Chapter 1368 - 894: You Really Like Me, Huh? (2)
"Say something I don’t know." Jiang Nian grinned; the street was pretty empty at this hour, so parking was easy.
He didn’t get out of the car, just talked to Chen Yunyun through the window.
"If you really can’t bear it, then come home with me. My place is pretty big too, one more person’s no problem."
"I like you too," Chen Yunyun suddenly said.
Jiang Nian froze for a second, as if he thought he’d misheard. But there wasn’t even any wind on the street—this was probably real.
"I know."
He simply got out of the car and gave Chen Yunyun a hug. "I like you a lot too, everything about you."
After a while, Jiang Nian got back in the car and drove off again.
Chen Yunyun was still standing there. Only when she saw the taillights disappear did she press her lips together and turn to go home.
Out of habit, she slipped her hand into the pocket of her down jacket. Then she suddenly froze—there was something extra inside.
Cold to the touch; when she pulled it out, it was a necklace.
"???"
By this time, Jiang Nian had already driven out of Yunmu Town. Instead of going home, he headed over to Wang Yuhe’s place.
He didn’t need to go inside; he just needed to call her out.
It was the New Year holidays, and pretty much every milk tea shop was packed. Jiang Nian barely managed to find one and sat down to wait.
Before long, Wang Yuhe arrived.
She was tall and slender, wearing a trench coat. The zipper was pulled all the way up, and she swayed a little as she walked into the milk tea shop.
She looked here, looked there.
The people at the neighboring tables couldn’t help turning their heads to look at Wang Yuhe, their gazes intentionally or not falling on her.
"Over here. If your eyes are that bad, donate them." Jiang Nian got up in passing and waved at her.
"You!! You’re the one who’s blind!"
Huffing, Wang Yuhe sat down across from him, lifting her leg to kick at Jiang Nian under the table.
"Watch the leg!!"
Jiang Nian casually dodged, and while he was at it, glanced down. It was winter; with pants on, how was he supposed to look at a leg?
"So, did you bring what I asked for?"
"Oh, yeah." Wang Yuhe set a big bag on the table. "You can lug it back yourself."
The moment she set it down, an oily, fried smell wafted out.
"It’s not spicy at all, you can just chow down. Eat it as your dinner, and finish all of it, okay?"
When she said this, the expression on Wang Yuhe’s face was kind of dopey—maybe because she was talking about chili peppers.
She even swallowed a mouthful of saliva, looking even sillier.
"Really?" Jiang Nian said. "Then I’ll really eat it—fried chili pockets, and eggplant pockets, right?"
"Yeah, and a bit of fried fish pockets too." Wang Yuhe gestured. "Try it first before you say it’s not good."
"Oh~~" Jiang Nian was a little moved too. He’d really just said it casually as an excuse.
Just to have a reason to see her and give her something.
As it happened, he’d once heard Wang Yuhe brag that her mom’s fried chili pockets were amazing, unbelievably good.
So he’d simply made use of that.
"This is for your mom." Jiang Nian took out a gift box. "There’s ginseng inside. Don’t sneak any."
"I wouldn’t!" Wang Yuhe muttered. She knew ginseng was bitter and only good for making soup.
Only an idiot would eat it raw, especially dried ginseng.
"This is for you." Jiang Nian pulled out another box. "This is a hand chain. I picked it up off the street."
Wang Yuhe: "???"
She looked closely. It was a crystal bracelet, purple, with a particularly fun little design.
"Where’d you pick it up?"
Jiang Nian said offhand, "Trash can. A trash can about big enough to fit your head."
"You’re the trash can!" Wang Yuhe saw right through his little routine and wanted to kick him again.
But he’d given her a bracelet.
"Your return gifts are way too expensive. Ginseng and a bracelet—how am I supposed to explain this to my mom when I get home?"
"You need someone to teach you that?" Jiang Nian leaned back. "Hide the bracelet, and say you couldn’t refuse the ginseng."
"Oh, oh, okay."
Wang Yuhe nodded. For her, gifts from other people were a no, but gifts from Jiang Nian were fine.
Because Jiang Nian wouldn’t give anything inappropriate.
At most, he’d go a little over the usual limit.
If he was giving like this, he definitely had his reasons. She didn’t need to think about it—just accept it.
"Oh right, oh right." After a sip of milk tea, Wang Yuhe said, "Did you see the class group messages?"
"What?"
"Some people in class are saying they want to organize a reunion." Wang Yuhe looked at him. "Are you going?"
Jiang Nian was about to say no, but then he thought about it. His side had already blown up; he didn’t have much to be nervous about anymore.
"I’ll go back and check before I decide."
"Oh."
They chatted for a while. When they were about to part, both of them carrying their bags, they walked out of the milk tea shop together.
Since Wang Yuhe’s way home and where Jiang Nian had parked were in completely opposite directions, they had to split up.
At the town’s main crossroads, a fried skewer snack cart had taken over the very center, side by side with a fruit tricycle.
"Bye."
"Mm."
Wang Yuhe turned and walked a few steps, then dropped her gaze and thought for a few seconds. Suddenly she turned back.
She watched Jiang Nian’s back as he slowly walked away.
"Hey!"
She called out to Jiang Nian and ran back. With those long legs of hers, just a few strides closed the distance.
It was already properly dark, the city lights starting to glow.
"What is it?" Jiang Nian turned around, a little dazed at being suddenly called back. "Did you forget something at the milk tea shop?"
Probably because she’d sprinted, Wang Yuhe was standing a bit close. Grade-schoolers really had no sense.
If she moved any closer, her nose would bump into Jiang Nian’s chest.
"I didn’t forget anything."
Wang Yuhe shook her head hard, frowned, and looked up at him. "Jiang Nian, do you like me?"
"Ha."
"I..." Jiang Nian had been about to say he’d be more likely to like a pig than her, but when he lowered his head—
He happened to meet the girl’s bright eyes, filled with utter seriousness.
Jiang Nian paused. He suddenly realized that whatever he said next, Wang Yuhe would take it seriously.
He thought for a bit, reorganized his words, and said,
"I do have good feelings for you. I’m really happy when I’m with you, happier than when I’m on my own."
He said it very sincerely, while still leaving some wiggle room.
"Huh?"
It seemed like Wang Yuhe hadn’t expected him to say something like that; she stood there, stunned for several seconds.
"No wonder you’re always sneaking looks at my boobs."
Jiang Nian: "???"
Wait, you knew?
"Ahem, I don’t know what you’re talking about." Jiang Nian, guilty, tried to change the subject.
"Like, when I bend over sometimes, you look at my boobs." Wang Yuhe’s eyes went wide.
"Do you really like boobs that much? Or do you look at everyone’s boobs?"
Jiang Nian: "...."
He was completely done.
He’d spent ages choosing his words, only to be blown up by Wang Yuhe’s triple-question. Still, this was also the truth.
"I... well." Jiang Nian said awkwardly, "Of course I don’t look at just anyone’s. I prefer..."
"People I have feelings for, you know..."
"I know." Wang Yuhe nodded. "Like Chai Muying—she’s with our group leader now."
"Who?"
"Our group leader," Wang Yuhe said. "It happened a while ago. They said they’re together."
"Oh, oh." Jiang Nian nodded, thinking that once you got to college, it was natural to first look for someone from high school.
After all, Class Three’s level wasn’t low.
Plus, they shared a language and culture, similar tastes in food. They knew each other’s backgrounds, and coming from the same place was an advantage.
Of course, he wasn’t talking about himself.
"So what do you think?" Jiang Nian looked back at Wang Yuhe and decided to just ask outright.
"I don’t know." Wang Yuhe shook her head. "I have to ask Yunyun. I don’t want her to be upset."
Jiang Nian: "...."
He suddenly felt a bit nervous.
"Ask her in a few days."
"Why?"
"Can’t you let me have a nice New Year?" Jiang Nian was speechless and already a little regretful. If he’d known, he wouldn’t have said anything.
"But if I hold it in, I’ll feel really uncomfortable," said Wang Yuhe.
"Forget it, forget it. It’s a knife either way." Jiang Nian waved his hand, resigned to his fate.
As he spoke, he started to walk back.
"Head home early, and text me when you get there. I’m going back first—Li Hua’s about to give birth."
Wang Yuhe blinked and tugged him back again.
"Wait a sec."
"What now?" Jiang Nian was helpless. He had to admit, grade-schoolers really were his kryptonite.
Wang Yuhe pressed her lips together, looking thrilled.
"You really like me?"