Jiang Yumo acted like the future madam of the house, giving orders and setting rules: “No throwing cakes today, and no spreading cream!”
Zhao Zheng laughed, “Sure, let’s listen to the madam today.”
Jiang Yumo shot a sharp glance, “If you talk nonsense again, I’ll have your Brother Duan throw you out.”
“Alright, we can’t waste any more time,” Yan Qing glanced at the time, “Besides, I’m hungry, let’s hurry.”
In fact, Guo Shichao and Zhao Zheng had already brought back a generous amount of food. Besides the pizza and chicken wings, there was also Jiang Yumo’s favorite spicy hotpot and garlic-flavored ribs, with ample portions. But since it was a birthday celebration, it would be a different experience if everyone cooked their own dishes. Originally, they had agreed that each person would make one dish, but now it was getting dark, and if they kept delaying, they might not even have dinner by nine o’clock.
Finally, they settled on the following dishes: Ning Zhiyu would make spicy stir-fried clams, Duan Ye, as the birthday star, would make scrambled eggs, and Jiang Yumo would prepare a dish of preserved egg with tofu.
Everyone had their own things to do.
They were happy even when they were busy.
Except for Zhou Ji.
Only he was idle.
After sitting on the couch and watching TV for a while, he got bored and went to the kitchen. Ning Zhiyu was bending over, washing the sand off the clams. Duan Ye and Jiang Yumo had disappeared somewhere, always sticking together. He hesitated and walked over to Ning Zhiyu’s side, clearing his throat uncomfortably, *Cough, cough.*
Ning Zhiyu turned her head slightly to look at him, her clear eyes were very calm.
Zhou Ji felt an indescribable feeling in his heart.
It was too strange to him, to the point that he completely didn’t understand, “Is there anything I can do?”
Ning Zhiyu : “?”
So he came to help?
But it was strange that the word “help” was associated with him. Clearly, she wasn’t familiar with him either, but she just felt that he was troublesome and it would be best to keep a distance.
Ning Zhiyu glanced at the kitchen counter and finally chose not to be polite with him, saying, “Peel some garlic for me, yes, peel a bit more.”
Zhou Ji : “… Alright.”
He looked around. Although he was a well-off young master, he still knew what garlic looked like. He picked one up and forcefully separated it. Garlic always had a pungent smell, and Zhou Ji suddenly thought of something and asked her, “Is there any handwash left?”
Ning Zhiyu : “Why?”
Zhou Ji said, “I want to wash my hands after peeling.”
Ning Zhiyu suddenly regretted it. Why wasn’t she polite to him? Clearly, she could do all these things by herself quickly.
“Fine.” Ning Zhiyu nodded helplessly, “Then peel a bit more.”
Zhou Ji : “It’s not a difficult task.”
There was no need to say it twice.
As for where Duan Ye and Jiang Yumo went? Jiang Yumo wanted to go to the kitchen to help but was worried about getting her new clothes dirty. Yes! Today is Duan Ye’s 18th birthday, and she values it a lot. Early in the morning, she opened her wardrobe and put on the new clothes her mother had bought for her. It was a white bubble long-sleeved shirt that she really liked, paired with jeans, making her look incredibly youthful. It’s almost deep autumn now, and Jiang Yumo doesn’t have to worry about her loose long hair making her feel hot. Taking advantage of her mother still being asleep, she secretly used her mother’s hair straightener to straighten and smoothen her hair before leaving the house.
She frowned, and Duan Ye could tell what she was thinking at a glance.
Taking advantage of everyone’s lack of attention, he quietly led her into his own room.
Duan Ye’s room was very simple.
There was a 1.5-meter bed, a wardrobe, and a desk, and nothing else. It wasn’t as messy as Jiang Yumo had imagined; on the contrary, it was well-organized and clean.
Thinking about her own room, Jiang Yumo covered her forehead and said in a frustrated tone, “Your room is much cleaner than mine. Mine is like a dog’s nest.”
Duan Ye walked over and opened the wardrobe, then turned to look at her. “I won’t bring you in if it’s not clean.”
Then he said, “Come.”
Jiang Yumo walked over and asked, “What for?”
“Pick one,” Duan Ye pointed at the clothes hanging in the wardrobe, feeling a bit uneasy.
Jiang Yumo : “?”
She looked at the clothes hanging in the wardrobe.
They are all Duan Ye’s clothes. There are short sleeves, long sleeves, and even jackets. It seems that he particularly prefer the colors black, white, and gray at his age. Jiang Yumo is the same. Sometimes her mom insists on buying her pink clothes, but she dislikes them and finds them too childish. Her mom also says, “Maybe when you’re in your twenties or thirties, you’ll start liking pink!”
Duan Ye’s clothes are mostly black and gray.
White is rarely seen.
“Choose one… for what?” Jiang Yumo asked him in confusion.
Duan Ye cleared his throat, looked away without making eye contact, and said, “Don’t dirty your clothes. I don’t have an apron at home. Choose one of my clothes to wear over yours.”
Jiang Yumo: Huh?!
After realizing it, her face turned red too.
Even though she should have refused, she couldn’t seem to say the words “No, thanks.”
She remembered back in the first semester of her second year of high school. One day the weather changed dramatically. She was wearing long sleeves in the morning, but in the afternoon, it suddenly became colder. She was freezing in the classroom, and Duan Ye brought his jacket for her. She didn’t dare to wear it, but just having it on her legs felt warm.
“Well…” Jiang Yumo lowered her head. “Okay.”
Although she seemed reluctant in her response, deep down, she felt a tiny spark of joy.
She lifted her head and looked towards the wardrobe, her fingers brushing over his clothes. Her fingertips seemed to carry a trace of warmth, finally pausing on a thin gray hoodie.
“This one will do,” she said.
“Alright.” Duan Ye took out the clothing and handed it to her.
Under his gaze, Jiang Yumo put on his hoodie.
He was so tall, and the clothes were large, making Jiang Yumo appear much bigger in them. Normally, with Jiang Yumo’s bold personality, she would tease or entertain herself, perhaps swing the slightly long sleeves as if she was the character Qingyi of Peking Opera1, just to amuse Duan Ye. But at this moment, her mind went blank.
By some inexplicable impulse, a thought flashed through her mind—
Wearing his hoodie, enveloped by his scent, it felt as if they were embracing each other.
Kyaaaaa!!! Boyfriend hoodie 🤭🤭
Ah youth