After hanging up the phone, Lin Zhexia carefully climbed out of bed.
She didn’t even change her clothes, wearing pajamas printed with cartoon patterns, her hair messily hanging down her back.
Then she tiptoed to the door, turned the knob gently, and sneaked out.
“I feel like I’m being sneaky.” After going downstairs, she spotted Chi Yao waiting at the building entrance, ran over to him, and said, “I felt a bit guilty just now when I was leaving.”
Chi Yao looked at her: “What’s there to feel guilty about when you’re coming to see me?”
Lin Zhexia couldn’t help emphasizing: “At this hour, everyone in my house is asleep.”
Chi Yao said coolly: “So you think we’re having a secret rendezvous?”
That wasn’t what she meant at all.
“Who’s having a secret rendezvous with you?”
Lin Zhexia inexplicably felt her ears heating up after hearing that word from Chi Yao’s mouth.
Maybe to cover up her embarrassment, or maybe because her mind was in a knot at that moment, without thinking, she blurted out: “Even if I could have a secret rendezvous with a dog, it still wouldn’t be possible with you.”
After she said this, the atmosphere seemed to strangely and inexplicably freeze for a second.
A second later, Chi Yao glanced down at her as he usually did, then put away his phone, turned around, and walked forward: “Then go have your rendezvous with a dog.”
Lin Zhexia jogged after him: “Why would I have a rendezvous with a dog?”
Chi Yao: “You said it yourself.”
Lin Zhexia: “I was just saying whatever, don’t you understand jokes…”
Chi Yao suddenly slowed his step.
Then he reached out his hand, pointing to a stray dog by the trash can at the roadside: “There’s one right there, consider it.”
“…”
This person sometimes really is!
So childish!
Lin Zhexia caught up with him, and they walked along the path in the residential area, turned out of the complex, and strolled to the lakeside she often visited.
As she walked, she felt the nervousness gradually subsiding without realizing it.
Summer, a gentle breeze over the lake, cicadas singing.
And the dark sky, where stars could be seen if you looked up. The stuffy but familiar wind.
And also…
The person beside her.
Lin Zhexia: “The scenery here at night is nice.”
Chi Yao made an “mm” sound.
Lin Zhexia continued: “Actually, I couldn’t sleep tonight, not because I’m nervous, but because we young people just tend to stay up late.”
The response was still an emotionless “mm.”
Lin Zhexia: “Can you say more than one word?”
Chi Yao said coldly: “Mm-hmm.”
Lin Zhexia was speechless: “Just shut up then.”
Chi Yao wore a black windbreaker, quite loose in cut, making him look even taller. One hand tucked in his jacket pocket, noticing she had fallen behind, he slowed his pace to wait for her.
The two walked forward, and Lin Zhexia became a bit thirsty: “I want something to drink, let’s check out the mall ahead.”
The mall still had over half an hour before closing time, and there were hardly any people left when they entered.
The first-floor lobby was empty, with only two or three people passing by occasionally.
She looked around, wanting to find a bubble tea shop.
But Chi Yao walked a few steps forward, stopping in front of several white arcade machines, saying to her: “Come here.”
“What is it?” Lin Zhexia walked over. “A claw machine?”
Chi Yao: “Want to try?”
Lin Zhexia: “Yes.” She quickly added, “If you’re treating me, because I’ve spent all my allowance this month.”
While Chi Yao was scanning the QR code with his phone, Lin Zhexia noticed the name of the claw machine: Lucky Claw Machine.
“If I win something,” Lin Zhexia casually remarked, “does that mean I’ll be lucky tomorrow?”
Chi Yao stuffed the purchased tokens and the basket into her hands.
“Which one do you want to try for?”
Lin Zhexia looked around.
She was about to say “that little bear over there looks good,” when Chi Yao bent down to look at the bottom cabinet.
The bottom cabinet was filled with little white rabbits.