Chapter 23: Little Miss, You Look So Good in This

“Just asking.” Jiang Chiyu’s tone was casual. “What? Girls can gossip but guys can’t?”

Su Tian looked shocked, as if she’d never really known Jiang Chiyu before.

“It’s not that you can’t.” She swallowed. “It’s just, I never expected this from you.”

She looked him up and down again, forming a somewhat outlandish but not entirely unreasonable guess: “You—”

Jiang Chiyu gave her a meaningful glance, seeming to read her mind, and cut her off before she could finish, “Do you know what it means to bring trouble upon yourself by speaking?”

Su Tian silently held her tongue.

During the break between next classes, Zhou Ying came over again, saying Jiao Jiao couldn’t make it on the weekend due to something coming up. She asked if it was okay with just the five of them?

Jiang Chiyu: “I have no objection.”

Su Tian thought for a moment, “Sure.”

“Great!” Zhou Ying checked the time on the tickets, “Then let’s meet at the amusement park entrance at 3 PM.”

And so the time was set.

Saturday afternoon arrived.

Su Tian washed her hair, dried it with a hairdryer, and braided it into two little plaits that hung innocently behind her ears. Then she started choosing her clothes.

Going to an amusement park might involve running and jumping attractions, so a short skirt wouldn’t be convenient – jeans would be more suitable.

But wouldn’t jeans be too ordinary?

This was a rare chance to wear something other than her school uniform.

Su Tian’s gaze wavered between her wardrobe sections for skirts and pants for a long while, before finally deciding to choose her top first.

She took out a newly bought embroidered blouse with ruffle sleeves that she hadn’t worn yet. A thin layer would be perfect for this season.

Then she picked out several skirts and pants from her full wardrobe to match with the top.

After some hesitation, she chose a fringed denim skirt.

Finally, she slung on a little yellow duck crossbody bag, paired with Doc Martens boots. Su Tian looked at herself in the mirror, checked the time, and decided to head out now.

When she reached the door, she ran back, took off her boots and slipped in some height-increasing insoles.

Yes, that’s better.

Su Tian bounced out the door.

Despite being next-door neighbors and deskmates, she and Jiang Chiyu hadn’t discussed going together.

Su Tian hadn’t brought it up, thinking Jiang Chiyu would take the initiative, but he hadn’t either.

Now she felt a bit embarrassed about going to find him.

So she stood at her doorway, glancing at the villa next door for a few minutes, before turning away and walking toward the community exit.

The amusement park was directly accessible by bus, and there was a stop right outside the community.

Su Tian stood at the bus stop, waiting for the bus to arrive.

Not even five minutes later, a shadow appeared beside her, falling right over her. Su Tian turned her head to look, and her gaze froze.

It was Jiang Chiyu.

He was dressed very casually today, wearing a white T-shirt under a blue plaid long-sleeve shirt, with gray casual pants. As usual, he wore a hat and mask.

Only his eyes were visible on his handsome face.

And they were staring at her.

Su Tian felt inexplicably nervous under his gaze, wanting to find something reflective to check her appearance.

Those fox-like eyes curved slightly.

His voice came through the mask—

“Little girl, you’re dressed up so pretty.”

Such direct praise from him was rare indeed. Su Tian was stunned for a moment, feeling warmth spread from behind her ears.

Jiang Chiyu continued lazily, “Rushing off to a blind date?”

“…”

Blind date your head!

Su Tian glared at him.

Her silence only encouraged him to move two steps closer, playing with one of her braids with his index finger, “Not bad. You’re quite skilled.”

Su Tian looked up.

“No wonder you’re not so bright.”

“…”

Su Tian couldn’t take it anymore, “Can you not! Pick on me! Every! Single! Day!”

Jiang Chiyu let go of her braid, laughing to himself, and stopped teasing her.

Just then, the bus arrived. Su Tian huffily got on first, dropping her money in the box. It wasn’t rush hour, so there were only two other passengers scattered about. She found a single seat and sat down.

After waiting a while, Jiang Chiyu still hadn’t come over.

Su Tian looked back and saw him holding the bus handrail with one hand and clutching… a British pound note with the other.

The driver and he stared at each other awkwardly.

Jiang Chiyu made an “um” sound, “Miscalculated.”

Su Tian: …

She couldn’t watch anymore, went over, took the pound note from him, and put in another coin herself.

Then she returned to her seat.

Jiang Chiyu followed, sitting in the seat behind her.

The bus started moving.

Su Tian kept looking out the window, watching the scenery change. On one road, yellow maple leaves were falling in the wind, making the whole world seem yellow.

She took out her phone and snapped several photos.

While selecting photos afterward, she suddenly noticed two fingers appearing in the upper left corner of several shots, completely out of place with the whole scene.

Su Tian: “…”

She turned around and sure enough saw Jiang Chiyu making a peace sign, tilting his head as he looked at her.

Su Tian: “What are you doing?”

“Well,” Jiang Chiyu held his peace sign next to his face, removing his mask to reveal a smile playing on his thin lips, “letting you take photos back.”

He was referring to when he had taken candid photos of her on Cherry Blossom Avenue.

Su Tian had almost forgotten about that.

She reached out her hand, “Where’s your phone? Hand it over so I can see.”

To see how those candid shots turned out.

Su Tian had a feeling they wouldn’t look too good.

Jiang Chiyu shrugged, “Didn’t bring it.”

“You go out to play without your phone?” Su Tian asked incredulously.

Jiang Chiyu nodded, his tone somewhat accusatory, “Why bring a phone when going out to play?”

“…”

“You’re too focused on your phone.”

Jiang Chiyu had been holding his hand up for a while, and seeing she showed no intention of taking a photo, he reminded her, “I’m giving you just one chance, hope you cherish it.”

“What chance?” Su Tian was confused.

“To take candid photos of me.”

“…” Su Tian paused for two seconds, barely holding back her retort.

She looked at Jiang Chiyu with his peace sign.

He did look… quite handsome.

But how was this a candid photo?!

Yet under the temptation of his good looks, Su Tian still raised her phone. Just as she was about to press the shutter, the person in the viewfinder suddenly smiled at her, bright and dazzling with his red lips and white teeth.

Su Tian’s hand shook, making the photo blur.

She steadied her hand and pressed the shutter again.

This time she got it right.

She looked at it once, couldn’t help looking again, and then looked a third time.

Jiang Chiyu rested his arm on her seat back and leaned his face in to look. Su Tian caught this in her peripheral vision and quickly pressed the power button, leaving only a black screen.

“Want to see? First send me the photos you took of me.”

Jiang Chiyu made an “mm” sound, “Never mind then.”

Su Tian threatened him, “Aren’t you afraid I took ugly photos of you?”

“Won’t happen.”

He replied almost without hesitation, but Su Tian hesitated, “Why?”

Jiang Chiyu raised his eyes, with a meaningful smile, “Because you just looked at my photo three times.”

…

…

Well, aren’t your eyes sharp.