"When is your birthday?" Feng Qingyi asked out of curiosity.
Qin Yuchuan: "The third day of the first lunar month."
"Right around the Chinese New Year, so your birthday must be very lively every year!" said Feng Qingyi.
Lively? In the army camp, he often forgot what day it was, let alone his birthday.
It seemed like he hadn't celebrated his birthday since he was young, as it held no significance for him.
"Not bad."
Feng Qingyi asked again, "Do you have anything special you want for your birthday this year?"
Qin Yuchuan: "Are you thinking of giving me a gift?"
"Yes! But I don't know what you like," Feng Qingyi said. As friends, giving a gift should be normal.
"I'll like whatever you give me. Just don't go over your budget or spend too much money."
"Okay, got it." He was still the Qin Yuchuan she knew, always reminding her not to spend money recklessly.
Speaking of spending money, Qin Yuchuan suddenly thought of something.
"How much did you spend on the clothes you bought me today?"
Feng Qingyi: "Not much."
"How much is 'not much'?" Qin Yuchuan knew she was lying again without even looking.
"Not much is not much, just a few thousand yuan. Prices are high nowadays, that's the cost for clothes," Feng Qingyi tried to gloss over it.
As smart as Qin Yuchuan was, how could he believe her words? He stopped walking.
He took out a receipt from somewhere, clearly showing an amount of 185,000 yuan.
"Is this what you meant by a few thousand?"
"Well, um, that's actually not expensive. For big brands, one piece can cost tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands..." Feng Qingyi was completely at a loss for words.
Seeing Feng Qingyi's uneasiness, Qin Yuchuan said, "Don't lie to me again. I'll pay you back for the money you spent after I return."
"That's not necessary. The money from your world can't be used here," Feng Qingyi quickly said.
Qin Yuchuan walked ahead, "Gold and silver should be fine."
"Even though they can be used, it would be very inconvenient. Let's not bother," Feng Qingyi insisted.
"It's not that much money anyway. My dad always transfers a lot to me, and I can't even spend it all."
Feng Qingyi's voice grew smaller as she spoke.
"So you're using your father's money to buy me gifts?" Qin Yuchuan's tone was somewhat stern.
Feng Qingyi gave him a meek glance. "I didn't mean it like that. You bought me clothes too last time..."
Qin Yuchuan's attitude softened when he saw her look. He could never bear to be harsh with her.
"Qingyi, I understand what you mean, but you're still a student, spending the money your father gave you."
"If one day in the future, you use the money you earned yourself to buy me something, I'll certainly not refuse."
"This time, I'll return the money you spent on me, and don't do this again, okay?"
Feng Qingyi nodded like a little chick pecking at rice, "Mm-hmm."
Qin Yuchuan wanted to pat her head, but his hands were occupied, so he said gently, "I was too harsh earlier. I apologize."
"You don't need to apologize to me. It was my lack of consideration, but I just..."
She just felt that she owed him for his kindness, but she didn't know how to repay him.
Qin Yuchuan: "You just feel indebted to me, right? I helped you get the villa, earn points, gave you gifts, and offered advice. You want to compensate me?"
Feng Qingyi nodded again, "Mm-hmm."
Qin Yuchuan explained, "I did all of that willingly, and it has nothing to do with you. While I was helping you earn points, you were also helping me."
"Life in Shengjing was too dull. With you around, I've gained a lot of joy and learned new things."
"So don't feel indebted to me or always think about compensating me."
Because he actually had ulterior motives - for her!
After hearing Qin Yuchuan's words, Feng Qingyi suddenly felt a bit off.
Was she just a seasoning for his dull life?
That wasn't so bad, after all. They were online friends, even though they had now met in person.
But they still belonged to different worlds and had different lives.
She relied on him to earn points, and he relied on her to relieve his boredom.
But why did thinking about it make her feel a little hurt?
Seeing that Feng Qingyi didn't respond and was even lowering her head, Qin Yuchuan wasn't quite sure why she was upset again.
"Did I make you unhappy?"
Feng Qingyi shook her head, "No, let's hurry home!"
She couldn't just say it out loud! What kind of talk is that?
He had already been so kind to her. If she dwelled on these vague, intangible things, wouldn't that be overdoing it?
She was relying on him to earn points. Shouldn't she at least let him use her to pass the time?
Feng Qingyi tried her best to adjust her mindset and regained her usual demeanor.
Seeing this, Qin Yuchuan didn't say anything more.
By the time they returned home, it was already dusk.
The autumn dusk seemed to have a gentle warmth, with the sky displaying a splendid mix of yellow and purple hues.
Feng Qingyi watched their shadows intertwine, and a barely perceptible joy welled up in her heart.
As they opened the villa's door, Yan Chi and Yan Yang were already waiting outside.
Seeing the bags Qin Yuchuan was carrying, Yan Chi spoke up, "General, let me take those!"
Qin Yuchuan didn't even spare him a glance and set the bags down on the spacious coffee table in the living room.
Feng Qingyi walked over, "This one has groceries. I'll take it to the kitchen."
Before Feng Qingyi could reach out, Qin Yuchuan had already picked up the bag and headed towards the kitchen.
This was her house, right? Yet he acted more like the owner.
Feng Qingyi pointed at the remaining bag, "This one has snacks I bought. Help yourselves if you want anything. No need to be polite with me."
Yan Yang: "Thank you, Miss Qingyi."
Feng Qingyi went to the kitchen and saw Qin Yuchuan staring at the kitchen utensils.
"You can go relax in the living room. I'll handle the cooking."
"I'll help."
Feng Qingyi looked at the vegetables she had bought. "Then you can help wash them. This is the faucet. Turn it, and water will come out."
"Okay," Qin Yuchuan replied.
Meanwhile, Feng Qingyi found the rice cooker and started rinsing the rice to cook it.
After washing the rice, Feng Qingyi took out a knife and cutting board and began chopping the vegetables Qin Yuchuan had washed.
Feng Qingyi was grateful that she had bought all the necessary kitchen items a few days earlier. Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to cook anything now.
Qin Yuchuan was washing the vegetables, while Feng Qingyi was cutting them. The two cooperated with each other quite harmoniously.
After finishing washing the vegetables, Qin Yuchuan asked, "Is there anything else you need help with?"
Feng Qingyi shook her head, "You can go sit in the living room. I really don't need any more help here."
"I'm going to start cooking this soup first, and then I'll stir-fry the vegetables after the soup is done."
Qin Yuchuan: "I'll keep you company here."
"...Okay, if that's what makes you happy."
