Chapter Eighty: It seemed like she was waiting for him to do something

Chapter Eighty: It seemed like she was waiting for him to do something

After returning home, Lu Nian realized her actions might have been inappropriate. She regretted it momentarily, feeling a bit impolite. At the very least, she should have greeted him properly before saying goodbye, especially since they would be neighbors encountering each other often, and moreover, he was a neighbor who had assisted her before.

In the afternoon, Gan Shu went out shopping with her sisters and noticed something unusual about the neighbor's door when she returned home.

The door was slightly ajar, revealing a sliver of light, a stark contrast to its previous constantly closed state, where not a hint of light was seen.

During dinner, she asked Lu Nian, "Nian Nian, did someone come back to the apartment across from us today?"

Gan Shu, who has a warm and hospitable personality, had been keen on forming a new circle of friends here since her older acquaintances lived quite far away. She had become familiar with the faces of the residents coming up and down the stairs, yet the nearest neighbor remained elusive.

Lu Nian nodded, "I saw him this afternoon... just a young man, a bit older than me."

She suddenly remembered Du Ziwei mentioning that he was an orphan.

Does this mean he was living across from her alone? And why hadn't he returned for several months before this? Lu Nian found the situation puzzling as she pondered it.

Gan Shu said, "When there's a chance, we should get to know each other, being neighbors across the hall. It would be good to have mutual assistance in the future."

Lu Nian gave a noncommittal response and continued eating her meal.

She recalled the way the young man had looked at her.

But they clearly didn't know each other. Lu Nian had led a simple and systematic life since childhood, with the most serious illness she had ever contracted being a cold, and she had never encountered any accidents. She was certain there were no melodramatic amnesia plots at play.

So what was going on?

She was utterly baffled.

If what Du Ziwei said was true, he and she were people from different worlds, and it was unlikely that they would ever intersect in their lifetimes.

Perhaps it was because she had never encountered someone of his type before. She chuckled at her own sarcastic thought. After all, it was normal to be attracted to someone so handsome at first sight.

She buried her face in the pillow, gradually drifting into dreamland.

As winter approached, the weather became progressively colder day by day.

Lu Nian maintained a regular lifestyle, traveling back and forth between home and school. Since that encounter, she had not met the young man named Qin Si again.

Being a key high school, Yi Zhong had a fast-paced study routine. During the onset of winter, a male student from the neighboring class started pursuing her. Despite Lu Nian's explicit rejection, he persisted, even offering to remain just friends.

Lu Nian was a day student. After school, she headed home while the male student, who was a boarder, unexpectedly followed her, insisting that he was going to the bookstore and it was on the way. The weather forecast had predicted snow in the past few days, and now the sky looked grim. Remembering that she hadn't brought an umbrella, Lu Nian quickened her pace. Fortunately, her home was close to the school, and it wouldn't be too far even if it started to rain.

Chen Hening still followed her closely, engaging her in a series of trivial conversations, "This winter is really cold, isn't it? It hasn't even reached the New Year yet, and it's already this cold..."

Lu Nian didn't want to engage in a conversation with him, but out of politeness, she responded with a few perfunctory remarks. As the two approached the school gate, she spotted a familiar figure, causing her to hesitate mid-step.

Despite having met him only twice, his image was deeply ingrained in her memory. She recognized him instantly, but this time, he was alone, devoid of friends, standing solitary.

He seemed to be looking in their direction, his eyes somewhat distant, emanating an unusually cold demeanor, somewhat different from their previous encounter.

Chen Hemin recognized him as well. After all, the seventh middle school and the first middle school were adjacent, and Qinsi was quite a well-known figure amongst the students.

He whispered to Lu Nian, "Do you know this guy?"

Lu Nian began to shake her head but suddenly remembered that they were, in fact, neighbors and had exchanged words a couple of times. Saying she didn't know him wouldn't be entirely accurate.

"Not very well," she said, "but we live quite close to each other."

Chen Hemin, not wanting to stir trouble and sensing the underlying tone in Qin Si's gaze, reconsidered his steps. He said to Lu Nian, "I will ask Zhou Kang to help me with the books later. The weather looks gloomy today, and I fear it might rain. I better not go further; you should hurry home too."

Lu Nian felt a great sense of relief seeing him finally let go.

She was unclear about the reason behind Qin Si's presence at their school.

As they passed each other, she hesitated but eventually chose not to say anything, offering him just a slight nod and a restrained yet polite smile.

The young man remained expressionless, braving the deep winter in rather thin clothing as if unfazed by the cold. He stood at the gate in a simple school uniform from the "Love Reading Room", drawing attention without effort.

Those who recognized him deliberately took a detour around him.

Being seen with another male student, despite having no real connection with either of them, made Lu Nian feel inexplicably uncomfortable.

It had snowed not long ago, and the temperatures had dropped considerably, causing some areas to ice over.

Lost in her thoughts, Lu Nian accidentally slipped, nearly losing her balance. Though she managed to steady herself, she realized that the art supplies box she had been holding had flown out of her grasp, landing in a nearby pond.

What a stroke of bad luck.

Alone in the deep winter, Lu Nian had no option but to remove her gloves, positioning herself at the edge of the pond as she reached to retrieve it.

Being rather short, she almost toppled over into the pond, which had filled significantly due to the recent snow and rain, as she tried to reach the box.

Fortunately, she didn't fall in, saved by a timely grip on her wrist.

With her heart still racing, Lu Nian turned to find the young man swiftly releasing her wrist.

"Thank you..." Lu Nian said, her heart pounding fiercely, relieved to have avoided a potentially embarrassing fall.

Qin Si didn't respond, his gaze fixed on the art supplies box drifting towards the center of the pond, his tone seemingly void of emotion, "Do you still want it?"

Lu Nian glanced in the direction he indicated, realizing what he was referring to. The box contained several of her favorite gouache brushes and some expensive paints; it would be quite a loss to leave them. She felt a sting of reluctance.

Hesitating, she replied, "I might still need them. I'll go find someone to..."

To her surprise, he had already stepped into the water. Before Lu Nian could stop him, Qin Si had retrieved the box. He came ashore and handed the box back to her.

It was only then that Lu Nian realized how tall he was, towering over her by more than a head, with long legs. Nevertheless, the hems of his trousers and coat had turned dark, soaked with water.

The weather grew increasingly overcast, hinting at the possibility of rain.

After returning the box to her, Qin Si seemed to have no intention of waiting for a thank you. He turned around, ready to leave just like that.

Watching his retreating figure, Lu Nian felt a sudden stir in her heart, "Wait..."

He halted and turned to look at her. Despite being drenched, he didn't appear disheveled. The young man had extraordinarily beautiful eyes and a radiant smile, harboring a somewhat gloomy demeanor. He silently observed her, awaiting what she would say next.

Recalling how he had just helped her, even getting his clothes wet in the process, she felt slightly embarrassed. She asked softly, "Aren't you going home to change?"

His house was directly opposite to hers, a mere five-minute walk from here. However, the direction he was heading in wasn't the way home.

"I don't have my keys," he paused for a moment before continuing, "The spare won't be delivered until nine."

In the dead of winter, he was wet all over, all because of her.

Lu Nian whispered, "In that case, why don't you come to my place for a while? Going out in wet clothes might give you a cold."

To be honest, he didn't seem like someone easy to approach. Even Lu Nian felt that her suggestion was somewhat presumptuous.

But, he didn't reject the offer.

Lu Nian, however, found something about the situation oddly unsettling.

Both Lu Yunhua and Gan Shu were home. Gan Shu opened the door, surprised to see Lu Nian bringing a wet, unfamiliar young man into the house.

Lu Nian briefly explained the situation.

Gan Shu scolded her, "You are almost an adult, yet still so reckless."

She turned to Qin Si and said, "Thank you for looking after Nian Nian. It's cold outside, come in and have a seat."

Noticing that Qin Si was mostly wet, she instructed Lu Nian, "Nian Nian, fetch the new clothes I washed yesterday for your father, they might come in handy now."

Lu Nian brought Qin Si a dry towel and went to get some clothes from Lu Yunhua's room, intending to hand them over to him.

Unexpectedly, as she pushed open the door to the study, she saw him pulling off his wet sweater.

The young man was shirtless, his body slender yet defined, with clear and pronounced muscle lines. He was facing away from her, showcasing his narrow, lean waist that disappeared into his pants.

Lu Nian was stunned, her face instantly turning red.

Qin Si noticed her too, silently taking the clothes she handed over without uttering a word.

Beneath the young man's slender collarbone, there was a small, bright red mole. Upon seeing this, her face flushed even more, as if she had witnessed something forbidden. She hastily closed the door.

Even after she had stepped back outside, her breathing hadn't yet returned to normal.

Qin Si stood a good seven or eight centimeters taller than Lu Yunhua, possessing a slimmer build. The clothes barely fit him, with the trousers revealing a bit more ankle than they should, yet somehow he looked as dashing as ever.

To Lu Nian's surprise, those clothes seemed to acquire a new charm as they draped elegantly on him.

Lu Nian took Qin Si's damp clothing to the washing machine, planning to quickly dry them after a spin.

Gan Shu resumed her cooking, insisting that Qin Si stay for dinner since his key wouldn't arrive until nine.

Throughout the meal, Lu Nian found herself somewhat distracted, unable to fathom why Qin Si seemed so at ease, devoid of any noticeable restraint.

After dinner, which was yet to reach eight o'clock, Lu Yunhua asked him, "Young Qin, do you play Go?"

He replied, "A little."

"Why don't you join me for a few rounds?" Lu Yunhua suggested, his enthusiasm piqued.

He fancied himself a master of the game. Unfortunately, neither Lu Nian nor Gan Shu shared his enthusiasm for Go, leaving him without opponents at home. This had led to Lu Yunhua seeking opponents online recently, but he still yearned for a real, face-to-face match.

Lu Nian, who usually strolled around the house after dinner, found herself curiously watching the unfolding match.

Adorned in a light gray linen shirt and boasting neat black hair, Qin Si looked exceptionally homely. He emanated a calm aura as he pondered his next move, his profile seemingly more handsome in this tranquil state.

Lu Nian couldn't resist but to fixate her gaze upon his face, hastily diverting her eyes after a moment.

Qin Si showcased impressive skills, swiftly securing victories in the first two rounds to Lu Yunhua's dismay.

A bit embarrassed to lose in front of his daughter, Lu Yunhua insisted, "Let's go again."

Qin Si showed no signs of impatience, simply responding with a nod.

During the third game, Lu Nian retreated to her room to tackle her homework, missing Lu Yunhua's victory.

Revitalized, Lu Yunhua invited, "Young Qin, how about another round?"

The fourth game turned out to be an intense battle, with Lu Yunhua narrowly securing a win. His spirits lifted, and he found himself enjoying the young man's company even more.

Both Lu Yunhua and Gan Shu were warm and generous individuals, always welcoming towards others.

"I've heard the boy doesn't have any family," Gan Shu whispered to Lu Nian. "Living here all alone without anyone to look after him, especially coming back to an empty house after evening classes, it's truly pitiable."

While cleaning up, she casually remarked, "Your father seems quite fond of him."

A seasoned engineer with a penchant for Go, Lu Yunhua had little patience for smooth-talkers. Qin Si's respectful silence and skillful gameplay seemed to resonate well with him, providing an enjoyable experience.

Lu Nian remained silent, absorbing her mother's words.

She was aware of her parents' helpful and warm nature. Naturally, she would also want to extend a helping hand to someone in Qin Si's situation. However...

She couldn't quite articulate the odd, slightly unsettling feeling she was experiencing.

Qin Si is far different from what others describe him to be.

Despite having met only twice, she couldn't comprehend why he insisted on helping her time and again.

"The clothes are washed." Lu Nian folded the dry clothes neatly, packed them into a bag, and handed them over to him.

Qin Si accepted the bag.

Standing closely beside him, Lu Nian harbored no ulterior thoughts, observing him up close only amplified his flawless features even more.

He detected a hint of faint fragrance; she had just bathed, donning home pajamas. Both her voluminous sleeves and hair tips emanated a clean, youthful sweetness. At this proximity, he could perceive it genuinely.

A sensation that had been absent for a long while.

Only then did Lu Nian realize that he hadn't spoken for quite a while. As she looked up, she met the young man's deep black eyes, shielded by long eyelashes. Initially narrow and indifferent, now devoid of the usual coldness, revealing an emotion she couldn't decipher.

He habitually gazed at her, seemingly waiting for her to initiate something.

Lu Nian felt somewhat flustered, uncertain of what to say.

Unexpectedly, his face turned red abruptly, averting his gaze swiftly.

He had never been intimate with anyone, yet recalling the various affectionate encounters in his dreams with her... he didn't know how to express it, let alone verbalize it.

After all, it was just a dream.

In reality, they had no connection.

But, every time she drew near, his heartbeat would quicken, truly... desiring more, longing for her to treat him as she did in his dreams, was also true.

Qin Si stayed at the Lu residence for quite some time, until half-past nine when someone brought his keys.

Since their homes were adjacent, he left a favorable impression on Mr. and Mrs. Lu, who, even while escorting him back across the street, reminded him not to hesitate to ask for help and welcomed him to visit whenever he pleased.