Because Chu Ci realized his grandmother was standing right beside him.
He did not mind himself, but if Grandma found out that her beloved grandson had kissed a man...
Chu Ci could not afford to take that risk yet.
So he stopped the conversation just in time.
"Grandma, let me take you upstairs first."
Chu Ci had not had time to buy groceries yet. He planned to take Grandma upstairs first, then buy some groceries at the nearby market.
"All right."
Grandma's name was Shen Qingxiu.
In her generation, people liked giving girls names using words such as "elegance," "fragrance," "beauty," and "rosy clouds."
Grandma had been named Qingxiu because her father had received a few years of schooling and knew that "qingxiu" was a word meaning "delicate and graceful." In her generation, it had been a distinctive, lovely name.
Ever since learning that Chu Ci had Ye Qingzhou keeping him company, Shen Qingxiu had gradually relaxed. She knew she had been worrying needlessly. Chu Ci was already in his twenties and had no obvious physical impairments. What could possibly happen to him?
That was all well and good in theory, but Chu Ci was Shen Qingxiu's one precious grandson. Worry clouded her judgment, and with his phone unreachable the whole time, she could not help imagining things.
If she had not happened to run into Ye Qingzhou, she might have had to take her cane and go into the market to look for Chu Ci herself.
Shen Qingxiu had lived here for over a year and was fairly familiar with the nearby streets. Even if Ye Qingzhou had not appeared in time, she probably would not have met with any mishap.
Shen Qingxiu had never heard Chu Ci mention "his friends." It was rare to meet someone who called himself Chu Ci's friend, and she felt a little more affection for Ye Qingzhou. "Xiao Ye, you must stay for dinner. Our Cici loves my braised pork ribs best. You should try them too..."
Ye Qingzhou instinctively glanced at Chu Ci.
Only after seeing Chu Ci give him a slight nod did Ye Qingzhou nod and agree. "Thank you, Grandma. Thank you for cooking for us tonight..."
"Of course, of course."
Grandma immediately beamed.
Chu Ci had been rather withdrawn since childhood. He had not liked making friends at school, nor had he ever brought friends home the way others his age did. Shen Qingxiu had always worried that Chu Ci would be alone and lonely. Now, Ye Qingzhou's appearance had eased her anxiety to some extent.
"Let me take you upstairs first..."
As the night wore on, even the breeze carried a chill. Worried that Grandma would catch cold if she stayed downstairs too long, Chu Ci said, "Ye Qingzhou and I will buy some groceries at the nearby market. It shouldn't take too long, probably ten or fifteen minutes. Just be good and wait upstairs for us..."
"All right, all right."
Shen Qingxiu nodded with a smile.
Chu Ci had intended to support her as she climbed the stairs, but Ye Qingzhou crouched down right in front of her. "Grandma, shall I carry you?"
Chu Ci glanced at Ye Qingzhou's strong, sturdy frame, then looked up at the dilapidated stairs without refusing him.
These stairs really were not very accommodating to the elderly.
"Wouldn't it be too much trouble?"
"Not at all."
Ye Qingzhou lifted her onto his back. "A beauty as light as you, Grandma? I could carry ten more with strength to spare."
Although Shen Qingxiu was already old, she still smiled when Ye Qingzhou called her a "beauty." "If only our Cici were half as sweet-tongued as you..."
The original owner had been rather awkward and had not known how to express his feelings. His words had always come out stiff, too. He liked showing his love for Grandma through his actions. A compliment like "beauty" was something he absolutely could not have said aloud.
But the soul inside this body now was Chu Ci.
Watching the two of them getting along so happily, he feigned indignation. "Grandma, I can't let you say that."
"Hmm?"
"Ye Qingzhou only told the honest truth. How can you call him sweet-tongued?"
Shen Qingxiu froze for two seconds before realizing what Chu Ci meant. Her thoughts drifted for a few seconds, and she said with a smile, "Cici, you're becoming more and more outgoing. Grandma is truly happy for you..."
At that, Chu Ci fell silent for a few seconds.
If Grandma knew the person in front of her was not the grandson she thought of so fondly, she would probably... be very sad, wouldn't she?
Grandma did not notice anything unusual about Chu Ci. She turned her attention back to Ye Qingzhou. "Xiao Ye, how long have you and Cici known each other? Cici hasn't been bullying you, has he? He can be rather stubborn sometimes. If he's done anything wrong, I apologize on his behalf. Good friends need to be tolerant of each other. You can only stay close for a long time if you're considerate of each other..."
Ye Qingzhou's voice held a gentle smile as he patiently explained, "Teacher Chu and I have known each other for a long time. He hasn't bullied me, either. He's a wonderful person with a very soft heart, the classic sharp tongue and soft heart. Besides, Teacher Chu must have his own reasons for what he does. Even if he gets angry, it's for my own good, so I wouldn't blame him..."
Chu Ci stared blankly at Ye Qingzhou.
What did he mean, they had known each other for a long time? Hadn't they only met today? And how did Ye Qingzhou know he had a sharp tongue and a soft heart?
Still, Chu Ci thoroughly agreed with Ye Qingzhou's claim that "Teacher Chu must have his own reasons for what he does."
[He probably said that to reassure Grandma, right? After all, Ye Qingzhou already said you two were good friends. Who becomes good friends on the very first day they meet? He probably said that to make the whole "you two are good friends" thing seem more believable and convincing, right?]
Lele explained.
Chu Ci thought for a few seconds and agreed with its reasoning.
Becoming "good friends" on the very first day they met really was not very convincing. Ye Qingzhou had probably said that to reassure Grandma, right? As for the things he had said afterward-"a wonderful person," "a very soft heart," and "a sharp tongue and a soft heart"-perhaps Ye Qingzhou had simply made them up on the spot to make his earlier words sound genuine and credible.
"Is that what you usually call Cici?"
Shen Qingxiu felt that "Teacher Chu" sounded a little distant, so she took the initiative to suggest, "Why don't you call him Cici like I do? That'll bring you two closer."
Chu Ci: "..."
For now, he could only accept his elders calling him "Cici." If Ye Qingzhou called him "Cici"...
Before Chu Ci could reach any conclusion, Ye Qingzhou took up Shen Qingxiu's suggestion and called him "Cici."
Ye Qingzhou had a very distinctive voice. The slight upward lilt at the end carried an inexplicable hint of intimacy.
It... actually sounded pretty nice?