Qin Jiran quickly returned home and then saw Su Yanyi on the couch in the living room, flipping through a magazine. By then, Yanyi had already changed into her home clothes, her stray hair falling gently beside her ear, adding a hint of softness to her usually sharp demeanor. Sitting there quietly, she truly gave him the impression that she was waiting for his return, a sentiment filled with warmth and satisfaction.
"Yanyi, did you need me for something?" Qin Jiran slightly shook his head, kicking out the reluctant illusion from his mind, reminding himself that such tenderness didn't suit their relationship. He didn't want to become intoxicated by it because the clarity that followed would only make him more miserable.
Of course, there was something!
"I'm hungry." Waiting for nearly an hour for his return, Su Yanyi was in no mood for pleasantries.
"…" Qin Jiran had a momentary lapse of bewilderment, then once again felt that his hallucinations were becoming more serious. How else could he have possibly heard Su Yanyi say those three words to him!
I'm hungry? Was that her hint for him to cook?
"Shall I cook now?" Qin Jiran asked tentatively.
"Mhm." Su Yanyi replied affirmatively.
For a moment, Qin Jiran was silent, and Su Yanyi didn't rush him. After a short while, Qin Jiran asked again, "What would you like to eat?"
"Anything is fine, just make it quick." As long as it tasted good, she wasn't picky about food.
Qin Jiran silently left, his mind still somewhat in a mess, a big question mark lingering on. However much he pondered, he couldn't find the answer, unclear about why Su Yanyi would act this way. But in the past few days, he had often been in such a confused state, Qin Jiran concluded that it wasn't his issue but that Su Yanyi was behaving abnormally. Although he had people investigate Su Yanyi, they found nothing amiss, which only deepened his confusion and bafflement.
Half an hour later, four dishes and a soup were served on the table, complete with color, aroma, and taste. Su Yanyi didn't even spare time for talking and was earnestly eating, her movements, although barely graceful, were so swift that Qin Jiran found it amusing. Then Su Yanyi heard the System's prompt.
[Congratulations, Host has completed a task and received one point. The current points total is two, please continue to work hard!]
Yanyi's hand, holding her chopsticks, froze midair, and her facial expression paused for a second before she slowly looked up at Qin Jiran next to her. His face still bore traces of a smile, faint but unmistakable, and there was an indescribable flavor in his eyes, something like happiness mixed with indulgence, but for certain, those eyes were full of her!
Was she being teased by Qin Jiran again? Perhaps because she ate too much?
"What are you laughing at?" Su Yanyi decided to give Qin Jiran a chance to explain, determined not to declare him guilty without giving him an opportunity to defend himself.
If his genuine laughter for the first time was at her expense, she could bear it. But if for a second time he was laughing at her, then she wouldn't tolerate it!
Why should the only times Qin Jiran genuinely laughed be to ridicule her! Why should she be the butt of the joke!
Yanyi had always been self-centered and extremely confident. She couldn't recall doing anything inappropriate, nor had she ever heard of anyone daring to make fun of her, even in jest. Even in the eyes of her parents and family, she was absolutely exceptional. Yet, such a woman had been laughed at by Qin Jiran twice, and it had even helped her complete the persistently troublesome System task, which was nothing short of a provocation, an intolerable offense!
Qin Jiran, however, was obviously taken aback. What was he laughing at? Was he laughing?
"Was I laughing?" Qin Jiran asked uncertainly.
"Yes!" Su Yanyi nodded earnestly, not only that but he was making fun of her.
Qin Jiran looked at Su Yanyi's serious demeanor, not understanding why he had laughed, nor why his laughter should be taken so seriously by her, but her reaction, her seriousness while nodding, he found exceptionally cute.
Then, Qin Jiran smiled again, this time his smile was very obvious, and even carried a slightly deep voice, pleasant to the ear, and very soothing.
After that, Su Yanyi once again heard the System's voice.
[Congratulations to the host for completing a task, one point added, current stage points are three, please continue to work hard, host!]
A pleasant surprise, wasn't it? Su Yanyi blinked her eyes and suddenly felt that this world was indeed dull, with pleasant surprises being so speechless!
So was this time Qin Jiran's smile genuine? Or was she being laughed at again?
"Why do I always feel like you're laughing at me whenever you smile?" If straightforwardness is also a virtue, then Su Yanyi certainly possessed it.
Qin Jiran's laughter came to an abrupt halt, looking somewhat embarrassedly at Su Yanyi.
"That's not true, you've misunderstood." He simply thought she was cute, which made him laugh, not that he was laughing at her.
"Misunderstood? Then what are you laughing about?" Su Yanyi didn't believe Qin Jiran's explanation at all.
Qin Jiran didn't dare to praise Su Yanyi as cute, afraid that saying so would only make her angrier, as he didn't think she would like to be described as 'cute.'
"Does silence mean consent?" Su Yanyi's expression at this moment seemed to confirm this.
"Yanyi, I wouldn't laugh at you. Why did you think of coming home for dinner tonight? Is there something you want to tell me?" Qin Jiran, a bit awkward at explaining, cleverly shifted the topic and asked the question he had been wanting to ask all evening.
"There is something to say." Su Yanyi took a moment to think, still with a serious expression. She wasn't really distracted, but felt that Qin Jiran's attitude had indeed acknowledged it, so there was no need to keep asking.
"What is it?" Instantly, Qin Jiran's expression turned very serious.
"In the future, come home to cook whenever you have time, I'll come home to eat," Su Yanyi said, more earnest than when talking about business.
"..." Qin Jiran suddenly felt that his hallucinations were beyond cure.
Come home to cook whenever he had time? Come home to cook whenever he had time!
I'll come home to eat? I'll come home to eat!
Did he hear every word clearly? Was the meaning he understood really not mistaken?
"Yanyi, what exactly has upset you? Just say it outright, doing this, it really makes me worried," Qin Jiran said, and after a slight pause, he scanned Su Yanyi and ventured to ask, "You're not sick, are you? Have you been to the hospital?"
Please forgive this man, who had been cold-shouldered for so long, for not only lacking a sense of warmth but also being devoid of romantic thoughts, could only come to such a helpless conclusion.
...