Jiang Mo and Chi Yu spent two hours in the small supermarket. When they returned, it was still early, only four o’clock in the afternoon.
Before putting things away, Jiang Mo definitely wanted to open the computer and play a couple of ranked games.
But now he had no mood or interest in gaming.
Jiang Mo carefully placed the bags on the desk floor and took out the unopened apple candy from his pocket.
The sour and sweet taste filled his mouth. After the initial sourness dissipated, only the sweetness remained.
He and Chi Yu were going to act as a fake couple in front of the camera. Even if it wasn’t real, he was still happy about it.
Jiang Mo sat on the floor, savoring the indescribable joy. He didn’t know how much time had passed until his mood gradually calmed down.
He hadn’t checked his phone for a long time, and Xie Ning had replied to his message two hours ago.
[Xie Ning: Wow, are you really joining our team? I’ll immediately inform the coach and manager! Wait for my good news.]
[Xie Ning: I told the manager, but he hasn’t replied yet. However, I spoke highly of you, so he will definitely agree!]
[MOMO: Thank you.]
Xie Ning probably wasn’t playing ranked games right now, as the replies came quickly.
[Xie Ning: What’s with the thanks, bro?]
[MOMO: Thank you for recognizing me.]
[Xie Ning: Of course! I’ve always believed in your skills from the beginning. If you come to our team, I won’t be an orphan anymore. They always bully me, so you have to help me then! We’ll form a jungle duo and let them taste the bitterness of being alone! [Laughing.jpg]]
Today was indeed a good day, thanks to Chi Yu bringing him good luck.
Jiang Mo bit into the apple candy, allowing the rich sweetness to spread.
The door was knocked, and Jiang Mo put away his phone. Confused, he opened the door. Less than an hour had passed, and Chi Yu was standing outside again.
The parting words from Chi Yu echoed in his mind. Nervously gripping the doorknob, he didn’t feel as uncomfortable as before.
He had been avoiding Chi Yu before, always keeping his head down when facing him. Now that he had spoken up, he was forcing himself to adapt to being around Chi Yu.
“They have been cooking for the past few days, and it’s only us who haven’t cooked for everyone. Can we cook together tonight?” Chi Yu paused and leaned in, whispering in Jiang Mo’s ear, “And let’s make Ye Lin feel a little upset while we’re at it.”
Chi Yu’s breath sprayed on Jiang Mo’s earlobe, making it heat up uncontrollably. Hearing the second part of Chi Yu’s whisper, Jiang Mo looked at him in surprise.
He had never realized that Chi Yu could be so petty.
The matter with Ye Lin had nothing to do with Chi Yu, yet he kept remembering this grievance on Jiang Mo’s behalf.
Chi Yu had already verbally reprimanded Ye Lin before, yet he still wanted to vent his frustration for Jiang Mo.
“Alright.” Jiang Mo nodded.
If Chi Yu wanted to help him, how could he refuse?
He wasn’t a magnanimous person either.
…
Although they said they would cook together, Jiang Mo was just assisting Chi Yu.
Without Jiang Mo saying anything, Chi Yu guessed that Jiang Mo only knew how to make noodles. When they entered the kitchen, he didn’t let Jiang Mo take charge but instead took over as the head chef.
“Help me wash the vegetables.” Chi Yu pointed at the bags in the sink.
Jiang Mo opened the bags, and the vegetables inside looked fresh, not like they were taken out of the refrigerator.
“Did you go to the market?” Jiang Mo asked.
“Yeah, we didn’t have many ingredients, and I didn’t want to touch anything in the fridge in case someone blamed me,” Chi Yu replied seriously.
His voice was not loud, but the people sitting in the dining area waiting for the meal could hear him clearly, even without turning on the kitchen hood.
Jiang Mo: “…”
Ye Lin, sitting in the dining area, eating an orange: “…”
Jiang Mo burst out laughing. He picked a big orange from the fruit tray, peeled it, and looked at Ye Lin with a mischievous gaze.
Ye Lin gave him a disdainful look, threw away the half-eaten orange in his hand, and walked into the kitchen.
“Chi Yingdi,” Ye Lin walked up to Chi Yu, looking embarrassed.
“What’s wrong?” Chi Yu didn’t even lift his eyes, focused on cutting fish.
“I didn’t mean any harm with that comment. I was just excited and said it without thinking,” Ye Lin said in a flat tone.
“And what does that have to do with me?” Chi Yu replied nonchalantly.
“…” Ye Lin suppressed his grievances and walked quietly to Jiang Mo, who was washing vegetables. He whispered, “I’m sorry for eating your cake and shouting at you in front of so many people.”
Jiang Mo looked at Ye Lin and calmly said, “It’s okay.”
Although Ye Lin was forgiven by Jiang Mo, he didn’t feel happy at all. He returned to his seat with a gloomy face and threw the remaining half of the orange into the trash can.
[“Hasn’t this matter been resolved? Why are they still bringing it up?”]
[“Where was it resolved? Ye Lin never sincerely apologized, he never realized his mistake.”]
[“Do you expect a spoiled young master to apologize to someone? Forget it, look at Jiang Mo’s reaction. He truly doesn’t care about this matter anymore. Let’s stop discussing it.”]
[“Thanks to this show, I’ve successfully stopped being a fan of Ye Lin. I’m finally awake. It turns out I only liked a fake persona.”]
“Aren’t you happy?” Chi Yu stood beside Jiang Mo, turning on the faucet of another sink to wash his hands. His gaze fell on Jiang Mo’s face.
“It’s not as happy as I imagined because he didn’t apologize sincerely. He only did it because of your face and the audience’s gaze,” Jiang Mo honestly replied.
“But I don’t really care about his apology,” Jiang Mo smiled, “Being upset over someone I won’t see in the future will only bring trouble upon myself.”
Chi Yu was influenced by Jiang Mo’s rare smile and his eyes curved with amusement. It was the first time Jiang Mo had shown a smile since the first day.
It wasn’t easy to come by.
Jiang Mo wasn’t as fragile as he had imagined. He seemed delicate but actually had a more open-minded attitude than many people.
“Jiang Mo, can you help me put on the apron?” Chi Yu had just finished washing his hands but got them dirty again while handling the fish. He raised his hand and called out to Jiang Mo.
Jiang Mo nodded and picked up the apron hanging on the wall, walking toward Chi Yu.
Chi Yu was quite tall, and Jiang Mo had to raise both his arms high to barely reach Chi Yu’s head, let alone tie the apron strings around Chi Yu’s neck.
Unbeknownst to Jiang Mo, from his perspective, he looked incredibly adorable.
[“Silly baby, you made him lower his head! Don’t foolishly tiptoe, he’s teasing you!”]
[“@Chi Yu, that’s going too far! Taking advantage of your height like that, I would be angry if I were Jiang Mo!”]
[“@Chi Yu, do you think you’re playing with a cat?”]
Although it only required a few words, it took Jiang Mo quite a while to realize that he was being toyed with by Chi Yu.
“Head… lower your head so I can put it on,” Jiang Mo’s face turned red as he complained.
Chi Yu’s lips curled up. “If you don’t say anything, how would I know?”
Jiang Mo stuttered, “Th-this is a normal thing, right?”
Chi Yu lowered his voice and said in a somewhat aggrieved tone, “Sorry, I forgot.”
“N-no problem, it’s my fault for not reminding you,” as soon as Chi Yu apologized, the small flame of annoyance in Jiang Mo’s heart instantly extinguished.
Was he too harsh? His voice became louder when he was agitated. Did he scare Chi Yu?
“Yeah, you don’t need to apologize. Just remember to remind me next time, and I’ll obediently listen to you,” Chi Yu smiled.
Jiang Mo: “… Okay.”
[“Seeing his innocent smile, I cried. Are there still such naive babies in this day and age? #ChiYu,pleasebenicertoJiangMo#”]
[“Damn, you idiot, he’s fooling you! Did you really forget his nickname?”]
[“Ah, Jiang Mo is so naive. How can he outplay that old hooligan Chi Yu? You’ll be ‘tormented’ by him in the future, especially in that aspect!”]
[“Sigh… I think of that silly plush cat at Chi Yu’s house, always being toyed with by Chi Yu. It forgets past grievances as soon as Chi Yu gives it a little favor, meowing and pouncing on Chi Yu to seek affection. Has Chi Yu adopted a real-life version of a little kitten?”]
…
Chi Yu’s culinary skills were excellent.
As Jiang Mo watched Chi Yu skillfully stir-fry the ingredients in the kitchen, he was already dumbfounded. When he personally tasted the dishes Chi Yu made, he lost his ability to speak and his face was full of amazement.
“Is it delicious?” Chi Yu specifically took an empty bowl and put some food into it, handing it to Jiang Mo.
“It’s delicious!” Jiang Mo’s eyes lit up, nodding mechanically.
As the audience had previously mentioned, Jiang Mo was a great foodie. He could give you the most satisfying feedback and make you feel that your hard work had value.
Chi Yu enjoyed Jiang Mo’s admiring gaze and smiled, “If it’s delicious, have some more. I made it specially for you.”
The other six people at the table: “…”
[“Hahaha, I saw Li Heng pick up a piece of sweet and sour pork and silently put it back on the plate.”]
[“Are you trying to make me laugh? I didn’t realize you had the talent for comedy, @Chi Yu.”]
[“Others: Oh, yes, we don’t deserve to eat the food you made. It’s our great fortune to taste the dishes you made with Jiang Mo’s presence.”]
During the meal, Jiang Mo still sat next to Ye Lin. This time, he didn’t have a chance to interject at all. Every time he tried to speak to Jiang Mo, Chi Yu’s chopsticks would inevitably reach over, as if it had been planned in advance to interrupt his conversation.
Chi Yu had cooked the meal, and he felt a bit embarrassed to ask Jiang Mo to eat more. After Chi Yu made his remark, the remaining few people lost their appetite for the dishes and focused on eating rice.
Could it be that Chi Yu really had feelings for Jiang Mo?
Speaking of which, the two of them had disappeared for the afternoon. Could they have gone on a private date?
It had only been a few days, and they were already showing off?!
The artists were busy with work, and apart from Jiang Mo, who was a bit clueless, it was difficult for the others to get a month-long vacation to participate in the recording of the romance variety show.
The production team had discussed with the guests before the start of the recording that they would have a few days off during the recording. Those with work could handle their own affairs and then return to the cabin for recording.
The food Chi Yu cooked was too delicious, and this time Jiang Mo ate until he was full.
It had rained outside, making the road difficult to walk on. Jiang Mo didn’t feel like strolling around and wasn’t in a hurry to go upstairs. After finishing the meal, he stood in the glass conservatory in the yard, aiding digestion.
Jiang Mo had only brought one suitcase when he came.
The production team had given them a two-day break, and he planned to go home for two days. He had sent a message to his older brother, Lu Yu, that he was heading back.
When he looked up, he saw Li Heng, wearing a puzzled expression, standing in front of him, as if he had appeared out of nowhere, examining his face.
“W-what’s wrong?” Jiang Mo was startled and instinctively took several steps back.
Li Heng: “Do I look that frightening?”
Jiang Mo: “N-no.”
“And yet, I scared you to stutter.” Li Heng teased.
Jiang Mo: “…” He was already prone to stuttering.
“What’s going on?” Chi Yu walked in with two cups in hand, his gaze coldly sweeping over Li Heng.
“Nothing, I saw him standing alone here and wanted to talk to him. We’ll be seeing each other a lot in the future, so we should get acquainted…” Li Heng’s words were cut off as Chi Yu lifted his foot to interrupt him.
Li Heng: “…”
He really hadn’t done anything, nor had he bullied Jiang Mo. He just wanted to see what attracted Chi Yu to Jiang Mo. They hadn’t even exchanged a few words!
“Sour plum soup, it aids digestion.” Chi Yu handed the cup to Jiang Mo.
“Thank you.” Jiang Mo took the cup and took a sip, expecting it to be hot, but he realized it was cold when the sour plum soup touched his lips.
Chi Yu explained with a smile, “I noticed that you always eat a lot, and I was worried about indigestion. So, I prepared the sour plum soup beforehand and put it in the fridge. You like drinking cold beverages, right?”
Jiang Mo’s face turned red, and he whispered, “I-I’m still growing.”
Chi Yu didn’t refute Jiang Mo’s words. Some people were still in the growth stage even at the age of 19. Compared to them, Jiang Mo was just a newly adult child. So, in Chi Yu’s eyes, all of Jiang Mo’s childish behavior was so cute.
“Yeah, so I will take good care of you and help you grow up faster.” Chi Yu took a sip of the sour plum soup and said calmly.
Grow up quickly.
Jiang Mo: “…”
“Do I not have a share?” Li Heng’s teeth ached as he approached Chi Yu, sounding aggrieved.
Chi Yu had an expressionless face and didn’t even bother to give a perfunctory response. “I only prepared servings for two people.”
Li Heng: “…”
With a stern face, Li Heng decided not to disturb them anymore and went to sit on a swing far away, feeling gloomy.
[“Li Heng, forget it, keep a safe distance from this couple!”]
[“Li Heng, don’t you think you’re like a giant light bulb? Are you rushing to eat dog food!”]
“Are you planning to go back during the break?” Chi Yu glanced at the bright screen of Jiang Mo’s phone.
Lu Yu quickly replied, saying he would come to pick him up at the train station.
“Yeah, I have nothing to do here. I want to, I want to go home. My brother said he would come to pick me up.” Jiang Mo’s smile unintentionally brightened as he spoke.
In previous years, when he was in the team, everyone would go home during the Chinese New Year, but he would be the only one left at the base. After leaving the orphanage, he spent every New Year alone.
It was tiring to travel back and forth in just two days, but now that he finally had a home, he wanted to experience the feeling of having a place to return to during the break.
“That’s great,” Chi Yu said.
“Senior, are you going to work these two days?” Jiang Mo asked casually.
“Chi Yu.”
“Huh?”
Chi Yu corrected him, “Just call me Chi Yu, don’t be so formal.”
“Okay.” Jiang Mo lowered his head and silently repeated Chi Yu’s name in his mind several times.
“I don’t have work these two days,” Chi Yu said, “and I don’t have anywhere to go.”
For some reason, Jiang Mo sensed a hint of loneliness in Chi Yu’s words.
Li Heng, with his keen ears, overheard the conversation between Chi Yu and Jiang Mo. He looked puzzled, wondering if Chi Yu had no place to go. Was Chi Yu joking?
Jiang Mo instinctively lowered his voice, afraid of disturbing Chi Yu. “So, do you want to stay in the cabin?”
“I don’t know either.” Chi Yu lowered his head, his eyes vacant as he stared at the dark sour plum soup in the cup. “Maybe, after all, I’m used to being alone.”
Li Heng: “…”
How strange. Wasn’t Old Dog Chi Yu annoyed by them and didn’t want to be disturbed during their break?
Why did his words suddenly change?
Seeing Chi Yu like this reminded Jiang Mo of his past self.
Chi Yu’s family background was a mystery, even the old fans didn’t know about Chi Yu’s family situation.
Did Chi Yu also not have any relatives like him? Most likely, with his wealth, how could he not have a place to go back to? It’s just that there was no one waiting for him at home.
“Then, um, if you don’t mind, would you like to come with me to my home?” Jiang Mo cautiously asked, clutching the cup. He leaned closer to Chi Yu, looked up at him, and in his pitch-black pupils, it felt like there were sparkling stars filled with tenderness towards him.
In that moment, Chi Yu felt his heart melting.
You foolish child, why are you so easily fooled?
Chi Yu: “Sure.”
I feel you u our little lamb (that’s going to be eaten clean soon *cough cough*), I also spend holidays alone and it can be frustrating sometimes. all you’ve known is kids and people from the similar backgrounds and then you step into the world of adults. how do you behave or interact with other adults without looking like a total loser, attention seeker or party pooper , when it’s such a social event that everyone is talking about for the next like weeks??
Wow. This Chi Yu is sooo shameless. 🤣
It’s so sweet I feel so full reading this >v<