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Wen Shijin: “What are you guys doing…?”
Ning Qingyan, who had been lost in thought while sitting on the sofa, was suddenly brought back to reality when a fluffy plush puppy was stuffed into her arms.
It was a short-legged golden retriever plush, incredibly adorable. She instinctively reached out to touch it—soft and fluffy yet with a satisfying texture. Petting it was so enjoyable that she couldn’t help but smile.
Seeing her smile, Huo Qi, who had been acting awkward and reserved just moments ago, relaxed a little. The corners of his lips curled slightly as he pressed a button on the remote control in his hand.
The short-legged golden retriever plush, which had been lying on Ning Qingyan’s lap, suddenly stood up like a human and started bowing repeatedly with its front paws. The sight was so cute that it melted hearts instantly.
At first, Ning Qingyan was startled by the plush toy’s movement. But when she saw it bowing, she found it irresistibly adorable and couldn’t help but pet it again. Her previous sadness slowly faded away.
Yes, no matter how hard and painful the past had been, no matter how much she had lacked love or struggled to survive with undignified means, it was all in the past.
She had always pretended not to care, and aside from the occasional dream, she rarely revisited her past life. But after encountering Yun Danyi, who had also been reborn, she finally saw through the emotions she had suppressed for so long. It was only then that she could completely uproot the thorn buried deep in her heart.
She was grateful that Yun Danyi had appeared in her previous life, fallen in love with the broken version of her, and given her moments of warmth and confidence—even if their eventual choices and relationship had not been ideal.
But she never regretted her actions. She had faced her flaws and her past with honesty, and with the end of that life, she had also severed ties with that world.
This life was different. Unlike her previous life, where she saw no future and had grown accustomed to darkness, she now had a fresh start where everything was still possible.
Hope and light filled Ning Qingyan’s eyes as she hugged the plush puppy. A smile played on her lips as she looked up at Huo Qi. Their eyes met, and for a moment, Huo Qi was dazed, drawn in by the brilliance in her gaze. His usual cold expression wavered.
Green Tea System: “Huo Qi’s favorability +1.”
Realizing what was happening, Huo Qi quickly averted his gaze, throwing the remote control into Ning Qingyan’s lap. His lips pressed into a thin line, restraining himself from speaking.
This was the prize he had won after shooting down all the balloons at the amusement park using a BB gun—a simplified version of a robotic puppy.
Ning Qingyan’s peach blossom eyes curved slightly as she looked at Huo Qi, who was acting all awkward and adorable. With a sincere tone, she said,
“Thank you, brother.”
Huo Qi didn’t look at her, keeping his gaze straight ahead. He replied in a flat voice, “It took up too much space in my backpack, so I’m giving it to you.”
Gu Si, who had originally planned to say something to comfort Ning Qingyan, had hesitated for a long time. He had never been good at comforting people, and his sharp tongue didn’t help. Moreover, they were still on the reality show’s set, surrounded by other female contestants, making it even harder for him to find the right words.
After returning to the apartment, he saw Ning Qingyan resting on the living room sofa. Seizing the opportunity, he rushed to sit beside her before Huo Qi could. However, just as he was about to say something, he witnessed Huo Qi successfully cheering her up with a plush dog.
Despicable! Shameless! Flirtatious!
Why hadn’t he thought of bringing back the sandcastle he built for her? Wasn’t a sandcastle personally crafted by him more heartfelt than a fake plush toy?
Consumed by jealousy, Gu Si completely forgot that the sandcastle he had built had been so lopsided and ugly that he had kicked it down himself, making a bunch of kids cry.
“Hmph! No matter how flashy it is, it’s still fake! Just wait—I’ll bring you something real!”
Even though his heart was raging with emotions, Gu Si maintained his usual arrogant demeanor, speaking in an overconfident, slightly bratty tone. He got up and hurried toward the kitchen.
Thanks to Huo Qi’s plush puppy gift, he suddenly remembered—he had bought a rabbit-shaped chocolate mousse cake for Ning Qingyan! It was still in the fridge!
As Gu Si entered the kitchen, he spotted Wen Shijin washing vegetables while preparing dinner. His apron-clad, responsible-househusband appearance made Gu Si scoff in disdain.
Trying to win Ning Qingyan over with good food? Tch! Shameless!
Ignoring him, Gu Si impatiently opened the fridge, carefully took out the dessert box, and inspected it for any damage. Seeing that it was still intact, he sighed in relief. Thank goodness the fridge was reliable!
Without wasting another second, he bolted back to the living room.
He slowed down as he approached, casually placing the dessert box on the table in front of Ning Qingyan. Clearing his throat to mask his embarrassment, he said,
“Here. I brought you a dessert.”
Ning Qingyan glanced at the box. It was the exact same rabbit-shaped chocolate mousse dessert she had desperately wanted the other day—the one she had waited in line for, only to have Gu Si snatch the last one!
Wasn’t this the dessert he had claimed was for his girlfriend? Or wait… boyfriend? (Not really).
After setting down the dessert, Gu Si instinctively turned to check on Huo Qi—only to find that he had already left!
Damn it! He had wanted to flaunt his thoughtful gift and rub it in, but Huo Qi had run away?
He must’ve been too ashamed to compete! He knew his gift couldn’t compare!
Feeling triumphant, Gu Si turned back to Ning Qingyan, but when he saw her strange expression, he instantly got nervous. He coughed and asked,
“What? Is something wrong with the dessert? Did it go bad?”
Ning Qingyan blinked, then shook her head. “No, I was just wondering why you didn’t eat it after buying it yesterday.”
She picked up the small spoon from the box, scooped a bite of mousse, and put it in her mouth. The texture was silky smooth, the sweetness balanced with a hint of bitter chocolate. It melted effortlessly, making her close her eyes in bliss.
Food really does improve your mood. Ning Qingyan felt like her soul had been uplifted.
Seeing her enjoy it, Gu Si felt relieved. Without hesitation, he flopped onto the couch, rested his head on her lap, and shamelessly whined,
“Xiao Yan~ I want some too~ Feed me~”
With his devilishly handsome face up close, his long, narrow phoenix eyes carried a teasing charm. His red-tinted eye corners made him look even more seductive.
Any woman would crumble under this scene.
Ning Qingyan was a woman. So, naturally, she crumbled.
Instead of refusing, she played along.
She scooped another bite of mousse and held it to Gu Si’s lips.
Gu Si, who had only been teasing, was momentarily stunned. His pale ears turned red as he obediently opened his mouth, his long tongue curling around the spoon as he ate.
It was sweet. So, so sweet.
It was her spoon.
Realizing this, Gu Si’s eyes turned red at the corners, his body reacting instinctively.
His “tent” was huge.
Luckily, his long shirt covered him.
Just as things were getting awkward, Wen Shijin’s voice suddenly broke through the tension like a bomb—
“Dinner’s ready… What are you two doing?“