Chapter 49: My hobby is resting

The door suddenly opened from the inside. Su Tian was startled and nearly dropped the box of strawberries in her hands.

Jiang Chiyu leaned his left arm against the doorframe, leisurely surveying her from head to toe before fixing his gaze on her obedient fox eyes. “What are you sneaking a peek at?”

“Nothing, I was just about to come in.”

“Just about to barge right in.” Jiang Chiyu savored that for a moment and tsked. “What if I happened to be showering? Wouldn’t you get an eyeful?”

“…” Su Tian felt a bit aggrieved. “I knocked!”

“Oh,” Jiang Chiyu looked at the door handle. “And then the door opened by itself.”

“I just lightly pressed it. How was I supposed to know it would open with one touch!”

“Oh,” Jiang Chiyu moved aside to let her through. “Then come on in.”

“I…” The words slipped out before Su Tian realized Jiang Chiyu hadn’t continued bickering with her. So she shut her mouth again.

She walked into Jiang Chiyu’s room. Behind her, he chuckled under his breath.

Su Tian didn’t look back.

How boring!

She wanted to find the bathroom to wash the strawberries. Seeing a separate room but not quite daring to enter, she turned and asked, “Where’s the bathroom in your room…”

With a “click”, Jiang Chiyu had just slid the door lock into place. Glancing back, he responded, “Hm?”

“…”

After a while, he seemed to notice Su Tian’s gaze on the door lock. Lowering his head to look at his hand still on the lock, he smiled.

Neither said a word.

In this bizarre atmosphere, Su Tian slowly grew wary, feeling like a lamb in a tiger’s den at the moment.

Why?

Why?

Why did he lock the door?

Was he planning to sell her off?

“You’re right,” just as Su Tian’s thoughts were spiraling in a crooked direction, Jiang Chiyu unlocked the door again.

The sunlight shone in through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, bathing Jiang Chiyu in a golden glow.

Only then did Su Tian notice he had also changed into casual clothes – a pure white T-shirt with light blue jeans.

Standing in the light, he smiled nonchalantly—

“It does open with one touch.”

…

Jiang Chiyu didn’t lock the door again. He walked over to take the box of strawberries from her hands, speaking as he headed toward the room Su Tian hadn’t dared enter just now. “Let me. If my mom finds out you did chores while visiting, she’ll skin me alive.”

Left with nothing to do, Su Tian took in Jiang Chiyu’s room.

The layout was similar to hers. A large bed in the corner, a desk next to it neatly stacked with various books and workbooks. A journal lay open on the desk with today’s date, a pen scattered beside it.

Seeing the date written in the journal, it really seemed to be what Jiang Chiyu used to write diary entries. Out of consideration for privacy, she quickly averted her gaze.

Her eyes landed on the white piano situated on the circular balcony.

Su Tian blinked.

Perhaps because the balcony was enclosed with floor-to-ceiling windows, there was no additional door separating it from the room. Su Tian walked over, fingers gliding across the smooth piano body, and sat down in front of it.

A music score still sat on the piano – “Luv Letter”.

She could also play the piano, just not very well.

Jiang Chiyu played piano too?

But when they walked past Song Yingjing playing piano on their way to pick up uniforms from the teacher’s office that day, he didn’t show any reaction at all.

Though originally, he wasn’t obligated to mention it.

Su Tian suddenly recalled Auntie Jiang seemed to be a music teacher. This piano was probably hers then.

Lost in thought, Jiang Chiyu’s voice drifted over from the bathroom. “You out there, bring me two cups. They’re on my desk.”

“Got it!” Su Tian left the balcony, paused, then called out again in annoyance, “You in there! I have a name!”

A snort of laughter came from the bathroom.

She approached Jiang Chiyu’s desk and indeed saw two ceramic cups along with a plate in the cabinet at the very top.

Jiang Chiyu probably wanted the cups to hold the washed strawberries. Su Tian opened the cabinet door. “Is a plate okay?”

“That works too.”

The cabinet was a bit high. Su Tian got on tiptoe and slowly pulled the plate out, gripping its edge. In the process, she accidentally bumped a small Rubik’s cube, causing it to fall onto the desk.

Luckily it only fell on the desk and didn’t break.

She carefully held the plate. While reaching for the Rubik’s cube, she accidentally glimpsed Jiang Chiyu’s journal, the fluid lines of handwriting catching her eye:

—October 16, sunny.

—1. sutian0709

—2. First place

After “2. First place”, there was also a very arrogant and sharp checkmark.

What did that first item mean?

Recording a QQ password?

It didn’t quite make sense.

“Are you a snail or a tortoise?” Jiang Chiyu’s lazy voice sounded again. “Or did you get lost and need me to come get you?”

“Coming!” Su Tian didn’t dwell on it. Shaking her head, she went to bring him the plate.

Su Tian brought out the washed strawberries. Jiang Chiyu was still washing his hands in the bathroom.

She didn’t wait for him and started eating first. The strawberries were very fresh, not long out of the fridge. Cool and refreshingly sweet.

“You sure eat fast.” Jiang Chiyu sat down beside her on the sofa, leaving a gap wide enough for another person between them.

Su Tian: “It’s not like I didn’t save you any.”

She was sitting on the sofa directly facing the balcony, the piano once again entering her sight.

Su Tian slowed her strawberry eating pace. Lifting her chin, she gestured for Jiang Chiyu to look at the balcony. “Jiang Chiyu, is that piano yours?”

“No, it’s my mom’s.” Jiang Chiyu said.

“Then can you play?” Su Tian looked very interested. “When we introduced ourselves on the first day of school, we had to say our hobbies and specialties. But on the day you transferred, you simply stated your name and school.”

Jiang Chiyu added, “And nationality.”

Su Tian recalled that day and didn’t want to pay him any mind again.

After a while, she still magnanimously spared him a sentence. “So what are your hobbies?”

“You want to know?” Jiang Chiyu languidly looked at her. “Why should I tell you?”

Su Tian changed the question. “Then what are your special skills?”

Jiang Chiyu bit into a strawberry. “Not telling you that either.”

Su Tian reached a conclusion. “So you don’t know how to do anything!”

Jiang Chiyu: “…Teacher Gao would be very gratified to know your reading comprehension is so strong.”

Su Tian could tell he was being sarcastic but didn’t bicker with him. She counted on her fingers. “On the first day of school, my dad said I should be more confident, that confidence is key to having a commanding presence. So when I introduced myself, I listed everything I could do as specialties.”

“What did you say?”

“I said my hobby is resting. My specialties are being able to play a little bit of violin, piano, guzheng, pipa, harp, and also knowing a little bit of horse riding, archery, and chess. Of course, I only know a tiny bit of each.”

Jiang Chiyu pictured that scene in his mind, feeling the urge to laugh.

“That’s pretty impressive,” he sincerely complimented