Song Anan ran back to her room out of breath and flopped down on the bed.
Thinking of the embarrassing incident just now, she was furious. She took out her phone and sent Pei Kuang a message: "It's all your fault! My lips are still red from your kiss and Song Linchuan saw it!!!"
Pei Kuang had just gotten home when he saw the message and was taken aback.
Did Song Linchuan find out about them?
He quickly replied: "Is it convenient to take a call now?"
The next second, Song Anan sent him a video call invite, and Pei Kuang hurried to answer it.
He was just about to ask something when he noticed the background behind Song Anan and uncertainly asked: "Anan, are you in the bathroom?"
Song Anan gave him a miserable smile, deliberately lowering her voice to reply: "Yeah, I'm afraid Song Linchuan will overhear."
In fact, the soundproofing in their apartment complex was excellent. She could've easily stayed in her bedroom without any issues. But what can you do, guilt makes you overly cautious.
Of course Pei Kuang also knew this. He didn't point it out, only asking "What did you mean by that message just now? Does Song Linchuan suspect anything?"
Song Anan shook her head. Hesitating for a long while before embarrassingly recounting what had happened.
After listening, Pei Kuang was speechless. Probably finding it ridiculous, he confirmed in amusement: "...stealing spicy sticks?"
Song Anan also felt a little speechless thinking back on it. She complained in an aggrieved tone: "Yeah, he wrongfully accused me of stealing spicy sticks. I didn't even dare to refute!"
Pei Kuang couldn't help but chuckle out loud: "I can't, let me laugh for a bit. What kind of thought process was that?"
Song Anan glared at him fiercely through the screen. She huffed: "And you're laughing! This is all your fault!"
"I was so scared just now, I thought I was going to die."
Seeing the girl all riled up, Pei Kuang quickly stifled his laughter and hurried to coax her: "Alright alright, it's my fault."
"But I really didn't mean to. I thought I was showing enough restraint when kissing you, I just couldn't control myself because I missed you too much."
He didn't say this to placate Song Anan at all. Truthfully, it had been almost two months since they last met. And after finally seeing each other last night, with Song Linchuan constantly around as a lightbulb, he really had to force himself not to give anything away.
Song Anan's face turned bright red from his blunt words. She wanted to refute him but didn't know where to start.
In her heart she knew, she couldn't solely blame Pei Kuang for this. After all, she didn't have a very resolute attitude at the time either.
Pei Kuang thought seriously for a moment before suggesting:
"Anan, why don't we just come clean to Song Linchuan?"
Continuing like this wasn't a long-term solution.
Previously he didn't feel there was an issue, but after spending time together last night, Pei Kuang sincerely felt it wasn't right to keep deceiving Song Linchuan.
Hearing this, Song Anan still hesitated: "Let's wait a bit, I need to think more."
She still felt now wasn't the right time.
From Song Linchuan's behavior last night, it was obvious he didn't suspect a thing. He hadn't even considered anything in that direction at all.
This won't do.
Maybe she should reveal some clues to arouse his suspicions?
-
The next day was the 29th day of the lunar month. Song Anan went to work early in the morning.
After Pei Kuang dropped her off at the hospital, he came back and called Song Linchuan to go grocery shopping together.
Hearing the doorbell, Song Linchuan yawned as he came to open the door. "This better be important. I finally get a day off to rest..."
Pei Kuang had already changed his shoes in the foyer and walked in while saying: "Who was it yesterday that said they wanted to go buy New Year goods together?"
"This early?" Song Linchuan asked in surprise.
Pei Kuang shrugged. "It's not early anymore. You have twenty minutes to get ready. If we can't buy even one of the things on the list, I'm blaming it all on you."
As he spoke, he took out a list of New Year goods and slapped it in front of Song Linchuan.
Without a doubt, this list was prepared in advance by Song Anan.
Everything was clearly marked, from New Year's Eve dinner ingredients to couplets and snacks.
To be honest, the most excited for this New Year was none other than Song Anan.
She had started a small group chat for them half a month ago. Constantly cueing their schedules as she discussed the menu for New Year's Eve dinner, which showed how much importance she placed on this.
Song Linchuan was left speechless, although he knew Song Anan wouldn't get angry even if they couldn't buy some things.
But the two of them rarely had such tacit understanding about not wanting to disappoint Song Anan over these little things, even if just a tiny bit.
"The supermarkets aren't even open at this time, are they?" Song Linchuan asked.
Pei Kuang had obviously done his research beforehand and answered smoothly: "We need to go to an import supermarket first. Some of the snacks on the list can only be bought there. I checked earlier, there's one near our apartment complex that opens at 8:30am."
Song Linchuan nodded. He turned and went back to his room, taking no more than fifteen minutes to wash up and get changed.
However, he seemed unsatisfied with his hair. He fiddled with it in front of the mirror for a long time before finally putting on a hat.
Pei Kuang sat on the sofa playing on his phone. When he looked up and saw Song Linchuan, he suddenly thought of the 'spicy sticks' incident from last night and had to fight back his urge to laugh again.
He really was one of a kind.
Song Linchuan happened to glance over just then, and met Pei Kuang's mocking gaze head on, completely baffled.
"What are you looking at, don't recognize your dad after one night away?"
Pei Kuang paused for a second. Thinking of his current relationship with Song Anan, then looking at Song Linchuan, made him want to laugh even more.
What can you do, there was always an underlying competitiveness between men about seniority. Like calling each other dad or grandpa. He and Song Linchuan were no exception.
Although he never intended to take advantage of Song Linchuan in seniority, the truth was, it seemed like he already had.
Ow! Pei Kuang suddenly felt a twinge in his face.
Looking at it this way, when Song Linchuan found out the truth, he'd probably beat him to death.
-
It had to be said, Pei Kuang and Song Linchuan were reliable. After a morning of hard work, hitting up three different supermarkets, they finally bought everything on the list.
Especially the couplets. When they couldn't find them in the supermarkets, the two purposely went to the market entrance to purchase them.
On New Year's Eve, Song Anan worked the day shift at the hospital and ate at the staff cafeteria. As for Song Linchuan and Pei Kuang, they just ate something simple at home. Their main event was that night.
However, even with Song Anan at work, Pei Kuang and Song Linchuan weren't slacking off at home. They got up early to put up the couplets.
In the afternoon, the two busied themselves preparing dishes for the New Year's Eve dinner.
When it was about time for Song Anan to get off work, Song Linchuan went to pick her up. He also brought back holiday gifts from the hospital.
But on the return trip, the two didn't go straight home, instead coming to Pei Kuang's place directly.
Song Linchuan's kitchenware was incomplete, so they had decided early on to make New Year's Eve dinner at Pei Kuang's house.
When they arrived downstairs at Pei Kuang's building, Song Linchuan was just about to ring the doorbell but Song Anan beat him to it and opened the lock with her fingerprint instead.
Song Linchuan exclaimed in surprise, "Little auntie, when did you record your fingerprint?"
Of course, he was shocked for more than one reason. On one hand there was the fingerprint recording itself. On the other hand, he knew his little auntie well, usually when she came over, she would ring the doorbell as long as he was home. She had emphasized many times wanting to respect his privacy.
Song Anan was stunned for a moment, thinking crap, she had gotten so used to just opening the door that she did it without thinking.
"It was from sometime ago right, there was a period when Pei Kuang wasn't home and I came to help look after Qiúqiú."
Song Linchuan let out an "Oh", and didn't say anything else, seemingly lost in thought.
At this moment Song Anan had already forgotten about wanting to reveal clues to Song Linchuan. Her mind was filled with how to make up an excuse.
She paused a few seconds before casually saying, "No, we still need to ring the doorbell. I got too used to just coming in before. Forgot there's someone home now, going straight in is too rude."
As she spoke, she closed the door she had opened and pressed the doorbell instead.
Song Linchuan asked suspiciously, "You come over frequently?"
Song Anan forced herself to stay calm. "Yeah, maybe once every few days. I mentioned it to you before right, he has some plants and flowers on his balcony that I come help look after when I have time."
This explanation was very reasonable. Song Linchuan's earlier hint of doubt instantly disappeared.
Just then, Pei Kuang heard the doorbell ring and came to open the door. But he immediately turned back to the kitchen after letting them in, the food on the stove still needed tending.
The two changed their shoes in the foyer. Song Linchuan carried in the holiday gifts from the hospital, all fruit that they could eat after dinner.
Song Linchuan casually asked, "Auntie, have you noticed Pei Kuang's place seems more lively recently?"
Song Anan was taken aback for a moment.
Song Linchuan clicked his tongue and said, "You don't know, I was so surprised when I first came over this morning, I thought he was dating someone!"
Song Anan's heart tightened, "Really? I don't think there's been much change."
"When he first moved in, I came over once. It was like a model unit, cold and lifeless, no sense of liveliness at all."
"But now, there are so many little items in the home. Look, there are even two stuffed toy pillows on the sofa. When did this guy change?"
Song Anan felt extremely guilty, as most of the things Song Linchuan mentioned seemed to have been purchased by her. Even many of the flowers and plants on the balcony were added later by her.
Of course, she had asked the owner, Pei Kuang, for his opinion before buying anything.
"Maybe it's because of Qiuqiu," she said.
Song Linchuan thought about it and agreed. Having a pet around did liven up the place quite a bit.
There's a saying, what was it again? Right, birds of a feather flock together. This seemed to make sense.
Speaking of Qiuqiu, Song Linchuan called out towards the kitchen, "Oh right, Pei Kuang, where's your son? I just remembered what I forgot earlier."
Hearing this, Pei Kuang stuck half his body out from the kitchen and explained, "He's on set, didn't bring him back. He's only back for a few days this time. Plane rides really wipe him out for days after, didn't want to stress him out."
Song Linchuan let out an "oh", and casually asked, "Is someone looking after him there?"
Pei Kuang replied, "Yes, the production crew helps care for him."
Seeing the topic getting sidestepped, Song Anan secretly breathed a sigh of relief in her heart.
Come to think of it, if Song Linchuan hadn't brought it up, she wouldn't have noticed herself that Pei Kuang's home did seem to have quite a few more items added by her.
The changes happened gradually as she brought things in one by one. It didn't seem like much on a daily basis, but recalling what Pei Kuang's place was like the first time she came over, it really was quite different now.
No wonder Song Linchuan reacted so strongly!
