Chapter 173

Today was a day for a decision. She couldn't... she couldn't continue like this with Xia Yan... "Bang!! Crackling..." A bright pink and purple firework rose from the ground, followed by more fireworks that seemed to spring up like mushrooms after rain, constantly crackling and illuminating the entire the Bund, as well as the two people in the darkness. The water reflected the colorful hues, as well as the neon lights flashing in the distant buildings. And in Xia Yan and Hua Xin's eyes, they reflected each other. "Happy New Year," Xia Yan said softly. The rising fireworks didn't affect the two people who had no interest in watching them. Xia Yan wanted to say so much more... but from this moment on, they were no longer a couple. A thousand words were left unsaid, only a blessing. Saying anything more would probably only annoy them, right? But even so, Xia Yan still didn't want to let go. "I like you, Gu Xin Hua." He composed himself, forcing a smile, just like when they first met. That pure gentleness and kindness. Only, at that time, the girl wasn't Gu Xin Hua. It was Hua Xin. At this moment, Hua Xin seemed to understand what kind of person she was. Or rather, Hua Xin and Gu Xin Hua were probably the same person. Or perhaps... well, it was all so complicated. The girl didn't know what she was thinking, didn't know what she should be thinking. Faced with Xia Yan's words, Hua Xin seemed to have only one option: to listen. She was afraid. She was afraid that the ending she had already decided would change again. She was afraid that when she opened her mouth, she wouldn't say a rejection. The girl couldn't see the fireworks behind her or above her. Sound was the only thing she could imagine. Actually, she could turn around and watch the dazzling fireworks display freely. But in front of her was Xia Yan. More important than anything else. "I want to ask you, and me, Xia Yan," "to become boyfriend and girlfriend who can date." Xia Yan's heart raced. A surge of courage and impulse made him abandon the surrender he had already prepared. He had said he wouldn't pester her anymore. But he couldn't bear to. He couldn't bear to give up his obsession with loving someone. "Is it okay?" Xia Yan said softly. But compared to the fireworks that rose and exploded in the sky, it was like a drop in the ocean, like a cell phone receiver from a loudspeaker. He slowly extended his right hand, his wrist visibly trembling. He was afraid. The girl's voice of refusal might ring out in the next moment, but even so, he still had to muster his courage. One minute or two minutes? Maybe a few seconds? Xia Yan couldn't feel the passage of time. "Okay." "I meant..." "I'll treat you to dinner next time." The girl's hoarse, choked voice pierced Xia Yan's entire world. The touch on his hand soothed his rapidly beating heart. And their hands clasped together. More beautiful than fireworks. 135. Shop in Danger, Return Quickly!? "Ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding..." A rapid ringtone sounded beside the pillow, but before the human fingers could even touch the phone screen, a chubby little Hachimi paw had already slapped it down. The constantly vibrating phone suddenly went silent. The alarm on the screen also disappeared. Chun Qiu yawned, then, as if losing her soul, she instantly closed her eyes and fell headfirst down, landing precisely in the cat's bed. "Hmm?" Hua Xin stared intently at the familiar ceiling, now illuminated by sunlight, her eyes filled with a deep struggle and hesitation. Although Chunqiu, sleeping in the cat's bed, had Chun Qiu onto the bed and turned off the alarm, the alarm had caused real harm. Didn't want to get up?... Didn't want to get up!!! Didn't want to go to work, didn't want to go to school, didn't want to get up, didn't want to go out?... Feeling the warmth of her blankets, after a frantic internal struggle, the girl reluctantly sat up, her face full of dejection, and casually picked up her phone to check the time. 7:00. Looks like I won't be able to have breakfast today; I'll go to the store later. After all, I ate all day yesterday, so I'm not really hungry now. "I have to go to work at eight, and the subway ride alone takes more than twenty minutes... There's no time to eat. I hope Brother Shan Qing can cook something nice today..." Hua Xin sighed, head down, and pulled out the charging cable to charge her phone. Her battle-worn Da Mi phone was nearing the end of its life; the battery life was often terrible, so she always had to carry a charger. However, the few WeChat messages displayed on the lock screen... one from her main WeChat account, and one from a secondary account. She didn't even need to guess; she knew who they were. But Hua Xin, currently in an awkward phase with Xia Yan, elegantly ignored them. The room returned to silence. After lingering in bed for a while, the girl lifted the covers, revealing a pair of slender, fair legs. The last bit of warmth in the blankets dissipated. Backache? Legs aches? Arms aches? After all, she had walked all day yesterday and been exposed to the evening breeze. Sleepy. Warning signals kept emanating from her body, causing Hua Xin to whimper in pain and collapse back onto the bed, her head lolling to the side and her eyes closing as if she had been shot. (The blanket, which had been pulled back, immediately wrapped tightly around the girl again.) She let out a peaceful sigh. Just five more minutes. Just five minutes. It's all that wretched shrimp-headed man Xia Yan's fault... Recalling the events of last night, Hua Xin couldn't help but think of the details, those irresistible scenes still occasionally echoing in her memory. She curled up, her heart racing. Well, naturally, it was because she was thinking about hot pot and delicious food that she felt tempted. The girl silently turned over, avoiding the row of small dinosaur plush toys placed in front of her. Five minutes. As the saying goes, "The bridge will straighten in the end, and there will always be a way out." Since she'd already been dragged into this situation by Xia Yan (it wasn't her own choice), she could only continue playing the role of Xia Yan's little girlfriend, that is, Gu Xin Hua ... The girl somewhat resignedly curled up on the pillow, adjusting to a more comfortable position. As for when she would finally break off her relationship with Xia Yan ... minutes... only heaven knows. This was also for Xia Yan's own good; to avoid hurting this young virgin's feelings, she could only continue this white lie. At the same time, it was also to prevent Xia Yan from being harassed by the likes of Lin Qingyu and Liu Ruoyun; she felt more at ease having to keep an eye on this troublesome Xia Yan. A heavy drowsiness swept over her again, causing Hua Xin's eyelids to close heavily. Did she still need to play two roles? This question had actually been answered last night. Under Xia Yan's rambling description of his recent actions, things like "deleting all those people" and "being myself"—those childish phrases—he didn't think he was cool.