Chi Nuan tiptoed out the door. In the kitchen, Chi Qingchuan was simmering chicken soup and cooking a pot of mung bean porridge, ladling it out bowl by bowl to cool.
After brushing her teeth and washing her face, Chi Nuan went to the balcony to check Gu Ningzi’s clothes. With the sun out, they dried quickly.
Only then did she sit down at the dining table.
Gu Ningzi came out of the room.
Chi Qingchuan immediately called out to her: “Xiao Gu, want some porridge?”
Chi Nuan buried her head and snickered darkly. Sure enough, Gu Ningzi had been pretending to sleep.
Gu Ningzi walked to the table, tugged Chi Nuan’s ponytail, and said to Chi Qingchuan: “Sure.”
…
After breakfast, Gu Ningzi drove Chi Nuan to work. Chi Nuan asked about her plans for the day, since she couldn’t accompany her during work hours.
Gu Ningzi said: “I’ll head home in a bit.”
Then added: “I’ll come over again tonight.”
Chi Nuan opened the weather app, checked the hourly forecast, and pointed to the evening slot: “There’s rain again.”
“Oh,” Gu Ningzi lightly tsked: “Then I’ll bring clothes.”
Chi Nuan: “…That’s not what I meant!”
Sunlight streamed in through the windshield. Chi Nuan’s delicate face flushed pink from the exchange, both tender and adorable.
Gu Ningzi looked at her and smiled.
The car pulled into the parking lot. Chi Nuan unbuckled her seatbelt to get out, but Gu Ningzi stopped her.
“Hm?” Chi Nuan turned back.
Gu Ningzi leaned over with a smile, lightly cupped the back of Chi Nuan’s head, and tilted to kiss her.
“Give me back my good morning kiss.”
It was her last day of work, and Chi Nuan was late.
…
The weekend brought a rush of customers, keeping the shop busy. Time flew by until evening. It hadn’t rained, and the weather forecast had updated—no rain tonight.
Chi Nuan felt more at ease, but Gu Ningzi still hadn’t shown up. Just before eight, she received her call.
Chi Nuan stepped aside to take it. Gu Ningzi said she couldn’t make it tonight.
“My sister came to Yuncheng, and now we’re all at Grandpa’s. I can’t get away.”
From her talks with Secretary Su and Tang Siru, Chi Nuan knew Gu Ningzi’s grandpa was Old Mr. Gu, the one who owned Xiting Island.
Chi Nuan said: “Okay, no problem.”
As she ended the call and came out, a photo message from Gu Ningzi arrived on her phone. Chi Nuan opened it: a mahjong table, probably right after a round, tiles scattered messily. In the corner, a chubby little hand reached out eagerly for the tiles.
Chi Nuan said: “There’s a kid!”
Gu Ningzi: “Mao Doudou, my sister’s little one.”
A photo of little Mao Doudou followed: seated in a baby chair with a bib, maybe just over a year old, fair-skinned with big eyes. She grinned with her few rice-grain teeth, looking extremely cute.
Chi Nuan’s delight swelled—not just from the adorable baby, but because she knew Gu Ningzi was introducing family to her.
Only now did she realize how silly she’d been, getting so upset over Tang Siru’s “Has A-Ning never mentioned her family to you?” At the right time, Gu Ningzi naturally brought it up… Who would mention these things out of the blue?
Gu Ningzi’s game ran late. Chi Nuan had already turned off the lights and lain down.
“Sleep yet?” Gu Ningzi messaged.
Chi Nuan had been waiting. She sat up happily on the bed, eyes curved: “Not yet.”
Gu Ningzi: “Don’t you still have one more day of work tomorrow?”
Chi Nuan remembered telling her she’d quit the part-time job at week’s end.
“Yeah.” Chi Nuan chuckled secretly.
Her next message—“Gotta save some time to review homework”—and Gu Ningzi’s “Want to go on a date the day after tomorrow?” appeared simultaneously.
Gu Ningzi: “…”
Chi Nuan: “…”
Chi Nuan covered her face laughing, shoulders shaking, the sound muffled in her palms.
The next day, Chi Nuan followed her usual routine and left early, taking the bus to the Main City.
Her mood stayed buoyant, imagining Gu Ningzi’s reaction upon seeing her. She could only purse her lips tightly to suppress her upturned smile.
She’d ended her part-time job a day early just to go find Gu Ningzi. Gu Ningzi had always been the one surprising her; now she wanted to take the initiative.
On the bus, Chi Nuan received Gu Ningzi’s good morning message.
“It’s not early anymore.” Chi Nuan replied.
Gu Ningzi: “Not busy today?”
Chi Nuan usually helped in the back kitchen in the mornings and didn’t check messages often. Gu Ningzi was just reporting in out of habit, not expecting a reply.
Chi Nuan: “Mm, it’s fine today. You?”
Gu Ningzi: “Very busy.”
“…” Chi Nuan paused. If Gu Ningzi was busy, would showing up unannounced disturb her?
Gu Ningzi: “Busy thinking about you.”
Chi Nuan’s heart skipped a beat.
The next second, Gu Ningzi deleted the message, along with the previous “Very busy.”
Chi Nuan: “…………”
Gu Ningzi acted like nothing happened and asked seriously: “Where should we go tomorrow?”
Chi Nuan gained a new understanding of Gu Ningzi’s childish side. Her heart screamed again: The contrast! Too cute! Too cute!
Chi Nuan replied just as seriously: “Anywhere’s fine.”
Chi Nuan got off the bus, opened her umbrella, and walked toward Gu Ningzi’s home.
To avoid making Gu Ningzi think she was free all day, Chi Nuan’s replies came sporadically. When she neared Gu Ningzi’s home, she finally called her.
The phone rang a few times before Gu Ningzi picked up.
“Gu Ningzi,” Chi Nuan’s voice was sweet and clear, “What are you doing?”
Gu Ningzi: “What’s up?”
Chi Nuan stopped outside the yard, rang the doorbell, and said with a smile: “Going on a date with you.”
