Gossip and Little Airplane

Many things cannot be done openly, nor can they be said, much less described in detail; their subtleties can only be imagined and experienced by oneself.

But if you don't talk about it, it's like scratching an itch without getting anywhere—it's so frustrating.

Therefore, it must be expressed subtly. That's why people often say that traditional culture emphasizes subtlety in its expression. Indeed, it's a consistent tradition, which is understandable and must be accepted.

This is why we have various poems and prose about love and romance, represented by Tang poetry and Song lyrics. Within a framework and within acceptable limits, people can express themselves freely, creating endless and boundless expressions of love and romance.

Of course, none of this has anything to do with Liu Chang'an asking An Nuan to help make face cream. It's just like the Yellow River flowing from the sky, a river of spring water flowing eastward—it's all just water.

Real.

"How can I help you?" An Nuan blinked at Liu Chang'an, looking very obedient as she waited to be told what to do by Liu Chang'an.

When a girl unconditionally trusts her boyfriend, she always seems exceptionally naive, as if she believes that bad people will definitely be eliminated by justice.

"Didn't you buy more than ten pairs of stockings last time? Why don't you go home and film a video of yourself trying them on?" Liu Chang'an said after thinking for a moment.

"Huh?" An Nuan was both embarrassed and disappointed, because this had nothing to do with making face cream. She was looking forward to being deeply involved in the production process of Liu Chang'an's magical face cream.

However, from another perspective, she was somewhat pleased because Liu Chang'an had once again revealed that he had lewd thoughts about her.

"The video should be filmed like this..." Liu Chang'an considered for a moment, then remembered an animated GIF of a girl sitting and putting on stockings. He then made some requests. "You can wear a skirt and sit on the bed to try it on. Whether you wear safety shorts or not is up to you, but if you do, it's best not to show it in the video. You can also wear more conservative boxer shorts; actually, they're not that different from safety shorts. Many people can't even tell the difference between safety shorts and boxer shorts these days... In social terms, underwear is generally defined as undergarments, a part of a woman's privacy, and shouldn't be shown to outsiders. However, psychologically, the definition of privacy is often linked to the occasion. For example, showing bikini bottoms on the beach isn't considered exposure, just as showing safety shorts under a skirt isn't considered exposure. Safety shorts simply provide women with a fictitious shield under the guise of safety, changing the definition of privacy... What's even more interesting is that the origin of safety shorts is actually men's harem pants as outer clothing. Later, with the rise of feminism and the design needs of the Japan Olympic Games... of course, the key was the later development and popularization by the Japan, which gave rise to the prototype of modern safety shorts..."

"What exactly are you trying to say?" An Nuan looked at her boyfriend with disbelief. Weren't they just talking about making face cream?

"What I mean is, this shows that women are used to self-deception, self-comfort, and self-satisfaction. Therefore, the simplest solution is for you to film yourself trying on stockings and send them a video, then I'll buy a bottle of Dabao (a popular Chinese skincare brand), repackage it, and you can give it to them," Liu Chang'an said confidently. "After learning that I made it, even if the smell and usage experience are indistinguishable from Dabao, they will still feel self-assured and satisfied, believing their skin has been greatly improved."

"Then... then... then there's absolutely no need for me to film any videos of me trying on stockings!" An Nuan's eyes widened. Sure enough, when it came to tactics, her boyfriend was the most skilled and adept at it. He even managed to make An Nuan feel that it was perfectly reasonable to just do as he said.

"Of course I need it. You're my girlfriend. Looking into your eyes, I can tell you're very interested in this kind of behavior—a subtle yet alluring experience that avoids making you nervous or putting you in a half-hearted, reluctant way—allowing you to experience the intimacy of your first time together. I'm sure you've even thought about how to film it to make it look better and more seductive to me," Liu Chang'an said confidently. "The term 'repressed slut' may not sound nice, but it's a very apt description..."

"Who's half-heartedly going along with you! Who's secretly a pervert!"

An Nuan's cheeks flushed red. She hadn't felt the urge to tear Liu Chang'an's mouth apart in a long time. She jumped up, grabbed Liu Chang'an's shoulders, and ran behind him, trying to climb onto his back and shake him to the ground.

Liu Chang'an sat down on the long bluestone slab by the roadside, letting An Nuan rage and run around in a huff.

"My requirements are simple. You can sit on the bed to try on the clothes during the shoot. The camera should be in the lower left corner, capturing your most prized feature—your long legs. No background music during the shoot; quiet is best, creating a simple, everyday shooting environment," Liu Chang'an continued, seemingly oblivious to his surroundings. "After you finish filming the video, I'll start making the face cream."

"Wh... what..." An Nuan stopped pushing Liu Chang'an in surprise, because Liu Chang'an was sitting there talking to himself, and An Nuan couldn't do anything about it. This guy's butt seemed to be rooted to the spot. "Didn't you say you'd use Dabao?"

"I was just joking. How could I possibly encourage you to deceive your own friends?" Liu Chang'an frowned slightly. "You used a foam mat again today?"

"No!" An Nuan shouted angrily, "Mine has grown up!"

"Oh, you lied to me again."

"I'm not lying to you!"

"I allow you to lie to me about this."

"Liu Chang'an, I fucking..."

"What about me?"

"I... I... I'm fine..." An Nuan hurriedly denied.

"Bye-bye, I'm going home now. Remember to film a video sometime."

As they walked outside the Juyuan residential area, Liu Chang'an waved goodbye to An Nuan, who was still fuming. She stomped her feet, while he smiled.

An Nuan stomped her feet angrily at Liu Chang'an's back. Watching his long shadow sweep across the roadside until it disappeared from sight, An Nuan finally smiled slightly and hummed a gentle tune as she walked back.

There are some things that boys would really want to do, and girls are pretty much the same. It's just that An Nuan can't be too proactive in this matter. It's not that she's a repressed flirt, as Liu Chang'an said, but rather that she's reserved. It's an emotion that's a combination of various social influences, humanistic spirit, historical traditions, and natural evolution.

However, today was a good start; he finally engaged in substantial flirting with her and, as her boyfriend, legitimately demanded his "benefits."

But he was being too self-righteous. His frankness was like when he was in high school and asked An Nuan to copy his homework or test papers for him.

Could it be that he developed this bad habit because I and Gao Dewei helped him with his homework back then? So much so that even though he clearly suggested that he should carefully consider whether his girlfriend would refuse or find him too lewd and repulsive, he was so domineering, as if he didn't consider her feelings at all.

What an annoying guy.

However... he's right. When An Nuan is alone, she will naturally think about how to take more alluring photos in a casual and natural way... No girl doesn't want to see her boyfriend explode with desire because of the temptation emanating from her beautiful body.

After taking the photos... An Nuan thought to herself that she should wait until he asked for them before sending them to him.

"Warm and cozy!"

An Nuan was wondering why there was a pair of shoes by the door that didn't belong to her when she heard Han Zhizhi's voice.

"Zhizhi!"

Overjoyed An Nuan rushed over and hugged Han Zhizhi tightly, jumping and skipping with delight.

"Weren't you supposed to be back in a couple of days?" An Nuan asked happily.

"I can't wait any longer! I took the fastest high-speed train, it only took a little over four hours!" Han Zhizhi said excitedly, while looking An Nuan up and down.

"That's true. Actually, if I come back on Later Zhou and don't have classes on Monday mornings, it'll be quite convenient to go back to Junsha for the weekend." An Nuan suddenly realized that her friend wasn't actually going to a very far place, and she was immediately very happy. "She can even go shopping with me on the weekend."

"Really? You still have time to go shopping with me on the weekend? Liu Chang'an must be so disgusted with me!" Han Zhizhi said with a grin.

"Is he that concerned about me?" An Nuan couldn't help but shake her head with a laugh. "He spends his time at home breaking bricks, reading, lounging around, doing whatever he wants. He's not that concerned about being with me."

"A man was chasing me... and he came to Junsha," Han Zhizhi said in a low voice, feeling both embarrassed and a little smug.

"No way? This is a bit... awkward." An Nuan looked left and right, thankfully Han Zhizhi didn't seem to have brought anyone with her.

"Yeah, we've only known each other for a short time... and besides, I'm going home." Han Zhizhi said helplessly. "Fortunately, he didn't want to come back here with me. He found a hotel to stay in by himself and said he'd come to see me tomorrow to look around Junsha."

"Oh, I see. He used the excuse of wanting to travel to Junsha, so he came with you." An Nuan knew Han Zhizhi quite well. If that man had openly followed Han Zhizhi under the pretense of pursuing her, Han Zhizhi definitely wouldn't have been happy. But since he just wanted to travel to Junsha, who could say anything about it?

But we're not children anymore; don't we understand each other's true intentions? That's why Han Zhizhi didn't beat around the bush and directly said that he had come after her.

Han Zhizhi nodded, pulled An Nuan into the room, and closed the door... This kind of topic was something for sisters to discuss privately.

"If my mom finds out, she won't care if it's not my fault; she'll definitely beat me up. You have to keep this a secret for me," Han Zhizhi said in a low voice.

"Don't you trust me? I won't tell anyone." An Nuan patted her chest, which she felt had grown a little bigger, to assure her.

"That guy is a classmate of ours. Well... he's fairly handsome, though not as tall as Liu Chang'an. But looking at your recent photos, Liu Chang'an seems to have grown quite a bit taller since the first half of the year. Boys are so lucky; they can still grow taller at this age. We basically stop growing at sixteen..."

"Go on, tell me your own story." An Nuan looked at Han Zhizhi expectantly as she continued to tell her gossip.

"He's the kind of guy girls like, pretty sporty and sunny. He's good at skateboarding, basketball, and street dance. When he sings at karaoke, he's the kind of guy who can attract a crowd." Han Zhizhi sat on the chair by the bed, deep in thought.

"Isn't this your type?" An Nuan asked curiously, clearly not expecting Han Zhizhi to accept his advances anytime soon.

"I don't know either... I think I should like this type, but thinking about it carefully, it seems a bit childish and pretentious." Han Zhizhi frowned, not quite understanding herself. "Maybe it's because this kind of boy attracts too much attention from girls, and I wouldn't feel safe as a girlfriend."

An Nuan chuckled.

Han Zhizhi sensed the gossip and immediately perked up, raising an eyebrow to signal An Nuan.

"I don't have much to say. It's still the same people you know. His beautiful cousin, whose figure and face look like they were made from a template, and that pretty girl he's rumored to have liked for three years, those two..." An Nuan didn't really pay attention to Zhu Juntang. Her height and bust were her biggest flaws. Liu Chang'an really was picky about physical attributes when he liked someone... But it wasn't that she didn't mind at all. After all, Zhu Juntang was very pretty. Even without long legs and a big bust, her figure was well-proportioned and her skin was flawless.

"Cousin, why are you jealous?"

"That's my cousin, who's not even related to me by blood. Her mother almost became Liu Chang'an's fiancée, but thankfully Liu Chang'an refused." An Nuan cursed in lingering fear. She really held a grudge about this. Even though she didn't mention it to Liu Chang'an anymore, it was impossible for her to have no resentment at all.

"Holy crap, there's such a connection? That's a ticking time bomb!" Han Zhizhi said worriedly. She knew that An Nuan was deeply in love with Liu Chang'an, her first love. If An Nuan were to be stolen away, this friend might have to become a nun and renounce worldly life.

"There's no possibility of an explosion right now, let's not talk about it." An Nuan waved her hand. "I won't mention Bai Hui either. Anyway, Liu Chang'an only has eyes for me right now, these little vixens don't need my help."

"You're so confident." Han Zhizhi didn't have the same confidence An Nuan had in Liu Chang'an. Girls tend to be quite rational when looking at other people's relationships before they've fallen deeply in love themselves.

"Because I'm a fox spirit, you understand?"

An Nuan mysteriously locked the door from the inside, then opened the wardrobe and took out all sorts of socks, including long socks, short socks, mid-calf socks, and knee-high socks, which she had bought last time.

"Damn it, you're so slutty!" Han Zhizhi exclaimed in surprise, then giggled. "You actually bought so much, aren't you afraid your Liu Chang'an will die from exhaustion?"

"What are you thinking?" An Nuan blushed slightly and playfully hit Han Zhizhi. "I just wanted to wear it for him to see, and only to film a video for him to see."

"Shooting a video for him to see, rather than dressing up for him, does seem a bit more provocative." Han Zhizhi wholeheartedly agreed with An Nuan's idea. "You're so clever."

An Nuan was too embarrassed to say that Liu Chang'an had asked her to take the photos, so she preferred to take the blame for being "flirtatious" herself. After all, it was Han Zhizhi, not someone else who was saying that about her.

"I'll take the photos after you leave. You're in Junsha these next few days, so you'll sleep with me tonight."

"I'll take the picture for you!"

"I don't want to!"

"But... you two really didn't have sex? I feel like you've been nourished, is it really just thanks to that face cream?" Han Zhizhi finally remembered the most important task her mother had entrusted to her, otherwise Professor Ling wouldn't have reimbursed her travel expenses. It's all because she couldn't stand it for more than twenty days after the start of the semester and wanted to go home, and she couldn't even wait until National Day.

"Ugh! I'm firmly against premarital sex," An Nuan said righteously. "Oh, right, your face is sunburned, isn't it? I'll put some on it for you after you wash your face, so you can see for yourself."

Han Zhizhi's school's military training was a week longer than Xiangtan University's, and Han Zhizhi's skin has indeed not recovered yet.

"But speaking of which, if you guys really want to do that, remember to use safety measures... I've really learned a lot since I started university. The girls in my dorm... we usually think we're pretty dirty, but they're like sewage trucks, oh my god... have you ever heard of finger cots?"

"No, what is that?"

Han Zhizhi then taught An Nuan the dirty tricks she had learned, and the two talked for a while before stopping the topic.

Han Zhizhi washed her face, and then An Nuan gave Han Zhizhi a tiny bit of face cream to apply to her face.

Almost instantly, Han Zhizhi felt much more comfortable on her face. The sensation of a thin layer of moisture soaking into her skin gave her a repairing ability that was completely different from ordinary cosmetics.

"Wow, that's amazing! No wonder my mom was so insistent on me being the go-between!" Han Zhizhi patted An Nuan's shoulder happily. "Selling you to Liu Chang'an was definitely a good deal."

"How are you feeling?" An Nuan suppressed a laugh and touched Han Zhizhi's cheek.

"It feels cool and refreshing, delicate and moisturizing, a completely different feeling from ordinary skincare products," Han Zhizhi said confidently.

"Actually..." An Nuan remembered what Liu Chang'an had said before and couldn't help but laugh, "The cream I applied to you was just a bottle of Guerlain face cream from my mom, and she complained that it wasn't good enough..."

"You! You actually tricked me!" Han Zhizhi was furious. "Hand over the real thing! Or I won't sleep with you tonight!"

"Okay, okay..." An Nuan then took out her most treasured bottle of her boyfriend's face cream.

This time, Han Zhizhi suppressed her feelings of satisfaction and joy. Although she had many pleasant surprises, she was too embarrassed to express her opinions. However, Han Zhizhi was once again certain that it was indeed worthwhile for her mother to send her to be the mediator. If she completed the task, her mother would surely be happy to give her more pocket money.

"Let's have a four-person date tomorrow," Han Zhizhi said to An Nuan, looking at her reflection in the mirror.

An Nuan thought for a moment, then looked at Han Zhizhi instead of answering immediately.

"As a native of Junsha, when my classmate came to Junsha for tourism and asked me to be his tour guide, I really had no reason to refuse out of courtesy... But I also didn't want to be alone with him; it felt too ambiguous and awkward." Han Zhizhi certainly had good reasons.

"The point is, let me help you vet him and see what kind of person he is, okay?" An Nuan smiled knowingly. What young girl doesn't have feelings for someone? Especially since Han Zhizhi saw that An Nuan was dating, it would be impossible for her not to have those thoughts. So, although Han Zhizhi didn't feel love at first sight for this guy, she was willing to get to know him better, observe him in more detail and daily life, and listen to her best friend's opinion.

"You're so annoying!" Han Zhizhi punched An Nuan lightly, her slightly rounder cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"Your charm is amazing... You actually managed to get someone to follow you all the way from the Central Sea to Junsha." An Nuan clicked her tongue in admiration, and at the same time, she remembered Liu Chang'an's words, "Wherever you go, I'll go," and a happy smile appeared on her lips. She wasn't jealous of her best friend's charm.

"I've discovered that whenever I'm not with you, I'm incredibly charming." Han Zhizhi looked at An Nuan with a slightly infatuated expression. "If I were a man, Liu Chang'an wouldn't stand a chance, wouldn't you say?"

"Pah, if you were a man, Liu Chang'an would have killed you." An Nuan laughed as she swatted away Han Zhizhi's outstretched hand that tried to hug her.

"That's settled then, but you absolutely must invite Liu Chang'an along," Han Zhizhi earnestly instructed.

"Is there something to it?" An Nuan asked curiously.

"First, you're Liu Chang'an's girlfriend. Anyone would be reluctant to have you accompany another guy, right? It's fine as long as he's there. Second, having another guy around allows for comparison, making it easier for us to observe and contrast." Han Zhizhi was a girl with relatively normal emotional intelligence and values.

"That's true. Actually, even if you hadn't said anything, I would have invited Liu Chang'an anyway. He always says I'm very jealous, but he's not that petty..." An Nuan smiled slightly and said somewhat shyly, "Actually, I quite enjoy watching his possessiveness show."

"There's a story behind it?" Han Zhizhi still had a very keen sense for gossip.

An Nuan then started talking to Han Zhizhi. Girls are always especially happy and willing to talk about things their boyfriends do because they care about them.

When Liu Chang'an received An Nuan's message about tomorrow's arrangements, he was cooking duck.

To make duck, of course, is to make a dish using duck as the main ingredient, nothing more.

When it comes to ducks, the most familiar saying is naturally "Ducks are the first to know when the spring river warms." If you think of the article "The Duck Favorite," you will probably have other feelings and questions. As for how you feel and have questions, it is not appropriate to interpret them in detail here.

Liu Chang'an bought a fat duck, cleaned it, chopped it into eight pieces, soaked it in sweet wine and soy sauce, put it in a ceramic jar, sealed it with hemp paper, then covered it with mud to seal it, and put it in a dry pot to steam.

This method naturally requires steaming over firewood, so Liu Chang'an called the person who was eager to start the fire back from the rice noodle shop. Liu Chang'an also promised Zhou Shuling that he would teach Zhou Dongdong how to do his homework.

Zhou Dongdong lit a long incense stick as a guide for the fire's start, and then began to tend the fire.

"Brother Chang'an, I'll help you start the fire, and you'll help me with my homework, okay?"

"You help me start the fire, and I'll treat you to duck, or do you want me to do your homework? Choose one."

"I want to eat duck, and I also want you to help me with my homework."

"Keep dreaming."

Zhou Dongdong wasn't discouraged by the rejection at all. "Then how about you teach me to fly first?"

"Aren't you a little airplane? Little airplanes can fly by themselves, they don't need anyone to teach them."

"I'm just a little airplane that can't fly..." Zhou Dongdong, aside from refusing to admit that she was a stupid child, was quite self-aware in other aspects.

"Oh, so you're Little Machine." Liu Chang'an nodded.

"You're the little chick! You're the little rooster, clucking..." Zhou Dongdong started singing a song she learned in kindergarten, and couldn't help but feel nostalgic for her own kindergarten days.

"Why do you want to learn to fly?" Liu Chang'an asked.

"I told Taozi I could fly, but I've never actually flown," Zhou Dongdong said sadly. Today, she swung her arms around very fast again, but she still fell. She was still just a little bit short of flying.

"That is a problem, otherwise people will think I'm a bragging kid." Liu Chang'an fell into deep thought. Flying is not a simple thing. For example, round animals like pigs and pandas cannot fly.

Zhou Dongdong was extremely frustrated. She wasn't a bragging kid. She only thought it was natural for her to be able to fly because she believed she was a little airplane.

"Alright." Liu Chang'an nodded reluctantly; after all, he was just a grandfather figure always by his side.

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