The shop was fairly clean and tidy, with a steady stream of customers coming in to eat.Shang Yuze took a napkin and wiped down the stools where they were about to sit.
Gu Qingyue ran to the counter window and called inside, “Boss, two bowls of beef noodles.”It was crowded today. The boss’s spatula was flying nonstop, almost smoking from the heat. He still managed to respond, “Coming right up!”
Ten minutes later, two steaming bowls of beef noodles were served. Gu Qingyue’s appetite was instantly awakened, and she licked her lips.
So fragrant! Shang Yuze’s thin lips curved slightly, his expression making him look like a greedy little cat.
Gu Qingyue grabbed the chili oil from the table and scooped a large spoonful into her bowl.Seeing how much chili she added, Shang Yuze frowned faintly. “That’s a lot of chili. Can you handle it?”
“This place’s chili isn’t spicy at all.” Gu Qingyue used her chopsticks to mix the chili thoroughly into the noodles. Once it was evenly stirred, she could not wait to take a bite.
With one slurp, the sharp heat shot straight from her mouth to her throat.A stabbing pain surged through her throat. Panicking, Gu Qingyue quickly grabbed a napkin, covered her mouth, and started coughing hard.“Cough, cough, cough!” Her face flushed bright red from the coughing.
Shang Yuze was startled. He patted her back to help her catch her breath while pouring her a cup of warm water. “Be more careful when you eat.”
After a long while, the coughing finally stopped. She picked up the water on the table and drank it all in one go, the stinging sensation easing at last.“That was an accident.”Because of the coughing, her voice was slightly hoarse.
Shang Yuze poured her another cup of water and set it beside her. “Eat slowly.”
Gu Qingyue nodded and used her chopsticks to pick out the scallions floating on the surface of the soup.Seeing this, Shang Yuze asked, “If you don’t eat scallions, why didn’t you tell the boss?”
Focused on removing the scallions, Gu Qingyue replied, “Scallions are for enhancing aroma and color. I don’t eat them, but I want the flavor.”At half past eight in the evening, the air was chilly. The lights outside the noodle shop stretched their shadows long behind them.
The shop had air conditioning, but outside the cold wind blew steadily. The drastic temperature difference made Gu Qingyue shrink her neck and wrap her coat tightly around herself.
“Cold?” Shang Yuze lowered his gaze to look at her. His thick lashes fell, obscuring his dark eyes.
Gu Qingyue shook her head. “I’m dressed warmly. I’m not cold at all. All the clothes you bought for me are fleece-lined. They’re really warm.”She was wearing a knee-length cashmere coat. The pure cashmere fabric was light and soft, with excellent warmth retention.
As she spoke, she stretched her hand out in front of Shang Yuze. “If you don’t believe me, feel my hand.”
Shang Yuze lowered his eyes. Thinking of the delicate, soft sensation in his palm when they held hands before, he reached out and wrapped her small hand in his own.
The warmth of the man’s palm spread through her fingers like an electric current, flowing through Gu Qingyue’s entire body. Her heart began to race uncontrollably. Embarrassment made her instinctively try to pull her hand back.Instead, Shang Yuze held her even tighter.
Gu Qingyue pressed her lips together and said in a muffled voice, “I really am not cold.”
Shang Yuze’s dark phoenix eyes shimmered with fine points of light. His jade-like features were noble and peerless. His thin lips parted slightly. “I’m cold. Warm me up.”Hand in hand, the two of them strolled slowly toward another street.
An uncle running a ring-toss stall saw them and asked with a cheerful smile, “Miss, want to toss some rings? Fifty yuan for a bucket.”
Gu Qingyue spotted the large plush toys inside, and her desire to play began to stir.She had never played before.While she was still hesitating, Shang Yuze had already paid the stall owner.
Hearing the WeChat payment notification, Gu Qingyue’s heart trembled sharply. She looked up at Shang Yuze beside her, her glassy eyes seeming to mist over.
She never spoke up about things she wanted to play with, because she knew that even if she did, no one would care.But with Shang Yuze, even if she said nothing, he would take the initiative to give them to her.
Afraid that she might think of something sad, Shang Yuze shifted her attention. “Didn’t you want to play?”
Seeing the bucket of rings in the owner’s hands, Gu Qingyue quickly pushed those sad thoughts aside. “How many rings are there in one bucket?”
The owner handed her a bucket filled to the brim. “Sixty. As long as you land it on the toy’s head, it counts.”Gu Qingyue pointed at the large plush at the very back. “What about that big one?”
“That one has to be done like this.” The owner demonstrated personally, placing the ring over the toy’s head.Holding a ring, Gu Qingyue stood behind the line and searched for a target.
After throwing seven or eight rings, she finally managed to land one on a small rabbit plush. The owner handed the toy to her.Looking at the small plush in her hand, Gu Qingyue felt disappointed. “It’s so small. But I can’t get the big ones.”
Shang Yuze pinched a ring between his fingers. “Which one do you want? I’ll toss it for you.”Gu Qingyue pointed excitedly at the giant panda at the very back. “That panda.”
Shang Yuze stood where he was. The man’s posture was tall and straight, his proportions flawless and striking as he stood out from the crowd.
With a slight flick of his wrist, the ring flew out and landed perfectly on the panda’s head.Gu Qingyue cheered and threw her arms around his neck. “Shang Yuze, you’re amazing!”
Shang Yuze steadied her by the waist. His eyes were clear and gentle, and a faint smile swept across his usually calm face.The owner carried over the one-point-six-meter-tall panda. “Miss, your boyfriend is really impressive.”
Gu Qingyue stepped out of his arms, her peripheral vision flicking toward the man beside her as she smiled. “I think so too.”
Shang Yuze asked, “Anything else you want?”Gu Qingyue’s gaze swept across the stall. “That little dog plush can be for Cangyun.”
“Come, I’ll teach you.” Shang Yuze stood behind her, enclosing her entirely in his arms. His large hand wrapped around her wrist, the one with the red bracelet. “Keep your eyes on what you want to land on. Since it’s close, you need to control your strength…”
They were very close. Gu Qingyue’s nose filled with the man’s clean, cool scent. Her thick lashes trembled like butterfly wings. She lifted her eyes slightly, and from this angle, she saw the smooth, perfect line of his jaw.
Shang Yuze applied a bit of force to her wrist. Gu Qingyue released the ring accordingly, and it landed squarely on the plush toy’s head.
Gu Qingyue jumped up in delight. “I got it!”Shang Yuze smiled. “Yueyue is amazing.”
The two of them returned with a full haul. Back at Yujing Manor, Shang Yuze took the giant panda out of the trunk.“This bear’s been outside for a long time. It has a lot of dust and bacteria. I’ll wash it first before giving it to you.”
Gu Qingyue held the bag of plush toys and looked at the panda in Shang Yuze’s hands, smiling. “The stall owner really took a big loss meeting you.”This giant panda alone was worth more than her entire bag of small plush toys.