C9 Why Are You Here?

On the way, Mrs. Shih warmly shared about her family. From her words, Shiyu learned that both of Mrs. Shih's children were living elsewhere, her husband had passed away years ago, and now she lived alone.

No wonder she was so welcoming to Shiyu, who felt her heart soften and spoke more gently in response.

"Come on in," Mrs. Shih said enthusiastically at the door, handing Shiyu a pair of slippers and gently ushering her inside.

As Shiyu responded to Mrs. Shih's hospitality, she walked further into the house. Between the entryway and the living room was a large fish tank, blocking the view inside. Once inside, Shiyu was surprised to find someone else there.

Xiangqian was sitting quietly on the couch, dressed in casual white attire, exuding a sense of calm. Hearing the commotion, he stood up, looking handsome and behaving with polite decorum. "Mrs. Shih, you're back."

"Yes, and I brought someone with me," Mrs. Shih replied with a smile, gently nudging Shiyu forward. "You young folks have a chat. I've got a pot of soup that needs tending in the kitchen."

With that, she turned and left without waiting for Shiyu to respond.

Now, it was just Shiyu and Xiangqian in the living room. Shiyu, who wasn't used to socializing much, especially with Xiangqian's reserved demeanor, hesitated to start a conversation. After standing awkwardly for a while, she finally managed to say, "Hey, what a coincidence."

Xiangqian simply replied, "Have a seat," his tone casual and not as intimidating as Shiyu had imagined.

As he looked away, Shiyu felt more at ease. She quickly moved to the couch, choosing the spot farthest from Xiangqian.

Feeling the other end of the couch sink slightly, Xiangqian raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly. Why was she sitting so far away? Did she think he was going to bite?

Neither of them spoke, and the atmosphere in the living room gradually grew tense. Shiyu found the silence oppressive and wanted to say something, but knowing his aloof nature, she swallowed her words and shifted restlessly on the couch, changing positions every so often.

Shiyu thought she was moving quietly, but with both of them on the same couch, even her slightest movements were noticeable to Xiangqian. Watching her fidget at the other end, he couldn't help but chuckle softly. Breaking the silence, he asked, "Do you want to watch some TV?"

He picked up the remote and turned on the television. The room was instantly filled with sound, and even though it was just the TV, it helped Shiyu relax. She let out a long breath and said, "Wow, I haven't watched TV in ages."

Xiangqian was flipping through the channels when he paused, hearing her comment. By chance, the channel landed on an art program where the host was patiently explaining the use of watercolor brushes.

Shiyu's eyes lit up. "How about this one? Let's not change it."

Xiangqian was a bit surprised. "You paint?"

Talking about her profession, Shiyu couldn't help but sound a little proud. "Of course! I'm a professional cartoonist."

Then, she felt a bit deflated, wondering if someone like Xiangqian, who probably had no interest in anime, would just think she drew for kids.

However, Xiangqian showed no particular reaction. He simply acknowledged her request with a nod and set the remote down, agreeing to her choice.

Just then, Mrs. Shih came out of the kitchen, still wearing her apron. She smiled and asked, "Qian, you don't like cilantro, right? Shiyu, is there anything you don't eat?"

"What?" Ruan Shiyu almost didn't realize she was being called. Suppressing the urge to make a sarcastic remark, she quickly put on a smile. "I'm not picky at all, you don't have to go to any trouble."

"It's no trouble," Mrs. Shih replied with a smile. "I'll have everything ready in no time. Just wait for some delicious food!"

With that, she turned back to the kitchen.

After Mrs. Shih left, Ruan Shiyu glanced at Hsu Xiangqian with a mischievous grin. "You don't like cilantro, huh?"

Hsu Xiangqian looked a bit uncomfortable and turned his head away. Ruan Shiyu noticed his ears seemed to have turned red, though it was so subtle she wasn't entirely sure. Still, it was enough to make her chuckle to herself.

Before long, Mrs. Shih returned from the kitchen, removing her apron and warmly inviting them to eat. The table was filled with a variety of dishes.

Once seated, Mrs. Shih enthusiastically served Ruan Shiyu some food, saying, "Both my kids are away and don't come home often. Sometimes it gets lonely. Qian visits me sometimes, and now with you here, Shiyu, I won't feel lonely anymore."

Ruan Shiyu, always a softie, quickly responded, "I'll come by often from now on."

Her words brought a beaming smile to Mrs. Shih's face.

While the two women chatted easily, Hsu Xiangqian was much quieter. Ruan Shiyu glanced at him a couple of times, noticing he was quietly eating, his movements graceful and almost mesmerizing. Even eating, he looked like a movie star.

As Ruan Shiyu marveled at this, she enjoyed her meal with gusto.

Halfway through dinner, Hsu Xiangqian's phone suddenly rang. He frowned slightly, set down his chopsticks, and said to Mrs. Shih and Ruan Shiyu, "Sorry, I need to take this call."

Mrs. Shih quickly reassured him, "Is it about the hospital? Go ahead and take the call, it's no problem."

Although Mrs. Shih insisted, Xiangqian stood up and nodded apologetically to both of them before turning to leave.

Moments later, Xiangqian returned and said to Mrs. Shih, "I'm sorry, Mrs. Shih, something came up at the hospital, and I need to get there quickly. I'm afraid I have to miss this meal."

Mrs. Shih, knowing how busy Xiangqian was with work, quickly stood up and said, "I'll see you out."

Seeing Xiangqian about to leave, Shiyu, who was eating, also stood up, wanting to accompany Mrs. Shih to see him off. But Mrs. Shih gently pushed her back into her seat, saying, "Shiyu, stay put. I'll be right back."

Feeling awkward about refusing Mrs. Shih's kindness, Shiyu nodded at Xiangqian, "Goodbye."

"Yeah," Xiangqian gave her a deep look, nodded slightly, and then left with Mrs. Shih.

True to her word, Mrs. Shih returned quickly. However, by then, Shiyu was almost finished with her meal, and with Xiangqian gone, she felt a bit distracted. After exchanging a few more words with Mrs. Shih, Shiyu planned to excuse herself.

Before she could say anything, Mrs. Shih suddenly exclaimed, "Oh no!"

Shiyu looked up quickly, "What's wrong, Mrs. Shih?"

Mrs. Shih pointed to a white jacket on the sofa, "Xiangqian forgot his coat when he left!"

"Huh?" Shiyu was momentarily confused.

Mrs. Shih turned Shiyu towards her and said, "You're staying at Xiangqian's place, right? His parents live right across the hall. Could you take his coat over for me?"

Having just enjoyed a warm meal at Mrs. Shih's house, Shiyu felt it would be impolite to refuse her request. So, she agreed, picked up Xiangqian's coat, and left Mrs. Shih's home.

She had never before carried a man's clothes down the street like this. After leaving Mrs. Shih's house, she felt an inexplicable sense of embarrassment and wanted to crumple the clothes to pretend they weren't a man's.

As she bundled the clothes, her fingers brushed against something hard and round in the pocket. What could it be? Curiosity got the better of Ruan Shiyu, and she quickly pulled out the object, discovering it was two pieces of candy.

"Huh?" she murmured in surprise, just as footsteps echoed from downstairs. Looking down, she saw Hsu Xiangqian coming up the stairs. He must have realized he forgot his clothes and came back for them.

Ruan Shiyu stepped forward quickly and said, "Mrs. Shih asked me to bring your clothes to you."

Hsu Xiangqian stopped in front of her, took the clothes, and gave her a brief glance before saying, "Thanks." With that, he turned to leave.

He seemed in a hurry. As Ruan Shiyu watched him descend the stairs, she suddenly remembered the two pieces of candy still in her hand. She called out, "Hsu Xiangqian."

He paused and looked up at her.

Feeling a bit awkward, Ruan Shiyu wasn't sure how to explain why she had taken something from his pocket. She simply extended her hand, showing him the candy resting in her palm. "These are yours, right? Here."

Hsu Xiangqian hesitated, a mix of emotions flickering in his dark eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. With a calm expression, he said, "Keep them."

Then he turned and left.

Ruan Shiyu stood there, slightly stunned. She thought she might have imagined it, but it seemed like Hsu Xiangqian had blushed for a moment. Maybe she was just seeing things after all the activity today. As she mused over this, she walked back to her apartment. Unable to resist, she unwrapped one of the candies and popped it into her mouth.

The familiar creamy scent melted on Ruan Shiyu's tongue, spreading sweetness straight to her heart...

With a click, as Ruan Shiyu opened her front door, her phone rang.

Startled out of her reverie, she instinctively pulled out her phone and answered the call.

On the other end, a flat, mechanical voice abruptly pulled Ruan Shiyu from the soft, sweet atmosphere: "User, you haven't completed your exercise task today. You will face the system's penalty. You have three minutes to defend yourself. Countdown starting: two minutes fifty-nine seconds, two minutes fifty-eight seconds..."

"What? What on earth?" Ruan Shiyu was stunned. She quickly shut the door behind her, cradling her phone as she headed to the bedroom, loudly protesting, "What do you mean I didn't complete my task? Didn't I go to the gym? How can you say I didn't finish my task?"