The shopping mall is located in the eastern part of Capital City, not far from Ruanning Music's studio.
The two were disguised, their hats pulled low and their masks up to their noses, leaving only their eyes visible.
Cheng Che parked the car in the underground garage, and the two of them took the elevator up to the first floor of the mall.
Yan Ruanning came alive the moment she entered the mall.
She was a little embarrassed in the car, but now she's regained her excitement of "I'm going shopping!"
She tugged at Cheng Che's sleeve and led him into a store, saying without turning her head, "I'll buy it for you first."
"Buy it for me?"
"Yes." Yan Ruanning stood in front of the clothes rack, flipping through them without looking up. "You've been traveling around a lot lately, and the clothes have all been gifts from brands. I'll pick out a few for you today."
Cheng Che did not refuse.
He really rarely buys clothes for himself.
He has a whole walk-in closet full of gifts from brands like LV, Gucci, Nike, and Rolex, and he can't even wear them all.
But the feeling is different when someone gives you a gift versus when you choose it yourself.
Yan Ruanning picked out a dark gray knitted cardigan, held it up against him, then stepped back half a step to examine it closely before nodding. "This looks good. Gray makes you look fairer."
Cheng Che took it, glanced at it, and then flipped over the price tag.
More than three thousand.
"You'll pay?"
"I'll pay," Yan Ruanning said matter-of-factly, slightly raising her chin. "I said I'd treat."
Cheng Che draped his cardigan over his arm and said nothing more.
The two then visited a few more stores.
Yan Ruanning picked out two T-shirts, a pair of pants, and a hat for Cheng Che, while Cheng Che picked out a beige trench coat and a scarf for her.
Yan Ruanning paused for a moment when she saw the scarf, then picked it up, wrapped it around her neck, and looked at herself in the mirror.
How did you know I like this color?
"Just a guess."
Cheng Che leaned against the shelf next to him, speaking casually.
He had, of course, asked Aunt Yan Ping, but there was no need to mention it.
Yan Ruanning glanced at him, a slight smirk playing on her lips, but didn't expose him.
After buying the clothes, the two went into the supermarket on the basement level of the mall.
Yan Ruanning pushed a shopping cart to the fresh produce section, looked at the ribs and vegetables in the freezer, and suddenly stopped.
She turned her head and stared at Cheng Che with those bright, sparkling eyes:
I want to eat your cooking.
Cheng Che glanced down at the ribs in the shopping cart, then at her, and gave a helpless smile.
"Alright. I'll cook, but you'll have to help me."
"Don't worry, I can chop and wash vegetables." Yan Ruanning hummed happily as she pushed the cart forward.
Cheng Che looked at her and smiled, but didn't expose her.
The two of them bought pork ribs, green vegetables, tofu, tomatoes, a bag of rice, and a carton of eggs.
Yan Ruanning stuffed two more bags of potato chips and a box of chocolates into the snack section, saying they were "after-dinner snacks," and then casually pushed the cart away.
After paying the bill, Cheng Che carried two large bags, Yan Ruanning held the bag of clothes. The two of them exited through the back door of the mall and got into the car.
Back in his apartment on the East Fourth Ring Road, Cheng Che placed his things on the kitchen counter and began washing and chopping vegetables.
Yan Ruanning stood to the side, wanting to help but unsure where to begin.
She watched Cheng Che skillfully blanch the ribs, slice the ginger, and break the scallions into sections, and felt a little embarrassed.
What can I do?
"Wash the vegetables." Cheng Che pointed to the greens in the sink.
Yan Ruanning rolled up her sleeves and rinsed the vegetables under running water.
After rinsing it twice, Cheng Che glanced at it and said, "You need to break the roots apart to wash away the mud."
Yan Ruanning looked down and, sure enough, there was a layer of mud hidden inside the cabbage.
She separated the vegetable leaves and rinsed it again.
"Fine." She glanced at Cheng Che, then said matter-of-factly, "I really don't know how."
"Take your time," Cheng Che comforted her. "Nobody is born knowing how."
The two of them worked quietly in the kitchen, one chopping vegetables and the other washing them. The only sounds were the knife hitting the cutting board and the running water from the tap.
Yan Ruanning was washing, she suddenly whispered, "You look quite good when you cook."
Cheng Che didn't look up. "Even if someone is good-looking, they're not as good-looking as you."
Anyone can give a compliment.
Cheng Che is now a perfect candidate for scumbag.
Yan Ruanning paused for a moment, then continued washing the vegetables, a smile curving her lips.
The ribs were stewed for forty minutes. When they were ready, Yan Ruanning came over and smelled them, her eyes lighting up.
"It smells so good."
The two sat at the dining table, each with a bowl of pork rib soup, a plate of stir-fried vegetables, and a plate of scrambled eggs with tomatoes.
Yan Ruanning picked up a piece of pork rib, put it in her mouth, chewed it twice, and nodded.
"It's quite authentic."
"If it's not authentic, just come more often, and I'll get used to it."
Yan Ruanning glanced at him, her ears turning slightly red, but she didn't mince words:
"Then you'll have to practice more. I'm only eating here today because I'm giving you face."
Cheng Che smiled but didn't reply.
After the meal, Yan Ruanning helped clear the dishes.
She leaned against the kitchen counter, glanced at her phone, her expression changed, and the corners of her mouth turned down slightly.
"I have to go," she said, sounding a little dejected. "I have a recording session tomorrow, and I need to go back and prepare tonight."
Cheng Che nodded. "I'll take you."
"No need. Xiao Zhou is here to pick me up; he's already downstairs."
She walked to the entryway, changed her shoes, picked up her bag, and glanced back at him.
He wanted to say something, but swallowed it back. In the end, he only managed to say, "Don't give me elementary school math problems next time."
"That's from junior high?" Cheng Che leaned against the kitchen door frame, raising an eyebrow.
Yan Ruanning glared at him, pushed open the door, and left.
Cheng Che closed the door and stood in the living room, listening to the sound of the elevator doors opening and closing.
Then he went back to the sofa, lay down for a while, and stared at the ceiling.
He remembered that little courtyard.
He has already applied for off-campus accommodation in the Peking University dormitory and is also living in an apartment in the East Fourth Ring Road, but the lease on the rented courtyard house has not yet expired.
He never quit because sometimes when he wanted to be alone, that place was more comfortable than the apartment.
The courtyard wasn't large, but there was an old locust tree whose shade could cover half the courtyard in the summer.
He was going back to Peking University for classes tomorrow, so after thinking about it, he decided to stay at the small courtyard tonight.
He picked up his car keys and went out.
The courtyard was located in an old alley. He parked his car at the entrance of the alley, walked in, took out his key, and opened the courtyard gate.
The courtyard was quiet, and the branches of the old locust tree cast a shadow in the night.
He was about to go inside when the door to the side room opened.
Su Miaoyin came out from inside, carrying a bag of trash in her hand, wearing pajamas, her hair casually tied up.
She saw someone standing in the yard, paused for a moment, and then recognized the eyes by the light from the porch.
" Cheng Che?"
Her voice carried a hint of uncertainty, as if she were confirming that she hadn't misread the words.
Cheng Che took off his mask and nodded.
The trash bag in Su Miaoyin's hand fell to the ground.
She ran over and threw herself into his arms, burying her face in his chest, her voice muffled as a string of words escaped her lips:
"Why are you here? When did you get back? Why didn't you tell me?"
Cheng Che was knocked back half a step by her, but then regained his balance.
He reached out and gently patted her back twice.
He can now hug girls without any qualms!
"Just got back. Going back to school tomorrow, but I was thinking of staying over tonight."
Su Miaoyin raised her head, her eyes sparkling, as if she had a lot to say but didn't know where to begin.
She looked at him, then suddenly remembered something, and her expression changed.
"Did you have meal?"
"Have eaten."
"Oh." She was a little disappointed, then unwilling to give up, "Are you hungry? I can make you something."
Cheng Che looked down at her, at her bright, sparkling eyes and the tip of her nose that was slightly red from running so fast, and smiled.
"Would you like to eat?" He softened his voice a little. "I'll make you something."
Su Miaoyin's eyes lit up immediately.