22 – “So, is there food? Brother~”
A familiar voice suddenly rang out from behind.
Jiang Yubai abruptly halted his inventory check, turning to meet the girl’s clear, bright gaze. As if caught in an unexpected beautiful dream, a flicker of surprise crossed his handsome face. “Why are you here?”
His expression of disbelief made Jiang Yuxing think he was displeased by her sudden appearance. She immediately grew somewhat unhappy, dropping her hands and pouting slightly. “Little study god, with that reaction, are you not welcoming me?”
“Alright then—” Yuxing made a show of turning away, her tone deliberately drawn out. “Since the little study god doesn’t want me here, I’ll just leave—”
“No!”
Before she could take a step, her hand was instantly seized firmly by the boy behind her. His usually steady voice carried a trace of panic. “Don’t go!”
Jiang Yuxing curled her lips triumphantly. Heh, he took the bait. How could the little study god, so brilliant in his studies, always be so easily fooled by her?
She turned back to face him, her beautiful peach blossom eyes curving with amusement. “Don’t want me to leave? Why?”
Jiang Yubai’s eyelashes trembled slightly, and he released her hand as if scalded. His seemingly composed handsome face faintly revealed a hint of fluster.
Yuxing’s smile deepened, her eyes crinkling further. She curved her red lips and stepped closer to him on slender legs, the arc of her eyes both alluring and sly, like a mischievous little fox.
“The little study god always answers every question in class without fail. How come you can’t answer such a simple one now?”
With each step she took forward, he retreated one step back, until his back pressed against the checkout counter behind him—nowhere left to retreat.
Yuxing leaned in closer, her laughing eyes bright and captivating. “Hmm?”
Jiang Yubai’s throat moved. Flustered, he resembled a boy experiencing his first crush. His hoarse voice blurted out a rapid series of questions: “Have you eaten? Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?”
Heavens! This was just too adorable!
Yuxing couldn’t help but be amused by his innocent reaction. “Of course I’m hungry.”
She rose on her toes and lightly perched on the checkout counter, lifting his chin with her fingers. Her gaze wandered, and her soft, silken tone carried a hint of temptation. “So, is there anything to eat? Gege~”
The girl’s radiant, charming face was now right before him, so close it felt within reach.
Jiang Yubai’s eyes darkened, his throat moving again. Many people said Jiang Yuxing was a fairy—and now this fairy was blatantly tempting him.
He abruptly turned his face away, evading her bewitching gaze. His voice was low and husky, restrained and controlled. “I’m not tasty.”
Yuxing looked down at his handsome face, now tinged with a faint blush, and curled her lips, unable to hold back another laugh.
What to do? Teasing the little study god was truly addictive. It seemed she was already immersed in it, unable to quit.
“Whether you’re tasty or not…” Yuxing hooked her lips, acting like a little rogue teasing a virtuous girl as she held his chin and gently turned his face back toward her. Her flirtatious tone carried a touch of frivolity. “Let jiejie have a taste, and then we’ll know.”
With these words, she lowered her head and made as if to part her lips toward his thin ones.
Jiang Yubai’s heart raced into disarray. He abruptly raised his hand and covered her soft lips.
“Mmph mmph mmph?”
The warm, ticklish breath she exhaled against his palm felt like a burn, and he released her in a fluster. “Stop messing around.”Jiang Yubai suppressed the darkness in his eyes and led her to the dining area ahead as if carrying a little piglet, his voice low and hoarse as if filled with sand. “Go sit over there. I’ll get you something to eat.”
Jiang Yuxing, who was abruptly pressed into a chair: ?
The restless Little Fox pursed her lips, about to continue making a fuss when a whole row of children’s QQ Star milk was suddenly shoved into her hands.
Jiang Yubai raised his hand and clumsily yet gently ruffled her hair, his voice soft. “Be good, Little Princess.”
Jiang Yuxing froze in surprise.
She instantly quieted down completely.
Holding the milk, she looked up at the boy above her, her heartbeat suddenly skipping out of rhythm.
“Wait here for me.”
Jiang Yubai kept his hand on her head. “I’ll get you some food now.”
“…Okay.” Jiang Yuxing blinked slowly.
She gazed at the tall, slender figure of the boy not far ahead, then looked down at the children’s milk in her hands. Raising her hand to touch where he had just ruffled her hair, she couldn’t help but curve her lips into a gentle smile.
Being treated like a child for the first time felt pretty nice.
Before long, Jiang Yubai returned with steaming hot oden and cart noodles.
Curry fish balls, golden crispy bone sticks, fish roe fortune bags, tamagoyaki, chikuwa rolls, and sweet, juicy daikon radish – all her favorite items that she always ordered.
“Eat up.”
Jiang Yubai gently placed everything before her and unwrapped the disposable chopsticks for her. “Tell me if you want more.”
“This is plenty, how much do I owe you?”
Not wanting him to spend money, Jiang Yuxing was about to take out her phone and go pay when he pressed her back into the seat before she could stand up. “Don’t worry about it. I can afford to treat you.”
Seeing his serious expression, Jiang Yuxing didn’t insist. Smiling, she put away her phone and took the chopsticks. “Then thank you, Little Study God~”
The convenience store was quiet on a weekend evening.
The girl who had been hungry all night focused on slurping her noodles, her cheeks puffing in and out.
Her reddish-brown long curls cascaded loosely, slipping rebelliously from her shoulders every time she leaned forward.
“Tch, forgot to bring a hair tie.” The little foodie frowned as her hair interfered with her eating speed.
Just as she raised her hand to push her hair back again.
She suddenly felt cool fingertips lightly brush against the nape of her neck, then gather her hair up.
Jiang Yuxing froze, turning toward the source of the touch.
She found Jiang Yubai beside her holding her hair. Meeting her surprised gaze, he simply nodded slightly. “Eat.”
Soft light filtered down from above.
It cast a gentle glow over his cool, profound eyes, creating the illusion that he was gazing at someone beloved.
Jiang Yuxing stared at him, momentarily mesmerized.
It was just a simple gesture.
Just a brief sentence.
So why did it make her heart feel like a freshly opened bottle of strawberry sparkling water, bubbling over with sweet fizz?