Chu Yi quietly adjusted her clothes and moved a bit further away, almost to the edge of the bed. The two of them lay there in silence, separated by a small but significant distance, and eventually fell asleep.

Perhaps due to the frustration, Qiao Anchen didn’t look well in the morning, while Chu Yi, who hadn’t stayed up late for once, was in surprisingly good spirits.

After breakfast, Tian Wan sent them out to pick up some fruit. She had ordered a box of cherries and strawberries from a nearby fruit shop using WeChat, but they had to pick it up themselves.

The morning air was fresh and cool, with the sun hidden behind thin clouds, letting out occasional golden rays that cast a warm glow on the green leaves, adding a touch of brightness.

The sound of birds chirping could be heard faintly in the distance, adding to the lively and energetic atmosphere.

In such a setting, Chu Yi’s low mood seemed to vanish, and she felt refreshed.

Qiao Anchen occasionally glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. They walked one in front of the other, maintaining a slight distance between them.

She didn’t talk as much as usual, and the silence between them felt strange. Qiao Anchen found himself missing the umbrella he had held for her the day before.

They reached a road just outside the neighborhood, with little traffic and no crosswalk. Chu Yi, following behind Qiao Anchen, wasn’t paying much attention to her surroundings when suddenly a car approached from her right.

“Watch out!” He immediately grabbed her, and Chu Yi jumped in surprise as the car sped past her.

Qiao Anchen continued holding her hand as they crossed the road, not letting go even after they reached the other side.

Though neither of them spoke, Qiao Anchen felt a lot more comfortable. Chu Yi looked down at their joined hands, pursing her lips as she lost herself in thought.

On the way back, Qiao Anchen was carrying two boxes of cherries and strawberries, while Chu Yi walked beside him with her hands free. Halfway through, she couldn’t help but ask.

“Are you tired? How about giving me one of the boxes?”

Qiao Anchen shook his head. “I’m not tired; they’re both very light.”

“Oh…” Chu Yi absentmindedly pulled a branch from a nearby tree and looked down, playing with it.

“Keep your head up and watch the road, or you might miss another car,” Qiao Anchen said beside her. Chu Yi mumbled.

“That was just an accident earlier. I’m not usually like that.”

“Just be more careful when crossing the road.”

“Mm—got it!” Chu Yi lifted her face and stretched her voice, her eyebrows showing a lively spirit.

Qiao Anchen’s lips curved slightly, and his steps seemed a bit lighter.

When they got home with the fruit, Tian Wan immediately washed two big plates, saying it was for them to taste how sweet they were, but in truth, it was because Chu Yi’s favorite fruits were cherries and strawberries.

Chu Yi kept her elders’ kindness in mind.

She sat on the sofa playing with her iPad, the two plates of fruit within easy reach, making it effortless to grab. She stuffed her mouth while reading a comic, utterly satisfied.

Qiao Anchen was sitting not far away, fixing a small fan in the house. The parts were scattered messily around him, with various wrenches and screws lying nearby.

He sat on the floor with his shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows, his long legs casually bent, and his slightly longer bangs falling down, partially covering his eyes.

Sunlight streamed through the window, casting light beside him, creating a scene as fresh and clean as an old movie from the 90s. It seemed that good-looking people were pleasing to the eye no matter what they did.

In high school, Qiao Anchen studied science, and it was said his physics was excellent. He even participated in a provincial competition, and his trophies and medals were still displayed on the bookshelf in his room.

At that time, he could have secured admission to the country’s top university, A University, through the physics competition, but Qiao Anchen turned it down. Amidst the astonishment and regret of others, his reason was simple.

Physics was just a hobby for him; it wasn’t what he wanted to pursue in the future.

Later, he entered the country’s best law school as the provincial top scorer in the college entrance exam.

His knowledge of physics was fully utilized, extending into practical applications like repairing small household appliances, which was usually no problem.

Nowadays, whenever something in the house broke, Qiao Anchen’s father didn’t think of taking it out for repairs first. Instead, he’d wait for Qiao Anchen to come home on vacation and see if he could fix it.

After fixing the small fan, Qiao Anchen went to the kitchen to wash his hands. By then, Chu Yi had already eaten half of the plate of strawberries. She bit into a large strawberry but suddenly felt full.

“I can’t eat anymore,” she said to Qiao Anchen, her tone unconsciously tinged with a bit of coquettishness as she half-sat, half-lay on the sofa, slouching like a boneless person.

“Then give it to me,” Qiao Anchen said, without a second thought, taking the half-eaten strawberry from her hand and finishing the rest without any complaints.

“Is it good?” Chu Yi blinked at him.

“Not bad, pretty sweet,” Qiao Anchen nodded, giving a serious evaluation.

“But the sweetest part has already been eaten by me.”

“It doesn’t matter,” he paused and then added.

“It’s still very sweet.”