her forehead, looking troubled. “When will I finally lose my fame?” She continued lamenting, “I still have a drama and a movie coming out. Hope they don’t become hits.”
Chi Shuo: “…”
He Lindi: “…”
They had eaten quite a bit at the hot pot restaurant, but after walking for over half an hour, Shen Qu felt hungry again. She didn’t want a late-night snack, but passing by an ice cream shop, she stopped.
Chi Shuo turned, looked at the shop, and asked, “Want some?”
“Mm-hmm.” Shen Qu replied and went straight to the counter, ordering the most expensive ice cream.
It was a big order, and the staff quickly brought the tub of ice cream to her.
He Lindi frowned. “You just had hot pot, and now ice cream? You’ll get a stomachache later. Not everyone has an iron stomach.”
Before taking a spoonful, Shen Qu said, “The doctor told me to do things that make me happy. Eating ice cream makes me happy.”
Chi Shuo pulled He Lindi’s wrist and shook her head. “Let her eat. She’s always been like this.” She paused. “Stubborn, she won’t listen to you.”
Shen Qu glared. “When haven’t I listened?”
Chi Shuo smiled. “Then eat less ice cream?”
“Okay.”
Only then did Shen Qu realize she’d been tricked. She turned away awkwardly, ignoring the couple behind her, and started scooping ice cream.
But she did listen. She didn’t eat much, throwing the rest away. Such extravagant waste was astonishing, but Chi Shuo and He Lindi understood. Shen Qu’s emotions weren’t always stable; they shifted quickly.
Finally, He Lindi’s legs started to ache, and the three of them found a bench to sit down.
The wind had cooled slightly. He Lindi rubbed her arms; she was getting cold. Chi Shuo took her wrist, warming it with her palm.
Shen Qu narrowed her eyes slightly, let out a small burp, and said without any regard for her image, “Let’s call it a night.”
Chi Shuo agreed. “Okay.” She asked, “What are you doing tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow?”
“Taking my mom to the amusement park. We’ll ride the carousel, the Ferris wheel, and watch people scream on the drop tower.”
He Lindi squeezed Chi Shuo’s hand and replied, “Be careful with your money.” She gave a special reminder, “You’re not completely unknown yet. Don’t get mobbed by fans tomorrow.”
Shen Qu nodded. “Don’t worry, I hired a bodyguard. She’s usually with me.” She smiled. “She’s a woman, but she’s great at martial arts. Otherwise, with how popular I am, I probably wouldn’t be able to leave safely.”
Chi Shuo was surprised. “A female bodyguard?”
“Yes.” Shen Qu finished speaking and pointed in a direction. A car was parked there. “She’s already brought the car over. You two are heading back to the hot pot restaurant to get your car, right? I can drop you off. We’ve been walking for a while.”
“We can take a taxi,” Chi Shuo said, not wanting to trouble Shen Qu.
Shen Qu didn’t insist. “Okay.” She stood up. Under the dim, dappled light of the street lamps, it was hard to see her expression, but she extended her right hand. “Let’s shake hands.”
Chi Shuo raised her hand. Shen Qu reached out and grasped it, saying simply, “Take care.”
She then took He Lindi’s hand and, instead of repeating herself, said, “Be happy.”
Chi Shuo’s lips curved. “You too. Be happy and take care.”
An hour later, Chi Shuo drove into the underground parking garage of Yunshang Garden. He Lindi had fallen asleep in the passenger seat. Chi Shuo hesitated for a moment, then gently patted her shoulder. “Didi Mei Mei, we’re here.”
He Lindi didn’t wake up immediately, just smacked her lips.
Chi Shuo unbuckled her seatbelt, leaned closer, and patted He Lindi again. “We’re almost home,” she said softly. “Wake up.”
He Lindi finally stirred. She tilted her head, squinted at Chi Shuo, then reached up and wrapped her arms around Chi Shuo’s neck. “Help me unbuckle my seatbelt.”
Chi Shuo smiled helplessly and carefully unbuckled it. He Lindi seemed to finally come to, releasing her grip and rubbing her face as she got out of the car.
The smell of hot pot wasn’t as strong anymore, likely dispersed by the wind.
Up the elevator, out of the elevator, open the door, change shoes, wash hands.
Sitting down on the sofa, Chi Shuo felt drowsy. She was tired; she hadn’t dared sleep in the car. Now, touching the sofa felt like being hypnotized.
He Lindi had gone to the bathroom to wash up. Coming out, she saw Chi Shuo asleep. She went to the bedroom and brought a thin blanket to cover Chi Shuo, then went into the bathroom to blow-dry her hair.
Another hour passed; it was almost midnight, and Chi Shuo hadn’t woken up. He Lindi had no choice but to squat in front of the sofa. She gently brushed Chi Shuo’s face with her hair, using this childish yet effective method to wake her.
After a few seconds, Chi Shuo touched her nose and slowly opened her eyes.
He Lindi squatted before her. “Time to shower. You smell like hot pot.”
He Lindi finished speaking and, as if it wasn’t enough, leaned closer and sniffed Chi Shuo’s hair. “I smell sweat too.”
Chi Shuo: “…”
Chi Shuo rolled over, turning her back to He Lindi. “I’ll get to it.”
He Lindi chuckled, then went to the bedroom, retrieving the notebook Chi Shuo had written, How to Make He Lindi My Girlfriend.
She flipped through the notebook as she walked back. Chi Shuo had forbidden her from looking at it before, finding it embarrassing, but now, to wake Chi Shuo up, He Lindi didn’t care.
She sat down on the other sofa, her voice filled with amusement, and began reading aloud, “How to Make He Lindi My Girlfriend, by Chi Shuo.”
“Did I manage to sleep with He Lindi today?”
“He Lindi loves wearing pleated skirts.”
“He Lindi likes handsome boys. Does that mean I have no chance?”
“He Lindi scored in the top 100 on this exam. Why is she so amazing?”
…
By the ninth entry, Chi Shuo finally couldn’t take it anymore. She jumped up and snatched the notebook, her face crumpled in misery. “This is too embarrassing!”
He Lindi stood up, her face beaming with a mischievous smile. “Finally awake?”
Chi Shuo put the notebook on the coffee table and asked, “Are you Tang Sanzang?” (A Buddhist monk from the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, known for chanting scriptures)
“Yes.” He Lindi nodded. “Are you a demon?”
Chi Shuo “huh”-ed, confused. “What?”
“If you’re a demon, why haven’t you come to eat me yet?”
“…”
“Shen Qu must have vision problems to think I’m more affected than you.”
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