After being lovey-dovey for a while, Yu Na pressed Xiao Chen into his seat. She picked up a piece of Kung Pao chicken with her chopsticks and brought it to his mouth, a little embarrassed, "When I was frying it, I was worried it wouldn't be cooked through, so I fried it a bit longer... I think I fried it too hard."
"But that's how I like it," Xiao Chen opened his mouth and ate the Kung Pao chicken.
Right after, there was a crisp crunching sound—
Yu Na was worried the meat wouldn't be cooked through, so she had sliced it a little thin.
So the finished product was like potato chips.
Xiao Chen was eating Kung Pao chicken like this for the first time.
He couldn't help but hold his fist to his mouth, laughing a few times, deliberately teasing her, "These sweet and sour potato chips taste great."
"..." He had reverted back to his usual playfulness, and Yu Na naturally also relaxed.
She sat next to Xiao Chen and asked worriedly, "The taste must be far worse than Auntie's cooking, but... it's not that bad, right...?"
"When did I say it was bad? Didn't I say it was delicious?"
Xiao Chen picked up another piece with his chopsticks as if eating snacks.
That's right, a piece.
Xiao Chen gave Yu Na a lot of face and ate up all the rice cleanly.
After eating, he leaned back on the sofa, looking up at the ceiling dejectedly, "I can't go on."
Yu Na put the bowls in the dishwasher. Seeing him in this sorry state, she quickly washed her hands and hopped into his lap, "What's wrong?"
"..."
He was sprawled on the sofa in a spread eagle, and this restless girl was sitting on his legs, provoking him back and forth.
Xiao Chen was in agony and pleaded, "Miss, please behave."
Yu Na affectionately put her arms around his neck, completely disregarding his words. Her mouth was close to his ear and she said in a saccharine voice, "Xiao Chen."
"What?"
She said mushily, "I really really like you, how can I like you so much?"
Xiao Chen's hand suddenly grabbed her waist, slender and soft. When she wasn't paying attention, he pinched it.
Yu Na's body shuddered uncontrollably.
His hand was still on her waist. He said, "You did that on purpose, didn't you?"
"Hmm?" Yu Na sat on him with her head leaning against his shoulder. She looked up at him with innocent, watery eyes, "What did I do?"
Xiao Chen stared at her for a good while before slowly saying, "Go for a walk with me, I'm dying here."
The change of topic made her react slowly at first. "Ah?" After she processed it, she nodded obediently, "Okay."
Xiao Chen helped her put on her coat and after zipping it up for her, Yu Na was in no hurry to leave. She complained a little, "Do you remember when Qiao Rui didn't come home that night, and I went with you to look for him?"
Xiao Chen was puzzled for a second. "I remember."
"Back then, you wanted to help zip me up, but then..." Yu Na lowered her head, "You stopped your hand and told me to do it myself..."
Xiao Chen thought back to that scene, it did happen, but he didn't expect her to remember it until now.
He felt guilty, walked over, and embraced her, "We weren't dating then. If I had groped you, would you have been happy?"
Xiao Chen added, "So of course I should have kept some distance. Because..." He ruffled her hair, "I only do this with girlfriends."
Yu Na looked up at him, "So from now on, you'll only be like this with me?"
"Yes," Xiao Chen nuzzled her forehead with his chin a couple times, "I'm not some saint, just taking care of my girlfriend is enough."
...
Outside Huating One, the towering skyscrapers were lit up white, brightly and splendidly.
Xiao Chen held Yu Na's hand, his fingertips occasionally caressing the back of her hand.
Yu Na walked with him on the street, her mood very different from when she first arrived here.
Back then, she had finally escaped from her father's endless surveillance. For the first time, she curled up in the cramped space of economy class for the flight to this land that was completely foreign to her.
She couldn't have felt smaller in the fast-paced, prosperous city.
But now, among the city's countless lights, there was finally one that belonged to her.
The corners of her mouth curled up as she clasped his hand tighter.
Xiao Chen noticed the slightly heavier grip, then loosened his fingers before intertwining them with hers.
The two strolled aimlessly on the streets, passing through the brightly lit CBD and bustling commercial pedestrian streets, finally arriving at the food street.
There were many tourists here. The cold night couldn't dampen the enthusiasm of the tourists.
The stalls here at the food street were clean and neat.
Yu Na discovered a stall where a middle-aged woman was turning a bamboo skewer back and forth on a machine, quickly producing a puffy, white treat.
"It's so pretty," Yu Na said as she pulled Xiao Chen's hand.
"That's cotton candy," Xiao Chen said. "I ate it when I was little. I can't believe they still sell it now."
"Is it yummy? Is it?"
"It's alright. Just ordinary sweet sugar taste. But little kids like it."
As he spoke, Xiao Chen looked down at her and pinched her cheeks, "What's this, does my little kid want to try it too?"
Little kid.
Yu Na was coaxed into smiling brightly by the endearing term.
She held Xiao Chen's arm, "Okay."
Xiao Chen bought her a cotton candy, fluffy and soft like a cloud.
Yu Na took a bite. It melted in her mouth instantly, indeed no other taste but sweetness.
She took bite after bite as they left the food street and went to a less crowded area. Xiao Chen happened to notice she still had some stuck at the corner of her mouth.
Seeing him stare fixedly at the corner of her mouth, Yu Na thought he wanted to eat it too, so she held up the cotton candy to feed him, "Here."
Xiao Chen lowered his head to take a bite, but he frowned instead.
Yu Na asked, "Not tasty?"
He said calmly, "Too sweet."
Yu Na nodded in agreement, "It is a bit sweet."
She had just finished speaking when the person in front of her suddenly leaned in close.
Next, his warm lips covered hers.
Yu Na's breath hitched. She was still holding the nearly finished cotton candy. Because of the kiss that came without warning, she didn't even have time to close her eyes.
She stood there at a loss, clearly feeling her lips sucked and nibbled.
The kiss didn't last very long. Xiao Chen soon released her.
Then he slowly picked up where he left off, "This level of sweetness is just right for me."
Yu Na: "..."
Xiao Chen shamelessly added, "I'll want more when we get home, a more passionate kind."
"Pervert!"
"You're the one who asked me to stay with you."
"..."
Yu Na couldn't retort. She quickly circled around him with the back of her hand against her cheek.
The two walked with her in front and him behind, but Xiao Chen soon caught up to her side again.
Yu Na didn't try to stop him anymore.
But Xiao Chen wasn't satisfied with this. After walking a few more steps, he interlocked fingers with her again.
Yu Na: "..."
The two held hands but didn't speak.
When they passed by a trash can, Yu Na threw away the bamboo skewer, then stopped and looked at him meaningfully.
Xiao Chen also stopped and the corners of his eyes carried a faint smile.
"Actually—" Yu Na didn't know what she was thinking either. She looked up and said softly, "It's okay."
He raised a brow, "Hm?"
"Just...it's okay."
"What's okay?"
Yu Na scolded him in her heart: How can he be so dense!
She steadied her emotions and explained in a mosquito-like voice, "That is...the..." She was too shy. She pulled his arm to make him lower his head.
Xiao Chen obeyed.
"What you said earlier..."
"Hm?" Xiao Chen pretended not to understand, "What did I say earlier?"
"..."
Yu Na said impatiently, "Forget it if you forgot!"
But Xiao Chen didn't give her a chance to leave.
He pleaded grievously, "I really forgot."
Yu Na: "That...more passionate kind..."
But Xiao Chen: "What's more passionate?"
"............"
